Sakura, her Lion and her Departing Friend
part 3
Sakura/Tomoyo, Sakura/Cerberus
******
Sakura couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned in bed, tormented by guilt and regret and a gnawing frustration. Images of rabbit erasers hopped behind her eyelids. She couldn't even recall giving it to Tomoyo. It was such a small gesture, a little kindness that one would extend to a stranger. How did it come to mean so much to her?
More importantly, how did she come to be so special to Tomoyo?
It horrified her. She didn't want to be so important to anyone. It was too much responsibility for her to deal with. She could barely deal with her own jumbled feelings, let alone help Tomoyo with hers.
Was there a Card that could erase the ache of a broken heart? If there was, she would have used it on herself after Yue and Syaoran had left. How much easier her life would be! Release a Card, and the pain would be banished. Release a Card, and the people she loved would love her back.
Release a Card, and she could return to the blissful ignorance of childhood.
"Sakura." A deep voice, rich like chocolate velvet, murmured her name. "Wake up, Sakura."
Sakura blinked and opened her eyes. "Who...who is it?"
A pair of huge iridescent gold eyes shone from the darkness. "What are you asking such a silly question for? It's me, Kero-chan!"
"Oh, sorry." She rubbed her eyes. She could see him a little more clearly as her eyes adjusted to the dark. He stood by her bed in drastically altered form, a mane-less lion with feathery wings folded neatly over his back. He was free of his harness but he still looked intimidating. Even without stretching his wings to their full span, he seemed to dwarf the bedroom with his presence. Kero-chan seemed too familiar a name; in his true form Sakura thought of him only as Cerberus. "I couldn't understand why your voice was different." She suddenly sat up. "Do you sense danger? Are the Cards all right?"
"The Cards are safe. I don't sense danger."
Sakura didn't either, but she wanted to make sure. "Good." She lay back against the pillow. "So why have you changed your form?"
"Some things are easier for me to do in this form," he replied. "Can I join you on the bed? The floor is cold."
Sakura shifted herself and pulled her blankets aside to make room for him. "I don't know if you can fit. If I move over any further I'll fall out."
"I'm not that big." He leapt on the bed with surprising lightness, the mattress barely dipping beneath his paws. "Ahh, this is much better." He settled himself down on his stomach, paws neatly tucked beneath him as Sakura pulled the blankets over them both. "I'm not squashing you, am I?"
"No." The softness of his pelt touched Sakura from shoulder to knee. It felt strangely comforting, like a heated fur blanket. "I like it. It feels nice and warm."
Cerberus's gold eyes loomed over her in the darkness. "I like it, too," he murmured. "I like being with you very much." He bent down and rubbed his cheek against hers.
"Hey!" Sakura giggled and batted him away. "Stop it!"
"Don't you like that?"
"Yes, but it tickles." It had been ages since she'd laughed. There hadn't been much to laugh about recently. She reached out to caress the thick fur at the nape of his neck. "Why did you wake me up?"
Cerberus rumbled in pleasure. "Mmm. Can you go behind my left ear? It's itchy and I can't reach it."
Sakura tugged at his fur. "Did you wake me in the middle of the night just to scratch your ears?"
"Yes, among other things. My ear is very itchy, Sakura. Could you please...ahh, that's perfect."
Sakura sighed. Typical Kero-chan. Even in his true form, he was as demanding as ever. "Somehow I can't imagine Clow Reed being so accommodating."
"Sometimes, but he spent more time with Yue than me. Yue was very special to him."
Something in his voice invited questions, and Sakura had long been curious about Clow Reed. "Yue-san cared for Clow-san very much, didn't he?"
"Yes, he did. Maybe he cared too much but..." Cerberus twitched his shoulders in what would pass for a shrug in a human. "Clow and he were both of human form. Much as I loved Clow, I could never mean as much to him as Yue."
Sakura stroked his forehead gently, soothingly. "Did you feel left out sometimes?"
Cerberus regarded Sakura with great tenderness. "I understood. He longed for the touch of one with human form. He found that with Yue." He lifted his head to lick Sakura's fingers. "It is the same for you as well. One day you will long for the touch of another, too."
