Felicia was curled up on the couch when you finally got back home, and she had a stomach ache.
She didn't tell you this, but you sorta knew just by looking at her- her pale face tight with discomfort, her lips pursed into a grimace, her large belly pressing against her dress, her hands resting over the swell-
And the fact that the dinner party she was supposed to be at didn't end until an hour later from now. She was still in her fancy blue dress.
"Hey," you called, kicking off your shoes. You made your way to the living room and Felicia gave you a tight, almost fake smile.
"Hi," she said, struggling to suppress a grimace. You spotted the large empty soup bowl and an empty Nestea can- and some napkins and crumbs - on the coffee table, and you thought, Oh.
" 'S everything alright?" you asked, sitting next to her. Felicia fidgeted, half-surprised.
"Hmm? Oh- oh, no, I'm perfectly- oooooh."
She was cut off by a sudden, thick gurgle. Her whole face twisted briefly, and she clutched at her stomach, taut and large and swollen.
You placed a hand on the small of her back, prompting her. There was a short silence, and then-
"...I really am okay," Felicia said unconvincingly. "It's just- mmh - my- my tummy just hurts a little bit, that's all."
"The dinner party didn't go well?"
Another fierce, sloshing gurgle. Felicia winced.
"No, no- it- it went well, just- I might've overdone it on the snacks," Felicia tried to smile, but another sharp ache must've run through her because she immediately grimaced. "I- oooh, that's not good..."
You'd seen Felicia at dinner parties before, and the picture was clear in your mind- Felicia downing plates of appetizers in secret, wolfing down her bowl of soup- feeling full and trying to wash it all down with dessert- feeling so abruptly full she couldn't move-
You gently pressed a hand against Felicia's stomach. She groaned a little, and you frowned at the intense bubbling pressure.
"Wow. You're really full, huh? You got a tummy ache?"
"Y-Yeah, I- mmh. Honey, can- can you get me something to drink?" Felicia asked, voice strained. "I-I don't think the Nestea helped much."
"You want water, Coke or Sprite?"
"Mmh- Sprite, please."
You didn't have any Sprite cans, but you did have a quarter of a two-liter. You poured that into a tall glass, snagging an antacid pill along the way (just in case).
Felicia took the glass and smiled gratefully when you returned- though it was a little strained. With one hand resting over her stomach, she chugged the contents in a few gulps.
You watched, transfixed, as she drank. The soda traveling into her pursed lips, throat bobbing with every gulp, chest rising and falling, stomach trembling, pushing at the seams of her fancy dress.
She pulled away shakily, sighing with slight relief, and you took the glass from her hand to set it on the table.
"Thank you," Felicia mumbled. "That helped, I should feel so much better after-"
A sudden, loud gurgle. Felicia's belly protested violently, and Felicia froze.
"After- oooooh," she doubled over slightly, curling in on herself, discomfort on every feature. You immediately put your hand on the small of her back again, rubbing up and down to soothe her.
"Felicia?"
"Ooooh- I- oh, no," Felicia groaned. "That's really not good..."
"Here," you said, bringing your other hand to rest over Felicia's belly. "Let me help?"
Felicia looked slightly confused, but nodded shakily, trying to suppress her pained grimace.
"How- mmh-"
You began to rub firm circles over the plush expanse of Felicia's belly, occasionally switching to stroking up and down. Your hand remained firm against the small of her back, applying extra pressure.
Felicia sighed, slightly contented- and then her tummy gurgled again.
"Ohhh, no," Felicia whispered tightly. You pressed more firmly into her tummy, and she briefly squeezed her eyes shut. "I- I- oooh, my stomach-"
You rubbed a little too firmly. there was a slight gurgling sound, and suddenly Felicia surged forward and belched loudly.
"BHHHHUUUUUUUUURRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHPPPP!"
It took the both of you by surprise- loud and nasty and probably painful. Felicia's stomach must've really hurt, if she had that much trapped gas- and probably more left.
But before you could even say anything, Felicia clapped her hands over her mouth, eyes wide. She looked mortified, face going red.
"...'Scuse me," Felicia managed after a few moments of silence, hands hovering near her mouth.
She looked really, really embarrassed, and she was clearly still in pain, and you knew better than to tease her.
"...You feel any better?"
"What? Oh, mmh- yeah," Felicia said quickly, turning to look away. "I must've cleared up my stomach after... that. Uh, I-I should go and rest, I- mmph!"
Her tummy gurgled, and Felicia clamped her mouth shut, swallowing back a surge of air. There was a slight sloshing sound, and Felicia's face tightened.
"Hey, hey- don't hold back," you urged, rubbing her back. "You'll hurt your stomach. Come on, I'll help."
"H-help?" Felicia hiccupped.
"You need to burp, don't you? Come on, I know that face. Here, I've got you. Go on."
Felicia fidgeted, lips pursed. "You- you aren't grossed out?"
"Of course not," you said. " 'S just a bit of gas, and it'll make you feel better. Go on, it's just me."
Subconsciously, you began to massage her taut, aching stomach- rubbing in wide, soothing circles.
Felicia shakily opened her mouth to respond. "I-"
She made a funny face, placing a hand over her chest. "I- mmh- BHUUUUUUUUURRRGGGGHHHHHPPP! Mmh! 'Scuse me..."
"Feel better?" you said, grinning slightly. Felicia blushed, but nodded.
"A- A little," she admitted sheepishly. She still looked mortified, but a little less uncomfortable. "I- I, uhm-"
"Still need to burp?" you said knowingly. "Man, that soda really-"
"Can you rub my back?" Felicia blurted out. Her belly gurgled, and you absently rubbed at it a little. "I- I just- I'm sorry, but I... I feel something stuck and- and I really don't feel good."
She looked even more mortified than before.
"Don't be sorry," you said immediately. " 'Course I will."
You rubbed her tummy a little more, just to soothe her nerves. With your other hand, you began to stroke generously up and down her back. After a few moments, Felicia seemed to relax a little, her shoulders loosing some of their stiffness.
Her tummy gurgled, though not as loudly as before. Felicia grimaced, then belched.
"BBUUURRRRRGGHHP! Oh, 'scuse me," She daintily pressed her fingers to her mouth, just as you began to pat her back with just a little too much force. Her belly gurgled.
"Mmph- BHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRGGGHHHP!"
Felicia slapped a hand over her mouth by instinct.
"You're excused," you teased, rhythmically patting her back, and Felicia giggled sheepishly, somewhat less nervous. "But you better say it, just in case."
"Excuse me," Felicia said, a hand on her chest. Then her eyes went wide and she burped loudly, and then, to your delight, she giggled even louder.
"E-Excuse me!" She laughed. "That just- that just slipped out!"
You snickered, patting her back, pressing gently against her stomach. "Damn. What else have you been keeping in there?"
"Probably a bit too much soda," Felicia said jokingly. Her nose twitched and you patted her back again. Felicia belched, but much more quietly.
"BHUURRGGGHP! Mmmh. 'Scuse me. Oh, that last one felt weird, it sort of tickled my throat."
She slumps against you, exhausted. You resume patting her back.
"How's your stomach?"
"My tummy feels a lot better," Felicia admits. The red blush on her face from her previous mortification is still prettily dusted across her cheeks. "Thanks, honey."
