Part II of II

Yukihira Sōma never thought that he would be an Alpha, he had always played second fiddle for his entire life so when the massive Alpha Mark shimmered to life on his side, saying he was surprised was an understatement. The solid gold image was proudly emblazoned but difficult to see unless he elected to undress, much to his relief. But it didn't stop the small symbol from appearing on his neck, making him subject to many…propositions.

It was bizarre, not that he had been particularly starved of female attention before his designation as an Alpha, but the number of people that flocked to him was a little disorienting. Even though he had undoubtedly taken advantage of the situation at the time, it had worn off in a few months and he has been 'surprisingly celibate' as deemed by some gossip magazine or another. But anything would get old when you realized that what you really wanted would always be out of reach.

He glanced down at the blonde figure whose body was curling gently against his, and for the first time tonight his mind was quiet and sated. Sōma never wanted confirmation of this, but it was now clear as day who had total ownership of his heart: the one and only Nakiri Erina. He was holding her in an embrace a touch too intimate for friendship, but the greedy part of him couldn't resist and the logical side was too enamoured with her to put up much of a fight.

Breathing in her unique scent, something about it reminded him of ripening apples and fall was intoxicating, just as much as seeing her for the first time this evening after so long.

Everyone knew that after graduation Sōma had dropped everything and high-tailed it out of Tōtsuki as soon as he could. As if tracing his father's footsteps, he had traveled the world in the hopes of honing his skill. Everyone seemed to assume that this was the sole reason why he left, yet no one was able to tell that it was Erina who had pushed him away.

He doubted she knew that what she had said was the reason, after all he had no doubts that her words were directed in general rather to him. But at the time, it was difficult to think of it in any other way. Sōma's mark had just manifested, and he had been excited to tell Erina perhaps in the foolish hope that she would somehow accept him as her Alpha.

Not that he at the time, or even now, wanted to dominate her. He couldn't really imagine a world where she wasn'tdominating. But because he wanted to take care of her, wanted her to be happy, and maybe on the selfish side admit that he was good at that.

So, when she had declared loudly how she hated her designation, that she would never acknowledge anyone as her Alpha. That she found the entire situation revolting; he could have sworn he felt his heart break. Nodding woodenly with hand conspicuously covering his neck, Sōma bit back what he was going to say and decided to take Shinomiya-senpai's offer to go to France.

Even if he wanted nothing more than to stay by Erina's side, be the person that she could rely on most, he would do anything else but force that upon her. Even if there was a voice inside him that was digging their heels in and insisting that he was hers and warning him that she could very well be stolen from right underneath his nose, he had made up his mind.

He had thought that distance would make things go away, that his feelings for Erina were nothing more than teenage hormones and misplaced desire for approval until two years and several women later he was still thinking about her. At times it felt like she was so far away, but it would only take someone mentioning her name, or even the colour magenta that would remind him of her. He almost resented it. He did resent it.

For a few years after that, he spent his time trying to forget her, but he could never run far enough. So, after over half a decade of traveling and running away, he stepped back into Japan changed and wondering if seeing her would make it go away. The voice inside him had gone quiet after so long, and he felt despondently empty even after all the people he met and the things he learned. There was nothing that made him feel alive, so he wanted to know if she was the reason why.

It seemed that Tōtsuki had changed in the time he was gone, judging from the event he would be taking part in; a charity ball that Megumi had mentioned in passing. Although in all honesty, he had stopped paying attention to the conversation when he realized that Erina would be there. In fact, the days before the ball passed by in a blur, he had visited his father at the diner and greeted anyone who had remembered or recognized him.

His dad had been surprisingly quiet when Sōma returned, giving him nothing more than a clap on the back and a welcome home. Sōma knew that there was a question that his father had held his tongue on, and he was glad for it because he wouldn't have been able to answer the question without falling into a pit of self-loathing and anger.

Because Sōma came back home alone, conspicuously so even after years of traveling and trying to find that bond his father had so extolled. Even though his father never said a word to hint at it, he could tell that there was a certain measure of worry and even pity in his expression. Sōma felt that it was a little dramatic, so what if he had trouble sleeping at night and spent more time in the gym than in a kitchen? It wasn't as if he was dying…

Dying. If this was what dying felt like, he'd like to personally call out anyone who claimed that death was a fading away. He was so restless at any moment of the day, his concentration maxing out at two hours before he had to work off the excess energy, it's come to a point where even cooking was becoming difficult. Clenching a fist in his hair, he glances at the suit laid on top of his childhood bed and debates for the nth time if this would be a good idea.

Once again, the reason for his hesitation was Nakiri Erina. He could be thought of as fearless and impervious but being so close to her would undoubtedly be dangerous. But he missed her, and he wanted to see her fiery magenta eyes that had periodically consumed his thoughts in the last eight years.

He should have realized that the last thoughts were a product of the seductive voice that he had thought to be dead after so long in silence. Perhaps that would have made the entire evening avoidable, even if the guilty part of him wished it would never end.

Unlike his usual tardiness, Sōma had arrived obnoxiously early beforehand, so early that the paparazzi hadn't even shown up yet. He walked easily into the building, still being decorated and prepped for another extravagant event. His mind wandered as he strolled about the expansive hall, hallways gilded and glittery as usual and distracting him from admiring yet another painting of a no doubt odious old man. He wasn't exactly watching where he was going, so it was no surprise that he walked smack dab into Yoshino Yuki who was bustling about in her chef's uniform.

"You might want to look where you're going," a familiar voice entered the petite woman's ears, "Not all patrons would appreciate a chef in their arms, but luckily for you, I have no issues about it."

The teal-eyed woman's face lit up into a bright smile as she jumped out of the embrace and smacked his arm with a strong hand, "That's for teasing me after seeing me the first time after so many years. You suck." But without even asking, she begins to lead the still casually dressed Sōma into the kitchen, gesturing to the stations and telling him what they were preparing for the finger foods.

