Siraj brought her hand up to wipe away the tears on her face, a low sniffle coming from her as she rested her head on the side of the tub. She just wanted to get in the bed and go to sleep, but couldn't because of her morning sickness.

Every time she laid down, nausea set in so randomly. It seemed to only happen when she tried to go to sleep, too. She was so sick-literally-of this, and couldn't wait for this part of pregnancy to be over.

"Don't cry mama. I'm sorry." Exodus used a warm towel to clean her mouth out, trying to be of as much help as he could. He felt bad since the reason she was throwing up was most likely in result of the breakfast he'd bought about an hour ago.

"Can you go get my water from off the dresser please?" She tiredly asked, and he nodded, standing upright to go do as told.

A few moments later he came back in the bathroom with Siraj's cold water bottle that had a straw in it-because for some reason she could no longer drink anything unless it had a straw to go with it. Pregnancy did wild things to a woman's sensory system.

After she had drank from it, Exodus hooked his arms under hers to guide her up, helping her stand on her feet. Then he used a scrunchie from off of the counter to tie her hair up so that it wouldn't be so bothersome in her face.

"Thank you babydaddy." She covered her mouth as she yawned, turning her body to face the sink to start the process of brushing her teeth. He told her that it was fine, and moved to stand behind her.

In the mirror, the view of Siraj's body could be seen since she was only wearing a bra and a pair of cartoon boxers. She was now nearing the three month mark in her pregnancy, the end of the first trimester. Her stomach was finally noticeable, and a line was forming in the middle of it.

Exodus loved watching her belly grow and admired how pregnancy changed her appearance in general. There were new stretch marks lined near her hips, lower stomach, and on her growing breasts. She hadn't really noticed too much, but Exodus noticed it all.

Obviously he'd never gotten anyone pregnant before, so doing this for the first time had made him way more attentive towards her.

He wanted to be there for everything during Siraj's pregnancy; all the doctor visits and check-ups, helping satisfy her weird cravings, rubbing her swole feet, watching her waddle when her stomach got even bigger. Surprisingly, it was all he talked about.

"C'mon fat girl," Exodus leaned over to pick her up bridal style, and one of her arms went around his neck, letting him carry her back to the bed.

"I'm hungry again." She mumbled, holding the bottom of her stomach as she was laid underneath the covers.

"What you wanna eat?" He chuckled, reaching over to grab his phone from the dresser so that she could order from Doordash. Before she could answer, both of their faces frowned up at the sound of her alarm system letting her know that her front door had just been opened.

"Oh my god, no. That's Mari. Go in the bathroom Jacere." She stopped him from grabbing his gun from out of the nightstand, whispering.

"I'm not going in no fucking b-,"

"Exodus I'm serious. Please?" She put a pout on her face, and as soon as she looked up at him with her doe eyes, he rolled his own in defeat, about to do as told. As if the universe was working against them, Siraj's name was called by Emari, who presented himself within milliseconds.

His eyes first found the face of his older brother, identical mugs now plastered on both of their faces-except Exodus's was natural, while Emari's was purposely turned up. Then his eyes traveled to Siraj, who had an obvious baby bump on display.

At first, he swore his vision was playing tricks on him, especially after seeing her stomach. He hadn't seen her shirtless in a while, maybe she'd just gained weight. He knew how Siraj looked when she was bloated though, and this belly definitely gave pregnant.

Emari let out a low mixture of a chuckle and a scoff, turning on his heels to walk out of her bedroom.

"Shit." Siraj cursed as she stood up-way too fast because she immediately became nauseated. She didn't let it stop her though, instead exiting her room to stop Emari before he could leave.

She was able to catch him just before he got off of her porch, and she was genuinely caught off guard to see him so upset. He had never, ever, ever gotten mad at her before, even over small and simple things.

"I'm so sorry, please don't tell Maj. I didn't know you were coming over Emari." She had her eyebrows furrowed but her tone was light as she spoke to him.

"Tell Maj? That's what you worried 'bout? Me telling Maj?" He also had his thick eyebrows contorted into a frown; the same exact mug that Exodus always wore.

"How was I supposed to know that you were coming?"

"Man it don't matter who the fuck was coming, you shouldn't be laid up with that nigga no way." His voice was louder than it normally was with her, but he wasn't yelling, yet.

"Emari I'm gro-,"

"Yo, I don't give a fuck 'bout how old you is. I been in your fuckin' face for years and you go after my brother? Is you deadass?" He met her gaze, and Siraj's expression completely softened in realization. Exodus had been right the whole time.

"Fuck it. I'm not 'bouta trip behind no bi-,"

"Watch yo' mouth." Exodus spoke from behind Siraj, catching Emari just before he could call her out of her name.

