WARNINGS: This story may contain intense violence, sexual content, dark themes and/or strong language. Content not suitable for minors..
Disclaimer: All original characters are my own work of fiction. I do not support the reposting of my creation on other sites. (this does not include reblogging.) Any forms of media -pictures, music, lyrics, songs, etc.- used are credited to the original artists. There are no affiliations with them and this story.
Summary: Tirian has built a career as a sought-after professional dancer for major music artists across the globe. From arena tours to high-profile music videos, she’s known for her precise, captivating performances. On the outside, she has everything: recognition in the dance world, an enviable career, and a reputation for being a reliable, professional artist.
Stone, on the other hand, is a global hip-hop icon. He’s spent years perfecting his craft and cementing his place as one of the most influential figures in the music world. His tours are legendary, his music a reflection of his raw energy. He’s at the top of his game, adored by millions, and his stage presence is unmatched. Yet despite his success, Stone struggles with loneliness and a growing sense of disillusionment. Dance is his therapy, but it’s also become an armor he’s afraid to take off.
The two worlds collide when Tirian is recruited to join Stone’s latest tour as part of his dance ensemble. Stone, wanting to bring a fresh element to his live shows, envisions a fusion of hip-hop and contemporary choreography—something that will push the boundaries of his performances. Tirian, intrigued by the challenge, agrees to join the tour. Though she’s worked with other major artists, performing for Stone feels different. She knows his reputation and how intensely he performs on stage. What she doesn’t expect is the intense personal connection she’ll form with him, or the ways in which their partnership will force her to confront her own fears.
Cast Post ->Here <-
Playlist
‿︵‿︵୨୧ Catalogue ୨୧‿︵‿︵
Chapter One: Guess who's invited to dinner
Chapter Two: On My Mind
Chapter Three: Direct Message
Chapter Four: Who's runnin'
Crush On You: Moodboard
Chapter Five: Into You
Media Release: Moodboard
Tirian's Lookbook: Moodboard
Chapter Six: The Show Goes on
Outtake: Up to You
Outtake: Heart on my Sleeve
Chapter Seven.one: Tiri's Diary
StoneWorld Crew
Chapter Seven.two: and the show goes on
Visual Break
Chapter Eight: Beg For it
Outtake: If You Love me
Chapter Nine: None of ur friends business
Outtake: Retribution
Outtake: New York Honey
Chapter Ten: NASA
warnings: foul language, mostly fluff. Smut (oral, blink and you'll miss it.)
.summary.: Tirian learns some news that could potentially change her life for ever. Terrance and Tirian get some much needed advice from their longtime mentors.
.pairing.: Terrance Richmond x Tirian Brenae
Playlist
Masterlist
A/N: Characterization/personalities may be off for certain characters but that's the fun of writing your own story. you can do what you want, and i had said i wanted to post something on my birthday before taking a break to work on other stories so! Enjoy!
New York was the last place anybody wanted to be, especially Tirian and Terrance, knowing that Cristian and his posse were here and the possibility of Tirian having to testify in his upcoming trial. Although he made bail, he was still being charged and it was only a matter of time before the courts subpoenaed anyone associated with him to testify. Terrance knew continuing on to New York would be dangerous not only for him and his team, but it would be damaging to Tirian and the mental space she put herself in since the news broke out of Cristian posting bail but being placed on house arrest in that same state. While he wanted to cancel that stop entirely, he didn’t want to upset the fans who spent their hard earned money to come see him. Even though he couldn’t control Cristian, he knew the one thing he could and that was to make sure Tirian didn’t fall into a state of depression.
The Ritz Carlton Hotel had been completely shut down and rented out for not only him and the crew but all of his production team and their families, flying them out for the week stay to not only give his team a break, but to ensure that security would be on high alert. He spared no expenses for their safety, and even hired a trusted and private security team through a mutual friend that could rotate schedules to make sure no one could get in or out without clearance.
“Shit, I knew you were balling, but not like this.” Viktor joked as they stepped into the main lobby where they were greeted with the owner and a few of his staff.
Terrence with his arm thrown around Tirian’s neck looks back with a chuckle. “You guys are an extension of me, so only the best for those down with me.”
“Shit, if this is how you coming, then I'll forever be down.” Lance glances around the main lobby, taking in the high ceilings, glass chandeliers and paintings probably older than everyone in the building. This was nicer than what he was used to, but they were also getting used to having their expenses paid for. Cristian never provided that luxury and a fair check so it was new to him not having to worry about how he was getting from state to state or even where he would sleep. He couldn’t believe Taylor would give that all up after her own treatment with Cristian.
“Where there is loyalty there is gratitude.”
“Alright, rooms are assigned,”. Zerina struts up quickly, flipping through the various keycards and passing them out, “The ballrooms have been temporarily set up as a rehearsal space and I even convinced the owner to house his staff in some of the rooms so it is only the same people in and out.”
“Do we really need all that?” Amari asks.
“This is the first time Terrance, Cristian and Tirian have been in the same state in what five years?” Zerina looks at her and Tirian just nods. “These are just cautionary measures.”
“Oh, uhm one more thing.” Amari whispers nervously. “Taylor’s here. But-”
“But what?’ Terrance demands, while Taylor may be from the Bronx, she resided in California and really had no reason to be here right now.
“She’s with Mekia and Cristian and they’ve been dissing Tirian over twitter.”
Tirian goes to pull out her phone but Zerina holds her hand out to stop her. “Don’t, I’ll handle it,” Her other hand had already began typing furiously on her phone, the ringing on speaker let her know she was calling someone. “You guys go and get settled. We have two days off and your first appearance and concert here Friday, I need you to rest.”
“Yes ma'am, big sis general.” Terrance guides Tirian towards the elevators, where the bellhops had been waiting with their luggage and complimentary champagne and robes, they were sure to use later.
30 minutes later
“Let me eat baby,” he husks from between her legs as she sits on the edge of the bed. He knelt on the floor beneath her and rested his thighs over his shoulders. He was too worried about her own pleasure to care about anything else, even though they should be heading out soon to try and get to their destination on time. Tirian trembled beneath his skill tongue, having already moaned and clenched through three releases just from his mouth alone. They had made it to their room and hoped to get a nap before going out only for Terrance to coax her into a make out session she was happy to engage in.
“We’re gonna be late.” She whines at the sensitivity to biting her lip to suppress a moan at him flicking his tongue between her folds.
“Whe wnhin’t mbe.” He grunts from his spot as he sucks her clit between his lips.
Tirian understood just enough that he wasn't going to stop until he was satisfied. She rests her hands on the back of his neck for stability, cuffing her fingers around the width of it briefly with a gentle squeeze before his hands grabs hers and interlocks their fingers together. He presses them down on the bed at her sides, and peeks up at her with a dark look and furrowed eyebrows as he keeps at his ministrations on her mound–her fourth orgasm now spilling on his tongue that flattened against her pussy..
“You keep doing that and we’ll never leave.”
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·
What had meant to only be a three hour drive turned into almost five hours due to New York traffic and a pile-up accident on Astoria Boulevard. Though once they made it through busy streets it had been smooth sailing. The tall buildings and skyscrapers had been changed out for lush greenery and larger than life estates and manors.
Despite Zerina suggesting a driver or flying to a closer airport, Terrane enjoyed the exclusive privacy of driving himself and Tirian to their destination. His hand cuffed her thigh with his thumb rubbing in circles on the inner side of it. Her other leg propped up as she wrote in her mom’s journal, probably another song she had been writing for no one at all, a few glances he could see the title Honey across the top and instantly knew it was a love song.
“How’s your mental baby?” Terrance has to ask, after the release of his diss track and the recent tweets from Taylor that she wasn’t supposed to look at–she had been quiet the majority of the ride.
She shrugs, still writing down lyrics while humming softly to herself. “It is what it is, right?”
Terrance looks at her as he stops at a stop sign that leads to a private road. It was like that but he didn’t want her to feel like that. He made a left turn and soon the large manor came into view with only two cars parked by the three door garage.
“That’s not what I asked.”
Tirian frowns, but gives in. “It’s frustrating.” She mumbles, “I don’t mess with nobody, all I do is work, dance, and love you. Why can’t I do that without any problems?”
Terrance has to contain the warm excitement he felt when she mentioned those last two words. She was feeling upset, and in her eyes probably defeated. So once he parked the car neck to the others, he quickly got out and rushed to her side. The door swings open, and he presses himself between her legs before she can get out. He grabs her face in his hands and wipes the stray tears threatening to spill from the corners. “No matter what you do, good or bad, there will always be haters.”
A deep exhale leaves her lips, but she doesn’t stop looking at him. “When will they stop?” She whispers questioningly, referring to Cristian and his posse of people that have managed to get her new phone number to harass her, that she had to change it yet again, but knowing Taylor probably gave it to them, she didn’t give it to her once she realized she wasn’t a friend
“They won’t until they see you break, but as long as I’m by your side., they will never see you fall.” He presses a kiss to her forehead. “I will never let you fall and if you do I will fail as your protector.”
“You could never fail Terrance.” She says softly with her arms wrapping around his torso. She tilts her head up with a pucker of her lips. “If anything you're my protector, my bodyguard.”
He couldn’t help but smile, and kiss her puckered lips repeatedly, almost deepening the kiss until a voice rings out from the front porch of the manor.
“Terrance! Get off a ha and get in the damn house!.”
He laughs deeply as Tirian hides her face in his chest with her own. Though the sweet moment was ruined, she couldn’t help but feel better knowing he wasn’t going anywhere, not like she was gonna let him go anywhere.
“Yes Ma’am!” He shouts back then looks down at her. “Let’s go inside before she beats my ass.”
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·
They hadn’t planned on staying the night, but just in case they had both brought a suitcase of clothes and essentials should they need them. Terrance grabbed the bags from the trunk as she grabbed her purse from the backseat. The two of them walked side by side up the steps until they were greeted with two familiar faces. The older woman with her skin a honeyed color and sharp facial features was the first to greet them with a wide smile, her dark colored hair had been pulled up into a messy bun. Her arms reached out and pulled Tirian into a hug as an older man, a deep brown skin town, who stood a few inches taller than Terrance, pulled him into a brotherly greeting of slapping hands and bumping shoulders.
“Oh it’s so good to see you!” She exclaims. “How are you?”
Tirian returns the hug, loving the warmth and comfort of her embrace and the smooth sound of her southern Texas accent that reminded her of her own mother., and honestly missing it more than she thought she would. “I could be better, but like you said one day at a time”
“I did, but that doesn’t mean I can't check on my first baby.” She grabs her hand. “Jay, show Terrance the guest room, me and my baby got some catching up to do.”
Jay couldn’t help but shake his head with that laugh of his that only few people knew what it really sounded like. He slaps a hand on Terrance’s back and grabs one of the suitcases despite his protests. “Even at home wifey is in charge.” He laughed again though it was still genuine. “Guest room upstairs,” He nodded in the direction he was walking. Terrance looks back at Tirian, both having a silent conversation with their eyes to make sure she was okay.
‘They won’t be long, lunch will be starting soon.”
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·
Tirian couldn’t help but gawk at the sheer size of their home, the mix of southern Texas style woods, and colors and New York aesthetics of artwork blended perfectly and showcased the couple’s style. Photos of them and their families adorned the walls along with a few of their platinum and gold records, what stood out the most was the life sized portrait of their wedding portrait sitting above the living room fireplace.
“I had to tell Jay to have you guys over when I realized you got here a few days early. “She explains while leading them to the kitchen, where a few glasses of southern style sweet tea sat on a dining table.
“plans kind of got changed.” Tirian trails off, averting her eyes to the droplets of condensation on her glass that was handed to her.
“ How are you holding up?” Bey sits in one of the chairs, motioning for her to sit next to her, which Tirian quickly did, already comfortable in the presence of her mentor.
“We’re coming up on the anniversary of my mom’s death, so I'm feeling more down about that, than everything that's been said about me.”
“Grief is a thief of time, I told you that all the time on tour, the worse you can do is let it consume you.”
Tiran nods, and crosses her arms. Her lip pulled between her teeth. “It’s just frustrating that people won’t leave me alone–and Cristian knows this is always a rough time for me.”
“A narcissist doesn’t care. You give him power by letting him see you upset.” Bey rests her hand on her knee. “You think I got where I am because I let a few people get to me?” She tilts her head at her. Everyone knew Beyonce and Jay had their fair share of haters, racism, and even conspiracy theories thrown at them, but they never let it get to them. “The best revenge is yo paper, and once you understand that.” Bey blows like it was all too familiar. “You will be unstoppable. “
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·
Terrance and Jay dropped the bags into one of the many guest rooms on the second floor. He was appreciative of the older man offering his home to him, instead of them getting a hotel nearby, and knew eventually they would be talking business.
“You’ve been handling yourself in the media like I taught you, you slipped but you bounced back” Jay explains from the doorway.
“Kinda hard when niggas like to test your patience.”
“And they will continue to do so the more you engage.” It almost felt like he was being scolded by his father, only it was his long-time mentor.
“What would you do?”
Jay stuffs his hands in his pockets and leans against the frame. “Sit back, watch, and let them make a fool of themselves, which they will do.” It came off so nonchalant, but Terrance knew he was right. “I taught you several ways to get your revenge and so far you only did one and that was shutting up.”
“Seems like music isn’t working either.” Terrance argues.
“You know I roll with them goons, in case you start acting familiar.” He quotes and walks away. “ Let’s head down, The ladies are waiting."
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·
“Aah, I’m so excited!” Bey squeals from the home studio on one of the many leather couches. Lunch had been long over, and from the multiple conversations held at the table from relationship advice, to wanting to write music, Tirian had expressed her wants to record her first single. Despite not having sung since the death of her mother and grandmother, it would be a disservice if she didn’t pursue her second passion in honor of her mother. So now here they were recording her first ever single in hopes of dropping it tonight.
Tirian sat next to Jay at the soundboard, as he mixed together the different sounds of Bey’s fingers snapping and the soft notes of a keyboard. She had already recorded her parts of the song, and now they were placing the on the background vocals Bey offered to do for her.
“Catchy song, definitely gonna be a hit.” Jay explains, while toying with some of the sounds to amplify Tirian’s voice.
“See this on the charts for sure.” Bey leans forward, “ Move that snapping to the beginning then slowly add in the piano beat. I like the build up of it.”
“I still think it’s missing something.” Tirian frowns after the bass drops towards the middle.
Terrance looks up from his phone beside Bey, “you need an outro or maybe an intro in the middle somewhere.” The song was perfect, and her voice had soothed a racing anxiety in him the moment he got a few concerning texts from his mother and cousin about his sister Layla. He couldn’t do much as his mom made him promise he wouldn’t come down until she called. Though the one thing he could do was help his girl with her music as it provided a nice distraction.
Her eyes widen with a smile, and she gets up. Terrance watches curiously as she walks over to him, she grabs his hand. “Come in the booth with me?”
“In front of them baby? I knew you was frea-”
“Ewugh- No!” she kicks his knee, making him wince with a laugh. “I have and idea.” Jay and Bey laugh as well at the couple's playful banter.
“Alright, alright.” He gets up and lets her drag him into the recording booth, though it was small, he still managed to comfortably stand behind her as she placed the headphones over his ears and placed her own on with just one ear covered. He drapes his arms over her shoulders, and looks down at her with a questioning look.
“Just ad-lib while I do some runs and things in the background?
“Whatever you want, pretty girl.” She grins and gives the people on the other side a thumbs up and the beat begins to play in their ends and right on cue she begins her little intro.
Bey moves to sit next to Jay who was watching them with an adoring smile. Not looking at his wife next to him, he speaks. “They remind me of us when we first recorded together.” The couple had been smiling and looking at each other lovingly, sneaking quick kisses when they thought the couple on the other side weren’t looking. They moved as if they had been together for years, though it had only been months.
“Yeah?” She wasn’t physically smiling but her voice was. “Controversy and all.”
“How long before they get married.” Jay tilts his head back at her with an eyebrow arched.
“Baby, they’re eloping. I see no wedding until all this dies down.” Bey shakes her head, knowing how Tirian’s life has been since the passing of her mother and grandmother, she knew it would be far-fetched that she would plan a wedding knowing they couldn’t be there, but eloping wasn’t completely off the table. “Are you performing at his concert?”
“If we can get this song he wants me on, done in time” Jay shrugs. “We’ll see.”
“You know they’re officially our kids now.” Bey jokes, though she was serious, she had a soft spot for the young couple and knew her and Jay would be in their lives as long as they would have them.
“Wouldn’t have it any other way.”
