#Namor fanfic

[revrover]

The Stranger - Pt. 3

Part One  |  Part Two

Pairing: Namor x Reader

Word Count: 5.5k

Warnings: Language, Violence, Depictions of drowning, Fluff

Summary: Delivered to safety following the battle on the beach, you are left reeling as you grapple with nightmares and questions about an uncertain future. But as you come to know more about the Talokanil people and grow closer to their king, Namor is faced with a question of his own -- what does he do with this stranger from the surface?

A/N: It’s heeeeeere!! As always, thank you so much for your patience, for being here, and for reading! And a BIG thank you just for taking the time to engage with and be a part of this story. You all have been so encouraging to me as new writer, and I love being able to create something around characters that so many hold so dear. Comments and reblogs make my heart happy, so please show some love, share the joy, and be kind!

***I do not give permission to copy, plagiarize, or repost my work as your own in any form!

Bullets fly as bodies hit the ground in front of you. There on the open beach, spears soar high above your head. Your gaze is drawn to the heavens as a chopper falls from the night sky. It crashes onto the shore below, an intense heat flashing against you as you shield your face from the explosion.

Suddenly, the sounds of dying men and burning metal fade as you lower your hand. You look down to find yourself waist-deep in a raging sea, the battle on the sand becoming a distant memory as waves beat harshly against you, unrelenting and unforgiving. A deafening melody accompanies each swell of the tide. It consumes your mind with pain and serenity as you are pulled further out into the ocean’s depths, following its call. The chorus grows louder as the water rises to your chest, building with intensity. Then, suddenly, all is quiet.

And there he is.

Hovering just above the water’s surface, his winged ankles carry him effortlessly. His reflection glistens perfectly against the water, now calm and smooth as glass. Illuminated by the full moon behind him, his body is covered in beautiful armor made of gold, jade, and other metals. A finely crafted serpent headpiece with bright feathers crowns his head, resting just above his brow.

Namor.

Wordlessly, Namor stretches out his hand, beckoning you to come to him. You reach out as if your very being is at his command. But, before you can grasp hold of him, the chorus of voices returns with a vengeance. A violent tide drags you under, swallowing you beneath the waves. Further and further down you are pulled as darkness surrounds you. Looking up toward the fading light, Namor’s silhouette above the surface dissolves from view. Your lungs burn as you begin to drown.

You jolt awake, your body shooting up in a cold sweat.

Chest heaving, your mind desperately claws its way back to reality. You quickly scan your surroundings, clinging to any detail that will anchor your consciousness and keep you from slipping back into that nightmare.

Gripping the stone surface beneath you, you take in every porous curve your fingertips graze over. Looking upward at the high rocky ceiling, you study the patterns of limestone stalactites that hang like icicles. Droplets of water run down a few of them, their melodious drips echoing in small pools below, falling like a gentle, rhythmic rain.

This is the place Namor had spoken of the last time you saw him. The one where he promised you would be safe. And for good reason — here in this cavern, you were well below the ocean’s surface and out of range of any agents who might come searching for you.

By your best guess, you figure you have been down here about two days. It’s hard to be sure without the reference to natural light. The cavern itself is beautiful, though. Illuminated by pockets of glow worms that drape down from the ceiling, their soft luminescence casts gorgeous green and blue hues across each surface their light touches.

As your heart rate begins to even out, you continue to survey the cave. You look over at your belongings, bag laying on the ground, clothes hanging on a line to dry. Your heart drops a bit when you see your little leather-bound book, its pages separated and spread out across the rocks. Ink bleeding. Pages ruined. You had made your best attempt to salvage what you could. Perhaps if you had asked Namora how the two of you would be traveling to this safe haven, you wouldn’t have brought a damn book with you.

The dissonance of the Talokan melody still rings in the back of your mind. You cradle your head between your knees, rubbing your temples with your thumbs when you hear light footsteps approach.

Looking up, you find a familiar face entering the cavern. No longer geared up for battle, Namora dawns a lovely dress that gathers over one shoulder and flows down to the floor. It moves like waves with each step she takes toward you. Instead of a spear in her hand, she now carries a small tray with a medley of food.

“Eat," Namora says, placing the tray on a small end table beside you. She then moves gracefully over to your draped belongings, removing them one by one from the line and folding them into a neat pile.

“Can I ask you a question?” You inquire as you begin to nibble on a piece of food.

Namora shoots a skeptical look over her shoulder but says nothing, so you ask anyway.

“Have you always been a warrior?”

Unresponsive, she keeps her attention on one of your shirts which she has just pulled from the line, tucking it into itself and placing it with the others.

“It's just, I mean the way you fought those agents on the beach, you are — you are very good at, you know—” you should have given more thought to what you were going to say before opening your mouth because as you reach the end of your sentence all that comes out is, “—killing people."

Nice.

You cringe at your comment. It hangs in the air, practically mocking you.

“I’m just saying," you add, trying to recover, "you obviously know what you’re doing. It was impressive. Me on the other hand…” Your voice trails as you raise your bandaged hand, recalling how your first instinct in a fight was to block a fucking knife with your open palm. Next to Namora, your combat skills pale by comparison.

Halting her task, Namora finally turns to face you in one calculated motion. She stares for a moment then her eyes quickly dart toward the side entrance of the cavern where she had come through only minutes ago. The entryway is empty. When her eyes settle back on you, there is resolve in them.

“Up.” She says, walking toward you with purpose.

“What?” You reply in a tone that matches the confused look on your face.

“Up.”

You do as you are told, hastily pushing yourself to your feet. Namora steps in close and then taps your elbows.

“Up.” She orders a third time, only now she seems to be referring specifically to your arms. You follow her instruction, raising them awkwardly out in front of your body. You can almost hear the sigh of hopelessness when Namora, her brow furrowed, grabs your arms and positions each one in a fighting stance. Slipping a hand up to your left wrist, she grips it firmly while tapping your exposed forearm with the palm of her other hand.

“Shield.” She says with emphasis. Her eyebrows raise, looking for any indication that you comprehend what she is trying to explain. When you nod, Namora moves her hand from your wrist up to your fingers, balling them into a fist and tucking your thumb on the outside.

“Weapon.”

Namora then steps back from you, putting her own arms up to mirror your stance.

“Shield, weapon,” she repeats, patting her forearm and waving her closed fist.

“Shield, weapon,” you echo back to her, nodding your head again as you begin to understand more fully.

Just as she begins to step back toward you, a deep voice calls from behind.

“Namora.”

You both look up to see the large man who wears the hammerhead skull standing in the entry of the cavern. Attuma is his name, as you have come to learn. Namora straightens her posture as she turns to face him, her hands behind her back as she squares her shoulders in a commanding stance.

Attuma saunters a few more feet into the cavern, then speaks to her in their native tongue, a language still unfamiliar to you. The two of them converse back and forth for a few moments. You may not know what they are saying, but you can tell they disagree about something �� whether with each other or someone else, you are not sure.

Namora swiftly turns back to you, her face serious again and her brows pinched together.

Fighting lessons must be over.

“Come,” she says.

Without any further instruction, she pivots back toward Attuma, who also turns to leave. You quickly grab your belongings which Namora had folded for you, stuffing them into your bag. You sling it around your shoulder as you exit the cavern.

Following the two generals into a tunneled hallway, you find yourself moving through a network of caves, each tunnel connecting to a series of other openings and pools. Soon, Attuma splits off into one of these open caverns, nodding to Namora as he does so. Your eyes trail him as he joins with more Talokan warriors, and just as you stare at them, they stare at you.

You continue walking behind Namora past them, their whispers reverberating through the tunnels.

“When was the last time someone… not Talokanil came here?” You ask. In typical Namora fashion, she remains silent and unresponsive to your question.

“Sorry,” you say apologetically, “back there it just seemed like they hadn’t seen someone new in a while.”

The two of you walk, furthering yourself from the turnoff where Attuma parted ways. Cautiously, you step around the uneven surfaces of the rocky ground. You can feel yourself being led deeper into the maze of caverns. If Namora decided to up and ditch you right now, you are certain you would be lost in this labyrinth forever.

“You are the first,” Namora says rather abruptly, catching you off guard. Not only does her response come well after your question was asked, but it is also the most she has ever said to you at one given time.

“The first?” You ask, perplexed. “What do you mean?”

“To come here,” Namora answers. “The first surface dweller to receive Talokan’s aid. The first the king has ever…” she pauses a moment, searching for the right word, “tolerated.”

The influx of her voice is not lost on you.

“And you don’t approve?”

“It is not my place to approve, " Namora clarifies as she leads you around a bend and past several open pools of water. "I am… concerned. When it comes to you, I fear he is blind.”

Silence befalls you both again as you enter another cavern, this one much larger and more spacious than any others you have seen. Within it are several large pools, glistening with light reflected from more glow worms above. Their tendrils hang from the high vaulted ceiling like sparkling chandeliers.

In the center of it all stands a large hut enclosed by beautifully woven fabrics. You follow Namora shoulder to shoulder up the stone-carved steps to it until you nearly reach the side.

“We’re here,” Namora says, coming to a dead stop. She then takes a step back from you.

Still unsure of where “here” is exactly, you glance over your shoulder, looking to her for further instruction or explanation. But Namora gives you nothing. The moment you begin to take a step backward as well, her hand shoots out, holding the back of your shoulder in position with a firm grip.

Ah. Don't move. Got it.

Subconsciously you begin to hold your breath, bracing yourself for the unknown.

Then, there he is.

From around the corner of the hut comes Namor. Immediately you are taken aback by his appearance. Up to this point, you have only seen him suited for battle. Now he stands before you dawning a beautifully woven cape plated with gold and draped across his broad shoulders. His hair is slicked back and his arms are adorned with various metal cuffs. Truly a wardrobe fit for a king.

A single nod of his head and Namora is dismissed. You hear her small footsteps fade as she leaves the two of you alone.

“How is your hand?”

Namor’s question snaps you out of your daze.

“Oh,” you raise your hand, glancing at the worn bandage. "It’s fine, thank you.”

Staring at the gauze, you can almost hear the lullaby Namor hummed as he gently tended to your wounded palm the night of the battle. Something flutters inside you as you touch the corner of the fabric. Realizing your mind has drifted again, you bring yourself back to reality by following up with your own question.

"Are we in..." you stop to rephrase, shifting your weight from side to side as you look around the cavern, “Is this… Talokan?"

If it is, it's very different from what you pictured.

Your question brings a smile to Namor’s face.

"No," he answers with a breathy chuckle, shaking his head. "Talokan is far beyond this place. I assure you, your body would not survive the journey to its depths. But these caverns are safe, I promise you.”

Namor then shifts the topic of conversation.

“I am told some of your belongings were ruined on your traveling here, including your book. I apologize. I had hoped to make up for it.”

With one arm, Namor ushers you around the corner to the entrance of his quarters, inviting you inside.

Intrigued and eager to see what awaits, you accept his invitation. As you enter, you find yourself in a study of sorts. Lit by several lanterns, the room is warm and bright. Within it sits a small table, a prominent desk full of scrolls and artifacts, and a cozy hammock hung in the corner. But what catches your eye most of all are the walls.

All around you hang gorgeous tapestry walls with breathtaking murals that stretch from floor to ceiling.

“Did you do all of these?” You ask in disbelief as you move to one at the far end of the room. Your eyes widen as you gaze in admiration at the beautiful artistry.

“Yes,” Namor answers humbly, following behind you. “I think you will find a more accurate depiction of my history here.”

“I don’t know,” you say with playful skepticism in your voice as you inspect the artwork closer, “always be weary of your authors, right?” You smirk as you shift your glance sideways to Namor, echoing his words back to him in jest. His face is serious at first but quickly turns to amusement.

“You remembered,” he says nodding his head, an impressed grin now stretching at the corners of his mouth, “that is good.”

You return your attention to the paintings. What a gift it is to be standing here in front of them. Full of stories, full of history. And to be accompanied by the man who created them himself — who lived them himself. It is all a far cry from the vague glyphs you tried so hard to decipher in your book.

"They're amazing." You say in awe, following along the panels as you trace the line work delicately with your fingertip.

Immersed in the murals, you are too busy to notice Namor's softening gaze as he watches you study his work so intently. Here you are, an outsider who he has welcomed into his space. It is not like him to be so open, especially not with a stranger from the surface — never someone from the surface — yet, something about you causes a stirring inside of him. Perhaps it is your enthusiasm and wonders for his culture or your refreshing dose of humanity towards his people that compels his desire to be close to you.

As you follow the artwork from panel to panel across the walls, you arrive at a scene that suddenly makes you freeze. Your wrist snaps your finger back as if repelled by the paint itself. In front of you is a large image of Namor dawning a serpent headpiece as he hovers above the water. You are immediately back in your nightmare, your mind flashing to Namor’s outstretched hand then the darkness that closes in around you as you start to drown. You can almost feel the fire in your lungs as they grow desperate for air.

“What troubles you?” Namor asks with genuine traces of concern in his voice. Your sudden silence has not gone unnoticed. He moves to stand shoulder to shoulder with you now, looking up to analyze the same part of the mural.

"Nothing," you lie, shaking your head while your hand drops to your side. You withdraw from the painting, taking a few steps back from it and Namor.

“Your people," you say to change the subject, pointing your thumb to the rest of the artwork in the room, "they honor you. It's admirable, what you've done for them. To keep them safe all this time."

“But?” He senses there is more on your mind.

You stare at him, then turn your focus back to the tapestries surrounding you. Scanning them from wall to wall, you notice a pattern in the stories shown.

“It’s just,” you begin with uncertainty in your voice “for someone who has spent his whole life bringing peace to his people, I wonder how much of it you have experienced for yourself?”

Namor is quiet for a moment.

"And why do you wonder this?" He finally replies, turning to face you fully.

“I guess I look at these and I’m curious… how? How can you do that without completely breaking under the weight of it all? Even with—” you begin gesturing to his body and suddenly become desperate to come up with the right words in time, “superhuman strength.” Thank god.

“Hmmm,” Namor exhales, thoughtfully nodding as his gaze drops to the floor. He folds his arms over his chest, the golden band around his exposed bicep reflecting the light that softly glows from a nearby lantern. Taking a few steps toward you, he lifts his eyes to yours.

“It is true,” he says, “the burden I carry for the sake of my people does not always permit me the personal luxury of peace. It… can be difficult.” His tone shifts from diplomatic to vulnerable. “And who is to say I have not broken under it? It is that brokenness that has made me the leader I am.”

Turning his head toward the mural, he looks at it carefully before speaking again. His chiseled jawline accentuates the exposed veins protruding from his neck.

"To your question,” he continues, “I believe how is never as important as why. Why would someone fight to bring others peace when they themselves cannot have it?” Namor takes another step closer and lifts his hand to your chin, delicately angling your face upward toward his own. "Because we sacrifice to protect what we love.”

His eyes search yours earnestly. After a moment, Namor quickly drops his hand from your chin and you watch as he moves towards his desk, shuffling a few scrolls around before looking back up at you again.  

“I love my people,” he says, planting his hand firmly on the desk, “and I have seen evil, what it is capable of. I watch as the rest of the world grows desperate in their greed and ambition, their desire for power. They are becoming more dangerous by the day."

"You mean — surface dwellers?" You ask.

Namor raises his brow at you knowingly.

"Yes,” he answers cooly.

"I'm a surface dweller. Am I...dangerous?"

Namor sighs with a small smile.

“Yes. Though not in the way you may think.”

He moves from out behind his desk and back over in your direction.

“Now I have a question for you,” he says in a low voice, approaching you with a dark look looming over his face. “Please consider your answer carefully.”

The silence is intense. Your heart feels like it is going to jump out of your throat as you anticipate what damning question the king of Talokan has in store for you.

Namor’s expression changes on a dime, and he suddenly asks in a lighthearted tone,

“Are you up for a swim?”

—

You follow Namor out of his quarters and into the large open cavern. As you pass by several beautiful pools of water, you are enchanted by how the light dances across the rich tones of Namor's skin. The same light casts dazzling hues of aquamarine and cerulean across the surface of the pools, reflected onto the rocks surrounding them.

Namor approaches one of the bigger pools and removes the cape from his shoulder, exposing his bare chest underneath. Here is the Namor you recognize - prominent necklace, bare chest,  emerald green shorts. Before dropping his cape to the ground, however, he pulls out a Talokan mask from the fabric like the ones Namora and the other warriors wear.

“Take a deep breath,” Namor says as he turns to you. He pushes your hair back from your cheek delicately as he applies the apparatus to your face. Doing as you are told, you inhale deeply as the mask fastens over your nose and mouth.

“Stay close,” he instructs. You nod, and Namor steps to the edge of the closest pool. He looks back at you with a hint of a smile on his face. Then, with all the strength and grace of a god, he dives perfectly into the water and disappears under the surface.

You step closer to the pool. The faint rhythm of droplets falling from the ceiling rings throughout the cavern. You glance behind you toward the entrance, but there isn't a soul in sight. Namora’s words echo through your mind.

When it comes to you, he is blind.

You dive in, following Namor.

Once in the water, you quickly orient yourself. Looking around, you see the outline of Namor, his silhouette waiting for you in the distance. As you swim closer, he gestures for you to follow him. You kick your feet to propel yourself further downward, ears popping as you equalize to the increasing pressure.

You swim until you are clear of the caves. Though your muscles ache, there is something serene about being beneath the water; the quiet, the weightlessness, everything drifting harmoniously in rhythm with the current. For the first time since you can remember, your mind feels still. Free from the chaos. Somehow, the vast open sea does not frighten you with its deep blue void as it did in your dream. Not even a little. Instead, you feel a calmness in your soul as you lose track of time entirely, trailing Namor as you move through the ocean’s depths.

Quite literally in his element, you watch in awe as Namor swims so effortlessly. To him, it must be as easy as breathing. He looks more relaxed than you have seen him. Perhaps even enjoying himself?

You continue to swim, the water getting lighter as the visibility becomes clearer. A school of fish rushes past, their scales glimmering with each flick of a fin or contour of their bodies. Countless numbers weave around you in sync as if part of the same carefully choreographed ballet. You can’t help but smile as you watch them move so freely, and Namor can't help but smile as he watches you.

Suddenly the fish rapidly disperse and within seconds a huge mass flashes past you with incredible speed and agility. Your eyes widen and adrenaline rushes through you as you witness a killer whale chase the school, its size completely dwarfing your mere human frame. Involuntarily, you begin hyperventilating as you watch the giant creature swim off into the distance. When you feel a touch against your arm, you turn to find Namor next to you. His hand rises and falls in front of his torso, gesturing for you to take deep breaths. In, out. In, out.

The two of you remain suspended in the endless ocean blue as you your breath slows and your muscles recover. Namor looks upward, and as you savor the moment of rest you follow his gaze. You can tell by the light above that you are getting close to the surface, which must mean you are nearing your destination. When he nods, you know it is time to move. Slowly the two of you start your ascent and the ocean becomes warmer as you gradually near the top.

When you arise from the water, the sound of the rushing wind, the rolling waves, and birds flying overhead rush into your ears. Less than a hundred meters from you stretches a beautiful coastline covered in soft white sand and lined by rich green foliage.

You make your way towards it. Soon you are walking knee-deep in the waves, the tide splashing against the back of your legs as you near the shore. Removing the mask from your face, the sweet breeze of the island races by, rustling your wet hair and filling your nostrils with the earthy aroma of some nearby palm trees.

Namor has already reached the sand. He stands tall, water still running down his body. Staring out at the horizon, he runs his hand over his face and pushes his hair back, inadvertently flexing his bicep as he does so. The sun slowly begins its descent toward the Earth, its warm rays casting brilliant tones of red and orange across Namor’s exposed skin. It contrasts the deep blues and greens that illuminated him in the caverns, and at this point, you are confident he looks devastatingly beautiful in any light.

As you reach the shore, you take your place next to him and stare out at the skyline.

“Hard to beat a view like that,” you say breathlessly.

“My mother would always describe to me the beauty of the setting sun,” Namor responds. “I have no love for the surface world, but from time to time I visit this island. See what she saw.”

“Is this—?” You begin to ask.

“Where she is buried.” Namor answers before you finish your question. His eyes drop as he reflects, “I am not sure what I expected to see the day I came to lay her body to rest. I suppose the beauty of an island she spoke of so fondly. Instead, I found my brothers and sisters enslaved by men who took life without a second thought.” His jaw clenches as he recalls the bitter memory. “But I saw to it the favor was returned.”

His meaning is clear. You are not sure which makes you more nervous — the calm and cool way he says it, or the menacing smile that accompanies his statement. Either way, his smile disappears as quickly as it comes. You have seen Namor’s ferocity firsthand and know what he is capable of, especially when it comes to protecting his people. A nervous feeling grows in the pit of your stomach as you begin questioning his purpose in bringing you here.

You consider the facts:

You are a surface dweller.

He did call you dangerous.

Oh shit.

Anxiously you glance at him, then redirect your gaze back to the horizon to maintain your composure. The soft waves break along the shore, racing up to your ankles. As the sand beneath your feet gets pulled out by the tide, you wish with all your might you could be pulled away with it. Instead, you sink deeper into the ground, more immovable than before.

“Are you going to kill me?” The words come out blunter than you intend, but you stand by them despite the quiver in your voice.

The question pulls Namor out of his thoughts as he turns to you, eyebrows raised. He studies your face carefully before answering.

“I probably should," he says. There is no malice in his words, only honesty. “The knowledge you have of me and my people... it puts me in a difficult position.” His eyes are solemn. "But I have lived a long time, and in that time I have witnessed many in their final moments before death when one truly reveals themself. That night on the beach, in what you believed were your final moments, you kept your word to me and my people. You said nothing to those men, even with your life on the line. There is no truer test of loyalty.”

Without a word, he reaches his hand out for the mask you still carry. You cautiously hand it over.

"There is a village eastward,” Namor continues, “you will find everything you need there, and the means to leave this place."

You feel his palm slip under your fingers to receive the mask. He takes a deep breath, then purses his lips in the direction behind you.

“Or, just up the way beyond those trees is a house. It is not much, but comfortable. It is yours to use... if you wish. You would be safe here.”

The offer catches you off guard.

“I… I don't understand." You mutter in slight confusion.

With a deep inhale, Namor squints back at the setting sun to collect his thoughts. Then, taking another step closer, he eliminates virtually any remaining space between you. His eyes are deep and mesmerizing as ever. Your heart races from his sudden proximity and you find yourself holding your breath as you wait for him to speak again. He peers down at you, so impossibly close that you can sense the rise and fall of his chest as he breathes.

"You are no enemy of mine," he says with authority, "and no prisoner of Talokan. You have my trust. And because of that trust, I will not order you to stay." Namor then drops the mask into the sand like it is worthless and gently slides his hands underneath your jawline, cradling your face in both of his palms. “But I am asking you to.”

You are speechless. The way he is holding your gaze, the tenderness of his thumb brushing against the apple of your cheek, the fluttering of his lashes as his eyes flick down to your mouth.

"Stay," Namor says fervently in one final clarifying word. It is not a command, but an invitation. Perhaps even a plea. But most importantly, it is a choice. Your choice.

His eyes quickly dart back up to yours as he awaits an answer, but even Namor is not strong enough to keep his attention from dropping back down to your lips. He is clearly focused on more than just the words he hopes to hear come out of them.

In an overwhelming wave of boldness, you allow instinct to take over. No lives at stake, no siren’s song  — it is only the burning desire within your very soul for him that compels you. You close your eyes and melt into Namor’s touch, pressing your lips to his.

The moment you do so, it is as if a surge of energy courses through your veins, electrifying your entire body. Namor immediately welcomes your advance, molding his lips to your own. The smooth piece of jade that pierces his septum presses cooly above your lip, contrasting the heat of his skin to ignite your senses. As he slides a hand around to the back of your neck, his fingers curl into your hair to bring you in even closer.

A small moan escapes you as the tip of his tongue traces along your bottom lip. You can feel his smile against your mouth, then a tug at the same lip with his teeth. Another invitation, to which you gladly accept. You part your mouth open to let Namor inside. Both of your tongues dance together as your kisses become deeper and more indulgent.

Consumed by his taste and his touch, you slide your hands up his bare chest, desperate for more of him. Without missing a beat, Namor responds by running his arms down your body and hoisting you up off the sand with ease. You wrap your legs around him tightly and take full advantage of this new, higher angle. Moving your mouth in tandem with his, you savor the richness of his lips and entangling your fingers in his dark locks of hair. 

The two of you ebb and flow just like the rolling ocean waves, losing yourselves in each other. It’s not until you feel a faint burning in your lungs that you face the harsh reality of having to break away for air. Everything inside you fights it. If Namor were the sea, you would gladly let yourself drown in this moment.

But Namor, also sensing your need for oxygen, begins to slow down. He lowers you gently to the ground, though he is careful not to let you slip too far away from him. The two of you breathe heavily as the sun begins to dip below the horizon. Namor gives you another passionate kiss, this one slow and deep. His lips then move to the corner of your mouth and trail up to your ear, the heat of his breath spreading like wildfire across your skin. You can feel your heart beating out of your chest. Holding you close, Namor leans his forehead against your temple and presses his lips against your ear.

“Please," he whispers. "Stay with me.”

--------

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[acciopietro]

doctor pt. 3

pairing: namor x fem! reader

summary: you take an opportunity despite the repercussions. namor’s determination to protect his people blinds him.

part one part two part four

word count: 6,939

tw: lots and lots of death. forced suicide (because of the talokanil sirens). the typically stuff. lots of angsty and sadness

a/n: i was listening to happiness is a butterfly while writing so this took a turn for sure... it took a hot minute but i hope you enjoy nonetheless!! i’m nervous ab this so pls let me know your honest opinions...it kind of took a turn 

part one part two

IT REALLY ONLY TOOK ONE email to make your heart drop. It was a phone call and a series of texts, too, but it was the email that did it for you. Arial, Size 12 font, formal greeting, body paragraph, half-hearted thank you, polite goodbye. Signed Doctor Reynolds, Ph.D., with the name of your team and company. Message subject: Wakanda.

You read it with vigilant eyes, still hands resting on the metal of your laptop, blue light from the screen casting a cool glow onto your tired skin. The music in your earbuds continued to play, but the sound of The Weeknd wasn’t helping calm the way your heart’s steady beat began to pick up. The words on the email flashed out at you as if they were bolded: Wakanda, harvesting, vibranium, testing, trip. Trip?

“Hi, Doctor Reynolds,” you spoke casually into your telephone, despite your palms sweating around the handle of it. Twisting the coiled cord of it with your index finger, you said, “Yeah, I just got the email. I just had some questions...”

Long story short, a team of marine scientists had ventured into the pacific, delving into the deep seas in search of the vibranium you had found a little over a year ago. You had abandoned that research per Namor’s (tacit) request (more like demand), however, you had known that it was bound to be looked at at some point. The issue was that ships were now apparently being hijacked, their tracking machines being destroyed under water as well as large groups of scientists somehow falling off ship and into the waters to their tragic death. No one knew why.

Reynolds believed Wakanda had something to do with it. He believed that since they were well known for being the sole producers and protectors of all the Earth’s vibranium, he was under the impression that they were trying to stop the United States scientists from harvesting it. Which, you had thought to yourself, would be plausible considering the United States was notorious for taking things that weren’t necessarily theirs.

“Why are we getting involved?” you asked Reynold, gripping your scalp anxiously as you listened to Reynolds explain the situation. “It’s not like if we take a boat out there, we, somehow, will miraculously end up okay. If boats are being hijacked, then... oh, I don’t know...”

Reynold went on and on.

“Wait... you mean to tell me that you already booked it?” you shrilled. “Please excuse me if I’m stepping out of line here, but it’s very likely that our boat will just get hijacked, too. And besides, why do we care so much about vibranium, again? It doesn’t harm any marine life or ecosystems...”

Reynolds spewed a bunch of nonsensical answers, beating around the bush and never quite landing on the reason you know was true: getting money and getting power. Often the root of many of Reynolds’s aspirations.

“You’re more than welcome to deny the job,” Reynold says. “But I’ve decided that I want you on that boat. You’re a useful member of this team. Whether you like it or not, this could be very big.”

You clenched your jaw. “I’ll think about it.”

“You’ve got a week.”

You had only been home from Yucatán for one month. You had a wonderful four months of being with your sister and her family in the days and sneaking off with your man from the sea at night. You couldn’t have gotten closer to Namor; well, unless he took off his shorts and... well, you wouldn’t let him do it, anyways. He had asked. A few times. More than a few times. But for some reason, you just couldn’t do it. For starters, you weren’t on the pill and you were sure there wasn’t contraception under the sea (you asked if he had a condom one time, and he asked you what language that word was in. For someone who is immortal, he sure didn’t know a lot). 

You felt like sleeping with him for real for real would make things realer. It made him more of a commitment, gave him more power. And you told yourself you wouldn’t let it happen unless you were absolutely sure that he deserved it. It was really hard to say no sometimes, though. He sure knew how to persuade you.

Accepting the job and getting on the damn boat would for sure cause an issue if Namor found out. You didn’t want to search for vibranium, especially knowing the damage it would do to Wakanda if the United States got access to such a resource, and to Talokan if the States got knowledge of their existence. But... Reynolds personally invited you, and it could do wonders for your career if it went well. 

“I don’t see why not,” your sister said when you told her of your predicament the next day. “I mean, I understand the hesitation, especially if boats are being hijacked. But who knows, maybe they’ll get an Avenger and put them on board with you to keep you safe. Hopefully it’s Captain America.”

“As much as I’d love to have Sam Wilson on a boat with me for two weeks, I’m still not sure,” you groaned, plopping down onto your couch and opening up your laptop, the blue light hitting your face as you held your phone against your ear with your shoulder. Scrolling through the news, you said, “It just feels like a thing just for money. And, like, yeah, it is, but I... wait a second...”

