Title: Open the Jar

Author: Karen

Rating: G

Disclaimer: I would never do this. . . .

Feedback: I'm so stressed causa school I could scream. So say something nice.

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"Here, open this."

A simple challenge simply issued, but Xander wasn't taking it lightly at all. Buffy AKA the Slayer of Sunnydale had asked him top open a jar of peanut butter. Now was the perfect time to impress her with his jar opening skills of which he was quite proud. So when he reached over and took the jar he beamed impishly at her.

Xander placed his left hand on the lid casually and turned. And turned. And turned. Panic surfaced somewhere deep in the subconscious of the male ego. *Must open jar. Am man. Open jar.* On the mental surface, Xander started to feel the blush of embarrassment.

"Hm. I'll just get a knife."

Willow sighed and smiled wryly at Buffy as if to say, "See? I told you.

Xander's so weak he can't even open a peanut butter jar with his bare hands. He's unmanly." Or maybe not. Xander's subconscious ego sometimes skewed

things to make him get angry enough to act macho.

He stabbed the underside of the jar with a butter knife. Running it the

length of the lid, Xander attempted to dislodge any cloggy dried peanut

butter. Then he turned again. Nada. "Gah!"

"Problem?" Buffy asked, sweetly.

"NO. Ah, no." Xander dropped the knife and put the jar between his legs. Using both hands he twisted. And twisted. "I can do this . . "

Willow was grinning openly now. Any minute she'd burst into laughter. *Jar. Must. Open.* Xander hopped up and tapped the jar against the counter. It was still stuck tight. So he banged it. Then he *accidentally* dropped it on the floor. "I can."

The girls had an odd look on their faces. Xander frowned. Then a brilliant idea hit him. His father had been smashing things with the sledge hammer . . .

Xander zipped outside with the jar. Buffy burst out laughing. Willow was crying she was laughing so hard. "So??" Willow gurgled as she attempted to breathe.

"So what??" Buffy asked innocently.

"When are you going to tell him about the crazy glue?"

Buffy watched a very surprised Xander fall backwards as the hammer bounced off the plastic jar. The lid, of course, remained in place. Buffy broke down in another fit of laughter. "Tomorrow. I swear I'll tell him tomorrow."

"You're evil." Willow exclaimed. "Have you got a camera?"

Buffy whipped out a Polaroid.

"Truly evil." Willow watched Xander bounce the jar off a tree. It slammed right into him, knocking him flat.

"I know." Buffy grinned between flashes.

The end.

Karen was here for a minute or two.