Run Away With Me

It was a Tuesday. Shuri hated Tuesday.

Someone had passed away.

An elderly man. A neighbour of theirs. Mr. Louis, his name was. He took care of Nakia when she came to Haiti years ago. Toussaint grew up under his care and was close to him. Like a grandfather.

Shuri held Toussaint in his arms. He did not wail as the other kids do.

He just…cried silently. Letting the tears flow down his face. Mourning in his own way.

Shuri averted her gaze from the crying crowd. She carried Toussaint away from the scene.

Too young, and yet, he knew death way too much than the kids his age.

"...Aunty? Will…Mr. Louis met Baba… wherever he was going…?" Toussaint cried. He cried with a hoarse voice ringing in her ears. Choking up at his own words.

"...I hope so." Shuri patted his back soothingly. Swaying him gently in her arms.

No. He won't.

Their family rests at the ancestral plane.

A place even she had never been able to go to. 

So she doesn't think that Mr. Louis would encounter T'Challa wherever he is going.

"Will… Mr. Louis likes Baba? He will, I think. They are both nice…" Toussaint snuggled into her, wiping his tears on Shuri's shirt. Feeling safe and comfort in his aunt's embrace.

"I think so too." Shuri smiled sorrowfully. Pretty sure the last thing T'Challa wants would be someone like Mr. Louis who nagged at Toussaint and her like they are his grandchild and great-grandchild.

He was a kind man.

She offered her condolences to his family, expressing her sympathy and encouraging them to find solace in the natural course of grief. "May you find comfort in the passage of time," Shuri lied, wishing them strength and resilience during this difficult period.

May you find comfort in the passage of time.

It's been more than a year since her brother's passing; It's been months since her mother's passing.

Shuri asked Bast.

Why is she still not finding solace? Why?

While she overheard how the others offered their condolences.

"May you find peace and acceptance in your mourning."

Peace? Acceptance?

Shuri walked away from the crowd before she accidentally laughed in disdain.

It's all a lie.

At nightfall, Mr. Louis's family conducted a cremation for him. It was a deeply rooted local tradition, and Mr. Louis had expressed his desire to be cremated this way during his lifetime. He didn't want to be buried in the ground; instead, he wished to be carried away by the wind and laid to rest in the sky.

Shuri watched from afar.

Nakia and Toussaint were part of the deceased's family members since Mr. Louis and his family had taken them in as a part of their family over the years. Nakia was grateful to be able to accompany his final moments in such a way.

Shuri watched from afar.

Her fists clenched until her nails dug into her own flesh, bleeding.

She wants to be by Nakia and Toussaint's side in such difficult times.

But no matter how much she wanted to hold their hands and offer support, she couldn't do it.  

I can't. Nakia watched her understandingly as Shuri looked at her. 

She asked some of the neighbours to stand by Shuri's side instead. Before leaving, Toussaint embraced her and assured her that he would be back soon.

"Be right back, Aunty," he said.

Don't leave me.

Shuri clenched her fists, watching as the ceremony started, people started singing, and they started dancing. Much like how it goes during T'Challa's funeral.

They celebrate the life of the deceased, honouring his memory and legacy.

What about the living?

"He passed away in his sleep. There was no pain, the doctor said. He passed away peacefully…" Theo, who stood by her side, told her carefully when he noticed Shuri's face turned pale and her breathing became increasingly rapid.

And what about the living? What about those who are alive, those who love him? Those who he left in this world. Knowing they didn't love him enough.

Loving someone is never enough.

She had learned this through the cruel and hard way.

And unfortunately, it was all too late for her.

"Did he?" Shuri blurted out.

Theo looked at her, shocked. Shuri had always struck him as a gentle, kind and bright person.

"How do you know he died peacefully?" She asked.

"Because he is old and supposed to die?" She asked again.

"Was it the right age for him to die? He's like what, 87? There is no damn age when a person should die, is there?" Shuri asked Theo, hoping to get an answer from him.

Theo couldn't answer her question.

"...Sorry, I was just…wondering…" Shuri apologizes when she realizes she overreacted a bit, she's just a normal neighbour, and she should act like one.

They watched the ceremony ongoing in silence.

"...Have you recently…lost a loved one?" Theo asked cautiously.

"Yes," Shuri answered him without a heartbeat.

All of them.

Theo nodded in understanding and asked again, "Was it of old age…or disease…?"

She had dreamed that T'Challa died of old age instead of the illness that took him away from her.

"Disease. My brother." Shuri answered him.

An illness that could be cured. That she could've saved T'Challa if he showed up sooner.

Coward. Hide beneath the waters forever— Shuri wanted to dare him.

"Killed. My father and my mother."

What Shuri said made Theo afraid to take a single breath.

And the irony in it?

They both let the murderer of their parents live.

No! N'Jadaka is wrong! She shouldn't think of her brother like this, she only blamed herself—

Shuri could only feel her resentment and anger reigniting within her.

She wondered…

What was T'Challa feeling when he decided to let the murderer of their father live?

Did Baba speak to him? Like how Mama did?

"...It is our…tradition…to honour the deceased by—" Theo tried to talk with her again.

Shuri watched as the family members of the deceased watched as the smoke rose up to the night sky, coating the darkness with a shade of white and gray. 

