#shinkimiope

[herstrayskies]

Happy Birthday to the funniest bunkmate I could ask for, @shinkimiope !!!

[magesup]

I'd like to hear your opinion regarding how hell is represented in chainsaw man, what do you think about it? On any aspect.

(Btw I love your art, its gorgeous ♡)

omg i LOVED!!!! the hell scene!!! at that point in my read i was very into the manga, but that scene was when i REALLY got into it 0_O just the buildup of events, from denji getting hit with the curse devil, to that thing with tolka, his master, and santa claus was just WHAT??? AND THEN A BIG HAND DROPS FROM THE SKY AND TAKES EVERYONE TO HELL??? the absolute tension was just 👌👌👌 the whole chapter had me confused the whole time and i loved it

i loved the sequence of them being dropped into hell. i love how the hell devil is portrayed as “outside the lines”??? ahaha im not describing it correctly

but the way its finger is literally part of the panel??? its so creative, it truly makes the hell devil seem like its an otherworldly being. im sad this wont get portrayed in this way into the anime because manga and anime are different mediums 😔 as well as all of the other ways fujimoto plays with panelling, he truly uses it to his advantage TOT

AND THIS PANEL???

AND THEN THE NEXT PANEL WHERE THE HAND IS CLOSED AND ANTS ARE ALL AROUND IT AND THERES PLANTS EVERYWHERE??? so cool TOT!!! one of my favorite panels OTL the transition was just *chefs kiss* im really really excited to see how the anime will handle this, its one of my favorite scenes. actually i cant wait to see the whole hell arc animated, its the reason why the international assassins arc is my favorite arc!!!

and ok i actually spoiled myself on what hell looked like cause i watched the vol 9 pv before i read the manga 🙈 but i didnt realize it was hell when i watched it??? so when i got to the hell part i was like OMG THIS IS...!!! it definitely wasnt what i was expecting, but i like how it wasnt what i was expecting. it was literally a flower field, something you think you would see in heaven instead of hell 0_o (which also begs the question, does heaven exist in csm too 0_OOO???) and the sky of doors??? I THOUGHT THAT WAS SO COOL TTOTT once again the motif of doors shows up. i think its supposed to symbolize how everybody has doors they shouldnt open, for fear of what may be on the other side, and for the sake of their sanity and health. in hells case, it was the darkness devil, and then later we find out about denjis case.....we dont have to talk about that right now 🙈

ok this is another tangent but i hope they handle the darkness devil entrance scene better in the anime TOT in the manga it was just...a door opening and then a blob drops down. it was cool but then on my rereads i couldnt help but think it couldve been done more dramatically OTLLL like the camera zooms into the sky of doors and focuses on this one specific door...and then it slowly.....opens. trippy music is playing in the background. and then...a blob of darkness drops onto the camera. and then all of a sudden.....astronauts 0_O I JUST WANT IT TO LOOK LIKE ITS OUT OF A HORROR MOVIE SO BADDD OTLLL

if you read all of this til the end, i thank you this was definitely more than you asked for. i leave you with this

manga readers when we see the hell scene animated:

[manikas-whims]

I started following you for the Noragami content and now I'm really considering watching SaB because of your posts about it 👀

OMG do watch it! I think you may like it. Especially the Crows..

If you feel like check out the Six of Crows Duology, both books are amazing 🔥

[potatopurple]

hngngngn I like to think that Kuraha saw this happen lol

[noragamibigbang]

Noragami Big Bang 2022 Final Lineup

Hello Noragami Fans! The Big Bang is finally starting and we, the mods, are super excited to share with you the fan creations everyone has been working on for the past few months. 

Below is our Final Lineup and will be updated during the course of the event. So please check back on occasion to make sure you’re caught up with all the lovely content we have in store for you. 

Thanks to our participants for making this happen. We wouldn’t be here without you! 

Noragami Big Bang 2022 Final Lineup

June 28 - under your eclipse i shall lie by @hallucxnatingblog with artist @nahrgles

Summary: “Fear blinds people. And personally? I think it often makes them act worse than demons.”

Read: AO3 | Art

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June 29 - Flowers for Sakura by thuja with artist Noobay

Summary: A young Yato searches for flowers to surprise Sakura.

Read: AO3 | Art

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June 30 - Convey One’s Feelings by @shikonotama with artists @mrliverboy  & @shinkimiope 

Summary: It did not take long for Yukine and Hiyori to notice that something was off. But what could be the reason for Yato's sudden change in behaviour?