Grabbing a small spoon and dipping it into the creamy sauce for small chicken sliders, he allows the salty and smooth mixture to envelope his tongue, "Mm, needs the tiniest hint of oregano. That'll really make the chicken's flavour pop. A little more smoked sea salt would probably help too, it's missing that little pizazz."

The starstruck chefs in the kitchen all rushed to follow this godly figure's bidding as Yuki made a face at the red-haired chef, "Not even a minute in and you're already disturbing my peace, but then again I would be too naïve to not expect it. Listen to whatever he has to say, not that you need me to tell you that." She waves her hands at the chefs, some Tōtsuki graduates and some not, but all were equally awed by Sōma's easy grace and confidence. It also didn't hurt that he was one of the most well-known chefs of their time.

"Why didn't you even tell us you were coming back? We would've thrown a party, Marui's place is always open," Yuki studied the tray of macrons that were about to go into the oven with a critical eye before turning to a frazzled looking cook who wasn't slicing the duck breast properly.

"Haven't had the chance, I just got back the other day and got pulled into this event. Gotta appreciate my luck," Sōma's eyes wandered to a pack of corn chips that seemed to have been abandoned and brought it over to snack on, "You in charge of all the food for these events now?"

Waiting for her to be done lecturing a few chefs with unbearably messy stations, she returns with a shrug, "Fair's fair. I'm on and off, it depends what the theme is for the night and since we're doing mostly poultry tonight, I volunteered."

"Hm? Volunteer?" The word seems a little foreign when it came to Tōtsuki, which was usually more of a volun-told situation. He finds the chance to take a whiff of the chicken broth being made on the side, adding a couple of spices to liven up the flavour a little more and listening to Yuki's quick explanation.

"Yeah, event catering is on a volunteer basis now," Yuki's hands flew across a cutting board, perfectly cleaning up an impressive pile of chickens, "It's actually better this way, people who are available simply say, and the theme can change accordingly depending on who's in charge. Erina's even stepped in herself on days that no one could take, which in all honesty only made those events even more hectic."

Sōma chuckled, a faint bitterness spreading in his chest as he mumbled, "Tōtsuki's changed, hasn't it." What should have been a question was a statement, it wasn't too obvious given that it still maintained its haughtiness and status. But in the subtle movements towards deliciousness brought with a touch of warmth that had once been stone cold and calculative. Time passed quickly in the kitchen, as it always did when it came to him, and soon he was being kicked out bodily by a Yuki who was having none of his attempts at staying.

"Get out, not only are we done here but you're supposed to be a guest," the amber haired woman huffed, "I think you've had enough fun running my kitchen, now go away." And upon shoving him out, Sōma stumbles about in the direction of the bathrooms which were located close to the main entrance. His suit was still lying in a bag in the check-in area somewhere, he needed to get changed before it was too late.

But just as he was about to reach the coat check-in, he saw her. There was not even a moment of hesitation as his mind roared her name, body demanding that he go and take her in his arms right now. She was just as ethereally intoxicating as she's always been, her long blonde locks were pulled up to reveal the seductive curve of her glittering throat. The way the red fabric of her dress encouraged the luminescent glow of her skin and those sinful curves that belonged on a succubus stopped his breath. The flutter of those fine blonde eyelashes that hid her sharp violet gaze, seeing the slight turn of her head in his direction sent him cowering behind a large wooden door.

He was so pathetic, rubbing his forehead and trying to soothe the oncoming waves of complaints from that insistent voice that had resurrected as soon as he laid his eyes on her. If Sōma wasn't so disoriented, he might've been able to summon some emotion other than the all-consuming desire that was swirling violently throughout his body. The taste of those full pink lips that just begged to be bitten…he let out a quiet groan. This was ridiculous, it was like her effect was even more potent now than ever before, something he thought to be impossible.

Dragging himself into the bathroom with every measure of reluctance when the coast was clear, he sagged into a gilded stall and contemplated how much trouble he would be in if he didn't show up. Not only was he trying to decide if he could stay for the event, given he might just end up falling prey to that racket in his brain and stealing Erina away.

If he could bear seeing her beautiful face twisted into an expression of disdain or fury, or worse still, fear. Sōma could never allow such emotion to appear as long as he was by her side, and least of all caused by him. After some silent moping, he realized that he still wanted to see her. He'd do what he had always done, be dense and try to act even somewhat normal if he ever ended up in a conversation with the heiress.

After changing slowly and methodically into the prepared suit, deliberately taking his time and prolonging the inevitable in a way that was a little too familiar. He could hear her confident voice even through the heavy doors that had been closed and he stood there in a daze as if enthralled by her voice alone. It wasn't until she said his name that he snapped out of it and pulled the doors open to make his unintended dramatic entrance, walking briskly through the crowd that parted in an almost shocking speed.

Sōma's eyes scanned the edges of the stage, seeing all familiar faces that brought a wide grin to his lips and disregarding the way that people were gasping at his terrible behaviour. Even though he intended to avoid Erina's eyes, it seemed that it was simply impossible as fuchsia and gold clashed in a moment that stretched on to eternity. Or at least that's what it felt like to Sōma who found himself unable to tear his gaze away from that delicately crafted face, too beautiful and stealing his breath.

He isn't sure who looked away first, but he focuses on the empty space at the end of the stage and tries to regain some sort of calm. Falling back to the easy charm that has served him well over the years, he says something that would probably earn him an earful from Nakiri. But when the curtains close, she's nowhere to be found.

There's only the faint flavour of honeysuckles and azaleas that danced on his tongue, making the mark on his side burn slightly along with the rest of his body. Shaking his head with a sharp movement, he goes up to Shinomiya with an easy greeting and intentions to get his mind off of her. Conversations pass easily and soon he's surrounded by people who all seem to clamour for a bit of his attention; rather than feeling gratified Sōma feels stifled. Yet no one could possibly tell from the suave lift of his lips and his golden eyes that danced with near-constant amusement, but at the same time, they periodically scanned the surroundings.

Where was Nakiri? After that short sighting when she made her opening speech, it seemed she had disappeared even if her delicious scent swirled about enticingly in the air and making it difficult for him to focus. So, when he sees her in the arms of none other than Saiba Asahi, he feels his self-control seemingly vanishing in a second as that voice snarls possessively. Mine.

