"Apologies"

A story written by bm54321

CHAPTER 1: The contrite cat

Kamu was furious. He could barely contain his rage as he stampered down the park road, trying his best not to scowl at everyone he passed on the way. There was only person that deserved his rage, and she was not yet in sight. The gray wolf boy looked around the area as he walked. He had been told that Fei would be here, somewhere, by his good friend Naki. Fei always sat in the park on sunny days. She always kept to herself, so Kamu figured that she would most likely be resting quietly in the shade down by the park lake. He was delighted to see that he was right; not that the sight of her particularily pleased him. The black cat was known in the area for being a rude, unlikeable loner that only smiled at you when she had something mocking to say. Fei worked part-time at the local mall. Kamu would never understand how she had managed to keep a service job with her attitude. Most of the time, he would just ignore Fei like everyone else, but this time he had a personal issue with her. Fei had hurt a friend of his, and that he could not tolerate. As soon as he spotted her, he turned off the gravel path and stampered towards her.

Fei was sitting with her back against a tree, headset on and with a handheld game in her hand. The air was pleasantly chilly in the shadow of the trees, and there were no other parkgoers nearby. Most of them were basking in the sun. Fei preferred sitting alone. She had pulled up the legs of her jeans and wore a plain white t-shirt, as her black fur certainly didn't help against the heat. Even so, Kamu had never seen her swimming around in a bikini, like the other girls in town. Most likely she didn't like to bathe, being a cat and all. Kamu briefly considered throwing her in the lake to get rid of his pent-up aggression, but decided against it. It wouldn't solve anything. Fei was too occupied with her game to notice Kamu approaching, but when he grabbed the tip of her ear and pulled lightly she was startled and waved his hand away with an annoyed expression.
"Hey!" she growled, sliding the headset down so it was hanging around her neck.
"Yes, hello, Fei" he said. "I've been looking for you."
"That's a first, then," she replied with a snort, brushing the short fur on her ear back into place. "What do you want? Apart from pulling my ear like a douche, I mean."
"I'm angry," he said. His arms hung straight down, fists clenched. She noticed and turned her game off with a frown. The wolf was staring intimidatingly at her, but Fei confidently met his gaze.
"And what is it that has gotten your tail in a twirl, then?" she asked, almost amused.
"You, and the way you act" he answered coldly. She sighed.
"Then just ignore me," she said and looked down at her game again, fiddling with the power button. "It's what everyone else does, and it suits me fine. I doubt I'll be able to make you any less angry anyhow."
"This isn't just about me, Fei" he growled. "It's about Nellie."
Fei recalled meeting her the evening before, at a local talent show that had been arranged. Nellie was a white rabbit girl about Fei's age, and the cat had met her a few times around town. They had never spoken much, but Nellie seemed like a nice girl, at least. The bunny wanted to become a singer. Fei had learned that the day before, and it was the reason why Nellie had performed a song at the show. Fei had been there mostly out of curiousity, as well as the free snacks. She didn't like social parties, she never got along with anyone.
"What about her?" she asked.
"I think you know that perfectly well," Kamu said.
The black cat remembered that everyone had been showering Nellie with praise after her performance, which Fei had found good, but obviously amateurish. The girl was still learning, after all. She had gotten a bit fed up with hearing things like "it was the best I've ever heard" being said by multiple people over and over, so when Nellie came over and asked Fei what she thought, she decided to give the aspiring artist an honest opinion instead. It would be better for her to not get too confident too early, she thought.
"I can't remember insulting her or anything," Fei replied. "I just gave her some constructive critisism, compared to the blind praise she got from everyone else."
"You told her that her higher tones 'sucked', Fei, and that her rhythm was 'totally off'. That doesn't sound constructive to me at all! You even laughed and said she wouldn't stand a chance in showbiz if she didn't improve!"
"Well of course I was exaggerating, but she'll never grow better if she thinks she's perfect as-is."
"Maybe so, but you didn't have to be so mean about it!" The wolf's tail flicked back and forth. He was so angry right now, he could barely keep himself from just hitting the girl in front of him. What made him the most mad was that Fei didn't even appear to know – or care – about Nellie's reaction.

Fei adjusted the right leg of her pants, already growing disinterested in the conversation.
"It's not my fault she can't take a joke. If she just had a sense of humor..."
Kamu growled again, desperately trying to get the cat before him to understand that he was deadly serious.
"It wasn't a joke at all, Fei, and you know it. You just have to say something negative about everything, no matter how good it really is. You really hurt Nellie's feelings!"
"She'll get over it once she realizes I was just trying to help her get better."
Kamu was exasperated. "Vicky spent half an hour just to get her out of the bathroom, Fei!"
"She—" the cat broke off her own reply. "Wait, what?"
"You heard me. Not long after you had left, Nellie was crying so much she refused to speak to anyone! She became so depressed by your remark she just locked herself in and bawled her eyes out!"
Fei swallowed nervously.
"I-I didn't realize—"
"Well that's just your problem, isn't it, Fei? You never understand how much you hurt others' feelings! Poor Nellie now sits there and thinks she's the worst singer ever; she won't listen to us telling her she's actually one of the best around here! She might even give up on singing altogether if it gets worse! This is all your fault, Fei!"
As Kamu spoke, an unfamiliar feeling slowly crept over Fei: Guilt. She hadn't felt like that in a long time, but now it came over her full-force. Kamu could see the dawning realization of what she had done on Fei's face. He was content with that.
"I-I'm so sorry, Kamu," the young cat stammered, her eyes wide with horror. "I never... I didn't... I... I..." She was at a loss of words.
"Tell her, not me," Kamu replied, and nodded in the general direction of Nellie's house. The now humbled cat in front of him swallowed, then nodded.
"O-OK."
Without another word, Fei ran past Kamu, suddenly desperate to see Nellie. She had to tell her she was sorry, she knew that now.

***

The trip didn't take more than a few minutes for Fei, even after she stopped by her own home to free herself of her game and headset. Fei's stomach churned as she stood in front of Nellie's house. The rabbit didn't live alone; her best friend Vicky shared both the house and the expenses. They were almost like roommates, Fei thought. The cat girl strode nervously across the tiled path to the door, paused in front of it with her tail hanging low, flitting slowly behind her. She lifted her finger to ring the bell, but froze. For a second she contemplated just leaving again. She felt ashamed of herself. Why was it so hard for her to apologize?

