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nellycanwrite · 2 years ago

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His Queen

K’uk’ulkan x Filipino!Reader Blurb

Summary: K'uk'ulkan pays you a visit to ask you to become his queen.

Rating: PG 13+

Warnings: None.

Word Count: 1.5K

Note: Filipino!Reader is inspired by Marvel's equivalent to the Filipino Superhero Pearl Pangan, also known by her hero name Wave. You can control water and have the same capabilities as a Talokanil, but you are still a land-dweller born and raised in the islands of Mactan, Cebu Philippines.

It is also worthy to note that I have not included any Yucatec Maya phrases despite Namor speaking in his mother tongue as respect to his language. Therefore his mother tongue shall be labeled with italics.

This work is a connecting piece to His Timeless Love. Both can be read separately and in any order.

Hidden by the waves of saltwater was a man. But not just any man; K'uk'ulkan. The feathered serpent god from myths old and from legends foretold. Yet his divine countenance could not compare to your own. The water bent by your will, aides you at your beck and call. It surrounded you like a halo of shimmering fractals that danced around you with the flitters of a sea faerie from folktales. It was as if the sea was your bidding, yet it obeyed you like a knight to its queen. Such prowess came from disquieting origins, yet you wielded it proudly. Regally.

He was enchanted by you.

There were no words to describe the blossoming heat from his chest, traveling from the pulsing veins of his fingertips down to the tingling crunch of fine white sand beneath his bare feet. You moved with the grace of dancing anemone, glowed as brightly as the stars of the evening sea that guided him through the throes of the darkened currents. No matter how many times he would see you, his breath always hitched. Time always stopped.

Time was no concept for an immortal such as he, yet he found himself counting every precious second when he basked in your company.

"I know you're there." The sea rippled around him. He shook his head and chuckled.

"How did you know?" He rose from the depths of the water and stayed by the shore's edge. The waves lapped at his winged feet pleasantly like a greeting from an old friend. His eyes trailed across your back as you glided your arms in a dance of tradition with the water accompanying your movements.

"You're not subtle, K'uk'ulkan," you did not turn to face him, but you regarded him with a sliver of ocean water snaking across his arms. K'uk'ulkan held the urge to let a pleasant shiver run down his spine. You chuckled, "I saw you peeking your head from the shore."

"Is it unpleasant for you? For me to disturb you from your rituals." He asked. Your hands stopped.

"Never." You did not bother to correct him that your idle movements weren't rituals. It was mere movements controlled by the crashing waves upon the loose sand, imitating the flow of the currents that shook with each stroke. An impulse, maybe. An urge to dance with the hymns of your orient motherland.

You finally turned to face him, eyes locking with a magnificent earthen oak. He chose this moment to shorten the distance between you, his fingers finding solace at the supple of your cheeks. He caressed the lids of your eyes free of seawater and lingered a kiss to your brows with a satisfied smile.

"Then why call me out?" There was a mischief behind his words hidden beneath the whispers of ardor. You smiled.

"I would rather have your company than to let you linger by the sea. I know you wish for the same."

You noticed his breath become albeit ragged—although it was but a sliver of a puff of air—so you willed the water to sustain his skin from the blistering heat knowing full well that he would stay with you until nightfall. The sun of Mactan, Cebu on the high end of summer's afternoon was one of the hottest recorded in any index; it would harm K'uk'ulkan if you were to let him stay under it any longer. A thin dome of water covered the both of you and the light bounced off from the water to your skins. Picturesque as it might seem to the eyes of an onlooker, there was something much more beautiful in the eyes of K'uk'ulkan.

And that was you.

"Thank you, my love." He spoke in his mother tongue. It was as pleasant and melodious as the wind chimes from your rattan house. It always filled you with immeasurable joy for him to use his language to speak so softly with you.

"Always," you guided him to sit on the sand under a nearby coconut tree, water covering you at every step and wetting the exposed skin of K'uk'ulkan. A question prodded in the forefront of your mind as soon as you were settled and huddled between the serpent god's legs, his arms wrapping around your waist and head buried on your shoulder, "why have you come to visit, my king?"

"Do I need a reason to see my queen?"

You sighed and shook your head, leaning back against his frame and turning your head to kiss the shell of his pointed ears. "A land dweller cannot be queen, K'uk'ulkan. You know that."

"Yet one lay in my arms at this very moment." He tightened his grip on your waist and peppered kisses against your neck. You tried your best not to humor his need for attention despite the growing heat that formed on your nape and cheeks.

"The people need a queen that is of Talokan blood. I can't simply take that role."

"Your achievements speak for itself," he raised his head from your shoulder and kissed your cheek, "you have saved Talokan from the hands of scientists who tried to scour through the depths of our oceans, kept our secret well-hidden from the land dwellers, and you have kept your promise of aid to my kingdom in times of need. We have seen you divert ships away from our home with your riptides and currents."

"That is hardly a reason. I've only repaid a debt."

"And what debt would that be?"

"Sparing me," your hands snaked towards the hands that locked itself on your waist. You drew circles against his skin as he sighed in content at the moment, "you had every reason to kill me when I stepped through the entrance of Talokan. You were a king who protected his people—I was sure I was going to die by your hand that day."

"You intrigued me," he supplied, his hands now taking yours and intertwining your fingers together, "you did not yield under my threats nor did you use the name my enemies have called me when I have antagonized you."

"Namor," you tried, the name foreign to your tongue, "I much prefer your real name, K'uk'ulkan. And why would I make an enemy of the king of a civilization that I have intruded?"

"You might be one of the rarer sane land dwellers."

"I try." You gave him an amused shrug.

"You are also special, my love," he added, his mother tongue chiming through the warm pacific winds, "my people already revere you as a god of their own."

"Me?"

"Do I really have to spell every word?" He placed two fingers on your chin and made you look up at the flowing dome of saltwater that you are effortlessly maintaining with your powers, "you control the sea. Our life source is at your beck and call. You can breathe like us, swim like us, and you could withstand the pressure of Talokan. You have garnered the love of our people."

"Your people." You corrected him. He shook his head and adjusted himself so he could lay his forehead against yours.

"Our people," he stared into your eyes, the rich earthen gaze reflecting that of his love for the sea. With it also came the tremendous love he had for you; his queen. No one was fit to rule by his side but you. Although there might be reservations from others of his kingdom, they cannot refute the fact that you—an entity that controlled the tides of their home—were to be revered. Respected.

Your benevolent rule will be the legacy of his choice. And it will be living proof for the people that you were the only rightful queen to sit by the right hand of his throne.

"You hold the strength of the sea at your whim, yet you choose kindness above all else. But you do not hesitate to use force when it is necessary. That is the true makings of a ruler. Your judgment astounds me, your beauty is simply divine. You are perfect, my love."

"K'uk'ulkan…" his name was like a prayer to your mouth. It was ironic, you might say, for the prayers of the god of the sea fell into his attentive ears and returned the favor with worship—as if you were the divine entity and he the disciple. You felt his hands creep into the back of your head and pull you impossibly closer, his fingers tangling with your dampened hair from the obedient water from the ocean's tide, his lips fluttering with the tongue of praise to you; his god. He regarded your meager stature like the statue of a Santo Niño. Holy. Sacred.

He uttered your name in a breathless whisper that wavered the dome of water from your command. He might have found that amusing enough to release a minute chuckle. He was the only one who could sway your otherwise earnest control.

"This I ask again, will you become my queen and rule Talokan by my side?"

#namor x reader #namor #mcu namor #namor x filipino!reader #namor x fem!reader #k'uk'ulkan #k'uk'ulkan x reader #marvel #wakanda forever #talokan

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rokuhoku · 2 years ago

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a piece of your history.

Pairing: Namor x Filipino!Reader

Rating: Mature, Comedy (No smut but there is tension)

Summary: It hurts to not be able to properly recreate your traditional pre-colonial Filipino clothing, and Namor takes notice of this feeling of yours.

Word Count: 2,578

Content Warning: Mentions of colonialization

Disclaimer: Namor is kind of cold and dark towards reader!! Idk if its ooc but i would imagine that he would generally be apprehensive towards a surface dweller. you have been warned

___________

Reminder: This fic is part of a Namor x Filipino!Reader miniseries, but can be read on its own! Miniseries fic(s):

a piece of your history. / "beloved."

__________

“Do you like it?”

You asked, grinning, slightly turning yourself around in order to fully show off your work proudly.

Namor hummed, sitting in the water by the shore of the beach. He was always like this, meeting up with you now and again.

“Is this the wear of your people?” He asked. You grinned and nodded, letting out small chuckles while fiddling with the fabric between your fingers. You had always wanted to make the Pre-Colonial traditional clothing of your Filipino ancestors, it was the closest thing you had of home as of now.

The process was tedious, you admit that. So little resources or references online on how your specific region’s clothing looked– much less how it was made, due to how much the Spaniards burned and banned, but you had still managed to gather enough to make one as accurately as possible.

“It’s… beautiful.” He simply says, eyeing up the clothes and how it wrapped around your body, causing you to tear your eyes away from him in fear of showing how his compliment affected you in such a way.

“Why have your people stopped wearing this? Are they not your traditional wear?” Namor asked, remembering the photos of your family that you had shown him. They were wearing what you had called a “baro’t saya” and “barong” for the celebration of “Buwan ng Wika” as he recalled it.

“It’s gorgeous, and made by the hands of your people instead of the colonizers.” He continued, “It escapes me on why your people have abandoned wearing your traditional garbs, instead choosing to wear what they gave you.” This statement slightly irked you, causing you to deadpan at him.

“Dude, we were enslaved and tortured by them for more than 300 years.” You crossed your arms. “Do you think we abandoned it willingly?” You were met with silence, and for once, Namor was the one who was left speechless by bluntness.

“... Right. My apologies.” Was all Namor could reply, causing you to let out a small laugh, shaking your head. It’s not often you’re the one leaving him silent, with him often bashing “surface dwellers”, causing you to regularly remind him that you yourself are a surface dweller.

Namor never had a proper reply for that.

However, even if you were happy with your work, you still frowned and sighed. You dragged your fingers along the cloth, wistfully looking at its patterns. Namor’s eyes followed the way your face curled up to a grimace, causing him to frown even more (if that was even possible) in confusion.

“It’s not much, though. The fabric’s sorta cheap ‘cause it was the only one I could find that had this specific pattern. I had to pick between comfortability or accuracy.” You sulked, sitting down on the dry sand close to him. You hugged your knees close to your chest, already itchy from the scratchy inside of the fabric.

“I chose accuracy, of course… for them.” You vaguely finished, slightly bitter on how hard it was to make your country’s real traditional clothing in an authentic way. You palmed the sand, looking for your bag before taking out your trusty cellphone.

Ah, surface dwellers and their hand-held yet fragile technologies… Namor thought as you typed and scrolled away at your phone.

“I mean, look at this!” You held your phone out, showing what appeared to be a real life replica of your garbs, just made in a better way. Namor narrowed his eyes in confusion.

“So your people still make this?”

“Well technically yes, but no? God, I wish, though. This is just a historical costume for entertainment…” You replied, huffing.

“Tangina talaga ng Espanya…” You grumbled under your breath. Namor chuckled at you, as he had heard you swear in your mother tongue (he was sure it was a swear– it was literally the first word you had taught him) at one of your country’s past colonizers.

“Jay, ba'ax jaaj le je'elo'...” He replied, agreeing, though this did cause your face to slightly feel warmer. You would never admit it to his face, but him speaking his native language was kinda hot.

You let out a small chuckle, before wistfully sighing and looking at the sky.

“You know… I’m kinda jealous of you and your people of Talokan.” Namor rose an eyebrow at you, his head turning to look at you. You put your hands up in mock defense, clearly meaning well.

“I don’t mean it in a bad way! And yeah, you guys have faced struggles with water pollution, junk and also colonizer stuff… It’s just… y’know…” You trailed off, suddenly feeling bashful. Namor’s gaze softened, as he nodded to indicate that you continue. You breathed in deeply.

“Well, I mean, you guys got to keep your culture intact, no outside forces ripping it away from you.” You mumbled, picking at the sand that got between your nails.

“No forgotten gods… no forgotten stories… no forgotten practices.” You longingly looked at the sea.

You snorted, though. “Even if they tried, you could still put up a fight and protect it.” You smiled at him, causing him to avert his gaze and look back at the ocean.

“I just… I just wish I could salvage at least a small part of it.” You finished, already feeling your throat close up and tears form in your eyes. God, why did you have to be so emotional? Putangina naman…

For a beat or two, Namor stayed quiet. You already felt dread setting in your stomach, oh god. What if he had another diva moment and dove back in the water? Before you could panic even more, you heard the water move, as water droplets seem to fall from sky and onto you. You looked up in confusion, squinting your eyes at Namor, who had stood up from his place to sit closer to you.

“... May I see more of these garbs?”

Your frown was replaced with a smile, as you swallowed back the lump and blinked away the oncoming tears. “Sure! I have so many saved and printed– it’s important to have references before crafting, after all!”

Your signature grin was back as you happily took out what looked to be a plastic bag containing pictures that looked similar to your clothes. You happily explained away, showing him more and more photos– though he did notice that you had backed up a bit when he came a bit too close to your personal space.

He followed along as you showed more and more photos– along with more pictures of Pre-Colonial jewelry that you wanted to replicate yourself. He noticed the way you would stop and longingly gaze at them, before continuing on with explaining.

Namor watched the way your eyes would brighten as you talked more and more about your history, before they would dim as you brought up on why it was not used by your people in the modern day anymore.

“... And yeah, that’s pretty much what my own region wears! Though, it does get a bit tricky to see if it really is my region per say,” Namor looked at you, a bit confused but waiting for you to continue. Your smile grew wider.

“All regions basically have a lot of similarities and differences! So sometimes it gets a bit confusing.” You rambled, before noticing yourself and getting a bit embarrassed. Namor softly smiled at you.

“This just shows how rich the cultures of your people are, in etail.”

You blinked before letting out a joyous laugh, surprised that Namor of all people complimented you! (Well, to be more precise, your heritage). You were about to reply before your eyes caught sight of the time on your phone. “Ay gago! Ang late na pala! I still have to call my parents!” You put on your coat over your work, before shoving your phone back in your bag.

Before you could properly stand up, a hand on your wrist stopped you. Your brain loaded for a few seconds, your eyes following the hand and how it trailed back to Namor. “Come back here in two days time.” He asked (more of demanded).

You gawked at him, this was the first time he ever confirmed that you were going to see him! Most of the time, he simply came and went as he pleased. The look in his eyes already made it impossible to say no, so of course refusing him was not an option.

“I-I…” You stammered, meeting his eyes that had so much emotion in them. You gulped. “Okay! See you in… two days, dude!” You quickly went on your way home.

Namor nodded at you, before he caught sight of the familiar plastic ziplock you had left behind. Before he could call out to you, you were already too far away, and if he were to approach you someone would surely see him.

Namor watched your back fade from the distance, already confirming the idea forming in his head. He nodded to himself, before grabbing the ziplock bag and diving back into the sea, making sure to not let anything get wet.

__________

You practically ran towards the beach as you grinned, excited that your.. Friend(?) or Frenemy(?) personally requested your presence. You cleared your throat and attempted to act cool, though severely failing, before sitting down by the drier parts of the sand, admiring how beautiful the waves looked.

A few moments later, a familiar head peeped out from the water, causing you to laugh and wave at him. Namor uncharacteristically bore a grin at you, continuing to get out of water, the droplets from his hair magically disappearing with each step.

“I have a surprise for you.” was the first thing he said as he offered you a hand in getting up. You nodded, though a bit confused now.

In his hands, you had finally taken notice of a makeshift waterproof bag tied by a drawstring along with a familiar plastic ziplock of papers. “Ay, onga pala! I accidentally left my papers…” You exclaimed, surprised that he kept them in such good condition.

Namor gingerly handed you the drawstring bag first, urging you to open it. “Please, have a look inside.” You hesitantly took it in your hands, noting the way the fabric practically had gold woven into it.

What you saw took your breath away,

it was Pre-Colonial indigenous Filipino clothes.

You ran a hand through them, the fabric being silky yet cool to the touch. Just as how Filipino clothes were theorized to be. Somehow, Namor had found a way to wove it with gold, just as what your research had said. You felt tears well up in the corner of your eyes, it felt like a piece of history was being given back to you.

“Well? What are you waiting for?” Namor’s voice snapped you out of your stupor. You looked back at him, open-mouthed and too shocked to reply. He chuckled at you. “Try it on, in etail.”

Namor politely turned around, silently trying to hide and bury the way he felt when he heard fabric shifting and the likely assumption of you undressing.

Your breath hitched as the feeling of the fabric against your skin was a comfortable one. It was perfectly tailored and made for you, as if someone had memorized every inch of your body down to the smallest details, the robes fitting like a glove on your body.

“You can look now…” You managed to practically croak out, forever feeling thankful at such a kind gesture from no one other than Namor himself.

The moment Namor turned around, he swore that he felt slightly lightheaded from how you managed to take his breath away with just your look. You looked like you were in your natural element, your most natural state.

It almost felt as if this was how you were supposed to be.

The way the gold-woven fabric hung off your own copper skin had him thinking of thoughts he swore he would never have of surface-dwellers, and perhaps the most euphoric feeling was seeing the look on your face; the genuine joy and happiness.

But wait, something was missing.

He narrowed his eyes at you before rummaging through the bag he carried with him. Namor gently brought out familiar looking jewelry, though with its own twist.

“These… are also for you.”

Namor took your hand and placed it in his, slipping on a rather detailed and delicately made golden ring. He took both of your wrists and placed on them gold bracelets adorned with what appeared to be a jade material.

All the while, he made direct eye contact with you. You practically shook under his gaze, deeming it to be too intimate.

Before you could process anything more, you felt the heat of Namor’s body behind your back, as you heard gold clinking together. His hot breath fanned on the back of your neck, as the heat in your ears never seemed to go away.

You felt a heavy weighted necklace be placed onto your collarbone, before a click behind you was resounded. Namor’s hands lingered for a split second on the nape of your neck, before he practically ripped himself away and stood back, afraid of his own actions.

Your breath left your body for what felt like the nth time in the past 30 minutes, as you took the necklace between your fingers and observed the intricate designs of gold and jade beautifully fused together.

