I already have planned the themes for each chapter but I don't mind if you leave your suggestions!

English is not my first language. For any grammar errors and typos I apologize in advance.

B is for Blush

you look cute with it

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Sōma likes to tease Erina a lot.

I mean, yeah, what's new. Everyone knows it. Hanging around them for one day is enough to learn about odd hobby of red-haired chef. Because he pretty much preys on every opportunity he can get to make the blonde princess all worked up.

Why, would you ask?

He didn't really know, it was just amusing seeing the normally neat and stoic ice-queen get so over-dramatic and flustered because he said one thing or two. Yeah it was probably to see her reactions, they always were some kind of entertainment. At first he was doing it unconsciously, he didn't get why she was so peeved with him just talking to her. But after spending more time with the blonde princess and getting to know her better he actually started to enjoy her little moments of fury and would put a lot more effort into teasing her just to see her reactions.

And Erina was over it.

She had enough of him constantly teasing her, nit-picking words she used or commenting about her appearance. It was always him, and only him who had this impact on her. Why Yukihira, out of all people, could make her so flustered and worked up. And the fact that he was so damn aware of this she hated even more.

He'd push her buttons to the point she was red like a tomato and then just smirk like an idiot, like he won some kind of competition. Ridiculous, why would he make so much effort just to put her on edge.

And she hated that he could make her blush so easily.

No man ever made her blush. And yet Sōma could just smile at her or, god forbid, (accidentally) touch her and she'd be a flustered mess.

But Erina wasn't having it anymore. She wanted to take a revenge on him.

She realized she has never actually seen Sōma blushing. Like, literally they've known each other for 3 years and she has never seen even a tiny bit of red tint on his cheeks. Does this guy has no blood in his system or what.

The blonde guessed it was because of his overly cocky personality. This man has no sense of shame, he talks with everyone about everything. Literally the feeling of embarrassment or nervousness doesn't exist in his book.

There was nothing she could do to make the red-haired chef flustered and that was frustrating. Because why she has to be the one always affected by him?

Erina sighed and rubbed her temples. Did she really waste 10 minutes on thinking about him again? She was supposed to finish this paperwork before 11 pm and yet, as usual, she drifted away with her thoughts. Even when Sōma's not here she's getting distracted because of him! Perhaps she needed a help of professionals, maybe that's some kind of sickness. Yeah, it must be, thinking about a boy so much during the day is definitely not normal (in Erina's reasoning).

'I need to focus.' She moved the pile of papers she already signed and moved them to side. She swiftly continued on filling the next pages, her perfectly manicured hand gracefully run across the white papers.

When Erina managed to get her mind back on track the door of her office opened and a person came in. 'Well, who could it be I wonder' she thought sarcastically and looked up to see a boy that's been occupying her mind for the past months. His red hair as messy as ever and his grinning face, as usual, annoyingly charming. She already knew it was him when the door's handle moved downwards – only he never bothered to knock.

"Yo, Nakiri." Sōma smiled at her even wider sitting at the chair in front of her desk, as if he was invited.

Erina didn't budge at Yukhira's sudden arrival, she was way too used to him bursting into her office without notice, whenever he wanted. And she didn't even try to make him stop doing that anymore because one – he won't listen to her anyway. And two – she didn't want him to stop. In all honesty, Erina didn't mind his small everyday visits, she realized long time ago she actually enjoyed the company of red-haired chef.

But nothing will make her ever admit that out loud.

"Will you ever learn to knock?" she asked but in fact she didn't really care. He won't.

Sōma pretty much ignored her question and moved onto taking out the plastic containers from the bag he brought with him. Erina looked away from her papers to see what he prepared this time and she had to admit that it smelled really good; it quietly reminded her how hungry she actually was.

The blonde unconsciously blushed at the realization that Sōma came here with self-made food at the moment she needed it the most. It felt as if he's looking after her – at least that's how her shōjo manga filled side of brain tried to convey it to her.

"What did you prepare?" she asked and moved her paperwork to the side to make room for her portion.

