Wonder Woman ✧ T'CHALLA¹ [✓]

7 - "I Cannot Let This Happen"

WHEN THEY ARRIVED IN WAKANDA, THEY IMMEDIATELY TOOK ROSS TO SHURI. As they walked through the laboratory, the young princess removed the cloth from over the American man's body and clapped her hands.

"Great, another broken white boy for us to fix," Shuri said. Gesturing for them to follow, she added happily, "This is going to be fun."

As Shuri began the process of healing Ross, Diana moved to the window, staring out at the Vibranium mines as she tried to sort out her thoughts. She knew T'Challa had feelings for her, but she also knew that if she were to allow herself to feel the same, Eris's warning would come true, and T'Challa, along with his friends and family, would be killed. And Diana couldn't allow herself to be responsible for such a tragedy.

But Diana couldn't deny that she felt something for the Wakandan king. Being around him made her feel relaxed and comfortable, which was a rare feeling for her lately. And he treated her like she was his equal, which was something she appreciated.

"He will live," Shuri said, bringing Diana out of her thoughts. Diana turned around, watching as Shuri tenderly touched the man's arm.

Then, Shuri's Kimoyo beads trilled, and she looked up at T'Challa, who was standing beside her.

"W'Kabi is here," Shuri told him.

T'Challa nodded, then jogged up the spiral staircase to talk to his friend. Diana looked up, watching as the two conversed. The conversation didn't seem to end well, because W'Kabi quickly stormed off, and T'Challa returned with a very somber, defeated expression on his face.

"T'Challa," Diana called, following him as he wordlessly left the lab. When he stopped and turned to face her, Diana asked, "Is everything alright?"

"I gave W'Kabi my word that I would bring Klaue back," T'Challa said. "But I returned home with an injured friend, not Klaue. Because of that, W'Kabi is upset with me, and I'm afraid I may have lost him as a friend."

Diana shook her head. "What happened in Korea was not your fault, T'Challa. None of us expected that man to show up and ambush us the way he did. And if W'Kabi fails to understand that, then that is his problem, not yours." When T'Challa looked down, Diana took his chin in her hand and made him look at her. "Let him discover the truth on his own. That is the only way he will be able to see reason."

T'Challa nodded slowly, and Diana's hand fell to her side as she gave him a small smile.

"Thank you," he said, his voice soft and quiet.

The two looked at each other for a moment, a strange, unknown tension building between them. Diana took a step forward, standing so she was closer to T'Challa. His hand reached out, brushing her hair away from her shoulder before he gently cupped her cheek. Diana tensed under his touch, reaching up and removing his hand from her face.

"No," she said to him, shaking her head. "I cannot... I cannot let this happen."

"Diana, you don't need to push me away," T'Challa said. "You can trust me."

"I do trust you." Diana exhaled softly. "But because I care for you, I have to keep you from falling in love with me."

"Then I'm afraid you're too late," T'Challa whispered, taking her face in his hands. "Because I already have."

Then he leaned forward, placing a gentle kiss on her lips. Diana couldn't stop herself from melting into the kiss, placing her hands on his chest and stepping even closer to him, so close that they were almost touching.

Finally, after several minutes, T'Challa pulled away. Diana's eyes were closed, and she was slightly out of breath. So she rested her forehead against his, trying to catch her breath as T'Challa rubbed her cheek with his thumb.

With her eyes still closed, Diana saw Eris's face, and the evil goddess's promise rang in her ears. She couldn't do this; she couldn't be with him. She knew that if she lost him, she wouldn't be able to survive. And the closer she got to him, the higher that risk became.

So she opened her eyes, gently pushing him away from her. "I am sorry, T'Challa. But it is like I have said. I cannot allow this to happen."

Then she walked away, ignoring the dull aching in her heart.

✥ ✥ ✥ ✥

A/N: it. has been. actual months. since. i last updated. holy shit.

lmao i'm so very sorry that it's been so long! tbh i just lost all inspiration for this story, but i love this book too much to part with it. but recently, when i was updating my covers, i got my inspiration back!

despite the fact that this chapter is so fucking short, i hope you guys liked it. i know you probably are mad because diana keeps denying her feelings, but i'm doing this for a reason. in my original version, i felt their relationship was way too rushed. so i'm trying to extend it a little more this time. (also, a tiny part of me likes to make you guys mad *dodges pitchfork*)

anyway, since i've got my inspiration back, hopefully i'll be able to update again soon! but in all honesty, i'm not promising anything, because i have ADHD and short term memory loss, so my inspiration could be gone in like 2 seconds. (and i'm dead serious about the memory loss thing. i deadass can decide to do something, get up to do it, and then immediately forget what i was supposed to do. *laughs awkwardly*)

hopefully i'll see you in the next one!

~uraza