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As the ticking clock struck 2, the sound of heavy hands pounding against the door startled a sleeping DeeDee. As he got up from his soft bed, he grabbed his metal baseball bat just in case; one can never be too sure. With one eye closed to shield against the sensitive light in his room, he made his way downstairs, silently cursing as the pounding grew louder. DeeDee was certain that a migraine would be ready to hit him by the end of the day.
As the smaller male peeked through the small peephole positioned on his door, he could see the tall figure of his baby daddy. Rolling his eyes at the taller man who had interrupted his deep slumber, he opened the door, only to find his ex-lover covered in blood. As the smaller one assessed the giant of a man, he could see the wounds on his ex-lover's body. Without saying a word, DeeDee's small hands grasped the taller man's much larger hands, guiding him upstairs into his room and leading him to the bathroom.
DeeDee was thankful that he had dropped his kids off at his mother's; he didn't want them to see this side of their father.
After seating the wounded man down, the smaller one gathered his healing supplies. Once he was in front of the taller man's lathered frame, he began to lift the black shirt that clung to Zay's body. No words were exchanged between the two as the smaller one worked his magic on the deep wounds. This wasn't anything new to DeeDee; he had done this many times—more times than he would like to admit.
"The next time I see you, it will be in a body bag, huh?" asked DeeDee, his soft yet mature voice breaking the silence.
When he didn't receive a response, he looked into the brown orbs that were gazing off into blank space. DeeDee's gentle hands grabbed Zay's chin, angling it so that their eyes met.
"You can't talk, but you can find your way to my door at 2 in the morning. I asked you a question, and I would appreciate an answer," the shorter one demanded.
"Watchu want me to say, Rose? You know how it is with me. You know you're the only one I can trust when it comes to things like this," the taller one replied, his voice filled with exhaustion.
DeeDee couldn't help the blush forming on his cheeks at the mention of his nickname, which Zay had given to him. He never questioned why his baby daddy called him that.
"I'm tired of worrying about you, Zay. I can't help but feel like one day I'm going to get a call telling me you're no longer here. You don't know how that feels. You ride around these streets thinking you're untouchable. The streets aren't friends to anybody. We may not be together anymore, but I still care about you. I can't keep doing this, Zay. This is too much for my mental health," DeeDee vented.
DeeDee and Zay's relationship ended years ago, right before the smaller one discovered he was pregnant with twins. Zay was in love with the smaller one, but he slipped up many times, leading his one-night stands to the door of his former lover. DeeDee was left utterly embarrassed when multiple women would show up at his house, yelling at him over his lover's unfaithfulness.
After the two split up, Zay descended into a dark path, making many enemies over the years. He tried to change for the sake of his kids, but the streets were like a magnet, constantly reeling him back in. He felt there was no escaping the streets; once you were in that life, the only way out was through death.
"I can't lose you; the kids need you here, Zay," the smaller one stuttered before walking out of the bathroom, his sobs growing louder.
Zay's heart clenched at the smallest sadness; the last thing he wanted was to make DeeDee cry. He hated that the tears falling from his lover were because of him. With a small wince, he got up and limped to the bedroom. He could still hear DeeDee's sobs. Although they weren't as loud as before, his heart still broke for his lover. After sitting down, he picked up the smaller person and placed him in his lap. Ignoring the pain from his wounds, he began to rub the curve of his lover's back. He whispered sweet nothings into the smaller one's ears, trying his best to calm him down.
There was a pregnant pause before Zay spoke up.
"I'm sorry, Rose. I don't know how I'm going to get out of that situation, but I'm going to figure it out. All I ask is that you don't lose faith in me. Once I get out of this life, I'm leaving this town, and I'm taking you and the kids with me. We don't have to be together, but I need you and my kids to be safe. I don't know what I would do if something happened to you all. You and my babies are the only things keeping me sane. I need you all just as much as you need me. I love y'all more than you know," he spoke genuinely.
As the sun began to rise, the two eventually fell into a deep slumber. They felt at peace, even if it was just for a few moments.
