Shuri, Daughter of Ramonda's Day Off

2.

"You okay?"

Shuri snapped out of her reverie. They were at a pizza joint now, sitting in a secluded booth in the corner of the restaurant where no one but the waiter would bother them.

"Nothing."

But Riri was not convinced. She sat up straight and cleared her throat.

"It was the kiss cam, wasn't it? Was there some royal protocol that I broke? I'm so -"

"No, no, no!" Shuri stopped her right there. She didn't want Riri thinking that she had done something wrong. "Have you seen pictures of my brother with his wife at the UN? They held hands and even kissed in public. Trust me, there is no royal protocol about that."

"Really? I thought it was like the British royal family."

"Nah, the British royal family is wack," Shuri shook her head. "No, it wasn't that."

"Then what's wrong?"

Shuri looked down at her overly-cheesed pizza. She didn't really like it, but Riri seemed to be enjoying herself so much that she didn't have the heart to tell her that a simple burger was fine for her.

There had been many close calls recently on who would have gotten her first kiss. It was weird. Some may think that because she was princess of Wakanda, she would have people falling at her feet to date. But the public eye had always been on T'Challa, not her, and she had been too wrapped up in her studies to care. Between being the head of scientific research along with many, many world ending scenarios -

Shuri was 21 and had never been kissed. There was a moment down in Talokan where there may have been something between her and Namor, before Nakia had killed one of his people and they had gone to war. For one second, she had considered him.

But it was gone with a flash when she realized that she didn't feel for him that way. She respected Namor and he respected her. Why else would Wakanda be protecting the seas as she had promised him?

So when a chance came during that kiss cam, Shuri felt stuck. She didn't want her first kiss to be forced. She wanted it to be in a safe space. She wanted it to be by choice.

And she wouldn't mind if it was Riri, either.

"I kissed your cheek, not the other way around. Mind you," Shuri took a sip from her drink. "Besides... It just felt weird because I've never..."

"Kissed a girl?" Riri supplied. Her face was guarded.

"Kissed anyone ," Shuri grimaced.

"No way."

"Yes. I'm the all mighty protector and have never kissed a person that isn't my baba and umama on their cheeks." Shuri felt the blood rush to her checks. So many people that she knew had their first kiss way before the age of 16. She never really saw any interest in just kissing people for the sake of kissing people or having experience. And she never really had a crush on people either.

Riri seemed genuinely interested now. "Not even a palace boy?"

"We don't have palace boys in Wakanda," Shuri raised her eyebrow. "So no."

"Well, is there anyone you want to kiss?"

Shuri looked Riri straight in the eye.

"Yes, very much."

"And who are they?"

Shuri didn't want to ruin Christmas by telling Riri that she wanted to kiss her. They were in the same room, same house. Shuri would sleep in the garage before telling Riri she liked her.