"I just don't know what to do with him." Moniwa sighed.
"Have you tried beating some sense into him?"
"Of course not!"
"Kamachi, Moniwa's been trying to beat some sense into you for two years now and has it worked?" Sasaya asked.
"First of all, no, because Moniwa's version of "beating" barely counts as a tap," Kamasaki began, ignoring the other boy's dejected whine, "and secondly, what is that supposed to mean?! I'm perfectly sensible!"
"Perfectly." Sasaya said with the faintest touch of sarcasm, and Kamasaki punched him in the arm.
"Anyways, how could I hit him?" Moniwa demanded. "He's just a first year."
"He's a nasty little brat, is what he is." Kamasaki said. He punched a fist against the palm of his hand. "I'd love to take that little punk down a few notches, lemme tell ya."
"Are you really one to be calling other people punks?" Sasaya asked in amusement, rubbing his arm.
Kamasaki hmphed. "Look, Moniwa, the soft approach is obviously not working with that kid. And if you don't get a handle on him now, he's gonna be a real pain in the neck when the third years leave."
Moniwa sighed again, even deeper than before. "I know." He scuffed his feet and mumbled, "I still think one of you two should be captain instead. I just don't think I'm cut out for this."
Kamasaki punched him in the arm as well, although not as hard as he had Sasaya. "Shut your face. You're gonna be a great captain. You just gotta learn how to be a little firmer. Show those punk first years who's boss."
Moniwa pushed the gym doors open and made a face. "Easier said than done. Have you seen who our juniors are?"
"Moniwaaa-san~"
He groaned.
"Speak of the devil…" Kamasaki muttered.
"Hey now." Sasaya said. "He's not that bad."
"No, he's worse." he answered, as the topic of discussion skipped over to them, already smirking.
"There you all are, sempais. You're so late we thought maybe you had gotten lost."
"You wish." Kamasaki said.
Moniwa blanched as the first year turned to him, expression mischievous.
"You're so quiet again today, Moniwa-san. Cat got your tongue?"
He grimaced. "Hello, Futakuchi." Two of the other first years also called greetings, which he returned a little more happily, before nervously returning the stiff bow the fourth gave him.
"H-hey, Aone. How's it going?"
As usual, the huge first year didn't respond, just fixed him with an intense stare. It wasn't that he was trying to be nasty, but Moniwa shrank back a little anyways. 'Yeah, I really don't think I can do this.' he thought miserably. 'There's no way a bunch of strong personalities like that are ever going to listen to someone like me.'
Maybe it was just because of the negative mindset he was in that day, but practice seemed to go ever rougher than it usually did since the first years had joined. Onagawa and Obara were both doing well, and Aone was pretty much always at the top of his game, but Futakuchi and Kamasaki seemed to be butting heads ever more than usual. Even the expressions of Sasaya and their incredibly patient captain were starting to look strained. As the soon-to-be next captain Moniwa figured he should probably intervene, but every time he would think about opening his mouth they'd be right back at it again and he'd shut down in a fit of nerves.
'Those two are about the last people I want to try and break up a fight between.' he thought anxiously, as Kamasaki snapped at Futakuchi for yet another smart remark.
Their captain made it a point to gather them up at the end of each practice and point out something each of them had done particularly well during the session, something that Moniwa usually looked forward to. But today, what with Kamasaki and Futakuchi throwing elbows every few seconds as they circled up, he found himself wishing that they could skip it just for one day. He didn't want those two to be any closer to each other for any longer than they already had been.
"Moniwa, that was a great save at the end there." their captain said, and he managed a stiff smile and a mumbled thank you in return.
"And on a related note, that last spike of yours was great, Kamasaki. Way to go."
Kamasaki puffed his chest out proudly.
"Your last receive was a little off, though."
They all froze, slowly turning their eyes to the speaker.
'Oh, Futakuchi, why?'
"Huh?" Kamasaki demanded loudly, turning on him. Moniwa took a step back to avoid getting his toes trampled by his red-faced teammate. "What'd you just say to me?"
Futakuchi folded his hands behind his back, the very picture of a polite underclassman if it weren't for the perpetual glint of mischief in his eyes. "Well, it's the truth. You were a little slow to move. Are you sure that all that muscle you're working so hard to put on isn't weighing you down?"