Fei took a deep breath and pressed the button. She could hear the faint ringing from inside; and just a bit later, footsteps. She took a step back so that the door could open freely, then stuck her tail between her legs and grabbed it gently to keep it from swinging so uncontrollably. As the door swung open, Fei saw that it wasn't the white rabbit she had expected who stood there, but a fiery red fox: Vicky. Before Fei got any further than opening her mouth, Vicky growled at her.
"What do you want?"
"I... uh..." The words got caught in her throat, and Fei was reduced to stammering again. "I-I came t-to see Nellie."
Vicky sneered. "I doubt she wants to see you after the things you said to her yesterday. I certainly don't." She grabbed the door handle, preparing to close the door. "Get lost, Fei."
As the door began to shut, Fei took a step forwards.
"Vicky, please!" she cried out, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry for everything! I just want to apologize to her!"
The vixen paused to look Fei in the eyes. She thought about it for a second or two, then replied a bit more calmly. "As I said: I doubt Nellie wants to see you; she's been so upset I have barely been able to calm her down. Letting you in would just cause her to have a breakdown again." She gestured at the street behind Fei, telling her to leave. "You'll have to come back later, if ever."
"I don't want her to be upset! I was hoping that I could at least make her happy again by admitting I was wrong in saying... the things I did. Even if she hates me for it... I'd rather want her angry than sad."
There was another moment of silence, but Vicky remained unconvinced.
"Listen, Fei, and understand this: Nellie won't see you, she most likely can't stand the sight of you anymore. The only thing I want to see of you now is you getting your ass tanned as much as you deserve. Now, please leave, before I personally bounce you off the asphalt. Goodbye."
Fei said nothing, she simply clenched her tail and looked shamefully down at her feet.
"I hurt her that much, did I?"
Vicky suddenly grabbed Fei by her shirt and pulled her closer. Fei couldn't do anything but stare back at the furious red fox in silent terror.
"You didn't just hurt Nellie," the vixen barked, "you almost made her give up on her dream! She's a sensitive girl, you know that. She's spent the last few years just on perfecting her voice so she can get a job as a singer, you know that too. But when she's having the moment of her life, feeling on top, feeling that her dream is just within reach... then you come and tear it all down with condescending remarks and overly critical comments." She shook Fei a few times, leaving the cat feeling absolutely helpless. She closed her eyes while Vicky continued scolding her. "Do you even understand that? I could just barely tolerate you when you were just spitting weak insults, Fei, but now? Now I hate you." Vicky used her other hand to grab Fei's furry chin. "Look at me."
Fei opened her eyes and saw the fox girl's angry face. It wasn't a pretty sight, and she knew that there wasn't much she could say to help the situation.
"You are lucky, Fei," the vixen said, more calmly now. She released her grip on Fei, who immediately resumed fiddling with her tail. "…If I weren't usually a gentle girl, I assure you I would have hit you right here and now. Now, I'll tell you once more: Get lost now, before I change my mind."

Fei gulped and nodded silently, then she turned halfway around, but something stopped her. She still had that deep-seated feeling of guilt. She knew that she couldn't just leave like that; not before seeing Nellie. If it was as bad as she had been told, then she had to apologize right away. But Vicky...
Fei made a decision. She turned to Vicky again, trying to speak clearly despite her fear. It didn't work.
"You... I mean: Vicky. I-I would let you d-do it, if that's what you want, but..."
Vicky got a slightly confused expression. "But what? Do what?"
Fei took a deep breath to calm herself. "Beat me," she almost whispered, "… if that's what you want. Hit me, spank me, I don't care. I deserve it. But I need to see her. I must say I'm sorry. Vicky, please..."
Vicky's anger turned to surprise.
"Re-really?" was all she could think to say. "You would... accept that?"
"I would," answered Fei, "I feel so terrible about Nellie, Vicky! But not just her; about everyone." The gray cat bowed her head again. "I've really been a bitch, haven't I?"
The fox looked at Fei. She had never seen her so upset before.
"You certainly have," she said. Vicky then briefly closed her eyes and sighed, before stepping aside to hold the door open. "Fine, you can come in. But you let me speak with her first; and I've still not forgiven you. Understood?"
"Yes," whispered Fei, before she stepped inside.

The house wasn't all that large, but there was more than enough space for two to live together. To the right of the entrance lay the kitchen, with a small dinner table and a few wooden chairs. On the left-hand side was the living room, which took off most of the first floor. It kind of bent in an L-shape, since the stairs to the second floor took up some space in the middle of it. Fei saw a cozy little sofa standing in front of a TV set in the far end, but the coziness didn't really reach her at the time. There were more important things to focus on.
"Well, this is our home," said Vicky, somewhat briskly. "Kitchen to the right, living room, TV over there. We sleep upstairs. Nellie's in her room." She began walking towards the stairs, and Fei anxiously followed the fox, but Vicky paused at the first step and turned around to look Fei in the eyes again.
"You stay here," she growled. The red fox then nodded her head towards a couch standing next to the living room table. "Sit down while you wait." A pause. "Please don't touch anything."
With that, she swung around and disappeared up the stairs. Fei obediently took a seat on the couch, trying not to sit uncomfortably on her tail. It seemed impossible. Usually, Fei would just lean back and take it easy, but today, she sat stiff as a board with her hands in her lap; listening intently for anything that could be heard from upstairs. But try as she might, she couldn't hear anything. With nothing to do but wait in anticipation, it seemed like an eternity before Vicky finally returned.
"OK," the fox said. "Nellie's waiting."
"A-all right," Fei stammered, rising to her feet. She stood hesitantly for a second, then walked past Vicky and began climbing the stairs. She could feel Vicky's yellow stare on her back, sending shivers down her spine. If this conversation didn't end well, Fei had a feeling there would be far worse than guilt in store for her.

Soon after, she stood in front of the door to Nellie's room. It was standing slightly open, allowing Fei to peep inside. Apart from a strip of yellow wallpaper, she couldn't see anything, but the lights were on. She swallowed, then knocked on the door.
"Come in," came the somber reply. Hearing the tone, Fei silently cursed herself. She then opened the door and stepped inside the room. Nellie was sitting on the well-made bed, her white rabbit ears hanging a bit low. The girl looked at Fei as she entered. Their eyes met. Whatever Fei had planned to say, the words now refused to escape her mouth.
"Uh... hi," she managed to say after a few seconds of terrifying silence.
"Hi," Nellie said, her voice a bit gloomy and dismissing. Apparently she, like Vicky, hadn't quite accepted Fei's presence in their home yet. Fei could understand that.
"I... I... uh..." she stammered again. She had never had to do this before, and it was very noticeable.
"I-I came to... apologize," the cat managed to say, her gaze fixed on her own feet. "...for what I said, I mean," she added awkwardly. "F-for being so mean to you, a-and..." she broke off. Nellie wasn't saying anything. No harsh words or angry retort, and certainly no smiling acceptance. Fei looked up and saw that Nellie was covering her face with her paws. Guilt welled up in Fei again; she moved over to the bed without thinking and sat down besides Nellie. There came a soft sob from the rabbit.
"Hey... N-Nellie, I'm sorry! P-please... Don't cry. I-I never meant... I mean, I'm sorry, I... I never wanted to hurt you like this, Nellie. Oh, Nellie, please don't cry."
Another quiet sob, followed by a sniffle. Fei felt completely helpless. She laid her arm around Nellie's shoulder and hugged her close; closing her eyes as they rested her heads against each other.
"I'm sorry," she said again, quietly. "I didn't mean any of what I said, I swear! I-I'm just so bad at talking with people, and I end up being mean and rude and awful to everyone because I don't know how to act otherwise!" The cat felt a tear roll down the fur on her own cheek. "I'm sorry, Nellie, I'm sorry... Please don't give up on your singing just because I'm so stupid! Y-you are actually one of the best I've heard, and yet... yet I keep saying bad things to you and discouraging you and being criticizing and condescending and... and..."
To her surprise, Fei felt Nellie's arms move up to embrace her as well, making the cat shut up and just sit there in a tear-filled silence. The two of them sat there for a while, Nellie's sobs slowly dying out. 

