Chapter Text
“The avengers think they have found a way to bring everyone back,” Okoye tells Shuri plainly, as she says everything. Waiting for Shuri’s response.
Shuri has kept her distance from the avengers, the Americans, the UN, and most other countries and agencies with the tendency of pillaging and conquering people they think less of. Every since the vanishing of half the population, including her brother the king and her mother, Shuri has had to take more responsibility than she ever wanted to. Becoming queen was not a real desire of hers, but duty called and the people accepted her as a temporary solution. Being the leader of one of the most powerful nations in the world, meant making changes in the midst of this unprecedented global horror and change. One of those changes was to distance herself from the avengers and others connected to them. She knew it wouldn’t be wise to cut them off completely, even though she rather have done that. So instead, Shuri cut herself off, and made Okoye be the contact person for the avengers and their associates. Okoye was doing her part in communicating with Shuri what was discussed and any important information now following the latest updates. This…this was the first time Shuri’s heard that anyone found a way to bring the vanished back.
“How do they think they can accomplish it? Do they have a plan?” Shuri attempted to come off uninterested as she asked. She wasn’t going to jump off a bridge because the avengers think they figured something out that no one else has been able to for the last 5 years. No one, including her.
“Time travel,” Okoye replied.
Shuri couldn’t believe what she heard. She thought that Okoye couldn’t be serious, “You’re joking, yes?”
“I am not. Stark says he found a way to time travel. He and the others are developing suits for them that will protect them as they attempt the excursion. I believe they are still deciding what is the best time to go back without causing any causalities, including Thanos.”
Of course, they still wouldn’t kill Thanos. Shuri shouldn’t be surprised. She briefly wondered if her brother would still try to keep his hands clean if he was in her position, but she couldn’t wonder about it. She knew he probably would because he was always better than her. Especially morally. Shuri lost the people who had her heart, and had seen humanity during a very dark time. Her hands weren’t clean anymore. She didn’t take pleasure in it, Namor warned her much about that. When you take too much pleasure in the killings or the pain you cause others, you are just as bad as your enemies.
She then realized while she had been distracted thinking of her brother, Okoye was waiting for her response. Shuri already knew her answer would remain the same—staying out of it. Let them fail (or succeed) on their own. “What do you think of it, Okoye?”
Okoye shrugs, “I would be willing to be part of it if I felt needed, but they seem to have more than enough people willing. Should they succeed and need help defeating Thanos or another threat similar after, I would like to assist them.” Okoye rarely demands from Shuri, but after everything they had been through these last five years, she is willing to share her wants. When she shares her wants, it normally means that unless Shuri as queen strictly prohibits it, Okoye is going to do what she wants.
Shuri knows that if the avengers succeed, her brother will return, and he will want to help the avengers as he was the day he vanished. All that means is that Shuri will help them too, but she is not getting her hopes up. “Ok. Is there anything else?”
Okoye shakes her head, “No, my queen, that was all.”
“Thank you for informing me. Now, I am going to my lab to work on things.” As Shuri exits her office, she quickly sends Namor a message asking him to come to Wakanda as soon as he can. She needs to see him.
~~~
A few hours later as Shuri is working on projects in her lab, Shuri realizes that the music has stopped playing. “Griot, I did not tell you to stop playing the music. Why is it off?”
“Because I turned it off,” Okoye answers before her AI can. “I brought you dinner. I wanted to make sure you ate.”
Shuri inhales the food she was brought, “Mmh, smells good, but I did not ask for dinner.”
“Yes, but you need to eat something and it is getting late, or haven’t you noticed there are very few people left in the lab with you?”
Shuri looked around and realized that it did look rather empty. She also realized that she was hungry. “Fine, I will take break and eat. Thank you.”
Shuri began to eat, with her mouth full she added, “You know you don’t have to get me food. You could make someone else do it.”
“I could, but only the Doras will make sure that you eat your food. I figured I would give them a break from your terrible manners.”
Shuri rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue to show more of her so called “terrible manners.”
Okoye rolled her eyes too, but let Shuri continue eating. Once Shuri had nearly finished, Okoye shared the other reason she came to see Shuri, “Namor is in Wakanda,” both women pause. “Were you expecting him or is this a surprise?”
Shuri swallows her food, “I was expecting him, but I did not know when exactly he would be here, which is why I did not inform you or the other Doras. Besides, I can handle myself with him.”
“No one doubts that you can handle yourself with him. We know he respects and values you more than anyone else on the surface. I was just wondering if you had invited him.”
“Namor is welcome in Wakanda at any time, Okoye, you know this. Whether I asked him to come or not.”
Okoye nods, “I know, I was just wondering,” she pauses again. “I thought because of what I shared with you about the avengers, that you might share that with him.”
Ah, Okoye was fishing for that, “I have other things to discuss with Namor that are more important and more real than that. But you do not need to worry. Namor and I meet as equals, we do not need guards around to make sure we behave.”
