Around You
Erik was able to wake up on his own today, he got up put on his wakandan attire and made his way to the dinner room to have breakfast, he was guided by the Dora Milaje of course, he still felt lost on the castle even with their guidance.
His Uncle and Aunt weren’t present, neither his cousin Shuri. It was just T’Challa. He was eating silently.
“Hey cuz” T’Challa looked at Erik with a fork in his mouth still. Erik tried to smile and asked “Where’s everyone?”
T’Challa swallowed his food and spoke “Oh, baba is attending to a council meeting and mom is with him.” Erik sat down and looked at his plate, to him, the food was unrecognizable but it was tasty nonetheless and the juice was the sweetest and tastiest juice he had ever drank.
“What about your little sister?”
“She is still sleeping” T’Challa finished eating and cleaned his mouth and he looked at Erik “Hope you haven’t forgotten were going out to see Wakanda today”
“No I didn’t”
“Well then, I’ll be waiting for you outside the palace! See you in a while.” T’Challa squeezed Erik’s shoulder and left the dining room.
--
Erik was guided by the guards to the castle entrance, where T’Challa was waiting him. Since it was daytime he was able to see Wakanda in it’s glory, since the castle was in the highest point of the city. It was stunning of course, just as he had imagined.
“It’s beautiful isn’t?” T’Challa asked him, poking his right cheek
Erik jumped on the spot, he was too focused on the scenery “Don’t do that again!” he pouted and T’Challa giggled a bit.
“Well shall we?” T’Challa then leaded the way for Erik and they started strolling around the city.
There were so many things to see, so many different people with different clothes, hairstyles faces, it was amazing.
T’Challa showed him some funny looking fruits in the market, a place where his family got clothes tailored for them. They visited the residential areas and T’Challa kept speaking with sparkles on his eyes, excited to have someone his age to talk to and befriend.
Erik was dazed by the giant skyscrapers and flying vehicles, every step they took was another surprise and Erik couldn’t contain his gasps and T’Challa giggled at his curiosity and intrigued expressions, he thought it was cute.
Time passed and they decided to lunch outside the castle and keep sightseeing, he told his father through his Kimoyo Beads they would spend the day out, to have some fun and he didn’t object.
They had lunch on a pretty restaurant, they sat on the floor but it was filled with cushions, their bodyguards ate at a different table while Erik told T’Challa stories about Oakland and how life outside Wakanda is, while enjoying the delicious foods.
He did a magic trick he learned with his father, he made a coin disappear and took it from behind T’Challa’s ear, T’Challa looked so intrigued, he kept asking how he did that and once more he took Erik’s hands on his own without thinking.
Erik was embarrassed by that a little, but they were from different countries, maybe being so affectionate with another boy wasn’t badly seen in Wakanda, but he wasn’t able to keep his blush.
“N’Jadaka?” T’Challa had a little worry in his voice “You’re red, did something happen?”
Erik released his hands from T’Challa’s grip “O-oh, it’s nothing.” T’Challa then looked relieved and started talking once more about random topics.
Once they had finished they visited the outskirts of the city, where there were Rhino’s being kept and Erik looked so amazed by that, T’Challa told him they could pet them and so they did just that. Erik was smiling big for the first time, T’Challa really enjoyed seeing his cousin feeling a bit better, he thought to himself ‘Mission Accomplished’.
--
“It’s getting late T’Challa.” Erik said as they were walking up to a cliff on the edge of Wakanda.
“This is the best part, N’Jadaka, hurry hurry!” T’Challa grabbed Erik’s hand and started running towards the end of the hill.
“W-Wait,T’Challa I’m going to fall!” Erik stumbled but T’Challa stopped. “What’s the big idea? I could ha—” Erik stopped talking as he was breath taken by the gorgeous sunset, which was a indescribable shade of pink with oranges mixed that made the buldings on Wakanda shine gold.
“This… is beautiful” T’Challa smiled with his eyes closed as
“Isn’t it? Sunsets in Wakanda are the most gorgeous in the whole world, or so I believe. I haven’t left Wakanda yet!” He giggled a bit.
“I’m pretty sure this is the most beautiful I’ve seen really.” Both of them sat on the ground and watched the sun finally set and them darkness plunder the city. They laid down on the grass looking at the night sky, waiting for it to fully darken for the stars to appear.
They stayed there quietly, only hearing the wind and the leaves shaking in the trees. T’Challa broke their silence “I hope you had fun today.” And looked at Erik.
“I did” Erik smiled sincerely, he was able to forget his pain for a while, he’d love if everyday could be like this.
T’Challa was on his side facing Erik again, he took Erik’s hands again ‘Gosh he needs to stop doing that’ Erik thought
“I’m so happy to have someone my age around, you don’t even know!” He said cheerfully.
“I…” Erik didn’t understand why T’Challa was being so friendly, but he appreciated it sincerely. “I’m happy too” He said blushing a little and T’Challa smiled at him.
“Well, it’s getting late. Let’s go back to the castle.” He got up and offered Erik his hand to help him get up.
The guards them accompanied them to the castle while they held hands, one of the Dora Milaje was trying to hide her smile.
--
Weeks passed by, N’Jobu’s burial had happened and it was hard for Erik, but T’Challa still kept him company and they both had fun and were being educated about Wakanda’s history by one of their tutors ‘I guess even in fairy land you can’t escape studying’ Erik thought.
They had fun, they played around the castle running around and hiding. Shuri also played with them sometimes, she was very young but Erik was suspicious she was smarter than him and T’Challa.
Queen Ramonda was nice company, she was sweet and told Erik about Bast and the Heart Shaped Herb, just like his father once had and how T’Challa was meant to succeed to the throne and how he’d become the next Black Panther, Erik thought how cool that was. Ramonda also taught him about the food in Wakanda, since he had no idea about what any of it was.
One night Erik was having nightmares, he wanted to sleep so badly but his nightmares wouldn’t let him so he did the only thing he could have done, he made his way to T’Challa’s room and knocked on his door and waited for his cousin to open it.
“What is N’Jadaka?” He yawned
“Can I sleep here?”
“Sure, why though?”
“…I’m having nightmares.” He entered his room and laid down on his cousin’s bed, it was big it had space for them both.
“About what?” T’Challa covered himself with his blankets.
“I’m always being chased by this big spotted cat, he always gets to me and I die. He is two times my size too. It’s scary.” T’Challa blinked.
“Like a Jaguar?”
“A what?”
“A Jaguar. It’s a feline that’s common to the American continent. Never heard of them?”
“I’m in Africa, why is there a American cat chasing me then.” He laid his head on the pillows, frustrated due to his failed attempts at sleeping.
T’Challa then pulled Erik close and held him. Erik was red ear to ear “W-Why are you doing this?”
“This might help you sleep dummy! I’ll be here if you wake up, if you keep having nightmares.
“W-Were both boys! This is weird!” T’Challa looked confused, he didn’t understand what was weird about this.
“How is that weird?” He asked sincerely.
Erik opened his mouth to speak but gave up on it “Forget it. I’ll explain it to you tomorrow you idiot.” He hugged T’Challa tightly, he was tired and needed sleep.
And they didn’t know how common that event would become, not only for Erik to have his nightmares calmed down, sometimes T’Challa would willingly go to Erik’s bedroom and they’d sleep cuddled with each other, not because T’Challa had nightmares but because it was good, it was comforting to have this affection. He didn’t want it to ever stop.