4. Towards a Stranger?

Tomoe yawned and winced when he stretched; his body was aching all over but thats not what got him shocked. The thing that freaked him out was the way his back rubbed against something warm. The fox furrowed his brow...

Last night he watched TV with Nanami... Then feel asleep doing so; mostly because she was watching a crappy romance movie that did nothing for him. Now he was wondering what the crap was touching his back..

He paused and sweeped some hair out of his eyesight; not really expecting two slender and pale arms to wrap around his wasit and flip him out.

" What the?"

Tomoe moaned and looked over his shoulder; when he saw his mate by mistake he groaned and let his head hit the tatami mats on the floor. So he feel asleep.. and now wakes up to be cuddling with said hotheaded human girl. Great.. To make it worse his grandmother was knitting something in the corner of the room as if nothing was happening at all.

Tomoe looked at her shocked as she looked up at and blankly, with no care behind her elderly words, said, " Having fun?"

" What!?" Tomoe started to unravel the girls arms away from his waist, only to be kicked rather harshly. Curse this girl and how she tossed and turned! All he did was fall asleep; which was probably all that Nanami did.

Now he was getting blamed for how all this looked? How messed up was that? He rubbed his side in pain and whimpered as his grandmother rolled her eyes..She wobbled to her feet and then sighed when she looked at Nanami. She smiled but then turned a cold glare towards the fox. Tomoe blinked in shock but rolled his eyes as he stood and combed his hair with his fingers.

He didn't have time for things like this; he retied his hakamashita and went to start the tea for Mikage; when he walked into the kitchen he blinked when he saw Inari stirring something. He looked entranced with what he was making as Tomoe shook his head and reached out to pour some tea.

Thats when Inari grabbed the cup from him and sighed, ' Is Nanami still asleep?"

Tomoe glared and huffed out a breath, " Who cares exactly?" He growled under his breath as Inari put some of the stuff he was making into an extra cup and poured tea in it; he thrust it in Tomoe's face and then teen had to cover his nose as he gagged.

" This is for her; Give it to her when she wakes up, it will help with her morning sickness." Inari sighed and Tomeo shook his head as he placed it down and tried to breath through all the disgusting smells.

He nearly choked as he walked back into the living room and paused; Nanami was kicking about and The fox rubbed his side; remembering hwo hard she kicked him. He swore he would have a bruise.. he knew he would.

He shook his head and waked to the living room before pausing as his Sobo looked at him and the girl. She was sitting there before sighing and looking at Tomoe, " What do you want it to be?"

Tomeo looked at her and then shrugged his shoulders; to be truthful he didn't want a child, but he was going to have one weither he accepcted the fact or not. He sighed out and looked over at Nanami, who had started to wake up and look green from seeing sunlight.

" I don't know and I do't care. " Tomoe huffed out; earning a wack in the head from sobo's cane. She sent him a glare before shaking her head and sighing,
" You got yourself into this mess boy; its your fault and hers included. Now you both have a little life involved and you need to take it seriously."

Tomoe sent her a glare before growling under his breath; he didn't want to take any of this seriously; but he knew he had too. This child was going to be his and he knew how much pain it would cause if he didn't have a father by his side. The white haired fox had endured that to much..

He rolled his eyes before looking over at Nanami again. She was sitting up and her t-shirt was all messy. Her hair was messy but Tomoe had to blink before his eyes grew wide; his heart nearly lurched as he looked away and shook his head.

This made Sobo roll her eyes but then smirk, " Your mate is sexy in the morning, eh?"

Tomoe froze up; half glad that Nanami was half asleep and half embarrassed that he was caught even looking at Nanami in anyway. Tomoe shook his head before trying to breath out...

" Don't be stupid.." He muttered under his breath as he looked at Nanami again. He rolled his eyes as she stood up and yawned, then she pasued..
Now this was the time when you have a funny feeling that you forgot something important; because Nanami went green and took off down the hallway. Tomeo blinked when he heard something that sounded like puking.

Inari rushed into the living room and gave Tomoe a look, " Did you give her the drink?"

Tomoe paused and then cursed, No he hadn't.. and now he felt like scum. She was puking because of him; Because of the life inside her..
The fox groaned and stomped out of the living room as he rushed to the bathroom. He opened the door and saw Nanami in her t-shirt. It went to her hip as she wore shorts.. Her hair was sticking to her face as she looked at Tomoe.

He blinked as they both stared at each other; he didn't know why but for some reason he felt bad for what was happeing to her; but then he felt himself gasp when she started to heave... and when she started to heave? She wouldn't stop...

Nanami started to gasp for air and Tomoe felt his heart stop; her eyes filled with fear as she started to wave her arms. She couldn't breath.. She coudln't breath!? The fox lunged forward in confusion; this human was so weak... And yet.. He had singled her out fro all the others when he first met her...

