"Yukine, you sure did turn out to be a great regalia! That phantom back there stood no chance!" Yato said in a bragging manner. The god's ice blue eyes were sparkling with excitement, he was practically skipping back to Kofuku's place.

Yukine walked along side his master with his hands in his pocket. He hesitated and then replied "You almost got seriously hurt back there. What happened?" the teen boy sounded worried.

"Tis nothing...I hesitated that's all." Yato spoke softly, his mood changing entirely. "It's just a scratch" he said as he wrapped up the wound on his hand.

The two of them reached Kofuku's place. Yato kicked off his boots and sat beside the table. He fished out his cellphone, hoping for a text from Hiyori. Nothing yet- he sighs.

"What's wrong Yatty?" Kofuku said in a cheery voice. Her pink curly hair was wet, like she had just come out the shower. You can hear Daikoku fumbling with stuff in the other room.

"I dunno- Hiyori hasn't even contacted me all day today. I've texted her a thousand times now." He said in a gloomy matter. It has been 24 hours since she last spoke to him. Hiyori has made it a point to check in everyday, so that Yato didn't have to worry about her forgetting about them.

Kofuku's eyes narrowed, "Well jeez, I would avoid you too, crazy stalker." it was obvious she was joking, but the remark was as sharp as a blade. She quickly changed the subject. "Daikoku and I are going out of town, I know this is a last minute decision, but we kinda need this too." When she finished her sentence, Daikoku entered the room dressed in formal attire.

"Hey, looking sharp there!" Yukine joined in.

"Yeah, I thought it would be nice if we had a little personal time too." Daikoku held out his hand to Kofuku, who took it almost immediately. "So long as she doesn't ruin anything." he said amusingly. Kofuku is a goddess of poverty. She has a tendancy of causing a lot of destruction in a very little amount of time. Daikoku, her regalia, has never left her side despite such troubles.

Kofuku's phone rang. She picked it up cheerfully "Hiyorinnnnnn!" she squeeled. Yato's jaw dropped, clearly jealous of the matter. "uhh-huh! See ya soon!" her voice beamed. She hung up and continued to speak "Hiyori is gonna stay over this weekend to make sure you two don't burn the house down" she chuckled. Daikoku gave a stern look to the boys.

"She calls you but ignores me!? What'd I do?!" Yato said, sounding hopeless. Giving up, he grabbed a beer from the fridge.

"Hiyori is seriously gonna stay with us? This is awesome!" Yukine said sounding really excited. "This time she won't lecture me on my homework"

"I don't think we require a babysitter" Yato chimed in. He sounded very bitter. With a pouty face, he sat back down, popping the beer can open.

"Nonsense! You know you want alone time with Hiyori! This is the perfect opportunity to give you that!" When Kofuku said this, Yato's cheeks flushed. He tried to ignore the statement and fooled around on his phone, trying to look busy.

"When she gets here, we should get going. I have a reservation set up for the two of us." Daikoku's voice booming from another room again. He entered with luggage packed up for the two of them.

"You guys seriously leaving?" Yato said in surprise. The god and his regalia practically lived with them. It isn't often that they end up having the house to themselves though.

"Shoot, I should go get dressed then." Kofuku disappeared into another room. The room fell silent for some time.

Finally, the silence was broken. Hiyori appeared in the doorway. Her hair was tied up and she was still in her school uniform.

"Hi guys" she greeted warmly.

Yato's eyes fixated on her immediately. He missed her dearly, but tried not to look desparate. "Yo" was all he said. He was drawing something in a notebook now.

"Hey Hiyori!" Yukine spoke to her. "You should have seen the phantom Yato and I took down today! Although the idiot almost got us both hurt." Despite that statement, Yukine sounded cheerful.

Hiyori couldn't help but to smile. She really missed them both a lot, although she had a chance to see them here and there. They used to spend a lot more time together. She gave Yukine a big hug. His face lit up and he let out a huge smile. She made her way towards Yato, who still was trying to look busy.

"Yato, I read all your texts. Forgive me for the lack of response...I had so much to do in school today." She sounded sweet and innocent, a sound he couldn't just ignore. His pale blue eyes met hers creating a spark between the two. She could see that he was worried.

"Ah, it's alright." His voice sounded much lighter. "Look what I made!" he held out the drawing. It was a drawing of Hiyori, dressed in royalty. "I made you as a goddess he heee" he gloated. Her face flushed as she studied the drawing.

"It's really good, Yato."

