Chapter Two

T'Challa waited for the Bast temple to clear out until the only sound filling it was the sound of water, the crackling of the flames in the torches, the faint rustle of wind through the leaves of the heart-shaped herbs that he could only pick up because of the gift of heightened senses that he had gained.

The minute he heard the last set of footsteps leaving the temple, he sank to his knees and allowed his head and shoulders to drop in the way he had been desperate to allow but was not allowed to because he was King.

If his head had been spinning before it was out of control now. His meeting with his friends and family had not helped at all. They had ended up arguing with each other leaving T'Challa there to listen as they argued back and forth about what was the best thing to do.

It had gotten to a point where Nakia had finally moved next to him and took his hand, telling him to leave and come to the temple where she knew her best friend felt most at peace.

His decision had to be what was best for Wakanda, and whatever choice he made it would massively affect his people and country, and he would have to deal with the fall out of it. He needed to try and choose the right option that would cause the least problems for his people.

Erik clearly wanted change and believed that they should be helping the world more, that they should reveal themselves. It had been something that T'Challa had been thinking about, even before his father passed, he had thought that it was something that they needed to think about, something that was coming for them, especially with the way the world seemed to be changing around them, Superheros, Gods, Supersoldiers and technology being developed by people like Stark that was nearly on the same level as theirs.

It was becoming a case of when and not if, and T'Challa was of the belief that they should be the ones to reveal themselves and be revealed. He was also one of the few Princes, now Kings, that had spent an extended amount of time in the outside world, what Erik had said was right, he didn't feel right about withholding their advanced technology that could help others, he had not been able to stop himself from helping Ross and bringing the man here, and he would never have been able to forgive himself if something had happened to the man and he had done nothing.

The place Erik would take at his side would be that of a consort, an equal, the same his mother had been to his father, he would have an equal place on the council and would be able to support T'Challa to get the council to agree to the changes that needed to be pushed through.

T'Challa would belong to him though, he had claimed Ritual Marriage which meant that he clearly meant to take the dominant role in their relationship. Normally, in the past when Ritual Marriage had been claimed it was the King claiming one of Royal blood as Queen, he couldn't actually recall a time that it had been used the other way around. A submissive King.

He snorted to himself at the thought, it seemed that Erik intended to come in and turn everything upon its head, even more so that it already was with the revelation of his birth.

It could have been a lot worse though, had Zuri not ensured that Erik was taken care of and had visited the boy, who knows what man he would have turned into.

Sighing T'Challa dropped back to lie on the floor of the temple staring up at the ceiling of the cave, but what choice did he make?

"What bothers you, child?"

"Bast?" T'Challa dared not move as he stared at the ghostly Panther seated next to him, staring down at him with curious, warm eyes.

"Who else?" If a Panther could smirk Bast definitely was. "Now what bothers you?"

"I don't know what choice to make for the best," T'Challa sighed.

"I think that you do, but it goes against what you have been told is the right thing to do. Erik represents change and the outside world coming in, something that you have been taught not to accept. He also represents a chance for you to be looked after and to not have to be in control all the time,"

"I could choose Marriage, and it could turn out so much worse than risking Combat," T'Challa closed his eyes.

"Now my child I send you a gift and you want to second guess it," Bast's words had T'Challa looking at her quickly his eyes widening.

"A gift…"

"A gift. Child, you have much on your shoulders, and the time for change has come. This country has become stagnant and you are the one to change it, together," Bast moved closer to him so he could almost feel the heat from her ghostly body. "Erik is a gift for you though. You need the right person by your side, and I believe that Erik is the best for you. He is your chance at love and happiness child, do not close your heart off because of the circumstances, you both deserve the love and hope that your relationship offers,"

"Than…." T'Challa's words died on his lips as he found himself alone in the temple. Had it not been for the ghostly heat along his side he would have thought that the day had gotten the best of him.

As it was, his mind was made up and he was ready.

Before he changed his mind and allowed nerves to win over from the choice he had known was the right one from even before he spoke to his friends and family, he sent a message through his beads to Nakia and headed up to the family wing.

Erik looked up from the luxuriously comfortable bed he was sprawled on, one arm behind his head, the other holding the book he was reading propped open on his bare chest.

T'Challa paused in the doorway at the scarification that covered the heavily muscled chest and arms before he walked in and shut the door behind himself.

