#uxolo

[filinea]

Hommage à Todd Matshikiza

Aujourd'hui, 25 septembre 2023, je vais vous parler de Todd Matshikiza. C'était un pianiste, compositeur et un journaliste de jazz sud-africain.

Todd est né en 1921 (jour et mois de naissance non précisés) à Komani, en Afrique du Sud. Il est issu d'une famille de musiciens, était le fils de Samuel Bokwe (père) et Grace Ngqoyi Matshikiza (mère). Il est le dernier de sept enfants.

Diplômé en musique à Adams College à Natal et professeur à l'institut Lovedale à Alice, il enseigne l'anglais et les mathématiques aux étudiants, jusqu'en 1947.

Il enseigne pendant un certain temps et fonde la Todd Matshikiza School of Music, une école de musique privée, où il enseigne le piano.

En 1952, Matshikiza est invité à rejoindre le magazine Drum qui, sous une nouvelle direction éditoriale, s'adresse à un lectorat plus critique. Matshikiza, avec plusieurs journalistes d’investigation, est devenu l'un de ses premiers écrivains.

Parmi ses proches collaborateurs, son style d'écriture innovant est devenu connu sous le nom de « Matshikese » et se caractérise par une utilisation créative et ludique de la syntaxe et du style musical.

Todd s’est exilé en Angleterre avec sa femme et ses enfants pour fuir l’apartheid qui sévissait en Afrique du Sud. L’apartheid a été utilisé pour désigner le régime politique de l’Afrique du Sud de 1948 à 1991. À l’époque, le pays imposait explicitement la ségrégation raciale, instituant à travers tout un système de lois et de pratiques la domination et l’oppression d’un groupe racial par un autre, en l’occurrence celle des noirs par les blancs. 

Matshikiza a composé de nombreux titres dont le plus connu, Uxolo, qui veut dire « paix » et qui a été créé pour le 70e anniversaire de Johannesburg, capitale de l’Afrique du Sud. Ce morceau-hommage a d’ailleurs été commémoré par un Google Doodle le 25 septembre 2023.

L’un de ses morceaux – intitulé Hamba Kahle – a notamment été joué pour l’arrivée de la princesse Elizabeth à Bulawayo (ville du Zimbabwe) en 1946 et pour le Festival de musique de Johannesburg en 1950.

En 1958, il est également à l’origine de la bande originale de la comédie musicale King Kong qui sortira un an plus tard.

Nadia Branco

Sources : Wikipédia et Amnesty

[dlyarchitecture]

[mermaidchansons]

Touch Me

dom!Shuri x brat!Fem reader

Summary: Reader is feeling neglected as Shuri takes on responsibilities as both the Black Panther and the leader of the Design Group. Instead of talking it out, she tries to get Shuri’s attention in other ways.

Word Count: 2K

Warnings: SMUT! 18+ only! WLW SMUT!!!

Author’s Note: First time writing some wlw smut! I will never get over Shuri’s undercut, she’s too fucking sexy. Guess how many times I’ve seen BPWF?

Taglist: @tchallasbabymama @tgigoldie @muse-of-mbaku @chaneajoyyy @ghostfacekill-monger @soufcakmistress @szalipcombo @tchhairbandhere

Translations: sthandwa (my love), uxolo (sorry), nkosazana (princess)

“Griot, what is Shuri’s location?” Yawning, you stretched your body to shake off the sleep.

“The panther is in a meeting with the Design Group, in the lab.”

Turning on your side, you reached out your hand to the empty side of the bed and took in the coldness on the silk sheets.

“Thank you, Griot,” you sighed.

Being in a relationship with the leader of Wakanda’s design group was not always easy. Shuri had no set schedule, it was not like a 9-5 where she would have time to wind down and spend time with you like clockwork. She was constantly working on some new invention or approving blueprints or improving old tech. Your initial attraction to her was mostly because of how crazy intelligent she was(but also because of how sexy her smile was). However, now her intelligence was getting in the way of you two spending time together. And it had only become worse once she restored the mantle of the Black Panther. She would leave meals early or eat them in the lab while she worked; leave for the lab at 4am when she woke up with a new idea.

For a whole week, she hadn’t even been in bed when you drifted off to sleep. The big plush bed felt empty at night. And the only way you knew she’d slept next to you was because the imprint of her big head was left on her pillow. Frustration had already begun to creep up your back as she had barely touched you in almost two weeks. How could she train your body to yearn for her touch and deny you the release that you’ve missed? You had to do something about this.

You walked into the entrance of the lab, saluting the Dora Milaje on guard as you passed them by. The Dora was always so strong and graceful, characteristics you wished you possessed. You made a mental note to take Okoye up on those sparring lessons she once offered. Griot announced you as you walked in.

“Panther, Y/N, daughter of Asante is here.” You chuckled as you looked at the yellow orb on the screen.

“Thank you, Griot” You stood next to Shuri as she wrote Wakandan code on an interface.

“Sthandwa, what are you doing in the lab? You never come in here unless I call you,” she mumbled, still too preoccupied with her work.

“That’s not true, you just don’t notice me,” you eyed her as she continued her work. “Shuri, stop for just a moment!”

She looked at the pout on your face and put the stylus down, swiping the interface away. Pulling you into a hug, she squeezed your waist and peppered your cheeks with kisses. You giggled and felt her smile against your cheek in between the pecks. And for a moment, it felt as if all was fine. Being in her arms once again made everything feel right. But you could not break now.

“What can I do for you, my love?” Shuri kissed your cheek once more before picking up her stylus once again. You missed her embrace as soon as she let go of you.

“You weren’t in bed this morning.”

“Uxolo, we had an early meeting.”

She walked to the other side of the lab and began to tinker with her gauntlets. Your brow furrowed with frustration. Why wasn’t paying attention to you?

“Maybe you should take a break. You could get away—“

“I can’t,” she shook her head, cutting you off, “I have a field mission in 48 hours and the reconfigurations on my suit must be done before I leave.”

“Shuri, you haven’t been in bed all week. I’m starting to think you might be cheating. I mean, you obviously don’t care about me,” you lied.

She set down her gauntlets and gave you a skeptical look. Your words were chosen with intent. If she wouldn’t pay attention to you when you were playing nice, you knew you’d have to get under her skin. You shrugged, smirking at her as she walked over to you. She leaned down to match your height, her lips dangerously close to your ear.

“I see what you’re trying to do, Y/N. Don’t make me have to discipline you in front of my staff.” Her threat made your core pool with desire and you choked down a moan when she moved to softly squeeze your throat.

“Nkosazana,” Shuri said lowly, keeping her eye out for onlookers, “ I know I’ve been busy and I miss you terribly but behave for me, okay?”

You nodded and she smiled, taking her hand from around your throat and holding your face gently.

“Good girl. Now go, I’ll meet you in the garden in an hour for brunch.” You squinted your eyes at her in suspicion and she chuckled.

“I’ll be there, go.” She turned you around by your waist and slapped your ass, making you jump a little.

“Okay, okay, I’m going!”

An hour and a half had passed when you grew impatient. Maybe there was a threat she had to tend to, you thought. But if that was true, one of the Dora would have alerted you.

Another 30 mins had passed and in that time you had counted the flowers in the garden twice. You had already picked over the food on the table and ultimately decided you were too upset to eat. A ping from your kimoyo beads pulled you from your thoughts.

“Y/n, the panther sends her apologies. She is attending a meeting with the tribal elders and will have to reschedule your brunch.”

Are you fucking kidding me?

You rolled your eyes and sighed loudly, “Thanks, Griot.”

You got up and gathered the rest of the food, taking the leftovers to the kitchen. Once back in your living quarters, you decided to do your hair. It had been a minute since you switched up styles and you needed to shake off this disappointment.

After setting up your workstation with packs of hair, a crochet needle, rubber bands, eco gel, and a rat tail comb, you put on your favorite show. The style you were going for was going to take quite some time and you were glad to have access to all the episodes; Shuri had created a VPN for your devices once you moved to Wakanda full time and you wasted no time putting it to good use. Raising your arm, you used your kimoyo beads to take a photo of your setup and sent it to Shuri. She opened the photo but didn’t respond.

10 hours later, your arms felt as heavy as bricks. Not even the food breaks in between could lessen the pain. The soreness had started to set in and your body wanted to give up. Section after section, you paved your way through your thick curls; taming them and finishing out the afro-bubble braids. After decorating your hair with gold adornments, you looked at the clock. 11:55 PM?!

One painful clothing change later, you stood in only your sweatshirt dress and stretched out your limbs.

“Griot, is Shuri still in the lab,” you asked, stepping into your slippers.

“Yes, y/n. She has asked not to be disturbed.”

Oh the fuck well, you thought to yourself. You planned on doing much more than just disturbing her.

The blaring drums of afrobeats sounded through the entrance of the lab. Turning the corner, you saw Shuri working intently. Her clothes were different than what she wore this morning. She wore a sleeveless black crop and a matching pair of joggers. Your eyes traced down her toned arms and caught sight of her exposed midriff. Memories of your bodies entwined in intimacy flooded your mind, causing your mouth to go dry.

“I can see you, nkosazana,” Shuri said, disrupting your thoughts of arousal.

You shuffled in and sat on her desk behind her.

“I thought I had Griot inform you that I did not want to be disturbed.”

“Eh, you missed our brunch so maybe this is payback?” She only chuckled in response and you crossed your arms in a huff. Swiping away the interface, she turned to face you. The look on her face as she walked towards you made your stomach tighten with anticipation.

“What would you have me do? Leave Wakanda to its own defenses with no tech to protect them? All because you’re a needy little brat?” You watched as she slid her hand up your calf.

“Well, I miss you when you’re not there—“ your breath hitched as she opened your legs, settling between your thighs. You watched her hands roam your thick thighs.

“You miss me? Or do you just miss my touch?” Shuri slipped her hands under your dress and gripped your hips; pulling you to the edge of the desk. She moved in closer, her lips just a whisper away from yours; silently challenging your sense of control.

“I just miss you.”

“Hm. Your hair looks beautiful. Did you do that just for me?”

You whispered a yes as her roaming hand finally reached the end of its journey, touching where you needed her most. She swiped a single digit up your dewy slit and you bit your bottom lip to quell a building moan.

“So wet for me already, sthandwa. Is this what you wanted,” she asked, rubbing painfully slow circles around the jewel between your lips. You nodded hastily and held onto the desk for dear life. She smiled widely at your movement.

“All you had to do was ask. Are you going to be good for me, Y/n?”

“Yes, yes, I’ll be good.” She took your words as a promise and lifted the dress over your head, leaving you exposed and dripping with desire. She grazed her hands over your breasts, kneading one of your erect nubs between her fingers. You moaned in delight at the feeling and crashed your lips into hers; nipping and sucking on her bottom lip.

Shuri pushed you back and you shivered from the coolness of the desk against your back. Her fingers returned to your pussy, inserting two fingers and pumping them in and out of your velvety walls. Your body clenched around her fingers as she built a steady pace. A loud whimper of her name escaped your mouth and echoed in the empty lab.

“You sound so beautiful when you say my name like that, sthandwa. Let me hear it again,” she practically moaned with you, reaching her free hand to grab something out of her desk. A buzzing noise sounded in your ears and you felt it before you could question it. Shuri moved the vibrator around your clit as she built up the pace of her fingers. The lewd squelching of your pussy was like heaven to her ears.

“Fuuuuuuck, I don’t think I can hold it, baby.” The vibrating on your clit was threatening to undo your very being. The build-up was beginning to be too much as the familiar coil in your middle continued to tighten. Your release was just within reach and you needed it desperately. Shuri leaned over you, kissing your neck and whispering into your ear.

“I want you to cum for me, nkosazana, but I don’t know if you deserve it,” Shuri uttered before moving down to take your left nipple in her mouth, sucking on it intently.

“Shuri, please!” Your back arched as her finger scissored in and out of you, hitting your g-spot. She trailed kisses along your chest before slowing her pace to a stop; taking the vibrator away as well. Your complaints fell on deaf ears and she grinned smugly. Your throbbing clit only added to your annoyance.

“Don’t give me that face. I told you about disobeying me,” she said, pulling you up to a sitting position. Shuri helped you put your dress back on, being mindful of your fresh braids.

“Baby, that’s not fair—“

“I don’t want to hear it. Now go sit over there. This last algorithm should only take a few minutes.” She lifted you off the desk, her hands lingering on your ass. You rested your face on her shoulder and groaned in discontent, causing her to laugh.

“If you would just behave, you wouldn’t be in this mess.”

Graphic Divider by @firefly-graphics

[sapphicvqmpires]

❁ཻུ۪۪♡ i miss you there (pt.1)

Pairing - shuri/black fem! reader

Word Count - 2k

Contains - smut (18+), choking, cunnilingus, fingering, reader is lowkey a cry baby, annoyed but understanding shuri, some fluff, some hurt

Keywords - nkosazana (princess)

Divider From - @firefly-graphics

Sneak Peak - Shuri drops what she’s doing and sighs in annoyance. She rolls her eyes, transparent with her frustration as she walks over to you. Your stomach twists at the sight of her because, even though you’re angry and touch deprived, she still looks so damn good in her black compression shirt and silver chain. She holds the back of your head as she gently brings you into her chest, resting her chin on the top of your head. “I just miss you,” you whine into her

Tags - @abenomeiiii @pinkwright @zayswriting @shuriszn @shurislover @mermaidchansons

Writer Note: I definitely drew inspiration from @mermaidchansons “Touch Me” fic, so shoutout to them! This is gonna be 2 parts, this is just part 1. I feel like I didn’t proof read this enough, so sorry if there’s any mistakes. Also, ntm on my Xhosa, I got it from Google lollll

❁ཻུ۪۪♡ You look down at your phone and you feel gutted at the *seen* underneath the text you left Shuri. You knew what you were getting yourself into when you opened your heart to her. She warned you numerous times before you started dating that being with her would not be easy. She was busy, and even though she set up her own lab away from Wakanda to be closer to you, it still seemed like she was miles away.

You sent her the text 2 hours ago, asking if you guys could facetime tonight, only to be left on *seen*. You pouted, feeling neglected and unwanted. It seemed like she wasn't even trying to pay attention to you. Not to mention she hasn’t touched you in a fair amount of time, besides the stolen kisses you take from her every chance you get. You sit on your bed, heavily glaring at your unanswered text message.

“Fuck it,” you say to yourself. “If she don’t wanna answer my damn texts, I’ll go bother her then.”

Shuri’s lab is not a far drive from your guys’ apartment, but it still gives you too much time to think. You pulled up, and punched in the code that Shuri gave you. The door opens, and there she is. She’s concentrated like her life depended on it, and it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that it probably did. You almost forget that you’re mad, lost in how hot she is. You cherish the sight of her for a second, adoring the way her brows pulled together as she fixates herself on her work. You love the way her perfectly coiled curls rest on her forehead, complimenting her almond shaped eyes, evident in desperate need of sleep. She’s beautiful.

“Nkosazana, what are you doing here? It’s late. Don’t you have an early morning class tomorrow?” Shuri says, still deep into whatever she’s doing, barely even looking at you.

Your face grows hot in frustration. “You didn’t answer my text.”

“Uxolo (Sorry). I was busy.”

“A simple ‘Sorry baby, I can’t. I���ll be busy’ text would suffice,” you snap, trying to keep your cool.

Shuri drops what she’s doing and sighs in annoyance. She rolls her eyes, transparent with her frustration as she walks over to you. Your stomach twists at the sight of her because, even though you’re angry and touch deprived, she still looks so damn good in her black compression shirt and silver chain. She holds the back of your head as she gently brings you into her chest, resting her chin on the top of your head.

“I just miss you,” you whine into her. She kisses the top of your head, caressing your box braids right before she goes back to her desk to continue her work. You follow her, leaning your chin onto her shoulder as you hover over her and her work.

“Y/n, I told you I would be busy these next couple of weeks, did I not? Wakanda needs me right now…”

You stay silent with no means to argue with her on that. You knew she was right.

“I’m going to Wakanda for about a week or so,” Shuri says, breaking the silence.

“What?? When??”

“I’ll be leaving tomorrow, nkosazana. Actually in a couple hours probably. Okoye will be here before the sun rises. But I’ll be back before you know it and I promise you’ll have all my attention.” Shuri turns to face you, noticing the clear glaze building up in your eyes. “Are you crying?”

“Shut up.”

Shuri sighs, now completely facing you as you stand in between her legs. She takes your hands in hers. “Y/n, I TOLD you. I told you this wasn’t going to be easy. I love you baby, and I miss you, for real. But I absolutely need to get this done. Now please stop crying. I don’t like seeing you like this.”

“You did this,” you mellow.

“Nkosazana…please.” Shuri holds your hand and brushes her lips against your knuckles. You take a second to bask in this moment, grasping onto every butterfly that flutters inside you. You don’t know when you’ll feel like this again.

“Ndiyakuthandana (I love you),” she finally says.

“I love you too…but I miss you.”

Shuri looks up at you, and you notice a snap in her eyes as they shift back into her frustration. She glides her palms on her face and exhales heavily as she lifts herself off the chair, motioning you to sit. “Here…sit down.”

You look at her in confusion, but you do as she says. Shuri gets down on her knees, spreading you open just a bit. The warm liquid forming in between your legs makes you understand completely what Shuri wants. What you both want. She begins to lift your skirt to your hips, intentionally running her hands up your thighs on the way up. Her eyes settle on the dark, damp spot seeping through the fabric of your panties.

“Oh, you miss me alright,” she says, her voice low and raspy.

She brings her lips to yours, sucking and biting on your bottom lip.

“Shuri…I--”

“Ssshh, baby. I’m right here. Be patient.”

She dips her head back down and places kisses on your inner thighs, biting down a bit. The heat in your stomach grows, and you let out a moan as Shuri begins playing with your clit over your panties. Her slender fingers make slow and painful strokes over the material, and you're throbbing underneath. She takes her thumb and applies more pleasure to your clit, and your jaw drops.

