I'm back! And I'm really sorry that it took me so long to do so because I appreciate you readers so much! It's been a very stressful and an all around tough year, not to mention that I have had really bad writer's block- which was so not good for finals, but now I feel I can breathe again.

Anyway, I've had this idea for a while and it was supposed to have another chapter that tied in, but the manga chapter 48 was way too similar to what I was planning, so although I had written about half, when that chapter came out, I kind of just scrapped it.

It took me many drafts to finally finish this- still getting over my writer's block, so this is probably version 5- but I hope you guys can enjoy this.

IMPORTANT: THIS TAKES PLACE AFTER CHAPTER 47

DISCLAIMER: ONCE AGAIN, I DO NOT OWN NORAGAMI, I WISH I DID, BUT...

[I WANT YOU TO BE HAPPY]

Confliction crosses his young face and she feels her throat tighten when she realizes what he is going to do. She turns to look at the man with the unruly, dark hair who waits expectantly with a cold, straight smile on his face. Nora holds an icy smile of her own and she can feel their bloodlust. Blade in hand, she shuts her eyes and then she hears his voice, or rather the thought that fills his mind with anguish as he prepares his slash: 'This is all my fault. This is my fault.'

"-ri! Hiyori!"

She awakens with a gasp and looks up trying to find the source of the voice she heard. Her mother stands in her doorway and looks at her with a furrowed brow. Hiyori feels it then, the warm tears that had cascaded down her cheeks. From that distance hopefully her mother cannot see.

"What is it, mom?"

Her mother looks at her for a while with critical eyes and responds, "You're always up so early, but…I didn't see you downstairs...did you have a bad dream Hiyori?"

It's hard to maintain a smile when she feels she wants to cry and her throat feels tight, but she keeps her smile and responds rather lamely, "Haha, I can't even remember what it was about," getting up she adds, "I should probably start getting ready if I don't want to be late."

"If you want to stay home-"

"I'm fine, really." Her mother leaves her hesitantly and Hiyori begins to dab under her eyes trying not to be too rough. After she had seen those images, she had found herself at a loss for how to talk to Yato. She wanted desperately- and she realized it was foolish- but she wanted to cling to him and like a mother with a child, she wanted to chase away his demons, but his demons were real and not made believe. What could she do?

She was shaken. Her hands trembled and she tried to hold them together to stop it. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The images she had seen when she had laid next to Yato still feel so fresh almost as though she had been there. She still couldn't understand how it was possible. The tremors in her hands are not caused by terror and the tears she feels wanting to fall are of a different nature.

She thinks of the pretty face that became overcome with blight and numerous eyes, and of a raw, whipped back. Yato had been tricked. Nora told him to speak Sakura's true name. His Father had made him believe that by killing he would obtain his love.

It was all so wrong.

School passes her by quickly, and she couldn't focus and truly wondered how any of her teachers did not notice her looking out the window for the entirety of the period. Her friends who are used to her odd "Hiyori-behavior" didn't question her too much.

When the bell rings, her body feels restless and she bids Ami and Yama goodbye. She wants to make her way quickly to Kofuku's house to try to catch Yato in case he and Yukine are going to go out on a job- that was the main reason she hadn't been able to. She wants to talk to Yato and feels a desperate need to reach out to him, but she does not know what she would say and she doesn't want hurt to come over his face.

She briskly walks through the halls when she finds herself trying to stop quickly to avoid crashing into the person who is turning the corner at the same time she is. Hiyori manages to stop and when she looks up, she sees Fujisaki look at her and a straight smile fills his face. Her body feels frozen over, but she gets over it and breaks eye contact and starts walking away. She can feel his gaze on her back.

When she arrives at Kofuku's home, she is met by her out front. She's told that Yukine and Yato are upstairs in their room- Hiyori feels glad that they now have a place to call home. She nods and tells Kofuku that she's going to go up to give Yukine his new handouts.

When she finally reaches their room, she doesn't see Yato or Yukine, and as she enters the room, she halts in her steps when she finds Yato asleep on the floor. Sighing, she takes a look at him and tries to stifle her laughter so as to not wake him. He's lying straight on the floor and his shirt had ridden up exposing his stomach; he reminds her of a child. Hiyori takes out Yukine's handouts from her bag and places them on his bed. She then places her purse on their small table and goes to kneel over Yato. He's moved a bit and she can hear light snoring. She moves to pull his shirt down and sits on her knees and continues to watch him for a bit. Hiyori notices that his hair is sticking to his forehead- he's sweating- and her smile abruptly leaves her face.

