Xx Hush Little Baby xX

Disclaimer: I do not own Eyechield 21.

Theme 22. cradle

Hiruma glared at the crying bundle who he had nicknamed 'the damn brat.'

That's right. It seemed that Mamori had gotten another babysitting job watching Azami. She needed to be feed or changed or something though cause she was screaming and crying like a little banshee. "Hiruma?" The quarterback glanced up to find his manager and the wailing bundle of annoyance standing in front of him. Seeing that she had his attention she spoke up. "Can you hold her for a minute while I prepare her bottle?"

His response was to be expected.

"No way in hell."

"It'll only be for a second." She held the small girl out expectantly. "And watch your language in front of her."

He glared at the still bawling baby. His words came out slow and deliberate. "Hell no."

"Here." Her look and tone showed that Mamori was no longer asking. Pushing the baby into his arms she arranged her carefully. "Wait- no- like this. Now, you have to support her head. Raise your arm a little. There, that's perfect."

"I'm not holding the damn brat!" He growled at her.

Mamori planted a small kiss of the child's forehead before walking away. "Her name is Azami, not brat. And her bottle will be ready in a minute." Digging through the diaper bag she realized something very important. "Shoot. I ran out of formula. I'll have to run to the store and get some. I'll be right back."

"There's no way your sticking me with it." Hiruma held her at arms length.

"I'll be back before you know it." Mamori picked up her bag and headed for the door. "Hiruma, I can't believe I'm about to say this but don't yell at, insult, or mock the baby in any way. She can't even argue back yet."

"Wait a minute. You're not about to-"

The door slammed closed and the ever feared Deimon quarterback was stuck with what appeared to be a never ending wail of tears of a baby. Shifting her so that she was back in the position that Mamori had showed him. He then paced about the room, quietly cursing everything and everyone he knew to hell and back for being put in this position.

Eventually he noticed how quiet the clubhouse had gotten and looked down to find the brat fast asleep. Seemed she had worn herself out.

"About damn time." Staring at her it finally hit him just how tiny she really was. Only one of his hands could completely engulf her head. Her entire hand barely took up a quarter of his palm. She wasn't much bigger than the football's he through down field. How strange. With her so quite and small she was almost tolerable.

So absorbed in his thoughts he failed to notice a certain manager standing outside the window with a small smile on her face. He also didn't see the sudden look of enlightenment that crossed her face when she remembered that Suzuna had taught her how to record video on her cell phone just a few days ago. Pulling her own out of her bag, she held it up to capture the domestic moment playing before her very eyes.

Hiruma wasn't the only one who could blackmail after all.

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