This is my first try at this so be gentle, constructive criticism is great, but for now I'm a very self conscious writer so sugar coat things is greatly appreciated. I have a general plan of what I'm doing with this but I'm kinda just playing with it. So if it ends up crashing and burning thats probably why. Any planing tips you have if you wanna shoot them my way that would be awesome :) I'm not really sure I love the title yet so that may change.

Thanks for reading,

Brandy

Hiyori's name might as well have been printed on the door with how often she found herself there. She rolled her eyes at her nagging mother fussing over her. Hiyori loved her mom and appreciated that she cared, but this was all a little much. "Mother is it really necessary for me to have my own room, I'm sure there is a patient in the waiting room that actually needs it." Hiyori groaned. "I'm not dying. I just got stitches. Isn't that normally an outpatient procedure? Can't I go home now?"

"Hiyori how did you even get a cut on your back like that in the first place?" Her mother quizzed frantically.

The honest answer would have been that she was cut by a phantom she was fighting that was going after her cord, which is a tail that sprouts out of her back when she slips out of her physical body in to her spirit form that serves as he lifeline. But she couldn't tell her parents that they'd wheel her right over to the psych ward. She looked over to Yato who was standing in the corner unnoticed by her parents. The expression on his face was one she'd only seen a few times. He was down right furious. It was the face that reminded her of when she first met Kofuku and she described him as a scary god. Yato had come a long way from his days as a god of calamity, but that was defiantly not the face of a god of fortune. She gave him a little smile to try and drive some of the scariness away. He just turned to look out the window.

She focused back on her parents. "See I was trying to be sweet and make dinner for when you guys got back from work, but then I slipped. I was kind of spaced out at the time, hence the slipping, and I forgot I had a knife in my hand and I put my arm back to catch my self, and you know…" Hiyori has never been good at lying, but the stories had started coming to her easier, not always quality stories but stories nonetheless.

"Hiyori were you high? Are you on drugs? Is that why you were spaced out?" Of course that was the conclusion her mother would jumped to.

"Did that boyfriend of yours give them to you?" Her father chimed in.

"What! No, I wasn't high. Dad Yato is a good guy, he isn't in to that stuff." Hiyori argued, "Clearly I lost a lot of blood, things are a bit hazy. That's just my best account of what happened, I don't really remember all that well." Well, that isn't getting me out of here any quicker, she thought to herself.

"Thats it you're staying here overnight so we can keep you monitored." Her mother said confirming her thoughts.

Hiyori's father wrapped an arm around her mother guiding her out. "All right honey get some rest." He said as they left.

She was finally alone with the seething god. He stood there and continued to stare out the window. Hiyori couldn't understand what he was so upset about. Yeah she got hurt, but she's okay and he took care of the phantom. So why is he so angry? "Yato are you okay?" She asked hesitantly.

That got him to look at her. "Hiyori do you realize how close you came to dying tonight? That phantom was less than an inch away from severing your cord. No, I am not okay!" He snapped at her. That wasn't the only reason Yato was upset, he had come to a very painful decision. Hiyori was the love of his life and he wished more than anything that he could spend the rest of his life with her. But time after time she got hurt because of her involvement with him. It was the hardest decision of his life, but he knew had to he go through with it to ensure her safety. He sighed, "You've become too involved with the beings of the farshore. Its time to sever your ties."

Hiyori coughed as though the wind had been knocked out of her. Hearing that was like she was being slammed into a brick wall. "What…" She stared at him waiting for him to take it back. "NO!You can't, you haven't granted my wish! You promised me forever! You took my five yen coin!" He walked up to the foot of her bed and reached in his pocket then tossed her a coin. "NO! TAKE IT BACK!" She screamed throwing the coin back at him narrowly missing his head.

Yukine was standing in the hall waiting to be called in to finish the job. He knew what was about to happen and he knew it was the right thing, but that didn't change the fact that he was about to lose his best friend. A tear form rolled down his face. Yato was in enough pain by himself he didn't need to feel Yukine's on top of that. Taking a deep breath he tried to be strong for his master.

