Hello, everybody, I am back! I'm sorry about the long wait: I got addicted to Markiplier and Thunderbirds are Go! and it was a very hard habit to try and kick (which I didn't do). However, I am trying my best to keep to some sort of schedule (as part of my new years resolution) so we'll see how this goes.
Anyway, enjoy!
The Aftermath of Kang
"I have to admit: it's rather nice the finally relax," Merlin commented as she sipped her lemon-water, "If only for a little while." The last part she said in a teasing tone, something I was very glad to hear of. Honestly, this girl embodies the words 'workaholic' and 'stubborn', to an almost ridiculous degree.
The past few days alone were hectic enough on anyone's nerves. The destruction left behind from Kang's invasion was extensive, and that's just in New York City alone! A lot of businesses had been hit hard, both the big named ones and little family stores. Both sorts had the banks and insurance companies working over time to sort through the paperwork.
Clean-up was another major thing, even with all Avengers and two demi-god-like mutants lending a helping hand. Tony helped as much as he could, physically and financially, but every one of us agreed that he was doing more than enough just trying to keep the politicians off our backs, the ones who were desperate to pin the whole mess on the Avengers. I was willing to bet good money that Tony was glad (even secretly) that he had someone like Nick Fury on his side to smooth things over. Sometimes, it pays to have the director of a global security/spy network on your side.
As it stands, the clean-up of New York was coming along fairly well, mostly in thanks to Merlin. Whoever knew that, aside from spectacularly devastating attack magic, she was equally brilliant at the more domestic repair magic?
What I mean is that Merlin has been using her magic to fix any building in need of repair (or dismantling it if it proved beyond her skills) in record time, much to the relief of construction workers and business owners. And when she had a spare moment, she was at a hospital tending to patients. You had to give credit to her—for someone as young as her to not bat an eyelash at broken bones or blood (or the occasional guts) was testament of the stuff she was made off. If it were me, I'd have passed out already.
As fantastic as it was having her do so much for our world, the poor girl was really running herself into the ground with exhaustion—there hasn't been a night where Kilgharrah hasn't come back to the Mansion with hit rider passed out in the saddle. When we'd put it to her, she'd try to brush it off and get back to whatever she was doing at the time. Eventually, it took Kilgharrah and Alenka ganging up and telling her to stop and rest for a few days. Sheepishly, she agreed to take the next few days off.
So that's how we ended up today, lounging by the rooftop pool while Kilgharrah and Voltaire played tag in the backyard.
"Glad you feel that way." I remarked, sipping my own drink and turning a page in my book. While everybody else was out helping the city, I had been given the job of making sure Merlin stayed at home and rested. Thankfully, she took pity on me and my bruised back—one of the potions she had given me did wonders for the pain, just not the bruises that marred my entire back from the shoulders down to the small of my back.
Originally we were going to spend the day inside, but Mr. Foxworthy pretty much talked us into spending it outside, going so far as to hand us both a bathing suit, courtesy of Alenka. Merlin had a one piece of a dark blue color, while I received a two piece in jungle camo green.
Thinking about what he had told us, I could see what my old friend meant about it being a beautiful day, especially with Kang locked up in Prison 42 and under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s watchful gaze.
Mind you, a part of me felt a little sorry for him. When the others came back with their prisoner, Wasp told me the true reason Kang was so darned determined to kill Captain America. Whatever Cap did in the future that wiped out Kang's timeline almost claimed the life of Princess Ravonnah; Kang's love. Thanks to the time-space jump, Kang was able to save her…in a manner of speaking. She was locked in some sort of coma-stasis, and if the Avengers had destroyed the time drive and sent everything and everyone back to their original timeline, she would have been killed.
Instead, the princess was now safely tucked away in Dr. Richards'—a.k.a Mr. Fantastic—labs at the Baxter Building, where he and Ant Man worked to revive her. Funnily enough, that's the same building where Prison 42 is kept, therefore Ravonnah and Kang were (somewhat) near each other. I would also help Hank and Dr. Richards, but chronal-cosmic distortions weren't my strongest field, nor were it in Merlin's.
Still, the more I think about the lengths Kang was willing to go to in order to save his love, the more I think about T'Challa and myself. I've already proven that I was willing to put myself between T'Challa and any sort of danger (even If I'm completely terrified of whatever it is), and I know that T'Challa has done the same for me. But I think it was unanimous that we'd never stoop to conquering other places in our efforts, lest we want either of our backsides to be filet to the high heavens.
