Chapter 9: Innocent Sorrow

Yukine's POV

2 hours before~~~~

I had just gotten back from Takamagahara; I heard that there had been a summoning for the Gods, so Yato would've had to have been there, right? Well, I had been sadly mistaken when I found out he wasn't there either. Why is it that after he ends up getting a shrine he doesn't even use it? What a slacker.

I arrive back at Kofuku's house a nearly an hour after the summoning and sigh to myself, scratching my head and yawning in exhaustion. I had been studying in the library and Kazuma gave me a surprise attack again. He seems to do that a lot to see if my guard is up. I guess that's a good thing to see if I'm always ready for a surprise attack, especially since I'm Yato's only regalia. That is if he plans on releasing Nora anytime. Before I could walk into the house Hiyori came running around the corner, puffing; there was also … blood on her uniform!

I ran over to her once I saw it, worried, that something had happened to her. "Hiyori! Are you alright? Why is there blood on your uniform?!"

She just shook her head and grabbed my hand, tightly around the wrist. "I…I can't explain right now, but it's not me who was injured!"

"Then who…" I stopped myself as my amber eyes widened in realisation of who it was. Who else would it be? Yato's missing and he had gone out to search for him a little over forty-five minutes ago. "R…Rin!"

She nodded at me and I could sense the worry and fear coming from her. How bad was he? Where was he if he wasn't here? And how'd it happen? Isn't he half-demon, so with his flames he'd be able to protect himself? So why was he injured? Did it just come as an unexpected attack? I've got so many questions to ask him and I need them to be answered … badly…

"Yukine, Hiyori, you're back?" The confused voice of Daikoku caught us off–guard as we turned to face him. He could see the worry in our eyes and we knew how good Daikoku was at reading people; his expression quickly changed to concern once he read our faces. "Is something wrong?"

We can't keep this away from him and Kofuku or else when Rin comes back they won't understand why he's injured. "Hiyori said Rin was injured."

"What? Rinni got hurt!?" Kofuku's voice popped up beside Daikoku as worry crossed her face. "We have to go see him!" Kofuku looked up at Daikoku as if asking for his permission to come with us.

"You two don't have to come!" I exclaimed, waving my hands about as if to defend myself from an enemy onslaught. "He'll be coming back here once he's better…" I looked to Hiyori, worry in my eyes. "…right, Hiyori?"

"He will. I just had to get him somewhere close to where he was before he bled out," Hiyori explained.

A gasp from Kofuku as she covered her mouth in shock, I gaped at Hiyori and the cigarette in Daikoku's mouth fell out, "He was that bad!?" Hiyori nodded; a solemn expression on her face. This doesn't look good.

Hiyori grabbed my hand again and began to drag me around the corner of the house. "Well, if we're going to go let's go! I'm pretty sure he'll want us there when he wakes up!"

"Alright! You don't have to drag me!" I cried out as I tried to pull my arm out of Hiyori's firm grip. This was really worrying. Just what did Rin do to nearly bleed out? Why didn't he use his flames to protect himself? Something isn't right here.

I looked up from my thoughts to realise we were in front of Tenjin's temple. Hiyori led me through; Daikoku and Kofuku following behind us and I saw Tenjin's regalia at the doorway of a room; all looking inside with worried looks on their faces. Once they heard us coming they moved aside for Hiyori and I to walk in and I saw Rin's condition. My eyes widened when I saw him. His right eye was bandaged up completely leaving no way for him to see through it; his left arm and leg also had bandages on them, but not as bad.

Two of Tenjin's regalia were tending to him; Mayu and Tsuyu as Tenjin stood beside them as if observing. They finally noticed us enter the room; the two women stood and bowed at us. "We did the best we could for him. His condition has gotten slightly better than how he was when you arrived with him, Hiyori," Mayu told us and I turned to Hiyori as if asking her what Mayu meant. Though I am afraid of the answer ... A LOT...

"He was really bad when I found him, Yukine. He was bleeding from his right eye and it wouldn't stop," Hiyori explained and I saw … tears in her eyes. She must've been terrified at seeing him in such a condition, but helped him get here anyway; just like what she did with Yato after I … blighted him.

