A/N: BECAUSE ITS DECEMBER 23RD AND I BLAME WISHSTONE! :D

i've been sitting on this for YEARS... yes, YEARS... cause it started as a -cough- 'idea' that ended up being a mountain of fail!fluff before its intended purpose as a set up... its cute on its own and seeing as Wishstone has been pestering me to FINISH IT! and since we're kinda collaborating on a few things (just a few drinks? i believe is what you called PC up here right? Wishy :D) i felt i should stop taunting her with inclinings of THIS and finally do something about it...

as a note, this is currently 5ish thousand words... 'tomorrow' is already over 10k because GODDAMN FLUFF! XD and lord only knows about the 25th... we'll see won't we :3

Dis: ATLUS owns Persona and all affiliated stuff, i'm just borrowing the characters for shenanigans~

ENJOY!


Dec 23rd

"SEE U TOMORROW? Y/N PLZ REPLY ASAP" she had that written into the text box on her phone, with a rather specific recipient in mind, and a rather specific plan behind it… but as her cobalt eyes stared at the all-caps dialogue on the screen, something made her thumb hesitate and hover over the 'send' button…


"N-Naoto?" Kanji had stepped out of his mom's shop and a bit down the street leaning/sitting on the bike rack between Aiya and a closed store was Naoto Shirogane. She was dressed as normal, which was slightly weird since it was snowing and her outfit couldn't be that warm. But she was just sitting there staring at her phone as if she didn't hear him.

The bleach blonde got a depressed look over his face, setting the crate in his hands down in front of the shop and walking over to the girl. His clothes too weren't the best for being out in the light falling snow, but for some reason, the look on her face, he wanted to know if there was something wrong. He had, grudgingly, accepted that the girl probably didn't see him as anything more than a friend, but damnit all to hell he would do anything to help her. He was a few paces from her, "Uh… Hey, Naoto?"

She looked up at the sound of her name, startled out of her seeming daze, a light coloring appeared on her cheeks, probably from embarrassment, "K-Kanji-kun?"

He pointed behind him with his thumb at his home, "Saw ya just sittin' out in the snow," he folded his arms, "It's kinda cold, you okay?"

"Mmh," she made a dismissive sound looking at her phone again as if in a daze, "Just thinking…"

"'Bout?" she looked up, noticing the punk had taken a seat next to her on the bike rack. She must have been embarrassed by the close contact if the light blush on her cheeks meant anything.

"N-nothing," she lowered her head, feeling actually comfortable to have a friend around, which is probably why she continued, "Well…" she eyed him without raising her head, wondering if she should continue, "I-I didn't know what to do…" she admitted, embarrassed.

"'T do 'bout what?" the punk looked at her honestly; he didn't want her to say anything she didn't want. He just wanted her to be comfortable.

A slight smile peaked the side of her lip, "I was wondering if I should call Senpai… A-about tomorrow," she blushed lightly under cobalt bangs, admitting openly her trouble to him.

A small scowl passed his lips, but he covered it with a contemplative look. He'd do anything to make her happy, even let her go, "Well, jus' call 'im," his eyes glanced away, "Sure he wouldn't mind…"

The punk's pouting attitude actually brought a small smile to the young detective's face; she could read him like a book sometimes, "I don't think I will… I was just thinking about it…" the tug on her lip to smile seemed to grow.

"Wha- why not?" Kanji was genuinely confused. He didn't want to hope, but…

The short girl flipped her phone closed and put her hands in her pockets, letting the silence join them for a moment. When her voice found itself again it was much more subdued, "I-I just wanted to think I was special, for a little while…"

"Naoto…?" the blonde punk's word was soft and gentle, not sure how to interpret her words.

She gave a light chuckle, "He said he loved me," dark blue eyes looked into the punk's surprised light eyes, "We were solving a 'case' together… and he protected me from a man with a knife… and…" her words trailed off.

"And?" this seemed to be going differently then Kanji thought it would.

"And," the cobalt haired girl openly sighed, shifting on the bike rack, "When I asked him 'why' he said it was because he loved me," she had a small smile on her lips, as if enjoying the memory. Kanji wasn't sure if she was aware of how that made him feel, so tried to push it out of his mind. She shook a moment from the cold, rubbing her arms, "That's the first time anyone's said that to my face… and sound like they meant it…" her voice became soft at the end.

"So…" he had to swallow the lump in his throat, anything to make her happy, anything, "So why don't ya call him?" he was somewhat afraid of the answer he would get.