All of this jewelry should have felt heavy, but to you they felt as if they were perfectly crafted and made for you and your people. It was as if these were all made with heavy and careful detail, making sure that they perfectly aligned with your own practices but still with its own twist and charm from the gifter.

You could never take back what the Spaniards have taken from your country, but it felt like a lost piece of your own heritage was being directly gifted to you, you could practically feel the pride of your ancestors. This was all so overwhelming.

“K'uk'ulkan…”

Namor suppressed the heat he felt as his natural name rolled off your tongue in such a breathless manner.

Now, it was your turn to surprise as he did not anticipate that you would tackle him in a hug. You buried your face in his neck, not scared anymore of what he’d do. Namor’s own hands hesitantly placed themselves on your backside, before they tightened around you.

“Salamat… Salamat talaga, K'uk'ulkan…” Namor felt hot wet tears drip onto his shoulder.

He hugged back even tighter.

“Mixba’al, in etail.”

__________

BONUS:

“Okay, now ‘putangina mo’ means I like you.” You said to Namor, though the way you tried to (and failed) to hold back your laughter made him doubt that that was the meaning of the phrase.

“Is it really now?” You laughed, nodding profusely. “Hell yeah it is! We Pinoys use it all the time to compliment each other! Like, ‘putangina mo tol, ang guwapo mo nakakabakla ka na!’ ”

“ ‘Nakakabakla’?” Namor narrowed his eyes at you. Were you just messing with him? You laughed even more, clutching your sides by how much it hurt.

“Gaga, uto-uto ka talaga.”

Namor had a deep feeling in his stomach that you were insulting him (he was right) so he stood up and sighed, walking back towards the sea.

“What the-! Hey! Where are you going?!”

“K'a' ak'ate.”

“Aw c’mon K'uk'ulkan! Can’t you take a joke?!”

He was already gone by the time you had said that.

#namor x reader #namor x you #namor x y/n #namor x filipino!reader #filipino!reader #namor imagine #namor one shot #namor x pinoy!reader #pinoy!reader #mcu x reader #namor of talokan #mcu x filipino!reader #mcu fic #namor fluff #namor x filipino reader #k'uk'ulkan x reader #k'uk'ulkan

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mrs-lockley · 2 years ago

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where the spirit meets the bones

Summary: Above, a merciful Sirena roams the seas of the East. Below, a lonely king seeks retribution. Your paths cross one war-torn night when you save the life of a man from the sea with feathered wings on his ankles and ears that point to the sky. Enchanted by your siren song, the feathered serpent king becomes determined to find you, even if he must wait for half a century.

Posted on AO3 here.

Pairing: Namor (K’uk’ulkan) x Filipina (Kapampangan)!Fem!Sirena!Reader

Word Count: 6.6k

Warnings: Mentions of colonization (burning of a Spanish flag in a sea storm but nothing graphic), mentions of drowning and burning (nothing explicit), slow burn (pun not intended), mutual yearning and pining, mentions of death and the afterlife. Physical descriptions of the reader include dark hair and eyes

Tagging: @justrunamok @artsynellyyy @theatreslave @musing-magpie @lostfleurs @alathan13 @velvetmel0n @mattmurdockswife @ameliachastain

Author’s Notes: Hello my darlings! After nearly two years, I have written my first fic. Please be gentle when giving feedback and I apologize if my writing is a bit rusty. But this fic is very loosely based on the Little Mermaid with some Philippine and Maya mythology.

The reader is Filipina, but from an unidentified region from the province of Pampanga, Philippines. Kapampangan is also the reader’s first language (and my second language) and does not speak Tagalog. This is the first part of a trilogy.

Translations: Kapampangan, Yucatec Mayan, and some Tagalog is used in the fic. For smaller phrases, translations are found throughout the fic in italics. For longer sentences in Kapampangan and Yucatec Mayan, translations are found at the end of the fic (with additional author’s notes).

Namor’s monologue is in italics in respect to his language. An online translating generator was used. If there are any errors in Kapampangan and/or Yucatec Mayan, please let me know and I will correct it.

How’s one to know I’d meet you where the spirit meets the bones in a faith forgotten land?

Lubao, Pampanga, June 1827

The moon was full when you rose to the surface, the night quieter than usual. Rain clouds begin to depart as the rain lightens into a steady downpour over the calming sea. The quiet after the storm, but your burning skin and aching bones say otherwise.

On the beach, a mother cries in relief as her daughter clears the water from her lungs, her arms immediately circling around her as she thanks Apong Díos and the angels above. Beside her, the father embraces his family with a joyous shout.

You had caught the girl wandering the beach earlier that evening at the peak of the rainstorm. It was high tide then, the water lapping too close and too angry as she ran along the shore. One moment she was playing on the sand, and the next, the ocean had tried to swallow her whole.

You fought against the current in search for her, your lungs aching for air as the water screamed in defiance. Your tail cramped as you dove beneath the surface, narrowly fitting between the crevices of the sharp rocks and stones. Only slivers of moonlight guided your path through the dark stormy waters.

But you found her a moment later with her head barely above water, her arms and legs thrashing to stay afloat. Her pleas for help were drowned over the sound of the beating ocean and pouring rain, falling deaf on human ears. The girl’s panicked movements only propelled her deeper into the sea, and it was a matter of seconds before she would draw her last breath.

Softly, you began to sing to her. At the sound of your voice, the girl began to still, her movements drawing to a halt as you approached her. Her eyes fluttered shut, but her breathing slowed as her body was calmed by your song. The water around you began to bend to your will the louder you sang, enchanting the creatures and tides around you into submission.

With ease, you wrapped your arms around the child and held them in a tight embrace as you swam to the shore. Her head on your shoulder, you continued to sing softly to her to quiet her mind and relax her body.

You returned her to the surface as you gently laid her body on the sand, your hand cradling the back of her head. In the distance, the yellow lights of a nearby village hut began to flicker with shadows racing across the window. Quickly, you brushed her hair out of her face and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, your hand squeezing hers.

“Gumising na.” Wake up.

At the sound of approaching voices, you released her hand and returned to the sea.

The little girl stands and holds onto her mother’s hands as they depart from the shore, but she hesitates. You watch as she tugs on her mother’s hands and turns to her, urgently pleading for her mother to listen. The mother gazes at the sea, her expression unreadable as her eyes search for answers. The girl turns and points, but her mother shakes her head and carries her in her arms as the father shields them both from the rain, retreating into the safety of their hut.

You ignore the sharp pang splintering in your chest before you turn, floating on your back with your arms outstretched and offering yourself to the sky. Up above, the clouds continue to depart as the rain slows into a whispering shower kissing your skin.

As you bask in the moonlight, you run your fingers over the curved surface of the golden pendant resting on your chest. It was the last relic of your past life, the only physical memory of who you were before the ocean had claimed you as its own. Tonight was far different than the last night you walked on land, but it was quieter nights like these where your mind wandered into the past. One by one, it all came back to you.

A gentle mother’s touch on your hand during a monsoon. A sister braiding your hair by the window. A father teaching you how to sail. A lover sneaking a kiss between dances.

The heaviness in your chest deepens, spreading to your neck and to your eyes as they sting with tears. With pieces of your past echoing in your mind, you look up to the night sky and beg for comfort. One hundred years you have served the ocean. One hundred years you have saved your people from drowning. One hundred years of protecting the secrets of the sea.

But it has also been one hundred years of loneliness.

You were unlike the other creatures who dwelled in the sea. While the sirenas feasted on men and dragged them to their deaths, you rescued them and returned them to the shore. The kataws walked on land and were mistaken for humans as they manipulated the water to their will, while you tamed the water to save the innocent. Siyokoys devoured mortals, but you loved your people who walked on the land and found beauty in their world. While you have the sea turtles and dolphins at your side, your heart remains heavy as they whisper behind you. You were not their kind, why would the ocean choose to have mercy on you?

Gazing at the moon with the water holding you close, you stretch your hands and pray. Why did save me? Must I always bear this loneliness?

The only answer you receive is the pause of rainfall and a full moon sighing in the sky.

Mérida, Yucatán Peninsula, July 1858

By the time you open your eyes, the last of the sun’s rays had settled under the sea with the cool ocean breeze tickling your skin. The dolphin who carried you whistles softly as you wake, its tail brushing against yours as it waits for your command.

“Dakal a salamat,” you whisper. Many thanks.

With a soft smile, you affectionately run your hands over the dolphin’s back as it clicks before disappearing into the sea.

You do not know how long or far you have traveled, but as you take in your surroundings, you realize that you have wandered into foreign territory. As the sky darkens into the blues, violets, and greens of the night, the ocean welcomes you into its soft embrace. Around you, the waves fall into a steady calmness. Just as you enchant humans with your voice, this new ocean comforts you in a strange way you could not quite understand, almost as if it were welcoming you home.

For a brief moment, you allow yourself to relax in these new waters by diving into its arms. As you swim beneath the surface, you find yourself finally able to breathe for the first time. You were far from your home in the Pacific, and you were far from the angry voices of the merfolk who haunted you.

“Alang cuenta,” the sirenas sneered at you when you had rescued stray fishermen from falling into their trap. Furious at your intrusion, your sisters lunged for you and tore at your tail and skin with their webbed claws and bared teeth. You screamed for mercy as you fought back, but their teeth and nails were stronger as they dragged you deeper into the darkness of the sea.

Either out of boredom or mercy, your sisters finished their prey upon you and left you in the cold depths of the ocean where the light of the sun did not reach. Hours passed before you were able to move and swim to the coral reefs where the dolphins and sea turtles found you nursing your wounds. With your arms covered in bites and your chest and tail in cuts, you found refuge in the dolphins and allowed them to carry you far away from your tormentors.

Rising to the surface, you push your hair back and run your hands over your face, suppressing a childish giggle at the realization of your newfound freedom. For weeks you traveled with the dolphins to escape their persecution. Despite spending the past one hundred years alone, for the first time in over a century, you feel nothing but relief. You were never welcomed by the creatures of the ocean back at home. Perhaps you could find a new home here.

You pause. Around you, the ocean suddenly grows cold as ripples slowly reverberate throughout the surface of the water. A chill descends your spine as you suddenly become breathless and frozen.

On the seashore, a man slowly rises from the water, holding a scepter adorned in engravings in one hand with his back turned to you. A golden plate rests on the back of his neck with matching cuffs on his arms, wrists, and legs reflecting the glow of the rising moon. A similar belt rests on his hips and above a pair of dark green shorts, the only article of clothing he wears. In the dim light, your eyes trace the broad expanse of his shoulders and the thick muscles of his back, arms, and legs. An air of regality surrounds him as he fully emerges from the water and stands in his full form.

This man is not human, you realize as he walks along the beach, the water yielding to his presence. He is a man of the sea.

Your brows furrow in confusion as he kneels on the sand.

Wings. There were wings on his ankles.

Something inside of you whispers to swim closer to the shore. With the waves beckoning towards you, you have no choice but to obey.

Holding your breath, you submerge yourself deeper into the water and hide behind a rock to avoid being seen. On the sand, the man with the winged ankles speaks softly in a language you don’t recognize.

“Jach tak in wilech,” he whispers and lowers his head. I miss you.

His movements and words are gentle as he places a white flower on the sand, his voice soft and low as he continues to speak. Your heart pounds in realization as you watch him revere someone who could not be seen. This was a grave.

Guilt consumes you as memories of your past life flood to the surface, your pendant weighing heavily on your chest. Turning away from the shore, you close your eyes to force down the tears that threaten to spill. How silly of you to think you could run away when your family rests at home across the ocean. Here, the water belongs to another. Who were you to leave your home behind and reside in a place as sacred as this?

Wiping at your eyes, you turn back to the shore and find the man speaking to the spirits. Even in the dim moonlight, you catch a glimpse of his face, his dark eyes full of emotion and grief.

Slowly, you reach for the sampaguita flowers in your hair and cradle them in your hands. One by one, you sing quietly to yourself as you place the flowers in the water. You linger for a few moments, your fingers running over the pendant on your chest as the water guides them to the beach.

“Patawad na,” you breathe. I’m sorry.

With a final prayer, you return to the sea.

On the beach, a soft hand reaches for the jasmine flowers. Dark eyes look to the horizon in search of the one who brought them, but the only answer given were the quiet waves lapping at the shore.

Gently, the man with the winged ankles places the white flowers on the sand, creating a trail from the grave and towards the spirit’s old home before disappearing into the water.

The only evidence of his arrival is soon washed away by the rising tide of the ocean.

Philippine Sea, near Manila, August 1894

Tonight was much like the last night you walked on land.

The air was laden with tension and uncertainty. Word from the fishermen and villagers had gone around that the conquistadors were having trouble with their colonies in the West. On the surface, you often found the land-dwellers running through the shadows of the trees in the jungle. The islands seemed to hum in anticipation at the whispers of a possible revolution.

In times like these, you turned a blind eye to your sisters drowning the oppressors on the beach. But your hands weren’t clean and bloodless either. As your sisters feasted on their flesh, you were the one to sing to them, distracting them with your sweet voice and innocent smile.

(You would do it again in a heartbeat, you soon realize. With each conquistador that steps into the water, another revolutionary returns safely home.)

But tonight was different from those quiet nights of revolutionaries lurking in the shadows of the jungle. Tonight was a war.

Lightning strikes through the stormy sky and fuels the flames licking at the near abandoned trade ship drowning in the fury of the summer typhoon. The white sails darken into ash as the Spanish flags fade into dust.

Around you, your sisters call to them with outstretched arms, promising to save them from a violent death. You do not sing to invite them further in, nor do you move when your sisters feed on their flesh. You watch silently as your enemies fall and drown to their death, your skin heated by the scorching fires of their sinking ships. With memories of your last night flashing through your mind, you gaze at the burning flags in contempt. It is only fitting that the last thing they see is your face before falling to their demise.

Suddenly, one of your sisters screams and points to the sky.

Aswang!*

The sirenas shriek and recede into the water as the remaining men on deck scream in terror. Lightning illuminates the sky once more and reveals the silhouette of the figure flying in the air.

Your breath stops in your throat as you glimpse at the figure, your eyes falling to their feet.

The man with the feathered wings on his ankles.

You look up at him, your heartbeat mirroring the resounding claps of thunder. The man with the wings pays no heed to your sisters retreating into the safety of the water. Instead, his gaze is focused on the colonizers clinging onto the debris of their sinking ships.

He raises his spear and strikes.

The ocean thirsts for violence as crimson stains its waters. With each strike of lightning and roar of thunder, the further the Spanish ships sink to the bottom of the sea. Screams and gunshots plague the night as the monsoon beats its anger onto the surface world. One by one, the colonizers perish by the sea, the bloodthirst of your sisters, or the man exacting his vengeance from above.

Your eyes widen. On the deck of the last ship sailing, a colonizer opens fire and aims his weapon at the sky.

“Saguli-!” You shout. Wait!

Everything moves in slow motion. Before the trigger is pulled, bursts of red, orange, and yellow blinds your vision. Your ears ring from the explosion as your left shoulder is consumed by a sharp pain that resembles shark teeth digging into your bones.

As your vision begins to clear, the rain continues to pour. Furls of silver smoke surround you as the burning fires devour the last wooden planks of the sunken ship. Despite the rumble of thunder and cries of the sea, the night is suddenly quiet with only the low crackle of flickering flames filling the silence. Your sisters have disappeared. The colonizers have perished.

In the sky, the man from the sea burns before falling into the water.

Without hesitation, you dive into the sea to search for him with the flickers of the dying flames guiding your path underwater. In the distance, the glint of his spear reflects the light of the surface fires with its owner sinking beside him, his eyes closed and his back covered in black ash.

Ignoring the pain in your shoulder, you wrap your arms around his torso and hold him close as you swim towards the surface.

Please be alive, you pray as you break through the water, your lungs aching as you carry the man in your arms. Please.

...

The monsoon begins to falter when dusk brightens the sky. The rain slows into a steady downpour and the wind turns from a thunderous gust and into a whispering breeze. Gray storm clouds weigh heavily in the sky, but cracks of sunlight peek through the horizon.

Tears burn your eyes as your cries echo in the cove. Pain engulfs your left shoulder and your body screams in agony from fighting against the violence of the waves and the rage from the skies. With a cry of pain, you push yourself up and untangle your arms from the body of the man you rescued. The man from the sea with feathered wings on his ankles.

A gasp of relief escapes your lips the moment you feel the steady drumming of his heartbeat underneath your trembling fingertips.

“Salamat,” you breathe, a childish laugh rumbling in your chest as you wipe at your eyes. “You’re alive.”

With a gentle hand, you brush his dark hair back. The dusky rays of sunlight kiss his tanned skin, casting shadows of the planes and contours of his peppered cheeks. Drops of jade sit beneath his pointed ears and mirror the jewel on his nose. Beads of white pearls and golden rings adorn his neck. A large plate rests on his chest with two deep blue serpents meeting in the middle, a large pearl sitting in the center.

In the dim light of the early morning, you cannot help but gaze in awe at the beautiful man laying in your arms.

Who is he? You wonder as you softly trail your hand from his hair and down his arm, a frown settling on your lips at the sight of dried blood and deep bruises at his side.

You glance back at his face once more. You should be afraid of him, a stranger from a foreign land who showed no mercy to his enemies. But despite the violence of the previous night, you remember the first night you saw him on the beach in the Atlantic. You remember his dark eyes full of grief, his gentle hands cradling the flowers, and his soft voice whispering in the wind.

The man sleeping before you now was not the same man that tormented his enemies at sea, but the man you met on that summer seashore.

Gently, you lean forward to caress his cheek and sing.

“Potang paintunan mu ku, lumwal ka, talanga ka. Akit me ing bulan a masala karin mikit kata. E na ka matakut, e na ku naman migaganaka, uling balu ku balang beni mikikit ka king laman ning bulan a masala.”

As you sing the last note, the man begins to stir.

Panic floods through you as you look down to find his hand wrapped around your right wrist. His grip is firm but gentle, with the heat of his skin warm against yours.

Swallowing the ache in your chest, you lean forward to cup his face with both of your hands, your thumbs stroking his cheeks as you gently press your lips to his forehead.

“Mikit tána pasibáyo,” you whisper. We will meet again.

With one last look, you squeeze his hand and retreat into the water.

…

Whispers of a man from the sea with feathered wings on his ankles spread across the surface. From the villagers and fishermen to the convoys and rulers, people spoke of his existence in hushed tones, afraid that speaking his name would incur his wrath. Parents passed his story to their children as folklore, but those who were old enough remembered seeing him walk along the beach before his footprints were washed away by the waves of the ocean.

