Hey everyone! It has been so, so long since I wrote a fanfiction (it's pushing 15 years now) and I've been inspired to once again try and stretch my creative talents inside the amazing world of Noragami. I hope you enjoy it!

As a cold breeze flew across her skin, she instinctively pulled her arms closer together, shivering slightly. Staring out at the clear, motionless water she barely noticed that the breeze carried the soft petals gently through the air, twirling towards the water's surface, and landing with a sort of divine grace.

Iki Hiyori looked up at the moon, revealing in the brightness it cast upon the pitch black surroundings, a small sigh escaping her lips. To a passerby, they would see her purple eyes lit up by the moon's piercing glow, and a girl who was clearly deep in thought.

The only thing that betrayed this scene as being anything other than a normal girl watching the moonlight night was the dark pink tail that swayed gently behind her. Seemingly remembering it was there, she turned to look at it, a slight smile appearing across her face.

During Hanamai she liked to stop and make time for self-reflection, thinking about the previous year. She sighed again. She wondered how long she would be… like this. She was human, sort of. Alive, sort of. She didn't exist in a realm that was easily classified, or even understood. She existed in two places at once, and neither of them, fully.

Half human, half ayakashi. She'd been like this for nearly two years now, ever since she jumped in front of the bus to save him the first time. She smiled thinking about it, thinking about him. The wind caught her brown hair in another sudden gust, and she could smell, ever so faintly, the very person she was thinking about.

She knew he was out there, a storm had been brewing on the other side of the city when she had escaped out of her bedroom window, her body left peacefully asleep inside.

"Yato…" His name escaped her lips as she thought about him out there, fighting the ayakashi.

She knew he wasn't alone. Her mind flew to the blond-haired teenager she grew to know so well. She smiled thinking of him, Yukine. He was a human once, just like she was. Only he had died when he was 14 years old, found by Yato as a loose spirit. Hiyori remembered the day like it was yesterday, when Yukine was named by Yato.

She played the memory back in her mind, remembering the first time Yato and Yukine worked together, destroying the ayakashi she had foolishly been attempting to talk to.

Her mind wandered to the first wish she made with Yato to fix her, to become human again. Things then seemed to be so much of a blur, and so different than they were now. She knelt down to look at the water closer as a petal floated by her like a graceful ship, setting out its course for its long journey.

She often thought about what exactly that meant. And how it would impact her now, after these years with Yato, Yukine, and the rest of Far Shore. She felt tears well up in her eyes, knowing that she could lose them all. As she looked at the petal floating blissfully away from her, a tear ran down her cheek. She could only whisper her prayer,

"I want to be here, with them, with… him, forever"

The petal floated into the dark waters further and further away, as not even the moonlight could illuminate it anymore.

"Yato! Two behind!" A shrill, young voice cried out in the darkness.

A dash of light blue eyes pierced the darkness as they spun around on the disembodied voice's command. Two shapeless morphing figures were rapidly approaching the silhouette with blue eyes, growing larger and larger.

In a fluid motion the figure jumped up with inhuman strength, as two swords flashed in the moonlight. One of the figures howled as the blades cut clean through, vanishing from sight. The other turned and grotesquely spoke,

"Smells nice."

The silhouetted figure quickly made an about face, adjusting the swords in his hand. With a yell, he ran towards the shapeless being, slashing away as its screams faded away into the night air.

"Revert, Yuki"

A brilliant flash of light erupted from the two swords converging together and in an instant, faded away to reveal a figure of a teenager. Clad in a thick green jacket, his yellow-amber eyes and blond hair pierced through the darkness of the night.

"That should keep things calm…for now." The silhouette with the light blue eyes stepped out of the shadows, revealing a man wearing a black tracksuit, with a tattered bandana around his neck. His jet black hair was messy and unkempt, with a hint of it being styled just that way.

"There's been more activity than usual around the city, strange for the springtime." The blond boy openly mused.