"Because I'm not the only one," as soon as the words left her lips the punk's eyes widened and rounded on the smaller girl. She was looking at him now, cobalt-grey eyes smiling in a sad kind of way, "Yukiko, Chie, Rise, even you, Yosuke and Teddie," her eyes drifted from his, "And anyone else he's made a bond with, he loves them…" she looked completely away from the punk, trying to hide the formation of tears in her eyes, "I don't know if he feels love, love for any of them… but I know the others' feel the way I felt…" she rubbed her eyes, pausing only to catch her thoughts, "He's touched all of us, experienced something important with each of us, and has become important to all of us more than each other…"

-Not you- the words immediately came to Kanji's mind, and how he wished they could have come out of his mouth at that moment.

The girl sniffed and turned back to him, noticing the odd look on his face, she couldn't tell if he was agreeing or disagreeing with her. So she decided to just continue, "I-I noticed the looks on the others, heh," a mirthless laugh escaped her, "I don't know how they haven't noticed but," she lowered her head with an almost sad gaze, "I've decided, I can't compete, not against them…"

"B-but…" his hand came out, as if he wanted to grab her, but realized too quickly he didn't know what he wanted to do; refute her claim and have her try? Or agree with her undoubtedly insulting her… but he could never do that… never to her.

"Mm," She firmly nodded, "He will always be important to me; he helped me open up… become more 'human', but… I just know that affection I felt was just kindness," she smiled slightly, "I want to try for something a little more obtainable," the blue haired girl looked at the punk, before noticing she did so, the light dusting crossed her cheeks as she turned back to the falling snow, "I-I want something I don't have to share or fight friends over…" she turned away embarrassed, that was a lot to admit out loud…

"Uh…" Kanji started before closing his mouth, she had confided her feelings to him. He wasn't going to ruin that trust. If- if she wanted to move on, that was fine by him, but… at the very least… he could… "So what are you going to do tomorrow?" he asked, looking away with a light blush.

Naoto looked back at him surprised, at first thinking he was dismissing all she had said… before looking at his face. She smiled demurely; he was trying to make her comfortable by not saying anything. –So Kanji like-

"N-nothing at the moment," she shifted with her hands in her pockets, "I was thinking of something, if I had gone to Senpai's but… well," she shrugged at him.

The punk rolled his shoulder before opening his mouth in a soft voice, "You can come over to my place…"

The blue hat in his periphery seemed to shoot up; he could feel her gaze on him, surprised, not insulted or anything… just shocked.

He rolled his shoulder again nervously, "I-I mean… well I didn't really have anything planned," absentmindedly he kicked the ground, "Ma's outta town visitin' her family, and Yosuke n' Teddie wanted to have a 'guys' day… but I dunno," he managed to actually turn towards her, with an obvious and sincere blush plastered on his face, "If ya wanted to just hang out and talk…" he scratched the back of his head, "I-I think I'd rather…. Rather spend it with you, if nuthin' else."

She was silent a moment, leaning her head down. What the bleach blonde didn't know was it was because she was adamantly hiding the blush crawling up her face. Naoto wasn't going to deny it, not this time, "Hmp," she stood up abruptly from the bike rack, a bit in front of him, slightly turned away before her confident voice spoke out, "I'd like that," blue hair and cap turned, giving him a slightly red faced smirk over her shoulder.

The look on his face was completely priceless, blush in full force and a look as if he didn't comprehend what she just said, or how to breathe, voiced eloquently as "Wha-?"

The cobalt haired girl turned towards him, adjusting her cap as more of a nervous habit, "M-my grandfather is also away on business…" her blue-grey eyes glanced to his a moment, "And I've got nothing else planned now…" eyes away, "So…"

A clumsy smile crossed Kanji's lips, "heh," he looked down before a full blown smile crossed his face, "Sounds good ta me… 'sides," He looked up at her with a grin, the two of them finally catching each other's eyes, "Wouldn't want ya ta be alone on Christmas Eve…"

She smiled demurely again, before tipping her hat in his direction and casually turning away. Kanji watched her go, her own short 'goodbye' after agreeing to see him tomorrow, he never expected her to turn back after a few steps. Her head was down, and she had that look like she was thinking over something important. Dark blue-grey eyes looked up at his still form, and after one or two false starts she finally managed to get out what she desperately wanted to ask him, "U-uh… K-Kanji-kun," her eyes shifted away, "May I ask you something?"

A smirk came to his lips as he had to stifle the urge to say 'you just did' and instead looked at her, she was cute when flustered, probably because it was such a rare occurrence, "Sure, Naoto."

