2. The slacky hog - Part 3
By the time Erick was pulling on clean clothes after his bath, his stomach was already clamoring for food.
“I’m starving. How much longer is that weakling going to take to get here with all the food?” he thought impatiently.
As if fate had heard him, the doorbell rang at that exact moment. Breakfast had arrived.
—Lucky me —Erick muttered under his breath before using a voice command to unlock the door.
The student struggled to step inside, balancing a towering stack of pizza boxes in both arms, with heavy bags stuffed with soda bottles dangling from his wrists.
Erick eyed him up and down, raising an eyebrow with his hands resting on his hips.
—Put all that on the floor right now before you snap your back.
The student leaned down delicately, trying to slide the boxes onto the ground, but as the top began to wobble dangerously, Erick stretched out one of his massive hands and steadied the tower with ease. The rookie dropped the bags onto the floor and collapsed to his knees, completely breathless and exhausted.
—How many boxes are there? —Erick asked.
—Twenty-eight, sir —the student replied, a hint of pride in his voice.
—Twenty-eight! What? Are you trying to put me on a diet? —Erick countered, looking down at him with mild annoyance—. Is this seriously all you could carry?"
The student’s proud smile instantly vanished under his leader's impossible demands.
—And what about the sodas? How many gallons do we have there?
—Umm... there are seven —he stammered, swallowing hard.
—Only seven... —Erick let out a resigned sigh —. I suppose there's nothing wrong with a light breakfast every once in a while, though in cases like this, it's downright stingy.
The student felt strangely guilty. Breakfast wasn't an official challenge, so he was in no actual danger, but something inside him made him feel terrible for failing to satisfy his leader’s immense appetite.
Without wasting another second, Erick popped open the first pizza box, rolled the entire pie up with both hands like a giant taco, and stuffed it straight into his maw with wild, ravenous fury. In a single bite, half of the crust vanished behind his puffed cheeks, while the other half dripped with extra cheese and sauce in his hand.
That pizza had been baked to feed an entire family, but to a stomach like Erick's, it was barely the equivalent of a tiny cookie. The student watched, utterly spellbound, by the raw display of gluttony before him. Erick took a second bite, and in a matter of seconds, the whole pie had completely vanished.
—Hand me a bottle —he commanded with his mouth still full, gesturing toward one of the bags.
The student rushed to obey. The giant grabbed the container and chugged without pausing, swallowing in a rhythmic, heavy pattern until every last drop was drained. The contents of a bottle that could have easily filled thirty glasses disappeared in the blink of an eye.
BRRUUUUUOOOOAAAAARRRRRRPPPPP!!!!
Erick let out a belch so loud and resonant it rattled the glass in the window frames. The student had heard his leader’s gaseous rumbles before, but this was the first time he got to appreciate one from such a close distance.
Erick looked at him, completely relaxed, lazily scratching the hair on his exposed belly.
—Sorry —he offered with a smug smirk—. Hope I didn't gross you out. My family usually tells me I have the eating habits of a pig.
—Not at all! —the rookie blurted out quickly—. On the contrary... I admire you a lot.
Erick burst into laughter.
—You say that now, handsome. But when I try to stuff you in here, I'm sure you'll change your mind and call me all sorts of names —he teased, giving his colossal gut a few loud, playful slaps.
—If it comes to that... I guess I'd be fine with it. That's just what happens to losers, right?
Erick stopped slapping his midsection and blinked at him in genuine surprise.
—What a strange little creature you are. You don't sound like the same guy who thought I was going to eat him alive a couple of hours ago.
The student blushed furiously and shrank his shoulders.
—It's just that... I was afraid my end had come without even getting the chance to defend myself in a match.
Erick began pacing slowly around the student, taking a close look at the little man's diminutive frame.
—So that means you aren't afraid of ending up inside my belly... but you won't just let yourself be beaten without a fight either, huh? —he asked, his tone turning mischievous.
—Exactly. I want to be defeated fair and square according to the rules, after I've given it my all to save myself —the young man stated, holding his leader's gaze.
—I should've guessed —Erick sighed, letting out a disappointed pout—. Either way, you're far from being a decent snack. Look at how tiny you are, you're practically skin and bones. What's your height and weight?"
—I'm five foot eight and I weigh a hundred and fifty pounds.
Erick pulled a face of pure disdain.
—Even if you lose and I gobble you down, I'll still be starving —he grumbled, flopping heavily onto the bed—. Yup, you definitely want to put me on a diet.
—Well, if you want me to satisfy your appetite, even just a little bit, we need to start with the video games. I'm more than ready."
