Thanks for all the support guys! It's been fun, but here is the finale you and me both have been waiting for, so read on!

The park mashed into a splatter of colors because Miryoku was standing there and Yukine couldn't see anything except Miryoku because he was here and Yukine was alone and those horrible eyes were meeting his.

The god disappeared. Yukine blinked as the kaleidoscope of colors reoriented themselves into evergreen shrubbery, a tan park bench, and the concrete path ahead of him.

"What did I say about looking at him?!"

Yukine's head snapped to the side. Yato was there, catty eyes already glowing, and holding Miryoku against a tree trunk by his throat. The minor god squirmed against the bark, choking and legs writhing above the soil. Yet one of his arms was in a sling and his other hand was pinned by Yato's free one.

"I d-didn't...mean to!" Miryoku croaked out while Yato tightened his grip around his airway.

"That's no excuse." His master's voice burned with hatred as he leaned his face closer to Miryoku's and bared his teeth.

"Yato!" Yukine ran up and reached towards his master, hand hovering near Yato's arm but never making contact. He did his best to ignore Miryoku, who was writhing and gagging a few inches away.

Yet Yato said nothing, pupils solely focused on his target, so Yukine grabbed his sleeve and shook it. "Hey! We need him alive for this!" He felt his eyes burning because he didn't want to think about what would happen if something went wrong now. They were very close to this being over, all of it over, and he couldn't fail now. However, his heart pumped faster and then froze because Yato was tightening his grip and Miryoku's movements were slowing into mere twitches.

"Yato!"

"Don't make the same mistake twice." His master dropped the god, who quickly gasped for air like a drowning man who had finally breached the surface. "And I will know if you do. Every time you look at him, it's not just him feeling that disgust...that horror..." His words were earnest and only now did it occur to Yukine that Yato had been feeling what he felt all along. No wonder Yato had skipped lunch, it made his regalia sick simply thinking about being near Miryoku, which is what he had been doing since this morning.

"Neither of us wants me to feel bad, right?" Yato crouched low on his haunches, though was still towering over Miryoku's slumped body while he smiled a benign grin. "Because if I'm not happy..." His smile didn't waver, but his blue eyes were vibrant and his pupils had went from feline to cold-blooded reptilian. Miryoku clearly got the message because he shrunk back against the tree and nodded fervently.

"Great! I'm glad we're in agreement!" Yato's eyes reverted to normal in an instance and he rose up. Then his eyes landed on his regalia and a chilly indifference overcame his master's face, making him pause. Was Yato angry? Worried? Both?

He tried to stare back evenly, but he felt himself wavering and his nausea made his stomach acid bubble and churn. He figured he must have looked a little green because the ice in Yato's eyes melted. Then his master came up to him and placed steadying hands on his shoulders.

"Are you sure about this? You can back out right now and I wouldn't let anyone stop you." The plead interwoven with his gentle timbre told him he wanted Yukine to give him an excuse, but he shook his head.

"I have to." It was the longest sentence he could manage without allowing a tremble to creep into his voice. Yato held his gaze a moment longer, eyes freezing over again, but soon lowered it.

"I almost forgot," he released his hafuri to reach behind his neck and untie his scarf. Yukine was left in mute confusion until Yato suddenly placed the scarf around his neck. "We can't let him see you've been healing." Yato adjusted the tattered cloth around his throat, mindful of his tender flesh, and Yukine knew it shouldn't mean anything but it did. It meant so much. He had a familiar heat building up behind his eyes and he struggled not to cry because Masuta and Miryoku had collared him like an animal, yet Yato was wrapping his prized scarf around his neck because he cared and wanted to keep his kid safe.

"Yukine?"

His eyes fluttered and he reasserted himself in current events to see Yato had pulled back and was eyeing him like he was torn between holding him close and refusing to let go or turning around and skewering Miryoku in the chances Yukine's emotional breakdown was his fault.

