Title: Marvel Cinematic University or MCU (Chp 2 / ?)

Chapter Title: The Equation of 1 + 1

Fandom: Black Panther 2: Wakanda Forever (MCU)

Pairing: Namor/Shuri (main), Attuma/Okoye (side)

Words: 2994

Rated: M overall for sexual situations

Chapter Rating: E

Tags: Angst

Story summary: Marvel Cinematic University or MCU. MCU had it all. The looks. The status. The cliques: Wakanda and Talokan.

Chapter Summary: Namor, the lazy one who doesn't pay attention in class let alone do any work. Shuri, the brains, the know it all, the Princess. Surely these two have nothing in common or do they? A spark. Chemistry. What happens when you put one and one together?

A/N: Inspired by the pics of them glaring that I saw via a twitter post. Then I remembered Mabel's outfit for Comic Con and Alex. I've always wanted a high school or college au so...I wrote it.

Direct link to image if not shown - . or go to my twitter namorxshuri to see it

Class was dismissed and all of the students flooded out of the space one by one. Shuri gathered her things with an annoyed urgency and stuffed them in her bag. She got up from the lab station that she shared with Namor and left at a quick pace. She saw M'Baku in the door way and began muttering loud enough so he could hear.

"Idiots. I'm surrounded by idiots. Incompetent idiots. He didn't answer any questions. Gave no feedback. Just sat there lost in his sketch book. I did all the work! How he managed to get this far in this place let alone in life is beyond me. He's a freaking idiot." Shuri said with annoyance.

During her tirade to M'Baku she didn't notice that Namor was nearby and within earshot. He had heard everything as he walked pass her and out the doors where the Talokanil were waiting for him. He nodded to Attuma and Namora as he continued to walk towards them. Then he stopped before he got to them. He pivoted and made his way to M'Baku and Shuri. Shuri looked up at the tall man, annoyance still evident in her eyes.

Namor silently took his tablet out of his bag. He tapped it a few times and then showed Shuri the screen. Shuri looked it over in confusion.

"What is this?" She asked genuinely.

"First of all, it's a tablet." He answered in a tone as if he were answering an idiot. "Second, the reason why you can't replicate certain heightened abilities within a human is because of your flawed equation. You're using the heart shaped herb. Try adding THIS plant." He taps on his screen to bring it up. "Try using that plant instead and you'll be successful."

Shuri looked at the screen of the plant and raised her eyebrow.

"First of all, that's dumb. Second, why would I take advice from someone who doesn't even pay attention in class during mutant studies?" There was some sass in her voice when talking to him and asking her question.

Namor ignored it and walked off, leaving her with M'Baku and joining the Talokanil again. Attuma and Namora eyed M'Baku and Shuri before making their leave with Namor. M'Baku stared back at them, his gaze unwavering and challenging. Once they were gone from view he turned to Shuri.

"What were you nerds going on about?" He asked wondering what they were talking about. When Shuri started to walk down the hall so did M'Baku beside her.

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing." She said in reply to his question. They joined Okoye, Aneka and Ayo at the end of the hall who escorted Shuri to her next class.

Because she knew the material of her next class already, she didn't have to pay attention. She was thinking about Namor's equation the whole time. More like correction. She took her tablet out of her bag and turned it on. She brought up the DNA helix mock up from the mutant studies class earlier and ran some tests using the heart shaped herb equation. None of them had a 100 percent success rate. Annoyed and just for shits and giggles she input Namor's suggestion.

The Ai on the screen lit up and gave a notification of 100 percent success rate. Shuri gasped loudly causing other students to look back at her in curiosity and concern. The profession paused his lecture, looked back towards her, decided to pay her no mind and continued with the lesson he was teaching. Shuri glared at her tablet screen. How could Mr Grumpy Sketch Pad figure it out and get it right when she could not? That was the most annoying part. She, being the one that paid attention in class. She being the one that had the better grades.

Actually, she didn't know what his grades were or much about him aside that he was cute, quite and broody. Still, how did he figure it out and get it right? Was he really a smart guy or did he just get lucky?

The class was dismissed and everyone greeted Shuri when she emerged. They all walked together to the cafeteria. Many talked about their day and their classes as they gathered their food and sat together at a table. Shuri couldn't get Namor off her mind. Was it that he corrected her or something else? Couldn't have been something else. No one was really her equal in that place or so it seemed. Not enough to get the best of her or correct her on anything when it came to her classes and the material. It was usually the opposite. It was usually HER teaching people things and stuff like that. Not the other way around.

She saw the Talokanil enter the cafeteria, get food and sit down at a table. She glared in their direction from across the crowded cafeteria. Attuma, sensing something, the evil eye, elbowed Namor and pointed towards Shuri. Namor looked in the direction guided by Attuma's hand and saw Shuri's eyes on him. He looked directly at her and their gaze lingered. Not taking his eyes from her, he rose from his seat and walked towards her direction.

He walked to her table and sat in the empty chair across form her and met her gaze head on. M'Baku, impressed with the little man, everyone was little compared to M'Baku, looked Namor up and down. Namor ignored him and ignored Okoye and the others who were also staring at him.