"What?!"
Moniwa winced and put a hand to his temple, the headache that had been building all practice now going in full force.
"That is IT! I can't deal with this racket any longer!"
They all started at his yell. "Moniwa?" Sasaya's forehead wrinkled in concern. "Are you okay?"
Moniwa stomped past him without answering. His hands were clenched tightly into fists but he could still feel them shaking.
"I have had it up to here with your lousy attitude!" He felt himself raising a hand and saw Futakuchi stiffen, but he couldn't make himself stop.
"Hey, Moniwa, hang on a second." Kamasaki said warningly.
"Why can't you just for once stop being such. A. Jerk…!"
"Ow!"
Moniwa blew out a huge breath and turned on his heel, stomping back to his spot in the circle. Kamasaki scrambled out of his way, both he and Sasaya staring at him with huge eyes. Behind him Futakuchi stood with shoulders hunched, holding his head. He stayed there, frozen for a long minute, before slowing straightening up and looking confused.
"What the- Moniwa-san…!"
The second year jumped. "W-what?"
"What the heck was that?" Futakuchi demanded. "That didn't even hurt!" He sounded almost offended. Everyone stared at him.
"Wait, what?" Kamasaki asked, sounding bewildered.
"Of course not!" Moniwa said in horror. "I don't actually want to hurt you. I just want you to stop being such an absolute asshole all the time!"
Futakuchi gaped at him.
Kamasaki rolled up a sleeve. "He's never gonna learn his lesson if you don't actually discipline him a little, Moniwa."
Abruptly Futakuchi burst out laughing and they all stared at him again, Kamasaki demanding, "Are you completely out of your mind or something?"
Futakuchi clutched at his stomach, laughing so hard he was shaking. "I didn't know you could talk like that, Moniwa-san. I don't think I've ever heard you swear even once before."
"Well, consider yourself special." Moniwa said in exasperation. "That's just how utterly crazy you make me."
The first year wiped a tear of mirth away and gave him a huge grin, a real one instead of the nasty, scheming one he usually greeted Moniwa with. "Yeah, yeah, sorry about that. You and Kamasaki-san are just so much fun to tease, Moniwa-san. I can't help myself."
Moniwa's mouth moved wordlessly for a few seconds. How was he even supposed to respond to something like that? At last he said, "Well, try harder. Putting up with your horrible antics every single day is exhausting."
"Kaaay."
He folded his arms. "And apologize to Kamasaki, too. Even if what you said was right, that was neither the time nor the way to say it."
"Whaat? Do I have to?" the first year whined, and at the same time Kamasaki yelled, "Hey!"
When Moniwa ignored him the second year shut his mouth, looking slightly shocked.
"Yes, you have to. I know you're not really such a bad kid, Futakuchi, so do me a favor and act like it once in a while."
The first year started, face reddening. He scowled down at his shoes. "Fine. I'm sorry or whatever."
Kamasaki looked like he was contemplating saying something like, "What kind of apology is that?", until Moniwa glared at him. He looked away and clicked his tongue in annoyance.
"I accept your apology, or whatever."
Moniwa sighed in relief and clapped his hands. Everyone jumped at the loud sound. "There now, that's all taken care of and over with. Huddle back up now, the captain wasn't done talking. C'mon, let's go. Hurry it up."
One by one his speechless teammates slowly circled back up. Moniwa planted himself between Futakuchi and Kamasaki and rested a hand on each of their backs. The two of them started making faces at each other around him and he stared pointedly at each of them in turn until they dropped their gazes and frowned at the floor instead. "Captain, if you would continue, please."
"Oh, um, right." He held out a fist in the middle of the circle and they all copied him. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "You know what, Moniwa, you do it."
"Huh? Me?"
Sasaya smiled at him reassuringly from across the circle. "Yeah, c'mon, future captain. Let's go."
He grinned nervously, cheeks reddening. "Okay then."
"Datekoooo, fight!"
"YEAAH!"
The group broke up and everyone started cleaning up the gym and gathering up their things, Moniwa moving off to the side by himself. He put a hand to his heart and exhaled deeply, jumping as their captain lay a hand on his shoulder.
"That was pretty impressive what you did back there. I can't believe you managed to rein the two of them back in when they were so wound up like that."
