Chapter Text
Now, before this story begins, there's something to know about the town of Near Shore in the Kingdom of Heaven.
There once was a boy who had everything stolen from him. His family, his dignity, his lover and almost his life. For years the Kingdom of Heaven refused to help him or even show the slightest hint of sympathy. He blamed the Kingdom and its Queen for his woes instead of trying once more to live the life he strived for.
The years passed, but his rage never dulled. Sharp as ever, he taught his two only living relatives, his son and daughter, how to beat life at its own game.
Together, the three of them would slowly dismantle what they once called home, leaving nothing but calamity and poverty in their wake.
That is, until the son’s heart began to waver and eventually fell to the other side.
Don’t worry though.
It was caught by the very same person who pushed it off tilt.
➶
Leaves whisked past a cheek already filled with scratches from near fatal arrows and tricky swords. Its owner could hear shouting from the Royal Guard, demanding him and his friend to give up. He knew better than to surrender so easily. If he were to be caught, he’d be better off dead.
Despite all that, the young man was still laughing. He had to. It surely wouldn’t be fun without it. If he was to steal from the disgustingly rich to give to those less fortunate, he had to make it fun.
But you could also say he enjoyed bringing hope back to the people of Heaven. His heart felt lighter each and every time he presented gold to those in need, as if a heavy burden was being lifted off his strained heart when he saw those dull, lifeless eyes shimmer with hope. Then again, he often thought that maybe it was the danger that made it fun. It surely made his heart race with anticipation and longing, like becoming an outlaw would bring back the feeling of being alive.
When had he lost that feeling?
Was it when he left Near Shore?
“Yato!” Kazuma’s voice broke through his scattered thoughts, bringing him back to the task at hand.
Their task? Escape from the guards with the goods in hand.
Yato soon noticed his partner’s hand, outstretched from a tree just up ahead. He threw up his hand as he neared and clasped onto Kazuma’s firm grip. Before the guards could even catch up, Yato disappeared within the branches of the tree. The two grinned down at the confused guards, triumphant for another clean escape.
“You idiots,” the sharp voice of the town sheriff could be heard past the leaves of the oak tree, “the King will not be pleased to hear Heaven’s Render has escaped from us again. How can ten men lose sight of just two?”
The guards grumbled with excuses and Kazuma had to punch Yato in the gut so his laugh wouldn’t be heard. Kugaha, Near Shore’s sheriff, came within sight between the branches, looking down onto his group of men. Yato had the urge to jump him then and there, but even he had to admit that, as slippery as he was, there was no way to escape ten royal guards in a huddle.
“The King has ordered another raise of taxes for his very important,” Kugaha paused, unsure about his answer, “ needs.”
Yato sneered, and Kazuma returned a similar expression. This was the third time in three months that the taxes had been raised without any real reason. It was quickly draining the Kingdom of Heaven of its wealth and, in turn, its population. The townspeople were struggling to make ends meet, struggling to get food on the table, struggling to stay alive amongst the sickness and famine. And while some of the lucky ones were able to collect their things and move on, most stayed and suffered under the reign of the Phony King of Heaven, hoping that one day their Queen would return to save them.
But it had now been four years since the Queen left on a fool’s errand with no word to her people. Hope was now a scarcity, just like wealth, and if it weren’t for Heaven’s Render, there would be no hope at all.
With the coast clear, Yato and Kazuma jumped down from the trees, holding onto their burlap sacks of gold. With just a flick of his head, Yato motioned for Kazuma to follow him back to their hideout.
“You know, one day your luck just might run out, Yato.”
“I don’t possibly know what you mean. I’ve been able to escape every time,” he was grinning as he looked up to the green leaves on the trees, blocking out the harsh summer heat.
“That’s my point. One day they’ll get you with no chance of escape. You’ll be dead instead.”
Yato laughed, throwing the sack over his shoulder. “Well, when that day comes, I hope I will have at least atoned for my sins.”
“And those might be?”
Yato hadn’t a clue why Kazuma asked. He knew better that Yato would never reveal what he did before escaping from his father’s manipulative leash. He’d never admit that he had a part in the Queen’s downfall. That he caused multiple deaths within the hierarchy, stolen from the poor to help aid their plan, and tricked multiple nobles into siding with his father, who at the time was the Queen’s retainer before having the crown fall right into his lap.
Yato had thought that if he had left town, he could stop the coup from happening, but little did he know his father was putting his little sister to use after he left. Hiiro wasn’t just good at being a spy, everyone adored her way of talking as if she was a small child with little to no knowledge of hierarchy and, well, that was the point. No one expected her to be as smart as she was to gather intel on the inner workings of the Kingdom. She’d relay everything her father needed to know to earn his favor at the court.
