Underwater

"Brother! HOW COULD YOU HIDE HIM FROM ME ALL THESE MONTHS—!!!" Toussaint warmed up to his Grandmother and Aunty almost instantly. Their blood.

"I recalled someone almost declining to come with me…" T'Challa pokes at her.

"—I lost all the time with my nephew! My umtshana!!!" Shuri exclaims in exaggeration while tickling her nephew. T'Challa Jr. wiggles in her arms joyfully. His laughter echoed in their home.

"It's alright, Aunty~ I'm five years old and Mama said I'm turning six soon! I can spend all my time with you and Grandmama before I turn six!" Toussaint babbles happily, melting Shuri and Ramonda's hearts. Raising his little hands and showing them a five with all five of his little fingers and palm.

"You can still spend all your time with us after you turn six." Ramonda chuckled and little T'Challa crashed into his grandmama's embrace, snuggling into her.

"Six? Oh Bast, I'm as much older than you as your dad is older than me!" Shuri quipped at her brother.

T'Challa tsks at her loudly. Nakia points at him mockingly. "Ah-ha, stop pointing at me, we are of the same age, Nakia—" He plays around with her.

"Aunty, how old are you?" Toussaint asks curiously.

"Never ask a girl how old she is, umntwana wam," my baby boy. Nakia squeezed her son's cheek playfully.

"Your aunty is old—" T'Challa jokingly said.

"What! I'm not old! I'm only 22—! WAIT— if you count the blip, I'm 27!—" Shuri ponders on her age again.

"—Which is old." T'Challa pokes at her.

"But I'm physically and mentally still 22! So no, I'm not that old yet! My baby Toussaint, listen carefully, your aunty, I am only 22 years old. We could be best friends! Just like your Baba and I!" Toussaint beams at her cutely, nodding his head furiously in agreement.

"See? Your son agrees with me!" Shuri slaps her brother's arms triumphantly. 

"He's just being nice…" T'Challa amuses. She's winning hearts everywhere she goes.

"Baba said you are good at making stuff, is that true?" Young T'Challa asked her innocently.

"Yes! Your father is correct! I'm really good at making stuff! What toys do you want, I can make them for you—!" Shuri is ready to pamper her nephew!

"SHURI—" Ramonda warned her with a smile.

"Shuri, don't spoil him too much, I beg you—" T'Challa ruffles his little sister's hair. Knowing Shuri is going to spoil his son with all she has.

"Toussaint, isn't there something you want to give your grandmama and aunty?" Nakia winks at their son. And the little boy runs to his room to get his gifts. And sprints back to their side in his little steps.

"Grandma! Aunty! I have made a shell necklace for you! This is for grandmama~" Ramonda accepts the gifts and kisses his forehead lovingly, "Thank you, my sweet grandchild."

"This is for you, Aunty Shuri, the others are for the other aunties~" Toussaint gave her a necklace. Shuri takes it and—

"Oh, my Bast! You made me a necklace?! You are amazing, Toussaint! You are going to be a brilliant inventor like your aunty, me, one day!" Shuri praises him adoringly. She gives it back to Toussaint and signals him to put it on for her.

"Grandmama, Aunty, do you like it~?" He asks a bit nervously while his little face and eyes shine with hope.

"Like? We love it~" Ramonda couldn't help but chuckle, "Bast, he acts just like you when you were young—" She looks at her son. T'Challa smiled helplessly. Remembering the days when he was young, and how he always followed his Mama around.

"I like it so much! You beat me to it! You know what? I got something for you too!" Shuri didn't hesitate to surrender all the trinkets and jewelry she had just bought at the market. Toussaint's eyes light up at the various trinkets.

"Thank you, Aunty~~~" He hugs her tightly.

"Technically, I paid for all of that so…" T'Challa slips in and hugs them both, squeezing them until they squeal in joy.

"This is the most impressive shell necklace I've ever seen and had! Ha! Brother~ where is your necklace~~~?" Shuri never let the chance of jabbing T'Challa go.

T'Challa rolled his eyes at her and lifted the necklace hidden under his clothes. The Panther habit which is his panther teeth necklace that houses the suit.  

Where Shuri presented it to him and helped him put it back on at Jabari land.

