Little Starfish

It dawned rather quickly on Okoye's mind that she should probably tell someone about her meeting with the blue stranger. Scratch that...his name is Attuma. What kind of name is Attuma anyway, where does it come from? Something tells Okoye, that the teenager with blue skin is not from her corner of the world. And yet he somehow managed to get his hands on something akin to Vibranium, enough of it to make her a necklace. The same necklace is hidden under her pillow in her bedroom right now. 

Then what was he doing there in Sudan, so close to Wakanda? Was he some kind of spy, sent by a mysterious nation she doesn't know? But then again he doesn't make any sense, he's too young to be out in the field. 

And yet you're training to be a Dora and you two look the same age... Her logic whispers, but it's not nearly enough to quell the curiosity in her heart.

She must learn more about him, maybe she should even see him again?

"You're particularly distracted today, it's unlike you." A voice calls, pulling her out of her reverie. 

Okoye turns to meet the eyes of Ayo, the agile girl from the mining tribe. In many ways, the two girls are very much alike but they don't know each other and prefer to see themselves as rivals for now. 

"Have you been observing me, Ayo of the mining tribe?" Okoye asks, raising her chin and holding the other girl's gaze. 

"I observe everyone, Okoye of the border tribe," Ayo answers, her voice poised and firm like always. "That's a quality that will make a great Dora." 

"Ah...if you win tomorrow's challenge of course." 

This seems to bristle Ayo's feathers, and her eyes narrow when she speaks again. "Watch yourself, Okoye." 

In return, the other girl shrugs as she gathers her things before leaving the training gym. "I'd tell you to do the same thing but it appears you're too busy observing me already." 

Okoye doesn't turn again when she walks out the door, well intended on going about the rest of her day. 

*-* 

Over the following days, a sense of thrill stayed with Okoye, an irresistible desire to return to the riverbed to be able to see him again. Though the logical part of her knew there was a chance he wouldn't be here. Despite this, the desire to see him again stayed at the back of her mind, accentuated by her love for adventure. 

So, it was decided, she would go to find him again at nightfall. The excitement settled under her skin the entire time, as she went through her day as if she hadn't planned to meet up with a blue stranger far from the security of her home. When the night finally arrived, plunging Wakanda in a dark blue cover lit by the moonlight, Okoye waited for her family to fall asleep. Once the coast was clear, at long last, she grabbed a small backpack to take with her on her little journey. 

She braved the darkness of the night as followed the path of the Nile River to Wakanda's border. It stood, strong and unbreakable, on the Border Tribe's territory. The only way she would be able to pass the guards watching dutifully for any passage was by jumping into the river from a spot she knew wasn't guarded. And even then, there was still a chance for one of the guards to catch her. 

She dove and swam without making too much noise, even as her lungs burn for a breath of fresh air. 

"You see this? Something is moving in the water!" The voice of a boy called, making her freeze on the spot. 

Shit, it's over for me now, I'll be discovered in a matter of seconds! 

"W'Kabi, stop being so stuck up all the time! Who would even be in the water at this hour." Another boy replied, sighing like the world's problems were weighing on his shoulders. "Let's finish our shift quickly and find Yolisa and her girls again!" 

"Is that girl from the Merchant Tribe all you can think about?! I'm telling you, there's someone in the water." 

"Ahi! Bro it's probably just a big fish, let it go!' 

Okoye waited, still as a statue, until the boy named W'Kabi agreed before the pair left their position. Then, relief washed over her when she could finally resume her journey. She kept on moving, aided by the river's much calmer tides tonight, her eyes gazed at the beautiful moon and stars shining far above in the sky. The journey took more time than the last time, but it allowed her to admire the nature surrounding the river.

And then her eyes landed on him, Attuma as he stood far away in the water...surrounded by two other people. Disappointment floored her immediately, knowing she had no choice but to go back home and hope Attuma and his people didn't hear her leave. 

Still, she refuses to admit that she came all the way here for nothing so as silently as possible, she tucks herself against the riverbed.

She observes Attuma and the two people he's with, they're all blue from head to toe. That must mean they all come from the same place, she understands. One of the two is a girl, slender and short and the other one is a boy, tall and skinny. They're all wearing the same breathing the same apparel in their mouth she saw on Attuma's the last time. 

Somehow, miraculously she manages to leave the premises without much noise that night. 

*-*

Okoye's heart jumps once again, the next time she sneaks out at nighttime to see Attuma again. Because just as she passed through Border Tribe land, into River tribe territory, and just a few seconds before reaching the river, she met all too familiar faces. 

"Okoye what are you doing at this hour?" Nakia asks, she's wearing a jacket that is much too large for her, it's black and adorned with purple embroideries. 