An almost pout came over her face, as her eyes darted between him and the ground a few times before settling on the ground. Unconsciously her right arm crossed her chest and held her left, her most obvious sign of 'discomfort', "Wha-at do you think about the way I talk?" her dark eyes chanced a look at him, noticing the confused look on his face. She bit her lip a moment before explaining, "I mean, like with a deeper voice… almost like a boy's…"

It seemed to finally click in Kanji's mind what she was really asking, 'did he like her acting like a boy?' The blush crept up his face as he just stared at her. Well, she'd been honest with him, couldn't hurt for him to do the same, "I-I uhh…" he looked down like she had previously, "I've liked it since I first met you," a both confused and surprised look crossed the young detective's face as he looked up at her, "'Course, that's the only 'Naoto' I've known," he looked back at the ground, "And I'd liked him… and her actin' as a guy…" a noticeable blush crossed the cobalt haired girl's face as it started sinking in just exactly what he was saying.

The bleach haired punk scratched the side of his face nervously as his pale eyes turned her way, "'Course, I can't really say nuthin' 'til I've had a chance to see her actin' like a girl really… 'cause, ya know, can't make a real decision without all the facts right?" he tried pulling a cheesy joke at the end. He was nervous as hell, and Naoto, being as smart as she was, would obviously be able to pick out his 'confession' between the lines, right?

She didn't say anything, just tilted her head down hiding her eyes and turned back around. Kanji couldn't say for sure, but he was almost positive she had been smiling, "I'll take that under consideration," was her short response before she took off running towards the bus, feeling so much she just absolutely couldn't put it into any sort of coherent thought. But his answer… it wasn't straight like Senpai's had been, wasn't clear-cut and immediate… course she had to 'explain' a little, but then again, he hadn't fully dismissed it. He'd given it some thought, or well… his way of thinking about it, and… and he'd been completely honest, more so then the first time she'd met him. It was certainly far more then she had been expecting, and for whatever reason, that made her smile.

Kanji watched her retreating form, not sure what to think about her last statement… was she taking what he said into consideration, like she was going to do something girly? No, that wouldn't be right, he could never live with himself if he made her do something she was uncomfortable with… but what if she wasn't?

"Argh! This is all so confusing!" for all he knew she could have been talking about his 'not-so-subtle confession' that he liked her… then again, she didn't say no, or yes… "'N then there's tomorrow…"

Instead of being confused and nervous, he smiled softly. He was going to see her tomorrow, not as teammates, and not in a big group, just the two of them… whatever that meant made him smile. They weren't defined, what they were meeting as, not 'just friends' and 'not' as a relationship… they were just 'undefined', and for some reason the idea of seeing her tomorrow, just the two of them, 'undefined', made him smile, and the bleach blond punk wondered for a moment if she had come to the same conclusion and that was why she was smiling.

Kanji looked up at the dark snowing sky, somewhat content, but realizing all too quickly that it was, in fact, really cold, "Guess 'bout time I went in…" he got up, crossing his arms and tucking his hands under his armpits to keep them warm. A quick glance for cars and he was across the street, heading back home. He was passing the front of the unknown shrine when a sound caught his attention.

"*yip*"

"Huh?" he stopped in his tracks at the entryway to the shrine next to his house. That sounded familiar, like the sound of a…

"*yip*"

Looking down, the punk spotted the Fox, scars, bib and all, about a foot from him just staring with those overly intelligent eyes. For a moment he just stared at her, he'd always wondered where Senpai had picked her up, to think it was at the shrine right next to his house.

"*yip*" that bark had a bit more command in it, like she was trying to get his attention.

"Alright, alright," he stepped over to her and crouched down next to her. While she was rather standoffish normally, she was actually a rather well mannered creature considering she was feral. The few times he'd gone in with her after the 'advanced team' in the TV world had told him how smart and stealthy she could be, sliding by shadows with little effort, while he clanked around lugging his shield or folding chair behind her. She seemed to react differently to each member of the investigation team, aloof, annoyed, to downright hostile when Naoto had first joined them, hiding behind him in fact and growling in their first trek back through the basement lab. But with a little coaxing she came around, Kanji always wondered if her early dislike for the young detective was from the place, Naoto's bad mood at the time, or that the two could be eerily similar at times.

"Hey," crouched in front of her, he raised one bare hand out and held it at half the distance between them. It had become his way of greeting the Fox, showing her his respect and that he meant no harm… being bitten once was enough. When the others were on the 'off team' with him they would make some odd comment, or 'coo' like Rise, about the greeting, it slightly annoyed him. Naoto had just silently watched him, not saying a word… maybe that was why the Fox had growled at her at first?

Her knowing eyes looked at him a moment, always having to make sure it was him, before snorting and leaning forward, nuzzling under his hand and releasing a 'pleased growl' from her chest.

