It was time to go to work.

Normally, this thought was accompanied with nothing but positive thoughts: new places to explore and observe the natural and architectural beauty of, ponies to witness the grace of and help come alive with finesse, and the continuous search for those perfect moments caught on film. Being the boss of her own team of ponies dedicated to finding the beautiful in the everyday, and having control over the final product while simultaneously giving control to the natural beauty within everything around her.

And recently, she had become acquainted with a new side of beauty: the Blubber Lovers. Fanny Pancake, a mammoth of a mare, had been welcoming of her, and lively in her eating. Black Forest had been as graceful as the slimmest of ponies, even with a constantly full belly. More recently, Dark Chocolate and French Vanilla had sparked the romantic side of this simultaneous interaction and voyeurism, driving her desire to new heights.

And, in her own line of work, there was Coco Pommel. A chance to see her newest employee, ever-growing in skill and girth, had become a treat for her. Coco was, to be honest with herself, one of the more problematic employees she had, lacking the self-confidence needed to strive in this industry. But with enough practice and rough love, she meant tough love, she would fit right in (even if she didn’t fit through the door—No, focus!). Seeing her working diligently as she swallowed doughnuts from one of the employees, her hooves becoming steadier and defter, her eyes more focused and astute, her belly becoming more full and larger and larger and larger and larger and—

She shook her head. It would not do good to think like that at a time like this.

Normally, the thought of work and Coco would provide nothing but positive thoughts. Today, though, the possibilities of beauty came tinged with an undertone of paranoia. Nothing and nopony would stymy her from going to work; all the same, she knew that she would have to exercise caution. Since Fleur had visited her, she knew that there was a strong chance that she was being watched. There was no chance that a random pony taking a picture of her with Fanny and other ponies, and that picture ending up in Fleur’s possession, was a coincidence. There was a paparazzo watching out for her. She’d had private paparazzi watching out for her before, and she never paid it any mind. This time was different. This time, she actually had something to lose.

So she kept her eyes open as she walked down Canter Court, where her house was, to the main street of Celestia Way. Nopony was in sight, which gave her some confidence. Even if somepony was hiding and ready with a camera, there was nothing at this time that would incriminate her of any dalliance. She kept walking as normal.

I still need to keep my eyes open. I can’t risk anypony catching me.

What about the Blubber Lovers?

I will just need to treat them like business prospects, nothing more.

You know you can’t do that.

Yes, I can. That is the way that Fanny wants it to be, so I can oblige her for now.

For now. What a nice sentiment. And what about Coco?

She is still my employee. I must still talk to her.

And the relationship is on hold.

No, it’s not.

What about your reputation.

I may be treating the Blubber Lovers as customers, but I will not be blocked from what I want.

And the paparazzo?

I can handle a simple pony with a camera.

This is different.

Everything is different. I love the challenge. I can handle it.

You had better hope so.

The rest of the trip went by uninterrupted. Every minute was spent in silent contemplation. She considered skipping the main street and taking one of the alleyways, but that would definitely rouse suspicion. She considered calling out of work to avoid anypony, but that would leave models unshot, employees without instruction, herself behind schedule. She considered telling Coco not to come into work, but seeing her treating Coco so special would confirm it to Fleur. She couldn’t do any of that, not today, not with so much at stake.

After ten minutes of walking, she finally made it to Celestia Way. It was, as always in the morning, packed with ponies walking to work, tourists exploring the sights, carriages carrying creatures around, and royal guardsponies keeping an eye on everything. A quick scan—without turning her head, for that would’ve been suspicious—showed some ponies with a camera, but none interested in her. A look in the windows and alleyways showed nopony keeping an eye on her, and no vantage point for anypony to follow her when she did head off.

Never let your guard down. Affirming this to herself, she began trotting to work.

For the first few minutes, Finish kept an even pace, not once altering her gait or looking side to side. A sweeping glance to the sides would show her all that she needed to know, and behind her goggles, she glanced left and right feverishly, trying to pick up on anything out of the ordinary. Ponies watching street performers, ponies at cafes sipping tea and coffee, ponies window-shopping—those were the ponies she watched the most. They had the reflections of the windows to keep an eye out for her, where she lacked such an advantage. None of them had cameras, from what she saw, which did nothing to assuage her—

I am not nervous!

Don’t deny it. We can’t get bigheaded.

But we also must not let fear grip us.

Then why are you looking at everypony and every building, bush and carriage?

