Chapter 243: Fur Play

Zafron hesitated for a moment before carefully sitting beside Sakura on her bed. The mattress dipped slightly under his weight, and he could feel the warmth radiating from her body. Sakura's eyes were a bit glassy, her cheeks flushed from the night's revelry."You know," she began, her words slightly slurred, "this reminds me of the old days. After a big score or a successful job, Draco and I would..." She trailed off, a wistful look crossing her face. "But that's ancient history now."

Zafron found himself at a loss for words, his mind racing to process this unexpected glimpse into Sakura's past. She must have noticed his silence because she quickly added, "Not that I miss him or anything. That's not what I meant."

"No, of course not," Zafron replied hastily. "I was just thinking... you're an incredible person, Sakura. I can't imagine why anyone would want to leave you."

Sakura's eyes widened slightly at his words, a mix of surprise and something else flickering across her features. She sighed, her shoulders sagging a little. "It's all in the past now. We just won a huge fight, Zafron. What I want more than anything is to move forward."

With a determined look, Sakura stood up, swaying slightly as she found her balance. Zafron watched, amused, as she tiptoed towards a nearby cabinet, her movements exaggerated in her inebriated state. It was then that he noticed something peculiar - her tail was wagging behind her.

Zafron blinked, confused. Wasn't her transformation usually reserved for combat? Did she even realize she was partially shifted? The sight of her tail swishing back and forth was oddly mesmerizing, and he found himself staring.

Sakura returned, clutching a small ornate box, her face alight with excitement. "Give me a minute," she said, a mischievous glint in her eye as she darted out of the room once more. Zafron couldn't help but notice the way her pink braided ponytail and her actual cat tail swayed in unison as she left.

When she reappeared, Zafron's breath caught in his throat. Sakura had changed into an oversized t-shirt that hung loosely on her small frame, accentuating her petite stature. With her feline features still partially visible, she looked utterly adorable, a strange mix of fierce warrior and cuddly kitten that Zafron found inexplicably charming.

Sakura plopped down on the bed next to him, the mysterious box cradled in her lap. "I have a secret," she whispered, leaning in close enough that Zafron could smell the faint scent of Crimson Fury on her breath. "When I'm feeling down, I like to play collar."

Zafron's brow furrowed in confusion. "Play... collar?" he repeated, unsure if he'd heard her correctly.

Sakura shook her head, biting her lip in an exasperated but endearing manner. "Oh, come on," she said, rolling her eyes. "Don't tell me you've never heard of it?"

The air between them seemed to crackle with an unspoken tension. Zafron found himself hyper-aware of every little detail - the way Sakura's ears twitched slightly, the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed, the warmth of her leg pressed against his.

"I... can't say that I have," Zafron admitted, his curiosity piqued despite his confusion.

Sakura's tail swished playfully as she opened the box, revealing a collection of what appeared to be ornate chokers and necklaces. "It's simple," she explained, her words still slightly slurred but her eyes bright with excitement. "You pick one, and it's like... like putting on a new persona for a while. Forgetting all your troubles."

Zafron watched, fascinated, as Sakura's fingers dance over the various collars, each one glinting in the dim light of her bedroom. He couldn't help but marvel at this unexpected side of his usually tough-as-nails partner.

"Want to try?" Sakura asked, holding out a sleek, black collar with a small silver bell attached.

Zafron hesitated, his heart racing. This felt like a pivotal moment, though he couldn't quite explain why. As he looked into Sakura's expectant eyes, he realized that regardless of his answer, something between them had shifted irrevocably.

Sakura's eyes locked onto Zafron's, her pupils contracting and dilating as she leaned in closer. "Actually," she purred, her voice low and playful, "there's a twist to the rules. It's meant for two players." A mischievous grin spread across her face. "The game is really called 'Collar the Cat'. And you, my friend, are supposed to try and... collar me."

Zafron arched an eyebrow, a mixture of amusement and disbelief crossing his features. 'That sounds... suspiciously easy,' he thought to himself. Reaching out, he selected a light blue collar from the box, its silver bell tinkling softly as he lifted it.

As he held up the collar, Zafron noticed Sakura biting her lower lip, her eyes fixed on the accessory. Was that excitement flickering in her gaze, or something else entirely? Her tail swung back and forth in a mesmerizing rhythm, betraying her anticipation as Zafron's hand approached her neck.

Just as his fingers were about to brush against her skin, Sakura darted away with lightning speed, leaving Zafron grasping at thin air. 'What the-' he barely had time to think before she was moving again.

Undeterred, Zafron made another attempt, lunging forward with the collar. But Sakura was too quick, effortlessly evading his grasp. In the blink of an eye, she was across the room, clinging to the wall with her claws extended, defying gravity itself.

'How in the name of the Raxus's left balls did she get there so fast?' Zafron marveled, his jaw dropping slightly. The alcohol in Sakura's system seemed to have no effect on her reflexes whatsoever.

Sakura's face had so many emotions on display- playful, naughty, and something else that made Zafron's pulse quicken. There was a feral glint in her eyes, a primal energy that both thrilled and unnerved him. Her gaze was fixed intently on his hand, which still clutched the collar.

'Oh no,' Zafron thought, realization dawning. 'She wants me to chase her, doesn't she?' He couldn't help but feel a twinge of exasperation. They had just emerged from a grueling battle, and wasn't she supposed to be drunk? Yet here she was, poised for action, looking more alert than ever.

"Come on, Zafron," Sakura teased, her voice a melodic challenge. "Thought you said you were good at this hero stuff? Prove it!"

