I saw the Black Panther film AND I LOVE, LOVED, LOVED IT!!! So to celebrate it's successful theatrical release, I'm writing a one-shot that expands somewhat on T'challa's relationship with his sister Shuri, whom I absolutely adore.
So the basic gist is the reader (who is black, obviously this will be a POC one-shot) has feelings for T'challa, T'challa's feelings towards the reader are mutual, but neither one is sure if they should act on said feelings. Shuri realizes this and, being the best little sister she can be, concocts a scheme to bring the two together.
Some fluff and Shuri being an adorable cinnamon roll.
"So what do you think?" you inquire, showing Shuri your newest design for a vibranium infused spear. The Wakandan princess stares hard, almost as if she was inspecting, "Seems a little small compared to what the Dora Milaje already have," she frowns a little. "A a third of the size," you confirm, "but, guaranteed to make a hit its mark every time; and it has one more added feature."
You take a special vibranium bracelet and link it to the spear, which increases in size. You take the spear and toss it at a laid out target, which makes a direct hit. You extend your hand that wore the bracelet, and the spear started to return to you, although it sorta came back, pointy end first; you dodge right before it could hit you, shocking Shuri just as much as it shocked you.
You deactivate the bracelet before the spear tries to stab you again, "Hehe....I might need to make a few more adjustments," you laugh nervously. Shuri laughs a little too, "Here, let me," she happily offers. You hand her the bracelet and she gets to work making a few tweaks to your design.
"Whatever in Bast's name is going on here?" you hear a familiar voice you've come to grow attracted to. You quickly turn around to see the king himself entering the lab, "Oh, uh, I was just showing Shuri a design for a new weapon I've been working on," you sheepishly explain, trying not to make direct eye contact.
"Does it work?" the Wakandan king curiously asks. "Well it did almost kill her," Shuri answers with mirth, "But I made a few changes to the bracelet, so now it shouldn't." She hands you the bracelet. You link the bracelet to the spear and toss it again, and once more you extend hand; this time the spear returns, and you could catch it without risk of stabbing yourself.
T'challa applauds at the demonstration, "Most excellent ladies," he praises. You could practically feel the blood rise to your cheeks in a blush at that simple praise. "Thank you, your Highness," you suddenly become rather shy.
Not too long ago you were recruited to work in the royal lab with Shuri thanks to the recently established Wakandan outreach program and thanks to your PhD in physics and electrical engineering. Although you've come to love the Wakandan princess like a sister, you've recently had your eyes set on her regally charming and handsome brother.
During the times you've worked in the lab, His Majesty would often stop by to check up on yours and Shuri's progress on the latest designs for gadgets, weapons, and just about anything you incorporate vibranium into.
It was also during this time, you've really gotten to know T'challa on a personal level. He is a great king; mind set on doing what was right for his people and his country. He's also kind, strong, loves his mother and sister; if it weren't for him, you would've never had this amazing opportunity to work in what is probably the most advanced lab in the world (Even any of Stark's labs couldn't compare to this:)).
You've begun to develop feelings for the king of Wakanda, but you were hesitant to act on them; what if things didn't work out? What if they did? Would his people accept a foreigner as their queen?
In the present, T'challa seemed oblivious to your rising infatuation, and after a discussing some new designs you plan to bring to life in the near future, the king departs the lab.
Shortly after, you were fixing to get back to work, but you noticed the way Shuri was staring at you, a smug look plastered on her face.
"What?" you frown. "Oh come on, (y/n), I've been watching the way you act all shy around my brother," she grins, "clearly you've been falling under his charming spell." "What? No!" you deny, "I would never...." the way Shuri raised her eyebrow was telling that she was not about to believe whatever lie or excuse you were ready to utter, "Okay, fine, maybe a little," you admit, than saunter over to a monitor to go over some new projects you had set for the next several months.