"There's one more thing you should know." We both looked to them; worry crossing both of our faces for our friend. "Once we cleaned up all the dried blood and made sure to stop anymore from flowing out…" she stopped for a moment before she continued; taking a deep breath. "…we noticed immediately the reason his right eye had been bleeding so much."

"Why!?" I exclaimed, sounding perturbed by this news. I know it's rude in the presence of another God, but I can't help it! My friend has been badly injured and I couldn't help him! How do you think I feel about this!?

"Yukine…" Hiyori spoke softly to me, trying to calm me down as she knew I'd only end up hurting Yato if I got upset or angry about this. I tried to calm down and with her putting a hand on my shoulder it kind of helped. Thank you, Hiyori…

"I'm sorry to say this, but you're friend … can no longer see from his right eye…" My eyes widened and I was about to speak, but stopped myself from saying something I would probably regret and just bit my lip.

"W…Why can't he?" Hiyori spoke my question for me. At least she'd sound more reassuring and calmer than me, but she also had a hint of uneasiness to her voice; showing how concerned she was for Rin. I'd scream my damn head off and probably sting Yato. I may have already done so already after hearing this news though.

"It is because his right eye … is no longer in his skull…" My mind just completely shut down after hearing this. I stared at the floor in shock; eyes wide. Rin … had lost an eye. How? How had that happened? Why did it happen? I hardly see him angry. He didn't deserve something like this! Who could do something so … heartless to him!?

"Yukine!" I snapped out of my thoughts and stared up at Hiyori as she looked at me in concern. "Yukine, I know hearing this is really…" she looked away for a moment before turning back to me again. "…but just be glad Rin is still alive!"

"But … he lost an eye! How's that anything good!" I exclaimed at her. Damn. I should keep my cool, but how can I?! "If Yato hadn't had disappeared he would have stopped this from happening to Rin!" Hiyori grabbed my shoulders and hugged me; but before I could do anything to stop them I felt tears falling down my cheeks. "Fine! It's both our fault! Yato for pulling a disappearing act and me for not going with Rin! I should've gone with him to help look for Yato, but he went on his own and then this happened! It's just as much my fault as it is Yato's!"

Hiyori's grip on me tightened as I could also feel her own tears fall onto my shoulders. "Rin's suffered ... but he'll be fine ... as long as we're there for him..."

My grip on Hiyori's arm tightened as my tears kept falling. I should've gone with him. It's my fault. He'll blame me. I know he will. It's all my fault this happened to him…

2 hours later~~~~present

I opened my eyes; rubbing them of sleep and looked over in the direction of where Rin was meant to be sleeping. I caught a glimpse of Rin sitting up on the futon and in the doorway was Tenjin's back as he walked out of the room. I look back at Rin as he turns back to look over at me and Hiyori; noticing I'm awake and gives me one of his usual grins. How can he be smiling after what he's just been through? Is he hiding how he's truly feeling just to show me he's alright? He can tell us if anything is bothering him. Doesn't he trust us?

"You're awake!" he exclaimed in a cheery voice.

I opened my mouth to say something as a reply, but no words came out. I just ended up lowering my head in guilt; not bothering to look at him. "I'm sorry, Rin."

"What are you sorry for?" he asked, tilting his head in confusion. Is he that dense?!

"It's my fault this happened to you. If I had gone with you then this wouldn't have happened," I told him. "Yato was meant to watch you and yet … he's gone missing and I couldn't do anything in his place..."

"Yukine, you couldn't have known this would happen." I look up in shock at Rin's smiling face as tears appeared in my eyes once more. "I'd much rather be injured then see you get corrupted. Now, wipe those tears away."

"H…How are you so calm about this?"

A loud sigh came from Rin as he shook his head as an answer. "To be honest; I'm actually a little worried." Rin's head lowered and his fringe covered his remaining eye as he stared at the blanket he was clenching. "Yato will probably freak out since he was meant to take care of me for just a little while and then there's Yukio. When he finds out … man, is he gonna be pissed at both me and Yato; probably Yato more."

"That's all you're worried about?" I asked Rin, incredulously. There had to be more to it.

He looked up at me and shrugged his shoulders. "It'll be hard to adjust to looking at the world through one eye." He suddenly gave me a huge grin to try and lighten the mood. "But won't I look cool with an eyepatch!"

"I think you're looking at this from the wrong way," I stated bluntly, earning a huff from Rin. I smiled at this. I was glad that Rin was still … well … Rin. I hope he stays that way. I can't imagine him being anything else.

