TITLE: My Favorite
AUTHOR: Dreiser
EMAIL: dreiser3@yahoo.com
WEBSITE: http://www.dreiser.net/  
CONTENT: F/F romance. Tomoko/Miyabi
SUMMARY: After the talent show Miyabi confronts Tomoko about her phone call
and Tomoko must explain again to Miyabi exactly why she's her favorite.
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but my massive debt after finally graduating
college.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: GTO rules in all ways. The manga is fantastic and the anime is
spectacular and after reading/watching the storyline dealing with Tomoko and
Miyabi I just had to write a fic for them. They're such a couple.


My Favorite

By: Dreiser

For as long as Miyabi could remember she had been popular. It was a part 
and a parcel of her life, just like the height of her body or the color of 
her hair. She accepted it and never thought much about it. People liked her 
and wanted to be her friend, that was that. She never considered the why 
and how of the matter.

Until that phone call.

That one meaningless, stupid, and random phone call. Why should it change
everything so much? What did she care if she was Tomoko's favorite person
anyway? She didn't need clumsy and slow but at the same time unbelievably
gentle and sweet Tomoko. So what if she was her oldest friend? The one person
who probably knew her best, her family included. She didn't need her, she was
popular after all. Everyone in school wanted to be her friend.

And yet the phone call remained. Always lurking in the back of her mind. The
sound of Tomoko's voice, echoing softly, speaking of how she had never left.
How she would stay with her until the end. That she was her favorite not
because of the reasons the others liked her. Not because she was cool or her
parents had money but something that she hadn't mentioned. Something she
couldn't say in that phone call.

Something that haunted Miyabi endlessly. It shouldn't though. She knew she
shouldn't care about Tomoko. God, she tried to not care about Tomoko. When
they had gotten to Junior High their friendship had still been intact. That
was before Miyabi learned to subtly care what others thought of her. To care
but act like she really didn't. Because caring what others thought about you
wasn't cool at all.

Miyabi, like all the arriving students, wanted to be cool more than anything.
She longed for acceptance within her new ranks and it didn't escape her that
Tomoko was holding her back. The others admired her, liked her, but they
couldn't understand what she saw in Tomoko and told her that repeatedly.

They told her so often that eventually Miyabi herself forgot why she was
friends with Tomoko and when that happened they truly ceased to be friends.
Tomoko realized it herself but as much as it hurt she still wanted to be 
with Miyabi and so she put up with the shabby treatment. She let herself be
ordered around like a servant by her former best friend who had suddenly 
turned into a stranger.

Why had she done it?

Did it matter so much what the other kids thought of her? Did she let their
praise go to her head along with their insults against Tomoko? Or did she
simply lose sight of what really was the most important... the most real thing
in her life?

And was there any possible way could she fix it?

She didn't know but somehow, Miyabi felt drawn to try. That's why she stood
outside Tomoko's family restaurant, staring up at the sign and trying to raise
her courage to step inside. She knew what would await her... happy greetings and
compliments from Tomoko's family while they insulted the other girl.

Once it had disgusted her. The cruel treatment of their child and merciless
lack of understanding for her small faults. To be honest, it still disgusted
her. Perhaps even more because she treated Tomoko just as badly, if not more.

But when she pushed the door open and walked inside, she found the restaurant
bustling with activity as always but this time Tomoko was sitting quietly at
the front counter, studying what looked to be a script and eating a bowl of
ramen. The noise didn't appear to bother her and she remained focused.

Until her father shouted a loud greeting to Miyabi. Then she saw the script
slip between slim fingers that shook ever so slightly before Tomoko turned
slowly in her seat to look her in the eyes. And as she looked, Miyabi saw the
confusion lurking in that light brown gaze. The confusion and the happiness.

Even now Tomoko cared for her. It was truly baffling. What in the world had
she ever done to deserve such devotion of feeling? Surely she had defaulted on
all of that with her horrible actions involving the other girl. Despite that 
thought, the driving force behind her visit, Tomoko's phone call, rose up
once more in her mind.

Whatever feelings Tomoko had for her now, Miyabi wanted to know what they
were. No more guessing, no more dancing around the issue, she wanted to know
what was in the other girl's heart and once she knew...

She would finally make a decision.

The walk over to Tomoko had to be the longest moment in her life thus far. 
As she moved, she kept her eyes locked with Tomoko's, never wavering and trying
to read the reactions on her face. To get some hint of what was to come so
maybe, just maybe, she could stop the rapid beat of her heart and still her
nerves.

"Tomoko," she said as she reached her destination, averting her gaze from the
girl in front of her, unable to bear looking at her sweet features any longer,
"can we talk?"