“Sh--Shuri,” you moan.

“Yeah baby, just like that. Disrupt me while I’m working one more time, and so help me Bast…”

She almost aggressively removes your panties, sliding them all the way down your thighs, carelessly chugging them to the side. She spreads you open wholly, her gaze fixated on your glazed pussy.

“Fuck, I miss you.”

“Shuri, please baby. Enough with teasing, put your mouth on me already.”

A crooked smile creeps on her lips as she kisses you from your ankles all the way up to your inner thigh. She takes one lap in between your slit experimentally, circling her tongue around your clit. You drive your hips forward, desperate for more pressure, but Shuri holds your hips in place, forcing you to keep still. She takes your thighs and rests them on her shoulders, fully submerging herself into your dripping cunt. She eats mercilessly, taking her tongue to places you almost forgot you had.

“Shuri I…I can’t.” You’re throbbing so much, it almost hurts. Every move she makes in between your pussy lips pushes you closer to ecstasy. She lifts her face off for a few seconds, and it’s the worst few seconds of your week.

“Stand up,” she demands, her voice laced with desire. You comply as she picks you up, her hands firm around your ass. Your pussy is pressed against her lower abdomen, dripping against her. You lightly grind against her, hoping to get some relief. Shuri feels it and chuckles at the sight of how desperate you are. “Nyamezela sithandwa sam, ndizakuhoya (Be patient my love, I’ll take care of you).”

You have no idea what she’s saying but you don’t even care. You just want her to finish what she started. Shuri places you on her desk. Goosebumps appear on your skin as you come in contact with the coolness of her workspace. She pushes your long braids to the back.

“You miss me?”

“Yeah,” you say through your heaving chest.

“Then spread open for me, y/n. Let me inside that pretty pussy.”

You comply without question. Your dark pussy gleamed with your slick, swollen from Shuri’s tongue work. Shuri takes 2 digits, and slides them into your plush walls, receiving lustful moans coming from the back of your throat. She pumps in and out, taking no time to hammer into you.

“This is what you get for complaining all the time.”

“Shuri…I-”

“You what, baby? What do you need now?” She continues to slam her fingers into you, your walls closing in, gripping onto her like a leech. Shuri loves the way your pussy caresses her fingers. She can feel the way you pulse against her.

“I wanna cum,” you moan. You submit to the white hot feeling forming in your gut. Shuri curls her fingers just right, hitting your tender spot. You begin to moan her name unapologetically, as she takes your clit with her thumb. She removes her fingers, and uses them to spread your lips open, gazing at the wet mess she created.

“Bast y/n, you should see what you look like. So pretty and swollen.”

You whimper at the sight of her admiring your wet cunt. You could feel your orgasm trying to force its way through but you needed her back inside to finish.

“Shuri baby, I’m so close, please.”

She smiles wickedly as she grabs your throat. She continues to finger fuck you while she’s choking you, leaving you just enough air to cry her name out. You gasp but you absolutely do not want her to stop. You loved when she placed her tattooed hand around your throat. You clutch the edge of her desk, thrusting your hips forward.

“Stop moving, nkosazana, I’ll get you there.” She pumps into you hard, curling and spreading her fingers inside you like butter. You can feel your inner walls twitch with every thrust she gives you. The room goes silent for a second, with nothing but the sound of your helpless moans and your wet cunt.

“You hear that, baby? That’s my pretty pussy making all that sound. Bast, you’re soaking wet.”

Shuri’s voice seeps into your skin as the room goes hazy. Her hand is still tight around your throat and you gasp her name in praise. You surrender to your orgasm and it feels like ecstasy coursing between your thighs. The walls inside you are contracting to the rhythm of your girlfriend's fingers. Her touch was heaven. Oh how you missed her.

She slowly pulls out, your slick tugging with her fingers as she sucks her digits dry.

“Umnandi (You’re delicious).”

Your pussy clenches at the sound of her speaking Xhosa as you climb back down from your blissful high. Shuri helps pull your skirt back down, with no attempt to retrieve your panties that have been tossed onto the floor earlier. She grabs you by the throat once more and brings your face closer to hers, a soft moan escaping your lips from the pressure. A twisted smile appears on her face as she brings herself to your ear.

“Be patient with me when I’m working, nkosazana or I swear you’ll be so swollen, you won't be able to walk.”

There’s a pulse in your pussy, and you give her those “innocent” eyes you know drives her mad. “You promise?”

Shuri balls her fist in sexual frustration. She inhales and exhales slowly. “Mhmm.”

She lets go of you, bringing your braids to the front, admiring the way they gently caress your face.

“Umhle kakhulu, sithandwa sam (You’re so beautiful, my love),” she says as she plants a kiss on your forehead before she begins to pack up her work for the night. You watch the way she carefully places her gadgets and tools away, in awe.

“What are you looking at?”

“You. You’re beautiful.”

Shuri smiles at you, giving out a breathless laugh. You exchange goodnight kisses and hugs and you swear you almost don’t let go.

“I’m leaving for a week, not a year. You’ll be fine.”

“I know.”

Shuri reassures that she’ll keep in contact with you when she’s gone the best that she can. You roll your eyes a bit, but take her word for it. You give her one last kiss before you take off. The car ride is silent as you replay Shuri’s touch in your mind over and over again. You swear you can still feel her inside you, a lingering sensation only she gave you. You can’t wait to piss her off again. ❁ཻུ۪۪♡

[mbakuetshurisprincess]

Love for Duty’s Sake Part 5

AN: Hello loves! Wow when I tell y’all I was FIGHTING in the editing room with this fic because I couldn’t tell if I should split this in half or not. I ended up just keeping it as one because I felt bad for ignoring democracy (sorry lyric) and posting Anything But Love P2 before I posted this one. A couple of fun facts about this fic because I literally have nowhere else to put them lmfao. In the convo with Griot, the reason Y/N’s argument works on him is because it follows a valid rule within arguments/logic called Hypothetical Syllogism. Basically, If A leads to B and B leads to C then you can correctly assume that A should also lead to C. Google it if you’re interested! Also, in writing Shuri’s interactions (esp the “in my wife's name” parts) it's like very heavily inspired by the way Dracula talks about Lisa Tepes in the Castlevania show!! 

Holy fuck don’t know how I could ever forget this. As always, any of my fake dating stuff is dedicated to the lovely @pinkwright. This is my writer bae y’all have no idea, L4DS and ABL posts are always made with them in mind. 

Summary: As the only daughter of Genelia, there were things you just had to do, and marrying the Queen of Wakanda was one of those things.

Pairing: Shuri x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Cussing, violence, brief mentions of bad relationships with parents that’s it I think.

Word count: 6,213 (you see why I was thinking about splitting it up now??)

Part 1.  Part 2.  Part 3.  Part 4.  Masterlist.  Taglist.

Suggested listening: Glock Six (Bonus) - 6LACK 

“No need to state the obvi', I be close to your heart I know you looking for real love I got my hand on my Glock, posted on the block I might just let off a shot, at anyone tryin' to kill her”

The feeling of your body sliding off of your wife and onto the hospital pillow below you was the first hint that something was off. You knew Shuri didn’t mean to be so rough with you, even if you hadn’t been injured. She just hopped off of the bed quicker than her mind could remember that you were laying back on her. Only when you grimaced slightly did Shuri think enough to look back at you. 

“Ndicela uxolo sthandwa sam (I’m sorry my love).” She muttered to you softly, scanning your body just long enough to ensure that you weren’t really hurt before turning her attention to Aneka. “When was this posted?” 

“Ten minutes ago.” 

Shuri took a deep inhale, rereading the post. “How did she even know about the shooting to post?” 

The question was impossible for Aneka to answer, knowing something like that wasn’t necessarily in her job description. You, however? You were used to political moves like this. “She knows because the shooting happened in her city Shuri.” 

“What?” Shuri turned to face you.

“I’m just saying, if something goes down in the Golden City, you’re made aware right? The same thing goes for DC. Especially on a day like today, foreign powers come into town. I’m sure she was all over it.” As you spoke, wheels started turning in your head, the scenario surrounding the events of your shooting. Everything was almost too perfect like it had been orchestrated. 

“Listen to what you just said Y/N, I’m notified when something happens in the Golden City, not you. So why would she be the one posting about this instead of the President?” Shuri’s tone was harsher than you would have liked, posing the question to you as if you were a child misunderstanding basic math. 

You sat up in your bed. “Because President Carter isn’t leading the show, Mallory is.” 

“Why would you say that?” 

“Because I know it’s true.” You folded your arms across your chest, starting to get annoyed at Shuri’s refusal to see what was clearly right in front of her. “Do you not trust me?” 

The question was loaded and the Queen’s response came instinctually, “The question is not if I trust you, we are married of course I trust you. But you make it increasingly harder to trust you when you put forth ideas like that.” Shuri mimicked your position, crossing her arms over herself. 

Her response stung and the look on your face made Shuri regret saying it immediately. “I did not mean-” 

You cut Shuri off, not wanting to hear what she had to say. “Nope. You said it. What do I know anyway? Not like I come from a family of politicians who would make this exact same move given the chance.” You turned your attention from where Shuri and Aneka stood back to the tv, effectively disengaging from the conversation. 

Warning signals were going off in Shuri’s head and she knew she fucked up. Taking one more look at the screen she made her way back over to your bed. Kneeling next to you and taking your hand in hers. “I am sorry, sthandwa sam. (my love) I didn't mean to brush off your idea like that.  Your attention still faced forward but the Queen could feel the race in your heart rate when her thumb traced over the lines of your knuckles. 

The silent treatment you were giving Shuri was frustrating her, if she had just slowed down as Okoye said, she would've thought about what she was saying before she said it. “I promise I will make it up to you-”

The buzz of Shuri’s kimoyo beads pulled her attention away from you and her apology. 

Speak of the devil and she shall appear.

It was a message from Okoye letting her know that they had all made it back safely to Wakanda and that Liam Drockers was in the lower-level interrogation rooms. Aneka must’ve gotten a similar message from Ayo because when she made eye contact with Shuri, she gave her a knowing nod as she left the room. 

“I will make this up to you… when I am free again.” The end of the sentence tumbled slowly out of Shuri’s mouth, knowing it was going to garner a reaction from you. 

“What?” Instead of your voice sounding angry like the Queen had expected, it almost sounded more hurt or scared. This new tone pulled at Shuri’s heartstrings. “You’re leaving?” 

While yes, you were literally just ignoring Shuri ten seconds ago, you hadn’t expected her to just up and leave like that. Especially given how physically close you two had spent the last hour, part of you had grown attached to her in a way you never imagined possible. Addicted to the safe feeling that only seemed to come when you were in her arms. 

“I have some council business I have to take care of.” Her rubbing of your hands still hadn’t stopped, tracing every detail of your knuckles. 

You looked at her now, teeth biting at your bottom lip. “What do you have that’s so important?” 

“Just some time-sensitive stuff I need to handle. It should be quick, I don’t imagine it will be long.” Her eyes were averted, so you had no read on what possible clues they could be conveying. Something about this bothered you, normally she was so demanding of your eye contact and now she wasn’t even looking up. But you knew Shuri, whatever this was she wasn’t going to give up easily. You needed something to garner her attention first before you asked her what you needed to know. 

“I think I’m gonna call home.” Shuri’s eyes instantly flashed up to yours.

“Really?”

“I think so, I don’t want my family worrying about me, you know? I don’t want them thinking I’m dead or anything. Now that Mallory has so kindly let the world know about this.” 

Shuri hummed in response, debating asking the question at the forefront of her mind. “I thought- I mean, I didn’t know you had a way of contacting them.” 

This made you feel a little bit guilty since you had made it seem like you’d given Genelia up for good. “It's a direct line to my father's advisor, only for emergency purposes.” Your eyes flickered around her face. “I’ve never used it, I didn’t think I’d have to.” 

Shuri felt assured in hearing this, the slight worry that had slipped into her mind about you secretly planning to leave her dissipated. “Oh, okay.” She savored these last few minutes of her hand tracing yours, knowing that soon those same hands who held yours so delicately would be used in the complete opposite manner. 

“Shuri?” The way you called her name was soft, the same way you had in the restaurant before all of this had happened. It made her feel warm inside, lowering her guard just as you intended. 

Her response once again was just a hum, her eyes studying every detail of your face the way her hands did yours. 

“You wouldn’t lie to me right?” Your question caught her off guard but her rubbing never stopped. 

“Kakade hayi, sithandwa sam. (Of course, not my love)” Her eyes conveyed no sign of lying so you continued. 

“So it’s really council business that's so pressing you have to take care of it right now? Not anything to do with me?” You asked the question confidently, not taking your eyes off Shuri, searching for a tell. Anyone else would have missed it but you didn’t, the brief second when Shuri’s movements faltered. When her hand stopped rubbing yours. 

“Yes.” 

“Yes, what?” 

She stood up now, letting go of your hand. Being at eye level with you was too much right now, it felt too connected given the fact that she was literally lying to your face. “Yes, it’s council business like I told you before. Very time sensitive.” Before you could respond she spoke again. “Aneka!” 

The Dora appeared in the door frame with lightning speed, “Yes, ngangamsha (your majesty)?” 

“Guard Y/N’s side of the ward while I deal with this business, make sure no harm comes to her.” Shuri’s words were confident and her arms now crossed her chest signifying her demeanor change. 

“Shuri, I don't need a babysitter, I’m fine.” You protested. “Plus Aneka has yet to see Ayo, let them see each other.” 

“I am fine, my Queen. Thank you for your kindness but ensuring your safety is more important.” Aneka responded quickly, earning a nod of agreement from Shuri. 

Your wife looked down at her kimoyo beads. “I’ll be back in an hour, mfazi (wife).” Placing a kiss on your forehead, she looked down at you one more time before she left. “No trouble while I’m gone?” 

“I’ll try my hardest.” You replied as she walked out of the room, Aneka behind her taking her spot guarding your room. 

This left you alone with your thoughts and while a million things were running around your mind there were two prominent thoughts. One being, your wife was lying to you. 

You couldn't be a hundred percent sure about exactly what she was lying about but you knew it had something to do with you. While you wanted to snoop around and try and figure it out, the second of the thoughts found its way to the forefront of your mind. Having to call you family. 

Looking around you found your physical phone, the one that Shuri still referred to as ‘primitive technology’. Scrolling until you found the contact you didn’t think you’d ever have to press. Saying a prayer you pressed call and hoped for the best. 

The line rang only one time before the person picked up. “This isn’t some sick joke, you’re really calling me?” 

“Marcos, I told you I’d only call you in an emergency. I wouldn't play a joke like this.” 

You could hear him recite a prayer on the other end of the line. “Everyones worried sick about you Y/N, I mean your parents think you’re…” His voice trailed off and it made your heart hurt thinking about the stress this whole situation inadvertently caused your family. 

“I know, I know, that’s why I called. Can you just tell them that I’m alright? It’s nothing to worry about and I’ll be fine?” 

Marcos contemplated your words, “Y/N, your father will kill me if he finds out I spoke to you without giving him the opportunity.” 

The sound of movement from the other end of the line had you concerned. “Marcos wait, you know I don’t want to speak to them.” It was a useless plea and you knew it. As much as Marcos cared about you like you were his own daughter and wished to protect you as such. At the end of the day, he worked for your father. 

“I’m sorry mon papillon (my butterfly)” The term of endearment did little to quell the feeling of betrayal as Marcos moved to give the phone to your father. 

“Whoever it is Marcos, tell them they will need to call later, I am grieving my daughter.” 

“It is about Y/N, sir.”

Your father looked between his advisor and the phone before picking it up. 

“Yes?” This was the first time you had heard your father's voice in years. It had become too painful to go back and watch old home videos from before Yara’s death so part of you wondered if you’d forgotten what he sounded like. But as soon as his deep voice bellowed through the phone, you remembered. 

“Dad? It’s me.” You were scared to speak the words at first, questioning how he would react. 

“Y/N, is that you? Oh my god! Josiah, get your mother from the chapel, our baby is alive!” The outcry from your father made your heart hurt, had he been that concerned?

“Dad-” You tried to speak but his rambling cut you off. 

“When we saw the news honey we were so worried about you, I thought you had died. But you didn’t! God brought you back!”

“Dad-”

 “He’s bringing you back home to us!” He ended his rejoicing when you finally spoke up. 

“Babba! What are you talking about?” Your pain medication must have been making you delirious and mishear things. 

“What do you mean Y/N, this is a sign! You were almost taken from Genelia, from us. We need to come together and give thanks that you’re still with us.” Your father's words were confusing you, why was he saying that you were taken from them as if they weren't the same ones to send you away? 

“I’m not coming home Dad, I was just calling to let everyone know I was okay-”

“Nonsense!” Your mother spoke now, you weren't aware when she arrived in the room. “You must come home, we miss you. This was a wake-up call, don’t you think?” 

You paused now and took a deep breath. What they were asking was encroaching on a boundary you had set the day you left Genelia. To never come back. “I just, I don’t think it’s a good idea guys.”

It was now your parent's turn to pause while they thought about what they could say to change your mind. But it wasn’t them that spoke, instead it was a different voice. One that clearly held the tonal characteristics of a man but was still slightly squeaky signifying they hadn’t fully finished maturing. 

“So you’re just never gonna come back? Is that it then?” If it wasn’t for your father's words earlier you wouldn’t have even been able to guess who it was. But of course, it was your little shadow who spoke up now. Josiah. 

“Siah-”

“No, you don’t get to call me that anymore. My sister, who loved me and didn’t just get up and abandon her family for a fancy new life in France, called me that. I don’t know who you are.” 

Josiah’s words cut through you like the sharpest blade known to man, cutting deeper than any slick comment from Shuri. Is that really what he thought happened? That you left your family behind to go chase your dreams in a foreign country? 