"Not even 24 hours, I am shocked. And you have chosen the peaceful route," Erik hummed impressed.

"How are you so sure that I have chosen that?" T'Challa narrowed his eyes. He was not used to anyone but Shuri being at a similar intelligence level to him, and Erik threw him every second he spoke.

"Okoye is not with you. If you had not chosen consort she would be with you," Erik said dropping his book to the side and sitting up.

"The risk of Ritual combat, even if I win is too high, the political damage that it could cause is massive. I chose your second option," T'Challa tilted his head back proudly.

"You are offering yourself to me?" Erik said the ritual words, proving what he had claimed was true, he knew their ways to the letter.

"I offer myself to you," T'Challa nodded stepping forward, holding himself straight and proud like the King he was.

"Would you rather do this in your own bed?" Erik asked, standing from the bed like the panthers he was descended from.

"What?" T'Challa blinked.

"It is your choice, if you would feel more comfortable in your own bed, with your own surroundings, we will consummate there, or if you would rather not be in your bed, we will stay here," Erik said.

T'Challa stared at him. Though it was said briskly, and the other's body language was still challenging, the offer was to make sure that T'Challa was as comfortable as he could be with this situation, no other reason.

Feeling even more sure about his choice, and ignoring the part of him that was curious and wanted this powerful man, the part of him that Black Panther lingered in, he spoke up. "I would rather my bed,"

"Lead on," Erik nodded grabbing a loose robe.

The walk from the guest room to T'Challa's room was a good 5 minute walk, the room of the King was kept isolated in the family wing so that it was easier to defend and guard. T'Challa expected Erik to look around the area that he had no doubt heard a lot about and had imagined for a long time. But he had eyes only for T'Challa, that golden brown eyes intent and focussed only on him.

He looked at him with a hunger that had been there through their conversation, except it seemed to be gaining momentum rather than being controlled, and a small shiver went through him at the thought that that hunger was going to be released on him soon.

"Was there something in particular that made your mind up?" Erik asked as they neared the King's rooms, curiosity getting the better of him.

"I prayed and meditated to Bast for wisdom as to the choice to make. Her answer was clear," T'Challa laughed.

"Clear?" Erik asked as they reached T'Challa's bedroom doors. T'Challa opened the doors and led Erik into the beautiful, luxurious rooms that were clearly designed for a King. But the Outsider still only had eyes for T'Challa, as though he was the most beautiful thing in sight.

It made T'Challa hope that Bast's words were true, that what he could see in Erik's eyes was a future of happiness.

"Bast appeared to me," T'Challa said softly, turning to face the other man. "She said we were a gift to each other,"

"Really now," Erik smirked stepping forward into T'Challa's space, standing so close that the heat rolled off of him, the scent of the older man sinking into his senses.

"Yes, and that change was needed in Wakanda, she said that I was to be the one that could lead the country into changes and that you would help me do it," T'Challa rambled as he watched Erik shed his robe, leaving them uncaringly to drop to the floor.

He wanted to reach out and touch, he wanted to feel the bumps of the scarification, the shapes of the muscles, the warmth of his skin. He was aware of a small gulp filling the silent room and realised that it was from him.

"Just because something is traditional does not mean it is right," Erik shrugged. "I would like to meet Bast,"

"I will take you to the Temple and make sure that you have it to yourself. She sounded fond of you," T'Challa looked up and smiled when he saw Erik's expression softening.

Erik cupped T'Challa's face, drawing him closer and leaning down till their lips were pressed together lightly, and then waited, allowing T'Challa the choice. The King stepped forward into his embrace and pressed their lips together fully, surrendering with that move to the older man, completely leaving himself at Killmonger's mercy.

Erik growled, sounding as much the Panther as T'Challa was, gripping that lithe body, yanking him close and moving him into the room, in the direction of the bed T'Challa absently thought, but his mind was so clouded with the kiss, he could not be sure.

Erik nipped at T'Challa's lips when those strong, capable hands stroked over his chest and stomach, running his fingers over his scars, dragging them over his muscles and caressing his skin, all in a way that only lit the heat in Erik.

"Wha…" T'Challa blinked as he felt cool air hitting his naked chest realising that Erik had led them out onto the balcony, and managed to get him out of his robes without the King being aware of it.

"I want to make love to you outside for our first time, under the sky and the stars, no walls around us," Erik said as he kissed his way along T'Challa's chin, forcing his head back before he sank his teeth into the meat of his shoulder.

