You Fat ***

Alex wasn't sure when or why he first started to notice it.

Maybe it was that weekend they came home from a winter tour, and Jack had crashed at his apartment for four days straight. They treated it like a sleepover and ate nothing but pizza and junk food, only drinking water when absolutely necessary but guzzling high calorie beers most of the time.

When Jack finally decided on the fifth morning that he should probably get back to his own place, and maybe take a shower, Alex suggested he just use his shower before leaving. And when Jack came waddling out of the bathroom all wrapped in his towel twenty minutes later, that's when it hit Alex.

Jack was fat.

Okay, no, he wasn't, because this was Jack, a boy who had spent the majority of his life resembling a matchstick with twig arms and legs. Like those stick-man sketches he doodled in Art class because he was just shit at drawing.

But he definitely wasn't skinny.

Then, it threw Alex off a little, because he was skinny. And also fat. And he didn't know how it made sense but it did.

Jack was the chubbiest skinny person ever to exist. Possibly the only one to ever exist.

And Alex wasn't sure when or why he decided it was downright adorable.

Maybe it was when they hugged goodbye at the door, both clinging on a bit longer than they really needed to, and Alex could feel the outward curve of Jack's new belly pudge pressed against his own tummy.

Once alone again, Alex had the strangest urge to just kiss that little belly of his.

And he didn't mind at all.

/////

The next time Alex saw Jack, it was nearly a month later, and he was back to normal again.

Alex couldn't help but be slightly disappointed. They were getting ready for another tour; long breaks weren't their thing. Apparently, Jack's sudden weight gain only happened in short bursts before it disappeared again. Probably his metabolism, Alex figured. He was twenty-one years old and a guy; what's a boy to do? Weight just drops off them like that.

But Jack seemed to have this weird way of suddenly gaining it, somehow, only sometimes.

And as attractive as Jack could look, prancing around as naked as the day he was born with hipbones and ribs jutting out left, right and center sharp enough to aid someone in the process of losing an eye... Alex wanted to see more of that little chub he'd noticed before. It was just so cute.

So Alex devised a plan.

A plan to make his best friend fat.

/////

It was a lot fucking easier than Alex thought it would be.

Three days into tour. Three days, and Jack was right where Alex wanted him.

It was just too easy.

All Alex had to do was get Jack into a routine of eating complete and utter junk right from the get-go. So, on their first night they had takeaway food -- pizza, naturally. Then, the next day, Alex went out and bought cupcakes from a local bakery with the thickest, creamiest frosting he'd ever seen. Jack gobbled two the minute he woke up and smelled them, so that was breakfast. Throughout that day, Alex continuously offered him packets of crisps and Coca-Cola. It helped that the fans would sometimes bake cookies and give them as gifts at m&g.

There were five bags of delicious biscuit treats after that second night. Alex stayed up late with Jack to watch movies and eat them, along with popcorn. But Alex barely touched any of the snacks, only taking a mouthful or so when he knew Jack was watching so he didn't look suspicious. Jack ended up eating almost everything to himself. Luckily, Alex was smart enough to save a bunch of cookies for the others or they'd be pissed.

But Jack was hooked. He'd quickly fallen into habit of eating junk and takeaway for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. There was the one small issue of his hyperactive leaping around on stage, but Alex did his best to compensate for that by bribing Jack into lying about on the bus cuddling and watching movies the rest of the time. Or, if the guys insisted on going out, Alex would hit the bar immediately with Jack and buy him some beer to make his gut pop out.

Sure enough, a week and a half into the tour, Alex was getting some serious results for his efforts.

Jack was huge.

Well, huge by skinny-boy standards.

He still had spindly limbs and noticeable ribs, but his middle was getting bigger and bigger. His previously flat tummy had started to jut out under his shirts, clearly rounded like that of a child. And if Alex wasn't mistaken, his bony ass was looking a little fuller as well. If only Jack was prone to doing squats. He'd make a great twink.

In fact, it got to the point that it wasn't just Alex who was noticing, which he hadn't intended at all. Everyone else was starting to realise Jack was gaining a little weight too.

"Do we have any Doritos? The cheesy ones," Jack clarified as he rummaged through the cupboards in the bus on that tenth day of tour, early in the afternoon.

Rian looked up from his laptop, quirking an eyebrow as he shared a look with Grieco and Vinny. Alex was watching carefully from the corner, just watching. Watching the way Jack's plain white v-neck rode up as he searched the higher cupboards, putting his prominent belly on show, sticking out just over the top of his skinnies. The fact that his jeans were so tight didn't exactly make his stomach look slimmer by comparison.