How dare he? After all that he had put her through, pulling and pushing her so much that even he struggled to figure out how he could take care of her. Well, it didn't exactly help that his own emotions were more than just a little confused when it came to Nakiri Erina at the time. When her discomfited gaze fell into his, he stifled the murderous rage that swept through his mind and was gratified when in the next moment Erina had shown her infamous temper. It brought a self-satisfied smirk and the urge to chase after her and ask her if she had put an end to the dance for him. He hoped, but she had once again disappeared and left him surrounded by people yet not with the person he wanted.

Sōma wasn't particularly eager to participate in the Auction, but his friendship with many of the participants didn't let him back out. Even if he didn't intend to win any of the auctions, it would be well within his ability to jack the prices up just that little more and it wasn't as if he was strapped for cash. In all honesty, he had racked up quite the fortune over the last few years being that he never bothered to purchase anything outside of flight tickets and clothing.

Sometimes it surprised even himself when he realized how far he was from that 'diner' kid that had entered the hallowed gates of Tōtsuki all those years ago. Although he would like to think he didn't change, his bank account went through a strange metamorphosis that he never intended to happen. His mind was still wandering as Megumi explained the rules of the Auction, all the way until he caught sight of the blonde princess sitting primly on stage beside some well-known members of Tōtsuki's Board of Directors. Sōma's gaze wouldn't wander long before returning to her, even as he made a couple of bids, his thoughts were focused only on the heiress and her seemingly weakened complexion.

His interest in the Auction had been waning up until Megumi's voice called up the last name of the object of his attentions. Knowing that Alice had already gone and that only she could claim the Nakiri name Sōma watched with no small amount of worry as her figure walked to that loveseat. Without even hearing the first call, he knew that there was no way he was going to let anyone else have her. This clearly wasn't part of the plan for the night, and he wasn't going to just watch as her usually delightfully pinkened complexion pale.

Sōma knew the situation was near dangerous for her, the glowing silver Mark on her neck was proof enough as there was no shortage of Alphas in the crowd tonight. Beyond his own desire for her, there was a deeply engrained call to protect her and wipe away that expression of thinly veiled terror that was becoming more and more pronounced as the seconds passed by.

"Twenty million." He couldn't wait anymore; the money wasn't even an amount that would hurt, and he was more than willing to empty his entire fortune if it called for it. Sōma ignored the shocked gasps and the sneer sent by his adoptive brother. Erina was going into a state of panic, he could feel it as if there were claws scratching at his heart.

Rushing onto the stage, he gently coaxes the mostly incoherent Erina to stand, her body relaxing into his gentle hold and melting into his touch. Her mouth-watering scent was inescapable and making it difficult to think, the honeysuckles and azaleas making his mind swim. He knew that the evening was done for her, she was in no state to be entertaining guests.

As they walked in the large venue, her steps were slow and clumsy at best making him forget about propriety and heft her up into his arms. The plus was that it made the trip faster, but the scent was ever stronger and somewhere from the hall to the garage, she had buried her face into his neck and breathing in his scent. He almost dropped her.

She was most definitely beginning to scent him, and his footsteps quickened as a result. He needed to get her into a car and back to her home as he tried to think about dunking himself into a frozen lake. If she continued, his already tenuous self-control would cease to exist, and he had no doubt that Nakiri would hate him forever.

Stuffing her into the back of his car and ignoring the whimper of need Sōma quickly programmed his GPS with Erina's address he got from Megumi and basically sped away. Every so often his eyes would glance into the rear-view mirror to check on her and the ever-present expression of delicate pain on her features.

He pressed harder on the gas.

Where was her Alpha? She was so sure that he had been there with her, his scent was still there but his strong arms weren't anymore, an upset frown deepened on her beautiful face. Why wasn't her Alpha taking care of her anymore? He had been holding her and carrying her, did he abandon her? Just as her face began to show the first signs of tears, the car slammed to a stop.

Huh? She was in a car? Erina's muddled mind cleared for a moment; her eyes flickered to the familiar structure that she called home for years. But this clarity only made the burning of her body aware to her, if she thought earlier was bad this was infinitely worse, her fingers twitched as if looking for something to hold. Heat. And right after that thought was Alpha as her hands finally found purchase on the thing that they had been looking for, warm and somehow soothing the burning slightly.

Red and gold entered her gaze and it didn't take any more than a second for her mind to register Yukihira Sōma and his voice sounded. All rich tones and reminding her of ribbons of dark chocolate wrapping around her seductively and making her melt into the hands that gently pulled her out of the car. Her body naturally curled into his as the addicting mix of spice and sunshine enveloped her thoughts, her body continued the burn harder.

The whisper left her lips against her intentions, "Alpha," she felt the arm around her tense and tighten around her. The feeling was quite pleasing and there was something so right with the protective way that he was holding her, her nose once again returned to where that delightful scent was strongest. Erina's mind was still swimming, the temptation of his scent was making it difficult for her to hold onto that last shred of consciousness; the burning also wasn't helping.

"Nakiri," the hiss was tense with barely restrained desire, the sound making her lower abdomen tighten with anticipation as she edged closer and closer to a point of no return. Would it be so bad to surrender? Yukihira would take such good care of her, it was hard to remember all of the reasons it would be a bad idea.

After some considerable effort to punch the passcode into the door and lead Erina into the house, Sōma was still trying to maintain some sort of ability for thoughts that wasn't thoroughly ravishing the woman in his arms. The blonde vixen was not making it easy for him at all, nor was the delicious heady scent that begged for him to taste wafting from the junction of her dainty neck. Clenching his jaw and determined to breathe as little as possible he began heaving her upstairs to where he assumed her bedroom was, hoping that he would still be able to hold on.

He's never wanted someone so badly, his entire being ached for her and it was becoming blurry why he shouldn't just let nature run its course. Unless he imagined her recognition, that soft seductive call of Alpha that he had heard all too clearly, she was in heat, surely he was…? An old fear stopped his hopeful train of thought, who was he kidding? Nakiri Erina submitting to him of all people, what a fanciful thought. Even as this was able to slightly calm his raging desire slightly, Sōma knew that he needed out of here as soon as possible. His face bore an expression of careful blank that Erina noticed.

