Notes:

Hey Everyone! Zancrowe Here!

And welcome to the first of a few of these chapters with the drabbles written by Guest Writers! It'll be two (2) prompts per update this time, and to start us of, we have Vistrology and IceColdSea! If you find these works enjoyable, please let them (and me!) know in a review or comment, and make sure to follow them on their socials too! A massive thanks to them (and the others who are to come soon) for taking the time to indulge me with this and lend a creative helping hand! 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?!

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

Drabble #21 / 101: "I thought we talked about this."

Pairing: Loren / Nao

Guest Writer: Vistrology

The skies were dimming and the sight of the sun disappeared as each second passed by. Instead of oranges and reds, the sky was now painted in blues and purples. The sounds of a bustling city were now gone, and instead of heavy chatter— it was more of just the wind that danced together with the trees. The melodies were simple and sweet, it was nature itself.

People would have loved this night; it was calm and peaceful. It was such a sight to behold with no distractions that can make you look away from the view. The city lights glimmered, and it was reflected by how eyes were sparked with awe.

But this wasn't the case for this couple— not when little laughs and excited comments were bouncing around the room instead of a meaningful conversation, or a good night's sleep.

His eyes were half lidded, and his head was ready to fall back at any moment. Even if his whole body was already ready to collapse in place, he was keeping himself awake as he listened to the girl who was stuck on her laptop, rambling about how interesting each recipe idea she had— she was thinking maybe a stench so bad would have made the Autumn Election Winner fall on his knees before he can think properly.

Who else did he have to blame for this? He was the one who brought it up to her. It wouldn't be considered foul play if her specialty was literally… that. Her food may not look or smell the most appealing, but it was definitely packed to the brim in flavors. Magnificent flavors, that even he would praise.

He sits up and straightens his posture, as he continues to listen to her— he was more of the talker in this relationship, but times like these are ones that he treasured most. He loved it when she was herself. With him, she had nothing to hide, really. He already showed her his worst sides, the side which he looked at with shame ever since it was exposed to everyone around him.

And he only hoped for the same with her.

"Hehe, maybe once I beat that guy who won in the Autumn Elections… Maybe they'd finally look at me!" her bangs went off her face, and her eyes for a moment glistened. "Big Sis Erina and Hisako would have no choice, after all! Not when I win!" she turned her head towards the person in front of her instead of her laptop, and she notices Loren leaning on the bed frame, while putting his arms at his side for support.

"For sure that could work." He agrees with her for a second. "But even with all that, I think you have to think about the taste too, yeah sure— the scent may be god awful for him and make him have a gag reflex and maybe fall on his knees because his nose is so sensitive but…" a grin appeared on his face, it was cocky and sly, "I don't think the witch's magic spell will be enough to win with trusting that method alone."

The so-called "witch" hunches over, getting closer to him– but her expression was unfazed, as if she didn't hear a thing from him.

"So… what do you suggest?" she asks, but she talks again before he could even make out a reply. "Wait, I shouldn't ask you. You're still learning how to cook yourself," she playfully jabs him, and he ends up raising an eyebrow before sighing loudly.

"This won't be able to get Erina or the other one to look at you, just adding to my previous statement about your spell," he jabs at her back, and it made her scoff in reply— but it was a little bit of banter, nothing too serious.

"The witch's spell you're talking about was enough to get your attention, don't underestimate it."

And now, there was a silence between them— damn right, it worked. They're dating now.

"I thought we talked about this," he urged, before finally leaning forward to cup her face in his hands. "Don't compare my love with those wicked spells of yours, I wouldn't need that to like you."

Not expecting that retaliation for such a joke response, she moves backwards— almost jumping away even, and she finds him laughing at her. He was not mocking her, but he was laughing at her in such an endearing way.

"Stop laughing, it's annoying when you laugh about something as simple as that," she says this as if it's a threat— and even if it was one, he wouldn't have it any other way.

He wanted to tease her again, but before any other word escaped his mouth— a pillow was thrown at him. Maybe it was time to call it a night. Research can continue tomorrow and they can just end up arguing in this way until both of them fall asleep.

