Bellflower Part 28 (Patreon)

In this installment, Holly is still having wardrobe issues & plans a shopping trip, while Rachel tries getting more active. 

We've jumped ahead a little further now. Really, I wanted to have a bit more sister interaction to kind of gauge where things stood, but for whatever reason, this one was a bit rough to write. It's a bit short, but it was taking me a bit & I got to what felt like a good end point for the time being. More to follow soon.

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28

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"I just bought this…" Holly growled through her grimace. "C'mon!" Her struggle seemed reflected in the contortions of her face.

Finding that she had outgrown yet another item from her wardrobe had almost become a regular part of her daily routine. It seemed to be happening twice, sometimes maybe even three times a week at this point. But still, she never quite seemed to get all that used to it happening, even if it was becoming a more & more frequent occurrence. Not as bad as a few weeks ago where suddenly nothing seemed to fit all of a sudden. But still steady happening again & again. As more & more things got pushed to the side, in a pile she of things she had sworn she’d “get back,” & would somehow be able to “slip back into.” “Eventually.”

Whenever it did happen, it always seemed to come with a bit of shock. And because it was often in the early morning, it was a reaction she always had to keep at least somewhat subdued, lest she make Rachel aware. If that happened? She’d probably never hear the end of it! Speaking of keeping subdued, she also desperately tried to consider it only in the present tense. Not think about her struggle any more deeply than the very superficial level of wearing that one thing for that one day. Definitely not take into account that this seemed to keep happening to her. With progressively looser & sometimes larger articles of clothing. On account of the further implications she definitely didn't want to devote too much of her attention toward.

From there she’d grit her teeth, wince, wiggle, coax, plead with the thing, wiggle some more, & try to squeeze herself into it the best she could. Sometimes she’d be able to get it. Just. A few times? She wasn’t quite so lucky. And that side of her closet would just get a little bit bigger. She hated looking at it though, since it was becoming most of her closet.

Today’s offender, this particular button down, was a cute shade of blue, & she was really hoping to get more than three or so wearings out of it before pushing it off in to the pile with the others. But she felt like she had a good chance today. She… just… needed… to get… this one... dumb, fuckin’... button! 

"Got it!" She finally managed, exhaling a little, but was a bit too late. Her face was already a pinkish red from sucking everything in. And she still tried clenching the muscles of her middle in tightly. While she used to have problems with the buttons over her chest, the problem area seemed to progress a bit lower. Now the one that always seemed to give her the biggest trouble was where her middle was the roundest. But even with that one now out of the way, there were still two to go. Not as tough, but no walk in the park either, as her thumbs mushed into the soft fluff of her doughy middle.

Finally, with all of the buttons fastened, she slowly let go of that last bit of air she was holding onto, & released. She stopped sucking everything in, & felt a lot of herself pressing against the constraining cotton, almost filling it to its very limit. It seemed like it was going to be a snug fit for the day. Borderline too. But then again? That seemed like most days now. Not the most comfortable maybe, but you know? Do able. Ish. Just no big lunch! She stared into her own eyes, trying to reprimand herself preemptively, knowing it do her a fat lot of good later when meal time rolled around & she was starving.

Then again, that was the thing. It was almost as if she was never not starving any more. Including this very instant. Trying to change the subject in her own thoughts, she ran her hands down the length of herself, trying to smooth any wrinkles out, only to find her body had already pulled the fabric too tight to wrinkle anyway. With a very labored sigh, she looked over her reflection, a bit unhappy with it. Or at least, the way things seemed to be going.

She felt like a sausage, the way she was stuffed into these office clothes of hers. Even for as cute as they were. As much as tried to deny it, or at least push it to the back of her mind, it was inescapable. She could hardly come up with the proper words in her head, just trying to describe herself. She was getting big….ger. Bigger. And rounder. All the time it seemed. And not just in her ass or hips anymore. Like sure, it was obviously still the epicenter. But pudge seemed to be spreading, & happening all over now, as she noticed her arms filling out the sleeves, & almost making them look like soft, comfy pillows as she focused in on them. They weren’t as flabby as her boss’s maybe, but close! Fuck, even her fingers felt chubby these days! 

