Traditionally Innovative Chp. 7
"When you asked me to lunch I thought we would eat downtown." M'Baku threw his legs over the cliff and opened his to-go box. His right leg seemed perfectly comfortable touching her own, but Shuri was trying to act like their proximity was normal.
Shuri smirked at M'baku while stirring her chicken and rice.
"Disappointed?" she mocked.
He shook his head and stabbed four chicken chunks onto his fork like a kebab. "Well, these mountains could use some more snow, but seeing as how it's under inferior management I will just have to make due."
With her fork pointed at him she fired back "Don't start! We managed to be civil the whole flight here. You can handle thirty more minutes of restraint, Lord Rebel. Keep my country's politics out of this for once."
M'Baku chuckled then speared some lemon pepper broccoli into his mouth. "Newsflash, princess, it's kind of the only reason I'm even in this part of the country."
Ignoring his comment Shuri pensively stared at his food. "-Wait a minute, why are you eating chicken?!" she screached. "You're a vegetarian, aren't you?!"
He threw his head back and laughed. With his left hand he gestured up and down his muscular torso. "Do you honestly think I got this big by eating vegetables? It was a joke! Have you ever heard one before?"
"Yes, and they were funnier than yours! Did you notice that you were the only one laughing at that joke?" She snapped in response while turning to the right to hide the blush that had risen on her cheeks.
"Ugh, you just don't recognize true talent. I'm a natural borne comedian. I could be the next Kevin Hart, if only he were taller."
Rolling her eyes the princess responded "Sure, you could."
Shuri reached to the side for her Sorrel drink. She found nothing. M'Baku reached into a plastic bag and pulled out the drink. He nudged her arm to get her attention, but did not remove the arm when she acquired her drink.
More than the nudging Shuri felt his smooth, warm skin briefly rub against hers giving her goose bumps. It was bad enough that with him so close she felt like she had three legs, but now he had taken advantage of a beverage to move his arm closer to her. What was he thinking?
M'Baku mistook her goose bumps' for the temperature. So, he untied the fur around his shoulders and wrapped them on Shuri's petite frame. If his bare arms and shoulders hadn't thrown her off, then maybe she would have noticed his kindness. But she didn't.
Why can't he keep his clothes on?! It's not that cold.
"Why are you sitting so close?" she inquired.
Without missing a beat he replied "Because I want to. Am I making you uncomfortable?
"Yes, you are actually, with your big muscles! Dammit, just spill something on me so I can have an excuse to leave!" she begged mentally.
"N-no, I'm fine." She lied.
M'Baku surveyed the valley with a satisfied expression. "Good. I have something to show you, but I may need your help."
Shuri looked confused "O-okay…"
"Are you done eating?"
She nodded.
"Good, then I can show you now."
He threw the remains of their lunch into the sack. M'Baku cocked his right hand a couple of inches behind Shuri and leaned closer towards her. Then he showed her his Kimoyo bracelet.
As if matters couldn't get any worse, now his entire body was so closely comfortable to her that it should have been uncomfortable, but it wasn't. Looking down at her, M'baku nodded towards his Kimoye beads.
"I took a video of the baby, but the beads won't let me access it for some reason."
Distracted by the thought of the baby that she'd helped have a good birth, kinda, her finger swiftly moved the beads around until she could get the right screen to pop up.
While she was so focused on getting to the video file M'baku was looking at her from the corner of his gaze.
He guessed she was pretty. She was definitely smaller and not as curvaceous as the women he had relations with, which were few. The tribe took up a lot of his time. His people were his focus, and women were a distraction. He honestly couldn't name one female friend besides Jareeb's wife that he had a platonic relationship with. His "relations", however, he could count on one hand…okay maybe three, but it was a lot less than most of his men.
Did he even have the time, nay, the skillset to attempt a real friendship with this girl? He had thought of her often. He was attracted to her, but had tried to negate it over the past two weeks.
What would pursuing this even mean for them? She wasn't just some potter's daughter-not that the potter's daughter wasn't worth the same respect, but he knew a one night stand when he had one. No lasting chemistry or connection. They would part ways and be cordial if they saw each other. Nonetheless, it wasn't fulfilling-well, it was at the time. Not the time.
The Gorilla lord doubted that she was even the "one-night stand" type of girl. Would they be able to have a working relationship that their nations depended on?
Shuri squealed as she saw a baby girl in a gorilla onesie wiggling on some furs, gurgling nonsense.
M'Baku saw Shuri practically glow over one of the many videos he had taken of the newborn baby for her.
He was terribly mistaken. She wasn't pretty at all, she was damn right beautiful.
Maybe he could erase her atheistic as a reason he shouldn't pursue this. A Jabari was fearless, but right now he acting like some pussy-ass Wakandans he knew. W'Kabi. T'Challa. "N'Jadoku.
"What did they name her?"
"I named her." She did a double take. "You're lying. Seriously?"
"My prior tribe leader named me, too. It is our tradition."
"And the parents are just okay with this?"
He stood up and then offered her his hand. She took it and he pulled her up.
"It is considered an honor."
"Spill it! The name, what is it, genius?"
"Semira."
"Fulfilled and height of heavens?" He nodded.
She smiled. It is a good name!
Then they headed towards the talon. They arrived at the door when he reached out and pulled her to his torso.
"I almost didn't make it." He said softly. "She was already pushing when I got there, but because of you, your hard work, and your machines, I was able to fulfill my sacred duty.
Shuri nodded dumbly when she found herself being led into a similar position they had been in at the palace; held in the center of his arms. A thumb and forefinger gently cradled her chin upwards towards him.