Read: AO3 | Art 1 | Art 2

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July 1 - Only a Small, Big Thank You by skugga with artists @houdadraws,  jank.en and beta weepycats

Summary: Yato was overwhelmed when Hiyori gifted him his little shrine, and of course treasures it with all his might. However, it takes a few months for him to wonder that, hey, maybe he should make something in return, as a thank-you-gift? If she built *him* something, then he might as well build her something too! It's the least he could do. Only that, he belatedly realizes that he has no idea how to build anything worthwhile, or even what to build in the first place.

Read: AO3 | Art1 | Art2

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July 2 - 3 - Safe Heaven by @oneofyatosfollowers  with artist @poki-art

Summary:  With confidence-building activities, obnoxiously bright smiles, worried doctors, and a loud roommate, 14-year old addict, Haruki Tajima, finds himself in the worst place on Earth...Rehab.

Read: AO3 | FF | Art

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July 4 - Wishes by Imatableclock with artist @blade-of-hope and beta AutumnQueen

Summary: Hiyori was sick, and Yato couldn't do anything about it. Yato realized that, one day, there would be things that he would not be able to do anything about. OR Yato learns just how much making a wish matters. Can a god make a wish?

Read: AO3 | Art

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July 5 - Let It Be Enough by @runningonsunshine19 with artist Cady and beta AutumnQueen

Summary: Following the heavens trial, Yukine is still struggling with visions that take him back to that wretched sarcophagus he was trapped in. Yato takes a day just for his shinki, desperate to talk through things, make him feel safe again, and hopefully, start to help Yukine heal just a little bit from all he's gone through.

Read: AO3 | Art 

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July 6 - The Exalted Nightly Clubbing Adventures of a Heavenly God by loramangora with artist skugga 

Summary:  After a wild night out, Takemikazuchi wakes up with the hangover of his life. Even worse, now he has to deal with memory gaps, Sekiun and a new shinki that fits his clubbing needs a little too well.

Read: AO3 | Art

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July 7 - The War God’s Most Difficult Mission by @leopah with artist @viinas

Summary: Bishamon tries to do something nice for Kazuma, and learns a lot more than she'd bargained for.

Read: AO3 | Art

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July 11 - thunderstorms by Imatableclock with artist @maybemacdc

Summary: Yukine finds her, half-dead.The little child that Father had birthed out of his hate was made of murderous intent, and the target was Hiyori. OR Yato and Yukine realize that the only way to keep Hiyori safe and happy is to leave her and cut their ties.

Read: AO3 | Art

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July 12 - Coffee and Cherry Blossoms in the Moonlight by @onesmolbirb with artist @onehundredfallenpetals and beta @paldogangsaan 

Summary: Just as Hiyori was about to ask him if he was alright, Yato blurted out, “WILLYOUGOONADATEWITHME?” Hiyori wasn’t expecting that at all. She blinked, thinking perhaps she misunderstood, “I’m sorry, could you say that again?” At this point Yato’s face was burning red, but he cleared his throat and repeated more slowly. “Will you go on a date with me? OR: Hiyori work as a part-time barista who goes on a date with the "homeless" person who sits outside the coffee shop (Yato lol)

Read: AO3 | Art

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July 13 - Excuse me, um... I love you by @thedeliverygod with artist @yimicreatesx

Summary: Today was just not Hiyori's day. When chaos ensues, Yato tries his best to be a god of fortune. But when you live in a house with Kofuku, that's easier said than done.

Read: AO3 | FF | Art

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July 14 - Make it up as we go by @sondeneige with artist @hakucho-art 

Summary: Hiyori and Yato are from two different worlds. That doesn't stop them from catching each others eyes and drawing each other in.

Read: AO3 | Art

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July 15 - All the words we don’t know by @midori-verte​ with artist @ochako999​ 

Summary: When Yato takes a job at the Iki's family home as a housekeeper, he wasn't expecting to become such good friends with their daughter. And he certainly isn't expecting to become anything more than that. But even if Hiyori wants to be more than friends, does Yato even have the right to drag her into his messed up life? Especially when everyone (including himself) thinks she can do better?

Read: AO3 | Art

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July 16 - 17 - we’re all mad here by @winterscarf with artist @eerna

Summary: Bells chimed in Hiyori’s ear. “Why is a raven like a writing desk?” asked a voice. A jolt shot down her spine. It was not a familiar voice at all, but like the bells, it was so close to her that she could hardly believe the speaker wasn’t at her shoulder. The silver hoop continued to slowly turn, and Hiyori strained her eyes to make out the features of the person lounging in it. The bell-tipped jester’s hat cast a shadow over his forehead, and the lower half of his face was obscured by a scarf drawn up and knotted loosely around his neck. The ends of it trailed down to flutter near his crossed ankles. The hoop completed another quarter-rotation. The figure stood up suddenly, his body elongating with catlike grace. His chin tilted down, regarding the enthralled crowd below him. “Because they can each produce a few notes.”