Flashback

" Vodka.." Nanami smirked as the bartender shook his head and handed it to her; Tomeo snorted. This girl was unbelieveable. What in the world was she thinking? Vodka on a cold night? It woudl warm her up that was for sure..

The fox laughed as he lifted his sake to his mouth; he asked the tender to surprise him but he hised in shock when he tasted the thick taste of vodka as well. Tomoe nearly choked in shock as Nanami snorted and took a sip of her drink.

She laughed as Tomoe shook his head, " Being brave?"

" I'm paying for it.." Nanami smirked as Tomoe laughed slightly. She was so weird.. and her eyes were amazing. He sipped hsi drink adn looked at her,

" So Why are you out of the street?" He looked at over his glass before sitting it down and blinking at the buuzz he got. He watched he shrug her shoulder and flip her hair a bit; Ha... Beautiful. She was lovely for a human; he smiled a bit before biting his lip and looking away.

The girl sighed, " I got kicked out of my house of late and Was trying to find my apartment.. That I rented over the interenet." She huffed out a breath and Tomoe laughed,

" Idiot.." He chuckled before she playfully hit his arm.

" What about you? Why are you out here?" She zipped her drink and blinked at how strong it was; Tomoe almost laughed at her for being so niav to getting something so strong and overbearing.

Tomoe sighed and sat it down before grimacing, " My father wanted me to get the fod for this wekk but the market I went to didn't hold anything of high quality. So I was going to go to the one in the town over." He smirked knowing full well he was sitting here with her. It had been a long time sice he had talked to a girl or anything like that; He had always been busy and this is just what he needed to relax..

Or so he thought.

Apparently someone didn't know how to hold her liqiour at all; which made Tomoe snort when she poked at his shoulder and let her words slur about. He drank the rest of his drink and litterally got anothr one while Nanami swirled in her seat.

Oh She was drunk.. and Tomoe was so getting there.

He drank some more of his drink; the ice clanking in the cup. Then he looked at Nanami and coughed on his own strong drink. She laughed at his look and he blinked at how she started to look more and more beautiful by the second...

Or he was just loosing his self of dignity. Nanami stood up and wobbled a bit before Tomoe blinked and followed her out the door. He winced as she opened the glass doors and pushed her way out; He followed closely behind as to make sure she didn't fall over.

Then he was shcoked as she turned gripped his hamashita and pulled his closely, and he meant cloesly, to her. He breathed out as the late night fogged his breath and he wondered, in his drunken state, what she was doing.

She looked up at him and their foggy breaths miggled; her grip tightened on his hakama and they both leaned in.. The thought of anything slipped Tomoe's mind as their lips connected, and both teens moaned into the kiss. Their drunken minds working to slowly for their bodies movements.

Tomoe almost doubled when she licked at his mouth but she then pulled away to quickly. His heart was throbbing so loudly he could hear it in his ears; and it was pleasant to hear it... Then the girl looked at him and smiled before sighing,

" Help me find my apartment.." She looked at him with pouty eyes and he breathed in; her eyes were beautiful and he slowly nodded. Not seeing the harm in it..

Oh if only he knew..

End of Flashback

" Nanami?" Tomoe looked at her as she waved her arms about; it was as if she was asking for something but nothing was oming out of her mouth. Tomoe didn't know why but he flipped; He looked arond and started to go through her medical cabnit; he held up things as she shook her head; clearly she was choking and Tomoe was panicking. Then he held up an inhailer and she started to wave him over.

He nearly sighed in releif as he grabbed the inhailer, fixed the medicine in the bottom and then sat down with the girl; He sat behind her and handed the device to her; she grabbed it and started to breath in its chemical medicine, all the while Tomoe pulled her over to him.

He puled her t his stomach and he lifted her shirt to reveil her lower back before gently rubbing the bare skin. The girl gasped as he did so and shivered; she shrunk away from his hand only a little before he breathed on it to make it warm.

Then he rubbed her back again and helped her sit up so that she could get the medicine in her system. The girl gladly accepcted the feeling but her stomach was still turning and making her cringe... Tomoe didn't know what he was doing; comforting her like this.. When her hair moved he saw the mate mark and it made him want to comfort her more.

It was like a contract that he wasn't sure he wanted...

His clawed hand brushed across her skin; making him look away in confusion. The memoires of her were there but so fussy; given that he had a lot of alcohol that night, and so did she.

Now they were both paying for this more then they wanted to.

Tomoe breathed out; his breath hitting her neck and making her shiver; he felt her body tremble and his hand almost paused as he stroked her. He winced and gently pulled her shirt over her mate mark; he coudln't look at it. It would only hurt her if he attacked her...

She sighed and he noticed she looked tired; But he coudln't get close.. He coudln't show her care. How could he? He was just as scraed as her. The fox pulled her shirt back down and stood up; when he did his eyes caught something on the counter.

