For those of you who love Iqadi and Imanu, and I'm so happy a lot of you out there do, this will be a fun year for them.

Year Four: Lost in the Downpour

Wakanda's Palace - 13:31 PM

Despite having assumed they'd ask Iqadi's parents permission for an extended trip, they didn't. They ended up relaying their plan to Amaka, a member of the Dora Milaje who was accompanying them for their trip near the end to bring them home, to tell Iqadi's parents back home that they weren't coming straight home.

It couldn't be a coincidence that it started pouring rain the moment they came home and entered the garden. The clouds are so dark that it seems like the middle of the night as big, fat drops of rain fall all over them. Barely a set-up; the downpour just started on them.

"The consequences of my actions," Iqadi says as she and Imanu seek refuge under a tree in the garden with wide and thick foliage. A few drops sneak through the leaves and branches, but it beats being drenched. She's been trying to stop it but her mother's powers are stronger than hers.

"Ours," Imanu corrects. He looks over at her. "Was this our first time sneaking out?"

"Was it really sneaking out if we told them our plan?"

"I'm not sure. I haven't done this before."

"Neither have I." Iqadi exhales a small laugh as she glances at him. "We should do this again sometime."

Raindrops roll down his cheeks, some stay in his hair. Iqadi can't look away from him as he watches the storm surrounding them. She loves her husband dearly but he has never looked more handsome. Iqadi pokes a falling raindrop on his cheek, stopping it in its path right where his dimple would form. Her smile grows as he looks at her, the same expression appearing on his face. He takes her hand when the small indent forms on his face and he kisses the inside of her palm.

"I'll meet you back in the palace," Imanu whispers into her hand. "I'm stopping by my parents' place to tell them I'm home."

Iqadi nods as he quickly kisses her, still holding onto her hand. He keeps her in his grasp until they were arm's length apart. Imanu looks out at the storm from under the tree and smiles at Iqadi before running out into the storm.

Iqadi watches him go, their kiss still fresh on her lips.

Like young teenagers going their separate ways early in their courtship. Not a young couple married for three years.

-o-

The kiss lingered on her lips as she sauntered in the rain back to the palace. She didn't even bother to shield herself from the rain.

The first person Iqadi saw in the palace was Kili. She didn't even get a chance to say hi to Imani's sister before she took a step back at the sight of Iqadi's bright smile.

"Your brother's home," Iqadi exhales.

"Why are you so happy if you went with him?" Kili asks. Before Iqadi could answer, Kili's small face contorts in disgust as if she answered her own question. "Ew, never mind. You could've left him in Jersey."

Iqadi wrinkles her nose. "You know I wouldn't."

"Maybe next time."

Iqadi nudges Kili before continuing her way through the palace. She wasn't keeping track of where she was going, humming as she prances and smiling at whomever she passes. She didn't care about who saw or heard her, except if it was her father.

"I have never seen you so enamoured," Ororo states, grabbing Iqadi's attention.

Iqadi pauses, seeing her mother up ahead standing regally. "Mother?"

"Don't worry about immediately filling me in on your trip, darling. At least the part in Copenhagen. Go freshen up and we'll talk later. You resemble a schoolgirl." She sighs contently. "I now understand what the other mothers are talking about."

Iqadi's brows furrow as she looks at her reflection in a nearby window. Her thick black hair has strands coming out of its bands, dripping ends that definitely made a trail with her steps. Her reflection's almost like Medusa, tendrils like snakes peeking through the river's surface.

"Don't tell Father you saw me like this…" Iqadi mutters. Her cheeks burn as she avoids eye contact with her mother and scurries away. She wouldn't be surprised if her mother immediately told him. "But, thank you for the storm."

"It's in the name."

-o-

Iqadi walks out of her bathroom after a hot shower, tying her robe just as Imanu walks in. He's dried off, having freshened up at his parents' place. Iqadi looks out the window and sees grey overcast skies, so at least Imanu didn't have to worry about a storm while returning. They lock eyes as he closes their bedroom door and he exhales, leaning against the now-locked door.

"I would've been here sooner, but I ran into your Father," Imanu says. "He is proud of what you did in Jersey."

"Did you mention how you tried to seduce me to get out of your royal obligations?"

Imanu clears his throat as Iqadi grins. He narrows his eyes at her as he approaches her, wrapping an arm around her back. She laughs as he leans in, her hands on his chest as he rests in the nape of her neck.

"Are you trying to seduce me to avoid answering that question?" Iqadi asks.

He pauses, tilting his head up to meet her eyes. "You're my wife, can you blame me?"

Iqadi hums a small laugh, moving his hands to the ties of her robe.

"So are you now trying to seduce me to avoid answering that question?" Imanu asks, teasing her robe by tugging on the ties.

"You're my husband," she copies, leaning in closer so that her lips are closer to his, "can you blame me?"

"For the record, what happened behind closed doors in Copenhagen stays between us."

"As it should."

"I've been thinking of kissing you since the gardens," Imanu says, "May I?"

Iqadi nods. "I've been waiting for you to get back."

Imanu doesn't waste another second and kisses her. Iqadi is suddenly aware of how alone they are. Before, there were always other people around or even in the gardens they were in view, but now there are no boundaries. They have walls and a door with closed drapes keeping them private. The rules have changed and they don't know what to do with each other.

His hands are in her hair. Hers are on his back, at his waist, that shiver under my touch against his bare skin.

"May I?" She asks tugging the hem of his shirt and he nods.

She yanks his shirt up towards his head and he shrugs out of it and throws it across the room as she undoes her robe. The raw beauty of her body exposed with his - scars, muscle, bruises. Some from their lives before they met and married. A beautiful sight they've seen many times before. Their beating hearts and quick shallow breaths are the only sounds in the room. He waits, searching her face as she hooks her legs at his waist to let him in.

When it's just them and their bodies, there's nothing more to hide. Iqadi smiles and leans back, pulling out a small square from her robe's pocket and pressing it against his bare chest.

I love them so much.