Servant of the Moon

The sunlight was warm on Hiyori’s face, bright. She groaned and rolled over, hoping to use her husband’s chest to block the hindrance to her sleep. When her arm fell over empty sheets, she opened her chestnut eyes slowly. Pain, the kind that hides away at night, throbbed back into a dull feeling until fear gripped it tight. Like trying to wrap bandages over broken glass.

With a short gasp she picked her head up until her eyes caught onto the man sitting up on the edge of the bed. He was staring at the sun, still as stone. He had been staring at the moon, waiting. Hiyori bit her lip, the fear of his absence was gone but she didn’t know what to say to their shared loss. That was until her eyes wandered up his bare spine to the top of his black hair and saw it was out of its ponytail.

“Yato?” Hiyori pushed herself to her elbow. Her husband turned around, narrow blue eyes unnaturally piercing, and gave a small, sad smile.

“No…still me.” Yaboku replied. 

“Oh,” Hiyori’s eyes fluttered down until she snapped herself out of it and pulled them back up, “sorry about that, you know the,” she gestured around her hair. Yaboku blinked and looked up, musing his bangs with a huff through his nose.

“Yeah, it got uncomfortable at night,” Yaboku turned back around, “sorry…” 

“No, no!” Hiyori sat up, holding the sheet against her, “I- I’m sorry, I just thought that maybe…I don’t know…I just wanted to be sure! Sorry…” 

Yaboku looked at her again, a sad smile, “I already told you, you don’t have to keep apologizing…you did fall in love with him first…” Yaboku faced the window again as he said that, guilty. This time Hiyori let out huff of exasperation, her husband’s self loathing was almost as famous as her other husband’s mood-swings. But she couldn’t be mad at him…not when he was the one suffering the loss the most.

“Hey,” she scooted closer and put a hand on his back. When he took a moment and finally turned to look at her once more, Hiyori laid on his pillow and smiled at his face softly.

“Don’t forget, I fell in love with you too. I married both of you after all.” She gently pulled on his arm. Yaboku finally cracked a smile and laid across her chest. He kissed her once, twice. Their hands wove together, silver wedding bands rubbing against the ingrains of the moon cycle. 

“Which is still a miracle. Honestly, what med student minoring in mythology would date the class weirdo?” He rolled over and laid back down. Hiyori was finally able to settle at his side. His voice was deeper than Yato’s, rougher around the edges. He always spoke politely and with a purpose. She can tell he was just trying to fill the space like Yato does, to distract them.

“The one who thought you were an identical twin, or just playing a mean joke. Not someone with DID studying four different majors. And I told you, my grandmother was spiritual, it was a common interest!” 

“I was studying anthropology and anatomy. You know, for my job. It was Yato that wanted to study ancient literature and,” Yaboku frowned, “fashion design.” His annoyance melted when Hiyori giggled.

“For your job. We wouldn’t have been able to help Kazuma and Lady Bishamon out if Yato didn’t already know all her stories.” Hiyori reminded him. Yaboku huffed but grumbled out his agreement.

“The fashion major thing was a pain. Sometimes he would storm out over the teacher squashing his creative brilliance and I would wake up to being asked what compliments mauve.” 

“Well he wanted to fix your costume-”

“My traditional, ceremonial, war uniform-” 

“Because he said yours was too depressing and ‘like an old horror movie villain.’” Hiyori wanted to swallow her words as soon as they came out but Yaboku didn’t even blink.

“I guess the real miracle is that you still went on that monthly anniversary date, even after Yato confessed to not being fully human and then still lied about our disorder.”

Hiyori snorted, “Yeah well, when he insisted he didn’t have a twin and when you both started getting confused on our plans, I think I had every right to get frustrated. 

“And after Yato tried to convince me that gods actually exist, that they sway the world by possessing a specific human, and that he was the avatar of the Tsukuyomi; instead of explaining you have dissociative identity disorder to a literal medical student,” Hiyori waved her hand in the air at the reminder of the insane word-vomit Yato told her in the middle of the school library. 

Confessing, very loudly, that the man she was dating wasn’t entirely himself all the time and that he was only half responsible for the recent string of criminals being found dead around the city. All at the behest of the moon god, Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto. She remembered feeling her heart drop at the thought that she had been dating a nut-case, red with both embarrassment and anger, feeling like he made a fool of her. Of course none of that was his intention, neither of them meant to upset her. She sighed and her hand flopped back on the bed. Yaboku’s chuckle rumbled in his chest.

“And how could I say no when he started crying?”

“You just wanted to stop making a scene.”

“I wanted to buy a mace and a taser, in case rejecting a possible crazy-person at a public restaurant went south.” 

