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Summer had finally arrived in Shinganshina, and it seemed to Armin that the season was doing it's best to make up for the long and dreary winter that they had suffered that year. He pulled open his blinds to peer out at the seemingly endless blue sky, contrasting vibrantly against the grey cityscape. Despite the early hour, a warm breeze trickled in through Armin's open window, carrying with it the sweet, musky scent of summer in the city. The smell of sun-baked sidewalks and car exhaust might have been off putting to some, but to Armin it was so overwhelmingly familiar. It was home.
The warmer weather meant that Armin could finally delve into his summer clothes, that had been pushed to the back of his closet for far too long. He grabbed the first pair of shorts that he could find, a pair of worn denim cut-offs that had seen better days. The frayed edges of the legs tickled against Armin's bare skin as he pulled them on. His stomach fluttered on feeling the waistband of the shorts catch on his upper thighs, a tingle of pleasure snaking lazily down his spine. Armin bit down on his lower lip as he tugged the shorts up to his waist, the denim clinging snugly to his backside in a way they certainly hadn't the year before.
But that was nothing compared to the way Armin's belly protruded out through the open fly. Armin ran his fingers down the firm curve of fat, his excitement building. He knew that he had gotten heavier throughout the winter months. The dismal weather and living alone had seen him eating more and venturing outside less, a classic recipe for putting on more than a few pounds. Armin hadn't been surprised that he had gained weight, for him it was as simple as calories in versus calories out, but he had been surprised at how much he enjoyed his softer stomach.
Armin gazed down at the small bulge, another wave of pleasure rushing over him as he breathed out, his belly expanding outwards to it's full size. He attempted to fasten his shorts, but to his delight they barely met over his fully expanded stomach. Armin felt another shiver run through him, pleasure pooling in his groin as he continued to try and button his shorts closed, the metal button a good inch away from it's hole. Armin's skin tingled as the denim bit into his rounded waist with each try, the tightness yet another reminder of just how soft he had gotten.
Locating a faded blue t-shirt in his closet, Armin pulled it on over his head. The slim fit t-shirt had been in Armin's wardrobe for as long as he could remember, as proven by the peeling white letters on the front, and it was one of his favourites. Armin's breath caught in his throat as he tugged the t-shirt down into place. The hem barely met the waistband of his shorts, when Armin knew that the hem had once skimmed his hips, and the worn material clung to his belly, making it look even larger than before.
Attempting to tug the hem down into place, Armin's insides squirmed pleasantly as it stubbornly sprung back up, revealing a sliver of pale skin.
“I've really let myself go,” Armin murmured out loud, the words alone making his heart race, “Just look at me.”
Admiring himself in his full length mirror, Armin felt himself grow weak at the knees. The combination of his ill-fitting clothes and pushed out belly made him look chubby, all soft curves and creamy fat. He turned to look at his profile, his hands splayed out either side of his rounded stomach. Through his giddy exhilaration, Armin could see that his backside was more prominent than it used to be, easily filling out the back of his shorts. His thighs were softer too, though none of that compared to the swell of his stomach.
Reality hit Armin the moment his phone chimed to life. As much as he enjoyed his softer form, Armin thought gloomily to himself as he retrieved his phone from his bedside table, he didn't exactly want anyone else to realise that he had put on weight. He sank down onto the side of his bed, determinedly ignoring the way his belly pooched out onto his lap as he unlocked his phone.
The text from Eren was simple at best, as it always was.
[Mornin! Ready yet??]
Armin smiled as he tapped out a response, his heart fluttering in his chest for reasons entirely unrelated to his weight.
[Almost. Give me ten minutes?]
Rising from the bed, Armin reluctantly peeled his t-shirt off over his head, tossing it back onto his bed. His feelings about his weight gain were conflicted at best, Armin was the first to admit as he inhaled, pulling his stomach back in until it was more or less flat once again. While he privately enjoyed those extra pounds, his shaky confidence wasn't quite ready to show that to the rest of the world. Armin fastened his shorts without an issue, though there was no denying that the waistband was still a little snug around his softer waist.
Sucking his belly in had become second nature to Armin, to the point where he barely noticed the tension in his aching abdominal muscles until he got home and was finally able to relax. By the time he had located a looser fitting t-shirt, a heather grey one decorated with the black-lined logo of the local aquarium on it, Armin could pass for normal, even slender due his small fame. After grabbing his, formerly Eren's, hoodie from the back of the door, Armin turned to scrutinize his reflection once again.
“Coward,” Armin accused himself, before slipping out of the door.
Days out with Eren involved a lot of eating. Eren's energetic nature had always meant that he could eat anything that he wanted without gaining so much as a single pound, and his appetite had only increased when he had shot up over half a foot during their first year of university. Armin's stomach was aching as he followed Eren into their 'usual' burger joint, known for their friendly staff and incredibly generous portion sizes. On being led to a booth by the cheerful brunette working front of house that evening, Eren immediately left to use the bathroom; blaming the extra large cherry slushy he had inhaled on the short walk there.
Sinking into the booth, Armin untied his hoodie from around his waist, and draped it over his lap, creating a much needed barrier between himself and the rest of the restaurant. Once he was certain that no-one could see him, Armin finally allowed himself to exhale. His stomach billowed outwards, first pressing against the front of his shorts, before swelling up over the waistband. Armin groaned in relief as his belly continued to expand, packed tightly with the seemingly endless amount of food that he had consumed that day, courtesy of Eren and his never-ending appetite. By the time Armin's stomach had settled, he looked as if he was a good few months into pregnancy , his pale skin taut and warm to the touch.
