Second chapter! I know these are really short, but I figure there's enough action in each of these chapters to make up for it.

Anyway, I don't own Eyeshield 21, so on to the story!

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As Mamori reached the locker room, she opened the door and stepped inside. "Hiruma-kun," she said.

"Che, what do you want, Manajerk?" came Hiruma's reply. Mamori looked towards the voice and blushed, seeing a shirtless Hiruma sitting on a bench, leaning his elbows on his knees, and resting his chin on his hands.

"Hiruma-kun, I'm so sorry. It's my fault you can't be on our team anymore…" she said.

"Well, I'll try to find a way around it. The main problem is that my threats probably won't work as well, anymore, now that people know I have a weakness…. Speaking of which, you'd better watch your back."

Mamori tilted her head a bit, confused. "Why?"

Hiruma looked to the side. "Because it's you." When Mamori didn't understand, he added, "You're my weakness."

Mamori's eyes widened. "Me?"

"Must I repeat myself?"

Mamori stood there in shock, trying to think of a reason for it. When she came up with none, she asked, "…Why?"

"Che, figure it out yourself, Manajerk." He then got up and reached for his clean shirt. "Can you leave? I need to finish changing."

She had forgotten where they were. "Oh! Uh, sure! Sorry!" Blushing, she turned around and left, closing the door behind her.

Hiruma sighed. "And I thought she knew me best…." Then he thought, 'I just hope she doesn't run to Musashi asking about it.'

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As Mamori left the locker room, she headed back towards the field, only to nearly get run over by her confused and upset teammates.

"What happened?" Yukimitsu asked.

"Mamori-san, why were you in the boys locker room?" Monta questioned.

"Never mind that, Monta," Sena said. "What happened out there?"

"Well…" Mamori started, but was interrupted.

"I know what happened!" Taki exclaimed, twirling on one leg again, the other straight up in the air.

"No, you don't!" the three Haha Brothers Jumonji, Kuroki, and Togano, yelled at him.

"Impossible!" Taki fell to the ground dramatically.

"H-happened?" Kumosubi said, reminding everyone of the real problem.

Kurita filled in, fighting back tears, "He said, 'What happened to Hiruma out on the field?'"

Mamori looked down.

"Anezaki-san, do you know why he said he quit?" Musashi asked.

Mamori looked up at him. "…Yes."

"Why?" Kurita asked, tears starting to break free.

"Because… he lost a bet to Agon."

"WHAT?" was the general reply.

"Impossible!" yelled Taki, falling dramatically again. Apparently, he never gets tired of that.

"Hiruma bet that jerk?" Musashi asked, angry.

"Yes. I told him it was a bad idea."

"That idiot. Why would he do something so stupid, and now of all times?"

"I don't know. I don't really understand it myself…." Mamori replied.

Then, the door opened behind them, and out walked the demon in question.

"Speak of the devil," Togano whispered.

"Literally," Kuroki added.

"Hiruma!" Musashi called.

Hiruma turned towards them, his hands in his pockets.

"What?"

"Why did you bet him?"

Hiruma frowned and popped a gum bubble he'd blown. He closed his eyes and turned around. "Maybe I just don't want to be on the team anymore."

"Hiruma!" Musashi said.

Kurita started sobbing. "B-but… we all a-agreed to g-go… to the C-Christmas Bowl…."

"Yeah, Hiruma-sempai! You can't just quit on us!" Monta protested.

"And we just won!" Jumonji added.

"We're almost there!" Kuroki spoke.

"Don't quit, Hiruma-san. We need you," Sena pleaded, and the Deimon Devil Bats were silent.

Hiruma just stood there. The only sound that could be heard was of him popping another bubble. Then, as he was starting to take another step, Mamori spoke up.

"Why did you do that, Hiruma?"

He stopped, frozen in place. "You know damn well why."

"But… you still shouldn't have done that…."

"Says who?" Hiruma muttered.

"Says me!" Mamori exclaimed. "I can protect myself."

"Well, you weren't doing a very good job at it."

Mamori was annoyed. "Well, if you hadn't made that bet, then I wouldn't have been in that situation!"

"Don't you think I know that?" Hiruma yelled. Surprised, Mamori didn't reply. Hiruma added quietly, "Why do you think I lost? It's not like it was your fault I didn't listen."

All of the Devil Bats watched Hiruma. They had never seen him act like this before, and not even Musashi could say he had expected it.

Mamori looked down. "But… I don't agree with that."

Hiruma turned around and walked toward her until he was less than a foot away, making her look up at his face. "You don't agree that it was right to protect you?"

Mamori stood her ground. "No, I don't."

Hiruma leaned in close to her, and when he was only an inch between their faces, he whispered, "Then who's going to protect you from me?" Mamori's eyes widened, and then Hiruma closed the distance between them.

Everyone on the team was taken aback. They had never expected that. Hiruma was not one to show his emotions at all, let alone to the entire team, so seeing him just stand there in front of them and kiss the team manager was more shocking than shocking could get.

After a moment, Monta regained his senses and said, "Oi! Hiruma-sempai, get away from Mamori-san!"

Hiruma pulled back. "Keh. Don't blow your top, Butt-Monkey." Then he turned around and started walking toward the exit as if nothing had happened. "Oh, Manajerk," Hiruma mentioned, looking back. "It turns out, there are some things more important than winning."

Then he walked off, leaving her and the rest of the team to stare after him.

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