Hiyori sat up and narrowed her eyes, “But then when you, Yaboku, showed up tha night in a black yukata, carrying a sword, covered in blood, and grabbed my arm saying invisible demons were after me; you deserved to be tasered.”

“I'm kinda happy that ayakashi was powerful. Being tossed around like that definitely convinced you,” he replied, “though we both could have done without the concussion.” Yaboku watched as Hiyori raised herself to his chest and pecked his lips with a hum. 

“...Still, I’m sorry I scared you. I’m sorry we got you involved. I’m sorry we lied. You were just so kind to us and by the time you were fed up I - we - couldn’t let you go. Yato was right, I was just as much in love with you as he was.” 

Yaboku reached up to stroke her head, gazing longingly into her eyes with a faint smile and a shrug. One thing Hiyori loved about Yato was his openness. His blatant connection to his honest feelings. But Yaboku was never open, not like this. Hiyori had to admit, neither of them failed to surprise her and make her heart flutter. 

“You always were able to tell us apart. You knew something was off the moment I stepped into the room.” Yaboku murmured, almost to himself. Hiyori leaned to give him a long kiss, trying to force her acceptance into him. 

It was terrifying, that night Hiyori thought her soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend was just a weird stalker she would have to let down easy over dinner. Instead, the full moon shone so brightly, the wind howled and banged so harshly, that when said boyfriend kicked down her door, she knew to be afraid. Unlike Yato, Yaboku’s eyes are sharp and focused, his features always portraying that he knows too much, and his ferocity was always at the ready. When he pleaded for her to trust him, holding out his hand, she couldn’t stop herself from taking it.

“But by then…I had fallen in love you with too. Both of you.” Hiyori breathed.

“Yeah, well, we are a packaged deal.” 

“Did the stoic Yaboku just make a joke? What would Yato think?” Hiyori giggled. They kissed once, twice, a third time. Yaboku rested his forehead on hers, smile easily slipping away. 

“Yeah…what would he say?” Yaboku echoed. 

She pecked his lips, “Let’s go make breakfast, hmm? The sun is up so Yukine should be back soon.” As Hiyori got out of bed, Yaboku fell back with a groan, glaring at the sun again.

“They better not have done anything to him. It’s his first time in heaven and he’s just there on my behalf!” 

“He’ll be fine. He’s there with all our friends. Tenjin and Mayu, Kazuma and Bishamon, Ebisu and Kunimi are all there to advocate for him. Daikoku even said he would help Kofuku protect him,” Hiyori slipped on her robe and walked over to push Yaboku’s bangs away from his furrowed brows, “he’ll be alright.” 

She started on breakfast. Yato was the cook out of all three of them and Yaboku definitely couldn’t go near a stove. He sat at the table, his hair now gathered into a short tail, and flipped through his own dairy. It was something he started when he was younger, at the suggestion of his god. It helped the personalities communicate to each other, like being pen-pals or being on a message board with only one other person. 

Of course there was nothing from Yato still and since he’s been gone for entire days, Yaboku’s entries have been much longer than the simple ‘patrol was quiet’ or ‘Yukine has a project tonight.’ As the pan sizzled, Yaboku quietly jotted down everything that happened yesterday and last night, so when Yato finally did return to them, he would not whine about being left out.

“Honestly, he’s the avatar of the snow god. Why did he think he should get involved?” Yaboku muttered after he shut the book and laid it on top of Hiyori’s journal on the windowsill.

Hiyori placed a plate of eggs and sausage in front of him, “exactly. Yukine has the powers of Kuraokami. You said it yourself, he’s very powerful.” 

“He is. He’s very strong,” Yaboku turned to pick at the food in front of him, “thank you.” He cut his food and ate in small bites. Hiyori smiled. Very polite, this husband was. But she still missed the loud compliments of her cooking and occasional fun mornings of food fights and laughter. 

Yaboku suddenly put his fork down and rubbed his temple, “but we don’t know for absolute certain if my father even has Yato! We don’t even know if I-!” Yaboku stopped himself from whatever it was he was going to say. Hiyori watched him, worried. Yaboku rarely spoke out so much or so passionately. He was rarely lacking such careful calculations of his emotions. 

It must be hard for him to be so empty, Hiyori decided. This is the first time in twenty-something years he’s been without another voice in his head. Another him that stuck by his side through everything and talked with him about all his problems. 

Hiyori set her coffee down with a clink, “what does Sakura say? I-I mean Lady Tsukuyomi…” She looked off to the side, embarrassed at Yaboku’s look of shock. He smiled and his bright cyan eyes flickered just over her shoulder. She tried to look too, as her husband’s eyes glazed over while he listened, but only saw empty air.

