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#black panther happy ending
mickimomo · 1 year
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In Another Life
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AU where Oni and Killmonger are siblings instead of enemies
Imagine how giddy I felt when I saw an image of KiKi and Michael. I just knew that I had to write this after that. 🥹 (source: just jared)
So, in this AU, Zuri adopts Erik after his father is killed, and he properly explains what happened and why his father died. And instead of abandoning him in the US, he takes him to Wakanda and raises him with his wife, who he was arranged to marry and eventually passes after having Oni due to complications a few years later. In the end, there's never a coup for the throne, and Erik is just eager to serve Wakanda and take care of his family. Maybe he eventually goes off to become a War Dog and then works with T'Challa and Nakia to start a program to help members of the Lost Tribe. 🤷🏾‍♀️ I'm just spilling my brain.
Here's what I wrote:
"Erik."
"Yeah, Uncle James?"
"Where's Oni?" He arched a brow as his adopted son walked into the Temple of Bast, covered in sweat and grit from all the chores he had been working on outside.
"Huh?"
"Where's Oni?"
"She's not in here with you?"
Zuri gave him a fatherly look as he plucked one last yellow leaf from the herb plant he was tending to and got up. "It's almost noon. I assumed she was with you." He furrowed his eyebrows.
A light bulb went off in his head when he realized what might be going on. "Ah. Well. She was." He laughed softly. "I forgot I sent her off to run a small errand earlier."
"A small errand?"
"To get some water from the river for the herbs."
Cebisa's eyes became saucers at the news. "On her own!?!"
"She's fine. She said she could handle it."
The short plump woman scolded the tall man with a few motherly pinches. "I swear, the two of you are the reasons my hairs are turning white."
"That's not our fault."
"Oh?"
"It's because you're getting old."
"Old eh? I only look old from all this stress!" She smacked him. "After all I do. I tell you. The children of this world are getting more disrespectful."
"I'm grown."
"You're not grown if you do not respect your elders."
"Now you know I don't believe that bullshit-"
"AH! AH!"
Zuri closed his eyes as Cebisa began to shout at his son in xhosa and dust him with red sand for cursing.
Erik took it like be always did.
A shit eating grin and a few chuckles that earned him more sand and a threat to wash his mouth out with soap.
Cebisa stormed as the young man bit back a chuckle.
"You need to do better." He opened his eyes to look at Erik. "Next time she will use your mouth as a soap mold."
"What about Oni?" He joked.
"It is your fault that she even knows profanity."
"My fault? She's in her 20s, Uncle James."
"Who was it that made Oni's first word a curse word?"
Erik bit his tongue when he recalled his little sister as a baby, casually dropping the f bomb and giving almost everyone in the room a heart attack.
And babies being babies.
She just kept saying it.
And he was the #1 suspect.
Uncle James never put his hands on him before, but he was really worried when that happened.
It took an entire month of learning other words to get that word out of her vocabulary, and curse words were forbidden from then on out.
"It's a sentence enhancer."
Zuri shook his head before waving him off. "Go help Oni, before I enhance you with more work. You know she's probably struggling making her way back in her gown and veil."
"Alright." He offered a small nod before retreating.
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Erik found Oni cursing under her breath as she struggled to carry a vibranium pole with four large buckets of water up a hill.
Her lilac dress was soaked, slightly tattered, and the bottom was filthy with mud.
Her veil stuck to face with sweat, and her breath was labored as she slowly journeyed upwards.
"Did I just hear the Vessel of Bast curse?"
"Don't fucking start." She snapped.
"Ooooh. Wait till Uncle James finds out."
"N'Jadaka, I am too tired to argue with you."
"Well, you look like you went through hell." Erik chuckled.
"Victory doesn't always look pretty." She grunted as she slowly made her way towards him.
"I don't get why you always insist on taking the hard route." He moved forward to help. "I sent you off to do this hours ago. How long did you fight to get four buckets balanced on your shoulders instead of taking four trips?"
"All morning." She huffed before growling at his assistance. "I don't need your help!"
"Yes. Yes. You are strong and mighty." He imitated her voice before he poked her forehead. "But you're also soft and fragile."
"I don't like that." She huffed.
"It's called balance, sis. You can't be strong without weakness." He scolded her softly.
"I'm training to be strong. I can't afford to be weak."
"Yes, you can. You don't have to be strong all the time. You got the best big brother in the world. You know I'll fight the wind for you, if you ask me to." He laughed softly before sighing when he noticed her hands were bleeding. "But you have to give yourself breaks and ask for help before you hurt yourself."
"I don't need anyone's help, Erik." She huffed. "Okoye didn't get help when working to become General of the Dora Milaje. She worked hard and denied her weaknesses until she got it."
"Whoever told you that forgot to mention the parts where Okoye was sore and tired and wanted to quit and human." He narrowed his eyes. "And although you're a little different with Bast and shit. You need to remember that you are still human. At the end of the day, we all die, and we all have to go to the ancestral plane." He furrowed his eyebrows. "Are you trying to train so hard that you wake up with the ancestors?"
"No."
"Then you need to take breaks and ask for help. Got it?"
"Got it."
He grabbed two buckets off from each end of the pole before refocusing on her. "I promise, you've trained enough for the day. You need to sit down and smell some flowers or something." He glanced at her. "Something those colonizers do in those cheesy movies you and Shuri make me watch."
Oni snorted before smiling. "Like what? Bake a cake? Paint my nails? Go to the club?"
"The first two sound phenomenal."
"Hypocrite."
"Hey. I'm not the Vessel of Bast."
"And if I wasn't?"
"You still wouldn't be going."
"What!? Why not?"
"I promise, you will not find the love of your life in the club."
"I'm just going there for a good time."
"You won't find a good time there." He joked. "It's just a bunch of sweaty, musty, tipsy, horny, and high people." He wrinkled his nose. "Ever smelled vomit after someone crossed their liquor or urine because someone couldn't make it to the bathroom in time after drinking all night?"
Oni rolled her eyes. "Thank you for that. You somehow made the club sound less fun."
"As your big bro, it's my job to look out for you, annoy you, and kick ass when people try to come for you."
Oni took a deep breath and shook her head. "You say that all the time."
"Because it's true." He grinned. "Now come on. Uncle James was looking for you, and Auntie Cebisa was pressed."
"Pressed? What happened?"
"Dunno." He lied.
"I'm screwed."
"You won't be if we swing home first and get you patched and cleaned up."
Oni began to walk. "Then we better hurry."
He offered a nod before following after her. "I mean, that'll require you to shower quickly and not have a concert singing your little heart out for five hours."
"I do not spend five hours in the shower!"
"You're right. I shoulda said 10."
"It wasn't 10 either! It's always 30 minutes max, 10 minutes minimum!"
"Let me move away-"
"Move away!?"
"Bast will surely strike you down for lying-"
"N'Jadaka I swear-" She took a deep breath as he laughed at her irritation. "I'll be fast." She grumbled.
"How does that song you alway play on your speaker go-?" He arched a brow before he began to sing intentionally off key.  "We be all night- looooooooooOooooovvvEeeee."
"Shuuut uppppp, N'Jadaka!"
"LooooooOoooooooveeEeee."
She attempted a fast, but hard sweeping kick to his ankles and moved when he attempted to kick her back.
They both laughed and ran back home carefully (but intentionally), trying to trip one another.
Erik in this AU:
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rayrayvan · 1 year
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It's okay, I forgive you
Pairing: Shuri x fem!reader
Note: This request was made by @kingstormpostsshit and I hope you like this piece. Enjoy everyone 🤗
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As the Shuri coped in her lab figuring out how to recreate the heart-shaped herb, you and Riri helped make suits for the battle between Talokan and Wakanda.
“Griot what’s the probability of the herb?” Shuri asked her AI and when Griot told her it was about 97% , you immediately stopped what you’re doing and rushed to her side.
You embraced her immediately “Well done my love” You told her “Will it work?” Nakia asked, “It will work if it closes” Shuri told her “Griot print it out. The three of you rushed to the printing machine and the process of printing started.
After it was printing it closed up and glow into a purplish color. Nakia hugged Shuri and both nodded to each other.
“Just prepare if I ever I have a cardiac arrest okay?” Shuri told both you and Nakia as you settled your kimoyo beads to her chest “Wait cardiac arrest?” Riri was baffled at how the ritual would go. You leaned closer to your girlfriend and held her hands “Just promise me, come back to me, to us, to Wakanda okay? I love you” You whispered and kissed her forehead lovingly “I love you too, I’ll be back” She promised you
As Nakia started the ritual and Shuri drank the purple liquid, you three awaited for it to work.
Suddenly Shuri woke up, Nakia rushed to her side while you wait “Who did you see?” Nakia asked but Shuri was hesitant to answer “It didn’t work, it’s not, I know it’s not” Shuri repeated over and over and you were quick you hold her “Shuri we don’t know, calm down my love, it’s okay” As you reassured her, she pushed you accidentally and you flew across the room and slammed into a window pane. Riri was quick to your side to aid you. The pain you felt was running through your back, some broken glass scratched in your arms. Shuri was in shock that she did something to the last person who knows her more than anyone even herself.
As Riri helped you stand up, you broke free from her grip and limped your way to your shocked girlfriend. “Hey , Shuri look at me” You told her and cupped her face between your palms “I hurt you” She repeatedly whispered and her eyes are frantically looking everywhere except your face “Shuri, it’s okay, hey, it’s okay, I’m okay” You told her . She looked directly to your eyes and when she saw blood in your cheek, she sobbed “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry” She repeatedly apologized to you. You embraced her quickly and told her it was okay and you forgave her.
A few hours went by and you were patched up, you offered to help them build weapons and armours for the fight. As Shuri was building her Black Panther suit, her eyes were always on a look out for you and when you caught her looking at you, she’d look away, so you decided to approach her. “You seem to miss me everytime I’m out of your peripheral view” You told her jokingly and as she looked up to your face, her eyes saw how patched up your arms were so she averted her gaze. You took notice of this and told her to look at you.
The hesitation to look directly at your eyes was evident around her face, so you cupped her face between both of your palms. You smiled when you saw her eyes, she was slightly taller than you so you had to raise your head to look at her beautiful face. “My love it’s okay, I forgive you” You told her but she went on to saying “How could you forgive me? I almost killed you, I cannot lose the last person who knows me well. I’ve lost too much , losing you would break me. You’re the only person left to keep me sane. I’m so sorry Y/N” She cried and you hugged her “It’s okay my love, I’m right here.” You told her reassuringly.
And that day on, you both made silent promises that were kept to yourselves. Shuri vowed to handle you with care and love. As for you, you vowed to stay beside her side and when things get tough, you stay for her.
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aokoaoi · 1 year
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Could you maybe do a Shuri x reader fic where a person of the readers family passed away but they don’t tell Shuri due to all the grief she’s going through already ?
: 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝.
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᪥ pairings : shuri x fem!reader.
᪥ warnings : mentions of deaths. characters deaths. slight angst. comfort. fluff. established relationship. horribly written angst.
᪥ author's note : im pretty sure i messed up this request, im terribly sorry if it wasn't up to your expectations ! instead of one death, there's two D: oh no !
⚠︎[spoiler] deaths set in the past. so a bit of an mc backstory talk⚠︎.
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You were Wakanda's finest designer. You worked alongside the one of the royal family members, Princess Shuri. You two got along quite well. Shuri absolutely adored your interest in designing, and loved your styles. And as for you, you had someone make your creations to life!
Half of the royal families clothing designs were by you. Half the architectures were heavily inspired by your sketches as well.
You and Shuri were like two peas in a pod.
You both knew alot about eachother. Undeniably close, even when you were just friends. You two stuck close, doing every littlest things together, which amused the Wakandans. You were basically like an addition to their family.
They considered you as their own, when you had no one else left for you.
No one else knows this about you, except Queen Ramonda. Your family passed away in different causes. An incurable disease and death in a battle. You didn't have any siblings, and so when your parents died, you had no one.
Not even the remaining members who you were familiar with in the family tree.
You had no idea where they went. You only met when when you were just around four years old, but they never liked you anyway. You didn't understand why your other relatives were so upset with you. You were only a child after all.
But even after all those dark times, you found yourself back up and now your working with the royal family.
You looked up to them, you adored them. And when her highness heard about your past, she was understanding and she treated you like her own beloved daughter.
But onto the present.
"Artist block, ey?"
You turned to the source of the voice, relaxing when you saw your girlfriend, no other than the princess herself, Shuri.
Softly chuckling when she pressed a soft kiss on your cheeks, you put down your mechanical pencil as she engulfed you in a hug from behind.
"What're you making, dearest?" She questioned with a delighted hum when you gave her a peck on the cheek as well, closing her eyes as she let herself relax onto the warmth emitting off your body.
"Just a few clothing ideas. Looks bad right now though, art block really hit me badly." You responded, smiling softly when you felt her hands slowly snake to your waist.
"Looks good, what do you mean?" She praised, taking the sketchbook and bringing it up closer to her.
"It looks so boring though. And messy." You said with a distasted huff, crossing your arms across your chest. Shuri laughs, pecking your cheeks hurriedly before pulling away from the hug.
"Well all it needs is a bit of fixing from you, no? And then it'll be eye catching just like how all your previous works have been." She says in a flattering tone, booking your nose with her index finger.
You clicked your tongue, trying to hide the redding hue forming across your cheeks. "Oh, stop. Why are you suddenly being all charming and flattery?" You questioned, squinting your eyes at her suspiciously.
She gasped in offense, putting a hand on her chest in faux heartache. "Why, I can't visit my beloved and give her the affection she deserves?" She asks, pouting slightly.
"No.. it's just that, you get all fluffy and extremely sweet to get me in a good mood and then you ask something from me." You responded, raising your brow.
"Well.." she trailed off, half agreeing that you are indeed correct.
"Tell me what it is, love." You urged the princess, smiling at her expectantly.
"I know we're only a few months into our relationship, and I've never really met your parents so I just think that maybe now is a great time for me to.. yknow, meet them?" She rambled on, making weird hand gestures, her tone making it clear that she's nervous.
Your heart dropped to your bum at her words. You looked at her solemnly, feeling guilty for some reason.
Her wish to meet your parents was really sweet, and it touched your heart. But you remembered how you've never told her about your families deaths.
Shuri noticed how your mood shifted drastically, and began apologizing to you. "Love? I'm sorry if that was sudden, I didn't intend to bring the mood down, i—" You immediately cut her off.
"Shuri. Don't apologize, please." You whispered, pursing your lips as you ran a thumb across her cheek in a comforting way, giving her a soft comforting smile.
The princess continued to frown against your touch, upset at herself that she made you upset. Had she bought up unpleasant memories? Family issues?
"There's actually something that I've been keeping from you for.. ever since we met actually." You told the girl standing in front of you. She held your hand reassuringly, rubbing your palm with her thumb in a comforting manner.
"You can tell me anything, my love. But if you feel like you're pressured to tell me now, you don't have to rush yourself. Just know, that I'll listen to you, no matter what." She reassures you, giving you one of her charming close lipped smiles.
You matched her smile. You knew that you weren't gonna be the only one dealing with a death from a family member who you cared alot. Shuri lost a father who she loved alot, so you won't be the only one getting hit in the gut as you revealed yourself.
"My family passed long ago, before I met you and your family. I didn't mean to hide this from you for so long, dearest, I just didn't know how to bring it up. I'm sorry." You tell her, sighing softly when you felt your beloved trace the lines on your palms with the her fingertip.
She hums. Her gaze shifted from the palm of your hand, and onto your face. Gazing at you with suck fondness your heart would explode from it.
"It's alright, my love. I'm glad you trusted me enough to tell me this." She said in a hushed whisper, bringing up your hand closer to her lips and kissing your knuckles.
"You must've felt very alone back then. But I'm here for you now, alright? My ma and I, my brother.. the general.. Milaje elite group.. lab workers.. me.. my mother.." she rambled on, obliviously repeating herself and the queen.
You chuckled as she continued to ramble, a delighted smile forming across your face.
"I'm glad I got the opportunity to work with you, dearest. You're the best thing that has happened to me." You say, low and soft. Shuri stopped her rambling, fondly looking at you.
"Oh, my love." She cooed, caressing your cheeks gently. "I love you, (name). Don't forget that." She whispered, pressing a long and gentle kiss on your forehead.
You chuckled slightly, your hand coming uo to your cheeks, pressing your hand against Shuri's hand, feeling the cold metal of her matching ring on her ring finger. "I love you too, beloved."
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bestfriend491 · 1 year
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yesss!! im so excited for more okoye!!
I am too, love. And in honour of my excitement (and me being behind schedule for yet another work) here is something to keep my loves fed for the next couple of days until I'm confident enough to release the longer works.
Introducing... My Headcannons? My Drabbles? I'm not too sure right now. Who knows? All I know is that its something short.
Thank you to @jinnie10101 for the beautiful Nakia and Okoye icons. 🤍
“What's wrong?”
How Okoye, Nakia, and Ramonda would react to you being upset in some way. 
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OKOYE
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Okoye is whatever you need her to be at that moment. 
Need space? She’ll stay in the next room until you’re ready to talk. 
Need cuddles? She’s not leaving your side.
Granted this is mostly because she does carry a lot more guilt about her past choices when you're upset even if it's not her fault. 
It does take her a bit longer to realise that you're upset because of how busy she gets but when she notices she's quick to act.
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“Sthandwa sam, I’m home!” Okoye called to you after a long day of patrolling around the Borderlands after a security breach threat- one of many in the past week. 
This time, it hadn't been a false alarm or a prank call, and the Dora needed their General to lead, which she did. And well, as a matter of fact. 
