When Bella said she was getting a tattoo, Ashley didn't think it would be so soon. Bella had other ideas.

"I can't believe you really just did that," Ashley spoke as they stepped out of the tattoo parlour.

Bella shrugged, her new piercings jingled. She had two in each ear and one on her bottom lip, nose and left eyebrow. She had two white bandages, one on her forearm and one on her calf, each covering a healing tattoo. "I've always wanted to get one."

"So where to next?" The two of them had been out all day, putting together Bella's new look. "Hairdresser, then a florist. I need new flowers for my hair. Ooh, you should get some for you too."

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Bella ran her fingers through her short hair as she stepped into a florist. It barely reached her shoulders. She loved the way it turned out, although she would have been happy if she ended up looking like she'd glued poodle hair to her scalp, so far it was short. She'd also dyed some streaks of her hair light blue.

Ashley followed her into the store, stopping next to her by the counter. The store was fairly busy, so it took a while for someone to get to them. The person that walked up to them was short with brown and pink hair, a fairy. Ashley wasn't quite sure if they were a boy, girl or other.

"Morning Azmi." Bella gave her a small wave. "I'm looking for something to make a flower crown with, any suggestions?"

"You're in luck. I just got a huge batch of new flowers." Azmi walked around to the other side of the counter. "Right this way." They gestured to the other side of the store where a shelf full of potted plants hung.

"Any specific colours or type you're looking for?" Azmi asked, turning to the other two. "I just got some African violets, amaryllis and bougainvillaeas."

"I have no idea what any of that means," Bella answered. "But I'm looking for something purple or blue, and he wants something orange or red."

"Then you'll love the morning glories and bougainvillaeas." They reached up and plucked the potted plants off the shelf one by one. "And your friend will love the amaryllis and chrysanthemums."

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"I don't think that's going to fit."

Bella sighed, adjusting her flower crown of purple bougainvillaeas and black hellebores. "We should have made your flower crown wider." She pushed back his curls, trying to get his crown of orange amaryllises and white hibiscuses over his head. "How do you manage to tame all this?"

"I don't." He answered as the crown fell off again. "I wash it, comb it then leave it be."

She added a few more flowers to the crown and places it on his head. "Ha. It stayed!"

"How do I look?"

"Adorable." Bella cupped his cheeks , smooshing his face together.

"Thamk wu?"

Bell dropped her hands and laughed. "So... You and Ethan...?"

Ashley blushed, bowing his head and miraculously the crown stayed on. "Yeah."

"That's amazing Ashley." She paused a frown on her face for a fleeting second. "I-" She shook her head. "Never mind."

"Bella... Just tell me."

"It's selfish."

"Bella..."

"I just thought we'd always end up moving in together. Like we said we would when we were younger."

"Oh..." He doesn't know quite what to say, he doesn't want Bella on her own for too long, but he wants to stay with Ethan. "I could stay the night sometimes but I..."

"I understand."

"Bella-"

"It's fine."

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"What's wrong?" Ethan asked as Ashley rolled over in bed for what had to be the tenth time in the past five minutes.

"It's Bella." Ashley rolled over to face him. "I'm worried about living her alone for too long."

"Do you... do you want to stay with her for a bit?" Ethan suggested, hand reaching up to cup his cheek and the smaller boy leaned into his touch. "At least till you think its safe to leave her on her own."

"Are you sure?"

"I really want you to stay but if she needs your help then..." Ethan had no Idea what exactly happened between the two of them, or why she needed Ashley's help, but he doesn't ask. If Ashley wanted to tell him he would eventually, for now, he didn't need to know.