#and yes when stampede eriks comes he will have his too

[weirdcat1213]

dont fucking look at me

#one of these had to exist for him #and yes when stampede eriks comes he will have his too #dont ask me why i dont fucking know #trigun #trigun stampede #this is my contribution to the do it for them trigun boards

[uzumaki-rebellion]

Black Boys Bloom Thorns First: Volume 2, Chapter 19

"You've been feeling kinda juiced up Seeing things in a new light I know you've been through stuff, but I wonder if you're too righteous 'Cause lately people going crazy I think you should stay 'Cause I just want you safe Baby, I know that you're angry Feeling like your fate on the line

Maybe you should stay the night Maybe you should stay the night Maybe you should stay the night Why don't you stay the night Baby just stay the night…"

"Stay The Night" – The Internet

N'Jobu felt his heart wrench itself from his chest and lodge into his throat. Throngs of people were milling around the community center, most were crying and wandering in a daze.

Grabbing his bag from the cab, he made his way into the center looking for any familiar face. His cell rang.

"Hello?!"

"N'Jobu, it's Bakari, what the hell happened?"

"I just left the airport. I'm trying to find Califia and Erik."

Bakari was close to crying and N'Jobu felt himself about to lose it. He needed to free his phone.

"I will contact you when I find them. She's not answering her cell."

"Okay, okay…I'm trying to find info online. I just see two people killed…were Erik and Cali with her in the car?" Bakari asked.

"Yes—"

"Jesus Christ…."

"I'll call you when I can."

N'Jobu hung up and immediately his cell buzzed again.

"N'Jobu. I thought you were on the plane already? I was going to leave you a message. I can't reach Cali…My God, Lia-"

"I already know, I'm trying to find them now—"

"N'Jobu, please find my babygirl and my grandson."

"I will."

He hung up and saw an older woman he recognized from the dinner they attended to celebrate Lia.

"Allendra!" he called. The woman turned and when she saw his face, she hurried over to him with her cane. She shook from crying and grabbed N'Jobu's arms. Her Portuguese was fast and filled with moans. She shook and almost collapsed. N'Jobu helped move her to an empty seat in the community center.

"Soliel?" he asked trying to connect to anyone else. Allendra shook her head and a young man swooped in to care for her.

A group of people were gathered around a tv set watching a news report and N'Jobu caught the name of the area where Lia was killed. He entered it into his cell. It wasn't far from the center according to his GPS. He ran out into the street. It would be easier to get there on foot.

It was luck really.

Simple chance…

Califia sat with Erik at a full table facing a podium where Lia spoke to a large congregation of Black women leaders. The empowerment luncheon was a huge success and the wave of energy she felt being among so many Black Brazilian women leaders gave her goosebumps.

Erik sat next to her and listened to the women speakers who talked about the activism and the need for broad support from city to city. Lia asked Califia and Soliel to come up and share their work with their sister non-profit, The Alpha House.

Many of the women laughed and applauded when Califia and Soliel spoke of their work in Oakland and Sao Paulo. Califia could see Erik watching her, his eyes big with pride when Califia gave the Black Power salute and proclaimed "Power to the People" in Portuguese and many women jumped up to hold their fists in the air. Erik's expressive brown eyes looked around and he leaped to his feet and held up his fist in solidarity. She felt proud of him. She needed him to see Black women taking leadership in their hands. She didn't want him to think that Black men were the only leaders to follow in their community which traditionally was the case because of sexism, and men not being willing to step aside to share power. Or just let women lead period.

When she sat back in her seat, Erik gave her a high five and kept leaning his head against her arm. She put an arm around him and held him close. She thought he would prefer to spend the day with Marisol, but Erik wanted to come to the luncheon. He seemed to be mesmerized every time Lia spoke.

Lunch was actually very tasty and Erik ate his fill of grilled meats and seasoned rice and vegetables. Califia ate a lot too, but she wanted to save room for the dinner they would have later that evening with Lia's parents.

Leaving the luncheon was a whirlwind of women trying to talk to Lia, and many approaching her and Soliel about creating more international sister non-profits. Califia met a woman from Recife who wanted to create an organization and rites of passage program for young Black girls. The vibe was so uplifting. She felt like she wanted to cry because the work she had been doing all those years with her sister-friends was paying off with coalition building and tangible results that were shifting the axis of power in low-income communities. Global change was possible, but it was slow and tedious and not supported by many. As Lia told her once: baby steps. One foot in front of the other and no looking back. Califia began to think about running for office back in Oakland. Why not? Follow in Lia's footsteps. Build bases of power in many cities. Black women taking over.

It was only because a young teenaged girl approached Califia and asked about young people in Sao Paulo reaching out to other teenagers in Oakland that she and Erik and didn't get into the SUV with Lia, Soliel and Lia's office aide Jacinto along with Lia's publicist Yolanda.

"We'll see you all at the house," Lia said stepping into the backseat of Jacinto's car.

"We'll ride with Aunjanue," Califia said as she waved to the young girl to wait for her.

"See you later nephew," Lia said giving Erik a hug. He held Lia's waist.

"I liked your speech," he said.

"I'm glad. Your mother was good too, no?"

"She's always good," Erik said glancing up at Califia with a big grin.

"Ah, thank you, Baby, Mommy tries," Califia said as she squeezed his big cheeks.

They watched Lia get into the car and Califia returned to the young girl. Speaking for a moment and exchanging contact info via cell phone, Califia promised the girl that she would connect her with some young people she worked with in Oakland. The teenager, with a thick head of braids and a gorgeous smile, gave Califia a big hug.

"You and Negra Lia and sister Soliel give me hope," she said.

Califia touched the girl's shoulder.

"No, you give me hope. More young women like you are the future," she said.

"Mom, Aunjanue wants us," Erik said.

"Do you want to go hang with Marisol at the house or go to the store with us?"

"Hang with Marisol," he said grabbing hold of her elbow with his arms.

They walked to Aunjanue's car and Califia took shotgun and Erik scrambled in the back with two other women who rode with Aunjanue to the luncheon. A flood of Black women left the luncheon and Califia watched them all disperse invigorated.

"You want some water, JaJa?" Califia asked taking a water bottle out of her purse.

"No," he said staring out the window.

Ahead of them by four cars, Califia could make out Jacinto's car.

"Lia didn't get very far," she said.

"Jacinto drives slow," Aunjanue said.

Simple chance or maybe divine providence…

Califia held up the bottle of water for Erik again to make sure he didn't want some and when he said no again, she turned her head…

A loud explosion rocked their ears. Aunjanue slammed on her car brakes and they saw a billowing cloud of smoke spewing from something on a sidewalk on the far end of the street. People began running around them and Califia saw a dark non-descript car race around Aunjanue's car.

"What's happening, Mom!?" Erik cried out. He thrust his body toward hers in the front seat.

Califia watched the driver of the nondescript car pump their brakes and jump out waving an automatic weapon. He began shooting directly into Jacinto's car, aiming for the back seat first.

"Get down!" Califia screamed at Erik, shoving his head down in the back seat. She ducked down with Aunjanue in the front, and when the gunshots ended and she heard the car speed away, only then did she raise up to look.

There was screaming in the streets with people covering their eyes and noses because of white smoke drifting everywhere. It smelled like something Califia was familiar with. Tear gas.

"Stay here, JaJa," Califia said jumping out of the car and running toward Jacinto's car covering her nose and mouth with part of her blouse.

She knew it was bad before she got to the car, and before she could really see the horror, a man reached out and shoved her back. Pipe bomb smoke blew their way stinging her eyes and she could hear Soliel screaming inside the bullet-ridden car.

"Mom!"

Califia looked behind her and saw Erik, wide-eyed and frightened watching her. He began coughing when the smoke reached his eyes. She ripped a bottom piece of her long skirt off and soaked it with the bottled water she still held in her hand. She snatched Erik and shoved the wet cloth onto his eyes and nose.

Erik shoved her hand away from his eyes and looked at Jacinto's car, his eyes tearing up from the smoke. They both saw Soliel stumble out of the car bleeding from her chest, her screams almost drowned out by the stampede of people full of panic and running over each other.

"Go!" Soliel screamed to Califia as she clutched her chest.

Califia shoved the cloth back over Erik's face and made him hold it. She lifted him up and ran with him.

"Don't look, Baby! Don't look….don't look!"

Aunjanue ran past them to reach Soliel.

"Get him away from here!" Aunjanue shouted to her.

Califia ran as fast and as far as she could.

She had to keep her child safe. No matter what happened to her sister-friends, she had to protect Erik first.

The streets were blocked by the policia federal by the time N'Jobu reached the area where Lia was gunned down. He was able to get a glimpse of the car they were in. He could see blood in the street, and more people were crowding around. The anger in the air was visceral. He saw rage on the faces of many people standing watch over the scene. Jacinto's SUV was surrounded by police tape and N'Jobu made his way past the car and further down toward the building the luncheon was held.

Inside, several people were being questioned by police and detectives, so N'Jobu made himself discreet as his eyes darted around looking for his woman and child.

"N'Jobu!"