"Is there something you need, Princess?" He asked. His accent thick.

He heard M'Baku scoff at the word 'Princess', a nickname other students gave her, not them. A nickname that insinuated that she was some snobby spoiled little princess who always got her way. A nickname M'Baku didn't like. Tho if he were to admit, it was far better than the nickname "The Brain" that he heard other students call her.

She looked him over and narrowed her eyes. His hair was long, greasy looking or maybe wet. His eyes were dark, a very dark brown. His facial hair made him look like a professor rather than a student. He was handsome, she would give him that. The school uniform of the dress pants and tailored fitted blazer added to that.

She pulled her tablet from her bag. She tapped it a few times and brought up a different equation. She then slid the tablet on the table to Namor. Namor's dark eyes looked at her and then to the tablet. He smirked and tapped it a few times before sliding it back. Shuri picked it up and her eyes went wide. She cursed loudly before standing up, her chair scooting back and falling over and she stormed out. Namor grinned at the sight before casually standing and returning to his table to the Talokanil.

Okoye and the others watched in confusion and disbelief. Okoye watched at Namor returned to his table and she locked eyes with Attuma who was staring right at her. She met his gaze and stared back. After about five minutes when she realized he wasn't going to break eye contact and that this would probably last forever, she looked away and looked towards M'Baku.

"What was that?" She asked him.

He looked at the tablet and picked it up. On the screen it said "Equation solved." He turned it off and placed it into his bag so that he could give it to Shuri the next time he saw her.

"Foreplay." He replied. "Foreplay."

"What?" Okoye, Aneka and Ayo all asked in unison. M'Baku was known to say some pretty dumb things from time to time and this time seemed like one of them.

"Yeah. Watch." He said and pointed to his eyes. They all shook their heads and him and got up to find Shuri. Attuma and Okoye locked eyes again as they walked passed the Talokanil table to the exit.

Everyone had location tracking on their Kimoyo beads so Shuri wasn't hard to find. M'Baku gave her back her tablet and everyone went on about their day.

During the day that followed Shuri had something in mind for Namor. Was she thinking about this all night? Maybe. But to her, she was thinking about an EQUATION to stump him, not thinking about HIM all night. There is a difference. That's what she told herself anyway.

When she saw Namor in the halls she approached him. Namor stopped immediately in mid conversation with Attuma and turned to face her direction, watching her as she approached. It was like she was the only person in the room. Walking to him, that face full of determination. That face without fear. She was beautiful. Well, beautiful for a girl that looked like a giant black panther ready to scratch his eyes out. The way her uniform hugged her body, how the blazer narrowed at the waist and accentuated her hips. To the pants that were lose yet form fitting enough to give shape to her legs. The whole point of the unisex uniforms for blazer jackets and pants were to prevent distractions in the prestigious school. So much for that.

M'Baku, Okoye and the rest followed behind Shuri. Namora and Attuma watched them draw near as as they stood by Namor's side. Other students saw this and began to whisper and mummer. For everyone else, they avoided the Wakandans and Talokanil, two intimidating groups. So to see them approaching one another, talking to one another made the student body uneasy. Everyone wondered what was going on and what they were talking about. Some stopped and stared. Others went about their business.

Shuri walked up to Namor and handed him her tablet. He looked at her and then to the tablet. A smirk danced across his lips as he took the tablet, tapped it a few times and handed it back to her. He ran his fingers back through his hair and awaited her response. Attuma eyed Okoye during the whole exchange. Okoye was holding a gym bag and a bow staff for her athletics class. It made her look quite intimidating and Attuma wondered how she handled the weapon.

Shuri cursed again and stormed off in the opposite direction once she saw the screen. Okoye gave one last glace to Attuma before turning to follow Shuri. M'Baku dipped his head back and made a loud dramatic sigh.

"You nerds are so annoying." He complained and followed the rest of his crew.

Namora rolled her eyes. She simply didn't want to know. Didn't care to know.

Attuma's mind was somewhere else. He patted Namor on the shoulder and rushed pass him. Namor looked around confused.

"Where is he going?" He asked. Namora shrugged.

Okoye emerged from the locker room and stepped inside the gym. She was wearing red leggings and a red sports tank top. The outfit made it easier for her to move and be more flexible. She sat her gym bag against a padded wall and took a sip of her bottled water. She then removed her shoes and stepped onto the padded floors of the gym bare foot.

Everything was padded with floor mats and even the walls were lined with them. This ensured the safety of everyone who used the area for any type of work outs or combat. Okoye placed her staff upon the mat in front of her and began to stretch. With her legs straight, she folded her upper half, wrapped her hands around her ankles and stretching. Her eyes locked onto a set of feet that stopped in front of her. Okoye straightened up and was surprised to see Attuma looming over her.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

Attuma was dressed in his school uniform pants. He had removed his blazer jacket and had a white tank top shirt underneath.

"I'm here to train." He said and then smiled.

Okoye rolled her eyes.

"The instructor is not here today. Today is free form where we can do whatever we want." She informed him.

Attuma shrugged unbothered.