Opening up the first door he could find and seeing a bed, he brings the surprisingly docile Erina into the room and just as he turned to sprint out of the room. A quiet sob halted him just as his foot crossed the threshold, the sound froze his body and without even needing to think about it he turns. His earlier resolve is forgotten completely when he sees the way she was quivering, cerise-shaded eyes glistening with tears as her hands formed fists overtop of her thighs.

If there was anything that Sōma was truly afraid of, it would be this. He knew he had no way of rejecting any command that was to fall from her lips in a moment like this, his soul wouldn't be able to deny a request that would make its mate happy. Rushing back to her side, he gently reaches a hand beneath her chin to lift her devastated face up to his, thumb brushing beneath a teary eye as he asked, "What's wrong?"

The cold sounding question only served to make the tears spill out her eyes as her lips trembled, "You don't want me. Why don't you want me?" Her small hands came up to grasp at his arm that should have been holding her, "Am I not enough?" Erina's emotions were spiking in all directions, it was like she couldn't control what she was saying, nor could she fully understand her thoughts. The only thing consistent in her rapidly shutting down mind was that she neededhim, Yukihira Sōma; if only to tame the fire that was razing her to her bones.

Panic over swept all other feelings when she sees that he hasn't moved to respond, her voice took a near-hysterical edge as she moved closer to him, "I promise I'll be a good Omega, I'll submit, I promise." Tilting her head to present her dramatic Mark, she continues, "See, it says I'm the perfect Omega—"

Before she could finish, she had been pressed down into the bed by the strong figure that she had been wishing would do so since what felt like forever. A low growl came from her Alpha, as he buried his face at the junction of her neck, his breath sending sparks of pleasure throughout her body. "Stop. I don't want you to submit to me." Sōma's face moved so that his burning golden eyes gazed into her fuchsia ones, "I—"

This time it was Erina who had cut him off, with nothing more than her lips that had caught his mid-sentence. Any capability of rational thinking was completely obliterated by the feel of her soft pliant lips moving against his and the taste. There was no other word to describe it than divine, delving his tongue into the warm cavern of her mouth to get a more thorough tasting, Sōma could feel his own body's temperature beginning to rise rapidly. The warm feeling of her tongue sliding against his made the kiss only more intoxicating, making it more difficult to just receive her attentions.

It only to a moment for him to control the kiss, she was clearly inexperienced, and her innocence made the fire within him grow hotter. There was really no other to describe it other than a plundering, Sōma could admit to being greedy when it came to this woman. A soft moan of pleasure made rationality fly further away as he was consumed with this want. He wanted her body, mind, and soul and there was nothing else in this world other than Nakiri Erina.

Without even thinking about it, his hands had moved from where they were at her sides to the dramatic flair of her hip as his lips moved from her mouth to the fragrant skin of her neck. Pressing wet kisses onto the sensitive skin and eliciting quiet whimpers of pleasure from the beautiful woman beneath him, he was tempted to leave a permanentmark on her. But even in the at the height of his desire, he was able to retain the remembrance that this was not necessarily a permanent arrangement.

Nipping harshly beside her Omega symbol and sucking the reddened bite until it was suitably puckered and purpled against her creamy skin, he was somewhat satisfied. Returning his gaze back onto her face, sinfully flushed and panting with desire as her hands wandered over his body before settling in his hair. "Erina, I can't hold back any more than this. If you don't—" Clearly, she wasn't impressed by the fact his mouth was doing something else that wasn't kissing her, warm lips once again attempted to distract him. But he needed to say this, if not for her but for himself. He needed to know.

Pinning her arms beside her head so that he could say his piece without her interrupting, he nearly growls, voice so low that it sent eager shivers up Erina's spine. "Listen to me, I know you're not completely here right now. But I need to know that this is really what you want, just say the word and I'll leave and call someone else." A dark edge entered his tone as he muttered, "Someone else more worthy of you."

"I don't!" The force of the exclamation startled both of them, Erina's eyes were watery once more with unshed tears, "Why do you not want me? Do you not want to take care of me? I want you to take care of me." A thick wave of her unique scent laced with what was likely her own pheromones filled the air as she pressed her body into his, all soft curves that only heightened Sōma's already out of control libido. Her face was pleading, with a touch of pain as she lay beneath him, "It burns…"

There was no way he could ignore his unrelenting desire to alleviate her pain, to care for her so that her eyes would always be void of tears. And there was also the part that was screaming at him to claim what was his, tugging at her full bottom lip and lathing it with attention as his hand slid around her waist to pull her closer. The soft cry of pleasure as he lightly ground his hips against hers was all it took to push him over the edge.

Nakiri Erina was his, at least for now. She needed him.

Two bodies tangled irrevocably.

A gasped breath of pain, a pause in movement and a tense moment of wait before the return of that frenzied rhythm. Soft skin, even softer flesh welcoming something hard, foreign and unyielding, a bonding of more than bodies. A heat that burned and burned until it built to its high.

Yes, two souls have found each other. Whether or not the hosts themselves knew was the question, too distracted by a certain peak and euphoric high as the rhythm slowed. The night quieted and slept on, undisturbed.

Morning dawned slowly on Erina who felt warm and satisfied in a way that she had never felt before, but so exhausted as a quiet yawn came from her lips. But the subtle movement was enough to make her realize that there was a strong arm flung over her very naked waist. The night before returns in a rush as she freezes in a panic, heart rate spiking as she recalled exactly what had occurred just a few hours ago.

Even though some parts of the evening were slightly blurry, the most important parts were crystal clear as a red flush appeared on her face. Had that really been her? So wanton, so needing to the point when Yukihira of all people had to restrain her, the reminder of the person whose naked body was pressed intimately behind her stopped her short. Even now the warm scent of sunshine and spices aroused a desire within her, making her wonder how it was possible. A sound of embarrassment came from her as she recalled the particularly long night that she had, it was unfair how her body was betraying her in this way.