You didn’t care about your parents, quite frankly fuck them. Any emotional ties you felt towards them had long left you, so saying no to them while it was hard; it didn’t hurt. Saying no to Josiah though? Hearing the disappointment in his voice? He didn’t deserve this. To be caught in the crosshairs of the relationship between you and your parents. 

“Fine!” 

“Fine?” Your mother and father's voice asked in unison. 

“Fine, I will come back to Genelia to visit.” 

“Tomorrow?” Josiah’s voice questioned.

“Tomorrow? Siah I just got shot.” You tried to reason with your brother, and while you didn’t feel any of the effects of the shooting at this exact moment you still didn’t know if traveling so soon would be wise. Plus you still needed to explain this all to Shuri. 

“You’re married to the smartest woman in the world and live in the most technologically advanced country. I’m sure they can figure something out.” Josiah left no room for argument in his sentence. 

“Fine Siah, I will come to Genelia for a few days, flying in tomorrow. Happy?” You didn’t even understand why you were agreeing to this. 

“Not in the slightest, I have no idea who you are anymore. I did that for Mom and Dad.” 

That hurt more than Josiah knew. You tried to tell yourself that he didn’t mean it, but something in you couldn't believe it. 

“Okay well, I’ve got to go. I’ll um talk to Marcos about arrival times and everything.” You needed this phone call done, the gravity of what you had just agreed to started to weigh on you. 

“Parfait! We can’t wait to see you soon Y/N. We love you!” You could hear the smile in your father's voice and felt guilt not only that you didn’t feel the same happiness but that you couldn’t reciprocate his “I love you” truthfully.  

“Yeah I um, I’ll see you guys soon.” With that you ended the call, throwing your head back against the pillow. 

As you sat in silence you digested what had just happened.

1. You called Marcos, just to let him know that you were alive. 

2. You ended up on a phone call with your parents, speaking to them for the first time in years. 

3. After declining to come to Genelia, you were guilt-tripped into returning by your little brother. Not because he wanted to see you but because he knew his parents wanted to.

All of this made your head reel and you longed for the peace and comfort that your wife provided. But she wasn’t here with you, her wife who had just been shot. Instead, she was dealing with council business.

“Griot.” 

“Ah your majesty, I am glad you are in good health again. What can I do for you?” 

You paused wondering if Griot was even able to give you this information. “Where is Shuri right now?” 

“Shuri has programmed me to not disclose her location to anyone unless it is an emergency, I am sorry your majesty.” 

Of course Shuri had done so, always wanting to keep tabs on everyone but not thinking anyone else needed to keep them on her. You wanted to give up before an idea popped into your head. “Griot, Shuri programmed me into your system as a Queen, correct?” 

“Yes your majesty, she has programmed you with the same clearance as she has.” 

Jackpot. 

“And Shuri has access to her location status I would assume?” 

“Yes, your majesty.” 

“Great, so she has access to her location status, and I have the same clearance level as her/  You can give me her location.” Your reasoning was solid, creating a logical path that the AI could follow. 

“Yes, your majesty, that does appear to be correct. One moment please.”Success. “Queen Shuri is in the basement, interrogation room one.” 

“Interrogation room one?” You asked Griot again, you didn’t even know the palace had a single interrogation room, let alone multiple. 

“Yes, the Queen has been in that room since she left you in the hospital wing.” 

So she had been lying to you. 

“Thank you, Griot, that will be all.” 

There was no doubt in your mind that this had something to do with your shooting and that Shuri thought she was doing good by you by keeping you away from all of it. Trying to shield you from more pain. But that wasn’t what you asked for, it was what she decided you needed. 

You touched your abdomen, trying to gauge your pain level. As Josiah had said, you were in the most technologically advanced country so truly your recovery wouldn’t take more than a few days. Right now, you felt good enough to hobble out of bed and make it out of your room. 

Shuri wanted to lie to you? Fine. But you were going to go down to the basement to figure out exactly what she was up to.  

You made it no more than five feet out of your room before a body in front of you haltered your progress. 

“What are you doing out of bed ngangamsha (your majesty)? You should be resting.” Aneka’s concerned look surprised you. While you knew it was her job to protect you, you saw a twinge of genuine concern in her eyes. 

“She lied to me Aneka.” You took a step to the side and then forward so she was no longer in your path. The dull twinge of pain let you know that this might be more difficult than your first few steps had made it appear, nonetheless you were going to make the journey. 

“Intoni? (What?)” 

“Shuri lied to me. She told me she had council business to take care of, but she didn’t. She’s downstairs in the basement right now. So I’m going down there to see what could be so important that she felt the need to lie to me.” You continued your walk towards the elevator pleasantly surprised that Aneka didn’t appear to try and stop you. 

You took a few more steps before suddenly something pressed against the back of both of your knees, causing you to lose your balance. Falling back right into… a chair? Aneka stood above you, her hands on the handle of the wheelchair that she had just gently gotten you into. “I am not condoning you doing this, however, I know I can not stop you.” 

You nodded, grateful to hear that. 

“But,” Of course there was something. “I will not let you rip your stitches hobbling down there.” 

A smile passed across your face and a similar one came to Ankea’s. 

“Plus, I can talk to you while we make our way down there. I should fill you in, it is for the best.” Aneka pushed you forward as she began to explain just who was awaiting you in the basement. 

While you two made your way down, Shuri, Ayo, Okoye, and your assailant were deep into their interrogation session. 

To Shuri’s credit, she tried to be diplomatic about the whole situation. When she first walked into the room and saw Liam Drockers sitting down with Ayo and Okoye on either side of him, she imagined what her brother would say to her. 

“Patience sisi.” He would say. “Regardless of what he has done, he is deserving of a fair questioning, the same as you and me.” 

And she tried to take T’Challa’s advice, asking Liam simple questions at first.

“Are you an employee of Judas’s Ice Cream shop?” 

No response.

“Are you working for the United States government?” 

No response. 

“Were you aware the person you shot was the Queen of Wakanda, Y/N Y/L/N Udaku?”

A small smile creeped up on Liam’s face after she finished speaking, but still, he said nothing. This infuriated her and she was about ready to cast this whole morally right thing to the side and get the information she needed through more direct means. 

But then her mother's voice came into her head. “Do not let him remove you from yourself intomba (daughter).”

The Queen calmed herself, “I asked you a question. Were you aware the person you shot was  Y/N Y/L/N Udaku, the Queen of Wakanda?” 

While Liam's eyes had largely remained on the floor he pulled them up to her now, showing off the bored look they held. “I didn’t miss, did I?” 

Shuri’s heartbeat increased, so he knew what he was doing. This was a planned attack on her wife? He knew who she was and still chose to take the shot?

“You still thinkin’ bout showin this fool mercy?” No. That was the one voice she didn’t want to listen to. 

Okoye saw the look and Shuri’s eyes and when their gaze finally met, a wave of concern washed over her. She was losing Shuri to this. 

Okoye’s suggestion for a break is what brought them outside, Shuri pacing up and down the hallway trying to decide how to move forward. 

“Is it really that hard of a decision little cuz?” 

“Shut up.” She spoke out loud. Ayo looked over to Okoye wondering if they should step in but Okoye shook her head, hoping that whoever Shuri was speaking to would provide the young girl some clarity. 

“I’m just saying what you’re really thinking here. I mean he shot ya wife, you really cool with letting that slide?” 

“I am not ‘letting it slide’, I’m going about it the diplomatic way N’Jadaka. Something I know you know nothing about.”

Erik laughed at that “Aww shit little panther got some bite to her huh? But you’re right I don’t know shit about the diplomatic way, what I do know however is how to get results, quickly. It’s cool though, give this mother fucker the time and respect he didn’t give to your wife. I’m sure that’s smart.” 

His last comment drew Shuri over the edge. Done with the conversation and confident in her decision, she made her way back over to the door where Ayo and Okoye awaited her. She knew the decision she had come to was harsh but the only thing on her mind was ensuring your safety and getting to the bottom of this. 

“If you do not want to stay for the next part of the interrogation, I am not ordering either of you too. This is the time now to back out of this, without any blood on your hands.” She thought for a moment about how literal her figure of speech was about to become. “Ngokunzulu (Seriously).” 

Okoye looked Shuri up and down. It was in moments like these that she no longer saw the young girl she had watched grow up over the past ten years. The youthful glow had faded over and now left Shuri with a hard exterior that seemed to be ever-present. “Are you sure this is what you want to do ikumkani wam (my queen)?” Okoye offered this out to Shuri now, one shot to think clearly about her decision.

“A hundred percent.” Was Shuri’s simple reply. 

That’s how they ended up here, Ayo holding Liam’s cuffed arms behind his back while Shuri issued blow after blow to his abdomen, turning him effectively into a human punching bag. 

“You done with the games now Liam?” A punch landed on his stomach. “Are you ready to say something and give me the information I need to know?” 

The whole ordeal hurt Okoye to watch but she understood why Shuri had shifted to such drastic means, it was only out of necessity. 

Liam gathered his breath as Shuri removed the jacket she’d been wearing, leaving her in a compression shirt. “No words Liam, really?” She cracked her knuckles and delivered two more blows, one after the other. “That’s okay I’m sure soon enough you will.” 

He shifted in Ayo’s arms for a few seconds for spitting the blood that had pooled in his mouth down at Shuris feet, giving her a defiant stare. 

A smirk rose to Shuri’s face as she looked at the few drops of blood that had gotten on her sneakers. “You know Liam, I had been holding back in the name of my wife. I’ll tell you a secret since, quite frankly, the likelihood of you making it out of Wakanda to repeat this is slim to none. I don’t know much about my wife, we do not have the most conventional marriage so the real things I can say I know about her are few and far in between. But what I do know about my lovely Y/N, she hates violence and views it as the very last play in the book. Convinced me not to kill a spider once just because she said it wasn’t necessary.” 

Shuri smiled at the silly memory of you cussing her out at home when she tried to kill a spider instead of releasing it outside. 

“So, in her name, I haven't been using any of my enhanced strength. This,” She points to the purple bruises that had started to form on the skin of his stomach. “It's all me. But, since you want to be disrespectful and spit blood on my shoes, we’re giving all that up.” Quicker than anyone in the room could have seen, Shuri put her hands up and delivered a devastatingly strong blow to his stomach. Providing enough force that even Ayo had to take a step back to steady herself and absorb some of the shock of the blow. 

You watched in horror from the other side of the glass in the interrogation room as Liam doubled over in pain, gasping for air. Aneka and yourself had been in the room just long enough to watch him spit blood on your wife's shoes. 

“Now, we’re going to try this again.” Shuri started with the same line of questions from before. “Are you working for the United States government?” 

Once Liam pulled himself together, he gave the Queen no answer, just continuing his stare of contempt. 

Shuri chuckled, “Again then? Okay.” She let out another punch, Ayo being more prepared this time held Liam’s body tight. 

“She’s gonna kill him Aneka.” You spoke quietly from the wheelchair as you watched the whole ordeal take place. “We can’t let her kill him, that’s not her.” 

Aneka nodded, “But there is nothing we can do right now my Queen. Ayo and Okoye are in there with her, they will not let it go too far.” 

“I need to get in there.” Shuri wasn’t going to listen to Ayo or Okoye, you didn’t even know if she was going to listen to you. But as far as you were concerned this had already gone far enough. You started moving your wheelchair towards the door but Aneka stopped you. 

“Your majesty I cannot let you in there, bringing you down here was a breach of protocol enough. To have you in there would just be a blatant disregard for the Queen’s wishes.” Aneka declared. 

Both of your attention was brought back to Shuri and Liam when she hit him in the same spot again, leading him to cough up more blood. 

“You go in there and bring my wife out to me or I go in there and bring her out myself. Two choices, you pick.” You folded your arms like a child, waiting for Aneka’s response. 

She looked into the interrogation room and back to you. “Bast you two are perfect for each other. Stubborn just alike.” 

With that she left you, walking out and knocking before entering the other room. 

“ikumkani wam,” She interjected, pulling Shuri’s attention from the man and onto the Dora. 

“What is it Aneka, I am busy.” Shuri looked at her impatiently. 

“uY/n ulapha kwaye angathanda ukuthetha nawe (Y/N is here and would like to talk to you).” Aneka switched to their mother tongue so Liam couldn’t understand what they were saying. 

Shuri’s face faltered for a second. You were here? How long had you been watching? How much had you seen? “I am in the middle of an inter-” 

The sound of you banging on the wall to indicate you didn’t care what she was doing cut Shuri off. She looked at Liam before speaking to Ayo and Okoye. “Put him down, I will be back shortly.” In a second Shuri was out of the room and opening the door to the other side of the interrogation room, meeting your icy gaze. 

“What are you doing out of bed sithandwa sam (my love)?” Shuri’s concern was real, raking her eyes over your body. 

“You lied to me.” You weren't wasting time tip-toeing around the subject, 

“I was protecting you.” Shuri’s justification came quickly, as she took a step closer to you. The light illuminated her face better now and you were able to see the small spots of blood that had splattered on her face. 

Against your better judgment, you called her closer to you “Come here.” She obliged kneeling so you two were at eye level, mimicking the position you two had been in this morning. You reached to hold her face in your hand, wiping the small dots of blood away with your thumb. “You lied to me,” You said again looking into her eyes. 

“I was trying to-” Shuri tried again to explain this to you but you cut her off with a gentle tap to her lips with your free hand. 

“I know you were trying to protect me Shuri, but I am your wife. You can’t lie to me.” The look in your eyes conveyed the seriousness of your comments. 

The excuses started to form in Shuri’s mouth but she stopped them. “I- I know and I’m sorry. I should have told you what I was doing.” She let her head rest in your hand and averted her eyes down, fiddling with the material from your hospital gown. 

“Yes, you should have.” While your words were harsh, the tone and way you caressed her face let her know you weren't really mad with her. 

“Let me make this right umfazi (wife).” Shuri declared sitting up so she looked you in the eyes once again. “The man, his name is Liam Drockers he-” 

“I already know Shuri.” You smiled at your wife who looked at you cluelessly. “Aneka filled me in on our way down here, I know everything. I want to speak with him.” 

Shuri pulled out of your grasp now, appalled you would even ask something like that. “Absolutely not Y/N, there is no logical reason to risk your life by putting you in there with him.”

“First there is no risk to my life, not only is he handcuffed but Ayo and Okoye will be in there with us. Second Shuri, you owe me. This has everything to do with me and you tried to keep it from me, I deserve at least one chance to speak with him. Alone.” You were confident in your rebuttal, Shuri tried to find a counterargument for every point you made but she couldn't. 

“Five minutes with Okoye, Ayo, and Aneka inside with you.” Shuri brought her demands to the table and you thought about it for a second. Was she seriously that worried for your safety that she thought you needed three Dora’s in there with you and a restrained and beaten man? 

“Deal.” 

With that Shuri wheeled you out of the viewing area and to the interrogation room. Aneka held the door open and your wife pushed you through the entryway, stopping at the frame per your request. 

“Oh yeah and pack a bag, we’re going to Genelia tomorrow.” You shut the door leaving your very confused wife on the other side. You two were going where? 

In front of you sat a very bruised Liam Drockers, Ayo, and Okoye on his sides You always found it so funny how no matter how big or bad someone seemed, at the end of the day they were made of flesh and bones just like you. 

Wheeling up to the table you sat and stared at your attacker for a moment. Trying to search for something you were never going to find, a reason or justification. 

“Alright, Liam I’m going to make this very easy for you.” You interlaced your fingers and let them sit on the table, this is where you shined. “In the other room, my wife is waiting with bated breath for me to tell her it's okay to come in here and continue to beat the living shit out of you. Now me personally, as you heard before, I’m not a fan of violence. I think it's an unnecessary evil of the world, something we really can function without.” You paused letting out a chuckle. “Not that I think that you believe the same,” You gestured down to your stomach. “You clearly favor my wife when it comes to that way of thinking.” 

Liam's eyes moved all over you, attempting to size you up as a threat. 

“So, now that you know that much about me, let me tell you how this is going to work. Either A. we can make this super simple, you answer every question I have and agree to the plan we have in place. Or, I call my wife back in here and she beats you to a pulp.” 

A wheezing breath came from your attacker and you couldn’t help but notice how weak he looked now, the beating from Shuri having done a good chunk of damage. “I’m not sayin shit, I know my rights.”

You smiled at this, leaning closer to him. “Your rights? You think your rights will protect you here?” The look on Liam’s face changed for a split second, his facade slipping. “You’re in the basement interrogation room of the most technologically advanced country in the world because you shot one of their Queens. You were flown in on a top-secret jet, there's no record of you ever even being in Wakanda. Nobody knows you’re here.” 

“That’s- that’s not true.” Liam stammered out. “There are people out there who know who I am, who are looking for me.” 

This got the heartiest laugh from you yet. “Mallory? Really? You think she’d save you?” The idea he was pushing was almost comical. “You were a gun for hire, you served your purpose and now there's nothing left for you to do, you were disposable from the beginning. Do you seriously believe she’d risk a national incident to save one measly hit man?” 

The truthfulness of your words hit Liam like a ton of bricks, there was no getting out of this. 

“So,” You began. “I’ll ask the question my wife has been trying to ask. What the fuck was your mission and who do you report to.” 

Liam shifted in his chair, looking around the room as he assessed his situation. “It all started with Mallory.” 

Taglist:  @shuriszn @sokkasbae25 @verachii @cuddl3s4shur1 @takeyaki @jinnie10101 @letitias-fav @sweetalittleselfish-honey @beautybyfire @6-noir @mocha-aya @yvxmpire @mysticalmarss @ziayamikaelson @youralphawolf72 @n7cje @inmyheadimobsessed @shurisjournal @shurisbigtoe @saintwrld @pinkwright @chatitajens @playhousedistee @motheroffae @injeolmiee @tchhairbandhere @._mrqs @msudaku @lppriceisright @bratydoll @blackqueengold @iheartsolo @cafehyunji @abenomeiiii @naomis-daydream @ilroachsworld @locoforshuri @nrc-06

[siqueth]

𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙊𝙣𝙚: 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙩𝙬𝙤

𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨: Shuri and m’bali have been best friends since they were babies. They did everything together, and no matter what circumstance, they always had each other's backs. One day changed everything for both of them.

