Yatori Week Day Seven

Prompt: Whatever You Like

Disclaimer: I don't own Noragami.

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Goodbyes

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It all started during Hiyori's graduation party. They were all gathered at Kofuku's place, eating cake and enjoying themselves with their usual vigor and the fair amount of goofiness so prevalent in the interactions of the small household, when the real bomb was dropped by no other than the high school graduate herself.

"Say, Hiyori-chan, what are you going to do now? Any plans for the future?" Daikoku asked.

The girl smiled and nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, actually, I wanted to show you all... this!" she exclaimed proudly, pulling out from her pocket an official-looking paper. "My letter of acceptance! I'm going to study at the national university!"

Everyone looked impressed and happy with her achievement. Daikoku congratulated her, while Kofuku jumped at her and squeezed the stuffing out of her, singing how Hiyorin was the smartest girl in the world. Yukine asked if she would let him see her books when he would finish up with the high school curriculum and Hiyori was pleased to agree. It was so heartwarming that her Yukine-kun took his education so seriously!

Only Yato stayed eerily silent during the whole conversation. He slowly melted into the background, turning invisible, then quietly got up and slipped out of the room. The others didn't notice it, not even Hiyori, who was showered with all the attention, but soon the girl grew concerned over Yato's absence.

She went outside the first chance she got, using an age-old excuse that she needed fresh air. Well, maybe she did, but it wasn't the real purpose of her leaving the party.

Hiyori looked around for Yato, but he wasn't anywhere in the vicinity, so she had to use her fine-tuned sense of smell to track him down. The girl inhaled deeply and followed the unforgettable fragrance of the god. She found him sitting on a bench in the nearest park and nursing the beer he had taken with himself. He was deep in thought, sipping leisurely his drink, the forlorn look on his face giving her a good idea of what he was feeling at the moment.

Hiyori's expression softened as she leaned against a tree, observing him for a while without being noticed. He must have been worried that she would abandon him and find a new life in the big city. After all she was moving away permanently and she would be coming back only for holidays. Most of the year they wouldn't have any real contact. She understood why he might have found it distressing.

Yato got up and, after throwing back the remainder of his beer, tossed the can into a nearby litter bin. He was about to leave when Hiyori stepped out of the shadows.

"Yato, wait," she said seriously.

The god turned to her. "Hiyori? Why aren't you with the others?"

She shrugged. "I should be asking that of you, you know. Is something bothering you?"

"It's nothing," he replied, averting his gaze to the left.

"Is it about me leaving?" Hiyori asked quietly.

Yato looked at her in surprise at her acuteness. She hit the nail on the head, though he didn't want to admit that she was right.

"Yeah, I was just thinking who will buy me meals after you'll go," he turned the issue into a joke instead, throwing in the additional disarming smile.

Hiyori crossed the few steps separating them and grabbed his shoulder. "You don't have to pretend. No one is here, only us." Her gaze was so intense, it took his breath away.

"Right... But what does it matter if I don't want you to go?" he spat out, irritated, wrenching himself out of her grasp.

"I can study at a different university, somewhere near," Hiyori replied without hesitation.

Yato swallowed, realizing that she was dead serious. She would do that for him in a heartbeat, if only he asked it of her. But he wouldn't, because that would break the promise he had made to himself – the promise that he would make her the happiest girl in the world.

The god shook his head. "No. You worked hard for a place at the national university. You deserve to go there and study what you want. Besides, I'll still be here when you'll visit. We will see each other, regardless of where you will live."

Hiyori smiled. She didn't expect Yato to be so supportive and understanding, but it really touched her. She couldn't contain the feelings that arose inside her.

"Hey, Hiyo... ri?!" Yato was taken off guard when she drew him close and wrapped her arms around him. His cheeks were pink and his lips formed an 'o' shape, then he returned the embrace.

"I'm sorry, Yato," Hiyori said softly, her cheek pressed to his neck comfortably as she talked. "I should have told you sooner about this. But, I promise I'll never forget you. And I'll write to you everyday. And I'll definitely visit as often as I can. Is that alright?"

Her eyes were honest as she gazed up at him and Yato gave a smile in return. "Yeah. It'll be good."

Hiyori finally let him go, albeit reluctantly and turned to go back to Kofuku's. The others must have been worried about them already. She took a few steps and looked back at Yato. "Are you coming?"

He nodded and joined her on the way back.

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The few weeks before Hiyori had to leave had been hectic, but she had managed to make time to meet with her friends every day. She cherished their moments together and she knew from Yato and Yukine's expressions that they appreciated it as much, if not more than her.

It felt too soon, but at last the day of Hiyori's departure to the university came along.

Saying goodbye to her parents was the easiest. They had already gone through the same thing with her older brother, so even if her mother teared up a bit, it was still a rather painless endeavour. The same couldn't be said about her other important people – Kofuku hugged her almost to death and didn't want to let go, while Yukine tried to play tough and unaffected but halfway through it he started sobbing and clutched her jacket in a white-knuckled grip.

The ones who took her farewells the calmest were Daikoku and, surprisingly, Yato. The god gave her a small hug and said something cheeky about developing his cult before she came back for a break. That was it.

Hiyori felt strangely disappointed with such a normal reaction. Usually Yato was much more dramatic than that and it filled her with uneasiness about just how indifferently he acted towards her leaving.

The young woman sighed and stared out of a window, observing the world quickly passing by as the train sped to its destination. Her new life as university student was waiting for her, with many new possibilities and avenues open and ready to be taken. However, she couldn't shrug off the melancholy that settled around her like a heavy cloud.

She would miss everyone so, so much.

The train ride ended in a few hours and Hiyori was left standing awkwardly on a station, unsure where to go. She read the signs and picked the hopefully right direction, using the city map to get to the place she was going to rent.

As she was walking down a deserted pathway, from the corner of her eye she noticed a passing shadow, however she didn't break her stride. Whoever was stalking her would get a nasty surprise if they tried to attack.

Another glimpse of fast movement gave Hiyori all the reason to drop her luggage and kick out at the suspicious figure. Her leg rammed into a person's gut and sent them flying into a wall of a building. Hiyori took a closer look at her stalker.

"Yato?! What are you doing here?!" she cried out, totally bewildered, even as she ran to kneel next to his defeated form. Yato accepted her hand and she helped him get to his feet.

"I decided I'll move here, too," the god explained, wincing and rubbing his stomach. She got him good with that kick. "In a big city like this, there will be probably more jobs for me, so I'll save more money for my temple, you know."

Hiyori smiled brightly, knowing this was only a part of the reason for his appearance here and not even a big one. "I guess you're right. Finding jobs must be tough for you. Is that everything?" She regarded him expectantly, reading him like an open book and he shifted on his feet.

"I... I thought you'll miss me," Yato added, looking embarrassed with this admittance. "Why are you smiling like that?"

"Oh, it's nothing." Hiyori was now grinning. She leaned up to him and kissed him on the cheek. "I'm just glad you came here."

Yato returned the smile. "Me, too."

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The End

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