106 & PARK
AJ: Welcome to 106 & Park, we're your hosts AJ & Free and before we get started we have and exclusive on New Artist gracing the RnB Scene with a new song.
Free: While some of you may know her as that girl dancing or tour, or regrettably as someone involved in a diss battle. We know her as Little Tiffany. Who has been in this industry since the age of 10 years. old. Kinda can't call her little Tiffany no more. *laughs*
Aj: She's grown now Free. But dropping her new single Honey!, give it up for Tiri!
Ooh, ooh, honey got me hooked on you
I like that
Oh, oh
Come on, TB
La da da da da da da da
Come on
Yeah, da da da
La da da da da da da da, la da da da da
La da da da da da da da, da da da da da
La da da da da da da da
I like that
La da da da da, da da da da
Let's go
[Verse 1: Tiri x Stone]
Oh honey, you can have me when you want me (Ooh)
If you simply ask me to be there
Uh-huh
And you're the only one who makes me come runnin'
'Cause what you got is far beyond compare, oh
[Pre-Chorus: Tiri x Stone]
And it's just like honey (Yeah)
When your love comes over me (When your love comes over me)
That's right
Oh baby, I've got a dependency
Always strung out for another taste of your honey
It's like honey when it washes over me
You know sugar never ever was so sweet
And I'm dyin' for ya, cryin' for ya, I adore ya (Cryin', mmh)
One hit of your love addicted me (Yeah)
Now I'm strung out on you, darlin', don't you see? (Every night)
Every night and day
I can hardly wait for another taste of honey (No, honey)
Honey, I can't describe
How good it feels inside (Oh, honey)
Honey, I can't describe
How good it feels inside
[Verse 2: Tiri & Stone]
Yeah, yeah, oh, I can't be elusive with you, honey
I like that
'Cause it's blatant that I'm feelin' you
Yeah
And it's too hard for me to leave abruptly
'Cause you're the only thing I wanna do
Uh-huh
And it's just like honey
When your love comes over me (When your love comes over me)
Oh baby, I've got a dependency (So dependent to ya, honey)
Always strung out for another taste of your honey (Honey)
It's like honey when it washes over me
You know sugar never ever was so sweet (Oh)
And I'm dyin' for ya, cryin' for ya, I adore ya (I need you bad)
One hit of your love addicted me (Ooh, your love addicted me)
Now I'm strung out on you, darlin', don't you see? (I can't wait for another)
Every night and day
I can hardly wait for another taste of honey
[Break: Tiri & Stone]
(Baby, I can hardly wait)
Honey I can't describe
Harlem world, we won't stop
And Tirian, you're on fire
How good it feels inside (Gotta have another taste)
Harlem world, we won't stop
So Tirian take us higher
Honey I can't describe (I gotta have you now, come on baby)
Harlem world, we won't stop (I need your honey right now)
How good it feels inside
And Tirian you're on fire
Harlem world, we won't stop
So Tirian, take us higher (Come sweeten me with your honey)
[Stone]
Breakdown
Whoa, whoa (Yeah), every little thing you do
Now what we gonna do right here
Is we gonna smooth it out, come on
Ooh, ooh, honey, got me hooked on you
(TB, and she won't stop)
Honey, it's like
It's like honey when it washes over me
You know sugar never ever was so sweet (Oh, sugar, you know)
And I'm dyin' for ya, cryin' for ya, I adore ya (Oh, I need your love right now, baby)
One hit of your love addicted me (One)
Now I'm strung out on you, darlin', don't you see?
Every night and day
I can hardly wait for another taste of honey (I need a taste of honey)
It's like honey when it rushes over me (Honey)
You know sugar never ever was so sweet
And I'm dyin' for ya, cryin' for ya, I adore ya (Honey, I)
One hit of your love addicted me (Honey)
Now I'm strung out on you, darling, don't you see?
Every night and day (Oh honey, I)
I can hardly wait for another taste of honey (Honey, I)
It's like honey when it rushes over me (Honey)
You know sugar never ever was so sweet
And I'm dyin' for ya, cryin' for ya, I adore ya (Honey)
One hit of your love addicted me (Honey)
Now I'm strung out on you, darling, don't you see?
Every night and day (Honey)
I can hardly wait for another taste of honey
Honey, I can't describe (Honey)
How good it feels inside
.warnings.: mentions of assault, abuse, foul language, exposed trauma. instant gratification.
.summary.: a media appearance takes a turn for the worst, leaving Terrance to wonder his next course of action.
.wordcount.: 3k
A/N: pls don't hate me for this one guys, once i get to writing i just let the words lead me, and this is where we landed. I hope i didn't hurt y'all to much.
Terry greeted the workers as he stepped inside of Ugly Duck Records for an interview with Grenadine Frost and Billboard. The vibe had been immediately set with one of the conference rooms being cleared out and set up with two large black armchairs, and a small wooden table placed in between them. On top sat two glass cups of water and a set of cards that he was sure were the journalists' questions for him. Before he was set up with tiny mics and sound boxes, he was whisked away to makeup, to clear up any blemishes and to hide the dark bags under his eyes. He sat in one of the chairs facing the mirror.
“If you can, just cover the bags under his eyes, as best as you can, maybe trim the beard up more.” Zerina says from behind him without looking up from her phone. The two of them had been up bright and early since boarding the jet to head to Boston. There were still three more days until his appearance on 106 & Park, but with Terrance and Tirian keeping their silence on this drama, Christian had been trying to bait them with subliminal posts on twitter, Instagram and even through unknown numbers, to the point they both got new ones.
“That nigga still crashing out?” Terrance asks while pocketing his phone.
“He's digging himself into a deeper hole.” Zerina waves it off and looks at him. “Do you know why he’s so pressed?”
“Cause Tirian is happier with me, and I got the career he wants.” He shrugs, like it was the most obvious answer. Zerina shakes her head, although it was part of it, it wasn’t the full reason.
“While that is true, it’s not.” She puts her phone in front of him that has a video pulled up in full screen in front of him ready to be played. “ He just dropped this last night, and I know the reporter is going to ask about it.”
The expression on his face was unreadable as he placed the air pod in his ear and immediately pressed play. A hard beat played in the background and Terry couldn’t deny that it was heat, but he wasn’t surprised as Cristian came into view dressed in clothes Terrance knew he couldn’t afford, and chains that looked like they belonged to a Facebook auntie selling paparazzi jewelry on live. Above his head, there were words edited in bright bold lettering and he knew exactly what lies Cristian was about to spew out. “Foster Care Package”
Yeah…
Y’all gon’ talk anyway
Might as well give you somethin’ to talk about
Welcome to the truth they ain’t ready for
You was my nigga, from bunk beds to beats
Now you postin’ like you priest, but you prayed on my seat
I gave you cadence, the hooks, the flow you deliver
And you still bite the hand that held you through the winter
You ain't buildin' legacy — you squat in my blueprint
Tried to play king but your throne’s just a student desk
You got a girl now, that’s cute, hope it’s solid
But you ain’t pure just ‘cause you quiet — you polished
Mekia knew the fire, we danced in the wild
Stone got the poem, I gave her the child.
Terry smirks, knowing he wasn’t trying to let that slip.
—uh, I mean, the chance… to be more than a phase
She left you for the music, not a mistake she made
You wanted wifey vibes, she wanted world tours
I opened doors, you offered detours
She stayed 'cause she knew I’m the reason she rose
Can’t dim a star just 'cause you froze
Tirian was timing, I admit that
But she ain’t built for arenas — more like sit-back
I put her on stages she only dreamed of
Still looked at Mekia like she ain’t seen love
That ain’t my fault — it’s instinct, survival
Only room for one queen on this title
But I never lied, I just moved through fate
Sometimes the truth don’t fit clean on a plate
Foster love, foster pain, foster guilt
But I’m still the one they study when they talkin’ skill
Hate me, praise me, rewrite me — whatever
I wrote all y’all chapters, just not your forever
“So. What do you wanna do?” Zerina asks as the song ends and the video fades out.
“Welcome to BillBoard Exclusive, I’m Grenadine Frost, and I have a very special guest here with me, platinum- correction double platinum recording artists, who is headlining his third world tour since gracing the rap industry with his ep Everything, Stone.” She gestures to Terrance sitting next to her. “First of all, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to join us.”
Stone smiles graciously, “Thank you for having me,”
“So as everyone knows, you've been touring across the coasts, and you recently dropped the international dates for this tour. What inspired this world tour?”
“It’s my first world tour since receiving my masters and honestly getting full creative control of myself as an entity without restrictions.” He pauses with a hum. “This one was for the fans, as much as they poured into me and my music, and just anything I've done in this career, it was time to pour back into them.”
“Couldn’t have said it better myself, now,” she shuffles through cards, but decides to ditch them. “You said you received the rights to your Masters, can you elaborate on them.”
Terry nods and rubs his hands together. “I was under an independent label that trapped me into a contract where I saw maybe five to ten percent of my earnings, or if I'm lucky, any of them.” This was the first time he was publicly talking about his bogus contract. “A lot of people thought I was signed to Roc Nation first, but I was initially signed to Kronos Records with a 3 album deal.”
“Some of us know you only did two albums with them?”
“I was eighteen, just coming up in the industry, I was excited to pursue my career, I was overworking myself with no payout.”
“Then Roc Nation signed you?”
“They bought out the Kronos Label, and I started to see revenue, the money I was gettin? Flipped and invested it in stock and of course my dance studio No Limitz.”
Grenadine nods for him to continue,
“I met Shawn at an awards show, ironically, I was seated next to him, we chopped it up to the point he asked me in for a meeting the next day with a couple of executives. It took some few years, but he helped me hone in on my craft, set me up with his attorneys that looked into the numbers and discrepancies, and just a few months ago we were able to finally buy out my original contract. There are some more details I would rather not get into, but I am forever grateful for what he’s done for me and my career..”
“So you can say that your relationship with Shawn changed your life?”
“If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be the artist I am today.”
“A lot of us are wondering, have you gotten in the booth with him and would you like to do a collaboration with him?”
“It’s definitely a goal, we’re both pretty busy with our careers and families, but it has been a topic of discussion.” Terry nods.
“Here’s to hoping we get that duo.” Grenadine laughs a little. “You speak on families, and I hate to ask, but it’s been five years since your last relationship, but a recent Instagram post, and a few mentions, we see there is a new leading lady in your life.”
Terry shifts in his seat, unsure of where this question was heading.
“We the people, would love to hear more about the beautiful lady that has taken you off the market,”
Terry smiles with a slight chuckle, knowing the both of them haven’t posted much since coming out, except for a few quick shots of them dancing on stage together, and quick pictures backstage from random fans. For the most part they had been super private and planned to keep it that way. “That’s my baby.”
“Enough said.” Grenadine takes the hint, but as she prepares to ask the next question, the producers speak into her ear piece, though her expression was neutral, Terry noticed the pause and knew what was coming. “I hate to detour the subject, but recently you’ve been having heated exchanges with a formal label mate BigCris, he recently dropped a diss towards you and Tirian, do you have anything you want to say?”
“No comment”
Grenadine wasn’t surprised, but the next few questions that were in her ear had her questioning if she wanted to ask, or risk losing her career, but she too was curious and maybe a little disgusted, but that’s usually the toughest part of the job.
“BigCris has recently been picked up in the state of New York for alleged assault, rape, illegal drug possession and gun possession last night.” Grenadine pauses, seeing the slight tick in Terrance’s jaw, and the bawling of his fist on his lap. “A few witnesses have come forward, but the biggest one has allegedly seen him commit an assault on Tirian, your girlfriend, at a house party three years ago. The states of Georgia and California are also looking to bring him in on their own charges, I just have to ask, any comments on that?”
Terry ponders his next choice of words, but without a second thought, he instead stands up, removes the tiny microphones and soundbox from his clothes and makes his exit without a word leaving Grenadine sitting there in shock and confusion. Zerina wasn’t surprised considering he told her he would leave if they asked anything about Cristian, but neither of them knew they were gonna go this far. Terry was the kind of man that once you ticked him off enough, he acted first, spoke later.
Tirian sat in the corner of the rented out dance studio in shock and honestly embarrassment. She had been watching Terrance’s interview live while stretching when the journalist dropped the bomb she had been trying to keep between herself, Terry, and Zerina. She could feel the eyes of the crew on her, but she refused to make contact, but she could tell they were looking at her differently now. They had been for the past few hours since landing in Boston.
Lance slowly makes his way over to her and hesitantly sits next to her. He doesn't say a word and just stretches next to her. The silence was comforting and what she needed as she just processed what happened. Viktor soon joins her side, and takes the phone from her hand to turn it off and distract her from the influx of notifications and blogs flooding her screen. Though the people she wanted to comfort her had distanced themselves, and went back to rehearsing the setlist as if she was in the wrong.
She could feel the tears threatening to spill but quickly wiped them away with the sleeve of his hoodie she stole from his suitcase. She decided then to just put her headphones on and block out the world, and try to clear her mind. Lance had been texting Terry, keeping him updated on how she was feeling until he got there.
BigT: Where is she?
Lance: Next to me, we turned her phone off so she didn’t get flooded with messages.
BigT: Okay, keep an eye on her, I gotta make one more stop and then I’m there.
Lance: We got her man, handle yo business.
The studio had been extra quiet except for the laughter of Amari and Taylor recording videos. Terry nods as he and Zerina stepped into the studio, thinking they were keeping Tirian’s mind off what just happened. Before getting there he had stopped to get them some food, and all of her favorite things, to hopefully keep her mind occupied, and visit a long-time friend who owed him a favor. Zerina was already on media control, contacting several media blogs and threatening them with a lawsuit if they mentioned Tirian in anything. This beef had taken a turn, and was now a rival turned vendetta and Terry was looking for retribution.
Terrance had fully expected for Amari and Taylor to be at her side, but what pissed him off was them laughing and giggling with each other in front of the floor to wall mirror, and Tirian in a corner with her legs pulled up beneath the hoodie so she could hide her face. He noted Viktor and Lance sitting beside her.
“Yo!” Terrance shouts, gaining their attention. “So this what we doing? Just leaving her to sulk in a corner like her trauma wasn’t just plastered for the world to see and hear?” He drops his stuff by the door and takes long quick strides over to her. Taylor shrugs to Amari, though Amari actually felt for her friend, and wanted to comfort her, but didn't know how to. Plus Taylor had been keeping her away from Tirian, and she was in no mood to fight the older woman. So she gave Tirian a moment to process things, especially since it just came out of nowhere. Taylor on the other hand.
“She doesn’t tell us anything else, sooo,”
Terry has to close his eyes and count to ten to control his temper. Taylor was really starting to piss him off, and the only reason she was still on this tour was because he thought she was an actual friend, but he’s starting to see now that wasn’t the case. He pulls Tirian up by her hands, upset by the tears streaking her face.
“And you think that's a good enough reason to not talk to her?” Zerina answers for him, seeing the clear agitation on his face and the fuse that was ready to blow. “What, y’all mad she’s not telling you the details of her relationship?”
Taylor shrugs her shoulders. “She did before and now all of sudden, you two come into play and she’s being secretive.”
Terrance nods, now seeing Taylor for what she was, and that was someone who was only around for the drama, how he let her stay for so long was beyond him, but this shit was ending now. He could feel Tirian wrap her arms around him and hide her face in his chest, wanting nothing more than to hide away. “See, what we’re not going to do is ice out Tirian because of her relationship with me.” He continues before Taylor could speak, “You are not entitled to anything about her personal life and what she shares with you, is because she feels as if she can trust you.”
“And from a few resources, Taylor.” Zerina doesn’t look up from her phone, despite the banging migraine it was starting to give her. “You were on the Caution tour when all of that stuff happened, so I would expect a little more empathy from you.
Taylor rolls her eyes with the cross of her arms, “Just think it’s funny how they get together and all of a sudden she’s put in the dram-”
“That was gonna happen regardless of if they were together or not.” Zerina drops her hands in front of her with a ‘really look.’ “Cristian is a man with nothing to lose. He’s banking on a few loose mouths to back him up and you questioning Terrence is only going to aid in that.”
“Matter of fact, Z.” Terrance rubs the back of Tirian’s head in the process, his touch comforting amidst the drama. “Book Taylor a flight home, she’s done and if anybody else has an issue, they can go too.”
Viktor shakes his head and crosses his arms. He’d heard horror stories from Lance about Cristian and the way he treats his crew. He wanted no parts in that and he actually felt for Tirian, he’s had sisters, and cousins who went through that and he wouldn’t wish it on his worst enemy. “So what do you want us to do?”
“Simple” Zerina shrugs like it was obvious, “Shut the fuck up, and stay the fuck out of their relationship unless asked, got it?” She scolds them like she’s their mother, making sure they each saw the seriousness on her face though her gaze lingers longer on Taylor who had been grabbing her stuff with an attitude.