Opening the fitness app on his phone, Armin stared down at his calorie intake for that day with morbid fascination. McDonalds for breakfast, followed by an extra-sweet, extra-fat iced latte. A mid-morning snack from the bakery, as he and Eren wandered aimlessly through the local mall, followed by a milkshake on realising how thirsty they were. A 'light lunch' followed, consisting of sandwiches from yet another bakery, crammed tightly with fillings. Then they had gotten ice cream from the kitschy parlour down the street, and Armin hadn't been able to resist the plethora of toppings available.
While it was easy to put the entire blame on Eren, Armin noted grimly as he rubbed at his tender belly, he hadn't exactly protested.
“I saw Marco, said we want the usual,” Eren announced as he slid into the booth opposite Armin, “That okay?”
While Armin had been planning on getting something a little lighter than usual, he melted on seeing the worry enter Eren's expression. “That's fine, thank you.”
“It's been ages since we've just been able to hang out like this,” Eren tilted his head back against the edge of the booth, “Remember when we used to spend all summer just doing nothing? Mom always said I would miss those days when they were gone, and once again, she was right.”
“You're twenty-one,” Armin reminded him with a smile, “We can still have days like this. Just not as often. Once finals are over, we'll have the whole summer to act like kids again. Well,” he conceded, “- kids who have to pay for everything themselves.”
Eren's rich laugh made Armin's hear skip a beat. “Kids who have to pay full price for the movies. Though,” he added with a wicked gleam in his eye, “I reckon you could still get away with a child's ticket. Remember when we went to see Incredibles 2?”
Armin heaved a long suffering sigh. “I remember. I remember you and Connie cackling about it for weeks afterwards. But I was the one who had more money to spend on concessions.”
“Looking young and beautiful is a gift,” Marco interrupted smoothly as he set down a tray of drinks in front of them, along a couple of appetisers, “I was the awkward kid who had to pay adult prices. Make the most of it.”
Having only known Marco since meeting him at university, Armin simply couldn't picture him as a child. He watched as Marco unloaded his tray, instinctively knowing that the coke was for Eren, and the lemonade for Armin. Marco was tall, a head taller than Eren, and fat with it. Armin tried not to stare as Marco leant over the table to dole out the appetisers, his enormous stomach coming close to brushing the surface of the table. Armin's thoughts went to his own belly, so small when he compared it to Marco's, and to his horror Armin felt a blush creeping up his neck.
“Mind you, these days, I'm lucky I don't have to buy two seats,” Marco added mischievously, causing Eren to snort into his drink, “If it ever comes to that, Jean's scrawny enough to share his seat with me.”
Once he had stopped coughing, Eren snapped his fingers, as if coming to a sudden revelation. “I knew there had to be a reason you were dating him.”
Armin found himself tuning out of the conversation, his breathing tight. Marco was so at ease with his larger figure, he simply didn't care what people thought of him. It was both admirable and terrifying. Armin busied himself by taking a sip of lemonade, his heart racing in his chest. He slipped a hand underneath the table, underneath the hoodie he had spread over his lap. A jolt of unexpected pleasure hit Armin as he brushed his fingers against his full belly.
The quiet thrill of touching something so forbidden in public was unlike anything Armin had ever felt before.
“-anyway, your stuff shouldn't be long,” Marco's voice filtered back into Armin's subconsciousness, and he forced himself to look up at the freckled young man, “You behave, Eren Yeager.”
With a playful wink, Marco was gone. Eren nudged the appetisers into the centre of the table, a dish of onion rings and a basket of mozzarella sticks. Armin's mouth watered, and despite telling himself to go easy given how full he was, helped himself to a couple of mozzarella sticks. As always, they were amazing, the crisp breadcrumbs a wonderful contrast to the gooey cheese. Armin chewed his way through them, unable to stop himself for reaching out for 'just one more'.
“Still can't believe someone as nice as Marco is dating Jean,” Eren grumbled through a mouthful of onion ring, “I always thought he was sniffing around you.”
It was Armin's turn to choke. He swallowed the tangled combination of cheese and breadcrumbs with great difficulty, and drank deeply from his lemonade. Armin could feel his blush deepening, and the concerned look on Eren's face did little to help.
“Which one?” Armin croaked once he was able to speak again.
“Jean. He always made excuses to hang around with you. He even got you to tutor him.” Eren bit into the rest of his onion ring with a vengeance, “Least he backed off when he got with Marco.”
Armin's head swam as he tried to follow Eren's line of thought. He and Jean were friends, even if they didn't have all that much in common. Armin thought back to all of the time he had spent with Jean, trying to pick out anything that might have been vaguely romantic. Armin shook his head to himself, there was nothing that he could recall. Jean, to his recollection, had spent most of his time teasing Armin for being a nerd, or asking why on earth he was friends with Eren Yeager.
“Trust me, there was never anything going on,” Armin laughed nervously, genuinely puzzled by the change in Eren's mood, “Jean is just a friend. That's all he's ever been.”
Eren looked up, meeting Armin's gaze with a startling intensity. Then, just as quickly as his dark mood had settled, it had vanished again. A grin crossed Eren's face, and he nodded, reaching for what was left of the mozzarella sticks.
“Good. Better get some of these before you eat them all,” Eren added teasingly, his warm teal eyes flashing in a way that made Armin's stomach flip, “I forgot how much you liked them.”
So much for pacing himself, Armin thought wearily on seeing the mostly empty basket. Fortunately Eren seemed happier to eat the onion rings, though Armin wasn't entirely certain if he was just saying that to be kind. They made small talk while they waited for their meals, the easy going conversation that they always seemed to slip effortlessly into. Eren was so animated as he spoke, Armin realised. Eren's eyes sparkled and he could never keep his hands still, even while eating what remained of the onion rings.
Their meals arrived, and while Marco was too busy to stop and chat, he had made sure to add an extra helping of fries onto each of their orders. Armin could only stare as Marco set his meal down in front of him. Armin had forgotten just how big the portions were, and his stomach churned unhappily at the prospect of having yet more food packed into it. At the same time, Armin felt a flutter of excitement at the prospect on seeing just how much his stomach could hold.
