Strong Smells

The sizzle of sauteing vegetables and the salty-sweet aroma of baking ribs filled the kitchen as Jenny hummed a happy tune. Her hips swayed side to side as she stood in front of the stove, using a spatula to push around the mix of broccoli, asparagus, and cauliflower as they cooked in oil and marinade.

It was going to be a good evening.

It didn't matter that someone had cut her off in traffic on the way here, or that her paycheck was several days late, or that she'd been called 'sir' by six different people at work.

None of that mattered, because tonight was her night with Ann. She had on tight black shorts to show off her most attractive feature, a powder blue camisole that hugged her small chest, and an apron that read 'Kiss the cock'. She checked the timer, then looked through the glass into the oven. The meat hadn't completely pulled back from the bone, so it definitely needed a little more time.

Turning her attention back to the skillet, Jenny was so absorbed in her cooking that she almost missed the sound of a key turning in a lock, followed quickly by the front door opening. "Hey, babe! Dinner's almost done!" she called without turning around.

Ann was breathing heavily, clearly still exhausted from her post-work trip to the gym. "Jenny? You're here earlier than I expected and I certainly wasn't expecting you to be cooking dinner."

"You work so hard all the time, and I had a free afternoon. So, I thought I'd go full housewife and pamper you a little~" Taking the skillet off the heat and setting it on another burner, Jenny did a little spin to show off her outfit, and in the process could see Ann coming up to her. "Do you like it?"

"Do I like it?" Attention turned back to the stove, Jenny jumped as she felt a pair of hands on her hips, tracing down to tease past her butt and trail her thighs. "Well, I certainly can't complain about having a beautiful wife to come home to at the end of a long day," she whispered directly behind Jenny's right ear.

The physical contact made Jenny shiver, but it was the words that made her heart flutter. She and Ann weren't officially married, but they enjoyed throwing the word around, after now having dated for a few years. Every time Ann called Jenny her 'wife', it sent a thrill of excitement through her. "Dinner's almost done. You should settle in, and I'll prepare our places at the table."

Ann retreated to do just that, setting her purse on the brass hook near the entrance and taking her shoes off to put them in their proper spot on the linoleum tile near the door, before it transitioned to carpet.

She was the kind of person who had a 'proper spot' for everything in her home. 'Neat freak' would be a pejorative way to describe it, but Ann certainly had a high standard for cleanliness, and Jenny had learned how to adjust. Every utensil, dish, and piece of cooking equipment was washed as soon as possible, tracking in dirt or mud was unacceptable, and the air constantly smelled of aerosol scent sprays.

With only the ribs to worry about now, Jenny allowed herself a peek over at Ann. Her girlfriend was almost the same height as her, just a little shorter, though her hair was a mousey brown in contrast to Jenny's blonde.

The larger contrast came from their builds and their sense of fashion. Where Jenny was perhaps a hundred and twenty pounds soaking wet, Ann had a wide build that naturally tended towards curves and softness, regardless of how much dieting she attempted. Ann dressed professionally, with expensive clothes that Jenny knew from experience felt constraining to wear all day. The entirety of Jenny's wardrobe, sans work uniform, was made of the softest, most comfortable, and girliest clothes she could find.

Despite having just been working out, Ann had changed back into her work clothes before coming home. Her blindingly white button up shirt was tucked into her gray slacks, ones with a texture to them like rough carpet. She'd at least taken off the suit jacket, whose color and material matched the pants, and hung it on a hook next to her purse.

Ann took a seat at the kitchen table rather than wait comfortably in the living room, her back straight and posture perfect and she folded her arms and kept her eyes on Jenny.

Those eyes...Jenny blushed, checking on the ribs again. To many, Ann had the bearing of an overbearing manager at a retail store, eyes scrutinizing all they fell upon. That wasn't accurate, Ann was head of her department. But when she looked at Jenny, it was different.

That analytical quality was still there, but there was nothing professional or sterile about it. No, Ann tended to look at Jenny as though quietly dissecting every part of her that she enjoyed. When she wanted to tease and taunt Jenny, all she had to do was begin listing every detail of Jenny's body, bearing, and choice of words that made her so enticing to Ann.