𝗔𝗡: Hi! I'm Jhia just wanted to introduce myself, I'm from Wattpad and decided to bring my stories here. Currently, I write for Shuri and Scotty. If you all have any ideas or pointers feel free to let me know! And I'm always open to new friends so don't be afraid to talk to me

𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑷𝑻𝑬𝑹 𝑶𝑵𝑬: 𝑳𝑶𝑶𝑺𝑬 𝑬𝑵𝑫𝑺

Sounds of shattering glass and loud haunting footsteps filled the atmosphere. Four siblings huddled together in a guest bathroom, sitting quietly as the torment continued downstairs.

“We have to help her,” M’Bali whispered to her older brother taka, who shook his head and stood near the door.

“She said to stay down,” he said bluntly, eyeing the twins over in the corner, hugging each other for comfort.

M’bali was growing impatient. She couldn't help but pace around as the noises downstairs grew louder. Faintly they could hear a creak coming from the tub where Bali was. She'd punched a hole into the tile wall behind her, eyes glowing a golden hue.

Taka stared at his sister, mouthing the words ‘calm down’ only making her roll her eyes and step away from the area. That's when they heard her.

“I don't have anything for you.” their mother pleaded with whoever was downstairs. Another shattering sound followed her words. Something was thrown, something heavy.

“Where is she, Saa’vani?” suddenly, they heard a woman's voice. Her voice was cold and demanding. Suddenly, all the other noises stopped.

“She isn't here, Valentina. I've told you this.”

“So I'm supposed to believe you don't have your superhuman daughter just wandering around? Do you think I'm an idiot?”

“I don't know what you're talking about.”

It was quiet for a while before anyone spoke again.

“I've allowed you to return to Wakanda or surrender her to us. Instead, you continue to play in my face—your times up, saa’vani.”

“Valentina, have I not been your most valuable scientist? Let my baby go. I've done everything-”

“Everything but surrender her.”

Then there was silence, but this time it was heavy.

“Ndiyathandaza ukuba ufumane uxolo.”

Was what was last heard from their mother before a loud pop erupted, followed by a thud.

“Let's go.”

The footsteps were retreating, and the sound of trucks revving up outside masked the sounds of the crying heard in the bathroom. Taka kept a straight face. Instead, he balled up his fist and pulled open the door, slowly stepping out.

“amawele ayojonga macala onke aqinisekise ukuba akukho mahluko.” he commanded, watching the twins scurry out to check around the house.

M’bali didn't wait for an order. She walked out of the bathroom into the hall to find her mother's office. There was broken glass everywhere. They had trashed their home entirely. Once she reached the door, she touched the cold knob yanking gently, realizing it was still locked, how her mother would have it when she worked. Taking one step back, Bali kicked the door, making it fly across the cold dark room.

“Mommy.” Bali cried, holding her mother close, her clothes slowly drenched in her blood.

“Mommy.” Bali cried, holding her mother close, her clothes slowly drenched in her blood.

The twins noticed lights outside and tugged their brother.

“We have to keep moving, sister.” taka said coldly, reaching down to pull Bali away.

“They’re watching for us. Mom told us what to do. Now we have to do it.”

One of the twins, Asha, finally spoke. “Mommy is with the ancestors now. There is nothing more we can do but run.”

Once the lights disappeared, they ran for it, looking for the keys to the spare car they had hidden in the woods. Once they had found them, they knew exactly where to go.

{5 years prior}

“Shuri, come on! Get out of that damn lab and make your way to the field.” Bali called out to her best friend, taunting her as she worked on a project for her brother.

“You are so annoying.” Shuri laughed, turning away from her work with a big smile plastered across her face. “I'm not sparring with you, Bali. I have to finish my brother's updates.”

“You're always working.” Bali pouted, standing in front of the taller girl.

“You miss me, huh?”

“Like hell. All you do now is work. I know you're excited about t’challa being back but do not forget your best friend, princess.”

Shuri bit her lip and shook her head. “15 minutes, Bali, then we both need to get back to work.”

The two ran out of the lab past the Dora guarding the door, they could hear them yelling for them, but their laughter was all they got in return. Once they made it to the fields, Bali climbed up in a tree.

“Down Bali! You are not about to attack me from up top.” Shuri chuckled, holding open her arms, and Bali flew down into them, causing them both to crash into the ground in a fit of laughter.

“Did I hurt you?”

“Nah. You're much stronger, though.”

Standing up and grabbing their weapons, the two eyed each other.

“You ready for this ass whooping princess?” with the tap of her beads, a white suit covered Bali’s body, the fur around her neck fluffed out.

“Was the fur necessary?” Bali grumbled, making shuri laugh.

“Yes, you are Jabari, and your father requested you had fur.”

“You listen to my father?”

“Only to an extent.” Shuri got into position. “Did you come to talk or fight?”

“Both.” Bali charged at Shuri and swiped her down to the ground holding the spear to her neck. “Your kinda cute down there.”

The two had gone at it for hours. What was supposed to be fifteen minutes went on until midnight, nothing but fighting and fooling around.

While walking into the palace, Shuri noticed members of the Jabari tribe entering the doors.

“Why are they here?” she spoke quietly. Bali checked her phone to see missed calls from her mother. They walked in and saw a scene.

“I've had enough, Ramonda! She is no threat to Wakanda or your precious t’challa,” saa’vani yelled, holding the hands of her twin girls. “M’baku, you stand there stiff. This is your child too! Do you not care?”

“I do care! All they are saying is there is no use for two-”

“The use of the herb on Bali was illegal, saa’vani.” Ramonda finally spoke. Once she noticed the two teens standing near, she froze.

Saa’vani followed her eyes and turned back. “I did what I did to save my child. Something your people failed to do, and now you're upset she's stronger than your own.” she gave the twins to their brother taka, who led them to a ship, then reached for Bali taking her slender arms into her grip. “Come, M’Bali. We are leaving, taka strap the twins in!”

“Where are we going, momma?” Bali asked, looking back at Shuri, who was held back by her mother.

“Mother, mother, where is she taking her?” Shuri asked, pulling out to her best friend but with no luck.

“Saa’vani, you can not take my children!” m’baku yelled

Saa’vani stayed quiet, pushing her children onto the aircraft and staring at her husband as the doors closed.

Bali ran to the window slapping her hand against it with tears in her eyes. Shuri was finally allowed to break free and ran to the ship, but by the time she'd gotten close, it had taken off.

{present day}

Shuri shot up in her bed, breathing heavily, remembering every moment of the dream she'd just had. Reaching her nightstand, she picked up a picture of her and Bali hugging under a tree, and on the frame, the words ‘abahlobo abagqibelele ngonaphakade’ were carved into it.

“Panther.”

“Yes, griot?”

“King M’baku would like to see you.”

Translations:

Ndiyathandaza ukuba ufumane uxolo: I pray yoy find peace

amawele ayojonga macala onke aqinisekise ukuba akukho mahluko: twins go check the house make sure there are no stragglers

[skylarstark4826]

one .

Shuri swears it was Namor who started it first. They were talking about new ideas and improvements to be made to advance their nation's technologies and they somehow came to a disagreement. 

Of course they did. Shuri was the one in charge of Wakanda's technological advancement from the smallest thing like the kimoyo beads used as communication devices to very huge and important things like the vibranium transporters, the shields surrounding Wakanda and the Wakanda ships that could fly ten times faster than any outside world's ship which was design BY HER. 

While Namor, the God-King of Talokan had created Talokan from nothing to a whole vibranium-functioning underwater capital city with a fucking-awesome-vibranium sun for his people in which he built in the deep sea that Shuri doesn’t even know how many thousand meters below the oceans and how near it is to the earth's surface.

So yeah. They both think their countries' technology is far more superior than the other. And this is where the argument starts.

"Yeah, your kingdom has better technology and yet the Americans still detected your vibranium with a machine that was BUILT by a 19-year-old girl!" Shuri raises her voice just a little—bit while arguing with Namor.

"Yeah, your country has better technology and yet surface dwellers managed to infiltrate your centers and land an attack on it." Namor huffs out, trying to reason with her too.

"We did it on purpose! So we could warn them not to come at us! And it was you people who worsened the situation! We already had everything under control!" Shuri tried to reason with him again.

"Jay, ta meentaj?" Oh, you did? Namor says mockingly, unknowingly in anger that he had switched back to his mother tongue and was talking in Yucatec Maya. 

"Il le ma'alo'obtal yéetel le vibranio ku intentaste Je'e yóok'ol kaab yéetel ba'ax k ts'o'ok u taasik! Wakanda yéetel Talokan."

-Look at the technology and vibranium you tried to open to the world and what it has brought to us! To Wakanda and to Talokan.- Namor continues in his mother tongue and not letting Shuri to intercept.

Shuri watches him talk in disbelief. Did this man just switch languages to argue with her? Oh Bast I'm gonna make him regret it until he doesn't want to see the sun again.

Shuri doesn't have a clue what he has just said but she starts talking in her mother tongue, Xhosa and takes back control. Rapidly. Her brain started working so fast and Shuri never thought she was so fluent in Xhosa in the first place, she usually speaks English with almost everyone. But it takes over her like a walk in the park.

"Yazi yintoni na genius? Ngenxa yakho abantu bagqiba kwelokuba bahlasele bachithe inqanawa eyafumana ivibranium yakho yabangela ukuba ilizwe lisole Wakanda! Sibeke ityala ngawe awuzange uthi uxolo kwasekuqaleni. indawo!"

-You know what, genius? Because of you people decided to attack and wreck over the ship that found your vibranium and caused the world to blame it on Wakanda! We took the blame for you and you didn't even say sorry in the first place! - Shuri spats back at Namor, feeling furious and frustrated.

Namor stuns and blinks. His face was the same one that Shuri had made moments ago after he switched to his mother tongue and did not know what he had just said. Realizing his mistake, he tried to apologize, "Princess, I'm sor—" Namor was cut off rapidly.

"Yhoo hayi awundiva PRINCESS! Ewe savula iWakanda emhlabeni kuba sifuna ukunceda abantu! Baninzi abantu abanje ngam, abafana nawe, abafana nathi! Kwaye bafuna uncedo! Besingasakwazi ukulifulathela ilizwe langaphandle, ngakumbi hayi emva kweThanos! Ndiyazi ukuba sibeke iWakanda neTalokan emngciphekweni, yiloo nto silapha ukulungisa izinto! Ukuqinisa ubuchwephesha bethu nokukhusela abantu bethu kunye!"

-Oh no you don't and don’t PRINCESS me! Yes we opened Wakanda to the world because we wanted to help people! There are many people out there who are like me, like you, like us! And they need help! We couldn't turn our backs on the outside world anymore, especially not after Thanos! I know we have put Wakanda and Talokan in danger, that's why we are here to set things right! To strengthen our technologies and protect our people together!- Shuri poured all her heart out for the first time, remembering Baba, Mama and T'Challa. 

The decision Brother made to change things, to amend the mistakes once made because he knew Wakanda was capable of it. And Shuri believed in him. Shuri never voiced it out loud to anyone, it must have been her mother language that brought her back and closer to her family.

Namor looks at the tears starting to form in her eyes and feels his heart just shattered into a thousand pieces. 

"Get out of my lab, get out from my sig—" Shuri choked up while pointing at the entrance.

"Shuri— I'm sorry—, I didn't mean that, Ka wu'uyik, in yaakunaj, I didn't mean to argue with you like that. I'm sorry Shuri— please don't cry, you are breaking my heart, In yakunnaj." Namor closes in and hugs her tightly, Shuri tries to push him away but couldn't after talking for so long without taking a breath.

She settled in his arms and calmed down. Feeling his heartbeat racing, his beard scratching along her temple ticklishly while he plants kisses on her forehead, soothing and apologizing to her. Shuri melts into him.

I'm sorry, my love . He says in his mother tongue repeatedly.

These are the only words that Shuri understands in his mother language.

And she knows he meant it.

For being sorry and loving her.

Despite all her flaws and scars.

Ultimately, they both agree that Wakanda has the best technology on land and Talokan has the best technology under the sea. So when the both of them come together, they will be a formidable force to reckon with and no country will dare to touch them.

two .

It was lunch time. And Namor always bugs Shuri during lunch time. How caring and annoying at the same time.

"Princess, it's lunch time." Namor walks in and finds Shuri tinkering on something.

"Hhm." It means yes from Shuri and Namor walking towards her and stretching his hand to her. To let her hold.

Shuri, who was so focused on her invention and didn't see his hand. Visibly ignoring him. "Shuri—" Namor tries a second time.

"Yeah, yeah I heard you, I'm coming," Shuri replied in complete sentences finally, but her feet were still glued to the spot. Having no intention of leaving anytime.

Namor huffs out with amusement. Shuri always likes this when she's on a project. Staying in the lab all day and forgetting to eat anything. How did she come through all these years? Is this why she's so tiny and skinny? Did her family always drag her out or did they coax her to eat? Namor wouldn't know. But he will take care of her right now. 

"You've been here since morning. Let's go and get some food at least. Then we will come back to your project, I promise." Namor tried to coax her out of the lab, for the hundredth-ish time he thinks, he lost count at 500 something.

Finally, Namor's words got into her brain, and she replied, "Noooo, I'm still working on something, you go along first if you're hungry, I'll just eat some—" Shuri proceeded to pull out something from her pile of tools…

An energy bar.

Namor looks at it.

Shuri almost laughs at his dumbfounded face but she manages to turn it down. "This will do. Now run along and let me finish thi—" Namor doesn't let her finish her talking while snatching her energy bar away and trying to throw it out of the window.

"HEY—" Shuri tried to snatch it back.

"This THING is not food!" Namor huffs out in disbelief.

Here we go again. Knowing she couldn't reason with him, Shuri started speaking in Xhosa. So he thinks she is angry and will give her back her energy bar.

It didn't work out.

"Yintoni? Oku kokona kutya kwakha kwayilwa, kukunika amandla okutya okukhawulezayo kwaye zonke izondlo zicinezelwe kule bhari encinci kwaye iyasebenza, ndiyidle ngokuphindaphindiweyo! Buyisela, K'uk'ulkan." 

-What? This is the best food ever invented, it supplies you with quick food energy and all nutrients are suppressed into this one tiny bar and it works, I ate it many times already! Give it back, K'uk'ulkan.- Shuri tip toes and tried to reach his outstretched hand but he was taller than her.

"GRIOT, translate!" Namor tells her AI, and it translates what Shuri has just said.

Namor still doesn't fully trust this surface dwellers-invented food and tries to retort, he slips into Yucatec Maya in an instant. 

"Ma', ma' tu le, Chuup u hechos tumen le máako' ka ma' uts utia'al a toj…" 

-No it's not, it's full of manmade and not good for your health… .- He tries to reason with her, still holding that poor energy bar high.

"GRIOT, translate!" Shuri yells.

She listens and huffs, saying, "Ewe utsho kumfo ohlala phantsi kolwandle kwaye uhlala etya ukhula lwaselwandle kunye neentlanzi!"

-Yeah says from the guy who lives under the sea and only ever eats seaweeds and fishes!- GRIOT continues to translate what Shuri says.

"Ma', echar in. Teech a yaax yaantal u yu'uk'ik k'aas últimamente tuméen Ma'atech a jantik a janal tu k'iinili'. Ma' uts utia'al a toj óolal yéetel a jach pálido" 

-No, you listen to me. You've been feeling unwell lately because you never eat your meals on time. It's not good for your health and you are very pale.- Namor reaches for her hand and tries dragging her out of the lab. 

Knowing she doesn't understand a thing he said, he was gonna call GRIOT to—

"NO GRIOT, do not translate! I don't wanna know a word he said just now. And don't translate for him! Who are you working for!" Shuri breaks free from his grasp and goes back to her working table while speaking Xhosa to her AI.

"Yes Panther. Restricted from receiving commands from Serpent." GRIOT replied and was silenced.

"Táan a siendo infantil yéetel ma' a a kanantik ta wéet". -You are being childish and not giving any care to yourself.- Okay, Namor sounds angry now and she doesn't dare to turn back, nope she doesn't want to face the wrath of a god a.k.a her lover now.

"A wojel wáaj ba'ax. Beetik teech ka kíimil wi'ij, estúpida ko'olelo'". -You know what? Suit yourself and just starve yourself to death, you stupid woman.- Namor practically stomps out from the lab, taking along Shuri’s last energy bar. 

Great.

Shuri was pretty sure he just scolded her even though she didn’t know what he said.

And she probably starves today. Shuri shrugs, no big deal. She can live without food for a day or two.

So not going to eat with this stupid man tonight. Nuh-uh, not a chance.

She continued working and finished the project by late evening.

By the time she organizes everything back neatly and tries to stand up, her head is spinning.

"Princess, low blood pressure and sugar detected," GRIOT announced.

"Yeah, yeah I know—" she waves at it and tries to retreat to her room, rubbing her eyes and trying to take one step. She stumbles and tries to steady herself by leaning on a table beside her.

Oh Bast karma came too soon, Shuri chuckles to herself.

Continuing to shut her eyes to suppress the ringing and dizziness in her head, she super slowly walks towards the entrance while holding onto the objects surrounding her. 

The ringing and dizziness in her head prevent her from hearing someone walk into the lab.

Walking right towards her.

And pulling her straight into his arms.

She knows it's him .

He smells of the ocean and something salty.

And home. 

She leans into him and doesn't give a care to the world, hugging his neck tightly.

"Told you." His voice rings through the dizziness, she hates it when he's right.

But she doesn't care, she ducks her head deep into his neck and tries to suppress the pounding pain in her head.

