Love While Locked Up

big day pt 1

Janet Jackson

"Toniiiiii I don't wanna get out of bed."

"You don't want to, or you can't?" She laughed but I was serious.

"I can smart ass I just don't want to see Ariana today."

"Well guess what." Toni came sat next to me. "Once you do this you won't have to speak or worry about her for a long time. I don't know about you but I'm excited for today, it means I'm one step closer to fully getting your heart." Toni kissed my forehead and I smiled.

"Thank you baby, you always know the right things to say. " I finally got up to start my day and I felt a pain in my stomach.

"Owwwww." The cramp hit me hard, Toni sped over to me.

"Mama you alright?" I held my stomach as she held me up. "I just got a bad cramp." I struggled to say in pain. "Sit down Janet, I'm gonna get you some soda it'll help with gas and I'll call my mom over she should be leaving from church."

I gave Toni a thumbs up because it hurt to talk. I don't know what was going on with me.
__________________________________
Toni Braxton

A million thoughts ran through my mind but the one that stood out was pregnancy. I know Janet wasn't ready for that especially not knowing if Warren was dead. I mean she was just perfectly fine yesterday. What could have happened? Maybe it is just gas.

"Toni, Janet?!" I heard my mother yell from downstairs.

"Coming Ma."

I made my way downstairs and there was my mother with a heating pad and Aleve.

"Toni, you have nothing to worry about. Captain E is here!" I laughed at her and she walked upstairs into the room with Janet.

"Hey mama." Janet struggled to say

"Hey baby, you have nothing to worry about. This must be your first time." Me and Janet looked confused.

"First time" i questioned.

"Yes, her mother Katherine experienced this a lot as well. And i always told Kat go take a shit! That ain't nothing but constipation. Go use the bathroom child and make sure you spray because your mother left a deadly smell I wouldn't be surprised if you do too." Me and Janet let out a loud scream

"Ewwww this whole time you had me worrying about constipation? Baby go shit." I laughed as she wobbled to the bathroom. "And hurry up you don't wanna be late, we have a big day awaiting."

"Big day?" Evelyn asked

"Oh it's nothing Ma, we just got a lot of work to do."

"Mhmm, well I guess I'll be on my way. I love you guys" she shouted the last part for janet to hear and she sent a fart back as a I love you too.

"Bro you're nasty as fuck." I took off laughing.

Some time passed.

The night crept in slow, like it knew better than to rush what was already fragile.

Janet sat on the edge of the narrow bed, elbows on her knees, fingers laced together so tight her knuckles ached. The room was quiet in that way that wasn't peaceful—just empty. Too much space for thoughts. Too much time.

The door clicked open.

She didn't look up right away. She didn't have to. Toni's presence always announced itself before sound did. A shift in the air. A weight. Something grounding and dangerous all at once.

"You're still up," Toni said softly.

Janet exhaled. "Could say the same about you."

Toni shut the door behind her, slower than necessary. She leaned against it for a moment, eyes already on Janet like she was checking for damage she couldn't see. Then she crossed the room and sat beside her, close enough that their shoulders brushed.

That small contact did more than Janet wanted it to.

"They moved the timeline," Toni said.

Janet's head snapped up. "What?"

"Tomorrow night. Not next week."

A sharp pulse of fear cut through her chest. "That's—" She stopped herself, swallowed. "That's too soon."

"I know."

Silence stretched. Janet stood and paced, dragging a hand through her hair. "That's not enough time. We're not ready. The guard rotation, the transfer window—"

"I know," Toni repeated, firmer this time. "But this is the window we get. If we don't take it, we lose everything."

Janet turned back to her. "Or we lose each other."

That landed.

Toni looked up, jaw tight, eyes dark. "You think I haven't thought about that?"

The room felt smaller suddenly. Janet crossed back, stopping in front of her. "Then why are you acting like this is just another move on a board?"

"Because if I don't, I'll freeze," Toni shot back. "And freezing gets us caught."

Janet knelt in front of her without thinking, hands landing on Toni's knees. Warm. Real. "You don't have to do this alone."

Toni laughed under her breath, bitter. "That's the problem, J. I'm not."

Their eyes locked.

The tension between them had been building for weeks—stolen glances, unfinished conversations, hands pulling away too fast. But tonight it felt heavier. Charged. Like something was finally demanding to be acknowledged.

Toni's voice dropped. "If this goes wrong..."

Janet squeezed her knees gently. "Don't."

"I need to say it."

Janet nodded once.

"If this goes wrong, and I don't make it out—" Toni's throat worked. "I need to know you won't regret trusting me."

Janet didn't hesitate. "I already trust you. That's not the question."

"Then what is?"

Janet stood again, close now, too close to pretend distance still existed. "Whether you trust me enough to let this be real. Not just survival. Not just a plan."

Toni rose slowly. They were face to face now, breaths overlapping. "This is real."

"Then stop acting like you're already gone."

That did it.

Toni's composure cracked—not loudly, not dramatically—but in the way her shoulders slumped just a little. In the way her hand reached out, hovering near Janet's waist like she was afraid to claim it.

Janet closed the gap.

The kiss wasn't rushed. It wasn't frantic. It was deep and deliberate, like they were memorizing each other under pressure. Toni's hand slid into Janet's hair, fingers tightening just enough to make Janet inhale sharply.

They stayed like that for a moment too long.

Reality crept back in like a warning.

Toni rested her forehead against Janet's. "We should stop."

Janet didn't pull away. "I know."

Neither of them moved.

Toni's thumb brushed Janet's jaw. "After tomorrow... there might not be time."

Janet's voice was low. "Then stay. Just for tonight."

Toni hesitated—just a breath—then nodded.

The lights went off. The world narrowed. The details softened into warmth, closeness, whispered names and quiet promises spoken into skin. Whatever happened next didn't need words. What mattered was that neither of them pulled away.

Not this time.

And when sleep finally found them, tangled together in the dark, the plan was no longer just strategy.

It was personal.