She runs her hand across his forehead and he doesn't feel hot, which means he must be having a nightmare. Biting her bottom lip anxiously, she wonders, 'What are you seeing Yato?' and 'What else are you blaming yourself for?' There is a twinge within her that feels like an uncomfortable pressure on her chest. She wants to reach out for him and do something, but pain cannot be erased so easily. With her hand still on his forehead she moves the hair that is stuck and lets her hand linger in his hair. Hiyori continues to look at his face and frowns because despite the pain he is in, it isn't visible. Yato is the type of person who always wants to save everyone and bring them happiness, but he doesn't ask for help- it wasn't due to pride- he was just like that. He didn't want those that he cared about to be sad or to worry, but he always neglected himself.

There are many things she's learned about Yato- not all of them good- and yet she never turned away. For the oddest reason, the things she learned didn't scare her as much as they should have. There were moments when that person that everyone claimed he was came out and yet, the initial shock or fear would dissipate quickly and then for the oddest reason she felt she could cry.

On the train tracks when he said those cold words, "If someone wants to die, you should let them," she felt angry and betrayed because this wasn't who he was. She didn't know him too well at that time, but she believed whole heartedly in his desire to be a god that would bring happiness to others. His tears when he claimed Yukine as a shinki had showed he was a god who felt for others, and a part of her at that time believed that he cried for himself as well. When he had said those cold words, there was a deep hurt in his eyes and she could imagine himself looking far into a different time and remembering something. Yato was not a cruel god, he was not a killer. He had been misdirected and hurt.

He was lead astray by a man that wished for him and wanted to turn his heart black and stain him crimson, but Yato's heart always remained pure and he just wanted love and someone to understand him and give him warmth. Sakura gave him that, but she was ripped from his arms. His warmth had been stolen away.

Despite the fact that Yato decided to go off on his own, it seemed that regardless of the distance, it was like he never left his Father's side. Nora and his Father are chains that have shackled Yato and never let him get too far. His father especially, is an enigma. He is a dark shadow that seems to be everywhere all at once and then nowhere at all. Yato is not free and more than anything she wants to cut those chains, but they've been there for who knows how long and are heavily reinforced. Hiyori feels restless and angry. Why can't Yato just be set free already? She feels tears start to form from her frustration.

She pulls her hand from Yato's hair and dabs under her eyes. Hiyori pulls her hands into fists and decides it's time for some change. Yato has been denied many things, but things are a bit different now. He's not alone. He has a place to call home, friends, a powerful blessed regalia, and he has her- his first follower. She gave him a shrine and that will only be the start. She will set him free. She promises. More than anything, she'd just like him to be happy.

"Hiyo…ri?"

"Yukine!" she whisper-shouted and then covered her mouth. She looked at the doorway and noticed him look at her with a questioning raised brow and she felt heat move to her face. She was getting ready to get up and explain when she realized that Yato's head was resting in her lap. Just when had that happened?! Tentatively she grabbed Yato's head on either side and lifted it so that she could move her legs from under and then she placed his head back down. She tried to stand, but found that her legs had fallen asleep and she stumbled a bit until Yukine came to help her.

Giving a weak laugh, she said, "It seems my legs fell asleep, I'll be okay once I move them a bit…Yukine…can we go outside to talk?"

He gave her a confused look, but he agreed.

They sat on the back porch and Hiyori tried to think about how to address what had been bothering her and also what Yukine had seen that still made her feel a bit embarrassed- I mean it was like she was being a creep while Yato was asleep! She looks at Yukine and the remaining bandages on his face and he makes that face again, the same one when she saw his wounds for the first time. She remembers that he had made up an excuse that he got hurt training, but he hadn't gone to train with Kazuma in a while, and his injuries had never been that severe. Before, he could say anything, or give more excuses, Hiyori said, "We're a team, right Yukine?"

He looked puzzled and didn't say anything for a while, but he ended up nodding.

"I know you didn't get hurt training-"

"Hiyor-"

She held up a hand and said, "Let me finish," she said it more sternly than she intended and she saw surprise and hurt flash across Yukine's face, but she needed to say this.

"Yato was having a nightmare."

Yukine's eyes widened and he just looked at her. Hiyori felt that her voice would fail her and she balled her hands into fists. "You're getting hurt and something is bothering Yato. I know you don't want to tell me things to not worry me, but we're a team. If I see any of you get hurt, it hurts me too!"

"Hiyori…I'm…I'm sorry, but there are things I can't tell you."

"Things Yato told you, right?" His silence was enough for an answer and she didn't know what to say either.

"That's fine because it's not for you to tell me, right? I know that there are things that you can't tell me, but I want you to know that I've been here, and that I always will. I have never turned from you or Yato."

"There are things you can't tell me, but when you do, just know that I will accept you and regard you as I always have. We're a team and you know, all I want is for you to be happy. I don't want you to be getting hurt."