Read: AO3 | Art | Art 2

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July 18 - Phases of the moon by @artfool with artist Mewriam

Summary: The various observations gods and shinki have had that indicate Yato is something a little bit more than just a god of calamity.

Read: AO3 | Art

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July 19 - Ever So Slowly by 241cookies with artist Strawberryshortclaireart and beta chulengo

Summary: Hiyori just wanted to have a nice day at Capypa Land, is that a little too much to ask?

Read: AO3 | Art

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July 20 - A First Kiss In A Tree by @jungle-savate with artist theyellowcatgirl

Summary: Hiyori attempts to finish her school work, but her lover - the delivery god - is making things quite difficult.

Read: AO3 | Art

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July 22 - Heaven’s Render by @herstrayskies with artist @ayyydrie and beta @asin-ka

Summary: The Kingdom of Heaven falls from grace by the absence of its Queen, Amaterasu, and is replaced by the wretched phony, King of Heaven (Father). Yato, known as Heaven’s Render, has been stealing from the rich to feed the poor ever since fleeing from the king's dark reign. Years have passed, and upon returning home to Near Shore Yato finds the chance to meet his childhood friend, Hiyori Iki, once more. As fate would have it, with trustworthy comrades by his side, he might be the only one to save the Kingdom. A Robin Hood AU.

Read: AO3 | Art

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July 23 - A Nameless Stray by @paldogangsaan with artist @artfool

Summary: yuki has lost everything— his name, his master, his best friend, his so-called family, everything. yato, a reincarnated god, has nothing; no shinki, no memories, no allies, nothing. yuki needs a name, yato needs a friend; it’s a perfect match.

Read: AO3 | Art

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July 25 - Artist @crab-milk 

Art

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July 26 - Fly Birdy by LesPoly with artist @mayybearii

Summary: Hiyori grew up with a passion for figure skating, but all of that went away after an injury forced her to give up. Several years later, she decides to get back on the ice. But she is still haunted by the incident. She meets aspiring coach Yato, who is desperate for a client.

Read: AO3 | Art

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July 27 - Motion Sickness by @rizahawkaye with artist @littlessushi​

Summary: yukine from an unconventional POV

Read: AO3 | Art

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July 28 - The wishes of humans, the sins of gods by brazensparrow with artist @poki-art

Summary: Yato's life is in danger, and the only thing that may save him is a sacred spring that lies in the underworld.

Read: AO3 | Art

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July 29 - Mum’s the word by Kurenai0111 with artist crystalline.arts

Summary:  It's only been two days since she moved in this little apartment with her mother, but Kumiko quickly understands that something is not quite right with the neighbors upstairs. It's not that they're aliens or anything like that: no, the Tajima children seem normal enough, but when night comes... When night comes, she always hears the same muffled voice screaming, she always hears things breaking, and the walls shake, shake, shake. Mom understood that something's wrong too, but she just says not to get involved or tell others because it could be dangerous. She will listen, of course, but Kumiko can't help but feel that there are people she can save upstairs.

Read: FF | Art - Insta

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July 30 - 31 - CROWN by @oneofyatosfollowers with artists @ayyydrie and crystalline.arts

Summary: CROWN AGENT 080: YATO - MISSING IN ACTION24 hours after CROWN received his final transmission, the agent was pronounced dead. Believed too have died at the hands of The Crafter. CROWN Agent 081: Hiyo and Yato's former 'guy-in-the-chair' Yukine piece together what happened in his final moments...and their next move.

Read: AO3 | Art 1 | Art 2 - Insta

[swatato]

I TURNED OUR YATOMA VS YATORI DEBATE INTO AN ACE ATTORNEY VIDEO LMAO

BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE NORAFAM DISCORD

Starring: @relv07 as Ema Skye, @stupidusernamepolicy as Iris, @floweryfandomnerd as Edgeworth, @nahrgles as Phoenix, @hallucxnatingblog as the two faced judge, @shinkimiope as Godot, and myself as Von Karma :D

[l0zengular]

@noragamisecretsanta​ Happy belated Boxing Day (lol) to @shinkimiope​! No surprises that you got me as your SS! It’s a bit late because it took longer than I thought it would D:

I threw in reminiscising, I threw in hurt/comfort, there’s a bit of everything :D I hope I hit all your fave notes!

