Within These Walls

by practicingproductivity

Every day she had written about Yato. Every day until she turns the page and his name is never mentioned again. Why? How? What does the passing of one day really mean? A mere 24 hours and the memory of Yato had dissolved into threads too thin to grasp, yet their unraveling had left an aching void where the memory of him had once been. Yatori. Explicit.

1. Chapter 1

A/N: Written for the Noragami Big Bang 2016. It is much longer than I originally planned, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. As always, constructive criticism is warmly welcome :) Technically, there is a second (smut-filled) chapter, but with the big bang deadline it will be posted in the future. So this first chapter stands alone (per the guidelines), but there is a second one planned. When it is posted, the rating will go up accordingly. Cross-posted on AO3.

...

Hiyori sits at her desk, her journal laid open atop the wooden surface. Its contents have not magically changed since she checked it at Kofuku's. Every day she had written about Yato. Every until she turns the page and his name is never mentioned again. Why? How? What does the passing of one day really mean? A mere 24 hours and the memory of Yato had dissolved into threads too thin to grasp, yet their unraveling had left an aching void where the memory of him had once been.

She thinks she won't be able to forgive herself. She'd nearly broken her promise to Yato. She will never let that happen again, she vows as she clenches a fist. Her nails bite the palm of her hand. But how? She shuts her eyes, willing an idea to come. She remembers how she'd once said to Yato that she'd come visit him every day. True, Yato had been gone, but why had she not thought to once visit Yukine or Daikoku and Kofuku?

Hiyori opens her eyes and her gaze once more falls to the entries laid open before her. Lines filled with words and names, none of them Yato. Somewhat absently, she reaches for her pencil. It's mechanical. She clicks it a few times before tracing graphite across paper in the corner of the page. She thumbs through the next few pages, writing the same thing. She spends the next five minutes or so writing Yato's name on every page. At the top of every page his name will already be there every time she writes an entry - impossible to miss. However, this system does little to bring Hiyori consolation.

Truthfully, she doesn't always remember to write in her journal. She could also travel and forget to bring it. It's not good enough. She rakes her eyes over the desk, not sure what she is looking for until she finds it. In the pencil cup by her right hand protrudes the unmistakable grey butt of a thin-tipped Sharpie. She takes the marker in hand. She forcefully pops the cap off, not pausing to catch it as it rolls onto the floor. The tip is cool against the skin on the inside of the left wrist. It tickles a bit, actually. She takes extra care not to smudge what she's writing. She even blows on it when she's finished.

She pauses to admire her calligraphy - at Yato's name staring up at her, written horizontally. That will do, she thinks, I can look at it any time.

Hiyori's cell phone starts to buzz aggressively across her desk. She catches it before it reaches the edge. She answeres without checking caller ID.

"Hello?"

"Hiyori-chaaan~"

"Oh, Yama-chan! What's up?" Hiyori finds herself smiling despite her dark thoughts just moments ago.

"You. Me. Ami. Girls night tomorrow night. Be there," said Yama.

"Okay, but where is 'there'?" Hiyori asks.

"Erk!" Yama let out an awkward laugh. "Don't actually know yet."

"If it's all right with you, I don't much feel like going out." Hiyori thinks back to just a day ago, when she had pulled Yato back from the Underworld. "I'm sort of exhausted, you know? We could just have a sleepover here or something, if that's all right with you."

"Yup, fine by me," Yama chirps. "I'll fill Ami in. Say we show up about seven? Order pizza then watch a movie?"

"Sounds good."

Hiyori ends the call and pushes her chair out. She stands, reaching her arms up and giving them a good stretch. She takes a step back and her foot lands on the Sharpie cap. She picks it up and puts it back in its rightful place. Then she turns her attention once more to her wrist. It's a little embarrassing, but Hiyori is satisfied that there's nowhere to keep Yato closer than on her skin. The implications fail to cross her mind. All she knows it that it feels… right.

She changes into her pyjamas, with frequent checks on her Sharpie tattoo. It doesn't appear to be smudging. Good. She settles into bed, hugging her arm close to her chest as she falls asleep.

It only occurs to Hiyori when she wakes up the next morning that it's summer. Summer meaning, how is she going to cover up her little tattoo so Ami and Yama don't start asking questions - even more importantly, so Yato himself doesn't see it. She scurries around her bedroom, looking for ideas, for anything. Inside the drawer of her desk she finds a pink wristwatch. She only realizes after she's fastened it that the strap does not fully cover the kanji. With a small sigh, she adjusts her watch so the clock face is on the inside of the wrist.

"Much better," Hiyori mutters to herself.

There's a little bit of black ink peeking out beneath the clock, but nothing Hiyori can't explain away as an accident while she was writing something for school.

…

Ami and Yama arrive at the same time. Hiyori's parents are both working late and the housekeeper has gone home. So it will just be the three of them. Yama comes equipped with a DVD in her hand that Hiyori doesn't quite catch the title of and Ami is carrying a plastic shopping bag bulging with what Hiyori (correctly) assumes are snacks.

After removing their shoes, the two guests guide themselves into the living room while Hiyori closes the front door behind them. She pauses for a moment, her fingers curled loosely around the cool metal door handle. She allows her shoulders to deflate a little and her head droop forward - a mixture of tiredness and resignation. A part of her wonders why she agreed to have them over. She knows why: she hasn't spent time with them outside of school in a long time as almost all her free time is devoted to Yato and Yukine. She wants to see them and have fun like they did so often in middle school. She can't count this past month, not when so much of their time together was invaded by… him. Hiyori can't even think of his name without a disgusting bitter taste in her mouth.

"Hiyori~ you fall asleep again?" Yama sashays back into the foyer and notices Hiyori is still standing in the entryway. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Hiyori drops her hand to her side. "Just a little tired."

Yama's lips split into a smirk, that sends pins and needles down Hiyori's spine.

"What?" says Hiyori.

Her friend's sadistic glee intensifies at Hiyori's innocent expression.

"You won't be after the movie I'm about to show you."

Hiyori can see her journey toward sleep dissolving into dust before her eyes. She emits an agitated grunt as her face falls into her hands.

"I'm kidding."

"Why don't I believe you?" Hiyori sighs.

"Hey guys, if you don't hurry it up, I'm going to finish all these snacks myself," Ami calls from the living room.

"Don't you dare!" Yama shouts back.

Hiyori looks up to give Yama a resigned look that says "let's get this over with." Yama prances toward the other room, with Hiyori close behind - her gate but a sad shuffle across the wooden flooring.

"Too late, already gone," Ami teases as they cross the threshold.

The pizza is ordered and they chat about school, about their hobbies, about everything and nothing at all.

"Any chance now that we're about to watch it you're going to give us a clue as to what this movie's about?" Ami asks when they are finished eating and have been just talking for the past couple hours.

"No, no." Yama waves away the question with the back of her hand. "Not a chance. This movie is best experienced going in blind."

Ami makes a noise that sounds a lot like disbelief and Hiyori passes her a grimace of solidarity.

"It's not another horror movie, is it?" Ami narrows her eyes Yama. "I didn't sleep a week after the last time you showed a 'surprise' movie."

"Erm." Yama bites her lip and gazes sheepishly up at the ceiling. "Sort of, but it's not scary."

Ami's eyes become narrow slits.

"I promise."

"I am not sitting through another torture porn flick, Yama-chan," says Ami. "I'm drawing a goddamn line at torture porn."

"I second that," Hiyori adds. She's seen so much blood. Yato flashes across her vision, covered in his own blood. He falls into her. The blood sticky and warm. She remembers the congealed bits crumbling away beneath her touch as she stroked his head. She closes her eyes, trying to shut away the memory but it only intensifies - the features of his face barely recognizable beneath the thick layers of blood. The corners of her eyes prickle, she springs them open again. Yama is rolling her eyes.

"It is neither scary nor gross. Would it kill you guys to trust me every now and then?" Yama asks.

"Probably," Ami replies.

"Why don't we just watch and see?" Hiyori suggests, eager to put something in her vision other than Yato's blood, even if it's someone else's blood. At this point she just wants to stop seeing him hurt.

"Thank you, Hiyori." Yama clasps her hand. "I knew I could believe in you."

Hiyori forces an awkward laugh. Truth be told she's just as distrustful as Ami when it comes to Yama's taste in movies.

"I brought popcorn." Ami pulls out a pre-packaged bag and walks over to the microwave.

Meanwhile, Yama pops open the DVD case. It is the first time Hiyori gets a good look at it. It's

familiar, Summer Wars. Huh, that's not a horror movie at all. She can breathe easy. Her relaxation is short-lived however, when she notices the DVD Yama puts in the player has a plain white top with something handwritten in Sharpie on it. The dread begins to build. It's a trap.

The TV begins to display an amateur-made menu. There's no music. While the two girls wait in silence for Ami to return with the popcorn, Hiyori reaches into her pocket and pulls out her cell. She navigates straight to Twitter.

Yato: Everyone went to bed early tonight for some reason. I'm so bored.

Since Hiyori is still Yato's only follower, it may as well be addressed directly to her. She wonders if he meant it that way and briefly considers inviting him over. Surely, if she spoke to him and made his presence known, Ami and Yama would notice him. That is, until they forgot about him the next day… Yato is used to being forgotten, Hiyori knows this, yet the idea that anyone will forget him, pricks her heart like a thorn. Knowing that she almost forgot wedges the thorn in deep.

At the least she can give him a suggestion based on her own evening activity, right?

Hiyo: yato watch a movie?

Yato: hiyo yes we can go right now!

His reply is instant. She doesn't have it in her to tell him no.

Hiyo: yato I have company.

She's aware that he is not the most socially skilled navigator, but she still crosses her proverbial fingers he'll get the hint. If he still shows up anyway, she'll figure out how to deal with the situation then.

"Oooh, texting your boyfriend," Yama coos, her expression cat-like as she throws an arm around her friend's shoulder, trying to get a peek at Hiyori's screen.

"N-no, of course not," Hiyori sputters. "I don't even have a boyfriend."

The microwave door opens then clicks closed. Hiyori tucks the device away, not intending to check it again until after the film.

"Hiyori-chan has a boyfriend?" Ami asks, padding over from the kitchen.

"I don't have a boyfriend," Hiyori repeats. It takes a concerted effort to not think of Yato as she says the word 'boyfriend' and she doesn't know what that means and she doesn't want to think about it.

"Your face says otherwise. You're turning red." Yama pokes Hiyori's cheeks.

