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Jack hardly did anything special for his employees. But Rhys…Rhys was special. He was more than a simple personal assistant. Jack had gone through countless PAs throughout the years and he had almost thought Rhys was a fool for taking the job, considering the last one’s…untimely demise. His cold outer shell and overconfident exterior melted away around Rhys, and it didn’t take long before they were practically joined at the hip. Jack would dote on him constantly, treating him to fancy lunches and gourmet sweets.
“Are you sure he’s not trying to fatten you up to eat you?” Vaughn snickered as he slid into the cafe booth across from his best friend.
“Ha ha. Very funny.” Rhys rolled his eyes before undoing the small red ribbon that held a small cardboard box together. He opened the box to reveal a few decadent looking creme puffs. He smirked before flashing the box’s contents to Vaughn and popping a pastry in his mouth. “Mmm.” He licked his lips dramatically.
The jealousy on Vaughn’s face was clearly visible. Jack had gifted Rhys creme puffs from the best bakery on Helios. They only made a few batches a day, and the only people who ever had a chance of trying them were those who could wait in line all night, or those who could buy out all the stock before anyone ever else had a chance.
Rhys smiled and held out the box to Vaughn, who took one gratefully.
“I guess Jack’s not all bad.” Vaughn muttered. “He couldn’t shell out to buy you lunch too, though?”
Rhys shrugged and chewed for a bit before responding. “He’s taking me out to that sushi place with the decades long waitlist tonight. I don’t want to ruin my appetite.”
“I never really took you as a sushi type of guy.”
“There’s a first time for everything. And Jack’s not exactly a guy you say no to.”
“If you say so.” Vaughn mumbled through his lunch.
-0-
At roughly 5pm on the dot, Rhys powered down his computer and scooted away from his desk. He sauntered over to Jack’s desk and looked at him expectantly.
Jack sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “One sec, pumpkin. Just wrapping some stuff up. They’ll hold our table if they know what’s good for them.”
Rhys slumped his shoulders a bit, but knew better than to complain or get between Jack and his work. Instead, he flopped over onto one of the lavish couches that Jack kept in his office.
“No shoes on the couch, cupcake.” Jack muttered, refusing to look up from his monitors.
Rhys huffed and kicked off his boots and lay down, dangling his legs off the arm rests. He propped himself up with a pillow and scrolled through social media on his Echo-eye.
After an eternity of silence and the occasional mashing of keys, Rhys was growing more impatient and hungry. The few cream puffs he had 6 hours ago could only sustain him for so long. A low gurgle pierced the silence. Jack stopped typing and straightened up from the hunched over position he had maintained for so long. Another louder, longer growl erupted from Rhys’ stomach. A deep blush spread across his cheeks and to his ears.
Jack snorted and turned around. “Is all that noise coming from you, Rhysie?”
“I didn’t have lunch.” Rhys muttered.
“You didn’t?” Jack shot up from his chair, nearly knocking it over. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
Rhys shrugged guiltily. “I didn’t want to get in the middle of whatever you’re doing. It looked important.”
“Screw the work. Nothing is more important than my Rhysie.” Jack threw his hands up and behind his back, leaning into a stretch. “Let’s get some food in you before you pass out.”
Rhys nodded gratefully and quickly pulled on his boots.
-0-
“You ever had sushi, kiddo?” Jack sipped at some sake and smacked his lips.
Rhys shook his head, mesmerized by the way the man across from him in the booth conducted himself.
“Well, you’re in for a treat then. This place? It’s the best. I’ve left with my pants unbuttoned more than once.” Jack sighed wistfully and downed the rest of the sake in his cup before pouring himself some more.
His PA offered a small smile and a nod in response. He sipped some water to calm his stomach and tapped his foot under the table to distract himself.
“That hungry, huh? Was it my fault you didn’t get to eat lunch? Did I give you too much to do?”
Rhys blinked in surprise. “No, no! I just wanted to make sure I had an appetite for tonight. It was just me being stupid.” He offered a goofy smile.
