#mochaff

[miyuhpapayuh]

22

Rolling over to grab her ringing phone, she blindly slides her finger across her screen and groggily says hello.

“Good morning, sleepyhead.” Leon chuckles on the other end, making her join in with her own tired laugh.

“Shut up,” she mumbles back. “Always been a morning person.”

“I thought it woulda rubbed off on you by now!”

“Maybe one day, but not today!” She quips.

“Happy Valentine's Day, anyway babe. I was gonna wait until you were already up, but I couldn't wait anymore.” He says, and she can see his smile from where she was laying.

“Aww, you are so cute! Happy Valentine's Day, baby. I can't wait to see you later and give you your gifts.” She gushes.

“Aw, you got me something??”

“Of course I did! One of them you can wear on our date tonight– but the rest are surprises!”

“Oh shit, there's more!” He exclaims, making her laugh. “Well, your first gift is sitting on your kitchen counter, when you do get outta bed.”

“Alright, I'm getting up now.” She says, sliding from underneath the covers to head out of her room, into her kitchen. A big orange bag sits, awaiting her.

“Aw, it's orange!” She frowns, walking over to it and looking inside, gasping at the potted plant— her very own poppy plant! It was also orange.

“A poppy plant?! Wait, I'm gonna cry!”

“Oh, don't cry!”

“No, no it's okay! They're happy tears!” She laughs, wiping her face, as she puts him on speaker, sitting her phone on the counter.

“Okay… you okay?” He asks.

“Yeah,” she whimpers. “Ugh, there's a card! More tears!”

Pulling that and the pot from the bag, she giggles at the bright bubble-lettered Zora that's painted on both sides.

“Aw, did you paint this??”

“Of course I did, baby. You like it?”

“It's the cutest thing I've ever seen, Leon. I love it. Nobody's ever bought me a plant before.”

“Well, I've never bought anybody one before, either. Look at us, being each other's firsts.” He exclaims, making her laugh and wipe away another tear.

“Shut up,”

“Ah— open your card, please dear.”

“Okay,” she grabs it off the counter, pulling it from its envelope, “you have to go soon?”

“Yeah, it's been nonstop since I got here, but the moment my supervisor gave me a break, I came straight back to call you. He’ll be looking for me soon.”

“Okay, I won't hold you up too much longer.” She says, looking at the pretty pink card with the holiday name emblazoned on the front in gold calligraphy, opening it up to read what's inside.

“Happy Valentine's Day to the sweetest woman in the world, I love you and cannot wait to see you later tonight. 

In the meanwhile, I've decided to send you on a scavenger hunt— what?! That's so cool!!” She yells.

“I thought you'd say that!” He yells back.

“Once you get to work, there'll be three things for you to find; something big, something tall and something small— all orange, of course.”

“Linda let you hide presents in her restaurant?? Wow, she must love me for real.” She snorts.

“She loves me too, ya know? Told you, we're besties.”

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

The first gift she found was her “something tall”– a lava lamp. Not just any lava lamp, the specific one she had been eyeing from one of her favorite online shops.

Orange and black. A curvy designed frame that stands at about two feet. She was in love, already having a place to put it in her mind.

Putting it in her car for safe keeping, she begins looking around for the other two.

“Hmm..” She roams around the dining area, until she sees an orange piece of paper sticking out of a napkin dispenser.

Pulling it out, she begins to read it before squealing. She quickly covers her mouth and looks around, thankfully going unnoticed.

“I'm gonna kick his ass,” she laughs to herself, before reading the card once more. “Happy love day, angel face. There is a certificate attached for a one of a kind bouquet from your favorite flower shoppe. I know you jumped for joy cause you love your flowers! I love you and I cannot wait to see the look on your face. I worked so hard on  this. My fingers hurt. I love you, again. Bye.”

She giggles again, loving the neon orange paper clip that's holding the certificate to the card, how the certificate has poppies and cosmos on it, also wishing her a very happy Valentine's day.

“Goodness, there's one more thing! I might just die in here.”

A small group of customers coming in had her stuffing the card into the front of her apron and moving back behind the counter.

Once everyone was settled, she started to move away from the counter, until something told her to look to her left.

A flat black box is tucked by some papers. She pulls it out and stares at it, her brain mulling over what it could be.

“Hm. It's a lil heavy,” she playfully shakes it, before reading the note taped to the right corner, telling her to open it after work.

Which was a great idea, cause once she pulled the top off the box and found the burnt orange scrapbook Leon made her, all types of screams and expletives flew from her lips.

“Is he fucking serious?!” She screams, again, flipping through the pictures he'd candidly taken over the course of their relationship, so far. The food, the flowers, the dates, many moons and sunsets, baby ducks in ponds, the two of them in their element, and so many more special moments.

“He is so cute,” she tearfully laughs, wiping her face as she hears a knock at her door.

Opening it up to reveal her man, she jumps up in his arms as he laughs and walks inside, closing the door behind himself.

“Heyyy, baby!”

“Damn, girl! You missed me?”

Many kisses are exchanged.

“Absolutely! Been waiting to see you all day!” She exclaims, looking up at him with doe eyes as he pecks her nose.

“Why you think I got here so fast?! Did the mad dash for ya.” He says with a wink.

“I'll let it slide, today,” she snickers as he lets her down. “But, this right here! Best gift I've gotten today, so far.”

“Really? I had so much fun putting it together, too!”

“It looks like it, babe. And yes, you had me in here ugly crying! The pictures of the ducks took me outta here!”

“They were good models that day, for sure,” he laughs, running his hand over her hair, pulling her back to him.

“You're so cute,” she frowns.

“I'm about to get cuter, I fear.”

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

Soon, they're at her favorite place on earth, getting ready to unveil the bouquet Leon handcrafted for her.

“Okay, close your eyes, sweet girl!” The owner, Inara, says.

“Okay, they're closed!” Zora squeals back.

“Hold out your hands.” Leon says, placing the bouquet in her trembling hands.

“Okay, open!”

Her wide eyes land on the most beautiful bouquet she'd ever seen.

“Wow, you love me a whole lot!” She whispers, watching as her vision gets super blurry with tears. He's right there to wipe them away.

Oranges and pinks and purples. Peonies, cosmos, poppies, a couple white roses in the mix. It was beautiful!

“I love you so much.” He says, wiping her wet eyes, once more.

“He's such a sweetheart,” the owner exclaims. “Made sure he got your favorites and some extras— lord, you taught him well about these flowers!”

Zora giggles, wiping her own eyes, this time.

“He did such an amazing job,” she frowns up at him, those sweet kisses he places on her makes her frown deeper.

“Anything for you, baby.” He cheeses. “Speaking of, I got one more thing for ya.”

She looks up at him in disbelief. “Really??”

He chuckles, an mhm leaving him before they wave to Inara and head towards the exit.

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

She gasps. “You got me a kitty???”

“I sure did, baby. Meet Coco.” He says, carefully handing over the tiny orange kitty, smiling at the way she immediately curled up in Zora’s arms.

“Oh, this is what love feels like.” She frowns, rocking herself as she pets her head, snickering at the way her ears flicker.

“Hey sweet baby angel!” She coos.

He smiles, taking a picture with his phone. “Nothing but love, baby.”

“Nah, this is a new level! I don't think we've had too many conversations about cats or dogs, or any of that type of stuff.”

“Cause we're not that kind of couple. I trust my gut when it comes to you. I pay attention to you, and you've never struck me as a dog person.”

“I'm not, no.” She shakes her head, nuzzling her face against Coco's, making Leon laugh at the sight.

“I mean don't get me wrong, dogs are cool! But cats are so independent and I like that. Plus, look at this face!”

She turns her around to face him, those big green eyes looking up at him. He frowns and reaches out to pet her.

“She's adorable! The cutest out of the litter, too. Had to scoop ‘er up.”

“Aw, the cutest of the bunch?! Go you!” She coos, earning tiny squeaks back that make her heart swell.

“How old is she?”

“About a month old? I've got her papers back at the crib.” He says.

“Aw, can we take her home now?!” She asks excitedly.

“Yeah, let's get her signed out and she's all yours, babe.”

With her free hand, she pulls him into a hug, thank you falling from her lips about a thousand times. He kisses her hair, a smile stuck on his face.

“Anything for you, my love.”

Back in her apartment now, she sits Coco down in the fluffy cat bed she'd bought on their way back, loving the way she curls up in it.

“Ugh, she's so cute! I can't believe she's mine.”

“Imagine if I had missed the mark on this,” he snorts, making her laugh too.

“Nah, you nailed it without me even having to say it! I also wanna rename her.”

“To what?”

“Okay, now don't think I'm corny.. but, Valentine.”

“Aw! That's actually really precious.”

“Right?! The sweetest valentine present I've ever gotten from the sweetest valentine I've ever had!”

She squeals as they share a sweet kiss.

“You think she'll respond to it well?”

“Well, let's see..” She looks over at her, her little tail wagging slowly as she looks up at them.

“C'mere Valentine.. c'mere baby girl!” She coos, cupping her hands as she slowly moves away from the fluffy bed.

“Look at her trottin’ over,” he comments, “takin’ her sweet time.”

“It's okay, I'm new!” She whispers, still cooing and calling her by her new name, getting more and more excited as she gets closer to her fingertips.

The minute she hopped into her palms, she had to stop herself from screaming for joy all over again, as the baby kitten peers up at her.

“She's so cute, I cannot take it!” She squeals, watching her roll around and lay on her back, inside her palms. Leon pokes her exposed belly, earning squeaks that resemble laughter.

“Awww!” They coo in unison.

“I've heard that orange cats are sassy,” he notes, and she nods.

“Yeah, one of my aunts used to have one. She was something else. Jumped out the window one day and never came back.” She sighs, looking down at Valentine.

“You are not jumping out of windows okay? No jumping off walls and up onto high surfaces. Mama don't play that, mmkay?” She scoots her into one palm and holds the other up, snickering as her paw connects.

“Like she understands you, for real.”

“Just you wait, we're gonna have our little system up and runnin’ in no time!”

Soon having to get ready for their date, Zora drops Valentine off at auntie Nique’s, who might've been a tinge more excited than Zora once she saw those big green eyes.

“Oh my goodness, look at this sweet baby!” She coos, scooping her up.

“Right?! The most precious kitten I've ever seen!”

“I'm almost shocked she's not gray,” Nique laughs.

“Or black! I love the witchy kitties, too! Maybe she can get a sister later on.”

“Aw, not a slew of em! Lean on me is so in love with you, it's crazy!”

Zora's face scrunches up at the nickname she'd given Leon.

“Lean on me?”

“When you're not strong, yes.” Nique nods, before snickering.

“Anyway, dawg. I'm glad you could watch her for me tonight. God knows I won't be any good after he gets through with me.” She whispers the last part.

“Daaamn, you gettin’ strung up by the ceiling or sumn??”

“Girl, no! I just know ima get put through the mattress once I put this new lingerie on, though!” She whispers again, cackling as they slap hands.

“Just freaky frogs! I love it!”

“So do I! Now, tell Darnell we said hey and he better put his whole foot in whatever he's making you tonight!”

“Either that or my foot's goin’ up his a—” her sentence cuts off as he comes around the corner with a spatula in hand, squinting at her with a sly grin.

“You talkin’ shit, huh? You know I gets down in here for you.”

“I was just playing, babe.”

“Mmmmhm. Hey Zora.” He flashes a smile.

“Hey, boyfriend!” She mocks, making him laugh, before cutting his eyes back at Nique.

Zora snorts, looking between the two of them.

“Should I take Valentine to ma’s?” She jokingly asks.

“Bye, Zora Jean!” Nique laughs, pushing her towards the door.

“Okay, okay! You girls, be good, tonight! Don't give uncle Darnell too much trouble, okay?”

“We gon’ give him hell, girl!” Nique looks at Valentine, before smiling at Zora.

“If you find Nique strung over the balcony, I didn't do it!” He yells from the kitchen, making them laugh.

“And that's my cue!”

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

Reservations at the Mimosa Grill were made in advance, which gave the couple ample time to get all dolled up for love day.

Smoothing her hands over her black, floor length dress, Zora gives herself a once over in the mirror. Nude lip. Smokey eye. Minimal jewelry besides the citrine earrings Leon had also gifted her. And nothing goes with a dress like that, but big hair!

Voluminous curls sit pretty on her head as she tousles them, loving each way they fall.

She felt so pretty.

Leon is across the hall in her bathroom, fastening the belt to his pants and cuffing the jacket of his all black ensemble, making sure the world sees the icy chain she'd gifted him. The light reflecting off the diamonds had him periodically letting out a “woo!”, making her giggle.

Low fade Leon had come out tonight, and Zora was more than a happy camper. Those waves were a dangerous tide pulling her under, and she already knew neither her nor her panties would survive the night.

Crossing the threshold, they both let out a whistle of appreciation, sizing each other up.

“Damn girl, this is sexy,” Leon says, running his finger along the curved and plunging neckline of her dress, watching the smirk on Zora’s face grow.

“Anifa does it again, I fear.” She laughs, touching the diamonds of his chain. “You iced out!”

“Thanks to my stylist and stunna girl,” he compliments, twirling her about, unable to resist smacking her on the ass.

“Ooh! You better be glad we've got reservations, sir.” She playfully warns as he dips down to kiss her, making her giggle.

“Don't tempt me, girl, I'll bend you ov—” she presses her finger to his lips, shushing him.

“Before you seriously get me started, we better go.”

“Yeah, you right,” he chuckles, releasing his hold on her to grab his keys and lead the way.

Clink!

For the occasion of love, the restaurant was decorated to the nines! Strings of pink and red hearts swayed from the ceiling between the open spaces, vanilla candles sat in the center of each table, along with a single rose wrapped away from the silverware.

“Did you pull strings and make sure this rose was orange?” Zora asks, a smirk covering her lips at his sly smile.

“You know I do my best for ya, poppy.” He winks, making her duck her head down and giggle. He laughs, taking a sip of his drink.

“I knew that was the right moment to use that on ya,” he adds.

“You are ridiculous, Leon. And I love it.” She says with a grin, reaching for his hand across the table.

“And, I love you, Jean.” He uses his height to his advantage and leans across the table for a kiss.

Taking a sip of her own drink, she briefly squeezes her eyes shut at the bite from the moonshine.

“What did you order again?”

“The mooshine sangria,” she laughs to herself. “I knew it would be strong but damn.”

“Is it good, though?”

“Yeah, yeah it's delicious! Just strong,” she smiles, skimming over the menu.

He stares at her a second longer, before doing the same.

Soon their waitress returns to put their orders in, and they're alone again, twiddling each other's fingers.

“Happy love day, as you call it,” Leon says, clinking their glasses together for the second time.

“Yes, happy love day! It's been so overwhelming in the best ways possible.” Zora sighs, chin in palm, staring at her man.

“Had to make our first one memorable, ya know?”

“In true Leon fashion, indeed!”

Their sweet conversation turns from the special occasion to Zora wanting to finally get back into her art world, Leon couldn't be more ecstatic. Even more so as their food finally arrived at the table.

“That's great, babe! When does all of this get set into motion?”

“Well, I still have to talk to Linda about quitting, hopefully she understands. I mean, either way, I'm leaving, but ya know what I mean.”

“Yeah, totally. If she tries anything funny, I'll be on standby.” He says with a couple pats to his chest.

“Stand down, please,” she laughs, continuing to sip her drink. “I'm sure it'll all be fine.”

“Yeah, you heard what I said, though.”

“Yes, father. I'll call if I need ya,” she salutes, as they both laugh.

“But, seriously. What's the next step after that?” He asks, chin in palm like she.

“That's actually a surprise,” she sweetly smiles, “but it'll be so worth it, I promise!”

“Aw, no fair!” He playfully whines as she laughs.

“Aw, come on! Be a good sport!”

“Fine, fine.” He playfully sighs. “But, I will let you know that I'm quitting my job soon, too.”

“Really??” She asks. “And doing what??”

“It's a surprise,” he mocks with a smile.

“You better be glad it's a lovely evening, Leon.” She snorts, sipping her drink as he snickers at her expression.

“Not so funny when the shoe’s on the other foot, huh?”

“Keep it up,” she nods, unable to stop the laugh from coming out.

“Okay, okay! But, I do have one more surprise I can share with you.”

“What is it?”

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

Zora stomps excitedly in her heels as Leon guides her into their hotel room.

“This blindfold is killing me!” She squeals, making him laugh.

“Okay, okay,” he fiddles with the knot, making her stomp again, her giggles filling his ears.

“Happy Valentine's Day!”

Her wide eyes stare at every girl's dream. The decorated hotel room. And boy was it decked out for his favorite lady.

Oranges of every hue in the room, from the arrangement of cosmos and poppies, many balloons littering the ceiling, homemade cake all the way down to champagne flutes.

“Oh my god…” is all she's able to get out as she takes it all in.

“You l-like it?” He asks, feeling his nerves kick in.

“I love it, babe!” She throws her hands up, turning to face him with glossy eyes, to which he smiles brightly.

“Oh, come here, my big baby,” he chuckles, pulling her into his arms, careful not to smear her makeup.

“I'm glad I didn't do a full face now!” She laughs, the sound muffled by his chest. He joins in the laughter.

Pulling away a bit, they stare back at each other, bursting into more laughter.

“You're goofy,” he pokes fun at her.

“You're goofy,” she pokes back, actually poking him in his side.

“You started it,”

“What are we, fifteen?” She laughs, again.

“No, of course not. We're newly legal, apparently.” He playfully scoffs. “Haven't had that many shots since my college days, honestly.”

“Me, either. I'm praying we don't have hangovers in the morning.”

“You know I'm stocked up on aspirin and water, don't worry your pretty little head!” He places a kiss on the crown of her curly mane.

She felt precious all day long. Those butterflies just kept on multiplying, and now she felt like she was gonna explode.

Unwrapping her arms from him, she grabs his face to pull him down to her level, kissing him deeply.

His long arms completely cage her in, holding her up as he slightly dips them, getting drunk on her lips now, too.

Tongues tangling together, the promise of a night of bliss being spoken between them.

Pulling away, Zora’s chest heaves up and down as she stares up at Leon, who's just as breathless.

“I've got a surprise for you,” she lowly speaks, trailing a finger down the middle of his button-up shirt.

“Yeah? I must need to sit down for this.”

“Unless you wanna fall to your knees.” She quips, making him raise his eyebrows.

With that, she grabs her bag from the counter by the door and disappears into the room to change.

Carefully stepping out of the prettiest dress ever, she shimmies into the orange lingerie she'd fallen in love with, fighting the urge to squeal at how sexy she felt and looked!

Leon was gonna freak!

Adjusting her garters, she grabs the matching satin robe to hide such a set, and heads back out to where her beau is patiently waiting.

His smirk makes her insides clench. She strides over to him, stopping right in front, reaching out to rest her shaky hands on his broad shoulders.

“What's up under here, huh?” He asks, his long fingers fiddling with the knot on her robe.

“Untie it and find out.” She winks.

Doing just that and letting it fall open, he blows out a breath that makes her clench all over again.

“Mmm… all this for me?” He asks, reaching out to touch her anyway, gripping her thick hips, his sweet lips peck her belly and make her giggle.

“Yes, all for you, baby.”

“What a lucky man I am.”

Reaching up to push the silk away from her body, his hands roam back over her curves, kneading and groping as she bites into her lip.

“All for me.”

Standing to his feet, he picks her up and carries her into her their room, kicking the door closed. He drops her on the bed before climbing on top of her.

Her laughter fills his ears as he kisses all over her face, big hands tickling her sides.

“Stop” at different octaves came out of her as she flailed underneath him, slapping at his hands.

“Babe!” She squeals as he finally lets up the tickling, but not the kissing.

Laughter melts into moans, his kisses getting wetter the lower they get, traveling over to her thighs for a nibble in between.

Her garters are pulled at with his teeth before he spreads her legs wider, running a finger over her damp panties.

He watches as she bites her lip in anticipation. He smirks, continuing to tease her.

“You look so good like this,” his finger presses harder, earning a moan from her, “there it is, baby. Don't be shy.”

Her head falls back against the bed, and his free hand finds her neck, another moan leaving her.

