#bow x dora

[kmixon]

Why??? Dora x Bow 😩😩😩

Bow deserves..... BETTER!!!😠😠😠 Dora is better with him. She showed a hero, background of storyline, stayed by side 🥰🥰🥰 Bow deserves.... BETTER girls!!!

[jaidens]

idrk if u still do outsiders stuff 😕 but if u do can you please do a dallas winston x reader fic where reader has a younger sibling that annoys them when they’re together 🙏🙏

miss americana & the heartbreak prince !

pairing [s] : dallas winston x reader

warning [s] : hey outsiders.. 😞

a/n [s] : ty for the request!!

KNOCK! KNOCK!

The pattering noise against your door makes you moan, putting out the cigarette against the ashtray and you answer whoever is behind it. Your little sister pokes her head inside, a mischievous grin across her face. Dallas greets her as he saunters into your room, muscles stretching through his white tank.

It had been known to you that your little sister, Dorothea, had an insignificant crush against your boyfriend. It was quite hilarious— watching her kiss his cheeks and cuddle up into him. Even though when he would leave, it was all fight and no play.

“Hey sweetheart,” The New York accent rings within his words, but your sister kicks her feet and hugs Dallas in her small arms. “How have you been?” She pulls away from him and smiles, her two front teeth missing are adorable, and you laugh at her.

“I’ve been good! I got an A on my project about flamingos! Did you know that they aren't always pink—” She's cut off when you chuck a shirt at her doll, hitting the pink ribbons that are tied in small bows around her hair. Her expression turns from happiness to immediate anger when her doll falls against the floor.

Dallas turns his head at you and you swear they have identical expressions of ‘why did you do that?’. “Why did you do that? You hurt Betty!”

Dallas looks even more offended than her, picking up Betty and gently dropping her in Dorothea’s arms. He stands up, pats her head, and walks over to you. Within a second, Dorothea follows Dallas to your bed. He lays down next to you and kisses you. “Move over!” Dorothea screeches and pushes in-between you and your boyfriend. Inherently, she's closer to Dallas and she lets him tickle her sides.

“Get out Dora! Leave me and Dal alone.” You snap at her and she sticks her tongue out at you, waving her hands in the air. “Shoo!” You say once more, slapping her side. She stands up and walks away, slamming the door behind her.

You and Dallas are finally alone, as you watch him puff on a cigarette while telling you a story about something that had apparently happened at Buck’s earlier that day. You're running your finger down his chest. You're cuddled up with him when you hear another obnoxious knock. “Mommy said you have to let me stay with you guys!” Dorothea yells through the crack of your door. You roll your eyes and Dallas puts out his cigarette once more.

She's crying outside of your door and Dallas can't help but not to laugh. His arm wraps around you and pulls you into his shoulder. He kisses your forehead and pulls you close. You're relaxed then once again, your name is screeched. “C’mon! Let me in!”

“Nope! Goodbye!”

[alecvolturiswifeforever]

sunlight in a dark room (ii) 𝜗𝜚 ׅ ۫ alec volturi x reader

warnings: ehhh floof?

a/n: i love jane idc what anyone says she’s my little pookie (she’d eat me) 🥹🥹

You heard a hiss as both wives made their way over towards you and Alec. Sulpicia gripping your shoulders gently as Athenodora cupped your cheeks and turned your face to inspect you.

“What happened?” She demanded as she averted her eyes to Alec, now stood behind Sulpicia. A blur intercepted your vision as Aro was suddenly next to his wife on the opposite side , holding out his hand in a silent question.

You place your hand within his, leaning into Dora’s soft touch and after a moment he tutted before pulling away.

“It seems there are some unwanted guests within the castle walls after all.” You heard a hiss from Caius. “They have harmed our dear human”

You made eye contact with Alec who gave you a reassuring look before turning to his master.

“Alec, I trust you are able to ensure that they are dealt with by your fellow guards whilst our sweet Jane tends to Y/N’s wound?” Aro looked at him and for a moment it was almost as if your mate was going to protest, however opting to bow with a small ‘Yes, master’ before turning and leaving in a blur. The queens gave you a final once over, before you felt a cold wrist encase yours and move you back to the steps behind you.

𝜗𝜚 ׅ ۫

You felt the damp cloth dab against your face as Jane swiped up the dried droplets of red which had stained your cheek.

Her face was stoic as she did so, much like it usually was, though her touch was gentle and almost felt comforting in the midst of the chaos. Your usual smile was replaced with a soft frown and you looked at your hands as Alec’s previous words replayed through your head like a mantra.

“You’re naïve to that that nothing bad will ever happen to you and you’re stupid to think you’re safer in here than out with your own kind”

“What’s wrong?” Jane’s voice pierced through your daze and you moved your eyes to meet her red ones as she continued to swipe at your cheek.

“What?” You looked at her incredulously.

“I may choose not to speak to you but do you really think I am oblivious? You’re moping, Y/N. It’s not like you. What’s wrong?” She rolled her eyes at you as you avert your gaze.

“It’s- It’s nothing.” You started but doubted whether it was a good decision to talk to Jane - of all people - about Alec.

“It’s not nothing and you know it.” She accused and you let out a sigh.

“It’s just- Alec said something to me earlier and I can’t help but feel like he was right… I don’t know.. it’s stupid.”

Jane let out a scoff before sighing, dropping the cloth back into the bowl of soapy water next to her and moving to sit next to you on the step.

“Well? What did he say?”

Your face flushed as you questioned with yourself whether to tell her, deciding that maybe… just maybe if you could bond just a little with Jane then Alec would potentially lay off on the hate parade for a while.

“He- He said that I was naïve..” You took a breathe before continuing. “that i’m stupid to believe i’m safer in here than I am with other.. people”

You heard Jane suck in a sharp breathe and you moved your gaze to look at her. She started right ahead, seemingly contemplating what to say next. After a moment of silence she spoke up.

“My brother is… well he’s complicated.” You snorted and she glared at you, though the small smile on her lips told a different story. “He says things a lot… things that he does not mean. He believes that pushing you away is better than keeping you tied to him-”

“He said that?” You cut her off and she glared at you again.

“Let me finish. He believes all humans are the same, i’m sure you’ve heard about our.. past experiences?” She raises an eyebrow and you looked at her sympathetically. “He feels you’ll end up like the others. He needs you to prove you are different, though he will not tell you that himself.”

You pondered her words with a frown. You look at her in confusion.

“So what do I do? How do I prove that when he will barley look at me? He hates me. ”

“I think his moment with you earlier was enough to prove he does not hate you.” She scoffed and you smiled slightly at the thought of his protective nature. The worried tone in his voice. The way he held you. The safe feeling that washed over you when you realised he was there.

“You need to talk to him Y/N. Stop avoiding each other and make him realise you are not like them.” She placed a comforting hand on your shoulder, squeezing slightly before standing and making her way back over to Aro.

𝜗𝜚 ׅ ۫

The throne room doors burst open as the rest of the guard missing entered. Alec’s eyes instantly fall onto you and you sucked in a breathe. You hear Demetri debriefing with the kings, informing them that there were no vampires residing in Volterra though that there was also no sign of any Romanians. Meanwhile you stood, making your way over to who was meant to be your mate. He gave you a once over before tilting his head.

“I see Jane did a good job cleaning you up.” His voice was low and you nodded.

“She did. I’m grateful for her help.” His eyes softened at your kind words toward his sister. “Can I t-talk to you?”

He narrowed his eyes before taking your hand which you held out to him, guiding him over to the corner you had been sitting in.

“I-“ You struggled with where to start. “You were right.”

He looked at you in confusion.

“What you said this morning. You were right. I am naïve. I’m stupid to think i’m safe here.” You voice broke as you spoke and he hung his head slightly. “But I want you to know that i’m not like them. I don’t want to hurt you I- there is no intention for me to do so and I hope that one day you’ll realise that.” You swallowed the lump in your throat and he looked up to meet your eyes.

“I didn’t mean what I said.”

“Hm?”

“What I said this morning… I didn’t mean it. I just- I feel so… I fear you, Y/N”

You furrowed your eyebrow at him.

“You fear me?”

“Yes. I fear you.” He took an unneeded breathe “Every night once you’ve fallen asleep I imagine what it would feel like to hold you, to be there for you, to be the one to comfort you and make sure you’re safe… that is until your incessant sleep talking distracts me.”

He tries to joke and you giggle, his eyes lighting up slightly.

“Every night I sit there and think about making things right with you but the moment you wake up I fear you. I fear you will end up seeing me how they saw me-how they still see me. But more than that I fear that if I make an attempt at pursuing something it will put you in danger; something will happen to you much like what happened to me and you will end up as I am- hell it almost did today.”

Your eyes well up and you take his hand. He looks at you properly then and he gives you a soft smile.

“If anything, I said those things because I am the one who is stupid to think I can have any form of commitment with someone without them getting hurt. I don’t deserve it…” He trailed off, looking to the floor.

“Everyone is deserving of love, Alec ” You placed a hand on his cheek and you barley felt him tilt his head into the hold, eyes on you once again. Your voice lowered to a whisper “Please let me in. Let me love you the way you deserve. I want- I need you to understand how much I want to make this work”

He watched you for a moment before leaning in, pressing a kiss to your forehead as you closed your eyes in content, he placed his forehead against yours, wiping away the tears which had spilled out with the pads of his thumbs before pulling you into his side.

“We will be okay, sweetface, we will make it work. I promise.”

[b4rbi3l4nd]

SOS — keep it on lowski

Okay real talk, this is my first tumblr fic and I like it..so far, so i might make this a series LMAO. But catch me on wattpad, i have a series on there that I plan on continuing

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐋

summary: you broke up with shuri a few years ago and left wakanda for good until namor. now that he's killed the queen and multiple wakandan civilians, he's seen as a great threat and as former second in command at shuri's lab and wakanda's loyal warrior it is your duty to return and fight for your country. but a certain somebody makes the mission way too hard to deal with.

genre: minor angst, slow, slow, slow burn

pairing: shuri x black fem reader

episode warnings: suggestive scenes

proofread?: no but if there are errors then it's grammarly's fault.

word count: girl idfk

inspirations: 'SOS' — SZA

song: 'Low' — SZA

send your thoughts and requests

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"Whatever you want, don't call me." you said as you threw your kimoyo beads and your engagement ring on the ground before stomping it and breaking it under your heels.

Blinking back tears, you pushed her off you as you turned around and left the lab, slamming the door behind you. Her cries echoed through the room as you picked up your suitcase as you left the palace and wakanda for good.

That was more than 4 years ago. To think you were happy. Marrying into the royal family, a strong bond with both T'Challa and Queen Ramonda but especially the love of your life, Shuri.

You guys have known each other for the longest time, being the daughter of the chief of the Border Tribe, you and Shuri have known each other since birth. Bonding over your love for tech. Not only did you have one of the highest IQ's, you were also one of the strongest warriors Wakanda had. Your mother is a Dora Milage so you trained everyday with them since you could crawl.

Everything was going great for the both of you until Shuri started getting engulfed in her tech work. She worked overtime to prove to the elders that she could also be useful but it angered you. Not because she was expanding her work but because she wasn't making time for you. She dismissed you, she didn't even let you enter the lab sometimes and that was where you worked. Eventually, you got sick of it, sick of everything and just left. For the better. Or was it?

"Miss Y/N, you have arrived." your driver says as you snap out of your thoughts. The car door opens for you as you steop out in white pumps and a black bodycon dress, your curls resting all around you as you straightened your gold chain.

The Dora Milage immediately bowed to you as you noticed your mother smiling at you but your face remained expressionless. You walked into the palace as you muttered under your breath. "i can't believe I'm back here again."

You walked through the palace corridors as you stopped in front of the lab, 2 Dora Milage warriors on either side of the door. You were contemplating entering when you heard 2 women's voices.

Turning around, you were met with Okoye and Nakia looking at you.

Nakia immediately embraced you as you hugged her back, realizing how much you missed your friends.

"Y/N...it pained us so much when you were not there for T'Challa's funeral." Nakia started as Okoye stood still and silent, not looking over to you.

"I was busy...I'm sorry. Send the queen my condolences-" you start but Okoye cut you off sharply.

"The queen is dead." She said, almost as if she was choking on her words as Nakia looked down.

A hand flew to your mouth as you felt your eyes watering. Queen Ramonda was like your mother figure, so caring and loving.

"That is why we asked you here. I'm guessing you didn't read the envelope?" Nakia asked as you tilted your head to the side.

"There was an envelope?"

"Typical." Okoye kissed her teeth as you turned to her to see her smiling.

"Okoye..."

"You know I can't be mad at you for long. Small small girl, come here." She held out your arms as you chuckled, hugging her tightly but when you pulled back, both Okoye and Nakia had serious expressions on their face.

"We need your help Y/N...help the country. Help Shuri." Nakia voiced out as your mood soured when she mentioned your ex's name but she gave you a look. "Please, put your petty beef to the side. She hasn't been herself lately, she's been engulfing herself in her work, you're the only one we know that can help her."

"Is this what you called me for?"

"Not all, we also need help defeating a treacherous villain. Namor. All the information has already been sent to your...iPhone." Okoye said the last part in disgust as you rolled your eyes playfully.

"Sorry ma'am, but it's how you keep up with stuff out of country nowadays."

"I still don't know why you didn't take your kimoyo beads with you. They're great advances."

"Yea but she built em didn't she."

"And it was your design."

"Look, let's not get into battle of the tech here alright?" Nakia said, as she looked between you and Okoye. "Just please help Shuri."

"And the country." Okoye added as you laughed slightly.

You took a sigh and nodded, dismissing them with your hands as you 'promised' to help Shuri. Bullshit, you couldn't give 2 shits about that woman. Your face turned expressionless once more as you entered the lab, startled when a voice started talking out of nowhere.

"My queen, an unknown woman has entered the lab."

"Thank you Griot." Shuri said sarcastically as she didn't even look up from her work.

Your fists balled up slightly. Wow, nothing changed even from when you guys were together. You sighed, maybe you should give her benefit of the doubt, her whole family is gone.

You squinted your eyes, looking around, not knowing where she was.

"What do you want?" her voice came from above and behind you.

You looked up before turning around to see her standing atop some stairs. Your breath hitches, she looks so different than before. She ditched the braids now, her hair shorter than usual. Fades at the sides with curls on the top. It fit her. You took in her white tracksuit and sneakers, tatted hands, and her body got a bit more muscular than last time. She had a ring on her fourth finger. Was she married? The ring looked nothing like your engagement ring and you felt a slight pang in your chest but you shook it off.

You look up to her face but she wasn't even looking at you, she was studying something on her kimoyo beads. Every bit of arousal just disappeared. What an ick, she's still more focused on her work than anything else.

"I was sent to help with defeating Namor."

"Riri?"

"Y/N."

As soon as you said your name, her head darted up as she looked in your direction. You stood still, your hands in front of you as you looked straight ahead, unbothered, which you were.

"Oh uhm.."

"Is Riri your wife?" You ask, motioning towards her ring on her fourth finger.

"Why do you care?" She raised an eyebrow, a stern expression fixated on her face as a frown appeared.

"I don't.." you trailed off as you took note of her face, images of her crying and begging on the lab floor the day you left rushing your mind as you abruptly stopped and shook your head.

"You can go to your quarters, you are not needed here today."

"No thanks, I'll stay. I am here to protect my country, no other intentions needed." You walk up the stairs and right past her as you walk over to your former office and stop, staring in disbelief.

It was decorated with red and yellow and the name "Riri" was spelled out on the wall with an ironman-looking suit standing in the corner of it.

"Of course." You nod your head slightly, of course your office wasn't going to stay the same. She's obviously moved on. You start towards a chair but stop as you hear her right behind you. She grabbed your arm slightly, making you turn around to face her. She still towered over you, even after all this time.

"I got it under control."

"Really? Because if so, Nakia and Okoye wouldn't be begging for me to help you."

Before she can respond, a young woman around our age comes into the lab and looks up at Shuri.

"My love." she said as she ran up to hug her and Shuri hugged her back lovingly, letting go of my arm.

I frowned at the sight and looked away. I shouldn't even be feeling like this, I broke up with her, I'm the asshole.

"Namor...he left a message."

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All 3 of us walked towards the throne room, Shuri in the middle and ahead of us, her hands locked in with the woman who I learned to be named Malia. She wasn't Wakandan but American, you can tell from her accent. I scoffed at this.

The whole time, I stole glances at her. She wasn't even that pretty. Her dress is too short, this is a work area. Is she trying to seduce the elders or what? What's up with those shoes? They're unprofessional. Straightened hair? Really? Americans have no value for their natural hair. "Stop it" i said to myself under my breath. why am i comparing myself to another woman? I don't even care for Shuri, she can suck my clit for all i care.

As we approached the throne room, Shuri took her seat on the throne and I watched Malia sit down in the seat next to her. My former seat. I stood next to the Dora Milage, specifically my mother as I watched the two with hooded eyes.

Okoye pulled out her kimoyo beads where it showed Namor at the border of Wakanda, promising to be back and rid the whole country.

The whole time I was more focused on Malia and Shuri. The way Shuri's hand moved up and down her thigh, the way she looked at her. How unprofessional. And in front of the guards too?

"What is she doing here?" An elder spoke out, causing me to snap out of my trance. Everyone was now looking at me and I put on my best poker face, looking up at them.

"She is still a Wakandan, whether you like it or not." My mother said, standing up for me as I eyed the elder down. I clicked my tongue slightly as he turned away.

After the brief meeting and discussion of what to do, I made my way out of the throne room, right behind Malia who offered to show me to my sleeping quarters.

As we entered my apartment in the palace, I turned to her and raised an eyebrow. "Are you and Shuri married? I need to know whether to address to you as my queen or not." I say, trying to hide the fact that I'm prying for information.

I can see the question catch her off guard as she smiles sweetly at me. "No, not yet. This is just a promise ring, she got it for our anniversary, a few weeks ago, pretty right? She made it specifically for us." She showed her hand as I looked at the ring. It was beautiful and it had the initials "S.M" carved into it.

"Crazy how..if you hadn't left, this would've been you." She said under her breath, her tone sounding less friendly than it was before.

I look up at her, her expression looking more stern as we held eye contact momentarily. It was ice cold and the tension in the room could cut blocks. But then she smiled, her sweet expression coming back to her face.

"That's all, I hope you have a nice stay in Wakanda." She smiled even wider before turning around and leaving the apartment, leaving me to feel unsafe that she knew where I slept.

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That night as I pulled my dress down, I heard a knock on my door. I didn't open it, still occupied with my dress. After a few moments, the door opened.

"I thought I locked that door.."

I turned around to be met face to face with Shuri. My dress fell down, and pooled at my legs. The only thing stopping her from seeing my naked body was a white savage x fenty lingerie set which was even more teasing if I'm being honest.

She was silent for a few moments, looking at me up and down before she gulped and then looked back at my face.

"I didn't know you were in here."

She went silent for a few moments before I looked at her puzzled.

"Not even a sorry?"

"For?"

"Practically barging in my room and then staring me down."

"You're in your head."

"Really? We're gonna pretend the Queen of Wakanda isn't in my bedroom, talking to me as I'm half naked."

"It's nothing I haven't seen before." she blurted out as I stand still, stunned at her words and she too also seems stunned at what she just said.

"I.." she starts but I shake my head, turning around.

"I need you to get the fuck out my space." I say and she doesn't respond until I hear the door opening again.

"I'll need to see you again in the morning and discuss some things about the whole Namor situation. Meet me in my lab at 10 AM sharp, don't be late." She says sternly before I hear the door slam shut.

"Shit, 4 years of sexual frustration does something to you." I say, sighing deeply as I pick up my dress, throwing it on my bed before going to my suitcase to grab my pajamas.

I'm going to hate it here, for sure.

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[yourhighness6]

Ppl can ship Glimm@dora or Seahawk x Bow or whatever they want but just so you know if you say "Glimmer is a lesbian" or "ND missed the chance to make Bow gay" I am out there somewhere silently hating u

[harknessxo]

Can you do a dark Queen Romanda after the death of t’Chaka she is after she will lose reader who was her best friend since they were infants so she gets one of the Dora milajes to kidnap her and keep her in her corridors were no one is allowed and can you add some smut and thank you.

➺ For Your Own Good

Paring; dark!soft!Queen Ramonda x Reader

Summary: “When she was told of her husband’s death she was devastated of course, but the first thing on her mind was you. She couldn’t let another person she loved to get killed, not under her watch. She thought the best way to keep you safe was to have you with her at all times, whether you liked it or not.”

Warnings: kidnapping, smut, death (T’Chaka) and fluff.

Word Count: 1.2k

A/n: I hope this is what you wanted!

You and Ramonda have always been close since you were kids in the river tribe. At some point during the friendship she had fallen in love with you and you did too but the romance was cut short when Ramonda found out she was being married off to the soon–to–be king, T’Chaka. It was a devastating moment for both of you. Before Ramonda left, she promised you she would never stop loving you and that she would always keep an eye on you and gave you one last kiss before boarding the ship. While her marriage with T’Chaka was arranged, she learned to love him but that love would never exceed her love for you.

♤♧♡♢

Years passed and Ramonda always found a way to see you, even if it was from afar. She always had a Dora watching you at all times to make sure you were safe. No one knew about you, only the Dora Ramonda sent knew about you and she made sure they wouldn’t say anything.

When she was told of her husband’s death she was devastated of course, but the first thing on her mind was you. She couldn’t let another person she loved to get killed, not under her watch. She thought the best way to keep you safe was to have you with her at all times, whether you liked it or not.