Silence washed over them despite the hustle and bustle of the family
restaurant. If the walk had been endless then now Miyabi was in a virtual
vortex of missing time. Why was this so hard? Perhaps because of the severity
of her actions... the depth of just how wrong they were. The worst you were,
the harder it was to apologize.

"Of course, Miyabi-chan," said Tomoko finally, her voice soft, almost
apologetic in her use of the childhood nickname but unable to stop herself from
saying it in time. "Come on," she went on, standing up now, "we'll go to my room." 
Leaning over the counter, a smile played on her lips as she shouted loudly, "Papa? 
I'm going to my room! Miyabi-chan wants to talk with me, okay? I'll help close
later though!"

Returning from the depths of the kitchen, Tomoko's father arrived, wiping his
hands on a towel and grinning widely. "Don't worry about that," he insisted, a
look of pride on his features as he gazed at his daughter. The expression took
Miyabi by surprise. It was something that she had never seen before in regards
to Tomoko's family. "You just study that script of yours, huh? After all," he 
chuckled, "I want to see my little girl become a star."

"You're silly, Papa," laughed Tomoko, smiling as she picked up her script.

"Just remember to buy your mother and me a fancy house some day!" her father
shouted out before returning to his tasks.

Miyabi trailed after Tomoko, in vague shock about the change in her family.
Things had improved that much? All because of one little audition? Because of
Onizuka? She had tried for years to get Tomoko's family to appreciate her and
all it took was a stupid audition and some small time attention from the
local entertainment community?

Quite suddenly, Miyabi felt sick to her stomach.

As if sensing her mood change, Tomoko turned to face Miyabi, sadness covering
her pretty features as she leaned back against her bedroom door, closing it
with a click. "I think they're more excited about my new career than I am," she
confessed quietly. "My brother said it's perfect for me, that actresses aren't
supposed to be bright. They just have to look pretty and smile." Pausing for a
moment, Tomoko looked off to one side, her long hair masking her face as she
gave a short laugh. "Even I can do that."

"Are things better though?" Miyabi felt herself drawn to ask. She just had to
know, to have some assurance that things were in fact better for Tomoko. It
simply wasn't right for someone as kind as her to suffer as much as she did.

"Yes," Tomoko replied, tilting her head and smiling at Miyabi, "much better."
Shaking her head, she laughed again and ran her fingers through her hair as
she crossed the room and sat on her bed. Miyabi watched as she moved around
until she was sitting cross legged, a position she knew to be Tomoko's favorite. 
"It makes me sort of sad that they only care because other people say I'm good 
at something but..." She sighed and murmured, "Oh well. It doesn't matter. At 
least I can finally say I'm good at something now."

"You were always good at something, Tomoko," said Miyabi in quiet but forceful
tones that caused the other girl to lift her head and look at her. Taking a
slow step towards the bed, she continued, "You were always a good friend.
Always. Even when I was so horrible to you..." Unable to look at Tomoko as she
felt her throat tighten and a wave of guilt wash over her, Miyabi said
hoarsely, "You stayed with me until I said not to."

Tomoko was silent for a moment then she asked with guileless honesty, "Why 
did you send me away, Miyabi-chan?"

"I don't know," said Miyabi, frustrated and ashamed with herself. She released
a shuddering breath then began pacing back and forth, careful of the scattered
action figures all over Tomoko's room. Several of which she herself had given
to the other girl when she discovered her collection. "I just... I guess I just
wanted to be popular. I wanted the others to like me and everyone kept teasing
me for being friends with you. After awhile I somehow forgot why you were such
a good friend and I..."

"You told me to go away," Tomoko finished solemnly for her.

Wincing at the brutality of the words, Miyabi nodded her head. "I'm sorry,"
she whispered in husky tones, her black hair hanging low on her features, "I
never should have listened to them, Tomoko. You're the only one who probably
even cares about me, you know? The others just like me because of who they
think I am or because my parents have money and I dress nice. I don't know... I
don't know why they like me. I don't know why you like me. I'm..." Trailing off
as she felt the emotion overcome her, Miyabi released a choked sob. "I'm a
terrible person."

There was only the sound of rustling bed sheets and then Miyabi felt
Tomoko's arms, strong but soft and always so gentle, surround her and hold her
close while she rested her chin on Miyabi's shoulder. Sighing at the feeling,
she relaxed into the other girl's arms. They used to do this all the time.
Hold each other when they were feeling bad or when things just seemed
hopeless. Just holding until it somehow got better.

"You're not terrible, Miyabi-chan," Tomoko murmured in her ear, her breath
softly whispering across Miyabi's skin, causing the other girl to shiver at the
feeling. "You could never be a terrible person. Because you're my favorite."

