#Wakandan drums

[griots-tales]

Warrior Falls: Awesome Shots (Part 1)

#Black Panther #black panther #black panther fic #moodboard #warrior falls #T'Challa #M'Baku #Wakanda #Wakandans #Zuri #Jabari #Black Panther 2018 #Wakandan drums #Wakandan music #Black Panther extras

[questionableratatouille00]

ʏᴏᴜʀ ʙᴇᴀᴜᴛʏ (ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ꜱᴄᴀʀᴇᴅ ᴍᴇ)

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Fem!Reader

Summary: Touching your boyfriend’s arm is a regular occurrence, much to his exasperation (and amusement).

Note: for my ‘Touching Bucky’s Metal Arm’ square on my @marvel-smash-bingo card!

Card + Masterlist

Warnings: brief mention of sex. Pure fluff lmao

It had never been an issue. The arm, that was.

Yes, your boyfriend only had one flesh arm. But his new arm, a very nice gift from the Wakandans, could be taken off. And you could tell he enjoyed this; the fact that his arm functioned more like a regular prosthetic than the one HYDRA gave him.

He took it off when he felt like it. When he showered. When he bathed. Sometimes he’d take it off when you two were being intimate. Though you never said anything, you reveled in the fact that he felt safe and comfortable enough to take it off during that time.

You liked him without it. And you liked him with it, too. You mainly liked goofing off with it. He pretended it pissed him off, but it was an obvious lie.

Once, after his shower, he’d left it sitting on the bathroom counter. And you, being a totally mature and responsible grown adult, folded all the fingers down—minus the middle one. Because that is obviously what a mature and reasonable adult should do in that situation.

“I’m very mature!” You argued with Sam and Sarah, laughing. Bucky, sitting next to you, gave you a Look.

“Hon, you used your fork and spoon to play the drums on my arm at dinner last night.” He reminded you.

“You’re just jealous because I’m musically gifted.” You huffed dramatically.

“It was a poor rendition of Never Gonna Give You Up or whatever it’s called.” He explained to Sam and Sarah.

“It was not poor. It was very good.” You told them. Sometimes you’d use his arm as a heating pad whenever a mission left you particularly sore. Sometimes that meant when it wasn’t connected to his torso, sometimes it meant trapping your boyfriend on the couch with you for 3+ hours.

And he enjoyed it. Really. He did!

“Never Gonna Give You Up is more than a meme song.” You muttered to your boyfriend on your walk home from dinner.

“Sure, babe.” He sighed, not sure what the hell you’re talking about.

A/n; Graphics by the wonderful @saradika-graphics!

#bucky barnes x reader #bucky x reader #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky x you #bucky barnes x you #bucky barnes fluff #bucky barnes x reader fluff

[inmyheadimobsessed]

All Up In Your Mind

pairing: shuri ✘ black!fem!reader

summary: you think shuri doesn't notice you.

contains: fluff

word count: 600+

divider by: @firefly-graphics

note: hii! this is my first fic on tumblr. i've been reading here for years though. like the rest of the world, i am obsessed with shuri and she is the love of my life. so i decided to write about it. just something cute and light for my first post. i hope you enjoy <3

When she kissed you, it shook the ground beneath your feet. You had not anticipated it. Sure it was a secret desire of yours, being alone with the Princess, having her all to yourself. The lab was always so crowded during the day, everyone running tests for whatever experiment they were working on, calculations for an invention they were tinkering with.

And Shuri, she was always the busiest. Always in her own mind, so far removed from the world buzzing on around her, and the people in it. So far removed from you. And you never envisioned her carving out time to see you, let alone kiss you. It knocked you back, shook your foundation to its very core.

A rattled heartbeat roared awake inside your sternum to revel in this unfamiliar, filling feeling. It yearned for more, starvation quelled by the delicate movements of her mouth. The kiss consumed you wholly. Shuri’s lips were the softest you’d ever known, they danced across your own gracefully, performing like a prima ballerina. Her tattooed hands were gentle when caressing your jaw, she made sure she took her time with you. Warm fingers electrified you, fanning the crackling furnace growing from within.

Shuri smelled of fresh cocoa butter, vanilla, and something else you were unable to identify. Floral maybe, but it was magnificent all the same. Her scent was so enamoring, so unique to her, and it always left you dazed. It wafted up your nose, intent set on coating your senses. The kiss, her scent, her presence, it left you intoxicated. Your head swam at the feeling, growing lighter and lighter until you felt tethered to the air. It was so much; too much.

The day began to fade outside the giant windows of her lab, and the city lulled in response. Shuri pecked your lips once, twice, three times before breaking the kiss completely. Hunger drove her as much as it did you. She cupped your burning cheeks in her palms before slowly dragging them down your neck. Your hands snaked around her waist hesitantly, tugging her into you. Feeling her warmth spill out on you brought forth a low gasp from your throat. Shuri’s face turned curious then and yours burned like the sun.

The rapid pounding in your chest mirrored the ceremonial drumming of the River Tribe. You knew she was aware of it, Griot was most certainly aware of it. Each thump coaxing you into averting her demanding gaze. You tried, and you failed.

“Eyes on me.” Shuri smirked at you with those perfect kiss swollen lips. “You are shaking,”

You huffed dramatically, then gave her a soft smirk of your own. “Sorry. That was…”

“It was. For me, too.” Dazzling brown eyes, illuminated by the sinking Wakandan sun drank you in. The most gorgeous sunset you’d probably ever witness, but your eyes only saw her. There would always be more sunsets, there was only one Shuri. She was all you needed to see. Her existence lit you up the same way the blazing ball in the sky would.

“I did not think you even noticed me most days.” Your braids fell into your face as your eyes found your shoes.

Her finger lifted your chin with nimble ease, “I notice everything there is to notice about you. You're a constant on my mind. I just, I don't know… I can't–” She bit her lip and shook her head, searching for words that refused to come. You could tell her mind was clogged with emotions just as yours was.

You smiled at this, it was truly a sight to see, “Princess Shuri, of the most powerful nation in the world, super genius, and the Black Panther, rendered speechless. By little ole me? Wow.”

“You are in my head, sthandwa.” Her blush consumed her features, beautiful and beaming. She overwhelmed you in the most serene way.

She reached for your hands that still sat around her hips, pulling your knuckles to her lips. Shuri ghosted them over your ever trembling fingers, eyes boring into you all the while. “And I don't think I want you out.”

#shuri #shuri x black!reader #lyricswriting #shuri x reader #shuri x f!reader #shuri x fem!reader #wakanda forever #black panther #letitia wright #myworks #mcu fic #marvel fic #namor #fluff #shuri x black!fem reader #marvel #mcu #shuri x y/n #letitia wright fanfic

[desswright29]

Don’t Leave

A/N:Here y’all go! 😉

Contains: ANGST, ANGST, ANGST, Shuri is spiraling. Word count:4k +

Pairing: Shuri X Black Fem Reader

SHAME PT.5

Prestent Day

Shuri’s POV 

I chased her. I chased Y/n, knowing I didn’t have my full heart to give. After coronation, I went to pursue her. I gave her about a month to cool off, while still maintaining my relationship with Eve. Yea, I know. What the hell were you thinking Shuri? Why Shuri? Easy answer. I was thinking about me, and it’s what I wanted. 

My relationship with Eve in hindsight couldn’t really be called that. It was very obvious early on that I wasn’t interested in men. So, Eve being the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen, caught my attention easily. Obviously, there were an elite few who really got close with Wakandan royalty. Her father was leader of the Jabari tribe, and she often would end up at the palace with her father when the council would meet. Her mother had died during child birth so Mama felt a certain responsibility to Eve, since she had no mother figure. So, often the palace was where she’d spent most of her time. As we grew older Eve grew more beautiful. It was hard not to fall for her. Unfortunately, Eve was not likable to the majority. Often using her connection with the royal family to claim her superiority. But, she was good to me. We laughed, we played, we talked, and then we kissed. My 18th birthday we made it official. She went on to become a model, and we slowly fell apart. But we were comfortable with one another. She’d been through so much with me that I’d always felt that sense of loyalty to her. Until Y/n.

Y/n was, and still is very much my equal. Compatible with me in every way. I’d even go as far as saying she’s better than me, in most ways. No one would ever be able to compare. To be fair there’s not a lot of Megastar super genius singer/ scientist, that were beautiful enough to heal nations around, and could make me laugh until my belly ached, and I lost her. Let her slip right through my fucking fingers. Thinking back on those years I can’t help but feel ashamed. The way I handled everything caused so much unnecessary pain. I should’ve taken the time out to heal. Instead, I chased. I’d chased what felt good to me. I was so tender, so wounded inside; It was easier to lean into what made me comfortable. At the time my comfortability lied in numbness. The only thing I wanted to feel is what pleased me. My anger, my pleasure. 

“Shuri.” I was snapped out of my thoughts by Nakia looking at me with worry settled into her eyes. “Are you ok?” I gave a soft nod not really having the energy to speak. I’d put on my proverbial mask and had a successful interview with the State Senate about the plans for the outreach, and was now seated comfortably in the back seat of the Royal Maybach. Seated, man spread, arm comfortably resting on the console, while I gazed out of the window not looking at anything in particular. Everything seemed to be a blur until…

“STOP! STOP THE CAR!” Okoye slammed on the breaks stopping abruptly in the middle of the road causing many cars to honk, as they made quick stops to avoid hitting us.

“What in the world SHURI! What is it!” Ignoring her, I quickly opened the car door, stepping out of the car stumbling toward the sidewalk. I couldn’t stop myself from walking forward. Like a moth being drawn to a flame. My heart thumped loudly in my chest, like the beat of a sad drum before the violins began to swell, the enchanting sounds swirling around my head, swallowing me into my sorrow. It felt like a dream walk, But sadly this was my reality. 

In front of me was a beautiful building labeled “Glasshouse Chealsea”. There was an obvious wedding party, Bridesmaids dressed in the most beautifully simple flowing olive gowns. Grooms men dressed in simple black tuxes. Music was being played as a crowd of guest gathered around the stairs dancing, and clapping, whooping excitedly for the newly weds. 

Then there she was. The most beautiful Bride I’d ever seen. Transported directly from the television, to just steps away from my touch, glowing even more beautifully in person. I was stopped in my tracks. It was really her. Standing right before me. My Y/n, my muse, my reason, the one who held my heart. There she stood, with her new husband smiling from ear to ear. She truly looked happy. Embracing him, looking into his eyes with a look so familiar it physically pained me to recognize. Love. She loved him. I could feel my heart clench in my chest as they share a loving kiss; making their way down the stairs giving hugs as they head toward a red Porche labeled just married. 

