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tiantianxue · 9 months

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First Summer's Strawberries

AO3 Link Fandom: Blue Lock Character: Chigiri Hyoma Word Count: 1031

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The strawberries you grew—using coffee grounds from his mom's morning coffee—were surprisingly big considering it was your first attempt. But you were the type of student to do your homework sooner and play later, so Chigiri wasn't that surprised to see that your strawberries grew well.

A neat row of repurposed milk cartons lined the balcony rails, sitting on top of wire racks from somewhere—also, probably, repurposed—and bright red strawberries spilled out of the cartons with some laying on the rack, waiting to be picked. You grew quite a few plants. Not nearly enough to use all the coffee grounds you collected from his mother since she brewed coffee daily, but there were plenty of strawberries for both of you to enjoy since they started ripening.

It would have been easier to buy strawberries from any store. Or buy them already in sweets to be eaten like daifuku or a fruit sandwich.

“Hmmm… I could have, but I think it's more fun to do it myself!” You grinned at him when you answered his question after a week of collecting coffee grounds and showing him your small balcony garden.

Chigiri was glad you did, because he might not have met you if you hadn't knocked to ask for coffee grounds.

You were right next door; it wasn’t difficult for him to visit and sit on your balcony for a bit even while he was going through his physical therapy. Coffee grounds were light, easy to carry even if they were still wet. You would pour it out of the bag to dry in your room. It always smelled like coffee because of that and the scent wafted onto the balcony where he liked to sit as you diligently scribbled away whatever assignment you had decided to finish early, or whatever topic had captured your interest. The summer sun was usually warm—sometimes unbearably hot and he would sit in your room instead—and there was usually a nice breeze on your balcony.

He hadn't known strawberries were tiny white flowers first, then red fruit. He didn't know anything about strawberries except what they looked and tasted like until you started growing them on a balcony near him.

“Will you grow them again next summer?” He asked, watching you pick tiny seeds from the strawberries you were going to eat.

You blinked at his question, red strawberry juice clinging to your bottom lip, before smiling. “Will you bring me coffee grounds again?”

“Obviously.” Chigiri huffed a laugh at your question.

“Then yeah, I'll grow them again. How many should I grow? As many as possible to feed you?” You gestured with your hand to the pile of stems he had. Easily twice your pile. He felt his cheeks get warmer despite the fan spinning nearby. You were just slow as you got the seeds before eating.

“Let's see if you can then.”

But he didn't want to wait until next summer to do this again—sitting on your balcony and spending time with you. Red juices staining both fingertips and lips. The scent of strawberries and coffee hanging in the air.

It didn't have to be strawberries.

“Oh, there's only one left.” You pushed the bowl closer to him. “Since you like them so much.”

There were still a few strawberries that hadn't turned red yet on the balcony so it wasn't the last one. Just the last one for the day.

Chigiri ate most of your harvest, but here you were letting him have another like he contributed beyond bringing coffee grounds over.

Quickly, he judged the distance between you and him across the small table and he pushed himself onto his knees and leaned over to press a kiss to your lips.

He grinned at the surprise on your face when he pulled back.

“Let's grow more stuff together.”

It was easy to grab the toothpick you were using while you processed his kiss and start picking off the seeds from the strawberry. He worked quietly as he waited for your response.

The fan kept whirring, providing a nice breeze in the room. Chigiri could hear the sound of insects buzzing outside. His fingertips were already red from the strawberries he ate, but now there was juice running down his hand as he picked at the seeds. He didn't know how much juice strawberries let out on their own nor did he realize how many seeds a strawberry had before.

Another thing he learned about the fruit thanks to you growing them. Chigiri didn't know anything about growing them except coffee grounds were great for the soil, but that was just the first thing you taught him about strawberries.

He licked his bottom lip. Strawberries. The taste on your lips too. If his sister found out, she would tell him how romantic and cute it was that his first kiss tasted of strawberries.

“I only picked strawberries because your hair color reminded me of them.”

Chigiri choked on the almost seedless strawberry in his mouth. You laughed as he coughed and tried to swallow the chunk in his mouth.

“I didn't know how else to talk to you since we go to different schools.”

You moved in next door right before the new school year started and he barely saw you until that day you knocked to ask for coffee grounds. He barely noticed you honestly, but that meant you had noticed him for a few weeks at least before summer started. A lot of planning went into growing something from what he saw, especially with how easy you made it look.

“... that's cute.” There wasn't anything else he could say to that. He could feel his face heating up. Knowing that you had your eyes on him for so long.

“I just wanted a friend close by, but I think I like you too.” You were right in front of him. He could smell strawberries again from how close your face was, just a centimeter or two from his. You looked unfairly calm with how close you were and how fast his heart was racing. “Your face is so red for someone who kissed first.”

#blue lock x reader #bllk x reader #chigiri hyoma x reader

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