You stopped scrolling, eyes casting across the headline of the latest CNN article, your lips falling apart. Wakanda’s King T’Challah dead at 41.

“Oh my gosh,” you breathed. Your sister asked you what it was on the other side of the phone, and you hastily forwarded the article to hear. She cursed, and both of you fell silent as you read. “Jesus Christ. I can’t go on that boat.”

---

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU won’t get on the boat?” asked Reynolds the followed week when you went into office. You shook your head, clenching your jaw.

“King T’Challah just died,” you told him matter-of-factly. “And if there really is more vibranium out there, and the States gets access to it, that’ll do a lot of damage to Wakanda.”

“We are not giving the States access to it,” Reynolds furrowed his brow, the hair of his grey mustache fluttering as he spoke. “We’re just figuring out how much of its in the water. It’s not our job to start harvesting it, that’s up to Archeology.”

“It doesn’t matter who does what,” you said feverishly. “We’re still helping do something that will eventually lead to bad things for Wakanda. And I don’t feel comfortable doing that, especially after their king just passed away.”

Reynolds narrowed his eyes at you, and said nothing before circling around to his desk and clicking the mouse of his computer. You blinked, watching him search around for something with a stern face. You waited a minute for him to speak, and when he didn’t, you cleared your throat.

“Sir..?”

“Look, L/N,” Reynolds looked at you from over his bifocals. “I understand where you stand on these more... well, political aspects of the job. But this is a big opportunity I’m offering you. If you decline, fine, but I’ll know that you’re not up to the task. I’ll give the job to Quade.”

You clenched your jaw, feeling something bubble in your stomach. Ugh, you thought. Quade. He was the worst. You knew it was wrong to take this job. Morally, it was wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

“Okay,” you sighed defeatedly. “I’ll... I’ll do it.”

“Good,” Reynolds gave you a nod and stopped typing. He pressed the delete button and held it down. “I can get rid of this email to Quade then. We leave Friday. Back your bags and tell your family you love ‘em.”

---

UNDER THE THRASHING WAVES OF the Gulf of Mexico sat a king on his throne, his forearms resting on his strong, tensed thighs as he read a piece of torn paper. He had to put the paper under pieces of surface-dweller plastic so the pages didn’t fall apart under the water, but even still, the ink had smeared a bit. Nonetheless, Namor sat, his jaw clenched, and he read.

Namor, the letter read. 

Hopefully this letter got to you all right-- my niece isn’t always too reliable. I’m writing to you in an attempt to explain myself so you don’t find out from other sources. Some people from my team will be sailing out into the Gulf with another team that’s mining for vibranium. I wanted to deny the job, but I need to take whatever opportunities they throw my way if I want to keep my head above water. I’m going to do my best to protect you and your people, but there’s only so much I can do. I’m sorry. Really, I am. If there’s anything I can do that you can think of (without totally tarnishing my reputation and/or getting fired), find a way to let me know, and I’ll do it. Again, I’m really sorry. I hope you can forgive me. Hopefully I’ll see you soon.

Sincerely Apologetically Love

From, Y/N

Namor gripped the paper tight between his calloused, jewelry covered hands. Lifting his head, he glanced up at his people, the civilization they had built together, the vibranium everyone wore. He glanced at the chest plate he wore, the cuffs around his arms, at the vibranium he wore. It was everything.

He clenched his jaw, bowing his head and pinching the bridge of his nose. He laid the paper down on his lap, squeezing his eyes shut to think. 

“Namora!” he called out hastily, and after a little over a minute, the woman emerged into the space and walked up to him, standing before his throne. She knelt, opening up her palms to him in a greeting before standing up. “K'abéet in actualizaciones yóok'ol le láak' rastreador. Yaan in biin ta wéetel (I need updates on the next tracker. I’ll be going with you).”

---

THE DRIVE TO THE PORT was peaceful, palm trees swaying in the breeze and reminding you that, although it wasn’t Mexico, you were appreciative for the beauty and pleasantries of the place you lived in. Florida, with all of its ups and downs-- and you meant all of them-- was nice. The giant boat was astonishing once your Uber pulled up. People were hustling and bustling about the port, and you simply stared up at the giant ship, clutching the strap of your bag and admiring its beauty.

“Ah, Doctor L/N, good to see you. All packed?” asked Doctor Mishra, one of the men of the group who you actually liked to be around. You were thankful he was on the trip. “Boat’s giant, no?”

“Oh, yeah,” you whistled. “Y’know, I’ve never been on a boat like this.”

“I’ve been on a couple of cruises,” Doctor Mishra told you. “Wonderful vacations. However, we will not be waited on on this boat.”

“Fine with me,” you shrugged. “Do we just... go inside, or what?”

“Not sure,” he said. Smiling, he heaved his duffel bag over his shoulder and said, “Let’s find out!

Everything went smoothly for the first week and three days. All the men had to share rooms with at least one other person, and you were lucky enough that everyone agreed that you should have the single room. Your research seemed to be going fairly, however, you never caught a glimpse of the research of the others aside from Doctor Mishra, who you were doing a lot of your work with these days.

One evening, after a nice warm shower, you ventured out onto the deck of the ship, letting the ocean breeze cool your warm cheeks. You caught a glimpse, however, of Dr. Reynolds and Bernstein exchanging words on the deck, standing quite close and speaking under their breaths. You crept closer around the corner, trying to eavesdrop. 

“We found it around thirty-five miles from the west tip of Cuba, so we’re thinking if we move closer towards Cancún and Yucatán and all that, we’ll find more,” Bernstein said quietly but firmly. Reynolds nodded his head in understanding.

“But what of the machines?” he asked. “The last one was destroyed, you said, signal lost?”

“Something’s hungry down there,” Bernstein shrugged. “Or however far down the vibranium is, it’s too deep for our computers. We need higher tech to harvest it.”

Your stomach turned. The team wasn’t supposed to be thinking about harvesting vibranium. Reynolds had told you that was up to Archaeology. You gulped and kept listening, fighting the urge to jump out and ask a million questions.

"I’m in contact with some people up north who’ve got new stuff that could work,” Reynolds scratched his white beard pensively. “They’ve had limited success too, but it could be helpful.”

“Us getting this vibranium could change the game,” Bernstein said emphatically. “I mean, can you imagine if the government realized we had this stuff? They’d pay us a lot of money to take it off our hands.”

“This is more than just money, Bernstein,” Reynolds said lowly. “If Wakanda found out that the States got hold of the one thing they’ve got on us? We’re back on top.”

“Holy shit,” Bernstein ran a hand through his oily blonde hair and grinned. “I went into the right profession, that’s for damn sure!”

“Yes, well, let’s just see what the other men have gathered in the past week and compare,” Reynolds told him. “Maybe there’s something right under our noses that we haven’t noticed.”

You clenched your jaw and stepped out from behind the corner. You squeezed a fist in one hand to prevent yourself from lashing out, and it wasn’t until you cleared your throat that the two men noticed you.

“Oh, L/N!” Reynolds gave a gasp of surprise and then a chuckle. “Wasn’t expecting you to be out so late. Isn’t it past your bedtime?”

“I don’t have a bedtime, sir, I’m a grown woman,” you said firmly. “But you’ve got about twenty years on me, so I’m confused as to why you’re not in bed either.”

Bernstein and Reynolds shared a glance.

“I’m also confused about all this I’m hearing about harvesting vibranium,” you said, not saying anything for a heartbeat to give them room to defend themselves. “I didn’t think that was what we were doing here. I also thought that as a team we were supposed to be, I don’t know, working together?”

“Look, L/N, you’ve got your own research, and so do we. We chose not to include you because you, for some reason, seemed very against delving deeper into this vibranium business,” Reynolds explained in a slow and calm voice as if he were speaking to a child. “This could be very lucrative for us and helpful for American forces.”

“You’re hiding shit from everyone,” you spat.

“No, I’m not,” Reynolds sneered. “Just from you.”

As if someone had pressed a button, all of a sudden Reynolds and Bernstein stood upright, their faces blank, eyes fogged over. You furrowed your brow and snapped in front of the former's face. A song began to echo the ship, as if someone was playing it on the loudspeakers, and you glanced around as if to see if someone else noticed it. 

You glanced up to the top deck, where a man stood next to a large scope. He was walking very uniformly, his face blank as well, and you watched as he continued to walk and walk and walk until--

You screamed bloody murder. The man walked until he reached the railing, where he hopped over it and simply threw himself off the ledge and into the depths of the ocean below. Breathing heavily, you whipped yourself around and watched as Reynolds, mesmerized by the song, began to walk towards the railing, Bernstein at his heels.

“No!” you cried, grabbing ahold of Reynolds’s arm to hold him back; he thrashed himself out of your grasp and climbed over the railing. You grappled at the back of his shirt, trying to tug him back, but he too, like a rag doll, plummeted into the crashing waves below. Bernstein was looming closer to the railing, and you wrapped your arms around his torso to hold him back.

You kept seeing men out of the corner of your eyes walk over the edge and throw themselves into the sea. You hadn’t realized it, but tears were pricking out of the corners of your eyes as you mustered up all your strength to try and hold Bernstein back from the edge.

“Snap-- out-- of-- it!” you cried, and brought one of your hands to slap him clean across the face. To no avail. Balling up a fist, you let go of him and stood between him and the railing; you wound up your arm and socked him clean across the face, to which he toppled onto his back. Blood was now seeping from his nose, but at least he wasn’t walking to his death. 

You squinted out into the sea, to try and figure out the source of the sound, but all you saw was the water and the midnight blue horizon. A groan from behind you alerted your attention; you dropped to your knees, shaking Bernstein awake.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” you cried. He wiped his nose, the blood staining the sleeve of his white shirt.

“You fuckin’ punched me!” Bernstein muffled, sitting upright and punching you straight across the face, hard enough for you to topple back onto the deck. He got to his feet, and as if nothing had happened, his face became blank again. You groaned, sitting upright and clutching your bleeding nose as he walked towards the railing again. 

“No, no-- stop!” you called out, getting to your feet, but it was too late; Bernstein climbed over the railing and fell face first into the ocean. You saw the tail of a dolphin in the distance as his body disappeared, and you squeezed your eyes shut, covering your face with your hands, blood from your nose seeping through your fingers. “Jesus christ, what the fuck? What the actual fuck? What the fuck is happening?”

SPLASH! You drew your hands away from your face, and to your horror, saw the fins of sharks circling around the boat, the occasional tale of a dolphin, or the splashes of other marine life you couldn’t identify from so far away. The beating of your heart was so fast that at this rate you were sure you could die of a heart attack. Unable to take your eyes away from the sea of troubles below you, you were terrified to see the body of a whale rise close enough to the surface for you to see, and what shocked you the most was the outline of a person riding on its back. Your jaw dropped.

Without a second thought, you sprinted towards the hatch that led to the inside of the ship. You ran at top speed across the creaky wooden floor until you reached your room, grabbing your bag that held your journal, your phone, your laptop, and your camera. A knock at your door made you jump and almost yelp.

“It’s just me,” it was Doctor Mishra, his hair disheveled and his eyes wild. He had on a large pair of earmuffs. “Are you okay? Your nose is bleeding!”

“No!” you practically screeched. “I just fucking watched the entire crew kill themselves!”

“Everyone?”

“Well, I don’t know about everyone,” you stammered, shoving anything and everything important to you into your bag. You grabbed the printed map of the gulf, with annotations and drawings and other kinds of markings, and rolled it quickly before shoving it into your bag. Picking up your taser, you blinked at it before shoving it into your bag, too. “Bernstein and Reynolds are gone, same with the rest of the crew on the deck, and the man from the mast, and the--”

“Slow down,” Mishra said to you, squatting down next to you and handing you his handkerchief for your nose. “There’s almost no signal, and the only ways we can send out an S.O.S. are either from the red flare device on the mast, or by the radio in the control room.”

“Okay,” you breathed, putting the straps of your bag over your shoulders and tightening it so it wouldn’t fall off, wiping your nose despite it continuing to bleed. “But... what if we get all weird too and try and walk off?”

“Here,” Mishra fumbled with something in his pocket: wired earbuds. “Plug them into your phone and blast some music. Should do the trick. My earmuffs worked pretty well.”

You grabbed the earbuds from him, untangling them before plugging them into your ears. Grabbing your phone, you shuffled a playlist and turned up the volume. Mishra beckoned you to follow him out the door, to which you complied, Tyler, the Creator’s “ARE WE STILL FRIENDS?” blaring from the earbuds. Not the time, you thought, but you couldn’t afford to stand there a pick a good song for the occasion.

“I’ll head up to the mast,” you offered. “The control room is safer for you since it’s pretty contained.”

“Are you sure?” he asked. “The mast is insanely high, you could get hurt.”

You clenched your jaw. “It’s fine. I’ll send out the flares. Good luck, okay?”

“Take care of yourself,” Mishra told you firmly. “Meet back on the deck in ten minutes or so.”

You nodded and turned, sprinting back up onto the deck and opening the hatch. There were people on the deck, with beautiful feathered headdresses and jaded armor. You stared at them for a moment, but before they could see you, you ran behind one of the poles, trying to focus on getting up to the mast. The ladder was on the other side of the deck, leading you to inch your way around the center portion until you could find the ladder with your eyes.

There were tons of the soldiers across the deck, running around, whispering to one another. They all held massive, sharp spears, the jade and gold glinting under the pale moonlight. It reminded you of Namor, you thought, until you realized it was possible they were his people. As much as you trusted him, you didn’t trust the spears; you weren’t about to risk your life, and even Doctor Mishra’s life, just to reunite with the man from the sea. 

You bolted towards the ladder, grabbing the bars and climbing up it with no hesitation. Someone from below shouted something. You didn’t look down, moving at a speed you were sure you had never moved at before, until you reached the top level where the light machine and the red flare device were located. You practically threw yourself onto the bright red button, pressing it over and over again so tens of red flares shot up into the night sky.

Your earbuds were playing Childish Gambino, now, and despite it being one of your favorite songs of all time, you couldn’t find it in you to enjoy it. You kept pressing the button, red flare after red flare firing into the sky. People were shouting from below you, in a language you couldn’t decipher, especially with “Me and Your Mama” blasting into your ears.

You took a brief moment to glance at the deck, peering over the railing. Someone was climbing up the mast, the gold of their armor glinting under the light of the mast. You panicked, unzipped your bag and grabbed your taser. You ran to the other side of the table-like desk in the center of the platform and crouched behind it.

Feet adorned in golden-plated sandals planted onto the platform. You swallowed your breath, holding out your taser for when they rounded the desk. You cursed your earbuds; you were sure they could hear the Childish Gambino blasting from them. When they rounded the corner, you shot up and stuck out the taster onto their stomach, to which they convulsed and stumbled backwards. You pressed the red button a handful more times, but before you could act again, you felt a hand grab you by the neck and heard the cling of a blade being unsheathed.

“Suelta a arma (Drop your weapon),” the person holding you said firmly, to which you shakily dropped your taster. It clattered onto the wooden platform. The soldier let you go, your back towards the ladder, and with the shear pointed right at you, commanded, “Péeksik (Move).”

You couldn’t understand them, but you had enough context clues to understand what the soldier wanted. You caught a long enough glimpse at them to see a strange mask over their mouth and nose, water splashing around inside of it. You wanted to look for longer, but they nudged you with the butt of their spear, so without protest, you climbed down the ladder.

By the time you reached the floor of the deck, you barely had a moment of freedom before the soldier grabbed you again, holding you by the shoulders with their spear at your neck. They spoke to another soldier, the blade of the spear dangerously close to your skin. 

One of the soldiers wore a tall, orange-feathered headdress, with the same feathers donned around the necklace she wore that looked like it was made out of something woven. The soldier holding you shoved you forward, hard enough that you stumbled over your feet and almost fell flat on your face. As soon as you were released, the other soldiers circled you, spears pointed.

“Vacíe u póoj (Empty your bag),” she commanded. You blinked, not understand. At your silence, one of the soldiers poked your bag with their spear, nudging it off. You reluctantly shook it off of your shoulders, letting it fall onto the deck. “Je'e le! (Open it!)”

Another soldier poked it with your spear before another nudged you forwards. Lowering to your knees, you grabbed the back and opened the zipper pocket so the contents of your bag was visible. One of the soldiers snatched it from you, turning it upside down and shaking it so everything fell out; your map tumbled to the ground, along with your computer, camera, and journal. Cringing at the sound of your computer and camera dropping onto the deck, you made a move to stand, but the feeling of a spear pressed against the back of your neck kept you down.

The woman in the headdress, who you assumed was in charge, bent down and picked up the map, unrolling it. She ran her finger where you had outlined the hypoxic zone in red pen, the notes near the southern border of the United States, as well as the circle around your sister’s town in Yucatán.

“Talokan ma' u dibujado (Talokan is not drawn),” she said. In broken English, she read the notes and pronounced. “Hi-gh con-cen-tra-ti-on.”

You gulped, watching them interact with one another. The one behind you holding the spear to your neck said, “Ba'ax le kíins wa ma'? (Do we kill her, or not?)”

“Le ajawo' tu ya'alaj ma' u testigos (The king said no witnesses),” another soldier proclaimed. “Kíisa (Kill her).”

“Pa'atik! (Wait!)” one exclaimed, leaning down and grabbing your wrist. “Ilawil u x-oron (Look at her wrist).”

“Lelo' u Talokan (That is from Talokan),” another said, to which gasps and murmurs spun around the circle of soldiers. You squeezed your eyes shut for a moment; the word Talokan was circling your brain. Namor. These were his people. Where was he? Why were they on your ship, killing your team? About to kill you?

“K'aaba' ti' le ajawo' (Call the king),” the woman said, to which one of the soldiers held up a large conch shell. After a beat of silence, the soldier brought it up to their lips and blew through it, a loud clarion call resounding through the air. After the call ended, the woman announced to the soldiers, “Leti' jach le ts'ook viva (She is the last alive).”

“Le ajawo' yéetel complacido (The king will be pleased),” a soldier said. 

“Y/N!” came someone's voice from above. Your heart lurched when you saw Doctor Mishra from atop one of the platforms where the radio room was. You internally cursed him for revealing his presence to the soldiers. The soldiers shouted something, and one moved to go after Mishra, but before he could, a figure shot through the air towards where the doctor was.

The figure landed on the platform next to Mishra, who, before he could run away, was struck in the head with the butt of a spear; Mishra fell to the floor, alive, but unconscious. The figure flew up into the air, circled the mast, before soaring towards where you and the soldiers were, landing with a hand on the deck.

The soldiers knelt, joining their hands at the wrists and opening their palms to him. The figure moved, the wings at his angles fluttering as he stood up. Your breath caught in your throat when he set eyes on you, breaking through the circle of soldiers to stand before your kneeling figure.

“You,” was all you could breathe when Namor stared down at you, his spear gripped in his hand. His hair was slicked back with the water of the ocean, his eyes narrowed in one of the deadliest glares you had ever witnessed. A chill went up your spine.

“I gave you that because I trusted you,” Namor poked the bracelet on your wrist with the tip of his spear. Your hands were shaking now, tears pearling at the corners of your eyes. “And here you are... harvesting vibranium. Just as you promised me you would not do.”

“I... you didn’t read my letter?” you stammered out. He was scaring you. There were drops of saltwater on his eyelashes, those ebony eyes of his making you simultaneously melt with adoration and freeze with fear. “I thought... they... they lied to me, they said we were just finding the concentration, I didn’t know they were harvesting it here--”

“You lied to me,” Namor said slowly with composure. His jaw clenched. Something in his eyes changed. “You tricked me.”

“I didn’t,” you were crying now. “I didn’t. I promise, K’uk’ulkan--”

“You do not deserve to call me that,” he gave a dry scoff. He gulped. He wasn’t just angry, you saw; he was upset. Devastated. “You are now an enemy.”

“Look at the map!” you urged him, scrambling to find it. “Look at my notes! I didn’t-- it’s not even near Yucatán, it’s-- it’s just where the concentration was higher, I swear--”

“High Concentration,” the woman from before said, handing the map to Namor. He took it, unrolling it and eyeing the area you had outlined.

“What is this?” Namor asked you, not meeting your eyes. You sniffed, swallowing the frog in your throat.

“It’s-- it’s just where I found the high concentration of vibranium in the first place. I thought we were just supposed to go back to that area, in the northern Gulf, to test the concentration, and that’s what I thought we were researching! That’s what my-- that’s my project. My work.”

“Your project,” Namor repeated. 

“Remember?” you practically begged. “Remember how I spent all that time working and you stopped me from getting data? That’s what I was researching! That’s what I’m doing here! I didn’t know that fucking Bernstein and Reynolds were trying to harvest vibranium! I had no idea!”

“How am I supposed to believe you?”

You could barely catch your breath. “I-- I don’t know. My map, my computer, my journal, my goddamn phone, everything’s in there. Take it all, I don’t care. Read everything I’ve ever written, you’ll see!”

Namor bent down and picked up your journal, flipping open to the first page and starting to read. Your knees were starting to hurt from how long you’ve been sitting on them. The silence was deafening, watching him flip through the journal. He read every single word, and you tried to calm your breathing as you watched his face change as he continued to flip.

When he reached the last page, he closed the journal and held it by his side. His glare was gone; he was frowning now, refusing to look at your face. Glancing up at the soldiers, he lifted a hand, to which they lowered their spears away from you and backed up. Namor extended a hand to you as if to help you to your feet. You eyed it hesitantly, but seeing the grimace on his face, you took it and stood.

He didn’t say anything. It was like he couldn’t. He avoided your eyes, and without a word, he turned around towards the railing, resting his forearms on it with a sigh. You were still shaking, but as your fear subsided, you felt the anger bubbling up in your stomach. A drop of blood fell from your nose, touching your top lip.

“You killed everyone,” you muttered, wiping the blood off of your lip. He turned his head and said nothing. “Your people almost killed me.”

“I will do anything for my people,” he told you carefully. His voice was wavering. “If they are threatened, I do not care what it takes. I will protect them.”

You weren’t sure what to say. You walked up beside him, resting your arms on the railing, too. Out of the corner of your eye, you could see his chest rising and falling with a quick cadence, and despite not being able to hear his fast breathing, you could see he was becoming flustered.

“I pray you can find it in you to understand my motives,” he continued. You, again, said nothing. You could barely form words, your mouth dry. There was something warm on the back of your neck; you brought your hand up to touch it, only to find fresh blood on the pads of your fingers. The spears had cut you. Namor glanced over at your bloodied hand, brows twitching. He reached towards you, “Allow me to--”

You flinched back. You couldn’t look at him. He dropped his hands and bowed his head, staring at the waters below. They were calm, now, the sharks and dolphins no longer splashing about. That whale you had seen had gone, too. You willed your rapid beating heart to cease, wishing your chest would stop twisting and turning.

“I get it,” you murmured, using the collar of your shirt to wipe the last bit of blood from your nose. Namor’s head twitched up, eyes on you in less than a second. “Gotta protect your people, just like you were when you wouldn’t let me take those samples. But this... this is... what I saw...”

“If I had known you weren’t apart of it, I would never have let--”

“I wish you had trusted me,” you sniffled, finally looking at him. His ebony eyes were wider than you had ever seen them, brown brows tilted upwards in a form of desperation you would have never picture them having. He was beautiful. “My letter, I thought... I thought I explained it.”

“You did,” Now that Namor had caught your eyes, he didn’t dare look away in fear of losing them again. “You did, I... jumped to conclusions.”

“You jumped to conclusions,” you repeated, breaking the eye contact. You clenched your jaw. “So you killed my entire team.”

Namor’s mouth opened and closed like a fish for a second, unable to find proper words. “You have to understand where I’m coming from, here. These ships harvesting our vibranium-- Talokan’s vibranium-- would put us at risk. It could lead to the end of my people.”

“I know,” you sighed, closing your eyes and putting your head on your hands where they rested against the railing. The ocean’s breeze struck at your forehead, cooling your skin and blowing your hair off your face. Namor didn’t say anything, but you could feel him looming closer. You hid your face from him.

“Y/N,” he said, his voice so soft you almost didn’t hear him over the breeze. “Please look at me.”

After a prolonged second, you lifted your head from your arms, the breeze chilling the tears that had rolled down your cheeks. You couldn’t meet his eyes. You couldn’t bear it.

“Take me home,” you said quietly. He blinked. “Please.”

“To... to Yucatán?” he inquired, a layer of hope underneath his words.

“No,” something was twisting in your chest. “To Miami.”

“...right now?”

“Yes.”

Namor didn’t move, just staring at you with those puppy dog eyes that made you want to wrap your arms around him and pull him into you. 

“Are you sure?” he asked. “Please, Y/N, we have to--”

“Yes, I am sure,” you said pointedly, despite the wobbling of your voice. “It’s not like there’s anything for me to do here, anyways. Everyone’s dead.”

Namor raised an arm, and the female Talokanil soldier from earlier came to his side. He muttered something to her in his native language; you hadn’t bothered to listen, for one because you didn’t speak a word, but for two because for some reason, hearing his voice was making it difficult to hold your ground.

“Come,” he said to you, holding his hand out. You glanced over at him; he began to rise from the ground, wings on his ankles keeping him suspended in the air. You glanced at his hand. “Do you trust me?”

You felt your lower lip tremble. 

“I don’t know,” you said, grabbing his hand anyways. He frowned, his eyes more glassy than ever. You wondered if he would cry. He pulled you up, gently wrapping an arm around your waist and holding you tight on his side, his other arm holding his spear.

In a flash, you were soaring towards the horizon, the cold, salty air whipping you in the face as he flew. His skin was cold against yours, and despite your anger, you pushed yourself against him, wondering when the next time you’d feel him would be.

The gold of his jewelry pressed against your skin, and you stared at the way in glinted under the pale moonlight. You stared at him, the jade in his septum, the point of his ears, the bronze of his skin. There were tears prickling at the corners of his eyes, prevented from rolling down his face and simply flying away from the force of the wind.

You hadn’t realized how quickly you were flying. The shore was near, you could see the lights of the city as you approached it. You slowed, your hair relaxing from the absence of the harsh wind. Scrunching your nose to get some feeling back in it, your feet skimmed the top layer of the ocean as he brought you to the sand and let you go.

You dusted your self off, fixing your head and allowing yourself to adjust to being back on the ground. You had gotten dizzy from the flight, but came to it in less than a minute. You glanced at where his hand still held his spear. When he saw you look at it, he lowered it without hesitation. You finally laid eyes on Namor. The tears from earlier had fallen onto his cheek. 

“Do you fear me?” he asked.

“I fear what you’re capable of,” you muttered. “Because I don’t think you’ll ever trust me.”

“I trust you,” he breathed. You frowned. “I trust you.”

“No, you don’t.”

“I do,” he insisted, falling to his knees in front of you. His ebony hair was partially covering his eyes, but the wind suddenly pushed it back so you could see his face. Your eyes widened, gaze lowering to where he sat. “I’m sorry, Y/N. I trust you. Fully.”

You could barely believe the sight before you; Namor, on his knees. You were cruel, you thought. You were still crying. 

“I just need some time,” you said, feeling your heart change at the sight of him. His eyes kept flickered around your face, to one eye, to your nose, to your lips, to the other eye, back to your lips. “Okay?”

“Time?” he repeated, nodding, knees digging into the sand, wings on his ankles fluttering a bit. “Yes, that’s-- as much time as you want.”

“Okay,” you sighed. Namor slowly rose to his feet, reminding you of the way he towered over you. He didn’t let his eyes leave yours, as if he were trying to tell you something tacitly. He looked at your lips. 

He lifted his hands towards your face, and when you didn’t flinch away, he cupped both of your cheeks with his palms. You closed your eyes, heart thumping. 

“Whenever you are ready,” he began, his thumb rubbing over your cheekbone. “I’ll be here. All right?”

“Mm-hm,” you said, letting yourself look at him. He nodded, biting the inside of his cheek. 

“Good-bye,” he said. He leaned forward, pressing a kiss to your hairline so tenderly you thought you might start sobbing right then and there. Before you could say anything more, he soared up into the air, flying away and disappearing into the midnight sky. You wiped at your cheeks, ridding the tears, and with a sigh, you turned around and made for your apartment.

---

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a/n: please remember to update your privacy settings so i can tag you!! so many people asked to be on the taglist but then i can’t tag them for some reason... please make sure you update it! thanks everyone <3

[namorslutfanfiction]

Maybe like SHIELD agent reader with Namor for #7?

You had been called in from your first day of vacation. You couldn't even get a full day off without SHIELD falling apart it seemed. You hadn't even been briefed properly before you were shuffled onto a jet to an undisclosed location. They had captured a 'person of interest' that seemed to want to speak to you directly. Why you? Who knows, because you didn't.

10 successful missions, working with the next generation of Avengers, and taking down a multidimensional traveler had burnt you out and you were really not in the mood to deal with whatever was waiting at the end of this plane ride. You looked out the window as you tried to wrack your brain in search of who could be a SHIELD asset off the coast of Mexico.

You landed on top of a spartan building and led down deep into the bowels of it. You wondered when SHIELD would have more inconspicuous out postings for their international holdings. You didn't doubt that SHIELD had enough international power to keep this base a secret, but you doubted that the locals felt safe. You reminded again of why you had joined SHIELD in the first place, to change how they operated. Needless to say you hadn't been all that successful so far. You shook your thoughts away as you followed the agents. The depth at which they led you made you nervous. This much security meant that whoever SHIELD had caught was powerful.

You finally made it to what had to be the bottom floor and were led to a set of double doors where Nick Fury stood. He nodded to you, "Sorry to cut your vacation short, but you were summoned specifically by name."

A dry chuckle slipped past your lips, "Short is one way to put it. I hadn't even been gone a full day and my phone was ringing. I knew I should have chucked it into the ocean before I left the base."

"We still would have found you. Maybe a helicopter on your front lawn would be a bit distracting but I'm sure you would come running," Fury deadpanned.

