Underwater

"Where are you going?" T'Challa looked at his sister, suddenly gathering her stuff and seemed to leave the lab in the middle of a discussion with him.

"Break!" Shuri puts the device behind her ear and places on her portable tank.

"...When do you like breaks? What happened to my literally living-in-the-lab sister? Are you an impostor? And what is this?" T'Challa walks forward to hold her in place, checking on her from up and down to left and right, squeezing her cheeks playfully.

"I recalled you and Mama were the ones who told me not to stay in the lab 24/7~" Shuri slaps his hand off lightly and gets into the elevator, her brother follows closely behind.

"Where are you sneaking off to?" T'Challa knows his sister very well.

"The river," Shuri admits.

They meet every day at the riverbank.

Ch'ah Toh and her.

She told GRIOT to alert her whenever somebody came near. 

"Hmm…what about the suit just now? I haven't even commented on everything—" He crosses his arms, When did Shuri regain her childhood interest?

"I know what you're gonna say, I'll improve the design and show it to you again next time." Was her design that bad? Because T'Challa and Okoye said the same thing! But she's not planning to change the design anyway~it's her design! She's just going to add the functions that brother mentioned.

"...Are you…seeing someone…?" T'Challa was sure Shuri looks… different since he came back from Haiti.

Happier.

"If you mean fish and crabs, then yes. You wanna come with me?" Shuri hugs T'Challa's arms, dragging him toward the riverbank.

"Nope! I have something to do—" He declines, he doesn't want to stay in the water for hours —

Shuri invites him since Ch'ah is not coming today. He told her he had something to do as well.

"Now, brother~ where are you sneaking off to?" Shuri's hand was on her hips, smirking at her brother smugly.

"Be careful!" T'Challa turns around and walks in the opposite direction, Shuri is going to tease him, he—

"It's not even Friday yet!" Today is Wednesday, and T'Challa usually sneaks out at midnight on Friday to meet Nakia and spends the weekend in Haiti.

"Do you still remember what Mother told me to tell you?!" Shuri yells at his retreating form. About bringing Nakia home.

"I remember!" T'Challa waves her off, he knew it. Actually, he is going to bring Mother and Shuri with him to Haiti this weekend. He promised his son. That he will meet his grandmother and auntie soon. He wants to give both sides a surprise.

Shuri walks to the riverbank in light steps while humming.

"Runs to your~ runs to your arms~♫"

The humming had died down more recently. But it doesn't change a thing. 

It was already deeply imprinted in her mind, and she was sure it wouldn't go away. The voice of the man humming in her head. It will stay with her for the rest of her life. So even if one day it stops singing, she won't forget.

Shuri sits under the riverbank. Relaxing her mind and body after a busy day in the lab. The water presses a comfortable weight on her, grounding her from floating away with her thoughts.

She took something out of her pocket, it was a pair of jade earrings.

Gifted by Ch'ah Toh.

And fumbles it in her palm. Her mind wanders back to a few days ago.

"I brought something for you…" Ch'ah says and points his ears. Shuri mentally commands the nanobots to retract on her ears. He reached out to help her put on the earrings he had brought her, removing the ones she was wearing and replacing them with his.

"What—You remembered?! I'm just saying…" Shuri touched the new earrings he helped her put on, and they felt similar to the ones he wore.

"I am one who keeps my promises," Namor said softly, he gently pinched her chin and looked left and right, very satisfied that Shuri highlighted the beauty of the earrings rather than the earrings highlighting her beauty.

She highlighted her beauty, rather than the beauty of the earrings.

Shuri's beauty complements the earrings.

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. Namor believes,

No matter what Shuri wears, she looks beautiful.

"Do you like it?" Namor was a bit unsure.

"Yeah, I like it. Thank you, Ch'ah Toh—'' She thanked him with a happy expression, thinking that maybe she could bring something for him next time…

"The honour is mine." Namor knew the joy twinkling in her eyes would make him happy all day long.

She could hear the voice of the sea now and the gears in her brain started turning, what she could get for him—

"What are you thinking?" Namor leans forward and tilts his head at her.

"I'm thinking…you gave me earrings, and I'm thinking about what to give you in return…" Shuri was used to being the one who gave people stuff since she made stuff and invented most of the things. It wasn't rare that people gift her stuff, but—

"You don't need to give me anything in return." Namor was used to providing for his people.  

"I wanted to, but I can't come up with anything now…" Shuri ponders and looks over Ch'ah. 

Hmmmm…he is wearing earrings and a nose piercing, and he has two pearl necklaces and two or more golden necklaces on him…he likes jewelry, huh? It seems that he doesn't lack jewelry, so giving him this wouldn't be much of a surprise…

Shuri didn't realize she was staring all over at him intensely and Namor just let her. He could see the gears turning in her head already. His smile grew wider and wider.

Hmmm…..he is wearing some wristband or armbands…with jade and pearls on it. Looks like they have a lot of that underwater, huh? He also had bicep straps on his arms, and a golden hook on the right.