“She says he will be fine,” Yaboku eventually mumbled.

“Is that all she said?” Hiyori quirked a brow. Both her husbands were terrible liars.

“No, she said that she’s certain Izanami and my father took a part of me in an attempt to trap her. But since they failed, it’s likely Yato is sealed on earth somewhere. We just have to wait to be sure.” Yaboku answered, 

“Also, you’re allowed to call her Sakura. She likes that name, Yato gave it to her when we thought she was a human shrine maiden. Besides, we’re married. She blessed our wedding and everything.” He smirked at Hiyori’s blush. 

She gave a short bow to the room, “th-thank you Sakura.”

“Do you have any idea where Yato might be?” Hiyori turned back to her husband.

“No…we don’t even know what he was sealed in. But my father is the one that placed him there. And he’s poetic to a fault.” The kitchen lapsed into silence until the sun burned so brightly, Hiyori almost didn’t feel the gust of cold wind that pushed through their window and scattered snow across their kitchen. All the dishes clattered as a large thud hit the floor. The light faded, revealing a teen splayed awkwardly across the floor in a pile of quickly melting snow. 

“Yukine!” Hiyori gasped as she stood. Her and Yaboku rushed over to the boy. With a huff, Yukine quickly sat up and shook the flakes of snow from his blonde hair. Hiyori helped him sit up while Yaboku crouched closely to scan him for any injuries or signs of distress. 

“Are you alright? Did they hurt you?” Yaboku questioned.

“How was it?” Hiyori asked with less intensity.

“Hmph, yeah I’m fine,” Yukine said, “a softer landing would have been nice, Suzuha!” Yukine griped at his god. Hiyori smiled at the nickname Yukine gave Lord Kuraokami. It was Yato’s suggestion. Finally Yukine turned to stare at Yaboku. He wasn’t loudly fretting over the teen, or manhandling him to check for injuries, he was softly and quietly giving Yukine space while carefully watching for anything noteworthy. 

Yukine gave his own small smile but it was weak, “he didn’t come back, did he?” Yukine couldn’t stop his frown so he had to look away. Yaboku swallowed but otherwise kept his poker face. 

“No…I’m sorry.” 

Yukine’s head snapped up, “you don’t have to apologize! I didn’t mean-” he bit his lip and finally stood. The couple stood with him. 

“The heavens said as much. Amaterasu scanned the entirety of heaven, he’s not there. And he’s definitely not throwing another fit and refusing to come out…right?” Yukine narrowed his eyes at Yaboku, who snorted.

“No, he’s not.” Yaboku frowned as the boy’s face fell in disappointment. 

“It’ll be okay…we’ll get him back.” Yaboku offered. Hiyori covered her mouth to hide her smile, the pain from this morning settling in once again. 

Yukine’s smile wobbled, “yeah we will.” He dug in his pocket and pulled out a little charm, it was made of blue fabric with a gold crown on it. It matched the one on her husband’s tracksuit, the one Yato preferred they wear. Yukine held it by the string.

“Is that it?” Hiyori leaned forward, “that’s what’ll lead us to Yato?” 

“Yep, that’s what she said. It just needs a little of Yaboku’s blood. But-” Yukine and Hiyori flinched when Yaboku bit his thumb and held it out.

“Here,” he offered, nonchalantly.

Yukine pulled away, “but there’s a catch.” Yukine waited for Yaboku to lower his thumb.

“What is it?” Hiyori asked. Yukine sighed and looked at the charm, then at Yaboku.

“She said we have to trap your father in return.” 

“That’s not possible.” Yaboku stated. 

“Y-Yaboku!” Hiyori gasped.

“What are you talking about? Of course we can! We have too!” Yukine pleaded, “Yaboku, your father has been trapping gods in the underworld! And in exchange, he’s trying to free Izanami and release all the ayakashi! Blending the near and far shore together! We have to stop him sooner or later.” Yukine held Yaboku’s eyes strongly. Yaboku frowned as he thought, not immediately jumping to rejection like Yato would. 

“I don’t want to get you involved any more than you already have, he’s my responsibility.” 

“Our responsibility, as avatars, is to protect humanity from ayakashi and help our gods fulfill their roles,” Yukine recited, “you’re the one who told me that. Not Yato.” 

Hiyori reached for his hands, “Yaboku, we’ve been at your side for everything your father has thrown at us. You can’t expect us to stop now.” 

“Right,” Yaboku tried to smile but kept his gaze low, “let’s first focus on getting Yato back.” They shared a nod and Yukine held up the charm to Yaboku, who smeared his thumb on it. The red formed a name that looked nearly identical to Yaboku’s and the charm started to spin. When it stopped twirling, it pulled on the string towards the door, Yukine holding it tight.

