Disclaimer I do not own ANY of the characters in this story nor do I own Norigami! This story is written purley for entertainment! Enjoy~

Bzzz...Bzzz...Bzzz

I scrunch my face in protest as my phone continues to vibrate, waking me from my peaceful nights sleep. 'As long as I don't open my eyes I can still sleep. It's Saturday anyways, not like I need to be up for class. If someone is calling me, I'll just let it go to voicemail. Just five more minutes please'… As the vibration from my phone slips into silence I slowly slip back into blissful sleep…

Bzzz...Bzzz...Bzzz

'Ugh no… Stop, please, I'm so tired'. I slowly peak one eye open to check the time on the clock, 7:45 AM. 'It's so early, why God? Why are you doing this to me' I think in my mind as I pull the warm covers over my head to drown out the sound of my phone. After a few moments, the room silences once more. 'I'll just sleep a little longer, then I'll get up.' I think to myself as everything around me goes black once more.

*Creak*

'What was that noise?' I pause and wait to hear something else but there's only silence. 'Mmm… must be my imagination.'

*Creeeaaak*

'That definitely wasn't my imagination' I think as I try to analyze the mysterious creaking noise coming from my room. As much as I should open my eyes and check things out, I am simply too tired. Yato and I were up all last night having one of our long deep talks. Not that I mind having them or spending the time with Yato, I just wish they would happen at a more reasonable hour. Not at four in the morning. Also Yato lately has become very… I don't want to use the word possessive or clingy cause those seem more as negatives terms but he has been quite needy when it comes to spending time with me. I understand that he's worried I'll end up forgetting about him and all but we are together now. I highly doubt I'm going to forget my own boyfriend. But then again sometimes I-

I'm interrupted with the sensation that I am not alone. As if I'm being watched. 'I feel like there's someone in my room. Could it be a Ayakashi? Or a pervert?!' I quickly open my eyes and throw the sheets up into the air to surprise whatever is spying on me. Ready to fight, I put up both of my fists and get ready to run for the door. Just as the sheet falls, my intruder is finally revealed to me. It's a- it's a….

"Hiyori! You're awake! Good morning!"

'It's a Yato...' All of my adrenaline is sucked from my body as I drop my head and fists down. 'You've got to be kidding me." I think as I internally sulk over my lost hours of sleep due to an overly needy boyfriend. I look up to see Yato sitting on my floor, inches from my bed, legs crossed and hands in his lap. Like a young child waiting for storytime. His eyes are practically sparkling as they stare into mine with great enthusiasm. I let out a big sigh.

"Yato, it's eight o'clock in the morning, what are you doing in my room?" I ask grabbing my clock and shoving it in his face to let him see the time. He stares at the clock, then me. "Well I called you but you didn't answer. I got worried so I figured I'd check on you." He says with absolutely no shame. I grab my phone to see two missed calls from Yato. "I was asleep, that's why I didn't answer. Also, your last call was at 7:45, it's 7:51, how did you get here in six minutes if I didn't answer?" I ask starting to get a mild headache. "Oh well I was already outside." Yato says pointing to the window. I clench my bedsheet with one hand and massage my temple with the other. "And why were you already outside?" I ask, bracing for the worst possible response. "Oh about that, yeah I never went home last night. I just slept in your tree." He says pointing to the large tree outside of my window. I sit there in shock unable to respond. 'God now he's sleeping outside my room. I can't take this anymore. I need breathing room.' I think to myself as I start massaging my other temple.

"Yato," I start and he shifts his undivided attention towards me like a dog with his owner. I swear I saw his ears perk up too. "Yes my kind, sweet, beautiful, Hiyori?" He says gaining more sparkles in his eyes. "I think I need a break." I say in the softest voice possible to not come off as aggressive. I sit there expecting a response but Yato just sits there unphased. "Did you hear me?" I ask tilting my head in confusion. "I did, I just don't know what you mean?" He says placing his head onto my bed looking up into my eyes. 'This is going to be harder than I thought.' "Yato, a break is...well...when two people are in a relationship and-" "I know what a break is Hiyori. I just mean I don't know why you would want one…" He says cutting me off. I can hear a bit of disappointment in his voice. It's deeper and more serious than his normal high pitched, enthusiastic voice. It's the same voice he uses when talking about Yukine's progress and status, not that he's disappointed in Yukine or anything, it's just a subject he prefers to not joke about.

