the thing about hiyori is that she's incredibly straightforward. in everything but this, it seems. this is the one thing she can't, just can't be direct about. she never could. not with herself and not with others. for one thing, she never had to be. romance and crushes never interested her. the closest she came to it was her admiration of touno.
but he's saying that gods and mortals aren't totally strange in the heavens. another secret among the gods, huh? it brings the god's greatest secret back to mind but she casts it away. not today. besides, yato would ask how she knows about it. how could she tell him she saw his memories? the playing. his father. sakura.
if she didn't force herself to forget about the secret, yato's question would. she goes wide-eyed and this time DOES drop her fork. ]
What! [ HOW DID HE ]
I couldn't...! Who, that's the first--?! I was just...! J-just-- [ just. ] Curious about Kofuku-san and Daikoku-san since it's Christmas! I was thinking about them. And then you said it would be different if it was m... a god and a mortal. That gods have fallen in l-love with mortals before! So, really, I should be asking if you're thinking of asking a mortal out.
[ ah ]
W-wait, no, I'm not asking that! I don't want to ask that!
[WELL YOU SEE, WHEN A LOT OF PEOPLE GET REAL HORNY--
It's one of those traits in her that he admires, honestly. Because he's... not usually so straightforward. Evasive, even. He tries not to ever lie if he can help it, but he isn't always forthcoming with pertinent information unless absolutely necessary. Whereas Hiyori is as honest to herself and others as the day is long. They compliment each other, he feels. And he wants to be more like her.
Although it hardly matters if she's got her eye on some other god, now does it. Did she meet someone there...? They weren't together all time, so it's possible. Did Take woo her?! Was she taken in by his beauty?? Sure as hell couldn't have been his personality, he hopes. Although her plaque did seem attracted to the lowest of low lifes.... A god would at least be a better prospect for her. Dammit! He won't stand for it, though!!
Putting his own fork down, he braces both hands on the table and leans halfway across it, eyes sparkling with... something bright. Daring. Challenging. Determined.]
So you didn't meet somebody at the Council and fall madly in love with them, huh?? Somebody with big, beefy, sweaty pecs like your Touno? [He's heard some of those war gods can be pretty buff.] But Kofuku and Daikoku are a god and a shinki, so where did-- [How did this even start?] Wait, me? You think I've found somebody? But you don't really wanna know. So-- it doesn't matter to you if I asked a mortal out, huh??
[Swallowing, he's standing up to lean over to her side of the table before he realizes it.]
[ alright, takemikazuchi may be cute, but he's worse than yato when it comes to social etiquette. also, as if she could go for the rival of her best friend! that's messed up.
hiyori leans back in her chair as he stands out of his seat and leans across their small table, accusing her of things she wouldn't do! don't bring touno into this. it's not his muscles she likes, ok! muscleheads aren't her type either. ]
I didn't!! Yato!
[ with something like apprehension on her face, hiyori stares up at yato looming over her in her chair. asking her questions she doesn't want to answer. there's so much conflict warring in her that her eyes start to water. no, it's not how it is. yes, it matters if he asked a mortal out. but also it shouldn't.
how DID it get like this? he's doing the scary thing! and yukine isn't here to buffer yato or smack him when he's getting to be too much. gentleman yukine. maybe the uncomfortable pinch of her brows answers what she won't say. that it does matter. ]
Should it matter? [ she clenches her fists around the edge of her chair and sets her jaw. fights the thickness of her throat. ] As long as that mortal supports you and likes you for who you are and they make you happy, that's what matters to me.
[Where did this flurry of emotion come from, even? He's not quite sure, but it's overwhelming him in the worst way imaginable. Normally Yukine would be here to talk him down, tug on his arm until he remembers to breathe and stop crowding poor Hiyori.
But his shinki isn't here and he is barely breathing, and when he does, it comes out hard, making his shoulders heave. He wants to spit it out so badly, to tell her that it's her he wants to ask out. But... what if... she isn't interested? If she has somebody else she likes? He can't get in the way of her happiness, even at the expense of his own.
Without noticing, his nails dig into the table as he stares at her, searching hard for unspoken answers - both from her and for himself.]
It should! Because--! ["I want you to care, because it's you" gets hung up in his throat somewhere. Lost among everything else he wants and longs to say. Finally what comes out is:] W-Well, they do. They make me happier than I've ever been...! And I'm gonna stay by them forever.
hiyori holds her breath. unlike yato, she can read between the lines a little easier. he doesn't need to say it's you because he's given her all the hints already. she keeps them apart, though. rather it would be more accurate to say she pulls the wool over her eyes so she can't see the big picture.
no matter how obvious it might be. ]
I-I'm happy for you.
[ eventually, finally, she breathes. keeps staring at him with her eyes still round and watering from not being able to blink this entire time. getting over herself, glancing at his hand and how his nails dig into the wood, she reaches over and puts a hand on his before prying his fingers off the piece of furniture.
did she start this? with an innocent, innocuous question about gods and shinki. ]
Yato, I'm sorry. Don't be upset on Christmas, please. It's supposed to be a good day.
[Uncertain as to whether his message got across or if it was lost in translation, her words seem to answer that question unequivocally. Except. Except... What if this is her way of turning him down? Of letting him down gently, without having to come right out and say "no"?]
Are you?
[Now he's even more confused than he was before. And he's made a pig's ear of things, at that. She looks like she's on the verge of wanting to cry, and it takes him way too long to figure out why. His hovering. His stance. His voice. All aren't very... encouraging when put together, are they.