He sighs, he knows it and thanks Bast he came back just in time. Namor lifts her up to a table or something.

And shuffles through the stuff he brought back and took along the way of coming back to the lab. He grabs a packet drink, pokes the straw into it and then reaches for her lips.

He shakes her gently, Shuri turns her face facing him, "...huh…?" He puts the straw in her mouth and says, "Yuk'ik." Drink .

She follows whatever he says now.

And Shuri started drinking slowly, at one point, she fell asleep? She thinks. 

"Yuk'ik." Namor talks in his mother tongue. Shuri continues, and slightly coming back to her senses, she takes over the packet he's holding for her and grabs it with both hands.

She looked so young at that moment.

Waiting for her to finish and she passed it back to him. And finally, opening her eyes.

Shuri looks at him and sees his worry and love in his eyes. She smiled weakly at him and murmured sorry in Xhosa while she breathed out.

"Láayli' a atreves in che'ej, wáaj juntéen. Janal a le ba'ala', chan". -Still dare to laugh huh? Eat this you little one. - Namor puts a bowl in her hand, not knowing what he said, she tilted her head at him.

"Stop doing THAT and EAT." Namor can't stand this woman anymore. He nudges the bowl towards her.

Shuri looks down at the bowl, what's this? …porridge?? But in green??? It's still steaming hot, it warms her hands… and her heart. 

She looks forward and backward between the porridge? And Namor. He nods at her telling her to eat. Shuri pushes the bowl back to his hands.

"—What?" Namor was so confused but she was beaming at him weakly, looking at him and the bowl expectantly.

Okay, he got it. "You could have just asked, Shuri." Shaking his head in amusement, he grabs the spoon and feeds her.

The bowl of green porridge was gone in half and she was full already. Shuri gently pushed his hand away and shook her head lightly, it tasted pretty good besides the colour. Namor sets down the bowl on their side. 

"Are you sure you are not hungry anymore? You only ate half of—" Shuri silenced him with a kiss.

She tastes of the porridge he made for her and just her, she's driving him crazy from feeling very worried to very in love in just mere moments in between.

He tastes of the porridge she ate just now, and the salty taste of the ocean as always and something even saltier and a bit sweet? What did this man do while he was away?

Namor breaks from the kiss to let Shuri catch her breath. He takes her hand from his chest and brings it up to his lips and gently kisses it. He does the same for the other hand. 

She giggles at the sensation and feels loved. Shuri was pretty sure he was not angry at her anymore.

Namor sets her hand back in her lap and grabs something from behind and puts it in her palm. She looked down and saw a—

What is this???

Feeling confused, she looked back at him with her baby doe eyes and tilted her head.

Namor looks at her and leans in to kiss her this time.

"Um.." Shuri melts into him.

Namor leans back and Shuri pouts, their lips barely scratching together and Shuri tries to lean in and kiss him again, he throws his head back playfully, not letting her. He smiles on her lips and whispers, "I have something for you…" he taps on the thing he put in her hands just now.

Still confused, she asked, "What is it?" and Namor reached from behind again and put another thing in her hand.

It's her energy bar. 

Now side by side with the green-blue-yellowish rectangular long bar—wait—is this–?

She holds it up and looks closely.

Is this an underwater version of an energy food bar?

Shuri looks dumbfounded, and Namor can't help but grin from ear to ear. Satisfied at her reaction.

Shuri holds the bar to her mouth and looks at him. Are you sure this thing can eat? She waves the bar, silently asking him. Namor nods firmly.

Okay, let's give it a try then, Shuri shrugs and bites onto it.

It tastes—salty? And a bit sweet. Quite like her original energy bar, but with seaweed flavours, hmmm, interesting and being impressed by it.

Shuri eats on it, and Namor continues to watch her silently. She remembers him finally and lets him have a bite too…

He obeyed and took a bite of it, he put too much salt, he admitted to himself.

Shuri remembered her own energy bar and took a bite. The difference in the taste was contrast. She nudges him to have a bite of this too.

He obeyed and took a bite of it.

"It's too sweet…" Namor replies while frowning.

"And this is too salty…" Shuri shrugs and thinks of an idea.

She took a bite from each and crunched it together.

Her eyes light up, it tastes just perfect.

She nudged him to do the same, and he obeyed.

"It's not that bad huh…" agreeing with her.

They both shared and finished two bars in no time.

And something hits Shuri.

The taste in his mouth was salty and sweet.

"...Did you make these?" Shuri asked him.

Namor's eyes glint with mischief and shake his head.

"What—No?…I definitely taste it from your mou—" Namor silenced her with a kiss.

"Hhmmm…" They moaned into each other, tasting sweet and salty.

Namor doesn't answer her.

But Shuri knows.

three .

Heavy and catchy rhythms are banging and surrounding the lab. Shuri's favourite song, Wololo on the play.

And suddenly it's switched off.

Shuri looks up and sees Namor.

"I'm going to be deaf if I keep listening to that song over and over again." Namor is trying to switch to another calmer and quieter song.

He doesn't understand the idea of surface dwellers banging songs while they are working on something or while being alone.

Shuri scrunches her nose at him, "Hey…my lab," she points to herself, "My rules." At the same time, switching back the speaker on and putting on another louder song.

Namor grunts, doesn't want to argue with her but can't help it. The song rings in his head causing a bit of nausea and his eardrums slightly pain from it.

"Actuando bey juntúul chan xi'ipal…" -Acting like a child…- he murmurs in his mother tongue while walking through the lab to the other side.

The music dies down instantly.

"What did you just say?" Shuri shouts from the other side of the lab.

Namor repeats himself, "Kin wa'alik u a actuando bey juntúul chan xi'ipal" -I say you are acting like a child- , while pointing at Shuri.

Shuri doesn't know what he said. And GRIOT is translating it for her and she's slightly angry about it. Not even Baba, Mama or Brother bothered to control or lecture her about the do's and don'ts in the lab. The lab was totally her space, her safe haven and her getaway from everything. 

"Kwaye uphosa umsindo njengomntwana ngoku," - And you are throwing a tantrum like a child now-, Shuri argues back with Namor. GRIOT translated it for Namor.

For the first time in centuries, someone says Namor throws tantrums…like a child???

"...that makes the two of us." Namor fires back. Gathering his brushes on the lab table and trying to draw something to calm his pounding nerves down from the music still ringing in his mind.

!!!—Shuri never thought he would admit it, and even pulled her together down the waters. She stands up and accidentally bumps into a bunch of paints.

His jar of paints. 

After they were together, they both invaded each other's personal space.

Like now, his jar of paints was littered everywhere in her lab. Some he brought from Talokan and some were found by Shuri personally when he complained he didn't get the colours right.

Shuri wasn't thinking straight and the words just came out of her mouth, "Kwaye Ubeka iipeyinti zakho KUYO yonke indawo kwi-LAB YAM!"   

-And YOU put your paints EVERYWHERE IN MY LAB! - She speaks in Xhosa and she realized it's their thing lately whenever they want to argue with each other. 

And Shuri just wants to argue with him NOW.

Namor looks up at her from his painting, looking confused by her outburst. 

"GRIOT, translate just that for him!"

"Yes, Princess." GRIOT, her AI previously restricted from translating for Namor, starts translating what Shuri said back in Yucatec Maya.

Namor listens and scoffs at it, it was ridiculous. He resumed his painting and calmly replied.

"Ka ts'aik tuláakal a nu'ukulo'ob, planos yéetel prototipos ti' in naja' ku…" 

-And you put all your tools, blueprints and prototypes in my room…- Namor says in Yucatec Maya while pointing at the stuff while he mentions it respectively.

Shuri gets it somehow. She's a genius, after all. Feeling unbelievable and couldn't think of a thing to refute, she stomps out of her own lab.

Told you you act like a child, Namor thinks, feeling amused and ridiculous at her behaviour. 

Namor waited for her, knowing it was not gentleman or kingly to act like that. He wants to make up for his attitude so she doesn't ignore him for the next few days. Looking back at his painting, he continues to finish it before she returns.

Shuri didn't come back to the lab until nighttime.

Namor sighs and sets the painting at her main working table. Hope it was the first thing Shuri saw in the morning and cooled her down. 

He organized his used jar of paints neatly on his table. Yes, Shuri had prepared a table for him to put his stuff on when he's here. But still, his paints were scattered everywhere in the lab, very much like the situation in his room at the cave.

He ensured everything was in place and left the lab. He went back to Talokan that night.

Shuri gets the notification that he had left and returned home. She continued to toss and turn on her bed. Ha, didn't think I wouldn't go back to you, silly man. She makes him wait. He deserved it after saying she was acting like a child.

Hmph! Then I shall act like one! Serves him right.

Feeling childish at herself, she tries to get some sleep after thinking of how to retort his statement the whole day after leaving the lab.

She didn't think of one.

It was a low blow to say that actually, Shuri shrugs. Of course his things are scattered everywhere in her lab, and she does the same to his room. They were very comfortable in each other's space. And allowing each other to leave things behind in their spaces? That means a lot.

And she feels safe and comfort whenever she's in his space. She thinks it was the same for Namor in her lab. To be around her, to be in her surroundings or places she often stays. It brings calm and a sense of security to it. That Shuri allows him to stay in her place, in her home and in her heart.  

Same goes the other way around. And Shuri feels bad about how she reacted today and left him alone in the lab. The more she thinks about it, the more uneasy she feels.

Namor left so late, he must have been waiting for her. But she didn't go back to the lab purposely. Her uneasiness grows and she escapes to her safe haven.

And she sees it when the lighting of the lab lights up.

His painting. 

Right on top of her table.

It was her. 

Listening to the music peacefully.

Oh Bast this man really gets on her nerves,

And tugs at Shuri's heartstrings every time he does something for her.

How can I make up to him? was what Shuri thought for the whole night.

She recalled their conversation. It all starts with the music and…

"I'm going to be deaf if I keep listening to that song over and over again."  

He said this…why? Is there something wrong?

Namor doesn't really have a problem with her banging pop music in her lab from the start at all.

Why did he say this? Shuri scratched her head off thinking about it.

She googles it.

And something comes up to her mind and she tries to type…

Does music scare fish away? 

She found her answer and started to work on something all night.

After she had finished, feeling satisfied with it, she retreated to her room and awaited his arrival tomorrow.

Namor comes into the lab in the afternoon as always, it was their routine. A week at Shuri's place and the following week at Namor's place. And he usually finds her in the lab. 

Shuri was already there, banging loudly on her music. Namor comes prepared.

With more jars of paints, just in case she's still angry at him. 

He steals glances at her from time to time, wondering if she saw his painting. 

And he sees it.

The painting was being placed on a stand with a bunch of her stuff surrounding it, standing out proudly. Namor warms at the sight. Looks like it worked.  

Namor decided to approach her later and come up with something to talk with, maybe coming to his place tonight?

He sets his things down and thinks about what he could paint today. Of Shuri . Of course. She made a home at his heart and planned to live there forever . 

Namor was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't notice Shuri approaching him.

Shuri was a bit anxious, will he be okay with it? Will he like it? Will he be comfortable with it? Will it ease some of his discomfort when she occasionally bangs the music out loud?

She taps on his cloaked-covered shoulder.

Namor looks up at her surprisingly.

"Close your eyes for a moment…?" she says, almost pleading.

Namor does it instantly. Being completely obedient and trusting her fully.

Shuri's heart flutters at it and a smile breaks out on her face.

She holds forth the thing that she was hiding at her back, hoping he didn't notice, which she made yesterday night. And measuring it around his head and ears, here goes nothing.

Placing it on him and stepping back. Peeking from her half-closed eyelids expectantly.

Namor feels Shuri put something around his head. Covering his ears, and the next thing he hears…

The music died down instantly.

He didn't hear the loud banging music anymore.

In return, he heard a softer version of the banging music, it was a humming version of the song rather than loud bases and ringing instruments. 

Much like Talokanil's sirens but not in a menacing way. 

Namor opened his eyes and looked at his heart. 

Shuri was looking at him anxiously, she pressed her lips together nervously, fingers crossing against each other, showing her uneasiness.

He pulled the device away and stepped closer to Shuri.

Namor was sure that at that moment the only thing he heard was their hearts throbbing loudly as one .

four. 

Namora shakes her head. She heard rumors. She didn't believe it and thought the rumors were untrue. Turns out she's wrong. They are in fact, arguing with each other in their mother tongue. Like children.

"Ka kutal jach naats' le máako' simio pakteche' kin asistes te' múuch le tsolxikin."   

-You sit too close to the ape man every time at the council meeting!- Namor tells her in his mother language.

"Uhlala usenza into ebunzi noNamora!" 

-You always do the forehead thing with Namora!- Shuri tells him in her mother language.

"GRIOT!" not needing to command, Griot tells them both what they each had said, feeling unbelievable, Shuri refutes him first, "Um'Baku ufana nobhuti kum! Yintoni ingxaki ahleli ekufutshane nam?!"

- M'Baku is like a brother to me! What's wrong with him sitting close to me?!- Shuri gasped at him.

"— wáaj ba'ax. Namora je'ex jump'éel kiik ti' teen."

-—What? Namora is like a sister to me!- Namor gasped at her too.

Not knowing what the other had said, Shuri started to fling her hands around and came up with an idea. Before she could act, Namor did it first.

He pulls her to sit on the throne, and Namor sits at the place where M'Baku usually sits every time they have a council meeting, which is a seat beside Shuri and pretends to be him and does what he does.

Leaning over and whispering in her ear, "Mantats' tu beetaj le ba'ala' wéetel. Ba'ax mix peek a ts'aiktech yilaje', princesa."   

-He always did this with you. You didn't even notice, Princess?- Namor's low and seductive voice sends shivers down her spine. 

Shuri stands up angrily, angry at the effect he has on her. She's trying to grasp what he just said. She figures it out somehow.

"Hayi. M'Baku ufana nomkhuluwa okanye umalume kum. Akunjalo! Kwaye wena! Wena noNamora nisoloko nisenza into yebunzi."   

-No. M'Baku is like an older brother or uncle to me. We are not like that! And you! You and Namora always do the forehead touch thingy.- Shuri doesn't give up and tries to make him see.

Looking at Namor. She strides to him and pulls his head down. He lets her.

Touching their foreheads together.

"Le! Uhlala uyenza lento naye. N-A-M-O-R-A." 

-This! You always do this with her. N-A-M-O-R-A. - Shuri says it heatedly.

Namor thinks he knows what she's talking about. Feeling unbelievable, "Namora jach in ka'a kiik! Leti'e', bey in kiik. Yéetel juntúul gesto xíiw expresar Jets' óol ti' Talokan." 

-Namora is my cousin! She's like my sister. And it's a traditional gesture to express trust in Talokan.- Namor retorts her, pulling her away, bumping their foreheads together again and pointing at it.

"Ewe, ewe bethela ukuba ngudade wethu, lusapho okanye into elolo hlobo...kunjalo nakuM'Baku!" 

-Yeah, yeah bet you are saying she's my sister, she's family or something like that…same goes for M'Baku!- Shuri announcing her statement and pretty sure she's winning here.

They continued to bicker in their own mother tongue with each other knowing they didn’t even know what the other was saying. And did not care about the world outside. It was like they were in their own world.

M'Baku was strolling and heard them eventually. Namora was guarding outside the door when she heard K'uk'ulkan arguing with someone. Oh…his kitten.

"What are they doing?" He asked Namora. Trying to peek inside.

Both listen in different languages. Him listening to Shuri talking in Xhosa and her listening to K'uk'ulkan talking in Yucatec Maya.

They both heard their own names coming up in their conversations. They looked at each other briefly. And shrugs together. They were in a silent agreement that they decided to ignore the fact that they were the reason for their argument.

Nope. Not my business.  

"What's wrong with the two of them?" M'Baku points. 

They look like two stubborn fools. 

Refused to communicate in English and rather expressed themselves with hand movements, gestures, waving here and there and giving out hand signs?

When they clearly could easily solve things out by communicating in English and not arguing in their mother tongue.

Namora shrugs. She doesn't want to explain that they both are arguing like children, again, not the first time from what she hears.

"Are they flirting?" M'Baku continues.

"No." Namora finally replies and oh K'uk'ulkan, she doesn't want to explain and leaves. Ensured her cousin was safe.

M'Baku looks at Namora leaving and says, "They do sound like two lovebirds singing songs to each other though…what's wrong will all of you today???" He continues to munch on his carrot and strolls away.

At the end of the day,

"He's sort of…kinda like a family to me…after losing T'Challa…" Shuri gives up.

Namor holds her hands and says, "I am your family too…"

"No…I don't want you to be my family…not like that— I want you to be my h—!" Shuri was shocked at her own confession. 

Realized what she just said, "No…I didn't mean that— I…" She was blushing hard right now, hitting herself on the head.

Namor beams at her and stops her from hitting herself, clearly hearing what she was going to say, "Shuri, I want to be your family…." He will finish it for her.

Just for her. 

"And I want to be your husband…"

Only her. 

"—if you'll have me." 

Shuri stuns and is burning red from head to toe, her toes curled and hands gripping hard on his own, trying to steady herself. She felt it, his hand was slightly shaking too, his pointy ears were starting to red at the edges, and Namor looked at her expectantly. Shuri finally unencrypted what he had just said—

"Did you just propose to me???" 

Namor glows and smiles widely at Shuri.

Yes.

Namor thinks he just did.

five. 

That one time Namor got injured.

"How can you be so careless? You shouldn't have been hurt by the likes of them." Shuri's voice dripped with worry and was harsher than it sounded coming out of her mouth, although she didn’t mean it that way. Feeling irritated and restless for the night.

Namor sensed her irritation and said directly, "If you don't want to help, just say it." His tone was harsher than hers.

"What? I didn't mean that—" Shuri looks at him in disbelief.