"Come Sekki." Yato shouted. Yukine walked in and transformed into his weapon form. "I'm doing this because I love you," he said quietly looking down to attempt to hide the tears that started falling from his eyes. Yato took a deep shaky breath before he continued, "I the god Yato, hereby sever ties using Sekki."

Eight years and this city hasn't changed a bit, Hiyori thought. She had just recently moved back home after finishing medical school to start her residency at her family's hospital. Glancing up at the power lines she remembered how she used to bounce about the town on them when she would slip out of her body during class. Thats right Hiyori remembered everything. Yato's attempt to sever their ties all those years ago failed. Most likely because at the time, unbeknownst to either of them, she was pregnant. Hiyori actually found out the morning after that fateful night from some blood work they did while she was in the hospital. She didn't let being a single mother at eighteen hold her back though. She graduated at the top of her class and raised her baby boy. It wasn't single handedly, she had the help and support of her friends and family, but no Yato. They didn't need him in their life anyway.

Raising Ryuki wasn't always the easiest. He was half god after all, and that made things a bit complicated. Hiyori was currently on her way to pick him up from school. He was being sent home from school for throwing pencils at his teacher. She had a hard time seeing him. Hiyori walked in to the principals office to fine her sad little boy sitting in a chair waiting for her. He was a striking image of his father. A little mini Yato. Those same striking blue eyes look up at her as she walked in. "Mommy I'm sorry I didn't mean to be bad, I swear, but she was ignoring me." He cried.

Hiyori sighed and put her hand out for her son to take, "I know baby lets go." Ryuki jumped up and grabbed her hand. "We have to go back to the hospital for a little bit, mommy has some work to do. So you're gonna have to hang out with Grandma in the office, all right?" She said as they got out on the side walk.

Ryuki jumped with joy shouting, "Yay, Grandma will get me meat buns." He was certainly his father's son.

Thats when she noticed something hanging out of his pocket. Hiyori grabbed it and pulled it out to see what it was. There it was Yato's scarf that he had left behind when he left her that night. That magical sent of his wafted through her nose. "Ryuki what is this?" She asked breaking him out of his happy dance.

Busted, he froze like a deer in headlights. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked down sheepishly. "Well, you see mom… Thats my fluffy fluff scarf."

"Where did you get– Wait What did you call it?" How could he possible know that, Hiyori thought shocked.

"My fluffy fluff scarf… its soft and fluffy so naturally, I call it my fluffy fluff scarf." Ryuki explained like that was the only logical name for the thing. "I found it a few years ago, back when we were living in the old apartment. I found it in a box in your room that had some pictures and stuff in it." He kicked a rock knowing that he probably shouldn't have been in the box and he defiantly shouldn't have taken something from it. Ryuki had a feeling that there was some significance behind that scarf and his mother's reaction confirmed his suspicions. He hated bringing it up because he knew it upset her, but he couldn't take it anymore he had questions. "Mom…" He started, his big blue eyes staring deeply into his mother's, "Is that my dad's scarf?"

Hiyori's eyes went wide surprised by the question. He is one perceptive kid, she thought. Her eyes welled up with tears and she tied the scarf around her little boy's neck. Pulling him in to a hug, she took a deep breath inhaling Yato's comforting sent from the scarf. She used that comfort to build up some strength, her son deserved answers. Skating around the topic for eight years was enough. And the city wasn't that big, theres a pretty high chance they'll cross paths eventually, the resemblance may go over Yato's head but it wouldn't get past Yukine. And if any of the other Gods that roam about the city caught sight of him they'd probably start a rumor that Yato had reincarnated. "Yes, honey thats your father's scarf." She told him. After she released him they began to walk again. Nodding down at the scarf, she added with a smile, "Thats how he used where it." Ryuki starred up at her shocked to hear her actually talk about his dad. "Come on fire away, I know you have questions. I'm ready." She smiled knowing how happy this would make her baby.