K’uk’ulkan, they called him. The feathered serpent god.

The King of Talokan prided himself as a benevolent ruler and a protector of his people. For three hundred years, K’uk’ulkan kept their kingdom a secret under the sea. He lived, breathed, and bled for them, enduring the pain from the surface world to protect the Talokanil from the violence of the land-dwellers. For this, K’uk’ulkan reigned as their king, their feathered serpent ruler.

While tales of the feathered serpent were considered myths to the tribes on the beach, another name was whispered across the seven seas. From the clergy and the admirals, no one dared to speak the moniker out loud.

El niño sin amor, the Spanish priests warned. The child without love.

“Namor,” his enemies gasped as they looked up at him, their eyes wide with fear.

It had been five weeks since the Spanish ships departed from the Atlantic. Five weeks before he finally found the ships that had stolen the resources from his kingdom. As the monsoonal rain raged its wrath over the blazing fires of the splintering ships on a foreign sea he was not familiar with, Namor raised his spear and struck with no mercy.

It all unraveled so fast. One moment he vanquished his enemies, and the next he was swallowed by flames.

He vaguely remembered the ocean welcoming him as he fell from the sky. In the dark stillness of the water, Namor could only watch a dark shadow pass above him. Three hundred years he served his people as their king. Three hundred years he fought, protected, and bled for his kingdom. Maybe just this once, he could overcome the trials in Metnal* and leave the crown behind.

But the gods had other plans for the King of Talokan. Behind the dark veil of his eyes, a soft voice called out to him. The voice was different from the songs of the Talokanil and sung in a language he did not recognize. Her voice was lower, deeper, but sweet and comforting.

A siren song.

With eyes as heavy as stone, Namor willed his body to move, his hands grasping at rough skin. It was a song that willed him to return to the land of the living, willing him to carry the crown and breathe.

For a brief moment, he felt the ghost of her hands stroking his face and her lips on his skin. But when he opened his eyes, he found himself alone in a cove with the monsoon slowing into a whisper.

Running a tired hand over his face, Namor sits up and breathes a deep sigh. His lungs ache from the sharp exhale as he takes in his surroundings. Straight ahead, the wide entrance of the cove welcomes the quiet low tides of the sea. Despite the storm clouds, the horizon brightened into hues of deep blues and violets with the distant call of songbirds singing in the distance.

In the calmness of dawn, the King of Talokan could still hear the soft whispers of the siren song singing to him in the cove. Like a fog, his senses were enveloped by her, his skin prickling at the memory of her touch and his ears mistaking the sound of songbirds to the likeliness of her voice.

As he stands, his eyes flicker to the reflection of the rising sun in the water, a small burst of light catching his gaze. Ignoring the pain in his back, Namor rushes to where the edge of the rock meets the sea.

His heart pounds and his head spins as he cradles the item in his hand, his breath halting in his throat.

In his hand was a golden necklace with its delicate chain torn in two, a pendant of a small flower resting in the center.

The same flower he found on the Yucatán seashore.

“Yaan in kaxtikech,” he breathes. “Ma importa u tojol.”

I will find you, no matter the cost.

Philippine Sea, December 1910

It had been sixteen years since Namor heard you last.

The skies disagreed with him when he returned to the sea where you rescued him. For several months, the monsoons raged throughout the region. Time to time, he encountered trade ships from the North, South, East, and West sailing through the merciless monsoons. Other times, he found war on the sea with different flags flying through the wind and crimson being spilt on the waters. Echoes of gunshots, fire cannons, and war cries sounded throughout the night with the tumultuous tidal waves consuming everything in its path.

With each passing ship, Namor heard the distant sound of the siren songs calling to the unsuspecting sailors and soldiers. With their heads barely above water, he watched the sirens bewitch their prey, their eyes glassy and unseeing before falling to their death. More than once, he found himself entranced by their voices. But each time his ears registered their harmonies, he turned away.

Their voices were beautiful, but they were not you. They were not his sirena.

Only you were the one to enchant the feathered serpent king.

Tonight was different from that summer night, for it was the start of the dry season. Up above, the moon glowed brightly in the night sky without a single cloud in sight. The luminous glow of the moon reflected on the surface of the water, but its reflection was distorted by the growing ripples and the quiet tide of the sea.

The air cooled his skin as Namor reached the surface, his back turned to the full moon. It was almost as if no time had passed since the last time he was in the cove. Although the tides were lower, Namor could still hear the distant melody of your song echoing throughout the cove. It was as if he were drowning in you all over again.

Sixteen years ago, he first heard your siren song. But it had been fifty-two years since he first met you.

A deep ache ate at his chest that particular night. After distracting his generals and evading their watchful eyes, Namor sought refuge on the sand. For three hundred years, he reigned as the King of Talokan. When the crown became heavy to bear, he would slip away from his advisors and find solace in visiting his mother on the surface. He carried the souls of the departed in his heart and their memories in his mind, but sometimes the water suffocated him. Nearly two centuries have passed since he last laid his mother to rest and cleaned her bones, but her memory was clear as day in his mind. He may have been born in the water, but his mother had walked on land - it was all in his blood.

“The Talokanil look to me as their King, their God. I would do anything for them,” K’uk’ulkan whispered as he gently placed the water lilies on her grave. “Just as you did everything to protect me.”

He loved his people just as they loved him. He did not regret taking the throne at a young age and the responsibility of leading and protecting them, but there was a heaviness growing deep inside his chest. An emptiness that he often ignored, but was constantly consumed by its hand.

He remembered watching her hair turn silver and the fine lines settling on her skin as he remained young. In the eyes of many, he was still a child. Yet, he carried the years inside him as centuries passed, watching the people he loved age before they breathed their last breath.

“Every day I see our people grow old, but I remain young and know one day I will mourn and miss them as much as I miss you, na’*.”

The only memories K’uk’ulkan had of his father were the stories recounted to him by his mother. When he sat on her knee, he remembered the smile on her face as she showed him the bracelet she wore on her wrist. Tracing the pearls with his fingers, he could feel his father’s love radiating from each bead. Despite their circumstances, he admired the love his father had for his mother, the same love that he carried in his veins.

“I may be King, but I stand at the throne with no one to share it with, and sleep with no one to hold at my side,” K’uk’ulkan whispered. “I am lonely, na’. So incredibly lonely.”

He wondered what it would be like to love just as his parents did. To have someone to wake up next to, and to fall asleep with every night. To hold and be held by the arms of someone who loves you.

The King of Talokan did not expect an answer, nor did he expect to see white jasmine flowers drifting towards him on the seashore.

The very same flower that rests in his hands now.

The petals are soft in his hands as he places it on the quiet whispers of water. In the beginning, Namor thought of the flowers as a strange coincidence. He knew that such flowers were native to the lands in the East, but he had seen trade ships sail across oceans and between continents. It was possible that cargo could have fallen through the cracks.

Initially, Namor tried to ignore it and stop himself from jumping to conclusions, but something foreign gripped his heart. A small glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, there was someone out there meant for him to love and be loved.

It had all come together when he found your necklace on the rocks.

For sixteen years, your siren song haunted Namor. He had met sirens and other merfolk throughout his lifetime, but there was something different about your song that called to him. Other siren songs were meant to hypnotize their prey before they drowned or were sacrificed to water deities. Their songs meant destruction to anyone who heard their voice, but your song was sweeter, more gentle. Rather than death, your song brought him back to life.

That was something he still did not understand. Why would you save him?

With the jasmine flowers as an offering, the King of Talokan begins to sing.

“X ciih x ciichpan u tz’ u likil yook kaax; tu bin u hopbal tu chumuc can caan tux cu ch’uuytal u zazicunz yookol cab tu lacal kaax chen cici u tal iik u utz’ben booc.”

As he sings, the tidal waves begin to slow into a lull. The ocean did not dare to drown his melody.

“Pitah nookeex luuz u kaxil a holex ba teneex hee cohiceex uay yokol cabile x zuhuyex x chupalelex hel u.”

The water stills on his last note, but the ocean breeze carries his lullaby throughout the cove. His heart beats heavily, his grip tightening on the necklace as he turns. Dark brown eyes flicker to every corner and crevice of the cove and his ears strain to hear any sudden sounds that could indicate your presence.

It is not often that the feathered serpent god sings. Rare and far in between, the only times he ever sang with his heart was with his mother. She taught him the songs she learned when she was a child on the surface, especially this song.

“When I was young, my friends and I would gather and sing this song to keep and bring back a lover.”

“Did it work?”

His mother smiled sweetly at him and playfully poked the tip of his nose. She could not help but laugh when he scrunched his face. “It did. This song was how I met your father. It is the reason you are here.”

He holds his breath as he waits for your arrival in the cove. With each heartbeat echoing in his ears, a heaviness begins to settle in chest. Hope turns to fear, its icy hands crawling at his skin as the waves rise with the tide.

Shadows of the waves dance across the dimly lit walls. Above, the stars whisper to the moon as the celestial beings await your arrival.

Swallowing the growing ache in his heart, Namor turns his back to the moon and starts his way towards the darkness of the cove.

A small splash disturbs the silence.

“Maryu ka man kabug ning salu mu, saingsing mu panamdaman ku.”

The King stops in his tracks.

“Balu ku, atindian ku.”

It is you. His sirena.

“Akit me ing bulan a masala, karin mikit kata.”

Like ivy growing around a stone, your song ensnares him.

“E na ka tumakut, e na ku naman migaganaka.”

Slowly, he turns around. Underneath the silver halo of the bright moon, you rise to the surface.

“Uling balu ku balang bengi mikikit kata king lalam ning bulan a masala.”

Hanging onto each word, Namor walks towards the edge, his senses enveloped by you. Your voice is soft and deep, comforting and captivating as you swim closer to meet him.

“Parati mu sa’ng tandanan, muran man atiu ya ing bulan.”

Your dark eyes meet his gaze as you look up at him. His eyes never leave yours as you sing the final note with a small smile gracing your lips. Time seems to still, his heart skipping a beat as you finally meet where the land meets the sea.

You are more beautiful than he could have imagined. White jasmine flowers adorn your dark hair like little stars shining in the night sky. In the moonlight, he catches a glimpse of your dark green tail, its scales reflecting the glow of the moon beneath the surface of the water.

His sirena, his lool.*

He finally found you.

The feathered serpent god slowly falls to his knees right in front of you, his head bowed in respect.

“Because of you, my people still have a King,” his voice is gentle as he speaks. “You saved my life, and I will forever thank you.”

He still remembers that morning when he returned to his kingdom. For almost a week, Namor had left Talokan in search of the Spanish ships across the Pacific and placed his leadership into his advisors and top generals. This was not the first time he left to protect the borders and identity of Talokan, but it was the first time he did not come back on the day he promised.

Fear flooded his mind when he fell through the sky. He was always strong enough to destroy his enemies, but he was never this defenseless when his unconscious body hit the water. Any remaining survivors could have exploited his lack of defenses, but he was stunned to wake up in a sea cove with his wounds nearly healed.

You reach for him, your gentle hands cradling his face as you silently plead for him to look at you. Almost hesitantly, he follows your command.

“Who are you?”

He has many names, but he wishes for you to call him only by one name.

“My people call me K’uk’ulkan.”

K’uk’ulkan closes his eyes and leans into your touch as your fingers delicately trace his face, your voice enchanting him once more as you repeat his name.

He remembered your palm caressing his cheek and your lips on his skin. As King of Talokan, he often hid this soft side of himself away from his people. But with you, his walls crumbled like tidal waves dissolving castles in the sand.

Pulling himself out of his trance, he opens his eyes and covers your hand with his own, his thumb lightly tracing over your knuckles.

“What is your name?”

Your voice is quiet as you speak, almost as if you are hesitant to reveal yourself.

“Y/N.”

A beautiful name for a beautiful soul.

K’uk’ulkan repeats your name as he grasps your hand and gently raises it to his lips.

For a brief moment, the King catches a flicker of sadness in your eyes, but it vanishes as you conceal it with a small smile.

Little did he know that he is the first person to call you by your real name and touch you with such care in two hundred years.

Not wanting to frighten you, K’uk’ulkan softens his voice as he speaks. “I believe I have something that belongs to you.”

Confusion passes over your face, your brows furrowed and your lips parted in a silent question.

Although he did not know the importance of your necklace, he noticed the rust and scratches that eroded at the delicate metals. The necklace was worn with love, but it was crafted by human hands and not intended to withstand the cruelty of the ocean. With care, he brought the necklace to his jewelers to restore it to its former glory with the addition of two pearls and the revived jasmine pendant in the center.

A sharp gasp escapes your lips as he presents your necklace to you, your eyes wide as they brim with tears.

“May I?” He asks quietly.

You nod and bow your head.

With soft hands, the feathered serpent god leans forward and places it over your head. Once it settles over you, you cradle the pendant and pearls in your palms in awe.

“I thought that this was gone forever,” you whisper as you look up at him, a stray tear streaming down your cheek. “Thank you for bringing it back to me.”

“Nothing is gone forever, only lost until it is found.” K’uk’ulkan cups your face gently, his warm hand brushing away the tears that had fallen down your cheeks.

His heart warms at the sound of your soft laughter and the sight of your smile. How true his words were. In the fifty-two years he had met you, he thought you were a dream, a possible figment of his imagination that his mind created to cope with the growing emptiness in his bones. But you were real. You were the one watching over him when he found the flowers on the seashore and rescued him from the scorching fires that raged across the sea. He vowed to find you, but he had gotten it wrong.

Each time, you were the one to find him.

Looking into your eyes now, he finds himself drowning in them. Dark, deep, and inviting, a silent storm brewing inside of them. The King of Talokan had seen eyes like yours before– eyes that look young, but have seen years of pain, heartbreak, loss, and grief– yet, there was a vulnerability to them. Despite the centuries you carried in your heart, he knew and understood the violence you endured to be this kind.

You thread your fingers with his, your hands locked in a delicate embrace as you begin to pull yourself away from the rocks and swim closer to the waves.

You call his name tenderly, your voice a soft plea. “K’uk’ulkan.”

With a gentle tug on his hand, the feathered serpent god descends into the water.

Come with me.

There is no song to entice him. It is only you.

Long ago, K’uk’ulkan heard tales of a red string of fate that tied two soulmates together from the Far East. Perhaps it is the red string that pulls him closer to you now as you guide him deeper into the water, your hands entwined together, your lips whispering against his and your tail curling around his legs. With your dark eyes and gentle voice, he has no choice but to follow.

Only the bright full moon bears witness to the reunion of the sirena and her feathered serpent king disappearing into the sea.

Translations

Alang cuenta (Kapampangan) - Useless, no meaning

Aswang (Tagalog) - Monster

Potang paintunan mu ku, lumwal ka, talanga ka (Kapampangan) - When you look for me, go outside, look up

Akit me ing bulan a masala karin mikit kata (Kapampangan) - We will see each other when there is a bright moon.

E na ka matakut, e na ku naman migaganaka (Kapampangan) - Do not be afraid, do not worry.

Uling balu ku balang beni mikikit ka king laman ning bulan a masala (Kapampangan) - I know one night we will meet underneath a bright moon.

Na’ (Yucatec Mayan) - Mother

Metnal (Yucatec Mayan) - The Yucatec Mayan term for the Underworld. Not to be confused with Xibalba, “the Place of Fright.”

The Flower Song (Yucatec Mayan) - 1, 2

The Flower Song is originally ancient Maya lyrical poetry from the Songs of Dzitbalche. According to John Curl, the Flower Song was a “rite” to keep a lover that was traditionally sung by a group of women–typically under the supervision of an older woman– and performed under the moonlight. Later parts of the poem mention offering plumeria flowers to create a love potion.

For the purpose of this fic, K’uk’ulkan learned the song from his mother.

X ciih x ciichpan u tz’ u likil yook kaax; tu bin u hopbal tu chumuc can caan tux cu ch’uuytal u zazicunz yookol cab tu lacal kaax chen cici u tal iik u utz’ben booc - The most alluring moon has risen over the forest; it is going to burn suspended in the center of the sky to lighten all the earth, all the woods, all the lights shining on it all.

Pitah nookeex luuz u kaxil a holex ba teneex hee cohiceex uay yokol cabile x zuhuyex x chupalelex hel u - Take off your clothes, let down your hair, become as you were when you arrived here on Earth.

Maryu ka man kabug ning salu mu, saingsing mu panamdaman ku (Kapampangan) - Your chest/heart will feel heavy when we are apart

Parati mu sa’ng tandanan, muran man atiu ya ing bulan (Kapampangan) - Do not forget that the moon will be there when it rains.

For the complete lyrics and song, please refer to the YouTube link here.

#namor x reader #namor x fem!reader #k'uk'ulkan x reader #namor x filipino!reader #namor x filipina!reader #namor x woc!reader #namor x asian!reader #namor imagine #namor x you #the amount of research i poured into this to make sure i did it right- if there are any errors please let me know #please be gentle with your feedback too #I'm sorry for using emojis but i do not know HOW to make a nice banner like some y'all between paragraphs

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voidgenesis · 2 years ago

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I may or may not be writing a Namor x Filipina oc/reader who is revered as the reincarnation & avatar of the Tagalog-Visayan sea goddess Amansinaya because of her mutant water based abilities (basically how K'uk'ulkan is to the people of Talokan)

She's born during the early days of the Spanish colonization as a child of a babaylan who refused to abandoned their traditional faith & practices. Along with other surviving shamans they prayed to the heavens for salvation from the colonizers.

So when the reader's abilities as mutant came out in her puberty they saw her as a saviour sent by the gods.

👀 my filo namor enjoyers what do we think...

#im very conflicted whether to write this on 2nd or 3rd pov #i had this idea since i saw bp2 but didn't push it #then i saw multiple namor x filo reader works here and it encouraged me to work on this 🥺🥺🥺#namor x reader #namor x fem!reader #namor x you #namor x filipino!reader #namor x filo!reader #namor x oc #namor x original character #k'uk'ulkan x reader #namor x poc!reader #namor x asian!reader

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stuckybarton · 2 years ago

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Heads Under Water X

Summary: You finally dive right in. Character: K'uk'ulkan/Namor x Atlantean Descendant! Filipino! Female Reader. Word Count: 2,147 Chapter Warnings: None.