The towering burger was made up of three separate patties, each intersected with a layer of mixed cheeses and a rasher of bacon. The top most layer also housed a couple of onion rings, and the entire thing was held in place by a long metal skewer. Thick lashings of barbecue sauce was spread between the buns, drips of it trickling down the side of the burger. The rest of his plate was heaped with crispy fries, to the point where Armin could barely see the china underneath. He took up his knife and fork, hesitated, before looking across the table at an equally bemused Eren.
“So I forgot how big the burgers come here,” Eren laughed sheepishly, “Holy shit. Don't think you have to finish it all.”
Armin raised an eyebrow as he cut into his burger. “You don't think I can?”
“No offence, but you're tiny,” Eren pointed out, Armin couldn't help but wonder what Eren would say if he could see his bloated stomach pushing out over the waistband of his shorts, “I mean, I'd be impressed if you could, but don't think you have to or anything.”
“I might end up surprising you,” Armin suggested casually, extracting a triangle of burger and bun away from the tower, “The burgers here are amazing, after all.”
Eren grinned. “You sound confident, Arlert. You wanna stake anything on that?”
“If I finish my plate,” Armin began, positive that Eren could hear his heart pounding in his chest, “Will you go to the late night aquarium show with me?”
“Only if you come paintballing with me if you lose,” Eren wiped his greasy fingers on a napkin, before holding his hand out across the table to him, “What do you say?”
Armin stared at Eren's outstretched hand, at his long, lightly calloused fingers, at the faint scar crossing the back of his hand from some childhood accident. Armin grasped Eren's hand within his own, quietly marvelling at how Eren's rich tanned skin contrasted against his own pale pallor. Eren gripped his hand back, and Armin was suddenly very aware of how small his hand was compared to Eren's.
“You're on.” Armin released Eren's hand so that he could return to his meal, the towering burger looking more daunting than ever.
If he was going to do this, Armin decided, he had to be systemic about it. He tackled the burger first, knowing that it would be easier to get the most filling part of his meal out of the way. Armin groaned on tasting the combination of creamy cheese and salty bacon on his tongue, complemented by the sweetness of the barbecue sauce. He cut himself another piece before he had swallowed, trying to capture an equal mouthful of burger, cheese and bacon. Armin peered below the table at his rounded belly, offering a silent apology.
Because Armin was so very full from his day out with Eren, it didn't take long for his already stuffed stomach to become full. Armin forced down another helping of burger, wincing at the dull throb emitting from deep inside his belly. He took a quick sip of lemonade, in the hope that it would help sooth his stomach, before returning to the task at hand. It was fortunate, Armin decided as he grabbed a couple of fries to complement his next bite of burger, that the food was so very delicious. It was easy to overeat when each bite was just as delicious as the last.
Armin's stomach began to expand out even further. He had never seen it so big, so round and so painfully tight to the touch. If he looked pregnant before, he now looked close to full term. Armin slipped his hand underneath the table to rub at his distended belly, trying to sooth the strained muscles. He could feel his insides churning underneath his fingertips, his digestive system working overtime when faced with so much food at once.
Something bubbled up Armin's throat, and to his embarrassment he had to quickly conceal a belch in the palm of his hand.
“Struggling?” Eren teased from across the table, he had made short work of his own burger, and was starting on his fries without so much as breaking a sweat.
“A little,” Armin confessed softly, exhaling shakily as he kneaded his tender belly out of sight, “But not done.”
There was absolutely no give to Armin's stomach once he had finished the burger. It was rock hard to the touch and surprisingly heavy, pinning him back against the booth cushions. The waistband of his shorts had slipped underneath the swell of his belly, and even his loose t-shirt was starting to become snug. Armin's fingers trembled as he moved onto his fries, grabbing a bunch of them in his grasp, and dipping them into what was left of the barbecue sauce. The fries were far lighter than the meaty burger, and went down far more easily.
“Holy shit Armin,” Eren had long finished his meal, and was instead watching Armin in awe, “You really are determined to get me go to the late night water thingy.”
“Maybe,” Armin gasped, his breathing a little stilted due to how impossibly full he was, “Y-you'll agree when you get to not only see the dog sharks, they're the ones you like, but can walk right over the top of the tank.”
“Only you could make walking on top of sharks sound appealing,” Eren leant forwards, resting his elbows down against the table, “Tell me more?”
“They turn off the main lights, so you can only see by the glow of the tanks,” Armin began, grateful for something to distract him from how uncomfortably his belly was becoming, “It's so beautiful. There's a limit on how many people can come in, so there's no crowds. The fish are all active and awake, and they look so beautiful in the glowing water. You've never seen anything like it before.”
Eren's grin softened into a smile. “Actually, sounds kinda fun.”
Armin had to force the next handful of fries past his lips, spasms of dull pain starting to shoot across his stomach. “They have a bar, too. Did I mention that?”
“Well then,” Eren rubbed his hands together, visibly perking up in such a way that Armin had to painfully suppress a laugh, “That sounds even better.”
By the time Armin had reached the last few fries, crispy and over-salted due to being at the bottom of the pile, each breath caused his belly to throb. He pushed them into his reluctant mouth, grease glistening against both his lips and fingers. He chewed slowly before swallowing, and while it went against every scientific belief he had, he swore that his stomach bulged out just that little bit more.
“Done,” Armin groaned as he held both hands to his stomach, the hem of his t-shirt having slipped up to rest across his belly button, “I am done in every sense of the word.”
“I guess dessert isn't an option?” Eren suggested innocently, bursting into laughter on seeing Armin's indignant glare, “Okay, okay. You win.”