It seemed like a release, and their faces showed a sense of contentment, wearing smiles of blessing and wishing him a peaceful rest.

Shuri saw the same expression on Nakia and Toussaint's faces.

"I don't give a damn about tradition—"

Shuri let out a mocking laugh.

She remained,

"The child who scoffs at tradition."

Shuri left the scene.

Is this what it feels like, brother?

-"—Who could not keep his own father safe."-

She could not keep her own mother safe.

She had failed her.

As a daughter and as a child.

Shuri left. She refused to be a part of any of this.

Refused to be a part of this ceremony.

Refused to be a part of this tradition.

Shuri hated Tuesday.

She figured it out.

Namor would appear in Haiti every Tuesday.

Shuri scoffs at it.

She always hated Tuesdays.

She. hated. Tuesdays.

And somehow, THIS motherfucker—! Know! She. hated. Tuesday!

And decided to show his face right in front of her in the middle of her rage—

Shuri screamed in frustration as she hit the poor rock on the surface of the ocean. She hits and kicks, rendering it into pieces effortlessly.

She vents her anger out onto a rock.

Knowing that destroying a fucking rock will not fill the hole left by her aching loss.

The rocks scattered in the ocean. Pieces by pieces. Bricks by bricks. It grows bigger instead. 

Shuri took a deep breath and gazed at the smoke rising into the air, her rage stopped. Suddenly pondering about what would happen after her own death. 

The thought of being buried in the ground, right beside them, seemed comforting to her.

"My condolences."

Namor's voice snapped her out of her dream.

"Don't! Don't even say something you didn't mean!" Shuri snapped at him angrily.

She glared at Namor for interrupting her vision of burying beside her family—

"Ru—"

"I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE WITH YOU, FUCK OFF!"

Shuri picked up a scattered rock and fucking throws it at Namor. He dodged it easily.

"Get out of my sight!" And Shuri finds him stepping into her sight purposely.

She looked at him with a face of incredulity

"You know… The sight of you makes me regret I didn't kill you that day." Shuri pointed at him accusingly.

"Glad to hear that," Namor smirked at her.

THE AUDACITY!

Why is he not angry—?!

"What is WRONG with you?! You have your name on this beach now—?!"

"Run—"

"Stop asking me to run away with you! I would kill myself right now!! What makes you think I would run away with you?! You arrogant, presumptuous, heartless, insane, murderer, false god, monster—!" Shuri snarled at him.

"Run away with me." Namor finally said the full sentence after she finished cursing him.

Shuri was choked by his words, giving up all resistance as she sat on the beach, not wanting to acknowledge him. "Go ahead and speak all you want, I can't hear you," she said.

"Yes or no. It's easy to answer, isn't it?" Namor had the nerve to even sit beside her!

Shuri scooped herself to the left, putting some distance between them. She doesn't want to go back to the funeral. She rather suffers Namor's presence at this point.

She began to incoherently brush him off with vague responses. "The dog barks, the cat meows, the duck quacks, the cow moos, the horse neighs, the pig oinks, the frog ribbits, the bird chirps—" It's one of the shows Toussaint always watched, never knowing it would come to save her at one point.

She anxiously fidgeted, intertwining her fingers and continued chanting.

"The bird tweets, the sheep baas— Baa, baa, black sheep, have you any wool? Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full—" 

"..." Shuri stopped immediately. She almost raised her fingers and made a three sign along herself.

How did this even get into her head???!

DAMN— Even Toussaint is way too old for this nursery rhymes shit!

"...I take that as a yes?" Namor seamlessly continued Shuri's words without any interruption.

"..." Shuri wants to drown herself in the sea now.

"You know the dead?" He nodded in the direction of the rising smoke.

They are having a funeral for the deceased. And yet, she's here, venting out her rage alone.

"They don't bury here, don't they…" Namor voiced out. Even them, Talokanils, bury their dead to rest in the soil of their homeland.

And something in Shuri snapped.

"Mama!"

"Bury your dead."

"Mama!"

"Mourn your losses."

"You are queen now."

"Mother! No!"

Shuri struggled to get up from the ground, swaying unsteadily. No, why now? Namor was calling her, but what was he calling her? She couldn't hear it, clutching her head as she walked in the direction of home. 

Wait, where was her home? Her home was Wakanda, but she couldn't go back. 

Can't go back anymore.

"Bury your dead."

Namor grasped her wrist, offering support as he watched her faltering figure.

"Mourn your losses."

Shuri became aware of someone gripping her, and finally looked up at him, her eyes filled with hatred.

"You are queen now."

She tried to shake off his grip, but he held on tightly, causing her to feel as if her bones were cracking.

"Mama!"

Shuri let out a laugh in disdain, much like how he did when he told her, "The child without love."

"Mama!"

"No wonder you become a cynic…" she said.

"Mother! No!"

"How many of your loved ones did you bury with your bloodstained hands to reach where you're at today?"

"Help me! Mama!"

Shuri watched as Namor's expression changed drastically. His grip on her hand loosened just a little, enough for her to break free. Shuri forcefully shook off his hand and ended up sitting down on the ground. 

COWARD

Namor looked down at her with a face filled with suppressed anger, and Shuri glared back at him. They were like trapped animals in a cage, only able to curse each other with fierce stares.