It makes his grip on the table tighten even more, until she's pulling his nails from the wood. That one action seems to deflate him, leading him to sitting back down heavily with his head hanging. He props it up on the one hand not in her grasp, breathing hard. He's not even sure what's going on anymore. Only that it's like they're speaking two very different languages here.]
Upset? I'm not-- [He looks at her with eyes that go from hurt to guilty in a matter of moments when he takes the time to try seeing things from her perspective. A scary god, indeed.] Hiyori, I'm sorry...
[For getting so worked up over nothing, for scaring her, if he did.]
[ even hiyori doesn't know what her words mean other than what they are at face value. ergo: they make him happy, so she's happy for him. because his happiness is important to her. more than a lot of things. more than nearly everything.
she is happy, truly. about that. perhaps not about being crowded into her chair but she's done her best to keep her backbone straight and tell him her beliefs. what she wishes for him.
looking across the table, she furrows her brow at him holding his head up with his hand. he's not upset? he looked pretty upset to her. she squeezes his hand and releases a small sigh, shaking her head. water under the bridge. theirs won't collapse so easily. they've been through too much together.
he sure gets intense, though. when it comes to romance. ]
I'm serious though, Yato. I just want you to be happy. But today of all days, especially.
[He stares at her for several moments longer before letting out a quiet sigh, allowing his shoulders to finally relax and the tension to drain from his body. How is it that she can stir up the most volatile emotions in him? Even when it's just the two of them.
Or maybe that's why. It's just the two of them. Them, sharing Christmas together, like, l-like a couple. How he imagines Kofuku and Daikoku used to before they butted in. Only there's no subtle lovey-dovey displays between them. Instead they get into heated... conversations over mortals and gods having romances. Stupid.
Turning his hand over in order to hold on to hers, he fixes Hiyori with a emphatic stare, not harsh like before, but much softer. There's even a hint of smile to his lips.]
I- I am. There's hardly anything that could make me happier. I just...
["Got worked up" would be an understatement, to put it mildly. "Wanted to say 'I love you' might be more accurate, but that'd be opening the biggest can of (gummy) worms they've ever known. He's not sure he's ready for that yet. Especially if she's already turned him down in her own way.]
[ as soon as yato relaxes, his shoulders sagging, hiyori feels the tension in her gut loosen too. she can breathe a bit easier and the air around them is more comfortable instead of on the edge of something. talking about romances between gods and mortals hit too close to home. smacked her in her blind spot and before she knew it she was asking questions and making things worse.
now that she's used to more physical contact with yato, she doesn't pull away from his hand turning. or from his blue gaze piercing her again, just as striking but warmer. heating up and replacing that tension in her stomach.
cutting himself off again. she attempts to parse what he means without asking him outright and she's able to figure it out. only she figures it's "found someone" instead of else. ]
I told you that you would be the first to know if I ever did. [ this "someone" he's always worried about. meanwhile, she's always thinking about their ema and what it could mean. scooting forward onto the edge of her seat, she holds his hand with both of hers. ]
We should be thinking of things that make us happy, anyway. Like, mmm, I'm glad you made such a special breakfast for me this morning of whatever I wanted. That was really nice of you, Yato. I'm grateful.
[As quickly as the tension had manifested, it's gone again, like it'd never been there apart from the slight furrow in Yato's brow. That much he can't seem to shake without concentrated effort. Which is hard to do when you don't realize it's happening.
His fingers latch onto her hand, not tightly, but firmly. Warmly. Part of him wants nothing more than to lean across the table and place his lips upon hers, but he quickly shakes that thought away. They don't have that kind of relationship.
Not now, possibly not ever. That somber fact dampens his mood somewhat, and he ducks his head in something between shame and embarrassment. She did indeed say that. He should've remembered and trusted in her to keep her word on that as well. It seems like he never can when it comes to her, though. Even at his very first Divine Council he lost it when her plaque kept ending up tied to unsuitable men.]
Y...Yeah. You did. Sorry. [Peering up at their hands from between his shaggy bangs, he nods. It won't do to dwell on the bad or sad aspects of life. The parts he can't change. Better to be grateful for what's right here in front of him so he can treasure that for as long as possible.]
...you're doing a good job as my temporary guidepost. That's something that makes me happy, too. I... didn't ruin breakfast for you, did I?
[Finally dragging his head all the way up, he gazes at her with raised brows and a sheepish half-smile.] You can hit me if I did.
[ as much as it pains her, this isn't the first time he's struggled to believe her words. from telling him she won't forget him, to saying she wants to be with him longer at capyperland (though that's her own damn fault for being so stubborn about not watching the parade but she had her reasons), to calling him her god of happiness and fortune. she just sends him a slightly wan smile. ]
You don't need to apologize. I'll just keep reminding you.
[ one that drops and for her cheeks to color for his praise. she is...? gosh, but it feels like she's struggling a lot of the time. yukine is better at it. maybe it's the connection that gods and shinki have. she was never the leader type until recently. ]
N... no, you didn't ruin it. [ she's quick to reassure and then fights a scoff for permission to hit him. all she does is give his wrist a light smack. right after, she gives him a softer pat. for saying she can hit him at all. that's awful. wrestling moves when he's being Too Much is one thing. hitting him because he was trying to express himself is another. besides, when was the last time she put him in some submission hold or any kind of wrestling move? oh. when she threw him off the zombie ride for laying in her lap, wasn't it? she couldn't help herself and she felt terrible afterward. ]
After we clean up and I get ready for the day, I'm going to hand out all the Capyper O-inari-san we made just like we planned. You should think about visiting the friends you've made here too, Yato. Do you want some inari to give to them?
