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

Like Magnets

Nothing could touch them today, not even the train ride up north. Dan sat with his forehead pressed against the glass, marveling at the beauty of the English countryside in autumn. Phil sat to his left, with an arm securely wrapped around his shoulders. They were on their way to be married.

The sun filtered in through the window, illuminating Dan's pretty face. Phil leaned forward and kissed his cheek, paying no mind to the other passengers. If anyone asked, he would have been proud to say, "This is the love of my life, and we are going to be married tomorrow." No one even noticed, of course, and Phil was slightly disappointed that he didn't get to say it.

Dan seemed incredibly relaxed under the circumstances. There was always the possibility that the train ride could take him back to a place of darkness, but today that chance was slim. Phil wondered if this trip could have the power to replace those memories completely. They were traveling north as Dan Howell and Phil Lester, but they would be traveling home as Dan and Phil Lester.

Dan turned in response to the kiss and smiled. His smile was so warm and pure. Phil thought that his heart may burst. His baby was so happy, so full of joy. They both giggled and leaned in to one another.

Eight years.

Dan buried his nose in Phil's hair, gathering his familiar scent. There was nothing but peace in his heart. He didn't feel anxious about being on the train, and it occurred to him that the nightmare may be over. He just may make it to Manchester without a single moment's panic. He turned slightly toward Phil and lay his head on his shoulder. Phil leaned into him, his head resting on against Dan's.

Kate and Michael would be waiting for them at the other end. Dan pictured their reunion. There would be hugs, kisses, and words of congratulations. He loved the Lesters, and he couldn't wait to see them again. How did he go from seclusion and slavery, to homelessness, to this life of love and comfort? He held on to his Earth Angel and sighed deeply, nuzzling his neck.

Dan thought about those first days, how Phil's care had helped to heal his heart even before his physical wounds - how he would smile and manage to say a million wonderful things all at once. Dan remembered the way that Phil would offer him choices, so careful not to come across authoritatively. He never made Dan feel badly, even when he asked a lot of questions and misunderstood human interactions.

Phil cried when Dan told him about his past. He asked his permission to hug him and asked Dan to live with him. It all happened so fast. His tummy fluttered at the memory. Dan knew, instinctively, that Phil was his forever home.

The excitement of falling in love was never far away. The truth was, that even after eight years, Dan fell in love with his Daddy over, and over, and over again. Phil would say the same thing about his baby.

Their bodies still vibrated with every touch, be it casual or intentional. Phil once said that it felt like they possessed magnets inside, drawing them together. He even demonstrated with kitchen magnets, and Dan smiled when he felt the pull and undeniable connection between them.

"It feels like fireworks in my tummy," Dan once said about their kisses. Phil knew exactly what he was talking about, because he felt it too. Their closeness - the physical, emotional, and mental closeness- was nothing less than necessary. It was more need than desire, though desire was very much a part of what they shared.

It seemed that the opposition only bound them closer together. "It is unnatural," people would say. "Nekos belong in cages, not in the arms of men." Statements like these aroused anger in Phil, though he would focus that anger into his campaign. He was determined to shape it into something that would make the world a better place, and he did.