Pulling her panties to the side, he whistles at the string of arousal clinging to them. Her head lifts back up and the look on his face makes her clench.

“So fucking wet,” his tongue swipes up her slit, sending her eyes back, her hands coming up to cradle his face as he continues the action.

“Oh my.. oh— oh my,”

His teasing humming puts a smile on her stuttering lips as he starts pulling that first nut to the surface.

“I'm gonna cum!” She pulls his hair, smushing his face against her, losing her mind when he wags it.

Not letting her recover, he makes her cum once again, her thighs beginning to shake in his hold.

“Baby, please..” she moans, softly rolling her hips against his face.

“Mmmm,” his humming sends shocks through her, his hands rubbing her sides.

In a flash, he's right where she needs him, deep inside, rocking against that spot so nicely.

“Look at that,” he mumbles, making their heavy gazes move down to where they join and rejoin again, those gushy noises are music to their ears.

“Feels so good,” she whispers.

His eyes dance back up her face and stay, as his heavy strokes land right into her spot.

“Say it again,” he says.

Like clockwork, she looks up at him, further melting and quaking as his brown eyes stare back.

“Mmmm, so fucking good!” She moans a little louder, earning a smirk from him.

Her pouty lips mouthing such sweet filth, as the man of her very dreams rocks her world.

“Fuck, baby,” her grip on him was beginning to loosen as he continued to fuck her into the mattress.

“Mmhm,” he moans, placing his hand at her chin and his thumb right at her bottom lip.

A faded smile appears on their faces as his thumb makes its way between her lips, coming in contact with her warm tongue and making his eyes roll like they did when he first slid inside.

“Mmmfuhh,” she whimpers around his thumb, feeling her thighs begin to burn.

“You cummin’,” he mumbles, removing his thumb to rub her clit, “let it out, baby.”

Her hands find his face, cupping his cheeks as her mouth drops open at the feeling brewing in her gut.

“Oh my god,” she gasps harshly, losing the rest of her oxygen as he swallows it in a kiss.

Pulling away, their lips retouch as he gets closer and closer to tossing her off the deep end.

“Just like that,” she nods fervently, “don’t stop.. don’t fucking stop.”

“Gimme that shit, babe..”

His hand slides to her throat, gripping tight. His other gripping into the sheets, as he’s close to the edge himself.

“Oh shit,” she moans, immediately feeling the air get sucked out of her lungs as her orgasm rocks through her like a heavy wave.

“I love you,” he groans, his own peak crashing toward him, sending him collapsing on top of her. Her giggles tickle his skin.

“I love you too, baby,” she sighs, her body twitching underneath his own.

“Catch your breath, cause I'm not done.” She whispers, kissing every inch of skin in her reach.

Ch 23

@ghostfacekill-monger @honestpreference @harmshake @henneseyhoe @blackerthings @soufcakmistress @megamindsecretlair @motheroffae @abeautifulmindexposed @thegifstories @starcrossedxwriter @mauvecherie-writes @twistedcharismaaa

[bombslol]

Bro what the flippity flappity is this setup 🦃 oh and also other person is pindlez!!

(WHY DO I KEEP SAYING THE TURKEY EMOJI HELP ME)

[megamindsecretlair]

Everything is beautiful start to finish..ik its still in process but its a wild, beautiful ride. Something we need to see on TV! Just a Black ass world with some Black ass people loving on each other.

Amazing read!

Leon x Zora.

A chance for something different.

faces playlist

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Inhermission.

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Fourteen

Fifteen

Sixteen

Seventeen

Eighteen

Nineteen

Twenty

Twenty-one

[miyuhpapayuh]

21

As soon as Leon walked through the door of Brandon's apartment, nostalgia hit him like a Mack truck.

The air still felt familiar. Every memory of their friendship within these walls came flooding back to him.

“You turned this into a bachelor pad, huh?” Leon cracks.

Brandon laughs. “Ah, had to upgrade the futon and card table at some point, right?”

Leon joined in the laughter, shaking his head. “We lived a lil rough, I won't lie.”

“We made do, though.”

“Please, our mamas woulda killed us if we didn't.”

“You right about that.” Brandon nods, as they move into the living room and take a seat.

The first conversation they've had in five years.

“So, what's up?” Leon asks.

“I wanna start by apologizing to you. I know I was a hothead and I blew you off, a lot. I said some fucked up shit to you and I can't take it back. It took me a long time to realize that you were just looking out for me, cause I just wanted to have fun with my dawg. I wasn't thinking about later in life or the consequences that would come. You were like a brother to me and it's been hell out here without friends like you in my corner.”

Leon nods, knowing it took a lot for them to get to this point, and he knew it was a genuine apology.

“It's all good, man. I said some fucked up shit to you too. I was mad for a while. A long time. Cause we was into it over crazy shit. Petty shit. Yeah, you blew me off a whole lot and I used to take up for yo ass at every stop, cause you was my boy. But I couldn't stick around for the disrespect. But, we can't go through the rest of our lives holdin’ onto that shit.”

“I understand that. I understood it then, it just pissed me off cause fuck you mean we ain't cool no more?” He laughs, Leon joining in. “I'm just glad that I could get you here and sincerely say that. I didn't know what to say for a long time. Sorry just didn't seem good enough. I'm sorry for that, too.”

“It's all good, seriously. I'm sorry, too.” Leon says.

“For what?” Brandon’s brows scrunch.

“I harbored some hatred for you when you and my sister started… whatever y'all got goin’ on. Did the usual overbearing brother thing, but she was hellbent on you becoming a stand-up dude, and I can see that she wasn't lying. It was just so weird to me.”

“I get it, honestly. I mean, that's your little sister. I would never disrespect either of you, things just sorta happened. We knew how it looked and I knew that you and I needed to talk.”

“Well again, I appreciate that man. And just as long as I ain't gotta knock your head between the stove and refrigerator, I'm cool with you and Eryn doing what y'all doing.”

“I know that came straight from the heart.” Brandon nods before laughing.

“I'm glad you know,” Leon says, laughing as well.

“Now that all of that is out the way, what's new with you? Cause I did hear about a girlfriend.”

“Man, ima marry that woman.” Leon shakes his head, a smirk appearing on his lips.

“Word??” Brandon asks, cocking his head to the side.

“No doubt about it.”

“Damn, what's that like?”

And boy, did Leon spend the next almost hour filling his old friend in on everything he'd experienced with Zora thus far.

“Am I invited to the wedding, at least?”

“Come on man, of course!”

They slapped hands and hugged like the brothers they've always been.

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

Returning back to his apartment, Leon was immediately greeted by his yawning girlfriend, as she decided to stay up and wait for him.

“Hey baby,” he says, placing a kiss on her forehead as she wraps her arms around him, swaying in their hug as usual.

“Hey, how'd everything go?”

“It went well, actually. We both apologized to each other, caught up like old friends and he's invited to our wedding now, whenever that is.” He snorts, making her join in with her own laughter.

“I'm glad y'all made up, that puts me at so much ease, cause now you're at ease.” She says, rubbing his back.

He smiles, kissing her nose. “Me too, baby. Is that why you're still up?”

“Yeah, I thought something happened. I contemplated on calling you, but then I heard the door unlock.” She smiles.

“You still sleepy?” He asks.

“Eh, not so much anymore. We can still jump back in the bed though. I'm freezing.”

“I'll say,” he steps back to look over her attire, which consists of one of his sweatshirts pulled over her nightgown and fuzzy socks.

“What?” She laughs, playfully smacking his cheek as he shakes his head, his eyes landing back on her face.

“You look beautiful.” He says before scooping her up in his arms and carrying her back into his room.

Back under the covers and in each others arms, the couple flip through the channels to find something to watch.

“Martin?”

“Nah. Half & Half is on tv??” Zora squints, making Leon snicker.

“Did you forget your contacts again?”

“No, I just didn't wanna put them back in yet cause I might fall asleep again soon. I brought my glasses, I just need to get them out of my bag.”

Without another word, he hands her the remote and slides out the bed to retrieve them for her.

“Thank you,” she giggles, putting them on.

“No problem, is that what you wanted to watch?”

“Mmm… nah, let's see what else is on. It's just interesting that it's accessible like that. It's hard finding what you used to watch all the time.”

“Yeah, you right. I remember how hype I was when they brought Jamie back into the rotation.”

“See, he's better than Martin!”

“Yeah, I have to agree.”

“He was way too sexual for me, personally.”

“Yeah, what you be saying? Men are gross? I agree.”

“Good. Plus, you're not a man, you're an angel.” She kisses his face, making him laugh.

“And you're not a woman, you're a goddess.” He pulls her closer to him, continuing to flip through the channels.

“Ooh, my girls!” She all but yells as Living Single pops up.

“There we go.” He chuckles, sitting the remote down.

“Oh, it's one of my favorite ones too!”

“This the one where they were in a singing group?”

“The flavorettes, yes!”

“O had that nasty ass piece on his head, man.” He snickers.

“That was so ugly, I agree. It was so cute how he was still smitten by Synclaire and she was being so mean!” Zora laughs.

“We like that shit.”

“We know,” she responds, still laughing.

After watching Max fall of the stage and get hit with roses, she dozed off again, this time more comfortably since Leon was back underneath her.

“I love you.” He whispers, kissing her forehead.

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

“I don't wanna work here anymore.” Zora mumbles to herself as she leans on the bar.

“Then quit!”

“Not that simple,” she sighs, tapping her nails against the freshly disinfected countertop.

As if on cue, the restaurant phone rings.

“Thank you for calling the pub, what can I get you?”

“Yeah, let me get the Wednesday special and a side of Zora Jean!” Nique says before cracking up into the phone.

“Girl!” Zora laughs, covering her mouth and looking around her area.

“What do you want, man?”

“What time do you get off?”

“Six, why?”

“You'll see when we get there. I'll meet you at your place.”

“Do I need to dress up or something?”

“Nope. No more questions! See ya later, love you, bye!”

After work, freshly showered and dressed down in her comfy sweatsuit and uggs, she trudges towards her best friend's car as the wind picks up.

“Hey, lover!” Nique greets once Zora’s situated inside.

“Hey! Where’re we going?”

“You'll see,” she sings, before pulling out of the lot and to their destination.

“So, how was your day?”

“Tiring. I think I'm kinda ready to let it go, friend.” Zora sighs, sticking her finger in the middle of her curly bun to scratch.

“Really?” Nique smirks. “Why what happened?”

“Nothing happened,” she laughs. “I'm just kinda over being there. And I know, we talk about it all the time and I continue to stick it out and I've made it work for me, so it's been extra great.. but I'm not feeling it anymore. The money isn't even worth it.”

“It's okay to feel burnt out. That's why I've always been pro-fuck that job. And no, I'm not gonna insist that you come work with me, I know we're past that. But this could be a good thing for you. You wanna find a new job?”

“No, I need a revamp on my career, as a whole. I wanna… I wanna be the artist of my dreams, again.” She somberly smiles, looking toward the window as her emotions slowly take hold of her.

Nique looks in her direction for a split second, unable to hide her smile.

“I was hoping you'd say that.”

Looking back in her direction, Zora begins to ask what she meant, but then she begins to recognize her surroundings.

“Dominique.”

“Zora-Jean.”

“The Mint?”

“The one and only, babe.” She cheeses, just as Zora covers her face, unable to hold her tears in any longer.

“Oh my god,” she sobs.

“Oh, Jean. Don't cry on me!”

Coming to a red light, she consoles her best friend, rubbing her back with her free hand.

“It's okay, I've been feeling like crying for weeks now. You know how I hold shit in— but, seriously this is so surreal. You just know what I'm thinking and how to execute it every single time. Who are you!” She hysterically asks, making them both laugh as the light turns back green.

“The greatest friend in the world— at least that's what my badge says.” She shrugs.

“Jesus,” Zora playfully scoffs, wiping her wet face.

“Seriously, though. Thank you.”

“Come on, you know you deserve this. It's been in the works for almost six years!”

“Ugh, that's so depressing. Isn't it?”

“Nah. It would be depressing if you still wanted to come home covered in grease after six years. You've had your epiphany and now it's time to plan!”

“You said it! I'm ready.”

“That's all I need to hear!”

Moving inside the spacious museum, the two look around and begin formulating their ideas.

“Wow, I haven't been out here in so long.” Zora looks around in awe.

“Yeah, they rightfully changed some shit around! It was starting to get stale in here.”

“Hm, what pieces could I put in here?”

“All of them?” Nique looks at her like she'd just grown a second head.

“Stop looking at me like that! I'm just asking. I also need to create so much more.”

“Mmhm, get that portfolio together and fast. You know we gotta start making ourselves real familiar with these people. “

“Yes, mom. I'm on it.” 

Ch 22

It feels good to be back.

@ghostfacekill-monger @sheabuttahwrites @honestpreference @thegifstories @harmshake @henneseyhoe @headcannonxgalore @blackpinup22 @motheroffae @mauvecherie-writes @blackerthings @megamindsecretlair @abeautifulmindexposed @blowmymbackout

[miyuhpapayuh]

eighteen.

“Hey, what's wrong?” Zora asks, plopping down beside his slumped body on the couch.

“Craig saw Eryn out with my old best friend. It's just fucking me up a little bit.” He says with his hand covering his face, his headache doubling by the second.

“Oh,” she says softly, rubbing his back, not knowing what else to say.

“Have you talked to her?”

“I was about to head her way, actually. Just tryna clear my head before I blank on her.”

“Yeah, definitely talk it out with a leveled head. As leveled as can be, given the circumstances.” She nods.

He sighs, removing his hand to place it on the one that's still sitting in her lap. “Why didn't she tell me?”

“Maybe she was waiting for the right moment.” She answers.

“There's no right moment for this.”

“Maybe she knows that, too.”

“Then, why not come and talk to me? Am I that scary?”

“Maybe— maybe she's not exactly scared of you, but what the outcome would be. I mean, you're her brother. Y'all have a tight bond. I'm sure she's nervous.”

“You sure? Or you know?” He asks, looking up at her now.

“Huh?” She asks, hoping he can't feel the way her heart leapt into her throat.

“Did she run this by you already?” He asks, squeezing her hand lightly.

“S-she might've,” she stammers, “but I told her immediately that she needed to talk to you.”

He nods, before standing up from the couch. She instantly felt bad.

“Leon, I'm sorry. I told her that I didn't wanna be in the middle of it.”

“It's okay. I'm not mad at you.” He shrugs, looking around for his keys.

“You sure?” She asks.

“Positive. It's just killing me how she needed to talk to somebody else before her own brother. Maybe that bond ain't as tight as I thought.” He shrugs again.

Zora sighs. “Now you know that's not true. She just needed advice from someone that doesn't have all the inside information— someone who sees the situation as black and white and can give her a clear direction. It has nothing to do with your bond. I mean, haven't you ever gone to your mama about something between the two of y'all? Even one of your boys? Just to see someone else's perspective before you bring it to that person?” She asks, watching him still look around for his keys.

“Yeah, sure I have. I ain't never hung out with one of her friends behind her back though. Never thought about it. But yet..” he trails off, shrugging yet again, really tearing up Zora’s nerves.

“Leon, wha—”

“Ya know,” he cuts her off, clasping his hands together in front of him. “I can't do this right now. I don't wanna blank on you cause you don't deserve that, so I'm just asking that we just taper this off, okay? I got what you're saying and I appreciate you for telling her to talk to me. I'm not mad at you, this is just really irritating me.” He sighs.

Pursing her lips together, she nods, not saying anything more. She wasn't expecting that from him.

Finally locating his keys, he exhaled roughly and pulled out his phone, shooting Eryn a text that he was on his way so they could talk.

“Okay, I'm gonna head on over there. Will you be here when I get back?” He asks, moving to kneel in front of her.

“I don't know. I might just head home.” She says, not looking him straight in the eye. “I gotta work early tomorrow.”

A look of hurt flashes over his face, but he nods anyway. “I hurt your feelings.”

Still not looking at him, she nods. “It's cool. I get it. It's a touchy subject.”

“I'm sorry, baby. I didn't– I didn't mean to cut you off like that. It is a touchy subject, but that's no excuse.”

She raises her brows in agreement, still having nothing to say.

“Zora.” He calls out, covering her hands with his own.

“I hear you, Leon. Go talk to your sister. We're fine.” She smiles, her eyes finally finding his own. He still wasn't convinced, though.

“Can I have a kiss?” He asks, fearing she'd deny him.

However, she leaned in and placed a sweet one on him. It didn't linger like usual, but he understood.

“Okay,” he says, not wanting to leave now. “I guess I'll see you tomorrow, then.”

“Yeah, you'll see me.” She smiles, pulling her hands from his.

Standing back up straight, he stuffs his keys in his pocket and looks at her one more time.

“I love you.”

“Love you, too.” She says back, while he reluctantly heads out the door.

She lets out the shaky breath she hadn't known she was holding in, along with a sob as her emotions get to her.

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

“So, I got a call from Craig. He was tellin’ me about your lil lunch date with Brandon.” Leon gets straight to the point, watching Eryn’s face scrunch up.

“What was he doing? Spying on me?”

“Nah, just happened to see you. What were you doing, sitting across from that– from him. What's that about?”

“We were just catching up, honestly. We ran into each other when I was down in Florida and he wanted to stay in touch. He even said when the time was right, he wanted to see you.”

“When the time was right.” He repeats, scoffing to himself. “Wassup with y'all and right timing?”

“What's wrong with that?”

“Sometimes ain't no right time, Eryn. That's what you was waiting on, too, right?”

“Yes, cause look at you. Mad as fuck, understandably, but I know you're not tryna hear nothing I have to say, cause I ain't tell you right away. That's where it stops for you.”

“Really? You think I came all the way here for that? Yeah, I'm pissed cause it's been months since you've been talking to that bozo, but I'm still just tryna figure out why you're even doing it. What is this, E?” He asks, almost pleading.

She frowns, chewing on her lip. “I uh.. I like the guy.”

She'd said it so low, he almost thought he heard her incorrectly, but he knew what she said.

“Hm.” He nods, finally sitting down on a barstool. “You like him.”

“I- yeah. I know how it sounds, and that's why I wanted to wait to tell you. I wasn't sure what was going on between us and I didn't wanna start anything with anybody.” She stresses, while he just stares at her.

He snorts. “You're serious?”

“See?,” she scoffs, waving him off. “You can go back home if that's how you're gonna be.”

“How I'm gonna be. Eryn, there's no way you think this is cool, for real. It's nice to know that I fall out with muhfuckas and you pick ‘em up like charity cases. What, you buildin’ a man outta him or sumn?”

“You know, he's really changed. I'm not doing anything but seeing him for who he's trying to be. I mean, isn't this what you always wanted for him?? To be better??” She argues.

“Yeah, of course but when the fuck did that involve dating someone five years younger than him?? Why can't you find somebody else to fool around with?” He asks, regretting his word choice as soon it left his mouth.

Her head jerks back. “Fool around with? Damn, I'm a whore now, too?”

“That's not what I meant. This is just so ridiculous! You're too smart to be chasing behind him or anybody, like he could get you into a world of trouble. I've seen him do it to other people, and you just takin’ his word for it cause he makin’ you feel special.”

“I'm n-not going into this blindly, Leon.”

“But, you're not listening to me either. Brandon is not a good dude. You haven't even told me how he's even been keeping this detrimental promise to you. Huh? How is he gonna make sure I don't have to black both of his eyes?!”

“Always threatening to fight somebody is a character flaw,” she nonchalantly responds, over and done with the conversation at this point.

“Man, fuck you Eryn. I come over here, tryna make sense of all of this and you just sit here in my face, not even caring how this shit looks. I just hope it doesn't get ugly for you.”

“It's already ugly, right?? Since you know everything! I try and figure out a way to bring this news to you, myself. and I got friends beating me to the punch, cause I guess we can't just have lunch with people anymore.”

“It's more than just lunch, Eryn.” He stresses for the millionth time. “How'd you feel if one of them bitches you ain't like no more was calling my phone, wanting to see me and take me out to dinner? Wantin' to be friends with your brother behind your back and you hear about it from me when I'm ready. How would that shit make you feel?”

She sighs, her eyes darting around the room now.