The locked studio was silent as Terrance sat on the floor against the wall with Tirian curled in his lap. They were sharing a pair of headphones that played Luther Vandross in their ears. He was focused on editing the emails, for a replacement dancer before giving up and sending a quick message to a close friend, hoping she could fly in on such short notice. Tirian on the other hand had been coloring the blank spaces of his tattoos. The motions, keeping her mind from wandering off too much on the negatives of everything and losing someone who she thought was a friend.
“So, Cristian just made bail, but he’s remanded to the state of New York, and placed on house arrest.” Viktor says from beside him. “But he’s going off on Twitter about you, Tiri and just to anyone who would listen.”
Terrance furrows his brows and looks up. “What’s he saying?” He put the other earbud in her ear, so she didn’t have to hear it.
“Things like, you will never be him. How easy Tirian was to manipulate, just saying a lot of things, I would rather not repeat.” Lance adds in, turning the phone slightly so he could see, but to make sure it was out of view of Tirian's eyes to not upset her further. Amari had been behind her on her phone texting Zerina who had stepped out for a moment. Taylor texted her, but she had since blocked her number, not wanting any parts of her anymore.
“Don’t worry, I got something for his ass.” Terrance shifts, but doesn’t move her. He pulled his computer closer, and began shifting through folders until he landed on the one he needed and pulled up youtube. “I had been working on this since he started and honestly just finished it a few days ago.”
“What is it?” Viktor asks.
“Retribution”
THE SHADE ROOM: HipHop Artist Stone has just broken his silence on his ongoing beef with artist BigCris, who has since been taking since the start of Stone’s Nothin but love world Tour, but Stone has no love for his former labelmate.
THE BREAKFAST CLUB: An exclusive video has been dropped by Artist Stone in retaliation for BigCris cashing a check he probably can’t handle. Though, I wonder what Tirian and Mekia have to say in all of this.
The Wendy Williams Show: All of this is just messy, messy boots, the only people i feel for in this are the dancers, cause what do you mean two grown ass men are acting like literal highschoolers. Cristian is lucky, this is all Stone doing and not putting him six feet under.
The Real: Exclusive on Big Cris ‘Foster Care Package’, Stone’s comeback to BigCris, Cristian's upcoming court case, and more.
Billboard: on behalf of Ugly Duck Station, Billboard Executives would like to extend its deepest apologies to Stone, and his lady Tirian for its reporters, asinine questions on personal matters that should not have been discussed. Said reporter had been released of their duties, and will no longer be employed to any other company.
The video starts with an empty studio, with a microphone stand in the center if the floor. The lights are dimmed down and you can see the slow methodical steps of a figure walking up to stand in the mic. The lights brighten a little to see the features of Stone.
“I know I said I wasn’t gon say shit, but mothafuckas like to test my patience, so here we are.” He speaks aggressively into the mic while staring darkly into a camera. “Since you wanna play, nigga, let’s play.” Everyone watching didn’t need to hear his name to be said to know who he was talking about. The beat starts and you can see a switch flip behind his ice blue eyes as the first set of lyrics leave his lips:
Easy money
It's about to be a surgical summer
Chop the tops off the coupes
The cuatrociento' ochenta y ocho
The Spider joint
And you know we gotta cut the heads off these snakes, right?
Watch the body drop
Drug dealin' aside, ghostwritin' aside
Let's have a heart-to-heart about your pride
Even though you're multi, I see that your soul don't look alive
The M's count different when Baby divides the pie, wait
Let's examine why
Your music for the past few years been angry and full of lies
I'll start it at the home front, "I'm On One"
Christian Graham stay off the 'Gram, bitch, I'm on one
You mention wedding ring like it's a bad thing
Your father walked away at five, hell of a dad thing
Marriage is somethin' that Mekia never had, Drake
How you a winner but she keep comin' in last place?
Since you name-dropped my fiancée
Let 'em know who you chose as your Beyoncé
Mekia knows better as your baby mother
Cleaned her up for IG, but the stench is on her
A baby's involved, it's deeper than rap
We talkin' character, let me keep with the facts
You are hiding a child, let that boy come home
Deadbeat mothafucka playin' border patrol, ooh
Horace is your son
And he deserves more than an Adidas press run, that's real
Love that baby, respect that girl
Forget she's a pornstar, let her be your world, yuugh!
How dare you put Ye in my verses?
I'm selfish, I want all of the curses
I'm pre-bookin' the churches, me versus three hearses
If we all go to Hell, it'll be worth it
Already aligned with the greats, and on that same note
The only ones I chase are two ghosts
Still givin' you classics, that's the only thing that dates me
40, hunched over like he 80, tick, tick, tick
How much time he got? That man is sick, sick, sick
I got the devil flow, nigga, six-six-six
Surgical summer with it, snip, snip, snip
And you don't really want it with him
We gon' take this slow
We just gon' peel it back layer-by-layer
Yeah, ATL
Artist of the motherfuckin' year
And you talkin' 'bout you upset
Well, I wanna see what it's like when you get angry, okay?
You show me that
Stone.
CREDITS: I change a few things, and took a few things out to fit the situation, but credits to the original for inspiring this, and helping me figure out how to end the beef.
-> warning.: foul language, parental death. some angst. little fluff. Everything is strictly fictional. I don not claim the images used as my own, only the creations of the banners made through Canva.
-> summary.: Terrance and Tirian travel down memory lane while questioning the state of their relationship going forward in the midst of the drama with Cristian.
-> pairing.: Terrance 'stone' Richmond (Aaron Pierre) x Tirian Brenae Harris (Ryan Destiny)
"Isn't it just so crazy to think all long there was some invisible string tying you to me?"
Fic inspiration:
If you love me x Brownstone
Exhale x Whitney Houston
The bumpy ride of the bus going down a backroad and incessant buzzing of their phones had the both of them waking up with annoyed groans and protests while untangled beneath the sheets, freeing them just enough to grab their phones.
4:48 a.m. || four days before 106 & Park appearance.
The sun had barely risen above the horizon and a rest stop would be needed soon to fill up on gas and food. Terrance was fully awake now and pulling out a rolling tray. Not to roll, but to eventually make their morning tea, and probably the first of many. It took Tirian a minute to wake up, mindlessly scrolling through tik tok until she blinked the sleep away. She wasn’t paying too much to the videos playing until it stopped on a video of her dancing being compared to Mekia. The comments weren’t against her and the videos continued of them pulling up her dancing history, long before Cristian. It took a while for her to realize that Cristian and Terrance were still going back and forth with each other and were beginning to bring them into it.
897-435-3211: Enjoy my leftovers bitch.
897-435-3211: Ask him how I taste 👅😏
897-435-3211: Rebound much, he could never love you.
897-435-3211: If I call him, he’ll be in my bed by tonight.
897-435-3211: Sucks you weren’t there when we trashed your shit, 😂would've loved to see the fear on your face.
It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out who the unknown number was, and while inclined to reply she just screenshot the messages just as a text came in from Zerina.
bigsisgeneral: I want to know everything.
“Did Zeri text you?” Terrance asks, glancing over his shoulder at her to see her tapping her fingers on the screen, pretty sure it was her she was texting. They had their own thread of messages going, with two extra days added to the already three day break, he had been setting up studio time to get what he was feeling out on to paper.
“Big sis general? Yup, what did she say to you?”
Terrance has to laugh at the swiftness of his cousin. “She logged me out of my socials.”
Tirian smiles back a laugh. Zerina was strict with the presentation of her clients. If you hired her, you agree to her doing anything possible to protect your image. Terrance trusted her with his life and that’s not something he can trust to many people with. “Craazy,” Tirian goes to pull up her Instagram only to see she had been logged out as well, She goes to login and the red error box pops up.
“Did you give her your logins?”
“Yeah but-”
“Everybody’s on social media lockdown.” He cuts her off and tosses his phone on the bed while reaching for the remote to turn on the tv. The boondocks instantly played in the background while rolled back onto his back against the headboard.. Terrance had been responding constantly during his social since he last shot of lies from Cristian had been reposted, and before he could respond, his social media had been logged out of by Zerina and an angry voicemail left about shutting the fuck up. Zerina had soon after sent him a list of questions for them to answer by the time they met back up. Which meant they were ahead of schedule and quick text the driver for a detour had him relaxing against the bed.
Tirian shouldn’t be surprised, but if she didn’t have to deal with it, she would gladly let someone he calls family do it. Zerina had treated her no different, actually being welcoming and making her feel like part of the family. Zerina had been like a sister, though she still had her walls up because of her own fears. Tempted by the way he looks so relaxed against the bed, she kept her glasses on to see the tv and moved to rest against his side with her knees pulled up to rest the book she was currently reading against them with his arm instinctively wrapping around her chest like a seatbelt. She pushes her glasses up on her nose and flips through the pages of The Shadow Queen.
“Mhm, you should wear them the next time we fuck.” Terrance's dirty joke makes her roll her eyes, but the gruff sleep still in his voice makes her heartbeat.
“Is that all you’re gonna think about now?”
“Nope.” He pulls her hand up to his mouth to kiss the sides gently. “Though, I’m thinking about how I can have you like this everyday.”
“Yeah?” She hums, flipping to the next page, her fingers curled around the palm of his hand until they both rested on the bed.
“Mhm,” He puts her hand down and reaches beside him to grab his MacBook. “Your things are in storage and Zeri figured out who trashed your place.” The conversation was long overdue, and with them soon reaching the halfway point on the tour, she would need a place to stay until the second leg of the tour started.
“So, I just gotta find a new place after the tour.” She liked the location of her last apartment because of the close proximity of all the dance studios and small festivals hosted every Friday night. She didn’t have to travel far if she needed something and wasn’t sure if she was ready to give up the convenience.
“Or” He coughs and scrolls through the several listings Zerina sent him.
“Are you trying to move in together?” She answers for him, while that would be nice, she wanted her own space, knowing how moody she could get. She wasn’t sure if she was ready for him to see that side of her.
‘No, just the same area.” Terrance didn’t want to rush into that too fast, they had only been together for a few months officially. He would just feel better where she was somewhere safer than where she was. Fans can get reckless and now this beef with Cristian had him a little on edge. “There’s a unit next to mine for rent, a gated community.“
That sounded too good to be true, she squinted behind her glasses. “What if I want to stay somewhere else?”
“Then you can do that.” He tells her with a kiss to her head, he wasn’t going to pressure her if she didn’t want to, it wasn’t nothing for him to just drive wherever she was . “It was just an option.”
Tirian looks up at him, searching his eyes for something. She sighs and shakes her head to shake away the negative thoughts she had about their relationship. Even though she was locked out of her accounts, she still saw the messages of people saying he could do better, that she was just a placeholder for someone who truly deserved him as if she wasn’t worthy of love.
Terrance notices the crease in her brow. He could tell when she was overthinking things too much. Going quiet as she processed everything they ever talked about. Usually he can see what she was thinking, able to reassure her before she thought too far ahead in doubt, , but with the glasses and the dark lightning, it made it hard to read her. “What's wrong?”
“It’s nothing-”
“Nah, don’t say that.” He adjusts their bodies until they are pressed chest to chest. “You can always tell me how you’re feeling.”
Tirian blows out a defeated breath and crosses her arms under her chin that rested on his chest. . “Don’t you think we moved a little too fast?”
“yeah,” Terrance shrugs like it wasn’t obvious. Everyone on tour knew that to the point they even betted to see how long it would take for them to get together. She knew that. “John and Isis set us up, though you knew that.”
“I mean we became official too quick?” She blows a defeated raspberry. Their relationship had happened pretty quick in her eyes even though they had only been official for three months, one could argue their relationship started the moment he asked her on the Falcons field with him eight months ago. “I guess I'm not used to being loved so publicly.” She tells him honestly. Her relationship with Cristian wasn’t like this. He wasn’t known as the romance type of guy, he barely showed emotion even when it was just them. She felt alone while watching Mekia steal her spotlight and her man. Terrance was different and a little too good to be true. “Cristian wasn't abusive, but I could tell he definitely didn't like me around too much. “ She sighs, remembering how they had met. It had been brief and during a Coachella event where she was coming off the stage with a few dancers. He had pulled her to the side, complimented her dancing and even asked for her number. “He was nice in the beginning.”
Terrance listened intently while rubbing her back. Around this time he had been with Mekia, the two of them having been together for five years by that point. He was twenty-five at the time, and riding the high of selling out his second world tour. “He's a punk ass bitch.” He responds with a huff.
“He was comfortable,” Tirian explains, “until he wasn’t and I didn’t really know Mekia,” She had seen her around a lot, but Tirian just did her job and minded her business, ever so often going out with Taylor and Lance when they asked, Though the two of them really didn’t stick around either. “It was my first tour without my mom.”
“I thought it was Isis’s?”
“Nah, I met her after leaving him and the Caution tour.” Isis had been a saving grace when she caught Cristian and Mekia in her old apartment. She didn’t like reliving that day keeping some other details to herself. So much had been going on that day that she blocked it out and went on about her life as if it never happened. Just as his tour ended, she was on to join the renaissance crew. It was nothing for her to pack up and move to New York. She had family up there, but no one knew who she was so it made living there so much easier. “I had just started training and rehearsals for the renaissance tour.”
“ Oou look at you.” Terrance whistles making her smile with a roll of her eyes.
“We met at Costco, before she was pregnant with Haze.” The two of them instantly clicked and anytime they were in town together, they made sure to see each other. It wasn’t until the tour ended and Isis’s return to music started that gave her the decision to keep working. Isis tour kept her mind off everything that happened and it led to her having a close bond with someone she called sister.
“John’s my cousin,” Terrance tells her. “Different moms, but our dads were brothers. I didn't see him all the time growing up, mostly summers, and travel ball, but he’s still a brother you know.” Terrane peeks out the window to see the traffic lights turned to street lights down a trailer park. “One thing my pops made sure never changed, was us on the same little league teams.” He sighs and chews the corner of his mouth as it comes to a stop. The sun had started to rise and he knew she would be up right now. “We cut up on the court a lot, mama whipped our asses and clean it off too. “ He laughs at little memories. “Then we graduated.”
“He chose sports,” She answered. Terrance was athletic and great at many sports, but he always found himself signing up for theater in high school, wanting nothing more than to put his heart to words.
“It’s his thing, music’s always been mine.”
Tirian looks out the window to see where the bus had stopped. They were parked in front of a beige colored double wide trailer that sat on three feet tall cinder blocks with a wooden screen porch attached to it.. In the driveway sat a black Nissan rogue with a few other cars he didn't recognize as anyone he knew.
“Where are we?”
“My moms’ place.”
“I thought you said we were moving too fast.” She quickly gets out of bed to look through her suitcases for something decent to wear. She felt a surge of nerves and anxiety especially knowing that the rest of the crew had gone on to the next city, giving them their own day of doing whatever they wanted. Viktor and Lance were hosting a pop up workshop, leaving Amari and Taylor to help Zerina with wardrobe for the next show.
Terrance chuckles, “If I thought that, you wouldn’t be meeting her, ” Though it came off wrong he continued. “If you’re not ready, then we can leave.”
Tirian freshened up in the bathroom before they got off the bus, still a little nervous to be meeting his mom. All she could think is what’s the worst that could happen? His mom completely hates her, and having to drop out of the tour essentially breaking up with him to save face.
“Hey,” He cuts her train of thought, having switched from her glasses to contacts, he was able to see the nervous tick in her eye. “She’s going to love you, I promise.”
Terrance walked up the wooden steps with a comforting grip on her and as Tirian stuck close behind him. The door had been propped open, but a screen door acted as a barrier between the coolness of the home and the hot humidity of today’s weather. The savory and sweet scent of conecuh sausages, and pancakes wafted through black mesh. Terrance could see her standing at the gas stove flipping over sausages and mixing up pancake batter.
“You just gon stand there or you gon come say hey to your mama.” Her voice was commanding and startled them both. She had ears like a bat. She knew the sound of her son’s footsteps and Terrance had to smile at getting caught and pushed the door open to walk in. Tirian followed behind him with a shut of the door, she glanced around at the cozy space, the dark brown colors of the wall and the funky brown carpet had been covered with several paintings and rugs. The brown leather couch was a little worn from years of constant use. Some of her favorite prints from her favorite artist Ernie Barnes had been framed and scattered across several surfaces. What wasn’t paintings had been walls of pictures frames, documenting each moment of her children’s lives. Tirian could easily point out Terrance, as his ears were the most noticeable, she slowly moved along the wall that separates the kitchen from the living space. A small smile on her face on what she assumed was his first baseball game, to pictures of what she assumed was him and John on the basketball team together. Their graduation pictures had been blown to a bigger size to sit above the fireplace.
