Warning: T, mostly for Hiruma's mouth.

Disclaimers: I do not own any of the songs, images or characters used here. They belong to their respective owners!

Notes: Similar and can be seen as a continuation to another drabble that I did "You Picked Me". These were actually drabbles that accompanied a fanmix I had created and posted on the HiruMamo community on LJ. I selected songs that I thought suited a theme that I had, which was their time AFTER Saikyoudai, and then wrote drabbles based on those songs. You don't have to know the songs to read these drabbles, they're meant to be able to stand on their own. But do check out the songs if they catch your interest. A quick Google or YouTube search will help. ^^

What I hoped to finish in a month took a lot longer than I expected. I kept changing songs, and I kept doubting whether or not it will work. After all, I'm focusing this fanmix on Hiruma and Mamori after Saikyoudai so I knew this was going to be tricky. But I worked it out somehow so I hope you guys appreciate the effort this took! ;_;

A big thank you to daftken on LJ who suggested the first song! And Elis on who supported me when I was close to giving up on this. I hope you guys enjoy it. ^^

Resistance

(It could be wrong, could be wrong) But it should have been right
(It could be wrong, could be wrong) To let our hearts ignite
(It could be wrong, could be wrong) Are we digging a hole?
(It could be wrong, could be wrong) This is out of control

(It could be wrong, could be wrong) It can never last
(It could be wrong, could be wrong) Must erase it fast
(It could be wrong, could be wrong) But it could have been right...

~ Muse

Their feelings for each other have become painfully obvious now. They were both finding it hard to hide that little gleam in their eyes whenever they see each other, ignore the heat of each other's skin, or even each other's very familiar presence. Try as they might to repress these emerging feelings, it only served as a confirmation to others.

Yet why did they never say anything, even as their years at Saikyoudai had ended, was a question that no one other than those two could find an answer to.

Undeniable

It's undeniable how brilliant you are
In an unreliable world you shine like a star
It's unforgettable now that we've come this far
It's unmistakable that you're undeniable...

~ Mat Kearney

It was their last day in Saikyoudai. Hiruma didn't mean to avoid her so much that day, but it could not be helped. He decided that he was going to plan his steps from today onwards. Yet even after being so certain of his decisions, despite how fool-proof his plans were, even with his big aims for his future, he realizes that it is far from perfect...

Because his plans did not include her.

He wasn't sure why he didn't just find some blackmail material, or trick her into following him in his journey after Saikyoudai. It was probably due to the fact that he knows she has her own dreams and her own road to pursue, and he has used her long enough.

Or maybe it was because he'd have to face these goddamn feelings if he continued to be next to her.

But as he continued to plan his future, her role in his life was becoming harder and harder to deny.

Never Want to Say It's Love

My friends are around and your name comes up
Asking if I ever heard from you
I'm keeping it quiet about those words to you
But I meant every word that I said
I stand by every word that I said
I never wanna say it's love
But it's really what I'm thinking of...

~ Dido

Mamori found it funny how her friends, Sara and Ako, have changed since they last met. Sara has gotten engaged, while Ako is set on starting her own bakery. While she was incredibly happy for them, it felt strange to see them pursuing dreams so different than what they had initially planned back in high school.

"How about you?" Ako had asked her. "What are you going to do now since you left Saikyoudai?"

Mamori knew the answer to this. She was going to be a Kindergarten Teacher. That was her plan for years. Yet even as she opened her mouth to answer, doubt spread across her mind. She stumbled with a vague reply of her plans.

"What about Hiruma?" asked Sara.

Indeed, what about him. As she walked home, she realized how they had left without saying much to each other. There wasn't even a proper goodbye. Why didn't they? Were they afraid of something?

Yes, she told herself. They didn't want to admit that they needed each other... even more now since their football days in college are now over. But most of all, they did not want to accept the fact that it may have been love after all.

