#but it still feel somehow like 'Noragami'

[wanietheworld]

sooo Noragami ended...

[kindredsoulsoftimesofold]

Noragami could have and did deserve the extra treatment. So many cool fight scenes and characters and emotional moments could have been adapted beautifully.

I never got to see my loves Take & Kiun in all thier hilarious glory😭

Or thirsting over the father being animated ala Toji Fushiguro style.

I just WISH that when the series ends, we somehow get it picked up by another studio or even Bones to continue it, I need to obsess over it all over again.

We're definitely not a small fandom but it definitely feels like it without an actual faithful adaptation.

(I know back then it was only an ad for the manga but still💀)

[thedeliverygod]

So there were a few things I wish would have gone differently towards the end of Noragami, but I realize Adachitoka has been fighting health problems in order to finish off everything to a reasonable stopping point so I can't complain too much.

Still, being the endless yatori simp that I am, I wanted to write something a little more romance heavy. I've been working on this bit by bit since the final chapter came out through a lot of mental health issues so I apologize if there's any errors I didn't catch.

It goes without saying that this chapter includes spoilers from the last arc/final chapters of the Noragami manga, so read at your own risk with that in mind!

read on AO3

A Reason

Hiyori awoke in a dimly lit room surrounded by curtains; clearly a hospital, but unfamiliar. ‘Where am I?’ She wondered before she noticed a wetness on her cheek, ‘Is that mine…?’

She reached up to touch her face before she realized she was wearing an oxygen mask. ‘What happened?’ As she started to try to recollect what had made her end up in the hospital, her lips started to let out a sound, “Ya…?”

Hiyori furrowed her brows. What was she going to say?

As she sat up, she felt a vague emptiness take over her. Like something or someone was missing, but she couldn’t place it. Her body ached in pain, but somehow this hurt worse.

She slipped the oxygen mask and slid carefully out of the hospital bed to not yank the IV from her hand. Moving aside the curtain, she noticed a large window and automatically moved towards it. ‘Let’s try to find out where I am first.’ She tried to soothe herself, the anxiety building as feelings of confusion continued to build and whirl around in her mind.

The snow outside was half as tall as she was; this was definitely not Tokyo. She had to be somewhere much farther north.

As she stared at the falling snow in awe and wonder, she thought, ‘It looks like sakura petals…’ Suddenly, that empty feeling welled up in her again and tears begin to fill her eyes. She reached up and put her hand against the window, the cold of the outside seeping through the glass. ‘I…I came here looking for someone.’ It was fuzzy, but she knew that statement was a fact. It explained this feeling that she had deep in her chest of loss.

‘Remember, self, remember…’ She squeezed her eyes shut in frustration and pressed harder against the window. Logically, she knew she couldn’t exactly will herself out of amnesia, but she felt whatever was missing was literally on the tip of her tongue. After all, she’d nearly said something right when she woke up.

With her eyes closed, her nose honed in on a sweet scent that seemingly came out of nowhere. As it filled her nostrils, she immediately felt her muscles relax. ‘This scent… it smells so good.’ She inhaled, slowly. ‘It’s… my favorite smell.’

The past year and a half hit her all at once and she nearly fell over. Her throat growing tight, she came to a realization.

‘Yato.’

She still wasn’t clear on what had happened since she had joined up with Nora to find him, that part was still hazy, but she could tell by his scent that he was here. In this hospital. In fact, only a few feet away at most.

She turned around, noting a doctor at the nearby desk and a nurse walking in the opposite direction. But no sign of Yato.

She moved back towards her hospital bed, closing the curtain behind her. She inhaled again as she noted no sign of him still.

‘He’s right here somewhere; his scent is so strong.’ She carefully tiptoed out of the other side of the curtain around her bed and noticed the curtain was pulled partially around the bed next to hers. Looking at the bottom of the curtain, sure enough, she noticed his unmistakable boots.

Inhaling again, this time to prepare herself, she stepped into the curtain and carefully yanked him towards him back into her space by his arm.

He practically let out a scream as she grabbed him and she forced a laugh, “You’re not very good at hiding, you know.”

“Hi—” He started to say her name, dumbfounded, before he cut himself off. His eyes were wide in shock and it wasn’t long until a tear slipped down his face.

“Hi, Yato.” She smiled brightly through her own tears, letting go of her harsher grasp on his wrist to reach up and gently pat his forearm, “I’m so happy to see you.”

“How… how…” He sputtered as the tears grew in number, not able to form a sentence.

 She let go of him and sat back onto the hospital bed, once again being careful of her IV line as she admitted, “I came looking for you, of course. I don’t really know how I ended up here, though. Was it you?”

Yato’s face darkened, answering quietly, “Yes.”

“…Why do you look upset about helping me?” She furrowed her brow in confusion.

“It’s my fault you’re here. And I tried to fix it, but… I don’t know what happened.” He answered in a mutter, not meeting her eyes.

She shook her head, “I know you’d never hurt me; I’m sure it was your father, and that’s not your fault. By the way, is he…?” She trailed off, not sure what to say.

“He’s taken care of.” He answered automatically, almost emotionlessly. His voice heavy again, he continued, “But it is my fault. You should have never been involved with any of this. I should have listened to Tenjin. I should have listened to you; the very first wish you made to me was to return to normal.”

Hiyori’s shoulders fell at his rebuttal, “Yeah, but that involved cutting our ties, and we decided that wasn’t for the best.”

“You decided, because you didn’t know any better. And I eagerly followed along because I was selfish.” Yato retorted harshly, still staring down at the floor.

Feeling a bit of anger rise in her, she demanded, “Yato, what is this about? Why are you being like this?”

“Hiyori.” He finally looked up and she realized that unlike her tears of relief and joy of reuniting with him, his were of pain. He swallowed and tried to speak with a stronger voice, “Hiyori, you died.”

“I… What?” Her breath caught in her chest.

She could remember everything seeming to shift unnaturally around her. And she remembered seeing Yato, but he looked as he did as a child. After that, nothing.

“My dad; he tore your cord. You died, and it was my fault. I named you, even, to keep you from my dad. And you saved us, just like you always do.” He reached up to wipe at his eyes forcefully with the back of his hand, “Yukine found your body and I did what I could to bring you back. But nothing would work. So I did the one thing I had always refused before; I cut our ties. And it worked. So I promised myself that I wouldn’t expose you to the far shore again. But you… how do you remember?” He looked over her, exasperated.

Her eyes widened in horror and her heart dropped down into her stomach as she processed what he had said. Ignoring his question, she asked her own, “I thought I was your lifeline? You cut our ties…?”

He shook his head and let out a bit of a scoff at her reaction, “Hiyori, that doesn’t matter. When you were dead—I was already disappearing. I figured it was too late for me either way—but you. You have so much more life to live. And that’s what you need to do.”  He started to turn away, “I guess it was my fault you remembered since I came back to check in on you. I should have stayed away and kept things the way they’re supposed to be.”

“The way they’re supposed to be?” Hiyori repeated incredulously, letting out a half laugh, “Yato, for as long as I’ve known you I’ve heard other others say how cutting ties is one of your specialties. If you cut our ties and I still remember, I think that is the proof that this is the way things are supposed to be. And if—if you named me, then you know… Our emas were tied together. We’re soulmates.” She swallowed, her voice trembling, “And that I’m in love with you.”

Yato clenched his eyes shut and he seemed to fold into himself. “Hiyori, I’m sorry. I can’t.” With that, he was gone.

It was a struggle, trying to keep him in her memories. And he certainly went out of his way to make it even harder.

When she finally returned home, she found that his shrine was gone. Her journal and photographs as well; anything that held an obvious tie to him and Yukine or any other members of the far shore. Thankfully somethings that were more vague he had spared, such as some souvenirs from their trip to Capypa Land.

She clung to those as her own lifelines and started a fresh journal, writing down the most important points and making daily reminders for herself to not let him slip from her memories. Now it was programmed into her that whenever she got that cold empty feeling, all she had to do was flip through her journal and everything would come back into place.

It’d been months since they’d last seen each other in the hospital, but she wasn’t giving up. Needing some fresh air, she went to go sit on the porch and relished the warmth from the late spring day.

Looking over the pond and appreciating the various flowers blooming, she noted something looked different. Or maybe just felt different.

“…Nora?” She tried out, quietly.

The water was still and all she heard in response was the chirps of birds in another part of the yard.

‘Of course, she hates that name.’ She reminded herself.

“Hiiro, are you there?” Hiyori tried again, and this time, the water stirred.

The small girl appeared in a flash next to the pond, donning a beautiful navy-blue kimono. Shyly, she answered, “That’s not my name anymore, you know.”

She smiled widely and leaned forward in interest, “What is it? And who named you?”

The younger girl pushed a bit of dirt around with her sandal, “…Aiko. By Kofuku, but she let me pick it.”

“It’s so perfect.” Hiyori wiped away a tear at the corner of her eye, “So Kofuku-san is the one who named you, huh? How do you like living there?”

Aiko smiled softly, “It’s a lot of fun.” Getting a more serious look on her face and brushing off her kimono, she asked, “Hiyori, how do you remember me?”

“A lot of effort,” She admitted before slipping her sandals on to walk out to where Aiko was by the pond, “Did you know about Yato taking my stuff? He’s such a pain.”

She nodded sheepishly, “Actually… What you wrote about me… That’s what helped me pick my name.”

“That makes me so happy.” She beamed and met her eyes, “I meant every word of it, Aiko-chan.”

“I know.” The younger girl returned the smile and they shared a few small giggles.

Smoothing out the hem of her shirt awkwardly, Hiyori shifted the conversation, “So, speaking of Yato… Is he back at Kofuku-san’s too?”

Aiko nodded again, “He avoided it for a while in case you went looking for him, but yes. He and Yukine are staying there again.”

“Perfect.” Hiyori grinned and cracked her knuckles in anticipation.

“…What exactly are you planning to do?” Aiko gave her a look of confusion.

“I just want to make him listen to me and not run off like he did at the hospital.” She answered with a huff of annoyance. Looking back to Aiko, she put her hands in a pleading motion, “So please don’t tell him I saw you today, okay? I assume he asked you to check in on me…”

“Naturally.” She answered automatically, “But, even if he asked, I was happy to get to see you again. I’m sorry I was so resistant at first, but… you did teach me a lot of things. So, thank you.” She gave a small bow.

Hiyori shook her head, “I’m so happy to see you again, too, Aiko. Once I get through Yato’s thick skull, hopefully we’ll see each other more often.”

She smiled at that, “I look forward to it.”

And so exactly a week later, Hiyori made her way to Kofuku’s house unannounced. She had debated letting the pink haired god know about her plans, but she figured there was a chance of her accidentally letting things slip and having Yato evade her again was something she couldn’t risk.

Luckily, Aiko was the one to answer the door. “I was wondering when you’d show up.” She greeted quietly.

“Had to keep the element of surprise.” Hiyori smiled back.

“He and Yukine are upstairs. I’m going to go back to doing the dishes for now.” She gave a small wave and Hiyori nodded.

She knew she’d never hear the end of it otherwise, so she tiptoed into the living room. Kofuku was busy flipping through a magazine but Daikoku had immediately noticed her.