—Just give me a few minutes, I need to finish breakfast first.
Erick grabbed five pizzas at once, stacked them high like a massive multi-decker sandwich, and wolfed them down in seconds. He repeated the exact same process over and over until not a single crumb remained.
—Had to quiet the beast down before I did something reckless —he muttered with his mouth still full, lazily patting his stuffed, demanding belly.
Suddenly, the giant leaned down until he was barely an inch away from the student's ear, while the young man could only stare in awe at such a colossal appetite.
—You know, up until now, I've given you the chance to talk to me... but your luck is about to run out. You have no idea the superhuman effort it takes for me to hold back the monster inside me. Ever since you walked through that door, I haven't been able to think about anything other than tasting you... digesting you... and turning you into part of my fat.
The student stood petrified, consumed by a heady mix of fear and fascination at his leader's words. His cheeks were burning red, yet his throat tightened as he swallowed hard in suspense.
—Alright, we're ready —Erick continued —. Computer, turn on the console and launch “Fight on Fire".
Instantly, the screen across from the bed flickered to life. Two controllers emerged from the wall—one massive and gilded, built to fit the leader's titanic hands, and a smaller, grey one.
—Just your size, so your delicate little hands don't get bruised —Erick teased, handing him the controller.
—Sir... —the student spoke up timidly—. There's a small detail about this game..."
—No begging —Erick cut him off—. I don't care whether you know how to play or not. The challenge has begun, and we're going through with it until there's a loser. Just accept your fate.
The student nodded, offering an uncertain smile.
The match started. Each selected their character, and the moment the screen shouted "Fight!", it didn't even take ten seconds for the student to pull off the most complex, rapid, and flawless combos imaginable. The match was over in under a minute; the leader had been utterly crushed.
Erick blinked repeatedly, completely speechless.
—That's what I wanted to tell you —the young man squeaked out, his voice sounding like a tiny mouse.
The colossus turned his head to meet the boy's flustered face.
—This is my favorite fighting game. I know every single move for every character.
—Show-off —Erick grumbled, visibly annoyed.
—I-I suppose that's everything. With your permission, I'll take my leave —the student said, placing his controller back on its dock and bowing politely.
—Hey, hold on —the giant stopped him, scratching the back of his neck —. Wouldn't you... like to play another round?"
—Do you mean another official challenge?
—Exactly! You see, the rules state that only one challenge can be held per day. But... there's no rule against doing more if the student voluntarily agrees. So... would you accept? Please?"
As he spoke, Erick looked at the student with wide, pitifully sweet eyes. It was a drastic contrast to his threats from moments ago. Now, he looked like a soft, oversized, hungry teddy bear.
Despite the obvious danger, the student was touched and agreed. Unsurprisingly, he won again. Then he accepted another, and another. Two hours flew by in a button-mashing frenzy. Every single round ended with the student's absolute victory.
—Fine, I give up! I've had it! I admit it, you win! —Erick threw the gold controller onto the mattress with a heavy huff—. You're a terrible guest. You aren't feeding me properly at all."
—Well... you could always summon the other members of your team to play against you —the student suggested.
Erick clicked his tongue before answering.
—Everyone else plays better than me. You and the guy I gobbled up yesterday were the newest members on the roster, so I thought I could take advantage of your inexperience. I never imagined you'd be a prodigy.
The student blushed, staring at him intently with a serious face, trying hard not to show how thrilled he was by his leader's compliments.
—Wait, that's it! —Erick gasped, his eyes lighting up with sudden realization—. You're the best player on my entire team!
—Huh?!
—Would you do something for me, handsome? —Erick coaxed in the smoothest, most velvet tone possible, gently stroking his student's hair.
The student felt his face burst into a deep crimson, eyes wide and spellbound under his monumental leader's undivided attention.
—W-What would you like me to do? —he managed to articulate.
—If I set up an internal gaming tournament where I make every single member of my team go up against you... well, you already know where they're going to end up —Erick concluded, letting out a low, sinister chuckle.
The student didn't answer right away. The silence made Erick a little impatient, prompting him to use a bit of physical persuasion: he caught the student's chin between his massive fingers, forcing the young man to hold his gaze.
—I want you to feed me.
The air completely left the boy's lungs.
—It would be an absolute honor, Mr. Erick.
—Just call me Erick —he replied with a flirtatious smirk—, You've earned my complete trust, little guy. We have a deal... By the way, what's your name?"
—My name is Walter. —Very well, Walter. We have a deal.
