Namor gazes upon the mural that he painted after him yielding from the black panther. After he called off the battle between his people and the Wakandans, he immediately went to his chambers where he stayed put till the next morning, painting. Painting the biggest mural he has ever done right across from where he lays to sleep. Using all sorts of rich pigments in colors, from brown, to black, to gold, to capture the beauty of their battle. Where he would remember this memory for the rest of his existence.
He places a hand over the black panther that he painted. Roaming his hands over his creation. Ever since he completed the mural, where he concluded as the biggest masterpiece that he ever had created, has been wanting to draw more. But of her. As the living human being she is, not an animal that represents her by metaphor.
He tried to sketch her by memory, using the finest lead and paper fabric from the bark of Talokans wild fig trees that grow beneath the grounds of sand of the ocean, but once done with the sketches, it always looked liked some alternate version of her. Even though her entire presence and existence has been ingrained very deeply into his core. He wants to draw more of her. Draw all of her expressions, her stance, figure, down to the roots of her curls. Everything. In person.
And thats what he'll do.
He walks out of his chambers and dives down to the pathway that heads towards the surface.
Namor swims by many sea creatures and sea life till he heads to the river where him and Shuri first met each other for the first time.
Talokan and Wakanda are not allies as of yet, but both nations are slowly repatching things up between them from their very rocky introductions. To the point that Talokanils are able to swim around Wakandas waters, if they want, but no one has dared to out of fear. Only Namora, Attuma and himself have been able to be around their waters. And Namor will use it to his advantage if it means that hes able to see her at any time of any day.
He finally arrives at the river and pokes his head out of the water to see if he spots her, but she's not there. He forgot that hes the only one that gave her a way to contact him, how she can call by using the conch shell to communicate with him but not the other way around. He doesn't have a form of communication on how to contact her.
He steps fully out of the water and looks around the area, looking at the spot where he first laid eyes upon her. Crouched like how a panther would as they calculate when eyeing prey before jumping to attack, a spear in her hands pointed at him, with a face that showed no fear and all guard. A light smile forms on his lips of the memory.
Namor thinks of a way to communicate with her. He could use the sirens songs, but thats only used as an attack for enemies. He thinks till he finally comes up with an idea of a way to contact her. Well sorta.
He opens his mouth and beings to recite some lyrical poetry of Dzitbalche, in song form.
'Bin in tz'uutz' a chi
Tut yam cohl
X ciichpam zac
Y an y an a u ahal
(I will kiss your mouth between the plants of the milpa
Shimmering beauty
You have to hurry)
'Tz'a ex a hatz'uutz nokeex;
tz'ooc u kuchul kin h cimcc olil:
xeech u tzou tzotzel a pol;
tz'a u lemcech ciichcelmil a nok
tz'a hatz'utz xanaab;
ch'uuicinzah a nuucuuch tuup;
tu tupil a xicin;
tz'a malob ooch';
tz'a u keexiloob a x ciichpan caal;
tz'a, uu baakaaal
hop men hop tu nak a kab
t kailbelt can i laac ciichpameech
hebiix maix maace
uay tu t cahil
H' Tz'iitbalcheé
(Put on your beautiful clothes;
the day of happiness has arrived;
comb the tables from your hair;
put on your most attractive clothes
and your splendid leather;
hang great pendants in the lobes of
your ears; put on
a good belt; string garlands
around your shapely throat;
put shining coils
on your plump upper arms.
Glorious you will be seen,
for none is more beautiful here
in this town, the seat of Dzitbalché.)
Namor can hear some of the tall weeds rustle behind him. He pays it no mind, thinking its the slight breeze in the air causing it to do so. He continues on singing as hes looking at the river.
'Cah in yacumaech
X Cichpan Colebiil
Lai beiltic
in kaat ca ilabe'ech
h'aach zempeech
ciichpamech,
tu men cu yan
ca chiipaac ech ti x buutz' ek,
tu men ca u tz'ibooltech
tac lail
u yetel u x lol nicte kaax.
