ATTENTION: I do not own Kamisama Hajimemashita all rights go to Juliette Suzuki

Author: Onigiri Misaki

Genre: Romance and Drama

Status: Complete

Rating: T

In all of the years he's been alive he's only ever felt this way once.

A time back before he was a familiar for the Mikage shrine.

But did it really count if the women he was in love with wasn't who he thought she was, but instead the same girl that saved his life and cared for him all the same. Yes, the new land-god of Mikage shrine, Nanami Momozono the 18 year old girl who practiced making useless talismans all day.

Love. That was his whole issue right now, he couldn't get it off his mind. All day when he's doing his familiar duties the only thing running through his head is about Nanami, how she smells, how she looks, how she does the cutest tilt with her head when she's curious. Everything. and that's why right now he's gone to his last resort and is talking to the one person on the face of the world he would rather choke to death then speak to about this.

Kurama.

And no Nanami didn't know about his feelings.

"Ah I see, this seems to me like you have a crush on our dear Nanami-Chan~" He chuckled. He could already tell that tomoe has been infatuated with Nanami for a long time now, same goes for her its clear that there's a red string that's tying them together. Everyone they knew saw it. If only they could see it themselves.

"What do you mean by crush that's what a human does, Youkai do not have crushes" He would not be compared to a human of all creatures. Yes, he would confess that he harbored feelings for Nanami. And not little ones very vey big ones. Not that he'd tell Kurama about that though. Tomoe sighed, he knew kurama was right and that he needed advice for this kind of subject but he would never admit it to that tengu.

"I would still like to continue being in our friendship though, I've heard from those human girls that ones love may affect their relationship in the worst of ways." He didn't want to admit it but he was embarrassed that he had over heard some of nanami's friends gossiping over how there was a case of something like this at her school, where a boy and a girl had the same kinship him and Nanami shared yet the boy confessed his feelings but the female didn't reciprocate his feelings and now they don't speak to each other.

But him and Nanami live together so it would be even worse.

Kurama also knew about this yet the difference between that and this situation is that they recuperate each others feelings.

''your friendship will survive a crush. you just need to ask about her feelings towards you."

"how do I do that?"

"be honest. tell her how you feel"

''that wont work'

"why not?''

"if I tell her how I feel she might get the impression that I want to get into a relationship"

''why would she think that?"

"because I'm… in love with her."

"what!?" I never thought he'd say it out loud!

''just a little bit!"

Now that was a lie, a little bit is the exact opposite of how he felt but he needed to act like he didn't care to much before kurama made a big deal out of it. Kurama was right it was just a little crush nothing else, problem solved. Not.

Kurama wasn't interested about the 'little bit' because he knew that was the biggest lie that came out of Tomoe's mouth probably ever. He wanted to hear more about why tomoe didn't want her thinking he wanted a relationship. Does he understand What being in a relation means? Lucky bastard. Now don't get me wrong I have a happy relationship with Amy but he doesn't realize how good he has it.

"Why don't you want to be in a relationship with Nanami? I'm curious."

"… Well... if we changed our relationship wouldn't that be...bad?'' Tomoe avoided eye contact as best he could, turning his head to look out the screen door into the open garden. He felt like a child being scolded. Kurama face palmed so hard he had a migraine afterwards. He wanted to tell tomoe he was being a dumbass but that would only end with tomoe fuming and the conversation ending. So, instead he took the next best solution and tried to tell him why he was wrong.

"No not necessarily, If she likes you back there a lot of ups to being boyfriend and girlfriend like being able to hold hands, hug, cuddle, kiss, making out, se-"

By now tomoe face was taut. Looking at kurama with the deadliest expression he could muster, he took a threatening step forward and toward over him. Of course he thought about doing those with Nanami but hearing kurama talk about him and Nanami like that (more Nanami) made a possessive side come over him."yea.. i get it but you talk about Nanami like that again and i'll make ostrich soup. a glint came over tomoe eye and a mischievous smirk over came tight lips. "well now that you changed your mind my job here is done, I suggest you talk to Nanami as soon as possible, bye~" As kurama flew away tomoe knew he was right and needed to have a talk with Nanami as soon as possible. a sigh escaped his now down turned lips.