Ryuki's face lit up with joy. Finally the moment he'd been waiting for his whole life. His mind was spinning. Which question did he ask first! He thought about it for a second then came to a decision. "Is he alive?"

Hiyori was shocked that that was his first question. It really showed how little she told him. She gave a little nervous laugh. "I believe so."

"You believe so! What kind of answer is that?"

"Well, he was alive the last time I talked to him eight years ago, if that helps at all. You see your father… he lives a rather dangerous life. I'm not saying he's a thug or anything like that he's not in a gang, he's more like a superhero…" She looked down to see if he was buying that line, she didn't see any negative facial reactions so she continued, "And we… umm… parted ways, his friends stopped talking to me too so I had no way to keep tabs on him. I'm sure he's alive though. I just didn't want to tell you that he was for sure alive when I really have no idea."

Ryuki sighed nodding his head, "Life is a crazy thing. You never know what day is going to be your last.

Hiyori laughed at the words wisdom coming from he eight year old. "Whoa there mister philosopher don't go growing up on me. You have to stay young forever, alright kid? Okay next question."

"Hmmm…" He thought for a second, "If you don't know if he's alive or not you wouldn't know if he still lives here or not." He looked up to his mom for confirmation, and she shook her head no, "Okay so what else. Oh, what does he look like?"

"Take a look in the mirror bud," His mother replied.

"Really?" He ran over to a nearby puddle and checked out his reflection. Looking back up at his mom with a thousand watt smile. "No way. Just like me?"

"Way. If there was a picture of him at your age wearing the same outfit as you there would be no way to tell the difference." She leaned over the puddle with him gazing at their reflection. Pulling him in to a side hug she rested her head on his. "I wish you looked a little like me though. Even something as simple as your eyebrows and I'd be satisfied. Sometimes I thing he pulled a little cloning experiment." Hiyori pouted pinching his cheek.

"Oww mom quit it." He shook her off of him and they continued walking. "So what did you mean when you said he was a superhero?"

Hiyori sighed, "Next." Ryuki groaned. "I'll explain it later, just not right know." She could tell he was disappointed by her answer so she tried to lighten it up a little. Gesturing to all the people around them, and said, "We wouldn't want to reveal his secret identity now would we. Okay one last question we're less than a block away." Ryuki stopped. His face was somber. Hiyori did not like the look of this, she could tell it was going to be a rough one.

"Why did he leave us? Was it because of me?" Ryuki asked with tears welling up in his eyes. "Is it my fault? Am I the one that caused your sadness and heart break?"

Instantly Hiyori grabbed him pulling him into a hug, holding him tight as he started to cry. "Don't you ever think that, Ryuki. You are the best thing that ever happened to me. You make me happier than anything in the entire world." She pulled back a little and wiped away his tears. "Your father leaving had nothing to do with you, he left before I even knew you were coming. He thought that, due to his line of work, it was too dangerous for him to be in my life."

"Oh, so he doesn't even know about me."

Hiyori sighed, she was hoping to avoid this. She just shook her head no. "Come on lets go in. We'll talk more later." Taking his hand she started to lead him into the hospital. She looked down at Ryuki and added, "You think you could not tell grandma about the whole your father being a superhero thing."

"Hello thank you for calling! Delivery god Yato at your service! Fast affordable and reliable!…Sure we can do that. We'll be right there. Yukine come on we've got a job!" And just like that they were at their customers home. "So you wish your dog would stop constantly barking at nothing right?"

The customer was shocked by there sudden appearance. "Whoa, um yeah. You guys really are fast."

"Thank you ma'am." Yato said with a charming smile. "Now we'll take care of the problem you go do what ever you have to do. We'll be out of here before you know it."

Their customer thanked them, gave them their five yen, and was off. "Yato what do you know about dogs?" Yukine asked not understanding why they took the job or how they were going to grant this wish.