Yep, Christmas Eve is a super romantic holiday in Japan, so I took the idea and ran with it with these two! It only makes sense Take would suffer on that day lmao. Side note that takekiun in this comic have probably only been together a year or so without any ~labels, or at least that’s how I see it.

[shikonotama]

Noragami Big Bang 2022

It's finally there! This year's @noragamibigbang is happening and I had a lot of fun writing this.

Please make sure to check out the beautiful art my partners (@mrliverboy (Instagram) @shinkimiope (Twitter)) drew and enjoy reading!

"It did not take long for Yukine and Hiyori to notice that something was off. But what could be the reason for Yato's sudden change in behaviour?"

[skadventuretime]

Golden Hour

Here is my piece for the @noragamibigbang! My artist partner @shinkimiope had such a lovely idea and art to match, so naturally I had to get all sentimental on it. I hope you enjoy!

A midi alarm rang out from a phone on the coffee table. It was perched so delicately on the corner, crowded out as it was by large textbooks and notebook viscera, that it was just a few rings from falling off the table altogether.

Hiyori burst from the bathroom with a toothbrush in one hand and her falling towel in the other. Flecks of toothpaste dotted her lips and her hair was only partly brushed, the half that wasn’t dripping water onto her living room floor. She stuck the toothbrush in her mouth to use that hand to catch her phone as it wobbled off the coffee table.

How is it three already? She turned a frantic eye to the microwave clock as if hoping it would give her a better time, but unfortunately, she was still going to be late.

Helping that study group last night was a bad idea.

Groaning, she hurried to a cabinet placed against the wall in her living room. It was more of a covered shelf, really, made of mismatched driftwood that's been carefully sanded and polished with something that made it glimmer like sunlight on the sea. On the sole high shelf was a shrine, just as carefully made, just as lovingly looked after. Not a speck of dust touched any part of it.

[Read the rest on AO3 or below the cut]

Hiyori clapped her hands together and focused on the shrine's god. Yato, I'm going to be late. Feel free to start setting up without me!

A faint breeze stirred her towel, as if a door had been left open and a summer wind had blown in.

I hear you loud and clear, Yato's voice answered distantly. His scent washed over her, wild and ancient and warm, and she could sense he was smiling through their temporary connection. I can carry things if you've brought too much. 

Hiyori exhales around her toothbrush. That’s okay, I’ll be fine. I just lost track of time.

You don’t need to get dressed up on my account.

Yato’s mental voice was teasing, gentle, but it still raised a blush to her face that made her glad he wasn’t there in person. It’s nothing like that, school work just kept me up. See you in twenty?

The wind brushed the back of her neck. See you then.

His presence faded away and so did the breeze. The air around the shrine seemed charged and clean, the space sanctified in the short time of their conversation. It was a testament to how much Yato's power as a god of fortune had grown and how many more people believed in him. She ran her finger over the familiar corner of the shrine one more time before stepping away to finish getting dressed. 

She put her hair up in a towel and returned her toothbrush to her bathroom cup before going to the closet. There, she grabbed a simple blouse and skirt and put them on. She added a pair of earrings gifted from Yukine, a bracelet from Daikoku (because he didn’t trust Kofuku to gift her something that wouldn’t cause misfortune), and a purse from Bishamon that was too practical to have been selected without Kazuma’s input. They all glittered in a vague, dreamlike way that anything loved by the gods does, at least to Hiyori’s half-ayakashi eyes. They were holy, and by extension, so was she.

“Late, late, late,” she muttered, scooping up the bento boxes she’d made the night before and heading out the door.

///

The sun felt great upon her skin for the approximately three seconds she was able to feel it before Yato slammed a floppy, wide brimmed hat over her head. "Yato," Hiyori spluttered, raising the brim of the hat so she could see again. "What are you doing?"

"You'll get sunburnt if you don't wear sun protection," he fretted, gesturing to a large parasol set up to shade a blanket laid out on the ground next to Suzuha's tree. "Come on, I'll unpack everything when we get there."

Hiyori hid a smile as she took the hat off. After all this time, Yato still liked to fuss over her. She set her basket down on the blanket and took a moment to listen to the wind sighing through the trees. She never knew Suzuha personally, but she liked to think she knew him a little by the way Yukine would smile when he talked about him, or through the way Yukine took such good care of plants in his stead. Hiyori turned to bring Yato into her thoughts when she caught him staring at her, causing the bottom to drop out of her stomach. Even now, his eyes could make her wonder if this is what it was like to be worshipped.

He spoke first. "Do you want anything to drink?" He pointed to a cooler beaded with condensation. "There's also tea, for later."

"I'm set for now." At his drooping shoulders, she amended, "Fine, I’ll have some tea."