"How do you expect me to react when you come into my lab covered in all blood?! I'm worried about you, you dumbass! And I just want you to be careful next time! And let Wakanda know the situation and not handle it yourself alone again!" Shuri fires back at him, not taking in his anger directed at her. 

Okoye and Nakia are trying to hold her back. They were both woken up from their sleep when they heard the commotion and Shuri was already laying medical plans for Namor's wounds.

The tension was so thick and nobody dared to move in the room.

"What. Did. You. Just. Say." Namor had never been so angry. That she doesn't trust that he could handle things and everything is in his control.

Attuma and Namora kneel at the wrath of their god .

Nobody defies him.

But Shuri had never been afraid of him.

Namor, still high on adrenaline after the fighting, snarls at her in Yucatec Maya,  "Tin wa'alaj ti' teen tuláakal yáanal kaambalil yo'osal! Mina'an mix ba'al u preocupar a ti' absoluto yéetel chéen Talokan je'el manejar ka." 

-I told you I have everything under control! There's nothing for you to worry about at all and Talokan alone can handle it! - He hisses like a serpent.

"A wojel wáaj Ba'axten taalen way cubierto u k'i'ik'el. Yanchaj movimientos extraños mentik kex le barreras ka táan tuukultik teech, bey u taalen ka revisé a seguridad yéetel le Wakanda táanil yéetel le ba'ala' es yéetel le ba'ax in séen k'a'am".   

-Do you know why I came here covered in all blood? There were weird movements around the barriers and I was worried about you, so I came and checked on you and Wakanda's safety first and this is what I've been greeted with!- Namor's voice dripped with venom.

And the hurt that only Shuri noticed in his eyes.

She ignored it when her heart was hurting too, from all of this.

She had no idea what he had just said, but it sounded all cruel and merciless to her ears.

Shuri doesn't want to know what Namor just said.

She's face to face with him and not backing up from his outrage. Not even flinching an inch.

Her grip on the table hardens, crushing it under her grasp, the table crumbled.

Both of their chest rose heavily from the rage they were trying to suppress. Both were not backing down from each other's fire and looked each other right in the eye with ferocious gaze.

Namor was waiting for her to rage back at him.

It never came.

Shuri didn't look away, not even a second, and started to say,

"GRIOT, run scans."

"Running scans…"

"Find the bleeding and seal it."

Her face, void of emotions.

"Found. Sealing now."

"Panther, toxin found."

"Extract it. Use this."

Her voice, void of emotions.

She lifts her hand and swings a hologram blueprint to the machines.

Still not looking away.

"Print it."

"Printing now…"

"Completed."

Her movements, void of emotions.

She commanded her machines to do the work.

"Operation successful," GRIOT announces. The only sound emitted from the machines stopped, bringing the place back to dead silence again.

Shuri finally blinks, still looking him right in the eyes.

She says in final,

"You may leave now."

And finally closed her eyes.

Her eyes, void of emotions.

And turns her back on him and leaves the medical bay.

Namor, who was still staring at the direction where he and Shuri locked eyes at. He was staring at the air now, Attuma and Namora didn't dare to move from where they were kneeling.

Namor blinks.

He blinks a second time, and leaves.

His heart, void of emotions.

That one time Shuri got sick.

"Shuri, you have to take this medicine, your body has been burning like fire for the past week—" Nakia tries to reason with her, worry etched on her face.

Shuri takes it and swallows the pills with water. "See? I'm fine. Nothing to worry about." She waves Nakia away.

Nakia doesn't know how to approach her in these hard times. She thinks of T'Challa. She moves towards and pulls Shuri into an embrace.

"You know I'm here for you. And Toussaint too." She hugs her tightly, hoping she feels that she loves her deeply.

Shuri stiffens at the start but starts to relax in Nakia's arms.

"Nak—I know…I love you both too, so, so much." Shuri hugs her back tightly, melting into Nakia's embrace. What she's done to deserve them. 

Their confrontation was almost a month ago. They have not seen each other since then. 

She hates him .

But in truth, that was not the case.

Shuri loves too much to even hate someone she loves with all her heart. The thought of losing him will break her soul.

"You are so warm like a personal heater, you know…" Nakia makes fun of her.

She chuckles at it, "Yeah, it must be comfortable to cuddle with at night." She thinks of Toussaint, her joy and sun who lights up her day whenever she sees him.

"Don't stay up too late, alright? Remember to rest, Sisi." Nakia bossed her around.

"Yes Mama." Shuri laughs.

Nakia gently swats at her and leaves her alone in the lab.

Not having any progress on the work, she sighs and settles them down. Shuri proceeds to lie down on the lab tables to take a rest. She falls asleep on it.

She always has nightmares when she's not feeling well.

And Baba, Mama or Brother would be there to cuddle with her every time. Chasing her bad dreams away.

She was all alone now.

There's no one there for her.

A tear slipped from her.

She wiped it away and turned to sleep more comfortably on the lab tables, feeling her body burning.

A sharp alarm rang urgently in the lab suddenly, jolting her awake from her dreams.

CODE RED!

She suited up immediately and checked what was wrong. There's an attack on the north-southpoint barrier near the forests. She sends out the sunbird immediately.

"—Shuri! There's an attack on the north— Oh nope, Princess! You are not going there in this condition! Not a chance! SHURI—" Okoye was too late to stop her.

She jumped out from the window onto the sunbird and headed straight to the destination.

"BAST! This girl is too reckless! Dora Milaje! Go after her!" She thumps the spear hard and heads to the dock. 

Shuri fires at the intruders the moment she sees them.

"GRIOT, scan and report how many people are there!"

"Panther, 20 on land approaching. And 20 in the rivers approaching the water barriers—"

Shuri fires an electro-shocking missile aiming at the rivers. 

"All 20 HIT," GRIOT confirms.

"GRIOT, block the waters in that area." So no one can swim into the now electro-pulsing waters. Another barrier comes up in the waters, separating the waters apart.

The mercenaries were firing at her ship. They were hiding in the forest. She can't just bomb the whole forest.

She jumps down from the ship.

They were no match for Shuri in the dark forest.

She was fast and stealthy as the black panther hunting its prey in the dark.

She took them down one by one. Laying them unconscious and bruised.

"19 down, Panther." One more to go.

She hides on a tree. Looking for the last intruder.

Shuri heard a click but she was too late to dodge.

The intruder hits her with a sonic-piercing bullet right through her shoulder. It pierced through her suit.

She grunts and loses her balance on the tree. Almost falling from the tree.

The intruder was going to fire again. But the last thing he saw was Okoye hitting him hard in the face with her spear, rendering him spinning his head on the ground and a bloody face.

"Seize them all," Okoye commanded the rest of the Dora Milaje.

Shuri lets go of the tree she's holding to and approaches them.

Okoye sets the man on the tree and Shuri aims her feet on his throat, pressing him down into the tree, the tree shrieks.

More backups came and Shuri didn't bother. She didn't notice the Talokanils forces were here too, including him. 

"Where did you get the weapon?" She deactivated her mask and looked down at the man, asking coldly. Nodding at the weapon that Ayo is holding now.

The man spits his blood on her. She pressed harder.

"Where. Did. You. Get. The. Vibranium." Only vibranium bullets can pierce through her suit. Her blood was boiling from the adrenaline mixing with the fire she'd been bearing this past week, all exploding at once.

The man laughs crazily, choking up at his own blood and breath while looking at her bleeding shoulder.

He tried to speak through his pressed lungs, "K….l…..a…..u….s….e".

Shuri pressed even harder, his whole body etched into the tree trunks, "That man is long dead. Who sent you?" Shuri knew who it was, she just needed confirmation.

"And I might spare your life." Shuri whispers.

He hears her and laughs again, "Fon…taine…sends…her…regards…" and he bites himself hard.

But Shuri was faster than him. She reaches and holds his jaw in an iron grasp, preventing him from suicide. She dug her hand into his mouth and pulled the pill out.

Some of them managed to do it. It was a suicide mission.

And all it needed was one man giving them away. 

Not this time, Fontaine.

"Gag him. Fish them out from the water and send the ones breathing to the cells. Search them and ensure no one is carrying vibranium except this guy." Shuri gave the orders.

And suddenly, she hears something.

A faint beeping sound.

She searches him and finds a tapping device beeping in red.

"Looks like you just gave yourself away," She smiles cruelly at him, "do you think the government will let you live after what you said?" The man shakes visibly.

Shuri knows the people from the other side of the device are listening to them now…and hey, maybe they even had visuals on them.

She carries in it her fingertips and looks it straight in the eyes.

Shuri sneers at it and says in the end.

"The Black Panther sends her regards." 

Crushing the device in her fingertips.

The man looked at her furiously, and tried to wiggle free from the vibranium cuffs, but he didn't outplay her.

He underestimated Shuri.

The new Black Panther, the new protector of Wakanda. 

So does the world.

And they will pay for their actions.

"Search the perimeters. Engage all defenses. I don't want any more invaders lurking outside of my country." 

The Dora Milaje thumps their spears in unison, "Yes, My Queen."

Shuri starts to walk back to her ship. Head high and not showing any sign of weaknesses to the intruders.

She walks past him .

She doesn't acknowledge him .

Not even sparing him a glance.

Namor witnesses Shuri get on the ship and return to the palace.

Her shoulder is still bleeding. The bullet pierced through her flesh. The blood covered all of the left side of her arm and body.

She deactivates the suit and it retracts back to the necklace. Not bothering to change from her blood-soaked clothes. She navigates through the screen with bloodied hands. Ensuring the defenses are all up and scanning everywhere.

Her blood was smeared all over the screen.

The rest of them walk into the lab.

"Shuri! We have everything under control. You need to stop your wound now! You are losing too much blood already!" Okoye rushes to her and tries to navigate her away from the screen.

Shuri plants her feet on the ground, not bugging at all.

"I'm fine, Okoye. Let me instruct something first." She continues smearing all of her blood on the screen.

Nakia comes forward and tries the same to drag her away from the screen but she doesn't move. 

"Shuri, we are safe. I assure you this, Wakanda is safe. And Toussaint is worried about you, he saw you get down from the ship just now…"

"...tell him I'm fine. Go get some sleep you all, it's late already." She scratches her hair in frustration.

He walks forward and reaches for her. His hand barely touched her injured arm.

She flinches away from him, fast and hard.

She finally steps away from the screen. Standing a few feet away from them. Pressing on her temples.

It's not enough.

It's not enough. 

Wakanda is not safe enough. How did they get in the first place? What's not working? Did she do something wrong? How did she miss it?

Okoye and Nakia wave at Namor and tell him to stand down. They circled Shuri protectively. 

"...Shuri? Can we get you to the medical bay now?...You need treatment …please…sweetheart…" Okoye and Nakia pressed down on both her shoulders.

She wiggled away and hit a mannequin beside her hard with her injured arm. Sending it flying away and etched into the wall.

"...it's not enough…" She whispers finally.

They all heard her and knew what she meant.

"Oh my love, you are doing great, everything is fine…no one is hurt…" Okoye and Nakia tried to persuade her.

"It's not enough."

It breaks their heart to hear her say this.

"I will never be enough." 

It broke his heart. 

To hear her say something like that about herself. 

"T'Challa would know what to do…" She's murmuring on her own now.

"Brother would know, he would know what to do next." She's repeating herself.

Shuri is scared.

"He will know what to do to keep Wakanda safe." Shuri knows it, her brother was the best of the best.

But why did they take him away from her?

He steps closer and reaches for her again.

She flinches away from his touch again and starts walking to the medical ward.

She sets herself up on the table and starts commanding without emotions.

"GRIOT, run scans." Shuri says. 

It takes Namor back to the day he lashed out at Shuri.

He regrets deeply. But her wounds will not heal herself just because he apologized afterward.

It is done.

Namor steps closer to her again.

She sees his winged ankles in her vision.

"MUSA!" - DON'T! - She hisses in Xhosa.

Fingers pointing at the place he stands. Shuri does not look up at him.

"Sukuthatha inyathelo usondele kum." - Do not take a step closer to me.- She continues to hiss at him.

Still not looking at him.

She doesn't want to.

She doesn't want to look at his eyes and sees it filled with worry and concern. Full of pain and hurt. She knows it. 

"Ufunani apha ngoku? Buyela eTalokan ugade imida yakho."

- What are you doing here now? Go back to Talokan and guard your borders.- She snarls at him.

"Andifuni kukubona! Ungaze uphinde undichukumise! Ayinamsebenzi wakho leyo!"   

-I don't want to see you! And do not touch me ever again! It's none of your business!- Growling like a panther at him.

Okoye and Nakia flank her, wanting to calm her down, but her vitals are not doing well and her heart rate is spiking.

She spoke her last sentences in English purposely.

"Wakanda has everything under control."

"And I don't need your help." Shuri finally looks up and glares at Namor. Her eyes burned with anger.

At him. At herself. At everything that happened.

He barged into her life and left as he pleased.

She lets him in the first place. She shouldn't have.

Namor tries to step forward again.

The Dora Milaje blocked his way. In their fighting stance to protect their queen.

He raised his hand as a signal to Attuma and Namora to stand down. Looking back at her.

All he saw was the pain and hurt that he caused her.

"...Leave." Shuri says in a final tone.

Her body shutting down on her finally.

She told him to leave last time and he obeyed.

She told him to leave this time and he wasn't going to do what she said.

The last thing Shuri sees is Namor pushing away every one that stands between them. In his way of reaching her.

The voices sounded very far away from her. She was like in the deep ocean.

His voice pierced through the deep.

The last thing Shuri heard was him calling at her faintly, calling her name. 

Shuri blacks out.

Namor snatched her away from Okoye and Nakia so fast they didn't even get to tighten their grip on her the moment he rushed forward. He cradles her in his arms and circles her protectively.

Okoye and Nakia let him. Telling the rest to stand down.

They know he won't hurt her.

He looks like a lost child at that moment. Losing the only person he had ever truly loved.

Namor keeps calling Shuri's name.

Shuri can't wait anymore.

Nakia kneels to meet the god-king of Talokan, who's kneeling on the floor cradling his love. 

"...Namor…listen to me…put Shuri down, and we need to be quick…please…" She confronts him.

Namor hears her through his own thumping heartbeat, his hands trembling while touching her burning skin.

He reacts fast and stands on his feet. Letting the medical people do the work.

He did not let go of her hand the whole time.

Shuri is still unconscious for a week.

It was the drug.

They intend to drug her and capture her.

Namor's blood burns with fury.

THEY DARED.

He wanted to wash them away from the surface of the earth.

But it can wait.

Everything can wait.

As long as Shuri wakes up from this. 

To end his torment.

He even instructed some of the Talokanil healers to leave the waters and check on her. Using some of their medicines on her.

She looks peaceful while she's asleep.

He never left since then. Instructing Attuma and Namora to be in charge while he's away from Talokan, trusting them with his life.

He wouldn't dare step away from her again.

Not ever again. 

He guards beside her bed from day to night. Not willing to rest and close his eyes. Afraid she might run away from him the moment she wakes.

Okoye and Nakia bring food and water for him daily. He nods his thanks and continues to watch over her.

Namor was in bad condition too, Nakia tells Okoye. He may breathe and live on land. But he couldn't stay away from the sea for so long. He's getting paler and paler each and every day and dark circles forming under his eyes.

"He might die if he continues like this…" Nakia tells Okoye, looking away from Namor and Shuri, he's cradling her hand in his, placing it at his face.

"And he deserves it," Okoye replied coldly, watching the man whispering to Shuri in soft tones every day.

Shuri finally wakes up ten days later.

The first thing she saw was Namor's very pale face, but his eyes were red with relief. Cradling her head and whispering in his mother tongue. Kissing her forehead, her brows, her nose and her lips softly. A tear slipped onto her face. It was hot compared to her cold face.

The doctors came to check on her and assured them the drugs were all out. She's recovering now.

She's sleeping again now. All she does is sleep nowadays, her bones are sore from it, but they won't even let her leave her room! And they even put Namor here to guard her at her bed.

She blinks and opens her eyes, she sees him first. He's sitting on the floor beside her bed while touching their foreheads together. His arm circled her, and Toussaint was in her arms protectively. Ensuring they won't fall from the edge of the bed.

He looks peaceful while he sleeps.

Ruffling Toussaint's hair, she tilts her head a bit to place a kiss on Namor's eyebrows gently. He didn't wake up, thank Bast.

She didn't have any nightmares while she was unconscious.

She had him in her dreams every day and night.

Namor comes to her dreams, on and on and on. Although she tells him to go away.

He didn't.

Shuri dreams of her family.

"You did an amazing job, Shuri…on protecting Wakanda. Wakanda is in good hands." Her Baba told her.

"We are so proud of you…" Her Mama tells her and all four of them hug closely together.

"We love you, Shuri—" Her Brother tells her. "But you need to wake up, it is time…" T'Challa kisses her temple.

"I don't want to…" She whimpers, "I want to stay with you all forever…" She pleads.

"There is so much more waiting for you, my love," Umama speaks softly to her, tilting her chin.

"...and he's waiting for you…" Baba pointed something behind her, it was Namor. Standing far behind from them, keeping a distance and not wanting to disturb them. In her dreams he always does that, following her around but not when she's with her family.

"And you better wake up before he loses it…" T'Challa smirks at her, taking one last look at his little sister, knowing she will be in good hands like Wakanda.

She wakes up from her dreams.

Shuri feels like going to the lab right now. But it was late, looking at the time.

The perfect time to sneak away when everyone’s asleep.

Great. Shuri gets up from the bed, and crosses over Namor who was sleeping beside her. She lands on the floor gently. Took his cloak and sneaked her way out.

Namor woke up the moment she got up from the bed.

Chuckling to himself, he follows her out of her room.

She was so cautious on her way to the lab, dodging the guards and security in front.

She forgets to look back.

So Namor managed to follow her until she reached the lab entrance without giving out himself.

There were footsteps approaching. Shit. They changed the patterns. Shuri was going to retreat to the corridor. She turns around and bumps into his chest.