“We’ll leave right away,” Hiyori said.

Later, the three found themselves at the train station. The charm had pulled them across the city and seemed to want to go further. They stared at the list of destinations, Hiyori going through her research of local shrines and holy sites while Yukine tried to turn the charm this way and that. Yaboku stared at a name, a small town tucked away in the southern mountains. If there were places Father felt would be safe to hide Yato, it would be there. 

“That one,” Yaboku pointed. Hiyori glanced at her husband but said nothing and purchased the tickets, gently holding his hand as they boarded. 

The train clattered along quietly. They took a booth in the food car so that they could have lunch while Yaboku helped Yukine with his homework. Hiyori smiled, it was a familiar sight at least. Yato couldn’t stand homework and math was always Yaboku’s forte. They had taken some architecture courses while in college, Yaboku saying that if he wasn’t working as Tsukuyomi’s avatar that he might have gone into that field. 

Hiyori frowned at the table. Then again, it was Yaboku who’s been working as a mercenary all these years. Running away from his father at thirteen didn’t leave him with many options. Yato was the one that held down jobs and signed them up for school, socializing with the other avatars when Yaboku wouldn’t. But it was Yaboku that kept them alive and helped the gods serve justice and rule the night. It disappointed Sakura greatly, but her power came in handy when Yaboku put criminals to rest. 

It was the same with Yukine’s father. She glanced at the boy, now fourteen, who Yaboku brought home one night at the request of Yato. It was only a month after their wedding, Yaboku had been on his nightly patrol when he saw Yukine’s father place Yukine in the trunk of a car, unconscious. It was Yato that chased them up to the mountains, Yaboku who disposed the father, and Yato that ripped open the fridge and pulled the child out. That was the second time Hiyori was startled by Yaboku kicking down the front door, covered in blood, and carrying a nearly limp boy in his arms. By then, Yukine had already made a deal with a god, but still couldn’t bring himself to defend against his father.

“Ah, I’m sorry, I forgot.” Yukine scratched his head. He erased part of the equation and scribbled.

“It’s alright, it’s an easy mistake to make. Let’s try this one,” Yaboku quickly wrote out a problem on the sheet for Yukine to complete. When he did it, Yaboku’s praise was short and sweet but genuine. 

“Thanks,” Yukine smiled meekly.

“You’re welcome.” Yaboku answered easily. Hiyori smiled and got up to take their trash and use the restroom. Her and Yaboku would need to talk about Yukine later. She had given it a year like they promised, but that year was almost up and Yukine needed stability. Yaboku watched her go. It wouldn’t be the first time they were attacked on a train. 

“Hey, uh, Yaboku?” Yukine asked. 

“Hmm?” Yaboku looked at the teen who was scratching his head awkwardly again. Yaboku wished he knew what it meant. Yato always had a knack of being able to tell Yukine’s mood. Yaboku wished he was here now, and he bet Yukine did too.

“Thanks, um, for always helping me with my homework. And making sure Yato doesn’t only feed me candy and that I eat vegetables and do my chores.” Yukine rambled. Yaboku blinked and rested his cheek on his hand.

“Anytime, Yukine. You deserve it. Hiyori, Yato, and I will make sure you’re well taken care of, even after your contract with Kuraokami is fulfilled.” Yaboku said. Each avatar is entitled to one wish granted by the god in exchange for carrying out their blessings. Yukine told Yaboku the first night they met, that his wish to Suzuha was for them to remain friends until Yukine found a family he could call home. 

“Y-yeah, uh…yeah…” Yukine was having trouble looking at him. Yaboku grew slightly nervous, what did he say? Was it somehow wrong to bring up the past? Yaboku wished his wife was back to help him.

“Well what I mean is, uh, thanks. Thanks for being here with me,” Yukine looked to his lap and his voice mumbled, “I’m glad you’re still here. I wouldn’t be able to handle it if you were both gone…” Yukine sounded so sad and Yaboku felt a pang of loss. Ah…so Yaboku was right. Of course Yukine missed Yato…Yato was the more likable one, afterall. Hiyori returned and clearly noticed his fallen mood but didn’t say anything. She looked to Yukine for a possible explanation, but the teen had nothing. 

They arrived at the small mountain town, peacefully tucked away in the trees. They seemed excited to be in his hometown for the first time, asking questions and pointing out traditional things. Yaboku didn’t answer their questions any more than a nod or a shake of the head. Hiyori noticed the way his hackles raised the further into the town they trekked, hands tight in his pockets. He did curtsy peaks in certain stores his father or sister liked, specific bathhouses or restaurants they liked to be in. When there was, of course, no one, that left two possible places. 