"Why?" asked Miyabi, altogether tormented by this statement. How could she
possibly be Tomoko's favorite after everything she had done? She knew she didn't
deserve to be, so how could it be true? "Why would you feel that way after how
I've treated you?"

Mulling over the question, Tomoko released a huff of air that blew Miyabi's
black locks forward and she watched entranced as the silky strands landed on
her nose, tickling it and making her laugh. Feeling those soft laughs shaking
her body, Miyabi smiled and waited for the answer, confident that eventually
it would come and fearing the outcome she knew somehow would arrive. That
Tomoko would finally realize she wasn't worth it. That she didn't deserve to
be anyone's favorite. Especially hers.

"I don't know," said Tomoko finally, her hands tracing up from Miyabi's waist
and onto the sides of her body, causing the other girl to tremble in her grasp.
Stopping on her shoulders, she gently turned Miyabi around, looking into her
fearful expression and soothing it with a gentle touch, pushing long hair away 
from her face. "I just do. You were the first person to be nice to me, Miyabi-chan. 
The first to want to be my friend, the first to listen to what I had to say, and
the first to not laugh at what I did say. I'll never be able to forget that." 
Smiling softly, she cupped Miyabi's cheek. "Never."

"Maybe you should," said Miyabi shakily, unnerved by the strength of Tomoko's
feelings for her and suddenly feeling quite scared. "I'll only hurt you again."

Looking long and hard into Miyabi's eyes, Tomoko smiled and shook her head.
"No you won't," she murmured with a soft confidence. "You've learned your
lesson and so have I. Even if you are my favorite I would never let you treat
me that way again, Miyabi-chan. No matter how much I love you."

"Tomoko," said Miyabi breathlessly, "I..."

"Shh," Tomoko whispered, pressing her hands gently on Miyabi's waist, pulling
the other girl up and against her until her hands rested softly on her back,
rubbing it in soothing circles as she held her close. Rocking her to and fro
as the sobs shook her body, everything in her actions a calming influence.
"It's all right. I promise."

Miyabi didn't know how long she cried but when she finally pulled away, her
eyes were red and her throat was sore and she felt suddenly embarrassed by her
uncharacteristic display of emotion. But that all went away when Tomoko gently 
wiped her thumbs across tear streaked features as she wore an expression
of quiet understanding.

"This is why you're my favorite," said Tomoko softly, so softly that Miyabi
had to strain to hear her. "Because even though you're everything I said you
were, dependable, confident, brave, and smart, you never really let it go to
your head. You're still my little Miyabi-chan inside who sometimes needs to 
be held as much as I do."

Smiling weakly, Miyabi eventually arched an eyebrow, her voice hoarse as she 
said, "Little?"

"Well," Tomoko formed a mischevious expression as she looked from her ample
breasts to her friend's. "I am a lot bigger than you now."

Narrowing her eyes as Tomoko continued to smile larger and larger at her,
Miyabi pounced at the other girl, hands reaching out as she cried, "That's it!"

A shriek rose up in the air as Tomoko dodged Miyabi's seeking fingers until
they both landed, tumbled together on her bed, Tomoko valiantly trying to
avoid Miyabi's tickling and failing horribly in her attempt. But Tomoko gave
as good as she got and soon they were both tangled in an embrace of sorts as
they laughed in each others arms.

Their laughter dying down, Miyabi smiled and hugged Tomoko to her as her
friend rested on top of her lightly. They remained that way for countless
moments until Tomoko pulled back, gazing down into Miyabi's features and
smiling. Studying Tomoko with an earnest gaze, Miyabi pushed her friend's hair
over her shoulder, only to have her hand trace up to Tomoko's face and over
full lips to feel their texture.

"Tomoko," said Miyabi quietly, looking up into wide brown eyes that always
looked at her so lovingly, "you're my favorite too. You always have been."

There was a cry of surprise, a hint of tears, and then an overwhelming burst
of happiness as Tomoko leaned down towards her, resting her body fully on top
of Miyabi's as she met their lips in a kiss.

It was tender and hesitant at first, pressing against one another softly, 
as if afraid the moment would disappear entirely, that it was some sort of 
dream and any minute now they would wake up and be back where they once were.
Seperated by a sea of teenage confusion and the game of popularity that had 
been thrust upon them.

But they didn't wake up and their kisses grew more and more confident, until
Tomoko gently pressed her tongue past Miyabi's lips, drunk from the heat of
her mouth and wanting more than anything to taste the person who she cared for
most. She tasted and she tasted again and as she did Tomoko knew she would 
never have enough of this.

No matter what happened in the future, if her acting career didn't 
pan out, if her family went back to hating her, if she got unpopular again at
school, none of that really mattered. As long as she had Miyabi with her
everything would be all right.

Because whenever she was with her favorite the world became perfect and
strangely enough, so did she.

-End-