"Someone can't wait to give it a try I see." Yukihira smirked but gave her one of the boxes anyway.

Erina's brows furrowed and she sent him an annoyed glare, "Isn't that what you came for? To make me try your terrible food!"

"Hmm, partly true. I just like coming here I guess." he replied, "And hey, my food is good, stop lying!"

With grimace still written on her face Erina looked down at the content of the box he brought. An omelet?

"Enjoy Yukhira's style Soufflé Omelette in its full glory!" she heard him saying but she still kept eyes glued to the dish. It looked really nice, it was perfectly toasted and the tomato sauce on top seemed to be freshly made. It smelled really good, she wondered if something is hidden inside.

She gave it a try, cutting through the omelet with ease. Its consistency was really soft and fluffy and it didn't lose on its size at all even after being prepared probably some time ago.

She put the first piece into her mouth and it momentarily melted on her tongue like it was made of air. The omelet's texture was so light, she felt like little bubbles of air burst in her mouth – that's the 'soufflé' part he meant. The flavor was absolutely perfect, the ingredients were chosen wisely but knowing the author of the dish he got the ones rather from small-market – he hid it well with his cooking skills so that her God's Tongue couldn't tell.

It was really good.

"And? What do ya think? Is it delicious?" he smirked with his arm leaning on a desk.

"I feel like I've seen you doing this before."

"Yeah! It was my dish for the Breakfast Buffet Challenge during Training Camp, remember?" he replied and handed her a napkin, "You had your place right next to me… seems like we've been drawing to each other since the beginning."

She blushed at his choice of words – she clearly remembered when he appeared in Tōtsuki and decided to shake her world.

"Although you really hated my guts back then." he added with closed eyes and arms folded on his chest as if remembering the old times, "You literally wanted to kick me out of academy. How about now? Did ya change your opinion about me, huh Nakiri?"

Erina averted his eyes and went back with memories to the times when she despised red-haired chef. Yes, she really couldn't stand that man – only because he was the only one who managed to satisfy her God's Tongue and at that moment she wasn't able to accept it. He was a dinner chef after all, she was Nakiri Erina.

But that one dinner chef turned out to be her savior – a boy that broke through her shield and opened her eyes on new things and feelings she always kept locked inside. The boy who made cooking fun for her and the boy who taught her how to love.

Not waiting for her answer he continued, "But even though I think the fact that I'm still here is thanks to you."

The blonde looked at him surprised, "What?"

"I mean if it wasn't for your final dish in Regimental shokugeki we all would be kicked out. Ehh, even if I don't want to admit it was your speciality that won it for us, not my appetizer."

"I disagree. If it wasn't for your appetizer they ate before, my dish wouldn't have that big of an impact."

'And if it wasn't for you I wouldn't even make that dish.' she wanted to add but hold herself back.

Sōma seemed to think for a moment before sending her a smile, "Maybe you're right. Seems like we're the strongest together. We almost complete each other, don't ya think?"

Erina's cheeks instantly turned red when Yukihira's amber eyes glanced at her. Why is he making it all sound so romantic, does he have any idea how much it affects her?

She cleared her throat and continued on eating the omelet, "But one-on-one I'd crush you. Easily." she added and smiled.

Sōma grinned back and raised a brow, "Would love to see that." he also took the fork in his hand and started eating his omelet. "And I, one day, will make a dish that will knock your knees. Watch me."

"I'm sure that's not going to happen. My God's Tongue is hard to satisfy."

"Hard? Pretty sure I'm the only one who can satisfy you, Nakiri." Sōma's lips formed a smirk once again and his bright amber eyes seemed to darken, "You see, I'm pretty good at it."

Erina's heart started beating uncontrollably fast. When her eyes met with his a cold shiver run down her spine and cheeks beamed with pretty red color. His gaze was so intense she felt as if she's not allowed to break the eye contact, even if It was hard to maintain it. When did he start having so much power over her, she had no idea.

"T-The omelet is dry." she uttered just to change the topic and let out the breath she didn't know she was holding. His eyes in instant went back to normal showing the bright golden shine.

