4. Your My Best Friend

Mikage jumped when the door to the house slammed, He knew one person that did that every since they were small; And that one person? His Kitsune son..

Tomoe-Mikage.

As if to tell him he was right the Fox stomped into the living room threw his bag on the couch and then stormed into the kitchen. When he came out he had a small orange juice in his hand and he was drinking as if some tried to dehydrate him.

Theblond god hadn't seem him this worked up since he first met Nanami, that and that one time when he had to play a kitten in the school play.

He called it racist because he was a fox and cats were disgraceful. Mikage tried to explain to him but it was no use for a third grader. In the play Nanami had to lead him around by a collar. They didn't talk for a maximum of one week because of Tomoe's embarrassment.

This? This was something entirely different.

"Did something happen at schol today?" Mikage choked out as Tomoe sent him a glare, His cheeks puffing with the juice that filled them.

The teen swallowed and looked at his father blankly, " No."

The god fixed his glasses and sighed out loud, " Tomoe, I know you better than that."

Tomoe shrugged his shoulders and glared at the man annoyed, " There is nothing wrong. I just had to put up with Mizuki and Kurama."

"Oh..." Mikage let his voice trail off with a chuckle. He knew those boys since fourth grade and they had a tendincy to tease to crap out of His son. Tomoe would always get annoyed, but he was the quiet one of the bunch.

The kitsune pulled out a book and slumped over on the couch, A few minutes later Nanami plopped down on his stomach and then teens ears flattened at the awkward position. He squirmed and looked up blankly.

"What?"

"How was school?" She giggled in a childish way.

Tomoe growled loudly; not caring if his animal instincts petruded him for once. Nanami blinked in shock.

"That bad?" She pouted and shifted her weight, Thats when Tomoe couldn't take it any more. He shoved her off and Nanami blinked in shock.

"What was that for?!" She narrowed her eyes and Tomoe looked at her, Void of emotion.

"You were heavy." He muttered and looked back at the book in his clawed hand. Nanami hit him in the head with a pillow and he grunted; his hand caught her wrist and he glanced at her annoyed,

"Stop that, Nanami."

She blinked but then smiled slightly, " Fine, Fine.." She stood up and looked at Tomoe with a small smile, She looked tired but she was preparing to put on her shoes when Tomoe looked up. He blinke dan dstared at her shocked,

"Where are you going?"

"Shopping, All my clothes are at my house and I'm not going back there." She stuck out her tongue playfully and Tomoe snapped his book shut and stormed towards her.

"Your to weak right now. Wait until a better time." His tail flicked in aggervation and he glared at her. Nanami caught this, She knew he was being protective, that was how he was; but.. It was a little annoying when it had an atittude behind it.

She frowned and continued to pull on her shoe, Thats when Tomoe jerked her wrist up above her head and looked at her; Worry played in his eyes.

Tomoe was always so gentle but right now? His grip was begging her not to leave the house alone. He a reason she was sure, What she didn't know. She tried to yank her wrist away but he tightened his grip.

"Let go!" Nanami urged and Tomoe sighed and let her wrist fall from his hand. Whatever got him worked upat school? Ha.. It was affecting his attitude a lot! In fact she was a bit worried about it. Tomoe was never like this and he looked stressed.

Was he eating right? She knew he didn't have to eat like her but still.

"Do not go alone. I can come too." Tomoe said rather quickly, Nanami looked at him if he waas crazy. She knew him, And she knew he would not want to go through racks holding womans undergarmets.

He was to discreat for something so embarrassing. He would deny he even knew her ( Which had happened before when she wore a one piece bathing suit while all the other woman looked like models in their two pieces... Ugh, Curse him. )

"Your not going." She muttered under her breath and started for the door.

Tomoe growled and Nanami froze up, Yep. He was angry. No, Scratch that.. He was furious. She didn't know what happened at school but it was getting to him more than he wanted it to.

Tomoe went to pull on his shoes but Nanami lunged forward to stop him. She was just protecting him so why did he have to be so stubborn!? She was protecting him from utter embarrassment in the Ladies under wear section!

Sadly when Nanami stepped forward she tripped because.. ( She is a VERY Clumbsy girl. ) Tomoe looked up at her only in time for both teens to crash into each other. One thing led to another and Tomoe some how found himself on top her because of the crash.

The idiot girl brought him down with her! At first he was annoyed, All he wanted was to go to the store with her. It could have took his mind off things that Kurama and Mizuki said, Because his book wasn't helping at all.