"If you like T'challa so much, why not say something to him?" Shuri inquires. "What exactly can i say to him?" you ask back, "'Hey, T'challa, I've been meaning to tell you, but I like you, and we should get together, and maybe someday become your queen, and hopefully your people would accept me as so?' I'm not even sure if it would even work. What do I possibly have to offer?" "Hey, hey," Shuri lightly scolds, "Do not sell yourself short. Ever since you came to Wakanda, you've made amazing contributions. Half the gadgets you designed and made real, I never would've thought of them in the first place. If T'challa did make you queen, the people of Wakanda would be fools not to accept you."
It gave you some comfort and a sense of pride that Shuri thought so highly of you. "Besides," she continues, "I know for a fact that my brother likes you too." You look up at surprised at this revelation, "Really?" "Why else would he come to the lab so many times throughout the day if not just to talk to you?" she points out, "before you came around, I was lucky if he showed up here once in the day."
"You really think it could work out between the two of us?" you curiously ask. "I do," Shuri nods with confidence before exiting the lab.
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As Shuri heads back to the palace, she knew full well you and T'challa were not likely to express your feelings towards each other anytime soon. Luckily Shuri is a loving little sister, and was determined to see the mutual love between you and her brother blossom. The wheels in her head begun to turn, and a wide grin formed when she finally came up with a plan.
------Two hours later-----------
"Hello, Shuri?" you call out as you enter the dining hall. Shuri had called for the scheduled weekly meeting to take place in the dining hall so as to go over what they been working on throughout the week over dinner.
When you stepped in, however, you couldn't locate the Shuri anywhere; there was a nice banquet meal set up with amazing food, but the Wakandan princess seemed to be absent. "Shuri?" you call out again.
"(y/n)?" you hear your name, but it wasn't Shuri. Turning around, you spot T'challa walk into the dining hall. "Your Highness," you say surprised, "What brings you here?" "I received an invitation from my sister to come to the dining hall at once for the weekly meeting." You frown a little; while T'challa stopped by the lab on a daily basis, he didn't usually attend the lab meeting since that was during the time he would meet with the council.
"Well, Shuri seems to have disappeared," you state, looking around the room again just to make sure, "I don't remember her designing cloaking garments recently." "Maybe she made them, and is currently testing them," T'challa jokingly theorizes, "She's probably right in front of us as we speak." "And any moment, she's become visible again and scare us," you joke back.
After sharing that light-hearted moment, you take a seat at the table, T'challa sitting opposite you. "Do you think, we should get started without her?" you inquire, "Or should we wait a few more minutes?" "Well she wouldn't want to have this food go to waste," T'challa points out, small grin on his face.
Well the food did seem too good to let go cold, so the two of you serve your plates.
An hour into enjoying your meal, you started going over some new projects you were considering starting to T'challa, who was listening intently. Half an hour later, the two of you started making small talk. Even though you were started to get worried that Shuri hadn't shown up, you were secretly enjoying this one-on-one time with T'challa; it almost felt like an actual date.
Suddenly the lights went out, the room was completely dark. Luckily you keep vibranium infused glow sticks handy for just this sort of situation. "Well if we had some candles nearby, this would actually be kind of romantic," you joke in an attempt to take out the suspense. "This was no accident," T'challa states, knowing the only time a blackout would occur in Wakanda is if a surprise invasion was imminent.
Suddenly several figures appeared out of the shadows, cloaked in black, their faces concealed.
You and T'challa stand back-to-back to confront these adversaries. "How the hell did these invaders infiltrate the palace?" you exclaim in shock. "I have no idea," T'challa admits, "There's no way they could've gotten past our new security system." "Course not, I designed it," you agree, quickly reaching for the new spear you brought to the meeting, and linking it to your bracelet. T'challa did not have his Black Panther suit on him at the moment, but luckily he can still fight with the strength of the Panther. Also lucky for you, you've been taking fighting classes with Okoye and the Dora Milaje recently; time to put said classes to good use now.
You and T'challa charge, fighting the strange attackers one-by-one. Thanks to the adjustments Shuri made to your bracelet earlier that day, you could retrieve your spear with greater efficiency. Each time you tossed it at one enemy, the spear would return to you so you could toss it again.