“I… I see what you're saying.” She nods, sighing as a tear falls. She quickly wiped it away and he hates that it softens his rage, cause he was far from finished but he sighed and went to sit beside her anyway.

“I'm sorry about the name calling and everything,” he says, reaching up to wipe another tear away from his baby sister's face.

“I didn't mean for it to go down like this. You gotta believe me.” She whispers, looking up at him now.

“I know.” He nods. “I just want you to think about it. Really think. I'm not just upset ‘cause you're my little sister. I'm upset because regardless of whatever time we've spent apart, he should've reached out to me as soon as this was going on, and he definitely shouldn't be waiting for you to do it. It's a respectful thing to do.”

“Yeah, I understand. I just— he was being so nice and I haven't had the nicest relationships as of late, so maybe I did jump ‘cause of that. Maybe he is lying about being a better man. And I did take everything that happened to you two in consideration. Of course I did. I haven't done anything but sit across from him in public places. He hasn't been here, I haven't been over to his place. We haven't kissed or anything cause I knew how dumb that woulda been. I knew that.” She frowns, wiping away another tear.

Sighing to himself, he pulls her into a hug. “You're smarter than I've been giving you credit for.” He softly digs, earning a sock to his ribs and a muffled laugh.

“Shut up!”

“I'm just sayin’,” he shrugs, still rubbing her back. “But I'm glad we could talk. I really didn't come over to make you cry. But I needed you to understand where I was coming from.”

“Yeah, I know. I do appreciate the tough love, but I also would appreciate it if you toned it down a bit. I'm a bit more sensitive these days, as you can see.” She points to her tomato red face, and he softly laughs for the first time.

“Yeah, I can do that.” He nods. “So we're good?”

“Yeah, we're good.” She nods, sighing to herself.

“Okay. What happens next?”

“Uh.. I tell Brandon to find someone else?”

“Sounds like a great next step to me.”

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

Making it halfway through her shift, Zora was beyond tired and still a bit sad from the previous day.

It was exactly why she didn't wanna be involved in whatever Eryn and Leon had going on. She knew how touchy those sibling situations could be.

She didn't wanna be at odds with him because of it, but him cutting her off really threw her for a loop.

Wiping down a table, she hears the chimes on the door go off, her eyes carrying her to the man of the hour, holding a bouquet of roses.

Unable to stop the frown from forming on her lips, she looks up at him as he stops in front of her, an uneasy look covering his face.

“Let's uh,” she trails off as they move to the side.

“Hey,” he starts. “I wasn't gonna let the day go by without truly expressing to you how sorry I am for yesterday. I feel like I triggered you and that's the last thing I wanted to do. You know I love you more than anything. I hated making you feel that way. No matter how frustrated or angry I get, I don't ever wanna blow up on you cause that's not fair. You don't deserve that.”

“Every day's not gonna be perfect.” She softly says, as she leans on the counter while they're not too busy.

“Of course not, but still I wanna vow to do better. You're far too important to me. I don't ever want to hurt you.” He stresses, and she can see the sincerity all in his big brown eyes.

“I accept your apology.”

“You do?” He asks, blowing out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

“Yes. I know yesterday was a lot for you. Even though I was beside myself, I knew you didn't mean it.”

“I swear I didn't, baby. As much as I love to hear you talk, I hope you'd understand that. It was just so much going on in my head, I just c-couldn't focus.”

“It's okay,” she assures him, touching his arm. “I know.”

Sitting the flowers on the counter, he couldn't help himself from pulling her into a hug and burying his face into her neck, inhaling the sweet scent that kept him up last night.

“Couldn't even sleep right without you,” he mumbles, semi-squishing her in the process. She laughs and holds on tight, feeling her tears come right back up.

Pulling away, her hands quickly found her face and he felt bad all over again.

“Oh, baby I'm so so sorry.” He coos, prying her hands away and wiping every last tear away, pulling her right back into his chest.

He knew how much she hated crying, and being the cause made him feel like the worst guy in the world.

“I-I'm fine. I just didn't get any sleep last night, and this really bothered me. Please don't treat me like that again.” She pleads, looking him straight in the eye.

His heart could jump out of his body right now, at the look on her face. “I-I promise. Never again.”

“Okay,” she softly responds. “I missed you.”

“You have no idea how much I missed you,” he stresses, pulling her right back into another hug, squishing her again.

“You're gonna suffocate me!” She squeals, playfully beating on his back as he rocks them side to side. “But uh, you can always make it up to me.”

Anything you want, baby.”

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

Carrying her into his apartment, she audibly gasped at the many vases of roses littering the countertops.

A box of the good chocolate and a promise to make her favorite meal made her happily swing her feet back and forth in his hold.

She smiles as he plops her down on his bed, heading into his closet to retrieve a bath and body works bag, full of goodies.

“Aw, what's this?” She asks as she looks inside.

“Another I'm sorry gift. I know how you love your sprays, so I replenished them and got you a couple bath bombs since you liked the last one so much.”

“How sweet of you, thank you baby.” She pulls him in for a kiss, feeling a spark hit them both as they pull away.

“I love you.” He says.

“I love you, too.” She responds.

An hour goes by and Zora's soaking in the tub, surrounded by pink tinted bubbles while Leon is at her side, rubbing her feet with his magical hands.

Her favorite song is currently playing on the stereo, while they both hum along, stealing glances at each other.

You're the only one to keep me sane

You

I know no matter what, we're gonna be ok

We cool

Ain't no folding, we growing

Bloom like a rose

Through vines

Every single moment,

every single sacrifice

You're worth it

I don't doubt it

Yeah, you're worth the compromise

Maeta’s sweet voice carries on, setting the tone for their night. No matter what, they needed to have each other.

“Even on the ugly days, I still choose you.” Zora says, pulling him out of his deep concentration, her feet feeling soft and brand new now.

He smiles at her, pressing kisses to her skin. “I never take it for granted.”

Soon wrapping her up in a towel and carrying her back to his room, he dries her down and lotions her up from head to toe, dressing her in one of his favorite t-shirts and nothing more.

“I might just fall asleep, right now.” She jokes, her heavy lids about to give way. She looks so comfy in his bed, propped up on his pillows.

“Go ahead, baby. I'll start cooking in like an hour or so, give you some time.” He softly speaks, helping lull her to sleep.

“Can you lay with me? Please?” She asks, reaching out for him with her eyes closed, making him smile and climb right in, holding her like she'd slip away.

“Mmm, I missed this.” She mumbles, getting more than comfortable.

“Me too. Sweet dreams, sweet stuff.”

About an hour or so later, she woke up in bed alone, smelling the delicious food from where she lay.

Rubbing her eyes, she pulls the comfy covers back to get up, just as he's coming into the room with her plate. They smile at each other for the thousandth time.

“Hey, dinner in bed?” He asks.

“Hm, yeah why not?” She agrees, pulling the covers right back over her lap and sitting up. He pulls out a tray table to sit her plate upon so she doesn't have to hold it.

Shrimp alfredo stares back at her, making her mouth water. She licks her lips and looks up at him, who's anticipating her first bite just as much as she.

“Get your food, babe. Come sit.” She says, patting the space beside her.

Immediately leaving and returning with his own place, two glasses and a bottle of white wine, he makes himself comfortable right beside her, pulling another tray table up to sit everything onto.

“For you, beautiful.” He says, handing her a glass half full.

“Thank you, handsome.” She replies, taking a few sips before taking a couple bites of her food.

“Mmm,” she hums a laugh, “this is so good!”

“Yeah? Not too salty?”

“No, it's perfect. It's got a kick to it, which I appreciate as a spice connoisseur.” She giggles, reaching up to pat his back for him, making him laugh.

“I'm so glad you love it, baby. Had to win you all the way back over, tonight. I knew that would do the trick.”

“Aw, you really couldn't stand it could you?”

“Not at all.” He shakes his head, frowning as the image of her wet face comes back to his mind. He reaches out to caress her cheek, “I fucked up bad, knowing all of what you went through with that jerk and here I was, pretty much pushing you off just like that. I coulda kicked myself in the ass, the way you were brushing me off. That's never where I wanna be with you. Ever.”

Covering his hand with one of her own, she leans into his touch. Her pretty brown eyes look at him with all the adoration and understanding in the world.

“I'm glad you knew just how deep that hurt me. That shows me that you truly do love me, even on the sticky days. Shows I made the right decision in choosing you. All those times I spent telling you about what I wanted and what I didnt, didn't go out the window. It's not all overnight, I know… but as long as you're trying, I can't ever stay too mad. Now, that doesn't mean do it again,” she smiles, watching him crack up and pull her closer to him.

“I will never, I promise. I swore to give you a stress-free life and that's what I'm gonna do. I'll stick to my promises.” He says, holding out his pinky, cheesing as she links hers around his own.

“I'm so glad we made up,” he continues. “Coming back to an empty apartment blew my whole world up. I knew you wouldn't be here when I got back, which made me not even wanna leave.”

“I know, but I felt like you needed some time alone— I know I did. I was crying way too much for you to see me like that.” She softly laughs.

“I'm so sorry.” He says again for the thousandth time.

“Stop apologizing. It's okay, we're okay.”

“You sure? Nothing else you need me to do?” He asks. “I'm on my knees, ready to please.”

She smirks. “We'll keep that in mind, but seriously, I'm fine. I forgive you, we are good. Just keep your promises.”

Ch 19

@thegifstories @blackerthings @cecereads209 @nayaxwrites @ghostfacekill-monger @sheabuttahwrites @soufcakmistress @honestpreference @nayaesworld @neewrites @blowmymbackout @harmshake @henneseyhoe @twistedcharismaaa @abeautifulmindexposed

[miyuhpapayuh]

seventeen.

Happy new year!

Champagne is popped, confetti is flying through the air of the spacious club as the crowd hollers and smooches it up with their lover. A major smash up of the previous year's hits plays, keeping the party jumping.

Tugging at the back of her skirt for the thousandth time, Zora follows Leon, hand in hand, as they head back to the expansive bar.

“What round are we on, beautiful?” He asks with a laugh.

“Four or five,” she shrugs, hopping up on the barstool with his assistance.

He snorts, soon clinking his glass to hers and knocking back the dark liquor. The sting had long gone.

“Aren't you glad we ditched our plans of sitting on the couch?” She asks, pulling him just a bit closer to her.

He looks down at her, shaking his head. “I suppose. I look pretty fly and I got you on my arm, so..”

“Shut up,” she playfully punches his arm, letting out a giggle that he hears over the music. He smirks, looming over her just a bit more, reducing her to nothing but giggles.

“Stop it,” she faux whines, while he kisses every part of her face. He chuckles since her hand was still on his arm.

“Cut it out,” he laughs, pulling his face away from hers anyway.

“Hey, it's the lovely couple!” Cory stumbles over the pair, who might as well be sending fiery lasers through him.

Leon doesn't even let him get so much as a sniff of Zora, before blocking her completely, coming face to face with the audacious bastard.

Laughing at him to make matters worse, Cory places his hand on Leon's shoulder. “I'm not here to steal your girl, tonight, my guy–” his words are replaced with a yelp as his arm gets twisted behind him.

“Lost your fucking mind.” Leon simply says, pushing him so he stumbles in a completely different direction, far away from them.

“Come back if you fuckin’ want to!” He shouts after him.

Zora sighs as he turns back to her, making sure she was good. She nods, asking him the same question.

“He pisses me off so fucking bad, it's insane.” He blows out a breath.

“That makes two of us,” she agrees, reaching up to rub his bearded cheek, “always my hero, though!”

“You know I got you, baby.”

Soon making their way back to the dance floor, the deejay's switched to playing 90’s r&b. Everyone's favorite.

“Zora?” A voice that disgusts her to her very core sounds, even stilling Leon behind her.

“Who is that?” He asks, looking around the crowd.

“Sounds like my ex,” she sighs, staring the bastard right in the face as he begins to walk towards her.

“Wait a minute..” Leon says out loud, squinting at the woman that's following behind him. No way.

“Zora,” he repeats once he's closer to her. “That is you!”

“Yeah,” she responds, not bothering to mask her facial expression. “It's me.”

“You look great!”

“I always do.” She scoffs.

“Mhm,” he hums, looking her up and down, making her feel super exposed all of a sudden.

“Leon!?” The woman beside him points, to which he nods.

“Mhm.”

“Wow,” she says, making Zora look in her direction. “You look so good. Always have.”

Clearing his throat and ignoring her compliment, he looks in Zora's direction, who’s still glaring at her.

“Baby, this is Candy. Candy, this is Zora, my girlfriend.”

Candy holds out her hand, which Zora just stares at before looking back at her face. “I'm good. Heard lots about you.”

Candy snatches her hand back to her side, fighting the scoff that sits in her throat.

“Nice to meet you, too.” She mumbles.

“You gonna introduce me to your friend, here?” Leon asks, draping his arm over her shoulder.

“Jeremy, this is my boyfriend, Leon. Leon, this is my ex.” She gestures between the two, unenthusiastically.

Jeremy doesn't even lift his hand, in fear of getting done the same way as Candy.

“Oh, yeah. Heard bout you, too.” Leon scoffs.

He nods. “I understand. I wasn't a good dude.”

“The worst, yeah,” he responds without missing a beat.

“Probably still ain't shit.” Zora chimes in, feeling the liquor now.

“I deserve that, too.”

“You deserve my foot up your ass. Again.” She humorlessly laughs, looking up at Leon, overly done with the interaction.

“You ready?” She asks, not even getting a verbal response as he leads them around the couple.

Back at the bar, Zora knocks back two more shots, her nerves are beyond frazzled. The soothing circles Leon is rubbing on her knee are only doing so much.

“I could really beat his ass if you want me to.” He coos in her ear, finally earning a sliver of a smile, while she weighs her options.

“Mm.. nah. Just wasn't expecting or ready to see him.” She admits, placing a hand on top of his.

“I understand, baby. But, you handled it better than you think.”

“Yeah? Threatening to whoop his ass twice was nice?” She asks sarcastically.

“He deserved it and knew it,” he shakes his head. “He’ll be fine and so will you.”

“Yeah, you right.” She nods.

“I know, now come back and dance with me.”

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

The party might've ended at three, but that didn't stop the two from catching a lyft back to her apartment, jumping into their sweats and starting a movie marathon.

She's nestled comfortably between his long legs, his arms caged around her, providing more warmth than her sweaters ever could.

First up was Aquamarine. One of Zora's favorites.

Nothing but hiccuped laughter and slightly incoherent commentary are heard through the dimly lit area.

“I want starfish earrings so bad,” she sighs.

“Yeah? We gotta find you some, then.” He responds.

“Really? Can they be orange? That's my favorite color.”

“I,” he takes a pause to laugh, “I know, baby. And of course, anything you want.” He leans down to kiss her forehead.

She laughs at herself. “Let's get you a pair, too— green, of course. Cause that's your favorite– color.” She hiccups again.

“Aw, you wanna twin with me, Jean?”

“Hell yeah, Av!” She yells a bit louder than necessary, snorting shortly after. “Coolest guy on the planet.”

“Stop it,” he waves her off like she can see him, feeling his face get hot, and not just from the alcohol.

“Seriously,” she turns in his hold to look him in the eyes, literally. “The coolest!”

“What's so.. what's so cool ‘bout me?” He asks, unable to stop the widespread grin on his face.

“You're smart, and not just like a book smart type of way, but like a commonsensical person. That's so rare to find, ya know?”

“Yeah, we ran into three of the opposite, tonight!” He cracks, making her fall over in laughter.

“That was way too much to deal with, oh my gosh.”

“Yeah, it killed my mood by a thou, and you were upset after. That made it worse.”

“Yeah, but you cheered me up!”

“Still. I could kick his ass. It's easier now, knowing what he looks like.” He smirks.

“See, that's another thing that makes you so cool to me. Kickin’ ass in my honor.” She fondly shakes her head at him.

“I'll kill him if you want me to,” he shrugs, snickering as she hits him with a pillow.

“Unnecessary.”

“Is it?” He squints.

“Yes! Just kick his ass!” She laughs.

“I can??”

“Leon!”

“Zora!?”

They stare at each other for a split second, before bursting out into laughter again.

“You're stupid,” she says, looking back towards the tv and grabbing for the remote, “aw, we're missing it! Now we gotta go back.”

“Wait,” he says. “What else?”

“What else, what?” She asks back, almost forgetting what they were originally talking about.

“Oh!” She exclaims before he can jog her memory. “Right, right.” She sits the remote back down, this time pausing the movie.

“Let's see… your clothes are dope, that's why I steal ‘em. You're so pretty, which is also cool! You're a literal chef, and you cannot tell me differently, cause most men can't even cook a hot pocket.”

He chuckles hard at that. “Craig could actually live off those things.”

“Really? Yuck! He gotta get his shit together, there's better options out there!” She yells more than whispers.

“Ah, let him rock. It reminds him of simpler times, or whatever the fuck he be sayin’.” He says, making her laugh and leave it alone.

“But, again, my mama made sure we knew how to cook. I'm no chef, but I'll take your compliment.”

“You could have a five star restaurant.” She nods, ignoring him.

“Yeah? You put that much faith behind me?”

“I'll kick you out, right now.” She laughs, making him do the same. “Yes! What kind of question? Main dish would be that rack of lamb you made that time. My god, was it delicious.”

“Yeah? You liked it?”

“Loved it, babe.”

He smiles, welcoming the kiss she placed on his lips.

“I guess I am pretty cool, huh?”

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

“While we've about twenty minutes to spare, I need to talk to you about something.” Eryn says to Zora.

“Okay, what's up?”

“So, I'm in a bit of a pickle. When I went back to Florida, I met— well, re-linked is the better word— yeah, re-linked with this guy and we've been talking ever since, just getting to know each other all over again.”

“Aw, that's so cool!”

“Yeah… I guess it would depend on who you talk to about it.”

“Why? Who is it?”

“It's my brother's ex best friend.” 

“Eryn,” Zora sighs.

“I know, I know. But he's changed! He's so sweet now, god he used to be such a jerk! He's gotten himself together since they used to run together and shit. I know how it looks, but that's why I wanted to talk to you about it.”

“Well, I'm not really the person you should talk to you, Eryn. You know you gotta tell Leon.” She softly responds, placing her hand on top of the younger girl's.

She sighs, nodding in understanding. “Yeah, I got it. I just… you ever need someone else's perspective besides your sister's?”

“Of course! But, I still end up taking it to my sisters at the end of the day. I just think it'll be sticky if you get other people involved.”

“I'm not trying to pull you into the middle of all of this, I swear. I just think you're so cool and sweet and maybe you had some insight on how I should handle this.”

Zora frowns at the compliment, sighing to herself. “You're gonna get me in so much trouble.”

“I'm not, I swear!” She holds her hands up in surrender.

“Okay, okay.. are you ready to tell him?”

“Mmm… no, actually. I'm terrified— and not because that's his friend, but because that's my brother. He's always been there for me, and I really feel like I'm letting him down right now.”

“While I understand, don't beat yourself up. I mean, it's not like you don't wanna tell him. You're just trying to find the right way.”

“Right!”

“But,” she adds, “sometimes you just gotta rip the bandaid off.”

Before she can say any more, the girls make their way to the table, hugging and kissing Zora and Eryn.

“Hey, y'all!” They greet, finding their seats around the table.

“Nice of y'all to finally join us,” Zora snorts.

“Please spare us this time! The traffic was terrible.” Nique says.

“Eh, it's a new year. I guess I have no choice but to spare you just this once.”

“Such the angel baby!”

“So, what did we miss?!” Lovita asks, getting straight to the point.

“I ran into Jeremy last night at the club.” Zora says, making everyone's jaw hit the table.

“Wait… the ex that….” Eryn starts and pauses, making sure her story was right.

“Tried to break into her car with another bitch? The same one he cheated on her with?? Yeah. Yeah, that's him.” Nique answers.

“Did you knock him through the wall??” Nique asks.

Zora giggles. Hard.

“Stop laughing girl, I'm serious!”

“I know! My goodness,” she exasperates, wiping underneath her eyes. “I didn't lay a finger on that bitch. He's lucky I didn't throw a drink in his face or sumn.”

“Was he with a girl?” Eryn asks.

