Cat Fettish

Orion, my pure black coated cat was asleep beside me as usual. His paw resting on my hand while I shifted farther under the blankets. Sleep held me firmly under its smooth waves and I fought to disrupt it. Barely having enough clarity to read the clock, 4:13 a.m. I curled closer into a ball, moving my hand across my face when Orion stretched and moved onto my stomach. "Orion, don't move, you're so warm..."

He rubbed his head across my cheek, licked my nose gently and purred. He smelled of the new cat food and life. I could feel his heart beating in the crook of his neck and lifted my head that one inch to inhale. It was comforting, he smelled of home and love. I couldn't imagine losing him. I loved him. He was mine. In that word I felt possession, dominance, I couldn't imagine anything but him.

His purring ceased and he pawed my skin, laying back down only to slide down my side and rest there. My heavy sleep filled arm lifted, caressing his skin, laughing when he started to shed. Poor cat...

Poor cat? A voice replied, almost in a purr.

I sat up instantly, hand moving from Orion only it wasn't Orion... it was a skin. A male's skin...

"What the hell?"

He chuckled, a low deep sound that raised gooseflesh on my bare arms. If it hadn’t been my cat that just metamorphosed on my sheets I would have found it attractive but now fear racked my body. An almost paralyzing effect that I'd experienced only a few times. Two perfect yellow-green eyes stared up at me, framed by black lashes and tanned skin. Thick black hair fell in wisps about his face and I itched to move it into place. His leg moved and it drew my attention to the rest, which unfortunately shouldn't have for he lay there totally unclothed and that fear now doubled. It wasn't a fear of him hurting me, but how in the world my cat was now a human. I couldn't understand it. It was implausible. Ridiculous.

It took two tries until I could speak. "I-uh... how did you... Orion?"

I moved as far against the wall as I could but even that wasn't enough, his presence was suffocating me. Choking me. Demanding me. But demanding what of me? "How did I what?"

"You're... a human... that can't... please cover yourself up!" I felt a hideous blush rising in my face and moved as discreetly as possibly off the bed.

"Does it bother you?"

"Yes... well... yes."

Again that smile, it was flawless and despite myself, I smiled. "I've never heard your stumble over your words so much."

That earned a frown. God.... I'd forgotten he lived with me. Really lived with me. He knew everything, I'd often spoken to him as I would my closest friend. He knew me. That scared me. You told your pets things because they couldn't talk back. They were mindless animals. They didn't know things. Now here Orion was, a human. A male human.

"How did you change into a human? Why now?"

He pulled the blanket across himself and sat up staring at me with a masked look. "It's metaphysical stuff. Things you wouldn't understand. But it doesn't matter how, what's done is done. I'm here, I am human."

I turned around, I couldn't look at him. I didn't know what to do. Honestly, I'd thought about this, yea of course who wouldn't? But now he was real. A living person. A man who could with just his gaze figure me out. As a cat, I didn’t' have to worry about this... but now...

"Amanda."

My heart stopped. I turned, slowly. "...yes?"

He was frowning now. He didn't look as attractive when he frowned. It took away the glow to his eyes and the up tilt of his mouth. Oh my God, I realized with a sick thought. I’m lusting after my cat. "Why are you scared of me?"

I rubbed my arms, felt naked under all that intensity. "You're a fucking man, now. You're supposed to be my cat..."

He stretched languidly, peacefully. A catlike movement. "So you'd rather me be a cat?"

That stopped me. Did I want him to be a cat again or did I prefer him humanized? I shook my head. "I don't understand, you can't just turn into a man and expect everything to fall into place? I mean, what does this even mean? Why did you even turn into this?"

Orion moved his feet over the edge, a bit awkwardly but no doubt getting used to two feet. And gestured for me to come closer. I shook my head, fear rising. "I'm not going to hurt you. You're afraid, we both know you calm when you touch me."

Put it that way it sounded way to sexual for my taste. I was not touching this man, he was naked in my bed for heavens sake! But God, did I want too... I mean, wasn't this what I'd always wanted? A man? A man to be mine? Orion was probably the closest one too me, he knew my mind better than anyone else did. So why was I shying away from him? Why was I acting so...

His hand touched mine and I flinched. Slowly he pulled me closer until his arms wrapped around me in an embrace. For a moment I stayed stiff, arms by my side but relaxed. Orion was always so warm, so, so warm... I pressed my nose and mouth into the crook of his neck and inhaled slowly. He still smelled the same. Only this time there was a bit more, a more real scent.

"You smell so good, you always have... you smell like home."

He chuckled into my hair. Hand tightening on my back. "So do you."

"I'm glad that you've always been so loving. I was worried... when I was looking for a cat... that he or she would like to cuddle. Wouldn't be shy or lonely. But you weren't."

He drew back and that started my pulse. "After you cooed and smiled at me, how could I resist?"

That made me laugh, "You were just a kitten. How could you remember that early?"

Now it was his turn to laugh. "I'm a smart cat."

I moved back into his neck but he settled me on his lap instead. "You are a metaphysical cat."

"I am a troublesome cat."

"Oh, about that... stop peeing in the kitchen. Sheesh, do you know how annoying it is to clean it up?"

"You are my owner."

The intensity on the last word started my heart again. "Orion... I'm not your owner."

"Of course you are. I am your cat."

I stood and he let me. "I don’t' want to own you."

He shrugged, "wanting and having are not the same things. You know that."
I sighed. "What do you want?"

"What do you mean, 'I want?'"

I turned back to him, annoyed. "Why are you here? Why are you human... now?"

His face was guarded, eyes dark. "You were crying."

"No, I wasn't." I whispered. I hadn't been... had I? How would Orion have known anyway? He was asleep...

He offered his hand and I took it, feeling comfort there. Feeling like I belonged there. In his touch. In his love. "You usually do... I wanted to comfort you. I even tried to wake you, but the nightmare was too strong." He gave a shrug that meant everything and nothing. "I didn't want to see you suffer anymore."

A cold numbness built in my bones. My mind beginning to shut this out. It's a dream. It's a dream. It's a dream. Sooner or later you have to wake up. But I didn't wake up. Orion was still there, still human, still warm. "Amanda..."
I looked back at him and smiled, but we both new it didn't reach my eyes. "Yes?"

He brought me closer, hugged me again. Pressing me as close to him as he could. "I am here."

The next thing I remember is my alarm clack shrieking at me. "Orion?" Two yellow-green eyes starred back up at me from his cat head and I smiled; running a careful hand over his back. "Good morning.”

Was it a dream? I don't know... it could have been a reality. Couldn't it have been? I hope that another night I might convince him to stay…