His mouth agape, he called out in surprise, “Hiyori-chan…”

Kofuku’s head snapped up and her eyes welled with tears, “Hiyorin!” Within seconds, the god had clung onto Hiyori with loud wails.

“Shhh.” Hiyori put a finger up to her lips, “I’m happy to see you too, Kofuku-san, Daikoku-san. But Yato doesn’t know I’m here.”

“He said he had cut your ties…” Daikoku stuttered as he tried to get the sentence out, still in disbelief.

She gave a small but frustrated smile, admitting, “He tried to. And then when I remembered him, he tried to avoid me so that I’d forget again. So that’s why I’m here.”

Still teary eyed, Kofuku looked up at her from where she clung to her waist, “Yato-chan was just trying to do what he thought was best…”

“I know.” She closed her eyes and nodded, “But he was wrong. And I’m going to make him see that.” Looking back down to Kofuku, she asked, “Can you help me surprise him and Yukine-kun?”

At this, the god perked up and finally let go. Nodding excitedly, she agreed, “Let’s go!”

While Kofuku loudly clambered up the stairs, Hiyori made sure to step quietly behind her.

With a few taps on the door, she called out, “Yato-chan, Yukki~ I’ve got something for you.”

“Dessert?” Yato questioned in a confused but interested tone.

“Sure, sure!” Kofuku chirped back.

Hiyori heard some shuffling between the two boys before she heard Yukine comment, “I’ll get it.”

As the door started to open, Kofuku nudged Hiyori forward and moved behind her.

Yukine’s curious eyes quickly switched into one of being overwhelmed by emotions. His hand dropped and the door slowly fell open as he called out, “Hiyori!”

She wrapped him into her arms as he began sniffling, hugging him tightly, “I’ve missed you, Yukine-kun.”

He weakly hugged her back through his falling tears.

As she looked up, she saw Yato; frozen in shock. As he made the slightest movement, she sternly warned, “You better not be trying to go anywhere, Yato.”

Yukine pulled away and looked at the god in a mix of confusion of annoyance, “You knew that she remembered us?”

Yato opened his mouth, trying to think of an answer, before he bit down on his lip and looked away.

“Yukki, let’s give them some time to talk. Okay?” Kofuku gently guided him towards the door, “Hiyori won’t leave without telling us, right?” She reassured him before looking over to the other girl.

Hiyori gave a soft smile, “Of course not. I’ll talk to you more in a little while, Yukine-kun. I promise.”

His shoulders relaxed and he put on a small smile as he nodded, “Okay.” With that, he and Kofuku exited the room and closed the door behind them.

In an exasperated tone, Yato looked up at Hiyori from under his bangs, “What do you want from me, Hiyori?”

“To listen to me.” She answered, putting her hands on her hips and moving a few steps closer to him. “You need to stop deciding what’s good for me or for anyone else without talking to us. I don’t know if Yukine-kun talked to you about it or not, but you deciding to go off on your own was infuriating back then too.”

She knelt in front of him, wording her thoughts carefully though she was sure Daikoku was out of earshot, “And you know better than anyone now exactly the way that I feel whenever I forget you, Yukine-kun and everyone else tied to the far shore. I felt it back when you were in yomi and when I woke up at the hospital. It’s miserable, Yato; to know something so important to you is missing and yet not be able to place it.”

He remained silent as he bit his lip before mumbling a counter, “Maybe if you just gave it time…”

“I don’t want to give it time.” She fired back, “I want to be happy. I want my life to be whole. And that’s not possible without you in it.”

His eyes met hers for a moment before he looked back down at his lap.

“Look, after everything that happened… I don’t remember much, but I can see it really hurt you. If you don’t want to be as close as before, I get it. Emas tied or not, it’s your choice. But don’t cut me out completely. That’s all I’m asking, okay?” Her voice cracked as she finished, the anger and annoyance ebbing away into vulnerability.

He looked up at her with wide eyes as she continued.

“Honestly, I don’t think I can even leave my body anymore if that makes you feel any better. I won’t be taking on ayakashi or anything else dangerous. I just… want to be with you.” Hiyori fell forward onto her hands as all her energy started to fade from letting out everything she’d been holding in for the past few months.

She felt herself being pulled against his chest, his voice quiet, “The problem is I’d want to be even closer. And that’s what I’m scared of.” He hid his face against her shoulder, “I can’t lose you like that again.”

“That’s what I’m asking for—is not to lose you.” She gripped on to his jacket blindly as her eyes started to fill with tears, looking up towards the ceiling, “Like I said back in the hospital: for you to cut our ties and for me to still remember… That had to have happened for a reason. So, please…”

“Well it’s hard to say no when you put it like that.” He answered matter-of-factly, his voice slightly muffled by her blouse.

Hiyori smiled to herself and shook her head, her chin moving against his shoulder, “Sorry. You know I don’t really back down without putting up a fight.”

Yato sighed loudly, “Yeah, I’m aware.”

Letting a moment of silence pass over them, she questioned in a whisper, “So what’s your answer?”

He turned his head and she felt a jolt move through her body as she felt his lips at her neck. “Well, to reply to something you said before… I’m in love with you too. Have been for a while. Which is what made all of this so complicated. Maybe you figured that out already.” He continued talking near her ear, unmoving.

Swallowing nervously, she shook her head again, “No, I wasn’t sure. Not until you just said it.”

Yato gave a bit of a sarcastic laugh, “Yeah, I guess you wouldn’t remember…”

“Remember what?” Her hands let go of his jacket and she started to pull away, wanting to look him in the eyes.

“I’d been doing CPR on you for a while and it wasn’t really working.” He explained, his eyes on the floor but slowly meeting hers as he finished, “So I just kind of tried anything I could think of and kissed you? Thinking maybe I could like… give you whatever sort of energy I had. I don’t know. I was desperate, okay?” Seeing her start to flush deeply, he continued defensively, “And to be fair, it worked! You started breathing again not long after that.”

Hiyori reached up to hide her face for a moment before peeking out over the tips of her fingers, “I can’t decide if that’s romantic or creepy.”

His jaw hung open in disbelief before he answered loudly, “It’s romantic! Definitely romantic. Anyway, what happened so hard to trying to sway me to make up my mind? I haven’t officially given an answer yet.”

She ignored his outburst, asking quietly, “Do you want to try that again? You know, now that I’m conscious.”

Yato was ready to fire back another retort but quickly backed down, stuttering, “T-try again?”

“This.” She touched the side of his face gently, her eyelids lowering and her mouth parting.

He hummed an affirmative as he mirrored her, quickly gathering her into his arms again and pulling her closer as he melted into her. Finally, he affirmed in a warm mumble against her, “I’m not going anywhere, Hiyori.”

“Thank you.” She answered back, a few tears of happiness sprinkling past her eyelashes.

[kurisus]

Chapter 104 thoughts

I'm back from posting purgatory and have rewritten, more or less, what Tumblr deleted, so now it's time for my favorite game: Ina Tries To Figure Out What The Fuck Happened In The Latest Noragami Chapter. Spoilers under the cut.

So at the beginning we see trash dad cut himself free from Fujisaki and revert to his original form, while Fujisaki wakes up in Yukine's old house, far from home. I'm really interested to see how much he knows, which I said last time--whether he was aware he was being used or if he's basically been unconscious for the past year. I think he has to be aware on some level, because he knows Father's true name and has to invoke it to summon him from Yomi, but it would also be funny if he flies into a panic, follows the newly created lake, and ends up with the main cast. How far are they from the house, anyway?

Come to think of it, I've been reading Alive since last month (Adachitoka's first manga, which was written by their mentor while they drew the art) and while I'm not done yet, the north of Japan features prominently as a setting for that story and as the final showdown for this one. I'm not sure why, maybe they're from there, but it's interesting.

I'm so glad Yato slammed into trash dad after he insulted Mizuchi. It shows he does recognize her as a victim, and is willing to let things mend between them, since she's had her own character arc since Yato released her name. Don't get me wrong, that was still the right choice for him at the time--but they've both changed since then. And I always love the character development in this manga so this had me bouncing in my seat.

YATO ALSO SAYING HE'S NOTHING BUT A DEAD PERSON LIKE YESSSSSS GET HIM GET HIM KILL HIS MISERABLE ASS

Ahem. I wish Yato had been able to land at least one punch on this horrible man, but it's time for a shounen powerup.

Using the koto no ha on himself grants trash dad access to Izanami/Izanagi level powers, which I think is a temporary powerup that will end with Izanami taking him back to Yomi, because of how he can "feel her breath" on his neck. He plans to then escape again, and possess another body.

This new power is an ass pull as fast-moon put it, but it's also not the first of its kind in Noragami. Think back to Yukine getting cut in half and becoming a hafuri, Amaterasu appearing out of nowhere to give Hiyori the hint that saved Yato's life in Yomi, and how the main characters were saved from the covenant which provided the entire basis for the current arc (due to unresolved tensions between them and the rest of heaven). Basically, in Noragami these things happen with good reason and/or hugely impact the rest of the story, so I think it's best to wait and see how this trash dad development plays out before making judgments on how it affects the writing quality.

There's an old Noragami theory that Father is Izanagi, or stole his power, and it's been mostly dismissed in recent years (but there's an echodrops post about it here if you're interested in the points it made) and even more so since we got snippets of his backstory, but I think it's worth bringing back up now. Izanagi has been suspiciously absent from the manga, and I'm not sure he's even been mentioned, so I wonder if the koto no ha ties into that somehow. Honestly if Izanami killed him in this version of the story and used his power to make the koto no ha, good for her.

Anyway, trash dad reveals he's not just some human who came back from the dead. He can use these powers of creation; it's unclear whether he's used them before, but Yato has never seen him do so--Mizuchi seems to know what he's doing, but it's also unclear whether she's seen it either. I said years ago I don't think it was easy as him just returning from the dead and being granted godlike powers, but I haven't been insistent on it so much because I did a reread of the official translation two years ago and that version heavily implies the only thing trash dad did to get his powers was come back from the dead. I wonder how they'll reconcile that when this volume gets translated (please hold for another 2 years, lmfao).

Is this Izanagi's power, or Izanami's? Did he steal Izanagi's powers next after he paid Izanami a visit? Did he know what using the koto no ha on himself would do? Was it an educated guess based on Izanami's power? Is it still possible he could be a reincarnated Izanagi that believed himself to be human? I don't know if I'd like that last one, but these are the questions I hope to have answered.

Taking a brief detour to discuss that Kiun and Mayu have joined forces to look for their gods, and Ookuninushi is alive but has with him three freshly reincarnated gods--Yatagarasu, Kagutsuchi, and Shinatsuhiko. I'm shocked he lived and they died, but it may lead to an interesting change in heaven where he has to reconcile how they threw away their shinki lives even after they were explicitly told not to use them. The way heaven (and most gods) treat their shinki as not people but disposable tools has been a long-running theme of this manga, and it's been clear larger-scale changes need to be made.