Shoulders back head held high, she walked with grace. Elegant in all her simplicity. She once told me, Beauty and intelligence are one in the same, no one respects it if you’re shoving it down their throats.” Ha. She lived by that. Naturally alluring, it was in the sway of her hips, in the enunciation of her words, in her expression of her big beautiful brown eyes. The expression in those big brown eyes that were now staring deep into mine. 

I could see the many emotions run through her eyes. Recognition, confusion, hurt. I hadn’t layed eyes on her in person for 2 years. But here she was. My Y/n. Except, she wasn’t mine anymore. The constant reminders of that where ripping my heart to shreds.

 Her eyes lingered on mine a bit before she stepped back and quickly broke eye contact with me, allowing her husband to lead her to the car. Leaving me standing in the middle of the side walk. I stood awhile longer, a lone tear falling from my eye. She glanced over her shoulder at me before gracefully entering the car. I’d never felt defeat so great. This was the end. It was over, isiphelo, la fin. I turned and walked back to the car. As Queen and Black Panther, I never hung my head low, and I never kneeled to anyone. Emotions were for private. So held high, shoulders back, I slid back into the car. 

“Let’s get back to the hotel” I say, voice slightly trembling. She’s really gone.

————————————————————————

Flashback

 Truthfully,

 honestly

I need, I need, I need to believe

I wanna let go 

but I don’t really know

I heard you got a girlfriend

Shuri smiled, sitting back inside the aircraft, closing her eyes as your sensual and melodic voice lulled her into a state of relaxation. She missed you, and had been on edge since you left her in Wakanda. Everyday she hoped you were thinking of her as much as she thought of you. It had been a little under a month, and everyday Shuri went a little more insane. So, she was on her way to you. Determined to win your heart. 

I wanna go to another level with you

But before I do

I wanna know fo’ I go there with you

Apparently, you’d been busy. You had a song that was going crazy on the internet in America. Shuri had been keeping tabs on you and ran across this information scrolling on “tiktok” on her primitive American phone that she only had to keep up with what you were doing. Shuri wasn’t naive to the fact that she was the inspiration behind the song. The information makes her smile to herself. She still has a chance. 

“So what’s the plan here Shuri, what will you say? Here I am again Y/n, to waste more of your time! I know you wrote a whole song about how you don’t want to be my concubine but here I am to ask again, but I’m still with Eve?” Aneka ask as Ayo raised an eyebrow while piloting the ship, also interested in what Shuri’s plan was here.

Shuri rolled her eyes. “Eve is not a factor in this”

“Ha! Oh really! Do tell me how your girlfriend of 4 years is not a factor in this new relationship you’re trying to start?” Aneka sat up in her seat across from Shuri elbows on her knees and chin resting in both palms, face full of sarcastic yet genuine interest. 

“Easy really, I have Eve under control, she knows I want to be with Y/n and as long as she gets the lifestyle she’s fine with the bare minimum.” She shrugs.

“And what about Y/n”

“ I’ll tell her me and Eve aren’t together anymore. She doesn’t need to know.”

Aneka stares as she lets the conversation really register. “WOW! Shuri really, just wow. You know this must be some intricate super genius shit that a simple soldier like myself just wouldn’t get, because, to me somehow this just sounds….STUPID!”

Shuri smiles, before breaking into a laugh.

“Maybe so Aneka, Maybe so. It’s gonna work. Watch me.”

Aneka scoffed getting up from her seat choosing to go to sit with Ayo as she piloted the aircraft. 

“ This is gonna be bad” Aneka says to Ayo. Ayo nods and hums in agreement. 

Soon they were landing discreetly on top of the dorms at Hampton University after curfew. Perfectly timed. Shuri stepped out wearing an all black tracksuit similar to the purple one she wore when she 1st met you, her curls perfectly coiled, undercut fresh. She was now standing in front of your door with a huge bouquet of 100 roses. She takes a deep breath and knocks. 

“Who is it!?” She heard from the other side of the door. She decided against answering and knocked again. She heard some shuffling and the padding of your feet headed towards the door.

“Omg! Who tf-“ You snatch the door open to see a familiar body face covered by a bouquet of roses. You look at her and walk away leaving the door open with out saying a word. 

She peaks from behind the bouquet to see you strutting back to your bed, you placing your laptop back onto your lap, begining to type. She places the flowers down at her side and stares at you. 

“You might want to come in before someone see’s the Queen of Wakanda in the halls of Hampton. They already have me under constant surveillance.” You say with out looking up at her,  continuing your pace with typing. Shuri steps in closing the door behind her. She walks closer to you and watches as you work and continue to ignore her. She smirks and lets out a little huff of a laugh. You shoot her an irritated look.

“You’re really going to ignore me forever?”

“Why are you here?”

“Answering a question with a question.”

“Shuri leave”

“Ok ok ok” She sighs “I got these for you” she laid the flowers down next to you. You look at her with your eyebrows furrowed upper lip arched up, waiting for her to get to the point. 

“I’m sorry Y/n. I really am, I didn’t think things through, and I didn’t think about how you would feel at all. That was selfish of me to ask that of you. You’re absolutely correct. You’re way too precious to have to share. I know that I really want you and it’s been killing me thinking about loosing you completely. I can’t Y/n. I need you. I’ve grown so fond of you in such a short time. I want to be with you. Only you Y/n.”

You sat and stared into her eyes. Almost as though you were digging into her soul. It made Shuri extremely uncomfortable. You sat with your natural hair sat in a high bun, with 2 strands of hair left out in the front framing your face perfectly. Your glasses perched on your nose, a large T-shirt and biker shorts on. Shuri admired your beauty as she waited for you to jump into her arms. 

“Bullshit” was your simple answer. Shuri frowned up in shock. 

“You can take the apprehension out ya face Shuri. You know why you’re getting this reaction from me. I saw the moment you switched up. I stood by your side when that bitch left you to suffer after you lost your mother! And you ask me to stand with you while you remain with her! Fuck out of here! You enjoyed that shit, and you’re probably still with Eve! I’m not stupid. HELLO! Remember why are paths crossed. So if you came here believing I was just gonna fall back into your arms. You’re not only full of yourself. You’re full of THE most stinkingest shit an ass like you can muster. Please excuse yourself from my room.”

Shuri stood mouth slightly ajar. That’s Exactly what she expected, for you to run into her arms, grateful for her traveling all this way and apologizing so beautifully. To say this wasn’t apart of the plan was an understatement. You still being this upset hadn’t even crossed her mind.

“Y/n I-“

“I swear to God Shuri if you’re not on the outside of that door in 2 seconds I’m gonna spaz” You speak calmly looking her directly in her eye, standing firm on your word. 

Shuri bit into her lip taking a slight step back from the bed. She’d never felt so unsure of herself, this was a quick change of events.

“Go Shuri!” Your voice picked up in volume this time as you pointed toward the door. Shuri felt her eyes water a bit. So she quickly turned and headed towards the door. “You can keep the flowers” she said sadly, as she closed the door behind her. As the door shut she heard a soft thud against it.

“FUCK YOU AND THOSE FUCKING FLOWERS SHURI!!”

Shuri huffed, biting the inside of her cheek, and used her thumb to flick her nose. 

“I’m not giving up Y/n!”

“Kiss my ass!”

Shuri tapped her beads calling Aneka.

“That was quick, let me guess it went beautifully” Aneka says with humor in her voice. 

“Glad you find humor in my pain Aneka”

“I told you it was stupid idea”

————————————————————————

Four months. FOUR FUCKING MONTHS! 

Shuri had pulled all the stops. She’d stayed in Washington 2 more weeks. She’d bought dozens upon dozens of the most beautiful bouquets. Jewelry. Cartier, Bulgari, Van Cleef. Had money sent to your accounts. You’d gotten a full scholarship so that was taken care of, but any other expenses she took care of. You still weren’t budging. 

  She was now back in Wakanda rethinking her entire life. She’d let her hair grow out, her undercut long gone now, blending in with rest of her curls in an unkempt Afro. She wore sweat suits everyday. They were stylish but definitely not up to the standards of the council, but no one had the guts to say anything to her. Disagreeing with Shuri could prove to be lethal. To say her temper was short was an understatement. So everyone tried to let her be. 

She now lie in her bed staring at the ceiling in her large T-shirt and baggy sweats, when her room door was snatched open and slammed shut. 

“Usisi! Get. Up!” 

Nakia.

Shuri groaned. Ofcourse they’d call Nakia on her. 

“I don’t want to hear it! Get up. You’re wallowing in pity over a situation you caused!” 

Shuri shot Nakia an agitated look.

“ Yes I heard. And I’ve never been more disappointed”

“ I really don’t want to hear this shit Nakia”

“Well you’re going to usisi omncinci” Nakia says sitting on the bed beside Shuri. 

“Shuri you’re not healing or coping well. I don’t believe you should be with anyone let alone two women! Really. What were you thinking?”

“I was thinking it was my business” She sat up, staring at Nakia intimidatingly. Nakia stands and looks over Shuri looking down at her. 

“Andikoyiki (I’m not scared of you), You can run around this palace waving your proverbial gauntlet, and scare the hell out of all of your subordinates if you’d like, but I am not them. I am apart of the only family you have left, and I will not allow you to push me away with your anger. It’s time to move towards healing Shuri, because the path you’re on is only going to leave a trail of broken hearts behind you, and you will regret it. T’Challa and Romonda would be extremely disappointed. I will remain in Wakanda for awhile. You know where to find me when you’re ready to talk.”

Shuri watches Nakia as she walks out of her room, irritation etched into her face.

“Dissapointed? Haha! Dissapointed! I don’t know what the fuck she’s talking about. IM RUNNING THE FUCK OUTTA THIS COUNTRY! Pshh. Disappointed. Fuck her!” She swung knocking the lamp on her bedside lamp into the wall. The door to the room opened and Eve walked in. 

Shuri sighs leaning forward, her elbows to her knees, letting out a sigh. She knew Nakia was right but she felt like she needed to hold on to her anger to feel anything. Y/n had successfully gotten into Shuri’s head. Shuri craved the feeling she’d felt when she was with her. She needed to hear her voice singing to her in all it’s sultry beauty. She had to go back to the one person she knew could make her feel human again. (That ain’t what Nakia said Shuri!! Chile🙄)

“We’re done” Shuri says

Eve stops, but she doesn’t reply, she just looks down at her feet.