Once the bus-boy had cleared their table, Eren grabbed the bill before Armin could, having the distinct advantage because Armin could barely move. Armin kneaded his belly desperately in hopes of softening it enough to cover it with his t-shirt. Inhaling was out of the question, Armin had barely drawn breath when he was met with a sharp spasm of pain, one that caused him to wince and Eren to look over at him in concern. His protruding belly hadn't even budged in the slightest.
“Could you get me a glass of water?” Armin was struck with sudden inspiration, “I th-think I ate too much.”
“Sure,” Eren rose from his seat, “I'll pay up then we can get you home, okay?”
Once Eren had left, Armin whipped the hoodie off his lap. It took some effort, given the limited space in the booth, the fact Armin couldn't stand without displaying his stomach to the world, and because he could barely move under the weight of said stomach, but Armin managed to wriggle into the blissfully oversized hoodie. Having once belonged to Eren, it was long enough to fall mid thigh, and baggy enough to almost completely conceal Armin's food packed stomach. Armin touched the crest of his belly through the thick material, while his stomach was pushing against the front of the hoodie, it wasn't too easily noticed due to the dark colour of the fabric.
“Here,” Eren slipped into the booth next to Armin, pressing a condensation soaked bottle of water into his hand, “Marco gave me this from behind the bar. Just sip it slow, okay?”
Twisting the bottle cap off, Armin took a small swig of icy cold water. He was trembling, oddly exhilarated on realising that Eren had come this close to seeing him with his stomach out. Armin closed his eyes as he tried to compose himself. His fluctuating thoughts about Eren were clashing with his feelings about his extra weight, creating a tangled web that he couldn't hope to make sense of.
Armin's eyes flew open on feeling Eren's hand rest between his shoulder blades. “Eren?”
“Did you really go all out so I'd go to the aquarium with you?” Eren's brow furrowed in concern, “You could have just asked, you know.”
“You're sweet,” Armin attempted a reassuring smile, “I'm glad you're coming with me, but to be honest? I just got a little greedy. I think I overdid it today. It's been a long time since I've done anything like this, you know?” How could Armin tell Eren, of all people, that he was strangely turned on by his own full stomach? “I'm sorry if I worried you.”
Eren chuckled lowly, his hand moving in circles across Armin's back. “It's kinda cute that you let yourself go nuts like that. This my hoodie?” he added in sudden surprise, as if seeing it for the very first time.
“Yeah,” Armin's cheeks flushed, and he took another small sip of water, “I stole-, ah, borrowed it a while ago. I kept meaning to give it back.”
“You can keep it,” Eren shrugged his shoulder dismissively, “It looks better on you.”
Once Armin's stomach had settled enough for him to stand unaided, they left the restaurant. Twilight had settled across the city, staining the sky with smears of violet and lingering wisps of pink. The air was still warm, but not overbearingly so. Armin fell into step with Eren, taking care not to jostle his aching stomach too much. It was still a little painful, but it was far easier for Armin to cope with, due to the ice cold water soothing his strained muscles.
“Sorry about the whole Jean thing,” Eren spoke up suddenly, looking down at his feet, “That was out of order.”
Armin shook his head. “Don't worry about it. I know how you get about him.”
“Before he got with Marco I thought...” Eren trailed off uncertainly, “I thought he might've tried to get with you. And something about that really... really pissed me off.”
Something warm fluttered in Armin's chest. “Why?”
“I... I don't know,” they came to a stop at a set of traffic lights, and for the first time, Eren raised his head to look over at Armin, “I think it's because you can do so much better than him.”
Not knowing how he could possibly respond to that, Armin was saved from answering by the lights changing colour. They crossed the street together, and took the corner that would lead them to Armin's apartment building. While he was enjoying spending time with Eren, Armin felt a twinge of relief on realising that he was so close to home. His aching belly throbbed with each step, a painful reminder of exactly what he had done to himself. Armin slipped his hands into the front pocket of his hoodie, subtly massaging his stuffed stomach through the thick material.
“You gonna be okay?” thankfully, it was Eren who broke the silence, “Do you want me to walk up with you?”
To Armin's surprise, they had arrived at the entrance of his building. “Ahh, no, it's okay. I'll drink some tea, take a bath, and then sleep it off.”
“If you're sure,” Eren's brow furrowed, placing both hands on Armin's slender shoulders, “Text me to let me know you're okay?”
“I promise,” Armin was touched by Eren's concern, his heart skipping a beat on feeling those strong hands squeeze his shoulders so affectionately, “I just need some rest.”
Eren gazed down at Armin for a long moment, the concern evident in his slightly creased eyes. Eventually he nodded, a faint, but genuine, smile returning to his face. Armin's heart was racing so loudly, he was certain that Eren must have been able to hear it. Eren let go of his shoulders with a final squeeze, and Armin found himself mourning the loss of that touch almost instantly.
Armin chided himself for being so ridiculous, but it didn't stop the pang of disappointment as he and Eren eventually parted ways.
Once Armin was safely inside his apartment, the door locked and deadbolt flipped firmly into place, he scrambled to unzip the front of Eren's hoodie. He let the heavy material slip from his shoulders and onto the floor as he entered his bedroom, not quite daring to look down at his distended belly. Armin approached his mirror tentatively, keeping his gaze focused up on his face. His cheeks were still flushed, his eyes unnaturally bright in the gentle glow that came from the fairy lights strung around the frame of the mirror.
Then, Armin lowered his gaze.
“Oh Sina,” Armin whimpered on catching sight of his swollen belly, “I'm huge.”
It looked as if someone had smuggled a ripe watermelon under his skin. Armin stared at his reflection, gingerly spreading his palms out either side of his belly. He slowly squeezed his sides, breath catching at the ambivalent pulse of pleasure and pain that shot through him. Armin pulled his t-shirt off over his head, exposing his bare belly in it's entirety. It swelled out from underneath his ribs, the otherwise flawless pale flesh a little flushed. Armin turned to the side, the sight of his side profile nearly bringing him to his knees.