"Yukine, it can be something as simple as a chilly night after a warm day to bring the ayakashi here," Yato replied, "that's why we always need to be ready for anything." He flashed a look at the boy, an almost smile.

Yukine's eyes widened for a second, before he let out a grunt and looked to the side, away from the piercing blue eyes looking back at him. The two walked in silence through the empty streets, both lost in their own thoughts.

Yato's mind was racing, thinking about so much and yet so little at once. He thought about the unpredictability of the nights and how a storm could approach at almost any time. Pushing these thoughts from his mind, he thought about returning to Kofuku's shrine. There the both of them could get under a warm blanket, putting the rest of the night behind them. He let out a large exhale, his breath visible in the cold of the night.

Despite the promise of warmth, his mind continued to wander as they walked aimlessly. His mind fell upon the one person he could never truly forget, the person who would always believe in him. He closed his eyes and thought of her smile. Even in the cold of this early spring night, he felt a warmth inside of him. It had been growing and building for quite some time, and he knew he had to do something about it.

"...Yato?" Yukine's voice finally reached Yato, who snapped out of his thoughts

"What?"

"Did you not hear me the first time?" The boy huffed. After noticing Yato shake his head, he repeated himself, "Where are we even going? To Kofuku's? Or another shrine to lay around homeless in?"

Yato let out a deep sigh, on any other night he would have started a fight over the comment. There was something different about tonight, but he couldn't quite place it. He simply shrugged.

"Let's get to Kofuku's."

Yukine expected more of a fight from Yato over his comments, and was taken aback at his laid-back attitude and resigned nature. He watched Yato's blank expression as he turned towards their new destination, before he bounded into the air to land on the roof above him. Yukine followed suit, the two of them now moving much quicker towards an all too familiar shine.

Hiyori remained focused on the words of her professor while diligently taking notes. Every so often a girl with short brown hair and green eyes would look over at her, with concern in her eyes. Every so often Hiyori would feel she was being watched and instinctively looked out the window, not thinking to look in the direction of her friend, Yama.

This action didn't go unnoticed by her friend.

"Hiyori-chan?"

"Hmm?" Hiyori looked over at her friend, cocking her head to one side inquisitively.

"Whenever I look at you, you almost instantly look the other direction towards the window. It's like you sense someone looking at you and that's the direction you look in."

With a small uncomfortable laugh she brushed off her friend,

"Oh Yama-chan, I was just admiring the sunshine we've been getting." Her friend looked like she was going to say something more, but the professor started to speak once more. Hiyori's attention split from the notes she was taking to the person she kept thinking about, expecting to see him perched on the tree branch outside like a cat, peering in at her in the way only he could do.

She hadn't seen them for a few days which was unusual but not unheard of. She had texted Yato back and forth a few times, but nothing really substantial. Her mind continued to drift towards the two people she cherished most, now ignoring the droning lecture of her professor. She wondered what they were up to, if Yukine had completed the latest round of homework she gave him, and if Yato had found the time to buy another trinket that promised good luck.

"Hiyori-chan, you're blushing"

Yama's voice shook Hiyori back to focus, staring at her friend and only becoming redder in the face.

"I wasn't until you said something," Hiyori retorted.

Yama simply chuckled. Hiyori had been doing these sort of daydreams more over the past year, often blushing or sighing when she did. Yama couldn't quite tell if this was a preferable alternative to her falling over fully asleep. No sooner did she think that, she heard a soft thud next to her. Hiyori had fallen asleep, face down in her notes.

"Probably dreaming about whoever she keeps thinking about," Yama muttered under her breath. She quickly excused herself to bring Hiyori to the infirmary, wishing that Ami was in that class to help her get Hiyori there.

From outside the classroom, Hiyori watched as Yama carried her sleeping body out of the classroom. Her classmates were so used to it by now, no one paid any attention to it and the professor simply continued his lecture. She smiled and made a note to thank Yama the next time she was in her body.

