Hunger Chapter 5, a shokugeki no soma/食戟のソーマ fanfic

AN: Heya! After a small eternity, I'm back with an chapter. I hope you guys enjoy the chapter! Will be working on some outlines for the rest of the story. With any luck, I'll have a new chapter up by January.

My apologies for keeping you guys waiting so long :'(

She nodded and made her way to where he was set up. He stood to the side, giving her a wide berth so she could work. She was nervous when she began but quickly lost herself as she gained a rhythm with her blade. Ryou watched her, blade firm yet gentle as she made her way through the vegetables for her broth. She wasn't as fast as she could be, he realised, opting to be extra careful with how she handled her ingredients. It was a detail that went unnoticed when he was her opponent. The quality of her miso made sense to him then. It was the purity of ingredients that were allowed to shine through in as undamaged a state as possible. They had hardly begun to cook, and he already had a good sense for her skill. Just as he suspected, she wasn't as useless as she appeared.

He watched her for a moment longer as she paused from her cutting to fill a pot with water to boil. She seemed to have forgotten he was there altogether, so wrapped up in her work that an easy silence fell between them. He had expected some bumbling on her part, or even the contentious quiet of their original clash but instead found her to be oddly at peace in his company. She resumed her chopping, a tentative smile working its way onto her face as she worked her way through her second batch of vegetables. Without warning, she spoke.

"I thought you were making fun of me at first. When you asked me to show you how I make my ramen."

She barely looked over her shoulder to throw a glance this way, her tone conversational yet shy. She didn't quite make eye contact of course, looking away almost as soon as he saw her pink tinged cheeks. He frowned, forehead wrinkling as he tried to process her statement. The idea that he had time to make fun of her was almost as upsetting as the idea that she didn't deserve to share space with him. He hardly had time to spare on someone who wasn't on his level and the fact that she couldn't see that was strange. He looked at her, his stare so serious that it changed the energy in the whole room.

"I don't joke when it comes to food."

She made a noise he assumed was one of understanding before shifting awkwardly back to her chopping board. He took that as his cue to begin food prep of his own. His knife was not as discerning as hers had been but he could hardly bother himself with that. He was more concerned with getting the broad strokes down and channeling his energy into something productive. The easy silence from before had all but shattered with his last comment, reforming into something heavy and charged.

Megumi thought about trying to lighten the mood but thought better of it. Although his words were open to interpretation, his tone was one of a person uninterested in pursuing the topic further. Instead, she focused her energy on her cooking, her attention drifting over to Ryou to see where he was at. Satisfied with his progress, she slid her first ingredients into the pot to start cooking her broth. It wasn't long before the familiar scent took over the room and set her back at ease. It was almost as if she were home with the salted air and the gentle crashing of waves in the background. No matter where she went, it never failed to help her relax. From the corner of her eyes she swore she saw Ryou relax a fraction as well. Though she was unsure, the thought brought a smile to her lips nonetheless. She paused from her reverie long enough to take a sip of the delicate liquid, satisfied with its flavours before covering the pot to continue cooking.

She felt Ryou's eyes on her and turned to look at him. He considered her pot for a moment before moving to sample what was in his own. He brought the spoon to his lips before pausing and looking at her. In one fluid motion, he brought the spoon to her lips, waiting for her to open her mouth. It was in that moment that she finally noticed the aroma. While her own miso broth was gentle and refreshing, his was more assertive. It was not as strong as his usual cuisine she noticed, but it was decidedly different to hers. It was tantalising and heady, somehow accentuating the moment and creating a sense of intimacy that did not exist. At least she thought it didn't exist but his closeness and imploring eyes made her feel otherwise. He brought the spoon closer and she shyly parted her lips, allowing him to feed her. Unlike his usual style, the flavours didn't hit her immediately. Instead, she experienced them in waves. She recognised the influence of her own cooking: the clear, pure notes of her miso. It relaxed her just enough to be blindsided by the coarser, more forceful tones of his signature style of cooking. This was not his soup du poisson, nor was it her ramen. It was a clumsy hybrid of the two that left her defenceless and desperate for more. Shivers ran down her spine and she groaned in ecstasy around the spoon. Her knees began to feel weak as warmth pooled in her chest.

She peeled her eyes open, fully expecting his smug expression to come into view. What she saw was something more earnest and curious. He seemed unnaturally still as if he had stopped breathing while he awaited her verdict. He tugged the spoon gently from her lips and for a moment they did nothing but look at each other, unsure of where to go from here.

"What did you think?" His voice seemed unusually small in the silence that had grown between them. She broke eye contact, suddenly overwhelmed by the intensity of it all. Her fingers clenched into a fist on the countertop as she willed herself to speak.

