(Time skip to the day Will's parents get home. Trust me, I would have told you if Will and Neeks did anything interesting..)

Will's POV

Today was the day my parents came home. I was nervous. Nico and I had became really close. He told be about how the owner mistook him for a normal cat and captured him. He also talked about how much of an abusive jerk he was. So "Buddy" wasn't a good cat. He was just afraid to be bad. He never told me why he was so sure my parents were going to kick him out. I tried to assure him if he just explains to my parents the mistake, they'll surely let him stay. But, he wouldn't listen. Has something like this happened to him before. He won't tell me.

Nico and I made a plan. He really wants to stay here and be safe while doing it. So we made the most simple plan we could. He just continues to be a cat, but I'll feed him human food instead of that cat stuff. I've been giving him human food during our time alone and he loved it. Especially pasta. It's his new favorite. 

And he slept in my room. I've been giving him my bed and sleeping on the couch myself. Even though every time I come to check on him, he's always sleeping on the floor. I always put him back in bed but he always ends up back on the floor one way or another. I gave up and just covered him in my bedsheets and put my pillow under his head. He's incredibly stubborn.

I've bought him a cat bed and scratching post for when my parents get back. Neeks seems to like a scratching post. I bought one that looks like a tree. I've caught him in both cat and human form sitting on the highest level. He says he just feels safer when he's not on the ground. That would explain climbing the fridge and me (sometimes) when he gets spooked. So it is a cat thing. Knew it.

Nico says it's humiliating, having to act like a cat even if he was used to it. And it felt weird for me to call him "Buddy" like that was his name. I'll just tell my parents I named him "Nico" while they were gone. He likes that idea. I've even bought him a collar. Do cats wear collars? I wasn't sure. He looked at me like I was stupid when I showed it to him and said I could never ever make him wear it. But, I've kinda sorta slipped it around his neck one night while he was sleeping. I have to say, he looked adorable in it. It had little gemstones carved into it and his name and everything. He broke it by pulling it off with his teeth. It was nice while it lasted.

I was in the living room while Nico was upstairs. I was just watching Adventure Time on TV. It was one of the old episodes, when Finn and Jake met the vampire girl's father for the first time. (I forget her name..) Nico seems to love Adventure Time. He would sit Indian Style on the couch's armrest, his ears and tail twitching as he stared at the screen. 

That's really the only time I realize how small he is. He fit perfectly on the armrest. Is it natural for a person to be that small? He even fits perfectly on my shoulders. Just to mess with him, I grabbed him in a Fireman Carry and ran around the house with him screaming for me to let him down. He was extremely light and there was no part of him that dangled off my shoulders. Mostly because he managed to curl himself around my neck like a snake. But still, he was small. It's really cute because I have to shop in the kid's area when buying him clothes. I take him with me of course. But he wears a hat to cover his ears and hides his tail in his pants. He complains about how they itch when he does so but it's either that or he walks around with cat ears and tail. 

~~~~~~~

The episode had just ended when I heard a car pull into the drive way. I ran to the window and sure enough, it was my parents' car. I rushed upstairs, throwing my bedroom door open. I found Nico curled on my rug, asleep. I quickly scooped him up and shoved him in my closet. He obviously woke up during this process and was extremely confused.

"Huh? W-Will? What.. What's going on?" He mumbled sleepily, rubbing his eyes.

"Neeks, my parents are home. Whatever you do, don't come out until I say do and don't make a sound," I said quickly, closing my closet and bedroom door as I rushed downstairs to meet my parents in the most casual way possible.

My mom was the first one in, throwing her arms around me and rambling on about how much she missed me and how worried she was the whole trip. Of course my dad stumbled in after her, dragging all the luggage behind him. 

"Uh, Naomi? Little help her Hun?" He said in a strained voice as he attempted to dragged all the bags through the door at once.

I laughed and grabbed some of the bags, placing them on the couch as another episode of Adventure Time began to play. My mom rushed around the house, probably checking to see what I'd ruined (if I had, which I didn't). My dad plopped on the couch, exhausted. 

"So Will. How was your first time home alone? Any parties? Robbers?" He asked jokingly.

I rolled my eyes at him, moving some of the luggage to clear a space for me to sit down.

"No dad. Everything was fine. I was just hanging out with Nico," I purposely let Nico's name slip.

He shot me a confused look as my mom rushed upstairs to continue her lookout for any broken or damaged items. 

"Nico? Who's Nico?" Dad asked.

"My cat. I finally found I name for him. I think it's cute for a cat," I lied, trying not to make it obvious.

My dad nodded, leaning back on the couch and closing his eyes as if he was falling asleep. The house was quiet, except for the bit of rustling from upstairs. That was until a scream rang out. My father and I jumped up and raced upstairs, into my room where the scream had came from. My heart raced. 

Did mom see Nico?

What if my parents do kick him out?

We ran into the room to see my mother standing in front of the closet, one hand to her chest and the other covering her mouth. My heart dropped. She did find Nico. Oh no. My father walked forward, slowly.

"Naomi? What happened?" He said gently.

My mom turned around, smiling. The hand on her chest was holding a black ball of fur and she was smiling sheepishly at us. I let go a breath I didn't know I was holding. She did find Nico, but he was in cat form. Thank god.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to shout like that. I forgot we got a little kitten now. I found him in Will's closet and he spooked me. Sorry little guy," she cooed the last part to Nico, stroking his head.

I smiled coming forward and taking Nico from my mom. His eyes were still shaky but relief showed through them. I was feeling the same way.

"Did you scare my mom Nico? You silly cat," I pretended to playfully scold him. He gave me a weird look, the rolled his eyes. I hope my parents didn't see that. 

