The Quarantine 15: Chapter 14

9 months of Quarantine

Alex hated flying and doing so during a global pandemic only amped up his anxiety. It was a little over a week before Christmas and he was flying back home to Denver, Colorado against the recommendations of the world’s leading epidemiologists.

He wore a red cashmere sweater he’d recently purchased as he plodded from security to his gate. The sweater fit him appropriately snug in a manner he found dignified. It clung to his bulky frame but was not stretched out or riding up. Alex was far past the point of being able to conceal his fattened form so he decided to show it off proudly with clothes that hugged him in all the right places.

What he hadn’t anticipated, however, was just how warm it would be inside the airport. He wasn’t used to walking far distances and it seemed like he would never reach his gate. His armpits and the creases formed by his moobs and underbelly began to perspire. He yearned to remove his sweater, but the T-shirt he was wearing was not nearly as dignified as his outer layer. All of his tees from last summer ceased to fully cover his gut since his last growth spurt around the beginning of November. As of late they simply served as undershirts.

Emilio, meanwhile, was dealing with a similar issue at his parents’ house. He simply couldn’t get his pants buttoned no matter how hard he tried to suck in. These were a new pair that he’d bought after dropping 30 pounds a month ago and they were less than forgiving. After mustering all of his strength to clench them closed he finally gave up and released his breath. His gut bounced forward and Emilio knew what he had to do. He found a safety pin and cinched them closed.

He wasn’t surprised by his pants not fitting. Emilio knew full well that he was beginning to plump up again. Hell, he’d popped a button off a previous pair on Thanksgiving! In fact, it was Thanksgiving that set this in motion. Ever since letting loose and going hog wild that evening Emilio had been plagued with an insatiable hunger. His parents' meals simply weren’t cutting it and he began developing elaborate plans to sneak more food into the house.

One technique involved ordering take out to the empty house down the block and secretly eating it in the backyard. Naturally, he was taking numerous fast food runs a week, most often after finishing one of his mother’s stodgy health food meals. The snack reserve under his bed had evolved into a pantry with different bins for sweet and savory. Perhaps the most conniving move he took was persuading his parents into a weekly date night so that he could have the house to himself. On these glorious nights Emilio would polish off pizzas and cakes and anything his stomach desired.

Therefore it wasn’t a surprise when his belly began to swell with fat once again, only this time faster. The regains hit his waistline at breakneck speed as he put on 15 pounds in two weeks. He still continued his gym routine, mostly to keep up appearances with his parents but also because he was beginning to make some muscle gains. Emilio enjoyed how the solid base of muscle puffed up his fat even more. He also found that he had more stamina than when he was gaining with Alex. The extra chub didn’t weigh him down as much or leave him lethargic. All together, Emilio could not deny the fact that he wanted more.

The only roadblock was his parents. After his gluttonous display at Thanksgiving and the last two weeks of noticeable gains, they were cutting him off. He was told that come January 1st his monthly allowance would cease. Emilio then had two options: find a job or start working for his cousin’s landscaping business. Emilio did not consider the latter an option, so he was going to start a job search immediately. Well, that is, after he drove himself to McDonald’s for a fuel up.

Incidentally, Alex found himself stopping at a McDonald’s on his long trek to the gate. He was in need of a break. What began with sweaty armpits turned into a full body sweat as beads of perspiration fell from his brow. He caught his breath before standing in line and then ordered too much food on accident. After packing his tank full and storing a couple burgers in his bag for later, Alex noticed his flight was boarding.

He hightailed it to the gate, breaking into a sweat once again. He arrived in the nick of time, his chest burning as he gasped for air. Onlookers eyed the overweight young man bent over and heaving. He attempted to compose himself and boarded the plane. Sauntering down the aisle, Alex felt all eyes on him.

Growing anxious, he wondered what was attracting so many stares. Was it that no one wanted to sit next to a fat guy? Or even worse- a fat sweaty guy? He finally found his seat and plopped down uncomfortably. Airplane seats didn’t fit like they used to. His stomach filled his lap and painfully oozed over the armrests. Shoving his bag under the seat in front of him he heard a nearby passenger mutter, “yuck smells like McDonald’s.” Alex’s face grew warm with embarrassment.

As he looked down to find the seat belt he realized what people must have been staring at. Down the front of his gut was a giant mayonnaise stain he hadn’t noticed. His dignified outfit was accidentally ruined by his endless hunger. As though his overflowing chub and food-stained sweater weren’t enough of an announcement, the smell of his fast food sealed the deal.

After some yanking and shifting of the seat belt Alex realized it would not fit around his girth. Shocked and further embarrassed, he asked for a seat belt extender. The flight attendant graciously provided one. Alex strapped in, wiped his brow, and exhaled a sigh of relief. By the time they were in the air, his insecurity of being the fat guy had dissipated and he tore into the leftover McDonald’s with gusto.

Emilio burped with delight after guzzling down the last of his chocolate milkshake in the McDonald’s parking lot. His stomach was stretched to max capacity leaving him sleepy and bloated. He needed to go the gym but the thought of doing anything other than jerking off and taking a nap sounded awful. He drove home.

As he stepped out of his car he heard the unmistakable sound of fabric tearing, just as a cold gust of air kissed his bulbous rump. Emilio reached around and fingered the hole in the seat of his pants. Grabbing his gym bag from the car, Emilio was calculating how he could get into his room without his parents noticing the tear. Just as he headed for the door someone called his name. Emilio turned around to see his neighbor, Grant.

“Emilio! I’ve been meaning to say hi since you moved back. How are things?”

“Ah, fine, you know. Holdin’ in there…”

“Good good! See you’ve porked up a bit since quarantine and all. Makes me feel good I’m not the only one!” Grant clutched his beginner belly that was considerably smaller than Emilio’s.

“Ah yeah man, you know how it is huh,” Emilio suppressed a greasy McDonald’s burp. “My parents have been on me to lose this thing,” Emilio patted his gut.

“They want what’s best for you is all. If it’s any consolation, I think you look good with some weight on you.”

“Thanks for that,” Emilio said. “Likewise man, likewise. I gotta get going but it was nice chatting with you.”

Emilio turned and walked away. He didn’t realize until he had reached the front door that he was giving Grant an eye full of ass bulging out of his tattered shorts. Emilio turned around as he opened the door to catch Grant still staring at him from a distance. The neighbor smiled and waved. Emilio reciprocated and shut the door.

He had a strange feeling about the experience. Was Grant only sparking conversation to comment on his weight? Grant was divorced years ago and never really spoke to anyone in the neighborhood. It seemed strange that he would be taking a sudden interest in a twenty-something still living at home. He shrugged it off and scurried to his room where he broke open a candy bar before dozing off.