COWARD

Suddenly, Namor laughed. He laughed with disdain, shaking his head, and reached out his hand to Shuri. To pull her up. Shuri slapped his hand away and stood up on her own. She stormed off in anger, running away like a coward.

COWARD

Namor's outstretched hand hung foolishly in the air, unable to hold onto anything.

Shuri woke up to the whirring sound of the fan on the ceiling.

"...SHIT…" She cursed under her breath.

Is he going to wash Haiti from the face of the Earth?

She sprung out of bed and looked out the window. A few scattered figures were on the beach. She could hear the wind chimes hanging in the living room tinkling in the breeze; She could hear the sound of the waves crashing onto the shore; She could hear a few dogs barking from outside their house. 

Nothing was amiss, nothing at all.  

Shuri sank back onto the bed, taking deep breaths to settle her pounding heart, ready to begin another day's routine.

Her slippers made a clapping sound on the road as she walked. She had overslept. With a mouthful of bread, she held Nakia's shopping list for groceries in one hand and went from stall to stall to make the purchases. For some reason, she felt unusually comfortable and cheerful today.

She made sure to thank the stall owners sincerely and even bought some food to feed the dogs and cats. The weather also seemed lovely today, so nice. Being alive felt so good. After finishing all her shopping, she returned home, put everything down, and headed to school.

"Hi, Theo~" Shuri walked past the guy and said hi which was unexpected for him.

"Hey, Shuri…" Theo greeted her automatically. That's rare.

"Do you happen to know where Toussaint is?" She took out the lollipops she had bought and handed them to the children around him. She had a cola-flavoured one in her mouth.

"Probably in the French classroom." He shrugged. Looking at Shuri expectantly.

"Got it, thanks." She tossed a lollipop to the man and turned around to find her nephew. Theo wished her a good day. Shuri waved back at him.

Shuri leaned outside of the classroom, listening to the children learning and pronouncing some French words. 

Bienvenue, Welcome;

Espérer, Hope;

Rayonner, Shine;

Rêvasser, Daydream;

Vivant—

"Now that, children, is a feminine noun which means—"

"Alive!" The children shouted.

"Alive…" Shuri whispered.

"Aunty! You are late~" Toussaint bumped into her. Shuri takes a few steps back so that Toussaint doesn't throw her off her feet.

"Am I?" She leaned down to kiss his little head. Tugging him to head back home together.

"Wait— aunty! I have an additional class for French today, we are learning—" Toussaint started chattering excitedly, Shuri listened to him nonchalantly.

"Oh, okay…I'll wait for you… I can just wander here—" Shuri gestures to the school's surroundings.

"The activity will go on until the evening, Shuri. Don't worry, I'll make sure Toussaint goes home with Nakia when we are done." The French teacher, Chloe told her.

"Oh, hmm… okay, so I…?" Shuri pointed to the way she came from.

"I just…go home?" Shuri said carefully.

"Yep, Aunty, I don't want you to waste your time here wandering around, don't you say you had a present for me?" Toussaint noticed. He was always aware of when Aunty Shuri wandered around the school to wait for his class to end. She wandered aimlessly.She looks so lost to him when he bumped into her every time. He wanted Aunty Shuri to have her own time for herself.

"Did you peek at my sketches again? That was supposed to be a surprise!" Shuri squeezed his cheek playfully and he giggled joyfully. Happy to see the smile on his aunt's face.

"I don't know what you are saying, I don't know anything—!" Toussaint covered his eyes with his own little hands gleefully.

"Alright, I'll see you and Nakia for dinner, bye, little cub~" Shuri kissed his cheeks and headed home as instructed.

Am I wasting my time here?

Was the only thought Shuri had when she headed home.

Shuri sat on the couch, alone in the living room. Continued sketching a slide and a swing in her sketchbook. She will need to find the materials to build it when she's done the sketch. Since she can't get any vibranium here, she will use the normal materials. Steel, metal, wood, whatever…

She sketched and re-sketched, but the drawing still wasn't right. Shuri chuckled at her own inefficiency.

Am I wasting my time here?

A soft knock on the door startled her out of her thoughts.

Shuri answered the door warily.

"Hi, Shuri, is it? I'm Lea, Mr. Louis's daughter. Not sure if you remember me…" A woman, probably around the same age as her, Shuri guessed, greeted her shyly.

"Hi, yeah, I remember you. How can I help you?" Shuri recognized her from the funeral. She heard from Nakia that she's been studying overseas, she only came back for her father's funeral.

"Erh…this is embarrassing, but the pipe in my house broke, and no water is coming out. I called the mechanics, but they said they could only come after 3 p.m. As you can see, my hands are filthy with paint too, it was my daughter's—" Till now, Shuri realized the woman's hand was covered in paint. Blue, red, green, yellow—

"...So I desperately need some water to wash it off now, I can't just wash my hands in the sea, right? Not sure if these paints harm the environment…" Lea chattered on and on.

Shuri smiled at her kindly, "Wait a sec, be right back." She went back to the house and filled a bucket of water to help wash the paints off Lea's hand, the woman gratefully thanked her.

"I was wondering if you had any tools in your home? I can take a look at it for you, or I can help fix it…?" Shuri offered in kind.

"You know how to fix a pipe?" Lea thought about her suggestion and nodded thankfully.

