A/N: Heya guys. wiErD here. This is actually my first time writing for this fandom so all I can say is, have fun reading. ^^
This is one of my supported pairing in the anime so let's see how it will turn out though I want to include Yukine to be part of the story as he was also a major part of the manga. (It's not a very happy one, though.)
- A God's Final Wish -
Everything is already been finished.
The final battle between him and his father has already ended. He emerged victorious against him and his shadow. He had finally overcome his fear and defeated him with his own strength.
Their gruesome battle now stands at the broken wasteland as Yato huffed heavily in both pain and exhaustion. The aftermath led to the destruction of the forest they were on and probably it might've damaged beyond more. His body was torn to the point that it could barely regain its usual form and the blighted region didn't help at all as it continued to invade his body like a disease.
A state that he would never recover from.
In front of him was his father who also suffered the same but much more than his. His right arm was cut off while the other held on to the broken katana. Tattered clothes now tainted in blood as it streaked down to his very skin and dripped to the ground. It almost looked like both of them was standing in their own pool of blood.
Yato lost strength to his knees as he knelt down with his katana dug through the ground for support. More panting breaths came out from his bloodied mouth as he stared towards the unmoving man in front of his eyes with difficulty. Blood trickled continuously from his head, pooling his vision in a shade of crimson.
It almost seemed like a never-ending scenery for a god like him. A sight where everything else was dyed in the blood of his victims during his time as the god of calamity.
He merely laughed at the thought.
How much pain did he endure for his friends?
He didn't know. He didn't care. Yato never thought about any of those things and simply kept on fighting. He fought alongside with his precious Shinki who stood beside him against his father.
...And now, it's all over.
The nightmare he had been forced to live in has finally been lifted.
The chains that bind him are now severed.
He was finally free.
Fujisaki lay mortally wounded a few meters away from him. His eyes gazed towards his son - whom he created out from his wish to cull humanity - in quiet contemplation.
"So... this is the answer you've come up with, Yaboku." His croaked at the sudden cough of blood that worsens his condition.
Yato looked at him with a smirk. His eyes met with his but with intensity.
"No matter how you want to see things in me, it won't come as you would expect... Not anymore." He declared.
Fujisaki looked at the dark sky, having sounded a bit depressed at his son's answer. Despite how they looked right now, he simply smiled.
"So you would oppose me until the very end, huh?" He whispered wistfully. A lifeless expression took over his face as his eyes lost their color.
...And at that moment, his body fell.
The sound of a heavy thud entered Yato's ears for awhile before silence took over once again. Fujisaki now lay dead without any signs of coming back. His soul vanished from his body, never to return once and for all.
Yato steeled himself as his eyes stared at the dead body in silence. The sight of his father killed by his own hands simply upset him.
However, he was content at this conclusion.
No one will be ever put in danger once again. Yato made sure of that to himself.
This would be the last time he would ever kill someone with his hands.
"R-Revert Sekki..."
The glowing katana soon transformed as soon as he invoked those words. At the same time, his body soon met with the cold hard ground. The skies above him suddenly gave a downpour as if to add effect to the conclusion of this terrible battle.
"Y-Yato! Hang in there! Hiyori and the others will be here soon!" Yukine shouted as soon as his body took form and helped him sit up straight.
Yato could barely feel his legs or even most of his body. The strength he had earlier immediately began to simmer. It was the result of the plaguing blight across his body.
"I-It's no use anymore, Yukine... This amount of blight cannot be purified anymore. Leave here and get out as far as possible..."
"What are you talking about?! This is not the time for that kind of bullshit! You promised to Hiyori that you would come back to her right?! That we will return to her together! So why give up now?!" His Shinki shouted almost to the point of deafening his ears due to the close contact.
Yato merely smiled.
"Yukine... There's nothing more to help me at this point. More importantly, you know what it means once he dies, right?"
He reminded him... that his father was his lifeline. That he was born through his wishes and that eliminating him would also put him in the same end. Yukine was aware of that and it was his own decision to expect that consequence after facing him once and for all.
Now that everything is over, the same thing would happen to Yato.
And he didn't want that at all despite all they have done so far.
"I know! I know, alright! But I can't just accept that! After all, we've been through, we can also overcome this one too, Yato!"
"Not this time... This is one thing we―I won't be coming back to..."
"Why do you go around saying like that?! This is not you at all! Why would give up now?! Don't you want to see Hiyori again!?"
"Yukine..."
"Just shut your mouth and hold on... You're coming home with me whether you like it or not!"
Without giving him another chance to speak, Yukine began to carry him behind his back to walk away from the field. He didn't care about the blight around Yato and simply focused on his way to meet with the others.
There's still hope. He wanted to cling to it even at the smallest size. As long as he could help Yato stay alive until then.
...
...
Every minute was difficult. The injuries on both their bodies weighed them down to move at their own pace. Yato's size even poses another factor for Yukine to maintain his hold on him as he kept falling at the sheer amount of weight he was carrying.
As a result, he could only move as a normal human – perhaps even weaker as he struggled to carry him along.
There is no time to resting.
