Ddot and Star were chilling on the couch, wrapped up in each other. His arm was draped over her shoulders, pulling her close as they watched TV, the glow of the screen casting a soft light on their faces. Star sighed, leaning into him, her fingers absentmindedly tracing patterns on his chest.
"bae," Star started, her voice low, "my manager's been complaining that I've missed too many studio sessions. Says I've been spending too much time with you."
the manager was obviously saying that in a joking way, though there was a lot of truth to it.
Ddot laughed his laugh deep and rough. He tightened his grip around her, reluctant to let her go. "Man, fuck that. You got a life outside the booth, right? And that life's with me."
Star smiled, loving how protective he always was. "I know, but I gotta handle my business too. I won't take long, I promise."
Ddot sighed, his fingers playing with the hem of her shirt, not wanting to let her go. "Aight, but you better hurry back. Ain't nobody tryna sit here without you, shorty."
Star smiled, leaning up to kiss him softly. "I'll be back before you know it," she promised, her lips brushing against his before she pulled away.
As she left the apartment, Ddot watched her go, a smirk on his face. He didn't like letting her out of his sight, but he knew she had things to take care of. Plus, he liked knowing she'd be back soon.
After her session, Star decided to stop by the store to pick up some tacos and cheese. She knew how much Ddot loved them, and she wanted to surprise him. As she left the store, her mind was on the evening ahead, picturing the smile on his face when she walked in with his favorite food.
But as she stepped out onto the sidewalk, everything changed in an instant.
A car screeched around the corner, and before Star could react, shots rang out. She barely had time to register what was happening before she felt a sharp pain in her side. Her world spun, and she collapsed onto the pavement, clutching her side as blood seeped through her fingers.
People screamed, chaos erupted, and the car sped away, leaving Star lying there, her vision blurring as pain overtook her.
Hours later, Ddot was chilling with one of his man's, DD, in the crib. The room was thick with the smell of weed as they passed a blunt back and forth. Ddot leaned back, exhaling a cloud of smoke, feeling at ease for the first time since Star had left.
"Yo," DD suddenly said, his voice tense. He was scrolling through his IG feed when his eyes widened in shock. "Bro... Star got shot?"
Ddot turned to him, his face serious but skeptical. "Nigga, what? Quit playin'," he muttered, exhaling another puff of smoke.
"Nah, I'm dead serious, Ddot," DD insisted, his voice grave. He showed Ddot his phone, and Ddot's heart stopped. There was a video, blurry, chaotic—showing a scene outside a store, with paramedics working frantically on someone.
"Say word to your dead," Ddot demanded, his voice dropping as he snatched the phone, his face instantly draining of color as he recognized the location. "What the fuck? When the fuck did this happen?"
His mind raced, panic starting to set in. "I gotta call her cousin and find out which hospital she's at."
DD looked at him, concerned. "You want me to come with?"
"Nah, I'm good, bro," Ddot replied, already on the phone, his voice tense as he paced the room. "I gotta handle this."
Ddot pulled up to the hospital, his heart pounding in his chest. He rushed to the front desk, his voice strained as he asked to see Star. The nurse looked at him with sympathy but shook her head. "Sorry, only relatives are allowed in right now."
Before he could argue, Star's cousin, Kayla, came rushing over. "He's with me," she told the nurse, her voice firm. "He's family."
The nurse nodded, and Ddot followed Kayla through the doors to where Star was. His heart was in his throat as he stepped into the room, his eyes landing on Star lying in the hospital bed, looking pale but conscious.
"Star," Ddot breathed, rushing to her side. He knelt beside her, his hand gently covering hers, feeling the warmth of her skin. "You okay, baby?"
Star managed a weak smile, her voice soft. "I'm okay, Ddot. Just... just a little shaken up."
Ddot's jaw clenched, anger flaring up inside him as he looked at the bandage on her side. "I'm so sorry I wasn't there to protect you, Star. Whoever did this is gonna fucking pay, you hear me? They ain't gettin' away with this."
He sat down beside her, his arm carefully wrapping around her torso, his touch protective and comforting. Star leaned into him, feeling the strength of his presence, the love he always made her feel.
"Ddot... you don't have to do anything. Just being here with me is enough," she whispered, her voice laced with emotion.
Ddot shook his head, his voice firm. "Nah, Star. You're mine, and ain't nobody gonna mess with what's mine. I love you too much to let this slide."
Star's eyes filled with tears, not from pain, but from the overwhelming love she felt for him in that moment. "I love you too, Ddot. More than anything. I was so scared I'd never see you again..."
Ddot leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Ain't nothin' takin' you from me, Star. You're too strong for that, and I'm too stubborn to let you go. We gonna get through this, I promise."
Ddot held her close, his hand softly stroking her hair, his arm secure around her waist, giving her all the comfort he could. He was her protector, her rock, he would get revenge for her, even if it meant putting his own life at risk,and he would never let anything happen to her again.
