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

The Lester's Nest

There was a time, when Dan first arrived, that Phil could not make sense of his behavior.

Dan would follow him from room to room, curling up next to Phil, without actually touching him. Phil didn't mind, in fact, he rather enjoyed having the Neko boy so close.

This wasn't inherently unusual; he was, after all, tired, lonely, and recovering from physical and emotional trauma. What struck Phil as odd was that Dan seemed to be regressing into a younger version of himself, acting more and more like an actual cat.

Phil supposed that trauma could lead to regression; it made sense that a person would revert to child-like behavior to soothe himself. But Dan didn't exactly give the impression that he was frightened, nervous, or otherwise troubled. In fact, he seemed relaxed and comfortable.

Phil had been reading the books that his mum had sent over, trying to learn as much as possible. It wasn't until he stumbled upon a chapter dedicated to Neko instincts that he realized what was happening to Dan.

He was healing.

Phil would notice the way that Dan contorted his six-foot frame into a ball, wrapping his poor tail gingerly around him. He looked like an actual cat.

He would stretch his limbs, wiggling his fingers and toes just like a cat, yawning with a wide-open mouth. His pink tongue would curl and stretch against the roof of his mouth, unfurling and flattening again.

The boy also purred.

Phil found Dan's purr to be absolutely adorable. It was all he could do not to snuggle him close and kiss his sweet cheeks. He would have to wait until bedtime when the Neko would actually allow his body to be embraced by Phil. In fact, Dan would ask for him.

The request for physical cuddles seemed reserved for bedtime only. Dan never asked during the day, and Phil was hesitant to offer himself. He was, after all, incredibly sensitive to invading Dan's personal space, both physically and emotionally.

So, unless Dan specifically requested Phil's affection, he avoided it. And it positively killed him.

He would watch the cute cat-boy sleep on the sofa and his hands would practically ache to touch him. His tiny ears would twitch and swivel in his sleep, always on guard. His nose would sometimes wiggle, and he would rub his chin on the furniture.

Phil's heart fluttered. He was so in love with the Neko boy.

* * *
Dan remembered those early weeks well. He often thought about the way that Phil made him feel. It felt so good to be close to the beautiful man.

Bedtime was his favorite time of the day; it was when it felt appropriate to ask for cuddles. Phil was always happy to oblige, pressing his warm, beautiful body against Dan's. He had a scent that was so uniquely Phil. It was a combination of several things: coffee, vanilla, and his natural musk. Sometimes he smelled of sweet apples too, most likely from his shampoo and body wash.

To have Phil's arms wrapped around him, to feel his breath on his cheek, was easily the most incredible feeling that Dan had ever experienced. He would cry actual tears of joy on those nights, slurping up the salty tears with his tongue before they could ever reach Phil's skin.

He wanted so badly to touch him outside of the bed. He was certain that Phil felt what he felt too, the only seed of doubt coming from the man's hesitations during the day.

Dan didn't understand the rules. Phil didn't seem to have any rules, though Dan was afraid if he asked about them, they may include no more cuddles. There was no reason to believe that Phil would suddenly withdraw his affection, it was more that Dan loved it so much that he was scared to lose it.