Nellie broke the silence herself after a few minutes.
"I'm sorry," she whimpered.
"What?" Fei protested. "No, no, Nellie, you have nothing to be sorry about! I—"
Nellie pulled back from the embrace and clutched Fei's hands in hers. She looked at the cat with tear-filled eyes. A weak smile crossed her lips. "Shhh. I... do have something to confess, actually..."
Fei looked surprised. "Really?"
Nellie gulped. "Y-yeah. It's about... the singing. I was never going to give it up at all."
Fei smiled brightly. "You won't? Oh, that's a relief! I couldn't bear the thought of... Wait, you said you weren't going to give it up?"
"No," Nellie smiled.
"But... Vicky said... and Kamu..."
"I know." Nellie looked down. Her smile vanished. "I just told them that to hide my true feelings."
"Your true feelings? Didn't I insult you? Didn't you run off because I hurt you?" Fei was confused.
The rabbit looked Fei in the eyes again. "You did hurt me, Fei, but not... not because of the singing. I'm confident enough in myself to ignore one or two critics. I know everyone else is rooting for me."
"But then... what was it that I said? I can't remember criticizing anything else about you yesterday."
Nellie breathed deeply, wiping her tears away. She was reluctant.
"It's... kind of hard to explain... but not really, come to think of it. It's just hard to say."
Fei leaned closer. "Hey, you can tell me, OK? I need to know."
Nellie sighed again, closing her eyes. She spoke quickly.
"I like you, Fei." Having said this, she kept her eyes shut and bowed her head again, obviously anxious about the reply.

Fei blinked."You... like me?"
Nellie nodded and opened her eyes again, but still looked down. "Mmhmm. When you said those things to me, I was afraid you didn't like me. I thought I would never get to be your friend... be close to you." She blushed furiously. "Oh, I shouldn't have said that!"
Fei blushed as well. "Don't worry," she said, a bit flustered. "I-it's fine. I like you too, I guess. I mean, otherwise I wouldn't have rushed here to apologize... and all that."
Nellie looked up at her. "Yeah, I know, but... I don't mean just being friends. I... I like like you, Fei. Even though you haven't been the nicest girl around I still find myself attracted to you. It's why I went over and tried to talk to you in the first place."
If it was even possible for Nellie's blush to become any brighter, Fei noticed that it just did. The cat felt the heat in her own cheeks as well, tough her dark fur probably hid it a bit better than Nellie's. Feeling a bit uneasy, Fei began twiddling the tip of her tail between her fingers again. When Fei didn't say anything for a few seconds, Nellie frowned and leaned in closer.
"You don't feel the same, do you?" she asked. "I'm sorry for making you uneasy, then. I was hoping you... you know..."
"Felt the same way."
"Yeah."
"You really like me then?" Fei asked, still fidgeting with her tail. "You like me even though I act all bad, and I knowingly insult people, and I shy away from people and just want to be left alone?"
Nellie smiled and nodded. "I do. Besides, you're not all bad, you know."
"I'm not?"
"You came to apologize, didn't you?"
Fei smiled weakly. "I guess I did. But still... I've done a lot I haven't apologized for." Tears welled up in her eyes again. "Oh Nellie, I'm sorry. I... I don't dislike you or anything. It's just that I've never considered a relationship with anyone before, especially not another girl, and... I don't deserve you."
"Hush, I don't care. I still like you, Fei. More than you could imagine. Besides, you can still redeem yourself, you know."
Fei sniffled. "How?"
"Just like you did with me. Just go apologize. Not everyone might accept it, but at least you've tried."
Fei looked away. "That's... a lot of people," she said shamefully.
"Better get started, then," Nellie smiled back. "One down, a few more to go. Simple as that."
"Not quite."
"What do you mean?"
"I... kind of... made a deal with Vicky so she would even let me up here in the first place."
Nellie looked confused. Fei wiped her tears away with the back of her hand.
"I better save some tears for later," she muttered. She took a deep breath. "Vicky's waiting to tan my rear."
"Tan your—oh!" Nellie gasped. She eyed the base of Fei's tail. "You mean...?"
"Yeah. Exactly that."
"I... see."
There was an awkward silence, then Nellie spoke again.
"You know, I could go talk to her..."
"Don't bother. I deserve it."
"But Fei, she can't just beat you like that!" The rabbit's nose twitched. "I don't want to see her do that! ... Especially not to you."
"It's because it's me she should do it. I've been a horrible person, you know that. I've caused a lot of grief for people. The least I can to is take some pain myself."
Nellie opened her mouth, but Fei cut her off.
"Besides... at first she just told me to get lost before I hurt you anymore, Nellie. Then she told me that if she could she would bend me over, but no matter how angry she was she didn't seem like she would actually do it. Vicky was really surprised when I said it was OK as long as I got to see you, you know."
"Maybe, but still..."
"Shush. I... I can handle it. Don't worry." Fei smiled weakly. "And you... you don't have to watch. Just stay here while I go downstairs, and I'll settle matters with Vicky. OK?"
"What? No! I don't want to know that she's down there hurting you while I'm just sitting here and not doing anything about either of you! I don't want to see her get violent, and I don't—Fei!" Nellie gasped.
The cat had just risen to her feet and now she turned towards the door.
"I'm going, no discussion. Please, Nellie... just let me do this. I'll be back up before you know it, and then I'll be feeling a lot better about myself."
"Yeah, but... Fei!"
But the cat had already closed the door.