“Did you hear me Eve!”

“I heard you.” Eve spoke softly. Shuri had broken Eve down to fraction in the months passed. She’d treated her so poorly, having no real love to give to her, because her heart was obviously somewhere else. Eve had become a shell of herself watching the one she loved love someone else. “ I knew it was coming. You’re clearly infatuated with her….Shuri I never meant to hurt you by not showing up after your mother died. I-I just couldn’t watch you hurt anymore. You’ve been through so much and Romanda was like a mother to me. It hurt Shuri. I wasn’t strong enough to be there for you, and I’m sorry. I would’ve never thought it would’ve been so easy for you to give your heart away.”

Shuri stared at Eve emotionless “Please Eve, spare me the speech. Do you want to gather your things now? Or should I have them sent to you?” 

“FUCK YOUUUUU!!” Eve screams at the top of her lungs tears streaming down her face, Body trembling causing the Dora to barge in. Shuri made no move from her spot on the bed as she watched Eve crumble. 

“Please remove her from my room. I will be taking a trip. Please see to it that all of her items have been removed from my area before my return.” The two Dora look at each other and proceed to walk towards Eve.

“Don’t touch me! Don’t fucking touch me! I can let myself out!” Eve picked herself up from the floor. She looked at Shuri. “I pray you feel every bit of pain you caused me. You’re a peice of shit!” With that she barged out of the room. Shuri looked to the Dora.

“ Prepare transport, to Washington”

————————————————————————

Shuri found herself in Washington, standing in front of a club, in her sweats, hood pulled up over her head, hands fidgeting in her pockets as she paced. She had no idea what she was gonna do or say. All she knew is that she wanted you. She’d found out that you started taking up singing gigs on the side as your name started to pick up traction. She found out you were performing at The black diamond tonight and now here she was. No plan just her.

  She battled with going in, finding you and pouring her heart out, but being so vulnerable in front of so many people had her anxious. So when the doors opened and the familiar sound of your laughter filled her ears, her heart lurched. Her head shot up in the direction she heard the laughter come from, to find you with two guys dragging musical equipment, and a girl with guitar slung over her shoulder. You walked front and center as they trailed behind you goofing off, excited about a good set. 

Shuri admired you in all your glory. Your waist length Afro textured hair worn loose. Body glistening in your short gold cowl neck halter dress. It draped on your body perfectly, the shiny, stretchy fabric clinging to all the right parts of your body. And just when she thought the dress couldn’t get any sexier she noticed a a split at the hip. She could’ve melted into a puddle right there. 

Just as she was about to punk out, you felt yourself being watched and your head turned in the direction of what looked like some random weirdo in a sweat suit staring you down. Before you could get creeped out Shuri removed her hood. You were stuck a moment, as she was now sporting a full fro, she looked tired, bags under her eyes, and skin looked a bit dull. Even with all that Shuri still managed to be beautiful. You frowned immediately turning to get to your car bidding your friends goodbye as more people began to file from the club. Shuri knew it was now or never. She took a step forward towards the direction you were walking. 

 “Y/n! Please!” She yelled, causing heads to turn. You stopped, but kept your back toward her. She took a few more steps toward you. 

“Look at me.. please look at me.” she says and you slowly turn to look at her.

“Shuri I-“ You began but she quickly cut you off.

“Please let me speak this time…. I’m here y/n, no bells and whistles, no holds barred, just me.” She remained where she stood stretching her arms out to the side and then quickly dropping them.” I get it now. I hurt you more than I was prepared to deal with and I’m sorry. I really am baby girl. Everyday I’m paying for it. Knowing I want to be with you and being shut out is killing me. I’m a mess. I can admit that. I can’t think straight, and I don’t know what else to do. I cut ties with Eve, and I’m not asking you to hop into a relationship with me immediately, I’m asking you to give me the chance to prove that I’m worthy of it. Because I need you. I like me better when I’m with you. So please..” She walks toward you now entering your space, silent tears escaping her eyes. “Please let me fix it.” She reached out for your hands, and you looked at her hands as a stray tear fell from your eyes. “I’m begging you”

You look into her eyes seeing the sincerity. You inhale and let out a wet exhale. You slowly reach and take her hands, you pull her body into yours wrapping her arms around your waist. You take her in your arms wrapping your arms around her shoulders, and allow her to break as she buries her head into your neck, sobs racking her body. 

“Thank you, thank you, thank you, I promise I won’t fuck this up this time.” She whispered into your neck as applause from the crowd that had formed rang out. You pulled back grabbing her face with both hands bringing her face up to look you in the eyes. 

“Let’s get there first. Hm? One step at a time.” 

She nods, truly grateful for the chance just to fix things.

————————————————————————

Present

Shuri POV 

She gave me my second chance. And I did everything right. I went back to my undercut and curly top. I started therapy. And with Y/n by my side I genuinely did run the fuck out of my country. We created so many amazing Technological advancements together. Y/n doing all of this at the same time as her music career began taking off. I showed up to as many shows as possible. Became apart of her musical process. The nights in the studio with her and her crew grew to be some of my favorite memories. I’d order food, drinks, have the best weed Wakanda could grow, and it would be like a movie in there. The sex we would sneak off and have was crazy. We were the true definition of what a power couple was. The world loved us together, my country was probably more excepting of her than they were me. Our love was beautiful. So tell me. How did I fuck it all up?

Taglist: @imjusthere2readbruv,@6-noir,@oceean,@sleepynggafr,@blacksapphhicmaddonna,@bbbbbbrilliantly

#letitia wright #letitiawright #spotify #shuri fanfiction #shuri x reader #shuri udaku #shuri x you #shuri angst #shuri fic #Spotify

[cobrafantasies]

You Make Me Feel Alive 

SamBucky | Rated M | 4,262 words | Complete | AO3

Written to fulfill square I2: Vibranium for All Caps Bingo 2023, Round One, from @allcapsbingo!

Summary: When Bucky is gifted his new arm in Wakanda, he thinks it’s malfunctioning when Sam arrives. Eventually, he discovers his arm is trying to tell the whole world he’s got his first crush in seventy years.

Excerpt:

Bucky glides his vibranium hand across the surface of the water. It’s cool and wet. He can’t get enough of how when the water is cold enough, it’ll send a shiver through his skin. Telling his whole body what he’s touching on his left side. So he touches the water, then waits, letting the metal warm under the sun. Then he dunks his hand under the water again. Feels the shiver.

He hears footsteps approaching behind him. It could be a number of people but it’s not a Wakandan because the sound of heavy boots digging into the sand sounds as the person walks. Regardless, Bucky’s in no rush to turn around. He’s sitting on the sand, his hand in the water, still appreciating the cool sensation under his fingertips.

“Hey.”

The voice is familiar and Bucky recognizes it as fast as his heart skips a beat. His gaze snaps around, he hauls his hand out of the water and feels it drip onto his thigh as he drinks in the sight of Sam Wilson.

Bucky’s on his feet in the next second. His heart feels like a kick drum in his chest because why is Sam visiting him? He’s never visited before.

“Hi,” Bucky says.

Sam smiles and it’s enough to make Bucky’s almost lungs give out. That’s when the first whirl echoes from under the plates of his arm. Bucky ignores it, the prosthetic has made minor sounds from time to time.

“You in the middle of something?” Sam’s smile turns to a smirk and he points to the body of water.

Read on AO3

#sambucky #sambucky fic #allcapsbingo2023 #vibranium #my fics #sambucky fanfic

[triscribeaucollection]

Shuri for the Win snippet

It starts with an error message.

More specifically, it starts when Shuri enters her lab early one morning, still half asleep, and attempts to pull up her itinerary for the day, only to blink blearily at- static. On her worktable. From her systems.

She finds herself abruptly awake, and distinctly uneasy.

Attempting to run a diagnostic comes with... disappointingly little information. According to the computer, there isn’t anything wrong with her schedule. No corrupted data, no broken connection between files. Only the error on Shuri’s part, attempting to pull up something that- wasn’t there.

Which could not be right.

From the age of six, she meticulously planned her schedule, cramming in as much time as possible for lab studies and projects around lessons and events - Shuri can handle spontaneous developments just fine, but when Wakanda and the world beyond were not actually in danger from criminal or alien threats, she likes to have everything neatly laid out each day. She could- could not actually recall what had been on the schedule for that day, but if she’d neglected to plan anything in advance, then there should only be an empty file, not an error message.

So.

Her own mistake, or external interference?

A little over two hours later, after combing through her systems with the digital equivalent of a fine-toothed comb and opening up several panels to check physical hardware, Shuri concludes no one has gotten into her lab’s private network to deliver any sort of virus or commit other sabotage. Yet, the error message persists. Assigning an algorithm to search for any other signs of static turns up several: at least one block of time on any given day every two weeks or so, going back over a year. Shuri wracks her brain, but cannot recall anything significant she’d done or attempted to avoid on those dates. The only stand-out which she does remember was a three day visit to New York City, which involved meeting with a Stark Industries liaison, checking in with the Wakandan representatives assigned to the United Nations, and- and-

-and something.

Upon realizing she can’t recall what else happened on that trip, Shuri pulls up memory files downloaded from her kimoyo beads, hastily seeking out the dates in question. No visual footage or audio recordings, unfortunately, but at least the data of her movements remain. Shuri opens a screen with a map of the city, transfers the recorded coordinates, and watches an accelerated accounting of where she went each day. At first, only the official buildings she can remember; then, a large amount of time traveling by foot around the section of the city known as ‘Queens’. Which Shuri does not recall in the slightest.

Her fingers drum against the edge of her worktable. When the simulation ends, she saves the map and painted route, then dismisses everything in order to sit back and stare at her blank screens.

An error in the computer was one thing.

An identical error in her own mind... it left an uneasy twist in her stomach.

At least the benefit of her itinerary being unexpectedly clear meant Shuri could immediately go find someone to ask for help.

