Dedications: AoGA, for helping me revive my love for writing when I was considering the idea of quitting. In particular, I'd like to especially dedicate this story to two people.

Annabelle Rae: She's an amazingly supportive friend who gives me the sweetest reviews. She's one of the main reasons why I've started to revive my writing ability. I'm really happy that I have a friend like her, and I love her so. :) She's an author I truly admire, and all of her works inspire me and leave me breathless. Despite me being two hours ahead in terms of time zones, I'd love to stay up and talk with her.

buttercupbella: I'm couldn't have asked for a better friend and writing companion. We've supported each other in our FanFiction lives for months, but it feels like much longer than that. She is an awfully talented writer who has the nasty habit of underestimating herself. I really admire her for continuing with her passion despite thinking like this (and seriously, she's fantastic).

The Perfect Recipe

by Autumn Win-Dow

"If you're cooking for us, I'm leaving."

Those were the first words Mikan had heard from her guests - in particular, her best friend Hotaru - as soon as she opened the door.

"I... I'm not cooking, though..." Mikan tried to convince her, in a futile attempt to prevent her friends from leaving her house for the second time that week. After Natsume had forced the women out of the house during their first visit, the irritated brunette had desperately ushered him out of the door with a confused Ruka an hour before her friends were due to arrive.

Mikan had planned to cook for her friends while she waited for them, but it had slipped her mind that Hotaru was a regular early-arrival, and knowing that the inventor with the ebony black hair had never trusted Mikan with food, she was starting to worry.

"You're cooking." Hotaru confirmed in a deadpan voice.

"No..." The nervous woman trailed, and she mentally berated herself for not coming up with a better reply.

A pink haired woman poked her head over Hotaru's shoulder with a curious look, sniffing slightly.

"Is that bacon, Mikan? What are you cooking?" She excitedly questioned the nervous brunette as she bounced up and down with glee.

Both of them knowing about Anna's prowess in all things related to cooking, Hotaru sent Mikan a knowing glance as the latter chuckled, hoping that the worst of consequences would not occur.

It had seemed that luck was on Mikan's side that day, as both Anna and her other close friend Nonoko had already let themselves in to her home. She awkwardly smiled at her best friend as she vaguely heard the 'oohs' and 'aahs' of the others as they admired the new settings of the house, and instead of what she feared would happen - being hit in rapid succession by one of Hotaru's great inventions - the inventor sighed before entering begrudgingly.

Despite her success of keeping Hotaru at her home, a part of her still feared for her safety. Thus, the mission to stay uninjured during their visit - consisting of keeping watch of both her surroundings and her guests - had come into existence.

As she made her way behind the kitchen bench to continue her cooking, she could feel Hotaru's annoyed gaze on her.

She didn't know why Hotaru was so conscious about her cooking, as she was quite proud of her cooking. The brunette woman often referred to her A grade fried rice for Home Economics in elementary school as proof of her ability.

As Mikan made an effort to brush off Hotaru's leering stare, she firmly set some lettuce leaves on her pink chopping board. She wanted to prove to Hotaru that in fact she had a talent of cooking - which even in her opinion stood out as an achievement among all her other high school subjects.

"Mikan," Anna trailed off, in thought, as she picked up a small photo frame standing on an oak cupboard, "How have you managed to stay in a relationship with Natsume for five years without any problems?"

"Eh?" Mikan made a face as she chopped the lettuce. "We have problems! Natsume always takes the chocolate out of the fridge and I never get any!"

"Well, she in person hasn't changed since she was eight, that's for sure." Hotaru scoffed while rapidly texting a co-worker on her phone.

Mikan wasn't offended by her statement - she was simply relieved that Hotaru wasn't going to do anything to her anytime soon, and she had long been used to the insults which came from all sides of her group of friends - including her own boyfriend.

"Mikan-chan," Nonoko called out to her this time, as she leaned over the kitchen bench, excitedly watching Mikan chop her vegetables, "What's your secret when it comes to love? Your relationship with Natsume has lasted for so long, and we want to know how you guys stay together!"

Suddenly, Nonoko leaned even closer to Mikan, and with a giddy smile on her face, whispered, "Even Hotaru wants to know, even though she doesn't show it."

"Nonoko, I can hear you." The subject of their conversation spoke up, causing Nonoko to nervously laugh, similarly to how Mikan had at the doorway.

Mikan didn't know how to voice a sufficient reply, as she hadn't really considered the reason why she and Natsume had maintained such a close, long-lasting relationship.

"I don't really think there's a secret..."

"Eh? But you two are the perfect couple!" Anna came forward in disbelief, holding the photo frame near her chest tightly. "There has to be someway for us to understand how your relationship is so great!"

She considered her friends' words as she paused in chopping a small clove of garlic. For Anna to understand...? But what she herself the most is cooking...

The visitors - including Hotaru, who was in fact interested in what Mikan had to say about the matter - watched their host as she held her chin with her forefingers and glanced around the small confines of her kitchen space. They were confused as to why she particularly concentrated on the set of measuring cups on the bench, as well as the ring of Tupperware spoons hanging from a cupboard handle.

