Work Text:
The narrow cobblestone road is buzzing on this beautiful April day. People are going from store to store, sundresses flowing in the warm breeze and sun rays reflected off of sunglasses. Spring is in the air in its full bloom, bringing a whole new life to the small Canadian town. But regardless of how much it feels like a new beginning after such a cruel winter, some things haven't changed.
Like, for starters, Josh's charm.
"Boy, you're too much..." Mrs. Brown snorts, waving a dismissive hand in the air as she rolls her eyes behind the circular glasses sitting atop the bridge of her nose.
"I'm sorry, am I keeping you, ma'am?" With his confidence and charm turned up to eleven, Josh uses his handsome smile to get past with such an obvious lie.
In fact, it's his mission - keeping her, hindering her entrance. Buying his friends some time, it's the least he can do. Although, with her giggling and smiling, he has a hard time believing she's the same woman his friends have continuously complained to him about. Sam reassures him they're not overexaggerating, and deep down he knows that's the truth, but damn she's a professional at fooling everyone with a million dollar smile like that. He's seen it before, his father is a prime example.
Unfortunately, his guarding job can only handle one person at a time. Therefore, a redhead young man easily slips right past him and into the bookstore.
"Avery! Hi!" There greets the familiar face of Sam, a friend of his sister's. "What are you doing here?"
"Hi, Sam. Um, Ashley's book signing is today, is it not?" Avery replies, a small bit of hesitation in his voice.
Sam resists the urge to cringe. Deep down she knows as well as he does that he's only attending this event because his mother forced him to. A dead giveaway is the fact that he's not too sure about the time as well as looks less then enthused to be here. He's not supporting his sister this way. All he's doing is putting the whole operation in danger.
Yes, Josh and Sam are guards of this operation - keeping the Brown family at bay while their daughter/sister is roaming the back of the bookstore, lungs filling with dust swept off books as her and her boyfriend glide through the narrow paths between shelves.
"You should write a book about this." He comments, peering at her between the book on the shelf separating them.
Ashley snorts, "Maybe I will one day, it's oddly romantic."
"And dangerous...." Chris adds, a charming grin beaming at her amidst the grey environment.
"Calm down there, Tom Cruise. There may be two ticking time bombs waiting for me at the front, but...."
"Who gives two fucks about them?" Quickening his step, Chris gets to the end of the aisle, stepping into the one Ashley is in, meeting her halfway.
She gasps comically, whacking him in the chest softly with the pair of gloves she's holding, "Language, Christopher!"
A stifled chuckle escapes his lips as his hands find their way to her, taking hold of them and bringing them both up to his lips, giving each a kiss, "My apologies, Miss Brown."
Ash's face scrunches up in disgust, "Ew, no, don't call me that. That's my mother's title. And I'm nothing like her." Her statement is more self-assurance than a cry of rebellion. Seeing how her brother's turned out, she's certainly got a few worries on her mind about her own future developments. However, as long as she has a say in it, she'll forever be herself - just Ashley - not her mother's minion.
"No, you're definitely not." Chris, on the other hand, is far less concerned. As someone looking at her with no real idea of what wars are going on in her head, he's more than confident she'll never be anything like her Satan mother. Not that he has anything against the woman....ok he has plenty against her but still, he's objective when he says he doesn't see any of her in his girlfriend. "You're a hooligan."
That cracks trough any worry lingering in her, bringing a smile to her face and relief in her eyes. He doesn't get to look at it long because her eyes flutter closed seconds before she brings herself up on her toes, her lips meeting his.
It's not their first kiss by a long shot. Hell, they've lost count of how many they've had. But to both of them, it will always feel as otherworldly and magical as that first time.
"Ash! We're ready for you!" Sam's voice cuts through the quiet, bursting their bubble and reminding them of the reality they still, much to their dismay, reside in.
The redhead, with all her willpower pulls away from the kiss begrudgingly, sighing in defeat, "That's my cue."
Chris isn't any happier about their separation either, "I'll be there the whole time, don't worry. I'll be ignoring your mom's side-eyed glares all day if I have to."
She laughs, but he's concrete in his statement. He knows he would, in actuality, suffer through her mother berating him, through her brother's belittling and mocking remarks. There's very few things he wouldn't do for this girl. But he's just some guy, with a couple pennies in his pocket and is not in any way deserving of her family's approval or respect.
But he'll be damned if he ever gives up on her, the same way she's holding onto the hope that their luck will change.
Hopefully, one day it will.