"Because you're embarrassing me," Hiyori shoots at her. Then sinking into the couch, "Let's just watch the movie."

"A marvelous idea." Yama's eyes sparkle. She hops over to the TV stand where the remote sits on top of the DVD player.

Ami climbs over the back of the couch, tearing the seal on the popcorn bag as she plops down.

"Is this even legal?" Ami asks, grabbing the first fistful of popcorn.

Yama doesn't answer right away. She turns to face the others, standing in front of the TV like she's giving a presentation, the remote is her pointer.

"It would kind of be hard to watch legally," she finally says.

"Because…?" Ami's brows lift in with the rising upward inflection of the question.

"Hush. Stop asking questions. Just watch." Yama scampers over and joins them on the couch between her two friends.

In big bold words, that are definitely not Japanese, the title fades in and out. Ami says, "Fansub?"

"Yup."

Ami opens her mouth to speak but nothing comes out.

"I don't mind subtitles," Hiyori offers, shrugging.

"Good."

About fifteen minutes in, Ami asks "Is this supposed to be one of those movies that's 'so bad it's good'?"

"Something like that." Yama's grin looks utterly wicked in the flashing blue light of the TV.

In Hiyori's opinion, it's just bad. She sinks even deeper into the sofa cushions. Her eyelids are becoming heavy and the subtitles have begun to blur and have become difficult to read. Her friends seem fairly engrossed, laughing when a line of dialogue is particularly bad, so she sneaks a glance at her phone. Yato had replied to her earlier tweet almost instantly.

Yato: hiyo what kind of company? Is it a boy?

"Is it a boy?" - what a weird question to ask.

Hiyo: yato it's just my two girl friends and we're watching a movie at my house. It's terrible. Supposed to be so bad it's good.

Yato: hiyo what is your opinion on it?

Hiyo: yato I'm too sleepy to have one. But I think it might be just bad. My friends seem to be enjoying it, though.

Yato: hiyo I have to admit, you've made me curious.

Halfway through typing her reply, a masculine voice says beside her, "I need to see this for myself."

Hiyori nearly jumps, only stopping herself by gripping the sides of the cushion she's sitting on. Her head whips around to check on Yama and Ami, neither of whom seem to have noticed Hiyori's third guest. She knits her brow and gives Yato a poorly-lit look of irritation, trying to say "why did you come here?" without alerting her mortal friends.

Perhaps due to the bad lighting, he thinks she is merely confused - or maybe it's just Yato being Yato - but from his perch on the sofa arm, he smiles down at her. A crooked smile where one corner of his mouth is lifted slightly higher than the other, and his eyes are an electric, pulsing blue.

His gaze captures Hiyori's completely, she feels a tug inside her chest. Her throat is being pulled into her throat, a swollen, beating lump. It's suffocating, trying to breathe around it. She hates it when he looks at her like that because it's just so, so… something. She rips away eye contact, delivering her focus back to the movie, invigorated with a sudden desperate need to pay attention to it. Slowly, her heart sinks back into place and she can breathe again, feeling her throat clear and her cheeks cool.

It's not long before sleep is threatening to steal away Hiyori's consciousness again. The subtitles are beginning to blur, and her eyelids are becoming too heavy to keep open.

"Yeah, this movie is pretty bad. I wouldn't blame you for falling asleep. If you want to sleep, Hiyori, you can always lean on me."

Yato's voice startles her, and she catches herself before she jumps. Again. She'd forgotten he was there. Yato chuckles at her surprise. Hiyori shoots him a glare, hoping he can see it clearly enough to get the message without the need for words. With her friends right there, she is unable to fully protest, and it's infuriating. Once more whipping back to the TV, she tries not to think about his offer. She's pretty sure he's just joking, but a part of her also doubts it and the whole idea of using his lap as a pillow is devastatingly embarrassing and definitely not going to happen.

But… he's right there. The kanji beneath her wristwatch sear into her skin. She's got nowhere to lean because on her other side is Yama, and she doesn't think Yama would appreciate being used as a pillow. Ami may not mind, but alas she is not sitting next to Ami. Yet perched on the sofa arm Yato's lap is perfect head-resting height. It would be a lie to say that Hiyori doesn't entertain the thought, but as quick as the foolish thought comes she lets it go. She takes a deep breath, then resolves to sit up straight and stay awake for the rest of the movie.

To her profound relief, Yato bids his farewell after the film credits. Despite his absence her wrist tingles with his name for the rest of the night.

…

Hiyori has dreams that years from now she's graduated college, she's a very successful doctor, and a young man with blazing blue eyes and shaggy black hair shows up at her doorstep wearing a tracksuit. A young boy with blonde hair in his early teens accompanies the man.

"Hey, Hiyori, long time no see," he will say. He'll give her a little wave and a winning smile.

But she will just stare and a,k. "I'm sorry, but who are you?"

And then she will see his grin crack, his entire being shattering to pieces. Sometimes figuratively - his face falls and tears begin to pour down. Other times literally - he will burst into thousands of shards that penetrate her skin like glass. The pieces too tiny to grasp, they prick her and they are forever embedded into her skin. It is her punishment.

Then the boy screams at her, tears in his hazel eyes, "How could you! Look what you've done! You promised him!" And he keeps screaming and screaming "You promised him! You promised us!"

On nights like those she startles awake, slick with sweat and she remembers the dream in explicit detail, remembers what she had forgotten and all she can do is lay awake, her eyes dry and wide until she is too exhausted to remember the moment she falls asleep.

…

"Ugh, why is it so hot?" Yukine groans, resting his face on the cool(er) surface of Kofuku's living room table.

It being a rhetorical question, Yato's only response is to shift from laying on his side, to laying on his back.

"It isn't fair," says Hiyori. "Right now I don't even have a physical body and yet I'm sweating like crazy." Her soul cord makes an involuntary swish in agitation.

Right now the three of them have the place to themselves. Just moments ago there had been five, but amazingly, Kofuku was actually given a wish to grant. So she and Daikoku arre out doing that. Something about a man who had been cheated and wished financial ruin upon the con-artist.

Kofuku's fan rattles ceaselessly, determined to continue its lazy oscillation. Its uneven whirring suggests the appliance is not much longer for this world. With its last breaths it is gently cooling their backs from the corner.

Hiyori twirls a pink mechanical pencil in her hand as her eyes rake the homework she's been assigned, growling inwardly at the cruel irony of doing a thermodynamics worksheet in summer heat that was threatening to melt her. What is thermal equilibrium? When everyone is equally too hot to care about this nonsense right now, Hiyori snarks silently.

With a final gruesome croak, the fan's head stopps shaking from side to side as its blades slowly rattle to a stop. Hiyori sighs. Of course it had to die now, of all times.

"Yukine," says Yato, "Did you trip over the wire and unplug the fan? Go fix it."

"Why is it my fault?" counters Yukine through an incredulous intake of breath. "I haven't even moved!"

"Okay. Sorry for blaming you. Now go fix it."

Yukine grumbles as he rises to his feet. "You can't even see with that damn book over your eyes."

Curiosity pulls Hiyori's head towards Yato, who is wearing an open book over his eyes to shield them from the fluorescent light above their heads. The green binding and title are exceedingly familiar. In a heartbeat she snatches it from atop his nose and clutches it to her chest like a mother cradling her child.

"Hey!" Yato whines. "I was using that."

"Get your face sweat all over someone else's books," says Hiyori, still gripping the paperback. "I like to keep mine clean, thank you very much."

Yato opens his mouth to protest further, but he is interrupted.

"Fan's officially dead. I don't think it can be fixed," Yukine appraises.

"She's needed a new fan for a long time. Can't say I'm surprised she's clung to that hunk of junk, though, god of poverty and all," says Yato.

"She can't help who she is." Hiyori refocused her attention on the equation in front of her.

"I'm not judging. I'm just saying."

"Now what?" Yukine asks. "You don't think she has another one, do you?"

"How the hell should I know?" Yato replies.

"Because you mooch off her all the time. Forget it, I'm going to go look for one."

Shortly after Yukine has departed the room, Hiyori raises her arms victoriously.

"I'm finally finished!" she exclaims

"Congratulations," said Yato drily.

Hiyori, with arms still extended, flops onto her back. Her arms thudding loudly at her sides. Unexpectedly the fingers on one hand brush skin as they landed on the floor. They recoil on contact, and her whole body stiffens. Has Yato's arm been outstretched like that before she fell? Yato makes no obvious indication that he iss particularly aware that they had touched on accident.

Her muscles begin to ease up a little and her fingers uncurl again into a relaxed position. Sometimes Tenjin's warning that she not be involved with Yato and other beings from the far shore, as well as her own mortality plagues her. Her chest aches to dwell on the fact that she didn't actually have forever to be with him, despite her promise. Only Yato has forever. Yato will be granting wishes while Hiyori will turn to ashes.

Unexpectedly she feels his touch again. Slowly, gingerly, Yato slipps his fingers halfway between hers. Such a simple gesture yet it sends Hiyori's heart aflutter – warmth pooling in her chest that crawls its way to her cheeks. It is not a reaction she anticipated. She focuses her gaze on the ceiling. Wow, that light really is bright.

Hiyori can feel his pulse thrumming through his fingers, racing much like her own. With shyness that matches his, she completes the other half of the gesture, fully lacing fingers with him. Yato gives a gentle squeeze, and Hiyori returns it. They are definitely holding hands just because, and Hiyori definitely isn't thinking about how nice it feels.

"Hiyori." Yato says her name, barely more than a whisper.

She tears her eyes from above and settles them on Yato's face. She doesn't know what she thought she would see, but she is slightly taken aback at his expression. His face is burning a shy pink. His vivid blue eyes betray something raw and unguarded and it makes Hiyori's whole body even warmer somehow. A tiny, shy smile plays on his lips – a smile she findsherself beginning to mirror.

Hiyori wonders what this exchange means, but does not get a chance to ponder it further before Yukine returns. She sits up, letting go of Yato when Yukine enters the room.

"They don't have one," Yukine informs them.

"Then what are we going to do to keep cool?" Yato moans.

"I have an idea," Kofuku chirps, hopping over to them, with Daikoku in tow - walking normally, of course.

"How long have you been back?" Hiyori asks.

"We just got back now," says Daikoku.

"Why don't we all go to the beach?" Kofuku clasps her hands together.

"No," Yato and Daikoku protest in unison.