[Trust with him has always been hard to earn, even more so for a human, as they can't help being of the Near Shore and fallible. It's just part of their nature, and he's come to accept that.
Except for Hiyori. Her words hold real weight and meaning. He can hold them close to his heart where he's most vulnerable, let them seep into his soul and trust in them. A struggle every step of the way to be sure, but he's doing it. He believes her. He wouldn't listen to her otherwise.]
Mmm. 'kay. I appreciate it.
[Because he does need the reminder. He knows that much is true. Together they both might not be the perfect pair of god and temporary guidepost, but they still make for a good team.
Her reassurance that the day isn't spoiled sends a wave of clear relief through him, washing away the last traces of the near-argument. He even laughs lightly upon getting a literal slap on the wrist and a comforting pat to go with it. Both make him feel heard. All is as right with the world as can be here.]
Ah, yeah, of course! I'm sure they'll love them! And I'll be sure to mention that since you made them, they're from you as well. Can't have anyone think I'm taking all the credit myself, heh.
[He skewers his tower of pancake bites and shoves them into his beaming face, nodding. He'll definitely have to pick up a few extra gifts for Hiyori while he's out and about, too. To make up for Santa's mistake and as a way of saying 'thank you' for all her hard work on the inari.]
[ it always means a lot when her words are taken to heart. but why he needs the reminder -- she has some idea. speaking it aloud? acknowledging it? that's another thing.
that's for some other time. after coming to a tenuous understanding, she doesn't want to break it. yato seems pleased, anyway. she nearly goes back on her word at yato suggesting he can say the inari gift will be from her, too. she didn't think of it as yato taking all the credit.
although... she could see him doing that before. not now. that bottomless stomach hasn't changed like the rest of him has. she can't help herself but to smile at him.
inari gifts from both the yatogami, god of happiness, and his faithful... follower. yeah. ]
But I'm not trying so hard to be a God of Fortune, you are. I made them so that people could believe in you. As a sign of good ties between you and others. [ except... like one. that's a teeny tiny cookieper for a cookie person. BUT ALL THE OTHERS ARE NORMAL CAPYPER INARI. ] I don't really need credit. [ she pauses. ] But if you want to say they're from me too, you can. I don't mind.
[That would definitely be treading a little too close to vulnerable territory so soon after their near miss of a thing that was them butting heads. He doesn't want to spoil today with dwelling on matters that can wait for another time.
Today's the day to play Santa, after all! For them to get all dressed up in their new winter gear and go visit friends and neighbors to spread cheer and Yatoism! Then maybe come home all covered in snow to warm cookies and milk, and a roaring fire. Play some games, have a nice dinner... N-Nothing romantic, just... normal roommate things!]
Of course! They may represent the blessing of Yatogami, but they're made with love and care by you - nothing I say will change that.
[Meaning her contribution shouldn't be taken for granted or trivialized just to feed his ego or reputation. After all, he still has the hand-woven omamori charms to go with them!]
I mean, what better way to prove I'm a good God of Fortune than by having such a wonderful and dedicated loyal follower, right? You're like free advertising! [H-He means that lovingly.....]
[ near miss -- that's for damn sure. she's just glad that she came to her senses and was able to settle yato down, too, before something happened. the air was so thick with suspense. she felt it weighing down on her body like it was a tangible thing. this is much better. yato smiling and making jokes at her expense...
..........
it's christmas, she reminds herself and knows yato doesn't mean it in a demeaning way. probably. some people are likely already questioning him from his previous advertisement. which while it wasn't bad, it was still -- he can do better.
and she is also DOING her BEST. wonderful and dedicated and loyal. it's nice that yato notices it. too bad calling her free advertising kills it. ] Putting in a good word never hurts, but I think you, yourself, proving you're a God of Fortune means more. Actions say more than words. Even mine.
[ TOUNO-SAMA TAUGHT HER THAT.
hiyori gives his hand another pat and then stands to get... one more pancake. she needs fuel for all the work she's going to do today!! ]
Mm~ I might ashk you to teach me to make theesh, too... otherwhysh I'll jusht beg you to make them all the time...
[It's good that one of them had some senses to come to, as Yato's aramitama was starting to rear its ugly head in a 'jealous lover' sort of way that was wholly inappropriate for the setting. Besides, everything is much better when they're both happy and content.
Though of course he doesn't mean it in a demeaning way! How could you think such a thing of this smiling angel?? Everybody else is just mean to think him suspicious after that perfectly honest, 100% accurate advertisement.
Maybe they should compare notes and see whose methods work better for luring in customers and believers. That way they could cover twice as much ground! Maybe he'll bring it up later when they get back.]
Yeah, but it helps to have a way of proving myself first, without butting in where I'm not wanted, yeah?
[He grins after her getting another pancake, slinging an arm over the back of his chair.]
Hehe, that can probably be arranged. Though maybe I'd like to hear you begging~
[ the same way when yato talks about "pest control" and comes flying in with a bat at one of the baseball guys that talks to her when she was filling in as manager.
she prefers this happy and comfortable atmosphere by a landslide, too. yato can be scary, at times, but she's fairly sure he doesn't realize it. or he's only just starting to. that guilty expression on his face was impossible to miss.
hiyori mulls and chews. that's why he wanted people to call him first. to be wanted or needed. hmm. ] I think you can tell when and where you should help others. Have more faith in yourself.
[ something she always tells him.
as for BEGGING. she's tempted to throw her fork at him. he WOULD like to hear that, wouldn't he? yato and his prayers. ]
[Considering the strange ideas those guys got just because Hiyori was offering to help them out, he feels perfectly justified in warding them off with their own sports equipment.