"I have a better one~" T'Challa watched as Shuri was pleased with his reply.

"How old is he going to start asking me to make a suit for him???" Shuri murmurs and jokes with him. She will be honoured.

"He acts pretty much like his aunty sometimes, so I would say soon." T'Challa laughs heartily.

"I'm glad my son is going to give you a headache like how you gave me back then!" T'Challa said determinedly and Shuri grunted.

"He has your chaotic and relentless energy~" Nakia warns Shuri.

"Not just that~ Don't forget he must have inherited a genius mind! DOUBLED!" Shuri counters and praises herself and her brother at the same time.

"He's going to grow up just like all of you! Chaotic, relentless, wild and restless. Giving his grandmother a headache as well— Tripled!" Ramonda poked fun at all of her children. She cuddles the giggling baby in her arms, watching—

T'Challa, Nakia and Shuri scratched their heads awkwardly.

"I'm sure you can handle him, Mama…" T'Challa speaks fondly.

"There's only one of him, Queen Mother…" Nakia couldn't imagine what it would be like if they had more than one child. More chaos.

"Mama! I'm the one who gives you the best headaches in the world!" Shuri jokingly objected to it!!

"Hush! You! You are still giving me that at this age, when are you going to stop giving your mother headaches!" Ramonda pats her daughter in amusement.

"But I guess he tripled in other aspects as well—" The children all looked at her expectantly.

"Triple the strength, gentleness, responsibility, courage—" Ramonda looks at T'Challa. Her firstborn son.

"—Compassion, ambition, just, strong," She looks at Nakia. Her strong and loveliest daughter-in-law.

"—Charismatic, intelligent, visionary and confident." She looks at her daughter, her precious little girl.

"I hope Toussaint grows up to be all of that with you all by his side. Your Father and I are so proud of you all—" Ramonda knows it.

"Mama, that's what happens when you have a wise mother~" T'Challa holds his mother's hand gently. She is the strongest woman he has ever known.

"And nurturing~" Nakia holds her other hand.

"And way too humble, seriously, Mama~~~ we got that all from you." Shuri turned to her mother, always the pillar of strength and spirit for them and their nation.

"Mama, Baba! I want to grow up and be like Grandmama one day!" Toussaint squealed in excitement.

"Now that's a little genius here~" Shuri pats his little head lovingly.

T'Challa and Nakia looked at their son and back at each other, proud.

.

.

.

They spent the entire day getting to know each other. Toussaint asks questions non-stop while Ramonda and Shuri entertain him with everything he asks.

Shuri tucks him into bed at night, answering his last question.

Poor little boy, already so tired and still wants to talk with his aunty.

"Aunty, when can I…go to your lab…and play with you…?" Toussaint murmurs in his sleep, his eyes closed tightly but he still wants to peek at his aunty for answers.

"Soon, my umtshana. I'll let you play in my lab like a playground fortress— But you have to sleep now, aren't you tired?" Shuri gently lulled him to sleep, learning from her mother and brother how to softly pat him to slumber.

T'Challa leans at the door, watching them. His heart softened and feeling content.

"Okay~ Good night, Aunty…I love you…" Toussaint smiled as he fell asleep, snuggling into his pillow.

"I love you too, baby boy—" Shuri kissed his chubby cheeks. She tucked him in and left the room quietly, closing the door.

"Brother…" Shuri calls him gently. T'Challa wraps her under his arms, they lean on each other.

"I love him already." 

So much that Shuri can't believe it could happen in just one day. On the very first day they met.

"Thank you, Shuri." T'Challa thanked her with so much love.

"You are going to be an awesome Aunty to Toussaint." T'Challa lightly kissed her temple, just like he always did, and then the siblings hugged each other tightly…

Feeling grateful to be alive.

…

…

…

Namor waited and waited, and waited.

He had not seen Shuri for a week.

She didn't call.

Looks like she's having too much fun at where she went…

But the voice in his head did not fade to nonexistent. It has become stronger .

♫En las nubes contigo me recostaré♫

In the clouds, with you, I will lay down

♫Y nos colamos con la brisa♫

And we blend in with the breeze

♫Y navegamos con el viento♫

And we sail with the wind

Namor pursed his lips a bit and think of her, every day —

.

