Ashe frequented the race tracks for the fact her horses often ran in them. It's at one of these tracks where she comes in contact with the boy obsessed with betting on horse races and always carries a cigar in his mouth.
[ the e in ashe is silent ]
...
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—— two days later
"Racetrack!" Ashe bounded up to the news boy excitedly.
He whipped his head around when he heard her voice, his mood already lifting. "Lookie who it is. What's up?"
"I have something special to show you today." Her face was a mixture of hope and mischief.
"Ya do, do ya?" Cigar smoke fell from his mouth as he spoke.
"Mhm." She nodded her head sporadically.
"Lead the way." He put his hand out in a pointing motion.
Ashe grabbed his hand; and without realizing it, a light blush dusted both teens' cheeks. But as quickly as it came, it went, and both were no longer pink.
-
"This." The ginger uncovered her hands from Races eyes to reveal a stable. "Is where I'm going to teach you to ride a horse."
"You're what?" He chuckled in disbelief.
"Yep." She popped the 'p'. "So buckle up, newsie. Today, you're learning to be a cowboy."
"This seems more like Jack's scene. It ain't really mine." Racetrack responded, puffing his cigar.
"I don't know who Jack is, but he seems so much less like a buzz kill." Ashe jokingly shoved the boys shoulder. "You're riding that horse."
-
"I'm gonna die! I'm gonna die!" Racetrack screamed, flying off the horse and hitting the ground with a thud.
"That's your own fault." She laughed at his misery.
Ashe held out her hand out to the boy, and he gratefully took it. However, instead of getting up, he pulled her down with him.
"Oh my- Race!" She squealed, completely caught off guard.
What he didn't expect was for Ashe to fall.
Right on top of him.
They were staring into each other's faces. "Hey."
"Hiya." Racetrack responded.
"Fancy meeting you here." Ashe joked.
"Yeah, didn' realize you came to these parts." Race continued.
"I'm full of surprises." She shrugged, smirking.
-
Ashe watched as Racetrack almost effortlessly mounted Gerabaldi, one of her newest horses. He cheered, proud of his success, and Ashe clapped happily.
"Yes! There you go!" She exclaimed. "You had more cowboy in you than you knew."
"I guess I did." He chuckled, puffing his cigar.
—— 3 days later
Ashe climbed up the side of Racetracks lodging house, and she looked around; almost immediately laying her eyes on him. She crept up behind the boy while he stared out at the streets below them, smoking a cigar. The ginger suddenly put her hands on his shoulders to scare him. Racetrack jumped and released a scream.
"Ashe!" Racetrack laughed.
"Sorry. I didn't think I would startle you that much." She sat next to him, shoulder-to-shoulder.
"I didn' expect you up here today." He commented.
"Well, I came to surprise ya." Ashe responded. "Because-"
"-You're full of surprises, I get it." He laughed, shaking his head.
"I was gonna say because I like spending time with you, but that works too." She shrugged.
Racetrack slowly turned his head to look at the auburn haired girl. She could feel his eyes on the side of her head, which caused her to also start looking at the boy.
"What?" Ashe chuckled.
"Nothin'." He shrugged, a smile on his face as he turned back to staring in front of him.
"No, tell me!" She shook his shoulders, playfulness evident in her voice.
He inhaled the smoke his cigar produced, blowing it out before speaking. "You just look real pretty, is all."
She blushed at his comment, and he paused after realizing what he had just said. The two fell into a comfortable, yet slightly awkward, silence until Ashe reached over and took the cigar from Races mouth with her left hand; a bold move on her part.
"Hey, that's my... cigar." His voice trailed off as he watched Ashe put the stick to her mouth.
The ginger puffed the cigar and grabbed his face with her empty right hand. She pulled him close to her, opening his mouth slightly so she could blow the smoke right into it. Their lips were barely half a centimeter apart, only just not touching.
When all of the smoke was gone, but they were still in the same position, Racetrack spoke up. "Whoa... that was hot."
"I did not expect you'd say that." Ashe chuckled lightly.
However, she was suddenly silenced when the brunette boy placed his lips on hers. It took a second or two for her to register what was happening, but once she did, Ashe immediately kissed him back.
