❝ How could it be? 20 something
All alone still, not a thing in my name
Ain't got nothin', runnin' from love
Only know fear
That's me, Ms. 20 Something
Ain't got nothin', runnin' from love
Wish you were here, oh ❞
↱
In which Killmonger's sister...
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She gets a call at 4.30am. She's already awake and there's a heavy weight on her shoulders.
Something's wrong, Aaliyah thinks. She's frowning as she picks up the phone and when she's greeted with an African accent, she feels tears burn in her eyes.
She knows what's happened, Erik would rant about what he was going to do when he finally got to Wakanda all the time, but hearing it out loud is different. Hearing that Erik's anger got him killed from the accented voice, one that sounds so damn remorseful, breaks her.
She cries and cries and cries and all the while the man who killed her brother stays quiet on the other end of the line; the King of Wakanda listens to her cry unable to do anything to help her; her cousin can't do anything to comfort her.
He tries though, mutters sorry and that he wishes it was different.
"Please." She whispers because it's too much for this genuine man to apologise to her about killing her brother who tried to kill him, too much to hear her cousin sound so regretful of defending himself against his would-be murderer, "Just, please stop saying sorry."
T'Challa is silent for a moment and then, "Of course, Fezeka."
"That isn't my name." She snaps; nobody's called her Fezeka since the last time she and Erik spoke.
Nearly two years ago now, they'd fought about Wakanda once again and he'd called her that tauntingly, meanly. She'd asked him why he had so much hate in his heart, he'd scoffed and turned to leave. The last thing he'd said to her, the last thing she'd ever hear from him was spat over his shoulder and punctuated with a door slamming,'What heart, Fezeka?'
"Apologies, Aaliyah."
"Don't apologise and don't call me that. S'all I ask of you." She took a deep breath trying to calm herself; Erik always had the shorter temper but Liyah was no stranger to rage. She frowns as she asks, "What'd you do with his body?"
She thinks she's caught him off fairs as he takes a second to speak again, "Nothing, yet. He wanted to be buried in the sea. We thought it best to ask you as well."
Aaliyah huffs out a laugh, "He always was extra like that. He said some big speech about slaves jumping ship, right?"
T'Challa hums in confirmation, saying nought else, maybe it's too soon for levity.
"What d'you want from me then? He wanted to be buried in the ocean? Dope, bury him in the ocean. I don't really care where his body goes." And it's true, she really doesn't so long as it's handled respectfully.
"Alright." He says quietly, "I also called to extend an invitation for you to stay in Wakanda a while."
"I got a job, you know?" Liyah deadpan; sure she isn't doing anything pressing right now but it's a job nonetheless and it requires her to show up.
"You're a biologist, yes?" She hums, "You can tell them you'll be studying never before seen plantlife and fauna that are native to a previously isolationist country." T'Challa supplies, Aaliyah wonders if she can hear a bit of a smile in his voice.
She also wonders if Erik got to see Wakanda's native animals, she wonders if he got to see that famed sunset before he died.
"Alright." She mutters, the tears are starting again and she wants to be off of the phone before she starts to sob.
"I can send an aircraft in two days time."
"Thanks." Is all she says before hanging up, crawling back under her covers, curling up, and crying until her sobs have become dry.
