Work Text:
Takumi stood next to his brother as the teacher called his name off to be paired with… who??? SŌMA YUKIHIRA??? His jaw dropped, “what?!” He slammed his hands down on the kitchen counter in front of him. “That can’t be!!” He glared over at Sōma who was staring at him. Megumi shaking in fear as she was paired with Isami, could she survive without Sōma? I mean sure she could!!
“What seems to be the problem, Mister Aldini?” The teacher asked, lowering her glasses.
“N-nothing! Just-“ he grumbled. “Nothing!” Throwing his hands into his pockets he stalked over to Sōma table, as Megumi went over to Isami. “Don’t even think of getting in my way, Sōma.” He scoffed, glaring at him but his cheeks were red.
“I wouldn’t think of it, are you doing okay? Feeling sick? You’re very flush.” Sōma leaned in close with a large smirk on his face.
“Yes! I’m fine Yukihira!!” He huffed, stomping his foot, slightly smaller than the cocky redhead.
“Excuse me- I suggest you two get to work instead of arguing!” The teacher yelled. Startling the two boys.
Their recipe was on the white board and they had three hours to prepare it. They were challenged to change the recipe but still make it the dish it was supposed to be.
The dish was German, Sauerbraten, a pickled roast, perfect for cheap meats, tenderizing it in its own way. Nothing too special.
“Why don’t we make a type of pasta Italian dish? A nice gnocchi would go well with it.” Takumi suggested something on the simpler side, he wanted to get this done with as soon as possible.
Sōma thought, “mmm we could but what if we make a curry? A pickled roast curry?”
“A curry? Rice doesn’t need to go with every single dish you make!” Takumi scoffed.
“And not everything has to be Italian!” Sōma scoffed back. They were really struggling to create a dish… huh.
Sōma thought, “what if we do pickled roast curry but pair it with a sauerkraut gnocchi?” He thought, “it’ll be really hard to pair the ingredients and complement them but I trust we can do it!” He smiled. “The best of both or well- three worlds, can it even be considered curry?” He thought out loud.
Takumi thought about it, “that sounds good.” He nodded some, “if you work on the curry part I’ll work on the pasta!” He hummed, blushing as Sōma nodded back and wrapped the cloth from his arm around his head. Souma always looked so good doing that.
Sōma looked at him and gave him a thumbs up, the blonde quickly ran off towards the ingredient cabinet. Why was he blushing so much?! There was no way he liked the other. Zero, zilch, nada- Takumi groaned as he smacked his head, “get yourself together Takumi!!” He hissed to himself before jogging back over.
Setting down the ingredients, Sōma was already working on the roast. Seeming to be pretty focused. Takumi prepared his ingredients and began to chop, of course going at his usual pace. He looked out of the corner of his eye, watching Sōma tenderizing the meat, wiping sweat off of his face with the sleeve of his shirt. His eyes widened and he pretty quickly slipped up.
Slicing off the tips of his fingers. Takumi yelped, dropping his knife. The tips of his fingers were bleeding profusely. Sōma quickly looked over and dropped what he was doing. “What happened?” He asked, genuine concern laced his question. He reached for the others hand gently. “It’s going to be okay, let’s get this cleaned up.” He hummed. Staring the sink water. Bringing Takumi over. “Keep water on the wound while I go grab the first aid kit!”
Takumi stared at Sōma as he cared for his fingers, his face a bright tomato red. “You don’t have to take care of my wound…” He mumbled just low enough that Sōma couldn’t actually hear what he was saying.
Sōma pretty quickly came back over with the first aid kit. Sitting Takumi down on a stool. Turning down the water, he then put on gloves and started to pull out wipes, alcohol and bandages, “this will sting.” He said gently, taking his hand again he started to clean the wound. Watching as Takumi's hand yanked away and twitched in pain.
Tears sat in the blondes eyes, his lips quivering. “I’m fine! You don’t need to-“
“Oh shush…” Sōma got onto him. “You can’t cook with the tips of your fingers bleeding now can you?” He hummed, he finished up cleaning his wounds. Wrapping them in bandages and helping him put on a glove, “there now you should be able to finish cooking! But you can’t use that equipment or those ingredients anymore-“
Takumi interrupted him, “I know!!” He cleaned up his work station and started to chop up new ingredients they were way behind now!”
Sōma washed his hands and did damage control on the curry, hoping to help speed up the process.
Time was ticking on, Megumi and Isami finished at the 2 hour mark, passing. Sōma and Takumi were the only ones left, beside a few strays that had to remake their dishes because they failed.
The last ten minutes they were freaking out, “how much longer on the meat Sōma?!” Takumi yelled as he played the gnocchi. Adding greens on top.
“Five more minutes!” Sōma huffed. Watching the meat like it was the last piece of meat on earth.
“We don’t have five minutes! Come on!!!” And within the last thirty seconds Sōma was able to plate the pickled curry roast. And they quickly brought it over to the teacher. Setting it on the table right as the timer went off. Sōma sighed.
Takumi drew in a deep breath as the older teacher took her fork and at the dish. She hummed, “so… German base Japanese Curry and Italian Gnocchi?” She hummed. The food melted in her mouth, but it was warm, comfy and refreshing. “What was added to the Gnocchi?”
“Sauerkraut and plum ma’am.” Takumi smiled.
