Chapter 3
PART III
T'Challa had initially been concerned about Erik sneakily trying to exploit his feelings. Perhaps a small, shameful part of him had even been looking forward to Erik's attempts at seduction.
But T'Challa soon discovers that he needn't have worried.
Erik is not exactly a subtle, sneaky person. His idea of "convincing" T'Challa is to get into passionate shouting matches with him whenever Erik doesn't get his way about their plan. T'Challa gets the impression that Erik is accustomed to using his natural dominance to sway people into giving him what he wants, and is perturbed when his usual methods don't seem to be working on T'Challa.
Whenever Erik storms up to him, eyes flashing gold and voice raised, T'Challa just blinks placidly back at him. He firmly shoots down any proposals that involve violence, regardless of how vocally Erik makes them and how much Erik complains when T'Challa objects.
Despite how aggravating Erik can be at times, T'Challa finds himself enjoying their back-and-forth arguments. Erik has a keen mind and a sharp, if vulgar sense of humour. No one else has ever been quite so willing to challenge and annoy T'Challa. It's refreshing, actually, even if Erik's position is usually more... murderous than T'Challa would prefer.
And at least all of their arguments take place behind closed doors, away from prying eyes. Given their shaky political position, both of the them understand the necessity of presenting a united front to the country.
By mutual agreement, T'Challa usually does most of the the talking to the council while Erik does the browbeating, jumping in to hotly defend T'Challa from any disagreements or slights (real or perceived). Erik jokingly calls this the "good cop - bad cop" routine.
The upside of playing the role of the good cop is that T'Challa gradually gets back into the council's good graces. After all, compared to Erik, T'Challa is the very model of a well-mannered, reasonable king.
Day by day, Erik and T'Challa hammer out the details of their plan.
Day by day, T'Challa falls more deeply, more hopelessly in love with Erik.
It hurts, the thought that Erik will never love him back.
A few days after their family fight, Shuri asks T'Challa to meet him in her lab.
T'Challa goes to the lab nervously, not daring to hope for much. He's pleasantly surprised when Shuri greets him and immediately throws her arms round him in a big hug.
"Sorry, brother," she mutters into his shoulder, as she hugs him tightly.
"Shuri," T'Challa says, touched. Tears gather in his eyes. He had been truly afraid of losing his sister forever.
Shuri finally pulls away, brushing at the corners of her eyes. "I still love you. You'll always be my brother," she says firmly. "It doesn't matter to me that you're with another alpha. I don't care if you're sleeping with our horrible cousin. I won't let that come between us."
"Shuri, I'm not...I mean, I'm very glad to hear that. But I'm not actually sleeping with Erik," T'Challa denies, flushing with embarrassment.
"Huh? But I thought - "
"There's nothing going on between us," T'Challa explains. "We're just working together, that's all."
"I heard about what happened during the first council meeting," Shuri says sceptically. "He kissed you!"
"That's not true! He only touched my hair," T'Challa protests. "He just wanted to make a point to the council."
"But the two of you are so close! You spend so much time alone together!"
"We're only talking," T'Challa assures Shuri. "We just talk about political matters, that's all. It's all strictly professional."
"Uh-huh," Shuri says sceptically. "You know, you don't have to lie to me. I just told you that I'll accept you no matter what."
"I'm not lying! Really! Believe me, I wish we weren't just talking," T'Challa says, before he can stop himself.
Shuri looks scandalised. "Ugh, don't tell me that! Too much info!"
T'Challa sighs and sits down on an empty chair. "I like Erik a lot," he admits, twisting his hands in his lap. "But he'll never want to be together with me. I'm his cousin and I'm an alpha. You know that he thinks it's perverse. He's only putting up with me so that he can push his plan through." T'Challa's heart aches at that thought.
"Um, are you blind? He's definitely interested in you!" Shuri says incredulously. "He's been all over you since you confessed to him. If he didn't like you back, he wouldn't be so damn protective of you. He keeps telling people off on your behalf! And he barely puts up with me and Mama after he heard that we yelled at you."
"That's all for politics," T'Challa explains. "We need to look united before the council if we want to get anything done."
"Ugh, brother, you're such a dumbass," Shuri sighs. "I can't believe a genius like me is related to an idiot like you! I'm telling you, he definitely likes you too. Just go for it."
