𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐈𝐄𝐒

HT24.

YURI WHITE
DALLAS, TX

JANUARY 4, 2022

IT was a new year and definitely a new Yuri. Yuri felt so good about this year like everything would fall into place for her , starting with her career.

Yuri checked the time, noticing it was 3 AM. She had spent the last three days of the new year staying up sewing, bringing her creations to life. With a meeting scheduled in two days with a fashion design company—an exciting opportunity she learned about on New Year's—.

Luxury fashion designers was the name, she wanted to try to get in last year but dealing with her grandmothers passing led her to shutting down on what she had planned for herself. She actually had some doubts this year thinking that her break up with Mazi would hold her back but it didn't.

This year nothing was stopping her, at all.

Yuri covered her mouth letting out a loud yawn, she lifted her foot off the pedal before grabbing the bottle of water taking a sip. Kashton yawned also as he stared at her, Yuri looked over him frowning seeing the tiredness in his eyes.

"You don't have to stay up with me." Yuri insisted, she loved that he was giving her support but she didn't like that he was keeping himself up especially after working long hours doing tattoos.

"I'm good," Kashton replied, another yawn escaping his lips. She frowned, "You don't look good. You look tired, Kash," Yuri observed. Kashton shrugged. "Finish doing what you doing so you could come lay down with me." Kash said and Yuri frown deepened

"Are you sure? I can lay down right now... It could wait till tomorrow," Yuri suggested. "Just finish, I'm not tired," Kashton responded. Yuri smiled softly, got up, placed a kiss on his lips, and then sat back down.

Yuri applied pressure to the pedal, watching the needle in and out of the fabric she was working on. Holding the fabric steadily, she glanced briefly at Kash, seeing that he was already staring at her making her look away.

"You're making me nervous." Yuri said, "I always make yo shy ass nervous." Kashton responded cockily making Yuri look at him with squinted eyes. "Not too much baby." Yuri said turning her attention back on the sewing machine.

She knew she shouldn't compare but Kash and Mazi was so different in every way and she was kind of surprised she didn't notice how fucked up Mazi was until now.

As the needle reached the end of the fabric, Yuri smiled. She glanced over at Kash, noticing he had fallen asleep. Yuri pouted softly, unplugged her sewing machine, and stood up, moving to turn off the lights, leaving the room in complete darkness.

Yuri walked around to the other side of the bed, lifting the white blanket before slipping underneath it, immediately cuddling up next to Kash.

Kash shifted to his side, pulling Yuri closer to him, and he leaned in to kiss her lips. "You can't go to sleep without me." Yuri teased rubbing her thumb across his cheek, and Kash stayed silent holding her tightly pushing his face into her neck.

"You shouldn't stay up with me, especially if you have work in the morning." Yuri said, Kash lifted his head up. "You shouldn't be staying either. I don't like that shit." he replied, making Yuri frown in response.

"Yeah.. I know but— I really want this, sleep is a sacrifice I'll make if it gets me to where I want to be." Yuri told him honestly, Kash placed a kiss on her lips. "I know baby."

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Yuri yawned while cutting a piece of fabric, making sure not to rip it. Yuri was still tired as hell, she only got about two hours of sleep last night before getting up to finish what she started.

The company was a multi millionaire company, so they wanted the best of the best working for them. Not only did you have to create your own designs, but they'd give you two designs you'd have to recreate but in a different style to show how creative your mind was. To show how your ability of thinking outside the box.

You couldn't be a fashion designer with no creativity.

But Yuri had so much creativity, so she had no problem doing it. Yuri looked on her bed seeing the 8 pieces of clothing she made in the last few days, she only had two more pieces to make and she'd be ready.

"Damn Yuri what the fuck. You tryna kill us?" Yuri lifted her head up seeing Brooklyn and Rhylee walking into her room, trying to walk with out falling due to the rolls of fabric on the floor of her bedroom

"Just step over it," Yuri told them dismissively, focused on her work. "Anyways, you want to come get something to eat with us?" Rhylee asked. "I can't, I'm busy," Yuri responded, not taking her eyes away from the sewing machine. That made Rhylee and Brooklyn frown.

"You've been saying that for the last three days," Brooklyn said. Yuri sighed deeply, lifting her foot off the pedal. She turned to look at her best friends. "Y'all, please. Not today. I just want to get all this finished and out of the way," Yuri told them.

Rhylee eyebrow raised staring at her best friend, the bags under Yuri's eyes being visible that she wasn't getting any sleep. "You need to take a nap. You look exhausted." Rhylee pointed out

"Rhylee I don't need you to tell me what to do." Yuri responded, rolling her eyes as she turned back to the sewing machine. "I'm just trying to look out for you Yuri. I don't like the way this got you, I'm proud of you but you need rest." Rhylee said with concern in her voice.

Yuri sighed, rubbing her forehead stressfully. She didn't respond to Rhylee, she knew she meant well but right now she just didn't have the time. Rhylee let out a defeated sigh, "We'll come check on you later. Love you." Rhylee said to Yuri

"Love you too," Yuri replied quietly. She then heard their footsteps fading away as they left. Yuri sighed deeply, hearing the door shut. Resting her head on the palm of her hand, she stared off into space, she prayed to god that she got this spot because all this hard work would be for nothing.

Yuri heard footsteps coming towards her room making her look up to see Kash standing there. Yuri turned back around, "You not gon speak to me?" Kash asked

"Good morning Kashton." Yuri said and he made a face. "Why you saying my government?" Kash asked, Yuri ignored him

"Aren't you supposed to be at work?" Yuri asked, "Ain't you supposed to be sleep?" Kash asked back. Yuri rolled her eyes not responding. He think he so funny.

"Cmere Mariah." Kashton said, Yuri looked at him with a frown on her face. He didn't have to use her middle name especially not like that. She smacked her lips, stood up, and walked closer to him, stifling a yawn as she stood in front of him.

Kash leaned down kissing her lips, wrapping his arms around her "You said you was going to sleep." he reminded her, and Yuri frowned in response.

"Kash I can't— I'm almost done and it would be pointless for me to stop now." Yuri said, Kash ran his tongue over his bottom lip. "You know I support you right?" Kash asked, Kash knew the feeling of overworking yourself and it happened to him plenty of times so he understood how she felt at the moment.

He understood how much this meant to her but her wellbeing always came first.

Yuri nodded her head. "As much as you want to work for them I want that for you too. But you gotta take care of yo'self first." Kash said, Yuri frowned knowing he was right.

"Kash— you know I'm right phat. I'on need you passing out and shit, just get some sleep Ri." Kashton said making Yuri sigh, "I'll wake you up before 6." Kash added on. Yuri stared up at him, Kash kissed her lips before unwrapping his arms from around her.

Yuri let out a defeated sigh. A little bit of sleep wouldn't hurt.

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I luv Kash ! This feels like a little kick off chapter !