"Yato, you were at my house last night until 4AM, you slept outside of my window, and you came into my room UNINVITED, waking me up, because I didn't answer the phone. Plus you've been following me around a lot more than usual lately, you walk me to school and home everyday, hang around my school all the time, and when you're not with me you're calling and texting me constantly." I pause to give him a chance to respond or state his case but he just sits there, head resting on my bed, staring into nothing. "Look, I like spending time with you, I do. I like having our late night talks and having you walk me to school and being there when I need you, but I need space. I don't know why you're being even more clingy than normal lately. If something is wrong then tell me but if there's nothing bothering you then I would like some breathing room." A few seconds of silence go by. I start to feel kind of bad and reach out my hand to place on his head but right when I'm about to touch the tips of his hair he lifts his head and moves out of my reach. He had a slight blush on his face and completely avoided looking me in the eye.

"Yato?..." I ask still waiting for a response. I can tell he wanted to say something, he parted his lips slightly but after a moment closed them as if he had changed his mind. It was so hard to get him to open up to me, I mean I would never force him if he wasn't ready to talk about something but it can be frustrating at times like this when he simply won't let me in. He parts his lips once more and sighs before standing up. "Don't worry about it Hiyori, I understand. Take all the time you need. Just let me know when it's over." He says before walking to the window and opening it. "Yato wait!" I shout while getting out of bed and rushing to the window. 'Stop being an idiot and talk to me!' I think to myself as I grab onto his hand. My boldness surprises him a bit and he finally looks me in the eyes. "I'm not breaking up with you Yato. Please understand that. I just want a little bit more 's all. Okay? Please don't be mad, don't shut me out." I say as calmly as possible. He gives me a small smirk with the corner of his mouth and pats me on the head with his hand. "I could never be mad at you Hiyori." He says before climbing out of the window and taking off into the sky and out of sight.

I stand in front of my window alone, basking in the sunlight and silence. 'Such an odd feeling. I know were still together and he knows that too. Yet why do I feel like were broken up? This is what I wanted, I wanted space, but why do I feel so lonely? I know he's at Kofuku's place only a few miles away and yet he feels so far and unreachable.' I think feeling the morning breeze creep into my room and caress my face. It's warm and smells like summer. I slowly close the window and sit back on my bed still processing all of the emotions I'm feeling.

Bzzz…

I reach for my phone to see a text from Akira. "It's so hot out, beach today?" I stare at the message for a few seconds deciding whether or not to sit here and sulk all day or go out and have some fun. 'I guess it would be nice to spend some time with Akira and Ami without worrying about Yato showing up' I think before replying, "Sounds like fun, be over in a few!" I get up from my bed and start getting ready. I change from my pajamas into my new bathing suit. It's violet to match my eyes with white polka dots all over and a bow in the center of the top. I throw on a pair of shorts, a tank top, some flip flops and make my way to the bathroom to finish getting ready. After a few minutes I head downstairs, grab my bag, and walk outside to see Ami and Akira already out by the sidewalk.

"Hey! I thought I was meeting you at your place?" I ask waving a hand to my friends. Akira waves back with a pair of sunglasses in her hand, "Yeah but Ami and I were already ready so I figured we'd save some time and meet you here. Are you ready?" She asks placing the sunglasses on her face. "Yeah I'm ready, let's go- Oh wait! I forgot to lock the front door." I quickly walk back to lock the door when I notice it's already locked. A bit confused I jiggle the knob to be sure. 'Hmm, guess I locked it and forgot?' I think to myself before running back and rejoining my friends. "What do you think we should take? Train or bus?" Ami asks pointing in the direction of both stations. "Mmm, bus would probably be better, the train is too packed at this time of day." Akira states while leading the group towards the local bus station.

The three of us finally make it to the bus station and find our designated bus. The doors open as Ami and Akira step on, I follow after them. I look in my purse to find my bus pass but don't see it. "Young lady, do you have enough money for the bus?" The driver asks patiently waiting for me to find my pass. "I have a pass, I just simply can't seem to find it, I'm so sorry." I say beginning to panic a bit. "Well if you need a new one- oh, is that it on the floor?" The man asks pointing to a bus pass laying on the floor of the bus. I lean over and pick it up to see my initials written in sharpie on the back. "Oh, yes it is! It must have slipped out of my purse while I was searching. Thank you!" I say as I scan my pass and head over to Akira and Ami. "You klutz." Akira says while gently knocking me on the head.

The three of us spend the bus ride commenting on the outside scenery, plans on what to do when we arrive at the beach, and of course boys. "So Akira, what time are the guys going to be showing up?" Ami asks leaning over in her chair. "Boys?" I ask confused. Akira looks over at me and winks. "Yeah, Abe and two of his friends. I figured I'd bring some extra guys along so you and Ami weren't too lonely." She winks and takes out her phone to text her boyfriend. "I thought it was going to just be us girls? Plus I don't really feel like spending time with some guys I don't know." I say remembering the last time Akira tried to plan a group date and I ended up spending the afternoon with father. I slightly blush remembering the kiss from that day. "Oh come on Hiyori, it's not like you have a boyfriend or anything. Spending some time with a few hot guys at the beach could do you and your teenage hormones some good!" Akira says before letting out a laugh. Ami chuckles a bit with her before they begin chatting within themselves about Akira and her lovelife.