"But, but, if we invite Bisha - and and ever since Capypa Land I've been working reeaally hard on containing my aura. Please. I haven't been in over like two hundred years."

Yato and Daikoku exchange tired glances.

...

The wind is a cool, a salty reprieve from the heat and humidity when it chooses to grace them with such kindness. The waves slide gently over the sand in the near distance. Hiyori is eager to get her feet wet. Just her feet, she reminds herself.

She's wearing a two-piece swimsuit. A rich mauve. Only the top is visible through her open blouse. Around her waist she wears a blue slip with cartoon sea turtles swimming amongst poorly drawn sea weed and cartoon bubbles. It's downright gaudy, but it was the only such "beach skirt" she could find that wasn't see-through. She presses her thighs together unconsciously, tucking her freshly relocated tattoo safely against her skin. There are times when she thinks it's silly that she still does it. But she hasn't forgotten the fear. The vacuous cavity left by Yato's absence that threatened to consume her whole. She vows again today, as she does every day that she will never forget him.

The tall grass tickles her calves, disturbed by Yukine's breezing past her.

"Last one in gets buried in sand!" he hollers as he skims across the sea of sand.

"You're on," Yato shouts back.

He zips in front of Hiyori, his shirt already leaving his hand. The garment blows into Hiyori's face, filling her nostrils with Yato's scent. It's dizzying. Hiyori takes a step forward to rebalance, but she's wearing flip-flops and instantly regrets it. The moment her weight shifts, the tip catches and she careens forward - her arms flailing blindly for assistance. She falls against something solid that catches her, and finally pulls Yato's shirt off her face. She breathes deep, letting the salt air refresh her senses.

"Are you all right, Iki-san?"

Hiyori looks up into her savior's face from beneath the wide brim of her straw hat. The loose weave creates freckles of sunlight on her skin.

"Thank you, Kazuma-san," she says, straightening. "I'm fine."

"Honestly," says Bishamon, "who does he expect to pick up after him?"

Hiyori turns around. Daikoku opens his mouth, ready for a rant, but Bishamon interrupts him.

"It was a rhetorical question." She passes the shinki a small, understanding smile. "I already know the answer to that, but let's focus on the positive today. I haven't enjoyed the ocean in decades."

Daikoku visibly swallows his complaints. He stands solid as rock, as his god hooks her arm around his.

"But having Yukki and Yato-chan around makes every day so lively and fun!" Kofuku says to her shinki.

Daikoku's expression softens, his fondness for their room mates betrayed by but a quirk at the corner of his mouth.

"Why are we still standing here?" asks a small voice in the middle of the group. "Is it not true the last one in will become buried in sand?"

"I believe that is just an expression, young master," answers Kunimi. "I do not believe Yato-san and Yukine-san mean to bury the last person into the water."

"No," Hiyori corrects him in a flat voice, "knowing them, they mean it."

"In that case…" Bishamon begins with her sun dress already halfway over her head. She wordlessly passes it and her tote bag to Kazuma.

"I won't lose!" she cries as she charges forward in a white bikini with black accents.

Hiyori watches from the sidelines, smiling at the way Kazuma is watching Bishamon. She wonders if Bishamon has any idea just how much she means to her exemplar. They'd make such a cute couple.

"Neither will we!" Kofuku shouts.

Abruptly, Hiyori finds her wrist in Kofuku's grasp and she is being pulled forward. In the other hand Kofuku has Ebisu. Hiyori begins tripping helplessly over the thongs of her sandals until she finally decides to abandon them. She throws an apologetic smile in Kazuma's direction. He gives her an understanding smile.

They make it to the water's edge, the tide nibbling at Hiyori's toes, where the sand is firmer and she plants her feet and pulls against Kofuku.

"What about sunscreen?" Hiyori asks grappling at her first delaying tactic.

"Oops." Kofuku giggles.

"Now that I've won the race, I think I'll join you guys in putting on sunscreen," Bishamon gloats as she walks past them.

"Oh, please," Yato scoffs. "Barely." He and Yukine begin walking back up to where Kazuma is setting up their camp.

"You're right," Bishamon concedes then finishes all smugness, "I would have won by a greater margin if I hadn't gotten a late start."

The two gods bicker all the way up from the water.

The beach blanket ripples in the wind, unfurled by the flick of a wrist. The soft shnk of beach parasol as it is staked into the sand. Hiyori and Kazuma strategically start setting down their bags and the cooler on the four corners for the blanket.

Hiyori squats down to pull something out of her tote, squeezing her thighs together as she does so. The others are to her back, but it's reflex - just in case.

"Yukine-kun, make sure you don't forget to do your scalp and ears," Hiyori says, handing him a small tube.

Yukine, slightly embarrassed, takes it with a mumbled "thanks."

"Hiyorin~ you're such a wonderful mom." Kofuku slithers her arms around Hiyori's neck.

Yukine fumbles the sunblock, choking on air.

"I'm too young to be his mother." Hiyori wriggles away from Kofuku's embrace.

Yato appears at her side, hands pressed together - ever hopeful. "Hiyori, I'll get your back for you and you can do mine."

"Ah, no. I'm good," Hiyori replies flatly, grateful she's flexible enough to do it herself. "Do gods even get sunburned?"

Yato's disappoint at her refusal is apparent.

"That's a good question," says Yukine.

Kofuku giggles. "Believe it or not, yes."

"It won't make our skin peel, or cause permanent damage," Yato explains, "but it still hurts. We can also get 'frostbite,' losing circulation to our extremities such that they turn blue and become dead weight. They won't fall off, though."

Ebisu looks up at Kunimi and asks "Will you get my back?"

"Of course, young master."

Between all nine of them, there are only three tubes of sunblock they must share. Hiyori finishes first. She pulls a water from the cooler, pops the cap off, and begins sipping while she waits for the others to finish. Daikoku is doing Kofuku's back, or at least trying to in spite of all her squirming.

"That tickles," she giggles.

"I'm not even touching your," says Daikoku.

"You sure it's rubbed in all the way?" Yukine asks Yato.

"Of course it is! What do you take me for?" Yato scoffs.

Yukine snickers. "You really want me to answer that?"

"You ungrateful little -!"

Hiyori's eyes and ears wander on, finally falling onto Kazuma and Bishamon. Bishamon is sitting quietly, with her knees pulled up to her chest - her head resting on them. Her face is turned in Hiyori's direction, eyes closed. She is totally at peace as Kazuma gently massages the sunblock onto her back. It is completely rubbed in already, but Kazuma's hands are still dancing over his god's skin. It's impossible to tell if Bishamon is aware that his task is done. Kazuma brushes a strand of hair back over her shoulder. His fingertips just graze the back of her neck. Bushamon's soft sighs reveal how she must enjoy his touch

Hiyori watches with captive fascination superimposing herself and Yato onto them. Yato gently kneading his hands into her back. His hands blazing against her skin wherever they make contact. Caressing the outline of her shoulderblades. His thumbs making circles as he travels slowly down, down. A soft pink tinting Yato's complexion as he boldly slips his thumbs just beneath the hem of her swimsuit bottom, making sure he gets all the edges, but lingering just a little longer than strictly necessary before retreating.

A different heat, not from the sun, flows through Hiyori. It pools in her cheeks, in her chest and - She rents her gaze away, washing away such imaginings with the stunning view of ocean.

Before long everyone is done and drifting back toward the waves.

Hiyori sits on the edge of the blanket, sifting sand between her toes. Behind her Kazuma is double-checking that their stuff is seagull-proof.

"You're not going to go into the water, Iki-san?"

Hiyori's toes curl, making little divots to hide them. She slowly uncurls them.

"I could ask the same of you," Hiyori says, keeping her tone light.

"I am content to just watch," says Kazuma.

Hiyori nods, though she doesn't feel quite so content. She thought she'd been clever, placing Yato's name on her inner thigh, above the hem of any shorts or skirts. On her wrist it had been smeared by the sweat that accumulates beneath the wristwatch. Her thigh had seemed like a great idea at the time. It would always be there whenever she bathed or changed and no one else would see it there. Now it's coming back and biting her. She's not concerned about Kazuma, but rather the inevitable demand from Yato and Kofuku that she finally join them.

In that case, perhaps it's best if she's not easy to find. She stands up, brushing herself off. She turns toward Kazuma.

"It's not quite low tide yet, but I'm going to go looking for crabs and stuff," says Hiyori. "Would you like to come, Kazuma-san?"

"I appreciate the offer, but I hope you don't mind if I pass." Kazuma holds up a blue paperback book.

"Not at all. Have a good read, then." Hiyori smiles.

"Good luck finding crabs."

"Thanks.

There's a rock formation at the foot of a cliff some ways off that looks promising. Its slick black spires protrude boldly from the sand. During high tide, she imagines the water engulfing the whole formation, crashing foamy wave after wave against the cliff face. As Hiyori gets closer, one or two of the spires are easily taller than she is. She spies a mussel burrowing itself into moist sand.

Within the formation, there is a small pool cradled in the curve of rock. It houses a handful of urchins. Smaller rocks are littered about on the edges. Hiyori picks up a couple rocks, glancing back over in the direction of her companions. Kazuma is quietly reading his book, completely oblivious to her. Yato and Bishamon are violently slapping ocean water at each other. Ebisu and his shinki are playing shallower water. Daikoku appears to be helping Yukine perfect his body surfing technique.

A bitter, rueful smile clouds Hiyori's features. She dips her feet into the tidal pool. The water level only reaches her ankles. It's better than not going in at all, she concludes. She knows if she tries to wade at all in the actual ocean, Yato will try to drag her in. Then she'll lose her skirt and her secret will be all the world's to see.

"Swimming with everyone would be nice," Hiyori mutters as she steps back out of the small pool.

"Then why don't you join us," a voice says behind her. Hiyori turns. "Hiyoriiin~! I was wondering where you went."

Kofuku engulfs her in a mighty embrace. Hiyori laughs nervously, trying to gently pry Kofuku off her.

"I can't." Hiyori's voice is weak and not as convincing as she'd hoped.

Kofuku pouts and cocks her head to one side. "Why not?"

"U-um…" She mentally kicks herself for not thinking up an excuse ahead of time. She scrambles to create a list of plausible excuses, going through each bullet point one by one. A reason for not wanting to go in, and to explain her hesitation in answering.

Hiyori clears her throat, and turns her eyes away from the woman who still has her in her grasp.