Without warning, Kofuku lunged herself at Hiyori causing the two of them crashed to the ground. "I'm so glad you came on such short notice! You're really helping us out, ya know!" her voice was melodic. Her pink hair was dry now and she was dressed in a flower patterned dressed, which matched Daikoku's attire perfectly.

"It's no problem! You two look great!"

After catching up briefly, Kofuku and Daikoku were getting ready to leave.

"I put extra blankets over here, and help yourself to anything you want! Oh..." Kofuku said with a serious look on her face " and don't you two do anything naughty while we are away!" She was referring to Yato and Hiyori, which made them both red at the face. On that note, they left and the room fell silent once again.

"So, how was school?" Yukine finally asked. Yato was not drawing anymore. He spun his beer can out of boredom, eyes avoiding the rest of the room.

"Kinda stressful, high school has way more work than middle school did." She replied, taking off her uniform jacket. She continued to speak, "how did phantom hunting go?" Trying to coax Yato to join in the conversation.

"No match for me!" Yukine blurted out with enthusiasm.

Hiyori smiled and looked over at Yato. Realizing that he was giving her the cold shoulder, she wasn't going to feed into his behavior. "Yato sure is lucky to have a regalia like you, Yukine" she smiled again softly.

The conversation was interrupted by a phone call. Yato answered "delivery god at your service" but the tone in his voice made it sound lazy. He looked annoyed and handed over the phone to Yukine. "For you" was all he said.

"This is Yukine" and then there was a pause. "Oh! Kazuma what's up!" He then laughed at the phone. "Yeah let me see if that's alright with Yato." He put the phone on hold and spoke nervously. "So, Yato... Kazuma is having a little shin dig right now, mind if I stop by? It's getting late so I wont be long...oh and he said Yato god is not allowed." He chuckled but it only made Yato more irritated.

Yato replied with a "whatever" and got up for another beer. Hiyori was already getting sick of his attitude. Her pink eyes peered over to Yukine who was finishing up on the phone. He ended the call, and said "ha I hope Yato isn't mad... it's nothing personal just a regalia exclusive thing. You gonna be alright with him? He seems pissy."

Hiyori was a bit embarrassed. She wasn't expecting to be alone with Yato so soon. "Yeah... it's alright" she said nervously. "Go have some fun, Yukine!"

The boy shot up in a hurry and collected himself. His blonde hair complimented the yellow shirt he was wearing very well, and to Hiyori, he almost looked more grown somehow. He gave her a quick hug goodbye "I'll be home in a bit!" And raced over to Bishamon's place.

Not long after, the god returned with two other beers. He must be in a bad mood, she thought to herself. She tried to cheer him up in the only way she knew how " Yato, I missed you a lot you know."

He looked at her with one eyebrow raised. "Did ya now? Seems to me you're too busy" his words sounded cold. He took a sip of beer waiting for her reply. Her hand reached out towards Yato, but all she did was grab the second beer from him. She fumbled to open the top like an amateur.

"Well, yeahh...ermm... I mean not like that...but youu know... we haven't had much time to spend together." She tried to make it sound casual.

Hiyori tried to take a sip of the beverage; It was fizzy and had a bitter taste.
"What are you doing?" He managed to say.

"School has been...well... a lot. I thought it would be fine to, you know relax " she tried not to panic. Not even she could admit why she attempted to drink. Keeping her cool, she took another sip.

Watching her every move, Yato also took a sip. "S-so, your parents cool with you just not being home all weekend? You know you didn't have to do this. We'll be fine."

"You don't want me here?" Her voice sounded too high, even for her. Don't panic she thought.

"It's not that..." he murmured.

"I just told them I'm having a sleep over with the girls this weekend" at this point she sounded back to normal.

"Whaaaa! They don't know you're staying over at a guy's house?"

"DONT MAKE IT SOUND CREEPY YOU PERVERT!" without thinking, Hiyori chucked her can at his head. Beer fizzled all over the place and he was left holding a bump on his head.

"Sorry Yato" she went to grab a rag to clean the mess up. "It's no big deal though, right? You guys are my best friends." When she said that, his aura felt gloomy again.

"That's right..." he mumbled.

She held her hand to his head. He had a bump, but he'll be fine. His hair was a midnight purple color under the light, his eyes a piercing blue. She noticed he wasn't wearing his scarf currently. Her hands moved faster than her brain- her hand fell lower and she stroked his cheek.
With the lightest blush, he managed to squeak out "what are you doing...Hiyori..."