"It...it was..."

A burst of commotion in the kitchen caught their attention. Alice barged in, a twinkle in her eye as she surveyed the scene. The way Ryou crowded Megumi's space, face earnest, eyes searching. The way he had Megumi's full attention, her face and ears more flushed than Alice had ever seen. Her expression was awestruck yet filled with uncertainty. The scent of their cooking had mingled in the air. The simple elegance of Megumi's miso hung in the air and the familiarity of it sunk into her bones. She recognised it, not just from the Autumn Election, but as the blueprint of the dishes that Ryou had been obsessively creating in the last few days. That gentle scent intertwined with that of Ryou's and created something entirely unexpected.

It was intoxicating. And sensual in its own crude way.

They had been so wrapped up in each other that they hadn't even noticed her at first. She had to make a commotion to actually catch their attention. While she couldn't vouch for Megumi's situational awareness, she knew Ryou to be more keen than that. Her interest was immediately piqued.

Megumi hopped away as though burnt, her already evident flush deepening further. Ryou stood his ground, a fine wave of irritation settling on his face. Over the years she had pretty much seen every shade of irritation that Ryou had to offer. But this one was new. 'Curious' she thought, lips quirking upwards into a slight smirk. She made sure to file that information away for later.

"Lady Alice," his voice was quite stony she noticed, "I thought you had plans for the rest of the evening."

So he had been banking on their being alone. Interesting. Alice smirked at him before making a show of nonchalance.

"I did, but Hisako chased me away because Erina was busy." She made a show of pouting and he squinted in response, the corners of his lips tipped downwards into a small frown. Megumi stood, somewhat panicked as her eyes drifted from Alice and Ryou to the food they had been cooking. The delicate balance of flavours that made up that tantalising scent was getting closer and closer to being overcooked. As much as she wanted to taunt Ryou some more, she felt as though she needed to leave. She was beginning to get the impression that she had stumbled upon something she wasn't supposed to see.

"I was going to suggest that we hang out but I see that you're otherwise occupied."

Her smile was dangerous as she looked at Megumi. Her amber eyes were large and filled with an innocent sense of embarrassment. She didn't seem to have any ulterior motives for being there but felt exposed at being caught nonetheless. That was another detail Alice filed away for later consideration. That, and how Megumi seemed to be drifting behind Ryou to shield herself from Alice's gaze. Alice smiled a predatory smile at the other girl before waving and making a grand exit.

Megumi exhaled, relieved for a moment before she hurriedly checked in on her miso. Her taste test assured her that everything was ok and she went to continue with her cooking. Ryou's eyes were still glued to the spot Alice had just been.

"Ah, Kurokiba-kun?" He peered at her from the corner of his eye without moving or saying a word. He bristled with annoyance before going to check on his own dish. They spent the rest of the time in silence. Megumi diligently prepared her dish while Ryou studied and made adjustments as he went along.

By the time they had finished, the scent of their respective cuisine had again intertwined into a new, heady aroma that was even greater than what they had prepared separately. She was certain that even Hayama, with his finely tuned nose, would have enjoyed the smell they made together.

'Together.' Her cheeks pinked at the word but she remained focused on plating her dish for Ryou to sample. When she set the bowl down in front of him, he roughly thrust his own dish in her face, right under her nose.

"Use your words this time."

She pouted but nodded, careful not to make eye contact this time. The first thing that struck her was the colour of the dish. While hers was almost silvery white, his was a mellow gold. It was a notable departure from the rich, earthy colours of his soup du poisson, but also an interesting variant of her own miso. Although he had used many of the same ingredients, she also noticed a few additions. A small shrimp caught her eye and she stifled a giggle a the memory of them screaming their lungs out at each other on the stage.

She sampled some of the broth first. Just as it had been before, there was an interplay of light and rich flavours that knocked her off kilter. He upped the ante this time by adding a splash of some pepper and the additional heat was welcome to the experience. One spoonful of broth soon became something to tactlessly plough through. He watched her keenly as she clenched her fist and closed her eyes, settling her mind for the tasting. Her face had become flushed almost instantly and her body rigid and tense. She was preparing herself for the onslaught of flavours this time. And yet, the signs were there. He took note of every micro-expression, like the way she squeezed her eyelids or licked her lips. He saw the subtle catch of plump lip against white teeth. Her sighs and unfocused, half lidded eyes. The way her knees pressed together as a slight shudder travelled through her body. He drunk it all in greedily.