Thankfully nobody's tried to pull that kind of crap here (to his knowledge.) Otherwise he might get just a bit more scary than she saw just now. No one's allowed to mess with his believer/temp guidepost...! NOT ALLOWED.
To her comment, he pouts a little bit, twisting around more in his chair until he's kneeling in it.] Yeah, but...
[She's completely right about him wanting to be wanted. Needed. That's the trouble of trying to force himself into people's lives. Without knowing them he can't tell when he should step in. Like now, with how Hiyori offers to pay him for his services. He immediately perks up, one foot coming down to rest on the ground.]
You'll make it a proper wish??
[He's out of his chair in an instant, glomming onto her with both arms and his cheek pressed to the side of her head.]
[ ah, well... yeah... there's that, the team having very STRANGE ideas, but that was because of YOU. YATO.
clemency to the poor soul that ever tries to hit on hiyori (nor to her knowledge) with the yatogami protecting her like a hound.
she fights the amusement to no avail at how quickly yato's lured in by the gleam of a coin. she'll make it a proper wish, she doesn't get to say before he's grabbing onto her and his face is so damn CLOSE. ]
Gyah! Yato!! C-Careful!
[ her chair tips sideways with yato's exuberance and she clings to his shirt in order not to topple sideways with it, her balance upset. once she realizes she's safe and won't end up on a heap on the floor, her body sags and she pats his back. ]
[T-There may be some truth in that he had a hand in coloring their impression of her, but they jumped to their own conclusions! It's not his fault they're horny teenagers who think with their equipment--!
And hey, if he's willing to curse her future husband to smell like musty laundry, there's no way anyone actually making a pass at her will get off lightly. Divine protection guaranteed!!
If there's any consolation, it's that he misses her amusement at his antics and doesn't receive any positive reinforcement to his doofy behavior. Though there's also the way they both almost go overboard , even if thankfully it doesn't come to pass due to him having one foot firmly planted on the floor.]
Hehe~ It's fiiiine!
[His cheeks flush warmly at how she clings to him, certainly not missing this opportunity to enjoy their closeness, however brief it may be. Still, he backs off after a minute, allowing her chair to settle back on all four legs.]
I gotcha. I still appreciate it, though. I haven't gotten any requests since my advertisement. There doesn't seem to be much call for a Delivery God when they have the likes of a message board.
[Yes, he sounds a little put out about that. Being beaten by a community board of all things...]
[ HE BASICALLY USED HER BODY TO ADVERTISE AS A CALL GIRL!?! THE CONCLUSIONS WERE DRAWN.
she has no idea he did it all to put her in a Pathetic State. all so that he could try and be Prince Charming. it all backfired, anyway, and now he has to answer odd, heavy-breathing, perverted calls now and then. she would have to say that Divine Protection is a step up from trying to make her miserable and lonely.
it does end up being fine when he lowers them back on all four chair legs. the way her fingers knotted in his shirt loosen and she releases him to go back to her pancake. ]
Really? [ hiyori blinks at him. but... they can SEE him. see his advertisement. they've come to that deduction. yato isn't as invisible here as he is on earth. though he does sound pretty sulky about the community board. ]
Have you thought of advertising there on the board? You could make a flier and interested people could take one of those cut-off pieces at the bottom with your number on it or some other way to contact you since... there aren't any phones.
[ do not
share their address. PLEASE. she doesn't want to answer the door to some creeper. that's a recipe for disaster. ]
[HEY, HE HAD "DELIVERY GOD" PRINTED RIGHT THERE ON THE CARDS! NOT HIS FAULT THEY COULDN'T UNDERSTAND TWO WORDS STRUNG TOGETHER...
...though in hindsight, Operation Prince Charming may have been ill-advised and slightly cruel, so perhaps it's for the best that it didn't work out the way he'd planned. He's learned that it's a lot easier to get into Hiyori's good graces when she's already in a pleasant mood as opposed to a down one.
Releasing her completely, he then parks it on the table beside her, crossing one leg over the other and putting his chin in a hand. Wearing a full-on pout, he stares out past her to the window.]
Well, it's like you said. Some people think I'm suspicious. Others seem to look down on me for my skill set, and the rest just... aren't interested.
[He lets out a long, heavy sigh, slowly glancing back to her.]
That's an idea... Maybe something like that would work. Though I think that it being a dream world without a monetary-based economy means that the call for my services is kind of limited. It'd suck if I had to find something else to do besides being a god. [Which... he technically is already doing, but nobody tell him that.
And if she doesn't want their address known, she better speak up now or forever hold her peace. It's a small enough place, so in a way they're all kind of neighbors anyway.]
[ WITH THE WAY HE WAS ACTING, THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A SPECIFIC!!! TYPE OF DELIVERY!! NOT THAT SHE KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT THAT--
things might've gone very differently if it did work. by some stroke of luck, it didn't and yato experiences hiyori without relying on ill-advised and slightly cruel schemes to get her to rely on him. because... she already did, in a way.
they look down on him for his skill set? that's a first. the suspicious thing is, unfortunately, not too surprising. hiyori is now the one staring at her plate in thought, a piece of pancake on her fork but not raising to her mouth. ]
Trade is important here. It could be worth it to find a skill that's in demand? I don't know what that could be, though. I've been helping now and then as a volunteer at the pottery shop since I've been there so often, but that's just because I like it.
[ ... he could always be hired as some kind of swordsman. like a knight. god knight. god bodyguard? bodygod? no, that's weird. yukine advised yato to use his skill of cutting things up to destroy calamity. is there something similar here? ]
A god listens to the people's prayers, right? Maybe Reverein has some problem we don't know about and... you can help them fix it. Like the Ayakashi. People could start praying for your help, then. Actually, I remember something of a problem. What was it...?