"No… but it wouldn't be that hard, right?" Shuri smiled. She shrugged and locked their door. Following Lea to her home to help fix her pipe.

She could fix a person's spine, pretty sure she could fix a water pipe. How hard could fixing a pipe be?

Shuri fumbled at the pipe, this is not the pipe she knew… She looked at the structure, wondering if Lea would mind if she…

Dismantle and reassemble the whole thing, that way she'll know how the water pipe runs.

"It's alright, Shuri… we can wait for the mechanics…" Lea smiled at her kindly. Passing her a tissue to wipe the stains off her hands.

"Nope, nope, I can fix this. Give me a moment, you go and do your stuff, I'm fine, don't worry, I won't flood your house." Shuri joked and focused on fighting with the pipes. Who fixes the pipes in Wakanda anyway?

"Okay~ good luck~" Lea thinks she's kinda cute.

Shuri dismantled the whole structure in her mind while checking here and there, reassembling here and there, and looking for where is the faulty area, she did some screwing and twisting, replacing one of the pipes with a spare one, cutting it short instead so the pipe doesn't get stuck easily when paints were clumped and washed down.

"You know how to fix a pipe?" A little girl's voice rings behind her, Shuri turned around and saw a blue-eyed girl with brown hair, who must be Lea's daughter.

"Yep, and I might just have it…" Shuri got up from the floor and picked the girl up, leaned over the sink and opened the water.

Water flowed through the little girl's hand, washing away the paints from her little fingers.

"You are so cool!!" The little girl exclaimed with excitement.

"Bingo. Your water is back~" Shuri washed her hands and patted the little girl's head sweetly.

"Thank you." The little girl's voice melted her heart. She looks younger than Toussaint. One or two years.

"You are welcome. What were you drawing there? It's beautiful!" Shuri puts her back on the couch and praises her work.

"Really? I'm going to be a painter one day!" The little girl voiced out her dream.

"Yeah? I'm sure you can make it. You are a little painter already~" Shuri flipped over her drawings carefully when the little girl passed her drawing book to her.

"Louise, where are your manners? Did you introduce yourself to Mademoiselle?" Lea came with tea, offering it to Shuri.

"Oh, I'm Louise! Nice to meet you, Mademoiselle erh…what is your name?" Louise scratched her head in confusion.

"Aunt Shuri will do, my nephew calls me that. Nice to meet you too, Louise, you have a beautiful name…" Shuri's heart warmed at the adorable girl.

"Looks like you really got it~" Lea praised her. Shuri smirked slightly.

She invented ships and aircraft. A pipe is not that hard to fix.

It feels like she's been tinkering for a very short time, and it turns out it has already been a few hours passed.

"Will you stay for dinner? I insist. To thank you, of course! I'll let Nakia and Toussaint come by, they should be coming back from the school, I think?" Lea's words made Shuri's word of refuse die down in her throat, she agreed with a sigh, unable to find a better response.

"I can't refuse, can I?" Shuri sat on the couch, looking around their home. There is art everywhere.

"You're an artist too? I assume…" Shuri said carefully.

"Yes, looks like it runs in the family…" Lea ruffled Louise's hair, making it messy.

"Is…Mrs. Laurent…doing well?" It has only been a day since Mr. Louis passed away. They looked…fine.

"Oh, my mum went to the market. She likes to chat with others. I think… it helps her…to cope, I assumed. We were prepared for my father's death. I'm just grateful I'm able to say goodbye to him and let him see Louise one last time…" Lea told her slowly.

Shuri doesn't know what to say.

"...I was thinking…to go back home in a few weeks. Thank you for taking care of my parents when I'm not around…" Lea speaks again.

"You are welcome… it was Nakia mostly, I just… tagged along…" Shuri put a smile on her face.

"It was my dad, who usually fixed these things. And now he's not here… I don't know what to do…" Lea said.

Shuri doesn't know what to say.

"Oh, sorry for the sad talks—" Lea apologized when she noticed Shuri looks uncomfortable talking about—

"It's alright, I'm a tree hole now, you can vent all you want, no worries!" Shuri offered in kind.

"How old are you anyway? You sound too wise for your age~" Lea chuckled lightly.

"27? If I'm not wrong…" Shuri shrugged. She always lost count of her age.

"27? No way— I'm 27!" Lea exclaimed.

"I'm 27, studying art and have a five-year-old daughter. Wow, I hope I was like you…" Lea jokes with Shuri.

"No, you don't. I got blipped five years ago, I think that's why I don't look 27…" Shuri wonders, what is she going to look like if she's 27… probably the same. She wouldn't know.

"Oh, I see… so you're actually still 22 now. That's great." Lea bumped her on the shoulder gently. 

"Yeah, great. I suppose…I wish I had more time…" Shuri gently patted Louise's head when she showed her drawing to them.

If she didn't blip, she would have had more time with her mother, at least…

"Oh, my dear, you have all the time in the world, you're only 22, or 27…bet you're having an awesome life ahead." Lea's kind words reached out to her.

Do I?

"I wish I could turn back time…" Shuri murmured softly.

Was it at the age of 27 years old, that she lost everything? Or 22? Her head throbs in pain just by pondering this.

Which year should she turn back time to? When she's 17? Yeah, 17… everyone's alive.