He, Armin thought dizzily to himself, really did look pregnant from this angle. His belly bloomed out in front of him a good couple of inches, the waistband of his shorts cutting into the softer flesh underneath. Armin slid his fingers underneath his stomach to test the weight of it, hard the moment he felt the heaviness press back down against his hands. Not taking his eyes off his reflection, Armin fumbled to unfasten his shorts, wincing as he peeled the material away from his indented skin.
It was over in seconds. Armin had barely touched himself before he released, so worked up from everything, from his growing chub, from how large his belly had gotten throughout the day, from Eren and his kind eyes and gentle touch and handsome face. Armin fell to his knees with a thud, gasping quietly from the pain that jolted through him. He stared at his sweat slicked reflection, naked and round-bellied, panting and covered in his own release, and let out a frustrated whimper from the overwhelming rush of emotion.
Once he had calmed down, Armin ran himself a bath, pouring in generous amounts of the expensive bubble bath that he had gotten for Christmas. He lit a couple of candles for ambience, and balanced his tablet on top of his clothes hamper, using a rolled up pair of socks to hold it at the perfect angle. Opening Netflix, Armin went for one of the many shows that he had seen countless times before. He then sank down gratefully into the mass of lavender scented bubbles, the hot water blissfully soothing against his aching gut.
Armin sighed as he slipped down until the water met his chin, the fattest part of his belly finally disappearing below the surface.
As he soaked, Armin allowed his mind to wander. His feelings for Eren had been getting a little more complicated as of late. Armin had always suspected that he had a mild crush on his best friend, but he hadn't realised the extent of his feelings until that night. Armin sighed, his breath sending ripples across the water. Just when had Eren gone from being his best friend to being something more in his eyes? That little revelation wasn't helping his increasingly jumbled thoughts.
“I'm in love with Eren,” Armin murmured out loud, as if confirming his feelings to himself, “I'm getting fat.... and I really like it.”
With that Armin let out a world-weary sigh, and submerged himself fully underneath the water's surface.
-
It had taken several weeks for Armin and Eren to secure tickets for the late night opening at the aquarium. They had met up in the meantime, sometimes with friends, sometimes alone, but never for more than a few hours at a time. Armin's workload had been particularly brutal in the lead up to his exams, and Eren had been splitting his time between work and studying, having already secured a place post-graduation at his father's company. Armin, who still had a year left on his course, was grateful that he didn't quite have to think about entering the workplace just yet.
On stepping out of the shower that warm, balmy day, Armin couldn't keep his eyes off his stomach. He had gotten fatter lately, Armin noticed with a tingle of excitement as he wrapped his towel about his hips. The once subtle curve of his belly had swelled outwards, delightfully plump and worryingly prominent on Armin's slight frame. Armin ran his hand down the damp skin, still warm from his shower. A part of Armin still couldn't quite believe his belly could look so big when it wasn't packed tightly with food, another part wondered just how big it could get when it was.
Stepping out of the bathroom and into his bedroom, Armin glanced at the neatly folded pile of laundry on his chair, the one he hadn't quite gotten around to putting away. On the top were his denim cut-offs, the ones he had worn to the burger joint with Eren. The ones he hadn't worn since. Armin bit down on his lower lip as he picked them up, his heart racing in his chest.
Armin didn't own a set of scales, it was simply something he had never gotten around to. Locating a fresh pair of underwear, Armin pulled them on underneath his towel, already a little aroused from how the elasticated waistband dug into his softer waist. Tossing his damp towel onto the floor to be dealt with later, Armin unfolded the shorts and stepped into them. He shivered in anticipation as he pulled them up slowly over his knees, his fingers curled tightly into the worn denim.
To Armin's genuine surprise, he met a great deal of resistance when it came to coaxing the shorts over his upper thighs. His thighs had grown softer, Armin realised with a squirm of pleasure. He tugged the shorts up his legs, increasingly conscious of the way the denim was biting into the fine layer of fat that now coated his thighs. When the waistband became stuck again, this time underneath Armin's backside, he couldn't fight the overwhelming curiosity that was building up inside of him.
Armin turned, with some difficulty, to look at himself in the mirror.
The shorts were wedged underneath the curve of Armin's rounded ass. Armin hooked his fingers into the belt loops of his shorts, and inch inch, began to forcibly tug them up over his plush backside. Armin gasped, both from exertion and pure arousal, a pink flush rising to his cheeks. He only managed to coax the shorts up so far before they got caught again, this time on the widest part of his backside. Matters were further complicated by the front of Armin's shorts meeting his belly, the unforgiving denim refusing to budge.
“Oh Sina,” Armin gasped as caught his reflection in the mirror.
Staring back at Armin was the reflection of a chubby blond, with a pair of too small shorts caught underneath the prominent swell of his belly. Armin drank in the sight, his mouth dry. Small rolls of fat had formed where the shorts were biting into his hips, pale and doughy in the sunlight streaming in from the window. Armin squeezed a roll between his finger and thumb, pleasure spiking down into his groin at the sharp pain. He then attempted to slip a finger into the waistband of his shorts. It was impossible, Armin soon realised with delight, he couldn't even peel the denim away from the skin.
With great difficulty, Armin tugged his shorts back down over his thicker thighs. Inch by inch, he coaxed them down the soft skin, his breathing ragged from pure arousal. Suddenly, around mid-thigh, the waistband grew loose. Armin whipped his hands back in surprise, leaving the shorts to fall down to his ankles. Armin kicked the pile of denim to the side, fighting to catch his breath.
Chiding himself for becoming so ridiculously turned on by a pair of shorts he could no longer fit into, Armin reached for the outfit hanging on the back of his wardrobe door. The clothes that Armin had purchased just the other day, a couple of sizes larger than his poor worn shorts. As he stepped into the faded grey jeans, Armin felt a small thrill of excitement at the fact they weren't just well fitted, they were on the verge of being snug. He could fasten them easily enough over his belly, but there was no denying that he filled out the front of his jeans.