[Okay, so he should've at least had some idea that might've happened... He's been around long enough to know about those sorts of deliveries.
For one thing, she might not have forgiven him for dislocating her shoulder. And sending her reputation through the roof in every possible way. But, all's well that ends well and all that!!
For a god, his skills are a touch too mundane and everyday to really impress anybody here, it seems. And without Yukine to draw his borderline, he struggles with the more delicate work like cutting ties. It's lucky he didn't cut more than a few strands of Joshua's hair when he tried it with a dreamotion sword.]
Prayers, huh... Are you talking about the noctaere? Joshua mentioned them - shadow monsters composed of nightmare energy that tend to inhabit dreams and the Wastelands. There's not much else known about them, I think.
[ EXACTLY!!! ALL OF THAT. there's a lot she forgave him for, in the end. tenjin told her to stay away. to go back to her human life but even then...
she looks up quickly at the word "noctaere". that sounds exactly like the sort of thing he SHOULD be fighting to help people! ]
That, yeah!
[ at the same time, she worries. yato is plenty capable on his own, but he was unstoppable with yukine. his dreamotion swords pale in comparison. she's sure yato knows that even better than she does.
all the same, this seems to follow yukine's guidance. ]
Shadow monsters made of nightmare energy... [ she says to herself. if this is a place of dreams, then couldn't that nightmare energy affect the world? nahida called this place a hypostasis - structured and stable - but now she's wondering if that's true again. this place could be manipulated by that nightmare energy as much as it is by dreamotion. ]
Doesn't that sound like Ayakashi? They were nightmares that fed off bad emotions, too. I haven't heard much about them bothering people but we should fight them, right? Before they do something.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
no subject
the thing about hiyori is that she's incredibly straightforward. in everything but this, it seems. this is the one thing she can't, just can't be direct about. she never could. not with herself and not with others. for one thing, she never had to be. romance and crushes never interested her. the closest she came to it was her admiration of touno.
but he's saying that gods and mortals aren't totally strange in the heavens. another secret among the gods, huh? it brings the god's greatest secret back to mind but she casts it away. not today. besides, yato would ask how she knows about it. how could she tell him she saw his memories? the playing. his father. sakura.
if she didn't force herself to forget about the secret, yato's question would. she goes wide-eyed and this time DOES drop her fork. ]
What! [ HOW DID HE ]
I couldn't...! Who, that's the first--?! I was just...! J-just-- [ just. ] Curious about Kofuku-san and Daikoku-san since it's Christmas! I was thinking about them. And then you said it would be different if it was m... a god and a mortal. That gods have fallen in l-love with mortals before! So, really, I should be asking if you're thinking of asking a mortal out.
[ ah ]
W-wait, no, I'm not asking that! I don't want to ask that!
no subject
It's one of those traits in her that he admires, honestly. Because he's... not usually so straightforward. Evasive, even. He tries not to ever lie if he can help it, but he isn't always forthcoming with pertinent information unless absolutely necessary. Whereas Hiyori is as honest to herself and others as the day is long. They compliment each other, he feels. And he wants to be more like her.
Although it hardly matters if she's got her eye on some other god, now does it. Did she meet someone there...? They weren't together all time, so it's possible. Did Take woo her?! Was she taken in by his beauty?? Sure as hell couldn't have been his personality, he hopes. Although her plaque did seem attracted to the lowest of low lifes.... A god would at least be a better prospect for her. Dammit! He won't stand for it, though!!
Putting his own fork down, he braces both hands on the table and leans halfway across it, eyes sparkling with... something bright. Daring. Challenging. Determined.]
So you didn't meet somebody at the Council and fall madly in love with them, huh?? Somebody with big, beefy, sweaty pecs like your Touno? [He's heard some of those war gods can be pretty buff.] But Kofuku and Daikoku are a god and a shinki, so where did-- [How did this even start?] Wait, me? You think I've found somebody? But you don't really wanna know. So-- it doesn't matter to you if I asked a mortal out, huh??
[Swallowing, he's standing up to lean over to her side of the table before he realizes it.]
Is that how it is?
no subject
hiyori leans back in her chair as he stands out of his seat and leans across their small table, accusing her of things she wouldn't do! don't bring touno into this. it's not his muscles she likes, ok! muscleheads aren't her type either. ]
I didn't!! Yato!
[ with something like apprehension on her face, hiyori stares up at yato looming over her in her chair. asking her questions she doesn't want to answer. there's so much conflict warring in her that her eyes start to water. no, it's not how it is. yes, it matters if he asked a mortal out. but also it shouldn't.
how DID it get like this? he's doing the scary thing! and yukine isn't here to buffer yato or smack him when he's getting to be too much. gentleman yukine. maybe the uncomfortable pinch of her brows answers what she won't say. that it does matter. ]
Should it matter? [ she clenches her fists around the edge of her chair and sets her jaw. fights the thickness of her throat. ] As long as that mortal supports you and likes you for who you are and they make you happy, that's what matters to me.
[ even if
even if ]
no subject
But his shinki isn't here and he is barely breathing, and when he does, it comes out hard, making his shoulders heave. He wants to spit it out so badly, to tell her that it's her he wants to ask out. But... what if... she isn't interested? If she has somebody else she likes? He can't get in the way of her happiness, even at the expense of his own.
Without noticing, his nails dig into the table as he stares at her, searching hard for unspoken answers - both from her and for himself.]
