Work Text:
It all started with a mass text message from one recently married Yukihira Souma.
Guys, help! Something weird's going on with Megu! Come to Yukihira ASAP!
About two hours later, just about everyone, from the Polar Star Dormitory residents and the 92nd Tōtsuki Generation Elite Ten had all gathered in the Yukihira eatery. And since Ami and Megumi were cousins, she was automatically included in the group. Isami was included by default and with Makoto also dating the younger Aldini twin for the past seven years, the pony-tailed woman was also dragged along for the impromptu meeting.
“Yukihira, what did you do to Megumi-cchi?” Yūki demanded straight-out, both she and Ryōko were up in arms in defense of their best friend.
“I don't even have the foggiest idea!” for once, Souma was in full panic mode. “She's gone all moody ever since the flight back!”
“Could she be on her period?” Alice suggested.
“Couldn't be.” Souma shook his head. “I have Megu's cycle down pat.”
“Yukihira, Megu is still in the bedroom, right?” Ami asked. At Souma's nod, she turned to the four other women present, “Mako-chan, Yoshino-san, Sakaki-san, Nakiri-san, in the bedroom, now! And close the door, please. Megu, on the bed now!” said medical school student went into full doctor mode. “I need to ascertain something.”
“I guess we'll leave this to them, then.” Takumi blinked, rather surprised by the decisiveness the herb mistress displayed. “Sakaki-san?” he wondered, seeing Ryōko dash out of the couple's bedroom.
“Sorry, Mizuno-san needs me to get something at the drug store.” Ryōko answered the blonde. “You guys might want to get comfortable. If Mizuno-san's suspicions are right, this could take a while.” she exited the diner. “I'm back!” the fermentation expert flung open the bedroom door.
Megumi looked passively at the three pregnancy kits Ryōko had in her hand, nodded and headed to the bathroom.
“Megumi-cchi, I'm so happy for you!” Yūki squealed, hugging the newly-revealed pregnant woman joyously.
“Congratulations.” Alice delivered her congratulations to the shy cook.
“Looks like it's up to us to face the men outside.” Makoto turned to her best friend.
“And looks like it's my duty to deliver the news.” Ami sighed.
“Mizuno, Mako, what's wrong with Megu?” Souma pressed, once the two non-Tōtsuki graduates exited the bedroom.
“Yukihira,” Ami turned a bland look at her cousin-in-law. “Two weeks; your honeymoon was for two weeks. Did the two of you ever leave the bed?”
Souma had the decency to look abashed. “Occasionally.”
“And what did the two of you do for the rest of the time?” Ami asked flatly.
Takumi looked amusedly at his self-proclaimed rival as Souma turned bright red.
“Wait, you mean...” Hayama blinked.
“Yup.” Makoto confirmed the spice master's suspicions. “My dearest cousin got Megumi pregnant. Someone better give Uncle Jōichirō a call and inform him he's going to be a grandfather.”
Ishhiki was the first out of his surprised stupor. “Congratulations, Yukihira-kun.” the former Second Seat of the Elite Ten delivered his congratulations to his kouhai.
“So, who's going to be godfather?” Isami piped in after everyone offered Souma their congratulations.
“Let's just settle that with a Shokugeki!” Ryou, in 'Mad Dog' mode, declared aggressively.
“Isami...” Makoto gave her boyfriend a pained look.
“You did that in purpose, didn't you?” Akira looked at the smug Aldini pointedly.
“Whatever do you mean?” Isami grinned.
“You're not joining in?” Ami asked the spice master, sweatdropping as even Takumi joined in the argument.
“Too troublesome.” Akira shrugged.
Taking out her Blackberry, Ami penned in a gynecologist appointment for Megumi the next day.
After two hours, the group left the Yukihira diner and split off to their respective routes.
“And in the end, you men didn't even manage to settle who gets to be godfather, did you?” Ami teased
“Don't remind me.” Takumi pouted childishly.
Ami just giggled at the elder Aldini sibling she had been dating for the past six years; it never ceased to amuse her just how much of a man-child he could turn into when dealing with Yukihira Souma.
Takumi just cast a gentle smile at the woman by his side, the light trickling of her laughter was always a soothing balm to his soul.
“Honestly, I'm quite surprised about Hayama and Nakiri Alice.” Ami admitted. “If anything, I've always pegged her with Kurokiba.”
“Truthfully, Hayama and Nakiri-san are like oil and water.” Takumi agreed. “But they kind of work, sort of.”
“Kurokiba and Arato are yet another surprise pair.” Ami mused. “What did they do; pair the spares?”
“It does sound like it when you put it that way.” Takumi chuckled. “Now,” the couple stopped before Ami's apartment unit and the half-Italian dug out his spare key. “Let's get to preparing dinner, shall we?”
A while later...
Takumi was shimmering risotto in shrimp stock as he watched Ami turn off the fire on her side and pour out the white liquid gelatin into two stainless steel pastry molds. “Panna cotta?” he guessed.
“It's just about the only Italian dessert I can prepare that would be able to meet your incredibly high standards.” Ami pouted.
“You sell yourself too short, amore.” Takumi scolded mildly. “The chocolate marron glacé you made for Valentine's Day was delicious.”
“Now, you're patronizing me.” Ami blinked, prepping the gelatin into the refrigerator.
“I'm not, tesoro.” Takumi assured.
After dinner, the couple managed to polish off the two panna cotta, which had been paired with one of Ami's tangerine jelly variant.
“I can safely say any of your orange jellies will be a wonderful compliment to this dessert.” Takumi nodded proudly, washing up the last of the dessert forks. Clearing his throat after putting away the dishes, the blond chef hugged his beloved from the behind. “We need to talk.”
In the living room afterwards...
Takumi had seated a confused Ami on a chair. Taking his long-time girlfriend's left hand, he went down on one knee. “Ami-chan, the other half of my soul, my dearest soulmate, we've been together for six years. You've seen me at my highest and my lowest.” he recalled how Ami had kicked him out of his flunk after his complete loss against Mimasaka Subaru by preparing a single piece of yokan; she had used a concentrated aqueous extract of compass flowers instead of anko, signifying she still held faith in him. “You've stuck by me through thick and thin. I can no longer see myself going through life without you by my side. That's why,” he produced a single silver ring from his breast pocket. “Would you grant me this greatest honor of becoming my wife?”
“Takumi, you know I'll be a complete daft moron if I said 'no', right?” Ami grinned.
“Does that mean...” Takumi breathed in disbelief.
“Yes, you big dummy.” Ami confirmed.
“Grazie.” Takumi slipped back into his maiden language and pulled his newly-minted fiancée into a tight hug. “Ti amo; I love you.”
“Sempre.” Ami returned softly. “Forever.”
“You do remember I have a year and a half before I finish medical school, right?” Ami reminded, the couple were now cuddling on Ami's bed.
“I'm willing to wait.” Takumi insisted.
“Wait,” Ami lifted her head from her lover's chest. “What about my residency? That takes another two more years.”
“It's okay.” Takumi soothed. “Father isn't in a hurry to pass down Trattoria Aldini just yet.”
Their tender moment was interrupted by Ami's vibrating phone on the side table.
“Ignore it.” Takumi was miffed.
“Can't.” Ami cast a quick look at her locked screen. “It's Mako-chan. Mako-chan, what's up? Yes... ah... congratulations. I'm happy for you. If I didn't know any better, I'll chalk this up to twin telepathy.” she cast a bemused look at the blond on her bed. “Turns out, I'm not the only one who got proposed to tonight.”
“Isami, too?” Takumi was surprised.