Chapter Text
Chapter One
It had just turned to Spring. The snow had melted, the chickens could be heard clucking down the road, and the daffodils were in bloom. Harvey stood in his apartment above the clinic, sipping his coffee and staring out the window at the morning sky. It wasn’t often that he felt this lonely. He loved his job. He loved the slow pace of the community he chose to build his life in. But he still felt an emptiness. A growing need for something more.
He headed downstairs just as he heard the front door open. Maru made her way to the back of the front desk. “Hey, Harvey. Not much on the schedule today.”
As on most days, there wasn’t a whole lot on the agenda unless someone had a cold or the farmer on the outskirts of town injured herself doing god-knows-what. Harvey didn’t mind the sporadic schedule. He still kept the lights on, and he much preferred getting to know his patients one-on-one than dealing with the chaotic hospitals in the city.
“Just one appointment this morning, Doc,” said Maru. Harvey looked at the calendar. Oh god, is it that time already?
It was Shane’s annual appointment today. Harvey hadn’t really talked to or seen Shane since he found him drunk on the edge of the cliff last year. He had barely convinced Shane to let him bring him back to the clinic. It had been raining, and Shane was inconsolable. Thankfully, Harvey was able to calm him down, sober him up a bit, and convince him to start seeing a therapist. He had asked Shane to keep him updated on how things were going, but he hadn’t heard from him since that night. Though he had seen Shane drinking Joja Colas at the saloon every now and then, which he took as a good sign. At least it wasn’t the copious bottles of beer he usually saw him drinking.
Harvey was taking another sip of his coffee when the door chimed open. Shane walked into the clinic with his hands in his sweatshirt pockets, looking nervous. “Hey, uh, I’m here for my appointment,” he muttered.
Harvey looked Shane up and down, surprised. Has he always been this…big? He wore denim shorts, well-worn sneakers, and a zip-up hoodie that looked a few sizes too small. His dark hair was swept out of his eyes, and he clearly hadn’t shaved in a few days. But Harvey just could not take his eyes off of his protruding stomach. The zipper of his hoodie was barely hanging on, and it showed the outline of a soft, wobbly belly that Harvey could not remember being there before.
I’m staring, say something! “Um, thanks for coming in. Just follow me to the back and we’ll get your vitals and see how you’re doing.”
Shane followed him to the back room and took a seat on the small chair in the corner. “So, how have you been doing this last year? I don’t think I’ve seen you since I made that referral to my colleague in Zuzu City.”
Shane sighed and leaned back against the wall. “Yeah, I did follow up with her. She’s been pretty good actually. I’m on some medication that’s really helped with my mood, and I’ve stopped drinking. I’m really feeling a lot better. I’m just sorry you had to see me like that.”
Harvey crossed the room and sat on the stool next to Shane. “There’s nothing to apologize for. I’m a doctor. I’m here to help people in any way I can.”
“Thanks, by the way. I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t stumbled on me,” Shane said quietly.
“Of course. I’m just happy to see you’re feeling better. Besides that, have there been any other changes you’ve made?”
Shane glanced down and back up at the doctor, looking sheepish. “Well, I’m still working at Joja and living with Marnie. And I’m still going to the saloon most nights. But, because I’ve stopped drinking, I’ve just been…eating a lot more, I guess.” He took his hands out of his pockets and placed them on his belly. “I’m fairly certain I gained a bit of weight since you saw me last. I may not be able to drink, but I can’t help but eat Gus’ food. Gotta support local businesses, you know,” he joked.
Harvey could feel himself blush. He was usually pretty professional, but something about Shane was so enticing. He was handsome, in a soft, approachable way. Harvey’s eyes travelled from his face to his softening chin, down to his meaty arms and big hands that held the stomach that took up a good bit of his lap. All he wanted to do was run his hands down his chest and feel Shane’s gut in his hands, feel Shane’s mouth on his ne-- fuck.
Harvey cleared his throat. “Well, gaining a little weight in your first year of sobriety isn’t abnormal. Why don’t you hop on the scale and we’ll see where you’re at.”
Shane grunted as he put his hands on his knees and stood up. His hoodie had ridden up, showing a brief glimpse of soft, white belly before he attempted to tug it down. Harvey reckoned that sweatshirt couldn’t cover his round gut since at least 20 pounds ago.
Shane stepped onto the scale and caused a notable creak. “Alright, Shane, my notes from last year say you weighed 185. Let’s see here.” Harvey moved the bottom weight to 150, then 200, then 250…and moved the top weight to 10…15…20…30…
“Alright, you’re at 283.” Harvey swallowed. Hard.
Shane looked pale. “Are you sure? That can’t be right. There’s no way I gained 100 pounds in a year.
Now Harvey blushed. “It’s a very accurate medical grade scale. But it’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
Shane plopped back down on the chair, causing a jiggle to ripple through his strained sweatshirt. “Nothing to be ashamed of? I’m fucking enormous. First I drink too much, and now I can’t stop shoving food into my face? What is wrong with me?”
“Nothing! Nothing is wrong with you. So you like to eat, so what? What’s the alternative? Continue drinking and being miserable?”
“I guess you’re right…I am a lot happier now.”
“Exactly, Shane. Would you rather be fat and happy, or skinny and depressed?”
Shane let out a sigh. “Happy.” He paused. “I just, I don’t know how I can ever find anyone to want to sleep with me again with this,” he grabbed and jiggled his soft belly, “hanging around.”
“I mean, I think you look pretty great,” Harvey spoke without thinking. Idiot!
“...really?”
“I’m sorry, what I meant to say was, from a medical standpoint you’re doing fine. Besides your weight, your blood pressure is normal and your blood work looks good. As long as you eat a balanced diet, I’m not too concerned about the number on the scale.”
Harvey could feel his face flush, and he started to fidget. All he could think about was how many nights Shane must have stuffed himself at the saloon to gain nearly 100 pounds in the last year. The thought of him, at home, rubbing his stomach for relief from how full he was. Harvey wished he were there. He wanted to feed him, to feel his taut belly against his straining shirt, to grab his burgeoning love handles. To unzip his too-tight shorts and grab his swelling coc-- This is so inappropriate!
Shane looked at Harvey through squinted eyes. There’s no way he didn’t know how turned on he was right now.
“Well, if it’s the doctor’s orders I guess.”
Harvey walked Shane to the door while clasping his hands in front of his pants for no reason at all. “Keep doing well, Shane, and I’ll see you in a year for your next check up.”
Shane turned around and smiled at Harvey before leaving. “Yeah. Well, maybe if I’m lucky, I’ll see you sooner.”
Harvey couldn’t run up the stairs fast enough.