The punk snickered, curling his fingers and scratching her head, feeling the soft well maintained coat, "Heh, what're ya doin' out here like this?"

As if to answer his question, three little heads popped up from behind the Fox. Six beady little kit eyes stared at him, the punk could tell the little fox kits were wary of him, he recognized that look from when the Fox first joined them. Pulling his hand back from their ma he looked at them, "Aw… hey there little guys," they just stared, almost glaring at him. Kanji gave their mother a look; her intellectual eyes just went from him to the kits and back.

His grey eyes followed hers looking at the kits, "Hey, you're shaking," completely ignoring the feral looks the little baby foxes were giving him the punk reached his hand out to touch them. The Fox was his friend; she'd helped them, no reason for him not to help her kits.

One kit, a bolder one, stepped in front of the one his hand was headed towards, it growled a short warning before clamping its tiny maw down on his open hand.

"Ak-" Kanji bit down on his lip but otherwise didn't move. His blunt eyes looked at the little offender and he managed out through clenched teeth, "That's not very nice…"

The look he gave must have been menacing because the little kit seemed to jump slightly at his voice, letting go immediately and hopping back behind its mother. He certainly was a lot of bark… and certainly knew how to bite seeing as Kanji's hand was now sporting a red set of kit fang marks in it.

The Fox seemed to blink a moment, probably from surprise, either that her kit bit one of the people she had helped, or the fact that despite his size, Kanji made no move to actually 'get back' at the kit, just biting his lip from the minor wound and glowering at it like the punk he was. The Fox knew full well what the large young man was capable of, and the fact that he restrained his power, even when so obviously offended like this… if the intelligent animal had been capable of it, Kanji may have seen her smirk. She turned back to the kit, snorting at it like a chiding mother, before running her muzzle under her bib and pulling out a magical leaf and placed it on the punk's hand before he even had a chance to object.

Light eyes blinked as the leaf was removed and the red ring of kit fang marks was gone, "Tch," he pulled his hand back inspecting it closer, "Ya didn't have ta do that," he looked at her with a pout, "I don't exactly have my wallet on me right now…"

The Fox just seemed to shake her head, as if denying the offer of more cash for her 'healing', which was certainly odd since this animal was probably more money hungry then the yakuza. Kanji just stared at her suspiciously while rubbing his hand, "no fee?" she gave a curt nod before lowering her head in what the punk could only assume was 'shame' for what her kit did. Odd.

He continued to absentmindedly rub his hand, still skeptically looking at her, "Ya didn't have ta do that," rub his hand, "It was only a minor wound…" his light eyes found the kit as it peeked out behind its mother, glancing from the big teen to its well groomed mother, obviously confused, "He's just'a kit, don't know any better," the punk smirked as the Fox raised her intelligent eyes his way, causing him to feel silly for talking like this to an animal, "'Sides, he was just protectin' one of his own… nuthin' wrong with that."

The Fox's eyes had perked up fully by the end of his sentence, an obvious look of gratitude on her feral features, before she nosed the kit out from behind her, and pushed him towards the large punk. Kanji was suddenly stricken with a flashback of his own mother, dragging him out from behind her at some parent-teacher meeting, and forcing him into a bow to apologize for picking fights at school. The thought made the young man laugh, seemed even animals got the same treatment from time to time.

"Here," a light smirk crossed his face as he held his hand out again, halfway towards the punkish little kit. It only glanced at his hand a moment, fur up on its shoulders before its mother nosed him forward again, forcing the little guy towards Kanji's hand. The punky kit glanced from its mother to the large human and back, before giving a look Kanji was sure was on his face a lot while he was growing up, and leaning its head towards his open hand, completely looking away from the punk. His smirk grew into a soft smile, all the reminiscing, as he cupped the little guy's head in his hand and gave him a bit of a noogie, "There, not too bad, huh?"

The kit released its head from him, looking at him from the side, but maybe plopping down closer to him, even if it was still looking away indignantly.

The bleach blonde smirked at the Fox, "I like him," he placed his hand on the little kit's head again, softer this time, like how he normally petted the Fox, "Kinda reminds me of someone…"

The Fox looked pleased, as if this was something she had been trying to achieve.

"Hey," the punk looked back into the Fox's intelligent eyes, hand absently staying on the kit's head, "Where're you guys stayin'?" he already had an idea, but might as well ask right?

The Fox gave a short snort before glancing back behind her, towards the base of the shrine which was currently filled with snow, before looking back at the punk, an obvious question in her intelligent eyes.

