Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

This is a non-traditional alpha/beta/omega verse I developed with galaxiaa7.

Basis: Within the scope of A/B/O, all of Wakanda’s tribes are matrilineal and are matriarchal. Thus, the culture centers on a person’s ‘house’ which is led by an omega. When you refer to your ‘house’ you usually mean the house name or the omega that is the head of your house. Family structure is typically one omega, 2-4 alphas and several beta, usually one per alpha. The culture is overwhelmingly polyamorous, with marriages between an omega and several alphas. As well as marriages between betas serving a ‘house.’ Families can be very large or very small, different tribes and clans handle it differently.

Child rearing and home-making is typically the alpha’s duty and they are assisted by the betas of the house. Omegas are usually more hands-off, and handle the day to day household management, as well as public roles outside of the house. A large portion of Wakanda’s workforce are betas, from client houses to main omega families. An omega is considered an adult when they turn 19 and when they start their own house and become ‘head of house.’ An alpha is considered an adult when they turn 17, they are typically encouraged to join a house or pursue higher education. A beta is considered an adult when they turn 18, they are typically encouraged to join a house or pursue higher education

First alpha’s are the fathers of the house and handle most internal house affairs. Non-first alphas defer to their first alpha and their house omega. Alphas are responsible for the betas of their house, as each alpha typically has one, and the house omega is responsible for everyone in their house.

1975 - Ashura joins Ramonda’s house

1978 - T'Chaka Joins Ramonda’s house

1979 - T'Challa is born. First beta Asani chosen by Ashura, from small mining clan

1986 - Erik is born

1988 - T’Chaka chooses Thandi from the river tribe.

1992 - Klaue successfully infiltrates and steals several ton of vibranium.

1993 - N’Jobu dies / Erik comes to live with Ramonda (Erik is 7/ T’Challa is 14)

1995 - T'Chaka chooses Akila from the merchant tribe.

1995 - Shuri is born / T’Challa moves out (Erik is 10/ T’Challa is 17)

1999/2000 - Our story begins - N’Yami (0) Shuri (5) Erik (13) T’Challa (21) 

This story has a host of background OC's to flesh out the world, but the focus is on canon characters. 

Family tree looks like this:

Ramonda's house

Omega: Ramonda

1st Alpha: Ashura (+ Ramonda = Shuri)
       1st Beta: Asani (+ Ashura = ????)

2nd Alpha: T'Chaka (+ Ramonda = T'Challa)
       2nd Beta: Thandi (+Ashura = N'Yami)
       3rd Beta: Akila

Non-Traditional A/B/O Notes

Primary gender determination is based on pheromones, presence or lack of heat/rut cycle, behavioral observation and socialization. Secondary gender determination can be male, female, transgender and non-binary. Gender/Dynamic non-conforming individuals exist on both primary and secondary designations. 

Generally: Alphas have knots across secondary genders with some alphas having internal testicles, some having external ones. All omegas, betas and alphas have reproductive organs capable of carrying a viable fertilized egg to term but not all have vagina/penis. Alphas have the highest rates of viability when impregnating, Omegas have the highest rates of successful births when impregnated. 

Omegas experience heat on a semi-annual or more basis and then with steady frequency as they age till omegan menopause. Omegas typically have their first heat ages 16-21. Wakandan Omegas due to a long history of divergent breeding practices have their first heat ages 17-22

Alphas experience rut on an annual basis and then with decreasing frequency as alphas age. Alphas’ knots can expand outside of rut. Alphas typically have their first rut ages 15-19. 

Omegas, Betas, and Alphas can experience sympathetic rut/heat which is triggered by the pheromones of an omega in heat or an alpha in rut. Betas and alphas in a house react more strongly once ‘in-sync’ with their house omega, increased heart rate, hormone influx. Omega’s may experience sympathetic pheromone and slick production or have their let-down reflex triggered. 

If an alpha in rut has intercourse with someone who is not in heat/rut and proper precautions are not taken, it can be very dangerous/harmful to the alpha and the other person.

Scenting is an important part of A/B/O culture. It is used more for etiquette in Wakandan society and there are rules and formalities for how to scent/greet a stranger versus one’s house mate (beta or alpha) versus one’s house omega. 

Pair bonding can be initiated by an omega, beta or alpha and can be broken. Wakandans don’t usually pair bond due to the polyamorous familial structure and Wakandan omegas have strengthened immunity to mating bonds as a result of divergent breeding practice. 