♤♧♡♢

Ramonda was in the throne room when she summoned the general of the Dora Milaje, Okoye.

“Kumkanikazi, you summoned me?”

“Yes, I need you to retrieve someone and I want you to be discreet.”

“Who am I retrieving?”

“I need you to bring me Y/n. She is in the river tribe. Do whatever you have to do but make sure no one sees you come in with her. When you do bring her here, take her to my private chambers. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, yam Kumkanikazi.” Okoye bowed and left the throne room to retrieve you.

♤♧♡♢

You were in your room when you heard a knock at the door. When you opened the door you were greeted by whom you thought was a Dora Milaje.

“Um hi? How can I help you?”

“I’ve come to take you to the palace.”

“Says who?”

“I was given specific instructions to be discreet about this. So, I cannot say.”

“Well then I am not going anywhere,” you said firmly.

“Don’t make this harder than it has to be.”

“Goodbye,” you tried to close the door but Okoye put her spear in between the door and door frame so you couldn’t close it.

“What is your-” before you could finish your sentence you felt her place something on your temple and you blacked out.

♤♧♡♢

When you woke up, you found yourself laying on a giant bed in a very spacious room. You sat up confused about how you got there until all the memories from yesterday started flowing back. You in your room, the knock at the door, the Dora, and then all black. You started to panic but then the door to the room opened to reveal Ramonda.

“Ramonda? What's going on?” you asked in a panicked voice. She came closer and sat on the bed with her arms open for you to come closer. You, still confused, went to her embrace and felt a bit relieved.

“Calm down, ingelosi. I'm here to protect you.”

“Protect me? From who?”

“You know the people who killed T’Chaka?,” you nodded, “They are trying to take you away from me too,” she finished saying. She knew it was wrong to lie to you but she wouldn’t let you leave, she couldn’t. She pulled you impossibly closer to her and kissed your head.

“Who are those bad people?”

“You don’t have to worry about that anymore because you have me,” she pulled away and cupped your face, “and I have you right? You’re mine?��� she asked, looking at you in the most loving way possible and you nodded again.

“Use your words, sithandwa.”

“Yes, I am yours,” you said with no hesitation. She smiled and gave you a long and passionate kiss, “All mine,” she mumbled in the kiss. She slowly started to push you to lay down on the bed while she got on top of you, all without stopping the kiss.

“Can I take this off honey?” she asked, referring to the green dress you were wearing. You nodded but she raised her eyebrow and you understood she needed verbal consent.

“Yes,” you said.

She started peeling the dress off of your body, taking her time and putting it aside. She caressed your body with her hands and started kissing each part she could find. She kissed your neck and your chest, before making her way down your body with her tongue. You had your eyes closed, loving every second of it.

When she got to where you needed her the most, she stopped which made you open your eyes. When you made eye contact, she licked a stipe up your pussy which made your release a loud moan. She kept licking your pussy and you threw your head back in pleasure. You felt yourself coming closer to the edge and your breath started to pick up.

“Ramonda- I’m close,” you said in an agitated voice, with your hands gripping the bed sheets.

“Are you going to cum for me, nkosazana?”

“Yes, yes. Please don’t stop.” She kept going and then inserted two fingers thrusting them fast, hitting your g-spot.

“Who do you belong to now, sithandwa? Hm?” you tried to respond but you were caught up in the immense amount of pleasure. When you didn’t respond she slowed down and you whined. She went up your body all the way to your ear.

“Tell me usana or ill stop altogether,” she whispered.

“You! You! I belong to you! Please let me cum, please?”

“Good girl,” she praised and sped up again. She went down again and started to suck on your swollen clit. That got you over the edge. She came up to your ear and whispered sweet nothings while still thrusting her fingers to let you ride your high. You closed your legs around her hand from the overstimulation.

“Is too much-” you whimpered. She pulled her hand away and shushed you with a kiss. You moved closer to her, laying your head on her chest.

“When will I be able to leave, Ramonda?” she tensed at your question.

“You can’t leave, ingelosi. How can I protect you if I don't have you by my side, hm? This is for your own good.”

“But-”

“But nothing. I can't lose you too.” That made you go silent for a second.

“I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked such a dumb question.” you kissed her neck.

“Shh, it's ok nkosazana. Get some rest, you're probably tired,” she said before kissing your forehead. You nodded and cuddled closer to her, hiding your face in her neck. Soon enough, you felt your eyes get heavy, the warmth of her body lulling you to sleep. She heard your soft snoring and she smiled knowing she finally had you all to herself.

[dontask-idkeither]

Hold me by the heart

Shuri x Black!Fem!Reader

Word count: 1.4k

Summary: When Shuri is at her absolute worst, you were always right there to hold her and comfort her.

Translation: Ungubani -> Who are you?

Note: T’Challa is very heavily involved here and the overall all fic is pretty sad. This also heavy with grief and has a major Wakanda Forever spoiler, just in case you haven’t watched the movie yet.

Y/F/N means your father’s name, I couldn’t really think of a name to put for that so

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2016

Being an war-dog stationed in Austria was not how you expected to be spending your 18th and 19th years of life. After a year in the Austria, you missed everything about home. The air, the water, the people, the food, your culture, your family, your girlfriend. You were sat on the couch in the apartment that had been given to you, clicking through tv stations.

You got to the news to see that the Vienna International Center had been bombed. You sat up as you listened to the headline. When the broadcaster said that King T’Chaka of Wakanda had been assassinated, your heart stopped.

Images of the building on fire, smoke clouds darkening the sky, flashed on your screen. But they didn’t register. The only thing flooding your mind was that your King was dead. Your countries ruler was gone.

And then your mind drifted to your girlfriend, the princess of Wakanda, Shuri. You hadn’t noticed your tears until heavy knocks came to your door. You wiped the tears and looked through the peephole.

There you saw two members of the Dora Milaje at his side. You immediately opened the door and they glided in.

“Ungubani” “Y/N, daughter of Y/F/N” You pulled your bottom lip down to show your war-dog tattoo to the Dora.

T’Challa walked into the apartment. You didn’t look at him for very long, as you lightly bowed your head, but the devastation was clear as day.

“My Prince.” You said as you bowed lightly. You knew very well you weren’t required to do this, it was more so to please the Dora than because of a distant relationship.

T’Challa just pulled you into a hug which you returned instantly. You stayed there for some time, trying to comfort the man you had known as an older brother for years.

He pulled away but left a hand on your shoulder “It’s time for you to come home.” You nodded and you knew the implications behind it.

You knew T’Challa wouldn’t be returning home for long, he was telling you so you could be there for Shuri.

You packed away your things as fast as possible and hurried to the Royal Talon Fighter. The flight was spent mostly in silence, you leaning on T’Challa’s shoulder as a form of comfort. He greatly appreciated it.

When you landed, you were overcome with nerves. You hadn’t been home in a year and the first time you return, is because the man you viewed as a second father was now with the ancestors.

You stood at the top of the stairs and almost went into a panic. T’Challa’s hand squeezed your shoulder in encouragement, you took a deep breath and descended down the stairs.

You saw your girlfriend and her mother standing side by side in front of the palace. Her red, teary eyes lit up when she saw you. She waited until you were some feet away from the plane before she ran into your arms.

You welcomed her and held the back of her head. The world didn’t matter as you held her, all you wanted was to ease her pain. “Thank you for coming.” She said through her tears.

“Shh, no need to thank me.” You pulled away to hold her face, her hands held your wrists. “I will always be here for you.”

2018

N’Jadaka had killed T’Challa. Right in front of your eyes. Your body and mind had gone numb. You sat in one of Wakanda’s lush forests, and for the first time the scenery of Wakanda didn’t have any effect on your sour mood.

Your heartbroken girlfriend sat between your legs, holding your knee as she cried. You had one hand massaging her scalp. Her mother sat in front of you, holding her hand and yours.

“First Baba, and now my brother. Mama we didn't even get to bury him.” You shushed her. Ramonda wiped her tears.

You wished you could be of more comfort for her, but your own pain was rendering you silent.

In a way though, the severity of your own emotion helped Shuri understand that she was not alone in this. She wouldn’t be missing her brother alone. She had her mother, and she had you.

2024

Shuri had been working around her lab trying to find a cure for her brother. You had gone some time before to say your goodbyes to T’Challa in the event he didn’t make it.

You told him how much he meant to you, as a brother, a friend, and as an overall inspiration. You told him that if he didn’t have any fight left in him, that it was ok. That you would take care of his beloved mother and baby sister, that you would protect them with your life. You told him that you would dedicate your life to protecting his honor and his memory, and to making him proud.

With a final squeeze of his hand, you left the room he was in and ran back to the lab. Over the years, Shuri had taught you a lot about technology and you were ready to offer your help in any way you could.

When you got to the lab, people were rushing out. You walked in confused. You saw Shuri standing alone at one of her tables. You walked over to her and before you could say anything, you saw Ramonda walk in.

You felt nauseous because you knew what this meant. You tried to hold it back, but a sob ripped through your chest and you turned away.

“Griot, whats my brothers heart rate?” Shuri asked, voice thick with fear.

“Your brother, is with the ancestors.”

Shuri slowly walked backwards, all the emotion hitting at once. She only heard a faint ringing in her ears and her head felt as if it would explode. Before she fell to the floor in complete agony, your arms wrapped around her weak body.

You eased her way to the floor and she held your biceps tight as she loudly cried. Seeing her in this much pain only worsened your own, you threw your head back as to not see the hurt. You bit your lip so hard you tasted hints of blood. Ramonda slowly walked over to her grieving girls.

The funeral

You still did not feel worthy to walk alongside the Royal Family through this. Despite all the assurances by Ramonda that you belonged there, and Shuri saying how badly you were needed, you still felt unworthy.

You swallowed those insecurities and walked with your head high, but face riddled with exhaustion and all the overall grief you were facing.

T’Challa’s coffin was placed on the ground and before it was lifted, Shuri placed her body over it. Ramonda went to pull her back, but you lightly put your arm in front of her. She looked at you with confusion but you knew Shuri needed this moment.

She didn’t get to properly say goodbye to her own brother, this was her own way of doing that now. After some time, you moved your arm and nodded. Ramonda lightly pulled a broken Shuri from her brother’s coffin and back to her feet.

Shuri placed her face in your neck and you placed your hand on the back of her head.

2025

After the passing of King T’Chaka, you never thought you would leave Wakanda again. Now after losing T’Challa and Ramonda, and all the death you saw in your country, you couldn’t bear to be there. You needed to be far, in order to heal.

That is how you ended up with Shuri in Haiti. You had burned your funeral garments together on the beach and began to heal together.

Right now you sat in your room, writing in your journal. Writing out every thought and feeling you had throughout the day. Shuri had gone for a walk, she felt she needed to be alone with her thoughts.

You had no clue how long you had been writing when the door to your room creaked open. You looked up with a smile to see your lover, but your smile fell when you saw the state she was in.

Her thoughts had clearly taken her down a dark path. She stood in the doorway pulling at her sleeve as she cried. You almost jumped from your chair to hold her.

She kept her arms where they were but she just cried even harder when you held her. “I’m here love. I’m here.”

To that she pulled you in even closer. “Make it stop…” she begged to no one in particular. Your heart broke even further.

You wished you could. You wished you could take all her pain away. Wished you could take all for yourself. But you couldn’t.

What you could and would do, is hold her. Hold her through it all just as you had always done.

[killmongerskeepermain]

Past Regrets // Shuri

Summary: You made a promise to T'Challa in the events of his secret illness. A promise you couldn't keep without hurting Shuri. If you could change the past, you would.

Pairing: Shuri x Fem!Reader

Warning: Angst // Fluff // Mentioned Character Death // My sorry ass attempt at angst lol // 

Words: 2.5k

Bendifuna usisi wam omdala - I needed my older sister.

A/N: As stated this is my sorry excuse for angst. Some of yall are GIFTED. Because yall be making me cry and shit! Lol

You remained still as you heard Ayo announce that you were home. You never thought you'd be back in Wakanda so soon. The phone call was brief but unpleasant. The king, T'Challa had passed on. The man you called your brother. The man who helped you in your dark times. The only one besides Queen Ramonda who understood your reasoning to leave Wakanda behind in the first place. He had requested you be there for the funeral. To console his mother and sister. Giving the Queen words of comfort was easy but Shuri? She will most likely shut you out immediately. After all, you didn't leave on good terms with the princess. 

"Y/N. We have arrived." Ayo spoke softly. She always treated you with respect. Even after falling out with your sister Okoye and your ex. Okoye was another thought that caused your stomach to drop. You haven't seen or spoken to her since you left 2 years ago. It was time to face them all as you felt the ship land. You slowly stood as the door opened revealing the soft smile of the Queen and the scowl of the princess. As you step off the aircraft Queen Ramonda was the first to welcome you with a tight hug. 

"Thank you for coming back my child." She smiled before you gave a small bow. You made no move to hug Shuri as you spoke to the pair. More so the queen. 

"My condolences to you Queen mother. Princess." You locked eyes with Shuri for a second before turning back to her mother. "I hope to offer comfort for your loss." She gave a short nod before motioning to Aneka to show you your room.

“She didn’t have to come back mother. We don’t need her here.”, You winced at the malice in Shuri’s hushed voice before the queen called out to you once more.

"I will be there to speak with you soon Y/N. It's good to have you home." She said as you followed the Dora to your old room. It was still the way you left it. Nothing had been moved out of place. 

"I was expecting my room to have been changed into a place where Shuri throws her old projects in." You said and Aneka shook her head. 

"Both T'Challa and the Queen insisted nothing be touched in case you ever decided to come back. You ran your fingers over the dresser before biting the bullet. "How's Okoye?" She let out a small sigh before giving you a wide smile.

"She's okay. She was supposed to accompany the family upon your arrival but asked me to come instead." You gave a short laugh as you sat on your bed looking up at the ceiling. "Sounds like her. Thank you Aneka." The Dora dismissed herself as you began to go through your bag, ugly memories flooding back, filling you with sadness.

// Flashback //

"What are you on about now Y/N?" Shuri asked you with her face buried in the sequence before her. Ever since Killmonger attacked a couple of years back she's been stuck in the lab doing any and everything she could possibly think of. Except get good rest and actually eat a meal. 

"Shuri you haven't left this lab in weeks. You have to rest for awhile sthandwa." You said in a soft voice but she waved you off. You were trying not to get upset as you watched her speed around the lab. "Shuri I'm serious. Your mother is worried about you. And T'Challa wishes to see his sister more." While it was true you also wished you could tell her the full truth. The truth is T'Challa now has an undisclosed illness. He doesn't want to tell Shuri because of how she'll react. All you can do is try to push her to spend all the time she can with him. As neither you, his mother or he knows when the time will come. "They can easily walk in here if they want to see me so badly."

"After everything that has happened don't you think you should be with them more? Killmonger? Thanos? You all lost so many years after that. Goes to show anything could happen and you all should spend quality time." You said and she froze before throwing her tablet down on the table.

"And how would you know? You didn't get snapped away!"

"No but I had to deal with the loss of all of you! I had to live here while you all were gone! Don't make this seem like I was affected. I just want to help!" You shouted as she was in your face now. 

"I don't need help Y/N! Why try to fix what isn't broken? Everything is fine. Everyone is fine. We don't need a family therapy session." She spat and you dropped your shoulders in defeat. 

"I'm just saying anything can happen, Shuri." You spoke as she turned her back to continue working. You looked up at the ceiling to keep the tears from falling down your face. You didn't want to tell her why you pushed so hard for them to spend time. Not during a fight. But it was now or never. "I'm leaving Wakanda." She spun on her heels as you stared at the floor not wanting to see her reaction.

"This is not a time for jokes Y/N." She said and your eyes found hers. Disbelief floating around her orbs and you bit your lip. Realization crossed her features when you didn't respond and you swore you saw a flash of anger quickly replace it. "Seriously. You're leaving me." You didn't want her to think that way and opened your mouth to speak before the door to the lab opened as Okoye entered. 

"You two can be heard all the way down the hall. Can you just make up and relax?" She questioned before looking between you. You avoided Shuri's stare as she burned holes through your face. "What is going on?"

"Go ahead Y/N. Tell her." You sadly sighed as you were put on the spot. You had planned it out how to let everyone down gently. Including Okoye. "Tell her! What are you scared of your big sister now?" You tilted your head at her outburst before Okoye stood in front of you. 

"I'm leaving. Leaving Wakanda for awhile." You mumbled and she went rigid as you searched her face for a reaction. Anything. But it seems she was still in her Dora Milaje state as the princess was present. It hurt.

"Since you're leaving, Okoye will see you out." Ouch

"Shuri-"

"You've said enough now, get out. Go enjoy your life. You won't be missed here." You turned to your sister for help but she stood tall without as much as a word. You scoffed at the two before exiting the lab with haste not bothering to look back. 

// End of Flashback //

And you haven't turned back until now. A soft knock interrupted your thoughts and you turned to see Queen Ramonda with a smile on her lips. She scammed your face and could tell you were having an internal battle with yourself. Without a word she pulled you into a hug rubbing your back with words of comfort. "Everything will be alright Y/N." 

"I'm supposed to be comforting you remember?" You laughed and she rubbed your arms. 

"I think it is best if you talk to her. Maybe it will do you both some good."

"Some good? She's probably going to ignore me until I force her to talk. After our last fight, I'm sure she doesn't want anything to do with me."

"I beg to differ. She still isn't aware of the reason you left. Her brother never got the chance to tell her." She said and you felt your body freeze up. She still just thinks you just up and left. You gave a small nod as she kissed the top of your head before moving to leave you to your thoughts. You couldn't find the strength to move from your spot as you tried to think of what to say. 'Hey I'm sorry I left but you needed to hang out with your brother before he died?' Sounds like the perfect icebreaker. Pushing your braids out of your face you gathered your courage before making your way to the lab. Your palms started to sweat as you balled your fists trying to calm your nerves. Upon entering you lowered your eyes to the ground, hearing all the commotion around you. Then you heard her. 

"It's simple really. But I'm sure you tried your best." She spoke to a scientist before she turned to walk the other way. Her being froze when she met your gaze and you bit the inside of your cheek. "Is there something you need?"

"No I'm just-"

"Then you have no reason to be in my lab." She spat and you sighed. She's still mad. Why wouldn't she be?

"Princess if you just hear me out." You tried to reason with her before she dropped her things and turned to look at you. Memories of your last fight came rushing back but you held your ground, refusing to be intimidated. She grew taller and now stood over you but you had a promise to keep. 

"There's nothing for me to hear. You said what you had to say the last time you were in here. Now leave." She said with authority in her voice, leaving you a bit irritated. "Now you're hard of hearing? I said leave."

"I am not one of your scientists, Shuri. You will NOT speak to me as such. So stop acting like a child and let's talk." You retorted, dropping all formalities as she held an unreadable look in her eyes. 

"Leave us." She said in a low voice before all of the scientists scurried out of the room. "You have some nerve."

"Oh I have plenty. But I made a promise to your brother to be there for you and Queen Ramonda. And I plan to keep it whether you like it or not." Your words held her attention and she stood a few steps away from you. You held her stare before another familiar voice spoke out to you. 

"I can hear you both all the way down the hall. Can we not talk in a civilized manner without going at each other's throats?" Okoye scorned and you lowered your gaze to the floor. Even after not seeing her for years you still felt intimidated by the older woman.

"We were just talking." Your words came out mumbled and Shuri scoffed.

"Now you're afraid of your older sister? What happened to all that nerve Y/N? You had so much of it when you got up and left. Left your home. My mother and brother. Okoye. You left me." She spat in your face and you swear you could hear your heart beating through your ears.

"But I had a good reason. You'd know that if you'd just listen to me." Shuri threw up her hands as she turned away from you. She was done with the conversation and won’t even listen to your reasoning.

"T'Challa wanted to give everything he could to everyone before he passed. Nakia, Queen Ramonda, you! He chose to suffer in silence so he could make that happen." You were trying so hard to keep it together in front of them. "His last hope for me. He wanted me to finish my education back in the states. Finish where I left off before he became king. He felt bad for me having to pause my education. He wanted me to make something of myself and then come back here to stand by your side! I was supposed to graduate BEFORE he died." You had tears rolling down your cheeks as you let out all the pain you held in your body. "You think you were the only one who was hurting?! He told me he was sick and to keep it to myself until he told you himself. I was going to tell you anyway but you were just so angry and unreasonable that day I said I was just leaving. I didn't want to tell you while we were fighting! I didn't want to leave but I respected T'Challa's wishes because he treated me like I was part of the family." 

"Y/N maybe we should-

"And you! After everything I begged you to help me figure out how to talk to her before I left. But you kept saying the princess had things to do or the princess is busy. The princess did not need distractions. You never understood how I felt! You were always in Dora mode! Why do you think I don't talk to you!" You screamed as she stood tall but you could see tears starting to form. Her mask was failing.

"I didn't need the General of the Dora Milaje to tell me what to do! Bendifuna usisi wam omdala!"(I needed my older sister!) The words slipped past your lips in  Xhosa and Okoye let the tear fall down her face. "I needed my sister. I needed you! And you both pushed me away." The silence that engulfed the room became too much for you to handle so you quickly thought of a way to run and hide. Something you were used to doing. You wiped your face before fixing your composure. "I'm sorry for bothering you princess." 

You turned on your heels leaving the two in silence as you went back to your room. You walked over to the balcony and leaned on the railing. The wind breezed past you and you let your eyes close to take in the comforting feeling. You felt your body sway a little as you thought back to simpler times. Times where you and Shuri would pull limitless pranks on T'Challa. Having dinner with the family. Okoye giving you sisterly advice. Your first kiss with Shuri. Letting out a sigh you felt a presence behind you and turned to see Queen Ramonda standing with her hands intertwined. 

