The Whirling of the jet nearing his home tells him it’s time for his bi-monthly check up with the princess. His two years in Wakanda have proved fruitful in rehabilitating him. His visits have been lessening to where they are now and the princess predicts soon, he won’t have to be seen as often if not at all.
He finishes up with the goats, checking for the third time he’s left grain and hay in their pens. He doesn’t have much time to clean up properly before the jet lands so he settles on scrubbing his face and hands hastily throwing on a pair of cleaner khaki pants and a simple shirt. The dora knock on his door, right on time he thinks as he finishes up lacing his boots.
Heading out he’s met by Aneka and Ayo who greet him with gentle smiles.
“Ingcuka, how have you been?” Ayo asked as they boarded the jet. She’d been one of the first people other than the king and princess to befriend him. Her unexpected bubbliness was able to break through his original closed off exterior. He was skeptical to say the least when he first landed in this strange country, after all what could a third world African country do for him that others hadn’t tried. Oh how wrong they proved him.
“Nothing much, taking care of my goats, sleeping the usual” He responded as they settled inside, Aneka piloting them to Shuri’s lab.
“Ahh, I see. You need to get out of that home of yours for a change, make some new friends, perhaps even meet someone eh?” She responded, loud enough for Aneka to hear and nod her head in agreement to. He brushed off her remark with a wave of his hand but they both continued to tease him about it.
“I mean seriously Ingcuka, don’t you get lonely?” He doesn’t know how to answer that. He hadn’t had the desire to be in any commitment with anyone, being on the run as an international fugitive does that to a person. But even after he found an asylum in the country and its citizens, he found he preferred his company over most people’s. His interaction consisted mainly of the royal siblings, the two dora he was with and Steve when he occasionally visited him. He preferred it that way, gave him a chance to figure out his second attempt at life in Wakanda.
In no time the jet was landing on the small airstrip on top of the mountain that housed Shuri’s labs. He watched the sunset as he was boarding off, momentarily distracted by the beauty of the land highlighted by the sun’s fading rays. The two dora’s said their goodbyes promptly, accompanied by a promise they’d get him out of his hut and find him a partner which made him chuckle as he made his way in.
“Glad to see you in high spirits James!” He hears as soon as he steps foot in the lab space. Shuri is over by her table, probably finding a way to improve an already perfect invention of hers. He likes the lab. He doesn’t understand what Is going on half the time he’d always been intrigued by science. A fond memory of him and Steve at the science fair comes to mind.
“Sit down for me please” he finds one of the stools and plops himself down as the princess busies herself with attaching various cords to his arms as the scan shows on the screen in front of them. He notices that the usual flurry of scientists is missing from the lab making them the only two inhabitants.
“Where is everyone?” He asks confused with the emptiness.
“Oh, did I forget to tell you? It’s the harvest festival today. People are out celebrating.”
“Why aren’t you?”
“Because I’m taking care of you silly!” She says as she swats his arm lightly at the obvious question.
“Besides, I will be joining the celebrations later. That’s why I’m dressed like this” She says as she tinkers with his metal arm. His eyes roam her body on their own accord from the bottom of the white dress to where it hugs her slim hips, the top where it meshed out then to her face scrunched up in concentration and finally her hair held in an elegant updo with white ties and beads. She looks stunning even he can’t deny that no matter how much he might want to. He struggles to breath, the air around him thick, his fingers itching to find out what the fabric of her dress feels like under them.
He adjusts his seating, trying to keep his eyes on a far-off wall, but they keep straying to the princess in front of him.
“like what you see James?” He’s taken out of his thoughts when the princess unashamedly voices her question. Shuri wasn’t shy he knew that, but even he was taken back by the question and shame of being found out.
He struggles to find words to address the royal properly but his brain falls short. He opts for honesty hoping the princess doesn’t take offense.
“you look um… you look nice” He says his eyes downcast, his ears red.
“Just nice, James?” He looks up and she is smiling lightly unlike the full smile she usually sports, no this, this is for his eyes only.
Taking in a deep breath he replies, “You’re gorgeous Shuri.”
He watches her reaction for any signs he’s made her uncomfortable but such is not the case. Her breath falters, as if she wasn’t expecting that boldness as she peers down on him through long eyelashes. She’s awoken feelings, hopes,desires hidden in the depths of him he thought he’d never experience again.
“I’m glad you like it” She responds and for a moment his mind thinks what it would be like having the princess dress up only for him.
Clearing his throat, he breaks eye contact and curls his fingers inward preventing them from reaching out like they want to. She finishes up her check-up quickly after that, unhooking all the cords and wires from him. He stays with her as she puts everything away silently. She assures him there is no need, the dora stood diligently outside the lab as always but he wasn’t having it, Winifred taught him better. He watches as she cleans up, her eyes coming back to his every so often. It doesn’t take her long and soon she is ushering him out shutting the lights behind her.
They walk through the halls, Shuri filling him on the latest gossips and scandals.
“Hey I know this is last minute but I could really use a plus one to this thing” She asks looking up at him expectantly with big doe eyes, one dainty hand on his forearm and how could he say no to his princess?
She squeals and wraps her arms around him when he agrees to accompany her even though he grumbles he’s not dressed for the occasion.
“I think you look good, and besides only my opinion matters”
She says jokingly, but as they board the jet, he can’t help but think how entirely true that is.