Series Masterlist || Masterlist || Join the Library (no longer do taglist you can just turn on notif here)

Part X

In and out of sleep, the one thing that somehow overwhelmed you was the burning pain in your chest. A part of you knew it was from inhaling a good amount of water in your attempt of saving Shuri. You refused to get out of bed, never remembering how one minute you were in K'uk'ulkan’s lap, another minute you had bandages around your wounds and one of the servants was asking if you want food.

You were slowly beginning to feel the burning in your chest spread, moving up towards your neck. You said nothing even as another one of the servants had come to check up on you. The tightening ache against your neck and air way and every breath you take was like breathing fire.

You closed your eyes hoping this was all in your mind and you were simply living in the consequence of your actions but it didn’t feel like it even for a second. It felt too real. Even with the shivers running through your entire body, the sweat now painted your entire body, sweat beading through your forehead and the clammy sensation that just would let up no matter how much you tried to wipe away the droplets.

“Eat.”

Turning towards the owner of the voice, the sight of Namora was the last person you genuinely wanted to see right now in your state. You couldn’t say no to her. Back when you were in the lab, if it wasn’t Shuri, it was her that constantly badgered you to eat something before you continued on with work.

Looking towards the tray she was holding, you had noticed a few array of fishes, grilled from the scent of charcoal wafted with the dish. Your stomach betrayed you long before you could refuse the meal yet again. Namora had sat herself besides you on the bed, tray now expectedly waiting on her lap for you to take.

“I’m not leaving until you are fed, the King’s orders.”

You nodded embarrassed to be once again attended by the King like the first time. You sat up and a ghost of a smile now played on the Talokanil’s face because of it. Taking one of the fishes, you took a small bit to satisfy your stomach and the expectant woman watching you like a hawk.

“Who attacked you back then?” You inquired wanting to fill the room with anything else but silence.

“We are still learning of their identities.” She spoke not truly giving you a proper answer. “But they are not from Talokan as we have once feared.”

You nodded, at least it wasn’t someone from his own people, it was harder to find a traitor than deal with an enemy out in the open. You had your own fair share of betrayal some even out in the open and it was a much bitter pill to swallow than anything else.

“I thought you were the only race of humans to breathe underwater.”

“We have thought the same until now.” She continued urging you to eat the second fish. “What you have done to save the Princess was utterly idiotic.” She pointed out making you choke on the fish mid-swallow.

She was right, you were idiotic but you would not change anything about that decision of yours if you had the opportunity to turn back time. Every single day of your life you would do the same thing if it means saving someone whose life could have a bigger impact on the world compared to you.

“I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

“You are the most idiotic genius of the surface that I know off.” She scoffed.

You could only smile and somewhat agreeing her in the statement, not truly being offended by it the slightest.

“I’m sure you would do the same for the people that mean so much to you.”

“I would—in a heartbeat too.” She agreed.

“Are there any damages to the structures?” You continued on with your line of question now. Already on your third fish, the conversation somehow fueling you to continue on with eating now.

“Surprisingly, your machine is in one piece still and the structure is stronger than ever.” She continued.

You nodded.

“I think if there are any other damages, we can do a quick fix with the machine once I get back to the lab.” You explained already thinking of all the necessary resources you would need to make for the fixes to be done.

“Even in your state you are still thinking about work, just idiotic.” She snorts and you couldn’t help but pout but continue on with the remaining fish.

“A stubborn idiot that likes to get things done even if it means getting myself killed in the process.” You pointed out before your thoughts brought you back to your time in the water how it was Namora that had saved you from your impending death and the aftermath of you being here—wherever this place was. “Thank you for saving me, and for dealing with me since I got here.”

“I’ve dealt with more stubborn people in my lifetime.” She pointed out finally standing back up with your now empty tray. “We all pick and choose the people we want to mean something in our life.”

You smiled at her words. Who would have ever thought you’d get this side of the Talokanil.

“Now rest. You need all the rest you could get if you plan on getting back to the surface.”

You blinked before coming to realize the reality of your situation.

“How long have I been here?”

K'uk'ulkan couldn’t help but smile at such the innocent question that escaped your lips the moment he had stepped into the room to where you were now standing and walking around. Bored out of your mind from the looks of it.

“Do you want the honest answer?” He inquired.

“Yes, please.” You nodded now walking towards the bed, plopping down with a gentle bounce.

“Five days.” He answered.

Five days of having his people keeping an eye on you as you were in and out of your nightmare state.

It has only been a few hours and the progress that Namora had caused was enough to reassure him that you were in the steady rise of finally getting better before he has to deal with bringing you back into the surface and back to the hands of Wakanda—much to his honest dismay.

“When can I go back?” You inquired patting the space on bed for him.

K’uk’ulkan couldn’t help but smile, your curiosity somehow always gets the better of you and here you removing the shyness he had somehow been so found of since meeting you. Without another word, he sat beside you, hand urging your head to rest onto his shoulder.

“It is up to you, In Yakunaj.” He answered.

“How will I go back to the surface—without the suit?” You asked again.

“We have suits to your disposal, it is up to you when you would go up to the surface world.”

He heard you sigh and move a little closer to him now. Your smaller frame and warmth sent a momentary shiver through his spine. It also brought the urge for him to protect you, you couldn’t do it to yourself as you’ve thrown yourself at the hands of death without hesitation once.

“I don’t think I can.” You whispered.

“Then you will stay here in my chambers until then. Is that what you want?” He inquired.

“No. I need to go back to the surface, Shuri promised me that she’ll help me fly back home to my mother after this was done.” You answered turning to look at him now, cheek still resting on his shoulder. “It’s so hard for me to even look at the waters again after what happened. But I want to see my Mama too.”

“Then face your fears.”

He could see you physically flinch at his words as you pulled away. A frown now resting on his lips at the sight of it. The guilt of his insensitive words now washing against his chest—but he was just being practical with his statement now.

“What is your family and life like in the surface world?” He finds himself asking instead hoping to bring you back.

“It’s just me and my Mama and my Papa—my step-father. I never met my real father, but they made me understand early on that Papa isn’t my real father. They thought early on that it was better for the truth to come from them than from someone else. But they loved me so much even with the fact, they worked hard to let me be what I am today. Mama was a Market vendor and Papa was a fisherman, every morning I would watch Papa come back to the shores with an array of different fishes, he would always make me choose one fish for us and the rest would be given to my Mama to sell.” You smiled telling your story. “Mama and Papa loved the waters, I once did too. After I drowned as a kid, I had wanted to make it my mission to never stay in by the waters again to avoid the same thing from happening again.”

He had watched you as you felt into a momentary silence before you continued on.

“I know I broke my parents’ heart when I said I was moving to the city for college, they made it work. They made sure that I’ve got everything I could ever need to make sure I excel. They even forbid me from working part time while I was studying.” You chuckled.

“I still did without telling them, I worked my way through college, monetizing the help I’d give my classmates so I have the allowance to keep me through the god-awful expenses of the city. All the materials I constantly needed for were paid by my classmates and I never told them about those expenses since I know they’d work twice as hard just to afford it.”

“I promised myself the moment I graduated and gotten my first job as a teaching assistant at the same college I studied at, I’ll give my salary to my parents. I don’t want them to work as hard as they did when I was growing up. Every week I would have my friend drive my parents out to the city to buy them anything they might want even if it means I get to eat noodles for the rest of the week, it was all so worth it for them.”

“Then I did something stupid when I got promoted as a Professor. I reversed engineered one of Tony Stark’s suits and showed my class how they could make their own suit with materials they could get from a junkshop. That was how my now-boss discovered me. Gave me an offer that I know would give my parents the life they deserved. One minute I was slaving away grading papers then another I was flying on a private jet to New York with a salary that I know damn well would finally allow my parents to retire on a more permanent basis.”

You stared at him now, head resting back onto his shoulder and his hand now wrapped around you in hope of making you stay in your place. Close to him.

“A few years later, a few bumps in the road, and a whole lot of hearings than I could even count, Shuri had asked my boss if I could come for a visit, and here I am.”

Maybe it was fate, maybe it was cruel world that they all lived in but still here you were. A woman that feared the waters and did everything in your power to avoid it was now in this cove. With the only passage to bring you back to the surface world being the only hindrance stopping you from leaving.

“Use your family as your strength.” He cupped your cheeks. It shakes him to the core the way your eyes twinkled in the darken chambers he found solace in. “Whatever it takes, if you want to see them, you need to face your fears if you want to swim back to the surface.”

It genuinely breaks his heart to see the tears forming your eyes. How he wiped them away before they could even fall. A part of him wanted to kiss the tears away, but he was scared you would pull away if he did so.

“I don’t know how to.”

“I am here to help you. Just as you have helped my people.”

It took you a moment of staring at him, how your hand now held onto his own against your cheeks before you finally nodded.

“Okay.”

#k'uk'ulkan x reader #K'uk'ulkan x filipino!reader #K'uk'ulkan smut #K'uk'ulkan series #K'uk'ulkan oneshot #K'uk'ulkan oneshots #K'uk'ulkan angst #K'uk'ulkan fluff #K'uk'ulkan imagines #K'uk'ulkan imagine #namor x reader #namor x filipino!reader #namor smut #namor series #namor oneshot #namor oneshots #namor angst #namor fluff #namor imagines

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stuckybarton · 2 years ago

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Heads Under Water XII

Summary: When he doesn't even know who he could trust anymore. Character: K'uk'ulkan/Namor x Atlantean Descendant! Filipino! Female Reader. Word Count: 1,915 Chapter Warnings: Drowning. Mention of Vomiting. Namor is an asshole here.

Series Masterlist || Masterlist || Join the Library (no longer do taglist you can just turn on notif here)

Part XII

“At least the bandage are coming off.” You couldn’t help but smile as Namora was kind enough to help you out with removing said bandages. “But that means I have to show more skin now.” You joked earning a chuckle from the warrior at your expense.

“Your clothes—or what is left of it is ready for you to use should you decide to use it.” She points out, gently cutting through the bandages on your side. “But I think it is best for you to remain in this attire for the time being.”

In the silence, the sound of the blade tearing through the bandage was the only thing you could hear through the sound of splashing waters, your eyes looking anywhere else but Namora’s handy work. Instead your eyes fell back towards the murals on the wall. Memories of the instances where you would watch K'uk'ulkan paint and how you would playful ask if he would want to be a painter in his next life to which he would simply shrug and present a coy smile without confirming.

“I have heard from K'uk'ulkan that you plan to stay?” She inquired breaking you from your thoughts.

“Not on a permanent basis.” You confirmed. “I still have my obligations with Princess Shuri, but if he would need me here in Talokan for anything your people would need my expertise with.”

“Have you faced your fears of the water then?” She inquired.

“I can manage now.” You admit almost too proudly by something so simple.

But it had meant so much to you in the moment. How K'uk'ulkan had helped you in facing the fear you had dealt with for your entire life at this point. If any other circumstance you would have refused his offer of help, of even staying here in Talokan, but he helped you more than you could ever thank him for.

“You are special to him…” Namora pointed out and the proverbial blush was immediately painting your cheeks at such insight from the woman. “Broke his own rules for you.”

“I’m no one special.” You brushed off turning upon realizing the last of the bandage was removed and the biggest smile was on your face seeing now visible scarring from your wounds. “Thank you for patching me up so well, Namora.”

“It is nothing.” She brushed off standing up from the bed. “Now, the suit you have requested will be brought in the morning, before you return back to Wakanda, it would make me happy if you would visit Talokan and see everything that I pride my land has to offer.”

You smiled nodding almost ecstatic of the possibility. Initially, you had been hesitant about seeing their kingdom out of your own fear of the water, but now that it was no longer a hindrance, the curiosity now settled through you and you would want nothing more than to go and see Talokan for all of its beauty as Namora and K'uk'ulkan would constantly tell you.

Before long, the familiar sound of the disturbed waters had sounded and you turned to see the man himself in his full glory. K'uk'ulkan. But in this very moment, you were not welcomed with the familiar smile nor the familiar warmth as he held you by the arm—more painful than you would believe he would hold you so.

“What are you doing?” You questioned pulling away from his hold but he was too strong for you.

“Do. Not. Lie. To. Me!” He spat pulling you towards the water and the panic set before you could understand what was going on.

The question that escaped Namora’s lips were left in deaf ears as you were dragged to the waters—the deeper parts of it. All the panic was now settling in your system at what the man was about to do.

“K'uk'ulkan what are you doing?” You questioned trying your best to get away from his hold.

“You will answer my question and if you lie, I will be the one to drown you myself.” He threatened, ice cold was his gaze at you.

“I will, just please let go. You’re hurting me.” You attempted to escape his hold but it was inevitable. “Please, stop.” You continue to plead as he now stood you by the edge of the water.

“Who are you?” He questioned.

“What are you talking about?” You screamed at him, fear no longer giving you any rational thought but to escape from his hold.

“Are you one of them? Are you the one who attacked my people?” He screamed into your face.

“No! Why would I even do that?” You spat at him.

Before you could hear a proper answer from the man, in the blink of an eye you were thrown into the water and everything you have learned from the man had faded away as the panic and fear had consumed your entire being. You struggled to swim up, to find the control to swim, to even float. The air was replaced with water and you felt the all too familiar sting in your lungs.

The scream escaped and you struggled for your life and the man you had trusted to help you in facing your fears stood by the edge, watching you unmoved and unfazed by the sight of you drowning all over again.

This was it, this was how you would die. At the hands of the man you were not supposed to trust. By all the warnings Shuri had once given you of the man, of all the cruel things he had done for the sake of his goal. You will die at the hands of a man you had slowly but pathetically fallen in love with.

“Mama, I don’t want to die.” You found yourself sobbing. “Please Mama, I don’t want to die like this.”

At the change of his expression, it was Namora that quickly dived into the water to save you. Holding you up and back up onto the dry floor. You shivered, taking as much air as your lungs could consume before the vomit began. Everything you have eaten and of the water you had breathed and consumed was expelled for both of them to see.

A pathetic sight to see.

You struggled to stand, to get as far away from the man as possible, but your legs were giving out and it was your arms holding you up from face planting the floor as you continued to puke out the water. The cough began burning your chest so painfully you felt you were truly dying in this moment.

You heard the screams between Namora and the man, but you ignored them, trying your best to regain your breathing and your own sanity at this point. When you felt everything clear up, the sobs continue and the shivering was what came after, the betrayal and the realization that you needed to leave this place once and for all. To get away from the man for what he has put you through.

Blurry eyes finally rose to see Namora shoving K'uk'ulkan away, her spear was now pointed at the man. You know the punishment that would come for Namora for her actions but you could do nothing at this point, out of fear of being placed upon the same predicament all over again.

K'uk'ulkan simply stared at you at this point and the single tear had fallen from his eyes before he had retreated back to the waters.

“I’m sorry.” Namora had slowly approached you, you accepted her hug as it was something you needed right now. “I don’t know what had gotten into him.”

“Please…” You whispered. “Please bring the suit as soon as possible and help me go back to Wakanda before he comes back.” You pleaded.

You no longer felt safe within his chambers. What would stop him from doing the same thing when you were all on your own? The thought only brought the fear to consume you even further at such a possibility.

He should have felt nothing. He was simply doing what was best for his people. If it meant killing anyone along the way he should never hesitate. But he did, as he sat on his throne after his own blood had pointed her weapon at him, the doubt slowly washed over him. The guilt come following after like a hit to the stomach.

He would never be able to sleep at night seeing the heartbreak so evident in your features for what he has done. It had been hours now since he had thrown you onto the very same water he had once warned you not to go with how deep the waters were at that area. But still it felt like he was still in the moment, of his body and his heart fighting to come for you and to save you from the predicament he had placed upon you.

‘Mama, I don’t want to die.’

Those words would haunt him forever. Like a dagger repeatedly stabbing against his heart. It was the same, to place someone he was slowly but surely placing up on a pedestal for.

“In ajawo',”

He broke from his despair at the sight of Namora. He was prepared for what she was about to say. Prepared to forgive her for her actions against him as they were without malice on her part.

"Bix u beel leti'? (How is she?)" He could not help but ask. His heart winning over anything else at this point.

"Leti' ts'o'ok partido suut le superficie (She has departed back to the surface world)." She announced.

His heart dropped.

"Ma' a ordené ti' le dejaras bin (I did not order you to let her leave)." He growled.

“Ka ma' in ordenaste le xu'ulbes je'elel (And you did not order for me to let her stay)." She quipped unfazed by the anger slowly coming.

He was left silent. His people, they were not ordered to do anything rash as he had done and you were free to leave if you so choose to, if you were to be ready to leave. So you did, but at the cause of his actions against you. He was too late, too late to even try to fix things.

"Leti' ts'o'ok confiado ti' teech, ba'ale' elegiste jaatik le ka' tuláakal le progreso u ts'o'ok u meentik tak u llegada. (She has trusted you, but you chose to break her after all the progress she has made since her arrival)."

She was right. No one else was to blame but him.

"Yéetel máax yaan leti'? (Who is she with?)" He slowly resigned to the choices he has made.

"Ma' u confiar ti' mixmáak asab u tu Attuma utia'al u taasik le u paache' ti' le yóok'ol kaaba' le superficie u kin tuukul segura. (I could trust no one else but Attuma to bring her back to the surface world safetly)."

All he could do was nod. Accepting that this would be the last time that he would ever see you again. He no longer had the galls to face you for what he had done. But it was the guilt that now rests upon his shoulders for as long as he was alive.

"Bejla'e', wáaj in dirás Ba'axten ta meentaj ti' le ba'ala'? (Now, will you tell me why you had done this to her?)" She had demanded and he knew he had no other choice but to do so.

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stuckybarton · 2 years ago

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Heads Under Water IX

Summary: You face the aftermath of everything that transpired. Character: K'uk'ulkan/Namor x Atlantean Descendant! Filipino! Female Reader. Word Count: 1,494 Chapter Warnings: Mention of Injuries. Mention of Mental Breakdown. Mention of Tending to Injuries. Inaccurate Portrayal of Anatomy of someone capable of breathing underwater. Mention of Blood.

Series Masterlist || Masterlist || Join the Library (no longer do taglist you can just turn on notif here)

Part IX

There it was again, the burning ache in your chest. The memory of your life in your home, the screams of your cousins and the grasp of someone holding you the memory slowly becoming clearer. Blue skin, mouth piece, and armor made of Vibranium and Jade.