Chen zacan
zacan a nok,
h' x zuhuy,
xen a tz'a u cimac olil a chee
tz'a utz ta puczikal
tu men helae
u zutucil cimcc olil
tu lacal uinic
lail c u tz'ailc
u yutzil ti teech
(I love you, Beautiful Lady.
I want you to be seen; in
truth you are very alluring,
I compare you to the smoking star
because they desire you up to the moon
and in the flowers of the fields.
Pure and white are your clothes, maiden.
Go give happiness with your laugh,
put goodness in your heart, because today
is the moment of happiness; all people
put their goodness in you.)'
He sighs once hes done singing. His heart feeling a bit lighter. His mother would always sing lullabies to him when he couldn't sleep or when he would have nightmares. The sound of her gentle soothing voice as she sang, her fingers stroking his hair to relax him of his nerves, the warmth of her lips when she kissed his head goodnight. He misses that. He misses her.
A sudden foot shift from behind snapped him out of his thoughts, he turns around to see Shuri standing across from him. Her face looking perplexed, her breath somewhat shallow as if she came running to where he is.
Wearing simple attire of what it seemed like a mix of athletic and leisure but in dress form. The dress hugging her lithe frame very nicely. The upper half of the dress being off the shoulder, short sleeves that stop at her upper arms, zippers on each side of her sides, the length of it being quite short that it exposes a good portion of her upper thighs, basic black sneakers, the metal of the necklace that lays on her neck for when she has to suit up, her kimoyo beads on her left wrist while his mothers bracelet is on her right, and her micro braided hair up in a bun.
Namor: Princess
Shuri doesn't say anything for a moment. She juts stares at him with those beautiful dark brown eyes that have a tint of gold to them.
Namor: Is my appearance that much of a bewildering sight?
He teases.
Shuri blinks rapidly, coming out of her trance and back into reality.
Shuri: What are you doing here?
Namor: Wanted to visit
He softly smiles. It made Shuri puzzled. She slightly squints her eyes in question and crosses her arms.
Shuri: You never come to Wakanda to "visit". You only come here when there's something that you want or to negotiate
She caught his bluff. Truly the only person on this earth that can see through him. Not even Namora and Attuma can despite them knowing each other for centuries. She is truly worthy of him.
Namor: You wound me princess. Is it wrong for me wanting to come here without having duties tied to it?
Shuri: No... but its weird since its unusual of you
She rubs her arms from the slight cool breeze thats up in the air, and to relax her nerves.
Shuri: So, what do you want?
She bluntly says. Namor lowly chuckles underneath his breath.
Namor: Well, you have caught me. I did come here cause there is something that I want
He walks up to her. Stopping a few inches away.
Shuri: I knew it
Namor: Yes. Nothing can get passed by you princess
Shuri: Im the black panther. Obviously I can't let anything pass by me
She corrects him for the millionth time of her title. Even though shes still the princess of Wakanda, her title of being the new black panther has become more of a priority than her original one.
Namor: Well of course, princess
Namors aware of her new title, but he still likes to call her princess since thats how he sees her. Shuri just rolled her eyes in annoyance knowing that he's going to continue calling her that.
Shuri: Well, what is it that you want?
Namor: I want to draw you
He cuts to the chase. Shuris eyes become wide in surprise.
Shuri: D-draw me?
She stutters. Namor just nods his head in response.
Shuri: W-what do you mean by...draw?
Her head comes up with multiple scenarios as to what he meant. Does he mean draw as in like, sketching her? Or painting her? Or sculpting her? Does she have to wear specific clothing? Or worst! Being naked just like in the movie 'Titanic' where Rose was naked as she laid on the sofa as Jack was drawing her with intense lustful eyes. Darting his eyes back and forth from looking at her to looking at his sketchbook.
Namor: Princess?
Namor looks at how Shuri seems lost in her own thoughts for a brief second till she snaps out of them.
Shuri: No!
She immediately turns around to run away from the fishman but is stopped by a hand on her shoulder. The warmth of his touch ignites a flame inside her body.
