Yato walked past the kitchen, slipping on his boots and zipping up his jersey jacket.

"The hell are you goin'?" Daikoku asked, noticing the god as he past by.

"Out," Yato replied vaguely.

Daikoku looked at the clock. "It's almost 10 o'clock at night."

"I'll be back."

"Does Yukine know about this?" Daikoku crossed his arms.

"Yukine's asleep. Bye."

Before the Regalia could say anything else, Yato left the shrine and leaped away.

Daikoku groaned. "No care in the world. That damned god…"

. . . .

Even if Hiyori didn't want to see him, that didn't mean Yato didn't want to see her. So Yato finally decided to check on her.

Yato leaped into a tree beside Hiyori's balcony, peeking in on her through the window. Anticipation rose in his stomach.

Would he be able to hold himself back from interacting with her?

However, expecting to find her at her desk watching Tono-sama, Hiyori was instead sitting at the edge of her bed with her head in her arms, unmoving.

Was she... crying?

Why would she be?

I thought she didn't care about me. But she seems so upset…

Unable to resist the urge, Yato climbed decided to engage. He had to make sure she was okay.

Hiyori sobbed into her bed sheets.

How long had she been crying? How long would this pain last?

The sound of her window opening from across the room made her gasp and quickly lift her head.

"Uh - s-sorry. I thought you were sleeping," Yato blushed, halfway in her bedroom.

Startled, Hiyori quickly wiped her tears on the back of her hands, but there was no hiding the fact that her face was still red and puffy.

"What're you doing here, Yato?" She sniffled and stood up to face him.

"I…"

What was he doing again?

"I'll just go back to Kofuku's, so - um - see y-"

"Matte," Hiyori stepped toward him.

Yato paused, and blinked at her cluelessly.

"Come inside."

Yato seemed to debate with himself before he finally stepped inside and closed the window behind him. "D-... daijoubu?"

Not finding the words to answer, Hiyori bit her trembling lip and stared at her feet.

"Hiyo-"

Hiyori collided into him, throwing her arms out wide and pushing her face into his warm chest. Tears welled up in her eyes again, her sobbing audible.

Surprised, Yato looked down at her. He kept his arms out, wondering if it was okay to hold her.

Finally, he gave in. He closed his eyes and held Hiyori closer than he ever had.

"Why does it hurt so much to see you walk away? Why can I never stop worrying about you? How is it I can never keep myself calm around you?" Hiyori asked, her voice breaking between sobs.

Yato swallowed hard. "I… I never knew why myself. But… I think I know why now…"

Hiyori sniffed and pulled away slightly to look at him. "Don't say it's 'cause you love me. Gods can't love…" she mumbled.

"W-what? Where'd you hear that?" Yato's bright blue eyes widened in surprise.

"From Kazuma-san. He told me it was pointless in trying, and that I was better off cutting ties with you." Hiyori choked out, her gaze dropping from Yato's.

Yato scraped his teeth. "That Kazuma's been actin' up lately. Heaven help him."

"What…?"

Yato sighed and gave her a small smile as he used his thumb to wipe her wet eyes. "Nothing. Don't listen to him. It's not true."

Yato's fingers grazed Hiyori's face, and Hiyori found herself melting in his touch. She reached her hand up and pressed her fingers to Yato's.

Once her sobbing finally ceased, Yato spoke up again. His voice was soft, and his words were chosen wisely.

"Hiyori, why kind of person do you think I am? I mean what I say, n' I'd never lie unless it was to protect you. You understand…?"

"Y-yes…"

Yato's fingers laced around Hiyori's.

"Just... don't think about anybody else, Hiyori. Speak on your behalf, n' tell me the truth," Yato told her.

Hiyori bit her lip, thinking deep within herself.

If she could choose to listen to Fujisaki and Kazuma - or listen to Yato - well, it was no contest. She wanted him. She wanted him to be hers.

