Disclaimer: Not mine. Anguish! Despair! Misery! Wretchedness that cannot be counter on one's fingers!
A/N: Because while on holiday my brain decided to fritz and ignore big fics in favour of small … things.
Muffin Wars
© Scribbler, August 2007.
Jounouchi and Anzu glared at the muffin like it had insulted them. Then they glared at each other. Then they looked back at the muffin, though with less venom. A few more glances up and down, and the contrast between Muffin Love and Resentment was clear as glass.
Finally, Jounouchi spoke. "I'll arm-wrestle you for it."
Anzu opened her mouth to dismiss this challenge as ridiculous, and admonish him for even suggesting anything so remedial. Then she noticed the packaging cast to the left of the plate. It listed the muffin as mint choc chip with a fondant centre. She could smell it, peppermint stinging her nose.
"All right."
Jounouchi grinned and braced his elbow on the table. His grin bespoke confidence that he and his masculine upper body strength would win. "C'mon. Show me what you got."
"That wasn't part of the agreement, perv." Anzu braced her own elbow, but then paused. "You're not expecting me to spit on my palm or anything gross like that, are you?"
"Only if you want to-"
"Pass!" She gripped his hand. "Ugh, how much do you sweat?"
"It's a sign of manliness."
"Seriously, slick city. I'm so scrubbing myself raw after this."
He frowned. "I said arm-wrestling, not mud-slinging."
Honda stood next to the refrigerator, soda can in hand. It was stopped halfway to his mouth. "Are they really going to do this?"
"It looks that way." Yuugi looked a little distressed, though for which of them wasn't clear. "Uh, guys, I could always run to the store for more muffins -"
"Hush, Yuugi, the challenge was accepted." Jounouchi used a voice of faux gravitas reserved for movie trailer voiceovers and wrestling intros. "It's now officially a matter of principle and male pride."
"You have no male pride," Anzu stated.
He frowned some more. "Threetwoonego – nyargh!"
Anzu delicately released his crushed hand.
"Foul! I wasn't ready!"
She rolled her eyes and dragged the plate towards her, forcibly ignoring the little voice that warned it was headed straight for her hips. Sometimes, after a day of double math homework, being chased by the neighbour's dog, tearing your skirt in front of the entire boys' athletic squad and being kidnapped by an evil psychopath with your ugliest grey underwear on show to the world … you just really, really needed a muffin.
Jounouchi gave her a look that could've melted iron filings. He held out his hand again. "Best two out of three?"
Fin.