Population breakdown: Betas are 60%, Alphas 30%, Omegas 10%

Chapter Text

T’Challa is tired, having just come home from a day of meetings, and administrative work. He watches through half closed eyes as his cousin, N’Jadaka slowly progresses from his self-imposed distance on the couch to almost in T’Challa’s lap. Based on how long it takes he must still be upset about T’Challa taking his generator. T’Challa gives him time to decide if he wanted to sit in or around T’Challa’s lap, before enveloping him in a hug and adjusting him so he sat more comfortably. His cousin mutters but doesn’t move away. Usually T’Challa might ask about his day, but today he has little energy to talk. So, they sit in relative quiet.

N’Jadaka is silly. Somehow, he’s growing fond of it. The teen alpha only likes to play and eat. He barely pays attention in his classes, which drives his instructors to distraction, yet performs well enough when tested. At home, he doesn’t fuss and is surprisingly, well-behaved. That is until T’Challa finds whatever new “secret” project he’s working on. The last one involved T’Challa’s mother’s Ukujiji, which she used to loc her long hair, some unlucky person’s kimoyo beads and a generator T’Challa knows now, someone gave to N’Jadaka. It would be too much of a hassle to steal. His cousin had been very reticent to explain just what he had been trying to do with the assorted objects and T’Challa had been more worried about the fire hazard.

The next time T’Challa opens his eyes, it’s past N’Jadaka’s bedtime and approaching his own. Unsurprisingly, N’Jadaka’s eyes are closed and his soft snores concur with the bedtime assessment. T’Challa gently jostles him awake and pulls the both of them to their respective bedrooms, across from each other. He’s in the process of pushing a half awake N’Jadaka through the doorway of his room, when the boy leans up, on his tiptoes to press a kiss to the side of T’Challa’s face. At the age of thirteen, N’Jadaka came up to T’Challa’s bicep normally, so T’Challa has to bend a little for this exchange to work.

It’s not the first time he’s done this mind, standard greeting between a house omega and their first alpha involved a trading of scents. But the action, particularly half sleepy and unprompted—at a time when he’s certain the alpha is displeased with him. Well it’s sweet. But also worrying, which is why T’Challa doesn’t respond with his own kiss to N’Jadaka’s cheek. Watching him shuffle into his room and then fall unceremoniously into bed. T’Challa walks to his own bed after that, a small smile on his face despite the troubling thoughts on his mind.

N’Jadaka came into his household at the age of twelve, one year ago. The transition period has not been kind to either of them, but they managed. The reason for all the turmoil as it usually is in his life is politics. As a young, unattached prince and heir presumptive there had been lots of pressure when he formally came of age and started his own house, to take a first alpha from one of the 4 tribes. Considering the only alpha, he would ever seriously consider is on the fast track to being shipped abroad for work as a War Dog, it caused him some grief and no little friction when he refused to pick a first alpha from the parade of alphas that all seemed keen on visiting him in his new home. His mother proposed a solution to his woes by offering him N’Jadaka.

N’Jadaka grew up in the Queen Mother’s house ever since his arrival to Wakanda at the age of seven.  T’Challa’s memories of those years and living together through the initial phases were patchy. What he does remember is that the alpha cried incessantly when his mother first took him into their home. T’Challa had been a teenager then and not at all interested in the care and watering of strange cousins. By the time things settled down, T’Challa already moved out to start his own house, and Shuri had been born. 

He hadn’t been keen on the idea of raising his cousin. But his mother pointed out the tradition behind her proposition, as well as how it would leave him free to… pursue his relationship with Nakia, as well as stop the badgering of those who thought they would make fabulous first alpha to Wakanda’s prince. The arrangement is all very proper.

Naturally the only person who hadn’t been consulted when this decision was being made, is the person most affected. N’Jadaka resented him at first, for taking him away from his familiar routine and the constant attention of his mother’s first alpha and her betas. It didn’t matter that Ashura, his mother’s first alpha visited constantly, or that his mother’s betas were the ones to take N’Jadaka to school and to feast days, half the time. No, N’Jadaka just didn’t want to be in T’Challa’s house, or his first alpha (even if it is just in name alone). Another thing T’Challa realizes quickly, is that his mother had not explained the meaning of to the young alpha. Which in hindsight made sense, what twelve-year-old would agree to such a thing? She also claimed it would be temporary to both of them, something T’Challa believed to be true and N’Jadaka did not.