Now though, all she wanted to do was spend her night with you, doing absolutely anything. 
“Sthandwa sam?!” She called out again as she looked around for you. You weren’t anywhere out in the open, which let her know that something was off. 
Inspecting the entire house and not getting any closer to finding you, she landed herself in front of the door to your shared bedroom. 
‘Oh’. she thought to herself. You were probably asleep. It was still fairly early, but she knew that when sleep called, you never asked it what time it was. 
She let her hand gently graze the knob as she turned it, happy that it didn’t jam in place like usual this time and wake you up. As slowly as she could, Okoye walked into the room and closed the door, seeing you laying in bed, as expected. 
Strangely enough, you weren’t inside the sheets, only laying on top of them. Your back was turned away from her, and although she didn’t know it, you stared wide-eyed into the open. 
Still under the belief that you were asleep, Okoye tiptoed around the room getting her uniform off, then proceeding to take a blanket to cover you up until you awoke in a few hours.
As she stood to face you, and saw your clearly not asleep form below her, her expression dimmed down. 
“Y/n?” she asked.. 
“Hm?” was all you could make yourself say.
“My love, what’s wrong?” She caressed your cheek as she asked, going down to kiss your forehead as a form of comfort. 
You didn’t respond immediately, needing to muster up the energy to explain something that didn’t make sense. 
“Y/n, tell me what’s wrong.” 
Silence once again filled the room. Quick to access and act, Okoye realised that it was just going to be a cuddles and no talking kind of day. She got into bed, moving you to face her, and placed her arm around you, allowing you to come closer and assume your favourte spooning position. 
You stayed like that for the night. 
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Ramonda
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When you're upset, Ramonda knows that you prefer to keep quiet.
She usually lets you stay silent unless she’s really worried. 
You don't like being left alone without her when you’re upset, so she always accommodates that and makes sure to stay as close as possible. 
You need physical comfort when you’re having a bad day, especially when bad mental days come. 
She's quick to notice when you're upset, a shift in attitude telling her that she needs to get you alone to ask what’s wrong. 
You usually go to the river to calm down if it’s early and cuddle there.
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“Y/n!” Ramonda called after you as you left the throne room after a brief meeting with the other tribe leaders. Your aura was off the entire meeting, both you and Ramonda knew that. A lazy hum had alerted Ramonda of this. 
You, knowing that Ramonda would pry for answers, tried to leave and dodge the questions early. This didn’t work at all, and you were quickly tracked down and located around the corner to your room in the palace. 
You still tried to avoid her, not wanting to have a moment like this right then. 
As soon as you closed the door on her and sat down on a chair in your bedroom, she had already reopened the door and entered. 
She approached you quickly, and knelt down in front of you. Taking your hands in hers, she looked at you, while you kept your eyes closed.
“My queen,” she said, leaning closer to you,”What’s wrong?” 
You shook your head; refusing to allow her to get her desired answers from you. 
“Y/n, my queen. I can’t let this one go. What’s wrong?” 
Tears developed in your eyes as you let out muffled sobs, holding her hands tightly. 
“I miss them, Ramonda.” you finally choked out. 
“I miss them everyday, but today I just can’t bear the pain of losing them over and over again in my head.” you spoke of the family member that you’d lost recently, struggling to cope while ruling a nation. 
You’d been trying your best to pretend that you weren’t in constant pain, but the facade could only last so long. 
“Oh- my love,” she moved in to let you hug her, and you did so gratefully. You clung to her like when you were younger, never wanting to leave her side.  
“Grief comes in life-long waves, my love. Some high waves last long, but then they crash when you least suspect it.
The only thing we can find solace in is remembering that the low waves can peacefully coexist with the high waves, only through the mutual understanding that they must each get their turn to shine through.”
You broke down completely at that, feeling relieved that at least you had her around for the harder times. 
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Nakia
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Nakia always wants to talk about it. She doesn’t like letting you avoid talking about your emotions.
Nakia senses energy quicker than anyone you've ever known. 
A slight shift in attitude will have her all over you.
Of course, she still likes to give you the platform to talk to her without her needing  to confront you.  
Because of this she likes to give you some time to tell her what's wrong so as to not annoy you. 
However, if you avoid the conversation for too long, she doesn’t have much of a choice. 
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“Nakia, I told you that it’s nothing.” you told her reluctantly as you laid your head in your hands, sitting at the table in your home having yet another argument. 
“No, that’s the answer I keep getting from you, but it’s not the truth because everytime I see you, you look like you’re struggling.” 
She stood on the other side of the table, staring at you as you clearly lied to her for the umpteenth time.
Sighing, she tried to tone down her intense approach. 
“Look, baby. I just want you to be okay, and I can tell you’re not.”
You relented slightly, looking directly at her, and nodding in understanding. 
“I know.” you said.  
You groaned, frustrated at yourself for trying to keep secrets in your relationship when you knew that communication was something Nakia needed to feel secure. You stood up, and went to her, not hugging her, just laying your head on your shoulder. 
Though none of you embraced the other, engulfing the other in a hug, you were calmer. She dropped her head on your shoulder and the two of you swayed in that position for a while. 
After a good 30 minutes of this, she tried again, “What’s wrong.”
“I- I have depression.” you said. Nakia -although wanting to hug you- chose to stay in her position. She was finally getting something out of you, and she didn’t want to startle you. 
“I started seeing a psychiatrist for my PTSD 2 months ago and she diagnosed me last month. It’s only been getting worse lately.”
She immediately lifted her head, looking at you as you tried to hold in tears, 
“Sthandwa sam,” now she hugged you and you couldn’t hold it in anymore,”Why didn’t you want to tell me?” 
“I don't know… I was scared things would change, and you’d start treating me differently.” 
“Y/n, I’m not going to treat you like anyone except the woman that I love. Things are gonna change, but only because I need to make sure that you’re taking care of yourself,okay?”
You nodded in agreement, sniffing through your tears as you wiped them away.
“Hey,” she said after a while, ”I’m proud of you.”
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Author's Note: Here's your snack before the meal, loves. I was going to add a Aneka/Ayo/Reader version but I'm tired and I know I would butcher it in my current state. Either way, hope you enjoyed.
I guess requests for more of these SHORT imagines are open
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letitiaslabyrinth · 10 months
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DIDN'T DESERVE | PART TWO
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warnings: feels. like a lot of them. talks about mental and emotional abuse. Shuri goes o f f. angst, angst ending in fluff, y'all get a happy ending this time dw pairing: Shuriri word count: 2.5k A/N: LISTENNNNNNNNN I know I'm late with this alright? I knowww but I'm here now so 😭 also my bad for dipping for like a week? maybe more than that but I'm gonna be honest this fic was kicking my ass cause I was going through a lot while tryna write. needless to say there's so much projecting in this it's c r a z y. anyways even tho this took me so long, im still not satisfied with the ending but i digress since i need sumn to give yall ignore any and all mistakes cause this isnt proof read.
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It had been a month since Riri told Shuri she wasn't going to forgive her and it had been the worst month of both of their lives.
Shuri had basically overwhelmed herself with her work in the lab. She never left—she practically slept there most nights. 
It's not that Shuri had things to fix with the suits, hell, she didn't even bother looking at them because they reminded her of Riri, but she needed something to keep her hands and mind busy so she just worked on small projects.
People started to notice, obviously, but nobody said anything. It’s not that they didn’t want to, it’s the fact that they knew Shuri wouldn’t listen. She was in her own world right now—her own safe space and anybody who tried to break her out of it in any way would be yelled at. 
Okoye walks into the lab, rushing to Shuri’s side as she almost falls over. “kumkanikazi wam kufuneka uphumle," (My queen you must rest) she says, helping Shuri sit down.
“I’m fine, Okoye.” Shuri brushes her off and tries to stand, only to nearly collapse for a second time. Okoye sits her down again.
“You have buried yourself in your technology for the past month, Shuri. You are hurting your body.”
Shuri sits there for a second. Her head drops, making her sit up straight. “Alright, maybe, I should take a nap-”
“In your own bed,” Okoye interrupts.
“Yes, in my own bed, Okoye.” Shuri rolls her eyes in fake annoyance before leaving to go to her room.
Once she’s there, she takes a shower first. The water feels so nice against her skin that she doesn't wanna get out. 
Over an hour later, Shuri stepped out of the shower. She wrapped her towel around her body and made her way to her bedroom. She dried herself off and put on a pair of clothes then sat on her bed. It was quiet. She didn’t know how to feel with no foreign noise or voice in the background. Shuri shakes her head and puts her phone on her bedside table. That’s when she sees it. In the crevasse between the bed and the night stand was a photo. Shuri picked it up. It was a picture of her and Imani. It was their first date. Shuri can feel tears starting to form and puts the picture down. She closes her eyes and wraps her arms around her chest, slightly rocking side to side. She hasn't taken any time for herself since her breakup with Imani and now that she was, it… actually, Shuri didn’t know how she felt. At least, not exactly. Yes, she was hurt. Yes, she was upset, but what else? Imani had put Shuri through so much mental and emotional manipulation that even when they broke up Shuri didn’t realize it. Shuri doesn’t know if she should feel relieved now that she knows or not. In all honesty, realizing that she was basically nothing more than a plaything for Imani to control, realizing all the sleepless night and petty arguments would only ever end in Shuri apologizing whether she was in the wrong or not, realizing that her and Imani did have something real before things went south, it hurt.
Over the five years that they’ve known each other, they’ve broken up and gotten back together again a number of times. Shuri knew she shouldn’t have given in to Imani when she told Shuri that she had changed but Shuri missed her. I mean, could you blame her? Imani wasn’t the only person in their relationship and she wasn’t the only one who made the mistakes.
This breakup was different, though. It was final. Shuri and Imani had had an actual conversation, over text, about their relationship. Of course, Shuri had been the one who reached out first but when Imani told her she was tired of going back and forth, that was it. She left her alone.
Memories of how they were before they made anything official ran through Shuri’s mind. The midnight calls that would end up with Shuri falling asleep first because of how safe she felt with Imani. The constant texting and inside jokes they had with each other that no one else understood. The sound of her voice, her sweet, pretty smile that she always flashed at the camera, the future plans they had made with each other. Shuri had felt like she had met her true love, her first love. Ironic, huh? That the first person she ever dated would be the same person she would be with five, ten, twenty years later. Shuri had opened up to Imani about so many things. Things she would deny if somebody had asked her about it. Yes, Imani was Shuri’s first girlfriend but she made Shuri feel like they would never leave each other. Like they would stay together forever.
Shuri’s phone buzzes, the sound freeing her from her own mind. She lets herself go and wipes the tears she didn’t even realize had fallen. 
Ima ❤️
iMessage
Shuri dropped her phone. She got up, pacing around her room. So many questions started falling into her head all at once. She couldn’t think. She could hear her heartbeat in her-
Incoming call from Ima red heart
Shuri gasps, “Fuck!” 
Tears swelled her eyes. Why was Imani reaching out now? Just when Shuri was trying to start her healing process. Shuri sunk to the floor, head in her lap, hands over her head. She let her ringtone play out but even when it stopped she didn’t make any efforts to move.
She ended up sleeping there
Shuri hears Okoye’s voice when she starts waking up. Okoye’s shaking her and checking her vitals with her kimoyo beads.
“Okoye, I’m fine,” Shuri groans. Her side hurts from the way she slept but she barely even remembers sleeping.
“My queen, you have a visitor downstairs in the common area,” Okoye says.
Shuri prayed to Bast that it was Riri instead of Imani. "Tell them I'll be down in a second."
Okoye nods once before leaving.
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"Imani?" Shuri says, causing her to turn around. She looks… different. A good different. But Shuri won't let herself fall for that trick again. "Why're you here?"
"I came to apologize." Her voice is different, too. It sounds more mature than Shuri remembered. "I was tryna reach out to you last night so that we could actually schedule a day that you weren't busy so I could come by but you didn't answer so I figured an apology in person would be better."
Shuri keeps her guard up while Imani talks, her arms folded over chest. "I don't forgive you."
Imani stays quiet for a few seconds. "What? Shuri, I said I was sorry."
"Yeah, and I do not forgive you. You put me through hell, Imani, and I know you didn't seriously come here thinking that those two words would make you forgive you for everything. And, to be honest, I would tell you how fucked up in the head I am because of you, but knowing you, you'd probably use it against me in the future, if we even talk. So, why don't you just save both of our time and tell me why you're really here."
"Fine." Imani takes a deep breath. "I wanna try this again. I know I hurt you, and I am sorry, Shuri, I was going through a lot at the time we were dating and I projected my emotions onto you, which I shouldn't have. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me and I can't live without you."
"Then don't," Shuri shrugs.
"What?"
"Live without me."
Imani smiles. "I knew you'd understand -”
"Oh, no no," Shuri cuts her off, shaking her head. "I'm not saying we can get back together, Ima, I'm telling you to kill yourself. You know, since you can't live without me, just don't bother living at all."
"Shuri, what the fuck? What's wrong with you?"
"What's wrong with me is that my ex-girlfriend who mentally and emotionally abused me for years came into my house uninvited, gave a half-ass apology where she tried to turn herself into the victim, and then had the balls to ask me to get back together. That's what's wrong with me. You've ruined so many friendships I had and now thanks to you, I can't get them back. You knew I had never dated a girl before and you took advantage of that." Shuri raises her finger as Imani was about to say something. "And before you say it, no, we cannot just move on like we've done in the past. I deserve someone better than you. Someone who doesn't treat me like shit and doesn't ruin relationships I have with people just because they're insecure about themselves. So, do us both a favor and get the hell up outta my house. And if you can't find the exit on your own, Okoye and the other Dora will gladly help you." Just as the words left her mouth, Okoye and a few other Dora Milaje soldiers came from the shadows, spooking Imani.
"This isn't over, Shuri," Imani says while she's being rushed out. "You'll come running back!-”
"Oh, for bast's sake," Okoye says, rolling her eyes and pushing Imani out the house. "Make sure she leaves the city," she tells two of the Dora. "I do not want to see her here or anywhere in Wakanda again."
"Yes, General," They say in unison, escorting Imani off of Shuri's property.
Okoye turns around and sees that Shuri's sitting down on the couch. "Shuri, are you alright?"
Shuri nods. "Uh huh."
Okoye sits next to her. "You're crying," she says softly.
Shuri doesn't make any effort to wipe her tears or even hear what Okoye's saying. She's too busy replaying the "conversation" her and Imani just had. She hadn't expected to go off like that. She knew she was angry but she didn't realize she was that angry. Her words, her voice, her tone. 
"Can you give me a moment alone?" Shuri asks Okoye and Okoye nods once and rubs Shuri's shoulder before leaving the house.
Shuri sat on the couch until the sun went down. She didn't realize she had been staring into space for so long until she felt her eyes getting heavy. She gets up slowly and drags herself to her bed, falling into it once she's close enough. She holds her legs against her chest and continues staring into space.
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Riri paces herself in her head. Stop acting like a pussy and just knock, she says in her head. She takes a deep breath and knocks on the door. It opens slowly.
"Riri?" Shuri opens the door completely. "What're you doing here?" Shuri looks…like hell. Her voice came off so quiet Riri had barely heard her. There's bags under her eyes and they're red and puffy. She's been crying.
Riri rubs her hand on the back of her neck, "I wanted to talk to you."
"I thought you didn't want anything to do with me," Shuri mumbles. Her tone isn't harsh or anything, it's soft again. Despite Shuri's words, she opens the door fully, stepping out the way to let Riri inside.
Riri walks in slowly and sits down on the couch, Shuri sitting next to her.
"I know what I said to you the last time we saw each other was harsh, Shuri," Riri says after a few minutes of silence. "And I wanna apologize for it."
Shuri tilts her head, "Ri, you don't have to apologize for-" 
Riri shakes her head. "No, I do. I'm assuming you and Imani broke up before you came to see me and instead of understanding where you were coming from, I brushed you off. You didn't deserve that and I know it's no excuse but the only reason I did is because I like you. That's why it hurts me so much when you cut me off."
Shuri pauses. I like you. Like. Not liked. Like. 
"You… you like me?" Shuri says slowly. "Like, present tense, Ri? Like, like like?"
"Yes, like like, Shuri," Riri says smiling.
"Even though I hurt you?"
Riri shrugs. "Everybody makes mistakes. Don't worry about it."
Shuri stays quiet for a few seconds. "So, what now? Are you…my girlfriend?"
Riri turns her full body towards Shuri, looking her in her eyes. "Can I be your girlfriend, Shuri?"
"Yes." Shuri's answer is immediate but she means it. She likes Riri. She's always liked Riri. Riri was easy to talk to, Shuri always found herself at Riri's apartment whenever she and Imani ended up fighting.
"Should we watch a movie?" Riri asks.
Shuri nods. "You can pick, I'ma go freshen up a little bit and get some blankets."
It's been four months since Shuri and Riri have started dating. 
Shuri's happier now, way happier. Her mental health since she and Riri have gotten together has slowly improved. It's taken some time but when Shuri finally opened up to Riri about what she went through while dating Imani, Riri almost booked a flight to LA just to find her. Shuri had to beg her not to because she knew how that would end and she didn't need her new girlfriend ending up in jail because of her ex.
"Mama, can you come here for a minute please?"
Shuri pauses the TV and walks over to Riri, who's in the kitchen. "Yes?"
"I want you to try something for me." Riri puts a plate of food in front of Shuri as she sits down on the bar stool next to the counter. Shuri's confused at first, she doesn't know what the dish is, but before she can ask the question, Riri speaks up, "It's ground beef and rice. You told me you'd never actually had it before so I decided to make it for you."
