"Before I become yours (if you so wish it), there are some things I must disclose."
His Master stuck a sausage into his mouth and nodded. He had, minutes ago, threatened to call the police, asked if he was a furry stripper, questioned his own sanity and paced around the room with a hand in his hair. Once he had summoned a fireball as proof that he was, indeed, an ancient canine spirit, Master had left the room for a bit, then returned looking slightly calmer. He carried a pile of clothes and gifted them to him, much to his delight. Master then divided the food he'd cooked for him (he always made extra- as his last owner's appetite had been especially ravenous) and demanded he ate some first.
The spirit was delighted. Sure, he was probably only checking to see if he had put poison in his breakfast, but he appreciated that and the garments nonetheless. Soon, the two men were sitting at a table, with one explaining what it meant to be a pet spirit. He explained that any human to encounter him when he wasn't owned would obtain a lingering, invisible essence- much like a strong smell. If Master (he said his name was Ryan and that calling him Master made him uncomfortable, but it was ingrained in him to call him nothing else) were to Collar him formally, that Mark would scare away malevolent spirits and extinguish the Scent until his death.
"I can't live without an owner," he continued. "To serve a chosen human is my life's purpose- to be with an individual until his or her death. Because you removed my collar, that period of ownership was broken. And I am so glad you did!"
Master raised an eyebrow. "Did you not like your last owner, or...?"
He thinks back for a second to his life with Dr. Morgan. "He died last night."
Master dropped his fork. "What the fuck?"
"He left me out there as a mild punishment, then went inside and had an aneurysm."
"Dude." Master sighed. "This is a lot to process... Look, supposing that I'm not off my rocker or getting pranked right now, I'm not looking for a companion. Can't I just take a shower and be free of your Scent?"
"Do you really not want me?"
Master took one final bite. "I need to go smoke on the balcony." He went into his room and returned with a hoodie and a tiny box. "You can come with me, I guess. Smoking just helps me think."
~~~
After Ryan had a mini-breakdown in front of this hot guy, he made sure to double-check his pills for side-effects. To his confusion, there was no side effect for vivid hallucinations.
He opened a drawer to pull out his ex's old clothes. Surely, they'd fit the stranger, as his height and body type matched Evan's so well.
As he ate and the man explained, Ryan tried to keep an open-mind. Jing wasn't the kind of guy to pull such a weird prank.
When the guy had casually said his last owner recently died, Ryan sent himself to a habitual break. He hadn't smoked in two days but because of the circumstances, he figured there were more important things to deal with than quitting.
"I think I'll stay here and clean up," he said, cheerfully. It made Ryan feel like he was living a gay housewife fantasy.
Ryan stepped out into the sunshine. He pulled out his lighter and stuck a cigarette into his mouth. He hated smoking- it was a nasty habit, but his hands were shaking with how anxious this...
being