I am being cautious. I am not fearful.

As she thought this, she ran into a stocky stallion with a camera. “Scheiße!” she blurted out, swatting the camera away.

“Oh, I’m terribly sorry for frightening you, madam!” the stallion blurted out with a shaky voice. “You should watch where you’re going—“

“Humph!” She turned and immediately cantered off. “I cannot be late!”

Think that threw off the paparazzo enough?

No, he or she must know that my mind is elsewhere.

But at least you’re on your way to work. He or she must know that that is your main focus at the moment.

Even though it actually isn’t.

She made it to Ginger Street and looked straight ahead—not to deceive, but rather in search of something. “It does not look like she’s ahead of me. I wonder if she is still in her apartment—“

She stopped herself before her head turned. No, I mustn’t let on that I’m looking for her.

She decided to take a detour to the right, into a bakery. “I can at least fake waiting.” Quickly, she approached the counter, where the barista looked at her in shock.

“Oh my stars!” the barista said in a valley-mare tone. “You’re Photo Finish! I’ve been a long-time admirer of your work.”

Oh thank Celestia, a chance to speak. “Yes, thank you, I appreciate it. I am on my way to work, actually, and I would like a cup of coffee, if you have it.”

“Of course! How would you like it?”

As Finish went through her thorough explanation—having to stop a few times so the mare could catch up—she caught a glimpse of something moving quickly out of the corner of her eye. The specific movement, all of the shaking and jiggling, told her that it was Coco who was approaching.

Oh no, not here, not now! She couldn’t have seen me!

“Ah, there she is,” the barista said. “She’s late today.”

Finish chanced a look, and her heart leapt. It was Coco looking frantic, but that wasn’t what her eyes were drawn to. Her belly bounced as she tried to canter over, and her flanks pushed a few ponies aside; Finish’s heart stopped at every bump, and hoped that Coco would be clumsy enough when she came inside. Her collar was as loose as it could possibly go, and even then it was tight on her. Her saddlebags held parchments and drawing supplies for work, and those were resting above her hips, she’s so big she’s pushing them apart!

“She’s a regular,” the barista commented.

“Oh.” Finish turned and took a breath, hoping the barista didn’t notice anything. “Do you have the instructions down?”

She gave a flair-filled fling of her notepad, showing everything in neat cursive. “Down to the t-bag! Get it?”

Finish’s eye twitched; the barista hadn’t noticed behind the goggles. “Yes, I do… I would like to order a box of… cinnamon rolls, if you sell them.”

“Of course!” The barista looked behind Finish. “Hiya, Coco!”

“Hello, Ginger Snap—“ Coco panted before being cut off short. “Oh, Photo Finish! Oh my stars what are you doing here?”

Finish turned. “Hello, Coco Pommel. I am here to purchase some coffee and cinnamon rolls.”

Coco’s eyes went wide. “Oh, that sounds delicious!”

“Yes, I would not order them otherwise.” She flounced her mane. “You are here for coffee as well?”

Coco blushed. “Yes, and I’m here to get breakfast as well.”

“That is good.” There, conversation over, don’t make this awkward. She turned back to the barista. “How much?”

After paying the mare, Finish walked away, grabbed a newspaper, and sat in one of the chairs. What was the top story in the newspaper? She had no clue, of course. She didn’t even bother to read it. While the paper blocked the view of the Celestia-Way window, the less-travelled Ginger-Road’s window provided a great reflection for her. Hidden behind the paper, she turned her head and stared at Coco.

The mare was looking around at all of the tasty treats on the shelves. Ginger, meanwhile boxed up a dozen cinnamon rolls and set them on the counter. Then, while Coco was talking and pointing, Ginger quickly made the coffee in less than a minute. Before Finish could get up, the items were magicked over to her table.

“There you go, Miss Finish!” Ginger yelled. “Your food is ready!”

Finish moved the paper and took her coffer. “Thank you.” She sipped it, noting that it was exactly perfect. I may have to come here more often. Then, putting her paper back up, she returned to staring at Coco’s beautiful backside.

She couldn’t stop staring at Coco’s backside bobbing up and down as Coco shuffled place, in anticipation. Whether her anxiousness came from the food that could’ve been inside of her or from having Finish here or trying to rush to work she couldn’t fathom. All I know is that I want her to keep on dancing.

Of course, the dancing was cut short. Coco had taken her white chocolate latte and salad—

“Salad?” Finish asked aloud?

