#yatone

[nowagami]

y'all

look @ this

[nowagami]

yukine shows his love for yato through loyalty

like he.... loves him with his loyalty....thats.... im cryin

[stvlti-recs]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Fourteen by threesmallcrows

Part of my #Thanksvember series, a daily fic rec challenge created by @anidealiveson to show our appreciation for all fic writers out there.

Seems like forever ago when I was into Noragami and loved Yukine’s character like my own son, though I never read his relationship with Yato as like a father/son relationship. I always preferred queerer readings (I mean, come on, they're not even human), and this fic sort of gets it. Its examination of the boundary between love and lust is interesting, and despite what the warnings might suggest, it's pretty soft and sweet. Worth giving it a read.

Title:  Fourteen

Author:  threesmallcrows

Fandom:  Noragami

Relationship:  Yato/Yukine

Rating: General Audiences (though it has some PG / PG-13 themes and discussions)

Length:  Standalone

Word Count:  5,676

Warnings:  References to Yukine's Canonical Trauma, Implied Sex with a Minor

Summary:

It happens again. A bright shot of agony, arcing down your back. It’s worse this time, stronger. You gasp. Your skin glows with pain.

A quick check on Yukine’s mind reveals he’s far from asleep. No, he’s awake, all right, and thinking of—

Oh, no. No, no, no.

In other words, Yato begins to suspect Yukine is in lust with him. This is both painful and problematic.

Status:  Complete

[inuyomekag]

how it started:

how we thought it was going for a minute there:

how it’s going:

[inuyomekag]

yato and yukine need to have such a long conversation and I don’t care if it takes two whole chapters, I want to read the whole thing

[zetalial]

Damn I apparently need to ramble about Yato and Yukine... So, this will be about the first season of Noragami and the rocky start to their relationship.

So Yukine is our main introduction to a regalia (though Tomone/Mayu first shows a few bits about the mechanics as well) but it’s quite apparent that he and Yato do not sync well at all (at first). Throughout several episodes we’re basically witnessing the deterioration of their bond until it goes as far as the ablution, where they’re both literally killing each other from the toxicity of their bond. 

And that’s great because their relationship had been incredibly flawed from the start and its treated very seriously. Much of the earlier comic relief comes from how Yato is so irresponsible and has no followers but still treats himself like a big deal and even expects as much from Yukine. 

The above image is one of the very first interactions they have together and Yato’s trying to be firm and in charge while Yukine is completely unimpressed. Yato clearly doesn’t really know what he’s doing and that becomes clearer as we see a few more Regalias and their masters. 

Tenjin is probably who Yato’s secretly trying to be like, as all his regalia greatly respect him and he’s quite strict with them, not tolerating any stinging or other bad behaviour but otherwise being generous with them. Unlike Yato though, Tenjin can easily provide for his regalia as he’s so wealthy and is able to treat them well. He doesn’t need to demand respect. Yato meanwhile, has none of this so this approach simply doesn’t work at all. 

Then there’s Kofuku and Daikoku and their relationship seems completely reversed as Daikoku - the regalia - is the one who appears more in charge, who takes care of Kofuku and keeps her out of trouble. He knows what she’s like, prone to spreading her misfortune and causing trouble. He cares for and respects her - and she is more intelligent than she initially appears and they’ve got a very good relationship. Now Yukine is only a young teenager and new to their world so this sort of relationship would be a little strange but if Yato had pleaded more as someone who needs help and values Yukine - ideally as more than a weapon - then things wouldn’t have fractured so far.

And lastly there’s Bishamon - she treats all her regalia like a family. She is extremely protective and motherly towards them - to such an extent that this takes a great toll on her. Her main aim with taking them in is to help them and she doesn’t regard any of them as tools even though she has an arsenal worth of them. She treats them like human beings and they love her in return. Their respect and obedience derives from the fact that she respects and cares for them so she doesn’t need to demand obedience. 

Still, not all is lost for Yato and Yukine - Yato does genuinely like him even if originally he chooses Yukine out of need.

Sadly, Yato isn’t too good at really expressing this for all he talks. He notes that Yukine’s a great regalia - great for fighting, great at drawing borderlines but that’s valuing Yukine just as a tool to be used, plus he doesn’t give Yukine all that much back in return. Yukine always seems really happy with these compliments by the way - he likes being told he’s a good regalia, even if its not enough to save their relationship on their own. 

If anything though, Yukine starts to view him as more of an obstacle. See the scene where Hikori suggests that Yukine come sleep over at her house. Yato objects to this - he cites that staying over at her house is going to lead Yukine to feelings of lust and tempt him. Yato’s not wrong here. But he frames it as him feeling stinging pain everytime Yukine has immoral thoughts so his objections seem very selfish in nature - the reason Yukine should avoid doing wrong is because it hurts Yato, not because of what a dangerous slipperly slope giving in to temptations can become for Yukine and the others he’d end up hurting. Reasoning Yukine might actually respond to. 

The worst part is that Yato does have better reasons relating to Yukine’s wellbeing. He explains afterwards to Hiyori that shrines are protected grounds so its far safer to stay at them. And he notes that Yukine is afraid of the dark - Yato actually does know and pay attention to Yukine’s fears and he is looking out for him. He just doesn’t make this clear to Yukine because he’s so busy trying to demand respect purely because of his position. His constant presence is a pain rather than the protection Yato does intend it as.

And then Nora helps make things worse - she tells Yukine that he’s worthless right at a time that Yukine’s really struggling with his loneliness. Nora would always be a problem for them but some of Yukine’s worries could certainly have been quelled. Yato is very quiet about his past, especially to Yukine but had he shared a bit more, he could have explained how he absolutely doesn’t want to use and rely on Nora again - as she’s far too dangerous and would tempt him towards evil. Yukine would have felt more secure in his role knowing this. Explaining that he was once a god of Calamity might have seriously helped Yukine to understand him a bit better. But Yato is rather reticent about his past.

So their relationship starts massively degrading and it soon becomes serious. Yukine starts acting out more, stealing, lying, destroying as he tries to deal with his growing loneliness. Yato is being too distant, becoming the person who calls him out on his misdeeds while being curiously quiet on the extent of his pain. Yukine doesn’t intend harm on him, not really, it’s his general existence that makes him so bitter.

The issue is that their bond is such an unequal one, when Yukine finally sees the extent of the blight, he is honestly upset and taken aback. It’s not fair that his anger should have such devastating consequences for someone else. He does feel guilty about it, even if he doesn’t want to deal with it. He doesn’t feel like he’s done anything that wasn’t justified by how he felt.

When asked what’s he’s done, his response is basically: nothing all that much.

Oh and a good does of anger for good measure. 

Yato meanwhile is still trying, he has been trying to be patient with him and doesn’t behave so selfishly when he refuses to abandon Yukine, instead willing to risk the ablution for him, even though its dangerous. 

It’s a painful experience for both of them but they come out so much stronger for it afterwards. They talk to each other when things bother them, they tell each other things and their relationship has evolved into a sort of close-friendship that only becomes better as they learn more about each other. Distinct from all the other regalia bonds we’ve seen so far but I think they view each other more like equals now. 

Anyway, this was an angsty little arc but I really enjoyed the evolution of these characters (I just love seeing my favourites put through pain :(. They’re both my absolute favourites. 

[rae-tires]

#shengtaigroup #THREEAtires #aoteli #yatone #rapid #tirefactory https://www.instagram.com/p/B0FTd2eFIRP/?igshid=qvhax437cv7p

[redxblueihateloveyou]

“You’re my special one.”