A/N: long story short, I'm a sucker for belligerent sexual tension and wanted to try out that dynamic with these two. Written for Tomadashi Week Day 6: "Need for Speed"

Scenario: Delivery person competition AU

"I need someone to take these cookies to Mrs. Yoneda," Aunt Cass announces, setting a carton outfitted in pink ribbon on the counter.

"Got it," says GoGo, easing off the stool. She's about to reach for the box when an arm whisks it out of reach.

"I'll take it," offers Tadashi, already halfway out the glass doors of the café. He whistles cheerfully as he makes his escape, blithely ignoring GoGo's glare as it burns itself into his back.

"Hamada, get your ass back—"

"Language, GoGo!" Honey Lemon reminds from her station by the coffee maker.

o.O.o

How does one explain her rivalry with Tadashi Hamada?

It starts like this: a family-owned café nestled at a busy intersection; an offhanded, "We could always use an extra set of hands," a grudging need for pocket money (bike repairs don't pay themselves). It starts with a dingy red moped, which is an offense all its own. It starts with, "Trust me, I'm a pro," and the fact that it's been three months and Tadashi still beats her in the amount of deliveries he makes every time.

Every. Time.

At this point, things have transcended simple competition. For GoGo, this is a matter of pride.

o.O.o

"Wasabi, I'm going to need your help icing these cupcakes—"

"No fraternizing with the enemy," GoGo scolds from her perch, intercepting the platter that Honey Lemon is about to hand over to Wasabi.

Wasabi stares at her incredulously before his eyes cut to Honey Lemon, questioning, silently, Is she serious right now?

Out loud, he says, "Look, GoGo, I know you and Tadashi have this thing going on, but as far as I know we never agreed to make it an all-out boys versus girls affair."

"But we all know that when you're done with these, you're going to box them and give them to Tadashi," explains GoGo, sliding the platter back toward Honey Lemon's side of the counter.

"Sorry, Wasabi," Honey Lemon says forlornly, taking her cupcakes and putting some distance between them. "But until GoGo wins, you and I will have to part ways."

o.O.o

They have rules, of course.

The first is that, under no circumstances, may they mess with the actual products being delivered. They're mature enough to realize that whatever differences they have must always take a backseat to Aunt Cass's business. At the end of the day, it's Aunt Cass who puts a roof over Tadashi's head and Aunt Cass who pays GoGo's wages, and none of that happens if her baked goods don't get to their customers in one piece.

But other than that?

It's war.

o.O.o

"GoGo, I don't think this is a good idea…" Honey Lemon whispers nervously, her limbs awkwardly bunched together as she crouches beside her friend.

"Just leave it to me," says GoGo, patting Honey Lemon's knee. The water bottle is cold in her other hand. Through the leaves, she can just make out the street and resists the urge to check her watch. Tadashi Hamada is nothing if not reliable; he'll get here soon enough.

As predicted, said boy—arch nemesis—putters up the road a few minutes later, his red moped easing to a stop. He's humming to himself as he takes off his helmet, and GoGo bites down hard on her lip because god, she cannot believe that she keeps losing to this nerd—

Tadashi is halfway up the walkway when GoGo springs into action. Bursting through the foliage, she squeezes the water bottle in Tadashi's direction with all her might. Tadashi flinches as the first cold drops hit him and jumps back in surprise, maintaining a tight grip on the plastic bag that has the Lucky Cat Café logo printed across its front.

"GoGo?" he splutters, eyes jerking between her hand and the blooming wet spot on his white T-shirt and wow, okay, he's actually pretty fit—

GoGo stamps these traitorous thoughts to dust and sidles up to him, grinning. Honey Lemon hangs back, unsure of what to do.

"Need some help there, Hamada?"

Something in Tadashi's eyes flickers before he's back to looking as serene as ever. "I can't deliver these looking like this, can I?" he muses.

"Afraid not," agrees GoGo, easing the bag out of his hands. To Honey Lemon, she says, "Told you I'd handle it."

Behind her, Tadashi laughs. "You're good, GoGo," he says, before stepping closer and whispering, low and warm in her ear: "But not good enough."

GoGo suppresses a shiver. One of these days, she's going to punch him. In the mouth.

Instead, she backs away, bringing the bag up to her face and shaking it slightly for show. "This one's mine," she declares, daring him to challenge it.

A beat passes. Tadashi shrugs and heads back down the pathway, his wet T-shirt leaving tiny water droplets on the concrete. GoGo watches him leave (never turn your back on an opponent). His moped wheezes a little as it starts back up, which rankles GoGo further (seriously, her bike is so much better).