But these feelings only served to increase the unease that she felt, how much of last night was her? And how much of it was just that sex-crazed Omega part of her? Most importantly, how much was last night the Yukihira Sōma that she knew? Did he mean all those hotly whispered promises of forever, of undying devotion? She doubted it. Things said in the heat of such a moment could never be taken so seriously, even if it hurt her to think that they were empty words.

No, this wasn't what she wanted. No. She didn't want to submit to anybody, and least of all to someone she felt like she owed, even if she did want to. Just a little, she wanted to forget that she was proud and strong and just bask in this warm embrace. But she wouldn't allow such weakness to pervade the person that she had painstakingly built to weather the storms brought by her father, her mother, and Totsuki. She would stand strong; she didn't need anybody.

She had to leave now, there was no way she could face him if he awoke. What could she possibly say? And judging by the way her mind was wandering to the fact that they were still very naked and the magical feel of his lips on her skin, there wouldn't be much talking. Gritting her teeth, she slides out of the tempting arms and makes a dash for the door after picking up her dress and pressing it to her chest.

This resulted in the first thing Sōma seeing that morning as Erina's full bottom disappearing around the corner. Throwing an arm over his eyes and letting out a quiet groan of frustration upon realizing what kind of hot water he had landed himself; he contemplates his current situation. But even as he acknowledges the uphill battle he'd likely have to face in the coming months, and there would be months, a stupid smile appears on his lips when the events of last night returned.

When he stumbles out of the bedroom clad in a wrinkled white shirt only haphazardly buttoned along with a pair of badly creased pants, he notices the mouth-watering aroma in the air. His stomach grumbled at the idea of food, especially food made by the one and only Empress of Totsuki; it's been a while since he's had the chance to eat her creations. As much as he hated to admit it, her cooking was only getting better and better as the days passed by. It was difficult to tell who was ahead of who exactly, and he had been waiting for a chance to see how the last five years have changed her cooking.

Climbing down the stairs and wandering through the sizable living room that he did not remember from last night, he follows the sounds of gentle sizzling to the kitchen. Just as he stepped into the cooking space, his mouth watered. Sōma wasn't completely sure if it was due to the delectable aroma that flooded the area or the delectable sight that Erina was dressed down in a loose long-sleeve t-shirt and shorts. The long length of those creamy legs that he could still remember wrapped around his waist…on second thought it was most definitely Erina.

Knocking on the wall to alert her of his presence, she turns around in surprise to see him leaning casually against the kitchen entrance, hair, and clothing delightfully disheveled. She couldn't help the way her gaze latched onto the lean planes of his chest and abdomen visible through the half-buttoned shirt. By the time she was able to move her eyes onto his face, there was a knowingly provocative smirk on his smug face, making her realize that she had been very obviously ogling him. Turning around and staring at the pan in her hand as if it was a foreign entity, she tries to calm her fast-beating heart.

Come on, Erina. This was nothing, she could act normal if only it wasn't for those stupid Omega hormones that wanted to jump his bones. Not that there would be any argument if he jumped hers first. A scarlet blush erupted on Erina's face, making her wonder why she couldn't stop thinking about sex.

"I hope you made me a portion," his voice was, in her opinion, entirely too sultry for such a statement. Think unsexy thoughts. And upon picturing a McDonald's hamburger in her mind's eye, she was able to somewhat return from whatever gutter her mind had wandered to.

Erina tossed her chin definitely as she replied with as much dignity and coldness as she could, "Of course, any passable chef would prepare for their guest." A teasing smile appeared on her full and entirely too kissable lips, "Unless you're implying that my abilities are inadequate?" In a few more moments, the breakfast had been plated and placed onto the kitchen table still pleasantly steaming.

The table had already been filled with a few different viennoiseries and a surprising assortment of jam, the pain aux raisinsand croissants looked particularly tempting along with the delicately prepared omelette. Taking a seat across of Erina and not hesitating to scoop a bit of the perfectly cooked egg into his mouth, Sōma is surprised by the lack of force in the punch in the taste.

It wasn't to say her skills had regressed, but it seemed that there was deceptively no explosion in the beginning until a few bites in. When it occurred, Sōma couldn't even really tell what it was besides a bright burst of warmth and the mix of herbs and tomatoes. In the back of his mind, he was surprised by the simplicity of what Erina had made this morning; there was no truffle or anything even close to high-end in what he ate. Just a dash of herbs that could be found in any regular grocery store, yet it still reduced him to the same state as her earlier more extravagant dishes from years ago.

She really had changed; he couldn't really put his finger on it now but there was no denying that Erina wasn't the same girl he had fallen for during high school. For one, she certainly wasn't a girl in any sense, but most importantly the harsher edges of her personality seemed to have eroded away slightly. It wasn't to say that she wasn't prickly, judging by the way she greeted him this morning, but where her jibes were taken closer to teasing than wishing to put him down.

"Ugh," there was a delicate crinkle to her nose as she took a second bite of her omelette, "This was a mistake, of all cheeses smoked provolone was definitely the wrong one." The taste was slightly off, Sōma could only tell after eating a good half of it. While the strange choice of cheese initially melded perfectly into the egg and herbs, but the distinct flavour had become a little too overbearing. It wasn't to say the omelette wasn't mind-numbingly delicious, but it was, perhaps only in the eyes of both Sōma and Erina, imperfect.

"I wouldn't say it's a mistake, but why didn't you just choose the piccante version instead? You wouldn't have that smoked flavour there to mess with the rest of the omelette," he comments offhandedly after polishing off the eggs and moving to pick up a croissant, fingers sinking into the fresh pastry.

Erina is still working on her own omelette, the meal tolerable despite the cheese issue, "You act like I haven't thought about it, but there's something good about the nutty flavour of being smoked that works well in the beginning. But I didn't think it would be so offensive after the dust settled."