And then there was the hypnotism. Yato himself didn’t know how she did it, his father only taught her, but she was able to easily hypnotize people into doing her bidding - their father’s bidding. As it would happen, when the time was right, Hiiro managed to get Queen Amaterasu alone and hypnotize her. Ever since then, the Queen had been on a fool’s errand for four long years.
Sometimes Yato wished he had taken his sister with him when he left the castle. Back then he wasn’t sure if it’d be safe for her, not to mention the outrage the Kingdom would have if they found out she was missing along with Yato. There was also the fear of the wrath he’d receive from his father.
So he left her, thinking she’d be safe there. Little did he know his father didn’t need him anymore. Hiiro was enough. His father became King of Heaven within a month of his escape.
And Yato became Heaven’s Render.
"You really don't need to know," replied Yato, "you know who my father is. It's fair to make some assumptions."
"So I can assume your Father forced you to help him acquire his stolen crown?"
Yato shrugged, not giving him the pleasure of a response. Kazuma was a great analyzer regardless of his erratic decisions in moments of panic.
Before clearing the forest and finding their worn path to their hideout, the two outlaws stopped to see a group of townspeople beyond the treeline. Despite the rustling of the tree leaves the two could hear somber words with the occasional sniffle. Clad in black, with their heads bowed, the people surrounded a newly dug grave. The two friends grimaced. This was a scene they were seeing far too often in these parts on the edge of town.
"I think we need to visit Near Shore," admitted Kazuma.
Yato hated to agree, but he, too, thought it would be best. If this was happening just at the border, what was happening back home?
➶
The town was a lot quieter than Yato remembered. He was used to the sound of church bells and laughing children, the occasional yell of a street seller or that one group of elderly women who liked to watch visitors come and go through the town.
There was none of that. It was as if it were a ghost town. Devoid of all life.
Though, it would make sense for people to hold themselves up into their houses with two unknown visitors strolling through the cobblestone streets. Both Yato and Kazuma wore the uniforms of two Royal Guards that just so happened to now be taking an evening snooze just outside the town entrance.
The townsfolk didn't like seeing the guards strolling through the streets, much less ones they didn't know. For they'd fear more taxes might be collected if they caught the eyes of the King's watchmen.
"We just need to make it to the church so we can hand over the donation to Friar Tenjin," voiced Kazuma at Yato's side.
"Riiight," Yato dragged out as he wrapped his arm around Kazuma's shoulder, "about that." Yato could feel his friend stiffen up under his weight. "We need to stop by the orphanage first. I've got to visit my boy."
"You know damn well I can't go in there," hissed Kazuma.
If they weren't undercover, Yato would have laughed his heart out. "Ah, come on. I’m sure you can finally make amends with your girlfriend.”
A cold glare from his friend said otherwise, “I don’t know how many times I have to tell you, but she is not my girlfriend.” Released from Yato’s hold, Kazuma readjusted his glasses before pulling down on his uncomfortable uniform. “Besides, I know she doesn’t return my feelings, so it's a waste of time for me to even try. There’s a reason I decided to leave and come with you on your suicide mission.” They continued on their walk, now taking a turn towards the town’s orphanage. Kazuma could already tell he was fighting a losing battle. He’d have to tag along.
“Suicide mission? Hardly. We’ll outwit the King in this battle for righteousness.”
Kazuma couldn’t help but laugh. “You seem to forget your Father outwitted you, and I’m sure that is how all this,” he gestured towards townsfolk in shackles and pillories, “happened.”
Yato could barely meet the villagers' eyes as he passed. Signs above them stated a warning for all those to see that this was what would happen if they couldn’t pay up. The guilt was far too much for Yato. He never imagined it would get worse in his absence.
Ridden with his hidden sins, Yato had the nerve to turn around and never look back. How could he show his face to the boy who cheered him on from the sidelines? How could he tell him all of this was his doing? These were the thoughts that kept him away from Near Shore.
The gut wrenching fear of running into her was an even bigger reason. Yato didn’t know how he’d ever face the sweet smile of his childhood friend again. Not when he had so much to fix from his wake of calamity.
Just as they passed another abandoned house, something familiar caught Yato’s eye. He cracked a smile despite his woes. "Man, whoever drew these posters sure got the resemblance dead on."
Kazuma turned around to find Yato striking a similar heroic pose next to one of his wanted posters. Drawn in his usual black hooded shirt that drifted just to the top of his thighs and black trousers that were adorned with holes and tears. Aside from his bow being at the ready, he had a sheathed sword at his side.
Funny, Kazuma could have sworn he'd seen this drawing of him before. Even before seeing them posted all over town.
Then his stomach dropped, "you didn't. "
Yato’s smile grew.
"Please tell me this isn't why you were drawing self portraits for days on end this spring." Before Yato could get a smart-ass reply out of his mouth, his friend sank to the ground, burying his head in his hands. "I can't believe you outed yourself."