"You sure you wanna be eating Doritos, fatty?" Rian sniggered, trying to contain his laughter. Vinny and Grieco were much the same beside him, all three nudging each other. Alex pressed his lips together.

"What d'you mean?" Jack turned around with a frown, looking confused.

"Doritos have quite a few calories, you know? Quite... fattening," Grieco spluttered, causing Vinny to snort and cover his face quickly in an attempt to hold in his laughter.

"Yeah, so? You know what I'm like, I never get fat," Jack shrugged it off, still giving them all a look that showed he was clearly in the dark about what they were getting at.

His comment had set them off well and truly. Vinny was howling, Grieco had to lean on Rian to stop from falling over, and Rian himself was in tears.

"What?!" Jack burst out in annoyance, turning to his best friend, the only one still composed. "Alex, what are they laughing at?!"

"I have no idea," Alex said, totally nonchalant, shaking his head airily as he walked over to the coffee maker and turned it on.

"What?" Rian choked out, standing up and stepping between Jack and Alex, gesturing at the guitarist's middle. "Dude, come on, you gotta admit he's looking a little..." He trailed off, wrinkling his nose slightly as his hand hovered over Jack's belly.

"A little what?!" Jack whined, voice high and irritable.

"Well, yes, fine, maybe a little," Alex caved, turning around and refusing to look at Jack's stomach. "Jack, you've been... you're getting kinda..."

But Alex was too nice to say it. He couldn't, not to Jack. It was his fault Jack was getting like this in the first place. He couldn't heartlessly point it out and laugh like the other guys. Maybe if it was just light teasing, just the two of them, but Alex didn't want to gang up on him in front of everyone.

"You're getting fucking fat is what he means, bro," Grieco finished the sentence before Alex could put it tactfully, standing up and clapping a hand over Jack's shoulder, the other rubbing his tummy in circles.

Jack's eyes widened as he looked down to where Grieco's hand was, brushing it away and lifting his shirt.

"No I'm not!" he practically squealed, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from his beer belly.

"How have you not noticed?!" Vinny shook his head in disbelief, crowding around Jack with the other three and poking his stomach. "You're ballooning!"

"I'm not! I just... I didn't... I don't know!" Jack wailed, dropping his shirt and holding it down by the hem with a pout, in case anyone tried to get another peek. Not that holding it down hid anything. It was clearly jutting out beneath the material. "I guess I just... I never put on weight. Not properly! I don't know how this happened."

Alex couldn't shake the intense need he felt to kiss Jack's pout better.

"Well, the point is, you've put on weight, and it's noticeable, and it's probably because all you eat is candy and pizza, you fucking fat-ass," Matt spoke up as he emerged from his bunk, having been listening to them all whilst he tapped away on his laptop. "Alex, coffee me."

"You got it, sir," Alex replied immediately, waving off the sudden kiss-horny feeling he had to make them all drinks.

"Hey, speaking of 'fat-ass,' his butt's looking pretty pudgy too," Vinny grinned, prodding Jack's backside.

"Hey!" Jack whined again, trying to step out of his way.

"Look, it jiggles!" Rian called, giving Jack's ass a sharp smack, and they all cheered as it was confirmed that it did indeed bounce.

"Stop it!" he shouted, making a swift hit for whoever's balls were in the way -- Vinny's -- and racing for the back lounge.

"Nice going," Matt sighed, rolling his eyes as Vinny fell to the floor yelping that he was dead, he needed a hospital, this was the end. "Get up, idiot," he chuckled, kicking the merch manager's shin lightly once Alex had handed him his coffee.

Alex smiled and rolled his eyes much like Matt had-- damn, fuck, stop picking up his mannerisms, that's never good. Taking a sip of his own coffee, he watched the band start to disappear off to do whatever they wanted to do before show time later. Rian headed out to find Zack, and Grieco finally managed to drag Vinny to his feet, still fake-crying, and forced him out of the bus to explore a little. Matt had already settled himself into a corner with a book and his headphones in. The sound of Home Alone could be heard drifting from the back lounge, and with a knowing sigh, Alex made his way back there to see Jack just the way he expected: curled up with his Adventure Time blanket, favourite movie playing on the TV because he used it for comfort.

"Hey," the singer gave Jack a half-smile, keeping his voice soft.

"Hey," Jack replied glumly.

"You know... at your age, being a guy and all, it'd be really easy just to burn all that weight off like that," Alex reminded him, clicking his fingers on the final word.

"It's not really that, it's just... everybody being so douchey about it," he shrugged, staring down at his lap. "My belly looks stupid."

"It does not," Alex said quickly, moving to his side and kneeling next to the couch.