“You’re such an idiot, cupcake.” Jack said affectionately and shook his head with a chuckle. “If you didn’t get to try enough this time, I could take you back to this place as many times as you like. You forget who I am? I’ve got the entirety of Helios wrapped around my finger.”
Jack stood up and snapped his fingers to alert nearby staff. “What’s it take to get some service around here? Don’t you people know who’s sitting at this booth?”
Almost immediately, a small handful of staff came rushing over and crowded around the booth. Rhys opened his mouth to order before Jack shushed him.
“Sushi boat. Make it snappy. Top shelf beer, more sake. And…” he trailed off as he scanned the menu. “Just bring one of each of the apps.”
Rhys’ eyes widened and he gave Jack a look as the servers departed.
“You said you were hungry, pumpkin.” He flashed Rhys a toothy smirk. “And I think you underestimate just how much I can pack away.” Jack patted his abdomen for emphasis and leaned back in the booth.
Rhys, of course, knew of Jack’s voracious appetite, but the sheer amount of food he had ordered was enough to feed a camp of bandits.
The two continued in idle conversation, with Jack ranting about the people he had to deal with that day. The alcohol was getting to Jack’s head and he began to slur his words slightly. He pushed the bottle over to Rhys.
“Keep this away from me. Drinking on an empty stomach makes me queasy.” He burped into his fist. “Should’ve paced myself there. But after dealing with idiots all day, can you blame me?” He snickered, his laugh trailing off into another noisy burp.
Rhys felt his face flush slightly in arousal. Thankfully, the servers began to return with plates of food to distract him.
“Finally, damn!” Jack hardly waited for the plates to hit the table before grabbing a dumpling and popping it into his mouth.
Rhys could only stare in shock as the plates kept coming, followed by a large wooden boat adorned with sushi rolls of all colors and sizes.
“Don’t just stare at it, cupcake. I thought you were starvin’. Dig in!” Jack spoke with his mouth full before washing down the mouthful with a swig of beer.
“I, uh, don’t know where to start. I’m not sure what half of this stuff is, Jack.” He responded sheepishly.
Without missing a beat, Jack grabbed Rhys’ plate and piled it high with an assortment of finger foods. He handed it back to Rhys expectantly.
“Don’t bother scanning. I can see you activating that eye, kiddo. Just let it be a surprise.”
Rhys shot him a playful look before picking up a dumpling. He cautiously opened his mouth and took a bite. His eyes widened in surprise as some of the broth inside dribbled down his chin. He quickly shoved the remainder of the dumpling into his mouth.
“‘S good, huh pumpkin?”
Rhys nodded eagerly before picking up another one. In no time, he had polished off everything on his plate except for the sushi rolls. If he was being honest, he was a bit intimidated by them.
Jack grabbed a roll from Rhys’ plate and shoved it in his mouth. “You’ve just gotta eat it in one bite.” He said between chews. His eyes met Rhys’ and he licked his lips.
The PA gingerly picked up a sushi roll before taking a deep breath. Jack looked at him and raised an eyebrow. Rhys opened his mouth before tossing the roll in. He took a long swig of beer to wash the mouthful down and exhaled deeply before picking up a different roll.
“Just pace yourself, Rhysie. We’ve got all night.”
Rhys nodded and sighed, allowing himself to sink into the booth cushions. Jack smiled at him, a warm, sincere smile. He hardly ever let anyone see that smile. Rhys was grateful that he had seen it as many times as he did.
A few more plates of food disappeared between the two of them, with both of them slowing down considerably. Rhys felt the weight of the food settling deep in his stomach like a rock. He looked over at Jack, surprised to see him continuing to eat. Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe it was the desire to not disappoint Jack, but against his better judgement, Rhys filled his plate again.
“Alright.” Jack groaned. “I’m gonna need some room if I’m going to keep eating.”
“We could take the rest to go?” Rhys offered.
“Hell no. Sushi doesn’t taste the same the next day.”
Jack shifted in his seat before undoing the buttons of his waistcoat and shrugging off the layers, leaving him with only his trusty Hyperion hoodie. He fiddled with his pants under the table before undoing the buttons. He sighed gratefully, feeling his belly surge forward without restraint.