"Erik,"

"That's it, say my name," His lover seemed to get fiercer and hotter art the sound of his name on those lips.

"Erik," T'Challa begged, for what he wasn't sure, but he needed more.

"Yes," Was his answer before his lips were seized again and he felt like he was being consumed.

He was the Black Panther, he had dreams and abilities that people could only dream of, he had a strength that few but gods and supersoldiers could stand up to. And yet standing there in that moment, completely naked and held against the taller body, he felt safe and protected, he felt the ability to let go and surrender himself to whatever Erik wanted him to do.

He wasn't in charge here.

He wasn't leading here.

And yet he wasn't out of control.

"Over there," He panted against Erik's lips tugging on his arms insistently and led him over to the corner of the balcony where there was a cushioned seating area that they would be able to make the most of for this moment, not that he had dreamt that he would ever be using it for something like this, his great grandfather had probably never imagined that it would be used for this either.

"Yes," Erik licked his lips.

"How did you...how the hell do you get clothes off so easily?!" T'Challa asked realising that Erik had managed to take his own trousers off without T'Challa being aware of it.

"I have been well trained in it," Erik smirked teasingly.

"The US Government teach tactical stripping?" T'Challa laughed at the thought of it.

"It is an optional course," Erik shrugged, before gently pressing T'Challa down onto the cushioned seat, laying himself over T'Challa's body in a slow, sensuous slide that pulled a groan from the younger man.

"I can see that you excelled," T'Challa allowed his eyes to drag along Erik's body, taking in his husband's body. Or he would be his husband once they had both cum going by the ancient laws.

"Are you satisfied with what you have ended up with?" Erik asked. And though the words were arrogant, there was a tone to it that had T'Challa smiling and reaching up to twine his arms around Erik's shoulders, the words of the Bast echoing around his head as he drew him down for a kiss, answering his question with actions instead of words.

"Hmm," T'Challa shifted slightly, grimacing at the sticky feeling on his skin before he realised that he was covered with a heavy blanket and was being held against a hot, firm body, an arm wrapped around his waist.

"You are awake in time for the sunrise," Erik said lowly from behind him. A tone of awe was in his voice that made T'Challa's brain come back online quickly.

"This is the first Wakandan sunrise you have seen," He could not imagine knowing about this amazing place, Erik clearly held Wakanda as home in his heart in the same was T'Challa did, and not being able to see it.

"Yes, it is more beautiful than I imagined. My Daddy told me that the most beautiful thing in the world was a Wakandan sunset," Erik sounded far away, and T'Challa could imagine the little boy he had been.

"Did you see it yesterday before I came to you?" T'Challa turned enough so that he could see Erik's face, those caramel eyes were intently watching the sunrise.

"No, I wanted to wait to see it with you," Erik smiled.

"You're a romantic," T'Challa realised.

"No I am not," Erik refuted. The fact that he had clearly hunted down a blanket for the two of them and was holding T'Challa tenderly refuted that.

"Yes you are," T'Challa hummed settling back into the warmth of his husband's body, turning his eyes to watch the sunrise as well. "I will take you around the main places in Wakanda today, show you all of the main places, we can finish at a place that is important to me, that I want to share with you, so we can watch the sunset together, you have missed enough sunsets,"

"You're soppy," Erik snorted.

"Yes, I am. I wish that I had longer but there are things I need to do as the new King. Shuri will like showing you around though,"

"I will spend as much time as I can by your side, I am here to help you and make sure that things are done right," Erik said.

"You need to understand the Council members. W'Kabi is the only one that will agree easily about us spreading out into the outside world, but when I tested him out the other day he did not think that we should allow others into our country, but that we should take war to them and force them into our way of thinking,"

"Are you testing me husband?" Erik growled nipping at his shoulder.

"I don't know what you mean," T'Challa said innocently.

"You could have just asked if I thought taking war to the world was a good idea because you are worried that I will agree with W'Kabi and push for that," Erik settled his chin on T'Challa's shoulder, his hand gently rubbing the King's stomach showing that he was not angry.

"That could have caused an argument," T'Challa shrugged, careful not to disturb his husband.

"I do not want a relationship where you are scared of angering me," Erik mumbled against the skin of T'Challa's shoulder.

"You realise that I can put you through a wall in seconds?" T'Challa grunted.