It was about time Nanami got back from her shopping with friends so he decided to make them both lunch. About 10 minutes later he had food placed on the table. He walked to the porch-getting some fresh air while he waited for the young high school girl. Arms crossed and eyes closed silently noting how the air nipped at his exposed skin and thinking back to when Nanami left and not seeing her bring a jacket. She also was wearing short sleeves... and a mini skirt. 'damn' he was now cursing her carelessness and himself.

When he opened his eyes just a few moments after he saw her standing at the top of the shrine panting, cheeks flushed even more from a mixture of lack of breath and from cold. Her body shivering. The frustration immediately drained out of him and was replaced with concern. He walked briskly over there all emotion hidden on his face and when he stopped right in front of her.

"Hey tomoe, sorry I took longer than planned kei wanted us to stop cause she saw a cute boyandchasedafterhimandthenigotlostforabit buttheyfoundmesoonenough... Kami I'm just so glad to be home" She let out a big breath and slightly pulled her shirt more tightly around her, barely noticeable if tomoe was hyper aware of all her movements.

He could see it in her face and the way she fidgeted that she in fact was cold and in need of warmth. Tomoe picked her bridal style and started to walk quickly toward the shrine. "tom- tomo-tomoe..what are you doi-doing!?" Nanami sputtered obviously taken off guard. She was expecting him to yell at her for being late and causing him trouble but it seemed to be the last thing on his mind.

He walked all the way to the kotatsu and sat down, her still in his lap, and pulled the blanket over the both of them while he held her hands in his own trying to get them warm. Now Nanami was shivering from a different reason. ''I'm making sure my master doesn't get a cold from being so careless to leave the house in barely nothing'' she squirmed in his lap clearly taken off guard with his sudden act of affection. Tomoe took this as a sign that she was cold, in turn, hugged her tighter and buried his nose in the base of her neck, inhaling her sent as best as he could.

Nanami was surprised for just a second before she mimicked his actions and laid her own head down in his neck. She felt her muscles relaxing, she had been out with Kei and Ami since 11:00 that morning, they had come barging in dragging her out of her bed, saying that they were in due to a "girls day out" When she told Tomoe all he did was do a eye roll and scoff. She then left to do get dragged of to every store in the town, how much could one girl do!?

Tomoe was lost in thought he still needed to figure out if she loved him back. Once he came back to himself he pushed her away a bit. Looking into her eyes with a seriousness neither expected. "Nanami, What are your feelings for me?" He said this with as much confidence he could muster up. Nanami's eyes widened and her jaw went slack.

That was the furthest question she was expecting to hear at such a moment! "umm well..I..what I mean is.. I want to tell you...I lo..well how to say it." She blushed a deep shade of red, to Tomoe's amusement. He didn't show it though instead kept a blank face. She twisted and turned in Tomoe's hold and got him to slowly and unwilling let her go. She was looking at her hands curling in her lap, now sitting in front of him. Nanami took in a big breath and bared her eyes into his. Brown met violet and for a split second the world stopped spinning, everything froze in its spot. Nobody was willing or daring to make a sound. She composed herself, looked straight into his deep violet orbs and without bating an eye said; "Tomoe, aishteru.

She looked down again then just waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. She winced when nothing happened. She finally felt moving but when she turned her head she saw tomoe leaving the room. Her eyes widened- disbelief was what she felt first. Hot streams of salt fall down her cheeks like a waterfall. Of course this would happen. The last time (she recalled) she confessed to him he dropped her off a building. The only reason he was ever nice to her was only because of his duty. The duty she forced him into. It was obvious he would leave if she told him that.