"No." Sakura withdrew her hand. "I don't want to long for anyone."
"Why not?"
Sakura shifted restlessly. "I don't want to be dependent on another person for my happiness. I don't want anyone to fall in love with me."
"Emotions are not like the Cards. You can't just order them to do your bidding."
"I know," Sakura said in a small voice. She thought of Tomoyo waving as she went to board her plane, and crushed the pang of grief. "But it would be easier if I could."
"Clow Reed was the most powerful magician in the world, yet he couldn't stop Yue from falling in love with him. Do you think you will have any more success in controlling the feelings of others?" Cerberus shifted his wings beneath the sheets and shook his head. "Love is an unstoppable force all of its own, Sakura. It can't be subdued by magic. Why would you even try something so foolish?"
"Because it hurts! It hurts when the person you love doesn't love you in the same way. It hurts when the person you love moves away and forgets your very existence." She'd never unleashed her anger and pain to a living soul, but there was something liberating about exploding in front of Cerberus. "I've made the same mistake twice already. Do you think I'm foolish enough to let history repeat a third time?"
"Is that why you pushed away Tomoyo?" Cerberus growled. "Because you were afraid? I never thought you were a coward."
"She was leaving for Hollywood! She'd rather film me through a camera lens than see me as I really am!"
"While you hardly noticed her at all, because you were so fixated on the snow rabbit and the brat."
"That's untrue!" Sakura sat up, stung by the accusation. "I value her as...as a good friend." Her words sounded grossly inadequate to her own ears.
"Is that all?" Cerberus challenged, eyes glittering in the semi-darkness. "A good friend?"
Sakura knew it seemed laughable in retrospect. The elaborate costumes, the library of videotapes, the obsessive filming...the eraser from elementary school was simply one more piece of damning evidence to add to the growing list she'd chosen to ignore.
If Tomoyo was guilty of fawning fan-worship, then she, Sakura, shared equal blame for playing her part as beautiful idol, graciously accepting the worship of her acolyte.
She drew her knees to her chest, an instinctive gesture of self-protection. "I know it sounds stupid...but I never really knew...until she kissed me."
"She kissed you? I thought she only touched you."
Sakura felt her face burn. "She did that too."
"Did you like it?"
"I liked it too much." Her shameful secret given voice at last. "I didn't want to, but I did."
Cerberus groaned, a sound of mingled frustration and amusement. "Touching is a source of great pleasure, Sakura." He rubbed his head against Sakura's shoulder and then lapped at the curve of her neck, making her laugh in spite of herself. "It's nothing to be ashamed or afraid of. Stop feeling bad about it!"
Sakura became serious again. "Sometimes I wish it never happened. Now I can't get her out of my mind. I find myself thinking of her, dreaming of her." She hugged herself, pressing her palms against the thin material of her pajamas. Her nipples, already hard, throbbed pleasantly at the slight friction. "Sometimes I can't sleep, and it's crazy. I'm not sure I'm better off feeling like this."
Cerberus stared at her, absorbing every word. The unblinking directness of his gaze lacked any self-consciousness. It was much like his approach to life: fearless and uninhibited, ready for any new challenge.
"Sometimes I think I envy you, Kero-chan. When you want something, you just have to ask."
"You can do the same. Tell Tomoyo about your feelings. You can't keep them bottled up forever. Give her the chance to come out from behind the camera. It's up to you to make it happen."
Sakura nodded. "I'll do my best, Kero-chan. Somehow I'll make things right between us." She lay back against the pillow, her mind more at peace than it had been in days. Maybe she could write a letter. Maybe she could call Tomoyo. The distance wasn't going to stand in her way.
"I know you can do it, Sakura." Cerberus rested his head on his paws. "Everything will be all right."
Sakura smiled faintly. Everything will be all right. Maybe it was time to start living by those words again.
"Goodnight, Kero-chan."
"Goodnight, Sakura."
