Whiskers
An Azumanga Daioh fanfiction by Flower of Paper
Sakaki's eyelids fluttered open, as the moonlit room swam into focus. Her throat felt mildly dry, so she decided to get out of bed and have a glass of milk.
She turned to one side. Kagura was sleeping soundly next to her, snoring softly. Some people's snores sounded like low growls, but Sakaki's feline-influenced mind liked to think that Kagura had a habit of purring in her sleep.
Purr. That was a nice word, Sakaki mused.
Rhythmically timing her every move in sync with Kagura's breathing, so as not to disturb her love's slumber, Sakaki eased her lithe body out of their bed. At least she didn't have to worry about pushing the cotton sheet out of the way, since the irrepressible Kagura was a stealer of the bedsheets nine out of ten nights.
Now that she was out of bed, Sakaki stood up and stretched her long legs, reaching up towards the ceiling. What a treat that would've been for Kagura, if she'd been awake.
Sakaki quietly padded through the bedroom of their small apartment, padding so quietly that even she couldn't hear her own footfall. In the low light, she gently felt for the familiar door, and slid it gently in its track. Kagura didn't move, her rhythmic purr pulsating with every breath.
Sakaki padded down the narrow corridor, using her outstretched fingers to feel her way to the kitchen. It wasn't until she actually got to the kitchen that she noticed that she'd been using her slender fingers as whiskers, in a sense.
So that was what Kagura had meant by "feline grace"...
In the kitchen, Sakaki quietly poured herself a glass of milk and drank it down. A few drops dribbled onto her chin, but she was half-asleep and didn't notice. Her tummy was happy, and she was smiling like the cat that ate the cream.
With the help of her keen eyesight and her whisker-fingers, Sakaki went back into the bedroom and quietly slipped back into their bed.
This was an autumn night, and a slight breeze was blowing in through the window. It wasn't cold yet, but it was just cool enough to give Sakaki the mini-shivers. And Kagura still had the bedsheets.
There was only one way to solve such a dilemma. Sakaki smiled to herself.
Kagura's back was to Sakaki. Slowly, slowly, Sakaki moved closer, until she was cuddling against Kagura's back. Kagura slept on, though her body shifted just so, in her sleep, to better give body heat and receive cuddling.
Sakaki's only words before she went back to sleep were barely a murmur...
"I love you...Kagura-chan..."