Naruto was nervous. He had no idea what he was going to do. The day was rapidly approaching and he still had no plans, no gifts or anything.
Our fearless Emperor was sweating bullets because he had nothing prepared for his one year anniversary. The year had gone by very quickly and he had been so busy, that he almost forgot about it. Luckily, Itachi had reminded him about the date and also of the Unification Festival that they were preparing. It was in less than a week and Naruto started to freaked out. It took awhile for him to calm down. It took the combined efforts of Kenichi, Miu, Itachi, Jiraiya, Kisame and Yusuke to calm down the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki.
"What am I going to do? I don't know what she's expecting? I don't know what she wants. A present? I don't know what to get her," Naruto was freaking out, until he got smacked on the back of the head by Jiraiya.
"Oi Gaki. Relax. I'm sure your wife wouldn't mind a small gift. She knows you've been busy," the Toad Sannin said, unfortunately to no avail.
"But what if she gets me something extravagant? She use to be a princess for goodness sake. What kind of Emperor would I be if I don't give my wife a huge gift. Wouldn't it make me look cheap? Plus, don't you think she'll be disappointed if I don't do something big for our one year?!" Naruto said, shaking at the thought of his angry wife.
"I'm sure whatever you do, she will appreciate Naruto," Itachi added.
"Or you know, she could divorce you and never want to see you again because you messed up your one year of marriage" Kisame joked, laughing so hard. Watching the young Emperor stressing over an anniversary gift brought him great amusement. Unfortunately for him, that amusement wouldn't last long as he was smacked in the back of the head by Miu.
"Kisame! Don't say that type of stuff to him right now. Look. You've made him worse," Miu said, as Naruto appeared to be hyperventilating now.
"Ano, Naruto. Why don't you just ask her family members? They know her well, maybe they can help give you an idea," Kenichi suggested. Naruto pondered the thought for a bit. The more he thought of it, the better the idea sounded.
"You're right Kenichi. Thanks guys! I'll do that," and he rushed it in a hurry. The rest of the group could only shake their heads. Though he was one of the strongest in the West, Naruto was still oblivious to the obvious things.
"So….who do you guys think the next Empress would be if Euphemia really does divorce him?" Kisame whispered, which got him another smack from Miu, Itachi and Kenichi.
Emperor's Office
Naruto rushed to his office to try and find a Britannia family member and this was the first place to look. He found Lelouch sitting down at his desk, looking over some documents for the Unification Festival. Naruto had appointed Lelouch his personal advisor, a position his brother-in-law took very seriously. Especially with Naruto not liking to read over the boring stuff, Lelouch took it upon himself to do it for Naruto and make a more simpler report for Naruto to read and approve of. Though he found it ridiculous work and childish, Lelouch was extremely loyal to Naruto and would do anything for him. Naruto at least deserved that much.
Naruto entered, panting heavily as Lelouch looked up to see his brother-in-law. He was always amused at Naruto and his timely entrances.
"You know, if you needed to find me, you could've just used the Kunai right?" Lelouch said, pointing to the kunai on Naruto's desk. Naruto sheepishly grinned, hand on the back of his head in embarrassment.
"I forgot."
"What can I do for you brother? I'm busy finishing up the reports for you," Lelouch said, his head looking up from the stack of paper on his desk at his brother.
"Um, I know this might be a small thing to ask of you, but could you tell me wha-," Naruto began.
"What Euphemia's interests are? Because your anniversary is coming up soon and you haven't figured out a gift or what to do for her?" Lelouch cut him off, a sly grin appearing over his face as Naruto only got more embarrassed. The only response he could give was a head nod in confirmation.
"Well I can't help you on that one, brother. I would suggest finding Cornelia or Nunnally for some advice. I'm sure they know her much better than I do," Lelouch said, causing Naruto to lower his head in disappointment. He apologized for interrupting him and went back out the door and closed it. Lelouch could only shake his head as he went back to finishing his reports. Though he loved his brother-in-law, he was very clueless at times.
Then another knock was heard at his door. Lelouch huffed this time, getting a little irritated now at Naruto's antics.