She closed her eyes. She was cocooned in warmth, surrounded by the sheets and Cerberus's thick fur. There was only one thing missing. She imagined Tomoyo beside her in bed, holding her, kissing her. Weeks had passed, but she still remembered the details. Soft lips, a teasing tongue, the sweet scent of her hair, her gentle voice...
//...Sakura-chan, I can't wait any longer.//
She cupped her breast through the cotton and began to stroke herself. She took care to avoid waking Cerberus by holding her shoulder and elbow close to her body. Only her fingers shifted beneath the sheets, tracing circles around the nipple. It wasn't the same as Tomoyo's touch, but it was enough to trigger a smouldering heat inside her. Her nipple tightened into a hard nub of sensitised flesh. It didn't hurt, but neither did it bring much pleasure.
Maybe what she needed was more friction. She flattened her palm against her breast and rubbed gently, savouring the sensation of thin cotton against her skin. Yes, that was more like it. Her entire breast throbbed, an echo of her hammering heart. She imagined Tomoyo above her, watching with her loving gaze...
"Sakura." It wasn't Tomoyo's voice. This was deep and throaty with a husky catch.
She froze. "What?"
Cerberus suddenly loomed over her, his forepaws resting on either side of her pillow. The sheets slid off his back to fall on the floor.
Sakura quickly placed her hands by her side. The semi-darkness was flimsy protection against Cerberus's excellent night vision. "Did...did I wake you?"
"I never fell asleep." Cerberus looked into her eyes, gold eyes gleaming. "I was watching you." His eyes flicked to her pyjama top.
She wondered if he could also see the beetroot red flush covering her face. "I-I was just itchy, that's all."
"I know I'm not Tomoyo, but I want to help you. You shouldn't feel you have to go without."
"Kero-chan!" she squeaked. He couldn't be suggesting what she thought he was suggesting...could he? "I...you...I don't think..."
He silenced her with a single question. "Sakura, do you like to scratch my ears?"
"Umm...yes." His ears were velvety soft. Why would anyone not want to scratch them?
"Exactly. And I enjoy it when you scratch them. You are not afraid to touch me, and you willingly help me when I ask. So why should you be afraid to ask me to touch you? I will be pleased to help you any way I can." And with that, he crouched over Sakura, rested his cheek against her chest and rubbed himself with shameless abandon.
Sakura moaned. The friction of cloth against skin combined with Cerberus's body warmth felt divine. She reached for him, her fingers tangling in soft gold fur, flexing helplessly against him.
"Sakura." Cerberus was almost purring her name. He lay almost fully atop her, and she could feel his deep voice reverberate through her body. "I want to do this for you." He lapped at one nipple through the material of her top until it became a tight peak. Then he bent his head to the other nipple, carefully lavishing the same attention on it as well.
She looked down, unable to believe what was happening. She could just make out the outline of Cerberus's head leaning forward, and for a moment she wondered if he was about to devour her whole. He possessed the teeth and claws of a carnivore, and a lean body of muscle and bone beneath his pelt: it would be so easy for him to crush her as she lay helpless beneath him. But all she could feel was the wetness of his tongue and the ticklish sensation of his breath through the wet cloth.
"Please," she hissed as Cerberus began to rub his cheek against her again. Her nipples were so hard, taut peaks pressing against the confining cloth. She pulled at her top, fumbled with the buttons, and then yanked it up to her armpits. "I want...ahhh!"
Cerberus already knew. The abrasive heat of his tongue lacked the sandpaper texture of a domestic cat, yet its slight roughness was enough to sizzle against her skin like a brand. He lapped at the soft skin of her cleavage, nuzzled at the Staff pendant, then traced a trail of wetness over the delicate bones of her ribcage. His whiskers tickled her skin, feathery and ticklish, in contrast to his tongue.
She trembled beneath him, her fingers digging into the thickness of his fur. Her nipples throbbed, the swollen peaks aching in the absence of his touch. But Cerberus seemed more fascinated with the flatness of her abdomen, his tongue making lazy circles around her navel.
"Kero-chan!" She arched up, leaning on her elbows, offering herself to him. "Please..."