Terrance moved through the kitchen to pull his mother into a side hug, while reaching over to steal a sausage. “ Hey ma–ow.!”
She smacks his hand to make him drop it. He knew better than to reach over her stove without washing his hands first. “Don’t hey ma me, you didn’t tell me you were stopping by.” Drying her hands on a sunflower dish towel, she finally turns to fully look at him. Her eyes were soft in concern while inspecting the bags under his eyes. She reaches up to rub his cheek. “You aren’t sleeping.”
“A surprise.” He grabs her hand with a smile. “I’m sleeping enough.”
“Mhm, and who’s your little friend.?”
Terrance chuckles, and turns to see Tirian nervously walking into the kitchen. He walks over to her and wraps an arm around her back. “Tirian, this is my mama Esther,” He gently guides them forward until she stands in between him and his mother. “Ma, this is my girl, Tirian”
“Tirian?” Esther hums and pulls her into a hug catching them both off guard. “Ms. Earlene and Tiffany talk about you all the time.”
“Huh?” Tirian is confused now, wondering how Esther knew who her grandmother and mother were.
The two of them ushered to sit around a small wooden table that was pushed up against the wall. In the center was a fruit basket, that Terrance gladly took a banana from to start eating after just finishing a plate of pancakes and sausages. Esther, after turning the stove off and giving them time to eat, rushed towards the back into her room, then back out with a giant photo album in hand. TIFFANY X ESTHER.
“Terrance had sent a picture of you the first time he called me about you.” She sat in the chair next to Tirian and flipped open the album, until she landed on a page with several polaroid's, and old developed pictures that looked as if she just sent them to Walgreens. Curious, Tirian looked closer at the pictures, seeing the different moments shared between her mom and Esther. There was a whole other side to her mother that she didn’t know existed. “I spent days wondering why you looked so familiar, you’re Tiffany’s baby. ” She pursues her lips and flips through a few pages until she lands on a page with weathered corners and faded pictures. Though she could still make out the faint silhouette of her mother in a white gown and lace veil on her face. Her curly hair had been pulled up into an updo with white calla lilies in them. To her left was an older man, dark-skinned, with a low cut Caesar and deep waves. His facial hair was neatly trimmed, and the all white three piece suit let her know he was the groom. “Even when she lost contact, she made sure to send postcards from where she was at the moment.”
“Is that my mama?” Tirian looked closer at the picture and could see a visible baby bump protruding a little.
“Mhm, your mama and I were best friends.” Esther points to herself standing closely behind her, with a little boy no older than three in her arms. “Here, she had just gotten married to your father.” Tirian didn’t have too many pictures of what he looked like and this wasn’t how she pictured he would if she ever saw him. She didn’t know much about him, just small things from her mother that he was a well known businessman who left them when she was five years old.
“How did you meet?” she asks.
“College Park, Georgia.” She hums, pulling out another picture of them standing in front of a moving truck. “Just six years old at the time, she had just moved into the double-wide next door with your grandparents.” Terrance could see the solemn look on his mother’s face as she talked about Tiffany. He never knew his mother to have too many friends, and the ones he did see had always been his father’s side of the family keeping tabs on where she was. “We were two peas in a pod..”
Tirian nods, flipping through the photos in awe of how lively her mother looked as a child. So carefree and free of the burdens of the word that soon plagued her adult life.
“Then she met your father Reginald and boy was she in love with that man.” Esther laughs. Reginald came around their last year of high school, sweeping Tiffany off her feet as if she was some damsel in distress until meeting the love of her life. “They introduced me to Terrance's father Lawrence. Couldn't tell the four of us anything.” Esther reminisces on the days of riding around in a 1990 Cadillac Seville down the streets of Atlanta with her best friend and their boyfriends. It was a simpler time, and the summer before their lives changed forever.
“Is that me?”
Esther follows her finger to a worn picture of two kids. One in the front smiling into the camera with a gummy smile.
The heart shaped birthmark on her hand matches the one on Tirian’s. Terrance, who had been texting and scheduled time to Zerina on when they would be done. He finally looks at the picture and shakes his head like they were wrong.
“Nah, can't be. Cause that's me in the back.” He points to the little boy leaning against the wall with his face scrunched and arms crossed.
“Two things can be right.” Esther pulls out the picture and flips it to read the scribble writing that's etched in black sharpie.
Summer 1996
Booga:3yrs
Babygirl:11mos
“Damn– sorry mama.” He grabs the picture to look at it closely to grab her hand to look closely at it to make sure it was her and sure enough the heart shaped birthmark on her hand matched the one in the picture. His genuine surprise makes them both laugh and continue on with the story of her parents.
“Reginald walked out on her while she was pregnant with you, leaving her with nothing but the clothes on her back. Earlene, your grandmother came and got her, and moved into the trailer behind this one.” Esther shakes her head and flips through the book some more. “I was in the delivery room with her when she gave birth, even helped name you, Terrance was with his uncle Greystone.”
Terrance has to huff, still perplexed at the new information. It was really him in the back with his arms crossed, and face scrunched up, clearly not amused at the new edition.
“What happened?”
“She got a record deal, took you and your grandmother to New York with her.” Esther sighs, Tiffany had dreams long before getting pregnant, and regardless of her situation she was going to sing. Tirian had just been her new source of inspiration. “Said she was gonna become this great big star.”
Tirian flips through the page seeing her mother’s life flash between her eyes. The books she had were all of her and her dance career, and she could point out the picture that led to her mother sacrificing a music career for her child.
5/7/2000 || last dinner before leaving for New York
5/8/2000 || Two hours before Tiffany's flight to New York with her mom and daughter.
4/5/2005 || Tiffany's very last performance as an entertainer
“Then I heard about the accident.” Esther pauses, giving Tirian the floor to shut it down in case she was uncomfortable with talking about it. When she doesn’t say anything Esther cotinunes. “It was all over the news, but they never said anything about a child.”
Tirian remembers that day all too well. It was the second to last concert of the Cristian’s Caution tour in New York, where her high rise apartment was her choice accommodations. She had just turned twenty-one and wanted to celebrate with her favorite people in the world. She spent time at her uncle’s place while waiting for her mom to come and celebrate while hoping to get a chance to talk about the tour and maybe starting her own music career. Christian had been blowing up her phone insisting that if she let him stay with her then he would have her onstage at tonight's concert front and center. As naive as she was, she agreed, thinking she would get a chance to dance. She had been walking into her apartment to pick up a few things when she saw him on her couch, balls deep into Mekia with no care in the world that she was watching in the doorway. She didn’t have time to react as her uncle rushed behind her with news of them getting into a car accident on The Brooklyn Bridge, costing her mother and her grandmother’s lives. Still the sight of Crisitan was ingrained in her memory, and it was hard to think of her mouth without thinking of that moment in time.
The tour was the last thing on her mind as she rushed to the hospital, begging for her uncle to leave it. She knew the news would be all over it and she would rather be in the safety of the hospital than on the streets struggling to get inside. She just knew at that moment, she was finished with Cristian and anything that had to do with him.
“It was a private funeral with just me and my Uncle Zy.” She breathes deeply to hold back a few tears. Terrance's hand rests on her thigh in a way of trying to comfort her. “He put in a good word to Giselle, after we buried her I was in rehearsals for another tou, I worked to take my mind off it.”
“That’s okay,” Esther reaches over to rub her arms. She wasn’t upset, although that was her best friend, a child who lost her mother and grandmother at the same time was still grieving, she too would throw herself into something to keep her busy. “It’s good to know you’re okay.”
Terrance couldn’t help but grin and the small interaction between them. “So, ma.”
“Don’t ma me,” She points at him with a stern look. “What’s going on with you and Crisitan?”
Terrance controls the urge to roll his eyes and crosses his arms. “He doin’ too much over Mekia.”
Esther has to guff a laugh out. “That fast tail girl I told all three of yall to leave alone?” Cristian had stopped by a week prior with her and a child she said was her nephew but Esther had her suspicions. “Seems like John was the only smart one.”
“I’m over it ma, he is the one bringing it up.” Terrance defends. He had been too worried about his tour to think about starting drama over Mekia. That ship had long sailed between them too. Cristian could have it and he could see the nigga still wanted it.
“Cristian is my nephew, got him out of foster care,” Esther explains to a confused Tirian The social worker on his case didn't tell her much about him, or who his family was, only that she had been named next of kin. She wasn’t just going to let him end up on the streets or worse, in jail. , “Two of them hit it off the same day with a shared love of music, even won their highschool talent show and got a chance to record their own song.”
“Mind you, I wrote the lyrics, and actually prepared us to get signed.” Terrance cuts in. Everything that led him to where he is now had been because he put in the time, the effort and the work. Though they both had writing credits on the song, Terrance had been the only one signed to a label because of it. The work he put in paid off for him, leaving Crisitan to simmer in jealousy. “Had he put in the work we wouldn’t be here right now.”
“Mekia played both of them.” Esther doesn’t dismiss her sons’ feelings, just giving him time to calm down while continuing with the issues the brothers had with each other. “With John in and out, he felt a little pushed to the side. Mekia preyed on that while still with Terrance.”
“The success of my first tour was in spite of her, the downfall of his had been because of her.”
Esther closes her mouth and looks at the time, it was almost eight in the morning and she had some errands to run. “Why don’t you freshen up, maybe nap for a minute.”
“We would, but we gotta gas up and get back on the road. Just wanted to stop by and see you ma” He explains.
“Zerina said you had a break, we can shop together,” This had been her way of telling him to give back to the community that poured in. Through a small town, they still supported anyone that came out of it. “That’s not a suggestion, you know you gotta speak to folks if you’re in town.”
“Yes ma’am.”
“Good, go get cleaned up, we leave in an hour.”
The hot shower had been much needed for them both despite Terrance sneaking his way in with her to steal a few quick kisses and soapy grabs. They didn’t do too much in respect for his mother’s home. It was quick the way they showered and changed into a pair of jeans and a shirt. Terrance packed their bags back on the bus, serious about them leaving after the store run.
warnings: mentions of sexual abuse, violence, crash outs, smut. minors dni.
.summary.: A much needed break is extended due to unforeseen circumstances, Zerina gets ahead of Terry and Tirian's public image. The crew learns boundaries when it comes to personal relationships.
pairing.: Terrance Richmond x Tirian Harris
.wordcount.: 7.5k
MASTERLIST: The Show Goes On
A/N: Thank you to @overrboarrd for reminding me of this song, cause it was very fitting for this chapter. Pls make sure you read the recent outtake If You Love Me first, as it gives a little backstory on the main characters. This chapter may be confusing if you don't.
Also my timeline is completely off, but were are actually 2 1/2 months into the tour, and nearing the end of the first leg of it. So we will end where we started in Atlanta. but rn they are headed to New York in this chapter.
I can't believe we're almost halfway done with them frens. 🥹
Five days before 106 & Park appearance
Six days before MSG CONCERT
Terrance tapped his fingers against the tables as Zerina sat across from him in the front galley of his tour bus. The day out with his mom went longer than expected, and while he was relieved that she liked Tiri, it was a struggle to pull his girlfriend out of the hug she was sharing with her.
“Oh, I have something for you.” Esther drops the groceries bags on the table and dusts the residue of flour off on a dish towel that came from a burst bag of flour. She had suddenly remembered a keepsake she wanted to give her, and she didn’t know when she would get a chance to again. Tirian watched as she moved to a locked wood grained cabinet sitting in the hallway towards the laundry area. “Your mama asked me to hold on to a few things in case she ever came back for it, but considering the circumstances, now is the right time.”
The cabinet had been worn, with years of bumping into it, scratching it and being mishandled during her spouts of re-arranging the house and still the metal combination lock was still intact. Inside held important documents, cards, numbers, and even a loaded gun, but that wasn’t what she went for. Esther shuffled through the different items around until she made an aha sound and found what she was looking for.
“What is that mama?” Terrance slowly moved up to stand behind Tirian, equally as curious.
“Tiffany’s lyric journal.” She smiles fondly while gently rubbing over the cover. The journal was made of green leather with a little turtle pendant on the top of it. It looked brand new, but as Tirian stepped to get a closer look, she could see the weathered green pages, and scribbles of ink. “She wrote a lot of songs here that never made it to the light of day.”
“Why not?” Tirian asks from beside her, eager to flip through the pages, but she could see the longing in Esther’s eyes who was still unsure of wanting to give it to her.
“Didn’t want other people to profit off her words when she started singing. “ She flips through a few pages, “Some were about love, life, and her greatest achievement…you.”
There were a few pages listed with different phrases she put together, some were unfinished and a whole section of finished lyrics, some she instantly recognized as lullabies her mother sang to her growing up. “May I?” She reaches for the book.
“All yours to keep sweetheart.” She places it in her hands with a smile and a rub of her hand. “Kept it safe, hoping you will find your way here. “Now, let’s put these groceries away, and eat.”
Esther had insisted she cook them lunch and see what else she could dig up from storage that belonged to Tiffany before they left. What Terrance thought was going to be a quick unloading of groceries and a nap had turned into him taking that nap alone in his childhood room while his mom and girlfriend gushed over memorabilia she was able to find in the shed behind the trailer. Photo albums, old clothes that still smelled like her, another journal with lyrics, and most importantly a Oval Sardonyx Cameo Ring made with 14k yellow gold. A piece of her mom that she thought she lost had been given to her in the form of his mother and she would forever be grateful.
The couple didn’t leave until well after the sun went down enjoying a late dinner and stories of the brief childhood they shared together. Esther didn’t want them to leave, but she knew they had to be back on the road. Loaded with a few day's worth of home cooked meals, bags of freshly clean clothes and a sweet potato pie that Tirian threatened to cut his fingers off if he touched they were on their way. They didn’t make it back on the bus till eleven that night, both feeling the bus start moving, and the weariness in their bones from being out all day. The bed was the only thing on their mind. It wasn’t until they caught up with everyone else at a truck stop location in Connecticut that their plans derailed. Terrance and Tirian had been asleep when a harsh knock to the door woke them up.
“Did we stop?” Tirian grumbles sleepily as she picks up her phone to see the time. 5:48 a.m. The knocking persists until Terrance gets up and urges her back down until she relaxes into her pillow.
“Go back to sleep, I got it.”
The automatic lights come on the hallway with each step he takes down the tight aisle until he reaches the door. He peeked through the partitions to note that Greg, their driver, had gotten off and briefly glanced at the two buses in front of him that stopped. He opened the door to be greeted by the sight of a pissed Zerina in front of him.
“I already called a friend, we can use his private hanger, and Giannis? You’re favorite pilot? His kids are in school so he’ll meet us there.” Zerina straightens in her spot with her legs crossed, while she enjoyed traveling with her cousin, buses were no longer cutting it. At Least not for her. “I can manage you from anywhere, I can't talk to Tirian without you always in the way, so group travel it is.” She pulls up a few files saved in her drive as small manila folder icons popping up one by one on the screen. “I know you love her, but don’t smother her.”
Terrance frowns in disbelief. He didn’t think he was, she never gave it off or protested otherwise. “I’m smothering?”
“You’re a clingy boyfriend, it’s cute” Zerina has to laugh a bit at her younger cousin pointing out the smothering but not the fact that she mentioned he loved her. She knew how much of a lover boy he was, she’s seen it once with Mekia and though it didn’t end how he had hoped, She was grateful that he was able to find love again, even if it came with her own past. “But, hang out with the crew more often.”
“They’re nosy,” Terrance scoffs.
“That they are, but for good reason.” Zerina had already talked to Lance and Taylor about the Caution tour Tirian was on with them and Cristian. While they had been truthful and provided dates and times that matched with Amari’s own recollections of Tirian on the Renaissance tour, they did have the tendency to prod too deep into her life unprovoked, and privacy was something these two were going to need in the next few weeks as everything blows over . “I'll talk to them as long as you give them a chance.”
“They get one.”
“We can make that work, now, This Cristian and Mekia shit.”
Terrance rubs a hand down his face in frustration. The moment he responded back to him it had been a game of cat and mouse mostly just words strewn together to defame his character as if they weren’t the reason for it all. Terrance made sure to keep Tirian’s name out of it but knowing Cristian he would eventually call her out too and that was something he wanted to prepare not only himself, but Tirian for.
“It’s old shit disguised with a new victim.”
The sounds of the toilet flushing and water running gets Zerina’s attention. She watches Tirian come out with her glasses on in just a giant t-shirt, ready to get back in bed. “Uh uh, lil miss social anxiety,” she calls out with a come here motions with her finger. Her eyes narrowed in Tirian until she nervously joined them at the table with Terrance sliding over to let her sit down.