---

I've got this plus two more pages up on my Patreon page, behind the paywall for now but scheduled to be available to anyone in a few weeks. Hopefully I jot some more down soon and get a chapter onto AO3, but not until after I make some more progress on my other big fix-it fic projects

#marvel #princess shuri #fix it fan fiction #peter parker #post spider-man no way home #still haven't watched wakanda forever yet #so I'm undecided if this happens before or after its events #or if T'Challa is still alive in this AU #and the whole thing goes differently regardless

[mymarsmoonandstars]

ONE THING I ABSOLUTELY LOVED about wakanda forever is how shuri never admitted to seeing killmonger in the ancestral plane. nakia asked her twice, and she disclosed not a thing. so i've been mulling over two questions: will shuri ever admit to seeing killmonger? and if so, who will she tell?

i was thinking of writing up a meta, but i saw the scene too clearly in my head. so i wrote a story, a short one, about 1.4k words. tw death mention. i call it, cat's got your tongue. i'm kidding. it's untitled.

i haven't written fanfic in years, until wakanda forever, apparently. the power of black women front-and-center on screen, eh?

anyway, i think yes, shuri will eventually admit to seeing killmonger. but to whom? well. . .

.

.

.

Even the loud cascading water of Warrior Falls could not mask the sound of footsteps on rocks. A perk of being the Panther. So when a certain former member of the Dora Milaje appeared behind her, Shuri did not have to turn and look back over her shoulder to verify. She remained sitting on the edge of a rocky outcrop, legs dangling over a crystalline pool of shallow water. "If you're here to vent about your new suit, Okoye, your very long list of edits is still underway," said Shuri, keeping her eyes straight ahead. The golden horizon made the reservoir shimmer.

"It is not my suit I am concerned about. At least, not today." Okoye went to Shuri's side, and this close, Shuri not only breathed in her faint, reassuring scent of steel and lotus flower, but she could hear her heartbeat. Another Panther Perk that felt less like an advantage and more of an annoyance. She heard not only the heartbeats of humans, but the ancient thrumming of elephants, the flitting ones of birds. Sometimes, she wondered what her heartbeat had sounded like to her late brother, T'Challa. She knew it couldn't be like Okoye's, whose heart's drum beat as resonant and steady as the tama, speaking to her in a powerful but welcoming rhythmic language only she could understand. For the first time in days, Shuri felt the tensed Panther Spirit inside her head ease.

"Then what is it, Okoye?"

"You. If you wanted to challenge for the throne, I'm afraid you are a few weeks late. Though still fully within your rights."

Shuri looked down, twisted the Kimoyo beads on her wrist. She had programmed them off so that no one, not even Griot could reach her. "I did not come here to challenge for the throne."

"Then why are you here?"

Shuri furrowed her brows. She did not know the exact reason. She hated Warrior Falls, actually. As a child, she'd always associated it with being forced to wear itchy ensembles or watch boring fights. That is, until a few years ago, when T'Challa fought M'Baku and N'Jadaka here. She now thought of Warrior Falls as the place her brother not only once, but twice nearly died in. So why did it beckon her so?

"Okoye. Do you ever think of your tribe? Before you left it?"

Okoye sat beside her. Being that she was not in her Midnight Angels suit and no longer a Dora, she wore casual Wakandan wear. A sight Shuri was still getting used to. "Of course I do. I come from a long line of shepherds and farmers. But do not be fooled, as The Border Tribe was and still is Wakanda's first line of defense. We obliterated any threat before they had a chance to even feast their terroristic eyes upon Wakanda's protective barrier. We've earned our bragging rights, as your Americans say." Okoye bumped her shoulder against Shuri's, teasing a small smile out of her. Okoye's voice softened as she sank further into memory. "My father used to grow the sweetest yellow yam. Better than W'Kabi's, but do not tell him I said that. And my mother. . . she sang me songs full of stories about the king's personal protectors, instilling in me the dream of becoming a part of the Dora. After their spirits answered Bast's call, I decided to make that dream come true."

I'm so sorry the dream doesn't exist anymore, Shuri wanted to say, but couldn't bring herself to. She blamed herself for Okoye no longer holding the title. But Okoye often assured that she had let go of the position and was ready to move on to the something more. "I do not understand, Okoye. Why must violence always be the price we pay for transformation? For progress?"

"Hm." Okoye tilted her head, thoughtful. For the first time in her life, Shuri saw shadows of black hair peeking through her tatted scalp. "Is this why M'Baku sits on the throne now, instead of you?"

"My father sat on the throne only to die. My brother sat on the throne only to die. And my mother, just the same. That throne is cursed." Shuri's voice was as bitter as heart-shaped herb tea.

"Cursed? I thought scientists such as you did not believe in curses."

"I've visited the Ancestral Plane. I—I have senses," said Shuri, struggling to explain the black-furred soul trapped in her mind, "that tread the world beyond physics. What I believe in, I am no longer sure."

Okoye turned and took hold of Shuri's hands. She rubbed her callused thumbs over Shuri's tattooed skin. "I've served under many Panthers, and from them I've learned that Wakanda's Protector is never alone. The herb is always there for you, if you are ever in need of ancestral guidance."

Shuri stood up, so quick, a cat alerted to danger. "Taking the herb is not an option for me."

Okoye stood with her, pose straight, electric, determined. "How, when it has been this way since Bashenga?"

"Because of who I saw, the first time I went there." Shuri swallowed hard. The first and only time she'd went there. She backed away from the rock's edge. The Panther Spirit growled, paced in its cage.

Okoye took hold of her arm. "And who did you see? What troubles you, Shuri?"

Shuri's dark eyes shone. She'd never admitted this to anyone, not even Nakia. "My cousin. I saw my cousin, and only him."

Silence. As deafening as the Falls. The wind blew at them. It was only until Okoye spoke that Shuri realized it was not a surprised silence, rather one where Okoye was waiting for Shuri to explain. When she did not, Okoye quirked an eyebrow. "And what have you learned from it?"

"I. . . learned?"

"Yes." Okoye circled Shuri. Even without her spear, she looked like a warrior. The water shifted around their ankles as if it, too, were intimidated. "I served Killmonger, once. Though it was brief, I have no shame in that. He taught me something valuable, that the throne matters just as much as whoever sits upon it. So. . . what did Cousin teach you?"

Ah. Shuri shut her eyes. So this is what she needed. Okoye's voice was not laden with pity or concern. But purpose. She did have a general's heart. And perhaps that's why she confessed to Okoye. They shared so much. Ramonda had stripped Okoye of her entire world; she understood what it was like to feel Queen Mother's rejection. And she understood what it meant to be pinned underneath Killmonger's sway.

Shuri recalled T'Challa once telling her that the Ancestral Plane was a very purple, but beautiful and fitting retirement. And for the most part, he had been right. The plane had been very purple, but also orange and yellow and red from the flames burning all around her and Killmonger. She felt a deep shame, seeing him. She regretted the words she told him. How he influenced her so quickly. And what type of leader succumbs in such a way? For the past weeks, a shamefaced Shuri had hid herself from everyone. They couldn't even find her in her lab. But the same compassion she extended to her enemy. . . perhaps it was time she offered it to herself.

Shuri's eyes opened, and they sparkled with renewed confidence. "I learned while anger is a valuable tool, vengeance is its puppeteer."

Okoye smiled, wide and beautifully. She stopped circling. "And you are no one's puppet." The corners of her smile faded, and she looked down at her deep blue dress, then out at the Falls. "Not even a puppet to tradition."

Shuri nodded once, understanding. She was never one for tradition, and she knew Okoye was slowly learning that about herself, too. "I will suggest to King M'Baku that we end Challenge Day. There are better ways to find a king or queen."

"Just bring with you a bowl of vegetables. He claims he cannot hear council on an empty stomach."

They laughed together. Okoye pulled her in for a long embrace. "Thank you," Shuri whispered in the former general's gold-cuffed ear, holding her tight. She and Okoye were both women who had shed old skin, who were finding their footing in newfound roles. They faced uncertainty. Restlessness, even. But they found stillness in each other, and through this, they would persevere.

The Panther Spirit leapt, bound, wind beneath clawed feet. Weight lifted. Free, at last.

#shuri fic #shuri fanfiction #x black reader #shuri x black!reader #okoye imagine #wakanda forever #black panther #shuri udaku #general okoye #shuri imagine #wakanda forever meta #shuri

[whollyhapa]

Mutant--A Namor Fanfiction Ch. 4

Christ, does this feel unnecessary.

Shuri’s attendants did a number on you. From the heavy bands wrapping your biceps and ankles, to the gold ring curled around your bottom lip, to the swaths of shimmery fabric snaking tightly around your body, to the jeweled sandals clasped snug around your ankles—you can’t decide which part of the outfit you resent more. They couldn’t even leave you your hair—you normally throw the top half up in a topknot, but now it’s down completely, shampooed and brushed and glistening down your back, with two tiny braids trailing down your temples.

You scowl and turn around in the mirror for the fifth time. The white dress is too tight, too gaudy, too exposing along your thighs. The jewelry sits too heavy on your skin. The only thing you can’t seem to form an opinion about are the elegant gold and black braces that wrap around the base of your wings and creep like meshed webbing up your scapular and covert feathers. It had taken some convincing, but the queen’s evil fashion attendants had assured you that the 3D printed vibranium design still allowed for flight, at least. You flap your wings experimentally.

You feel like the competition’s finest show poodle.

And you really, really need to take a moment for some self evaluation. How on God’s green fucking earth did you wind up here again? Now you remembered—you’re about to reencounter the same underwater king that had breached an accord to drag you from a peaceful drowning, and it’s the same man you’re about to strive to avoid for an entire day.

You think about the time you could be spending today testing your wings again, touching clouds again, and you bristle.

—-------------------------------------------------

You’re still seething as you pop a candied grape in your mouth two hours later, crunching slowly as you ponder how you possibly let yourself land in this situation.

You’re several hours late to the banquet; introductions and grand entrances are over already, the food’s been whisked away, and multilingual chatter fills the great hall you stand in. A giant Wakandan flag drapes proudly from the ceiling, decorated with glittering strings of pearls and sea netting. Tall curved windows arc over either side of the giant hall to shed ample light over the scene, and you feel like an ant in a bubble.

You haven’t moved from your shadowy corner nestled to the far right of the hall’s only entrance. Scanning the crowd for a hulking bronze god, you realize you can’t see many people from this angle, but honestly the less people can see you the better.

You crunch down on another grape as your eyes follow a blue figure wearing peculiar guards filled with water over her mouth and traps. A Talokanian. You should be more startled by the fishperson, but you think the freakishness you’ve seen in the pits of Serbia’s black-market science stifles your awe.

You pop the final grape in your mouth. God, they’re really blue, though.