"Does too. And my ass is... does it really look... jiggly? Is it bigger?" he asked, worried eyes meeting Alex's loving gaze.

"Well... it is bigger," Alex answered honestly.

"Damn it. I knew it was hard work getting into these stupid skinnies the past few days, fat-ass getting in the way."

"You sure it wasn't your huge dick?" Alex tried to pick up his mood, grinning at him.

Jack let a smile creep onto his face, looking back down to his lap. "Yeah."

Alex's fingers somehow found themselves stroking Jack's arm as Kevin McAllister had a temper-tantrum in the background. "Jacko, look, listen, it's... I don't think you look stupid. Not gonna lie, yes, you are all pudgy but it'll go away again easy-peasy. The guys are just messing with you, you know that. If they thought it was really hurting your feelings, well, they'd be devastated. They're only playing, they don't wanna make you sad."

Jack nodded. He knew that was true.

"And for the record, I think your tummy pudge is pretty adorable."

Jack's head snapped up, staring at Alex with his mouth hanging open. "For real?"

"Realest thing I've said all day."

The guitarist let his gaze wander, as if looking away from Alex would conceal his blush.

"Let me see your tummy," Alex said, so out of the blue it made Jack jump.

"...What?"

"I wanna see your stomach, pull your shirt up."

And there was this... this commanding undertone to his voice that meant he wouldn't take any funny business, or it sounded that way, at least. Jack didn't really want to argue and find out. Strangely, he found himself being completely obedient as he turned to swing his legs off the edge of the couch and lift his t-shirt up, revealing his torso. It was weird, to see him so scrawny and bony in the chest area, just like always, and then suddenly there was actual body fat down at his middle. He almost looked a little bit pregnant. It made Alex giggle, and Jack pouted upon hearing it.

"Don't laugh!"

"I'm not laughing at you! It's just... different. I never thought I'd see you like this," Alex smiled, letting his hand press onto the skin, fingers splayed wide. "I do have one small confession..."

Jack didn't say anything, so Alex looked at him to make sure he'd heard, but his best friend was just watching him, eyes asking the questions so his mouth didn't have to.

"Right, okay, you can't get mad at me, because I promised myself right from the start that if I got you into this situation, I'd help get you out again, somehow," Alex started with a series of nods. His intention was to monitor Jack's diet for a while until he was back on track, wean him off all the junk he'd been eating morning 'til night. Maybe play Just Dance on the Wii a lot until the weight just dropped off him. It shouldn't be too hard. Boys like Jack... they were metabolism machines. The guitarist was wearing a puzzled expression, waiting for Alex to elaborate. With a deep breath, he did. "It's my fault you've gained so much weight."

Jack didn't blow up at him, mainly because he didn't understand how Alex could be behind it.

"...Are you? How?"

Alex shifted uncomfortably on his knees, scrunching his nose. "Um. I sorta planned to get you fat. I basically tricked you into eating junk and lazing around so it wouldn't burn off at the start of tour until you got into a habit of it on your own."

Jack's mouth fell open again, wider this time. "What?! Lex!" he squealed.

"I'm sorry! Don't be mad, I can explain why!"

"Tell me! Why would you do that?! It's unhealthy and... and my good looks are suffering!"

"As if you had any in the first place."

"Alex!"

"Alright, alright! I'll talk!" Alex held his hands up in surrender with a sigh. "Remember when you stayed at mine after the last tour? And all we did was eat junk and lay around my apartment, unwashed and... just generally gross, for nearly a week?"

Jack nodded, leaning in a little, because despite feeling slightly upset that his very best friend had been the cause of this, he was intrigued to know why.

"Okay, well, yeah, I noticed before you left that you'd... you know, you'd gained a little weight. Not much, not really, and I don't think even you noticed, but I did. It was very slight. But... I thought it was just so damn fuckin' cute," he shook his grin, grinning up at Jack, unashamed.

In turn, Jack's cheeks coloured slightly pink, because he hadn't really been expecting that. "C-...cute?" he repeated slowly, as if he couldn't quite wrap his head around the idea of his chubbiness being attractive.

"Yeah! So cute. So, so cute. I don't know. I let it get out of hand, and I'm sorry, man, I really am. I just wanted to see it properly. And it's still cute. You look fuckin' adorable. Downright adorable."

Jack licked his lips, swallowing a few times as he ran his hands over his tummy. "You're not messing with me?"

Alex's shoulders slumped, a warm smile that gave away years of memories between the two. "You think I would do that to you?"

Jack shook his head almost immediately, stunned into silence. Alex bit his lip, shuffling closer and slowly lifting Jack's shirt again to reveal his belly pudge. In fear that Jack still might be the tiniest bit in a mood with him, he leaned forward, intent on convincing him otherwise.