She converted herself so she was now hugging her knees. hiding her tears from the world like she had done so many times before. when she was left alone in her house as a child. waiting for a her father to come back from gambling so he would eat the dinner she made, just to wait and him to not show up. only wake up to yet another note saying "Hey sweetie daddy wont be home for a while so you'll just be making dinner for 1. But i'm off making money I promise when I come back we'll be better off then ever! Love Dad 3 :)

Recalling that time she thought back to now how the circumstances have changed yet it still feels like the same memory being repeated. Had she done something wrong in life? Was she not caring enough? Was she to cold? Too clingy? Too ugly? That was it. Tomoe didn't find her attractive. He probably never did and all those times she asked him "does this look good?" he was just lying. Protecting his masters feelings. yea..that was it. he probably doesn't even want to be a familiar any more. He most likely hates me. Maybe if i give him freedom hell like me more. Even if I wont have him then he'll be happy. Happy with those tanuki ladies. She thought bitterly before standing up and marching for Tomoe's' room. She didn't notice the still wet streaks sliding down her face but she held her head high and made her final decision. If he wants to be free then I'll make him be free.

Nanami took long fast strides to across the chestnut floor. She finally reached his door ready for the fight that she knew was about to occur. She paused for a moment though mentally preparing herself what may take place in the confines of his room. She did a once over and made sure the traces of her crying was wiped clean off her face

She was just about to bang on the door, mentally rilling herself up again so she wouldn't back down or change her mind. It's now or never. But before she got the chance to knock the door swung open on its own accord and she was nose to blanket with tomoe. She was taken aback for just a millisecond before she snapped back. She started to raise her head but quickly changed her mind as she knew if she looked in his eyes while she was saying this she would undoubtedly get lost and loose all point.

"Hey, I-" "No" Tomoe immediately clamped his mouth shut and his eyes went nearly as wide as dinner plates at the tone Nanami was taking. "I can't take this anymore Tomoe" A quick look at her face tells him that she's dead serious. "what do you mea-" "you know what I mean" once again the seething tone in her voice tells him to stop while he can so as to not anger her anymore than necessary.

He's confused but isn't risking to speak, in fear of being disembodied by her tone alone. "I don't want to keep doing this with you Tomoe" she sighs as if she really is tired and to some point she is, with all the emotion she holds in, it wears her down, little by little but its still there.

By now tomoe is beyond confused a just wants to know what she's jabbering on about. He doesn't like the sound of pain in her voice as she talks. He never wants to hear that much tiredness in her voice ever again. He swears to himself that he'll make sure she never sounds that hurt, that sad, that broken.

"Nanami what in the name of Kami are you talking about?!" He looks down at her and the realization that she hasn't made eye contact nor brought her head up makes him even more perturbed. "I'm talking about how you don't want to fucking be here!" She whispered screamed keeping her voice down low in fears of waking the spirits of the shrine and possibly Mizuki but doubtfully but making herself heard loud and clear to get the point across. Not quite trusting her voice, she envisioned this ending a lot faster then what was happening now.

Tomoe was just frustrated now. What in the hell was the women talking about? He'd never said anything about leaving her and the shrine since the first time he met her. Hell it wasn't even a thought in his mind after a week of her being there with him. He would say he didn't like it at the shrine but didn't she understand he was just lying. Of course he wanted to stay at the shrine he was just being a big dumb kitsune who had trust issues. Did she not understand she changed that? How close they've become? Or was she just lying about loving him? No, she couldn't be.

"Nanami stop being stupid for once will you, I don't want to leave" she flinched as the sharp tone of his voice hit her. He quickly realized his mistake and tried to take it back but it was too late. "Stupid?" She said it a few more times to herself, testing the word on her lips. She laughed a little but it wasn't like normal, no it was cold, distant. Not his Nanami.

"No Tomoe, I think you're the one being the goddamn 'stupid' one here, Stop playing your little games about wanting to be here. We all know that you'd rather be in the red light district away from all your responsible, Fucking those tanuki ladies. Away from all of us. it's clear as day you hate it here, always looking off dazed like you'd rather be somewhere else"

Yeah with you in my bed.