"I'd shoot your pilot if they landed on my roses. So maybe it is better that I kept my phone. Are you going to tell me who is 'summoning' me or are you going to keep me on the edge of my seat?" You prodded as Fury led the way through 4 doors deep of additional security doors.

"You'll see. I'm interested to learn how he knows of you. I was under the impression that only the Wakandans and a select few, not including you, knew he even existed," Fury raised an eyebrow at you. But you weren't paying attention. Your mind was racing trying to connect the dots. Someone only the Wakandans and a few others knew about. Someone that knew you?

The doors parted and your eyes widened as the tanned figure in the glass cage turned. You followed Fury but stopped short while the Agent continued closer to the glass. The doors behind you shut with a hiss as Fury turned to you expectantly. Your eyes were glued to the brown ones of the Talokanil King as he smirked at you.

“This is what I was called for? You?” You said in a hushed disbelieving tone. Namor didn't reply as his eyes roamed your figure from head to toe. You turned to Fury, "You didn't capture him, you know. This wouldn't hold him. He's here willingly."

"I am well aware of that. But it helps the others feel safer when we put on the façade of locking him behind steal. So are you going to explain to me how you know Namor of Talokan or will I have to ask Shorts over here?" Fury crossed his arms.

You didn't speak as you looked between the SHIELD agent and the regal man who was still smirking at you behind the glass.

Fury sighed, "Normally I would be happy to see you so tight lipped. Alright, your majesty, how do you know my agent?"

Namor stepped closer to the glass, still locking eyes with you. "You don't want to tell him do you?"

You didn't reply. Fury glanced between the two of you, starting to get agitated. "What do you want with her, Namor? We all know you are here willingly, but why?"

Namor ignored him and addressed you, "It's time to go home now, wife."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

Thank you for playing

[creamecafe]

Hello! ((＼(^_^)／))

I have a K'uk'ulkan request!

Can we get some sleepy ramblings from him? Like, him and the reader are going to sleep, and he's saying some incomprehensible, random, kingly duty nonsense, and the reader is just finding it hilarious. Just trying to holding in their laughter while he's just going on and on.

𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 | 𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐫

𝐍𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 | 𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 | 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐈 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫 | 𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 | 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐩𝐚𝐝

Summary: It's nothing new that Namor talks in his sleep and while you sleep next or by him you hear it all. But one night he talks in his sleep and things are hilarious.

Pairing: K'uk'ulkan/Namor x GN!Reader

Word Count: ???

Warnings: none just major fluff

a/n: tysm for requesting I hope you enjoy it! Almost my first Namor fic AHH! Also the title may or may not have been inspired by Harry Styles song 'Late Night Talking' I couldn't think of any titles that would fit ok?

You and Namor have always slept by each other as long as you both can remember.

You guys would cuddle up together in your big bed and sleep holding each other. But you notice that while you guys are sleeping, Namor would talk or ramble in his sleep.

You sometimes joke to Namor about it but he denies saying he doesn't talk in his sleep. Until one night.

After a long day of looking over Talokan as both King(s)/Queen, you guys decided it was best to go to sleep. You both said goodnight to each other

"Goodnight my queen/king." Namor kisses you sweetly on the lips.

"Goodnight my love." You kiss him back.

You both pulled back and smile at each other. You get into your shared bed and cuddle with each other. Namor started rubbing circles on your back and you started falling asleep quickly. You love it when he rubs circles on your back.

A few hours later, you guys are sleeping soundly and peacefully. Then suddenly you hear talking out of nowhere. You get up rubbing your eye to see who was talking this late.

Then you recognize the voice. It was Namor's voice. You look to your right to see him sleeping, knocked out cold and just talking whatever incomprehensible nonsense is coming out of his mouth.

"Imperius Rex! Rise Talokan! Rise Talokan!"

You just laid in bed looking at him while trying to hold on your laughter to not wake him up. But to your efforts, he continues.

"I am king of Talokan, and you will not disrespect my partner! Imperius Rex!"

After a while you could hold it in anymore. You started laughing and quickly covered your mouth. Namor woke up to your laugh. He turned to you confused why you were awake.

"Is everything alright Y/N? Why are you awake? And why are you laughing?"

It took you a minute to calm yourself down to explain everything. Even when you were talking you had a smile on your face.

"Y-you were talking in your sleep Namor."

"I was?"

"Yes"

"No I wasn't."

"Yes you were Namor you weren't saying king duties in your sleep and bunch of nonsense."

"What did I say?"

"Oh you were saying a lot of things. You kept saying Rise Talokan, imperius Rex, and saying to not disrespect me." You smiled.

Namor looks at you confused about his sleep talking but can't help but smile at you because of your expression.

"Well I guess what you say is true about me sleep talking. I just thought you were making it up."

"No why would I do that?" You laugh and Namor laughs with you.

"I'm sorry if I interrupted your sleep."

"It's ok," You reach your hand out to play with his curly dark hair and move down to cup his face.

"I don't mind losing a bit of sleep because of you."

Namor smiles at this. He just loves you so much. You both went back to sleep to cuddle with each other. It's needless to say the next morning you would nonstop make fun of Namor of his sleep talk.

Namor would be annoyed but can't be mad at you because he loves you and you do the same with him.

[mimiiis]

El Sol (pt.3.1) (Namor x Latina!Reader)

(photos are not mine)

Summary: Namor fulfills his promise, you show him a piece of your heart.

Warnings: !!All Mayan used was taken from a translator, i apologize if anything if wrong!! Reader is heavily mentioned/implied to be Meixcan— tiny bit of angst (??), some curse words, hunger, small mentions of cuts n bruises n pain, that should be alll ? !! Not thoroughly proofread!!

Series Masterlist- Prev. Next.

Word Count: 10.3k

A/n: Heey… Month and a half since I last updated 😧 hope a few of yall r still here 🤠 🫶 It says 10k on that word count but i feel like nothing happened…let me know what yall think 😭

Where the land meets the sea, that is where you’ll find my heart

You stare dumbfoundedly at the words before you. A heart aching pang ripped through your chest as you set down the piece of parchment you held, processing the words you had just read.

You swore you’ve heard that before, felt those words. But you’re sure you have never read this book before. Maybe it was from a movie, a song, a poem? Or was it a dream?

Your wrist had that dull ache again, the one you get from writing for too long without stopping. You whirled it around, stretching the tense and tight muscles of your hand. Your brows knit together as you tried to recall why the quote before you made you feel so…empty? Something about it made your soul cry out, as if you were so close to figuring out where it belonged only to be misplaced after each guess. Like a puzzle. But you got one piece wrong, you needed to start all over.

But you couldn’t have known it right? This book and story were kept down here for centuries, hidden and preserved from the rest of the world. But there are endless possibilities of the same words being written over and over…

Thinking about it made that melancholy feeling inside your chest grow, you may have even started crying. You decided that was enough translating for the day.

You sat up, stretching your arms over your head as the rest of your body extended itself as well. Bones cracked and joints popped at the relief of not being so stiff.

You looked over to your bed as your head hung slightly upside down. The neatly folded blankets in one corner, the fluffed and clean pillows, they had no sign of life. You blinked at them, ignoring the temptation to crawl back into the hammock and go to your dreams.

That day with Namor, it felt like one. And it was all you thought about. All you saw when you closed your eyes.

That grand city, it’s sun, it’s people. And their King. It was the king who consumed your waking thoughts. Who made your cheeks flush and kick your legs in a girlish manner at each thought of him.

When you awoke the next day, he kept his word. The second you had finished dressing, he called for you. You almost ran to him actually, anxious to see if the man from your dreams was still real. And he was, the smile that he gave you was still there. That soft sincere look fell upon his face when he realized it was you who entered his space. It made your heart full and each nerve tingle in excitement.

He let you talk, let you ask questions about Talokan, his people and their culture. Though he did not go into much detail about exactly why they ended up there, he did tell you how. About the vibranium-infused herb. About its properties, why and how he became king. He told you of his abilities. How he was born with them and why he was so different from his people. The question which led him to showing you talokan was finally answered, the gift of fast healing given by the herb. You marveled at his stories, they truly were something out of a fairy tale. But it was real. He was proof, Nikté was proof.

Though the subject on why Namor’s people lived in the water was what you would call touchy. He always tensed and quickly found a way to change the subjects each time you asked why his ancestors needed the vibranium infused herb in the first place. You never wanted to pry him for answers, but something inside felt like you knew what it was. You felt silly to pray that you were somehow wrong.

So you did nothing but listen to him. Let his words fill your soul and mind with the memory of him and his voice.

He let you do the same. For each story and question, he was allowed to ask for one in return. And you let him. He showed you his home, his heart. Though it may have been nothing but a pure glimpse, something told you he was not the kind to do that to just anyone.

You told him of your mother, your childhood. Your sisters and brothers, grandmother. About their significance in your life, the lessons they taught you. He listened as well, an intrigued look always on his face as you told him a story of your childhood.

Though the way he frowned and his brows rose when you ever brought up a sad memory of someone breaking your heart, it made you want to comfort him instead. He always looked like he wanted to say something.

I would never hurt you, the look read.

I know, you wished to tell him each time.

You had grown weary of the cave. You still didn’t know how time worked in the dark, often wondering what day it was after naps and sleeps.

You craved for the sun, prayed for it. You missed the breath the wind would bring to your lungs. The sounds of waves crashing upon the shore- of children and people laughing. Music and seeing people dance without a care in the world. That was the only home you’d ever known. How you yearned for it.

You thought about Namor's promise a lot.

3 days on land each month. But when is the next month? Has that month already passed? He didn’t say it would start immediately, maybe only when he wished. You’d never asked about the conditions. You felt that if you asked again, that painful and hurt look would appear on his face once more. The way he said your name echoed throughout your mind. You hardly truly knew him but something about the way he said made it seem as if centuries of longing and heartache were behind it. You couldn’t tell the difference if your heart was breaking in agony for the fact you could not have him in that moment or for pure human empathy.

You sighed, lifting yourself back up and closing the book that had managed to keep you distracted for the past days. Shaking your head lightly as you attempt to clear your head from those thoughts.

In fact, you were almost done with Le Ujo’ . The Maya only got easier, though still tricky when heard and spoken for you, reading was not as hard anymore. You were able to communicate with your blue skinned friend a bit more easily now- having her write down things while you practiced speaking in response.

You can’t say you were getting anywhere though, the way the syllables parted but blended into one made your head spin as Nikté said them so quick and precisely. Sometimes you’d give up and begin speaking gibberish, she’d always almost start yelling the phrase she wanted you to learn repeatedly. You’d simply laugh at her rage, seeing her brows knit as she tried to make herself look more intimidating for you made you take her less seriously instead. Eventually, she’d laugh back. The cave would explode in fits of giggles and snorts as the lesson of the day was long forgotten.

You smiled at the memory, wondering where your friend was now. The roaring growl of your stomach made you realize you were now hungry, which meant that lunch was near and she’d soon call you out. There was a bowl of fruit near you that you could snack on of course but, the thought of seeing him again made you want to wait.

Heat crept to your cheeks as you thought of being alone with Namor again. It was a regular occurrence now, spending every meal together, but the idea of it still made your heart pound. You had just seen him yesterday. But the image of his strong arms, thick hands, and chiseled face crept up into your mind.

Namor, his name like a melody you never wanted to end. It was torture to have to wait to see him again.

You hummed as a smile crept onto your cheeks, biting your lip as a giddy feeling coursed through your veins. You would have giggled in glee imagining him if it were not for Nikté suddenly coming up to you and gently poking your shoulder.

Your heart leapt out your chest, turning around quickly as your eyes widened at the sudden company. A silent scream escaped you as you met her eyes. You took her in as best as you could, doing your best to calm your racing heart as she simply looked at you in confusion and worry.

“M-Ma’alobech?” She asks, hands reaching towards you. Are you okay?

“Nikté!” You gasp, the realization that it was her in front of you finally processing into your mind. You let out a breathy chuckle, grasping her hand with yours as you steadied yourself. She made no noise, didn’t do her usual whistle and call of your name whenever she entered. Or maybe she did. Maybe you were just distracted with thoughts of Namor.

“Ma’alobech?” She repeated, her free hand coming up to grip your cheek as she lifted your head. The cold skin made you shiver, the feeling going down your back. It seemed as if you had swallowed the sun with her touching you. No matter how many times she did your hair, held your hand, or came near you, you could never get used to her freezing body temperature.

“Je’el.” You finally reply, nodding as you do so.Yes

She glared at you for a second, as if she truly didn’t believe your answer. You blinked, trying your best to say I’m fine without speaking. It seemed to work for she backed away a few moments after, letting you go before giving you a small soft grin.

“Le ajawo' taak u wilech.” She says. The king wants to see you.

One of the phrases you knew word for word.

~~~~~

Nikté didn’t do your hair that day. Didn't hand you any of those fine embroidered dresses or the golden cuffs either. Simply placed large jade earrings, the same as Namors, inside your palms before leading you to meet him.

As you walked you noticed that the cave was unnervingly quiet. The faint dripping of water was the only sound besides your own breath. No sounds of scattered and hushed whispers as you strolled along the rock carved halls.

There were no signs of guards either. The other women you’d occasionally see holding fruit or fabrics around the cave were gone as well.

You thought you may have gone mad, that you were purposely blocking out noises again. Maybe it was just the time in between guard shifts, maybe more were coming soon. You thought it was all fine, that you were becoming worried for no reason. Until you passed that room, the one previously full of those beautiful dresses. Only to peer inside and see nothing.

Empty. Completely barren. Besides that vanity style mirror on the wall, not a trace of life ever being there was left. Not a speck of gold, silver, or jade flashed upon the floor.

How strange.

The realization of how abandoned the cave had truly become finally began to sink in. Your skin crawled and goosebumps spread as you wondered why everyone had left.

The previous day the halls were bustling with laughter and gossip. The sweet scent of freshly cut fruit and coconut water was now gone, replaced with wet rock and bitter sea salt.

You turned to Nikté, wanting to ask her where is everyone? What happened?

But you saw that she too was on edge. Her shoulders were tense, along with her back straightened. She had always kept her hair free and flowing, but today it was done and kept in a neat long braid, you had just noticed. Even her aura changed. That once laid back and welcoming warmth around her was set to match the cold of her skin.

Your stomach churned at the thought of something horrible having happened.

You didn’t even have enough time to think of possibilities as you crossed those small stepping rocks to Namor huts. Looking up to only see two of the most terrifying beings you’d ever laid eyes upon.

You had a suspicion that everyone from Talokan was utterly beautiful. That their race was the gods favorite and they personally carved each of its warriors by hand. Looking at them, well, they proved you right.

It was two of them. A man and a woman. Simply looking into their eyes made everything inside your body cry. Each nerve and bone yelled at you to go hide or run as far from them as possible. You froze in their powerful presence as the fear inside you grew and grew with each millisecond.

Tall, thick, and muscular, the man was covered in a necklace that looked to be shark teeth protruding from each angle. Armor coated his shoulders and neck but kept his bare chest open, the leathers beginning again at the waist where you noticed scars. Scars that looked like they had been etched into his skin in a manner the person who did it knew it would leave scars. But that wasn’t what surprised you no, it was the large hammerhead shark skull that rested upon his head like a crown. Just how that may have gotten into his hand, you could not decide if you did or didn’t want to know.

But the woman. You believed Nikté to be the most beautiful creature you’d set your eyes upon but she… she was absolutely devastating. Her lashes were thick, cast upon her almond shaped eyes as she stared back at you. A halo of lionfish scales sat utop her own head, the light of the cave gleaming softly through the sheer material. There were some on her neck and shoulders as well, poking out in every direction like feathers. Her strong arms were out on display, nothing covering the tops of them as you admired the muscles. You couldn’t tell if the blue skin made them more prominent or if it made those strong arms look softer. She didn’t stay still long enough for you to find out.

They moved swiftly and suddenly. You almost jumped as their resting and tense arms moved. You couldn’t say what you expected for them to do next but this certainly was not it.

The salute. They were doing the Talokan salute— to you. As well as bowing, bending their waists ever so slightly. They closed their eyes and bowed their heads to you as well.

Confusion ran through you as you stared at them. You moved to look at Nikté, to ask her why they were doing this. But you found no help, for she was doing the same.

A sense of panic surged through you as you looked at the scene before you. Not much had happened today but it was turning out to be the strangest by far. You almost wanted to run, to get away from this sudden change of everything. The silence,no other people, these warriors. Nothing like you’d seen before during your time here. Everytime was so consistent, you weren’t wrong for being caught off guard now.

You wanted to say something, to ask what was happening. But nothing came out of your mouth. Not a squeak or breathe as your mouth opened. So you did the next best thing. You recalled how the salute was done by the Talokanil to Namor, how they placed their right wrist over their left. And in return he did it as well, only the left over the right. You had no idea if that was the correct way to respond, if that way was only for the King or not but— it was all you could think to do.

You bowed your head in return, wrists going over each other as you looked at the two intimidating soldiers in front of you. You prayed you didn’t do anything wrong, hoped you did something right.

And it seems as if you did, for they nodded their heads soon after. They moved quickly once more, straightening and placing their hands at their sides before moving around you and leaving into the halls behind you.

You sighed a breath of relief as they left, going to look back at Nikté in hopes for answers but you could not find her. You almost began to panic once more, swiftly turning your head around in hopes she’d still be near. And she was, right behind you on her way out behind the two frightening soldiers.

You called her name, hands softly grasping her shoulder and turning her to you.

“Ba'ax úuch?” What happened? You ask her.

Her eyes meet yours, that tense look still cast upon them. Though the softness she held whenever she looked at you was there, hidden beneath a thin mask of fear.

She grabs your arms, her fingers holding onto your flesh tightly as she stares into your soul. A fire blazed inside her large black eyes, the flame bright and clear as she spoke.

“Mante u salvo in reina.” Her words were no louder than the cool breeze around you. The words were sincere though spoken rather swiftly, a familiar air around them as they settled into your mind.

Reina. Reina.

“What?” You ask. Queen, she called you her queen. You were taken aback, she’d never called you that before. It was never so empty in this cave either. You’d never gone a day without her doing your hair in elaborate ways. Never seen those warriors here before. And no one had ever done that salute to you. It was all so strange, so out of the ordinary you had gotten used to.

A thousand and more questions ran through your mind. The feeling to ask and beg for answers filled your body, the amount of strangeness that suddenly appeared out of nowhere overwhelming you. You almost shook in the want to yell each question out, to demand answers at the sudden stir in this small cave.

But instead, you just stood there. Stunned at the words she spoke to you.

Stay safe my queen. Your brows furrowed together and you continued to gaze into your friends eyes. What does that even mean? Safe from what?

Nikté could see the confusion in your eyes. Her intense gaze softened, the corners of her arched brows coming down as she suddenly pulled her hands away from you.

She bowed, turning onto her heels and finally disappearing into the dark of the cave.

You stood still, the previous interactions you had just experienced running through your mind.

“I see that you have met Namora and Attuma.” A voice spoke behind you.

It seems as if today everyone decided to band against you. As if all those around you felt the need to frighten you by making no noise and suddenly coming up behind you. You swore your heart stopped as you heard him, swiftly spinning around to come face to face with the man that you had almost forgotten you were meant to meet. His soft eyes greeting yours.

“I-uh.” You stutter, “I suppose I have.” Uncertainty rang through your voice as you looked him up and down, taking him in.

His top was bare, toned chest and abs out for you to see. Tan skin that was complemented by the thick gold and blue necklace he wore. His cuffs shone in the cave light as he extended a hand for you to take. You had still been on the small stepping stones when he approached you. You grasped the hand that reached for you, intertwining your fingers together as he pulled you up onto the small rock of an island surrounded by the water.

It was not unusual to see him like this. In fact half of the time you saw him he was half naked. But still, you never stopped marveling at his sculpted body. The way his muscles tensed and how fluidly his body moved always astounded you. When he helped you up, he let out no grunt or whimper like other men would have. He made you seem weightless as you stepped near him, staring at the strong muscled hand that held your own.

He did that alot, touched you. It was never anything too drastic, no he’d never go that far. But small pats and holds were how he seemed to communicate when words couldn’t. And you’d embrace it. Each touch calming a blazing cold inside of you and warming your heart whenever his hand met your own skin.

“How did you sleep?” Namor suddenly asks, his gruff voice bringing you out of your thoughts.

You flush, cheeks growing hot as you look up and into his eyes. “Since when do you care about how I sleep?” You attempt to tease, desperately not wanting to make your embarrassment obvious.

“Am I not allowed to care?” He smirks, the whites of his teeth showing with a smile. A low chuckle leaves his chest as he does so. You can tell he knows your true feelings.

You try to feign annoyance, rolling your eyes at him and letting go of the hand that held yours. But the muscles of your cheeks get the best of you as a smile slips and paints your face.

“You’ve never asked before.” You respond. The smile on your face only grew and soon one appeared on his as well.

Giggles and chuckles escape from both of you. The small and fake argument clearly not going anywhere as you laugh. The previous embarrassment you had vanished, the warm familiarity of him sunk in at last.

“Well I am asking now.”

“I slept well“ You reply, a soft and sincere smile on your face.

“So uh-Why am I here exactly? All Nikté said was that you wanted to see me.” You finally ask after a few beats of silence. You had still wanted to ask many questions, and needed many answers. But you don’t think that now was the time to bombard him with them all. You ball your hands into fists, needing some way to hold in your anticipation. The tapping of your foot was heard throughout the cave, echoing softly off the rocky walls.

The small leftover smile on his face suddenly grew. The familiar fire of his eyes began to blaze as he stared back into your own eyes. The intense look made you shiver, intent burned brightly on the man before you.

“You and I are going to be taking a small trip.” He tells you in a chipper tone, stepping closer to where you stood.

“A trip?” You ask, tilting your head slightly.

His smile only grows even more. He begins to come closer. Close enough that his chest is almost touching yours. The action makes you realize how cold you are, his warmth radiating off of him and onto your own skin. The cave was always cold, that was something that you had grown quite tired of as well. The use of thick blankets and long sleeved dresses while knowing it was summer in the world above didn’t sit quite right with you.

You may have also been accustomed to the fact he liked to hold you, but feeling it could never get old. His skin burned your own and you swore the heat could have left a scar. Why would you need the heat of the sun when you had him?Goosebumps cover you as he grabs your hands, softly caressing the tops of your palms with his thumbs.

The endearing look he had whenever he saw you finally returned. His intense brown eyes went soft once more, soothing the small bit of anxiety that you felt build in the pit of your belly.

He comes even closer, lips at your ear and chills run down your back as he breathes out two simple words,

“Three days.”

~~~~

The cabin was by no means large. Big enough for a small kitchen, bathroom, living area, and a small bedroom. It was what you would call cozy. Empty besides a few pieces of furniture that seemed to be made of pure and rich wood. The dark colors of the dimly lit room bled into each other as the sunlight poured through the thin curtains.

You felt disoriented. The plush pillows and blanket were a different material than to what you had gotten used to. Your arms and fingers stretched themselves out as you came to your senses and began feeling the fabric beneath you.

It felt like fleece as you gripped soft tufts of it. You were drooling, arms and neck sore as they once were earlier. Even when waking up with such comfort, your body managed to go against you.

You curled your head back, lifting it up with a light jump as you realized there was a small patch of light before you. Only it wasn’t blue. But a bright white with a yellowish hue.

You almost threw yourself off the bed you laid upon, rushing to the window. Legs giving out and falling onto your knees in such a haste, you crawled. Pulling back the feather light fabric of the curtain you opened your eyes fully to take in the world before you.

Tall grass and thick palm trees created a dense forest of green. Red and pink wildflowers scattered against the dirt floor as the baby blue sky brought a painfully bright light into your eyes. You squinted, grasping the wooden edge of the window sill and pulling yourself back up.

Real.

You tried to breathe. Gasping in and out as you took in your surroundings.

This was real.

Wood. It was wood that greated your bare feet and not the sharp rocky floors of the underwater cave. And it was a bed next to you. Made of foam and covered in thick blankets, ones you’re sure to have seen in your mothers closet. And your clothes. You were wearing the dress from your first night in México. The one he had found you in.

You pulled the thin white fabric on you, feeling it hug your skin as you tried to remember what had exactly happened.

When Namor had spoken those words, you knew what he meant. You remember lighting up in excitement and practically throwing yourself at him in thanks. The words also helped explain everything, why everyone had left, where everything was. Who those two warriors were.

He told you they were Namora and Attuma, his second and third in command. How they were to be in charge of his country while he stayed on the surface with you.

You remember that part vividly. The way his soft eyes looked at you when he saw how happy you were being told you were going to see the sun again. But you didn’t miss the slight pained and annoyed flash of his eyes when you told him how thankful you were to see your home again.

And Nikté’s words. You knew what they meant now. Or at least you think you did.

When you asked him how you would get to the surface, he hesitated to answer. He almost cringed when you did in fact. But you managed to get it out of him. He told you that you couldn’t be awake for it, that you needed to sleep. Namora told him they could not risk a human telling someone else about the location and route of how to get to that small cave. It looked as if it pained him to tell you that. Said he knew you would never.

But she was right, you were just a human. And she was the serpent gods’ second in command, so who were you to second guess her words. You didn’t feel insulted, but maybe you should have. Namor made you feel so special, treated you like an equal to him that you had actually almost forgotten you were simply human. A surface dweller.

You stretched your arms over your head, leaning back as tensed muscles popped and cracked with every motion you made. You continued to stare at the world outside, the disbelief and shock still rattled and echoed inside of you but a sense of calm settled as well.

You finally managed to breathe. Fresh air filled your lungs and you closed your eyes as the gentle heat of the sun soaked into your skin.

A wave of sleepiness began to wash over you again, yawning as you went to sit down. Until your stomach growled. Loud and aching you froze in your spot. Your cheeks flushed as you stared dumbfoundedly into the floor, standing still hoping that wherever Namor was, he hadn’t heard.

Right. You hadn’t eaten at all today.

You slowly turned, the floorboards squeaking and beneath you as you made your way to the door in front of you. Loud and creaking, you slowly tried to open it. Cringing as the noises rang throughout the cabin, you stepped out to see the rest of the space.

Air flowed through the cabin and blew the curtains in the wind. They danced as their glimmering and sheer fabric swayed to reveal a deep blue color in the distant skyline. Yellow and greens mixed into one as you suddenly began to hear the faint but still loud push and pull of waves.You moved to the window nearest to the door, rushing to the view.

The Ocean.

You could almost smell the bitter saltiness. Feel the way the sand felt in inbetween your fingers and toes. Your skin crawled as the never ending siren song of the sea rose into your ears, calling you closer to the water. And you suddenly forgot about your hunger.

Get to the water. Get to the water. Ran throughout your mind as you stared at the large blue streak upon the horizon.

You grab the flimsy door knob beside you, battling to open it in one swift motion as a strange sense of panic takes a hold of you. Your body was moving on its own, as if it were looking for something. For someone.

You almost ran out the door, getting ready to sprint and answer that far off call, wanting to rid that strange sense of longing that you hadn’t felt in weeks. Until you felt someone grab you. Strong hands pulled you back into the cabin by the waist, wrapping around you and warmth seeped into your back. Whatever trance you had been in, this feeling had taken you out of it.

Consciousness hit you like a truck again and the calling of the waves stopped. The loud song of the sea ended abruptly, as if it had never even been there. You became aware of where exactly you were and what you had almost done. As well as who was holding you.

“A el igual que le áanalte'o'.” A deep voice whispered behind you. The breath so close to your ear sent chills cascading down your back. You wriggled at the feeling.

“Are you okay?” The rumble of his chest shaking your body as his large hands pulled you in closer. You could blame it on the summer heat, or the fact that he was so warm, but your body became hot again. Too hot. Every inch of your body and nerve ending sparked in flame that he had surely lit himself.

“I-“ You begin, slowly looking down to see his tan hands around you. They were veiny, his fingers thick and strong, covered in small but once deep scars that even his healing powers could not mend back together. Looking at them, you swore you began to sweat.

“I’m alright.” You finally finished replying, slowly pushing him off of you. The warmth of his chest and the feel of his sculpted body parted from yours as you turned to look back at him.

Worry painted his face as he looked at you. He wanted to say something. You could tell by the twitching of his upper lip and the light biting of his bottom one. But he said nothing, only sighing before asking you if you were alright once again.

“What happened?”

The question sent ripples of uncertainty through you. Shit.

How were you to explain that that was normal? That the need to run to the water and dive into the waves was something he had to deal with for the next three days. You couldn’t even tell him where it came from. Why it happened. Of all the things you had told him in your time together, how could you not mention this?

You stared at him, knitting your brows as you tried to make some bullshit excuse to tell him.

“I just.. uh-“ You begin to stutter. Words fumbling and falling from your mouth before you even had time to process what you even wanted to say. But thankfully (or un-thankfully?), your stomach growled once more. It cut you off, the loud rumble shutting you up as your hands quickly placed themselves atop it. As if by doing so would muffle the loud noise of it. It may have saved you from explaining your previous actions, but it sure as hell was embarrassing.

Your cheeks flushed, going warm once more and you swore you’d eventually end up passing out from a heat stroke today.

“Hungry.” You half shouted at the man before you.

“Oh!” He simply said in response.

You screamed on the inside. Yelling at yourself to ‘stop being so weird!’ as you ground your teeth together and balled your hands into fists.

The whistle of the wind and gentle rustle of leaves took up the space between you two. Made up for the loud silence as you finally took your time to truly look at where you were.

The cabin rested utop a small hill, surrounded by an overhead of trees and native plants. There was a clearing in the distance. Large and wide enough for you to see the distant Ocean and the foam that rested upon its waves. There was a dirt path leading to it, overgrown with weeds and covered in rocks. You could almost see where the dirt and soil meet the sand, the transition of brown to a soft yellow beyond the curve of the elevation. It looked lonely here, or in other words, isolated. Far from any sign of society, or at least you assumed.