Vicky was sitting in the sofa with her arms crossed and a blank expression on her face when Fei came down the stairs. The fox locked her gaze on Fei from the moment she noticed her.
"So...?" she asked, obviously curious, but with a cold trace in her voice.
"I apologized to her," Fei said quietly. "...And I guess I've... made her happy again, but..."
Vicky's eyes narrowed. "But what?"
Fei broke the eye contact. "It's nothing. I was just surprised by what she said, that's all."
Vicky looked confused for a moment, then went back to her slightly stern look.
"What do you mean, surprised? What–" Vicky noticed the slight red rims around Fei's eyes. "Did you cry?"
"...Yes."
"Why?" Fei fell silent again. Vicky pushed her on, now curious. "Fei?"
"It's personal. I'm sorry, Vicky." Fei sighed and met Vicky's stare again. "What's important is that I've said that I'm sorry to Nellie. It's... it's strange. I've never felt guilt about treating others badly before. I guess it's because they usually get angry or indignated instead of... crying."
"Well, it's about time you realized what you were doing," Vicky said. "I mean, for the three years I've known you I've had to keep myself in line just so I wouldn't hit you or something. I swear, Fei, if you hadn't come over here by your own accord there might eventually have been a very ugly public scene."
Fei swallowed. "Yes, I... I know. Still, there might still be... a, uh... small scene, if you... uh... remember...?" Her voice became more and more quiet, and she stumbled over her words. Vicky smiled. It wasn't a cold or sadistic grin like Fei might have expected, just a slightly amused expression. Apparently she found it entertaining to see the former loudmouth all flustered.
"So you were serious about that after all... Good to know. At least it makes me trust what you said a bit more." Fei felt uneasy. She looked away, trying to find something else than Vicky to lay her eyes on.
"So... um..." She fidgeted with her tail again, too embarrassed to take initiative. The thought of bending over for Vicky suddenly seemed a lot more scary than it did before, now that the meaning of it had sunk in.
"Hey, if you feel you deserve it, I'll be more than happy to oblige. Hell, I'll call you redeemed in my book." Vicky noticed Fei's quite potent blush and snickered. "Or are you just a trash-talker who's afraid of keeping her word?" Fei glared at Vicky for a moment and drew her breath.
"I'm not!"
Vicky rose to her feet. "Then bend over here for me, girl, and we'll see about that." The fox indicated the end of the sofa where she had just been sitting. Fei noticed that her bushy tail was swinging nervously as well. Evidently Vicky wasn't too sure of what to do either.
"Fine," she said, and walked over to where Vicky was standing. She hesitated for a moment, but then she rested her belly on the armrest and stretched her body forwards. This left Fei with her upper body on the sofa, her straight legs leaving her rear raised at a slight angle. She made sure to look away from Vicky when she spoke again. She was too embarrassed to meet her gaze.
"All right," she said. "Do it."

It was at this moment, when Vicky with some hesitation had raised her palm to strike, that Nellie came down the stairs.
"Vicky! Don't!" She gasped.
Vicky froze, while Fei's eyes shot open again. They both turned their heads to look at the rabbit that had appeared so unexpectedly.
"...Don't," she repeated, after the stunned silence. "I don't want you to hurt her."
"She deserves it," replied Vicky, obviously uncomfortable.
"No, she doesn't! Or... maybe she does. But it doesn't matter! I don't want to see a friend do such things to others. What good is it in causing more pain?"
"Nellie, I told you to stay upstairs," said Fei from her position on the sofa. Vicky glanced at her. "You told her about this?"
"It kind of slipped out. She protested, but I thought I convinced her that I deserve it."
"You certainly do..." muttered Vicky.
"Have you ever told her that she is too forgiving?"
"I am not!" Nellie protested. "If I couldn't forgive you, then what would that make me? It's partly my fault that we're here in the first place, isn't it?"
"Nellie," Vicky said, "you know that's just because you happened to be the most recent person that Fei smack-talked."
"Actually... that's not entirely true..." Nellie replied.
"What do you mean?" Vicky was confused once again.
"I smack-talked a few others yesterday too," Fei said in an attempt to brush it off. She didn't want Nellie to start confessing everything she did before to Vicky. She didn't want the fox girl to know that bit of awkward info.
"That's not what I mean and you know it!" said Nellie, directed at Fei. She briefly met Vicky's gaze before looking down at her feet. "I lied."
"Lied?" Vicky parroted. "You lied? About what?"
"About my reaction. It wasn't because of what Fei said. Or well, it was, but not... entirely."
"Not entirely? What are you talking about?" Vicky looked at Fei, still on the sofa, who turned her head away. "Fei?"
"I think she needs to tell you this herself, Vicky." The cat girl closed her eyes and could do nothing but dread the next few minutes of conversation. Vicky turned back to Nellie, and sighed.
"I'm so bewildered right now it's not even funny. Go on, then."
"First I guess I must say that I was never going to give up my singing career. As I said: I lied."
"What? But why did you say that, then? You made us all worry, Nellie!"
"I know, and I'm sorry for that. I was just terrified to tell anyone about what I was really feeling, so I said the first thing that came to mind. I-I'm sorry for that. And I'm sorry, Fei, for making you get so much more backlash than what was needed."
"But if it wasn't her fault for stomping on your dreams..." Vicky murmured with closed eyes, now leaning herself against the armrest next to Fei's swinging tail. "Then why? Why that reaction? We barely got you out of the bathroom when you were crying so much."
"I... er..." Nellie stopped herself as a thought occured to her. "Fei, can I...?"
The cat turned on the sofa, looking past Vicky and up at Nellie. "You've told her so much already I doubt it would do much good to stop now."
"Told me what? You haven't given me any reasons yet, any of you," said Vicky, half turned around. An almost unnoticable, embarrassed expression crossed her face when she realized she had turned the wrong way and found herself talking to Fei's backside.
Nellie took a deep breath, just as she had done when preparing to tell Fei.
"I think I love her." she said.

Vicky spun around so quickly she slipped off the armrest and fell to the floor. She quickly sat up, facing Fei, and when she did she displayed the most amusing mix of shock and disbelief Fei had ever seen. Vicky quickly turned to face Nellie as she had intended.
"Her?" she asked. "I would never... Her? It's enough of a surprise that you're into girls at all, but you are attracted to the only person that has ever been mean to you on purpose? Her? The local bully? The loudmouth? The... the..."
"...The poor girl who's just tough on the outside to hide her own insecurities?" Nellie finished for her.
Vicky's expression faded back to a more composed face as the events of the last half hour sunk in. "Yeah... her, I guess. You're right, I'm sorry. She's certainly shown a different side of herself today."
"What, my backside, you mean?" asked Fei, head once again turned away in embarrassment. Nellie couldn't help but giggle.
"You know what I mean," muttered Vicky. She drew her breath and sighed again. "Speaking of your backside... you're still not off the hook, you know."
"Vicky!" said Nellie. "I told you—"
 "Nellie, it's all right," said Fei. "I told you myself already, I deserve it. You aren't the only person I've  hurt. I still have to repent for everyone else."
"But—"
"Let her do it," insisted Fei.
"But—"
"Come on, I'll gladly do it," Vicky assured her.
"That's exactly why I won't let you!" exclaimed Nellie. Her ears twitched. "You'll just take way too much pleasure in hurting her!"
"I don't!" protested Vicky.
"You do!"
"Well, someone has to do it," Fei muttered, still a bit put out. "Nellie, if you won't let Vicky do it... would you?"
"W-what? M-m-me?" Nellie was caught completely off guard by the suggestion.
"Yes, of course. If you did it, we would be certain that it wasn't done for selfish purposes, right?"
Nellie blushed. "Yes, but... I could never... I mean, I won't! I just don't want to see you hurt, much less do it myself...!"
"I'll just have to do it, then," Vicky said, and made a move towards Fei again.
"N-no! Wait!" the rabbit girl cried out. Vicky stopped, and both her and Fei looked expectantly at Nellie. Their tails swung back and forth, almost in unison. Nellie swallowed once. "Fine, I'll do it," she said.
"OK, great," said Fei, not entirely sure that it was a good idea.
"All right," said Vicky, and stepped aside. She gestured towards the base of Fei's tail. "Go for it."