I sit there gazing outside of the window thinking about my relationship with Yato. 'I mean, I'm not doing anything wrong right? It's not like it's a date. I'm still 100% faithful to Yato and we'd just be hanging out as friends but...With this whole break going on it feels a bit wrong. I wish she had told me before.' It's not really Akira's fault. Yato and I have only been dating for a few weeks now and I haven't told Akira or Ami about him yet. How was she supposed to know I was involved with someone? Do I want to introduce them to Yato of course, but with him being a God and all it would be too difficult to explain. I take my phone out of my purse and check it for any messages or calls. No new messages or calls. I frown at my phone and look outside of the window. 'This is what I wanted, right?' I think to myself beginning to feel the loneliness set in again as I hear Ami calling my name.

"Hiyori! Hello?" Ami says leaning over and waving her hand in my face. "Oh, sorry what's up?" I say snapping back into reality. "I said, which one do you think is cuter?" Ami asks showing me Akira's phone. It's a picture of Abe and two other guys. One of them is a bit taller than the other, a few inches taller than Yato. The taller one has brown hair while the shorter has black hair. Both have brown eyes and pretty muscular bodies. Regardless of taste both of these boys would be considered attractive to any teenage girl. 'Mmm, the taller guy is cuter than the other...but Yato is still way cuter than either of them. Yato is the perfect height for someone of my size and his smile is incomparable to any other. His hair is so nice and soft, and his eyes...God those blue eyes that seem as if they're looking in to my soul. Not to mention his smell and laugh and-' "Hiyori? Are you okay?" Akira asks pulling the phone back. The two of them start laughing as I am once again brought back to reality. "Huh? What?" I ask confused. "You're totally blushing hard. Is it that rare you see two good looking guys?" Akira says laughing away with Ami. "Yeah, if this is how you get over a picture, I can't wait to see how you react in person." Ami says nudging me with her elbow.

We finally arrive at our stop by the beach and step down from the bus. It's a bright and sunny day. About 86 degrees (30 celsius), hot and a bit humid, in other words, a perfect day for the beach. We step out onto the sand to see a view almost of that from a movie. Clear blue sky with only a few strategically placed bright white clouds, clear blue water, white sand, and a few seagulls flying in the distance. It was beautiful. 'Wow, I wish Yukine and Yato were here to see this. We should really make a beach trip one of these days with Kofuku and the others.' I instinctively take out my phone again, no new messages.

"Come on slowpoke!" Akira says grabbing my arm and pulling me towards the water. The three of us laugh as we run out onto the beach and put our feet in the water to test the temperature. It was cool but not too cold. We hear someone yell from the distance and look over to see Abe waving us over to his spot in the sand. Abe and his friends already had a good set up going with a few umbrellas, towels laid out, a cooler with drinks and some music playing. The three of us head over with Akira leading the way. She jumps onto Abe giving him a hug before waving hello to his two friends. "Here let me introduce you guys, Hisao, Natsuo, this is Hiyori and Ami. The two friends of Akira I told you about." He says gesturing towards me then Ami. "Ami, Hiyori, this is Hisao and Natsuo." Akira says gesturing to the taller boy then the shorter. "Nice to meet you." Ami says waving at the two boys. "Yeah, same here." The two say waving back. "Okay now that everyone knows everyone let's party!" Akira says running off towards the water, the rest quickly follow.

"Be there in a sec, just need to put on some sunscreen!" I shout as I put down my bag and dig for my bottle of sunscreen. I begin spraying myself when the spray begins to weaken and ultimately stop. 'Oh no, I must be out and this is the only bottle I brought.' I think to myself as I rummage through Ami's bag to see if she brought any. No luck, I look around to see if possibly anyone else brought some. With no sunscreen in sight I pick mine back up and try to squeeze out a few more sprays. The bottle then spits out sunscreen as if it was brand new. 'That's odd, it was probably just clogged.' I think as I finish spraying myself and join my friends out in the water.

After a while we all decide it would be a good time to eat and exit the water. Ami and I are the first to leave, then Akira and Abe, leaving Hisao and Natsuo trailing behind. "Man that Hiyori really is something huh?" Hisao says combing back his wet hair with his hands. "Yeah, Abe said she'd be cute but I didn't think she'd be THAT cute. Especially in that polka dot bathing suit." Natsuo says making his way towards the shore. "Shouldn't she have a boyfriend though? A girl that nice and cute couldn't be single." Hisao says following his friend. "Well Abe said she never mentions being with a guy so she must be single." Natsuo says slowly getting towards the shallow part of the water, taking his time to reach their friends so no one overhears their conversation. "I'm definitely going to go for it, besides, what girl can resist my charm?" Hisao says flipping his hair and flexing his muscles. "I'm sure by the end of tonight I'll have her wrapped around my- AHH! What the hell was that?!" Hisao yells quickly making a run for the shore. "What, what happened?!" Natsuo asks following suit. "It felt like something bit me?" Hisao says while getting out of the water and frantically checking his leg. "What?!" Natsuo says checking as well. "It doesn't look like there's any blood or sign of injury. Maybe it was just a big fish?" Natsuo says looking back into the water but sees nothing. The two cut their conversation short and make their way towards the others.