“Heeeey,” She drags out nervously.
“Don't hey me.” She clicks through her computer until she pulls up a drafted police report. “Mekia and a few of Cristian's goons trashed your place, Dijiah gave her access to personal records and that's how she found out where you lived.” Zerina knew a few friends in the neighborhood and was able to get several ring cameras and security footage from her apartment and Terry’s No Limitz Studio, that would gladly be used as evidence should she press charges. Tirian reads over the completed police report in genuine surprise and appreciation. “I can have this sent in as soon as possible with your go ahead, but.” Zerina pauses. “A restraining order is going to be harder to get especially since there's not much evidence to go off of.”
“So you're saying we just gotta deal with Mekia and them popping up at any time?” Terrance huffs and throws his arm behind her to rest on the back of the couch like seating. “That's bullshit.”
“We can re-hire your personal security team, and up the clearance level on events outside of touring.” Zerina provides an alternative having already sent the police report and evidence to the Atlanta Police Department with her silent nod of approval “and move you both into a more secure gated community. Harbour Heights just put in new units up for lease.”
“Just one unit?” Tirian doesn’t look at the face Terrance makes in her direction that Zerina noticed the moment she asked the question. Zerina kicks his shin with her heel that shakes the table with the both of them staring each other down in a silent conversation that Tirian didn’t seem to notice.
“I can find other units in the location of your choosing. But you do need somewhere to go once this is over.”
“There’s this Highrise in New York..”
“Then that’s what we’ll do.”
Chicago, Illinois
Grand Penthouse
The skyline of the city of Chicago illuminated the vast penthouse through its floor to ceiling windows, though nothing was luminous about the setting. The place had been decorated in a dark industrial style, with exposed metal beams and metal light fixtures. The bold exposed wall of brick meshed with the black painted walls lined with gold, diamond and silver records and candid portraits of him onstage selling out crowds across the country. The furniture matched him, bold, chaotic, and dark. The living space was the focal point with the over the top black and gold marble fireplace, leather couches, and a large glass coffee table that was litters red solo cups, various brown liquors, rolling trays, white grainy powders, and more grams of marijuna than you can legally possess in the state of Illinois. Inside, everything sparkled; from the lights embedded in the ceiling to the ice melting in the untouched drinks. Designer sneakers were propped on pristine white rugs, and the scent of musky cologne, weed, and expensive upholstery mixed in the air like a bad cocktail. A harsh aggressive tone of music played in the background, the lyrics screaming nothing but drugs, money, violence and beating women, though the women in the room didn’t seem to be offended.
“Yo C, you good if I close these doors? Bout to rain like a bitch.” A member of Cristian's posse asked, his words muffled from the joint place in the corner of his mouth, it was half lit as the cool wind was slowly putting it out.
Cristian lounged in a deep leather chair with his legs spread, forcing the people on the side of him to sit uncomfortably or get up to sit elsewhere. Though she never left his side. He was too into going over his tweets to care and wave him off with his free hand while the other tapped fluidly at his diamond-encrusted phone. He wore his success like armor: Custom designer clothes that cost more than what he’s worth, watches heavy as a fist, and the freshest pair of shoes he had access to before the public. The room had been filled with niggas willing to kiss his ass to remain at the top, and though they can be beneficial at times, they worked his last nerve. The air around them was filled with loud smoke that burned their nostrils but kept Cristian’s eyes half-lidded like he was always a breath away from sleep or violence.
“This nigga,” Deion, a cousin laughs while pointing at him, “stupid ass mothafucka. Shut the damn doors.”
Cristian rolls his eyes and throws his arm on the back of the couch, stretching further disregarding the comfort of the woman next to him. Though her poker face didn’t show it as she sipped on a cup of brown liquor. The most she knew as it was put in her hand the minute she arrived. Her gaze scanned the room like she could see straight through the fakeness and wanted no part of it. Her legs were crossed, her expression unreadable. To continue the dead expression, she pulled out her phone to scroll through, flinching at the calloused fingers suddenly squeezing and rubbing her neck.
“Why the fuck is he here Mekia.” Cristian finally notices the small child in the corner of the room. Though he was quiet and out of place, the crashing of the lego building blocks annoyed him, and the channel on the massive wall mounted TV above the fireplace had been changed from the basketball game to a muted cartoon of cars. Cristian was clearly annoyed at the presence of the kid.
“No one wants to watch it.” Mekia shrugs like it was obvious. The kid was quiet, and in the corner, he shouldn’t be upset. “Speaking of, Tirian hasn’t found a new place yet.”
Cristian smirks. “That means she’s moving in with him,” He glances her way with the wheels already turning for the next plan. “Nigga never moves, so we can set some shit to happen before his so-called world tour ends.”
“How does this end with me back on that tour?” Terrance was set to end the first leg of his tour in Florida and start the second in what she last checked was Brazil. She needed to be on that international tour.
Cristian had no plans of getting her back on that tour, but what she didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her. “I got it covered.” He had someone working on it and if this plan didn’t work, he had other options. “
Drey, one of Cristian’s oldest “friends,” broke the rhythm of the night and interrupted Mekia before she could respond while holding up his phone with a grin. “Yo, C,” he called out, voice slicing through the music. “That nigga just posted. He’s in New York next week. Madison Square Garden. Friday.” Cristian looked over slowly, eyes sharpening like a blade being drawn. He said nothing at first, just leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees.
“New York, huh.” A devilish smile formed on his face as he thought about all the possibilities of ruining his week. “His security weak ass shit to, this will be fun.”
Connecticut
Zerina rolls her eyes and crosses one leg over the other. “Let's not forget that ‘nigga is your brother-” Zerina had been grilling Terrance on everything she could about Cristian. She got what she needed from Tirian for the moment, and though it was still traumatic, she could get ahead of it. She now had trusted and vetted friends confirming everything and reporting back to her with documents, videos, and pictures and even witness statements she was sure Cristian didn’t know were there. Terrance’s silence was eventually going to make Cristian crash out and spill it all. His future lies needed to be debunked, and she needed the proof. He could try to change the narrative, but if he didn’t stop now, Cristian would be blackballed from the industry before he could drop his next album.
“Foster brother” Terrance hisses through his teeth in annoyance. No matter if he grew up with him or not, that relationship sailed long before his career kicked off. There was nothing Zerina or his mother could say that would convince him they were ever family. Cristian chose his family, and Terrance was no longer a part of it. Terrance could care less. If they really were, then they wouldn’t be in this situation right now. Broken. “Let's not also forget he was the one who put Layla on drugs.”
Terrance hadn’t heard from his sister since she disappeared from his apartment months ago. After the little talks, and convincing her to stay the night somewhere safe; he had woken up the next morning to Layla and a few things of value missing. He couldn’t bring it to himself to ask his mom if she saw her, knowing she probably didn’t know what her only daughter was up to. Layla couldn’t have gone far but he made sure he had friends in various locations looking out for her and reporting back to him but the last he knew she was somewhere in Ohio with a boyfriend who was just like her. It pained him to know she was living a life similar to that of their father, but he couldn’t help someone that didn’t want to be helped. Layla made her choice and now it was time for him to make his. Zerina looks at him in concern, but doesn’t press the issue. She watched that situation first hand and knew how he was feeling. She tends to wonder what his life would’ve looked like hadn’t Roc Nation signed him to their label.
“Did you know about Tirian and Cristian?” She questions, while sending emails and new schedules to the production team already at the next location. She had been up since two in the morning arranging for Giannis and the jet to be at the next location–she never understood why he got buses instead of flying, especially after seeing his bank accounts. He could afford the airfare-plus rearranging all of his guest appearances that were scheduled for this week to next, so now they essentially had a few days off from everything. The last thing on her list was getting ahead on the potential backlash of his and Cristian’s personal issues with each other and now his very public relationship with his lead dancer who happened to be Cristian’s ex. “I know you said Isis and John set yall up the night before your performance at the Falcons game. So that covers any infidelity accusations.”
“I didn't know they dated honestly.” Terrance purses his lips in thought. Tirian, though they were together, still kept a lot of things to herself, and he hadn't thought to ask her about past relationships until their conversation yesterday. But knowing Crisitan was her ex, put a lot of it in perspective and when she was ready to tell him he was there to listen.
“You’ve known her for how long and haven't talked to her about it?”
“When she was ready to tell me, she told me.” He shrugs indifferently. Tirian had laid everything out in the open, though he could tell she was omitting some details. “I know enough to wanna put that muthafuckas head on a stick”
Zerina shuts her laptop close and shakes her head. As much shit as he's been through, she thought Terrance would be smarter than this. Rap beef makes or breaks your career and she would hate to see it come crashing down because of a girl, and she wasn't sure if he even cared that it might happen. “Talk to her, there's more to that relationship than she's telling us.” Zerina stands up with the computer tucked under her arm. “I would hate to see both of your careers end over a petty ass nigga”
Terrance scratches his head with a frown. He knew it wasn't a threat, but it didn't sit well with him at all. But it came with letting Zerina manage his career. She was cutthroat. He wouldn’t be where he is now without her. While he was still up, he pulled his stash from one of the cabinets and began the process of rolling.. “He knows better than to try me.”
“I'm going to check on the crew and update them on the travel plans” Zerina stops at the door with her hand resting on the handle and in the process of turning it to open the door. “Regardless, we have three days until your appearance on 106 & Park.”
That was even better as he put the rolled joint to his lips and lit the end. He inhaled deeply and held the smoke in his chest before blowing out a puff of smoke from the corner of his lips. She left them alone but a text from Zerina had him kissing his teeth in annoyance.
Zerina: let me handle it or go to the fuckin’ booth if you got sumn to say.
“Do what the fuck I want.” He mumbles. The sight of Taylor and Amari in the window caught his attention and they were heading towards his door. He frowns and opens it before they can knock, startling them both with nervous smiles.
“She sleep”
Taylor kisses her teeth “Nigga pls, how you know?”
“Cause i put her to sleep.” He shrugs. “what yall niggas want, it's a day off.”
“We rented out a studio space to work on some new moves to the set.” Amari tells him, already on her phone, to text Tirian, who she knew was already up.
“That and there's a club and a mall just down the road-” Taylor trails off trying to goad what they want out the mouth of Terrance herself.
“And y’all wanna use my bus?” He answers for them, knowing it was what they were asking.
“Well yours is the only one not broken down.”
Terrance kisses his teeth, but nods. “Aight fine.”
“You the best bro, aye!” Taylor turns and shouts towards their bus parked behind his. Terrance looks in surprise at Viktor and Lance rushing over with their bags and a play station. “We going to rent a car.”
“Bet!” Lance grins, “I got a few places I want to stop by.”
“Actually,” Terrance hums in thought. “We’ll just travel to the next location together and stop on the way..” It would just be better to get a hotel in Boston than driving back and forth.” He lets them on the bus. Tirian had walked out from the bedroom dressed in his shirt and shorts to fix her something to eat.
“You sure man? They are an hour out the way.” Lance asks, dropping his bag on one of the seats. He was just going to drop off and pick up some things.
“Yeah, I wanna run something by y’all.” This whole sudden beef with Mekia and Cristian like he was the villain had him remembering some key details. He let them settle while shooting a couple messages to Zerina.
Traveling to Boston
“Girl, you look tired!”
“I’m not though,” Tirian shrugs in her seat as she sits at the small table with a bowl of frosted flakes and bananas.
“Mhmm,” Taylor smirks at her. Tirian was unusually happy right now and that only meant one thing. “You guys fucked didn’t you?”
“Taylor!” Amari shouts and hits Taylor’s shoulder.
Tirian hides behind the spoon of cereal, huffing out a laugh through her nose while chewing, they did but she wasn’t going to go into details. “We did.”
“Mhmm, I bet y’all did.” That was the hum of Taylor saying they were going to talk later, though Tirian wasn’t going to tell them much.
“Anyways,” Amari waves her off. “So what did you want to talk about.?”
“I got some friends out in Boston” Terrance comes back on the bus after helping Viktor and Lance move tour equipment and luggage to his bus. Zerina had closed off a floor at a Four Seasons with a few cars at the ready when she arrived from her red-eye flight. “I want to film a video.”
“Oh shit, to a new song.” Viktor gets excited, doing music videos was one of his favorite side jobs for when he wasn't touring. It’s how it helped him land his first acting role ever and now he was ready to put himself out there again.
“Something like that, I wanna keep it low-key.” Terrance sat next to Tirian and took the spoon from her to take a bite. He chews slowly while pulling out a notebook to jot down a few notes. In the front had a list of names and numbers, and some with intricate visual drawings scene by scene. He showed it to her a few times and how to read it. “Just need some local designers and filmmakers.”
“Like shirts or something?” Taylor asks, already pulling out her computer. “Cause I can have some ready by tomorrow.
“If you can't, that would be great.” Terry agrees, It was a quick video and would be a one take with minor editing.
“I got a few friends who own a warehouse, “ Lance adds from his seat. “They can let us use it for however long we need to.
Viktor chimes in with his own connections. “A few dancers owe me a favor out that way to,.”
Terrance nods in approval. There wasn’t a big budget for it, and even though this was his career, he still had to approve with Zerina who was trying to be a big sis general and keep tabs of everything. A quick message to her and immediate response of a thumbs up gave him the go ahead.
“That would be great, I”ll have Sterling send the beat over so y’all can hear it-”
Taylor cuts Terrance off, eager to know what the song is or what it's gonna be about. “What song is it?”
Terrance shakes his head. “Y’all will know when everybody else does. I trust y’all but this one is too personal—”
“Nah, nigga” Taylor snaps catching everyone off guard, including Terrance. “Not when Tirian is in this now.--”
“She already knows.” Terry cuts her off with a look of annoyance. He hated being cut off while he was speaking and he would stop all together and leave the conversation. No one on this bus was entitled to his personal life except for Tirian. They had their own conversation that lined up perfectly with each other’s. He had joked that he was grateful for Isis and John for setting them up together. “If you had let me finish, you would’ve gotten that what we put out to the public for y’all to know is on her terms, and if she hasn’t said anything, then i ain’t either.”
“I’m just looking out for her.”
“And I appreciate that but, whenever I'm around I got her.” Tirian had become something he never thought he needed. “And I'm a little hurt by the shocked expressions on your faces at my generosity. Some of you have danced with Cristian as well?”
The bus went quiet as everyone looked at each other nervously. Taylor finally spoke. “Yeah, Lance and I know Tirian from his Caution Tour.” Tirian had been one of the quieter dancers, usually only onstage for one song. They watched Cristian smoothly talk his way into her life, while sleeping with his lead dancer who pushed him to knock down Tirian to just a backup dancer while stealing her moves.
“Dude was fucked up,” Lance comments. He had hooked up the playstation to the tv and tossed a controller to Viktor who was across from him.
“You can see why I'm hesitant.” Terrance was calm as he could be. “Especially knowing you guys watched this shit happen instead of helping her when she needed it.”
“Of course, but you can understand why we’re protective.” Amari had seen her own version of Tirian on a tour. Tirian was selective with her friends and more recently her partners. Cristian had been the first. He was too public with the lifestyle that she didn’t mind him not posting her and vice versa. The Les twins incident had only been mere jealousy amongst the dancers trying to tarnish her name. Tirian didn’t bother anyone, yet she was the constant target for jealous people.
“When I said we met before this tour, I meant that.” He loved that they were watching out for her now , but their relationship wasn’t going to keep being a topic of discussion. “As I said before, if this is going to be an issue-”
“Not an issue, Taylor and Amari don’t know when to shut the fuck up” Viktor speaks for them and cuts his eyes their way. If they kept going, they would be easily replaced, and no one wanted that.
“Back to this video though.” Lance 's never left the screen as a game of NBA2k started. “What do you need us to do?”
Four days before 106 & Park appearance
Five days before MSG CONCERT
Tirian drops onto the hotel bed with a sigh. She loved the bus life but being in a place with space was a lot more relaxing after a long day of travel. Terrance chuckles and puts their bags in the corner.
“Feel good?”
“Mhm, I could take a nap right now.” she sinks further in the bed as the edge of it dips. He laid his weight on top of her back and pressed quick kisses into her cheek.
“We could do something else too,” he flicks her ear with his tongue.
“You're nasty.” She mumbles and struggles to roll over beneath him. He lifts a little with a chuckle until she faces him. Her hands rest on the back of his neck while staring at each other. The silence was comforting and his fingers were gentle against her skin that rubbed her cheeks.
“You know I would never let anything happen to you right?”