He perked up immediately. "I have it steeping in Tamagahara, I'll be right back!" He blinked out of sight and back within the span of a breath. "Easier to keep hot there," he explained as he gently laid the tray on the blanket.

Fragrant green tea steamed in the cool air. Yato set out small, round mugs and poured her a cup. It was a delicate porcelain, something that sparkled with that same otherworldliness as her other gifts from gods.

Their fingers brushed as he passed it to her, and her heart stuttered. Yato didn’t seem to notice.

“So what’s new with you, Hiyori?” His eyes shone with excitement and curiosity, but there was something else there, too, an over-brightness like when you stub your toe and don’t want your friends to know how much something so small really hurt you. 

She took a small sip of tea to gather her thoughts. The last time she’d seen Yato in person was a little over a year and a half ago, although she’d spoken to him more frequently than that. When he’d first talked to her through the shrine, Hiyori had nearly punched a hole in the wall out of surprise, but it did allow them to speak every now and then. 

“I already told you about the apartment,” she began, grimacing at the memory of how long it took to convince her family and friends she’d be fine living without a roommate. 

“Yeah, it looks great!”

She froze. “You haven’t been in it yet.”

He looked a little abashed. “Well, you see, when we talk through the shrine, I can sort of, you know.” He waved his hand in a nervous flutter. “See through you, a little. Not actual sight, but more like impressions.” He closed his eyes, and his voice got quieter like he was recalling a special memory. “You get good sunlight there, and the air is clean, and you feel safe, right?”

Hiyori took a larger and no less scalding sip of tea. So that divine presence she felt every time she prayed was really..?

“Right, okay, yes. It’s a lovely apartment, Ame helped me move in and Yukine came to set up the furniture.” She smiled at the memory, at how stubbornly Yukine had insisted he could figure out the instructions on his own and how he tried to hide his excitement when she gave him a cheering chibi sticker for his trouble. 

“And school’s been going well?” 

“As well as it could be. If it isn’t exams I’m studying for, it’s practicals, and I’ve been up late most nights to make time for it all.” 

Yato raised a hand as though he wanted to touch her face and then thought better of it. “You have dark circles under your eyes.”

“Staying top of the class won’t happen by getting enough sleep,” Hiyori replied, mostly in jest.

Yato caught her smile and leaned a little closer, close enough that the smell of him wrapped around her like a familiar jacket. “You know what might help? Praying to me for good grades.” His eyes were sparkling with mischief.

“You haven’t told me you’re trying to put Tenjin out of work,” Hiyori laughed. 

“Oh yes, I’m cornering his market now.” Yato stood up and did something to his tracksuit to make it flourish like a cape. “Soon even Ebisu will be having to contend with my horde of worshippers.” 

An image of Yato in the middle of a swarming crowd of adoring businessmen was enough to make her snort the sip of tea she was sipping right out of her nose, which of course set Yato off, and before she knew it she was wheezing into her empty cup, eyes streaming and hand dripping from the tea that had splashed out. 

“All right, so I’m not the best with school or studies,” Yato said when he finally caught his breath. “I have learned something over the last few years, though.”

“Oh?” 

“How to help stubborn humans relax.”

Hiyori rolled her eyes. “Does it involve a trip to Capypa Land? Because as much fun as it is to watch you whimper over Capypas, I really need to—“

“No Capypa Land this time,” Yato cut in hastily. “Even though it would be a happypa trip for the whole family,” he muttered. “Yukine made ice cream and demanded that I share some with you. I also have a patented relaxation technique that will have you feeling better in no time!”

“Is that so,” Hiyori said, a smile melting over her lips. “Do I get a refund if it’s not to my liking?”

Yato had begun rummaging through a small cooler during this exchange and looked up to say, grinning, “I’ve never had an unsatisfied customer.”

It was all so easy, the banter, the laughter, the aching muscles in her face. No matter how often Hiyori got to see Yato, each visit felt like coming home.

“So what flavor did Yukine make?” she asked, peering over Yato’s shoulder as he opened up a few containers.

“Salted dark chocolate with optional caramel drizzle.” He put two scoops into a bowl and held up the caramel. “Would you like some?”

“Please,” Hiyori said, delighted. “I didn’t know Yukine took up cooking now, too!”

Yato smiled fondly. “One of Bishamon’s shinki offered to teach him after he was skulking around the kitchens one day. Picked up on it pretty fast, too.” He placed a spoon in the bowl and handed it to her, then put a few scoops in a bowl for himself with a judicious ladle of caramel sauce.

“Ready?” he asked Hiyori, holding up a spoonful of ice cream doused in sauce.

