Work Text:
The sky was a bright blue but it didn’t really matter. The day really started when Kazuma was unfortunately shopping in the nearshore and bumped into three characters he didn’t really have any desire to see.
“Kazuma! Are you shopping?” Hiyori asked excitedly.
That would be why there were shopping bags in his hands. Yes.
“It must be nice to have money for things.” Yukine pointed out to Yato who just huffed.
“You can always go to the thrift store, Yukine.” Hiyori reminded.
“Right well,” Kazuma began to disengage and shoved his glasses further up his nose. “I need to get back. Good to see you.”
From there it got really weird.
This song, Africa by Toto, was playing in the food store. It seemed to be one of the hot summer jams except he was more than well aware the song was fairly old. Like, not super old like he was but still very old.
Then he went to get some books from the bookstore. They had a large books collection but sometimes it was nice to have something to read, even if it was trashy teen fanfiction. Kuraha had a running list on the whiteboard of fanfictions he’d caught some female shinki among their ranks reading.
Then some humans spotted him even though he wasn’t really anticipating being seen by the nearshore folk that day. That was strange. He managed to disappear again, slinking off into the crowd in the center of the city.
The song was blasting from the car window beside him as he walked home and he nearly lost his mind.
So he hopped into a coffee shop, unfortunately where he saw Hiyori and the back of a few heads he thought he recognized but scouldn’y make out. She shooed him out of the shop.
Not really, she was trying to tell him something but his mind wasn’t having it.
Oh.
Kazuma woke with a start. That was quite the dream he had, especially the last part where he saw a wifi that was called the Far Shore. Though, in hindsight, that actually might be Kofuku’s network in real life. He couldn’t be sure, it always crashed before he could load it.
Kazuma knocked gently on the door of Bishamon’s bedchamber. She had only just recovered from another disastrous “battle” at the fault of Yato.
One of these days...
Kuraha had apparently been the actual reason for his waking up. The lion had shifted at the end of the bed, rolling onto his back in his slumber as if he were looking for belly rubs.
Poor Kuraha. He had been stuck as a lion for what felt like forever. Bishamon had only just woken up a day or two ago, but was still recovering. She hadn’t yet regained movement in her jaw enough to speak, which made turning him back into a man quite difficult. Since she had come to, Kuraha had not left her side except for his own rest (or when she seemed moderately irritated with his presence).
“Kazuma?” One of the twins poked their heads in. “You have visitors.”
Time to get dressed, it seemed, though he hadn’t been expecting company. That could only mean one thing—
Yes.
It was exactly as he feared.
Yato stood on the other side of the large front entrance and Kazuma sighed as he stepped aside to allow them in.
“Oh, she’s still not speaking.” The god before him took in the sight of a lion. “That’s unfortunate. We came to give her a gift.”
There was nothing in their hands.
Nonetheless, Kazuma led the way to Bishamon’s bedchamber.
“My lady,” He said, voice gentle so as not to disturb her if she were still resting. “Yato is here to see you, as is Yukine and Hiyori.”
There was an unintelligible response from the other side. He let one of the twins carry the message down the hall to their waiting guests.
Kazuma, meanwhile, made his way to his mistress’s bedside.
“We know you’ve been feeling down,” Yato began, the moment he entered the room. Hiyori wore a blush that alerted Kazuma to the fact something crazy was about to happen.
“We’re literally the reason she almost respawned again, dumbass.” Yukine rolled his eyes. His posture was stiff, like he also didn’t want to be there and when he made brief eye contact with Kazuma it was evident he was also embarrassed.
“Anyways!” Yato waved him off. “We’ve pulled a little something something together.”
Without further ado, the “god” (could you really call Yato a god? His shrine is made of popsicle sticks. Seems more like a cult) threw open the double doors to the room.
It seemed like the entire manor was gathered outside the room. Bishamon suddenly looked even more tired.
“Veena—“
“Why did you let them in?”
“I didn’t know?” Kazuma sighed.
“WE ALL KNEW!” Kuraha cheered. He was a lion. How did he plan on dancing with literally two left feet?
“Nope. It’s fine. I swear!” Yato interrupted. “It’s a flash mob!”
Suddenly, Africa by Toto began to play.