And the back. Armin glanced over his shoulder at his reflection, at the at the way the denim clung to his rounder backside.
It was becoming increasingly difficult to conceal his belly. The shirt Armin had chosen was designed to be slimming, the deep blue colour dark enough to mask his protruding stomach. At least, in theory. Armin furrowed his brow as he fastened the last couple of buttons into place. There was a noticeable strain against the middle-most buttons, to the extent that one of the buttons had been pulled to the very corner of it's hole.
Steadfastly trying to ignore the fact that his heart rate had spiked from just that little observation, Armin turned to look at his side profile. At the incredibly noticeable pot belly arching down from underneath his ribcage. Armin bit down on his lower lip as he followed the curve with his fingertips, each tap a solid reminder of just how much bigger he had gotten.
It was exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. But, as much as Armin loved seeing the swell of his stomach protruding against the front of his shirt, he still wasn't ready for anyone else to see it.
Resting his hand against the crest of his gut, Armin began to breathe in. Slowly, but surely, his belly began to deflate before his eyes. It shrank away from his fingertips, almost disappearing from sight behind the fine material of his shirt. Though lately, Armin hadn't been quite able to suck it in the entire way. A layer of chub was always left behind, a reminder that it was only going to be a matter of time before Armin could no longer hide just how big his belly had grown.
Especially if he kept stuffing himself until he was fit to burst whenever he went out to eat with Eren.
Eren, being Eren, had suggested they grab dinner before heading to the aquarium. Armin, always eager to spend more time with Eren and an apparent glutton for punishment, had suggested a little sushi restaurant down on the waterfront. It was a small intimate place, served great food, and more importantly was just pricey enough that Armin couldn't afford to eat until he was unable to move. Which was fortunate, given that his shirt was fitting him a little more snugly than he was comfortable with that evening.
Unfortunately, Eren had whipped out his card and ordered before Armin could so much as glance at a menu.
“It's on me,” Eren grinned across the booth at Armin, his tanned skin darker and warmer than ever the soft lighting overhead, “I insist.”
“You didn't have to do that,” Armin couldn't stop himself from smiling at the kind gesture all the same, “Thanks, though.”
As Eren launched into a detailed account of his day so far, Armin couldn't stop himself from staring across the table at him. Eren looked amazing, and unlike everyone else in the restaurant, didn't appear to be flustered in the slightest by the relentless heat outside. His long dark hair was piled up into what looked like an effortless manbun, though Armin knew full well that Eren had probably spent a good forty minutes making sure that it looked just the right kind of effortless. The olive-green shirt that he was wearing only helped emphasise his dark skin and vibrant teal eyes, and was fitted just tightly enough to show off his strong shoulders and narrow waist.
“So exams are finally over. Forever,” Eren added gleefully, unfastening his cuffs to start rolling his shirt sleeves up to his elbows, “You got another year, right?”
Armin nodded, trying not to make it too obvious that he was staring at Eren's toned forearms. “That's right. At least that's another year before I have to look for work?”
“Please, they'll all be fighting to hire someone like you,” Eren insisted, “Besides, if for some reason they're all insane and you can't find anything, I'll just hire you instead.” A proud grin flashed across his face. “I'm allowed to do that now.”
“Just because I'm studying medicine doesn't mean I have the faintest idea how pharmaceutical sales work,” Armin pointed out, though he found himself touched by the gesture, “I wouldn't be much use to you.”
“I dunno,” Eren's grin turned wicked as he leant back in his seat, “I've always liked the idea of having a cute blond for an assistant.”
The waitress appeared before Armin could stammer his way through a response. She set down an entire sushi boat onto the table, the wooden surface crammed with brightly coloured sushi rolls. After adding a bottle of sake and two small glasses she took her leave, though not without a lingering look at Eren, one he seemed to ignore in favour of pouring out two generous helpings of sake.
“This must have cost you a fortune,” Armin accepted a glass from Eren, inhaling the sweet scent of sake before taking a sip of the refreshingly cold liquid, “There's so much.”
“Well you know me and food,” Eren took a moment to pat his infuriatingly flat stomach, “Pretty sure I could eat my own weight in sushi.”
Pace yourself, Armin told himself sternly as he broke apart his chopsticks. Just because there was a seemingly never-ending amount of sushi spread out in front of him didn't mean that he needed to eat it all. He selected a piece deftly between the tips of his chopsticks and popped it into his mouth. The moment that the beautiful combination of rich salmon and sweet, sticky rice hit his tongue, Armin knew he was in trouble. He had forgotten just how good the sushi was as that restaurant, and he was already reaching for a second piece before he could realise what he was doing.
After eating his second piece, Armin lowered his chopsticks to swig from his drink. The cool sake not only complemented the taste of fish, it prevented Armin from mindlessly grazing. Though, Armin realised wistfully as he lowered his glass, it didn't make the sushi look any less appealing.
“Here!” Eren held out his chopsticks across the table, a roll of sushi resting precariously between them, “You gotta try this. C'mon, open up.”
“What?” Armin barely had time to open his mouth before the roll was nudged between his parted lips.
He'd eaten tiger rolls before. He had even eaten them at that very restaurant before. But, somehow, when it was being coaxed into his mouth by Eren? The flavours leapt to life in an entirely new way. The avocado was creamier than Armin remembered, the shrimp tempura crispier, the cucumber fresher. Armin swallowed it only after taking a long moment to savour it, chasing every last bit of flavour.
Armin took another swig of sake, his cheeks warm. “That was good. Thank you.”