"You should go now." He forced the words out, fingers itching to stretch, grasp Yato, and beg him not to go because he wasn't ready to be left all alone with Miryoku. They had already made him wear the kimono and if his master left, it would be like he never truly escaped that horrid auction.

Yato didn't grimace, but had to have felt his turmoil because he placed a hand on his shoulder. "I won't be too far," his head snapped to the side and Yukine recalled they were not alone. "And I'll be there the second there's trouble." His tone deepened in equal parts of a threat, which Miryoku flinched at, and a promise that calmed Yukine's wavering heart.

Until the hand left his shoulder, leaving him cold because this kimono was paper thin, and Yukine was left him floundering as his master hurried away into the darkness of the night.

A wind billowed in and his hands automatically slid up to the fringes of the tattered scarf. The ragged cloth covered his finger tips and safeguarded them from the elements. It wasn't quite the same as Yato being here -shielding him- yet brought him a measure of comfort and the fact it had come from Yato warmed him from his exterior down to his bones. It would be enough. It had to be enough.

Miryoku padded up to his side and he wanted to run because being an ocean away would be too close, yet, they had a job to do so he swallowed the thick lump forming in his throat and took in a deep breath.

He didn't turn when Miryoku placed his good hand on his shoulder and he was proud of himself for keeping his back ramrod straight rather than cowing under the weight. "P-Please tell your master I'm only touching y-your arm because Masuta would know something was up if I didn't."

Yukine didn't respond except to glare at the floor because this god deserved nothing from him, certainly not mercy. Maybe Miryoku understood that to an extent because he didn't say anymore as they started strolling down the sidewalk. He tried to force his anxiety down a level with each step, but then wondered if being tense would be more in-character since he had been a skittish and broken regalia the last time Masuta saw him. Thus he hunched his shoulders and drew his arms near his torso to give himself a frightened appearance, which wasn't entirely feigned.

And became all too real when Masuta and his regalia teleported a foot ahead of them. "Hello, little shinki," the god flapped his fingers in a mocking wave.

He threw himself back and landed against Miryoku's chest, who tightened his grip on Yukine's shoulder instinctively because he had jostled his injured arm, but Yukine did not care because he was trapped. Masuta was smirking at him and his blessed regalia stood behind him in clear support, and it was so much like his time in the auction that he felt himself on the verge of a panic attack.

A breeze came in, rustling the leaves above, and the scarf tickled his pale skin as the cloth rippled in the wind. Yukine felt himself steady, the scarf the lighthouse during a storm and steering him back to the task at hand. He didn't let this newfound courage show, however, as his gaze darted to the ground.

"How's your new master been treating you?" Masuta's hand plopped onto his hair and rubbed it down to his scalp, but he shrunk against Miryoku and flew out of Masuta's reach with a whimper.

Miryoku played his part by tightening his grip on his shoulder -it was starting to hurt now- and the minor god's chest rumbled beneath him as he laughed. Yukine noticed it didn't sound like Yato's laughter, didn't feel like it either, for it was far too mocking.

"Oh, I did warn you, Masuta. He's not very talkative these days," The god's hand shifted until he was holding Yukine like a child held their favorite stuffed animal, giving him a squeeze that screamed possessive. "And he's gotten pretty attached to me."

He obediently twisted around to bury his face into Miryoku's good shoulder, hating the smell of cinnamon and sweat that assaulted his nose upon contact. Though it was tolerable compared to the knife twisting in his heart because he was allowing Miryoku to touch him as if he were his property, which he had been so close to becoming a mere five days ago. He allowed himself to shudder because it no doubt added to his submissive appearance.

"Oh?" Masuta leaned in close enough that he could feel his body radiate heat but he stayed in place. "He must have put up a fight."

He realized Masuta was not examining him, but eyeing Miryoku's injuries. He felt a brush of worry skim over him because they had tried to cover up the bruises with make-up, but Miryoku's arm was still too injured to be out of the sling -Yato hadn't held back.

