Warning: spoilers for anyone who didn't finish the anime, season 1. Let's hope for season 2!
It was if Mother Nature decided it would be best to reflect the mood of the trio - a calm, cool and almost cleansing air with a warming glow from the rapidly lowering sun. Hiyori felt herself getting less shaken the more she walked in unison with her cohorts under the protective warmth of the tangerine-soaked sunset. It didn't hurt that she was also with the two souls she trusted the most to keep her safe, as proven further by earlier events...but she immediately pushed back that thought and smiled, returning to the other set of tangerine suns that rested in Yukine's eyes. She wanted to forget - no, not forget - move past the events of that day, for she would hopefully never have to undergo another situation like that ever again.
"Hiyori, are you sure you still remember it all?" Yukine had been quizzing her on general events and knowledge that occurred between her, Yato and himself. So far he had hurriedly confirmed most events during their prior year together, and she passed with flying colors. She chuckled a little to herself at Yukine, as his expression morphed between concerned, to ecstatic, to focused as he continued to find more questions for her to assure him she was back to her old self. She even mused about teasing him once that she had forgotten the answer to a question, but decided now was not the best time to joke on such matters. She was simply enjoying all the memories he shared with her, a trip through a very memorable year; how had she managed to forget?
"How about Yato?" Yukine pried. "Do you remember when you met Yato? I wasn't there, but that's your oldest memory. You remember that, right?"
Of course, she thought, that was when everything in my life changed. "Yes, Yukine, I remember it all as if yesterday," she reassured, trying to keep her smile from changing into a grin as her mind flooded with the events of the first time she met the great Yatogami. "I..." She hesitated on her words as she noticed Yato looking back over his shoulder at her as they walked, "...promise." When did Yato get so far ahead of them? She knew he was being aloof as usual, but he seemed to be making an effort to be even more distant from them - no, from her. She raised an eyebrow at him and he turned his head back.
Yukine fist pumped the air in celebratory fashion. "Yes! Excellent! It's great to have you back to normal, Hiyori!" He flashed her the biggest smile she had seen in quite a while, and she reciprocated with a big one of her own.
"I'm just thankful to have friends who would go through so much effort to keep me around," she sighed happily, side-hugging Yukine as they walked leisurely over a bridge that would lead them back to where her body lay. She took a moment to glance over at the golden tide of the river. As happy as Yukine seemed, Yato showed the opposite indifference. Was Yato feeling burdened by her? Was this effort too much for him, for a god who never had to worry about his followers for long because they left and forgot him long before he could? How many had he seen come and go before she had caused him all this trouble? No, she thought, he seemed so happy to have me back. He hugged me so tightly that he practically fused into my skin as I spoke his name not that many hours ago...what could have changed?
It was so sudden of a stop, she knew her face was stuck on a confused expression. "Yato...?" Yukine tried to understand, too, as Yato turned to walk back towards them - no, to her.
As he stood a few paces in front of her, hands jammed into his jersey pockets, she began to feel herself trying to hold his gaze. He was refusing to look at her, lowering his eyes to the ground just to the left of where she stood. "Yato...?" She parroted Yukine, hoping he was going to say something that would steady her increased heart rate.
The tension made it feel like an eternity to her before he spoke.
"You should leave us, you know."
She almost didn't know he had spoken it, if she hadn't seen his lips move and his breath rustle the hairs of his bangs that hung over his face. He was now looking at her, piercing blue eyes less friendly towards her, but not malicious...was it pain and...yes, a forceful determination, the kind of look someone gives to a puppy they are scolding not out of choice, but for its' well-being. Is that what she'd become to him?
"It would be better if I severed our ties. Then your wish could be finally granted." He sounded so calm, but she knew better. Yato had too much force in those words, as if he were willing them to shoot out from him like bullets. Even in her pain of hearing such things from him that she had worried over being true just a moment ago, she was able to realize he was not saying these things out of true conviction. Somehow, he believed this would be better for her, and no matter the effect it would have on either of them - or Yukine, at that - he would always opt for her safety and happiness. He looked down again, rosy patches of pink slowly creeping onto his cheeks as he focused so carefully at the ground between them.
"Yato, what are you talking about?!" Yukine rushed back to look at Yato, clearly concerned he was about to play a part in Hiyori's separation. He tugged at his master's sleeve, trying to get him to look at him. "We just got her back and now you want to send her away forever? There has to be some other way! Why would you -"
"No."
Yato and Yukine looked over at Hiyori.
"I respectfully decline your offer," she corrected herself, cheerfully, slightly bowing towards the two.
"But Hi-Hiyori, it's the only way to keep you from leaping from your body again," Yato stammered. "You only split between the Near and Far Shores when you begin to meddle with us. When you forgot about -" he halted to clear his throat, shaking away a thought. "When you lost your memory, you had not lost your body until we became more familiar."
"So?" She exhaled. "Did I seem any happier? Ignorance is not always bliss. I could feel empty without knowing why...does that seem like a path I would prefer?"
She let him soak in her words before continuing.
"Yato, you seemed concerned that I will ruin my life if I continue to keep my attachments to you, but shouldn't I be worried over how I live my life? If I choose to be around you, that is my choice. If I wanted to forget you, I would never have made that promise to you. You and Yukine are something I never want to forget, and I want you to never forget that."
She blushed slightly and smiled at the stare he gave her. Yukine broke the silence first, cheering and hugging Hiyori once more. While embracing Yukine, Hiyori watched as Yato cleared his throat once more and attempted to conceal the motion of wiping his eyes. "Suit yourself," he mumbled loudly enough to be heard, and continued walking in the opposite direction. "C'mon, you two, we've got to get Hiyori back to her body before dark."
Yukine began a cheerful march behind Yato. Hiyori sighed and looked over the river once more. The sun was nearly gone now and the faintest traces of cerulean could still be seen in the water. She closed her eyes and whispered, "A promise is a promise, Yato."
Note: first Noragami fan fiction, and first really published one, at that. Just my expression of how the last episode would look from Hiyori's point of view. Let me know if I should do more, but I'm marking this one complete as a one-shot; might go more into manga than anime in the future. Thanks for reading! =]