A/N: I've been reading the Eyeshield 21 manga for the past couple of weeks and managed to scribble this up over the weekend. It's not much, since I've been trying to work through a tough case of writer's block, but hopefully this will help. Once the block is gone, I have a bunch of other fics I want to finish as they've been sitting around for over half a year now. Look forward to them! Besides, I've been writing too many romance stories lately, so it's nice to have a break.

BTW, the idea for this story came from a review I read that says that Hiruma is basically asexual, and I kinda have to agree with that assessment.

Seriously, though, Hiruma cracks me up so much!

Warnings: Genderswitch. NO pairings!! This fic is completely gen. Hiruma (yes, he does deserve his own warning...), language...

Disclaimer: I do not own Eyeshield 21.

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A Working Relationship

"Alright, time for a break!" Doburoku called, causing everyone's forward progress to halt.

Sena turned and sprinted back to the truck to make it before Mamori climbed out of the cabin so that she could jump under the blanket the older girl thought she'd been sheltering under. She made it just in time, with no small help from Hiruma as he distracted the team manager long enough for Sena to pretend she'd been sitting in the back of the truck, instead of running for two days straight with the rest of the team.

The sudden inactivity was enough for her to notice the constant aching in her feet, not having to concentrate on kicking the rock and thereby ignoring her own discomfort, and it was all she could do not grimace as she sheepishly answered her best friend's well intentioned questions.

"Are you alright?" Mamori asked, practically shoving a bottle of water into the younger girl's hands. "You're not feeling dizzy or anything, are you? You're practically covered in sweat."

"No, I'm fine, Mamori-neesan." Sena lied through her teeth. "It's just rather hot, don't you think?"

Mamori opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted.

"Hey, damn manager!" Hiruma called. "Don't just stand there like an idiot and come hand out food!"

At first, Mamori seemed annoyed at being interrupted, but his last comment spurred her into action, as she went to one of the coolers to start handing out food rations to the boys.

Sena sighed in relief, groaning as she worked on stretching out her rapidly cramping legs. She jumped in surprise when a cold sandwich landed in her lap, and looked up to see Hiruma standing over her with a serious look on his face.

"Eat, fucking shrimp," he ordered, and Sena's hands trembled with fatigue as she worked to unwrap the food.

The first bite of food was like heaven, but she was suddenly distracted when one of her shoes was wrenched off her foot sending new aches up her leg. "Hiruma-san!" she gasped in surprise and pain, trying to jerk her foot away from the captain.

"Shut the fuck up and eat," came the biting reply as he peeled the sock off her foot, revealing bruises and blisters, some split and bleeding from the hard training she'd been doing.

Her sandwich forgotten, Sena watched as he deftly disinfected and wrapped both her feet, before slapping some cold packs on her knees and ankles to keep the swelling down. He did this while Mamori was distracted with tending to the other player's wounds and when he was done, he laid a blanket over Sena's legs to hide the injuries.

"Finish your damn sandwich," he ordered her again, with a manic grin on his face. "You've got 24 hours to eat and rest, fucking shrimp, so do it."

He sauntered off, the assault rifle he'd been using to 'encourage' the runners slung over one shoulder. Sena watched him go absently, before gobbling up the sandwich like she'd been starving- which, after running non-stop for 48 hours straight, she had been.

As weariness began to set in, Sena climbed in to the cab of the truck with Mamori and Suzuna to sleep, not letting Hiruma's treatment of her bother her in the least.

Theirs' was a working relationship, after all, and what was good for her benefited him.