Heat rushed her face as she realized this was awkward. She removed her hand and tried to make him forget that happened. "I...uh... I have to take a bath still. I only stopped home for a minute to grab my bag... didn't want to miss Kofuku and Daikoku leaving... do you mind running the water? Since... I'm your guest and all"

Yato tried to contain himself. Hiyori expected him to verbalize a bunch of pervy comments as usual, but he kept his mouth shut. He did exactly what she requested. Yato seems so weird today.

It took a moment, but the bath was cool and he even put bubbles in there. She helped herself to the room and was in there for a good amount of time. Yato took initiative to contact Yukine. He missed a text, saying he wont be home after all. Yato sighed and stretched out on the ground, his hands rested behind his head for support. He shut his eyes for a brief amount of time.

Hiyori waltzed back into the room, noticing Yato must have dozed off. She wore an oversized shirt and pink track pants, her hair was still wet and beads of water dripped off the ends.

She loomed over the god, to really see if he was asleep. He smells so nice she thought to herself. He looked so peaceful here.

Before she knew it, Yato's eyes snapped open.

"Feeling better?" He said softly.

"S-sorry...yeah that bath was really nice"

Hiyori quickly drew space between them. Yato sat up with one smooth glide. "Yukine is staying at Bishamon's place tonight. Little bastard..."

Hiyori frowned. "Don't be mean Yato...Yukine deserves to have time with friends. Let him be his age." She said, picking up the beer she threw at Yato from earlier, which still half full of liquid. She tried to sip it casually again but by now it was warm. Yato could notice that based off her facial expression. He laughed, the sound ringing in her ears. This made her stomach tighten.

"You should leave the drinking to the professionals" he took her can and finished it, giving her a new cold can in the process.

"Thank you..." she muttered. She popped this one open and swallowed her pride, drinking the entire can in one fluid motion. Yato's jaw dropped.

"Holy hell" his eyes had hearts in them "you surprise me every day Hiyori. You challenging me to a drinking contest?" His face was smug.

"Not at all...you drink way too much for me to stand a chance" she said firmly.

"So, what's the occasion? Seems like you're trying to forget something" Yato was trying to pry.
Hiyori sighed... she wanted to be honest with him. She was feeling troubled with school lately.

The beer must have hit her quickly, because she was feeling very honest with herself. She chose her words carefully "well as you know, I'm in my first year of high school...us freshmen have a uh... well a dance. They do it every year...it's the harvest festival." She glanced at him while speaking, noticing he was very interested in her story. "Well a guy asked me to go... and I didn't think of it til now but if I do go I am supposed to have a partner." Her words were shakey.

"A GUY? WHO THE HELL DOES HE THINK HE IS!" Yato bursted out. Just the reaction she'd expected. She was mad now.

"Remember Yato, you're the one who possessed me on my first day in high school..you're the reason so many people look up to me now." she was right, Yato took her body over in a divine possession and made a fool of himself...and her. But in the end, many students looked up to her and thought her to be so cool.

"Yeah... you have a point." he said gloomily. He was pouting now. "So, you going with this guy?"

"No! I rejected politely. I can't just go with a stranger... Ami and Yama-chan are going though...I don't want to go alone but...who do I have to ask?" She sounded hopeless.

"You have me..." Yato said quietly.

She thought about it for a moment. She had never considered Yato going to such an event. The god wasn't very busy besides the side jobs he picks up.

"Do you want to? It's not like anyone will even see you" she said

"They will if I allow them to. You should take me with... I couldn't stand seeing you next to some other guy. A dance is kind of a big deal for school girls like yourself." He said this without making eye contact.

Hiyori blushed at his words. Was he serious? Bringing a god to a dance? Sounds silly. But she also couldn't imagine standing next to anyone else but him.

"Honestly, it is at the end of this week. If you can make it, you can join me." She was trying to not make it sound weird. Yato and Yukine are her closest friends, they've been through a lot together. It wouldn't be as weird as bringing a stranger.

"It's a date then" Yato said, smiling.

A date... she didn't expect those words. At first she hung around the God because he owed her a favor, to return her body back to it's normal state. Now, she hangs around them because she was afraid to forget, she didn't want to forget them. She couldn't imagine not having Yato in her life.

"You should be happy. Why do you look so sad? I'm sorry I am not your expectations but..." he said to her

"It's not that, I'm really happy actually." She hadn't realized that a tear was running down her face. Must have been the booze, it snuck up on her too quickly.

