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

Sunday in London: Present Day

It was a pleasant, quiet Sunday in London, and Dan was curled up on Phil's warm lap. He quite resembled a cinnamon bun. His chin rested contently on Phil's thigh, his arms and legs curled tightly together. His tawny-colored tail wrapped around him as if it were keeping his cozy shape together all by itself. Dan purred solidly in his sleep, and Phil could feel the throaty vibrations on the leg upon which he rested. The afternoon sunlight streamed through the window and warmed Dan's face.

Dan's nose twitched, his ears pricked up, and he stretched his arms. He nuzzled Phil's hand lovingly and yawned sleepily. Phil looked down at the boy in his lap. Dan had woken only to push his warm body closer to Phil; he already settled back into sleep. Phil smiled and reached down to cup Dan's face in his hand. He stroked him gently and let his hand rest on his hip. Their bodies fit together so perfectly. Phil sighed in contentment and closed his eyes.

They had come a long way in eight years. People were not always this supportive of the unique relationship between man and Neko. Phil's family warned that society may judge him harshly for loving a Neko boy, though Phil stood firm. Younger generations were more open minded, and it was considered more socially acceptable in 2017. More and more, people were feeling free to openly express their love for their Neko partners. Phil, never one to commit to social norms, was one of the first to share his relationship with his followers. In fact, he had become an important figure in the human/Neko community, and Phil was both an advocate for unconventional relationships and a personal hero to those involved in one.

There were those opposed, to be sure. Dan and Phil received their share of negative comments, distasteful jokes, and inappropriate inquiries regarding very private matters indeed. They had learned to ignore them and decided to be thankful that at least they never received threats of violence. Phil knew that this was a possibility, though he and Dan lived a life of love and friendship despite the mixed public opinions. Phil took great care to protect Dan, shielding him from the negativity whenever possible.

Dan's legs began to cycle slightly in his sleep. He pawed at Phil's thigh and whimpered almost inaudibly. He was dreaming. His eyelashes fluttered against his cheeks, and he sighed deeply. Phil stroked his back and waited for Dan to return to more peaceful sleep before pulling a blanket over them both. Dan looked like a human man but for the ears and tail. The benefits of being a Neko afforded him perfect balance, swift movement, and heightened senses. Other than periods of heat, Dan lived a perfectly normal life.

Phil sometimes called Dan "Kitten," and Dan sometimes called Phil "Daddy." These pet names fell upon their lips naturally from the very beginning. Tender moments (including sexual ones) brought forth this type of fondness. Generally, they regarded one another as any couple would; they were Dan and Phil, and they were madly, hopelessly in love. Dan was a perfectly healthy and happy Neko living a normal life. This was not always the case Phil remembered sadly.

Dan was nineteen years old when Phil found him, rescued him, and later learned of his history. Dan had been rejected by his mother at birth. She did not believe that she had the Neko gene in her bloodlines. She blamed her husband, Dan's father, and had given up her son entirely. The sight of his tiny whip of a tail and distinctly feline ears was too much for her to bear. She was far too concerned about her status to raise a Neko boy, and did not want to suffer the certain humiliation. So, she refused to hold him, sending him to the nursery straight away. Dan was sent to a home for Neko boys in the south English countryside.

Phil swallowed around the lump in his throat and the ache in his chest. It hurt him to think about Dan's past. Did his mother ever regret her decision to give him up? Had she ever tried to find him? Did he have siblings? Dan didn't look back much, at least he didn't speak about the past with Phil. All that truly seemed to matter to Dan was the present moment, and of course, the future. Phil was curious, but he certainly was not about to bring it up. Dan was happy, so Phil was happy too.

But enough of that. Today was a big day; Phil was going to propose marriage.

He thought a great deal about the details, taking care to combine traditions. Traditional Neko/master relationships involved contracts and tags of ownership. Phil never considered himself a master of anything or anyone – especially Dan. They were partners. It was true that Phil took a more dominant role in their relationship, but he certainly never imposed rules or punishments upon Dan like a master would. He was a natural caretaker and four years Dan's senior, but that is really where it ended. It was true that Phil had rescued Dan from a threatening situation and had invited him to live in his home all those years ago. And it was true that Phil played a more dominant role though this was at Dan's request. Dan willingly and graciously submitted to Phil in almost every situation. Still, Phil made it perfectly clear that he loved and respected Dan's individuality and encouraged his independence.

Though it was not common for men to propose with an engagement ring per se, Phil had chosen a special symbol for Dan. Where masters would show ownership by tagging their Neko with a license (some Nekos were even tattooed or branded), Phil had purchased a specially engraved tag that attached to a luxurious black collar. The tag, small and circular, read "I am not your master; I am your partner. Marry me Dan." On the back were Phil's initials and the date October 19, 2009, commemorating the day that Phil rescued Dan from the men at the train station and their life together began.

Dan always wanted a collar of his own, though Phil had reservations about it. A collar implied ownership, and Phil was not about to cross that line. Still, Dan assured him that it would make him feel proud; he rather liked the idea of showing the world that his heart belonged to Phil. Phil supposed that this would be an appropriate gift, and he had to admit that it would make him feel proud to have Dan wearing his tag for all the world to see.

Dan finally began to stir. He stretched his long legs and yawned without opening his eyes. He stretched his long arms above his head, causing his shirt to rise and reveal the warm, suntanned skin of his belly. He lifted his head and craned his neck to see Phil looking down upon him lovingly.

"Have a nice nap baby boy?" Phil reached down to stroke his cheek.

Dan rolled on to his back and pulled his hands and feet inward, his tail flickered around to rest over his ankles. "Mmm, yes Daddy. So good. Can we stay like this forever?" His voice cracked a little. Phil giggled.

"That is the plan sweetheart." Phil nuzzled the top of Dan's head. "It is a beautiful evening Dan; I thought we might go for a walk, yeah?"

Dan reached down to grab his own feet and flipped himself upright. His ears pricked up with interest. He scratched his ears and lifted his chin. "Sounds nice Phil."