"That's a part of the fun, seeing how long they last," He could hear the smile in Miryoku's honey-sweet tone and he hated it. He hated feeling this god's chest rumbling beneath his forehead. He was nothing like Yato. His breathing was heavy and irregular -perhaps because he was still injured and Yato had aggravated his wounds a minute ago- and thus came off as unnatural.

Masuta laughed heartily for a second. "Very true. This regalia put up more of a fight than most...and he is one of the strongest shinki I've ever met." His words weren't mocking to Yukine's surprise, and a part of him was flattered because considering Masuta was centuries old and the nature of his "profession", he had met countless shinki yet Yukine actually stood above them in his eyes. Was that why Masuta had personally tried to break him? Had that been Masuta's way of showing Yukine he viewed him as higher than most shinki?

He didn't know whether disgust or hatred would burn hotter in his veins if his theory proved true.

"And exactly how much are you willing to pay for that strength to be yours again?" Miryoku got them back on track and Yukine tensed because they were getting closer to his cue.

"I'm willing to make you one of my business associates," Masuta took on an air of professionalism, though, his tone was jovial too. "Which means you'd receive at least two blessed regalias, of your own choosing, perhaps even take back the little regalia you have now if I've found a better replacement by then."

He grounded his teeth and held in a growl for the disgusting way Masuta spoke about him and shinki everywhere. It was a good thing they had told him to keep his face hidden, he simply couldn't hide his emotions when he felt this passionate.

"Though your payment would be delayed until after you've helped me rebuild my stock, find a few potential buyers, and hire some more associates."

"So all I have to do is help you rebuild, and give you my regalia, and you'd give me all that?" His tone was light and Yukine could hear Miryoku's foot tapping rapidly against the stone pavement below like the proposal excited him. He despised this minor god, but he had to admit Miryoku was a great actor. A charmer, like his namesake.

"Yes, and you can even have your regalia work with you sometimes since I won't always need it. We can share-"

Miryoku moved his hand to his back and Yukine whipped around and shot out a borderline with a quick shout. He saw Masuta's violet eyes go wide but in a flash his blessed regalia -hafuri?- had done the same so they're borderlines clashed into each other. Yukine gasped when her borderline cut through his and headed straight towards him. He tossed himself to the side and felt himself collide with Miryoku so they both ended up in a pile. They hurriedly broke apart and Yukine spun back to the blessed regalia.

The shinki's cool eyes were alight, though her face was impassive as she stared at Yukine and opened her mouth.

"Confine!"

She whipped around just in time to see her shocked Master be trapped in a triangular prism of light. Yukine admired the irony that over three weeks ago his master had been in Masuta's place, but now he was the one being separated from his regalia. Yet he couldn't fully savor the sight before he had to throw himself to the side and dodge another borderline, which ended up cutting half the branches off a tree.

"Release my master." Her order was delivered without emotion, but stern enough to come off as a threat.

Yukine waved his hands in front of him, hoping to calm her. "Hey, you don't have to work for Masuta anymore. You're free now."

Her expression didn't so much as twitch, hence, he switched tactics because he didn't want to fight her but she had shifted her footing into a clear battle stance. Bishamon's shinki were hurrying over from the outskirts of the tree line, but weren't near enough for Yukine to feel like he had their backing just yet.

"We can take you back to your real master," he recalled what Masuta had told him about what they did to most of the minor gods. "I-If they're still around."

The woman did not change her stance.

He became puzzled because shouldn't she be happy? Or did she not believe him?

"You mean the guy that released her without a second thought?" Masuta had composed himself and crossed his arms while cocking an eyebrow at Yukine. "The one she risked her name for only to have him take the money and save his own skin?" The god chuckled darkly in response to the horror dawning on his face. "Yes, I'm sure she'd love to see him again."

He found himself incapable of doing much save staring at the woman with a whole new set of lenses. He felt like someone had stomped all over his chest and stripped the air from his lungs at the idea that any god would simply abandon not only their regalia, but their blessedregalia -potentially their hafuri.

