I Am Not Your Master; I Am Your Partner: A (Neko) Dan and (Human) Phil Series

"Forever Please?"

Phil never expected the poor Neko boy to sleep so well. He had been surprised to learn that Dan expected to sleep at the foot of the bed, like an animal, or to sleep on the sofa alone.

Phil had never shared his bed with anyone before, not like this. It felt completely natural to have the tiny Neko curled up beside him, and it surprised him. The sweet boy had drifted off in no time at all, despite his many injuries and wounds. Now he slept peacefully, never changing position.

Phil didn't mean to stare, but the Neko was so beautiful. He was incredibly limber, particularly for his length, and was able to curl his body into a tight shape. His ears flattened against his head, occasionally twitching in his dream state, and his poor, strangled tail was wrapped loosely around his thighs. Phil had the inexplicable urge to hold him.

Phil wondered what kind of person could mistreat such a perfect creature. While he believed that most people were inherently good, he now understood that evil existed.

He had not asked Dan about his family; there would time for that in the morning. Now, it was time for sleep.

Dan woke feeling somewhat disoriented. His body ached, and his vision was blurry. The last time he woke up, he found himself on a train without memory, having been badly beaten. Now he was in a soft, warm bed, with a beautiful man sitting beside him.

"Hey there." Phil spoke quietly so as not to startle him. "How are you feeling?" His smile was kind and comforting, his voice already familiar.

Dan stretched his arms and lengthened his slender neck. "I feel...sore. I'm sore but well rested." He blinked his eyes repeatedly, attempting to clear his vision. He looked over at Phil, who was sitting forward with anticipation.

"May I feel your forehead Sweetheart?" I want to make sure that you don't have a fever." Dan nodded and let Phil press his cool hand to his skin.

"You feel really good." Phil was pleased. "I was worried that you might have developed an infection in the night." He smiled with relief. Dan thought that Phil looked especially pretty in the morning's light. It was strange to have someone checking on him like this, and he almost felt embarrassed.

"You slept so well Dan. I hope you don't mind that I let you sleep so late." Phil blushed lightly. "I didn't want you to wake up alone, so I decided to stay here and read." He pat the cover of the book that lay in his lap. It wasn't a lie, exactly. He really did try to read, but he never expected the precious Neko boy to be so...distracting. Phil felt his cheeks grow warm, and he hoped that his sudden color wasn't too obvious.

Was he blushing? Had Phil really stayed in bed so that he wouldn't wake alone? Dan felt a funny feeling in his tummy - like he had swallowed butterflies. He looked down at his lap shyly.

"Let me get you some more pain reliever. You will probably be sore for quite awhile." Phil set his book aside, noting that he had not made a single page's progress. "I'll get you some water too." Dan smiled weakly, and his eyes followed Phil out of the bedroom.

Dan's head ached, and his back felt stiff. His face still felt tender and slightly swollen. His tail, the whole of it wrapped in bandages, was too broken and limp to move. He winced in pain.

Phil appeared with pain reliever cupped in one hand and a cool glass of water in the other. He sat down next to Dan and smiled sweetly.

"Can you swallow these for me Sweetheart?" Dan nodded. Although he did not much care for pills, he desperately wanted to feel better. Phil tipped his hand, dropping the tiny, round capsules into the palm of Dan's hand. They touched briefly, and Dan felt a strange but exciting shiver. Phil must of felt it too; he had a surprised look on his face.