N'Jobu whirled himself in the direction of the familiar voice. Andres.

The man looked like walking death. He carried two cups of water in his hand. N'Jobu ran to him.

"Come with me," Andres said, and N'Jobu followed him to an alcove.

"Califia!" N'Jobu yelled when he saw her.

She was seated in a chair with Erik lying across her lap. They both had red eyes and looked beyond distraught. Califia reached up for him and he sat next to her and hugged her. He couldn't hold back his emotions and cried into her hair as Erik sat up from her lap. He reached over and pulled Erik onto his lap as he wrapped his other arm around Califia.

"I saw it on the news at the airport."

"They killed her and her publicist. Jacinto just died on the way to the hospital. A car drove up and shot them all up. Soliel is in surgery now. N'Jobu, Erik saw her. He saw Soliel—"

Her face pressed into his neck and she wailed into him. He felt Erik falling apart with her and he willed himself to cease his tears. They needed him to be the strong one right now. He took in deep breaths and gave long exhales until he felt that he had control of his emotions and the tremors of fear and anger in his body. He wiped his eyes and looked at Andres.

"I'm so sorry," he said to the older man. Andres held out the water for Erik and Califia. N'Jobu made them drink it.

"Aunjanue called me to find them," Andres said looking at Califia and Erik, "I can't lose any more daughters."

"I need to go to the hospital," Califia said.

Andres knelt in front of her.

"I need to take you to go be with Marisol. We need you to look after her and Erik together. I will take you all to her. Aunjanue will stay at the hospital tonight with Soliel and my wife. I have to deal with the police and find out who killed my Lia."

N'Jobu had no idea how Andres held it together.

"The streets will be dangerous tonight. Too much anger. I need my family safe," Andres said.

N'Jobu nodded.

"Come. We should leave," Andres said standing up.

N'Jobu picked up Erik and threaded his fingers with Califia's. He knew she wanted to go to the hospital.

"My love, Marisol needs us. Soliel and Aunjanue would want us to be with their little girl."

"I know," Califia said, her face a waterfall of tears. He kissed her temple.

The ride in Andres' van was a challenge. So many people in the streets and so many police cars barricading many roads to control the flow of cars and bodies trying to get near the crime scene.

N'Jobu sat with Califia and Erik in the back. Her shudders into his neck as she continued crying wounded his soul. Erik seemed to want to be like N'Jobu, strong for his mother as he held her hand. His little soldier. Always wanting to protect Califia. The boy had wiped away his tears and kept his face stoic for her.

Lia's street was teeming with people. There were flowers and candles laid in front of the steps leading from the bottom to the top in front of her flat.

Two of Lia's and Soliel's older cousins, red-eyed and exhausted, greeted them with a weepy-faced Marisol. The moment Marisol saw Califia, she burst into tears and Califia picked her up and crooned soft noises into her ear as she rocked her on her hip. Erik patted Marisol's back as Califia took the girl to the main bedroom.

Andres turned to N'Jobu.

"We will be at the hospital until we know how Soliel's surgery goes. She took two bullets. One in the shoulder and one in the chest. They shot my Lia in the head—"

Andres broke down and N'Jobu grabbed him and held him tight. The older man rested his head on N'Jobu's shoulder.

"She was our champion. My first born. How could they do this to her?!"

Andres pressed his hands into his face and N'Jobu did his best to comfort him. He was in no shape to drive. One of the cousins decided to go with Andres and drive him to the hospital. The other cousin, an older woman with weary eyes offered to cook for N'Jobu and his family.

"Thank you," he said as he watched Andres leave for the hospital. The older cousin went into the kitchen and N'Jobu went to check on Califia and the children.

He found her on Lia's wide bed with both children at her side. Marisol was weeping softly on her lap and Erik was stroking her hair that spread loosely around her small shoulders. Califia patted Marisol's back and also stroked Erik's hair.

"Andres has gone to the hospital," N'Jobu said.

Marisol asked N'Jobu something in Portuguese that he couldn't make out because her voice was so soft and tired.

"She asked if her Mommy was going to be alright," Califia said.

The expression on Califia's face let him know that she needed reassurance from him just as much as Marisol did. Erik's somber brown eyes were also needing N'Jobu's confidence in the outcome. He sat on the edge of the bed and looked down at the little girl.

"Your mother will be fine," he said. Marisol closed her eyes and turned her head to face Califia's stomach.

"For real, Baba?" Erik asked his eyes welling up.

"Come here," N'Jobu said holding out his arms for Erik. His son scrambled from under Califia's embrace and threw his arms around N'Jobu's neck. He felt the trembling in his son's slender frame.

"You can cry, my Son. You experienced something no child should have to see. I am sorry this happened. I am sorry you were there."

"I want to hurt them," Erik said, his warm breath blowing onto N'Jobu's neck, "I want you to get them, Baba. Make them pay—"

"Shh, JaJa…the police will find these people—"

"It was probably the police who did this," Califia hissed.

N'Jobu glanced at her, surprised by the sudden veracity in her voice. Her eyes had the look of revenge in them. The children didn't need to see this.

"Erik, do you think you can look after Marisol for a little bit?" N'Jobu asked. Erik shook his head and scooted back over to Califia.

"Can we talk in private?" N'Jobu asked.

Califia lifted Marisol from her lap laid the girl out on the bed next to Erik. Their son threw his arm around her shoulder. Marisol's big ebony eyes watched them leave the room.

N'Jobu pulled Califia into the smaller spare bedroom and closed the door.

He embraced her and she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"I couldn't reach you on your phone. I was terrified, Califia."

"It happened so fast. I left my purse in Aunjanue's car. There was an explosion…they set her up N'Jobu. They put a pipe bomb in a trash receptacle to stop the flow of cars so they could get her—"

"I know—"

"They had tear gas, and I saw the car go past us, I saw a man open fire—"

He felt her body go limp and he held her up.

"It was the police. I know it was. She planned on shaking up their cabal and they got rid of her…"

"We have to be brave for the children—"

"I want to kill the people who did this…I want them fucking dead and in the ground…"

She grabbed onto his shirt with her fists.

"Soliel jumped out of the car and screamed at us to get away. I just grabbed Erik and ran—"

"You did well, my love."

"She's dead—"

"Shh—"

"Soliel might die—"

"No—"

"We could lose them both."

He pressed his forehead into hers.

"Don't think that way. Think about Erik. Think about Marisol. They need to see you rise above this-"

She pushed away from him.

"How do I rise above this? That could've been us in the car! By a fluke, I got caught up with a young person who asked me a question and we didn't ride with Lia. Our son could be dead. I could be dead right now—"

"Califia, please….baby…you are here. You are both here. There is a little girl in there who has no idea what is happening to her other mother. We need to be here for her."

Califia's eyes closed and she drew in a long inhale. When she exhaled and opened her eyes, there was a resolve in them. He had reached her, turned her around for the moment. She grabbed onto his arms.

"I'm so glad you're here," she said.

He made her lay on the guest bed and went back to the other bedroom. Erik and Marisol had fallen asleep together, both curled up in the fetal position facing each other. N'Jobu went back to Califia and curled up next to her. He took out his phone and texted her father and mother and left a text for Bakari to inform all of their friends that they were safe.

For the second time that day, his kimoyo beads heated up. He ignored it. He would have to lie to T'Chaka. His family needed him. As soon as he could, he wanted to get them out of Brazil.

Late into the evening Aunjanue and Lia's parents returned to Lia's place.

Soliel was out of surgery and was expected to survive although she was still in critical condition. Close friends and other family squeezed into the home and the noise outside in the street was ferocious. The people there were a powder keg ready to blow.

The children had been fed and put back into bed. Marisol was calmer now that Aunjanue was there, and N'Jobu watched Califia and Axiel pace on the patio with a few of Lia's relatives. There were constant knocks on the front door, so one of Lia's big male cousins sat in a chair out front to keep reporters and other people away as the family tried to grieve for Lia and pray for Soliel's full recovery.

N'Jobu went to check on Erik and Marisol again and when he returned to the patio, Califia and Axiel were gone.

"Where is Califia?" he asked Andres.

Andres' hands were clasped together in his lap as he sat on the couch.

"They have gone out there," he said.

"What? Why?"

N'Jobu ran out of the home and flew down the stairs.

So many people.

"Califia!" he called out. He ran downhill trying to pick out her shape among the people. There were police posted up on corners and N'Jobu felt the thick tension pushing against his skin. He didn't like the way things felt. He heard a glass bottle break behind him and he kept his eyes darting about searching for her.

A group of young teenagers, both girls, and boys, taunted five officers stationed near a busy corner street. Heated words were exchanged and N'Jobu saw that the police were acting as if they wanted something to pop off. He moved past them quickly. Califia and the police were not a good mix.

A large group of protesters walked towards a wide intersection where a young Black woman was standing on a car and yelling at the crowd. She wore one of Lia's political t-shirts, and N'Jobu felt his spirit crashing. How was it possible that earlier that day he was speaking to Lia, wishing her well and looking forward to her visiting his family, and now she was dead, lying in a medical examiner's freezer with a bullet in her brain? He could only make out a few words of what the young speaker was saying, but she appeared to be riling them up. He heard the words "Justice" and "Black People" and Lia's name.