"I-I'm on my p-p-period, see, and um…" her voice cracks.

Kofuku pulls back, holding Hiyori's shoulders at arm length. The goddess sniffs the air once, twice. After the third sniff, Kofuku's expression grows mischievous.

"You're not on your period, Hiyorin," Kofuku coos. "What's the real reason?"

"That is the real reason..." says Hiyori. How can she smell that?

Kofuku hums. It's an evil hum, filled with bad intentions. Hiyori starts to back away. Kofuku lets go of her shoulders, but she's still following. Her fingers wriggle like she's playing an invisible piano, and there's a dark gleam in her eyes.

"Did Hiyorin forget to shave?" Kofuku cackles. She continues to follow Hiyori, step for step as she backs out of the pool.

"N-no, that's not it! I already told you it's because-"

"Let's find out~"

Kofuku lunges forward with her arms outstretched. Her hands reach the waistband of Hiyori's skirt and yank down. The skirt catches against the back of Hiyori's knees. She loses balances and falls onto her back - the hard wet sand does little to cushion the fall. As she falls, Kofuku manages to free her legs completely from the garment. Hiyori flails her arms to regain control but only grasps at air. She feels the thud before she hears it.

Hiyori whips herself into a sitting position, her hand going straight for the name written on the inside of her left thigh but it's too late. Kofuku is kneeling in front of her, with wide eyes. The skirt flutters out of her loose grip. Hiyori seizes the opportunity to snatch it back.

As she's pulling her skirt up, Kofuku says, "Why is Yato-chan's name written there?"

"Ah, um." Hiyori gropes for another suitable lie, because to tell the truth is making her heart constrict and her eyes sting.

"Hoh~" Kofuku puts her hand in front of her mouth, splitting her grin in two. "Hiyorin and Yato-chan were doing something kinky."

"N-no!" Hiyori grows flustered, heat and color rise in her cheeks in equal measure. Her fists quiver. "Yato didn't write his name there." A deep breath. "I did."

Kofuku's hand falls. Her grin is gone as well. "You did? Why?"

Hiyori lowers her head in shame, and to hide the tears welling up at the corners of her eyes. "Promise to keep it a secret. Especially from Yato."

Kofuku nodded vigorously.

"That time when Yato was in the Underworld, and I didn't visit you," Hiyori's voice shakes unable to speak more than a few words at a time, "I almost forgot. About the far shore. About Yato." Tears drip onto her bare feet. "If I hadn't run into Yukine-kun, I might have - I would have - I promised Yato I would never forget him."

"Oh Hiyorin. But you didn't forget." Kofuku puts her arms around Hiyori again, gently this time.

When Hiyori's sobs have quieted, she lifts her head from Kofuku's shoulder. She wipes away the trails left by her tears.

"Promise me you won't tell Yato. Or anyone."

"I won't." Kofuku holds out her pinky. Hiyori curls her own around Kofuku's. Kofuku gives it a little squeeze and adds, "But you should tell Yato yourself. It would make him happy."

Hiyori lets Kofuku's pinky go. "Happy I nearly forgot him?" Her tone is full of self-chastisement.

"Happy you care so much that you'd turn your body into a shrine for him," Kofuku clarifies.

Hiyori chokes on air, and her entire face lights up yet again a most brilliant shade of pink. Her mouth moves silently in the shape of words she's too breathless to speak.

"My body is a what?" When she is finally able to talk, Hiyori's voice cracks to little more than a high-pitched rasp. Her mind reels, a spinning top teetering on the edge of the table until it's spinning on nothing, until it hits the floor with a wobbly crash. She thinks back to the shrine she made for Yato, what it had meant - a symbol of her dedication to him. But Kofuku was saying she'd made her body into a shrine. How is that possible?

"A shrine," Kofuku repeats herself. "Shrines are a symbol of devotion, a link between the two shores, and are decorated with the god's name. Writing a god's name on your body, and keeping it there, is the ultimate display of devotion, symbolizing your body as shrine for that god - meaning they will not only always have a home on the near shore, but a home with you."

"O-oh." Hiyori can barely process the explanation, she's much more focused on remembering how to breathe.

"I think I'm hungry; I'm going to go get a snack," Hiyori declares after a sizable pause. She literally cannot think about this anymore or her head might explode.

She doesn't wait for a response from Kofuku before hurrying back to their umbrella. She tries think only of the way the sand sticks to her wet feet instead, but it's a poor distraction. Her mind keeps going back - back to Yato. In her body. Her body, a shrine for Yato. Kazuma's hands on Bishamon's back. Yato's hands on Hiyori's back. Her face is burning, eyes following the prints she made on the way to the pool, to find her way back without having to see -

"Hiyori." Yato's voice yanks Hiyori's head up.

She blinks helplessly at him, eyes wide, and wants nothing more than to disappear.

"There you are," he continues. "Let's go surf together."

His whole face is alight with eagerness. It makes the rejection that much harder, so Hiyori goes for more excuses.

"Weren't you just surfing with Bishamon-san and Yukine-kun?" Hiyori asks.

"Yeah, but…" Yato's glances to the side, rubs the back of his neck with a wet hand.

Hiyori is trying not to stare, but little drops of the oceans are sliding down his skin. The movement catches her eye every time, drawing her gaze back to Yato's skin. She wonders how soft it would be if she were to reach out right now and touch .. She busies her hands with fixing her skirt.

Yato takes a step closer. "I wanted to go with you. It'll be fun."

He reaches towards her, a feather-light brush of his fingers against the outside of her wrist - like static it crawls up her arm into her heart. The guilt twists into a knot in Hiyori's stomach. She wants to so badly, but he can never see it.

"I'm sorry, but I think I will pass." Hiyori tries to give him her best smile, knowing it's still not good enough.

The light in his eye dulls a little, but he tries to hide it by changing the topic. "All right, so who's getting buried? You dipped your feet in the water earlier, which makes you safe."

Yato twirls around on the hunt for his victim. He and Hiyori's eyes both fall on Kazuma, who's still in his T-shirt. Noticing their attention, Kazuma looks up from his book. Yato's subsequent grin borders on maniacal.

"Congratulations, Kazuma," Yato calls to him, "you're the lucky winner."

"Oh joy. What exactly did I win?" Kazuma slips a bookmark between the pages, and sets the book down beside him.

"The privilege of being my sandpuppet." Yato stalks towards him, ready to pounce.

"If I recall, you said 'the last person in the water gets buried.' I have not been in the water, therefore I cannot possibly be 'the last person in,'" Kazuma replies.

Flawless logic, Hiyori inwardly applauds him.

"All you have to do is lay there, correct?" says Bishamon.

Kazuma looks a bit surprised, a little betrayed. "Surely, you're not siding with him on this."

"We're allies now," says Yato.

Kazuma looks for a reaction from Bishamon. She offers no contradiction, only a bemused smile. Any hope of escaping the situation flutters away, heavy resignation settling on his shoulders.

"All right!" Yato wastes no time in pulling Kazuma out into the open sand and sun.

Having given in, Kazuma tosses his shirt over to the blanket and then lays down on his back. He gives Bishamon a resigned sigh. The sand is still plenty moist from high tide and sticks to him with ease.

"Okay, how do we start?" Ebisu asks.

"Ebisu, you do his right arm, I'll do the legs," says Yato.

"I'll get the left arm," says Bishamon.

"I can help with the legs," Hiyori offers with a silent apology, kneeling down beside Yato.

"I wanna help too~." Kofuku skips over, spraying sand on everyone. Before she can even pick up her first fistful, Daikoku takes her hand.

"Maybe it would be best if you didn't," Daikoku says gently.

"Eeeeh?" Kofuku pouts a child's pout. "I never go out, and when I finally can, I can't do anything? That's not fair."

"If you so much as sprinkle a grain of sand on Kazuma, that might very well be the end of him," says Yato.

"It would not," Kofuku huffs. "That's so mean, Yato-chan."

"Not intentionally," Yukine adds.

"Not you too, Yukki! Hiiyoriiin." Kofuku drops to her knees on Hiyori's level and shuffles over, hands clasped together in a plea.

"Um" is all Hiyori manages to say before Yat cuts in.

"You're the goddess of poverty, you are queen of disaster."

"Bishaaaa?"

Bishamon and Kazuma exchange a silent, conspicuous glance that tells all. Kofuku whines wordlessly.

"Bishamon-san and I are both gods of fortune, correct?" Ebisu pipes up. All heads turn. His words ride on a current of maturity at odds with his small child body. "Then that is two gods of fortune to one god of poverty. I think the odds would be in our favor. Our 'good luck' should counteract Kofuku-san's 'bad luck.'"

"Ebisu-chan." Kofuku is evidently moved. Fresh tears glisten at the corner of her eyes.

"Three to one," Hiyori corrects him. She surprises herself with how quick her reactions was. She can feel Yato's gaze on her. Her cheeks warm a little. "Yato is a god of fortune now too," she finishes quietly.

Hiyori catches Yato's eyes, bluer than the sky, an ocean brimming with warmth and softness, an adoration the depths of which promise to be endless - and as a slow smile spreads across his face, Hiyori feels herself falling into that ocean. She has made eye contact with Yato many times before. She got a taste of what lay within his eyes in Capypa Land, when held her hand - so close to his lips her could have kissed it but didn't. Yet it isn't until now that it clicks - that Hiyori knows she's fallen for him, and she's fallen hard. She wants to say something, do something but is frozen by her own nerves, by their audience and feels so helplessly full of love for Yato that it feels like she'll burst if she keeps it contained. It's a force that steals her breath for a heartbeat. And yet there is no outlet, so it pools in her chest hot and tight, threading through her heart and extending to the very tips of her fingers and toes, pulsing with the need to be close to him.

"Even better. That makes it three to one."

Ebisu's voice rescues Hiyori from the dizzying intensity of her epiphany, and she is silently grateful.

"Then it's decided!" Kofuku declares, oozing glee.

"Don't just decide on your own," Yato shouts.

"I think it will be fine," Hiyori says. "What Ebisu-san said makes sense."

Yato twists his mouth in disapproval but ultimately relents.

"Hiyorin, I knew I could count on you." Kofuku throws herself onto the girl, knocking both of them to the ground.

"I guess it's settled then," says Bishamon.

Daikoku lets out a long suffering sigh, and Kazuma joins him, their signal of surrender.

"Yukine-kun, would you like to join in on burying me?" Kazuma's voice is gentle.