"Masuta is my sole, true master." The woman's eyes were solid jade, not a crack on them, but Yukine knew in their core there had to be something fragile and broken. "He never pretended to care." Her monotone speech was the first thing she failed to deliver perfectly in Yukine's presence because it was laced with a bitterness that spoke of a century's worth of heartache.

"T-That's not..."

He wanted to say it wasn't true. All masters cared at least a little about their shinki. However, he could not contradict what had already passed, deny what some nameless minor god had done to her. He let his thoughts spiral away from the topic at hand, which was a poor decision Masuta's hafuri took advantage of by tossing a borderline. It was at his chest before he could get his arm up.

"Sekki!"

Yukine allowed himself to transform and her borderline sliced apart the bench that had been behind him while the katanas ended up in Yato's familiar hold.

"Confine!"

Masuta's blessed regalia was trapped in the same type of prison as her master while Kazuma and two shinki he didn't recognize approached Miryoku in a clear attempt to watch over him.

"Yatogami,"

Yato looked over with a grim expression, but no inner fire brightened his eyes and while his stance was nowhere near casual, his hold was loose on his weapon.

"I should have known you'd be behind this." Masuta was smiling, but his eyes sparked and he looked downright hostile. "I guess I took it too easy on you."

The memory of seeing bandages hidden under Yato's tracksuit struck him and reminded Yukine that his master may have fought Masuta. Now he was certain they had clashed more than once these past few weeks.

However, Yato gave no indication of this as he held the katanas by his side and walked up to the triangular barrier until there was merely a foot between them. "Masuta..." Yato whispered and then huffed out a short-lived laugh. "No, that's not your real name, and I get that, not wanting to be defined by the name you were born with."

Yukine didn't speak, and neither did anyone else because there was something in Yato's tone -a frank honesty- that was so rare and raw that everyone instinctively hushed when he spoke this way. "But you picked the wrong name for yourself, 'Masuta' doesn't suit you," His eyes started to light up and his voice was the hiss before the serpent sank his fangs into his prey. "You are no master."

Masuta raised his fists as if to strike the barrier, but after a moment, the rage faded and he put on a mask of apathy as he stuffed his hands into his pants pockets -ensuring he wouldn't be able to act out again. "What is this, little god? Are you trying to threa-"

"You have no right to call yourself a master." Yato didn't raise his weapons, but his voice had hardened and as Yukine recalled the event on the rooftop with Miryoku, he remembered how his master didn't need his hafuri to turn a fellow god into his punching bag. Masuta might have figured this out too because he leaned away as much as he could in the limited space, seeming to be wary.

"A master, a true master, has a responsibility to his shinki. They are supposed to provide for them. They need to give them a home, not some cage, a home, a place where they feel safe." The truth rung and reverberated out into the silent park above the whistling of the wind.

Masuta narrowed his eyes and scrutinized Yato, uncertainty flickering in his violet eyes as he eyed his master. "Is this because I stole your regalia? I know blessed regalias are an expensive loss, especially to struggling gods like you, but it was nothing personal, only business."

"No, it is personal," his master's aurora stretched and struck out at Masuta's confinement like it was a physical and blunt weapon. Masuta drew in his extremities to his body as if bracing himself. Whatever Yato had planned, Yukine was in the dark about it and that made him a bit worried, so he could only imagine how unnerved Masuta -Yato's target- was in the face of this uncertainty.

"You kidnapped my kid. You kidnapped other god's children, family, friends, their partners." Yukine felt a ball of warmth unravel and branch out from his middle until every fiber of his body was warmed by an inner fire. He knew Yato cared, but this...this was practically a confession. A confession he gave in behalf of all gods about how deep the bond between shinki and masters could go. He wondered why it never fully hit him until now that Yato didn't just care...he loved...he loved Yuk-

"Not that you were entirely wrong, with what you said to my kid." Yato tightened his grip on the handles of the katanas and Yukine realized that Yato must have snuck out one night and seen the tapes of him during his imprisonment. An old fear surfaced from the back of his mind where he had submerged it.

