A Panther's Purpose

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As the Jabari tribe was sent out to find Okoye, T'Challa and Erik stayed with Shuri in her lab. Erik said countless times that they didn't need to hide, but T'Challa refused to take any chances.

"I told mother about the general. But..Since it is mostly speculation, there is nothing that she will really do. You know how she feels about him in the first place.."

Erik crossed his arms. "I can handle my own if she does wanna get into it with me. Just gimme one of them herbs and lemme use that Panther suit."

"The kingdom doesn't feel it's safe for you to have that at the moment. I can't distribute it to you."

Erik scoffed, then he looked at T'Challa. "T."

He looked at Erik, but didn't give the opposing statement that he was looking for which made Erik furrow his brow.

"Seriously? Not even that?"

"It will only give Okoye more power to frame you. I don't want anything happening to you."

Erik let out a heavy sigh, rubbing his temple as he turned away. There were so many things that could go wrong that were just mere probabilities and worries. Erik felt he could absolutely do something if he had the necessary gear and tools.

T'Challa noticed his frustration and anxiousness, stepping up to him and placing his hands onto Erik's shoulders.

"I know that you want to help. And I know you could take her on your own. But you said it yourself. Okoye is not stupid. Not only could she have framed you but she can also very easily convince everyone that you acted out of vengeance if you were to harm her."

Erik huffed and rolled his eyes out of frustration as he shook his head. "I can't just stand here waitin for them to find her. It's stressin me the hell out."

He looked at T'Challa. "You know most people that even hear this is goin on probably won't even care. She's tryna kill somebody who everybody wanted dead in the first place."

"Do not talk like that. The kingdom knows how the Dora is supposed to behave, especially the general. Okoye never has and is never expected to disobey my orders. And as far as everyone knows, you still have done nothing wrong." T'Challa assured him, but it only put a weak bandaid on Erik's uncertainty.

"It is true N'Jadaka. They will think she is only acting like this out of rage. Which she is. There is no direct leverage to her attack. You haven't done anything." Shuri confirmed.

Erik shook his head once more. He was about to speak, but he remembered what Okoye had said to him. To call the wedding off. He had also remembered how she told him not to speak of what she'd done, but it managed to slip out anyway.

She had to have known she was being looked for. And that meant he fucked up bad.

He looked at T'Challa for a moment. After all, who's to say a woman like her wouldn't be so angry that she came and pulled some risky shit right here and now?

As his eyes stayed on T'Challa, he started realizing that going after Okoye on his own might've been the best possible solution. This was all because of him, after all. He couldn't exactly blame everyone for keeping such tall guards up after all he'd done.

And at this point..His feelings for T'Challa were far deeper than they'd ever been before. To the point it didn't matter if something happened to himself, he just wanted to relieve T'Challa of this nonsense.

He and Shuri were conversing about what to do with Okoye should they find her successfully. While they did, he glanced over at the Golden Panther necklace on display. It seemed as though every scenario he played out in his head would end in Okoye getting everyone to turn on him.