"You're wrong. He's already made it very clear that he doesn't think of me that way. You were there too! You heard what he said," T'Challa says. "It would be dishonourable for me to try anything after he said that he hates the idea. That's just not right. And anyway, I promised him that I'd never touch him again. The only reason why we work so well together now is because of that. He has the assurance that I'm not going to sexually harass him regardless of what I feel."
"Oh Bast," Shuri groans. "You're so - you're such a - I'm fluent in fifty languages, but I can't even begin to describe how blind you are. You know, you can just ask him how he feels about you."
"I will not," T'Challa says firmly. "I won't overstep his boundaries."
"..."
"Thank you for your support, though," T'Challa said gently. "It really means a lot to me."
Shuri sighs in exasperation and hugs him again. "I hope things work out for you two idiots," she murmurs.
After two weeks of intense quarrelling, Erik and T'Challa finally agree on a plan.
Outreach, assistance and technological exchange, beginning with African countries and Oakland first and subsequently expanding to the entire world. Safeguards and failsafes are to be built into every piece of technology that is publicly released, to ensure that they can never be turned against Wakanda. And for security's sake, the extent of Wakanda's vibranium stockpiles and military capabilities will be severely downplayed.
T'Challa is quite proud of himself for managing to convince Erik Killmonger to accept such a nice, peaceful solution.
The next step is to announce their plan at the upcoming UN conference in Vienna.
T'Challa is looking forward to his first diplomatic trip together with Erik. However, things do not start off well.
T'Challa, the heir apparent to the Wakanda throne, has been trained since young in politics and diplomacy. A lot of alphas naturally gravitate towards politics, and as a consequence, T'Challa is quite accustomed to dealing with other alpha men and women. Erik, however, is not. The sight of so many other alphas gathered in the UN conference room immediately puts Erik on edge.
When the alpha prime minister from Malaysia approaches Erik and T'Challa with a friendly smile, Erik immediately draws himself upright to his full height, bristling with tense fury. He bares his teeth and not-so-subtly sidles in front of T'Challa, placing himself between T'Challa and the confused prime minister.
"Erik, we are on a diplomatic mission," T'Challa reminds Erik calmly and quietly in Xhosa as he tugs Erik aside, shooting an apologetic smile towards the minister. "Control your instincts. We are here to build ties. Be nice to others, even if they're alphas."
"Hmph," Erik says, scowling. He gives the departing back of the prime minister a golden-eyed glare.
"Erik, that man is ninety-two! He's not even remotely your competition. And please let go of my arm."
"You never know," Erik says darkly. He doesn't release his possessive hold on T'Challa.
T'Challa sighs, "You really haven't had much interaction with other alphas before, have you?"
"There aren't many of us around," Erik says, shrugging. "I mean, I kind of knew a few alphas back when I was in the army, but Command always separated us into different units. They didn't want us to fight."
"Maybe you should step outside for a moment and cool down," T'Challa suggests. "I don't want you to offend any of the alphas here."
"No!" Erik snaps angrily, running his hand up T'Challa's arm. He steps even closer to T'Challa until he's practically pressed against T'Challa's side.
T'Challa blinks. Erik isn't usually this touchy with him, unless he wants to make a point to the council.
"He's jealous. He's mate guarding," Okoye says to T'Challa. "You won't be able to talk sense into him when he's like this, especially when there are so many alpha rivals here."
Erik immediately lets go of T'Challa's arm and backs off, looking outraged. "I am not!"
Okoye snorts.
Erik grits his teeth. "Y'know what? I'll show you. I'm going back to wait in the hotel," he mutters.
"No, Erik, wait -" T'Challa begins, but Erik has already stormed off.
T'Challa bites his lip anxiously, hoping that Erik isn't too angry.
"Erik really doesn't think of me that way," T'Challa says to Okoye, resigned. "We're not mated."
"Right," Okoye says sceptically. "You know, you don't have to hide it from me. I know that most people are prejudiced against alpha/alpha couples, but it doesn't bother me. Two of my own ancestors were omegas, actually. I'm glad that you and Erik have worked things out. It makes my job much easier if he's protecting you instead of trying to murder you all the time."
This entire conversation is starting to sound very familiar.
"Thank you for being supportive, but really, we aren't together," T'Challa says regretfully.
Okoye looks puzzled.
"Oh, look - I think it's time for me to give my speech soon," T'Challa says, grasping for an excuse to leave the conversation. Thinking about why Erik will never want to be with him makes his heart hurt.
He walks away quickly towards the podium, with a sinking feeling that he's running away from the truth.