"Naruto I told you, go and ask…."he started before he looked up and saw the person who knocked wasn't Naruto this time. Euphemia peeked her head into the office now, checking to see if the coast was clear and it was only her and her brother in the room.
"Sorry Lelouch. I know your busy, but I had a favor to ask," she said as she entered.
"What can I do for you Euphie?" Lelouch said, a bit thrown off. It was rare for Euphemia to visit Lelouch during office hours.
"I was hoping you could help me with something. It's okay if you're busy, but um," she started before her brother raised a hand to tell her to stop.
"Is this about Naruto and your upcoming anniversary," he said which stunned the Empress. She nodded her head in confirmation.
Lelouch huffed again. What was it with these two? He loved both of them, but he began to wonder if they knew anything about each other.
"I would suggest you ask his friends, Euphie. They know him better than I, but I will say, I'm sure he'll appreciate anything you do for him. He's easy to please you know," Lelouch said as his sister gave a smile of thanks.
"Thanks Lelouch, sorry to have bothered you," Euphemia said as she exited and closed the door behind her. Lelouch sat back down at his desk shaking his head.
"Our country is doomed," he thought jokingly and went back to work.
With Naruto
Naruto made his way through the Capital, trying to find either of his sisters-in-law. Though he didn't know it at the moment, neither sister was available at the moment. Cornelia was overseeing an air force training mission while Nunnally was covering for Euphemia and was in civil hearings all day.
Luckily for Naruto, he found someone that could possibly help him with his current situation. He saw his private chef, Yukihira Soma, loading up some ingredients onto a cart. The young chef had just bought some ingredients from the marketplace and was preparing to take them back to the Emperor's Palace. The redhead chef didn't notice until the Emperor had come up beside him and was helping him place some of the food onto the cart.
"Oh, Boss! Didn't see you there. I hope you're in the mood for some Mapo Tofu tonight! I think I've finally perfected this time," the upbeat chef said, causing Naruto's mouth to salivate a little bit.
Soma wasn't exactly Naruto's private chef, but he did cook often for him. The red headed chef took it upon himself to expose the Emperor to other foods besides ramen and would cook different things for him. Soma was also trying to make sure that he was one step ahead of his wife, Nakiri Erina, who also cooked for the Emperor and his wife on occasions. Soma owned Yukihira's, his family restaurant which was located on Restaurant Row, where his dad and wife also worked.
Naruto started to enjoy Soma's cooking so much, that he would sometimes request for Soma to cook meals for him and the rest of his family. Soma of course, accepted the request without fail. Of course, Euphemia also liked Erina's cooking, and she would get requested as well. It started to become a friendly competition between husband and wife, to see which dishes the Emperor and Empress liked better for the week. Sometimes it would be Soma's and sometimes it would be Erina's.
Naruto decided to help Soma out and carry some of the ingredients back to the Palace. As they walked, both were greeted by many people who were also busily shopping about in the Marketplace District. Soma was also somewhat of a popular figure in the West, his cooking considered to be transcendent and was only rivaled by Sanji, who was his boss. Soma had started a bit of a competition with Sanji as well, though he still hadn't been able to earn a win yet.
"You're getting even more popular than the last time," Naruto said, as he saw the red head not use to the attention yet.
"I think it's because I'm walking with the Emperor," Soma responded as Naruto could only laugh at his remark.
"So you guys are going to be busy next week huh? With the Festival and everything going on," Naruto asked which got him a confirmation head nod from Soma.
"Yup, I already know that Yukihira's is going to be crazy busy. I'm just hoping I can spend some time with my wife and enjoy the Festival, too," Soma answered.
"Well I'll make sure that you and your wife can switch out with Komatsu or some of your friends from time to time. I'm sure Sanji won't mind doing double duty either. The staff you guys put together is insane," Naruto said which got him a chuckle from Soma.
"I guess. Speaking of wives, what are you going to do for Euphemia for your anniversary?" Soma asked, causing Naruto to panic a bit again.
"Ah shit. That's what I was doing. To be honest, I have no idea. I totally forgot about it until I was reminded this morning. I was trying to look for her sisters and ask for help, but I couldn't seem to find them," Naruto said, as Soma noticed the change in his boss's voice.