A federal police van drove up with the cops on speakers telling the crowd to disperse. More police vehicles were surrounding them. N'Jobu felt his gut tighten. He had to find his woman soon…

He caught sight of Axiel, the man's long locs tied up on his head. Axiel was yelling in agreement with the young woman on the car. He had his right hand stretched out and holding onto Califia's shoulder in front of him. She had her head down and N'Jobu swooped in to get her.

"Califia," he said reaching for her hand and pulling her away from Axiel.

Her eyes were red from crying again, but there was a hardness in them that startled him. For a second, she looked at him as if she didn't recognize him.

"Baby," he said trying to will her back to him.

The young woman speaker jumped down from the car and the crowd began following her and shouting Lia's name, ignoring the police who began to grab at people to stop them.

"We are going to the police station," Axiel said. Axiel looked at Califia as if to confirm her joining him.

N'Jobu felt the rush of bodies moving around them. The police were still yelling at people on the speakers.

"They can't get away with this," she finally said, the words sounding thick and heavy in her mouth.

"I know, but it's not safe out here. The police here are ready to go off. I don't think people will remain peaceful—"

"We shouldn't be peaceful!" Axiel yelled.

N'Jobu glared at him.

"They walk over us. They take one of own and they'll do it again and again unless we stop them!" Axiel's eyes were blazing.

Califia nodded in agreement.

N'Jobu held her shoulders and pulled her in close. She felt tense, coiled…ready to strike.

"Come back to the house with me. Erik is there and he needs you with him. I need you with me. This is a bad scene right now, baby. I know you want to fight. I know you want justice. We all do. But I need you to come back with me…please."

Her eyes swept over his face.

"Axiel, you should come back too," he said glancing over at him, trying to coax the man back to safety.

"The family needs you both there with them. Not out here."

N'Jobu saw Axiel's face go lax and then it contorted into intense pain. He ran from them and joined the sea of bodies.

"Axiel!" N'Jobu called out.

He was gone.

Califia wrapped her left arm around N'Jobu's. Clinging to him she allowed him to lead her back up the hill.

Lia's parents looked relieved to see Califia back in the fold. They made her call her father and grandmother, and soon after, her mother. Hearing their voices made her relax, especially her grandmother Nana Jean.

When N'Jobu learned that there would be no funeral right away, he made flight arrangements to get Erik and Califia out of the country. She didn't want to leave, but Aunjanue and Andres insisted. They would all be laying low until Lia's killers were found. No one felt safe. As soon as Soliel could be released from the hospital, she and her family would be sent away to stay with relatives outside of the city.

Lying in bed with her and Erik, he couldn't sleep. She couldn't either. He held her tight with Erik curled up between them. Erik had a fretful sleep, and N'Jobu worried that he would have nightmares about Soliel and Lia for a long time.

Watching Califia's face as she finally drifted off, N'Jobu wondered if she would've stayed out in the street if hadn't been there. Would she have left Erik and run out to risk her life if he hadn't been there and gone after her?

He believed she would have.

And that scared him.

The first thing N'Jobu did upon arriving back in the states with his family was to contact T'Chaka when he knew his brother would be busy. He made sure the signature showed him to be in Oakland, and he gave the concocted story of being at a wild drunken bachelor party out of state for a few days.

The second thing he did was contact the therapist that he and Califia used so many years ago to get through a rough patch. Dr. Davis. He wanted Erik and Califia to see her and deal with what happened in Brazil. Especially Erik.

The third thing he did was contact D'Beke and Sita. It was time to take a head count of War Dogs. Who was with him…and who was not.

And the fourth and final thing was to look up the infamous Ulysses Klaue.

Chapter 20 HERE.

#blackpanther #black panther #eriklives #erik killmonger #erik #erikkillmonger #erikstevens #erik stevens #wakanda #marvel #njobu #n'jobu #prince njobu #prince n'jobu #princenjobu #black panther fanfiction #blackpantherfanfic

[checkmate-cherik]

HEY so you know that Charles Has A Cooking Show AU wELL it got very out of control and now there’s more.

“Hello. I’m sorry I didn’t post a video last week, I was at a funeral.”

Erik froze, and stared at the screen.

He’d barely looked at the title of the video, too excited by the fact that Charles had finally posted, and now he looked again. The title was An Apology.

Charles was a wreck. His eyes were red-rimmed and bagged, and his smile was weak and forced. His clothing, normally so neatly pressed, was rumpled. His hair looked like he’d been running his hands through it. He seemed to have filmed the newest video on a laptop camera, which did nothing but make him look blurry and paler than he already was.

“A family member died rather suddenly,” Charles was saying. “I�� I took a couple weeks off from the internet. And no, it’s not Raven, she’s fine.” The smile began to fade. Then a blip, a cut, and Charles was smiling again, though he looked perilously close to tears. “I’ll have another video soon,” he promised, and swallowed hard. “Just… I need a little time. Thank you. I’m sorry. Good bye.”

And the video ended.

Erik sat there, stunned. Over two hundred videos, six announcements of sad things, and he’d never seen Charles even close to that level of fucked up. It must have been someone very close. A parent? Another sibling? What kind of death would cause a man to take two whole weeks off?

He scrolled down to the comments. It was quite a lot of well-wishing and sympathizing, and a few scattered comments about how he looked hot even in grief, as if that would be any consolation. Erik went through and down-voted all of them, and clicked especially hard on the comment that said you deserve it, filthy mutant.

After a moment, Erik gave in to temptation, and began a comment-war.

It absorbed three hours of his afternoon, but he did win. He smiled grimly as his notifications ceased.

Then a new comment appeared, by ProfessorXavier himself: Please refrain from comment-wars on my videos, thank you.

Erik wanted to reply that he’d been protecting his honor, that he’d been putting the human scum in their place, that it was all for Charles--but he didn’t say that. He simply typed ProfessorXavier chocolate chip cookies recipe in the search bar and rewatched the video for the eight hundredth time. This was his most soothing video, for Erik at least. He loved this recipe, and Charles’ voice was so calm and gentle, his movements slow and careful. Erik saw in the comments people talking about how this was a good “ASMR” video, but since he didn’t know what ASMR was, he didn’t care.

The sadness in Charles’ eyes during that apology video…

Erik frowned and shook his head, and abruptly stood, pausing the video right on a smile. He stared for a moment, then left the office and poured himself a drink, brooding in the kitchen.

His cellphone rang. He sighed heavily and answered. “Hello?”

“Dad, it’s Wanda.”

Oh, shit.

“On my way,” Erik promised, hurrying to the coat closet. “I was--finishing some work.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Wanda sounded both amused and long-suffering. “Look, if you’re gonna moon over someone, shouldn’t you choose one you have a chance with?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he muttered, shoving his foot in his shoe.

“Riiight. See you soon, dad!”

Erik scowled and tucked his phone in his pocket as he pulled on a jacket. It was only when he was in the car that he realized he was wearing all black. He grimaced, but there was no time to change. He’d just have to deal with the inevitable “who died?” jokes.

He was at the concert hall with minutes to spare, and located Peter and Wanda by the bracelets he’d made for them. It had taken him days, and they were both a bit sloppy, but they had a special resonance which meant he could find them unerringly in any crowd.

He saw them first, and was plowing through the crowd when one pimply young man jeered, “Hey, who’s funeral is it?”

Erik met his eyes and said, “I haven’t decided yet.” Then he kept walking, leaving the boy and his friends shaken.

Peter and Wanda didn’t do too well with crowds. Peter whined that everyone was too slow and there wasn’t space to move, and Wanda said that they made her want to use her powers to make people move out of her way. Erik hated crowds because he could not stand the idea of being touched by anyone but his children. Or Magda. But Magda was long gone and he should stop clinging to her ghost.

But his children were standing by the wall, complaining together, and brightened when they saw him. He relaxed and smiled back, because these were his little ones and he loved them. People saw his smile and scurried out of his way. Well, they were silly, then; just because his smile showed all his sharp teeth didn’t mean he was the type to go around biting.

“Dad!” Wanda fought through the crowd and hugged him; Peter waited until they had escaped the crush to also hug Erik, though he did so quickly. “We thought you weren’t going to make it.”

“Fairly sure I broke several traffic laws, but no one caught me,” Erik replied, putting one hand on Peter’s shoulder and the other on Wanda’s. “When does the show start? In two minutes?”

Peter and Wanda gave him identical Looks of equal parts exasperation and fondness. “Five, you time-challenged old man,” Wanda retorted. “Which means you better go find Aunt Mindy before some creep sits by her.”

Erik sighed but nodded, kissed them both on the cheek (which made Peter wrinkle his nose in distaste), and went to find his seat.

There was, indeed, a creepy man trying to talk to Mindy, Magda’s best friend and caretaker of the children (she’d been very angry at Erik’s poor parenting, and demanded to take them in, so while Erik was still legal guardian, they lived with Mindy). Erik tapped the creepy man on the shoulder, and when he looked up, scowling, Erik said, “Excuse me, but this happens to be my seat.”