"You always complain about how little work we've done around the shrine even though we've done so much that by the end of the days my heels bleed and Mizuki is asleep by 8:00p.m. If that doesn't show you'd rather be elsewhere than I don't know what does. So go ahead Tomoe, leave, leave just like mikage did and just go"

Nanami knew she shouldn't have said that. That it went over the line that was made so long ago. The line no one dare cross. But she did it. It was to late to go back now. Nanami turned around, never once daring a single glance at Tomoes face. she lifted one slender and well shaped leg ready to walk back to her room and cry herself to sleep. Once he'd leave she'd be all alone again. Just like always.

Ah

It all made since now

Ah

Tomoe snapped back and with only the reflexes that a youkai could posses he grab Nanami and gently yet with hidden force pushed her up against a wall in his room. Swiftly closing the door with all the force he felt. Nanami winced as the loud slam of the wood entree hit the wooden frame. His nose was buried in her hair and he was holding her body in between the wall and himself. Not letting her go.

She wasn't putting up a fight yet because frankly she used all her energy in telling him to get lost.

She slowly started to push on his chest, not liking the close proximity of someone she just yelled at.

He started to growl at her and lightly nipped her neck with fangs creating a small sore blotchy red spot but he quickly soothed it with his tongue making sure he didn't truly hurt her. She froze in her spot and didn't dare move in his arms.

"Why are being like this?" His voice was deep and gruff, making it send shivers down her spine and her back arched slightly. Silence followed and he nipped her again, showing his displeasure. "Because.. I want you to be happy and I'm not as stupid to believe that you want to stay here with us, with me." Tomoes nose started to twitch at the scent in the air and he slowly lifted his head to looked in her eyes.

She was finally looking up at him, her eyes red from crying earlier too. Her chocolate depths shown the sadness that she refused to voice. He bent his head and gave her feather light kisses dusting across the new streak marks adorning her face, he hated to see her cry but he also liked how cute she looked. Her scarlet cheeks, slightly puffed out lips and hair a little disarrayed and tangled. Adorable. She closed her eyes and relaxed just a little bit letting his presence sooth her out of her resolve.

"Oh, Nanami, my sweet, precious Nanami, you don't get it do you?" His voice not more than a mere whisper in the hushed room. His thumb rubbing across her cheek. He once again nuzzled his nose in the crook of her neck. Breathing in the scent of pure Nanami, getting drunk of the essence of her. "what do you mean?" she wasn't able to concentrate to much with him that close.

He snorted and pulled her closer to him, so close it seemed he was trying to meld their skin into one. "You know what?" He once again picked up his head looking into her melted chocolate eyes and easily losing himself in the orbs. He gently lowered is face, his lips a hair widths away from her own. She felt his breath fan across her pinked cheeks.

"I love you" It was whispered against her lips as he closed the distance between the two feeling the soft curve of her lips below his. It started chaste but quickly gained passion as tomoe sucked on her bottom lip, prying it open trying to get a taste of her. She slowly and unsurely opened her mouth letting him in. After a while of them just passionately kissing against the wall they had to stop to take a breath of air.

"Do you still have any questions about if I still want to leave or not?" He playfully smirked at her dazed hooded eyes, swollen cherry red lips and the flush that adorned her cheeck.

"Why'd you walk away when I told you I loved you?" she whispered against his lips. Her arms now wrapped around his neck, hands in his silver locks. In a similar position as her, he had one hand in her hair while the other was rubbing soothing circle on her backside with his claws, carful not to prick the skin there. His hand was also underneath her tank top hiking it up just little so he could see the exposed milky skin of her navel.

Tomoe chuckled with a deep guttural voice making him sound oh so very seductive in that moment. She thought about kissing him again.

"I left to go grab a blanket for us, you were near freezing and the kotatsu wasn't getting you warm fast enough. I was so happy you loved me back that it slipped my mind to even tell you of my feelings, I thought they were clear when I was cuddling with you but I guess not, pretty stupid of me, huh?"

He stifled a yawn behind her hand but failed miserably. She too was incredibly tired from her day out, her heel hurt the most, all she wanted to do was curl on a nice futon and fall asleep. She yawned after him and it made him realize how eventful their day was. He once again chuckled to himself, it seems he's been doing it more often lately. All because of her. He smiled to himself and Nanami's breath hitched in her throat. She'd have to start getting used to seeing this side of him.

