History

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His mother always chided him that he had no tact. Toussaint knew it was true, but he only asked the questions he wanted to know. If that made him too blunt, then so be it!

Ever since he had turned fourteen, his mama and Aunt Shuri had been training him for his birthright, to lead Wakanda as the next king and Black Panther. His existence was still secret, but he had been given a small squad of Dora Milaje once he grew older and King M'Baku was aware of him. The elders would hopefully be the last to know once he came of age at eighteen. There had been child royals before in their lineage, but his family was deadset on him enjoying his youth before the responsibilities of such a heavy mantle.

Toussaint had sprinted to his aunt's lab. So much ready to burst from his mouth. He loved Shuri, and she loved him. But it was a strange feeling to think of the life his aunt had before him. He never knew her to withhold information from him.

At his sudden appearance, she had pushed up her welding mask decorated with gold swirls. Her kinky hair had grown so considerably that it was hard to stuff it all under the mask. She moved her coily bangs out her face and greeted him.

"My prince, what brings you here? Trying to get out of chores again?" Shuri said, smiling. Her lab was empty of her interns for once. A little techno music played in the background before fading out.

His mouth kept quivering between smug amusement and annoyance.

"When were you going to tell me, he was your evil ex-boyfriend?" Toussaint asked, throwing his hands up.

A beat of silence came before she sighed heavily.

"He's ruthless, not evil." Shuri corrected drily. She laid her welding gear on her work table. The Shuri in her mid-thirties still had an inquisitive mind as ever, and her technological advancements had reached the mainstream now. Apple, who? Udaku products, the namesake honored their family, were everywhere.

"Every time you guys would have council meetings together—the weirdness between you two! Ah, all this time!" He exclaimed. "Mama was so unimpressed when I revealed it to her. Everyone knew before me, huh?"

Shuri pressed a hand to her temple. "There's no need to know what doesn't concern you. I've work to do, Toussaint. "

She always acted so exhausted to deter unwanted conversations, but he couldn't let it go. Not his quiet, funny aunt having been in an actual relationship with an underwater god. A mustached one too! The only adventures or tales of mischief he had heard from her were when her witty mouth or inventions had gotten her in trouble. But this? This was gold!

"I can't believe even you were caught up by the allure of a bad boy. You're as bad as Fabienne and Esther." Toussaint shook his head and made a disapproving sound in his throat. Aunt Shuri had been on the same level as his mates from his Haitian secondary school. He folded his arms in what he hoped looked like a disappointed father gesture. But then he snickered and broke the facade.

At his failed parental pose, she snorted. Some amusement lit in her eyes.

"No worries, Aunty. I know the youth can't fight the siren's call. I'd know."

"If you take so-called bad boy meddling away, has it occurred to you lil Fabienne just may not like you? No one has to return your affections."

"Ugh, my heart is on the floor. It's been trampled—stomped on." Toussaint cried, clutching his chest. "Wow, Aunty! You're savage! To spew this venom to your dear and only nephew."

He faked a gasp, falling onto her worktable. A pack of screwdrivers and soldering tools was near his finely cropped hair.

She gently pushed his shoulders off her table.

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