"If I could turn back time…" Lea ponders about it too. But her mind changed immediately when she lay eyes on her daughter.

"No, I would like to keep what I found. I wouldn't trade the world for Louise…" Lea beckons her daughter and Louise crashes into her embrace. They hugged each other tightly.

"...Me too." Shuri smiled at the sight. She would like to keep what she found too, at all costs.

She wouldn't trade the world for Toussaint.

"Oops, Nakia messaged me, they say they are coming here from the school now, I have to prepare dinner!" Lea got up with Louise, tossing her in the air with joy as she giggled.

"I can help—" Shuri stood with them.

"You are a guest, Shuri! Besides, you don't look like one who knows how to cook! Just have a tour of our house, be our guest~" Lea doesn't let her in the kitchen. Shuri shrugged and looked at the art around their house one by one. Waiting for Nakia and Toussaint to arrive.

She stopped by a painting.

It was a beautiful painting of the Haiti beach. She never realized, was that beautiful in someone else's eyes.

"Oh, this is my father's painting. Mesmerizing, is it? Louise looked at it for hours when she first came here…" Lea chuckled and told her.

"What is it saying?" Shuri traced her fingers at the words written on the lovely painting.

"La vie est courte. Vous n'avez qu'une seule vie. Vivez-le aussi pleinement que possible. Vivez avec audace. Pousse toi. Ne vous contentez pas. Juste bien vivre. Juste vivre." Lea gently read out the words on the painting to her.

Shuri listened to her quietly before she heard a knocking on the door. They answered the door, it was Nakia and Toussaint with more food. Toussaint crashed into her embrace as always, greeting Shuri with so much love.

Lea translated the words on the painting for her while she stood behind Shuri.

"Life is short. You only get one life. Live it as fully as possible. Live boldly. Push yourself. Don't settle. Just live well. Just live."

Shuri smiled as she lifted Toussaint up and hugged him tightly. 

"I missed you, umntwana wam." Shuri quietly said.

I missed you, brother.

"I missed you too, umakazi!" Toussaint held his aunt tightly, sensing that something was off about her…

Shuri held onto Toussaint as if he were a lifeline, reluctant to let go, fearing that if she released her grip, she would lose everything she had found after all the way she came through.

Shuri held onto Toussaint tightly, trying to suppress her… She let go of him and jokingly remarked that he was squeezing her so tightly that she needed to use the restroom. 

Shuri rushed to the restroom, locking the door behind her, unable to contain the trembling coursing through her body anymore. She collapsed to the floor, covering her mouth to muffle her screams. What am I doing? 

Am I wasting my life here?

There was a storm out there. But not even a storm can wake her up from her nightmare.

Until someone came into her room and shaken her, they shook her worriedly as the thunder roared in the night.

Shuri jolted awake from her sleep. Reaching out to the person who shook her—

It was Toussaint.

Shuri gasped for breath, letting go of all defenses, and reached out to embrace him.

"What's wrong, baby boy? Is it the storm—" She soothes him first as she finds Toussaint shaking with fear.

"I don't know… but Aunty Lea… Mama… she went out… Louise's mama… the sea… the sea… mum…" Toussaint choked on his words.

Without waiting for him to finish, Shuri immediately ran out of the room and found heavy rain pouring down, a storm raging. Mrs. Laurent was holding Louise at their doorstep, crying out amidst the thunder and lightning. The beach was crowded with people. What had happened?  

Shuri looked at them and shouted, "Look after him! LOOK AFTER HIM!" Mrs. Laurent held Toussaint tightly in her arms along with Louise. Shuri kneeled and shouted at Toussaint, "Stay inside, don't leave the house! STAY INSIDE, YOU HEAR ME?!" Shuri saw him nod and then she ran into the rain. 

"NAKIA! GET BACK INSIDE!" Shuri finds Nakia and a bunch of villagers holding onto a rope… tied to a boat. With Lea on it, she sits on the wavering boat, a hand reaching out towards the wave. The waves carried her further and further away from them.

Some of the people dived into the waves but were being pushed back violently by the waves. Unable to swim against the current.

"SHURI! LEA! SHE—" Shuri joined the formation and pulled hard on the rope, not letting the boat float away with Lea on it.

Shuri watched as some of them were engulfed in the waves as they tried to swim to save Lea amidst the storm. What were they thinking?! She rushed to them and pulled them out of the waves brutally. "STAY ON THE SHORE!" Fucking idiots!

They all held onto the rope with their life. Trying to pull Lea back to them.

They are not going to make it as Shuri sees the rope is getting thinner and about to break.

"We need more rope! We need more rope!" Shuri yelled at the villagers and one of them crashed beside them with more rope. Shuri acted quickly, she took the rope and circled it around everyone's waist, securing a knot on Nakia's side. She put the other end and circled it around her middle, tying the rope around herself, preparing for what was to come.

"SHURI! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? NO– COME BACK—! YOU WON'T MAKE IT— SHURI—!" Nakia yelled as she couldn't see Shuri's face anymore when the Black Panther suit formed on her.

"Be right back, Nakia!" She started running on the beach and then leaped into the sea, swimming resolutely towards the boat.

Hold on, hold on, Lea! Don't give up!

Don't give up, Shuri!