“She said no one was sitting here!”

Erik looked to Mindy. She pressed her lips together, but nodded reluctantly. Then she said, “But I didn’t think you’d come.”

Erik ignored the faint pang of hurt and anger. Not come to his children’s concert? Why would he do that? Then again, she’d never trusted him to do anything vaguely parent-like. “Well, I did. May I sit here?”

“Yes,” Mindy said.

“But--” Creepy Man spluttered, but Erik stared at him until he stood and shuffled past Erik, letting him take the seat. Mindy looked grudgingly impressed. Erik made sure to leave her the arm rest.

In four minutes exactly, the orchestra gathered on stage. There was polite applause, then the first strains of music began.

Wanda was first chair violin, and Peter was on drums. Music was good for them, helped them learned finesse. And even if this was the high school concert and therefore there were mistakes, Wanda’s solo was beautiful, and Peter managed not to go too fast. Erik relaxed, taking in the music, and also the hum of metal. There was a second orchestra beneath the first, as metal fixtures and strings and instruments vibrated to his special senses. Some was in recognition of his presence, like a cat with a human they liked; most was in reaction to the way they were being used.

Mmm, lovely…

Sometimes Erik was called a music snob because he prefered live orchestral music. All of time, he didn’t give a damn. He was probably single-handedly supporting the local orchestra with his monthly donations, as well as buying a ticket to each performance. He’d worked it out early on; buying a ticket for each was more money to them than buying a pass. And he wanted to support them, not just because they made good music, but because Wanda wanted to join them when she and Peter graduated in a few months. Erik wanted them to exist so his baby girl could make music with them.

Peter didn’t know what he wanted to do. Erik didn’t know how to help. He settled for promising to rent the school track after graduation for Peter and his mutant buddies to have full reign of for once.

Strange, how Erik had gone from a penniless immigrant with barely any English to a powerful figure in Shaw Unlimited.

But the music, focus on the music. Erik’s eyes drifted half-closed, and a small smile curved his lips.

“You are terrifying, you know that?” Mindy muttered.

“Hush, please,” he murmured, feeling the vibration of metal in his soul.

At the end of the concert, he clapped with everyone else, and stood with everyone else, and resigned himself to shuffling out like everyone else. Oh, he could easily move people out of his way, or hover over them, but he didn’t want to start a stampede or have someone call the cops. That would just be irritating. So he settled for leading the way outside, knowing Mindy was following in his wake. Erik wasn’t broad, but he was still tall and, he was told, exuded a sort of powerfulness and a “get the fuck out of my way” vibe. Maybe the fact that he was in all black was useful here.

Peter and Wanda found them, and first they went to Mindy’s car to fetch the kids’ bags, then went to Erik’s to tuck it all in the trunk. It was going to be a quiet weekend, though Erik had promised a trip to the zoo so they could finish their reports on animal cruelty and various laws impacting how zoos treated their residents. Erik hoped the twins wouldn’t tease him too much for being unable to cook anymore without the soothing voice of Charles Xavier in the background.

They said their goodbyes to Mindy, who hugged all three of them (Erik was very surprised to receive a quick embrace) and hopped in her Corolla. Erik shook his head slightly and slid into the driver’s seat of his own car, reflexively glancing in the rearview mirror to make sure the twins were buckled. They caught him looking and rolled their eyes as one.

“We’re not kids anymore,” Peter reminded him.

“I know,” Erik replied, pulling out of the parking lot.

They arrived at his apartment and the twins dropped their bags in the guest room (which was really the master bedroom, but Erik had made it into their room for when they visited) before wandering to the kitchen and watching him start dinner.

“No Pretty Professor tonight?” Wanda asked innocently. Peter snorted.

Erik did not glare, but he did gaze sternly at them. “I don’t watch his videos every night,” he admonished stiffly. “Just when I don’t know what to cook.”

“And what are you making?” Peter inquired.

“...scrambled eggs and toast,” Erik answered, and he would forever swear that he did not mutter it sullenly.

His children had the gall to laugh at him.

“Silence!” he snapped, in the tone that usually brought complete silence and servitude. Now it just made the twins stifle their laughter into muffled giggles. He scowled and turned back to the stove, flicking it on and letting the metal bowl full of whisked ingredients pour into the pan. It was an old favorite, eggs with cheese, bacon bits, and a dash of pepper. Magda taught it to him.

“Hey, dad?”

“Yes?” He can never stay angry at his own children, so it came out quite normally.

“Did you know there’s a Professor Xavier coming to the school to give a presentation?” Wanda asked nonchalantly. Peter snickered.

Erik froze, staring at the eggs. “How interesting,” he said, completely neutral.

“It’s for staff, of course, but we could get you in,” Peter added.

“He’s bringing his assistant, Dr. McCoy.”

Dr. McCoy. Hank McCoy? The starry-eyed, tongue-tied young man from Charles’ videos?

“Would you like to go?” Wanda asked sweetly.

Erik turned to them, and even though he meant to say Absolutely not, what came out was “When is it?”

#Erik Lehnsherr #Cherik #eventually #there isn't much cooking in this piece bUT THERE WILL BE

[uzumaki-rebellion]

Black Boys Bloom Thorns First: Volume 2, Chapter 17

"There will never come a day You'd ever hear me say That I want and need to be without you I want to give my all Baby just hold me, simply control me 'Cause your arms, they keep away the lonelies When I look into your eyes Then I realize That all I need is you in my life All I need is you in my life…"

Brian McKnight – "Never Felt This Way"

The nightmares had returned.

They usually rose their ugly heads the weeks before N'Jobu had to return to Wakanda. They were earlier than they had ever been in two years. It was usually some variation of the same narrative.

Califia would find herself walking into a palatial estate dressed in a fancy dress or some luxurious flowing pants suit and top. She would find herself bejeweled from head to toe with gold bracelets jangling around her wrists and ankles. She had no idea what the palace in Wakanda really looked like outside of the modest photos N'Jobu had shown her, but the dark dreams would conjure up various scenarios each time, her subconscious probably piecing together things she may have seen in magazines or on tv over the years.

There would be the initial joy of finally being in her man's homeland, feeling a sense of belonging, harboring joy in her heart as she moved through large ornate double doors that lead to the voices she heard. The voices were always N'Jobu and Erik's…until she stepped into a wide- open room where an elaborate silver throne sat. N'Jobu was on that throne, his gold slugs gleaming on his teeth as he smiled. But his smile wasn't for her.

Zinzi sat next to him holding a baby. Standing next to her were three other children…and Erik. The three strange children-sometimes boys, sometimes girls, often both—shared features that let her know these were N'Jobu's progeny. His rich dark flawless melanin was in their skin.

N'Jobu would always look over at her and his eyes would look beyond her as if she weren't there at all and one of the children would call out, "Baba, Umama…" and N'Jobu would lean over and kiss Zinzi's cheek and touch the head of the child in her lap.

Zinzi would rise and hold out her hand and say, "Come, Husband," and all of them, including Erik, would walk away from the throne, walk right through her as if she were a ghost. And each time, Califia would run after them screaming, trying to stop N'Jobu, grabbing Erik's arm, but it always ended the same way. N'Jobu walking away from her with another family. The horror would swell in her belly and then she would wake up…

Noise.

From down below in the streets.

Califia forgot how loud it could be living in cramped spaces with people piled on top of each other. Her eyes opened to stare up at the ceiling. Every part of her ached. She asked to be made sore by him. She got her wish. Her thighs had black and blue marks. Her private parts ached from pleasurable use. Her nipples felt tender and raw. Her back shot out bolts of precise pain from where he twisted her to and fro.

Everything hurt, but damn, everything felt so right too.

She was happy to be awake. The nightmare faded in the light of the morning each time. The constant fear about N'Jobu going home to Wakanda for his annual check-in would never leave her. The noise took her from the discomfort that the dreams brought her.

Turning her head to the left of her she saw N'Jobu's profile. He was sound asleep with the covers draped over his waist. His bare chest called for her to touch it and she did, not waking him at all. She herself looked like a fire breathing dragon with drool sometimes when she slept, but this man next to her had the ability to look like he was posing in a magazine when he slumbered. So unfair.

She rolled onto her side so she could get her face close to his. She touched his plush full lips then traced her finger over his chin. She leaned in and kissed his cheek, then lifted a little higher to press her lips into his. He slept soundly. She reached under the covers and felt for his dick. It was flaccid. It probably wouldn't work for a long time. She didn't know where he pulled his stamina nor the ability to recuperate from each time he ejaculated in her and on her, but N'Jobu really showed out this time. His appetite for her was ravenous and she reciprocated that hunger.

But now, he was finally sated and shut down.

Or so she thought.

"Hey," he whispered, his eyes still closed, but his lips curled into a knowing smile.

"Hey," she whispered back kissing his cheek again.

He turned his head to kiss her back.

"Are they back yet?" he asked.

"No. We are still alone."

