“Winnie the Blueberry Boy, eh?” Teddy chuckled at the thought, wiping his mouth with a cloth napkin as he paused in eating to enjoy a cup of tea. “I could see that, Nathaniel, you eating the berries out of hand instead of collecting them. And you are very fond of honey indeed.” He reached for the honey jar, picking it up and holding it in the light so it turned light and golden. Lowering it to drizzle onto one of his pieces of toast, Teddy went on, “However, there is only one bear in this house and it isn’t you, pet.”
He noticed Nate slipping some food to the cat, but didn’t point it out; when Nate wasn’t there, Teddy occasionally fed the little animal from his own plate, finding it comforting. But he perversely didn’t want Nate to know that. “A cat tower is necessary, yes,” Teddy agreed, “but I insist that it be one of the better sort, wood and sisal, instead of that horrid carpeting.” Teddy shuddered at the thought of how a carpet-covered cat tree would look in his flat, the dust and cat hair it would collect. “And I shall have some blinds installed in the windows.”
There was clearly a deeper reason for that, but Teddy left that aside to address the rest of Nathaniel’s requests. The mention of when Nate would need to bepunished brought a warmth up through Teddy’s throat that he hastily drowned with more tea, harrumphing and returning to his meal. “I’ll have the flat fitted with aircon as soon as possible. I haven’t had it done because I can regulate my body temperature. And filtration to help the air quality.” Taking out his phone, Teddy quickly made a note of these things, nodding as Nate asked for a beanbag chair as well. “You shall have everything you need here with me, Nathaniel,” he promised, then leaned forward, reaching out to clasp Nate’s wrist. “And you can tell me when things make you uncomfortable, or frightened. Like the uncovered window at night. Is there something in particular, love, that makes you uneasy about it?”
Nathaniel was a bit nervous asking for his three things. He knew Teddy could handle it, but he always felt it was a bother financially when he needed little things like a chair or curtains. It was another part of his anxiety that was always picking at him, telling him he was always bothering Teddy. Even when he was at his happiest, it was there. Though he was grateful Theo would never notice his hidden nerves. However when Teddy reached over and touched him, he averted his eyes and licked his lips, index finger scratching at the nail of his thumb. “Eh.. well... I mean..” He scratched his head. “I know theyre not real.. and I know no one is there.. But sometimes at night if I look out to the window I can see shadow like figures standing there, watching me.. and I feel like they-” he paused, waiving his hand awkwardly. “The men.. know where I am and like watching me because they know I’m scared.” He shrugged, sighing.
“I’ve been seeing this guy for training and he’s teaching me to defend myself, so that way if I ever see them again, I can fight for my own.” he pursed his lips, wishing he wasn’t so much of a coward. “B-But enough of that.. I don’t want to talk about that stuff over breakfast.. it ruins a day and more importantly it ruins a meal.” he said firmly, but much like the hermit Nate was, he never truly left his shell for very long before slinking back into it. He tried to change the subject after taking a bite of his toast and jam. “You know I had to have a turf fight with a mermaid? The west beach is mine. That’s my territory, and everyone knows selkies are territorial. I mean, you mark a beach as your spot by having a pod. Sebastian is the only one apart of my pod though. Our pod, I suppose?”