“Was he! Of all women he could be linked up with, why did it have to be Leon's ex-girlfriend?!” She asks, watching their jaws drop again.

“Oh my god! Candy??” Eryn asks, to which Zora nods.

“That whore you told us about??” Nique chimes in.

“Nique! Don't call her that,” Neoma shakes her head. “The correct term is jezebel.”

“Oh yes, my bad.”

“So, what did you do?”

“I honestly tried my best to ignore him. He saw me before I saw him and headed right over to us like we were long lost friends or something.”

“That audacious bastard.” Lovita says with a shake of her head.

“Same shit I thought, girl. Talking ‘bout some, “you look great”, like duh. Of course I do.”

“Right. What he thought?!”

“What he look like now?”

“Shit.” She snorts, making them join in.

“This girl,” Nique says through giggles. “She's stupid!”

“And correct!” Lovita squeals, holding out her phone for everyone to look at a picture off his instagram page.

“How'd you…”

“I never forget a bitch.” She smirks.

“Lord. Ugly, ain't he?”

“Girl, yeah.” Neoma says, not even giving the picture a second glance.

She never liked him. Always knew something was wrong.

“Ya know, I always knew something was up with his ass.” She continues.

“I know, Ne. From the day I met him.” Zora assures her.

“Not everybody needs the benefit, just the doubt.”

“Girl, shut up!”

After the most lively lunch possible, the girls head to their cars to part ways, promising to get back together the following weekend.

“Remember what I said, Eryn.” Zora says, before kissing her cheek.

“Thanks for the advice. I really appreciate it.”

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

Neoma and Craig are sitting in the middle of the food court for their weekly date, chowing down on lo mein from their favorite Chinese spot.

“How was work yesterday?” She asks him.

“I don't know what it is about the beginning of the year that just makes people act an ass, but that's all I've been hit with lately.” He grumbles.

“Really??”

“Yeah, everybody trippin’. Management, coworkers, consumers, hell even my mama called me the other day and was trippin’!”

“Jesus, that's too much. I'm sorry babe.” She offers, reaching across to rub his hand.

“It's alright, I had you to look forward to.” He says, pulling her hand up to kiss it, making her softly laugh.

“Really?”

“Yeah, honeybee! Love seeing your pretty face, every week.” He admits, making her blush.

Ever since they made things official, there wasn't a day where he didn't have her blushing like crazy, making her really feel and see his efforts in being a good boyfriend.

He was excelling so far.

“You're so cute.”

“I try,” he humbly shrugs.

“Do you?”

“For you, hell yeah!” He says, making her giggle again as they go back to eating.

Glancing over to his right, he does a double-take and finds Eryn sitting with some guy at a table further away.

“Oh look, it's baby E,” he comments, turning back to Neoma. “I thought she looked like somebody.”

Neoma looks in the direction he'd previously looked, nodding to herself. “Oh yeah, we all hung out a couple days ago. She's a sweetheart.”

“Yeah, she used to be a pain in our necks when she was younger.” He snorts.

“With knuckleheads like y'all as target practice? I woulda been the same way!” She giggles.

“Aye, now. We wasn't knuckleheads.” He defends.

“Boy, please! We've had enough game nights to know how y'all roll and I can only imagine what college, high school and elementary days looked like for y'all.” She laughs.

Ready to defend them again, he instead laughs at the stories coming to his brain. “You right, we were wild boys.”

“I know!” She laughs again, “you probably still got some wild left in you, too.”

“Wouldn't you like to find out.” He responds without missing a beat.

She playfully rolls her eyes at the same time a chill catches her, trying her best to shake it off.

Catching sight of who Eryn was actually sitting across from, as they passed by the table, Craig had to stop himself from snatching her away from the man altogether.

“Is she serious?” He asks out loud.

“Huh?” Neoma asks. “What happened?”

“That's Leon's old friend that she's with. Haven't seen that sorry bastard in years.”

“Oh, not a good dude?”

“Well, he wasn't. I don't know about now.”

“Well, maybe he's changed.” She shrugs.

“Yeah, but what is she doin’ with him?” He asks, more to himself than her. “Isn't that against sibling code or sumn?”

Neoma tried to stifle her giggle at his serious expression. “Craig, you need to relax a little. It's not like we saw him with his arm around her neck or kissing her. They could be catching up. Maybe she wants them to be friends again.”

He sighs, taking in her words. “Yeah, I guess that could be a possibility.”

“Do you trust her?”

“Well, it's really not about my trust, but yeah– she's a good kid. I just would hate for them to fall out over this.”

“You wanna tell him you saw them together, don't you?” She asks, already knowing.

“Yeah,” he answers, both of them laughing. “I would just hate for the shoe to be on the other foot, and nobody told me they saw my brother and a dude I used to be cool with hanging out together. We'd really have to fight.”

“Clyde wouldn't do you like that, would he?” She asks, sipping on her soda.

“Nah, cause I'd kill him.” He says, point blank. She just shakes her head.

“Well, tell Leon what you saw and leave it there. Seriously, babe.” She firms, making him smirk.

“I promise, mama. I won't overstep.”

“Good, now gimme a kiss.” She says, cupping his face from across the table, him meeting her halfway for a sweet kiss that lingers a bit.

Pulling away, she begins to wipe the little bit of gloss she has left off his lips, but he sways her away.

“I wear it proudly,” he chuckles, smiling wide at her so she can see his partial grill.

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

“She was out with who?!” Leon asks for the third time, the angry crease in his forehead might as well have been permanent from how hard his brows were scrunched together.

“Brandon, bruh.” Craig repeats into the phone.

He'd called Leon as soon as he left Neoma’s place, not wanting to waste any time. He knew Leon would be hot either way, but now he was a little afraid of the outcome.

“The fuck she doin’ with him??”

“That was my same question, I shit you not. Baby girl seems to think that it's innocent, but like I told her, if Clyde hung out with somebody I wasn't cool with no more behind my back, he'd have to feel me.”

“Exactly. So, I'm finna go talk to her ass and ask her why in the blue hell she's running around with him.” He huffs, pacing the floor.

“Like has everybody lost their minds?!” He asks.

“Words right out of my mouth, again.” He nods like he can see him. “But uh.. please don't be harsh. Not too harsh, anyway.”

Leon sighs. “Not sure how level-headed ima be, but I hear you. We've had some explosive fights, I know.”

“Yeah, y'all have. The last thing you need to do is make her feel bad, especially if she had no ill intention.”

“Yeah. I got you. I'll hit you later.” He says, before hanging up and sighing deeply, pressing his thumb and index finger into the bridge of his nose.

“Fuck am I gonna do?”

Ch 18

@ghostfacekill-monger @honestpreference @essaysbyciara @cecereads209 @harmshake @thegifstories @abeautifulmindexposed @mauvecherie-writes @blackerthings @starcrossedxwriter @sheabuttahwrites @soufcakmistress @blowmymbackout @nayaesworld

[megamindsecretlair]

Oh this was so sweet and adorable. I just love love, and I absolutely adore these two. Brava 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽 look at them babies go 😭😭😭

23

“Oh, my head—”

“Shut that up, woman.” Leon cuts Zora’s dramatics off, lightly thumping her nose. She laughs, flicking his hand away.

“Yeah, yeah. My head may be fine, but the rest of me,” she snorts, tucking one of her hands behind her head, getting comfy in the king size bed.

“That's why I'm gonna draw you a bath, silly.” 

“Ugh, he does love me.” She sings, giggling at the many kisses he plants on her lips and face.

“More than life, cupcake.” A single kiss is pressed to her nose and he's disappearing into the adjoining bathroom to get the water going.

Sliding down in the bed, Zora sighs and stretches her limbs, sore as they are, and runs her hands over her poofy hair. It would be nice if she could find a ponytail holder.

Looking to her right, she squints from the loss of her contacts, at the sight of the pretty pale yellow sun high in the sky, the swirls of gray clouds make it that much prettier.

A yelp of surprise leaves her as Leon scoops her up from her warm place in the sheets, carrying her directly into the steamy, rose littered bath.

“Aw, how cute is this!” She coos, looking up at him once they're seated, leaning in for a few sweet kisses.

“Anything for you, sugar lumps.” He says, kissing her lips a few more times, before pulling her hair up away from the water.

“Thanks, I couldn't find my scrunchie or anything,”

Drying his hands on the towel closest to them, he flashes her his left wrist, making her gasp at the black elastic band around it.

“Where was it?”

He chuckles, pointing to the counter in front of them. “I think you left it in here at some point, last night.”

“Jesus,” she mumbles, sighing as he gently rakes his fingers through her hair, pulling it into a high, messy bun.

A couple strands fall wayward, leaving him twirling them around his finger.

“When’s checkout time?” She asks, linking their wet fingers together.

“Uh.. twelve, I believe.” He answers, kissing her shoulder as she leans into him.

“Good. More time to soak all of this up. Nique said Valentine's been meowing more than usual.” She says, closing her eyes, stretching and cracking her toes.

“Aw, she lasted longer than I thought.”

“Same,” she laughs, “gotta get her a treat.”

“Oh lord,” he chuckles, peeking down at her as she quiets down.

“You falling asleep on me, girl?”

“Mmm, maybe?”

“Always my sleepyhead,” he laughs, once more, pressing a kiss to the side of her face.

“Sorry, it's just so cozy… I can't help it.” She yawns, drawing a pattern on a hand that's splayed across her belly.

“It's okay,” he assures, “cause you gotta stay up for the rest of the day, anyway.”

“Why?” She asks, popping one eye open.

“V-day misses mama, that's why.”

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

“Her custom collar is on its way!” She sings, shoving her phone towards Leon so he could see it.

Bright orange with black hearts, gold nameplate with Valentine carved into it with a tiny heart in the corner.

“How cute,” he snickers, “she's spoiled, already.”

“As she should be! Isn't it so cute?! I know you said it was, but say it again!” She blurts out, laughing at herself before he has the chance.

“Baby, calm down,” he chuckles, rubbing her knee as she bounces her leg in excitement.

“It's very cute. ‘S gonna match her fur real nice.”

She pinches his cheek and settles back beside him, just as Valentine jumps into her lap to curl up.

“I love when she does this,” she coos, rubbing her soft fur.

Her purring had become Zora’s new favorite thing in an instant. It was its strongest when she'd rub between her ears.

Leon fondly shakes his head, before getting up and heading into the kitchen.

“What's for lunch, chef?” Zora snickers.

“Ha. I was thinking about a club sandwich? I won't put tomatoes on yours, I know how you feel about ‘em.”

“Aw, you know me! That sounds so delicious, actually.” She nods.

“See? Great minds,” he points between them for emphasis, making her laugh.

“Want me to help you with anything?”

“Yes. Stay put and play with v-day.” He winks.

She playfully rolls her eyes, mumbling an okay before looking down at her new orange companion.

“You're like Garfield, but so much cuter,” picking her up, she holds her closer to her face, cooing as she reaches out to nuzzle against her cheek.

“Yep. So much cuter!”

After a quick cat nap for them both, the smell of bacon sent Zora toward her dining table where her plate was waiting.

“Oh man, that looks delicious!” She says as her stomach rumbles.

“I hope you love it, bae.”

Quickly washing her hands, she rejoins Leon at the table to finally chow down.

“Did you make homemade fries??” She asks, staring at the thick cut fries on her plate.

“Yeah,” he grins proudly, “I definitely took a trip to the store while y'all were knocked. It just sounded so good. They're the perfect golden I've been tryna get ‘em to, too.”

“Aw,” Zora snickers, pinching his cheek, “you are the cutest chef alive! Did you take a picture??”

“You know I did! I even did a lil video, showing me cutting them up, frying the bacon, plating everything..” he nods, still grinning.

“Throw it on tiktok or something! I bet the people would eat it up!”

“Yeah, I honestly thought about it. But I'm still trying to get all my ideas together for my next career move, so I'll table that for now. Keep it on the top of my stack.” He winks.

Thanking god the redness in her face was hidden, she grabs a half of her sandwich and bites into it, eyes closing at the taste.

“Mmm,” she hums, grabbing a fry next to dip in the aioli sauce, then another one, then taking another bite of her sandwich, all while Leon watches in pure happiness.

“I take it, you're enjoying it,” he says, biting into his own sandwich.

“The thoughts I'm thinking right now are so unholy,” she pauses to lick her fingers, “all because of you and this food!”

He raises a brow at her, to which she responds by raising both back at him.

“What you tryna do, then?” He asks with a chuckle.

She giggles, dipping another fry into the sauce and tossing it into her mouth.

“Better be glad vday ain't so sleepy yet,” Leon says, smiling at her.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. I'll get you later, though.” He winks.

She continues to giggle and eat her food, while he heads back into the kitchen to clean up.

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

Zora took the brief moment she had to sit down and go through her checklist, thanking god for friends like Nique.

After having the dreaded conversation with Linda and having it go way better than anticipated, she felt better knowing she was scheduled til the end of the month and it could go towards her savings for her project.

She'd sent off prints of her artwork to the Mint museum, attaching her contact info to each one just in case they were interested.

Nique had even encouraged her to use social media to her advantage, especially with her not having much on her instagram, having archived everything but her face.

She posted on her page and story about her art, making sure to specifically hide her story from Leon so her journey could remain a secret for now.

On the move again, she moves toward the door and looks back at Valentine.

“Daddy’ll be here soon.” She says, blowing a kiss before slipping out, locking up, almost skating down the steps to her car.

About ten minutes later, there's three plates of nachos between Zora, Neoma, Lovita and Nique as they catch up at their favorite spot, Mi Pueblo.

“So, Nique and I are currently trying to get my art in the mint museum,” she says, laughing as they gasp.

“I know, I know!”

“Dude!” Lovita reaches over to smack her younger sister’s arm. “That's huge!”

“Yeah! I knew something was up!”

“Did you really? Cause Zora said y'all wouldn't catch on!” Nique points out.

“Heffa,” Neoma sucks her teeth, “when you put your canvases away, that was my first clue cause I wanted to know why, but I never asked, see? I waited for you to tell me!”

Zora giggles. “You did good, Nene!”

“So, what have y'all done so far?”

“I've sent in prints of my artwork, told them I've got the money set aside for any fees! I've joined an art group, too! I meet with them next week! It's mostly women— sistas!”

“Ooh, I'm so excited for you!”

“Me too! Look at you go!”

“What did Leon say??”

“He doesn't know much about it, I'm keeping most of it a secret for now.”

“Awww, he's gonna flip!!”

“I know, I cannot wait!” Zora beams. “But enough about me, what's going on with y'all?”

“Wait, you still gon be waitressin’?” Neoma asks.

“Nah, my last day is the twenty-seventh. I'll miss it.” She sighs.

“Aw, poor Linda's gon’ lose her mind without you!”

“She knows I'll never stray too far! I might ask her for some favors, soon… but, do tell thing one and thing two.”

“Girl,”

“Stay doin’ us. Anyway, I'm getting promoted to head chef since I'm such the cook!” Lovita says, cheesing hard.

“That's amazing! Congratulations!” They applaud.

“Yeah, go you! I knew you could cook more than egg and bologna sandwiches.” Nique jokes, making Lovita laugh and flip her off.

“Thanks, y'all. It was really the boost I needed! It also comes with a FAT bonus!”

“How fat we talkin’?” Zora asks as they all lean in.

“Girl fatter than the Fat Boys!”

They all crack up, falling back in the booth simultaneously, wiping tears from their cheeks.

“That girl ain't got no sense!” Neoma says, still giggling as they calm down.

“Okay giggles, what's new with you?” Zora asks.

“Craig and I just celebrated our three month anniversary last week. He took me to the Cheesecake Factory cause that's my favorite place, I ate my chicken and biscuits! Y'all know how I feel about ‘em!”

“Yes, we know,” Lovita nods, while Zora snickers. “But cute, cute! What else?”

“We shared a slice of Oreo cheesecake and it said happy anniversary on the plate, I'll show y'all in a minute, it was so cute! Then we went inside pandora and he got me another charm for my bracelet, it's this little yellow heart!”

“Awww,” they coo, so happy for their little sister.

“I might not have to hurt him after all,” Nique says, and they fall into another fit of laughter.

“Nique got jokes! I hope she got sumn to spill, too.”

“Oop! Well, of course I do! I'm also quitting my job very soon and going back to school full time!”

“What?” They gasp.

“I can't believe you didn't tell us!” Zora exclaims.

“It was so hard keeping it to myself for this long!” Nique laughs. “It started off as just a thought but then I brought it up to Darnell and he offered to help me with my bills so I can go back and get my degree!”

“What?” They gasp even louder this time.

“That's what I said!!”

“That's a good man, there.” Lovita nods. “He gon pay your rent?”

“Mmmhm! I don't gotta worry about nothing!”

“Must be nice!”

“Damn, I'm scared of you!” Zora laughs.

“You sound like ya damn mama,” Nique cracks.

“We're so happy for you!”

“Shoot, we need another round of nachos or something! We can get drinks this weekend if y'all want though, we still gotta drive home.”

“True, true! Put extra queso on those nachos!”

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

“Valentine Jupiter Grey, get DOWN from there!” Leon yells, waving her feather toy around to get her attention.

The orange cat had found her way up on his bookshelf, cozying up in the highest nook, which was also the one of the dustiest. He already knew giving her a bath would be another challenge.

He sighs heavily, looking up at her green eyes peeking down at him. She was not moved by his yelling or his choice of toy.

“So, you're just gonna sit up there?” He asks, as if she was going to answer him.

She just blinked and looked towards the window. He scoffed and sat down in his office chair.

“Talkin’ bout she won't be climbin’ on high surfaces and shit.. vday is on my bookshelf! That mug is eight feet tall, and she's just up there chillin’!”

As if she sensed something was wrong, Zora calls.

He answers on the first ring, immediately filling her in on her new feline friend and her misadventure.

“She what?!”

He turns around to look up at her. Ears pointed as she stared at him, still.

“Mmhm, she's still staring at me… nah, she didn't knock anything over, but what if she falls? She's so tiny and watching her jump up there almost gave me a heart attack!” He laughs.

“Good lord! Okay, I'll be there in like ten minutes, okay? Just keep your eye on her.”

“I got you, get here safe. I love you.”

“I love you, sugar booger.”

Soon, mama’s coming through the unlocked door to scold her precious baby kitty.

“Valentine Jupiter Grey,” she says, coming into the room and looking up at the top of the bookshelf. Her ears were still pointed, but she looked scared now.

“What in the world??” Zora yells.

“My exact words, I swear.”

“Did you try standing in a chair?”

“Uh, they're not sturdy enough to hold me up anymore. I thought about that but I would've gotten hurt.”

“You make enough money to buy new chairs, Leon.”

“I know,” he nods, “I've just been kinda busy, lately.” He says, as his eyes flicker back up to Valentine.

“But,” he continues, “what if I hoist you up on my shoulders? I think you could reach her.”

“Yeah? You sure?” She asks, biting her nail.

“You won't get hurt, I promise.”

“Okay, hold on.” She says, placing her phone and purse on his desk and pulling her hair up into a ponytail.

He chuckles, before squatting down so she can hop on his shoulders. She felt like a little kid as he made sure she was secured and ready for him to stand up.

She swore she fell once he completely stood up, clutching his face carefully not to scratch him, and he tightened his arms around her thighs.

“I got you, baby. I got you.”

“Okay,” she huffs, “Valentine, you better be glad you're worth this panic attack!”

Her soft mewls sound, making Zora frown. Her shaky hands just about reach the shelf where she's sitting.

“Okay, move in a bit closer, I can almost reach her.”

As soon as she can make contact, she pulls her off the shelf into her arms, holding her breath once more, as he lowers her back down to the floor.

“Oh my god,” she heavily sighs, sitting on the floor to stop the spinning in her head. Leon grabs a towel to wrap Valentine in, sitting down too.

“Sorry, I didn't think of it before.”

“It's okay, I didn't either. I'm just glad we got her down. Thank you.”

“Of course, love this lil stinker,” he rubs his thumb between her ears, chuckling at her purring.

“Hard headed, I know.” Zora says, laughing as well.

“Alright, bath time!” He says, before standing up and grabbing Valentine from Zora, pulling her up after.