Heartless little rascal,

.

Bratty and pampered child,

.

Cruel little devil,

.

Overindulged little one,

.

Spoiled brat,

.

A spoiled little girl.

His.

Shuri and Ramonda watched young T'Challa at the school since Nakia and old T'Challa went to sort things out of the school. 

He's dominating on the soccer pitch. 

Toussaint runs to his grandmother and aunty after he kicks a goal.

"Grandma! Aunty! Did you see that!? Did you see me!" He asks them enthusiastically.

"Of course, we can't take our eyes off you, sweetheart." Ramonda helps wipe his sweat off his forehead.

"Did I see it? I even recorded it down! You were dominating—" Shuri had recorded her nephew dominating on the soccer pitch with her kimoyo beads. She's going to show it to Nakia and T'Challa later.

"Come on, children. Let's go and buy some groceries from the market for dinner tonight." Ramonda and Shuri hold hands with Toussaint, and they walk to the market.

"Grandma, can we have some sweet potato pudding tonight?" Toussaint sways Ramonda's hand pleadingly.

"Anything you like, Toussaint, your Aunt will get it for you~" Ramonda signals him to look at his aunty.

"What— Alright, how do you say "sweet potato pudding" in French???" Shuri looks at her nephew.

"I don't know~" The boy smiles at her.

"Great, potatoes, sweet potatoes, uh-huh, let me see—" Shuri looks around the market for potatoes while Ramonda buys the groceries with ease.

She couldn't see any potatoes and she tried to ask, with her poor French. "Erm bonjour, avez-vous…po-ta-toes…?" The lady who sells groceries looked at her, so confused.

"Never mind, off to the next one!" Shuri tugs at Toussaint while they ask stall by stall. They were at the fourth stall, "Bonjour, avez-vous po-ta-toes?" And Toussaint had his fun, he started speaking, "Bonjour, avez-vous…patates?" The man at the stall points to another stall, saying that stall has patates. "Merci!" And the boy tugged his dumbstruck Aunty Shuri away.

"You couldn't have done that earlier? You sneaky little rascal!!" Shuri's hands were on her hips, looking down at her nephew.

"I was trying to remember the word, aunty~ I didn't mean to make you look silly~~" Toussaint tells her. 

Brother, Nakia? He is your son! "Yeah? Then get your sweet potato pudding yourself!" Shuri lifts him up and walks to the stall, Toussaint laughing in her arms.

"Bonjour, avez-vous patates?" Shuri asks the lady kindly. She points at the basket that is full of patates. "Oh no, I mean sweet patates…" She scrunch up her nose and looks to Toussaint for help!

"Sweet…hmmm…patates…patate douce!" He remembers the word for sweet finally.

The lady spoke quickly in French and neither Shuri nor Toussaint knew what she was saying because she was so fast. She took out a basket of sweet potatoes at last, THANK BAST!

"Yes, this, by the way, do you happen to sell patate douce pud-ding…?" Shuri tries her luck and the lady starts talking again.

"Désolée…I don't understand French…" Shuri tries to apologize and looks to Toussaint.

"I don't understand either…but Mama knows!" He said adorably.

"Yeah, but your Mama is not here." Shuri sighs and just calls for GRIOT. Brother told her it is better not to use her kimoyo beads but whatever~ it's for Toussaint's sweet potato pudding!!

They have been here for a week and it looks like she did not catch any French at all!

"GRIOT, translate, do you sell, for me." Shuri murmurs while no one is looking.

"Yes, princess. It is vendez-vous." GRIOT came to the rescue.

"Ok! And sweet potato pudding!" Shuri adds. Toussaint looks at her, fascinated as Aunty did tell him about her AI!

"Pouding à la patate douce." 

"Right… Thanks, GRIOT! Here we go, T'Challa!" Shuri looks at her nephew confidently.

"Bonjour, vendez-vous pouding à la patate douce?" Shuri asks again. And the lady starts speaking real quick!

"GRIOT, I need a little help here—" Shuri quickly commands and—

"—Pen patat? You want to buy pen patat?" A man holding a little girl in his arms just like Shuri, approached and talked to her directly.

