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Caroline- arlo parks ————————————————————September 12th. 3 days before ashtrays 17th birthday.

Ashtray still hadn't opened up to Lilith, and Lilith still hadn't pushed it, but she had infact been birthday shopping for him.

She smiled down at her phone, creating a small groupchat of everyone she wanted to be there for ashtrays birthday. It wasn't many, but it was something right?

BIRTHDAY:))) Lilith added Leprechaun☘️🍺 , Ruby B, LexiHoward<3, Spicylatina🌶😮‍💨 and Gia❤️ to the group.

Lilith:Hey bitches :D

Leprechaun☘️🍺:Whatchu want kid I'm tryna eat my Cheetos in peace here

Ruby B: Fezco you literally look like a Cheeto be quiet.

LexiHoward<3: Fezco, rue, shut up. What's up Lilith?

Lilith:Okay so basically ash turns 17 on the 15th and i was just wondering if any of you wanted to help me do something for his special day?

Ruby B: What like, a party?

Spicylatina🌶😮‍💨: Ooooo Lilith knows I  L O V E  a good party, right lils?

Lilith: Yes Maddy, I know, but not a proper party, I was thinking something more lowkey with ash's closest friends n that yk?

Gia❤️: Yeah we gotchu b! What time u want us there?

Lilith; Imma need fez to distract ash for most the day, but pull up at like midday?

LexiHoward<3:Yeah cool! I'd love to help out, ash means a lot to me and I want to see him enjoy his day!

Leprechaun☘️🍺: Forsure I'll distract him for the day shawty, do whatchu gotta do.

Spicylatina🌶😮‍💨: Okay!!! Love you bitches x Liked by Lilith, LexiHoward<3 and Ruby B

————————————Lilith sat out in the back room of the store with ash, tapping her shoe against the floor to the beat of the song playing softly in the background as she counted a wad of cash for the brothers.

Ash was up front with fezco, talking to Kat about something random, leaving Lilith by herself for a few minutes to do what she wanted.

She pulled a notebook from ash's drawer, ripping a piece of paper out and writing the amount on it before placing the money neatly in his desk, grabbing a fresh wad to start counting that too.

Ash walked back into the back room, giggling slightly to himself while shaking his head. "Fucking dumbass." He muttered to himself, sitting on his spinning chair as he looked over to Lilith, slightly taken aback by the fact she was counting his money.

She was unfazed by his staring as she continued to count, holding one finger up to him as if to tell him to not talk so she could keep her count.

He started doing his own thing, the two of them sat in a comfortable silence as they got on with what they needed to do.

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"What did Kat want to talk to you about?" Lilith asked as she walked out of the store hand in hand with ash, both walking to his car as fezco got into his own.

"Ah, just wanted to know how bitcoin worked and then like fully fucking answered her own question like a fucking dumbass." He chuckled, both of them getting in the car as she fake gasped at his use of language.

"Ashtray! She is my friend, don't talk about her like that!" She giggled, rolling her eyes as the car started and they began driving in the opposite direction from ashtray and fezco's house.  "Where are we going?" She asked, raising an eyebrow as he kept driving.

"We're going to McDonald's and then the beach to watch the sunset, it's been a while since I last did this." He said, picking up speed as they hit the highway.

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The couple sat on the hood of ashtrays car, eating their burgers as they watched the sunset in front of them.

The colours were beautiful. A flamingo pink mixed with tones of peach covered the sky above them like one huge blanket, the sun setting in the horizon.

The sound of waves splashing far in front of them filled their ears, a soft warm breeze picking up every so often, making Lilith cuddle into ash a little as they sat in silence. That was, until ash finally spoke up.

"On my thirteenth birthday, me and fezco were sat in the shop when some man came in with a knife and slashed me. I don't know why he did it, I assume he didn't like the way we did business, but he still did." Ash mumbled, Lilith raising her eyebrows as she looked at him in shock. "When me and fezco had gotten home I was in so much agony that even breathing hurt. We didn't go to the hospital since I was high and that would've been a stupid idea, but we tried our best to sort the wound out. Fezco gave me home made stitches, and now I have a scar on my torso, I don't know if you noticed it or not." Ash whispered, looking at Lilith as she shook her head slightly. He put his burger down beside him and pulled his shirt up, revealing a scar about 3 inches long running across one of his abs.

How had she missed something so obvious, yet so well hidden?

"I'm sorry." She whispered, tracing the scar with her finger as ash chuckled.

"It gets worse." He mumbled, pulling his shirt back down before continuing to eat his burger. "We noticed that grandmas heartbeat had slowed down drastically, and her body was starting to not react to some of her meds anymore. Fezco called our private nurse and asked her over, and she told us that grandma had about five more years to live before she'd pass away. She put her on stronger meds and called it a night. There's nothing we could do. Knowing that in three days it would already be four years since that day terrifies me, because if she was right, I've only got one year left with her before she dies." Ash muttered, tears now stinging at his eyes as he desperately tried to blink them away.

"I want her to wake up, a part of me is begging god to let her live, but I know deep down that she's never going to open her eyes again. And knowing that, absolutely tears my heart out, and I know it tears fezco's heart out too. He locked himself in his bedroom the night we found out, and I could hear him crying and throwing shit. I think he's depressed, but he's kept it bottled up for so long that it's sort of just become a part of our everyday life now. I haven't seen him cry since that day." Ash whispered, a tear rolling down his cheek as Lilith pulled him into a hug, wiping his tears gently.

"I'm so sorry ash, I really am. That must've been fucking horrible to have to experience, especially on your birthday. You're so strong, and I know Marie would be proud of you, and that she is even if she isn't awake right now." Lilith said quietly as she kept hugging ash tightly.

He nodded a bit, not saying another word as more tears spilled from his eyes. He felt vulnerable, he felt weak, but he was glad that he was feeling that way with her. He hated showing his emotions, but it was impossible not to with her.

They sat until the sun had fully set, ash crying softly into Lilith's shirt at first until he'd let it all out, both of them sat in peace, both feeling relieved that ash had finally opened up to her about something that had been causing tension over the past few days.

Authors note: There we goooooo! Ashtrays birthday storyline. This is why ash has birthday trauma and hates his birthdays and this is why he reacted so badly when Lilith mentioned it to him. Poor bby :(