"I'm going to get some air " she said before he could reply. She stepped outside the house...the god followed her. The wind was cool on her pink cheeks, she realized the alcohol made her body warm. She sat outside the front of the home. Yato was like her shadow, following her every step.

He finally spoke again "your hair is still wet. You"ll catch a cold this way..." he said in a tender tone. He came beside her with a towel in his hand. "May I?" his tone was...almost seductive.

Hiyori nodded. She couldn't find any words of reply. The god's mood was generous now, not something he normally is. In fact, Yato is pretty selfish on most days. He began to dry her hair, tugging at portions of it slowly with the towel. When he was finished, he had a brush in his hand and began to brush her hair too. His delicate touch sent shivers down her spine.

"You not wearing a bra, Hiyori?" The question made her spin her head around quick. He spoke again "you're cold heh" and she glanced down at her nipples poking through her shirt. Her only instinct was to uppercut him in the jaw which sent him flying.

"I knew it was too good to be true." She muttered, heated from the remark. She went inside before he could collect himself from the hit.

Back inside the house, she peered at her phone. It was very late. Yato walked in without saying a word, she figured he was mad. Serves him right.

"Well... it's getting late. Been a long day so I'm gonna go to bed." Hiyori said studying Yato's reaction. He didn't say a word still. Moody much? She gave up and collected the blankets that Kofuku set aside for her and went upstairs. She decided that it would be okay to sleep in the room that Yukine and Yato stays in, if anything the jerk can sleep downstairs, she thought to herself.

She settled under the covers and spent some time thinking before forcing herself to go to sleep. Yato said he would go to the dance with her. She never thought about asking him before, but was glad that he agreed to it. She pulled the covers closer to her. It felt weird being at Kofuku's place this late. She couldn't believe it when she was asked to house sit with the guys. Part of her wondered why she even agreed to it, but she also understood because Yato is insanely irresponsible. Alone with Yato. The thought made her blush. She wondered what he was doing right now. She knew she was here because she wanted to be close with him. The school year was nearing the end and she had been super busy so she was not able to spend as much time with them lately. She didn't think that Yukine would just leave like that, but at the same time she was happy he had a chance to get away from Yato. She liked Bishamon's regalia. She liked all of the people she's met because of Yato. Her thoughts were whirling in her head but finally, she shut her eyes and fell fast asleep.

A dream: it was dark and rainy. Yato was in front of her, but in the dream she hardly recognized him. He held Sekki in his hands, his body covered in blood. She reached out to him but he vanished. He was a god of calamity.

The scenery changed before her in an instant. It was a mirror in front of her. She stepped in view, looking into the mirror. She appeared older, somehow...an adult. Yato god was behind her, his words were cold "see I knew you would forget" he said to her. She turned to reach for him and he disappeared into dust. "Yato!" She screamed over and over.

Her eyes snapped open to the scent she loved so much. It was Yato; his eyes still bright blue in the dark room.

"You were screaming, so I came to check on you. Seems like you had a bad dream. If you need me, I'll be sleeping downstairs." He tried to move away from her but she grabbed a hold of him too quickly and pulled him down to her. Her arms slung around his neck and tears streamed down her face.

"Yato! Please don't leave me..."

His body was tense at first but slowly he eased to her embrace. She buried her face into his neck and weeped.

"It's alright...it was only a dream" he tried to comfort her. She continued to cry and he wrapped his arms around her, too.

"one day I'll grow old and forget..." she said, sobbing still. Her words were muffled because she hid her face into his chest. He curled his body around her and said "Hiyori, I will never leave your side. You may age, but I will always be here." His words didn't make her feel better.

"That's my point Yato. You have lived for ages and I'm just a silly high school girl. I'll grow old one day and forget. I can't...allow that." She was crying again.

He wiped her tears away and planted a kiss on her nose. The motion made her blush. It's hard to believe such a guy used to kill for a living, when he could be so delicate at times like this.

"I don't care if you forget. I'll always be here to remind you. Besides you forgot me once before, when your memories were stolen. And by yourself, you remembered. It'll be alright, it was just a dream." Yato's words were soothing. The dream showed his nasty past but she knew that he was kindhearted deep down. She could hear his heart beating as her head rested on his chest. She clung to him, fighting back her exhaustion. She slowly slipped back into a deep slumber.

Yato remained awake, gently stroking her long brown hair. "I will always be by your side" he whispered to her in her sleep.

The two of them slept side by side the rest of that night.