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Hob was eating his lunch on a bench in a park near the school where he taught, enjoying the warmth of the early afternoon sun. Suddenly he felt a presence beside him and to his surprise saw that a cat had climbed onto the bench and was now curled up in a ball, completely unaware of Hob's presence, ready to take a little nap in the sun. Hob chuckled softly and couldn't help but scratch the little orange cat between the ears. The cat purred softly.
"Haha, you like that buddy, right?"
As if in agreement, the cat tilted his head forward to give Hob easier access to his neck.
Hob continued to scratch him for a few moments, when suddenly the cat sat up and began to hiss, not at Hob, but at the bottom of the bench.
Hob followed the cat's gaze and saw another black cat hissing in response, even seeming about to pounce on the orange cat.
Hob called out, "Dream? Dream, is that you?"
The cat looked at Hob, hissed at him, and the other orange cat took the opportunity to run away. Hob stood up, but as he approached the cat he was now sure was Dream, the black cat hissed furiously at Hob before jumping away at full speed.
"Shit..." Hob muttered.
He looked at his watch, classes were about to start again, so there was nothing he could do for the moment, but there was no doubt that he would receive a frosty welcome tonight, whether in human or feline form.
A few hours later, he entered his apartment cautiously, not knowing what to expect.
To his surprise, Dream was asleep in feline form, curled up in a ball on the sofa, probably tired from waiting for him.
Hob silently put down his things. Then, just as silently, he approached his lover in cat form before grabbing him and holding him tightly, preventing him from running away.
He whispered, "I've got you, you little brigand!"
He felt Dream's claws digging into his arms as the cat tried to free itself from his embrace, but Hob had no intention of letting go.
When he looked down at the cat in his arms, he could almost see the flashes of fury in the beautiful golden eyes as Dream hissed angrily at him again.
Hob, neither impressed nor frightened, nuzzled his nose against the black cat's cool little muzzle and said softly, "Even like this I find you quite sweet, you know."
Dream stopped struggling, but seemed in no mood to change shape.
Hob moved over to the couch and sat down comfortably, the reluctant cat still in his arms.
He said quietly, "It is out of the question for us to have an explanation while you are in this form. I'll wait as long as it takes. You know better than anyone that I can be very patient. Especially when it comes to you."
He put the cat on his lap and began to run his fingers through the silky black fur, stopping at the area behind the ears. He knew that Dream especially appreciated attention to that area, whether in this form or in human form.
After a few minutes, he found himself with a Dream Lord on his lap, snuggled against him, his fingers no longer buried in the silky fur, but in the tousled hair of his lover."
He let a few more minutes pass before he said quietly, "So..."
"I don't want to talk about it," Dream mumbled, his face buried in Hob's neck.
Hob insisted, "But I do want to talk about it."
Dream retorted, "And I told you I don't want."
Hob replied quietly, "Then I'll talk and you'll listen.
Seeing that Dream would not protest, he continued, "First of all, I find it absolutely adorable that you're jealous of a cat. I already knew you were possessive as a person, but as a cat it was kind of endearing".
Dream growled into the neck of Hob, who couldn't help but laugh before he continued, "Secondly, you have no reason to be jealous. Whether it's human, cat or any other form, no one will ever be able to compete with you. I didn't suddenly feel like bringing this cat home or bonding with it. Actually, my hands are already full with my boyfriend."
He waited for Dream to react, but his lover only snuggled closer.
Hob called softly, "Dream?"
Dream finally lifted his head to look at him and said sheepishly, "When I came there and saw you scratching that cat's head and smiling so sweetly, I couldn't help but feel so jealous and completely stupid at the same time. No matter how much I told myself that it was just a cat, I just couldn't get over it. Pathetic, isn't it?"
Hob leaned over and kissed Dream gently before replying, "There's nothing pathetic about the way you feel. It's quite adorable, like I said. But I promise, in the future, I'll only caress you, okay?"
Dream shook his head and wrapped his arms around Hob's neck and said softly, "You can pet other cats as long as you don't forget that I am your only cat. That you are the owner of only one cat, and that's me."
Hob chuckled softly and answered as if it were an oath, "I'm the owner of only one cat, and he's the one who owns my heart.
He took Dream's face in his hands and pressed his lips to his, sealing his oath with a kiss that told Dream far more than words that Hob owned his heart as much as he owned Hob's.
Whatever his form.