A/N: Just for reference, this story takes place near the very beginning of the series. Also, I wasn't able to find any reference to the names of Mamori's friends, so I invented names for them. If they do actually have canon names, let me know and I'll change them.
Devil's Due
by Rinpu
Mamori slammed a stack of papers down on the desk.
"What do you mean detention?" she said in disbelief, her voice dangerously close to a shout.
"I'm sorry, Anezaki. He was late to class every day this week."
"But it's not his fault!" Damn you, Hiruma. "It's that American Football practice. It's always holding him up."
The teacher shook his head. "Sports are no excuse. It's the student's responsibility to make sure that extracurricular activities don't interfere with their normal studies. Kobayakawa's work has gone steadily downhill since he started showing up late, and worse, it affects the rest of the class as well. It's disruptive to have a student barge in half-dressed, ten minutes after class has begun. I can't allow it to continue."
Mamori forced herself to take deep breaths. She concentrated on steadying her voice.
"Please, sensei, give him another chance. I promise that he'll be perfectly on time from now on. I'll personally see to it."
The teacher pushed his chair out from the table and stood.
"Again, I'm sorry. I can't make exceptions for students simply because they're involved in sports. It undermines the importance of education." He collected his books, swinging his jacket from the back of his chair and onto his shoulder as he prepared to leave.
"Then let me do the detention in his place," Mamori said, desperate to fix the situation somehow. Sena couldn't possibly get his studying done if he had to serve detention on top of the countless hours of that damned football practice Hiruma forced him to endure every day. Sena had worked too hard to get into Deimon to have his grades ruined by a sport, especially since he didn't even play in the actual games.
"You're on the disciplinary committee, you know perfectly well that's not allowed. He has to serve his own punishment, so please don't try to interfere. Once detention this week is over, I'll consider it a clean slate. But if his punctuality doesn't improve after that..." The teacher sighed, shaking his head. "Good day."
"Good day," Mamori mumbled, watching the man leave. As soon as he was gone, she slammed a fist down on the table.
This was the last straw. Hiruma. Every time she thought he had reached the limit of how much pointless damage he could possibly do to everyone around him, he succeeded in proving her wrong.
Why hadn't Sena told her that Hiruma was forcing him to attend practice during the lunch period? Wasn't practice every afternoon, and most of the day on weekends, enough? And now it was getting so bad that Sena's grades were being affected.
Too far. He was going way too far. And this time she was going to put a stop to it.
She grabbed her books and paperwork, tossing them into her schoolbag. An angry shout from outside caught her attention, and she glanced out the window. It was him, of course--who else could scream profanity that loud? She crossed her arms and watched angrily through the window.
Out on the playing field, Hiruma was busy spitting curses at his hapless teammates. As she watched, he planted a flying kick in the middle of Kurita's back. Mamori gritted her teeth. She knew Hiruma kicked Sena like that sometimes too.
She flung her bag over her shoulder and started down the stairs. Ayane and Himeko met her in the hallway.
"So, how did it go?" Ayane asked.
Mamori sighed in frustration. "I won't be able to study with you tonight, Ayane. I have to help Sena with his detention, whether I'm allowed to or not." She sped up, forcing the girls to double step to keep up with her.
"Damn that bastard Hiruma," Mamori growled. "I can't stand it anymore. Someone's got to make him responsible for all the trouble he causes."
"Please don't do anything stupid, Mamori," Ayane said, as the three of them trudged out onto the school grounds. "That guy is dangerous. You've seen the kind of stuff he does to people who piss him off."
"Yeah, he's just an unfortunate part of life at this school," Himeko added. "Nothing you do to him is going to matter, anyway. It never has."
Mamori didn't answer. She walked deliberately toward the field, where the football team was practicing. Several other sports teams were out doing their afternoon practice as well, running laps and sparring good-naturedly on the grass. A few of the boys whistled and waved to the girls as they passed, but Mamori ignored them. She made a beeline for the tall blond figure in the center of the field.
Her friends stopped at the edge of the grass, clearly afraid to get too close.
"Mamori..." Ayane whispered, "Please be careful."
Mamori ignored her. She stomped fearlessly up to Hiruma, who was standing over Kurita, Yamaoka and Satake. Even when all she could see was the back of his head, she could tell the bastard was smiling.