There isn't much to see…since he's not wearing a shirt or anything…and there's so much to see hmmm …going down—

A belt…his short green shorts…leg bands under his knee, some straps around his ankle and his wings…

…Maybe she can come up with something for his wings…?

"...So? Did you come up with something?"  His wings flutter nervously under her unmoving stare.

…Armor for his wings? But what if he doesn't like it? Since he's not wearing any now and she was sure he could come up with something for it if he wanted to, from reviewing the thing he wears all over him…

"...Shuri?" Namor's wings spread open.

…And it's not easy— The nanobots need to cover the overall surface of the wings, its flapping motions and the particles continuously protecting it. She will need to come up with a prototype of how his wings work, the way it flaps, the frequency of it, and how fast its motion for the particles to catch up and the size of his feathers—

"...if you are coming up with something for my wings…" Namor was sure…of how focused she was staring…

…She didn't need to bring him to the lab, she could scan his wings just with her kimoyo beads, but if he would like to come, she might even ask for his DNA sample for research…by the way, can he come on land? He did say he could fly in the air, maybe briefly? She could come up with a breathing mask for him to breathe on land—wait, is he talking to her now?????

Shuri snaps out of her thoughts—

"What? Nooooo— I'm nottttttt~~~Your wings are fineeee, I'm just…admiring…ha~" Nope! I'm not coming up with something for your wings, nuh-uh— Shuri decides to ask him another time… about scanning his wings…

"You don't need to give me anything, I mean it…" But if it's from Shuri? Namor would love to receive one though…It's not like he has not received offerings from people in all the centuries of living, but if it's something from Shuri? He's going to treasure it.

"Nope! You are getting one~! I won't stop until I come up with something—" She likes inventing stuff for people anyway.

"Then, what do you like? Like, what do you normally do? So I can come up with something…" She shifts his attention away from his wings and lets him know she's not one to give up easily.

"...You guys go fishing, right? I can make you a spear—" Okay, things are getting out of hand now… Namor shakes his head in amusement.

"I like painting. That's what I normally do when I'm free, you can think from there. And forget about the spear—" He doesn't need to go fishing, and he got his own vibranium spear anyway.

…Shuri gives him a doubtful look…

"What? You surface-dwellers don't paint?" Namor returns her a sarcastic look, raising an eyebrow.

Surface-dwellers? "...We do...it's just…you don't strike me as a…painting person…?" Shuri smirks at her own comment. Painting??? Are you serious?

"I'm not joking, Shuri, I can read it from your look. Enlighten me then, what do I strike you as?" Namor was curious as he nudged her on the shoulder lightly.

"A mermaid prince?" Shuri blurted out teasingly.

"Not that again." Namor rolls his eyes fondly. He's not a prince.

"A warrior? You look like you could fight ten men at once, but painting?? No— I didn't mean painting is not good, painting is amazingggg, I like painting and drawing too, I'm just surprised—" Which really surprises her.

"I can fight pretty well, in fact. But painting? It can be a powerful tool for recording and documenting history, you can capture significant events and moments in a visual form that can be passed down through generations. It helps us appreciate our shared history." And remembering the pain, tragedy and loss our ancestors once suffered. Namor gives a short speech about where his passion for painting comes from.

And Shuri was mesmerized. 

"You make it sound so beautiful…yeah, you are definitely a painting guy…I'm amazed now. Maybe you can show me your painting one day, I would love to witness its beauty with my own eyes. And know the history of it. " Shuri smiled softly, and was charmed indeed. Who knew the man before her was such a delicate person?

Namor was stunned.

He stared at Shuri's soft smile.

Her tone was sincere. And she displayed genuine interest in his painting, she's not faking it…

It was heartfelt. And Namor felt it truly.

"...Maybe I will…" Namor whispered softly. Show you all my paintings and tell you all the history of them one day. No matter if it is peace or bloodshed. He wanted to—

To show Shuri everything. About his painting. About Talokan. About his everything. All of him.

"And I will be truly honoured when that day happens." Shuri bumped him on the shoulder playfully, flashing him an impressed smile.

Shuri did not realize what she had just done to him. To Ch'ah Toh Almehen, To K'uk'ulkan and To Namor.

"You do that to everyone?" Namor blurted out.

"What did I do???" Shuri was confused. Did I offend him somehow? Was it my tone? This is her usual tone!!

"Charming people with your smile?" 

Namor was charmed by her smile indeed.

Shuri looked at him for a moment, then her face lit up involuntarily as the smile he described appeared on her face. Her smile grew wider and wider, and Shuri felt like her face was getting sore from all the smiling.

"Yeah~ I'm good at charming people with my smile, thank you for noticing and pointing that out~" Shuri heard the playful and teasing tone in him. Looks like I charmed underwater people too. 

Namor was smitten.

How could Shuri smile so brilliantly at him like that? He suddenly didn't want anyone else to see her so bright and beautiful. He wanted to possess all of her.

"I know what I can give you now, just wait," Shuri tells him firmly. Pretty confident that he would like her gift.

And Namor was looking forward to it immensely.

"Yeah? We'll see—" Namor smirks slightly. He can guess what she's coming up with. It must be something related to painting.And he would gladly accept and take anything that Shuri gives.