The waves carried her to the boat easily, but the hard part was swimming back later. Shuri keeps herself as calm as possible. Don't panic! Don't panic! Stay calm!

Shuri broke out from the surface of the water when she was slammed into the ocean. One moment Lea's figure was on the boat and the next moment she disappeared. FUCK!

Shuri finally swam close enough and gripped the boat, tying the rope onto the boat frantically and ensuring it was secured while she counted how many seconds had passed since Lea jumped into the ocean. 38 seconds . The boat was suddenly pulled backward, they got it. And she quickly submerged herself in the water, shouting in her mask, "GRIOT! Scan for Lea's location now!!"

GRIOT gave her the directions immediately as he scanned Lea's life form.

Shuri dived towards her immediately, catching her drowned and limping form and swimming towards the surface.

Shuri realized—

It's quieter down here… Compared to the raging storm and howling winds up there.

She breaks through the surface while tossing Lea out of the water and back onto the boat before a huge wave finally flips the entire boat. FUCK YOU—

The waves slammed over her head. Rendering her effort to nothing. She held onto Lea while trying to flip the boat back upwards, the boat was sinking on her, Shuri used her hand to push against the boat, not letting it sink on her as she took deep breaths.

Until the whole boat was suddenly lifted, her grip loosened, and the entire boat was swiftly returned to the water's surface. 

Shuri immediately looked towards him, Namor, who had floated unknowingly on her left since Bast knew when! 

Namor grabbed Lea out of the water and threw her back onto the boat, lifting Shuri up and breaking the water's surface with her.

"When will you people stop polluting the water—" and cherish your life?

Shuri heard him say.

"It's a matter of life! Is this a joke to you!?" Shuri can't believe they are arguing in the middle of a raging storm and the waves could flip her over anytime. 

"Come on, she's dying," Namor said nonchalantly and pushed the boat towards the shore, Shuri grabbed onto the rope and the boat, hauling them forward as they got closer and closer.

Namor lets go when they are close enough, floating behind Shuri. Shuri made one last push and the boat bumped on shore. Everyone rushed to lift Lea out of the boat.

Shuri floated in the waves, she turned around, a few strokes away from getting back on shore. She turned around to look at Namor, who was floating a few strokes away from her.

"Run away with me."

The unspoken words were clearly reflected on his face.

Shuri turned around, looking back on shore. Everyone is trying their best to bring Lea back to life. She saw Nakia, searching for her through the storm. She heard Nakia, yelling her name.

Shuri turned around, looking back at Namor.

Namor looked at her through the rain.

Shuri slowly reached out her hand towards him, as if someone was pushing her to swim towards him.

She stopped.

Shuri gently shook her head at him as if awakening from a dream, then turned and swam back, returning to her sister's side. Nakia is screaming for her. She reached the shore, lifted Lea in her arms, and sprinted towards the house without looking back.

Namor left without looking back. Shuri is already far away.

"Keep her back!" Shuri sets Lea on the floor, taking off her kimoyo beads and placing them onto her while yelling at Mrs. Laurent to hold Louise back.

"Mummy!!!" She screamed.

"Come on, Lea, come on—" The beads perform resuscitation on her as they try to revive her.

"Mama!!" Louise cried. Mrs. Laurent covered her mouth desperately.

"Vitals! GRIOT!" Shuri shouted as she let the beads resuscitate Lea one more time.

"No vitals, Panther." Shuri performed CPR on her immediately while Nakia held onto them, fearing it was already too late. Toussaint hid in her arms. The people stood at their doorstep, haunted by the scene.

"Mama! I want my mama!!" Louise's screams ring in her ears.

"Come on, Lea, Wake up, come on—" You have a life ahead of you. Don't give up.

Don't give up, Shuri. Don't give up—

Everyone's eyes welled with tears. Except for Shuri. Her tears dried long ago.

"Mama!!" Louise cried.

"Mama!"

Shuri felt as if she could hear her own heart-wrenching cries that day, calling out for her mother to come back, to open her eyes, to look at her, but she never returned to her side.

Shuri continued to do CPR on Lea when Nakia tried to stop her.

No.

Louise needs you. Wake up, Lea—

WAKE UP 

Don't die

WAKE UP 

Don't die

WAKE UP 

Don't die

—Bast, help me—

"Mama—!!" Louise screamed.

Lea jolts awake.

Shuri collapsed to the side.

Mrs. Laurent cradled her daughter and Louise hugged her mother in their arms. Crying in relief. Nakia and Toussaint held Shuri in their arms, so tight like they almost lost her.

An adult can be crushed by life in just a moment.

Shuri had learned the hard way. And had learned Lea's story from Mrs. Laurent.

Lea had exhausted her savings to treat her father, Mr. Louis, and she had to drop out of school to come back. She had to take care of her elderly mother and her young daughter. Lea was pulled in different directions, and she had to give up her own dreams. But those dreams were nurtured by her father himself, how could she abandon them? Did it mean she had to give up on her mother and daughter? No.She can't and she won't do it. The heavy financial burden and self-blame for not having time to be with her parents due to her studies haunted Lea. Lea deeply regretted not spending more time with them; it was already too late. The old lady cried and spoke to them with a broken heart. 

Shuri felt numb inside; just a few days ago, they were having conversations and meals together. 

She thought she was alone.

But there were more people out there, suffering, more than her.