You failed your master. He shook his head because he hadn't failed! Yato already knew what happened at the auction and he didn't blame Yukine, he was proud of Yukine! He let the memory of last night fill his head until the guilt sunk back into the dark depths of his mind it had risen from.

"You're right, shinki are sacred treasures...but that's not because they're mere objects, it's because they should be treasured. Like someone treasures their friends or family."

Masuta was stunned and this was clear as he stuttered out, "How would you know? You're just a minor god, you don't know anything."

"Because my kid didn't just risk his name when he changed for me!" Yato sliced in and raised his katanas. Yukine sharpened, trusting his master to do what was right.

Masuta raised his hands and frantically shouted, "You can't attack me! These clothes are my shinki!"

Yukine dulled, now uncertain. "Yato?"

His master didn't seem to register anything outside himself as he leaned in so his blue eyes were an icy gray as they reflected the light of the prism. "My kid risked his life, and that's the whole point. Blessed regalias are rare because they're stronger than most shinki, they feel more strongly, and that strength comes from love."

His voice hung heavy in the air and Yukine's jaw split apart so he was left gaping. He heard a choked noise and turned to see all the shinki were wearing various expressions of surprise, even Kazuma had wide eyes. He spotted Masuta's hafuri and noticed even she had slightly parted lips and one of her pale hands had bunched together a section of her navy dress.

"So no wonder you could never get a shinki to change for you. Who could ever love a master who would never love them back?"

"Yato?" Yukine's voice was hardly audiable, but his master once again did not respond as he backed up and Masuta stared at him. The god's violet eyes were wide and he was breathing heavy. Then he opened his mouth and Yato struck. They tore through the confinement, shattering it. Masuta raised his hands to defend himself but he was too slow before Yato had swiped him across his neck and instantly Masuta fell to his knees.

"Yato!" Kazuma took a step forward, stretching a hand but Yato didn't turn away from Masuta who was coughing and holding his neck as a line of blood seeped down it.

"Now you'll know what it's like to have your voice taken away, little god." Yato turned around and as he walked pass Kazuma, said, "He'll live if you treat him in time, and eventually he'll be able to talk. If the Heavens have a problem with this, you have my number." His master moved on, never turning back.

Yukine, however, did to observe Kazuma approaching Masuta who was coughing and spluttering but no words came out his mouth. He saw the other two shinki grasp Miryoku and lead him away. Though most of all he watched the blessed regalia in her tiny prison. Her face was hard to read from afar, but Yukine thought her eyes were shinning -a trick of the light?-and giving her a lost appearance. For once, she seemed uncertain. Yukine silently hoped Bishamon or someone would take her in and remind her of what having a real master was like.

"Revert."

Yukine happily obliged and appeared before his master. Quickly Yato looked him up and down. "You okay? I'm sorry I didn't warn you I was going use you for that, I know it's been a while since-"

Yukine threw his arms around Yato and he squeezed him so hard he heard the air whoosh out his lungs. "T-Thank you." He trembled from the cold and because indeed there were a few tears trickling down his face, but then Yato wrapped his arms around him -so warm, he always was- and lowered his head so his chin rested near Yukine's ear.

"Hey, anything for my baby."

And Yukine instantly pushed him off, scrubbing at his eyes furiously before he could properly glare at Yato's grinning face. "Don't call me that! I'm a teenager!"

Yato's smile revealed perfect pearly teeth and he raised his hands to calm his infuriated shinki. Yet he did himself no favors as he said, "Come on, Yukine, anyone under 1000 is a baby compared to me!" His bright smile became a tad wicked. "Besides, it's not anger I sense from you every time I call you that!" His tone was a mocking sing-song one and he burst into laughter when Yukine couldn't hide the blush blooming on his cheeks.

Scowling, he glared at Yato. "Stop being creepy, Tracksuit! Dealing with your sweaty palms was hard enough today!"

The laughter ceased instantly and Yato shouted something back, but Yukine was already trudging back to Kofuku's place so Yato had to run after him because his sweat glands were perfectly normal!

Yukine begged to differ all the way home.

