2. "it's Been A Long Time" | Letitia Wright X Reader

2. "it's been a long time" | Letitia Wright x Reader

Summary: Will a familiar face reignite the spark you thought was lost?

Rating: PG

Genre: Romance, slow-burn

Word Count: 1911

A/N: So I’m back for day 2 of fictober! As always, feedback is appreciated. Enjoy!

Taglist: @lyfeofbilly @prettymrswright @onyxstones-world

The evening sky over London was in that strange twilight zone between “charmingly moody” and “probably going to rain on you at the worst possible time.” The kind of night that made you grateful for indoor events, even if that event happened to be your high school reunion.

You stood just outside the venue—a modest hotel ballroom near the Thames—mentally bracing yourself. Who even goes to these things willingly? Most people would rather delete all evidence of their teenage years, not voluntarily relive them with people who last saw them in braces and questionable fashion choices. But here you were, about to step back into a room full of people who probably remembered you as that awkward girl who tripped over a bench on Sports Day.

“Just get through it,” you muttered to yourself, taking a deep breath and pushing open the door.

Immediately, you were hit with a wave of nostalgia—both good and bad. The venue had tried for elegance, but it felt more like someone had half-heartedly Googled “classy” and ran with the first result. Large printouts of yearbook pictures, of all things, lined the entryway, and there was a photo booth where people were already cramming themselves for awkward snapshots.

You hadn’t taken more than a few steps before Jamie Winters—the man who looked like he was still mentally stuck in Year 11—bounded over to you with a wide grin.

“Hey! You made it!” he exclaimed, already launching into some story about football and glory days.

You nodded along, sipping the cheap wine you picked up near the door, though your mind was elsewhere. You hadn’t come here for Jamie Winters and his incessant recounting of a single goal he made during a game none of you remembered. No. There was only one reason you were here tonight.

And then you saw her.

Letitia stood on the far side of the room, her warm brown skin glowing under the lights and her long, toned legs appearing out of a sleek skirt suit. She was in conversation with a few other classmates, though it was clear she wasn’t paying much attention to them. Her eyes scanned the room, and when they found you, they lit up with unmistakable recognition.

A jolt of nerves hit your stomach. This wasn’t like seeing an old friend; it was more like facing an unresolved chapter of your life. In high school, the two of you had hovered around each other, never quite breaking into that next level, despite a connection you couldn’t explain. You hadn’t spoken to her since graduation. No texts, no social media, nothing.

You hadn’t realized how much you missed her until right now.

Letitia’s smile widened, and without breaking her gaze, she excused herself from the group and started walking toward you. The crowd seemed to part for her effortlessly, like she commanded the room with just her presence. She always had that quiet, easy confidence—the kind that made you simultaneously want to be around her and feel totally inadequate in her orbit.

When she reached you, she grinned and said, “Well, well. If it isn’t the bookworm. How’ve you been?”

Your throat went dry, but you managed a casual smirk. “It’s been a long time.”

Letitia let out a laugh, one of those soft, genuine ones that made your heart skip. “Yeah, too long. Didn’t think I’d see you here.”

“I could say the same thing,” you replied, trying to keep your cool despite the fact that your pulse was doing its best to sabotage you. “I figured you’d be too busy, you know, taking over the world.”

“Hardly,” she said, leaning in a little as if sharing a secret. “But I did come back to London, and apparently this reunion was calling my name. You?”

You shrugged. “Same. Still here. I’m a glutton for punishment, I guess.”

Her eyes sparkled with amusement. “You always were. Remember Mr. Thompson’s history class? I swear you were the only one who actually cared about that ridiculous essay on the Tudors.”

You groaned, covering your face. “Don’t remind me. I had a lot of misplaced academic ambition.”

She tilted her head, still smiling, though now there was something softer in her expression. “It suited you. You always knew where you were going, even if the rest of us were just trying to survive.”

That caught you off guard. You hadn’t realized she’d noticed you at all, not in the way you noticed her. “Yeah, well, I don’t think anyone really knows where they’re going at sixteen.”

Letitia raised an eyebrow. “Maybe. But you were always different. Still are.”

The compliment landed square in your chest, and suddenly, it felt like there wasn’t enough air in the room. You could sense the shift in the conversation, the same subtle tension that had always hovered between you two.

“Come on, let’s get out of here,” Letitia said abruptly, glancing toward the dance floor, where a few people were trying and failing to get some kind of party started. “I don’t think we really belong at this cringe fest, do you?”

“God, no.” You laughed, relieved and intrigued by the sudden suggestion. “Where should we go?”

“I know a place,” she said, winking as she turned and headed toward the door.

You followed her out into the night, the cool air a welcome change from the stuffy ballroom. She led you down a few winding streets, the sounds of the city wrapping around you like a familiar melody. Eventually, you found yourselves at a quiet, little pub—warm lights spilling out onto the pavement, the hum of conversation just loud enough to feel lively but not overwhelming.