Eventually they settled into an equilibrium, helped by N’Jadaka making friends at school. A very new development for him, and T’Challa proving himself not to be the worst house omega ever. (Some days he felt like it) Currently he’s considering what N’Jadaka’s growing affection means. He doesn’t want to read meanings but he’s aware of his cousin’s age. Puberty is one thing, but alphas mature faster than their omega counterparts. Somedays he wasn’t even sure N’Jadaka liked him, but the new and sometimes annoying possessiveness, tells him he should be careful. T’Challa might think of him, usually with exasperation as a ‘baby alpha’ but he is only barely. At six, he was a baby alpha, 9, 10, 11. But not at thirteen, T’Challa can smell him. He also knows what those new long morning showers might involve, though he tries not to think about what his cousin does in his private time.

He thinks he needs to talk to his mother. She gave N’Jadaka to him to protect T’Challa from entrepreneuring Wakandan houses. Part of that is protecting N’Jadaka from himself and whatever instincts has him focusing on his house omega in less innocent ways. On one hand it was… perfectly natural and he knew among the tribes who typically fostered young alphas, encouraged. Panther Tribe did things differently and T’Challa had taken a baby alpha so he could wait for his chosen first alpha at leisure and not worry about the politics of it. Not whatever is forming between him and N’Jadaka, however one-sided.

-:-

The next morning, T’Challa rolls over before his alarm can wake him and finds, he’s not alone in bed. Something that’s not happened in months. His initial caution dies down, when he feels a knee poking him in his ribcage. N’Jadaka… honestly? The last time his cousin initiated a sleepover was on the anniversary of his father’s death. Which T’Challa allowed, but now just felt odd. He gets out of bed and goes to the bathroom. It’s still early in the morning, not yet time for him to leave for his office, or N’Jadaka for school. He brushes his teeth mechanically and thinks not for the first time, he should have just taken Elihan house’ offer and have a functional first instead of whatever this is now.

T’Challa isn’t mad that N’Jadaka apparently decided at some point during the night, his bed made for better sleeping. There’s even valid reasons why, perhaps he had nightmares? His mother warned him N’Jadaka used to have terrible ones, it came with the trauma of losing both parents. But T’Challa is almost certain that’s not the case here, and now he’s really certain he needs to speak with his mother. After he finishes his morning absolutions he heads back to his bedroom where N’Jadaka is still sleeping. There’s a notification on his kimoyo beads, the timestamp is 3am, it’s from Nakia. His heart beats a little faster as he accepts the message. It’s short, they always are when she’s away.

He rereads it several times and misses her even more. She would probably tease him for it, there is nothing particularly romantic or warm in her message. Just a status update and a picture of the tea she had with a local family. He saves the message and turns back to the bed. N’Jadaka snores unbothered in the early morning, body splayed on the bed as if it were his and not T’Challa’s. T’Challa sighs and leaves him to sleep. He would make some tea, and maybe succeed in writing a response to Nakia’s message that didn’t make him seem like the lovesick sap he was.

An hour or so later, T’Challa has sent a message that he doesn’t cringe at. It’s also time for N’Jadaka to wake up. When T’Challa walks back to his bedroom however, the bed is empty. He’s confused till he hears the shower in the bathroom running. That makes him frown but he lets it be, his bathroom or N’Jadaka’s, as long as his cousin bathed. He leaves the room again to start on breakfast, mostly for himself. N’Jadaka didn’t like eating the usual Wakandan breakfast foods, so T’Challa called it good if his cousin ate some fruit or drank tea before leaving for the day.

Like clockwork, there’s a chime from the front door and a visual panel turns on to reveal, Asani his mother’s first and oldest beta. He unlocks the front door, though he knows the beta has his own key. Asani walks through the foyer and parlor to join him in the kitchen area. He looks good, sporting that pregnancy glow people always talked about.

“Good morning, Asani.” He greets the older beta with a smile, and an informal bow.

“Good morning, T’Challa. Come here, you look like you just rolled out of bed.”

He pulls T’Challa into a hug before pushing him away from the bowl he’s been laboring with the past 15 minutes. T’Challa abandons his attempts at food making happily, watching the man that helped raise him, his sister and N’Jadaka tut and complain over his attempts to make breakfast pap. Asani is able to rescue his attempt thankfully and soon their conversation travels from food, to family gossip.