Namor: Are you rejecting my request?
Shuri: YES!
She shrieks. Her face burning all over and how it goes up to her ears.
Shuri: There is no way in Bashengas name that Im stripping naked for who knows how long in a cold cavern just so you can draw me!
Her heart hammers in her chest of the thought being in his chamber, him and her, just the two of them, alone without any interruptions. Naked!
Now its Namors turn to look perplexed from her response. He lowers his hand down from her shoulder back to his side.
Namor: Im not asking for you to be...in the nude. I just want to simply draw you. What your wearing is perfectly fine
He reassures her. Though he will not lie to himself, the thought of her being naked in front of him as he draws every single crevice and texture of her body does excite him a bit, but he immediately puts those explicit thoughts away.
Shuri:....j-just drawing?
Still sounding hesitant.
Namor: Yes. Just drawing. Using the lead and fabric paper that I have
Shuri bites her bottom lip as she thinks for a bit, till she gives him a final response.
Shuri: ...okay...
She says in a meek voice with her head slightly lowered down, eyeing the ground. Namor can feel his heart being set ablaze and his stomach being in a tight knot. The type of expression she has on her face makes his insides go wild. The way her eyes are half way lidded, the tint of red on her cheeks and ears, her delicate posture, is the reason why he wants and needs to draw her.
He always has seen her as an untouchable force. A powerful being that you will know of. And someone who will never show mercy. But seeing her in this type of setting, the way she's presenting herself right now, looking vulnerable, makes him go feral. He restrains himself with all his power that he has.
Namora: Great. Then lets go
Shuri: Right now?
Namor: Are you currently occupied?
Shuri shakes her head.
Shuri: No. Not really. I was just keeping myself busy in my lab. The usual
Namor: Then lets not wait a moment to long. I really want to draw you
He lifts a hand up for her to take hold of. Shuri presses a button on her kimoyo beads that alerts her necklace and it activates her suit. Then she takes his hand.
Namor: Hold on
His grip on her hand tightens, he takes the lead and they dive into the rivers water. On the way to Talokan.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The arrive back at the cavern within a short amount of time. All because Namor was rushing with all his might as he swam to reach his destination, being all eager.
Shuri presses the button again on her beads and her suit deactivates. She looks around the cavern, seeing that nothing has changed from the last time that she was here.
Namor: Welcome back
Shuri: Its only my second time here. Its not like I come here to visit all the time
Namor: Well, maybe you should start visiting here more often. I wouldn't mind
Shuri shyly smiles. Her heart feeling fuzzy from hearing his words on how he wouldn't mind seeing her again, and again. Without having any diplomatic ties to it.
She follows him to his chamber and Namor motions for her to sit down on the chair by the table. She eyes the mural on her left and is taken back by it. The painting of a black panther and a Talokanil fighting each other, in traditional mayan art style. It was a very beautiful complex mural. From the perfect outline of it, to the deep rich tones of colors that were used, the detailed background, all of it, looking very breathtaking.
He goes through his drawer and takes out a newly sharpened lead and paper fabric, then walks back to the table and sits down on the chair thats across from her. He sees her looking at the mural.
Namor: You like it?
Shuri: Its very beautiful...
She breaths out, then looks back to him.
Shuri: You're an amazing artist
Namor smiles gently from her compliment of him.
Namor: Thank you...
He looks over at the painted mural.
Namor: I panted it as a remembrance of our battle. A way to preserve history. No matter how many years pass by on this earth, I would always go back to this mural to remember, our history
He says as if he's predating the future already. He moves his attention back to her.
Namor: Ive picked up painting when I was child. My mother would give me multiple pigments that range from clay soil to minerals as a way to keep me preoccupied
He softly laughs of the memory. His mother coming home from the local market with a few bags of pigments that were the most vibrant of colors. Paintbrushes with the softest of hair bristles and detailed carving of wood. The cleanest of fabric paper for him to paint on. He always treasured the supplies when she would gift it to him.
