Attuma, entertained by Namora's rant, became bored. Namora couldn't believe the princess showed signs of pixan gemela and that she had chosen k'uk'ulkan. "First you and that bald woman, and now this."
"Namora, do not pretend you didn't see his interest in the Wakadan princess." Namora glared at him as he rolled his eyes, shaking his head.
"Shut up." he scuffed at her childish act. He was thinking about that woman named Okoye. He fancied her. During their first fight, he admitted she had piqued his interest. Never had an outsider still breathed after fighting him. She refused to back down and was able to stand her ground. He told himself he would like to fight her again if she lived. It had brought him great pleasure when he realized she had survived, and in their second round, he was the one that lost. Grateful to still be alive, it was that moment he would claim her for himself. Attuma wasn't upset that k'uk'ulkan had yielded to the black panther. It allowed him to claim what would rightfully be his.
"Namora, you must accept what is happening. It is for the best of Talokan, and if we are ever to go to war with the surface world, it will be with the Wakandans. Instead of eradicating the most powerful nation on the surface, two great powers together can destroy the whole world." Namora glared heavily at him.
"You are lucky we are cousins." Attuma shook his head, leaving her to scowl to herself and think. The longer she is left alone, the quicker she will come to ease listing the pros and cons to their cousin's gain. He wanted to see Okoye again and had found where she lived. He had heard of her demotion and coolant help but feel responsible for his actions, but he would not apologize for there was no reason to do so. He called for one of the whales; it would be a faster trip. One night, he dreamed that Okoye and himself watched the stars in the middle of the ocean, lying on the back of a whale. She was smiling, holding hands as her head leaned on his shoulder while her other hand rubbed her swollen belly. A jade necklace around her neck, her tunic top thin just enough to see the color of her nipples, and her stomach exposed to the night sky illuminated by the moonlight. He saw himself sit up only to place his hand on top of hers, moving to his side and placing his forehead on hers. His hand slowly moves up, lifting the tunic that covers her breast. He cups her left breast, thumb rubs over the hardened nipple, and she whimpers from the movement; pregnancy has made her more sensitive at the simplest graze. He can not kiss her due to the mask, nor suck to his heart's content. His hand knees her breast; she moans, eyes closed, mouth a gap. He refuses to give attention to one while refusing to give to the other; he vows to take her but not tonight. He can see her eyes' tiredness and wishes to soothe Okoye for the night. She falls asleep vulnerable putting her trust in him to protect her and their unborn through the night. Attuma hopes it to be accurate instead of looking forward to another dream while he sleeps.
Reaching the surface, he sees the small home without light. It was odd not to see her gaze upon the stars. Perhaps he is too eager to see her. Ready to dive back into the blue depths, the snap of a twig is heard; turning to see where it came from, he sees Okoye approaching home. She looks unfocused; this is a new look to him. Something was clouding her mind, and he could tell she wasn't sure how to feel about it. "warrior." She stops at the sound of his call, glaring at him with a raised eyebrow.
"It's bad enough that you stalk me, but now you finally want to speak." Attuma is surprised by her words. She knew he was watching her; if so, why didn't she say anything. He could have spoken to her sooner. He moved towards her stopping a few feet from her.
"Something troubles you. Perhaps if you are willing to share, I might be of help. Warrior to warrior that is." she recoils at his words.
"I am no longer a Warrior. I am a civilian." Okoye informs broken, heartedly. She had worked hard to earn her position, and he had just reminded her of her failure.
"You are still a warrior in my eyes." he stands in front of her. Okoye sighs, walking past him to her home.
"There is nothing you can do that will put my mind at ease." Ready for this conversation.
"Then spar with me." Attuma eyes her down. He refuses to let her slip through the cracks. He hadn't seen her in weeks and only dreamed of their encounters. Okoye raises her eyebrow, intrigued.
"I no longer have a spear. Good night warrior." Attuma panics and does not realize he has pulled her by the waist to his chest.
"You do not need a spear to spar with me, Okoye. I do not need one as well." Okoye turned her body around to face him.
"Hand-on-hand combat? I will accept, but before I do, move your hand from my body before I break every bone in your fingers." Attuma chuckled, letting go and taking two steps back in delight. Okoye watched him, wondering if he had lost his mind. "The next time you put your hand on me with my permission will be your last breath." Attuma couldn't ignore his blood running down south. He looked forward to her threat, and the desire to touch her again was tempting enough for his blood to boil in enthusiasm.
"I look forward to that." Okoye blushed; turning her back to him, she entered her home to change. Attuma followed inside; Okoye didn't mind him coming in. She had moved out of the marital home she once shared with W'Kabi wanting a fresh start. Her old home left nothing but memories of a place that could have been and what was. She should be happy that W'Kaibi had asked Queen Mother for a pardon; he loved his country and still loves her. W'kaibi made it very clear when she approached him after she had learned that he refused to give up on them. He was angry with her that she was pushing to let go. Okoye wanted peace. When she looks at him, she sees the memories of T'Challa. From the beginning, when they were once children running around the palace to being teenagers sneaking out to parties and how T'Challa had convinced W'Kabi to man up and ask her out on a date. She loved T'Challa deeply. He was her first kiss and love, and he had tenderly shared their first time together. She wouldn't forget those moments.
T'Challa wasn't just her best friend, but he was her confidant. He knew her fears, her hopes, and her dreams. Though she knew T'Challa had feelings for Nakia, he also had feelings for her, and in his love and care, he had promised her his first would be with her. In the beginning, it was a silly promise they had made together before they reached an age to venture their bodies. She had made a joke about their virginity when she had a crush on him, and they were learning sex ed in school. As time passed, she walked to her secret place, soaked from the rain in tears after a terrible date. She had a crush on a schoolboy after realizing T'Challa would always have a thing for their friend Nakia. She was excited and saved up on a dress she couldn't resist, and the date was fun.