"Hush!" Cerberus silenced her with a playful nip to her shoulder. "What do you want me to do?"
Sakura sat up suddenly, yanking off the top with uncharacteristic impatience. Her hair fell in fluffy disarray over her face. She stared down at her erect nipples barely visible in the filtered moonlight, their dark colour visible against the pallor of her skin. They rose and fell in time with her erratic breathing. She lifted them in her palms. She could feel the moisture left by Cerberus's tongue mixed with her own perspiration. Her breasts felt heavier than before, ripe and full.
Cerberus seemed to approve. His wings extended and unfurled slightly. His gold eyes narrowed to slits. "Sakura," he murmured. "Tell me."
She touched her nipples gently, wonderingly. "It hurts a little, but it feels good at the same time." She flicked her finger over the one Tomoyo had touched, imitating the motion of her gentle plucking fingers. "Touch me here."
He rushed forward, knocking Sakura against the headboard. And then there was nothing in the world except the suction of his mouth, the lash of his warm tongue, and the slight graze of teeth against her breast. Sakura shut her eyes, lips parted on gasping breaths, head resting against the wall for support, her hands clutching golden fur. Perspiration broke out on her skin as the heat of him enveloped her. She was kindling to his fire, her nerve-endings sizzling at his touch, the flames concentrated in the pit of her abdomen. With one hand she clutched Cerberus to her; with the other hand she sought to ease the ache between her legs. Touching herself made it feel better yet worse. She hitched her knees up to stroke herself more freely.
She imagined Tomoyo touching her body with greedy fingers, caressing and kissing her breasts, showing her more wonderful things about her body she never knew before. And this time there was no pain or fear, only warmth and love. She concentrated on that image as she strained toward climax. Alone, she had never quite been able to capture it. But now she could feel it surging within her. She reached for it, every muscle clenched in anticipation. The heat coiled inside her, tighter and tighter...
And then she exploded. One scorching flare of bone-melting pleasure, followed by a brief spark that only left her longing for more. She tried to recapture it, but it was already over. Extinguished. All she had was the dull ache in the pit of her stomach and the soothing motion of Cerberus's tongue.
"Kero-chan," she whispered. She stroked his ears reverently. "Thank you."
He purred at her touch, and lifted his head. "Do you feel better now?"
"A little, thanks to you." She leaned forward and kissed his forehead.
"See? There is nothing to be afraid of. You worry too much about nothing. Tomoyo would never hurt you."
"I-I wish she was here. I want to make it up to her."
Cerberus nudged at the Staff pendant resting against her chest. "You can still do that. You are the Card Mistress now, remember?"
Sakura held the pendant. "I can't undo what has been done."
"But you can take a short holiday in America, can't you?"
Her jaw dropped as his meaning sank in. "I still have school!"
"You have weekends, don't you?"
She picked up her pyjama top and began to dress. "I have study to do."
"Study! You spend most of your time staring into space."
He was right. She hadn't been able to concentrate on schoolwork since Tomoyo left. What difference would a weekend make to her grades?
But it could make a huge difference to her happiness, and Tomoyo's.
"Okay," she relented. "This weekend we go to America."
"Yay!" Cerberus bounced on the bed, wings flapping. Feathers began to flutter down around them both. "Hollywood here we come!"
"Stop jumping! You'll break the mattress if you're not careful."
"Okay." He was instantly contrite, quickly lying on his stomach. "We're still going to America, right?"
"Yes. But maybe I should call her first."
"No! Surprise her! Surprises are more fun." He started bouncing again. "We can swoop from the heavens and land on her roof. I'm sure she will love it."
"Her bodyguards may be a bit less happy, Kero-chan."
"So what about them? You're coming to see her! Oh, we will have so much fun. I've heard a lot about American donuts and pretzels and pies and cakes. Sakura, you are the best Mistress I've ever had!" And with that, he purred and rubbed his face against hers.
Sakura sighed. She resisted the impulse to remind him that she was the only mistress he had ever had. But inside, she was happy too. After weeks of inaction, she finally had a course of action.