The Next Day
A warehouse had been loaned out for him and it was quickly set up per his request. After lounging around in the hotel and taking a much needed hot shower, they were on their way for their only day of shooting. The building had been filled with cars, lights, cameras and screens bigger than he thought he could find, but grateful nonetheless. It was a busy day and when he finally stepped in, people rushed back and forth with arms filled with outfits, shoes and equipment. Everything was on a time crunch as he wanted to edit and release whatever he was doing the next day.
“My Nigga!” a deep baritone voice shouts out that makes Terrance hide behind a wide smile.
“Nah Clipse, you ghosted me man!” He jokes but meets him halfway to slap hands and bump shoulders. He winces slightly at him, slapping his back. Normally it wouldn't hurt, but with newly formed scratch marks the hits stung a little.
“Nah man, you know life happens,” Clipse shrugs. Even though they signed together when they were eighteen and even did some joint collaborations, they were living two different career paths. Clipse's career became stagnant at the expense of his wife getting cancer and giving birth to their first child. He chose them over his career, and that was something he would never regret.
“How is the fam?’ Terrance asks while shoving his hands into his pockets. “Last I saw, Giana was in remission?”
“Yeah, but that chemo still took a lot out of her,-but enough of us, what’s with you and Crisitian?”
Terrance kisses his teeth–involuntarily flexing his chest while looking around. “Nigga, picked a fight.”
“And you’re doing a video instead of calling him out?”
“Zerina revoked my social media privileges.” Clipse laughed, but Terrance was serious. Zerina had changed the passwords on all of his social media accounts after the last back and forth, and now the most he could do via phone was call or message. A little childish in a sense, but that just forced the creative wheels in his mind to start turning. “And this is a little better.”
“Shit, Zerina don’t play! How’d ya get her to be your manager again? She retired after me.” Zerina was an opportunist, and no one job kept her in place long enough to make it a career. She had been a back-up singer, dancer, stylist, manager, anything you can think of she has at some point done it. As she got older and he focused on a career, she became a stylist and manager, and when Stone finally saw the fruits of his labor, Zerina basked in hers on a hiatus somewhere in Bora Bora until he called.
“Let’s just say she owed me a favor.”
“Yeah, aight. So what you need me for?”
“Call up your boys,” Terrance's attention lands on Tirian, who had brought out her guitar, and began playing it with a few other people he requested to be here, “I need them for a shot, and uh make sure they know Tirian is off limits.”
“Who?”
Terrance points to where she was sitting letting Clipse follow his hand with wide eyes.
“You dating Cristian's ex?”
Terrance makes a face and looks at Clipse. “How you know that?”
“Man, Cristian's caution tour, “Clipse rubs the back of his neck nervously. “he let everyone know not to mess with her. That she was his, not sure how he let her go but man fell hard for that girl.”
Terrance has to laugh. He knew what happened between the two and from the details of him cheating, being a little abusive, to just treating her like trash, he couldn't believe Cristian loved her like he loved her. “Crazy to believe when he cheated on her with Mekia.”
“Shit, so the little boy is hi-”
“Little boy?”
“Fuck.”
“Clipse..”
“I said too much man.”
“What the fuck do you know?”
Tirian had been playing her guitar with a few people when she noticed the look on Terrance’s face. She wasn't sure what he was talking about, but she could see the surprise in his face.
“Girl, how do you lock the Stone down?” One of the hired dancers she learned was Tammy, asked . She was much older than her with long black hair pulled up into a ponytail. She was caking her pretty round brown face-in makeup while popping a piece of gum. “Nigga been single for five years, plus declaring celibacy only to pop out with you.?”
Tirian shrugs. “Just happened.” She could hear the underlying tone in her comment but brushed it off. She wasn't in the business of telling anyone about the details of her relationship, especially after the conversation they had last night. “We met at a dinner, and the rest was history.”
“I like that.” Gina, another dancer, tells her. “A woman never kisses and tells and with how Stone looks, I wouldn't either.” She bites the tip of her stiletto nails, glancing at him with a smirk.
“Try it if you want Gina,” Taylor joins in with her arms full of clothes. “You won't have eyes to see anymore.”
“Who are you supposed to be her bodyguard?”
Taylor shrugs and plops next to Tirian on the floor. “I like to fight.”
“Of course you do.” Gina rolls her eyes and starts adjusting the crop top she had on, making it rise higher than it's supposed to be.
“If you got something to say bitch, say it.”
“I'm just saying, it must be nice to have two niggas fighting over you.” Gina knew of Tirian, they were in a few music videos together as backup, and even knew about the relationship she had with Cristian. “Especially since he had to take it instead of it being put out.”
Tirian's heart drops at the last thing she says. Not too many people knew the nature of why they broke up, hells she barely remembered the details of those last few nights with him, and those who did were six feet under.
“What are you talking about?” Tammy asks, now curious after seeing the look on her face.
“Get this, She was a virgin when she met Cristian.” Gina starts, grinning when Tirian gets up. “From what I heard she wouldn't put out, so he drugged her to the point-”
Gina was cut off by Tirian slamming her fist into her face and feeling the bones crack beneath them. The loud scream and commotion had Terrance and Clipse looking their way. Taylor was doing her best to pull her off, but the adrenaline rush she felt had her locked in on breaking every bone in her fast.
“Tirian! Stop!” Taylor shouts.
“Wanna say that shit again?” Tirian snaps. It was one thing to mention her being a virgin, and being a little sheltered, but it was another to try and purposefully trigger her and downplay what she went through like she asked for it. She knew the moment Gina and Tammy came in they were trouble, and she wanted to keep her distance. Looks like that wasn’t going to work. Tirian could never remember the details of what happened, and for someone else to know ticked her off. She was blinded by anger with each blow she landed on Gina’s face. The noises and shouts from passersby had been zoned to the point she didn’t feel a set of arms around her waist.
“Hey, hey.” He whispers in her ear while moving them away from the commotion and outside. “It’s okay.” Tirian relaxes at the sound of his voice but is still tense while watching Gina get helped up. His grip on her was still firm until he knew she wouldn't run off.
“I'm fine.”
“You're not.” He turns her around until her back hits the wall. He tilted her head up by the chin with his fingers to inspect for any bruises. “Didn’t know you had it in you lil bit” Tirian rolls her eyes and crosses her arms. She wasn’t in the mood for his jokes, and he could see it across her face with a sigh. Terrance could see the tears threatening to spill from the corners of her eyes, and with people still lingering, he grabbed her hand and guided her out to his car. It was just as chaotic outside as it was inside, and she couldn’t help but shrink under the gazes of everyone watching and whispering. “What happened?” He asked once he sat in the driver's side with the door open. He pulled her to stand between his legs.
“It’s nothing.” Tirian crosses her arms and looks off at a few guys pulling in equipment.
“Nah, not when they got you punching a girl’s face in.” He taps her arms and moves his head around until they are looking at each other. “Talk to me baby.” He rubs his nose against her cheek. “Can’t help if you don’t”
Tirian bites her lip, feeling his hands rub up and down her sides in soothing motions. “She mentioned some triggering situations.” She sighs, and moves closer in his arms until he wraps them around her in a hug. “I can tell they’re friends with Mekia.”
Terrance realizes then what she was talking about without her having to go into detail, and hums. He presses a kiss to her cheek. “I’m sorry.”
She shrugs. “It is what it is. Comes with the territory right?”
Terrance watched the last few things get set up and Clipse stood beside him adjusting one of the cameras to the new lighting. “Tirian good?” he asks.
Terrance rubs his hands together, “yeah, Gina and them gone?”
“Escorted off the lot like you ask, not gon lie, yo girl beat her up pretty bad.”
“She's lucky that’s all she did.” Terrance tilts his head, watching everyone adjust the custom shirts Amari and Taylor made on such short notice. “She said some personal messed up shit, and I don’t roll with that.”
Clipse nods. “Yeah, I don't blame you" He doesn't say to much more, and adjust the last of the cameras to the new lighting. " You ready?”
It wasn't long before the video shoot was done and they were back in their hotel room with food and drinks ready to waste the rest of the day away before packing up to leave tomorrow. His MacBook projected a movie to the tv, and a lego set went unfinished but it was long forgotten when he started kissing her cheek and neck. His hands roamed along her sides, playfully tugging on her shirt. “No.”
Tirian was actually into the movie, but the clingy ass boyfriend next to her made it a little hard to pay attention. His hand slips under the shirt to massage the left breast in his hand.
“Terrance”
“Mhm?” He hums in her neck. “Just want a taste mama.”
Her eyes flutter close at the feel of his large hand palming her chest. His lips find the corner of her mouth until their heads turn and their lips meet in a slow, passion filled kiss. Terrance was insatiable and was definitely a sex freak. Tirian didn’t mind it, she left satisfied every single time—she was just a little sore from the last few times.
Terrance took advantage of her mouth parting to shove his tongue down her throat to licking the inside of her cheeks and flicking her tongue. His hand found the back of her neck and pulled her in closer as he rolled their bodies over.
“Just a taste.” He whispers against her mouth.
It was more than just a taste, his lips closed around her clit with a hum. His fingers stroked her slick walls urging her to moan out and grip his head. Not to push him away, as every lick and suck of her slick folds between his full lips left her wanting more. His taste became a meal, and now his arousal, and the haze of passion washed over him had her laying on her back with his arms hooked around her thighs to sheathe himself inside her. Tirian lets out a choked moan with every inch of his dick slipping past her fold still not used to the size of him.
“Fuck.” Terrance grunts watching his dick disappear inside her. “Open fa me baby.”
He was stretching her open with every slow stroke of his hips. The burn was welcomed until he finally bottoms out with his balls slapping against her perineum. Her pussy was tight and suctioning him in with traces of her cum already spilling out the sides.
“Oh fuck!” She arches off the bed at the curve of his dick finding her g-spot. He kept hitting that spot while watching her face contorted in pleasure. She looked beautiful like this. A complete mess under him with her eyes glossed over like she was about to cry. He had slowed down and lowered himself until he was laying on top of her.
“Want me to sto-”
“No.” She manages to mutter out against his shoulder. Any other time they fucked, both chasing a release before going to sleep, but tonight felt different. He was slow, methodical and coaxing small whimpers from her throat.
“Tight ass pussy,” His arm cradles her head and pressed it against his own, folding his nose against her cheek as if he was trying to crawl in her skin.. Her legs wrapped around him in response making him shift his position and angle his hips to fuck her into the bed. “Wet ass pussy.” He kisses her neck with a sigh.
“tumɔs pasmak”(too much). Her moans were soft in his ear that sent another rush of blood to his dick. . His hips slowed to a grind. The words were on the tip of his tongue while watching her. He strokes his hand back until they cupped her face. He hadn’t thought he would fall in love this fast, but now he found himself wanting more than that. He wanted her in every way possible, and would do anything to get it. Terrance sighs in content, and kisses the side of her face until her arms wrapped around his neck.
Tirian felt a sudden rush of pleasure through her bones, squeezing around him until he groaned in her ear. She felt the tears stream down her face as a sense of happiness washed over her. The feel of his lips pressing into her skin tingled. “Mi at jɔs tek yu”.
She didn’t know what that meant. He had only taught her a few different phrases, and the way he said this had her coming before him. She had wanted to ask him right then but she was cut off with a kiss, and his thrusts stilling inside of her. Her hands cup his neck, loving the feel of him emptying inside her. Terraces drops his weight on her with a sigh.
They were brought back to reality by the sound of his song playing from his phone. He didn’t want to move, perfectly content with letting it play. His cheeks were warmed from resting it on her chest. He could feel heart rate syncing with his until they calmed down from the lust-filled high. Her fingers began scratching at his neck as she spoke. “What did you say,”
warnings: foul language, heavy use of n-word, suggestive themes, questionable comments. (if easily triggered, heed all warnings.) violence, mentions of death/killing. All of this is strictly fictional and is no way a reflection on real life. Characterizations are dramatized for the sake of the plot .
summary: Finally in New York, Some last minute changes plagues Stone's tour, but doors are being opened for Tirian in spite of it's challenges. Decisions are made and lives are changed for the better.
pairing.: Terry Richmond x Tirian Brenae
A/N: The italics, is where the singing starts and it is my attempt as a montage but in story form, so there is a mix of scenes and locations going on. If confused don't be afraid to ask!
Also Cristian Daniels Character has a new face claim of Lucian LavisCount.
Chapter Song:
song inspo:
The Show Goes On x Lupe Fiasco
All the man i need x Whitney Houston
The day was long and the sun began to set behind the tall skyscrapers along downtown Manhattan. Inside one of those buildings held several offices of different designs. Though one always stood out. The small, yet spacious room held several bookcases filled with law books, and regular reading books, to which a green vintage designed gas powered fireplace sat across from it. The high windows looked out to the busy streets of New York, but the blinds were pulled to subdue the bright lights of the city. In the center of the room sat a large oak wood desk, scattered with several pages of documents, affidavits and food wrappers from a local Latino restaurant down the street. A gold nameplate faced the door and it read District Attorney Rafael Barba to anyone walking by or coming into his space. The stout, yet handsome older man paced back and forth alongside his desk in frustration and maybe hunger as his stomach growled slightly when he would stop to pick up more papers to look over. It was time for dinner but instead of eating, he was going through several pages of documents that included witness statements, police reports, and hospital records. He was assigned to the U.S vs. Cristian Daniel's, along with attorneys from other locations where he allegedly committed these crimes.
On the other side of his desk had been two Italy imported leather armchairs, where one was occupied by a woman with rich dark skin and features that make her look soft when she smiles, but the moment she’s pissed it off it rivaled that of a lioness hunting its prey. Donna Emmett. She had become a close friend during his years at Harvard Law, while the two of them had been on opposite sides of the court, this would be the first time they would be working together on a case of this magnitude. Thus leading to this impromptu scramble of gathering key points for the prosecution to review before presenting evidence. Barba had been going over the same rounds of messages sent back and forth between Daniels and his team, none too incriminating, but he could tell Cristian wasn’t as smart as he thought he was.
“This–” Barba waves and throws the papers down dramatically causing Donna to look up from her plate of fill and stack of documents. “All of this will be inadmissible in the court of law.” The defense had moved to strike almost half their evidence from the record, stating it was obtained through coercion, and illegal searches without a warrant. They were back at square one and only had a week to build their case back up. Barba was frustrated to the point he wanted to recuse himself. “There’s nothing in here that can help us.”
“He did those crimes, Barba.” She says mid-chew. “It's all in the paperwork. You know this.” Donna didn’t believe in giving up, having faced off against Barba in several of her client’s trials, she knew to expect nothing less. She had been faced with worse things than lack of evidence and this was just another bump in the road especially since the two of them had been working on this case together for years alongside their day-to-day clients and cases. It would be convenient that the one moment Cristian does slip-up under their eyes, almost all the evidence was striked from the record. All their years of filing through reports, sketchy contacts, death threats to attempted murders on their lives could be potentially washed down the drain. “We just need something that’s going to stick.”
“None of this can be used in court Emmett.” Barba raises his voice a little, clearly frustrated that she didn’t understand it was all for nothing. “I’m starting to think you want him to get that mistrial.”
Donna shakes her head. “As a Defense Attorney I would do anything to get him off,” She raises her hand to cut him off before he could protest. “However, I was called in to help the prosecution and that’s what I’m here to do.” During her internship under Judge Lorraine Petrovsky, Donna learned both sides of the court from the perspective of the Defense and the Prosecution. Every trick in the book be, she saw get played, legal or not. To her it was nothing to find something they could use. “You just have to think outside the box Barba.”
“What do you suggest we do then?”
Donna adjusted herself before standing up to grab another brown file box that was sitting at her feet. Carrying it to the table she drops the box on the table and files through the items in it until her fingers pinched the corners of a developed roll of film. I know just who can help us convict him.”
Madison Square Garden had been bustling with energy since the rise of the sun. Production crew moved swiftly between storage containers, cargo trucks, and the main arena to set up the stage for the concert. Just down the halls of the backstage area had been Zerina, who’s heels clicked sharply down the hallway. Despite it being so early in the morning she still made sure to look her best. She made sure to leave the house dressed in nice pants and blouses, The heels an added bonus to her already intimidating demeanor. Zerina wasn’t in the mood for stress and made sure everyone was up and doing their parts. The iPad she clutched in her right arm displayed her checklist for everything she needed done. She typed furiously on her phone to Terrance to get back in time for his appearance on 106 & Park to switch to her list of attorneys to handle Taylor and her reckless mouth.
Terrance had done a good job of standing behind his word and kicking her off the tour. Since her removal there had been no more leaks or random photos and conversations sent to media blogs. Though she still felt some type of way to be publicly defaming two people for no reason.