"But you have a good heart and would not want to use that power against me," Erik said sounding so sure T'Challa huffed. "I told you, I know who you are. I know that when it comes to the people that you care about, you do not like arguments. But if we are to work together we need to know what the other thinks, even if it is something that we don't agree on,"

"And if it is something that we don't agree on?" T'Challa asked watching the colours explode over his country in a kaleidoscope of colours as the sun rose swifter over the horizon. It was just another day, another sunrise, but it felt so different, it felt like his world had changed completely as he lay there in his new husband's arms watching their first sunrise together.

"Then we discuss it like adults until we come to an agreement, and probably have a few explosive arguments along the way," Erik said sounding amused. "And I do not agree with taking war to the outside war and bending them to our way of thinking. Forcing a way of thinking on others is something that was forced onto our people for centuries, I would be nothing more than a hypocrite if I thought that that was the answer. Enforcing a way of living upon another because you believe that you are better than them, know better, because you can enforce your power upon them, that is not the way,"

"We have a lot to learn about each other, that is a relief though," T'Challa admitted.

"We have a long time to get to know one another," Erik hummed pulling T'Challa closer as the sunburst to life in the sky and the day fully began.

"We have a long day, we have a lot of explaining to do to Mother and Shuri," T'Challa sighed.

"They did not want you to take Marriage?" Erik asked. His hand was rubbing T'Challa's stomach, seemingly unconsciously in offering comfort for him.

"They didn't, Shuri could see the pluses of it, but she is still young and though intelligent she doesn't understand, Mother as well could see the pluses but she wanted me to marry Nakia," T'Challa shrugged.

"The River Ruler's Daughter? Are you…"

"In love, no, but I love her. I think at one point in time I believed that I could love her, but we are not matched for a relationship. She is my closest friend and ally. She was the only one that listened to me through this, and helped me escape to the Temple so I could think on it myself when it became clear that discussing it with the others wasn't helping,"

"But your mom wanted you to marry her?" Erik frowned.

"She had the wedding planned in her head, she wasn't ready to give up that idea," T'Challa shrugged. "She will have to now," T'Challa laughed as he rolled over to see Erik.

"So, let's go and start the day," Erik nodded.

As T'Challa watched the, quite handsome, form of his husband making his way back into his bedroom, to hunt out some robes of T'Challa's that would fit him, he thought over the rest of his day. He would have to introduce Erik to his mother and Shuri.

Then he would have to introduce his husband to the council and start the pathway to changing the way their rules and country worked. But at least he would not be alone on his path, with Erik and Nakia on his side, and no doubt Shuri as well, change was inevitable.

Change that was needed. Having Erik here would be like a storm, he thought standing up himself and making his way into his - their - bedroom, it would crash over them and shake things up, uplifting things and tossing them around. But at the end of the day, it would leave something fresh and new, a clearing in the air that was needed.

T'Challa walked up to wear Erik was holding up a pair of his trousers thoughtfully, wrapped his arms around his husband's strong shoulders and pressed their lips together in a firm kiss, one that Erik eagerly returned.

Who was he to not fully accept a gift sent to him from Bast herself? He would...enjoy his gift, he thought with a faint smirk before pushing Erik back towards the bed and climbing on top of him.

"Oh yeah?" Erik smirked, cupping his hips and stroking his hands over his naked thighs and arse.

"It is our honeymoon after all," T'Challa shrugged. "I have not been able to enjoy my husband to me full contentedness,"

"That, I can agree with," Erik flashed his teeth at him like a predator as he rolled his hips up into T'Challa.

"Well then," The King leant down to kiss Erik, humming happily.

Bast watched her two sons happily before leaving them to...get to know each other. With what was coming they would need each other, things were going to be bad over the next year or so, they had a lot of things coming their way, the whole world did.

The Titan was coming, but with the two of them fighting side by side, with T'Challa having Erik to fight with him they would have far more of a chance to survive and win. When the time was right she would make sure that Erik took the heart-shaped herb as well, for the first time there would be two Black Panther's protecting Wakanda, protecting her people.

Two sides of the same coin, both strong and intelligent but in different ways, Erik firm where T'Challa was gentle, T'Challa peaceful where Erik was of war. The two of them would be balanced together to take Wakanda into the world and to defeat the Mad Titan that was coming, along with the rest of the worlds heroes.