Scoffing at Tradition (M'Baku x Black!Reader)

Confessions by Candlelight.

"I think you must be really good at hiding her because I have no idea who she might be," you said with a laugh, backing out from between his legs to leave before you could get hurt.

That is until you feel his hands tug you back into place and pull you forward into his chest, your knees landing softly on the bed and right in between his legs. It is in that moment when you are mirrored in his warm dark hazelnut eyes.

"It's you, idiot. You are the only one who doesn't bother to treat me any differently when I walk in a room. In fact, you do the exact opposite. You flat out ignore me," he whispered in a low breath, not breaking his gaze from yours despite the close proximity of your bodies.

An overpowering woodsy aroma dominated your senses, successfully numbing your mind into a quiet mist. A faint vanilla musk wafted by and tickled your nose, hinting that M'Baku must have lifted the body wash from your bathroom.

It was something about his scent that reminded you of laying out in dewy grass, barefoot, after a long day of rain showers that made you feel like you were home. You couldn't help but sink deeper, growing intoxicated by it.

Because it was him. He was your home.

Gods, he had no right to do these things to you.

You couldn't believe that M'Baku—the same M'Baku you spent the better half of your life growing up with—just confessed to you giving him tunnel vision. There was just no way. Your hands flew to the top of his chest as you tried to push yourself back onto your feet, but M'Baku's hands managed to keep you steady in front of him on your knees.

"No no no," you stammered, "I can't be the one you like. There's plenty of other women who could be the object of your affections—just not me! You've got to be kidding me. You must be joking!"

Though the anger builds up inside of you, you remained still within his grasp. M'Baku chuckled in astonishment at your willingness to dismiss his feelings for you.

He moved one hand from your waist to cradle your cheek, his thumb drawing small, gentle circles and reel you in with a generous side of him you already knew to be true. Your eyelashes bat themselves closed at the contact of his fingers tracing your skin.

"I do not joke about the affairs of my heart like this. I have no reason to lie to you."

It crossed your mind that this just might be a highly vivid daydream of yours that has taken a mind of its own. His thumb then grazed over the bottom curve of your lower lip as you speak up.

"You're the most uptight person I know. And I'm pretty sure the rules say that this, " you said as youreyes peeked through your lashes for a moment as you gestured between your bodies with a hand, "Isn't allowed."

M'Baku licked his lips before breaking out into a wide grin, tipping his head off to the side. "Challenge Day was indeed a wake-up call for me. That and T'Challa put me into a headlock over the edge of the Falls and left me with a possible concussion."

You parted your lips to interrupt, but he immediately pulled at the side of your cheek to stop you with a hearty chuckle.

"Will you let me finish first before you give me a lecture about my poor health decisions?" he waited for you to give a little nod before talking again.

"He could have ended my life right there, but instead... He told me that my people still needed a leader. And as much as I despise the man, for once, he was right."

"Oh? When T'Challa says it, you consider his words. But when I said it, you cursed me for even saying it out loud Men." you groaned in the middle of an eye roll.