Sunlight on your face (Shuri x reader)

Chapter 11: nostalgia

I was woken up by my sister's voice and the door slamming shut. Shuri was still holding me tightly looking down on me with a soft expression in her eyes. She pressed a quick kiss to my forehead before my sister entered the room, her cheeks and nose red from the cold. We listened to her rave about how she had learned to make a pirouette on the ice and how she wanted to become a professional ice skater now.

I helped my dad cook dinner while Shuri was occupied by my sister. We prepared a roast by our family's traditional recipe and some cooked vegetables. I had hoped that Shuri would get along with my family, but I didn't expect it to be like this. It felt like she was already part of the family, and I could see that she enjoyed it. She looked so carefree and vibrant playing with my sister laughing at all her jokes. I felt my dad's gaze on me as I was watching Shuri and Willow.

"Willow loves her..." He remarked observing the pair.

"Yeah, Shuri is great with her," I smiled fondly.

My dad chuckled, "It's great to see you this happy, you deserve it honey,"

"Thanks dad," I smiled, he was right I hadn't been this happy in quite a while.

My dad couldn't stop grinning as Shuri complimented his food with every bite she took, I acted offended as I wasn't getting any praise even though I helped cook too. Shuri laughed squeezing my leg under the table and as she looked at me, there was something in her gaze that I couldn't quite define. Her look was full of fondness and softness, but there was something else mixed with it.

My sister fell asleep on the couch exhausted of the active day she had, so my dad picked her up to bring her to bed, before going to his room to read for a while. Shuri and I put on one of my favourite movies cuddling up on the couch sipping on our hot chocolates.

****

The next morning, we were woken up by my sister again, she could barely contain her excitement. It was Christmas morning which meant that we would unwrap our presents now. She dragged us out of bed to the living room where my dad was already waiting rubbing his eyes and yawning.
My sister ran to her room to get her presents. She came back with her hand behind her back, starting with my dad. She passed him a colourful Christmas ornament which she had decorated herself in school. For me, she had made an adorable candle in my favourite colours, and a letter wishing me a merry Christmas and telling me how I was the best sister in the world. I pulled her to my chest to thank her pressing a kiss on her cheek. She had one last present behind her back, passing it to Shuri. It was a drawing showing the three of us in the garden with our snowman.

"Did you make this by yourself?" Shuri asked impressed, and I could see the genuine joy in her eyes.

"Yes!" my sister answered proudly smiling from ear to ear at Shuri's compliments.

My sister received her presents next. She was over the moon about Shuri's self-made toy, a robot dog which could basically do everything a real one could do too. I could see how impressed my dad was by Shuri's effort. He hugged her thanking her for the wine telling  her how excited he was to try it.
I had bought a new boardgame for my sister that I found on some trip to California and a book for my dad.
I was surprised when Shuri handed me a small box wrapped with a red bow smiling secretively. It contained the most beautiful necklace I had ever seen, a golden chain with a glimmering black stone as a pendant. She explained that it was Vibranium and that in Wakanda it was worn as a protection against bad energy. I felt my heart swell at her gift, pulling her into my arms and pressing a quick kiss to her lips. Gladly I had a gift for her too.

"So, I don't know if you remember what we talked about the evening we met, but you told me about the sunsets in Wakanda and how I should visit you to paint them so that you could hang it over your bed..." I explained before handing her my gift.