Disclaimer - I don't own The Devil is a Part Timer!/Hataraku Maou-sama! or any characters involved. Copyright to Satoshi Wagahara, White Fox and Funimation.

Hello, my lovelies~! Even closer to the end now. I'm glad you guys enjoy these ficlets and I hope you'll all stick around to read my next Urushihara fics. Another (probably shorter) one-shot collection and an actual multichapter fic. But right now, here's a chapter I've had planned pretty much since the very beginning. And it's turned out to be, like, the third longest in the whole collection or something. I'm really proud of this one. Here we go~

Headcanon: Urushihara actually intends to stay on Earth, even when all the others have gone back to Ente Isla

Heaven is a Place on Earth

Never had a conversation been less relevant to him.

Maou and Ashiya were sat facing each other at the table while Urushihara sat at his laptop. His roommates spoke seriously, a sense of urgency and occasionally concern in their tones. They may not have believed it, but Urushihara wasn't ignoring them. And he wasn't blocking them out with headphones either. He was listening. But it really was not relevant.

They were talking about...

"... When we go back."

... Ente Isla.

Even if it wasn't happening any time soon, they would eventually return to their world. Maou still wanted to take over. He had learned a lot on Earth and he did love it here, but Ente Isla was his home, and he had dreams and plans.

"Urushihara!"

He turned his head just enough to see Ashiya's frowning face. His own face remained unfazed and he blinked slowly. That was all the response he could be bothered to give right now.

"You really should join this discussion, you know. I hate to admit it, but you are a part of our army and as such you need to be involved. If we are ever going to return to Ente Isla-"

"But I'm not going back to Ente Isla," raising an eyebrow, Urushihara turned to face them both, leaning his elbow on his desk and resting his chin in his hand, "Didn't I tell you guys that...?"

They looked surprised. Had he really forgotten to mention that?

"This is the first I've heard of it." Maou said, slightly confused.

Huh. Guess I did forget.

"Explain yourself then, Urushihara," Ashiya, on the other hand, sounded irritated as usual, "Why won't you return home with us?"

"'Cause I like this world a whole lot better," he said with a shrug as if it were obvious. But then he turned sombre, looking down, "I didn't want to stay in Ente Isla once the demons thought I was dead. The reason I came to this world in the first place was because Olba said he could get me back to Heaven, but who am I kidding? That was because I thought it was my only choice. If I'm honest, Heaven ain't all it's cracked up to be. In the end, there's nothing for me through the Gate, in Ente Isla or in Heaven. This world's just better."

He lifted his head again, looking strangely wistful for a brief moment before his typically lazy expression returned.

Ashiya didn't catch that look, though. He didn't see anything deeper than thoughtless selfishness.

"That's all fine and well, but what are you going to do when we are gone and you're left here alone?"

Inside, Urushihara flinched. That was still an issue. But he stood his ground.

"You're not leaving yet. It's gonna take some time. I'll be able to handle myself by then."

"With what money?!" Ashiya raised his voice, "It would be near impossible for you to get a job. Not only do you have no useful skills to speak of, but you are a wanted criminal," he leaned in closer, a challenging gleam in his eye, "Or have you forgotten that?"

Urushihara managed to stay calm and collected and opened his mouth to speak, but Ashiya interrupted before he could.

"And remember, Bell will not stay here to be your personal cook, and I highly doubt Miss Sasaki would offer even a sliver of kindness to you in such a situation."

Maou was still quietly observing them. There was a few seconds of quiet as Urushihara rolled his eyes and shifted his position, now sitting at the table between them.

"Way to bring the mood down, Mom," he sighed, making Ashiya's eyebrow twitch in frustration, "Believe it or not, I have been paying attention to Suzuno's lessons, so I can take care of myself. As for money, I've got something figured out. Don't worry, it's legal," he deadpanned when Ashiya narrowed his eyes, "It'll take a little longer for me to really get the hang of it but like I said, you won't be going anywhere any time soon."

"What exactly is it you've got planned?" Maou finally spoke up.

"... I've been learning about game design..."

He was smiling, a little shyly. Maou's eyes widened ever so slightly at a genuine sign of happiness from Urushihara. Maybe this could work out. But wait...

"Hmph. And what about the issue of your criminal record?" Ashiya got to his point before him. This time, Urushihara smirked.

"What criminal record? Hanzo Urushihara is not guilty of any crimes. Sooner or later, people are gonna forget what the monster that wrecked the neighbourhood looked like. It's the wings and the magic they'll remember. Not the face."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Maybe I can't be sure. But I'll handle it."

He looked up at them, only to see two sceptical, even worried faces.

"I'll handle it," he insisted, "Can you just trust me for once?"

Ashiya seemed to be wavering a little; he was looking down as if he were considering it.

Maou was looking down too, but he didn't seem like he was going to accept this. He gritted his teeth and furrowed his brow.

"Maou...?" Urushihara's voice was suddenly small and quiet.

"Look, Urushihara," Maou sighed, scratching his neck and still avoiding meeting his gaze, "It isn't that I don't trust you, that's not the problem here."

"Then what is?"

Both Urushihara and Ashiya watched their king curiously. They rarely saw him this nervous. It took a moment for him to answer.

"It's like... It feels like I'd be abandoning you again. I made that mistake once before and I'm not about to do it again. A good king... A good friend should be looking out for you."

Not one of them could look another in the eye. Not one of them knew what to say. Not until Urushihara's somehow... forgiving voice broke the silence.

"You've been looking out for me here, Maou. Even when you guys leave, I'll be ok. This isn't a battlefield, this is Tokyo. There's no magic, there's no heroes or assassins. Or at least, there won't be then. Seriously, I can handle it. If you're really that worried, you can always come back to check on me, right?"

It was like he was reassuring a young child. And all things considered, he sort of was.

Maou nodded and offered him a smile, which Urushihara returned before turning back towards his laptop.

"There is one problem you haven't considered, though, Urushihara." There was a strangely playful tone to Ashiya's voice.

Urushihara tilted his head, looking at him cautiously.

"Yeah? And what would that be?"

"You'll most likely still be an awkward mess when that time comes."

"Shut up!" Urushihara jumped up, his face red, "I have friends to help me out, y'know!"

Maou erupted with laughter and Ashiya followed. Urushihara's blush only deepened as he stamped his feet.

"You guys can't take me seriously for more than five minutes!"

"S-sorry, man, but he's got a point."

Leaving them to stifle their giggles, Urushihara unplugged his laptop and crawled into his box with it, grumbling to himself all the while.

Just a little longer. I'll be free of them someday.