Yukine casts his eyes down, slowly chewing on a banana he swiped from the cooler. The others have already started piling sand on top of Bishamon's shinki, but Kazuma keeps his gaze locked in Yukine's direction. The young boy waits until he's finished eating before finally answering.

"All right."

Having heard the exchange, a small smile tickles the corners of Hiyori's mouth. She exchanges a look with Bishamon.

"Yukine-kun, why don't you help Yato and me with the legs," says Hiyori.

Yukine nods and stations himself on the other side of Hiyori, who scooches over a bit to make more room. The action brings her closer to Yato, close enough to smell him without turning her head. His normally sweet scent is salty with sea water. It's only just bearable.

Everyone except Bishamon is roughly scooping up handfuls and carelessly plopping them ontop of Kazuma. More than once Hiyori has caught Bishamon's gentle placement of sand - her fingers lingering, still there just for the sake of touching him.

Beside her, Hiyori can see Yato's muscles working beneath the skin. She wonders if kissing his shoulder will taste like the ocean. She tries not to think about as she molds the sand around Kazuma.

With so many people working on him, Kazuma is encased very quickly until his nothing more than a human head attached to a sand body. The pair of Kazuma's legs is unpreserved, the sand a shapeless mound encasing his waist downwards. Daikoku and Kunimi have been sitting out, watching them from the shade of the blanket.

"Now what do we do?" Ebisu asks.

Bishamon hums a curious note, her eyes dangerously pensive. The warrior god shuffles over towards the legs opposite of Yukine, and begins delicately tracing little crescents, stacked like bricks across her shinki's hips.

Ebisu's eyes glow with understanding. "Yes, that's a perfect idea."

While Yukine and Bishamon are working on making scales, Yato and Hiyori set to making fins out of new mounds of sand. Before the final touches of the fin have been put on, Hiyori hears Bishamon growl.

"Yato. What have you been teaching him?"

Hiyori looks up to see supple twin mounds of sand piled upon Kazuma's chest in perfect shape, with what are undeniably disturbingly detailed nipples.

"What?" Yato snaps back without missing a beat, ready for a fight.

"Only you would encourage something so vulgar."

"I didn't do anything!"

Bishamon's eyes narrow with distrust. Yukine's head is in his hands.

"Is something wrong with the sand breasts?" Ebisu catches on quick.

"Well, um, they are a bit...detailed…" Hiyori trails off.

"Is that bad?" Ebisu's eyes dart between the two women.

"The mermaid part is fine," says Bishamon. Her eyes remain locked on Yato, "but the question is where you learned to mold breasts with so much… detail."

"I had no hand in this, I swear!" Yato waves his hands frantically as if the motion could dissipate Bishamon's irritation.

"Oh, you don't like them?" Kofuku sticks her tongue out a few playful centimeters. "I thought it would be funny."

"So it was your idea." Bishamon's eyes close and she brings two fingers to her temple.

The sand atop Kazuma begins to shiver, the peaks of his sand breasts crumbling in miniature avalanches as he chuckles with his whole body. "I should have expected something like this would happen," he says.

"Fine. If you guys don't like them, we'll get rid of them." Kofuku swats at the mounds, shaving it flat again and giving Kazuma a faceful of sand.

He spits helplessly to free his mouth from the stuff.

"It looks like it was a good thing you didn't remove your glasses," Bishamon says, as she brushes the sand off and carefully removes them. Then she moves on to clean up the rest of his face.

"So it was," Kazuma agrees, his expression a grim mask.

"Now we need to fix this," says Yukine. He moves up and starts tracing horseshoes up Kazuma's middle.

"Yes, we must make a proper merman." Ebisu follows his example, together creating a full pack of fake abs.

"And the pecs too," Yukine adds, creating two more larger horseshoes on the upper chest.

"Don't forget the nipples aaaand the belly button," Kofuku squeals as she pokes her index finger into the sand in three places. She puts that same finger to her chin. "Hm, something's not quite right. Oh!" She draws a second pair of horseshoes on Kazuma's middle.

"Is that supposed to be eight-pack abs?" Yukine's brow crinkles, incredulous. "That's not even possible. There's no such thing as eight-pack abs."

"I've seen real merman." Kofuku plants her hands and leans on her arms, shifting her weight forward as if to further emphasize her point. "And they have eight pack abs. It helps with swimming."

"But mermen aren't real… are they?" Hiyori directs the question to Yato.

"Sure they are," he replies with ease. "They were water spirits that existed because there were humans who believed they do. They were not the same as gods, though."

" 'Were'?"

Yato becomes quiet, a storm of thoughts brewing behind his eyes.

"People don't believe in them like they used to," Bishamon answers for him. "They are far shore beings, so they are equally invisible to humans. There may be a few left, but they are in danger of being totally forgotten in just a few more generations."

"That's so sad," Hiyori murmurs.

"That's just how it is for us." Kofuku's expression is uncharacteristically somber.

Hiyori doesn't miss the shadows on Yato's face. She hops up, claps her hands together loudly. "Let's take a picture, shall we," she chirps with forced positivity. She races back to her tote bag and pulls out a small red digital camera, then hurries back.

She stands in front of everyone, fiddling with settings.

"You helped turn me into a merman; you should be part of the picture as well," says Kazuma.

"Daiki!" Kofuku shouts, before Hiyori can say anything. "Come take our picture!"

Her shinki turns away from his conversation with Kunimi. He then says something short to his conversation partner before obediently strolling over to the group at a leisurely pace. He holds out his hand for Hiyori to pass him the camera.

"All right," Daikoku says, his voice gruff. "How many do you want?"

Daikoku holds the camera out, waiting for the auto-focus to kick in.

"Just one or two is fine," Hiyori tells him. She goes back over to where Yukine and Yato are. She places herself between the two of them, sits down in the sand.

"Ebisu, it looks a little crowded over on that side. Why don't you come over by me?" Bishamon says. She's lounging on her hip, the hand she's leaning on for support is right by Kazuma's head.

"Okay." Little Ebisu hops up and scurries over to Bishamon's side.

"I suppose I should probably go on that side too," says Yukine.

Kofuku bounds up and to Daikoku's side, fixing a concentrated stare at the camera screen. She makes a contemplative noise. Then she giggles - that kind that only means trouble.

"That's good, Yukki. Hiyorin, move a little closer to Yato-chan."

"Like this?" Hiyori scoots closer in. Her shoulder bumps his and her heartbeat picks up a pace. He is warm.

"Even closer."

"Kofuku-san, I'm not sure how much closer I can get without phasing through him," Hiyori says in her best deadpan. "And I can't do that, not even if I leave my body."

"I don't see what's so bad about that. Yato-chan's already been inside your body once before."

"Ah- that's-!" Hiyori grapples with finding something to protest but comes up with nothing. What is she exactly trying to deny - that it would be bad, being that close to Yato? And then her brain betrays her mightily, making leaps and bounds through the gutter to a different kind of inside and Hiyori's face is absolutely steaming.

She looks over at Yato who is also beet red, but trying to hide his head in his hands.

"Can we not talk about that?" Yato mumbles.

"I second that," Hiyori squeaks.

Daikoku sighs, loudly. "You're fine, Hiyori. You don't need to move over; you're in the picture."

Kofuku hmph's and Hiyori brings a hand to her face as if to wipe away the blush. Daikoku asks if they're ready. They all smile and that's one picture taken. He prepares for another. What happens next happens in a matter of seconds. Before his finger can complete his pressing the capture button, Kofuku throws herself forward yelling "Group hug!" Her weight bows Yato and Hiyori forward and her arms hook their necks, pulling them inward. The goddess of poverty makes V's with her fingers on both hands as though she were oblivious to the face that Yato and Hiyori's faces were mere centimeters apart. Hiyori's nerves are on fire. There's a click as the camera takes a photo, and the shock evaporates.

Hiyori whips her head up, a wordless yell passing her lips as she pushes away from Kofuku and Yato with enough force to send Yato flying into Kazuma's fish fin.

"What was that?" Hiyori cries.

"A group hug," Kofuku replies all doe-eyed innocence.

"Aaah, our merman," Yato laments. The fin where Yato landed has been destroyed.

A thin wire of guilt coils around Hiyori. She places a hand on Yato's shoulder. "I'm sorry. We still have the photos."

"Now that the photo has been taken…" Kazuma shakes, freeing himself from the sand as he pulls himself up into a sitting position.

"Our merman grows legs!" Yato gasps in mock awe.

"Let's go split us some watermelon," cries Kofuku.

Daikoku grabs her by the wrist as she dances past. "You will have absolutely have no part in this," he says.

"Aww, but why not? We've got three gods of fortune here."

"Because no amount of good luck could stop the havoc you'd cause blindfolded with a baseball bat," Yato snorts.

"You can set the watermelon down. Gently," Daikoku yields. "But that's. It."

Kofuku stomps and pouts her way back to the umbrella. She rustles up a medium-sized melon from within one of their bags and trudges back to where Kazuma is now standing and brushing off his legs. She dumps the melon onto the sand, far from gentle. Miraculously it doesn't explode.

Kunimi joins them with a long stip of black cloth in his hand. "I've brought the blindfold."

"Why doesn't Ebisu-san go first?" Hiyori suggests.

"Okay." Ebisu nods his face determined.

"I am content to watch," Kazuma says. He catches Daikoku's eye as if to say "I will be your backup."

"Then I'm next." Yato puffs his chest out, as if being able to crack a watermelon is something to boast about.

Hiyori hides a tiny smile. "I don't mind going last."

"So one swing each?" Yukine proposes

There are nods of agreement all around.

Once Ebisu is blindfolded and wielding the bat, without permission, Kofuku bounds over and spins him around three times.

"Ready, go!" she cheers.

Ebisu stumbles over the tiny crests of sand in the general direction of the watermelon. Everyone is trying to give him directions, however, he's out by about a meter and pounds nothing but sand. Yato hits the watermelon, but only grazing the side. Yukine gets one good hard whack, but the watermelon stays intact. Hiyori grazes it as well.

Bishamon struts over to the imaginary starting line, holding out her hand for the baseball bat and blindfold. "Let me show you how it's done."

She ties the blindfold tight. After being spun, she takes a couple steps forward before she calls out "Come, Chouki!"

Kazuma is summoned to her earlobe.

"Hey, that's cheating!" Yato yells.

"It's no different than when you were all trying to give Ebisu directions," Bishamon replies, raising the bat high above her head with two hands.

