Work Text:
“Princess Shuri,” a familiar, deep and accented voice called behind her.
Shuri turned. Namor stood before her on the beach.
Namor and Shuri stretched their hands out before them, greeting each other in customary Talokan fashion.
If you were to tell Shuri six months ago that she would be here, on a beach off of Haiti, meeting up with the man who murdered her mother, she would have scoffed. However, here she was, having her fifth such meeting with Namor, illuminated by the moonlight and hushed by the ocean waves.
Their first meeting was about two months ago. Shuri had reached out, admittedly impulsively, one night to open up cordial relations with the Talokanil ruler. The meeting was strained to say the least, provided the tense, violent nature of their last encounter.
Since then, the two royals had become much more relaxed with each other. In a strange sense, Shuri had grown closer to K’uk’ulkan; what had begun as an awkward compromise blossomed into a strange understanding of sorts. By the third meeting, Shuri and Namor were seated on the sand talking about beautiful nothings and everythings. Their meetups were reminiscent of the calm they had shared in Namor’s cave before the storm Nakia had brought. Before long Shuri found herself looking to their meetups. She could tell he felt just as enthused. Truthfully, although she hated to admit it, she felt sparks between them.
“It’s good to see you again, Shuri.”
“Same here, Namor.”
He cocked his head. “You’ve changed your hair.”
Shuri shrugged, “It was time for a change.” The past week, Shuri got faux locs installed reminiscent of her late mother’s lengthy dreadlocks. Getting longer hair was a turning point for Shuri; the last time her hair had been this long was before her brother’s death.
“Well, it suits you,” Namor said with a sly smile. There was something about the way he held his gaze on her, strong and unrelenting. Shuri turned away, feeling her cheeks burn. Thank Bast blush wasn’t visible on her dark skin.
“Here, I brought something for you,” she cleared her throat, picking up the bag next to her. From it, Shuri pulled out two cloths, intricately fashioned with the Border Tribe’s traditional blue designs. She offered both to him.
“These are for the two ladies who attended to me when I visited Talokan. Lay these on top of their graves,” Shuri spoke softly, calling to memory the gentle Talokanil women, whose deaths were the trigger that set the Talokanil-Wakanadan battle into full motion. Although she had stayed in Wakanda for barely a week, she remembered the kind attendants and their shy smiles.
“I tried to save them,” She continued quietly, “I’m sorry for their loss.”
Shuri finally worked up the courage to look up at Namor’s eyes and immediately regretted the decision. He looked a bit surprised, unexpectant of the kind gesture. His eyes once again laid heavy on her, she could almost feel the heaviness of his stare. It was different though—his eyes relayed something that Shuri couldn’t quite put her finger on.
Namor took two tentative steps towards her, accepting the cloths from her hands.
“Thank you,” he said after a moment. “I appreciate the offer.”
Shuri gave him a weak smile before taking a seat on the sand. She motioned for him to join her. Namor obliged, setting the cloths to his side.
The two sat like that for a minute—nothing but the chilly winds and calm waves from the sea seeming to truly matter.
Namor finally broke the silence. “There is something weighing down on you, Princess. What is it?”
Shuri shrugged, adamantly keeping her eyes trained on the suddenly intriguing grains of sand at her feet and clearing her throat. “I just wish things could have been different.”
She felt Namor shift beside her. “As do I princess.”
There was a certain rawness to his voice that Shuri hadn’t heard in a while—not since they had talked in Talokan next to his hut. Shuri looked up at him and couldn’t help but admire the god. Namor’s jade earrings and impressive neckpiece were iridescent in the soft moonlight. His wet hair dripped down his neck, leaving sparkling trails on his bare chest. His bare chest was absurdly massive and impossibly attractive. Shuri didn’t dare look anywhere lower than that on him.
Her cheeks burned when she snapped back to his face, realizing that Namor had been watching her check him out. He had a devilish grin on his face, and a small laugh arose from him.
“What’s so funny?” she questioned, feigning innocence.
He finally stopped laughing, leaning in a bit closer.
Namor’s dark eyes flicked over her body, lingering a bit on her lips for a second before meeting her eyes again. “Nothing. Just a princess with a bold attitude.”
She couldn’t take it anymore. She hopped to her feet, turning away from the Sub-Mariner. Stupid stupid stupid, Shuri chided herself. Her face was aflame, yet again. Stupid stupid stupid. Why couldn’t she seem to think straight when he was around anymore? Why wouldn’t her heart stop pounding when he was near? Why couldn’t she breathe when he was so close?
Calling him to Haiti had been a mistake. Being near him was too much at the moment. Shuri grabbed the bag off the ground and turned back to him.
“It’s time I get back inside, Namor,” she said, trying to play off her nerves.
“Leaving so soon, Princess?” He seemed a bit worried, also getting up to approach her.
Why was he so close?? Dear lord…
She shook her head before taking a step back backward and clearing her throat again. “I have to call Okoye to consult on the new Vibranium outfit.”
Namor drew closer to her. Shuri’s eyes darted all over him, taking in his beautiful nose and strong forearms. Shit.
“Didn’t you finish that suit last week?” he asked with a head tilt and slight smile. She could tell from the glint in his eye he was onto her. Shit again.