The Talokanian turns suddenly and catches you staring, but instead of looking away, you hold her gaze—and you behold each other for a moment, like neither one of you can decide which of you looks weirder. The Talokanian is the first to lose the staring competition, and she turns and slips back into the crowd of textiles and dresses.

You think you’ve just been compromised.

Still, an hour passes uneventfully, with no sight of Namor. Eventually a group of elegantly dressed performers, some holding large drums, files into the banquet hall and starts setting up the instruments near your little alcove of shadow. You take the opportunity to slip along the wall toward the opposite end of the hall’s doors, where a wide stretch of balcony doors are swung open to let in the waning afternoon sun.

You breathe easier once you’re outside. Orange clouds drift high above a stunning, stretching view of the city below. You lean your stomach against the balcony railing, breathing deeply. The sky plus the peculiar architecture makes for an otherworldly scene, and as you watch two distant birds swoop and dive together over the horizon, fantasies of flight tonight over this magnificent city capture your mind again. So much so, you forget your crucial vigilance for a moment—and it costs you.

“Do they not let you fly, in Alada ?” rumbles a thick voice approximately three fucking feet right behind you.

You whirl around instantly, punching out a curse. Sneak attacks were something you carried out, not something that ever happened to you. “Jesus, you’re quiet,” you hiss at Namor.

You have to crane your neck to look up at the king. If you thought the man was flashy the first time you saw him, what he wears now is sensationally fucking opulent. An elegantly patterned loincloth drapes from his hips below a thick golden belt. Even more bejeweled armor wraps his arms and shins. Wide bands of metal and pearls connect the tapered gold pauldrons resting on either of his shoulders. A shoulder cape of thick ornate fabric sweeps across his chest and drapes down his back, and the headdress he dons is nothing short of spectacular—all feathers and stones crowning out of the head of a golden serpent that encompasses his strong features on all sides. You have to search the shadows of his face to find his eyes.

And there it is. That mile-long relentless amber stare boring directly through your pupils and into the back of your skull. He looks at you like he’s halfway between curiosity and a desire to eat you alive.

He repeats the question. “Does the queen not let you fly?”

You press your wings against the balcony railing and squint at him, deciding to give him some truth. You can’t tell him Shuri is very possibly using you as a political pawn in the upkeep of an alliance, but what can you say? The man is intriguing.

“I can, starting today. Queen rules.”

“Queen rules,” Namor echoes, nodding solemnly. You watch as he raises his right hand up to his face to take a bite of the whole unpeeled mango resting in his fist; it looks miniature in his large slender fingers. He chews for a moment, then closes his eyes and swallows. “I still resent the surface world. All that it stands to destroy.” His eyes open and train on you. “But the fruit of your lands? Sublime. It tastes forbidden.”

You shift on your feet, wondering how the hell to respond to a comment like that, when Namor gestures with a sticky hand behind you. “Your wings. The metal. They look…regal. You will fly today?”

Turning your head to gaze out at the tangerine sky again, you give an affirmative nod. You look back at him as he takes another bite, then down to his sandaled feet. Deciding to venture into reluctantly-polite conversation, you let loose a question. “Do your wings grant you flight? They’re…” you trail off, losing the non-offensive word on your tongue.

Namor flashes a short grin, and as he looks down at his ankles you let yourself relax marginally. “Not quite as big as yours, next to each other now,” he admits. “But yes. They are strong. They help to balance in flight.” His eyes flick back to yours once more—like if he tears his gaze away for too long you might disappear. “Perhaps we will fly together.”

You give him a tight-lipped smile while you weigh the notion in your mind. Flying, flying alone, gave you a personal high unmatched by any drug on earth—and your body unwillingly knows a few. To share the skies with someone else, to coast a wind current alongside another? Nothing short of intimacy—and suddenly this guy seems all-too intrusive again.

“Perhaps,” is all you softly say. This time you hold the eye contact.

Namor must sense the way your eyes have shifted. Or the way you square your shoulders. Or the way you press your wings tighter to your body. Because the bastard furrows his brows and looks directly back at you as he brings his arm up again, parts his mouth, and licks a long stripe up his forearm, collecting the sweet juice spilling down his elbow. You flick your eyes away from his tongue and swallow.

What the fuck?

“Perhaps tonight,” Namor adds, his register low and in the back of his throat. Now you feel heat creeping up your spine, spreading through your winged appendages and shooting up your neck and face. It’s a weird sensation, but it feels closest to rage, so you run with that.

“Slow your roll, cowboy. It’s just pleasantries,” you retort, crossing your arms over your chest.

Distant cheering and whooping picks up back in the great hall’s interior, and the powerful beat of drums suddenly fills your ears. Even from this distance it vibrates beneath your feet, and you’re briefly thankful for the way the fast cadence masks the thrumming of your heart. It still doesn’t distract enough from the ongoing chokehold of a stare Namor is still fixing on you.

“Wakanda has granted Talokan’s nobility three days to roam its lands in peace, in alada.” Namor speaks slowly, raising his voice over the rhythmic pounding of drums. “You won’t get rid of me so swiftly. Our kind…our kind is isolated. Forsaken.” He tilts his head back, feathers gliding with the headdress as he looks to the heavens, then back down to you.

“I hope to find you in the skies tonight.”

With another low bow, Namor turns and strides away, back towards the stretch of balcony doors. His shoulder cape billows, gliding behind him. The same blue warrior, the one you had a staring match with, waits for him silently at the nearest open entrance; and when he reaches her, they disappear behind the reflection of the glass and into the rhythmic fray inside the hall.

You let out a breath you didn’t even know you were holding, then shake your wings out of frustration. Something about your second interaction mirrors your first, in the same unsettling, unnerving feeling it leaves you stewing in, deep in your gut. How have you faced relentless torment from such poor excuses for human beings, and yet no living thing has managed to crawl under your skin like this spandexed Hermes?

You think you’ve had enough pleasantries for the evening. That interaction should meet Shuri’s talk-to-a-king quota tonight, right? You hustle off the balcony and once again slip along the sides of the wall to the exit, and as your legs hurriedly transport you back to the privacy of your quarters, you crave a clear sky now more than ever.

I hope to find you in the skies tonight.

Oh, you’ll test your wings again tonight. And leave the man from the Atlantic fluttering in your dust.

#Namor x reader #namor x you #namor fanfiction #black panther 2 #black panther wakanda forever #eventual smut #smut inbound in the next few ch #wakanda forever spoilers #namor x ofc #Namor #namor of talokan

[namor-shuri]

Marvel Studios: Voices Rising - The Music Of Wakanda Forever [Series]

Episode #1: "Nigeria: Past is Present" [available on Disney +] [w/ time stamps to follow along]

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

▻ "Soundtrack's like this just don't happen anymore, with the high percentage of the songs that are embedded in the movie, and to this level of cultural specificity." - Ryan Coogler [Director] [0:00]

▻ "Here you have a story that intertwines people [Wakandans & Talokanil] of beautiful, rich ethnicities. What do you do with that as a composer? You use it!” - Letitia Wright [Princess Shuri] [0:14]

▻ We learn that Ryan Coogler and Ludwig Göransson first started off as friends, meeting one another at a film school [USC]. They then hit it off from their joint love of Swedish music. "They make magic together, and they seem to just pick up where the other has left off. They just have this seamless way of getting in each other's heads and hearts, and it ends up creating such incredible music.” - Lupita Nyong'o [Nakia] [1:51]

▻ The first Black Panther soundtrack is heavily inspired by Chadwick Boseman's Black Panther and his overall character. After his passing, they had to go back to square one. "I couldn't really imagine what the movie [soundtrack] would feel or look like without Chadwick in it. So, I'm basically going into this experience starting from scratch." - Ludwig Göransson [Composer] [2:42]

▻ They [Ryan and Ludwig] chose to go to Nigeria, Lagos to recruit artists and composers, it being a major hotspot for music in the world currently. "What Lagos is to music right now is what London was to music in its heyday. What New York was to hip-hop in the 90's. I genuinely believe the most exciting music in the world is being made in Lagos." - Seni Saraki [Music Consultant] [3:16]

▻ "Ludwig came to Lagos, because he, as a creative, understands the need to feed off of the energy of a particular place." - Fireboy DML [Artist] [4:04]

▻ There were a huge mixture of both contemporary artists [ie. singers, rappers, etc] and traditional artists [ie. musicians, instrumentalists for the score such as, but not limited to: Jedalo Percussion Ensemble, Fusion Nigeria] coming together to create this soundtrack. Instruments such as, but not limited to, the: sato drum, sakara drum, iyaálù bata, omele bata, kakaki horn, ojà flute, goje were all used on the traditional side. "Everyday we had different sessions with musicians that would come from different tribes from the Igbo, from the Hausa, from Yoruba and they would have their own instruments and different types of set of drums." - Ludwig Göransson [Composer] [5:57] Ryan and Ludwig are seen workshopping ideas of scenes and where musical segments may exist in the movie during these musical sessions [7:28]

▻ "He [Ludwig] and Ryan had been talking about it for years. ‘Let's write songs just for this film.’ There's no licensed tracks." - Monica Sonand [Score Supervisor] [9:39]

▻ “The generation that I'm in right now is speaking Afrobeats. We are all doing our own things individually, but as a unit together, we are pushing the culture. This is Afrobeats. This is Niger. This is Lagos. We're taking that old culture with us to the world." - Fireboy DML [Artist] [10:48] His song “Coming back for you" was used towards the end of the movie in the scene where Shuri is shown planting the heart-shaped herb [12:15]

▻ Ryan and Ludwig wanted to have artists who sang in Xhosa [the language of the Wakandans] so they did their research and flew out artists from South Africa to Nigeria to meet with them. The music style “Amapiano” had the sound that they were looking for, which plays on most South African radio. "It's so unique and it comes out of the club scene there [South Africa] and it makes you want to dance. What I love about that music [Amapiano] is that it feels futuristic to me." - Ludwig Göransson [Composer] [15:05]

▻ Ryan, Ludwig and artist Bloody Civilian are shown brainstorming Bloody’s beats pack she made for them, discussing where her track may exist. She showed them her song “How to kill a man. “I was very nervous, but the environment felt safe and everyone's creativity was just going. It didn't really feel like work at some point." - Bloody Civilian [Artist + Producer] [23:04] Her final track in the movie “Wake up" ft Rema is about "pushing yourself regardless of the things that try to pull you back." - Bloody Civilian [Artist + Producer] [24:33]