"I think-..." Hiyori took a deep breath, and looked into Yato's beautiful eyes "I think I'm right. I think... that I truly, deeply...love you, Yato…"

He froze for a second, shocked. Then, he threw an arm over his eyes and broke into tears.

"Wha-? Yato, daijoubu?" Hiyori reached her hand out to comfort him, suddenly worried.

"Do you-... do you mean that, Hiyori?" His voice cracked.

She drew her hand back in surprise. "O-of course I do."

The god suddenly threw his arms around the girl, causing her to nearly stumble.

"Thank you. Thank you, Hiyori."

Hiyori settled into his arms and rested her cheek against his shoulder. "What about you? How-… how do you feel…? Honestly."

The god pulled away to look at her. "I…" He dried his tears on his jersey sleeve "I'm... not really good at saying that stuff out loud, y'know."

"Well…" Hiyori thought for a second "then, don't say it. Maybe… you can show me…?"

Yato's face tinted pink, and he blinked in surprise at her. "W-what? You sure?"

Hiyori took a deep breath and nodded.

It couldn't be any worse than her first kiss, right?

Yato felt it again. The anticipation. It built inside him.

He slowly leaned closer, until he could feel her soft breath against his face. Their eyes fluttered shut, and before either of them knew it, their lips met.

Within seconds the emotion that sparked felt like magic. The world slipped away.

Their first, long awaited kiss. It was everything Hiyori's first kiss wasn't. She loved it.

She loved him. And she now knew he loved her.

Yato pulled away.

"Why'd you stop...?" Hiyori whispered, their faces inches apart.

"I-I dunno. It was just supposed to be one kiss, right?"

"W-was I bad?" Hiyori asked, suddenly flustered.

Worry struck Yato's face, and he violently waved his hands in front of him. "N-no! No, no! It wasn't! You were fine. It-... it was... perfect…"

Pink tinged Hiyori's cheeks, and silence continued for a minute. "Oh…"

"G-gomen. I should probably go now. It's late and-"

"Do it again."

"Huh?"

Yato spun around.

"Kiss me again."

There was another moment of silence before Yato looked in the other direction to avoid eye contact.

"I shouldn't."

"Why not?" Hiyori asked. "Is it forbidden?"

"No, it's not that. I just-"

"What is it then?"

"I just won't be able to control myself, okay?"

Both of their faces went dark pink again. Hiyori thought long and hard as she registered that new information. Once her mind was made up, she spoke.

"So kiss me."

Yato's eyes darted in her direction, shocked. "Hiyori, I-"

Before he could continue, Hiyori decided she had to be the one to initiate the first move.

She sighed and grabbed Yato by the collar, reeling him in for the second kiss.

She wasn't a great kisser, but Yato didn't care. It was only the fact that they were kissing that caused him such joy.

He pulled away just enough to catch his breath and speak. "You sure about this?" His voice came out low and raspy.

"Please…" Hiyori whispered, her hands on his shoulders.

"Do you… have a wish?" Yato asked, causing Hiyori to giggle softly.

"I don't know. I just want you close," she murmured in response, her hands finding his chest.

"How close?"

Yato grew a smirk, which seemed to be contagious because Hiyori then did the same.

"Closer."

Suddenly, in one swift movement, Yato hoisted Hiyori up and placed her sitting down on her desk, to which she gasped.

"You're quite eager," Hiyori said through a thick smirk, reaching around his neck to untie his scarf.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do this with you, Hiyori…" he whispered, sending a chill down her back.

"R-really?" Hiyori blushed.

Yato chuckled at her reaction, helping her take the scarf off. "Oh, now you're flustered?"

"Wha-? No, I just-"

Yato laughed again. "I know you're still a virgin, Hiyori."

Hiyori blushed harder. "Y-yeah, well, and y-you're…-?"

He smirked humorously and shook his head. "I've done this before. I'm not new here."

She didn't know what she expected from him, but Hiyori did know that she was a bit disappointed by that.

Hiyori blinked and laughed nervously.