Now?

He was on top of his best friend, His hands were on either side of her face and he blinked in shock. His ears went flat and he hoped that his father didn't come in. Why he didn't know. They had been in this position before. They fell before...

So why was he feeling so Self consious?

Thats when a few words went through his mind, ' Don't make you move yet Tomoe-kun!'

Tomoe cringed and looked at Nanami, his eyes grew wide as his heart started to pound. He swallowed as a sudden feeling settled in his stomach. His tail brushed against something and when he looked down?
His tail was between Nanami's legs.

His eyes grew wide and his face turned red with a solid blush. He choked on his own air and quickly got off Nanami. He yanked his tail away from her and it wrapped protectively around one of his legs. He tried to catch his breath, He really did.

But that was something he wasn't expecting.

Nanami sat up and winced, " Ow...I guess I should stay home.. Sorry I didn't List-" She paused and glanced at Tomoe. He was sitting far away from her, His hair shading his eyes, " You okay?"

Tomoe glanced up at her, and then back at his tail. The image flashed through his mind and he blushed, ' F-Fine."

Nanami blinked, Tomoe was so out of it today. Plus... Did he just stutter.

"Are you feeling well?"

Tomoe looked at her and seemed to recompose himself, " I am fine. Now go get some rest, Your wounds will not heal without it." He stood and Helped Nanami up.

She blinked and looked at Tomoe with curosity, " But I don't want to sleep." She pouted her famous pout and Tomoe picked up his fallen book and bonked her on the head. She glared at him and he pionted at the stairs, His royal stance showing her he meant business.

"Bed, Now." He muttered out and Nanami stuck out her tongue with a smile and rushed up stairs. Once gone the foxes ears flopped over and he chewed his lip in embarrassment.

He needed to pull himself together, he had to. Nanami was going through a hard time and her father had brought back memories that he had tried to delude through the years. The kitsune swallowed and ruffled hair.

"Thats Idiot of a man. " He muttered out into the quiet, " Why did he have to be a drunkard?"

Tomoe looked up and sighed, Letting himself clench his fists. He felt a pain go through his back side and he glanced down. He was holding his tail..

He instantly blushed and let his tail tuck between his broad legs. He crossed his arms and maoned out in annoyance, That stinkin Best Friend of his..

At Dinner That Night

Tomoe picked at his food with his chopsticks and stole glances at Nanami and her mother. He noticed Gwen had a bandage on her face and she was stirring a stew pot. It was Mikage's idea to have one but Tomoe didn't know why.

He wasn't hungry, In fact he was tired and fickle in the head. His ears flicked and then flattened when Gwen looked at them all.

"I have to say something.."

Tomeo looked up and Mikage nodded towards her to continue,

"I'm getting a divorce." She muttered.

The table grew silent and Nanami dropped her chopsticks, letting them land with a 'Thunk' On her plate. Tomoe looked at her and tried to swallowed his mouthful of rice. She didn't look happy...

"I've been planning it for a few months now, plus after what he did? I can't go back."

Mikage nodded and prepared to say something for the situation when Nanami slammed her hands on the table and took off out of the room. Tomoe swallowed and stood quickly, Ready to follow her.

And thats what he did.

He found her, not in her room... but in his, Huddled on his bed; staring blankly at a wall.

Thats when the kitsune knew...

He didn't know anything about Nanami at all, All these years of being her friend and he didn't know the pains she went through. Yeah, he protected her from bullies and punks who wanted to pick fights but, he didn't know her family life at all.

How many others times did she get hit? He remembered when she would come over with bandages on and she would say.

'I tripped'

And all he could say was,

'Clumbsy Human.'

He choked; he didn't know her, and she didn't know him.

The fox walked over to her and sat down; making the bed cave in from his weight. He looked at her and poked her shoulder.

Nanami looked at him slowly and he opened his mouth to say something that he would usualy say; But when their eyes met all he could muster was a soft and quiet,

'I'm sorry'

The brunnette offered him a smile and hugged him, enticing him to hug back and keep her safe from her evil father. The man that drank and let his mind get poluted with abusive thoughts and perverted sayings.

But he wasn't a protector. He was a friend, But sometimes..

A friend is all you need.

He hugged her back, ignoring how awkward it was earlier between them; then he looked at her and titled his head.

'He would become closer to her, That was his goal.'

Because..

She truly was his Best Friend..