Chapter Text
Erik knew love.
He knew T’Challa loved him and he loved him back. That was love. But he had never felt immediate unconditional love until his son was placed in his arms.
The labor had been long and for hours he watched as his husband struggled to give birth. It was distressing and amazing at the same time.
Together him and T’Challa made life. And he couldn’t bring himself to look away from the newborn in his arm. So far, the baby had T’Challa’s nose, but those ears, they were all Erik’s.
His son.
Erik had to admit it was jarring to think about. When he was planning his future and preparing to avenge the crime done against his father he thought nothing of what he would do after. He had assumed that after becoming king he’d sow his oats when that time came around, but never did he think he’d end up mated, especially not to the cousin he threw off of a waterfall.
Life was weird like that, but Erik would do it a hundred times over if this was the outcome.
The baby shifted in his arms and gave a yawn, eyes half lidded as if he wanted to see just who was holding him.
“Hello son” Erik whispered careful to not let his deep voice echo through the room. T’Challa had just fallen asleep after twelve hours of labor and it wouldn’t be ideal to wake him up with his mutterings.
The baby shifted his head nuzzling into the heat that Erik’s body gave off.
“I bet it feels different out here” the former black ops soldier whispered as he gently rocked the baby. “Definitely not as warm as being in you papa” Erik gave a chuckle, “trust me I know”
He used his left hand to gently fix the blanket his son was wrapped in.
“When Papa wakes up, him and Baba will name you.” He continued as he slowly began to walk around the room. “We’ve been waiting so long that now that you’re here it seems surreal.” Erik admitted.
“I was very surprised when your father got pregnant with you. We had been trying for so long that we figured a baby was out of question”
(Flashback)
Ruling a kingdom was tiring.
Ruling a kingdom was even more so tiring when your co-ruler is nowhere to be found. Erik hadn’t seen T’Challa since this morning when he woke to T’Challa asking him to meet with the council and in his sleepy stupor, he stupidly agreed.
Meetings with the council were always tedious and they seemed to talk around issues instead of directly stating what they wanted.
Politics were exhausting.
The meeting lasted almost two hours before every council member was satisfied with the solution that was decided on.
Erik dismissed them all, feeling a headache starting to build. Leaning back on the throne he raised a hand and rubbed the exhaustion out of his eyes. He was just about to leave and perhaps search for missing his mate when the doors to the throne room were thrown open.
It was T’Challa and he was grinning like a mad man. Erik raised a brow in curiosity and watched as his mate walked to him grinning slightly when his mate plopped himself on his lap.
“Where have you been?” He asked curiously wrapping his arms around T’Challa’s waist, and watching as T’Challa’s smile got deeper.
T’Challa shrugged. “With Shuri, we had some important tests to run, that couldn’t wait.” He replied leaning into Erik’s embrace.
“Oh?” Erik questioned his voice taking on a curious tone, “Tests for what?”
T’Challa’s eyes met his and he gave a mischievous smile. “I told her she was going to be an aunt and she didn’t believe me.”
Erik opened his mouth to reply and then closed it, he did this several times while T’Challa laughed. It was rare that he could surprise Erik and he took joy in the fact that he successfully shocked the alpha.
“A baby?” Erik asked after what seemed like an eternity.
T’Challa grinned his smile as bright as the sun. “Are you ready to be a Baba Erik?”
Erik gave a deep belly laugh.
Maybe so.
(End flashback)
Erik chuckled at the baby grunted. As if offended his parents didn’t believe he was coming. “I know, I know. Silly of us, right?”
Erik paused “but you have to know that everything about me and your papa’s relationship has been a surprise. When we first met, I stole the throne from him, I thought I killed him...”
His son was going to know of his mistakes. Erik refused to hide any of his past deeds from him, in the hopes that his son would do better.
“Turns out your Papa is really strong. And he eventually took the kingdom back for himself.” Erik shifted the baby to his other arm. “I thought I was dead. I requested to die. Death is a sort of freedom. But your papa is stubborn and has this admirable sense of right and wrong. He couldn’t let me die so he saved me.”
Erik chuckled softly as the baby blinked up at him, unfocused eyes squinting. “I know I was angry, but your papa helped me work through it.” He paused. “Your papa’s good like that, he never gives up on those he loves.”
The baby let out a sound that Erik was going to classify as a chuckle. “Yeah laugh it up, when you begin making trouble of your own you’ll see.”
The baby let out a contented sigh and Erik smiled, continuing to talk to his son. “Your father saved me. Out of the two of us he’s stronger in ways that I can’t possibly hope to match.” He paused briefly “but I don’t ever want you to doubt my love for you. I’m not always the best at emotion. But know I’ve loved you since I found out about you.”
Erik said as he softly ran his index finger across the baby’s cheek. Reveling in how soft his skin felt. “I definitely won’t be the best Baba, but I’ll try. Me and you, will do this family thing together. We’ll get it right”
“You shouldn’t sell yourself short.” T’Challa’s raspy voice called from the bed. Erik glanced over at his mate. Who laid with his eyes half lidded fighting to close as he watched Erik and their son.
Erik shot his mate a smile before carefully walking back to T’Challa’s hospital bed. He watched as T’Challa slowly pushed himself up and held out his arms for their son. Gently depositing the baby in T’Challa’s arm Erik sat beside him on the bed.
He watched with unhidden interest as T’Challa stared at their son in awe. Erik could understand the feeling.
“Have you thought of a name?” Erik asked after several minutes of admiring their son.
T’Challa nodded. “What about Nanda?” He said looking up with a smile, his eyes meeting Erik’s. “It means happiness.”
Erik nodded in agreement.
It was perfect.
“Welcome to the world Prince Nanda.”