Yato placed both hands on either side of Hiyori on the desk and leaned into her ear to whisper.

"You should know me well enough to know that I don't care about personal space."

Hiyori swallowed. She knew this. But it at least made her feel good that he could get this up close and personal with her. He was finally stepping out of his comfort zone with her.

I wish I could stay this close to him forever - mentally and physically.

"Is that a wish?" Yato asked.

"Huh?" Hiyori said. "D-did I say that out loud?"

Yato chuckled. "Loud enough for me to hear."

Hiyori grabbed Yato by the jersey, pulling him closer. "Yes. That's my wish."

Yato smiled brightly. "Your wish…" he leaned in to align with her lips "has been heard loud and clear."

Along with their tender kissing, their bodies collided against each other in a beautiful harmony. However, still feeling the need to be more intimate, Yato reached his hands up Hiyori's skirt to grasp her by the thighs and tug her closer to him.

Hiyori gasped into his mouth, grabbing his jersey in her fist. His hands went to take the hem of her shirt, pulling it up slowly. Then, he seemed to stop before her bra could become exposed.

He pulled away from their kiss. "If I'm going too far, you can say something."

Hiyori blinked. Realization struck her, and she shook her head. "N-no! I told you; I want this."

It sent Yato's heart in a spiral to hear her say how badly she wanted to be so intimate with him. The moment was too perfect.

Unable to believe how he was about to witness Hiyori without clothes on,Yato's eagerness got the best of him. He ended up whipping off her blouse, exposing her white bra.

Hiyori felt her face heat up as her hand flew up to cover her rounded chest. "Th-... they're not great - I know."

"Are you kidding?" Yato laughed in disbelief. "You're beautiful."

"You… mean that?" She looked up at him in surprise.

Yato nodded, grinning.

Suddenly gaining confidence in herself, Hiyori wrapped her arms behind herself, unlatching her bra. As she watched Yato's reaction, she let her bra slip off her shoulders. Yato's bright eyes widened to see her plump, round breasts.

"Each time I think it can't get any better…" Yato murmured to himself, causing Hiyori to smile in response.

"W-why don't you take off your shir-?"

Yato caught Hiyori's wrist just as she was reaching for his jersey zipper.

"No."

"W-what?" Hiyori blinked, suddenly tense. "Why not?"

Yato sighed, letting go of her hand. "I'm not as stunning as you are, Hiyori. It's not worth it."

The words slipped out faster than she realized. "Anything involving you is worth it, Yato."

Yato froze in shock. Then, slowly, quietly, Yato reached for his zipper and pulled off his jersey. Just because it was Hiyori, he had to. If this is truly what she wanted, he'd step out of his comfort zone once again. After his jacket was off and on the floor, Yato continued to pull off his white T-shirt underneath.

Hiyori watched in awe, and gasped at the sight.

There were muscles she didn't know he had, but somehow, she expected this from a god of war nonetheless. She reached out her hand, glancing up at him before gently swiping her fingertips across his chest and arms, causing Yato's eyes to flutter shut at the sensation. His skin was tough and slick, but she also noticed the old pink scars on his body.

How could a man so dangerous be so undeniably attractive? Had he always been this attractive?

Yato let out a pleased sigh, and pulled Hiyori back into his grasp. Within two seconds, their lips were together again. Once Hiyori realized Yato was feeling her breasts, her knees tightened. She let out a struggled sound into the god's mouth, which made Yato groan.

The god only pulled away when he felt Hiyori resist, gently pushing him back.

It took both of them a moment to catch their breath before talking.

"Hiyori? Daijoubu?" Yato asked, worried.

Hiyori's hands slipped away from his shoulders, and her gaze fell to the floor. "I-I just-..."

Yato, with worried eyes, took his finger to gently lift her chin so they could make eye contact. "If this is all too sudden, it's okay to have second thoughts. I'll only want this if you do."

"Y-Yato…" Hiyori murmured, feeling her heart skip a beat.