"Well why don't you cook for her? That's one way to a woman's heart, through her stomach. At least, that's what I did with Erina," Soma said explained.
"But that's the thing. I can't cook. At least for you, you've grown up doing it. I've lived on instant ramen and Ichiraku's for most of my life," Naruto said which gave Soma an idea.
"Well why don't I teach you? The dishes your wife likes are pretty simple to make. At least she doesn't want a double-decker 88% cacao chocolate cake with sugar pieces and a raspberry filling inside like Erina wanted this past year. I barely finished it and she said it was passable. I was ordered to redo it again next year or else and I don't want to find out what the or else means," Soma said, shivering at his wife's words.
"Well I guess the stuff she likes to make is simple, do you think you could help me out? I mean, I guess making her dinner would be a nice touch. Then I would just have to figure out a gift I guess," Naruto pondered.
"Of course! She likes the Mapo tofu I made last week so I'm making it again. However, I would suggest treating her to breakfast, lunch and dinner so we should get started right away!" Soma said, fire burning in his eyes as he looked to complete his next challenge. "Onward boss! We have work to do!" as he sped away with the cart and Naruto ran with the ingredients in his hand to catch up.
With Euphemia
Unlike Naruto, Euphemia had no luck. She had met with Itachi, Kisame, Jiraiya, Saitama and even everyone from Ryozanpaku, but they were no help. They explained to her that Naruto was a very hard person to get a gift for because he didn't really want anything. He only wanted orange clothes or ramen, which wasn't very special. They all mentioned that he was easy to please though, and that anything she got him or did for him he would love. However, Euphemia was unsure of the idea.
She was walking to the marketplace, when she saw Soma and her husband racing back to the Palace. The two didn't notice her, but she was very amused at the sight of her husband and Soma racing back with determined looks on their faces. When she reached the marketplace, she bumped into Erina, who was out shopping for more ingredients.
"Oh Empress-sama, it's good to see you out," Erina said as she bowed politely to Euphemia.
"It's nice to see you too, Erina. Buying more ingredients for the restaurant?" She asked, noticing the four large bags Erina was carrying.
"Yes. Unfortunately, my idiot husband forgot to stock up yesterday. So he left me to do all of it while he cooks for you and your family tonight," Erina responded, fuming a bit at the thought of Soma leaving her a note that they needed to restock ingredients.
"Oh I'm sorry. Funny you mention your husband, I just saw him with my husband racing their way back to the Palace. They looked like they were in a hurry," Euphemia said which wasn't a surprise to Erina.
"To be honest, I'm not surprised by anything that man does anymore. Though, I guess that's what so appealing about him," Erina said, a small smile creeping on her face.
"Would you like some help Erina? You seem to have your hands quite full," Euphemia asked.
"That's okay, Empress-sama. I got a handle on things," she said, though she was struggling a bit with the weight of the bags.
"Nonsense. I can see you struggling a bit. Here let me help you," Euphemia said as she took two of the bags out of Erina's hands. The God Tongue thanked her and talked with her as they made their way back to the restaurant.
"So, I remembered your anniversary is coming up soon. Have you gotten anything for Emperor-sama yet?" Erina asked, causing Euphemia to frown a bit.
"Unfortunately, no I haven't yet. It's been so busy this past year, that I haven't had a chance to. Plus, with him it's very hard to get him gifts," Euphemia answered.
"I'm sure he'll like whatever you get him. He seems easy to please. I mean, he would probably appreciate a bowl of ramen if anything," Erina joked, eliciting laughter from both women.
"I know, but I feel like ramen is so easy. I feel like if I were to do that, I would need to spice it up a bit," Euphemia said as she pondered the thought of ramen. At this point, anything would do.
"Well you could always make him a special ramen for your anniversary. Just make a lot of it, since he will devour it all easily," Erina responded.
"That's also the thing though. I don't know how to cook. It's something I've never learned how to do," Euphemia said in disappointment.
"Well I could teach you. I have plenty of time to do that for now. I'll help you make him a ramen that will make him fall in love with you over and over again," Erina said, a smile on her face.
"If it's no trouble, would you be able to? I would really appreciate that, Erina."
"Of course it's no trouble. Come with me, we have much to prepare," Erina said as the two women continued to the restaurant.