"I mean -," kiss, "- you can't," - kiss, "- stay mad," - kiss, "- when I only did it," - kiss, kiss, "- because I love it so much," he pouted up at Jack with his big stupid lovely eyes, and the younger male just melted.

How could he possibly stay mad?

Fingers weaving absently into Alex's hair at the warm fluttery feeling spreading through his tummy as the singer kissed it, Jack happily sighed, "Oka-ay," in defeat, because really, where was the point in arguing any more? It was a one-off and it looked to be win-win on both ends of the deal. Jack felt like he was getting the most relaxing spa treatment ever.

Alex hummed quietly in his throat, because this was just what he wanted, what he so badly wanted. Spreading his fingers over the skin, he gripped Jack's waist, mouth moving languidly over the warmth of his stomach. His kisses were wet, placed widely around Jack's belly, tonguing it lightly at each press of the lips. Settling on the frail line of his happy trail, Alex licked it up and down, very slow, very relaxed. It was nothing sexual, to him, or even Jack; it was something else. Something more intimate.

He rubbed his lips over the damp skin, feeling hair tickle around his mouth, and he laughed breathily, making Jack shiver as the sudden blow of air made contact with the wet area. He laughed too, a little bit nervous, but he needn't be. He threaded his fingers carefully into Alex's hair, quiet whines and purrs sounding in his throat.

Alex licked upwards on the thin line of hair with the flat of his tongue once more before he stopped to swallow, swilling the saliva around his mouth first. He watched Jack's rounded stomach move in and out with each slightly panted breath for a moment, and then gently poked his forefinger into the guitarist's bellybutton. Jack's tummy jerked, a cry somewhere between laughing and a don't-do-that kind of noise leaving his mouth.

"No, no, I'm not going to tickle to, just try to relax," Alex said quickly, throwing him a glance and a smile before he put his finger in again, running it around the tight space lightly.

It was weird. Really weird, for both of them. Against the tip of Alex's cool finger, it felt just the way bellybuttons usually did -- deep, and wrinkly. And a little bit hairy. But only a little. Jack had a serious inny bellybutton. On his end, it just felt weird because that's what it was. Fucking weird. Alex had his finger in his bellybutton. People didn't normally do that. It wasn't something Jack had ever experienced for a prolonged amount of time, courtesy of somebody else at least.

But, the more he relaxed into it, let his body settle, the more... pleasurable it began to feel. No, seriously.

Just Alex's finger circling it around and around and around... it got so that Jack was starting to think he might drift off to sleep. Until, there was sudden wet feeling in there and he nearly jumped three feet off the couch.

He looked down and Alex was fucking tonguing his navel, running the tip around the edge and then dipping it inside. Alex couldn't be happier, either. He'd always wanted to do this to someone. He'd never admit it but he found the feeling of touching his own weirdly calming and yet also a turn-on. It was easy to gauge Jack's reaction by the way his face twisted, hands tightening their grip in his hair. Yeah, he liked it. He thrust his tongue a couple of times before licking over it, making eye contact as he did, perfectly aware that this encounter had taken a turn down Seriously Suggestive Street the moment he opened his mouth.

Alex just couldn't help it. He loved Jack's little tummy pudge so much and, until the next time Jack accidentally let his diet slip, this was precious time.

Smoothing his hands over the outward curve of his belly, Alex never ceased his kisses for a very long time, with Jack clinging onto his hair all the while.

/////

Later, they were sprawled in Alex's bunk listening to A Fever You Can't Sweat Out on Jack's phone and the rumble of the bus around them as it drove along, getting them to their hotel for the night. A night off is something they all needed and Alex was going to bargain with Danny for a room switch. He couldn't possibly sleep in a separate bed from Jack tonight, let alone a separate room.

"Can we have pizza for lunch tomorrow?!" Jack asked eagerly.

"Nope, Flyzik is ordering in some fruit salad thing to try," Alex yawned, snuggling his pillow tightly.

"What? Why?!" Jack sounded appalled.

"He's concerned for your health over this recent weight gain. He fears that if you can't run around the stage like a mad dog at shows, our entire career is jacked," Alex chortled.

"What?! That's crazy talk."

"I'm not the one being forced along to the gym for the next six weeks with Muscle Man Merrick as coach," Alex grinned, leaning over to kiss Jack's nose.

Even at the loving gesture, his horrified expression didn't even flicker. Alex laid his head back down on the pillow, still smiling away to himself about the adorable boy he now got to share a bed with.

"Sweet dreams, you fat fuck."