"It's only because Futakuchi was too busy laughing at me to keep arguing." he protested. "It's not like he suddenly listens to me now."
The captain smiled at him. "I dunno…you'd be surprised. He watches you really closely, ya know."
He did not know, as a matter of fact. "Does he really?"
"He does. I know he never seems to do what you tell him when you first say it, but he definitely does when you're not looking." He laughed. "He's got a lot of pride, ya know? Puts a lot of stock in his cool guy image. I think that's why he waits until you're not looking to do as he's told. But I've watched him, and he takes every piece of advice you give him to heart. Pay a little more attention to him the next time you tell him to do something and you'll see what I mean." He patted his back. "You're gonna make a fine captain, Moniwa. You just need to have a little more confidence in yourself. Everyone here respects you and values your opinion a lot more than you realize."
He flushed. "I, uh, I'll keep that in mind." he stammered, and the captain smiled at him.
"Good."
They finished cleaning up and shutting down the gym, and the three second years waved good-bye to the upperclassmen before heading off their own way.
"You guys wanna go grab a bite to eat?" Kamasaki asked as they headed for the entrance to the school grounds, but any reply from the other two was cut off by a way-too-cheery voice sing-songing, "Moniwaa-saaan~" from behind them.
Kamasaki and Moniwa both groaned.
"He's taken quite a shine to you, hasn't he?" Sasaya smirked. "He was like that even before you hit him."
"If by "taken a shine to me", you mean he's taken a huge liking to tormenting me every chance he gets, then yes, yes he has." Moniwa said, struggling with a large, overstuffed notebook that was threatening to fall out of his half-zipped backpack. "And for the last time I didn't actually hit him!"
"I'll happily do it for you." Kamasaki offered.
"You'll do no such thing."
Futakuchi skipped up to them, Aone on his heels and looking as grim as ever. "Mind if we walk with you for a bit, sempais?"
"Yes." Kamasaki muttered, but Sasaya slugged him in the arm and said loudly, "Not at all." He glanced over his shoulder and added in concern, "Moniwa, do you need a hand with all that?"
"No, I'm fine I just- shoot!" An ill-timed breeze kicked up and tore several loose sheets of papers out of his hand. "Crap, I need those."
Aone calmly raised both hands and caught nearly all of them without batting an eye. Futakuchi easily snagged the few he missed and peered at them curiously.
"Thanks so much, Aone." Moniwa dropped his bag to the ground and wrestled the papers back into his backpack. "I need those to study for a test later this week."
"Hmm…you better study extra hard, Moniwa-san." Futakuchi smirked. "Your last math test didn't go so well, huh?" He shook one of the papers he was holding, flashing the red ink at the top of the page. "And here I had you pegged for the nerdy type. But I guess even you have subjects you struggle with, after all."
Moniwa flushed bright red and made a grab for the paper. "Give me that! Futakuchi, seriously!" The younger boy easily sidestepped him and backed away, grinning like a Cheshire cat. Moniwa groaned hopelessly.
"The offer for me to deck him for you is still good, ya know." Kamasaki said pointedly.
Moniwa scowled at the first year, still waving the piece of paper at him teasingly while Aone frowned disapprovingly.
"…I'll think about it."
Welp, NaNoWriMo 2017 is officially over! Now maybe I can get back to a less screwed-up sleep schedule...probably not. -_- I managed 40,440 words tho so like. I actually almost won? I'm still kind of in shock about that. Anyways. Fic things. It occurred to me during one of my 800 rewatches of the Dateko episodes that the scene where Moniwa hits Futakuchi is framed to be humorous even more so than Suga or Yaku hitting their teammates and honestly, between that and how timid Moniwa usually is, I had to wonder if he even hit Futakuchi hard enough to actually hurt. Hence this little piece. (It's actually my silly headcanon that it doesn't hurt at all and the team just fakes like it does so Moniwa feels like he's actually doing something to keep them in line himself instead of always relying on Aone to keep order.) (I also kinda think some of these pieces would work better as short comics, but I didn't spend a month writing them not to publish them SO. Also it was fun to finally write the third years since Just a Joke didn't feature them at all.) Chapters 2 and 3 are already written so those'll be up later this week probably. I'll stop rambling now but as always thanks for reading!