▻ Some of the African producers involved were ecstatic to have representation of a variety of African artists and sounds on this Marvel movie and it’s soundtrack. "I think the album sounds like Wakanda!" - Osarumen Osamuyi [Music Producer] [25:28]

▻ "I've been able to travel here [Nigeria] with Ryan, one of my closest friends. Doing something like this together where we can share this experience has been such a blessing." - Ludwig Göransson [Composer] [25:52] "It was really important for us [Ludwig and him] to come to West Africa. Myself being African-American, a lot of my heritage is from here like most African-Americans. The biggest take away for me is the personal connection that I have myself. I'm constantly looking at people saying ‘that person looks like my cousin, that person looks like my friend, that person looks like my brother.' That experience is one that's very different from being a black man that was born and raised in a predominantly white country. Folks born on the continent often take for granted to just walk down the street and everybody looks like them. That wasn't my truth. That wasn’t my reality. It's a very strange experience to fly for thousands of miles and land somewhere you've never been, but it feels like home. There's a beauty to that, but also a sadness that comes with it.” - Ryan Coogler [Director] [26:06]

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Soundtrack: [tracks referenced in this episode]

ʀɪʜᴀɴɴᴀ: ʟɪғᴛ ᴍᴇ ᴜᴘ / ʙᴜʀɴᴀ ʙᴏʏ: ᴀʟᴏɴᴇ / ғᴏᴜᴅᴇᴏ̨ᴜsʜ + ʟᴜᴅᴡɪɢ ɢᴏ̈ʀᴀɴssᴏɴ: ᴄᴏɴ ʟᴀ ʙʀɪsᴀ / ᴛᴇᴍs: ɴᴏ ᴡᴏᴍᴀɴ ɴᴏ ᴄʀʏ / ᴀᴅɴ ᴍᴀʏᴀ ᴄᴏʟᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴏ + ᴘᴀᴛ ʙᴏʏ: ʟᴀᴀʏʟɪ’ ᴋᴜxᴀ’ᴀɴᴏ’ᴏɴᴇ / ғɪʀᴇʙᴏʏ ᴅᴍʟ: ᴄᴏᴍɪɴɢ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ғᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜ / ʙʟᴜᴇ ʀᴏᴊᴏ: ɪɴғʀᴀᴍᴜɴᴅᴏ / ʀɪʜᴀɴɴᴀ: ʙᴏʀɴ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ / ᴛᴏʙᴇ ɴᴡɪɢᴡᴇ + ғᴀᴛ ɴᴡɪɢᴡᴇ: ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ɪᴛ, ʙᴜᴛ ɴᴏ / ᴅʙɴ ɢᴏɢᴏ + sɪɴᴏ ᴍsᴏʟᴏ: ʟᴏᴠᴇ & ʟᴏʏᴀʟᴛʏ [ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴇ] / sɴᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴀ ᴘʀᴏᴅᴜᴄᴛ + ᴇ-40: ʟᴀ ᴠɪᴅᴀ / ᴀᴍᴀᴀʀᴀᴇ: ᴀ ʙᴏᴅʏ, ᴀ ᴄᴏғғɪɴ / ᴠɪᴠɪʀ ᴏ̨ᴜɪɴᴛᴀɴᴀ: ᴀ́ʀʙᴏʟᴇs ʙᴀᴊᴏ ᴇʟ ᴍᴀʀ / sᴛᴏʀᴍᴢʏ: ɪɴᴛᴇʀʟᴜᴅᴇ / ᴏɢ ᴅᴀʏᴠ + ғᴜᴛᴜʀᴇ: ʟɪᴍᴏɴᴄᴇʟʟᴏ / ᴄᴋᴀʏ + ᴘɪɴᴋᴘᴀɴᴛʜᴇʀᴇss: ᴀɴʏᴀ ᴍᴍɪʀɪ / ʙʟᴏᴏᴅʏ ᴄɪᴠɪʟɪᴀɴ + ʀᴇᴍᴀ: ᴡᴀᴋᴇ ᴜᴘ / ᴀʟᴇᴍᴀ́ɴ + ʀᴇᴍᴀ: ᴘᴀɴᴛᴇʀᴀ / ᴅʙɴ ɢᴏɢᴏ + sɪɴᴏ ᴍsᴏʟᴏ: ᴊᴇʟᴇ / ᴄᴀʟʟᴇ x ᴠɪᴅᴀ + ғᴏᴜᴅᴇᴏ̨ᴜsʜ: ɴᴏ ᴅɪɢᴀs ᴍɪ ɴᴏᴍʙʀᴇ / ɢᴜᴀᴅᴀʟᴜᴘᴇ ᴅᴇ ᴊᴇsᴜ́s ᴄʜᴀɴ ᴘᴏᴏᴛ: ᴍɪ ᴘᴜᴇʙʟᴏ

Score: [tracks referenced in this episode]

ʟᴜᴅᴡɪɢ ɢᴏ̈ʀᴀɴssᴏɴ: ᴡᴀᴋᴀɴᴅᴀ ғᴏʀᴇᴠᴇʀ / ʟᴜᴅᴡɪɢ ɢᴏ̈ʀᴀɴssᴏɴ: ᴛ’ᴄʜᴀʟʟᴀ / ʟᴜᴅᴡɪɢ ɢᴏ̈ʀᴀɴssᴏɴ: ʏɪʙᴀᴍʙᴇ! / ʟᴜᴅᴡɪɢ ɢᴏ̈ʀᴀɴssᴏɴ: ɴᴀᴍᴏʀ / ʟᴜᴅᴡɪɢ ɢᴏ̈ʀᴀɴssᴏɴ + ʙᴀᴀʙᴀ ᴍᴀᴀʟ: ᴡᴇʟᴄᴏᴍᴇ ʜᴏᴍᴇ / ʟᴜᴅᴡɪɢ ɢᴏ̈ʀᴀɴssᴏɴ + ʙᴜsɪsᴡᴀ: ᴡᴇ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡʜɪsᴘᴇʀ / ʟᴜᴅᴡɪɢ ɢᴏ̈ʀᴀɴssᴏɴ + ᴊᴏʀᴊᴀ sᴍɪᴛʜ: ʜᴇ ᴡᴀsɴ’ᴛ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ / ʟᴜᴅᴡɪɢ ɢᴏ̈ʀᴀɴssᴏɴ + ᴠɪᴠɪʀ ᴏ̨ᴜɪɴᴛᴀɴᴀ: sɪʀᴇɴs / ʟᴜᴅᴡɪɢ ɢᴏ̈ʀᴀɴssᴏɴ: ɴᴀᴍᴏʀ’s ᴛʜʀᴏɴᴇ / ʟᴜᴅᴡɪɢ ɢᴏ̈ʀᴀɴssᴏɴ: ʏᴜᴄᴀᴛᴀ́ɴ / ᴠɪᴠɪʀ ᴏ̨ᴜɪɴᴛᴀɴᴀ: ᴀ́ʀʙᴏʟᴇs ʙᴀᴊᴏ ᴇʟ ᴍᴀʀ [ғɪʟᴍ ᴠᴇʀsɪᴏɴ] / ғᴏᴜᴅᴇᴏ̨ᴜsʜ + ʟᴜᴅᴡɪɢ ɢᴏ̈ʀᴀɴssᴏɴ: ᴄᴏɴ ʟᴀ ʙʀɪsᴀ [ғɪʟᴍ ᴠᴇʀsɪᴏɴ]

Episodes: 1 2 3

#marvel studios voices rising #ryan coogler #ludwig göransson #wakanda forever #black panther #marvel assembled #movie soundtrack #this is for my people who don’t have disney + #and for the folks who just want a summary of the eps #and for my fellow musical nerds like me lol #oscars #tenoch huerta #letitia wright #angela bassett #danai gurira #dominique thorne #lupita nyong'o #winston duke #michael b jordan #michaela coel #alex livinalli #florence kasumba #con la brisa #rihanna #burna boy #tems

[themculibrary]

Nakia/T’Challa Masterlist

and this love came back to me (ao3) - thekiwi_isin G, 1k

Summary: After the events of Endgame, T'Challa reunites with Nakia, and meets his son for the very first time.

Black Panther and Silver Lion (ao3) - The_Unlimited T, 58k

Summary: During a trip to Wakanda, Roxas and Bucky learned from Leon and T'Challa about how Leon had been there before. It turns out, he crash landed on Earth some time back and ended up involved in their attempt to apprehend a vibranium thief, followed by a plot done by T'Challa's murderous cousin invading and briefly taking control of the throne for himself. It's official: their lives will never be normal again...

Countdown (ao3) - nanasekei N/R, 1k

Summary: During his life, T’Challa falls in love three times.

Kandake (ao3) - HerenorThereNearnorFar G, 11k

Summary: Ramonda helps Nakia prepare for queendom, in a very Wakandan way. There are traditions for Black Panthers, and there are traditions for those who marry them, and they both get pretty wild.

Alternate Title: Bachlorette Party In A Graveyard, Talking About Your Dead Ancestors, Getting Wild, and Fighting Your Goddess.

Like an Antelope in Headlights (ao3) - mrs_d G, 2k

Summary: T'Challa has a habit of freezing when he sees Nakia.

moonlight walks / t'chakia (ao3) - valmadeamistake G, 1k

Summary: Sometimes, T'Challa wants to kiss her so badly he doesn't even ask.

Musings of the White Wolf (ao3) - SeleneJessabelle12626 G, 65k

Summary: Wakanda was fascinating place for any outsider, but its people were what interested Bucky the most.

A series of semi-interconnected one shots about Bucky's life in Wakanda.

rhythms of unseen drums (ao3) - lissomelle T, 3k

Summary: King or country, which do you serve?

Nakia passed every test to join the Dora Milaje but one.

Styrofoam (ao3) - Shaylinne nakia/t'challa, okoye/natasha T, 10k

Summary: Okoye is the General of the Dora Milaje, she’s the picture of strength and stoicism; she’s weathered storms greater than her heritage and she’s slayed beasts that the greatest storytellers couldn’t dare conjure up. She’s an instrument of grace and a hand of justice, but she’s also just a woman with a beating heart and she used to be a little girl who ran away from things that scared her.

In the wake of news that sliced Wakanda to the bone, she’s going to need to come to terms with every side of her to continue standing strong by her King’s side in his hour of need. And sometimes, that means a slightly improvised murder road-trip with someone you barely know (Everett Ross) that’s actually not about murder at all, but what you’d order at Subway.