One Week Later
The day had finally come. It was their anniversary day and both Naruto and Euphemia were still sleeping in bed. Both were dead tired, having worked hard this past week learning how to cook. Soma had taught Naruto how to make three different dishes for the three different meals of the day. Erina also taught Euphemia different ways she could make ramen for Naruto and for each meal of the day. Ironically, both couples had the same ideas, yet neither knew of the others intentions.
When Naruto finally awoke, he saw Euphemia was still sleeping. He leaned over to her and nibbled on her neck a bit. She stirred a bit, turning to face him but her eyes still closed. She was so tired.
"Happy Anniversary, Euphie," Naruto said as the Empress found the strength to open her eyes a bit.
"Happy Anniversary, Dear," she said as she cupped his cheek and kissed him on the lips. They stayed in bed for a few more minutes, enjoying each other's presence. It was time to wake up, both had an announcement to make.
"So I have a special day planned for you," they both said in unison, caught off guard a bit at the other.
"No you go first, Euphie," Naruto said.
"Well, I was planning on cooking you breakfast today. Actually I was planning on cooking breakfast, lunch and dinner today," Euphemia said, shocking Naruto a bit.
"That's funny, I was planning on cooking you breakfast, lunch and dinner today as well," Naruto said, to Euphemia's amazement.
"Um well, I would like to cook today. Seeing as though this is kind of like my anniversary gift to you," she said.
"Well I was going to do that, too. I thought this could be my anniversary gift to you," Naruto responded.
They were both getting a little irritated at the idea. They both were going to cook for the other, but they wanted it to be a special gesture and not something that was copying the other. They started to get into an argument about it.
"I'm the one that should cook as a gift. I thought of the idea first!" Naruto said as Euphemia shook her head.
"No, I said it first. Besides, do you even know how to cook?" Euphemia argued making Naruto shake his head.
"I could ask you the same question. I've never seen you cook before either," Naruto argued back.
"I obviously can cook. You're so easy to cook for anyways. I bet you would just want ramen, ramen, ramen," Euphemia said.
"Pssh, I'm not that easy-ttebayo. I can eat other things, too! I'm not just a one-trick pony anymore. Besides, I know I can cook. I can probably cook better than you!" Naruto responded, making Euphemia a bit mad.
"Oh yeah? I would like to see you try Naruto. I had a great teacher and she said I was a quick learner. She said I could probably be one of her disciples if I actually wanted," Euphemia quipped back.
"Oh yeah? I learned how to cook after a few days. You do realize you can't beat me? I have my Kage Bunshin to help me. I can make thousands of them. I can skill up much faster than you. So try me, Euphie," Naruto said. He had just crossed the line.
"Fine! You put this on yourself Naruto. We will see who is the better cook!" Euphemia said as she walked out of the room and called for Walter. She said something to him and he ran off quickly. She then went into the bathroom to get ready. She gave Naruto one last look before she slammed the door.
20 Minutes Later
Soma and Erina were at the Palace doors. They had gotten word that they had been summoned by both the Emperor and Empress. Though they had been summoned before, they felt a bit uneasy on this visit. Something in the air didn't feel right, even the usually easy going Soma felt a bit nervous. As the doors opened, Walter brought the two to the kitchen, where Naruto and Euphemia were waiting for them, sitting across a table from each other.
Soma and Erina didn't know what was going on, until the Emperor and Empress explained the invitation.
"Erina, would you please explain to my husband that I'm obviously the better chef than him. You said so yourself that I could be your disciple and be a great chef in my own right," Euphemia started as she looked at Erina.
"Soma would you please explain to Euphie that I'm the better chef. You said that I mastered all the necessary skills to become a absolutely great chef and one of the best ever," Naruto said, looking at the red head.
Both Soma and Erina were a bit shocked. They didn't know what to say about any of this. Neither had actually known that they were each helping the Emperor or Empress with their cooking skills. They were getting so busy that it never became a topic of discussion. They felt a little embarrassed and guilty that they were causing a lovers quarrel, on an anniversary date no less.
"Look, I know both Soma and I said those things about you two, but I do believe that you two are both great chefs. I think you guys should just accept that fact," Erina said, trying to calm down the situation.