"Hiruma!" she said sharply, coming to a stop directly behind him. He turned his head to look at her over his shoulder, fixing her with a narrow-eyed glare.
"Don't interrupt my practice. Go annoy someone else for a change." He turned back to the three boys. "Well, don't just sit there, fucking idiots, get out there and run!" They reluctantly got up out of the dirt and began to jog around the edge of the field. They moved as if they were sore, and Mamori noticed that their uniforms looked more scuffed than usual.
"Don't interrupt your practice?" Mamori said. "Don't make me laugh. You sure don't mind interrupting everyone else's lives, do you? How about Sena's grades, or his reputation with the teachers?" She pointed toward the school. " Do you know he's in there scrubbing the floors and blackboards right now, because you caused him to get detention?"
Hiruma's grin widened. Mamori was about to ask what he found so funny, when she noticed a shadow poking out from behind the tackling dummy. The shadow was attached to a slender figure with tousled hair. To Mamori's disbelief, it was Sena, crouching in the dirt and trying to make himself as small and inconspicuous as possible. Strangely enough, she hadn't noticed him from the window.
"Sena!" Mamori gasped, running over to him. "What are you doing here? If you don't serve your detention you'll be in big trouble!"
Sena fidgeted nervously. "Well, you see...Hiruma..." he mumbled. Confused, she turned back to the quarterback. He stood grinning malevolently, tossing a football with one hand.
"There are lots of people around here who can scrub toilets. They practically volunteered to do the fucking chibi's detention for him."
Mamori stared in shock. Of course, he had bullied some other poor student into doing Sena's work for him. So typical...
She reached for Sena, preparing to drag him back to the school. To her surprise, he flinched as if he expected it to hurt. She suddenly noticed the fresh bruises that were forming on his arms.
"Sena," she said softly. "What happened to you?"
Sena opened his mouth to answer, but was immediately cut off by his captain.
"We're practicing tackling," Hiruma said, shrugging. "You get hurt when you get tackled. He'll stop getting busted up when he stops fucking around and learns how to do it right."
Mamori couldn't believe what she was hearing. Suddenly the scuffed uniforms on the other boys made sense. She whirled back around to face Hiruma.
"How could you?" she asked, unbelievingly. "He doesn't even play on the team! Why the hell would he need to learn how to get tackled? Why do you keep doing this to him? Why?"
Hiruma didn't answer. It was then that Mamori noticed Hiruma's uniform--unlike the others, he was wearing protective gear under his jersey. He had been tackling them wearing padding to protect himself, but nothing for them. Her stomach twisted with disgust.
She tore her eyes from Hiruma's smirking face and reached for Sena. They were getting out of here right now. She would help him finish his detention for today, and they would forget about this football nonsense once and for all. She grabbed the boy's arm, pulling him away from the dummy.
"Come on, Sena, this is over--"
She froze. Her hand touched something warm and wet. Blood... Sena's upper arm was one enormous abrasion, seeping blood and crusted with dirt. For an instant, all Mamori could do was stare in horror. Rage boiled up within her, drowning out every other thought.
Without another word, she whirled around and slapped Hiruma across the face as hard as she could.
Silence fell over the entire field. All around them, students had stopped what they were doing and were staring slackjawed, their own practice forgotten. From across the field, Ayane uttered a terrified squeal.
Mamori's heart was thundering in her chest. Her hand stung from the impact.
Hiruma had an odd expression on his face, one Mamori had never seen until now. Not surprising, as no one had ever dared to physically attack him before.
Mamori took a deep breath. She grabbed Sena's hand, pulling him roughly behind her. Without saying a word to anyone, she strode purposefully back to the school, leaving Hiruma standing there alone on the field.
o o o o o
"Come on everyone, line up, tallest in the back," the principal said, speaking through a bullhorn. "Move along, so we can get started."
The spring sun baked down on the students, who were dutifully lining up on the hillside above the playing field. A few of the bolder students had taken off their jackets and were sitting on them like picnic blankets, as they waited for the school's first assembly of the year to begin.
The week had passed uneventfully. News of Mamori's attack on Hiruma had spread through the entire school, and by the next day she was infamous as the only person who had ever defied him and lived to tell about it.
