Arm-wrestling

Well... pure crack. Sun has been hitting a bit too hard on my head, lately, enough to convince me to actually publish this story. I apologize for all the mistakes which could be found, I'm not english and have no beta... ^^

Pandora Hearts don't belong to me, nor do the characters, otherwise this series wouldn't be as good as it is... and PH would be classified as shonen-ai, if not yaoi... ^

"Who do you think is the strongest between Sharon-chan and the seaweed-head?"

It all began with a genuine question. Break and Sharon were having tea, Sharon sipping with delight her favourite Darjeeling while Break, drinking his, enjoyed in the same time the chocolate cake, giving Emily small pieces of it, here and there. Raven sat in a corner, by the window, cleaning his gun. Oz was listening to their chatting, about weather, about the abyss, about all and everything... Alice, preoccupied by her meal, suddenly raised her head, mouth filled with meat, and asked Oz about the other member's strength.

" 'Coz I know you and I would be on a par with the clown, but I question myself about Sharon-chan and the seaweed head. She's always drinking tea and idly chatting, but Break said once that women were very strong in the Rainsworth family, and she handles dangerously her paper fan. What's more, she formed a contract with a chain. But, on another side, she claims to be a simple maiden, delicate and fragile. So I don't know what to think anymore. The seaweed head, I saw him fighting chains, but he often uses his guns, so speaking about physical strength, I don't really know... 'kay, Gil could perhaps be called a "man", but he isn't heavily built either, though. And no need to say that he is a chicken, too. So I was wondering who the strongest one was between them two, in an arm-wrestling..."

Sharon strengthened the hand around her fan, veins pulsing dangerously on her forehead, as she heard about her deadly weapon. At the same moment, the "seaweed head" didn't balance for a bit: he immediately pointed his gun at Alice, with a "Raven or Gilbert, you brat. The best one still being you not speaking about me. Don't have me repeating myself."

"First, you two would be no match for me, even with scythes, guns, ropes and whatever you could think of. I'd still overwhelm you, said the hatter in a laugh, making his point in enumerating weapons on his fingers, stick entering their sights, reminding the two youngsters their first encounter with him - a complete defeat, even Alice had to admit. "But truly, I wonder too about the outcome of such a dual. I have to admit, Gilbert-kun has neatly improved, especially with bare fists- this being due to the fact that Break always had Gilbert's guns flying in the airs, forcing the black bird into fists fights - fists fights that the hatter always won, nevertheless. Not only by regular ways, but winning's the only thing which matters, he'd always say... "He always loses, but with such a class now, even the face in mud, it's incredible! What's more, it's way funnier to force him to subdue, now." He giggled, glancing at the black-haired man, who was then frowning at the thought of all these losses... Quite humiliating, he had to say; everyone would acknowledge the albinos' skills in battle, though. He wasn't really at fault.

And then, everyone was already speaking about arm-wrestling...

"True, it'd be interesting!" Oz made his point. Really, he'd never stop bullying his manservant... "Gil, you have to do it, that's an order! Sharon-chan?... " he turned his head towards the younger-than-him-by-two-years girl, making the cutest face he could think of. Eyes shining with tears and expectation, he waited for her response, pleading silently.

"I don't really think where the point of all this is, I have to say... And where would be my interest, I pray you?

"Alice could call you Onii-san, as you asked for her to do yesterday. I know she'd agree to do it , if I was to ask her to." It came straight past his lips, as if thought for a long time. "Gil, on the contrary, she could actually stop calling you seaweed head" The stare Sharon gave him let no doubt about her answer. Raven had hesitated for a few seconds before agreeing too, still frowning. "Alice, you alright with that?"

"Only for a week. A match isn't worth seaweed head's face when worked up. Supposing he ever win" She silently snickered, looking at the other two, who, seemingly satisfied by this compromise - although Raven had hesitated once more and retained a sharp reply - were taking place here and there of the small tea table, Break having taken care of the cake, now in his mouth and Emily's. Oz was chirping by his side, already enjoying the situation he had had his manservant took in.

Two slender arms put on the table, elbows against the firm surface, they were ready... or so they thought, at least. Raven, an uneasy look on his face, was looking at Sharon, waiting for her to withdraw, hoping her to. The young lady, on the other side, smiled, a oh so creeeeeeepy smile... A taste of what life would be for him if she lose. A living hell. The match hasn't begun, yet he had already broken a sweat... "Ready... go!" chirped Emily's clear voice, Break wagging a flag at the same time.

From the beginning on, he was surprised by the almost-inhuman strength he was assaulted with. Knuckles already white with pressure, he nevertheless managed to equilibrate the match, Sharon's face slightly distorted in the effort. A little more... No, she had the upper hand... He equilibrated, once more... The more they fought, the more the outcome seemed uncertain...