It was the following morning when Yukine removed the bandages from his neck and examined the unmarred skin in the bathroom mirror. It felt wonderful to do so, like being freed from a heavy chain that tied him to the auction, but now it was gone and he was finally free. He patted himself gingerly, yet the skin of his neck didn't react any more than the rest of him would.

It was over.

Masuta, Miryoku, the auction, even his scars were gone. He was free. Free from it all.

Yukine smiled at his reflection and the smile expanded when he saw his eyes were bright with his joy. He was no longer the broken regalia he had seen in another mirror nearly a week ago. Now he was Yukine, blessed regalia and hafuri.

He turned to leave and stopped short because Yato was standing in the hallway and had been there a while according to the distant look in his eyes. He was staring at Yukine's neck and he knew somehow Yato was still finding a way to berate himself for everything that had happened, but no, if Yukine got to be at peace then his master deserved to feel that way too.

"Good, you're awake!" Yukine cheered and Yato blinked into awareness as he grasped his master's sleeve. "Now we can start taking down some ayakashi."

Yato scrunched his eyebrows together and stumbled after him. "What? You want to do what?"

Yukine was already tugging him down the staircase, but paused to glare at him. "Don't play dumb! We're taking out some ayakashi, of course."

Yato still stared at him like he had lost his mind, but Yukine continued to lead him out the door because he knew Yato had probably ignored a dozen -if not more- jobs for him these past weeks and as his hafuri, it was his job to get the baka back on track.

"S-Slow down, Yukine!" Yato wouldn't budge anymore and thus brought him to a stop too. He crossed his arms and turned back to Yato, who looked as serious as he was confused. "Are you sure?"

He heard the unspoken "Are you ready to go back to this? Ready to move on?"

He didn't hesitate to give a sharp nod. Tapping his foot impatiently, he gestured to the path ahead. "I already let you get away with slacking for nearly a month, so we need to get a head start, okay?"

Yato stared at him, and his eyes went blank and glassy as he pondered this over. When the quiet stretched on, though, Yukine wondered if just because he was ready, his master still needed time.

"Oh, alright, kid!" Yato ruffled his hair and Yukine automatically swatted him away. "I'll take down a hundred if I can." His master's smile gleamed at him, illuminated by the sun rays.

"No, you'll take out two hundred!" Yukine moved away and glared at him. "Like I said, you've got some catching up to do!"

"Ugh, such a slave-driver." Yato muttered and Yukine simply smiled back as if he had no idea what his master meant.

Admittedly, it took both of them a minute to adjust to fighting ayakashi. Yato might have been fighting off gods for weeks now, but he had been fighting without his shinki and Yukine had not been a proper weapon for four weeks, so it took them each a while to get back into the groove. Yet soon enough ayakashi after ayakashi fell under their combined strength until the sun dipped low into the horizon. In unison, they called it quits and Yato was stretching his arms towards the hazy pink and orange streaked sky while yawning as they walked home.

Yukine didn't have the strength to mock him, and more importantly, his mind was drifting as he marveled the feeling of accomplishment and purpose thrumming in his core. Sure, he was exhausted, but it was the nice type of exhaustion, the one that said he had done well today. It was a sensation he had missed during his time away from Yato. Something he had almost lost forever.

Yato caught his elbow and stared down at him in concern. "What's wrong? You didn't get hurt, right?"

Yukine shook his head before Yato went overboard and gave him a full examination right here and now -he wasn't even exaggerating sadly. "I'm fine," he meant it, really, he felt better than he had all week. "I just...I was thinking..." His orange met Yato's blue and he felt himself blush because he knew he needed to get the words out, but this was embarrassing.

He spat them out before he lost his nerve. "I'm glad you're my master, is all." He twitched in place and the heat burned his face because he couldn't believe he had said it, and he should know better because surely Yato would tease him, or even worse, laugh-

"And I'm glad you're my kid."

The seriousness in the god's tone made him gasp and his head swung up to see Yato's own face was tinged red. They both rushed to turn away, moment making them awkward and uncertain as to where to go from here.