A short sigh left her. She couldn’t remember the last time she set foot on a scale, but the thought of doing so now? At this point? Made her anxious to the point of dizziness. It pained her to try & imagine a number, but she suspected it’d tell her she was maybe three times the size she used to be. Back before her job, when she used to be so obsessed with working out all the time. At least. Part of her wondered how she could’ve ever let this happen to herself. But on some level, she also knew full well, as her stomach seemed to growl, calling her attention away from being so self-conscious. As much as the reminder made her sigh helplessly, in some form? She kind of welcomed the distraction.

Speaking of which? She felt like a sausage. As in, maybe there was enough time that Penny could fix her up a few before she set off for the office! Oooh, maybe she could ask for turkey though? Less fat that way. Slowly, a smile gradually came back to her face.

At first, Holly took care in not making too much noise as she stepped foot out of her bedroom. On the one hand, if Rachel was still asleep, she didn’t necessarily want to be rude & wake her up stomping around. But then on the other? It was getting to be about time to set off anyway. So even if she was still asleep, she definitely needed to be up by now.

“Ah, Miss Holly!” Penny chirped, louder than expected. Focusing on her own stealthiness, it almost made Holly jump. “Care for a nibble before setting off?” Holly started to motion to shush but then noticed Rachel’s spot on the couch was vacant, the sheets kind of thrown to the side, undone. There was no sign of her. And no reason to skulk around quietly in her own condo.

“Um… yeah, actually.” Holly timidly smiled. “Do we have any like… breakfast sausage? I’m sort of craving it this morning for some reason. Turkey!”

“Of course!” Penny said, arms lowering from the ceiling in the kitchen, ready to go to work.

“Do you know where Rache…” Before Holly could finish asking the question, the door hissed. Huffing & puffing, a sweaty Rachel staggered in, making it just past the kitchen before stopping again. Her pale skin was beet red, & she doubled to lean her palms on her upper thighs for a moment. In an attempt to focus on catching some breath. At first, it seemed almost a little performative, but given her breathing, perhaps a bit necessary. She was in what looked to be newer (slightly larger) workout clothes. Ones that fit her fairly well, considering. Probably a little something she ran out & got wit h the money she had coming in. Her maroon hair was tied into a small, messy ponytail at the back of her head, but the bit she left out at the sides seemed to hang just a little bit lower.

"Did you just...?"​ Holly, the former runner, seemed horrified by the prospect.

"Jog." Rachel huffed directly with a nod.​ Keeping it decidedly terse to conserve air.

“Before work…?” Holly asked for clarity, with perplexed, bulging eyes holding in an expression of almost disbelief. As if the very notion itself was somehow unfathomable to her. It almost elicited a laugh out of the breathless Rachel.

“You should… try it… sometime.” As much as her younger sister might’ve had a point? There was something about the way she was gasping for breath & dripping with sweat that seemed to turn Holly off about the whole idea. But also, the shade wasn’t lost on her either. Meanwhile, nearby, a few of the sausages hit the pan, starting to sizzle reminding Holly. She hoisted her bubble butt onto one of the stools of her table, ready to receive her breakfast while leaving Rachel to do her own thing. To be a bit diplomatic, but still provide a bit of a jab of her own? Holly tried changing the subject instead. 

"You're going to be late." She eventually settled on nagging, with a nod. Subtly, she tried to imply she wasn't going to wait to drive her by speaking in the singular “you’re,” not “we’re.” After all, she wasn’t about to wait for her to shower. Holly didn’t have the time, & at the moment, Rachel seemed to be in desperate need of one. 

Then again, each of them going about their own business was sort of just par for the course these days. It was almost less like they were sisters & more like roommates coming & going, like ships passing in the night. And as such, Rachel seemed nonplussed about the threat. She was more concerned with catching her breath than the threat of not getting a lift. Or even the very prospect of being late it seemed.  

"No rush." She waved away, once she saved up enough oxygen, she finally stood upright again, stretching a little as she got there. For all her jogging, Holly couldn’t help but notice her little sister’s pudgy belly poke out as she did, the sides flowing out to a muffin-y bulge. 