"Veena, I'm afraid I have to agree with Yato on this one," Kazuma says in her ear. "Ebisu is only a child."

She blows out a large sigh. "Fine, Kazuma. Revert. I'll do it without your help."

He appears again beside her and takes a couple steps back to give her space. The baseball bat is still raised. Bishamon takes one, two, three more steps forward. She stops. Then without Kazuma's assistance, she brings the bat down full force, an audible crack ringing through the air as the watermelon splits cleanly in half.

Everyone except Yato applauds. He just crosses his arms over his chest, acting unimpressed.

Daikoku scoops up both halves of the watermelon, and dusts off any sand still clinging to it begins slicing the fruit atop the cooler with a long knife. Everyone crowds him to get a slice.

"Oh, this is a good one," says Yukine.

"Yeah, really good," Hiyori agrees, the sticky juices squirting down her chin.

Daikoku also passes around sandwiches.

When she's done eating, Hiyori wordlessly gets up and walks down to the water to wash the sticky watermelon juice off, unaware that she is being followed. She stoops over, her hands held together like a bowl, as she lifts up water to her face. She jumps when she hears Yato say her name.

"Are you all right?" he asks. His eyes search hers, hoping to find the answer there.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"You don't seem fine. You seem a little distant today."

Hiyori looks down at her feet, watches the way the tide pulls the sand out from under her. She wants to tell him everything, but fear has her tongue-tied. How do you tell someone that you almost forgot they existed and you love them at the same time? If she truly were in love with him, she wouldn't have forgotten him. That's how she is convinced these things must work. But it doesn't explain why Hiyori's chest hurt when she couldn't remember Yato, or why that when he has a smile just for her, she feels like she's melting and why she thinks of lining up his mouth with hers.

"You don't have to tell me what it is," Yato continues. "Just tell me if there's anything I can do."

"It's complicated," Hiyori finally says.

"Is there anything I can do?" Yato's begins to take on color as he averts his gaze and quietly adds, "As your god of fortune."

Hiyori's own face turns red. Her god of fortune. She doesn't know where to begin. She doesn't know if she will say or do something she'll regret. She wants to hold him, feel him there and never forget his warmth. But it's too uncertain, her newly realized feelings, his feelings, whether Yato will forgive her - whether she can forgive herself. Her eyes sting.

Yato catches a tear rolling down her cheek with the pad of his thumb. It's gone but his hand still remains, gently caressing. Hiyori wants to lose herself to his touch, but guilts prevents her. She swallows the storm of emotions, tries her best to sound normal.

"Thank you, but I'll be okay," she assures him.

Yato's hand falls to his side. His gaze and his brow are wrought with concern. "Let me know if that changes." He tilts his head a little, his eyes a sea of concern Hiyori wishes she knew how to wash away.

He has such beautiful eyes. She wonders if he knows that about himself. She wishes she could tell him.

"I will." Hiyori tucks a stray hair behind her ear and turns to the limitless sea where it meets the horizon. "Let's go back."

The others are waiting for them. Yato walks a little ahead of her. She watches his arm swing with his stride. Her fingers twitch at her side, itching to reach out and take what's right in front of her.

Hiyori comes home that evening to a nightmare.

…

One of the hardest dreams Hiyori ever has is about her wedding day. It's a western-style wedding. She has on a stunning white dress, with sheer sleeves and a long train. Sakura petals decorate the aisle carpet, a sea of red and pink. As Hiyori rounds the corner to walk the aisle, the whole room stands to greet her.

On her left, her eye is instantly drawn to the familiar pink shock of Kofuku's hair. She and Daikoku are literally bawling tears of joy. Bishamonn is there as well and she looks absolutely stunning in a sleek blue dress. Her arm is linked affectionately with Kazuma's. Several of her other shinki are there as well. Hiyori sees Tenjinand Mayu, both sending her warm smiles.

On her right, is Mother and Father. Her mother is dabbing at her eyes with a tissue while her father's arm is around her.. Masaomi is next to Grandma. Next to her cousins is even her beloved Touno-sama. With her hero there and everyone beaming at her it is nothing short of the perfect wedding.

Her bridesmaids, Yama-chan and Ami-chan are already at the alter. The best man, Yukine, is grinning like a fool. Waiting at for her at the end of the aisle is her groom, whom she loves with her entire soul. The person she is fated to be with forever. His back is turned. It's a dreadful slow march to reach him.

And when she finally gets there and her future husband turns to look at her his face is nothing but a blur - a censor that covers his entire face. She can't even make out the color of his eyes. She begins to panic. The man speaks to her but she can't hear anything he is saying over the sound of her own heartbeat thundering against her ribs. She forgets how to breathe. She clutches at her chest, willing her lungs to work and her heart to still and for her goddamn eyes to work. It's futile.

A voice breaks through the din humming in her ears. It's muffled and she only can make out a few words but she catches it say, "do you love this man…"

She wants to tell it that she doesn't even know who this man is, how can she love, let alone marry, someone she doesn't know but her own voice isn't working. The crying doesn't start until Hiyori wakes up, and then it doesn't stop until she's cried herself back into a dreamless sleep - the sobs so heavy they hurt and suffocate like a tangible weight is pressed upon her chest.

...

Hiyori opens her book to read before bed when the power is cut. What timing, she thinks. She's in a ski resort in the mountains with her parents in the dead of winter. She's in a room by herself, and her parents are down the hall. The trip was only for a week, Hiyori gave Yato strict orders not to follow her, like he had when she'd gone camping this fall. It had been an absolute embarrassment.

The room she's in is furnished with queen-sized bed, a desk, a kitchenette and an old fashioned radiator. Mounted on the wall opposite the bed is a large widescreen TV.

She shuts the novel, and places it on the bedside table next to the alarm clock. She scooches to the edge and swings her legs out of bed. The window curtains are still open. Outside the wind roars and snow falls furiously from the sky, and there is very little light to be had. They have picked a wonderful week to go on vacation. The forecast had said lots of snow, great for skiing, not winter apocalypse.

Hiyori walks cautiously reaches for the bedstand and picks up her cell phone. She begins writing a text to Yato but stops before hitting send. After all, there is no point. There is no reception here, definitely not in this blizzard. Not being good for much else, she uses the blue screen of her cell like a flash light - peeling down the sock on her left foot, exposing her ankle to the blue light of the phone's screen. Yato's name is written there in black Sharpie. It's easier to cover in the winter. She crosses her leg over her knee, tracing the strokes with a finger.

She still hasn't told him that she's in love with him. Each time she finds herself alone with him, another opportunity to confess, she is reigned in by the memory, the horror of having broken her promise. She can't tell him, because how can he believe she loves him if she can't even remember him after only a month. It hurts.

There's a loud knock on the door. "Room service."

Hiyori opens the door to a small middle-aged woman with a cart stacked high with wool blankets. Along the hall floor are several small dim emergency lights.

"We apologize for the inconvenience, but as you can see with have lost power in the storm. This also means we have lost central heat. So we're going around to show guests how to use the radiator. May I?"

"Of course."

The woman pulls a flashlight out of her apron pocket and switches it on. She enters the room and demonstrates how to work the valve then points the flashlight beam at the bedstand. "There should be a flashlight in there for you. We have a large furnace in the basement going now but as it is such a large building and you are on one of the upper floors, it may take a few hours for heat to reach your room. In the meantime, it may get pretty cold, so we are passing out extra blankets."

The hotel staff member scurries into the hall to return with a heavy blanket. "I'm just going to set this on the bed. If you need anything else, head out the door, follow the lit corridor and on your right there will be staff in a small office. Again, we apologize for the inconvenience."

"Okay, thank you."

Shortly after the woman is gone, Hiyori greets her mother and father at the door.

"Are you going to be all right, sweetie?" Her mother asks.

"If it gets too cold, your mother and I are right down the hall. We'll be warmer as three people together."

Hiyori forces a polite smile. "Uh, no thanks. The era of sleeping next to my parents is long past. I'll be fine on my own. I have the extra blanket they gave me, and I can always add more layers."

Her mom puts an arm around her shoulder and gives her a quick peck on the head. "Just let us know if you change your mind. We love you."

"I will. Love you too."

The first thing Hiyori does after the door closes and locks and go for the flashlight. Maybe she can keep reading her book. Just as she was told, there was a small black flashlight in the bedstand drawer. She snatches up her book again and plops onto the bed. A hard rectangle greets her rear end as she sits down.

"Oh, right. My phone."

She picks it up and sees the unsent message again. The forecast promised snow. They left out the part about it being the winter apocalypse. She shrugs and hits send, tossing her phone to the other side of the bed.

She has one finger inside the cover of her book when her phone rings. Her immediate response is to question how: she has no service. Yato's name is displayed on her caller ID. That's probably why. Gods must have special phone service powers or something. She rolls her eyes but decides to answer it anyway.

"Yato, I'm fine. You don't have to wor-"

A blinding light explodes from her phone.

"Yato, I'm telling you this is a really bad idea. She told you not to bother her." Yukine has his arms around Yato's waist, while Yato is trying to hold the phone out of his shinki's reach.

"Hiyori, are you okay?" Yato bounds over to Hiyori and takes her by the shoulders, tries to catch her eye in the darkness.

At first Hiyori is too surprised to respond. She simply sits there with her mouth agape for several long moments before she finally says, "I'm fine."

"See, Yato?" Yukine sighs, removing his god's hold on the young girl. "She's fine. No need to crash her family trip. Sorry, Hiyori."

"It's all right. I appreciate your concern," she assures him.

"You said it was the snowpocalypse, and the news is saying it's one of the worst blizzards in years." Yato strains against Yukine's hold to get closer to Hiyori, trying to read her face in the darkness. "You sure you're okay?"

Hiyori sees a flicker of light reflecting off the whites of Yukine's eyes as he rolls them dramatically.

"I'm sure," she says.

"It's a little cold in here though," Yukine comments.

Yato's head jerks in the direction of her bedstand, where the hotel alarm clock sits. The red glow of the LED displaying the hour is conspicuously absent.

"You've lost power." It isn't a question, and while some of Yato's hysterics have dampened, concern still lurks in his voice.

"There's a wood-fueled furnace in the resort," Hiyori explains in her best calm voice. "It's only a matter of time before it reaches this room. They've given me extra blankets in the meantime."

"Is that going to be enough?" Yukine's tone is dubious.

"It could be hours, before your room is heated," Yato frets. "You could get hypothermia in that time. You could freeze."

