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“Delete that footage!”
Shuri was too busy laughing to take him seriously, although T’Challa hadn’t been expecting it anyway. The fact that she still took her time to mess with him made him feel a warmth he wasn’t about to confess to, because at least something in his life was familiar right now.
Which meant he had a role to fill, now that his little sister was making fun of him.
He stood. Shuri kept laughing and rewatching the video.
“I said-” A threatening step toward her. “-delete that footage.”
Shuri finally acknowledged him with a raised eyebrow. “Are you trying to be tough? After that? Pff.”
“Shuri.”
Shuri must’ve heard something in his tone, for she put her device away and pointed a finger at him. “Don’t you dare, brother.”
“I won’t have to do a thing if you delete it.”
“No way.”
“Then you leave me no choice.”
Shuri ran, but she was a fool to think she could outrun him. She might be ten times as smart as him, but T’Challa would always be physically faster. And stronger, for that matter, which she was reminded of when he grabbed her and wrestled her down onto the floor.
They’d done this a million times before. Their father used to love watching them, always ending each session by saying that it felt good to see them act like kids. T’Challa wasn’t a kid anymore, and Shuri wasn’t far from 18, but he had a feeling this bond that only siblings could share was going nowhere.
He was glad for it.
“Stop it!” Shuri cried, for T’Challa was wasting no time and was already squeezing at her sides the way he knew would make her giggle like crazy.
“Only if you delete that footage,” he said, grinning now.
“Never!” she retorted, somehow managing to sound ferocious even in this position.
“Then I’ll never stop.”
Truth be told he’d wanted to tackle Shuri and reduce her to an incoherent mess for days now, but he hadn’t been able to find a good opportunity until now. He’d worried that maybe he was above doing this now, what with being a king and all, but to his family he was nothing but T’Challa, and T’Challa didn’t hesitate when it came to torturing his little sister.
Shuri had grabbed his wrists in an attempt to fight him off, but T’Challa stayed put easily, his hands journeying up to claw at her ribs. When they were younger he used to always do this, asking her why she was laughing when he was merely clawing at her like a panther. It had always made their parents snort.
“Why are you laughing when-”
“Don’t you dahahare!”
T’Challa let out a laugh. “You know me too well.”
“You reuse the same three jokes.”
“You know, if you are able to speak to me then I’m not doing a good job right now.”
He upped his game, relishing in Shuri’s squeal as he fluttered his fingers over her neck. He knew she would kick his ass once he was done, so he vowed to tire her out as much as he could.
“Delete the footage,” he repeated, merely using it as an excuse now to keep going. He knew she wouldn’t ever get rid of that blackmail material.
“Neve- no, wait!”
Shuri had never been able to stand having her knees tickled, so of course that was exactly what T’Challa was doing. He wasn’t an older brother for nothing.
“You’re dehehead!”
“Are you threatening a king?”
“You can bet your- stop!”
Shuri was in shambles now, her head thrown back, eyes squeezed shut, body thrashing so terribly beneath him that T’Challa was scared she’d somehow hurt herself. Oh how he wished he could record this, just in retaliation.
“I give up!” Shuri cried. “I give uhuhup!”
“Will you delete the footage?”
“Nohohoho!”
“Didn’t think so. Fortunately for you I am a merciful brother.”
Shuri remained on the floor after he’d let her go and gotten up, panting loudly and dramatically. “You are cruel.”
“I’m not. If I was cruel you would still be laughing.”
“So you’re weak then.”
“Don’t make me come back down there.”
He helped her up, laughing when she poked him in the stomach.
“Don’t think I have forgotten about your sensitive spots, brother.”
“I don’t think you would risk me getting revenge for your revenge just now.”
He was right, but Shuri wasn’t happy about being called out and shot him a glare. “You’re lucky I don’t let my personal life interfere with my work.”
“As if you would ever purposely put me at risk.”
“Shh, let me pretend.”
T’Challa felt lighter after their little tickle session. He’d never admit it out loud, but Shuri’s laughter always brought him joy, which was one of the reasons he tried very hard to bring it out of her. Fortunately Shuri was quick to snicker, so he didn’t often have to follow any elaborate plans to cause it.
“So, the suit.”
“Ready to use whenever.”
“I don’t know how you keep doing it, but never stop.”
She grinned, pleased at the praise. “I wouldn’t want anyone to kick my brother’s ass, would I?”
He snorted. “How gracious of you.”
The footage never got deleted, but T’Challa didn’t mind too much. He could always use it as an excuse for the next time he wanted to tickle his little sister to death.