Cute (POST)

Dan, despite his depression, didn't find it unusual when girls giggled his way, whispering things like, "He's sure cute."

In fact, he looked forward to it, since Phil would stand straighter, voice a mixture of dejected and playfully offended, muttering, "Hey! I'm cute too."

Dan knew he wasn't really offended, though; despite the exaggerated pout on his face, he felt nothing but silly funny companionship joke game that came from Phil (he tried his best, "playing along" in a way that he figured people were supposed to, but it had that genuine Phil feeling to it.)

And if he ever was actually hurt (because it did happen so often, that someone's eyes would slide right off of Phil, and latch on to Dan), then he just let Phil know that he was friend great adorable wonderful amazing.

So while Dan could say he didn't find such a compliment unusual, never had he been givin it in this fashion.

"Aww, lookit him! He's so cute!" There was a pair of girls, one blond with peachy skin, and the other shorter with copper hair. If you looked really closely, you could see that they weren't human - there was something off about the shape of the limbs, their build. Plus, their irises were an almost anime-glowing sky blue and fuchsia, respectively.

(Who was that dude Mark and Jack met? Felix or something? He probably knew what species these two were.)

They came up to Dan and Phil with the same energy of those who spotted a dog. Which, Dan would find, wasn't too far off.

They came right up close to them, practically cooing at Dan, who looked at his best friend in bewilderment. Phil looked back in panic, becoming even more flustered as they directed their statement to him. "Your Dismalen is absolutely adorable! Just look at him!" "Isn't he such a cutie, Xedda? Can we pet him, Sir?"

"I - uh, what?" Phil stuttered out.

Dan was so taken aback, he kept silent, drawing a little closer to Phil.

"Your Dismalen," the blond said. "You're his owner, aren't you?"

"Aw," Xedda, the copper-haired one said in a hushed voice. "Lookit him, Frehn - he's shy!"

"Uh, well, you see, he's, er," he glanced at Dan, his blue eyes wide. Dan was just as befuddled, even embarrassed confused kerfuddled flummoxed what?

"I'm not a pet," Dan eventually choked out, face scarlett. But the girls ignored him entirely. Well, at least they didn't acknowledge that the sounds he made were even words.

Phil tried to salvage the situation as best as he could, scratching the back of his head; he was clearly uncomfortable with the whole situation, and not just because Dan could sense it. "Look, girls. Um, this is my friend, Dan. He's not - it's illegal for Dismalens to be pets on Earth."

They blinked uncomprehensively; probably thinking their translators weren't working properly.

After a moment, in which Phil tried to send Dan calm I got this it's okay, he relented, ". . .He's shy."

They squealed once more, though respected them and didn't try to touch Dan, but the implied compliments still ended up feeling demeaning.

(Later, when the initial embarrassment died down, Phil was sure to bring it up vaguely on occasion, which left both Jack and Mark in amused confusion as Dan either shrieked and cursed Phil out, or chased Phil around the apartment with intent to make him pay.)