Behind her, Crown Prince T'Challa is standing, wearing only a thin black shirt. There's smudged lipgloss all over his lips, leaving little to no doubt about what he's doing here with Nakia.

"I could ask you the same thing, Usisi!" Okoye answers, bowing slightly to the young prince. 

Standing between them, Nakia shrugs "Well it's rather obvious no? But what about you, where are you going?" 

Okoye must quickly find solid enough proof for her presence here, "I...I'm meeting with someone." 

"Who?" Nakia probes, her eyebrows raising with curiosity.

"W'Kabi?" T'Challa offers at the same time, making the two girls turn his way. 

W'Kabi of the Border Tribe, what does he have to do with any of this? Okoye wants to ask but there's no time for that and she has to find a way to move forward on her journey to the frontier. 

"Yes." She answers plainly, doing her best to not let T'Challa's sheepish smile have any effect on her.

"That's good, I'm glad he finally confessed his crush on you!" 

A what? Bast, this evening just keeps on getting filled with unexpected events. W'Kabi has a crush on her, since when? 

Oh well here's her alibi, she understands and promptly flees the scene. 

It only takes short instances for Nakia and T'Challa to be tangled with each other again, exchanging kisses under the haze of a childhood crush. 

*-*

The rest of the journey goes by painfully slow, something tonight feels different. It lingers in the air and rests against her limbs, making her suddenly aware of the dropping temperatures. 

And her heart jumps in her chest when she finally sees him, kneedeep in the water as he stares at her in surprise. Feeling a wave of boldness washing over her, Okoye holds the necklace he'd gifted her in the air. And then a second later, his eyes widen at the same time as a smile draws itself on his lips, making warmth soar inside her. 

It feels foreign and yet sweet and inviting, like passing the door to some sort of hidden place just for him and her. 

"You're here." He said in awe, thought something strange then covers his eyes. "You shouldn't be here, it's not safe." 

Her kimoyo beads rush to keep up with him and provide translation of his words, a robotic voice comes out of them at a slow pace. It's the very first version of kimoyo beads, only reserved for selected people in Wakanda before a more stable version will be released later to the rest of the people. 

Finally reunited with him as she so dearly wished, the courage she felt earlier suddenly leaves her body. Okoye's left with her shyness and curiosity, as her eyes observe his beauty. She is looking for the right words to use, torn between using an excuse and being honest.

She chooses the latter. 

"I wanted to see you again." 

His eyes widen at first before his gaze softens as he holds out a hand for her to grab. Upon the contact of their skin, she is surprised to see how cold he is and the vibrant blue shade of him. Then, squeezes his hand, despite feeling suddenly shy under his intense gaze. This close she gets to see every spark of brown in his eyes, they seem to be gazing at her bare soul, beckoning her. 

"I thought of you every day since that time." He confesses, the baritone of his voice offering the sweetest sound to her ears. "Are you sure it's safe for you to be here this late?" 

The tone of his voice makes her feel like her heart is beating so strong, it might jump out of her chest. 

"I could say the same thing for you." She replies as her eyes watch water drops resting against his skin's blue. "You're not from around here, are you?" 

Attuma shakes his head lightly, "No, and I guess it's the same for you." 

"How?" 

His gaze lifts to gaze at the nature surrounding them, "I've been coming here a while and I've never met anyone like you." 

So what he's met, other girls? Her mind contemplates, "I've never met anyone like you either. How come your skin is blue?" 

"Where I come from, everyone is like me." He offers, keeping the mystery whole around his home. 

Wherever his nation is, it feels far away from anything she'd ever heard of. She could tell by the patterns of the shorts he wore, they were not African but felt ancient, like a culture that had resisted the weight of time and atrociousness of mankind. Maybe that was the reason it would best for his home to remain a secret, she should do the same with hers. 

"What do you come to do here, in this particular river?" She changes the subject, her eyes sliding down to his bare chest. "Aren't you cold like this?" 

Attuma chuckles, tugging her closer to him. "I should ask you that, don't you see how you're shivering?" 

Under his warm and sweet stare, the answer at the tip of her tongue vanishes. Instead, she's left admiring the myriad of brown in his eyes.  

When it becomes clear he won't get an answer, he guides her back to dry land. Once they're sat close together on the soil, he tugs her closer, sliding an arm around her waist. 

Again all of this feels surreal, for her to be cuddling with the boy from a mysterious nation. Only she has to admit, she too is someone from an equally enigmatic land. But she's decided in enjoying this moment and the warmth bubbling inside her belly. She presses herself even closer to him, resting her cheek against the supple skin of his neck. He feels so sturdy and good next to her, like a dream almost. When she raises a hand to caress his chest, he presses a kiss to her temple. It feels so intimate, almost like they've met in another life and she's been with him countless times. 

