Twenty Four
January 20, 2017 – Shuri visits Stark Tower!
"Hello everyone and welcome back to my channel! Today, I have a special guest and..."
"Hello!" Peter waved at the camera.
Tony peered at him, unimpressed. Peter slowly lowered his hand.
"Sorry."
"Not while the adult is talking, Peter."
"You do know I am sixteen, right? Not six?"
"I am aware."
"Oh good." Peter smiled.
"Anyways, I have a special guest arriving by airplane today and we are going to go greet them! We, meaning Peter, my camera and me!"
"Can we take the Tesla? Pleasseeeeeeeeee." Peter drew out the word, irritating Tony with every millisecond.
"I was planning on the..."
"Please. Please. Please. Please." Peter made big eyes at Tony, which damn near melted his heart but he didn't want Peter to know that.
"Will it stop you from saying please?"
"Yes."
"Then let's go!" Tony shooed him out of the lab before making contact at the camera. "Kids." He scoffed.
Peter was obediently waiting by the Tesla when Tony got there. Tony unlocked it and Peter jumped in.
"Why do you like this car so much?"
"Reasons." Peter said and turned away. Tony turned the camera off and gave Peter a look. "My spider senses like this car better – might be the gas that makes my head hurt."
"You could have just told me that." Tony admonished.
"I know..." Peter sighed.
Tony turned the camera back on.
"Well, we are off to the Stark landing field, which is a little outside Manhattan, so off we go!" He turned on the car and shot out into the street, ignoring the honking, getting an adrenaline rush. Peter laughed as he clutched the seatbelt with his hands, smile wide.
Soon, they arrived at the airport and a plane was just landing. It was a nondescript plane, made out of silver with black accents, no airline or country explicit on the outer shell. Soon the door opened and out stepped a teenager of African descent. She had dark ebony skin, black hair braided with bright neon strips throughout, a baseball cap on her head that said Team Iron Man and bright pink lipstick on. She wore a black beaded tank top, showing a panther and cargo pants with black boots on. On her wrist and neck were large black beaded necklaces. She had a duffel bag thrown over her shoulder and she walked with grace and confidence.
"What's up, Colonizer?" The smooth tone of her voice came out with a thick African accent.
"Actually, I'm a descendant of Italian refugees, if we want to get technical."
"Fair enough." She pulled up her sunglasses to show her sparkling and humorous eyes. "Who's the child?"
"Hey!" Peter protested.
"Shuri, he's like almost the same age as you and just as smart." Tony admonished.
"Shuri?!" Peter squawked. "Like, Princess Shuri of the technologically advanced country of Wakanda?!" He yelped. "Like that Shuri?"
"Yes." She confirmed. "And I like that title a lot. I am also the head of the Tech department in Wakanda."
"Wow..." Peter breathed.
"And I am pretty as well, I have been told."
"Well, yeah but being the head at 17? That's amazing. You must be crazy smart!" Shuri blinked. It was almost the first time that she hadn't got hit on but it was refreshing. Her gaydar wasn't going off but maybe it was early for him.
Her phone started vibrating. She slid her finger across the screen.
"Hello Brother!" She said happily as her brother appeared on her screen.
"Wow! Is that King T'Challa?" Peter asked amazed.
"It is indeed." T'Challa's voice came through, his voice warm.
"Wow. It's an honor, sir."
"Stark." T'Challa greeted flatly.
"King T'Challa." Tony replied frostily.
"I hope you will take care of my sister."
"I don't abandon my allies." Tony replied and T'Challa sneered at him.
Peter looked uncomfortable. Shuri rolled her eyes.
"What do you want, Brother? I am about to see Iron Man's lab." She asked impatiently.
"Is it a crime to want to see if my darling sister made it there alright?" T'Challa teased.
"Maman told you to, didn't she?" She didn't buy the sweetness for a minute.
"Yes..." T'Challa confessed.
"Well, tell Maman I am fine, the flight was long but uneventful. I have made it to New York, and I will be visiting Stark Tower for the duration of my stay." She told him. "Bye." She said before she hung up on him and sighed, turning to Tony. "Sorry, my brother is a bit proud. Like the panther, it seems." She shrugged.
"It's fine, Shuri. Let's go play."
Shuri entered the lab and took it all in as she spun around.
"Wow, this is amazing for an American! You're usually so low on the ranking of intelligence!" She cheered.
Tony and Peter exchanged looks.
"Thank...you?" Tony was puzzled whether that was a compliment or not.
"No offense meant, of course." She smiled.
The video fast forwarded through hours of exchanging information, talking between the three of them, much laughter and jokes and a feeling of a bond being made right there between Shuri and Peter.
"This has been fun. Peter, we must keep in contact. Do you have Discord?" Shuri asked as she got to her feet.
"Yes. I'll give it to you before you go." Peter supplied happily.
"Thank you for having me, Tony Stark." She said formally.
"Anytime. By the way, how mad were certain people that you wore that hat?" He teased.
"Some would surprise you." She said ambiguously. Tony pressed stop on the camera. Shuri turned to Peter. "So, how long have you been Spider-Man?" She asked and Tony and Peter stared at her and exchanged looks.
"Why?" Peter asked, hesitantly.
"Curiosity. You have the potential to be a big player in the superhero game. You already kind of are."
"I haven't been doing it that long." Peter said, avoiding giving her a date, after getting a nod from Tony.
"Born or was it an accident?" Shuri asked scientifically.
"I was bitten by a spider." He replied.
"Fascinating." She breathed. "Well, I'm off to bed. Jet-lag." She shrugged.
"FRIDAY, show Shuri to her room." Tony spoke and FRIDAY lit up the floor to Shuri's room.
"Certainly, Boss. Right this way, Princess."
"This is awesome! Can I study your code?" Shuri asked FRIDAY.
"No, you may not." FRIDAY said firmly, while Shuri pouted.
Peter and Tony shook their heads as the door closed behind them with a swish.
"Was that okay?" Peter asked.
"Time will tell. We can't predict how people will handle that information."
"I feel good vibes from her. With my SpideySense."
"Well, that's good. Hopefully she won't be using this information against us." Tony said, pensive.
"Yeah." Peter said awkwardly. Tony ruffled his hair.
"Don't worry about it, Pete."
Peter bit his lip but couldn't do anything but think about it.
WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT BETWEEN STARK AND T'CHALLA?!
-Reply: The tension was real...
-Reply: And not the fun kind either.
-Reply: Some real shit went down frfr.
-Reply: Yikes. Maybe related to the Accords
-Reply: But T'Challa's father was a huge contributor - wouldn't he be for it?
-Reply: Not necessarily. He might have differing views.
-Reply: I do not. I am for the Accords. Stark and I have unresolved conversations that we will endeavor to make our priority. - T'Challa.
-Reply: Don't speak for me. I am an adult and when I want to have a conversation, then we can have one, until then, have fun with your secrets. -TS
- -Reply: I see you have not changed. -T'Challa
-Reply: And I won't anytime soon. -TS
Tony, I am sorry. -CA
-Reply: CA as in Captain America?!
-Reply: Dude, where the hell are you?"
-Reply: I am safe. I am unharmed. -CA
-Reply: Well, bully for you but you still have unanswered crimes.
-Reply: I did what I thought was right. -CA
-Reply: So do a lot of people and they still get held accountable. Why are you exempt?
-Reply: Because he's white and a superhero. They get all the privilege.
- -Reply: Leave Captain America alone – Tony is a snake – T'Challa obviously has good judgement.
-Reply: He doesn't have any reason to treat Tony this way. -CA
-Reply: Yes, I got your note. You aren't forgiven. You need to talk to me in person for that. -TS
-Reply: I agree to that. -CA
Aside from the tension, who else is shipping Shuri and Peter?! Cuz I am
-Reply: Me too!
-Reply: Well, I don't want to assume either of their sexual orientation, if they are both straight-ish and into each other then let's ship away!
-Reply: I think that young Peter and young Princess Shuri could have the beginnings of a wonderful and fruitful bond, romantic, sexual or friendship. I wish them plenty of good tidings. -The Vision
-Reply: Viz, let's not comment on his videos.
-Reply: But why not, Wanda? - The Vision
-Reply: Sigh... We will talk about it later.
-Reply: Another fruitful conversation, I look forward to it. -The Vision
-Reply: LOL! Vision doesn't get that Scarlet Witch is reprimanding him.
-Reply: Too funny!
-Reply: Reprimand. A severe, formal, or official rebuke or censure. Wanda, is this true? -The Vision
-Reply: It's not a big deal, Vision. Don't worry about it.