"No!" was the loud reply she got.
"I guess there's only one way to settle this then," Soma said as all parties in the room were intrigued.
"Shokugeki."
Both Euphemia and Naruto were amused at the idea. Soma started to explain the rules to the both of them. When he was finished, in a flash, both Naruto and Euphemia were ready at their stations on opposite sides of the kitchen. The kitchen was unusually large, and both took advantage to have a station away from the other.
"We don't have any judges though?" Soma started as it was a bit of a problem. All occupants were out of the house after hearing the couple quarreling earlier. They did not want to be a part of it whatsoever. Soma and Erina decided they would have to judge for now. They tried to get Walter to be a third judge, but he refused, citing his neutrality in all matters when it comes to an argument between the Emperor and Empress. While Soma and Erina tried to find a third judge, both Naruto and Euphemia started to prep their ingredients.
"Are you sure you both want to do this?" Erina asked, hoping they would reconsider. Both Naruto and Euphemia nodded their heads. With a loud huff, Erina let them begin.
Both Emperor and Empress started preparing their separate dishes. There was no theme for this Shokugeki. The winner got the right to cook as an anniversary gift. Since neither prepared another gift, one would get the small end of the stick and forever be shamed for it.
Naruto started to grill some Canadian Bacon in a pan while he waited for an egg to poach. He was going to make Eggs Benedict. Euphemia had expressed delight in Erina's Eggs Benedict that she made for them during breakfast one day. Euphemia reminisced about how she used to eat the dish all the time when she was little. She loved poached eggs as well, and would eat it any time she could. Euphemia also had talked about it non-stop for a week so Naruto felt it was up his alley to do that. He knew that Soma would definitely approve of this and his out of the box approach to the dish.
Euphemia on the other hand decided on making a special chashu pork ramen. It was Naruto's favorite and Erina had helped her prepare the dish to add even more flavor that Naruto would be use to. She used every technique that Erina taught her, even adding a special truffle into the broth to make it more powerful. She knew that Erina would definitely approve of her dish.
As the two were finishing up, Soma and Erina were amazed at the techniques that they were using. Even though it was only a week, Naruto and Euphemia were quick learners. Within no time, their dishes were prepared and presented for tasting. Neither realized that the foods the two were making was something they had expressed to make for the other.
Soma and Erina ate Euphemia's Special Truffle Chashu Ramen first. As expected, the truffle broth was very powerful and accentuated the flavors of the chashu pork. It also had a powerful aroma that hit Soma and Erina's senses immediately.
They then moved on to Naruto's Eggs Benedict. Though it looked like a normal eggs benedict, Naruto added one more component to it. He added a crispy vegetable croquette underneath the canadian bacon instead of an english muffin. The crunch and the runny eggs made powerful flavors combine with each other in harmony.
All in all, both Soma and Euphemia were pleased with the two dishes. There wasn't one thing that made one better than the other, but both Emperor and Empress pressed them for an evaluation. The two legendary chefs were a bit nervous. If they chose one over the other, then there will most likely be a grudge held against them. If they didn't choose the person they helped, it would be seen as a betrayal. So naturally, they did what they needed. They chose the person that they helped and would be done with it.
"That means it's a tie!" Naruto yelled, as Soma and Erina nodded their heads in confirmation.
"No way! There has to be a winner!" Euphemia shouted. Soma and Erina were stuck between a rock and a hard place. They had to get out fast, or they definitely wouldn't make it to the end of the day.
Just then, Walter brought in their saving grace. Joichiro walked in, his trademark grin on his face as he looked upon the scene.
"Well, well we seem to have a bit of a dilemma here. Emperor-sama, Empress-sama," Joichiro said as he bowed slightly and took a seat.
"Geez where have you been, old man? We called you like an hour ago," Soma yelled at his father who just waved him off.
Joichiro sat down and brought Naruto's dish closer to him. He tried it and nodded his head, liking the mix of flavors. He then tried Euphemia's ramen, and noticed the lingering smell and taste of truffles. She had managed to make it work with the pork, which was no small feat. As he put his chopsticks down, he pondered a bit on his decision. Everyone, even Walter looked at him intently, seeing who he would choose as the winner.