Abe and the girls had already set up lunch for everyone to enjoy. Ami had prepared some sandwiches and fruit kabobs while Akira brought along some sliced watermelon. Once Hisao and Natsuo reached the others everyone sat and started eating their meal. "Wow, these sandwiches are great Ami." I say taking my first bite and grabbing a few more. "Thanks, my mom helped me make them since it was such short notice." She says biting into a fruit kabob. "So Hiyori," Hisao starts, "Abe tells me you're single? A cute girl like you, how is that possible?" He says taking a sip of his drink. I instantly blush slightly. Not due to me being nervous around Hisao, just I wasn't really prepared to answer any questions about my love life. 'I can't say I have a boyfriend or else Ami and Akira will be upset for me not telling them sooner but I also can't say I'm single either cause it'll be wrong to Yato…' I think while trying to prepare a response in my head. "That's a little too bold isn't it Hisao? You don't have to answer that Hiyori." Akira says giving me a friendly wink. She knows I typically don't like to talk about my love life even to them, how uncomfortable would it be for me to talk about it in front of two strangers? I let out an internal sigh and continue my meal.

Feeling thirsty I get up and check the cooler, it's filled with soda and unhealthy energy drinks. With having doctors for parents I am completely aware as to just how bad these are for your body and try to avoid them at all costs. "You guys didn't pack any other drinks?" I ask glancing over to Abe and the other guys. "Oh sorry, it's all I had in my house. There might be a water bottle in there somewhere." Abe says chowing down on his watermelon. I let out a small sigh and look again, this time digging all the way to the bottom of the freezing, ice water filled cooler. I grab what feels to be a bottle and pull my hand out to see a bottle of natural strawberry and kiwi fruit juice. One of my favorite flavors. "Oh, I didn't even realize that I packed that, must have been my mom's or sister's. You can have it if you want." Abe says with a slightly puzzled look on his face. I shrug and take the drink back to my seat.

We finish our meal and spend the next few hours in and out of the water, playing in the sand, and laying in the sun. I find myself throughout the day going back to check my phone. The no new messages sign is there to greet me every time. I frown and notice I have a voicemail from this morning. 'It's from Yato, this must be from when he called me earlier.' I press play and bring the phone to my ear. "Hiyoriiii! Wake up! I have a great day planned for us! I know you've been feeling stressed with school lately so it'll just be me and you! It's a surprise so hurry and wake up!" The voicemail ends and I feel a pit in my stomach starting to grow bigger and bigger.

'He planned a whole day for us. That's why he was already outside, he was excited to surprise me. Yato was only thinking about me, he must have felt so happy this morning. Then I go and tell him I want a break...that must have hurt so badly.' I feel tears begin to form in my eyes as the pit moves from my stomach to my heart. 'I'm so dumb, he just wanted to spend the day with me, alone. And I had to go and…' I feel a hand press onto my shoulder and quickly look up surprised to see Hisao looking down at me. "Woah, are you crying? Is everything okay?" He asks in a concerned voice. Before I have a chance to respond I feel him grab my arm and pull me to my feet. "Come on, let's go for a walk." He says gently pulling me by my arm away from the group. Without thinking I drop my phone and follow him, it's better than having Akira and Ami see me crying right?

The two of us walk for a while mostly in silence until we reach a pier and decide to stand under it for some shade. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't at least a little bit awkward. I sniffle a few more times and feel my eyes beginning to dry. "You don't have to tell me why you're crying. I just figured it'd be better for you to go for a walk and clear your mind." Hisao says leaning against one of the pier's pillars. "Thank you...I'm sorry for troubling you." I say bowing towards Hisao. "Oh no, no need to be so formal. I just can't stand seeing pretty girls cry." He says blushing slightly and looking away to avoid my eyes. This now makes me blush as I've now been called pretty by this guy twice in one day. We stand there in total awkwardness, listening to the sound of waves crashing. "You know," I start, trying to ease the situation. "I'm feeling much better now, so if you wanted to, we could go rejoin the others." I say beginning to move out from the piers shade. I feel Hisao's hand grab mine tightly. "Uh wait!" He says holding onto my hand. "Why don't we stay here a little longer? Just to make sure you're better." He says slowly releasing my hand. 'No, because being alone with a guy who isn't my boyfriend doesn't look too good does it?' I think to myself, I'd never tell him that of course. "Really, I'm okay. Let's head back." I say as I begin to walk out from under the pier when I feel Hisao grab my hand again, this time with a bit more force.