"One more thing. I am curious, do you possess something that works like a painting, I mean a device, which you could use to capture stuff and the result you get will be like a painting? I don't mean you don't have to paint anymore…it's just…way more convenient~ since painting takes more time, and of course, the feeling is different, I do like both and I actually draw more—" Since she needs to come up with all the designs for her invention. Shuri explained and then continued in an endless chattering.

The last time she encountered someone with whom she felt so free to share her thoughts was with her family, her lab colleagues, and most importantly, her brother. She could share anything with him.

T'Challa could listen to her ramble on and on for hours about her inventions if he is free, of course, especially when he is still a prince. He still does now, as a King, but Shuri knows when to stop so she doesn't delay him from performing his duties as King. They still spend a lot of time in the lab together. After all, it was T'Challa who taught her all of the stuff…

Her beloved and brilliant big brother. Shuri loved him more than anything. And she will stand with him until the end of time.

And the mere thought of losing him would crush her entirely if she ever loses T'Challa. She would be devastated, she would bur—

"I know what a camera is, Shuri—" Namor's sarcastic voice stop her from spiraling into a sudden weird and horrifying direction—

What if she lost T'Challa one day, her brother?

"...Great, that means your underwater nation is technologically advanced, way more advanced than I think…a camera is clearly nothing…" Shuri nods nonchalantly. 

Without noticing the emotions flickering in Namor's eyes.

"By the way, Shuri? I was going to tell you I will not be coming for the next two days, I have some duties to do…" Namora and Attuma had informed him there was an American ship hovering in their nation's domain more frequently these days. He had to personally inspect on-site, just in case—

"Okay. I thought you were a very leisurely painter?" Shuri teases. She knows he's definitely not a leisurely painter, Ch'ah looks like a busy person. The type that helps-build-the-country-and-protects-it kind of busy person , she was thinking. That's why she was so surprised when she heard he likes painting. How does he have time for that?

"You have to let that go~" Namor beams at her. In another life, he would have wished for that.

But not this life.

"I can make ten of my people fight like a hundred." Namor wants to intimidate her a bit. For saying he's a mermaid prince, or imagining he couldn't paint.

He's not a prince.

"Ah-ha! I knew it, you strike me as a commander or general…that's why I was so surprised when you said you paint, well, it's not like a general couldn't paint…" Shuri grins, her intuition is correct.

He's not a commander or general.

"Or I could fight a hundred." Or more than that. Namor smirks smugly when Shuri widens her eyes at what she hears.

"—Sure you can…why am I not surprised? You should meet my brother, he can fight a hundred too…" Shuri was sure. If only Ch'ah could come onto land—

"No. I'm only here to meet you. Just you." And Namor has no intention of revealing himself to other surface-dwellers.

"...Why am I not surprised? Why else will you be here, busy man?" Shuri chuckles lightly while looking at his determined face. Looks like he really doesn't want to be seen by others, and she respects his decision. She will help keep his secret.

"—Run along now, for your information, I'm busy too—" Her tank is almost up anyway.

"And I only came here to meet you during my break." She sets the rules in the lab anyway…She can have her break anytime, or not even work for the day. After all, she is the princess . Not that he knows of—

"Uh-huh, why am I not surprised?" Namor teases back.

"See ya—" Shuri waves and walks back to the land.

"Goodbye, Shuri." Namor swims toward the deep of the sea.

"Where did you go again today?" Namora was waiting for him the moment he entered the city.

"Just a stroll…Is the ship still there?" Namora pushes down her inner question and reports to K'uk'ulkan.

She was sure he was seeing someone…

—With that faint smile on his face.

A predator that finally found a prey that he was interested in.

Or…

K'uk'ulkan fell in love with someone in a span of a few days…

Is Talokan going to welcome a Queen at last after all these centuries? Namora throws that thought out of her mind, K'uk'ulkan will inform them when he wants them to know. Or thinks it's time for them to know. As his cousin and general, she rarely asks about his affairs anyway.

Namor rested in his hammock, finally resting after a long day. 

But his mind doesn't let him rest. Nor does the faint humming in his head. It doesn't bother him when he's busy. It comes back to him when he's going to rest. Every time. Like it knows.

His mind keeps replaying—

Shuri's radiant smile kept replaying in his mind, preventing him from resting.

And Namor knows he's doomed.

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Destined to fail.

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He was smitten by Shuri's charming smile 

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He was smitten with the beauty of Shuri.

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He was smitten with the way Shuri's eyes sparkled, her smiling softly, her tone sincere and heartfelt, her face lit up in the most beautiful way he had ever seen.

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Shuri had lit up his world in the few hours they had met briefly for the past few days.

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The humming in his head— ♫Por sacarte de las penumbras♫

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♫To get you out of the gloom♫

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He was destined to fail.

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How could he not love her?

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—And once in his lifetime, 

In the centuries he had lived,

It was the first time for him,

—That Namor feared how Shuri would look at him, the moment he had revealed all of him to her—

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A god? 

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Or a monster ?