Notes:

Hey Everyone! Zancrowe Here!

And welcome to the second of these chapters with the drabbles written by Guest Writers! This time we have Demonata1 and CrazyTroodon! If you find these works enjoyable, please let them know in a review or comment, and make sure to follow them on their socials too! Also…!

Something BLUE: The final part of the Nouvelle Trilogy is now out! Go read the sequel to Classique, Something BLUE!

Couverture (A Nouvelle Story): Have you checked out the Married Sorina / Next-Gen story Couverture?!

Side Note: FFN has been buggy this last couple of weeks, with some New Stories or Chapters not showing up. So if you can read this, please let me know! It would help a ton!

Disclaimer: Don't own Food Wars: Shokugeki no Soma.

Drabble #23 / 101: "Why are you dressed like that?"

Pairing: Azami / Milka

Guest Writer: Demonata1

Azami was sitting by himself at a café. He was drinking a cup of tea, having arrived early and not wanting to simply sit and wait. Of course, there was a part of him that was nervous, and as such was grateful for the drink that was attempting to calm his nerves.

'It has been so long...' Azami reflected, 'How has he been I wonder?'

"Hello. It has been a long time... Azami," a voice suddenly broke him out of his pondering.

Looking up, the black-haired chef saw another man standing in front of his table. He looked of a very similar age to Azami himself, and in terms of looks, the two could be confused for brothers, with the latter also sporting black hair and dark eyes. However his clothes were much more casual, and his body language far more relaxed and less imposing than the former would-be Tootsuki Director / Dictator.

"Indeed," Azami forced himself to respond, "It is… good to see you again Aoshi."

Nodding, the other man sat down. As he gestured for a waiter to come and take his order, Azami was struck by a realization, which made him frown, 'He acts so much like Asahi… even dresses like the boy.'

"So... what made you reach out after all this time...?" Aoshi asked, his tone casual. Azami managed to keep himself composed, but he felt a pang of… something, "I did hear that you got married and had a daughter. I figured that if you too wanted a new start... and as such, saw no need to drag me back into a life filled with the Elites of society."

"...Perhaps I did want it... but..." Azami trailed off, "I guess... I wanted it to be your choice."

"...I see," Aoshi nodded, "Well, I thought about it... but I figured, I was finally starting to get my own life on track. And, pardon me for saying it... I was happy with how things were. I never quite enjoyed Tootsuki as much as you did. We were like brothers back there, but your focus was always on taking the top, on defeating Saiba, while I had to content with barely fighting for the lower Seats, playing hot potato with the Ninth Seat so much it wasn't even funny anymore. Hard for me to picture you as a family man, positively or negatively, given how the media covered it…"

Azami couldn't help frowning at that. "I know that you do not care much for the idea of family. Considering our own parents, I cannot fault you for it. Your parents constantly compared your achievements to my own, and yet my own father was never quite content with me, ironically enough, and now I realize I have become him," Azami took a pause, his eyes to the side, "But... I wish you could have gotten to know Erina. You, Riko, Jun, Gin, and even that oaf Jouichirou… I think you all would have..."

"I think I would have been awkward and not fun to be around at all!", his former friend said with a shrug, "But, I suppose I should have at least sent you a message. Congratulating you and all that."

Azami let out a humorless chuckle at that, "Never mind Erina, you remind me of Loren, or, the other way around I suppose," Azami commented, "It was probably for the best you didn't then. I don't know if you've heard, but I have been an exceptionally poor father. To four children at that."

At that, Aoshi raised an eyebrow. "Four? I found it shocking that you ended up having a kid at all…" he noted, "…Just how many women…?"

"Not like that," Azami quickly cut in, eyes closed, "Not all of them at least."

"Do they still want you around?"

"That's the tragedy of it all," Azami replied, his tone heavy, "Yes. They very much do, because that's how children are, unlike us."

"Are they the reason you decided to reach out now?" Aoshi asked, curious.

"Yes. And there's another little person I want to do right by," Azami added. His thoughts filling with images of Baby Ruth, demanding he pick her up, her smile wide and mischievous. Then… there was also Milka, the girl's grandmother and his darling Dove's mother. Such a beautiful and captivating woman. He was almost obsessed with how her glare softened ever so slightly when he cooked for her and Ruthie and the way the little girl beamed at him afterwards. Granted, he was expressly forbidden from perusing because Dove had made her threat very clear. Still, the way his children had hugged him, even after everything he had done, showing that they were willing to give him one more chance at being a parent.