Coco stopped, furrowing her brow in confusion. “How did you know I got a salad?”

“I saw you—“ She stopped, remembering she had her paper up. “I mean I heard you order it. I was curious.”

“Oh.” If Coco suspected anything, she didn’t let on. “Well, I was thinking that I might actually be getting…” She adjusted her collar. “A little bit too big, if you know what I mean.”

Finish’s nape bristled. “I… understand.” Then she smirked. Let’s see how you handle this. “Well, I have a dozen cinnamon rolls that I plan on keeping for myself. Help yourself, if you would like.”

“Oh no, I don’t want to impose—“ Coco’s words fell short when Finish opened the box with a fling of the hoof. The sweet cinnamon scent wafted up and hit her, immediately making her drool. “Oooooh… maybe just one.”

“Help yourself.”

Finish returned to her paper, sipping the coffee all the while as she listened to Coco chomping away. She didn’t say anything from behind the paper, nor did she look just yet. She wanted to wait until just the right moment.

Then she heard it: glaze being peeled away from the paper wrapping at the bottom of the box. Finish looked out the window at Coco’s reflection, and watched as Coco shoved the end of the treat into her mouth. Munching away at it, she pulled more and more into her mouth, the glaze and cinnamon all being sucked into her maw. When her cheeks filled up like a chipmunk’s, she swallowed and continued snacking.

Yes, Finish thought as Coco swallowed the last of it. Keep on eating, Coco.

Then Coco returned to her salad.

Oh, for crying out loud! Finish set her paper down more forcefully than she would’ve liked to, but nopony noticed. “Would you like another?”

“I don’t think so,” Coco replied, licking her lips. “I don’t want to take them all from you.”

Of course you don’t—wait, take them from me? So there’s a chance…

“I am fine with having a few less.” She pushed the box forwards. “Go on.”

“But ponies are watching.”

“Who, Ginger Snap?”

Coco nodded, blushing sheepishly instead of nervously.

“Do not worry about her, I am sure she will not mind if you eat a lot in front of her—“

And then Finish stopped talking, her jaw going limp. Photo Finish, what are you doing? Did you not want to avoid this behavior? The paparazzo’s probably wondering what in Tartarus you’re doing!

“You are right. Being gluttonous in front of her would be rude. Let us worry about that later.” She took a sip of her coffee and regarded Coco. Something was definitely wrong in her eyes and countenance. She considered that Coco may’ve actually wanted to pig out then and there, but her refusal to even look at the cinnamon buns told her otherwise. “What is wrong?”

Coco sighed. “I-I just don’t like…”

“Don’t like what?”

“Being called a glutton. I mean, I know it’s probably true, but it just seems wrong.”

Finish’s eyes bugged. “Do you like to eat a lot?”

“Yes—“ Coco cut herself off. “Nevermind, forget I said anything.” She took a bite of a cinnamon bun, and then froze. “…Oh. I guess I’ll be taking one more.”

Finish nodded. “That is fine.”

Coco stared at the bun for a moment, and then at Finish. The photographer couldn’t make out her expression, and Coco wasn’t showing any clues to her. Then, after much deliberation, Coco jammed the entire thing into her mouth.

Finish’s jaw dropped, and then immediately slammed it shut while Coco’s eyes were closed. Coco’s cheeks bulged as she chewed, a light trail of steam coming out of her nostrils. Both of their breaths were deep, Finish’s trying to calm down, Coco’s causing her belly to nudge the table.

Coco swallowed, the large bulge travelling down her neck, and reached for another one. “May I have one more?”

Finish’s heart was hammering. “Y-yes.”

“Thank you!” Coco said cheerfully as she ate this one a lot slower.

This is too much!

Don’t worry. Coco won’t do this for long.

But I bought these for her!

On impulse! We can’t risk her finding out, not here in the middle of a café.

We can’t risk the paparazzo finding out either. I will keep these for myself—

Coco moaned lowly. “Thuss’r sugurd. Yu shood try wun.”

Finish stopped thinking. The chomping and moaning had done her in. She picked up her stuff, including the box of remaining buns, and trotted to the door. “Thank you for the coffee it was perfect I will come by some other time.” Slow down, you fool!

“Of course!” Ginger Snap yelled, waving to her. “Come on in any time, Miss Finish, and I will hook you up.”

She grumbled inwardly. “Coco, are you coming? We will be late if we do not hurry!”

Coco jumped up. “Oh, right, I’m sorry, I’m coming!” She grabbed her empty plate. “Here you go, Ginger!”