Nellie took a few nervous steps forwards and positioned herself next to Fei. She looked at Vicky, then at Fei.
"I was thinking..." Vicky said, musing to herself.
"What?" asked Nellie.
"Shouldn't we... you know... pull her pants down?"
"W-what?" the rabbit girl blushed again.
"She wouldn't feel much otherwise."
"Er... she's right, I guess," said Fei. "It... would be more effective. I... I've never been spanked before, so I wouldn't know, but... that's how it's done, I think."
"Do you mean I should...?"
"I can do it myself, if you want."
"Yes please," whispered Nellie. Transfixed, she stared at Fei's bottom as she reached back and undid her pants. The cat dragged at the rim, allowing them to slide down her legs and come to rest around her ankles. Her plain white panties still covered her private parts, but Nellie knew it wouldn't last long.
"The rest, as well, then," she continued, feeling her face warm up with embarassment. After a moment of silence, Fei did as she was told and dragged her panties down as well. The two girls now had a prime view of Fei's furry bottom, complete with cute little tailhole and the pink slit below. Nellie couldn't see Fei's face, so she could only imagine how red it must have been. She was certain that they were all blushing just as much by then. Her cheeks felt extremely hot, and she hoped Vicky wouldn't notice. She decided to shake off her feelings and be done with the punishment as quickly as possible.
"I hope you remember why I'm doing this, Fei," she said. "You've been an awfully rude girl."
"...I know," came the meek reply.
"Why did you act like that all the time, Fei? If you didn't, you wouldnt be where you are now."
"I... I'm just not very good at being kind and friendly. I-I'm sorry."
"And I'm sorry that I have to do this." Nellie turned to Vicky. "H-how many, do you think?" she asked.
The fox shook herself out of her frozen staring, and stammered: "Oh, I... I don't know. I never thought about it." Vicky pondered the question for a few moments. "Ten strokes? Twenty? Fifty? It's hard to say... Do it until she cries, I guess? That should be enough. I've never done this myself, either."
Nellie looked at the back of Fei's head as she lay obediently still on the sofa. In a resignated tone, she said: "...Until she cries, then." She hesitantly placed one arm on Fei's back, and felt how the cat tensed up from her touch. She laid her other hand carefully on her new friend's bare bottom.
"A-are you ready?" She asked.
"Y-yeah," answered Fei. She closed her eyes. "Punish me, Nellie," she said, barely audible.
"O-OK. Here we go then."

Nellie raised her arm and swung it down. Her hand made a dull slapping sound as it hit Fei's butt, and the cat couldn't help but yelp a bit at the sudden sting. Still, she kept her eyes shut and didn't squirm. She just took the feeling in and waited for the next strike. Nellie raised her open palm before bringing it down once more. Fei managed to keep quiet this time, but the slap could be heard by them all. Vicky watched uneasily as Nellie kept spanking Fei, slowly but steadily. For each strike, she half expected Fei to cry out, but she didn't. The cat had decided that she was not going to complain about something she brought on herself. After about twenty strikes, however, she began having trouble, and she let out the occassional muffled noise. Nellie noticed, and stopped.
"How are you holding up?" she asked, concerned. Fei took a second to relax before answering.
"I'm fine," she said. "But I get the feeling that you are... holding back."
Nellie sighed. "I... didn't want to be too hard on you."
"You're supposed to be hard on me."
"I know."
"Well then," Fei said in all seriousness, swinging her tail almost invitingly, "...give me what I deserve."
Nellie nodded, even though only Vicky could see it. She raised her arm again, braced herself for the reaction she knew she would get, and struck the cat's bottom as hard as she could. Vicky raised an eyebrow in response to the loud slap, while Fei gasped at the pain.
"O-ow..." she whimpered, but collected herself when she realized Nellie had stopped again. She turned her head slightly to look over her shoulder. "Keep going," she said.
Nellie oblidged, striking the exposed cheeks before her with as much force as she could muster. Every hit was marked by the sharp noise of flesh on flesh, followed by a whimper from Fei. Vicky was surprised at how unremitting Nellie was in her task, all things considered. Fei herself could feel her butt redden, pain shooting through her in response to the strikes. She clenched her teeth, forcing back the urge to move her legs. She didn't want to show weakness. She wanted to take her punishment like a big girl and be done with it. This proved hard, though, as the assault on her rear continued. Fei had lost count of the strikes. She had tried to count them at first, but it soon became too hard to keep up when Nellie picked up her speed.  After a little while, Fei's whimpers grew louder, and they soon turned into barely contained cries of pain. She could feel her tears pressing on. The cat was unable to keep herself still anymore. She kicked her legs and reached back to shield herself from any further punishment.

Nellie stopped to give her a brief rest, and took the opportunity to take a look at her own work. She saw the red marks on Fei's bottom form the shape of a multitude of handprints. Her handprints. Nellie felt ashamed of herself. She was hitting someone she considered a friend... no, more than a friend... for what she considered little reason at all. Still, she reminded herself, Fei had told her to do it despite her protests. At least she wasn't forcing it on her.
"What are you waiting for?" Vicky snapped her out of her thoughts.
"I'm just giving her a break," Nellie answered.
Vicky almost had to smile at how thoughtful Nellie could be at times. "It's a punishment, she doesn't get a break," the fox said, though it was just a calm reminder, not a command. "Besides, we decided to go on until she cries, didn't we? She hasn't really cried yet, so if you give her a break you are essentially just prolonging the wait and forcing yourself to hurt her more."
Nellie looked at the cat before her with a sad expression. Fei was breathing heavily, hovering somewhere between the start of a sob and composing herself. Her hand was trying to rub away the pain, but it wasn't working very well. Nellie felt terrible at the sight.
"I don't want that!" she exclaimed.
"Then I suggest continuing," Vicky said. "...Or do you want me to do the rest? You don't have to if you don't want to."
"No, no, I'll do it," Nellie brushed her off. The bunny gave Fei another few seconds to recover before she asked her in a concerned tone: "Fei... are you ready for the rest of it?"
Fei had to catch her breath before answering.
"Yeah. Y-you know... Vicky's right. You shouldn't have stopped. Just... just give me what I deserve. I don't deserve a break..." Guilt and shame washed over her again. She was a bad girl. Nellie was the first person to have genuinely liked her, and Fei knew all to well that she had herself to blame for that. She never made any friends due to how rude she was, and she knew that she had hurt a lot people without caring about their feelings at all. Fei knew that when this was over with, she would have to do as Nellie said and apologize to everyone. She just hoped they would be willing to listen to her.