“Ready.” Her own spoon was carefully loaded with just a touch of caramel so she could enjoy the ice cream’s original flavor.

Yato touched their spoons together in a toast before taking his bite, and Hiyori paused to watch his reaction. It had been so long since she had gotten to experience anything new with him; part of her ached to witness every moment.

“It’s good?” she asked, watching his lips curve up around the spoon.

“That kid really goes all the way when he learns something new,” Yato said appreciatively. “Who knew tree care would turn into fixing electronics and now cooking.”

“He applies himself well.”

“You helped him get started,” Yato said around another mouthful of ice cream. “He still talks about how great it was when you tutored him.”

Hiyori hummed. “It was great to teach him. He’s a wonderful soul, he just needed a place to focus his mind.”

Yato popped a spoonful of pure caramel into his mouth. “That reminds me, how was that other wonderful soul of yours doing?”

Hiyori stiffened. “We haven’t seen each other in months. He was so...so...distasteful!” 

A dangerous gleam appeared in Yato’s eyes. “How distasteful?”

“Ami just needs to stop setting me up with people she meets at house parties,” Hiyori said. “She means well, but doesn’t have the best taste in men.”

“You’re very lucky I’m here, then, with my patented relaxation technique,” Yato said, putting down his empty bowl and scooting closer. 

“Relaxation technique?” she repeated, eyes narrowed. “Wasn’t the ice cream the relaxation?”

“Just sit back and relax! Tell me more about what happened with the worthless scum.” He knelt behind her and swept her hair off her shoulder. Goosebumps peppered her skin where he brushed it.

“So, you were saying?” he prompted, hands resting on her shoulders. The weight of them was reassuring.

“It was nothing,” she began, breath catching when he began to knead the muscles around her neck. “He brought me to a dive bar and tried to make me do shots with him, and then when it was pouring rain when I finally convinced him to leave, he told me to run with him five blocks so the rideshare would be cheaper.”

Yato’s hands paused. “Any chance I can get his name?”

“Yato, no,” Hiyori chided as he continued her massage. “You’ve been so good about not terrorizing people who’ve been minor inconveniences to me, I’d hate to see you ruin your record.” She was distracted; he was working away knots she hadn’t known she’d had. Maybe she really should look into moving her study sessions earlier so she’d stop falling asleep on her desk...

“It sounds like this one would be worth it,” he muttered, digging into her shoulders a little too roughly. 

“What about you? How has it been, being a god of fortune?” Hiyori asked after a few minutes of letting him drain the tension from her neck and shoulders.

His hands slipped away. “It’s been different,” he said, standing up and offering her a hand. “I think I’ve been so used to being on my own that being part of a group is strange.”

“Have there been problems with your neighbors again?” Hiyori asked. The last she’d heard, there had been a minor incident involving Takemikazuchi and an entire square kilometer of Tamagahara that had been leveled in his anger.

Yato started walking towards the cherry blossom tree. “No, I think that was his way of welcoming me. I thought that once I got what I wanted, everything would feel right.”

“And it doesn’t?” It had been so long since Yato opened up to her like this, showed up on a windowsill late at night and talked about what was on his mind. A warm feeling crept through her chest.

“No,” he said plainly, passing the wide trunk that showed the marks of Yukine’s care over the years. “Something is missing.”

She joined him under the boughs and inhaled. Fresh, clean, something a little like hope.

“I thought having more worshippers would make me happy,” he began, fingers trailing through some low hanging blossoms. “And they do, but it’s not what I thought it’d be.” 

“Oh?” 

“It’s lonelier than I imagined. Busier too; you have no idea how many people want to see me just to talk or vent. I always thought— well.” 

Yato paused by a string of cherry blossoms, running his fingers through the petals as if they were a lover’s hair. “I always thought it’d be like having more people like you around. People who understood me.” He pinched off a strand and held it close to his chest, hesitant, before offering it to her. “But deep down I knew you were one-of-a-kind.”

Hiyori marveled at the soft translucence of the petals in his hand, the faint otherworldly shine they seemed to have in his divine presence. It was like an ayakashi miasma in reverse, a bubble of light and goodness, and she watched it travel up her arm and float her hair up on an invisible wind when she accepted the flowers.

“How long have you had this effect?” Hiyori said, turning her hand from side to side and admiring the richer colors and heady scent.

“Effect?” Yato murmured, eyes on the blossoms in her hand.

“The way everything sort of glows around you.”

He blinked at this and looked at the ground. “It’s sort of complicated.”

This sharpened her interest. “Complicated how? Did you have to perform some ritual? Does it only happen to gods with hafuri? Is it because you’re more popular these days?”