He wanted to see her come apart sincerely, but this would have to do in the interim. In what felt like no time at all, the sound of an empty spoon clanging against a ceramic bowl rang out between them, breaking the spell that had settled over them once more. She noticed two things when she stirred from her reverie:

Her bowl was somehow empty.

And the look on Ryou's face? It wasn't smug; it was earnest and rather intense. If she didn't know any better she would have said he looked hungry.

A strange mood settled over the room again as they stared each other down. Ryou felt impossibly close and she felt exposed somehow. It was as if the aroma had shorted her brain out. Her eyes strayed to his lips as his tongue swept across them.

"Well?"

His voice was now low and soft in a way that sent a shiver down her spine. Her eyes flickered up to meet his. Somehow, he managed to get her dumbstruck twice in one day. She swallowed hard and looked into the bowl, willing it to give her the answers she so desperately needed.

"It was good. Nothing like my ramen, but I think the direction you took it in...it suits you." Her voice came out somewhat dejected. She looked at him for a moment, her emotions flickering across her face shamelessly.

"Kurokiba-kun...why did you ask me to come here?" Her expression, her tone, he would best describe as crestfallen and it took him by surprise.

"You said you wanted to see me make my ramen, but all you've done is make your own instead." Her eyes wandered over to her abandoned bowl of ramen growing tepid on the sidelines. "I really thought that you wanted to learn something from me, but..."

"I do." He looked at the ramen, opting to ignore the way her brow knit together in confusion.

"It's different. It has something I think I can use in my cooking but I'm not sure how to incorporate it."

"Oh..." she sounded faintly, looking at the empty bowl in her hands. She considered her ramen for a moment before portioning some out. It wasn't enough to make a full portion he noticed, but he watched as she walked over to his ramen and filled the rest of the bowl with it. She mixed the ingredients for a moment before taking a sip of the broth. She considered it briefly, visibly relaxing before taking the bowl over to him. Without a thought, she spooned out some of the mixed ramen and held it up for him taste, an eerie parallel to what he had done earlier. He didn't hesitate to take the spoon into his mouth, peering up at her through thick, dark eyelashes. He reared back in time to see her catch herself, a faint smirk gracing his lips. She stumbled backwards, apologies tumbling from her lips before she directed herself away from his smug expression.

He felt considerably more relaxed, no doubt under the influence of Megumi's cooking. She had a way of stripping one bare and making them vulnerable in a way that was different to anything he had experienced before. It sucked the last of his tension right out of him. Paired with his version of the ramen, Megumi's broth left him open and receptive to the rough flavours he concocted. He licked his lips, eyes trained on the girl who was aggressively looking anywhere but him. The flavours were not as harmonious as they could have been. Even though he used her dish as a base, they were effectively two different meals clumsily tossed together in one bowl. And yet, there was something there. He could feel it coiling in his gut. In the crude blending of their dishes was something that was getting under his skin in a way food had never managed before. It excited and invigorated him. He walked over to where Megumi had set the bowl down and continued eating. It was warmth and comfort and such a rush. He could feel his toes curling and his eyes rolling back into his head just a little. He groaned, a feral smile taking over his features.

Megumi tried her best to ignore him. It was purely on a whim that she spoon fed him and she was mortified when she realised what she had done. But the way he smirked at her when he was done was too much. That wasn't the smug expression she had seen on the Election stage. It wasn't anything that she recognised. It had nothing to do with food or competition. It was a troublesome expression, almost predatory and devastatingly handsome. She had created as much space between them as she could, unable to trust herself with the full weight of his presence bearing down on her. She could feel his eyes on her even as he made quick work of the bowl she had fixed. In between his slurps and chewing were appreciative hums that soon grew into lewd groaning. She swallowed hard, her otherwise innocent mind taking a hard left into thoughts she would rather not entertain. She wasn't sure what to do. She felt trapped and she couldn't will herself to move. She had been betrayed by her own body. And buried underneath her feelings of panic and embarrassment, she knew that some part of her wanted to be there. With him. Alone. The realisation took the wind right out of her chest.

"Tadokoro..."

His voice sounded, low and gravelly behind her and she stiffened. He had been close enough for his breath to tickle her ears. How deep in her thoughts was she that she missed the sudden warmth of his presence, solid like a wall behind her. She dared not turn around. She wasn't even sure if there was space enough for her to do so. She just looked straight ahead, praying that Alice didn't barge in when they were in an even more compromising position. He set the empty bowl down to her right, leaving her effectively boxed in between him and the counter.

"I think we're onto something here."

