smoke x reader | you heard her. iii
* little mature language *
the house been too quiet.
the kind that sit heavy in the corners.
like it don’t move unless somebody make it.
the air smells like lavender.
strong enough to linger in the walls.
you stand at the table, rag in your hand, going over the same spot again.
Expand
“you still on that table?”
her voice carries from the dining area.
you don’t look up right away.
your jaw shifts slightly.
you glance toward the doorway.
she steps into view, watching you.
“so it won’t hurt you to go over it one more time.”
you stare at her a second.
“and you gon’ stay on it till i say you done.”
your fingers tighten around the rag.
“it ain’t even dirty no more.”
“so you tellin’ me you can’t wipe it again?”
you exhale through your nose.
“…that’s not what i said.”
“i already swept this morning granny.”
“and it’s afternoon now.”
“and it still look the same.”
“then you won’t mind goin’ over it again.”
she raises her brows waiting.
you turn around rolling your eyes.
hoping she aint catch it.
sweep again. same spots.same nothing.
that almost makes you laugh.
tired of granny’s antics.
you stop, turning halfway.
“what you want me to do, sweep the same dirt that ain’t there?”
“you got a lil mouth on you today.”
“you been doin’ a lot of that lately.”
"i ain’t been doin’ nothin’.”
she steps closer, waving her finger.
“ever since that mess, you been movin’ different.”
"i ain't been movin' no type of way! i told him to leave me alone”
"that ain’t got nothin’ to do with me.”
“you stay away from ‘em.”
your fingers tap lightly.
“i wasn’t lookin’ for nobody.”
“but somehow they keep findin’ you.”
later, the house smells warm.
lavender lingering and something soft from the stove.
“hair pomade. the jar kind."
“and get them tada chips i like.”
“the little wrapped ones.”
“and keep your head on straight.”
and finally, you breathe.
your basket hangs light in your hand.
as you make it into town,
you feel it before you see it.
your steps slow slightly.
a group of women sitting off to the side.
dressed up fanning themselves,with their eyes locked on you.
“ain’t that miss claudia’s
“quiet… but i guess not that quiet no more.”
“look at her… she really think she somethin’ now.”
“ain’t nothin’ special about her.”
your grip tightens on the basket.
“all she do is sit up under that granny.”
“she don’t even move like a grown woman.”
“acts like a little girl.”
“and THAT’S who got his attention?”
“men like that don’t keep girls like her.”
“she don’t even know what to do with a man like that.”
you don’t turn but your chest tightens.
your steps pick up a little more.
you hear a deep familiar voice call out.
you don't turn around right away.
you're heart rate picks up.
you hear steps coming closer.
gravel crunching under each one.
your breath catches as your eyes take him in.
standing there like he been meant to run into you.
his eyes move over your face quick.
you hold his gaze just for a second.
he studies you, deciding if that’s true.
his eyes flick past you toward where you came from.
you shift your weight slightly.
you lift the basket just a little.
“just gettin’ a few things.”
you tilt your head slightly.
“i been goin’ by myself.”
that makes something in his expression change.
he just clicks his teeth stepping past you.
like the decision made itself.
stack’s voice hits before you even step all the way in.
he ask grinning walking closer to y'all.
"i see you ain’t waste no time brother..."
"done found you somebody to keep up with!"
stack clicks his teeth, eyes bouncing between you and smoke.
“man… it's like i leave for a minute, and you done pick up company?”
you say shyly, slightly waving.
his gaze lingers a second longer than should
his eyes then falls to his brother's.
watching him with a playful glint.
“you babysittin’ today or she babysittin’ you?”
smoke finally looks at him.
smoke steps just a little closer to you.
not obvious, but it’s there.
“and you sayin’ it to the wrong one.”
stack lifts his hands still smiling.
“still look like somethin’ though…”
you move through the aisles.
you feel him not far behind you.
not touching, just there.
“stay where i can see you.”
your lips press slightly.
“we gotta handle somethin’.”
smoke looks at you. really looks.
he holds your gaze a second longer.
and just like that, you feel the space around you.
you move a little slower now.
checking over what still needs to be grabbed.
you turn to see ms. hattie, granny’s church friend.
“you out here by yourself?”
“your granny know who you been around?”
you don’t rush to answer.
she just hums then calls out someone.
a young man steps forward.
clean. wearing a pressed suit.
daniel says tipping his hat to you.