He picked it up and blinked at the positive screen, " What is this?"

Nanami looked up and breathed slowly, " Advanced pregnancy test; I know I am pregnant but it tells me if the baby is healthy; and if I am.." She stood a bit and wobbled as Tomoe stared at it.

"Why is it possitive and yet in the yellow?" Tomoe turned it in his hand and tried to read the back but failed miserably. Thats when Nanami winced,
" I could improve my health a little.."

Tomoe froze; he didn't know why but he almost dropped the tester. He didn't know why; she was human... But after sleeping with her by his side? After feeling her warmth and having her to cuddle up to him? Even though it was only maybe twice... He couldn't let go of that warmth so easily. After he was with her that night the month without her was hard.. He didn't know how or why he couldn't sleep without her beside him. He had heard that it was hard to sleep alone once you found your mate.. He didn't think that was true... until he lost all that sleep until she showed up at the shrine.

He looked at the stick again and paused, " How does this work?" He looked at it and Nanami gave him a blank, emotionless stare.
" You pee on it.."

Tomoe eyes grew wide, " EH!?" He dropped the test and gagged..

Sobo looked at Mikage and paused, " WHat do you think of all of this?"

Mikage paused and looked up from his prayers; he had been busy lately but this was a big shock for them all. Nanami was a month pregnant and they were all shocked to think that Tomoe could have pulled something like that.

He was supposed to be shopping...

Mikage chuckled to himself as he saw Tomoe walk out of the bathroom and then hand Nanami Inari's specail tea. He could of sworn he saw worry in the teens eyes and he Couldn't help but smile...

Maybe this would work out?

Tomoe groaned and looked down at the lists of things that were SUPPOSED to make Nanami more healthy. To be truthful this was proving to be more and more difficult.

" What the crap? Why is she not allowed to eat prawns!?" Tomoe cursed out into the wind and rolled his eyes as he started to go through the market place; looking for the right incredients. It was getting to difficult...

He didn't know what pregnant woman ate! He hardly understood what was going on and how this all happened anyway! Inari had to explain it to him several times.. Those were the worst several times of his life.

" TOMOE!" A familirar voice called making Tomoe twitch. he turned to see Nanami running towards him waving her arms about. He rolled his eyes; she was supoosed to be in the bathroom and it took her forever so he left her behind...

He grunted as she stumbled forwards; catching up with him and then slowling down.

" What took you so long?" He swore out; he didn't really care. His grandmother was making him go through this; he didn't want a baby! Not now ,not ever! He was going to be a terrible father and he already knew it. He was cursing to himself as she glared at him for his tone of voice.

" I was peeing.. Like a normal person."

" It took you twenty minutes to so call, Pee.' Tomoe swore out as they walked. He stopped at a booth and Nanami rolled her eyes,

" I'm pregnant.. Remember? Or do I have to explain everything that got me this way?!" She screeched at the fox making him shiver; no he did not want to listen to her explain it as well. To be honest if he heard it again he would puke.. He was only a teenager and he didn't even know how to get by with this situation.

He stayed silent as they walked; he didn't know what to do. This was simular to when they first met.. walking like this. He sighed as he trailed off in thought; not really meaning for his hand to touch hers as they walked. He shivered and jerked his hand back in embarrassment...

Strange..

He looked forward blankly; not thinking until a grandmother tapped Nanami's shoulder and winced. Both teens looked at her before she blushed and breathed out,

" Ma'am.."

Nanami blinked and looked at her; she smiled and nodded before the woman winced, " Your bleeding..."

Thats when Tomoe felt himself remove his hoari and cover Nanami with it; he didn't know why but he did. He thanked to old woman and Nanami whimpered as tears welled up in her eyes from ebarrassment. They were in public for the love of everything!

Tomoe didn't know wither he should feel bad for her or appalled. The smell of blood was strong but then again he was a yokai. He winced as Nanami stood there before he opened his mouth and furrowed his brow,

" Are you supposed to be bleeding like that?"

Nanami looked at him red faced and he mentally cursed to himself. He didn't mean for that to sound wrong in any way. It was just that humans were staring and he wondered if it was bad or just a sign she was pregnant.'

Nanami blushed, " I don't see why you care; When I have this baby I'll be raising it on my own.. When are you going to tell me you want me out?"

Her eyes watered with tears and Tomoe's breath hitched.. It wasn't like that exactly..

They both stared at each other; both unable to answer each other for the life of them. Both not knowing why they couldn't answer.. Both of them confused as to why they had chosen each other.

Nanami looked away from him, " The bleeding will stop just buy the food already.." She glared ahead and Tomoe paused...

Why did he have a feeling that things were going to get stranger between them? Why did he have a feeling that things were going to change? Why was it that the bleeding was scaring him? Why was he caring for all this mess!?

Why did he feel like this... Towards a stranger?