"Non, I mean pouding à la patate douce— WAIT, you speak English! Bast, I need a little help here, I don't know what she's saying..." Shuri looks at the man for help since he speaks English.

The man speaks to the lady and he beckons Shuri to come with him. Shuri followed a few steps behind him cautiously, Toussaint watched him warily.

"She doesn't sell pen patat. Actually, people from here mostly make pen patat themselves…" The man tells Shuri kindly.

"Oh, okay, thanks…pen patat means…" Shuri forgets how to pronounce it already.

"Sweet potato pudding?" The man and his little girl are in sync.

"Yes, sweet potato pudding! That's it!" Shuri smacks her own head in embarrassment.

"Pen patat is what we call it here, I was wondering…if you need help…?" The man offers and Shuri looks at Toussaint, he nods slightly.

"Yes! If you'll be so kind! Can you get the ingredients for making pen patat? We can figure out the rest of it ourselves…" Shuri quickly said.

"Sure, no problem. Can you look after my niece for a while? Anica, stay here with Madame, I will be right back!" The man sets the girl down and Shuri assures him she will look after her. She puts down Toussaint too. The two children talked with each other easily.

Shuri looks around, where did her Mama go?

"Hi…you know how to speak English?" Toussaint asks casually, not many people in Haiti know how.

"A bit. You speak Haitian Creole?" Anica asks curiously.

"No…not really…but I think my Mama knows…" Toussaint replied. Mama can talk with everyone from here effortlessly.

"But your Mama doesn't even speak French…" Anica looks at Shuri suspiciously.

"Oh, I'm actually his aun—" Shuri was going to clear the confusion but the man had already come back.

"Here, madame, these are the ingredients for pen patat. I figured you and your baby are not from here, I suppose? I can make an extra pen patat with my sister and send it to your home later, we live just nearby so, why not?" He offered his help enthusiastically, and although Shuri was a bit wary, she didn't want to refuse his kindness and so she agreed.

"Hmm okay? Yeah, sure, we live by the beach…" Shuri looks at the ingredients. There are sweet potatoes, brown sugar, bananas…Huh?

"...May I ask which house you live in?" The man asks kindly.

"Oh, erh…we live at…" How does she know which house they lived in?!

"It's 1804, Mama~ You can't even remember your own door number…" Toussaint helps her.

"Yes, 1804! That's the number." Shuri high-fives Toussaint. Her little boy is just so smart and helps her to dodge some bullets by calling her Mama. Shuri had been approached by so many men alone during the week when they saw she was alone with Toussaint sometimes. Some were kind to offer help like this man here while some were definitely up to no good depending on how they looked at her. Foreign, young and alone with a young boy.  

But Shuri finds out her umtshana is just like his father and mother. Fierce. In just a few days, Toussaint was very protective of Shuri and being wary of all of this, he tends to call Shuri his Mama and mentions Baba in their conversation to let people know they are not alone at all. 

Because it turns out this is what Nakia had faced all these years and when Toussaint had grown up and was able to acknowledge the situation. He protects his Mama with all he could. But since Nakia knows how to speak their languages, they were surprised and always backed down at the end.

And they had Baba with them now. They no longer need to worry about this kind of situation anymore.

"1804? Got it! I'll deliver it to you when it's done. By dinner, I think, is it okay for you?" The man asks one last time.

"Yes, take your time please, sorry to bother you! Thank you so much, you are too kind—" Shuri thanked him sincerely.

"You are welcome. By the way, what is your baby boy's name? He looks so adorable, I think just one or two years younger than my Anica, they could be friends!... By the way, you look pretty young to be a mother…" The man waves at Toussaint and he waves back kindly. Since this man had shown no harm to them.

"Thanks! His name is Toussaint. He's turning six soon…your niece is adorable too! Oh, that— my baby …ha~ looks like the gods had blessed me earlier than others…" Shuri had used to refer to Toussaint as her baby, her son rather than her nephew. People always assume, and she's too lazy to clear the confusion. She's going back to Wakanda soon anyway, no one will remember her until the next time she visits. Well, she'll be coming back here real quick tho.