"I said let's stay here longer." Hisao says with a bit more power in his voice, this time he's not letting go of my hand. It's at this moment that I realize just how isolated the two of us really are. Akira and the others are nowhere in sight and the rest of the beach, from what I can see, is completely empty too. I'm alone, under a dark pier, without my cell phone, with a guy who I've only known for a few short hours. This is bad. I feel my heart begin to race and adrenaline begin to pump through my veins. 'If I was in spirit form I could take him no problem… But to be honest, he's quite larger than I am… I'm not sure I even stand a chance. I'm sure he can outrun me too…' I think to myself trying to take a few steps away from Hisao. "You know, Akira and the others will be worried about us." I say trying to turn the situation around. "Probably not," Hisao starts with a chuckle, "I told Abe and Natsuo that you and I were going on a long walk and if we weren't back by sundown that I was just going to take you home myself." Hisao says gripping my hand tighter and pulling me towards him. I try to resist but damn this guy was strong.

"Come on, just enjoy yourself. No need to be so feisty." He says with another pull finally colliding his chest with my face. It was sweaty and greasy from the sunscreen. 'Eww, gross.' I think to myself as I peel the skin of my cheek off his chest. "Please just let me go, I don't want to be here anymore." I say trying to push away from Hisao's body but he just pulled me in tighter. With one arm around my torso holding me from escaping I feel his other hand stroking the top of my back down to the bottom. This sends shivers down my spine, he read it as pleasure, I felt it as disgust. "Come on there pretty girl, don't fight it. We both know you can't win." He says reaching his hand more towards my bottom. At this I begin to fight with all my strength for even a small gap to escape from him. "Ugh I hate this! Why did I even come here today!" I shout at the top of my lungs still fighting. "I wish you'd just let go!" I shout still struggling when suddenly I'm struck with the scent of something familiar. Something unique.

"Your wish has been heard loud and clear."

I hear from behind as Hisao and I look behind us to see a blue eyed, black hair guy wearing a tacky jumpsuit. Hisao is just as frozen as I am to see Yato standing there, his voice was deep, stern and dry. He had a cold stare in his eyes, like the calm before a storm. "Y-yato.." I say quietly, so quiet Hisao didn't even hear me, but Yato did. He takes his glare from Hisao for only a moment to glance at me. His expression didn't change. I felt like a kid who had been caught with their hand in the cookie jar. 'Yato's going to be so mad at me for this…' I think to myself still feeling ashamed at my attitude towards Yato earlier.

"Who the hell are you?" Hisao hisses out still holding onto me. "That's none of your concern, let her go." Yato says in a powerful voice. From his tone, you could tell this was not a request, it was a demand. Hisao lets out a chuckle and squeezes me tighter causing me to let out a small wince. I notice Yato flinch at this, he's losing patience and his rage is building. The God of chaos was no one to mess with, especially when it involved his woman. "Why don't you just run along and leave us alone. I wouldn't want to you to get hurt." Hisao says sizing Yato up with his eyes. "The only reason you aren't hurt yet is because she's in my way. Now let her go, I won't ask again." Yato says standing his ground. Not even a moment passes and Hisao starts laughing at the boldness in Yato's words. "You hurt me?" He says continuing to laugh away. "I was going to let you get off easy but now, it'll make my day to smash your face." Hisao says while tossing me to the ground as if I were some kind of rag doll.

I close my eyes and brace for the hard sand below me but instead fall into a soft pair of arms with a familiar scent. I peak one eye open to see Yato holding me in his arms, breaking my fall. He's looking down at me with the same expression as earlier. I immediately blush and try to say something but his stare was just too intense causing the words to get caught in my throat. He gently places me on the sand and stands before me, waiting for his opponent's first move. Hisao had hardly realized that Yato had moved, it was too fast. A bit confused he turns around and quickly takes a fighting position. "Alright wise guy, let's go!" Hisao says before charging towards Yato who hasn't even moved a muscle. Hisao charges and once he's within arms length he pulls back his fist to throw the first punch. At the last possible moment, Yato moves out of the way by a few inches and grabs Hisao by the neck, lifting him from the ground.