One last chance.

The very final one, they had all made clear.

There was a period of silence, as the two men both seemed to be lost in their own thoughts. Then, Aoshi said, "I do hope things go well. Even though I am glad I left... I have missed speaking with a friend."

Azami nodded. "Add being a terrible friend to my long list of things I am horrible at, but at least, unlike my kids, you won't be emotionally wounded by my distance."

"Says you…" Aoshi just joked, which made Azami almost grin.

"I should properly introduce my children to you all," Azami noted, thinking back to his former friends at Tootsuki who he had made into enemies thanks to the events of the Intercontinental Shokugeki, and how he now wished he could have done everything differently, "They are good kids… mostly… Actually, correction, no, they are not, but they are still wonderful."

Aoshi let out a chuckle. "I suppose I could not except a kid of yours to be a paragon of good behavior, huh? What, is one of them a gang member or something?"

"Gang Leader, actually," Azami corrected with something that sounded like almost pride, "My eldest, Asahi, wouldn't settle for being merely a follower after all. He leads. Commands authority, even from me."

Aoshi felt his left eye twitch at this, but before he could inquire about it, since he knew Azami was not one to ever joke, Azami spoke again.

"I have a Granddaughter now."

Aoshi looked at him with a bemused expression, before he let out a sigh. "…I don't see you for a few years and you've certainly became someone else entirely."

Azami found he could not deny that statement. So, he simply took another sip of his tea.

"So… Do you want to talk about them?" Aoshi asked. And, yes, perhaps Azami did. Was this what it felt like… to be an actual father for once?

-0-

"I'm home," Milka stated as she entered the living room. She stopped, as she saw something she was not expecting. "Why are you dressed like that?" she asked, her voice filled with a mix of amusement and mockery.

Azami looked up from where he was sitting on the couch, Ruthie on his lap. He was currently wearing a white shirt with the words: "I NEED SOME SUNLIGHT!" on it in bold letters.

"A gift from an old friend… and me making amends by being forced to wear it by a certain someone."

"Dove?"

"Dove."

Azami let out a sigh when Milka mockingly laughed and Ruth just joined in with the cutest of giggles. But, even if this was stupid, he couldn't help almost grin. Their laughter was worth it, he supposed, so he did owe Aoshi that much at least… and his little Dove even more so.

-0-

Drabble #24 / 101: "We have to pretend to be married."

Pairing: Takumi / Hisako

Guest Writer: CrazyTroodon

"I didn't expect Miss Aldini to send so many gifts. She wouldn't take 'no' for an answer if I didn't take the outfits she bought for me. I don't know why," Hisako noted, shrugging her shoulders.

"That's a given considering the fact my family likes you a lot after all..." her boyfriend Takumi replied, which made her blush. All the time she spent there in Italy; she was pampered by the Aldinis like she was their own daughter. And all Takumi could do was smile and watch it unfold.

"L-Lets catch a taxi. We have classes today," Hisako said.

"Eh, forget the classes," Takumi simply shot back, "A one-day break isn't gonna be the end of the world. Besides, if Yukihira and Nakiri can disappear for an entire week, the others in the Elite Ten have no room to complain."

"That's exactly why we should be attending," Hisako complained, because of course she would, "As part of the Elite Ten, you should set the example for –" was all she could say before she was interrupted by Takumi's kiss.

She paused, breathlessly, and tried, "…Takumi… We shouldn't…"

Another kiss.

"I presume no classes today?" Takumi asked with a wry smirk on his face. Hisako nodded with a blush and a pout. God, how he knew to persuade her.

"Perfect. Now since that is cleared, we're going back to my place."

"But I don't have clothes to wear…" Hisako noted, before they both paused and looked at the handful of bags Takumi's mother had gifted her.

"…I think we have that covered…"

-0-

The day passed as soon as it came. Hisako and Takumi spent the day taking some well-deserved rest. They had yet to reveal to Soma and Erina that they had returned. A surprise for the engaged couple was what they had in mind.