"I see~ Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself, I'm Alain, nice to meet you and Toussaint." The man reached out to shake hands.

"I'm Shuri, nice to meet you and Anica!" Shuri shook their hands and they parted ways.

"Looks like we got your sweet potato pudding, son~" Shuri smirks at Toussaint.

"Yes, Mama!!" Toussaint enjoys shopping with his aunt. Aunty Shuri is so fun to be with!

"Now let's look for your grandmother and go home." Shuri looks for her mother and someone bumps into her rudely, she quickly tugs Toussaint away to avoid being hit.

"Hey, watch where you are going—" Shuri glared at them and shields Toussaint behind her. The men who bumped into her must be cursing her, she guesses it from their furious tone and angry face.

Shuri tensed her body, ready to strike back if those men tried to attack her and Toussaint. But when she saw a familiar figure standing in front of her in a blink of an eye, she relaxed and felt safe immediately.

"Leave." T'Challa, her brother is here. 

Blocking them from any possible harm.

The men continued cursing and tends to grab Shuri—

T'Challa shoves them away and pulls Shuri to his back, shielding her completely. Toussaint hides behind his legs, calling him worriedly, "Baba…they are so mean…"

"It's alright, son. Baba's here. Shuri, stay behind me." 

"Brother." Shuri tugged at his sleeve, reminding him they are not in Wakanda. He nods.

The men look like they want to pick a fight, but T'Challa and Shuri are alwaysready for a fight.

"Leave," T'Challa repeats and looks at them calmly and warningly.

And the men were afraid. Fear crept onto them as they were scared by T'Challa's intimidating presence alone. The girl behind him looks at them calmly too…

There was no fear in their eyes.  

They backed down and walked away hurriedly. Bumping into other people—

"Regarde où tu vas. Gade kote w prale." Nakia reminds them to watch where you are going in both French and Haitian Creole. They didn't dare to stay in the market anymore.

"You know you two look just like black panthers ready to pounce and protect the little cub…" Nakia walked to them and easily made the siblings relax and let go of their defensive postures.

"Mama, Baba, can I be the black panther?" Toussaint wraps his little arms around Baba's neck when he carries him.

"Nope, you will forever be our little cub~" Nakia beams at the father-and-son.

"Wait till you grow up, my little boy." T'Challa comforts him.

"Aunty~~~ I want to be the black panther like you and Baba!" He switched targets. Cheeky boy.

"Wait till you grow taller than me, my umtshana~" Shuri grins as well and walks with them.

They finally found their mother chilling under a pavilion and chatting with the locals, she blended in so well to T'Challa and Shuri's surprise. Mama will always be Mama, she could control and take hold of her surroundings with ease. Ramonda saw them finally and excused herself.

"What took you so long?" She crosses her arms at Shuri. T'Challa and Nakia help take all the groceries from her and Toussaint holds his grandmother's hand.

"It was nothing~ We just bumped into a few idiots." Shuri shrugs and Ramonda gives them a look. T'Challa shrugged at her too. Ramonda does not feel sorry for the idiots at all. She had gotten used to it whenever T'Challa and Shuri got pissed off and defended themselves. They usually win in the fight so she doesn't need to worry at all.

And they head home peacefully. 

They were like any ordinary family. Strong and united when they are together.

"T'Challa!!" Shuri yelled loudly. And two people paced up to her at the same time.

"Oh, I mean T'Challa Jr… not you, old man~" Shuri playfully shoves her brother away and passes Toussaint a banana for him to eat. T'Challa rolls his eyes and goes back into the kitchen to help Nakia.

T'Challa looks at her, "Do you know how to make this…pen patat???" He gestured with his head towards the ingredients.

"I don't know~" Nakia smiles at him. And T'Challa couldn't help but chuckle.

"T'Challa!!" Shuri yelled loudly again. He walks out of the kitchen again. Finding Shuri and Toussaint tackling each other on the floor. "I'm just going to let you win because I'm your aunty!!!!" T'Challa lifts them both up from the floor and sets them back on the couch.

"No fighting in the house." He booped his son's little nose and Toussaint giggled.

"And you. I know what you are up to! You just want to get back at me for yelling your name all these years—" T'Challa booped Shuri's nose too, annoyed and amused at the same time.