"Hey now, that job helped us get those nice and juicy mutton ch-"
Kazuma mumbled something into his hands, inviting Yato to come closer so he could repeat it.
"What was that?"
Kazuma's head reared up, eyes filled with annoyance, "I said your an imbecile-"
"Kazuma?"
With his insult cut short, Kazuma turned his head at the voice behind him. There stood a tall, long blonde haired woman with an expression that was a mixture of shock and relief. Behind her were four children, all dressed in the same tops and trousers.
"Viina?"
“Well, would you look at that? Seems it was fate for us to meet,” Yato sneered at the woman who he knew was called Bishamon as she glared back.
“If it weren’t for you, he’d still be here with me.” Spite flew off her tongue, but her furrowed brows relaxed when Kazuma stood back up, meeting her eye to eye.
“I made the decision myself, Viina,” he swallowed hard as he came to terms with his words, “we should talk.”
Bishamon sighed but nodded her head, “right. Let's get you two off the street before someone realizes that the village idiot has returned,” she said, sending a cold glare Yato’s way.
“Hey,” Yato pointed at her, “at least I don’t go running with my bosom popping out of my kirtle like some sort of street harpy.”
“You wretched mannerless buffoon, I wish I could leave you on the street unconscious for the sheriff to find you.”
With another wisecrack at the ready Yato opened his mouth to fire back, but his jaw quickly slapped shut at the sight of a blond haired boy poking his head from behind Bishamon. Yato smiled and sighed, his shoulders going slack. The boy smiled back, a sparkle in his eyes.
“Alright, alright. You win. Let’s just get going, yeah?” He wasn’t sure if it was the eagerness to talk to his kid or the fear of saying something indecent in front of him that made him surrender. Either way, he wanted to get off of the street before their banter caught the attention of wandering eyes.
As they all followed the well endowed mother of four, Yato couldn't help but notice his kid stealing glances of him. As if he couldn’t believe he was here.
If he were being honest, Yato couldn’t believe it himself.
When they reached the orphanage, as soon as the doors shut behind him, the boy ran into Yato's arms. He was surprised by the immediate affection but didn't deny it. Yato pulled him in tight, his hand resting on the back of his head.
"How have you been, Yukine?"
The boy pulled back after wiping away his tears and snot on Yato’s stolen outfit, "Good, but I‘d be better if I could have stayed with you."
Yato knelt down to meet him eye to eye and patted the back of his head. "I wish I could have stayed here with you as well, but a certain somebody said I should continue helping people. You know that, right?"
Yukine shrugged, "maybe I'm old enough to come with you now?"
"Close, but I think you need to practice up on your archery skills first before you join Kazuma and I on the run."
"How am I supposed to do that when I don't have a-" Yukine's voice dropped as he watched Yato pull a bow from his back. He presented it to him with a soft grin and apologetic eyes.
"For you, sorry it's late, but Happy Birthday, Yukine."
In a flash the bow was gone from Yato’s hands. Now clutched between Yukine’s two fists, it looked like it had always belonged there.
“T-thank you, Yato!”
The smile was thank you enough. Carefully, Yato told him how to hold the bow and pull back on the string, how to hold the arrows and launch them into the air. Eager as ever, Yukine asked if he could run out with the other kids to try it out.
“You may, but let me ask you something first.”
Yukine seemed dredged for time so Yato decided to keep it short.
“Is Hiyori doing alright?” It almost pained him to ask. He knew he should just go see her himself, but there was something stopping him. The guilt, the fear, the unwanted feeling of having to leave her more than once.
“Oh, yeah she’s doing fine! She comes to visit me often, and sometimes I play with her and Kofuku in the courtyard.”
Yato’s stomach did somersaults, “It's just you three, right?”
Yukine titled his head to the side, “yeah, i mean sometimes Bishamon and the other three come along, but that’s it.”
Relief settled into his heart, “that’s good to hear. Please be careful of the King and Hiiro-”
“Whose Hiiro?”
“Ah, right. You probably know her as Mizuchi.” Yato sometimes forgot his name for her was not known by many.
“Oh! Mizuchi! I’ve asked her to join us, but it seems like she just likes to sit by the wall.”
“She’s more of a watcher,” Yato admitted as he swallowed hard.
Worries started to flood into his mind at the thought of his sister listening in on Hiyori and Yukine. If she so much as heard a whisper of his name from those two, she’d definitely report back to their Father. He knew his Father’s favorite game was meddling in the lives of others, especially if it was something that would help him get what he wanted. Like the crown permanently on his head or the life of his own son.
“You should go see Hiyori,” Yukine’s voice snapped him back to reality, “she seems to miss you an awful lot.”
For some reason Yato’s face began to feel very hot . “Why do you say that?”
Yukine shrugged, he couldn’t take his eyes off his new bow, “she talks about you a lot. Says I remind her of you. I don’t really know what she means by that, though.”