"Oh, doesn't one of you want to lose? We're getting bored, here", sighed Break, who had sit down while looking. Next to Oz, who was beginning to think that maybe his little Gil was strong, after all... Alice had satisfied her curiosity a moment, and had returned to her meat, the plate being now in her hands.

Seeing from the silence and the tense ambiance he received as an answer, he got up from his chair and slipped behind Raven, who only glanced at him for a split-second before turning his eyes back at Sharon, whose determination shined as strong as new.

Might as well take part in the challenge. He'd just have to put a little more charge in the balance, after all...

He then slowly applied pressure on the back of the bird's chair, letting him know he was still here. A little bit of a perturbing act... But although he had shifted a bit in reaction - reflex motion when you knew the unforeseeable clown - Raven held on pretty well, Sharon too. He'd just have to apply more stress on the challenger...

Hidden by the table, sure that no one would look at them three anymore (fact is, Oz and Alice were blabbering, looking at the window, waiting patiently for the results), he oh so slowly trailed his hand along the slender yet muscular lines, his fingers brushing slightly the ribs on the left, feeling the unequal breathing, almost a gasp. Then the left hip, a shudder. Raven glanced at him a few times, golden eyes flickering in surprise and awkwardness, before returning to Sharon who had pushed a bit harder.

Face expressing both stress and a bit of anger, Gilbert was trying to decide whether this behaviour was normal, even for the clown, and whether he should panic here and now, or wait for another chance to whack him down. Break's hand trailed a bit on his leg, before quickly pulling it out. Gil's face was red in colours, his cheeks were hot and something was beginning to stir down there. Why was it happening to him?.. Seems like adolescence wasn't over yet, for him. Though his wrist was still firm, he didn't know how long it'd last. In front of him, Sharon also seemed a bit down. Tiredness, finally?

It all was getting funnier and funnier by the seconds. Gilbert just looked so flustered! At this point, he didn't care what would be the outcome of the challenge anymore. Well, almost not. So, he was all betting on this last move.

What was that energumen going to do, again? Gilbert was almost as upset as he was flustered. Suddenly, he knew what Break was thinking of. Quite obvious, since he was already doing it. He was breathing. Hard. In his ear. "Keep on going, guys!" Although this words seemed harmless, Raven felt it like personal aggression. He was on the edge. Closing the eyes, he let his wrist decrease in pressure, step by step, waiting for the final push.

The final push never came. For Sharon had let go too, a little bit earlier. Hesitantly, he quickly moved his arm so that the back of Sharon's hand was now resting on the table. Lifting head towards the maiden's face, he saw that she seemed somewhat flustered too. And then he understood why.

"She has seen everything. That's what had her giving up. She has seen everything."

Xerxes Break greatly enjoyed his trick the moment he saw his proud little Raven's cheeks, whose blushing was crawling up and down his neck, as he seemed to finally understand the why of his victory. His eyes had immediately diverted from the look Sharon was sending him, and his lips were lightly trembling in fear and shame.

Somehow, Raven only heard Oz's clapping and Alice's protestations, sarcasms and resignation, from a distance. Sure, he'd won but it was going to cost him a lot. Putting his hand in the dark waves of his hair, he sighed in despair, cursing the damn rabbit's curiosity. He was SO going to regret it. Sharon'd just KILL HIM. And for something he couldn't even explain; it just seemed to him like Break had pushed the joke a bit too far. But why had the atmosphere itself felt so wrong, at this moment? Even Sharon had noticed something was off... Well, at least, if he were to die, his grave would be carved with the name "Gilbert Nightray" (or Raven, for what he knew, it'd be Pandora's choice, after all), and nobody would ever know about this "Seaweed head" surname anymore... A small consolation in such a misery_

Sharon didn't believe it. To peck at his neck? Shamelessly? In front of her! Okay, she wasn't really sure about it, but if not, it was close to it. Break really had no manner. Poor Gil. He really needed to impose a bit of control on him... otherwise... Wait, could it be that... his lover?... She couldn't believe it... But... no way she hadn't seen all the signs... These awfully long training séances, the constant teasing... She had put it all on Gil's so funny character, and on Break being a bother. No way she hadn't seen it_

Oh, doubt, doubt... That really was one funny way of spending time. Oh, she was sooooooo going to torment her brain in misery, with that. At least a week, the time he found another amusing idea of experiment. Break's smile slowly widened as his blood-coloured eye tried to decipher Sharon's troubled expression.

"Does he love Gil?... Doesn't he?

And above all... WHO had he actually supported? WHO did he want to win, in the end?"