Cafe Doll (Ashton Irwin oneshot)

See, I was usually a patient person. Really. But sometimes, some people just got on my nerves... Like a certain customer.
"Hey, are you a coffee? Because I think I need you every day."
I rolled my eyes as I prepared the coffee ordered by the blond, hazel -eyed flirt. That was the lamest one  I'd heard from him so far, and that was saying something.
"Are you an ad?" I asked, my patience almost non-existent at this point. "Because you are really wasting my time."
And with that, I put down the take-away coffee cup (which, ironically, had a smiley face printed on it) and called, "Next!"

The blondy came back the next morning, ordering the exact same thing along with an extra.
"Can I also get a piece of you too, doll?"
"Sorry," I managed to grit out through my teeth, "That isn't on the menu."
"I'll pay," he winked suggestively.
I resisted the temptation to bang my head on the counter. Did this guy EVER give up? Honestly.
"Life doesn't work that way, Blondy."
"Blondy?" he asked, long fingers wrapping delicately around the cup in front of him. Drummer fingers, I noted absently.
"Doll?" I retorted, raising a challenging eyebrow.
"I like you, doll," he smirked. "You're feisty."

He asked for the same thing the next morning, then the next, then the next, adding pickup lines as he did so. Soon, it almost became habit to mentally prepare myself for blondy's appearance. Which reminded me... I needed to find out his name.
"Are you an oven?" he was in the process of asking. "Because you're pretty damn hot."
"Do I look like a bloody food-making contraption?" I answered, the corners of my mouth turning up slightly.
"HA!" he said in glee, pointing at me with a childish grin that made me lose my breath for a brief second. "I made you smile."
"What an achievement," I congratulated him, this time with an overly-fake smile plastered to my face.

He didn't show up the next day, or the next week. I couldn't help but feel a slight pang of worry for the blond. But only a small one.
"Aw, Madi's got a cruuuush!" Emily, my co-worker squealed.
"I do not!" I defended, crossing my arms defiantly.
"Yes she does," Hayden chipped in as he entered for his shift. "Every morning, they just look at each other with the dopiest faces. It's just so sickeningly adorable, I feel like gagging every time."
"I'm so proud," Lily, the boss of the entire establishment commented, smiling at me. I took a moment to just appreciate how fudging white her teeth were. Like, Snow White. And the seven dwarves. No Madi, shut up you're not funny.
"But I don't-" I protested feebly.
"Of COURSE you don't," Emily and Hayden chorused together with patient, knowing smiles adorning their lips. Right, now THAT was creepy.
"You all suck," I pouted.

You could tell immediately that blondy had entered when the door slammed back on its hinges and he sauntered casually in, attracting the eyes of every single person in the general vicinity. Sighing, I waved at the customers to continue their at least vaguely normal lives in peace. I think. The old woman with the newspaper by the window frowned disapprovingly at me in particular, her wrinkles prominent over the pages.
"Well," I thought grumpily. "I don't like you either."
I refocused my attention back to blondy as he arrived at the counter. He was accompanied by...
"Wow, you have friends?"
The words slipped out of my mouth unconsciously, and my brown eyes widened. "Oops."
"Hi there, doll," he nodded, his eyes glittering. "Miss me? And yes, I do have a social life despite popular belief."
"So people believe you have no social life, huh? Also, what would you guys like?"
Blondy spluttered while the others snickered quietly. A boy with coloured hair stepped up and ordered. Actually, his hair was... Pretty damn cool. The awkwardly cute one came next, followed by a guy with noticeable tattoos. I eyed them; Maybe I should get some of my own? Hmm.
"Sorry about Ashton," cool-hair guy apologised. "He's always been like that. Haven't you, Ashy?"
Blondy (or Ashton?) only glared. I shrugged. "At least his friends seem to have a modicum of sense."
"HEY!"
"You know his order?" awkward cutie asked curiously.
I looked down in shock to see that yes, I was preparing Ashton's usual order without even thinking about it. Weird.

He came by himself the next day, which also happened to be the day I realised he was famous.
"So, 5 Seconds of Summer, huh?" I questioned, tilting my head. My dark ponytail flicked over my shoulder; I flicked it behind my neck again in irritation.
Ashton's face fell into a look of uncertainty, but then he resumed a happy smile. I never wanted to see that look on his face ever again. EVER.

That night, I received a text from my dad to go to the hospital. At midnight, the doctors announced my grandmother's death due to cancer. I cried for a long time after that. *A/N: Cancer is not cool. I am not trying to make it seem cool, simply using it as a part of my story. I do not see it in a positive light, nor something to be taken lightly. Thank you.*

"Are you ok?" Ashton asked, staring closely at my face.
Man, was it really that obvious? And yet, he seemed to be the only person who was real through this entire ordeal. Emily continuously sent me pitying glances, as did the majority of the other cafe staff. He wasn't treating me any differently, and I wanted to keep it that way.
"Peachy," I murmured at last.
"No, you're not. What's wrong?"
"Nothing of your concern," I answered, handing over his coffee.

"Seriously, what's up?"
He was back again, this time his light countenance gone. His eyes gazed at me in worry, gentle eyes that promised to care and listen and love. My heart filled with an indescribable emotion, one that I just couldn't place.
"Nothing."
"Look, how about this?" he asked, one hand taking the coffee while the other hand tapped a complicated rhythm on the counter surface. "Give me your number, and we'll hang out with pizza at mine while you tell me."
"Stranger danger."
"My name is Ashton Irwin, I'm in a band. The people in my band are also in a band. I like drumming, too."
I paused.
"My name is Madelyn Rose Kenna, people usually call me Madi except for this one guy who's in a band. I like books. And coffee. And apples."
"Nice to meet you," we said at the same moment, shaking hands.

I went to his place the next day as well.
"I'll stay with you, doll," he promised as we sat on his couch, reruns of Family Guy playing on the TV screen and an empty box of pizza lying sadly on the table in front of us. "No matter what."
"Corny," I commented, but there was no real force behind it.
"Only the truth, doll," he smirked.

"I like you,"  he said bluntly as we cuddled on the couch.
I stared in absolute shock; he wasn't drunk, was he? I examined his features closely, looking for any sign of deceit. None. A look of sad acceptance began to flood his features as I hesitated.
"Sorry I-" he started.
"I like you too," I cut him off, and he kissed me.
He tasted of coffee, and mint, and something else that I couldn't identify. It may sound like a horrible combination, but it was just so Ashton and so just right.
There were no fireworks, or confetti raining down from the heavens. Just us. And that was perfectly fine with me.
His soft, experienced lips lead me through an intricate dance, finally ending when breathing through the mouth became sort of really necessary.
"Do you care if I'm famous?"
His lips ghosted over my lips as he spoke, one large hand cupping my cheek.
"Should I?" I replied.
"Yes."
"No," I told him, meaning it. "I don't."
His lips came forward and captured mine once more.

We weren't the perfect match. Far from that. But he had promised that he would stay with me no matter what, and he did.

Well? How was it? I hope you enjoyed it and that it was at least mildly coherent. Tell me what you think.
Zee xx

P.S. Prompts for any imagines are accepted. :)