Their relationship might have built on rocky areas here and there— and maybe banter was considered normal to them, but there was nothing to change. This was their ordinary— this was what was familiar to them. And it was enough for the two of them.

-0-

Drabble #22 / 101: "That guy at the bar keeps staring at you."

Pairing: Asahi / Dove

Guest Writer: IceColdSea

Looking back on a life spent in unfavorable neighborhoods and run-down pubs, Tootsuki Resort's fine, dimly lit bar was beyond anything Asahi could have ever fantasized on his own. The black marble, the leathered stools, the bottles that looked like it would take a mortgage to purchase them — this place really was all that more than what he had envisioned once the culinary throne would be his. He should lean back and be soaking that in, indulge on what the future was promising him.

But all that fancy environment faded and blurred around the contours of the young woman beside him. With her dark chocolate hair up in a high ponytail, the silver loop earrings with a tiny star dangling from it, the short black dress with spaghetti straps paired with an inviting sweetheart neckline and all finalized with her high, black, heeled boots was a sight to drink in and devour. One that truly befit the woman rightfully coined as the "Queen of Noirs". Asahi knew that no amount of seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks… it would never be enough time to admire Dove Dillinger in full. Everything about her was hauntingly enchanting. Even when long gone, her laugh would still faintly ring, the ghost of her would still dance in the dark.

Whatever brief moment spent with her was to be treasured. But still, despite the fine location and Dove's drop-dead gorgeous outfit, Asahi could not help but to be bothered, if not even annoyed, at the moment.

It was less so because of Dove's audacity to order him, a "Sex on the Beach" with a smug, and playful smile on her dark red lips. He had quickly corrected the waiter and then endured her huffy ramble about "fragile male egos" with an eye roll.

No, no, that wasn't it. The culprit was someone else.

Around the corner, at the bar, some slicked up guy in a purple satin shirt and golden earrings kept stealing rather… disrespectful glances at Asahi's companion. They lingered way too long for his liking and fell onto places that evoke a protective will to murder in Asahi.

He let his own eyes trailed to the exposed skin of Dove's décolleté and neck. It would be oh~so very enticing to lean forward and leave a marking kiss…

Then he clicked his tongue and tried to focus on his glass. But the sound he made gained her attention.

Dove tilted her head a little, making her nape look all the more accessible and inviting, and raised an eyebrow at him. "What?"

Asahi chugged down the remainder of his drink as if it was some secret potion for self-control, his brows furrowed further. The other dude had a glass as well… he could potentially walk over… smash it and ram one of the shards into…

Instead, he sighed. "I can't stand Daddy Dearest for forcing us to be secretive in times like these."

"Times like these…?" Dove repeated, with a slight frown.

"Times when we're in public and I want to kiss the hell out of you," Asahi muttered into the glass. His icy blue eyes bore into one of the bottles on the bar's shelves with such intensity, that Dove wouldn't have been surprised if that bottle had simply shattered on its own. And against her better self, the words and that look on him unexpectedly made the blood rush into her head.

She tried to play her silly blush off with a faint laugh. "Gree… Greedy and impatient. Makes you think why the latter is no deadly sin—"

"That guy at the bar keeps staring at you," Asahi simply said, with a subtle nod to the right.

Following his direction, Dove glanced to the man he was referring to, who instantly cowered once she did. That and the awful looking satin shirt, made not only loud laughter spill out of her but also a bit of warmth began to gleam in her chest when she realized that Asahi was being jealous. No one had ever been feeling jealousy over her…

She quickly shook her head and turned her head back to her companion, who was still looking rather sour. Dove moved a little closer on her seat, snuggling up to him. "And what are you gonna do about it? Let your circus clowns come in to kidnap him?"

"I've been thinking of a more… definite solution," Asahi now smirked back at her, and again, Dove felt embarrassed for how she could feel her head heat up.

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Two Bad Boys Each Falling Hard For Two Bewitching Girls…