Wish ~Yato x Reader AU~

Chapter 19: The Warmth in Winter

The sun pours in through my windows, flooding my bedroom with the dawn's golden hues, chasing the shadows from the previous night away. The previous night. My stay at the beach. The creature. The stranger. It all is still swirling in my mind like a mashing mess. What I saw...what I've experienced...none of it makes a lick of sense. And now it makes even less sense.

"Yato. Hey, Yato," the voice had whispered. "She's staring at us. Say something!"

The one called Yato didn't move. He just kept his gaze locked on me, that expression blank and unreadable. At least, by what I could tell. I didn't know how to tell what he was thinking. Not with that mask he was wearing. Unless that was just how he was. Maybe he was cold and distant. Maybe that was just his personality. That was what I believed at first, anyway.

He took a step toward me and leaped from the rocks, landing in front of where I stood. The shadows of the night slithered over him, adding a hint of terror to his presence. I was suddenly regretting my decision to search for him. He was a stranger, after all. There was no telling what he was capable of or what he'd do to me. In fact, as I stood there before him, I couldn't help but mentally kick myself for my stupidity. I was there with a strange man at night by myself...no back up, no witnesses, no help. If everything went south, I was screwed.

"Did you see that?" he suddenly asked, those eyes narrowing at me.

Nervous, I stammered, "S-see what?"

His stare intensified as he replied, "That, just now. Did you see?"

"T-that? O-oh, t-that," I laughed halfheartedly. "No...I-I didn't see a-a t-thing."

That wasn't a complete lie. Whatever he did, I didn't technically see it. Heard it, yes. See it, no. All I witnessed was the flash through my eyelids. That was all, but as to what he actually did and where the creature went, no. When it came to all that, I was clueless and left in the dark. Still, despite my answer, his gaze remained trained on me, amusement nowhere to be seen on his face.

Unsure of what else to do, I just swallowed, "Listen, I-I didn't see anything. I swear."

"Did you hear anything?" he pressed, not seeming to be joking.

I fidgeted with my fingers, biting my lower lip. "M-maybe...but I...I still didn't see anything, so I don't know what I heard."

He took a step toward me, those eyes never leaving mine. "So, you heard. Do you know what that means?"

A chill ran the length of my spine. I was certain that something bad was about to happen. I was confident in believing I was about to die. After all, what else ever happened to snoopers? It normally didn't end well for them and I was a snooper. I was in a place I had no business being at. Not at that time, anyway. During the daylight hours, sure, but at night, no. Besides, no good can come from the twilight. Right?

"Do you know what that means, right?" he repeated, leaning in closer.

I wrapped my arms around myself and sniffled, "P-please, don't -"

"That'll be five yen!" he chirped, standing up straight, extending a hand to me.

Wait, what? I glanced up at him. That once fierce gaze had melted into a friendly and almost eager stare, the corners of his lips pulled up into an excited smile. The man who had appeared so intense and almost terrifying just mere moments ago suddenly looked like a completely different person, only confusing me.

"Wait...what?" I questioned, lifting a brow.

"That'll be five yen!" he repeated, still flashing a smile.

I waved my hands dismissively, continuing, "Hold on. Why the hell would I give you five yen? I don't even know who the hell you are."

"Ah, well, that's simple," he begins, enthusiasm pouring from his tone. "I am your friendly local Delivery God Yato! At your service!"

I might not have been born in Japan, but I had lived there long enough to know about more than just their customs. I knew a thing or two about the gods that most Japanese folks worshipped, and never once did I hear 'Yato' as one of them.

I knitted my brows together, saying, "A god with the name Yato? I might not be from here, but I know I've never heard of that god before."

"Uh!" he cried, holding his chest. "Oh, you really know how to wound a guy, don't ya?"

"How's that? You're obviously dilutional," I snorted, crossing my arms over my chest.

He let out another huff of pain as he clenched his chest with his hand, grabbing a fistful of his jacket. Even though I had just met him, I knew it was safe to assume he was overdramatic. Well, overdramatic and maybe slightly insane. However, despite that hint of mental instability, there was something about him. I couldn't put my finger on it, but I felt a certain kind of way around him. Not uneasy. Nothing about his behavior was making me uncomfortable. Well, at that moment, anyway.

"Haha. I like her," the voice from earlier chortled.

Just then, that Yato fellow perked up and out of seemingly nowhere pulled a sword in front of himself and snapped at it, "Hey! Listen, you! I am your master! Show some respect!"

Concerned, I took a step back, grabbing Yato's attention. He lowered his blade, though his hands remained gripped around its hilt. Honestly, though I had felt some way before, I was suddenly indifferent. Despite how he had acted, he was still mentally unstable, and he was holding a sword. A fucking sword.

"Hey, where are you going?" he asked, lifting a brow.

I cracked a fake smile, "N-nowhere."

"You idiot," the mysterious voice chimed. "You're holding a freaking sword!"

"Oh, right," Yato laughed, scratching the back of his neck. "Sorry about that. Don't worry. This is just my regalia, Yukine. Convert back, Yukine."

As those words rolled off Yato's tongue, another stream of light bathed the sword. The stream flowed through Yato's fingertips before landing next to him, a boy suddenly occupying that spot. My eyes had to adjust to the darkness again, but I scanned him. He was a young boy, at least in his adolescence with thick, blond hair that blew in the calm breeze and a big pair of burning ember eyes.

A sweet smile bowed his lips as he waved, "Hi! I'm Yukine. Sorry about my lame excuse of a master. He meant no harm."

"What did you say you runt?!" Yato burst, flicking Yukine's forehead. "How many times do I gotta tell ya? Show some respect!"

"Grr. I might show you respect if we weren't always crashing at Kofuku's place ya bum!" Yukine growled.

Yato snapped, "Bum! Who are you callin' a bum?! Ya freakin' ungrateful, little -"

I close my eyes, letting out a laugh. They were definitely an interesting pair. They bickered back and forth for a while, but that's not what I'm focused on. What has me intrigued is something else. Something that only seemed to happen whenever he was near. And that was how the cold abruptly vanished.

**Bello my sweet lovelies! Well, got some Yato and Yukine bickering, which I always thought was hilarious. Also, we officially were introduced to the duo. Makes ya wonder what I could possibly have planned lol. I guess you'll just have to wait and see! I will see y'all in the next update! Until then, stay awesome sauce! Thank you for all the support! Wuv yous!! <3**

-Noel Ross