“Of course. I have taken up enough of your time today and you have eaten, I will be on my way. Do you want guards tonight?”
“No, I do not need any tonight. Thank you, Okoye, for the food and checking on me,” the older woman smiled genuinely and saluted Shuri as she left.
Shuri had the music play again, and checked her messages to see if Namor had said anything. He did, over an hour ago, he simply informed her stating, “here.”
He hated messaging, so when he did it was always very minimal what he wrote. It was sweet that he tried for her. Sometimes the one word message would melt her heart, like today. But Okoye was watching, and while Okoye might know, she never admitted she knew. Shuri did not want to seem eager to see him with Okoye watching, so she would keep working for a little bit longer.
[4 hours go by]
Shuri has been working diligently, and is now the only person left in the lab. Namor comes through the underwater tunnel entrance Shuri had developed a few years ago. She made it with his help so they could meet more discreetly as the lab was her true domain, and one she was in charge of. She also liked seeing Namor freshly come out of water. Something about it moved her…when she paid attention that is. Today, she glanced up, wondering why he couldn’t have messaged or called her to see when she would meet him. “You could’ve called,” she says to Namor as he gets closer.
“I could have, but we both know you don’t tend to answer when you’re focused. Besides I hadn’t heard anything from you for over 5 hours, and I wanted to make sure you were awake still.”
“As you can see, I am awake. What do you mean over 5 hours, it’s only…oh,” she says as she realizes that she only meant to work on things for an hour or 2 at most, it had been 4 hours. Meaning it was 1am. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize the time.”
Namor comes behind her and wraps his arms around her, kissing her temple, “I assumed that would be the case. Did you eat at least?”
“Yes, Okoye brought me food earlier. By the way, she saw you.”
“Mhm, did you want to meet here or somewhere else?” Namor asks brushing past her comment.
“Let’s meet in your room,” she tells him as she puts her tools away and tells Griot what to do with her unfinished project.
Once she’s done, she goes with Namor as she puts on her panther suit in water mode. They leave together through the tunnel he came through.
~~~
Namor’s room, was a large room at the top of Talokan’s embassy in Wakanda. The embassy was 4 floors, 2 above ground, 2 in the river. Talokan and Wakandan architects worked on that project together. There was an underwater entrance and an above ground entrance. It was in the river tribe district. His room was a third of the top floor. There was a hammock, a king sized bed, a large bathroom with a jacuzzi, and extra space for some books, art supplies, and weapons. There was also a one way mirror skylight, because he loved to look at the sky, and Shuri wanted him to have the option to see it with some added privacy since it was his bedroom here.
Once they arrived at his room, Shuri kissed Namor longingly. “Thank you for coming here so quickly. I’m sorry I made you wait.”
He smiled, kissed her again, “I’m glad I was able to come. I missed you.”
Shuri smiled, kissed him again, deeper this time as they got closer to his bed.
She missed him too.
She wanted him.
Needed him.
Needed to see him.
Needed to talk with him.
Needed to be with him.
Needed to feel him.
She needed him here.
For once, she didn’t mind needing him.
She’s glad she asked him to come see her.
~~~
Afterwards, they lie in bed together enjoying the quiet as they look at the sky.
After a few minutes, Namor asks, “I’m glad to be with you here, but I have a feeling that you didn’t ask me to come just for this.”
Shuri turns to face him as she lies with his left arm around her, she hesitates for a moment, but she needed him here because of this, so she might as well just say it. Turning away to look somewhere other than his face and his intense eyes, she tells him, “The avengers think they have found a way to bring everyone back.”
He’s quiet for a few moments before asking, “Everyone?”
“Yes, they believe they have a plan to bring back everyone who vanished 5 years ago.”
“Hmph,” is all is says in return.
Shuri turns to face him again because that can’t possibly be his only reaction to this. Sitting up she asks him, “What do you mean by ‘hmph’? You don’t have any followup questions? Any concerns? Do you think they’re even capable of bringing everyone back successfully without severe additional problems or tragedies?”
Namor stays lying down, “Do you think they are capable?”
“I asked you first” Shuri responds frustrated.
“Yes, but you know them better. You know more of what they are capable of in a positive sense than I do. I think your response to the questions you asked me are actually what you need to acknowledge,” he answers calmly with his right arm under his head. “So again, do you think they are capable? What are your concerns?”
Shuri takes a deep breath before answering, frustrated that maybe his reasoning makes sense. “Anything is possible. Theoretically, they could have figured something out that I didn’t. But…” she pauses before admitting what she doesn’t want to, “Why would they be able to figure out a way to bring everyone back when I couldn’t? I’m just as intelligent as Stark or Banner, more in some ways. I don’t have the knowledge of a god, but who’s to say Thor helped them find their solution? Besides, I have you and your knowledge. You might not be as old as Thor, but it’s probably not that different. I just don’t understand how they could have figured something out that would work when I couldn’t?