******
part 3
Sakura/Tomoyo, Sakura/Cerberus
******
Sakura couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned in bed, tormented by guilt and regret and a gnawing frustration. Images of rabbit erasers hopped behind her eyelids. She couldn't even recall giving it to Tomoyo. It was such a small gesture, a little kindness that one would extend to a stranger. How did it come to mean so much to her?
More importantly, how did she come to be so special to Tomoyo?
It horrified her. She didn't want to be so important to anyone. It was too much responsibility for her to deal with. She could barely deal with her own jumbled feelings, let alone help Tomoyo with hers.
Was there a Card that could erase the ache of a broken heart? If there was, she would have used it on herself after Yue and Syaoran had left. How much easier her life would be! Release a Card, and the pain would be banished. Release a Card, and the people she loved would love her back.
Release a Card, and she could return to the blissful ignorance of childhood.
"Sakura." A deep voice, rich like chocolate velvet, murmured her name. "Wake up, Sakura."
Sakura blinked and opened her eyes. "Who...who is it?"
A pair of huge iridescent gold eyes shone from the darkness. "What are you asking such a silly question for? It's me, Kero-chan!"
"Oh, sorry." She rubbed her eyes. She could see him a little more clearly as her eyes adjusted to the dark. He stood by her bed in drastically altered form, a mane-less lion with feathery wings folded neatly over his back. He was free of his harness but he still looked intimidating. Even without stretching his wings to their full span, he seemed to dwarf the bedroom with his presence. Kero-chan seemed too familiar a name; in his true form Sakura thought of him only as Cerberus. "I couldn't understand why your voice was different." She suddenly sat up. "Do you sense danger? Are the Cards all right?"
"The Cards are safe. I don't sense danger."
Sakura didn't either, but she wanted to make sure. "Good." She lay back against the pillow. "So why have you changed your form?"
"Some things are easier for me to do in this form," he replied. "Can I join you on the bed? The floor is cold."
Sakura shifted herself and pulled her blankets aside to make room for him. "I don't know if you can fit. If I move over any further I'll fall out."
"I'm not that big." He leapt on the bed with surprising lightness, the mattress barely dipping beneath his paws. "Ahh, this is much better." He settled himself down on his stomach, paws neatly tucked beneath him as Sakura pulled the blankets over them both. "I'm not squashing you, am I?"
"No." The softness of his pelt touched Sakura from shoulder to knee. It felt strangely comforting, like a heated fur blanket. "I like it. It feels nice and warm."
Cerberus's gold eyes loomed over her in the darkness. "I like it, too," he murmured. "I like being with you very much." He bent down and rubbed his cheek against hers.
"Hey!" Sakura giggled and batted him away. "Stop it!"
"Don't you like that?"
"Yes, but it tickles." It had been ages since she'd laughed. There hadn't been much to laugh about recently. She reached out to caress the thick fur at the nape of his neck. "Why did you wake me up?"
Cerberus rumbled in pleasure. "Mmm. Can you go behind my left ear? It's itchy and I can't reach it."
Sakura tugged at his fur. "Did you wake me in the middle of the night just to scratch your ears?"
"Yes, among other things. My ear is very itchy, Sakura. Could you please...ahh, that's perfect."
Sakura sighed. Typical Kero-chan. Even in his true form, he was as demanding as ever. "Somehow I can't imagine Clow Reed being so accommodating."
"Sometimes, but he spent more time with Yue than me. Yue was very special to him."
Something in his voice invited questions, and Sakura had long been curious about Clow Reed. "Yue-san cared for Clow-san very much, didn't he?"
"Yes, he did. Maybe he cared too much but..." Cerberus twitched his shoulders in what would pass for a shrug in a human. "Clow and he were both of human form. Much as I loved Clow, I could never mean as much to him as Yue."
Sakura stroked his forehead gently, soothingly. "Did you feel left out sometimes?"
Cerberus regarded Sakura with great tenderness. "I understood. He longed for the touch of one with human form. He found that with Yue." He lifted his head to lick Sakura's fingers. "It is the same for you as well. One day you will long for the touch of another, too."