Her redhead companion chuckled, amusement clear in the sound as he shrugs, "Only you would use offensive to describe something that you made yourself." Before Erina could get in a word edgewise, Sōma had already continued, "In that case, did you happen to try a Swiss cheese instead of a French? If nuttiness is what you're going for, gruyere would be a pretty good option."

A thoughtful look entered Erina's eyes, as she muses the idea slightly. "Hm, that's not bad of an idea. Since this is a French omelette, I didn't want to add non-French cheeses into the mix, but after going through all of the cheeses I don't think there's one that I can use." Her dark pink eyes flashed, a lofty smile on her lips as she says, "I guess you have to have somethingto show after five years abroad, even if so far all I've seen is some increase in appreciation for cheeses."

"Hey," the defensive response was habitual, even if the knowing grin on his lips wasn't, "When did I ever say that I didn't like cheese?"

With an eyebrow raised, she replies offhandedly, "Coming from the person you used to use processed sliced cheese in their cooking, I don't want to hear another word. I'm baffled that you thought that kind of substance was even mildly edible."

"I mean, the stuff they use at the theatres for nachos is way worse, so I still count sliced cheese as cheese," Sōma's already been able to polish off a croissant and a small Danish before reaching for a nearby pear and crunching on it, "But of course, you've never been to one, have you?"

Erina's lips were pursed into a frown as she reached for an apple and slicing it into eighths, "And why would I want to go to one? I don't have time for movies, and when I do, I have a perfectly good private theatre in my own house."

"Yes, yes," the golden-eyed male was waving off her explanation like it was nothing more than bad air, "But the point is you've never been to one. So, let's go."

Blinking up from her concentrated slicing, her voice was slightly squeaky as she exclaimed, "What? Why?" Her eyes darted from side to side as if looking for an adequate excuse, "I have so much stuff to do today, I can't possibly spare several hours to watch some mediocre film at some mediocre theatre."

Leaning back onto his chair and crossing his arms over his lean chest, biceps bulging slightly with the movement and making Erina recall what it was like to see those same arms braced on either side of her. His voice was low and tempting, "Oh come on, you have to be a little bit curious. I'll make it worth your while."

A light pink appeared on her cheeks as she shook her head in hopes of being less affected by this infuriating man, "No, and besides, you need to leave."

"But I don't want to," the reply was uncharacteristically heavy, a complete 180 from the earlier lightness as a dangerous glint appeared in Sōma's eyes, "Especially after last—" He couldn't even finish his sentence before his mouth was being stuffed by a large pain aux raisinsthat Erina so generously gave him. Taking a bite out of the wheel he removes it out of his mouth while chewing as he watches the red-faced blonde in front of him try to form a response.

"Last…night was a fluke, I'm not sure what occurred exactly but I'm grateful that you were able to get me home. As for what happened later, I understand that I did push you and may have forced your hand," Erina's focus was completely on the table, she was too scared to lift her eyes and see what the expression on Sōma's face was. Would it be amusement? Or derision at the remembrance of her behaviour?

"Nakiri Erina." Oh, just the call of his voice was irresistible. She knew that whatever part of her that she was last night was not present when the sound of his voice made her heart flutter. Just through this short conversation, so many of the walls she had erected over the years began to crumble out of their own volition. Her eyelashes trembled.

She wanted to deny it, she really did, but what was the point of pretending when she knew there would be nobody else after him? How could there be? Only he had been by her side, staunchly and without a second of wavering during the most painful parts of her life. Yes, Nakiri Erina was greedy, she wanted him to be by her side but didn't want to submit. Which is why he had to leave, now.

"Erina," the call was firmer and too close, Sōma was standing, no, kneeling on one knee beside her. A gentle hand touches her cheek to tilt her gaze to his, and she feels as if she's drowning in those luminous golden eyes, "I want to take care of you. I want to make sure you're happy, snappy, and everything in between. I've been trying to do it whether or not I realized it at the time."

Jumping to her feet and turning to see him still kneeled down, she hurriedly pulls at his arm to make him stand, her amethyst eyes were dewy with panic, "No, don't say that. You're only saying that because you have to, because of what happened last night. Last night was a mistake, let's just forget about it."

"…A mistake?" The words were accompanied with hollow laughter as Sōma lifted his eyes at that ever-icy visage, perhaps the only time it had truly melted was last night. "You don't get to call the best night of my entire life a mistake, you don't get it do you?" He felt as if he was going crazy, why wasn't she listening to him? Why didn't she trust him?

Stepping forward until his body was flush against his and taking her delicate chin between his fingers to lift her face up, he speaks. "I'm head-over-heels in love with you and have been ever since I was seventeen, probably even before then if we really want to be technical about it. Even if you're so obnoxious and haughty, I say nothing because you've got the talent to back it up and besides, it's pretty damned cute. I don't care about the Mark on your neck, or whatever your 'position' is, because the woman that I love is perfect without that."

She believes him, or at least from the way tears were escaping her eyes her heart had been moved. Erina believes him but couldn't accept it and if not for the last defense against it, she would've thrown herself into his arms. No, she wouldn't, couldn't submit. Backing away from him in a hurry and bumping into her own chair, she darts away into the living room, anywhere would be better than in close proximity to Yukihira Sōma. But he wasn't about to just let her run away, especially after he knew that she felt something more than simple tolerance for him. Without thinking too much about it, he grabs her and picks her up bridal-style too quickly and smoothly for her to do anything in defense.

"Put me down," this was infinitely worse, his scent and the warm feeling of his body surrounding her was making her mind fuzzy and heart rate spike. "Put me down!" But the hold on her only tightened as he leaned down, lips curled into a small smile as he whispers, warm breath brushing over her lips.

"If you promise not to run."

Upon receiving a reluctant nod of affirmation, he fails to let her go and simply seats himself onto the couch with the blonde temptress in his arms. Erina struggles a little when Sōma doesn't loosen his hold on her before realizing that he had no intention to, and she can't figure out if she likes it or hates it. The way her body was relaxing traitorously against his answered that dilemma, even if she didn't want to admit it, "What?"