"My apologies for interrupting you dear." She smiled as she joined you outside. "Ayo informed me of your conversation with Shuri."

"Wouldn't call it a conversation. More of a screaming match. And I did most of the screaming." You said as you found yourself in her motherly embrace. "I didn't mean to yell. It's like something snapped and I couldn't hold it all in anymore."

"It's alright child. I'm not angry with you. Honestly I'm happy you let it out. Give Shuri some things to think about." 

"Queen mother. Maybe it was a mistake coming back." You whispered and she gave a soft smile. 

"There are no mistakes. But if you feel as if this is not for you, I'll get the jet prepared to take you back home." She rubbed your arms and you shook your head. 

"I promised T'Challa I'd give my support. To both you and the princess. It hurts, yes. But I won't break that promise. It's the last thing he wished for me." She gave a small nod. Her silence was deafening but deep down you knew she understood. She understood everything. “I’ll stay. But I’ll make sure to be out of the way. I won’t cause any more trouble.” Ramonda gave a short scoff as she hugged you tighter. A familiar warmth washed over you as you brought your own arms around the Queen. A warmth you refuse to let go of a second time.

[liyawritesss]

ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʟᴏᴠᴇᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ꜱɪɴᴄᴇ ᴡᴇ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴇɪɢʜᴛᴇᴇɴ ;; ᴘᴛ ɪᴠ

ʏᴏᴜ ᴍɪɢʜᴛ ᴡɪɴ ꜱᴏᴍᴇ, ʙᴜᴛ ʏᴏᴜ'ᴠᴇ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ʟᴏꜱᴛ ᴏɴᴇ ;; ᴘᴛ ɪ

Characters: MCU!Shuri Udaku x Black!Masc!Reader

Type: Fic

Word Count: 13.3k

Synopsis: T’Challa’s first mission as an Avenger is to raid an American science facility for information on the whereabouts of an important Wakandan artifact, but it quickly turns into a rescue mission when he sees the horrors happening behind closed doors.

Warnings: cursing, allusions of racism, sexism, misogynoir, medical and scientific malpractices, inhuman experimentations, mentions of an extensive amount of surgeries done on reader, mentions of malnourishment,

A/N: This ones a long one, yall, so strap in and get your snacks cuz you’ll be sitting for a minute! This goes a little into detail about the extent of readers origins and the torture she endured as a lab experiment, so…black trauma there. Besides “lovely” all the other suggested songs are for the infiltration and fight scenes. Suggested songs to listen to: “Drip” by Cardi B & Migos, “HUMBLE” by Kendrick Lamar, “Snakes” by PVRIS & MIYAVI, “lovely” by billie eilish & khalid.

Tags: @inmyheadimobsessed @badass-dora-milaje @babyboiboyega @verachii @heartsforjojo @letitias-fav @kingstormpostsshit @shurismainbxtch @zayswriting @rxcently @nzia-writes @writingintheshadowsforever @hufflehans @kokichiis7 @xxmilli @typicalme111 @zestgodtj @generallysapphic @ziayamikaelson @shuriszn @yvxmpire @justariellove @n7cje

13 years ago. June 5th, 2012. Upstate New York

T’Challa is a man who has only ever been nervous a handful of times in his life.

The first time he remembers being ridden with anxiety - not the kind where one has small doubts of their abilities, or the kind where the feeling of diffidence is light, but the kind where literally every part of your being is struck with the blinding stiffness of apprehension - was during his initiation ceremony to become the Black Panther. The transferring of mantles from his father, T’Chaka, to him, was an event that was long discussed by the pair. It was a common occurrence since the days of the Great Bashenga, where the  Black Panther mantle was passed down from warrior to warrior with the blessing of Bast, the Great Panther Goddess. Having witnessed the ritual be performed by his father as a young child, and then the stripping ritual as a young adult, T’Challa witnessed the discomfort and pain his father endured, and could only imagine the terrors that would have been occurring in his mind at that time.

It was a painful ritual, one that tested the mind, body, and soul, in order to determine the worthiness of the mantle’s succession. If one failed, they could very much die. It was this very knowledge that made T’Challa nervous.

That same bubbling feeling blooms at the pit of his stomach as he sits across from Steve Rogers. Okoye and Aneka stand at either side of him clad in black with wide, thick gold necklaces adorning their necks, bold red lipstick and protective stances posed. He isn’t sure why, but the man has never not trusted his gut on his suspicions, and his gut was telling him that something was off. Maybe not in this very instance, but there was something T’Challa could not identify as the cause of this anxiousness pooling in his stomach. That alone made the feeling worse.

“Your Highness,” Steve greets. He sports a blue button up with khakis and brown boots, his blonde hair swept to the side in a professional look. ‘Very American’ as Okoye once said about the superhero.

“Captain,” T’Challa respondes, with a slight bow of his head in acknowledgement of the other man in front of him. The Crowned Prince is simple in his attire as he has always been - a thin, long sleeved shirt, dark green in color, paired with black pants and a pair of shoes Shuri had designed for him on the account of a lost bet between the two. The ring on his finger, passed down his father to him, adorns his left middle finger, and T’Challa takes to twisting the jewelry in circles in an attempt to ground himself.

“I apologize for the short notice,” Steve says, gesturing to the manilla file in his hand, “We just got word of this yesterday. Felt it would be appropriate to have you handle this.”

Steve slides the folder of files across the table to T’Challa, and the prince passes glances between the folder and Steve, before opening it and revealing its contents. “It sounded urgent.”

T’Challa likes to keep his words short and brief in settings like this. This affiliation of his with the Avengers is one of convenience. Whether or not Steve Rogers knew this was not a matter he could concern himself with, but if it is one thing T’Chaka has taught the crowned prince, it is that respect is given where credit is due. And Steve has saved countless lives in his time as hero, and T’Challa would give him that credit.

“We got word of this group called the Marine and Naval Research Support Corps, MNRSC for short,” T’Challa listens to the blonde man as he flips through the papers in the folder, scanning over the contents inside, “they’re a research group affiliated with the US Navy and Marine Corps, performing research on all things pertaining to the Marine and Navy, especially their battle strategies and combat data and statistics. But one of our retcon people caught wind of something on our radars that seemed…concerning, regarding their practices.”

“With all due respect, Captain,” T’Challa begins, “if it was something caught on your radar, should it not be handled by you and your team? Why contact me?”

“Because their practices include vibranium.”

As T’Challa turns to the next page, his eyes confirm Steve’s words as his eyes settle on a drafted image of an item, then shift over to the description on the side. It appears to be a statue of a feminine entity, and in the descriptions, it reads that this particular item was determined as a worship artifact of a particular water goddess of ancient Wakanda.

“Mami Wata,” T’Challa murmurs out, immediately recognizing the deity in question of which the statue is modeled after. Okoye and Aneka glance at each other from the corner of their eyes at this newfound information.

Mami Wata, otherwise referred to by Wakandan’s as Water Goddess, is the sovereign deity of the waters. She is a formidable deity, as T’Challa had learned much about the old pantheon of his country in his youth. The Water Goddess was known not only for her immense influence over waters and oceans, but also for sexuality and one's credence in their own sensual nature, healing in the cases of mental, physical, spiritual, and generational, and an unwavering sense of justice.

“This statue was found in a description of an encrypted message file that one of our retcon people were able to partially decode,” Steve begins again, “and it appears that this statue is made with vibranium in it. It isn’t clear as to why this group has it, or what they’re doing with it, but I figured you should be the first to know. This ball is in your court, Prince T’Challa.”

The brewing anxiety in the pit of his stomach just grew a little bit more.

T’Challa closes the case file, his hand lying flat against the pale yellow folder. His father’s ring catches his attention, the intricate design on it is a reminder of his position as Wakanda’s Protector. Taking this case isn’t an option; it’s a requirement.

“Thank you for bringing this information to our attention,” T’Challa hums, as he hands the manilla folder to Okoye on his right, and he stands up from the table, “We will see that this artifact is returned to its rightful home.”

Steve raises at the same time as T’Challa, ready to bid the man farewell, as he outstretches his hand to the Wakandan royal for a farewell handshake, “I expect nothing less from you.”

Aneka and Okoye watch Steve’s movements intently, ready to pounce and guard if the American superhero dared to show ill intent in his movements. It is an expectation of Steve’s, one he finds himself unintentionally testing whenever meeting with the prince like this. 

T’Challa gestures for the women to return as they were, going to shake Steve’s hand and return the gesture of respect. The hand shake lasted for a moment too long, as T’Challa made it a point to seek out Steve’s blue irises, holding a firm gaze as he spoke his next words.

“I need not remind you, Captain,” T’Challa speaks in a low, firm voice, unwavering, “my efforts are on behalf of my country. And so I will approach this situation as such.”

There’s a glint in Steve’s eye, and T’Challa describes it as one of mutual understanding. Understanding, in the fact that this affiliation was strictly one of business. T’Challa has no intention of acting on behalf of the Avengers. His people are his first priority, and so he will first and foremost have the protection of his people in his mind.

“Of course, Prince.” Steve replies, with a tone that can’t be distinguished between sarcasm or light venom, but it is a tone shared by both, nonetheless. Their hands separate, T’Challa bows his head once more, and he turns to leave with Okoye and Aneka following him. Those blue irises staring into his back bring a knowing smile to T’Challa’s lips; a small, barely noticeable one, but it is there.

T’Challa, Okoye and Aneka leave the Avengers headquarters located in upstate New York. It is a considerably more peaceful location than the hustle and bustle of the city, and it is among the very few praises he gives the Avengers team. Along the trail leading up to the main entrance are three shiny black jeeps in a single file line. Okoye and Aneka direct the Crowned Prince to the jeep in the middle - the ones in the front and back of the line hold two additional Dora Milaje in each one. The Prince’s Guard is a small, elite team of the most skilled warriors the Dora Milaje have to offer - young, graceful, and deadly. Aneka is normally assigned to the KingsGuard, but T’Chaka was firm in shifting the second-in-command’s position, wanting the utmost protection for his son during his visit in America.

The trio slip into the middle jeep, alerting the other Dora to start their respective vehicles. The three jeeps then drive off down the trail and onto the road, heading back into the overwhelming city of Manhattan.

There is a series of beeps that emit from T’Challa’s wrist. The prince raises his hand up to expose the kimoyo beads on his wrist, pressing the small metallic ball, answering the incoming call from his father - King T’Chaka. The two greet each other warmly, as family should, and the prince chuckles as his father mumbles about his inexperience with the technological instrument created by his dearest daughter, Shuri.

A few years ago, it was decided that with T’Chaka’s old age restricting his ability to perform in the field, he would need to pass down the mantle of Black Panther to his son, T’Challa. It had been an event talked about amongst the two for a long time, stemming from the princes’ youth. T’Challa, once he was of age, would take on the mantle and perform the duties his father once did. Allowing T’Chaka to rule as King, and T’Challa be named Wakanda’s Protector, would not only alleviate tension from the older man’s shoulders, but would provide the young prince much needed experience as next in line for succession of the monarchy. It was a decision well celebrated and well commended by many.

The sight of T’Chaka’s face, alive and in good health, brings a little comfort to the prince, who is still experiencing the leaping feeling of anxiousness in his stomach.

“So, how did the meeting with that Captain America go?”

The King’s voice could be heard from T’Challa set of kimoyo beads, the monarch surprising the prince with a call the moment the trio were back on the road towards Manhattan. Okoye drove, Aneka sat in the front passenger seat, and T’Challa was left in the back seat.

“It was good, my King,” T’Challa replied, “we have the location of the lost Wakandan artifact - the statue of the Water Goddess. Okoye, Aneka and I will prepare for extraction within the next few days.” There’s a lingering sense of subordination in T’Challa’s tone, which causes the king to sigh.

“Son, speak comfortably with me,” T’Chaka says, “I am your father before I am your king.”

T’Challa has only ever wanted to make his father proud. The weight of being Crowned Prince was not an easy load to carry. The young man worked very hard in his youth, and still does, to prove himself worthy of his position in line for succession. The weight of the Black Panther mantle was not an easy load to carry, either. T’Challa was still new to this position, still wet behind the ears and eager to please and prove himself capable of handling such a vast and consequential role. So it was only expected that the prince, in all his well-hidden nervousness, is a little too formal, a little too respectful, especially when addressing his father. This is a behavior that T’Chaka has time and time told his son was unnecessary.

“Sorry, Baba,” T’Challa apologizes, though he knows it won’t be long before he will be lightly reprimanded for such behavior again, “but yes, the meeting went well. We are heading back to the hotel now to plan our next moves.”

“That is good.” The King commends. “Do not stress, my son. You will perform excellently, as you have always done.”

T’Chaka’s words bring a boyish grin to T’Challa’s lips, the looming anxiety calming slightly. “Debrief me now, T’Challa. What have you learned from the Captain?”

It is a moment of teaching; T’Chaka was a fan of the concept of hands-on learning and on-the-field experience. He took every opportunity he could to assist in T’Challa’s growing agency and confidence in his role. He understands his son is still quite nervous with his newfound responsibilities, and as a good father, he extends a helping hand when needed.

T’Challa retrieves the manilla folder with the case in question, placing it in his lap to open the file to relay the information to his father.

“The Captain’s retcon team decoded an encrypted message about a particular statue being used by a military scientific research group known as the Marine and Naval Research Support Corps - MNRSC.” T’Challa scans through the papers once more as he recites the information to his father. “The Captain claims he has no knowledge as to why this group has this artifact, or how they have obtained it.”

“And what do you think, T’Challa?”

The prince paused for a moment, taking to tracing his father’s ring in thought.

“Do I believe the Captain is ignorant to this group’s motives and operations? There is a possibility. He has no reason to trust me, and I him. I believe it is only our mutual respect that guided his motive in relaying this information to me.”

T’Chaka releases a hum of approval, of which urges T’Challa to continue with his words. “And this military group?”

“Amongst many things, the Water Goddess is viewed as a protector. Assuming these scientists understand the power the great Water Goddess possesses, and the requirements needed for worship, they may assume that this statue is a sort of gateway to accessing a form of protection for their men out on the waterfront.”

“You give these Americans too much credit, my son,” T’Chaka hums once more, and although there is no holographic video view of his father in front of him, T’Challa can hear the sarcastic smile in his father’s voice, “The Great Water Goddess bends to no one, mortal or otherwise. We would be doing this group a favor and sparing them of her wrath.”

“Indeed.”

T’Challa bids his father farewell as the jeep comes to a halt, and Okoye voices that the trio has arrived at the hotel of which they resided in for the time being. Stepping out of the jeep, T’Challa holds the case file close to his chest, as he walks side by side with his General and Lieutenant and behind him the four other Dora warriors dressed the same, and enter into the five star hotel. 

In his mind, T’Challa is already brewing a cinematic of how this mission is to play out, and he would be careful to make sure it was a success. No matter what.

2001. Africa’s North-East Coast - Atlantic Ocean.

The Marine & Naval Support Research Corps is a sub-organization of the main branches of the Navy and Marine factions of the US army. Established in the early 1940’s during the height of World War 2, the MNSRC was created with the sole purpose of assisting the US Marines and Navy. In analyzing the effectiveness of battle strategies and statistics of combat data, the MNSRC presents new innovations for the valuable men and women who serve as Marines and Navy seamen.

That is, of course, what the world sees. The MNSRC, a valuable and critical asset to the function of the US military, has skeletons in the closet like any other government organization. 

For years, the organization has been trying to find a solution to increasing the success rates of their battle strategies. Being at sea, the vast unknown that lurked beneath the blue waters was largely unpredictable, and in the current world they lived in, the officials of this group wanted to preserve their numbers as best as possible. The risk of deploying skilled men and women out into the field who would serve better as protection for the US Coasts, and then having them die at the hands of the vast sea of unknowns, was too great. From studying the ancient worlds and their gods to pushing the limits of their technological pursuits, the MNSRC was thought to have exhausted all of their options, driving the high ranking officials into a corner.

Until an opportunity presented itself.

After stopping to refuel on the north-eastern coast of Africa, Navy seamen who inhabited the USS Water-Bearer, the largest of the Navy vessels under the MNSRC command, started reporting that they were seeing apparitions on the shoreline. Some reports were miniscule, seemingly brushed off as common faux-visions from the peripheral of their eyes. Others, however, brought a sense of dread aboard the ship.

One notable report, that of a Seaman Officer Sailor William Bolton, recalled spotting a woman standing above the waters, gracefully gliding against the blue currents. Naked, with a serpent like creature adorning her shoulders, Sailor Bolton recalled not feeling fear or dread during this ‘coincidental’ spotting - instead, he said that it was if this female apparition was beckoning him into the waters. “I felt at ease,” the sailor recalled, “like I was returning home from a long night at sea. No bad feeling or nothin’.”

Comparing this account to others, who specifically recalled being stricken with an inexplicable amount of fear at the sight of this female apparition, the higher ranking officers aboard the USS Water-Bearer grew intrigued. Upon speaking with the nearby village inhabitants, the identity of this mysterious woman was soon revealed. A goddess of the waters, one who’s strong belief of justice would only become partial in the presence of a member of the Lost Tribe.

Without disclosing their hypothesis, S.O.Bolton was approached by his lieutenant with an opportunity of a lifetime. To ascend to the next rank of Petty Officer, Bolton would have his exam done out in the field - he would dive into the waters they were currently stationed in, and retrieve an artifact that was said to have been ‘carelessly tossed overboard by another petty officer unbecoming of his status.’

With the new opportunity for higher authority and better pay, William Bolton manned a solo submarine into the waters of north-east Africa, a picture and the description of the item in question pulled up on the monitor screen for the seaman to better identify what he was looking for within the murky waters. The captain, commanders, commander-lieutenants, and lieutenant officers watched from above on their aquatic radars, tracking Bolton’s movements.

The theory posed was that the deity mentioned by the village folk, who’s worship statue laid somewhere beneath the heavy waters by the goddess’s choice, could be exactly what they were looking for. Desperate and with all other options exhausted, the military officers and researchers prayed that this would be their answer.

S.O. Bolton returned to the surface with the said statue. He died exactly one week later.

The statue was quickly handed off to the research team, as the supposed apparition sightings got worse for the Navy seamen.  The research team were able to contain the statue and its supernatural properties within a high-vibrational glass chamber, while the most skilled researchers did their best to uncover the statues secrets.

A much more sinister plot was on the way. Once back in America, the researchers were in need of a test subject. Lab rats would not work for this kind of experiment. They needed a human. Just one. 

And that task was left up to a Dr. Connor Warden, the lead researcher in this project. Dr. Warden was a man of science, so much so that good morals and basic humanity were qualities he greatly lacked. Dr. Warden lived by the concept that minor sacrifices were necessary for the advancement of the masses. Though, his idea of ‘minor sacrifices’ was highly debatable.

It became more prevalent when he returned back to his vessel with a heavily pregnant woman, with no known identity and in desperate need for cash. Under Dr. Warden’s false pretenses, the woman would receive her payout - at the cost of her own life and her unborn child.

It would not be long before the woman went into labor, and despite the long running list of possible labor and birth complications the unknown woman could endure, which would ultimately lead to her death, Dr. Warden still approved the emergency cesarean section. The doctor was exceptionally close to having his plan be put into motion, and would not allow minor complications to disrupt his trajectory.

The doctor himself performed the C-Section, of which the unidentified woman died from, but Dr. Connor Warden did not feel remorse for his actions. In his eyes, this minor sacrifice was for the greater good of the protection of the country.

Project MA-WA could finally begin.

June 19th, 2012. Boston Harbor Islands.

“Ugh. The stench here is infuriating.”

Okoye’s slick comment causes T’Challa and Aneka to snicker as the three make their way into the check-in kiosk. She is right, however. There was a potent smell of alcohol and overpriced cologne that polluted the air. Complimentary of the fact that there was nothing but white men too stuck in their egos and too prideful of their professions, masking their insecurities with money and liquor and copious amounts of poorly chosen body fragrances.

“Play nice, General,” T’Challa reminded, “we will not be here longer than need be.”

Tonight’s plan was sure to go off without a hitch, T’Challa thought. The MNRSC was holding a party to celebrate the completion of their new innovation to protect Marines and Navy seamen, of which would not have been possible without the Wakandan artifact the trio were there to retrieve. 

T’Challa, Okoye, and Aneka, under disguises as MNRSC scientists, would infiltrate the party, locate the artifact on the bottom deck of the ship, and make their escape into the waters below, where the quinjet lay invisible and ready for extraction. It was, in hindsight, a fairly simple mission - Okoye and Aneka would keep up appearances while T’Challa did the difficult part of searching the ship’s bottom levels for the said statue. With the careful and meticulous planning of the three, nothing could go wrong.

“Okay, Dr. Gurira and Dr. Kasumba,” T’Challa hummed, addressing Aneka and Okoye by their respective undercover names, “are we ready to see what MNRSC has declared their newest innovation of military protection?”

“Of course, Dr. Boseman.” Aneka responded.

After swiping their key cards with their undercover identities’ information encoded within, the three were then welcomed onto the USS Water-Bearer by doting staff members who expressed their desire for them to enjoy the night. Once aboard the ship, the bright lights that contrasted against the night sky and the seemingly innocent chitter-chatter of people enveloped the three Wakandan natives, who immediately began scanning the area of the vessel to start their infiltration. T’Challa nodded for Okoye to trek to the left to the main deck of the ship, where a group that surrounded one of the researchers part of this infamous project was located. For Aneka, the prince gestured for her to head straight to the food bar, knowing that her easy going demeanor would attract the important people.