Why would the gods and the ancestors give me these gifts, but not allow me to save my own family?”
Her rant was over, as she blinked tears away. Namor answered, “As I have said before, I do not have an answer for you. You tend to focus on how, but you know I believe why is a more important question. So why?”
“Why what?”
“Why does not figuring out a way to bring the vanished back make you feel like a failure when you have done so many things in your short life that prove you are anything but a failure?”
Shuri looked at him annoyed, knowing he meant well, she tried not to just react to him aggressively, “Can you ask an easier question instead?”
He nods, “Why did you want me here with you after you got this news? Why did you say that you needed me?”
She looks at him still annoyed by his questions, especially since the second one she was hoping he wouldn’t bring up. “Try again,” she grits out.
He laughs, “I see. Well, you can ask me a question if you don’t want to answer mine.”
She rolls her eyes at him, “Fine. Why do you think the ancestors have prevented me from bringing back the vanished?”
He shrugs, “Maybe it was not meant to be you who could take credit. Maybe you had more important things to focus on. Or maybe it was to humble you.”
She hits his shoulder for that last comment, and he grabs her hand as she pulls away and sits up with her, “That was just a guess. I was not being cruel. Besides, you know if you want to be reminded of how brilliant, capable, amazing, and inspiring you are, you know I could go on and on about you.”
She knows. She doesn’t need the ego boost right now though. She doesn’t like his answers, but they’re better than hers were at least, so maybe she should be grateful she’s speaking with someone so honest. “I don’t need you to do that. I just…”
“You wish that you could do everything?” he finished for her. She rolled her eyes, knowing he was mostly right.
“It wouldn’t be to prove anything to anyone. It would be to bring people back. Fill the earth like it was, make families whole again,” she’s somber again.
Namor pulls her into himself, wrapping his arms around her, pressing their foreheads together. He breathes deeply, “I know. I don’t know why the gods do or don’t do things we believe they should, but you can always complain and express your frustrations to me. I’m here for you always.”
Shuri kisses him slowly, her hands on the back of his neck, as he adds, “I know it is not the same, but another way to fill the earth would be to have children, which we could always try if you want.” He smiles wide as she laughs shoving him a little before responding.
“I am not getting pregnant now. We are not trying, so stop thinking about it. We aren’t even married.”
“So when we are married, we can discuss having children together?”
“We aren’t getting married,” she reminds him.
“Fine, if we get married, we will discuss having children then.”
Shuri rolls her eyes again and kisses him, “Whatever will stop you talking about this now,” she adds as they continue spending the night together.
She needed him because she needed someone to talk to who she can share her worries, fears, and frustrations with. Namor had been that person for a long time. Years before they even began their romantic relationship. He was one of very few confidants Shuri had. But he was the only one who truly understood the weight of ruling and protecting a fragile nation with power the world at large envied. He understood her in a way no one else had, even without the weight of the crown.
~~~
“It might not work,” Shuri says the next morning as Namor is in the jacuzzi waiting for her.
“What might not work?” he asks.
“Their plan. The avengers. Their plan sounds ridiculous and implausible.”
“Ah, well, that is not surprising. If it doesn’t work, then nothing changes, and we continue on as we have been.”
“But if it does work…” she doesn’t finish her sentence as she thinks of all the things she will need to do if it does work and everyone returns. But so many unknowns remain still, where were they? Did they age? Will they know what happened to them?
“Shuri,” Namor says disrupting her thoughts, “If it does work, we will figure things out as necessary. However, I do remember that before you had Griot compiling important information should they return, especially your brother and council members. That will be helpful to them and others. You are already more ready for them to return then other nations.”
Shuri thought about that and realized he might be right. Unfortunately, Shuri could only think of the ways she could do better or do more.
“Come here,” Namor beckons her out of her thoughts and into his arms. He looks at her so sweetly, so she starts walking. She gets in the water and joins him. He begins rubbing her shoulders because she is always tense.
“What if they return and they don’t recognize who I have become?” she asks quietly, as Namor pauses. “What if they find out I gave up trying to find a way to bring them back and instead wasted time grieving them? If they come back, how am I supposed to interact with them knowing eventually I will have to grieve them again?” Shuri can no longer hold her tears or herself back, and Namor pulls her into a tight hug. He holds her like that until she stops crying. And then, they hold each other in the water for a while.
Namor knew when Shuri told him the news about the avengers why she needed him there. Guilt and grief had been eating her away again. He knew that feeling well. He wanted her to let him know when she felt like that. When the world, the grief, and her mind were too much. He would comfort her, distract her, or assure her. Whatever she needed, he would do. If she wanted him to prevent the avengers plan from succeeding, she just needed to say so. If she wanted the avengers distracted so she could steal their plan and do it better, he would throw his favorite orca at any of their bases or landmarks as a distraction. If she asked him to help the avengers with her, he would even do that. He would do whatever she asked.
But as usual, she didn’t ask for anything except answers he did not have.