Eren seemed determined to get Armin to try a little of everything. Sushi rolls of various shapes, sizes and colours were held out expectantly towards him, paired with Eren's bright, encouraging smile. For Armin, there was something so quietly intimate about being fed in such a gentle manner. Eren would wait until Armin had the sushi between his lips before withdrawing, his eyes lingering on his face while he chewed. Armin felt his blush deepen, not helped by the frequent sips of sake between sushi rolls.
It only took a worryingly short amount of time for Armin's stomach to start pressing against the waistband of his jeans. It took all of his willpower to turn down Eren's next offering of sushi with a shake of his head. A full stomach was hard enough to keep sucked in without a great amount of discomfort, an overstuffed belly was going to be next to impossible to conceal. Armin shifted in his seat, if he were being honest, he was already bordering on being a little too full.
But then Eren curled his lower lip down into a pout, his brow knitting in a way that tugged on Armin's heartstrings. “Please? Just one more?”
The worst part of it was, as Armin reluctantly accepted a final piece of sushi, that he probably would have attempted to eat the rest of the sushi boat had Eren simply asked him to.
The one upside to being full was that the sakes effect on Armin wasn't nearly as potent as it should have been. Usually he was a notorious lightweight when it came to alcohol, but the countless pieces of sushi had helped coax Armin into quite a pleasant state of tipsiness. Armin drained the rest of his glass, a warm fuzzy sensation rushing through his body. Even his poor overstuffed belly felt a little less painful, not that it made it any easier to try and keep it pulled in. Armin glanced down as he allowed himself to relax his stomach muscles just a little, his belly billowing outwards into a mere suggestion of it's true size.
The heat was starting to get to Armin, or perhaps, more accurately, he had drank just a little too much sake. Armin rolled his shirt sleeves up, trying not to wince at how pale and bony his arms were in comparison to Eren's. Though, as Armin folded his shirt cuffs just past his elbows, now that he was looking at his arms more closely, they seemed a little different. Still pale, Armin was the first to admit that he spent far too much time indoors, but not quite as frail as he remembered.
They were softer, Armin realised as he ran his thumb over his wrists, having to push down against a fine layer of fat to feel the bones underneath.
“It is pretty warm in here,” Eren unfastened the top two buttons of his shirt, revealing a hint of his collarbone, “The sun's getting in my eyes. Mind if I move over your side?”
Before Armin could respond, Eren had shuffled around the booth to join him. Close enough so that their thighs were touching. Eren smelled of sandalwood and rosewater, with just the faintest hint of perspiration underneath. Even when they were sat down Eren was taller than Armin, though by just a head rather than the usual half-a-foot. Armin leant back contentedly in the booth, his skin tingling as his bare lower arm brushed again Eren's own.
Only for his heart to stop when Eren reached out and patted the faint swell of Armin's belly. “Heh, you really weren't kidding when you said you were full.”
“I can't say no to you. You took advantage of that,” Armin accused Eren playfully, his stomach still tingling from where it had been touched.
“Not my fault that you're a lightweight,” Eren reached out to pick up another piece of sushi, though his eyes kept lingering thoughtfully on Armin's midsection, “Though maybe not quiteas much as you used to be.”
Armin's stomach fluttered anxiously, a tiny spark of pleasure igniting somewhere deep inside of him. “I've... put on a few pounds?”
“Maybe. But I meant that you used to eat like, next to nothing. Now you can almost match me. Well,” Eren conceded with another playful pat to Armin's belly, “Not quite. But you try.”
Biting down hard on his lower lip, Armin could only wonder if Eren had even the faintest idea of what he was doing to him. “We're not all blessed with your unfairly fast metabolism.”
“Hey, I'm just making the most of it while I'm still young and attractive,” Eren winked at Armin as he popped yet another piece of sushi between his lips, “We're not all blessed with being naturally adorable looking, you know.”
As they left the sushi restaurant and finally made their way towards the aquarium, Armin couldn't quite tell whether his giddiness was from the lingering heat of the day, far too much sake, or the fact Eren had touched his stomach and called him adorable. Perhaps it was some combination of all three. Armin could feel his carefully restrained belly slipping out a little more with each step he took, his alcohol slackened muscles refusing to hold it back any further. He could feel it pressing up against the front of his shirt, but it was just too full for him to suck back in.
Shiganshina's aquarium was situated just outside of the city centre, perched on the edge of the wide river that ran through the city. The front of the long building was made up from large panels of curved glass, ever so slightly tinted blue. The backside of the building was less ornate, simple brickwork occasionally intersected by warm wooden slats. The very end of the building jutted out over the river, with an open deck lined by iron railings. Little lights were dotted along said railings, glowing gently in the twilight.
After showing their tickets at the front desk, Armin and Eren were guided from the entranceway and into one of the many glass lined hallways. With the main lights turned off for the event, their way was lit by the ethereal blue glow emitting from the tanks. While Armin had walked down that particular hallway at least a hundred times over the years, it had never seemed so magical before. Shoals of pretty little fish were swimming through the water, blissfully unaware of the display they were putting on.
The show was set in a little sunken theatre, with rows of seats that were tilted backwards in order to provide a better view of the domed ceiling. Eren nodded understandingly as he and Armin took their seats, slouching back against the soft pleather with a contented wriggle. Armin was all too aware of his overstuffed stomach as he led back in his own seat, he could still see it protruding upwards in the semi-darkness. The weight of it was pinning Armin back against his seat, though not in an entirely unpleasant way.
“It's like the planetarium,” Eren breathed softly into Armin's ear, only just audible over the gentle acoustic music that was being played over the speakers, “Remember when we went in fifth grade and Connie threw up because he ate a monster sized bag of cheese puffs?”
“I remember it vividly because I was in the splash zone,” Armin murmured back with a wrinkle of his nose, “That was disgusting. I never could eat cheese puffs again.”
“You cried the entire way home,” Eren recalled fondly, “I ended up sitting next to you 'cos no-one else would.”