"We should head to Yukihira's," Hisako offered, "Erina and Soma are taking a break, shockingly enough. A perfect surprise, don't you think Takumi?"

"Yeah… perfect. But I have to say," Takumi replied, even if his eyes did sharpen, "That Yukihira certainly has some guts to pull that off. Engagement. That's something."

"He's always been that way. Besides, I'm glad Erina is in safe hands. I hope it would lead to this since –"

"Takumi!" a sudden female voice cut Hisako off, making the couple pause just as they were about to get into the limousine Hisako had called for them, as they turned to what was a girl standing before them with the widest grin and iciest look in her eyes, "Long time, eh?"

"Alex?" Takumi voiced, more confused than anything.

"I'm sorry, but I don't believe I've had the pleasure…?" Hisako voiced, her eyes on this Alex, as she did not much like how she was looking at her boyfriend.

They all ended up in the same ride towards Yukihira's, and Hisako and Alex had a thinly-veiled staring contest, despite Takumi attempting to introduce them properly. He could see how Hisako still greeted Alex with all the professionalism this girl was known for, despite him being able to almost outright hear her thoughts of 'Just how many childhood friends does this guy have?' and he found it rather cute.

"So what brings you here Alex?" Takumi tried, "I heard you were busy with a cooking contest."

"I just had to meet my old friend. Especially after the fact that he didn't wait to say his hellos nor his goodbyes," she said as she shrugged with a little anger on her face.

"Apologies for that…" he noted sheepishly, "Besides, I didn't tell you before, but she's my…"

"Girlfriend," Alex concluded with a little too much disdain for Hisako's liking, "Or so I've heard. Seems like aunty likes her a lot. A princess, she said. She seems pretty normal to me."

"I beg your pardon?" Hisako voiced, arms crossed against her chest, eyes sharp.

"Then beg," Alex just mocked. Hisako almost scoffed, but Takumi quickly spoke up, because he knew the sharp tongue Hisako had.

"Alex, please, behave."

"Actually, no. I'll tell you the real reason I'm here Takumi," she shot back, "I'm here to tell you that she's not the right person for you. And besides I'm here to take you back."

"You can't take back what was never yours Alessandra," Hisako still mocked, and it made Alex glare at her.

"And… Alex, you know we're just… close friends, right?" Takumi tried, "Like us and Lucrezia for example."

"That doesn't matter!" Alex shot back, "You deserve better. And it's not like you're married to her or something."

Hisako turns towards Takumi, her sharp glare on him, basically making it clear to settle this or she would, and not in a friendly way.

And Takumi sighed, since, yeah, he understood. He'd be pissed off if some random guy came up and began to hit on Hisako. Or girl for that matter… How thankful he was for Loren otherwise he'd have to deal with Nao, but that was beside the point, "Hey Alex. Look I know things got off to a rough start, but you have to understand that I'm very happy with Hisako."

"No can do. She's too normal," Alex argued, childishly, "Besides, I've known you for far –"

"I'm sorry but that's just not possible," Takumi cut in, abruptly stopping Alex mid-sentence, "…Because, while it's true we aren't married, Hisako and I are… already engaged."

Alex felt her spirit leave her body, utterly destroyed inside.

Hisako, meanwhile, despite knowing this was just Takumi letting down this girl gently, not that she deserved it, couldn't help but massively blush at just the sheer implication behind the fake scenario he had just proposed.

-0-

As they now sat at Yukihira's, long after the problematic Alessandra had left in a huff, and after Hisako told the entire gossip to a very interested Erina (who offered to close down Alessandra's family restaurant for her, but Takumi begged them not to take it that far), while Soma had just laughed and said it comes with the territory of dating a hot blonde (something Takumi did not find amusing but it did make Hisako laugh). And now, after Soma and Erina went back to the kitchen, Takumi and Hisako sat alone, and she couldn't help but note…

"Such a masterful gambit," she almost teased, "We have to pretend to be married. Or, about to be. Did you pick that out of a 90s sitcom or some of Nao's fanfiction bookmarks?"

"I wanted to make my devotion clear," Takumi offered, and Hisako paused, "Besides, I can think of a thousand worse lies than saying I will be married to the most beautiful girl on the face of this Earth."

And for what it's worth, Hisako's little grin never left her face for the rest of the day.

%

Relationships Are Oh-So Complicated…