“Shuri is trying to teach N’Yami to walk. She’s very confident eventually her sister will grow tired of being carried everywhere.” N’Yami is the youngest addition to the Panther Tribe, daughter of Ashura, and his mother’s second beta, Thandi.

“Did Ashura mention how long it took her to, ‘grow tired of being carried everywhere?’” T’Challa grins at the last part, his sister is 16 years his junior. She has been spoiled *rotten* since birth. At five years old, she is more independent than the average toddler sure, but still every much her father Ashura’s, princess.

Asani rolls his eyes and chuckles before carefully pouring the strain of cardamom, dates, yogurt and other ingredients into a cups for the both of them. “Your father thinks it’s cute. But I think your mother is growing tired of Shuri’s attempts. N’Yami is lazy, even your baba indulges her.”

T’Challa takes the cup and nods his thanks. He’s not surprised his baba indulges his second daughter, there might not be blood shared, but they were family. Also, his baba has always been the more relaxed alpha between him and the Queen Mother’s first alpha, Ashura. He notices the third cup after he takes a warm sip from his own. “N’Jadaka won’t want any, he doesn’t like it.”

Asani shakes his head, “He doesn’t like it when you make it, but he likes mine just fine.”

Somehow that doesn’t surprise T’Challa, so he nods and keeps drinking. Asani’s recipe is far superior to his, he also raised N’Jadaka for years. T’Challa considers bringing up the topic that’s been on his mind as of late but decides against it, N’Jadaka would be joining them soon. Better that he waited till they had some privacy.

N’Jadaka shuffles to the kitchen area not long after, looking sleepy but washed and dressed. He brightens immediately upon seeing Asani and they share a long hug and some whispered conversation T’Challa doesn’t catch. When they separate, Asani offers him the third cup and N’Jadaka accepts it easily. T’Challa is only a little jealous. He would have to learn Asani’s recipe. Asani doesn’t attempt much conversation once N’Jadaka joins them and they sit or stand as is Asani’s case, leaning against the kitchen island, in companionable silence. Once finished with his cup T’Challa takes the dirty dish and sets it with the rest to be washed. There is some time before N’Jadaka had to leave but he knows his cousin will only want to talk to Asani, so he leaves the two to each other. Asani would be the one to walk N’Jadaka to school today so T’Challa could leave for his office with confidence that N’Jadaka would arrive without issue.

-:-

T’Challa means to eventually give his mother a call, but the day surprises him with more work than he expects, and he only gets some time to himself after an afternoon meeting that runs far too long. He’s deciding whether or not to push some of the things he planned to do today to another day when he gets a call. It’s his mother.

“Hello? Good afternoon.”

“T’Challa, good afternoon. Is this a good time? The school tried to call you earlier, but you were in a meeting.” His mother sounds fine, but T’Challa’s hackles rise at the mention of ‘school.’ This is about N’Jadaka.

“I was but I’m free now. Did something happen?” N’Jadaka has been doing okay in his classes, last he heard. Too quiet perhaps and not very enthusiastic about participating in activities, but better than how he started the year.

“Something did. Akila went to go get him, but I thought I should call you.” His mother’s vagueness around whatever that ‘something’ is tells him this would probably have something to do with what he’s been meaning to talk to her about anyway.

“Is he alright?” T’Challa imagines it was a fight of some sort. This is the age to be offended by everything, and easy to violence.

“He’s fine, T’Challa he used his alpha voice on another student. It affected everyone else in his class.”

Somehow that’s the last thing he’s expecting his mother to say. It also doesn’t explain why N’Jadaka was… being sent home? Getting picked up. Unless it had something to do with what he had said? T’Challa is confused.

His mother goes on to say, “You know our alphas don’t usually have that sort of effect. T’Chaka being a rare exception.” It finally clicks for T’Challa. “What did he make the class do?” T’Challa has never paid much attention to some of the differences between the dynamics. Especially one that rarely came up in day to day affairs.

“I’m told it wasn’t intentional, but apparently his voice made them kneel. It is very unexpected. He didn’t actually say the words kneel however, to the student he was speaking to.” His mother sounds very matter of fact and T’Challa imagines what the scene might have looked like happening in the moment.

“N’Jadaka must be confused.” Is what he finally responds with. His mother concurs, “He was. The school administrators have already spoken to him, but when they called, I thought it would be best to bring him home for the rest of the day. Maybe even the week.”

T’Challa doesn’t see the reason. “Today? Fine, he always wants to come see you anyway, but the whole week? Mother it’s hardly that serious.” Unusual yes, but not something requiring this level of coddling.