You screamed. You screamed bloody murder until the familiar voice had come to wake you from your nightmare. Opening your eyes you come face to face with Namora. Concern laced on her features but the pain in your chest and the memory of diving into the waters brought you into a shivering mess as you pushed her away with all your strength.

Crawling away from her, slamming face first into the floor didn’t deter you from your mission to get away from her or from anyone else.

“Umalis ka! (Get out!).” You screamed pulling crawling away until your back met the wall. The uncontrollable shaking from fear and the cold had you wrapping your thigh against your chest in a fetal position. Your teary eyes never once leaving Namora that looked panic at your state.

“I am here to help.”

“Get away from me! Do not touch me!” You screamed yet again.

You wanted to be left alone in your state. A state you had once thought would never return after everything you have tried to do in your life. Distracting yourself with work, with responsibilities, and with every little thing you could think about, it worked only for it to crash and bring you back to the little girl that never gotten over her fear of the water.

“Please let me tend to your wounds.” Namora requested as she tried to approach but you shook your head once again.

“Leave me alone!” You sobbed now. “I want to be alone!” You screamed. “Please, just leave me alone.” You pleaded now as the tears have now fully come to consume you.

“As you wish.” She nodded leaving you on your own.

The dark and cold room that you now found yourself in brought the heavier pit in your stomach. The sobs begin to flow freely from your lips. You begged and pleaded through the echoing walls for your mother, for your family, for your childhood back but it was all left in deaf ears for God knows how long.

Slowly, the sobs died and you found yourself now laying down, hugging your legs still and your eyes emptily staring at the painted walls. The ache on your torso now grow unbearable but you couldn’t move. You couldn’t move in your shaking state.

“In Yakunaj, allow Namora to tend to your wounds.”

The shiver that washed through your spine was ignored as you closed your eyes. The tears once again coming to haunt you. You held onto your legs even tighter craning your face against your knees in hopes of hiding your face from the King.

“Y/N, we are not here to harm you. Please.”

“No.” You spoke, wincing as you heard your voice shaking even in your ears.

You felt someone hold onto your shoulders to which you immediately slapped away.

“I said want to be left alone!” You sobbed never once trying to turn to face anyone also in the room.

You heard K'uk'ulkan speak to Namora but you were too deep into your own sanity to try to understand what was being said between the both of them. Eventually, silence had once again covered the room and you were left to let out the sobs all over again, but the tears no longer falling, dried down from crying previously.

A squeal had escaped from you lips as you found yourself lifted into the air and into the arms of K'uk'ulkan. Chest to chest with the man only now did you see his own battle wounds from the unknown attack.

“You’re hurt…” You whispered.

“Not as bad as you.” He points out now carrying you onto the bed.

“I’m fine.” You lied through your teeth even as you winced at the gentle hand that was placed on your side.

“But the shiver and tears say otherwise.” He points out, smiling even in the situation that you were both in.

“I—I don’t…this is the first time in a long while that I’ve even been in the waters.” You tried your best to explain.

“Is it why you do not want to go to Talokan?”

You could only nod, finding yourself resting your forehead against his shoulders now. Hands wrapped around his waist as the memories of your actions coming to you in full force. You had to save Princess Shuri, knowing who was waiting for her back in the surface. But like anything else in your life, it has its consequence and now you were living with another nightmare that would come to haunt you for a long time.

“I drowned when I was kid, and I promised myself I would never go into the water ever again.” You explained.

“And yet you chose to go into the waters to save the Princess?”

You pulled away to look at the man. Brown eyes peering down at you, his hand rested on your waist now. Supporting you as you were now fully resting on his lap.

“I know that Princess Shuri would do the same for me if the roles were reversed.” You answered without an ounce of hesitation from you. “She had someone waiting for her in Wakanda, her mother, her people. Everyone was waiting for her to come back in one piece.”

“And you did not have anyone?”

You looked away now. How easy was it for you to risk your life and the fears you have for the sake of someone else.

“I don’t want another death to be placed under my name if I could help it.” You whispered head falling back against his shoulders. “I promised myself that if I could repay for the sins of my past, I would—even if it means my life would be the price.”

In the silence of the room, the warmth of the man’s body against your own, and the gentle but rhythmic sound of your heartbeats, you slowly faded again into slumber, but now under the man’s protection pulling you away from the nightmare constantly haunting your mind. But now your mind now consumed with his eyes, eyes that held you in a place you knew should not be placed upon you.

He slowly noticed your shaking has ceases and your breathing slowing down. Peering down at you, he realized you had once again fallen back to sleep. His hands slowly moved towards your cheeks, how quickly in your sleep you had nuzzled yourself against his hold.

It was refreshing and daunting for him to see. To realize that something so simple as someone else’s touch would mean so much to you in your sleeping state.

“Ba'ax yaan dormida? (Is she asleep?)”

He turned to see Namora once again returning. Unfazed by the position either of you were in. He instead decided to gently lift you back up and into the bed as she began to tend to your wounds.

“Ba'ax ten Chúuns sangrando tseem. Leti'e' ma' j-atacada. (Why is her chest still bleeding? She wasn't attacked).” He found himself pointing out as Namora was quick to tear the wet shirt you had on.

K'uk'ulkan turned his eyes away from you, not wanting to see you naked, out of respect for your decency and the fact that he might not be able to stop himself if he does. He looked at the mess that you had done to his chambers, the discarded blanket haphazardly on the floor, the few artifacts fallen from your escape away from Namora, and the most daunting sight was the blood that painted his painted walls in the fuss.

He heard the gasp that escaped from Namora’s lips and he returned his gaze back towards you and the sight that fell before him was the bleeding wasn’t from any wounds—but rather unopened gills that were slowly opening up, the mixture of blood and water oozing out.

“Ba'ax le je'ela'? (What is this?)” He found himself questioning in panic. He tried his best to remember the battle, he was certain no one was able to get to you.

“Leti'e' ma' u vomitado le ja'o'. Bejla'e' k ojel Ba'axten. (She has not vomited the water out. Now we know why).”

He found himself drawing nearer, his hand falling towards your torso, towards the gills that now moved in sync with your breathing. The blood no longer oozing out, but the salt water that he was certain you had breathed through during your attempt of saving the Princess.

“Ba'ax le leti'? (What is she?)”

His mind now left in shambles with the revelation, but the more he tried to think of the possibility, the more he is drawn into his initial doubts about you in the past.

You were no ordinary human.

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stuckybarton · 2 years ago

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Heads Under Water XI

Summary: Practice makes perfect, but nothing beat having a submariner for a teacher. Character: K'uk'ulkan/Namor x Atlantean Descendant! Filipino! Female Reader. Word Count: 1,804 Chapter Warnings: Mention of a Dead Body.

Series Masterlist || Masterlist || Join the Library (no longer do taglist you can just turn on notif here)

Part XI

"Am I not interrupting you from any of your duties?"

"For you, nothing is too important that I couldn't postpone."

You tried your best to not blush at K'uk'ulkan’s answer. Trying your best to act unfazed by his words you looked down at yourself and the new change of clothes that Namora had provided you a few hours ago. With the blood and sweat that clung to your clothes, it was best for you to change into something different—thought it was more skin you would generally be comfortable showing on a daily basis—especially with the King’s gaze down at you.

“Now, how would you like to start?” He inquired one brow raised with a playful smile on his face.

“I—I genuinely don’t know where to start.” You admit.

“Come.” He requested one hand out for you to take.

With slight hesitation, you took his hand blushing at the way his hand completely swallowed your own as you both made your way towards the water entrance of his cove. The closer you were to the waters, you found your chest tightening and your breathe growing more rapid.

“Deep breathes, In Yakunaj.” He instructed moving closer until he was in the waters now. “Just your feet.” He continued and you did just that. Letting go of his hand, you held onto his shoulder as you felt the cold water now flooding your feet.

Looking up at the man, he was smiling bigger. Proud of the little feat that you have done now. It was—progress, after all.

“Good.” He spoke holding onto your waist now. Allowing your shaky legs to walk deeper until the water now reached below your knees. “How are you?” He inquired.

“I’m cold.” You observed.

“The water is cold after all.” He spoke as a matter of factly bringing a smile on your face at the sarcasm he was capable of dishing out.

“I’d be more surprised if the water is boiling hot at this point.” You muttered earning a hearty chuckle from the man as he continued to pull you towards the deeper parts of the water.

“Can you still do it?” He urged you on as you moved deeper into the waters.

Now as the water was touching your thighs you felt your knees lock up and your hold on the man’s shoulder now tightening at this point. The shiver was more than just from the cold waters. It was the fear that once again tried their best to consume you.

“Do not think of the fear. Think of what needs to be done.” He instructs you as he now stood still with the water now resting around your waist. “Look at me, In Yakunaj. You are doing well on your first try.”

“I want to go back now.” You requested as you now felt the familiar burn against your chest.

“Okay.”

With his arms wrapped around your waist, he lifted you back up to the dry floor of his chambers. You gaze down at him as he never broke eye contact with you. Every single time he does this, it always brings this unfamiliar spark right down to your toes.

“You did good on your first try.” He praised further making this situation more embarrassing than it already was.

“Thank you.”

“Now dry yourself up and rest. This will be a long road for you and our mission is to ensure you can safely return back to the surface so you can see your mother again.”

And his words rang a truth that you never thought would be something you had to deal with for your duration in his chambers. In what felt like a week, your time consisted of the man helping you face your fears of the waters, to him spending what little free time he has with talking to you of his life, of his heritage, of what was taken from his people and the reason for his hatred for the surface world because of what they represent.

“This world does not deserve people like you, people like the Princess. I still believe it doesn’t.”

“Maybe they don’t.” You agreed as you sat beside the man by the water, your feet now slowly getting used to the cold sensation against your skin. “But sometimes, you wouldn’t know what we had to do in our lives to pay the price to be in this world to begin with.”

Memories of the lives you’ve taken just by association continue to haunt you. You never want to be painted in a picture of perfection or innocence—especially not by this man before you. The names, you’ve read through each and every single names every single time, look through their lives, families you have taken away from them, and the life that they were supposed to live to the fullest.

It was a constant guilt you wish to rid yourself from but you know would never happen. Instead you chose to move forward, pay your dues in whatever you could for the sake of the little few still here to accept it in their need.

“No price is worth it to begin with.” He spoke, cupping your cheek and making you turn your head to face him. “I still want you to stay in Talokan, I want you to learn more about my people. Help in ways only you would know how.”

“I can’t.” You whispered, out of fear or out of apprehension of how it would be like for you if you did. Living in his chambers and by water suits is not ideal in whatever universe you could think of.

You were a woman of science and you already thought of such possibility and it would only be a waste on both of your time and effort in the long run.

“You could make it work. You made it work in Wakanda, you who was placed in such a predicament because of my people had made it work.”

You shook your head, but your body froze as you stared into his eyes.

“Why would you want someone like me here? Am I not part of the surface dwellers you loathe?” You questioned, more for the sake of your sanity.

“An exception.” He admits gently moving his head, you know what he was about to do and for whatever reason you didn’t pull away.

Instead, you found yourself closing your eyes and leaning towards him more. Every other senses become more heightened; your skin felt warm even with the cold air of the chambers and of the water your feet were still submerged in, the warmth of his callous but gentle hand against your cheeks, the loud beating of your heart echoed through your ear, the subtle splash of the water, the smell of his musk against your nostril, and the taste of his lips as they finally met your own.

It was gentle, sweet, and supple. Not something you would have ever thought would come out of the King of Talokan’s lips—but it did. He kissed you so gently, as if he feared he could break you with his touch. His opened his mouth, swallowing you so. How his tongue was as gentle as the hands that cupped your cheeks. He savored you as gently as you tried to take more from him.

You opened your eyes in a daze as he finally pulls away from you. Eyes glimmering brown stared right back at you. A smile played on his face, it was perfect. Perfect in such a dysfunctional situation you were in at the moment and even in your shyness found yourself smiling too.

“In Yakunaj.” He whispered, thumb caressing your bottom lip. “Make me your exception too.”

“Okay.”

Something has changed in K'uk'ulkan at his first taste. It was sweet, warm, and bright. It was you. In the days you were in his chambers, his time away from you was spent smiling and anticipating his return. His people could see the change, Attuma and Namora could see it just as much.

The coldness that he had presented after his lost against Wakanda was replaced in a warmth that he never realized he still possessed throughout the centuries. All because of the outsider, of the woman who had helped his people make safe passage to the surface world.

“In ajawo', k'abéet a wilik le ba'ala'. (My King, you need to see this).”

It was rare for him to see Attuma in such a frightened state, more rare than Namora at times. Of all the gore and death that he had painted his hands in his lifetime, nothing truly fazed him until now. It was something that needed his full attention.

Without another word, he had followed one of his most trusted advisor the grave site they had created to dispose of the corpses of any of the surface dweller who would even attempt in locating the Vibranium. They were not savages, they were given a proper burial each and every single time and among the corpses were that of the warrior that had made an attempt at his kingdom.

With nothing but loin clothes to protect their modesty, one of the few things that stuck out were the gills. It rocked him to the very core for how similar they were from your own. How anatomically similar it was to the ‘wounds’ you have developed when you drowned.

“Ba'ax ku? (What are they?)” He questioned, he couldn’t help but inspect the corpse, how the gills were compared to his people’s own. Larger and far closer to their lungs compared to that of the people of Talokanil.

“Atlantean,” was the only answer Attuma gave him and it was all he needed to know what he was truly up against. So they have persisted now.

"Máax asab u yojel yóok'ol le ba'ala'? (Who else knows about this?)"

"Le j-meno'obo' ba'ax tu beetajo'ob ya'abkach le wíinklil. (The healers that have prepared the bodies)."

He could only nod, mind swimming with all of the scenarios but one thing comes to mind. The betrayal that he could not truly swallow or accept in the moment. You, it all lines up. How the people of Atlantis have come the very same day that he and the rest of his warriors were distracted.

Without another word, he swam away on a mission. He will have his answer, one way or another. What else were you hiding from him? What else where you planning on him and his people?

At the thought of you, the woman that was scared of water, the fury slowly burned to his very core. He was stupid to believe it. It was another ploy that he does not know if there was an end goal on your end.

One way or another, he will find out.

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stuckybarton · 2 years ago

Text

Heads Under Water VIII

Summary: Things go as planned but not in the way anyone expected. Character: K'uk'ulkan/Namor x Atlantean Descendant! Filipino! Female Reader. Word Count: 2,195 Chapter Warnings: Mention of Ambush and Bloodshed. Mention of drowning.

Series Masterlist || Masterlist || Join the Library (no longer do taglist you can just turn on notif here)

Part VIII

“I’m surprise you’re here.” You couldn’t help but smile at Agent Ross as you and a few of the Dora Milaje had gathered by the shores as you were ready to turn this device on.

In your hand was a laptop that would allow you and anyone that wanted to watch from the camera you have installed into the machine as well as the one also attached to Shuri’s wetsuit for the duration of the repairs to be made. With the extensive damages, you had estimated the repairs to take well over three hours, but you wanted to make sure the machine as well as Shuri’s suit could withstand a longer duration just in case anything goes wrong. Multiple suits already on standby for the Dora Milaje to use.

“It’s not every day that something like this happens in Wakanda.” Ross pointed out with a gentle smile. “A little action here and there wouldn’t hurt anyone.”

You could only nod and continue on with watching Shuri set herself up in the suit. A reassuring smile on her face as she continued on with talking to her mother—letting her know that this was a safe project and if it was not she was allowed to behead her. A joke that truly had you lost for words. You know she was joking but somehow the anxiety was getting to you more than you would even admit.

“All set?” You asked instead after a moment. Queen Ramonda even in her pristine and blank look held the worry you were all too familiar with. It was the same look you had seen from your mother when you had told her you were flying to New York for a job opportunity.

It was a worry you wanted to make sure would not be warranted for what was about to happen. Your eyes turned to where numerous Talokanil warriors were also gathered, weapons in their grasped and behind them were the King and his two generals, the expectations of what was to come for today rested heavily on your shoulders.

"I'm ready when you are, Doctor." Shuri beamed, hands now holding onto your own. "And again, I know I do not say this enough, thank you for the help you had given to us. Even after knowing the real reason for your arrival here in Wakanda."

"I've learned so much too. And if you would have me, once I return from my visit back home. You would have space for me still." You spoke.

Now, you do not truly have anything else to do with Stark Industries or with the Avengers Compound. You found your place here, it would be different, but the more you spend your time here without the constant panic that came with working for Tony, the more you felt this was the place for you. Where you knew you would grow in a way that never truly happened under Tony.

"Perfect. I'll have everything ready once this is dealt with." She winked finally wearing the headpiece.

You tugged unto the mask to ensure that the seal was perfect before allowing her to make her way to the waters. The twelve by twelve machine was small compared to what you would usually make for this kinds of excavations, but a more compact device would be better for easier access should the need arise.

"The machine will follow you into the specific tunnel and all you have to do is lift it to the specific area it needs to make the fixes and it will do the rest." You repeated again.

"Got it, Doctor."

You smiled watching as the Princess has nodded towards the King that had now dove towards the waters, followed by his generals and the warriors that came before him.

"Good Luck, Princess." You hoped before finally turning the machine on through the laptop.

Backing away, you had watched Shuri hold onto the machine before heading down into the waters. You were quick to turn the camera and watched firsthand the waters as she swam deeper. You had ignored the familiar tightening on your chest at the sight of the waters as she went deeper. Counting ten backwards, you watched and fine-tuned the machine and checking the vitals as they gotten deeper in.

'You alright, Doctor?' Shuri had inquired through the communication line.

"As alright as I could be." You reassured not wanting her to worry about you at the moment but the task at hand.

You barely watched as the crystal waters slowly darken as they gotten into the depths of the waters. You found your hands were visibly shaken and even the Queen herself has taken notice, inquiring if you would want any assistance. You reassured her you were fine and instead inquired Shuri if they were close to the damages.

'Right in the center of it.'

Through the screen, you frowned realizing the severity of the damages that neither you nor Shuri truly realized until seeing it firsthand yourselves.

"Nudge the machine into the damages and I'll do the rest." You requested and through her camera, you had watched the device slowly make its way to the crevice of the damages and begin to work.

Sitting on the sandy shores, you placed the laptop on your thighs as you began to work. Maneuvering the machine as you watched the arms extend out from either sides, beginning to work it's magic on the repairs.