“Have you not eaten?” Namor questions you after a few moments of silence. His hand reached for you as he stepped a bit closer, hesitantly going to touch your shoulder.

You turn your head back to him, hands still on your stomach as you answer, “I wanted to see you first.”

His eyes widened a bit and you swore a sudden hint of red flashed upon his high cheeks. His lips parted slightly at your words, a soft gasp escaping him before he closed them not a second after and his hand retreated back to his side.

A beat of silence rang through the air. Neither of you said anything and you had almost started to regret your response. You could never tell with him. If what you had said was right or wrong. If you should apologize and tell him it was a joke. But the strange feeling inside you that called you to him knew you’d never said anything wrong. That you could never. Not with him.

"There is a small village nearby. There is no food here but I do not doubt there is some there." Namor begins to speak again. “Would you like to go?” His words are hesitant, almost laced in regret as he asked.

“I thought you didn’t like people seeing you..?” You ask while tilting your head, though your voice was anything but a murmur. Namor had expressed his dislike towards surface dwellers during the time you’ve met him. Always commenting and making snarky remarks about their ways. You would always remind him that you were one of them and he’d always say the same thing.

“It’s different with you.” He simply states. Using the same words he always did.

“Ah.” You hum in response. Nodding, you feel your cheeks heat once more and head begin to spin at the small comment. You truly believed he was going to be the death of you. “Alright.”

~~~

It wasn’t a tough hike. The thick bushes and branches brushed against your legs as you did your best to hold onto the bark of each tree you passed for support. The shorts you had chosen to wear rode up your thighs, leaving you uncomfortably trying to pull them back down with each step down the steep hill. You cursed at yourself for not choosing to stick with the dress.

‘I’ll chafe’ You remember thinking ‘I’ll sweat in pants.’ But right now that seemed like the better option.

After agreeing to go to the village, Namor informed you there were clothes in the cabin. Perfect fitting clothes of all kinds inside the tiny closet of the room you had previously woken up in. You wondered where he had gotten it, who had brought it.

“Change if you’d like.” He said. “It is a few miles away, unless you’d like to fly there.” There was a small smirk on his lips as he said it.

“In your dreams.” You scoffed, walking away as his loud laughs echoed off the greenery around the cabin.

Though you really should have paid more attention to what you had chosen— but your hunger had almost made half your brain stop working. Sweat dripped from your forehead and down the backs of your legs as you heaved, trying to catch your breath.

“God just how out of shape are you!” You internally screamed to yourself. You leaned up against a nearby tree, wiping the sweat off your brow. At this point, you could give less of a damn of where you were going, only when you were going to get there. Not a care in the world lingered in your mind as you fanned yourself with your hands.

You knew Mexico was hot. You remembered how badly you cried as a child when you stayed in your family’s rancho without air conditioning. But this. This was something you hadn’t prepared for. All those times as a little girl, you had done nothing besides lay on the cold floor for some kind of relief. Had gone anywhere to get away from the seeping hot walls of the cement house and the blazing rays of the sun.

It was just as bad even now, maybe even worse. The fact you hadn’t eaten, hadn’t drank water in nearly hours, and were now hiking through hot, sticky, and humid air, it almost made you want to beg Namor to fly you the last few feet to your destination.

Not even an hour above land — and you were already regretting it.

All those days in the cave, you missed the warmth of the land above. Wished to feel the kiss of the sun upon your skin and wondered why you ever hated it. But now, sitting there in the shade of a palm tree, you remembered exactly why.

“Are you alright?” Namor asks from beside you, appearing out of nowhere. This entire hike, he had stayed behind you. He simply followed, told you when to turn and to watch out where possible dangers were. His voice was laced with worry as he asks.

You eyed him, not moving your body or head as you continue to attempt to cool yourself down.“Guess.” You sigh, stretching your legs out. You throw your head back, groaning as the sole of your feet are no longer touching the rocky ground which caused sores and aches to appear, which made the hike worse. You had found a rock nearby, sighing in relief at the sight of it before going to sit down.

He lets out a breath of a laugh as he looks at you, shaking his head as he does so. “I am not around humans often, but I have never seen one look so out of place on land as you do.” He chuckles, his top lip curled far enough to touch the end tip of his septum piercing. The jade jewelry of his nose and ears shone in the small gleams of sunlight that made their way through the leaves, it was your first time seeing their true colors. They were a beautiful dark green with swirls of lighter hues, a bit transparent even with how thick they seemed to be. Actually, this is your first time seeing him in a natural light.

It wasn’t exactly him that you saw though. No. The Namor you knew was the King of Talokan. The feathered serpent God that wore regal clothes and jewelry. Constantly adorned by gold and clothes which made his intimidating aura more powerful. A man who had soldiers and warriors at his beck and call, someone more powerful than anything or anyone you previously knew.

But right now, looking at him in a loose button up and too tight pants, you almost wanted to giggle. The building irritation in which the heat caused started to slowly melt away at the sight of him trying to pull the itchy fabric from his thighs. The cowboy hat he wore on his head to cover his pointed ears flopped to one side, covering his eyes as he furrowed his brows, getting a bit mad at the fact it won’t stay in place.

Pure awe fills you as you look at him. Even as he was so obviously uncomfortable and awkward, he did it for you. He didn’t have to, you told him. But he had insisted on it. It may have been an act. A way for him to make sure you wouldn’t expose all those secrets he had shown you, but some part of you made you believe he just wanted to be near you. And you did too.

You continued to stare at him. Noticing that the few spots of skin that allowed the sun to kiss him through the leaves, you swore he glowed. His skin radiating light that clashed with that of the natural one of the sky.

You admired his slightly hooked nose, his side profile, something you adored about him. His high cheeks and the way his plump parted lips made butterflies well up inside of you, a small smile waking its way onto your own face.

“I’m not really built for land.” You say, finally having caught your breath. “You should see me swim though. My mother always called me half fish.” You chuckle at the memories.

“Really?” He sounded interested, curiosity ringing through the word he spoke.

“Mmhm.” You hum, “I don’t know why I love it so much though. Ever since I can remember, every time I was near water I’d have to jump into it. My skin would itch if I didn’t.” You explain, looking back up and to him.

He was looking at you too. Soft eyes meet yours and you feel your heart pound in your ears. He looked at you as if you were all that mattered, that existed. He was attentive, hearing every word and whisper you dared to breathe. It made you flush and look back at your feet. You studied the dirty shoes you wore, the way the creases stayed a clean white as the rest was caked in mud. You tried to do anything to get your mind off his gaze and back to what you wanted to tell him.

“I have this thing which she and my best friend would always teased me for.” You speak again after a few beats.

“What is it?”

You could trust him, right?

“It's common knowledge with everyone that I know, my love for the ocean and water. But onlymy mother knows I truly can’t help it.” You paused, finding the courage to look back at him. His face stayed the same. Those damned butterflies begun to whirl inside your stomach — and you fought so hard to resist the urge to look away again.

But you somehow didn’t. Didn't bat an eye or shy away as you finally told him.

“Earlier when I tried to run, I was running to the ocean. It’s strange- I know- but ever since I was a girl the waves were always so.. loud. They never left me alone, practically haunted me. Everyone only hears the sounds of water clashing against more water but not me, I’ve never been able to hear just that. I hear a song. There was always a voice, calling and beckoning me into the water.

“Come find me, Come find me’ It would constantly say to me. And each time I hear it I try. My body takes over and any rational thinking I had gets thrown out the window as I throw myself into the ocean. I don’t even know what I’m looking for, but I have a feeling that when I find it I’ll be whole. Complete. That the piece of me I feel to be missing will finally click into place, and I’ll get to be my true self. The person I am meant to be.” Overwhelming emotions swelled up inside your chest. As you spoke, your voice started to waver. Cracking slightly as you remembered the feeling of longing for something more. For something you need but could not find. You hardly talked about it, but doing so now, it hurt.

“The only time that I feel true to myself is when I am there, swimming in the waves as they embrace me. Each time I step and cross that place in which the land and sea meet, they greet me. ‘Welcome Home’ they say, until they finally quiet. And it really does feel like it—Home. I- I don’t even know what home feels like at this point but... Not a day has gone by when I didn’t hear that singing—begging me to go. No matter how tired I was or how hard I tried to resist, I would follow. Just to make it stop, to allow myself some peace. It’s exhausting” You let out a breathy chuckle at your last words. You could feel a lump in your throat build, along with the stinging of tears in the corners of your eyes.

Embarrassment filled you as you tried to calm your fast breathing, finally looking away from Namor and to the nearest lush green bush. Studying its complicated branches, trying to distract yourself from allowing those emotions from bubbling over and falling apart in front of him.

Though you suppose there was no harm in doing so, you had just told him your greatest pain in life. You didn’t know why or what it was about him that made you feel this way. That you could trust him with every secret you held close, share every heartache and scar left upon you, and believe he could help heal them.

“It’s uh… Silly I know,” You begin to speak again, trying to change the topic. The growing uncomfortable silence around you made your head spin and chest feel as if it was caving in as he said nothing. The air was thick again and the heat you had long forgotten had started to produce a thin layer of sweat upon your skin once more.

“It’s not.” Namor finally speaks. The words shook you, and you quickly jolted your head back to him.

His words were sincere. Sweet and tender. Not a hint of pity or annoyance coated his words as he said them.

The feelings you tried to fight off suddenly came back ten times stronger and you swore you could have dropped to your knees right there. Your eyes went wide as tears welled back into your eyes, slowly daring to fall from the edges of your lashes until the sound of distant laughing was heard.

You both quickly turned your heads to the direction of which they came. Down the steep dirt hill you currently rested utop. You hadn’t noticed before, the thick green around you made everything so dark and had the expanse of colors around you all blend into each, but you now saw the sand.

Golden sand that mixed with the brown dirt had fallen tree branches scattering across the edge of the steep slope and tiny green leaves that brought out its bright color. It was touched by the sun, the light reflecting off the tiny particles as it almost blinded you when you turned to look at it.

Sand. Which meant that you were near a beach, no, next to one. And that meant the ocean was there as well. But you hadn’t heard it. The song that always played in your mind wasn’t there, not even the distant sound of its beckoning call came to your ears. For however long you had been here, walking near it, you had not felt that shiver run down your spine. The sound of waves crashing upon the shore was all you heard in the moment you realized.

Fear, excitement, and anxiety coursed through your veins as you stood up. That was impossible, you could always feel the water from miles away so why..? You walked up to the small ledge, peering over as the sounds of laughter rang through your ears once more. Maybe you had accidentally mistaken the song of the sea for that, maybe it changed. But no, it had truly gone quiet.

You heard shouting in the voices of children blend into the crashing of the waves. Light and carefree voices that scolded and yelled something in spanish.

There were three of them. One laughing and two shouting. You could not see them, the overhang of the trees blocked you from seeing anything past the green of its leaves but you saw their shadows. They stretched long and wide across the expanse of the sand. You studied their movements as you saw one run away from the duo that stayed back.

“Sofia por favor!” A girl yelled, she sounded stressed.

“No!” The girl yelled back, in the shadows you saw her do a dance.

You giggled at it, a smile lifting your lips as you turned to look at Namor.

That tense and guarded look came back to him. His shoulders were squared and that kind gentle man from before had vanished.

Right, humans.

He had gone to the ledge with you, his firm grip held your forearm as you looked over, holding you so you didn’t fall. He hadn’t dared to lean as far as you had, his feet were flat on the steady ground as your own pointed downward to that land below.

You turned to face him, eyeing him as his jaw clenched and unclenched. Uncertainty painted his face as he furrowed his brows, no doubt wondering what to do now.

“Hey,” You start, reaching your own free hand out towards him, “It’s okay.” You had no idea if he would believe the words you said. But it felt right to say them.

His eyes drifted back to your face. Worry swelled in the dark of his irises as he kept darting them away. Back to you, back to those shadows.

Unconvinced.

You sighed and looked away from him again, back to where you had been looking before to see the children running now. Loud laughter echoed through the trees as you continued to smile at their acts.

“They’re just children.” You speak once more. “If anything, it’s a sign that the village you spoke of is near. Let’s just find it, grab some food, and get out of here. Yeah?” You looked back at him, trying your best to reassure him that whatever he was afraid of would not happen. You gave him a small smile as he turned his gaze back to you.

He still looked uneasy, but the grip of his hand loosened on your arm, pulling away as he nodded and looked off into the direction he knew where to go.

You went to move as well. Legs bending to pull yourself up the small ledge you managed to climb down to see the children better but that was a mistake. You didn't think to grab the small tree branch near you for leverage, thinking you could lift yourself up without its help. But you instantly began to wish you did as you felt the pit in your belly drop.

You practically went flying. Eyes widening as you saw Namor reaching for you, horror in his own as his hands went to catch you. But you were already falling, your back hitting the dirt hill as your knees buckled against the floor. You closed your eyes as tight as you could, biting your own tongue to let the scream you held in down. You wrapped your arms around yourself and tried to curl your knees to your chest, an attempt to protect your stomach and chest. You tumbled hard and fast down the steep hill but lucky for you, it was not too tall.

You landed on the sand within seconds, arms and legs flailing everywhere as your back finally hit the plush particles of the tiny rocks. You groaned as you arched your body, gasping for air as the fall left you winded.

You heard gasps, the call of that girls name again, and the growl of your stomach once more. Great. You felt the tiny cuts and bruises on your legs building already, pain seizing your body as the hunger you felt got worse.

The sun at last hit your skin entirely. The warmth of it embracing you as you lay on the burning hot floor, but you didn’t seem to care. Its kiss was different from the heat that seeped out from the shadows and air of the wood you had previously been walking in. This was kind, welcoming and gentle. Unlike the horrible wet and dry air that engulfed your entire body and made each crevice sweat.

Sweat pooled at your forehead as you tried to turn away from the blinding light in your eyes. You cursed, attempting to lift your head but the unfortunate effects of not eating had started to come into place. Your head began to ache instantly at the strained elevation you attempted, immediately throwing it back into the sand. You felt its grains scratch and poke into your head.

You thought the crunching you suddenly heard was of your head moving in pain. The grinding of your teeth almost clogged up your ears, blocking out sounds around you except for your silent groans of pain.

“Sofia!” The voices came back. This time they were angry, worried, utterly terrified. They repeated themselves, calling that name over and over. Growing more frantic by the second

Your eyes were still closed, unaware of your new surroundings and you wondered where you were, how close you were to the children, all as the sound of crunching sand grew louder, closer.

You risked opening them. But the light that hit your vision made you want to close them once more. Everything was white in its presence. It made your head ache even more, practically pounding at this point. But you couldn’t close them again. Can’t. You needed to see.

You lifted a hand, holding it up your brows as you tried to regain vision once more. Only this time you were not greeted by the blinding sun, but shade.

Shade that covered your entire top half. A shadow. You immediately looked up.

Wide eyes meant your own as you peered up into them.

It was a girl. Her long hair fell from her head into a curtain around her face, over your own as well. Her small pink lips parted as she stared at you. She wasn’t scared of you. You could tell by her face, amusement and curiosity painted her eyes as a timid smile began to form. Her body language could tell you that much as well. Her top half had tilted forward to see you, her waist slightly bent and you saw her brightly colored clothes. Bruised knees and scratches littered her tall skinny legs, colorful Hello Kitty bandaids hiding the cuts she had most likely gotten.

You couldn’t tell the color of her eyes, the slight blur from your lashes and the shadows kept you from truly seeing them, but something about them was so familiar. So warm and comforting, safe. As if you had peered into them before, and inside them was the place you called home.

You continued to stare at her, brows raising as you tried to slowly regain the strength that had been lost from your body. When you did, you planted your hands on your sides, before bracing yourself to lift your body up.

Her cheeks rose slightly, the curves of them going up and making her eyes smaller as she saw you slowly rise up. The girl suddenly runs to your side, reaching her hands out for you.

You stare at them. Small hands with different colored nail polish on each finger nail and more bandaids carefully wrapped around each. You look at her, and back to her hands, as if asking Are you sure?

Her smile brightens and she motions her hands towards herself, Yes. So you take them.

She’s small, but seemed to be tall for her age. Looked no older than 7. Her limbs were long, tanned and sun kissed and strong. You did your best to only take her hand to be kind, knowing that your own weight might be too much for her but to your surprise, she almost hauled you up on her own. It might have been because your own muscles were still not at their full force but she may have done all the work in helping you sit up right.

You sat there looking at her in shock, not able to find the words to thank the small thing. And you didn’t have to, for she spoke before you could.

“Te pareces a mi abuela.” She said. Her voice was so sweet. Full of childlike wonder. It reminded you of summers with your cousins, laughing for hours until your ribs and stomachs ached as the taste of candy and fruits lingered on your tongue. You recognized it from earlier, Sofia. Though she only said one word you could truly comprehend while inside the thick green, you could immediately tell it was her.

Your head shot up at that and you finally got a good look at her. Her clothes looked like ones you had owned as a child, the sandlas like those your favorite aunt always gifted you when you visited her home. Her eyes were hazel, hair a light brown that shimmered in the sun which almost made it look blonde as its loose curls flowed down her shoulders.

You blinked and swore you had seen this child before. Something inside you knew her, seen her before.

“Que?” You asked, your voice rough and dry. It almost pained you to talk, the force of your bite during the fall hurting your tongue. The dehydration had gotten to you in the few minutes you’d been here beneath the sun. This strange yet familiar child just told you that you remind her of her grandma. What were you supposed to say now?

“Que te pareces a mi abuela!” She says a bit louder, sounding out her words for you. Her lip curled up even higher, giggles escaping her as she shook with her laughter. “La quieres conocer?”

Your mouth opens in shock, brows rising and eyes widen at the words she had told you. You don’t know this girl, she doesn’t know you. She hasn’t introduced herself, you haven’t told her your name. Shit, you had just fallen out from the trees after watching her and her friends play in the sand.

You really should deny it— deny her request and go back to find Namor. Go back up that hill and look for that village with him like you had originally planned. But your stomach growled, no, roared , speaking and answering her question for you.

The sudden pain caused you to take both hands to your stomach, rubbing your belly in hopes to settle that pain and embarrassment as you felt your cheeks flush. Sofia laughs, giggles as she throws her head back while you sigh and frown.

You look down at your legs, covered in small pebbles and scratches from that fall, and then behind you. At those tall trees and bushes full of wildflowers. Maybe Namor was still there, maybe he was trying to get to you. But the children… Sofia approached you, began to talk and help you. It would be even stranger if a man came running after you, a stranger who fell from the shadows and into the sun.

If anything, Namor could follow, watch you go to the village and meet you there. Find you and take you back after you found food. He wouldn’t be far, he’d be close, but that was only if he had not gone by now. You aren’t exactly sure how well he knew you, or how well you knew him, but you hoped he knew you’d never leave him alone, not by choice. And you prayed he wouldn’t leave you.

You tried to tell him something, calling out to him with your heart and soul as if he could hear you. Like there was an invisible string between the two of you as you said, Follow me, Stay close.

You looked into those trees waiting for a response, in the direction you felt he was— where he should be. The anxiety you felt grew and grew, building up and up with each second that passed. You began to feel silly. Stupid for believing he might actually hear you through some figment of your imagination. You sighed, getting ready to turn down the young childs offer and go back to him.

Until you saw the rustle of leaves, and felt a gentle caress inside your heart.

It’s okay, I’m here. You swore you felt the words come to you. You heard them in his voice, loudly and clearly as if he were there with you. Your heart swelled at the response. Joy running through you at the fact that the answer felt so real.

You looked back at Sofia and finally sighed, letting out the breathe you held, brushing off the dirt from your legs and finally getting up. Though your knees still wobbly and slightly aching, you managed to stand on your own.

She held out her hand towards you. Small and slender, full of bandaids and small grains of sand. Her bright eyes and welcoming smile looked up at you with pure joy and happiness.

You didn’t hesitate grasp it. Then you began to walk with her. Away into the blinding sun.

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A/n: I never like my endings i feel like theyre bad. But anyways yall could probably tell where i almost gave up here LMAO 💀

[redskull199987]

Coming Home

Namor x female!reader

Word count:0.9k

Warnings:none

Summary: after waiting what felt like an eternity, your Lover finally returns to you...

Masterlist

I let my feet dangle from the porch, as the sun slowly started to set. A necklace was resting between my fingers, a necklace he had given me. And I hadn't seen him since. He promised to return and yet, here I sat, waiting and waiting for him.

With a sigh, I pushed myself to my feet. I was probably overthinking. He was a busy man, he had an entire city to protect after all. And I admired him for that. He loved his people with such passion, it was honorable. 

My eyes lingered on the ocean, before I turned around to look at my little cottage. He had helped me build it. Him and Namora and Attuma. I always remembered it with a smile. How Namora had helped me with the interior design and how Attuma had to flex every second about how much material he could carry and how fast he assembled things. Namor had always scolded him for that, but I was thankful. Without them, it wouldn't have been possible for me to live this near the ocean. It wouldn't been possible to see Namor frequently. 

And now, I hadn't seen him in weeks. On the news they were always talking about Wakanda. They were mourning they're recently lost queen. They didn't say what she died from, but I had a feeling that my Lover was somehow involved in this conflict.

The sound of the waves crashing against the shores interrupted my train of thoughts and I quickly spinned around. I couldn't believe my eyes. Speaking of the devil, there he was. Just standing there inbetween the waves, looking at me. As I noticed the faint scratch marks on his face, I knew that he somehow got involved with Wakanda.

I quickly made my way towards him, stepping into the water and wading towards him.

"Namor", I said, as soon as I reached him.

He only smiled and raised his hand to my face:"In yakunaj (My Love)"

I couldn't help myself as a sob escaped my lips. I threw my arms around him, pulling him close. I heard Namor laugh, as he wrapped his arms around my midddle, spinning us around.

"I missed you", he smiled.

"I missed you too!", I yelled as he stumbled and we fell into the water.

I chuckled as he helped me sit up. The water wasn't deep, it was only up to our waists. I took the moment to inspect his face. He was grinning at me. I saw Love and Joy in his eyes. But my gaze wandered down to the marks on his cheek and lifted my hand to softly touch the healing skin. Namor closed his eyes at my touch.

"Who did this to you?", I asked quietly. Namor sighed and raised his hand. He closed his fingers around my wrist and pulled my hand down into his. 

"It doesn't matter", he said,"What matters is, that I returned to you."

"What about Attuma?", I asked,"And Namora?Are they okay?"

Namor smiled about my questions. I knew that he had always adored the fact that I cared so much about his people.

"They are fine.", He finally said.

I sighed relieved and slightly squeezed his hand:"Thank you for returning to me. These times must be hard for the people of Talokan. It's probably not easy to find some free time."

"I will always return to you, In reina(my Queen).",he smiled and leaned his forehead against mine,"I will always come home"

I looked at him perplexed:"Talokan is your-"

Namor chuckled and interrupted me with a quick peck on my lips.

"Home is not the Place where I reside, Jats'uts(beautiful), It's the people that I love. And you are one of them."

I couldn't believe my ears. I was too stunned to speak, I just looked at him with my mouth agape.

"You are my home", He mumbled with a smile. His hand rested on my chin, as he pulled me closer,"And I will always come back to you."

I looked at him, Adoration in my eyes, while tears rolled down my cheeks. 

"No one has ever said something like this before...",I mumbled,"I have never met someone like you before, Namor...K'uk'ulkan."

His gaze softened upon hearing his birthname. and I felt him pull me closer to him.

"You are my everything", I finally said,"I love you."

"I love you", Namor mumbled, as he softly wiped away my tears,"More than anything"

"The sun's going down", I said after we sat in silence for a few minutes, just holding each other.

"We should go inside", Namor agreed. I yelped, as he suddenly lifted me up bridal style. My arms wrapped aound his neck, as he started to walk towards the cottage.

"You know, I could've walked myself", I smiled, as he climbed the stairs of the porch.

"Isn't there this tradition?",he only asked.

I furrowed my eyebrows:"What tradition?"

He only smiled, as he kicked the door opened with his foot and carried me over the doorstep.

"Oh, That Tradition."

[nellycanwrite]

📝Share a snippet of an unposted WIP, with or without context.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE OKAY OKAY OKAY OKAY SCREAMS here's a cute little snippet of Rainbow Jasmine!

“Langyaw.” Stranger, you called out. Namor had to hide an amused smirk as you stared at the jade of his piercings a little while longer, your eyes twinkling with that same amazement he had seen on the second time he had met you. 

“You call me ‘langyaw,’ but I do not understand you,” he told you in his mother tongue. You couldn’t help but cock your head to the side in curiosity. He chuckled and pointed to himself, “my name. K’uk’ulkan.”

You stared at him while blinking.

“K’uk’ulkan,” he pointed to himself again. “My name is K’uk’ulkan.”

Why was he repeating such a strange word? Was there something you had to know? He gestured to his whole body and gave you a pointed look. 

Oh, that must be his name, you thought.

“K’uk’u-ul—” you tried to say, but his language was foreign to your tongue. He tried again, this time dragging out every syllable and stopping to give you time to adjust to his odd name. 

And finally, with a bit of practice, you called out to him.

“K-K’uk’ulkan.”

He gave you a big smile, the first of many that you were to see from him in the nights to come. It was infectious; you found yourself smiling alongside him as you repeated his name over and over. 

Namor felt as if his spirits were lifted up as soon as you had uttered his name—although the pronunciation could use some work, it was nothing that couldn’t be fixed in a few more days of learning.

It was your turn to point to yourself and gesture to all of you, your giggle chiming through the glowing island like the wind chimes of an eastern hut.

You uttered your name slowly and deliberately, dragging each syllable for him to follow. He did so with ease, and with a few more moments of practice, he could finally say your name as if it was a part of his language. 

You smiled. It has been so long since anyone has said your name.

[seraphimcollections]

stars aligned | Namor x Wakandan!reader | chapter 7

warnings: nothing to note, not proof read

summary: Still in captivity of Talokan, Thulile has her own questions for the king.

words: 1.3

author notes: I AM SO SORRY this took too long to update. i started spring semester and its A LOT of reading. im going to try to post every thursday night. have mercy! also! please let me know if you wish to be added to the tag list!

| ch1 | ch2 | ch3 | ch4 | ch5 | ch6 |

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Namor had long heard her laughter before coming to the surface. He was irritated, to say the least. He had just spent the last hour and a half convincing his generals why he had let the land-dweller live, let alone letting her into their kingdom. 

“In ajawo’, the longer we let the land-dweller stay, the more likely it is for her people to come for her,” Namora's tone was uneasy as she monitored her king’s expression. 

“Not to mention she has no value to ransom. She is a lowly informant, nothing close to a bargaining chip,” Attuma said, obviously infuriated by the Wakandan’s presence. 

Namor felt anger rise in his chest as he glared at the general. He hated that he felt anything while the hammerhead-armored man bad mouthed his prisoner. His. It was a slippery slope. 

“Our people share a similarity when it comes to our subjects,” Namor growled, “they will not let her stay in our custody, and a trade will be struck. This I am sure.” 

“This will jeopardize our kingdom!” Attuma raised his voice, Namora grabbing him by his arm at his audacity. 

Namor’s gaze became dark, never wavering from the behemoth. 

“And that’s where you are wrong, general,” Namor hissed. “This is my kingdom, and I will make the decisions as I see fit.” 

Attuma gulped, taming her anger, temporarily. Namor turned from the two before giving his next orders. 

“Now, I believe you two have a trip to Boston to prepare for. See to it.” 

Namor was not a fool. He knew the dangers of keeping a land-dweller here, the odds leaning to do more harm than good. His dark hair fanned across his face as he stalled his ascent to the surface. The luminescence from the glow worms reflected into the water beautifully, dancing in his dark gaze. Through the rippling of the water, he could see two figures sitting at the water’s edge. He closed his eyes, listening carefully to their laughter. It was her, Thulile, but she wasn’t alone. Accompanied by Nicte, one of the guards assigned to keep an eye on his prisoner. The two seemed to become closer than he anticipated, now giggling like school girls at the water’s edge. 

He could hear Nicte clearly, but Thulile was quieter, almost guttural. It brought a smile to his face, brought on like instinct. With a flutter of his wings, Namor rose through the water before the crown of his head finally broke the surface. The water cascading from his wet locks and over his face, his gaze finding her instantly. 

Immediately the laughter stopped, Nicte bowing and opening her hands to her king while Thulile watched the mutant cautiously. Namor hovered over the surface, nodding to Nicte in acknowledgement with a smirk. 

“Don’t let me end your fun,” Namor said. “You may leave us, Nicte, thank you.” 

Nicte bowed her head before jumping to her feet and shuffling away back through the caves. Thulile didn’t show her fear, but kept herself calm as he came closer, his feet gently landing next to her. With a grunt, Namor sat next to her, letting out a sigh, throwing his head back. She couldn’t stop her eyes from running over his body, how the water bead across his rippled muscles, how his chest would rise and fall. He ran a hand through his hair, slicking it back before joining her dissecting gaze. She didn’t even flinch under his intense gaze, simply rivaling him. 

“Ah, someone doesn’t look like a scared mouse anymore,” Namor smiled, “what’s gotten you so courageous, chan.”

Thulile made a gesture with her hands, symbolling pen and paper. Namor chuckling. 

“We’re going to have to figure this out some time,” he smiled. 

She smiled, looking away as a blush scattered across her cheeks. But she couldn’t hide it from, reveling in her bashfulness. Namor scratched his neck, gathering up the courage to tap her shoulder. He reached for her, his fingers brushing against her arm, causing her flinch. Thulile gulped, almost believing she saw hurt in those deep eyes. She raised her hands to hold herself, rubbing them as if to say “cold.” 

“Ah, right, my temperature is much colder compared to you land-dwellers,” Namor chuckled nervously. “Sorry.” 

Thulile shook her head as if to say “it’s fine” before Namor continued. 

“I want you to know that I wish no harm to come to you,” his gaze softened, “perhaps this is hard to believe, but I only wish to guarantee the freedom and safety of my people. I hope for your return to the surface, I am sure someone is waiting for your safe return.” 

Her eyes widened before letting out a nervous chuckle and shaking her head. It was Namor’s turn to be shocked, leaning a hand on his knee. How could that be? No one would welcome her home into their loving arms, back into their bed- The thought made his heart beat quicker, now knowing that there would be no one to stand in his way. Well, other than the two being from completely different worlds, but this seemed like such a minute detail at this point. 

“What? No one?” He wanted to be sure. 

Thulile frowned, embarrassed before shaking her head “no.” Namor couldn’t hide his glee.

“Now that is criminal. Someone as beautiful as you should have a line of suitors asking for your hand. Those who don’t are fools, and those who will are lucky,” Namor smiled. 

Her eyes widened in surprise. What was he doing? Was he trying to break her defense, catch her off guard? She searched in his eyes for deceit, finding none. Thulile shook her head, pointing at him and mouthing the words “and you?”

Namor scoffed, “my love is for my people and my kingdom. I’m afraid there is not much left for a significant other.” 

Thulile’s gaze softened. The two were more similar than she thought. She had never thought of love while up there, her life too busy tracking down every threat that could come to Wakanda, never stopping to wonder if she would ever think of settling down like sister Nakia. From what she could see, her sister was happy living a more domestic life with her son, though she may have pictured it with T’Challa, fate was cruel to her. And even so, she did not resent the world for what it took from her. Thulile could not imagine feeling the same if the world did the same to her. 

  But her mind kept coming back to one constant, one question. What of this prophecy? Thulile jumped to her feet, rushing to the hut quickly. Namor blinked in shock at her sudden absence, watching her go for a moment before jumping to his feet and following her. A heavy feeling sank in his chest as he tried to catch up to her. Had he offended her with his unfiltered words? It wasn’t his intention of course, but he felt he had seriously overstepped his bounds and wanted desperately to correct his mistake. 

Namor pushed the curtain aside, watching as Thulile marched over to his murals, passing them by until she reached the one that was shrouded by a curtain. Namor’s breath caught in his throat as he stepped forward quickly, his hand reaching out for her.

“Don’t-!”

Thulile ripped the curtain down without hesitation, revealing the beautifully painted mural underneath. She stepped back to admire it totally, taking the delicate paint strokes of blues, golds and purples. She studied it for a moment. There were blue people, Talokanil she could tell, with her hands by their mouths and their gazes cast up to their king adorned in ceremonial headdress. He held his arms up, his gaze too cast up to another figure. This one was ambiguous, with no discernable features. But even so, light rays emitted from her and shone down the king and his people. This was it. The prophecy. 

Thulile let out a shaky breath before turning back to Namor who frowned, his expression almost disappointed. She pointed to the painted figure before mouthing the word: 

“Who.”

______________________________________________________________

TAG LIST:

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@mariaxxxxx

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[urgonnaneedabiggership]

NAMOR (MCU) X MEXICAN!OC

MASTERLIST

A/N: Remember you can find this fanfic on AO3 right here. Any feedback and/or comments are greatly appreciated <3 If you want to be added to the taglist, just say so!

Warnings: Mentions of violence, weapons, death and un-aliving people. Language.

Word count: 4,306

sneaky fanfic playlist song

It took Mercedes nearly two hours to tell the whole story. Sometimes, right in the middle of a sentence, she would stop dead in her tracks and stare at her hands for several minutes without making a single sound. When she got to the part where she had to face the kid whose parents she’d just shot, she simply stood up and left the house. He waited for her to come back for ten minutes until he noticed she’d left the door open. Once outside, he found her in the same spot next to the river. She simply excused herself saying she needed air.

Namor was unbelievably patient, not speaking once, nor attempting to touch her in any way, which she appreciated. Mercedes didn’t want to look at his face in case she found anything she wouldn’t like. Taking notice of this, he stopped looking at her and fixed his gaze on a random point in front of him until she finished speaking.

“I guess that little argument you overheard earlier makes much more sense now, doesn’t it?” She added after a long silence followed by a small, sad laugh as she wiped the last tears from her eyes. 

“What about your aunt?” He inquired, still looking at the front as a precaution.

“She blamed me for a long time, too,” Mercedes replied, “then she suddenly started speaking to me again. She doesn’t talk much about him. To me, at least. But it’s okay, she’s happy and treats me like everything’s fine as long as he doesn’t come up, I’ll take it.”

He simply nodded, not entirely convinced of how well the arrangement worked for her. This time, the weight of his silence was too much for her.

“What are you thinking?” She meekly asked.

“They have no right to judge you like that,” He almost immediately answered, “You had the strength to do what many wouldn’t,”

“And yet my dad is still dead, my uncle is too, and the few people I have left blame for it,”