Yato’s face had sunk lower and lower into his scarf as she spoke. He mumbled something into it, still not looking at her.

Since Hiyori was well-versed in his moods, she simply crouched so that she was directly in his field of view. “Come again?”

“It’s because you’re my most devout believer,” he said, a light blush coloring his cheeks. “It’s like the opposite of a miasma. It can only happen when extreme faith persists.” He finally meets her eyes. “It means our ties are strong.”

Hiyori glimpsed an arc of woven sunlight twisting like infinity around them at his words, like something seen from the corner of your eyes.

“It’s my greatest treasure,” he confessed.

The world spun taffy thick. “So even though others believe in you now, I’m somehow..?”

“None of them are even close to this,” he said. “The shrine in your apartment is more home to me than any of the ones built in major cities.”

It was a lot to take in. Hiyori was used to being the backbone in her friendships, used to providing a solid, trustworthy space in which others could gain their footing. But being exalted to a god?

“I still think about what would’ve happened if I’d listened to Tenjin,” Yato continued, brushing a hand through the ties’ afterimage. “I am who I am because you’ve helped me become it. If our ties had been cut…” His hand fell to his side. “I might not be here right now, or I’d be some monster doing Father’s bidding.”

“I wouldn’t have made it out of plenty of situations without you, either,” Hiyori said slowly. “Isn’t that the nature of knowing someone? Being changed by them?”

Yato thought about this for a moment, the wind soft and gentle as it ruffled his hair. “Ever since I was small, Father had always told me that I was always in the right, always the one in control. That I could do whatever I wanted and others would adjust. I think it was supposed to make me feel powerful, but I didn’t want power. I wanted to belong.” Something like surrender was in his eyes when he said, “You were the first person to make me feel like I belonged in a very long time.”

It was too much. All of her pent up feelings — the fear, the hope, the confusion — from her high school days welled up at once, shattered from the amber in which she’d crystallized it once Yato defeated father and brought Yukine home.

“I’m glad,” she finally said when she was sure her voice wouldn’t shake. “Because you do belong, you and Yukine and Kofuku and Daikoku and —“

“With you?” Yato’s voice was so quiet it was like he hadn’t meant to say that aloud.

“Of course with me,” Hiyori said, feeling brave. “The same way I belong with you. That’s how this works. We’re already tied, right? Let’s just be tied. For however long that lasts.”

“For however long that lasts,” Yato murmured. It sounded like a vow.

The afternoon sun had taken on that tired golden edge that meant it was closer to sunset than noon. Hiyori’s heart was still beating a little too fast, her mind dizzy with implications that felt too raw to look at now.

“Thank you for coming today,” Yato said at last. “I missed you.”

“Now that I know I have the most important shrine in my apartment, I’m sure we can figure out ways to talk more,” Hiyori said, and was rewarded with another blush.

“May I take you home? There are a lot of leftovers to carry and Kofuku threatened to murder me if I came back with any.”

Hiyori laughed and started back towards their blanket. “Of course.”

[ymir-me]

Tagged by @finger-pieck, thank you so much for the tag ❤️

Favourite anime : Fullmetal Alchemist (SNK being a close second and my current obsession lmao)

Least favourite anime : Don't make me watch Sword Art Online ever again pls

Last anime you watched : currently watching Jujutsu Kaisen, it's so cool!!!

Favourite anime movie : Howl's Moving Castle aaaa

Anime you cried hardest at : Ano Hana, I can't even hear this name without tearing up help

Your comfort anime : Toradora, even if I'm not a fan of the ending :<

Favourite anime character : this one is so hard, I'm going with Royai and Levihan (yes, they come in pair idc)

Shoujo or shonen : both!!

If you could shift into an anime universe, which one? : Amestris without the Promised Day and all of that jazz LMAO

Tagging: @fullmetalscullyy @rage-youdamnnerd @shinkimiope @meridianheroine no pressure <3

[scullydubois]

tagged by the incomparable @retiretothesaltonsea to get to know 9 people better! (thank you kait 😘 )

fave color: purple but i've also been really vibing with light blue and yellow lately so hmm

currently reading: the undressing: poems by li-young lee

last song: umm...sea of tranquility by david duchovny bc i wanted to see how the album was 😭 let's just say...listen at your own risk

last movie: i haven't watched any lately :/

last series: seinfeld w/ my father, and i'm abt to start season 3 of californication

sweet, spicy, or savory: sweet tooth!

craving: steak nachos from my fave local mexican restaurant

coffee or tea: coffee...warm or iced, but not too strong and not too sweet lol

currently working on: so much schoolwork for the semester that just started, txf poetry series, a fic that will hopefully see the light one day, 2 prompts that i still haven't finished, and fanart in various states of disarray....i have to have a bunch of stuff going to actually get anything done lol

tagging: @conspiracieys @catcryptid @shinkimiope @samanthamulder @a-paper-crane @melpomenee @aasterum @softiescully @emily--sim & anyone that wants to do it!! (as always, no pressure)

[herstrayskies]

A Takemikazuchi & Kiun redraw for my friend @shinkimiope ♡ Happy Birth!!!