Okoye on T'Challa's death, cancer and staying strong for others.

take my hand (take my whole life too) (ao3) - dreamweavernyx G, 7k

Summary: T’Challa is pinning his campaign poster onto the board outside the music room when someone clears their throat behind him. He startles, and turns around to see an impeccably-dressed girl standing peering at him from behind pink-rimmed glasses.

“Hi,” she says, not even waiting for him to remove the two pins he’s holding in his mouth. “Nakia. Guess we’re enemies?”

T’Challa blinks at her for a moment, and she raises an eyebrow, glancing pointedly behind him at his campaign poster. He turns to look too, noticing how it’s sagged on its side due to only having one corner pinned before the interruption.

“Ah,” he says, turning back to her and nodding. “T’Challa. That’s me.”

Or, T'Challa and Nakia, through the years.

T'Challa's Nightly Patrol (ao3) - LeeMorrigan G, 3k

Summary: Every night, T'Challa takes a walk to calm his racing mind and to check in on his loved ones.

The Long Path (ao3) - NyxEtoile, OlivesAwl M, 43k

Summary: Okoye turned the page of her magazine. "Any closer to figuring out what is your kind of job?”

Glancing over, Nakia said, “You once put the idea of being a spy in my head, and I still can’t shake it.”

"When you tell T'Challa about how you're running off to be a spy, do not blame it on me.”

To Be A King (ao3) - ShootWithIntentToKill G, 2k

Summary: Moments in the life of T'Challa.

To Hold the Oceans in Her Hands (ao3) - YourPalYourBuddy T, 2k

Summary: Now, she pulls T’Challa to his feet and smiles and tugs him after her as she runs to the water. He stumbles and she laughs and he sticks his tongue out and as the water splashes cold to her thighs, Nakia is, quite simply, happy.

The bay water streams off T’Challa’s forehead when he kisses her. Nakia frames his face with her hands, and his lips tastes like the ocean. ______________

Nakia x T'Challa, post Black Panther. Nakia's POV.

wakandan sunrise (ao3) - captainafroelf G, 1k

Summary: a wittle scene of my babies

with all that i am (ao3) - Anonymous T, 1k

Summary: Nakia offered him a smile in the here and now. “You’re up late,” she observed quietly.

#themculibrary #marvel #mcu #masterlists #nakia #t'challa #f/m #black panther

[annachum]

I actually would LOVE for a scene in Thunderbolts or Cap America 4

Where Namor just....terrorizes some of Madame Hydra's goons for trying to hurt Shuri and some of her cohorts with her ( like there will be some Wakandans and Talokanis in the mix )

Kinda like how Stolas terrorise the demon hunters for trying to hurt Blitzo and rest of IMP Gang in Helluva Boss

Like

Shuri, Namora, Attum, Okoye, and M'Baku are cornered by some of Madame Hydra's goons....when an earthquake sounded, and water began gushing out left, right and centre.

Namor's voice : * dragon voice * Who.....DARES....to lay a talon.....on my Princess.....AND MY PEOPLE?!

A magical bubble is formed around Shuri and her cohorts with her, and Shuri and her cohorts watched with awe and terror ( from the Wakandans ) as Namor in dragon form shows up via water droplets

Then his talons started drumming, and haunting Talokani sirenic melodies started playing out of thin air

Namora and Attum smile in relief. Their king finally came! And their people!

Shuri : * whisper shouting * What in Bast's name is happening?

Namora : * smiles * Hush, it is the sound of sirenic singing subduing our opponents.

Shuri and the Wakandans with her watch with awe and terror as the Hydra either get distorted, or go mad, or just flat out jump to the nearest water body to drown themselves.

Namor : * dragon voice * What is the matter, colonizers? Never seen an ocean dragon before?!

Once the coast was clear, Namor snapped his fingers and all water is cleared

Namor turned back to his human form, the blue glow from his eyes slowly fading

The ones in the bubble are slowly let down from mid air

Attum and Namora immediately Talokani salute Namor, who smiles and saluted back.

M'Baku : * wiping a cold sweat * That. Was SOMETHING, sea dragon man.

Namor : OH, well, as they say, when tou mess with a dragon, you get the fangs * smiles proudly *( to Shuri, cups his cheek ) Are you alright, itzia? ( princess in Mayan )

Shuri : * sighs in relief * Yeah....we're okay. Most of it.

🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯

#namor x shuri #stolitz #helluva boss reference #yeah namor is NOT one to be messed with #he was all like #i can be a great ally of yours #or your worst nightmare #shuri is....scaroused #so to say #sea dragon man #ocean dragon x panther #kukulkan

[griots-tales]

#Griots tales #Wakanda #Wakandan playlist #africa #african music #african drums #black panther #t'challa #wakanda #african art #fan music #Spotify

[wkandaforever]

the sheer power in the brief, snapping motion of the wakandan greeting juxtaposes so beautifully with the grace and elegance of the flowy talokan one

wakandan greeting: closed fists, hard-hitting on the chest, loud thumping noise like the sound of drums, makes your body streamlined, prepared to open up, pounce and attack

talokan greeting: slow opening of the hands resembling like the blooming of a poisonous flower or the opening of a shark or snake's mouth (looks like namor - the feathered serpent god's - throne), calculated and vicious, ready to lunge forward and swallow

they're both so gorgeous and deadly

#wakanda forever #black panther #black panther 2 #bpwf spoilers #black panther wakanda forever #wakanda forever spoilers #black panther spoilers #mypost

[sweetsmellosuccess]

Black Panther Live: Philadelphia Orchestra

Five thoughts on a fabulous Sunday afternoon with the orchestra at the Kimmel Center in downtown Philadelphia

The Kimmel Center is a wonderful place to hear the orchestra, but needs a larger movie screen. So much was wonderful about the experience of seeing Ryan Coogler’s 2018 film, which remains one of the high-water marks of the entire MCU, accompanied by the Philadelphia Orchestra, one of the world’s finest ensembles, along with world-renowned tama “living drum” master, Massamba Diop, that the one glaring downside  —  the Kimmel’s movie screen feels more than a tad small for the space its filling  — stood out. The acoustics are grand, the seats comfortable, the space itself inviting and spectacular, so the lone weak link in the production was the screen, dwarfed, as it was, by everything else around it. It certainly wasn’t a deal-breaker by any means, but one could easily see how much more impact a larger image might have on the whole enterprise. I understand it’s not something the Kimmel does on a very regular basis, but still well worth looking into. 

The film has aged powerfully, if not steeped in the tragic. There is much to love about Coogler’s film  —  so many scenes one could look forward to with anticipatory glee  — but every scene, even the goofy camaraderie between T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) and his kid sister, Shuri (Letitia Wright)  —  becomes shaded in somber tones due to Boseman’s tragic death back in 2020. It’s difficult to watch the film, even as joyful an expression of multiculturalism as it is, and not feel the weight of that loss (very much well-covered in the film’s sequel, Wakanda Forever, in which the loss of Boseman permeates every moment). All leading roles are designed to be central to a film’s focus, but Boseman’s generous warmth and decency powers the entire operation in such a way that you can’t imagine anyone else in the role (as evidenced in the sequel’s difficulty in trying to fill the Panther’s be-clawed boots). As good as Coogler’s film is  —  and, in the writing and storytelling, specifically, it’s among the very best of the MCU  —  it doesn’t work half as well without Boseman’s presence. I spent much of the film’s first act with tears welling in my eyes. He remains a tremendous loss. 

Andy Serkis’ Ulysses Klaue is a fabulous villain, but Killmonger remains king. If the MCU indeed has a #villainproblem, Panther managed to offer not one great baddie, but two, and for totally different reasons. It’s easy to hate Klaue  —  a gregarious mercenary, filled with evil bonhomie and ruthless skullduggery (helpful that Serkis himself appears to be having such a blast in the role), who makes his nefarious living stealing precious items and selling them to the highest bidder, the world be damned  —  but Michael B. Jordan’s Killmonger is a whole other story. Ruthless, brutal, and terrifyingly focused, he is, as Martin Freeman’s character Agent Ross informs us, doing things exactly as he’s been trained to by the U.S. military black ops division. Killmonger’s point, that after centuries of suffering, it’s time for the racial hierarchy to be upended with black people on top, actually makes perfect sense, in any sort of just world, even if his methodology is aggressively savage. He’s such a compelling character, in fact, with pride, menace, and swag veritably dripping off of Jordan’s skin, it’s pretty clear Coogler, along with co-writer Joe Robert Cole, had to tip the morality scales a wee bit with Killmonger (having him threaten an innocent gardener, burn the sacred flowers to the ground so there can’t be any more panthers, and gut Forest Whitaker’s Zuri in cold blood, all while sneering contempt for the ancient ways of the Wakandans), in order to make the audience actually want him to lose at the end. To balance that balance, the screenwriters see fit to give him a hero’s sort of death, defiant, significant, and on his own terms. A lot of other actors would have withered against the powerhouse charisma of Jordan, but Boseman is well up to the task, which creates a spectacular dynamic between the two dedicated actors. 

Having the live orchestra, along with Massamba Diop, adds an element to the excellent soundtrack. Honestly, I’m not normally one who terribly much notices a film’s score  —  at least, at first listen  —  unless it’s dramatically amazing or frustratingly distracting, even one as solid as Ludwig Göransson’s work for Panther, but having it performed as a separate entity, in harmony with the film, but not directly of it, sets it off from the screen just enough to allow iit hit with that much more force, enhancing the entire experience. On top of that, with the master showman Diop front and center of the orchestra, set off in his own booth, facing the audience, and leaping to his feet at key orchestral moments, it sort of bridges the gap between film and theater. It’s a spectacle that crackles with energy. 

Seeing the film with a packed house of rabid devotees was a singular experience. The crowd was amped for this event, and I mean, they were loud, hype, and effusive. They cheered when the orchestra sat down, they cheered when the first violinist took the stage, they cheered when conductor Damon Gupton swung out, and they cheered wildly when Gupton introduced Diop, who came out in a shimmering orange robe/pants ensemble. They kept cheering throughout the film  —  when Okoye (Danai Gurira) answers as to whether she would cut down even her beloved (Daniel Kaluuya) in defense of her country by hissing “Without question!” the audience erupted in thunderous approval  —  and they kept a deep, respectful silence during Killmonger’s death scene. You didn’t hear any chattering. You didn’t see people checking their texts, or basketball scores. Everyone was there in respectful reverence to the film, which made for a glorious communal experience. This is why having an 85” flatscreen still can’t compare to watching a huge film in an enormous setting, amongst a throng of equally devoted true believers. There’s simply nothing else like it. 