Her arms had nowhere else to go, but on his enormous biceps. No one could blame her, right? Right? Well, she could list a few:Queen Ramonda, Nakia, Okoye…
Her heart kicked into overdrive when he bent down almost nose to nose. Luckily, she had opted for a pair of heels today. Praise be to Bast! Didn't she have someone she was with right now, though? Harold, Hintwa, Haku, Haiku, What…what was his name? Shit! She couldn't remember right now.
"For that you have my eternal gratitude…Shuri." Did his voice just drop an octave?
She swallowed, but didn't move away when his right hand brought their bodies touching knees to chest.
Two sets of brown eyes locked. One pair was vulnerable. The other pair was sincere, but smoldering. Shuri felt excited being almost nose to nose with a man almost two feet above her height. The dynamic simply spoke to their power struggle. His fingers threaded their way through some of her braids to tilt her head back gently as he leaned in. His restraint on said power, though made her feel…cherished, even if only for a moment. That a man so physically and politically strong would treat her with respect aroused her.
M'Baku spoke up. "We probably shouldn't… your brother and I are walking on thin ice as it is with this treaty. You and I need to work on upgrading my people's way of life. And you probably have a million other projects in that lab of yours."
Shuri looked down and felt her heart drop and slowly the reality he described was clearing up the clouds of lust and curiosity that had been building up for about two weeks.
"…but are you okay if we try it anyway?"
Shuri's head jerked up and saw that the Jabari lord wasn't looking at her, but rather had his eyes averted just like her.
Thinking she was about to tell him off for even insinuating anything between them, the Great Gorilla was pleasantly surprised when he soft lips brushed against his, and the scent of shea butter and vanilla teased his nostrils.
What happened next started off innocently enough. A trail of kisses along a neck, some exchanges of heated gazes, gentle caresses in safe places, soft moans, and surprised gasps.
What happened next started off innocently enough. Shuri knew he was holding back on her account; and while she appreciated the thought, she didn't want control of this situation, she wanted to lose control of the situation. Again, she probably should have taken Haru's offer and then maybe she wouldn't be so sexually repressed right now. Haru, wasn't right. . ?!
M'Baku switched positions, pinning the princess against his body and her talon. His fur was forgotten as it fell to the ground from her shoulders.
What happened next started off innocently enough. M'Baku knew when she moaned that she was going to be the death of him. He might as well offer himself to T'Challa now to be filet alive. He had thought that her slender frame would be off-putting to him. He couldn't have been more wrong. Her being smaller than him was the biggest turn on he had felt in a while. She was egging him on with her responses, and if she wasn't careful they would both give in to carnal desires and taste nothing but regret in the morning.
What happened next started off innocently enough. A few back arches that consequently led to the beginnings of a pelvic rhythm, which in-turn bred a primal yearning for something deeper. A few wandering touches that neared, but did not touch intimate places. That's when M'Baku became disgusted with himself, remembering the potter's daughter he had just sated his desires on last week.
He and the potter's daughter had a clear understanding that they were using each other bodies. Shuri and he were probably exhausted, overworked, and horny. A bad combination. The tension had been building and now they both needed to take a break to establish that they shared the attraction, but neither one was ready to go that far.
. !? He was slowing down and she didn't like it at all. Why was he resting his head in the crook of her neck and not devouring it?! Damn, you, Hikory! She really needed to take care of herself more. She was starting to seem desperate, and for a bomb-ass scientist that was not going to work.
"Shuri?" He panted
"Hm?"
"I think we should stop."
The hell we will! "I don't think we should. I'm an adult, too. I can handle a one-night stand and still work with you. It's not that complicated."
M'baku shook his head as he pulled back from her" Yes, it is because I think I actually like you."
"All the more reason to go ahead and give it a go."
"I just slept with someone last week." He stated abruptly. Surely, that confession would be like cold water to her. Did cold showers work on girls, too?
"So, almost, did I. There. So what?" What did a girl have to do to get laid in Wakanda? Have a treacherous boyfriend?
M'baku was shocked. "Shuri, we barely know each other."
"Yes, believe it or not, that's part of the appeal, M'Baku. Now let's get a move-on"
"Shuri…"
"Fine, let's go. Thank you so much for caring about integrity. My body really appreciates that." She said sarcastically.
M'Baku growled. "You think I'm not feeling the same?"
Ignoring him Shuri opened the talon door. She set an autopilot course and M'Baku lumbered into the ship and sat down behind the sand table.
Was she really going to be mad with him that he had stopped?
Shuri wasn't mad, honestly, she appreciated his chivalry but right now she didn't fucking need nor want it. But she would respect his wishes.
Fifteen minutes passed and she could still feel his eyes boring holes into her back. Hmph. Serves him right. Oh, well. She wasn't talking to him unless absolutely necessary. She got up to check the sand table for samples. M'baku was in the back of the ship. Good. He could stay there until they landed.
The talon landed and she headed straight to her room without even saying goodbye to the lord rebel. He wouldn't give her what she wanted; well this heretic had a technological advancement that would give her what he wouldn't.
Unlocking a compartment she pulled it out and began taking off her pants.
.Knock.
Shuri screamed into her hands and marched to the door.
Yanking it open she gritted out "What do you –" the door revealed M'Baku "…want?" she stopped short.
"You."
She pulled him into her room before the guards or worse, her family saw him.
Leading him to the bed the two began divesting each other's clothes. M'Baku tried to unhook the contraption that was her spider-web bra, but after multiple failed attempts he just ripped the hooks off. Shuri messily began activating her soundproof walls, cutting any video feeds of M'Baku near her room, and retrieving a magnum condom from her knight stand. M'Baku's attention to her chest was proving most distracting yet satisfying.
Framing both side of his face with her hands, she urged him upward before crushing his mouth to hers. The last spoken words between them were Shuri's sultry, "I want you, too."
What happened next started off…not so innocently.
