love you always

3.4

Aurora turned the handle and pushed the door open slowly. As she stepped inside a blast of stale air swept over her, Aurora stared around the apartment looking at the sheet covered furniture and the moth bitten curtains. Dust blanketed the entire apartment, smothering everything and anything.

She placed her suitcase down on the floor and wandered around pulling the curtains open and dragged the heavy sheets off the sofas. Aurora coughed and spluttered as the dust was thrown around the air, almost as if it was flying. Nat walked into the flat pulling another suitcase behind her.

"It's dusty in here," Nat said, she coughed clearing her throat.

"Yeah it really is," Aurora responded as she wiped more dust off the windowsill.

Aurora had decided to temporarily move into Wanda's flat in Scotland while she did it up to sell it. Nat had offered to help her move in and get settled.

"Why don't you stay in a hotel while you sort it, then move in?" Nat asked. She walked over and opened all the windows letting the fresh, Edinburgh air seep in and cleanse everything around it.

"Because hotels are expensive and since I handed in my notice to being an Avenger I currently don't have a job," Aurora said back to Nat.

"I'm sure Tony would be more than happy to pay for the costs," Nat replied to the girl.

"No he's already paying for the new furniture and stuff he doesn't need to pay for anything else!" Aurora snapped at the woman, taking Nat by surprise.

"Okay," Nat muttered.

The two girls worked their way around the apartment- they first went round and folded up the cream sheets then put them away in cupboards. They then went round sweeping the floors and washing the windows.

By late afternoon all the dust in the flat was gone and you could see through the windows onto the cobbled streets below. The furniture had been moved into storage so they could begin painting the walls.

The apartment no longer abandoned, it now had a sort of homely feel to it.

Auroras plan for the future- since she had retired was to sort out Wanda's apartment and her stuff- either put it into storage or sell it because she couldn't hold onto it, then move out to Wakanda to be with Shuri and Okoye who were like siblings to her.

She then wanted to live out her life, living under the sun in Wakanda, stress free and far away from the bustling, greasy streets of New York. She thought she might become a farmer, or work with the rhinos that are used as warriors to help pass the time.

The time she had spent in Wakanda had been the best years of her life and she loved the country. She had loved it so much that Aurora had decided to buy a bit of land out of there to build her dream home.

"What are you planning to do for dinner?" Nat asked Aurora.

"There's a great kebab shop around the corner I thought we could try it out," Aurora stood up and grabbed her coat.

"Let's go then."

————

Aurora put the sign up in the window of the flat. For sale written on the front. Two days ago she had finally finished the apartment, for a week she had been refurbishing it and her hard work had finally paid off.

Pleased with her work she walked over to the door and grabbed her keys. Aurora took one last look at the flat before locking the door and walking away. She would speak to the estate agent later about prices.

Shuri stood next to a sleek black sports car smiling. Aurora smiled back- she was glad to see one of her closest friends again.

She walked over carrying her suitcase and put it in the car before going to give Shuri a hug.

"Shuri! How are you?" She asked excitedly.

"I'm good Aurora," Shuri replied, returning the friendly hug.

Both friends got into the car and Shuri drove off along the quiet streets. "So how is everything in Wakanda? Are you enjoying rulership?" Aurora joked.

Shuri continued looking at the road ahead "It's good, If T'Challa comes back I may not give up the mantle," Shuri joked back.

They both laughed as they continued their journey through the streets of Scotland.

It wasn't long before the car reached a small grass field. Shuri activated one of her kimoyo beads and a jet appeared out of nowhere. "Pretty cool huh?" Shuri asked, boasting.

Aurora laughed "Shuri I've seen this before, remember I did live in Wakanda for a good year?"

"I know idiot, but I made it better because now you can't see the jet flattening the grass under it," Shuri replied.

"Ahh, I see," Aurora said nudging Shuri in the arms "Tinkerbell,".

Shuri have Aurora a playful glare "You know it."

They both buckled into their seats as the jet took off into the grey, cloudy skies. Aurora was thankful to be saying goodbye to the bleak, rainy weather of Edinburgh and hello to the warm sun of Wakanda.

"I bet you can't wait to get back?" Shuri looked at Aurora who was staring out of the jet at the mountains below.

"Hmm?" Aurora turned around the face her friend "Oh yeah, I've missed Wakanda terribly, I was actually hoping to buy a bit of land out there."

"I'm sure we could give you some spare land we have," Shuri offered kindly.

"Oh! No I couldn't do that, you guys have already given me so much and I would want to buy it using money I saved up!" Aurora exclaimed politely.

"Really? It's no big deal," Shuri kept on offering.

"No really, it's okay," Aurora insisted.

Shuri understood. It would probably mean the world to Aurora is she did that. It's not everyday someone saves up enough money to buy themselves valuable land in Wakanda.

————

Just as the sun had set and the moon had started to rise, the jet landed. Shuri and Aurora stepped off the jet and where greeted by Okoye and a few other women soldiers.

"Aurora it is good to see you," Okoye smiled "We have all missed you,". 

"I have missed you all too," Aurora said "I'm glad to be back,".

The group of women walked along the glistening hallway. The once busy palace now only had a couple of people wandering around the corridors. Aurora looked around in awe of the beautiful decorations that hung from the walls and ceilings.

"How is everything holding up here?" Aurora asked inquisitively.

"Things were a bit scattered at first but we are slowly healing and getting back to somewhat normal," Okoye answered. Shuri nodded in response "It still feels really weird without everyone here though- My favourite goat was blipped, I miss Jeff so much," She sighed.

"Even more than your own brother? T'Challa?" Aurora responds.

"Definitely." Shuri joked back.

"I'm sure he would be glad to here that."

Aurora was glad to be back in her favourite part of the world, with the people she would consider her family.