#sweet smell of success #ssos #piers marchant #films #movies #black panther #philadelphia orchestra #massamba diop #ryan coogler #chadwick boseman #michael b. Jordan #danai gurira #daniel kaluuya #letitia wright #damon gupton #Ludwig Göransson

[kammartinez]

There was a scene in Wakanda Forever that really got to me.

I mean, a lot of them did, but this one’s fairly early in the movie and is small compared to many of the others that come before and after, but this particular one just. Got to me.

Hiding this under a cut because potential spoilers.

So this is nearly at the beginning of the movie, after Queen Ramonda addresses the UN, and she’s coming home. The ship carrying her and her delegation of Dora Milaje (Okoye iirc is piloting the ship) crosses into Wakanda over a river, which has a kind of security checkpoint on the shore. We are shown the interior of this checkpoint, which appears to be staffed by two people. There’s all the usual high-tech Wakandan gadgetry, of course, but after a moment one of the security people makes a pair of trays levitate upwards; they get in front of one, and their companion gets in front of the other.

Then the two of them start drumming out a beat on the trays, which are filled with water (from the river, I assume) and which, it soon becomes clear, control the invisible barrier that forms part of Wakanda’s barrier, granting passage to the ship bearing Ramonda and her delegation and letting them fly back home. The drumbeat played in that scene extends all the way into the next one, where we see the ship flying over the cityscape of Wakanda as the Queen and her Dora Milaje come home.

What gets me about this scene is how it integrates the old and the new in a way that makes absolute perfect sense. My knowledge about the diverse histories and cultures of the African nations from which Wakanda draws its inspiration is spotty at best, but drums are a thing that cuts across cultures all around the world. They’re used for a whole lot of different purposes: music, ritual, communication, to name but a few, and oftentimes those purposes overlap. I think it’s safe to say that for as long as humanity has existed, so too has the use of drums for various reasons.

Wakanda could, of course, have easily left that behind. At any point in its history, as it became one of the most technologically-advanced countries in the world, it could have left behind the drums, or relegated them to pure ritual or personal purposes. But they didn’t do that; instead, they chose to build their technology around this age-old tradition. They deliberately chose not to leave it behind. They could just as easily have manipulated their barriers using buttons or hardlight holograms, but no: they chose to make drums out of the water of the river itself, and used those to control the barrier into Wakanda (at least on that portion of it, anyway).

I find that incredibly powerful: that a country (or an individual) can choose to move forward into the future without leaving traditional culture behind. So often in the race towards the horizon of “progress” (however one defines that), we’re often told to leave the “old” behind. And while there’s some things that can easily be left behind (such as backwards ideas regarding the role of women in society, for example), there is so much more that doesn’t have to be left behind, that can instead be integrated into the concept of progress - or, used to define what progress means. Does “progress” mean erasing everything about how we define ourselves as a person, or as a group of people? Or can we define progress as something where our identities thrive and blossom, with enough flexibility to change according to what the future brings without sacrificing identity and culture?

There’s lots of things about Wakanda Forever that can be asked, and should be asked, but this is the one I’ve got playing in my head right now, and it’s something I’m going to be thinking about for a good long while.

#black panther: wakanda forever #movies #personal #black panther #wakanda forever #marvel

[anerdquemoraaolado]

Grains of Sand by The Shore

Chapter 4

The wedding ceremony began with the powerful yet melodic sound of singing voices and accompanying instruments, particularly drums, rising above all the sound. The musicians gave way to the priests, who took their places, the bride and groom walked along a path full of flowers, thrown as they walked. T'Challa came first, waiting for Nakia, beside the priests. Then the bride appeared, the future queen of Wakanda, decked from head to toe in a light green dress with gold accents, representing the river tribe, the headdress showing her importance as a bride and as a queen.

 Shuri watched everything from the beginning, attentive to her brother's smile, he couldn't contain his happiness and it was nothing less than his right to enjoy a little joy. Nakia did seem more restrained, but her passionate look left no doubt that she wanted to be there.

 The ceremony continued, with the words spoken in Wakandan, for a moment, Shuri thought if Namor and his entourage were understanding everything, for a moment, she went further, imagining what weddings in Talokan would be like, if they would have anything in common with those of Wakanda. Probably not, or maybe yes... without really understanding where it was all coming from, he left it behind. The Talokani knew it was a wedding and that was all they needed to know, they were smart enough to deduce what was going on.

 To Talokan's guests, everything looked at least interesting, inviting, yet they tried to ignore some suspicious glances from other spectators. That suspicion weighed more heavily on Namor than he anticipated feeling, than he wanted to feel.

 He would defend his people until the last moment, take advantage of Wakanda if he could, but in that moment he recognized that he would have to do a lot more to make up for the bad impression he had made on them. He knew, they were right to think so.

 Pulling him out of his thoughts, the ceremony ended with a passionate kiss from the bride and groom and shouts of celebration throughout the room. Namor thought it best to at least clap so he wouldn't look so static and indifferent. Namora and Attuma just looked at him, noticing that their leader was making at least a little effort to fit in.

 After T'Challa and Nakia received congratulations from several people, a feast was served for everyone, an invitation for everyone to sit down. As a member of the royal family, Shuri was right there near the king and queen, and without thinking of anything else, feeling a little tired from standing for a long time, she started to taste some of the food on her plate.

 -Are you in such a hurry that you can't even congratulate the groom before eating? - T'Challa joked with his sister.

 -Oh that, T'Challa, I'm happy, very happy for you, really! I said congratulations before the wedding and always will - she shrugged good-naturedly, looking at her brother - you finally got it right, that makes me happy enough.

 -Thank you, Shuri, I really hope you're fine - even though he was the center of the spotlight that day, he worried about his little sister.

 -Ah worry about yourself, it's your day, we can talk more about me later, okay? -she did her best to dodge, even though she knew she couldn't get away from a serious conversation with T'Challa for long.

 To her relief and curiosity, Namor rose, heading straight for his host.

 -Congratulations on your wedding, your majesty - he wished genuinely - that you and your queen live a happy life beside each other.

 -Thank you Namor, I also thank you for coming, once again - T'Challa replied - I hope you are enjoying the party.

 -We are, your hospitality is remarkable - the king of Talokan praised - I would feel honored to know more about Wakanda, maybe a tour of your palace, if possible.

 -I can accompany you if you want - Shuri offered, to everyone's surprise, driven by a feeling of diplomacy, which she should keep.

 "It would be nice to have your company again." Namor accepted the offer.

 T'Challa and Nakia said nothing more as they watched Shuri leave in the company of their ally. Something between them worried them, but they trusted her to resolve everything in the best possible way.

 Before they walked, Namor was introduced by the princess to each of the elders, which made him even more aware of the tribes she had mentioned earlier. There was the wisdom and tradition of Wakanda, looking and judging him from top to bottom, discreetly, although his imposing figure, yet relaxed due to the occasion of celebration, was intimidating to say the least.

 Namor took advantage of the situation in his favor, talking, asking, understanding more about how 5 tribes so different could form a single people. Shuri watched him there, with the occasional comment in between conversation, mediating as he saw fit. She knew he was a pretty smart man, but seeing how he was interested in the surface, even more so in her country, left her surprised, even happy. Maybe he was returning the interest she herself felt for Talokan.

 Leaving the hall full, Shuri showed other surroundings, he saw the massive, ancient, traditional walls. Suddenly, he took the silence out of the walk.

 -Is Wakanda as old as Talokan? - Namor asked her.

 -Oh I think not so much, maybe 1500 to 2000 years of difference - she deduced, thinking about the closest answer to the question - why do you think that?

 -I was noticing the walls, it looks like an old construction, which perpetuated for generations, despite all the technology present - he mentioned.

 -Yeah, I think we balanced one thing well with the other - she shrugged, gesturing with her hands - although I received heavy criticism from the same people you were being so friendly with just now...

 -What do you mean exactly? - he was genuinely curious.

 -I don't want to brag, but I'm the technological responsible for all of this, I've dedicated my whole life to this, I've always felt this kind of... calling, vocation, I don't know, but it's what I know how to do and I'm good at it, but my ideas are not always welcome - Shuri told about her dilemma.

 -I noticed how talented you are with all this, don't feel bad for bad reviews, I believe it's your way of doing the best for your country - Namor spared no effort to praise her again, once again that day, Shuri noticed.

 -I think I can say the same about you, you have your own way of defending your people and... well, the way you act shows how much you care about them, they are your family - she shared her opinion too.

 -You're like that too, we have that in common - he pointed out, which left Shuri a little confused, and at the same time, realizing and admitting that he was right.

 The two had become vindictive for the same reason, a destructive trait, but now she admitted that their love for their people was a good thing they had in common.

 "That's good…" she decided to admit out loud.

 "I agree," he said, just as quietly.

 It seems that Shuri had taken the words out of him, which gave her a sense of satisfaction. Taking advantage of this in the conversation, she decided to give her curiosity a little voice as well.

 -I don't have the habits of a typical princess - she said - I don't deal with what you expected from someone like me.

 -I see what you mean - Namor let himself laugh, noticing that she was relaxed - yet you’‘re wearing something worthy of your position.

 For a moment, she didn't know exactly what he was referring to, until she noticed her pulse.

 -Oh that - Shuri observed the bracelet, admiring it once more - I wore it on purpose, showing that I consider Talokan.

 "I thought maybe you got rid of it," he confessed.

 -No, I didn't think of tha t -Shuri was moved to hear that, even touching his arm gently as a form of comfort - that was a gift, a memory of a special place, I couldn't do that.

 -I appreciate your consideration - he thanked, feeling moved.

 -I would love to go there again - Shuri let her excitement show little by little - study more about your technology, talk to the people, play with the children, if possible...

 -You really liked it there, didn't you? - he allowed himself a smile - I can say the same from here, and I would come to Wakanda more often too.

 "It's good to know we impressed you," she smiled at once.

 "I expected nothing less from the most powerful nation on earth," Namor praised, returning the smile.

 It was funny and at the very least peculiar how they had forgotten at that moment the conflicts of the past and were here now, together, laughing, like old friends.

 Their closeness did not go unnoticed by those watching.

#grains of sand by the shore #my writing #black panther #mcu #shuri x namor #namor x shuri #shuramor #namuri #seaprincess #nashuri #arranged marriage au