“Your uncle made his own choice. He wouldn’t have followed you until the end if he didn’t think those people deserved what happened to them. Or don’t you think they deserved it?”

“Of course they did!” She angrily protested.

“And what would’ve happened to them if you hadn’t taken this into your hands?”

“They would be free,” Sadie acknowledged through gritted teeth, “Free, rich, and with no regrets,”

“Always remember that,” Namor emphasized, “Whenever you have doubts of whether you did the right thing.”

Mercedes pursed her lips in deep thought. For years, she’d convinced herself of the uselessness of her quest, and how it only seemed to have made everything worse. But whenever she thought of the consequences of having done nothing, picturing those men with the blood of hundreds in their hands, living their lives without thinking of the ones they sold, she felt so angry that she felt her chest was on fire.

Then she realized that even now that she wasn’t really thinking about it, her chest felt as if it was actually on fire. She pressed her hand against it and groaned softly at the uncomfortable sting.

“Are you okay?” Namor asked, only then seeing fit to gently place a hand on her back. She nodded and took a deep breath.

“I think I’m going to catch a cold,” She said, shrugging it off, “My chest has been hurting for a while.”

“Have you felt anything else?” He immediately asked, his voice unusually unnerved. Mercedes furrowed her eyes for a moment, confused.

“I mean…I guess my muscles have been sore but I did get shot not so long ago and your dear friend has kicked me around so much that my brain is now convinced that I enjoy your company,” Mercedes scrunched her nose in a disgusted expression and shook her head repeatedly while moving further away from Namor. Her antics momentarily erased the worried expression on his face, but only for a few seconds. He opened his mouth to add something, but Mercedes interrupted him as she scooted back next to him, ending up a little closer than she was at first.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to…” She started to apologize, although she actually felt a little disappointed that he wouldn’t tell her after everything she’d just revealed to him.

“What did you do?” She warily asked. When Namor looked back at her, not seeming to have understood her, Mercedes gestured to his back reaching her hand over her shoulder to signal the place where she’d seen the scars inflicted by the Black Panther.

Namor quickly shifted his gaze back to the front apprehensively.

“No, it’s fair I suppose,” He admitted, intertwining his hands and moving his thumb in small, anxious circles.

“It’s a long story, but it all comes down to this,” He said, not intending to speak for another two hours, “I was responsible for the death of the Panther’s mother,”

“Responsible as in you killed Queen Ramonda?” Mercedes couldn’t help exclaiming, immediately feeling embarrassed at how alarmed that came out.

“It was more complicated than that. But yes, I guess I did. It came down to people making their own choices and assuming the consequences as your uncle did. She made hers, and I had to do the same.”

“And you stood by your consequences, I guess?” Sadie added more sympathetically with an apologetic smile trying to fix her previous outburst, looking at the wing that grew from one of his ankles, slightly more crooked than the other one.

“Taking a life is never an easy decision to make, especially knowing the effect it will have on others.” He said with a solemn expression, instinctively running his fingertips along the once-soft feathers, the desperate cries of a now orphaned princess briefly haunting his thoughts, “But after seeing what I would not just kill but die for, all the lives that depend on me, can you judge me?”

Mercedes didn’t answer. With every second she remained silent, he found his heart felt heavier and heavier inside his chest.

“Misfortune is needed to plumb certain mysterious depths in the understanding of men,” She finally spoke with a soft smile, quoting one of her favorite books, “A wise man said that. And I believe him because I understand.”

She could’ve sworn he saw him release the air he’d been holding when those words left her mouth, his mouth twisting into a relieved smile, which she gladly returned. When the music playing in the distance suddenly stopped, Mercedes’ smile went from calm to unbelievably excited.

“It’s midnight!” She exclaimed, standing up so quickly she almost tripped on her feet and grabbed Namor’s hand, dragging him to a nearby tree that she immediately started to climb.

“What are we doing, again?” He asked once they were at a considerable distance from the ground. Hearing it was midnight had made him feel concerned about the date he’d established for their return to Talokan.

“Just climb! I promise you’ll love it,” She urged him, forgetting he didn’t actually need to climb

Finally, they reached the end of the trunk, which was barely wide enough to hold them both comfortably. Mercedes cursed, frustrated when she realized a huge branch was blocking their view.

“Maybe we can find another spot…”

Much to her surprise, Namor gripped the branch and, after making sure nobody was close enough to see them, snapped it in two as swiftly as if it was a mere twig. Satisfied, he returned to his previous spot to find a stunned Mercedes staring as if he truly was the divine being everybody claimed him to be.

“Please, don’t take this the wrong way,” She said, peeling her eyes off him to look at the branch on the floor, “but you’re giving me feelings too unholy to come from a so-called god.”

Not wanting to experience the embarrassment of telling him she thought right then he was the most beautiful living thing on the planet, Mercedes decided to do something that, at least in her mind, sounded easier.

Namor didn’t even have time to react to the undoubtedly brazen line thrown his way because a loud bang made him look at the dark sky above them. Until it wasn’t dark anymore.

He thought it looked as if somebody had painted the stars and made them fall to Earth in a strange, synchronized dance. With every blast, came a new color and choreography. He was so enthralled by it that he didn’t realize he had instinctively stood in front of Mercedes at the first detonation.

Not wanting to break his bubble but unwilling to miss her beloved fireworks, she slowly made her way around him. The reduced space made it impossible for her not to be pressed against his side, with his arm holding onto a branch low enough for it to be nearly resting against her shoulders.

However, after settling into a slot with a perfect view, she found it much harder to take her eyes off him.

The colored, ephemeral bursts of light seemed to bounce off his dark eyes and skin, a soft and warm wind threw a few stray hairs against his forehead and he didn’t look just mesmerized. He looked happy. The edges of his mouth were curved in an almost imperceptible smile, and knowing she had been the cause made her feel so happy it made her dizzy. This time, when he took his eyes off the sky and caught her staring, Mercedes felt either tipsy or brave enough to think it was stupid to turn away and pretend she wasn’t looking at him. She was. Because he was beautiful.

Except they didn’t.

Before she had time to regret it, she slid her hand around his neck and pulled him down just strong enough so the few centimeters between them would cease to exist. It was so sudden and poorly planned that she nearly crushed his nose with hers, and a few strands of her hair got caught between their lips, plus she didn’t quite know what to do with her other hand so it just ended up awkwardly suspended mid-air.

But it was perfect. Even if it didn’t last more than one or two seconds, she missed the warmth of his mouth the moment she pulled away in panic and stared at him with more fear than she’d thought she was capable of even feeling. Seeing the shock in Namor’s eyes Mercedes was already planning a million different excuses and answers to the many questions that would surely come next.

She didn’t want it to stop. Even if her lungs were on fire and she needed air desperately, his unrelenting intensity gave away that he had forgotten that tiny, tiny detail. But when her chest started to truly hurt, she chose self-preservation over this incredible bliss and pulled away from him, heavily panting.

Too lost in the chaos of her own mind, Mercedes was unaware of the arms silently snaking behind her back until they pulled her forward and her train of thought was abruptly stopped by the awareness of his lips being pressed against hers again. With her hands this time free to do as they pleased, she was about to place them on each side of his face until he pulled her even closer, her lips parting on instinct when she noticed him slightly tilting his head to the side. Sadie didn’t want Namor to notice how her hands were trembling, already embarrassed enough at the null resistance she was putting up. Then, Namor holding her completely against him was probably what kept her entire body from shaking as well. Finally, she decided to slide her arms around his neck, both pulling him closer and leaving her hands still in the air.

Mercedes didn’t truly measure the consequences of that action until her back was pressed against the bark of the tree.

That brief moment in which she could only state at him in silence truly made her feel conscious of what she’d just done. Completely disregarding the height at which they were, she dropped herself down onto the next branch, ignoring the way the rough bark scratched her knees and arms. The only reason why Mercedes managed to make it down and run back inside was that every muscle in Namor’s body seemed to have collectively malfunctioned. When he finally regained mobility, he began to absently climb down the tree only to remember halfway down that he was actually able to fly.

He couldn’t stop thinking of the panicked look in the girl’s eyes the minute she pulled away from him. What was she so afraid of? Him? Maybe being so sincere about the things he’d done had thrown a different light on him, but had he given her any reason to fear…?

It was only when he was left alone by the quiet river that he was assailed by all the questions he had not been able to ask out loud. She had kissed him. He couldn’t help but feel ashamed and frustrated that he never dared to take the initiative about something he now admitted had been dying to do on so many occasions, and that manifested physically as him shutting his eyelids tightly and running his hand across his face.

And of course, she had to run again. She was now probably locked in her bedroom and there would be no way to drag her out of there.

Of course he had.

He knew there was no way he could take her back against her will now. Namor wished for her to want to return. No matter how much he’d suffer from her absence, if she didn’t suffer the same from his, there was no point. He didn’t care how selfish that last thought was.

He remembered the first days of her stay in Talokan. The harsh words exchanged, the entire days in isolation, the intermittent meals, the threats if she tried to escape. And speaking of escaping.

There was also the incident aboard the poaching ship when he left her to fend for herself and it almost got her killed. It was one thing to trust someone enough to make peace and be friendly with them and another very different to become…involved like this. For somebody so ridiculously hung up on what a mere kiss in a moment of intense emotion meant to her, Namor realized he hadn’t done much of a good job earning merits. She was probably kicking herself over having done something so stupid and careless, knowing damn well he was now going to be so angry at her antics that he would drag her back to Talokan no questions asked because that was the image he had built of himself.

When she finally reached him, Moni impatiently handed him the blanket, which he accepted out of politeness and a certain hope that she’d just go away and leave him be. It was quite the opposite actually. She looked at every inch of his face attentively, her grouchy disposition softening as she huffed and sat on a large rock nearby.

“Pero es que tú te quieres enfermar, ¿verdad?” A familiar voice called behind him. She turned around to find Moni snuggled in a thick blanket, making her way to him with another one in her hands and a disgruntled look on her face. “Es que no entiendo cómo aguantas este frío si según mi niña vienes de Yucatán, qué bárbaro.”

You want to fall ill, don't you? I just don't understand how can you stand this cold if according to my child you're from Yucatán, good Lord!

Even then she didn’t miss an opportunity to get some answers. However, Namor could do nothing but wholeheartedly give her a clueless look and shrug as he stared at the house.

“Venía de regreso de la feria y acabo de ver a Mercedes entrar corriendo a la casa pálida como si hubiera visto un fantasma, y para que una chica como ella se vea pálida, algo debes de haber hecho,” Moni explained, “Pleitos de pareja, ¿no?”

I was on my way back from the fair and I just saw Mercedes run inside the house looking pale as if she'd seen a ghost. And for a girl like that to look pale, you must've done something. Couple's quarrels, right?

Mercedes wasn’t locked away in her room. She wasn’t even in the house, she had just rushed inside to throw him off before escaping through the kitchen window. Now, if he for any reason decided to follow her, all he’d find would be her empty bedroom.

In the meantime, Mercedes ran as fast as she could across the now empty square. Now everybody had gone home and the only remnants of the lively fair were ripped pieces of colorful paper still hanging from the walls, dirty confetti on the floor, and several whithered flowers that had fallen from the arch.

Before her, the walls of the white building now displayed a yellowish shade from the streetlight bulbs that threw some light on them. Almost every light in the building was turned off, one of the exceptions being the main desk. Still, she knew they didn’t receive visitors after eight. Just like she anticipated, she noticed the only light still on in the housing section was the one that belonged to Chiich’s room. She had stayed awake to watch the fireworks, as she always did. With a smile, she promptly circled the building and effortlessly jumped the fence, avoiding detection thanks to the concealment provided by the night.

She shook her head with a soft smile and pushed the window open, slowly making her way inside so she wouldn’t spook her.

While the smooth concrete walls of the complex were nearly impossible to climb, the long windowsills were her salvation and in less than three minutes, Mercedes had reached the third-story window with a lock safe enough for an old woman but easy to open with just a plastic card. Still, she knocked on the glass to warn her before attempting to enter. While the lights were on, there was no response. Mercedes wondered if she had fallen asleep on her chair or tucked herself into bed and forgot to turn off the lights. It had happened before.

The room was empty. There hadn’t been a fuss, nothing was out of place besides the covers on the unmade bed. However, her slippers were still there, as were her shawl and glasses. Mercedes quickly ran downstairs to the main desk, intending to first get the receptionist to help her look for her grandmother and then give her a piece of her mind. Even if she’d never had a history of sleepwalking, she was supposed to be safe there.

“Ma’alo’ob áak’ab, chiich,” she greeted, quietly closing the window before turning around. Her smile dropped and she nearly stumbled backwards, baffled.

Good night, chiich

“¿Me quiere explicar por qué mi abuela…?” She started to demand only to stop dead in her tracks. The main desk was empty, too. Maybe the lady had already noticed her one of the residents was missing. Still, Mercedes felt her heart start pounding heavily, a cold shiver running down her spine. Her gut said something was terribly wrong. Slowly, she approached the vacant desk, wishing she had at least a gun on her. Of course, that was the last thing she thought she would need there, in addition to the haste in which she had rushed there.

Do you care to explain why is my grandmother...?

When she looked over the desk to find the body behind it, it was as if she already expected to see it there. It was the receptionist, of course. Somebody had put a bullet right through her forehead, not even giving her time to scream.

Not having one more second to waste, Mercedes ran back outside, looking around desperately. How was it possible that right in the middle of nowhere she could’ve missed the sound of…?

Her eyes immediately darted up to the sky as a horrible mix of realization and anger boiled inside of her when she remembered the fireworks and where she had been throughout the entire show.

Thankfully, a noise coming from outside made him snap out of that untimely fantasy. A moment later, he was on his feet and leaning against the wall next to the open window, unable to see further than a few meters of grass. Listening carefully, Namor heard the sound of shoes against rock and realized somebody was climbing through the window. Unarmed but sure he could face whoever was coming, he slowly moved closer to the frame. Unfortunately, the change of position made the wooden floor below his feet creek quite loudly, and the sounds coming from the outside stopped abruptly. Namor took a deep breath and crouched next to the wall, counting backwards as he got ready to dart out of the window and grab the intruder. When he got to one, the Talokanil sprung to his feet just in time to be tackled by a figure that jumped inside, using the impulse to jam one knee against his chest to push him down and, once he was on the floor, switch it for a knife against his neck.

Sadie turned around, ready to go back inside and look around her grandmother’s bedroom in search of something, anything, that could give her an idea of what she was dealing with. However, something moving on her right made her turn around sharply just to discover something tied to the branch of one of the fruit trees that decorated the front yard. Something that fluttered in the wind. With a knot in her throat, she untangled the hand-embroidered purple shawl to reach for the piece of paper roughly stapled to it.

For the second time that day, Namor found himself staring at the ceiling while lying on a foreign bed. Even hours later, the characteristic smell of the duvets was still intense. Fresh moss, and a small white flower that grew on a tree next to the small house. How it was possible that she still smelled like that while being hundreds of feet below the ocean, was beyond him. He wondered if, should he convince her to leave with him, her scent would change over the years. If maybe one day, he would smell her hair and find the incense that flooded every Talokanil household.

If one day, he would kiss her again and taste the sea…

A threat was about to leave Mercedes’ mouth when she recognized the man beneath her. They stared at each other, one confused about why the woman that owned the bedroom had to sneak in through the window and had tried to murder whoever was inside, the other wondering whether she should apologize and how to do it. However, the only thing that left her mouth was

“What the hell is wrong with you?” after which she pushed herself away from him with an annoyed huff as she rushed to her nightstand.

“Me? Why are you climbing through the window?” He pushed back as he got up.

Namor furrowed his eyebrows when she saw Mercedes take a gun out of one of the drawers and make sure it had enough bullets before tucking it in the back of her jeans.

“What are you doing?” He asked as she rushed to the other side of the room to check a small bookshelf for more ammunition. Mercedes slid a couple of cartridges into her pockets and retrieve a crumpled-up piece of paper, which she unfolded and slammed against Namor’s chest. He grabbed it and turned it around to find a typed-up note that only read “Laptop. 7:00 a.m.” followed by a series of numbers. But it was the sender that really piqued his attention. The note was signed by “those not aboard”.

“They have my chiich,” She informed him, “I’m getting her back,”

“I’m coming with you,”

“It’s not your fight,” Mercedes protested, “Besides, it could be dangerous if they see you and the word gets out,”

“The word will not get out,” He calmly stated.

“How can you…?” She was about to ask when she looked up and saw in his eyes what he meant.

“I don’t know how many we’re dealing with, and we don’t have any of your Talokanil gadgets.”

“I wrongly underestimated you once, Xmeech. Don’t insult me by assuming I need anything other than my hands.”

“I didn’t mean you,” Mercedes snapped at him, kneeling down next to her bed and pulling out an old, dusty box, “you can look after yourself. I mean I’ll have to manage with this,”

Inside the box, miraculously unshattered, at least a dozen glass bottles with several loose pieces of old cloth and a matchbox were waiting for better use be made of them. They belonged to another time when they were used by a person that Mercedes once hoped did not need to exist anymore.

“I will stay close, then” Namor ensured.

“You don’t owe me anything for what happened a while ago,” Sadie dryly replied, carefully putting the contents of the box inside an old backpack, “I can look after myself.”

“I owe you because the last time we were in this situation I left,” He clarified, a hint of annoyance in his voice, “We’re even after this.”

Having nothing else to say, Mercedes carefully swung the window open and climbed over the wooden frame.

“Mercedes,” Namor called before losing sight of her, “Do you understand that, regardless of what happens, the laptop is still back in Talokan?”

Apparently unfazed by the use of her full name, the woman stared at him with an unreadable expression for a moment before starting to climb down.

“Let’s go, we don’t have much time,”  

Taglist: @evita-shelby

[mischievoushiddleston]

Enemies (Part 18)

All Parts here! / Masterlist here!

Shuri sleepily opened her eyes and smiled weakly. Her husband still didn't remember, much to her chagrin, but he felt the bond and that meant a lot to her. It gave the pregnant woman hope that her husband was still in there somewhere. The princess stretched her body before carefully and laboriously sitting up in the small bed she had placed in Namor's hospital room. She didn't want to leave him after she got him back, but he was still healing, so he stayed there. Anything was better than feeling the distance again. Her eyes wandered around the room to his bed, but was startled to find it empty. "Griot, where is my husband?" she asked, standing up. Did he just leave like that after saying they were going to do this together? Her hormones flooded her and her eyes filled with tears.

"He's on the balcony," the artificial intelligence said in response. Shuri immediately felt relief and went there, however, the young woman stopped before she could even reach the door.

"Since when has he been there?" she breathed softly.

"Since you fell asleep," Griot said. She swallowed and closed her eyes briefly. When she opened them again, she stepped outside. Her eyes found him directly: sitting on the grounds that fenced the balcony, staring off into the distance. Cautiously, she stepped up to him and raised her hand to touch him, but stopped herself in her tracks.

"There is something unique and incredibly breathtaking about the sunrises in Wakanda," the God King then said, but did not look at her. Shuri stepped up beside her husband and took a deep breath of the morning air.

"Yes, they do," she agreed quietly, but looked to Namor, "You've been here all night. Why?"

"I needed to think."

"About us?" she asked, placing her hand on her stomach.

"Yes," he agreed, making her heart tighten, "When you look at me, you have memories of a broken man who lived and did a thousand things to protect his people, but I doubt he could truly be himself. Five hundred years changes one and makes one an empty shell." Shuri closed her eyes at his words, which had some truth to them.

"You agreed not to leave me and our daughter alone anymore," she breathed softly and dejectedly. Shuri closed her eyes again and turned her head away. It all seemed to be going so well yesterday and now they were back to square one. Suddenly, however, she felt his hand on her cheek

"Look at me," he asked her in a gentle tone. Carefully she did and looked into his brown eyes. "I want to find out who I am, but with you."

"What do you mean?"

"Walk away with me," her husband said, making her take a deep breath. What did he mean?

"What about Talokan? Or Wakanda?" When a smile appeared on his lips, she only became more confused.

"You are the Black Panther, the protector of Wakanda, and I am K'uk'ulkan, the feathered serpent god. I have ruled for more than five hundred years. It is time for a new ruler, or rather two: Attuma and Namora. My most loyal warriors."

"For someone who has no memories left, you know quite a lot," she breathed softly and Ch'ah shrugged his shoulders.

"I've contacted them and had Griot fill me in as well."

"And what's your plan going forward? What if they are attacked?" asked Shuri, nervously stroking her belly.

"Then we'll be there," Namor said, placing his hand over hers on her stomach, "But our child should grow up without the pressure. Don't you think? Should our daughter desire to become queen when she is old enough. Can she return to her rightful place" His words made her think of T'Challa, as it was exactly what he had wanted for his son. Still, she was doubtful because her Namor would never have acted that way. The chances of him remembering, however, were less than ten percent, and the time off would do him good until he might.

"Okay," she said softly, standing on her tiptoes to gently brush her lips against his as her fingers stroked through his black hair. Her husband returned the kiss gently. When they broke off the kiss, she leaned her forehead against his. "We will return when we are needed."

[acciopietro]

doctor pt. 4

pairing: namor x fem! reader

summary: after taking some time to yourself, you allow yourself to understand.

word count: 6,349

tw: mention of death/murder, mention of wounds and blood. 

a/n: thanks for hanging in there and being patient with me, everyone. you’re all so so appreciated!!! here’s the final part :)

WEEKS CAME AND WEEKS WENT in Miami until about two months pass. You got up everyone morning, hopped on the train to work, worked until six or seven, took the train home, went to bed. Maybe you’d sprinkle in a work out or a lunch with a friend here and there, but nothing much changed. You hadn’t really spoken to your sister. And the team, well... there was no team, anymore. It was you and Dr. Mishra and Juliette, the secretary. The office was empty. Their empty chairs and cold coffee cups stared at you until you clocked out.

Every night before bed, without fail, you thought about Namor. That look on his face when he was just about ready to kill you. Then the look on his face when he had dropped to his knees, pleading for forgiveness. And then seeing Reynolds and Bernstein fall overboard. You’d squeeze your eyes shut and try and shut it all out until you’d eventually fall back asleep. Despite this, that jade-beaded bracelet never left your wrist.

You woke up in a sweat, your face pale from the horrors your mind had conjured and your skin cold and clammy from your thrashing and shivering. The trauma from the boat seemed to have followed you home to Miami. 

The cuts had healed, the bruises, too, but the memories had not left. It was difficult to have Namor plaguing both your thoughts and your nightmares at the same time. There was a dissonance in your head, where in the day you’d dream of running back to that beach in Yucatán, and in the night you’d suffer the sight of him and his soldiers about to kill you. 

You reached over towards your bedside table, picking up your phone and rolling over onto your side. There was a recent notification, it’s icon glowing green, that read Voicemail from Juliette. You let out a hmph and clicked it, pressing the speaker button so as to hear better.

“Hey Y/N, hope you’re doin’ okay,” came that sweet, swingy voice of your favorite secretary. “You’re insanely strong for still comin’ into work even after... well, after what happened. I’m calling to tell you to take a week off, all right? There ain’t no team for you to work with, but me and Mishra can hold down the fort for a bit, okay? You rest, visit your sister or something. You’re exerting yourself. Also, I’ve emailed you the number of my therapist. She’s great. Don’t be afraid to give me a call if you need anything, all right? I’ll see you in a week, okay? Don’t come to the office! Bye-bye.”

You huffed to yourself in frustration, slamming your phone down on the bed beside you. Visiting your sister sounded like a great idea, with the exception of being at such close proximity to Namor and his people. There would be no way to avoid the water of course, between your sister and her frequent strolls on the sand and your niece and her addiction to surfing.

Either way, you booked a flight for the next day. The entire flight down to Yucatán you wrestled with yourself, with your morality. Namor had killed people. Probably more in all his years of living, more than what you had witnessed. To forgive him was so forget those he had killed, even if they were horrible people like Bernstein or Reynolds. 

But there was something about him that was magnetic. His brain, his loyalty, his pride of where in which he came. The regard to which he held his people, the passion to which he protected them. The way that he spoke, the eloquence of him, the complexity of his thoughts. He was cruel. He was beautiful. 

“Oh god, you look like you’ve seen a ghost,” were your sister’s first words upon meeting you at the airport. You lugged your backpack off the plane, offering a weak but genuine smile at the sight of her face and sound of her voice. She hugged you tight, taking your bag from you. Touching a hand to your cheek, turning your face to examine you like your grandmother would, she remarked, “You’re pale as hell. What’d you do, kill somebody?”

You gave a weak chuckle. “I need a coffee.”

“You need more than just a coffee,” she said. “Let’s get you home. And get you a drink.”

The drive to your sister’s house from the airport was pleasant enough, the delicate voice of Lana Del Rey playing from her stereo and the soft morning light shining through the windows of the car. You stared at the horizon, just barely being able to see the blue ocean from where you were. You clenched your jaw and willed yourself to look away.

---

YOUR SISTER DECIDED IT WAS time for you to leave the house. She had dragged you out of bed to put on some nice clothes and then proceeded to pull you by the ear until you reached a local bar. Her husband was watching your niece, leaving the pair of you to your own devices for the night. You sat at the bar next to her, your classic Moscow Mule in your hand, zoning out to the unrecognizable music playing over the speakers. 

“Noticia de última hora (Breaking news),” spoke the lady on the news, her formal dress on the small, pixelated television standing out from the high technicolor of the club. “La reina de Wakanda ha sido reportada muerta (The queen of Wakanda has been reported dead).”

Your head snapped up, eyes now glued to the television. Your sister was blissfully unaware, chit-chatting with the barista, who just so happened to be the mother of one of your niece’s girlfriends. 

“La cause de la muerte: desconocido (The cause of death: unknown),” the reported continued. You took a large sip of your drink. “Princesa, ahora reina, Shuri aún no ha emitido una declaración. Esperamos ser informados sobre la situación pronto (Princess, now Queen, Shuri has yet to publish a statement. We hope to be informed about the situation soon).”

“That guy keeps looking at you,” your sister suddenly remarked, speaking loudly over the music. You flinched, ripping your eyes away from the television.

“Sorry?”

“That guy,” she lowered her voice and gestured with her chin to the man down the bar. “He’s been checking you out, tryna catch your eye.”

You glanced over to your right; sure enough, there was a man sitting five or six stools down from you, who, at the sight of you turning your head, quickly retracted his gaze. 

You eyed him. Based on the sight of him, you estimated he was maybe six foot tall. He had dusty brown curls, with equally as bushy brows and a roman nose. Cute, you thought. 

“You should talk to him,” your sister nudged your should. You sighed. You’d feel bad talking too much to this guy when your mind was still occupied on Namor. “C’mon, he keeps looking.”

“I dunno,” you ran a hand across your scalp. “We’ll see.”

“C’monnnn,” your sister dragged out. She picked up her drink and stood up. “I’m gonna go to the bathroom. I’m hoping you’ll be talking to him by the time I get back...”

And with that, she stood up and walked off, disappearing into the crowd. You rolled your eyes. Leave it to your sister to misinterpret your feelings and do something she thought would be good for you but might actually be horrible. You swirled your drink around, watching the vodka splashing against the sides of the class. She had good intentions, your sister, but you didn’t particularly feel like being alone with some--

“Hola,” came a soft-spoken voice from your right. You turned your head; it was the guy from down the bar, his eyes bright and his smile gentle. You blinked. “Uh... anyone sitting here?”

He gestured with his drink to the empty seat beside you. You shook your head no, bringing your cup to your lips to sip it as he sat down beside you. His voice held a slight accent, his voice wavering as if he were unsure whether or not to be speaking English to you as opposed to the Spanish that filled the club.

He twiddled his fingers on the glass of his drink, the condensation of what looked to be a rum and coke wetting his palms. He wiped his hands on a napkin and glanced at you.

“You’re not from here, right? I haven’t seen you,” he spoke, his voice deep and smooth like molasses. There was a charm to him, you had to admit.

“You’d be right,” you told him. “My sister lives here. I’m just visiting from Florida.”

“Ah,” he nodded his head. “My cousin lives in Key West.”

“Bit far from me. I’m from Miami,” you chuckled. His eyes widened. “Three hours from there.”

“Pedro,” he extended a hand. You took it, shaking it gingerly. Pedro smiled. 

“Y/N.”

“Was that your sister, who you were just with?”

You nodded your head. “Yeah, she’s just running to the bathroom.”

“I know her,” he gave you a sheepish look. “I teach at the local elementary school. Her daughter’s in my class.”

It was your turn to have wide eyes and a smile. “No way! That’s amazing!”

“She’s a great student,” Pedro told you. “I feel like I can remember her mentioning her Tía once or twice...”

Your sister never quite came back from the bathroom. She shot you a text asking if it was all right for her to go right home, and you told her to do whatever she wanted. You continued to speak with Pedro, the conversation eventually straying from the topic of your niece and onto your work, and eventually onto your recent experience on the mining ship. Apparently, word had gotten out about you being one of the lone survivors.

Pedro offered to go for a walk on the beach to talk some more. Hesitant at first due to the water, you eventually agreed. It wasn’t like Namor was going to pop out of the water and reveal himself to you when someone else was with you. You exited the bar with Pedro after he oh-so-kindly paid for your drink, and with your sandals eventually coming off your feet and into your hands, your stride found the sand.

“That must have been pretty taxing, huh?” Pedro remarked when you told him the tale, leaving out the important detail of Namor and Talokan’s existence. “I can’t imagine going through that. You’re crazy strong.”

“All in a days work, I guess,” you shrugged, dragging your feet through the sand. You stopped, glancing off at the horizon, seeing the occasional tale of a dolphin in the far distance.

“Well, I feel bad for keeping you out too late,” Pedro checked his watch, shuffling in place a bit. “You’re a busy woman, I assume.”

“I am,” you smiled at him. “But it’s okay. Need a break every once in a while, y’know?”

“Damn straight,” Pedro nodded his head, running a hand through his dusty brown hair and glancing off at the horizon. He was standing pretty close to you, you noticed, and you weren’t sure whether or not to step back or not. “It was really great to meet you, Y/N.”

“You as well,” you told him honestly. You could sense him leaning towards you. “You’re a great listener.”

“You’re a great-- erm-- talker,” he said bashfully, covering his eyes for a second after saying that. “That was stupid, sorry.”

“It’s all right,” you chuckled. He laughed as well, his eyes glancing from eye to eye, and then to your lips for a prolonged moment, and then back to your eyes.

You couldn’t tell what you wanted, but even as he loomed closer and closer you figured you had less time to decide. By the time he was barely an inch from you, you figured you’d throw caution to the wind and go with it.

He pressed his lips onto your very gently, like he was nervous to do so, and while it was a great kiss, you almost flinched when you closed your eyes and only saw Namor. His great big ebony eyes, the feeling of the curve of his jaw on your palm, the aquiline slope of his nose. You felt your stomach turn, and you pulled away from him.

“I’m sorry,” you immediately said. Pedro’s eyes furrowed a bit, but he said nothing. “I... you’re really, really sweet, and... a great kisser...”

His lips twitched up in amusement.

“But I’m just not in a good place for this,” you told him honestly. “My last...erm... relationship ended on a weird note, and... I’m just not in the right place to be with anyone else. I didn’t mean to lead you on like this. I thought I’d be ready, but I... I’m really not. I’m sorry.”

“I get it,” Pedro gave a kind smile. “Thanks for being honest with me, at least. Weird note, huh?”

You breathed a chuckle. “Yeah. Super weird, super complicated.”

“I understand,” Pedro nodded his head. He reached into his pocket, grabbing a crumpled receipt from the bar and a small pen. He scribbled something down. “Look, I’m not telling you I’m gonna wait, but... if in a few weeks or so, you feel like you could be up to something, call me. If not, then it was just great to talk to you tonight.”

“You’re so nice,” you said sadly. “I’m sorry. I feel really bad.”

“Don’t,” Pedro insisted, handing you the receipt with his number on it. “Really. Take care of yourself, okay? You need a ride home?”

“No, that’s all right,” you shook your head. “I’m down that way. I’ll walk.”

“All right,” he smiled. “I’ll see you around, okay? I’ll tell your niece I met her legendary Tía.”

Pedro left, the only sign of his presence being the size-ten footprints painting the trail to where he went off to, and the lingering feeling of his lips on yours. You wiped at your mouth, feeling guilty, and squeezed your eyes shut momentarily. You needed to think.

The waves crashed behind you as you walked up to the waters edge, your bare feet pressed into the damp sand. The water didn’t quite run over your toes, rather it teetered right in front of them like it was nervous to touch you. You sighed, strolling along it down the beach towards the rocks, dragging your feet in the sand. Each step you took, the water didn’t touch you; it kept creeping next to your steps, hesitant, apprehensive.

You paused at some point, shifting your gaze onto where the water waited in front of you. Lips curving down, you sat down on the sand, your knees pressed together, and put your hands over your face. You didn’t think you would cry, but when you pulled your hands off, your palms were wet with salty tears. So were your cheeks.

Wiping at your face, the beads of your jade bracelet brushed against your jawline. You stared down at it, the beautiful weave-work, the intricate design on each jade bead. Fiddling with it, you stared off at the dark horizon, the moon’s pale light reflecting off of the sea as you felt more tears run down your face.

What was there to do? Each choice felt wrong; to call him, to forgive him for all he’s done and let him embrace you made you feel guilty. Hugging and kissing the man responsible for too many deaths to count. But leaving-- abandoning him, would crush you too much. It was all too much.

“Oh, hell,” you muttered under your breath, shimmying the jade bracelet off of your wrist and holding it up in front of you. Pursing your lips to choke back any more tears, you wiped at your face before drawing your arm as far back as it could go before launching the bracelet into the ocean. 

It soared through the night sky, going surprisingly further than you had imagined, and as you watched it plummet towards the water, your heart clench. What had you done? That had been Namor’s mothers! You shot up to your feet, but before the bracelet had disappeared into the blue, a hand shot up out of the water. You froze. 

The golden cuff on the hands wrist glimmered under the moonlight, the jade bracelet trapped under the strong fingers. Slowly, an arm followed the hand, followed by a head right next to it. Namor rose out of the sea, water rolling down his shoulders and chest, his brown hair turned black by the water dripping over his forehead. 

Unlike usual, he wasn’t wearing his typically adornments; his neckline was void of the golden chest plate, and aside from the small golden cuffs on his wrists, all he wore was the green shorts he always wore. It was like he had suddenly gotten out of bed and fled to the surface without getting dressed. 

You stared at him as he waded through the water towards you, the bracelet still in his hand. His face was downcast, bags under his ebony eyes and a frown on his lips. He walked up until he was right in front of you, your feet on the dry sand and his in the water.

Opening up his palm and staring down at the bracelet that laid there, he sighed and said, “Doctor, I hope you didn’t mean to do that.”

“I didn’t,” you said quietly, so soft he almost didn’t hear you. “Well, I did, but... I didn’t. I didn’t. I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry,” Namor told you carefully, his voice steady. You blinked at him, frowning, unsure what to say. He stared at the bracelet for a moment, before holding a free hand out to grab your wrist. His eyes shifted up to you for consent to touch you.

