Her father stared down at Hiyori in solemn silence for a long moment.

Yato swallowed hard, feeling guilty for his grave reaction.

"Iki-san?" The nurse behind him called gently. "Iki-san."

The man blinked and untucked his arms from behind his back. "Ah, gomen'nasai," he replied as he turned to face the doctor and nurse at either side of him.

"What should we do? We won't take action without your permission, sir."

Hiyori's father sighed and turned to look at his daughter over his shoulder.

"Prepare her for a screening," he answered at last. "Set up the monitors and fill the IVs with some nutrients for her. Do whatever you can to keep them both alive and stable."

"Hai!" They both nodded before scrambling to adjust machines and tools at Hiyori's bedside.

Yato's ears perked up at Hiyori's father's words.

"Do whatever you can to keep them both alive and stable."

"Both."

He's... giving her the chance to have the baby, Yato realized with shock.

Yato quietly backed away to let the hospital staff prepare the equipment. Yukine swallowed, watching the situation unfold in front of him.

. . . .

"Y-you're…-"

Yato sighed and looked up at Yukine from the corner of his eye. Tears broke out from the corners of his orange eyes.

"You're absolutely disgusting!" He cried, bringing his palm down to meet his master's face. "How could you! You damn pervert! No wonder she's been avoiding us!"

Yato staggered backwards, recovering from the smack. However, there was already a red handprint forming across his cheek.

"You-...you-... disgusting little-!"

"It's not what you think, Yukine!" Yato shouted back, immediately rising from his seat beside the bed.

"What're you talking about?! It all makes sense now, doesn't it?" Yukine exclaimed, throwing his arm out in Hiyori's direction.

"Yukine!" Yato silenced him, clutching his fist in frustration.

He grasped Yukine by the shoulders, crouching down slightly to meet his Regalia's gaze. The young boy was met with softness and sincerity.

"Listen to me, okay?" Yato began.

He sighed, hanging his head before preparing himself. The god lowered his voice and caught Yukine's gaze again.

"Hiyori and I…" he but his lip "-are together, okay? She gave me her consent - no pressure involved. She gave me a wish, n' I granted it. I would never have done anything she didn't want me to do."

As he explained, Yukine's anger ceased, and his expression faded to that of sympathy. His eyes flickered from Yato to Hiyori in the hospital bed.

"I know this is a lot to take in - it is for me, too. But look, we didn't know this would happen. It didn't seem possible," Yato continued. "We're really unsure of what to do now, n' we have absolutely no idea what's gonna happen from here, but one thing is certain-"

Yukine turned to look at his master again, his mouth ajar with confusion and uncertainty. He had been processing it all, grasping every detail.

"We really want this baby, Yukine. Please," Yato said, his irises gleaming with determination, "don't tell anyone. Not even Kofuku and Daikoku know. Maybe we'll tell them eventually, but we need to figure things out first. Alright…?"

Yukine blushed a bit. "Y-... you're sure about this…?"

Yato swallowed and nodded carefully. Yukine sighed heavily, holding onto his master's words.

"O-okay, okay. Fine. I trust you."

. . . .

Yato had probably lapped the whole room three times in his distress. He couldn't help his anxieties from coming to the surface. He checked the clock to see how much time had passed, then glanced over at his unconscious lover in the bed.

Yukine's voice broke through the silence. "You sure it's yours?"

"Tch!"

"What - I'm just asking!" He defended himself.

Yato sighed, rubbing his tense neck. He groaned and slumped down into the chair beside the bed, his gaze falling upon Hiyori.

The god gently picked up her hand and brought her knuckles to his lips.

C'mon, wake up. Look at me. Anything.

Yukine watched the interaction, surprised by the tenderness in his master's voice.

"You-... you think she's okay…?" The blonde boy asked gently, matching the god's anxiety.

Yato sighed, caressing Hiyori's jawline. "I dunno. I hope so..."

Yukine swallowed thickly.

"They didn't seem to know from what they saw."

"W-what did they find, exactly…?" Yukine asked, stepping closer to the bed.

"That's just it, Yukine. They didn't find anything! All of her results came back normal. But there's obviously something wrong, right?!" Yato panicked, leaping up from his seat.

Yukine stepped back cautiously. Sensing his tension, Yato sighed and slumped back down into the chair beside Hiyori.

"S-sorry…" he mumbled. "I-... I-I'm just not the person Hiyori needs…"

Yukine crossed his arms. "Do you seriously mean that?"

"Of course I do! I mean, she-"

"Yato." The Regalia interrupted.

Yato stopped himself, looking at the boy again.

"Hiyori loves you, okay? We can all see it."

Yato swallowed a bit, surprised.

"She doesn't do any of this to make you happy. She does all of this because it makes her happy doing it." Yukine explained. "Just let it happen. And be happy too."

The god blinked in shock, becoming silent.

"Leaving her when she needs you the most shouldn't be an option."

Yato's piercing blue eyes met with his orange ones. "Yukine…"