~~~~~~

My parents finally went back downstairs and I shut the door behind them. Once it was quiet I set Nico on my bed, plopping down next to him as he turned into a human. His eyes were large with fear as he pulled his knees to his chest, his tail finding a way to wrap around his waist. I've noticed that only happens when he's nervous. 

"That was too close," he whispered to me, avoiding eye contact. That was another sign of anxiety for him. 

I nodded, running my hands through my hair. My heart was still hammering against my ribs. Too close is an understatement. What if Nico had fallen back asleep in human form? What if he didn't hear my mom coming? How would she react to a sleeping 14 year old boy with cat ears in my closet? Nico's fear of my parents was starting to make sense. I wasn't positively sure how my parents would react to seeing a Neko in our house. Did they even know what Nekos are? I sure didn't. Why was New York so infested with them? I really didn't want Nico to be thrown out just because he's not a normal cat or person. 

"I'm scared. What if they catch me next time?" 

I looked over to Nico, his head buried in his knees. His body was shaking. He was truly terrified. Maybe he had the right to be. If I was a Neko and what Nico was saying about how much people hate them, I'd be scared to live in a human house too. There's a lot of sick people out there. Especially in a big city like this. Has he ever ran into those kind of people. God, I hope not. Maybe the shop owner, Octavian Nico said his name was, put weird thoughts into his head. He made all humans seem like monsters. And judging by how Nico described him, it made sense why he believed that. 

I carefully reach over, rubbing his back. He tensed at my touch but then began to relax. I scooted closer, wrapping my arm around him fully. Again, he tensed then relaxed. 

"If they do catch you, I won't let them kick you out. You don't deserve that. I'll talk to them. You'll be fine," I assured him.

He looked up at me, still avoiding eye contact and biting his lip. But he nodded like he believed me and looked back down again. Nico didn't deserve to live in that shop nor on the streets. He was much more human then he was cat. Why wasn't he treated like that? Why were Nekos treated like animals? They could control the species they were born as just as much as a human could control the color of their skin or their sexuality. It just didn't make sense to me. Why do humans have to hate those who are different? 

"Will! Dinner!" My mom called from downstairs. 

Nico and I shared a look, then he turned into a cat and followed me out my room and downstairs. I was starting to doubt if we could pull something like this off or not. I've grown a fond of Nico. I guess that's a.. Mild way of putting it. He's funny and sarcastic and gentle. He never did anything to the world yet the world still hates him. That's not right. I'm going to make sure Nico gets the respect and love he needs and deserves. Even if I'm the only one giving it to him.