“It pairs nicely with the pickled roast, very tender for a cheap cut of meat.” She took another bite, “outstanding boys, even with the set back you persevered and pushed. It’s very lovely. The plum compliments the sour pickled flavor the meat has. And the curry sauce makes the potatoes and sauerkraut feel very warm and comfortable in your mouth.” She ate more. Holding her hand on her cheek as she chewed. “You pass. And everyone else, who did not present me with a dish failed. You are dismissed.” She waved her hand.
Sōma took off his headband, “you’re welcome ma’am.” He wrapped it back around his arm, looking at Takumi, “it was nice working with you today. Perhaps you should come over and play cards with us later?” He hummed.
Takumi felt a bright blush fill his cheeks again, “I um er- I-?” He stuttered, Isami giving him a thumbs up from the sideline for moral support. “Sure! I would lov- I er… I guess it’s the least I can do for you helping me!” He scoffed and turned his head away storming over to his brother.
Sōma laughed, giving him the directions to his room and walking over to Megumi, “how was working with Isami?” He asked.
“Oh he was great, super sweet and understanding. Helped me calm down.” She smiled as she held her hands together. “I think Takumi likes you. He was blushing the whole time.” She giggled lightly.
“You think so?” He raised an eyebrow, flushing a light red, “well… I invited him over for a um… reason.”
“Oooh so you don’t want to play cards with him?” She chuckled, “Sōma you need to do better at flirting.”
“Oh hush!” He shot back at her. “Let’s not talk about this right now!” He bit his lip.
Later that night Sōma was relaxing in his room when a knock on his door startled him. He jumped up super excited, he threw the door open but it was just Isshiki, “Megumi told me you have a little crush and need help.” He snickered.
“That snitch!” He grumbled, kicking at the ground, “I mean I guess so…. But… he hates my guts.” He shrugged, “I invited him for cards and he just scoffed but said he would come.”
“Well Sōma, from what I hear he likes you too. And you should probably tell him before you don’t have the chance to.” Isshiki sat down, running a hand through his hair.
“But we are complete opposites! He’s Italian and I’m Japanese, and I um…”
“Is that really all that’s the opposite about you two?” He laughed some, “Sōma, tell the pretty guy you like him before someone else takes him.” He chuckled, “I believe in you kiddo.”
Sōma huffed some, “fine… I will… try. No guarantees! And y’all better not listen to my conversation or I-I won’t cook for you!”
“Oh sweet child- you don’t know us very well.” Isshiki joked lightly. He left and soon enough Takumi was knocking on Sōma’s door.
Sōma answered it excitedly, Takumi had shown up in a nice blue button up shirt and black pants. He stared at Sōma wearing a black shirt and sweatpants. “I thought this was a date?” He scoffed.
Sōma jumped, “A DATE? Who said that?” He freaked out, waving his hands back and forth, his cheeks a bright red.
“Isami did, but I guess he was wrong. Who figured… a guy like you definitely would never…” he cleared his throat, “whatever let’s play this.. card game.”
“I well um- there's no card game! And I guess I did get you to come over here because I wanted to talk to you!!” Sōma blushed and yelled slightly. Staring at the ground, his heart pounding. Too hard, he was struggling to breathe, “c-can I cook for you?” He asked.
The blonde’s jaw dropped, “I well… sure!” He smiled. Getting startled when Sōma grabbed his hand and dragged him to the kitchen.
“Sit!” Sōma ordered and so Takumi sat.
Sōma quickly prepared two servings of his favorite dish from his family restaurant. Setting it in front of him. It was a simple fried rice and chicken type dish. But the rice was arranged in hearts. He sat down. “Okay… dig in.”
“A heart?” Takumi picked at the dish before taking some of the rice on his spoon.
“No talking, just eat!” Sōma huffed. Digging in and scarfing down his food out of anxiousness.
The other did as told. He blushed brightly as he ate. It was so good! The rice wasn’t dry at all and the chicken complimented the dish as well! It was simple but felt like home, well as home as Japan could get to him. “Sōma… this is delicious.”
Soma looked at him, “y-you think so?”
“I know so.” He hummed and finished his food.
Sōma waited impatiently, “Takumi?” He asked but before he knew it Takumi was grabbing his cheeks, kissing his lips.
The kitchen fell silent, Sōma’s breath hitched before he kissed him back. His hand trailing to the back of his head. Sōma’s fingers intertwined themselves in Takumi’s soft hair. He leaned further into the kiss.
Takumi pulled away to take a breath, “you’re not very good at hiding your feelings, or saying them huh?” He chuckled, he grabbed Sōma’s hand, “I like you idiot.”
Sōma stuttered, “I-I like you too!” His pounding heart calmed as he smiled. “I’m really really glad you also like me- I didn’t think I would actually find someone to like me and everyone assumes I like girls I mean I do but I also like-“ he was interrupted by another kiss.
“You’re rambling, don’t think too much you’ll explode your brain.” Takumi chuckled.
Sōma nodded, “okay… I shall. Stop talking.”
Takumi laughed loudly, “you’re cute. But we are still rivals, you hear me?”
“S-so you don’t want to date?” He asked, confused.
“Now when did I say that, Yukihira?” Takumi shook his head, “of course I want to date but we can still challenge each other despite being boyfriends.”
“Really?” Sōma asked. Takumi looked shocked. Squeezing his boyfriend's hand.
“Yes, really dumbass.” He shook his head, “now how about we go play that card game?” And by that he meant cuddle and fall asleep together of course.
“That sounds wonderful.” Sōma responded.