Daikoku screamed as the boy pinched his nose. The boy, on the other hand, laughed at him.
"That hurts!" Daikoku cried, pulling him away to relieve himself of the teasing. "Stop it!"
"Koji?!" Hiyori's sweet voice called down the hall. "Are you being nice?"
The boy immediately released Daikoku from his painful grip, sensing he would get in trouble if either his mom or dad saw him picking on someone.
Koji put on a happy smile as soon as Hiyori entered the room. "Hai!" He answered, his face bright.
Daikoku groaned at the little boy's innocence. Yukine laughed.
Hiyori smiled back, then knelt down to meet his face. She snuck a quick look at him for a second.
Three-years-old, and Koji had the god's mesmerizing blue eyes, the dark, soft hair and the same little nose. He was the spitting image of his father. Kofuku had even pointed that out once.
However, he had taken his mother's body type and skin tone. While he also had a few of Hiyori's habits, Koji took mostly after Yato. He loved to smile and tease others, got caught up in his big dreams, and even tried reaching for one of Yato's "special drinks."
Other than height and age, it was hard to miss the difference.
Speaking of which - "where's Daddy?!" Koji asked, his smile fading to a serious expression.
"Oh," Hiyori said, pointing her thumb at the stairs to the attic. "He's still sleeping, sweetie." She looked from her son to Daikoku and Yukine sitting at the table. She giggled. "I tried waking him about ten times, but he just refused."
Hiyori looked back down to Koji. "But I know if you go and get him, he'll definitely come down!"
Koji immediately lit up, his smile stretching to both ends of his face. "Haiii!"
With that, the boy went racing up past his mom, down the hall and up the stairs.
Hiyori giggled, her eyes closed in joy.
Daikoku was the first to comment. "Little brat!" He mumbled behind Hiyori's back, collapsing on the floor in relief.
"He's really obedient with you guys, huh?" Yukine said to Hiyori, observing the way Koji followed her instructions.
"Mm." Hiyori answered, sitting down next to him with a smile. "We just tell him what we think he should do and he pretty much goes with it."
"Hmm..." Yukine rested his head in his hand, thinking about that for a moment.
. . . . .
Koji ran up to the attic, kneeling next to where Yato was sleeping. He grinned, his cheeks pink, and closed his eyes. He clapped his hands together.
Sensing someone near, Yato opened his eyes and looked over his shoulder.
"Koji? What're you doing?" Yato asked, giving him a curious look.
Koji opened his eyes, and when he saw that his dad was awake, he lowered his hands and beamed widely. "I was praying to you so that you'd wake up! Look, it worked!"
Yato shook his head and laughed at the boy. He sat up and stretched.
"Daddy?!" Koji called as he ran to the stairs. He stopped there and waited.
Koji was terrified of going down the stairs. He felt like he would trip because he wasn't "big enough yet." It's one of those childhood fears, like being scared if thunder, or the dark. He would always wait for someone to come pick him up and carry him down.
"I'm coming!" Yato sighed, grabbing his jersey and heading to Koji's side.
Yato picked the boy up and went down the stairs. He carried him into the kitchen.
"Ah, look who's awake!" Hiyori smiled, her eyes closed.
Yato just laughed at that. "Oh c'mon! I know you sent him to go get me."
Hiyori laughed too.
Yato then sat down next to his love, and rested Koji in his lap.
The two shared a kiss.
Koji covered his eyes and cried out, "gross!"
Hiyori and Yato looked over at him and laughed. Yukine laughed too.
Koji looked around the table. He saw his mom, his dad, Yukine and Daikoku, but someone was missing. In his head, he had to know everyone's where-abouts to feel secure and complete.
"Where's Kofuku?" Koji looked over to the empty spot where Kofuku would've sat.
Daikoku was the one who spoke up, of course. "She's in the garden."
"You should go play with her, Koji!" Hiyori suggested, grinning down at him.
Koji's expression brightened. "Haiii!" He replied, a wide-mouthed smile. He quickly climbed out his dad's lap and rushed out the doors in a happy daze.
Hiyori and Yato sighed in relief, free of worrying about their energetic kid.
"Kofuku!" Koji cheered, running in the pink goddess's direction.
"Hm?" Kofuku turned around to see who was calling her name. When she saw who it was, her face went pink and she threw the hose to the ground in excitement.
"Koji-chaaan!" She squealed, running towards the little boy.
Koji smiled as he leaped into Kofuku's arms. Kofuku cheered and cheered along with him, swinging him around as they hugged.
In other, simpler words, the two loved each other. With her child - like personality, and the actual child himself, they got along pretty easily. Not to mention, Kofuku was the one who was the most thrilled to have a kid hanging around.
"Kofuku, can I help you with the flowers?" Koji asked.
Of course, the girl allowed him. She enjoyed their time together.
After about an hour of playing outside, Yukine came out and sat on the porch. He sighed in exhaustion and sat against the wall. He didn't acknowledge the boy and goddess at first. His eyes were glued to the bright blue sky.
Koji noticed him though. He stepped away from Kofuku, sensing the need to go visit Yukine.
The boy cuffed his hands around his mouth and called out to him. "Yukine!"
Yukine immediately turned his head to see the little boy.
"Wanna help?!" He called, pointing at the colorful garden behind him.
With a quick grin, Yukine called back. "Nah, that's fine!" The Regalia turned back to the cloudless sky above him.
That was when Koji's little smile disappeared, and he stood there, staring at Yukine for a second. However, the boy couldn't let this go. He had to make Yukine happy, just like everyone else.
"Hm?" Yukine looked down at his side, realizing Koji was there.
"Kon'nichiwa!" Koji beamed up to Yukine.
"K-konichiwa." Yukine said back. "What're you doing?"
The little boy sat next to him, wanting to talk. "You looked lonely, and Mommy said to not let people be sad!"
Yukine blushed at the sweet thought. "Sh-she's said that?" He didn't know why he was surprised; it sounded exactly like what Hiyori would tell someone.
"M-hm!" Koji smiled. "She also said that if you're not happy, still smile. Cuz there will be happier times coming!"
Yukine felt a pang to the heart. Those words are so beautiful. Before he could stop himself, Yukine found himself tearing up. But he just rubbed them away and covered it up with a giggle.
Koji's eyes spotted Yukine's symbol sticking out on his shoulder. "Oy, Yukine? What's that?" His finger pointed directly at it.
The Regalia, free of his tears, looked down at what the boy was pointing at. "Huh?" He said. "Oh, that's my name."
"Oh..." He couldn't help but stare at it. It seemed cool. "What are you again?"
"Uh," Yukine tried to find a way to put it for him to understand. "Well, I'm Yato's Regalia! He's a god so it's my job to serve him n' protect him, ya know?"
"So...Daddy gave you that name?!" Koji grinned again and leaped to his knees.
Yukine laughed nervously. "Yeah?"
"So that must make you Big Brother Yukine!" The little boy, full of joy and excitement, threw himself on the Regalia.
Yukine had no time to catch up with what just happened, and fell down with Koji on top of him. Koji giggled with all his heart. Yukine blushed.
"Big Brother Yukine...?" He let that sink in for a second.