“T’Challa what If he used his voice on you?” His mother sounds entirely serious.

“…He doesn’t even know how it works.” And what is the worst that could happen? T’Challa feeling the need to kneel for a few seconds? It wasn’t some huge problem.

“He’s not fully Wakandan, T’Challa, our alpha children do not have the abilities some of these foreign alphas still use liberally. Listen…. I know it’s easier for you to downplay the issues here. He’s young, but he’s not as young as he used to be, and I would like to avoid any incidents till he learns some control. I wanted T’Chaka to work with him this week—”

T’Challa sees half of what she is insinuating and interrupts, “You think he would do something to me?” He’s genuinely affronted, N’Jadaka is thirteen! He is hardly old enough to—well to do any of what she is insinuating.

His mother uncharacteristically doesn’t chide him for his rudeness and responds simply. “He is your first, T’Challa. It’s only natural, we’re overdue for a conversation about this anyhow. Come by for dinner tonight and we’ll talk.” T’Challa agrees with great reluctance. Yes, he wanted to bring up some of N’Jadaka’s behavior with his mother, and how to best extract the alpha from his house once he reached the age where his presence became a distraction instead of a mild inconvenience. He hadn’t thought that time might already be here. But his mother seemed to, and despite his denial, he trusts her judgement.

Once the call ends, he sends a quick but encouraging message to N’Jadaka. He doesn’t get a response, but that’s normal.

Chapter Text

Ashura is fussing over him. Erik can’t even enjoy it. It’s not the usual fussing, about him not eating, or when Ashura feels bad about paying all his attention to the babies. (Erik counts Shuri when he counts ‘babies’)

No, it’s strange fussing, the kind that comes with whispered conversation by the adults and no one telling him anything. Erik did something today and everyone is talking about it, but no one is talking to him about it. Just each other, he’s tired of it. Aunty Ramonda told him he would stay with her and Ashura, and Asani, and Thandi, and Akila and the babies for the rest of the week. Erik likes staying at his aunt’s house, but he doesn’t know why using his alpha voice is such a big deal. Akila tried to explain on the way home, after she took him from school, but all he got out of the conversation is that Wakandan alphas didn’t use alpha voice and he shouldn’t use it ever again. He told her he didn’t do it on purpose, just like he told his teacher and his friends, but she still made him promise not to do it again.

Ashura starts in on his hair and Erik almost wiggles away, almost. Currently they’re in the main living area of Ashura’s part of the house sitting on the big family chair. Thandi and the babies are somewhere else, Asani and Akila are probably with them. Ashura has his Ukujiji set to ‘de-tangle’ and Erik allows it grudgingly. He’s overdue for a re-twist, but he hadn’t wanted T’Challa to take him to his barber. He wanted to go to his usual loctician, the one his aunt used. But now he supposed having Ashura help is okay.

“Why didn’t T’Challa retwist these for you?” Ashura asks, as he undoes the first section. Erik shrugs, “It takes time. He’s not very good with an Ukujiji, I think.” He hadn’t been much help last time, Erik asked anyway. Personally, he just wants to do his hair like he’s been doing for months, with aunty or her hair person. No one else.  Ashura being an exception.

“Ah… I can imagine. You know he tried to grow locs when he was younger, his mother even helped him, but he said it was too much work.” Ashura sounds amused. Erik tries and fails to picture his older cousin with locs, it’s just too weird. They sit together, Erik in between the older alpha’s legs, in companionable silence till Ashura speaks again.

“Thandi tells me there were only alphas in your class today.”

“Yeah, we were learning about puberty stuff. So, they separated us.” The class itself hadn’t even been that bad, just a little awkward. Till Zeinab made that dumb comment. The mining tribe alpha was always saying mean stuff to him. Erik usually just ignored it, it made whoever was talking angry and he didn’t need to think of something to respond with. But today for whatever reason he hadn’t ignored it. Now he is out of class, and in trouble he suspected for the foreseeable future.

He doesn’t want to talk about his alpha voice, but he thinks Ashura will explain. Ashura always explained, usually about things Erik didn’t care about like proper alpha greeting and why he couldn’t wear his regular clothes to feast day. “Why can’t I go to class tomorrow?” Really why is everyone acting so strange.

“Your aunt wants T’Chaka to help you with your voice. Before you go back to school.” Ashura doesn’t say anything further so Erik says only a little mulishly, “I promised I wouldn’t do it again.” He didn’t even know how he did it in the first place.

