Page 72 of Falling Into Gravity

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“Don’t makeme regret this shit, Aku,” Lunar muttered, stretched out across one of the barstools in her kitchen like he lived there, half-watching her as she rubbed lotion up her thighs.

He was back in LA to record some music. Ahvi and Kamari stayed back in Jade City because Ahvi didn’t like leaving her restaurant too often. She was already closed more than she liked when she traveled with him for work.

With Little Lunar being the best thing in rap, he was constantly being pulled in different directions—always needing to be somewhere. But being in LA always felt like home because his people were there.

Aku ignored him like she’d been ignoring everything all damn day—Malik included.

The silence between them buzzed. It wasn’t tense. Just cousin-coded. That shared language built on years of sleepovers, summer braids, petty beefs and riding for each other in middle school hallways. Two years apart, raised like twins, bound by mamas who shared more secrets than recipes.

Lunar cracked a sunflower seed between his teeth. “You really outside tonight, huh?” The chains around his neck gleamed on their own, lighting up his chocolate skin.

“I’m outside,hoe,” she sang back, dragging the shimmer oil up her collarbone with extra flair. “You ain’t see this dress, nigga?”

“That dress gon’ get somebody shot,” he said, sitting up now, eyes scanning her frame like a big brother about to start blocking entrances.

“Good,” she snapped, not looking at him. “He should’ve stayed his ass home if he ain’t want me looking this good.”

Lunar knew whohewas. She hadn’t said Malik’s name since this morning. Hadn’t needed to. The way she stomped through the kitchen earlier, slamming cabinets and aggressively seasoning eggs, said it all.

Malik had dipped before sunrise. Left behind a folded note that Aku couldn’t care less about. It felt like they’d taken ten steps back after only taking one forward.

She couldn’t front like her body didn’t shake just thinking about the way he felt between her legs. It looped in her mind like an instant replay.

Aku wasn’t built for that kind of silence. She was raised in a houseful of people that made noise even when they slept.

Lunar watched her strap on her heels and grab her small clutch. “You sure you not doing too much?”

Aku turned to face him, hand on hip. “I’m doingexactlyenough.”

That made him laugh – a deep, belly-warm, the kinda laugh only she could pull from him on a bad day. “Aight then. Let’s go make you feel better. Its only right after all the times you came through for me.”

Aku stopped walking, just to wrap her arms around him. “I love you Little Lunar.”

He knew she did. When it came to him, Aku played no games because he was so special to her. The way he’d always poured into her, gave her shit to think about, made her become a stylist—wanting to keep everything in the family. He had a hard time realizing his worth, while he chased his father’s ghost, but like her mama n’em had Big Lunar, Aku had him - the heart of their group.

Lunar squeezed her back. “I love you too.”

“Now, c’mon before you have me out here crying, messing up my makeup.” Aku jested, sucking in her emotions.

Outside, the night air was warm with just enough breeze to make her dress flirt with her thighs. Lunar unlocked the car and slid into the passenger seat, letting her drive—knowing better than to argue when Aku was on a mission.

“Never had a bitch like me in your life...” Aku vibed out.

The car ride was smooth, bass thumping low as she played Flo Milli and rapped along with attitude. Lunar glanced at her between lights.

“You mad, huh?”

She laughed. “Shut up.”

He grinned, watching the way her jaw stayed tight even when she was mouthing the words to the music. “You wanna talk about it?”

“Nope.”

“Yougon’talk about it, though.”

She shot him a side-eye. “Just let me be mad and pretty, damn.”

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