Hey guys! i was suddenly taken over by an urge to write about a random idea that popped in my head regarding our favorite ship in Shokugeki no Soma. /strong/p
i hope you enjoy reading it. Please leave me your reviews! /strong/p
paring:Yukihira Soma , Nakiri Erina
type: post-series,AU
word count: 2025
Rating: T
Note: None of the characters belong to me. Only the story does ;p.

She quietly opened the door to the bedroom, the rays of light from the opening door illuminating a line on the bedroom floor to the king sized bed on the other side of the room. The crimson colour shining a little from the intruding rays of luminescence, highlighting the sleeping figure of the man covered in light blue sheets. Erina slipped in through the half opened door and tip toed her way to the closest to get a change of clothes making as little noise in the process as possible, not wanting to wake up the man in slumber.

"Erina, is that you?" called out the red haired man still half asleep.

Erina let out an annoyed sigh and a curse under her breath, so much for bothering to take all the precaution as to not wake him up. No matter what she tried he always was able to feel her presence. Although she silently adored and took pride in the fact that he could always feel her aura when she was around but sometimes it could also got her annoyed, just like right now. She heard the sheets slowly moving, signal that the man in slumber was starting to get up. She answered back after a split second pause "yes, it's me .who else were you expecting at this hour?"

"Well…. a bewitchingly gorgeous golden hair princess maybe" came the playful reply. He could clearly sense the exhaustion and slight irritation in her voice. Dangling his legs out of the bed he sat at the corner and had a quick look at his smartphone. It showed 1:20 p.m. It didn't take a scientist to understand why she was so visibly upset. Work takes its toll even on the most workcoholic of people. Erina was no exception, their new job had especially been quite demanding, having to travel and settle down in every 6-10 months. It had been like this for the past couple of years. Right now they were in Vienna, Austria, had moved in about a month ago.

"hmph sorry to disappoint you Yukihira, also I didn't ask you to wake up, you can go back to sleep" retorted Erina, letting another frustrated sigh escape her.

'yukihira huh? Seems like someone is in a bad mood' Soma thought to himself. She was still dressed in her working chef clothes. Soma got up, switched on the lights and walked towards the closet where she was, trying to pull out more comfortable clothes to wear. Soma was wearing a plain black tank top and a pair of boxers. Erina couldn't help but notice the strong muscles of his arms and chest flex when he moved his hand to scratch the back of his head. He had gotten a lot more buffed up compared to the boy she had met all those years back in totsuki, that being said his physical body was not the only thing that had changed. His facial features had also changed and become much more sharp and mature, he even had a beard similar to his father now.

"It took you pretty long today. Must have been a rough day. Hungry? Have you eaten anything yet? Knowing you, you must have worked through your dinner time again." Soma said in a clam soothing voice, now standing beside Erina, pushing a stray strand of golden hair behind her ear. "Let's eat something, shall we? I'll make whatever you want to eat." It still awed her,just how much Soma's personality that developed. Apart from his easy-going fun loving attitude he had become much more mature and responsible now, he was always caring and tender to others, reliable at work and considerate for her. He had been her strong hold, her anchor for the past few years and she knew that if it wasn't for him she might have broken completely way back when her father had showed up, what would have happened to her then? Where would she have been now? Thinking all this made Erina even more upset.

Soma noticed a frown forming on Erina's face, it concerned him a little, lately she had been growing more and more stressed and unsatisfied with their current lifestyle, moving to Vienna just after five months in Norway was not taken by Erina fondly, after all they had just started to get comfortable and settled in the new country. Grabbing her shoulder gently soma asked,"Erina, are you fine? Is something on your mind?"

Erina was pulled out of her trance, "eh? No no I'm fine. Anyway what about you? Did you not have your dinner as well?"

"Well I did have a heavy supper in the evening and then some snacks, then since it was already nine I thought we would have dinner together….then I kinda dozed off. Small details aside, say what do you want to eat? "Grinned Soma.

"Idiot, you don't have to go through all this trouble for my sake", whispered Erina almost inaudibly.

"What was that? Didn't catch ya?" he leaned in closer towards her.

"Idiot! i said I want something light, less spicy, mildly juicy and fulfilling to eat. Now let me change! " She shouted, lightly pushing soma's face away. "Alright! Coming right up! Then see you in the kitchen." Soma walked out of the room down the hall towards the kitchen. 'Idiot' a small smile formed on her lips.

She took a quick shower, changed into a light green gown, undid and combed her long hair, before heading out towards the kitchen. Soma was a very skilled and fast cook, that anyone including her just had to admit, it took her only about 10 minutes to get changed but she could already smell a sweet aroma in the air as she walked through the hall towards the kitchen.