She's frightened and shooks, like a cat in shock. Shuri met his eyes and Namor was looking back at her, teasing.

"I didn't even hear your footsteps—" he covers her mouth, lifts her up into his arms and retreats to the corridor. Probing his head out from the corner to watch the guards leave, sneaking like her.

He let go of his hand and turned his head back to face her. Their foreheads touch together. One breath away from each other. They can't help but be smitten with each other.

Breaking from her stare, she pulls at his hair lightly. Namor straightens up and carries her straight to the entrance, scanning his kimoyo beads and being authorized to enter. He put her down when they were in the lab. 

Shuri scurried away from him, flush written all over her face.

Namor smiles behind her, looking at her retreating form, and doesn't want to acknowledge that he's also flushed from head to toe.

His ears gave him away.

Finally, feeling free and relaxed. Shuri navigates her way around the lab. Looking at reports and data. She saw Namor settling down on the couch from her peripheral vision.

She continues to work comfortably.

By the time she was done reading all the reports, it was an hour later.

Namor fell asleep on the couch.

Shuri gently walks towards him, shaking his cloak off her and drapes around him. Turning to leave, something catches her hand. He grabs her hand while his eyes are half closed and pulls her towards him.

Not fighting back, she settled beside him. Namor draped his cloak around her too and took her in his arms. Shuri's head tucks under his chin while listening to his heartbeat, Shuri falls into a dream with him.

Okoye checks on her every morning and finds she isn't in the room. Namor is not in it either. She went straight to the lab and found them cuddling on the couch.

It was kinda cute.

Okoye had to admit this to herself.

Shuri followed him back to Talokan a few weeks later. Her stuff was still at the same place since the last time she had been here, a month before their fight.

Namor went to handle things since he wasn't in Talokan for a few weeks.

He stayed with her on land.

It was a long day and he came back tired. Shuri entertains herself in his room drawing blueprints and fumbling through his stuff. She greets him when he comes into the room and gently leads him toward the hammock. 

"You can sleep awhile if you want…" She whispers at him, like luring a child to sleep. Namor nods at her suggestion, letting her tug him away.

He starts drifting away peacefully, knowing she's here with him.

Namor still holds onto her hand while he sleeps.

Shuri assured him again.

"I'm not going anywhere." 

I will stay by your side forever. 

six. 

They were having a council meeting. Discussing the matters of the attack two weeks ago at the forest.

On what to do with the captives.

Some said to send them back like Queen Ramonda did and intimidated the world with a speech.

Some said they continue to imprison them in Wakanda and interrogate them.

Some said let them have a walk of shame on the streets and face their people’s wrath.

It's useless. Namor thinks. They will not stop coming after them. 

He speaks up for the first time throughout this session's council meeting.

"Gather your forces." He says while looking at everyone.

"And we will land an attack on them." He finalizes while looking at Shuri.

The meeting broke out into arguments.

"—This will mean WAR!" One said.

"—They might not see it coming…" He was surprised to hear someone agreed with him.

Shuri stands up from the throne and faces him.

"No." Shuri finally speaks up calmly.

"It was not that severe to make an attack on the—" Shuri tries to talk it out with him.

"—Not severe?" Namor huffs out in disbelief.

Looking at the others and he hisses like a serpent, "They attack YOUR QUEEN—!"

"I will not stand down and let them get away with this—" 

He's mad. 

The others think, witnessing his outrage. Some are even impressed by him, he acted like one of their own, defending Shuri like she was his Queen—

Shuri raised her hands and silenced them.

"...Leave us for a moment. Ngoku ," Now. The others left the throne room, leaving Shuri and Namor alone.

She stands right before him and starts speaking, "You will not land an attack on the outside world." She points her fingers at him.

"You will not reveal Talokan to the world." She says firmly.

"Try me." Namor sneers at her and his anger takes over him. 

"No! Why can't you understand this? We cannot land an attack on the outside world, there are innocent people out there. This is madness…" Shuri disagrees with his ways, there must be another way. 

"I will never forgive and forget what they did to you—" Namor's eyes burned red with anger. "I will burn the world down if they try to hurt you again—!" He's shaking in rage now.

Shuri steps forwards and hugs him in a crushing embrace. 

"I'm alright now, no one is going to hurt me…I am fine and safe in Wakanda…" She's trying to calm him down and soothe him with her voice.

"I hated you, like you are now to the world when you killed Mama…"

He stiffens at what she said.

He will never be sorry for what he has done to protect his people.

But Namor is sorry for what he had done to her, taking her mother away from her was never his intention.

She tip-toes and leans up to kiss him. She always knows he's protective of her. She never thought he would go to such lengths to defend her. She should have seen it coming.

Namor melts in Shuri's arms.

She breathed out on his lips in Xhosa, "Nguwe unobangela wokuba ndilahlekelwe ngumama."

-You are the reason that I lost my mother.- 

"Kodwa kutheni ndisakuthanda …"

- But why do I still love you…- Shuri brushes their foreheads together like they always did.

"I don't know what you are saying…" He huffs out, unimpressed. 

"You don't need to." Shuri teases him.

Namor responds in Yucatec Maya, "Mina'an mix jump'éel t'aan yo'osal yáakunaj le yóok'ol kaaba' le superficie, ba'ale' in waye' ta wo'olal. Ba'ax ten ma' a wilik le je'elo'."   

-I have no reason to love the surface world, but I am here because of you. Why can't you see that?- He recalled her lying lifeless on the bed, he almost lost her. 

"I don't know what you are saying either, you know?" She laughs out, feeling funny about themselves when they can't talk each other out of something, they start arguing in their mother tongue to counter it.

She didn't understand what he had said, but she feels his insecure.

"I'm safe as long as I'm with you…You are always by my side, you will be with me forever…you will never leave me alone ever again…"

"Promise me this," Shuri assures him while assuring herself the same thing.

She will always be with him and never leave him alone again.

Namor surrenders to her as usual.

"Tu prometo." I promise . In his mother tongue.

"And if they ever try to attack us again—" Namor doesn't let it slip so easily.

Shuri nudges him to look out of the window and far away—

The Black Panther statue, high on the mountains.

"Let them try." 

Shuri was sure that no one would dare to face the wrath of the Black Panther and the Feathered Serpent God together.

seven. 

It was the twentieth time Okoye heard them arguing in Xhosa and Yucatec Maya.

It seems they never get tired of it.

But she was annoyed by it. Greatly.

Spending so much time arguing and wasting each other's time.

They are doing it again.

Right now.

Attuma approached her and stood with her, and they listened together. Shuri is yelling something in Xhosa loudly.

"She sounds like she's insulting him…" 

Shuri reached out both her hands and tried pinching Namor on the cheek.

"No, she's not." Shuri managed to pinch him, Namor leaning his head back trying to shrink away from her evil hands. Namor yells back at her too…

"He sounds like he's calling her a brat and saying how childish she is, something like that?" Okoye tries to decipher their actions.

"No, he's not." Attuma replies. Namor managed to duck from her hands and squeeze her cheeks with his long hands, and Shuri tried to run away from him.

Namor catches her, carries her up and Shuri wiggles in his arms, face irritated but laughing fondly simultaneously.

"—puuuut meeee downnnnn." Namor swings her around a few more times and puts her down.

And they proceed to argue about other stuff in their mother tongue.

Oh Bast.

Okoye can't take these two anymore.

She strides towards them and thumps her spear hard.

"English!! The both of you!! Acting like children!!" Okoye shouts at them like she is their mother.

She points at Namor first. Attuma winces, he wouldn't do that.

"YOU, Namor! You are a king and almost 500 years old! You don't bother yourself to argue with a child like Shuri!"

Shuri is secretly laughing behind him. 

"And YOU, Shuri! I'm not done with you yet and don't hide behind your man, I'm not finished here!" Okoye points at Shuri now.

Shuri came out behind Namor, suppressing her laughter while looking at Okoye.

"You are a grown adult and Queen of Wakanda. Show some respect to the ruler of another nation and your mother didn't raise you to act like this!"  

"OKOYE!!!" Shuri pouts at her and turns back to Namor.

They keep nodding their heads at each other while smirking with one another, fingers pointing and telling each other to behave.

Oh Bast.

I'm leaving here.

Why was Okoye so annoyed about it? Because Shuri had told her this over ten times.

"Why is he so childish?! He doesn't act like this around others! He only does it to me, that's not fair—!!

Okoye stopped arguing with her when she told her again the third time.

Why did Attuma not look bothered by it?

Because K'uk'ulkan has told him this more times than he needs to report to him in a day.

"Why is she so unreasonable?! She doesn't act like this around others! She only does it to me, that's not fair!"

Attuma agreed with him every single time.

Namor comes looking for her one day, saying he lost something.

"I lost something." He says it while looking at her.

Shuri shrugs him off and laughs, "What? Who dares to steal something belonging to a god?" She was pretty sure he was coming up with something.

"I think you might know where it is?" Namor continues, saying in a serious tone.

"I don't know~ but I'll help you find it if you ask nicely…" Shuri snickers at him.

Namor took a deep breath.

"Someone stole my heart." He says.

What.

Oh, so this is what he came up with.

"Whoa, someone stole the god's heart?" Shuri acted dramatically, looking around like they had an audience.

"YO, someone give the god back his heart! He can't live without it!" Shuri is laughing obviously now.

Namor can't help but chuckle with her.

"I'm serious." Himself trying to hold back his laughter.

"Okayyyy, yes you are~~but I have no idea~~~Who is it—?" Shuri is full-on teasing him now. Looking anywhere but at him, she turned her head back to him when she had her fun.

"Ndimjongile ngoku."

Shuri beams at him. "Her? Where?" She turns, looks behind herself playfully, and turns back to look at him.

And Shuri stuns midway while she's smiling.

"Ndimjongile ngoku." 

I'm looking at her now. 

Did he—

Did he just speak in Xhosa—???!

Shuri looks at Namor, dumbstruck.

It was Namor's turn to tease her.

Hoho, how the tables have turned.

He cradles her face gently, asking, "Did you find it?" His voice lures her back from wherever she is now.

The way he speaks in Xhosa, her mother tongue.

"—I don't know…what are you saying…" Shuri blushed hard, trying to look away but he is holding her face.  Looking everywhere but not at him.

"Yes, you do." Namor beams at her.

He outplayed her! Shuri was never the type to back down from a challenge.

She looks at him and says,

"Láayli' táan in enojado wéetel, ts'o'ok a wojel". She waits for his reaction.

It was Namor's turn to stun and his smile froze.

Unbelievable. He blinks a few times trying to repeat what she said.

"I'm still angry at you, you know." 

He was surprised and impressed at the same time. Of course she did.

Of course, like him, she learned to speak Yucatec Maya.

Shuri holds her head high and glows at him. Much like a peacock showing off.

"When did you learn my mother tongue behind my back?" Namor holds her hands, he wants to kiss her badly now.

"I can say the same to you." Shuri wants to kiss him so badly.

She continues, "I almost didn't catch it, your accent is so bad and adorable, how did you do tha—" Namor can't take it anymore and pulls her into a devouring kiss until they both forget what their mother tongue is.

Okoye and Attuma once again found themselves in the same situation as last time.

But it was weird this time.

It didn't sound right.

They both gasped at each other when they realized it.

Okoye understands what Namor just said and Attuma understands what Shuri just said.

Namor speaks in Xhosa and Shuri speaks in Yucatec Maya.

They even correct each other's pronunciations and guide each other to say it correctly.

Shuri was teaching Namor something and he said it after her.

"Ndifuna ukukuncamisa kabuhlungu." She says.

"Ndifuna ukukuncamisa kabuhlungu." He almost bite at his own tongue after saying it.

"Je'el! Táan a beetik Jach ma'alob." Yes! You are doing great , Shuri replies to him.

"What did you just teach me to say?" Namor smiles at her, feeling the warmth tug at his heart.

"Uh—" Shuri tried to translate it to Yucatec Maya.

And she remembers to tell him, "Don't say that to anyone…" while she continues to find the translation with her kimoyo beads and direct it to her earbuds.

"Why? What did you just teach me?" He tickles at her. She's dodging here and there.

He catches her and imprisons her in his arms. Namor said it with his all so smooth and seductive voice, "A'aten." Tell me. 

"Kulungile! Kulungile! Ndinike umzuzu!" Alright! Alright! Give me a minute!  Shuri wiggles in his arms, trying to stop him from tickling her.

She tries a few times in silence and is ready to say it out loud right in his face, "Taak in ts'u'utsik jach k'aas." She pressed her lips together and waited for him to react.

I want to kiss you so bad. 

Namor always does what Shuri says.

Always.

Okoye and Attuma turned their backs on them and cleared their throat.

They did not hear them.

Oh Bast.

This time even Attuma had enough of them.

After waiting for a not-so-short while, they finally hear them.

The two of them walked to them hand in hand.

"When did you learn how to speak in Xhosa?" Attuma asks K'uk'ulkan.

"When did you learn to speak so fluently in Yucatec Maya?" Okoye raises her eyebrows at Shuri.

They both smiled at their generals with mischief and started poke fun at each other.

Okoye caught on to the mischief on Shuri and started to drag Attuma away with her, "Ohhhh I don't wanna know about it at all. Do not tell me Shuri!" 

"Okoye, I haven't started saying anything!" Shuri shouts at their retreating form, giggling loudly with Namor.

Shuri stops herself from laughing and wipes the happy tears away. She looked at him, the love of her life , and asked, "How are you always so patient and manage to put up so much on me?" 

Namor gazed at her lovingly, "I can say the same to you." They kissed like there was no tomorrow.

"Ndiyakuthanda." I love you. Namor means it with all his heart.

"In yaakunech." I love you. This was one of the two words Shuri understood before she learned his mother tongue.

Now it is her favourite word.

Shuri tried to catch her breath and she remembered something.

"...Yeah? By the way, the thing you lost?" Shuri pats her chest, on the place where her heart lies.

"I'm keeping it here safe with me…" Shuri melts under Namor's loving gaze, he's looking at her like she's his world.

She is his world. 

"You don't get to get it back anymore!" Shuri beams at him.

Totally infatuated with Namor.

"Tia'al." It's Mine. She declares proudly. 

Namor grabs her hand from his heart and puts it on his, letting her feel his heartbeat beating like crazy.

He looks at her affectionately and tells her, "Yours is here." Where her heart lies.

"I'm keeping it with me, ngonaphakade." Namor made his oath to her.

Forever. 

Fin.

[parkerbombshell]

Rules Free Radio June 11

Tuesdays 2pm - 5pm  EST Rules Free Radio With Steve  Caplan bombshellradio.com On this session of Rules Free Radio with Steve Caplan, we'll hear the music of the late Francoise Hardy. She was a 60s Pop icon, French singer, actress, and fashion trendsetter in her day, and at the top of the second hour we’ll remember her with some of her music and music by some of her contemporaries. We’ve got new and recent releases including Next Time Passions, Nervous Eaters from Boston, Hour of Pearl, Ride, Still Corners, Tom Odell’s January release, new Crowded House, Project Gemini, Bat for Lashes, and a few others. We've got a lot of classics and in-betweens including The Moody Blues, Wooden Shjips, The Smoking Trees, The Secret Sisters, Paul Simon, R.E.M., Seatrain, Mundy, Sinead Lohan, Steely Dan, and a bunch more. There’s a brand new release by sparklejets u.k. and the album starts with a cover of a tune by The Zombies, which will kick off a short string of songs from The Zombies' album Odyssey and Oracle. Next Time Passions - Not Here Anymore The Moody Blues - The Story In Your Eyes Project Gemini - The Last Midnight Ride - Last Frontier Nervous Eaters - Rock n Roll Your Heart Away Hour of Pearl - Gotta Get It Right Elephant Stone - Pilgrimage Wooden Shjips - Staring at the Sun Still Corners -Today is the Day The Smoking Trees - Awake in Your Dreams Jakob Dylan - Expecting To Fly (feat. Regina Spektor) Tom Odell - The Orchestra Takes Flight Tom Odell - Black Friday Francoise Hardy - All Over The World The Mamas and The Papas - Dedicated to the One I Love Sylvie Vartan - Baby C'est Vous (Baby It's You) France Gall - Les Sucettes Marianne Faithfull - As Tears Go By Sylvie Vartan - Quand Un Amour Renait (When a Love Is Reborn/Walk Away Renee) Christine Delaroche - Mon Grand Amour Francoise Hardy - Mon Amie La Rose Jacqueline Taieb - 7 Heures Du Matin (7 in the Morning) Eileen - Ces Bottes Sont Faites Pour Marcher (These Boots Are Made for Walking) Francoise Hardy - Who'll Be The Next In Line Stone - Fille Ou Garcon (Girl or Boy/Sloop John B) Richard Anthony - Il Te Faudra Chercher (Follow the Sun ) Zouzou - Il Est Parti Comme il Était Venu (He Left The Way He Came) Francoise Hardy - Fleur De Lune sparklejets u.k. - This Will Be Our Year Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs - Care Of Cell #44 The Mindbenders - I Want Her She Wants Me The Zombies - Time Of The Season (alternate mix) Crowded House - Thirsty Mundy - Healthy Sinead Lohan - To Ramona American Aquarium - Shadows of You Mandolin Orange - Boots Of Spanish Leather The Secret Sisters - Kathy's Song Seatrain - We Are Your Children Too Paul Simon - American Tune R.E.M. - Daysleeper Nduduzo Makhathini - Libations  Uxolo Steely Dan - Any World (That I'm Welcome To) Ariel Kalma, Jeremiah Chiu, Marta Sofi Honer - A Treasure Chest Bat for Lashes - At Your Feet Read the full article

[fredborges98]

Não importa sua estatura física, o que realmente importa é sua estatura e postura moral!É que no fim ou final te faz a menor particula física ou metafísica ou o maior SER entre os SEUS!