You lifted your hand out, and his calloused hands grabbed onto your wrist to slip the bracelet back over your wrist. You got deja vu to the night you first left him, when he gave you the bracelet in the first place. His hands never left your wrist then, and they didn’t now, simply holding onto it.

“Who... who were you with, just now?” he asked in an attempt to be subtle but failing miserably. You couldn’t help but smile a little. You shook your head.

“No one,” you told him honestly, not meeting his eyes.

“You kissed,” he muttered. You narrowed your eyes.

“So you’ve been watching me?”

Namor rolled his eyes, shaking his head and not meeting your eyes but never verbally denying your statement. His fingers fiddling with the string of the bracelet, not daring to look at your face. The brown-black hair on his head had begun to dry, swooping delicately above his brows.

You glanced down to his cheek, your own brows twitching in confusion. Three long cuts drew down the length of his right cheek. A scar had formed overtop of them, and they looked like they had been cleaned up and stitched real nice, but they were so red that you were sure they still hurt. You lifted a hand, as if to touch his face to examine them, but you dropped your head and leaned back, catching yourself in the act. 

“What... what happened?” you asked him, staring at the cuts. He lowered his head, bringing the pads of his fingers up to graze over the three scratches. Namor said nothing, just bringing his eyes back up to meet yours, ebony irises trailing across yours. You forced yourself to break the eye contact and look at the cuts again; it was like they were claw marks. “Can you tell me?”

Namor opened his mouth, about to speak, but closed his lips and swallowed his words. You narrowed your brows at him. 

“What did you--”

“Come with me,” he extended his hand suddenly. You blinked, glancing down at it.

“Sorry?”

“Please come with me,” he rephrased. You stared at his hand, at his calloused fingers and bronze skin. “I would like to show you something.”

“Tell me what happened first,” you took a step away from him, eyeing him carefully. He sighed, and in his silence, you glanced down to the wings at his feet only to see that on his left ankle, only one wing remained. In the place of where the other one once was a bright red cut that had been poorly stitched. His entire ankle was bruised. “Oh my gosh, your... your...”

“Talokan went to war,” Namor said bitterly. “Against Wakanda.”

You breathed a curse, only biting at the inside of your cheek. Your mind wandered back to the news report about Queen Ramonda’s death. You met his eyes and gave him a look, your heart sinking.

“You... you didn’t...?” you gulped, staring at him. His brows twitched upwards, his lips curving into a frown. “You didn’t. Please tell me you didn’t.”

“I had to,” he shook his head. “It was my people that were on the line.”

“You didn’t have to do anything,” you pointed a finger at him. “She had a daughter. You killed her mother. Can you even imagine what she’s going through?”

“I can,” Namor told you firmly, stepping forward. “And I have.”

You said nothing, just frowning at him. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, gathering himself, before he looked back down at you.

“And that is why I need to show you this,” he put out his hand for you to grab again. “I need you to see where I am coming from.”

“Where are you taking me?” you glanced at his hand, meeting his eyes for a moment before sighing and taking it. You hand folded into his, your heart twisting at his touch.

“Talokan.”

---

THE JOURNEY INTO THE DEPTHS of the ocean was like nothing you had seen before. Namor had taken something out of his pocket, one of those devices you saw his soldiers wearing over their mouth and noses. You had barely held onto your consciousness as he swam you down there, and it wasn’t until you reached some kind of half-above half-below water area that you felt fully awake.

“Much ch'aik u ba'al u nook' síis yéetel jump'éel tin taasaj (Please grab her some fresh clothes and a suit),” you heard Namor speak. Your eyes fluttered open, and he had taken the device off of your nose and mouth. Your head was in his lap, you realized. “Níib óolal (Thank you).”

You blinked a few times to wake yourself up; glancing about you, you saw the color of the blue water reflecting off of the white stalactites and stalagmites around the cave, making everything appear to be shades of blue. You groaned, your head pounding as you tried to sit yourself up. Namor’s head snapped down to you.

“Oh, you’re awake,” he said, steadying you and helping you as you sat up. He had a small smile on his face as you glanced around, feeling discombobulated. He glanced over to his right, where a woman with blue skin stood. “Wa pudieras Mach ti' ba'al u jantej... jump'íit ja'...(If you could grab her something to eat... some water...).”

The woman immediately disappeared into some other room behind her. You blinked at Namor after watching the woman walk away. Clearing your throat, you croaked, “Is this Talokan?”

Namor chuckled. “No. This is a half-way point, so to speak. I have to get you in a suit. And out of these wet clothes.”

He lifted up your soaking wet sleeve before lifting his head and glancing elsewhere. You glanced down at yourself, realizing that your white shirt was soaking wet and entirely see-through. You felt your face get hot as you wrapped your arms around yourself, but you felt less uncomfortable then you would’ve though; Namor was purposefully not looking, his ears slightly red, glancing over at where the woman had disappeared. You saw the wings on his ankles flutter.

“Waye', K’uk’ulkan (Here, K’uk’ulkan),” in came another woman, carrying what looked like some kind of dress, as well as one of those little devices to go over your nose and mouth. Namor gave the woman a nod of his head in thanks, and, helping up to your feet, took the dress from her to hand to you.

“You may change into this,” he told you. You took it from you, the linen and cloth soft against your cold skin. You blinked at him. He blinked back.

“Not here,” you told him pointedly. “Where can I...?”

His lips curled up and he chuckled before pointing to a small room behind you. You went in and changed, stripping the wet clothes and shivering before you draped the dress over you.

It warmed you up quick, but without a mirror you had no way of telling if it was on the right way, so you assumed it would be fine. You emerged from the small room, and Namor smiled at the sight of you. 

“Suits you,” was all he said, biting the inside of his cheek as if to stop himself from smiling to wide at the sight of you in Talokan’s dress. “Let’s get you into a suit, then.”

“What for?” you asked, following him as the pair of you ventured further into the cave. “I thought I could just wear that thing over my face.”

“Oh, no,” Namor shook his head. “You are human. The pressure of the ocean would crush every bone in your body. Even my considerable strength couldn’t save you from it.”

“You know,” you gulped. “You’re not really selling this underwater-city thing.”

“The suit will keep you safe,” he reassured you with a joking smile, opening up a rather large closet and pulling out a type of diving-suit. “Step in.”

The suit felt bulky and uncomfortable, but you were the knowledge that it would keep you safe so deep in the water had pacified your anxieties. Practically waddling behind him, the pair of you dove into the water, and he lead you to a stream of rushing water.

“In you go,” he said, nudging you so you were in it. Without warning, the water pushed you at top speed into the depths. You yelped, but glancing behind you and seeing him laugh at you made you a little less worried. It was still equally as terrifying. 

The deep ocean was darker than you thought it would be, and at some point you couldn’t even see your hands in front of you. It wasn’t until the stream fell off that you realized there was a light coming from your suit, helping you see. Namor came to your side and guided you further across the sand.

A giant whale bellowed above you, making you flinch and jump inside the suit. Namor laughed at you as it swam by, waving to the three Talokanil that were holding into its fins. Your jaw was permanently agape, and Namor took you by the arm and pulled you towards Talokan.

It was like nothing you had ever seen before. It was reminiscent of all of the ancient mesoamerican artifacts you had seen in Yucatán, but entirely its own type of architecture and energy. It was practically dipped in vibranium, every building and structure shining under a source of light you hadn’t found yet.

Kids played with balls, women and their babies waved hello, others were farming further down below. Upon seeing Namor, those nearby bowed their heads and opened their palms to him, just as they had on the mining ship. Namor, always, greeting them back. Some stared at you like you were a ghost.

A child swam up to you, curious. She looked young, maybe four years old at most. She greeted Namor, to which he greeted her back with a grin, before she turned to you and tapped on the glass of your suit. You giggled at her, and she clung onto your arm, swinging from it. 

Someone called out from the distance, and the girl only giggled more before letting her grasp on you go. She waved goodbye and swam away, laughing the entire way. You watched who you assume to be her mother, grab her by the waist and lift her, spinning her around with a grin. This place was beautiful, you thought. These people were beautiful. 

You glanced at Namor; he was already staring at you, a smitten smile on his face. He didn’t look away until he gestured you to follow him again. You did so without hesitation. 

Glancing off into the distance, was the sun. Well, maybe not the real sun, but it was almost as bright as it, and hung in the air as if it were setting. 

“Woah,” you breathed out loud, staring at in wonder. 

“It is called the Sastun. We use it for our rituals. In the depths of the ocean,” Namor said, staring at it as if it were the first time. “I brought the sun to my people.”

You turned to him, amazed. This was all his, you thought. He was in charge of protecting this entire nation. Your heart was churning in your chest, not just at the sight of him, but at the sight of all he had built here. You felt like crying.

“Do you see?” he asked you, breaking the silence and turning to face you. “You must know that I do not... kill... because I am cruel. Or for sport. I do it because I am willing to do anything for them. For this, I would kill a thousand vibranium-hunting scientists, if it meant keeping them from finding us.”

You only stared at him. The knowledge that he has killed never sat well with you. But, guiltily, you understood. This was his home. These were his people. It was his duty to protect them. You got it.

“Come,” he said after a very long pregnant pause. “Let’s get you out of that thing.” 

---

EVENTUALLY, THE PAIR OF YOU MADE your way back up to the cave where you could survive without the suit or the device over your nose and mouth. Your clothes, to your amazement, were perfectly dry when you took the suit off. Wiping off the water that had dripped onto you from the taking off the suit process, Namor lead you into a room that was an offset of the main one that you had woken up in. 

On the walls were beautifully painted murals, depicting what you assumed was the history of Talokan and it’s people. You stared at them, strolling about the room; Namor stood at the doorway, staring at you as you stared at the paintings. One was of a woman holding a child with winged ankles; you assumed it was Namor’s mother. One was of the Black Panther-- showing the battle you assumed he fought recently. 

On the table, however, was a canvas. Around it and on the floor were crushed balls of papyrus, covering in smudged charcoal and ink. Namor hastened forward and grabbed the canvas off of the desk before you could see what was on it, and slid it into the drawer.

“What was that?” you asked. Namor shook his head. 

“Unimportant,” he told you, very obviously lying. “Just... sketches.”

“Hm,” you squinted at him before sitting down on the chair. “These are beautiful.”

“Thank you,” he said earnestly, gazing up at them. He ran his hand over the one of the woman and her infant, his fingers tracing the face of the woman.

“Is that your mother?”

“It is,” Namor sighed. “I told you before that I could understand what the Princess was going through, and I was telling the truth. My mother wasn’t killed, no, but my people were. My mother and her village were driven from their maize farms by Spanish conquistadors who brought smallpox, hateful language, and dogma from another world.”

He dropped his hand from the mural, turning around to face you. He pulled up the other chair to sit across from you, sighing again and continuing.

“Facing starvation, war and disease my people turned to Chaac. Our god of rain and abundance. My mother was pregnant with me at the time. She did not want to ingest the plant, for fear of what it may do to me. But the Shaman was convincing. The plant took away their ability to breathe air, but it enabled them to draw oxygen from the sea.

“My people settled in the ocean, away from the war and were cured of their diseases. My mother gave birth to me here, and I became the first born son of Talokan. I was different from other Talokanil. A mutant. I looked different. I was small in size. A runt. But I could breathe the air our ancestors breathed.

“I could swim in the sky and aged slower. As she grew older, my mother mourned the life on land that she once knew and died with a broken heart. My mother made me promise to bury her in the soil of her homeland. But nothing could prepare me for what I would find.“

“What happened?” you asked, however you had an inclining that you knew exactly what he was going to say.

“Terror,” he told you, a grave expression on his face. “My people. Enslaved. By the Spanish.”

You swallowed. You knew it. You studied this in school, how the Spanish “explored” and conquered areas in Mexico and Florida. The look on Namor’s face made you want to cry.

“A Spanish man of faith cursed me as he died by my hand,” he continued, shaking his head. “Called me el niño sin amor.”

“Child without love,” you translated.

“And I took my name from that. Namor. Because I have no love for the surface world,” he grabbed a type of cape off of the back of his chair and draped it over his shoulders, fiddling with the cloth. “Upon returning, I was made King, recognized as K’uk’ulkan, and Talokan grew under my rule.”

“I’m sorry you went through that,” was all you could say. “That’s... I just...”

You could feel your chest churning, your eyes welling up. You were embarrassed of the level of your empathy, how much you cared; you hadn’t realized he meant so much to you, not fully. Hearing his pain, the struggle of his people, it was like living it. He frowned.

“I’m sorry,” you covered up your face. “I don’t mean to... I’m just--”

“Don’t apologize,” he moved his chair forward, gingerly removing your hands from your face and holding them in his own. “Please don’t. It warms me to see that you understand the gravity of the situation I am in.”

“I don’t think it was right of you to kill Queen Ramonda,” you told him, sniffling. “But I... I guess I...”

“I don’t think it was right of me either,” he admitted. “I think it ruined any chances of Talokan becoming peaceful allies with Wakanda. We are allies, now... but... it is not how I would’ve hoped.”

“I get that,” you told him, relishing in the feeling of his thumbs absentmindedly rubbing circles across your knuckles. There was a long silence. You were relishing in the warmth of him, his closeness. It had only been two months since you saw him last, on the boat, but even that, you realized, was too long.

“I must get you home, now,” Namor told you finally, a slight frown on his face, his eyes knowing. You gazed at him, your teary eyes unable to do anything else. He was right, you knew that; your sister was no doubt hysterical. But you couldn’t find it in you to move. “Unless, you... well...”

“What?” you tilted your head to the side.

“You could stay,” he shrugged. Your lips curled up. “Here. It’s safe, there’s plenty of food and water... many of my people stay up here. We could find a way for you to go down to Talokan without the bulky suit, and--”

“Slow down,” you breathed pleasantly, leaning forward and cupping a hand to his cheek. He shut up instantly, leaning into your hand. “I have a job. And a sister. I... I can’t just...”

“I know,” he heaved a sigh. “Worth a shot, no?”

“I can’t live here,” you told him. “But for the night... well...?”

Namor suddenly grinned, wider than you had ever seen him grin before. The apples of his cheeks had turned a berry color, the corners of his eyes crinkling. Leaning towards you, he pressed his lips onto yours. You could feel his smile through the kiss, and you couldn’t help but smile yourself as his hands cupped at the sides of your cheeks.

He led you to stand, getting to his feet as well, and pulled you flush against him. You breathed him in, finding it hard to smile as your lips moved against his. The pair of you wandered backwards towards the far wall that was empty of the mural. 

Your back hit the wall, and you giggled against his lips as he moved to you two were practically chest to chest. Namor grinned too, pulling away from a second, both hands still on either sides of your cheeks, and he stared at you for a second. 

“Nib óolal, Chaac, tuméen taasik teen ti' leti',” he mumbled to himself, kissing your lips again before kissing your cheekbones, your forehead, your nose, your neck.

“What’s-- that-- mean?” you asked, struggling o speak because he kept kissing you and interrupting.

“Nothing,” he grinned cheekily. You narrowed your eyes.

“C’mon,” you nudged him. He shook his head. 

“You’ll find out later,” Namor told you, rubbing a thumb across your cheekbone. 

“Promise?” you lifted up a pinky. He furrowed his eyes, staring at it. You giggled and peeled his free hand off of you, linking pinkies with him. “Pinky-promise.”

“That is ridiculous,” Namor declared. “Yes, I promise. I don’t understand this pinky-thing.”

You rolled your eyes and kissed him again.

---

translation:

“Nib óolal, Chaac, tuméen taasik teen ti' leti'.” -- Thank you, Chaac, for bringing me to her.

taglist:

@childishnewt @criesinlies @fairydxll @cassiestars777 @chaoticevilbakugo @blue-chup @qirsupply @artsynellyyy @vlamley @lovenewfandoms @lulu-83 @seraphimcollections @kingtwhiddleston @pansexualwitchwhoneedstherapy @tian-monique @kentucky-criedfricken @takeyour-pants-off @this--is--music @queenmeraairam @katsukiswrld @lokidbadguy @cherrywinepoison @maah-sama @reallysparklychaos @agustdboyoongie @jurneesjourney @mik-bxrnes @i-reblog-fics-i-like @mcximvffs @kaqua @xlucyintheskywithdiamondsx @eichenhouseproperty @aliyahsomerhalder @justkay2 @only-his3 @deadlydahlias @lunamoonbby @yoshiiib0 @writers-hes @lansy-4 @rhymingtree​ @xxmilli​

a/n: having wakanda forever on disney plus has seriously fueled my fire. thank god we got these high quality gifs now cuz my guy looks stunning

[namorslutfanfiction]

16, 17 and 23 with namor plisss🙏🙏

Find 16 Here it's the second half of the post

Here's 17

Namor wouldn't relinquish his hold around your waist as you tried to get out of the nest of blankets you were sleeping in. But you had to get up to meet Shuri to see the other Avengers. Namor whined as you pulled yourself out of his grasp. It was early morning and there was a chill in the air of your home in Wakanda.

"My love, I have to get up now or I will be late in meeting Shuri. You know how she gets about punctuality," You managed to scoot to the edge of the bed before Namor wrapped you up in his arms from behind. He pulled a blanket around his shoulders and used it to cocoon himself around your torso as he knelt behind you.

"I think I deserve a cuddle for letting you stick your icy little feet on me all night," Namor mumbled out, voice low and rough with sleep. "Just stay a little longer, in yakunaj. You'll be gone for two weeks."

The King nuzzled into your neck and kissed your skin only for you to swing your legs off the bed. You kissed the arm that was wrapped around you before you stood and stepped away from him. Namor slumped tiredly to the side, the frown on his face just short of a pout. He wrapped the blanket around himself so that the only part of him showing was his face. You covered your mouth with your hand, suppressing the giggle at the sight of the King.

You knew no one would ever believe you if you told them about the clingy tendencies Namor had. Especially when he knew you would be away for diplomatic business. You caressed his cheek before leaning down to kiss his forehead. "I need to get ready. I'll say goodbye before I leave. Sleep, my love, it's still very early and we had a late night."

Namor nipped at your hand as it left his cheek. His eyes followed your figure as you left the room. When you returned, fully dressed with a bag slung over your shoulder you found him snoozing softly. He looked so relaxed and peaceful it was almost a pity that you had to wake him. But Namor would never forgive you if you left without saying good bye.

Leaning over him you kissed his lips. A short peck, then another, and another until he stirred. He reciprocated on instinct. His hands freeing themselves from the blankets to hold the back of your head and pull you closer. He moaned into the kiss. You could feel him trying to pull you back into bed before you broke the kiss.

"Stay," He pleaded, looking at you with a new hunger.

"I won't be gone for long my love. Then we can spend as much time as we want in bed together. Deal?" You stole another kiss to his lips.

Namor slumped back into the blankets, a smile gracing his sleepy face. "Deal. You owe me a cuddle."

You started to head to the door, knowing that Shuri would probably call you soon. You turned one last time to look at the handsome king, laying shirtless in your bad with his eyes glued to you. You blew him a kiss in an exaggerated manner that made him laugh out loud before you walked out the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here's 23

You grabbed Namor's forearm, ignoring his playful grin, and dragged him into the hallway closet just as M'baku and Shuri appeared at the end of the hall. You covered his mouth with your hand, silencing any cheeky comments you knew he was coming up with. You held your breath while the muffled voices of the Wakandan royalty passed by your hiding place. You breathed out a sigh of relief and relinquished your hold on the King.

Namor whispered, leaned down towards you, "If you wanted to go somewhere private all you had to do was ask, my love."

You smacked his chest lightly, "You are going to get us caught. You're not supposed to come to Wakanda without sending a message, let alone to the palace."

"You weren't protesting so much when I was sneaking into your room the past few months," Namor slid his hand along your waist, pulling you closer.

"Well that wasn't in broad daylight! Do you think my cousins will be happy to find out that I'm sleeping with the man who killed my aunt?" You whispered vehemently. Taking a calming breath, you met Namor's gaze. "We are as forbidden as Romeo and Juliet were. And I would rather not meet the same ending they did. So you can't just come here in the middle of the day."

The tanned man cupped your cheek, "I don't know what you're talking about but I will do as you ask and only come to you at night. I just found myself missing you."

You felt your cheeks warm after his confession. "I missed you too. Just come back tonight. We can talk then, okay?"

Namor nodded, his thumb continuing to caress your cheek as his gaze grew more intense. You saw his eyes flick down towards your lips and up again. You breathed out his name right as he leant in and captured your lips. You didn't fight the embrace, pulling him in just as passionately. The feel of his muscular body pressed up against your soft curves made heat coil in your lower belly. Namor always made you feel so many things so quickly.

When your lips parted, Namor pushed you back against the door, dipping his head to your neck to start kissing and sucking your skin. You held his head to your neck while your other hand grappled for the door handle. You gasped at the feel of him licking his way down your chest. Your voice was breathy and drenched in need, "Namor, my love. We can't do this here. I'm supposed to be in a meeting."

"This is a meeting. Our meeting," Namor mumbled against your skin. He pushed down the neck line of your dress to expose the tops of you breasts. As he kissed them you finally took hold of the doorknob.

"Shit," Your startled whisper made Namor pause and look up at you, his brow raised questioningly. "The closet is locked. We're locked in."

You pushed Namor back so you could turn around and try to turn the knob. The Talokan King watched in amusement as you tried to force the handle to turn this way and that. You shook the knob hard, panic already setting in.

"What do we do?" You turned to Namor. Your breath was coming in quick bursts and you were on the verge of hyperventilating.

Namor finally moved forward, worry now furrowing his brow, "Would you be mad if I broke the door?"

"No, just get me out," You pleaded. Claustrophobia was kicking in as your vision became tinged with darkness.

Namor held your hand firmly and with his other slammed the door off of its hinges and across the short hallway. As he stepped out, you followed, breathing in gulps of air like you had been drowning. You were so preoccupied with getting air into your fear constricted lungs that you didn't notice M'baku standing there with his arms crossed and an unreadable expression.

"King M'baku," Namor greeted him with a cheeky smile. You yelped at his side, finally taking in the situation. You must have looked insane, your hair and dress disheveled, dust from the door being ripped from the wall wafting through the air, and Namor at your side with a vary obvious bulge in his shorts.

"I do not want to know. I also do not care to know. I will not tell Shuri on one condition," M'baku said, his hulking form approaching you. You instinctively took a step closer to Namor. Namor just looked up at M'baku, amusement still dancing across his features in the face of the Jabari warrior, "Bring me more of those vegetables from Talokan whenever I ask."

Namor let out a hearty laugh before sticking his hand out to the other King to shake. M'baku chuckled deeply as he shook his hand.

------

Thank you for Playing!

[namorswifeyyy]

Just a little Namor drabble I thought of

_______________________________

THE LIGHT IN MY LIFE

Tags: Angst with some fluff

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⚠️ CONTENT WARNING/TRIGGER WARNING: Mentions of self harm, reader experiencing depression

--------------------

Summary: You and Namor met on the beach alone together. Even though you're a human, you and him have been finding solace in each other as much more visits been happening. But then you don't see him as much anymore. Wondering when he will come back. Wondering if he even feels the same love you have for him.

_____________________________________________

It's been several months without seeing Namor. You come to this particular beach every day, only to never see him. You even visit at night and he's still not there. You were starting to believe that maybe the feeling wasn't mutual at all. That it was only you who felt that way.

It was night time. You decided to come visit that beach one more time. He might not come but you still had a little bit of hope left.

You hear the waves of the water wash upon the shore, feeling the night's cold air. The sand is cooling on your feet instead of scorching hot like it is in the summer sun. It was peaceful, yet lonely. Not a single person, no animals, not hearing any chatter, just only the soft sounds of the ocean.

You walk over to the shore and sit in front of it. You sigh. You watch the ocean glimmer under the moon lit sky. Not a single sign of Namor's return. "This is stupid." You say to yourself. "I keep coming back for nothing."

You find a sea shell next to you. It looks very familiar. Like the shell Namor gave you on one of your visits. To call him if you need him. Might just be any regular old shell. But then you thought to yourself "Might as well figure out if it really is."

You check the shell to see if a crab is living inside it. And of course, it's an empty shell. You sigh with relief as you blow into the shell. You set the shell down and look at the ocean to see if Namor is coming. Then you look at your arms.

All of the burn scars you inflicted on yourself in the past. You have been spiraling into a deep depression since. Family didn't seem to care, friends didn't seem to notice. Coming to this beach was your only escape from reality. But even your escape seemed pointless to you.

Does Namor even care anymore? What reason could he have for being gone for this long? You start to tear up. One tear trickled down your cheek. You buried your face into your arms. All you wanted was to be close with him again.

You hear something arise from the ocean but didn't care to look. The sounds of faint yet quickened pitter pattering traveled over to your direction. It sounded familiar. Like wings flapping?

You feel a presence of someone beside you. You look up to see who it is. You recognize his dark hair, his pointed ears, the jewelry, all the way down to his green shorts and the winged ankles. You couldn't believe it. Namor.

"Namor? What are you doing here?" You ask, trying to choke back tears. He kneeled down and looked into your eyes.

"I came to see you. I know it's been months and I'm sorry. I should've been here sooner."

You sniffle as you wipe away your tears. "Where even were you? I been waiting for you and I was scared you completely forgot about me."

He went and sat down next to you. "Me and my people are now allies to Wakanda. We had to spend time there and help them. You know I wouldn't forget about you."

You roll your eyes at his statement and get up from where you were sitting. "That's bullshit. It's been several months. Almost a year. Ten months, Namor. I know I'm not entitled to your time but you never told me about this. You think I'm gonna forgive you when you left without saying anything?" You said.

Namor looks at you, like it's the first time all over again. But then his expression changes once he looks at the burn scars on your arms. "Did you do that?" He asks.

You look confused then sigh in frustration. "You didn't even answer my question."

Namor gets up and gets close to you. You know that intimidating stare from anywhere. He looks at you sternly.

"I know you aren't gonna forgive me. And you're not obligated to. But I'm asking you this. What is it that you did to your arms?" He asks, even with a stern tone. Your eyes widened then you look at your arms. Even your expression changes. With a more saddened look.

"I took a lighter to my skin and burned myself." You answered, trying not to cry again. He takes your hand and looks at the scars.

"Is it okay if I ask why?" He ask with a softer, more gentle tone. Your eyes tear up again. You look down at the ground.

"I been hurting myself because I wanted to feel something. My family never cared when it came to my mental health neither did my friends. I felt alienated from everyone. Because apparently I can't be depressed when I have this and that. But it's been eating me alive. And I felt like you were the only one who not only understood me but also gave me a reason to smile."

Namor looked at your arms then at you. He put your arm down and gave you a gentle yet comforting embrace. He rested his head on your shoulder. You tear up even more and hugged him tighter.

He let go of you. "I need you to look at me, okay?" He asks. You look at him, misty-eyed. "Please, promise me you won't hurt yourself again?"

You nod yes. "I promise. I'm sorry I did this to myself. I feel so bad about it and I don't want you to feel bad for me." Your voice starts to break.

"Please don't feel sorry. You know I'm not mad at you. I'm only worried is all. I just don't wanna see you in pain like that. Ever." Namor caresses your cheek.

"I'm really happy that you came back for me." You said as you smiled. He wiped away your tears.

After all this time, it turns out Namor did miss you just as much as you did. You never even thought that he would be this gentle and affectionate with you. Especially with how much physical touch was involved.

"I'm just happy to see you again." Namor smiled back at you, then he looks at your lips. "I have a feeling you might say no but, is it okay if I kiss you?" He asks.

You had a subtly surprised look on your face. You look at the ground then back at him. "You know what? Yes, you can." He pulls you in closer to him and leans in for a kiss.

As soon as your lips touch his, you just feel like you're melting into him. Like the world just stopped. His kisses felt so sweet. Like he was yearning for your touch.

You pulled away and put your arms around his neck. "I hope we continue to have more moments like this often." You said.

Namor holds onto your waist. "I know we will."

______________________________

Reblogs and replies are much appreciated!!

[creamecafe]

Coming soon....I should finish by tomorrow or Thursday morning before I go to a trip with my family

Let me know if you want to be tagged in it

[mimiiis]

El Sol (pt.3.2) (Namor x Latina!Reader)

(photos are not mine)

Summary: Namor showed you his home, you give him a piece of your heart.

Warnings: !! Reader is heavily implied/mention to be mexican— Mexican Spanish was used!! Hunger/fatigue (?), some angst, mention of the blip, that’s abt it me thinks !!Not Proofread!!

Series. Prev. Next.

Word Count: 11.8k

A/n: Regular posting schedule??don't know her 🤗 ANYWAYS... hello... Not my best work but i kinda like it. I hope you all enjoy, after 2 months 😭🤲

The Ocean. Big, blue, beautiful. The last time you saw it in daylight may have been over a month ago— under different circumstances too. The last you saw it, you were with friends. Smiling, having fun and planning on what to do for the night and coming days you were to be in Cancún. But now, you were walking to an unknown village, with unknown children in an unknown area.

No song. You still couldn’t believe it. Peace and quiet stayed in your mind. Your thoughts were yours, purely yours. Nothing loud and screaming, overtaking every nerve and inch of your body as you stared at the sea. Your skin, mind, and body were your own. Not belonging to the ocean and that unknown far off force. You felt whole. You can’t remember ever feeling like this.

But why was it suddenly quiet? Was it your location, the people you were with? Maybe you have been here before. The way the sun felt against your skin and how the sand dug into your thighs felt like a warm embrace you had long forgotten. Memories wanted to swarm and flood your brain but it had felt like something was holding them back, everything in the back of your mind. Blocked out by the hunger, thirst, and confusion you felt.

You really should be on guard, noting where and how far you were going but you kept drifting off. Staring at that open blue water. The light of the sun shining like crystal diamonds on its surface, luring you in closer and closer. Though you didn’t hear its song, the urge to get out of the heat made you wish for the cold relief of the water. With each step, you lean farther and farther to the left, closer to the water. You couldn’t help but try to see if it held the answers to your questions.

You weren’t sweating as harshly as before, only a few droplets formed on the edge of your brows as you walked. Sofia didn’t seem to mind or care, she never let go of your hand despite the sweat and humid feel of skin against skin.

It had almost been 10 minutes since you started walking, yet her smile didn’t fade. The bright red on her round cheeks didn’t cease as she kept looking back at you every few steps you took.

Her friends stayed a few feet behind. They hadn’t oppose her bringing you along and back to their home with them, but you could tell they did not like it, or for the very least very unsure. They stayed quiet, glaring and catching each movement and breath you took.

The two girls were older than their small friend. One taller and come into her features, a teen. Long golden wavy hair with deep brown eyes, almost black. Her gaze burned the brightest as she stared where your hands interlocked. The other was more anxious— scared— than intimidating. Shorter in height, small shoulder length curls hung from her head and wide hazel eyes looked back and forth between you and the friend she walked with.

You should be a responsible adult, ask them if this was alright, tell them what you really came here for. But the drag of your feet along the sand, heavier with each step and the shoes you wore, you didn’t seem to care anymore. Your thighs continued to rub against each other, the dull ache made worse with the sand that had gotten caught in between when you had fallen and sat in the sand.

You began to feel unsure of how much longer you could last standing or walking anymore. The heat, exhaustion, and hunger came at your body all at once and wrecked you as if you had been hit by a truck. You tried, you really did, to continue walking.

But you began to pray you were close to wherever this child was taking you, praying for the sight of someone or something that wasn’t neverending sand and water.

You were lost in your mind, eyes drooping lazily, blinking away the sweat that had slowly begun to build more and drop down onto your lashes, until the pulling of your arm became more intense.

Your hand was pulled forward, body jolting forward at the sudden and immense orce you could remember from before. Your eyes widened, looking down to the girl who held it, only to see her practically hauling you to that big bush of trees that had stayed in your line of vision for the last few minutes.

Only this time, the trees had an opening. And you finally noticed where she was pulling you.

Small colorful boats lined up against the tall green trees, tied against the trunks. They all pointed in one direction— towards the tables and chairs spread across the sand covered tall man made umbrellas,and tiny firepits scattered across the beach. Signs of life. Human life.

There was a man and a woman working at a small hut which looked to be a bar style restaurant, shouting at each other as music poured loudly through the small area you were in. They held colorful decorations in their hands, pink and green and blue party streamers. Fairy lights and small balloons were tied to the posts of the huts roof. Banners of white with colorful writing hung from the tin ceiling and confetti scattered along the table top of the large table in the middle of the area.The scent of food lingered in the air, filling your nostrils and lungs. You mouth water and you could practically taste what they were cooking.

“Don!” Sofia suddenly yells, pulling you harder and harder with each step. She lets go of one of your hands, waving her now free one in the air. The long fingers practically flew everywhere from how fast she waved her arm.

The man she called out for turned around from where he stood. The woman next to him turned her head as well.

Sun kissed and old wrinkled faces turn in your direction. At first, they lit up with joy. A soft type of kindness you yourself showed whenever you saw a family member. But those welcoming faces soon turned to muted ones of shock and fear as they took you in.

Nerves began to build up in your belly, the fear and worry you had previously been holding at bay taking over as the reality of a strange child finding you stranded and bringing you back to her home was not at all “normal”.

You bit your lip, your best attempt to hush yourself and try to ease out the anxiety and slowly build. You could feel it in your toes and fingertips, curling them with each step closer to those people the little girl seemed to know.

“¿Sabes dónde está mi abuela? ” Sofia asks them. So sweet, so innocent. Do you know where my grandma is?

The two adults stare at her. Their eyes moving back and forth between her, you, and each other. Their mouths opened slightly, creating an ‘O’ shape. The women's brows were almost raised up to her forehead, her face painted in shock and hesitation as she looked at the man on what to do. It seems he didn't know either, though his expression wasn’t painted on his face as clearly as hers. You could still see the shock in his deep set eyes, the way they widened only a bit, before he looked back at the woman and back to you.

A few beats passed, though they felt like an eternity, and he finally let out a deep sigh. A low whistle escaped his pursed lips, and he now pointed to the trees behind him.

“A la mejor está en su casa, pero no te lo juro.” He says. His voice was deep, dry and scratchy as if he needed a drink of water. It was tired as well, slurring slightly at each end of his words. Hopefully she’s in her house, but i don’t swear by it

You look towards where he points and there, standing in a small clearing between two tall palms, lay what you could tell to be a cement pathway. A way into the village. From here, you could see the distant brightly colored houses. You could have more children laughing, a mixed genre of music and more people shouting, blending together into one as the lapping of the waves filled the back of your mind.

“¡Gracias Beto!” Sofia yells. She looked back at you for a second, smiling even wider if now possible, before running ahead.

You looked at the man once, Beto, finally making eye contact. He looked you up and down, weary of who you were and what you are no doubt. But hunger struck once more, the growls and roars bursting through as you smiled slightly to him before following the little girl.

The change from sand to a sturdy dirt ground was greatly welcomed as you walked up to the small ledge that parted the two lands from separating.

But you couldn’t help but stare at your dirty and bruised legs before taking a few steps , wondering if you should actually go through with this plan. What’s stopping you from going back? Who’s to say Namor is coming for you? What if that voice and feeling were all in your head?

But hey, at least you’ve gotten this far.