'You never cease to amaze me, Doctor.' Shuri began, idly watching you hard at work with the repairs.

You have learned early on that the pathway was made of corals and stone and you did you best to assure it stayed the same still. It was like playing puzzle for you now at this point, seeing what rock or coral would fit without damaging the paths further. With further help from the Talokanil Warriors you were able to ensure a perfect seal just within an hour and a half.

"Princess, please make sure everyone is out of the way when I spray the seal onto the rocks." You requested.

You heard a few orders being thrown out by Attuma and Namora before you were given the go-signal to begin the seal. A nozzle had extended out from the machine and you had watched the spurt of the sand mixture into the new repairs.

“What is that?” It was Queen Ramonda that had first made the inquiry.

“It’s a kind of sand and cement mixture. It hardens immediately when in contact with rocks, and is nearly indestructible. The only catch is it crumbles on dry land.” You explained.

Just like you’ve expected, you watched the mixture slowly solidify before your very eyes and you had even asked Attuma to test the integrity of the new structure. Watching him strike the walls with his spear only for his spear to bend in the process.

‘Good job, Doctor.’

“I had my doubts about this, bringing you along into this mess. But it seems you and my daughter have proven me wrong.” Queen Ramonda spoke looking down at you, a faint smile playing on her face now.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“Now, please tell my daughter to come back to the surface.” She ordered, somewhat playfully now.

“You heard your mother, Princess.”

You could faintly hear Shuri talking amongst the people in Talokan. Each and every single one of them now coming to test the new path you had helped rebuilding. You smiled knowing it would take a while before she would come out to the surface, only now given the opportunity to return after everything that had happened between Wakanda and Talokan.

You once again checked the vital of both the machine and Shuri’s suit and you have noticed everything was still in stable condition. Queen Ramonda eventually allowed Shuri to explore around, with her seeing the beauty of Talokan through the screen, even she was amazed by the sheer beauty of the kingdom and the alarming number of people that lived under the depths of the water—more people that even you could have ever imagined.

‘The offer still stands, Doctor. You will learn so much from Talokan.’

A blush had lingered on your cheeks at the voice of the King through the communications. You now refused to meet the Queen’s eyes, fearing she might think you were conspiring against her and her people.

“I simply can’t.” You answered instead not wanting to linger so much into the topic.

But the tour was interrupted by the sound of something crashing and your eyes lingered right back to the machine fearing it had malfunctions, but seeing the vitals still normal, your next instinct was to check Shuri and the sight of utter chaos among Talokan as several beast had come to attack the Talokanil warriors was the last thing you would have expected to see.

“Shuri get out now!” You screamed and the utter chaos had the Dora Milaje up to attention, slipping on the wetsuits and diving down without hesitation to save the Princess.

You tried to reprogram the machine to assist Shuri in navigating out of the passage but you cursed at the sight of one of the beast go straight for Shuri and the machine. You rapidly continued on typing hoping to use the locator in hopes of seeing them.

“What is happening?”

Your mind was moving faster than your own fingers did and for some God damn reason, you found yourself throwing the laptop onto the flood and immediately suiting yourself into the last remaining wetsuit available. Your mind and body working in sync as you made the last adjustments—ignoring the panicked words of the people around you before you found yourself allowing the adrenaline to take over your body as you dived head first under the water.

They were being attacked. The last thing K'uk'ulkan would have ever believed to happen was an armored whale shark begin their attack on his people. His attention was torn between the bloodshed that was happening before him and the sight of now unconscious Princess Shuri among the chaos of it all.

He could not make his way towards her in time as numerous unknown assailants had now slipped out of the beast. Armed in linen robes and Obsidian they were no warriors of Talokan. Weapons ranged from mace and axes, to bow and arrows and even boomerangs. This were no people of his and that simply scared him the most—for he truly did not know if there were people like them in this world.

All of the warriors had stark white hair and eyes glowing bluer than the clear water. They were not equipped with any form of breathers Talokanil uses to breath in the surface. They were simply just like him—but far more dangerous.

Before long, he had watched the Dora Milaje come to defend them in this fight. The water was no obstacle for them, but they truly had one goal that was different from his own—save the Princess, nothing more and nothing less. But even the warriors of Wakanda were not immune to the attacks that came after them.

K'uk'ulkan had found himself battling numerous of the warriors that had now focused on him. His mind panicked, for this was an attack he had once fear would happened. Someone had found them and he was not sure who was truly to blame for it.

Then he saw it, the small glimmer of hope for Wakanda, you. You struggled to swim further down, but you were on a mission and K'uk'ulkan did his best to waver as much of the warriors away from your direction as you made your way to Shuri that has now slowly gained consciousness and only then did he come to realize that the suit that she had on was damaged and water was slowly seeping in.

Without an ounce of hesitation as he continued on with attacking anyone who would come his way, he had watched from his peripherals how you did not hesitate to let Shuri were your head gear and urged her up to safety in the surface. The Dora Milaje retreating now as they had extracted the Princess away from the dangers of the battle.

But now he has something else he needed to worry about. You. You, who even in the face of the death of your life had tried your best to take the machine without any form of breathing gear and how the wide eyes and the sudden grasp onto your throat meant reality was finally slamming through you in your predicament as you opened your mouth and tried to breath in the waters.

“Take her to my cove!” He orders Namora to which she did without an ounce of hesitation and in the panic that laced his voice he realized there was truly something about this woman that he was still uncertain about but it was a kinship that he was not so sure if he truly wanted to address after all was said and done. But for now, all that he could hope was for your safety above everything else.

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stuckybarton · 2 years ago

Text

Heads Under Water VII

Summary: When he sees a different side of you. Character: K'uk'ulkan/Namor x Atlantean Descendant! Filipino! Female Reader. Word Count: 1,861 Chapter Warnings: None

Series Masterlist || Masterlist || Join the Library (no longer do taglist you can just turn on notif here)

Part VII:

It was the vicious words in the dead of night that had him peak from the waters.

He had saw you with the Princess earlier in the night, but as the nights grew later and the bonfire that had long died down, so did your mood. Your temper that he was uncertain you could have it in you to have in your state. In the pitch darkness, he had listened to your words. You were speaking with your boss. A conversation that wasn’t a good one. Words that were not supposed to be said, hurtful at times. K'uk'ulkan had come to learn you were capable of being so—venomous. The prim and always professional Doctor was dishing out one curse word after another.

It left with you finally ending the call and slamming the phone onto the sanded ground in front of you. A frustrated scream escaped your lips as you finally settled yourself onto the tree stump he had slowly learned you favored when you visit the beach.

“You can stop looking like a pervert by the waters.”

It took him by surprise just how angry you were. Since the beginning, when he had first started to watch you at night as you spent the rest of the night off in the beach, you would never acknowledge him—not even when you had known he was there. Whatever anger you might have had overtaken any hesitation or precaution you might have in your body.

“It seems like I have caught you in a bad time?” He began, walking further back into the surface.

The cool air doing wanders towards his warming skin after being caught and called out.

“You tell me.” You muttered eyes glaring daggers at the discarded phone.

K'uk'ulkan could only nod and take the device and hand it back to you. He felt a far too dangerous spark as he touched your skin. He said nothing, instead choosing to look at you, how your eyes stared blankly at the device now back in your possession.

The frown growing deeper on your face the more you looked at the device.

“Sometimes I just want to run away from my responsibilities and never look back.” You began, moving to give him space to sit.

K'uk'ulkan’s head was telling him not to, but his body said otherwise as he found himself sitting beside you on the stump, your dry thigh touching his own damp ones but chose not to acknowledge. Even in the cold airs, your warmth already consumed him.

“Why don’t you?” He inquired now his eyes gazing up towards the stars.

“It’s not that simple.”

“If you desire something, you would not speak of it out loud unless you want to do it—much less let a stranger know about it.”

Even in the darkness, the glow of the moon allowed him to see the way you rolled your eyes at this words. Had it been any other individual, his weapon would already be stained with their blood. But he knew better, he knew you were different from what he was, what the people of Wakanda know of as rankings.

“I have responsibilities.” You pointed out plopping the device onto the sands between your feet. “It’s not as big or as grand as you and Princess Shuri’s, but I still got mouths to feed.”

“A husband and children waiting for you?”

“God No.” You giggled then, almost finding humor in his line of question. “I wouldn’t subject a husband or children to the line of work that I have right now. I don’t think I’m even cut out to be a wife or a mother in my state.”

“Then who?”

“My parents.” You answered, smiling as you looked at him and he couldn’t help himself from looking right back. “I’ve got so much I want to do to make them proud. They made ends meet while putting me through college, being here earning a shit load of money while also doing the things that I lovem, I’m doing all of it for them—I want to make them realize they didn’t bet on losing dogs.”

“I’m sure they know that.” He tried to reassure you, knowing the same experience from his own mother long ago. The promise he had to keep even if it meant bloodshed. He kept his promise to his mother even after her death.

“They always say they do. But I know it’s not enough, they’re just being—my parents.” You shrugged.

He blinked not knowing what else was there to say. You were right, some parents are just like that, they constantly see the best in their children but not all would mend those that could see their worst.

“What would you do—if all was said and done and you do not burden yourself with your responsibilities?” He asked instead, genuinely wanting to pick up their conversation still.

“I might want to stay here in Wakanda, I want to learn more than I already know. I want to help the people that are less fortunate or lacked the equipment for everyday things that we have right now.”

More and more, he is fascinated with you and how you speak. Viciousness, meekness, and now passion that he had never seen in his lifetime. You had everything you could ever have as a surface dweller and instead of trying to capitalize in what you have—you chose to give it away.

“Talokan has learning you might be interested in.” He points out. “You are already versed in our tongue, learning our ways wouldn’t be much of a problem for you.” He smiled remembering in the short amount of your stay you had been able to learn his language in a way that took the people of Wakanda weeks or even months to do.

The offer was once made by Princess Shuri to stay for the sake of the scientist. But when all was said and done, she held a bigger responsibility that he could not take from her—but you, you held something so fragile that any minute it could fade away. He should not welcome another surface dweller—let alone an outsider in his home, but in the conversation you had both with your boss and your own mother, you have never once spoke about his people nor anything about Wakanda. He trusted you, more than he ever should for someone he had only known for less than a month.

“Good luck with placing me anywhere near the water.” You snort. “That Attuma guy would need to drag me to hell and back before I would even agree to be anywhere near the water—no offense.”

“For someone that is well equipped with anything related to waters, you have fears?”

“It’s stupid.” You brushed off. “I almost drowned when I was a kid and now I just have this unreasonable fear of being in the waters.”

“But the waters are calm?” He craned his head in confusion. But then again, one of the many ways they would discard intruders were by drowning.

“The scariest part of the waters are what is at the bottom of the waters, what we have yet to discover for ourselves.”

“I can tell you now and it’s nothing to be afraid of.”

“And I genuinely don’t doubt you on your words, but there are just some things I would rather die than to do.” You assured picking up your phone and standing back up. “It’s getting late and I still have to make some finishing touches to your machine I should head back. Thank you for accompanying me K'uk'ulkan.”

He could only nod, swallowing the disappointment of you leaving him now. He watched you slowly make your way back to the palace, using your phone as a torch to guide you back. In the distance, as he had watched your figure disappear he turned his attention back to the waters—Namora and Attuma already watching him, disapproval written on their features.

It took you just two hours of sleep before you found yourself back up on your feet, bathed, dressed in the most comfortable shirt you own and a pair of Levi’s jeans as you made your way back to the lab to make the finishing touches to the machine.

A beaming smile was now on your face as you began your work. There was this cathartic feeling of speaking your mind to Tony last night, how he had once again ignored your warning of not using your project yet and once again you find yourself being invited by the senate to speak for your involvement. It was so freeing to just cuss him out and warn him that you will not place yourself in any blame anymore.

It was also a little reliving to have someone to talk to—K'uk'ulkan. Even to this very hour as you were deep in your own work, you still wondered where the balls have come from to call him out as he watched you by the waters yet again. Forcing him to keep you company while you wonder what to do with your life now if you do eventually decide to leave Stark Industries for good.

“You’re up bright and early.” It was Shuri that had greeted you and making you look up from your thoughts. Besides her was Namora that already looked like she was in a bad mood—far from what was usually on her face.

“We’re throwing this into the water today so I want to make sure I don’t miss anything beforehand.”

“Today?” It was Namora that now sounded surprise, brows furrowed and her hand had held onto your spear far too cautiously for your own liking in the moment.

“We’re not gonna fix the tunnels today.” You reassured her. “I want to make sure that the water doesn’t leak through before we dive further down the waters.” You explained.

“And who will be heading down with this machine?”

You looked at Shuri and it was all the answer you needed to give as she already knew her way around the tunnels and any obstacles that might happen could be handled by anyone of the people of Talokanil that would also be joining in fixing the problem.

“What about you? This is your creation should you not be the one to lead in the operation.” She spoke further which genuinely made you unnerved by her sudden change in attitude—towards you.

“I can’t. It’s for personal reasons and I trust the Princess to be able to handle this on my behalf.”

You heard grumbling in her mother tongue, some of which was hurtful towards you but you chose to ignore not wanting to further her already growing temper. You instead focused on continuing on with your work. Fingers tapping away at the computer and humming to yourself as you tried to distract yourself from the ever growing tension that suddenly fell in the laboratory.

You know you will succeed in your machine, but it doesn’t mean you weren’t worried for the outcome should it fail. Was it death or failure and disappointment that made you more scared?

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stuckybarton · 2 years ago

Text

Heads Under Water XIV

Summary: Finally going home was all you needed. Character: K'uk'ulkan/Namor x Atlantean Descendant! Filipino! Female Reader. Word Count: 1,757 Chapter Warnings: None.

Series Masterlist || Masterlist || Join the Library (no longer do taglist you can just turn on notif here)

Part XIV

“Ang Anak ko! (My Baby!)”

The sobbing from your mother the moment you landed from the jet by the beach side of your childhood home washed away all of the stress of the constant travel you’ve placed upon yourself for the past twenty-four hours. You were wrapped in her arms and it was all you would have wanted right now—ignoring the pain still lingering from your body.

“I’m here, Mama.” You whispered. Mind going back to the moment where you thought you would never see her again. The resolve to be with her now into fruition after such a long time apart. “And I brought a friend.” You slowly pulled away to where Shuri was now making her way down the jet. A shy smile playing on the younger woman’s face.

“Ay! Hindi mo naman sinabi na may kasama kang kaibigan. Nakapagluto sana ako ng pagkain para sa inyo. (Oh! You didn’t say you would bring your friend. I would have made food for them).”

You watch your mother promptly pull away from you and began hugging Shuri much to her surprise. You tried your best to hide the laughter at the sight of her in such a predicament. It was even more amusing for her to ask in broken English about your whereabouts and what you’ve been doing for the past few years to have you not come home. You could only give Shuri a knowing look that your mother wasn’t aware of her involvement in Wakanda.

“O sya, sasabihin ko na lang sa papa mo na kumuha ng hipon at alimasag sa freezer. Wala naming allergy yung kaibigan mo diba? (Anyways, I’ll tell your father to get some shrimps and crabs from the freezer. You friend doesn’t have any allergies, right?)”

“I don’t.” Shuri reassured with a smile. You blinked in surprise that she could understand, only to realize that she had her AI on the little earpiece she had on. The realization that she had also understood what K'uk'ulkan had now called you was also up in the air. “I hope it’s also alright to overstay our welcome.” She pointed towards the jet that also had Okoye.

Your time in the jet was with Okoye bantering with Shuri about where to park the jet in the beach, and you eventually breaking the argument and reassuring the beachside would be big enough for the aircraft—temporarily. God knows what your neighbors would think when they catch sight of it in the morning.

“No worries.” You reassured them both. “Stay as long as you like.”

For the next few hours, from the feast your mother had given to you and your companions to you showing them around the beach and pointing towards the reinforced rock formation you had created to avoid the tides, they seemed a little more relaxed to be here.

“Now I don’t understand why you wouldn’t come home to this paradise.” Shuri pointed out as you both walked barefoot by the sand.

Okoye had made it her mission to patrol around to avoid any unnecessary eyes around as well as to ensure the both of you had your much needed privacy for a good while.

“It’s home. I wanted something more to do than be here.” You pointed out. “I wanted to make money to give my parents the life they deserve, when I did—I now want to make them proud of the accomplishments I’ve done in my career.”

The waves and winds were calm this time of the day, it was a complete contrast to the thunders of your heart and of your mind. But slowly, the longer you stay home, the slower the thoughts and fears would subside. It was needed, a long time coming for you to finally do. You only wished it was on a much different term than you are right now.

“Will we expect you back in Wakanda?” She inquired.

“I just need to handle some things back in New York, then I’m all yours after.” You reassured her.

You knew in your heart that being in New York no longer felt like an obligation, not with another pending investigation for the things you have not done were waiting for you when you come back. It was now a curse you needed to break before finally having a clean slate in your life.

No longer did the money matter as you’ve have all the money you could ever have and all that could help your parents for as long as they are alive. It was now your morality above everything else.

“Will you be fine in Wakanda even with what happened to Namor?” She continued and you halted, feet curling against the rough sands as you turned your gaze back towards Shuri. It was bound to be acknowledged, one way or another.

“I’ll be fine.” You reassured, having not said anything about what transpired. To this very moment, you refused to be responsible for another war, even if it meant your own demise. “I’ll always be fine.”

As the sun has set, Shuri was needed back in Wakanda. Your mother had insisted on giving them a shit ton of coffee they had lying around, as well as some knickknacks they had and a dozen of sweets for their journey back home. Shuri had insisted once again that you were to call her when you decided to come back to Wakanda which you accepted without hesitation and you were now left all on your own back home with your parents to finally catch up about everything that you’ve been doing since you’ve last gotten back home.

“Himala naman at pinayagan ka na ng boss mo na mag bakasyon. (It’s a miracle that your boss finally allowed you a vacation).” Your father pointed out at the dinner table.

One of the many things you have missed about going home was the food. Rice was always a staple, something you did not have laying around in New York, and the food that only your mother was capable of making was just something that made you miss home more and more. The smell of fried fish and fermented shrimp already has your stomach growling.

“Masyado na rin akong na-ooverwork kaya hinayaan na niya kong magbakasyon ng matagal (I’m so overworked that he finally allowed me a long vacation).” You responded, to this day, you still think it was best for them not to know your involvement with Wakanda—or even the people of Talokan for the foreseeable future.

