B 🖤

Homecoming: AU Sammie and Pearline

Part I | Part II

I'll See You Next Lifetime Stack X Ruby Sinners/Lovecraft Country

Part I | Part II | Part III

One Shots

Excited Smoke x Annie

Part I | Part 2

The sky was painted a huge of pinks and oranges and reds. The sun fell below the buildings that lined the skyline as Ruby shimmied into a pink sequin dress that hugged her ample breasts and wrapped around her full hips. She placed a flower in her hair as she admired herself in the mirror.

She smoothed her hands over dress once more as a quick knock beat against her front door.

Click. Click.Click. The click of her heels across the hardwood floor resonated in her apartment. As she reached the door, she quickly inhaled and exhaled to calm her nerves. Why she was nervous was...well Ruby didn't quite have the words to describe why she was nervous.

She reached her hand for the knob and twisted it coming face to face with a gold tooth and a smirk. The man before her stood in a red bespoke suit. White stripes ran along his suit jacket with matching stripes on his trousers. Blood red oxfords donned his feet. His scent, bitter orange and lavender with hints of amber and pine washed over Ruby in waves like water.

"Well ain't ya a sight for sore eyes. You sure pretty tonight," said Stack as he held his hat in his hand over his heart.

"Thank you."

Stack brought his hand from behind his back, revealing a bouquet of purple daffodils wrapped in brown paper with purple ribbon extending them to Ruby.

"These are lovely. You didn't have to..."

Stack interrupts Ruby before she could finish.

"I absolutely wanted to give you these. Beautiful flowers for a beautiful lady."

Ruby could feel heat flush over her cheeks and softly cleared her throat.

"Thank you Stack. They are lovely."

The quiet hum of the wheels of her luggage across their hardwood floor filled Smoke's ears. Inwardly, his stomach was tied into knots and he was in shambles. He could feel the palms of his hands begin to perspire and a dull ache throbbed between his brows.

"Annie," he gruffly said.

She turned and glanced back at him.

"Smoke. We already talked about this. I will only be gone for a few days. We're going to celebrate Pearline before her and Sammie get hitched baby."

"You can't reschedule?"

"Reschedule?" she said with a slight chuckle. "Baby you can't reschedule a bachelorette trip. Plus I know you and Stack have something wild planned for Sammie. Well more Stack that you but still..."

She leaned closer to give his a sweet kiss before she grabbed the handle of her luggage.

"I will see you in 3 days. The girls are outside waiting."

Outside of their home sat a Sprinter van with the bride to be donned with a crown and a sash. Spilling from the van, were Pearline's sisters, cousins and linesisters from her sorority in college. Their laughter and hoots could be heard down the entire street. They all cheered at the sight of Annie when the door of Smoke and Annie's home swung open.

Standing before them was Annie with one hand on her luggage and a brooding Smoke behind her who seemed to want to put an end to their shenanigans before they started.

"I got it," Smoke stated as he grabbed the handle of Annie's luggage. Although every fiber of his being was telling him to take the suitcase back in the house and unpack Annie's belongings, he begrudgingly wheeled her things to the Sprinter.

He turned to Annie looking side to side as if he wishing he could compel her to stay. She looked up at him with her beautiful dark doe eyes stepping closer.

"It won't be that bad baby. And I will see you when I get back."

Stepping on the tips of her toes, she pressed a kiss to his lips that he leaned in to extend as he slipped his arm around her waist.

"Alright you two lovebirds," Pearline said, "I promise we'll get her back to ya in one piece Smoke."

Smoke watched the rear lights of the Sprinter until he couldn't see them anymore.

Smoke turned and walked back into his home. He plopped down on the black leather sofa in his man cave with a cigar in one hand a beer in the other. His eyes watched the sweep of the hands of the clock as a basketball game played in the background. It had only been an hour and he was ready for Annie to come home. He felt like crying.

The ring of the doorbell broke him from his thoughts. Looking at his phone, he could see his twin and Sammie on his front porch. In their hands were bags from Smoke and Stack's favorite wing spot and cases of beer.

"Ay I know you see us," hollered Stack. Smoke didn't need this shit right now as he closed his eyes. He heard the front door slam and foot falls leading towards him. He peeked one eye open to see Sammie and Stack standing directly in front of him.

"I know you heard us. What ya doing round here all sad and shit?"

Smoke looked back at his twin and couldn't help but be annoyed.

"You know why."

"Aww shit man. Annie will be back in a few days. She's been gone less that two hours and you're already feeling it in ya chest?"

Normally Smoke didn't mind his brother poking fun but today he was over it.

"Look, Sammie you're sure you wanna do this?" Stack pointed back at his twin. "Look at him all lovesick. He can't breathe without her. You're sure you wanna do this with Pearline? You wanna be just as lovesick as him too?"

Hearts lit up in Sammie's eyes as he thought of Pearline.

"Yeah man and I can't wait."

"See that's what's wrong with yall asses now. Too damn in love."

"I can't wait until love catches your ass," said Sammie as he laughed while opening the tray of hot wings and grabbing a beer.

Smoke looked at Stack and Sammie and couldn't believe what was happening.

"Listen Smoke I know you miss Annie something serious right now cause I feel the same about Pearline but let's just have some beers and a few laughs aight."