A sudden movement beside me made me look to see that Hiyori was waking up; rubbing her eyes and groaning. She looked over to Rin with sleepy eyes until she realised he was awake, knocking me over as she rushed to his side. "Rin, are you alright?!"

"Jeez, Hiyori!" I exclaimed, rubbing my head as I came up beside her by the futon. She just giggled an apology as I grumbled to myself.

Hiyori then, turned back to Rin with a serious look on her face. It looked odd on her; seeing her so serious; then again she was probably going to do the very thing I wanted to do. "Rin, what happened to you?"

This is when Rin froze up and didn't seem to know how to answer. He looked at his sheets once more, trying not to make eye contact with us. Why does he do that? Is he that embarrassed about this? "It's … complicated."

"How?" I asked, wanting to know also how he got injured so badly. "Couldn't you have used your flames to protect yourself?"

Rin just shook his head in reply. "It's not as easy as that. You don't exactly want a random passers-by seeing me flame-up, do you?" He finally looked at Hiyori and me from the corner of his eye and we looked at each other, shaking our heads. "Exactly. That's why Yukio's told me to only use them unless necessary."

"But if you were being attacked then shouldn't you have used them?" Hiyori asked Rin which equalled in a sigh from the injured teen.

"It was more of a surprise attack." Hiyori and I blinked at this as Rin decided to continue. "As I said before I left Kofuku's I went out to look for Yato. I ended up at the park; talked to myself for a little bit when a girl appeared beside me asking how I knew him. She just appeared out of nowhere!" Rin exclaimed, stretching his arms out with his eye wide as if to emphasise his point.

"A girl?" I frowned at Rin, ignoring the bit where he said he talked to himself and he nodded. I have a bad feeling in my gut that the girl that attacked Rin was Nora. Why did it have to be her out of all people? "D…Did she have short black hair and wear a white kimono?"

Rin blinked at what I had said and pointed a finger at me. "Yea, she did. How do you know what she looked like?"

I gritted my teeth together in anger and I could tell that Hiyori's worried gaze was on me. "Yukine…"

"She's one of Yato's old regalia. She's a Nora. A regalia that belongs to many Masters," I explained to him.

"So, that's why she had so many names on her arms," he muttered to himself, loudly.

"But, how'd she attack you?" I asked Rin and he looked away in … shame. Is he ashamed he had gotten hurt? Or maybe it's because he had been attacked by a little girl? Maybe, that's it.

"She seemed like a nice little girl until…" Rin stopped for a moment as his hand went to his right eye, caressing the area. "…she said she'd take my eye. It freaked me out and I just wanted to get away from her. Some wolves with masks on their faces held me down by my right arm and leg as she…" He closed his mouth, not able to continue. I can tell the memory was still fresh in his mind and was too painful for him to continue.

Hiyori patted Rin's shoulder as he turned to face her with a light smile on her face. "Rin, we're here for you whenever you need it. Okay."

I could see Rin's eye go glassy as tears wanted to break out, but he wiped them away and smiled back. "Thank you, guys! This means a lot to me!"

I know this is real early to ask (since I am no where near the ending), but I'm just curious on your thoughts on it. The question had been bothering me since I started the Fanfic and I want to know what you guys think (even though I might be spoiling PART of the ending). In my Noragami and Blue Exorcist Crossover how should I end it?

1. Rin dies and becomes Yato's regalia

2. Rin lives, but Yukio is killed and becomes Yato's regalia

3. Both twins live, but Yato dies and reincarnates

4. Yato and the twins both live and everyone has a nice happy ending XD

It looks like by these options that I'm aiming for a tragic ending ... well, I kind of am. I like happy endings, but I also like sad and tragic ones too and I see this ending that way. I just can't decide how to end it. If I can't decide by the time the final chapters draw near (along with not a lot of voting) then I'll choose my favourite one out of these and then maybe do alt. endings. People always like alt. endings (mad laughter). Hope you enjoyed!

P.S. I added a fourth ending voting option for those that like happy endings and not sad, tragic ones

NOTE: There's a poll on my profile you can vote properly on this on. If that doesn't get used until the time these final chapters come around I'll take it down and just use the votes from the reviews.

D0A OUT!