"Nigga fuck you. You gotta be one fucked up ass nigga to fuck on yo' brother babymama and his best friend. Niggas mad grimey and I been letting that shit slide! Nah, not now though. If you feel like pushin' somethin' then do it." Emari pulled his jeans up, and Siraj turned her head to look at Exodus with confusion.

"Nigga I knew that slaw ass bitch before you did. You said that like I still want her or something, better take yo' ass on buckin' up on me like that if you ain't 'bout that." He chuckled, not moving from his position by the door.

Everything happened so fast, and before Siraj knew it, she watched Emari rush his older brother, the first one to throw a mean right hook. It caught Exodus pretty good too, especially since he wasn't expecting it.

Her eyes went wide when Exodus swung back, obviously being able to hit harder than Emari since he had at-least a hundred pounds in weight and eight inches in height over him.

Exodus didn't let the fight prolong, able to get Emari into a chokehold to stop him from swinging at him. He wasn't about to seriously fight his little brother, and definitely not over his woman. It would make no difference since he would win anyway. The fight would be pointless.

"Chill out 'for I knock yo' head into this wall. I'm not 'bouta fight you Mari." Exodus told him while moving his jaw around. It was obvious who taught Emari how to punch.

"Get up off me my nigga. You holding." Emari put his hand on his brother's large forearm, trying to get out of his grip. When he didn't move, Emari brought his elbow up and back, hitting Exodus in his nose.

Then, the real fight started. Both of them were heavy hitters with great aim, so Siraj struggled terribly to pull them apart. She couldn't believe this was really happening.

"Jacere get off of him! Stop it Exodus, damn. Get off of him." She had to literally shove him with all of her might to pull him off of Emari, both of them now either bruised or bleeding in some way.

"Exodus, stop!" She grabbed both of his arms, and finally, he let Emari go after realizing that Siraj was crying. His chest rose and fell at a quick pace from how hard he was breathing; he was pissed off.

"Nigga you better be lucky you blood. I should kill you my nigga." He snatched out of Siraj's grip with an angry tone of voice, using his shirt in an effort to stop his bleeding nose.

"Get that nigga out of here and come in the house Alise." He spit blood out of his mouth and into the grass, heading for the front door; not bothering to wait on a response from her. The sound of the door slamming as hard as it did made her lightly flinch, and she was surprised her glass windows didn't shatter.

Siraj ignored Exodus and instead went to help Emari with his bleeding, but he roughly shrugged her off, walking down the pavement to get back to his car. The same anger that Exodus just exhibited was literally radiating off of Emari now, and Siraj no longer knew what to do.

So when he got in his car, she remained on her porch with quiet tears still sliding down her cheeks. That had happened so quickly that she was having a hard time processing the fact that it had happened in real time. The two of them had fought before, but never to where the other-or both-bled.

In a way, Siraj felt like it was her fault. She felt so dumb for going so long without realizing that Emari had feelings for her; even after Exodus had repeatedly pointed it out. She couldn't wrap her head around it because why wouldn't Emari have told her that sooner?

Why did he like her, anyway? It seemed to be completely understood that their friendship was on the same page, and that they were literally just friends-at least to her, it was understood. Now that Emari had actually admitted it, Siraj's thoughts were all over the place.

"Alise!" Exodus called from in the house, and her pout disappeared, being replaced with a frown. She still couldn't figure out who he was talking to like that.

When she walked back inside, she went straight to the kitchen where she assumed Exodus had called her from. She could see him with the first aid kit that was previously under the sink, attending to his lip that had split.

"Why would you fight him Exodus?"

"The fuck? So you ain't see that nigga swing first or I'm tripping?" He turned around to face her with a deep mug resting as his expression.

"He did but you're literally three times his size. You should've just held him. That wasn't even a fair fight, E."

"Siraj I don't give a fuck 'bout no fair fight. Niggas is swingin' yo, what, you wanted me to eat that shit? Fuck is you on? You act like that nigga weak or something." He showed her the blood on his white shirt as proof of his brother being more than well enough to handle himself.

"Oh, I see what it is. You mad 'cause yo' lil' boyfriend got his ass beat huh? Go tender to his ass if you care so much." He turned the right knob on the sink to run some warm water, and Siraj rolled her eyes.

"You are so childish. When you finish, go home. I don't want you here anymore." She used the back of her hand to dry her tears while Exodus ignored her. He wasn't going anywhere.

"Why, so you can tell him to come back?" He followed behind her, now purposely taunting her just because he had been right the whole time about Emari wanting to be something more with her.