Speaking of T'Challa, if I recalled our last conversation correctly, he should be coming back to the States either tomorrow or the day after, which made me very happy. We've only managed to speak a few times over video-link very late into the evening (or early in the morning over there), though there have been a few times I've fallen asleep on him—which he never minds, and it more than content to watch over me, even though he's working on his end of the line.
The Wakandan army did their king proud in the face of the invasion: their defense systems kept the ships from coming too close to any populated areas, and the ground forces—equipped with vibranium weaponry—easily dealt with the scarabs. An added bonus was that very few people were injured, the same low count for their homes. In short, Wakanda was one of the very few places in the world that wasn't adversely affected by the invasion.
On a more personal note, I couldn't wait till T'Challa came back so I could hug him tightly, preferably before Voltaire had the chance to lick him into a slobbery heap.
"Briar, are you all right over there?" The sound of Merlin's voice breaking through my thoughts was enough to bring me to the real world, but as I turned to give me answer I saw the not-entirely-innocent smile on her rosy pink lips, giving away that she knew exactly, or rather who, I was so lost in thought about.
"You know, the day will come when you'll have your own boyfriend, young miss," I warned her playfully, trying to hide my blush behind my glass as I sipped my drink. "And I will bet that you will act no better."
"Heaven forbid!" She laughed brightly, "Any boy wishing to claim my heart had better be very patient; with all the work I do, and the friends I keep." You wouldn't notice if it you weren't looking for it, but when she realized what she had said about her friends, a pained look graced her dark eyes as she remembered them. And just as quickly as it came, it left as she became determined not to think too much about that painful experience.
######
It was about two evenings ago when she finally cracked her shell enough to talk about the whole mess to me. It made me feel sorry for her and angry at her friends (in a now loose term) for their hand in this.
The short of it, Merlin had a very bad day, which only became worse with whatever trouble her friends were facing. Then the straw that broke the camel's back was when one of the 'bright sparks' made an incredibly ill-timed comment about one of her powers, after which the proverbial poop hit the equally proverbial ceiling. After it came to a head (yet again), Merlin was that emotionally bruised that she quit everything: her powers, her friends, everything.
In an effort to help Merlin recover from her breakdown, someone suggested a rest somewhere far away, and somehow Alenka's name was mentioned, and the rest is pretty much history.
Ming you, had anyone known the amount of danger the poor girl was heading into, I'm guessing that they'd never let her come here. Still, she's here and she's doing very well for herself. Even Kilgharrah—who refused to leave his friend's side—was having a blast, playing with Voltaire or having deep conversations with anyone eager to talk with a Talking Horse (quite a few friends were beside themselves in giddiness).
I just hope that the calm she was displaying now would last when she decides to head home.
######
As we settled back into our comfortable silence, I made the decision to do a few easy laps in the pool, to try and ease the sore muscles in my body. It was tough getting into the water, but between myself and Merlin, I managed pretty well.
So I began to slowly swim up and down the length of the pool on my back, aware that my movements were being watched by my new friend, just in case I hurt myself and needed assistance.
: Not that she hasn't done enough already. : I thought to myself, almost grimacing at the memory of the potion she gave me a few days ago. Like any medicine that's meant to be good for you, that particular brew tasted so awful, I nearly brought it—and my breakfast—back up again. Taste aside; it did take away a lot of the pain from my bruises. Whatever was left could easily be taken care of with a back rub.
Of course, just thinking of a back rub only served to remind me of T'Challa and those wonderfully talented hands of his, and made me wish that he was here already; the pang I felt in my heart did not really help at all.
I became vaguely aware of the water shifting as someone else come into the pool, and simply shrugged it as Merlin having a swim. What I was expecting was a pair of hands underneath my shoulders—hands too large to be Merlin's.
My eyes snapped open in surprise, and grateful that I was being supported, otherwise I might've drowned myself in shock at seeing T'Challa hovering by my side. Instead, he quickly wrapped his arms around my body and held me close to his bare chest.
"Careful, Rose," He teased lightly, "I would not wish for you to drown." I did my best to give him an indignant look, but I really couldn't take the smile off my face, despite being confused by his presence. Deciding to talk to him later about it later, I settled for cuddling against his warm body, savoring the feeling of his arms circling around me as he returned the hug.