Por: Fred Borges

Dedicado ao PERDÃO ao SENHOR,ao MISERERE*, as menores e maiores partículas do mundo, aos detalhes, aos simples e pequenos detalhes, muitas vezes desprezados, ignorados,anulados, mistificados, fanatizados, difamados ou distorcidos.

Deus, nosso Senhor está na nossa palma da mão e no coração, mente, em estado físico ( Bíblia) e metafísico ( Fé ou Esperança)!

Aos pedidos de perdão em todas ou nas que encontrei as línguas:

" Ainda que eu falasse a língua dos homens

E falasse a língua dos anjos, sem amor eu nada seria"Monte castelo

Canção de Legião Urbana

Pedido de desculpas em todas as línguas.

Sei que errei, "pardonare" Senhor, e agora tudo que me resta é pedir o seu perdão.

Como prova do meu arrependimento, peço desculpas não uma vez, mas várias e em todas as línguas que encontrei.

Afrikaans: "Jammer"

Albaneses: "Unë jam i keq"

Alemão: "Es tut mir leid"

Amharic: "Aznallehu."

Árabe: "Aasef".

Arménio: "Ts'avum yem."

Avar: "Tʼasałuha"

Azeri: "Üzgünüm"

Basco: "Sentitzen dut"

Lower Saxon: "Nix för ungood"

Bengali: "Āmi duḥkhita"

Bhojpuri: "hamake maf kara".

Bielorrusso: "Mnie vieĺmi škada"

Bósnio: "Oprostita".

Bretão "Eskuzit ac'hanon"

Búlgaro: "Sŭzhalyavam"

Catalão: "Em sap greu"

Cebuano: "Ikasubo ko"

Chamorro: "Dispensa yo' ".

Chinês (Mandarim): " Duìbùqǐ "

Chinês (Xangai): "Tevéchi".

Coreano: "Mian haeyo"

Crioulo haitiano: "Mwen regrèt"

Croata: "'Ao mi je"

Dinamarquês: "Jeg er ked af det"

Espanhol: "Perdón"

Esperanto: "Mi pardonpetas"

Estónio: "Mul on kahju"

Finlandês: "Olen pahoillani"

Frisiano (Norte): "Fertrüt me"

Frisian (Oeste): "Desculpe."

Friulian: "Scuse"

Gaélico da Escócia: "Gabh mo leisgeul"

Gaélico da Irlanda: "Gabh mo leiscéal"

Galego: "Síntoo"

Galês: "Mae'n ddrwg gen i"

Georgiano: "Me ukats 'ravad'"

Grego: "Lypámai"

Gujarati: "Huṁ dilagīra chuṁ"

Hebraico: "Slicha"

Hindi: "Mujhe maph kardo"

Húngaro: "Sajnálom"

Islandeses: "Fyrirgefðu"

Ilocano: "Pakawan"

Indonésio: "Maafkan aku "

Inglês: "I'm sorry"

Inuktitut: "Iikuluk"

Italiano: "Mi dispiace".

Japonês: "Gomen'nasai"

Kannada: "Kṣamisi"

Cazaquistão: " Keşiriñiz "

Lao: "Khony khoothdnoa"

Latim: "Ignosce mihi"

Letão: "Man žēl"

Lituano: "Atsiprašau"

Luxemburguesa: "Perdão".

Macedónio: "'al mi e"

Malaio: "Ma'af"

Malayalam:"KshamikyNum"

Maltês: "Skużani"

Manx: "S'doogh lhiam"

Maori: "Arohaina mai"

Mongol: "Uuchlaarai".

Navajo: "Dooládó' dooda da".

Holandês: "Het spijt me"

Norueguês: "Beklager"

Occitano: "Perdon"

Urdou : " Māf karna "

Uzbequistão: "Afu eting"

Papiamento: "Sori".

Pashto: "Zeh mutaasif yum."

Persa: "Moteassefam."

Filipino: "Ako ng paumanhin"

Polaco: "Przepraszam"

Romanche: "I ma displacha"

Romeno: "Îmi pare rău" ou "Scuzați-mă"

Russo: "Prastite"

Samoan: "Malie lou loto"

Sardenha: " Mi dispraghidu "

Sérvio: "'ao mi je" ou "Izvinite"

Sesotho: "Ntshwarele."

Shona: "Ndineurombo."

Siciliano: " Mi scusassi "

Sinhala: "Mata samāvenna"

Em eslovaco: "Je mi a ľúto"

Esloveno: "Oprostite"

Somali: "Waan ka xumahay"

Sueco: 'Förlåt' ou 'Jag är ledsen'

Suíço-alemão: "Es duet mr leid"

Swahili: "Samahani."

Tagalog: "Paumanhin".

Tamil: "Enna maniichudunga"

Tcheco: "Je mi to líto"

Telugu: "Maa kshamaapanalu"

Tetum: " Deskulpa "

Tailandês: "Kŏr tôht"

Tibetano: "Gawn-da."

Tigrinya: " Yiqreta "

Tonga: "Fakamolemole."

Tswana: "Ke kopa tshwarelo."

Turco: "Pardon"

Ucraniano: "Vybačte"

Veneza: "Scuxéme"

Võro: "Andis".

Yiddish: "Zay moykhl."

Xhosa: " Ndicela uxolo "

Yorùbá: " Pẹlẹ "

Yucatec Maya: "Ma'taali 'teeni'"

Zazaki: "Qusır de seyr meke "

Zulu: "Uxolo

E claro, mais uma vez, minhas mais sinceras desculpas.

"Podemos ser qualquer um, desde que não sejamos nós mesmos!"

O Algoritmo de Deus e dos Nódulos Coronariano e Pulmonares.

Perdão Senhor!

Estamos a maltratar nossos irmãos, a enfiar a faca no ventre de possíveis homens bons,bons de natureza, bons para natureza, bons por cultivar e alimentar a Terra.

Perdão Senhor!

Estamos a conduzir nossos seres-instituições ou organizações como se não tivessem vida, não tivessem gente, dentro e fora, pacientes com paciência, clientes, homens, mulheres e crianças, idosos como se não houvesse para todos o amanhã.

Perdão Senhor!

Por termos estabelecido em todas as épocas da história da civilização a escravidão, a negação da vida, da liberdade, da individuação, da socialização e da própria humanização.

Perdão Senhor!

Por ter elevado a carne acima do próprio espírito, por não valorizarmos a espiritualização, a reza, a oração, a meditação, a salvação, a renúncia, a resignação, o perdão, a indulgência,deixado dominar a carnificina, a morte da alma, a morte da calma.

Perdão Senhor!

Por colocar ideologias, doutrinas, dogmas, religiões, partidos, organizações secretas acima de vós, dos nós dos embarcados e embarcações, acima dos laços dos eternizados pelo amor, pela família, pela total ou parcial falta de senso e sensibilidade.

Perdão Senhor!

Por distorcer a matemática do algoritmo de vós e não oferecer possível solução, mas problemas e mais problemas, e isto ferir, maltratar, criar nódulos, enrijecer coronária, perdermos nossa identidade, nossa origem, nossa razão de ser- Servir.

Perdão Senhor!

Por podermos ser e não sermos, perdermos nosso senso de coletividade, coletivismo, de sermos e estarmos embarcados num mesmo barco rumo ao horizonte e acharmos que a terra é plana e a cortarmos com uma plaina.

Perdão Senhor!

Por esquecermos as nossas origens, por não valorizarmos pai e mãe, por não sermos gratos aos nossos antepassados, por não valorizarmos a essência e deixarmos nos guiar pelas dúvida, pelo ceticismo, egoísmo, egocentrismo, por não sabermos diferenciar preço de apreço ou valor e fazermos do fim um fim em si mesmo e não valorizarmos o durante, o meio, os eternos segundos de qualquer convivência, vivência, vividos, viventes, vigorados vigente, colunas e vigas, vicissitudes da vida em mim, em nós, em cada,em casa, no lar, no mar, nos rios, no micro, no nano mundo,universo inverso, reverso, paralelo, tangente, intangível, atingível ou inatingível, compreensível e incompreensível, visível ou invisível dos nossos destinos e desatinos, da nossa interpretação ardilosa,maliciosa, tendenciosa, nada científica, nada racional, eminentemente emocional.

Perdão Senhor!

Por não sermos autênticos, intensos, dedicados, disciplinados e ao mesmo tempo flexíveis, enquanto o humano estiver acima das coisas, coisas materiais,e tudo acima de vós Senhor, nada valerá a pena, apenados estaremos, apenados morreremos.

Enfim perdão Senhor,

Por não fazer a VIDA VALER!

Por não estar o tempo inteiro contigo,pois se estivéssemos estaríamos protegidos, amados, abençoados, acolhidos, completos,íntegros, inteiros, não fragmentados, com nódulos, noduas, vazios, angústias, depressões,cremações infernais,ansiedades, pois se temos a vós Senhor, temos o Universo, as cores, e a fotos preto e branco,não precisariam ser preto no branco ou branco no preto de Sebastião Salgado, e não revelaria a rotina da escravidão antiga, moderna, contemporânea,ele foto revelada e atual, e no seus lugares, do preto e branco,estaria sempre no seu reino Senhor de cores, amores, fé, esperança, júbilo das almas, de almas lavadas, leves, levitando sobre a Terra numa era sem Apocalipse ou Armagedom ou Abadom**, enfim em PAZ!

*Miserere, também conhecido como Miserere mei, Deus (em latim: "Tende misericórdia de mim, Deus") é uma versão musicada a cappella do Salmo 51 (50) feita pelo compositor italiano Gregorio Allegri, durante o papado de Urbano VIII, provavelmente durante a década de 1630.

**Abadom (em hebraico: אֲבַדּוֹן, 'Ǎḇaddōn) é um termo hebraico que tem o significado de “destruição” ou "destruidor".

Na Bíblia hebraica, o termo figura seis vezes, todas elas na literatura de sabedoria em Jó 26:6, Jó 28:22, Jó 31:12, Salmo 88:11, Provérbios 15:11, Provérbios 27:20.

No Novo Testamento a palavra é aplicada apenas em Apocalipse 9:11.

Na Bíblia Hebraica, abaddon é usado como referência a um abismo sem fim, geralmente próximo a sheol (שאול).

No Novo Testamento, em Apocalipse 9, um anjo chamado Abadom é descrito como o rei do abismo sem fim de onde emerge um exército de gafanhotos (Apocalipse 9:11).

[the-gem-in-gemini]

That's the thing. He's going to carry the burden of being my first and only love, he's going to spend his days knowing that I truly did love him till the end like I said I would and that is going to be his poison and cure. Uxolo.

[kmgquote]

Bhodla

Bayeke bakujonge Into yohletywa suyenza ingxaki yakho Phuma kwi sikolo sokuzixakekisa Impilo imfutshane oko cikicane – Tyekeza imbono yakho Kodwa ungafunxi inzondo yabanye abantu Ayizukwenzela nto lonto Izomisa impilo yakho Ikugulise qha – Phola Pholisa intliziyo yakho qha Banga uxolo kuwena qala Uyeke izinto ezibanga uchuku – God loves you God wants the best for you He wants to…

[vantagevu]

Robot Boii and Nhlonipho bring you Uxolo

Robot Boii and Nhlonipho bring you Uxolo

Championing the new generation of Amapiano, Robot Boii and Nhlonipho bring you Uxolo ft Mandz Not Hot, Mac Lopez & Teakay Viral hit maker and youth culture leader, Robot Boii, and fast rising producer and musician with numerous radio hits under his belt, Nhlonipho, have joint forces to create a new wave of African Amapiano announcing upcoming EP, Yithi Sonke, with lead single Uxolo featuring…

[rethinkingthefuture1]

Situated in the suburb of Salt River, Swift Studios presented an interesting opportunity for Two Five Five Architects. The question of how to best ‘marry’ the different contextual elements of the area was at the forefront of their design. Project Name: Swift Studios  Studio Name: Two Five Five Architects

[minnesotafollower]

Minnesota Orchestra ‘s “Celebrating Mandela at 100” Concert

Minnesota Orchestra ‘s “Celebrating Mandela at 100” Concert

As noted in a prior post, the Minnesota Orchestra in the summer of 2018 is producing a multifaceted celebration of the life of Nelson Mandela. It started with a July 20 concert entitled “Celebrating Mandela at 100” at its home, Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis, which will be discussed in this post.[1] Below are photographs of the Hall’s exterior and interior.

        The Concert’s First Half

The…

[tllgrrl]

April Showers Bring Foolery and Shenanigans:

The Vacation Edition - Chapter 2 “Vacation Interruptus”

Day 4 — Tuesday Evening

Rated: T

Relationships: InTheDoghouse!Bucky Barnes x Sarah Wilson

Inspired by Sebastian Stan’s cover story photo spread in L’Officiel hommes magazine.

**********

Every time a text from him started with “Sorry Buck,” they both knew.

And Sam knew they were on vacation. That’s why he didn’t do his usual text-and-wait-for-Bucky-to-call-back thing.

This time he called directly.

He called just as Sarah and Bucky were getting ready to enjoy the dinner they prepared together.

Being that she’s a Grown-Assed Woman, Sarah didn’t cry, but she wasn’t happy…at all.

Bucky didn’t punch a wall, but he took his cellphone and stalked out of the front door, slamming it behind him.

(He knew that slamming doors wasn’t something Sarah tolerated in her home so, by force of habit, that slam was like a last-second pulled punch because had he actually slammed the door, it and the frame would’ve had to be replaced on the 1930s-40s era mansion.)

Bucky didn’t do much fieldwork anymore, but he and Sarah knew he could still be called if there was a Situation. He knew it could happen at any time because that’s his job and the nature of the biz: Team Cap. Avengers Adjacent. Superhero.

Call it what you may. It is what it is.

That’s why along with their few pieces of vacation luggage, Bucky brought The Backpack:

The custom-made backpack with special compartments that discreetly held 7 of his fixed-blade knives along with his Work Clothes, some toiletries, and as always, a couple of books. He also had 2 gun scopes and his work laptop with its accessories. The team would have any as-needed firearms and a burner phone waiting for him on the transport.

The car would be arriving about an hour after Sam’s call.

He had 10 minutes to get packed and prepared, and then time for he and Sarah to…

He wondered if she would even want to talk to him right now, let alone anything else.

While he was outside getting the rundown, she found some Tupperware and packed both his dinner and hers for him to take with, loaded the dishwasher, did a cursory cleanup of the almost already clean kitchen, then she went upstairs to the bedroom, opened the doors leading out onto the balcony overlooking the large swimming pool, and tried to think of anything other than him leaving.

“Jarvis…?”

“Yes, Ms. Wilson…” The A.I. voice coming from the bedroom’s speakers was soft, soothing, and had a posh British accent.

“Pool lights. Grotto setting…please.”

“Very good, ma’am.”

When the lights in the pool and in the surrounding foliage slowly started to glow in the encroaching twilight, they began to cast a soft ambient light up into the bedroom as Bucky quietly walked in.

“Sarah…I didn’t mean to just…and slam the door like that. I was angry and didn’t want—“

“You’re angry?” she scoffed, but didn’t raise her voice. She also didn’t turn around to face him, either. “Welcome to the club, Bucky.

So…how long before they come get you, and when will you be back?”

(She called me “Bucky”. Shit.)

“The car should be here in about an hour, and Sam says 3 days. I’ll be back on Saturday. Nandi—“

“You got everything you need?”

“I need you. Bast dammit, baby. I don’t want to go. You know I’d—“

“And we both know Sam wouldn’t’ve asked for you if he didn’t need you, but that doesn’t make it…it doesn’t mean I’m happy about this.”

“I know, Sarah. Uxolo—“

“You can be ready in 10. That gives you 50 minutes to get over here and take both our minds off of Sam calling and you leaving me here alone on our vaca—“

He was already across the room and she was in his arms before she finished her sentence.

Touching his forehead to hers, his hands settled on the small of her back, pulling her closer.

“Let’s not talk about Sam, or me leaving. Not right now, Ok? Not when we only have 50 min—“

“40. You’ll have to shower and suit up—“

“We’ll have to shower…” he picks her up and carries her to the bed, “and I can suit up in 5.”

“James…just come back to me safe and in one piece, mthandi.”

“I will, intanda.”

“You better.”

49 minutes and 45 seconds later…

He makes it downstairs just as the car arrives, with 15 seconds to spare.

To be continued…

(Previous chapter.)

************

Notes:

nandi / ubumnandi: “sweetness”, “delightful”, “tasty” (isiXhosa).

intanda: “beloved” (iXhosa)

mthandi: “lover” (isiXhosa)

(Edited for consistency in naming convention, punctuation and grammar. Structure not involved/affected.)

**********

Note: April Showers…The Vacation Edition is also over at AO3: CH 1 / CH 2 / CH 3, Pt 1 / CH 3, Pt 2 / CH 3, Pt 3 / Epilogue

As they aren’t blessed with these lovely photos, instead they are more descriptive and are a bit more expanded. Chapter 3 is in 2 parts. Part 1 is Rated G/T. Part 2 is Rated: E as in Exclusively for Grown Folks.

[languageinfo]

ZULU LANGUAGE

BASIC INFO:

Zulu (or isiZulu) is a Southern Bantu language of the Nguni branch spoken in Southern Africa. It is the language of the Zulu people, with about 12 million native speakers, who primarily inhabit the province of KwaZulu-Natal of South Africa.

It is also a minority language in:

Lesotho

Zimbabwe

Eswatini

Malawi

Botswana

Mozambique

FACTS:

*It is the second most widely spoken of the Bantu languages, after Swahili. Like many other Bantu languages, it is written with the Latin alphabet.

*Zulu is a tonal language.

*Zulu is moslty spoken on the west side of South Africa

PHRASES:

Goodbye

Sala khale

Excuse me

Uxolo

My name is...

Igama lami ngu...

MAP OF SPOKEN ZULU IN SOUTH AFRICA: