Another Stray God [Noragami x Reader]

Chapter 12: Selflessness

"I should've known you were behind this somehow, Nora." Yato and Yukine stopped walking as the black haired girl stood on the middle of the sidewalk in front of them. "About Hiyori's memories and (y/n)'s disappearance."

"I took them both for you, Yato." Nora declared. "It was very easy actually. Iki Hiyori has no need for memories of people from the Far shore like us and (y/n) doesn't need your and others' influence. People are quick to forget you. Wouldn't you agree? Poor Yato... you've been hurt so many times. Remember your true self."

"Yato!" Yukine called him, noticing that he was spacing out. "Don't listen to her!"

"Yukine..." He came back to his senses. "Nora. What is your game this time?!"

The young girl giggled. "I was just hoping that you might visit us." She showed her left collarbone where the name 'Furu' is written.

Yato's eyes widened as he heard a familiar voice. "Reiki." At the mention of her name, Nora transformed into a sword with a red sheath.

"Y-You're... Rabo!" Yato said in surprise. "So you're alive..."

"It's been a long time, Yatogami." The man greeted him.

"Who is he?" Yukine asked while observing him.

Yato ignored him and glared at Rabo. "Then it would be safe to assume that you're the one who kidnapped (y/n)."

"Stop with your false accusations, Yatogami. She went with us on her own accord without us forcing her." Rabo retorted while drawing out his sword. "Have at you."

"Come, Sekki!" Yato called Yukine's vessel name. "Why wouldn't she? You have her shinki as your hostage after all." He said as the other man charged at him.

"What are you saying? (y/n)'s shinki is being taken care of Yanagi Reo by now. (y/n) is back at our side now." Rabo continued on throwing a barrage of attacks at Yato while he either dodge or block it.

'Back at their side?! Would (y/n) really do that?!' Yato thought as he worries about your current condition.

At Reo and Riku's side...

Reo tossed tons of bandages and a bottle of disinfectant to the injured young man sitting on the bed of their mansion's guest room. "Help yourself."

"Is this how you treat your guests? No wonder you're alone in school and even in your house." The black haired teenager commented as he grunted in pain from the sufferings he received from Sorata.

"Shut up and just heal your wounds. I'm letting you stay inside my house so stop complaining." He and Riku glared at each other before he turned his back on him. "I can't believe (y/n) sacrificed herself for you."

Riku gripped the bandages tightly as he heard those words along with remembering what happened last night. "The look on her eyes yesterday... that's not the (y/n) I know." He gritted his teeth in frustration after Reo left. "And here I said I'll protect her."

An hour earlier...

You stared at your blood stained hands, dirtied by the people you killed. You took over Rabo's job for today while he faces Yato. Your dull (e/c) eyes shifted to the bloody grass of the city's riverside.

"(y/n)~" Sorata's face appeared in front of yours, snapping you out of your senses.

"What is it, Sorata?" You asked him.

He smiled gently at you and shook his head. "It's nothing. I'm just glad that you'll be able to work with us again." He touched your soft (s/c) hands and put it on his cheeks. "I'm glad that your gentle yet strong hands are touching me again."

You stared at him for a while before frowning. "Is slaying people the only work we can do, Sorata? I mean there are a lot of gods who don't kill but still became famous. Can't we just-" You stopped when you felt his snake-like eyes glared at you.

"But you're a shinigami, (y/n), a God of Death. Your title has already decided your fate. You kill people. You end lives." His piercing red eyes looked at you. "And it can't be changed. The sins you've made won't disappear. It cannot be washed out and just be forgotten. You cannot run anymore, (y/n)." He smiled at you once again. "I'll just be checking on the streets. We seemed like we missed another target. Stay here, alright?"

You felt suffocated by his words as if you are being strangled by a snake and it won't let you escape. You felt like being caught on a trap once again, taking away your freedom from the outside world.

"(y/n)! Are you all right?" A familiar deep voice called to you as an auburn haired man with black frame glasses stood in front of you. "Why are you covered in blood?"

"Kazuma?! W-What are you doing here?! You shouldn't be here! Go away before Sorata saw you. He might-" You warned him before he pulled you and covered your mouth while hiding the both of you with his ability, Umbra.

"(y/n)! (y/n)! Where did you go?" Sorata's voice came into surface as you and Kazuma hid under the bridge. It disappeared after a few minutes before the two of you decided to talk to each other.

"What are you doing here, (y/n)? I thought you're not working with them anymore." Kazuma asked once again.

You rubbed the back of your head. "It's a long story. Besides, if I didn't go with them, Sorata would kill Riku just like how he did to Haku."

"Your previous shinki?" Kazuma thought of something for a while. "Is there anything I could do to help?"

You shook your head. "If there's someone who needs help, I'll gladly have you assist Yato and Hiyori-chan. Rabo, a god of calamity is targetting the both of them."

"But what about-"

"Please, Kazuma. You're the only whom I could trust with that." You put on a brave smile and reassured him. "Don't worry about me. I could handle myself. They won't kill me yet since I'm useful to them. Now, go! I'll show myself to Sorata so he won't notice you. I'll be leaving this to you."

"(y/n)! Wait!" Kazuma tried to reach out to you but he was already too late. You already showed yourself to the ash blonde haired boy as he continued on hiding. 'That girl. Always thinking about others first than herself.' He watched you until you vanished from his sight. 'You can't go back to the past nor can you also run away from it. Even so, you still continue to protect those you held dear with those blood-stained hand of yours. (y/n), there's nothing else that I wish but your safety.'

Few days after...

Yato clenched his fist tightly. 'What are you doing, (y/n)?! Sacrificing yourself in exchange of your shinki's life, the hell was that?! Who do you think you're fooling?!' He clicked his tongue in reply. 'You need to limit your selflessness more. All you think about is others and keep on ignoring your feelings for their sake. You're so stupid! Dammit!'

His sharp blue cat-like eyes glowed as his anger started to show on them. "I'll definitely save you, (y/n)! I'll take you back and Hiyori's memories!"