As for T’Challa, the prince found himself walking to the bar, the perfect place with an excellent view of the rest of the venue. He orders a glass of bourbon on the rocks, and starts his people-watching.

From the glasses that rested on the bridge of his nose, T’Challa is able to get a better view of the party guests. Another brilliant invention of his little sister, Shuri, who was all but eager to hand him the pair before he set out to America a few weeks prior. ‘They have facial recognition detectors,’ he remembers the eleven year old girl chirping proudly as she handed him the case, ‘so you can see bad guys from far away!’ The young child would receive his thanks tenfold when the prince returned from this mission, T’Challa decided.

Many of the scientists at the party were not core members of Project MA-WA, much less associated with the project at all. Of the vastness of the partygoers, he was only able to spot five - two had been talking with Okoye and Aneka each, and one that was approaching him now. The famed Dr. Connor Warden-

Wait, why is he approaching T’Challa?

“You must be fresh meat, aye?” The doctor chimes as he takes a seat next to the prince at the bar, ordering himself a two shots of vodka - no chasers - making himself comfortable. “New recruit?”

“Fresh off the training boat,” T’Challa joins, putting on his perfected American accent, reaching out a hand to the lead scientist, “Doctor Chadwick Boseman, sir.”

“Welcome aboard, Boseman!” Dr. Warden cheers, charisma shining through his pearly white teeth and his neatly ironed lab coat, though T’Challa can see from the information displayed on his glasses, that this man is far from friendly. His charisma is a double edged sword - entertaining and sinister.

“My superiors are fans of your work,” T’Challa lies, though it comes out as natural as the truth would, “and I have to say I follow right behind them. You’re known pretty well in this field.”

“Buttering me up ain’t gettin’ you nowhere, kid,” Dr. Warden chides, but T’Challa can tell that it all but fuels his ego, “but you’re superiors and you got taste. I’ve been working in this field a long time, and let me tell you, what we’re about to disclose tonight about Project MA-WA is going to be the height of American innovation!”

“Is that so?” T’Challa edges, taking a sup of his liquor while the scientist before him downs his shot of vodka with ease. “If I wasn’t eager to know before, I sure am now. I wouldn’t expect anything less from the best.”

“Ah, that's what I like to here!” Dr. Warden chuckles, T’Challa’s subordination further fueling the white man’s ego.

“Now that is an interesting piece of jewelry you got there,” Dr. Warden hums as he examines the panther claw necklace that adorns T’Challa’s neck and chest, the warm lighting reflecting off of the jewelry, making it stand out against his shirt. Another one of Shuri’s inventions, a prototype that she begged the man to try on specifically for this mission. It was supposed to help with the panther suit transformation efficiency - though, as Shuri explained, ‘Baba’s is old and tacky and ugly! Mine's so much better!’

“Ah, this thing,” T’Challa begins, coming up with a creative diversion on the spot, “this was a gift from my baby sister, Letitia. She’s really into panthers. They’re a pretty big deal where we come from.”

“You sure your sister isn’t a scientist too?” Dr. Warden asks, which makes T’Challa’s stomach tighten ever so slightly as the question reaches a bit too close to home. “She’s got a knack for design, and we always need more black women on the team, as the higher ups say. Faux diversity and what not.”

“Ah, no. Letitia is more of an….artsy person.” T’Challa hums in response, and there’s a moment of static sounding in his ears before Okoye’s voice is heard through his invisible ear comms. “Please let there be a time of which I can gut that man.” She grunts in disgust, and it takes everything in T’Challa not to verbally agree with the general.

“He insults the princess’s very intelligence,” Aneka sounds in his other ear, “as if she has not done more in her years than he. To be bested by an eleven year old would surely put his ego into ruins.”

It would indeed, and as much as the thought amuses T’Challa, he would have to entertain it later. 

“You know, you remind me of a recruit we used to have.” Dr. Warden says, though his words come out in a particular tone that T’Challa can’t quite pinpoint. 

“Really?” He replies, playing along. “I get that a lot. Guess I’m a universal soul or somethin’ like that…who was it, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Ah, I can’t remember the guy. Was a long time ago, though,” Dr. Warden responds, and T’Challa’s stomach begins to fill with a slight sense of dread as the older scientist continues to talk, “Wasn’t one of mine. He was a Navy seaman. Honestly, without his sacrifice, Project MA-WA wouldn’t even exist!”

“Sacrifice? He must have been a real supporter of your cause.”

“Supporter, I don’t know about that. Boy was just a new recruit for the few months he was on the Water-Bearer. We stopped at a port in North East Africa to refuel and the seamen started saying they were seeing things.”

T’Challa hums as he continues to nurse the drink in his hand, intrigued by this not-so-newfound information. “Seeing things? Hope you weren’t out at sea for too long for that to happen.”

“Not even. Spooked a couple of people with the reports we were getting. But the guy, ah…Bolton! Bolton was his name - said when he was seeing it, it wasn’t fear or anything compared to what his comrades felt. The again, it’s Africa, the boy was probably feeling at home, but that's besides the point-”

“He is definitely the type to enjoy hearing himself speak,” Aneka says in an exasperated tone, already tired of the story despite its vitality.

“Stay alert, my prince,” Okoye warned, “this is too easy. It could be a trap of his own. Take his words lightly, and remember your position.”

T’Challa hummed, it being a response to the General voicing her concerns in his left ear, acknowledging Aneka’s frustrations in his right, and gesturing for the man in front of him to continue.

“The lieutenant sent the boy into the ocean to retrieve an artifact the locals said had been hidden in the waters for years. We got it, kid died a week later. But minor sacrifices like those, they’re necessary for the advancement of the masses. Well, I’m sure I’m not telling you anything you haven’t heard from your own superiors.”

T’Challa didn’t like the way he not only brushed over the poor seamans death as if it were nothing to talk about, but also how he mentioned the concept of sacrificing for the majority. It wasn’t a concept he was unfamiliar with, but one he wished was as avoidable as it was acceptable. Dr. Warden’s overall indifference to the matter only furthered the aching in the prince's stomach. 

“But what we got on this ship right here,” Dr. Warden concluded, staring right into T’Challa’s eyes as if he was trying to pierce into his soul (and perhaps he was successful, because T’Challa started to hold his breath as his conversation with this scientist continued), “it’s gonna change everything. The only living prototype that would change the way we protect our military, our country, lies right beneath our feet. And you’re gonna be apart of the next generation of scientists who not only get to cultivate it, but watch it multiply.”

That right there made the lump in T’Challa’s throat thicken. And as he bid the older scientist farewell as he made his way to another group of people, probably to retell the same story again in a more chipper tone, the prince’s desire to retrieve this artifact and leave grew. Suddenly, the prince wasn’t too confident in his own plan.

“-alla? Prince T’Challa, can you hear us?”

Okoye’s concerned voice breaks T’Challa from his stiff inattention, bringing the prince to the sudden realization that there may be more to this extraction mission than what was originally left to believe.

“Aneka, Okoye, keep up appearances on the main deck,” T’Challa says firmly, a sudden eagerness stirring inside the man as he stands up from the bar stool, his drink finished, “I’m going to head below.”

“Are you sure, my prince?” Aneka sounds worried as well, the sinister words of the lead scientist making her own skin prickle, and if she’s affected, she knows for sure that T’Challa is as well. “Perhaps one of us should-”

“No.” T’Challa says firmly, leaving no room for argument. “The less, the better. And quite frankly, I do not have a good feeling about this extraction mission.”

Okoye, who’s frame is nearly covered by a few bodies belonging to MNRSC scientists, is able to make eye contact with T’Challa who sits across from her at the bar, as well as Aneka, who’s positioned herself along the ship railing, maintaining a fixed position and keeping an eye on the two Project MA-WA scientists who had come up to her. Although hesitant, they all shared a knowing look, understanding T’Challa’s standpoint. 

“We are here if you need us, my prince.”

And it’s all T’Challa needs to set out on his own. He maintains his cool, greeting people he passes by with a smile and a warm acknowledgement, under the guise of making his way to the bathroom. He pushes his glasses further up the bridge of his nose, and as he makes his way to the designated toilet, he takes mental note of the amount of security officers  that litter certain points of the hallway.

There are five that T’Challa notes on his way to the bathroom - three in the hall of the bathrooms, one for the mens, womens, and gender-neutral rooms, one that stands at the entrance of the hallway, and one that guards another unlabeled door at the end of the hallway. The prince slips into the mens room, the single bathroom providing him enough obscurity to enact the first part of the plan.

“Alright, dear sister,” the princes mumbles to himself as he taps one of the beads on his wrist to open up a holographic screen, revealing a map of the ship, highlighting the amount of security guards on each floor, “lets see how well this update of yours works.”

T’Challa taps on the five security guard images on the screen, and an option appears on the screen to corrupt their individual ear comms. The prince enacts this command, and after a moment of processing, a box appears on the holographic screen with a voice alternant. T’Challa saves his surprise for later, but an impressed smile makes its way onto his lips nevertheless. T’Challa begins to speak, and while his voice is heard within the bathroom walls, through the security guards’ comms it comes out as the voice of Dr. Conor Warden.

“Security needed on the main deck. We’ve got a potential stowaway.”

Within seconds, T’Challa hears a series of footsteps pass by the mens room’s door, and to make sure that there aren’t any remaining bodies left, he presses his ear to the door to listen intently. After a moment of silence, T’Challa carefully opens the door, peeks his head outside, before quickly making his way to the unlabeled door and entering inside, closing the door carefully behind him.

The hallway is dimly lit, due to the fact that there wasn’t supposed to be anyone past this point. T’Challa continues his descent into the ship, checking the map displayed from his wrist every now and then to make sure he was going the right way. He notices that the further he descends into the ship, the less security guards there seem to be. Despite the man ducking into dark corners and skillfully avoiding the lurking eyes of the security guards he does pass, there is an unsettling feeling in his stomach that urges the prince to tread lightly. He was beginning to agree with Okoye’s words - the leniency of security of such an important military project was fairly unusual. Part of him wants to believe that maybe the MNRSC really were so confident, they didn’t expect to have their sins catch up to them. But T’Challa knows better, which is why he has his suit on standby if things go awry.

T’Challa finally reaches the bottom level, and ironically, there is only one door within the hallway, and according to the map displayed from his kimoyo beads, that door leads to the laboratory where the Water Goddess statue was located. And guarding that door were four security personnel, much more military-equipped than the previous guards he was able to evade. T’Challa would have to try a new tactic to remove these guards from their posts.

Looking around his current surroundings, the prince spots an unnaturally placed, bright red bouncy ball a few feet away from him. Although confused on why exactly a child’s toy is on the ship of a high-ranking military research group, T’Challa disregards the thought for now and decides to use the toy to his own advantage.

The security guards are startled when the sound of the bouncy ball rings throughout the corridor, the appearance of the toy causing the four of them to look at each other quizzingly. One guard volunteers to check around the corner, and with his gun raised, he bounds around the corner, disappearing from the view of his comrades. The guard sees nothing, but as he lets his guard down, a black shadow from above takes advantage of his mistake.

There’s a scuffle and muffled grunts which catches the attention of the three other guards, and the three jump in unison as they see their comrade get thrown into the wall, unconscious, his gun sliding across the shiny floor, emptied.

Confused and cautious, the next two guards make their way to disappear around the corner. Once again, there are shared grunts and shouts, before the two receive the same fate as their previous comrade.

The last security guard, thoroughly frightened but bound by the code of his career, leaves his post to face the unknown that lurks behind the corner. His fright only increases when he sees nothing in the corridor, except for the red bouncy ball that had rolled its way back to its original position amidst the commotion. Sensing a presence behind him, the security guard goes to turn around, but is quickly knocked out before he has a chance to see who the perpetrator is.

With the current opposition defeat, T’Challa sighs, shaking the pain out of his knuckles from the amount of punches he had to deliver. He didn’t want to use his Black Panther strength, much less the suit prototype that lay dormant in the panther claw necklace around his neck, hoping to complete the mission without unnecessary force. He found out quickly that the wish to not use of his increased strength was not an option.

Stepping around the strewn bodies, T’Challa makes his way to the now unguarded door. He presses his kimoyo beads to the number lock system that replaces the handle, and after a series of beeps and flashing of random number combinations in red, there is a long beep and on the tiny screen there is a series of numbers that flash in green, signaling that the door was unlocked.

T’Challa pushes through the door gently, now putting himself on a timer to retrieve what he came for and leave before his actions and identity are discovered.

The sight of the room wasn’t impressive compared to the grand laboratory in Wakanda. The machines were mediocre in assembly, and the entire room felt dark and dank, the scenery reminiscent of an evil lair out of a comic book. The low hum of electricity echoes out through the empty room, and aside from that and the audible footsteps from T’Challa’s tip-toe walking pace, there was an unnerving, eerie silence that filled the room. 

T’Challa’s eyes first land on a glass container which contains the Water Goddess statue, submerged in an unidentifiable, clear liquid. Certain lines of the carving glow a bright blue, the vibranium laced into the wood strong and unyielding. However, upon further inspection, T’Challa notices that connected to the container are a series of wires, which trail down to a vitals monitor which sounds low beeps in evenly timed intervals. From the monitor, the prince’s eyes follow yet another set of wires, and T’Challa’s eyes widen in consternation at what he saw.

His feet carried him closer to a table, and on said table of which the monitor wires were connected to, was a young African American girl. She looked no older than his own sister, with kinky black hair done in two messy french braids, skin virtually drained of its melanin and leaving a ghostly brown pigment in its wake, and frail to the touch. She was unconscious, the child’s breath labored in her slumber, and T’Challa now understands the persistent pool of distress that had made itself home in his stomach for the past few weeks.

T’Challa is sick to his stomach. This was the newly completed project Dr. Connor Warden referenced. He recalls that sick doctor’s words of minor sacrifices and the slick comment on black women recruitment, lathered in every -ism the prince could think of. 

‘The only living prototype that would change the way we protect our military, our country, lies right beneath our feet.’

T’Challa’s hands wrap around the medical bed’s rails, his grip incredibly tight, surely leaving dents in the metal due to his enhanced strength.

‘And you’re gonna be apart of the next generation of scientists who not only get to cultivate it, but watch it multiply.’

“Prince T’Challa, have you made it to the lab yet?”

T’Challa doesn’t respond right away, although he knows Okoye would call for him again in mere seconds. He’s caught in a crossroad decision, and he’s back into a tighter corner when he hears the sounds of more soldiers approaching from the corridor.

This was not how this mission was supposed to go.

“T’Challa, are you there-?”

“Okoye, Aneka, listen to me closely,” T’Challa begins, and ass the voices of more security guards begins to grow louder, the prince dawns his Black Panther suit, the nanites emerging from the panther claw necklace adorning his chest and covering his entire body in sleek black, “there will be a change of plans.”

“T’Challa, are you alright? Should we assist you?” Aneka asks, but the prince all but ignores her as he quickly conjures up a plan of action.

“Things have just gotten a little more complicated. The artifact is not the only thing we have to worry about now.”

“My prince, what do you mean? What have you discovered-?”

“Return to the quinjet-” a loud banging sounds on the metal door - the security guards are trying to force their way in, and they’re nearly there, “-and wait by the rear of the ship for my signal-”

If Aneka or Okoye were spluttering protests, they fell on deaf ears, as T’Challa’s attention shot from the young girl to the now detached door, armed with security officers flooding the threshold and into the laboratory.

“-go. Now!”

In T’Challa’s attempt at blocking the young girl's body from an onslaught of bullets directed at him, he tipped the bed on its side, causing the girl to land onto the cold, hard floor, but at least the metal underside of the bed now shielded her from any harm. The prince, now fueled with an unbridled sense of rage, began to tear through the mass of military personnel sent to disarm him. His suit repelled the bullets, causing them to ricochet off of his person and into the nearby walls. A few bullets flew to the glass container housing the Water Goddess statue, causing glass shards, clear liquid, and the statue to fall to the floor.

T’Challa decides to use this to his advantage, back-trekking across the puddle and leading a few of the unsuspecting military officers right into the puddle created, slipping and falling hard on the concrete ground, discombobulating them. Two soldiers approached from his right, and T’Challa made quick work in disarming one, kicking one of them into a wall, and headbutting the other with the butt of the assault rifle of the previous soldier.

As soon as the second soldier fell, T’Challa’s kimoyo beads began to beep. Quickly flipping his wrist over, he all but groans as the caller ID reads the name of his beloved little sister.

T’Challa effortlessly punches an approaching officer, knocking him down with ease, as he begrudgingly answers the audio call, knowing that declining or ignoring wasn’t an option. T’Challa could not decline or ignore Shuri’s calls, a fault of his own due to his own love for his sister, and also because the young girl would find a way to simply hack into his beads and force him to answer anyway.

“Hi Big Brother!” Shuri’s chipper voice sounds in T’Challa’s ears, and if he weren’t in the midst of an onslaught of military soldiers charging at him, he would allow himself to smile at the innocent girl's greeting.

“Hi, Shuri,” T’Challa replies, trying his best to cover up his slightly heavy breathing, disguising his voice into a more carefree one, “Big Brother is kind of busy right now-”

“I know, I’m sorry, I know you are on an important mission-” the young princess apologizes, and for a moment T’Challa feels almost guilty, though he is reminded that such an emotion he cannot allow himself to feel right now. A soldier charges at him, and  T’Challa delivers a quick one-two to his opponent's chest, disarming him quickly and knocking him out with the same technique used on his previous victim, “-I just wanted to ask if my glasses were working for you?”

“Your glasses?” T’Challa hums, guarding himself from a soldier initiating close combat with him. 

“Oh, yes! Your glasses! They worked wonderfully, dear sister!” The panther superhero hurriedly replies, delivering a deep jab in the officer's gut with his knee, throwing him against a nearby wall and discarding him. “Aren’t I lucky to have such a genius sister who makes amazing technology for me?”

Shuri giggles with pride on the other end of his ear comms, and T’Challa’s chest swells with his own sense of pride, however, it is quickly short lived when a surprise perpetrator approaches the panther from behind, and slamming his back with a discarded sheet of metal. It knocks T’Challa to the ground, causing him to audibly grunt and wince from the impact.

“What was that? Are you hurt, T’Challa?”

The prince quickly brushes off his temporary pain, grabbing the ankle of his assaulter, dragging them to the ground with him, and as T’Challa takes hold of the soldiers collar, he makes quick work in replying to the clueless eleven year old on the other end of the line. “What? Me? Hurt? Never! The Black Panther never gets hurt!”

T’Challa slams the officer onto the ground, his head making harsh contact with the concrete floor, effectively knocking him unconscious as well. At this point the entire room is strewn with bodies, and whether they were simply unconscious are worse, wasn’t particularly on T’Challa’s mind. “Little Sister, I will call you back on my way home, Big Brother is still working.”

“Okay…” Shuri drawls out, and the older man could physically hear the pout his little sister is dawning right now, “call me later! So I can ask you about the suit!”

“Of course, Shuri. Gotta go now, behave yourself!” and with that, T’Challa quickly hangs up on the little girl, thankfully as the last remaining soldier foolishly charges at him. T’Challa doesn’t hesitate to sweep the soldier off their feet, snatch their assault rifle from their hands, and knock them out using the butt of the gun once more. Fatigued from his fight, but maintaining a calm composure for his surprise call, the panther discards the gun, turns on his heel, and retrieves the Water Goddess statue still lying on the ground, untouched during the scuffle.

Once retrieved, the prince turns to the overturned bed, and slowly approaches it. The closer he comes, the more clearly T’Challa hears what he deems to be sniffles. At first, his body stills, contemplating on what to do. There’s a short pause as T’Challa takes in his surroundings - and it is definitely not one to leave a child in. The prince moves closer, and peering over the side of the bed, he sees the same little girl, having regained her consciousness, curled into a tight ball, body racking with sobs and fright.  

Fuck, things really did just get very complicated.

“Hey,” T’Challa voices in the softest voice he can muster, but even then his voice causes the young girl to jump violently, scooting impossibly closer into the corner she’s holding herself up in. After a moment, the little girl raises her head slightly, one eye peeking from behind her knee, to see the large man clad in black hovering over her and her overturned bed. 

“I am not here to hurt you,” T’Challa begins, although he’s not sure if your young mind can comprehend such words. Others could have said the same, and turned on their word just as quickly as they were said, “I know you must be very scared right now. I would like to help you. Would you like that?’

Another moment passes before the little girl nods - it's a tight, curt shake of the head, filled with uncertainty, but there’s the tiniest glimmer of hope that shines in the eye T’Challa is able to see.

“Good,” the prince says, and with careful and slow movements, he reaches out his hand over the edge of the overturned bed, “take my hand, young one.”

There’s a looming hesitancy, but after several glances between T’Challa’s masked face and his gloved hand, the little girl slowly reaches out, and places her smaller hand into T’Challa’s larger one. In one swift movement, T’Challa pulls the girl onto his hip, and with the child and the statue in hand, he turns to the broken entrance of the laboratory.

Before he makes a move to leave, however, the prince looks down at the little girl clinging to him, and says, “You have to hold on to me extra tight now, young one. We are about to go really fast.”

The child nods, wrapping her arms around T’Challa’s neck tightly, her legs also tightening their grip on his hips, and once she is secure, T’Challa makes a mad sprint to the rear deck of the vessel, zooming up stairs and through doors and corridors. He calls on his ear comms for Okoye and Aneka to ready the position of the quinjet, and as he finally breaks onto the rear deck of the ship, fresh air filling his lungs and breezing past his form. T’Challa can practically taste freedom on the tip of his tongue. 