Sōma was very distracted from his thoughts by the expression that reminded him of a sullen kitten on Erina's pretty face, it tickled his heart in a strange way and made him hold her just that little bit tighter. Inhaling deeply, and having that wonderful honeysuckle and azalea scent wash over him, he asks, "Who don't you believe me?"

"It's…I believe you," the reply was slow and hesitant, her voice losing most of its usual confidence, "It's not that. It's—it's—I—" She can't do this, feelings had never been her strong suit and she was scared, terrified of allowing herself to believe in those honeyed words. Because if he did love her; if he wanted her for forever…

But did love last forever?

Did she love him? The question that she had been avoiding has finally confronted her, startling her with its loudness and the speed at which her heart responded. How could there be any other answer other than yes? He had wormed his way into her life, and she would be hard-pressed to cut him out of it. No, a life without Sōma would be surprisingly quiet.

And as much as she tried to convince herself that quiet and demure was what she wanted; she couldn't deny that the staid respectability was nothing in comparison to those moments of wildness that only he could inspire. The feel of sweat dotting across her brow as her mind whirred, trying to craft the most unconventional dish she could. The thrumming of her heartbeat when she faced down her innermost demons with unwavering confidence that healways carried along with the easy grin on his lips. And being caught up in that unique and unconventional rhythm that he had.

As much as he infuriated her, he also made her so happy.

"Erina," his voice was too soft and too gentle, the low timbres making her feel boneless, "Tell me, what're you so afraid of?" The word sends a jolt through her, body tensing as she tries to deny that she had been afraid.

"I'm not scared, I'm—I'm just not!" The vehement denial brought an amused grin onto Sōma's lips as he watched her pretty cheeks flush with colour, "What could I be afraid of?" But from the way her voice was just a touch too loud, he knew all too well that she was doing what she was always so awful at. Lying.

"Yes, what could you be scared of?" He mused out loud, hoping that she would relent and let him in. He doubted that he would have a chance like this again if he allowed it to get away, making Sōma uncharacteristically patient at this moment. He was waiting, hope the only thing allowing his heart to continue to beat.

A heavy silence pervaded the room as he held her in his embrace, the loud but still even beats of his heart against Erina's ear. Reminding her that this was someone alive; someone who deserved at least some honesty on her part. Her petal pink lips parted, and for a long moment, she struggled to begin speaking.

"I've been supressed—for an embarrassing amount of time—as you know," there was a delicate frown that creased her forehead, both bitterness, and anger present in her voice, "Even for my own doting grandfather, there were times he simply used me as a tool. I suppose to me, suppression was simply a natural aspect of life and how leaders and heads should behave to those working beneath."

Her voice was cracking, splintering like the spidering fissures in a plane of glass, "I can't submit to anyone else, I've tried to get away from being forced down, by my own family nonetheless." Her limpid cerise-shaded eyes were bewitching, but the words did not escape Sōma's notice as the remembrance of her lack of childhood flooded his mind. "No one is going to control what I do, and least of all you." She forces the scathing words out of her lips, even though she knew deep within there was a part of her that would eagerly answer his every request.

Those molten gold eyes seemed to swallow her whole as they gazed intently at her face, expression not betraying any particular emotion as he digests what she's said. Erina tried to convince that she would be okay if he decided to get up and just walk out, that she wouldn't be reduced to a sobbing mess on the floor.

A slow smirk curled the edges of Sōma's skillful mouth, revealing a fierceness that Erina had only ever seen a handful of times, "Nakiri Erina, the day I try to force you to do anything is the day of my funeral. I value my life too much to put myself I between you and your goals, and besides, that doesn't have much to do with me."

The surprise was transparent on those aristocratic features as her little mouth fell open, "Huh?" She felt like she was being thrown for a loop, he didn't want to subdue her? Didn't he constantly declare that he was going to conquer her before they graduated? But now he was saying that he didn't care for any of that at all, her eyebrows creased in confusion, "You always said that you were going to make me admit that your cooking was, and it isn't by the way, delicious. That you were going to take my place."

A grimace appeared on his handsome features as Sōma replies with a reluctant edge to his voice, "You've gotta admit that you weren't exactly the most agreeable person when we initially met. Wanting to defeat you had nothing to do with your designation, I just wanted to defeat you because you were an opponent. Even now, a part of me itches to have a shokugeki right this moment."

There is a bashful shade of pink on Erina's cheeks as she mutters, "Yes, it was difficult to get along back then. But don't you dare push it onto me—you were, and still, are utterly infuriating with your lack of decorum and respect for schedule." A wave of annoyance flooded the woman as the previous evening's occurrences, "Can't you take a little responsibility for your actions—" the rest of the sentence that had been intended to berate him for his lateness was cut off by a hand that tucked a long blonde strand of hair behind her ear.

"I want to, but you seem very adamant against it," there's a hint of worry and sadness within those ever-smiling golden eyes, as he responds with a forceful lightness that the usually emotionally obtuse Erina sees. "Don't you understand that I would never force you to do anything, I just—I just want to see you be happy. And be the strongest you can be; after all that's when your cooking is the most exciting."

"Didn't you always say my cooking was so orthodox that it was boring?" the words come out of her mouth before she could even process the complexity of what he had just said to her. Squirming in his lap so that she could level him with an accusing glare, she watches as he sticks a hand into his unbearably messy hair.

An easy shrug is the only response to her pointed question, "Well, is it untrue? And besides, we can settle this sometime else, or…" a feverish glint appeared in his eyes as his lips were pulled into a predatory grin. "We could settle both of our…impasses at the same time." He glances at her from the corner of his eyes, "You don't mind me using your kitchen, do you?"

He wasn't going to let her get away this time, not after so long and coming so close. He was going to make her admit it, get her stubborn God's Tongue to say the words that he knew to be true. There was no other way he could think of, and besides, he had been waiting for this moment even if he didn't expect it to come around in this way.

The next moments passed like a blur, Erina was in a daze as she watched Sōma quickly and scarily efficiently prep a seemingly mind-blowingly crazy dish. She almost wanted him to stop, wait until he had the time to prepare the ingredients that he would need, but he seemed not to care. It was a huge disadvantage for any chef who had limitations on their ingredients when trying to bring their talent to the utmost, yet Sōma seemed right at home. In all honesty, Erina's kitchen was beyond well-equipped and there were maybe only one or two easy substitutions that he needed to make.