Armin sighed, though he was quite unable to stop himself from smiling. “My hero.”
“We've known one another forever. You ever think...?” Eren trailed off, with an unusual note of uncertainty in his tone, “That we could be somethin'... more?”
“More?” Armin repeated breathlessly, “Eren?”
Eren's response was lost as the little theatre was suddenly filled with classical music. Armin struggled to read Eren's lips as the already low-lights dimmed even further. A swirling ocean of purples, greens and blues was projected rushing across the ceiling, but Armin didn't spare it a second glance, focusing instead on Eren's face. Those slightly chapped lips moved again, only to quirk upwards into an exasperated smirk as Armin cupped his ear in response. Propping himself up with an elbow, Eren leant between their seats to better reach Armin's ear.
Only to change course at the last possible second in order to kiss Armin instead.
Armin's heart fluttered in his chest as he returned the kiss, his lips tingling as they moved inquisitively against Eren's mouth. It felt so sudden, but it also felt so right. The rest of the world faded away as Eren slipped his fingers into Armin's hair, coaxing him into a deeper kiss. A warmth radiated throughout Armin's body as he angled himself to move in closer to Eren, not wanting to break contact with him, not wanting to shatter the moment between them. The arm of his chair dug into Armin's soft side, but he didn't care, it was worth it to be as close to Eren as he could get.
“You're missing the show,” Eren grinned breathlessly at Armin as they both broke back for air, a light flush staining his tanned cheeks.
“Worth it,” Armin confessed without a moment's hesitation, emboldened enough to press his lips back to Eren's.
The rest of the show passed them by in a flurry of muffled music and dancing lights. Eren's fingers slid gently through Armin's hair, the sweet taste of sake lingering on his lips. At some point, Armin realised during a much needed pause to catch his breath, Eren had placed his other hand on Armin's side, protecting the excess fat from the blunt edge of the arm rest. Armin sank back into their next kiss with renewed adoration, his fingers curling loosely against Eren's wrist.
Something had changed between Eren and Armin as they left the show, hand in hand. Armin led Eren away from the sparse crowds towards the shark tunnel. While it was a high traffic area during the day, very few people lingered there at night. There was something unnerving about the dark shapes gliding silently overhead, especially when the exterior lights were turned down low. Usually Armin would have been taking the opportunity to watch the sharks while they were more active at night, instead he couldn't look away from Eren.
“So I gotta question,” Eren turned part way through the tunnel, gleaming blue ripples shimming across his face from the glass above, “Does it bug you that you've put on a 'few pounds'?”
“You're going to think I'm weird,” Armin looked up into Eren's handsome face, any fear or anticipation melting away the moment he met those eyes, “But no. It doesn't really bother me at all.”
“Then why do you keep sucking your gut in?” Eren gestured to the not-so-little swell for emphasis.
Sometimes, Armin realised sheepishly, Eren was a lot more astute than he let on. “I might... like it, but I don't think I'm ready for people to see it just yet.”
“That's fair,” Eren shrugged a broad shoulder, his teal eyes more vibrant than ever in the underwater lighting, “But for the record? I think it's kinda cute. You look all... cuddly, you know? You don't need to suck it in around me.”
“You're sweet,” Armin smiled, his thumb stroking little patterns against the back of Eren's hand, “Though I'm not sure you realise just how, um, big it is.”
Eren's gaze flickered downwards, and Armin had to give him credit for trying to mask his open curiosity. “You're still... uhh...?”
After glancing up and down the tunnel to make sure that they were alone, asides from the sharks drifting stoically through the water, Armin finally allowed himself to relax. His stomach, so full of sushi and bloated with too much sake, looked larger than Armin had ever seen it before. It swelled out slowly, purposefully against the front of his shirt. A satisfied sigh rushed over Armin's lower lip as the mild discomfort he had been feeling since the restaurant faded away, replaced with an almost giddy exhilaration. Much to Armin's relief, the snug waistband of his jeans gave up and slipped underneath his swollen belly.
Glancing sideways at his reflection in the glass, Armin felt a sharp thrill spike through him at how round and prominent his belly looked. He almost looked as if he were several months pregnant when his pushed his stomach out as far as it would go.
“Where the hell were you keeping that?” as Eren spoke, Armin realised with a jolt why he was letting his stomach hang out in the first place.
“Practise?” Armin offered weakly, trying to read Eren's shocked expression for any clue as to what he was feeling.
Eren reached out towards Armin's midsection, before hesitating, his fingers curling back against his palm. “Can I...?”
“Ahh, go ahead,” Armin let out a nervous laugh at the absurdity of the situation, “You don't have to ask.”
A shiver of guilty pleasure radiated across the width of Armin's belly the moment Eren touched it. Armin bit down on his lower lip as Eren ran his fingers over the swell of his gut, pressing down against the taut skin at intervals, as if to test it was truly real. Eren smoothed his palm down a rounded side, his eyes creased in thought. He prodded at a struggling shirt button with his index finger, his skin briefly making contact with the sliver of pale skin peeking out between the button holes.
“That's honestly impressive,” Eren managed, unable to pull his eyes away from Armin's stomach, “But, shit. You got any idea what you're doin' to me? Somethin' about you letting it all out, letting it all go? That's hot.”
“It does feel... nice not having to hold it back,” Armin could feel himself shaking, still unable to belief he was actually doing this in public, “Still a little nervous.”
“Don't be. You look gorgeous. Especially now you're relaxed,” Eren leant over to press a kiss into Armin's hair, “But it's up to you what you want to do. Your body and all.”
“I,” Armin exhaled softly, surprised at his own rush of self confidence, “I like this. I want to get used to this.”
Eren wrapped his arm around Armin's waist, pulling him in close to his side. “Then you got this. Besides,” he gave Armin's side a playful squeeze, “A few more pounds down the road and you're not gonna be able to hold it in any more.”