The prince approaches the railing, and peers downward into what the regular naked eye can see as water but there's a sharp and quick shimmer of electric blue that runs the shape of the familiar quinjet, letting him know that his ride home was just below. And as he goes to mount the banister, preparing to fall into the safety of the ship's opening, he is stopped by the same sinister voice that approached him at the bar earlier that evening.

“Are you really willing to risk everything for that thing?”

T’Challa refuses to turn around, for if he were to be face to face with that conniving doctor, the prince may not be able to contain his fury. He is unsure if his words are directed to the statue in his hand or the girl on his hip, but either case has T’Challa ready to tear this infamous Dr. Connor Warden apart.

“You can take her,” the doctor chuckles, his voice confident and lacking any sort of remorse, “you can hide her away or discard her, or keep her as your own; but wherever she goes, we will find her.”

Dr. Warden’s voice makes T’Challa’s being sick all over again, the way that he refers to this little girl who clings onto him for dear life, as an object of ‘innovation’. His bigoted words make much more sense - in fact, they shine in an even more sinister light than the Prince wants to acknowledge. His grip on the girl and the statue tighten.

“She is my creation. I will always find her.”

And for some reason, despite T’Challa knowing the risks of what he’s about to do, he smiles underneath his mask anyway.

“I would like to see you try.”

Dr. Warden’s lips curl into a smirk as well, recognizing loosely the voice of the man clad in black before him. He thinks he has the upper hand.

And with that, T’Challa mounts the railing, and with his faith placed in the Water Goddess and the Panther Goddess alike, he falls into the waters below.

June 20th, 2012. The Golden City, Wakanda.

T’Challa’s grip on the metal railing is all but a familiar one; tight and firm and the only barrier he has to keep his frustrations at bay.

He watches from an observation balcony as the more than skilled doctors of his country finish administering vital nutrients to the little girl he had saved mere hours before. At this moment she rests on a medical bed, but the prince had ordered she’d be reassigned to one of the guest chambers. Despite not disclosing the horrors he had witnessed in his extraction-turned-rescue mission, all it took was one look of his face, and there need be no more questions asked. There was a looming tension in the air around the Black Panther, but no palace or medical staff dared bring it into question, fearing that if they were to do so, the prince’s frustrations would unintentionally come out onto them.

Out of his peripheral vision, T’Challa sees one of the doctors he’s personally assigned to the young girl’s case. Doctor Umphilisi Wabantwana - Dr. Umphi, as she desired to be called - earned her degrees in many areas of childhood healthcare and development, and had even been the doula for Shuri when she was first born. They were not that far apart in age, the woman only having about five years on T’Challa, but one could not tell from her appearance. With radiant brown skin taken care of by daily use of shea butter (of which she always smelled of, no matter the time of day), and a smile that could cure any illness of the heart or mind, Dr. Umphi was as bright, youthful and energetic as a child herself, which was a good thing to have when working with children.

However, today, T’Challa was not greeted with the toothy smile that usually adorned Dr. Umphi’s face whenever the two met up. Solemness replaced the doctor’s usual warm and inviting demeanor, and it only made T’Challa more anxious about the news he was to receive.

“Dr. Umphi,” The prince greeted, straightening his stance and releasing his hold on the metal railing, opting to clasp them behind his back in an attempt to hide the fidgeting he was doing, “how are you?”

Dr. Umphi didn’t reply at first, as the clipboard in her hand held her attention until a few seconds after T’Challa finished his greeting. From her face alone, T’Challa could tell that the doctor was deep in thought, possibly debating on ways to disclose the information written on her clipboard.

It was a known fact that Dr. Umphi became very personal in her work. Dealing with children, it was hard not to get attached to the little ones that would leave her messy drawings and gift her stuffed animals to put on display in her office. For each child Dr. Umphi treated, for physical or mental reasons, she held a special place for them in her heart. And this child would be no different.

“To be quite honest with you, T’Challa,” Dr. Umphi begins, disregarding the use of his royal title as the two were in private, and she could do as such with the permission of the Wakandan royal, “I am shocked.”

T’Challa furrows his eyebrows, edging the doctor to continue. “Shocked that this child…that she is even alive.”

Dr. Umphi references her clipboard, pulling down the classes that rested at the crown of her head, of which was wrapped in a large, orange and green polka-dot headwrap, the excess of it being wrapped into a low bun at the back of her head. Hoop earrings dangled from her earlobes - a tribute to the African American fashion of the times that the doctor was becoming fond of.

“She is no older than eleven years, is severely under the recommended weight class of an average girl-” T’Challa unclasps his hands from behind him, instead choosing to cross them in front of his chest, one reaching across his body, the other arm’s elbow resting on the aforementioned arm, hand stroking his face as he listened on, “-mentally stunted from the result of inhumane captivity, and the amount of surgeries she’s endured - just where did you find this child?”

T’Challa heaves a sign, slowly closing his eyes only to reopen them again to Dr. Umphi’s own hazel irises, who all but begs with them to speak anything but the truth.

“On my mission to recover the missing Water Goddess statue…” the prince began, glancing down to the space below where you lay, unconscious, with other medical staff preparing to wheel you away into the designated aforementioned guest chamber, “she was there. Connected to it as if it were giving her life…”

“If she was connected to it in the manner you are describing, it is possible that was the case.” Dr. Umphi informs. “You were wise to bring her here. No American hospital could have treated her properly…”

“You mentioned surgeries?” T’Challa questioned, although it pained him to do so, the urge to know the extent of the torture you had endured overpowered his resolve. “Do you know how many?”

Dr. Umphi was silence, glancing down at her clipboard once more, but as she took her bottom lip in between her teeth and sucked in a deep breath, T’Challa knew she was hesitant to answer. “T-There wasn’t an exact number we could conclude, and given other circumstances-”

“Umphilisi.” T’Challa spoke firmly, his hand involuntarily closing into a fist. “How many?”

Dr. Umphi swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat, maintaining her gaze onto her clipboard to avoid the burning glare that T’Challa’s eye’s gave in her general direction. “One hundred…well over one hundred.”

The Black Panther had to restrain himself from releasing what could only be a sob, resulting in a sharp intake of air and his eyes glossing over in tears. He couldn’t even begin to imagine the horrors that child had faced, and what more she could have been subjected to if he had not been there to rescue her. Even if she was not the target of his mission.

“The amount of scar tissue and callus remnants concludes she had been experimented on…since her birth.”

T’Challa turns his body away from Dr. Umphi, hands rubbing down the length of his face and resting in a prayer position over his lips, eyes closed tight  and lips pulled into a tight line. The unbridled rage that coursed through his veins was vast and, scarily, unreadable.

“T’Challa,” Dr. Umphi calls to the man, who while he does not turn back to her, hums in acknowledgement of her call, “whatever the case may be, this child…she cannot return back.”

Of course T’Challa would never return the young girl back to whatever horrid people the MNRSC were. If he could, he would tear each member responsible for Project MA-WA limb from limb and have them endure the same torture they put that poor girl though tenfold.

Dr. Umphi rests a hand on T’Challa’s arm, pulling the man from his thoughts, his brown eyes clouded in fury.

“She cannot go back.”

Dr. Umphi’s words rang through the prince in a silent plea, piercing his bones so harshly that his clothes were not enough for the arctic-like chill that ran through his body. Though, deep down, T’Challa struggled with the fact that her return, despite the circumstances, wasn’t his call to make.

The ringing of his kimoyo beads reeled T’Challa into the present much more harshly than Dr. Umphi’s comforting touch, and as he had already been anticipating it, the prince excuses himself and retreats to a nearby meeting room to take the call privately.

He sets down the set of beads, and from it, a holographic version of Steve Rogers is emitted, and the blonde man is fuming, despite his efforts to not appear as such. T’Challa’s distress from earlier is shielded by a trained mask, one he would often sport around the american superhero. T’Challa’s seemingly nonchalant appearance only edges Steve on further.

“We had an agreement, T’Challa,” Steve begins, disregarding any form of greeting, his tone frustrated, “I give you information about the missing and misuse of vibranium and any artifacts, and you handle it-”

“Watch your tone with me, Captain,” T’Challa says through gritted teeth, his lips pulled into the same tight line that it was in earlier when speaking with Dr. Umphi, “and I do not recall falling back on such agreement. I handled what needed to be handled.”

“If you did, then why am I getting pop-up visits from MNRSC? Why are they saying something valuable was taken from them - something that wasn’t the statue we had agreed upon?”

T’Challa was silent. His gaze, although directed to Steve, was not on him, instead taking interest into the intricate lines of the mahogany table.

“T’Challa, what else did you take?” Steve presses. T’Challa releases a shallow breath, sucking his teeth.

“As I stated previously, I handled what needed to be handled. Nothing more, nothing less.”

Could that have been considered a lie? Within certain grounds, yes. Did T’Challa consider it a lie? Given the circumstances of the situation, he found no other way of deflecting Steve’s questions. Lying to the Avengers - especially given the agreement in place between the organization and T’Challa on behalf of Wakanda, was not a logical move on his part, but as the words slipped out of his mouth before the prince could catch them, and as reluctance began to settle into his bone, it was too late to take his words back. He would now have to speak carefully, but being back into a corner like this, T’Challa knew that the truth would be revealed all too soon for his liking.

“What are they saying went missing?”

Steve took a moment to respond, jaw flexing in annoyance at T’Challa’s behavior, but he does not speak on it. “An experiment of theirs. One apart of a Project MA-WA. The researcher wouldn’t spill anything else.”

T’Challa hums at himself with this newfound information, thinking that perhaps Steve was unaware of the truth behind Project MA-WA. Still, knowing the hero’s history, regardless of the many accomplishments he’s had, the prince cannot rule out Steve’s involvement just yet.

“What would make you think I acted outside of my boundaries, Captain?” T’Challa asks, crossing his arms in the same manner as he did when speaking to the doctor prior. “I am an honorable man. Have I not proven that much to you and your team?”

“This isn’t about honor, T’Challa,” Steve grunts, “whatever you took that wasn’t that statue, you need to return it. The repercussions are too great for this. There shouldn’t have been any incentive for you to operate out of orders like that; even if your honor was at play, even if-”

“-even for a child?”

Silence enveloped the room once more, as T’Challa stared and the blue holographic version of Steve, who had promptly shut his mouth from his ranting. There were many emotions that splayed themselves across Steve’s face - confusion, disbelief, shock, to name a few. But there was only one emotion written on T’Challa’s, one he did not want to admit was making a home inside of his bones, one that left a sense of heaviness in its wake whenever it would come crashing in waves.

T’Challa was enraged, and if anything, his eyes showed it very clearly.

“What’re you insinuating, T’Challa?”

“I insinuate nothing. I only ask you to take a moment and think, what could make a man so enraged as I am right now?”

Steve’s figure turned away from T’Challa, whether or not it was out of frustration, anger, or thought, the prince was unsure of, and couldn’t be bothered to care about.

“What would make a man such as yourself, enraged, if it is not the sight of your people, broken?”

Steve was caught in a corner, and T’Challa knew this. He could read the other’s body language, despite the holographic screen only showing the upper half of Steve’s waist. A light tremor ran through his arm, an indicator of his stress, and the darting of his eyes anywhere but on T’Challa was a sure sign of avoidance.

To some degree, Steve knew. And he sent T'Challa anyway. Steve Rogers - Captain America - set up the Black Panther. Yet, T’Challa can only thank Steve for doing so, for if he hadn’t, the prince would not have seen his true colors, and an innocent girl would have died within a short few days.

“That…is irrelevant,” Steve deflected, much to T’Challa’s chagrin, “it still stands that whatever you took, it needs to be returned-”

“-had you seen the horrors I saw…!” T’Challa grunts through gritted teeth. He takes a deep breath to calm his anger, threatening to spill over. “Had you seen what I had witnessed, I assure you your words would be different.”

T’Challa’s mask had cracked, and he cursed himself for allowing a man such as Steve Rogers see how easily he could get riled up when it came to a situation such as this. Nonetheless, the prince recomposes himself, returning his gaze to Steve, who at this point, is rubbing a hand down the length of his face, huffing an air of defeat.

“...or would they?”

T’Challa’s words spark another round of shock in the American superhero, and as Steve turns his body back to T’Challa in no doubt an attempt to defend himself, the prince beats him to it.

“I will say this one last time, and no more after.” T’Challa rests his open palms on the mahogany table, growing closer to the holographic screen as if he were face to face with Steve, so close that barely an inch of space was left between the prince and the soldier. 

“I handled what needed to be handled.”

The call ends abruptly at the sound of a knock at the door, the holographic screen shrinking back into T’Challa’s kimoyo beads, and for a moment, he is able to breathe. He hangs his head in miniscule relief, though as he has determined, it does not end long.

Regaining his composure, T’Challa straightens, fixes the jacket of his traditional kitenge suit, retrieves his kimoyo beads from the table, and turns to answer the door.

Okoye stands at the entrance, and her face tells T’Challa that he has yet another obstacle to face.

“Your father has requested your audience in the throne room, My Prince,” Okoye voices, her tone quiet yet firm, and it is an indicator that even she knows the storm that is about to take hold there.

T’Challa sports his mask again, despite having no time to rest, nodding towards Okoye as she escorts him to the room of which he has dreaded since his return.

T’Challa has a love-hate relationship with the throne room. He has experienced its overwhelming and enveloping walls many times before, as a child and as an adult. And yet with each stage in his life, the uncanny feeling of being swallowed by it has never faded. He remembers watching in admiration as his father ruled from the throne, firm yet compassionate, as his father had taught him, and how T’Chaka had taught  T’Challa. He remembers the childish gid that bubbled in his chest as he looked on from the balconies, imagining himself on the throne one day.

But to sit on a throne and be highly regarded did not make one a king, or queen, or royal. That much T’Challa had learned on his own, even before his father lectured him about the meanings of being king.

To be a king, there is no such thing as comfort. Such a concept is stripped from you the moment you dawn your crown, for if a king were to grow comfortable on his throne, then he would rule out of comfort, instead of vigor and dedication to his people.

T’Challa takes in a breath as he stands before the large double doors of the threshold, and he makes sure it is a deep one, unsure of when he would be able to breathe easily next.

The Dora that stand on either side of the door bang their spears on the floor, which in turn causes similar bangs to be heard from more Dora on the other side of the door. This was their signal that a presence was about to enter the throne room, and that all parties inside should direct their attention to the entrance to greet said presence. The doors creaked open, the blinding light from the sun shining through the large windows, cascading a short but prominent silhouette on the people in attendance.

Stepping inside, T’Challa takes note that this is no ordinary meeting. The leaders of each of Wakanda’s tribes - excluding the Jabari - sat in the half-circle formation, while T’Chaka sat atop his throne, and Queen Ramonda, his mother, sat on her own throne beside him.

T’Challa takes one look at his father as he steps to the center of the half-circle, and it all but causes the prince’s guilt to trigger.

“Prince T’Challa,” an announcer that stands to the left of T’Chaka exclaimed as an introduction, “son of King T’Chaka, grandson of King Azzurri, and Wakanda’s Protector, the Black Panther. You are hereby summoned today on the account of an abroad mission gone awry, resulting in the acquisition of an American scientific military research group’s experiment, and bringing them across borders and into Wakandan territory.”

T’Challa’s eyes fall closed as he takes in a sharper breath, preparing his defenses.

“You may now state your testimony.”

The prince opens his eyes again, and they lock onto T’Chaka’s, who is staring intently at his son. T’Challa is reminded that here, in this throne room, in front of the High Council, T’Chaka is his king before he is his father.

“I was sent on a mission in America to retrieve a lost artifact containing remnants of vibranium,” T’Challa begins, wringing his fingers with one another behind his back, “and as I went to retrieve the Water Goddess statue, I was met with a horrible sight. A young girl, no older than eleven years, strapped to a table with wires attached to her body. These same wires were connected to a glass containment, of which held the Water Goddess statue, and upon further inspection, I was led to believe that the statue provided a lifeline for this young girl. To take this statue would ultimately result in her…untimely death.”

T’Challa takes quick glances around to the faces of the council members, who revel at his recollection. He continues, “I was left with a difficult choice; allow the death of an innocent child whose only crime was said innocence…or rescue the child and the statue, bring her home for treatment, and deliberate on next steps. Given what I saw and…my own personal emotions, I chose the latter.”

There was a moment of silence that fell around the throne room, but even so, its thickness and density could be cut through with a knife.

As the council members shifted gazes to one another, the leader of the River Tribe stood to speak: “We are ever grateful for the return of the statue of our great Water Goddess, Mami Wata.” he spoke, voice thick with the River Tribe’s dialect mixed with the lisp developed from the lip plate in his mouth. “The Water Goddess manifests wealth and prosperity, of which our country has been privileged to receive for generations. Paired with this prince’s compassion and conviction, I see no harm in at least treating the young girl of whatever wounds and ailments may incapacitate her. Let us view this as the Water Goddess’s praise for our resilience, and continued prosperity will be our reward.”

The River Tribe leader took his seat after his statement, of which the Border Tribe leader stood promptly, and from his given stance, T’Challa knew he had a lot to say.

“You speak of wealth and prosperity, River Tribe, but let us not forget that the Water Goddess also brings with her the threat of destruction.” And it was his words that hit T’Challa deep. “Our country has thrived in secrecy for generations, and as long as it remains in secrecy, we shall continue to prosper. Though the prince’s heart may have been in the right place, it does not excuse the fact that he has inevitably put us all at risk! Bringing an unknown American girl, much less one that has been deemed a valuable experiment to America’s military, brings into light the fact that the scientific research group responsible for her creation will now attempt to infiltrate our country. If this young girl is as valuable as what has been made for it to seem, then they will stop at nothing to retrieve what was lost. The Border Tribe rejects any notion to keep the young girl within Wakandan custody.”

T’Challa was thankful for the River Tribe’s support, as his connection to them has remained strong and faithful throughout the years. The Border Tribe, however, makes a valid and unavoidable point - T’Challa brought a child out of her home country, across country lines, and into Wakanda without proper clearance or permission. This action alone puts into jeopardy all that Wakanda has worked for, and for that, the prince would always be looked at twice for.

T’Chaka, who had remained quiet up until this point, made his presence known to the tribal leaders talking amongst themselves about the current situation. T’Chaka’s gaze had been unyielding to T’Challa’s, and the prince could only pray that what was to come from his father’s mouth, it was generous.

“T’Challa,” T’Chaka calls, “you have undoubtedly put us in a bind. Despite whatever angle we look at this situation, your actions have severely jeopardized our safety as a nation. And for that, you cannot go unpunished.”

T’Challa knew his father was speaking from a place as king, but it did nothing to cease the blooming guilt and displeasure that swelled in his chest. He had wanted to make his father proud, but in turn, his actions not only had him reprimanded his father as a king, but also within the presence of the tribal leaders. There was no doubt in his mind that T’Challa would now be seen differently in their eyes.

T’Challa would have accepted defeat right then and there, if it had not been for the queen’s interruption.

“Husband,” Ramonda’s voice echoes, stern yet warm, “may I speak?”

T’Challa watches the exchange between his mother and father. The level of respect each had for one another, even in the throne room where his father ruled the highest, was something he had also admired. The queen stood tall and unyielding; she wore a silver gown fitted to her figure, with an accompanying cape and a similar colored head piece. She looked ethereal in her traditional garb, nothing less to be expected of the Queen of Wakanda herself.

Ramonda descended the stairs of the elevated platform where her and T’Chaka’s thrones rested, bounding to her son as she spoke: “I provide a new perspective for you all, and urge you to listen intently to my words.”

T’Challa straightened himself as his mother grew closer to him, though her destination wasn’t to stand next to him, but rather circle him as she spoke, like a lioness circling her cub, protecting them from any outside predator who dared to jab at her child. Though this was her own tactic of interrogation as well, one that Ramonda had been using to drill T’Challa herself in the art of inquisition. As much as she was protecting her son, Ramonda was also challenging him herself in a way her husband, nor the tribal leaders, could.

“This young child is believed to have been sustaining herself due to the linkacture between her and the Water Goddess statue, correct?” Ramonda questions.

“Yes, my queen.”

“And as you were retrieving the statue, you noticed immediately the incapacitated nature of the child, correct?”

“Yes, my queen.”

“Would it be correct to assume that this child had already been undergoing inhumane tests in correlation with the statue, and in turn, her body extracting the vibranium into herself?”

T’Challa thought for a moment on his answer, but then soon replied, “Yes, my queen.”

Ramonda hums at the information she has gathered, all the while her circling has never stopped. Instead of T’Challa, however, her attention now turned to the few tribal leaders still doubtful in their own decisions.

“This is the perspective I propose to you all,” Ramonda declares, “it has just been said that the child is highly likely to contain vibranium within her own bloodstream, of which can be determined by our medical staff as we speak. Therefore, T’Challa’s options were to a) retrieve the artifact, and the leave the child to continue being experimented on, and in turn, still leaving the scientists access to vibranium, allowing them to carry on their experiments, b) spare the child, leave the artifact, and allow for the cycle to repeat itself, allow these scientists to perform these heinous acts on another child at an accelerated pace, or c) retrieve both the child and the artifact, ridding this scientific group of their only accesses to vibranium, and saving an innocent child’s life.”

T’Challa watches in awe as her words seem to sway the remaining tribal leaders. Ramonda is exactly what a queen should be, in his eyes - a voice of reason.