“Bitch needs a reality check” She mutters with disdain as more tweets show up across her phone. Zerina had too much to do today than to worry about her and just sent it to his attorneys to deal with.
“We just want an okay on the addition of a new opener for the second leg of the tour, new equipment and audio was just sent in and-.” A production assistant rushes up to her side with copies of the music and set list. Zerina looks to her side, scanning the name on the top of the pages. Tiri’s Setlist. First show: November 1st, United Kingdom. The stage crew had called her in to confirm production changes, and though she was slightly out of the loop at the sudden shift in creative, it was nothing she couldn’t handle.
“What are the changes?” She had already clicked on Terrance’s contact with the ringing of his phone playing in her ear.
“New lighting, smaller stage setup towards the front, audio changes–”
“Zizi!” His voice yells in her ear making her roll her eyes at the childhood nickname. Something he only used when he did something without talking to her first and he did just that.
“First, when are you and Tirian getting back?” There was shuffling and grunting on the other end and she continued, “And what is this her opening the show?”
“I’ll be back tonight, and she’s dropping her EP in a couple of weeks, and I want her to open.”
Zerina pinches the bridge of her nose with a sigh and waves off the tech crew rushing up to her–probably to check on the audio playback. She hated being in the last to know about anything pertaining to this tour and his career especially since he begged her to come back as his manager. Tirian wasn’t ready, she needed vocal lessons, media training, stage presence, wardrobe. All of that couldn't be done in five months, not when there’s a month left in his own tour. Her recent drop of Honey was a hit, but it was heavily autotuned in her opinion and even she knew it was a rushed release. “Do you even think she’s ready, Terrance.” She stops between the wings of the stage that was still being set-up. “She needs media training, a pr team, stylists–”
“I got that covered, Zerina.” The voice was lighter and for sure not Tirian’s. The accent was thique and she slowly pieced together who was on the other end. “Giselle?”
“The one and only suga mama.” She laughs briefly and continues with her message. “Tirian will be signed as an independent artist under Parkwood, anything made and done for her career will be handled by me as a favor to longtime friend,”
Zerina hums. She was looking into Tirian’s family more after realizing she was the daughter of Tiffany, she never brought up her connections to the Texas native, but she shouldn’t be surprised with Terrance's close connection with the New York Native himself. If she didn’t have to do it then, that was great. Less stress on her. She already had enough on her plate with the growing case of Cristian and maintaining Stone’s public image. “Oka-”
“That also means, Tirian will be staying in New York the remainder of his tour while we work on her media presence.”
“She’s his lead dancer-”
“And you also added more dates after his June schedule.” Always one step ahead, Zerina has to sigh while Bey continues. “I will send some vetted replacements, but Tirian will be putting her professional dancing on hold to focus on HER career.”
There was no arguing with the queen herself. She knew if Tirian really wanted a singing career, then she would have to put in the work for it. Zerina blows out a defeated breath. “What do you want me to do?’
“Let us handle Tirian and this Cristian drama, you just focus on his tour.”
Terrance and Tirian found time to disappear into the large study, where the sun began to set through the large windows. The leather beneath them was smooth and cold though Tirian didn’t mind it as she laid on top of Terrance who leaned laid back against the arm of it. His fingers were gentle along her cheeks as he studied her face, painting a mental picture of the features he’s loved since the day they met.
“You really doing this huh,” He murmurs, referencing the start of a music career he was excited and proud to bear witness to. Though he didn’t want to, he knew he would have to give her space for the next painfully slowly five months. She needed the space more than him to flourish…to not have her name directly tied to him.
“Yeah,” her voice was barely below a whisper as she leaned into his touch. His other hand comes down to tilt her head up. Tiran hums at the soft kiss he gives her before sighing. “I wanna sing.”
“And you’re a damn good singer.” He was honest, Though her voice had been a little raspy during the recording of Honey, she still sounded like a chorus of harmonies being played from a harp. “You’re gonna be the best to ever do it.”
“Next to Beyonce, of course.” she joked.
“Nah, it’s your turn now.” He shakes his head dismissing that thought of having to compare her sound to other people. Though the genre was similar, their stories were different and now it was time for Tirian to tell hers. “Never compare yourself to somebody, big or small.” He kisses her cheek.
Tirian moved up his body until they were chest to chest–finally able to wrap-her arms around his neck. Chuckling to himself, Terry wrapped his arms around her back and squeezed her. “I’m not gonna miss your cold ass feet down the back of my shorts.”
She squints and flicks his ear, making him deep laugh and flinch from the sudden motion. “I won’t miss your hairy armpits in my face.
Terrance treks into the hotel with a somber look etched across his face. He had said his goodbyes to Tirian, keeping her locked into a hug as long as he could. He had been spoiled by her presence and now this was an adjustment for him.
“Good, your back, we have a few hours until your 106 & Park appearance so I schedule a few photo shoots, and we can host auditions for a new love inst-”
“Nah.” Terry shakes his head as they head to the elevators. “Strictly niggas. I'll send you my list.” Terrance was over having girls on this tour, and without Tirian it became a heavy ‘hell no’ on replacing her. He already sent out a message to a few friends in hopes of a response; the rest was up to Zerina to figure it out.
Zerina sighs but nods in understanding. With Amari now gone as well there were no more female dancers and they were on a time crunch to find someone suitable, that is until she remembered Lance and Victor and their presence in the New York Dance community. “Fine, where are you going?”
“Take a bomb ass nap–”
“Uh uh, your first shoot is in 40 minutes, you can sleep in the car.” Zerina grabs his arm and pulls him out the back entrance where the leased Black Escalade was parked on the curb and the driver waiting by the opened door. She urged him in quickly and slid in next to him.
“Damn, can a nigga eat first?” He grumbles and shuffles in the seat until he was comfortable.
Zerina rolls her eyes, “I’ll have my assistant bring you something.”
Terrance shakes his head and slouches in the seat with his arm propped on the door to rest his head on. His eyes closed but he wasn’t asleep. The honking of horns, jerking of brakes and screaming pedestrians kept him up. “Who is this shoot for?”
“The first is for Essence’s July Issue, then GQ, Dolce & Gabbana and also Calvin Klein.” Her schedule had been pulled up on her iPad so she could mark in rest breaks for him. “Don’t worry, Law Roach is your stylist as requested with any of these shoots and your barber just touched down and will meet us there.”
Terrance grunts in response. “So where do my naps fit into all that?”
“There's a five hour energy and a red bull in my bag.”
Tirian swung her legs as she sat on top of the island in the home studio. Next to her had been a bottle of water and a salad she barely touched. She had long said her goodbyes to Terrance. Though there was a pain in being away from him that tugged on her heart but she knew it was the best thing for them and her career right now to have this pace.
“Alright, you need to pick one genre or the other.” Merlin, one of her producers tells her. “The rap and RnB works, but the flow of the songs you have doesn’t.”
Tirian sighs and sips the water that cooled her throat with each gulp and swallow. “What do you suggest?”
Merlin hums and leans back in chair. “Your mom had an album she didn’t release……your range is incredible, only right you show it off.” Merlin had worked with Tiffany when he was a rising producer who moved to New York with three hundred dollars and a dream, and now it was a full-circle moment to be working with her daughter in her now rising career. He had produced Tiffany’s last album. It never made it’s release as she had lost her life in a car accident. Merlin shelved it, thinking he would never be able to share it with the world. Tirian sitting in front of him right now could very well change that if she agreed and felt comfortable to do so.
“You want me to re-record my mom’s music?”
“If you’re okay with it…” He looks at her with a soft smile and a shrug of his shoulders as if he was saying ‘why not.”
Tirian has to think as she slid down until her feet hit the floor. Her notebook sat on the soundboard next to him. Taking a few tentative steps towards it–she flipped through the pages at the lines filled with unspoken words and fleeting feelings. She hadn’t thought to speak the words her mom longed to express. “Which one was her favorite.?”
Merlin smiles and plays the beat through the speakers for her to hear the song. Her heart flutters as the soft beat of piano and other light and airy instruments in the background find their rhythm. He had flipped her journal to the corresponding lyrics, just as the saxophone began playing. One of her favorite instruments really. Her feet moved faster than her thoughts and found herself going into the booth to place the headphones on. She let the instrumentals continue out towards the end of the song before it restarted from the beginning.
I used to cry myself to sleep at night
But that was all before he came
I thought love had to hurt to turn out right
But now he's here, it's not the same
It's not the same
Unbeknownst to Tirian, Bey had been recording from outside after seeing her going into the booth. Her smile softened after pulling in a few favors to set up some appearances and fittings over the next couple of months, and now with media control, she created new socials for her to promote her as an artist. To her she was seeing the future.
“She has her ma’s voice.” Jay says from behind her.
“And once she realizes that,” She laughs through a smile. “She’ll have the world in her hands.”
He fills me up, he gives me love
More love than I've ever seen
He's all I got, he's all I got in this world
But he's all the man that I need
She stops the video and prepares to post it on her Instagram. “Did you handle that other thing?” She looked up at him with a look in her eye that the answer better be yes. With a kiss to her forehead and a tap to her thigh, he nods.
“They're on it now.”
And in the morning when I kiss his eyes
He takes me down and rocks me slow
And in the evening when the moon is high
He holds me close and won't let go
He won't let go
Terrance didn’t know how he survived back-to-back shoots with little to no sleep. He wanted to crash the moment he made it to the studio for the GQ shoot. A cup of coffee and surprisingly a few pre-rolls had been laid out for him in his dressing room.
“So Zavion, Darius, Dell and Preston are all here going over choreo for the tour, what’s changed?”
He flicked his bic lighter and pressed the flame to the end of the blunt as he pulled on it a few times until it was lit. “That love album is centered around Tiri. Not performing it with another girl.”
“So you're just not sing that album.?” She shakes her head at his now sudden alertness. “What’s taking its spot?
“I have a new album ... .I've been working on it since last year. Finally finished the last song.” He sits up straight so the make-up artist could touch up any imperfections on his face. “I know it’s last minute-”
“Tuh.” Zerina blows a breath as if he really didn’t know how it felt to be the last in the loop of changes. “What else is changing?”
“Layla.”
Zerina softens. Her eyes flickered expectantly to the makeup artist until she got the hint to leave the room. Once the door closed she turned back to Terrance. “How is she?”
“Mama, ain’t telling me much, but she said the police said they found her on the Amtrak headed to Georgia, next thing you know she was overdosing in one of the cabins.” Terrance winces at the thought of his little sister alone, on a train taking god knows what to feel something. “They had Narcan and shit until she got to the closest ER.”
“She’s alive.” Zerina hopes not only for his sake, but for her Aunt’s. It’s already bad enough that two of her sons are fighting and one is going to jail for it. It would be heartbreaking to lose a daughter in the process.
“Yeah, She woke up last night.” He mutters. “ She’ll need intensive rehab for a while.”
“That’s good, I can vet some out for you, and pick the best one in the state.” She adds that to her list of things to do, but he dismisses her.
“The hospital she’s at has an inpatient center, she’ll go there once she’s discharged.”
“You’re worried.”
“When am I not when it comes to her?” Terrance had made a promise to not only himself but to his mom that he would look out for Layla, and the more time goes on the more he feels like he failed. “She never trusted Cristian’s ass to look out for her.”
Zerina shakes her head and drops her stuff down on the table so she could grab his face and make him look at her. Just so he could see the seriousness in his eyes. He was startled by the sudden moves but didn’t move.
“It’s not your fault. Layla was and is an adult. Just like you and Cristian, she saw the effects drugs had on your father and still chose to go down that path.” Zerina continues. “I know you love Layla, I love her too, but you can't worry about her. Not while you’re at the height of your career.”
“I can just leave her to fend for herself.”
“She has Aunt Esther and all her family in South Carolina. I need you to focus on this tour and managing this long distance relationship with Tirian, okay.”
“Okay.”
“Good, let them finish up so we can get through this shoot.” She grabs her things and checks her emails. “We’re adding three girls, but they don’t have to be the love interest.”
He laughs. “You said that kinda quick,”
“I know you.” she points warningly in his direction. “I don’t have time for any mess.”
He fills me up, he gives me love
More love than I've ever seen
He's all I got, he's all I got in this world
But he's all the man that I need
Terrance throws his hands up in surrender. “I got all the woman I need.”
He fills me up (He fills me up)
He gives me love
More love than I've ever seen
(Than I've ever seen)
He's all I got (he's all I've got)
He's all I got in this world
But he's all the man that I need
(All the man, all the man I need)
Terrance managed to get through the rest of his schedule without falling asleep or cussing somebody out. After a quick lunch break of two large slices of pizza from a local pizzeria he frequents when in town. He was more receptive to Law’s comments and requests during the Dolce & Gabbana shoot. He stood on the beige colored backdrop.
“So when do I get to style the wedding?” Law smirks as he adjusts the sleeves of the white shirt that was under a burgundy sweater.
“What wedding?”
“The one you and Tirian are gonna have.” He moves to adjust the collar, he laughs at the puzzled look on his face. “Everyone knows you wanna marry that girl.”
Terrance shakes his head and tries to harden his expression but the thought of making her his wife has never crossed his mind until now. He hums through a closed-lip smile. “Too soon.”
“Says who?” Law stepped back, after making sure everything fit and sat right for the photos. “My grandparents knew each other for six months before getting married.” He demonstrates a pose that Terry eventually mimicked just as the cameras caught the first shot.
“Ion know man.” He follows the camera. He would loved to call her Mrs. Richmond, but he wasn’t trying to scare her off with that big of a commitment so soon. “Ain’t tryna scare her off.”
Law rushes up before another picture could be taken to roll up the sleeves to his elbows. “Do you love her?”
Terrance nods. “More than anything.”
“You got five months to decide.”
He stepped back with a cross of his arms until he was next to the camera man. Terrance rests his face as he looks into the camera. Law hadn’t been the only one to tell him to marry Tirian, he had a few others in his ear encouraging him to take that step. Was he ready for that?
He fills me up (he fills me up)
He gives me love
More, more love, more love (more love),
More love, more love (than I've ever seen)
He's all I've got (he's all I've got)
He's all I got in this world
But he's all the man, all the man
(All the man, all the man I need)
The sound of the audience for today’s filming of 106 & Park calmed his racing nerves. He would be performing a new song, and then a quick interview on his new album and tour. Once this was done he would be calling her with a quickness just to hear her voice in his ear. He shook off his nerves with each arm and leg shake as he heard Aj and Free do his introductions. He laughs at the comment of him being a taken heart throb. Producers guided him towards the entrance to the stage just as they said his name.
“Give a big welcome to Stone!” They shout in union.
The screams got louder once he made it on the stage–slapping a few fans hands in the process with a shit-eating grin. Tirian made sure she watched his interview when she got a break and she stuck to that when Merlin slipped out to take a call. She sat on the island with her guitar in her lap as the large tv mounted on the wall played the episode.
Aj: First off welcome to the show man, last we saw you was what?
Free: His sophomore album.
Stone: *chuckles with a nod* Been booked and Busy.
Free: “If that ain’t an understatement.
AJ: Since then man, you have done six tours, with two of them being world tours.
Free: We wanna know any plans to settle down after this tour is over?
Stone: A break is needed. “Pauses” have been on go since eighteen, the lifestyle is great, but yeah i plan to just put the pen down and just enjoy life for a while.
Free: We hate to ask but a lot of us *gestures around the room at themselves and the audience* are curious. What’s the beef with you and Cristian?
Aj: you guys bumped heads at the start of your career before going radio silent five years later, didn’t speak on or to each other for five years and now Cristian is starting again.
Stone: That is a situation that has been going on since school age. *expression is hard set, he’s using his hands and thinking before he speaks.* We were raised as brothers. It doesn’t mean it’ll always be brotherly love cause it's not. *Shrugs* Money and fame can consume you or embrace you and some people let it consume them.
Aj: Well said. As we all know Cristian is facing trial for his alleged criminal activities. Any thoughts on that
Stone: No comment.
Tirian is impressed with his ability to keep his composure when asked drama he no longer wanted to think about . She wouldn’t have been able to answer those questions, let alone talk about Cristian to anyone though Terrance seemed to navigate through their millions of questions like a politician.
“Alright T baby,” A voice breaks through her ears. “Let’s finish this song so we can go hold auditions for your dancers.”
“Just ten more minutes?” She pleads, not taking her eyes off the television screen. “Terrance is about to perform.”
“I’ll do you one better." They hum.
He fills me up (woo)
More love than I've ever seen
He's all I've got
All the man, all the man I need
A body bounced off the concrete floors with a hard thud and groan. The figure was disoriented as he tried to push up off the ground only to be kicked back down into his side.
