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Chapter 9

And You Win Some

"Perfection. It's fuckin' perfection."

Rui edged up to Hiruma, following his gaze onto the field, where a bunch of Deimon Devil Bats were playing against his beloved team.

"Don't you think?" Hiruma turned to him, his grin not waning.

Rui shrugged. "I guess you won't be wanting any good luck wishes, then?"

"Pfft. I don't think so," then the Demon slid his hands round Rui's back, getting much closer than he should.

Rui was still terrified that someone, anyone, would see them, but at the same time it was a safe feeling. Something he would probably take a risk for.

Hiruma kissed him on the mouth. "Remember when you hated me?"

Rui raised his brows. "I still do. Mostly,"

"Hehe. I know," Hiruma dropped his hands, but didn't get out of Rui's face. "You gonna be there? To pretend you want us to win, and stuff?"

"I guess you'll be mad if I'm not?"

"Please, don't flatter yourself. I couldn't care less about seeing your punk ass, actually."

Rui could believe that, but there were always little things that made him reconsider.

Like now, when Hiruma circled a finger round his right eye, and the tiniest flash of concern marred his demonic features.

"How did you explain that to Megu?"

Rui tilted his head and smiled a bit; "the usual. That i destroyed a 200 pound thug and he got in one lucky punch,"

Hiruma snorted with laughter. "How can she stand your bullshit?"

Rui shrugged. "She's a crazy saint."

"Yeah, I think so. You attract all the crazies, remember,"

Rui thought about pointing out that Hiruma was the worst, but he got the idea that Hiruma was already implying that. Sly bastard.

"Alright, I guess I'll be there, ya bastard," he turned away before he could know Hiruma's expression.

The demon's laugh told him enough, anyway.

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It was snowing, and the rest of the Zokugaku team were looking at him like he might be a bit crazy. Well, crazier than the usual.

It wasn't like he'd planned it. It wasn't like he'd even wanted the damn snow.

Rui hated the snow, which kind of made it even more insanely ridiculous that he was piling the stuff up in his frozen hands.

Meguu handed him a shovel and smiled gently;

"You're crazy," she commented.

Rui stared round at the piles of snow. At any other time this would have seemed like a despairing sort of task. As it was, Rui had been struck with some sort of motivation that usually only reached him on the football field.

Megu had noticed it more than anyone, and she watched him with a strange sort of pride.

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The snow bit at his fingers and made him swear quite a bit, but he kept shovelling, and sculpting, like there wasn't going to be another day.

He didn't think he was an arty kind of guy, but other people seemed to think differently.

When the sky was bluish grey with signs of snow, Rui craned his head up, ignoring the frost in his hands and the aches in his arms.

"It's beautiful," Megu said, and she sided close to him. Her hand hovered over his own, but didn't touch it. "I'm kinda impressed."

Rui turned to look at her.

"Megu-"

"They must be really special to you," Megu carried on, like he wasn't talking. "I mean, I knew they were, I suppose. It's just like a little slap, though. Do you know what I mean?" she turned to meet Rui's gaze then, her smile wry and sad.

Rui opened his mouth, wanting to apologise, but her face made him realise she'd already forgiven him.

She was too clever and knew everything. Of course. Rui knew he'd been an idiot to ever consider otherwise.

He hesitated, his hand moving lightly over hers for a moment. The last thing she'd ever take was his pity. She'd probably beat him up for that, actually.

Still, she moved her hand the rest of the way to meet his, and squeezed it delicately.

When she kissed him it was on the cheek, but more intimate and meaningful than Rui had ever known from her before.

"Your hands are fuckin' freezing," she murmured. "Why don't you wear gloves?"

Rui shook his head; "I'm stupid,"

"I know," Megu held him a moment longer and then she stepped back. Her face was a vision of regret which stabbed at Rui, making him feel so terribly guilty. But as quickly as it had come, she quickly rearranged herself into a smile; "now get on with it. Before you actually freeze to death."

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Somewhere in the background, Rui could hear people arriving to watch the game, and his stomach would twist, trying not to think of Hiruma's face, whatever his reaction might be.