She had looked forward to school to share with T'Challa, Nakia, and W'kabi about how the date had gone. They smiled from ear t ear as she shared with them how fun it was and how she would be happy to go on another date with Chendo. After departing from her group after class went looking for Chendo; she hadn't seen him all day, for she had looked forward to speaking to him. Just before she turned the corner, she heard Chendo laughing with his friends.
"Pay up, man; you couldn't get Okoye, the ugliest girl, to suck you off." She froze at those words.
"I did everything. I took her out to a nice place and everything, and the cow still wouldn't give." Chendo ground. Peaking from the corner, Chendo had given money to his friend. "A bet is a bet." Okoye, quietly in tears, turned around to run only to face T'Challa's eyes locked on her. Embarrassed, she ran past him out of the school building in the pouring rain.
Okoye had walked the rest of the way. Her special place was a cave just behind a waterfall that could only be entered through a hidden passage that was long forgotten. Okoye sat there crying, resting her head on her knees hurdled in the corner. She couldn't tell if the rain stopped. The waterfall is more of a white nose that feels soothing. This cave alone was the only place that felt like hers; no one else knew about this place besides T'Challa. When she showed him this place, he had mentioned offering it to Nakia, and she yelled at how inconsiderate he was of her feelings. She remembered yelling at him for wanting to turn her only safe space into a make-out zone. She declared she hated him and regretted showing him this place. Informing him, he was the only person out of friends and family that she was willing to share it with and that he should go fuck himself. She had left him there in anger. By the end of the day, he was at her door holding a gift apologizing for breaking her trust and swore on his honor he would never betray it again and hoped she would still share it with him. Okoye had slammed the door in his face running back upstairs in tears.
When her mother came home, she called Okoye to go downstairs and asked her why T'Challa was outside waiting for him and wouldn't come in until she let him. Okoye rushed passed her mother and opened the door seeing T'Challa sitting on the ground watching the sunset. She walked up to him, clearing her throat and getting his attention. The young man stood up so fast she raised her eyebrow at him. "Go home, Prince T'Challa. Your parents are probably wondering where you are." He winced at the unkind tone of her voice but refused to leave. He apologized again and swore that he would never tell a soul and that it would never risk their relationship. She teared up in front of him; turning back inside, he pulled her to him and held her kissing her forehead, begging her forgiveness.
Before she drifted to sleep, she felt warm, strong arms wrap around her, pulling her close to a broad chest. She knew it was T'Challa Fresh new tears appeared, "I'm so stupid." he shushed her.
"Your Prince demand you never saw that again, Okoye." she didn't fight when he turned her to face. "Look at me, Okoye." she refused to listen, for her mind was plagued with insecurities, and she believed Chendo and his friends were right about her. "I do not like repeating myself." Okoye looked up, seeing nothing but kindness and love facing her. "You are beautiful as you are fierce. You are gorgeous in every aspect, and you fail to see the jealousy many have of you. Chendo and his hyenas are fools and can't see pass a baboon's bleeding ass." Okoye chuckles.
"I feel so stupid." She hisses at the pain. T'Challa had slapped her ass so hard it had echoed in the cave.
"Each negative word you say about yourself will be punished on our rear." He looked at her in anger. "I will show you just how I think of you." She didn't lose her virginity to him that day, but he clarified it. She will forever remember how special he had made her. His feather touches, his lips on hers, and his hot wet mouth on her breast. He had walked her home that day hand in hand and had spoken to her parents about why she had run out of school. She learned that night he had defended her honor and that she would receive a full-on apology from Chendo and his friends. Winking at her, he kissed her forehead before leaving for home with a whisper in her ears, reminding her that she was gorgeous in his eyes.
W'Kabi and Nakia knew he wasn't a virgin, and when they asked who it was, he always answered he had made love to a gorgeous girl. She would blush at this and would change the subject immediately. Okoye smiled to herself at the memory of those times, and in her heart, she knew staying with W'Kabi would stain her memory of T'Challa. W'kabi had somehow, in his own way, twisted the gift T'Challa had given them, and no longer would it make her happy. She loved W'Kabi truly moving past her feelings for T'Challa, and had seen a future with him. Clearly, there was no longer a future for her with him.
When done changing, she entered her living room and saw him waiting for her. She could tell he was checking her out, and she didn't mind. He followed her back outside into the water, just reaching her ankles. "Let's see how good you are, warrior."
Shuri walked along the sunset; her toes dug in the sand as each wave covered her tracks. Three days had passed since she was brought to the underwater cave. Namor had a situation he needed to take care of, and since it was still the beginning stage of her heat, it wouldn't be a problem. She had asked the guards to take her to the surface. Namor had informed them about obeying her as they obeyed him. They took her to a tiny island that reminded her of the Maldives. Everything about this little island felt peaceful to her. She couldn't help but think how lovely it would be to watch the sunset with Namor. "Itza." Shuri turned to the guard that approached her. He pointed to the campfire they had prepared. She follows his lead and sits down on the blanket placed for her.
"Leave us." she smiles, hearing his voice.
"You know you can just ask nicely." Namor sits beside her. "Is everything okay?" Namor kisses her forehead.
"I always take care of my people." she smiles, "I hope to take care of you." Shuri rolls her eyes playfully.
"You already did last night." Shuri blushed in memory.
"That is not what I meant, Itza." she looks at him, and he sees the color in her eyes change. "I want to do more than I had done the other night."
"Dose that means you don't want to eat me out anymore?"
"Nothing will stop me from eating you. Now that I have a taste, there is no going back."