“That’s better.” He grinned before chugging the rest of his beer. He let out a wet burp and locked eyes with Rhys. “The bubbles help.”
Rhys took that as an invitation, or maybe an expectation to keep eating. He took another swig of beer, feeling the carbonation build up in his belly. His stomach let out a low groan as the beer sloshed inside along with all the food he had eaten. Unable to control himself, he burped in his mouth and sighed.
“Just let it out next time, pumpkin. Loud and proud! It’s soooo much more satisfying that way.”
The rolls of sushi began to dwindle and Rhys was certainly feeling the effects. His stomach felt hard and bloated, and his breathing was labored. He groaned and placed a hand on his abdomen.
“Woah there, cupcake. You can throw in the towel. Nobody’s forcing you to finish all this.”
“I didn’t want it to go to waste…” Rhys wheezed. “I’d feel horrible.”
“Is that what this is about? There are no expectations with me, Rhysie. You know that.” Jack sighed deeply. “The last thing I want is for you to make yourself sick trying to meet some expectation you think I have of you.”
Rhys let his shoulders slump in relief. “Good, because I feel like I’m going to burst.”
“Awww, Rhysie.” Jack doted. “Let’s get you home.”
Rhys shook his head. “I just need a bit. My stomach hurts.”
Jack nodded, opting to continue eating. Rhys watched him intently; it was a wonder that he was able to keep going. He fixated on Jack’s mouth, watching him lick his lips, his cheeks bulging as he chewed. Jack swallowed each mouthful like it was his last, chasing it down with a swig of beer each time.
The older man groaned. “Alright, cupcake. I’m calling it quits. I hope your tum tum’s feeling up to it, because if I sit here any longer, I will keep eating, and I don’t think that would be good for me.”
Rhys nodded. Part of him did want to stay, wanted Jack to continue to stuff his face like a starved bandit. As much as he wanted that, he also desperately wanted to change into something more comfortable and lie down.
With considerable effort, Jack hoisted himself up and tugged at his hoodie. It rode up slightly, revealing a thin sliver of skin, which Jack either didn’t notice or didn’t seem to mind. He patted his belly, which was noticeably distended.
“Damn, am I stuffed!” He announced. “I don’t think I can walk more than five feet. I say we take the fast travel back.”
“Yeah.” Was all Rhys managed to say between heavy breaths. He wrapped his arms around his midsection sheepishly, trying to hide as much of his stomach as he could. Unfortunately for him, Jack noticed.
“Whatcha hiding there, Rhysie?” Jack playfully grabbed the other man’s hands and pulled them away, revealing the source of Rhys’ embarrassment. His waistcoat strained against his stomach, threatening to burst open with any little movement. Jack whistled. “Pumpkin’s got a little paunch there!”
“Jack!” Rhys hissed before lowering his voice. “Is it really that noticeable?”
“It’ll be more noticeable when your smart little waistcoat blows open.” Jack draped his large jacket over Rhys.
Rhys mumbled his thanks as he undid his waistcoat and trousers. He held the jacket closed around him and followed Jack to the exit.
The CEO entered his password on the fast travel, unlocking access to his penthouse. “I’ve got every one of these babies on Helios rigged up to take me straight home. You ever need to get to me, just put in the password, alright Rhysie?”
Within moments, the two of them were transported to Jack’s penthouse. Rhys shrugged off Jack’s coat unceremoniously and braced himself against a wall. He felt his stomach lurch and he whined.
“Woah, Rhys. Are you okay?”
Rhys clutched his abdomen and burped. “I think my stomach didn’t appreciate all that movement.” He groaned.
Jack sighed apologetically. “Let’s get you to the bed, alright?”
Rhys burped again in response. He let Jack lead him to the bedroom. He sat down on the edge of the bed, allowing Jack to pull his boots and pants off. While Jack began to undress himself, Rhys took off the rest of his clothes. He looked down at his pale stomach in disbelief.
“I still can’t believe I ate that much.” Rhys moaned, his voice was a mixture of embarrassment and astonishment.
Jack snorted. “I can’t believe you ate that much either, pumpkin. Gonna have to try a lot harder than that if you want to outpace me, though.” He smirked and patted his abdomen.