"Woah, what the hell?!" Hisao shouts as he desperately tries to free himself from Yato's grip. "Let me get this straight," Yato begins, "You actually thought you could hurt Hiyori? MY Hiyori? The thing I hold most precious in all of heaven, hell, and earth. You were going to hurt her?! You dare touch what belongs to the God of Chaos?!" Yato's grip was tightening around Hisao's throat, nails digging into his skin, and Hisao was beginning to gasp for air. I could see the light in Yato's eyes changing. They were glowing, like when he fought Rabo. I knew he was close to the edge of turning back into the God of Chaos he once was. The God he is so ashamed to have once been. Without thinking, I reach my hand out and lightly grab onto the pants of his tracksuit. "Yato…" I quietly whisper. I tried my best not to sound afraid but couldn't help the shakiness of my voice.

Yato quickly snaps out of his rage, coming back into reality, and I watch as his eyes turn back to normal. He loosens his grip on Hisao's throat. Hisao takes in a deep breath, filling his lungs once again with oxygen. "Don't you ever let me catch you anywhere near Hiyori again. I will not be so forgiving in the future." Yato says before throwing Hisao so far down the shore he was soon out of sight. I sit there frozen, unsure of what to say or do as I hear the sounds of Hisao yell fade off into the distance. Everything goes silent, the only sounds now are the waves crashing and Yato's heavy breathing. I let go of his pants and try to think of what to say. 'Thanks for saving me and by the way I'm a total idiot for earlier.' 'Thank you for saving your mean, idiotic girlfriend.' There are plenty of things I could say but none of them will make up for the mess I've made in the course of only a few hours. Yato walks over to the pillar closest to me and sit down, leaning his back against the sturdy wood. He's only a foot or two away from me but still feels so far away. He lets out a big sigh and stares at the ground, the lids of his eyes hanging low. His knees are a few inches from his chest spread apart with one arm resting on his knee and the other picking up sand and letting it run through his fingers.

"Yato-" I quietly say but am cut off. "I'm sorry Hiyori." He says shamefully avoiding my gaze. This completely takes me by surprise. 'You're sorry?! The one who had a whole day planned for us, got your heart broken, put on break, and saved me from being assaulted? How are you sorry?!' I think to myself completely dumbfounded as to how he could ever see any of this as his fault. His lips part and he continues, "You said you wanted space and a break and yet...I couldn't help myself but follow you anyways. I really was trying to give you your own space but you're so damn clumsy. First you forgot to lock your door, then forgot your bus pass, ran out of sunscreen, and didn't pack any drinks for yourself. Then this guy comes along and...I'm sorry… I know I should've stayed away but I couldn't have you getting robbed or burned or dehydrated or...you know." Yato says giving off a slight blush across his cheeks. Hearing all of this makes me want to weep. 'All this time, he was there. He was looking after me, even after the way I treated him this morning. He still followed me all day and went through all that trouble so I could enjoy myself without him.'

I feel tears begin to pool into my eyes and can't help but slowly crawl over to Yato and place my head on his chest while wrapping my arms around him torso. I begin to cry into his chest hard, like a child who's lost their parent. "Hiyori please don't cry, I said I was sorry." He says holding onto my shoulders so I can face him. My eyes are red and glossy, cheeks blushed, and I have a mountain of tears streaming down my face. For some reason the sight of this made Yato blush hard, a deep shade of red flew across his cheeks and without hesitation he pushed his lips against mine. It definitely wasn't our first or second but it surely was our weirdest kiss. We were rarely alone so these kinds of things didn't happen often. I didn't like the idea of public affection too much so anything past holding hands was typically off limits whenever Yukine or anyone else was around. I take a moment to collect myself then gradually kiss him back. His arms moved from my shoulders to being wrapped around my body and I sink deeper into his kiss.

With one arm still around my body his other moves up to hold onto my face and run his fingers through my hair. His touch is always so soft as if he was afraid he'd break me. Who knew the God of Chaos could be so gentle? Our kiss intensifies as I feel his tongue brush again my lips and I grant him access. I begin to move my hands up from his chest to cup his face and neck. Our pace is increasing in speed and the two of us can feel the heat beginning to rise. Yato and I, despite dating for weeks now, haven't really gone past making out. He says he doesn't want me to feel rushed whatsoever so whenever I'm ready to move on I'll have to make the first move. I don't really mind it too much but to be honest I'm new to all this so I don't really know what the next move is?

Our lips part as we catch our breath. The blush has gone down but is still very visible on Yato's face. His appearance is that of complete and utter lust. Eyes slightly glowing, half hanging eyelids, a blush across his face, and lips slightly parted with short, uneven, pants escaping. There's a slight look of annoyance in his face, you can tell he's tired of holding back but still has some control over himself. His eyes, his scent, his touch, it's all too much for me. I look over him with my eyes, further examining his appearance. I can see his chest rising and falling, his fist clenching and opening to release his excess energy. 'So that's how he's staying calm' I think to myself and look back to his face. This entire time he hasn't taken his eyes off me as if just looking into my face is enough to satisfy him. We both know, that isn't true though.