It should! Because--! ["I want you to care, because it's you" gets hung up in his throat somewhere. Lost among everything else he wants and longs to say. Finally what comes out is:] W-Well, they do. They make me happier than I've ever been...! And I'm gonna stay by them forever.
no subject
hiyori holds her breath. unlike yato, she can read between the lines a little easier. he doesn't need to say it's you because he's given her all the hints already. she keeps them apart, though. rather it would be more accurate to say she pulls the wool over her eyes so she can't see the big picture.
no matter how obvious it might be. ]
I-I'm happy for you.
[ eventually, finally, she breathes. keeps staring at him with her eyes still round and watering from not being able to blink this entire time. getting over herself, glancing at his hand and how his nails dig into the wood, she reaches over and puts a hand on his before prying his fingers off the piece of furniture.
did she start this? with an innocent, innocuous question about gods and shinki. ]
Yato, I'm sorry. Don't be upset on Christmas, please. It's supposed to be a good day.
no subject
Are you?
[Now he's even more confused than he was before. And he's made a pig's ear of things, at that. She looks like she's on the verge of wanting to cry, and it takes him way too long to figure out why. His hovering. His stance. His voice. All aren't very... encouraging when put together, are they.
It makes his grip on the table tighten even more, until she's pulling his nails from the wood. That one action seems to deflate him, leading him to sitting back down heavily with his head hanging. He props it up on the one hand not in her grasp, breathing hard. He's not even sure what's going on anymore. Only that it's like they're speaking two very different languages here.]
Upset? I'm not-- [He looks at her with eyes that go from hurt to guilty in a matter of moments when he takes the time to try seeing things from her perspective. A scary god, indeed.] Hiyori, I'm sorry...
[For getting so worked up over nothing, for scaring her, if he did.]
no subject
she is happy, truly. about that. perhaps not about being crowded into her chair but she's done her best to keep her backbone straight and tell him her beliefs. what she wishes for him.
looking across the table, she furrows her brow at him holding his head up with his hand. he's not upset? he looked pretty upset to her. she squeezes his hand and releases a small sigh, shaking her head. water under the bridge. theirs won't collapse so easily. they've been through too much together.
he sure gets intense, though. when it comes to romance. ]
I'm serious though, Yato. I just want you to be happy. But today of all days, especially.
no subject
Or maybe that's why. It's just the two of them. Them, sharing Christmas together, like, l-like a couple. How he imagines Kofuku and Daikoku used to before they butted in. Only there's no subtle lovey-dovey displays between them. Instead they get into heated... conversations over mortals and gods having romances. Stupid.
Turning his hand over in order to hold on to hers, he fixes Hiyori with a emphatic stare, not harsh like before, but much softer. There's even a hint of smile to his lips.]
I- I am. There's hardly anything that could make me happier. I just...
["Got worked up" would be an understatement, to put it mildly. "Wanted to say 'I love you' might be more accurate, but that'd be opening the biggest can of (gummy) worms they've ever known. He's not sure he's ready for that yet. Especially if she's already turned him down in her own way.]
I just thought that you... [Found someone else.]
no subject
now that she's used to more physical contact with yato, she doesn't pull away from his hand turning. or from his blue gaze piercing her again, just as striking but warmer. heating up and replacing that tension in her stomach.
cutting himself off again. she attempts to parse what he means without asking him outright and she's able to figure it out. only she figures it's "found someone" instead of else. ]
I told you that you would be the first to know if I ever did. [ this "someone" he's always worried about. meanwhile, she's always thinking about their ema and what it could mean. scooting forward onto the edge of her seat, she holds his hand with both of hers. ]
We should be thinking of things that make us happy, anyway. Like, mmm, I'm glad you made such a special breakfast for me this morning of whatever I wanted. That was really nice of you, Yato. I'm grateful.
no subject
His fingers latch onto her hand, not tightly, but firmly. Warmly. Part of him wants nothing more than to lean across the table and place his lips upon hers, but he quickly shakes that thought away. They don't have that kind of relationship.
Not now, possibly not ever. That somber fact dampens his mood somewhat, and he ducks his head in something between shame and embarrassment. She did indeed say that. He should've remembered and trusted in her to keep her word on that as well. It seems like he never can when it comes to her, though. Even at his very first Divine Council he lost it when her plaque kept ending up tied to unsuitable men.]
Y...Yeah. You did. Sorry. [Peering up at their hands from between his shaggy bangs, he nods. It won't do to dwell on the bad or sad aspects of life. The parts he can't change. Better to be grateful for what's right here in front of him so he can treasure that for as long as possible.]
...you're doing a good job as my temporary guidepost. That's something that makes me happy, too. I... didn't ruin breakfast for you, did I?
[Finally dragging his head all the way up, he gazes at her with raised brows and a sheepish half-smile.] You can hit me if I did.
no subject
You don't need to apologize. I'll just keep reminding you.
[ one that drops and for her cheeks to color for his praise. she is...? gosh, but it feels like she's struggling a lot of the time. yukine is better at it. maybe it's the connection that gods and shinki have. she was never the leader type until recently. ]
N... no, you didn't ruin it. [ she's quick to reassure and then fights a scoff for permission to hit him. all she does is give his wrist a light smack. right after, she gives him a softer pat. for saying she can hit him at all. that's awful. wrestling moves when he's being Too Much is one thing. hitting him because he was trying to express himself is another. besides, when was the last time she put him in some submission hold or any kind of wrestling move? oh. when she threw him off the zombie ride for laying in her lap, wasn't it? she couldn't help herself and she felt terrible afterward. ]
After we clean up and I get ready for the day, I'm going to hand out all the Capyper O-inari-san we made just like we planned. You should think about visiting the friends you've made here too, Yato. Do you want some inari to give to them?
no subject
Except for Hiyori. Her words hold real weight and meaning. He can hold them close to his heart where he's most vulnerable, let them seep into his soul and trust in them. A struggle every step of the way to be sure, but he's doing it. He believes her. He wouldn't listen to her otherwise.]