“Yaboku!” Yukine suddenly gasped. Yaboku’s head whipped to the top of a wooden building. Hiyori looked too but saw nothing, cursing that she wasn’t blessed by a contract with a god. 

“Yukine, stay with Hiyori!” Yaboku said as he dashed off.

“But what if it’s a trap?” Yukine exclaimed.

“Exactly!” Yaboku disappeared around the corner. Yukine quickly looked to Hiyori who nodded and the two took off after him. When they rounded the corner, Yaboku was already in the middle of his transformation. Dark shadows overtook him like a black fire, they disappeared, leaving Yaboku in his traditional warrior garb. 

He now wore a navy blue nagagi underneath a much larger black haori. The ends wrapped around his hands and wrists to form a crescent moon along the back of his legs, two white moons held it together by white strings across his middle. It matched the white crescent that held up the underside of his ponytail. His chest was open to reveal a black crescent moon symbol that was seemingly painted on. It matched the black shadow-mask that covered the top half of Yaboku’s face. Between his eyes his skin showed the current phase of the moon. 

Immediately, Yaboku jumped and a fox ayakashi slashed at the god-like being. Yaboku summoned two swords of moonlight; their hilts wrapped in a thin, white fabric, and the blades a gleaming silver. He dodged the attack swiftly in mid-air and landed a clean cut across the fox’s skull. The beast merely melted off then split into two smaller pieces. 

“Alert the young lady,” one told the other. The second fox ran off. 

“Yukine!” Hiyori called.

“On it!” Yukine summoned his own transformation in a flurry of snow. A light blue hakuna with white snowflakes and a white nagagi. Overtop was a long haori, modeled after Yaboku’s, with large fuzz-rimmed sleeves and a similarly rimmed hood. He couldn’t summon a weapon yet but the avatar of snow didn’t need it. The teen took off after the ayakashi, skating quickly across the ground. 

Before Yaboku could give chase, the first fox went for his throat, teeth bared. Yaboku jumped nimbly back until getting frustrated and stabbing the fox to the top of the building. It then split into three even smaller ones, each lunging to latch onto Yaboku. Two got on, the other was cut in half. Frustrated, Yaboku shook the larger ones off and used both swords to cut the foxes into tiny pieces until they were erased from existence. That left the last two, one turning its attention to Hiyori. Unable to stop what she couldn’t see, Hiyori was headbutted in the stomach and roughly shoved against a car.

“Hiyori!” Yaboku exclaimed, “Sakura, I’m gonna need more!” The goddess spoke her affirmation in his ear and his swords hummed with power. When he slashed, the fox was cut and drowned in ocean water. Yaboku quickly dashed to his wife, trying to swing an invisible threat. Through sheer will, she managed to land a couple hits and Yaboku smiled only to gasp when the fox reared with its jaws open wide. 

“Yaboku!” Hiyori looked up when the moonlight was eclipsed. Her husband’s back was to her, his clothes forming a large crescent moon as he held something by the throat. His arm jerked this way and that, his clothes tearing here and there. Salt water exploded in a column from the ground up and he eventually let go. Yaboku dropped his hand, covered in purple blight and blood. The moon practically glowed along his black hair and pale skin. Turning, Yaboku looked over his shoulder at her and Hiyori’s breath was once again stolen by piercing blue eyes. 

“Are you okay?” Yaboku offered her a hand, wedding band shining. She smiled and nodded, placing her own ringed hand in his and letting him pull her up. 

“Let’s go find Yukine.” 

“I’m right here.” 

“Yukine!” The couple gasped. Rushing to his side, Hiyori prodded him for injuries while Yaboku watched intensely. 

“I’m fine,” Yukine huffed with some embarrassment, “I just froze it solid.” He scratched the back of his head then looked at Yaboku.

“It said ‘the young lady,’ does that mean?” Yukine trailed off. Yaboku let out a sigh through his nose. Of course it wouldn’t be this easy, his father hated Yato and wanted him locked away. He always said it was ‘an act’ or a ‘foolish and cowardly coping mechanism.’ But his sister? 

Yato was made to be the person child-Yaboku thought would be liked by all. A talented, determined, relentlessly positive individual who would help his family hate him less and who Yaboku could always hide behind when feelings got too much. Yato was the one who was supposed to comfort their sister, Mizuchi, when Yaboku simply couldn’t stand to look at her. Of course, developing dissociative identity disorder did not simply make the hatred his father had for the gods go away. Nor did it undo the hurt his sister felt at being forced to make a contract with a god, just as Yaboku was. 