Shuri smiles at the fact that Riri remembers. She takes a small bite at first then a bigger one. "This is good, Ri," she says with her mouth slightly full. "Like, really fucking good." Riri covers her hand over her mouth to hide her smile but Shuri can still see it from the way her cheeks go up.
Shuri finishes her plate in a matter of seconds. Riri had been making meals for Shuri ever since she found out she had barely been eating and despite eating being difficult, Shuri finished her food every. single. time. 
"You like it?" Riri says, still smiling, "Like, you really like it?"
"Yes, Ri. It's so good." While Shuri goes to put her plate in the sink, she kisses Riri on her forehead. "You should definitely open that restaurant you've been talking about."
Riri chuckles and sits on the counter. "I want to, but to open a restaurant, first, I need money. Then, I need a vacant lot, and then I need employees and-"
"Baby, I have money. I have people and friends who can work for you."
Riri shakes her head, "No, no, I wanna make it there on my own, and I'd love your help but I don't want the foundation of my restaurant to be you cause then I'm gonna feel like I owe you for the rest of my life."
"I get it, Ri. I want to help you, I do, but since you wanna make it on your own, I'll let you and when you do make it on your own, I will be there with you."
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xblackreader · 1 year
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ANGSTY ATTOYE ONE SHOT - Attuma X Okoye
the rest will be on ao3! Hurt/Comfort ❤️‍🩹
Okoye had given birth in the river of the border tribe surrounded by shamans of Wakandan blood and Talokanil, whispering praises to their respective Gods and blessing the child with ability.
The child came out, with dark skin and thin but curly hair and took a deep first breath
of water.
Okoye held the child to her breasts and cried. Attuma held the child up and watched it take its second deep breath
Of air.
The country rejoiced.
This child of wind and sea was a beacon of unity. a symbol of love between nations and elements.
A child of strength born of two respected generals, the first thing this child did was make a tight fist and the father of the child boasted to all who would listen. His child would be a soldier!
A happy and beautiful child of deep curls, pointed ears and cacao skin.
Her child... was a soldier? the child's mother was shaken to hear this.
.
.
.
Go see the rest on AO3 🤭💗 @/ ourblackdahlia
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yandere-daydreams · 3 months
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tw - non/con, manipulation, mentions of breeding, and unbalanced power dynamics.
Snow Leopard!Satoru, who's ecstatic the day his owner, Suguru, brings you home. He's the pinnacle of a spoiled pet, constantly showered in toys and treats and affection, but his owner's a busy man, and he tends to sulk when left home alone. He's had other companions before, another leopard hybrid who nearly killed him before being released back into the wild and a black panther who somehow proved to be a worse influence on Satoru than Satoru was on her, but you're supposed to be more permanent solution, another hosuepet to keep him company when Suguru can't. You're a sweet little housecat, all wide-eyes and raised ears, but still, Suguru wouldn't be surprised if you're begging to go back to the shelter less than an hour after meeting your new roommate.
Snow Leopard!Satoru, who falls in love with you immediately. Suguru practically has to keep him in a chokehold while you explore your new home, eventually curling up on your new bed. Satoru's on top of you as soon as he gets loose, purring obnoxiously while he runs his bristled tongue over your cheek. Suguru's half-convinced that your first day's going to end with bloody claws and bandages, but you only nuzzle into his chest and knead at the blankets underneath you. Satoru's a difficult cat to put up with, and Suguru's relieved that you, at least, find him tolerable.
Snow Leopard!Satoru, who's absolutely massive compared to you. The tips of your pointed ears barely reach his collarbones, and your wrist is only as thick as his fluffy tail. His favorite hobby quickly becomes carrying you from room to room despite your softly mewled protests, and he's not happy unless he's pressed against you as closely as possible. He used to force himself into Suguru's lap whenever possible, but now, he's unbearable unless you're sitting pretty in his. He doesn't even complain when you lose your temper and dig your little fangs (barely half the size of his - a poor imitation of a real predator's) into his arm, just grinning as he tugs at your ears and pinches your cheeks. He's not exactly a wild animal, but he's still at the top of his food chain. You're not quite a mouse, but you might as well be, compared to him.
Snow Leopard!Satoru, who's calling you his mate after less than a full month. You don't know what it means, often parroting it back as more of a question than a term of endearment, and Suguru just brushes it off as Satoru being deliberately irritating. He keeps it up, though. even after you start refusing to respond to it.
Snow Leopard!Satoru, who starts introducing you to new "games". You know you don't stand a chance against him, but somehow, he always manages to goad you into roughhousing, into squirming as he pins you under his full weight. He likes to dangle things above your head, to see how long it takes your instincts to get the best of you before your chest is pressed against his and you're pouting so adorably as you jump and bat at his hand. Sometimes, when you fall asleep mid-grooming session, he'll let his mouth wander lower than it should, and you'll wake up to his tongue lapping over your chest, his face buried between your thighs in a way that leaves you teary-eyed and warm. You've tried to tell Suguru, but you always get embarrassed and end up mumbling something as vague as 'Satoru's being mean to me, again.' In the end, Satoru only ever gets a slap on the wrist and a new reason to tease you, next time Suguru turns his back.
Snow Leopard!Satoru, who fucks you whenever Suguru isn't home. He planned on waiting for your first heat (delayed by your shelter suppressants and the stress of a new home), and he knows he's not supposed to, but he just can't get enough of having your smaller body curled up underneath his, your tail thrashing from side to side as he lazily rolls his hips against yours. You tend to whine, at first, to go on and on about how weird it feels and how much it hurts, but as soon he gets his cock inside of you, all those complaints tend to go away. It's almost funny, how easily your stupid little kitty mind gets all hazy and cockdrunk. He always loves you, but he loves you most when you're drooling and purring for his cum, begging him to breed you properly between hitched moans.
Snow Leopard!Satoru, who's not even mad when Suguru catches him bouncing your half-conscious, fucked-out body on his cock. He wants to be the best possible mate for you, and he couldn't do that if he wasn't willing to show you off <3
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radiofreederry · 1 year
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Happy birthday, Huey P. Newton! (February 17, 1942)
A founder of the Black Panther Party, Huey P. Newton was a revolutionary and a radical whose ideas influenced a generation of Black and leftist activists. Born in Monroe, Louisiana, Newton moved with his family to Oakland during the Second Great Migration of Black Americans from the South in response to racial prejudice and anti-Black violence. Newton learned to read by studying Plato's Republic, and he retained a political and philosophical mindset throughout his life. While studying at Merritt College in Oakland, Newton read the works of Marx, Lenin, Fanon, Malcom X, and Mao, among others, which further influenced him towards left-wing and revolutionary politics. While still a student, he met Bobby Seale, and the two co-founded the Black Panther Party, crafting its Ten-Point Program together. The BPP's program demanded housing, healthcare, employment, and revolutionary education for Black people, as well as an end to police brutality, imperialism, and capitalism. Newton's BPP began a number of social programs in the Bay Area, including providing food and education to impoverished Black youth. The BPP also became known for its focus on armed community defense, with Newton in particular a strong advocate for the right of Black people to self-defense. Newton also used his leadership position within the BPP to advocate for the rights of women and gay people, embracing them as equal partners in the struggle for liberation. Newton was arrested in 1967 for voluntary manslaughter, but a public pressure campaign contributed to the charges being dropped, and he subsequently was invited to visit China, where he met with Zhou Enlai. Newton was murdered in 1989; a man named Tyrone Robinson was convicted of the act. Newton left behind a large body of work, including his autobiography, Revolutionary Suicide.
"Revolutionary suicide does not mean that I and my comrades have a death wish; it means just the opposite. We have such a strong desire to live with hope and human dignity that existence without them is impossible. When reactionary forces crush us, we must move against these forces, even at the risk of death."
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bowandcurtsey · 9 months
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when y/n's ex appears Pt 3.
BC boys: Yuno | Zora | Luck [Part 1]
JJK: Sukuna | Gojo [Part 2]
Haikyuu: Kuroo | Nishinoya | Sakusa [Part 3]
x f! reader
Slight nsfw (hickeys mentioned)
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Kuroo Tetsuro
{this ex of yours from high school whom you used to date before kuroo is now a new colleague in your job.. And when kuroo finds out, he's not that happy. }
When he came to pick you one day and Kuroo saw him, or actually he said hello to Kuroo because y'know Kuroo was his senpai in school and all. Kuroo's face twitched a little but he still gave a smile and said hello.
Kuroo's hands instinctively wrapped around you and pulled you closer to him while exchanging in a meaningless conversation with your ex.
When you're both in the car, he sulks more when he finds out your ex is from the same department as you are and that you'll have to work together once in awhile.
He now leaves hickeys in subtle but noticeable places and whenever he comes to pick you and sees him, he'll hold you tighter and give you kisses right in front of him.
Somehow you can call it a man's instinct, but Kuroo warned you to not let him ever send you back home and to keep your distance other than work related things.
Of course you respected your man, because in so so so many ways your Kuroo is just much better than your ex.
one day after a company dinner, your ex was a little high, and he confessed to you, saying he never really got over you and asked you for a second chance.
"er, but i have a boyfriend now, and we broke up for a reason." you said.
He backed off a little but still offered to send you back home since it was getting late. He pestered you a little about it until a sound of a horn scared him.
Kuroo walked out from his jet black mercedes, looking all hot in just a sweat pants and a t shirt.
He pulled you into his arms and stared right at your ex. "back off from my girl, it's my last warning." his face was no longer smiling like their past encounters, and his eyes were like a fierce panther ready to attack.
Well, safe to say from then onwards, he never really bothered you much anymore.
Nishinoya Yuu
{Noya plays volleyball in a club for leisure and one day a new guy joins, and he happened to be your ex}
when you came to watch Noya play his games, you noticed someone new, and to your surprise (and horror) it was someone that you used to date back in high school.
When your ex saw you, he ran up to you to say hello, excited to see you again. But you weren't really interested since he dumped you and quickly got together with another girl.
Man even got the audacity to tell Noya that "we used to date back in high school"
but thank god Noya was pretty quick witted so he replied "oh, you're the ex that dumped her for another chick?"
But your ex was also thick skinned, so he sheepishly smiled, saying "it's all in the past!"
Noya couldn't care any less. When it came to volleyball, he focused on the ball and the game and as usual everyone is always in awe of the plays Noya made. Even as a librero, he shone.
But for your ex, he constantly came to talk to you on breaks and he even texted you after.
Initially Noya was just "oh. okay." He's just innocent and didn't think much of it.
Until you told him one day that your ex actually told you to give him a second chance. That's when Noya understood the ulterior motives this guy had.
Whenever you came to support him, Noya told you to wear his shirts or old jerseys. You always held his water bottle and towel and handed it to him during breaks and he would always give you a kiss on your forehead before running back in game.
At the end of the day, Noya would always help carry all your stuff and held your hand out of the gym.
But your ex didn't back down, still constantly texting you and trying to talk to you.
One day, during a break in the games, Noya looked at him dead panned in the eye, telling him : "oi. stop bothering y/n, she mine's and i never lose what's mine."
He just walked away, leaving your ex stunned and everyone giving the "ohhhhs" and "ahhhhs"
Noya gave a perfect defence that day. He never lost a ball that was in his area, be it a tip or a heavy spike.
Your ex left the leisure team shortly after.
Sakusa Kiyoomi
{You were Msby's assistant manager and your ex joined in as a new player for Msby's team}
When your ex saw you he greeted you, "oh hello y/n, fancy seeing you here!"
Everyone was curious of course, asking how did you guys know each other.
"We used to date after high school, just briefly!" he explained. And everyone stared at Sakusa, to which he just shrugged and went back to doing what he's doing.
Atsumu even teased his a little, "ohhhh~ someone's jealous ain't he?" earning a hard smack in the back.
Sakusa was a little more quiet than usual that day, even though his performance was still as good as ever.
Even your ex was impressed, "whoa you're good."
Sakusa was never the physically affectionate type when outside because "I'm sweaty and there are a lot of germs" but that day he held your hand after practice when you went home together.
Back home, he showered and then he was super clingy towards you. pulling you into his lap and cuddling you quietly.
Your man wasn't one with much words but you knew he wasn't too happy about meeting your ex and having to have to work with him for long term. You quietly ran your fingers through his hair.
From then whenever you had practice, you constantly showed your affection for him, cheering when he scored points and always telling him good job after practice. You would purposely ask him things like "where should we go today," or "what should we eat for dinner tonight" where you knew that your ex could hear.
You never really talked to your ex unless it was due to volleyball reasons. Giving Sakusa as much affirmation from you as he needs.
Slowly, sakusa became unbothered by him, until one day, your ex made a joke about how you changed from the past you and this wasn't how you were like when you dated.
And you could clearly see Sakusa getting annoyed. He came over and wrapped his strong arms around you, looking at your ex straight in the eye "she's perfect right now." and pulled you away.
Everyone was silent, and Atsumu gave a low whistle.
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kaladinkholins · 3 months
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Blue Eye Samurai characters as animals
First of all, let me just reassert my dog Taigen agenda.
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Like I keep talking about it but this man really growls and barks like a dog, and yaps and follows Mizu around like a puppy.
I don't know much about dog breeds but my first thought was German Shepherd for Taigen. Typical guard dog you know? Fierce, aggressive, loyal, and very disciplined when trained.
Or maybe he'd be an Akita? Since that's a Japanese dog breed, and they're also large and powerful. They're quite similar to German Shepherds, not only in appearance, but they're also good as guard dogs and hunting dogs, though they're less predictable and not as family-friendly.
Also in Japanese folklore, dogs tend to be seen as auspicious guides and protectors that have the power to resist evil spirits and demons. Dog statues are often placed at city gates to ward off thieves and robbers. Ties back to guard dog behaviour lmao, and brings to mind how the Shogun praised Taigen's loyalty and specifically requested that Taigen be one of the people guarding him at his side.
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Okay next, moving on, let's talk about cat Mizu, which I've also talked about before, but okay. Just look at this.
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Neko Mizu my beloved.....!!! Scrunkly and scrungy. Graceful predators, introverted and mysterious, but feisty, unassuming little creatures of chaos. WILL scratch you without hesitation.
Also I think she'd specifically be a black cat, because of the prejudice towards black cats as "unlucky." Similar to how Mizu is discriminated against as people believe she's a "monster."
It's also interesting to note that cats have several different forms within Japanese folklore, from the deadly and malevolent nekomata, to shapeshifting bakeneko, to the waving figurine of the maneki-neko placed in shops to bring in prosperity. Some theorise that the diverse range of folklore stories regarding cats is related to how the species is not indigenous to Japan, which is also interesting when you recall that Mizu is mixed race.
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I feel that she could honestly be any domestic black cat, but if I had to choose a specific breed, then I think she'd suit a Bombay. Very glossy black coats. Muscular but lean. Very panther-like. Only thing is that Bombays are known for their special copper eyes, but the fact that eye colour is a notable thing about their breed is also a very interesting parallel.
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And I know I said in my previous post (linked above) that Ringo is the exhausted but loving caretaker of the two of them, but Ringo has an animal form too! He's a tanuki, also known as Japanese raccoon dogs! In folklore, they're silly little guys, happy and mischievous, a little absent-minded and goofy, but they're shapeshifting masters of disguise.
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Also, in canon, Ringo literally lived with a family of tanuki during winter at some point in his life! He talks about this when he meets Mizu in the first episode. Image below is a concept of a deleted scene, courtesy of Brian Kesinger, the show's head of story.
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Next, Akemi. Now, I know she has all that bird symbolism going on, but Mizu also had horse symbolism (due to her connection with her horse Kai). So, personality and design-wise, I don't think the symbolism has to necessarily match up. And with that said, I would like to propose another idea: I think Akemi is more like a fox!
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Like I'm convinced she is in fact a beautiful kitsune in disguise. Because kitsunes in Japanese folklore are known to shapeshift into beautiful women, and are very elegant, cunning and intelligent, which seems a lot like Akemi to me!
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So yeah that's it. They're a bunch of cute animals. The end.
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angelanderson · 11 months
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── ⋅⋅⋅ ────꒰ ୨ ♡ ୧ ꒱──────────
TRINKETS- ELLIE WILLIAMS (fluff/100% sfw)
⚠️: men and minors dni. here’s the ellie williams fluff we’ve all wanted! short & sweet & not sad ♡ enjoy! xoxo (kinda edited)
── ⋅⋅⋅ ────꒰ ୨ ♡ ୧ ꒱──────────
it almost could be considered a shrine of sorts at this point. your girlfriend frequently brought you back things from patrol— she either thought you’d like it or if it reminded her of you. ellie lived for the way your eyes would light up when she showed you something she brought back just for you.
the first item ellie ever brought you back was a simple golden locket. heart-shaped and engraved with flowers around the edges. you made ellie pose for a polaroid picture, which you ended up gluing into the locket. you always wear the necklace, telling ellie it means she’s always close to your heart, no matter how far apart you may be that day. it’s simply your most prized possession.
the second gift is one that lives on your bed. ellie had brought you back a pink stuffed rabbit about a month into your relationship. she heard how worried you’d be while she was gone, so she got you a buddy to help with the anxiety. she even lets you spray it with her cologne when you get too upset about her leaving. while you still worry, you now feel calmer on your nights alone with a piece her to cuddle with. ellie definitely doesn’t keep a polaroid picture of you sleeping with it in her pocket to look at on patrols. definitely not.
another gift came soon after a drunken confession. it was spilled that you wish you could paint your nails like in the old magazines passed around jackson. dina had agreed with you, “yeah, i think i could definitely pull off a deep red color. it’d be cool to do.” unbeknownst to you, ellie had spent three months worth of patrols trying to find you some nail polish. forest fairy green, golden goose, sparkly pony pink, pink panthers, wine o’clock red, in bloom blue, and black 01 were given to you one wednesday after her patrol. you started crying after giggling about the silly names. “why are you crying? do you feel okay?” ellie frantically searched your face. you smiled through your tears, “i love you so much. i just can’t believe you remembered.” she kissed your forehead, “anything for my best girl. love you always.” safe to say you shared your red with dina so you could have matching nails with your friend.
the most recent post-patrol gift given to you was a cookbook. ellie had explained her and jesse explored an old bookstore, leading to some fun discoveries. after coming to jackson, it was soon discovered by everyone that you were massively talent when it came to cooking. plus, you’ve always taken pride in cooking dinner for both you and ellie. cooking together was also a favorite of both of yours. you’ve shared many wine and cooking date nights together.
committed to going on patrol one day to return the favor, you had finally convinced ellie to let you go on a safe supply run with jesse. it only took you five months of begging. ellie almost cried tears of happiness when you brought her back a leather bound journal. she had immediately noticed the three page long love letter, lipstick kiss, and polaroid picture of you two you’d put in the first few pages. to say it quickly became her most prized possession would be an under statement. she took it around with her frequently. it was her second little reminder of you when you two were apart. a lot of pages held little physical moments of your love together. she couldn’t have ever asked for a better gift or girlfriend.