Every moment is crucial for Yato's survival. He didn't care if the story about him and his father's lifeline are true. All he wanted is to make sure both of them manages to return to Hiyori safe and sound.
Those were the only thoughts that occupied his mind.
He didn't care for all of that. How could he?
Killing his father would also kill Yato in the process. The very thought is just preposterous as it sounds. Yukine doesn't understand such complicated things but he matured throughout the ordeal. He was aware of the consequence once they decided to face him.
Yet he still believed... that Yato wouldn't have to die along with his father.
After so many centuries of enduring himself against his father's wishes, he was now able to do things he wanted without forcing him back.
Yukine looked forward to the day where his master would be free from his prison. He looked forward to the day where he would become a god of fortune. That his efforts would now be paid for working hard for other people.
However... the way things happen between them, their future soon started to become bleak.
Yukine lost his strength once more – his body being succumbed to the blight that had now grow all over his skin. It was the result of touching Yato's blighted body which caused him to receive immeasurable pain like never before.
Due to that, both he and Yato crumbled down to the ground helplessly.
"Y-Yato..."
Yukine called his name but Yato simply answered with a series of bloody coughs that indicate his terrible condition as of now.
"I'm here Yukine..."
"J-Just a little bit more... We're almost there." Yukine tried to reassure him as possible as he could but Yato could already through his bluff.
There's no way for him to notice how far they are away from the war-torn field. The scale of destruction laid waste on their battle against Fujisaki simply destroyed a massive patch of land and mountains away.
The very sight of the lifeless background seemed to reflect on their current conditions.
Yukine struggled once more but his arms gave up and simply fell down to the ground for the second time.
He was already too injured to move. Despite all his strength as a Blessed Vessel, the amount of blight in his body is simply too much for him to handle.
Their bodies lay flat on the ground as the blight continued to consume their body.
It almost seemed true to what Yato said to him earlier...
"N-Ne, Y-Yukine... There's still a chance for you to recover... At least, I may be able to save you with little amount of strength I have right now." Yato suggested – his head shifted towards him as his body lay facing the gray sky. Tiny raindrops fell continuously on his blighted face which was devoid of any emotion.
Yukine could only look at him in shock.
"Don't be stupid. There's no way for you to do anything as you are right now... Why are you saying such things?" He spoke sarcastically with a smirk but Yato simply ignored it with a blank stare and instead, lifted his right hand towards the sky.
A solemn look present on his face as he lightly smiled at his recurring thoughts.
Memories of the past dwelt inside his mind before closing his eyes for a moment and began to speak.
"Thank you for everything, Yukine... You really are the most awesome Shinki I've ever had."
"Yato?"
To answer to his confusion, Yato simply lifted up his left hand towards him. His hand – now fully blighted beyond cure – revealed its transparent state which slowly began to crawl all over his body in the same condition.
He was already vanishing...
Yukine simply stared in shock and disbelief at the unfolding situation.
"You're lying... T-That's not true isn't it, Yato?! O-Oiii! Answer me!" A mix of emotions ran through the blonde kid's head as he unconsciously stood up on his own, disregarding his injuries as if he wasn't injured at all.
His fearful expression drew tears in his eyes as tried to hold onto his disappearing hand. He knew what would happen.
Yato would disappear...
Unlike any other famous gods that reincarnate upon their death, Yato would merely disappear from existence. Of all the things that happened, it would be turn out like this.
Yukine could help but cry in despair. He wanted to believe that they could do everything but...
"Y-Yato... What the hell is this...? Why are you suddenly giving up like that? You're stronger than this!"
"Forgive me, Yukine..." Is all he could say in front of his crying face.
He couldn't stand Yukine crying because of his past. He didn't want to experience the time of being alone in the dark yet he felt guilty about leaving him behind like this.
What a god he is...
...
A sound of footsteps entered the silent atmosphere as Hiyori appears from the scene – only managing to spot the two in the distance as she tried to sprint towards them in a hurry.
"Yato! Yukine-kun!" Her voice cut through the air – with only Yukine noticing – as Yato was already too wounded to even move his head even just a bit.
Hiyori slid down on her knees as soon as stopped in front of them. Her face suddenly overshadowed with horror after noticing Yato's current state. The teary-eyed expression of the blonde-haired hafuri further fuelled her fear of what's to come.
"H-Hiyori..." Yukine could only whisper blankly as if he forget to harbor any emotion at all.
"Yato! How is he?!" She looked around, taking over Yukine as she noticed how bad Yato was in. The blighted region on his body somehow made a stop in their tracks, seemingly preventing every chance it would inflict on the girl as if Yato was trying to keep it at bay from infecting her.
"Y-Yato... Yato..." Tears also flooded her eyes, unable to think through the tough challenges he must've faced until now.
True enough, her voice called him back as he saw her face right above with tears starting to fall out from her cheeks along with the rain around her.
He reached his other hand towards her cheek, wanting to wipe away those tears.
"Hiyori..."
"Yato... Y-Yato... It's me, alright? I'm here..." She held onto his hand with her own, wanting to reach out to him.