Yato couldn’t help but laugh as he, too, wondered what exactly she meant. “I do miss her. I’m hoping I can go see her again soon.”
“Promise?” Yukine stuck out his pinky, waiting for the perplexed Yato to accept.
“You picked that up from Hiyori, didn’t you?”
“What if I did?”
Yato sighed but gave in with a light chuckle before their pinkies wrapped around each other, “I promise.”
Shortly after, when Kazuma had finished explaining everything to Bishamon and left to give the donations to Friar Tenjin, Yato took post in the doorway. He watched as the kids asked for turns with Yukine’s new bow. The stubborn boy wouldn’t let it fall into another’s hands, as if it were the most precious thing he was ever given. It was the first time in a while that something made Yato’s heart feel a tad bit lighter. It wasn’t a bad feeling but one long unknown to him. It made him miss home.
“I hope one day you can give him a proper home,” Bishamon joined him in the doorway, looking down at him as if he were dirt stuck under her nails.
“All in good time. You know as well as I do that I don’t have a proper place for him right now.”
“He looks up to you,” her expression softened at the thought, “he asks about you all the time and tells me what you guys went through before you brought him here.”
“I hope it wasn’t all bad,” Yato’s voice began to drift into uncertainty.
“Quite the contrary. He speaks highly of you. I once caught him referring to you as ‘Dad’. I don’t think he noticed, though.”
“Huh,” nonchalant to those words Yato rubbed the back of his head, “did he, now?”
Yukine was jumping up and down after firing a shot into a makeshift target made by his friends. The look he gave back to Yato was one a son would give to their father, searching for praise and compliments.
“Keep it up and you’ll be the town's next new hero soon!”
Those hazel eyes shined brighter than the sun and the leaves illuminated by it. His smile held nothing but courage and a bit of pride. Here, in Near Shore, there were many things for Yukine to be happy about. It was nothing like the place he came from. The place Yato rescued him from.
“I’m assuming you and Kazuma won’t be staying long?” Bishamon’s expression bore one of not hate but more of loneliness and contempt. Acting as if she didn’t miss Kazuma regardless if it showed clearly on her face.
“Nah,” Yato crossed his arms as he leaned back against the door frame, “it wouldn’t be safe for anyone if we stayed here.”
“We wouldn’t have to worry about that if you would have just taken care of your Father yourself.”
There were no lies in Bishamon’s words, but he could detect malice and loathing. After all, she was right. The whole town would probably be better off if he had directly taken care of the problem a long time ago. If he had just used that night to slit his father’s throat instead of running off like some sort of coward. If only… if only…
“Kazuma! Check this out!” Yukine shot off another arrow, landing just short of the target. His shoulders sagged with defeat, but not for long. Kazuma walked up behind and offered a bit of advice as Yukine readied his arrow again. He watched him tilt Yukine’s aim up just a bit before telling him to let go. It landed within the second circle.
Yato chuckled, “now I can see why you miss him,” Bishamon raised a brow, “he’s got that attentive eye that you don’t.”
“Hmm,” she pondered his words and turned on her heel, “interesting. That’s not exactly it, but thanks for your two schillings.” She looked over her shoulder at Yato with worrisome eyes, “isn’t it about time you head out before the both of you get caught?”
They shared a glance as if they both knew a little more than they were letting on. When her eyes flicked back to Kazuma, Yato could clearly tell, she loved him and she wished for him to leave before she begged him to stay.
Yato dipped his head, “right, ya. We’ll get going.”
“One more thing,” her voice was oddly pleading, “I know he’s doing this for me, for the kids, but please don’t let anything happen to him. Heaven doesn’t need two martyrs.”
“I can promise you, if there is to be one... It’ll be me. The only one who deserves it.”
It was the first time he heard her laugh at his words and he was a bit taken aback. “You might be the martyr, but just know we are cheering you on. The town, I mean. You might have a lot more followers and believers than you think.”
Bishamon left him with those words before calling for the kids and giving Kazuma a wave goodbye, Yukine at her side doing the same for Yato. They waved back until Yato and Kazuma were out of sight and made their way towards the wooded land.
“What were you two talking about?” Kazuma asked as they began to shed their stolen armor at the tree line.
It was then that Yato remembered what Bishamon had told him before their talk of her hidden feelings. Yukine had called him ‘dad’, and he wasn’t really sure what to think about it. To Yato, his father was nothing but a silver tongued devil. It was all he knew about fathers, about family, but now he was on the verge of being something different for Yukine.
But how could he be one when he was no different from his own father? Right now, the only difference he could really see was the crown atop of one’s head.
It surely wasn’t Yato’s.
➶
One Year Ago
It was a chilly autumn day when Daikoku found Yato in the forest of Far Shore. He was a royal guard at the palace, and one of the few men Yato had on his side. They often swapped intel about the King’s movements - here he would be for the next visit, how much money he planned on collecting, and the location of the rendezvous to swipe it from beneath his nose.