“Thanks, doll,” Ginger said, taking it out of her hooves. “I’ll see you at lunch?”

She has lunch plans? Perfect, I can avoid her and recollect my thoughts.

“Yep,” Coco replied with a wave of her foreleg, which sent her forethigh and chest wobbling. “See you this afternoon!” She turned and, as Finish held the door opened, walked through. “Thank you.”

Finish only nodded as Coco walked past her, and, placing the box of cinnamon buns on Coco’s back, followed after her.

The rest of the way to work was spent in talking about work. Finish needed as much normalcy as possible at that time, and although discussing plans with her employees wasn’t something she normally did, it would at least be seen as not outlandish. She didn’t think Fleur would notice enough to accuse her of anything, if the paparazzo was still tailing them.

And with how much Coco was swaying back and forth, her rump moving like a hypnotizing pendulum, she was sure that somepony was at least following them. A few stallions looked their way, some in disgust, others in admiration. She took a secret pleasure knowing that she had something that they couldn’t all to herself.

Get it together. You can’t give yourself away.

What was even more infuriating was when Coco would seize ahead, and then stop and wait for her. Consistently, Coco stopped right on her path, so Finish’s eyes would stare straight at the center of Coco’s tail, and absorb everything around it. Blasted oblivious mare! Finish moved to the side and walked on past her, not bothering to acknowledge what had happened. Then they would discuss work some more, and it would happen again.

In one instance, Finish entertained the thought of not moving, of walking straight into Coco’s backside to teach her a lesson. And then the lesson got way out of hoof and Finish decided to pick up the pace.

Coco must’ve gotten the message, for she stopped going forward and instead kept an even pace with her. But then Coco would walk a little bit too close and bump her flank into Finish. She would continually blurt out apologies, to which Finish would only acknowledge with a glare. At one point, Finish actually asked her to stop, to which Coco immediately obliged. She was grateful; now she could stop constricting her tail so much, and it could move without flagging.

Finally, much to Finish’s relief, they made it to work. Another look back, and nopony ducked into any corner to hide or shifted out of the way. Her heart pounded at the thought that she hadn’t picked out the paparazzo, but she couldn’t dwell on that at the time. For now, she just had to get inside and—

Coco nudged the door open, and held it with her flank, which spread against the transparent glass.

Just get inside, just get inside. Finish trotted in without thanking her, and the two of them separated. Coco walked to her station, being greeted by Pins and watched by the other early-bird workers, while Finish scurried into her office without a word to anypony. Upon entering, she immediately closed the door.

A deep breath followed in the silence. “That is better.” She walked over to her desk. “I can work in peace without having to worry about any sort of paparazzo, or about Coco’s recklessness getting in my way.”

As she finished saying that, there was a knock at the door. She took a deep breath. “Come in!”

The door slowly opened, and Coco slowly ambled in, her head downcast.

Oh, stars above, help me. “What is it, Coco?”

The other mare scuffed the ground. “Um… Pins sent me to check up on you.”

Finish raised a brow. “What? Why would she do that?”

“I don’t know.”

“And why would she send you instead of checking up on me herself?”

“I don’t know.”

“That is odd.” She knew why Pins would do that: she simply didn’t want to leave her work, so sending anypony else would be for the better. But she had revealed nothing else to Coco, which perplexed her. “Usually she is open about those sorts of things. I will have to speak with her myself.”

“Okay.” Coco scuffed the ground again. “So, are you okay?”

“I am fine.”

“I didn’t touch you too much, did I?”

Not by a longshot, you coy little— “No, you did not. But you may want to watch where you are shaking your flank. You may bump into somepony.”

Coco blushed. “I know. I kept doing that this morning. I bumped into my kitchen table this morning, and I got oatmeal all on my flank!”

Did you have somepony eat it off? Why didn’t you get me?

Photo Finish, what in Equestria—

“Are you okay?”

“Uh huh,” Coco said, nodding and sending her cheeks wobbling. “I just had to shower again.”

“And you had oatmeal before a salad?”

Another blush. “Y-yes. A-and those cinnamon buns.” She reached back and put them on Finish’s desk. “Here you go, by the way. You forgot them when you went into the office.”

She looked down at the box, and then at Coco, who was waiting for instructions. What do I tell her?

Nothing, remember? You can’t risk the paparazzo finding out!

The paparazzo isn’t even in here—which means that I can act!

