.
.
He was walking into the office when he saw the slim gold band shining on Bishamon's finger.
"Oh, Kazuma," Bishamon said. She looked up from her desk. "Do you have the latest stack of reports?"
The gold band gleamed in the afternoon light. Kazuma stared at her hand. "What is that?" he asked. Bishamon glanced down.
"Oh, this?" she said. She held up her hand. "The Yatogami suggested I get this. He said it would be a good representation of our union. I would have gotten you one as well, of course, but I wasn't sure your ring size."
Kazuma blinked. Then blinked again rapidly, before gritting his teeth and pressing a fist to his eyes.
"Kazuma?"
"Veena, I'm sorry-" his voice was thick with emotion. "It's just-"
Bishamon yanked off the ring and threw it out the window.
Kazuma started, "Veena!"
"My apologies, Kazuma, I should have known better than to listen to that idiot magatsukami. I had no idea that ring would be so upsetting to you."
("You stupid skank! He wasn't jealous because he's an earring! It's not like you were cheatin' on him with another piece of jewelry!" Yato said. Bishamon looked confused.)
xXx
.
Even with his ability, it took Kazuma a little bit before he could find Veena's ring in the garden, where it had landed unceremoniously after she threw it out the window. He was on his hands and knees, crawling around until his eye glinted and he turned and saw the ring nestled in a patch of long grass, the golden metal catching the afternoon sunlight. Picking it up, he carefully wiped away the dirt and smudges and slipped it into his pocket.
"Kazuma?" Veena walked back out into the garden. "Did you find it?"
"I did. Here," he said, and he took her hand and gently slipped it back onto her finger. He held her hand, lingering a moment. His eyes once again filled with tears.
Veena ripped the ring off and hurled it across the courtyard.
"Veena!"
"Kazuma, you mustn't push yourself! If you are uncomfortable you needn't endure it for my sake, I much prefer you as my earring."
xXx
.
"Yato, I was wondering. Do you think you could help me pick out a ring?" Kazuma said.
"HAH?" Yato said. "Shouldn't you be taking the stupid skank instead?"
"I already asked, but Veena said she has no knowledge about these things, she would rather I surprise her instead."
"Huh."
"Not to mention, she seems to think if she picks something, it might make me jealous because I'm an earring. She said if I picked it out, it would be less threatening."
"Ah."
"So Yato, will you help me?" Kazuma asked. Yato threw his arm around him.
"'Course I can! You're lookin' at a former world-renowned jeweler and expert in diamonds! What didja expect?"
("Kiyotsugu-san, are you sure you can trust that guy's taste?" Yukine said. They both watched as Yato pranced over to the jewelry store and made excited wavy hands at the gaudiest ring in the window.)