“And I ask you, tribal leaders, of these three options, given the testimony and evidence provided, what option would you choose?”

Ramonda leaves back to her seat next to T’Chaka, who, unlike the tribal leaders after Ramonda’s additional testimony, still looks onward to T’Challa with an air of hesitancy. With a newfound motivation, T’Challa clears his throat to speak once more.

“My king, you have taught me many concepts of what it means to be a true ruler,” T’Challa begins, catching hold of T’Chaka’s attention when referring their teaching moments together, “and one of the lessons you had bestowed upon me was the need to remain firm in your decision. And of all your teachings, I wish to implore this one at this moment.”

T’Challa’s hands fall from behind his back, instead he chooses to clasp them in front of him, no longer hiding.

“I remain firm in my decision to bring the young girl here. Perhaps I could have waited for proper clearance, however, I saw how urgent the situation was, and chose to act on what I believed was best. I hope that you, as well as the tribal leaders, can understand my position.

And for the first time since T’Challa has entered the throne room, he releases the breath he had been holding, knowing that despite everything else, he handled what needed to be handled.

[honeybeezgobzzzzz]

𓃮 Even the Sun Influences the Tide: Chapter Seventeen

Even the Sun Influences the Tide: After the death of your foster brother, King T’Challa, you had spent much of your year of mourning in isolation. When your mother gathers you and your sister to end your mourning period, you encounter the newest threat to Wakanda: Namor. You don’t know what to think of Namor, but you do know one thing: he probably shouldn’t be making trips to see you at your beach hut.

Warnings: Gore, Injury, Arguments.

To Note: Namor/K’uk’ulkan x Fem!Reader, I Tried To Make The Yucatec Maya & Xhosa Translations/Traditions As Accurate As I Can Get.

Word Count: ~2.2k

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You were gasping for oxygen that your lungs were not processing. They couldn’t because the shrapnel in your abdomen had sliced its way through your right lung and buried itself into your left. Looking back on this injury you could say you were very lucky it had missed your heart, for that surely would have been fatal… but at the moment? You were in agony and desperately trying not to claw at your already blistering chest.

Blood pooled on your chest, your fingers were slick with it, as K’uk’ulkan cradled your body in the sand. Shuri was crouched down next to you, Griot reading out the host of medical issues you were facing. Ramonda was racing towards you, the Dora Milaje on her heels. Sputtering and coughing, blood dribbled from the corner of your mouth, staining your skin.

““S-top… fi-fighting,” You choked out, fighting for each breath of oxygen. K’uk’ulkan wiped the blood from your lips.

“Sa'asik in,  In k'iino’,” (Forgive me) He whispered, holding onto your body and desperately searching for a way to stop the blood seeping from your body. “Save your energy, amado.”

“Griot, stop listing what’s wrong and tell me what to do!” Shuri shouted at the AI, tears burning at the edges of her eyes. K’uk’ulkan eyes flashed up to Shuri’s.

“Can you save her!?” He harshly questioned, grinding his teeth together.

“No— Yes… Maybe!?” Shuri hissed back as Ramonda knelt in the sand next to you and brushed her hand over your damp hair.

“Intombi,” (Daughter) She spoke, a tremble in her voice and quiver in her hand. “Why did you come here?”

“You—“ Your breath was momentarily stolen once more and you gasped for a few moments. “You c-can’t fi-fight over me.” You stumbled out with another rasp. “Hurts. Lost so many.” Your last words whispered as tears ran down the side of your temple. Ramonda turned to Shuri.

“Griot!”

“I’m calculating, my queen!” The AI responded. “What the princess needs is a hospital, not a beach! There is a chance that Princess Shuri might be able to adapt the heart shape herb to save Princess Y/N.”

“But it will kill any who consume it and do not have the blood of the first king!” Ramonda snapped back.

“What choice do we have mother!” Shuri cried. “Lungs do not grow in the ground or on trees!” Shuri’s eyes snapped to K’uk’ulkan’s. “I need to bring her to my lab, it is the only way I can save her and I need to do it now.”

K’uk’ulkan disliked the idea of you being away from his side, from a Talokanil’s side. He had to stay and mitigate this mess for the sake of his queen, no matter how much he wished to be by your side.

“Attuma!” He called to his loyal general, lifting you up from the sand. “Láak'intik Shuri,” (Accompany Shuri) K’uk’ulkan commanded. “Protege le reina,”  (protect the Queen) The massive Talokanil lumbered over and bowed.

“Je’el, K’uk’ulkan,” Attuma replied, taking K’uk’ulkan’s precious cargo. You moaned and coughed at the transport. K’uk’ulkan felt like he was dying on the inside as a Wakandan transport flew over at rapid speed to pick up, Shuri, Attuma, and you. All those on the beach watched in silence as you disappeared on the horizon.

It was a tense flight on board the Wakandan air craft, certainly with the giant Taloknail warrior standing guard over you after he had placed you on the gurney. But Shuri was far too busy with Griot, calculating methods to saving you, to care. Rearranging the DNA balls once more, Shuri stepped back.

“Griot, confidence level.” She ordered. The AI reported the bleak number instantly.

“17.28%, princess.” Griot reported. Shuri wanted to tear at the insides of the aircraft. Shred the walls with her vibranium claws. Do something to get the building agony and worry out. But she couldn’t, you were relying on her. “Griot, ask Attuma about the blue herb, it saved his people and gave them their abilities did it not?”

“One moment, Princess,” Griot relaid the message to the Talokanil. Attuma’s rumbling reply barely registered in Shuri’s ears. “He tells a story of the blue herb healing his ancestors of their small pox and enlightening them with their gifts. Perhaps we should consider the Talokanil herb?”

“Ask him if he has access to this blue herb.” Shuri said, her eyes flickering across the white balls of genetic code. Griot once again referred to the Talokanil, who pointed to your wrist where a jade bracelet was wrapped. The same one you had been wearing weeks ago that you refused to explain where it had come from.

 “The princess wears a bracelet made from jade and string derived from the blue herb planet. This is the closest we have to the blue herb.” Shuri adjusted the white balls some more.

“That will have to do, what is the confidence?”

“23.94%.” Shuri gnashed her teeth together. The plant better have answers otherwise she was going to lose you. Shuri glanced at the gurney where you lay, watching as your chest struggled to rise. It was a scary sight, seeing her only living sibling so pale and gray, blood staining the dress you wore. The only sign of hope was your heartbeat displayed on the screen beside you.

“Get the lab ready, Griot, and get my assistants. We cannot lose another family member!” Shuri ordered.

It was a wary sight, Attuma standing within Shuri’s lab overseeing the flurry of activity that surrounded you. He wouldn’t leave your side, taking his job and order to protect you. At the very least with Griot, Shuri could communicate with the Talokanil rather than guess what he was saying.

After having snipped a little strand of string from the bracelet around your wrist, Shuri had the contents analyzed and compared to the DNA structure of the heart shaped herb. For anyone but those containing the blood and DNA of the first king, death would occur if the heart shape herb was consumed. Shuri was trying to find a way around that. Or maybe replace enough of the DNA within the herb to make it not lethal to you.

“Griot?”

“We are at 33.10% Might I suggest switching out a few of the RNA sequences?” Shuri did so, glaring at the mass of read in front of her. There was so little green.

“We are running out of time.” Shuri stressed, glancing at you as one of the best doctors in Wakanda worked to stabilize you. It was a losing battle. Shuri knew that much. Your lungs had been shredded, barely able to support the oxygenation of your blood. The only reason why you were still alive was because your heart had been spared… but at this rate you were at risk of becoming a vegetable or bleeding out. Either outcome was undesirable and would result in them loosing you. She then glanced at Attuma.

“You do not need to stand at attention. She is not going anywhere.” Shuri told him. Attuma’s head tilted to the side and he studied her.

“Ma' dejaré in reina,” Attuma rumbled at Shuri. Griot didn’t immediately interpret and Shuri had to prompt the AI.

“Griot, what did he say?” The AI was conflicted on translating all of what the Talokanil had spoken, as you had given it specific instructions to keep your personal and private life, private. Even from your family. “Griot.”

“I will not leave.” Griot answered, translating the first part. Shuri narrowed her eyes, picking up on the hesitation of her AI.

“Griot are you telling me the entire translation?” The AI was quiet for a moment, internally comparing the conflicting orders of Shuri and you.

“Princess Y/N once ordered me to keep all her personal and private life and information, private, princess.” Griot replied. “I am unsure how to proceed with conflicting commands.”

“Override Y/N’s command, this is a life threatening event and any and all information is pertinent.”

“I will not leave my queen.” Griot repeated, this time translating the whole sentence. Shuri blinked and titled her head to the side.

“Did you just say…”

“It appears that the Talokanil views Princess Y/N as his Queen therefore I can deduce that while Y/N was within Namor’s domain, she appears to have married him.” It took Shuri a solid thirty seconds to process that information.

“Okay… we can address that later, let’s just focus on stopping her from dying or becoming a vegetable.”

“Yes princess, may I suggest another variation?”

“Give it to me.” Shuri commanded, her hands diving for the white orbs once more. She was determined to figure it out this time, figure it out before she lost you like she had lost T’Challa.

Namor and Ramonda stood across from each other, their people returning to their sides once more after you had been airlifted away for medical attention. Ramonda’s eyes were hard and cold. Namor’s were just as cold, calculated and deadly. But even with both of their emotional fronts strong, they were both cracked from what had happened on the beach. Cracked from the blood that stained the sand only feet away.

They both could find common ground with you, surely. But who would break first was the great question.

“You kidnapped my daughter.” Ramonda bit out.

“Is it kidnapping if she wasn’t resistant to the idea of staying?” Namor countered. Ramonda’s scowl deepened. “And our transgressions go back several months before I ever thought to take her, we are not strangers to each other. You can be assured that my actions were not out of malice.” Ramonda’s eyes blazed at his blatant mention of repeatedly breaking Wakandan borders to see you.

“How dare you speak to me about such actions when I have repeatedly warned you about the repercussions of breaking our borders. And to still go after my daughter!?” Namor tilted his head to the side, lazy smile on his lips.

“I wouldn’t consider it ‘going after’,” Namor explained, making finger quotes. “I simply wished to know more about her. She certainly didn’t make it easy for me. A trait, I assume, she got from you.”

“Of course not,” Ramonda spoke, her nose wrinkling in distaste. Namor was quiet for a moment, thinking of how he was going to approach the highly defensive queen.

“Tell me, Queen Ramonda,” he asked, thinking about you and the first time you had genuinely smiled in his presence. “When was the last time you saw her smile?” Ramonda was taken aback, not expecting that question. “You know, the one where you can swear that the sun brightens a little, the rays shine upon your skin just a little warmer?” Namor motioned to his cheek. “She get’s a little— ah, what do you call it… impression? Right here, that’s how you know it’s genuine.”

How did Namor know such detail about your smile? How had even witnessed one, when not even Ramonda had seen one of your blindingly beautiful smiles in well over a year? Namor chuckled wryly.

“It is a treasured gift to see her smile, and yet,” Namor’s smile faded, his face turning serious once more. “If you look close enough. You can see her pain lingering within her eyes. It is heartbreaking.” Ramonda clasped her hands in front of her, knuckles white.

“What do you want, Namor,” She asked wearily, fearing what he would demand.

“Nothing but that which has been alined.” Namor answered with a shrug. “Your daughter has already done the hard work, let’s not waste that and hurt her further. Yes?”

“What did she promise?” Ramonda questioned, worried that you might have said yes to something that was not feasible. Promised something that she could not give. 

“Herself,” It was a simple answer and one that made Ramonda’s heart drop in her chest. Namor smiled once more. “She is smarter than you give her credit and chose one of the oldest forms of peace.” Eyes narrowing, Ramonda eyed Namor. “You can rest assured, Queen Ramonda, your daughter will never have to fear violence from my people, as they are not interested in hurting or losing their queen.”

Closing her eyes, Ramonda took several deep breaths, collecting herself at this news. You, her precious ward and adopted daughter, had sacrificed yourself for Wakanda all for the sake of peace. It should have been Ramonda doing the protecting, rather than you. Was that not what parents did? Protect their children? But you were stubborn and this was not something that could easily be undone.

“You do not need to worry, it was not a decision I let her make lightly.” Namor spoke. “She made that decision with a clear conscious and by herself.” This was a very large pill for the queen of Wakanda to swallow. For one of her daughters was now an equal in her own right… and Wakanda was now tied with Talokan.

“I do not wish for her to be tangled up in war,” Ramonda declared, subtly issuing her reluctant acceptance of what you had done. “It has taken enough from her, and I expect you to protect her from that tragedy.”

“Being her husband is not something I take lightly, you have my word that I will do my best to shield her from that pain.” She narrowed her eyes at Namor’s promise, but did not detect any lie within his words.

“Very well, she is in your hands, good luck.” Ramonda said crisply, knowing that while you had handed yourself over for peace, the Talokanil were going to find out that you didn’t take too kindly to being told what to do, even if it was for your protection. “Since Wakanda is now your reluctant ally, how shall we remedy this issue with the Americans?”

Date Published: 6/25/23

Last Edit: 4/5/23

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[bestfriend491]

I'm Here

Okoye x Fem Reader

Summary: During the battle of Wakanda and Talokan, your sister, a Dora Milaje, was killed and drowned. You struggle to cope with your new reality but Okoye is there to help.

Angst, Hurt and Comfort

Warnings: Original Character Death, Original Characters included, Includes a child OC 3.9k+ words

TOHUBOHU: A STATE OF CHAOS; UTTER CONFUSION

Okoye sat on a chair in the smaller ship that she had been directed to by Ayo and Aneka once everyone stopped fighting. She was trying to absorb the pieces of information that she had just received. 

The whole week having already been a complete fiasco, there now just seemed to be a ticking time bomb of bad news that blew up as often as possible.

Maybe she hadn't heard it right. She was praying to Bast that she hadn't heard it right, but after hearing the same sentences come out of Aneka's mouth over and over again and seeing the supposed proof standing on the other side of ship, she closed her eyes, needing a break from the world for a while, because the words were starting to feel quite real.

It wasn't supposed to be like this. The potential war between Wakanda and Talokan was just stopped. The alliance was formed and now your nations were not in great danger. 

There wasn't supposed to be another problem.

Rebuilding Wakanda was supposed to be the next thing to take place. With the amount that she had endured, Okoye thought that she could be confident in the fact that nothing else could go wrong. Unfortunately, there was still something much worse that she was currently being told.

"Okoye? Do you need a moment?" Aneka looked between Okoye and Ayo, seeing the soldier struggling to process what was going on, making her feel deeply concerned. The soldier looked up at the two women, all of the layers that she had previously tried to put on to cover up her fear slowly starting to creep away.

Aneka unintentionally offered the former general a look of  pity, knowing that she had heard her loud and clear, and it was just knowing that this was real that was taking Okoye a long time to process. 

"General," Aneka instinctively stated, though Okoye was no longer the general of the Adored Ones but rather now a part of a different part of them. "We wanted to come to you before announcing the news to the rest of the Dora. We know this is going to be a double loss for you and Y/n."

Okoye nodded, understanding that she needed to be quick with her emotions so that she didn't make reckless and hasty decisions.

Not sure what to do for the woman, Aneka and Ayo stood there,  heads bowed, ready to offer physical comfort to the general if need be. 

Okoye felt the tears developing, choosing to wipe them away quickly so as to not cause alarm to anyone. She didn't want anybody else knowing about this before you did. 

"The body is in there?" She asked, straightening her posture and clearing her throat as she pointed to the aquatically decorated coffin that sat on the opposite side of the ship.

Ayo decided to answer this one by nodding. "The one that killed her brought her back up in this after Namor told them to stand down. She tried to say something but I couldn't quite understand her." 

Ayo placed her hand on Okoye's shoulder wanting to offer her fellow sister some comfort.

What were they going to tell you? Nani was dead. Your sister was dead. How did you tell someone you loved that the person that they hadn't lived a day without was no longer with them?

All of these thoughts rattled in her brain, up until the worst realisation hit her.

"Nasda." Okoye whispered with a heavy sigh. 

Aneka and Ayo followed suit at that, finally connecting those dots together too.

Oh Nasda. They hadn't even thought about the 4 year old that was with you, waiting for her mother to come back home. 

Okoye knew that this was your greatest fear with Nani going back into the field; her potentially leaving her child to grow up motherless. It had been a focal point of the main arguments between you and your sister. 

"Y/n, I'm going back - end of story! " Nani yelled at you as you paced back and forth trying to reason with her once again.

"No. It's not the end of story!  You can't just make a decision like that without talking to me, talking to us," you paused, pointing at Okoye and yourself. "about it first!" 

"It's my life Y/n and I can do what I please with it!" Nani defended herself again, not understanding why you were being so difficult, much like how you were thinking the same thing about her. 

" Actually, you can't just do whatever you please with it anymore, Nani. You threw the right to do that away the moment you had Nasda!" Hearing her name, the 2 year old at the time, looked up from where she was playing, to see the two out of the three of her favourite people arguing again.

Seeing her aunt and her mother clearly upset her. She started to whimper, an indication of what soon became a cry.

"Umntwana! (The child!)" Okoye reprimanded the two of you for making her niece upset, shaking her head in disapproval at the both of you.

Okoye turned to her niece and picked her up, consoling her, "Let's take you to bed, Standwa." She whispered to the toddler and left the two of you to argue by yourselves. 

You, still very upset at your sister for making the decision to go back to being a part of the  Dora Milaje without talking through it with you, continued to say what was on your mind, albeit slightly quieter than before.

"You had no right to make that decision without telling me. This whole time, I've been looking after Nasda in the mornings because you said that you had business to attend to, when you were really just training to become a Dora again! " You scowled at your sister, all of the emotions that you thought you had buried when she told you she'd retired from being a warrior, rushing right back up to the surface of your head.

"It's not like you make it easy to talk to you! You always have something to say about my life decisions so why would I want to tell you about this? So that you could judge me some more?!" Nani hit a nerve with that one, knowing that you worried more often than not and it took a lot from you emotionally. You hated how overbearing you could be sometimes, but you were working on it. So her bringing it up in the heat of an argument was a low blow.

"At least I'm actually thinking about your child in all of this. It seems you haven't taken the time as a MOTHER to think about how she would be affected, huh!" You retorted, leaving Nani shocked.

"Stop it! Both of you." Okoye came back from taking Nasda to sleep, putting her hands up to silence you two. 

She instructed you to sit down next to your sister, while she sat across from the both of you. 

"You two aren't even trying to solve anything now. You are just trying to hit each other where it hurts, and you're affecting a child's state of peace while doing so."

You looked down in shame, remembering how your parents fought exactly like this when the two of you were children. Guilt took over your initial anger and you knew that you'd need to apologise to Nasda when she woke up tomorrow. You'd been letting your emotions get the best of you and although your opinions on the matter remained the same, there was no need to do all of that in front of a toddler.

You breathed out a deep sigh, re-centering yourself. 

"Ok. I'm sorry. I didn't need to call out your parenting. I just want us to think about how this would affect her and how everything would work to keep her happy." You were much more calm now, and your point was finally being taken into account.

"I'm sorry for snapping first. You're right, I haven't fully thought about how this will affect everyone else. Especially Nasda." You took her acknowledging her fault as a first step. 

"I get that being a Dora makes you feel the best you ever have, I've seen it in the both of you, but I just don't want you to ignore how dangerous the job really is." Nani nodded, knowing how hard it had been for you to accept both your sister and your wife going into such a dangerous field of work.

"I just want you to know how much I  need to serve my country…" 

The three of you continued to talk that night, a few arguments erupting every once in a while, but quickly being shut down by your wife. 

After that night, Nani did go back to training with the Dora Milaje, and a year after that she was permanently back on the field, with you taking Nasda whenever she needed to travel for work. 

It took a lot from you, having to deal with the constant fear that something was going to happen, but after a while, you started to ease up on her and after so long, you could barely remember questioning her so harshly. It was only when she was reckless that you reminded her of what you were allowing her to do.

Now, Okoye was going to have to tell you that you were right. Something that would bring zero joy to you. 

You never wanted to be right, that's exactly why you'd been so firm in stopping her from going back. 

For the rest of the journey, Okoye asked for the details of what the two had seen when the others were fighting on the other side of the boat, so that she could recite everything to you and be able to answer every last one of your questions. She was also trying to avoid having to open the coffin to see Nani's dead body.

According to Aneka, the two of them had been lured to the opposite sides of the ship when more Talokanils started to infiltrate. Nani had jumped into the water to prevent them from filling the ship with more explosives after the first attack, but one of their soldiers was just a few steps ahead of her and threw their vibranium spear right through her chest, before throwing another water bomb at her, causing her to be blown far into the water. Aneka then jumped into the water, going to save her, when Shuri and Namor came to declare that Talokan was to yield.

Okoye and everyone else, not noticing that Nani was gone, breathed sighs of relief while Aneka was still in the water looking for her. 

It was only when she saw the very same Talokanil approaching her on whale with a box shaped object, did she start to really worry about Nani being alive. 

The Talokanil spoke, saying something that sounded sorrowful, but Aneka didn't have anything to say until the woman offered the box, and she realised that it was a coffin.

Aneka then alerted Ayo, who came with the smaller ship. 

They got the box onto the ship and the Talokanil swam away, while they opened the coffin to see Nani's dead body, her beads red when they checked for her heart rate.

They then turned around to get the general and now here they stood  Okoye looking at the very box that held her Sister-in-law. 