“I'll get the shampoos! Ooh, I found this papaya scented one– it smells like heaven!”

After bath time and putting a sleepy vday in her cat bed, the couple make dinner and head out on the balcony to enjoy the mildly chilly night air.

“Well I can't reveal anything yet, but I'll just say that I'm finally cracking through the glass ceiling.” Zora says, looking from her sweet boyfriend to the pale moon before her.

“I'm already proud of you.” He smiles, kissing the top of her head. She melts, giggling away.

“Thank you baby!”

“Any time. I also have some things in the works.”

“Do you, now??”

“Mmhm. Sounds like we'll both have something to reveal.”

“I'm loving it, honestly.” She laughs, him joining in.

“Me too, baby. When do you meet with your group again?”

“Tuesday! I'm so excited!” She gushes. “I joined the group chat last night and everyone welcomed me in so nicely, it was so cute, I cried a little.”

“You kill me,” he chuckles, “I'm glad they were nice to my baby. Sounds like everything you been looking for!”

“It really is, Av’! I've already got my portfolio together— I put my portfolio together! Like, who am I?” She laughs at herself, watching the smile on Leon's face widen.

“I'm so happy to see you so happy.”

She softly smiles. “You're gonna make me cry!”

“Guess we both finna be in tears,” he shrugs, still smiling at her.

“Stop it,” she playfully warns, already wiping under her eyes. “And thank you, it feels good to be back in the swing of things! I was down for so long, for too long!”

“Hey, give yourself some grace. You went through a lot, and now you're using that as fuel, yeah?”

“Yeah, truly. Ima make the art world my bitch,” she says, cheesing wide.

“That's my girl!”

@ghostfacekill-monger @thegifstories @blackerthings @planetblaque @blowmymbackout @henneseyhoe @honestpreference @blackpinup22 @abeautifulmindexposed @nayaxwrites @twistedcharismaaa @kindofaintrovert @sageispunk @madamzola @soufcakmistress @megamindsecretlair @starcrossedxwriter @slippinninque

[miyuhpapayuh]

fifteen

Music’s playing, candles are burning, there's no light beside the sun peeking through the curtains, shining down on her prettiest subject.

Her glass of white wine is being babysat, cause knowing her and how much of a lightweight she was, a few sips were enough.

Leon definitely took a shot before they got started, since he'd never been a model for anything. His last minute nerves made him even more adorable to Zora.

Blk Odyssy had become one of her favorite musicians, thanks to Leon and his impeccable taste. Their new album, diamonds & freaks served as the soundtrack.

Sexy lady

Got me faded

I'm intoxicated

I been watching, baby

Sexy lady

Sweet Jesus, save me

Go on, and rock me, baby

Don't stop it, baby

“Love this song,” she comments, dipping her brush into the deep red paint, using it as one of her base colors.

“I thought you would.” He replies.

“Yeah, you knew.” She hums a laugh, tilting her head to the left, following the curve she's creating for her study of her boyfriend.

“Are you painting me just like I am?” He asks.

“Well, everything above the knees. That's all I can fit in the canvas.” She answers.

“Where'd you get this idea from?” He asks, curious all of a sudden.

“My sisters actually suggested it. They were really excited that I had started painting again, and since you're my muse, it seemed like something really fun to do.” She explains, poking her head out to look at him, snickering at the focus in his face.

“Quit laughin’ at me,” he mumbles.

“Sorry, you're just so still, like you might break if you move. Relax a little.”

“I thought I needed to stay still.”

“Yeah, but not that still.”

“Hm,” he hums, staring at the back of the easel and the sliver of her face that he could see. A smile graces his face as he watches her in her comfort zone.

Still singing along to the music, she takes another sip of her wine and paints another fine line onto the canvas, super pleased with how everything is turning out.

His green button-up covers her thick frame like a dress.

Her feet were tapping against the bars of the stool, her sloppy bun, flopping around with every concentrated turn of her head.

She was just as focused, but he wasn't gonna tease her. He loved seeing this new side of her. She let him into her art world, finally.

Taking her advice and relaxing, he falls into his natural trance of her, when she readjusts the easel, giving him more than just a peek at her beautiful face.

All the while, she was looking at him and back at the canvas, perfecting every curve, dimple, divot with striking blues and oranges, deep reds and browns.

Stealing glances at him, she tugs on her lip.

She knew it was gonna be kinda distracting, but he definitely wasn't playing fair.

Flexing those big arms of his, “stretching”, was already enough and too much for her. And every time he licked his lips, her left leg would tangle with her right. He caught it each time and smirked.

Once he got to readjusting the only article of clothing he had left, her eyes diverted to his lower region and hers began to throb.

Almost finished.

“Jesus,” she mumbles to herself, shaking her head like it would clear the explicit images swimming around her mind.

“You alright over there?” He asks, a hint of amusement in his tone.

“Yeah, I'm good,” she shakily answers, taking another sip, which looked more like a gulp from where he was sitting.

“You sure?” He teases.

She laughs, now looking over at him. His devious smirk does nothing to help the wet spot forming between her thighs.

“You done?” He asks.

“No.”

“I'm distracting you?”

“And, you know it.” She nods, making him laugh.

“You told me to relax. I'm just tryna follow the rules, dear.”

“Yeah, and now your friend is winkin’ at me.”

He simply shrugs. “That's your fault.”

“Mine? How?”

“Cause you're so fine. This happens every day, babe.”

“Every day?” She repeats.

“Yeah. A couple times a day.”

“Wow.”

“You've seen you, right?” He asks.

She scoffs, lifting the brush back to the canvas. “Boy, please. I can't even look you in the eye, right now.”

He snickers, moving out of his pose to further mess with her. Pulling his chair just a bit closer, he leans forward to stare at her and she keeps her eyes trained on her work.

“Zoraaa,” he drags out.

“I'm so glad I got all the details I needed, you play so much,” she laughs, trying her best to ignore his taunting.

“Come play with me,” he continues, almost making her drop her brush.

“Can you get back in your position, please?” She asks.

“Can I put you in a couple positions?” He quips, earning that eye roll that he knew was coming.

“If you let me finish… maybe.”

He holds his hands up in surrender, moving right back into his pose. Zora fans her face, no longer caring if he can see how flustered he's made her.

The next thirty minutes dragged on by and she was finally done, not even getting to sit her brush down good before being whisked over to the couch, him hovering over her.

Bruising her lips with his rough kisses, he quickly discards the scrap of lace that barely covered her ass, as well as his own briefs, before sliding into her with one fluid motion.

Gasping into the kiss, her hands cling to his broad back and shoulders, sinking her nails in as the feeling of him bottoming out with every thrust sends fire through her.

His mouth latches onto her neck, while she lets out every expletive she can think of, into the damp air of her apartment.

“Oh m— my god,” she pants, holding him so close to her body, shivering as his groans vibrate on her skin.

“You feel so damn good,” he rasps.

His tongue trails down her chest, nibbling on her breasts as he rips the shirt open, squeezing her flesh into his big hands, driving her crazy as she cradles his head.

Her feet are pressed against his chest and he leans up to do more damage, his hips rutting against her ass that's hanging off the couch. She looks up at him in disbelief.

His hands have her ankles bound, as she cries and writhes underneath him. Her hands move up and down his arms, back down to scratch his hips as it gets too good.

“Fuc– king me so— good,” she squeals, catching both of them off guard as she releases all over him. His thumb finds her clit, making matters slipperier.

“Yeah, gimme all that shit, baby.” He moans, encouraging another orgasm to happen right on the spot. Her edges were back curly by this point.

“C’mere,” she whispers, pulling him back down to her level to swallow his every breath in a kiss. Her cramped legs wrap around his waist, pulling him closer if that were even possible.

Pulling away, he smirks down at her, taking her in, breathless, sweaty, hungry for more as she stares back at him, ready for his next move.

“So beautiful,” he says, dragging his thumb across her parted bottom lip, “why don't you pose for me, now.”

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

Once she got around to actually taking in her painting, she was super pleased with how it came out. So was Leon.

“Can I just say, I'm flattered.” He smirks, cracking up at the look she gives him.

“Stop it,”

“Seriously. That's literally me.” He exclaims, pulling her into his side.

“All of me.” He mumbles, hearing her disapproving groan sound through the space.

“Leon, please!” She laughs. “But, you really like it?”

“Love it, sweet stuff. I told you. Art gallery.” He says, smiling down at her.

She smiles back up at him, shaking her head. “Nah, not yet.”

He raises a brow at her, earning a brighter smile.

“Not yet, huh? So you're getting closer to putting yourself out there?” He excitedly asks.

“Yeah, I thought about what you said and it doesn't sound like a bad idea. I'm just nervous, ya know?”

“Why?”

“I feel stunted. Like, I gave everything up to be someone's doormat and.. I don't know. I just feel like the level of artistic ability has kinda dissipated? And yeah, I know. I look at my paintings and I see what I'm capable of so get that sad look off your face,” she pinches his cheek as he laughs, “I just have my doubts.”

He wipes the frown away, but there's still sadness there. He wants nothing more than for her to believe in herself. Fully.

“It's harder than it seems to cross some hurdles, I understand that. But if you really want this, that's what you gotta do.”

“No, I know. And, I appreciate you for putting me back in front of this here easel. It's been a while, but it's always so much fun.”

“Of course, baby. It's a pleasure watching you in your zone.” He says, leaning down to kiss her temple.

“I cannot show this one to the girls.” She snickers, before looking up at him.

“Yeah, nah. Maybe the top half.”

“Please. I can hear Nique fighting for the extra details, as we speak.”

“That girl is hilarious.” He comments, moving to stand behind her and wrap his arms around hers.

“Funniest person I know, besides myself, of course.”

“And me. Hol’ up.”

“Right, right. Can't forget about you,” she snickers, yelping at the pinch to her butt.

“It's what you get.. talkin’ shit.” He mumbles into her neck.

“Oh yeah, don't try and bill me for that shirt, since you were the one that ripped the buttons off.” She says, making him chuckle.

“One, I would never do that for real, it's an empty threat every time.” He admits, making her laugh. “And two, I can always get the buttons put back on. Or you can just add it to your collection.”

“Oh, I was gonna do that anyway, cause that's how I am.” She smiles like he can see her.

“Something else.” He shakes his head.

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

“Why I can't see that one??” Nique asks, pointing to the covered canvas and stomping her heeled foot like a bratty child.

“Cause you play too much, man.” Zora waves her off, pointing to the painting on the easel. “But you can look at this one!”

Nique immediately gasps at how breathtaking the painting was. It's as if Zora had committed Leon's face to memory and captured him in five different lights so realistically.

“Girl, when I say talented doesn't even cover it.” She shakes her head, looking over at her best friend.

“Oh, girl. Stop.”

“Nah, man. This is on another level!” She swats her arm in excitement. “Like, that's his literal face, dude! How do you even do something like this?!”

She shrugs. “I honestly just sat her and did it. He came to my mind and I just let my paintbrush guide me.”

“Wow.” She says in response, making Zora laugh.

“Yeah, I said the same when I was done.”

Staring back at the canvas, she smirks. “So, are you gonna do anything with it?”

“Ah— I might. I don't know yet, really.”

“Cause you know, it would be really nice if someone invested in you snagging a spot at the mint museum to display such a piece.”

Zora squints her. “That's still something you'd do for me?”

“Zora, it's like you forget who I am or something. I'm highly offended right now.” She places her hands on her hips, reminding her of both of their mothers.

“Get your hands off your hips, Roberta! I know who you are! It's just.. I don't know. That was a long time ago and that was the biggest dream I've ever had to give up.”

“It's okay, I understand. But my offers are never conditional to you, dude. You could not even be my friend anymore and I'd still send you the money to do it cause I believe in you. That bozo of a boyfriend was a hater and he fucked everything up, yeah he did. But look at you, rebuilding it right now. Every time you get in front of the canvas do this,” she's eyes wide as she points back to the canvas, “you're getting so much closer to that dream of yours.”

By now, Zora is wiping tears away. Nique frowns and pulls her into a much needed hug. She wasn't expecting to get emotional today, but leave it to her best friend to pull a few tears out of her.

“Sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry. I know you hate that,” she softly laughs, wiping her cheeks.

“It's okay, I think I've needed to let it out for a while.” She smiles, covering her face for a moment to get herself together.

Nique heads into her kitchen to wet a paper towel, bringing it back to cool down her flushed face.

“Ugh, anyway,” she outright laughs. “I really appreciate you. That really does mean so much that you could hate my guts and still help me out. That's the kind of support everybody needs.” She covers her heart, Nique doing the same.

“One of a kind, I know.” She nods. “And it's nothing, seriously. You're my mother’s kid as much as I'm yours. I got you, you got me.”

“I love you, dude.”

“I love you too, man.”

“I've honestly been thinking about getting back out there for a while, but you and Neoma already knew that cause that's what y'all do,” she snorts, beating her to it, “Lovita is close to getting there, she all into Clyde right now—”

“You mean, he's all into her?”

“Right. Anyway, she'll catch on, but Leon asked me a while ago and I've just been sitting on the idea for a while. Maybe.. I wanna paint a couple more pieces and then maybe I can look into it.”

“Yeah, hey! Nobody is pressuring you. I promise. You know we just wanna see you do your best and you are the best. Fuck him and fuck those negative voices he left behind. You're the shit, Jean. Let's ask his ass to come pick up a fucking pencil and see if he won't jam it into his eye, before tryna attempt what you did on this canvas. I'd bet you the air in this room and win. He's a bitch.”

“Okay, okay,” she cackles, “relax, relax. You hate him more than I do, at this point!”

“I could kill him,” she smiles, “because you deserve better and girl, look at god! Better meets you at your favorite place!”

“I know, I can't wait to tell everyone at the wedding, someday.” She giggles.

“Oh lord, that's gonna be the countriest wedding ever!”

“Stop! It's gonna be the most beautiful wedding you've ever been to, shut up!”

“Y'all gon be letting doves go, it's gon be a duck pond somewhere cause y'all love the ducks, flowers of every damn kind!”

“Nah, I'm pretty sure he's already got flower combos to present to me.” She laughs, remembering one of their trips to the shoppe this past summer.

“What?”

“He was asking me which flowers were which one time, and they'd just happened to be my second favorite flower, my mama's favorite and he asked me if I thought they would pair well with aster, which is his mama's favorite flower, and I just kinda looked at him like… I know what you're up to.” She laughs at the giant smile on Nique's face.

“Aw, that is so cute! He thinks he's slick, let him be slick!”

“Nah, I'm not gonna burst his bubble! I thought it was adorable. He's so cute, I can't take him sometimes.”

“Lord have mercy. So, I got a question.”

“No, I'm not having a maid of honor. Y'all ain't killing me, cause I'd make it all of you.”

“You can have three! It's your wedding!”

“Three maids of honor? That don't sound crazy?”

“Nah, not to me. I was gonna do that for mine.”

“Really?” Zora smiles, making Nique laugh.

“See, look at your face! Do it for yours, too! Wouldn't that work out better anyway? Three people to divy up your something old, new and blue. Might be something you've had your eye on.”

“Okay, okay! We're getting so ahead of ourselves, and what if I don't get married? Then I can't get that something new… or blue??”

“Girl,” Nique laughs. “You worried about the gift?”

“Yes, duh. Leon ain't going nowhere. We don't have to get married, honestly. It's just another dream of mine, but I'm not as traditional as I used to be. But, I'd love to get married, too. Don't listen to me.” She cuts herself off.

“No, no. I totally get it. What girl doesn't wanna confess her love to the man of her dreams in front of everyone they both love?! In a frilly dress! With a veil! Or no veil! Big poofy hair! A reception! We'd throw the biggest party, you already know it!”

“Yeah, we would!” She agrees.

“Right! Don't let go of your dreams, keep 'em close. Just in case. Hell, Leon seems like a wonderful suitor so far!”

“Yeah, he’ll do long,” she jokes.

“Now back to this canvas, over here.” Nique says, making Zora sigh super loudly.

“Dominique.”

“Let. Me. See. It.”

“No.”

“Whyy??” She whines again, adding extra syllables to the word.

“Because, you play too much!”

“I'll be good, I promise! I just wanna see it!”

Zora rolls her eyes, before moving to uncover it, watching the joy wash over her best friend.

“Behave. I'm serious.”

“I said I'll be good, girl! Uncover the thing already!”

She does so, waiting for her snarky remarks, but they never come.

Again, “wow” was the way she described this one, too.

“See? I'm lost for words, actually.” She shakes her head. “You've done it again, man. The detailing is beautiful.”

And with that, she covers it back up. “I knew it wouldn't last long.”

“Long, like—”

“Nique!”

“Okay, okay!” She holds her hands up. “But uh.. congratulations!” She puts emphasis on the end of her sentence, stomping her foot again.

“Thank you. I love it over here.”

“Trust me, I love it over there.” She winks, both of them falling into a fit of giggles as she covers the canvas back up.

“Do tell, since I basically just did.” Zora presses as they sit on the stools in her kitchen.

“He's big all over. He makes me dizzy, sometimes,” she laughs. “Baby is hung to the left, and you know how I feel about a curve!”

“Yeah, you love it over there!” She cackles, slapping hands with her.

“Wait, y'all ain't in love too are y'all??”

“Chile, no. As much as we be up on each other, he's my man and I'm his woman and that's good enough for us, right now. I really like him, but we can kick it just as long as I don't gotta kick his ass.”

“My girl.” She laughs. “I told you I'd find you a boo!”

“Thank you, Zora-Jean. My god!” She exasperates.

“You're welcome! That was so hard for the three of you to say! Why?!”

“Because,”

“Y'all are so ungrateful,” she playfully digs.

“Stop it! Personally, I was holding my breath for a while. I didn't wanna thank you too early and then all this bad shit would start happening, and knowing you, you'd think I'd resent you for it. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't waiting for the other foot to drop. I'm sorry.”

“I accept your apology, and don't feel bad seriously, I get it. Knowing me, I probably would think that, but I know better! It's one of those negative voices,” she shrugs, “but I'm glad this is a good relationship. You deserve it, honestly. Plus, I'd kill him if he ever hurt you.” She smiles.

“And you talk about Lovita!” Nique cackles.

Ch 16

@ghostfacekill-monger @sheabuttahwrites @thegifstories @blackerthings @cecereads209 @soufcakmistress @abeautifulmindexposed @harmshake @mauvecherie-writes @honestpreference

[miyuhpapayuh]

ten.

The next month had flown by and it was just as blissful as the last, bonding Leon and Zora like super glue.

“Okay, what kind are those?” He asks, pointing to the spiral-like white flowers near the middle of the store.

“Cala lilies! My mama’s favorite flower!” She answers.

“You think that, and Aster would look pretty together?” He asks.

“Yeah, that sounds like a pretty combo.” She nods, squinting at the smirk on his face.

“Right,” he nods, walking towards another flower inside the same flower box. Pink ones she would frequently paint, the shape being one of her favorites.

“Cosmos! My favorite, next to poppies of course.”

“They come in orange, too?”

“They do!”

“Good to know,” he nods again, moving toward another flower box, altogether, with her in tow, silently laughing at him.

He thinks he's slick.

“You sure you don't wanna be a botanist?” He asks, looking back at her.

“An expert on flowers? I thought I was already there!” She quips with her hand on her hip.

“You are! Just not established, like you said.”

“Okay?”

“So, you wanna be established?” He asks, reaching out for her hand.

“I don't know. Maybe? Why?” She asks, latching onto him as they continue their stroll.

“Because you love this place and flowers. It seems like your element. One of them, anyway.”

“Like you know me,” she waves him off, earning a chuckle from him.

“Have I been wrong, yet?” He asks, looking down at her.

“Nah, your scores are high.”

“What, are we playing a game?”

“Mmhm, and you're winning.” She giggles, patting his chest with her free hand.

After buying her usual bundle for her, and another for his mama, they pack up and head towards mint hill for lunch.

Zora had told Leon about Wayback Burgers and how delicious they were, and he was sold after hearing “burger”.

They're sitting outside, like usual, grubbing away on their cheesy burgers and greasy loaded fries.