Once Tadashi is gone, she marches up to the porch and rings the doorbell.

"Delivery," she smiles.

o.O.o

It's the end of the day and the shop is closing up for the night. The tables have been wiped down, and as Wasabi finishes mopping in one corner, Cass clambers onto a stool and clears her throat, holding two sheets of paper up to the light. Every game must have its system, after all, and GoGo and Tadashi figured that a formal documentation of their efforts was in order.

"Ahem." Cass clears her throat, beginning the nightly ritual, "tonight's winner for most deliveries is…"

GoGo allows herself a smile, because Tadashi has always beaten her by one, but no longer. This time, she stole one from right under his nose. This time, the moment is hers; no longer will she have to watch him swan around on that (disgraceful) moped of his.

"…it's a tie."

What?

In the corner, Wasabi groans, muttering something that sounds like "God help us all." GoGo whirls around, furiously seeking out Tadashi, but he's already disappeared—probably, she bets, to gloat.

"It's all right," Honey Lemon says from her side, accent bleeding through with worry. "You'll get it next time."

"Damn right I will," mutters GoGo.

Out of the corner of her eye, she catches a flutter of motion. Tadashi emerges from the storeroom, eyes connecting with hers. With a slight tilt of his head, he gestures for her to follow. And even though she's loath to follow him anywhere, curiosity wins out. Honey Lemon watches her go, a knot of concern appearing between her eyebrows, probably bracing herself for the bickering about to ensue.

Once GoGo enters the storeroom, Tadashi keeps moving further toward the back. He hasn't bothered turning the lights on overhead, and GoGo narrows her eyes, trying to adjust to the gloom. In a minute, Tadashi pulls open the back door, waiting for her to go through before he steps outside with her.

They're behind the café now. Tadashi remains on the steps, and GoGo crosses her arms, determined not to let the height difference intimidate her.

"What do you want, Hamada?" she asks, not bothering to mask her distrust.

Tadashi shrugs, his hands held behind his back. "I have something for you, actually."

"Really."

"Really." He grins boyishly, but GoGo knows better than to fall for it. "We tied, GoGo. So, I have a peace offering." On cue, he pulls his hands from behind his back to reveal—

—a cupcake.

GoGo stares. "You can't be serious," she says, scrutinizing Tadashi's face.

Tadashi keeps his arm extended, holding it out to her. The earnest look on his face never wavers. "I'm serious, GoGo. It's all yours."

It looks good. GoGo knows from experience that Cass's cupcakes are to die for; the pink frosting glimmers invitingly in the moonlight.

Hesitantly—and then more decisively, because she would never show weakness in front of Tadashi—she reaches for the cupcake.

And misses. With a quick flick of his wrist, Tadashi dodges her grasp and steps forward, smashing the cupcake to her forehead.

GoGo makes a noise somewhere between a shriek and a strangled gasp, staring at him in betrayal. The frosting sticks, sugary sweet, and Tadashi begins to smear it—down her nose, across her cheek.

"Now we're even," he remarks, raising his eyebrows in amusement, even as his voice drops to a low intonation.

GoGo trembles with rage. Tadashi Hamada is dead. So dead.

While she stands still trying to muster some form of retaliation, Tadashi reaches out and brushes some of the frosting away from the corner of her mouth. He brings his thumb to his lips, eyes remaining locked on hers as he licks his finger clean.

"Raspberry," he announces, mouth curling upwards. GoGo wants to wipe that smug grin off his face—

"My favorite," she finds herself staying instead, and the glint in Tadashi's eyes tells her that he knows. What else does he know? she wonders.

Because—and this is the real reason for the anger simmering in the pit of GoGo's stomach—the truth is that GoGo can declare war all she wants, but when it comes to this particular battle, she lost ages ago.

The light in Tadashi's eyes darkens just a fraction as he steps closer, bending his neck. When he next speaks, his lips graze hers. "Mine, too," he whispers.

GoGo wants to do a lot of things right now. She wants to dismember Tadashi limb from limb. She wants to beat his delivery record. But she also wants to push Tadashi against a wall and listen to his breath hitch, and if there's anything to be said about GoGo, it's that she knows how to prioritize.

She's just about to surge up on her tiptoes and give Tadashi a taste of his own medicine when the door above them is thrown open and a flood of light nearly blinds her.

"No fraternizing with the enemy!" Honey Lemon giggles, snapping a photo.