The two waited for Okoye to say something when they were finished telling the story. They waited for her to ask to see the body, but after a while, they knew that she wouldn't be able to do it herself. They struggled but moved the coffin to sit in front of Okoye, the latter forcing herself up and putting her fingers against the coffin's lid, lifting it slightly, before fully and then the lid was open.

There she laid. Nani's body, with a wound right through her chest. Someone had tried to fix it, she could tell. It looked like they tried something very powerful, so she assumed that the woman that killed her tried to revive her with whatever they had down there but it hadn't worked.

Okoye couldn't compose herself now, letting the tears wash over her as she looked at the corpse. Aneka and Ayo joined in, letting the emotions of the past few weeks also pour out. 

Okoye put her hand on your sister's cheek, vowing to protect you and her daughter now that she was gone. She continued to say a few things while looking at her, also trying to figure out how she was going to break the news to you. 

"I've been summoned." You said as you entered one of the more secluded caves of the Jabari-Lands, Nasda in your arms. You looked around to see Aneka, Ayo and Okoye standing there together. 

You had been instructed to go here by M'baku himself, as he stated that there was an important matter that you needed to attend to. 

He looked serious, a lot less happy than when he and the rest of the people had returned from the ocean.

You'd been helping people gather themselves to go back to their homes, now that they were safe again, when he had approached you. You took Nasda from the group of children that she had been playing with, not wanting to leave her without someone she could trust close by while you left to do who knows what.

"Aunty Okoye!" The little girl squirmed out of your arms to attack her aunt with a big hug.

Okoye played along, hugging the girl and smothering her in kisses, but you could tell that something was off. 

"What's going on?" You asked Okoye, as your niece went to hug Aneka and then Ayo. 

Her face immediately fell, and she directed you to sit down.

"Aneka, Ayo, can you please keep Nasda company while I talk to Y/n alone?" The two nodded, escorting your niece out of the cave, and leaving the cave to just you and your wife. 

You turned around to face her, trying to inspect her body, for any clue of what had happened. 

Still subtly smiling, you beckoned her to sit down with you. "What's wrong?" You questioned, placing your hand on top of hers, squeezing it to tell her that you were there and she could let it out.

"Something happened." She stated, closing her eyes as to not reveal the tears developing again. 

You started to inspect her body, looking all over her for any injuries. "What?" You were worried now, not seeing anything obviously wrong, so you couldn't figure out what she was referring to.

"Y/n, Nani-" Okoye couldn't get the rest of the sentence out in one, but your mind was already doing the work for her.

"No," You declared, shaking your head trying to dismiss all of the worst possible scenarios in your head. 

"Nani was stabbed right through the chest with a vibranium spear. She…" Okoye couldn't get herself to just say it. 

You kept repeating yourself. "No." Tears were starting to brim on your eyes now too, and you just wanted her to say something good. 

Nani was stabbed. That you could handle, Okoye just needed to finish it off by saying that she was still okay. That's all you needed from her.

"Sthandwa, she didn't make it. Nani's dead."  she let the tears fall now, seeing your world shatter so quickly. 

You started breathing heavily, tears escaping in a solid stream. 

"No, Okoye. Tell me you're lying!"

"I wish I could, my love." 

She closed the distance between the two of you, hugging you as you fully broke down in her arms. You screamed, trying to convince yourself that it was all a sick joke, that you hadn't heard correctly or that you were having a hyper realistic nightmare. 

No. No. No. 

This couldn't be happening. Not now. You'd only just started to let your guard down with her, and now she was dead. There was no way. 

You asked to see the body, something that Okoye had hoped you wouldn't do for at least a few days, not wanting you to see your sister's body in the state that it was in. 

You'd just seen her that morning, she'd kissed you and Nasda on your heads right before leaving. 

"Where is she!?" 

Okoye pointed you towards the corner where her body lay. 

You flung the coffin open the moment she directed you to where it was. You couldn't deny it then. There it was. Your sister's dead body. 

You walked a few steps away from it the moment you saw, screaming as loud as you could. 

"NOOOO!" Collapsing next to the coffin, Okoye bent down and tried to help you breathe, seeing that you were beginning to grow hysterical and angry. 

"I TOLD HER, OKOYE! I TOLD HER! " You screamed. "I TOLD HER IT WAS TOO DANGEROUS BUT SHE WOULDN'T LISTEN! I TOLD HER TO BE CAREFUL!" rage moved through every bone in your body, both you and Okoye not sure what to do with it. 

Okoye decided to move the coffin, not wanting you to let the anger control you enough to do something to the already dead woman. 

She started to tell you what happened, not wanting you to sit for long without knowing.

Your anger rotated towards different people. At first mostly Nani, but soon, also the woman that had killed her, and at some point even Okoye.

"You encouraged her." You looked at Okoye now, starting to feel the rage burning inside of you. It had now been well over 2 hours of this, and you'd been saying some very concerning things out loud, this being one of them.

"Excuse me?"  

"Everytime that I tried to tell her not to go back. You defended and encouraged her! Every. Single. Time!" You were seething with anger as you looked up angrily at your wife.

"My love, I never thought something like this would happen." She didn't want to fight with you. because all of your feelings were valid, but she also didn't want you to push her away. 

"Leave." 

"My love, please-" You cut her off.

"Okoye I need time to myself! Please take Nasda home with you and LEAVE!" The pain in your voice was apparent. 

Your voice was hoarse and thick, as you cried. 

Okoye left the cave, meeting Aneka, Nasda and Ayo outside, telling them what you told her.

"Aunty, are you okay?" The young girl looked at Okoye, whose eyes had started to water again and tried to wipe her tears. 

"I will be." She declared as she walked out of the Jabari-Lands without you.

Now, you had been in the cave for 3 days. Almost everybody had returned to their respective homes, but you hadn't moved an inch.

M'baku alerted the guards of your presence, and they came every few hours to offer you things. A blanket, food, water.

You wouldn't take any of it, spending all of your time looking at the box that carried your sister's body in it. 

You'd need to leave soon, you knew that. 

You had to plan a funeral, and you'd have to tell Nasda the bad news. You knew that she probably still didn't know, Okoye wouldn't dare tell her anything without you being there. The two of you operated like that together. 

You did everything as a team. You'd definitely apologise for snapping at her at some point, but right now that was the least of your worries.

Your mind was stuck on Nasda. The poor girl was 4 years old and had already lost both of her parents in battle. 

You weren't sure what you were going to do. You and Okoye were her only real relatives left and you didn't know how you'd raise a child with just the two of you.

How were you going to tell her that her mother was dead? 

How were you going to cope with constantly explaining to her what death even meant? She was only 4 after all, and those topics were not the easiest things to comprehend at such a young age.

After hours of trying to think by yourself, you decided that you needed to just stop and take a moment to breathe. You got up, and left the cave, walking along the path that led you out of the Jabari-Lands. 

Feeling bad for leaving Okoye to wonder what was going on, you took your Kimoyo beads out. 

"My love,"  Okoye's voice pierced through, she sounded congested, you assumed from crying so much. 

"I'm coming home." You didn't say anything further than that, your voice still raw from all of the screaming. 

 Okoye hummed an "okay" and left it at that. 

When you got home, you took off your shoes and went to wash your hands, hearing Okoye singing a song that she only ever sang to Nasda when she was upset.

It was getting late, and you presumed that the toddler hadn't been getting much sleep, with you gone. 

You went to the room where Nasda slept when she was with you, feeling a lump in your throat at the thought that it would  possibly become her permanent room.

"Ndibuyile (I'm back)." You whispered seeing your wife holding the now asleep child in her arms. She had tear stains on her little cheeks, something that you hated seeing. 

You got worried for a moment, thinking that maybe Okoye had decided to deliver the news to her without you.

"I haven't told her yet. She just missed you and Nani." Okoye tried to ease your worry, moving slowly back and forth to allow her to fall asleep. 

"Thank you." You croaked, feeling the guilt from leaving her alone for 3 whole days creeping on you. Realising that she had had to look at Nasda and know that her mother was dead. 

You walked towards her and kissed both of their foreheads, giving Okoye a kiss on the lips before taking Nasda out of her hands. 

Your niece adjusted easily to you, recognizing your scent immediately and relaxing. 

Okoye pointed to your room and you nodded.

You stood with her in your arms for 20 minutes, putting her down into her bed when she had fully settled.

You walked to you and Okoye's shared bedroom, where you were met by Okoye standing there waiting for you. 

You walked into her arms, allowing yourself to be comforted while also trying to offer Okoye comfort too.

The two of you cried together for a long time, one round of tears following another.

By the time it was midnight, you laid in bed holding each other.

You were still crying heavily but it had been more of an indication of acceptance of the tohubohu that was your life.

You'd figure everything out tomorrow.

"I'm here, Sthandwa." Okoye kissed you and shifted you, allowing you to sleep for the first night since finding out.

Author's Note: I went to watch BPWF again yesterday and halfway through I had this idea in mind. I want to do a part 2 where Nasda's experience with grief as a child is explored more and the Relationship that Okoye and Reader have is tested now that they are the full time guardians of a child. Let me know how you feel about this.

I think that part 2 might be apart of the holiday post dump though. I'll see how I feel. This one was really just for myself but I hope a few people could enjoy it.

Also, I am loving the requests that I'm getting for my holiday post dump. I'm going to update my work in progress post today so keep watch for that if you've put in a request.

[killmongerskeeper]

Her Heart // Chapter 2 // Shuri

Pairing: Shuri x POC Reader

Warning: None

Chapter 1 // Chapter 3

"They will be okay. She will be okay. I am here if you need anything Y/N. I will be down in the village." You nodded before turning on your heels to go to the room you shared with Shuri. There you changed into a black battle suit you had stored away in your closet. Shuri had it made for you after you fought off some mercenaries who came to steal vibranium. You let out a sigh as you prayed for Okoye, Ayo, and Shuri's safety. Your eyes opened and you quickly ran to the lab. Upon entering you clapped your hands and looked at all the scientists present.

"Okay. Wakanda might be in danger. Those weapon plans I went over with all of you. It's time. We need to get them prepared for Shuri to look at upon her arrival back to the palace." You grabbed your clipboard and turned to the page with the vibranium daggers you had drawn out. You weren't going to deem yourself useless again. "Starting with these."

// The River Border //

Shuri felt as if her heart was beating out of her chest as she used the conch Namor left behind to call to him. Her thoughts ran wild as they waited. Why would he attack now? Why does he want to attack? Wakanda hasn't done anything to Talokan to receive such threats. She just wanted this to be a bad dream so she'd wake up next to you in your bed. The sun beaming down on you making you look like an angel. You would kiss her good morning and the two of you would lay there for a while talking about the wedding. Who you wanted to invite. What type of flowers you wanted in your bouquet. All the small details.

"Princess." Okoye called out as the water rippled, showing he arrived. She balled her fist as he stepped out of the water with Attuma close behind. He seemed a bit confused with the call but stopped at the edge of the water upon feeling the tension in the air. 

"Princess. To what do I owe this meeting?" He questioned as Okoye and Ayo stood on alert.

"Don't play dumb with me Namor. We heard about your plan." She spat and now he frowned.

// The Palace //

"Ms. Y/N. The queen of Talokan is here to see you and the princess. She is waiting in the throne room." You frowned at the announcement Griot made. What was she doing here? How dare she show her face in Wakanda. You shot up from the computer and walked to the throne room where Namora stood by her queen. The queen saw the way your brows nearly touched because of the frown on your face and she gave a slight bow.

"You seem troubled." She said holding a blue hand on her swollen belly.

"Why are you here?" You asked and she was a bit taken aback by the sudden outburst. You had always shown her with respect. "Shouldn't you be standing by your husband?"

"I am here because I was summoned here." She replied and now you were the one confused.

"Summoned by who?" You questioned and she was a little concerned by your lack of knowledge on the information. 

"One of the Dora Milaje called from the river border. Said there was something you and the princess needed to speak to me about. But it seems you have no idea what I'm talking about." She stated and you slowly backed away.

"We didn't send anyone. It would've been one of us to invite you personally on important matters. Not Dora Milaje. Especially not a single Dora Milaje." You told her and you caught the way Namora tensed. 

"Where is the princess?" Namora asked, holding her weapon. Her eyes scanned the throne room as you sped to the table and grabbed your kimoyo beads.

"The princess has gone to the river border to confront Namor. Someone from Talokan alerted us that Namor was planning an attack." You told her and she frowned.

"He has made no such plans. Someone from Talokan? That's not true." She said taken aback and you sighed running a hand through your hair. You didn't like where this conversation was going. Neither of you knew about what was just revealed. It couldn't have been-

"Shit. Namora I'm going to need your help. We both have to stay with her at all times. She cannot leave this palace! Griot lock us down!" You shouted and the queen had fear rush across her features. 

"What's happening?" She exchanged looks with Namora who was prepared to protect K'uk'ulkan's queen with her life. 

"This whole thing was a setup. Both Talokan and Wakanda are without their protectors. You were lured here. The queen of Talokan. Who is currently pregnant with the child of a God. Someone knows something." You told her and she froze. Fear for her unborn child's life rushing through her body. 

"I'm going to do my best to keep you safe. With Namora here that's more than possible. Come, we have to get to the lab." You stretched out a hand to the queen and she took it before the two followed you to the lab. You reached the lab where the scientist seemed to be surprised that you brought the Queen of Talokan here. They were more confused by your battle attire.

"What's the progress on those weapons?" You asked and one scientist spoke up as you went to save any and all progress to the hard drive. You also documented the what could be attack in your notes in case anything does happen.

"98%! Finishing the last one now."

"Hurry and print everything!" You shouted as you reached for the vibranium daggers you had finished. The blades were sharp to the touch and you slipped them into your boots. The last weapon, a vibranium short sword, had finished printing as Griot spoke out.

"Palace is locked down Ms. Y/N."

"Good." You grabbed a spare kimoyo bracelet and slipped it on Amera's wrist. "This is how we communicate. If we were to get separated for any reason, you can use these to contact me. I have the earrings as well so it won't be too noticeable. They can also reach the princess. And I'm almost certain Namor will be with her."

"Griot! Try to get in contact with Shuri." A couple minutes went by and you could hear your heartbeat in your ears. The pounding sound of a drum causing you to lose your breath. The kimoyo beads made a soft hum and you shook your head.

"She didn't answer."

"Try again!"

// The River Border //

"Plan for what exactly?" Namor asked and Attuma stood in front of him. 

"Your plan to attack Wakanda a second time. You were bold enough to send a message through one of your people." Okoye spat and his lips went into a thin line. 

"I did no such thing. Besides, how do I know you're not trying to get rid of me and my family. Trying to attack me and requesting my wife come to your palace after my so-called threat of an attack. Retaliation after what happened before." He spoke and Ayo looked over at Okoye. Neither of them had knowledge of this.

"We have no knowledge of this."

"We never invited your wife to Wakanda. What are you on about?" Shuri asked as her kimoyo beads vibrated on her wrist. She pushed to answer them this time and Y/N was on the other end.

"Shuri! Shuri, where are you?" She asked. Her voice held panic and worry.

"We're here with Namor. He claims he doesn't even know what we're talking about." Shuri told her dearest and the other end was silent.

"It was a setup." She said and everyone's attention turned to the princess with shock evident on their features. 

"What do you mean a setup? Y/N what is happening?" Shuri became confused as her dearest was panicking on the other end.

"Amera. Namor's queen, said that a Dora Milaje came to the river border saying that we requested her presence at the palace. Apparently someone from Talokan said Namor was planning an attack. When I mentioned it to her she didn't even know what I was talking about." Shuri felt her heart drop to her stomach. Everyone has been tricked. Both leaders were drawn out from their kingdoms. "My love. I believe it's best for you to return back to Wakanda for I fear-"

"All communication with Y/N has been lost." Griot told the princess.

[rgbyshipper101]

Danny Phantom Ectoberweek fic

Day 27 Prompt: “Blood blossoms weren't named for their blood red color. They were named for the liquid they fed on.”

DP X PN

Summary: Danny realizes what he must do for his family at the cost of his innocence.

CW: blood imagery, major character death

The cry of the raven was heard throughout the forest, carried over by the wind. It gargled as it spun around, trying to regain its breath. When it couldn’t receive enough oxygen into its system, it plummeted to the Earth. Dust rose from the impact.

Danny lowered his bow as he watched its descent. The watchful eyes of the Fright Night scanned his posture. Dora’s eyes were full of pride as she watched his first successful strike.

Danny was so afraid to hurt the creatures. He grew up playing with them and his siblings at the House. Tag was a go-to most of the time. So was hide-n-seek. He liked helping the younger kids with their skills. Dani especially was learning fast.

But, ever since they found Jazz in the back of one of the driver’s trucks…they were supposed to go to their forever home when they were adopted…but instead they were-

Danny blinked. He put the bow away and walked over to the bird.

Lifeless eyes stared into his own.

He bent down and sat on his legs. Sam and the others were still with him. She brought all of her books and is using them as a guide for their journey.

Her body looked cold to the touch.

He put his hand out as the Fright Night came over. The little kids, like Dani, we’re still at the house. One day he hopes to come back with a plan.

Her skin was a pale gray.

A clear flower was put into his palm. Danny closed his fingers around the stem, squeezing tightly. His hand trembled as he thought of Tucker. Just before they escaped, he got “adopted” as well. He…

It was the last time everyone saw and will ever see him.

Her body was limp and her mouth was open as if she was screaming.

Danny hovered the flower over its chest. His eyes welled with tears as his vision started switching the creature's face with that of his sisters.

There was an object protruding from her chest. A lifeless plant that became alive as it was pierced.

Danny squeezed his eyes shut through the tears. He swung his hand down and plunged the stem through the bird’s heart. The petals began to gain color.

“These are Blood Blossoms.” Fright Night held the plant between two fingers out to Danny. It’s a vampiric plant that feeds on blood. And that’s the only color it contains. As it once was dead to the world and its food filled with life, it takes what it seeks out. The victims life force is drained as it becomes what it’s victim was - alive - as it’s victim becomes what it once once was - dead to the world. A life for a life. Then, when its nutrients get absorbed, its color fades and it seeks life once more. Their name comes from the food it feeds on, and it blossoms as it becomes alive.”

The only color on her body was the red petals of the Blood Blossom.

[swan-of-sunrise]

Endgame (Chapter Nine-Part I)

Summary: The Avengers face off against a past iteration of Thanos and his army for the fate of the entire universe.

Pairing: Steve Rogers X Reader

Word Count: 3.7k

Warnings/Disclaimers: Disclaimer for battle/combat violence

A/N: And here we’ve finally reached the Battle of Earth! Thank you for reading, I hope you all enjoy!

Chapter Nine (Part I) (Previous Chapter)

In her eighth grade English class, (Y/N) was assigned to write a report on A Sound of Thunder, a science-fiction short story written by Ray Bradbury that revolved around the dangers of traveling through time and humanity’s arrogance for thinking it could control its overwhelming power. Bradbury’s famed short story struck fourteen-year old (Y/N) with two thoughts after finishing it: that she was definitely sticking to writing historical-fiction novels when she grew up, and that she would never dabble in time travel if the opportunity ever arose in her lifetime. She was reminded of her naïve teenage promise as she rocked Carina in her arms and listened to Stephen’s brief but concise run-down of the situation they now found themselves in.

Back on Titan in 2018, the doctor utilized the Time Stone to foresee all the futures in which they’d win against the Mad Titan but he was only able to find one, one where half the universe would stay Vanished for five years until Scott Lang emerged from the Quantum Realm and inspired their time heist. Stephen foresaw everything, from Thanos’ death at the hands of Thor to the switch that 2014 Nebula made with her future counterpart on her adoptive father’s orders, and (Y/N)’s heart sank into her stomach when he told them how 2014 Nebula hijacked their Quantum Tunnel and brought Thanos and his entire army to their own timeline while the Avengers were preoccupied with the Infinity Stones. We were all so shocked by Natasha’s death that we didn’t even realize it wasn’t our Nebula, she silently lamented, anxiously biting her lip as the doctor explained how Thanos’ ship launched a surprise blitz on the entire Avengers Facility just after Bruce snapped his fingers and how he was currently preparing to deploy his entire army.

“The gauntlet containing all six Infinity Stones is still buried beneath the wreckage of the compound, but Thanos will send his forces after it while he battles the Avengers,” Stephen called out over his shoulder, his attention split between filling them in and summoning more portals to gather warriors from all five Wakandan tribes.

“Then we don’t have a moment to waste.” T’Challa turned to Okoye with a resolute expression on his face. “General, gather your Doras and begin readying the tribal warriors for our imminent attack; I shall join you in a moment to assist.” The general bowed her head in respect before hurrying to follow her king’s orders, and T’Challa turned his attention to Shuri. “Shuri, ready our pilots and see to it that every available aircraft is armed and operational…and, you might want to change your clothing, little sister. You can’t fight a battle dressed as though you’re visiting an American shopping mall.” Shuri ignored her older brother’s light teasing and fist-bumped the air in delight as she sprinted through the original portal leading into the palace, and T’Challa’s small grin faltered when he met Ramonda’s eyes. “Mother, I-”

The Queen Mother held up a placating hand and smiled. “We’ll have plenty of time to talk later, sithandwa sam. You are both the King of Wakanda and the Black Panther, T’Challa, and now is the time to show Thanos why that is.”

Nodding once, T’Challa gave his mother a brief hug and sprinted off to the field beyond the forest, and Stephen cleared his throat to get their attention. “I have to portal back to Titan; wait for my signal to know when it’s time to attack.”