"Hi..yori... Sorry..." He apologized – a tear flashing at the corner of his eyes – as he saw her face once again. He longed to see her after all that's happened. He thought he would never get the chance to see her after this.
He simply wished to see her.
Hiyori was aware of that. That's why she ran with all her might to reunite with them―with him. But that isn't the source of her growing sadness. It's the fact that he was about to disappear just when things started out great between them.
"You don't need to say anything... I'm right here with you... So that's why, don't go just yet, Yato!" She wanted him to stay a bit more. It was her one and only wish to stay with them forever.
She didn't care about her future. He was her future. She wanted to spend more time with him more than anyone along with Yukine. She wanted him more than anything else...
She wished to be with him.
All the things they shared with each other became her most treasured moments that cannot be replaced by anything. It's all possible because he was right beside her.
It's all because she loved him.
That's all she ever wanted yet...
He was slowly disappearing. His body even began to become transparent as if his very existence is about to vanish. It was the price for taking out his father as he was his lifeline in the process.
Yato felt her tears as they streaked away from her eyelids and down to his cheeks. How many times did he saw her shed her tears for him?
He didn't know but he didn't want her to feel like that. He would eliminate the source of her sadness every way possible but... this time, the source of her sadness now comes from him. His lips curved into a saddened frown as he stared at her in guilt.
"Crying doesn't really suit you at all... Hiyori..." He wiped her tears away slowly. The girl looked at him as she sobbed continuously at his words.
"I-It's all your fault, baka! Y-You should be punished for making a girl cry, you know!"
Yato wanted to laugh... Even in the midst of his own impending demise, he could still see her making fun of him. He wanted this moment to last at least for a bit while.
"Scolding me at the very end, huh? I-It really is you, Hiyori..." He smiled, replacing his frown just a few moments.
"O-Of course, I would! I will always come around to you when you do bad things! Even if you lose your path, I would always come and pull you back no matter what! I just can't leave you now, can I?" She giggled in between tears seemingly overjoyed to see him talk to her like they usually did in their spare time.
"Heh, I guess I'm really lucky to have you... I never really regret that time when I dragged you into this mess... I could only wish that we could've spent more time together a little bit longer..."
"Of course, you can!" She suddenly shouted. Yato gazed at her in surprise.
"... If you want more time, you can have it! There's still a lot of things I wanted you to know! We still haven't gotten back to Capyper Land... We still haven't got a lot of rides back then, right? I'm sure you would want that too, right?" She continued to speak as she held onto his hand in reassurance.
"Hiyori..."
"We still have a lot of work to do in expanding your shrine, right? There's still a lot of delivery jobs you have to do... I still haven't told you about my feelings yet... so... so..." Hiyori couldn't hold it in.
Her emotions were clearly unleashed as tears continued falling down from her eyes. She couldn't hope to keep her bottled feelings and the fear of losing him forever just broke her heart.
She wanted him to live...
She wanted to see more of his smile. His devotion in achieving his dreams is still not over. However, she already knew that dream wouldn't come to pass now that he was beginning to disappear from this world.
A world without him is just unthinkable.
Yato knew why she would say all those things... He was grateful for her. That alone made him happy so he simply smiled.
"Hiyori... Thank you... I really glad to have met you, Hiyori... I also have something to say to you... I've been wanting to say it to you ever since you gave me that shrine... Will you hear me out?" His voice soothed her for just a moment as she looked at him in surprise but eventually smiled as well to his request.
"Hnn!"
"Hiyori... I love you."
...
"I know... I feel that same, Yato..." She confessed as well despite all the sobs she was having. This is the only thing she wanted to say to him ever since that time when she stood alongside with him in that park.
She wanted to wish the very same words she uttered right now to be the same as of that time before. She wanted to let him know beforehand that she loved him more than anything else.
The times and memories she shared with him are proof of that.
Yato could only put up a faint smile in response.
"Thank you, Hiyori... I'm... really happy you said that."
"Hnn... Me too..."
...
His time was almost over. His body slowly fades away from existence and Yato could hardly feel anything from his body as his eyes slowly began to disappear. Hiyori and Yukine noticed that they could not feel his body anymore as Yato's body was eventually taken by the effects as well.
"YATO!"
They desperately cried out for him but he could hardly hear them anymore.
His visions slowly started to descend in white as the surroundings were swallowed in the sea of light, leaving only to the two figures that tried to call out his name in the distance.
His mind rested easy. The pain was gone and the sensation ceased to exist within him. His eyes were slowly drifting to sleep.
The memories he had with his friends. From the past to the present, he saw them all.
Yato felt happy no matter how bad or good it was. Every single moment was precious to him. It reminded him of his own self.
It's time to say goodbye.
As his surroundings vanished in his eyes, he took one last look on both the girl he loved and the boy he cared. One final wish to impart to them as he sleeps.
...
"I will always be with you... Now and forever..."
...
A/N: Here's the one-shot for you all… It's my first take on taking on the tragedy genre so I still have a lot of ways to go. Anyways, I'm still bent on making more one-shots for both Yato and Hiyori or even with the three of them along with Yukine so there's that.
I'll see you guys in my next stories!
- The wiErDos send their regards...