Rhys looked up at him and blushed heavily. His eyes traced Jack’s figure, taking it in greedily. His torso was covered in scattered scars, with stretch marks dusting his hips and under the curve of his stomach. As full as he was, Rhys could see the softness of Jack’s body, with lovehandles and a muffintop that spilled over his boxers.
Jack met his gaze. “This probably wasn’t what you expected. Like what you see?” He asked sarcastically and rolled his eyes.
“Yes.” Rhys breathed heavily.
Now Jack was the one blushing, though his mask covered it. He sighed and unlatched it slowly, revealing his scarred face.
“How about now?” He growled angrily, fearing that Rhys wasn’t being truthful. If this pushed him away, then so be it.
Rhys inhaled sharply and swallowed before slowly scooting over to the side of the bed where Jack stood. He stood up on his knees to look Jack in the eyes. He paused before reaching out to cup Jack’s cheeks with his hands. “Still yes.” He whispered.
Jack was in shock. If this were anybody else, he’d have shot them and sent them through an airlock in an instant. Instead, it was Rhys. His Rhys. Seeing him, all of him, for the first time with such love and adoration.
He cleared his throat. “Alright, alright. Let’s stop being sappy now.” Jack huffed.
Rhys smiled at him before giving him a quick peck on the cheek and dropping his hands. He slumped down into the pillows and held his stomach, which had begun to gurgle angrily from the unwelcome movement. Jack cocked an eyebrow and climbed into bed.
“This looks a bit painful, Rhysie.” His eyes fell on Rhys’ pale stomach, which was a bit pink in the center. It looked like his skin was straining and stretching to hold it all in.
“I bloat when I overeat.” Rhys exhaled deeply as Jack placed one of his large hands across his stomach.
“Yeah, no kidding.” Jack snorted.
Rhys frowned and squirmed under Jack’s hand, which caused his belly to gurgle again. Jack rubbed small circles across the swell of Rhys’ abdomen before tracing the design of the tattoo on his side. He stopped at Rhys’ hips before chuckling and giving them a little squeeze.
“And how often do you overeat, Rhys? You’ve got a little bit of pudge on you.” He purred.
“I like ice cream.” Rhys muttered.
Jack burst out laughing, before clutching his stomach and wiping a tear from his eye. “Ugh, don’t make me laugh, kiddo. I’m too full for that.” He paused and poked his assistant’s stomach. “You’re adorable, Rhysie.”
Rhys smirked and gripped the older man’s stomach. “And if I’m pudgy, then what do you call this?” He teased.
“Fat. I just hide it well.” Jack said flatly, clearly getting defensive.
“Well, I like it. I like a man who can eat.”
Jack snorted again, but smiled once he realized Rhys was being sincere. “Okay, freako.” He leaned in closer to Rhys. “Good thing I like to eat.” He whispered.
Rhys laughed before letting out a painful grunt. “As much as I’d love to get into, whatever is going on here, and trust me,” he paused. “I want to, but I’m way too stuffed for this.”
“Aww, you’re no fun.” Jack tutted playfully. “Well, in the meantime, we’ve gotta take care of your poor, bloated belly over here.”
Rhys nodded eagerly. “Yes, please.”
Jack placed his hand back on Rhys’ stomach, rubbing in small, gentle circles. Rhys’ stomach gurgled in response to the touch, causing him to blush heavily, clearly embarrassed.
“Sounds like your stomach’s workin’ overtime there, Rhysie.” Jack gave the younger man’s abdomen an affectionate pat before continuing to rub.
“Maybe I overdid it.” Rhys sighed, starting to feel the relief from Jack’s rubbing.
“So what if you did? You’re always walking around like you’ve got a stick up your ass. You’ve gotta let loose once in a while or you’ll work yourself to death.” Jack shrugged. “Take it from me.”
Rhys nodded sleepily and yawned, feeling himself fall into a food coma.
“Get some sleep, pumpkin. Nothing better than passing out with a belly stuffed full of good food and good beer.”
“Don’t have to tell me twice.”
-0-