524 notes · View notes
oreosmilkshakes · 1 year
Text
Forever Mine
Pairing: Namor/K’uk’ulkan x reader
Fandom: Marvel- Black Panther Wakanda Forever
Word Count: 2,764
Warning(s): Dark Namor, !!there may be spoilers!!, violence, stalking behaviour, assault, kidnapping, dark ending
A/N: I hope I got the language Namor spoke correctly. I would be so disappointed if I didn’t :((. I watched BPWF recently and guess who I fell for               ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)? Also, cringy title, I know. Anyway, here is my contribution to Namor. Not my best work but here is another dark (I hope) fic by me. Happy reading!
Taglist: NIL
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The first time she saw him… it was close to midnight.
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Her eyes had trouble seeing in the dark night, with the light emitting from her home giving no help. There was a dark silhouette standing under a tree, by the rocks where water would occasionally strike it. [Name]’s breath hitched, frozen on the spot. She really tried to make out the figure but he just stood there amongst the darkness.
“H-hello?” She called out to the figure, swallowing nervously. Her heart raced, feeling a drop of sweat trickling down her forehead. [Name] blinked, only to find the dark figure had seemingly disappeared into thin air. She felt goosebumps covering her skin, rubbing her arms quickly to try to calm herself.
[Name] tried looking out for the figure, even calling out. Perhaps the darkness had played tricks on her, shadows of the night that danced in the darkness. After all, the mind was a powerful tool. She ventured closer to where the figure was, noticing something glinting at her.
“Huh?” She tilted her head, kneeling down to dust the sand off the item. It winked at her. Under the pale moonlight, she could make out the item. It was a bracelet, made out of green jewels and a study fibre as its strings. Her fingers picked up the bracelet, dusting more sand off.
Did someone lose this? Perhaps it belonged to someone from the village. It certainly didn’t look like it had an owner. The jewel looked exotic and did not look like it belonged to this land.
Clutching the bracelet close, [Name] briskly made her way back home, making sure her windows and doors were locked. She couldn’t stop thinking of the haunting silhouette as she changed into her nightgown, the bracelet now left on the bedside table. A soft yawn escaped her lips, switching off the bedside lamp. She drifted off to sleep with nothing by the figure and the bracelet on her mind.
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The next time she saw him..it was close to noon, where the day was bright.
The sun was a comforting warmth as [Name] smoothed her sundress down. It had been a month since her unexpected encounter and she had forgotten about it with the brace around her wrist now. The very next day, she went to the village, asking around if the bracelet belonged to anyone but her actions were futile. The bracelet belonged to no one so she decided to wear it. It was a gorgeous piece of jewellery and it would be a shame to just leave it alone. [Name] hummed a soft tune to herself, broom in hand as she cleaned up her front porch of any dead leaves. She never regretted living alone, so far out in the country and so close to the water where it was always peaceful.
She stopped humming when she heard singing. The woman paused her chore, listening closely. Amidst the wind and the sound of the waves, someone was singing. She set the broom against the wall, leaving the comforts of her home to follow the source of the singing. It was like a trance, like magic. She couldn’t pull away from the trance even if she wanted to. She inched closer to the water, the soft, magical tune stopped and that’s when she saw him.
A man. A man with pointed ears, dressed in the most gorgeous pieces of jewellery she had ever seen and nothing but green shorts. He was tall, skin a beautiful tan, broad chest exposed for the world to see. Her jaw slacked as she studied the man from head to toe. He wore a calm expression but [Name] could see his eyes–oh, his eyes were dark and clouded. He took a step forward and she took a step back. “H-hello? Who are you?” Her voice trembled, betraying the brave look she tried to wear. The man’s expression changed, from calm to amused. He took another step forward again and she saw briefly..wings on his ankles as she took another step back.
“No. Stay away!” The woman yelped as he took another step and this time, he didn’t stop.
[Name] turned tail, running back to her home with her heart pounding against her chest. She slammed the door shut, looking through the blinds to see if the man had followed her. She waited and waited and waited.
Nothing.
He was definitely not human. She knew she lived in a world where aliens and gods existed but to have people dwelling in the water? That was something new altogether. [Name] didn’t hesitate, rushing to her laptop to research what she just saw. What a nightmare.
--------------------------------------------
The third time she met him..it was five to one at night.
Her research was fruitless. Nobody, seemingly no one, has ever seen a man with pointed ears or anyone dwelling in the waters. [Name] kept on thinking and thinking about him and it haunted her waking days.
Why did he show himself? Did he want something? Did he want to hurt her?
[Name] didn’t know. ‘If he wanted me dead, he could have done it several times over, now,’ She thought, sitting on the steps of her front porch. But, of course, that didn’t mean she could rule that thought out. A rustling sound pulled the woman out of her deep thoughts and a man stumbled towards the beach. He carried a bottle in his hand, his each step wobbled.
‘Oh good. A drunk near my home,’ She sighed and it caught the drunkard’s attention.
He grinned an ugly smile, raising the bottle at her. It looked empty.
“Hmm..what’s a pretty lady doing out here?” The man slurred, approaching the woman. She stood immediately, moving back as the man got closer and closer.
“Come on, little lady. Give me some entertainment?” He offered disgustingly and she almost gagged at that. He had a hand on her and the woman struggled. “No! Get off of me!” She shoved the man off, taking off towards the beach. The man struck his cheek against the pillar, groaning. “You little bitch! Get back here!” He growled, giving chase to the woman.
[Name] turned back as she ran, the drunk man was catching up to her. She screamed loudly when he tackled her, the bottle forgotten in the sand as his hands moved to her dress.
“A little fun won’t hurt,” The drunk cackled, gripping her dress tightly. Tears pricked her eyes as she struggled, fighting against the strength of the man but exhaustion was close to getting her. Both hands went to her face, protecting it from the man. He gave another ugly smile, the smell of alcohol was strong in her face. “That’s it. Just let it happen. It’ll be over soon eno-,” [Name] screamed, feeling something warm splattered all over her. Her body soon felt light, the weight of the man no longer on her as the man fell to the side with a soft ‘thud’. With shaking hands, she opened to look but her view was obscured as she was pulled into a warm, wet chest. A strong arm wrapped around her shoulder, keeping her very close.
“Don’t look,” The deep, accented voice instructed. [Name] wanted to fight, to push away but all she could do was cry in the man’s chest. She didn’t need to look to see who it was. The smell of salt was enough. She cried and sobbed, shaken by the incident. An arm moved under her knee and the other kept a firm, yet soft grip on her shoulder. The man picked her up, slowly walking back in the direction of his love’s seaside home. His ear twitched. His love was quiet as he got closer to her home and he could only conclude that she had fallen asleep in his arms.
Namor’s expression was dark, a calm anger behind his eyes. He set the woman down on her bed, tears covered her smooth cheek. He clenched his jaw, a boiling anger grew in his heart. He hated the surface dwellers and the drunk man was one example why.
How dare he hurt his love? The woman he had been watching ever since she moved into this seaside home.
Namor had grabbed a rag from the kitchen, cleaning the blood off [Name]’s skin. The pale orange dress she wore was ruined and the King made a mental note to replace it with something made by his people. His hands carefully peeled the dress, eyes darkening further at the bare sight before him.
His love was gorgeous.
His queen was worthy of his love.
Namor covered the woman with her blanket, a hand moving to her cheeks to wipe the tear stains away as he leaned down, warm lips brushing her ear.
“Mix máak teech yaan u mentik loob Ma'atech asab, in yaakunaj,” (No one will ever hurt you again, my love) Namor whispered, leaving the woman’s home. He discarded the dress, approaching the dead body. His grand spear stuck out of the human’s body, blood tainted the rich sand. He growled under his breath, gripping the spear. He ripped it out of the body, blood flowed down from the blade to the base of his weapon.
“Asqueroso,” The King spat, leaving the beach. He would have to request the aid of his soldiers to clean up the beach so as to not taint his love’s mind further.
[Name] woke with the bright sun shining on her eyelids. Her body felt heavy and tired, and the memory of last night was faint and a blur. She pushed her blanket off, noticing her bare form underneath it. The longer she stared at her bare skin, the more she began to remember. A loud gasp left her lips, scrambling out of her bed. She reached for her robe, slipping it on as she rushed out the front door.
What happened after the assault was a blur but she remembered the voice. The deep and comforting voice.
[Name] ran to the spot where the incident happened, expecting to find the police and locals surrounding the area but nothing. There was nothing. No people, no drunkard. Nothing. She swallowed, turning to return home. A part of her was afraid to even think about last night’s incident but another part of her sought comfort in the thought that the man had saved her.
The woman shut the door behind her, glancing to her sofa to find an orange piece of fabric. It was beautifully decorated and the material looked soft. She approached the fabric, holding it up. A dress, one to replace yesterday’s. A soft smile spread on her lips, holding the fabric close.
She would have to thank him the next time she saw the man.
--------------------------------------------
But the next time she met him, it was a whole month after that dreadful incident.
[Name] would wait for the man to appear, venturing towards the rocks where she first saw his silhouette or further into the beach with hopes of finding him. Everyday and everynight.
But nothing.
The man didn’t return.
[Name] thought the man had abandoned her, perhaps finding some other woman to be his muse.
Then one night, when the clock almost struck 12 once more, she saw him walking out of the water. The moon was bright that day, giving her a clear view of the man. Her lips parted, heart racing with anticipation as she slowly approached him. It was only then did she realise how much he towered over her. Saltwater coated his skin and she watched as he ran a hand through his wet hair.
“It’s you..,” [Name] began, swallowing as her eyes studied the man closely. His eyes wore the same darkness but it also carried some softness to it.
“Who are you? What are you? I-I cannot thank you enough for saving me. I-,” She stopped, forcing her tears back. Her head hung low, a hand moving to wipe her eyes quickly.
Namor moved a hand under her chin, lifting her head up slowly.
“My people call me K’uk’ulkan. Others who are not in favour, they call me Namor..,” He drifted off, thumb gently brushing her chin as he stared deep into the woman’s eyes.
“K’uk’ulkan,” She spoke, slowly and it sent tingles down the King’s spine. The way his name rolled off her tongue was like music to his ears. He brushed his thumb across her lower lip, humming lowly.
“I am the King of Talokan, my empire, my people. We reside beneath the Atlantic, away from the eyes of..surface dwellers,” She could hear the venom towards the end, flinching a little from the harshness. She brought a hand to his bicep, gently squeezing it in an attempt to comfort the King.
[Name] felt utmost grateful to the King and she inched closer to him.
“Thank you..for saving me. If it wasn’t for you, I..I refuse to think what would even happen if you hadn’t come,” She stopped, moving her head away to look at the distant sea. Namor moved his hands to her hips, gently gripping it. He leaned in, brushing his nose against her hair. “No one will ever hurt you again, mi amor. I will make sure of it,” He whispered lowly. [Name] rested her head against Namor’s chest momentarily, taking in his warmth in this cool night.
[Name] thought back on Namor’s words. It’s clear he didn’t exactly like humans. She knew how destructive they can be. But why her? Why did he not kill her? What makes her so special?
“Why me?” The woman pulled away, eyes meeting Namor’s.
“Hm?” He questioned.
“Why don’t you kill me? Why did you save me? It’s clear you don’t like humans but..but why me?” She asked, wetting her dry lips.
At this, Namor let out a low chuckle. His hand moved to the bracelet around her wrist, thumb brushing against the delicate skin.
“For so long, mi amor, I have watched you. I studied you and the very minute I saw you weren’t a threat, I knew I didn’t want to kill you. Yes, I have a certain hatred towards surface dwellers but it would be irrational of a King to not observe the good and bad aspects of the human race, wouldn’t it? My mother was once human and I accept that part of me,” Namor explained, his hand moving to brush a strand of hair behind the woman’s ear. Her cheeks flushed red and he could hear just how hard her heart was pounding in her chest.
“Do you know the reason why I saved you? Do you know the real reason why I watch you? Because I..,” Namor trailed off, both hands now gripping [Name]’s waist tightly. She winced, brows furrowed as she pushed slightly against the King.
“Because I want you for myself. To be mine and mine only. That filth touched you and I killed him for you. I killed him for you. I decorated my spear with his blood with one thing on my mind– that he hurt you and deserved to die,” [Name] saw his dark eyes, his tone was harsher and his grip was tight.
“L-Let go of me!” She pushed against the King but he refused to let her go.
“No. I will never let you go again. You are mine, [Name]. You are mine and mine only. I will make you my queen and you..you shall bear my child. I will make sure of that,” Namor growled, jaw clenched.
Behind, she could see blue-skinned creatures, dressed like warriors, walking out of the water. The larger male held in his hand a mask.
“No! No!” [Name] screamed, tears flowing down her cheeks as she fought against Namor’s hold. “Please, no! I don’t want this! I don’t want this!” She cried, her arms flailing about. Her fist collided with Namor’s jaw and the King’s head turnt to the side. Her teary eyes widened as Namor slowly turned back to her. Instead of anger, he smirked. Attuma handed his King the mask and he slowly brought it up to the woman’s mouth. [Name] struggled harder but whatever was emitting from the mask made her drowsy.
“No..please..Namor..,” The woman begged, eyes droopy. She slumped against Namor’s strong arm, the mask sitting snugly on her face.
“Sleep now, In yakunaj (my love),” Namor purred, picking the woman up in a bridal style. His lips brushed her forehead in a twisted, loving kiss as he walked towards the water with his soldiers.
“When you wake, everything will be so much better,”
“You are mine..forever,”
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alavestineneas · 1 year
Text
Soul
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pairing: Finnick Odair x fem!reader
summary: This is war, and people make choices. Sometimes, there is no right one.
warnings: typical hunger games violence, Finnick and Annie aren’t soulmates, minor character death
Haymitch clicks the skip button on the remote; the next pair of tributes shows up on the screen.
''District two,'' he announces. ''Male volunteer, Brutus. His main weapon is a spear. Female tribute: Y/N.''
"Wow," Peeta mutters under his breath.
''I know her,'' Katniss says, glancing at the man beside her. ''She is on TV all the time.''
''Trust me, she is everywhere. Y/N is your main competition—Capitol's darling, lines of sponsors, deadly with a knife. They call her Panther.''
"Panther?" Katniss scoffs.
"She killed one in the arena with her bare hands." Haymitch chuckles, seeing his tribute's face transform from confident to slightly horrified.
''She is committed. I'll give her that,'' Peeta jokes.
The woman on the screen gives the cameras a half-smile, joining hands with her partner. The District 2 audience roars in excitement. Katniss felt shivers coating her skin; something in the woman's gaze caught her attention.
-
''Nice dress, dear. Though I don't know if I can call it that.''
Y/N did not even turn around, completely ignoring Finnick's existence. Her dress, or rather, a piece of cloth, left a little to the imagination. Black, almost sheer fabric lightly coated her body, tracing its curves; the only stronghold of modesty was lace lingerie.
Finnick would lie if he said she wasn't impressive; the woman looked like a goddess. It was her job, after all. Besides, he had seen her in much less. They fucked a couple of times, both too drunk to remember. That's what he told her, at least. That it doesn't mean anything because, to her, it didn't.
Finnick remembers every whisper and every messy kiss. The smell of her perfume mixed with shampoo and sweat; Y/N's hands on his back. Not soft like Annie's; no, in calluses and cuts from hours of training.
He knows it's a dead end and still allows her to kiss him. She never stays, each time running through his fingers like sand. He wasn't in love with her. Love is supposed to feel light and warm, like Annie's smile, and this felt bitter.
And yet, his soul belonged to Y/N. Maybe because she didn't care about him, Finnick was willing to let her keep it. It wasn't fair. He was supposed to be happy with Annie. She was home, his lighthouse.
But Y/N was his sea.
''Look who's talking.'' The woman finally turned around, finishing checking the strings on her horse. ''What do you want, golden boy? An alliance?'' She raised an eyebrow.
''With you? I'd rather be dead.''
''I wouldn't worry about that part, Odair.'' Brutus intervened. ''We have fifteen minutes before the start, so I suggest you keep moving.''
His outfit was much more proper. Finnick guessed it was for the best; he was not particularly excited to see the man naked. Odair suppressed the urge to roll his eyes and flashed Brutus a smile instead. ''Of course.''
''Peacock.'' the man muttered.
