𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐖𝐀𝐑 // 𝐒𝐇𝐔𝐑𝐈 𝐔𝐃𝐀𝐊𝐔

ＴＷＥＬＶＥ

telling

᠃ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ˚ ⚘ ᠂ ⚘ ᠃ ᠃ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ˚ ⚘ ᠂ ⚘ ᠃

"Shuri," Ada spoke as she walked into the lab. "Can I speak with you for a moment?"

"Sure," she said as she turned to her. Nobody else was in there, so it was perfect timing. "What's up?"

"I want you to promise not to freak out."
"Okay, I promise."

"This is something that I have been hiding for a long time. I've been plagued by guilt since I was 14 years old. I'm the Second Black Panther. The guilt of not being able to share this secret has weighed heavily on me, and it became a constant presence in my life. I carried the burden of my secret with me everywhere, never allowing myself to be truly free. I remember all the times when I had to lie to everybody, pretending to be someone else or withholding the truth. I remember all the times that I had to hide my true self, afraid of being judged or ridiculed because the people of Wakanda hate me. The guilt of not being able to be myself or live the life that I wanted was overwhelming. To make matters worse, I've had to keep this a secret from you. I've been torn between protecting my secret and being honest with you. The guilt of being dishonest with you became a huge source of stress for me, preventing me from telling you the truth about so many things. The guilt of being the Second Black Panther has stayed with me for years, and I never truly escaped from it. It has been a heavy burden to bear, and it has taken a toll on my mental and emotional health. I often feel like a failure for not being able to come forward and share my secret with Wakanda. I've been carrying the burden of my guilt for years, and it has taken a toll on me. But I know that I can't stay silent forever. I'm ready to free myself from the guilt and be honest with you. I know that it's time to tell the truth and finally be free."

Shuri sat on her stool in shock, not knowing what to say or do.

"Shuri? Please say something."

Shuri stood up. Ada expected her to yell at her or maybe even a slap to the face, but she wasn't met with that. She was met with a hug.

"I am so sorry you've felt this way. Does anybody else know?"

"Yes. Okoye and Nakia."

"No. I save my country."

"I need to say something and you two need to listen. I know who the Second Black Panther is," Ada spoke as Nakia finished talking.

"Who?" Okoye asked.

"Me," she breathed out.

"Ada, are you sure?" Okoye asked. "Queen Mother could banish your family from Wakanda, you definitely included."

"My mother, she works with the Heart-Shaped Herb. She took one home one day and performed the ritual on me. It wasn't even her idea. It was my father's. But it worked. So yes, Okoye, I am sure that I'm the Second Black Panther."

"You cannot tell anyone about that," Nakia said.

"I know. Nobody knows, except you. I don't want my family banished from Wakanda. That's why nobody knows. And it'll stay that way."

"I also need to tell you something else, Shuri."

"You're not about to tell me that the person you were seeing outside of the border was Killmonger, right?"

"No, no, never. I wasn't seeing someone outside the border. I had always wondered what true love felt like. I had read about it in books, but to experience it myself? I had never thought it would be possible. But as I met you and grew up with you, I felt something. Something that made my heart flutter and my mind race. It was a feeling of being alive, of being able to feel something for another person in a way I had never before. I've gazed at you, watching your every movement as you've worked on numerous things throughout the years."

Shuri's face slowly lit up with a smile as she listened to Ada's words and she couldn't help but feel drawn to her.

"I've felt like you were the only person in the world, as if no one else existed. Yet, at the same time, I felt so connected to you that I couldn't tear my eyes away. I really, really like you, Shuri. More than friends."

When Ada was finished, Shuri looked up at her and their eyes met. Ada felt a warmth in her chest and butterflies in her stomach. She knew that in that moment she was looking into something special, something she would never forget. Shuri's smile widened, taking her hand in hers. She said four words that changed everything: "I think I love you".

Ada couldn't help but blush and laugh, feeling a joy she had never felt before in her life. She looked deep into Shuri's eyes and knew that this was the woman she wanted to be with. This was the moment that Ada Kikelomo fell in love with Shuri Udaku.

"May I?" Shuri said, wanting to kiss Ada. She started nodding and Shuri smiled, putting her hands on Ada's face and kissing her. As she pulled away, she saw a huge smile on Ada's face.

Not only was it the moment Ada fell in love with Shuri, but it was the moment that they had been scared of. They had no reason to be scared anymore.

Everything finally fell into place, just as how they wanted it.