“Wait, what signal?” (Y/N) exchanged an exasperated look with Sam when Stephen vanished through another sparking orange portal without answering. “Every single time I’ve encountered that doctor, he’s pissed me off one way or another.” Carina blew a loud raspberry and (Y/N) winced a little. “Sorry, Cari, but swearing’s a hard habit to kick.” She glanced up at Ramonda. “Your highness, do you mind-?”

“I’ll protect her, (Y/N), as if she were my own child.” The Queen Mother placed a hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Bast ukukhusela wena. May Bast protect you, and may she guide you to victory on the battlefield.”

(Y/N) smiled in gratitude at Ramonda and glanced back down at Carina; out of the corner of her eye, she saw the older woman gesture for the others to give them a moment alone but her daughter’s soft cooing regained her attention. “I know that’s only been about an hour since you last saw your daddy and I, but for us it’s felt like an entire lifetime. And I know that you’re probably getting pretty tired of your parents leaving you to go and fight against gods and un-dead warriors and genetically-enhanced aliens, but it’s something we’ve got to do. You’re going to grow up in a better, safer world, lemon drop, and we’ll both be right there with you. But first, Mommy needs to go and help Daddy save the world again.” She pressed a soft kiss onto her daughter’s forehead and smiled. “Love you, Cari, more than anything.”

Placing the infant back into the floating pram, (Y/N) handed Ramonda the uru bracelet and her overnight bag, pausing only to retrieve the weapons she’d packed away, and she watched as the Queen Mother escorted her daughter through the swirling orange portal they’d entered through and disappeared from view. She took a deep breath before turning around to face the others, who were all preoccupied with looking over their weapons for the impending battle except Groot; the tree-like creature was anxiously twiddling his branched fingers and when he realized that she was staring, he perked up and moved closer to her. “I am Groot?” (Y/N) frowned in confusion and Groot lowered his hand to gesture for something knee-height. “I am Groot.”

“Oh, are you asking about Rocket?” She grinned triumphantly when Groot’s eyes lit up and he clapped his hands together in excitement. “Rocket’s fine; he’s back in New York with my husband and friends, and we’ll be seeing him pretty soon. He’s missed you a lot, so he’ll be very happy to see you again.”

Groot nodded. “I am Groot.”

“Talking to trees now, Booksmart?” Sam chuckled as he walked up to her and good-humoredly bumped her shoulder with his. “Is there anything you can’t do?”

“Besides understanding what trees say back to me? Well, I spent five years trying my damnedest to find a best friend as wonderful as you, and I failed spectacularly because…well, there’s only one Sam Wilson, after all.”

Sam’s smirk of amusement softened into a tender smile and his arm moved to wrap around her shoulders in a partial hug, squeezing her tight and providing her a sense of reassurance she hadn’t quite felt since the day she’d lost him. Before either of them could speak, a familiar voice called out through their comm links. “All right, it’s almost show-time. How’s everything looking on your end?”

“Um, i-it’s looking good, Doc.” A bewildered Sam exchanged a look with them. “How exactly are you doing…whatever this is?”

“…How do you think, Mr. Wilson?”

“Magic,” (Y/N), Bucky and Wanda replied at the same time, and Sam rolled his eyes at them.

“I cast a communication spell on everyone’s – and I do mean everyone’s – comm links; they’re fully synchronized now and trust me, you’re gonna be grateful that they are in a few seconds.”

Wanda hummed thoughtfully at the doctor’s words. “Ominous sort of man, this Doctor Strange.” Her eyes began to glow as she summoned her scarlet-hued energy into the palms of her hands. “Now, isn’t it about time we pay Thanos and his army a little visit?”

“I was just thinking the same thing, Miss Maximoff. Oh, and just for the record, this is the signal.”

Muttering under his breath about Stephen Strange being a smart-ass, Sam took a deep breath and brought a hand up to his comm link. “Hey, Cap, you read me?” There was no reply and in her mind, (Y/N) prayed that it was only stunned silence and nothing more concerning. “Cap, it’s Sam. Can you hear me?” Past the trees and across the field where Wakanda’s forces had amassed, a new portal started forming into existence as Sam smiled to himself and added, “On your left.”

The portal expanded and (Y/N) watched T’Challa, Shuri and Okoye stride through to the other side; she reached behind her and unsheathed both of Natasha’s electrified batons from her uniform’s shoulder harness and twirled them around her hands once before tightening her hold on them. “After you, Birdbrain.”

“See you on the other side, Booksmart.” With a playful wink, Sam deployed his wings and sped off into the sky where he flew straight through the sparking portal.

More and more portals began to open as dozens of Wakandan Talon Fighters and Dragon Flyers took to the skies and another small portal burst into existence, this time directly in front of the foursome. Wanda wasted no time, her expression darkening with unreserved fury while she used her scarlet-hued powers to launch herself into the air fly through the portal; (Y/N), Bucky and Groot exchanged a silent look before following after her and as they took their first step onto the grounds of the Avengers Facility, she bit her lip to stifle her horrified gasp. The entire compound was gone, reduced to towering piles of ash, rubble and enormous pieces of debris; the sky above was darkened by thick black smoke and they stood in the center of a sizable crater, no doubt the result of Thanos’ surprise blitz attack on the Avengers Facility.

Thanos and his entire army stood at the opposite side of the crater. The Black Order, comprised of his so-called children, flanked either side of him and stretched out behind them were thousands of Chitauri troops, Sakaarian soldiers and snarling Outriders; the Sanctuary II hovered in the skies high above them, along with a dozen massive Leviathans and manned cruisers, while armed hover tanks and cybernetically-enhanced Chitauri Gorillas were scattered amongst their ground forces. It was an impressive army – infinitely larger than the ones present for the Battle of New York and the Battle of Wakanda combined – but all around (Y/N), a far more extraordinary assemblage was taking place.

Dozens of swirling orange portals were littered across their side of the crater and legions of heroes from across the galaxy poured out, ready to band together and face the greatest threat to their universe. Doctor Strange emerged from the nearest portal with Peter Parker and a trio who, judging by Groot’s enthusiastic reaction, were the Guardians of the Galaxy; T’Challa, Shuri and Okoye led the united army of Wakanda while M’Baku rallied his own Jabari warriors, their resounding chants of ‘Yibambe!’ echoing across the entire battlefield; Brunnhilde, dressed in her impressive Valkyrie armor and sitting astride a snow-white winged stallion, led her battalion of Asgardian Einherjar alongside Korg and Miek; Wong stood before a throng of sorcerers from Kamar-Taj, some brandishing bow-staffs and other weapons while others conjured orange magical shields; nearby, Hope Van Dyne seemed to appear from thin air and her eyes frantically searched their growing army for any sign of Scott; a sizable band of humans and aliens brandishing blasters emerged from another portal, and the flame-shaped patch on their jackets told (Y/N) that they were the faction of Ravagers allied to the Guardians; a figure donned in a silver-and-blue Iron Man suit landed hard on the jagged rock and raised their face-plate to reveal Pepper; a stunned Tony and a bloodied Thor, both dressed for battle in their respective armor, staggered to their feet and joined their ranks; a deafening rumble was followed by a super-sized Scott bursting out from beneath the smoldering ruins of the Avengers Facility, and the Giant-Man opened his fist to allow Bruce, Rhodes and Rocket to jump down. A rallying cry resounded throughout their troops and high above them all, Wakandan Talon Fighters and Dragon Flyers and Ravager spacecrafts hovered in midair as their pilots awaited their commands.

Finally tearing her eyes away from the inspiring assembly, (Y/N) looked out at the vast space between both armies to see Steve. The super-soldier stood alone, his Captain America uniform stained with blood and ash and his vibranium shield broken but still strapped to his arm, and the sight of her sweaty and blood-soaked husband brought tears to her eyes; Steve, understanding the overwhelming odds stacked against him, had selflessly and defiantly prepared to stand against Thanos and his entire army alone, knowingly sacrificing himself to try and keep the Mad Titan away from the Infinity Stones as long as he possibly could. When Steve’s reddened gaze finally found hers amongst the growing army, (Y/N) recognized the same fire in his eyes that she’d seen in his old photograph at the Smithsonian so long ago, and it was in that moment that she could feel herself falling in love with the super-soldier all over again.

In three long strides, Steve was standing before her, his ash-coated face was filled with apprehension and a hint of longing as his azure eyes searched hers. “Is Carina okay? Is she safe?”

“Carina’s fine, sweetheart, and she’s perfectly safe with Queen Ramonda,” (Y/N) quickly reassured him and smiled as he breathed a sigh of relief. “Now, let’s go get this son of a bitch and save the world again so we can finally be a family.”

The corner of Steve’s lips slowly curved up into a small smile. “Yes, ma’am.” They both turned to face Thanos and his imposing army, standing side-by-side as their friends, teammates and allies all lined up on either side of them and readied their weapons for battle. (Y/N)’s grip on the electrified batons tightened in anticipation and she spared a brief glance down at the red hourglass-shaped buckle fastened onto her belt; the sight of Natasha’s signature accessory calmed her nerves and imbued her with the strength she needed to stare head-on at the deadly horde across the crater. “Avengers!” Steve thrust his arm out and (Y/N)’s eyes widened in awe when Mjolnir flew straight into his open hand, and she made a mental note to ask him about the magical Asgardian weapon later as he commanded through gritted teeth, “Assemble.”

Thor’s bellowing battle cry was echoed by their vast army and they all charged forward as one, Steve leading the ground forces while Tony took to the sky and led their legion of flyers. Thanos leveled his double-edged sword in their direction and watched with cold indifference as his army charged past him, looking almost bored at the striking show of defiance before him, but his mild reaction only spurred them on. Both armies met at the center of the wide crater and clashed with a cacophony of sounds and with that, the Battle of Earth began.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks to Doctor Strange, Wong and the fifteen minutes they’d spent frantically gathering forces from across the entire galaxy, Thanos’ army was fairly evenly matched by theirs; however, it quickly became apparent to both armies which one of them was the most impassioned. The Avengers, Wakandans, Asgardians, Guardians, Ravagers and the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj all fought with a fiery passion that was wholly unmatched by the determination of the Black Order and the forces they commanded. A super-sized Scott punched a Leviathan to the ground and swatted aside a Chitauri cruiser while Peter swung from his arm and webbed the gun of a hover tank. The trio of T’Challa, Shuri and Okoye fought a troop of Outriders and nearby, Brunnhilde flew down on her winged horse and slashed at a roaring Chitauri Gorilla while M’Baku impaled it with his spear. Bruce, who’s right arm was badly burned from the newly-created Infinity Gauntlet and hanging limp at his side, snatched an attacking cruiser out of the sky and threw its commander across the battlefield, and both Korg and one of the more enthusiastic Guardians took on Cull Obsidian together. Overhead, Tony and Pepper fired their repulsors at Sakaarian ships and directly below the husband and wife, (Y/N) and Steve fought alongside one another; it was a deadly dance – with (Y/N) jamming her electrified batons into attackers and kicking them away and Steve slamming Mjolnir into his opponents and summoning bolts of vivid-blue lightening from the sky – but it was one that the husband and wife performed seamlessly together.

“You know, your new look is really kind of doing it for me!” (Y/N) spared Steve an appreciative glance as she blocked a Chitauri soldier’s strike and finished it off by ramming a baton into its neck.

Steve chuckled, throwing the hammer at another Chitauri soldier and upper-cutting a Sakaarian with his broken shield. “Not too shabby for a kid from Brooklyn, huh?” He thrust his open hand out and his helmeted head cocked to the side in confusion when Stormbreaker flew into his hand instead.

“No, no, give me that!” Thor called out from across the small clearing and they both looked over to see the Asgardian waving Mjolnir above his head. “You get the little one!”

Both men exchanged weapons and as Thor flew off towards the nearest hover tank, (Y/N) flexed her extended wrist and watched a charging Outrider drop to the ground, entirely encased in red electricity emanating from the Widow Bite fused to its neck. “Hey, (Y/L/N), how much for the fancy bracelets?”

(Y/N) rolled her eyes and continued to fight without glancing over at the nearby raccoon. “They’re not for sale, Rocket.”

“What about the batons?”

Kneeling atop a sizable chunk of concrete, Bucky fired his gun and managed to spare (Y/N) a brief smile in between shots. “You’ve got some weird friends, doll.”

“Not exactly the adjective I’d use, Mr. Stares-A-Lot,” Sam interjected as he flew overhead. “I was thinking something like handsome, funny, or devilishly charming. Or hell, why not all three?”

“…Yeah, I stand by my original statement, Pigeon-Wings.”

Steve shook his head in mild exasperation and summoned a bolt of lightning to destroy a diving cruiser. “Your best friend and my best friend really need to learn how to get along.”

The two of them continued to fight alongside one another, careful not to accidentally become separated as they battled Sakaarian troops, Chitauri soldiers and snarling Outriders. (Y/N) was busy firing a deadly Widow Bite at a charging Outrider and Steve was disarming a Chitauri soldier when Clint’s panicked voice rang through their comm links. “Cap! What do you want me to do with this damn thing?”

(Y/N) kicked a defeated Sakaarian away and frantically scanned the chaotic battlefield around her, eyes widening when she finally spotted the archer sprinting through the pandemonium with the Infinity Gauntlet clutched tight in his arm. “Oh shit.”

“Get those stones as far away as possible!” Steve shouted into his comm, holding an Outrider at bay with his broken shield and summoning Mjolnir to finish it off before tossing its carcass aside.

“No!” Bruce batted the Outrider’s corpse away with his good arm and vehemently shook his head. “We need to get them back where they came from!”

Tony’s voice suddenly crackled through their comms as he blew up a hover tank nearby. “No way to get them back; Thanos destroyed the Quantum Tunnel.”

“Hold on!” In the distance, Scott shrank down and vanished from view before continuing. “That wasn’t our only time machine.”

The familiar notes of ‘La Cucaracha’ suddenly played throughout the battlefield and after exchanging matching looks of surprise, (Y/N) and Steve scaled a mound of debris to look out at the sprawling, wreckage-filled crater spread out before them. “Anyone see an ugly brown van out there?”

“Yes!” Brunnhilde’s voice replied through their comms. “But you’re not gonna like where it’s parked!”

Steve cursed under his breath and pointed with Mjolnir towards the far end of the crater; Scott’s van and their original Quantum Tunnel was located well behind enemy lines, completely surrounded by transport ships and hordes of Outriders, and the darkened sky above was populated by Chitauri-manned cruisers and Sakaarian gunships. (Y/N) frowned and her brow knit in worry as she considered their new mission; keeping the stones away from Thanos long enough for Scott to prepare the Quantum Tunnel and return them to their original timelines wouldn’t be easy, even with their impassioned forces to assist them, but certainly not impossible. All we have to do is hold onto our hope, (Y/N) thought with silent determination as she recalled the advice Natasha had given her in her final message.

“Scott, how long you need to get that thing working?”

“Um, maybe ten minutes.”

Steve’s jaw tightened with anticipation as he ordered, “Get it started, we’ll get the stones to you.”

“We’re on it, Cap.”

Recognizing Hope Van Dyne’s voice from S.H.I.E.L.D.’s old video logs from Pym Technologies, (Y/N) smiled thinly and secured her batons together before bringing a hand up to her comm link. “Good luck, you guys.”

Steve moved to stand in front of her, his expression filled with firm resolve as he leaned down to meet her gaze. “Clint’s never gonna get that gauntlet to the Quantum Tunnel by himself, and Scott and Hope can’t prep the van and clear the area at the same time.”

“Then I’ll go help Clint while you work on clearing the area.” Although wary of splitting up, (Y/N) knew that between the two of them, Steve was better equipped to take on the swarm surrounding the broken-down van while she could be of more use getting the gauntlet to Scott and Hope. Judging by the look in his azure eyes, Steve knew it too and after a wordless nod, he ducked down and captured her lips in a brief but bruising kiss that she was quick to return. “Stay safe, sweetheart,” (Y/N) breathlessly pleaded when they separated. “Whatever it takes.”

“You too, sunshine. Whatever it takes.” Her husband pressed another firm kiss onto her lips and took a reassuring breath before turning and sprinting off into the fray.

Taking a reassuring breath of her own, (Y/N) wrenched her connected batons apart and took off in the direction she’d last seen the archer, doing her best to ignore the foreboding feeling slowly taking shape in the pit of her stomach as she ran.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Xhosa Translations: Sithandwa sam-My darling Bast ukukhusela wena-May Bast protect you Yibambe!-Hold fast!

A/N: Stay tuned for next chapter’s thrilling conclusion to the Battle of Earth, and bring lots of tissues! Thank you all so much for reading and commenting! I’ve created a Spotify playlist inspired by this series, and I’ll be updating it every time I upload a new chapter. Enjoy!

Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5L6MERx3PIydW3FyNPqYvl?si=ad6c46de8e954c11

Chapter Nine-Part II

“Endgame” Masterlist

Tagging: @mrs-obrien​​​​​​​​​ @lahoete​​​​​​​​​ @awkward117 @cminr​​​​​​​​ @natdrunk​​ @momc95​​​​​​​​​ @savedbystyle​​​​​​​​​ @miraculouscloud @awkwardnesshabitat​​​​​​​​​ @marinettepotterandplagg​​​​​​​​​ @mangosandmimosas​​​​​​​​ @supersouthy @benakenalove​​​​​​​​​ @brooke0297​​​​​​​​​ @hufflepeople​​​​​​​​​ @becausewelie​​​​​​​​​ @outoftheregular​​​​​​​​​ @junipermurdock​​​​​​​​​ @ladydmalfoy​​​​​ @mads-weasley​​​​​​​​​ @username23345 @crist1216​​​​​​​​​ @capswife​​​​​​​​​​ @lilmschild​​​​​​​​​​ @avngrsinitiative​​​​​​​​​ @crowleysqueenofhell​​​​​​​​​​ @y-napotat​​​​​​​​​ @mary1raven​​​​​​​​​​ @groovy-lady​​​​​​​​​​ @ljej95​​​​​ @innersublimefury​​ @prettysbliss​​

[mischiefxmuses]

Closed starter for @dromeda-tonks (Andromeda x Charlie)

Charlie left for Romania very quickly after graduating hogwarts. He knew where he wanted to be and what he wanted to do. Hagrid had always told him that he had the gift. And he only really came home for holidays but even then sometimes his family came to him. He of course came back for Bill and Fleurs wedding and when he brought reinforcements to the battle of hogwarts. He sort of knew Andromeda as she was Dora’s mother and he was quite close to Dora and Remus, as well as his other order members. “Andromeda, good to see you.” He bowed his head in respect, knowing that she had taken Teddy after Remus and Dora had died.

[hatgame]

UMUMUM *shakes sputters shakes sputters*

HI IM THAT ANON THAT REQUESTED U DRAW MOONJUMPER THAT ONE TIME *i still cry in happiness abt that everyday btw thank you!!!*

BUT UHH...CANN U TELL ME MORE ABT UR THOUGHTS ON SWEETENED DEAL? (Snatcher x Cooking Cat) I THINK ITS REALLY CUTE OKAY BYE THANK YOU! *peddles away on my Dora big wheel bike*

oh hello :) im glad you liked that drawing! & sure ^_^ glad you like it too

i commonly see it interpreted as snatcher n cc acting as hats parents and while that's sweet its not how i see it at all. i like them a lot more as her adult friends who take care of her every now and then but ultimately leave and trust her to handle her stuff, not taking that much responsibility. im not sure what thatd entail but older sibling snatcher (to hat) is kind of fun i guess. EMPRESS IS BOWS AUNT FOREVER THOUGH this im hellbent on.

ok i think i wanna talk about how ccs relationship w hat n snatcher developed. i always thought of cc as someone hat is the most verbal with, relying everything that's happened to her to him. while enthralled, proud and concerned, i dont think ccs that protective of her, hes shown to be much less responsible than people usually write her as tbh. she trusts hats capabilities n skills but still definitely recognizes that she is a child in need of support, and shes certainly warm and affectionate with her, but at the same time its not intruding or obligate, like a parents affection.

i think cc would be somewhat intrigued by what's up w snatcher because their behavior is so puzzling, probably especially so from hats retellings. once snatcher becomes a regular on hats ship (not his territory=cant assert hinself as much as he does in forest), where they probably meet, i dont think shed be intimidated at all, because i dont honestly think hed try to create that impression (it certainly didn't in the cut cafe scene. like, youd expect them to force someone to pay for them, but they're just kinda docile. they cant even get the people around them to answer their question lol)

i think snatchers like immediately completely pacified by ccs presence. i dont think theyd speak at all either. its lije those silent films where you have to rely on expressions and body language to tell what means what. its a little funny abd disarming because its clear they DO want to get something across, and thats a friendly gesture. it signals engagement abd cintact being established. snatcher would probably struggle with non scripted speech so this sort of communication would probably feel the least threatening. also would add to their already strange and interesting image in ccs mind

while idk how likely snatchers would be to actually do that ive been imagining him curling up in the pillows and napping only to wake up to cc sleeping either on top of or near them, since cuddle piles are probably common among cats + ccs impulsive. they probably would straight up forget to react. maybe they wake up to cc kneading them, make eye contact. one of them remembers cat social cues and slow blinks. other one slow blinks back. snatcher lies back down allowing itself to be kneaded. cc lies down on it. it changes position to be closer to it. not a single word said the whole time. its never brought up again but not forgotten.

uhh if they do eventually begin dating and hats there to witness it she probably wouldnt care much. bow would go awwwww Aawww though. mu is disappointed in ccs taste but probably warms up to snatcher eventually since they have a lot in common + snatcher mu friendship real and important to me

Ok this is not all but ill stop now. hope you enjoyed :) thank you for the ask. i really really loved dora the explorer as a kid