Nashuri Collection (Namor x Shuri)

History

Toussaint was startled when she turned serious.

"I won't lie. Yes, there was a time I had looked at him with stars in my eyes. But that was then," Shuri said.

He pushed. "Before what?"

"Before I had to learn a very hard lesson." Shuri didn't say anymore, but Toussaint knew she referred to his grandma's passing. He had known more of Queen Ramonda than his father, but the younger version of himself hadn't known how to really react to her death. He had felt sadder at the turmoil his mama Nakia and Aunt Shuri had experienced. How his grandmother had died, he still didn't know.

She turned the valve off her blowtorch. She was making a metal carapace for a robotic fly, an upgrade from a previous Wakandan technology. Wireless was so outdated. Everything operated by brain waves now.

Shuri continued. "That man cares about one thing only: his people. No one else matters not even himself, regarding them. No matter who else is in the crossfire."

"Well, what made you leave him?"

"Pfft, he was crazy!" She laughed.

"Oh no, this isn't sufficient, Aunty. That's everyone's excuse for an ex! What's the real story?" The need for gossip or a juicy backstory powered his dimpled smile.

"What do you know about exes? You're only fourteen."

"Almost fifteen!"

Shuri pulled at a coil of her hair, letting it spring down before releasing it. Only from knowing her, Toussaint realized she was being bashful.

She took off her safety equipment completely, leaving herself in a black sleeveless turtle neck and black slacks. The golden panther necklace was still around her neck, resting until it was his.

"Tutu, he almost speared a man for looking at me 'with lust in his eyes.'" She made finger quotes. "Of course, he threatened to drown Western nations for existing after their pillaging, colonization, enslavement and displacing of peoples. That hasn't changed. And well, he has a point there."

"Facts!" Toussaint boomed. He was a global history buff, but he was especially interested in the lives and histories of the African diaspora.

Shuri waved her hand dismissively. "Yes, yes but that was still too excessive. Instead of holding those who relish in evil accountable, he'd rather drown everyone indiscriminately. And don't get me started on alliance negotiations. Talokan didn't ask us nicely to ally with them."

Toussaint urged her on. He was fully instigating. Shuri was always so private that it was rare for her to spill about her own life.

"Bast, my mother was right. I swear she died of a heart attack when we started dating. I thought I had fooled her, but she knew all along." She held her head in her hands, then gave an embarrassed shriek. "All those times I sneaked him into my bedroom or sneaked out to Talokan. All the midnight kisses under the moonlight on the beach. Him flying me in the air. Ahhh, Queen Mother knew all!"

"First, eww! Too much! Don't make mama's fufu come up! Second, y'know she had the Dora snitching on you. She didn't have eyes everywhere."

Shuri gave an impressed smirk. "Oh, and how do you know this?"

"Because that's how you and mama are always keeping tabs on me!"

"You're bright, Tutu, but you don't know everything. Trust Nakia and I've our own ways."

Toussaint leaned over the work table. "You're right. I don't know everything. Like, your winged fish man. How am I supposed to carry forward our alliance if I don't know more?"