"Yukineee come on. We've been doing this long enough you should start picking up on these things yourself." He chided his young regalia. "Clearly there is a phantom pestering that dog causing it to bark all the time. We just need to wait for the dog to start barking, then we get the phantom, then we're out of here. Easy peasy."

So the two boys sat in the living room and started their wait. Sitting and waiting gave Yato's mind the opportunity to wander, something that never ended well. He began thinking about how close this house was to Hiyori's parents house. Not like she was actually close by to him though. He knew that Hiyori was no longer living there. Yato did a bit of stalking of Hiyori after he cut their ties. He knew that she was very upset for a while. Probably because she could feel that something close to her was missing. On top of that all her friends and family knew that they were dating and all the sudden she has no memories of this boyfriend that they spoke of, it must have been confusing. Then all the sudden she was gone. It was sudden for Yato, but in the grand scheme of things it was natural. After people graduate high school they go off to college. But doesn't college only last four years, why has she been gone so long? Maybe she met someone else. Maybe they got married and are living off in some other town. Maybe they've started a family. Yato's thoughts were broken by the shrill barks of the little dog. "Finally! Come Sekki."

The job was quick and easy just as Yato said. After they were done the duo went through town taking out any phantoms that were causing trouble. They came across a small storm brewing over an elementary school playground. "Damn brats bulling each other," Yato muttered before heading over to the playground. "Okay kiddos, whats going on?" He said coming down a slide landing him right in the middle of the group of children.

"Who are you mister?" One little boy with blond spiky hair asked

"Me? I'm the god Yato," He said proudly, as expected they all wore confused looks on their little faces. With his ego hurt, Yato sighed. "I may not be one of those popular gods that you all get taught about, but I'm best friends with some of those big shots, like Bishomon, Tenjin, and Ebisu. So if you guys are being bad or mean I'll go tell Tenjin and you'll fail all your upcoming tests."

There was a collective gasp amongst the group. One little girl with her hair in pig tails came forward, "We're sorry. We were talking about a boy that got sent home from school today. He was throwing pencils at the teacher."

Another one spoke up. This one was a little freckle face girl with glasses. "But it's not all Ryuki's fault Mr. Yato. The teacher was ignoring him! He needed her help and she was ignoring him. It was like she couldn't even see him. Don't get Ryuki in trouble with the gods Mr. Yato, he's a good boy." Well, this is an interesting turn of events, Yato thought. Seems like they have a classmate from the farshore.

Yato told them that since they were saying mean things about their class mate he had to cut the mean spirits off of them with his swords. Worried about getting in trouble with the gods they all complied. The whole thing went very smoothly. Of course the kids we're fascinated with his swords, so he showed off a bit before reverting them back to Yukine. All the kids wanted to play with Yukine and Yato could tell he was enjoying the bit of attention, so he sat back and let him have some fun. There he was alone with his thoughts again. His mind was drifting about what could have been when a woman walked up to the front doors of the school. He could have sworn it was Hiyori but he couldn't trust his mind anymore. Eight years later and he's still seeing ghosts of her everywhere. Soon the woman came back out the doors with a boy. "There he is Mr. Yato, thats Ryuki." Yato looked to see freckles from earlier sitting next to her watching the boy. She motioned for him to come closer with her index finger. Going along with it Yato leaned over. "Isn't he just the cutest?" She whispered in his ear giggling. Yato smiled back at her. "I wanted to ask him to be my boyfriend last week on our field trip to the different shrines around town, but his mom wouldn't let him go." She told him pouting.

The kid that appears to be from the farshore was kept from going to the shrines with his class, interesting, Yato thought. He patted the girls head. "You are to young to have a boyfriend." The god told her with a chuckle before getting up. Yukine took that as a sign that it was time to go and said good bye to the children. "Lets go see if Amane has put herself to any use today." Yato said in an annoyed tone as they walked out the school gates.