Smoke didn't want to but he could never disappoint his favorite little cousin. Grabbing a crispy lemon pepper flat, he dunked it into blue cheese dressing and popped open another beer.

After a few hours of good food, jokes and even better company Smoke felt just a little bit lighter.

"Aight, now I know you missing Annie something serious and I wouldn't be your favorite brother if I didn't look out for ya."

Smoke glared at Stack and said. "You're my only brother."

"That's not the point. Anyways I got something for you."

"Better not be a motherfucking stripper like last time."

Stack's eyes widened. "Now I wouldn't do no shit like that...again." And he meant that. The last time Stack tried to cheer Smoke up when he and Annie broke up, he hired a stripper to brighten his spirit up or at least help him relieve some tension. Annie walked in on the stripper in the living room of the bachelor pad he shared with his brother as she rocked her hips to the sensual music that played. Luckily for Smoke, it was evident he had nothing to do with the stripper being in nothing but a g-string and pasties in their home. Annie threatened to have Stack hopping on his legs like a frog for the rest of his life if he pulled some shit like that again. Stack knew Annie was serious as a heart attack and considering she was the woowoo lady everyone went to for their problems, he knew she could make it happen. And Smoke fell even deeper in love with Annie that day.

"Naw man. I got something even better."

Smoke raised his eyebrows at his brother.

"You know me and Pearline's linesister got a little situation going on. Well she told me exactly where they're staying and I know that they've been at the club for a few hours now."

Smoke continued to listen to his brother babble on hoping he would get to the part that would make him feel better fast.

"And if we leave right now, you can be waiting in the bed..."

Before Stack could even finish his statement, Smoke had already stood up and was headed out of the room.

"Where ya headed?," yelled Stack to Smoke's back as he threw his arms in the air.

Smoke looked over his shoulder and said, "I gotta get my keys. Let's go."

Sammie and Stack broke out into laughter watching Smoke move with a purpose. Sammie was right behind Smoke though because he was just as excited to see Pearline.

Slamming the door behind them, they hopped in Sammie's Suburban and headed for the airport.

A few hours later Annie was a giggling and stumbling mess as she fumbled with her hotel room key. She swung the door opened as she threw her stilettos off of her aching feet crossing the threshold. She gasped as she walked through her suite to find a sleeping Smoke on her bed.

She smiled to herself as she leaned over and kissed his cheek. She couldn't wait to get in bed and snuggle with her man.

------

I wanna thank Jodeci for this little one shot. I was cooking breakfast listening to Cry for You and this entire scene played in my mind. I felt like That's so Raven.

Part I

Ruby sat with her back against the windowsill. It was hot as hell in Chicago this summer and it only seemed to get hotter with each passing day. Her sister Leti had returned from a trip to their brother's home with their childhood friend Tic. Ruby knew she would be back. Leti could never sit still in one place for too long. Plus she knew her brother wouldn't exactly welcome her with open arms since Leti had missed their mother's funeral. Their brother was known to hold a mean grudge and he was mad as hell when Leti wasn't there. Although Ruby couldn't completely fault her.

They each had a complicated relationship with their mother. She would often leave her children at home as she traveled and entertained. Her friends and parties took a substantial amount of her attention. Leaving little time to her children.

Ruby and Leti's mother was a stunning woman with warm skin and expressive eyes. A Creole woman by way of Louisiana, it was rumored that they came from a long line of hoodoo workers and voodoo priestesses. Ruby really didn't know because they never had much contact with their mother's family. It was as if she wanted to erase her past.

Disappearing into Chicago from down South, she used her beauty to gain favor with the elite of Chicago. Their mother was never without a suitor. Wealthy businessmen from the north side of Chicago often would darken her doorstep under the cover of night. They gifted her with the finest perfumes, furs and gems. They would give her anything her heart desired. Well anything but to openly be seen with a Creole woman.

It was rumored that Leti was actually the daughter of one of those wealthy businessmen. Their mother never confirmed or denied the truth of this statement. Her sister's light creamy skin and silkier hair set her apart from her sister. Ruby did not hate her sister but she often wondered what life would be like with the privilege of lighter skin.

Ring. Ring.

Ruby was jarred from her thoughts. She let out a breath as she pick up the phone with her hand. Placing it to her ear, she said, "Hello."

"Is this Ruby?," drawled the speaker.

"Yes it is."

"This is Stack. I was wondering if I could see you tonight."

"Listen Stack. You may be a nice man but..."

"But...what?"

"I don't wanna waste your time..."

"You don't want to waste my time? Listen baby you'll never waste my time. Matter of fact I have all of eternity."

Ruby let out a low breath. Stack was charming she had to admit to herself.

"So what do you say? I can get us a table at Club DeLisa. They play jazz and tonight is special. Preacherboy will be playing the blues."

Ruby thought for a moment. She loved the blues. It reminded her of the few happy memories she had with her family. Her mama would put on a blues record and she would dance in circles in the living room of the two bedroom apartment with her sister as their giggles filled the air. Their mother would gyrate her hips as her pearly white teeth shined and her eyes sparkled. Their brother would strum his guitar to the music. Yeah those were happy memories.

"So...what do you say?"

"Uhm...yes. I would love to go to listen to the blues with you."