So back to the main event, trash dad creates a biblical sort of flood, but one that brings images of the past. Alongside the tree where a young Yato named Sakura, we also see a cottage and a multi-level house. The cottage may be where Yato and Hiiro were raised, or it might be the one from the Father flashbacks: Check them out side by side:

(103-2; page 1 [Father and Kaya village]; 104, page 21; 45, page 33 [Yato, Hiiro, Father cottage] if you want to check for yourself)

Next, there's that multi-story building, which could be the place where Yato made his first kills, or Hiyori's grandmother's house. There isn't much visible, so it's hard to tell, but here's another side by side:

(46, page 9 [where Yato made his first kills]; 104, page 21; 85, page 42 [Hiyori's grandmother's house])

If this enchanted world functions similarly to Hiyori viewing Yato's past while he's asleep, Hiyori will get to experience trash dad's past as it really happened. I've mentioned before it bothers me how the gravekeeper has been narrating the events even though he wasn't present for any of them, so it's entirely likely Father manipulated the facts of his history, or they naturally changed over the course of a thousand years.

I also think Hiyori could find out trash dad's weak point, his true name, if/when she witnesses his past. She could then become his lifeline and decide to let the secret die with her. Or he could possess her, but I'm being optimistic.

The tree she sees is the tree where Yato named Sakura, but it could also have some significance to Father and Kaya; if the cottage where he raised Yato and Hiiro was in the same general location as that village, he could have some memories there.

So if we get Hiyori and Sakura interaction I will cry. If we get Hiyori and Kaya interaction I will also cry.

Next few chapters I'm really excited to see where this enchanted lake dimension thing goes. Yukine could also be caught up in it, depending on how far it has spread, and it'll be interesting to see how Amaterasu reacts to it too.

I don't normally say this, but reblogs are appreciated. This post required a lot of skimming older chapters to tie my thoughts together, and my original draft got half erased when I was just finishing it up so I had to rewrite a lot of it. Plus it seems like everyone was pretty confused by the events of this chapter, so a reblog would help to spread it around and hopefully shed some light on the events. Thanks!

[camels-pen]

vague DP x Noragami crossover time~

Hiyori is terrified of Danny; something about him rubs her so so wrong. She tries her best to be nice, but she is the equivalent of a shivering chihuahua puppy in his midst. Danny feels kinda bad about that, but he can't really turn it off without turning human so he tries to stay as calm as possible around her.

Yukine, on the other hand, loves him. He thinks Danny's so cool and keeps bugging him about stuff from America and trying to show off how much he knows about the culture (a very impressive amount actually), and goes nuts seeing all the things Danny can do with his ghost powers. Danny feels the same about Yukine, gushing about his Shinki abilities and urging him into telling stories about his adventures and Japanese culture. These two become good friends.

Yato is kind of indifferent, and then the tiniest bit jealous once Yukine starts looking up to Danny. After getting to know him a little more, Danny has a hard time believing someone like Yato is a real "god".

It doesn't take long for Yukine to start looking up to Danny, just seeing how easily Danny can take care of Ayakashi (named "Phantoms" in the anime, heh) impressed Yukine enough to ask for advice. Thus, Yato's "oh hey potentially a customer!" doesn't last more than a day or two.

Danny does accidentally hang out with Hiyori in human form, and she does not recognize him in the slightest. She also isn't afraid of him at all in human form.

Important note: Danny, to this trio, only know him as "Phantom"

Side idea: I,,, am gonna be honest, I dunno how the naming system would work realistically, but somehow with some word, Yato gets cut off from saying the whole word of something and Danny gets a funny feeling in his chest! By the time he feels two hands holding him tightly, he realizes that he is A) not in ghost form, B) not in human form, and C) he was-

"A Thermos?" Yato asked. "Bit of a random item, but- HOLD ON YOU'RE A SHINKI?!"

Danny did not, in fact, know he was a Shinki.

The idea is: Yato, being a "god of calamity" (if this isnt actually true, F to me), and Danny, being... whatever the hell amalgamation of ecto-energy and ghost shit and human being that he is- they both sort of? overlap? If that makes sense. And so, even though Yato did not intend to call a Shinki, nor did he know Danny was a Shinki (and that he had apparently bestowed a name at some point and completely forgotten about except- that's impossible what the fuck) he had none the less a new Shinki in his possession. One that turned into a thermos.

Idk how this would go plotwise, but Yato would immediately turn around and go "hey, Yukine, isn't this great? We can use Danny to keep food warm in the winter-!" and then he gets wrestled to the ground by Hiyori of all people, who was previously keeping a good distance between her and Danny and also panicking a little bit because it seemed like his smell completely disappeared what-

And Danny is just "what the fuck what the fuck what the fuck" and "did my parents sell me to the calamity god at some point???"

The answer he gets is no, but he's never totally sure and is always suspicious about it.

Some more notes:

-> He freaks out Hiyori because he smells like an Ayakashi

-> Yukine is a little bit drawn to him due to their similar (enough) circumstances.

-> Yato doesn't give much of a shit beyond the usual, at first, because he's used to the presence of death and Ayakashi near him. And Danny's existence isn't much of a surprise to him after hanging out with a sort-of Ayakashi (Hiyori) for so long.

-> After transforming into a Shinki for Yato, Danny can, in fact, blight him! When he changes back to his non-thermos self though, he does not blight Yato.

-> Danny offers to teach Yukine math one (1) time when Hiyori is unavailable and it ends with both of them getting repeat lessons. Danny thinks its a rip-off that he's not in school and yet he's still doing homework.

[cache-pau]

Noragami's final chapter: "With the god in the tracksuit"

Somehow, I held it together until I got to the final colour page. I saw Adachitoka's beautiful art and the chapter's name...and I started to cry.

I've been following Noragami for over a decade. Of course I'm sad that it's over. But I'm also so grateful that we got an ending at all. Thank you so much, Adachitoka.

[Spoilers contained below]

Thoughts on the chapter

I wish more time was given to wrap up the story, but I'm good with what we got. Some highlights for me:

Yato didn't disappear! He kind of lives on as a meme? Which is not out of character, but funny considering how serious his situation was made out to be. I was really worried when I saw his hands fading on the final volume cover.

Yukine stayed by Yato's side and wants to be like his sister. He's grown so much :')

Hiyori returned to her life and became a doctor! Good for her

Nora genuinely smiling (what should we call her? Nora doesn't seem correct)

Coophone appearance! I do feel a bit bad for Fujisaki haha

The gods and their shinki still gather at Suzuha's tree every year

Even though Yato cut his ties with Hiyori, she remembered him again. That page where she saw his reflection in the water is my favourite <3

The colour page with everyone happy together, and Hiyori looking at their reflections in the puddle. Does it symbolize that she's more grounded now? That her window into the far shore is more fleeting? Not sure. I like the recurring motif and I'm sure it means something

The title of the chapter seems to be a callback to the first chapter...made me think about how it all began (hence the waterworks)

Thank you Adachitoka.

Thank you fast-moon for sharing your translations.

Thank you Noragami fandom for your enthusiasm.

Farewell, Noragami!

Bonus

My earliest Noragami fan art from high school :)

[straycalamities]

How/why did you go from zombieskully to straycalamity? Sorry if this is a touchy subject!

nah it’s actually not rly!

so zombieskully comes from the fact i went by skull-kid135j for most of my developing artist life online and then i joined a site where i was just “skully” (yes that was free somehow) bc that was my nickname and then on tumblr i changed it to zombieskully bc…i couldn’t just be skully and i was obsessed w zombies so.

well the thing abt being “skully” was i also went by that when i was still presenting female and so there started to feel like there was a big disconnect in what ppl were calling me and what i felt like. even if everyone calling me skully after i joined tumblr werent misgendering me or anything (in fact everyone tells me they thought i was a cis guy lmao) it was just a personal thing

i just wanted to leave behind skully and stuff so at first it was me changing blogs to nekrosraptor and i tried making That my new go-to online moniker but it….didn’t feel good so i just gave up for a little while. had other variations of urls (like knoxyjohnville who remember) annddd eventually settled on straycalamity years later and love it. feels nice. feels organic.

it comes from noragami bc yato’s (mc) a “stray” god known for being a calamity bing bang boom

it’s funny since i never even talk abt that manga/anime (i love it tho)

i usually just go by my real name now (chase) but when ppl call me stray or calamity i love it too LMAO. my vrchat friends call me calamity :3

[catsneezee]

when i first read noragami probably in 2016 i was imagining myself friends like the main cast bcuz i was soo alone in the class then in 2017 i found lots of friends who understood and didnt leave my side even till now and it was also bcuz of noragami, when i read some chapters i remember the times when i got into fine arts high school and we were renting a home nearby and moving stuff (it still feels like im in that empty house when i reread those chapters), idfk what i was doing during the hiatus but when i heard the hiatus ended i was on a picnic with fatherside relatives on a field and binged all the chapters that came out when i didnt notice that the hiatus ended

I love noragami for its character writing, funny moments and its subject but the things somehow got attached to it also makes it incredibly important to me

[catsafarithewriter]

It's late and brain is half asleep, but consider: a Terry Praychett Mort meets Noragami AU

+ Haru was fated to die attempting to save Lune from a speeding truck

+ but Lune (a la the manga) has association w/ the afterlife and is like Shit. My Bad and undoes that moment so Haru is still alive

+ unfortunately as far as Reality is concerned, Haru did die (since that was how it was meant to happen) so Haru has A Very Weird Week in which everyone keeps seeming to forget she's still alive

(more comically played up than anything: other people keep taking her seat when at cafes, bus never stops for her, has to raise a fuss whenever she needs customer service, etc, since no one seems to see her)

+ plus being Technically Dead means she is now privy to seeing supernatural shit

+ not all of it friendly

+ she does, however, find the Cat Bureau and ask for their help (esp since googling "help I think I died but not really??" has been very limited in useful advice)

+ Bureau: "we did some research and according to this, you're dead"

+ Haru: "...is that treatable?"

+ Bureau: "not usually, but we'll see what we can do"

+ cue usual Bureau hijinks, incl a very sheepish Lune having to admit with messing with Death due to feeling guilty but no, he has no idea how to fix it

+ somehow things are fixed, also haru and baron end up together, hooray

[ara-mitama]

The poem from Noragami chapter 95

As many have already figured out, the poem Takemikazuchi recited in Noragami chapter 95 was composed by Kakinomoto Hitomaro. This particular poem is taken from the Waka anthology Kokin Wakashu. I decided to dive a bit deep into the poem.

The following parts are taken from my Noragami chapter 95 thoughts, feel free to give it a read whenever you can!

Here’s the verse in Japanese;

Honobono to Akashi no ura no Asagiri ni Shimagakureyuku Fune o shi zo omou

If we go deeper, there are multiple ways to interpret this poem. The Kokin Wakashu classifies this as a travel poem. However, the content of the poem varies widely in tone based on different understandings.

According to multiple instances listed in Hitomaro: Poet as God, this poem definitely has undertones of lament despite being a travel poem on the outside. It was written to commemorate the death of either Emperor Mommu or Prince Takechi. Meaning, the mist, island and boat in the poem are not to be taken in a literal sense.

The Kokin Wakashu Kanjo Kuden interprets the morning mist here as the mist that separates. What if this mist signifies the boundary between the near and far shore?