"Oh Bast, you'll have to get used to it!" She grins madly at him, and so does Toussaint. Bast, they even share the same type of grin. And the old T'Challa retreats to the kitchen. 

"It's like having two children under 10… Nakia…" T'Challa sighs fondly.

"Now you realize???" Nakia chuckled beside him.

"I can imagine if we have another child, Shuri is going to bring them both and wreak havoc in Wakanda…" T'Challa was certain.

"Toussaint alone can keep her busy. And who said I'm having another child with you?" Nakia looks at him teasingly.

"Hmm? I thought you always wanted a second child to accompany Toussaint. How about a girl just like you?" T'Challa kisses her to shut her mouth before Nakia says something to tease him again. 

"...I'm dying to hold our newborn child in my arms since I have missed Toussaint's…I'm sorry you have to go through all of this alone for these past five years…I'm sorry I was not here to grow up with our son, I have failed as a father…and a husband." Nakia could see the sadness and regret in T'Challa's eyes.

T'Challa felt like he had let Nakia and Toussaint down, missing out on the journey of watching their son grow up and raising him together with her. He let her shoulder all the hardships alone, and the bitterness of it all was painful for him to even think about. He had missed out on everything.

"You are here right now, that's all that matters." Nakia hugs him tightly and comforts him soothingly.

"And I'll tell you over and over again about how Toussaint grew up all these years, how he was this small in my arms… Until he grew up to be a fine little man, sometimes he even nags at me! But I know he loves me so much, just like his father—" T'Challa doesn't know what he did to deserve her.

"...I'll make up for Toussaint for the lost times, and I will never leave you again, Nakia, I promise." He hugs his entire world in his arms.

"We can have a second child…" Nakia whispered sweetly at him. T'Challa looked at her with surprise.

"So Toussaint doesn't feel lonely growing up…we had each other when we grow up…and Shuri had you…I don't want him to miss out on all the fun of having a sibling to grow up and wreak havoc with~" Nakia tells him firmly and T'Challa started chuckling. They looked at each other and smiled.

"I want to see them give Shuri headaches but she couldn't do anything…like what she did to us back then…yeah, I know you would love to see that too~ a little T'Challa and little Nakia chasing their aunty around while she runs—" He kisses her softly, sealing his promise to her.

"T'Challa!!!" Shuri yelled loudly for the third time. And T'Challa just ignored her, no one can interrupt his moment with Nakia.

"—The OLD T'Challa!!!! My BROTHER!!! My KINGGGG!!! Your son has a question for you!!" Shuri yelled again moments later.

"Go, old T'Challa, your sister is calling you." Nakia nudged him to go while smiling at his lips. T'Challa pecked on her lips and went to the living room.

"What is it, my princess and my prince???" He crosses his arms at them.

"Your father's here, ask him your question, don't ask me~" Shuri nudges Toussaint.

"Baba, are you going to stay with me and Mama forever?" Toussaint asks innocently.

"Of course, I'm not leaving you and your mother ever again." He carried his son in his arms, carrying his little panther.

"Then~ can I have a sister like Baba had Aunty Shuri as a sister??? Aunty said you need to have a sister, only you can be the black panther…is that true??? Can I have a sister now?" Toussaint asks his questions and T'Challa yells loudly—

"SHURIIII—" The person he yelled had already retreated back to her room cheekily, letting him answer all the questions alone.

Shuri retreated to her room while laughing madly at Toussaint's request to T'Challa. Guess she'll be having another nephew or niece soon enough~ She took a shower and got ready for dinner.

Toussaint was in her room, doodling furiously just like his aunty when he's into something.

"So, did your dad answer your question?" She asks cheekily.

"Baba said it's all on Mama to decide~ and he said it is not true that to become black panther, you must have a sister…" Toussaint said and Shuri—

"You are still young…but you will understand one day what it takes and means to be the black panther, to protect our home, also our people? Baba said this…" Shuri smiled at his words.

"...And it is best to have not just a sister, but a genius and brilliant mind sister to just be there for you? Or Baba said I could be the genius one and my future sister or brother could be the black panther, it works either way!" Toussaint liked this idea too. Shuri smirked at the genius and brilliant mind sister part.