With that, she sprang from the wall, darting past him in a blur of movement. The game was on.

'Great, just great,' Zafron grumbled internally as he spun around, trying to keep track of Sakura's movements. 'From death matches to cat and mouse. Just another day in paradise.'

He lunged after her, his fingers brushing the edge of her oversized shirt, but she slipped away, giggling. The chase led them through the house, a whirlwind tour of Sakura's domain. She vaulted over furniture with feline grace, while Zafron found himself stumbling and bumping into corners.

'I swear, if I stub my toe one more time-' his thought was cut short as Sakura suddenly appeared before him, booping his nose with a clawed finger before vanishing again.

"Too slow!" her voice echoed from somewhere in the kitchen. Zafron gritted his teeth, a determined glint in his eye. Two could play at this game.

He crept into the kitchen, collar at the ready. The room was quiet - too quiet. 'Now, if I were a mischievous, half-drunk cat-girl, where would I-'

His internal monologue was interrupted by a battle cry from above. Sakura dropped from the ceiling, aiming to tackle him. But this time, Zafron was prepared. Reading her movements, he twisted his body at the last possible moment, calling upon his slime powers.

A tendril of viscous liquid shot from his hand, wrapping around Sakura's waist. Her eyes widened in surprise as Zafron pulled her towards him, the collar poised in his other hand.

"Gotcha!" he exclaimed triumphantly. But Sakura wasn't done yet.

Using the momentum of Zafron's pull, she transformed the would-be capture into a tackle. They tumbled to the ground, Sakura landing on top of Zafron with a soft thud. She pinned his shoulders to the floor, while using her hand to brace the back of his head so that the impact wouldn't hurt him. She wanted to play after all, not break him.

"Nice try, rookie," she purred, her face inches from his. "But I think I've got you now."

Zafron's heart raced, acutely aware of Sakura's weight on his chest, the warmth of her breath on his face. 'Focus, you idiot,' he chided himself. 'Remember the mission.'

With a swift movement, he brought the collar up, managing to clip it around Sakura's neck despite their awkward position. The soft click of the clasp echoed in the sudden silence.

The change was instantaneous. It was as if a switch had been flipped inside Sakura. Her body relaxed, the feral glint in her eyes softening into something gentler, more docile. She cocked her head to the side, the bell on the collar tinkling softly, and looked down at Zafron with a mixture of playfulness and serenity.

"You did it," she murmured, her voice warm and full of admiration. "You actually caught me."

Zafron found himself mesmerized by this new side of Sakura. The fierce warrior was still there, but now tempered by a soft vulnerability that made his heart skip a beat.

"Well," he managed to say, his voice a bit hoarse, "I had a good teacher. Someone once told me that life in the Undercity is never easy. We just do our best to survive it."

Sakura's eyes widened slightly, recognizing her own words from earlier. A soft smile spread across her face, and she leaned down, resting her forehead against Zafron's.

"Maybe," she whispered, "with the right partner, we can do more than just survive."

The moment stretched between them, filled with unspoken possibilities. Zafron found himself lost in Sakura's eyes, seeing not just the tough exterior she usually presented to the world, but the complex, beautiful soul beneath.

'Oh boy,' he thought, his internal voice a mix of panic and exhilaration. 'This is definitely not in the hero handbook.'

Sakura shifted slightly, the movement causing the bell on her collar to chime softly. The sound seemed to break the spell, and she rolled off Zafron, flopping onto her back beside him on the kitchen floor.

"That," she declared, staring up at the ceiling, "was the most fun I've had in years."

Zafron turned his head to look at her, a grin spreading across his face. "Even more fun than taking down the Butcher?"

Sakura laughed, the sound light and carefree. "Well, maybe it's a close second." She sat up, the oversized shirt slipping off one shoulder, revealing a tantalizing glimpse of her collarbone. "But don't let it go to your head, rookie. I was going easy on you."

'Sure you were,' Zafron thought, but he kept that particular comment to himself. Instead, he propped himself up on his elbows, taking in the sight of Sakura in the soft kitchen light, her hair slightly mussed from their chase, the blue collar at odds against her pale skin.

"So," he ventured, "what now? Does the game have a second round, or...?"

Sakura's tail swished playfully as she considered the question. "Well," she said slowly, a mischievous glint returning to her eye, "traditionally, the one who's collared has to obey the one who collared them. Within reason, of course."

Zafron's eyebrows shot up. 'Within reason? What's that supposed to mean?' He cleared his throat, suddenly feeling a bit out of his depth. "And, uh, what would you consider 'within reason'?"

Sakura leaned in close, her breath tickling his ear as she whispered, "Why don't you give me an order and find out?"

Zafron's mind went blank. 'An order? What kind of order? Should I ask her to do a backflip? Make me a sandwich? Confess her undying love for-' He cut that thought off quickly, heat rising to his cheeks.

"I, uh," he stammered, "I order you to... to tell me what you're really thinking right now."

Sakura blinked, clearly not expecting that particular command. For a moment, her playful demeanor faltered, replaced by something more genuine, more vulnerable. Sёarch* The Nôvelƒire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"I'm thinking," she said softly, her hand unconsciously reaching up to touch the collar, "that I'm glad it was you who put this on me. That maybe, just maybe, I can trust you in a way I haven't trusted anyone in a long time."

The honesty in her voice caught Zafron off guard. He reached out, gently taking her hand in his. "Sakura, I-"

But before he could finish...