"I've missed you." I whispered into his collarbone, and the gentlest of squeezes told me that he felt the same way.
######
After T'Challa helped me do a few more laps, we climbed out of the pool (though a bit gingerly in my case) and settled back onto the lounger that I was using. I sat in my boyfriend's lap, the towel wrapped around my body, and his arms around my waist for extra warmth.
As I thought, T'Challa noticed the mottled coloring on my back, hissing as he tentatively touched the back of my shoulders. Even though he was being gentler than usual, I couldn't help but flinch in pain.
"Rose? Am I hurting you?" I turned my head to try and reassure that no, he wasn't, but even I knew how much a wince my smile really looked. Inside, I felt a little upset that I still hurt so badly enough that I couldn't stand my own boyfriend touching me. And I really wanted one of his wonderful back rubs, too.
"Actually, I think it must be about time for your next dose, Briar." Merlin politely interjected, "Though, if you prefer, I have an ointment that will do wonders for bruises and the pain." If I had of felt better, I would have hugged that girl in extreme gratitude! Instead I nodded, and Merlin revealed a concealed chemistry-like kit from mid-air and produced a small vial the size of my middle-finger, filled with a mottled moss green looking substance. That sneaky sneak—she was working on something!
"Don't be alarmed if you feeling a warm sensation spreading over you," She warned gently as she levitated the vial into my boyfriend's awaiting hand. "There's an ingredient that's meant to keep the muscles warm, to prevent joint locks."
T'Challa said his thanks, and poured a measured amount onto the palm of his hand. I sat forward slightly, loosening the towel for his to work his own brand of magic. When he pressed his hands against my back, there was a brief second of pain, then it was replaced by a wonderfully warm feeling, and a smell of something like honeysuckle filled my nose.
As T'Challa continued to rub his hands up and down my back and shoulders, a feeling of drowsiness washed over me. If this kept up, I wouldn't be surprised if I started to purr like a cat, much like T'Challa does when pleased; only his is a deeper purr, like from a much bigger cat.
At some point, I must've dozed off. When I managed to pull myself awake, I was curled on top of T'Challa, the towel now covering my body like a blanket, and something heavy and breathing on my legs.
I was tempted to ask what was going on, but the deep rumbling sensation in Panther's chest as he softly spoke was lulling me back into a light doze. That is until I heard Voltaire's name being mentioned, then I roused myself to pay attention.
"Briar has a very beautiful dog," Merlin commented, "If I may ask, what is his breed?"
"We are not sure; we only just discovered a few days ago that he is the son of Diego," T'Challa softly answered, "If anything, I would safely say that he is a mutant, as well." There was a moment of pause as Merlin absorbed the given information. I'm going to bet that she had one of her deep, thoughtful looks on her face.
As for me, I really wasn't sure about how to treat Voltaire anymore. I used to think of him as my 'tiny' fur baby, but now that I know that he's likely a human mutant (or something to that effect), I was very much left stumped as to whether I need to treat him like I used to, or like something else.
"Hmm. Truthfully, I don't think he is a mutant," Merlin pipped up in a thoughtful tone, "I can't sense any 'human' in his soul. If anything, he is completely canine, he just has a better understanding of the human language. It is highly unlikely that he'll turn into a human, or anything else."
"How do you mean?" T'Challa asked her, posing the same question that was now burning in my mind. There was another pause as Merlin gathered her thoughts—at least I think so—before giving her explanation.
"Well, it's basically down to DNA. In my world, the term 'shape shifter' is rather definitive: when a shape shifter is in one form—say human—they would have pure human DNA. When they shift into whatever creature they've chosen, they have the pure DNA of that creature. In essence, they have two DNA sequences inside them.
"Also, it comes down to whoever sired Voltaire. For Diego, given his powers, I would have to assume that he has the same DNA structure like those in my world. I would also have to assume that his mate was a wolf of some breed as well and that Diego was in his wolf form when the…uh, 'union' happened."
"So Voltaire is a 'pure' wolf, in a word?" T'Challa slowly asked her. Well, I'm glad that he understood all that information, because I had no clue what was said.
"Pretty much," Merlin agreed with him, "If anything, his ability to understand the human language better than most canines is something from his father side." Ah, now that I can understand. At least now I don't have to worry about my furry friend turning into a human at the most inopportune time.