Siraj held her belly as she climbed back in her bed, trying not to start crying again. When she pulled the cover over her head, Exodus pulled it off, making her groan in annoyance.

"Stop talking to me Exodus, I'm serious. You are so damn childish." Her voice cracked, but she ignored it while turning to face the opposite direction of where he stood.

"Aw, you crying? Why, you miss yo' boyfriend already?" He pulled the cover off of her again, looking down at her as she wiped her face, trying to ignore him. She sniffed, tucking her hands between her thighs since she was cold and he had the cover in his hand.

"You don't even have a reason to be crying. Them crocodile ass tears, you squeezing yo' eyes tight as shit." He let the cover go, chuckling to himself.

Sometimes Siraj just randomly became proud of herself for all the growth she'd achieved so far. The version of her from a few months ago would've more than likely put hands on Exodus by now, yet instead she had her head underneath the cover with tears streaming down her face.

The house went eerily quiet for a while, besides the shower water running from the bathroom and Siraj's thoughts running a mile per minute. She wanted to call Emari, but she knew he didn't want to talk to her, and she didn't blame him.

When she thought about calling Zara to tell her what had transpired, she was taken back to reality as the bed dipped on the side of her. Exodus smelled like his dove soap and cologne, obviously fresh out of the shower.

"Don't touch me." She mumbled, pushing his hand off of her waist almost as soon as it was placed there.

"I'm sorry for making you cry." He put his hand back where it was, chuckling as she pushed it off yet again.

"I hurt yo' feelings mama? I'm sorry." He kissed her bare shoulder, putting his head under the cover to be with her. She remained quiet, rubbing her thumb in the middle of her palm.

He kissed her shoulder again, trailing his kiss to be on her neck, and then her cheek. His hand ran down her arm, before intertwining her fingers with his. This time she didn't push him away, and even let him turn her body around so that she faced him.

"You play too much and I don't like that. I asked you to stop Jacere." She mumbled, holding his face in her left hand as he continued to kiss hers.

"I was mad and taking it out on you. I'm sorry fat ma. You can't lie though, my jokes was slick funny." He smirked, and she amusingly rolled her eyes.

"They weren't, you crack jokes like a sixth grader." She told him, reaching up to rub over his bottom lip. Luckily it hadn't split that bad, and only a small cut remained on the side of it. He did have a bruise forming under his right eye though, and his nose was still sore, but that was about it.

Before Exodus could respond, Siraj's phone rung. Her heartbeat sped up and became so loud that she could've swore that it was able to be heard by Exodus too, her eyes scanning over her brother's contact.

"No, move." She grabbed her phone from off of the nightstand just as Exodus reached for it, and he chuckled, watching as she declined the call.

"Do you think he told him?" She powered her phone off before sliding it underneath her pillow, then she looked up at Exodus with the brown eyes he was obsessed with.

"I wouldn't give a fuck if he did. I don't know why you do." He laid his forehead against hers, and her eyes slowly left his gaze.

"You love me?" He spoke again.

"Yes. I just don't want him to be mad at me." She mumbled, her hand being grabbed by him just before she could rub her thumb in her palm.

For as long as she could remember, Siraj had always been her brother's baby. They'd been connected at the hip ever since she was old enough to talk. He treated her as if she was his literal daughter, and didn't play about her when it came to anyone.

Sometimes it slipped Semaj's mind how old she truly was because she had always been a kid to him. It was hard to see her growing up and being forced to let her go and live her own life. The world was a scary place and he wanted to protect her from it for as long as he could, and could get a little too overprotective at times.

Her big brother meant everything to her, and Siraj didn't want to disappoint him. She especially didn't want him to disapprove of the one relationship that she had been the happiest in; literally floating on clouds everyday. She just hoped things would eventually play out in her favor.

"You can't control other people's emotions. The only thing you can do is let him feel how he does, and he'll have no other choice but to get over it. 'Cause what, if he don't, you gon' break up with me?" He poked her cheek, a smile gracing his face after she laughed.

"No. You told me we was for-lifers, remember?" She chuckled, reaching up to wrap her arms around his neck in a hug.

"Mhm, we are. And I don't want you to be sad about this shit 'cause ain't nothin' we can do to fix it now. If you happy with me then it shouldn't matter to nobody else." He tilted her head back so that she looked at him, and Siraj's expression seemed to soften under his gaze.

"I'm so happy with you. It don't even feel real sometimes." She spoke as he left kisses so soft on her lips that she could barely feel them.

"That's the only shit you deserve princess." His voice rasped, chuckling when she shyly smiled. Her cheeks would be beet red if her skin was any lighter.

I love exodus 😩😭😭😭 I cannot believe Dave has me blocked on my main and my spam accounts. This is so unfair omg