So far, oddly enough, Hiruma had done nothing in retaliation. The hot topic of the school was how badly Mamori would suffer, because surely Hiruma would want revenge. Everywhere Mamori went, groups of students would stop and whisper to each other, often giving her sympathetic looks. Mamori ignored them. She wasn't afraid of Hiruma--he was a bully, after all, and bullies always back down when someone finally has the guts to stand up to them.
He wouldn't dare do anything to her. Well...probably not. Right?
Finally, the last group of students was in place, and the assembly was ready to begin. Mamori joined her friends in their section. Ayane looked around, scanning the sea of green uniforms.
"I don't see him," she said nervously.
"Hiruma? He's always late," Mamori replied. "He does it on purpose. Don't waste time worrying about it."
"Mamori, aren't you afraid?" Ayane asked, her face drawn with concern. "You never should have done that."
Mamori sighed. They had had this exact conversation a dozen times already. "No, I'm not afraid, Ayane. Just relax and watch the assembly. Hiruma isn't going to do anything." Ayane didn't look convinced.
"Attention everyone!" The principal stood on a small stage that had been set up on the forward edge of the playing field. "I'd like to begin. Welcome to a new year..."
"Listen, I need to go to the restroom," Mamori said. "They'll start introducing the clubs in a few minutes. I'll be back before they get to the disciplinary committee."
"You can't go alone," Ayane said. "What if he's around..."
"I'll be fine, don't worry I'll be back in five minutes, I promise."
She quickly left the assembly area, ducking down to keep from getting in anyone's way. The girl's restroom was at the near end of the school building, just up the hill from the field. She could easily get there and back in time for her presentation.
The restroom, as expected, was empty. The students were required to attend the assembly, so the entire school was vacant for now. Mamori slipped inside.
o o o o o
"And that was Tanaka, president of the second year." The students broke out in polite applause as the boy stepped down from the stage and returned to his place in the crowd.
"It's almost time for the disciplinary committee to be presented," Ayane said. "Where's Mamori?"
"She should be back by now," said Himeko, checking her watch. "She's been gone for fifteen minutes."
Ayane chewed her lip nervously. It wasn't like Mamori to be late. Something was wrong.
Behind them, a group of male students were chatting quietly as the third-year president began her address. "Man, we should have assemblies more often," said one of the boys. "It's nice to be able to relax for a few minutes."
"Yeah," replied his friend. "I'm happy being anywhere that Hiruma isn't."
"What do you mean?" asked Ayane, turning to the boys. "He's not here?"
The first boy shrugged. "Can't you tell? It's not like he blends in or anything."
Ayane felt a chill. She stood and faced the crowd, not caring if she got in anyone's way.
"Himeko, I don't see him," she whispered.
Himeko stood, looking around as well. No spiky hair, no shouts of profanity, no huge empty spaces in the crowd where students did their best to stay as far away from him as physically possible. Hiruma wasn't here.
o o o o o
Mamori walked over to the sink, the taps of her footsteps on the tile echoing through the restroom. In the distance, she could hear the muffled voice of the principal as he continued the assembly on the field below. She adjusted the tie around her damp neck, pausing for a moment to enjoy the cool quiet of the restroom. She had a few minutes to spare; after the principal's address, each of the three class presidents would be given a chance to speak.
The automatic faucet turned on with a wave of her hand. Mamori lathered her hands with soap, then rinsed and reached for a paper towel. She glanced up in the mirror, making sure her hair was still reasonably neat.
She looked up just in time to see the door begin to swing shut. Behind the door was Hiruma, leaning against the wall and grinning evilly. She watched in horror as he pushed the door shut with one hand and flipped the lock. The sound echoed ominously through the empty restroom.
Mamori whirled around, her heart in her throat. He must have noticed her leaving the assembly alone and followed her here.
Hiruma's smile grew even wider. He walked slowly over to Mamori, looking disturbingly like a hyena closing in on its prey. Mamori stumbled backwards, bumping into the sink behind her. Hiruma didn't stop moving until the two of them were only inches apart, their bodies nearly touching.
Mamori was of average height, but right now she felt tiny and weak. Hiruma was much taller than she, and with the two of them this close, she had to tilt her head way back just to see his face.
It's all just for intimidation, she reminded herself. Hiruma was like an animal--he could smell fear, and would use it to his advantage whenever possible. She had to keep her cool. She stared at him, maintaining eye contact.