What?

She’s been tempting me all morning, and now is my chance to strike!

Photo Finish—

Silence!

Quietly, slowly, calmly, she grabbed a fancy glass plate from behind, set it down, and removed one solitary cinnamon bun. It landed on the plate without a sound. Then she nudged the box to Coco. “That should be enough for me,” Finish said. “I have only need for one. You may have the rest.”

Coco blinked. “Oh… um… what about the others?”

Finish thought for a moment, and then gestured to the chair in front of her desk. “Eat them in here.”

“In front of you?”

“Yes, so nopony notices.”

Instead of objecting, Coco took a seat and opened the box. “You’re sure?”

“Positive.” Without any more gestures, Finish turned and began to mull over the files she had for that day.

She hadn’t dared start reading until Coco was chewing away, moaning quietly to herself. Once a rhythm was going, she began skimming through the plans for that day: nothing but model auditions and scene planning. She has already begun to plan for various scenarios to put each mare in as Coco’s chewing continued.

Halfway through, a light fit of coughing caused Finish to look up. She was trying to clear her throat, which was causing her collar to bulge around the bottom of her neck. Suddenly, an idea came to her.

“Here,” she said softly. “Let me help you with that.”

Before Coco could process what was going on, Finish deftly undid the collar and slid it off, sliding her hoof across her neck and feeling the log of fat mold around it. She was close enough to feel Coco’s breath on her coat, and for an instant they both looked each other in the eye. Coco had a faint color to her cheeks; Finish hoped to Celestia she didn’t have one as well.

Then Finish went back to her business, and Coco continued eating away.

I did it! I made the first move!

That was… surprisingly easy.

She’s not going to object to something so trivial as my taking off her collar—

That isn’t trivial at all!

It is too. She won’t object to me. Not yet, at least.

When will you stop?

When can I stop? She hasn’t objected to anything yet.

…

…Wait, yes she has.

When?

…I don’t actually remember. But I feel that some resistance was met already.

You should just give up. This is crazy!

I know. But I love the challenge.

“Are you alright, Coco?” Finish asked as the other mare finished the penultimate cinnamon bun.

“I’m fine,” Coco replied, reaching in and taking one of the last two buns.

“Good,” Finish replied. “I’m glad.” She took her plate and set it to the side to be cleaned. Then she went back to her business.

Or at least she tried. With the amount of food in Coco, she was having some difficulty breathing. I will need to stretch out her stomach—

Leave it.

Her panting made her get goosebumps as she slowly chewed the last two buns.

Come on.

A swallow.

Hurry up.

Another swallow.

Be done already!

Another swallow.

End this madness!

Another swallow.

Keep on eating…

Another swallow.

Keep on growing.

“Thank you, Photo Finish,” Coco wheezed, patting her belly. “That was a… a lot of dough.”

“I gathered.” Finish looked at the clock and, seeing that it was time to start, got up. “Rest in here for a while. I am going to boss these ponies around.”

“Okay,” Coco replied faintly. Finish looked back just in time to see Coco close her eyes.

“That is a good mare,” she whispered as she closed the door behind her. Then she turned to begin her work day properly—

—and ran straight into Pins.

“Hello, Photo Finish,” Pins said coolly.

“Good morning, Pins,” Finish replied coolly.

“Where is Coco?”

“She is in the office.”

“Why?”

“I told her to wait in there.”

“Why?”

Finish regarded her with a stare—which Pins wouldn’t have seen behind the goggles. “We are going over plans.”

“Uh huh. What are the plans?”

Now she was feeling nervous. “I will have Coco show them to you once I am done discussing them with her.”

“Why?”

“I would rather not waste your time on flights of fancy until we have something workable.”

Pins nodded. “I see.” Pins turned to walk away. “Very well, then. I will wait.”

“Good.” Finish tuned to walk away.

“Oh, by the way.”

“Yes, Pins?”

“It was nice of you to share your cinnamon buns with her.”

Finish turned, and Pins was walking away with a grin.

Author's Note

Here it is, the first chapter of the second act, Desire. This is technically Chapter 11 of the story, and chapter 16 including the incidents. There's no incident here, since I couldn't think of a place to put this one.

I ironed out the POV issues, I think, but not the pacing. The tension I was going for was out of my reach, I think, but I did get the interactions I wanted with Finish and Coco, which I wager is more important. Next chapter will contain, spoilers, the first stuffing session between the two.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I will see you at the next one! (I hope)