“It’ll be fine,” Yaboku finally decided. If Yato wasn’t here, he would have to be Yato, just for a short while.

Hiyori wrapped her arm in his, “It will be. You have us.” 

“Yeah,” Yukine crossed his arms, “so stop running off without us.” 

“Right,” Yaboku smiled slightly. After a moment he raised his hand. Yukine blinked and looked at it funny as Yaboku flexed his fingers. Eventually he robotically gave Yukine two pats on the head. Hiyori and Yukine stared at him and Yaboku realized he must have done something wrong until his wife laughed and Yukine joined. Yaboku wasn’t sure what was so funny but he was happy the two were smiling regardless. He led the two towards his sister’s favorite spot, pulled forward by the charm in Yukine’s hand. 

“Was that ocean water, Sakura?” Yaboku asked the empty air. His friends glanced at him but left him to speak with his god.

“It was. I hold sway over its tides,” Sakura’s voice rang in his mind, “I shall apologize to the ocean god later. But I fear the ability will do very little against our next foe.” Yaboku’s lips pressed into a grim line but he said nothing. At his side, his wife eyed him and wrapped her hand in his.  

Their childhood home was high up in the mountains, surrounded by trees and streams. It was about a twenty minute walk from town, completely devoid of any stairs or paths. The only indication that people frequented this area was a trail of flattened dirt, traveled on by a man who lives forever and his two children. They wouldn’t be going to that house, however, Yaboku practically shook at the idea of bringing Yukine and his wife on the property. No, his sister’s favorite spot was a fresh-water spring settled at the base of the mountain, far away from the town. 

When they approached the water’s edge, the roar of the waterfall echoing through the forest, Yaboku put his hands out to stop the two from going any further. Despite the tumbling water, the spring was still, far too still, and Yaboku narrowed his eyes. There was nothing to note but a small toy shrine across the way, hidden behind the falling stream, a tribute to the waterfall god his sister served in exchange for her greatest wish. The charm in Yukine’s hand was tugging hard, more insistent than it’s ever been. 

“Yukine,” Yaboku started. 

“Y-yes?” Yukine squeaked at the growl in Yaboku’s tone.

“Freeze the water.” 

“What?” 

“Yaboku, what about Yato?” Hiyori hissed.

“Just the top. Freeze just the top,” Yaboku explained, “she needs to come up for air.” He watched Yukine bite his lip and glance at the water.

“But what if Yato?” He trailed off. Yaboku’s eyes widened at the care the two felt for his other half, ignoring the self deprivation. Yato would know what to do here, or at least be able to say something, but Yato wasn’t here.

Taking a deep breath, Yaboku faced Yukine, “the power you give off is an extension of yourself and your god. You should be able to sense everything your snow touches, just as I’m able to sense everything from the moon’s light.” 

“But I’m not! I mean, we’ve been training but I haven’t been able to do it yet! What if I can’t?” 

“You can,” Yaboku said, “I know you can.” 

Hiyori placed a hand on Yukine’s shoulder, smiling warmly, “he’s right, Yukine. You’ve been growing stronger every day! We’re so proud of you and we know you can do it.” They watched Yukine look between the couple, eyes shiny with something fragile, until he nodded and turned towards the lake. As Yukine bowed his head and focused, Hiyori leaned against her husband’s side. 

“I think we should talk about the adoption.” She suddenly whispered. 

Yaboku made an unsure noise, “I don’t know, Hiyori…He’s only been with us for a year and it’s been shaky.”

“But look how he is with you. You care about him deeply, don’t you? Yato said you both always want him around.”

“I- we do but…you see how he is with Daikoku and Kofuku…they’re more…stable…and equipt to have him right now.” 

“Yaboku, I said it’s fine. I’m almost done with school and I’ll immediately have a job at my family’s hospital. We can care for him…he needs you.” Hiyori looked at him, pleading for him to understand. Her husband wouldn’t look at her, worried he wasn’t good enough for a child right now. 

Yaboku bit his lip, “he doesn't though, he needs you and-” He needed someone like Yato but even Yato thought maybe someone better.

“He’s a special case.” 

“Exactly! You’re the only one who understands.” 

Yaboku looked even further away from his wife’s imploring eyes. He wanted to start a family with her, but not until the future. When the heavens and their lives were more stable…when his baggage wasn’t as heavy and he could trust himself to protect them without working as a mercenary. He thought back to the train…perhaps Yukine wasn’t confused or unsure, but uncomfortable with Yaboku overstepping his bounds. 

