Killmonger's One-Shot Collection

Say Something

Erik watched intrigued as his four-year-old godson Nasir, completely ignored his favorite show playing on the iPhone in favor of pretending to fix a customer's iMac that was sitting on the table. He was pushing the power button like it would do something. The computer was unplugged and even if it weren't, it had crashed.

"I'll fix this one and you fix that one," he instructed in his small voice with confidence.

"Oh you gone help me fix the graphics card," Erik teased watching the boy click the same button and stare at the dark screen before hitting keys on the attached keyboard. "I might have to hire you.. Aight, you work on that one. I'll leave it to you."

Erik was in the process of diagnosing a Dell laptop when his phone rang, muting the show.

"Nooo," Nasir complained.

"Hello?.. Yeah I do smartphones, is it an iPhone?.. Bring it by I can take a look at it." Erik hung up returning the phone to its previous position next to Nasir, letting the boy press play and turn up the volume. It was amazing to him how quickly kids caught on to technology. His attention switched to the glass front door as it opened triggering the bell overhead. Customers.

"How can I help you today?" Erik noticed the macbook in the black kid's hand.

"It stopped working and my essay is on it. I don't care what you gotta do I need this shit back up as soon as possible. My paper due Wednesday," he stressed. Erik counted. That was four days. "Sir, my teacher will fail me if I don't turn in this essay on time. She don't give a fuck about broken.."

Typically he'd have to let the customer know he'd need more time since he's always working on at least three different things at once and he's only one person.. the fixer, the receptionist, the accountant, and the boss. However, this black kid seemed to be in a true bind and if Erik had the power to help break down a barrier in a kid's education, he'd be damned if he didn't use it.

"I got you," he said taking the macbook. "The diagnosis is free. You'll get a quote once I find out what's wrong with it, but this type of thing happens all the time especially with Mac computers.. I'll have it up for you by Tuesday."

With folded hands, the boy bowed in gratitude. "THANK you." It felt good to help a young black man up.

Setting the macbook aside, he made eye contact with the young black woman who stepped up with a cracked cell phone screen wanting it replaced. Easy work. She snickered and he followed her eyes looking to see his godson grinning at her with all of his eighteen baby teeth. It must've been her shirt. She had on a graphic tee with the Avengers and Captain America was his favorite character, hands down.

"Captain America," he grinned approaching her breathily, his fingers in his mouth. Here we go.

"Yesss! You like Avengers," she smiled stretching her shirt for him to see more clearly.

"Captain America..," Nasir clarified quietly, "...I wanna marry him."

"Oh really," the girl gasped. "That's so cute, you just might!"

That was the first time Erik thought that his godson might be gay. He didn't know what to say in that moment, so he didn't say anything at all. He simply took the girl's phone and gave her the option to wait or come back. She decided to wait.

Two Years Later

Erik carried his gift through the group of kids who scattered around his calves running outside. There must've been fifteen children in the house and ten outside in the backyard. Parents gathered in various Avengers decorated rooms and out in the yard to chaperone and eat from the table of food provided by his mans Leon and his mans' wife Tori. They both greeted Erik immediately tasking him with the job of watching kids in the living room. Paw Patrol was on, of course, and Nala had just run into the room, cheesing when she saw him. He noticed immediately that she wore a Happy Birthday tiara with a blue denim shirt, blue jeans, a rainbow tutu and sneakers.