The poem is supposed to convey how it is impossible to escape death, even for an imperial ruler. Using a subtle play on the word “island” (shima), which could also mean four devils, Hitomaro specifies the four sufferings of birth, old age, illness, and death through which a person has to pass. The boat here signifies the sovereign, but from the POV of Noragami, it could be referring to the journey of a person through all these four sufferings before crossing over to the other side.

It fit in perfectly with the scenario at hand in Noragami chapter 95, so kudos to Adachitoka for including it. But beyond that, I am still undecided on what kind of importance/role this poem would have in Father’s past, other than being tied to the Tamatsuki poem with hints to the island’s location. It is possible that this waka was composed (548 – 710) and compiled (905-920) roughly in the same period as Father was alive (read this post here), explaining why it was used in tandem with the clue.

Could the undertones of lament be suggesting that this poem was used by Father in memory of the woman with pockmarks on her face? Could the interpretation of the poem in any way allude to Father’s beliefs? 

Now, here’s another comparison & translation of the poem, wherein the poem is broken up into four units. I won’t go into the details, but read the translations at the bottom (colors are brilliant one). Does that in anyway remind you of Father? If yes, then we are on the same boat (to Tamatsuki!!)

Or, is the underlying idea of inescapable death somehow related to the God’s greatest secret, which is apparently something to be careful of, on Tamatsuki.

Suzuki Harunobu, a Japanese designer of woodblock print in the Edo period, designed his own interpretation of Hitomaro’s verse. In it he alludes to the poem by depicting a young woman looking out a window toward the distant boats, lost in thought. A tinfoil assumption would be that Adachitoka took this reference, and it is again somehow connected to the woman with pockmarks.

@kanotototori​ @nyappytown​ I’d like to hear what you have to say about this!!

[echodrops]

First off, I love your noragmi content and how you analyze things and brings facts up.

I was wondering if you have any theories about how yatoa nd hiyori would be abel to be an actual couple because they have both admitted to having feelings for each other, but I don't think they would be abel to date as they are now wirh hiyori being a human and yato be a God (plus the age gap) so do you have any idea or theories about how this would possibly work out?

There’s a lot of possibilities for where Adachitoka might take the Yatori plotline from here on out, and they have a tendency to make surprising choices so I wouldn’t say that I can really predict where things might go, but based on what we know right now, I would say there’s several different possibilities, some where they could be a couple and some much sadder than others:

1) Hiyori dies and becomes a shinki, possibly one who is immune to god’s greatest gift and therefore gets to keep the memories of her past. Personally I hope this doesn’t happen because shinki are viewed so much as tools by others in the story that there’s a constant undertone of angst and “I’m not worthy!” to any god/shinki ship. I feel like Yato wouldn’t worry about that kind of thing at all, but I’m not sure how Hiyori would feel about it. Then again, I would love to see what kind of shinki Hiyori would become, soooo maybe this wouldn’t be that bad. Since her brother is spiritually aware as well, she could still also maintain some ties to her family.

2) Hiyori dies and is deified, becoming a goddess. This might feel a little bit more like a long shot than just becoming a shinki; however, I feel like the story has an opening for this. In Shinto tradition, it’s not that uncommon for a business or location to take on a “patron god/goddess” by enshrining someone meaningful at them (re: Tama, the cat who was enshrined as the goddess of a train station). If Hiyori did die, she might theoretically be able to be enshrined as the patron goddess of her family’s hospital, which would tie into the dream she mentioned earlier of wanting to become a doctor--although she might not be able to be an actual doctor, she’d be able to be the guardian spirit of the hospital and protect everyone within it, while also standing on equal or more popular footing than Yato as a goddess. Then, she could also take Nora as her own shinki, keeping her in the “family” as they say. And she’d continue to have access to her own family via the hospital and her brother.

3) Hiyori’s status as a half-phantom grants her some powers that haven’t been revealed yet that mean she won’t age past a certain point or that she will somehow be able to continue to interact with the supernatural world with a youthful appearance even without technically dying in the real world. Since we don’t really know what it means for someone to be a half-phantom, given that Hiyori is the only known one in the series (since Father is currently believed to be something else), Adachitoka could pretty much make up whatever weird powers they want for her and we, the audience, would probably just go along with them readily, since it would make Yatori possible. This is honestly probably the easiest route, since nothing special needs to happen to make this route possible, but it might also feel the least narratively sound.

4) Nothing happens to Hiyori, and she continues to age normally. She and Yato could be together for as long as they felt it would be appropriate, probably could have a family of little demigods, and Hiyori’s children and grandchildren would continue to be watched over by Yato, Yukine, and probably even Nora throughout time. This would be very bittersweet, as Yato and Hiyori’s time together would be so short in the grand scheme of his life, but bittersweet endings can still have their own kind of appeal for the audience, and the authors wouldn’t have to jump through any hoops to make this kind of ending possible. I’m not sure I’d really be happy to have this kind of ending, but as a reader, I don’t think I would be really “let down” by it either.

5) Instead of something happening to Hiyori, something happens to Yato--maybe his Father really is his last reliable lifeline, and he will only live as long as Hiyori does after defeating his Father, so it doesn’t matter that she’s going to age and die as well. Or maybe he gets reincarnated, basically ending the possibility of a relationship. Or maybe all along it’s going to turn out that Yato wasn’t a god of anything and his Father, as a dead spirit himself, didn’t have the ability to create a god in the first place, so Yato is some weird half-and-half being for whom the rules of the existing plot don’t even really apply. They could basically pull anything out of a hat regarding who Yato really is and what he really can or can’t do at this point, so it’s entirely possible that something could happen to Yato that would make it possible for him to be with Hiyori in a different capacity than immortal god and mortal human. Whatever might happen to Yato though, it would also require Yukine to get a happy end somehow too, so this alternative seems a little less likely to me than others.

6) The story just ends before the question of mortality/immortality ever comes up. We get something basic like “For as long as we can be together, I can’t wait keep sharing my life with Yato and Yukine!” and the story just cuts off there, leaving us to just assume whatever comes next in their relationship.

Overall, I am inclined to trust that we will get either a happy or at least a bittersweet ending out of Noragami. Nothing in the story up to this point in time has suggested that Adachitoka intend to delivery a horrid tragedy where no one gets their happily ever after. I’m very hopeful that Yato and Hiyori will manage to have a romance, even if it does end up being the sad-but-still-sweet variety where Hiyori’s time with Yato and Yukine will be limited. I don’t know that Adachitoka will deliver a pain-free Yatori ending, but I know that whatever they have planned will be good!

[vannahfanfics]

New Possibilities

Category: Romance, Friendship

Fandom: Noragami

Characters: Hiyori Iki, Yato, Yukiné

Hiyori’s eyebrows were scrunched tightly together, forming a deep furrow in the middle of her brow. Her rose-colored eyes stared intently at the letter she held in her hands, addressed to her in neat, printed letters. The addressee was a sticker with “University of Tokyo College of Clinical Medicine” printed in bold, black letters over the circular orange-and-blue logo. Here in her hands, she held her destiny—the decision on her admittance or rejection from the top medical school in Japan. 

As her fingers began to shake, she squeezed her eyes shut so she could force herself to breathe deeply in and out. There was no time to be nervous! If she got to in her head, she wouldn’t be able to open the letter! She squashed the feeling of nausea rising in her stomach before snapping her eyes open, rose irises burning with determination. 

Before she could talk herself out of it, she flipped the envelope around so she could tear open the top, careful not to accidentally rip the letter in the process. She let the envelope flutter to the floor after removing the folded piece of paper inside. She gulped while she stared at the blank white backside, nervousness rising once more inside her. With trembling fingers, she slowly straightened out the paper and skipped down to the first line of words printed on the fancy letterhead. 

“Dear Miss Iki, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted…”  

Hiyori didn’t even finish the sentence, for a squeal burst out of her mouth, unable to be contained. She threw her arms in the air and began to jump around her room, delighted cries of “Yes, yes, yes!” gushing from her overjoyed body. She was going to medical school, the best medical school! She was going to be a doctor! 

She stopped hopping around to snap her face back to the letter, reading it once, twice, three times to make sure that she wasn’t dreaming. No, there it was in black and white—Hiyori was accepted. Tears blossomed in the corners of her eyes, and she didn’t even bother to wipe them away, just let them roll down her cheeks. This was one of the happiest days of her life, so a few happy tears were definitely in order. 

She hugged the letter to her chest, and the sound of the paper crinkling was music to her ears. 