"Maybe we should leave Erik with your Dad or Rolita every now and then when we get home. I want more time like this…like last night….early this morning…two hours ago…"

She laughed.

"We were really on one. Are you going to explain the door, or shall I do it?" she asked.

N'Jobu sighed heavily. His banging her against the bedroom door caused a noticeable crack in the middle of it.

"I'll tell Lia. And I'll replace the door."

Her hands were still rubbing him under the covers. She pushed the sheet and blankets down. His dick was plumping up. She stroked his emerald green seed jewel. The piercing was just as beautiful now as when he first showed it to her. He opened his eyes. She kissed his lips again then brought her face down to his cock and licked the jewel. Flicking her tongue around it, she felt his erection grow, his dick filling out and lifting up. She put her mouth over it.

"Damn, good morning to me," he said widening his legs for her.

Her mouth and jaws were the only things not too worn out.

"Ooh, yes, I like that, keep making that popping sound with your lips…"

She sucked on the head and each time she bobbed down on it and released it with her thick lips, a loud audible POP! was made. His dick was coated with hot saliva and she looked up at him and his lips quirked with pleasure. Eyes already heavy-lidded he thrust up into her mouth. Saliva dribbled down her jaw and neck. She sat up and gripped his cock and began stroking it up and down.

His eyes glanced down between her legs.

"You're still swollen down there. I'm sorry, girl."

"It's okay. I wanted it," she said. Her labia had swelled from when they were finished having sex, the irritated plumpness arose from his pummeling and biting and rubbing. It would take a few days to get back to normal. The look in his eyes told her he was ready to delve back in her.

His eyes traced every part of her and his erection reacted to what he saw, growing slicker at the tip and bulging in her hand.

Her eyes watched her hand work his dick. He moved his head closer to her and she gave him soft kisses. Her fingertip touched his slit and she played with the clear fluid he released and smoothed it around the head of his cock. Her grip returned just under the glans, her firm short strokes there made him stop kissing her, his breath agitated from the sensations of her stopping and starting. She was edging him just right. Staring at the fat shiny head of his glans she felt her body react to the perfect dark even coloring of his erection.

She slowed down her hand and just let her fingers make a ring under the head, twisting her digits slowly from left to right hitting his sweet spot. She saw his eyes sweep down to her pussy and more of his body's own lubricant spilled down and pooled on top of her thumb.

"Califia," he groaned, raising his eyes back to her face. He had that look. He was close to release. He reached out and fondled her breasts. She drew in a sharp intake of breath across her teeth when his fingers brushed over her sore nipples. The pleasure and pain she felt from his touch made him thrust his hips. He needed more from her hand and she gripped him tighter.

"Yes, like that," he gritted out watching her hand stroke him harder.

"Ah, man," she whined.

She could hear the children making their way up the steps from down below. Marisol's high-pitched squeal followed by Erik's high-strung cackles with Lia telling them both to slow down.

"Keep going," he grunted out squeezing her left breast.

She pumped her fist around him faster.

"Like that?"

"Yes…keep doing that…you know how to work me…you k'no—"

He blurted out something harsh in Wakandan and then his dick released a steady flow of cum that ran down his length and covered her hand.

"Shit!" he cried out.

When his cock was no longer sensitive, she reached for the hand towel they had used earlier.

"No, you clean me up with your mouth," he said pushing her head toward his lap.

"They'll be in here soon—"

"Lick all this up."

She did her best to slurp up all that dripped down his cock and thighs. When they heard the key in the front door twisting the lock, he wiped the rest of his release from his stomach with the towel and kissed her.

"I taste good in your mouth, girl," he whispered.

"You so nasty," she said licking her fingers of the excess semen still there.

The front door opened in the living room and the children's feet stampeded in followed by Lia's calm voice telling them to stop running in the house.

Califia stared at N'Jobu and rubbed his chest again.

"Next time we need a full twenty-four hours to ourselves—" she said.

A knock on the bedroom door let them know Erik wanted to see them. N'Jobu pulled the covers back over them and he pulled Califia onto his chest.

"Mom…Baba…it's me."

"Come in," she said.

Erik dipped his head in the doorway first then stepped in when he saw they were waiting for him.

"Why are you on the floor?" he asked.

"More comfortable down here," N'Jobu said squeezing Califia's shoulder under the covers.

"Auntie Lia wants to know if you want to have dinner at Luna's Grill or Catalina's…Baba, what's that on your teeth?"

Erik stepped closer to them and knelt down on the mattress. Califia ran her pinky finger on N'Jobu's gold slugs.

"Your father was just showing me his new grill," Califia said waiting for N'Jobu to come up with a good explanation as to why Erik had never seen them before.

"Cool," Erik said. He didn't ask his father to elaborate.

"Tell Lia we'll do Catalina's so we can dress up," she said.

"Okay," Erik said bouncing up from the mattress.

Califia could feel N'Jobu rubbing on her booty.

"What happened to the door?" Erik asked staring at the large crack in the middle.

Califia looked up at N'Jobu.

"Yeah, about that…" Califia said.

N'Jobu shook his head.

N'Jobu treated everyone to the Catalina restaurant feast.

His family, Lia's and Soliel's parents along with some community elders congregated on one side of the restaurant. It was a fancy establishment and everyone dressed up to celebrate the upcoming election.

Victory was in the air, and even though Lia thought it was presumptuous to celebrate before an actual win, everyone wanted to do it regardless of the final outcome later.

He couldn't keep his eyes off of Califia. Their lovemaking had him buzzing and once again he had tunnel vision, following her around like a lost puppy, constantly holding her hand or kissing her neck. She, in turn, stayed hugged up on him, her hand constantly rubbing his arm at the table or stroking the nape of his neck. She and Erik dressed alike, form-fitting black blazers with tight black trousers and black Doc Marten boots. Califia wore a low-cut black silk camisole top under her blazer while Erik sported a jet-black silk shirt he bought for himself at a boutique in the city.

N'Jobu wore an ivory and ecru suit that complimented the darker ensemble of his wife and son, and around their dinner table, the rest of their party was quite sophisticated with their apparel. The owner of the restaurant came over to meet Lia and wish her well while giving everyone dessert on the house.

Wine freely flowed, and N'Jobu felt his kimoyo beads heat up.

"Which way to the restroom?" he asked.

Califia pointed him toward the entrance of the restaurant.

Leaving the group, N'Jobu made his way as if going to the men's room, but went outside instead. He inserted an earbud in his hand and took out his cell phone to pretend he was using it. He tapped his kimoyo.

"Prince N'Jobu."

"D'Beke."

N'Jobu looked around his surroundings. No one was paying attention to him as he stood off to the side near the end of the sidewalk speaking Wakandan.

"I think I have found someone who can help us with our little project," D'Beke said.

"Who?"

"A South African."

"Really?"

"An Afrikaner."

N'Jobu sucked on his teeth.

"No, listen. This white man is a mercenary with a flawless reputation. Hard to contact, but I have my radar on him. He is in Dubai right now but may be willing to do some work for us. With your permission, of course, Your Highness. Sita knows him personally."

"Sita does?"

"Yes. Hold on…."

N'Jobu heard D'Beke speak to someone and then a new voice was in his ear.

"Your Highness."

"Sita," he said. His voice changed in tone when he heard the woman's voice.

"Tell me about this Afrikaner. Can he be trusted?"

"His name is Ulysses Klaue. A greedy maggot of a man. He is about as trustworthy as the dollar amount he is paid to do jobs. But he gets things done. And off the radar. He can be the perfect fall guy too if you want him to be."

"Let me think about it," N'Jobu said.

"Of course. I can set up a meeting in Canaan if you like."

"No, further away. Off continent. Someplace white. Northern."

"I will see what I can do, Your Highness."

"N'Jobu—"

He turned to see Califia watching him. He spoke quickly into the phone.

"I have to go. We shall speak again soon. Tell D'Beke to start preliminary inquiries. Feel out who is with me. And Sita…do this with great discretion. I can not stress this enough."

"Will do, Your Highness. Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Sita."

He pretended to tap his phone and took out his earbud.

"Everything okay back home?" she asked.

Her eyes were inquisitive. She heard him speaking Wakandan. He didn't know why he felt nervous. She didn't know his language, but her voice sounded suspicious like she was aware of something. He put his phone away and reached for her hand.

"Everything is fine—"

"Who were you talking to?"

"Some military colleagues. Just going over some things before I return."

Damn. There was that look in her eyes. The worry she always had when it came close to his annual check-in. He pulled her in and held her waist.

"Nothing to worry about. Is everyone still enjoying dessert?"

"Yeah."

He kissed her forehead.

"Let's go back in," he said.

They found Erik stuffing a large spoonful of chocolate mousse into his mouth. Marisol was busy pushing vanilla parfait into hers.

N'Jobu held up a glass of wine in honor of Lia.

"Salud," he said.

All the adults joined him. When he looked into Califia's eyes, she looked worried about something. But she smiled at him and held up her glass of white wine toward Lia.

