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6. "I'm not giving up" | Riri Williams x Reader

Summary: Can you build a future when your girlfriend is still looking back?

Rating: Mature (due to language)

Genre: Romance, angst

Word Count: 533

A/N: So we have made it to Day 6 of Fictober! Everyone seemed to want the drabble from yesterday to continue, which I agree is a good idea. I'll keep the word count low so I can continuously update this alongside the other stories I'm working on. Feedback always appreciated <3

Taglist: @lyfeofbilly @prettymrswright @onyxstones-world @pvnks0ul

You stood at the sink, scrubbing the dishes from another long day, but your mind wasn’t on the soap suds or the dull hum of the kitchen lights. No, you were replaying the conversation with Riri over and over. You'd told her it was enough for now, but in truth, things weren’t fine.

The pay from the dental office was short again—second time this month. You could barely cover rent, let alone the bills that kept stacking up. Going to your evening dental assistant program was the only thing that gave you a sense of hope, but even that was wearing you down.

Riri walked into the kitchen, leaning against the counter, watching you with that sharp, calculating gaze of hers. "You ain't told me how work was today."

You shook your head, gripping the sponge tighter. "Same as always. Pay was short again."

Riri scoffed. "The fuck? We supposed to keep living like this? You finna let them keep punking you out your money like that, Ma?"

"Riri, I don't have time for another job right now. I'm going to school every night—"

"Yeah, for that certificate shit," Riri interrupted, folding her arms. "Look, I get it. You got dreams. That's cute, real cute, but at this rate, you finna be working these bullshit jobs for the next ten years just to pay off the student loans. And where that leave us? Still scraping by."

You put the plate down, wiping your hands on a rag as you turned to face her. “I’m not giving up. You think scrubbing toilets and mopping floors is easy? I’m doing everything I can.”

Riri sighed, running a hand over her face. "I ain't saying you not, but you gotta see reality, baby. If things don’t start looking up soon, I might have no choice but to go back to my old ways."

Your chest tightened. “What you tryna say?"

"I'm saying, I can hold us down," she said softly, but there was a hardness in her voice. "But I ain’t about to sit here and watch you kill yourself over chump change. We got options. I’m not letting us starve just 'cause you wanna play by the rules."

You took a deep breath, trying to steady the frustration bubbling up. “Riri, I’m not about to throw away everything I’m working for just ‘cause things are rough right now. I know it’s hard, but we can’t go back. Not now.”

Riri stepped closer, her voice lowering. "And what if you don’t make it through that program? What if they keep shorting your checks? You ever think about that?"

You swallowed, feeling the weight of her words, but you held your ground. "I’m making it through. One day. I’mma even get a degree. I’ll get there, Riri. I just need time."

She studied you for a moment, then nodded, but you could still see the tension in her brown eyes. "Aight, I hear you. But if things don’t change soon, we gon’ need a different plan. I love you, but I can't sit still forever."

You watched her walk out of the kitchen, her words lingering in the air like a storm cloud that hadn't quite passed.

8. “Are we happy?” | Riri Williams x Reader

Summary: Can you build a future when your girlfriend is still looking back?

Rating: Mature (due to language)

Genre: Romance, angst

Word Count: 608

A/N: Tomorrow is the last day of an annoying two-week virtual training I’ve had at work. I’m so surprised that I’ve lasted this long doing daily updates, particularly during such a busy time. Also, I’m really enjoying this mini-series. I never would have thought that I could maintain so much plot with so few words. I definitely tend to overwrite, with many of my fics reaching 5,000+ words a chapter- which may sometimes take weeks to edit. 500-750 words is really beginning to feel like a sweet spot as it makes frequent updates far more feasible.

Taglist: @lyfeofbilly @prettymrswright @onyxstones-world @pvnks0ul

You sat on the couch, staring at the clock, watching the hours crawl by. It was nearly midnight, and you’d been home since four, waiting. Waiting and wondering where Riri had gone. You kept replaying the scene at the clothing store over and over in your head—walking in and asking about the interview, the embarrassment when your friend told you Riri had left without even meeting the manager. The disappointment, the confusion. The anger.

When you got back home, you tried calling her. Once. Twice. Fifteen times. Each ring felt like a heavier weight pressing on your chest until it became hard to breathe. The phone eventually stopped buzzing in your hand, and now you were just staring at it, waiting for a message, a call, anything to explain why she’d gone ghost.

When the door finally opened, you jumped, relief flooding your body for half a second before the anger kicked back in. Riri stepped inside like nothing was wrong, like she hadn’t just left you hanging for hours. She tossed her jacket on the cost rack and started pulling off her Jordans.

“Where the hell you been?” Your voice came out sharper than you intended, trembling at the edges. You were shaking now, tears you’d been holding back starting to burn at your eyes. “I’ve been calling you for hours, Riri! I was worried—”

Riri waved you off, barely glancing at you. “I’m fine. Chill out.”

“No, I’m not finna chill out!” you snapped, standing up. “You missed the interview. My friend put her neck out for you, and you didn’t even show. What were you doing all day?”

Riri sighed, rolling her eyes as she stepped into her slides. “I was making money.”

You froze, your mind scrambling to make sense of it. “What… what you mean you were making money?” you asked, your voice trembling. “You didn’t—Riri, tell me you ain’t—” The words stuck in your throat. Rob somebody. Steal something.

She glanced at you, the corner of her mouth twitching in amusement. “Calm down, Ma. I ain’t rob nobody. Moved a few ounces, that’s all.”

The relief you felt was immediate but short-lived. This wasn’t better. Not by a long shot. Your stomach dropped as the realization sank in. “You sold weed? That’s what you been doing instead of going to your interview?”

Riri shrugged, grabbing a hoodie from the chair. “I wasn’t about to be getting dropped off by my girl to make $20 an hour, Ma. You know me better than that.”

Your chest tightened. “Riri… I can’t believe you right now. I’ve been breaking my back, doing everything I can to make this work, and you out here hustling like we still in the streets. Is this what you want? To keep living like this?”

She stopped at the door, looking back at you, bored, like she was already over the conversation. “Come outside.”

You followed her, your heart racing, part of you scared of what you might find. She led you down to the curb, where a sleek, black Dodge Charger sat gleaming under the streetlights.

You stared at the car, then back at Riri, your stomach twisting into knots. “Riri, what is this?”

She smirked, tossing you the keys. “That’s what I been doing today.”

You caught the keys, staring at them like they were about to explode in your hand. A sick, hollow feeling settled in your chest. “Are we happy?” you whispered, not sure if you were asking her or yourself. Riri just laughed, walking past you and heading back toward the apartment, leaving you standing there with the keys to a car you never wanted.

May Cash Gabby bring you all the blessings you deserve this year.