Shuri: Sounds similar to how my mother would go to extreme lengths to give me all the most advanced equipment, materials and software for me to build and design on as a kid. To use for all my school projects and for my free time
A sad smile forms on her lips. Her heart clenching in heartache and the corners of her eyes starting to form tears. Her mother gifting her a new type of technological gadget for her to work on cause she saw her as no ordinary girl with just average smarts. No, she was way above and beyond intelligent than human kind was. Then one day, her mother gifted her an entire lab for her 8th birthday. The lab that she still uses to this day. It was the best birthday gift that she ever received of all time.
Namor looks at her sad expression, feeling a tinge of guilt knowing that he was the cause of her mothers death. Even though the queen risked her own life to save the American scientist, he knew he could've handled the situation better. If he didn't throw the amount of water bombs to the room that flooded, her mother would be alive today. But it needed to be done, to get his message across. He did what he did to protect Talokan and his people from being exposed to the outside world. And Shuri knows it. She knows that.
Shuri blinks the tears away before their able to fall from her face and clears her throat.
Shuri: So, uh, what type of drawing of...me will you be doing?
Namor follows by clearing his throat as well.
Namor: I've noticed that among the surface dwellers, sketching is a simplicity version of art, aside from the many other forms and styles. So thats what I'll be doing. Painting is my only form of expertise, sketching is something new and rare to me so I don't know if I'll be perfect at it
Shuri: Well judging by the paintings of murals that you have created, I think you'll be fine
She gives a cheeky smile to him, another expression of her that makes his heart jump.
Namor: Well, lets see how I do when I'm done
Shuri: Do you...want me to make a certain pose for you or...
Namor shakes his head.
Namor: Thats not necessary. You're fine like this
He points the lead on the fabric paper and begins sketch an outline of her upper silhouette.
Shuri sits very still. She doesn't make a single move so he wouldn't mess up.
Namor looks back and forth from her to the paper. Noticing her very stilled posture.
Namor: You can relax. Im just sketching your upper half
Shuri relaxes her body but not her nerves. She can feel how its sending her body a message to have her entire system buzz due to being anxious. She looks down at his hands as a way to ignore the buzzing. Noticing how big they are. Well she already noticed how big they were when she held his hand through the entire swim from the river to here. But it was different from seeing it up close.
The way his fingers hold the lead with gentleness and grip. Just like when he held her hand. There was a soft care to his holding but still had a very good clutch to hers when coming all the way here. Making sure she didn't slip away from his grasp.
Namor finishes the outline of her silhouette and begins to sketch out her facial features. Starting with her eyes. Her eyes that hold a range of emotions. From ferocity, to fierceness and bravery when they first met. To kindness, compassion and curiosity when he took her to the main capital of Talokan. To sorrow and despair over the death of her mother. To anger, rage and retribution when fighting him on the deserted beach. To a lingering mix of bitterness and warmth when she helped him to the oceans water so he can heal of his wounds and burns that she caused.
And probably so much more that he wasn't nor hasn't able to witness yet. Except for the one just a few moments ago when they were at the river. The way her face flushed in red and eyes that were half-lidded. He wonders what more expressions he can see from her in that type of emotional setting.
Once complete with her eyes, he goes to draw her hair. It was a little bit of a complicated start since he only has seen her with loose curls and an under shave. Her hair now is way more detailed and specific. Styled in micro sized braids that follow a specific pattern when forming to its style. But he managed to sketch out its form and pattern onto the paper. Once done with sketching her hair, he moves down to sketch her nose. Not a typical button nose from the average surface dwellers, hers has more character. The bridge of her nose that is slim from the top to having a good width at the bottom. Getting it to its exact shape on paper, he then moves down to sketch her lips.
Her lips having a beautiful shape to them. A shape that he wonders how it would fit with his own.
Shuri glances down at the paper and sees him moving on to sketching her lips. She licks them out of habit, and Namor peeps it.