“Aba dapat lang. (As he should).” Your mother pointed out loading your plate with a serving for two at this point but you genuinely would be able to finish and get another serving of. “Ang laki ng pinayat mo hindi na tama yung mga pinag-gagawa sayo ng lalaking yun. (You’ve lost weight, whatever that man is making you do isn’t right anymore).” She continued.

“I know.” You admit, if only she truly knew the extent of it. “Mag-reresign na rin ako sa kanya pagbalik ko. (I’m resigning when I get back).”

There was a beat of silence before your parents shared a look.

“Anak, napag-isipan mo na ba ng maigi to? (Baby, have you thought this through?)” Your father inquired, the same question that had been given to you when you had told them the news that you were quitting your teaching position to fly to New York to work for Tony all those years ago.

You know your father always meant no harm in his words, always wanting the best for you. But it breaks your heart that they still do worry about you still even at your age. You were not getting any younger just as much as they weren’t. You couldn’t live a life where you create and create things with the sole purpose of saving the same people that would have a chance of becoming a casualty. In good conscious, you couldn’t do it anymore.

“Opo, may malilipatan na rin naman ako. Private company na sya kaya iwas na rin sa gulo tulad kay Tony. (Yes, I already have somewhere else I could work for. It’s a Private Company so I could avoid the chaos just like with Tony).”

Technically you were not lying. Wakanda was private still. Secluded form the outside world and the only mess they might find themselves in is when it either involves anyone trying to look for Vibranium or from anyone in Talokan. Both issue you were far certain you could avoid dealing with from now on if you were careful.

“Magiging ligtas ka na ba dyan? (Will you finally be safe there?)” Your mother asked.

In the years of working with Tony, aside from the multiple hearings with US Senators and UN for that matter, you’ve also had your fair shares of near-death experiences from Alien Attacks and other villains’ hell bent on taking over the world. It will never be avoidable wherever you may find yourself working with, Wakanda was no exception to it.

“I will.” You assured your mother still even with it not truly being the truth, but your mother didn’t need to know it. “Baka mas mababa ang sahod, pero alam kong mas makakatulong ako sa nangangailan. (The pay might not be as high but I know I could truly help those in need).”

“Basta kung saan ka masaya, Anak. Nandito lang kami ng Mama mo lagi, proud na proud sayo. (As long as you’re happy, Baby. Me and your mother are always here, proud of you).”

You tried your best not to shed a tear at your father’s words. It weighed so heavily on you to throughout the years. No matter how many times they say it to you, it never felt like it was real. It wasn’t enough. After all you had done, being the center of far too negative news in the past, it didn’t feel like you deserved it at all.

After dinner, for once you had settled into your childhood bed. The array of memorabilia that screamed at you was just a sight to see. The countless awards and recognitions you’ve earned throughout your time at school and University was all placed on one side of the wall. But the one thing that stood out the most was the picture of you and your parents on your college graduation. The beaming smile on both of their faces when they walked besides you when you took your diploma.

For them, you’re making the needed change in your life once and for all.

#k'uk'ulkan x reader #K'uk'ulkan x filipino!reader #K'uk'ulkan smut #K'uk'ulkan series #K'uk'ulkan oneshot #K'uk'ulkan angst #K'uk'ulkan fluff #K'uk'ulkan imagines #K'uk'ulkan imagine #namor x reader #namor x filipino!reader #namor smut #namor series #namor oneshots #namor angst #namor fluff #namor imagines

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stuckybarton · 2 years ago

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Heads Under Water XIII

Summary: The aftermath of everything going wrong. Character: K'uk'ulkan/Namor x Atlantean Descendant! Filipino! Female Reader. Word Count: 1,106 Chapter Warnings: None. Maybe K'uk'ulkan's failed attempt at an apology(?)

Series Masterlist || Masterlist || Join the Library (no longer do taglist you can just turn on notif here)

Part XIII

“Doctor!”

The relief has slowly washed over your face the moment you had slipped off the suit. Without even thinking twice, you had made your way towards Shuri as she had pulled you in for a hug. A hug you somehow felt you still needed after everything that had happened in the past few hours.

“I thought you had died.” Shuri was close to tears and the guilt of having her worry about someone like you.

“I’m here. I’m okay.” You reassured her before turning your attention to towards your travel companion.

Attuma stood without word all throughout your swim back to the surface. But for someone as formidable and strong as him, he had been gentle with you all throughout. How he had held you to him as the fear of the water was getting too much for you. He powered his way to the surface for your sake above all else.

“Please make sure Namora is safe.” You plead the man to which he only gave a gentle nod before departing with the suit in his grasp.

“What had happened? It’s been a month.” Shuri began to question. “Come, we need to ensure you’re well. We need to have the healer have a look at you.”

Without another word, you allowed her to pull you back into the palace. Everything was going too fast. Numerous people were scrambling at the news of your return, a set of clothes were provided to you as the ones given to you by Talokan clung to your body with how wet it was before you were dutifully checked upon by their physician.

“After the attack on Talokan, the borders were shut down and we had tried our best to look for you—even if it means just your remains. But Talokan themselves were in lockdown while they were looking for the people responsible for the attack.”

All you could do was nod. Wondering about K'uk'ulkan’s words against you and how even after the long hours since he threw you to the water, what he meant by your involvement in whatever attack it was that happened to his people.

“I don’t even know.” You admit to Shuri. “All I want to do right now is go home to my parents.”

“We will have the jet ready when you are. We just need to make sure you are alright and well enough to travel.”

All you could do at the moment was nod, no longer having the will to protest. Fatigue never truly hitting your system until now. It felt like hours, but when the physician had given the green light and some special balm on the visible bruise on your arm, you were allowed to go.

“Where is she?”

You turned your head slowly at the sight of Queen Ramonda. You found yourself bowing at the sight of her, the guilt of almost being responsible for the death of her daughter. It had weighed on you in the days of your isolation in the man’s chambers. You could not live with yourself knowing you were responsible for another lost life all over again.

“Thank you.” The last thing you would have ever expected to happen was for the Queen to pull you in for an embrace. “For everything you have done, for us and especially for my daughter.”

You were left speechless. This was the last thing you would have expected from the Queen herself after everything that has happened. But you accepted the hug and hugged her gently back, not all was lost it may seem. But you grow uncertain if the offer to remain with Wakanda would still be given after what had happened. Would you even go and accept it knowing that the man that had intentionally tried to kill you would be within reach and you could do nothing but watch your back constantly because of it.

“You will now have a home here for everything that you have done for us.” She continued.

All you could do was nod, unable to process what her words truly meant right now.

“I want to go home for now. After everything—I just want to go to my parents and recover from all of this.” You requested as you gently pulled away from the older woman. ~ He had learn about the news of your leaving Wakanda—permanently or temporary he was not certain. Namora and Attuma refused to make him aware at this point in time. But he was persistent that he needed to see you one last time even if it was to say good bye or to simply apologize.

“Namor.”

The name had struck so much fear to the people he intended to strike fear upon, but when it escaped your lips, it was a stab at his heart. He had done this—he had done this to you and there was no other way of excusing it now. How you had physically made yourself smaller where you stood behind one of Dora Milaje.

“In Yakunaj.” He meant it with all his heart now. But it was far too late to convince you otherwise.

“I’m going home, In ajawo.” You spoke, no sense of humor he had grown so used to in your time in his chambers.

“I am here to say my farewell and to make things right.” He continued, grasping onto anything to make you not look at him like you were in this moment.

“I don’t think so.” You whispered, profusely shaking you head in the process.

“Then please take this.” He urged, stepping closer to you even with every single member of the Dora Milaje cautious of his movement, he was uncertain if they were made aware of his mistake. “You whisper anything here, and place it in the waters and I will come to you wherever you are. I hope to make things right with you, whatever it takes.”

You didn’t cower now instead approaching slowly, but never truly coming as close as he would be happy with. But it was progress as you took the conch shell in his grasp. Your hand touched his own for a fraction of a second but it was enough to satiate him for the moment.

“Good bye, Namor.” You whispered, before making your way to the jet with Shuri by the tarmac, arms crossed and dangerous glare pointed right at him.

“I hope to be able to see you again soon.”

“For a different reason instead of what you’ve thrown on to me the last time.” You quipped before turning away further into the jet.

He had hoped it would be so.

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bellonalabelle · 2 years ago

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TEASER! Namor X Filipino!Goddess Reader Introduction

Disclaimer!: I do not claim k’uk’ulkan but he can claim me (jk/ char)

________

Vibranium is a precious yet dangerous metal kept safe by Wakanda and Talokan for centuries. Other nations just see this metal as something that can be used to forge their weapons of war and further strengthen their power and feed their greed.

It was common knowledge for the two nations that the metal came from a meteorite ten thousand years ago.

Yet there is a myth that only a few know of the creation of this metal, The birth of a Goddess who fell from the skies and blessed the earth with her presence.

A goddess, when coming of age, rose from the earth with beautiful golden-tanned skin, her alluring frame clothed with rich golden fabrics and precious metals that came with her birth mixed with gold.

A goddess with a face of perfection, who emits an aura of Gold that makes mortals unable to resist her charms. Revered by her beauty and venerated for her skills as a warrior, she is both loved and feared by her worshippers.

The Goddess of Wealth and Greed, The punisher of avarice, the salvation of the indigent.

Burigadang pada sinaklang Bulawan “Golden Goddess”

#namor x reader #filipino reader #namor x filipino!reader #goddess reader #king namor #k'uk'ulkan #wakanda forever

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stuckybarton · 2 years ago

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Bathala and the Forsaken Queen

Summary: He was called by the Spanish as the child without love, but to you, his wife, he was the man that has saved you and your child from the impending death at the hands of the colonials dead-set on killing your entire bloodline. Character: K'uk'ulkan/Namor x Filipino!Queen!Female Reader. OC Daughter (Adlaw) Word Count: 6,388 Warnings: Philippine History Inaccuracy, changed some dates to suit the story. Mention of War and the Atrocities during the Spanish Colonization in the Philippines. Death and mentions of corpses. Angst. Happy Ever After. BPWF spoilers and slight deviation to the plot. Mention of consuming dangerous plants. A/N: A request from @kpopgirlbtssvt, Another banger of a request from you thank you so much for this. Again I did tweak a few things here and there and i hope that's fine with you.

Masterlist || Join the Library ( i no longer do taglist you can just turn on notif here)

Bathala and the Forsaken Queen

TALOKAN | PRESENT DAY

Shuri walked into the room where Namor had been spending most of his time painting the murals on the walls. The vibrant colors and intricate details caught her attention as soon as she stepped in.

“Princess.”

Shuri continued to observe the paintings, noticing the different scenes depicting the history of Namor's people. She pointed to one in particular, showing a woman and child, protected by a God-like being from attackers.

“Who is this?” Shuri had inquired. Among the numerous of artworks, there was a certain veneration, a certain care into painting this woman among the rest of the artworks in the murals on the wall.

“She is my wife, my Queen, the mother of Talokan.”

MACTAN, CEBU, PHILIPPINES | 1592

You hold your daughter close to you as you run along the sandy beaches. The wind is whipping at your hair and dress, and you can hear the sound of the waves crashing against the shore, the screams of death of your people, and the sound of the fire enveloping your homes. Your heart was pounding in fear as you glance over your shoulder to see the Spanish Conquistador chasing after you with a sword in hand—blood that you were certain was of your husband, the King’s after the brutal fight. Now you and your child run to avoid becoming the spoils of their victory.

“Keep running,” You urged yourself, holding your infant close to your chest, trying to sound calm despite the terror and anguish in your heart. “We will not let them take us.”

Your daughter coos as if sensing your own dread, her eyes filled with tears as she was looking up at you. You can see the fear in her eyes and it breaks your heart to know that she is experiencing such terror at such a young age. You are the Queen of your people, but in this moment, you feel powerless against the force of the Spanish invasion.

As you run, you see a large rock formation in the distance. It's your only chance to take cover and make a stand against the Conquistador. You pull your daughter towards your chest even more, hoping that it will provide some protection.

As you reach the rocks, you turn to face the Conquistador, your heart heavy with the knowledge that this could be your final stand. The Conquistador approaches, his sword gleaming in the sunlight.

You stand tall, ready to fight for your life and the life of your daughter. You know that the odds are against you, but you will not go down without a fight. You hold your daughter close, feeling her small body tremble with fear. You whisper words of love and comfort to her, trying to give her strength in this dark moment.

The Conquistador approaches, his sword raised high. You close your eyes, ready to face your fate. But before he can strike, the sound of a neck being snapped and the Conquistador falls dead to the sandy ground below you was what now comes to you.

You feel the surge of gratitude and relief wash over you as you turned to face a possible soldier from your people that helped, but the smile that was slowly growing on your face faded just as quick as it had appeared. The man in front of you was no soldier of your people—but a man that exuded power greater than any Gods in your lifetime.

Was this Bathala? Has he finally answered your prayers? You could not think straight out of fear of everything that has transpired, you had pulled your daughter closer to your chest. Protecting her from whatever wrath the God might come for you and your fallen people.

The man speaks, a language that you know nothing about. Fear grew more and the possibility of him being just like the Conquistador but instead of savagery, you were given a small bracelet which he gently slipped onto your shaking wrist.

You approached the man cautiously, your mewling daughter close to your chest and ready to move if the need arises. With his hands held up, you took a look at the man and realizing he was truly no human you had ever seen in your life before.

Pointed ears, same skin as you, his ears, nose, and neck adorned in jewelry but the most shocking part of the man in front of you were the pair of wings on either side of his feet. How only now did you realize that he was not standing on the sand, but was hovering and the sight of the fluttering wings both interested you as much as it did scare you.

With your own shaky hand you slipped off your own gold armband, handing it to the man in a quiet exchange hoping he would understand you were no threat, just simply a mother trying to protect your daughter. You watch him take hold of it, how he had slip the band around his wrist and the smile of reassurance resting on his face.

The fear slowly fading away from your system at a friendly company, but your mind was now washed with the anguish of what was left of your home. Everything that close to ashes at this point. No longer did you hear the sound of cries nor the sound of swords in the distance. It was quite painful to hear the empty silence of what was left of your people because of the Conquistador.

As you turned to finally thank the man that has saved you and your daughter, the man was gone, leaving you and your daughter to tend to yourself from now on.

TALOKAN | PRESENT DAY

“She was just like me, but from another country far from our own. Her people and her first husband were killed in the aftermath of the Spanish Conquistador.”

Shuri could only nod, watching as Namor gestured to images of you, who moved and settled to a cave-like home, far from what you were once so accustomed to in your life.

“She had a daughter?” Shuri wondered, looking more into the child that once had the same color of skin in the first image before her skin was now painted blue just like your own now.

“My blessing. She might not have been my blood, but I have treated her just like my own.”

MACTAN, CEBU, PHILIPPINES | 1592

It was hard to start from scratch.

The fear of possibly another Conquistador coming for you and your daughter had you on edge and instead of returning to your home, you have decided that it was best to live in a cavern close to your home, but discreet enough to hide you and your daughter from anyone that would place the both of you in harm’s way.

It’s been days since the attack in your home, days since you have ever caught a wink of sleep. In the damp floor with your daughter resting on what was once your lavish robe laid besides you sleeping, you found yourself sobbing. You begin to mourn the death of your husband, who fought valiantly against them in hopes of buying enough time for the both of you to escape. You could remember the way your husband was outnumbered, how in his dying breath he had screamed for you to and your daughter to run for your lives, how he had told you his love and devotion to you, his Queen and his wife. The memory was a burning reminder of everything you have lost because of the invaders.

Your hands had covered your mouth, fearing that you might wake your daughter up because of your despair. You watch your daughter’s chest gently rise and fall and in the image of her, you grew numb for what you knew you needed to do to live, to strive, and to ensure that she would grow up happy and away from whatever danger that was in this world.

In the stillness of what you now call your temporary home, you heard footsteps. The alertness waking you from your sleepless state. You crouch in the dimly-lit cave, your heart racing as you listen for any sound of approaching danger. In your arms you had lifted your daughter up, your six-month-old daughter sleeps peacefully still, oblivious to the turmoil that surrounds her.

You stroke your daughter's soft cheek, marveling at her innocence and her trust. She is your hope and your future, the embodiment of all that you hold dear. You vow to keep her safe, to teach her the ways of your people, and to instill in her the strength and resilience needed to survive in this harsh new world.

As you wait in the darkness, your mind drifts back to happier times, before the arrival of the Spanish. You remember the lush forests and sparkling beaches, the vibrant festivals and colorful ceremonies. You remember the warmth and generosity of your people, the sense of community and belonging that permeated every aspect of your life.

But those memories are tinged with sadness and anger now, as you realize how much has been lost. Your people have been forced to flee their homes, to abandon their farms and fishing boats, to abandon their traditions and beliefs. The invaders have brought disease and death, destruction and despair. They have shattered the very fabric of your society, leaving nothing but chaos and uncertainty in their wake.

Suddenly, you hear a commotion outside the cave grow louder. You can hear the Spanish shouting and cursing, and the sound of horses whinnying in distress. You dare not hope, but perhaps there is a chance that they will not find you. But your hope is short-lived. You hear footsteps approaching the cave, the sound echoing in the darkness. You hold your breath, trying to remain as still as possible. You do not want to give yourself away.

The footsteps stop just outside the cave. You can hear the Spanish muttering to each other in their foreign tongue. You understood what they are saying having insisted to your husband that it was a good thing to learn their language to know their true intentions.

Suddenly, a hand reaches into the cave, groping blindly in the darkness. You shrink back, trying to make yourself as small as possible. But the hand finds you, gripping your arm tightly. You try to pull away, but the hand is too strong. You feel tears stinging your eyes as you realize that this is the end. You and your daughter are going to be captured, enslaved, or worse.

Turning to the owner of the hand gripping onto you, you saw the same man that had saved you a few days prior. He held up a finger against his lips, requesting for you to keep quiet. He had guided you towards the darker corners of the cave, wrapping a blanket around you before he walks towards the sound of the Conquistadors that you were certain were still after you and your daughter.

You hear the sound of violence, the sound of your savior killing the remaining Spanish soldiers who came to look for you in the cave. You do not want to listen, but you cannot help it. You can hear the brutality of the way he kills each and every single one of them without mercy. You can hear the sound of bones breaking, of swords clashing, and of flesh being torn.