A burst of commotion in the kitchen caught their attention. Alice barged in, a twinkle in her eye as she surveyed the scene. The way Ryou crowded Megumi's space, face earnest, eyes searching. The way he had Megumi's full attention, her face and neck more flushed than Alice had ever seen. Her expression was awestruck yet filled with uncertainty. The scent of their cooking had mingled in the air. The simple elegance of Megumi's miso hung in the air and the familiarity of it sunk into her bones. She recognised it, not just from the Autumn Election, but as the blueprint of the dishes that Ryou had been obsessively creating in the last few days. That gentle scent intertwined with that of Ryou's and created something entirely unexpected.

It was intoxicating. And sensual in its own crude way.

"Lady Alice," his voice was quite stony she noticed, "I thought you had plans for the rest of the evening."

So he had been banking on their being alone. Interesting. Alice smirked at him before making a show of nonchalance.

"I was going to suggest that we hang out but I see that you're otherwise occupied."

Alice stared idly at the ceiling as she tried to process what she walked in on earlier. She typically wasn't invested in who Ryou spent his time with, but this time her curiosity got the better of her. For all the time she knew him, Ryou had never had much of a love life. He never expressed much interest in having one either. From day one he had always been focused on his craft: how to get the most out of his ingredients, what techniques would serve him best, what the emerging and historical trends were. That wasn't to say that he never had interests in women before. Ryou had always been in touch with and frightfully upfront about his carnal urges. But he never seemed to find anyone who could truly capture his interest long term. It was always a passing attraction or a spark of tension that never seemed to go anywhere other than into his food. Over the years many people had assumed that they were a couple, which never failed to make her laugh.

Ever since he came into her life, Ryou had always been the one to ground her with her stoicism in a way most people couldn't. She had always been the more volatile person in their friendship, though people often underestimated how difficult Ryou could be when he wanted. Their personalities were so different in many ways but their love of cooking and competition had been one of the cornerstones in their relationship. As they got older, everyone always assumed they would either fall passionately in love, or fall out spectacularly. Instead their relationship grew, slowly, steadily and in a decidedly platonic direction.

By virtue of how he grew up, Ryou was tough and closed off. He showed no sign of weakness and was stoic almost to a fault. It took many years for him to warm to Alice and share any part of himself with her. In retrospect she realised that he didn't trust how out of hand she could get. Perhaps he still didn't. In time he came to understand that she too showed no weakness. Underneath her veneer was someone shrewd and calculating. It was something he could wrap his head around. And that became the next cornerstone of their relationship. Underneath it all, they were more alike than not. It was what kept them together for all those years, but also what discouraged them from finding love with each other. It was more of a tacit understanding they shared between them. They were the closest thing the other had to a sibling.

Alice sighed into the quiet of the room and turned her attention to the pile of books at her desk. She flicked the pages idly before her attention rested on an old picture of her and Ryou. It was taken somewhere in Europe, her bright grin contrasted sharply by his faint smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. She picked it up to look at it, fingers toying with its edges. By her side Ryou had seen and experienced so much more than he would have if he had stayed in that seaside town. He had access to some of the best tools and amenities that money could buy. But even during the most intense emotional highs, he always seemed to be looking for something more; something intangible and far more humble. She would have given it to him if she could. As her aide and as her friend he served her fiercely and would have done anything for her. Likewise she gave him everything she knew how to give, but it still wasn't enough. Being a Nagiri prepared her for a lot of things, but this was not one of them. For a long time she thought she would watch her friend moving through life without having his imagination truly captured by something other than food, but for the first time it looked like she could be wrong.

Her mind tumbled over her thoughts again. Ryou feeding Megumi and being completely entranced by her. His agitation at being interrupted. The way Megumi just looked at him, her expression so breathtakingly open it was almost frightening. That moment alone gave her so much to think about, but it was the realisation that Ryou had been so moved by Megumi's cooking that was far more interesting. The girl managed to make such an impact that it noticeably influenced his cooking. She had thought that honour would go to Hayama, considering how much time he went ranting about the other boy. And yet, he not only imitated her on several occasions, he went as far as to bring the girl to his kitchen. That was something he never did, a decision made even more odd by the fact that she lost to him. He hadn't even taken her seriously before setting foot on that stage. Now they were standing together in his private kitchen, so engrossed in each other that they didn't even notice her when she came in.

Alice smirked to herself. She was beyond intrigued now, but she resolved to simply monitor the situation first. There were a lot of ways this could go, but she knew one thing for certain. This was going to be quite entertaining.

Megumi somehow lived long enough to keep cooking with Ryou for a few more hours. She had all but died when he spoke into her ear the first time. Between the deep tones of his voice and the warm wash of his breath on the shell of her ear she had to grip the counter just to stay upright. It was all she could do not to lean backwards into his warmth and press herself against the long line of his body. She clenched her eyes shut, hoping to scatter the thoughts and come back to her senses. Hoping that Ryou would move before she got a chance to embarrass herself. He stood there for what felt like forever before moving off, no doubt savouring every morsel of her discomfort.

