Title: Even Devils Reach For Heaven

Fandom: Eyeshield 21

Pairing: HiruMamo

Raiting: PG14 (for language)

Warnings: Introspective Hiruma, het, language, and suggestive language

A/N: This one shows Hiruma's side of things and continues along to the after parts. :D

Summary: Hiruma finally answers (in his own way) that question we've all wanted to know; does he love Mamori or do devils only look to the sky and dream of angels?

Yahnkehy's inspiration: "Reaching and yet falling short, time and again he tries until the tips of his fingers brush a delicate wing. He is content."

00

He hated it. The onna was still looking for him. Hadn't she figured it out yet? All of the other team mates that had wanted to find him had been successful after the first try and ended up being pumped for information about Mamori and sworn to 'keep your goddamned mouth shut' as sweetly as Hiruma could ask.

He couldn't see her. He wasn't afraid, per se, but the idea of Mamori figuring out what he felt for her was daunting. As far as he knew -and he knew quite a bit -she'd never dated anyone, never kissed anyone other than Sena and that was only in a motherly way, never noticed when males would appreciate her 'attributes'. It was like feeling something for a fucking angel; and he knew all too well that devils and angels don't really mix.

He'd gotten tired of hearing her call out to him via his spy network, pushing into his chest a little deeper as her cries for him grew almost desperate. So, as any self-respecting demon would, he'd taken care with his appearance, borrowed the fucking lizard as his transport, and made a deal with Suzuna. The little cheerleader had grown into almost his miniature. The female demon to his male, and she used her sweet looks to gather whatever information she wanted. Most of which was handed over to Hiruma... for a price.

Laptop case in hand, he'd strolled into Suzuna's little office, an eyebrow raised in silent question.

Suzuna had nodded and buzzed Mamori, feeding her a line about a canceled meeting and then waiving him in before calling to cancel the meeting herself. "Chibi brat has earned her horns." He murmured, as he passed her, not bothering to look for the smile that he knew was probably lighting her entire face. It was as close to a compliment as he had ever given her.

To say that seeing Mamori's shoulder and the back of her head when he first entered was what he expected would be a gross and repulsive lie. He wanted to see her face, watch her eyes widen and that slight blush that always came to her face when her eyes lit on him.

He was gratified and a little surprised at the reaction he did get, though. Her nostrils flared as if she were trying to catch his scent, eyes dilated until there was nothing more than a slim circling of iridescent blue. His name on her lips was soft, almost loving, even when he'd greeted her in his usual way with 'Fucking Manager'.

"I know your name, fucking manager. Why have you been looking for me?" He asked, leaning against the wall and holding her eyes with a penetrating stare.

"I-I have a few things, actually." She replied, back stiffening as his voice grated over her. "First, I have a job for you; Deimon's amefuto coach left in the middle of the season and the team has been loosing terribly. I was wondering if you would take that job. It pays well and your store of weapons is still there. Musashi-kun goes and cleans them once a week." The next part of her reply would have to wait until after he thought about her offer. There would be no chance of telling him if he refused. She'd tuck it away, knowing that he would be vanishing back to wherever he had come from if he said no.

Hiruma thought about that for a moment, gripping his chin with the knuckle of his forefinger and the end of his thumb; a sign of deep thought. "Were they a good team before their fucking coach left? Raw talent or a bunch of pussies?"

"Not quite what we had as far as talent, but a good deal of heart and a desire to play well. They just don't have anyone to push them like you did to us." She replied honestly, leaning against the edge of her desk in a similar stance to Hiruma's.

"I'll look at them, but I'm not making any fucking promises." Replied Hiruma, stepping away from the wall. "What was the other reason?" His voice seemed to drop a little, sounding almost husky, but it vanished when he opened his mouth again. "I don't have time for friendly visits, fucking manager."

"You jerk." Mamori answered, deadpan, a little smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. "I've practiced several times in the mirror how to say this, but nothing comes out right, so I'll just say it plainly." She swallowed and straightened. "I wanted to find you so that you can break my heart. I have liked you since high school, but things were too tense at the time and there was no way to fit a relationship into that atmosphere." She spoke quickly; afraid she would loose her nerve if she stopped to think about what she was saying. "You've never given me reason to believe that there could ever be anything between us, but I still wanted to tell you."

If Hiruma knew how to show real bone jarring shock, he would have in that moment. The fact that he didn't left him staring at her with slightly widened eyes. "Come again?" His ears twitched as if he were honestly trying to make sure he heard her right.

"Go ahead and put it in your book. Anezaki Mamori has fallen for one Hiruma Youichi. I'm surprised that you haven't heard through your little spy network. I haven't been hiding it since college." Her head spun with a sort of delirium; shock at herself for being so blasé with her emotions and telling Hiruma exactly what she felt with almost no hitch in her words made her sag against the desk again.

Hiruma made no move to get closer nor did he back away, he simply stood there. "And the devil brushed his fingers along the feathers of an angel, contented, he fell back to the pit." Such almost poetic sounding words found their way out of his mouth and startled Hiruma into action. "Che! As if I didn't already know that. I was just waiting for you to notice, fucking manager."

Mamori smiled and shook her head. It wasn't often that she surprised Hiruma, but the words that had slipped out of his mouth before he returned to his usual demonic veneer startled Mamori. Is that what he thought of them as; Angel and Devil? "Hiruma, if you already knew, then why aren't you over here kissing me already?" It must be the delirium brought on by relieving her heart of its burden that caused her to be so bold, but the thought was fleeting as she found her lips captured and plundered.

'He tastes of ash and fire...'

And thus an Angel that loved him above all others saved the Devil from his fall.

Owari