Session 348
Selam, everyone!
How's it going? I hope you're all doing well?
So… I'd gotten inspired by a bunch of amazing people last night, and thought 'why not try writing something short and random for a change'. That's what I did, and, well… I really hope you'll like it! I had this headcanon for a pretty long time, and I'm glad I finally got to write it down.
Now then, shall we jump right into it? Please let me know what you think, guys! And as always,
Take care!
"Okay, Nakiri. Try making this one next. Come on. I insist."
She rolls her eyes at him, fork in hand and sweat covering her forehead. Why had she signed up for this again?
"You won't give up, will you? Look at how late it's already gotten."
"This one's the last, I promise."
Erina sighs, tightening her grip on the fork, "I have an important meeting tomorrow, Yukihira-kun. If I oversleep, I'm going to charge you for every new dish you put in front of me." And all she gets out of him is a casual wave of his hand, the redhead looking as unconcerned as ever when he pushes the plate closer to her.
"You and I both know that won't happen," he says. Then laughs at the annoyed expression on her face. "Seriously, Nakiri. In all those years I've known you, you haven't overslept once. Why would tonight be any different?"
"Because tonight, you are making me recreate even more dishes than last time. Not to mention, these are getting worse with each session we have."
"Yeah, but," Yukihira rubs his chin, grinning at her with squinted eyes, "it's your own fault for sayin' you could turn even my most horrendous dishes into masterpieces. Naturally, I gotta test that out."
"First of all, these can't be called 'dishes'. They are hideous creations at best." Yukihira smirks at her, crossing his arms and forming a 'thank you for the compliment' with his lips. Erina sighs.
"And secondly. It's been four years now. 347 different variations of the same slop that I had to put myself through because of you. Honestly, Yukihira-kun. You should have learned your lesson by now." A long wave of silence follows her words, confusing her.
When Erina looks up from the plate in front of her, she finds the redhead blinking rapidly, his scarred brow close to reaching his hairline as he stares at her with parted lips. And she likes to think that it's only then that she feels her cheeks heating up.
"W-what?" she asks when curiosity gets the better of her.
Yukihira composes himself, squinting his eyes and smiling at the plate on the table. "I'm surprised you kept count," he says, his voice softer than usual, "Should I be proud?"
Erina huffs, the heat in her face starting to make her uncomfortable. For some reason, she doesn't have the heart to tell him that it's only because of the painkillers she has to take afterwards that she knows exactly how many times he's wanted her to perfect his most hideous dishes. A part of her doesn't even believe that's the reason, saying there's a more significant meaning behind these meetings.
But right now, the heiress refuses to deepen that thought. So instead, she crosses her arms and says, "I don't know if you should be proud, but you sure have all the reason to feel honored. Not everyone can proclaim they have faced off with me in the middle of the night in my own kitchen."
Yukihira grins when he meets her eyes, "True. And I'm really grateful you let me in here every time and all. But, like, come on! There's gotta be somethin' you can't transform into a 'perfect'," he raises his hands to make air quotations, "dish, right? I'm not givin' up until I find that one ingredient you can't work with, so bear with me here. I'm not done with you yet."
With an exasperated sigh, the heiress pinches the bridge of her nose. It's close to three am now. Her meeting will start at 8 sharp. And just like every other time she'd been challenged to sample and recreate Yukihira's squid-based catastrophes, she will have to make a tick in her calendar to mark the amount of painkillers she has taken so far this month. Just to get through her schedule successfully in the morning and endure the stomachache throughout the day.
It just seems to be a never-ending thirst of his to test the God Tongue's boundaries. They'd graduated four years ago and he still hasn't given up on that. Just because she'd once said that there's nothing she can't turn into a delicious meal. And it's true. No matter how absurd the combination of ingredients and flavor might be, she's sure to get the best out of it. And Yukihira simply refuses to accept that as a fact.
And rather than a challenge, it has turned into a game of sorts by now. A constant back and forth between them for four years straight.
"Fine," she starts with a huff, still blushing, "Let this be the 348th time I show you the dominance of my divine palate, Yukihira-kun. After that, you will leave the estate and let me sleep in peace." And that's only assuming the upcoming stomachache will allow as much.
Yukihira's boyish grin widens, his excitement showing in his eyes. "Whatever you want," he says. And Erina already feels her annoyance fade away. Like it had never been there in the first place.
Turning back to the catastrophe on the table, she hesitantly takes a bite - and immediately feels tears welling up in her eyes. The flavors of yogurt, soy sauce, and squid mixed together feels like pure torture. And she can't help but envision herself being chased by a massive bowl, it's purple tentacles coated by soy sauce reaching out to grab her. Why had she let this man in the house again? She coughs, squeezing her eyes shut.
The only reason she opens them again is because she suddenly feels warm fingers wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes. Then, Yukihira holds out a glass of water, nodding at her with a soft smile.
"Pretty bad, huh?" he asks before retracting his hand and looking at his own creation on the table.
"That's… that's putting it lightly."
"So… Think you can make somethin' tasty outta this?"
And there it is again. That irritating grin. That grin that seems to scream 'confidence' in her face. But Erina won't have it.
With a dry laugh, the heiress rises from her chair. Ignoring the weak state of her legs, she makes her way to the stove. "Watch me work, amateur." She hears him laugh behind her, blushes even, before opening a small pack of yogurt that had been placed on the counter beside her.
"Seriously, Nakiri? You already know what you wanna make?" Yukihira shakes his head, grinning, "Does that mean I've lost already?"
"H-hmph. Your defeat was set the moment you set foot into this kitchen, Yukihira-kun. Yogurt is the easiest ingredient to work with. Making something with it that balances the salty flavor of the squid and the rough texture of the soy sauce will be quite easy."
"Damn." He scratches his head with a halfhearted sigh before stepping beside her to glance into the bowl she's pulled out. "And here I thought it's impossible."
"Please don't forget who it is you're challenging, Yukihira Soma. That would be insulting." She laughs when he shakes his head again.
"I would never," he says with a grin. And Erina can't help but pay attention to his arm almost touching hers when he steps closer. Her blush deepens, her pulse rising.
And while she stands there beside him in front of the stove, cooking for the 348th just to prove her superiority, she finds herself thinking that these nightly challenges might not be as horrible as she makes them out to be. Bad stomachache or not, she does enjoy getting competitive with the redhead every once in a while. And maybe, just maybe, she would even go so far as to think that she'd eat more of these disgusting dishes if it means spending more time with him in the kitchen.
Annnddd that's it for now!
I hope you all enjoyed this little one-shot. Please let me know what you think. But for now, I wish you all a great day/night!
Stay safe, and take care, everyone!