“Baby boy, you can’t promise that. Do you even know how you did it in the first place?” Ashura’s voice is kind, but firm. Erik starts to shake his head no, remembers the fingers in his hair, and says: “It was an accident.”

“We know.” Ashura finishes untwisting another braid, then sets the Ukujiji down. “You are thirteen now, not a baby anymore. You need to be more responsible, because if you aren’t—”

His aunt’s first alpha trails off, as if looking for the right words. “An alpha voice, a strong one like you seem to have is a big responsibility. You have to be careful. T’Chaka is going to teach you to be careful, that’s all.”

Today Erik made all the other alphas in his class kneel. He hadn’t said anything like ‘all of you kneel’ but apparently there must have been something in his voice, at that moment that made all 7 of the alphas in his class need to kneel. It hadn’t lasted long of course, but his teacher acted real strange after that and then they sent him to the school office, and Akila came to pick him up and talked to his teacher and the school administrator but not with him, just alone.

“An alpha voice makes people do stuff.” He says it like a statement not a question.

Ashura agrees, “It can. Wakandan alphas don’t really have alpha voices, our omega houses don’t like it.”

“But uncle T’Chaka has it.” Erik has heard it, but only rarely.

“Yes, T’Chaka does.”

“I promise not to use it on purpose.”

“I believe you, now let me finish your hair. I’ll ask my house about getting you to her hair-dresser. We want these locs to look good after all.”

After that they talk about other things, mostly school. Ashura asks about his friends and he tells the alpha about Aolani, a beta who bossed everyone around and the first classmate he made friends with.

By the time Ashura finishes with his hair it’s definitely dinner time and Erik is ready to eat. That’s one thing he loves about coming to his aunt’s house. The food is better. Ashura makes him take a shower first and change so by the time Erik is done with that, and heads down to the kitchen, everyone else is already there. The table is set for all of them except for Asani and the baby, the two of them are sitting on pillows on the floor, the baby is playing with their food.

Erik chooses the open space by aunty and a plate piled with his favorites immediately appears in front of him.

Eventually he notices T’Challa is also present at the table. He hadn’t noticed before being distracted by Shuri and his aunty, but T’Challa is seated by T’Chaka and the two are talking. When T’Challa notices him looking, he smiles at Erik. Erik doesn’t smile or respond in anyway, just looks away. T’Challa is okay, but he doesn’t want his cousin to think Erik likes him or anything. The betas, Akila and Thandi are telling a story that is making aunty laugh. Shuri is slowly eating the food aunty is patiently holding up to her. Shuri wants to go sit with the baby, but she has to finish eating first. Everything feels normal and no one brings up his alpha voice, or responsibilities. Asani makes fun of his hair, which is now loose and combed out. Aunty promises to take him to see her hairdresser soon.

After dinner, Akila and Thandi get tea for everyone who wants it, and they sit around in the living room talking or quietly, letting the food digest. The baby gets passed around to whoever wants to carry her, eventually it’s Erik’s turn. N’Yami immediately tries to grab his hair and Erik has to distract her with a toy, that and restrain her chubby fingers. He notices out of the corner of his eye, T’Challa and aunty leaving the room to talk.

Shuri soon distracts him and steals the baby’s attention by trying to bribe her to walk. She uses uncle T’Chaka’s kimoyo beads, so it almost works. Till uncle realizes who has them and takes them back. Then N’Yami gets bored and Thandi takes the baby back, talking about ‘bedtime.’ Erik being thirteen, doesn’t have to go with her Shuri, and N’Yami. But Ashura enlists him for a cleaning errand so he’s busy with that for a while. It’s not too bad, he likes the cleaning they do, it’s relaxing. Especially when he and Ashura do it together.

Chapter Text

He and his mother walk and chat idly as they make their way to her study. She asks about his day and Nakia, in kind he asks after Asani. He’s not quite aware of all that led to aforementioned beta’s current pregnancy but he remembers there being friction during Thandi’s pregnancy. His guess is Asani, the older beta of the two, had felt slighted for being ‘skipped over’ when it came time to add more children to the house. His mother reassures him that things are well and that no one was at odds. By the time they settle on one of the lounges in her study T’Challa has mentally talked himself through what he needed to explain and or ask about his current home situation. 

“Your baba has agreed to tutor N’Jadaka this week. I think it will be good for both of them.” His mother tells him. Her knees are propped in a side position on the couch and her long skirt flows out in waves. T’Challa can sense her unease despite her relaxed position. 