I can’t wait to tell Yato!

~~~~~~~~~~

 Of course, societal norms dictated that Hiyori phone her parents first, which she did. Both of them were working, but they both screamed in triumph when Hiyori delivered the good news. They laughed, they cried, they gushed about Hiyori’s new possibilities, and Hiyori basked in the warm glow of their pride. However, the world did not stop turning even for such a celebratory cause, and so Hiyori eventually had to bid them adieu. That was all right, though; they would have a proper party once they returned home from work, and this gave Hiyori plenty of time to spread the news to the other important people in her life. 

Kofuku was sitting on the porch of her little shop when Hiyori came running up, cheeks pink from breathlessness. The goddess cocked her head to the side as the girl approached in such a tizzy, and then her gaze dropped to the opened letter flapping around in her hand. 

“Ahh! Hiyori, is it today?” the girl cried and jumped up while putting her hands together in delight. “Oh, oh, you probably want to tell Yato first—he’s in the back! Yukiné went down the street to get some bubble teas, so I’ll let him know as soon as he’s back to come see you! Now hurry, hurry! Daikoku and I want to hear, too!” 

“Thanks, Kofuku!” Hiyori grinned as she skirted around the porch, leaving the goddess to impatiently squirm while she trotted around the back of the small convenience store. She rounded the back of the building to the small yard behind, and she found Yato lazing about among the roots of a tree, eyes closed and hands resting behind his head. 

“Yato, Yato!” she cried, and he cracked a cyan eye open at the sound of her voice. She came bounding up to him, eyes sparkling. However, her legs finally gave out from all the frantic running, and so she collapsed on her knees at his side. “Oof…” 

‘“Did you run all the way here?” he chuckled as he sat up. Hiyori nodded with a mournful croon and rubbed her burning calves, prompting Yato to laugh. “Silly Hiyori, I know you love to see me, but—” he stopped his flirty joke when he caught sight of the letter in her lap. “... Is that what I think it is?” 

“Yes!” Hiyori squeezed out between gulps of air. She tossed her head up, flipping her disarrayed hair out of her face, and held up the letter proudly. “I was accepted to Tokyo University! I’m going to be a doctor, Yato!” 

It seemed to take him a moment to register the news. He blinked slowly, staring at the letter with a blank expression. Hiyori tilted her head to the side in confusion; wasn’t he happy for her? Just as she was about to inquire, his expression softened and he reached up to pat Hiyori’s head affectionately. 

“I knew you could do it, Hiyori. Congratulations,” he said with a sweet smile. Hiyori giggled as he ruffled her already wind-swept hair; his hand felt good, tousling the strands and running across her scalp. She enjoyed it for a second, then opened her eyes. Yato couldn’t wipe the sadness from his expression before Hiyori noticed it. He knew she saw, too, as he blushed and dropped his gaze to the grassy ground. His hand stayed atop her head, and Hiyori reached up to grab it while staring at him in confusion. 

“Yato… What is it?” 

He chewed on his lip while he debated answering. Hiyori lowered his hand to hold it in front of her chest, squeezing it with both of hers. Finally, his eyes flickered up to meet hers, and she was taken aback by how guilty and miserable he looked. 

“I shouldn’t… It’s selfish of me.” 

“Well, you can be a little selfish, Yato. I don’t mind.” 

A smile tugged at his lips, and he looked at her with amused hopelessness. I can’t resist when you say it like that, his expression said, and it made Hiyori’s heart thump in her chest. 

“I guess… It’s just finally hitting me that you’ll be leaving me, Hiyori.” 

“Huh? Who said I was leaving?” Hiyori blinked. Yato made a choking sound and reared back a little, obviously surprised by her blatant rebuttal. Hiyori smiled, pulling his hand to rest over her heart. “Yato, you’re the most important person in the world to me. Even if I’m going off to college, that doesn’t mean that we can’t be together anymore!” 

“You mean… You see me in your future, Hiyori?” 

Hiyori opened her eyes at that, a blush painting her cheeks. Yato was leaning forward now, his expression intense. Those cyan eyes burned with something unlike she’d ever seen, and it sent electricity buzzing through her nerves. Though she had the urge to run and hide, embarrassed by what was happening, she also wanted nothing more than to see where this would go. Squirming, she managed a little nod. 

“O-of course, Yato…” 

Of course, Yato was never surprised for long. That cocksure smirk spread over his lips, and as he leaned in a little further, a mischievous twinkle began to gleam in his bright blueish eyes. 

“Oh? What do you think about?” 

“I-I think about… You being there when I graduate…” she admitted. Oh, but that wasn’t all, and Yato knew it, too. It was like that roguish stare of his was magic, and it was pulling out all her deepest, darkest secrets with effortless ease. “I, um… I think about… U-us dating, and um… Getting married… And… Maybe… Having children…” 

Her voice grew smaller and smaller with each damning admission until she was shrinking into herself and whispering meekly. She hid her face behind his hand, which she was still holding like a treasure, while she looked at him with uncertain eyes. Yato just kept that same stupid smirk on his face the entire time, given no indication of how he felt about it. Anxiety began to roil in her belly. What if he would laugh at her? What if he didn’t feel the same? Yato was a trickster, but he wouldn’t be this mean, would he? 

No. Not my Yato.

“I’m relieved,” Yato said, and suddenly his expression was melting. He scooted a little closer to her, and his free hand pushed into the grass by her waist as he angled his body over hers until she was looking up into his face. He freed his other hand from her grip so he could caress her face—tracing a path down her cheek to her chin until his thumb traced the border of her lips. “I think about those things, too, Hiyori. I didn’t want them to be just thoughts.” 

“Yato… Are you saying…?” she asked quietly, but her voice failed her. She just looked at him pleadingly, and Yato’s smile somehow got impossibly softer even though it already felt like Hiyori was beginning to float in the clouds. 

“I’m saying that I love you, Hiyori, and I want to be a part of your future if you’ll let me,” Yato said. 

Hiyori sucked in a breath, and suddenly the tears came flooding back. She couldn’t stop them; she was so overwhelmed with happiness and relief and all the emotions in between. All she could do was nod emphatically. Yato chuckled gently, using his hand to thumb her tears away until she managed to quiet down into little sniffles. As she blinked repeatedly, trying to dislodge the little salty droplets still clinging to her lashes, she didn’t notice Yato’s face closing in. 

His lips met hers, and the first thing that struck her was how soft his lips were. They were like silk, perfect against her own. Hiyori melted into him, eyes fluttering as she savored the meeting of their mouths and everything that meant. 

They pulled apart, but only by a few centimeters. They stared into each other’s eyes, and Yato began to caress her cheek again. I could get used to this…

“Hiyoriiiiiiii!” came a sudden wail, and the two of them sprang apart like they’d been struck. They hurried to find a position that made it look like they weren’t just kissing. Yato lounged back against the tree, while Hiyori sat on her knees an acceptable distance away while she played with one of her pigtails. Yukiné came bounded around the side of the building, looking panicked. 

“Hiyori! Don’t go!” the boy wailed and flung himself across the yard. Hiyori exclaimed as he belly-flopped onto the ground next to her and planted his face write into her lap. He wrapped his arms tight around her waist as if he could keep her there through force alone. Hiyori chuckled and rested a hand on his back, and he looked up at her petulantly. 

“Yukiné, I’m not going anywhere,” Hiyori chuckled. “I’ll still be around!” 

“Promise?” 

“Promise!” Hiyori reassured. Yukiné smiled and sagged into her, thoroughly relieved. 

“Oi! Who do you think you are, hogging Hiyori?” Yato whined. Hiyori exclaimed as Yato draped himself over her shoulders, arms dangling down by her sides and chin propped in the crook of her neck. 

“Ah! Are we doing group hugs?” they heard Kofuku yell, and they looked up just in time to see her sailing through the air. They all screamed when Kofuku crashed into them, sending Yato and Hiyori onto their backs. As they dog-piled at the base of the tree, they couldn’t help but burst into giggles. Hiyori wiggled her arm until she could pull out the acceptance letter, and her expression brightened. 

I’ve got a great future ahead of me… And I’m glad everyone is going to be in it!

Enjoy this oneshot? Feel free to peruse my Table of Contents!

[tok-writing-wonders]

No one asked for this, but here's my type from anime and games because I'm bored and I don't want to think about finals.

1. Quiet and protective

A guy who's just... there. They're usually a softie, but the moment you harm someone they care about... Woooo boy you gone get beat. Usually, because they're at a distance, they don't speak much. (Bonus points if they have a mask). No matter how dangerous they are, I consider them such sweethearts and will die for any of them.

Ex:

Shin-ah from Yona of the Dawn

Saito from Hakuouki

Morinozuka from Ouran High School Host Club

Mikage Hisoka from A3

Gin from Hotarubi no Mori e

Erden from My Husband Hides His Beauty

Jotaro from Jojo's Bizarre Adventure (no I will not explain this one)

Godot from Ace Attorney

Hakuya Mitsumine from Engaged to the Unidentified

Pale Ghost from Niflheim (a no longer available shall we date game)

Yoo Chunyoung from Inso's Law

2. Short and Angry

No, I don't like a character just because they are short. I just so happen to like characters who are short. These little guys have short fuses, even with their respective MCs. Honestly, it's really easy to get them riled up and is very amusing Bonus points if they are tsunderes. Frankly, I think it'd just be fun to tease them and watch as they internally combust.

Ex:

Edward Elric (a classic) from Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood

Hitsugaya from Bleach

Nishinoya from Haikyuu

Syo Kurusu from Uta no Prince Sama

Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu from Danganronpa

Yukine from Noragami

Heisuke Toudou from Hakuouki

Lucas from Who Made Me A Princess (debatable, but putting him here for now)

3. Himbos

Only recently did I realize this was a type I liked. Something about being simple to understand is endearing. Fit, attractive men with low intelligence (sometimes moreso in street smarts than book smarts) and kind hearts are what define a himbo and I love every part.

Ex:

Beelzebub from Obey Me

Shinpachi Nagakura from Hakuoki

Omi Fushimi from A3

Klavier Gavin from Ace Attorney

Inquisitor Barnham from Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney

Sherlock Holmes from Ace Attorney (not released outside of Japan but I found a playthrough with english subtitles) (wow you'd think if they're attorneys that they'd be smarter (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧)

Takeshi Yamamoto from Katekyo Hitman Reborn

Outliers

There are just some characters I like that don't fit nicely into these categories. Either don't match at at or fit more than one.

Ex:

707 from Mystic Messenger

Ray from Mystic Messenger

Genos from One Punch Man

Gilgamesh from Fate/Zero (didn't like his character but as soon as I saw this

it was over and now lives rent free in my mind forever).

Most Male Leads from Manhwas (from the ones I've read, none are really a type? They're just generally likable somehow which I don't get)

Not sure if that was worth a read or not, but it's off my chest now. Please refer to the above if you wish to know my preferences I guess. Feel free to ask about it too. I'm still really bored.

[kurisus]

Chapter 100 thoughts

We've hit triple digits! No going back now. :') Spoilers under the cut.

Whatever last chapter did to me emotionally, this somehow beat it. I think it's because it was a full-length chapter as well as the announcement of it being the final arc alongside the content itself.

So let's talk about that first. I mean, we've all known for a while the manga was heading toward its conclusion--monthly mangas usually don't go too far beyond 100 chapters, Yukine's past finally came to light, Yato faced his fear and his father in battle, the characters got split up into different teamings amid higher stakes, the patterns are all there. But seeing it right there was...well, bittersweet. I know Adachitoka will take us to a good conclusion. And it's not goodbye yet! If the length of the Nora arc was any indication, we may still have 4 years of monthly chapters. Although it could be much shorter than that too, if they plan to have this arc all take place during Ooharai.

I don't want to get into territory of speculating about the series end content-wise because that's still far off and a lot could change, but looking at it optimistically, we do still have a full arc left yet. It's just knowing that we really are in the endgame now, so things seem a lot more final and it's affecting my reading.