This time, however, he brought nothing but a handwritten letter.
“Who is it from?”
Daikoku looked away, “you should read it yourself and find out.” He paused before leaving, “by the way, I’m not the one who told her.”
Yato quickly looked up from the parchment to meet Daikoku’s stern expression.
“Just read it.”
So he did. With Daikoku’s footsteps fading in the distance, those words written in ink bled into his mind.
Heaven’s Render,
I hope you’re doing well. I’m sorry to have to contact you this way, but I really didn’t know how else to get in touch with you.
First of all, please don’t be mad with Daikoku or Kofuku. They did as you asked and kept it a secret that you guys had been communicating. I’m surprised you thought you could keep it from me for so long.
She had a point. Hiyori was one of the smartest people he knew.
But also, please don’t worry. I’m not trying to make you feel guilty. I’m not trying to say that you should have said at least something in the past three years. I don’t want this letter to bring another burden into your heart.
I know you need your space and your time to figure out what to do. It’s what you wished for, and I believed you when you said it would just take some time.
I just hope you miss me as much as I miss you.
Yato had to laugh while holding back tears. If only she knew.
I do have a favor to ask of you. I was passing through the town of Yomi with my family recently and ran into a peculiar young boy on the street. I caught him stealing food from a local bakery and almost had the nerve to turn him in. Being raised as a proper lady, I know how hard it is for businesses to stay open during these times of the Queen’s absence. But I also remembered how hard it is to earn a meal during these times as well.
I ended up buying the stolen food and some new clothes for him. I even gave him a bit of advice, but I fear none of that will last him very long. I noticed his bruised arms and neck just as I left.
I don’t think he’d be hard for you to find. His blonde hair sticks out like a sore thumb in the town of Yomi. He’s friendly despite his bad decisions. I think he’s just a tad bit lost.
He reminds me of you in that regard.
Sometimes she was a bit too honest, but that was also a quality that he loved.
I’m sad to say I never did get a name. It makes me wonder if he even has one.
Do you think you could help him? He thinks Heaven’s Render is a hero. You know how much people love heroes.
And you know yourself how often I read about them. I cherished every single one of those books that I read underneath that cherry tree.
But I still don’t cherish anything as much as I cherished you there beside me.
May our fate bring us back together soon,
Maiden of the Moon
The signature nickname sent him spiraling. She was speaking of all those nights they shared under the moon. Whether it was in the courtyard, the forest, or the sill of her window. Hiyori knew how to stir him up and wrap him around her finger,but he really didn’t mind it all that much. He often dreamed of taking permanent residency on that finger of her right hand in the form of a silver band.
As he stored her letter safely among his things Yato decided he’d save the boy.
Hiyori liked heroes, and Yato had always wanted to be one.
➶
It was a cold winter night when Yato found him in the town of Yomi. The fresh, light snow on the cobblestone road made the eerie city a little quieter than usual. The boy was slumped against a building, shivering under ink soaked parchment. Without disturbing his slumber, Yato picked up a torn letter addressed to someone named Yuka. A quick look around confirmed all the letters were addressed to the same person. His eyes couldn’t stray away from the words he wrote.
Sister, will you help me?
Sister, where did you go?
Do you think father will get better one day?
I want to go where you are.
Yato’s heart was beating rapidly. What if this had been Hiiro. What if each and every day she had wished for her older brother to come save her? What if all this time she had just been putting on a brave face in front of everyone?
There was that time when Yato had saved her from a beating with his own body. The tears she cried that day were the last ones he saw.
As he looked upon the beaten and bruised kid in front of him he finally felt it - the need to convince his sister to come back to his side. To protect her from their controlling father and to hopefully restore the crown of Heaven to its rightful owner.
But only if it wasn’t too late.
Yato gently shook the kid awake and watched the boy’s tired eyes strain to open. He looked mal-nourished and devoid of all hope. Though, when those hazel eyes locked onto his, Yato could have sworn he saw a spark of hope.
“Are you okay?” It was a silly question really, but Yato didn’t know what else to say at that moment.
The boy blinked slowly, “I’m okay,” his voice so quiet. Like the sound of snow that dusted upon the cobblestone. “Are you Heaven’s Render, by chance?”
Yato smiled softly and nodded his head, “yeah, but you can call me Yato. What should I call you?”
He stared down at the letters piled up around him and shrugged, “Funny, I can’t seem to remember my own name. My father must have beaten it right out of me,” for a second he seemed to hold back a sob, but he put on a strained grin instead, “He’d usually just call me boy. ”
“You deserve to be called something better. Tell me, what should I call you instead?”
“I don’t know if it really matters all that much. Does it?”