"Tch," he clicked his tongue indignantly, "I'm sure you could stay there for the winter, but not these little guys," his light eyes looked down and found that the other two kits had braved their way out from behind their mother and were sniffing his hand, playfully wagging their tails as best they could at their sibling who was hard-pressed to move from its spot under a hand that could cover its entire head. The trio seemed to be warming up to Kanji, and he had always been such a sucker for soft animals, his eyes were hard and serious as he spoke, "Y'all can stay at my place." It was a statement; there was no negotiating with the punk on this.

The Fox just blinked at him, looking honestly surprised for probably the first time in his presence. She looked down at the kits, huddling under the punk's large crouched form for warmth, then back up into his determined light eyes as if questioning his statement.

He seemed to jut out his lower lip, almost irritated that she didn't believe him, "I mean it," he looked down at the kits, "They're too young right now to be out in the cold all the time, and the shrine's right next door if ya need to run 'em out quick," she seemed to nod at this logic, "'sides… Ma's out, and… and ain't like anyone'll be around to complain," he looked to the side, lip out in a pout.

"*yip*" her bark was soft, almost like she was gracefully agreeing with him.

Light eyes returned to her a moment, "I don't want a mess, you're just staying to keep 'em warm," she nodded, "And if they gotta go, you run 'em out the back into the woods right? Shop don't need to smell like an animal when Ma gets back, alright?!" the punk was standing up, holding the three kits in his large arms, staring down at their mother with a light blush on his cheeks, probably from how ridiculous this whole situation was.

The Fox, sitting poised with all the grace of a goddess before him, seemed to just blink in response, as if accepting his terms.

"Alright," pout well in place on the punk's cheeks as he turned towards his mother's shop, lightly petting the rowdy kits in his hands, "C'mon…" The Fox got up from her haunches and started following his large footsteps. Glancing down at her, that suspicious look again as he opened the shop door while balancing three kits in one arm, "This oughta be enough for that 'minor' healing, right?"

The Fox, for her part, seemed to just grin intelligently with her eyes as her kits jumped out of the punk's large arms and dart off into the shop, three different ways, and for some reason Kanji just knew they'd be three different sets of trouble. His light eyes went back down to her intelligent ones, "I think you're gonna owe me for this one…" again, she merely smiled with her eyes, trotting into the warm domicile after her kits.

Latching the door shut behind him as he stepped inside and removed his outdoor shoes, Kanji noticed that while the three little hellions had run off immediately after being set down, they didn't leave a spot of dirt or moisture on the shop floors. He had to give the Fox some credit, her little kits seemed to have inherited her 'neatness', he just wondered if they were going to wreck the place or hide in some odd corners of the shop like a cat. He sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair, "Oh well… can't be all that bad right?" then he remembered that he was seeing Naoto tomorrow… in his house… alone…

He gulped as he felt the heat on his cheeks, "They won't bother us… right?" he asked the ceiling, not sure if he wanted an answer to the question, or to what it was exactly the little cretins would be 'bothering' them and invariably 'interrupting'. He shook his head, had to get those thoughts out of his mind… after all, it was just Naoto, coming over… to talk… right?

Shaking his head again as he headed towards the stairs, he slapped his cheeks trying futilely to get rid of the blush, "Gotta focus man! Get your head outta the gutter… it's only her, and tomorrow, and my house… and us… alone," he reached his door and smacked himself again, "Damnit man! Pull yourself together!" the bleach blonde punk clinched his fists, setting himself in an almost battle-ready stance as he stood in front of his bedroom door, "I got this!" he nodded firmly, "I'll show her, I'll do whatever it takes, whatever she needs, I'll be there to make her feel comfortable, hell happy even!" he nodded firmly again as he slid his room door open…

… only to find that the Fox and her kits had taken it upon themselves to take up a spot underneath his bed, each one of their beady and intelligent eyes on him as he stood at his door in his cold clothes.

And for a moment, just a moment, he thought the four of them were laughing at him.

"Shut up!" he threw his hand back shutting his door a bit harder than necessary and immediately made it to his bed, throwing the covers to the side and his damp shirt and pants off, and slipping in and bundling himself up in a cocoon of warmth. He knew he still had a blush on his face, and he knew he had no idea what he was going to do tomorrow, his mind buzzing and wondering and whining about 'what if's and the like.

It wasn't until three little fluff-balls padded their way under his covers, curling up next to him, and their mother lying protectively around his head, did the punk finally find sleep.

The Fox glanced down at the young man in a fitful sleep, mumbling about a certain young woman, her intelligent eyes beheld a certain cleverness of plots and ploys being schemed in a manner to help the young man. Never let it be said a kitsune doesn't help those who help it out.


A/N: because i like meddlesome spirit creatures, don't you? :D

Till next -salute-waves- Sayounara, Mina!

-Ikasury