I've believed all along there was one more arc after the Nora arc, but I honestly didn't expect 99 to be the conclusion of it. I even joked about it last month, but it was a joke. I'm literally like "wait Noragami is actually ending I thought it was a joke." I think because Ooharai is still going, my guard was down. But no, the arc definitively concluded with Yato getting Yukine back, which makes a lot more sense in hindsight. But damn it, we're not getting the usual 2 chapters of levity before the next arc kicks our asses, are we?

On the topic of the recap, Yukine/Hagusa still being listed under Father's "team" made me nervous. I hope that's not foreshadowing him going back to Father somehow, but Father has yet to release the "Yuuki" name, so. Can I just hedge my bets optimistically, for once?

Anyway, to the chapter. Hiyori caught Yato's scent! Does that mean she's going to find Yukine next, and reassure him? Will Yuka be coming with her? Will chapter 101 consist of me being a weepy mess because Yukine finally comes to terms with his death, helped by his sister and the girl who's like a sister to him? [voice cracking] please?

Yato finally confessing the burial of Yukine's body just. swept me with a tidal wave of feelings. I've been in agony about that stupid tree for YEARS and now we got the answer that so many have speculated upon. So congrats, everyone who predicted that. You were right. And it's absolutely rife with meaning, but since Yato already said it, I won't repeat it.

I will instead just point out he buried him WITH his letters. Jesus. I'm going to die of feelings.

It does add an extra layer of tragedy to Yato getting stabbed there, though...

Those panels were so pretty. I need to lie down. I am 8 pages into my thoughts and getting teary-eyed.

I don't want to talk about Kazuma yet, I'm saving that for the end of the chapter, so just put a pin in him being like "Why does Yukine suddenly care about being dead?" followed by "I don't want to die like a dog." I'll also put a pin in Bishamon saying "If anything happened to Kazuma I won't forgive myself." And one more in Father saying "Don't you care what happens to Kazuma?"

Trash dad bringing back Yukine's hit on Amaterasu is another reason why I'm nervous about him potentially going back there. For one thing, Father could do a lot more damage, and for another heaven might be like "ah yes there's the shinki working with the sorcerer."

Before anyone gets mad about Nora defending Father this chapter, I don't think Kazuma remarking she's lost the will to fight, her refusing to use Father's names for characters, nor her time with Yukine and Hiyori in turn was pointless. Adachitoka doesn't really do things without a point, and while this chapter might have been a prime moment for her to abandon trash dad for good, she's not quite there yet.

Her repeating "I love you" to Father really did make me think she was going to hold him there while Yato dealt the killing blow. And she still might! But for now, she's decided to strike back.

Time to talk about Kazuma without this stupid character limit warning constantly going off in my face. Okay so anyway. Him getting hit by GGS was a long time coming. We've been worried about it since before Yato even named him, since what he wanted was a powerful shinki that didn't fear death he could use against the sorcerer. However, for a while it seemed things would be okay--Kazuma was wearing earplugs, they were careful to fight Father from a distance just in case he was using Chiki, and only moved to hand-to-hand combat because they confirmed he wasn't. But now the first crack has been struck, and we already saw what happened with Yukine. It took a very long time, but he did get to wondering about his past.

I think with Kazuma it would be accelerated anyhow, since he's been exposed to Yukine talking about his family for a hot minute, as recently as this chapter, plus Father has commented on the nature of his death directly to him (though he had earplugs in). It's just, god, the boy JUST accepted life and now he's faced with the certainty of death once more.

We've already seen Kazuma's past thanks to Yato, and we know what GGS does to shinki, so what will happen to Kazuma? The optimistic route out is that Yato releases him after Father bites it (the crack is on the name Yato gave him), he goes back to Bishamon, and wonders no more. However, in this case they'd still be battling the clock and Yato might have to weigh "release Kazuma and save his life, and sacrifice my Father-killing weapon for good" or "continue taking the risk of him getting hit further, his name devolving faster and reaching the point of no return, but I might actually get to kill Father."

The less optimistic route out is that Kazuma dies, like he's been threatening for years. He has so many death flags I don't even know where to start. And we're approaching the series end. Will Kazuma succumb to GGS, now that he's decided he wants to live? I really don't want him to, but I'm afraid of how things will shake out. It seems like the manga has been heading to this for quite some time, but Adachitoka is known for being unpredictable.

I'm going to scream WAIT before the falling ice cream truck hits me and point out Kazuma's foiling Ebisu right now and Ebisu died after realizing he wants to live. If Kazuma is an inversion, he might live after all?

But if Bishamon finds out that Yato not only named Kazuma but put him in danger (even though Kazuma insisted on it himself), she's going to go right back to despising him, I fear.

We didn't get any Take and Ebisu content, but they will still have to destroy the grave to kill trash dad, so we have to get answers sooner rather than later.

[checks my notes] I think that's all I have. Horrible chapter, see you next month.

[winterune]

Happy 46th birthday Kamiya Hiroshi-san! | 28.01.2021

Alright I’m back to posting birthday celebration/top seiyuu roles stuffs (or at least for Kamiyan’s birthday). My last Kamiyan birthday post was in 2019, so let’s revamp my list now.

#1: Takashi Natsume - Natsume Yuujinchou

Soft Kamiyan is best Kamiyan. I’m sorry, but I guess I just love soft characters. I think I’ve gushed more than enough how much I love Natsume Yuujinchou, Natsume Takashi, and of course his small buta neko companion/self-proclaimed guardian. So here it is, Soft Kamiyan’s best cinnamon roll boi Natsume as my #1 favorite Kamiyan role (heck, my #1 favorite character, series, and performance ever). My heart expands three thousand times every time I hear Natsume speak.

#2: Kakushi Gotou - Kakushigoto

I’ll be honest. This is the reason why I’m coming back to making these posts lol. I just finished watching Kakushigoto and I am in love with it!!! Definitely one of the hidden gems of 2020. A story about a single father who’s trying to raise his daughter while hiding the nature of his job. And Kamiyan nailed Gotou. From his dramatic performance when he’s on the job to the soft and caring side when he’s with his daughter. Everything was just perfect. Hearing Gotou just feels so natural. 

#3: Izaya Orihara - Durarara!!

The heartless little bastard that was probably the first Kamiyan role that stole my heart. Again, Kamiyan gave Izaya life. Still one of my favorite Kamiyan roles to this day. It makes one wonder how this is the same man who voices soft Natsume. Speaking of, I remember thinking ‘I know this voice!’ when Kamiyan used his Natsume voice as Nakura in episode 2 I think

#4: Yato - Noragami

Season 3 when lol but well in all seriousness, Kamiyan as Yato is just amazing. He showed a wider range of emotion in Aragoto after we learn about his past as the God of Calamity, his desire to be the God of Fortune, and finally seeing him with Father for the first time. Just imagine how animated and voiced Yato will kill me if they ever decide to make a season 3 T-T

#5: Koyomi Araragi - Monogatari series

It’s a talent in and of itself to be able to voice a wide range of characters and make each and every one of them memorable. Though he’s that type of seiyuu whose voice is very recognizable, I never get bored. Koyomi is one such case, and I just love him so much. (Speaking of Monogatari, I have yet to see Arakawa Under The Bridge and Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei. Huh, so Kamiyan worked with Akiyuki Shinbou in three series, whereas he worked with Omori Takahiro in two - NatsuYuu and Durarara, one of which is still ongoing)

Well, seems like my top 5 still hasn’t changed (except for one) xD But really though, four of the five are indisputable, they probably won’t be dropping out of the list any time soon. It is funny how many of my favorite main characters were voiced by Kamiya Hiroshi. Whereas I usually associate a seiyuu with their popular characters, I never do so with Kamiyan. Somehow, he feels low-profile yet he manages to score big roles that end up being famous and/or iconic. His characters always feel so natural to me.  

Honorable Mentions

HM1: Kusuo Saiki - Saiki Kusuo no Psi-nan

Don’t you just love when Kamiyan voices characters who talk a lot? I know I do, lol. There was Araragi, and then Saiki. I remember him talking in the DGS radio about when he got the role. He wasn’t actually too keen on it xD but hey I love him as Saiki lol

HM2: Levi Ackerman - Shingeki no Kyojin

To be honest, I’m not much of a fan of Kamiyan’s Levi. I love Levi, not a fan of his voice lol. But I still gotta put him on this list. Because, well, one of his most popular roles to date? Yeah, lol. I said how Kamiyan’s voice is usually recognizable. That’s not quite the case with Levi. I still can’t find any trace of his voice whenever I hear Levi speak that you’d wonder how is it possible that the man behind Levi is also the one behind characters like Natsume, Yato, Izaya lol. Sometimes it feels like he had to force his voice to go that deep. 

HM3: Choromatsu - Osomatsu-san

Yeah I don’t follow Osomatsu-san, even though I want to. All my favorite A-list casts, but the comedy is just not my cup of tea ^^;; Still, I do love seeing some episodes, and the series is quite the phenomenon, so I’m gonna put him on the list. 

HM4: Tieria Erde - Mobile Suits Gundam 00

Seriously, there are a lot of other characters I want to put here. Like Ao no Exorcist’s Mephisto Pheles (Kamiyan was awesome here) or BSD’s Edogawa Ranpo (minor, but eh, still a popular series), but neither (not the characters or the series) are a favorite, so I’m going with Tieria Erde from Gundam 00. I’m not a Gundam fan. Not in the sense that I watched all series. But I do love mecha and even though Gundam 00 is more of a spin-off from the bigger Gundam narrative, I loved it. Great casts, enjoyable story. I guess this was before Kamiyan grew famous? Still, I did love Tieria, especially in the second season. That deadpan character who occasionally show emotion. 

HM5: Machina Kunagiri - Final Fantasy Type-0

I never played the game, tbh, but I wanted to mention him in the list because, well, Final Fantasy (and I’ve always been fascinated with Type-0′s lore). I wish Square would cast him in a mainline game. Well, he was casted as a minor role in FFX, but seeing Square’s trend of casting A-list seiyuu’s as their main characters, one could dream, right? To be fair, 7R mainly used their original cast from back in the 2000s and the main XV cast was decided also in mid 2000 (back from when it was still Versus XIII, though they changed Gladiolus’s seiyuu). I do wish they’d cast Kamiyan as, even if not a main character, a major supporting character. He’s not even in XIV when XIV has a lot of famous seiyuus in it. 

well, that’s my list for now. I realize that many of my favorite Kamiyan roles are from recurring series. When I first made the list two years ago, I was surprised by how few roles I can list, because apparently all my favorites are from long ongoing series or ones that spawn many seasons. Look at NatsuYuu, Osomatsu, Monogatari, and SnK lol. No wonder it always feels like I hear Kamiyan every season xD

[yatorihell]

In The Darkness Chapter 80 - The Locket

Noragami x Harry Potter AU

Words: 5,031

Summary: Yato works out how to destroy the horcrux.

Also available on Yatorihell AO3

Only a few days after he had collected supplies, Yato moved his camp onwards. There was no real difference in the new location except that he now faced a line of trees that reminded him of Hogwarts’ Forbidden Forest, ominous and dark.

The evenings were beginning to lighten, but nightfall still came too early and forced Yato back inside the gentle warmth of the tent he called home. He heated dinner over the small gas lamp and left it burning as he ate, feeling the final bite of winter taking its revenge before spring sprung.

Yato leant back in his chair, staring at the canopy lost in thought as he did most nights, without company or entertainment to fill his endless days. He felt his eyelids grow heavy, his shoulders becoming a comfortable weight as he relaxed into sleep.

A dull light flickered over the tents thin canopy and Yato’s eyes flickered. It grew brighter by the second, illuminating the tent, yet there were no footsteps crunching through the snow. Yato quickly turned out the lamp beside him, alert that something was outside.