Nellie reached out to grab Fei's wrist. She gently pushed the cat's hand away so she got a clear view of the her bottom again.
"I'm going to keep going, then, Fei," she said. The cat straightened up her pose and waited to feel the sting of Nellie's palm once more. When the first blow landed this time, her already sore bottom caused her to cry out at once.
"O-oww!" she mewled helplessly, her cries mixing with the sharp sound of each slap. "Ow! Oooww!!" Her butt felt like it was on fire! She didn't know if she could take it much longer. Tears welled up in her eyes, and soon they were trickling down her cheeks as her cries turned into sobs. Nellie hated seeing her like that.
"I'm sorry for having to do this," she said again. Fei didn't answer, but she stopped kicking and squirming as much, though her loud sobs and cries of pain continued. "I wouldn't have done it if you hadn't asked me to," Nellie continued as she relentlessly spanked her friend.
"I... I kno-ow!" Fei whimpered. "I'm sorry for... I'm sorr—OW! Oww...." She sniffled and bowed her head, rubbing her chin into the sofa for comfort, gulping down her screams. Tears rolled off her face and made a few small, dark stains on the fabric. Fei looked absent-mindedly at them. All she could think of right now was her spanking, and how much she deserved it. She wasn't resisiting anymore. The young cat hung limply over the arm rest, entirely submitted to her punishment. After another minute of continuous spanking – accompanied by sobbing from Fei – Nellie stopped to rub the poor girl's bottom. It felt strangely warm after being spanked for so long. With its now red color, it could almost be said to be blushing as well.

"I think that's enough," Vicky said uncertainly. "She's been crying for a while now. Hopefully she has learned her lesson."
"Mmhmm..." Nellie answered, her attention more on the crying cat than anywhere else. "Have you learned your lesson, Fei?" she asked in a motherly fashion. Fei's answer was clouded in sobs and sniffles.
"I have," she cried. "I won't be bad anymore, I promise."
Nellie smiled warmly. "Good. But still, I'm going to give you twenty more strokes before we're done, to make sure that I never have to do this again, ever. Understood?"
Fei swallowed. "Y-yes, I understand... I'm sorry, Nellie. I truly am."
"I know, Fei. Just be a good girl and stay put for the last few; then we can be done with this."
Vicky, watching the scene from a few steps away, found herself feeling bad for Fei as well. Despite her anger towards the cat, seeing her so apologetic had made her feel pity for her. The fox decided that when the spanking was over, she would consider it all done with and try to make a friend out of the girl.
"All right," Nellie said, "here we go, the final twenty. I want you to count each one, OK?"
"OK." Fei wiped her tears with the back of her paw before bracing herself again.
Slap!
"O-one..." she stammered. Her ass burned. Nellie paused for a moment to let the sensation sink in before hitting her again.
Slap!
"T-two! Ow..."
By the time they came to five, Fei was crying openly again, and she was unable to count the sixth stroke. Nellie patiently waited for an answer, but for every wrong number she kept giving Fei the hit over again until she got it right. In the end, the number of strokes ended up in the thirties. Nellie removed her hand from Fei's back, walking around the sofa to sit down in front of Fei. Fei crawled away from her spanking position and laid her head against Nellie's chest, crying all the while. Nellie embraced her and comforted her by rubbing her back and whispering that it was all right now, she had been a good girl.

Fei had been entirely focused on her pain, but now that Nellie was hugging her a warm feeling spread through her. Despite her stinging butt and the lingering shame of what she had done, she felt like a new person. She gripped Nellie tightly and whispered: "Thank you."
Vicky watched in silence. She couldn't help but notice a tear running down Nellie's cheek as well.

***

"Thank you for the pizza, guys," Fei said meekly, having just finished her meal. It was late in the evening, and she was sitting in the same sofa that she had been spanked on earlier; ironically enough because sitting anywhere else hurt more with her reddened butt.
"Oh, it's nothing," Nellie said with a smile, as she chewed the final piece of her own slice. "Fifteen minutes in the oven, that's all."
"It's more than I could have asked for," Fei replied. "Thank you for letting me stay overnight, as well, Vicky. I know you don't like me all that much."
"It's all right, Fei," the fox said. "I no longer hold a grudge against you. You've changed so much from the bitch I thought you were."
Fei looked down at her empty plate. "I hope so. I... don't want to be like that anymore. I'll try my best not to. I'm just afraid I won't be able to keep my big mouth shut."
"Don't worry," Vicky grinned. "If you step out of line we'll be there to smack you back in, won't we, Nellie?"
Nellie blushed a bit at the thought. "I-I guess. But don't you dare, Fei! You promised me I wouldn't have to such a thing again."
"Yeah... I did." The cat smiled. "Thanks again," she said, the warm sting across her backside still on her mind. She noticed Vicky had begun stacking their plates together, so she made a move to help.
"Oh, don't worry about it," the fox said. "I'll do the dishes. You two find something to do in the meantime." She gave Nellie a teasing gaze. "I bet Nellie's just dying to talk to you in private, anyways."
With that, the vixen left the room, her tail dancing merrily back and forth. Fei felt a bit awkward just then, seeing as she didn't really have anything left to talk about. The trio had already discussed work, daily life and hobbies, so she ended up sitting in silence. Nellie looked at Fei with an uncertain smile, then leaned forwards a bit.
"Hey... do you want to go upstairs?"
Fei blinked. "What's there?"
"Oh, nothing, really. I just thought a change in scenery might make it easier to talk. Especially since..."  The rabbit glanced over her shoulder, seeing Vicky standing before the sink with her back turned. Fei smiled.
"She was right, wasn't she? You want to talk in private?"
Nellie nodded. "Kind of. I-it's nothing weird, really, I just..."
"Hey, I understand, no worries. Let's go."