“he a church going boy. works hard.”
“you ought to be around somebody like that.”
then walks off. leaving him there.
he just stares at you while a small pause settles between you.
he doesn't move right away. but finally, speaks up.
he lets out a small breath almost relieved you said his name first.
you glance back at the shelf.
“only when i don’t got nothin’ to say.”
he reaches out for your basket
“it's alright. i can handle it.” you reach out to grab it back.
he just pulls back, continuing forward.
you let it go but your expression don’t soften.
he grabs a coca cola from the fridge.
glass clinks as he pops it open.
“you ain’t gotta do that.”
you take it, cold in your hand.
then he steps a little closer.
that makes your fingers tighten slightly around the bottle.
you glance at him just briefly.
“quiet… stay to yourself… don’t bother nobody.”
he pauses as you grab another thing off the self, tossing it in the basket with slight force.
your shoulders shift just a little.
not comfortable but rude either.
“you don’t need to be around the type of men you been around.”
he lowers his voice slightly.
“that ain’t the kind of man you need.”
another step closer. not touching. but pushing it.
“you need somebody that know how to treat you right...”
daniel leans in closer, about to say something else but he gets cut off.
a hand wraps around your waist.
your breath catches before you even turn.
his chest warm behind you.
his voice comes out low, controlled.
daniel straightens trying to hold it together.
smoke’s grip tightens slightly.
"ain't nothin' wrong with help."
smoke exhales through his nose.
“nigga, i know what help look like...”
you feel it, the shift in him.
his eyes flick down to the basket in his hands.
daniel hesitates. his grip tightens around the basket.
his jaw shifts as he puffs up his chest. attempting to keep eye contact with smoke.
smoke tilts his head slightly.
"you want me to ask you again?"
smoke takes the basket. easy.
“she ain't your business.”
he looks away, shaking his head, more to himself than anything.
he takes steps back to leave.
stack steps in, grinning.
“boy almost got himself in some shit over groceries…”
“nigga almost got himself shot over it.”
not even looking back that way, he's focused on you.
his hand slides from your waist, to the small of your back, guiding you.
at the counter, you reach into your purse.
his hand presses lightly over yours.
his palm returns to your back, guiding you out.
the door swings shut behind you.
the noise from outside fades.
for a second, it’s just the two of you.
smoke’s eyes flick down to the bottle still in your hand.
for a second,then back up.
“he bought that for you?”
“don’t get used to that.”
stack glances up the street spotting something.
you follow stack’s gaze and then you see him.
eyes narrowing just slightly, then lighting up.
you step forward without thinking.
forgetting smoke was even behind you.
“i ain’t seen you in forever…”
you say, relief soft in your voice.
he laughs, hugging you back just as easy.
“yeah… you been hidin’ out.”
“yo granny still got you on lockdown?”
you pull back, giving him a look.
“n…what you doin’ outside?”
“i could say the same for you.”
you side-eye him, lips pursed.
you scoff, pushing his shoulder.
he laughs again at your reaction.
“…what you was doin’ out here though?”
“had to grab some things for the house.”
“caught me on my way back.”
“i ain’t know you knew my cousins.”
he gestures lightly behind you.
you turn, looking between them.
sammie huffs a small laugh.
stack steps forward a little, grinning.
he gestures between all of you.
“whole family reunion in the middle of the street.”
like he’s about to say something else
smoke steps in behind you.
his hand finds your waist again.
pulling you back just enough.
his eyes flick between you and smoke
then he huffs a small laugh.
shaking his head slightly.
“you was just sayin’ you had somewhere to be.”
“i’ma see you ‘round, aight?”
the two of them fall into their own conversation as they walk off,
voices fading behind you.
his hand still at your waist.
like he already decided where you’re going next.
away from the storefront.
“…my granny don’t like me bein’ out too long.”
“…especially not with you.”
you don’t answer right away.
he watches you for a second.
“so why you come with me?”
your brows pull slightly.
resting lightly against him for a second.
“…i was already goin’ inside.”
your breath shifts, just a little.
“…you do this with everybody?”
“…tellin’ people what to do.”
his eyes don’t leave yours.
“you listenin’, ain’t you?”
pulling you just a little closer.
“…why you still here with me?”
izzy806
dededos
discoholicmusic