A/N: This fic explains whyHiruma and Mamori ended up living together when they went to Saikyoudai University. This is part of my fanfic A Dangerous Rival (ADR) but it can also stand alone so I am making a separate post for those who only have time to read shorter fics. I originally planned this as another fic (since it's long), but then I decided to make it kind of like an omake to ADR so I decided to incorporate it.
This was set when Hiruma and Mamori were still freshmen in the university. There are things that are still new to them. It is a time when they experience the difference and similarities of college life from high school; the change in environment, new people, old friends no longer with them, new home, being in a powerhouse school compared to Deimon, etc.
BTW, I set up that Mamori needed to live in either a dorm or an apartment since looking at the anime/manga, their house is not in the center of Tokyo. They are kinda in the outskirts, just look at the number of students in Deimon. Same for Hiruma. Likewise, it's pretty common in Japan that students who go to college would live separately from their parents (sometimes it starts in middle or senior high school, depends upon the family). Moreover, just imagine having to commute every single day after practice, it would be tiring and impractical. And they have morning and afternoon practice as well so they have to be early in the morning and go home late. It's either living in the dorm or find an apartment.
Okay so back to the story. This is still during their first year. This took chapters since you know; Mamori won't just live with a man even if it's Hiruma Youichi. She's dense but not an idiot.
Chapter 1: Why They Live Together
It started during their first year in the university. When she enrolled in Saikyoudai, Mamori lived in the ladies dorm. However, being Hiruma's football manager, she always stayed too late at night in the American Football Clubhouse.
It was a violation of the ladies dorm policies to stay outside beyond 10:00 PM and Mamori and Hiruma often times stayed in the clubhouse even after midnight. Hiruma had blackmailed the security guard to keep silent and Mamori innocently sweet-talked the poor guard to open the gates for her every time she goes home beyond curfew. But it didn't last long, since some people in the dorm noticed it.
"Hiruma-kun, I can't do this anymore. The security guard had been begging me to get back to the dorm earlier. He said he might lose his job anytime. Especially since some of the students know that he had been letting me in," Mamori suddenly complained one night while they were eating dinner at a 24 hour restaurant. (It wasn't a date. Yes it's just the two of them but they just tried to catch a very late dinner after pouring all their time analyzing formations and strategies and formulating game plans.)
It was already 11:30 PM and Mamori was still outside. It's either she sneak to the gates and talk to the guards to let her in or sleep in Hiruma's place. She had been staying in the dorm for only two months and she had already broken the rules almost every single day. She was already causing a racket and she didn't like causing trouble for other people.
"Huh?! Then I'll just shut their mouth. I have blackmail material on everyone in the dorm," Hiruma had answered in an irritated tone.
"No way. If you do that it will be more troublesome. And it's not like we can stay in the school grounds past curfew all the time either. It's embarrassing being told to lock up already everyday with that weird look on the guards' face." She was referring to how the university security guards were suspecting that she and Hiruma were not actually doing club activity matters but doing naughty stuff in the clubhouse. She can't explain herself either since none of the guards ever dared to voice it out since they had heard of Hiruma's terrible viscosity.
"Then what the hell are you saying? You're going to stop doing your job or you'll just quit being manager?"
"Of course not! I just need to find an apartment. Somewhere near the school. Maybe I won't be around some time so I can look for one."
Hiruma had eyed her for a moment before saying, "why not stay at my place? You often stay there like it's your place anyway."
Mamori choked on the juice she was drinking. "What?! That's ridiculous. I can't. Living together with a man is just - "
"What? It's not like there would be anything different. These past days you're almost always in my place and you've been doing as you please like it's yours."
In the first month since they entered Saikyoudai, Mamori had slept in Hiruma's place for more than ten times due to football club matters. Thankfully, he had extra rooms for guests. And this past month, she had slept in his place 17 times. She stayed in his flat more than half of the month. She also always prepared lunch and dinner for them both at his place; sometimes even breakfasts. Thinking back, she realized that he was right. It almost made no difference. Even while her things were still in the dorm, it was already like she was living with him. But to really move in with him, she still thought it's inappropriate so she refused.
It was just way too unexpected for Hiruma to offer his place since as he phrased it; she often slept there anyway like it was her place. Activities in the university compound wasn't 24 hours. It was also against the rules to stay there beyond curfew. So for the sake of the goody-two-shoes manager who didn't like having the guards scolded by the Board because of them; they often went to Hiruma's place to continue analyzing football formations, editing videotapes, and the like.