[ikis]

for @shinkimiope, who requested “take and/or kiun.” real colors may or may not come later. i hope you like it !

[manikas-whims]

Hey hey is it your birthday today? 👀👀

Happy birthday dear mutual! Hope this day is a great one 💕

Hehe thank you, love you lots dear moot ❤

[stupidusernamepolicy]

Tagged by @shinkimiope thank u <333

1. Why did you choose your url?

I've had it since my deviantart days. I was getting frustrated that all of my ideas for usernames were already taken (I was starting to think the site was bugged lol) so in a fit of anger I typed it just because. It ended up not being taken so I just used it lol

2. Any side blogs?

I have an art sideblog @slavhew because i didn't want to terminally bore people with posting tons of memes in between art

an old gravity falls sideblog I don't use, it's more like an archive now.

Two defunct really old blogs that I should delete but don't want to

A hidden side for "riskier" reblogs which means anything I deem too edgy or explicit for my main lol

3. How long have you been on tumblr?

Joined at the tail end of 2015 to enjoy the Undertale fandom at the time

4. Do you have a queue tag?

I do, it's #q

5. Why did you start your blog in the first place?

I wanted to have fun online again and my old accounts were full of bad memories. I also wanted to have a more direct source for fan content other than just reposts

6. Why did you choose your icon?

I drew it on my phone as a meme for a friend and ended up having it for too long to change it lol. Pyke says you're (I'm) a heretic.

7. Why did you choose your header?

I like fires I thought it was pretty

8. What’s your post with the most notes?

It's probably the meme I made making fun of my instrument when I was frustrated that it couldn't play low tones jdjfmdmf. It's got a thousand-somethign notes now

9. How many mutuals do you have?

Uuu I really don't keep track. Mostly cause I've had everyone around for a long time and we more often than not passively follow eachother djjcjdx

10. How many followers do you have?

661

11. How many people do you follow?

1215

12. Have you ever made a shitpost?

Many times but rarely takes off. My art shitpost on side are a bit more popular jsbfjdf.

13. How much do you use tumblr every day?

My usage rises proportionally to how much I'm procrastinating and how shit i feel. Its a good distraction and to mitigate that I usually put stuff into queue so people don't get a barrage of posts otherwise I'd consistently be hitting post limit

14. Did you have a fight/ argument with other blog once? Who won?

Every so often I feel like causing problems on purpose. Most arguments dont really have a conclusion. One radfem insisting women can't be evil that deactivated by the end of it, someone trying to mobilize the aro community to stop "problematic content" (it was peppered with 'save the children' and stupid arguments. They said "free blocklist in notes" then hid my reply from them because I called them out on their homophobic myopic arguments). Misc other stuff thru the years. C'est la vie.

15. How do you feel about “you need to reblog this” posts?

We are all tired. We all have actual lives and use social media as an escape. If I catch you reblogging more than one of those I'm straight up going to unfollow, I will not have a wall of text guilt tripping me when I can't do anything to help in the first place. Fuck you.

16. Do you like tag games?

I do but I'm forgetful sometimes and it gets buried in my drafts :[

17. Do you like ask games?

I do but due to the nature of my blog even when I reblog them I don't really get any bdbgnnd

18. Which of your mutuals do you think is tumblr famous?

I know for a fact that at least one of them is Tumblr famous in two fandom circles. It's still kinda funny that they follow me on not one but two blogs even after we don't really share those fandoms and I enjoy seeing them on my dash :)

19. Do you have a crush on a mutual?

I don't do crushes but I am very good friends with a few people outside of Tumblr too and I think it shows from how often I tag them ajndkxmckc.

20. Tags?

@lemonykleonella @its-me-ej @mingominnie @mediasploshion @shroomberton and whoever sees it and wants to feel free to say I tagged you, nobody will know >:)

[sinemoras09]

@shinkimiope​ thank you for letting me know! XDD I figured it was something like that, I’m really happy they credited me lol. I’m still glad that person on FFN messaged me their concerns, it’s nice other readers are looking out for each other <3