One invader got the better of you, however, and knocked you off your feet. You went to retrieve the spear, but another invader grabs it in mid-air. You kick, but it does no good as the attacker dodges and yanks you to your feet. Knife on had, they threaten to slice your throat. "(Y/N)!" T'challa calls out in a panic, wanting to save you, but couldn't risk you getting killed. "She will live if you give us what we want," the attacker holding you captive says in a distorted voice, almost as if it was disguised. "Don't hurt her," T'challa demands about to charge, but the attacker holds the knife closer, the metal making contact with your skin, "Please, don't," T'challa's tone changes to an almost pleading one, "Don't hurt her. Take me in her place instead. If you need a hostage, I'd provide more leverage."
"You would sacrifice your life for this woman?" the attacker inquires, you anticipating the king's answer. T'challa takes a breath in before answering, "Yes I would," he admits, "She means more to me than anything in this world. She's more than a brilliant and beautiful scientist; I've grown to care for her."
"T'challa," you state surprised, "You really mean it? You have feelings for me?" "I do," he nods, "And it's taken me this long to realize it. I promise, once we get out of this mess, I will make it up to you." "That's great to hear and all," you admit, "I'm have feelings for you too, but maybe you should save the rest of your heat felt speech when I'm not a hairline away from dying."
At once the attacker pulled the knife away, and the remaining invaders stand back.
"What is going on?" you ask, highly confused. "Believe me, I wish I knew," T'challa answers just as confused.
Suddenly the lights turn back on. Clapping caught yours and T'challa's attention. Turning around, the two of you spot Shuri applauding, "It's about damn time you two," she speak with a huge grin on her face. "Shuri?" you and T'challa simultaneously exclaim in shock, "What is going on here?"
"I knew the two of you have been growing close, but you are both are as stubborn as rhinos when it comes to expressing your feelings," she explains, "At this point the only way, either one of you would say anything was in a life or death situation, which the Dora Milaje were happy to arrange."
At once the cloaked figures tear off their cloaks and pull off their masks to reveal the faces of the said female guard. "Wait a second, if they were the Dora Milaje this whole time, than who..." At once the fallen rose and stood up, also taking off their cloaks and face masks. "They were wearing the vibranium infused vests I designed two months ago," Shuri tells you. "Oh, I forgot about those," you face-palm, "but wait, why did they go along with this ruse?"
"Because, like princess Shuri, we also believe you and our king are compatible together," Okoye explains facing you, "We've also been watching the two of you grow close since the time you came to Wakanda."
"Oh well, I'm flattered, I really am," you shyly admit, "but...I'm not a Wakandan, and if things do go well between T'challa and myself...would you...?" Okoye comes closer so she could whisper to you, "If the day came that my king was to ask for your hand in marriage, the Dora Milaje and myself would gladly accept you as our queen."
With that comforting statement, you then approach T'challa, "Did you mean it?" "Mean what?" "What you said, when you thought I was about to die," you elucidate, "That you have feelings for me and that I mean more to you than anything in this world?" "I give you my word (y/n) I meant what I said," he honestly answers, taking your hand in his, kissing your knuckles, "And I also mean to keep my promise on making it up to you, by taking you on a proper date." "I gladly accept," you happily smile, "Till then, we could always share a quick kiss."
Grinning, T'challa leans and was about to press his lips to yours, but a coughing sounds from Shuri ruin the moment, "I believe there's something you're suppose to say to me, brother, to which I answer, 'you're welcome'."
T'challa rolls his eyes a little at that, "I feel this whole set up was a little over the top even for you," he points out. "I would've moved a mountain if it could bring the two of you together," she chuckles, "By the way (y/n), I'll move the weekly meeting to the day after next; far be it from me to keep my brother from fulfilling his promise."
With that, Shuri and the Dora Milaje gladly depart.
"What would we do without her?" You chuckle, shaking your head a little. "I dare not imagine where Wakanda or the two of us would be if not for Shuri," T'challa answers back.
"So how does an actual dinner date sound tomorrow?" you suggest. "Sounds good to me," he gladly answers, finally giving you a peck on the lips.
I hope you all enjoyed this one-shot; I sure had some fun with it.
Seriously I loved Shuri; she was my favorite part of the film.