And then, as suddenly as it began, it is over. You hear the man's footsteps approaching, and you brace yourself for his arrival. You do not know what to expect, but you know that it cannot be good. But when he appears, he is different than you expected. He is covered in blood and dirt, his face twisted in rage. But there is also something else there, something that you cannot quite name.

He looks at you and your daughter, and you see the rage in his eyes soften. He approaches you, his hand outstretched. You catch sight of the golden band you had given him wrapped around his wrist. You do not know what to do, but you realize that you must trust him. You take his hand, and he helps you and your daughter to your feet.

He spoke a language you did not understand. You blinked uncertain what you could say or do to understand the man.

“Mi nombre es K'uk'ulkan, aquí no estás a salvo. Hay muchos que todavía te buscarán. (My name is K'uk'ulkan, you are not safe here. There are many that will still look for you).”

You pulled your hand away as he spoke the same language as the Conquistadors. You held your daughter closer to your chest, fearing of what the man might do now or of his intentions with you in this moment.

“No quiero hacer daño. Mi gente es víctima de los conquistadores como la tuya. (I mean no harm. My people are victims of the Conquistadors just like your own).”

You find yourself sadden by his words. You had believed that you and your people were the only victims, only to turn out there were more people like that had suffered so much at the hands of the colonizers. Walking a little closer to the man now, but still the precaution was ever so evident for you.

Standing in a damp and dark cave with your six-month-old daughter in your arms, you can feel her little body trembling as she snuggles closer to you, seeking warmth and comfort. This was not the healthiest environment to have her live. You can have no one else to blame, for you were just as afraid about this circumstance. You know for certain that the Conquistadors would continue to hunt you and your daughter still. As you look around the cave, you see nothing but darkness and silence. You wonder if this is where you will spend the rest of your days, hiding away from the world.

The man, K’uk’ulkan, was a tall and imposing figure, with a regal bearing that genuinely reminds you of the nobles of your own people. He is dressed in a long white cloak with a headdress adorned with shimmering feathers. He looked far too different from the first time you had met him and it didn’t truly give you the benefit of trusting him in this moment. Especially with the blood that still painted his skin and some of on his cloak from his actions against the Conquistadors.

“He venido a ofrecerte santuario en mi propio reino. Es el lugar más seguro para usted y su hija mientras los conquistadores aún los buscan. (I have come to offer you sanctuary in my own kingdom. It is the safest place for you and your daughter to be while the Conquistadors still search for you).”

You stare at the man, uncertain whether you could truly trust him. But the two instances of him saving your life should have been enough for you to at least try. Aside from his abilities to kill the Conquistador with his bare hands, the sight of him with wings and the pointed ears had you cautious of what more he was capable of doing. It was as if you were not truly in the presence of a mere mortal—but something far greater or worse depending on what you decide to do.

"Mi reino está lejos de aquí, pero me aseguraré de que tú y tu hija lleguen a salvo. Puedo ofrecerte protección y un hogar, donde estarás a salvo de cualquier daño. Y prometo que haré todo lo que esté a mi alcance para garantizar que nunca más serás perseguido por los conquistadores. (My kingdom is far from here, but I will ensure that you and your daughter arrive safely. I can offer you protection and a home, where you will be safe from harm. And I promise that I will do everything in my power to ensure that you are never hunted by the Conquistadors again)." The man continues, his voice spoke softly.

You consider his words carefully, weighing the risks and the benefits of accepting his offer. You know that the journey to his kingdom will be long and dangerous, but you also know that you have no other choice. The Conquistadors are still searching for you, and they will stop at nothing to capture you.

Finally, you nod your head, accepting K'uk'ulkan's offer of sanctuary. You feel a sense of relief wash over you, knowing that you and your daughter will be safe from harm. As you follow K'uk'ulkan out of the cave, you can't help but feel a sense of trepidation. You know that the road ahead will be long and hard, but you also know that you have made the right decision.

The walk out of the cave was filled with death, you did your best to ignore the bodies laid around and brutalized by the man that walked in front of you. But it filled you with a great sense of fear and reassurance, fear for what he was capable of doing and the reassurance that he will be there to protect you should the need ever arise against the Conquistadors.

As the sunlight begins to beam against your eyes, you tried your best to adjust as the first brush of the wind has brushed against your cheeks and your baby slowly but surely waking from her slumber.

“¿Cuales son tus nombres? (What are your names?)” He asked you waiting by the end of the cave.

You told him your name, of your daughter, Adlaw, a daughter-born under the scorching sun that had ended the long-standing drought in your land. He smiled as you explained your daughter’s name to him. How invested he seemed to be of what was once your people.

“Tu hija le ha dado a tu pueblo la lluvia tan necesaria como yo le he dado a mi propio pueblo el sol. (Your daughter has given your people the much needed rain as I have given my own people the sun).”

You gasped, realizing that the man was truly a God after all.

You continued to walk through the now deserted beaches. The putrid scent of death and burned down husk wafted and it took a lot out of you not to gag from where you stood. As your eyes to one last glance around what you once called your home, you noticed something strange. Warriors that were now closing in on K’uk’ulkan who have blue skin.

You rub your eyes, thinking that perhaps you were seeing things from lack of sleep, but when you open them again, the blue-skinned warriors were still there and meant no harm as they kneeled in front of your savior. Hands helped up in a gesture that was similar to an open flower.

You glance over at K’uk’ulkan, who notice your confusion and apprehension.

"Esta es mi gente, (These are my people)," he explains. "Son los soldados más valientes y leales que he conocido (They are the bravest and most loyal soldiers I have ever known)."

You can't help but stare at them in wonder. You have never seen anything like them before. Their blue skin seems to shimmer in the sunlight, and their eyes are a reassuring shade of black just like your own. Aside from armor that were somewhat similar from that of your own people’s, aside from their skin color, it was the mouthpiece covering their mouths and nose that took you by surprise, made you wonder how they could breathe at such a constrictions. As you walk alongside them, you feel a sense of safety and security that you haven't felt in a long time. These warriors are here to protect you and your daughter, and you can tell that they take their duty very seriously.

But as you continued to walk, you felt uneasy as you walked closer towards the water instead of what you would have expected to be in the forest up above the mountains. You had watched half of the warriors make their way towards the waters, diving in without an ounce of hesitation. Turning towards K’uk’ulkan, he provided a reassuring smile, holding onto your hand.

“¿Confías en mí? (Do you trust me?)” He asked you.

“No. Pero prometiste mantenernos a salvo a mí y a mi hija y cumpliré tu promesa. (I don't. But you promised to keep me and my daughter safe and I'll hold you onto your promise).” You responded right back honestly.

“Y mantendré la promesa mientras viva. (And I will keep the promise for as long as I live).”

Eventually, two of the warriors have come to stand in front of you, the mouthpiece they wore was now handed to you and your daughter and with a small prayer of guidance and remaining bravery after everything that has happened in your lives, you accepted the mouthpiece and with K’uk’ulkan holding you and your daughter made your way further and further towards the water to a life that was not your own anymore, but for the sake of your daughter will be the best thing to happen.

TALOKAN | PRESENT DAY

“Yuum!”

The sound of giggling children sounded catching Shuri’s attention. Turning to where the sound began, she had watched the sight of three small children making their way towards the both of them, walking slower after them was two women, spitting image of each other.

“In Reina. In sáasil k'iin.” Namor spoke so tenderly towards the two women. His attention turned towards the three children, peppering each and every single one of them with kisses and endearing words that reminded Shuri so much of her father long before he had passed.

Shuri turning her attention back towards the women, she had come to realize who exactly they were. The similarities and the much more evident jewelry that adorned their necks and ears.

“You are the mother and daughter in the murals.” Shuri spoke.

TALOKAN | 1593

“Mama.”

You smiled the slow but sure progress of your one-year-old daughter in a place that you now call as your own. Your daughter was slowly but surely learning the ways of Talokan, of their people without sacrificing the ways of your own people too. You have mourn the death and end of your people for months, being allowed the courtesy by K’uk’ulkan to do a ceremony for your fallen people and of your husband.

But like your daughter, you began to learn about the ways of the people of Talokan, even if you remained in the comforts of K’uk’ulkan’s cavern above the water. Every single day, a teacher would come to visit you and your daughter, teaching you the language of their people and slowly but surely you have stopped using Spanish to converse with the people and began to use their own, in your own end had thought them about the history of your own, of your Gods and of your culture that were somewhat like their own before they had escaped to the waters.

“In chan k'iino'. (My Little Sunshine).”

Turning, you realize you and your daughter were not alone. K’uk’ulkan has returned from his duties. You gave him a smile, it been a year now since you have arrived in Talokan after he had saved you from the Conquistador—twice. He had kept his promise to keep you and your daughter safe away from the Conquistadors and from whatever danger may come lurking in the corner. Upon your arrival to his home, you have learned of his identity—a King and God to the people of Talokan, the first-born of the people of Talokan and a man that gave his people the hope that never truly settled because of the attack of the Spanish.

You watched your daughter make her way towards K’uk’ulkan. It warms your heart how it had been easy for your daughter to trust the man, the people of Talokan, and of the new life that was not of your own. Just as much as it had been hard for you to do the same. The never ending apprehension even with all the kindness his people have given you and your daughter.

“My King.” You spoke greeting the man.

“I thought we have agreed to call each other by our names, In Reina.” He playfully scolded, arms were quick to hold onto your daughter and to lift her up.

You had watch how K’uk’ulkan had a soft spot for her, how he grinned and played along with your daughter and her dangerous curiosity. How he had allowed for your daughter to hold onto the jewelry nestled on his nose even as hard as your daughter would tug at the jade.

“I am no Queen in Talokan.” You spoke, finding yourself now sitting onto the chair, your eyes lingering on the murals that painted the walls—K’uk’ulkan’s creations.

“But you are the Queen of your people, as much as your daughter is still the Princess. It does not change here as long as I would allow it.”

You nodded, knowing it was no use trying to argue with the man, he would always find a way to ensure that he gets his way.

TALOKAN | 1598

A year turned into two, then into three, then you have realized that it had now been five years since the fateful day that the man had saved you from the clutches of the Conquistador. Five years of living your life and your daughter’s own under the confinements of the cavern of K’uk’ulkan’s home. You were beyond grateful for everything the man has done for you, for keeping his promise of keeping you and your daughter safe, for stepping into the role of your daughter’s father but always spoke kindly of your late husband and his valiant effort to keep the both of you safe all those years ago, for allowing you to believe that there were still people you could trust and love even after all that you have been through.

It wasn’t sudden, nor did you plan for it to happen but it did. How you found yourself falling deeper and deeper in love with the man that loathed the surface world and its people, but had opened his home to you and your daughter. He had promised you a life safe from the terrors in the surface and he gave you the home that was nothing you had ever dreamed possible.

But the most important thing he had ever given you was the choice. A choice to remain as the human you still were or be just like his people, to live in the waters like every single one of the people of Talokan. You know your daughter craves the water, from the instances of her playing with K’uk’ulkan in the shallower parts of the waters, how she had longed to be able to play with the other children of Talokan deep in the waters instead of the confinements of the cavern.

He promised you that he would respect whatever decision you might decide, but he provided the option should you want to finally make a change.

“You want to go back to the surface?” The panic was all so evident in his face when you had made the request one morning. It’s been five years since you took the risk of coming with them and you have yet to truly regret your action. But you needed to have the much needed closure before you open the new chapter in your life.

“I—I want to see my home one last time.” You explained hoping it was enough of an explanation for him. And the nod he had given seemed like it was. He requested for two breathers to be brought for you and your daughter.

It took no time at all when you made the request. No hesitation and no apprehension from the man at your request. How it was easy for him to explain to your daughter about the trip that you were to make up to the surface. How the excitement bubbled in every question that escaped her lips, her eyes twinkling as she continued to ask K’uk’ulkan about the surface world, of the life that you once had before Talokan.

You did not truly have the heart to tell her that this was the closure that you would finally have for the both of you. Your late husband would have wanted just as much, after everything that has happened, it was time to finally move on with your life and with everything it encased.

It took less than an hour for you, your daughter, K’uk’ulkan and a handful of his most trusted warriors to arrive to your home. The shore of what was once your home was a part of the home you missed, of the laughter and fun you had growing up with your siblings, running through the sands and talking about the life you would have hope to have growing up. It was bitter to know that as you stood looking at your feet, that you stood as the last remaining member of your family and of your family’s line and worst part was those dreams of the life you hoped to have no longer viable for you or for your daughter.

“Are you alright, In Reina?” K’uk’ulkan had inquired, he kept his voice low, hoping that your daughter would be unaware of the mental chaos in your mind.

As you approached closer towards the land of your once-beautiful home, you felt your heart racing in anticipation, of the hope that your home was restored and there was still a glimpse of hope of your people even in the years of your disappearance. It has been years since you had last laid eyes on your home, remembering the gore and death that you had run away from and of the smell of fire and blood.

The hope has died further into the pits of your stomach, you were struck by the emptiness and desolation that surrounded you. Your heart sinks, the tears have fallen at the sight that have come before you. Corpses from all those years ago still remained, like trash discarded for the wilderness to take. Homes that was once gave you comfort burn, golds and jewelry robbed and the number of weapons that were discarded, both guns and swords littered the ground.

You look around in disbelief, struggling to make sense of the scene before you. Your beloved home, once filled with your people, now lies abandoned. The trees were stained with blood and ashes. As you move through the land, you heart grows heavier with each step. All around you, evidence of a brutal invasion was evident, after the initial one that you had escaped from. Your once-beautiful gardens have now been trampled and burned.

As you move to where you knew was your hut, your heart grows heavier at the sight that befell you. You were certain of who it was. The putrid smell of death could not waver you as you kneels toward the skeletal remains of your husband. How he still wore the garments from which he had died in. The anger for the Conquistadors for removing his gold jewelry after, of the array of brutality you were certain they had placed on his body after his death, it brought a sob out of your lips.

You whispered a prayer, hoping to the Gods that your husband has finally laid to rest peacefully. Kissing your hand before resting it on his skull, you stood back up and made your way further into your hut, to see that every single jewelry and possession you once had now gone with some of the clothes you had woven for your infant now torn and painted in blood.

You sobbed as you were now facing the truth of the aftermath of the Conquistadors. Everything you had left behind was taken from you. You felt the deep sense of loss. You walked out of your hut to the sight of K’uk’ulkan that was carrying your scared daughter and the number of his people keeping guard while to took one last look at your former home.

The sound of a far too familiar language had you turning to the owner of the voices.

“Kill them.” You ordered the Talokanil warriors.

“In Reina—”

“Kill them and burn everything to the ground.” You ordered to which the warriors bowed towards you before doing such thing.

You stepped towards your daughter that was now shaking in fear at the sight of you tear stricken and the sound of death of the remaining Conquistadors being killed by the Talokanil soldier.

“Hush, little girl. Once we come back home, you’re gonna be able to play with the kids in the water.” You whispered reassuringly towards your daughter, sensing how K’uk’ulkan had tensed at your words.

“Are you sure?” He asked you, cupping your cheek with his free hand, his thumb rubbing away the tears.

“We have nothing else here in the surface to live for, the Conquistador had succeeded in destroying my people. It is only right for us to return back to Talokan as part of your people. Not as a guest, but part of your community.”

“I want you to be my Queen.” He pleaded, pulling you closer to him, his warmth radiating giving you as much as it did your daughter, the reassurance that you did not truly have in the moment of weakness. “Be the mother of my people as much as you are the mother of our daughter.”

Your heart raced, he had always showed his love and affection for your daughter, but this was the first time he had actually acknowledged her as his own. Not by blood, but by circumstance that he made the most out of it. Nicknames might had constantly escaped his lips when it comes to your daughter and your daughter had always called him ‘Yuum’ and your late husband as his Baba but this was the first time that there was a clear indicator of it all from him.

“I have kept my promise of protection and all I want in return in your love for me and for my people.”

Looking, you had realized one of the healers has arrived from the waters, you had realized that he had the idea of you finally making your much needed decision for your sake and for the sake of your daughter. In his grasp was a glowing blue plant and you know that once you’ve made the life altering decision, you will finally live the life that you have never expected but realize was all you needed.

“You always had my love and of my daughter’s.” You whispered smiling as his forehead rested against your own. You held onto your daughter’s hand and as the pain of your past slowly washes away, you could only hope what the present and future would be like for you three as a family.

As you three had walked towards the shore, the sound of the crackling fire echoed the skies, you had accepted the bowl given to you by the healer, you had watched K’uk’ulkan sit on the sand besides your daughter, reassuring her that things will be alright and when she wakes up they could play in the deeper part of the waters from now on.

You watched as K’uk’ulkan had hand fed your daughter the plant, seeing how your daughter was wincing at the bitter taste of the crushed plant but continued on as her eagerness to be in the waters overcame everything else. You took a deep breath as you finally consumed the plant in one go, your teary eyes closed as you tried your best to eat everything that was in the bowl.

You felt your skin grow jelly and with one of the warriors holding you up, you were assisted onto the sand and as you opened your eyes you saw your daughter now unconscious in the arms K’uk’ulkan. The panic never sets in, as the trust on the man had grown a hundreds of folds since the first time he had asked you to trust him to return to his home. You trusted him more than you would have ever believed you could.

“Thank you for giving me this new life, K’uk’ulkan.” You whispered.

“Ch'ah Toh Almehen.” He spoke, moving your head until they rested on his shoulder.

“What?”

“My real name. My people call me K’uk’ulkan, my enemies call me Namor, but I want you to call me by my birth name.”

You nod, your eyes grow heavy as your last words before darkness consumed you was his name, the name that he had entrusted for you to use from now on as you lived a life away from what you once lived for. No longer were you the Queen Mother of the Raja in Mactan, but now as the last ounce of life in the surface world fades away, you now became the Queen of Talokan, the mother they had always hoped to have in their life and in their community.

You awoke hours later, but instead of the beach from where you had finally made the decision to change, you were in he middle of the water and the first person you had seen was the man that had saved you. A smile on his face as he pointed towards the side and your eyes had caught sight of your daughter, freely playing with the children in the middle of the waters—breathing through the waters just as much as you and K’uk’ulkan did.

You smiled, holding onto the man’s hands and before you know it you pulled him into a kiss—sealing your fate as the Queen of Talokan and eventually the wife of the great King and God of Talokan.

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