“Oh, Linda wants to have a meeting tomorrow. I wonder what's going to happen.” Zora says, stuffing another handful of fries in her mouth.

“Whatever happens, it better be necessary action against her knucklehead of a child.” Leon comments, catching her eye.

“Yeah, I'll be holding my breath, still.”

“Why? She suspended him, finally.”

“Yeah, after how long, though?? I'm still skeptical about their relationship in the workplace, whether she finally “got it” or not.”

He nods, knowing she's just being precautious. “Yeah, I understand. I just don't get why it's so hard for parents to show their children right from wrong.”

“Your guess is as good as mine,” she shakes her head.

“If he was my kid, I'd kick his ass and fire him in the same breath.” He says, making her crack up.

“Leon!”

“What? There's no way I would let that go on and on and on! He'd have to feel me, since he can't get his shit together. Better yet, she should let you beat his ass.”

“Oh, I'd love to! He deserves his ass beat.”

“See?”

“I never said you were wrong,” she laughs, “it's just funny to see you get all worked up. Especially over his stupid ass. He's not worth it.”

“Yeah, but you're worth protecting.”

She twists her lips up, trying to hide the smile on her greasy lips. Hiding behind a napkin was her only other choice, with them sitting almost shoulder to shoulder.

“Stop that,” he laughs, pulling the napkin from her grasp. She turns her head, only making him kiss the skin of her neck that's bared to him. Turning back, his lips catch hers, making them both laugh.

“Leon,” she starts, snatching the napkin back to wipe her mouth and his.

“Zora,” he leans back in, his head laying on her chest, those eyes looking up at her.

“You're pretty.”

“So are you.”

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

Bright and early on Monday morning, Zora and Linda sit in the side office at the job, while Linda gears herself up to deliver the news.

“Alright, my dear Zora. I know I've apologized before, but again I sincerely apologize for not putting a stop to Cory's foolish and disrespectful behavior, a long time ago. There's no excuse.”

“I appreciate it, Linda. I'm glad you listened before he got cut. I'm just being honest.” She shrugs.

“Yeah, I won't argue with that. But, you won't have to worry about that cause he's not coming back.”

She raises both brows in total shock. “What?”

“Yeah, he still feels like his actions never harmed you or made you that uncomfortable. I told him to can it, cause nobody wants to hear that. So he's fired.”

“See? A pig. Your son needs a swift kick in the ass.”

“Get in line. As you can see, he doesn't have the greatest rap sheet.” She shakes her head. “I need to try all over again with him, it seems.”

Zora lets her have her bad parent moment, cause if she wasn't gonna say it… Zora woulda still been thinking it.

“I know it was tough firing your son, but it's better for your business. Your patrons couldn't stand him, either. And.. now I don't have to get harassed at work anymore.”

“Yes, all for the greater good. Plus, I love you like my own! I couldn't let you feel like I didn't care about what was going on. Again, I'm really sorry. Is there anything I can do to help patch this over?” She asks.

“Mmm… how about a raise?” She innocently smiles, making Linda return the gesture.

“How's $25 sound?” She asks, swearing she saw Zora’s eyes bug out her head.

“Twenty-huh?”

“With a person cut, and finally a genius to look at my taxes, I can afford it!”

“I— that sounds like a plan.” She straightens up after a moment, shaking her boss's hand.

“Good! Now go out there and look pretty, we open soon!”

Today might've been the first day she felt like she could breathe, and it rolls by quick and easy, just like every day should and would, moving forward.

Calling Leon, right after Nique, on her break and telling him the wonderful news, one would think he was shedding tears on the other side as he expressed his excitement.

“I think you're happier than I am!”

“I'm just glad I ain't have to floor him in his mama's business. I mean, I woulda loved to do it, honestly. But.. you know what I mean.”

“Leon,” she talks him down, laughing. “Cut it out. That's what the parking lot is for. Don't damage the property.”

“You right, you right! My baby smart.” He chuckles, as she fondly shakes her head.

“Oh! I got a raise, too!”

“Really? What she bump you up to, $30?”

“Pretty close. $25!”

“That's my girl! You deserve it.”

“Thank you, baby. It's been a good morning and afternoon.”

“The rest will be just as good. Promise.”

“Yeah? What you got planned?”

“If I tell you, I'd have to kill you!” He says back dramatically.

“Sounds like you took a page outta my book, dear.” She giggles.

“Ha, ha. You'll see about everything later. Have a great rest of your shift and I will see you soon.”

“Okay, alright. See you soon!”

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

Every bit of her fifteen minute drive felt so long, as she finally pulled into the lot, near his building and cut her car off.

Hopping out and sprinting to his door, he greets her with a glass of white wine and a couple sweet kisses, pulling her inside.

“Thank you, baby.” She smiles, looking around at all the tea-light candles he’d lit before she arrived. As well as another batch of orange poppies and cosmos in a vase on his table.

“Leon, you are so cute.” She frowns, sitting her glass down and cupping her own face in awe.

“Am I?” He asks, leading her towards the other side of the island, where their plates are already prepared with the delicious food he'd made.

“Yes, you are! Oh, this looks so good!”

He wraps his arms around her, stuffing his face in her neck like usual as they sway. Her eyes start to sting.

“You deserve it, ya know? People are listening to you and what's important to you. Life's working for you and your needs, cause it's about time, right?”

“Yeah, it's about time,” she nods, tracing his arm with her finger, wiping her tiny tears away with her free hand. He spins her around in his hold and kisses the rest away.

“You okay, my beautiful flower?”

“Perfect.”

As they sat and ate, their sweet evening turned into an even sweeter night as they found themselves in between the living room and kitchen, dancing to a playlist he'd made her.

She probably told him how cute he was, about a thousand times, and each time earned her sweet kisses she would never grow tired of. He felt the same way about hers. About her.

“You know what I was thinking?”

“What?”

“I could finally move somewhere nicer. I mean, I love my complex but I can actually pick up and go somewhere else!”

“Yeah, you can! Where you thinking?”

“Oh, I've got a few places on my list. They're close to everything still, especially my job and you. Nique stays in one of them— ooh that would be trouble,” she snickers, hiccuping right after.

“I'm sure she'd love that. Soberly give these some thought.”

“Yeah, I know. I'm just excited! Life's really the bee’s knees right now.” She cups his face now, gazing up at him with twinkling stars for pupils.

“I love you,” he says, without a second thought, watching her smile brighten.

Both of their hearts stopped and started again at the same time.

“I love you, too. It's not too soon.” She assured him, pulling him down to her level for another kiss as they got wrapped up in the moment.

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

“Uh, did you go out with a vampire?” Neoma asks, making Lovita snort as Zora places a hand over the hickey in question.

“No, did you?” She asks, pointing to the dark mark on her older sister's neck, making her reach up to cover it.

“Touché,” she squints, before smirking at her little sister. “We know your other secret, though!”

“How??”

“We caught on as soon as you walked in here! It's all in your walk and you're glowing even more than before!”

“Dear god,” she laughs, making them both crack up at her.

“I think you and god have been having enough conversations, don't you think?” Lovita cracks.

“Stop,”

“Continue? I will. How was it? Cause we heard from a lil birdie that it was the best, ever!”

“It was,” Zora giggles. “Also, say goodbye to Nique cause she's dead once I get to her.”

“Ohh, don't kill her. She was so happy for you! You know girly is our fourth sister!”

“What kind of flowers should we bury our fourth sister with?”

“Zora!” They both call out, making her laugh and throw her hands up.

“Alright, okay! I should direct my fire at you,” she points at Lovita, “cause you set me up, miss bartender!”

“Hey, I'm not responsible for you gettin’ all touchy with that man. That's on you.”

“And on her, he was.” Neoma smirks.

“Okay, okay! I don't need visuals, Jesus! We're just glad you're enjoying yourself and that fine man. He's a sweetheart, and he really cares about you.”

“He told me that he loves me.” She says, making their jaws drop.

“Awww, that's so sweet! It's only been like two months!”

“I know, but when you feel it, what's time? Just a factor.”

“Do you feel it?”

“Yeah, you love him back?”

“Absolutely, I do. Our relationship has been so easy going. Even when the days get a bit tough, we're still meeting in the middle. Still there for each other. I mean, after I broke the news about Cory being fired and me getting a raise, he was so happy for me. He knew how important all of that was, and we had one of the best nights! He cooked, he got me flowers, he praised me. Fed me back the words I always tell him. It was beautiful. He's beautiful.”

“You're gonna make me cry, man!”

“Hell, I cried several times last night!”

“Now, backtrack for a minute. Cory really got fired??”

“Yes! He's really not coming back!”

“No way! I never thought I'd hear those words.”

“Girl, me either! But listen, I need y'all's opinion on something.”

“Yes, it's too soon for marriage.” Lovita says without missing a beat, making Zora roll her eyes.

“Nobody's getting married! Listen!”

“Okay, okay, I'm done. I'm listening.”

“I'm thinking about moving out of my complex.”

“Oh, thank god!” They yell in unison.

“Oh, come on. It's not that bad.”

“As if your landlord being infatuated over you isn't bad.”

“It's not, you know why? My rent is reduced, he lets me smoke the fuck outta my apartment and I got the maintenance crew wrapped around my finger. I be helping my neighbors out!”

“Right, it's time for Zora to help herself out, though. I'm all for you moving.” Neoma nods, making Lovita do the same.

“Nique’s complex is really nice! They've got a fountain, an indoor gym, a pool, a pit! Like it's one of those all inclusive places for real!”

“How much?”

“A little over a band, I think. Maybe $1050 or something like that.”

“Usually, I wouldn't be able to understand but it's got actual amenities so we'll chalk it up. Call her!”

“Okay, I'm calling.”

Nique answers the FaceTime almost immediately, already giddy for whatever it was that Zora had to share.

“Oh, all my favorite people! Minus that lank of a boyfriend. What can I do y'all for?”

“I love her,” Neoma giggles.

“Hey Nique! Guess what I was thinking about?”

“Moving in with me?!” She excitedly guesses.

“Pretty close! How about maybe being your across the hall neighbor!”

“You know what?? My neighbor is actually moving out soon!”

“Would you look at that!” Lovita taps Zora on the shoulder.

“Yes, thank you.”

“Any. Time.”

“Anyway,” Zora sighs, “I would love to have that apartment.”

“Let me get in touch with the rent office lady and see if you can just pay first month's rent when she dips to secure it or sumn!”

“I'm prepared to do that! I can't back out now either, I've told all three of you.” She sighs.

“Aw, you still keep that rule in place?” Lovita coos.

Some odd years back, Zora made a rule that if she shared something with Nique or her sisters, she'd have to make it come true. Some way or another.

It definitely helped her through tough times.

“Yeah, I pinky swore! You know I take those serious as hell.”

“It's true!” Nique laughs.

“Did you tell Leon? We could use his box-movin’ ass!”

“Yeah, he knows! Oh, we used the L-word!”

Nique's eyes grow as wide as her mouth, making the three of them scream in laughter.

“Oh my gosh! When did this happen?”

“Last night. We celebrated Cory's firing and my raise, and he told me that he loves me. It felt like he had been holding it for a while.”

“Aw, that's so sweet! Zora!”

“I know,” she frowns, dabbing at her eyes. “Stop it, I don't wanna cry again!”

“Okay, okay,” Nique says, both of them laughing it off. “But I will definitely talk to her tomorrow! I'd love for you to be my neighbor!”

“Me, too!”

“I'm so happy for you! I'm glad Cory's gone, too. His stupid ass.”

“Thank you boo, and me too. Leon is too,” she snorts. “He was ready for his scrawny ass.”

“Oh, we know!” They say unison, falling into another laughing fit.

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

“I dream about you.”

“Yeah? In what ways?”

“All the ways. You're a muse in all of them. A goddess. I happily kiss the ground you walk on,” he continues, making her giggle.

“Happily, huh?”

“That's what I said, girl.” He says back, dropping his head for emphasis.

“I hear ya,” she returns the petty gesture. “You lucky we're on the phone or I'd fight you.”

“We gotta work on your flirting, Zora-Jean.” He says with a laugh, causing her eye roll to come like clockwork.

“One day, they're gonna get stuck just like that.”

“Ha. We gotta work on your jokes, Leon… what is your middle name?”

“I told you, I'm not telling you.”

“Aw, come on! It cannot be that bad.”

“It's not, I just don't like it.”

“Okay.. what if I like it?”

“Zora,”

“Oh come on, Leon! Just tell me.”

“Okay, fine.” He crosses his arms like a spoiled child. “It's Avery.”

The smile that spreads across her face makes him look towards the ceiling, feeling his face get hot.

“Uh oh! I thought you said brown boys don't blush, either! Ya face look a lil red, baby!” She mocks, making him laugh and rub a hand down his face.

“Cut it out.”

“You first!” She places her chin in the palm of her hand, waiting patiently as he locks back in on her face.

“Ugly, right?”

“Leon Avery. It's country as hell like mine. I think it's adorable!”

“Yeah?”

“That's what I said, boy.” She mocks, again.

“I'm coming over just so we can fight, now!”

“The door's unlocked,” she says with a raise of her right brow.

“Bet.”

After five minutes, he was stepping through the threshold of the love lair and there she was, swaying to the low music coming from her speaker.

She never ceased to get him caught up in her. Mesmerized, he always was.

“Come dance with me,” she says as her eyes land on his, holding a hand out for one of his, pulling him to her once he latches on.

“I thought we were fighting.”

“We can. After we dance.” She answers, making him grin and shake his head at her, loosely wrapping arms around her waist.

Her hands rest at his neck, one at the back and the other at the front, her right thumb brushing against his adam’s apple.

His hips find her slinky rhythm in no time, drawing them even closer to each other. He finds a reason to spin her around, making her laugh.

“I dream about you, too.”

“Yeah?”

“Mmhm. Also, in all ways. My prettiest subject. I kiss every flower to lead me to you.”

Their eyes dance over each other's faces, searching for words to make the moment sweeter.

“You think I'm pretty?” He asks, pulling a hand from her hip to rub the scruffy sides of his face, while she wholeheartedly nods.

“The prettiest man I've ever seen with my own two eyes, Leon Avery.”

 “You gon wear that out, huh?”

“I was just about to ask you the same,” she says, covering his hand with hers, leading it back to her hip.

“Oh, you must be ready to fight now.”

“Yeah, take me down.” She innocently smiles, it only brightens as he hoists her up from the ground to toss her on the bed, climbing on top of her.

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

A few days go by and Zora gets word that she can put down a cash deposit of half the rent to secure the new space, which she happily does.

Another thirty days was gonna be draining enough, so she immediately began packing and sorting through things she'd been meaning to part ways with. Of course Nique was helping.

“I feel like I haven't seen you in a minute, friend.” Zora frowns, as they fall into another hug.

“Aw, you're all mushy on me! What has that man done to you??” She pokes fun, as well as actually poking her in her sides.

“Like I never showed you affection before.”

“Girl, you've hugged me seven times in the last ten minutes! We'd be slap boxing by now.”

“Yeah, well…”

“What?”

“Change is good. Shut up, and listen to this bullshit.”

“What happened??”

“I think my landlord's gonna be a problem.”

“What he do?”

Flashback 

After getting her recertification papers inside her mailbox, she headed down to the rent office to speak to her landlord face to face, so there'd be no discrepancies between the two.

“Hey, Jordan. Can we talk?” She asks, knocking twice on the outer wall of his office.

“Sure, doll! Come in and sit.” He smiles, looking at her over his glasses.

“Thanks. I just came in to let you know that after my lease is up, I'll be moving out and I won't be needing these.” She sits the papers on his desk, watching the frown stretch across his face.

“Oh, I see. What's got you leaving?”

“I've been here for about five years, give or take. It's time for something new, even though I really like this place.”

“So stay,” he tries to sway her.

“No, sometimes you gotta spread your wings and fly somewhere else.” She nervously laughs, sighing as he joins in.

“I understand. I've made it easy for you here, though. Who's gonna treat you like that?”

“Excuse me?”

“Come on, Zora. You're my special tenant. I give you the hook up.”

Her face scrunches up. “All though I've appreciated you being so nice to me, I've always said that you never needed to.”

“Fine.” His tone changes. “In thirty days or less, since you wanna play games, the locks will be changed. So you and your things better be out by then.”

She was surely expecting him to turn on her, which is why she recorded their conversation.

“The agreement is thirty days. Do not make this ugly.”

“It got ugly once you said that you were leaving, dear.”

“I don't have to stay here if I don't want to.”

“Who's telling you that you have to stay?”

“Did you not just try and sway me to stay?”

“Zora, this conversation is making me dizzy. Let's wrap it up, shall we?”

She's taken aback, but nods anyway.

“Noted.”

Flashback over

“I'm so glad you recorded this. Ew, he's such a slimy man!”

“I know! That's why I'm packing up early. I don't have time for his bullshit.”

“Do you think he's gonna try some shit?”

“With that threat? Yeah, probably.” Zora sighs.

“Tell Leon! Get him to kick his ass or something.”

“I don't want Leon going to jail for me.”

“Girl, you know he got a ski mask that's been waiting on its shining moment,” she replies, screwing her lips up.

“Nique, please!” She laughs, shaking the juvenile visual from her head. “I'll tell him, but we're not fighting anybody.”

Ch 11

@sheabuttahwrites @soufcakmistress @nahimjustfeelingit-writes @blackerthings @thegifstories @essaysbyciara @nayaxwrites @headcannonxgalore @twistedcharismaaa @prettyisasprettydoes1306 @abeautifulmindexposed @fujiiapples @harmshake @ghostfacekill-monger

[miyuhpapayuh]

I gotta get back to my mocha babies 😭😭😭

[megamindsecretlair]

Zora woke up on demon time and im here for it 🤣🤣🤣 morning and noon dick? If it aint like this, i aint want it 🙌🏽🤣

Bout time someone read Craig the riot act chuz he was still fn messy 🙌🏽👏🏽 I aint mad at Eryn shit. 🤷🏽‍♀️🤷🏽‍♀️ I never understood the "im mad at them so you gotta be too". Naw, that dont sit right in my spirit. Go head girl 🙌🏽👏🏽 and at least she pushed for him and Leon to reconnect before any funny business.

Now this drama here 👀 im sat 🙌🏽👏🏽

twenty

“Oh my god, I know it's been a week but where the hell have you been??” Nique asks Zora, right before jumping damn near on top of her outside of her apartment.

“Nique!” She laughs, catching her before they both hit the ground, all the while Leon's coming up with her suitcase, staring between the two like they were crazy.

“What—”

“Lank!” Nique squeals, smacking him up for all the days she wasn't able to. Just like a sister. He chuckles and swats at her, ultimately pulling her into a bear hug.

“Missed you short stuff!”

“Yeah, y'all just left us behind out here!” She laughs, following them into the apartment.

“It was only a week! You didn't miss us that much!” Zora laughs, leaning on her kitchen counter, while Leon plops down on the sofa.

“I did, too! Darnell missed Leon so damn much, he's been tearing my ear up about all the shit they used to get into in college— getting on my nerves, man!” She laughs, making them join in.

“Ah, he done told you about some wild ass shit ain't he?”

“Has he! What's up with y'all and streaking?!”

“I'm not even surprised,” Zora laughs, moving to take her suitcase into her room.

“Man, we was proud of them track bodies, girl! They was gon see us!” He animatedly yells.

“Oh my god,” Nique laughs, rolling her eyes. “How can I save Zora from the madness??”

“It's already too late!” She yells from her bedroom, making them snicker up a storm.

“Stop laughing Nique! It's too late for you, too!”

“Nah for real, y'all treatin’ each other nice?” Leon asks, first time he's asked about their relationship.

“Yeah, he's really a sweetheart. Might like his ass too much,” she laughs, “but that's my baby.”

“Aw, that's cute! I'm happy for y'all.”

“Thanks!”

“Nique, I need assistance right quick!” Zora hollers again, making Nique disappear down the hallway.

“Yes?”

“Are we having a sleepover tonight?”

“Uh, duh! I need to be caught up, cause Neoma told me some things about some things, and I gotta hear it from you to piece it all together.”

“Oh lord. This finna be a mess.”

“My favorite!”

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

“Okay, spill!”