"Yeah, well," Yukine's voice was squeaking so he cleared it. "It's about time you realized that!" He forced out, masking his blush with feigned anger. "Now you better give me a raise."

Yato's face twisted into confusion. "I don't pay you."

"Exactly! You better start or I'm going on strike!" Yukine turned away when Yato started to laugh, only to stop when his shinki started jogging ahead.

"You're joking, right?"

He kept walking, head held high.

"Yukine?"

He smirked to himself.

"Yukine!" Yato ran up to him and tugged at his sleeves in desperation. "Why are you being so mean?" His master cried out dramatically as if he were in a play. "Aren't you my precious little baby?!"

Yukine smacked him upside his head and Yato fell at his feet and cried out as he grasped the offended area. "What did I say about calling me that, Drippy?!"

Yato poured and hopped to his feet. "And what did I tell you about calling me that," His lips slanted into a smirk. "Baby?"

"Don't call me that, Drippy!"

"Don't call me that, Baby!"

"I'm not a baby, you're the childish one!"

"But you're definitely the bratty one, Baby-"

And of course Yukine hit him again, in fact, would do so a number of times as they walked home. They both knew he didn't mean it, truth was neither of them meant it. Sure, they argued and were general nuisances to one another, but Yukine knew the bond they shared was priceless, knew that was why Yato would never sell him. It was same reason Yukine would never ask to be released.

Because Yato treasured him as his kid, and as long as he could, Yukine vowed to treasure Yato too.

That's all folks (unless you read the omake below)! I certainly had a blast writing this and I hope you guys enjoyed the read!

Also, to the reviewers that asked, please know that I actually plan to post a lot more Noragami fanfiction, so keep a look out for me or follow me if you're interested to see more Yato and Yukine family-centric stories! Until then, my friends, goodbye!

OMAKE

"What is this?!" Yukine screeched, grabbing Yato by his tracksuit collar and glaring at him.

His master wasn't looking at him as he gaped in the face of the swarm of gods tossing yen and quite literarily making it rain all over them in the hallways of Takamagahara.

"I'll pay 1,000 for your blessed regalia!"

"I'll give you double that!"

"I'll triple it!"

"10,000!"

A coin struck Yato's chin, and the pain brought him back to reality. "I-I don't know!"

"You don't know?!" Yukine scowled at him, and then shoved a smart phone in his face. "Then what's this?!"

Yato could only see a blurred picture so pulled back until he could make out the posting on some social media site. "Blessed Regalia Auction being hosted by Yatogami in Takamagahara today-" He stopped reading out loud when Yukine started shaking him.

"I knew you were trying to sell me!"

Yato threw his hands up in surrender. "W-Wait, I really don't know what's going on!" Suddenly an idea hit him -or maybe that was another yen coin. "It wasn't Kazuma who showed you that post by any chance, right?"

Yukine's anger ebbed, but his eyes were narrowed as he fought off some enthusiastic gods with the math textbook he had accidentally brought with him. "Yeah, he was. This is his cellphone, why?"

Yato nearly smacked himself in the forehead, but another coin flew at him and did the job for him. "Ow... Well, I figured this would happen eventually."

"What?" Yukine asked because he really couldn't hear over the crowd and was busy smacking another grabby hand away.

"Yukine, it seems you've been caught up in Kazuma's payback for the whole kissing Bishamon thing."

Yukine blinked, knocking back another hand without glancing back at it. "Oh, that makes sense. So how do we get out of here?"

Yato mulled it over, looked over the rampant crowd closing in on them, and decided there was but one way to save his kid and look awesome doing it.

"Sekk-"

"That's a terrible plan." Yukine cut in and Yato deflated.

"Yeah, okay, let's just run."

They fled and the mob of gods and goddesses gave chase while launching yen and bills alike at them.

"We love you, Yukine!"

"Yato!"

"Hands off my kid!"

And somewhere out there, Kazuma sipped his tea and smirked.

THE END