Namors eyes shift back and forth from her lips to the paper. His mind starting to wonder back to the explicit thoughts from not long ago. He tries to push them away to the far back of his brain, but it was difficult. Every time he looks at her lips, the more his body craves for them.
Shuri notices how his gaze is focused on her lips with intensity, more than the paper.
Shuri: I-Is...everything alright?...
She whispers softly than she intended to.
Namor: Y-Yes...
He whispers back.
Another thing that Shuri just now noticed, is how they are sitting very close to each other. How they are just a few centimeters apart from one another. Where their knees are almost touching.
Her eyes also start to shift back and forth, to his eyes, to his lips.
Her heart starts to pick up its pulse at a rapid speed as she sees Namor gazing heavily at her.
Without thinking, she slowly starts to lean towards him. Her body acting on its own, having no self control. He does the same as well. Acting on impulse. Their knees touch. The warmth from the skin to skin contact ignited both of their bodies into flames. Both of their noses brush against one another.
But Namor starts to have second thoughts over this. The only emotions and expressions that Shuri has shown him were nothing but unpleasant ones. He was the source of those. He brought those out of her, when he wanted to bring out joy, delight and radiance. If things didn't turned out this way.
Namor: You don't have to do this....if you don't want to...
He whispers again to her. His breath tickling her upper lip.
Shuri had nothing but happy lovable memories from when her father, brother and mother were still alive. Her brother taking care of all the royal responsibilities due to being the crowned prince and black panther of Wakanda, while she stayed cooped up in her lab, creating and designing new weapons, updating her old technology into something more grand and new. Never having to stress about royal duties and responsibilities even when her mother forced her to, since that was her brothers job, not hers. The constant bickering, teasing and banters they would exchange with each other to show that neither would give up till one ends up having the last word. And she would always win. Even though she knew T'Challa would let her have her way at times.
But now all of that is gone. Those memories have been replaced by unfortunate ones. The loss of her father from the Vienna explosion, to the loss of her brother from his illness, and to the loss of her mother from drowning. All she can now remember are those types of memories. Especially the ones that have been caused and enhanced by the man in front of her, who's a few mere centimeters apart from her face.
She knows the destruction that he had caused to Wakanda, the chaos he unleashed to her people, how he destroyed her life when he took her last flesh and blood away from her. How she turned to vengeance as her only source of resolution, that was amplified by her cousin, to make him pay for what he has done. To make him suffer just like how she was suffering.
He brought nothing but dreadful moments to her life and to her as a person.
But here he is. Alive. Because of her. Her choosing to make him live over killing him all because the words of her mother and brother had consumed her entire body. Their words making her take action and reminding her of what she was not supposed to answer to. She made the man in front of her yield, but never felt satisfied by it. Theres still a lingering bitterness that she has towards him.
And yet, the moment after their battle, thats all who she was thinking about. She was thinking about him. Thinking about him taking her to Talokan, introducing his people to her, telling her his life story, giving her his mothers bracelet. Doing all of this on their very first meeting with one another. It made her feel very special.
And she wanted to continue on seeing him after their battle. During her time in Haiti, she was constantly thinking about him, fighting the urge of wanting to see him as the conch shells presence was tormenting her from across her bed. It especially didn't help knowing Nakia's house was literally right across from the beach, and she could've used it to her advantage on calling him at any time of any day. But she didn't. She was too afraid that if she saw him, something might have crossed her mind. Or her heart, about him.
But here she is. Her face a few centimeters apart from his, able to feel the tip of his nose touching hers, his peppermint breath tickling her upper lip, the way his eyes look at her like he's giving into his desire for her. Just like herself to him. She doesn't understand what it is about him that she's so drawn into. Its not because hes a Mayan god. She never cared about the gods cause those were nonsense to her. But the constant wanting, and longing for him overpowered her mind, body and soul when she met him. Not so sure about her heart, but maybe with the action she's going to take next, it will finally giver her the answer that shes been searching for.