It was probably ridiculously petty, sure, but she still seemed to get a little bit of sinister joy out of it. For all her bluster about Holly needing to watch her weight? There was like that week or two there, while apartment hunting, where Rachel really seemed to chub up a bit all of a sudden. For Holly, it was kind of reassuring, seeing Rachel housing a burger or indulging with a bit of ice cream. Prove that she was still human after all. But lately? Rachel had been attempting to workout. Or at least go on these “jogs.” Usually in the evening. And it seemed to help her start to plateau a bit. Even if only a little. A bit to Holly’s catty chagrin. 

The whole thing was hard to explain. It wasn’t like Holly necessarily wanted Rachel to get heavy. Again. That would be like… really shitty. Just… well, like, for one? A chubbier Rachel seemed far less prone to call her out for her own bad habits. Or at the very least, had less of a leg to stand on if she tried. Then again, Rachel had seemed to chill on that a bit anyway. Even if only because they were doing their own things lately.

But even still though. There were a few times Holly caught her staring. At her. Particularly the… fluff. It was hard to make out if the expression Rachel had was one more of shock, disappointment, or concern. But even to Holly, it was abundantly clear what her sister was thinking. And it made her self-conscious.

At the same time, an active Rachel gave her less of an excuse to not start trying to turn things around herself. Get active. Deep down, she knew she probably should but... no! She tried it. It sucked! And anyway, besides, all of that? The notion of Rachel being the bigger out of the two of them? It was just more... familiar. Nostalgic! Like from when they were kids.

"Dawn said she was... taking a day..." Rachel continued, finishing her stretch. There was an accompanying look, offering a bit more subtext.​ “She’s been... doing that, lately. Not regularly, but like… here & there.” It took Holly a second to get on the same wavelength. “Because…”

"Oh." ​she said at first, only to follow it up with a slightly more enlightened second “Oh.”

“Yeah.” Rachel followed sharply. “So it’s just me &... well… Trudy’s sweet but…”

“Say no more.” Picking up on what Rachel really meant made Holly feel a little guilty. Here she was, wringing her hands, thinking about her sister getting chunkier than her while people around them had honest to god weight problems. She felt… awful, lowering her gaze a little.

“Yeah.” Rachel followed with slowly, letting it trail. But as it hung there, a plate whizzed between the two of them, almost causing the fatigued Rachel to rear back in surprise.

“Your sausages, Miss Holly?” Penny’s arm set it on the table before her gently. Holly was immediately lifted from her doldrum & let out a soft, excited coo. The smell had gradually filled the room as they had been sizzling up, but it was stronger now just under her nose. They were so plump & juicy. TV quality, even for something so simple. Wait. Were these things turkey like she asked? Fuck, she was too hungry for a detail like that to matter, stabbing the first with her fork. Rachel’s eyes twitched a little as she watched her sister take her first bite. It was better than the full-on wince she suppressed.

“Mmmm. Well…” Holly gulped. “You do your thing! Just so you know, I’m probably going to go out shopping after.”

“Shopping…?” Rachel snickered. “What happened to your “box service?” I thought you said you never needed to shop again, since you got outfits in the mail.”

“I don’t need to.” Holly elucidated. “I just want to, okay?” In reality, the way things seemed to keep getting tighter, she actually did kind of need to. Or at least, she would. Eventually. But it wasn’t like she’d ever be willing to admit that to Rachel, chomping her breakfast instead. “Is that alright with you…?” Holly asked for permission sarcastically, rattling her head a little for extra effect. Rachel grinned before starting towards the kitchen.

“I mean, it’s not like you’ll be more than a block & a half away.” She shrugged, gesturing in the direction of the shopping center.

“Actually?” Holly slipped between bites. “I was thinking about taking a trip to the mall.”

“The mall?!” Rachel scoffed, deftly avoiding the gamut of high calorie goodies stocked in the fridge to focus on only reaching for the carton of orange juice. “In this? The year of our lord two-thousand & whatever? Lookatchu! So Old School.”

“I know, right…” Holly responded a bit flatly. After days of unintentionally avoiding each other, she was happy to actually be engaging in conversation with her sister, but at the same time, wasn’t thrilled with her taking weird potshots. Old School? What did that even mean?

