Justification | Deetranada AU

distress

(A/N: The following chapter includes vivid depictions of violence. As always, the section will be noted with bold stars so that you ccan avoid it if you choose to. Enjoy.)

Fourteen Weeks Post

(Dee POV)

Dee searches through the cabinets at Ebony's house, looking for anything to snack on. A baby squeals and she chuckles, turning back to her phone where Don and Daisy are. She watches Daisy giggle as she tries to put her toy block on Don's face.

'Play with the girl, Don,' Dee says through laughter. He shakes his head, taking the toy from Daisy as she attempts to take it back. 'It's past her bed time, she needs to sleep,' he says, shifting to lay her on his chest.

'Let her stay up,' Dee says as she turns back to the cabinets, finally finding a stash of chips. Jackpot. She grabs a few bags and her phone, starting back toward the dining room. 'You got enough bags?' Don jokes, looking at the four bags she has in front of her. 'Shut up!' she replies, opening the first bag.

'It's for the movie,' she explains. He chuckles, 'I bet.' She rolls her eyes, enjoying her snack as Daisy fights sleep. She blabbers nonsense, turning around and smiling when she sees Dee. 'Hey, Daisy Dukes!' Dee says with a smile. Daisy laughs, waving back at her. Don smiles, watching the two interact.

'Pretty girl!' she calls out, earning another happy smile from Daisy. 'She took all the good looks,' Dee observes, causing herself to choke as Don stares blankly. 'Don't lie to yourself, Dee,' he responds, bouncing Daisy. 'I'm just saying,' Dee begins. 'Not like you got people bangin' down yo door, callin' you cute very day.'

'So you called me to roast?' he asks, his annoyance obvious. 'Stop bein' all tender and shit, damn,' Dee says, finishing a bag and opening another. 'You know she yo twin.' He smirks, holding back his response as he turns Daisy around, laying her on his chest.

Daisy calms down, playing with the fabric of his shirt as he speaks. 'Still going to the event tomorrow?' he asks, lowering his voice. She nods, covering her mouth as she speaks. 'I got some people supposed to be meetin' me.'

He nods, rubbing Daisy's back as she coos softly. 'I'm tryna just chill but I need to get back out there,' she explains, drumming the table. Feel like I haven't done nothin' since... She sighs, pushing the thought from her head as she forces herself to smile. 'Don't rush it, you still have plenty of time,' Don says.

She nods, his words true but missing the point. 'I just wanna get back,' she begins. 'Like I need to get it out, somethin' out. I can't just wait 'til April, I'll be over it by then.' I hope. 'Do what you need to but make sure you do something fun too,' he replies. She smirks, her mind running through her plans for the weekend. DTLR, Asa and Beauty, Ki, and the long-awaited pull up.

'I'mma have fun,' she says menacingly. 'Don't worry' bout that.' 'Diamond!' Nuz yells. She sighs, rolling her eyes. 'What?!' she calls back, refusing to move from her spot. She makes a face when Daisy whines. She mouths sorry to Don as she gets up to find Nuz.

She finds him in the doorway of the living room, his face in his phone. 'Fuck you yellin' for,' she grumbles, bumping his phone and making it fumble in his hands. He stares at her as she cackles. 'Sister said we watchin' a scary movie,' he finally says. 'You couldn't text me that?'