When the evening was over and they were all back at Lia's ready for bed, Califia sat at the dresser mirror in the guest bedroom and twisted her hair. The children were asleep and Lia was on her couch with her boyfriend watching a late-night movie. She herself could not sleep and decided to busy herself with her hair.

N'Jobu was on the mattress down on the floor reading a book.

She heard his voice when he was talking on his phone outside the restaurant. The way his tone sounded she knew he was talking to a woman. It was something his voice did all the time and she wondered if it was what they did in his native language, or if N'Jobu just naturally sounded seductive when he spoke to any woman. He never sounded that way with men.

She worried about having the nightmare again when she fell asleep. She never told N'Jobu about it because she was afraid it might be true. His American life could be an elaborate charade, and he would go be with Zinzi and their children. Califia was just his side-chick that he gave a baby to just to keep her happy and complacent so he could use her for his spy work.

She didn't know why she couldn't ignore the dreams as the stuff feeding on her anxiety about his leaving again. But he was giving her vibes that something was off, especially back in his homeland. And to hear him talking to a woman that could be Zinzi just ate at her. He could be going home and putting on a wedding band and stepping into a home where Zinzi and their children would spend a whole month playing family. Maybe, just maybe, the times he told her not to come to his apartment, what if he were meeting his other family in secret from her?

She shook her head at the thoughts. They made her seem so ridiculous. He loved her. He wouldn't lie to her about having someone else. True, he lied about his heritage, but she understood why he did that. But she had heard horror stories from close friends about women marrying foreign men and their husbands having whole ass families in other parts of the world like it wasn't anything. Years of women thinking they were the only one only to find out a man had a whole different life for decades.

He received strange calls at odd hours of the night at their townhouse. Calls he had to take in private speaking his mother tongue in hushed tones. He was supposed to be a spy for his country. What if his double life was a triple life? She knew she couldn't handle something like that. And she cursed herself for coming up with the hurtful thoughts, driving herself into states of panic, driving herself to make him prove he loved her by teasing him. Pushing buttons in him that she knew he would react to. The whole time they went out dancing the other night was just her insecurity acting out. How bad did he want her? Did he still love her passionately? Was she still his everything in bed like he told her? He wanted more children. Could he have another woman back home giving him the babies he so desperately wanted? Legitimate royal offspring that his parents were fawning over? How hard could it be when he already had a secret child in the States?

The dream she had that morning was truly the worst even though most of the fear wore off once she woke up. In that scenario, not only did N'Jobu have his other family, but he took Erik with him and left her behind.

Her eyes glanced at him from the mirror. He was into his book. A history of salt. He had finished another book on the history of wine and beer two days ago. He looked comfortable. Content. Clothes off, no plans for the next day except attending a final political rally to drum up last-minute support for Lia near a mall after a late lunch. And here she was sitting in front of a mirror thinking he was doing the most horrible thing she could think of. Being with someone else. Although he had said it in the heat of their lovemaking, she could still feel the tension in her gut when he had told her there was pussy out in the street just lined up and waiting for him. Not just the streets in Sao Paulo, but everywhere.

He caught her staring at him.

"Penny for your thoughts," he said watching her reflection.

She tied her hair up with a black silk scarf and turned to face him.

"Just thinking about the election."

It didn't look like he believed her. He held out his hand for her. She stood up and went to him, kneeling down on the mattress and letting him pull her close to him.

"Something else is on your mind. I see it in your eyes. You know you can't hide things from me when your eyes reveal so much. My love, what is it?"

She hated being insecure. It was hard not to be when she had a man like him.

"What is it?"

He stroked her arm. Then lifted up her chin.

"Tell me," he whispered.

His eyes were so loving. Sincere.

"I have these bad dreams…I have them more now and they get really bad when you go back to Wakanda. I trust you…but…"

"But what?"

She couldn't answer. She felt ashamed for doubting him, but she couldn't help feeling what she felt.

"I have dreams that you go home to a second family."

She closed her eyes and pressed her head into his chest. It sounded even worse saying it out loud. N'Jobu pushed her back gently and shifted his body so that he was leaning above her.

"You dream this or do you believe this?"

His voice sounded coarse, like he couldn't fathom what just came out her mouth. She couldn't answer him. Shame swallowed her throat.

His face broke into an incredulous expression.

"Califia. You think I have another family?"

There was pain in his voice. She looked up at him.

"How long have you been thinking this?"

Don't lie to him.

"The past two years—"

He sat up abruptly.

"Two years?!"

She lifted up and her shoulder touched his, her off-the-shoulder t-shirt hanging low on her arms.

"What have I possibly done to make you believe that?"

"The secrets. The pretending. I don't know what you do when you are over there. I don't know what you do when you are in your apartment by yourself. More and more these days you are away from us alone. I tell myself that you have to do it to stay here with us, but sometimes…sometimes N'Jobu I get scared. And it manifests in my dreams."

"I don't have another family in Wakanda. Or anywhere else. I don't have any other children. I just have you and Erik. That's all. I just don't understand why you would hold onto this for two years. You can talk to me about anything."

He stroked her face then pulled her in for a hug.

"Shit, girl. Don't ever hold onto something like that. Talk to me. I love you. I want you."

"Okay," she whispered.

"I damn near fucked you through a whole door last night. That didn't tell you anything?"

She smiled.

"I know you worry. I know you get anxious when I am gone. It's the life I have given us. I take the blame for that. There is so much about my culture that you could never fully understand. It is so rigid, and so hard for me. I do the best that I can so I can make a life with you and Erik—"

"You don't have to explain—"

"No, I do. Because it is affecting you so much. Giving you nightmares. Stressing you out. I don't have any power right now to change things at this time in my life. But I promise you. One day we won't have to hide—

"N'Jobu—"

"Listen to me. I want you to feel secure and safe, and I am sorry that I have disappointed you by not making you feel that way."

She flung her arms around his neck.

"I don't want to talk about it anymore…just hold me…"

She felt his body shake a bit as he pulled her in tighter against him.

"There's only you, girl. I swear…"

She nodded and let him pull the covers back so she could scramble under them to get next to his warmth. He held her safe and secure until she fell asleep.

Noise again.

She woke up to a cool empty mattress on his side of the bed.

His shadow was outside on the patio deck. He was on his cell phone again. She heard the soft tones drip from his lips. A woman on the other end once more.

Knotting in her stomach made her feel a fit of dull anger seep into her chest. He said his military work caused the calls. She wanted to believe him. But he could talk in his language next to her in bed and she wouldn't know any details. He didn't have to go outside. It made him look sneaky. Like he was conducting an affair.

Girl, stop. Get it together.

She curled herself up into a ball and faced away from the window.

He stepped back into their space and packed his cell away in his suitcase. Crawling back onto the mattress and under the covers, he spooned around her and a hand reached for her breast. She didn't like the touch but endured it. He held the weight of her in his hand and pressed closer into her. He seemed to ignore her body language, probably still thinking she was asleep. When he angled his groin closer to her backside, she pushed away from him. She felt his body shift, unsure of what to do. He placed his arm around her waist and she went stiff when he touched her. He lifted up and she felt the covers pull back from her arms.

"Califia."

She ignored him.

"Don't close me out, girl."

She pulled the covers back over her shoulders.

"I just want to go to sleep."

"I can't touch you now?"

"It's hot."

"No, it's not."

She tucked her head low.

"What is it now?" he asked.

"Nothing. Do you need to make any more phone calls? I can go sleep with the kids. Give you privacy in here."

She heard him suck on his teeth. She sucked hers back.

"Don't act like a child," he said.

"Fuck you."

"Fuck me—?"

She turned around to face him.

"You're talking to a woman. Both times you have been talking to a woman on your phone—"

"We have women soldiers in our military. You do remember my personal bodyguards, right? All women—"

"—you didn't have to make or take calls right now—"

"—I'm in a different time zone. If I don't take the calls my people will think something is wrong—"

"Why does your voice have to sound like that when you talk to women?" she hissed, trying to keep her voice below a whisper.

"Sound like what?"

"Like you're trying to fuck them through the phone?"

"What?"

"Ughh!" she said throwing the covers back over her head. She sounded stupid. She knew it. Now she was embarrassed. It was so juvenile.

His hand rubbed her shoulder.

"Hey…"

She wanted to sink through the floor.

"So…you're not going to share the covers?"

His fingers pulled on the blankets and sheet, dragging them away from her face. She kept her eyes closed.

"I have no idea what you mean about my voice talking over the phone to women. I just talk—"

"You can't hear yourself, so you wouldn't know—"

"I can definitely hear myself, girl—"

"It's the tone…you sound suggestive…the pitch and timbre change…like you're trying to have phone sex."

"You don't think I talk that way to you on the phone?"

"Not all the time…sometimes…"

He shook his head.

"If I really want to seduce someone with my voice, I know I could, and I have done so…but I promise you, I'm just speaking to a colleague and fellow soldier…what are we really talking about right now? I'm so confused. What are you upset about? I took the call outside so I wouldn't disturb your sleep. I don't know what else to say to calm your fears."

"Let's just go to sleep and forget about it," she said turning her back and pulling the covers back up.

