Disclaimer - I don't own The Devil is a Part Timer!/Hataraku Maou-sama! or any of its characters. Copyright to Satoshi Wagahara, White Fox and Funimation. Momoko and Shizuka are original characters created by me.

So I haven't figured out any specifics for chapters after this one, I just have a few plot points to get to and an idea for the ending. What do people think of me bringing in Suzuno being aro/ace? (That's aromantic and asexual) Tbh, I'll probably still use it just cuz I have an idea for a scene and I love my ace headcanons a lot... ANYWAY, I need to plan out the rest of the story over the next week but let's get on with this week's chapter~ This chapter contains FRIENDSHIP and A CUTE SHY LUCI

Chapter 15

It was partially out of sincere concern for the girl that Suzuno accompanied Momoko back home, but also partially to be sure that she didn't turn back to Sariel or find some other way to break her promise. The walk there was quiet and, to Momoko, uncomfortably awkward. Suzuno, however, was content to stay silent. She had nothing more to say after their conversation and besides, Momoko may need time to herself to gather her thoughts. She expected that was the case, at least.

She was right that Momoko was thinking about their talk. She wasn't right to leave her alone with her thoughts. As she walked, Momoko fidgeted with her wristband over and over. Was she really doing the right thing? She didn't know Urushihara as well as she had thought. He had kept something huge from her and clearly had some kind of a bad reputation back on whatever world he had come from. On the other hand, though, she knew this... Sariel guy even less. And he was kinda creepy, she had to admit. Maybe, she mused, the safest option was to just stick with Suzuno. She glanced uneasily at the young women beside her. She knew practically nothing about her, only that she was somehow connected to the both of them. Her gaze lingered for a few seconds before Suzuno looked at her curiously and their eyes met. Starting to blush, Momoko turned away sharply.

Suzuno thought nothing of it and shrugged, calmly turning her eyes forward again.

It was strange to think how everything had seemed perfectly normal that morning. Of course, Momoko knew there was something up with Urushihara, but she could never have expected he would turn out to be a demon. She kept wondering if she would wake up in the morning to find that the whole thing was an anxiety-induced dream brought on by worrying so excessively about him.

She continued on in a daze, soon forgetting Suzuno was even there.

She still didn't know who he really was, or who any of these other people were, or where they all came from. And what about Shizuka? He had been with Urushihara when he appeared outside SFC, hadn't he? If he was with them, they had to be safe, right...? Then again, these were demons. She should remain cautious. They could've put him under a spell, brainwashed him, anything. She twisted her wristband again. It was almost rubbing her skin raw today.

The sun was beginning to set as they made their way through Shibuya, still not speaking. Momoko barely noticed it. Suzuno may have commented on how it was getting dark, but she wasn't listening. Although she did occasionally look up at her, wondering who - and what - exactly this woman really was, Momoko had lost touch with the world around her. Her feet carried her along the familiar route automatically and Suzuno followed beside her without a word.

It wasn't much later that she was awoken from her stupor by a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Will you be ok?"

"Huh...?"

She blinked in surprise and looked up to see that she had come to a halt outside her own house and not even noticed. She pressed a hand to her head for a second then turned to face Suzuno, who was stood behind her, frowning. In an instant, Momoko was blushing again. She bowed, maybe a little too deeply for just being walked home, and words began tumbling from her mouth as she struggled to calm herself.

"Oh! Yeah, I'll be fine, don't worry! Thank you so much for talking to me...! A-and I'm sorry I was so rude the whole way here, I didn't say anything to you at all..."

"It's quite alright, I understand," Suzuno smiled and bowed her head, "I'm sure you have a lot to think over right now. Just remember, do not speak a word of the truth to anyone. Not unless one of us deems it acceptable. For you own safety as well as ours."

"O-of course not! I won't tell a soul, you can count on me! Um..." Momoko took a step backwards to open the gate while still facing Suzuno, "Thanks again. Goodnight, Miss Kamazuki..."

She hurried inside, leaving Suzuno politely waving goodbye before turning back towards Sasazuka again. When Suzuno entered the courtyard of Villa Rosa, a familiar face peered down at her from the window of room 201. The boy stood and rushed for the door as she climbed the stairs.

Urushihara was waiting for her as soon as she opened the door.

"Good Hanzo," she nodded to him in greeting.

She didn't stop, but let him trail behind her. He didn't waste a single second.

"How did it go?"

"I did what I could, nothing more."

That was not satisfying in the slightest. Suzuno opened her door and entered the room with Urushihara following behind her. He didn't bother to shut the door behind him and he didn't stop for breath.

"That doesn't tell me anything. C'mon, what happened? This concerns me more than you, anyway. I need details. Now."

Huffing, Suzuno turned to him.

"She has promised not to speak with Sariel anymore," this elicited a sigh of relief from Urushihara, "However, she is still reluctant to speak with you again, Good Hanzo."

Urushihara tensed and his eyes went wide.

"And you didn't try to change her mind? Wasn't that the whole point of you talking to her in the first place?!"

Suzuno scoffed and rolled her eyes, shooting him a stern glare.

"Really, now, don't you think you need to consider her feelings more at this time?"

He went quiet, looking down. He folded his arms across his chest and leaned one shoulder against the wall, angling his body away from her. Suzuno took as this as a defiant stance and went to continue speaking but he interrupted her, his eyes staying fixed on the floor and his voice soft.

"You're right."

Suzuno stopped. She watched him for a moment, trying to read his body language, his face, his tone better this time. He was clearly angry at her (or was it at Momoko? Or... at himself...?) but he also seemed... guilty. Almost ashamed, even. This was different from when he got himself caught in that ridiculous scam. When Maou had cornered him back then, he was only scared. For himself. But now he was showing real concern, and regret at acting selfishly. There was something reassuring in that. Unsure of what to say, Suzuno stood and looked at him. After a moment of silence, Urushihara spoke up again, but he still didn't meet her eyes. Like he was too shy or embarrassed to say these words directly to her.

"... I'm just scared I'm gonna lose my friend... Especially when it happened so fast..."

I'm still getting to know him myself. And I keep learning things about him I never expected.

Suzuno thought back to her conversation with Momoko. She had never thought that the Demon General Lucifer would think and act this way. There was something so surreal about the entire situation; this young boy, who was so desperate to reconnect with his friend after a horrible misunderstanding, had once laughed with the most disgusting delight at the mere thought of a human lying dead at his feet.

He almost seems like a different person entirely now.

He was so much more complex than she had presumed and she wondered what other layers he kept hidden underneath all the sarcasm and laziness.

Guessing that she wasn't going to respond, Urushihara pushed himself off of the wall and began to shrink away from her, moving towards the door, mumbling as he did.

"Sorry..."

"Wait."

She took a few steps closer, raising a hand to him and he stopped, slowly turning back to face her with one eyebrow raised in question.

"I want to help," Suzuno said, "This is the first time I've seen you show any sign that you genuinely care for someone beside yourself. If these friends of yours can bring that side of you out, I want to see it. I want you to care about people. I want to help you."

Caught off guard by her kindness, Urushihara stuttered slightly before he answered.

"U-uh... Thanks, Su..."

He couldn't help but feel awkward. He wasn't used to this sort of treatment.

Suzuno stopped him once more as he went to leave.

"But... please, do give her some time. Be patient and things will work out."

"... Yeah. I will."

He left the room with a small smile on his face. That is, until Suzuno snapped out of her sympathetic state to shout at him.

"And would you close the door behind you?!"