~~~

The village was small, various cement houses of bright blues, yellows, and pinks spread out far but close enough to create a square. A small plaza of benches and a gazebo with papel picado hanging from lines lay in the center of it all. The streams connected go the edges of each house and all gather towards the center of that small golden building. It wasn’t grand, the small town could be considered dull with only what looks to be a corner store and a restaurant.

You saw children running through the streets, the clacking of sandals across the floor heard with the loud laughter of older kids and the crying of the younger ones filled your ears as you walked past them. Men and women sat in the middle of the plaza, laughing, gossiping, fighting, listening to music. People lingered on sidewalks, chatting and talking with others who poked their front halves outside their home windows.

The scent of food grew stronger, you could practically taste each ingredient and spice that had been added to that delicious smell. It smelled like birria. Rich and spicy, it reminded you of your mothers as you swallowed the building saliva in your mouth.

The sun didn’t seem as harsh anymore, the shade of the tall palm trees surrounding the village was welcomed greatly— along with the gentle breeze you felt with each house you passed, the fans from the inside being kind enough to expel some air outside as well. The harsh drag on your feet due to the sand wasn’t there anymore as you stepped on the rough concrete, though still a jagged and rocky— it was greatly welcomed.

As you looked around the small village, you began to feel as if you had been there before. The way the light hit the small golden needle at the top of the gazebo, you swore you had seen it before. Whether in dream or reality, it felt oddly familiar. Every step you took you couldn't help but glance at it— the feeling of being young and running through your family's rancho with your friends without a care in the world filled your heart.

Sofia continued to pull on your hand, yanking at it each time you slowed down to give your chafing thighs a break.

“Ya mero!” almost

You rolled your eyes and let out a sigh of relief, a smile rising from the corner of your cheeks. She talked to you as if you were family, reminding you of younger cousins and niece and nephews the way her tone changed when you did something she didn’t seem to like. Most children held back, she did not. You liked it, her boldness.

You soon came to a stop in front of a white house. Tall with a spanish tile rooftop, the curved brick complemented by rich dark brown window sills. Though the house was made of rough and hard cement, the wooden windows were slick and shiny, unlike the other houses where their wood was dull and dusty. Those you could get a splinter but here, the sanded round edges wouldn't allow that. You admired the fine craftsmanship of the house, noting that whoever owned this house cared for quality. What you could tell, every little plant and decoration this person had on the exterior was fine and crafted with precise work. Everything but a small wind chime of blue shells and crystals that hung outside the one window in front of the house— if caught your eye, and that familiar feeling inside of you grew.

“Queda te aquí, ahorita regreso.” Sofia says, but you don’t look away as she stepped inside that house. You could see the shiny porcelain floor reflecting light from the corner of your eyes, but the way the crystals and glass that hung outside shone more beautifully than anything.

Specks of light danced in circles with each other around its wooden surroundings. The window was wide enough you could see the layout of the room it lay outside of. The rich blue and white colors of the pillows and blankets inside neatly blended into the chimes light blues and greens. The shells that hung from the chime reminded you of ones you had once seen on the beach of your family's home. Ones you had picked up and carried in a small blue sand pail.

You remember that pail, why you got those shells and exactly why they stood out in your memory.

The memory of dragging your sister and brothers to the small walkway of the town, out onto the open sea just so they could help you gather sea shells and glass to create a piece of work for your aunt flooded your mind as you continued to stare at the small bundle of strings and beads. That piece of artwork was actually a wind chime you recalled. In fact, it looked exactly like the one you saw before you.

The realization only hit after you heard the clacking of sandals behind you. You swiftly glance in its direction, and are greeted by eyes that look like yours.

They were old in age, crows feet and wrinkles sagged around them but you could see and feel the life and fire that burned inside of them. They were your grandmothers— your mother once said to you she had only ever seen her, you, and her sister have eyes like that. That they were unforgettable, a thing that could always linger in the back of your mind even if you never saw them again.

And she was right. They were absolutely unforgettable.

The breath of your lungs escaped you slowly as you stared at your Tia, who was now holding the small hand of the little girl beside her, Sofia.

Now you finally realized she felt so familiar. Why she had said you looked like her grandma.

“Tia-“ You tried to begin, managed to take a breath of air. But she ran to you before you could even finish the word, shoving you into her arms.

Her hold was tight, strong hands burying themselves in your hair as she tightly held your head against hers. She breathed you in, nose tucked in between your curls and lips gently kissing your cheek before she finally managed to say your name. She said it so quietly. But even then, the feeling like you were home washed over you.

You hesitantly lifted your arms up, scared to embrace her back. Scared that if the second you were to touch her, she’d vanish the moment fingertips reached her back.

But she didn’t. She was real, the grasp and feel of her thin shirt between your fingers was real.

You closed your eyes, relishing in that feeling she brought to you. You close your eyes tightly, just enough to keep those small tears of relief from dripping down your cheeks.

~~~

(Spanish will be written in english from this point forward)

You practically swallowed the food in one bite, gulping down spoonful after spoonful. You barely chewed, like a feral animal who hadn’t eaten in weeks and was now presented before a feast, though it was hardly anything extravagant. The smell of birria from before had come from her house, the smell still making your mouth water even as you ate the meat in front of you.

You almost moaned at the taste. You had gotten sick of fish and fruit from the small cave. The sudden burst of flavor and different texture was greatly welcomed, you could hardly even believe it was happening. When you were told you could find food in the small village, you did not think it would be a family recipe- didn’t expect to taste a memory from your childhood. Didn’t think to end up in your favorite place in the world either.

You licked the remaining broth from your lips, wiping small red dots left on the corners of your lips away as you sighed in relief. You placed your hands on your stomach, now full and no longer aching. A smile formed on your lips, the sunlight that poured in from the open window warmed your cheeks as you felt your Tía’s food warm your stomach.

“Thank you, Tia.” You finally say, taking a swig of the water she gave you. It was sweet, made of piña and had chia seeds inside. The flavored lingers on your tongue as you chew the small remaining pulp from the fruit.

Your aunts eyes—your eyes— gazed at you with all the kindness in the world. Though you could see a small mask of disbelief covering them, you knew you would have to make up an excuse as to why exactly you were here sooner or later.

Your Tia Beatrice, whom everyone called Betty, was one of the nicest women you can ever recall meeting. She was your mothers older sister, but seemed more youthful than all of her siblings. Her hair was a dusty brown, similar to that of Sofia’s, and her skin was tan with sun kissed freckles scattering all across her arms and face. She wore it in a neat bun, hair swooped back as small brightly colored pins held it back into place. It had been a few years since you had seen her last, but that kind and fiery personality lingered in everything she did. Her skin had sagged a bit, her shoulders fallen inward, and her back wasn’t as straight as before, but the energy that she radiated would make you believe she had not aged at all.

Every movement and word she spoke, it reminded you of why you had always admired her.

“It’s not a problem mija.” She says sweetly, her voice smooth and tender- just how you remembered. It made chills run down your spine as she grabbed your hand and placed it into hers. Soft wrinkled hands wrapped around your dry and calloused ones. Her fingers were slim and long, though knobby and hugging her bones, they looked as if they had never worked a day of hardship. You knew otherwise though, for if you looked close enough, you could see tiny white scars lingering across her hands

They reminded you of Namors, you thought. Though his hands were larger than hers, much thicker, and skin tanner as well, his hands were full of those tiny white scars as well.

Strange- how a God and a woman from nowhere can share a small similarity. Both led two different lives, had two different reasons for the scars, different healing times but nevertheless— those scars meant they were real.

You stared at her hands as you thought about him. A slight surge of panic creeping up from the back of your mind as you finally remembered him. That he was here with you as well.

You lifted your head slightly, not too quickly as to not surprise your tia but still fast enough. Lush green plants surrounded the window, blocking a few corners of your view outside into the world.The village was by no means large, memories of being here as a child slowly rising now that you weren’t so famished and could think properly. Everyone knew each other here, every neighbor knew every child, adult, cat, or dog here. So if Namor were to suddenly arrive, you would no doubt be able to tell if he did.

But it looked the same, nothing changed from the scene you arrived to. Children played and ran along the middle of the plaza, adults strolled on by, and the sound of music hadn’t stopped. Everyone minded their own business, not a sign of something new and strange appearing.

You sigh, looking back to your tia with a shy smile before standing up and asking where the sink was to wash your plate. “I’ll show you.” She says, standing up and leading you through the beaded curtain next to the dining room and into the kitchen.

The kitchen was simple. You spot the white tiled walls with small blue accents everywhere, reminding you of mediterranean styled ones. More blue and yellow accents continued in the decorative plates and fruit, making the room blend into one.

You spot the sink and go up to it. Grabbing the damp and still soapy sponge, you turn on the water and begin. As you do so, Betty begins to speak as well.

“Mija, I have no problem with you being here- and you know this of course! But I just have to ask, why are you here?” The words stun you. Even though you knew she would eventually ask and you would have to make an excuse, the words still shocked you. “I know that your mother and I aren’t as close as we used to be, but I do think she would have called me. So you can understand why I’m so curious, yes?”

She stands behind the small bar styled counter next to you, leaning forwards and looking right at you. You don’t dare to look at her, fearing that she might see the hesitation in your eyes to answer such a simple question. Though I suppose to you, it was a hard one.

You gulp, feeling small drops of sweat fall onto your brow as you softly and slowly brush the sponge over your plate. The red specks of the remaining broth smudge across the white porcelain you held between your pointer and thumb. You held it tightly, whether for the slippery water or for a way to relieve the tension you wanted to place in your jaw, you could not tell.

“C’mon, think of something!” You tell yourself. “It isn’t even that hard.”

You rush throughout your mind, hoping to find some lame and vague excuse for the time being, something to build a lie upon, but you were cut off. The sound of a voice came from the door.

“Ama!” The voice yells, and you recognize it instantly. Your eyes shoot wide as you turn to face the beaded curtain as soon as she walks through it. Her eyes look to her mother first, seeing her bent over the countertop and facing something else, she turns them to you.

Those big hazel eyes from your childhood stare right back at you, the same that Sofia has. You had no idea why you didn’t make the connection earlier— if your eyes were unforgettable, then what were hers? Shock ran throughout your body strong enough that you let go of the bowl you held in your hands. It fell and softly clattered on the tin walls of the sink as a wide and stupid grin formed on your face.

She screams, running to you faster than you could even comprehend. She nearly sends you flying back, your soapy hands wrapping around her exposed back for leverage and sobs begin to leave her mouth.

The jolts and sounds of her cries shake you to your core, your own eyes tearing up as you bury your head in the spot where her shoulder and neck meet. Tears fall onto her skin, as you both begin to laugh— you and your cousin, Yessenia. Sofia’s mom.

“God! Just look at you!” She shouts, pulling back and holding you by the shoulders to get a good look. “I haven’t seen you in years, what happened?” She asks, the wide smile on her face not budging an inch.

“Well y'know, shit happens.” You laugh, raising your hands to meet her own shoulders, steadying yourself from the small shake she gave you. Your still wet and soapy fingers dig into her plush arms, but she doesn’t seem to care.

“I bet!” Yessenia laughs as well, patting your shoulders before suddenly remembering something.

“Oh, and speaking about shit happening,” She turns back to Betty, the smile on her lips fading for a moment, her tone going serious,she finishes, “There’s a man at the door.”

~~~

You knew exactly who it was the moment the word man left her lips.

It hadn’t even been an hour, maybe half since you had been apart, but you had almost forgotten how beautiful he was. And in the sun? You swore you could stare at him like that for a lifetime.

You lingered in the small doorway that seperated the entrance of the house and the dining room, peering your head slightly around the small bend as Yessenia held your arm as if to hold you back.

“I saw him walking on my way back here from the main road. Said he was looking for someone here but I’ve never seen him before.” Your cousin begins to explain, her own head peeking out to see him as well. “Since you’re the newest thing here, I assume that's you prima. Was bringing him to my mom so she could point him in the right direction but it seems as if I ended up doing that myself, yeah?” She nudges your shoulder as she watches you look at him.

There’s no doubt she could see something in your eyes as you continued to study that faint but radiant glow that radiated off his skin. The thin layer of sweat that had built on his skin made him look fresh and dewey— and with the top of his shirt slightly unbuttoned? You could’ve fallen to your knees.

“Yeah, I know him.” You said quietly, half afraid those pointed ears might have some kind of super hearing and would pick up on how breathlessly you said the words. With all his other abilities, you wouldn’t be surprised if he did.

“So? Cmon introduce us.” Your cousin teases, pulling at the arm she held. You hiss, furrowing your brows at the slight pain the tugging caused.

“Aye!” You groan, turning to her and lightly punching her own back. She lets out a whine in response. Turning to Betty like a child, she asks her mother for help. Your tia rolls her eyes, chuckling and shaking her head at the two of you.

“She’s right though, are you going to introduce us?” Betty asks, a sly grin making its way onto her lips.

“You too?” You sigh, shaking your head and fighting the smile that wants from your lips as you turn your head back to the door.

In the few moments that you had your head turned, you had obviously expected nothing to change. You expected to turn around and see Namor standing there, doing nothing and talking to no one as the sun continued to shine on his skin, but you were wrong. Sofia now stood in front of him, having come from nowhere.

She stared at him with wide eyes, now full of wonder, sparkling with the rays of the sun as she stared and studied at every dent and wrinkle in his skin. They wandered from the tip of his nose to the ends of his pointed ears. Namor only stared back, his face disinterested and calm as he looked down at the small child.

Terrifying is what he would be called by many other children. The big, strong, and scary man that girls and boys would see from 10 feet away and scattered away at the intimidating aura around him. But not to her, no. You had no idea where she had come from, the last time you saw her being when she led you to your tia. Even if you had just met her today, you could already understand his child has a way of doing the unexpected. Much like her mother, there was a wide and curious smile on her lips as Sofia asked him for his name.

Your eyes widened and you found yourself walking towards the two the second you saw her mouth open to speak.

“Hey!” You shout, practically racing out the door the last few steps.

Sofia nervously backs away, doing the opposite of the man in front you who takes a small step closer.

Namors eyes widen, softening for a mere second as you come to a stop in front of the two. You smile at him, nodding your head in a small greeting, and a bit inside of your belly builds with nerves. The reality that you would have to introduce him soon hitting you like a truck. Your palms slightly begin to sweat, you tap your foot softly against the dirt of the floor, blinking fastly as you try to stutter out some words to say, wanting to rid of the silence you had just caused.