It mattered to Yato. How else would he encourage this boy out from beneath his piled up woes and unheard wishes. How else would he convince him to find a safer place in Near Shore? How else would he introduce him to a loving home with a caring foster mom and siblings?
How else would Yato call out his name when he’d come to visit?
There was something special about hearing your name being called by someone. A person that you loved and cared about. As if hearing your name was like a motivation to keep on going. A feeling to keep on living. A word that felt comforting to hear from someone else's lips.
Yato’s favorite comfort was the memory of his own name being spoken by the girl he cherished more than his life.
Maybe Yato could be someone similar to…
“Yukine.”
The blond haired boy blinked at him in response.
“How does that sound?”
The boy smiled faintly, “That doesn’t sound so bad.”
Yato returned a smile and reached for Yukine’s hand, “how about I take you home with me? It’s a long journey, but I promise good things are waiting down that road.”
Yukine’s grip was weak but it didn’t lack determination. With the help of Heaven’s Render, Yukine was pulled out of his self proclaimed grave among lost wishes.
The journey back to Near Shore took them to the end of the winter season. They stopped at countless inns on the way, passing off bribes as each person recognized the outlaws' faces. The gold was enough to keep them quiet. To keep his tracks hidden.
During that snow filled season the two had grown a particular close bond with one another. Yato wasn’t quite sure what it was at first, and it wasn’t until that first warm day in Far Shore forest that he understood it. Yato had run out of money at that point and decided to set up camp outside for the night. Everything was okay until it was lights out.
Yukine shook him awake with fear stricken eyes as the stars shined above him. “I’m afraid of the dark,” he admitted.
Yato took no time at all to rebuild the fire so Yukine could feel more comfortable. It made sense now why the kid never turned off his oil lamp when it was time for bed.
With the fire roaring just a few feet from them, Yato sat beside Yukine and watched the sparks fly off into the leaves above.
“Aren’t you going to get some sleep?” asked Yukine with heavy eyelids.
“I’ll be okay,” Yato ruffled the boy’s hair in an attempt to comfort him, but he looked more annoyed than at peace. Yato laughed, “just get some sleep. I’m going to keep watch.”
What Yukine didn’t know was how often this forest was monitored by the King. How likely it was for a midnight portal to come strolling between the trees. Snuffing out your fire was the safest move for the late nights.
But for Yukine, he didn’t mind the extra trouble.
The drop off at Bishamon’s orphanage was the hardest. Yukine was confused at first, worried that he’d be taken away from his new companion. But Yato met him on his knees, within eye level and promised to come back for him one day. A day when order would be brought back to the Kingdom of Heaven. A day when Yato’s head would no longer be hunted.
A day when those most precious to him would no longer be in harm's way.
But as he left, watching the tears fall down his boy's face, Yato wondered if he really did the right thing. At first he thought it would be fine as long as he had just answered Hiyori’s prayers. He thought that maybe with this, he could earn her favor in forgiveness of his piled up sins.
No, he thought, Yukine is better off here more than he ever was in Yomi.
Yato gave one final wave goodbye before turning towards his road of redemption. That cobblestone path that led out of town, quiet and damp from the spring rain. The weather was worthy of departure from a place he used to call home.
➶
Present Day
There was a breeze in the late afternoon that made the summer heat a little more tolerable to Hiyori and her lady in waiting as they sat beneath a cherry tree in the courtyard. There was comfort to be found in the rustling of leaves above their heads and the sound of birds chirping in the Far Shore Forest, just beyond the castle’s stone wall.
With another turn of the page Hiyori was reminded why it was her favorite place to read. It was a place where heroes were born. Not just the ones in her books, but also the one that used to sit beside her on summer days just like this.
Heaven’s Render was no fairytale. He was a never-fading memory, a carving on her heart, a love that seemed so fleeting despite the comforting hold he had on her. Something she’d never give up and a name that would forever be scrawled in her journal.
With a heavy heart she glanced back at the handwritten note she was using as today’s bookmark. A letter from one of the castle’s guards, Daikoku. A warning of a detestful plan and news that riddled her heart with endless questions.
The King has decided to make stronger movements against Heaven’s Render. Something to pull him out of hiding that he simply won’t be able to resist. I fear that if this plan succeeds, Heaven’s Render won’t just be chained up in the tower for the rest of his life. As the King always says, “Losing one’s head is a fitting fate for a traitor.”
Hiyori grimaced, but urged herself to read on. If she didn’t keep reading the note over and over again, she might not have taken the words to be real. That instead, this was all some sort of sick and twisted dream.
You should also know Heaven’s Render was spotted in town three days ago. Donated his earnings to the people of Near Shore before taking off to the forest again. I trust that if you were to see him, if he were to come visit you, you’d tell him to stay away.
You and I both know that he’d be a dead man to enter the palace grounds. Not with his Father still around.
