Disclaimer: No profit is being made whatsoever for this fanfic since Noragami belongs to Adachitoka. If I had it my way, Yato, Yukine and Hiyori would be mine.
A/N: I recently watched Noragami's dub and became obsessed with Yatori. Unfortunately, I don't know a decent manga website so I can't keep up to date with the manga. So consider this an AU fanfic. I hope you R & R and/or drop some constructive criticism - I don't tolerate flaming.
Catalyst
Chapter 1: Storm
The city's streets were bustling with human activity. Buses and cars drove up and down; pedestrians were maneuvering the sidewalks gracefully. Some were walking home, others were entering restaurants and stores along the gray concrete.
Only two people stood rooted to where they were in the sea of humans. Or rather, two anthropomorphic beings stood rooted to where they were. One was a young adult with raven hair and lurid electric blue eyes. The other was a blonde adolescent with eyes the same shade as the sunset. Their names were Yato and Yukine.
"Are you sure that Hiyori wanted this, Yukine?" Yato asked, glancing at Yukine.
Yukine arched his thin eyebrows, stoic. "I said yes like three times already," he grumbled, wondering if his master was hard of hearing or just a plain moron at times.
"I'm not a moron!" Yato wheeled around and gestured at the glass window to a boutique shop; lavender and hot pink drapings surrounded a mannequin that was fitted with a flowing white sundress, delicate circlets of brass decorating its biceps.
In spite of himself, Yato began to imagine Hiyori wearing the simple dress, with a matching translucent ribbon that tied her long brown hair into a ponytail. I have to admit she'd look amazing in that. Just the mere fantasy made Yato's ivory cheeks turn bright pink.
Yukine sighed. He had half a mind to turn Yato around and smack him, but decided against it. "Not the dress," he said, although he couldn't help picturing Hiyori in the dress as well. Before he realized it, Yato had pirouetted around, shaking dramatically.
"Would you control yourself?" Yato cried.
"It's not like you weren't thinking the same thing," Yukine mumbled, flushing slightly.
Yato made a face; he treasured his Blessed Vessel, but sometimes got annoyed with his naughty thoughts and loud fantasies of women - especially when it regarded Hiyori. Then again, Yukine passed away in his adolescence so Yato couldn't fault him for behaving in this way.
Yukine waltzed over to the boutique display window and gestured at a magenta box propped against the mannequin, shrouded in black velvet. A shimmering white gold necklace lay atop the velvety surface, adorned with a pair of wings studded with baby pink sapphires (the same color as Hiyori's eyes). Yukine craned his neck, staring fully at the god. In one fluid motion, the blonde illustrated the shape of the necklace Hiyori liked.
I really shouldn't have brought him here, Yukine thought. But Hiyori's birthday's around the corner and Yato wanted to know what she liked. Besides, her family's rich enough to afford the darned necklace! Even so, Yukine remembered Hiyori peering into that very same shop, her honest gaze ablaze with desire once she set eyes on that piece of jewellry.
Yato produced his sake bottle that was full to the brim with yen coins he had collected over the years. These coins were infused with his hopes and dreams - old and new. He recalled the day when it became public knowledge that Yukine had achieved Blessed Vessel status and when the other deities tried to tempt Yato and Yukine with countless yen bills. These jewels are genuine so this necklace isn't going to be cheap. We're talking . . .
"'10000 yen,'" Yukine read.
Yato almost dropped his sake bottle out of shock. Once he recovered, skepticism settled inside the deity - surely Yukine misread the price. There was no way a necklace such as that cost 10000 yen!
Yato leaned forward, pressing one palm against the thick sheet of glass; there was a small sign standing upright next to the box and sure enough, it was 10000 yen.
Eyes brimming with tears, Yato dropped his gaze to his substitute piggy bank, shaking it to and fro. Hiyori deserves something nice . . . but what about my shrine? I won't be . . . No, Hiyori! Shrine! Hiyori! Hiyori's birthday! An irate Yato grasped tufts of his hair, frustrated that he was torn between indecision. He wanted to save his yen coins for his future shrine albeit desired to spend some on Hiyori's surprise present (which he believed she would refuse if he attempted to purchase it in front of her).
"We should find something else," Yukine suggested.
"She deserves something as pretty as this, Yukine!" Yato exclaimed; he was enticed with spending his savings on that beautiful piece of jewellry and presenting it to Hiyori. If Yukine said that she liked it, Yato had no doubt she would be ecstatic yet try to be appear as if she wasn't.
"It's too expensive," Yukine pointed out, "and I'm not going to risk blighting you."
The thought of shoplifting was not an option for Yukine. As his face darkened, he remembered that his sins had almost killed Yato, and that was not an incident Yukine planned to repeat ever again.
"Do you know what they say about diamonds?" Yato insisted. "They're a girl's best friend!"
"They're sapphires," Yukine corrected the minor god. "Maybe we should look for something a bit more meaningful." When Yato didn't budge from the window, Yukine kicked him in the shin, hoping that would elicit a reaction.
Yato grunted, his hand grasping his shin. "Couldn't you have kicked me a little more softly?" he whined, turning to look at his Blessed Vessel.
Yukine hung his head; he didn't kick the god that hard. As he listened to the god complaining nonstop, he caught a glimpse of a slight brunette - a very familiar slight brunette.
Hiyori was within their line of vision. However, she wasn't looking at Yukine and Yato: Hiyori faced them with her back, her attention set upon the male before her.
Yukine recognized the male in question - it was the same teenager who Yato assisted with his bullying predicament. He appeared to be shy and at a loss for words, sheepish even.
Is he confessing to her? Yukine thought, feeling apprehensive.
He had an inexplicable urge to run away from Yato, which struck him as odd; Yato seldom showed his extreme side.
However he made the mistake of scrutinizing his master: Yato's face was blank, his eyes were dilated in a way that strongly reminded Yukine of cats and his mouth was taut. The aspiring God of Fortune's hand held his crystalline bottle so tightly Yukine thought it would shatter due to the pressure Yato was exerting on it.
As Yato narrowed his eyes, Yukine felt a sudden chill go up his spine. It was as if a sudden storm had come in and devoured the azure sky, bestowing the nation of Japan with the cloak of darkness. It suddenly dawned on Yukine where the expression if looks could kill came from; Yato's countenance looked as if he were ready to kill.
Literally.
A/N: I'm sorry that this was terribly short. I wish I knew more about how Yato resolved the name conflict with Yukine. *needs to find Noragami manga* I honestly hope that I kept Yato and Yukine in character and thank you for reading!
Yato: You're going to stop here, ExaltedLight?
ExaltedLight: Because you'll ruin the moment if you barge in right now.
Yato: Awww come on! Hiyori's going to forget about me if she's paired off with him.
ExaltedLight (hits Yato with a fan): She promised she wouldn't forget about you, remember?
(Yato collapses dramatically)
Yukine: What was that guy's name again?
Yato: Who cares? He's going to take Hiyori away from us!
Yukine: Something tells me that you're more worried that he'll take her away from you.
(Yato freezes)
ExaltedLight: Never mind about that. Just wait until the next chapter.
Yato: I can't!
ExaltedLight: You can and you will!