Mmm. 'kay. I appreciate it.
[Because he does need the reminder. He knows that much is true. Together they both might not be the perfect pair of god and temporary guidepost, but they still make for a good team.
Her reassurance that the day isn't spoiled sends a wave of clear relief through him, washing away the last traces of the near-argument. He even laughs lightly upon getting a literal slap on the wrist and a comforting pat to go with it. Both make him feel heard. All is as right with the world as can be here.]
Ah, yeah, of course! I'm sure they'll love them! And I'll be sure to mention that since you made them, they're from you as well. Can't have anyone think I'm taking all the credit myself, heh.
[He skewers his tower of pancake bites and shoves them into his beaming face, nodding. He'll definitely have to pick up a few extra gifts for Hiyori while he's out and about, too. To make up for Santa's mistake and as a way of saying 'thank you' for all her hard work on the inari.]
no subject
that's for some other time. after coming to a tenuous understanding, she doesn't want to break it. yato seems pleased, anyway. she nearly goes back on her word at yato suggesting he can say the inari gift will be from her, too. she didn't think of it as yato taking all the credit.
although... she could see him doing that before. not now. that bottomless stomach hasn't changed like the rest of him has. she can't help herself but to smile at him.
inari gifts from both the yatogami, god of happiness, and his faithful... follower. yeah. ]
But I'm not trying so hard to be a God of Fortune, you are. I made them so that people could believe in you. As a sign of good ties between you and others. [ except... like one. that's a teeny tiny cookieper for a cookie person. BUT ALL THE OTHERS ARE NORMAL CAPYPER INARI. ] I don't really need credit. [ she pauses. ] But if you want to say they're from me too, you can. I don't mind.
no subject
Today's the day to play Santa, after all! For them to get all dressed up in their new winter gear and go visit friends and neighbors to spread cheer and Yatoism! Then maybe come home all covered in snow to warm cookies and milk, and a roaring fire. Play some games, have a nice dinner... N-Nothing romantic, just... normal roommate things!]
Of course! They may represent the blessing of Yatogami, but they're made with love and care by you - nothing I say will change that.
[Meaning her contribution shouldn't be taken for granted or trivialized just to feed his ego or reputation. After all, he still has the hand-woven omamori charms to go with them!]
I mean, what better way to prove I'm a good God of Fortune than by having such a wonderful and dedicated loyal follower, right? You're like free advertising! [H-He means that lovingly.....]
no subject
..........
it's christmas, she reminds herself and knows yato doesn't mean it in a demeaning way. probably. some people are likely already questioning him from his previous advertisement. which while it wasn't bad, it was still -- he can do better.
and she is also DOING her BEST. wonderful and dedicated and loyal. it's nice that yato notices it. too bad calling her free advertising kills it. ] Putting in a good word never hurts, but I think you, yourself, proving you're a God of Fortune means more. Actions say more than words. Even mine.
[
TOUNO-SAMA TAUGHT HER THAT.hiyori gives his hand another pat and then stands to get... one more pancake. she needs fuel for all the work she's going to do today!! ]
Mm~ I might ashk you to teach me to make theesh, too... otherwhysh I'll jusht beg you to make them all the time...
[ HOMFHOMFHOMF ]
no subject
Though of course he doesn't mean it in a demeaning way! How could you think such a thing of this smiling angel?? Everybody else is just mean to think him suspicious after that perfectly honest, 100% accurate advertisement.
Maybe they should compare notes and see whose methods work better for luring in customers and believers. That way they could cover twice as much ground! Maybe he'll bring it up later when they get back.]
Yeah, but it helps to have a way of proving myself first, without butting in where I'm not wanted, yeah?
[He grins after her getting another pancake, slinging an arm over the back of his chair.]
Hehe, that can probably be arranged. Though maybe I'd like to hear you begging~
[N-Not like that...!]
no subject
she prefers this happy and comfortable atmosphere by a landslide, too. yato can be scary, at times, but she's fairly sure he doesn't realize it. or he's only just starting to. that guilty expression on his face was impossible to miss.
hiyori mulls and chews. that's why he wanted people to call him first. to be wanted or needed. hmm. ] I think you can tell when and where you should help others. Have more faith in yourself.
[ something she always tells him.
as for BEGGING. she's tempted to throw her fork at him. he WOULD like to hear that, wouldn't he? yato and his prayers. ]
I'll pay you five yen.
no subject
Thankfully nobody's tried to pull that kind of crap here (to his knowledge.) Otherwise he might get just a bit more scary than she saw just now. No one's allowed to mess with his believer/temp guidepost...! NOT ALLOWED.
To her comment, he pouts a little bit, twisting around more in his chair until he's kneeling in it.] Yeah, but...
[She's completely right about him wanting to be wanted. Needed. That's the trouble of trying to force himself into people's lives. Without knowing them he can't tell when he should step in. Like now, with how Hiyori offers to pay him for his services. He immediately perks up, one foot coming down to rest on the ground.]
You'll make it a proper wish??
[He's out of his chair in an instant, glomming onto her with both arms and his cheek pressed to the side of her head.]
Yeaaaaah~ You're the best, Hiyori!
no subject
clemency to the poor soul that ever tries to hit on hiyori (nor to her knowledge) with the yatogami protecting her like a hound.
she fights the amusement to no avail at how quickly yato's lured in by the gleam of a coin. she'll make it a proper wish, she doesn't get to say before he's grabbing onto her and his face is so damn CLOSE. ]
Gyah! Yato!! C-Careful!