Work had ended up going later than Hiyori had expected. There was a complication in the surgery she got to scrub in for. She was utterly exhausted as she made her way to her parents house to pick up Ryuki. Why didn't she just go home in her scrubs? Wearing comfy clothes instead of her uptight professional outfit would have made her hike across town a bit more bearable. Her friends frequently made fun of her for how much she loved wearing scrubs. It would have been nice if Yama or Aimi would have gone down the doctor route with her. Work is stressful enough as it is, it would be nice to have a friend there. Everyone hates her because her family owns the hospital so they think that she gets special treatment. Granted she does get a little bit of special treatment, She wouldn't have been able to leave and go get Ryuki like she did today if she was at any other hospital.

Arriving at her parents house she leaned against the wall before entering. She remembered that as soon as they left Ryuki would hound her with Yato questions. At this point in her day she didn't think she could handle that. With a deep breath she pushed herself off the wall and walked in to the house. Realizing that if she bent over to take her shoes off she might not make it back up, she decided shed just stand by the door. "Little man ready to go?" She called to her son.

"Mom!" Ryuki ran as fast as he could from the living room to the front door to greet her. After quickly putting on his backpack that was waiting for him by the door, he threw his arms around Hiyori squeezing her tight.

Her mom followed behind him. Giving her a hug, Hiyori thanked her for watching Ryuki for the day. "It getting rather pretty late are you sure you guys don't want to just stay her tonight?" Her mom offered.

The offer sounded so nice. Not having to walk back to their apartment would be amazing. But she could feel her son lightly tugging on the back of her shirt signaling to her that he wanted to go home. She sighed and smiled at her mom. "As much as we'd love to but Ryuki has some homework to get done back home." She looked down at her son with a subtle wink and he nodded up to his grandma.

"Well, education does come first." Her mother cooed. "Have a safe trip home, I'll see you tomorrow Hiyori."

They waved good bye as they walked out. "Lying is bad Ryuki, never do it. Mommy is the only one aloud to lie and it is only expectable for getting out of doing things with your grandparents."

"I understand." Ryuki said smiling up at his mom. "Hey what are my other grandparents like?"

Slick kid, Hiyori thought. "I've only met your father's father and he is not a very nice man. Thats your only question for now though young man. We still need to talk about what happened at school today mister." Ryuki groaned. "Yep. I understand that it frustrates you when you get ignored, but you can't throw things at people. Especially not a teacher! I know you know better than that Ryuki. Speak up to get her attention. Or nicely tap her on the arm."

"But mom, it was like she couldn't even see me!"

"I know bud, and I know that that must be hard and anger inducing, but you can't resort to violence."

She looked around noticing just how dark it was. It didn't help that some of the lights on the street she was on where out. Memories of just how dangerous this city could be at night started to flood her brain. She tried to suppress the fear bubbling in her stomach, knowing that would just attract them. Grabbing her son's hand pulling him close. "Mom?" Ryuki noticed how she was suddenly on edge. Thats when it started.

"SMELLS NICE"

Ryuki's eyes went wide when he heard it. Hiyori sped up their pace. "Mom what's going on?" Ryuki asked frantically. She tried block out all of the voices, even the cries of her son, she needed her mind clear to figure out how they were going to get out of this mess. Of course the day she is carrying no form of self defense. She looked behind them to see if it would be safer to just turn back, only to find a massive dragon shaped phantom following behind them.

"Run Ryuki!" Hiyori screamed as she took off pulling him behind her. What a day to wear heals. For the second time that night she wished she had worn her scrubs home.

Trying to keep her balance as she ran she used her free hand to dig around through her purse looking for her phone. It was the absolute last thing she wanted to do at he time, but it was the only option if she wanted make it out of this with both her sons life and her own. Once she finally had her phone in hand she dialed a number she thought she'd never use again.

She smiled over at her son. "We're gonna be okay. Ready to meet your dad?"

THANK YOU FOR READING! TELL ME HOW YOU LIKE IT

BRANDY