He wasn't thinking about that now, his mind was too busy building and tearing down his dish in lightning-fast moments that flashed in front of his mind's eye. The constant chaos in his mind was welcomed instead of the panic he no doubt would've felt if he stopped to think about what he was doing here. Everything rested on this moment, it was one that could make or break his hopes and dreams.

An hour passes too quickly but at the end of the sixty minutes, there was a dish in front of Erina who was staring at it as if she couldn't make head or tails of it. It seemed to be some sort of egg fried rice, and she would've declared it much to plebeian and boring if it wasn't for the mysterious protein that she couldn't make head or tails of. The entire thing also had a mysterious sheen coating the dish and gave off a scent that had her mouth-watering.

"Dig in," the words didn't even register in Erina's mind because she had already scooped a bit of the rice into her mouth that sent her far away from where she was. The rice was toasted lightly with soy sauce and a touch of sesame oil, and a hint of acidity that had her asking for more. The mysterious protein was clearly soaked in some sort of salted mixture, making it both incredibly tender and meld perfectly into the rice.

It's salted rice-malt! But before she could dissect exactly why this ingredient had been turned into one so mind-blowing, her mind had been whisked away into a place far away from where she sat. It was warm, the sun and the gentle breeze reminded her of crisp scallions and relaxed her even further. It wasn't until a few moments later that she realized she hadn't been alone, it seemed she was lying down on the ground as someone gently pulled a blanket over her. The soft feel of the enveloping cover brought to mind the gentle sweetness of peppers, making all the lines of her face soften.

Just as she was going to fall into slumber in this too warm scene, the person who had tucked her in was leaning over her the gentle expression of adoration too obvious for even her not to see it. The sunlight that had covered the features of this mysterious lover was revealed, with the same golden eyes that the sun was made of. She was unable to move as he loomed closer and closer to press a featherlight kiss onto her lips, bringing her back into the present.

It was the egg, the soft fluffy egg that melted into the rest of the dish yet stood glaringly obvious now. The combination of flavours that made no sense yet made all the sense in the world stunned Erina to the core. She didn't even realize she had reached the bottom of the bowl until the dull sound of chopsticks against ceramic alerted her.

"So? What do you think?" Sōma knew she thought it was delicious, it was all there in the eagerness she wolfed down the significant portion, the flush of happiness on her cheeks, and the way her eyes were misty with content. But he needed to hear that.

"I—I," for all the praises people had for her God's Tongue, sometimes the muscle felt like a deadweight as she tried to form the words. Even if she didn't understand emotion all that well, cooking was second nature and this…this was his heart literally on a platter. His emotions had no inkling of oppression, it was sweet as it was searing in its depth. The turmoil within her own heart had quieted, awed by this truth it digested and yearning to return it.

"Tell me." His voice was low, urging and he had never looked so alive in a moment as his blazing eyes trained on even the slightest change in emotion on that heartrending face. "Admit it."

Those lips parted, the same lips that had carved words within his life he had been unable to shake off, had hurt him beyond comparison but brought him the most happiness. Yes, those lips parted, "I love you."

Years Later

"It's still the most disgusting thing I've ever tasted," Erina's fuchsia-shaded eyes sparkled with a teasing light, but the rest of her features had been schooled into a firm frown. The little brown-haired boy blinked; lips parted into a shocked circle as he turned to his father with the unanswered question in his eyes.

"Well…that is what she said after, but if this dish was able to make her confess her love for me," the red-headed father waggled his eyebrows wildly until he was backhanded by the annoyed wife.

The adorable child nodded seriously before turning to the cutting board that currently holds a wide array of minced vegetables and meats. Setting to work on preparing that same dish his father had been explaining. In an action that was habitual and comforting, a strong arm wound its way around Erina's slightly rounded waist.

"He's going to love her, isn't he?" Sōma's voice was so full of love as he placed his hand onto her slightly swelling abdomen, "But not as much as me." He could feel the eye roll that she was sending in his direction as her body rested against his, the innate trust and strength that she drew from him was a habit.

"Yes, yes," she replied, a lightness to her voice as she watched the mayhem her son was causing in their state-of-the-art kitchen, "You can compete with him now, not like when you used to compete with me. But only because you know that I'll love her the most."

"Not fair!" Sōma was much too old to be whining in such a fashion, but it nonetheless brought a small smirk onto Erina's lips as he pouted, "You don't get to say that, you already get to spend nine more months with her compared to me. You gave an unfair advantage."

"You really don't want to get into this." The blonde-haired empress raised an eyebrow over a pair of dangerously flashing eyes and watched as Sōma pleaded his innocence. Of course, getting on the nerves of your pregnant wife was never a good idea, even if we didn't consider the fact that the wife was a Nakiri. As much as she missed working in the kitchen, in her office, or out on the field, she couldn't leave her child, or rather soon-to-be children.

She had suffered too long and too hard during the days of her youth without the loving care that should have come from her parents, the last thing she wanted to do was pass her kids off to some nanny. No, she was going to be the best mother she could possibly be, even if her temper was sometimes short and she made mistakes that caused Sōma to laugh at her.

Erina smiled as she watched her little boy happily toss the ingredients into a large pot, making a certifiably terrifying mixture, happiness welling in her chest. Besides, cooking was never far from hand with someone like Sōma in her life. If she wasn't tasting some of his new recipes for their restaurant, she was facing him in a private cook-off with their son as judge. She was proud to declare that she had pulled ahead by a five-point margin at this time, even if some of them were won in…unconventional ways.

Pressing a small kiss onto Sōma's cheek and ignoring the look of surprise on his face, Nakiri Erina relishes in this small slice of heaven she had

A/N: Thanks for reading my short project... i wanted to try my hand at something new and here it is! I hope everyone you finished it enjoyed (even if it was a little rushed haha) I need more soma and erina in my life.