"Ok. I'll take that."

Okoye looked at the staff in his hands.

"Do you even know how to use that?" She asked.

Attuma took a step back and gave his staff a dramatic twirl. He then pointed his staff towards her.

"Do you?" He asked in reply to her question.

Okoye arched a brow and picked her own staff up from the mat. She gave an equally dramatic and showy twirl.

"Would you like to find out?" She said, her voice challenging despite her smile.

The biggest grin spread across Attuma's face.

"Yes, Yes, I would."

The students filtered into the Mutant Studies class. Each went to their lab stations to sit with their assigned partners. Shuri walked in, seeing Namor sitting alone at their station, sketching away as usual. He didn't bother to look up when she arrived but he did pull out her chair for her to sit which was unexpected to her.

She took her things out of her bag and sat them upon the table as she waited for the class to begin. She looked over to see what Namor was drawing. It looked like some sort of Ancient warriors, Mesoamerican, Shuri guessed. Shuri watched as he shaded things with his pencil.

"It seems like you like history. Why haven't I seen you in any history class?" She asked.

This got his attention. He stopped with his pencil and closed his sketch book. He then slid his chair closer to Shuri.

"What is the point? What is the point of history when it's the same thing every time? Conquerors. Conquistadors. The enslavement of people. Taking their land. Taking their resources. Disease. Plagues. Death. Repeat. It's always the same thing. Just different people. My people. Your people." He paused and leaned back into his chair. "I don't need to take a class for that."

Shuri was surprised and stunned by his answer. Seeing this amused Namor. He leaned in closer to her, their faces a whisper apart.

"Where you expecting something else, Princess?" He asked. His voice soft, sing song even.

"I honestly was expecting something more…stupid coming from you." She admitted.

Namor smiled at that. It was the first time she ever seen him do so. Shuri felt her heart pound in her chest.

"You don't really know me?" He asked in a whisper.

Shuri shook her head in response. "No, I do not."

Namor's eyes roamed her face and stopped at her lips.

"Would you like to get to know me?" He asked. He then looked back into her dark eyes and waited for her answer.

A voice called from ahead of the class. "Ch'ah Toh Almehen?" The voice called. It was the professor. He called the name again.

Namor, annoyed, turned his head away from Shuri and called back.

"It's Namor." He shouted towards the front.

The professor adjusted his glasses, looked at the paper and then towards Namor in the back.

"Well the paper says Ch'ah Toh….."

Namor gritted his teeth at the butchered pronunciation of his name.

"And since you cannot pronounce it right, it's NAMOR." He said but authority.

"Very well, Namor." The professor said and called out the rest of the names.

"Is there a AA Ron here? AA Ron."

A student replied. "It's Aaron."

"Is there a Bluh-lock-kay?" The professor asked and looked around.

"It's Blake." Another student answered.

Namor rolled his eyes. "I should have skipped today." He muttered. He placed a hand onto Shuri's tablet, his fingers brushing against hers as he did so. "But then I wouldn't get to see you."

Shuri swallowed. "See me?"

"Yeah. I always look forward to your equations." His voice was low, sensual, distracting.

Shuri snatched her tablet and stuffed it into her bag.

"I got to go." She said and quickly made her way out of class. The professor called after her. Namor grabbed his sketch book and went after her.

Shuri's heart was pounding. She made her way out of the school to a secluded courtyard and sat on a bench to catch her breath. She didn't know what she was feeling or why she was excited and nervous all of a sudden. Her reaction to him. His voice. His touch. How close she was. She tried to analyze it all and came up with nothing. What was this? Whatever it was, she had no experience with it. Shuri closed her eyes and leaned her head back, letting the sun warm her face. She listened to the birds, the wind rustling through the leaves and students in the distance. She could feel herself getting more and more relaxed.

A person sat down upon the bench beside her. Close. Close as if they had no concept of personal space. Close as if they knew each other. Shuri opened her eyes and was surprised to see that the person was Namor.

"There you are." He said.

"How? What are you doing here?" She asked surprised. Surprised that he even found her.

Namor leaned back against the bench. "I had to leave. I was going to run a spear through that professor's chest if I heard him mispronounce one more name."

Shuri laughed at that. "That's fair but that would just make everyone even more afraid of you."

Namor looked at her in confusion. "People are scared of me?" He asked.

"Of course they are." Shuri replied, surprised that he didn't even know.

Namor leaned closer, causing that same reaction Shuri had before. He looked into her eyes as if searching for an answer.

"Are you scared of me?" He asked. There was a tone in his voice. Was it fear? Was it sadness? Was it loneliness?

"Should I be?" She asked.

Namor raised his hand to her chin and gently tilted it up with a finger. "You should be because I'm thinking about kissing you right now."

CHAPTER END

A/N: Ideas? Ideas that don't involve first time and first love? I'm already planning that. Plus, inspired by a pic of Letitia in a black blazer type dress in a hotel next to mirrors and longer haired Tenoch in a suit, I like the idea of them reconnecting later in the future after graduating ((and having the bang of their lives)) as their paths collide. Never forgetting your first love. That sorta thing.