She sagged in relief against the countertop, sharply exhaling the breath she didn't realise she had been holding. Over the sound of her panicked breathing, she could hear Ryou getting to work in the background. Cabinets were being opened in a frenzy, lids thrown open in wild abandon, utensils hitting the sides of bowls as he mixed ingredients together wildly. He was truly in Mad Dog Mode now.

By the time she got herself together, he had thrust a bowl into her field of vision. It was her broth, his noodles and some new ingredients he threw in. Shakily she accepted the bowl from him, savouring the new concoction he put together. This mix was far more mellow, though the heat of his new ingredients gave it an exciting sense of dimension. It gave her some ideas. They worked like this for a while, mixing their ramen dishes together in different proportions. They debated the virtues of each flavour profile and how to improve on it. It wasn't long before they ran out of ramen, but by then they chopped and diced so many new ingredients they were well on their way to making a new dish. So they just kept going.

By the time they caught themselves it was almost midnight. Ryou, still in Mad Dog Mode, had a few more hours left in him. Megumi on the other hand, was focused but the endless hours of frenzied cooking and arguing had started to take their toll. She was clumsier, her shoulders sagged slightly and her eyes came closer to staying closed every time she blinked. As much fun as it had been, it was time to call it quits for the night.

It went better than she could have expected, she thought to herself as she helped rinse the last of the utensils. She wasn't one for confrontation but after competing against him, she had steeled herself for the possibility that there would be plenty. And he didn't disappoint. While he was his laidback self in the beginning, he was far more assertive once they really got into the swing of things. That's when the arguments started. She would never have thought that she had that much fight in her, but the boy had a way of getting under her skin that was quite frankly impressive. Not that he was unreasonable, she found. He yielded if he was satisfied with her points, which was far more agreeable than she had expected him to be.

"Sounds good to me!" was all he would say before racing off to do something else. His energy was so electric, she couldn't help but get swept up in it. Ryou was an intensity that she had yet to experience at Toutsuki, even with Souma. She would even go as far as to say that he was unlike anything she had ever experienced. And the fact that he found her competent and inspiring made her feel warm and giddy-headed all at once. She smiled tentatively to herself, putting the last of the washed utensils on the rack to dry. Ryou dragged his bandana off as he finished packing up the last of Megumi's things. He turned to her, his previous fire replaced with the stoicism she was accustomed to.

"I-I should get going. It's pretty late."

"Alright. Let's go then."

He hoisted her bag, now practically empty, over his shoulder and turned to leave. She followed him out to the front of the house and they waited for a moment. Just as she was getting fidgety, a limo pulled round to the front, stopping so they could get in. He opened the door so she could get in first, tossing the bag on the seat next to her before getting in himself. The ride back was quiet save for the muffled sound of trees whizzing past. Megumi must have fallen asleep as she was startled when Ryou's voice sounded in front of her.

"We're here."

She took a moment to get her wits about her. The door was open and Ryou stood backlit by the front of the Polar Star Dorm. His hand was extended, clearly waiting for her to take it. So she did, grabbing her bag before allowing herself to be helped out of the car. Once she was steady and on her feet, he dropped her hand and walked her to the front door. All the lights were on despite it being just after midnight at this point. She hoped that she would be able to sneak back in without being noticed. It would be difficult to explain why she was back so late in Ryou's company without getting flustered, she thought. They managed to reach the door without any interception, a good sign she thought. She thanked him and opened the door.

"Tadokoro!"

She turned to look at him, not seeing Yuki and Ryoko making their way to the front door. At the sound of his voice they looked at each other, moving out of the line of sight of the door way. Huddled together they peered around, watching on in confusion.

"Don't think I'm done with you yet."

Yuki's eyes grew wide as saucers and Ryoko only raised a shaped eyebrow. Megumi looked back at Ryou, clearly stunned into silence.

"You...you want to meet up a-again?"

"Yes."

She waited a moment longer, obviously expecting him to say something else. Realising he had nothing else to say, she replied.

"Ok. I can do that. Just...let me know when."

"Good. We've got something, but this is just the start."

She nodded hesitantly before going inside, watching as he made his way back to the limo before it pulled off into the night. She closed the doors and scurried off to her room. Yuki and Ryoko waited until they heard the faint sound of her door closing before tumbling out from their hiding spot. Ryoko seemed to be mulling over everything quietly but Yuki just stood there, blinking confusedly.

"What the hell did we just see?"