Trying to ignore the growing erection born from Ann's attention, Jenny put on soft cotton oven mitts and removed the glass dish from inside the oven; the one containing the centerpiece of their meal. Setting them on a cooling rack to rest, Jenny turned to her lover and explained, "They should be ready to eat in ten minutes or so. Until then, tell me about your day!"

"Ribs?" Ann said, a quiet disapproving note to how she said the word. Taking her seat next to Ann, Jenny winced. "Not exactly my favorite food."

"They were on sale," Jenny explained. "Besides, I know you have issues with them being messy, so instead of drenching them in barbeque sauce, I went with a dry rub. Trust me, it will be delicious. Now, I noticed you dodging my request. Come on, how was work?"

The long sigh was an answer in and of itself. "Miserable." She reached out a hand and took Jenny's, her fingers rubbing gently across the back of her palm. "Did I tell you about Debra?" Jenny shook her head. "Well, she only started working here a few weeks ago, and she's been a problem. I've dropped hints, clear and frequent hints, but that tactic achieved nothing, so today I spoke to her more directly."

Having never worked in a position higher than entry level herself, Jenny was only able to nod her head in an attempt at sympathy. "What's the issue with her? Being rude to customers? Stirring up workplace drama?" That, at least, she could relate to.

However, Ann shook her head. "No, it's nothing like that. She's just...a mess. Literally." Ann leaned back in her chair and looked up at the ceiling. "Aside from the fact she barely meets the hygiene requirements for working on the floor, she is destroying the break room and I'm the only one who seems to care! She's constantly leaving trash helter skelter, she never puts anything back where it should go, and I am the unlucky soul forced to have a locker next to hers!"

Jenny had to choose her next words carefully. If this Debra was truly as Ann described her, then yeah, she would be a bit of a nightmare to work with. But this was Ann, and the idea she might be exaggerating was not unlikely. "Her locker...is bad, I'm guessing?" She had settled on a fairly neutral response.

"It is rancid." Ann spat the word out as if it was a curse. "I have to hold my breath to avoid the smell when I store and retrieve my belongings, and I cannot fathom what is in there causing that odor. Did she leave a glass of milk in there to evolve into a new species of fungus?!"

"So, you talked to her?" Jenny cut in, hoping to avoid a long rant. After all, they were about to eat, and hearing about a gross locker wasn't amazing for the appetite.

Ann lowered her head to level a stare at Jenny, the ghost of a smile gracing her lips. It was the kind of look that told her loud and clear that Ann had seen what Jenny was trying to do, and she appreciated it. "Yes. She said she would work to 'clean up her act', but it did not feel sincere to me. Then, she apologized to me for the trouble, with a smile on her face, mind you, and tried to bribe me with a gift."

Rising up to cut up the meat and prepare their plates, Jenny paused, noticing for the first time something around Jenny's neck: a length of cord that dipped below her the collar of her shirt. "A necklace?" she guessed, quickly plating without making a mess of it.

When she walked back to the table, a plate in each hand, she saw that Ann had taken the gift out. "Yes, and...well, as an apologetic gift unconnected to actual work behavior, I felt required to take it." That seemed off to Jenny, but she let the comment pass as she set the plate in front of her girlfriend.

It was more an amulet than a necklace, a circular plate of bronze inset with a yellow gem, though Jenny didn't know enough about the field to guess the type of stone. Finally able to really relax, Jenny started on the vegetables first, happy to find her mix of soy sauce, garlic powder, and onion powder had worked exactly as she wanted. "It looks good on you."

There was a small twinge to Ann's lips, a brief upturn at the corners, before she used her knife and fork to begin cutting into her ribs. Before she could even finish doing so, however, her stomach audibly rumbled, and a rare blush graced her cheeks.

"You didn't eat anything for lunch, did you?" Jenny asked, exasperated.

Rather than answer, Ann took a bite of the rib meat and nodded approvingly. "This is seasoned quite well. A bit too juicy for my tastes, but excellent." She grabbed a napkin and dabbed the small amount of grease that had landed on her lips.

That raised Jenny's hackles. If she really had just gone without eating anything at lunch, then she would have said so. "You...did take a lunch break, didn't you?" The way Ann didn't meet her eyes, didn't respond at all, and instead focused on eating what was on her plate, told Jenny all she had to know. "Babe..."

