Suddenly on a Leash (1)

Chapter fourteen

Surprisingly, I had a really comfortable sleep. I felt like I could lie there forever. But of course, eventually, my eyes cracked open at the light of the sun. "...mm..."
What a nice dream I'd had...
Even as the sleepiness wore off, my consciousness regaining, I didn't feel like moving.
My senses were fuzzy, and I felt totally unaware of where I was. All I knew was that I was too comfy to move.
Sleepy...
Mm...
What was that feeling...? It felt like... Arms...
Chills rushed over my skin as I abruptly felt a warm breath on the back of my neck.
Wh-what the...!
My eyes shot open and I quickly realized what was happening. His arms securely around me, Sora had curled himself against me, his face just at my neck so that I could feel each exhale of hot, sleepy breath.
AHHH...!! Did I really fall asleep like this...?! Get off...! Get off, get off...!
Ahhhhhhhhhhh!
I started to squirm, my thoughts whirling. I had to get out...! His grip around my small body was so tight that all I could do was turn in his arms until we were facing each other. Now facing him, my heart instantly proceeded to assault my rib cages once more.
Our faces were so close...!
Sora's sleeping face...
He looked so... Peaceful...
His thin lips parted just enough that each small exhale was audible. How was I going to get out of this...?? If I moved too much I'd wake him...
Before I'd realized it, all I was doing was looking at his sleeping face. In truth... Sora was quite beautiful. There didn't seem to be a single imperfection in his smooth, perfectly sculpted face... Had he always been this beautiful...?
My cheeks felt warm. What was I thinking...
And at a time like this, no less.
I didn't have time to react, as a Sora's eyes cracked open in a matter of seconds. My eyes widened in shock, heat stinging my face. He's awake...!
He peered at me with a powerful, yet still sleepy gaze. After a mere moment of eye contact, he started to shift. I perked up at this.
Was he going to let me go...?
To my dismay, he only curled tighter into me, pulling me into his chest as he buried his face in my neck.
I stiffened immediately, blood rushing to my face.
"Ah...! Sor...!"
He groaned stuffily against my neck. "Geez, just a little longer..." He mumbled, and I felt his breath tickling me. "I'm exhausted..."
I couldn't relax, my heartbeat going nuts. My poor ribs were going to be bruised at this rate...
Soraaaa...!
All that could be heard was the fierce thumping of my soon-to-be heart attack and Sora's gentle breathing.
Too close, too close...!
What should I do...??
I tried to swallow.
"......."
His ears...
The red, black tipped fox ears that bobbed atop his head.
They were right in my face...
They were so cute.
They looked so soft... His hair, too...
I was silent as my gaze wandered down to the ends of his hair, the tips of his ears, which would occasionally flick as he slept soundly against me.
I wonder... If he would mind too terribly... If I...
Just a little...
Before I'd realized it, my hand had outstretched towards his head. Just one touch was alright... Right...?
My fingertips found the back of his ear, and after a moment of stillness, I lightly dragged them down. Softer than I could've imagined...
But he tensed against me as I did so and flicked his ear in response, startling me. I held my breath, unmoving for several moments.
He didn't like it, huh...
But after a few moments of being frozen, he relaxed again.
Oh, that was it...?
Then... Just a little more...
I reached out once more and took the tip of his ear between my fingers, lightly rubbing it.
Aww...
Sora seemed to stir again, flicking his ear free and burying his face farther into my neck with a deep exhale, making me shudder just a little.
I wanted to play with it some more, though... It was so darn cute...
My hand outstretched again, feeling down the back of his ear and down into his hair, running my fingers through it. Just as I thought... It was crazy soft... I'd have to ask him what conditioner he used...
"...nn..."
Sora surprised me with a slight sound, shivering a little against me. My cheeks felt warm.
What's with that...?
How cute...
So even someone as stony as Sora had such a side? I wished he'd show it more often....
More... I wanted to see more...
What was with this selfishness...?
The want to touch him...
Was that... Weird...?
Swallowing a little, still feeling hesitant, I continued the motion of lightly stroking his ears down through his hair to the long ends. It was so soft... Did he mind that I was doing this...?
Was this... Bad...?
Even at the possibility... I kept going.
I couldn't resist...
My fingers ran lightly over his ear, rubbing along the tip. I used to do this to my cat all the time... His ears were so cute.
Little cat ears... Little fox ears.
But I felt my hand stop when I felt a rumbling against him.
As I held my breath to listen, I realized it.
Sora... Was he... Purring...?
I felt the heat in my face as I flushed at the revelation.
He liked this...? Feeling obliged to continue if so, I pressed my fingers down the back of his ear, running back down through his hair, lacing my fingers in it. I was going back up to start again, when Sora's hand abruptly shot up and grabbed me by the wrist. I stiffened, startled, and my breath caught in my throat.
Oh... Did he not like it after all....?
".... Cut it out..." I heard him grumble sleepily.
"... If you keep doing that... I'm going to have a hard time getting up.."
My face felt hot.
What was that...??
I thought I was going to melt...
Letting out a slow breath, I lowered my hand. What had gotten into me...??
After a little while longer, long-seeming moments of painful silence and little movement, Sora gave me a final squeeze, arching his back in a somewhat cat-like stretch, and pulled away, sitting up to stretch his arms out as he climbed out of the bed. I found my gaze dropping to the sheets. I couldn't look straight at him......
How embarrassing...
I hoped he wouldn't say anything about it. After letting out a yawn, he left the room without a word. I let out the breath I'd been holding. Thank goodness...
I was so afraid he'd bring it up...
I had no idea how I could've explained my actions...
I stared down blankly at the hand that had touched him. Honestly... What was I doing...?
My face burned so much it almost hurt. I could still feel it... Sora's touch. The softness of his hair on my fingertips... His arms tightly wound around me... His breath on my neck...
The sensation of Sora against me... It lingered.
The intense blush spread to my ears.
Ohh... How was I going to face him...?!