"No." Sakura withdrew her hand. "I don't want to long for anyone."
"Why not?"
Sakura shifted restlessly. "I don't want to be dependent on another person for my happiness. I don't want anyone to fall in love with me."
"Emotions are not like the Cards. You can't just order them to do your bidding."
"I know," Sakura said in a small voice. She thought of Tomoyo waving as she went to board her plane, and crushed the pang of grief. "But it would be easier if I could."
"Clow Reed was the most powerful magician in the world, yet he couldn't stop Yue from falling in love with him. Do you think you will have any more success in controlling the feelings of others?" Cerberus shifted his wings beneath the sheets and shook his head. "Love is an unstoppable force all of its own, Sakura. It can't be subdued by magic. Why would you even try something so foolish?"
"Because it hurts! It hurts when the person you love doesn't love you in the same way. It hurts when the person you love moves away and forgets your very existence." She'd never unleashed her anger and pain to a living soul, but there was something liberating about exploding in front of Cerberus. "I've made the same mistake twice already. Do you think I'm foolish enough to let history repeat a third time?"
"Is that why you pushed away Tomoyo?" Cerberus growled. "Because you were afraid? I never thought you were a coward."
"She was leaving for Hollywood! She'd rather film me through a camera lens than see me as I really am!"
"While you hardly noticed her at all, because you were so fixated on the snow rabbit and the brat."
"That's untrue!" Sakura sat up, stung by the accusation. "I value her as...as a good friend." Her words sounded grossly inadequate to her own ears.
"Is that all?" Cerberus challenged, eyes glittering in the semi-darkness. "A good friend?"
Sakura knew it seemed laughable in retrospect. The elaborate costumes, the library of videotapes, the obsessive filming...the eraser from elementary school was simply one more piece of damning evidence to add to the growing list she'd chosen to ignore.
If Tomoyo was guilty of fawning fan-worship, then she, Sakura, shared equal blame for playing her part as beautiful idol, graciously accepting the worship of her acolyte.
She drew her knees to her chest, an instinctive gesture of self-protection. "I know it sounds stupid...but I never really knew...until she kissed me."
"She kissed you? I thought she only touched you."
Sakura felt her face burn. "She did that too."
"Did you like it?"
"I liked it too much." Her shameful secret given voice at last. "I didn't want to, but I did."
Cerberus groaned, a sound of mingled frustration and amusement. "Touching is a source of great pleasure, Sakura." He rubbed his head against Sakura's shoulder and then lapped at the curve of her neck, making her laugh in spite of herself. "It's nothing to be ashamed or afraid of. Stop feeling bad about it!"
Sakura became serious again. "Sometimes I wish it never happened. Now I can't get her out of my mind. I find myself thinking of her, dreaming of her." She hugged herself, pressing her palms against the thin material of her pajamas. Her nipples, already hard, throbbed pleasantly at the slight friction. "Sometimes I can't sleep, and it's crazy. I'm not sure I'm better off feeling like this."
Cerberus stared at her, absorbing every word. The unblinking directness of his gaze lacked any self-consciousness. It was much like his approach to life: fearless and uninhibited, ready for any new challenge.
"Sometimes I think I envy you, Kero-chan. When you want something, you just have to ask."
"You can do the same. Tell Tomoyo about your feelings. You can't keep them bottled up forever. Give her the chance to come out from behind the camera. It's up to you to make it happen."
Sakura nodded. "I'll do my best, Kero-chan. Somehow I'll make things right between us." She lay back against the pillow, her mind more at peace than it had been in days. Maybe she could write a letter. Maybe she could call Tomoyo. The distance wasn't going to stand in her way.
"I know you can do it, Sakura." Cerberus rested his head on his paws. "Everything will be all right."
Sakura smiled faintly. Everything will be all right. Maybe it was time to start living by those words again.
"Goodnight, Kero-chan."
"Goodnight, Sakura."
