A Panther's Purpose

Understanding

"N'Jadaka." Called Shuri, shaking Erik lightly. He groaned and pushed her hand away lightly, rubbing his eyes. "You fell asleep." She said as she gently wiped the dry tears off his face.

Erik shook his head and sat up.

"My brother is outside the lab. He would like for you to join him." She told her.

"For what?" He asked, his voice groggy. "He wants to talk."

Erik sighed. Had they not done enough talking thus far? And what on earth could he want to talk about?

He stood up front he table once again, his arms outstretched as he let out a breath. "Which way is out?" He asked Shuri. She pointed out the way.

"There and to the left." She said. Erik went in the said directions, looking around as he did so.

He exited the lab, seeing T'Challa not far from it. "I heard you wanted to run that mouth a little more." He said out to him.

T'Challa turned to face him. "Erik." He said as he walked up to him. "Come. There is something I want to show you." Was all the talk he gave him before starting to walk off.

"I ain't stupid." He said. "Imma have to know where you're taking me."

T'Challa chuckled, looking back at him. "That would ruin the surprise now wouldn't it?" He asked, turning back around and continuing to walked.

Erik's eyes rolled and he huffed, following after him. He looked down.

"Let me change." He said. "This robe feels all kinds of wrong."

"It is royal attire. The closest you get to being king. Be grateful."

Erik hated that statement and stayed a quiet, shaking his head as he looked off to the side.

"Here." He said as they reached the designation. "Where is here?" Erik asked.

T'Challa walked with him, allowing him to go ahead as he stopped. Erik kept his eyes on him for a moment. "Don't try shit." He warned, walking ahead. When he did, he came to an opening. A horizon in which he was not expecting. He stopped.

"Is this Wakanda?" He asked as his eyes flourished over the beauty of the horizon.

"Yes." He answered, standing alongside Erik. "Your father could not show it to you. So I am doing it for you. Surely it is not as special, but that doesn't mean you don't deserve to see it." He looked out at the fields.

Erik thought to himself before looking at T'Challa. "Why are you doing this?" His eyes narrowed.

"Because I show empathy." He looked back at Erik. "I did not want to kill you in the first place. I wanted to reason with you. But you had no intention of changing your mind."

"I still don't." Erik said sharply. "If all this is in attempt to change me, it ain't happenin." He made that clear.

"This isn't an attempt." He told Erik. "This is generosity. I am not just forcing it onto you." His eyes scanned Erik without intention. Erik couldn't embark on how nice T'Challa was being to him after he killed so many. After he nearly killed him himself.

"Your trial starts tomorrow." He said. "You will need to answer many questions."

Erik rose an eyebrow. "So Imma be locked up after all."

"No. I am letting them know I want you to strive. To become civil with us. And you are going to agree."

"I ain't agreein to nothin." Erik said coldly. "It ain't true."

T'Challa sighed, turned to face Erik and stood in front of him. Erik's instinct was to take a step back.

"Relax." T'Challa told him. "I just want to know something. N'Jadaka, I..I don't know much about you other than what you desired to come here for. Your goal. I won't force it upon you, but..I truly want to come to terms with you. I want to befriend you. One way or another.."

Erik's head tilted, his tied back dreads surrounded in golden light. "I knew it." He snarled. T'Challa flinched as his eyes drifted elsewhere.

"You wanna make me your prissy little bestie." He chuckled. "Nah. I'm good." He looked back out at the horizon. It hurt a little to hear him say that. He looked down.

"If not friends, then acquaintances. You are my cousin. I do not wish to continue with a toxic relationship."

"It's more than toxic, cuz." Said Erik. "It's murderous. Who's to say I won't push you off this cliff at any point in time?"

T'Challa eyes averted back to Erik. "No matter how badly you want to kill me. No matter how much you plan it or imagine it. I will not fight you again." He said to him. "I don't wish to hurt you because I truly care about you. Whether you believe it or not. My father turned you into this. And I am not my father."

The loss of hope in T'Challa's eyes was way passed noticeable. And Erik had no words to throw back. No threat would change T'Challa's mind.

"If you want to talk to me again before your trial, tell Shuri. She will tell you where to find me."

With that, he walked back into the palace. Erik stayed in place, left alone with his thoughts and inequities. How can T'Challa care so much? For someone who killed so many.

He had a lot to think about, but he wasn't showing signs of opening up to his cousin just yet. Not now.

~

Later on, Shuri gave Erik his own room. It was nice, for someone like him to be staying in it. While in it, however, he found a note at the windowsill.

He went over and picked it up, opening it and reading it over.

'My sister will contact you through your Kimoyo beads in the morning. I still give you the option to come speak to me if you so desire..My room is just two doors down from yours. I understand you are not comfortable yet, with the idea of coming to terms with me. With this country. But still, I have hope for you.' -T'Challa

Erik sighed and set the note aside, his eyes up at the sky through the window. He placed his hand onto the ring on his finger. His grandfather's ring as he thought back to passed memories.

"Pops.." He whispered out, the very word bringing tears to his own eyes. "I miss you.." He looked down, his bottom lip between his teeth.

"The son of your killer.." He put emphasis on the word. "He wants me to trust him-To be more like him and his..tribe." He shook his head. "Wants me to be his friend." He let out a meaningless chuckle, pausing momentarily.

"You believe that..?" He asked quietly. He let out a heavy breath, wiping his eyes. This is the side of him he wanted no one to see. His soft side was for no one to witness anytime soon.

He left the windowsill, sitting on the edge of the bed he didn't deserve. He had to pull himself together before the next morning. He had a trial to stand for. And all the rest he got that night would be much needed.