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“What do you mean no?” Okoye asks, flabbergasted that Shuri frowned at the dish she cooked for the queen– Shuri’s favorite dish, as so she claims. “You dragged me here outside to cook even though the wind is going to freeze me, and you end up not wanting to eat this?”
Shuri winces, not because of Okoye’s words, but because of just how awfully she doesn’t want to eat anything else even though the baby inside her is demanding a specific type of food that makes it physically impossible for her to even consider eating if it’s not what they both want. And Okoye really couldn’t force her to eat, seeing just how pregnant Shuri really is. She caresses her baby bump, pouting, “It’s not what we want, right?” She asks, looking at her bump.
Okoye sighs, looking over at Nakia who just came back, she smiles, “Her husband’s food is the only thing she likes.”
Shuri turns to them at the mention of her husband who is yet to come to the surface, it’s not his fault that she got hungry before the time he is to cook for her, but she thought it’ll be fine to have another meal first before his. Their baby proves otherwise.
“I bet that fish-man just became more arrogant.” Okoye comments, making Nakia laugh.
“Hey,” Shuri pouts, “don’t insult my husband in front of me.”
Both Okoye and Nakia widened their eyes in surprise of her sudden softness for her husband, “Okay, lover girl.” Nakia teases. “You sure you’d wait for him here?” When Shuri nodded, the two women walked back to Nakia’s house with her telling Okoye that Toussaint will eat the dish she cooked for Shuri.
Just in time, Cha’ah Toh appears from the waters and Shuri is quick to walk to him, heart bursting with love at the man in front of her. She pulls him into a kiss, not minding that he is still wet, and she feels him smile as he kisses her back. “Did you wait long for me, my love?”
Shuri softens to a smile, arms wrapped around his neck with her bump making contact with his abdomen; he stupidly grins because of it, he puts a hand on her nape to kiss her again, and the other around her baby bump, “No.” She answers, intertwining their fingers, “Did you wait for Nakia and Okoye to go back inside?”
“Yes.”
She chuckles and they walk together hand in hand by the kitchen set up outside. He makes her sit while he kneels, a hand caressing her bump as he kisses it, “My son, don’t kick your mama while I cook, okay? It will hurt her back.”
“He only listens to you.”
He laughs and Shuri melts, it’s her favorite sound ever. When she first heard him laugh, she couldn’t stop thinking of all the ways to make him laugh and laugh just so she can listen to it for as long as she likes. He says that if it’s her, it doesn’t take so much effort, but still, she tries.
He leans to kiss his wife, “And I only listen to you.”
She grows shy so she pushes him away, “Shut up.”
He laughs once more, he hands her a bag filled with jewels, “Here, Namora said I should bring you something to pass time with while I cook since I do not talk when I do.” He smiles at Shuri’s fascinated grin as she takes them out by a handful, she just hums so he kisses her temple, about to prepare when she holds his wrist.
“Tell Namora my thanks.”
He leans down to capture her lips, “She doesn’t care.” She laughs because she knows it to be true, so she pulls her husband for another kiss, and then pushes him away so she can marvel at Namora’s gift. She can feel her baby move inside as if trying to touch the jewels too, Shuri giggles, putting them atop her and she could only think if their son would adore Namora and her future gifts for him.
She looks up to watch her husband, “Hurry up cooking, I miss you already.”
His stoic face breaks into a smile, chuckling, shaking his head as a form of self-restraint or else they’d just end up kissing by the beach and both of them don’t want Okoye to physically separate him from his wife. She stares at the smile on his face, then she turns to her belly, “Your papa is handsome, isn’t he? Especially with his mouth closed.”
Cha’ah Toh throws his head back to laugh and Shuri wants to throw at least one jewel at his head as a sign of her affection for him. “I will kiss you with an open mouth later, wife.”
“And I am waiting, husband.”
With the help of Bruce, they get to have their own hideaway in Mexico just near the ocean when Shuri got pregnant with their second child just within two to three years after they had Ostra. (If it wasn’t for her mysterious yet scary husband, Shuri would have a difficult time making Bruce stop laughing.)
Ostra was very fond of his mother’s big green friend who promised him that he would soon meet his very own son. (Now, that made Shuri hysterically laugh, even joking if it’s a scientist thing if it weren’t only for Tony having Morgan.)
At the few times that Nakia and Okoye visited her during her second pregnancy, the scenarios they catch the two on are always the same: he cooks as she stares lovingly at him, she plays with their son and Cha’ah Toh looks at her like he will give her their third child already, or the two of them are all cuddled up in his big blanket.
As the sun colors the surroundings to mark it’s slowly about to set, the cool breeze rushes in and Shuri shivers, her husband kisses her shoulder as he hugs her tighter. She leans her back on his exposed yet warm chest, his thighs pressing to hers as his blanket envelops them whole. She couldn’t help the smile on her face, the smell of him sticking on her skin, an arm hugging her stomach and a fleeting thought passing her mind as they watched their children play with the sand.
It’s been a handful of months since Yaxil was born but she already misses the bump by her stomach, but Cha’ah Toh snuggles in her neck and she’s perfectly content. She caresses his cheek down to his nape and he groans at her touch, shivering just now because of it and she giggles, pressing her nose to his other cheek.
He leans to kiss her lips, she presses her legs together, the wind getting colder than she thought it could.
“Do you want to go inside?”
She shakes her head, “I like it here better.”