"Yeah? It's possible, you can be whatever you want when you grow up, Toussaint, not just the black panther or an inventor. Aunty is going to support you nonetheless~" She booped his nose, earning a bright smile.

"Like how you supported Baba?" Toussaint demanded hugs from his Aunty.

"Yes, just like that~" Shuri spoils him at his every request and throws him in the air, making him squeal in joy.

"Then Aunty, where did you find a big seashell this pretty??? I want one too!!" Toussaint found something in her backpack and handed it to her.

It's the conch shell that Ch'ah gave her.

"Oh, this~ I can get one for you from…"

…

…

…

OH SHIT

HOLY SHIT.

FOR BAST'S SAKE—

She had totally forgotten about him!!!

Shuri looks at the conch shell in her hand…

She had totally forgotten about Ch'ah!

She told him she will be back by Monday and they have stayed here in Haiti for almost a week!!

Shuri only knows that he's going to be so pissed off because she didn't call him!!

"Oh shit…" Shuri murmurs.

"What shit?" Toussaint gently caresses the conch shell. "Nope! Don't say that!" Shuri let him play with it. She's getting headaches now. Well, they are returning to Wakanda soon, she'll call him then, uh-huh, hopes he shows up when she ghosted him for a week, yeap~

"Aunty, can I play with your seashell by the beach?" Toussaint asked again.

"No, no, no, it's dinner time already, and I'll get you one later! Go and see if your Baba, Mama and Grandma need any help in the kitchen—"

"Okieee~ you promise!" Toussaint runs to the kitchen. And Shuri gets up immediately with the conch in her hands, heading to the woods where their aircraft was landed.

She placed the conch in their aircraft so that Toussaint doesn't sneak into her room and took it to play by the beach and accidentally summoned Ch'ah to where they are. They are keeping this place a secret to protect Nakia and Toussaint. No one can know their whereabouts until the time comes. She returned home and they had dinner.

Until someone knocks on their door, it must be the pen patat guy! T'Challa answers the door.

"Hi! You must be Shuri's husband! I'm Alain." Alain greets him while carrying Anica and a bag of stuff.

"PFFTTTTTT—Hahahahahahahaha—!!!" Shuri spits out the soup she was drinking and choked up while laughing madly.

…

…

…

"I'm her brother." T'Challa looked at him cautiously, deadpanned.

"...What? I'm sorry! I thought you were…her baby looks just like you!" Alain apologized sheepishly.

"Hi, Alain! Brother, this is the pen patat guy, the one who helped us get the ingredients~" Shuri appears at the door, along with Toussaint and Nakia.

"Well, who do we have here? Such a pretty little girl." Nakia greets Anica and the girl waves hello shyly.

"This is your pen patat, Madame, my family and I hope you enjoy your stay here!" Alan handed Shuri her sweet potato pudding and she thanked him.

"Have you guys had dinner yet? We are having right now, we would like to thank you." T'Challa offers in kind after Nakia nodded at him.

"What do you think, Anica?" Alain squats down and asks his niece.

"Uncle~ you just want to make new friends! Mama said you are too busybody sometimes!" Anica babbles adorably and everyone laughs.

"I take that as a compliment and a yes! Thank you for your hospitality, we won't stay long." Alain nodded to T'Challa and they let the uncle and niece in. Alain greeted Ramonda too and they sat down to have dinner.

"We did make our own pen patat. But it is surely not going to be as good as you locals made…" Shuri took out the sweet potato pudding T'Challa and Nakia made according to the recipe that GRIOT found.

They put both pen patat side by side. Shuri scooped both pieces onto Toussaint's plate. "Go on, you've been whining wanting to eat this since afternoon." She smirked at the boy.

Toussaint eats the one that his Baba and Mama made first…everyone looks at him gleefully.

"Hmmm…whatever Mama and Baba made is delicious!" He managed to swallow it down and scoops a spoon for his Aunty instead! "It's good, Aunty!"

"You're downright harming me, you little rascal…I saw your eyebrows furrowed so hard—" Still, Shuri eats it from the spoon Toussaint holding out to her, Toussaint giggling like mad.