N'Jobu curled up behind her and held her waist again. She accepted it this time. He pressed his lips to her ear.

"You want me to talk sexy to you?"

She felt her ears get warm from his soft breath.

"Should I tell you how fine you looked in that blazer, hmmm?"

He flicked his tongue in her ear and then he let his lips snag her earlobe and toy with it. She felt a low whimper escape her lips. He reached for her breast again and gave soft swirls around her areola with his finger. The teasing circles didn't touch her nipple at all. She found herself pressing her rump into his groin.

"You are the only one I want. You believe me?"

He was doing it. That thing. That subtle change in his voice. He nibbled her lobe again and let his index finger skim over the top of her nipple once.

"Tell me you believe me, girl."

She felt her stomach drop.

"Tell me…"

She didn't say anything.

"Let me eat your pussy. Let me show you how I feel about you…"

"Okay," she said feeling a shudder escape with the word.

His fingers drifted down to her shorts and slid them off of her. Pushing back the covers he pulled on her legs and she automatically bent her knees for him. His mouth found her stomach and kissed each of her tattoos before traveling down to the opening of her thighs.

His tongue swiped her puffy inner lips, the tip of it tracing the delicate folds, parting them so that he could get at her center. His soft lips were deliberate in their work and very responsible for the mewling noises she was letting out. But good God, his tongue…

She gazed down at his face and his eyes were on hers.

She lifted up his pillow and pressed it against her mouth so she could scream into the cotton fluff when he finally licked her clit directly.

By the time he was finished with her, she was willing to believe anything he said.

That worried her the most.

Lia's supporters were feeling the momentum of her campaign coming to a close. The final rally they all attended was a rousing success, and Lia gave a powerful speech that encouraged the crowd to keep fighting for their rights even if she lost the election the next day. Many people booed when she mentioned the possibility of losing again.

N'Jobu and Califia stood among the crowd of supporters as they watched Lia on a portable stage. Erik and Marisol stood next to her.

N'Jobu adjusted his sunglasses and watched his son stare down at the crowd as Lia spoke. So many people were there, and Erik's eyes surveyed all the reactions. He was dressed in pressed jeans and a yellow cotton t-shirt with Lia's face on it. It was his favorite shirt to wear the entire time there. Lia was speaking into a bullhorn in the photo and her fist was in the air along with a crowd of Black women behind her holding their fists up too. It was an iconic looking image. Lia's hair on the shirt was free-flowing, thick curls framing her face making her eyes look dynamic and full of purpose.

Califia wore the same shirt while N'Jobu sported several campaign buttons on his plain black t-shirt.

Lia continued speaking and N'Jobu glanced over at Califia who was hanging on to every word spoken.

His woman could be so strong in so many ways, but when it came to him, she became almost fragile with her fears. His mind had been blown by the confession that she thought he had another family back home. She tried to say her nightmares about it was the cause of her worries, but he saw through that. For two years he had gotten on a plane to Wakanda, and she had sat in Oakland believing he was with another woman and fathering other children behind her back. Unbelievable. True, he could easily do it if he wanted to. But why would she really feel that he could do that to her? They had been through so much together. He had given her his heart and his allegiance, forsaken his parents and brother to be there with her, and yet she still entertained the notion that he could be foul like that. And her irrational belief that his talking on the phone a certain way meant he was having an affair. She wasn't handling his War Dog life well at all. He had to admit that. He was so busy trying to keep everything together balancing work, spying, and staying incognito in the open, that he had ignored the impact on his family.

Erik just knew that Baba worked a lot, kept an apartment, and traveled sometimes overnight. Once a year Baba left town for a month to teach at a barber college. That was the story and he and Califia stuck to it. It was such a normal routine since his birth that Erik never questioned it. The apartment was rent controlled and so many people sublet and had complicated living situations around town. His friend James stayed at the apartment many times when he was thrown out by his girlfriend when they fought, and Erik assumed N'Jobu kept the place for wayward friends and relatives.

"Look at him, lording over the crowd," Califia said bumping her arm into his.

N'Jobu looked back over at Erik who was still watching Lia's audience. Marisol was looking bored next to him, whispering in his ear. Erik ignored her, his eyes gazing back up at Lia. He listened to her words and N'Jobu wondered what his boy was thinking. He was constantly surrounded by politics, culture, activism, and art. How was this shaping his outlook on life?

Lia's speech ended and her fist was in the air. Erik raised his fist and he joined in with the crowd as they chanted with Lia.

"What are they saying?"

"Power to the people," Califia said.

There were reporters flocking to the side of the stage.

"I'll get Erik and we can meet over by the car, yeah?" Califia said. N'Jobu nodded and ducked through the crowd avoiding the press and camera people.

Tonight would be their night together as a family. Just the three of them. N'Jobu made reservations under Califia's name at a fancy hotel in the city, the Hotel Cadoro.

Aunjanue loaned them her car and N'Jobu waited for them with the motor running.

When Erik arrived with Califia his face looked sour. He climbed in the back seat and buckled himself up.

"Why the long face?" N'Jobu asked.

"Marisol was crying," Erik said.

"Why?"

"She thought we were going home to Oakland. She hugged me and got stains on my shirt. She was eating a candy bar…I wanted to wear this for the election tomorrow—"

"We can get it cleaned at the hotel, JaJa," Califia said.

"She's so emotional," Erik said.

"She's just going to miss you a lot when you leave, Baby," Califia said.

"But she knows we aren't going until Sunday. A whole week—"

"Hey. She only gets to see you every other year. She can express how she feels," N'Jobu said glancing back at Erik from the rearview mirror.

Erik stared out the window, his lip poked out.

"Fix your face, boy," Califia said.

Their hotel room was on the twenty-first floor, the top, and Erik's face definitely fixed up when he saw the view from the window.

"Whoa!" he exclaimed running up to the window and peering out. The lights in the center of the city were shimmering like polished silver and white jewel stones. Erik's reaction softened N'Jobu's heart. What would his son's reaction be if he could see the view of Birnin Zana from the palace?

"Mom, look!"

"Pretty," Califia said standing next to him. She pulled the curtains open wider.

"Can we stay in and eat?" Erik asked.

"You don't want to go out?" she asked.

"No."

"What would you like to do tonight?" N'Jobu asked placing their overnight bag in the closet.

"Eat hamburgers and watch tv."

Califia giggled.

"Oh, I see. The tv show Xica The Queen comes on tonight…"

Erik's face turned sheepish, and his dimples popped out.

"I knew you liked it a lot. You like the actress who plays Xica," she teased.

"She looks like Auntie Lia."

"Yeah, she kinda does."

Califia looked at N'Jobu.

"Burgers and Xica tonight."

"I'll call room service," N'Jobu said.

They laid up in the king-sized bed together eating burgers and fries with cheesecake for dessert. N'Jobu had to agree that the lead actress in the show did favor Lia, just older. It was a historical drama with some fantasy elements, and Erik was enthralled. Califia was into it too, and every now and then during commercial breaks, the two of them would discuss the previous segment and try to guess what would happen next.

Califia was leaned up against his arm and Erik was sprawled out on her lap. N'Jobu couldn't figure out the appeal of the show. It looked rather low budget and all over the place plot-wise. He nodded off toward the end, the burgers and red wine he drank taking their toll. Erik had shifted his position and was now between N'Jobu and Califia, his head now resting on N'Jobu's chest.

Their hotel room had an additional junior bedroom suite for Erik, but the way his boy was cozied up on him, N'Jobu might not get the chance to try out the king-size bed with Califia alone.

"Why is your bracelet getting warm, Baba?"

The kimoyo beads were pressed against Erik's arm.

N'Jobu moved his wrist and discreetly pressed one of the beads. The signature was from T'Chaka. Shit. He didn't have his scrambler with him, so if he answered the call, his locater would show his brother that he was not in Oakland. Questions would be asked that didn't need asking. He had a least twenty-four hours to ignore the call before his brother would try again. And if he didn't answer by then…trouble. Another War Dog would come searching for him in Oakland. And if he weren't there…

"It gets sensitive to body heat. It is warm in here. And you are all over me."

Erik tried to touch the beads again, but N'Jobu shifted his body reaching for the remote. "What else is on?" N'Jobu asked.

He flipped through the onscreen guide. Erik was staring at his beads.

"I want to watch the news," Califia said.

"Boring," Erik said.

"Well go in your room and watch what you want to watch," Califia said.

N'Jobu turned on the news, Erik's face looked deflated.

"Go on, and don't stay up too late. We are meeting Auntie Lia and everyone for breakfast and then we go to the polls," she said.

"What about my shirt?"

"Lia is bringing you a new one in the morning," she said.

Erik kissed Califia on the cheek and swung his face back around and kissed N'Jobu's cheek. He bounced off their bed and meandered over to his room.

Picking up his cell, N'Jobu saw that there was a missed call from T'Chaka. The fake code name they used popped up at the same time his beads warmed up. He showed the phone to Califia. She sat up on the bed.