That single word made Ann wilt. "I'm sorry...it was just so busy today and several employees called out, and..." She stopped herself, drew herself back up to proper sitting posture, and faced Jenny head on. "No, those are excuses. It was a rule violation to skip my half hour break again, and it's not healthy for me to do that, or to miss meals." Done admonishing herself, she gave Jenny a radiant smile. "This food truly is excellent. You're such a good cook, love."

Jenny preened at the compliment. "Thank you, I'm so glad you like it." From there, they focused on eating, and Jenny could properly enjoy the fruits of her labor.

Unlike Ann, Jenny ate the ribs properly, with her hands, and they were perfect. The exterior spices came from a blend she'd found ages ago and swore by, even if she couldn't pronounce half the ingredients on the label. The top of the meat was crispy, a pleasing texture she'd gotten from brushing olive oil before baking. The meat itself was juicy in the best way, some of it spilling out onto her face and hands with each bite. She could be mortified about that last detail later, in the present she indulged herself and enjoyed her meal.

It was only as Jenny took a break from the ribs, cleaning herself with a napkin, that she noticed something odd. Ann was looking at her food, displeased, and looking longingly at the finished rib on Jenny's plate. "Something up?"

Ann nodded. "I'm...more famished than I realized. And it's aggravating that I can't seem to get nearly as much meat off of my bones as you can, simply because I'm eating more cleanly."

Looking between the plates, Jenny could see that indeed, Ann's ribs were missing large chunks of meat, but there was still much of it clinging to the bones. After a short internal debate, Jenny decided to just go with what came to mind. "Babe, the only other person here is me. You can eat with your hands if you're really that bothered by not getting all you could otherwise. Zero judgment from me, obviously."

It was a lost cause, Jenny knew, but she felt she had to try. It hurt how unbending Ann could be in some of her idiosyncrasies, but still, she loved her and-

-and Ann did just as Jenny suggested, setting her fork and knife to the side and picking up one of the half-eaten ribs and trying again using just her teeth. Ann brightened immediately, and started eating faster, far more quickly than Jenny had ever seen her eat before. She really must have been starving.

But the fact she'd tried at all...this was the first time Ann had ever immediately tried something that went against her rigid sense of cleanliness after just one suggestion from Jenny. The few times she had adjusted her behavior, it took weeks of nudging.

Some corner of Jenny's mind flashed in suspicion. Two of her partners thus far had transformed in ways contrary to their usual behavior...was this a sign of Ann being next?

Jenny shook those thoughts away. Ann was probably just hungrier than expected, it was nothing to worry about.

That rationalization wobbled when, mouth still full of half-chewed meat, Ann asked Jenny, "So, how is Alex doing?" Not only had Ann never eaten with food in her mouth before, she'd chided others for it numerous times, Jenny included.

"They're doing good. The transformation has definitely been an adjustment for them, but they're managing. Plus, I'm...enjoying it." Jenny couldn't help blushing just thinking about the fun she and her encubus partner had gotten up to lately.

Swallowing her food finally, Ann smiled and nodded. "While I don't know Alex too well, having experienced firsthand Taylor's good mood makes me liable to believe you." Now they were both blushing, thinking of their shared orcish girlfriend.

The meal went quickly from there, though for once Ann finished before Jenny, and asked for seconds. "O-of course, babe. I always make more than enough," she replied, while internally adding to the pile of evidence of something strange going on. Ann always worried about overeating, due to her issues with her large tummy. She'd never asked for seconds before.

By the time Jenny was taking her plate to the sink, Ann was right behind her, and she still hadn't cleaned her face or hands from the rib's grease. "Love, you've got..." Jenny gestured at her own face, and Ann's eyes widened in realization.

"What is the matter with me?!" She quickly set to washing their plates and utensils herself, after scrubbing her hands and cleaning her face thoroughly. When she finally turned to look at Jenny, Ann looked absolutely mortified. "Jenny, I am so sorry. I don't know what came over me, I didn't even think about how terribly dirty I was!"

Jenny patted her girlfriend's head, a rare show of comforting affection to a woman who almost never needed any. "Babe, it's fine." She decided not to voice her concerns. At least, not yet. After all, if they were right, she was curious to see where this would go. "You've had a stressful day, and so have I. Let's both relax, and not stress too much about 'proper behavior'. Can't you do that, just for one night, for your little housewife?" She threw in a pout at the end, just because she could.