"I really think you're blowing things out of proportion…" says Hiyori.

"Definitely not," Yato replies.

"We may be immune to things like the cold, but you're not." Yukine releases Yato. Oh great, he's joined the campaign.

"I understand and appreciate your concern," Hiyori attempts to reason, "but even if you want to help, I'm not exactly sure there's anything you can do."

Yato's fidgeting is hard to miss even in the darkness.

"Look," she continues, "this is me climbing into bed all snuggly warm with extra blankets. I'm fine. See?"

She pulls the blankets up and peers over them at the two boys. It occurs to her that just a minute ago she'd been fine with their visit and now she is pushing them away. It takes but another moment to realize why. It's so easy to feel comfortable around them, to just let things be the way they always were. It's so easy to forget that… she forgot. And every time she is with them that fact invariably is determined to make itself known.

It creeps up each time she tutors Yukine. She finishes explaining how to solve an equation, and while he works on his own, she spends that time reflecting on how little she deserves his friendship. It oozes into the forefront of her mind when Yato smiles at her. She smiles back, but it doesn't come as naturally as it used to. It still haunts her at night.

"Aren't you two cold?" Hiyori asks. "You don't have to stay here."

"A little, but we'll be okay," says Yukine.

Hiyori feels a little tug at the corner of her mouth. His reaction is so different from when they first met, it really warms her heart.

"Are you cold?" Yato asks pointedly.

"Um… a bit still, actually," she admits. "The extra blanket only does so much."

"You're cold," Yato says, bringing up one hand. "We're cold." He brings up the other, creating a scale with which he mimes weighing those two facts. Her clears his throat.

"We could all squeeze under the blanket and share body heat. Warmer that way." Yato sniffs, trying to play the suggestion with every ounce of nonchalance he can muster.

A hard silence grips the room. Not even the sound of their breathing can be heard. Then there's a loud smack as Yato slaps the back of his neck.

"Ow, Yukine! Get ahold of yourself, dammit!"

"It's your fault for making such an indecent suggestion!" Yukine snaps back.

"Don't blame me for your impure thoughts," Yato fires at him.

"Um…" Hiyori begins, too weakly to interrupt.

"It was your idea," Yukine shouts.

"It's purely for the sake of sharing body heat. There is nothing remotely indecent about my idea," Yato insists. "Goddamn teenagers and their hormones."

"I'm a teenager too," Hiyori mumbles, utterly unheard.

"You seem awfully persistent with your 'innocent idea' and that's not why I-!" Yukine groans, then takes several deep, calming breaths. He throws a hand over his face to hide some of his embarrassment. "It's because-because I feel bad about… last time..."

"I will sleep in the middle," Yato declares. "Problem solved."

"Don't just decide on your own and talk like I'm not here!" Hiyori finally snaps.

Both boys whip their heads around to look at her.

"I'm sorry, Hiyori, it was just a stupid idea and of course only if you want to-" Yato swallows the rest of his sentence.

"Yukine-kun, you are forgiven." Hiyori's eyes and voice are gentle, motherly even. "All your trespasses before your ablution are but water under a bridge."

"O-oh… thank you," Yukine mumbles, evidently at a loss for how to respond.

"Yato." Hiyori's tone grinds back to a sharp point as she addresses him. She's about ready to tell him off for such a ludicrous suggestion and for fighting so adamantly in its favor without consulting her first. But… it's really damn cold even under all these blankets. With the loss of power, heat has dissipated from the room very quickly and it will still be some hours before the furnace reaches her floor. She's the bitterness she feels toward the blizzard for forcing her hand is piling up.

"Let it be known this is not my first choice," she continues. "However, it seems to be the only one… for the sake of staying warm."

"R-really?" Yato chokes out, like he'd been anticipating outright refusal or at least significantly more resistance.

"Yes, really. Now hurry and get in the bed before I change my mind." The human girl shifts over to the side, leaving room for her friends to join her. She tries not read into why Yato is so eager to sleep next to her.

Yato crawls into bed beside her, occupying the middle.

Yukine halts at the edge of the bed, his fingers curled around the end of the blankets. "Um, about the flashlight…"

"We can leave it on, Yukine-kun, though I don't know how long its battery will last." She sets the flashlight on its butt on the table, the beam striking the ceiling.

"Thanks." The relief is subtle, but audible in his voice.

Ultimately, it is not a bed made for three people. Yukine's climbing in forces Yato to shift further over. Yato's legs bump Hiyori's, but there is nowhere left for her to go that doesn't involve rolling off the edge of the mattress. In the poorly thrown light, she can just make out Yato's features. Curled on their sides facing each other like this, their knees are connected. Knees, unfortunately, are bony and so it is not a desirable position and entirely unromantic, not that she was hoping for that or anything.

"Good night," says Hiyori, rolling onto her other side to face the wall.

"Good night," the boys say in unison.

She smiles. It's cute how in sync god and hafuri are, she thinks.

She has another wedding dream.

The ceremony is complete. Yato lifts her veil, presumably to kiss her. His hands freeze once her face is revealed to him. His eyes - his mind-numbingly gorgeous eyes - widen a little.

"I'm marrying-married to Hiyori Iki," he says, dazed. "I don't recognize you. Are you her? I can't remember what she looks like. I'm sorry" He twists his head around to look at his best man, his hands still frozen next to Hiyori's face. "Yukine, is this woman Hiyori?"

"I don't know. I can't remember either," Yukine says apologetically.

Yato seeks their guests for confirmation. Hiyori follows his gaze. One one side she can see all her family and friends, exchanging horrified, scandalous whispers. On the other, Yato is addressing rows of empty chairs. There is no one sitting on the side where Yato's guests should be. But he keeps answering as if there are people talking to him. If people are talking to him, then why can't Hiyori see them? She means to ask Yato but when she turns to him, both he and Yukine are gone.

She turns again to ask her guests if they saw where the groom went, but there is nothing to speak to but air. It is just Hiyori. She stands at the altar bewildered and alone, her tears watering a browned and wilted bouquet.

Hiyori thinks she catches a glimmer of Yato in her peripheral, spins to catch him but he's not there and she's just whirling in circles chasing air.

She wakes in gasping sobs. A firm hand grips her shoulder to steady her quaking body.

"Hiyori," Yato says her name in a whisper.

It takes a moment for Hiyori register who it is. She covers her mouth with a hand, unable to stop crying, but doing her best to not make too much noise. His comfort makes it hurt more, her heart squeezing and folding in on itself. She doesn't deserve this.

Maybe it's her emotions running high, or the dark making her bold, or a bit of both but Hiyori decides she can't keep it the secret anymore. She can't let Yato unwittingly comfort her for breaking her most important promise to him.

When her sobbing has calmed enough to speak, Hiyori whispers, "I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

"Don't apologize for having a nightmare." Yato expertly dodges the question.

He has no idea. She fights back another fit of sobs, just barely.

"Is Yukine-kun awake too?"

"I don't think so."

Both still their breathing to hear Yukine's over the howling winds outside. His breaths come in the slow and steady rhythm of sleep.

"I know it's foolish to ask if you're okay, but…"

Hiyori shushes Yato with a finger to his lips, a gesture that lasts no more than a fraction of a second. She then reaches for her cell phone next to the bed, settles back onto her side, and opens up a blank text document and begins to type. Fresh tears slide sideways down her face as she writes, rolling over the bridge of her nose. When she's finished, she passes her phone over to Yato.

Yato, there's something I need to tell you. Something I should have told you some time ago. I can't keep it from you any longer. I hope writing it this way is okay. I know it's selfish of me but I don't want to wait, and at the same time I don't want to wake Yukine-kun.

Part of the reason she wants to write is because it feels easier than saying it aloud, like somehow it's still a secret as long as it does not literally pass her lips. It's a foolish comfort, and one she spares sharing with Yato. Preserving Yukine's rest is a convenient excuse.

Okay. You can tell me anything. Yato's eyebrows are knit with concern as he hands the phone back with his reply.

Hiyori takes several deep breaths, inhaling Yato's scent. Under normal circumstances this would have calmed her. But the nature of what she was about to tell him was too closely tied to her fear of never being able to be near him again. She writes without once looking up. For a long time the the sound of her thumbs tapping the keys fills the room. When she's finished, she closes her eyes as if they are floodgates that can stop the flow of tears. They aren't.

During the month or so you were gone in the Underworld, Yukine-kun was training with Kazuma-san, so Yukine-kun and I took a break from our tutoring sessions. I spent that time focusing on my studies and spending time with Ami-chan and Yama-chan. I kept a journal, and I thought of you and wrote about you every day. But one day, the entries just stopped. And I stopped thinking about you all the time. Just sometimes. Eventually I became overwhelmed with the feeling of having forgotten something incredibly important. I would catch myself doing things for someone I couldn't remember. Eventually, I just… forgot. It felt like something precious had been torn from my heart, leaving a hole there. It hurt, knowing I had lost something, and it hurt not knowing how to fill that hole.

Had Yukine-kun not by chance run into me one day, I may have forgotten completely. I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry. I broke my promise to you. I can't ask you to forgive me, especially when I can't even forgive myself. I'm sorry.

Her fingers shake uncontrollably, still gripping her phone with white knuckles after typing her message. Yato carefully pries the device from her grasp and begins to read.

Hiyori doesn't want to watch as he reads her confession, but she wills herself to. She owes him that much, not running away. The screen casts a window of blue light that clearly illuminates Yato's face. She tries to guess where he is in reading by his expression - as first his brow uncreases, then they lift as his eyes widen. The corners grow wet. She wants to wipe them away but she doesn't deserve to touch him. So she wipes at her own tears instead.

Yato's eyes flick back and forth for what feels like an age, like maybe he's rereading it because he almost can't believe it's true. Hiyori doesn't have the strength to break the silence. Finally, Yato meets her gaze, his blue eyes glowing in the screen's light, and it is her undoing. She clamps both hands over her mouth as the sobs silently wrack her entire body once more, her eyelids fall - squeezing out a fresh torrent of tears. He doesn't offer comfort like he had just moment ago and Hiyori reminds herself she doesn't deserve it, least of all from him.