Y/N chuckled at her partner's remark; Finnick headed to the District 12 chariot. He wished he didn't feel her piercing gaze on his back.
-
''I believe we hadn't met before. I'm Y/N, District 2.''
Katniss looked up from the target she threw knives at. The woman in front of her was truly stunning; the camera did not do her justice in The Reaping.
''Katniss Everdeen, District 12.''
The woman laughed, clearly finding her amusing. Katniss felt the tingle of anger—did she say something funny?
''Oh, darling, I know. Everybody here knows your name. After all, you are the reason we are here again.'' The woman came closer, taking the smallest blade from the row and throwing it into the target. It hit the dummy right in the head. ''Besides, I mentored Clove and Cato in your games. Wonderful children, you know. Marvellous fighters. Had every chance to win.''
Katniss glanced at the woman's face. It was stone-cold, and her eyes focused on the targets. She wondered if the reason Clove chose the knives was because of Y/N's win. How did the career mentors feel about sending children into the arena?
''They were...good.'' Katniss agreed.
''Here is my advice, Katniss Everdeen from District 12.'' The woman hit the last target with ease. ''Pay attention to the hands.''
Katniss wondered what that was supposed to be about until she looked down at her hands. Of course, she was holding the knife wrong.
-
The first interview the Capitol aired was more of a warning. Finnick is too lost to comprehend anything Caesar is asking Peeta, his attention fixed on the Y/N next to him.
She sits on the chair, anxiously tapping on the armrest. Her eyes follow every move Caesar makes. Y/N answers carefully and thoughtfully. She didn't know the rebellion was being planned.
''Katniss, can you remember when you spoke to Y/N in the training centre?'' Plutarch asks.
''I think so.'' Katniss frowns. ''She told me these games were done because of me.''
Beete shares a look with Plutarch. Finnick doesn't know why they are surprised; Y/N always was smart.
''Anything else?''
''She talked about Clove and Cato. And that I have to pay attention to my hands.''
''Your hands?'' Plutarch doesn't sound too sure.
''Yes. I was holding the knife wrong.'' Katniss looks around the room. ''I decided.''
Plutarch nods at him, and Finnick is finally free to leave the room. After seeing this, he has a lot to think about.
-
''Finnick, there is something we want to show you.'' Haymitch nods, and Finnick steps into a small room filled with screens.
Beetee is there too, as are Katniss and Plutarch. An uneasy feeling covers his stomach; if they have him here, something happened.
His mind floods with hundreds of possibilities. Annie is at the Capitol. Y/N is there too. He did not know if they tortured her; the woman didn't know about the plan. But so did Peeta, whose ''interview'' he is watching on the screen now.
His face is beaten, and he looks like he hasn't slept for days. The boy lost what looks like fifteen pounds, the ridiculous suit on him hanging like a sheet. Peeta says something about rebels using Katniss. His interview finishes, and the screen fades to black.
Finnick feels like he missed something until the screen lights up once more. This time, a figure is tied to a chair in the middle of the cell. Finnick almost jumps, the realization hitting him—it's Annie. She is crying, begging not to kill her. Her hair is a mess, and her skin is covered in bruises.
''Move in front of the camera.'' a male voice orders.
A person comes to stand to the left of Annie. It's Y/N. She is in a military uniform, her hair tied tightly. She looks different from the first interview—now calm and collected. Her steady hand holds a gun.
''Proceed.'' the same voice commands.
Katniss gasps. A loud gunshot fires, echoing in the chamber. The screen is covered in blood and brains. Finnick doesn't hear a word Plutarch says to him. Annie is dead. They killed her.
-
''Are you sad again?'' Y/N asks, sitting beside him.
Finnick doesn't answer, still fidgeting with a piece of rope.
''You have to eat, you know?''
''Why did you kill her?" he asks, looking into her eyes.
Y/N smiles. ''She was dead way before I pressed the trigger. You killed her when you picked me over her.''
''No.'' Finnick whispers. ''It's not true.''
''Not true? Each time you looked away when you kissed her, each time you whispered my name instead of hers, you think she didn't know?"
Finnick's lower lip trembles, tears blurring his vision. ''Shut up.''
''You can stop lying now, Finnick. For once in your life, be honest with yourself. It's kind of liberating, isn't it? Not having to worry about pretending anymore. You are free.''
''I said shut up!'' he shouts, throwing the nearest mug at her.
It hits the wall, crashing. The room is empty. It always was. A scared-looking nurse watches him through the glass, ready to call for help. He waves her off - just another one of his visions.
It haunts him that the only one appearing in his dreams is Y/N. It should've been Annie, but she is dead, and Finnick hopes she finally found her peace.
Y/N is with Capitol. It's not surprising; she has no reason not to be. She was saving herself. Annie was as good as dead anyway. Still, it broke him. All of these things they had to survive because of Snow, and she still chose to serve him.
He can't blame her—Finnick saw what they did to Peeta. He doesn't know what he would've done under that torture. Still, he hopes it hurts her, given the way she betrayed herself.
-
The rescue mission was successful. Peeta and Johanna are in District 13. They captured Y/N too, but Finnick doesn't care. Coin and Plutarch spent most of their time in her room. Nobody tells him anything, but Finnick guesses that Katniss's condition isn't going to work this time.
A few days after that, Coin has an announcement to make. There are numerous cameras present, and she, as usual, wants the surviving victors to be present. So, he sits near Katniss in the first row, waiting for the tribunal to start. He knows what his vote is going to be.
The president's Coin speech is unnecessarily long and dramatic. She waves her hands around, talking about lost fighters and the need to continue resisting. ''And now, I want to award a few of our bravest soldiers.'', she concludes.
''People are dying.'' Finnick hears Katniss mutter under her breath. He is not happy with the idea either. He just wants to get over this.
The first to get a medal is a man who was leading the rescue mission. Next: two rebel soldiers.
''The last person I want to honour made the rescue of our victors possible. They spied in the heart of the Capitol and were dedicated to the revolution even in the face of death.'' Coin gestures to the bottom of the improvised stage. ''Sergant Y/L/N.''
Finnick freezes. Annie. Her screams. A gun. She is an enemy. A killer. Anxious tapping. Pay attention to the hands. The world around him begins to collide.
Y/N steps are firm. She shakes the woman's hand, accepting the medal. A few claps ring in the hall—people are surprised and likely scared. District 2 victor's face holds a few new scars.
She gets off stage as quickly as she got on, taking her place beside Plutarch. Y/N sits straight, focused on the president's words. Finnick wonders why he can't hear anything except for the heartbeat in his ears. A taste of blood fills his mouth.
''Finnick?'' Katniss whispers.
The world stops spinning.
-
Y/N is tying the laces on her boots tightly, checking everything. She blends in with the soldiers easily; they even throw around a few jokes. This is her element, something she was born and raised to do. Y/N has the most weaponry on her hands: knives, guns, and a few grantees. They have another mission.
Peeta is right next to her. For some reason, he feels the most content having her around. When Katniss asked Y/N about it, she just shrugged. ''Mutt things.''
She is in Squad 451—of course. Coin wouldn't let such a famous face get away with just living. Finnick hates having her around and hates admitting that he understands her now. There was no other choice—Y/N had to kill Annie to prove her loyalty.
The mood in the team changes completely after Mitchell's death. Finnick doesn't know what to say to Peeta, too busy calming everyone else down, and Katniss is frankly completely useless, so deep in her own emotions.
''I'll talk to him.'' Y/N stands up, checking the gun.
Katniss looks at her in horror. ''No!''
''Let her,'' Finnick says, tiredly rubbing the bridge of his nose.
''How could you say that?" Katniss turns to him in anger. ''You saw what she did! You saw!''
''I did,'' Finnick agrees, his jaw tense. ''And because of that, you got Peeta back. So let her go, Katniss.''
Y/N watches their bickering silently. Finally, Katniss nods. The woman leaves them, approaching Peeta. Their voices are still heard, and Katniss eventually relaxes.
''They were right. I am a monster.'' the baker boy says, his eyes still closed.
''It makes two of us, then.'' Y/N jokes, sitting beside him. ''You are the one Capitol created, and I am one by choice.''
''How could you say that so calmly?''
''I came to terms with it pretty early. People see what they want to, Peeta. What do you see when you look at me?''
''You saved my life.'' he shrugged.
''Yes, but I lied, and I killed people to do it. Am I a monster?'' Y/N asks. The question is rhetorical. ''When I look at you, I see a scared eighteen-year-old boy, who just wants to survive. You are strong, Peeta. Stronger than most of us. This is war, and people make choices. Sometimes, there is no right one.''
Peeta stared at her for a solid minute. ''You aren't as bad as you think you are.'' he finally says.
Y/N smiles sadly. ''You aren't either.''
-
Katniss tries to focus on the wet ladder when she hears a shout.
''Why is he there alone?'' It's Y/N.
Katniss looks down - Finnick is fighting off mutts with his trident. There are a lot of them, she realizes. He can't handle that. Just as she turns to grab something to help, she sees Y/N coming down.
''Climb!'' she shouts at her, pulling out a gun. And Katniss does.
A mutt breaks Finncik's trident in half with a loud thud, lurching at his head next. Just as its mouth opens, it falls, lifeless.
''Here.'' Y/N throws him one of her knives. ''On your left!''
They are fighting back to back - Y/N has run out of bullets, so she uses knives instead. Duck, step, and push. They have done it thousands of times, both from career Districts.
Finnick doesn't have the time to count, but mutts are slowly covering the floor, painting the water red. He feels a sharp pain in his stomach—one of the bastards managed to get him good - and grabs the nearest wall for support. Finnick watches as Y/N kills the last monster, pulling her knife out of its chest.
''Y/N,'' he says, trying to grab her attention.
''You know, you could've asked them for hand-to-hand combat if you wanted to die that badly. What were you thinking, staying here with one piece of metal on your hands, huh?''
''Y/N.''
''That's why I said you are all not fit to be fucking soldiers. You lack common sense!''
''Y/N.''
''WHAT?'' she snaps, turning to him. Her face changes from angry to concerned in a matter of seconds. ''Finnick, you are bleeding.''
He nods, feeling his knees weaken. Y/N is already beside him, sitting him on the cold floor. The water hits and soaks her pants, but she doesn't seem to notice.
''It's okay, let me look,'' she mutters, removing his hands from the injury.
It's big; she notices with horror. If they can get him help in twenty minutes, he will survive. Anything longer, and it's a dead end. Finnick knows it too; he has seen enough wounds to understand his chances. He watches as Y/N takes off her jacket, pressing it into his stomach.
''Can you hold it for me?'' she asks.
Finnick nods, feeling a sharp pain coming back. Y/N searches in her pockets until she finally finds a radio set. She tries to turn it on a couple of times, her hands trembling.
''Y/N, it's okay.''
She shakes her head. ''No, you are not going to tell me it's okay. I'll get you help, no matter if you want it or not.''
Finnick looks at her, a slow smile appearing on his face. ''Kiss me.''
''What?" Y/N looks up from the radio, mortified.
''I said kiss me, Y/N.''
She leans in closer, salty tears staining her cheeks, and places a soft kiss on his lips. ''You are getting out of here alive,'' she whispers.
''I love you,'' Finnick mutters. He closes his eyes just for a second. He is so exhausted.
-
The first thing he sees is the overbearing light. Finnick struggles to open his eyes. If this was death, it was certainly not peaceful.
He comes to his senses slowly—first, he hears beeping, and then he feels his stomach.
''Fuck.'' Finnick groans. The pain is impossible.
''Finnick?'' He hears a familiar voice. It's Y/N.
Her face is puffy, but she looks real to him. Even if it is one of his visions, Finnick is still happy to see her.
''How do you feel?'' she asks, moving the sweaty hair out of his eyes.
''Are we dead?''
Y/N stops to look at him. ''No. The radio worked, and the team managed to find us in time.''
''Good.'' Finnick closes his eyes once more. ''Because you didn't say it back.''
A choked laugh escapes her lips. ''You are an idiot, Odair,'' Y/N says, pressing a kiss on his temple. ''But I do love you.''
Finnick smiles. He always knew his soul was safe in her arms.
743 notes · View notes
bestfriend491 · 1 year
Note
Okoye and reader. Sorta continued from fainting ones
Reader and okoye are on a romantic date night, when readers ex girlfriend comes into the picture. Okoye knows it's her because of the way reader reacts, and our beautiful general goes into total protection mode?
Reality Check (Lies of Omission Prt.3)
A VALENTINE'S WEEK SPECIAL
Okoye x Female Reader
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Summary: Months since she found out about everything, it is Valentine's Day and you decide to go out on a nice date day. Unfortunately, bad company seems to interrupt your night. Read Part 1 and Part 2 before reading this. Or don't. I'm not the boss of you. 😌
Angst and Hurt/Comfort
Warnings: Brief Mentions of Past Abuse,
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“Love recognizes no barriers, it jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination, full of hope.”- Maya Angelou
You woke up after barely a few hours of sleep, getting up and ready to put the final touches on the present you had for Okoye. It was your first (technically second) Valentine's Day together and you were beyond excited to spoil your love. 
You had the whole day planned, where you would pamper and spoil her to the highest degree. And she didn’t have to do anything. Okoye was vaguely aware of your plans since you had told her not to plan anything at all, but she was nowhere near aware of the true detail that you had put into planning the perfect day. 
You had silently been planning the day since the new year started, getting the reservations needed and asking around for people’s help when necessary. Now, people were sick of you bothering them for things specifically for this day, but it was finally here, and you were excited to allow Okoye to take a break from constantly working and just have a nice relaxed day off. 
She had training in the early morning, so she was gone. It was the one non-negotiable when it came to her not working, so you let her have it. It gave you an extra hour to yourself for the final details. 
You were completely prepared to make a fool out of yourself today, and you planned to have Okoye join you in the foolishness. 
You got into your planned clothing, and got your equipment to leave your house. 
As you entered the palace grounds, you got Aneka’s help in setting your first event up. Okoye was at the training grounds, with a group of new Dora Milaje. 
Just as you had anticipated, her back was turned away from you. Aneka held a bouquet of flowers 5 times bigger than her head, while you handled the microphone and speaker that you were to use. 
Stopping in the middle of the outside field, you put your things down, and began to play your music. Even before you had increased the volume on it, Okoye had turned, recognising your favourite song from anywhere. She stood, smiling at you as the intro played away. 
Then, you started to hum, an indication that you were about to sing. Her eyes grew wide as the rest of the Dora Milaje, and a few other people from inside came out to see what the noise was about. You grew a bit more nervous seeing the turnout, but seeing as the elders were yet to arrive, you had no reason to remain respectable. 
“I just wanted to dedicate this song to my one love.” you said, in a deep voice. 
It was right before you belted out the love song that you constantly played at home, singing like a performer at a full stadium on a Wakandan Public Holiday. 
Whether you could carry a note was irrelevant at the time, although you thought you had a decent enough voice. 
As the chorus came along, you put your hand out to Okoye, who was being cheered out by your audience. She walked to you, taking your extended hand as you got into the second verse. 
With her close to you, you could see her face completely flushed with shock. You knew for a fact that internally, she was blushing, even if she would later use her melanated skin to deny it. 
You got a bit slower during the second verse, singing your own version of the song. Changing the lyrics to ones that you knew Okoye would love. 
Halfway through the verse, even she forgot that you had company around, letting you finish the song with her in your embrace. She loved when you expressed your extra loving side. Even when you were making a fool of yourself. She didn’t hold the same belief that your voice was the best, but that didn’t matter. As long as you were the one singing to her, she didn’t care how many notes you missed. 
As the song came to a close, your eyes were both closed. She whispered in your ear as she opened her eyes. “We’ll work on that high note.” you gasped dramatically as she laughed at her words. 
“ I just serenaded you in public. Give me some credit.” you smiled a toothy smile as she kissed you softly. 
As you untangled from your position. You got back to business, making Okoye stand in front of you as you held your mic to your lips again. 
“On this beautiful day, I just wanted to ask this amazing love of my life a question everyone.” 
Okoye's eyebrows raised in confusion. 
“Will you… go to breakfast with me and spend the day as my valentine?” you said. 
She chuckled, nodding her head. You put the mic down, taking the bouquet from Aneka and thanking her. Okoye gasped at the size of it, definitely questioning why that was the size you chose.
“You’re quite the valentine.” she complimented. 
“I’ll say. This is just the beginning, my love.”
By now, the crowd had dissipated, but you knew that a few videos were taken, so everyone would know about it at some point. 
You directed Okoye to a smaller dining area in the palace, where a private breakfast had been prepared. 
You sat down next to each other and ate, enjoying the casual conversation that came, as though you hadn’t just done what you had. 
“Is the whole day going to be like this?” She asked. 
“Like what? Romantic?” you got worried, because it was going to be filled with romance, and if she didn’t want that then the entire day would be terrible for her. 
“No. I know it’s going to be romantic. But. is it going to be as public as that?” She hesitated to say it, not wanting to ruin any one of your plans.
You shook your head in relief. “ No! That was the only thing. I had to start off big. Everything else will mostly just be the two of us.”
“Mostly?” 
“Yes, mostly. I couldn’t plan a great day without any sort of help.” 
She nodded, not being able to argue with logic. Her morning training stiffness had already faded in your presence. Having a nice breakfast with her was rare. She would usually obsess about you having fainted at night, or she was gone to the palace and you were busy with your own work. 
It was a rare moment where none of those worries were mentioned, mostly because you had banned her from asking if you were okay at any point in the day. You wanted just one day where she didn’t have to worry about you.
The two of you finished and got ready, while you handed Okoye the clothes she needed to change into. It was still training garments, but a lot less casual. 