“Where is there one even?” Rachel’s eyes rolled upward in thought as she started pouring herself a glass. Without a car, it wasn’t like she had any real expertise on the area. But she had been around enough to know, knowing Holly, there couldn’t be one all that far.

“Mmmm.” It’s actually over sort of by where that Burger Palace is.” Holly volunteered, unwittingly. “Just keep going just a few lights further.” She didn’t immediately notice that Rachel’s kneejerk response started with a soft laugh.

“Oh!” She barked. She shut her eyes & clenched her smile a little tighter to relish it a beat longer. “I get it.”

“NO!” Holly snapped, the end lilting into a bit of an “Ech” for added measure. But protesting a little too much with her tone, it only made it seem more obvious that was totally her plan.

“Uh-huh.” Rachel chided sarcastically, playing along with Holly’s “likely story.”

“Oh, shut up!” Holly grumbled, stabbing at another sausage on her plate. “It’s still breakfast right now. Do you really think I’m thinking that far ahead?”

“Actually that’s exactly what I think.” Rachel laughed, before bringing her glass of oj up to her lips to sip. “Just… don’t like food-coma yourself again, okay? On my “bed.” Remembering the last time.

“Y’mean my couch? Jesus, Rach! I’m not…!” Holly snapped before collecting herself for a better response. “Ech, whatever! Okay, Mom!” It hit as well as she could’ve expected. At least given Rachel’s slightly more tenuous relationship with their mother. Rachel’s eyes narrowed.

“Call me “Mom” all you want.” She snapped back. “But it’s not my job to roll  your ass into your room at the end of the night?”

“Oh? Roll?!” Holly’s voice raised, zeroing in on the insinuation.

“You heard me!” Rachel double-downed, raising her volume to match.

“I am not that f...”

“Ladies.” Penny tried to play intermediary. “Ladies!” The tone was stern, but not unpleasant. Enough to get a word in edgewise, & for the sisters to pause. “Miss Holly? Far be it from me to rush you, but if you are attempting to make it in on time, perhaps I could prepare the rest as a sandwich?”

“Yeah,” Holly kept chomping at the one on the end of her fork, but pushed the plate with the remaining few to a lowering arm. “I should probably eat on the road.” With the slightest grunt, she started to ease herself to her feet. “Some of us don’t have the luxury of rolling into work whenever we just sort of feel like it.” It was her attempt at snark, but it made Rachel chuckle softly.

“It doesn’t work like th… You’re…” Rachel stopped herself from gesturing Holly’s size with her hands, laughing off how feeble it was. “Whatever. Go! Go shopping. And eat burgers till you’re sick. Fine. I have plans anyway.”

“Oh…?” Holly seemed to press. But Rachel didn’t feel like elaborating.

“Yup.” She responded simply, realizing how coy it was. “Penny, are there clean towels…”

“On the rack in the bathroom.” The AI seemed please to answer one of the few questions Rachel ever bothered to ask it. Out in the kitchen, the girls could hear the water automatically kick on, warming up to Rachel’s optimized temperature. Rachel turned back to Holly, bringing her two fingers to her forehead. Her eyes bulged mischievously as she stepped backwards & chortled. The fingers left her brow in something of a sardonic salute. 

“Guess I’ll roll you later, toots.” 

“Ech.” Was all Holly was able to get out before her sweaty sister slinked off into her bathroom, in order to freshen up in her shower. She started gathering her things. “Do you believe the nerve of her?” Holly asked the room. 

“She can be a bit… a bit...” Penny seemed to search for a word, but Holly laughed.

“-Chhh?” She finished for her robot. “Oh! She’s a bitch, alright.” She pulled the strap of her bag onto her shoulder while biting her lip with a sinister little smile. She had an evil thought. “Say, can you like… randomly fudge with the water temperature of the shower? Just for a second?”

“ACK! Cold!” she suddenly heard shriek through the wall, followed by a muffled thud. Presumably Rachel trying to jump out of stream abruptly. “Penny, what the fuck?!”

“Perfect!” Holly purred, trying to keep her laughter to a minimal as she made her way to the door. As she did, a mechanical hand handed her a small biscuit sandwich with the rest of her sausage inside. “Penny, you’re like, the absolute best, you know that?”

“I try, Miss Holly.”