“That’s good. You know he likes staying here with all of you.”
“He does—” His mother’s expression is wry with amusement. “But that’s not all this is about.” She prompts T’Challa to go in more detail and he does.

“N’Jadaka is thirteen, and in the beginnings of his alpha puberty. I have noticed that despite his… distaste for me—” He doesn’t shy away from naming his cousin’ dislike for what it was and his mother nods for him to continue. “He spends more time in my presence when I’m home. Before I had to force him to be around me even for simple things.” He has to tack on that last part so she understands the shift . 

His mother nods in understanding. She is after all, N’Jadaka’s favorite. Second only maybe to Ashura. His alpha cousin didn’t like people and took lots of time to warm up to his mother’s betas and first alpha. His mother knew what it would be like when she gave N’Jadaka to him. That N’Jadaka wouldn’t like it—counted on it even—to prevent any future impropriety. But that was changing now, even if his cousin was still as prickly and quiet as ever, there was a softness to it that hadn’t been before.

“Do you think he might become a distraction soon?” His mother doesn’t beat around the bush even if her wording, ‘distraction’ is politely vague. 

T’Challa shakes his head firmly, no. “I’m not interested, I have Nakia. Even if I didn’t he’s just not suitable.” Besides, whatever he fostered between them would need to wait till N’Jadaka came of age, otherwise it would not only be very frowned upon but a slight to the young and impressionable alpha. T’Challa isn’t interested in children—having them or attaching himself to someone who was still a child in his eyes—it’s one of the reasons he and Nakia got along so well. 

“He’s thirteen T’Challa. What were you like at thirteen?” His mother sounds a tiny bit exasperated.

“I was better behaved than he was.” T’Challa grins as he says it, they both knew it wasn’t quite true. 

“Nakia’s fathers beg to differ. I still remember that time you two got lost in the palace underground. Your father wouldn’t let me rest for days after!” 

T’Challa internally winces at the memory. Ashura had been furious when he and Nakia were finally found. His baba was less emotional but still obviously displeased with the both of them. To this day he still doesn’t know how they had gotten so fantastically turned around. He wasn't allowed to go out by himself without close supervision for weeks after the incident. 

He responds with more chagrin, “My point stands. He’s still young, I’m sure I can manage him till I’m ready for a real first alpha.” He’s hoping that alpha will be Nakia in three years, maybe four.

His mother’s gaze is thoughtful and she extends her legs out in the space between them on the lounge chaise to stretch.“What will you do for his ruts? Your heats? Do you have a plan in place yet or are you still developing one?” 

“Once the school completes his sexual education courses, I can ask them to give him birth control.” Along with discussing it all beforehand with N’Jadaka himself. Maybe he could ask Ashura to do it for him? “As for my heats, if Nakia is here she will help me. If not, I have my heat room and he can stay with you for the week.” He’s yet to experience heat at the age of twenty-one. This is not unusual for Wakandan omegas and he even acknowledges the growing possibility that when he did experience his first heat, Nakia may not be available to help him through it. 

“That sounds reasonable. But I would strongly encourage you to consider taking a proper heat partner now for the eventuality. Spending heat alone is not healthy.” Though his mother coaches her advice in practical terms, it still makes T’Challa’s face warm just a bit. He was happy to not give a single thought to the sex lives of his parents and their betas, and he would like the same courtesy extended to him. 

“I’ll consider it.” He would not. 

“Please do. Now tell me about this secret project of N’Jadaka’s. You made it sound like he was building a bomb.” His mother changes the subject gracefully and T’Challa begins to relay the events of a week and half prior to her. 

-:-

T’Challa leaves his mother’s home with the promise to visit the next day and with a quiet plea to Ashura to talk to N’Jadaka about alpha birth control. He severely doubts there will be any issues between him and N’Jadaka. The alpha was young, curious and less antagonistic maybe but nothing more than that. Frankly T’Challa is more worried for N’Jadaka’s future paramours, whoever they might be. He’s heard from his mother N’Jadaka has talked about a beta classmate ‘a lot’. Which for him meant he mentioned the girl more than once. 