She closed her eyes. She was cocooned in warmth, surrounded by the sheets and Cerberus's thick fur. There was only one thing missing. She imagined Tomoyo beside her in bed, holding her, kissing her. Weeks had passed, but she still remembered the details. Soft lips, a teasing tongue, the sweet scent of her hair, her gentle voice...
//...Sakura-chan, I can't wait any longer.//
She cupped her breast through the cotton and began to stroke herself. She took care to avoid waking Cerberus by holding her shoulder and elbow close to her body. Only her fingers shifted beneath the sheets, tracing circles around the nipple. It wasn't the same as Tomoyo's touch, but it was enough to trigger a smouldering heat inside her. Her nipple tightened into a hard nub of sensitised flesh. It didn't hurt, but neither did it bring much pleasure.
Maybe what she needed was more friction. She flattened her palm against her breast and rubbed gently, savouring the sensation of thin cotton against her skin. Yes, that was more like it. Her entire breast throbbed, an echo of her hammering heart. She imagined Tomoyo above her, watching with her loving gaze...
"Sakura." It wasn't Tomoyo's voice. This was deep and throaty with a husky catch.
She froze. "What?"
Cerberus suddenly loomed over her, his forepaws resting on either side of her pillow. The sheets slid off his back to fall on the floor.
Sakura quickly placed her hands by her side. The semi-darkness was flimsy protection against Cerberus's excellent night vision. "Did...did I wake you?"
"I never fell asleep." Cerberus looked into her eyes, gold eyes gleaming. "I was watching you." His eyes flicked to her pyjama top.
She wondered if he could also see the beetroot red flush covering her face. "I-I was just itchy, that's all."
"I know I'm not Tomoyo, but I want to help you. You shouldn't feel you have to go without."
"Kero-chan!" she squeaked. He couldn't be suggesting what she thought he was suggesting...could he? "I...you...I don't think..."
He silenced her with a single question. "Sakura, do you like to scratch my ears?"
"Umm...yes." His ears were velvety soft. Why would anyone not want to scratch them?
"Exactly. And I enjoy it when you scratch them. You are not afraid to touch me, and you willingly help me when I ask. So why should you be afraid to ask me to touch you? I will be pleased to help you any way I can." And with that, he crouched over Sakura, rested his cheek against her chest and rubbed himself with shameless abandon.
Sakura moaned. The friction of cloth against skin combined with Cerberus's body warmth felt divine. She reached for him, her fingers tangling in soft gold fur, flexing helplessly against him.
"Sakura." Cerberus was almost purring her name. He lay almost fully atop her, and she could feel his deep voice reverberate through her body. "I want to do this for you." He lapped at one nipple through the material of her top until it became a tight peak. Then he bent his head to the other nipple, carefully lavishing the same attention on it as well.
She looked down, unable to believe what was happening. She could just make out the outline of Cerberus's head leaning forward, and for a moment she wondered if he was about to devour her whole. He possessed the teeth and claws of a carnivore, and a lean body of muscle and bone beneath his pelt: it would be so easy for him to crush her as she lay helpless beneath him. But all she could feel was the wetness of his tongue and the ticklish sensation of his breath through the wet cloth.
"Please," she hissed as Cerberus began to rub his cheek against her again. Her nipples were so hard, taut peaks pressing against the confining cloth. She pulled at her top, fumbled with the buttons, and then yanked it up to her armpits. "I want...ahhh!"
Cerberus already knew. The abrasive heat of his tongue lacked the sandpaper texture of a domestic cat, yet its slight roughness was enough to sizzle against her skin like a brand. He lapped at the soft skin of her cleavage, nuzzled at the Staff pendant, then traced a trail of wetness over the delicate bones of her ribcage. His whiskers tickled her skin, feathery and ticklish, in contrast to his tongue.
She trembled beneath him, her fingers digging into the thickness of his fur. Her nipples throbbed, the swollen peaks aching in the absence of his touch. But Cerberus seemed more fascinated with the flatness of her abdomen, his tongue making lazy circles around her navel.
"Kero-chan!" She arched up, leaning on her elbows, offering herself to him. "Please..."