"How did you know I was coming, earlier?" She remembers how he didn't seem surprised at all when her eyes crossed his upon arrival. 

"I heard you." 

Okoye scoffs, "Oh come on, I'm not that loud!" 

Attuma smiles again, his mouth pressed still to her temple. "No you're not don't worry, you even seem to be a great swimmer. I could tell you did your best to catch up with Little Starfish." 

Upon hearing the ridiculous nickname, a joyful laugh ripped itself out of her throat. "Little Starfish? How cute! This little girl is bad for my heart though, she's so reckless!" 

"You should keep her from coming here, it can be very dangerous sometimes. Add that the increasing presence of the American military in the surrounding village, and it would be best for you to stay far away and safe." 

There were so many questions on the tip of her tongue. Firstly, how did he know all of this if he didn't live in the region? The tone of his voice was grave and full of wariness like he could feel in the air that terrible things were about to happen soon. Somehow the dangerous ways of the outside world had reached even this little bubble of intimacy she created with him. Though the need to know more was intense and settled at the back of her mind, hungry and greedy, she chose to trust Attuma. 

Okoye chose to enjoy the remaining time she could with him, before having to return to Wakanda. 

"Koko?" He hummed in response, his breath tickling the side of her face. 

A giggle escaped her mouth before she corrected him "Okoye." 

"Oko'oye." He echoed back, teasing her even as she laughed in return. "Can I kiss you?" 

That effectively shuts her up and all of a sudden, her breath becomes short and not enough to quiet the suddenly raging beats of her heart. 

Her follow his hand as it rises to his face and the sea through apparel covering his mouth. Once his fingertips press to the top of it, water spills over his lips and jaw. Now nothing is left standing between them. 

Okoye kisses him first, swallowing the surprised mumble he makes between the press of their joined lips. His lips taste salty, and he smells fresh and clean like he's spent the entire day under the rain. But it didn't rain at all today, no? Oh well, maybe it rained wherever is it that he comes from. Attuma uses the arm holding her by the waist to push her even closer to him. The exposed skin of her stomach rubs against his, sending the most delicious thrills down her spine. Heat emerges inside her, passing through the entirety of her torso, to finally land at the bottom of her belly. 

She finds him alluring, like the promise of something so good and worthy, it makes her dizzy with desire. And it's crazy, how from the very moment they met, there was some sort of spark hanging between them...waiting for things to unfold. 

Okoye can feel it in her heart, she wants to stay here with him as long as possible. Even if she has to be home before sunrise, and even if she will be clearly exhausted the following day during the training program. At this moment, her first and most important desire is to be with him. Bast, she could spend eternity kissing him. 

Unfortunately, this short-lived intimate embrace is cut short by Attuma, who suddenly appears to have difficulty breathing. His lips leave hers, as a string of coughs makes his chest rumble. She's confused, urgency and worry overtaking her because she doesn't understand what's happening. Why does he have so much trouble breathing? Is he suffering from some kind of lung issue? All those questions appear in her mind, colliding with one another as he keeps coughing. 

Then, the boy brutally stands before stepping away from her. He's still holding that little device in his hand, before promptly diving into the river and disappearing in its darkness. Okoye follows after him hurriedly, stopping right at the edge of the river. She looks for him, her heartbeat ringing in her ears when she's met with nothing but silence. 

Until he finally appears once again, and Okoye lets out a ragged breath she didn't even realize she was holding. She falls to her knees as he gets closer to her, only the upper part of his body is out of the water. 

"I'm sorry but I have to leave In ujo' (my moon)" He says, regret evident in his soft brown eyes. 

And it hurts, yes, but she understands there are many things she doesn't know about him. Maybe he will get in trouble with his parents if he stays away from home for too long or something like that. So she bends forwards to be able to touch him, then she caresses his cheek lovingly. 

"I understand, will you come back again?" 

She's never felt so vulnerable the words had to fight their way out of her mouth. But something deep inside tells her that she should be honest with him. She should do her best to make this last, even if things are bound to pull them apart from each other sooner or later.

"Yes, as soon as I can." He promises, laying a gentle kiss against her palm. 

Then in the blink of an eye, he's gone and Okoye finds herself amazed at the moment of intimacy she shared with this boy she's just met. 

Yet one important detail doesn't leave her mind, for it is a clue as to where Attuma comes from.

"What language did he use to speak?" She asks, bringing her kimoyo beads close to her mouth. 

The image of a small blue screen emerges from the beads, it's buffering as the system looks for the answer. Seconds later, it finally appears, and she reads the words "Mayan from the Yucatec peninsula." 

And, like she thought, it's halfway across the world and that explains why he felt so out of place here. Her feet turn to take the route of return to Wakanda, as a thousand questions pop up in her mind about the boy she's just shared her first kiss with.