Fei sat down on the edge of Nellie's bed and watched her close the door as silently as she could. Fei got the curious impression that Nellie was sneaking around in her own home. It wasn't as if Vicky couldn't hear them going upstairs. The fox knew perfectly well where they were, and obviously had her suspicions about what they would be talking about. Still, as Fei had witnessed earlier that day, it was very hard to hear anything from downstairs. They had their privacy, for now. Nellie walked over and sat down a few feet away from Fei. She looked at the black cat with a smile on her face.
"What?" asked Fei with a dawning grin.
"I just thought about how happy I am."
"Happy?"
"I finally got to know you as a friend," Nellie said, "and people won't find you unlikable anymore. That makes me happy."
"Oh, of course. For a moment I thought..."
"Thought what?"
"It doesn't matter." Fei smiled and looked down at her feet. "I'm happy too, for what happened today." She rubbed her butt and winced. "Well, except the pain. But in a way... that's good as well. It keeps me focused on what I need to do. Say..." – her smile vanished – "...would you mind coming with me tomorrow? I'm scared of facing everyone I need to apologize to alone. I'm afraid I don't have the courage I need to swallow my pride and really do it."
Nellie smiled warmly and rubbed Fei's shoulder.
"Of course I'll go with you."
"Thanks. You are a good friend, Nellie. Kind, thoughtful... More than I have ever been."
"Shush. I'm not all good. Look at what I did yesterday. I lied, I made everyone worry, just because I couldn't confess my feelings. That's just as cowardly, isn't it?"
"I guess. About that, Nellie... I've been thinking all evening..."
"Yes?" Nellie could feel butterflies in her stomach.
"As I said, I've never considered being... together... with a girl before. To be honest, I haven't really been together with a guy before either. Or, well, there was this one guy in high school, but it didn't work out. My fault, I guess..."
"And?"
Fei exhaled. "And... I could try it, since it's you, Nellie." She saw the rabbit almost jumping with joy right there and then. "But I don't guarantee anything! I'm still oh-so nervous about the whole... thing."
Before Fei could say anything else, Nellie lunged at the cat and hugged her tightly, the two of them falling sideways onto the bed. The rabbit rolled on top.
"H-hey..." Fei blushed as she was planted down on her back. Nellie supported herself by placing one hand on each side of Fei, then looked her in the eyes, their faces only an inch apart from each other. She was still smiling brightly.
"...don't get too forward," Fei said coyly.
"I'm sorry," Nellie said. "I just love you so much!"
Fei's blush turned more apparent.
"A-are you going to tell that to everyone? Because I... I'm not sure if I..."
"Shhhh..."
Nellie leaned even closer, her lips now brushing against Fei's. The cat turned quiet in an instant.
"If you won't let me say it..."
"...T-then what?"
Without another word, Nellie closed her eyes and kissed Fei lightly, sensually. Fei suddenly felt all warm and tingly inside, both embarrassed and happy at the same time. She tried to back off in surprise, but her head already lay against the mattress, and so she couldn't do it. She made a small "mmmph" noise, and Nellie withdrew. Their eyes met once again.
"Was that too forward of me?" she asked with a concerned expression.
Fei stammered. "I... er, no. No... it was... fine. I was just a little bit surprised, that's all." She turned her head sideways. "We... we could do it again, if you want. But please don't go any farther than... kissing... at the moment, OK?"
"Of course, Fei," Nellie smiled, sitting up so she was squatting over the cat. She allowed Fei to sit up as well, and soon they were kneeling in front of each other. The rabbit grabbed Fei's hands and held them gently. They kissed, slowly and carefully, once more.
"I've dreamed of doing that," Nellie said as she pulled back. "Kissing you, I mean."
"You have?"
"Mmhmm... Many times. I never dared to tell you, though. I was afraid you would just reject me, especially given how you've acted around others. Yesterday, after the show, was the first time I felt confident enough to talk properly to you."
Fei felt ashamed again. "I'm sorry for saying what I did, Nellie. If I had known..."
"It doesn't matter anymore. You've made it up to me. I haven't quite made it up to you, though."
"Made up for what?"
"Lying, of course. Blaming you when it wasn't really your fault."
"There's a lot to blame me for. One false accusation isn't much to talk about."
Nellie looked away. "But I lied to my friends as well."
"They'll forgive you, I'm sure."
Nellie met Fei's gaze again. "I would have to tell them about you, though. Is that fine? You said you were still uncertain about... being with me."
"I am. So... could you... help me get used to it?"
"I could do that."
The pair smiled warmly to each other. Fei hesistantly leaned closer towards Nellie's face, uncertain of what to do, but soon the pair was locked together again. They both took in the sensation of lips against lips, their tongues connecting, dancing around each other in an open display of love and friendship. It felt good kissing Nellie, Fei decided. Really good. She could definitely get used to doing it. The cat let go of her friend's hands and snaked her arms around her. The motion was mirrored by Nellie, and it was therefore, when Vicky opened the door, that she found the two in a hot embrace; kissing each other passionately with closed eyes. As soon as they heard her come in, however, they separated as quickly as if they had gotten an electric shock. Vicky was a bit surprised at the scene, but managed to keep a straight face.
"Er..." she began, not sure of what to say. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt anything."
"N-no, not at all," Fei said, suddenly fidgeting with the tip of her tail again. "You didn't interrupt... anything."
Vicky eyed her teasingly. "You mean you weren't snogging on the bed right now?"
The fidgeting stopped. Fei wanted to sink into the floor just then. Nellie, however, just giggled with embarrassment. Vicky decided to let them be.
"Well, I just thought you might want some snacks." She indicated the soda bottle, bag of chips and three glasses she had in her hands. "I didn't expect you to... er, get it on so quickly. But that's fine, of course!" she hastily added after seeing Fei almost curling up in the corner with shame. "I'll just go downstairs and watch a movie or something. Good night. Have fun."
Vicky put the bottle and chips on Nellie's desk, then grabbed a glass for herself. She grinned assuringly at them before leaving, closing the door behind her. Fei was still mortified. She had no experience with this sort of thing. She had always been a loner, and never been so open about anything intimate. But here she was, kissing Nellie, and Vicky apparently approved of them doing... whatever lesbians did. Fei wasn't ready for that. Not yet. She would admit to herself that part of her had wanted their embrace to go further, but not... that far. Naughty thoughts filled the cat's head then, she couldn't help it. She imagined herself, with Nellie...