As soon as you stepped inside, you felt more at ease. Letitia slid into a booth near the back, her low-cut hair appearing to dazzle under the dim light. You sat across from her, the table between you suddenly feeling like both a barrier and a bridge.

She took a sip of her drink and looked at you thoughtfully. “You know,” she said slowly, “I always thought we’d stay in touch after school.”

Your breath hitched. “Yeah…same.”

She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. “Then why didn’t we?”

You didn’t have a good answer. Or maybe you did, but it wasn’t something you were ready to admit. “Life, I guess. Things just…got in the way.”

Letitia watched you for a long moment, then nodded. “Yeah. But maybe we can change that now.”

You blinked. “What do you mean?”

“I mean,” she said, smiling that slow, knowing smile that made your heart do flips, “maybe it’s not too late to pick up where we left off.”

You stared at her, trying to read the depth in her gaze. The tension between you was thick, almost tangible, and yet there was an ease to it too—like the two of you were finally stepping into a moment that had been years in the making.

You opened your mouth to respond, but Letitia beat you to it, her voice low and full of promise.

“Besides,” she said with a playful smirk, “we’ve got a lot of catching up to do.”

Betty Davis photographed for “Nasty Gal” (1975) ❤️‍🔥

loml 🫶🏾

everything reminds me of her 😭

Paralyzed

warnings: angst, fluff (slightly suggestive)

summary: the tension between you and riri finally dissipates after weeks of it.

author's note: hey yall! this was something short and sweet that i really wanted to write. its been a minute since ive posted anything, and i didnt wanna leave yall hanging. can you tell i get all my inspo from music? lmao, enjoy!

taglist: @koffeesfancy @bubbleblowinggirl @pvnks0ul @solanaszn @onyxstones-world @blacksapphhicmaddonna

The car ride home was completely silent, an uncomfortable one to say the least. The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife, leaving you to question how to potentially break the silence between you two. Three weeks had passed since you and Riri had the disagreement that started it all. That damned job. Every argument you two had stemmed from it. If Riri wasn't coming home hours late, she stood you up on plans you two had made days, if not weeks, prior. The house was at a standstill. Your home that was once filled with comfort and intimacy, was now quiet and cold. The bed you two shared went half empty most nights, the other side barren without your wife.

Your heels clacked against the shiny hardwood floors as you entered through the front door. Sitting through an exquisite dinner that her job hosted, playing the picture perfect couple everyone had made you out to be took a toll on you. The only thing that got you through the facade was the stinging of the multiple drinks as you downed them. Deep down you were tired of fighting about the same thing, leaving you feeling empty and lost. All you wanted was your wife back.

You plopped on the large green sectional in the living room, a sigh left your lips as you peeled the stilettos off of your aching feet, slowly starting to massage the arches of them. Riri on the other hand had made her way up the stairs to your bedroom, clearly tired and not in the mood to argue. On days where you two weren't fighting she would cling to your side, covering every exposed piece of skin in light kisses. Nostalgia clouded your judgement, causing you to follow far behind her. The stairs creaked as you walked up each step, the knot in your stomach growing tighter and tighter the closer to the bedroom you got.

You stopped at the doorway, taking time to admire the shorter woman. Her neatly braided cornrows pulled into a bun at the back of her head, and the array of jewelry that adorned her ears. Although her back was turned she could feel your presence, or the aroma of the perfume you wore daily that filled her nose. She turned to face you, loosening her tie off her neck.

"Yea?" she asked gently, taking off her blazer and throwing it on the bed.

One thing you admired about Riri was her ability to stay graceful and gentle with you in the midst of turmoil in your relationship. It was an ability you were grateful that she had, even if you didn't deserve it at times.

"Can we talk?" You breathed out. Those were the three words that threatened to spill from the tip of your tongue for weeks. The phrase that could have laid this to rest from the start. You walked further into the room, desperately wanting to close the gap between you two.

Riri sighed, more so of relief. This rough patch in your relationship was playing a huge toll on her too. From not getting enough sleep due to the lack of your presence next to her, to being constantly distracted at work. As much as she wanted to make up and smooth everything over, the words that would make that happen would never come out.

"I know we've been in this weird space," You came a step closer, your body aching to feel her warmth. "But I'm tired of it. I need you to talk to-"

Before you could finish your sentence she pulled you in, your back to her front. A wave of relief washed over you, your shoulders you had no idea were up to your ears slouched. Being in her arms eased the pull that you've felt on your heart for so long. Her breath was hot on your skin as she sunk her head in the crook of your neck.

"You got no idea how much I needed to hear that." She hummed into you. Her cologne filled your nose and her hands made your skin grow hot as she let them roam on your body. "I missed being next to you, feeling you-" Hot, soft kisses were placed on your neck and shoulders as she slid the thin straps of your dress off you.

"Ri-"

Her fingers found the zipper of the cocktail dress you were wearing and slowly undid it, letting it drop to the floor and leaving you bare. "Shh, let me show you how much I missed you ma."