She gave you eyes of question when you handed them to her but obliged and wore the clothes before taking your hand in hers and allowing you to lead the way. 
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Thirty Minutes Later
“Where are we going, Y/n?” Okoye asked you as you continued to walk to your destination. When you told her that you would take a quick walk to your next planned date, she thought you meant that it was 5 minutes away. She didn’t realise that you actually planned to take an entire walk. 
“We’re almost there, Sthandwa. Not even 5 minutes away, I promise.” you responded. 
She sighed, not saying anything else. She really wanted to know if you were okay, having travelled by foot for many metres, but you had made her promise not to ask you anything about the way you felt physically for the whole day. 
She was a woman who kept to her word, but she hated every second of it. She knew that her concern could sometimes be overbearing and she knew that she needed to work on it, but she just wanted to make sure that you were okay. It had been many months since she had found out, but she still worried like the first time it had happened. 
She couldn’t help her protectiveness for you. Her love for you was just too strong for her to want to let anything happen to you. 
You could tell that she wanted to ask. She barely went that long without doing a check in with you, but you loved how she respected her promise to you.
As you slowed down, Okoye followed you, not having a clue where the two of you were. It was only when you were only a few metres away from your destination that Okoye was connecting the dots on what you had planned for your portion of the day. 
She stopped dead in her tracks, grabbing your arm to stop you while giving you a bewildered look. 
"Y/n. Why are we in front of Wakanda's most prestigious dance instructors' house?" She asked you, Watching you struggle to find a reasonable answer as you smiled mischievously.
"I booked a lesson for us. I thought it would be fun. We don't do these things that often." 
She let out a chuckle, "We both have 2 left feet. Why do you think we of all people should do this?" 
"Like I said, I thought, and still think that it will be fun." 
“Hmm.” She scoffed, letting you lead the way to the entrance. You gladly knocked on the door of the home, not having any fear after your singing. Not a single other plan for the day scared you now that you were done with that. 
You were excitedly greeted by S'Yata, Wakanda’s famed dance instructor. She specialised in choreographing wedding dancing, and she was well known for making the most sensual first dances for the marrying couples that hired her. 
Okoye again wanted to know why you were there if you had no plans to get married soon, and even if you did, she would never want to do a first dance choreographed by S’Yata at her wedding. They were known to be difficult to the average couple, but the two of you were not an average couple. Not when it came to dancing. One thing that the two of you desperately lacked was rhythm. Granted, it wasn;t as bad as Okoye made it in her head. You could dance a little. And she could move her body on command too. 
It was just the formal stuff that the two of you weren’t too good at. After a tragic wedding dance proved this point, the two of you had refrained from doing any form of wedding dances ever since.
“Let’s get started, shall we?” S’Yata said, welcoming you inside. You looked back at Okoye and gave her a not so reassuring lopsided smile.
1 hour later…
"Okoye you're too far away. Come closer." You instructed. The two of you had finally got the basics to the dance down, and you didn’t want to lose the flow.
"I'm as close as I'll allow myself to be in public, Y/n. This position already feels extremely indecent for others to see." Okoye said, looking at S’Yata as she said it.
You laughed, seeing what she was trying to imply by 'public'. To her defence, the two of you were more minimalistic in your public displays of affection. And you had promised to keep the rest of the day less public. But S’Yata was only one person, and you really wanted to get the dance right. 
The two of you were already chest to chest and leg to leg, so there wasn’t much room to spare. But Okoye needed to hug you closely as you slowly swayed. 
“Please. For your Valentine?” You asked, kissing her cheek sweetly. 
Instantly, she hugged you closely, and you swayed back and forth. 
“I love you.” you whispered. 
“I love you more.” she said. 
You stayed like that, even getting enough flow for S’Yata to just leave the two of you in her studio, allowing you to enjoy the moment.
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“You’re going to like what we do next, Okoye. I promise. Just the two of us from here on out.” 
Okoye smiled at that, still winded from the dancing. You seemed to be in high spirits, and you hadn’t slowed down to even catch your breath.
When the quinjet arrived in the sky, and landed not too far from the two of you, She got excited once again. You walked her inside, and she saw how advanced the quinjet was. It was far more advanced than the ones that were used currently. 
“Shuri allowed me to use the new prototype for a few hours.” You explained. 
“How did you know about this before I did? I’m the General.”
“Being noisy comes with perks, Okoye.” you joked. 
The two of you sat in the pilot seats that were situated in front, wanting to see the view, but you kept the jet on autopilot like it had arrived, wanting to enjoy seeing wakanda from the sky without worrying about steering. 
The jet lifted into the air, and you spent an hour just staring out of the window, admiring your country. It was only when you noticed that Okoye had gotten strangely quiet, that you broke the silence.
“Say it.” you said, getting her to turn to you. 
She looked at you in confusion, “ Say what?”
“Ask me the golden question. I know you want to and that’s why you refuse to relax, Okoye. So just ask me this one time.” 
She smiled, “How are you feeling?” 
“Pretty good. I’m on the best date in the world, with the one woman that I love and she agreed to do this for me so I-”
“-Y/n,” She said, seeing what you were doing, “That is not what I meant.” 
You let out an exaggerated sigh, before finally getting serious. “I’m okay, Okoye. I haven’t felt dizzy or anything today. So I’d say that I feel very good.”
She eased up at that, but still there was a trace of tension in her face, and that was not the point of valentines day. 
“How are you feeling, darling?”
“I feel good.”
“Don’t lie to me.” you said. flat-toned.
“Okay. Honestly, I feel good about today. And about you. But, I worry that I’m overbearing and that might chase you away.” 
“You can’t chase me away. I’m here for the long run.” you reassured her, “But… you are overbearing.” 
“I love that you care enough to make sure that I’m okay. But I’m a grown woman, Okoye. I’m done with the lies and I always tell you when I don’t feel well, so there is no need to constantly try to protect me.” you had been getting frustrated with the constant worry that she carried around when you were together. And the worry that doubled when you were apart. 
“I’m sorry. I’m going to work on it. I promise I will, sthandwa sam.”
You got up from your seat, and went to sit with her. The chair was not big enough to fit two grown people, so you ended up just sitting on Okoye’s lap, kissing her head and wrapping your arms around her. 
“I promise I won’t leave, Okoye. I just want you to trust me when I say that I'm okay.”
You’d grown tremendously over the past months, and your ability to be honest with people had gotten better. You had slowly been telling more people about your fainting spells, being more accepting of your not so new reality. The people around you were always supporting you. 
They were there to catch you when you unexpectedly fainted, and the released stress from hiding had reduced the amount of spells you had in general. You no longer had to lie and say that you were okay when you weren’t. And it was all thanks to the woman that held you. 
You would never leave her, as long as you heart felt the way that it did. 
“I’m not leaving either.” Okoye whispered, before the two of you closed your eyes and fell asleep. 
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By the time that you woke up, you were back on ground, and the evening sun had started fading into darkness. 
You had one thing left, a nice dinner. 
The two of you went home, and freshened up, getting dressed a lot more formally before leaving the house. 
You had made reservations at a new restaurant in the city. The place had just opened during the new year, and they had luckily had openings for the night when you called. 
You were directed to a table in the corner. A loveseat that you had paid extra for. Scoping the menus and choosing your meals before the server arrived. 
“Thank you for today. I really loved being your valentine.” Okoye complimented, and your lips involuntarily spread into a wide smile. One of the many that the day had brought. 
“Hi, can I please get the bill?” a voice came.
Your blood ran cold as the voice of your nightmares spoke. Your smile was immediately wiped clean and your body grew rigid. Flashbacks of your ex came rushing back and when you looked to the left and saw her, not in prison, your body instantly grew anxious. 
Okoye saw the change as soon as it happened, and when you didn’t reply to her calling you she got worried. 
“Y/n, what's wrong?” she took your hand in hers, massaging your palm to calm you down. 
“It’s her.” you let out, with no further explanation. Your breathing got shaky and your heart rate increased as you tried to take a breath.
Okoye wanted to ask who you were talking about, but seeing you she knew that there was only one person who could make you that anxious. 
She stood up slightly, and saw what you had, recognising her from your descriptions of her. She was tall and muscular but she wasn’t very intimidating. She only looked like a threat to the people that knew what she was capable of. 
Okoye’s blood started to boil, seeing the woman smile so happily. She ruined you for so long, and you were only just starting to land on your feet. If it were up to her she would rot in as a prisoner for the rest of her miserable life. 
“Okay, let’s go. I can cook dinner.” She said, already getting out of her chair to help you up. 
Your body cooperated without your mind's consent, as your mind was in a different world. Okoye politely told the waiters that you were leaving, and helped you take your shoes off to walk easier. 
As you walked out into the empty street, the voice came again. 
“Y/n. I guess we meet again.” 
You turned around to look at her, but Okoye stood firmly in front of you as she took stared daggers at Chedano, who had a proud smile smothered on her face.
“ I see you got protection now. Scared to be alone with your one true love.” 
“If I were you, I would tread lightly and think very carefully about the next thing you said.” Okoye said sharply, reaching for her spear as she secured your position behind her. You didn’t move, you body paralysed in place as you looked at the women who used to hurt and torture you. 
“You know, we never formally broke up, so whatever this it between you and the General is cheating ,Y/n” she sneered “We wouldn’t want to have to teach you a thing or two about loyalty, would we.” 
Okoye unleashed her spear, pointing it at the woman. 
“Threaten her one more time and see what happens Chedano. I have no problem taking you back to prison.” 
Chedano, backed away at the sight, and her smile faded at the word prison. 
Okoye approached her, pointing her spear right at her chest. 
“If I ever so much as catch a whiff of you being near her, or communicating with her. Prison will be the least of your worries.” Okoye said, jumping towards her abruptly and grazing her spear only slightly through her arm. Leaving a big gash. 
Chedano nodded, running away as blood dripped on the street. 
Immediately, Okoye turned to you and was by your side. 
“My love…” she said as you broke down in her arms, the tears flushing out.
“I’m sorry. Let’s go home.” she said, lifting you and wrapping your legs around her waist as you cried into her shirt while she walked you to your house. 
She kept comforting you as she walked, allowing you to let it out, your fear only increasing as the minutes went by. 
By the time you got home, you were in a full blown panic attack, your body in a full panic. 
She put you down on your bed, standing in front of you as she comforted you, helping you breathe through it. The night had settled in, and the darkness only brought more fear. 
You breathed with Okoye, holding her hands as your heart settled into a slower rhythm. 
“I think I'm gonna faint, Okoye.” you said, feeling it coming. 
“That’s okay. I’m here, Y/n. I’m he-” 
You passed out. 
Okoye laid you on the bed, placing you on your side and waiting. 
After a gruesome 10 minute wait, you started to open your eyes. You were calmer when you saw Okoye there. 
She kissed you head, going to get you water, while you sat up in your bed. 
“Thank you.” you said as she handed you the water. 
You drank it while focusing on remaining calm, like you had worked on. Okoye stayed with you, getting into bed with you and holding your hand. 
“I’m here. I love you."she whispered to you as your eyes slowly started to close. You nodded your head, defeated. 
“I love you so much. And you planned the best date I’ve ever had today. We don’t have to talk about what happened now, but I'm here. I will always be here to protect you, my love. You are my entire world, and I’m not going to let anyone hurt you ever again.” 
“Thank you.” you whispered again, but a tear rolled down your face. She wiped it away for you. 
“I love you. Thank you.” you said, and allowed yourself to hug her. 
”Healing is an art. It takes time, it takes practice. It takes love.” – Maza Dohta 
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Author's Note: After a long wait, Part 3 is here. I loved writing this. It was sort of healing. This is of course my contribution to Valentine's Week, but I do think there were a few things that I wanted to say in terms of love. 
I want every person reading this to know that it is okay if you didn’t realise that your abuser was abusing you. There is no shame in taking a lot of time to fully recover from it either. Those types of things can take a lot from you. Many of us were never told that abusive behaviours were actually abusive. Being queer, it's even harder to navigate that world because we are so busy fighting the world to prove that we are valid and our love is valid, it leaves us more vulnerable to being unknowingly manipulated and hurt without us realising it.
You deserve the type of love that fights for you, not with you. 
Happy Valentine's Week, and I love you. 💙
80 notes · View notes
weirdkpopgirl · 1 year
Text
Starving Yourself | Dream Reaction #6
Reaction: When their gf skips meals
Genre: Angst, slight fluff
Warnings: subtle mention of eating disorders, body image issues, lots of crying (I apologize)
Word Count: 3435k
Author's Note: I've had this subject in the back of my mind for a while now. A few days ago, I just got into it and thankfully finished today. I want to first credit my friend who helped me come up with scenarios for this lol.
Just a little disclaimer, I wanted to say something for those with poor body image. I feel like you hear things like this a lot, and you might read more things like "oh I also struggle too," and "please don't feel bad about yourself." When I was working on this, I did write some of the stories based on experience. So I don't have any right to advise on improving your self-esteem or working to have better eating habits. I'd be a hypocrite if I said those things. All I can say is that I know how what self-hatred is like, and how it can take you down some dark paths.
Please stay strong. I am very sorry for how long this note is 😅
~ ~ ~
MARK
His life was going normally, being a workaholic as always. At the same time, he felt more at ease since he was dating you. The other night, you guys went out on a movie date to see the new Black Panther film. It wasn’t until near the end of the movie that he noticed the popcorn you bought was barely touched. But knowing your slight dislike for greasy foods, Mark didn't think too much about it.
After dropping you off, he returned to his dorm. He was met by the Dream members who appeared to have been waiting for him.  They watched quietly as their leader removed his shoes and took his jacket off.
“Hyung?” Jisung asked cautiously.
“Yeah? What’s up?” The Dreamies exchanged looks with each other that he couldn’t quite read. Was it uncertainty?
“I don’t think he knows,” Chenle murmured, causing Mark’s brows to furrow in confusion.
“Know what?”
Chenle glanced at his hyung, and back toward the members beside him. But he was going to tell Mark the truth no matter what.
“That (Y/n) collapsed at her university last week.”
Mark stepped back, clearly shocked by this news. “What? Why?!”
“Apparently she wasn’t eating much,” answered Jaemin.
“She’s your girlfriend. Didn’t you notice something was off?” Haechan’s voice raised slightly. As one of your good friends, the singer couldn’t help but show his irritation. He knew Mark had been so caught up in work recently. But you’ve been struggling for a long time now.
Now in distress, Mark ran a hand through his hair as he searched his memory for anything he might’ve missed. He paused for a moment, remembering the popcorn from earlier. Then he was dashing back out the door, despite it starting to rain.
That was how you heard the sound of your doorbell ringing close to midnight. Luckily you were awake, but you were surprised to see Mark soaking wet. He also looked as if he was about to cry any second.
Despite your befuddlement, you pulled the man inside so he could change into some dry clothes. Mark would bring up to you what the guys told him earlier. At that moment, you began to regret hiding your problems from your boyfriend. You’ve never seen him so worried before.
You spent the rest of the evening—or morning cuddling in bed. Mark kept repeating how much he loved you and apologized for making you feel like you couldn’t come to him. All he sincerely wished for was for you to be happy and healthy. He wasn't going to allow another incident to happen.
✎__________________________________________________________
RENJUN
You had spent nearly an hour getting ready to meet up with Renjun’s parents. Seeing them was the first thing on your list for a weekend trip to your boyfriend’s hometown. It’s been nearly a year since you last met his parents, which made you more nervous than usual.
Renjun’s eyes lit up when you finally came out of the bathroom. He instantly recognized the white blouse with a dark blue floral print and the matching blue skirt you were wearing. It was the outfit he bought you not too long ago. 
“Wow, you look so pretty!” He exhaled. There was no hiding how taken away he was with you.
Even though you didn’t agree with his compliment, you thanked him shyly. Renjun noticed something wasn’t quite right pretty fast. The previous times you were about to meet his parents didn’t feel like this. But he couldn’t pinpoint why things felt strange with you.
Deciding to not dwindle on it, you guys left the hotel to meet up with Renjun’s parents at a restaurant. His mother quickly stood up when she spotted you two coming in. While she happily hugged her son, you exchanged greetings with his father.
“It’s so nice to see you again, (Y/n),” Mr. Huang smiled warmly.
You bowed your head politely, “Thank you. I’m sorry it’s been so long.”
Mrs. Huang pulled away from her son to get a better look at you. Her eyes filled with slight concern, and she took your hands. “My Dear, you’ve gotten skinnier!”
That's what it was. Renjun now knew what he was wondering about earlier. Preoccupied with carrying on a conversation with his mom and dad, you didn’t notice how he observed you throughout dinner. He waited until you guys came back to your hotel room to confront you.
“(Y/n), are you okay?”
Your body tensed slightly at his question. “Of course I am. What makes you ask that?”
“It’s just—you’ve become so thin lately. Also, you barely ate anything tonight, and you love Chinese food,” He pointed out. “Sweetheart, what’s going on?”
Honestly, you felt like you’ve been playing a game over the past few weeks. Wondering how long you could hide your unhealthy eating habits from Renjun. Of course, it didn’t take him very long.
Your eyes dropped to the floor. “Nothing—I just haven’t been hungry recently.”
“(Y/n)-ah, please don’t lie. You have to eat,” Renjun chastised. 
He walked over to your side and lifted your chin with the tips of his fingers. “Now I know why you’ve been so tired lately. If you keep this up, you can faint or something worse might happen.”
“I’m sorry. I guess, I just wanted to look my best for you and your parents,” You admitted, after a short pause. 
In return, Renjun pressed his lips against your forehead. “For the record, my parents love you, and so do I. You don’t need to change anything about yourself. Especially if your health is at risk.”