"I've made a decision," Joichiro said, as silence filled the room. Everyone held their breath.
"It's a tie," he announced which caused the room to go into a frenzy.
"No way! I definitely won. Isn't that right Soma?" Naruto said as Soma shrugged.
"No it was definitely me! Right Erina?" Euphemia said to which the God Tongue did the same as her husband.
All they heard was laughter coming from Joichiro, who was enjoying the scene. He stood up and held a hand up to explain his made this decision. Everyone decided to listen.
"I've made this decision because, it's evident that you two were cooking for each other," he started as Naruto and Euphemia looked at him with a wondering look.
"Emperor-dono, you made sure to cook something that your wife would have loved no matter how you prepared it. I remember her talking about her fondness of Eggs Benedict, and you cooked it to perfection. This dish would have made her beg you to make more for her. On the flip side, Empress-sama, you made your husband's favorite dish. Not only his favorite dish, but also his favorite style of ramen. You added to it, to make it more flavorful. I'm sure without a doubt he would've requested ten more bowls of this," he said as Naruto and Euphemia looked at the other.
"The secret to becoming a great chef, is finding someone that will make you want to give all of your cooking to. You see, I tried to impart these wise words to my son once when he was younger. He hung up on me, but I eventually told him later on. You both cooked something with the other in mind. You wanted to make something special for them, not only because it would taste good, but also because it held a special meaning for the other. Even despite your fights and arguments, your love for each other is still self evident in your cooking. That is why, it is a tie. Because you both put in the effort to make something for the other," he finished as Naruto and Euphemia blushed a bit.
"Well, I guess it doesn't hurt to try this ramen," Naruto said as he approached the bowl. Euphemia did the same to the plate of eggs benedict.
When they each tried the others dishes, they saw the hard work that the other had to put in to make this dish. It also brought them back to their wedding day. After all of the blood, sweat and tears they had to go through during the war, they now saw the happiness that came with peace. They saw how they completed each other and how much their love has grown since then.
Naruto and Euphemia embraced with each other. They now knew how stupid it was to argue and fight over something so minor. Naruto gave Euphemia a strong kiss, which was the signal for everyone else to leave.
"Thanks you guys, for giving us a great first anniversary gift," Naruto said, as the rest gave them a loving look before they took their leave.
"And thank you, my beautiful wife. For giving me the best first year of marriage I could every ask for," Naruto said as he pecked his wife on the lips.
"Thank you, my loving husband, for making me the happiest woman in the world with your love and protection," Euphemia said, pulling Naruto in for a longer kiss.
"I think we can cook a little later. I have a different anniversary gift for you," Naruto said as a Kage Bunshin popped out of nowhere with a sly grin on its face. Euphemia could only blush.
"I can't wait," she said as they made their way back up to their bedroom.
Yukihira Residence
Soma and Erina were lying in bed, cuddling close with each other. They felt a bit bad, but happy that the Emperor and Empress had worked out their differences.
"I think I saw my life flash before my eyes today" Soma said as Erina giggled a bit.
"I think we both did. Though I'm glad it all worked out in the end," Erina said, as she played with her husbands chest.
"I'm surprised though, at how much those two improved over the last week. I mean I could see Naruto because he has all his clones and stuff, but Euphemia, I didn't know she had it in her," Soma said, which got him a light tap on the nose from his wife.
"Of course she's a quick learner! She's royalty after all. You know, if I had someone like her when we were at Totsuki, I definitely would've destroyed you," she said causing Soma to laugh.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. But you know I would've just kept coming back for more," Soma grinned as his wife did the same.
"That you would have. I would have fallen for you regardless, I guess," the God Tongue said in defeat, her hand starting to linger down to Soma's crotch.
"Anyways, seeing them today got me excited about starting up Shokugeki's again. Gotta get the band back together and duel it out," Soma said excitedly, not noticing his wife had already removed his boxers.
"Well we can do that another day, Soma-kun. Right now, I'm in the mood for a different type of Shokugeki," Erina replied slyly, as she slid her way down to the end of the bed. Soma definitely was going to have to do everything he could to win this one.