When she's finally able to open her eyes again, she sees that Yato has placed the phone down between them. There are glistening trails of tears down his cheeks. Forgetting herself, she lifts a hand to brush them aside. Yato catches her, bringing her hand down and holding it in both of his. He holds her like that for a while, giving a final squeeze before letting go and propping himself up on an elbow. He touches her cheek, brushing away the wet streak left by her own crying with terrible gentleness. Then he leans forwards, bringing his lips close her forehead stopping just short. Her breath tickles her bangs against her skin. He hovers for a moment there, but ultimately pulls away

"Goodnight, Hiyori," he whispers, his voice cracking, and he carefully rolls over, facing away from her.

Speech has departed from Hiyori's abilities. She can do nothing but cry into her pillow until sleep finally takes her. In the morning when she wakes up, her room is warm and she is alone.

…

Hiyori hasn't seen Yato for a little over a week now, and it's beginning to worry her. She doesn't go to Kofuku's. Yato needs to make the first move, she knows this, but it scares her. What if this is his ways of cutting ties with her, of punishing her. Using Sekki would have been a greater kindness than she deserved. Her only solace are the kanji printed on her ankle. She traces the strokes with her finger every day. It's there when she's in the bath. It's there when she puts her socks on and takes them off.

It's still there the afternoon she comes home from school and Yato is sitting in her desk chair sidesaddle, his arms resting on the back. He doesn't look at her when she comes in, doesn't apologize for just barging into her room.

"I got your text," he says, his voice like gravel - hoarse from crying.

Hiyori bites her lip, remembering the frantic plea she had typed the morning she'd woken up alone. In retrospect, it probably wasn't the best idea to send that text. But she was desperate, suffocating. She felt like the blizzard had stolen into her hotel room, piling on top of her, forcing her to curl into a helpless ball under its might force while the cold seeped into her very bones.

"Again, I am sorry. Even if you can't forgive me, I will keep my promise. I will never forget you. If you're willing, I'd like to show you all the ways I have to remind myself."

"Oh, right," Hiyori manages.

Yato's gaze flicks to her for the briefest of moments and then returns to someplace faraway.

She waits for him to say, to do, something else and so she just stands there helplessly, her bag growing heavy in her hand still, until it is no longer comfortable to hold - when she realizes that he is waiting for her to make the first move. She tiptoes over to the foot of her bed where she deposits her school bag gently - like she is trying not to wake a sleeping bear. She tiptoes a bit closer to her desk, very conscious of Yato's space, and points.

"Maybe you saw," Hiyori's voice wavers unevenly, "but on my desk I h-have a picture," she swallows, "of you two."

Yato swivels, swinging his legs around front. On her desk, directly beneath the lamp, is a framed photograph. The frame predominantly belongs to a large yellow Capyper, squeezing Yato and Yukine into a bear hug, fitting them into the shot. On the bottom part of the frame, a strip of white paper is glued. In clear concise writing it reads Yato and Yukine-kun in Capypa Land.

Yato nods in acknowledgement. The corner of his mouth twitches. It'd be too much to hope it was because of an oncoming smile, Hiyori thinks. He still says nothing.

Like she's navigating a minefield, Hiyori comes closer, reaching past Yato with a shaking hand to pick up her journal. She retracts it hastily. She flips to a relatively recent (impersonal) entry and points to where she's written Yato and Yukine's names.

"I journal every day, and here. Your name is on every page."

As she puts the journal back, she catches that Yato is watching her movements more than he is watching her. The realization stings a little. She stifles her reaction as best as she is able.

"It may not have been enough before," Hiyori continues, "but I have the picture now and I've also been writing your name various places that I know I will see regularly. For example, my shoe locker at school." She nods as she finishes, as if reassuring both Yato and herself that this system will most definitely work. She's not ready to tell him about her migrating tattoo.

"I am also going to visit everyone at least once a month. I will see Daikoku-san and Kofuku-san even when you're not there. As long as I keep contact with the far shore, I don't think I'll… forget." She nearly chokes on that last word.

For a long time the only sound in the room are his and her breathing. It's a silence that is anything but comfortable. It's a silence that screams, jagged at the edges she made when she broke her promise to him.

"If there's anything else you think I should do, um, I'm open to ideas…" Hiyori trails off.

Still silence.

"I'm sorry," she hiccups, her vision swimming beneath a sea of tears. She buries her face in her hands.

She startles when two strong arms circle her. But his perfect smell calms her. She just leans into Yato's chest. He's warm. He settles his cheek against the top of her head, holding her with every part of his body that he can.

"I'm sorry too," Yato whispers against her hair. "For leaving, and for at the same time being unable to come back without you."

Hiyori clutches at his jacket, pulling him as close as she possibly can creating a curtain around her face, trapping his scent against her nose.

"I don't think I really ever said 'thank you' for saving me. Again. So thank you."

Hiyori smiles into him. "You're welcome." Her voice is muffled.

They just hold each other like this for a long time, neither of them wanting to let go. Eventually, Hiyori pulls back and looks Yato straight in the eye.

"I never wanted to forget you; I… you're too important to me," she says in a voice a soft as down. "I knew something was missing, but I couldn't remember what it was. It hurt, even though I couldn't remember why. I don't ever want to feel that - I don't ever want to come anywhere close to forgetting you again."

"I know."

Yato's hands are warm where they touch her, her nerves singing with delight at every random path he traces with them. The warmth of his touch is all-consuming, melting Hiyori into him as far as she physically can. She wishes silently that staying with Yato forever would mean staying like this forever. It is strange, she muses, how openly she has welcomed the realization that she does not just love Yato, but she is in love with Yato.

She hears him swallow, sees his adam's apple bob with the motion.

"I honestly believed that if when I came back that you had forgotten me, then nothing mattered anymore." His voice is thick with dampened emotions. "I still feel that way," he whispers.

"Yato," Hiyori buries herself deeper into his embrace, "that's not true, that's not… healthy. You still have so many people who care about you, and you care about them too, right?"

His eyes are watery with unshed tears. She knows hard he is trying to hold them back. It makes her chest ache.

"Of course I care about them but…" He pushes her back a little to catch her gaze. "It's different with you."

An expression she can't name flickers across his face, yet unwilling to fully fade. His eyes search hers, desperation plain as day written in those blue eyes. The tears he's been holding back begin to leak down, one by one. Hiyori reaches up a hand to his face to catch them. He leans into her touch, his gaze burning with an intensity that sends hot tremors along her spine, the warmth carving out a home between her vertebrae.

He licks his lips like he's prepping them to speak the words waiting at the back of his throat.

"You are..." is the most he manages. He leans forward unconsciously, one hand finding its way to her jaw, his knuckles grazing forward to her chin. His eyes are more blue and more beautiful than they have any right to be.

" 'I am' what?" Hiyori breathes.

She's not sure she'd hear him even if he finishes his sentence. She's too busy wondering if his lashes have always been that full and if he really looks like he wants to kiss her or is that just wishful thinking.

"Hiyori, you're my first..." he pauses. His eyes drop to her mouth, or at least she thinks they do because then her eyes fall to his and -

She's not aware that she's the one kissing him until she notices how still he is and he's not kissing her back. At all. She practically leaps off him, stopped only by his firm grip, his arm frozen around her waist. Yato's eyes are blown wide, mouth agape, cheeks blazing red. He looks, if nothing else, terrified.

"believer," he finishes flatly.

Hiyori is not one to swear, but oh god. Oh shit. She completely misread that, didn't she? She's such an idiot. She threatens their relationship first by forgetting him and now by trying to jump his bones. Hot tears well up at the corners of her eyes, she squeezes them shut and the tears spill down her face, dripping of her chin. They're hotter than the blush painting her face. She grips his jersey tight in frustration and her own unwillingness to let go. She wants this entire situation to just evaporate - never have happened. Everything is fine, except now they're not fine and it's all her fault.

"Yato," she chokes, unable to look at him.

The apology is not even halfway past her lips, when Yato's hand finds the back of her head and he presses his mouth against hers. His lips are so so soft and kind and filled with tenderness and affection that she realizes just how little she knew about what she meant to him. His every loving thought conveyed to her very soul through his lips. A warmth comes from within her, stirred by his gentle touch that trembles with the weight beared by the depth of his emotions - and she finds herself trembling beneath that same weight, trying convey her own feelings that radiate outward with the warmth building in her chest.

Yato brings his other hand up to her face. Hiyori weaves her fingers through his hair, guiding him closer. Their kiss is broken by a loud thump.

Yato takes a step back, breathless and dazed quickly transforming into an expression of devilish amusement. Hiyori blinks rapidly, peering behind Yato and expecting to find her chair on its side. But Yato's eyes are flicking between her face and somewhere behind her. Understanding dawns on her. Her face pales. She whirls and confirms her suspicions.

"Why?!" Hiyori wails. "Why does this always happen to me?" She directs the question to her empty body, which lays collapsed on the floor.

Yato just laughs.

She takes a deep breath. "I've gotten a little better at this…" She settles back into her body.

Yato's mouth is curled into a wicked and crooked grin, which might have made Hiyori's blood boil if it weren't so damn sexy.

"Let's move you someplace safer, in case it happens again," Yato says as he scoops up her up before she can begin to stand and sits her down on the edge of her bed.

She hides her face in his shoulder. He tilts her head up to look at him with just his fingertips.

"Hiyori." He tucks away a stray lock of hair, his fingers gliding along the shell of her ear to the edge of her jaw. A lovely shade of pink colors his cheeks. "Do you think I could kiss you again? Please."

Hearing Yato say those words out loud has a dizzying effect in the best of ways. Hiyori answers by looping her arms around his neck and pulling his head down, greeting him with a slow and steady kiss.

"I have an idea," Yato says when they break apart. He smiles, his entire face softening with unmasked adoration. It warms Hiyori from the very core of her heart to the very tips of her fingers and toes.

"What idea is that?"

"So you don't forget, I could just stay by your side forever. Literally," Yato says, capturing her gaze. "It's what you wished for, isn't it? I want to take that wish seriously."

Hiyori flushes, but bravely maintains eye contact and counters, "Are you implying you weren't before?"

"I imply nothing of the sort."

Hiyori raises her hands from Yato's shoulders to cup his face - a gesture which paints a pretty blush across his cheeks. She takes a certain satisfaction in having such an effect on him.

"I would like that very much," she says, cradling her words with affection. Her thumbs gently stroke his skin.

"Good. Because so would I." He brushes his knuckles along her jaw, guiding her in for another kiss.

That night in Yato's arms, Hiyori falls into a deep, blissful and dreamless sleep. And this time when she wakes, she is surrounded by her favorite scent in the whole world, in the embrace of her favorite person.