“So, before we went on this nice lil vacation, we ran into a little more bullshit. I'm assuming you heard about Craig and Eryn?”

“Have I? Eryn is ready to sink her teeth into that boy! I'm ready to do it for her, cause he knows he's wrong.”

“I agree! He definitely shoulda let them work that out, cause Eryn isn't a child anymore. I think that might've influenced his decision cause they've known her for so long— no excuse. She's grown now.”

“Yeah?? And I don't know how well the conversation between them went, but she still seems kinda sad about it all.”

“Really? I haven't talked to her since we left. But that's another thing! After Leon finds out about everything from Craig, he starts telling me about it, and I already kinda knew about it cause she sat down and told me, like a day or so before.”

“Oh no,” Nique says, shaking her head. “She got you all caught up in it, huh?”

“Yeah, but I'm not mad at her. She just needed advice. Leon did kinda blow up on me, though.”

“Huh??” Nique asks, damn near breaking her neck to look over at her.

“Yeah, he was feelin’ it that day, I don't know.” She shrugs.

“Zora, what do you mean he blew up on you? He yelled at you?”

“No, no. He cut me off while I was trying to talk to him about everything. He asked me if she ran it by me and I told him the truth cause I didn't wanna be in the middle, and he like hopped off the couch and I'm still telling him that I didn't wanna be in the middle cause now he's upset and he's saying that he ain't mad at me, but he also just pacing back and forth and I was kinda nervous, I ain't gon lie. And I'm just tryna reason with him and his fuse is really short, so he cut me off and shut the conversation down.” She sighs, eating another handful of popcorn.

“And then what happened??”

“Oh, he was definitely asking for forgiveness before leaving the crib, but I wasn't up for talking anymore. You don't cut me off and expect a conversation after that. Kissed his ass goodbye and he came to my job the next day with flowers and another apology. I think he almost cried tryna talk to me. Hell, I know I cried enough.” She laughs, while Nique is still staring at her.

“Do I need to kill him?”

“No,” she laughs again, reaching out to grab the hand that's closest to her. “He apologized. Several times. Took me home and made it up to me real nice. He's a good man, just has a temper problem.”

“Hm. I'll keep my guns near, just in case.”

“Lord. He knows not to test it. Trust.”

“Why? You tie him up when y'all got out to that cabin?”

“You're so nasty, no. I definitely taught him what patience is, cause he was killing my nerves.”

“How I'm nasty? I'm talking about straight torture shit! Shoulda muzzled his ass.” She huffs, but Zora shakes her head.

“You know I use my powers for good and not evil… anymore. He understood I wasn't playing. I promise you, he don't want whatever ill fate awaits him if he even thinks about it.”

“Okay, I'll let it go. This time.”

“Good, I'd hate for shorty and lank to call it quits!” She frowns, making Nique smile and shake her head.

“He better be glad I like him a lil bit, cause I'll still kill him. It just won't be as harsh as normal.” She shrugs.

“Girl, anyway. Back to Eryn. I hope she's okay. Maybe I'll call her in a few days.”

“Yeah, poor baby. I had to get your sister together a lil bit, too.”

“Oh no.”

“Oh yes. Done found a lil rockheaded boy to ride and now she lost her mind. Cause why was she bucking up at me cause I told her that she was wrong for giving him the okay to say shit to Leon?! Like I ain't wrong for saying that! Am I?”

“No. Absolutely not, she shouldn't have said anything to him but, “mind your business”, but you know how she is. Lovita is the same way. That older sister complex be havin’ them telling other people's kids what to do. Like how you giving him the go ahead??”

“That's what I tried to get her to make sense to me! Eryn wasn't mad at her, but I told her that she should be. Cause it's too many hands in this situation and she just an extra one that don't belong. Be a girlfriend, nothing more.”

“This really made you mad, huh?”

“Yes. Eryn is twenty five years old. She don't need nobody hovering over her back, snitching on her or whatever other stupid overstepping bullshit has been going on. We had a long heart to heart, cause I just feel like she's just been ridiculed by so many, she just needs some love.”

Zora nods, sighing deeply. “Yeah, I know that feeling. I feel for her, I do. But she did speak up for herself. Leon said she was not happy with him yelling at her, ‘cause she is fragile right now, and that's not the way you get your point across anyway.”

“Good for her! Lank and his friends need to get it together. Neoma needs to get it together before I knock her out.”

“Y'all still beefin’??”

“Nah, I'm just saying. I mean, she was mad as hell when I left but so the fuck what? I shoulda sat in her face while she was mad, but I had a nail appointment.” She raps, while Zora shakes her head, staring at her imaginary audience. “But she got over herself after a day or so. The three of us had lunch and shit like usual, she was fine.”

“Y'all are gonna give me gray hair.”

“Please, if all you have to do is hear about it, I think you'll be okay. Besides, you've been living your carefree life since that boy came into it, so I don't wanna hear it.”

Zora can't help but smile, knowing it was the truth. Besides the minor bump in the road, the last almost year of her life has been absolutely wonderful.

“It's about time, I say.”

“Here, here!” Nique faux toasts with a handful of popcorn.

“Stupid,” Zora laughs.

“And, you know this!”

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

“Wow, I forgot how good you looked in your uniform.” Zora says, shamelessly gawking at Leon as he walks around his room to tidy up, before heading off to work.

He chuckles, feeling his face grow hot. “Alright now.”

“For real. I need to come watch you work out now, cause the way them arms are filling out that sweater..” she trails off, shaking her head.

He stops in front of her, beginning to put on a show and flex for her. She giggles, eating it up.

“You like that, huh?”

“Oh, please. Don't start!” She warns, laughing it off as best as she can.

“Don't be shy, baby!” He laughs, bringing his arms down anyway.

“Stop, before I keep you here.” She half jokes, and he can see the seriousness in her deep brown eyes.

“Hm.. I might just have to be a lil late today.” He replied, leaning in to kiss her, unbuttoning her nightshirt.

“Yeah?”

“Just a lil,” he repeats, laughing at himself.

She squeals in excitement, rushing to unbutton his jeans and yank them down with his briefs, moaning at the sight of his dick already hard and ready to go.

“See? This happens every day.” He stresses, stepping closer between her legs to rub against her, his hands at either side of her head.

Reaching between them, she wraps her hand around him, guiding him inside of her, looking up to see his mouth open, eyes stuck on her in pure lust.

“So fucking wet,” he mumbles, languidly stroking just to hear the way her slick smacked through the air. His head dipped down to give wet kisses to her breasts.

“That happens every day, too,” she softly laughs.

His thrusts turn curt, poking right at her gut, making her claw at his arms and chest through the thick material, her wild moans bouncing off the walls of his room.

“Unh! Fuck me, just like that!”

“Mhm, it feels good don't it?”

“Yes! Please don't stop! Please!”

“Shit… I ain't stoppin’ baby… make you cum right on this dick.”

Her fingers ball up the material of his shirt, quickly losing her sanity as he drives right into her spot, bringing them both closer to their peaks.

“You like that, huh?”

“Yes,” she whines, “fuckin’ hitting that spot, babyy!”

“Right here?”

“Yes, I'm so c-close!” She whines, pulling his face closer to hers as he cages her in, his scent evading her senses and vice versa.

“Cum with me,” he moans against her lips, gripping her hips tighter as she squeezes around him, giving him no choice but to give in to the sweet feeling.

“That was amazing,” she breathily laughs, smothering his lips with her own, much to his liking as he groans all into their liplock.

“I wanna be so much later now,” he chuckles, hissing as he slides out of her, still covered in her essence. Their breathing still ragged.

Zora licks her lips and gets on her knees on the bed, bending down to lick him clean. If he didn't have hearts for eyes already, they were definitely there now.

After sending him to work on a high he'd be on for a while, she went back to sleep for a few hours, woke back up and decided to channel her inner Leon and chef it up in his kitchen.

Her omelet was a success.

After a nice long hot shower and hygiene routine, she decided to get her mani/pedi redone. The color is orange.

Zora soon headed through the lounge with Leon's lunch in hand like always, loving the look on his face as he digs through the bag to see what she'd brought.

Today was a Cuban sandwich with fries, and he was more than delighted. “I've been craving one of these!”

“Yeah? I had one on my lunch break the other day, and it was so good! Had to get you one.”

“Thank you, baby.” He says with a kiss to her lips, as she sits down beside him.

“Welcome. How's your day been?”

“Great, actually. We got through most of our pallets already, so I might just get outta here early today.”

“Oh, I always love the sound of getting off work early! I hope you do make it home before six, today.”

"This morning gave me a lil extra motivation.” He nudges her with a smirk on his face, as she hides her own.

“Shut up,” she laughs as he wraps an arm around, pulling her closer to him. “But also, you're welcome.”

“Thank you sweet stuff. How's your day off been?” He asks, humming as he bites into his sandwich.

“Well, this morning was great,” she winks, making him chuckle. “But, I took a nap, got up and ate breakfast, then I went and got my toes done— they're orange like my nails, but my feet got cold so I had to put my socks back on. I'll show you later.” She smiles. “I've been laying around, other than that. It's too cold outside to be out there for too long.”

“What did you make?”

“An omelet. It was so good!” She smiles, making him mirror her in no time.

“Yeah?”

“Mhm. I gotta make you one. Use my secret ingredient.”

“Word? Let me find out you were a chef this whole time, Z.”

She laughs. “Oh come on, I'd never steal your lane. It's like a family secret but I add a lil sumn to mine. You'll love it, I promise.”

“I can't wait,” he fondly shakes his head, kissing her lips.

“Can't wait to see these cute ass toes either. Love ‘em.”

“You got a foot fetish?” She squints, to which he laughs.

“Zora, I've got a you fetish.”

“Oh my god,” she laughs to cover up the way she's just melted inside.

“Act like you ain't know,” he shakes his head, taking another couple bites of his sandwich.

“I don't wanna go back out in the cold. It's so bitter out there.” She says, looking out the big window in front of them.

“You ain't lying, babe. It's cold as fuck in the room we work in too. Metal insulation should've been installed a long time ago.”

“You need me to say something?” She asks, raising her brow.

“No, mama, I got it.” He snickers, kissing her forehead. 

“It better be in there by my next visit.” She firms, before leaning on him.

“They like yo pretty ass, ima tell ‘em so they can speed the process up.” He laughs.

“Whatever works, right?” She responds with a laugh of her own.

“Mmhm…whatchu feelin’ on me for, Jean?” He asks with a grin, already knowing what she was up to, rubbing on his knee, her hand casually sliding up.

“Ya know, just the sight of a hardworking man gets me going.”

“Yeah? Where's this hand of yours going?”

The way she licks her bottom lip, biting down on it before it escapes has him ready for whatever.

“I'll be waiting in the bathroom.” She says with a smile, before getting up from the table, leaving him dumbstruck.

She giggles before slipping into the employee bathroom, not having to wait long as he finally makes his way inside, locking the door behind himself.

“Hey.” She says, smirking as he walks them backwards into the counter, her body becoming flush with his, much to her liking.

“What's gotten into you, lately?” He playfully asks, rubbing her hips.

“I don't know, you said to ask for it any time I want it, but I think it's more fun this way.”

He chuckles, before spinning her backwards, her ass now pressed up against his crotch. She smirks at him through the mirror.

“How much time do we have?”

“Mm,” he shrugs. “A good ten minutes.”

“More than enough time.”

Her sweats and panties are pulled down, and he can't help but run his fingers through her slick folds, feeling how unbelievably wet she is.

“Fuck,” he mumbles before squatting down, stuffing his face in between her cheeks, burying his tongue in her.

Her hands find the countertop as she bites back her moans, rolling her hips against his face. He wildly licks her slit, before suckling her clit into his mouth.

“Please… that feels so good!” She quietly whines, reaching back to rub her fingers through his curls.

Her legs begin to shake as he wags his tongue against her, her grip on his hair tightening. Her soft panting is making him strain against his jeans.

“I'm g-gonna cum!” She whimpers, arching and gripping the back of his neck as she does just that, wetting up his nose and mouth with her juices.

He happily licked it up, standing up to yank his own bottoms down, groaning all in her ear as he stuffs himself inside of her, bottoming out. Her lips are pursed together tightly, thankfully muffling her gasp.

“Good ass pussy,” he lewdly moans.

Her eyes stay glued on their reflection, her mouth now agape as he taps that spot over and over again. The way she's squeezing around him feels heavenly.

“Fffuck,” she quietly moans, “hittin’ that fucking spot so good!”

“Yeah? This spot right here?” He taunts, smirking at the way her eyes rolled back, her lips sputtering out a yes.

One hand comes up to grip her neck, “say it again” spilling out of his mouth with a grunt.

“Yeah!— fuck, I'm c-cummin’!” She moans a bit louder than she meant to, quickly biting into her lip to muffle herself as her orgasm rushes through her. His strokes never cease.

“Mmhm, gimme that pussy,” he grunts, nearing his own peak as he gyrates into her, kissing the back of her neck.

“H-holy shit, babe,” she grits, biting down on her lip.

“So fucking close,” he grunts into her ear, digging a bit deeper inside.

She damn near draws blood from her lip by the time he's releasing inside of her, fingers bearing down on her hips, leaving bruises for her to admire later.

“You… are fucking incredible.” He rasps, as they laugh and catch their breaths.

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

Eryn’s busy shuffling through the small crowd of people at the mall, when she bumps into a familiar face. Just the person she was hunting for, too.

“And, so we meet again.” Craig says, trying to hide the fact that he might have been laying low, afraid to face her.

She scoffs. “At least we see each other this time.”

“Baby E—”

“Nope.” She cuts him off. “That's the issue, right there. I'm not a baby, Craig. You can't keep doing this shit like I'm that same little girl you knew way back when!”

“Okay, okay, I hear you,” he holds his hands up in surrender. “I was in your business and I'm sorry.”

Eryn rolls her eyes before stepping around him, having no time for his tired apology. But he wasn't gonna stop, now that he'd started.

“Eryn, come on.” He says, walking after her.

“Nah, I'm cool. I don't have time for this.”

“For real? I'm tryna apologize to you—”

“Are you?” She stops and turns in his direction.

“Quit cuttin’ me off.”

“Stop saying stupid shit and maybe I'll refrain.” She spat, crossing her arms over her chest, making her many bracelets clink together.

He stares at her, holding his tongue because she was rightfully upset and now was not the time for banter.

“Look, I'm really sorry. I instantly regretted it after I said it. I even told him to relax on you cause maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought. I know I shouldn't have done it, regardless. It's not my business.”

“No. It's not your business.” She frowns. “Had that man yelling at me like he'd lost his mind. I should kick your ass.”

“I know, I ain't mean to unleash all of that.”

She sucks her teeth. “Yeah, whatever. You wanted him to yell at me like he always does. That shit funny to you or something?”

“No!”

“Hm. Well, are we done here?” She asks.

“Uh yeah.. I guess? I don't think ima say anything to make you not mad at me.”

“No, you're not. Thanks for the apology, though. Just stay out of my business. I'm not your little sister.” She reminds him, before walking away.

“Damn.” Craig sadly mumbles before walking away with a hung head.

Her phone rings and she answers it with a bright smile. “Hey B, wassup?”

“I know you just left, but damn I miss you girl.” 

“Is that right? Maybe I'll swing back that way.”

“Yeah, why don't you do that. I got sumn for you when you get here.”

“If it's dick, you can keep it Brandon.” She laughs, and so does he.

“Come on, it's not like that. I actually got you something.”

“Mmhm, I'm on my way.”

Right after her heart to heart with Leon, she had a separate one with Brandon, in which she admitted her feelings and told him that they would unfortunately have to go their separate ways, to which he did not agree.

He had also developed a crush on her, in the time they had reconnected, and he wasn't gonna deny it just because his ex-best friend happened to be her brother.

He assured her that they would just have to talk it out. Said he was going to reach out to him personally, which she agreed and suggested that he should've done that in the first place, to which he agreed and apologized.

She was ready to face the music a second time, when the time came of course. But for right now, she was going to enjoy herself.

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

“I haven't been home before six in so long,” Leon groans into the pillow, while Zora is perched on his lower back as she rubs her hands up and down his sore muscles.

“Getting off early is the best feeling, ain't it!” She laughs, moving up to his shoulder, rubbing his tense spots.

“Why are you so tense, baby?”

“I think I pulled something earlier,” he shrugs, instantly regretting it. Zora shakes her head like he can see her.

“Okay, relax..” she moves off of him, “sit up so I can get that knot out.”

“Yes ma'am.”

Moving behind his seated body, the natural heat between her thighs is warming his bare back. Her fingers relocate the knot in his left shoulder, working to relieve pressure.

His head lolls forward, his hands rubbing the sides of her thighs as she works her magic.

“Damn, that feels good.” He mumbles, eyes closed.

She smiles, dipping down to kiss the back of his neck. He was in pure bliss as her other hand reached for his other shoulder, kneading his skin like precious dough.

“What's the real reason why you're tense, Avery.” Zora asks again.

He sighs. “I don't know, I just feel like something’s going on.”

Her brows furrow. “With what or who?”

“Eryn.”

“Oh.”

“I know she's not a baby and she makes her own decisions. I just feel like… I don't know, I just don't like it.” He sighs again.

“Listen, baby. I know she's your sister and this isn't the ideal situation for either of you I'm sure, but she's gonna have to learn some things on her own. You can only guide her so much. You're only gonna give yourself a headache, worrying about that. I'm sure that if anything is going on, she'll tell you about it, just like she was about to the last time. Let her.”

“I hear you.”

“I'm serious, Avery.”

“I'll let her come to me. I hear you.” He repeats, turning his head to look back at her.

“Don't make me fight you.” She half jokes, mushing his head back in the other direction.

“Fight me naked?”

“That's our type of fight ain't it?” She snickers.

“Huh, you right.” He nods.

“Duh!” She replies without missing a beat, making him suck his teeth and laugh.

“Alright, you're kink free up here now. Please be more careful at work!” She scolds, still rubbing his left shoulder.

“I will, I promise. Now come lay with me.” He says, moving onto his back, and pulling her right down on top of him.

The covers fall over them as they snuggle up and rub their feet together. The heat was blasting through the vents, warming their cold bones right up.

“You think I need a space heater?” He asks, flipping through the channels.

“You be that cold at night?” She asks, drawing imaginary patterns on his right arm, already dozing off.

“Sometimes, yeah. I sleep with socks on like an old man, babe.” He stresses, making her tiredly laugh at him.

“Yeah, I'll get you one, then.”

“Oh, you don't have to do that.” He assures her.

“I want to. Don't fight me on it.” She playfully smacks his cheek, before sliding up to stuff her face into his neck, sighing contentedly.

“You comfy?” He asks, arms draped around her waist, rubbing circles into her hips as he begins to doze off, himself.

“So comfy.” She responds, before going super quiet, and ultimately falling asleep to his scent and the lull of his heartbeat.

Sometime later, after coming back from the bathroom, Leon slides back under the covers and kisses Zora’s forehead, softly laughing at her still being asleep.

Mindlessly scrolling through his phone, his eyes dart up to read the incoming message from Instagram. It was Brandon and he was ready to talk.

Tapping the message before it disappears, he taps across the screen and sends a message back, letting him know he was on his way.

“Z, baby,” he leans over to press kisses to her face, watching her stir slightly and reach out for him with her eyes still closed.

“I gotta head out real quick, baby.”

“Hm,” she stretches, rubbing her face, “where you goin’?”

“Gonna go chat with Brandon.” He simply says, making her eyes finally pop open.

“Before you start scolding me,” he continues, “I'm not gonna beat him up or yell or any of that. I'm going to hear him out, for real.”

She stares at him for a few seconds, before nodding and rubbing her eyes again. She was adorable when she'd just woken up from a nap.

“Okay, be careful. Where are you meeting him?” She asks.

“His crib.” He answers, still hovered over her.

“Okay. Call me when you get there.”

“Yes ma'am. I love you.”

“I love you more.”

It's finna get juicy!

21

@ghostfacekill-monger @thegifstories @blackerthings @harmshake @brentfaiyazwhore @honestpreference @sheabuttahwrites @essaysbyciara @starcrossedxwriter @blowmymbackout @prettyisasprettydoes1306 @abeautifulmindexposed @henneseyhoe

[miyuhpapayuh]

NEW MOCHA CHAPTER PLEASE

ON THE WAYYY!!!

