Alright, I'm finally back. ^_^ I got grounded, then I went overseas on vacation, then I was just busy... But now I'm finally uploading more fanfictions!

This stupid thing gave me such a hard time... I several large emotional blows while writing it, so I kept having to restart to keep it from getting depressing. This is the result. My restarting so many times is my excuse as to why this one's not that great. Sorry about that.

Another Karneval fanfic, featuring Yogi and Gareki again, but not as a pairing this time (unless you want to interpret it that way, I don't really care). It's a light-hearted comedy. A really stupid comedy...but then again, most comedies ARE pretty stupid. But have fun reading it anyway.

Disclaimer: I do not own/have no affiliation with Karneval or anyone involved in its production.

"Staaaaaaaaaare..."

Gareki attempted to ignore the annoying blonde man who was persistently staring at him while he ate, but, of course, when your opponent is Yogi, resistance is futile. Gareki sighed and put down his fork. "What do you want?" he asked.

Yogi continued examining Gareki as though he were some sort of lab specimen. "Your face..."

"What about it?"

"I was just wondering if it contains the muscles necessary to smile," Yogi said as he leaned back in his chair, the aforementioned expression playing on his lips.

Gareki rolled his eyes. "Do I look like I'm missing muscles in my face? Besides, I do smile, just not for an idiot like you."

"You smirk. I've seen that. But there's a difference. A smirk is more cynical, and a smile is happy."

"Thank you for that marvelous description professor," Gareki said sarcastically, clapping. "Now please leave and allow me to enjoy my meal in peace."

"Hm..." Yogi absentmindedly tapped his spoon on his already clean plate as he pondered the request. "I think I'll stay here instead," he announced. "That is to say, I won't leave you alone until you smile for me."

Gareki sent him his fiercest glare, even though he was well-aware it would get him nowhere. "Do you have any idea how much I hate for people to tell me to smile?" he growled.

"Quite a lot it seems," Yogi observed. "But I think you'll smile for me eventually anyway."

Gareki stood suddenly, his food forgotten. "That's where you're wrong."

"If you're so sure, why don't we make a bet?"

"A bet?"

"Yes, it's when you wager something, and -"

"I know what a bet is, moron. I mean, what for?"

"If I can get you to smile before," Yogi glanced at the clock; it was 9am now, "9pm, I win. And if I win, then you have to wear all the Nyanperona souvenirs we have in the next town and profess your undying love for him."

Gareki's eyes narrowed, and he nodded slowly. "Find. But if I win, you have to leave me alone for a month. As in, no talking to me, no touching me, no messing with me."

Yogi frowned. "I suppose that sounds fair..." he said. "Doesn't matter though. You won't win." He shrugged. "It's inevitable. You'll have to smile eventually."

"You don't have to smile to live," Gareki pointed out.

Yogi shrugged again. "If you say so," he replied.

-X-

Gareki WAS right; smiling wasn't one of the requirements for human life. However, he was starting to think his refusal to smile was going to kill him. Yogi rarely made up his mind so fully about something, but when he did, he went all out. Nothing could keep him from achieving his goal. Well, death or maybe a life-threatening injury probably could, but Gareki thought those options may be a bit extreme, however appealing they were.

Besides, it was 8pm now; only an hour was left. Yogi had so far... not really tried much of anything, besides a few bad jokes. His lack of attempts was only making Gareki nervous.

Oh well. There was just one hour remaining, and Gareki would never give up the race this close to the finish line. No way was Gareki willing to be humiliated in front of so many people in the next town, so he would absolutely not lose.

-X-

Gareki sat at the desk in his and Nai's room, trailing his finger in circles on the desk, watching the clock as he waited for the time to be up. It was starting to go agonizingly slowly. He considered what Yogi must have planned; it had to be something big, surely, and that was why he hadn't tried to mess with Gareki much so far. But what could it be...? Only ten minutes were left, so...

A loud knocking on the door broke through his thoughts, and Nai walked in. "Hi, Gareki," he greeted warmly. "Yogi sent me to fetch you. He said he gives up."

Gareki raised an eyebrow. "He gives up? There's only ten minutes left; why would he give up?" he wondered.

Nai shook his head. "I'm not sure... but he wanted a chance to say something to you before he has to not talk to you for a month..." Nai told him.

"...alright, fine," Gareki agreed. He stood and walked with Nai to the main hall of the ship, where Yogi was sitting, his head in his hands. "Yogi? Did you die? I was already thinking it was too good to be true that you were giving up; surely you won't die on me too?"

Yogi raised his head slowly and looked at Gareki. "No, I'm alive. Either that, or I'm a very determined ghost," he joked. Gareki stared at him, straight-faced. Yogi sighed. "I just wanted to say, I give up. And I'll regret not being able to see you as a Nyanperona fan. It'll also be sad not getting to mess with you for a month, but I guess I'll just have to get over it. And now, I'm out of time."

All three boys looked at the clock hanging above Yogi. The time hit 9pm, and Gareki glanced back down at Yogi. "So I won," he laughed, smiling for real this time. "Now you have to leave me alone for a whole month! A month of peace! ...what's gotten into you? Not that you can answer me."

Yogi was laughing too. "You didn't win, Gareki," he said. As he spoke the words, the bells chimed 9. Nai looked curiously at Yogi, while Gareki glared. "It wasn't 9 yet. I moved the clock forward because I knew you would be happy after you thought you'd won. And I was correct."

Gareki was speechless in his fury. "You-! You-!"

Yogi grinned. "So in the next town, Nyanperona gets to have another fan!" Gareki's mind couldn't form any words, so he instead took to hitting Yogi, who just kept laughing. "You know," he said, grabbing Gareki's wrists, "you should really smile more often. You looked cute."

Gareki blushed and looked away. "I'll consider it…"

Hope you liked it. As always, favorites and reviews are appreciated but not required.

See you all later. *heart*