Nashuri Collection (Namor x Shuri)

26 - 27

26. Father/Seashell

Timbe had said he didn't have a dad, but that wasn't true. His daddy just worked a lot and had an underwater kingdom. And maybe a dragon too, but he couldn't remember if that was right. Amari was six years old now, but it had been a long time since he had seen his daddy. Or had played with his cape. Had held his hand and his mama's at the same time while they swung him.

He wasn't supposed to be here, but the seashell was on mama's nightstand hidden behind a speaker. He had once overheard mama telling one of the women warriors the way to contact daddy. That had been a million years ago, but it also still might work.

With fingers as quick as thieves, he took the shell and blew with all his might. But it was broken! No sound! Wiping the spittle off the opening, he tried again.

"Stupid stupitty!" He cursed.

"When a child is too quiet, he's up to no good." A strong but calm woman's voice shocked him. Where had she come from? She was so tall! Amari could see the light shining on her smooth head.

"Thank you, Akissi," she said, mama's voice coming from down the hallway.

The child quickly hid his hands behind his back, heightening suspicion. Amari was out of time and hiding it under his shirt didn't seem any better. He tried to slide the shell back into its space.

A sudden crack and then a whoosh and Mama appeared, towering over him. She could be so quiet sometimes. but her face was very loud.

"Little one, I've told you to stay out of this room. Mama has things that can be dangerous for you!" Shuri chided him, hands on her hips. She didn't need to yell for him to know he was in trouble. He hated that.

"I ... I was just looking for the towels like you said!"

Shuri didn't miss the way he dragged some object closer to himself.

She told her him drily, "Towels are in the restroom."

"And eek!" Mama shrieked like a big kitty. "No, no don't play with that!" Snatching the shell from him, she thought, before he could blow through it.

"But why?"

"Because."

He hated that word. Mama had said it was a complete explanation, but it wasn't.

"Now come, baby boy. It's bedtime, and your bath is ready." She pressed a kiss to his forehead.

Recently, he had started sleeping better after soaking in the water. Sometimes, he just stayed there overnight. Comfier than his big boy bed.

"Can Tutu read me a story, Mama?" He asked, his small hand in hers. She led him down the long roads of the house. The women warriors saluted as they passed by.

"Toussaint has exams, but mama will tell you a grand story!"

He squealed. "About being the black panther? Fighting aliens! Traveling the world!"

Mama gave her businesswoman smile. "No, about how I use clean energy in all my products. No fossil fuels here!"

Amari rolled his eyes, pulling his hand away from her grasp. "Oof! Mama you're not funny. At all."

She picked him up. "Unamused child, okay, okay. There was once a great woman from the River Tribe. Her name was Ramonda, and oh, was she mischievous. One day Brother Zebra and Sister Hippo came requesting her help ..."

--------------

Amari stood in the sand with his favorite red boots. He set his kimoyo beads to magnify mode. Aunty Okoye never noticed when he nabbed her beads. Mama didn't want him to use the beads until he was older. And that was fine. Once he turned ten years old, he would pretend to learn how to use them again.