After she could compose herself, Hiyori sighed, and Yato gave her some space to speak freely.

"I want this - I really do. Please. But… I just-... is this okay…?"

Yato stood there in front of her, seeming confused. "Is what okay, Hiyori?"

Hiyori gripped the edge of her skirt. "A-all of this? Is it okay for us to be doing this?"

"What do you mean? We... love each other, so it's okay, isn't it?" He said, ruffling his dark hair.

He still wasn't getting it. Could she have been any clearer?

The girl exhaled audibly before she clarified for him to understand.

"I guess… what I'm trying to say is…" she bit her bottom lip "...can gods sin?"

Yato seemed visibly taken aback. He stepped back slightly. "Is that what you're worried about? Because I'm a god and you're a human?"

Hiyori tightened her grip on her last few articles of clothing. She nodded, ashamed.

"Gods can do no wrong, remember?" Yato finally said.

Hiyori twisted her hair around her finger. "Y-yeah, but…"

"Hiyori, look at me."

Her face turned bright pink before she finally lifted her head again to see him with a determined look on his face.

He placed his hand against her cheek, caressing it as he spoke. "There are things I have done that I myself consider sinning. But don't ever think that what we're doing is wrong. We are not sinning. We're making love. Understand?"

Hiyori felt her face heat up, and she found herself staring into his gorgeous eyes. "H-hai…"

"Please tell me if you want this. Tell me you're not gonna regret this tomorrow."

Hiyori wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him tight. "I won't, I won't. I want to make love with you, Yato."

A small, yet genuine smile lifted onto the god's face. He embraced Hiyori back.

"Thank you, my dear. For everything."

And suddenly, Yato grabbed Hiyori and placed her in her bed. He climbed on top of her, placing kisses across her face and body. Hiyori gasped, entangling her fingers in Yato's messy hair.

Feeling his hands make their way toward her hips, the girl automatically lifted her legs. This gave the god the chance to pull off both her skirt and underwear. Yato stepped back to observe her from afar.

He watched Hiyori's chest heaving as she caught her breath, one leg hanging off the side of her bed. Her long brown hair tossed across the pink sheets that matched her eyes.

"All these centuries, I thought I'd seen it all…" Yato stood in awe, taking in the incredible beauty before him.

"You-... you're just kidding," Hiyori blushed, turning away.

Yato came back to the bedside to face her. "No," he said with all seriousness "I'm not. Who would've guessed the most beautiful girl in the world was a human?"

Hiyori's heart almost flew out of her chest. It was cheesy - probably one of the cheesiest things he could've said, but something about him saying it made her love him even more. How was she going to respond to that?

She wiped away a tear from the corner of her eye. This moment was too perfect. Tonight, with her loved one.

"Yeah, well… what do you have to offer, Yatogami?" She decided to tease in response, naturally placing her hands on his shoulders as she looked at him above her.

Yato then smirked at her, preparing to take his pants off. "I hope you're prepared to see a god's body."

The tone, and the way he carefully pulled off his last pair of clothing, caused Hiyori so much torment. But once her eyes lay upon his breathtaking body, Hiyori found herself writhing in anticipation beneath him.

"What's wrong?" Yato taunted. "Too much?"

"Stop teasing me," Hiyori bit her lip. "H-hurry up."

Yato chuckled a bit.

However, he dropped his playful attitude as he positioned himself correctly above her. They both locked eyes.

"There's no need to be afraid, Hiyori. I'll do this so that it'll feel right. This won't hurt as long you trust me."

Hiyori took a deep breath and nodded. "Mm."

"Is there anything you need first, my dear?"

Hiyori trusted him with this. There was only one thing…

"Will you… hold my hand…?" Hiyori asked quietly, their faces just inches apart.

Yato's face lit up with a soft smile. "Of course."

Yato intertwined their fingers against the pillow next to Hiyori's head.

"Are you ready?"

Hiyori closed her eyes and nodded. A grin spread across her face.