“But I-I mean I tried…we kind of brushed the topic on the train. He just doesn’t seem comfortable.” Yaboku frowned. Hiyori’s mouth opened slightly then closed. All three of her boys were prickly on the topic of family and fathers but Hiyori knew they loved each other and wanted to stay as they were. She did too! There was just no way Yukine said such a thing, or even thought it. There was a miscommunication there, Hiyori just knew it.

“Ya-”

“There!” Yukine exclaimed. He turned around excitedly, face bright with achievement as he looked at the both of them. Hiyori and Yaboku melted at the sight, pride brimming in the family. 

“I found something!” 

“That’s great, Yukine!” Hiyori cheered. 

Yaboku smiled, “good job.” 

Behind Yukine, the ice cracked. The frozen pond exploded and a massive wave of water burst from the surface. 

“Yukine!” Yaboku rushed forward, pushing Hiyori towards the trees. His sister was already in her traditional warrior attire, a white and red kimono with the body of a water dragon. She maintained her younger form, appearing to be around Yukine’s age, as a sign of her wish of forever being father’s little girl, granted by her god.

Yaboku rushed past, swords at the ready. The ability to cut through anything shouldn’t be used on his sister, Yaboku knew this, but he had to at least wrestle Yato out of her. Yukine quickly gave the charm to Hiyori and ran after the older male. He worked to freeze the water around their foe, slowing down her thrashing and distracting her for short moments at a time. 

“Where is he?” Yaboku fell from the moon and kicked her snake-like body, hard. 

“You’re an adult! Father says you can’t be acting like that anymore! You don’t need him!” 

“That’s not how that works!” Yukine shouted. Mizuchi bared her teeth at him and thrashed violently, the waterfall gushed stronger and the pond began to flood. It pushed under the ice, allowing Mizuchi to lift it and thwack Yukine with her tail. 

“Yukine!” Hiyori ran to see if he was okay.

“Stay there!” Yukine held a hand out to her. The teen focused on the battle at hand, calling upon more snow to help the temperature drop. Yaboku took the opportunity to jump on his sister’s back, clinging onto her during her screeching and flailing. 

Hiyori stood and gripped her hands, trying to lock her knees in an attempt to stop herself from rushing in to help. She wished so desperately - not for the first time - to be one of them. To be able to see all threats and fight all battles. But both of her husbands and Yukine insisted it wasn’t worth it. That despite their power and their new heavenly friends, being granted a wish steals something from you in return. It slowly takes your humanity and your sanity and they didn’t wish that for her. 

Still, it hurt to watch this family fight. Her family. But she didn’t know what to do. Hiyori’s eyes dropped down to the charm that was instantly tugging on her fingers. It was still pointing towards the water, trying so desperately to match its name to its owner. Hiyori frowned at her husband’s name, written in blood. They all needed Yato back. Stealing her determination, Hiyori looked at the water, ensuring the gods and their avatars were distracted, and she stepped into the water.

“How could you do this to him?” Yaboku snarled in her ear, “how could you lock him away? After all the times he’s taken the fall for you, taken the blame and the beatings. After all the nights he’s spent holding you while you cried. Why would you trap him for eternity?” 

“Shut up! This is all your fault for misbehaving!” Mizuchi snapped, “Father said he wasn’t hurt! And you’re right here! He’s just a personality, a way for you to cope because father said you’re too weak to handle your godliness. It’s all an act!” Mizuchi gave one massive whip of her body. The entire spring unleashed a wave on all sides, the water overflowing to the trees around them. 

Hiyori was pushed back, falling to the ground with a splash. The water current pushed against her elbow, completely soaking her clothes. She held the charm up out of the water, making sure the blood didn’t wash away. She looked up at it in desperation. How much further did it want her to go? Was Yato somehow on Mizuchi’s person? 

Hiyori blinked, looking to the fight and back to the charm. It was no longer pointing at Mizuchi. Hiyori had ran to Yukine and was pushed far enough where she was now halfway around the pond. The charm was yanking even harder now, pleading for her to go towards the waterfall.

“So you’re saying all of that was fake? Yato? Everything you two have been through?” Yaboku’s voice cracked, “you don’t actually believe that…he was made to be there for you when I…” 

Mizuchi couldn’t look her brother in the eye, “Father said he doesn't really exist, that you’re just acting to make fun of me.” 

“He-”

“That’s bull!” Yukine leaped into the sky, the white of the moon shining like the pure white of snow. Yaboku realized that wasn’t the moon. It was a large accumulation of snow, lit by moonlight, hovering high above their heads.

“If Yato didn’t really exist then what brought us here? Why did your Father have to trap him in the first place? You idiot!” Yukine’s arms swung and the snow plummeted down from heaven. Yaboku hesitated then leaped off his sister just as the heavy clump of snow landed on her, pushing her back into the water with a shriek. 