She thought she was the only one enduring these invisible restraints bound around her neck, suffocating her and unbreakable, unable to break free, unable to find hope to continue living. 

The darkness stretched out, with no glimpse of light.

But they did find the light. As Shuri had given them hope.

She told them not to worry about anything in money. She had forwarded their case to the Wakanda Foundation, another organization of theirs besides the Wakanda International Outreach Center. To provide aid and support. Shuri had given them the order to resume operations after the five-year halt. They will get the help they need.

They thanked her and Nakia in tears.

As Lea regrets her decision. They don't blame her. Louise's father, Lea's husband came to Haiti the next day, he worked a few jobs to support Lea's dream, her studies and supporting the family, and he left everything to come here to be by their side to support them when he couldn't during Mr. Louis's funeral.

Shuri felt a sense of solace, knowing that the whole family was together, united and strong again.

"Thank you, thank you, Shuri—" Lea held onto her hand and thanked her over and over again. Her tears fell onto Shuri's hand.

"No need to thank me…" Shuri placed her hand back into the hands of her family as she watched them smile through tears.

"Everything's gonna be alright."

Shuri told them and left.

She wished Wakanda could help to make a better world. 

Still, she overheard some hurtful words, and the world remained as ugly as ever, with people suggesting that someone like Lea should die at sea. 

Shuri felt angry upon hearing it, clenching her fists and restraining herself from arguing with insignificant individuals. Still, she couldn't help herself.

"You can only actually help someone who wants to be helped. However, people with such ugliness in their hearts like you are truly beyond redemption. It would be a waste of resources to even try to help you." She insulted them right in their faces. Leaving the lot fuming on the spot before one of them snarled at her,

"—You think you really know what the people here are suffering from?! You don't even belong here, you b—"

Shuri left in a breeze, not bothered that they cursed her. Getting out of the hospital to catch her breath. Stepping into the rain without caring how others looked at her.

With worry.

She walked to the beach to breathe some fresh air and decided in her mind.

The next time she sees them again, she's going to punch them in the face.

But in the next moment, Shuri was consumed by her own thoughts, 

—Wondering if she unintentionally robbed Lea of her own will.

Did she?

What if Lea doesn't want to be helped? And she robbed her only wish…

Like how she wouldn't have wanted anybody to stop her from reaching her dream—

She let the rain pour over her, hoping it would wash away her negative thoughts, but it was useless.

Shuri looked at the waves,

Did she make a mistake? Should she have minded her own business? Imposing her will on Lea? Maybe she was just tired and wanted to break free, but she pulled her back. Pulled her back into this ugly world. What more hurtful words is she going to hear when she still lies in bed? When she's recovering? After she had recovered? After when life turned normal, the hurtful words still followed her—

Shuri shook her head in the rain, regret consumed her.

She shouldn't have—

No. Lea would have wanted to live.

She shouldn't have save her—

No. Lea would have wanted to live.

-"You don't even belong here!"-

I don't belong here, in Haiti.  

They were right, she didn't know what the people here were suffering from.

I don't belong in Wakanda anymore.

Her people are fine. They don't need her. Only the Black Panther.

There will be another Black Panther after her. She was certain of it. She didn't restore the heart-shaped herb for nothing. Anyone can take the mantle.

"Where do I belong then?"

PAIN.

Shuri whispered to herself in a low voice.

She comes to a realization.

"I belong with my family…"

PAIN.

Buried in the soil of their homeland.

"Buried in the catacombs in Wakanda." With them.

PAIN.

She doesn't want help.

Why is there so much pain?

Shuri looked towards the source of pain with distress, unable to see it, her heart was in pain, unable to see it.  

She felt the pain throughout her body, wondering if the rain had weakened her too much. Ha, so much of being the Black Panther—

Suddenly, Shuri caught a whiff of blood, and she became alert, looking around, but there was nothing. 

The pain persisted. 

Shuri glanced at her numb hand and, to her surprise, claws had emerged. She clawed at her own hand, leaving trails of blood dripping.

…Oh, no wonder she's in pain.

No… she shouldn't stain the mantle like this.

Shuri bent down and picked a rock. Crushing it in her palm and getting a sharp-edge rock. She scratched it along her wrist, along her veins, along her itch.

Why is the itch not going away? She scratched harder. 

Blood and rain mixed, forming a pool of bloodwater on the sand.

Why is the pain not going away?

She threw away the rock and emerged the claws again. They won't mind. They didn't want to see her either. Why would they care—

Her pain was eased when she clawed along from her palm to her wrist, red flesh bloomed under the vibranium claws.

She lowered the hand that was no longer in pain and raised the other one, slowly slicing through her flesh.

It doesn't hurt anymore, it doesn't hurt anymore. Just a few more scratches, and it won't hurt anymore.

A gust of wind swept towards her, but she stood firm, refusing to be knocked down by the wind. 

A strong hand tightly gripped her clawed hand, and Shuri struggled to resist, but she had lost too much blood. She was no match for him now. 

She allowed Namor to grip her wrist as if he intended to crush her bones. 

"You're going to crush my bones, you bastard," she uttered in frustration.

"It hurts…" She wiggled her hand in his grip, it fucking hurts.

Shuri looked at him and found Namor staring at her with a pained expression on his face.