She gave the most disinterested shrug she could pull off. “A problem arose during the Dora Milaje’s latest mission.”
“Shuri.” Oh Bast, why did he have to say her name like that? She looked up at him, this time holding her stare.
“Why does it seem you’re always running away from me?” his tone was playful, a smile curling at the ends of his mouth. Shuri ignored the way his dark lips moved as he spoke.
“I’m not running. It’s just time for me to get back,” she repeated. Her eyes darted to his curly hair, still slightly dripping with sea water.
“Would you mind sparing me a few more minutes then?”
Shuri shifted her weight onto her other foot. “Why, do you have something to say?”
Namor furrowed his brows. “Princess, what’s wrong? Did I say something to offend you?”
“No!” Shuri interjected. “No, it’s honestly nothing, I promise, I just need to get back. What did you mean to say?”
“Stop avoiding the question and just answer me, itzia,” Namor said, his eyes trained on her.
Shuri felt her mouth dry as she spoke up. “You make me nervous,” she admitted.
Namor’s eyebrows immediately relaxed. He gave a small but deep laugh and looked at her. Did he find everything funny? “And why would that be?”
He was toying with her. Shuri was usually ready with snippy comebacks off the fly but today something about him completely threw her off. Namor once again moved in closer, this time so close that they were inches apart. She could feel his heat radiating off of him. Could he sense the way her heart was pounding within her chest?
Shuri swallowed hard, “I don’t know.”
He gave a weak smile. “I think we both know the answer to that.”
Namor hesitantly brought up a hand to her cheek, gently stroking it. She shivered under his touch but leaned into it every so slightly. Her eyes searched into his dark ones. She couldn’t read his expression well, try as she might. They fell into a trance, soaking in each other’s closeness.
Namor murmured, “If only you knew what you do to me.”
Shuri’s eyes widened as her mind exploded. His deep voice sounded like a dream. His attractive Talokanil accent made everything he said 10x hotter. Shuri hung onto his words and felt her fingertips tingle with anticipation.
“Shuri. I want you to know that nobody has ever made me feel the way you do. I’ve somehow found myself falling deeper and deeper for you. Just know that I adore you.”
Shuri’s heart skipped at least three beats as he confessed, and at least three more times as Namor took her hand into his. He interlocked his fingers with hers, grasping on tightly. Shuri sucked in a breath as he brought her hand up to his lips and gave them a light kiss while keeping his eyes stuck on hers.
Shuri could have fainted at that moment. Words suddenly became foreign to her lips; he had literally stolen her breath. He made her melt away with how he looked at her, with sincere reverence.
“Do you always have to be so charming?” Shuri muttered.
He gave out an unexpected laugh before kissing her hand once again.
Namor’s gaze inked into Shuri’s once again. “Shuri do you feel the same?”
His voice was gravelly as he asked the question, rawly hoping she wouldn’t push him away.
“Namor I…,” Shuri swallowed hard. This wasn’t a dream?
“Honestly I can’t stop thinking about you. I look forward to these meetings and spending these quiet hours with you. I’ve tried to push down these feelings but they always seem to emerge whenever you’re around. And I’ve just been scared this whole time you would never feel the same way I did.”
“How could I not feel the same when you’re the only star I see,” he rasped, his voice barely above a whisper.
And with that, he leaned into her, ever so gently angling her face toward his with his callused hand still cupping her face. He rested his nose on hers. They shared breaths for a few moments like that, with their mouths aching for each other.
Namor finally leaned in to close the gap between them, taking his time to gently meet her expectant lips. Shuri slid her hands on his chest, moving even closer to him—she hadn’t thought that was possible—and returning the kiss.
The first kiss was sweet and breathless. Shuri felt tingles all the way up her back as Namor heavily rested his hand on her waist. She loved the way their bodies pressed into each other, the way his hands left her body hot and aching when they moved, the way she perfectly fit into his embrace.
They broke apart, still trapped in the ecstasy of their first kiss. With not a second to waste, Namor moved in to kiss her once again, much rougher than the first one. Both his hands now grasped her waist. Shuri could feel his cold vibranium armbands against her skin as their bodies shifted against each other. He greedily pursued her bottom lip and softly bit down, making her sigh. He took that as an entrance into her mouth.
Their kiss deepened as their tongues clashed together. Namor’s hands were now roaming her body; feeling, claiming, taking her. Shuri raked through his damp hair with her left hand. With the other she took the liberty of exploring his body: his arms, chest and abs burned from her ravenous touch. Namor groaned as he felt Shuri’s chest nestle against his. He was high on the ecstasy of finally having his princess in his arms.
This kiss was needy, expectant, lustful. They had both waited for so long. They had both wanted each other—no, needed each other. The stolen glances, shy smiles, and lengthy conversations that eventually lingered into pregnant silence had finally amounted to a well-overdue fireworks show.
They broke apart again, panting for air. Namor smiled as he looked into her eyes, with nothing but reverence for his princess in them.
“It looks like I’ll have to be visiting more often,” Namor murmured as he leaned in to shower her with a trail of kisses, from her forehead to her cheeks. He ended with a soft kiss on her lips, slightly licking at them. Bast, he knew how to drive her insane. His kisses, just like his stare, were relentless.