Hiyori’s shoes slipped against the slick stone. She flinched and leaned against the wall, only able to use one hand to balance. She was trapped between the wall and the waterfall, its large body roaring as the water plunged unnaturally hard into the depths below. Hiyori continued forward, pulled by the charm into the cave that seemed to growl at her presence. Finally, Hiyori stumbled into a more open crevice. The cave where the small wooden shrine sat, a tribute to Takitsuhiko.

Yaboku and Yukine floated above the water, riding on moonbeams and winter winds. They eyed the bubbles that popped at the surface as snow began to melt and float across the surface. Yukine clearly wanted to ask if what he’d done was okay, but Yaboku didn’t have an answer for him. He looked for someone who would, only to realize his wife wasn’t where he’d left her. 

“Hiyori?” Yaboku questioned the tree line. Their heads whipped around, calling for the woman, until Yaboku’s eyes narrowed dangerously at the water. Slitted and piercing, ready to kill. Yukine swallowed, his fists balled, until Yaboku dove into the pond. Yukine called out to his guardian, then shook his head and dove in after him.

“What? What is it?” Hiyori’s voice was lost over the sound of the waterfall. It drowned out all other noises, including her thoughts. The charm, of course, didn’t answer, so Hiyori took very small, very uncomfortable steps towards where it was clearly telling her to go. The shrine was funnily made, like it was done by a child trying to copy a 2D photo in a book. Finally, the charm slipped out of her fingers. Hiyori let out a gasp and tried to grab it, only for it to stick to the mini tori gate, name facing out. She shakily plucked it off the wood, only to see the name plack was empty.

Yaboku broke the surface and heaved a breath, making sure Yukine followed suit, “did you see her?” 

“No!” Yukine gasped, “I couldn’t find Mizuchi either! How deep is this?” 

“We have to keep looking! Who knows how long Hiyori’s been under there!” Yaboku didn’t mean to make the kid so scared, but he was terrified too. He didn’t know what to do. He wasn’t strong enough, he’s never been strong enough. He needed to be positive and make the kid feel better so they could handle this, he needed to at least pretend to be confident. But he couldn’t…he was just as weak as his father said he was, god or no god, and now the love of his life was going to-

“Yukine!” Yaboku cried out when the teen was suddenly yanked under. Yaboku dove into the black, following his kid and the sea monster down into the depths.

“The shrine is incomplete…” Hiyori muttered. She gently picked it up and the charm stopped flailing. Putting it in her pocket, Hiyori focused on the object, squinting for any details that might tell her more. There wasn’t anything that she and her husband had seen in their textbooks, no markers or symbols. Turning it around, there was a little crown poorly etched into the back. Hiyori gasped and tried to open the mini door, only to realize it was drawn on. She looked around until her eyes landed on the floor.

Swords drawn, Yaboku slashed at Mizuchi. Her cry of pain echoed in the waters, her body moving to surround them. She turned on them with a far more fish-like appearance, sharp teeth  and claws bared. Pain, betrayal, and confusion was marked on her features and it hurt Yaboku to see.

“Why can’t you just leave me alone? Haven’t you done enough?” She hollered into the water, clear as day. Her tail was wrapped around Yukine, holding the struggling kid as she squeezed the air out of him. 

“Give back Hiyori!” Yukine called out, all his air fleeing to the surface. Mizuchi looked at him in confusion as bone-chilling panic thrummed through Yaboku’s bond. He took his sword, calling for the moon light to illuminate the dark depths, and forced Sakura’s power through. The cut was large and clean, breaking through the first couple layers of her muscle. Blood instantly clouded the water like a spilled painting and Yaboku was back to his old self again. Yukine used the relaxed body as a spring-board to swim to the surface. 

The second it took Yaboku to make sure Yukine was at the top, Mizuchi retaliated with another swipe of her tail. It was harder than before, like getting hit by a train, and Yaboku was sent into a rock, the air escaping his lips. His sister was on him in an instant, her hands at his throat. This was different from the push and pull from before, these attacks were serious…there was no going back to how they were. The siblings looked into each other's eyes with pain and malice as they struggled, knowing the man that made them like this wouldn’t spare the loser another thought.

“There,” Hiyori pulled the sharp rock away from the name plaque, the sloppy sketch of her husband's name fitting the ramshackle object. The wood gave out creaks and grunts against some unknown force and she flinched. She could feel it against her palms, someone was banging against the inside of the shrine, trying to get her attention, pleading with her to let him out. Hiyori didn’t know what else to do, the shrine was complete. If this were a god the only thing left to do was to pray and call the god’s- 

Hiyori took a deep breath.