'Yato must really care about me… I don't think any guy would go through that much trouble, apologize for something that isn't their fault, and be able to restrain themselves so much. He never makes me feel rushed or uncomfortable, he's always there for me even when I don't notice him, and more than anything wants me to be happy even if it means removing himself from my life. He's sweet, caring, patient, funny, strong, and truly wants what's best for me. How could I ever want him out of my life for even a second? I… I...'

I take in a deep breath of his auroma and lean back in. Yato is already waiting to receive me but to his surprise instead of meeting his lips I place a kiss on his cheek, then his jaw, then neck, slowly making my way down to his collarbone. I hear him take in a sharp breath and mumble my name quietly. His hands move to my sides and I feel him slightly dig his nails into my skin. I'm a bit embarrassed to say but it was kind of fun being in control like that. I knew Yato wouldn't go any further on me without my permission so I kept him waiting. He was in the palm of my hand, and I enjoyed teasing him. Once reaching his collarbone I make my way back up leaving kisses behind every few inches. About half way into his neck I decide to slide my tongue up a few inches against his skin before whispering Yato's name into his ear.

He tightly squeezes my sides for a moment before releasing and clenting both of his fists. He really was trying with all of his strength to not go any further. I place one last kiss on his jaw when I feel him grab me by my shoulders and urgently pull me back. By the look on his face I could tell he was really annoyed. He takes a few pants before saying my name in between breaths. "Hiyori…" He says in a husky voice still trying to catch him breath. I try to lean in once more, pushing my luck, and feel Yato hold my shoulders in place restricting me from moving forward. "Hiyori...This...Is not even fair." He says looking away. I tilt my head slightly confused, was his neck one of his sensitive spots? "What do you mean?" I ask with an innocent smile placing my hands onto his chest. I feel Yato remove one of his hands from my shoulder, grab my hands, and take them off his chest to keep me from touching him. Still confused I sit there waiting for him to continue.

"How can you really expect me to restrain myself here, with you, dressed like that…and touching me that way...it's not fair..." He says still frustrated. At that moment I realize I'm practically all over Yato, wearing only a pretty revealing swimsuit. The beach is somewhere we haven't gone before so he's never even seen me like this before, no wonder he's having such a hard time restraining himself. "Do you know how hard it was…" He says still trying to calm his nerves. "How hard... to see you dressed like that all day and not lose control. To see you wet, coming in and out of the water, like that. God dammit Hiyori you either really don't know how sexy you are or completely overestimate the strength of a God." Yato runs his fingers through my hair, letting the strands slowly slip out. "How much longer do you intend on torturing me?" He says finally looking deep into my eyes.

Maybe it was heat stroke, or dehydration, or the intensity of the situation but something bold came over me and before I knew it I was slowly leaning into him once more. Although this time he did not stop me. Yato already knew. He knew if I was persisting once more it was on my own account, not because I was pressured or urged to continue. This time he meets me halfway, enveloping my lips with his. Our kiss immediately intensifies and I feel a pair of warm rough hands plant themselves back onto my sides. They're slowly moving up and down, not too far though, only a few inches at a time careful to not get ahead of himself. We part once more and stare into each others eyes. Neither of us saying a word as to not ruin the moment. Yato leans a bit forward and places his forehead against mine, eyes closed. I can feel his heart pounding, it almost matches the same pace as my own. After a few breaths I hear Yato muffle something under his breath but it was too quiet to understand. I tilt my head a bit, "What?" I quietly whisper. Even though we were completely alone we still whispered, afraid that our voices would throw us from the world we currently resided in. A world of just the two of us, where time didn't matter and all of our preconceived responsibilities were insignificant.

Yato takes in a deep breath letting it out along with some of his adrenaline. "I said, I love you." He says looking up into my eyes. It takes me a few seconds to fully comprehend the words that have just escaped from his lips. My eyes slowly widen. Frozen with shock I take a moment to reply. I finally open my mouth to respond but Yato simply takes me once again. I pull back from his kiss and try to respond again but Yato just kisses me once more. Feeling a bit frustrated I firmly push him back against the pillar, far enough to where he can't so easily kiss me. "Yato stop." I say with a bit of force. He obeys and doesn't come forward again. I take a moment to organize my thoughts but before I can speak I feel Yato's index finger press firmly on my lips to shush me. "Please, don't say anything. I really just wanted you to know. You don't have to say anything back. I don't want anything to ruin this." He says avoiding my eyes.

