Disclaimer: Black Panther belongs to Marvel. I'm just borrowing them; no profit is made.
A/N: This is a continuation of the initial start of "Baby Jaguar Hype!" ... Erik is currently small, short, etc. You'll see.
It's been twenty minutes since the stubborn, lost prince touched what he shouldn't have. Now his Golden Jaguar necklace was too big. Shuri had removed it and carried him to the medical bay nearby.
The wails had ended, for now. The toddler bounced as his cousin sat him on the examination table.
"Okay, let's see." Shuri had removed his oversized royalty sweater. She made a mental note to shop for clothes his size, until she finds the suitable solution to turn him back to normal.
Next, she removed his kimoyo beads from his wrist and placed them in a drawer with his other belongings. A royal blue blanket with gold trimmings now kept a cooing, curious Erik calm. His wide eyes glimmered as they shifted about.
"I'm going to be quick, I promise," she said as she activated a status screen. Erik's current stats came into view as Shuri took notes on a separate screen.
Age: 10 months old
Ethnicity: African-American
Nationality: Wakandan
Gender: M
Temperament: Slow to Warm Up
Hair Type: 4c
Eye color: Brown. Turns gold when transforming.
Developmentally capable of walking; very explorative. Language skills are redeveloping - in English and Xhosa. Auditory and visual processing are aligned with his age. Vaccinations up to date.
Gathering Memory Banks * Purple heart shaped herb enabled 20/20 vision… Self-inflicted scars are permanent… Has a War Dog tattoo… Finds comfort in water… Thinking about MIT and Iraq… Plotting revenge against T'Challa… Use to date Nightshade… Does not like T'Challa… Got rid of Klaue… Always fifty steps ahead of T'Challa… this is all his fault… He is the rightful king of Wakanda… T'Challa is the son of a murderer… "Hey Auntie." Where is Baba? Where's the antidote, Princess?! Where is it? Make me one and I will repay you, after I teach that clown manners! I want Mama! Don't cut my hair or else…
Shuri shook her head and shut off the stats screen. She placed a tiny device behind his left ear, and the other part behind hers. Remaining pieces were set aside for remaining family members.
"So even as a little bundle, you still think like your 30-something-year-old self, right?"
"Yah!" He cheered in response, with a fist pump in the air.
Shuri giggled. The little Erik was too cute for words. There's so much soul in his eyes, childlike and innocent. All the same, it's apparent his current, present-day memories were still intact. Her big brother may not be so lucky, considering the troubling bits that appeared on the screen earlier.
"Are you still upset about Kelendria? Or the nurse who helped you earlier?"
Erik's bottom lip stuck out. His eyes started to water.
Sniff sniff.
Shuri's heart sank. Erik's eyes are slightly bigger, yet animated. There's an innocent boy in there - one who was robbed of warmth at a tender age.
What's a good way to test a baby's cognitive skills?
Her mind clicked. She changed his diaper (despite his rolls and kicks), got him dressed in traditional garb, and placed a golden cap on his head. The mirror displayed a grinning boy, who giggled with delight as he yanked the end of Shuri's braid.
"Hey! Don't even think about it." Shuri's index finger managed to pry Erik's small fist from her hair. "This is ridiculous."
Ignoring another round of hearty laughter from her baby cousin, Shuri found a toy truck and the blanket she'd used earlier. She carried Erik to the area and set him down.
"Wanna play a game?" Shuri asked as she hid the truck under the blanket. Erik's wide eyes took her in before removing the blanket. He trotted towards the truck, picked it up and shook it. Out came the Golden Jaguar necklace.
"Mine," he said as he clutched it against his chest. Shuri couldn't help herself. She chuckled, motioning Erik to follow her as she searched the internet database for fun books to read. His small, chubby figure landed on her lap. He took her hand and placed it on his mane.
"Pease?" His bottom lip pouted.
T'Challa was right. Their late father had created a monster, despite the fact their uncle had betrayed them.
Regardless, may Bast forgive their souls.
~•~•~
A few hours later, Shuri picked him up and carried him to their living quarters. Erik's hands clutched on her braids, but she didn't mind. His memory will shift between thinking like Killmonger, and thinking like N'Jadaka.
Just as she arrived in his bedroom, a playpen with a picture of Vegeta, and a golden jaguar, was ready. The maids had changed his bedsheets and fluffed his pillow. Pyjamas, suited for his height, sat in his playpen. Before Shuri could get him dressed, her kimoyo beads went off.
"What's wrong, Nakia?"
"Well, hello to you too. I haven't seen you all day."
"So much has happened. You should've seen it!"
Nakia raised an eyebrow. "Sounds convincing. Who is the little bundle?"
Shuri giggled as she lightly rocked her baby cousin, lulling him to sleep. He blew bubbles, balled fists and bumped them together.
"Ta-tana."
Shuri's eyes resumed on the call. "Ask T'Challa what happened, okay? He jinxed it. I need to get this little rascal dressed."
"Will do. Let me know if you need anything."
"Sounds good."
After pulling on Erik's pyjamas, which comprised thirty minutes of…
Kicks, spit, slaps, yells and giggles… pure indicators of uncooperative behaviour, Erik had fallen asleep.
"I wonder what will happen if T'Challa should take care of him for one day."
~•~•~
T'Challa had paced back and forth in his office. The thought of a shrunken N'Jadaka didn't sit well with him… who was going to continue the training of War Dog recruits?
Admittedly, they've learned to get along - somewhat. Both royals were still at odds; Erik's hot-headed personality often clashed with T'Challa's cool and collected self. At meetings, press conferences, hotel stays, even the hall one week prior to Shuri's twenty-first birthday celebration.
… Then the invasion happened.
Both cousins were trapped on a pirate ship, imprisoned by fraudsters in their domain, and hope seemed lost.
There were pros to outweigh the cons, however. T'Challa had taught Erik about love in its entirety, while Erik had taught the former how to process pain in stages of brokenness. All of that to break free from a dark cell, reclaim their necklaces, and destroy the empire who stole the talisman that belonged to Shuri, before returning back to Wakanda.
Despite his cousin's blunt aggression when duty calls, T'Challa now missed him. Who's going to steal his breakfast? Make fun of his footwear? Post embarrassing moments to Instagram? Shove him, or trip him in the hall? Spark a debate out of the blue, versus him?
It felt bad, yet good at the same time. One less annoyance, but no fun without a lifelong frenemy around.
Seeing a baby had left T'Challa feeling helpless; the guilt-tripping memory looped the scenes that led up to this scenario. He should've stopped poking fun at Erik when asked. So what if they've lost that bet to M'Baku (who'd won five bets so far)? This is the only time T'Challa could create new memories with Erik, since life didn't favour them growing up together in the palace.
The king shook his head and made way to his living quarters.
Upon arrival, the sound of cries echoed from Erik's room. T'Challa took his robe with him and entered the room. The sight of a tearful boy, standing up in his playpen, warranted a need for comfort. The room was dimly lit with Christmas lights.
T'Challa slowly approached the little one, in hopes that he won't scare him. Erik's cries, now replaced with sniffles, warmed his heart more than ever. He reached in, picked up Erik and cradled him, humming a warm tune that his late father had taught him. Erik's eyes closed as his small hands instinctively gripped T'Challa's shirt, wherever he could find it.
How much warmth did his cousin miss out on? The answer didn't surprise the king at all. Until things get back to normal again, the least he could do is be present.
Love lesson, 2.0, for N'Jadaka Udaku. Pain process, 3.0, for T'Challa Udaku.
The king rested on Erik's bed, with his baby cousin sleeping soundly on his chest.
~iza kuqhubeka~