With the note folded neatly in half, Hiyori stuffed it back into her book to save her spot, hoping that, just like with her book of heroes, it could pause the story outside the pages as well. For she feared what was to come next. This wasn’t something she could simply sift through to find the happy ending within a few short hours. No, this story was unfolding before her very eyes, and she was undoubtedly terrified.
Hiyori never once thought what Yato did was wrong. If she were honest, it brought endless joy for her and hope for the people of Heaven. She loved the stories that were passed around the villages; tales of a hooded man robbing the wealthy of their unneeded riches with nothing but a sword and bow were something straight out of her books and daydreams. Despite the way he went about it, Hiyori thought Yato was truly a hero of Heaven.
But even then... Hiyori had to admit the darker side of things. Unlike a book, reality had nothing set in stone. Yato’s luck could run out any second, and Hiyori could only wish it never did. There were more reasons than one why they never met in the past four years. It wasn’t just for her safety, but for his as well.
There was a familiar sound that broke her chain of thoughts - the sound of a pulled string and unsteady hands. Hiyori looked past the iron gate of the cobblestone wall to see a figure standing in a very familiar pose, just like on those wanted posters littering the town’s walls.
“Don’t worry, fair maiden! I have come to rescue you from your stronghold and take you away to the beautiful beaches of Far Shore!”
Hiyori recognized the voice almost immediately and had to suppress a laugh at the boy's charismatic acting. Just behind her, Kofuku was laughing along. She pushed on Hiyori’s shoulder.
“Well? Don’t keep your savior waiting!”
She placed her book down amongst the grass and patted down her dress before standing up, “My Hero! Please, oh, please help!” The sound of multiple laughs could be heard from beyond the wall. It seemed as if they had a crowd this time.
“Hiyori,” his voice turned into a whisper, “you gotta come unlock the gate for me first.”
“Oh! Right!” Hiyori ran over and nonchalantly used her palace keys to aid her rescuer. She moved back a bit before continuing her acting, “but how shall you get past these locked gates? I’m stuck here forever!”
With a startling kick, Yukine broke into the unlocked gate with a triumphant, strong grin. “Not now you aren’t!”
Hiyori really couldn’t hold in her laugh this time, it came in spurts and left her with tears in her eyes.
“Hey! No laughing! How else am I going to go out on adventures with Dad- I mean Yato?”
Down on her knees in an instant, Hiyori pulled Yukine in for a hug despite his desperate pleas to let him go. The sound of his friends laughing heightened with each new struggle of his escape.
“Ah, I’m sorry Yukine. You’re just so cute I couldn’t hold it in,” she pulled back enough to look him in the eyes, “but let’s remember to not use his name around the palace, okay? We never know who's listening.”
"Sorry. Slip of the tongue."
"It's okay. You would have been fine if you just called him Dad, though-"
"Don't tell him!"
Hiyori's eyes widened at Yukine's heated face and how he tried to hide it behind his hands.
"Well, why ever not? Isn't that how you feel towards him?"
Yukine shook his head. "He probably just sees me as some sort of annoying brat."
"That's not true, Yuki!" Kofuku surprised both of them but Hiyori nodded her head in agreement. "He traveled all the way to Yomi to save you. Brought you back to a safer and kinder place. He even gave you a birthday present by the looks of it."
Now that Kofuku had mentioned it, Hiyori did wonder where he got his newfound weapon. It would be odd for him to receive something like that from anyone else.
Yukine's face reappeared from the comfort of his hands, a pout shown on his face. "He was months late."
Hiyori grabbed onto both of his hands, holding them comfortably in hers. "We never said he was perfect."
"I guess you're right." Yukine chuckled, "I hope at least he kept the one promise he made to me before he left."
"And what was that?"
"I made him promise that he'd come to see you soon. Did he not?"
Hiyori's heart sank, and Kofuku took that as her que to leave, inviting the rest of the kids into the courtyard to play a game.
Hiyori shook her head, "he didn't. Not yet," she added. When she saw the anger and hurt develop in the young boy's eyes, she sighed. "Yukine, there are some things that are beyond his doing. No matter how little or easy they might be."
"Yeah, but I told him how much you missed him. The least he could do is say hi or send a letter or-" Yukine stopped at the sight of Hiyori's face growing red. "Are you okay?"
Now it was her time to hide her reddened cheeks. "I can't believe you told him that."
"Is it not true?"
"No, well, yes, but that's besides the point," she sighed. "I'm sure we'll see each other when the time is right. Whenever that might be."
Disheartened by her words, Yukine seemed to want to be let go, but Hiyori held onto him for just a bit longer. "But thank you, Yukine. Maybe your words will bring us together again sooner."
"I hope so," he paused, as if thinking of his next choice of words carefully. "Can I ask you something? I'll tell you anything you want in return."
Hiyori laughed, "deal.” She pondered for less than a second, “can you just tell me if he’s okay?”
“I think so. He did say he wished he could see you soon. Everyone who knows him can tell he misses you.”
“He said that?” she asked, withholding tears. They almost broke free with the nod of his head. It wasn’t something unbelievable to her, but without much at all from him other than accepting a single letter in the past four years… how would she know how he felt about her? How was she supposed to figure these things out if there was no one there to tell her... No one there to show her...
“How did you two become friends?”
Hiyori wiped away the tears on the cusp of escaping and looked over to her favorite spot. A book placed beneath where the sun shone through the leaves, golden shapes scattering on the pages like bugs. Just above it, carved into the tree, was a memory yet to fade. Nor did she ever think it would.
“Well, he was the son of the Queen’s Retainer. We met when we were both pretty young, much younger than you are now. In order to find his place among the palace, he decided he was going to train to become a guard and even a knight someday.” Hiyori pursed her lips, “we used to spend every day together despite both of our busy schedules. I was training to become a,” she rolled her eyes, “ proper lady.”
“Did you guys kiss a lot?”
“Y-yukine!”
“What!? Did you know he talks in his sleep? I can’t count the amount of times I had to wake him up from his dreams because he was saying your name and slobbering all over his pillow.”
“No,” she admitted, hiding her face, “not a lot.”
The boy hummed, “so just a little?”
“ Yukine. Please.”
“Alright, sorry,” his smug grin melted into something sweeter and it reminded her of how Yato used to tease her about such trivial things. The two of them were more alike than she had realized.
“What did you guys do for fun, then?”
“ A lot,” the memories were beginning to replay in her head like the flipping of pages in her journal. Trying for just a page or two to relive those precious moments. But her answer wasn’t good enough for the pouting boy so she stood and welcomed Yukine to follow her with an open palm, “come on, it’s hot out. I’ll tell you under the shade of the tree.”
➶
There was a cherry tree in the back of the castle, in the courtyard just on the other side of the garden. It was often Hiyori’s favorite spot to read her books that she stole from her older brother. Books about adventures and the battles within, of heroes and villains, the greatest fight against good and evil.
It was often the place that Yato would sit there together with her, taking a nap after his sword practice. The scent of cherry blossoms and a hint of his musk would get caught on the breeze ever so often.
Sometimes she’d imagine the hero’s having the same scent.
There were times when Hiyori would catch sneak peeks of his sleeping face. He had long lashes that fluttered when he dreamed. In the summers she admired his exposed nape while his hair was tied up in a knot. Sometimes, if he were close enough, his head would fall on her shoulder as he napped.
Hiyori never minded.
So Yato never stopped.
He liked how comforting her shoulder was. He enjoyed hearing the sound of her breath and heartbeat as she continued to turn the pages. He sometimes would act like he was asleep only to join her in the adventures of her favorite heroes.
Yato wished he could be a hero to her one day.
Hiyori already thought he was. Watching him everyday a few yards away from the tree as he swung his sword to attack and to defend. How he sometimes used sly tricks to inbalance his opponents off their feet. And everytime he was triumphant, she'd imagine him like those heroes in her books
The first time he caught her watching he nearly lost his footing, but over time it gave him confidence. Because now he knew the girl he liked had her eyes on him.
“What’s your favorite thing about those books, Hiyori?”
They were sitting underneath the cherry tree as the sun set behind the trees of Far Shore Forest. Hiyori put her book down and looked out to the painted sky.
“I think that, despite the hero’s faults, they’re inherently good. No matter what.”
“No matter what?” questioned Yato, “how do you mean?”
"Well, everyone makes bad decisions once in a while don't they? Doesn't make them a bad person."
"You really think that?"
Hiyori remembered looking at him with the back of his head against the tree, ever so slightly turned her way. Their eyes met and that was the first time she felt it.
That shiver that began in her lower stomach and slowly crept up to her wavering heart. The butterflies that slowly emerged as she realized how vivid the color of his eyes was. How charming he looked with light freckles, dusted on his cheeks from spending hours in the sun.
She loved how easily her name formed on his lips. How natural it came off his tongue. The name that brought her out of her lovesick stupor.
"Hiyori?"
Oh, he had caught her staring once more. Caught red handed, betrayed by the blush on her cheeks.
Quickly averting her eyes, she grabbed onto the book once more before delving back into the hero's tale.
"I meant what I said," she admitted in an embarrassed whisper.
From the corner of her eye she could have sworn she saw him smile, a hint of red on his ears.
The next day Yato didn't show up for practice or a nap upon her shoulder. Instead she was greeted by their carved initials in the tree. A heart around them to call home. It was rough and prickly at the touch, but over time it would smooth out as if it had always been there.
Later that night she found out his absence came with a reason. He had been punished for doing the very thing she loved seeing as a greeting that morning. She couldn't help but laugh and forgive him for his rebellious crime. For she knew he was good.
Yato was always good.