It was like watching an old recording without sound or color. Only the expressions and scripted actions would play through as Erik’s world was shrouded in gray. He felt his pulse begin to race. Anything but this as he tried to break free, to struggle. It didn’t matter though. He couldn’t move, couldn’t scream or blink. This scene would play out before him like clockwork as it always did.
Time slowed as both Erik and T'challa watched each other as the broken spearhead fell down into T'challa’s hand.
He tensed, knowing it would be driven into his heart. The agonizing pain that followed would be yet another deep pain added onto the list of many throughout his lifetime. It would be no use trying to ignore this mentally. The pain would always bring him back, always.
He bitterly imagined the loud sound of a blade penetrating his flesh, as he fell forward into the arms of his cousin and killer. Rightfully so.
This part, Erik was never sure of. If he blacked out or stopped breathing. But the next thing he knew. T'challa had taken him to a ledge underneath the stone panther, overlooking Wakanda. Beautiful within its glory, but dark in its meaning. Meant to give him peace, which worked. Along with the well remembered last line from his speech he had mentally recited every time.
“Bury me in the ocean with my ancestors who jumped from ships, cause they knew death was better than bondage.”
Everything went dark.
…………………………………………………………….
Erik loudly gasped for air, clawing at his chest and throat. His heart hammered in his chest, going a hundred miles a minute. It felt as if he’d been doused with water and falling through as he began to choke on air.
A soft hand fell on his arms, grasping tight and calling to him firmly and gentle.
“Erik baby, it was just a nightmare. Wake up.”
You wanted to cry. Seeing Erik like this almost every night had you begging him come morning, to go to Shuri or the healers. Anything to help ease his mind and the nightmares. Yet he always insisted that he was fine, even though you both knew that was a lie. You were beginning to question if you would have to force your hand. You pulled him into your arms as hot tears fell against his having chest.
Erik seemed to snap to, but not fully as he slowly wrapped shaky arms around your worried and fearful figure. You didn’t know what to do at this point, other than watch Erik struggle. All you could do was watch and it hurt.
“Y-Y/N,” he rasped, his throat rough as he cried silently into your hair. He held onto you tight after the tears on both ends stopped. You looked up, not realizing Erik had navigated your bodies, so that you were tucked under his arm. A show of safetiness and much needed comfort and healing. “Erik?” You whispered, looking up at him, snuggling closer.
“Please Y/N, just talk to me. Distract me from the nightmares.” He squeezed you as you fulfilled his request, for the sake of hoping he’d get through this pain. …………………………………………………………….
“Do you remember when M'Baku sat on you? How ya’ll both had been going back and forth till he challenged you? You were so ready till you got sat on.” Y/N giggled, trying her best not to burst out with full on laughter as she remembered the whole ordeal. She had been given a message from Shuri to deliver to Erik at the time. He’d left his Kimoyo beads at home around that time.
“Now why you gotta go and remind me of that princess? That shit was embarrassing as hell.”
Erik sucked his teeth and grimaced as his lower back twinged. A reminder left by Mountain Ass, as Erik so graciously nicknamed him.
He shivered, recalling how on that day, M'Baku called out to him at a meeting with a shit-eating grin. “Hello N'Jadaka, I’d like to challenge you to a battle.”
Thinking nothing of it and being the Oakland dude that he was. He agreed, because he wasn’t bitchmade and M'Baku had it coming anyways (supposedly). Him being as cocky as he was, wanted the battle then and there. He meant to beat the Mountain King barehanded. so that he could rub it in his face. Going so far as to tell M'Baku to use his club.
He regretted every minute of it. The challenge had come to a briefly short end almost comically. He remembered his foot slipping, while jumping to avoid M'Baku’s club aimed at his legs. Only to slip as his foot came down on its side and tried to quickly rectify his mistake. His reflexes to let him down and so did his ankles. M'Baku took advantage and leaped onto N'Jadaka’s back and they landed on the floor at Y/N’s feet. Erik yelled out in a mixture of surprise and discomfort. The herb making it so he didn’t suffer any serious injuries or bruises.
Tears came to Y/N’s eyes as her face began to hurt from self-restraint while watching Erik’s face turned up in thought. “You had heart though Daddy. You really did.” Y/N couldn’t contain herself anymore. Her laughter rising higher and becoming addictive as Erik cracked a smile too.
“You still getting that asswhoopin for laughing though, since you thought I forgot. How about that?”
You squealed and pouted as you felt a stinging sensation spreading across your left ass cheek.
Erik’s voice was full of salt and promise as he squeezed you tight.