Hiyori did stop and wonder, was she really blushing? She didn't think Yama would have lied about something like that, but she was only thinking of Yukine and Yato. She shook the thoughts out of her mind, thinking it was just the sun warming her face. She turned her nose to the sky and took a deep inhale. After opening her eyes she jumped on the electrical wire to make her way to Kofuku's.

"Kofuku!" A tall, gruff looking man screamed as a green liquid spilled across the table top. The giggling from the pink-haired girl showed that the man's admonishment wasn't going to get very far. The man produced a rag to quickly try and mop up the spill.

"Aha, my bad!~" Kofuku giggled again, "Thanks Daikoku!" She took the moment to snuggle up closer to Daikoku, who just smiled and ran his hand through her hair. Yukine suppressed a laugh by taking a large bite of the rice dish in front of him. Yato simply sighed and shook his head at the scene unfolding in front of him.

The doors slid open, revealing a familiar face

"HIYORIN!~" Kofuku screeched, launching herself at Hiyori as she tried to walk through the opening. The two fell into a pile as Kofuku grabbed Hiyori and hugged her on the floor. Hiyori could only manage a small squeak as the bubbly goddess crushed her.

"Hi to you too Kofuku" Hiyori managed with a smile. Her eyes went over to the table, meeting Yato's amused face looking back at her.

Hiyori couldn't help but smile at both Yato and Yukine, happy that she had finally been able to spend time with them again. A thought creeped into her mind, it was always Yato who pestered her and sought to spend time with her. It's been awhile since he had reached out to her.

"Hiyorin! Hiyorinnnn! Come, have some food! Daikoku worked so hard on it!"

Hiyori nodded, as Daikoku set down a bowl and a plate in front of her. Laid out on the table was a large, steaming bowl of rice, with a large fragrant pot of miso soup next to it. Darkened pieces of salmon were laid out, accompanied by crunchy sheets of seaweed.

"Yukine-kun? I have a new set of books for you." Hiyori nodded to him. Yukine had been advancing well over the years, he was quickly catching up with her own education. She was just about to finish her second year of high school, and his level was around the start of her same year.

"Oh, uh, thanks Hiyori." Yukine looked away from what she said, embarrassed by her bringing it up in front of everyone.

"Yato? What have you been doing this past week?" Hiyori asked, hoping her voice didn't betray how she really felt.

"Ah-hah Hiyori, we've just been swamped with jobs! And Yukine here has been working at the shop nearly everyday for Daikoku, he's really getting the hang of it."

"Oh Yatty! You haven't had time to spend with Hiyorin and Yukkie!~"

The two of them looked over at Kofuku, with a starry-eyed look on her face,

"We should go out! It's such a beautiful day, we could have a picnic! Daikoku!" She looked at her shinki with a look in her eyes, before he sighed and nodded his head. He got up to go into the kitchen, followed close behind by Kofuku.

Hiyori couldn't resist smiling as she watched Yato and Yukine talk, all while hearing clangs and clashes in the kitchen as Kofuku's luck inevitably caused some form of chaos. To Hiyori, this had all become so… normal. So routine and mundane, yet something she dearly cherished.

"Hiyori? Earth to Hiyori? Hello?" The sound of Yato's voice shook her out of her thoughts, "You've been staring at me."

"Ayyeh?!" Hiyori felt her face flush a deep crimson before muttering something unintelligible. It was at that moment that Kofuku burst out from the kitchen with an oversized basket, overflowing with food.

"Ready?" Kofuku giggled.

The sun beat down on the group, its warmth hitting them like an inescapable blanket. Rays of light filtered through the still falling cherry blossoms, which seemed to cast an ethereal glow over the entire area.