"Hey, Nanami? You know, now that were lovers and soon-to-be mates you cant go off and find someone else. You're stuck with me for centuries too come now. And Kitsune are known to be very possessive of whats theirs." Tomoe slowly moved them to his bed, laying them down so Nanami was resting her head on his chest and his hands on her back and in her hair.

He pulled the covers over them snuggling into her warmth and Nanami followed suit. She raised her head so she could look tomoe in the eyes. "Wait-did you say centuries?" Her eyes were wide as she fully registered what her new lover said. Tomoe smiled and looked down at Nanami realizing he hadn't explained what mate meant to demons.

"In the world of youkai, mating is a sacred bond when two soulmates come together. Its like marriage to humans but much, much deeper. Humans may love more than one is a span of their life but Youkai are only drawn to one person forever. You officially become mates when you bed the other," With this Nanami flushed a deep scarlet. Tomoe chuckled silently to himself. "during both of your peaks the male will bite into the shoulder of the female marking them as theirs. After that, demons know to stay away or else...well when that happens your life span will be connected with mine so you'll live as long as me and because I'm a kitsune youkai I live very long so plenty of time to do activities," he purred in her ear. Causing a immediate reaction from the female. " A part of mating is being able to transfer thoughts to each other and know what the other is thinking, also what they're feeling."

Tomoe laughed at her face a mix of emotions of what all he told her. Her face shown embarrassment and many other emotions yet not a single unhappy part of her. It made Tomoe sober up as he realized the depth of what he just asked/told her. "you do..want to be my mate, right Nanami?" all of a sudden hesitation in his voice. It caught the girl off guard, just a moment ago she was fantasizing about what it would be like to be tomoe's 'mate' and now he was asking if she still wanted to be?

God was he ever so stupid?

She propped herself on her elbows straddling him. She cupped his cheeks in her soft warm hands and made his face turn to face her. She peppered kisses all over his face until he was smiling in the giddiest most childish way she's ever seen "Yes, Koibito I would be honored to become your mate." She went back to laying peacefully on his chest. Both breathing a sigh of contentment, just holding each other in one anothers arms, it felt so right to hold each other.

(I'm not writing a lemon scene yet but i may in the future)

"Anghgh" Nanami groaned as her legs felt like jelly. The light from the mornings sun was spilling in through the blinds and poking Nanami right in her closed eye. She stretched and felt something hard under her. She peeked on eye open to see a sleeping Tomoe in her arms. Their legs entwined and Nanami on top of him. She took a second to admire his sleeping face, so peaceful, content, gorgeous. She traced the different dips and crevasses from his face going all the way down to his exposed abs.

She went back up to his face and started to lightly sprinkle feather light kisses all over his face slowly but effectively waking him up from his slumber. He murmured unintelligible sounds under his voice before he finally opened his eyes. Squinting rom the sun but suddenly there was a shadow over him. He looked up and saw a still naked Nanami straddling him.

He sheepishly grinned and pulled his arms around her bringing her in for a kiss. They broke apart both smiling at each other. Tomoe looked up and his heartbeat sped up. The morning sun hitting Nanami in such a way it made a ethereal glow around her, making her chocolate orbs shine and her skin look silky smooth. She definitely was a goddess, no doubt in his mind.

"I could stay like this with you forever" Tomoe nuzzled his nose right next to her 'mate mark' and breathed in a deep sigh. She cuddled closer to his chest doing the same action as him. His hands were rubbing her scalp and Jesus if it wasn't the best feeling in the world. well. Tomoe interjected inside her head trying out the new communication system. It would be hard hiding from her whenever she was angry now. Nanami blushed at what he thought and lightly slapped his arm. Her legs still sore from there late night actions.

She looked at him once more and grinned the happiest smile in her life, this is what she always wanted, a family. Tomoe looked up knowing exactly what she was thinking and wiped the newly formed tears off her cheeks. She gave him the wateriest smile she could and fell right on top of him. Together they basked in their new found happiness.