Yato gripped his wand tightly and stood from the chair, wincing at the sound it made despite knowing that he had concealment charms around his makeshift camp. His footsteps were muffled, breathing low, as he came to a stop by the flap. He pressed his eye to the thin shaft of winter moonlight. Through the slit, a silvery light whisped its way towards the tent. It stilled, tendrils reaching and disappearing in the frosted breeze, and Yato frowned.

Quietly, Yato opened the flap, wand raised.

A silvery wolf looked at him with milky eyes, ears pricked up intently at the newcomer. It sat and stared at him, seeing through the charms that would’ve hidden the small tent and its occupant from the living.

Yato froze. There was a moment where the world was just the thumping of his own heart beating in his chest before he managed to speak.

“Sakura?” Yato whispered on instinct, but he knew it was foolish, a child’s wish, that she would appear to him as a ghost, or as her Animagus or Patronus form.

The wolf stood and turned, tail whishing as it moved back to the treeline. It stopped and looked back at him with a silent command.

Come.

Yato stepped into the white world, letting the tent fade into the distance as he weaved his way through the thicket of snow-crusted trees, losing sight of the spectre every now and then until he could see it waiting for him.

The next time the wolf disappeared, it did not return. Yato huffed in short breaths of cloud, looking for the next apparition, but none came. A silvery light came from ahead, and he followed it.

The forest gave way to a large pond, frozen over with a thick sheet of ice. Above it, a glowing orb just like the one that warned them at Kofuku’s wedding, spinning in a slow circle.

He looked around the edge of the pond, heart hammering, expecting to see a crumpled form lying on the shoreline, a Deatheater suspended above it, just like…

The orb slowly faded away, disintegrating before it could hit the surface of the pond.

“Lumos.”

The tip of Yato’s wand glittered to life, sending shadows falling behind him into the soft snow and the indents of his footprints. He swung it left to right, alert. Was this another trick? An ambush? But the soft groans of snow-laden branches were his only company.

He looked down at the pond, his distorted reflection and the beam of his wand glowing back up at him on the glittering black surface. Yato frowned and took a tentative step forward, toes cracking the thin layer of ice on the shore. Below the greyness was a shining cross of silver, half-buried in the silt.

Yato’s heart jumped to his throat. He dropped to his knees and scattered the snow from the edge of the pond with his hands before pressing his wand against the ice. The light refracted through the stillness of the water, and the silver cross glittered with rubies.

The Sword of Gryffindor.

Yato stared down through the ice, heart hammering and thoughts racing.

How was the sword lying at the bottom of a pool so close to where he was camping?

Had Sakura in her Animagus form led him there in death?

Had it been planted there by someone who knew he was close? Who could it have been? And why would they not pass it to him directly?

Yato looked over his shoulder at the treeline, seeking out any notion of a human shape, but detected none. His jaw set when he turned back to the pond, realising – that by some miracle –, the sword was within reach.

“Accio sword.”

The sword did not move, and Yato’s frown returned. He sat back on his haunches, knees wet with snow, as he racked his brain. The last time he had held the sword was in the Chamber of Secrets, where it had presented itself to him from the Sorting Hat. Though he was officially a Slytherin, he was also a Gryffindor – his own heart made the Sorting Hat decide on where he was placed.

Professor Tenjin’s words came to mind: ‘Only a true Gryffindor can pull Godric Gryffindor’s sword from the Sorting Hat, whether they are kin or not.’

And what were the qualities that defined a Gryffindor?

‘Their daring, nerve, and chivalry set Gryffindor’s apart.’ The Sorting Hat’s song rang in his head, the same song it sang every year to new students.

Yato let out a long breath that froze in the air. He knew what he had to do.

He looked around once more, and after deciding no one was about to attack him, began peeling off his clothes. The wind ripped through him as soon as his shirt was off, and his teeth were chattering by the time he had stripped to his underwear. The horcrux was freezing against his chest and his toes dug into the unforgiving snow. The vague notion that he may get frostbite, hypothermia, or die crossed his mind. He took his wand, aimed at the ice, and spoke as quickly and clearly as he could say through his teeth.

“Diffindo.”

The ice cracked like a whip, shattering in a spider’s web of patterns. At the epicentre of the spell, the ice had broken, leaving chunks floating in the blackness like ice in soda. Yato shivered again. The pond didn’t seem to be deep, but he would have to go underwater to retrieve the sword from the lakebed.

Yato lay his wand on top of his clothes, the tip still lit by Lumos. He didn’t want to dwell on how agonising the water would be, or how cold he would be after, or how many days it would take for him to feel parts of himself.

So, he jumped.

His body screamed in protest at the intensity of the water, a searing pain encasing him and his lungs froze with the breath inside them. He could hardly breathe, the water lapping at his shoulders as he tried to force his body to work with him.

Yato stuttered out a gasp, feeling his lungs contract and his body judder in protest. Slowly, he inched his foot across the floor, seeking out the sword. He only wanted to dive once. His foot found the hilt, but he hesitated, pushing the dive back second by second until he knew that any longer and he would freeze and drown with his sunken treasure.

The old was agony, like frozen fire licking at his face as his head ducked beneath the surface. His eyes were screwed shut, lungs begging to scream from the intensity of it all. Yato fumbled for the sword, fingers bringing up dirt and rocks before they glided against something smooth and icy. His hand landed on the hilt and Yato pulled it up.

Yato broke the surface with a gasp, breathes juddering and not full enough to clear the haze in his head. He held the sword aloft and painstakingly forced his legs to cooperate, dragging himself to the edge of the pond and crawling into the snow which somehow seemed warmer than the water.

Yato dropped the sword and fumbled for his clothes. His fingers were numb and wouldn’t bend, but it was just enough to pull his shirt back over his head and pull his trousers and boots back on, though they were beginning to sodden. He scooped up his wand and the sword, fingers flexing painfully as he began to retrace his footsteps in the snow back to camp.

By the time he was back in the tent, he could feel his fingers coming back to life. He threw a few branches he’d snapped from the nearest trees into a pile and murmured ‘Incendio’, and a fire burst to life.

Tonight, he would risk the smoke now that he had the power to destroy the horcrux.

Yato felt the horcrux pulse against his skin as if sensing the incoming danger. He peeled it off and dropped it onto the bed warily, ever cautious it may decide to latch onto him again and never let go. He changed into dry clothes, layering himself with every top and pair of socks he could find before stuffing his feet into his boots and pulling on another thick jumper. He put his wand in his pocket and picked up the sword, feeling the true weight in his hand as he picked up the horcrux by the chain.

The fire has grown nicely, shedding enough light to see what he was doing without moonlight or magic. Yato lay the horcrux on the ground, the dark pendant contrasting on the snow and glinting in the amber firelight that shone around his form. He took a deep, weighing breath. All their trials and tribulations had led to this moment; the moment where the horcruxes could be destroyed.

They knew from past experience the horcrux couldn’t be killed within the vessel, but opening it would expose it to mortal danger. The inability to open it by hand told Yato that there was a certain way to it – one that he had used to enter the Chamber of Secrets. The Sorcerer need to keep it safe and sealed, and what better way to lock it with words?

Like him, the Sorcerer was a parseltongue.

Yato raised the sword, bladed edge glinting in the light.

“Abna.”

The locket swung open with a force making it jump across the snow. A swirling blackness inside regarded Yato without eyes, and in that moment Yato was hypnotised.

A voice hissed out from the horcrux. “I have seen your heart, and it is mine.”

Yato felt his heart hammer and his eyes widen, the sword inexplicably raised over his head but unable to fall.

“I have seen your dreams, Yaboku, and I have seen your fears. All you desire is possible, but all you dread is inevitable…”

The horcrux bubbled black like a potion gone wrong, grey mist rising in a cloud that grew and hung in the air over the locket. Yato drew his head up, following it with growing horror as Dark Magic electrified the air and rendered him useless in the face of the ever-growing mirage.

Hiyori emerged from the smoke, grey as a ghost but as flawless as he remembered.

‘I’ve missed you,’ Hiyori voice whispered. However, her eyes weren’t fixed on him as she spoke.

Yato felt his throat tighten and his arms tensed, but still, the sword dropped lower and lower until the point rested in the snow. A second figure had appeared beside her, and it took a moment to realise it was him; caressing Hiyori’s face, smiling at her. He had all her attention and adoration.

T-this isn’t real… Yato told himself. The horcrux vision blossomed with renewed power, forcing the images to a life-like version of them enshrouded in mist and clouds that concealed the lower halves of their naked bodies.

Riddle-Yato swiftly wrapped an arm around Riddle-Hiyori’s waist, pulling her closer so their torsos were pressed together. Holding her firm in his grasp, he leant down so his lips could whisper in her ear before peppering her skin with eager kisses, trailing from her jawline to the base of her neck. Riddle-Hiyori’s head rolled back, lips parted in bliss as she silently mouthed his name as each kiss exploded in her senses like lightning to a tree.

Yato watched, frozen to the spot as he watched in shock at the scene which unfolded before him.

‘I have seen your heart, and it is mine. I have seen your dreams, Yaboku, and I have seen your fears. All you desire is possible…’ The horcrux’s words rang in his ears. The world muddled. Dreams, desires… He and Hiyori… Was this a trick or the future?

Riddle-Hiyori breathlessly relaxed into his passionate affection and placed her hands on his chest, and his breathing quickened at their interactions. Her hands slid over and savoured every inch of him as she caught hold of his free hand and clamped it on her waist with no protest from her lover. Her fingers drifted from his wrist and glided up his strong arms, trailing up along the curves of lean muscle to his shoulders where she found the nape of his neck. Her fingers weaved into his hair and ran through his dark bangs, raking it back to give him a better view of his task before moving down to caress his strong jaw.

That’s not… her… that’s not me… Yato’s head spun. Although it was him that she was paying such devoted interest too, it wasn’t him – not the real him. It was a sick twist of manipulation, a defence mechanism to keep the horcrux alive.

But it was effective.

Riddle-Yato’s lips hadn’t relented in their intense preoccupation of leaving evidence of his reverence on her body, his hand wandering up Riddle-Hiyori’s side and delicately brushing against her skin as she shivered under his light touch. Teasingly he continued sliding his hand up until he reached her neck, a single finger tracing the curve of her jawline as he redirected his attention from Riddle-Hiyori’s skin and breathless exhalations with new purpose.

Yato’s chest tightened, unfounded jealously, anger and pent-up emotion rising in his blood like a red mist.

This isn’t real.

Riddle-Hiyori raised her head as his lips vanished, leaving her skin feeling cold and starved of his affections for a moment as he teased her with a suggestive smile and seductive eyes. Stroking his thumb softly against her cheek, he tilted her chin up to restlessly claim her lips again with a fervent embrace.

Abandoning all logic, Yato charged at the black cloud where he – he? – held Hiyori in a long and passionate kiss, sword dragging as he got closer to the mirage. Heaving it up without breaking pace, Yato swung the sword high over his head with an outraged scream before bringing it down and slicing through the wisps of cloud which had created the vision. The mist swirled up once again ready to create a new nightmare to protect itself from destruction.

Yato found his footing and spun around, searching for the locket under the fog. It lay half-hidden in the snow, the silver chain shining dimly.

Yato stood with his legs parted, sword raised high as he gathered his strength to thrust the blade into the horcrux before it could do anything else. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath in anticipation of the painful vision he would have once it was dead. Then it would be over. Then he could find Hiyori again.

Yato’s shoulder blades tensed as he poised to strike, his eyes opening at the same time that the sword began to fall.

At the same time, he heard a scream.

