Nathan stood still in the entryway, stiff and alarmed. It wasn't that spending lunch with Charles was out of the norm, it was expected even. It was 'I need you right now' that had Nathan's brain throwing scenarios faster than he could register. He folded the wrapper down over the chocolate bar he had been working on that morning and tucked it in his pocket. It was good, something for him to fiddle with while Charles wrapped things up before lunch. He had the chance to watch his lover's slow but deliberate movements and really observe how the added weight affected his entire demeanor. It was nice.
Charles couldn't help the comfort he felt when Nathan was around. Nothing Nathan did was out of malice, in fact it felt like everything was out of warmth and love.
"I'm um, well- I'm getting very fat." Charles said, closing his laptop, swallowing the thickening air of the room. He could see the alarm build instantly in Nathan's posture and on his face.
"And with that out of the way I need to ask of you some things." Charles looked back up at Nathan who's eyes were wide and he seemed filled with dread and terror at the mere suggestion of the topic.
"I thought, no, I mean I'm just- I'm just making sure- yeah I have brought you your meals.. you had lost so much weight when you came back to us! But I didn't tell you to stop exercising. Or to keep eating through the night even after we're all asleep! Or-" Nathan wasn't making sense but Charles knew what he needed to say before this escalated to heart-wrenching status for both of them.
"Stop. Stop Nathan. I know." Charles wanted to come around the desk and hold Nathan close, he would soon.
"This is NOT about me losing weight, or blaming you- or anyone else. Please."
"I just need /you/ to know that if this continues, and I think we both want it to, I can't continue to protect you. At this rate I won't be able to leave the property a short year from now. You'll either have to take me with you in a chair or leave me here while you boys and a few klokateers handle public events to the best of your ability.
All I want you to know is the consequences of the definite future. I can hardly be there for you at this size and I'm not getting any more... physically capable either." Charles explained and loosened his tie, unbuttoning two top buttons to breathe a little easier.
"And about the exercise. I'm well aware I could have stopped this from progressing and I'm actually currently avoiding the doctor for that very reason. It's shameful, Nathan. I had all the chances to slow this down or to help heal myself in the least but I never did. To be frank, I won't start now. I'd never let anyone see me unable to do a sit-up, walk a minute on a treadmill or to even see my pitiful excuse for workout clothes ripped at the seams trying to contain all of this." Charles said in his typical tone and cadence, but this time his face was sweating from admitting something so shameful in his eyes.
He gave his stomach a firm jiggle and let his body shake as he looked up at Nathan. Asking felt useless, he knew the answer. However how else would he calmly explain how he was getting too fat to do a huge and important part of his job?
"Anyways, speak your peace if this isn't what you want."