The two of them were too absorbed in football that they almost never talked about anything else aside from it. Once they concentrated on their job, they kept at it until they got the results they wanted. Then they would laugh at themselves as they eat a midnight snack and shift what they were doing from American Football to their homework and research papers. Sometimes, the other way around. But they almost always slept after past midnight. And so Mamori had to sleep in Hiruma's place as it was dangerous to walk back to the dorm (and the school gates and even the dorm was already locked anyway).
Yes, they weren't dating. But she felt at ease sleeping at his place. Perhaps, it was because Hiruma never showed interest in anything aside from football and guns. He never made a pass at her and he might not even see her as a woman (or so she thought.)
Looking for an apartment was harder than Mamori had expected. With her busy schedule, it was especially difficult. A month had passed since Hiruma's offer and she hadn't found one. All apartments near their school were already full. Those that were available were unreasonably expensive while the other's looked unsafe.
Mamori was finally triggered when she attended a celebratory party for the success of a short-term research she had participated in. It was just a few minutes past curfew when she returned; but the guard wouldn't let her in anymore since he had been given his last warning from his superior. Sweet-talk and begging didn't work. It was raining hard and Mamori was wearing a dress she really liked and high-heeled shoes. Despite the heavy downpour, she had trotted to Hiruma's place.
Mamori wanted to cry. She was tired and cold. But she wasn't welcomed. It wasn't the guard's fault. Still, she felt like she was kicked out of her home. It's a weird feeling since she had only been staying in the dorm for three months. And she knew she was at fault for not being on time. But being not allowed in, despite the rain, had her expectations of a new home get crushed. Suddenly realizing it wasn't a place where she could return to anytime was disappointing. The feeling was like, where would she go then if she's not welcome in her own home? Mamori felt so lonely for the first time in her life. She thought of people whom she could go to and realized there was none. All her close friends were in different schools and have their own life now. She can't possibly go and disturb more people.
When someone knocked on his door, Hiruma didn't think of opening it. He wasn't expecting any guests. He thought of people who knew his place and it was only Mamori and delivery people. The Manager? It might be her. But she was supposed to be home a long while ago. Another knock. It sounded hesitant. And Hiruma suddenly had a strong feeling that he needed to open it, so he did.
Hiruma was taken aback to see Mamori dripping wet; obviously soaked by the rain, in her favourite dress and high-heels. She was shivering. She wasn't crying or anything, but her face didn't look good. When she weakly said "Hiruma-kun," he already knew what she would ask next: If he could let her stay for the night. He grabbed her in and started to drag her to towards the bath.
Mamori croaked. If Hiruma wasn't home, if he didn't let her in too; where would she have gone? Stay at a hotel? She stared at Hiruma's back and his blond hair that suddenly looked warm and bright, and comforting. Her eyes trailed from his shoulder to his hand that held her by the arm. The warmth from his hand seemed to spread all over her body as if telling her she would be fine now. It was reassuring but it also made her feel even worse; that she was being a bother. She didn't realize she stopped walking. She felt like she was being a burden, but somehow, since it was Hiruma, she felt like it was alright to feel at ease.
Hiruma stopped and was about to tell her to hurry up when he saw the expression on her face. And all of a sudden, (which surprised him much more than her) Hiruma hugged her. That was the first time in his life that he ever hugged someone. He didn't know why he did it. It wasn't like him. But looking at her face, he couldn't help but hold her tight. That was the first time he ever felt needed by this strong woman. And he realized her weakness which he was more than willing to make up for, as she did for him.
Mamori trembled in his arms and he knew she was crying. She was finally letting it out. He hugged her tighter as she sobbed on his chest. He didn't care anymore if his clothes get soaked by her wet clothes or her tears. This scene was all too weird and he had never foreseen this coming (or perhaps a bit but not him holding her like that). She wasn't a damsel-in-distress type of woman so he loathed the fact that somehow, people were able to make her cry and sob like this. He knew how she hated losing to him so she didn't like showing him any weakness. But somehow those things didn't matter to her anymore. She broke down. And he knew there were people behind it. He gently patted her head and stroked her hair (which he didn't know he was capable of). And as he listened to her cry, he was ready to go hunting.