It had taken them nearly two hours to get to their destination, the tree Suzuha had once tended to. Daikoku carefully laid out the two blankets, one for him and Kofuku and the other for Yato, Yukine, and Hiyori. The five of them basked in the sunlight, leaving Hiyori wishing she had brought some sort of sunscreen.

"Here" Yato produced a sun umbrella for Hiyori, almost as if he could read her very thoughts.

"Oh!" Hiyori smiled and let out a small giggle, "Thank you Yato."

"I've never known the appeal of these blossoms, this is the first time in a long time I've come to see them three years in a row."

"That's because you never had us to drag you along"

"Yeah, you were probably always stuck in a shrine somewhere" Yukine grinned, showing there wasn't any malice in his comment.

Yato simply scoffed and looked away. Hiyori had noticed he wasn't exactly his cheerful self, ever since being called for a colloquy about a week before. When he came back he refused to answer any questions about it, not even to Yukine. Kofuku, not one to ever attend the events, wasn't able to give Hiyori any hints on what happened.

"He's just being a stupid jerk again, ignore him Hiyori," Yukine's words would normally resonate with her, but this felt different to her. Yato got up and walked away, leaving Daikoku to yell at him for simply leaving the picnic.

Hiyori felt like going after him, but Kofuku chimed in and ushered both her and Yukine over. She tried to shake the thought that something was wrong. He's fine, it just has to be something that happened in Takamagahara, he'll be back to normal soon.

Yato came back just as the four of them were starting to pack up, the sun's rays replaced by the silky orange of a spring sunset, the blossoms now only falling when there was a strong gust of wind.

"How nice of you to show up finally!" Hiyori puffed at the still moody god.

"I had some business to take of with Bishamon."

"Hey… what? Why did you-"

"Yukine." The boy fell silent from his master's words.

Kofuku and Daikoku waved their goodbyes and drove off, with Yato ensuring them that he would be home shortly.

"Hiyori, I wanted to talk to you." Yato's voice was more serious this time. She hadn't remembered hearing him like that for a long time, and especially not when speaking to her. After he turned around to talk to Yukine, the boy sulked off in the opposite direction.

The two walked, silently. She would look over at him, trying to get a reading of his mood. The night began to envelop the landscape, as a cool breeze blew through the air. The leaves rustled in its grasp, providing the only sounds that Hiyori could hear.

"Yato?..." Hiyori's voice was timid as she turned to him. He looked over at her without much of an expression on his face. She could see his piercing blue eyes looking at her, almost as if they were searching for something.

Yato sighed, "Hiyori, you remember that wish you gave me those years ago, right?"

She let out a small gasp. She of course remembered wanting him to fix her body, to prevent her from becoming half ayakashi. Her mind couldn't even think of that now, it seemed so far away. So many memories ago.

"I… I don't. I can't, Yato-"

"Hiyori, you and I know that this can't last forever. Half in, half out. You've always said you wanted just a bit longer. But how long can that go on?"

The look on his face was deadly serious, almost as if he was trying to convince himself of the words he was speaking to her. Her head started to swirl, unable to comprehend what he was even saying.

"No! Yato! I want to be together longer!"

"Come, Sekki!" A brilliant flash of light illuminated the night sky, as two swords came to rest in Yato's hands, wrappings billowing at the hilts as the moonlight gleamed off them. Hiyori's mind was racing, she didn't see Yukine lingering in the distance.

"Anything you want to tell me?" Yato spoke the words, barely audible. A wave of sadness spread over this face, replacing the expressionless aura that he previously held. A glowing line appeared surrounding both of them, while connecting in the middle.

"Yato… I love you." A tear fell from her eye as she was able to finally get the words out, staring directly into his eyes. She could see that he was now openly crying as he moved towards her, his expression of a sadness she'd never seen on him before.

"Sunder!" A wave of darkness overtook her, she could feel her vision fading. The edges melted away, consumed by the inky tendrils that shot from all directions. As the darkness closed in around her, the last thing she saw were those blue eyes.