"Wha-?! What the hell is going on?!"
"U-um…" Yato rubbed the back of his neck, and he glanced at Hiyori, waiting for her explanation.
"O-onii-chan, you-... y-you remember Yato, right?" She smiled nervously.
"Of course," Masaomi crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow in suspicion. "You two have gotten quite close."
"Y-yeah…," Hiyori admitted, just as bashful as Yato was, "well, th-that's because this is…-"
Hiyori made eye contact with the god, as if searching for a suitable answer.
Yato then turned back to Masaomi. "I-I'm her lover."
Masaomi sighed. "As if that wasn't obvious enough," he said rudely.
Hiyori placed her gentle hand on Yato's shoulder, causing him to straighten up and glance at her. He looked back at her brother and watched his reaction.
"But who are you, really…?" Masaomi gave a suspicious glare.
Yato sent one back in his direction. "I'm guessing you already know," he replied in a challenging tone.
"So it's true, then?" He sharpened his stare. "You're the asshole that got my lil' sister pregnant."
Yato felt slightly threatened and took a cautious step backwards when Masaomi began to aggressively approach him. However, Hiyori quickly intervened before anything could happen.
"Stop it!" She told her brother, holding him back from Yato. "Yes, he's the father. But please, don't hate him. I love him; doesn't that matter to you?"
"I don't want an explanation from you, Hiyori," he said, then eyed Yato.
Yato sighed, realizing what he had to do. He gave Masaomi a bow, only this time, out of respect.
"Please," he began in a calm tone. "I don't expect you to forgive me, but at least trust Hiyori on this."
Hiyori glanced from Yato to Masaomi, expecting something.
"I never intended to hurt her. Neither of us expected this to happen, but I never truly abandoned her. I needed time to think it all over. In the end, this is what I want, and this is what she wants, too. It's not gonna be easy, n' I see that now. So, please, understand me when I say that I will always stand by her, no matter what she wants and decides..."
Masaomi blinked. He sure had a way with words.
He sighed to himself and pushed his glasses up his nose. "Alright, I suppose I trust you. Considering I've met you before, and how I trust my sister's judgment, I'll allow it."
Yato lifted his head, giving Masaomi a surprised expression. Then he grinned widely. "A-arigato!"
"Thank you, Onii-chan!" Hiyori bowed as well. "This really means a lot to me."
Masaomi gave his sister a soft smile, then looked back at Yato. "Don't say I didn't warn you, though. Treat her right."
Yato and Hiyori straightened up, and then they caught each other's eyes.
"Don't worry," Yato said. "I'll treat her like a goddess."
Hiyori blinked in surprise, but then her face softened into a loving expression as she stared into the god's mesmerizing eyes.
. . . .
"Yato…?" Hiyori whispered amongst the quiet of the night.
"Hmm…?" He hummed in response.
"You don't think what we did was...- wrong...?" Her voice was soft.
She heard Yato sigh. Then he adjusted himself in the bed to see Hiyori a bit more clearly.
"Hiyori, listen to me, okay?" He said, sounding slightly frustrated.
The tone in his voice made her nervous, and she wondered if she did something to upset him.
"We made love. We didn't sin - or commit some kind of crime. Making love is something that two souls do in their purest form to share affection. It in and of itself is a Holy symbol of true emotion and beauty."
Hiyori blinked in surprise, her face growing warm. "Y-Yato…"
How is it possible that a god of war can say such wonderful things? She thought to herself.
"Y-you really think that?"
"I know that," Yato answered, sincerity in his voice. "And if anyone else thinks of it any other way? Well, screw 'em."
He took hold of his lover's hand, stroking it with his thumb.
"We made love, and now, because of it, we made a life."
Yato turned his gaze to Hiyori's rounded belly, causing her to do the same. He used his other hand to lift her shirt a bit, and he ran his hand across her stomach.
"How is it that no one has ever made you a shrine? How cruel of them," Hiyori sniffled, and Yato knew she was beginning to cry.
Yato's face contorted into that of pain and sorrow. He gave her a bittersweet smile. "I've...- done some unforgivable things, Hiyori."
Hiyori let go of his hand and cupped his face. She pulled him closer. "None of that matters to me. If anything, it just makes this moment even more special. Because you were able to change and break that cycle."
Their foreheads gently bumped together, and Hiyori felt his breath hitch. Her hands dropped from his face to his shoulders.
"I love you, my Yato…" she whispered.
"My Hiyori... I love you, too..." he nuzzled her face, to which Hiyori giggled.
He looked down at Hiyori's belly, feeling his cheeks warm from joy. "And I love you too, little one…!" He whispered, and Hiyori smiled warmly.
So strange… the god thought. Loving someone I haven't met yet.
"Yato?" Hiyori called, noticing the god in deep thought.
Yato looked up to meet her eyes.
"Daijoubu?" She asked, concerned.
Yato chuckled softly. "No, I'm fine - I'm great actually," he grinned.
Hiyori laughed quietly. "Why's that?"
Yato scoffed. "Isn't it obvious? I'm here. With you. With my family."
Hiyori giggled. "You might wanna count again. We're missing someone."
"Who? Yukine?" Yato smirked and rolled his eyes. "He doesn't even know we're together."
Hiyori sighed. "Y'know, we have to tell them soon."
Yato groaned. "They're think I'm a massive perv that can't keep it in my pants."
He nervously scratched the back of his head. "Daikoku would kick me out, Yukine will pound my face in the dirt, and Kofuku will probably just laugh hysterically while she watches."
Hiyori chuckled. "I guess I should explain, then."
"And...- your brother…?"
The brunette blinked. "Hm? What about him? We told him, didn't we?"
"Well," Yato laughed weakly, "we didn't quite tell him that I'm a god."
Hiyori gave him a deadpan expression. "And you really think he'll believe you? You don't actually have any proof."
It was true. Sure; Yato had business cards with the words "Yatogami: delivery god" on it, but besides the fact that anyone else couldn't see or remember him, Yato had no way of proving his immortality to her brother.
Yato thought for a long moment, then he grinned. "I think maybe you should leave it to me for that. You tell the others about the baby, n' I'll tell your brother about the god stuff. Deal?"
Hiyori sighed. "Only if you promise to think before you speak - and watch your context!"
Yato rolled his blue eyes. "Oh, please! When have I ever-?"
The brunette glared at him, causing him to quickly shut up. A faint pink tinted his cheeks.
Hiyori crossed her arms, smirking. "You're teaching our child bad habits, Yato," she teased.
His eyebrow twitched. "H-how's that possible? It's not even born yet. It can't hear us!"
Hiyori snickered to herself, enjoying his reaction.
"We love you, Yato."