After a whole two minutes, Mikan snapped out of her thoughts and grabbed the measuring cups and spoons. She separated her chopped vegetables into different cups, and she grabbed a range of other ingredients placed around the kitchen, until all she needed was in front of her on the bench. The curiosity of her visitors was only increasing - Hotaru, who had made a feeble attempt to wave off her interest, had risen from her seat and stood next to Anna and Nonoko, awaiting what Mikan was going to do.

All they knew was that she was going to do something different than her plan for the day.

"This will be fun!" Mikan finally spoke, rejoiced, as she picked up the bowl of lettuce and emptied out its content into the larger, metal bowl in the centre of the bench. "Two cups full of love."

"Are you saying that love is a shredded lettuce?" The pessimistic Hotaru questioned, with an arched eyebrow, while the other two simply stared, none the wiser than a minute before.

"Of course it's not a lettuce, Hotaru! I'm just answering your question, and cooking at the same time!" Mikan responded as-a-matter-of-factly, before shifting her attention back to the ingredients in front of her without a valid explanation.

"Two cups of kindness..." She continued, as she moved the chopped up bacon into the lettuce mixture.

"Wait... Mikan-chan, is this how you're explaining it to us?" Anna breathed, bewildered by the fact that it was an explanation through cooking.

"Yep! I don't really know how to explain it..." Mikan admitted, shrugging.

"Go on." She heard Hotaru bark, and she sent a knowing look to Nonoko before continuing.

"One and a half cups of friendship." The croutons followed the bacon.

"Two cups of happiness. A hint of passion." The shaved parmesan and the garlic were then scattered and stirred into the lettuce mixture.

"One tablespoon of forgiveness. A cup of trust and forgiveness. A teaspoon of laughter." The Dijon mustard, eggs and olive oil were also mixed in.

The women were amazed at the impromptu recipe Mikan had created. They had never expected her to come up with such a concept to answer the question about something which wasn't solid at all. Even Hotaru was too interested to notice that Natsume had arrived home, with Ruka behind him.

"And finally..." Mikan drawled out, amused at her sudden feat, "...a sprinkle of warmth."

The salt and pepper seasoned the salad.

"Stir daily with compassion and patience... and serve with loyalty." Mikan concluded as she filled a intricate glass plate with the Caesar salad. "And we're done!"

"Wow, that was amazing!" Nonoko exclaimed in admiration, but Mikan couldn't help but feel a little down after reciting the recipe for 'love'.

"What's going on?" Mikan froze as she head an all too familiar voice ask before entering.

It would be embarrassing if he heard me just then... I hope he just got here!

"Oh, I'm just making lunch for my friends. Join us." She immediately covered up her slight fear, and in the presence of Natsume and Ruka, the females did not talk about the recipe for the rest of the visit.

Mikan leaned on the doorframe as she waved to her friends as they left the home. Ever since she had 'finished' explaining her recipe of love, she was the one who was eventually left as the one who couldn't comprehend what she herself had said.

"I knew you'd invited them over here." Natsume came from behind her, softly placing his hands on her hunched shoulders. "That's why I came back early. Nice recipe, by the way."

Mikan inhaled sharply, as she turned towards him with a shocked expression. "You heard?"

"Most of it."

"You eavesdropped!" She accused him, only to be immediately hugged from behind. The brunette was irritated at her boyfriend's actions, but she felt herself calming down when he swayed her in his arms.

She hadn't held onto his leather jacket for a while. I missed it. I missed him.

While her irritation disintegrated, Natsume noticed that his girlfriend wasn't as cheerful as she usually was. "What's wrong?"

Mikan exhaled deeply before shaking her head in disbelief. "...I don't get it, Natsume."

"You might need to elaborate on that." He noted, raising an eyebrow, and she sent him a frustrated glance.

"...I feel like I lied to my friends. I tried to be honest, but..." Mikan hesitated, leaning her cheek on his upper arm. "...I don't think that I've said everything about love. I mean, there's something missing, and I can't put my finger on it."

Natsume held her tighter in his arms as he considered her words, and then he huffed once, amused by his own train of thought.

"Natsume!" Mikan's head snapped up so that her eyes could meet his. "Are you laughing at me? Are you enjoying my pain? Are you that much of a sadist?"

He found her reaction just as funny as what he had thought of prior to it. "Not really, it's just that I know what you forgot." Natsume admitted, as he stuck his hand in the pocket of his leather jacket, feeling the familiar velvet covering of the small box - which held inside it their destiny.

The dark haired man sighed, and sent her his signature grin before speaking. "You forgot a whole lifetime of being together."

A/N: ...I posted four fics in a day. FOUR. I was intending to post this one in a few days time, but a certain someone (who happens to go by the penname of buttercupbella) guilt tripped me to post. STILL LOVE YOU, THOUGH. :D

Phew! Haven't written a fluff in so long. This idea's been in my head for a while, and since I'm having a full-out writing blaze today, I decided to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and write it.