Shuri takes both sides of his face in her hands and leans into his lips. Kissing him. She releases a sigh as she kisses, feeling a bit relieved that he hasn't pulled away.
Namor returns the gesture by deepening their kiss. And it was just as he thought. Her lips match perfectly to his own. Like a puzzle piece. Both of their lips move pleasantly nice as they kiss, like some sort of a passionate dance they're doing. And the feel of their lips make both Namor and Shuri feel delighted inside.
Shuri lowers one of her hands down from his face to hold his perfectly structured jaw. The way her soft slender fingers are caressing his face makes Namor want her touch him more in other places of his body. He takes the lead of their kissing, and she follows suit. The hairs of his beard tickle her lips and she giggles.
Namor: Is something wrong?
He asks as he broke their kiss.
Shuri: No, nothings wrong. Just...your beard is very ticklish...
She giggles again. And it sends Namor over the edge. One of thee, if not, the most adorable sound that hes ever heard in his life.
He goes back to kissing her but with more intensity. He pulls her chair so her body can be closer to his. He snakes his arms around her waist and she does the same, snaking her arms around his neck. Their kiss going from passion to hunger, and now moving on to desire. Shuri makes a few soft noises that escape her mouth and Namor wants to hear more of them. He wants his ears to be blessed by the noises that would be coming out of her mouth because of him. Breaths start to become heavy, their hearts racing for miles, bodies becoming hot. Both of them want each other bad. And right now.
But before he's able to make another move on her, he hears a beeping sound coming from somewhere. Shuri breaks their kiss.
Shuri: What now?!
She says in annoyance. She looks at her kimoyo beads that reads Okoye is contacting her. She grunts.
Namor: Seems one of your warriors are contacting you
Shuri: She always does. And its annoying when she contacts me for days when there is no threat or danger to Wakanda
Namor: I have to disagree with that. There will always be a sort of danger and threat at anytime when you don't least expect it. Its your duty as the black panther to be aware of that
Shuri lays her forehead on the crook of his shoulder and grunts in annoyance again.
Shuri: I know that. But can she at least leave me alone for 5 minutes?!
She says exasperated. Namor chuckles. He strokes his thumb on her lower back, where the scar that he created with his spear is located at. Without realizing.
Shuri: Like, I'm busting my ass of here! Day and night! The least she can do is allow me to give myself a short break. And I'm not talking about hours, just a few minutes for me to gain my energy back
She huffs out loud after finishing her rant.
Namor: Well its been more than a few minutes. And...'busting ass'?
He questions as he repeats her exact words that she said. Shuri bursts out laughing. Caught off guard by him repeating her use of slang. She lifts her head up from his shoulder.
Shuri: Its slang among us surface dwellers. Well mostly Black American slang that I've been hearing among Riri and her friends
Namor just blankly looks at her.
Shuri: I'll explain more in detail to you another time
She taps his head like if he was a child. Her kimoyo beads beep again and she just rolls her eyes.
Shuri: I have to go. Or Okoye would have my head if I don't show up
She gets up from her chair and pushes the button on her beads to activate the necklace for her suit.
Namor: I'll help you swim back to the surface
He says also standing up.
Shuri: Its okay. My AI GRIOT will help me navigate your waters to head back to Wakanda. And I remember some parts of the way from when we swam here, but thank you
She cups one of his cheeks and kisses the other for his kind offer.
Namor: Please be careful itzia
Shuri: I will
She reassure hims. She walks out his chambers and dives into the water from where they entered the cavern, swimming back to Wakanda.
Namor feels lonely now that she's gone. He sits back down on the chair and looks over at the incomplete sketch of her.
He picks up the lead once more and continues where he left off. Sketching her lips to their beautiful plump shape, as his own lips savor the sensation of hers from moments ago. Until the next they meet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I.CAN.NOT.STOP.WRITING.ABOUT THESE TWO!!!!!!!!! 😆❤️
I love me a science girlfriend and liberal arts boyfriend dynamic ship duo 🥰❤️
Hope you guys enjoyed reading this! 💜
-Stephsan