"Hush!" Cerberus silenced her with a playful nip to her shoulder. "What do you want me to do?"
Sakura sat up suddenly, yanking off the top with uncharacteristic impatience. Her hair fell in fluffy disarray over her face. She stared down at her erect nipples barely visible in the filtered moonlight, their dark colour visible against the pallor of her skin. They rose and fell in time with her erratic breathing. She lifted them in her palms. She could feel the moisture left by Cerberus's tongue mixed with her own perspiration. Her breasts felt heavier than before, ripe and full.
Cerberus seemed to approve. His wings extended and unfurled slightly. His gold eyes narrowed to slits. "Sakura," he murmured. "Tell me."
She touched her nipples gently, wonderingly. "It hurts a little, but it feels good at the same time." She flicked her finger over the one Tomoyo had touched, imitating the motion of her gentle plucking fingers. "Touch me here."
He rushed forward, knocking Sakura against the headboard. And then there was nothing in the world except the suction of his mouth, the lash of his warm tongue, and the slight graze of teeth against her breast. Sakura shut her eyes, lips parted on gasping breaths, head resting against the wall for support, her hands clutching golden fur. Perspiration broke out on her skin as the heat of him enveloped her. She was kindling to his fire, her nerve-endings sizzling at his touch, the flames concentrated in the pit of her abdomen. With one hand she clutched Cerberus to her; with the other hand she sought to ease the ache between her legs. Touching herself made it feel better yet worse. She hitched her knees up to stroke herself more freely.
She imagined Tomoyo touching her body with greedy fingers, caressing and kissing her breasts, showing her more wonderful things about her body she never knew before. And this time there was no pain or fear, only warmth and love. She concentrated on that image as she strained toward climax. Alone, she had never quite been able to capture it. But now she could feel it surging within her. She reached for it, every muscle clenched in anticipation. The heat coiled inside her, tighter and tighter...
And then she exploded. One scorching flare of bone-melting pleasure, followed by a brief spark that only left her longing for more. She tried to recapture it, but it was already over. Extinguished. All she had was the dull ache in the pit of her stomach and the soothing motion of Cerberus's tongue.
"Kero-chan," she whispered. She stroked his ears reverently. "Thank you."
He purred at her touch, and lifted his head. "Do you feel better now?"
"A little, thanks to you." She leaned forward and kissed his forehead.
"See? There is nothing to be afraid of. You worry too much about nothing. Tomoyo would never hurt you."
"I-I wish she was here. I want to make it up to her."
Cerberus nudged at the Staff pendant resting against her chest. "You can still do that. You are the Card Mistress now, remember?"
Sakura held the pendant. "I can't undo what has been done."
"But you can take a short holiday in America, can't you?"
Her jaw dropped as his meaning sank in. "I still have school!"
"You have weekends, don't you?"
She picked up her pyjama top and began to dress. "I have study to do."
"Study! You spend most of your time staring into space."
He was right. She hadn't been able to concentrate on schoolwork since Tomoyo left. What difference would a weekend make to her grades?
But it could make a huge difference to her happiness, and Tomoyo's.
"Okay," she relented. "This weekend we go to America."
"Yay!" Cerberus bounced on the bed, wings flapping. Feathers began to flutter down around them both. "Hollywood here we come!"
"Stop jumping! You'll break the mattress if you're not careful."
"Okay." He was instantly contrite, quickly lying on his stomach. "We're still going to America, right?"
"Yes. But maybe I should call her first."
"No! Surprise her! Surprises are more fun." He started bouncing again. "We can swoop from the heavens and land on her roof. I'm sure she will love it."
"Her bodyguards may be a bit less happy, Kero-chan."
"So what about them? You're coming to see her! Oh, we will have so much fun. I've heard a lot about American donuts and pretzels and pies and cakes. Sakura, you are the best Mistress I've ever had!" And with that, he purred and rubbed his face against hers.
Sakura sighed. She resisted the impulse to remind him that she was the only mistress he had ever had. But inside, she was happy too. After weeks of inaction, she finally had a course of action.
******