"Can I take off my clothes now?" Midge asked, following Scott into the living room.
"Um, I'd rather you didn't. I mean, you can take off the hood of course but pants are non-negotiable."
"Oh" His expressive face fell without him even realizing it. "Whatever you like."
"Are they uncomfortable? You could have my sweats back if they fit better." He'd never met someone so skittish who was afraid of being touched yet somehow wanted to be naked all the time. Of course, he'd never met a Nelo, Neko, whatever, either.
"Yes, can I? They feel much better. My tail is so cramped." It twitched in response, hating the angle it bent in order to fit down the leg of his jeans.
"You...... wait, you have a TAIL!!???"
Midge frowned and squinted. "Of course I have a... Oh, you did not know. Yes, I have a tail."
"Is that a euphemism?" When Midge looked at him, confused, Scott rubbed his hands over his chin, thinking. "And that's why you don't want to wear pants?"
"Yes."
"Processing, hold on a minute. Okay, wait here." He disappeared into his room for an old pair of sweats. When he returned, he grabbed the scissors out of the drawer and handed everything to Midge. "You can cut them and make a hole for your tail. Will that work?"
"I do not want to ruin your pants Sir."
"Please don't call me that, I'm just Scott, and I don't mind. They don't even fit anymore, they're too small so maybe they'll fit you better. I should have thought about them last night but I just grabbed the first pair I found. Go ahead."
Midge walked cautiously into the bathroom. He was fairly certain he understood, but maybe it was a test? No, Scott seemed genuine and the man was amazingly easy, so far, for him to read. He gently worked his way out of the jeans and let his tail free for the first time in hours. Then he pulled the pants on, pinched the fabric where he thought the hole would be best, and took them off to cut. When he pulled them back on he was warm *and* comfortable, and had a full belly. It was a very good day.
Scott tried not to appear too anxious when Midge opened the door, but he could NOT wait to see if he really had a tail. His brain screamed that he was the crazy one and this boy was nothing but a fraud, but his heart and his eyes were tempted to believe him. "Come here" he said. When Midge stopped in front of him he took the scissors from him and then knelt down on the floor and trimmed the pants so they wouldn't drag on the floor. They were still too big but it was a vast improvement and would hopefully work for today. "So, can I see it?"
Midge whipped his tail to the side, then shyly brought it back behind him.
"It moves" he said, amazed.
"Of course it moves. All of me moves. Does not all of you move? You are strange."
"I? ME?" He laughed then, overcome with the craziness. "You have a TAIL and I'm the weird one?"
"I am sorry Sir, Scott, I did not mean to be sassy."
"I like you sassy, there's nothing to apologize for. So can we talk?"
"Whatever you would like. Where should I sit?"
"Wherever you want. I'm taking over half of the couch." He sat then, watching Midge's eyes dart from floor, to couch, to chair. "It doesn't matter, really."
Midge hated the fact that he was starting to think of Scott as his master. He was having a hard time not dropping into service mode. The problem was, he seemed to prefer him to behave as Trent had, but all his other owners had been much more strict and he didn't want to do the wrong thing. So far, Scott had been kind and he didn't want to make him angry. He decided to be brave and gently sat on the far end of the couch, letting his tail drape over the arm.
Every question Scott had disappeared. He watched Midge's tail, enraptured. It was flesh toned, long and sleek. At the end was a smattering of black hair, or fur, whatever it should be called. The idea seemed gross but it wasn't, it was beautiful. He watched it swinging lazily, then laughed out loud when Midge used it to push a piece of hair out of his eye. "You can do anything with it?"
"No, it is not like my fingers, it does not bend in the same ways. I can not grip things with it, but I can move it. You have really never heard of a Neko before? I thought most humans knew, even if they did not believe it."
"Can't say I have. Um, so ears, and a tail. Anything else?"
"I do not know. Oh, my tongue is not as smooth as yours. My nails grow fast, I have to cut them almost every day. My eyes see well at night, much better than humans. I think that is everything except for sex. Would you like me to explain my areas of expertise?"
"We don't need to talk about that. Okay, so *HOW* are you a Neko? Do you have a family? Were you born this way?"
"Of course. My entire family is Neko. I do not really have them any more though."
"Why not?"
"Once I was sold, I no longer belong to them any more. I do not know where they are."
"Sold?"
"Most Neko children are. I was lucky to have survived at all, being a boy. Girls are much more prized."
"But who sold you? Your parents' master?"
"No, my mother is free. She sold me."
"But WHY?" Scott asked, shocked.
"To help care for my sisters until they are of age. It is the way things are, it is okay." Midge answered without more than a tiny shred of sadness flitting across his face.
"No, it's really not. So she sold you, and that's why you call that guy your owner and master?"
"I do not think I have spoken of my first master, but yes, all my owners have asked me to call them master of course." His eyes were darker and his tail stiff.
"How many masters have you had?"
"I have been sold to three men, then taken in by one more but he did not truly own me. He was cruel so I ran away. I am not bad, I would not have left if he owned me."
Scott was angry, he couldn't understand how anyone could mistreat Midge. He was so innocent, so sweet. "Were the others good to you?"
"No. Trent was kind, he was a good master."
"But not the others? But wait, you're only 20, right? How old were you when your mother sold you?"
"I was fourteen. She waited as long as she could."
Scott tried to let the words soak in. He stood, stir-crazy and watched as Midge slipped to the floor and lay down on knees and elbows, tail between his legs. "No, no, it's okay. I'm not mad at you."
He looked up carefully, trying to tell from Scott's face if he should believe his energy or his words.
"It's okay, please. I'm going to get a drink of water, would you like one?" He took a few steps back, giving Midge some room. The last thing he had meant to do was scare him.
Midge sat up, his butt resting on his ankles. "Yes please. Thank you."
"Thanks for talking to me, for trusting me. I appreciate it." He handed Midge the glass, then grabbed his phone. "I have to head out to rehearsal but I'll be back later and we can order dinner, okay? Will you be alright while I'm gone?"
"Yes, of course."
"Do you need anything before I go?"
"Would you mind putting on the cartoons? I would like to watch them before my nap."
He grabbed the remote and turned on the cartoon channel, then handed it to Midge who placed it gently on the coffee table. "I'll be back around 6, okay? Don't answer the door and please don't go anywhere, okay?"
"I'll be here, Si-Scott."
"Bye Midge"