Summary: "Hate me"; an understanding between warring super powers.
Notes: This is a set of 10 one-shots, each revolving around a different "order".
Disclaimer: I don't own Eyeshield 21. Nor do I own the idea of "10 Orders"; that belongs to the Live Journal community of the same name. I have no affiliation with them, and am simply borrowing some of their prompts.
Hate Me
There are ups and downs in every relationship. At least at the beginning, Hiruma and Mamori's interactions certainly seemed to have many more low points.
The fights were constant and didn't seem to stop, even after Mamori joined the American Football Team as manager. There was always something to pick at that one of them could find about the other. Everyone else had long ago given up wondering how they kept up the constant hostilities, and had simply resigned themselves to the near-constant state of open warfare.
And then one day, away from everyone else's eyes and ears, the quarterback and the manager had a discussion.
Unlike most of their interactions, this one was completely quiet. There was no yelling, no gunfire, no cleaning implements, and absolutely no witnesses. It wasn't a fight. It wasn't a surrender. It wasn't a ceasefire. It wasn't a truce. It certainly wasn't the end of hostilities.
For lack of a better word, it was an understanding.
It came about accidentally-on-purpose, as does everything that surrounds Hiruma Yoichi.
Mamori had stayed in their classroom after school, finishing up some homework before she had to head to football practice. Hiruma came to change out the batteries of some of the cameras he had in the room.
Hiruma made snippy comments; Mamori huffed responses. Eventually, Mamori put her head down on her arms, face turned towards where Hiruma was changing batteries, and she said the words that changed everything between them:
"Sometimes, I think I hate you."
Hiruma didn't pause in his movements, but he did look up and catch her eyes. "Good," he replied, completely serious. "Hate me," he ordered. "If that's what it takes for you to give your fullest, if proving me wrong is where your motivation is rooted, then hate me with all the hate you can possibly feel."
Mamori blinked, and laughed. "Really, Hiruma-kun. As if I could really hate you. I'll give the team my best, because together we're all going to the Christmas Bowl!" She stood up then and gathered her things. "I'm going ahead. Don't forget to turn off the light when you leave."
Hiruma grunted and turned his full attention back to his cameras. He was smirking as the door closed behind Mamori.