Pairing:Ashton Irwin x reader
Words: 1k
Summary: Ashton’s new hobby is gardening and for that you need a garden right? - Lemon tree boy essentially
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Whenever Ashton picked up a new interest he dove in head first. Sure his drumming worked out incredibly well but some things didn’t last as long. The expensive coffee machine he had bought to learn the craft of coffee-making was only used by you at this point. You knew the basics and Ashton had decided that his favourite coffee shop might have a bit more experience than him.
This time however it was gardening. His first lemon tree was growing quite well and after spending so much time at home during this break this was his new interest. He had dragged you along to buy all the essentials a day prior and now it was time to plant. Gardening equipment was strewn across the backyard in a random fashion. The big planter boxes you had bought were the only things neatly organized in a row. Ashton crouched in front of one, filling it with potting soil from a bag that was carelessly ripped open. Even though it was only half ten in the morning it was already surprisingly warm. The plants would be more shaded in the even hotter afternoon but they would be exposed to the sun during the early hours. Ashton’s cargo pants were already covered in dirt, a few dirty handprints on the tank top he was sporting. You stopped in your tracks, watching your boyfriend work for a moment. He had pulled one of his old bandanas out of the closet to keep his hair out of his eyes. A look you had kinda missed, not that you would let that slip to him though. He was whistling a melody that was unfamiliar to you, but in rhythm to his steady shoveling of soil. “Iced coffee babe?”, you finally asked him and broke your silence. Ashton jerked up a little, breaking his rhythm before turning towards you. “That be great” He grinned at you widely. You smiled back and sauntered back into the house.
With you limited knowledge of the coffee machine and some things out of the freezer you managed to prepare some iced coffee that was at least comparable to the bought-kind. There were still two lemon and poppy seed muffins left over from the day before. You quickly grabbed them and placed them on the tray, ready to join Ashton outside again.
When you placed the tray on the grass next to Ashton only the last two tubs were still empty. “Getting along well?” You asked him. He nodded in response, grabbing one of the coffees and taking a big sip. “In a year we can make our own” - you gave one of the muffins to your boyfriend - “the poppies should bloom by next year, right?”.
Your breakfast break was kept rather short as Ashton wanted to get as much done as possible before it got even hotter. You had changed your clothes and were now in similar cargo shorts, ready to help him out. Ashton had shed the tank top and was now working topless, a sight you could never get tired of. A smirk formed on your lips as you watched the muscles in his back and shoulders move. He was once again whistling a melody to himself while sorting out all the seeds and plants he wanted to sow. The second lemon tree sapling you had bought had already found it’s place in a new pot right next the older one. “These ones are for vegetables, those for fruit or herbs and that one for flowers”. Ashton pointed to the different planter boxes in front of him. You nodded and picked up the first packed of seeds. Leafy Salad, something you should be able to harvest quite soon.
As a team you managed to also plant sweet potatoes, peas and peppers, strawberries and herbs for the kitchen. Your fingers smell like mint and basil when you finished planting the produce, reminding you of the dishes you’d like to cook with them. Ashton brushed off his gloves on his pants, soil flying everywhere. “That looks good” He glanced over the work you had just done, approving of the new garden. “Just the flowers missing” He picked up the last packages and read through the instructions once again.
The various seeds were scattered across the soil and lightly covered, ready to start growing either this or next year. You pulled the water hose behind you across the grass, twisting the nozzle open once you were close enough to the boxes. The fresh soil absorbed most of the water quickly and your new plants were ready to grow.
Ashton joined your side, swiftly grabbing the hose and targeting you with the cold water stream. You let out a loud shriek, turning away to shield your face. Your top was soaked and the cold water pickled on your skin. “You asshole” You shouted out and ran towards him. You had to play tug of war for a moment before grabbing hold of the hose again and spraying Ashton. He yelped at first as the cold water hit him, laughing after slightly adjusting to the temperature.
You played like children for a while, spraying each other down with the water until you were shivering from the wet clothes that clung to your body. “Alright, you win.” You announce loudly, letting Ashton cheer for himself.
“You know, I love how this place is coming along.” - you muttered, watching the last drops of water fall from the planter boxes - “it’s really getting cozy and homey now” “That’s good, seeing as it’s our home” Ashton placed his arm around your shoulder, pulling you closer to him. “Our home, huh?” Even though you had been living at his place for a while now, he had never officially asked you to move in and you usually still referred to it as his place. “Yes, our place, our home. Wouldn’t be that without you here”, he pushed a strand of hair out of your face before pressing a kiss on your cheek.
