Stray Cat

Chapter Two

Phil and the Neko entered the apartment building and walked up the stairs in a comfortable silence, but once he unlocked his door and they went into his home, the silence became a bit more oppressive.

The boy was the first to move, taking off the borrowed jacket and hanging it on the hook beside the door so it could dry. Phil smiled at the boy and gestured to the kitchen, where their dripping clothes wouldn't ruin the tile floor. "If you'll wait in there, I'll get some towels."

They parted in the hallway, and Phil retrieved two large, fluffy towels from his linen closet. When he returned to the kitchen, he found the Neko staring at an overripe banana that Phil left on the table, meaning to throw it away, and the Neko was practically drooling.

"Wow, you really must be hungry."

The boy blinked in surprise at Phil's reappearance and at the towel Phil tossed him, but he caught it. The Neko continued to sit at the kitchen table while he dried himself, but Phil leaned against the kitchen countertop, preferring to stand while he thought. They both rubbed the towels roughly across their arms to get the blood flowing, and as the Neko dried his ears and then hair, Phil realized that the wet waves were going to dry as curls, which probably looked rather cute.

Phil finished with his towel first, since the Neko needed to dry his tail next. While he did, Phil turned to his kitchen cupboards, which he knew were nearly empty. "Hey, I promised you food, but I don't know what you like to eat."

For some reason, Phil had hoped that the warmth and safety of his kitchen would encourage the boy to start talking, but when he turned around he's met with the same silence that was becoming familiar. Could he be mute? At least the Neko was looking less miserable.

Phil bit his bottom lip as he thought, and he finally decided to think out loud since he was unlikely to get a response. "I don't know if I said, but I have never met a Neko before, and I don't know what you guys eat."

The Neko was now looking at him with interest as he rubbed the towel over the damp fur of his tail. His ears were upright and pointed forward.

"So," Phil said. "Would it be insulting if I made you a tuna fish sandwich, or would you like it?"

The Neko burst with sudden laughter, and the sound warmed Phil to his core. Phil decided to make him a saucer of milk, just to hear the sound again. He made himself a sandwich too, since this was about the time he'd normally be having dinner. They ate in comfortable silence, though after hearing him laugh Phil was pretty sure that the Neko could talk but he just didn't want to now. Phil decided not to press the issue, and he relaxed, enjoying the boy's company. He could tell that the boy was hungry as he finished half the sandwich in the time it took Phil to take a couple bites of his.

Once they had both finished dinner, Phil asked the boy, "Do you have anywhere to go tonight? Maybe there is someone you could call if I let you use my phone?"

Phil hadn't expected a response. Up until now, the Neko had just stared at him and barely indicated that he understood a word Phil was saying, but this time he shook his head.

"Do you want to spend the night here?" Phil asked, and the Neko's eyes widened looked afraid, but Phil wasn't sure why. They were still wearing wet clothes, and shivering slightly, so Phil decided to offer more incentive. "I have some spare pjs I can lend you and my couch is pretty comfortable."

The boy relaxed and accepted the offer with a nod and a slight smile. Phil left the Neko in his bathroom with a blue flannel pj set, and by the time he returned Phil had brought a pillow and a duvet to the couch. The Neko slumped onto the couch, looking exhausted and his ears were drooping. His hair was completely dry now and was a wild mess of curls that made Phil want to try to tame it with a brush; he looked so young like this.