[miyuhpapayuh]

This chapter really took me a month to write, Jesus!

But we did ittt, heyyy!

[miyuhpapayuh]

New mocha chapter dropping tonight!

[megamindsecretlair]

This was absolutely beautiful. The way they both tooo such care with their presents and presentstion. The genuine love is just overflowing and sweet. Absolutely beautiful 👏🏽

sixteen.

Zora, the sassy sagittarian, turned twenty nine or twenty fine, as Nique corrected.

Having stuffed their faces full of delicious food, from several different houses the day prior, her mom and sisters rounded her up for a home cooked breakfast plus mimosas, took her shopping, got her nails and toes done, got her hair redone, all paid for by Leon. She was being pampered to the fullest.

She was currently being driven to her surprise of the night, about to drive her loving boyfriend up a wall with how much she asked, are we there yet?

“I'm gonna turn around and go home,” he playfully threatens, earning a swat to his arm.

“Stop it! I'm just excited, that's all.” She says, crossing her heeled feet.

“I know, I know.” He nods, pulling into the lot, hopping out and helping her out as well.

“Aw, this place is cute!” She says, admiring the building in front of them. It was quaint and draped in deep blue, the name of the poetry club, Speak Easy, is lit up in gold cursive.

“Glad you like it,” he smiles, holding out his hand for her to take, as he leads them inside and over to the round red acrylic table that seems to sit underneath a spotlight. She hums to herself.

The inside was beautiful, the walls are black and the floors, a deeper blue, giving off an almost velvet effect as the steps to the lower level sparkle back at her.

A waitress comes and sits a glass of white wine down in front of her, and a glass of rum in front of Leon, before leaving them alone again.

“What? Is she psychic or something?” She whispers, making him laugh.

“No, baby– even though that would be cool,” he nods, “when making the reservation, it asks for your favorite drink and dessert. You can order something else, but they start with those.”

“That's so cute,” she dances in her seat. “So a slice of red velvet cake is gonna meet me before we leave here, tonight?”

“Absolutely, beautiful.” He answers, leaning in to kiss her lips.

She swoons, just staring at him once he pulls away. He does the same with her.

“You look stunning, tonight. Like a doll.” He compliments, twirling a strand of her curled hair around his finger.

“Thank you! I feel like a doll,” she giggles, “I don't get all done-up like this unless it's an occasion.”

“And an occasion, it is. I pulled out one of my best fits for you, girl.” He chuckles.

“Aw, and you look so good in it!” She compliments, rubbing his chest.

Thank you, baby,” he says, leaning in for another kiss. “Happy birthday.”

“Thank you!”

“Welcome, welcome. As always, we appreciate everybody in the house tonight for supporting us. We've got a lovely group for you tonight, some new, some familiar faces. Our first performer is heading our way, so get ready to be wowed and remember, hold your applause til the end.”

The lights dim to a soft pale yellow, as the first person sits upon the stool to share their poetry piece. Spice is her name, and she embodies it perfectly with her ginger hair.

“Honey with spice,

Simple, yet divine.

Wild, but grounded.

Messy, and worth it.

A woman of many shades,

Personas,

Layers.

Who I am is for me to define,

And for you to uncover.”

“Wow, she's good.” Zora comments, as they all clap for Spice. “I like how short and sweet it was.”

He nods in agreement, his nerves beginning to get to him. He smiles at her. “Y-yeah, she did good.”

The next performer by the name of Bleu takes the stage, and the lights dim to a pale blue.

“In spite of it all,

I came, saw and conquered.

In spite of it all,

I lived,

I loved,

And I lost.

In spite of it all,

I have no regrets.

If I could go back and double it.

Triple it.

In spite of it all,

I'd still tell my younger self

to love just as hard as he did,

And my future self

to love harder.”

More applause, and Zora’s sliding her hand into Leon's clammy one, her nose wrinkling up as she softly laughs.

“You okay?” She asks.

“Yeah, just wanna make sure you're having a good time.” He answers, brightening the smile on her face.

“The best time.” She reassures him with a squeeze to his hands. “I know I crack my jokes about you being a walking poem, but I like being in the places you love to be in.. seeing you in your zone, too. It's beautiful to me.”

Moved to tears, he clears his throat and wipes his face. Her hands cover his own, while she gazes at him.

“I've got another surprise for you.” He says, before giving her another kiss and disappearing from the table, leaving her alone and confused.

“What?” She quietly asks, before looking around at the other tables, really feeling like she was underneath a spotlight now.

Turning her attention back to the stage, she takes a sip of her forgotten wine, almost spitting it out as Leon taps the mic.

“What??” She whispers again, her eyes popping out of her head.

She had just gotten contacts, and she knew she was seeing correctly.

He was performing?? She finally gets to see him do his thing, on her birthday?? Was he gonna perform a piece for her??

She had so many questions that were about to be answered, as the lights dimmed to deep orange, completely moving her to tears.

“In all the ways,

I dream of you.

You're a goddess.

Ethereal.

I happily kiss the ground you walk on,

Pluck every flower just for you.

My muse.

My passion is you.

The most beautiful woman to

ever walk the earth.

To ever cross my mind.

Damn, you’re so fine.

In all the ways,

I dream of you.

The light,

And the dark.

My sun,

And my moon.

You shine brighter

Than the stars.

The blank space

In between stanzas.

A resting space,

A much needed break.

I lose my senses

When it comes to you.

Forgetting how to speak

Is only the beginning of

Just how frazzled you make me.



In all the ways,

I dream of you.

Bold,

Brilliant,

Beautiful.

Captivating,

Enamoring,

Mesmerizing.

I'm hooked on you.

Absolutely,

Always and,

Forever.”

The applause seems to double in volume as he finishes, and a single slice of red velvet cake with a candle in it is sat down in front of her, as everyone sings happy birthday to her.

“What?!” she yells for the third time.

Grabbing the napkin from the table, she dabs at her eyes and looks around in disbelief, feeling like she was living in a dream.

“Make a wish, sweet stuff.” He says from the mic, as he was still on the stage.

Taking a second to think, she clasps her hands together and blows the candle out, earning another wave of applause that makes her squeal.

As soon as he makes his way back to Zora, she damn near clings to him, giving him all the hugs and kisses she could possibly give.

“That was… that was the most beautiful, sweetest thing ever.” She whimpers, wiping her tears away for the second time tonight.

“I'm so glad you loved it, cause I was so nervous!” He chuckles, lacing their fingers together and kissing her lips, repeatedly.

“It was perfect,” she says in between kisses, “you are the sweetest man!”

“I do my best for you.”

Listening to the rest of the poetry pieces, sipping on her wine and eating the most delicious cake, Zora was on a high for the rest of the night.

“Best birthday ever.” She says, swishing the soapy bubbles around in the bath he drew for her.

“Ever?” He asks, tracing a random pattern on her other arm as he sits behind her in the spacious tub.

“Ever,” she repeats. “Tonight was something out of a movie! I felt like the only woman in the world.”

“You're the only woman in my world. That's for sure.” He says, making her giggle and welcome the many kisses to her neck and cheek.

“I love you, sweet stuff.”

“I love you too, sugar foot.”

She never even considered “birthday sex” to be a thing, but the way he put it down had her working her brain overtime on what to cook him for his birthday, which happened to be the next morning.

A day and a year apart, she had to admit was pretty wicked.

“Happy dirty thirty, Avery!” She'd greeted early this morning, pressing kisses to every part of his face.

His baritone laugh sounded through the room as he wrapped her up in his arms, “thank you, sweetheart.”

“I made breakfast!” She says, excitedly jumping up from his bed and into the hallway, causing him to sit up and rub his eyes, and properly stretch.

Coming back in with a plate of strawberry crepes, her grin turns cheesier at the look on his face.

“Look at this!” He exclaims, taking the plate from her. “I've always wanted to try my hand at these.”

“I knew it,” she laughs. “I've only made them like one other time, and it took me like an hour! So try them and tell me what you think, please.”

He nods and takes a bite. Then, another bite. And one more, his hums of appreciation cause her to cover her face.

“Damn, this is delicious!” He says, popping a strawberry into his mouth.

“Yeah, you really like ‘em??” She asks, watching him continue to eat.

“Girl, you finna watch these disappear!” He chuckles, pulling her into his lap, where she takes over feeding him the delicious breakfast.

“Is this how you feel when you cook for me?” She asks, looking down at his handsome face.

“Super accomplished? Hell yeah,” he wholeheartedly nods, making her giggle.

“Did you taste 'em?” He asks, holding a piece out for her.

“I did, but I'll just have one more bite.” She obliges, sighing at the sweet and creamy taste.

Like he said, she watched him make the crepes disappear in record time. She clapped as he hit his victory dance, still seated.

Doing his best shimmy for her, the burst of giggles that hit his ears was another present for his day.

“I got you something,” she says, while they're standing hip to hip in the kitchen, washing the leftover dishes from breakfast.

“What is it?” He asks, nudging her once she starts to laugh.

“Let's finish up here, and you'll see!” She says, flicking soap at him. Of course he flicked some back, right on her nose.

Did the dishes get neglected for a soapy water fight that lasted for five minutes? Absolutely.

Did those five minutes turn into an extra thirty, as they went at it on the counter? Again. Absolutely.

Done with their own shenanigans for the time being, cleaned up and sitting in his living room, Zora sits the box in his lap, a huge smile stuck on her face.

“I don't know which one of us is more excited,” he cracks, the box making a snap sound as he pops it open, finding a stack of gold, square rings— the coolest rings he's ever seen with his own two eyes.

“Woah,” he says, blowing out a breath.

“I originally went to buy you a new chain. Maybe some new studs, but then I saw these! And while you don't wear much jewelry, I thought it would be something of a statement piece to add to your wardrobe, ya know? B-but, if you don't like ‘em, I kept the receipt.” She says, folding her hands in her lap.

“Oh, I'm keepin’ these!,” he laughs, reaching out to squeeze her hand. “Thank you. These are super fucking cool, babe. Ima put ‘em on now, just cause!” He announces, pulling them out and sliding them on his middle and ring fingers, holding them up to watch them shine back at him.

Zora's chin is in her palms now, watching him enjoy his gift was the highlight of her day.

“You're welcome, babe.” She responds, pulling his hand towards her, wanting to watch them shine, too.

“Oh, one more thing!’ She says, before hopping up and grabbing the box she hid on the other side of his couch. The complete confusion on his face was priceless.

“How long was that there?” He asks.

“About a week?,” she pauses to do her mental math, before nodding, “yeah, about a week.”

“I’m surprised I missed this big ass box,” he chuckles, making her shake her head.

“I’m glad you did miss it! What kind of surprise would that have been?” She asks with a laugh.

“She’s learning the premise, lord.” He kids, laughing as she snatches the box away.

“I guess I’ll just take this baby back, since you like to play games.”

“Alright, okay. Let’s relax, I was just kidding,” he holds his hands up in mock surrender, making her laugh and hand it back.

Just in case she tried any more funny business, he pulled the lid off the box to find a smaller box with the word Canon written on it.

“A camera? For real?!” He yells, opening it up to pull out the Canon EOS Rebel T7 DSLR Panasonic LUMIX FZ1000 I.

His jaw was on the floor and his mind was blown.

“I've had my eye on this one, girl.”

“I know.” She says, sitting back down beside him.

Unable to find the words, he just fondly shakes his head and stares at the camera, trying to figure out how to turn it on.

Once he does, he checks the battery and aims the camera at Zora, who covers her face.

“Come on, be the first picture to grace this, here camera! Let me see that beautiful face, Jean!” He says, pushing her shoulder with his free hand.

“Okay, okay,” she drops her hands, and he captures her natural mug. Looking back at the photo, he fondly shakes his head again.

“What,” she nudges him.

“You got me the coolest gifts ever. I don't know what to say, besides thank you. That feels inadequate.”

“The coolest guy ever deserves the coolest things ever, right?!” She exclaims, nudging him again.

“The coolest?” He asks, that boyish grin making her own cheeks burn as she nods.

“I'm glad you like your gifts, seriously. I know gift giving is your thing, and you're so thoughtful with yours.. I just wanted to live up to that, too.”

“Zora, let's not forget that you've painted me. Several times. The most thoughtful thing I've ever seen. Hell, you set the standard for me! We could do this all night,” he laughs, sitting the camera down on the coffee table and grabbing hands.

“Thank you. I love my gifts and I love you.”

“I love you too, and you're welcome.”

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

Zora was currently making dinner, and even though she insisted that they didn't have to get dressed up, she was back in her little black dress, since he ever so sweetly requested that she wear it for him, and he pulled out another one of his best fits for his favorite occasion.

“Never let an outfit go to waste, girl!”, he said multiple times today. She'd remember it for sure.

Coming into the kitchen, he does a spin for her as she whistles, “look at you, hot stuff!”

The killer smile he sends her way makes her face warm, a couple giggles escape them both as they awkwardly sway.

“There go those angry bees, huh?” He jokes, pulling her away from the stove to wrap her up in his arms.

“Babe,” she whines, “it's this cologne you've got on, too. My goodness, you smell so good!” She deeply inhaled, making him crack up.

“You told me to always keep a bottle of it near, so,” he shrugs, that smile still on his lips.

“Too much,” she comments, dropping her gaze to his suit. “You really have on a whole suit!”

“Yeah, I do!” He says.

“Even though we're not going anywhere,” she continues.

“Baby, we don't need to leave the house to get all dolled up!”

“No, I know! And don't take what I'm saying the wrong way. I just.. I just always felt there needed to be an outing attached, but I honestly feel less pressured, since it's just you here. I mean, you get my nerves going enough,” she rambles, and he just smiles and cuts her sentence off with a sweet kiss.

“If it feels extra, that's the point,” he cracks, pulling a smile from her. “Question. You don't think you look good, tonight? Cause I think you look absolutely gorgeous.”

“I do, yeah!” She answers.

“You don't think I look good?”

“Of course I do, Leon!”

“Okay, then! Our night on the town just happens to be inside my apartment, and that's okay. Right?”

“Yeah, it's perfect.” She corrects.

“That's what I like to hear. You don't even have to put those dangerous heels on!”

She scoffs a laugh. “Please! Ima go put ‘em on just for that! Dangerous heels.”

“Hey, you always complain about them hurting your feet!”

“Yeah, I be a lil sore but beauty is pain! Why do you think I have a headache every time I look at you?!”

“A-ha,” he dryly laughs, “very funny.”

“I thought so too, now go sit. Dinner’s ready.” She says, shoo’ing him out of his own kitchen.

Two glasses of white wine sit at his round table, along with a tealight candle in the center. Zora came and sat down two plates of piping hot food.

“Damn, this looks delicious babe. I gotta take a picture!” He exclaims, jumping up from the table to get the camera off the charger.

She softly laughs at the way he rushes back over and snaps a picture of her beautiful setup.

“Okay, okay. We can eat now!” He says, sitting back down.

“How many pictures is that, now?” She asks.

“Uh… five?”

“Yeah? I'm shocked there aren't more!”

“Well, technically there's only four, cause I had to retake one. It came out kinda blurry.”

“Still keep it,” she suggests.

“Yeah, maybe.” He says before they join hands to say grace.

Digging right into the stuffed chicken breast and potatoes, the same look he wore at breakfast is back tenfold, making her laugh and look away from him.

“Again, you finna watch this disappear.”

“Stop it, and tell me how lunch with your two favorite girls went.” She says, digging into her own plate.

“Well, I was missing my third,” he faux pouts, earning another smile out of her, “but lunch was great. I didn't realize how much we'd all missed out on in the last couple months!”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, Eryn was traveling to Florida and back on another business trip, ma was sick for a few weeks, and around the timeframe she gave me, I remember calling her and asking her if she was good, cause you just know when parents are tryna save face and act like their in tiptop shape. She had a cold the whole time.”

“My mama does shit like that, too. It's so frustrating, like let me help you!”

“She swore it would've disrupted my schedule, like she's not my mama. Fuck that job.”

“Yeah, fuck that job,” she repeats, laughing at the expression his face. “This really bothered you.”

“It really did!” He laughs, shaking his head. “But, she's promised not to do that anymore. We’ll see,” he sighs.

“Hold her to it,” she points her fork in his direction. “I do my mama like that, too. She be tryna slide outta her promises too, they think they're slick.”

“I agree. I need somebody to take her off our hands cause she's gonna turn us gray, not the other way around.” He half-jokes, making Zora crack up.

“Leave her be! Cause if a man does come around and scoop her up, you really ain't gon know where she at and how she’s doing.” She smirks, snickering at his stale expression.

“Anyway,” he says.

“I'm just saying! But, anyway.”

“Other than all of that, this has been a great birthday. I always pictured thirty in so many words, and grateful is all I really feel.” He says, reaching across the table for her free hand, meeting her bright smile with one of his own.

“I'm glad I could be a part of it, there's nothing I'd rather be doing than being here with you.”

Holding his tears this time, he gives her hand a squeeze to keep the mood light, even though she's tugging on his heartstrings like crazy.

“I love you.”

“I love you too, baby. Happy birthday.”

Changing out of their fancy clothes after their photo shoot, the two threw on their pjs and settled on the couch to watch their usual cartoons, along with bowls full of ice cream— his was cookie dough and her was brownie cheesecake swirl.

“Best way to end the day.”

“Yeah, getting sugar wasted?”

“Like the teenage me would,” he laughs, sitting his bowl down on the coffee table, pulling her into his lap, sideways.

“Was I too far away?” She asks, biting into a brownie chunk.

“Yeah, I still think you do it on purpose.” He says, snuggling right into her neck. She laughs and sits her bowl next to his.

“I do not!”

His muffled laughter sounds in response, then silence covers them as they sit and soak up the moment. Nothing but the sound of the tv in the background.

“I love you” is conveyed in light sweeps of his fingertips over her bare thighs. Nuzzles against her sweet spot. Her nails softly scraping against his scalp.

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

“Shit,” he groans into her open mouth as she grinds on top of him, his hands on her hips, fingertips digging into her heated skin.

“Feels good, huh baby?” She moans, placing a hand on his chest, wrinkling his shirt in her grasp as she moves faster, the clap of her ass against his thighs giving her extra motivation.

“Good as fuck,” he smacks her ass, pulling her t-shirt up to bury his face in her chest.

His nips and licks to her sensitive flesh had her eyes rolling back. His groans vibrate off her skin, her own moans tangle between.

Her hands find his growing curls, tugging just to drive him wild. Both of his hands come down on her ass again, earning a gasp in return. Her arousal doubles, the squelching joining their sexual harmony.

“I fucking love you,” he groans, his head falling back against the cushions. Her ass is still smacking against his sticky thighs.

“I know,” she says with a smirk, pulling her t-shirt completely off. The dazed smile on his face made her throb against him.

Pulling him to her by his neck, she watches as he buries his face back into her chest. Her hands find his hair again, her bottom lip deeply bitten into as she continues dropping her ass on him.

“Fuck, baby..” his raspy groan sounds through her chest, her hips back in his firm grasp. He was close.

Pulling him up to face her, she wraps her arms around his shoulders, pressing kisses all over his face.

“I love you,” she moans, “cum for me, baby..” she whispers, smiling at the way his eyes begin to roll back, her name falling from his lips like a prayer as he reaches his peak.

She kisses his parted lips, the way he's wildly rutting into her and grunting has her throbbing against him again.

“So fucking sexy, baby— shit,” she gasps, feeling her own peak creep up on her, “oh my god.”

“You cummin’, yeah?”

“Fuck-— yes!” She moans with her head thrown back, loving the way he grips her hips and takes over slamming her down on him.

Now, that's the best way to end the day.

@ghostfacekill-monger @soufcakmistress @honestpreference @starcrossedxwriter @thegifstories @blackerthings @blowmymbackout @abeautifulmindexposed @nahimjustfeelingit-writes @mauvecherie-writes @harmshake @sheabuttahwrites @cecereads209

[miyuhpapayuh]

I knew mocha was gonna get slow at some point lmao but the draft isn't blank! A lil over 300 words is better than nothing 😅