Hiya! I know it's been a really long time since I last updated. I've just been really busy...

It seems that life can never give me a break, not even in the summer...

Anyways... enjoy!

Kazuma stepped forward.

The blonde reacted quickly. The boy stumbled backwards and landed on his naked back. His sweaty hair clumped together and stuck to his neck and his forehead. "Don't touch me! You'll get infected too!"

Kazuma put his hands up in the air, surrendering. "Relax, Yukine. I just want to take a closer look at your back," he said slowly as to not startle the boy. The older man took a cautious step forward, keeping eye contact with the boy as if he were a wild animal. Because that's what Yukine was right now: a wild animal who was lost and alone in a world where he was invisible to everyone but himself.

Yuki's eyes watered and tears ran down his cheeks. Days ago, he would've wiped them off with disgust, ashamed to know he was showing such weakness. He would've pushed everyone away and locked his feelings in a box back in the far corner of his mind where nobody would ever find it, not even himself. Now, however, he just let those drops of salty water dribbled down his cheek and plop to the ground. Yukine deserved the shame. He deserved his punishment. He deserved everything that came his way.

Yuki flinched when he felt Kazuma's cloth covered hand touch his bare back. The cloth grazed over the purple blotches without causing him any discomfort.

Kofuku watched as Kazuma carefully examined the blonde from a distance. Even though he didn't say anything, she could sense immense waves of despair radiating off from the boy. She knew that feeling well since it was the same feelings normal humans emitted around her when she absentmindly brought them misfortune. She couldn't possibly imagine what was going through young Yukine's mind at the moment.

When the goddess had first met the new shinki, she had immediately thought he was adorably cute. He was quiet and curt. Albeit, he was a bit rude sometimes (especially to Yato) but it had never gone past the level of blight. But, Yato had refused to say anything, so then again...

"What are you feeling right now?" Kazuma asked, probing the purple back with a well-covered finger.

"Ummm..." Yukine thought for a second, unable to find the correct word. He finally just settled on one. "Conflicted," he said at last. "I feel stupid and mad and sad and regretful and argggg." He raked a hand through his sweaty hair. He had almost murdered the god who had loved him like a son and had taken care of him. What the hell was he supposed to feel? "I don't know..." he trailed off to spare a glance at Yato's unconscious form with all the blood surrounding him.

Kofuku had gotten some gloves and damp towels for Hiyori to try to stop the blood from leaking through Yato nose and the large scratches on his chest. They were careful not to let any of their bare skin touch the body. Yato didn't even shift; his hand just laid limp on the ground in a puddle of crimson. His blight was continuing to cover more skin.

"I don't know," Yukine repeated. With both of his hands, he grabbed his hair. "What am I supposed to feel?" He snapped. He didn't mean to snap but the stress and soreness had pushed him passed his limit.

Daikoku stared but didn't have an answer.

The young shinki looked at the ground.

Kazuma spoke, "Yukine, I know how you feel-" But he was rudely interrupted.

"How dare you!" Yukine started yelling, his hands waving wildly in the air. Of all people, Kazuma the goody-two-shoes was the last person Yukine expected to hear from. "How dare you! What the hell do you know about betraying your master? All you've ever done is help Bishamon! I bet you've never ever blighted her or caused her any misery. You help her in her weakest points. You lead her and you motivate her. You're loyal and fearless. All you've done is good, not bad.

But look at me! All Yato's ever shown me was kindness. He saved me from the ayakashi and gave me my name. Without him, I would've died. And what do I do to repay him? I've brought Yato lower than any of his other regalias have ever done before. I almost abandoned him. I've stung him too many times to bother counting. I've kicked him when he's down. Heck, I almost killed him! He's dying as we speak and I'm responsible for it all!" After his outburst, Yukine fell to his knees shaking like a leaf caught in a storm.

Kazuma maneuvered the boy so that his calm emerald eyes were meeting Yuki's panicked ginger ones. He bent down so that Yuki had no choice but to look him the eyes. Kazuma spoke in a hushed tone so that Yukine and only Yukine could hear. "You think I'm perfect? Is that what you're thinking?" Kazuma hissed. Suddenly it was just a conversation between two regalia: Kazuma and Yukine. Nobody else could hear.

The blonde nodded slowly.

"Well, you're wrong," Kazuma stated resolutely.

"But-"

"Let me finish." The older shinki spoke firmly, using the voice he only used for leading the other shinkis and guiding Bishamon. After all, he wasn't her guidepost or lead shinki for nothing.

Yuki nodded.

Kazuma sighed and continued, "I was exactly like you a long time ago. I have made a plethora of mistakes during my centuries as a regalia."

"Oh really," Yuki said skeptically, "what did you do that was so horrifying? Did you steal money? Did you shoplift? Did you swindle an old man out of money? Did you look at someone sexually? Did you… did you smash windows?" He winced when he recalled the event at Hiyori's school where Yato finally couldn't bear the pain anymore and collapsed.

For awhile, there was only silence. And when Yuki almost couldn't take anymore, Kazuma finally spoke.

"No, Yukine," Kazuma said using the younger shinki's given name to get his undivided attention. "I did something far worse than anything you did."

The next chapter will have spoilers for the manga, just a head ups.

I'm trying to improve my writing so I would really really really really love it if you guys would give me some constructive criticism.

And if you want a chapter with Yato's POV instead od Yuki's, then review!

Review!