His eyes softened and in a tired voice he said, "I'm sorry, Hiyori. We do it because we want to protect you."

Yukine's ears were rimmed red and his head hung, but she couldn't help the relieved laughter that fell from her lips. She stood up and pulled Yukine into her arms. He was stiff as a board and she said, "I want to take care of both of you goofballs, too. You've been training hard and I'm really proud of you Yukine, but don't tire yourself out, okay?" She felt him nod and then she let go.

Pink still dusted his cheeks and she said, "Come on, let's go inside. I brought you some more handouts." Yukine was following her inside, when he halted in his steps and she turned to look at him.

"You know," he began and he tried to stifle a laugh, "not all of Yato's dreams are bad."

Hiyori cocked her head and he continued, "I can tell, sometimes when he sleeps there's a smile on his face. Haha, there's even a 'goddess' that guards him in his dreams."

Seeing Hiyori's lips turn downward somewhat, he tried to not laugh, "Also, I don't think he'd mind if you did what you did today…you know that thing with the hair?"

Her face turned bright red and she rushed inside. Yukine could no longer contain his laughter. He held onto his stomach as his laughter continued. She had no idea, did she? How much of a strength she was to them? Most importantly, she didn't understand the comfort she was to Yato in his dreams and on a daily basis. She was the undeniable presence that foolish god needed.

"Ah, Hiyori!" began Kofuku when she saw her enter the house, "Daikoku just got here. Lunch will be ready in a bit, can you go get Yatty?"

"Sure." As Hiyori prepared to climb the stairs she saw Yukine with a smile on his face. "If you say anything-" she began, but he held up his hands and laughed saying, "Don't worry, I won't say a word."

Hiyori huffed and made her way back into their room where Yato still lay on his back. She kneeled before him and called out his name. He didn't move and sighing, she poked him in the stomach, but he still wouldn't open his eyes. She flicked his forehead.

"Ow, what the hell Hiyori?!" he said as he jumped up and pulled his hands to his forehead.

Unamused, she answered, "I knew you were faking," at the words her eyes widened. Yato was fairly alert, unless he had ingested copious amounts of alcohol, so does that mean that before when she... could he have been awake?!

"L-lunch is almost ready, so Kofuku asked me to come and wake you."

They both got up and she watched as he stretched his limbs out. 'Yato was sneaky,' she thought with a pout. He had begun to walk toward the door when she unconsciously pulled him by the back of his jersey. He looked at her over his shoulder and she looked down at her hand not quite sure what to say.

The silence lingered until she said, "You know Yato…you can tell me anything. Dumb things, or even things that bother you."

"I know."

Hiyori furrowed her brows, "You can rely on me," she stressed hoping he'd understand.

"I know," he responded and laughed when he saw her eye twitch. He was doing this on purpose. "I do," he added. His back still faced her and she still held onto his jersey. Sighing, she wrapped her arms around his back and inhaled his scent. His scent and his presence were so calming and warming. She smiled against his back and she felt him relax in her embrace. Without thinking and getting in a daze, she nuzzled his back with her cheek.

"Hi-hiyori?"

She moved her cheek away and grimaced. It was a good thing he couldn't see her face.

"Yato... thank you, for everything," she said almost breathless.

"…course," he mumbled.

Letting go, she smiled at him and said, "Well then, let's go."

He nodded and she found herself frozen when an odd smile came over his face. It was a smile much softer than she was used to seeing upon his face and his eyes seemed bright. He grabbed her hand and pulled her along with him.

Hiyori had let go of his hand when Kofuku asked for her help and Yukine came to stand next to Yato and gave him a sidelong look.

"Did Hiyori go talk to you?"

Yato hummed in response.

"We're a team," began Yukine borrowing Hiyori's words.

"Yeah, I know... I won't let her worry or feel left out, but we take care of Hiyori… always."

Yukine nodded letting a brief silence pass until he said, "You were awake, weren't you?"

Yato sputtered and then said rather roughly, "W-what? S-shut up."

To avoid further inquiry, Yato went off into the kitchen and Yukine watched as he trailed after Hiyori talking about who knows what. Every now and then when she would turn away and a softness would reach Yato's eyes as she watched her. Both he and Yato had things that they wanted to protect. They had a home and people to stand by them. For once, the challenges that they would have to face didn't seem so heavy.

Well, this concludes my one shot collection. Mainly because I ran out of ideas and I don't want to leave you guys hanging. I will write more for Yatori, and I actually have a couple AUs already started. Feel free to PM me with any prompts. :)

Lastly, I just want to say thanks because I posted the first chapter of this collection just on a whim and I've gotten to talk to so many kind, amazing people. I love you guys and thank you!