Chapter Text
" I would tell you that I love you tonight, but I know that I got time on my side."
A girl is recording a song in the studio. She has black headphones that have the empire logo on them as she sings.
" Where you going? Why you leaving so soon? Is there somewhere else that's better for you?"
A mixed man in a rather fancy suit sits with others as they hear her sing. He sits for a moment before getting up.
" What is love..."
"That's not balanced." He messes with the controls a bit.
" If you're not here with me? What is love, if it's not guaranteed? What is love, if it just ups and lea-" The girl stops when the music stops and looks at everyone. She seems annoyed.
" I need you to sing like you are going to die tomorrow." The man says. "Like this is the last song you will ever sing. You hear me?"
The girl rolls her eyes.
"Show me your soul in this music. Hit it again."
" I would tell you that I love you tonight. But I know that I got time on my side."
The man's mind flashes to when he was in the hospital, getting all types of tests done.
" Where you going? Why you leaving so soon? Is there somewhere else that's better for you. What is love, if you're not here with me? What is love, if it's not guaranteed? What is love, if it just ups..."
There is a short silence.
The man sitting at the sound board asks. "You okay, boss man?"
The man doesn't respond immediately but he gets up. "It's not there yet."
The woman who is there is surprised. "Still?"
The man walks up to the sitting area. "Bunkie, wake up."
Bunkie is snoring and The man loses his temper
"Wake your ass up!"
Bunkie snorts and jerks awake before sitting up.
The man enters the recording studio. He places his hands on the girl's shoulder.
"Go back in your mind to a year ago. When you just found out your brother had been shot."
The girl gives Luscious a look and they make eye contact.
"How did it feel?"
The girl looks away as she holds back her tears
"How did it feel when you had to go and identify his body?"
He leaves the studio and goes back to the sound board. "Hit it again."
" Is there somewhere else that's better for you...? What is love, if you're not here with me? What is love, if it's not guaranteed?"
The woman who is next to him looks at him briefly.
" What is love, if it just ups and leaves. What is love? What is love, if you're not really sure." The emotion is finally there.
The man lightly pushes the woman as they both smile. He grabs her hand and he kisses it.
"What is love, if it just ups.."
"Baby. You are a bad, bad girl. Now let's go up and deck and see my son's. Somebody get me some shrimp!"