Now both the nephew and aunt had matching furrowed brow looks on them.

"...Remind me don't let you two into the kitchen next time…" Shuri swallowed the oversweet pudding and gulped down her water. Toussaint looked at her for help. She puts him on her lap and lets him drink some water too. T'Challa and Nakia shrugged together, not feeling sorry.

"I think you just accidentally put too much sugar, you had the taste of it already." Alain tasted it and thought it was actually okay, just a bit sweeter than the one they made.

"See? We got it right!" Nakia cocks her eyebrows at them.

"Give it to your Baba, give it to your Baba—" Shuri tells Toussaint and they both push their plates to T'Challa sneakily. He looks at them, surrendering.

They ate the sweet potato pudding Alain and his family made and it was so good.

"No wonder you want to eat this, my umtshana, the right one really tastes so good—" Shuri squeezes Toussaint with satisfaction.

"Told you, Aunty~" He cuddles with her contentedly.

"My uncle makes the best pen patat!" Anica squealed in Alain's arms.

"So…you are actually your baby's aunty? Am I right? Just like me and Anica." Alain finally speaks out of his curiosity.

"Yes, sorry~ I didn't mean to lie to you, but people just assume I'm his mother, actually his Baba and Mama are over there, ha~" Shuri points at T'Challa and Nakia happily.

"Oh, I understand~! People always thought Anica was my daughter too!! Just that she grew up and looks more like my brother-in-law now!" Alain and Anica chuckled joyfully.

"Does my nephew really look like me?" Shuri asks happily, wait! That means—

Shuri gets up carrying Toussaint and walks to stand in between T'Challa and Nakia, she leans toward her brother, "Do we look alike?" T'Challa bumps his head at his sister.

"Very much. No wonder I misunderstood Toussaint as your son because you siblings looked pretty alike." Alain commented.

"How about now?" Shuri leans towards Nakia with Toussaint, smiling, "Mama~"

"Oh wait a minute, he has his mother's eyes!" Nakia smiled at the comment, cuddling with Toussaint.

T'Challa leans with Ramonda, smiling affectionately at the scene.

"You have a beautiful family, Madame Ramonda." Alain had never seen a more loving family than themselves in the area.

"Thank you, my son." Ramonda takes the compliment with pride.

"We should get going, my sister will be worried about where I have taken Anica to and she will give me a lecture! Come, darling, thank you so much for the dinner," Alain shakes hands with T'Challa while holding Anica's little hand.

"You are welcome, you'll be seeing us around here more often," T'Challa thanked him and Alain told them, "By the way, we are going to have a Harvest Fest tomorrow, just by the beach. Looking forward to seeing you and your family!" T'Challa assures him they will be joining the party.

Anica runs to Toussaint to say goodbye to him, and Toussaint gives her a little trinket in return.

"Ho~ someone's a charmer! Looks like our babies are going to be best friends!" Shuri walks them out.

"Oh dear, as her uncle I need to start worrying now when she is older! Can't believe my baby Anica is nine already…I'm 27 this year and my sister got married the same as my age now. Who gets married so early nowadays?" Alain chats with her.

"I know right?! Who gets married in their 20s anyway? I second that!" Shuri agreed with him.

"I knew it when I said you look too young to be a mother! I'll see you around, good night. Mademoiselle Shuri." Alain bids farewell.

"Just Shuri, please, we are about the same age too." He nodded happily and they waved each other goodbye.

Shuri got back in and T'Challa, Nakia and Mother looked at her. Teasing in their eyes.

"What? What did I do?" Shuri beckons Toussaint and she hugged him tightly, having her baby nephew as support.

"Are you going to get me an Uncle, aunty~?" Now, even Toussaint teases her!!

"NO WAY I'm getting married at 22!" Shuri exclaims.

"Or 27," T'Challa adds without skipping a beat.

"I will not marry before my brother!" Shuri comes up with the best excuse.

"Who says we are not married?" T'Challa and Nakia grinned at her.

"...What? Then— I'll wait till Nakia is Queen and Toussaint is the Crowned Prince…wait a minute, we only just met, for Bast's sake!" Shuri retreated to her room, incredulous at them matchmaking her and Alain when they only met less than an hour later.