After speaking with his mother, he went to see his baba back in the general living area and they had an interesting conversation for the future. Like many Panther Tribe before him he would be expected to travel abroad soon for study and ‘enrichment.’ He’s finished his initial education and is currently, if one could compare Wakanda’s robust education to others, at a PHD level in his chosen subjects. Most his age usually only bothered to go up to Masters level but T’Challa would be king one day and took it upon himself to be as educated as time and his very accelerated schedule allowed. His baba wanted him to consider studying somewhere like Beijing or Delhi. T’Challa is leaning to somewhere more close, maybe a university in South Africa or Nigeria. He’s not interested in the outside world beyond the continent and doesn’t want to have to travel more than he has to when he visits home. When they talked his baba hadn’t mentioned what Ashura’s opinion was on the matter but T’Challa is sure his father would agree with his wanting to stay close.

T’Challa is still thinking about it when he stops by a grocer on his way home. He wants a few ingredients for the breakfast he planned to make in the morning. He’s dithering over whether to use the recipe he’d learnt from his mother or his own when someone approaches to greet him. 

“T’Challa! I thought it was you.” Then, “If you are planning to cook something spicy, I suggest fresh pepper instead of ground. It will taste better.” 

The speaker is Samsi, a Merchant Tribe omega and friend. 

“Ah… I didn’t know.” He preferred the ground cayenne to having to cut and blend it himself.

“When you have some time, make the same dish. One with dry, one with fresh. You can taste the difference. Or if you’re like my first, you use both!” Samsi chuckles and T’Challa smiles briefly. Samsi was the same age as him and already married and bonded to his first alpha. 

“I will have to try that and taste for myself. How are you?” The last he heard, Samsi was finishing formal training as a new officer for Wakanda’s national peace-makers, the Hatut Zeraze. 

“I’m doing very well! In fact…” Samsi’s grin turns sly and he steps a bit closer, beckoning T’Challa to scent him. T’Challa does so, realizing immediately what he would find.
“Ah… congratulations!” His own preferences on reproduction didn’t stop him from feeling genuine joy for others. Samsi looked very happy.

“Thank you! You know we planned to wait. Since I just started working and she is still studying for her masters at B-U. But well my third heat came and well…” Samsi gestures for effect and T’Challa nods in understanding. That isn’t an unusual story for some Wakandan omegas. Especially if they were already married and bonded. A pregnancy and the eventual child would be taxing sure but Samsi’s work would no doubt be flexible and understanding in that time and his first alpha as was expected would handle most of the child rearing past the first few months. It wouldn’t be difficult for her to simply take a break from her studies or take on less work.

“What about you? I saw some video footage recently of your first, she’s climbing the division fast.” Samsi continues the conversation to ask about Nakia and T’Challa’s ease lowers a bit. The assumption the Merchant Tribe omega made is a common one.

“Ah… she’s not my first yet. She loves the work, and I’m busy with—” He trails off expecting Samsi to complete his statement.

“Panther Tribe business, of course! It seems like every time I turn on the local news channel I see your face! I can only imagine what a regular day for you is like!” Samsi’s assumption this time is flattering and not untrue. T’Challa was quite busy depending on whatever was going on locally in the capital or the holiday or season. But not so busy as to not want to mate and marry his intended first alpha. If he waited, it was because Nakia wanted them too, not because he himself did. 

“It’s not too bad.” They chat a bit more before Samsi leaves him with the promise to visit sometime. The omega is amongst the few of T’Challa’s former university classmates he saw on a semi-regular basis—semi regular being more than twice a year—and managed to keep touch. Not to say others didn’t try, he has declined more than one invitation to drinks, or dinner or an outing in the last month alone. Rather they just didn’t manage to catch T’Challa out and about and keep his attention the way Samsi always managed to. Chiyo, a Mining Tribe omega would be jealous if she knew. She had at different points tried to orchestrate ‘random’ encounters with him that he quickly foiled once he realized how she was following him in the first place. He understands to some degree why she and others sought his attention and presence but it didn’t make him more inclined to accept. He is busy enough. 

When he arrives home the house is unusually quiet. Normally at this time of day N’Jadaka would be in the living room somewhere with music or the game system on, or somewhere in the moderately sized apartment where T’Challa could still hear signs of his activity. Now it’s just him. He does some final notes for the day, sends a notification to the office he would be visiting the next day for a morning of job shadowing and gets ready to go to sleep. 

Chapter Text

I started writing this when I was really wanting to explore an A/B/O Wakanda that was well formed and matriarchal. However my muse has fled to other things so this will be discontinued. The world notes is something I plan to reuse and anyone can borrow if they like ^^

Thank you,

BabaTunji