In the end, he went home.

It wasn't like he'd told Hiruma he was stopping for the actual game anyway.

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Hiruma was waiting for him outside the Zokugaku school. His arms were folded and he looked like he might smash Rui's face in.

Rui walked over slowly and deliberately, with his hands in his pockets, wondering how long he could put off his inevitable death.

In the end Hiruma ran to meet him.

Rui cringed back and half closed his eyes, because for a second Hiruma's hands were in tight fists, and his teeth were beared furiously.

Then something strange happened.

Hiruma grabbed Rui, painfully hard, arms wrapping tightly around his back. It wasn't really a hug so much as it was a death grip. Rui thought his ribs might be popping.

Hiruma's voice was savage against his ear; "why'd you do that?" he squeezed him tighter, and forced a gasp from Rui.

"What?" Rui attempted innocence, smirking on his face. "Do what?"

"Don't make me kill you."

Rui always took Hiruma's threats seriously, but for once he was in control, and he enjoyed the shake of barely contained rage in Hiruma's voice, like the demon could barely comprehend why the fuck anyone would do something like that for him.

"I like snow," Rui lied, feeling kind of gleeful, with the way Hiruma's death grip got tighter. He gasped a bit.

"You..." Hiruma's voice trembled some more, but the hate was melting back, into a realisation Rui barely, if ever, heard from the demon's mouth.

Cracked ribs, black eyes, chores, stupid games...It was almost all worth it for this. It was kind of precious.

"...thanks," Hiruma's voice was small and cracked. Not even like it was hard for him to say, more like a strange revelation.

It hit Rui too; how much he'd wanted to hear that. So much.

"You're welcome," he exhaled unevenly. "I like...being able to breathe too, though."

Slowly Hiruma's grip loosened, until he was just draping his arms behind Rui's back, and suddenly they were nose to nose, at eye level. For once on level footing.

Rui smiled a bit more, carefully moved his arms around Hiruma's back.

The blur of people around them was only incidental. Actually, Rui didn't give a fuck anymore.

"Do I get a kiss then', as a sorta thank you?" he asked hopefully.

Hiruma's expression, which had been lost in something new and surprised, slipped back into something more familiar. Something that often made Rui's heart skip.

"No," Hiruma shook his head, but tilted closer, so that their foreheads touched, and Hiruma's mouth became a fanged grin of teeth. "Somethin' better,"

He grabbed Rui's arm and led them away.

"Oh. I forgot to ask..." Rui said. "Did you win?"

"Don't ask idiotic questions," Hiruma snarled, but curled an arm round his shoulder, drawing him closer. "Of course we fuckin' did.

Rui rolled his eyes, let Hiruma pull him closer. "I thought I better ask, anyway."

"Don't worry, we can't all be losers. I like to leave that bit up to you."

Rui smiled, letting the dig fly right over him. Hiruma kissed his forehead once more.

It was easy to lose, he thought, when it was for something better.

Hiruma looked demented and dangerous, haloed by winter sun, as they walked toward the Deimon's house for whatever "something better" happened to be.

Rui's nerves jangled with anticipation.

"I don't really mind losing," he said, as Hiruma pushed him back into the wall of his house, then kissed him deeply.

Rui moaned, arching into Hiruma, wanting him more than he could help.

Hiruma's mad Cheshire cat grin momentarily left his face.

"And you win some," the demon said.

Rui wasn't sure, but there may have been a trace of sincerity there.

If that was the case, Rui couldn't imagine a better victory.

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A/N:

Well I always planned for this to end with Rui's touching little ice tribute to the Deimons. Of course I left many things open, and still Rui and Hiruma's relationship is not exactly clear. I'm sorry about that! I like to leave it all ambiguous. I also love Megu, and couldn't stand that she might be discarded. I hope you can see I did my best to make sure she could stand her ground and knew she was being messed around.

Sorry this chapter came so late.

Maybe I'll do a sequel, if I can find the time!

also many thanks to all your reviews! I appreciate them all! I only hope more Rui/Hiruma fics crop up.