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love and courage comes
hand in hand !
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BRIAN REYNOLDS wasn't brave.
He wasn't brave enough to stand up to the elementary school bullies that shoved him inside his own locker. Gregory had found him when the sun had already sunk low beneath the skyscrapers, his mouth curled into a pitiful scowl.
He wasn't brave enough to accept the fact that his mother is living in the little grey area between life and death, and that her last day could be a month or a day away.
He wasn't brave enough to tell Shuri Udaku that he likes the way she smiles under the sun and the way she laughs at the face of danger.
He wasn't brave,but love and courage comes hand in hand.
He was brave enough to announce his title as president in front of his little book club, Gregory smiling at him from one of the chairs perched against the cream-colored walls of the music room, the Jewish boy's eyes glinting with pride as he watched his childhood friend tremble against the miniature makeshift podium.
He finally had the courage to visit his mother on the weekends, learning to count the memories instead of the days. He could remember the way she would kiss his forehead, her soft lips reminding him that he was loved as he strings a tune in his cello.
He wasn't afraid to look at Shuri in the eye and tell her that she was going to be alright, despite the pieces of debris falling on them and the fire engulfing the room they were trapped in.
Brian Reynolds wasn't brave, but the overwhelming urge to protect those he cared about would always overcome his fears, and at that split second of adrenaline and worry, Brian was the bravest person in the room.
Which was why, when he awoke to the faint rustling of the wind against the curtains and the sun caressing his cheeks, he wasn't surprised to find himself in the middle of a hospital bed. The constant beeping by his bedside constantly pulling him awake, tearing sleep away from his eyes.
A cluster of voices made its way to his eras, until they blurred into one sentence, the voice unmistakably his mother's.
" He's awake."
The frail quiver of her voice sent him awake almost immediately, the only thing stopping him was the black spots swarming his vision.
It reminded him of the tadpoles he would try to catch when he was younger, they would cluster above the pond's surface and deprive the algae below of any light. He can't help but think of how it perfectly describes the state of his mind, his thoughts were foggy, as if he was the pristine surface being attacked by a school of young frogs.
He hummed at the fond memory of his childhood, while his mother's hands snaked itself against his own numb fingers, anchoring him to the present.
" Brian," His mother cooed," It's time to wake up."
This time his eyes flew open, and he watched as the ceiling fan twirled above him like a great alabaster bird, his breathing evening itself. He turned his head sideways, catching the tears bordering by his mother's lashes and Gregory's apologetic smile.
Not far behind them was Peter Parker, his face sullen as he held hands with Michelle, who squeezed back in understanding.
With one last glance, he held his breath, closing his eyes shut. The fan above him creaked like a dying crow, the sound abnormally loud in such a quiet room. The wind outside picked up, and the thin curtains wobbled against the friction, tapping the windowpanes.
"Where's Shuri?"
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Brian stared at the assortment wiggling above the plastic cup, the pudding resembled an overcooked attempt at mashed potatoes more than it did dessert. He eyed the sweet warily, placing it by the table.
" So she's not here anymore?"
Gregory Goldstein leaned against the plastic chair, his left leg bouncing up and down. His eyes were hooded, and it made him look more tired than he usually was. His long hair was in shambles and he looked as if he hasn't eaten anything for days. Not that Brian was any different, judging from his reflection by the mirror on the far end of the room, he has been admitted for quite some time.
"No," He sighed, folding his hands together," She and his highness went back to Wakanda a week ago. They decided that it wasn't safe to stay here any longer, even if she had wanted to stay until you wake up. But you've been here for weeks."
Brian swallowed thickly, a month does seem like a long time. In the span of three weeks, he discovered that HYDRA agents have been tracking the royal family for a while now, keeping tabs on them to strike when they are not protected within the borders of their country.
The man who attacked them was caught a week later, if it wasn't for Peter, the man would've perished under T'Challa's claws. If it wasn't for SHIELD, the Dora milaje would've skinned him alive in front of national television.
Thankfully, a scene was avoided thanks to the secrecy treaty between SHIELD and its allies, but for once a thought behind Brian's mind was upset that they didn't finish him there and then.
Yet it still wasn't safe, when it comes to HYDRA, if one head is cut, another will take its place.
After recovering from the shock that Peter Parker was Spiderman, and the fact that nearly everyone in school knows except for him ( and Flash Thompson ), his mind began to wander back to the events that night.
" I let her fall," He whispered in horror, remembering how the rope slipped out of his hands as the ceiling fell on him.
" No," Gregory leaned forward, taking his hand in his," You let her down safely. Okay, maybe you did drop her -"
Brian rolled his eyes.
" But you did what you could. T'Challa caught her and Peter came just in time to get you out. Do you know what could've happened if he didn't ?"
The question lingered in the air, and it sounded more like an accusation than a question.
" You would've died before your mother," A voice from the hallway answered, and Yui Reynolds emerged in a standard wheelchair, the rubber tires squeaking against the marble tiles as she pushed herself gently towards her only son, "If you did, she's going to resurrect you just to kill you again. No mother should outlive their child."
Her voice dropped at the last sentence, and Brian couldn't meet her gaze. She gently wiped away the tear that escaped his eyes, and she pulled the two boys close against her, trapping them against her hollow shoulders.
" She blames herself," She pulled away, "For what happened to you, and she fears that you'd blame her too."
" But I don't!" Brian quickly defended.
She passed him a pristine envelope, and in front of it, written in neat cursive was without a doubt Shuri's writing. After years of tutoring from the royal family, she must've perfected the art of writing, her name was scrawled out neatly like a song, inviting him to open the envelope.
Yet he couldn't, because the parchment felt like a goodbye wrapped in paper and ink, and he couldn't bring himself to open the panther seal behind it to only discover that he won't ever meet her again.
" I don't blame her either, she didn't choose to become a princess and she didn't choose to be attacked by evil men," His mother shrugged," Yet she thinks that way, and are you going to write to her what you really think?"
He clutched the letter, causing wrinkles to form at the sides. A small smile escaped his lips," No, I'm going to tell her myself."
BRIAN REYNOLDS wasn't brave, he doesn't have an entire kingdom to protect or a crown to uphold, but he does have a crush on a princess living halfway across the world, and he wasn't going to let her slip by his fingers again.
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I wanted to update sooner but I had a nasty flu ! Sorry for that, Bandung is suffering from bad weather ! But here is the chapter before he epilogue and I'm bittersweet about letting this story go, it's been fun writing about these two. Keep your notifs on because the next chapter would be up soon, comments and feedback are appreciated as always !
- Alylah xx