[ her chair tips sideways with yato's exuberance and she clings to his shirt in order not to topple sideways with it, her balance upset. once she realizes she's safe and won't end up on a heap on the floor, her body sags and she pats his back. ]
I-I just don't want to beg you--
[ may our fates continue to intertwine... ]
no subject
And hey, if he's willing to curse her future husband to smell like musty laundry, there's no way anyone actually making a pass at her will get off lightly. Divine protection guaranteed!!
If there's any consolation, it's that he misses her amusement at his antics and doesn't receive any positive reinforcement to his doofy behavior. Though there's also the way they both almost go overboard , even if thankfully it doesn't come to pass due to him having one foot firmly planted on the floor.]
Hehe~ It's fiiiine!
[His cheeks flush warmly at how she clings to him, certainly not missing this opportunity to enjoy their closeness, however brief it may be. Still, he backs off after a minute, allowing her chair to settle back on all four legs.]
I gotcha. I still appreciate it, though. I haven't gotten any requests since my advertisement. There doesn't seem to be much call for a Delivery God when they have the likes of a message board.
[Yes, he sounds a little put out about that. Being beaten by a community board of all things...]
no subject
she has no idea he did it all to put her in a Pathetic State. all so that he could try and be Prince Charming. it all backfired, anyway, and now he has to answer odd, heavy-breathing, perverted calls now and then. she would have to say that Divine Protection is a step up from trying to make her miserable and lonely.
it does end up being fine when he lowers them back on all four chair legs. the way her fingers knotted in his shirt loosen and she releases him to go back to her pancake. ]
Really? [ hiyori blinks at him. but... they can SEE him. see his advertisement. they've come to that deduction. yato isn't as invisible here as he is on earth. though he does sound pretty sulky about the community board. ]
Have you thought of advertising there on the board? You could make a flier and interested people could take one of those cut-off pieces at the bottom with your number on it or some other way to contact you since... there aren't any phones.
[ do not
share their address. PLEASE. she doesn't want to answer the door to some creeper. that's a recipe for disaster. ]
no subject
...though in hindsight, Operation Prince Charming may have been ill-advised and slightly cruel, so perhaps it's for the best that it didn't work out the way he'd planned. He's learned that it's a lot easier to get into Hiyori's good graces when she's already in a pleasant mood as opposed to a down one.
Releasing her completely, he then parks it on the table beside her, crossing one leg over the other and putting his chin in a hand. Wearing a full-on pout, he stares out past her to the window.]
Well, it's like you said. Some people think I'm suspicious. Others seem to look down on me for my skill set, and the rest just... aren't interested.
[He lets out a long, heavy sigh, slowly glancing back to her.]
That's an idea... Maybe something like that would work. Though I think that it being a dream world without a monetary-based economy means that the call for my services is kind of limited. It'd suck if I had to find something else to do besides being a god. [Which... he technically is already doing, but nobody tell him that.
And if she doesn't want their address known, she better speak up now or forever hold her peace. It's a small enough place, so in a way they're all kind of neighbors anyway.]
no subject
things might've gone very differently if it did work. by some stroke of luck, it didn't and yato experiences hiyori without relying on ill-advised and slightly cruel schemes to get her to rely on him. because... she already did, in a way.
they look down on him for his skill set? that's a first. the suspicious thing is, unfortunately, not too surprising. hiyori is now the one staring at her plate in thought, a piece of pancake on her fork but not raising to her mouth. ]
Trade is important here. It could be worth it to find a skill that's in demand? I don't know what that could be, though. I've been helping now and then as a volunteer at the pottery shop since I've been there so often, but that's just because I like it.
[ ... he could always be hired as some kind of swordsman. like a knight. god knight. god bodyguard? bodygod? no, that's weird. yukine advised yato to use his skill of cutting things up to destroy calamity. is there something similar here? ]
A god listens to the people's prayers, right? Maybe Reverein has some problem we don't know about and... you can help them fix it. Like the Ayakashi. People could start praying for your help, then. Actually, I remember something of a problem. What was it...?
no subject
For one thing, she might not have forgiven him for dislocating her shoulder. And sending her reputation through the roof in every possible way. But, all's well that ends well and all that!!
For a god, his skills are a touch too mundane and everyday to really impress anybody here, it seems. And without Yukine to draw his borderline, he struggles with the more delicate work like cutting ties. It's lucky he didn't cut more than a few strands of Joshua's hair when he tried it with a dreamotion sword.]
Prayers, huh... Are you talking about the noctaere? Joshua mentioned them - shadow monsters composed of nightmare energy that tend to inhabit dreams and the Wastelands. There's not much else known about them, I think.
no subject
she looks up quickly at the word "noctaere". that sounds exactly like the sort of thing he SHOULD be fighting to help people! ]
That, yeah!
[ at the same time, she worries. yato is plenty capable on his own, but he was unstoppable with yukine. his dreamotion swords pale in comparison. she's sure yato knows that even better than she does.
all the same, this seems to follow yukine's guidance. ]
Shadow monsters made of nightmare energy... [ she says to herself. if this is a place of dreams, then couldn't that nightmare energy affect the world? nahida called this place a hypostasis - structured and stable - but now she's wondering if that's true again. this place could be manipulated by that nightmare energy as much as it is by dreamotion. ]
Doesn't that sound like Ayakashi? They were nightmares that fed off bad emotions, too. I haven't heard much about them bothering people but we should fight them, right? Before they do something.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)