Peppermint [Asahi Azumane]

~ first ~

It was time for practice. I was nervous, having seen Asahi and Noya just a few hours prior. Still, I sit on the bench between the two other managers and gather the courage to explain everything that had happened.

"Do you like Asahi?" Yachi asks already knowing the answer.

"Yes." I say.

"Why won't you tell him then? What's stopping you?" Kiyoko adds.

"Relationships are terrifying. It's a commitment thing, okay? I leave when things get good and before I can get hurt. I mean can you blame me? I haven't had actual friends until I came to Karasuno. And my parents are never around. Even when they are home, they aren't exactly the best example of love." I feel defeated as I rest my head on my hands, watching the boys fool around during their five minute break.

"We're any of your exes like Asahi?" Yachi questions.

"Nothing like him. He's like the first person I've ever really had a crush on."

"Don't be stupid then! He would never hurt you, the man cries to Disney movies for gods sake! You should at least try, okay?" Yachi was being assertive and honestly, quite convincing.

"Okay, let's go over the plan one more time. After practice when you're done changing, catch her before she speed walks home, tell her how you feel and plant one on her!" Nishi tells me.

"Are you crazy?! I'm gonna look like a predator if I do that."

"What if she likes it, I mean-"

He stops talking when a ball hits the back of his head, an angry Daichi barking at us to get back to practice.

I'm going to tell her today, she can wait to give me an answer for the rest of this weekend and hopefully I won't ruin anything.

"Hey y/n, wait for me, okay?" Asahi calls out to me as I'm about to speed out the door like usual. It was impossible to miss the stress and disappointment strewn across my face. I had just received a text from my mom saying that I have to spend Christmas alone for the first time ever.

"Uh, yeah sure."

A few minutes pass as he sees me waiting outside the gyms doors.

"So, what did you wanna talk to me about?" I ask.

"Y/n, we're friend's right?"

Disappointed from being called a friend, I nod.

"Yeah of course."

"Well, what if I told you that I might... want more than that?" He looks up at the snow falling from the sky while he starts walking me home.

"That wouldn't be bad news I guess." I mutter, my mood still a bit sulky from the news earlier.

"Really?"

"Yeah, really." I look over to him smiling at the snow. It was really cold, but I secretly loved the way the tip of his nose turned red from the harsh winds.

A silence ensues, when I smell the same minty, laundry fresh smell that I've grown to love in the past few months. This time it was accompanied by the tiniest whisper of cinnamon. He had seen me shivering, so he took it upon himself to wrap his scarf around me. I stay smiling at the ground like an idiot until we stop in front of my house. He makes me feel comfortable, he makes me feel happy. Maybe happiness wasn't as overrated as I had thought.

Unraveling the scarf from my neck, I give it back to him. Just as he's about to grab it, I hold it behind my back with my left hand, my right one reaching up to cup his quickly heating cheeks. He looks tense. My thumb brushes against his face, calming him down with the relaxing gesture.

He puts his hands on my face, leaning down. He hesitates for a second. He hovers in front of my lips for a few seconds, only for me to jump one step ahead and capture his lightly chapped lips in a chaste kiss. It lasts only a second before he pulls away, looking into my eyes with his honey brown widened ones, hoping I give him permission for another.

Glancing from his eyes to his lips, I wrap his scarf around his neck, grabbing both ends, successfully pulling him back down to me. I wanted to taste the cinnamon again. His lips leaned in first this time, plush and gently moving with mind as we convey all of the longing endured by the both of us these past few months. His hands slowly travel from my face down to my waist, holding our bodies together as if I'll somehow slip away from him at any moment.

I'm the first to pull away, breathless. I cant help but start laughing at his surprised face as he raises his eyebrows at me.

"Was I that bad?" he chuckles at me as my hands slide down to his coat, grabbing the material in my hands and snuggling into his chest.

"No, I just get giggly when I'm happy." I respond sounding muffled.

His hands rise to my head, smoothing my hair away from my face before removing the scrunchie from my wrist to put it around his, feeling my soft tufts of bright locks on his fingertips. He could stay like this forever.

"So," he starts, "We don't have to start dating right away. I know you've been reluctant when it comes to relationships, so I thought it might be better if we went out a few times before making it official. It'd be better for me too, I mean, I've never even had a girlfriend."

"Never?" I look up.

"Never."

"Wait... was I your first kiss?" I tease.

"Was it really that obvious?" He rubs his hand behind his neck while the other ones still holding me close.

"Asahi, you looked like you were gonna shit yourself when you pulled away the first time." I say with a straight face. Both of us start laughing at the same time.

"But yes, I'd love to hang out a few times before making it official." I pull away from him, not having to bend my neck up as much when I step back.

"Bye Asahi."

"Goodbye Y/n"