Stray Cat

Chapter Twenty-Seven

As Phil was helping Martyn to carry the empty takeout containers to the kitchen, Dan fell asleep where he was sitting on the couch. Martyn whispered, "You guys want to sleep here tonight? I don't mind."

Phil nodded. His apartment was only a 15-minute walk away, but he hated the idea of waking up Dan. Phil left the room to brush his teeth with a spare toothbrush and then he borrowed some pjs from Martyn. When he came back to the sofa with a fluffy pillow and a duvet, Dan was still asleep; his head was tipped back on the arm of the sofa and his mouth was hanging slightly open. Phil put the pillow on the other end of the sofa, turned off the light, and then he sat beside Dan and gave his shoulder a shake. "Dan, you can't sleep like that. You'll hurt your neck. Come lie down with me."

Dan mumbled something incomprehensible under his breath, but he looped his arms around Phil's neck. Phil leaned back into the pillow, taking Dan with him and positioning their bodies so that Dan was lying on top of him on the sofa. He then did his best to throw the duvet over them with one hand. Dan shifted on top of him so that his cheek was pillowed on Phil's chest. Dan made a soft noise and then said, "Your heart is racing."

Phil felt himself blush in the dark, glad that Dan couldn't see his face. He wasn't sure what to say. The truth was that having Dan so close was driving him crazy, and he couldn't help thinking about the last time they were on a sofa together – when Phil had been on top of Dan as he kissed him and touched him all over. Now, he was carefully keeping his hands still on Dan's back as he held him.

He knew that Dan returned his feelings, but Phil still wasn't sure how to define their relationship. Dan was his best friend and his boyfriend – which was enough for Phil – but Phil wasn't sure if he could call him his lover. They hadn't had a chance to talk about what happened before, but Phil knew what he was going to say: he had nearly lost Dan, and now that he had him back he wasn't going to let a desire for a physical relationship push them apart. He was going to be whatever Dan wanted him to be, as long as Dan let him be in his life.

Phil woke up, squirming beneath a heavy weight. He was warm and sleepy, and would happily go back to sleep, but there was a mounting pressure on his bladder. He opened his eyes, seeing tousled brown curls and pointed ears. "Dan?" Phil shifted his shoulder to move the Neko. "Dan, wake up."

Dan only snuggled closer to him and a low purr started to rumble in his chest.

"Dan, please," Phil whined, thinking about just rolling him off so that he could escape to the bathroom.

"Hmm?" Dan grumbled and then cleared his throat. "What?"

"I have to pee, and all your weight is pressing on my bladder. Could you move?"

Dan laughed, but he rolled to the side so that Phil could scramble out from under him and run to the bathroom. Phil emerged from the bathroom 15 minutes later, his teeth brushed and his hair combed, though his eyes were irritated since he fell asleep in his contact lenses. He blinked blearily at Dan, who was waiting in the hall outside the door.

"Oh, sorry, all yours." Phil stepped to the side.

Dan hesitated in the doorway. "I want a shower more than anything. Do you think your brother would mind if I used his, or should I wait until we get home?"

"Martyn wouldn't mind. Besides, I packed our shower gel and I'm not sure what box it's in. I should probably shower before we go, too."

Dan's cheeks became pink and he looked away. "Did you, um, want to get in with me?" Phil gaped at him until Dan's cheeks flushed further and the rosy patch appeared on his jaw. Dan looked at Phil, and his eyes narrowed in annoyance. "Say something, will you?"