“Stay yo bitch ass down.” a voice spits with his tone laced with venom. A hand presses to the chest of the voice to push him back.
“Not too much on him Mac” A second voice joins with a laugh. “We just here to scare the nigga.”
He spits at their feet with a glare. “Nigga, I ain’t scared.”
“See Crisitian, that’s where I think you’re wrong.” The second voice speaks as he steps into the light slowly. Not bigger than Mac, but he was still a respectable size at six foot three, muscles that flexed through the tight black shirt he had on. His face had been covered with a nicely groomed beard but it only made his soured glare more intimidating.
“Zyaire?” Cristian spits, clearly surprised that the man was before him after not seeing him for years. “i thought shit was sweet nigga,”
Zyaire shakes his head with a scoff. “Ain’t nothing sweet about you terrorizing my niece,”
“Mind you, you fucked her up once already.” Mac adds to try and instigate the situation more, Cristian kisses his teeth and finds the strength to pull himself up to his feet.
“I didn’t mean to bruh-” Cristian tries to explain just as Zyaire’s fist connected with his jaw in full force that sent him to the ground.
“I was gonna let yo bum ass slide and just scare yo ass,” Zyaire grits. Between each word he was stomping his foot on Crisitian’s sides and chests. Hard enough until he her bones cracked beneath the steel toe timbs. “But imagine my anger when somebody from yo crew sent me the footage of you defiling her like she was some whore off the street.”
Cristian could only ball up into fetal position with each quick kick Zyaire landed on his body. He coughed up blood that began to flood his mouth. Mac watched on eagerly waiting his turn to terrorize the man.
“Lil bitch can’t take it.” Mac laughs and pulls him up at Zyaire’s request. He holds him up from behind beneath his arms like some ragdoll. Cristian could barely hold his head up without coughing but neither one of them cared. Zyaire stepped up into his face and gripped his jaw harshley until they made eye contact.
There wasn’t a lick of emotion behind Zyaire’s eyes hoping it would be enough to spare him from the inevitable future of possible death.
“You're lucky you got a son.” Zyaire points in his face. “But if you ever and I mean ever speak on Tirian and that includes Terrance again? You’d wish I killed you the first time.”
Mac is confused at the sudden change in plans. “what are you doing?” He had been itching to get his hands on the man in his grip. Crisitian had shorted him out of so much money and opportunities for his own personal game. Mac left that tour with no money and a false dream Cristian said he could get him. It had been a lie and his life suffered more than what it should've. “This nigga ruined lives and you wanna let his ass go?!”
Zyaire ignores him while continuing to speak to Crisitan like he was his father. “You’re gonna accept that plea deal, it's a life sentence but with time served and you’ll get out by the time the kid is fifteen.”
“And what if I don't and just leave.” Crisitian challenges with a smirk. It wouldn’t take much for him to call up a few friends to help him out. He could be out of America in a few hours if was let go.
Zyaire shrugs. “You’d have to make it out of here alive for that to happen, and I'll make sure that won’t happen.”
Zyaire had stalked Christian from the moment he made bail after his bond hearing. Crisitian hadn’t been subtle. Despite being on house arrest, he was still able to travel between the city. His routine in New York always stayed the same—A morning jog with his two rottweiler dogs and a clip on his hip (as if he really needed it.), a random bodega on the corner for what he guessed was a bacon, egg & cheese bagel and orange juice. From then he would follow him back to the house where he would be for a few hours. People had been in and out from that point and it was no surprise to him or Mac when Mekia and Taylor would show up, with the kid in tow. This routine continues for weeks until Crisitian slips up and leaves the house without his dogs or guns to protect him.
“Really gon kill a nigga over a bitch?” Crisitan laughs but a fist to the gut cuts him off sharply.
“Up to you nigga.” Zyaire forces his head up. “You can walk out here and see your kid grow up, or you can die.”
“He told us to take care of it.” Mac tries to remind Zyaire of their orders. “I don’t think it means letting this nigga go!”
“Either way it goes Big Mac.” Zyaire glances his way, then back to Crisitian with venom laced in his tone. “He can be a prison bitch or my bitch.” As if either option was better, He was disgusted at the comment. Crisitian wasn’t as strong as he thought he was. Zyaire knows Crisitian wouldn’t last a day before he was turned out, shanked or sent to solitary confinement. At least with Zyaire he could be and live freely. It was known that Zyaire liked men as well and he wasn’t trying to hide it. With that came the ability to notice with others as well. His weeks of stalking had revealed Crisitian’s secret lover, and while he was cute. Zyaire thought he could do better.
“I ain’t gay.”
“You are.” Zyaire shrugs and loosens his grip. “But it’s okay.” Zyaire walks away and snaps for Mac to drop him with a few protests from the bigger man “Take the plea, and find me when you’re released.”
It was Cristian’s turn to scowl from the ground. Too weak to really move. “And if I don’t.”
Zyaira chuckles and continues his way out with Mac following behind him. “You can run, but you can’t hide from the truth baby boy.”
Cristian watched them disappear in the dark disgusted not only with him but himself as he couldn’t deny the way felt as Zyaire talked about him like he knew him. The older man despite his not-really his ex-girlfriend's uncle made him feel things no other person could. He had to admit, he messed with Tirian to get his attention and now that he got it–it wasn’t the kind he wanted.
“What are you gonna tell Hov?” Mac questions. They had strict orders to take him out and Zyaire has done the complete opposite.
“The Truth.” Zyaire says casually while pulling out his phone to send in the clean-up crew. “Crisitan knows better than to try me, not if he knows what's good for him.”
“Bitch ass owe me money” Mac huffs as they exit the large warehouse located in an abandoned plot. It was miles away from the city, but close enough to where a hospital and police station were. “But yo’ simpin ass wanna play savior for some dick.”
“Nigga” Zyaire side eyes him with a glare. “I know you aint talk mothafucka, always wanna use violence. This ain’t The hulk nigga.”
“So you gon pay me what he owe, since that’s yo boo.”
“Man, shut the fuck up.” Zyaire waves him off as he sends out a group text to his ninja team. The ninja team had strict orders to drop him off at the doors of the emergency doors to be treated and to tip-off the police on where he was in the morning.
“Soooo, we not murking people tonight?” Mac was genuinely trigger happy and once you say his trigger it doesn’t go away until he does. He was promised bodies and he was going to get them with or without Zyaire.
“We are.” Zyaire pockets his phone and pulls out his keys and a list. Mac is confused until the list is tossed in his direction. He caught it before it hit the ground and opened it to see a list of names. Each one he recognized as a close friend and enabler of Cristian and his antics.
“He’s still gonna suffer when free.”
LA-SER
Stone is in the building, nigga
Stone drowned out the screaming fans as the lights dimmed on his rising form through the stage. Behind him had been a group of male dancers being led through cars by Lance and Viktor. While he had routines set up for throughout the set, he forgot it and just let them improvise and the crowd seemed to go wild. Zerina shook her head and was ready to scold them in his earpiece until the media team showed her the videos being uploaded. The watching fans had enjoyed the angles of the dancers being themselves and interacting with fans. Suddenly Stone interacting with the camera flooded the feel. Another computer had been open to computer sales, and now all of his international shows were sold out. She had to admit, Tirian leaving the tour might have been the best thing for his tour.
“Have someone fly my design team out, I think we’re going into a new era of Stone.”
Alright
Already the show goes on all night
'Til the morning we dream so long
Anybody ever wonder
When they would see the sun up
Just remember when you come up
The show goes on!
Tirian finished recording the song and editing redoing parts on background vocals in an hour. Determined to hold Bey to her promise. The first part had been done and now she was standing in the center of the dance floor surrounded by a bunch of excited and equally starstruck girls.
“So we are looking for talented and career-driven dancers.” Bey explains from her seat where it was posted in the front of the room. “Trust me when I say, being like Taylor Thomas in any way shape or form is going to get you blackballed from this business.” Next to her had been Bankhead, who had agreed to be her choreographer. In hopes of ensuring the right people were dancing with her. Taylor had become an artist driven by the love of money. It didn’t take long for Bey’s lawyers to discover the talented dancer had been receiving monthly checks from Cristian to tarnish their names. It was kept from Tirian as she handled the opinionated dancer in the quietest way she knew how.
As for now her focus had been on finding the best dancers for Tirian.
Have you ever had the feeling
That you was being had
Don't that shit that make you mad
They treat you like a slave
With chains all on your soul
And put whips up on your back
They be lying through they teeth
Hope you slip up off your path
Bankhead and Tirian did the choreography he came up with full out for them once or twice before playing the music and feeding them to the wolves. Tirian moved through the moves like a second skin and as she watched the girls through the mirror, she was slightly impressed. Some of them had picked up quickly and were soon following Tirian’s lead, when she moved they moved until it became a call and response dance she excitedly engaged in. Bey noticed as well and quickly wrote down their audition number into a book next to her. She hoped her other two requests would come through in time too.
I don't switch up I just laugh
Put my kicks up on they desk
Unaffected by their threats
Then get busy on they ass
See that's how ATL made me
That's how my mama raised me
That glittering may not be gold
Don't let nobody play me
“He’s trending everywhere on twitter, TikTok, Instagram.” Hunter, her media specialist exclaims. “The fans are loving the switch up of the setlist too.”
Zerina nods in agreement. She enjoyed it too. He was having fun like she wanted him to and now because of that the money, deals and offers are starting to roll in. He deserved this. “I’m glad I added more dates, schedule in a break for thanksgiving and Christmas.
“The second leg starts in November?”
“I know.” Zerina puts it in her calendar herself. “ We’ll start in Georgia, take that break and pick back up in Europe in January.” Zerina doesn’t wait for a response and talks in his earpiece with a grin. “You don’t have to speak back, but you have now sold out every single show overseas.”
She didn’t expect him to speak but she definitely wasn't expecting to see him with a Cheshire grin across his face on the big screens after flipping off the top of the car in the center of the stage. She laughs when he grabs hold one of the cameras to have close to his face with his tongue out in excitement. His acknowledgement of the news shined through his goofy nature. She couldn't help but be proud at how far he's come in life.
If you are my homeboy
You never have to pay me
Go on and put your hands up
When times is hard you stand up
S-T-O-N-E the man
'Cause the brand
That the fans trust
So even if they ban us
They'll never slow my plans up!
Tirian stands in front of Bankhead and Bey as they talk about the dancers and who they picked after several run-throughs of the choreography. In that time Tirian had noticed her phone blowing up with notifications. The moment she clicked on one of the notifications, her phone lit up with a video her in the booth recording.
xuser56s: damn she can sing!
tiffany.fanpage: She sounds just like her mom! 😭
jermaine.dupri: This can't be lil tiffany. gotta get you in my studio asap. 🔥🔥
isismonet: period pooh, you better show tf out!👏🏾
lilmari: in love with this song already! 😭
The comments and and private messages flooded her phone constantly to the point she turned it off to calm her self down. She focused back on the talk of dancers. They had all agreed on twenty-three. Camryn, who had been one of the many talented dancers that drew their eyes to her, and with her extensive background in ballet and lyric, she had a style of dance Tirian grew up doing as well. They couldn’t agree on a second girl. Fifteen had been a heavy hitter and gave attitude when needed but twelve was a powerhouse and with a little more time she would be perfect. Ultimately it was Tirian’s decision.
“I like Kilah.” Tirian decides. Kilah was sexy. She knew she could help her when it came down to bringing sex appeal to her sexier songs and that was something she struggled with the most. Terrance could bring it out of her, but he wasn't here and she needed to learn for herself.
“Okay, but you know Kilah doesn’t do a tour without Alannah.”
“I”m okay with that.” Tirian shrugs, she liked her too and both girls seemed like professionals and that's what she needed.
“Then its set.” Bey stands and claps her hands together to get the attention of the dancers. The room hushed to a silence as she spoke. “Camryn, Kilah and Alannah, you have been chosen, so you three will remain here.” Claps rang through to the lucky girls who grinned from their spots. “The rest of you, thank you for coming, better luck next time.”
To the remaining dancers, it wasn’t a total loss. They got to meet Beyonce and hoped they danced well enough to get a call back for a later project. They could only hope. Once they left, Tirian turned quickly to like a child who heard a candy wrapper. Bey. She bounced anxiously until the older woman looked at her with a laugh.
“Take the girls with you.”
Alright
Already the show goes on all night
'Til the morning we dream so long
Anybody ever wonder
When they would see the sun up
Just remember when you come up
The show goes on!
One in the air for the people ain't here
Two in the air for the father that's there
Three in the air for the kids in the ghetto
Four for the kids that don't wanna be there
None for the niggas tryna to hold them back
Five in the air for the teacher not scared
To tell those kids that's living in the ghetto
That the niggas holding back that the world is theirs!
Yeah, yeah, the world is yours
I was once that little boy
Terrified of the world
Now I'm on a world tour
I would give up everything
Even start a world war
For these ghetto girls and boys I'm rapping 'round the world for!
Africa to New York
Haiti then I detour
Oakland out to Auckland
Gaza Strip to Detroit
Say hip-hop only destroy
Tell 'em look at me, boy!
I hope your son don't have a gun
And never be a D-boy
Terrance moved across the stage as he sang the last song of the night. It was crazy that the song he’s performing was from his sophomore album but still fits at this moment in time. He never thought he would see the day where he would sell out his second world tour in three months. He was still grateful, and now he started to think about more things he was grateful for—mostly who he was grateful for. His heart swells the more he thinks about her and all she’s been through. Her persistence was his motivation and now all of this was just for her.
So no matter what you've been through
No matter what you're into
No matter what you see
When you look outside your window
Brown grass or green grass
Picket fence or barbed wire
Never ever put them down
You just lift your arms higher
Raise 'em 'til your arms tired
Let 'em know you're here
That you're struggling survivin'
That you gon' persevere
Yeah, ain't nobody leaving
Nobody goin' home
Even if they turn the lights out
The show is goin' on!
Zerina wasn’t surprised to see Tirian and some new faces on the sidelines surrounded by who she assumed were her new dancers. It was more surprising that Bey let her come and they made it in time to enjoy the last few songs.
She didn’t bother them too much, letting them enjoy the concert like any other person. Zerina convinced herself that this break was going to be good for them and in the end would only make them stronger as a couple. She still couldn't help but think they're moving to fast in the opposite direction. Time could only tell. Zerina prayed for the best despite the circumstances. As the song came to an end she looked on the stage to see Stone making his way to the back. She decided to let him be surprised at her being there and signaled for tech to begin their takedown.
Alright
Already the show goes on all night
Til the morning we dream so long
Anybody ever wonder
When they would see the sun up
Just remember when you come up
Terrance saw her first walking down the stage after the lights shut out. She had noticed him yet and he took the opportunity to run up on her. Tirian laughs when he runs off the stage at lightning speed to pick her up in the process as if she was a football being passed through players. He kept running with her in his arms until they were in a more secluded area backstage. She holds onto his shirt with uncontrollable giggles.
He puts her down and grabs her face to kiss her deeply. It had only been a few hours since they last seen each other. Though he missed her like he'll never see her again. He wasn't sure how he was gonna deal with not having her for five months. . She hums into the kiss while grabbing his wrists for support.
“Whatchu doing here.”
“Just wanted to see you before you left.”
Terrance wraps her into a hug and sighs. Despite saying their goodbyes earlier, he didn’t mind doing them over and over again until his plane departed. He whispers and kisses all over her face “Gonna miss you so much.”
“Gonna miss you too.” She moved her head back so he could kiss her lips. The closed lips became an open mouth kiss with his hand tilting her head up until she stood on her tiptoes with her arms around his neck for more support. Their kiss was slow and wet as their heads tilted to rub their tongues against each other to him sucking her bottom lip between his own.
He slides his hands up and down her sides until he pulls back to press gentle kisses into the corner of her mouth and jaw. “Mi at jɔs tek yu” He kisses into the underside of her jaw to stopping at the next words that spill from her lips.
WARNINGS: This story may contain intense violence, sexual content, dark themes and/or strong language. Content not suitable for minors.
｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆
Stone and Tirian are riding the high of not only their relationship but also the progression of their careers in the entertainment industry. Stone, still reeling from the news of a sold out world tour must part ways with his girlfriend Tirian, who now shifts her focus from professional dancing to pursuing a music career she just hard launched with little to no guidance and a dream. The two go their separate ways in search of time, space and personal growth while still supporting each other from the sidelines.
Can the couple maintain a healthy line of communication as they navigate the trials and tribulations of demanding careers, personal friend groups, and a long distance relationship that is still sort of new?
Hearts on deck as lines are tested and boundaries are crossed in this Mini-Series.