But the anxiety stops when he calls your name. Like a cool bucket of water has been dumped on you, every restless inch of you calmed down.

“I have been looking for you.” He tells you, the words smooth and softly hitting your ears.Your heart flutters at the sound.

“I’ve been waiting.” You respond, a shy smile creeping up on your lips.

You've seen him smile brighter than how he is right now, but it was something in his eyes that made the ones from before completely dull to how he did in that moment. Only the very corners of his lips lifted, not fully reaching his eyes which showed his true emotions. They were inexplicable, but you— you understood them. That tug in your soul you felt from before soothing your heart strings. You smiled back.

But your calm heart soon went haywire, stunning and shocking you as you felt Yessenia brush past you without warning.

“Sofia!” She shouts, reaching down for her daughter. The girl, who had been focused on you and Namor, turned to her mother. Sofias face lit up immediately, her chubby cheeks glowing red and arms widening as she ran to her mother.

They embrace each other, big arms wrapping around a small body as smaller arms wrap around a much larger one. She buries her face in her daughters neck, stuffing her nose in her daughters neck. As if it had been a while since they last saw each other.

You step aside, moving closer to Namor. You instinctively reach for his hand, and he grabs it. He gives you a small squeeze, and you do it in return.

You smile, heart warming as you watch your cousin and her daughter talk—about how their day went, what they saw, who they met. Sofias head tilted back towards you when that was asked, her bright eyes landing on your face and taking you in. You’re not sure if your Tia had told her what you were to her, but you had a feeling she knew. Though her eye didn’t stay on you for long, for they quickly moved to Namor. The grin on her face carving itself into more of an ‘O’ as curiosity began to make its way back into her face.

Yessenia noticed, immediately turning her own brightly hazel eyes to him. They studied his face for a few beats before wandering down. To where both your hands met. They widened, her own face mimicking that of the child still in her arms

oh

You stiffened, shoulders squaring as your cousin lifted herself from the floor.

She and Sofia almost looked identical like this. The way the curves of their cheeks lifted, the wrinkles caused from the slight grin in their lips, hair a puffy mess due to the heat. Mother and daughter.

“So uh,” Your cousin begins, “Would you like to come in?”

~~~

You sat at the edge of the table, an orange in your hands as you peeled the sticky and bitter peel off. Its leftovers curl into one large peel of its own, falling over your hands and onto the table.

Namor sat next to you, a spoon in his hand as he slowly and deftly ate a bowl of birria your aunt served him. The red broth spilling and staining the corners of his lips as it did to you. You had eaten with urgency unlike him. So calm, so out of place he was.

His hardened and intense features against a light and calm background, like a bull in a china shop. Though he was elegant in every move he made, almost diplomatic and composed, you had somehow forgotten he was a king. You wondered if they did things differently in Talokan, but you didn’t have time to think of that right now.

Your aunt stared daggers into him. She sat across from him, arms crossed and lips tight as she studied every spoonful and breath. Every twitch, every movement of his fingers, she knew and wrote down in her mind.

Your cousin sat next to her, her body the opposite of her mothers. Whereas Betty's posture was firm, back straight and head tall— Yessenia’s shoulders caved in, her hands in between her knees, and her brows raised high as she continuously glanced between them like a scared child, no doubt anxious of what her mother might say

Sofia sat next to you, her long legs having fallen into your lap as she lay her head on the table, observing the adults around her

Everyone sat in an uncomfortable silence, the only sound being the soft tearing of the orange from its skin and the occasional clunking of spoon against porcelain.

You teeth clenched, jaw tight as you tried to focus on the fruit you were peeling— trying to stop your hands from trembling.

You couldn’t explain why you would begin to tremble if you did, you just knew you would.

You believed it was for the questions your Tia may ask, about who Namor was, and how she would ask why you were here again. But you had done nothing wrong, right? You know your mother and aunt aren’t as close to each other as they were when you were growing up, but even then. Family would tell family when one went missing right?

Your stomach churned, thinking about how maybe your mother had called them. Maybe she has told them you disappeared, that you may have been kidnapped. Maybe they thought he had stolen you. (though he technically did-)

Your breath hitched, chest caving as the idea of all those possibilities came rushing in. You almost banged your hands on the table when your Tia suddenly moved, placing her hands on the table and leaning forward, only by an inch. But enough that you could tell she was trying to intimidate the man next to you.

She never backed down from a fight, you knew that. Your mother would tell you stories of how many fights her older sister had gotten into when they were younger. How Betty always came home with cuts and bruises, a bandage on her face every week from a new fight. And she fought for a reason, she liked to look out for those she cared for. Many picked on your mother growing up, their younger brother, and Betty’s friends. She didn’t hesitate to throw a punch.

But as she grew older her short temper faded, but that didn’t mean she had left fighting behind. She was passionate, a fire always burned in those eyes of hers— those eyes that belonged to you as well.

Even in her age, you knew she would fight Namor if he had done something truly terrible. Whereas many women fought with words, Betty liked to use both. And even if she knew he was a King— the serpent god K’uk’ulkan— she would still fight him.

She placed her hands on the table, fingers playing with the small table mat they had landed on. She stared right at him, eyes like a calm ocean that could explode into a sea of chaos if ticked off.

“So,” She suddenly spoke, her voice loud as it broke through the silence, “Why are you two here?”

The same question from before.

You looked at Namor, eyeing from the side and nudging his foot.

‘What do I say?’ You wanted to ask him. You tried to shout down that invisible string, your heart and soul crying out towards him as your hands squeezed the orange you held. Juices began to spurt, as you waited for an answer.

‘Whatever feels right’ The words came quickly, like a caress to your bones as they arrived.

You turned your head to find him look at you, eyes soft. That was enough to give you the courage to finally speak.

“My friends and I came to México for a trip, but I ended up running into him.” You began, nodding your head towards Namor as you said the last word. “He’s a friend of a friend, told me he was heading over here and I told him I had family in these parts. He offered to bring me to you all but that it might take a while to get here because he had other stops, I told him that was okay.”

You stopped for a beat, trying to study your aunt and cousin's face as the words left your mouth. Yessenia looked convinced, though still wary of her mother’s reaction. Betty did nothing but listen, lips still firm but less tight than to how they were. A sign she might be believing you.

“When we got here, the car broke down. Just a few ways down the main road, we missed our stop, so we got off. We waited for some cars to pass but saw none, I started to get hungry so we trekked off into the woods, trying to look for a path here. We ended up getting lost, I fell down a hill and that was when Sofia found me.” You finished, voice going soft as you said the last few words, looking at the girl next to you. She smiled, but her eyelids were heavy— sleepy from the activities of today no doubt.

The two women in front of you said nothing. Blinking as they looked at each other, and then back at you two.

Namor had finished eating, hands in his lap. He stayed quiet, calm and steady as he had been before. You wondered how he felt about all this, you almost wanted to ask how he would feel if it was him in your situation.

“Ah.” Your Tia simply said, nodding her head.

You turn back to her.

She believed that?

“You both are welcome to stay for as long as you would like,” She continues, “It’s one of our friends birthdays today, so tonight we will be having a feast, you are not obligated to come but it would be greatly appreciated.” Her eyes shift from Namor to you, gaze softening and the fire in her eyes almost vanishing instantly. She says your name, tender and sweet compared to how it was mere seconds ago, edge and intimidation still lingering in the whispering rasps. “I know there are a few people that will be happy to see you back, mija. You may not remember them but they surely remember you.” A smile appears— it seems as if she’s done with your companion.

Yessenia calms herself as well, stiff muscles going soft at the sight of her mother at ease once more. She turns to you as well, hands shooting across the table to grab your own sticky ones.

“Ouu, you’re going to love everyone! You might remember the kids we would play with all the time but everyone else is practically the same- oh my god you need something to wear!” She rambles, the words spilling from her mouth seconds before she could even finish her first thought.

She stands, coming around the table and practically hauling you off of your chair. Your knees buckle, almost falling as she pulls you to her.

You yelp, reaching towards the table, towards anything for stability, and you feel a hand on your back.

Namor holds you up, hands enveloped around your hips and sides to keep you from falling. You look back to see him standing, face firm and concerned for you.

Your face heats, your heart practically begins to pound out of your chest. You stare into his eyes, so intense and ready to protect. Because that's what he said he’d do, protect you.

“Are you alright?” He finally speaks. After minutes of silence, his words are meant for you and only you. As they were when you spoke at the door.

You smile, cheeks rising at the question. “I’m alright.”

His hands loosen from your body at the words. He nods, not doubting your response before backing away gently.

Your cousin only stares and watches the interaction. Take a note of it. Mischief swirls in the depths of her eyes, only for a second, before apologizing and beginning to speaking again.

“C’mon Prima, we’ve got lots of catching up to do.” She lets go of your hands, patting your shoulder and finally setting off to go deeper into the house.

You watch her go, giggling at the carefree woman. If you had not known about Sofia, you wouldn’t have ever guessed that she was a mother.

But before you leave, to turn back to Namor, “Will you be fine on your own?” You ask, not knowing how he might act or feel in an unfamiliar environment.

“I’ll be alright. There are some things I need to do, but I will be back later. I won't leave you. Will not.” He tells you, voice firm and sincere.

“Okay.” You respond, voice soft and barely a whisper as you nod, a shy smile on your lips.

You try to leave, but your feet won't budge. You keep standing in front of him, as if you were unconvinced with his words, almost afraid to go. A gut feeling like if you do, you might not see him again. Your heart cries out again as it did before on that beach. But an answer comes once more.

I’ll be right here.

The words cause a shiver to run down your spine. But you knew it to be true, felt it.

You nod your head, finally turning to follow your cousin.

~~~

The sunset colored the rooms white walls in orange and peach colors.

Your damp hair fanned out onto the sheets as small wet strands continued to cling onto your neck while your cousin brushed her hair from its tangles on a chair near her dresser. The scent of sea salt and citrus blew in from the window as the sounds of distant and muffled music played. You shut your eyes, trying to take your mind off the somewhat itchy fabric of the dress your cousin had lent you.

Most of the afternoon was spent with you and your cousin catching up, chatting and laughing about old and new memories before getting ready for the party you were invited to.

You had spoken about your friends, how your mother and siblings were doing. How you still loved the ocean and swimming. She spoke of her life in return, about those years you missed and what she and her mother did for a living.

You both reminisced on the times of when you were children. Being in her room brought up memories of your old sleepovers, how you would paint each other's nails and braid each other's messy hair. The way you would throw sand at each other and wrestle in the water, always sharing raspados on especially hot days and couldn’t find enough money to buy one for each of you. Though Yessenia had grown, changed her bright pink walls and girly bed sheets, you still noted the small painting you had made together hung up on her mirror.

In fact, when she spoke about Sofia and how she changed her life, she told you that the girl kept her young. That she let the small unhealed part of her childhood free to roam, that it made both her daughter and herself happy. She said she couldn’t be more grateful for that little girl.

The sun continues setting ever so slowly. A glare of light suddenly flashes in your eyes. You groan, throwing your hands in your face and lifting yourself up slowly to get away from the ray of light’s new home.

You sigh, shaking your head as you try to wake your mind from the small nap you tried to take. You stand, arms reaching to the ceiling as you stretch and the door to the room opens.

Sofia runs in, her hair wet and with a new outfit on, Betty following close behind.

You smile, sitting yourself back down on the edge of the bed, Sofia grabbing her mothers brush from her hands before asking you to do her hair.

“You know I used to fo your moms hair when we were little, she could never get the braids right. They always came out lumpy or crooked.” You told the girl who had sat inbetween your legs, parting her hair into three separate strands, brushing out small knots as you did.

“No, you just have a weird head shape.” Your cousin replies, turning her head to you from her seat.

You roll your eyes, snickering before going back to the task at hand. As you did, you felt the side of the bed sag a bit. Your tia had sat down near you, watching and peering over your shoulder as you combed your fingers between her granddaughter's golden locks.

“I could never do hair either- it was your mother who taught me you know.” Her voice was calm, soothing and soft compared to how it was earlier.

You smile, “Do you think it’s too late to teach your daughter?”

“Hey!”

You both snicker, cheeks rising and teeth showing from the small comment.

“Ugh, whatever!” Yessenia rolls her eyes, turning back to her mirror, flipping her hair dramatically as she does. Her jewelry jingled with each wave of her hand, clinking softly as she swiped a faint color of lipstick on her lips.

“Actually, I have a question,” She continues talking, calling your name at the end.

“Yees?” You hum, not too worried about what she was to ask as you focused on carefully parting Sophia's hair into brains. But a light churning in the back of your mind caused the tiniest whirls of anxiety to stir.

“What’s up with him?”

“Huh?” Your head immediately jolts up at the words, peeling your eyes at her. You had known they would have questions about him (i mean who wouldn’t), and you had tried to mentally prepare yourself for them but as before, it was still a shock when it finally happened. Anxiety coursed through your veins and you felt the inner workings of your stomach fully stir.

Your fingers tighten on the strands of hair you held, trying to ground yourself in front of your family without making it obvious. But the child before you grunting in pain, truly bringing you back. You quickly apologize, going back to the task at hand to try to calm yourself before asking what she meant.

“I mean he was just so.. intimidating. The way he looked at my mom and I as if we were some kind of threat sorta threw me off , yknow? Oh- and the ears, the piercings too. I know we don’t go into the cities often but those threw me a bit more off.” She explains. Coming to sit down next to you, grabbing her sandals and bending over to put them on.

“Ah.” You simply say, biting your lip nervously.

“She’s right. I did not want to say anything but it bothered me quite as well.” You Tia agrees, her gaze shifting from your fingers to your face.

Worry crawls up your skin and bones as you try to ignore and push back the pressure suddenly placed on you. All the secrets and things you have seen, never to be spoken.

Namor trusted you. Had shown you Talokan. Had brought you back to your family.

You had not known how long you were in your own mind, but by the time you had blinked the ends of Sofias braids were being tied into small rubber bands.

And the pressure and tension still lingered in the air as the eyes of your cousin and aunt did not leave your face.

“So..?”

You gulped. The least you could do was keep a secret.

~~~~

The humid air caused a thin and sticky layer of sweat to build onto your skin, but the soft and salty breeze of the ocean helped calm your burning skin. The smell of sweet agua fresca and rich food filled your nose as you finally sat down on the large rectangular table.The ache of your feet lingered from earlier before as you scooted yourself back in.

The walk to the “party” was short, taking place on the beach in front of the small restaurant style bar you had seen that man and woman decorating earlier as Sofia guided you to your aunt. They were introduced to you as Maria and Hilberto (though everyone called him Beto) , and had apparently recognized you from before but were unsure if you were real. You smiled as they spoke to you of how they remembered you as a child, gap toothed and pig tails always full of sand.

They helped introduce you to everyone else in attendance as well. You formally met Sofia’s two friends from before, Lucia, known as Luz, and Clara. Luz was Maria and Beto’s granddaughter, the same pair of black eyes from the girl her grandmother both looked at you. Ones with delight and nostalgia, the other with uncertainty and anxiousness.

Clara was the niece of Yessenia’s friend. She seemed more worried and confused than anything, her brows arched upwards as her plush fingers gripped yours in a handshake.The shy girl clung to Luz— whose birthday was being celebrated. The two seemed close, linking their arms together and sitting at the farthest away from everyone, whispering things to each other as Sofia , who had wandered off to them, listened closely

It had taken almost 15 minutes to formally greet everyone, each person stopping to hold your hand and tell you how much of a free spirit you were as a child, how much Sofia reminded them of you. You can’t recall ever visiting your Tia’s home so often as a child but, you surely must have made an impression. Kind faces asked about your sisters and mother, how your grandmother was, and if you still loved the ocean. You answered accordingly to the first two questions, changing a few details and adding more to keep the conversations fresh. But the last, you simply smiled and nodded your head.

You let out a sigh of relief as the sounds of people talking and laughing surrounded you, finally not at you anymore. The sounds drowned out around you as you turned your head to the dark ocean to your left. Its waves a loud crashing and the only color from its foam lapping against the dimly lit sand.

You breathe in deeply, an attempt to soothe yourself and the tiny nerves from your fingertips slowly riding and building with anxiety at the fact there was still no song. It was so strange, too strange. The scenery felt so familiar too, your heart aching and almost crying out. You wanted to know why. Why now?

“I remember you.” A voice suddenly says. The words scare you. You jump slightly before you turn your head. Dark eyes and light stare at you, a familiar pair next to you. Sofia, Luz, and Clara.

Your cousin’s daughter sat next to you, her arms splayed on the table as she smiled and looked back and forth between you and her friends. The two older girls sat across from you— Luz directly in front and Clara to her side.

You stare for a moment, surprised at the fact she was talking to you. Her previous looks towards you were so.. condescending (probably not the right word)? You hadn’t gotten close enough to her to truly feel how she felt towards you, but her looks of suspicion were enough to make you stay away so as not to bother her. You were a visitor in her home, or at least that’s what you told yourself.

“Do you?” You curiously ask, turning your body to face her.

The stern look on her face falters at your words. Surprise flashed in her wide eyes, her guard let down. Something about her and her friend throwing a small side glance at each other said “She’s talking to me.” A hint of red on her cheeks as she continues to speak.

“I doubt you remember us though.We hardly ever spoke to each other, my mother never allowed me to be near the older kids- but you always seemed so fun. So genuine. But I remember you. I remember at the campfires all the kids would follow you and hear your stories.” She stutters over some words, her speaking hardly put together as well as her tough facade which was now gone.

She says the next words so softly. “Though we never spoke, they’re some of my favorite memories.

You don’t say anything in response as you look at you. The innocence of childhood twinkled in her eyes as she recalled the memories she spoke of, her face now seemed less sharp. Her almond eyes were less sharp, the dark of them seemed to have brightened.

You smiled at it.

“So, how old are you? You seem pretty young, I can't seem to remember seeing you the last time I was here.” You ask, leaning into the table to hear her response. The loud chatter of the adults filled your eyes, the heavy bass of the speakers near you strong enough that you could feel it in your teeth.

“I’m actually supposed to be as old as you.” She says. The words shock you, eyes widening in the few seconds it took to realize what she meant.

“Oh.” You say. “You as well?”

“Almost all of the children in the village actually. Clara and I were the oldest, everyone else was only under 10 years old. It went quiet that day, I was gone and back in less than a second.” Luz explains, her gaze intense as she spoke. But her eyes soon drifted to Sofia a few seconds after speaking.

“All but Sofia. She was the only small child left, having to grow up on her own. It surprised me today when we found you today. I can’t recall her ever meeting you, you were gone and so were we. But the way she simply just walked up to you as if she’s known you her whole life, it really… “ She struggled to finish the sentence, biting her lip as she looked down at the small plate of food in front of her. Her hands scratched as the flimsy and thin table cover, the plastic ripping beneath her fingertips.

“Hey,” you whisper, reaching your hand towards hers, gently pressing down on it in an attempt to stop her anxious fidgeting. “It’s okay. I understand.” You reply. And you did. The second you saw Sofia it was like something inside of your soul knew she was family, knew she would bring you somewhere safe. Even in a haze of hunger and dehydration, that air and familiarity of everything made you feel safe. It was only when you ate and spent the afternoon with your cousin that the memories began to flood back into your mind.

Clara had been quiet the entire conversation, her round face painted with interest but her lips almost trembling as she looked like she wanted to say something. Her leg bounced up and down, her eyes shifted to the small crowd of people dancing in a circle only a few feet away from the tables. She bit her lips as if in anticipation. Luz looked at her. Then at you.

You shrugged your shoulders, your hand leaving hers and going back onto your lap. You opened your mouth to ask the girl what was wrong, but the words seemed to bust through her lips as you did.

“Do you like to dance?” She asks suddenly, eyes going wide and a smile appearing on her lips.

“What?” That was definitely not what you thought she would ask.

“Oh, I’m sorry! It's just the song playing is my favorite, but do you?” Her voice was soft, but loud. Energy and light poured through her as she finally let go. Her hair swayed in the gentle sea breeze to the beat of the song, bounced up and down as she rocked her body lightly to the beat of the song.

It had no doubt taken you by surprise, but that’s what the three girls around you seemed to be special at. Surprising you.

Three girls. one who had never met you, two you can’t recall meeting- all a mirror of

“I do!” You smile, giggling as Luz nugged her friend in the side. Her face painted wigh a look that resd ‘Dont be rude!’

“Would you like to?” She asks after rolling her eyes as the girl beside her, extending her hand for you go take. Her plush hands were chipped, callosues and dry spots around the edges. Her nails short but with a thin coat of polish on top. Her makeup wasn’t the neatest, specs of mascara littered the apples of her cheeks but her eyes burned with a fire grander than you’ve seen before. Like a beast in a cage, waiting to be freed.

You look at Sofia, her eyes sparkling too as she practically jumped in joy to the beat of the song currently playing. That was enough of an answer.

“Yes!”

~~~

The water was almost freezing as it lapped against your burning skin, you almost swore steam was rising off of you. A thin layer of sweat covered your body, now being chilled and dried by the wind that blew through the trees. Hair stuck to your forehead and cheeks as your chest continued to heave from your previous activities.

You remember flying everywhere as the thumping of music rang in your ears. People jumped and sang loudly around you as you did with them as well. You had held the hands of the girls from before, the four of you spinning in circles and holding each other close and laughing loudly as your hips swayed to the song. Clara danced the most, not stopping even after the rest of you broke away from the crowd for a break. Her short hair bobbed up and down as she danced without a care in the world, moving from person to person as her spirit gave the party life.

You smiled, giggling to yourself as you cupped the water from the rushing waves into your hands to clean the sand that had stuck to your skin.

It had been so long since you last danced, truly danced.

You had left the crowd a few minutes ago, having worked up a sweat and burning lungs. Aching knees accompanied you on your silent walk to the shore.

You sighed, letting yourself truly breathe for the first time today. The day you have spent with your family was one you could only have dreamt of, and thinking about it actually made you realize that this was time you had been alone since the morning. You could hardly believe that just a few hours ago, you were still inside that cave. That the sun still had yet to touch you, that you had yet seen another human without that blue skin.

You plop down onto the sand, huffing and catching yourself with your hands as you cross your legs.

The crunching of sand is heard next to you, and instinctively, you look back to where it came from. Your heart almost sank in your chest as you stared at the dark and tall figure beside you. It almost began to beat out of your chest, rising and thumping in your ears. But that figure only sat down besides you, and it stopped.

Namor.

Your breath finally catches again, and you roll your eyes at him.

“What?” He asks, taking note of your huff. You shake your head and look away from him, scooching your knees closer to your chest and grasping the shawl you wore tight.

“I can’t believe you.” You try to say seriously, giggles escaping between syllables.

“What?” He pleads, voice becoming more concerned. He leans in closer to you, tilting his head and furrowing his brows.

You continue to laugh. “What!” He keeps insisting.

“Did you know?” You finally manage to ask.You had looked back at him, a stupid smile on your face.

Namor looks shocked, but soon enough, a smile of his own appears. A real smile. It was soft, the corners of hips lips rising, cheeks lifting just enough to reach the bottom of his eyes.

“Know what?” He asks, shoulders nudging yours as he scooches in closer to you.

“That I had family here. I feel like you must have.” You reply, doing your best attempt to stare him down. “You creepy, crazy stalker.” You joke.

His eyes widen, jaw going slack, before howling in laughter and throwing his head back. You explode in giggles as well. The sound of the music, waves crashing, the rustling of the trees, and your laughter; it all felt so familiar. Like you’ve been here with him before. Like home.

When it finally died down, you both fell into a comfortable quiet. The cold of the air sends shivers down your spine, your hands going cold and hard as you tried to wrap your fingers in the thick shawl you wore. It didn’t work as well as you wanted, but Namors body heat certainly helped.

He hummed a tune you couldn’t quite place as you listened to the far off music still blaring on the speaker. It felt peaceful. The waves weren’t crashing and fighting each other for dominance as they did the night you left. The moon was out, no clouds hiding it from the endless sea below it. Something about the calm made you feel vulnerable. Like you wanted to tell the man sitting beside you every trouble you've ever faced.

You tilted your head to him, shifting your gaze from where the moonlight met the water and to him.

The profile you had grown to love in the time you had known him was there to greet you. And your heart went soft.

“You know, when I first got here, I didn’t even know where I was.” You suddenly began to tell him, the words escaping you before you could even process them.

“Oh?” Namor hums in response. What do you mean?

“When I fell, I didn’t know who that girl was. What beach I was on. I only knew that it felt like I’ve been there-here! before. And then I saw my tia, I ate her food. And everything came rushing back to me.” You explain, your cheek squished against the knee closest to your chest.

“Do you remember how I said there was always this.. song in my head when I was near the ocean?”

He nods, face stern and serious.

“Well, I always thought it was always there. On a constant loop like a broken record. But… being here made me remember it stopped once. It was a long time ago, the last time I had been here in fact. Which is…,”You sigh, thinking about the past time before resuming, “I had been walking along the shore at night, trying to resist that call from jumping into the water and trying to calm myself and sense— my own body that had been betraying me— until it went quiet. It was so sudden that I didn’t even realize until a few minutes after.

“I remember feeling such relief— such joy at the silence and peace. I couldn’t believe it was happening. I ran to my mother immediately, and cried in her arms as I repeatedly said ‘it's gone! it’s gone!’.” Your eyes began to burn, the corners blurring as you continued, “ She held me until I slept. But only when I woke up did it come back— there’s nothing I can say to describe my disappointment and sadness when it came back.”

You pause, catching your breath and composing yourself. Your voice did not waver, you spoke clearly, but the sudden weight that had lifted from your chest shook you to your core. You can’t remember the last time you told someone that, and at the same beach and ocean you stood before when it happened. Your fingertips buzzed and skin covered itself with chills as it remembered that past sadness and the sudden feeling of vulnerability.

“There’s something about this beach, about this sea in front of me, that makes it stop. And i would give anything to find what it is.”

Namor stays quiet, his eyes gone dark and serious. pain flashed behind those eyes of his as his jaw went tight at your words. you sniffled, turning your head back to the sea before you.

Silence built around you. It surrounded the place in which you sat, the cloudy feeling almost letting you sink into your thoughts if it were not for the warmth of his skin against yours. Shoulder to shoulder he finally speaks.

“And the song? How long has it been there?” His voice was gruff, as if clogged and pained. Almost like that lump that clogged your throat before crying had taken hold of him.

“Since I can remember actually, but it's been quite ever since I met you. When I saw Talokan, I heard it. But it was different then. It didn't call for me, didn’t beg for me to go find it and make me want to rip my skin off of my bones. But instead it welcomed me almost. It sang brighter, more beautifully. Those strings in my mind that played on land were coarse and rough, but beneath the water and in that blue light it was smooth and enchanting. I don’t think anything can compare. If that is what was waiting for me, I would always go back.” You tell him. Your voice is light and friendly, but you were the most serious you have been since you met him.

Namor only looked at you. Eyes misty and full of some kind of pain you knew you could not describe. A pain and longing you could only feel and know to be older than time itself. That tug inside your heart and soul told you he knew, that he wanted to say but couldn’t. That he could explain everything but can’t. There’s a key to his heart, the one he wants to expose and let you hold so badly but cannot. Not until he’s ready.

You see it. The way his lips twitched into a small smile as the pain that flashed in his dark eyes got pushed back into those depths it rose from.

Namor was not one for words. Or at least not with you.

You’ve seen him talk with ease and a confidence that you knew suited the title of Serpent God. His booming voice was loud and strong as he spoke to the women who took care of you in that cave. He was always so serious and stern when you saw him work, words flowed quickly and smoothly from his lips without missing a beat . But when it came to you, his words seemed to fail. As if everything in his mind went blank at the sight of you and the only way to express understanding was touch.

Touch. His favorite thing.

His large hand reaches towards you. Fingers combing through yours as they stilled from their curling action. His calloused hand held yours in a firm grip and held on tightly. You let it happen.

His touch, his body, his air, and mere presence warmed your once shivering body underneath that cold moonlight. The expanse of the endless sea before your eyes didn’t seem so big anymore, at least not with him there with you.

The beating of the waves and the music your family played only got louder— a familiar tune reaching your ears and you almost jumped.

You turned your head to the distant light of people still dancing.

“What’s wrong?” Namor asks, a bit stunned at your sudden movement.

“I love this song.” You simply respond, a smile on your face as you look back to him.

“Do you?”

You hum a quick yes.

“Tell me, what is it about?” He requests, voice so gentle and quiet, you wouldn't have been able to hear if his lips were not so close to yours.

You gulp, staring into his eyes.

You've probably stared into the eyes of thousands of people, but with him— it made you realize how truly intimate it is.

“It’s uh- about a man. He hears a woman's voice on the radio one night and falls in love with her. And he spends every day looking for her, clicking through every station every day in hopes to hear her voice at least once more. He’s desperate , says he looks to the sky and stars for her. Sleepless. Desvelado.” You tell him.

“Like you and the song from the sea. Only you’re searching for the end.”

His reply shocks you. But there’s a faint knowing twinkle in his eye. That look from before.

“I think I may have found it.”

You both smile one last time. Your head leans into his shoulder— his own falling atop yours soon enough— as you fall back into a comfortable quiet. Your arm hugging his as the warmth of his body seeps into yours.

You dreamt about him that night. Recalling how your hearts burned brighter than the moonlight, brighter than the sun.

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Thank you for reading <\3!! Comments and reblogs are v much appreciated! If you have any insights please leave them kindly!!

A/n: this chapter was kinda mostly reader and her family and the end was kinda ass but yah 😭 cannot say when the next chapter will be at ALL but i do think it will take long due to me making them 7k+ words. I want to finish my series of course but also do not want to rush and lose hope and motivation for it that is why I am taking my time. I thank all those who understand my slow but sure process , I thank you all for waiting and I really do hope you enjoyed :) 🩷🩵

[lokidbadguy]

special thanks to polo for making the scp