: Though, I am a bit curious to know what else he might've gotten from Diego. : I thought to myself.
You know, the universe can be a very interesting place, with many things waiting to be discovered. All anyone can hope is that it doesn't turn out to be dangerous.
######
After spending a few more hours beside the pool, we eventually headed back inside. Merlin went to her room to do whatever she wanted (providing she didn't overdo it) while I was graciously carried back to my room by my boyfriend, with Voltaire acting as a furry bodyguard.
Once in my sanctuary, T'Challa put me back on my own feet, and generously turned down my bed while I ducked into the bathroom for a quick shower. By the time I had finished and came back out again, T'Challa had not only turned down my bed, but also set up the TV for a movie or two, whilst munching on a bowl of strawberries that mysteriously appeared. Mind you, I'm really not going to complain about the food, or everything else.
Once settled underneath the blankets and curled into the side of my boyfriend, with his arms wrapped around me, the silence fell over us like another comforting blanket as we watched the movie T'Challa picked out for us…which happened to be Sleeping Beauty. Well, why not?
We watched up to the scene where Prince Phillip and Briar Rose (the movie one) were dancing in the forest when I felt T'Challa shift slightly beside me, and I could just about feel the near tension in his air, all signs that pointed to a Q & A sessions, and I could also pretty much guess at the topic he wanted to talk about. So long as he was kind enough to answer my own questions.
I tilted my head back in order to see him better, and was not at all surprised by the shadow of concern in his golden eyes, even as they showed me the depth of his love.
"So?" I gently prompted. T'Challa responded with a small, gentle smile as his fingers began to ghost over my face.
"So," He repeated lowly, "I am rather concerned about the large amount of bruises on your back, and how you came about them." I couldn't help but cringe at his question; it wasn't one of my most spectacular moments.
"Promise not to laugh?" I asked him, which only made him even more curious, "It happened after Kang and his lot were taken care of. I had come back after helping out in the city, and I had taken off the armor that you gave me, then I sort of…"
"You sort of…?" Oh, here goes my dignity!
"I sort of…fell down the stair case." I finished lamely. I didn't even wait to see what his reaction was; I had already buried my face into his chest. It didn't take long for me to feel the body beside me start to shiver with suppressed laughter. Honestly, I can't blame him: even I had trouble believing how big a klutz I was.
I titled my head back to pout at him, which only made T'Challa snicker a tad louder.
"Ah, my Rose," He breathed out, combing his fingers through my hair, "You truly are a wondrous young woman."
"Oh, am I just?" I remarked sarcastically, making him laugh a little bit. Before he got the chance to reply, I straddled his hips and leaned forward to wrap my arms around his neck as I pressed my mouth against his, silencing his laughter.
His body stilled from his laughter, but I could tell he was still shaking with effort to hold back a different feeling. He carefully slid his hands along my back, which finally didn't hurt but did provoke a reaction on my part. A soft moan of longing erupted from my throat, my hips shifting against his as I pressed myself closer to his increasingly warmer body. My actions were probably not helping his self-control out, as made clear by the bulge I was beginning to feel against my backside.
But control himself he did, and T'Challa kept his hands out of temptations way by entangling themselves into my hair, keeping me anchored to where I was.
Finally, the need for air and the feeling of my heart threatening to burst from my chest made me pull away slightly. My eyes opened up and I felt a flush creep onto my cheeks as T'Challa opened his own eyes, revealing two pools of melted gold, filled with desire and so much love for me.
"By the way," He breathed huskily, "My presence in Wakanda was no longer needed—since the council could take care of the rest—so I came back to you earlier than I said. I wanted to surprise you, my love."
I know that my love for him was shining in my eyes, but hearing that made me love him even more and I just had to tell him so.
"I love you, T'Challa." I murmured against his lips. My heart fluttered as he smiled back, and pressed a gentle, chaste kiss to my lips.
"And I love you, my Rose." He replied, moving his hands from my hair to around my waist, gently pulling me into a warm hug.
God, I love this man of mine!
And that's this chapter. Sorry if the ending seems to be lacking, but I really didn't know how else to end it. Plus I wasn't sure whether I should explore Merlin's background in great detail, or just save it for her own story...eh, I think I'll wait.
So, I shall try to not take so long with my next chapter, and I hope you guys are still fans! So peace out!