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“Phuwin?” Pond calls from the kitchen, pausing and covering the rice cooker that was making half of their dinner for tonight. He sounded like he was walking back into the living room.
It was supposed to be a normal evening. Pond would come over to his place and they’d watch a movie. Phuwin hadn’t planned on taking a nap while the food was being prepped, but he was exhausted so, here they were. He calls out-- or starts to, but something catches in his throat.
He looks down at the couch cushions. Down? Phuwin distinctly remembers falling asleep curled on the cushions, but maybe he’s still dreaming because it looks an awful lot like he’d slept on top of the back of the couch instead, which would have been impossible. So, clearly he needs to wake up more.
Pond? He thinks. He tries to speak but it’s like his tongue is stuck to the roof of his mouth. Phuwin tries again, harder, but all that comes out was-- a meow?!
His face feels flush at the noise. He’s praying to all possible deities that Pond did not hear it. He’s just about to get down from the couch too when he notices it. Something furry twitching in his peripheral vision. Phuwin looks down with growing horror. Was that a…tail?
“What the…?” He’s much more awake now, though this is beginning to feel like some very bad hallucination.
He was on top of the couch, curled up into a ball. That was not where he‘d fallen asleep…
Phuwin slowly stretches himself out, landing gracefully on the carpet despite trying to balance himself getting down from somewhere too small for a human to fit on.
He lifts the tail in his hand, trying to turn and see all of it. What the hell was it attached to? Finding no answers he sits back down on the couch with defeat.
Pond comes around the corner and skids immediately to a halt. “Um.”
Phuwin raises a hand, stopping him before he can even comment as he rattles off in a furious mumble. “I have no idea what’s happening to me and I am… trying not to panic, but I think I’m-- turning into a…”
“Whoah!” Pond breaks into a broad smile, rushing over and inspecting as if he’s more fascinated than horrified. “Is this like a… play or something? You look cute in the ears!”
Oh God. Phuwin almost let out an exasperated groan of even more defeat. Pond thought this was a costume. Of course he did.
He looks, for all accounts, entirely too delighted with himself, hand slowly moving through the air in a trajectory towards the rear of Phuwin’s body like he’s going to do the unthinkable.
“So fluffy…Where does it attach?” Pond whispers, utterly fascinated, adding to Phuwin’s growing distress. Sure enough, Pond’s fingers just barely swipe over the new furry appendage coming out of Phuwin’s backside. He makes contact for just a second before Phuwin is, literally, batting his hand away.
“Hôiie! Don’t even think about it! It’s not a costume!”
Pond blinks suddenly and slowly, like he’s getting over the fact that this was somehow very real. Join the club, Phuwin thinks.
“Just leave it alone…” Phuwin hisses. “I have no idea how it even got there.” He was flustered but clearly there was anxiety present in the way his voice cracks a bit. Pond relents, going immediately back into ‘best-friend mode’.
“Wait. This…isn’t a costume?” Pond blanks, looking now just as lost as Phuwin felt.
He reaches up now to inspect the ears, which Phuwin immediately instinctively flattens away from him. “No! Now, can you not?”
Pond retracts his hand like he’s been burnt, looking scolded. “Sorry, you’re right, this is strange just…” He bites his lip. “You look so cute.”
Any other time Phuwin would tease him, or even indulge a little in the compliments, but right now he’s having a nine-lives crisis. “I’m becoming a hybrid freak and you find it cute?” He flails. “Pond, I have a tail.”
Pond just nods, letting him get it out. “I know.” He puts a hand now on Phuwin’s shoulder, ever the pillar of support.
“We’ll get it figured out, Phu.” He reassures, taking Phuwin’s hand in his. “I swear I won’t tell a soul.”
Phuwin just sighs. “I just want to know why the universe decided to make me into a joke today, that’s all…” He turns to look at his own tail with a grimace. “Is it permanent?” Phuwin groans.
Pond just smiles at him. “I’d love you even if you were stuck as a catboy.” He delivers the cheesy ridiculous line like it’s the most profound love declaration in the world, making Phuwin, finally, let out a snort of amusement.
Phuwin’s features relax, the new cat ears on his head returning to a calm angle rather than being pinned with his own growing frustration.
“Fine, but if you try and pet me, I am within my rights to bite you.” He warns, managing a slow grin.
Pond concedes defeat but keeps his hand in his own. “I will not let my intrusive thoughts win… to the best of my ability.”
Phuwin shakes his head. “You’re hopeless.”
“At least I’m the friend that won’t judge you, even if you suddenly become fluffy.” Pond smiles, the gesture lighting his eyes in that sweet way that smooths over any situation and Phuwin melts, leaning into his side, giving a little nuzzle.
“I love you, too.” Phuwin beams, closing his eyes for a minute, allowing the affection. It lasts for just a moment before Pond has to crack another joke.
“Do you think you’ll be able to purr--?”
“Seriously…?”