The Panther's IronHeart (Shuri x Riri)

Aftermath

"Hey, Princess how are you feeling?"

Riri's voice filled Shuri's ears and she immediately relaxed and softly nodded her head in response. Riri was then standing and even with Shuri sitting on the edge of the hammock the engineer was still shorter in stature. Riri's hands gently grazed Shuri's face as she intensely analyzed every detail.

"What are you doing?" Shuri giggled softly

Riri didn't return the happy gesture as she stated "Memorizing what your face looks, because for the past several hours I've been haunted by what you looked like after I pulled you from that fight Shuri and it was..."

Shuri immediately grabbed Riri's hand since she was shaking from nerves and softly squeezed "Riri, I'm so sorry, I'm right here with you, I'm okay now,"

"But you weren't," Riri's voice was neutral and flat as her eyes started to gloss over as the engineer began to avert her gaze from Shuri

Shuri never heard Riri speak to her this way and it was worrying. Riri sounded so distant and Shuri didn't like it.

"But I am now Riri look at me,"

When she didn't respond Shuri stood up and gently grabbed Riri's chin and turned her head so they were making direct eye contact "Riri, don't look over there. Look at me,"

Riri was starting to tear up again looking at Shuri "I almost lost you Shuri," her tone coming back to normal

Those words broke Shuri into a million pieces as she watched Riri unravel before her. She was watching Riri's hard exterior crumble as she tried to regain her composure "I know and I'm so sorry Riri, it's okay to let everything go, I'm right here,"

With that reassurance Riri let her tears fall again as Shuri embraced her tightly. Shuri's hands gently guided themselves along Riri's back as she let the smaller girl get all of her emotions out.

Shuri saw Okoye and Aneka walk into the tent as they watched the scene in front of them. Both women gave Shuri a sad expression as they watched Riri break down in her arms but neither of them would interrupt.

Once Riri stopped crying and realized there was an audience her face hardened again as she pulled out of Shuri's embrace quickly before saying "I know everyone needs to talk to you and I don't want to hold you up Shuri,"

Before Shuri could protest Riri exited the tent leaving Shuri with her Midnight Angels.

"Mnike ixesha Shuri (Give her some time Shuri),"

Okoye's words drifted over Shuri she almost didn't hear her.

"I agree Shuri, she almost watched you die in her arms the poor girl is probably traumatized," Aneka attested

Shuri eventually turned towards the two women in exhausted frustration as both her hands went behind her neck as she began to pace around the hut. Her mind was starting to race as she tried to come to terms with almost dying last night. Her last memory from that night was when Lelani completely knocked her out cold. She had no recollection of the events that happened until after she awoke in the ancestral plane. Aneka and Okoye patiently waited as Shuri eventually stopped pacing long enough for her to ask one question.

"I know whatever happened was bad. Just how bad was it?"

"Shuri you went to the ancestors to heal you. It was really bad..." Okoye took a moment to stop speaking as she caught her breath trying to steady it. "Princess siphantse saphulukana nawe (Princess, we almost lost you)"

Shuri's heart rate started to increase quickly listening to Okoye speak.

"And Riri was she hurt at all?"