You melted into his touch, and let yourself sink into his embrace. Renjun was always there to reassure you that you were more than enough for him.
✎__________________________________________________________
JENO
Jeno and you were a newer couple, after having met through mutual friends at university. His major was computer programming, while you studied creative writing. So your schedules were different, but you did share one class. 
Your boyfriend was the one to convince you to take dance. Honestly, you were a little reluctant at first. But you ended up signing up for the class to spend more time with him. Since Jeno was more athletic, dancing was a lot easier for him. You…not so much. It was still fun, despite the increasing levels of anxiety the class gave you every week.
One afternoon, you met up after both of your classes finished. That’s when he asked to eat lunch together later. Yeah, a typical thing for a just-got-into-a-relationship boyfriend.
You agreed to his sweet offer. But you didn’t think when you jokingly added that it felt weird since you usually ate one meal a day. Jeno turned to you in astonishment.
“Eo? Only once?!” 
Confused by his reaction, you slowly nodded. “Yeah…”
He stopped walking and moved his hand to your shoulder.
“(Y/n)-ah, that isn’t healthy,” He lightly scolded. 
But you quickly brushed off his concern for your eating habits. You took his hand and dragged him to the school’s dance studio. “It’s not a big deal, Jeno-ssi. We better hurry, class starts soon.”
In spite of Jeno being slightly wary, you seemed to be learning the new dance routine fairly smoothly. That was until you were changing formations and you started to become dizzy. Huffing quietly, you shook your head to dismiss the slow onset of a headache and kept up with the next moves. This feeling was something you were used to whenever you did any intense physical activity. 
However, things were different when the room suddenly began to spin. Your legs were the first to give out, shortly after. Wincing, you pressed your knuckles against your forehead. Gasps and words you couldn’t process only irritated you more. Fortunately, Jeno rushed to pick you up off the ground and carried you to the health office.
The nurse checked up on you after getting settled. “Did you eat anything today?” She asked. 
Jeno couldn’t hide a scoff when you told the woman you had. He frowned when the nurse advised you to rest. Once she left, Jeno allowed himself to sigh.
“(Y/n), you need to eat more.”
“I-I think I just need rest,” You contradicted him.
The boy crossed his arms in persistence. “How can you rest when you have a headache because you don’t eat three meals a day?”
His tone softened a bit when he realized how fatigued you were. Lecturing wasn’t going to help you in this state. With another sigh, he made his way to the chair you were sitting in.
“Rest for now,” He said gently. “I’ll bring you something to eat.”
Jeno petted your head and pecked you on the lips before dashing out of the room. You waited anxiously for about 15 minutes before your boyfriend came back with assorted types of kimbap. He must’ve bought some from the nearby stand owned by a halmeoni.
You almost cried when he opened the wrapper and fed you. For the first time, someone showed you that they cared. Though you were both early in the relationship, you couldn’t stop yourself from falling deeper for Lee Jeno. Most likely, love.
✎__________________________________________________________
HAECHAN
Due to upcoming exams, you and Haechan spent your Saturday afternoon in the library preparing. Studying on a weekend may not be an ideal date in Haechan’s opinion. At the same time, he knew how stressed you got when exam season came around. But that didn’t stop him from complaining now and then.
“Aish, I missed breakfast because Jaemin was taking too long,” Haechan groaned.
He pouted when he received no response from you. His salty mood prevented him from getting anything done. On the other hand, you were ultra-focused on finishing up an essay for one of your English classes. However, you snapped out of your zone by Haechan’s hand tapping on the corner of your laptop.
“Are you hungry too? Did you have breakfast?”
Almost instinctively, you replied to his question with a simple “no.” You shook your head when he asked if your roommate was also running late this morning.
“I just forgot,” You said absentmindedly.
He watched your eyes flicker back to the computer screen in front of you. It kind of seemed like you wanted to end the conversation quickly. But you couldn’t escape your boyfriend that easily.
Then he asked, “How do you forget to eat breakfast?”
The cool expression on your face slowly faded, as you stopped to think for a moment. Lately, finals haven't only been your source of stress. This past month was spent traveling back and forth between Seoul and Pohang to take care of your sick mother. On top of that, you were balancing school life and hiding your problems from everyone. You guessed self-neglect was a result of all that.
Haechan noticed your sudden change and instantly became worried when tears formed in your eyes. He proceeded to reach his hand across the table to take yours.
“(Y/n), is everything okay?”
You promptly clasped your opposite hand over your mouth to muffle your sobs. At least you still had half the mind to cry quietly, remembering you were at a library. Usually, you were the last person to have an emotional outburst. But Haechan’s question made you realize how not okay you were.
Fortunately, your boyfriend was quick to act and rushed to your side. His arms wrapped around your shoulders, holding you in a tight embrace that would hopefully calm you down. 
A few minutes later, Haechan closed your laptop. “Okay, you’re going to stop thinking about school for the rest of the day.”
“Hyuck…” You wanted to argue, though you knew he was already standing up and packing your things away.
“You can tell me what’s been bothering you over lunch,” He added, “Does jjamppong sound okay?”
Haechan had no idea what was causing you to break down, or why you weren’t taking care of yourself. But getting you to eat was his priority, and he started by recommending your favorite dish. 
Since then, he’s become a lot more protective and gone out of his way to take care of you more. Whenever he was down, you were always there to support him. So that’s what he was going to do for you.
✎__________________________________________________________
JAEMIN
The first thing he did after getting out of bed was to look for you. He was a little sulky that you didn’t get to wake up together. Especially since he hasn’t seen you in one month and two weeks. Jaemin loved his job, but he hated how it also brought this distance in between you two. What made him feel worse was how you never complained. Not even this time, when he showed up at your apartment at one a.m. Instead of scolding him for coming over at such a crazy hour or for walking to your place in the cold, you simply led him into your room to get some much-needed sleep.
Luckily, it didn’t take long for Jaemin to find you. He was greeted by one of his favorite aromas when entering the kitchen. And there you were at the counter, carefully pouring a pot of steaming dark liquid into a blue mug. Watching you he realized you had gotten up early to make coffee for him.
As his heart swelled with a dozen emotions, he walked up to stand behind you. Barely startled by his presence, you merely glanced upward to see the tired grin on his face. 
“Did you sleep well?” He responded with a delicate kiss on your exposed neck.
His arms circled your waist, gently pulling your back to meet his chest. It was then, did he notice how his girlfriend’s waist was practically nonexistent, or in other words, thin. Thinner than usual and definitely not healthy.
Jaemin’s smile contorted into a look of concern. Slightly pulling away, he turned to you.
“Jagiya, have you been eating well?” His tone was soft, despite his deep voice.
Automatically, you could tell your boyfriend wasn’t speaking in a casual small talk way. Nonetheless, you pretended not to be fazed.
“I’ve been on a diet…” You set the coffee mug down.
He frowned. “What kind, if you don’t mind me asking?”
You cursed in your head, as you hurriedly made up a lie.
“A low-carb diet,” You tried your best to sound assertive.
“A low-carb diet or a no-carb diet?”
You froze in place when you noticed the hint of anger in the last part of his question. Jaemin slowly turned you around to face him. “(Y/n), be honest. Have you been eating well?”
Several seconds of silence passed by, as you couldn’t even look him in the eye.
“No.” There was a catch in your throat, as your lips quivered.
Jaemin brought you back into his embrace when you began to cry. His chin rested on the top of your head, as your tears soaked his shirt. His heart broke at the sound of your sobs. All he could do was press kisses into your hair, and pat your back.
You sniffed, “I just…I just see pictures of us, and I hate how I look when you’re so perfect.”
“(Y/n)-ah…”
“I know it sounds stupid. But I want to be a girlfriend who is also beautiful.”
Jaemin cupped the right side of your face and sighed, “(Y/n)-ah, you’ve always been beautiful to me. You don’t need to lose weight or do anything else to prove that.”
As comforting as his words were, Jaemin knew that it would take more than that to make you feel better. From then on, he didn’t miss a chance to shower you with compliments and affection. He loved you and had no problem making sure you believed that.
✎__________________________________________________________
CHENLE
You were currently on opposite sides of the room. Chenle was watching Instagram videos on his phone, and you were writing the next chapter to a story you started a while ago. This was agreeably considered hanging out with each other. Doing your own thing until someone broke the silence. And this time, it was Chenle.
His stomach growling did not go ignored by him. Naturally, he pulled up a delivery food app. He then paused and looked over to you who was typing away on your computer.
“(Y/n)-ahhh, I’m ordering food. What do you want?”
“I don’t know,” You replied, without looking up.
Chenle sat up in his spot on the couch. “Do you want tteokbokki?”
“Um, I’m not in the mood for tteokbokki.” He saw your head shake behind the computer.
“Jokbal?”
“Haechan will be upset if we eat that without him.”
“How about tonkatsu?”
“Eh…”
“Okay, what about-”
Losing concentration, you shut your laptop in frustration. “I’m not hungry! Just order something for yourself.”
“I want to eat with you though,” He whined. You closed your eyes for a moment and sighed before starting to speak again. 
“But—”
“No buts. You’re going to come here and help me choose something.”
Just as you opened your mouth to protest, Chenle already decided he had enough. He lifted you from your chair which earned him an “are you crazy?” look. Then he brought you to where he was previously sitting. While doing so, he noticed that you were very light.
“How are you not hungry?” Chenle asked. “Your stomach is practically crying out to me.”
You wrapped your arms around your waist self-consciously. “You’re exaggerating, Chenle.”
Even though you made it sound like not a big deal, Chenle had a feeling there was an underlying problem here. He knew that you had a small appetite, but having no desire to eat was separate. For someone who was such a big foodie, the idea of his girlfriend starving herself worried him.
“We haven’t had a meal together in so long,” Chenle pretended to sulk. “But if you really don’t want to eat, I won’t force you.”
Ugh, you just couldn’t resist the rare look of sadness on the boy’s face. He knew you hated to be guilty.
So with a sigh, you slowly made a new suggestion. “Actually…maybe we can get tteokbokki. Can we just share the bowl?” 
As if he wasn’t moping a second ago, Chenle smiled and wrapped his arm around your shoulders. “Of course. Anything for you, Cutie.”
✎__________________________________________________________
JISUNG
He sat patiently in the lobby, waiting for you who was at a doctor's appointment. You insisted this was nothing but a normal check-up. But that didn’t stop Jisung from accompanying you. He stood up in slight surprise when you came out earlier than expected.
“(Y/n)-ah! You’re done?” You bobbed your head and grabbed his hand with a small smile. 
Jisung noticed you were being quieter than usual during the drive to your place. But he thought you might be tired from a long day of classes before having to visit the doctor’s office. You’d probably feel better when you got back home.
Once you guys arrived, Jisung was left alone when you went to change into more comfortable clothes. As he plopped down on your small couch, his eyes darted to the medical papers you had previously left on the coffee table. Out of habit, Jisung picked up the papers to organize them. 
However, your recorded weight on the first page caught him off guard. His eyes widened in horror at the number. He knew you were small, especially compared to his size. But he didn’t think you were underweight to the point that it was dangerous. This must’ve been why you barely said anything earlier.
Tears flooded his eyes in an instant when he saw you walk out of the room. Suddenly confused as to why your boyfriend was crying, your lips parted to ask what was wrong. Then you spotted the slightly crumpled papers in his hands.
“Jisung—I can explain,” You spoke calmly, in an attempt to keep your voice stable. 
Jisung looked at you in despair. “Is this why I haven’t seen you eat lately? Or how you don’t want to go shopping together anymore?”
Your confirmed silence made him feel worse. Regardless he rushed up to hug you, engulfing your small frame into his taller figure. The two of you stayed in that position for a long time. Your fingers stroked his back as you also tried to calm him down. You made sure to reassure him that you knew you had a problem and were going to try to build better eating habits. Jisung would offer any support he could give you.
✎__________________________________________________________
1K notes · View notes
kamaluhkhan · 10 months
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maybe it's my fault
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pairing: shuri x fem!reader
summary: lately, you've been feeling a ton of pressure, you're way too busy, and you're barely sleeping. life is taking its toll on you, but you drop everything to be with shuri when she needs you most.
warnings: angst! mention of illness and death (t'challa's, mostly). reader has a bit of a saviour complex. lots of plot w/ a little smut ;)
author's note: hi hi it's been too long since i've written a fic, but i just rewatched black panther so i decided to finish one of my drafts. this could be read as a part 3 to my other shuri fics, but it's wayyy more angsty than i usually write. also happy endings.....we don't know her! you've been warned.
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you were in the kitchen, chopping up fruit for a smoothie, while sam and bucky were watching the news in the living room. you could only hear muffled sounds from the tv thanks to the lecture you were rewatching through your earphones, hyperfocused on absorbing as much information about genetic coding — the topic of your last exam before spring break — so it was easy to miss sam calling your name until he was practically shouting. you finally removed one earbud.
"yeah?"
“when's the last time you heard from your girlfriend?" 
"i don't know," you answered, still mostly focused on your professor droning on about complex protein structures while you kept cutting up strawberries — and tried to keep your eyes open. you probably hadn't slept in 36 hours. "we've both been busy. why?"
there was no immediate answer, which you didn’t think much of until you looked up and saw what they were watching. in shock, you accidently let the knife slip, and it nicked your thumb instead of the fruit.
"fuck."
blood dripped from your hand, but your eyes stayed glued to the screen.
KING T’CHALLA, RULER OF WAKANDA, DEAD FROM UNKNOWN ILLNESS. COUNTRY IN PERIOD OF MOURNING. 
you could tell from the way bucky and sam were silent that they were also overwhelmed with the news. t’challa was an avenger, a teammate — but he was also a friend. he was compassionate and wise and always made you feel welcomed, even when some of the elders disapproved of shuri dating an outsider. this hurt you, deeply, especially after losing so much of the team in the battle with thanos. but none of that mattered — all you could think about now was shuri….
you instantly pulled out your phone, and tried to call her. 
it’s shuri. i’m probably designing better technology, so i’ll call you back with that. 
you then tried the kimoyo beads on your wrist, but still no answer. 
“i have to go.”
sam nodded. “just let me look after your hand first —”
“i’ll deal with it on the quinjet.” you ran to your room down the hall, and grabbed your overnight bag (thank Gods you hadn’t unpacked yet, even though you’d decided to stay over at Avengers tower this week). “i just finished fixing up the old one, so i’ll take that and you guys can still use the new one for your mission tomorrow. if i leave now, i’ll get to wakanda by morning.” or maybe midnight. or afternoon? there was also a time difference that you couldn’t quite remember. “i’ll call peter on the way, let him know what happened. can you tell the others?” whoever is left, you thought to yourself.
again, sam nodded. bucky mumbled a simple take care as you start to leave for the quinjet.
sam called your name, so you turned around before a few tears could escape. he brought you into a hug. you couldn’t help but stiffen, a reflex because of so many i’m sorry for your loss hugs you’d gotten used to. when sam pulled away, he put his hand on her shoulder, eyes sincere but sad. “it’s gonna be alright, kid.”
you really wanted to believe him.
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shuri’s lab was all too familiar to you. there was something perpetually alive about the space: always people talking, inventions being brought to life, loud music blasting. 
but, right now, it was silent. only shuri was there, designing something on the holograms and taking notes. 
you hear her A.I. griot announce that someone had arrived, but shuri doesn't seem to care.
“i told you i did not want to be disturbed,” shuri grumbled.
“he made an exception,” you replied, trying to keep your tone playful.
shuri didn’t say anything and kept working. “did my mother call you?” she finally asked. “i told her not to.”
you moved closer to shuri’s workspace until you were right next to her, leaning backwards against the desk but keeping your eyes on shuri and trying to pull her attention away from whatever she was working on — a suit, you guessed.
“she didn't call me. i came as soon as i heard,” you answered, crossing you arms. “but i did talk to her and she seemed…worried.”
“there’s no need to be,” shuri said. “i’m fine. we had the funeral — it happened, it’s over.”
you uncrossed your arms, sighing deeply. “you know, your brother once told me that in wakandan culture, death isn’t the end. it’s a stepping off point. then, he told me that he believed, even if they’re gone from the physical world, the people we love never leave us. their lives aren’t over if we honor them, keep loving them.”
t'challa's thoughtfulness helped you after losing tony and steve, and it was something you wished you had heard earlier in life. something that gave you hope, made you feel a bit lighter when it felt like the weight of the world was crushing you.
but, hearing this prompted shuri to freeze momentarily, though she couldn’t bring herself to look you in the eye.
"i am not my brother.” she went back to working after that.
for a moment, you simply watched your girlfriend work. shuri’s hair was different — braids gone and shorter than the last time you had seen her. her jawline was also sharper and her eyes a bit more sunken, like she hadn’t slept or eaten in days.
when it became clear that shuri wasn’t going to stop, you turned around and focused your attention to the holograms she was juggling. it wasn’t a panther suit, but what looked like a deconstructed dora milaje armor that shuri was redesigning.
“you want this to fly?” you noted the thrusters placed on the feet of the suit.
shuri glanced at you briefly before enlarging the section in question. “yes.”
you hummed, reaching over to zoom out to a full view of the suit. “if you add small repulsors, the wearer will have more control over how and where they fly.”
 “i was going to add something like that to the back.”
“i’d suggest the shoulders,” you said, tilting your head. “small, triangle shaped — kind of like angel wings. also, if you add reinforced plating to the shoulders and arms, you can redistribute the extra vibranium through the repulsor energy so the wearer can materialize a blade or a laser.”
“brilliant,” shuri mumbled under her breath.
you nudged shuri with your shoulder. “you would have figured it out eventually.”