"I'll have to leave soon—"

"Why? Please, not on election day—"

"I have a little over twenty-four hours to reply. I must be in Oakland when I do—"

"Just text him back—"

"Califia…I can't. I'll stay for the election, but I have to find a flight out tomorrow night or early the next morning. If I don't, it will cause me problems with my brother."

"Okay," she said, her voice gone small.

"I wasn't expecting a call from him. I have no idea what he wants."

"Just tell him you are tracking someone—"

"We have War Dogs here. They would handle it."

"Then tell him you are on a vacation-"

"I would have to notify them of any movement outside of the U.S. prior to going."

"Then you should've told him you were coming here weeks ago!"

She held her hand to her face.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell like that. We'll deal with it," she said picking up her phone off of the nightstand.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Trying to find you a flight out of here."

He took her phone from her hand and placed it next to his on the other nightstand.

"I'll do that later," he said.

"I don't want you to get in trouble."

"Don't worry about that. We will support Lia tomorrow. She will win the election. I'll fly home and be there for you and Erik when you return."

"We'll leave with you—"

"No, be here for your friend. Support your family."

She nodded. They watched the news of pre-election coverage, saw clips of interviews with Lia and her opponents. It would be a tight race, but pundits were confident of Lia's potential victory.

N'Jobu left their room to go check on Erik when it got late.

His son was sound asleep with the TV running infomercials. His body was twisted up in his bed covers. N'Jobu turned off the tv and tucked the bed covers around Erik's shoulders. He padded back across to Califia and she was snuggled under the blankets.

N'Jobu turned the TV volume up a bit and crawled in next to her. He bent down to kiss her and her eyes were bright.

"We'll be fine, alright?" he said.

He kissed her thinking a light peck was all she wanted, and he considered turning the TV off if she just wanted to sleep, but her lips held his seeking more. Chaste smooches turned into deeper and wetter kisses. She seemed desperate for affection. He slowed down her lips by breaking away from her and kissing her neck. She helped him pull off her top and bra, and by the time he had his pants and shirt off, she was naked under him. He kissed her breasts and licked her belly button while she rubbed circles on his scalp. She pulled him back up so she could kiss him again, and he drank from her lips.

She wrapped her legs around his waist and he rested his growing erection on her mound but kept kissing her. He wanted her to lead. He wanted her to be in control of what happened between them at this moment. He was worried about the call from his brother. He didn't want to show his own fear. His mind tried to come up with various scenarios as to what T'Chaka wanted. He spoke to his parents prior to going to Brazil, but he and T'Chaka still had a chilly relationship at times. There was pressure at home for T'Chaka to re-marry along with the political problems from within their own class. Zinzi tried to keep N'Jobu abreast of the issues from home, but his main concern was his influence over several War Dogs throughout the globe. Was his brother aware of the allegiance some were giving N'Jobu?

He was still feeling out ideas on what he wanted to do, still weighing the pros and cons of how to change the direction of thinking in Wakanda. He just knew that he couldn't sit back and let the world roll over Black people who were struggling. His son was in this world. His woman was in this world. He needed to figure out a way to make changes and force his brother to accept these changes. It was unacceptable for him to see the outside world function the way it did when all it would take was for Wakanda to step in and act. Take over. America was a poor excuse for a superpower and world leader. Wakanda needed to take that role. He had to change minds. And the first ones were other War Dogs who saw what he saw and agreed with him.

But what if T'Chaka knew about his secret meetings and talks?

He held Califia tight and let her have his tongue, mouth, and lips.

"I need you," he panted into her ear when he was desperate to escape his thoughts that intruded on her comforting him. He was losing himself in her lips. Her fingers caressed the back of his neck and he looked down at his dick. They were both sticky from the excitement of kissing. He rubbed himself against her folds. He could feel the tickling of her clit ring grazing the underside of his thickness and hear the wetness oozing between them as they moved.

He let his tip tease the entrance of her. Gazing at her face he saw that her lips were pursed and that lusty haze in her eyes had returned. He adored that look on her. It let him know her pussy was ready. He continued the gentle rubbing, his tip spilling a thick stream of pre-cum all over her ring making her more slippery. The fat lips of her outer labia cradled his dick and he could see that her clit was swollen enough now that the hood was pulling back. Her whimpers intensified but the TV was helping drown out her noise.

He was ready to lay pipe on her.

Sliding the weight of his dick in her folds, her clit ring hit a spot on his frenulum that made him moan loud enough over the sound of the tv.

"Fuck me," she panted.

He wanted to ram himself deep in her, but he wanted to stretch this exquisite sensation even longer.

"Look at this fat pussy," he said staring down at her center.

"Jobu…"

He closed his eyes for a second and then kept watching her clit.

"You know how to take care of Daddy—"

"Baby…please…fuck me…"

He groaned again. Her voice trembled now, the core of her begging revving up the nerve endings in his skin. This was his shit right here, the sound of his woman on the verge of cumming, begging for his dick. He shifted his weight so he could press his erection against her a little harder. She was still a little tender down there, but it was too late to turn back.

"Huhnhhhh…"

She was trying to keep quiet. It didn't matter now. Erik would either sleep through this, or he would get an earful. Fortunately, the boy was a hard sleeper.

"You like this big dick on you?"

"…fuck me…"

"You want me to punish this pussy again…is that what you want?"

She tried lifting up but he held her arms down at her sides.

"Tell Daddy what you want…"

She twisted her hips and her clit ring rubbed him at a different angle.

"Oh…you bitch…," he stammered.

She twisted again and he moved slower and harder. Her clit was twitching now. It was difficult for him to focus, his balls felt weighted down and his tip was spilling more pre-cum.

"Please," she yelped and he felt a shuddering ride up his back.

"You want this…"

"…bay-bee…I can't…"

"Tell me what you want…"

"Aiyyy! Baby!"

"Yes?"

"…fuck…fuck…oh…shit…fuck my pussy…"

He couldn't hold back and plunged in, shocking her senses and knocking a moan out of her.

He kept his thrusts slow so she would keep begging him for more.

"I'm in this pussy now, girl. See how deep I'm going…mmmhmmmm, I know you feel all of this. That's it, give me what I want."

Slow. Deep.

He was losing himself once more inside of her.

He interlaced his fingers with hers on both hands and kept penetrating her depths. The thick mattress and solid frame didn't make noise, so he was able to move his hips any way he liked without worrying about waking their son. He really began to put his back into it.

Peppering her neck and shoulder with kisses he clung to Califia. Her thighs squeezed his waist and he sank deeper into her.

"Califia," he gasped.

He released her hands and she reached up and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"I got you," she whispered in his ear.

His hands reached under her and gripped her ass cheeks. Pumping to save his life he didn't stifle his groans.

"You know how to take care of me so well. Just you…just you…Baby, I love you so much…"

He spilled into her, his primal yelled absorbed by the sheets that his face was pressed into. A heavy load of semen left his body and he didn't want to let her go.

Heart hammering and legs weakened, N'Jobu pulled out of her. His dick still seeped cum from the tip when he was out of her and he stroked himself to release the rest watching it drip down onto her clit ring.

Califia slipped her fingers around her swollen nub and rubbed herself, her eyes on his still erect dick as a long string of cum dangled from it. He stuck two fingers inside of her pussy feeling the aftermath of his ejaculation, and Califia sucked in a breath. He watched her orgasm give her release and he groaned when her pussy tightened on his digits. He held still until she had finished shaking and her body relaxed.

"This will be a long night," he said releasing his fingers and getting off the bed.

She smiled at him and stretched.

"Be right back," he said and headed for the bathroom.

Califia rolled on her side and felt a deep smile widen her mouth.

Their sex in Brazil had been out this world and she wanted more. The disappointment she felt because he had to leave them before their trip had ended subsided. He was remorseful and apologetic. Just now he fucked her like he missed her already, and she felt that she could cope with the change in their travel plans.

His cell phone lit up on the nightstand.

She watched it for a moment and then slid her hand over to pick it up. When she tried to swipe it to check the call, she found that he had locked his phone.

He had never locked his phone before.

She heard him washing his hands and she put his cell back where he had it.

He found her in the same position he had left her in when he returned to their bed.

"Me next," she said jumping up and running to the bathroom.

She peed first then washed her hands and face. Staring at herself in the mirror, she tried to fix the tears that were trying to fall out of her eyes. She wiped her face with cool water on a hand towel, and when she returned to N'Jobu, he was lying on his back.

"Come sit on my face baby," he told her.

So many mixed feelings passed through her. She wanted to ask why his phone was locked. His hands were beckoning her to come to him and she did. She couldn't help it. He made her body feel too damn good. And right now she just wanted to feel loved.

She crawled over his face and sat on his tongue. Looking behind her as he ate her out, she saw his hand stroke his dick.

"Make this pussy feel good, Daddy," she said lifting up a bit so his tongue could lick her from front to back.

"You taste so good, girl," he said, his breath hot on her clit giving her shivers as his voice vibrated on her folds.

His cell lit up again when she was cumming in his mouth. Someone really wanted him.

"Fuck me again," she told him while wiping a tear from her eye.

Chapter 18 HERE.

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