"Why are you looking at me like that? I'm the one who's hurt now." She said dismissively, not caring at all. Her blood flowed onto his hand, but it was quickly washed away by the rain.

This is not the Black Panther he knows—

In fact, he never knew her truly.

Namor grabbed her and quickly dragged her across the entire beach, reaching her house. Without hesitation, he barged in. Almost kicking off the whole door. 

Shuri knew Nakia and Toussaint were at the hospital, so she allowed him to pull her along. After all, he had no intention of letting go.

"...The first aid kit is in the bathroom," she whispered softly. She let him lead her, room by room, as he opened each door to find her room. Leaving a trail of blood droplets behind them.

Namor lifted Shuri up and roughly placed her on the table covered with sketches, finally letting go of her and disdainfully shaking the blood off his hands. He walked into her bathroom, making a racket as if causing mischief, and emerged with the first aid kit. 

Just as Shuri was about to consider whether or not to kindly remind him which one was the disinfectant and which one was the anesthetic, Namor skillfully started tending to her wounds.

He cleaned her wound thoroughly and administered a local anesthetic injection. Without waiting for the medication to take effect, he proceeded to disinfect her wound and start stitching it up. She cried out in pain and even kicked him a few times, but he firmly held her down and continued stitching. Once the stitching was done, he administered another unknown injection and began bandaging her wrists with skillful movements.

She watched him go through a series of actions. Shuri raised an eyebrow in pleasant surprise, jokingly remarking, "Looks like being alive for five hundred years still has its uses…"

She just sat there and let him bandage her wrists. The water droplets from his body fell onto her, and she was also soaked through. Luckily, her sketches were waterproof!

"I didn't mean to, but you..." Shuri pointed at him, gesturing towards his entire appearance, "...standing here in a modern house, it's too stand out… I mean it's too conspicuous, too out of place…"

Namor looked at her, her face pale and still able to muster the energy and spirit to joke around. 

"Like what is the ruler of Talokan in a peasant's home—"

Namor deliberately pressed on her wound, and Shuri kicked him again, hissing in pain and yelling, "Not funny, not funny at all!"

Namor looked satisfied as he observed her bandaged hand, finally releasing his grip on her. Leaving her side and not towering over her anymore.

Shuri could finally breathe, touching the bandages. How is she going to explain this to Nakia???  

As he finished bandaging the wounded. Namor started to leave, standing outside on their doorstep and gazing at the rain. And there was a sudden sound behind him. 

It was Shuri, holding a small bucket of water and a cloth, cleaning the blood off the floor. Namor stared at her, dumbfounded. 

"What? Someone has to clean up, right? Don't worry, I won't ask for the King of Talokan to help." Her hand hurts, so she uses her foot to clean it.

"Quite a novelty to see a princess doing manual labour…" Namor finally speaks up after being silent for so long.

"I'm not a princess," I am the Black Panther. Shuri retorted as she continued wiping the floor. And the effects of the medication are kicking in, she feels a bit lightheaded.

"Last time I checked, you still are, unfortunately, as the King of Wakanda stated, Shuri, Princess of Wakanda." Namor retorted, only to realize that she seemed to be dozing off while still standing.

"Prin—" 

Shuri startled awake and stared blankly at him, then replied, "Oh, suit yourself." She picked up the bucket and splashed the bloodied water outside. If Namor hadn't dodged quickly, he would have been hit.

Shuri stood there, dazed, and looked outside, wondering how Nakia and Toussaint would come back in such heavy rain and when they would return. Should she go and pick them up? But she felt exhausted. 

Nevertheless, her feet started moving, as if she was truly determined to go and fetch them.

Namor grabbed her and effortlessly lifted her up, carrying Shuri back to the room and placing her not-so-gently on the bed. He snatched the bucket she was tightly holding onto and threw it into the bathroom. She looked at him with annoyance, giving him a "Why haven't you left yet?" look. Then she casually picked up her sketchbook and pen and started doodling aimlessly. 

Suddenly, with a hint of pride, Shuri exclaimed, "My sketchbook is waterproof." 

"Oh, impressive," Namor replied half-heartedly with a deadpan face. If she doesn't rest soon, he will burn her sketchbook.

"Are you planning to burn my sketchbook?" Shuri laughed, and then obediently put it back on the table and lay down to sleep. 

"It's not a joke," Namor remembered to retort her accusation earlier.

"...What joke?" Although she doesn't remember it already.

Just before drifting off, Shuri murmured, "Aren't you going to ask the question you've been asking all along?"

"I asked, you forgot," Namor said. Shuri did shake her head, indicating "No" back on the water.

"Oh, no, you didn't ask, you just directly asked me to run away with you." Shuri retorted.

Namor thinks the medications are working well. She's speaking nonsense already.

"I asked, you forgot," Namor said again.

"No, you're lying. Liar. You didn't ask. I'm just under anesthesia, not experiencing amnesia…" Shuri had enough of him.

"Run away with me," Namor said.

"I can't." Shuri instantly snapped back at him, fully awake.

I can't leave them. I have to protect them. I must keep them safe. 

"No. I can't…" Shuri mumbled, her mind foggy, that she wanted to just walk away like that. From all of this.

"I can't…"

I belong with my family.

"I can't."

No matter how much she wanted to escape from everything that caused her so much pain.