The rabbit broke the silence just then and snapped Fei out of her thoughts.
"Hey, are you all right?"
Fei jolted involuntarily. She felt as if she had been caught in the act, as if the girl could read her mind. Her dirty, dirty mind. Luckily, she knew that wasn't the case.
"I-I'm fine," she said. "I just wasn't prepared of being caught like that."
Nellie smiled. "Don't worry, Vicky is a very understanding friend. You heard what she said. She doesn't mind. Heck, one time she had this boyfriend over..."
"A-all right, I get it. It's fine."
"Do you want some soda?" Nellie asked to relieve the tension, already pouring some for herself.
"Sure."
They drank in silence, the only sound being the fizz of bubbles and the quiet crunching sound from chips being chewed.
"Do you want me to put on some music?" Nellie said. Fei nodded.
"What have you got?"
The rabbit picked up a stack of CDs from her desk and handed them to Fei. The cat sifted through them and picked out one. Nellie nodded in approval and placed in the tray. The pair relaxed for a while and just listened to the music while eating their snacks. Fei grabbed the bag of chips, but after reaching in and feeling nothing, she peeked into the bag and saw that it was empty. She crumpled it together and threw it at the waste bin Nellie had placed in the corner of her room. She missed, however, and went to pick up the bag. When she sat down again, she winced almost imperceptibly. Her butt still hurt when she didn't distribute her weight properly. Nellie noticed, having looked at her the whole time.
"Does it hurt a lot?" she asked.
"Not so much anymore," Fei answered.
"Is your butt still red?" Nellie hoped not. She hadn't wanted to inflict any lasting pain.
"I don't know. Maybe."
"Let me see."
Fei's tail waved uncertainly. "I-Is that really neccessary?"
Nellie smiled. "It's not to ogle you or anything."
"That's not what Vicky will think if she comes upstairs again."
"Don't worry, I'll lock the door. She said she would leave us alone, though, and I think she intends to keep that promise."
"OK."
The white rabbit twisted the key in the lock while Fei laid down on the bed. She rolled over on her stomach when Nellie came over, and began loosening her belt. For some reason, she dreaded doing it, as if she was going to get another spanking. She trusted Nellie, though, and knew that she wouldn't hurt her unless there was a very good reason for it. She shuffled her pants down, just enough to clear the buttocks. Nellie frowned.
"I can see some red on your cheeks even outside the panties," she said.
"Are you sure that's not my face cheeks you are talking about?"
"I'm afraid so," Nellie smiled sadly. She laid a hand on Fei's butt and lightly massaged it. The cat's tail twitched.
"Does it hurt now?" the rabbit asked.
"A bit... but it's all right. It feels good when you do that as well."
Fei closed her eyes and let Nellie carefully stroke her stinging ass. Nellie did so for a few minutes.
"Is it OK if I take your panties off?" she asked.
"... OK." came the humble reply.
Fei lifted her hips slightly off the mattress and felt two gentle hands pull her underwear down to the same level as her jeans. She heard a gasp.
"Fei! Y-you're still bright red all over!" Nellie exclaimed. "I'm so sorry! I must have hit too hard. I-I'm sorry..."
"I told you already, it's not your damn fault," Fei said. Her ears twitched. "I brought this on myself. I don't intend to let anyone else see my butt in any case, so its color doesn't matter. Don't worry about it, you silly rabbit. I don't hate you for what you did, not at all. I'm grateful."
"But Fei..."
"No 'buts' from you! I'm thankful for your concern, and I am happy for your love for me... but I don't want you to blame yourself for any of this." Fei looked back over her shoulder and saw that Nellie still wore a regretful mask on her face. "Cheer up, Nellie. You were so giggly not half an hour ago. Let me see that smile again."
Nellie smiled, and Fei smiled back.
"There we go," she said. "Now... if you were so concerned about my ass..." The cat wiggled it playfully. Nellie grinned and climbed over Fei so she could kneel above the cat's legs. She pushed Fei's shirt up a bit, then went back to massaging her friend's butt with both hands. Fei purred as she felt the mix of pain and pleasure she got from the kneading fingers. She couldn't help but arch her back a little, letting out a satisfied "mmmmm" in the process. She felt Nellie's thumbs slide across her thighs right where the hem of her pants lay.
"Hey, Nellie," she said. The rabbit looked expectingly at her.
"Hmm?"
"I was just thinking that... if – and only if, mind you – if you want to... go further, then that's fine with me after all."
"Really?"
"Yeah, I feel confident now."
Nellie felt a rush of warmth and happiness flow through her, and she grinned. She playfully grabbed the cat's red buttocks and pushed them lightly apart, revealing the cat's pink anus. She ran her thumb down from the base of her friend's tail, brushing past the furless hole before reaching Fei's nether lips. Nellie trailed her digit across them too, eliciting the beginning of a moan from Fei. When she looked at her hand she could see that her thumb was now glistening wet. She grinned.
"Feeling naughty, Fei?" she teased, before sliding her index and middle fingers over the cat's wet pussy again; one finger on each side of the vulva. She did it a few times before she began to rub her friend's clit. "Are you enjoying this?"
"Yes," the cat gasped, trying to spread her legs even as Nellie sat on them.
"Do you want more? Do you want me to..." – the rabbit probed Fei's opening with her other hand – "...go inside?"
"Please," Fei moaned, "I want it."
"Are you... sure?" Nellie slid her two fingers up and down Fei's pussy, teasing her waiting hole.
"Yes, I'm sure," Fei said submissively. "I want you to be good to me, Nellie. Even if I'm a naughty girl, even if I don't deserve it. I'm so confused, and so nervous, and so embarrassed at myself. But please, Nellie, do it. Do whatever you want, Nellie. I love you."
"Well then," Nellie said, leaning forward while still teasing her friend with her fingers, "I want to wait."
Fei opened her eyes in surprise. "What?" she asked, confused. She felt Nellie scuffle off of her back, and already she felt a weird sense of loss when the rabbit was no longer touching her.
"I said I wanted to wait," Nellie said with a smile. Fei sat up, unsure of what to do with her pants. Should she put them back on, or...?
"What do you mean?" the cat asked. "I thought you were going to... to..."
"I still am," Nellie said, "but not today."
"W-when, then?"
"Tomorrow," the rabbit grinned and flicked Fei teasingly on her nose, "as a reward for us both when we've come clean to our friends."
Fei blushed. "Oh, come on..."
"That's how I want it," Nellie insisted. "I want us both to have no doubts or regrets when we make love to each other. I don't want to be a dirty liar who's made everyone hate you, and I don't want you to feel like you don't deserve me. So tomorrow, Fei, but not today. Tomorrow, we can show our love for each other." She looked at her wet fingers. "...In every way," she added bashfully.
"You've got a point," Fei admitted. "It would feel much better with that knowledge on my mind." She rose to her feet and held her pants up without fastening them. "Can I borrow the bathroom, then? I sort of need to... clean myself, so I don't stain my clothes."
"Sure," Nellie grinned. "It's the first door on the left. But no masturbating, OK?" she said and slapped Fei on her rear. The cat yelped, stammered an embarrassed "OK" while turning the key, then scuttled out the door and into the bathroom. Nellie laid back on her bed and closed her eyes. She hummed along to the music, already fondly imagining what the next day would be like.

--- End of chapter 1