"You must be confused," she said. Thankfully, her voice was calm and steady. "This is the girl's bathroom. I'll be happy to show you out."
"Oh?" Hiruma said smoothly. "I don't see any girls around." Without warning, he thrust his hand into Mamori's suit pocket. She jumped in surprise, unable to suppress a startled gasp. He pulled out her cell phone, switching off the power and slipping it into his own pocket. "Just you and me."
Mamori swallowed. What exactly was he planning to do? Beating up a girl was unspeakably barbaric, but in her year as disciplinary officer she had seen Hiruma do far worse than that. Students foolish enough to openly defy him had a strange tendency to have bizarre "accidents," showing up in class the next day wearing bruises and an expression of haunted terror. And she had defied him more blatantly than anyone ever had...
Without her phone to call for help, Mamori was completely on her own. She glanced around quickly, looking for something she could potentially use as a weapon. There was nothing, not even a mop. She curled her hands into fists, pressing them against the sink behind her.
"You cause me a lot of fucking trouble," Hiruma said. "Most people have enough sense not to argue with me."
"I wouldn't argue so much if you didn't abuse Sena so badly," Mamori said. "And everyone else for that matter. You have no right to treat people the way you do."
"Hmph. I'll treat everyone exactly how I want to treat them. That includes my team, my...secretary, and you."
So this is it, then, Mamori thought. He did intend to get his revenge on her, here where she was helpless and no one was around to stop him. Did he honestly expect her to beg for mercy? Not a chance.
"I don't care what you do to me," Mamori said softly. "But my friends are another issue altogether. I won't let you abuse the people that I care about. Not Sena, not anyone." She raised her head, her voice getting stronger as she continued. "You can beat me up or trash my reputation or do whatever else you like to do to ruin people, but it won't matter. I'll never back down and give in to you. Never! Do you understand?"
Hiruma stared at her through narrowed eyes. Silence hung heavily in the empty room as Mamori waited for his reaction. She could feel tears collecting in her eyes, and she hated it--hated herself for showing weakness in front of him.
Hiruma leaned forward suddenly. With a gasp, Mamori flinched, preparing herself for whatever he was about to inflict on her.
But the only contact came from his lips pressing against hers. Mamori's eyes snapped open. A warm feeling slid down her back, making her skin tingle. She was unable to move or think, her mind and body too busy concentrating on the feel of his mouth against hers.
Hiruma reached up and placed his hands on her shoulders, restraining her as he pressed his body up against hers. His hands were unexpectedly gentle. She could feel the warmth of his body through the fabric of her uniform, and the sensation made her heart race.
Her instinct was to push him away, but her arms had suddenly turned to lead and refused to respond. She was too surprised to resist when he deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue between her lips. The tip of his tongue touched hers, and then the kiss was over as suddenly as it had began.
"I understand," he hissed softly in her ear. He caressed her cheek, his fingertips leaving trails of fire on her skin.
The door suddenly smashed open, flying open so fast that it slammed noisily into the wall behind it.
"Mamori!"
Ayane stood in the doorway, a look of terror on her face. Her eyes widened as she spotted the two of them. Hiruma stepped back, his hands held innocently in his pockets.
The space in front of Mamori suddenly seemed unnaturally vacant. Despite the heat of the day, she was chilly after the loss of contact with his body.
"Are you okay?" Ayane gasped, running over to her friend. Mamori blinked, still slightly dazed from the unexpected kiss. Behind Ayane, Himeko stood in the doorway, an equally frightened expression on her face. Beside her was one of the third-year teachers.
"Is everything all right?" the teacher asked, looking suspiciously at Hiruma. "These girls said there was some kind of trouble."
"No trouble," said Hiruma, giving the teacher his best demonic smile. "I was just leaving."
The teacher paled, but said nothing. Hiruma walked casually to the door, acting as if nothing had happened.
"H--Hiruma," Mamori said. He didn't respond as he walked past the teacher and out the door.
"Mamori! He didn't touch you, did he?" Himeko asked, hugging her protectively.
Mamori didn't answer. She could feel her cheeks burning, and her heart still hammered in her chest. She licked her lips, tasting the telltale mint of Hiruma's gum.
He had definitely touched her...and, despite herself, it was a touch she wanted to feel again.