Hiyori lay defenceless on the ground where the horcrux once was, wilted like a flower in winter as she cowered away from the blade which had stopped short the moment she screamed. Her arms wrapped around her head with her eyes squeezed tightly shut, her flimsily clothed body shaking violently on the frosted forest floor as she waited for the blow.

Yato’s grip on the sword tightened, shock setting in at the sight of the girl crumpled on the ground at his mercy. Her skin was as white as the snow, punctuated by cuts covering her legs and arms like red vines, blue and black bruises visible under the torn – prisoner garment? – she wore. Swells and red marks sored her wrists as if they had been chained or roped for a long period of time, still freshly lacerated by whatever – whoever – had held her captive.

“Hiyori?” Yato whispered shakily, sword falling to his side as Hiyori unscrewed her eyes, darting to look at his face. Her terrified expression told him that something awful had happened the moment he left her.

“Oh my god,” Yato whispered. “What happened?”

Yato quickly bent down, hands reaching for Hiyori. She flinched away violently at the sudden movement. Freezing, Yato looked at her with a mix of surprise and caution. He moved slowly this time, his fingers wrapping around Hiyori’s tightened fist. She was cold, freezing in fact. Her skin seemed almost as pale as the rags she wore.

“Can you stand?”

Hiyori stared at him, distrust evident despite their relationship.

What happened? Yato tortured himself with this over and over as he watched her struggle to her feet, hand clasping hers as support as her legs wobbled like a newborn foal.

Unable to support herself, she collapsed against Yato. He dropped the sword and grab onto Hiyori to keep her stabilised as she trembled against him - from fear or cold he couldn’t tell - as her fists clung onto his shirt. Ragged breaths escaped her lips as Yato desperately tried to make sense of why she was here, and how she looked like she had been dragged through hell.

“Hiyori, talk to me! Who did this? Where’s Yukine?” Yato held her face in his hands, beseeching her. She felt fragile under his fingertips as if she would disappear at any second.

“I… he’s… I don’t know. He was… behind me… and now…” Hiyori stifled a sob against his chest, dampening his jumper with unrelenting tears.

Yato heart plummeted, fearing Yukine was lost in the woods. He may even be in a worse state than Hiyori…

“Hiyori, I need to go look for Yukine, get inside,” Yato tried stepping back to detangled her but she clung to him harder, erratic sobs and heavy breathing telling him she was desperate not to lose him again.

“Don’t go!” Hiyori whimpered, voice breaking from the thought of being alone again. “Don’t leave me again!”

Her arms wrapped tightly around Yato’s neck, burying her face against him in an attempt to keep him from going anywhere.

Yato’s resolve wavered. He couldn’t leave her like this, and he couldn’t leave Yukine alone. Defeated, Yato stroked her hair. “I won’t leave you, but we need to find Yukine.”

“You can’t leave,” Hiyori whispered. “Not ever.”

Her voice was no longer shaking, taking on an edge that Yato had never heard before. Her body has ceased its trembling but remained as cold as before.

Yato pulled away from their embrace, resting his hands on her shoulders and confusedly peering at her face. She wore a sinister grin, eyes so dark that they appeared to be black like the mass of hair that had started floating around her shoulders. Her skin turned grey and her eyes sunk into her head, gut-wrenchingly familiar, as Yato stumbled back and fell.

A swell of black mist rising from behind whatever had taken Hiyori’s appearance, doubling and tripling in size until it resembled a bad omen – the Dark Mark.

It’s not her…! Yato screamed to himself, watching the once defenceless Hiyori – Sakura? – begin walking towards him. Tendrils of darkness snaked from her outstretched hand, coming for him to choke his neck and seep into his lungs.

A horcrux of the person he loved coming to kill him.

Yato’s eyes dropped to the ground, realising his mistake as the Sword of Gryffindor shone dimly at him, out of reach behind the manifestation as she glided over the snow like a wolf stalking her prey. He reached for his wand and held it out, cursing spells that brought memories of Sakura’s apparition flooding back and a taste of dust in his mouth, but it was a futile attempt.

He knew it would not save him.

The manifestations smile was rigid, far from any expression he’d seen on Hiyori’s face, but her voice was the same.

“Yaboku…”

The sword cut through the Dark Mark first. The illusion shattered in a black cloud of smoke that writhed and screeched as the Dark Mark was purged from the air. The sword continued to fall down on the manifestation, splitting it cleanly in half in a misty fog that blackened as soon as the blade touched it.

But the scream still ripped through her. Too human. Too Hiyori.

A sear of pain flashed through Yato's head, the instant pain of the Legilimency connection forming sparking to life. The Sorcerer's agonised face, Hogwarts' turrets against a darkening sky, and a silver feathered tiara on a cushioned pillow.

Yato's head cleared slowly and the fog had dispelled, leaving the world white once again. But there was a new figure before Yato.

Yukine stood a few metres away, sword in hand and hair dishevelled, panting. His eyes were downcast to the locket, splinters of shattered stone littering the snow, a sizeable crack prominent in the centre of the pendant.

“I’m not even going to begin to unpack what that was,” Yukine said, lifting his eyes. “But you are a dead man.”

Yato gaped. Yukine strode up to Yato, the tip of the sword dragging through the snow.

“Why did you leave?!” Yukine pushed Yato with his free hand, but there was no hate behind it: it was hurt.

Yato gaped again, words lost on him. Yukine was here. He’d saved him from certain death, but it seemed trivial to him as he glared at Yato and pushed him again.

“Why?! Did you think we would leave you out here on your own? Do you even know how worried sick we’ve been?!” Yukine vented. His breaths came out ragged by the time he’s topped his onslaught, but Yato was still staring at him like he would disappear just like the wolf.

“How did you find me?” Yato asked.

Yukine huffed, eyes glassy and staring before he reached into his pocket and flicked the Deluminator open. A ball of light shot out and hovered mid-air, bobbing up and down in between of them.

“One night, this ball of light came out and wouldn’t leave. It just… drifted in the air, moving away from us. Like it wanted us to follow,” Yukine clicked the Deluminator again and the orb finally disappeared. “We figured it was telling us something, so we followed it for weeks. And it brought me right to you.”

Yato looked from the Deluminator sliding back into Yukine’s pocket and back to his face. “Where’s Hiyori?”

“Back at camp,” Yukine jutted his head to the left, behind the shoddy little tent glowing with firelight.

Yato looked at the ground. He scooped up the shattered locket and wrapped the chain around his fingers, feeling the emptiness inside that gave him a chest ache.

There was a moment’s pause, a silent understanding that – after everything he had put them through – he was welcome home.

The walk back to camp was punctuated by short questions and long answers. The first rays of sunlight were bursting over the tree’s skinny branches, ushering in a new day and setting the snow alight under their feet.

Before long Yato spotted the familiar slopes of the tent they called home, and the beginnings of smoke kindling rising through the air. He spotted a glimpse of grey through the trees and his heart hammered, and before long he could make out her hair falling down her back as she set about making breakfast.

The sound of footsteps on snow giving away to bracken told her that Yukine – wherever he had been so early – was back.

“There’s coffee in the kettle, but it –,” Hiyori started before she looked up.

Yukine, still carrying the Sword of Gryffindor, had a smile on his face. Yato, on the other hand, had stopped short the moment her eyes met his.

Yato felt the world standstill. Hiyori – who just a while ago was battered and bruised and begging for help – was here. Alive, unmarked, healthy… and very angry, but that didn't matter.

Until she started screaming.

"Where. The. HELL. Have you BEEN?!"

Hiyori practically spat each word, wiping the relieved smile straight off Yato's face and making Yukine take a few steps away from the new war zone between them.

That was the first time they’d heard Hiyori swear.

Yato’s mouth hung open slightly, words lost once again. Hiyori dropped the tin mug she was holding, splattering the remains of coffee over the ground as she advanced on him.

Hiyori pushed him, punctuating each shove. “Where. Have. You. Been?!”

Hiyori panted, breathless, as Yato stepped back, still shellshocked. Her eyes fell to the locket wrapped around his fingers, the fresh rage abated for a short time as she realised what they had done.

Hiyori turned to Yukine, eyes falling to the sword that was now resting over his shoulder. “You destroyed it.”

“Yep.”

“And how do you have the Sword of Gryffindor?”

Yukine raised an eyebrow at Yato, and Hiyori whirled back around to face him. Yato flinched; he didn’t like the way he was looking at him.

“It appeared to me,” Yato stumbled to find his tongue. “A wolf led me to a lake, and it was in there.”

“Oh, so you’re King Arthur now?” Yukine called from his safety point in a bid to lighten the mood, but it did nothing to qualm Hiyori’s temper.

There was a passed looked between Hiyori and Yato before she turned back to the campfire, which in their argument had warmed the porridge oats inside the cauldron.

“Breakfast is ready.”

~

Hiyori communicated in short statements and pointed looks for the rest of the day. Yato didn’t expect her to welcome him back with open arms – well, that was a lie –, but it was torture to be ignored like this.

He’d given her the busted locket to stash away in her bag, his fingers brushing her and feeling like wildfire had engulfed him, but she pulled away quickly and went back to ignoring him. It was a losing battle on his part. Discouraged, he and Yukine returned to his tent to pack up what little belongings he had.

Dinner was filled only by the radio, Kazuma’s voice a welcome one to fill the awkward silence between the three of them. By nightfall, they were on opposite ends of the tents, though surprisingly Yato’s bed was already made up as if he’d never left. He stole a look at Hiyori sat in her chair, reading, but went ignored again.

About an hour later, Hiyori abruptly closed her book.

“Goodnight,” Hiyori said curtly, cutting off any attempts of conversation Yato had prepared as she exited the dining area.

He stared after her, hearing the shuffling of bedsheets before the low lamplight was cut off.

Sitting in silence, Yato contemplated his actions. The best decision was to leave her – and Yukine – and sort this mess by himself. No one would get hurt except him; a happy proposition for him if it meant that they would be safe. Yet he forgot about their feelings and left. It was a miracle that Hiyori had agreed to look for him when they realised he had left them behind when she was free to go back to what little remained of her normal life.

“We’re not gunna… mention what the…” Yato said quietly, trying to find a polite way of saying that he didn’t want Hiyori to know that he’d seen an apparition of him and Hiyori making out right before she tried to kill him, but Yukine was surprisingly kind.

“Not a word.”

Although Yukine had forgiven his idiotic actions, Hiyori seemed to be impassable, hostile and expressionless whenever he made any motion to interact with her. The damage was already done, and there seemed to be no way to fix it.

Unable to come up with a new strategy and fatigue fast blurring his thoughts, Yato climbed into his bed. It had the same sheets as the night that he left, he noticed. The pillow’s scent still showing evidence of Hiyori’s presence, perhaps even recently, as he breathed in the smell he had missed so much.

Despite the cold brought by the gusts of wind that rocked the tent canopy, he couldn’t bring himself to pull the covers around himself. The absence of Hiyori’s warmth was even more pointed knowing that she was only a few feet away from him, rather than god knows how many miles apart they were when he was camping alone.

It seemed like hours had passed laying there, unable to sleep and listening for any sign of movement before his eyelids grew heavy. He didn’t notice the rustle of sheets from across the room, or the sound of feet quietly padding over to his bedside. But he did notice a smaller frame crawl into the bed and pull the duvet over the both of them.

Half-opening his eyes, he could see an unfocused face avoiding his eyes as she made herself comfortable in her usual place. This time she’s the first to wrap her arm around him. Now competent of what was happening, Yato lowered his widened eyes to her face which was half-hidden by her fringe, but he could tell she was on the brink of tears from the crack in her voice.

“Don’t ever leave again.”

Yato’s heart twinged at the brokenness evident in her voice as she buried her face in his t-shirt, ending their stalemate as she curled up against him like old times. Looping his arm over her, he held her closer and pressed a gentle, apologetic kiss on her forehead.

“Never.”