He pouted and took a bite of his dish, "It's okay to me. Eh, seriously Nakiri you're so hard to impress aren't ya… but I guess that's what I like about you."

"H-Huh?" the flustered blonde stiffened in her seat.

"It's just… I like cooking for you I guess. So as long as you don't admit it's good I feel like I can keep on doing that." he replied with his chin resting on the palm of his hand, "But that's still doesn't change the fact that I want to hear that my food is delicious from ya."

Erina too, for that exact reason still didn't admit it. She was scared that it's the only way she could maintain that weird relationship they were having. Maybe it was selfish but she wanted to be his goal, if that was the way to keep him by her side then she didn't want to ruin it.

"Y-You know I will never say that!" she replied and finished her portion. She thanked for the meal and closed the plastic container.

She felt his unstopping gaze on her, "What?"

"I told you what I like in you now it's your turn to tell me what do you like about me. Be nice."

Her eyes widened for a moment in surprise. Erina pressed her lips together to hold back a laugh and then sent him a sly smile, "Bold of you to assume there's even one thing."

"Oh c'mon, we both know it's not true."

Because it wasn't. There was a lot of things she could list – his determination, courage, the ability of finding solutions in every difficult situation, his creativity and unusual ideas.

But she knew saying these things will only boost his ego unnecessarily. It was already bigger that his head so she didn't want to give it to him.

Complimenting him on his looks, which were in fact godlike, would tell about her real feelings too much as well. Why does he feel the need to be complimented by her anyway? Does it matter to him that much?

She looked at his face again. He was handsome, she couldn't deny that. His red hair was annoyingly messy, his long fringe was getting into his golden eyes from time to time. His face features managed to mature since the time they first met and his body was toned and well-built.

He wasn't 'the perfect man', like the ones she sees in magazines or her shōjo mangas. In fact he wasn't even close to them in terms of beauty standards.

But yet the roughness of his appearance, the scar adorning his brow and his piercing amber eyes made him appear more attractive that all these plain pretty guys from magazines. He was unbelievably handsome and she couldn't believe she fell for his charms so easily.

"Nakiri?"

"The scar." she replied, "I like your eye-brow scar."

Sōma was taken aback by her answer, he definitely didn't expect that to hear from the perfect and flawless Nakiri princess.

"Really?" he looked up and with his finger found the scar that's been splitting his brow in half for years. Did she really like it that much? It's amazing to him that she even noticed it, he himself forgot he even has it. She must have examined his face a lot of times to grow such a liking for his flaw. "That's new. The kids in school sometimes called me a thug because of it. So to hear you like it kinda makes me like it as well."

"It suits you. It adds to your charms a lot." Nakiri princess was now a flustered mess, she really did say it out loud didn't she. It was always her secret and now he'd make fun of her for liking such a thing as his scar.

"Oh… well, thanks… I guess." the blonde heard him saying and when she looked up she saw him leaning against the chair with his hand scratching the back on his head and eyes glued to the wall behind her. His brows were slightly furrowed and a red tint was coloring his cheeks.

Is he… blushing?

Erina's mouth turned agape for a moment but soon a smile replaced her astonishment. She made him blush! Yukihira Sōma! She was proud of herself, to say the least. Yes, something as trivial as that was a big achievement to her. Because she was sure it's impossible till this day.

Did her compliment really have this effect on him? Weird, he's getting compliments left and right and yet she never saw him react this way.

Was it because she complimented him?

Erina smiled as her cheeks also flushed with pink color. From the corner of her eye she looked in the direction of the redhead. Their eyes met and a gentle smile also made its way on Sōma's lips.

Nakiri Erina is woman of many. In her life she managed to achieve a lot of things some chiefs never dreamed of – she's the God's Tongue, Nakiri heiress, Elite Ten's first seat, respected and admired person in culinary world.

And she's also the one who put a blush on Yukihira Sōma's face.

...Maybe complimenting him isn't that bad of an idea after all.

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Your reviews are more than welcome, thank you for reading. Should I continue?