'Ruin this?' I think to myself. 'How in the world would that ruin anything?' I remove Yato's finger from my mouth. "Why would you think that would ruin this?" I ask slowly grabbing the God of Chao's chin and gently turning his face towards mine. He stays silent, refusing to acknowledge my question. "Yato, why would you think you telling me you love me would ruin this?" I ask again with a bit more power in my voice. 'Speak dammit!' I yell inside my head while remaining completely calm and patient on the outside. It takes Yato a moment to form his thoughts into just the right words. "Well… it's no secret that I don't find myself good enough for you. The God of Chaos isn't worthy of such a great thing as love. Hell, I nearly got reincarnated just by you accepting to be my girlfriend. Even if it was only off a bet." He pauses to think once again. I didn't bother rushing him, I knew he had more to say, it was more a matter of finding the right way to say it. "I've felt this way about you for a long time, long before we even started dating but I never said anything because I didn't want you to feel pressured to return the feeling." I couldn't tell if it was just the shock or heartbreak that forced me to stay silent. 'He really thinks that I don't…' Yato puts his head down trying to hide both his embarrassment and raw emotion. "You really don't need to say anything back and please don't feel bad. I was fully aware of the outcome before I opened my mouth. Besides, I could never ask you to love me out of pity, regardless of how I feel." He says trying his best to keep his emotions under control. His voice was quite dry by this point and still a bit husky.

After a few seconds of silence Yato finally decides to look up at me what he sees made the hair on his neck rise. My facial expression had hardly changed, eyes wide, and mouth slightly parted. I had two steady streams of tears flowing out of my eyes. It was as if someone left the nozzle on, my tears did not stop. I felt my heart slowly shatter into pieces as I continued to comprehend the words I had just heard. 'Love you out of pity? Not worthy? What in the world have you gone through to feel that way? How much pain have you experienced and still feel everyday to actually think that?' I think to myself not really knowing the right way to express how I feel. Despite my tears, I feel an uncontrollable need to laugh. I start out small with a giggle but eventually break out into full laughter. Yato is not only shocked but confused by my behavior. "What's so funny?" He asks feeling a little creeped out. Without hesitation I respond, "You" and I continue to laugh. "Me? Why me?!" He asks feeling uncomfortable. I couldn't blame him, he just told his girlfriend he loves her and she laughs? Not the most expected reaction.

I finish my laugh and begin to catch my breath, once calming I place both of my hands onto Yato's face almost slapping him on both sides. I hold his head steady so he has no where to look except into my eyes. "Yato," I start trying to keep a serious face. "I have loved you for a long, long time." I say with the biggest smile across my face. His reaction was almost that of disbelief. "You what?" Was all he was able to mutter out. With my same smile I give him a winkle and respond, "You heard me." This was not a time for Yato to be sad, a time for him to dwell on his past or his own self confidence. This was a time for him to be happy, to smile, and that's what I wanted it to be. "I said I love you." I repeat just in case he was still too deep in shock to hear me. I see his eyes slowly begin to widen as his mouth begins to stretch into the biggest smile I've ever seen.

His hands wrap around my shoulders and I feel him pull me into a tight hug. I didn't care if it was hot and humid or how sweaty we were, I accepted the hug with open arms and hugged Yato back just as tight. In the mists of the hug I hear Yato quietly under his breath whisper, "Thank you." I squeeze onto his body tighter and whisper back, "No, thank you." We both begin to laugh together, shedding all of our pride and embarrassments leaving us with only our raw emotions. After the laughter dies down I feel Yato begin to stand up, picking my up princess style along the way. He looks into my eyes with the most honest smile I think I've ever seen from him. No matter what anyone says, right now, at this moment, Yato was genuinely happy.

"Shall we go home?" Yato asks staring deeply into my eyes. I nod in response and we take off into the air. Normally I would've thought we'd teleport but Yato decided to take the long way home. In between long distance jumps Yato began to shout from the top of his lungs out into the sky. "I love Hiyori!" "Hiyori loves me! She really loves me!" I couldn't help but watch him and laugh. Such a simple thing love is and yet to Yato it meant everything in the world. To Yato, love meant acceptance, it meant family, it meant a connection that could never be broken or forgotten.

The rest of the trip home was filled with goofy laughter, jokes and sweet nothings. We arrive at my house just as the sun is setting and Yato lets me down inside of my room. The air is cold and my warm slightly sunburned skin is radiating heat making me feel even colder. I shiver and realize I am still only in my swimsuit. Yato doesn't enter my room as he figures I'll want to shower and rest. "Well I'm sure you're pretty exhausted after today, I should let you get some rest." Yato says turning to leave. I hold out a hand to stop him, "Yato wait." I say just as he's about to take off. He turns to look back at me, "Yeah?" He asks turning back around. "I've had more than enough space for a day, why don't you stay with me tonight?" I ask. There's a moment of silence before I see Yato let out a very gentle and innocent smile. He climbs through the window, entering my room, "Anything for you, my love."

I hope you guys liked my story! This is technically a Part Two to another story I wrote called That Stupid Bet. I'm thinking about just starting a thread of short-ish Hiyato stories that continue throughout their relationship. We'll see, anyways thank you for reading!