“i know.” shuri leaned into you, a sign that she was softening. “that’s why it’s brilliant. i wish it'd thought of it sooner." she whispered the last part. there was a faraway sadness to her tone that made your heart ache.
you turned to face shuri, and gently put your hand on her cheek so she met your gaze.
"i think it's a sign that your beautiful brain needs some rest, baby." you knew what shuri was like, and based on your conversation with queen ramonda, shuri had locked herself in the lab for days.
shuri sighed, moving to kiss your palm before realizing the state it was in — freshly wrapped in a thin layer of gauze that you had bled through.
“what happened to your hand?” she questioned urgently.
“oh. nothing serious. just a slip of the knife.”
wordlessly, shuri brought you over to the medical bay and gestured for you to sit down on the table. you did, and shuri settled between your legs, using vibranium to heal your cut.
"shuri," you called after a few moments of silence, leaning your head down slightly to try and catch her eye. "you know i'm here for you, right?"
"i know." she finished cleaning the wound and wrapped your hand in a fresh vibranium-woven bandage. you wanted so badly to do the same — to wrap up shuri's grief, to protect her from pain, to help her heal.
"i mean that you don't have to, i don't know, act like everything is fine. we can talk about what happened — we can talk about t'challa."
"i know," she repeated, eyes finally meeting yours as she rested her hand on your knee. "i just....i can't. it's either i shut myself in the lab for hours or i think about my brother and want to burn the world down. and i can't...." shuri choked back a sob and her grip on your knee tightened.
you brought your hand up to her cheek, gently tracing the dark circles under her eyes with your thumb.
"well, what if we try another option?"
you spent the next few days in wakanda with shuri, ignoring your responsibilities in new york. most of the time was spent lazing around the royal palace, but with you shuri at least got enough sleep and food, even if you barely left her room at first. eventually, the two of you actually ate in the formal dining room. you could have sworn queen ramonda teared up when her daughter showed up again to share a meal since t'challa's passing. queen ramonda gave you a warm smile before the feast was served.
as you were walking back to shuri's room, stomachs full from a delicious dinner, your phone vibrated. you checked to see who it was: peter, texting to remind you of a lab assignment you had slipped your mind.
"oh shit," you groaned.
"what is it?"
"an assignment for my genetics class that i completely forgot about," you explained, rushing to open your laptop, which you'd left on shuri's nightstand after the two of you binged a few episodes of star trek (the original series). "one of our lab partners fucked up the results, so pete and i had to sort things out, but we've both been so busy...."
your phone vibrated once more, this time displaying an incoming call from jimmy neutron, your affectionate contact name for peter parker.
"i should take this."
shuri nodded. "let me help, yeah?"
considering how brilliant shuri was, you offered her your laptop without question. you paced back and forth, talking with peter over whether or not failing this assignment would mean you both failed the class, until shuri's voice cut through your conversation.
"why do you have a file with my brother's dna?"
you know exactly the file she was talking about, and it made you stop in your tracks to face shuri. you thought you were being too careful when you didn't attach his name to the file — but, apparently, you weren't careful enough.
shuri was sitting upright on the bed now, practically glaring at you as she waited for your answer. you tried to ignore your increasing heart-rate.
"pete, i have to go." you could hear him start to protest on the other end of the line, but you quickly ended the call. "well, we keep blood samples from every team member in case something happens."
hopefully your answer satisfied shuri.
it didn't.
"this isn't with your avengers files, though," shuri pointed out. you tried to grab the laptop back from her, but she moved it out of your reach. "and even if it was, you would have noticed something wrong."
"shuri," you warned, finding it harder to not let your voice waver.
"did you know my brother was sick?" her tone was harsher than before.
"shuri —"
"the samples show abnormal cell growth at an earlier stage than when i was working on a cure for him," shuri noted, turning the laptop screen towards you. like you, she must have spent hours looking at t'challa's dna to the point of memorizing its sequence. "so either you didn't notice that something was wrong, and we both know you're too smart enough to miss something that obvious, or — "
"shuri." this time, when you said her name, it was less of a warning and more of a plea. you did not want to go down this road. frankly, you were hoping you never had to.
"you knew my brother was sick and didn't tell me," she finished. shuri handed you the laptop and you closed it slowly, watching as she walked to the other side of the room before facing you again. "tell me that isn't true."
all you could do was bite back tears and hope the floor swallowed you whole. when it didn't, you took a deep breath and stood up.
"i can explain." you approached her, but she took a step away from you and scoffed.
"what's there to explain?"
"just....please." you walked back to the bed and took a seat. "let me explain."
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t'challa intercepted you at your favourite coffee shop about four weeks ago.
it was march in new york, so hints of spring were starting to peak through the winter snow. you had back to back classes, but you always had time for a coffee in between.
the cold air hit you as you exited the shop, a drink warming your hand. you noticed him standing there: no dora milaje, no fancy suit, just t'challa. he wore sunglasses and a sleek black trench coat with a purple scarf, his silver necklace peaking out from the collar.
"t'challa?" you called, almost doing a double take. the two of you were friends, sure, and probably future in-laws, but the image of him waiting for you outside a student-run cafe felt too out of the ordinary. "is everything okay?"
he smiled softly, taking off his sunglasses. "of course," he said. then, t'challa did something that surprised you even more: he greeted you with a hug. as he pulled away, he added: "just in town and thought we could catch up. shuri said this was your favourite place for cinnamon lattes."
you shrugged. "my girl knows me well. could we catch up later, though? i have a class in...." you glanced at your phone. "right now, actually." you looked back up at t'challa, and something about how his smile faded away made you feel like this was more important. "you know what, i can get notes later. come on."
t'challa followed you to a bench nearby, scanning the area as you made the short walk. the two of you sat in silence for a few moments before you broke it.
"so, is everything okay?" you asked again, taking a sip of your drink.
"actually, no." he paused, voice low. you waited for him to continue, your heart beating fast as you tried not to expect the worst. "i'm sick, y/n."
"you're sick," you repeated slowly, letting the words sink in. "i'm....i'm sorry." you reached over and squeezed t'challa's hand. he gave you a sad smile in return. that was the thing about t'challa: he was always trying to put on a brave face.
"i need you to help me find a cure."
"of course," you answered instantly. you loved t'challa like he was family; you would do anything for him. but, something felt a bit strange about his request. "why not go to wakanda, though? i mean, i'd be happy to help, but the technology there is way more advanced than anything i could do in new york. shuri's lab has all the resources we would need."
t'challa shifted in his seat, breaking eye contact.
then, it hit you. the impromptu meeting, the uneasiness of t'challa's demeanor, the whispers as he explained the situation.
"she doesn't know, does she?"
t'challa shook his head. "she doesn't even know i'm in new york."
suddenly, you throat tightened and it felt difficult to swallow your coffee.
"am i the only one that knows?"
"you and nakia," he said. "i'd like for it to stay that way."
"but — but it's shuri. you're her brother and — and she can help us find a cure."
"so can you," t'challa countered. compared to your nervous stuttering, he kept his voice clear, measured. "you're studying biochemistry and cellular biology, correct? top of your class? my sister says you are almost as brilliant as her."
"almost," you laughed, allowing yourself a moment of reprieve before returning to your conversation. "t'challa, why not just tell her?"
t'challa reflected before responding, his eyes following a couple holding hand as they walked past you.
"my sister is happy," he finally said, turning to you. "i wish for her to stay like that for as long as possible. i believe this is the only way."
it broke your heart to know that, even as he was suffering, t'challa would do anything to protect shuri. you both knew what shuri was like: she would drop everything, go back to wakanda, spend many sleepless nights trying to solve this problem, to save her brother.
"are you sure?" you practically whispered the question.
"yes. i trust you can take care of this. in fact, i know you can. please, y/n."
his urgent tone, the sincerity in his eyes; t'challa was desperate, you could tell. this wasn't a decision he made lightly, to keep such information from everyone, including shuri. if you were the one he came to for help, help you would.
so, you promised keep his secret, to handle it yourself and carry on as normal. t'challa would return to his normal duties as king for as long as he could hide his illness. but, you set a term as well: if you couldn't find a cure within two weeks, when shuri went back to visit wakanda at the end of the month, t'challa would tell her and let her work to find a cure.
"one more thing," t'challa said after you had discussed your agreement. you were about to part ways, but you turned around when you heard him speak again. "shuri can never know that i came to you first. she's proud, my sister. if she finds out, she'd never forgive either of us."
you nodded firmly, but as t'challa turned to walk away, you called his name once more. you ran towards him and hugged him, tight. it startled him at first, just as you were when he greeted you, but he hugged back.
if you knew that was the last time you'd see him, you'd have held on longer.
over the next week or so, you worked relentlessly. you would've worked at the lab in avengers tower, but you knew you had more privacy at oscorp. occasionally, you went to class or had avengers business to take care of, but otherwise this was your life: rearranging dna sequences, examining blood samples, and mixing chemicals to try and find a cure for t'challa.
you came home one night, after hours in the lab. your only break was a brief stint stopping doc ock from robbing a bank. she'd managed to throw you around pretty hard — sleep deprivation made you an easier target, apparently — leaving you with a nasty bruise on your side. peter arrived to the scene just in time, and suggested the two of you celebrate with sandwiches as delmar's (where spider-man got a discount), but you made up an excuse so that you could return to the lab.
the apartment was dark when you entered, with only the kitchen light on, so you figured you were the only one home. you dragged yourself over to the sink to get a cup of water. you drank it in three gulps, and were reaching for another when you felt someone grab your side.
"fuck!" the cup fell from your grasp as you winced in pain. you turned around, too tired to even wonder if there was an intruder in your home, but met shuri's gaze instead. she was wearing boxer shorts and an oversized i ♡ wakanda shirt she'd gotten for you as a joke.
"shit. sorry." she knelt down to pick up the broken glass. you tried to follow, but winced again at the sharp pain in your side that prevented you from bending over. "don't worry. i've got it," she reassured, standing back up. "you've been busy lately. and pete told me about the fight with doc ock. you should rest."
you ignored her last comment. "i thought you were coming home late tonight."
shuri raised an eyebrow. "i'd say it's well past late." she gestured towards the clock on the stove. it read 2:27 am.
"right." between hours in the lab, with no cure in sight, and being thrown around by a scientist with metal tentacles, you were exhausted. it was the kind of exhaustion that settled into your bones, made everything feel heavier. not to mention the weight of the very big, life changing secret you were keeping from shuri....yeah, you weren't particularly in the mood to chat with your girlfriend in a dimly lit kitchen with broken glass at your feet.
before shuri could ask more about your day, you excused yourself to take a shower. you closed the bathroom door behind you, stripped yourself of your clothes, and hopped in the shower. you stood there for a few seconds, letting the warm water wash over you, until you were startled by the shower curtain opening.
"sithandwa, are you okay?"
"other than the minor heart attack you just gave me, yeah," you huffed.
shuri tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. "are you sure?"
"i'm fine," you snapped. noticing how shuri's eyes widened slightly at your outburst, you tried again, your voice softer. "i'm fine."
you lifted your arm to close the shower curtain, but let out a strangled moan when the sharp pain in your side returned. shuri furrowed her brow at your reaction, until her eyes landed on the dark bruise forming under your left ribs. instantly, shuri joined you in the shower, fully clothed.
"you're not fine," shuri decided, placing her hand gently on your skin. "why didn't you go back to the med bay to have this taken care of?"
peter asked you the same thing when you parted ways earlier, but it was easier then to shrug off the severity of your injury. besides, you had to finish up some work at the lab. but here you were in front of shuri, completely exposed, no where to run.
"i...didn't have time. you can scold me later, okay? right now, i just want to relax."
you exhaled as shuri's fingers grazed your skin. with how preoccupied you had been — along with the guilt at hiding t'challa's illness from her — you and shuri hadn't been intimate in what felt like forever. it felt good to be close to her, for her to touch you again.
by then, shuri's clothes were soaked through, the white fabric of her shirt clinging to her skin, transparent enough to reveal her dark nipples underneath. you couldn't help but stare.
"like what you see?" shuri smirked. her fingers started trailing south, reaching your hips.
this made you roll your eyes, and you just had to smile at how cheeky your girlfriend was being.
"you know i do, pretty girl."
"hm. you said you wanted to relax?"
you nodded, and not even a second later shuri had her body pressed against yours. it sent a shiver through you, despite the warm water from the shower. she brought a tattoed hand up to your face, craddling your jaw.
"then relax," shuri whispered. she started placing kisses up your neck, and when she reached just below your ear, she added: "let me take care of you."
shuri gently pushed you against the wall, the ceramic tiles cool on your back. to your annoyance, she took her sweet time leaving kisses down your body.
"shuri," you whined when you felt her teeth graze one nipple while she pinched the other between her fingers.
"what is it, my love?" shuri pulled away from your chest. you knew she loved teasing you - something you mostly loved to hate. sex with shuri sometimes took hours: it was slow, deliberate, accompanied by an orchestra of laughter and moans and pleading (lots of pleading).
this time, though, she didn't even give you time to beg. shuri simply got on her knees in front of you. she briefly ran her tongue through your folds before tilting her head back to meet your gaze. "is this what you wanted?" shuri smirked when you moaned as she slid a finger into your cunt.
the shower went cold by the time you two were done.
you started drying off, carefully as to not further your injury. shuri left to put on fresh, dry clothes, leaving the ones she had soaked through in a wet heap on the floor. you were just slipping on your underwear when shuri returned, catching your eye in the mirror.
"what?" you chuckled at how coy she was being, hands behind her back as she rocked back and forth on her heels.
"i have a surprise for you," shuri sang. she moved from the doorway to standing behind you, the two of you looking at the mirror. "close your eyes." you complied and felt a coolness surround your neck. shuri placed a kiss on your jaw, which made you smile. "open them."
you were met with the sight of yourself, top half completely bare except for a deep purple pendant around your neck.
"do you like it?" shuri gently wrapped her arms around your waist, eyes never leaving your body in the mirror, and you allowed yourself to melt into her. "it reminded me of the sky on our first date, and how beautiful you looked." she reached a hand up to trace the silver chain. "i was thinking i'd remake this with vibranium, maybe make it so the necklace holds your suit like t'challa's. you'll have to wait until i get back to wakanda to make the upgrade, of course."
at the mention of her brother and her home country, you stiffened.
"shuri." you exhaled and you turned to face her. "are you sure that you don't want to go back to wakanda sooner?"
shuri tilted her head. "why would i do that?"
"i don't know. more time with your family...."
"i've spent my whole life with them," shuri countered. "i'm moving to new york so that we can start our life together."
"i didn't ask you to do that — "
"don't push me away, okay?" she interrupted, wrapping her arms around your waist once more as though they would keep you in place forever. "you've been doing that lately, and i know you're busy, we both are. but, life is crazy and scary and unpredictable, and all i know for sure is that i love you. and i need you."
you wished you could return her words, as you have many times before, but the sentiment now felt empty.
it felt wrong for you to let shuri love you passionately, when you were being so careless with her heart.
you tried to shake away that feeling, telling yourself that keeping t'challa's secret was the best situation to keep him healthy and shuri happy - to protect both of them from any pain or suffering.
you told yourself that enough times, you almost believed it was true.
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shuri looked at you now, and for the first time, you felt the heat of her anger targeted towards you.
"how long? how long did you know my brother was dying and let me believe everything was okay? how long did you lie to me?"
you took a ragged breath. "two weeks."
"two weeks?" shuri shouted. "i couldn't save him because i didn't have enough time to find a cure. you took that from me."
"i spent that time trying to find a cure, but....but i wanted to protect you, at least for a little while."
"no one asked you to protect me!"
internally, you kept replaying what t'challa had said: he wanted shuri to be happy, yes, but she could never know that he came to you himself and told you he was sick weeks before he told her. you wanted to honor the promise you made him, even as you now felt shuri slipping through your fingers.
you were never a quitter, though. it was your best — and possibly most self-destructive — trait. you tried to approach shuri, to grab her hand, but the second you made contact, she jolted away.
"my brother is dead because of you."
her words felt like a knife. you felt dizzy — there was no way to stop the bleeding, so you sat back down on the bed to ground yourself.
"i....i tried to save him," you defended. "after i first found out, i tried to find a cure myself."
shuri scoffed, shaking her head and narrowing her eyes at you. "you just had to be the hero, didn't you? running around, wanting to save everyone. like you're the only one who can."
"i really tried," you choked. by now, you were holding back tears, feeling your head start to ache. you started massaging you temple to relieve some pressure, but it didn't work.
"and what kind of sick game are you playing, coming here pretending to be supportive? you're just feeling guilty."
guilty was definitely something you felt, but it wasn't why you came here.
you got back up and tried to approach shuri one more time, walking over to her slowly.
"i came here because i love you, shuri." your voice was softer than it had been before. "i loved t'challa, too -"
"don't you dare say his name," she growled, once again moving away from you briskly. "and i don't care if you love me, because i can never look at you the same way. we're done."
hands by your side, staring at shuri from the opposite side of the room, you almost couldn't process what she had said. she repeated her last sentence, this time a bit louder, and you shook your head as though to wake yourself up.
"shuri, please, don't do this. we're both in pain — "
"you have no idea the pain i'm in," shuri interrupted, and you noticed how she choked back a sob. "you can stop trying to be a hero for me. i don't want you. i don't need you." she paused. "not anymore."
to prove her point, shuri finally approached you. she tugged your necklace — the one she had so lovingly given you — hard enough for the clasp to break.
both of you were startled by the severity of her actions, how final it all felt. shuri looked, almost regretfully, at the purple pendant in her hand, but never met your gaze. she then turned away from you, the room settling into an uncomfortable silence as she waited for you to leave.
and you did, a few moments later.
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