Work Text:
"This is so good" Elyse said as she took another bite of her sandwich, specifically a bahn mi, something she's never had before
She looked around the restaurant, watching people come in and out of the place. The waiters were rushing around as well, taking orders and grabbing dishes before disappearing in the back.
"I'm surprised you're still eating" Bruce joked as he too took a bite of his sandwich "You had like five bagels already"
She hummed as she swallowed her bite "I gotta grow big and strong" she said as she flexed her arms "Get that protein in"
"Hey, don't bully my wife"
She turned around at that, smiling up at James as he sat down beside her
"I come back from the bathroom and you're throwing jabs at her, huh?" James said with false aggression, his chest puffed out and shoulders held high "Say that about her to my face"
Bruce only snorted "Uh huh, I'm sorry Elyse"
She stuck her tongue out at him as she took another bite.
-
After the meal, they headed back to work.
She closed her eyes as she leaned her head out the window. The sun felt fuzzy on her face, the warm wind feeling nice through her hair.
She heard Bruce and James talking, something about making plans, but she tuned out and let herself doze off.
She thought about what Bruce had said at the table. She knew he meant no harm, he wouldnt have known her troubles with eating or food in her past. He simply made a joke, a Bruce comment. She tried not to dwell on it, knowing he was the one innocent here.
She frowned as she turned away a bit more from them, almost facing the door of the car as she thought about it.
When he Bruce had said that, though, she had been sorta hurt, but not as bad as when James had defended her. That's what was. Harder. She knew that James had meant no harm as well, he had meant for the opposite. But it was a very delicate topic to talk about, food. For her it was, and for James.
In sickness and in health, at their wedding she remembers him putting more emphasis on that part of the vow.
-
It was an hour and a half into them going to bed, and when the apartment got quiet she rolled onto her back, looking to her left and staring at James.
He had his back to her, his breathing audible from where she was. His chest expanded, before he snored quietly as he exhaled.
'I wonder how much I weigh' she thought, looking away from him. She stared up at the ceiling 'I've been eating good for a few years now'
She looked back at James. He still snored. Still asleep.
'Surely it wouldn't be bad if I just. Checked'
She slowly sat up, glancing at him as she swung her legs off the edge. She paused as he moved, holding her breath as she watched him adjust his pillow before becoming still. A few seconds later, he started snoring.
She got up, quietly walking into their bathroom and shutting the door behind her. She turned on the light, quickly adjusting to the brightness before she turned to her left, looking into the mirror.
She examined her face, turning her head as she stared at her cheeks. She pressed her hands against them.
She remembers when they had been firmer, slimmer. She remembers the way her cheekbones had been getting more and more visible. But as she swiped her thumb against the underside of her eye, she also remembered the way they got darker, more sunken in.
She stepped back, looking away from the mirror as she lightly grabbed at her stomach. She stared down at the roll that she was currently pinching at, feeling how soft and warm her skin was.
She remembered how cold she had been. She remembers wearing sweaters every day, along with a long sleeved shirt. She remembers how taut her skin was, how she was able to rub her hip bone through it.
She remembers how her shoulder blades had been visible through her shirts.
But se wasn't like that anymore. Now, walking over to the far wall from the door, where she stood and stared, she had a soft tummy and some muscle definition in her arms and legs. Now she filled out her shirts, filled out the space that used to be between her underwear and her hip bones.
She smiled, happy that she was at this point in her life now. She smiled sadly as she thought about her near relapses she's had to get here.
Something that could happen if she weighed herself again, like she did a little over a year ago now. But she doubted it. She was honestly excited to see how much she was.
'Okay,' she paused 'Where would that scale be'
She looked around the bathroom trying to find it, and when she didn't she looked under the sink. She moved a few bottles around, looking in the back to see if it could be there.
With a smile, she found it, hidden behind the small gap between the drawer and the backboard of the cupboard.
She quietly pulled it out, turning around and placing it down in front of the door. She straightened up, and with a breath she stepped on. It took a second, the digital scale turning on before the number flashed up on the screen. She sighed as she read what it said; 138
"138" she whispered, breath hitching as she stared at the number
'138 pounds'
She quickly stepped off, not bothering to put it back as she quietly left the bathroom and into their bedroom.
Slipping back into their bed, she shuffled over to James and pressing herself against his back as she shook him awake
"James" she whispered, shaking his shoulder "Jaaames"
She stopped shaking him as he looked up at her "What, what is it? You good, everything good?"
'Probably picked up on my excitement'
"I weigh 138!" she whispered excitedly "I'm 138 pounds!"
He stared at her for a second, not moving as she smiled down at him. After a second, he pushed himself up onto his elbow, fully facing her
"You-what?" James said as he rubbed at his eyes
"I weigh 138 pounds dude" she repeated. He stared at her again.
"You weighed yourself" he stated. She nodded "You know how bad that can be-"
"No, James, I'm actually really happy about it. I'm really happy about it James"
He stared at her once again, but threw himself on her as she laughed "You're awful, and weird, and I'm happy you're happy"James said as he rested his head in the crook of her neck
She snorted as he kissed her "Alright, enough with the praise"
"Ey" He lifted his head, looking up at her "You get all the praise tonight, I'm glad you're okay with the numbers"
She was the one who stared then. She knew what he was talking about, and with how he put his head back down he knew that she knew. She just held onto his forearm with one hand, the other coming up to lightly grab at his hair.
"In sickness and in health boo" James said, smiling