"There you are. Why don't you sit down, I'm almost done here myself." There it was again, his almost supernatural ability to feel her presence, he hadn't turned back once to see her approaching.

Erina quietly pulled a chair waiting to be served whatever it was that soma was making. Finally being able to sit down peacefully after the long hours of nonstop work was now showing its toll on her mind and body. She felt weak, hungry, sleep deprived, her joints ached, eyes blood shot ,head pounding, she was feeling as if her life was being drained out of her.

"Erina. Erina are you alright?" she opened her eyes to see a pair of golden ones looking back at her worriedly. She felt Soma putting one hand on her forehead to check her temperature while the other rested on her shoulder. Soma was relieved that she did not have a fever, quite honesty she looked sick and tired as hell, but it didn't seem as if it was just from the work load that she was facing. There was definitely something that was on her mind and was constantly bothering her. He was trying to give her space and talk about it if she wanted to till now but now he was sure that he will have to force whatever it was out of her, because whatever was on her mind was starting to affect her physically.

Soma pulled a chair beside her, rubbing her back, in a soothing balmy tone he said "Erina, I know something's been bothering you ever since we came here. Won't you tell me what it is?"

"Huh? What do you mean? It's nothing like that. I'm just tired that's all" she tried to dodge his intense gaze.

Soma let out a sigh and gently pulled her chin to make her face him,"Look me in the eyes, Erina. Don't you trust me? Whatever it is that's troubling you, I promise we will find a solution to it. Together."

That was it. Him saying 'together' at the end was the final nail to the coffin. Her emotional dam finally cracked under his intense loving gaze , tears rolled down her cheeks .Breaking down, she cried out all her pent up frustration, stress and emotions out ,burying her face in Soma's shoulder ,hands clinging to his chest. Soma silently sat there lovingly patting and stroking the girls head, assuring her of his presence, letting her cry out her emotions.

After her initial outburst , erina calmed down a little, she pulled away from soma a little before resting her head on his chest. Soma wrapped his arms around her little form pulling her closer and engulfing her in his warmth. He felt erina relax a little in his embrace, finally breaking the silence she spoke up,"I am exhausted Soma. All this moving around, moving from one place to another even before getting the chance to settle down properly, I am tired from it. Every time leaving everything and everyone behind and coming to a new place that is strange."

"I know it's not easy. But isn't that why we decided to do it, so that we can hone our cooking skills to the maximum, learning everything we can along the way, pushing to our limits and beyond. We never stared our journey because it was an easy thing to do, we set out because it wasn't. And you know this isn't permanent, a couple of years more and we can settle down where ever you want." Soma tried to comfort her.

"I know. But you know Soma, it's like at the end of every day I have this longing feeling in my chest. Like I just want to go home, but I don't know where home is anymore." Sobbed Erina.

Soma let go of his embrace and lifted her chin up so that they were looking in the eyes. He slowly closed the distance between their lips into a chaste kiss, he pulled back a little but was surprised when he was forcefully dragged back by Erina, slamming their mouths for a messy, intense, passionate and slightly desperate make out. After a minute, Soma forcefully pulled himself back from the heated endeavour. He took and held Erina's hands in his own, thoughtfully gazing at them. Erina also followed his gaze, then looked back at his face deep in contemplation, captured in a trance observing his handsome facial features.

A moment of peaceful silence passed them both, finally Soma's voice pulled her back from her trance, "I am not sure if this solves or answers any of your doubts, but for me I think, home is these hands that I am holding right now. Maybe home is not a place in physical form but something more abstract. I remember my Oldman telling me once 'A place where someone still thinks about you, is the place you belong to'. It didn't mean anything to me back then, but now I think I kind of understand what he meant." He lifted his face to meet her's and flashed a quick grin, rubbing the back of his head Soma said," haha, too cheesy huh? Man I kinda feel all embarrassed now. Anyway, I'm starving, let's eat now shall we, it should be ready by now. "He got up and headed to put servings for them both, leaving Erina in silence to contemplate what he had just said.

But she was not given the leisure of much time as Soma bought in four bowls to the table.

"Here you go! Dig in!" soma exclaimed putting a steaming hot bowl in front of Erina.

"Eh? What is this? Isn't this just plain rice? Wait a second. Don't tell me its -"

"Yep. The transforming furikage Gohan: Vienna Special" gleamed the red haired chef.

Erina couldn't help the smile that formed on her face, all her insecurities and fears seemingly faded away, "Idiot" she said lovingly almost inaudible, but this time loud enough for him to hear it. Flashing his signature grin placing himself beside her as they both sat enjoying their late night dinner in silence, Soma loosely holding her hand that was free.

Observing their loosely intertwined fingers Erina thought to herself-'Maybe soma was right. Maybe home is nothing but two arms holding you tight when you're at your worst'.

~FIN~