Just Lovely

Chapter 4: Just Cook

The kitchen was quiet, except for the various food-tinkering from a certain young, blond devil when Issei walked into the room. The aroma of the mixture of assorted base elements whiffed into his nose. It was rather familiar since this particular amalgamation led to the creation of one of his favorite foods if not his favorite.

"—What's the occasion this time, Ravel?"

Startled, the girl jumped to turn back, abruptly. "I-Issei-sama?" inquired the blond purebred devil, quietly. She saw him simply leaning in the door frame before he made his way towards her.

Issei smiled, almost sheepishly, "You weren't in bed, so I kinda guessed you'd be here?" His hand reached behind his head, scratching—an action that without a doubt was familiar to anyone who would call him a friend or family. He had thought she was showering, but that didn't need to be said...

"A-Ah, I just..." She looked down to her mixture, back up to him and his eyes, before shyly looking away suddenly from his shirtless body. "I just wanted to s—c-cook breakfast..." She refused her bodily urges to look at him in his half-naked glory because he was... Fine. "It's just... been a while since I made anything for you..."

"Ravel."

"Y-Yes!"

He approached her, only to watch as she backed away. Nonetheless, he continued, even as the girl's back reached the counter behind her.

Ravel had no idea what had come over her as her body drew back, almost fearfully. It reached a point where her eyes shut, thus missing the shadow of Issei's hand reaching over her head.

"Thanks for everything, Ravel."

At those words, her head shot upwards to look at his grateful expression and the wide smile that didn't doubt her previous words, despite the obvious slip of the tongue. Only for a hand to further the treatment by ruffling her hair; the cuteness that radiated from the girl stimulated Issei's content smile to widen as she nuzzled slightly against the hand.

"I don't deserve your thanks, Issei-sama. You've done so much for me—a-and the world." However, despite her words, even Issei knew that she didn't dislike the notion of him doing so; she wasn't even being a tsundere... well, not that he knew of anyway. His smile grew at the sentiment as did the blush atop her face.

He turned to the mix and shot a thumb toward it, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Ravel's mouth opened to refute, only to close.

...She's never had Issei help her cook. Not that she minded, of course. She has always seen herself cooking for her lover and... Her blush darkens to reach a harsh hued. However, "playing" while cooking? Or "distracted" while cooking? Or... That opened up something new—something not so innocent. And while her relationship with her [King], fiancee, and hero hasn't quite reached that far yet (or any of her rival's relations, to her knowledge), it would certainly open up many "chances" in the future.

And side-by-side with her husband-to-be, cooking? A prominent thought occurred to her that struck among the many: 'we might as well as be married.' Then again, she was planning a breakfast in bed... although, it was supposed to be innocent.

"—Y-Yes, of course! You can start by..." and from there on, they, the not-married couple, began their sweet breakfast.

"Fuuah..." The air left her as her feet left the ground. The most tasteful flavor of Issei's lips against her unworthy own was simply better than any food she had made—incomparable in every way.

It all happened because she pulled out a crate of special berries.

Issei was curious about it as the shape of it was unlike anything he'd seen. It didn't help that he was actively sniffing the air like a dog or like the dragon that he was. It was a berry for anyone but affected dragons the most, as the former Dragon-King told her, would feel its effect exponentially. He also explained further that it was meant to cause pleasure, among other things, and should be diluted in small portions for recipes for a certain Sekiryuutei so it would simply make the food taste better.