It seemed to work, as Ann melted into a full smile, leaning in to plant a kiss on Jenny's kiss. Not the usual quick peck, either, but an open mouthed, tongue invasion kind of kiss. Ann's mouth tasted of the rich flavors of dinner, of greasy ribs and garlic and asparagus, and Jenny leaned into it, putting her arms on Ann's soft hips, gripping her slacks and succumbing to whatever Ann's tongue wanted to do.

What it wanted, apparently, was to conquer Jenny's mouth, greedily filling it, exploring it, forcing Jenny's tongue out of the way. Ann was almost always the domme in their relationship, but this was something new, and Jenny found herself loving it. Time passed ephemerally, until finally Ann pulled away, looking as surprised by what had happened as Jenny was.

It was only then that Jenny noticed something: an odd smell. It was the sour, slightly stale smell that came from someone who hadn't taken care of their body odor in some time, and it seemed to be coming from the amulet around Ann's neck. How had she not noticed that?

"Want to relax on the couch, oh beautiful little housewife of mine?" Ann took Jenny's hand and started leading her to the couch, sitting on one end and waiting for Jenny to dutifully sit next to her and cuddle close. "Let's find something to put on..." Ann mumbled, turning on the television and flipping through channels before landing on an educational show they both enjoyed.

Now that Jenny had noticed the smell coming from the jewelry, she couldn't stop noticing it, and even as she leaned in close to rest her head on Ann's shoulder, she winced. "Babe, you...well, I know you went to the gym earlier, but you're kind of...ripe?"

Ann looked down at her, confused. "How? I took a shower after, and applied a satisfactory level of deodorant. It is a new brand, and it has a strong smell, perhaps that's what you're noticing?" There was no way in hell that stench came from deodorant, but Jenny just nodded. Her suspicions were still minor, and she wanted to see where this would go.

It was only because she was on the watch for changes that she noticed one. The arm she had draped across Ann's waist was moving, very slowly, and Jenny looked to see that it was because Ann's tummy was growing larger. Only some of the growth seemed to be directly outward, more of it seemed to be in taking her soft tummy and widening it, until Jenny could feel a genuine bit of pudge on Ann's side that wasn't there before.

The growth wasn't limited to just her stomach, either. Judging by the way the buttons on her shirt were starting to strain just as much at the top of her shirt as they were further down, her breasts were growing too. Ann was gaining weight, maybe everywhere, and Jenny was enticed by the sight.

Sadly, all the added mass under the shirt finally spoiled the secret, as one of the lowest buttons not only came undone from the strain, but actually popped off. "What was that?!" Ann asked, looking down at herself and immediately seeing what was happening to her.

Now able to look more directly at Ann, not limited to secret peripheral glances, it was easy to see signs of the extra weight in other places, like her thicker arms and rounded face. It looked good on her, too. Even scowling at the change in her body, Ann looked cute in a way she never had before.

Ann clearly had a complaint about her added weight on her lips, but Jenny cut her off. "You look gorgeous, babe." She gave Ann a quick squeeze, enjoying how much extra squish there was to her now. "I know you always worry about your weight, but it looked good on you before and it looks even better on you now!"

"..." Jenny could see the wheels turning in Ann's head as she looked down at herself, turning a little here and there to get a better angle on the changes, which appeared to have stopped. "...alright, I don't look awful, but why is this happening?" She let a huff out after asking the question, as though the effort of the outrage tired her.

"Well, I think it might be that amulet." Jenny knew it was time to lay her cards on the table. "That smell I mentioned earlier? There's no way it's a deodorant. In fact, I'm pretty sure it was coming from that gift. There's more, too. You've been acting...forgive me, love, but a lot less uptight than usual."

Holding the amulet up, Ann frowned at it. "That bitch. She cursed me!" Jenny blinked. As minor a swear as that word was, it was the first time she'd heard Ann use any swears at all in their years together. "If that's the case, then I'll just..." It seemed like Ann was going to take it off...but she didn't. Instead, she just dropped it so it fell back onto her chest, making her boobs jiggle through her shirt as she did so. And she seemed frustrated about it.

"Something wrong?"

"I can't take it off," Ann growled. "Every time I try, my body just...doesn't listen to me." She sighed, clearly giving up on that, and snuggling in close to Jenny again.