Grey

This is what I've learned so far
Everything is grey
Few things are forever
And it hurts when good things fade
You can't be my everything
And I am not half you
But you can make it all worth while
And that's why I love you...

~ Sarah Bettens

He went to her place, much to her surprise. Not by the fact that he could find her despite moving the last time they met. she knew he had his own resources to get her new address. It was the fact that he took the trouble at all to find her was surprising.

And he knew he was taking a big risk meeting her now. After all, they did leave without really saying a word to each other. And now he's about to force her to face that one thing they've both been dreading, since he was about to propose a deal with her. One that would keep her by his side.

Where she belongs.

Doubts still filled her mind as she listened to him, but many other doubts were washed away as well. She understood, just as how she understood when they agreed to go to Saikyoudai. They will always be two different entities, with their own minds and goals... but together, they could achieve so much more.

But now they have no intention to be separated again.

Work

Don't think we're not serious
When's it ever not
The love we make is give and it's take
I'm game to play along...

~ Jimmy Eat World

Now that they've come clean with each other, Hiruma was certain there were still a few issues that needed to be handled. "You're fucking worried, aren't you?" he asked her.

Mamori shrugged. "According to what we have so far, it's going to be incredibly challenging and..." she looked through more papers. "According to you, we have a..."

"48% chance of failing, yes," he replied, grinning a little.

"But we've been doing things like these for years, haven't we?" Mamori sighed as she smiled a little. "We're going to be sacrificing a lot more though. And by the way you're grinning, you don't look that worried."

Yes, he wasn't too worried. Timing is everything right now. That, and as long as she does her role well, like she's been doing since he can remember, things will be all right.

After all, he has no intentions of letting this go that easily.

The World Without

We can work this out
I believe, although it seems impossible now
Keep the world without
Only the two of us count
Two voices loud
It is possible now
Though they wore us down
We'll find our way again...

~ A Fine Frenzy

Things did turn out a lot harder than they had expected. People around them were giving trouble, and seemed to enjoy pulling Mamori away and tell her how she had so much more potential than just working by his side. She would push their idle talk away, and whenever she had any moment of doubt, all she had to do was be by his side, or even in his arms, and listen to his plans.

She was sure things will fall into place. Their years together had proven that.

Afterglow

At least for now
I think it's what we need
Don't think about it baby
Just come with me...

~ Schuyler Fisk

They took a day off to head to the beach. Despite it being their short holiday, they couldn't help but talk about their current plans as they walked along the sandy shores.

"Do you think we'll ever get this on track?" Mamori murmured to herself, hoping the breeze would drown out her words. She didn't mean to be so doubtful, but as she looked at Hiruma, he seemed to be also asking himself the same thing.

"It's fucking useless to worry about that now," he replied. "But we've gotten almost everything in place. We just have to wait and see how things go from here."

She smiled at him, but he still looked on seriously. "Is everything all right?"

"We never really worked out that issue, did we?" he asked.

"What issue?" said Mamori, looking confused.

Hiruma walked ahead of her, then turned to face her. He held his hand out as he said, "Where you become my fucking wife."

Mamori looked at him blankly for a moment. Then remembered that they promised to be engaged once things have settled down. "But there's still a lot to do before-"

"I've put you through enough with all that shit," he cut her off. "I owe you this much."

"Is that why you brought me here? So we can focus on us a little more?" she laughed lightly. "Silly, I don't need an engagement to know how much I mean to you."

She read him well. He grinned at her response as he asked, "Come with me?"

Her reply came in an outstretched hand that held unto his firmly.

Extra Notes: I'm sorry if I made things pretty vague with the drabbles. I really didn't want to get into the nitty gritty details that may be a bit too distracting. I wanted to focus on what Hiruma and Mamori were feeling more than I wanted to focus on what were the issues they were facing. It may be lazy of me to some of you guys, but I hope you appreciate the intention and that somehow, you enjoyed this be it the drabbles or the songs. ^^