“Of course.” He arrogantly says and she rolls her eyes with a grin on her face, she leans her head to his shoulder, watching their children play; Yaxil showing him pearls and shells, Ostra putting them as a design for whatever he’s building with the sand, eventually helping his little sister put it where she likes best. She feels his chuckle on her back, “He’s such a big brother.”
She hugs his neck, almost lying down on his chest if only she doesn't want to tear her gaze from their toddlers. She looks at him, placing a gentle kiss on his cheek, “You know he idolizes you so much,” she caresses his shoulder, never getting tired of how it feels smoother than it looks, her hand caresses upwards his neck, “he just sees how you treat Namora and Attuma.”
He brings her hand to his lips and kisses her knuckles, inhaling her scent, “Have you ever wondered how I treat you?”
She grins at his childishness, she pinches his cheek and he leans on her hand, “No,” she kisses him, “I just receive it.” This time, he grins at her well-deserved cockiness. His hand slides to grip her ass and she immediately slaps his hand, eyes wide with his displaced eagerness, “Not when the kids are just here!”
“Okay, then let’s go inside.”
“Haha, no.” She says sternly, she doesn’t resist the urge to kiss him again, “Be patient.”
He sighs dramatically, about to say some crazy stuff meant only for her ears when he and his kids made eye contact, their cozy position made the two simultaneously pout and furrow their eyebrows. It could only mean one thing.
“Us too, mama!” They shouted, running towards their parents, making them laugh. The two sit properly to accommodate their children. He hugs her by the shoulder, the blanket covering how he quickly squeezes both of her boobs.
“Are you serious–”
“They got their jealousy from you.” He whispers in her ear.
She glares at him, arms now hanging for their children to hold when he retrieves his arms, “I’m not jealous.” Her husband gives her a look and she rolls her eyes at her own lie, “Fine.” She carries Ostra to her lap first, abruptly looking at Cha’ah Toh again to speak in an accusing tone, “Like you aren’t!”
He kisses her cheek then he smirks on her skin, making her shy, “I never said I wasn’t.”
She shakes her head, a smile on her face as she then carries Yaxil to her lap. Cha’ah Toh stretches his arm and Shuri helps him fix the blanket, eventually hugging all three of them and their kids laugh because it feels like getting eaten by a monster!
“Papa, you should see the sand castle I made earlier!” Ostra beams.
“You are making castles now, huh?” He leans to kiss his son’s cheek, “Good job—”
“Papa, kiss mama too!”
Cha’ah Toh laughs, Ostra didn’t even let him finish complimenting him, eager to see what he always witness from his parents. And Shuri wants to punch the smirk off her husband’s face as he leans to kiss her cheek, as if she isn’t waiting for it too. She would never admit it out loud, but she ultimately loves how their kids always ask him to kiss her and vice versa.
Yaxil taps his hand and he looks at her daughter, on the verge of tears, thinking he left her out, “Papa, me too.”
He smiles, “Of course, I won’t miss kissing my baby Yaxil.” She stands up and Shuri supports her back as she pouts to get a kiss from her father. “Did you help your brother with the castle?”
Yaxil nods, looking at her brother to talk for her, he does, “She lets me use her pearls and shells, papa!” Ostra answers, proud of the sister he’s been wanting ever since. Yaxil struggles to try and hug her father, she ends up plopping down on her mother’s lap. Instead, Cha’ah Toh puts a hand on her small back and she leans back comfortably.
Even though he loves that they are all huddled up– like they aren’t every night– he can’t help but to think if their kids are comfortable enough, seeing as to how Yaxil looks at him because she wants to hug her father, so he kisses Shuri’s shoulder before asking her, “Should we buy a lounge chair for two persons? So that the kids will—”
“NOOOO!” The two protest, surprising their parents as if they didn’t inherit their father’s pointed ears and sharp hearing.
Ostra’s eyebrows scrunch upwards, “It’s better like this because we are all cuddled up!” His small arms try to hug his mother to prove a point who leans down to kiss the top of his head.
“Mhm!” Yaxil affirms and the two look at each other.
“Alright then.” Shuri kisses her daughter.
“We won’t.”
Shuri and Cha’ah Toh smile at the triumphant grins on their kids’ faces.
The sun slowly sets, the kids are back at playing near the bonfire for extra warmth while Shuri remains at the lounge chair, the blanket is still wrapped around her and she just thinks it’s her husband with his scent strongly on it. She rests her elbows by her knees, propping up her chin by her palms as she stares at the smooth back of her husband, the chill of the night never bothering him as he is almost done cooking for his family.
She feels her cheeks heating up, remembering their argument about the scratches she left on him that one night they were making love– him saying he doesn’t mind her marks on him but she counters with how she loves the smooth of his skin, he gives in when she told him she’ll give him a plenty of those marks either way.
If it weren’t for their kids, she would’ve walked to him and hugged him by the back as she peppers that very same back with kisses.
Cha’ah Toh bites his own tongue to refrain from saying indecent things as he feels his wife’s stare practically melt him, he gives her a look shortly and then gives her a wink. She clicks her tongue, embarrassed that she got giddy because of such a stupid action. What are we, high schoolers?
Cha’ah Toh snickers and puckers his lips as if blowing her a kiss, she gives him a smile that tells him how annoyed she is at him.
“Mama, choose a better shell.” Ostra asks, and she almost slaps her forehead, how was she so concentrated on her husband that she didn’t feel her kid approaching her?
As she entertains Ostra, Yaxil follows suit, a handful of pearls on her tiny hand, copying her brother on making their mother choose which is prettier than which. Her chuckles and their kids’ babbles caught Cha’ah Toh’s attention.
He watches as Shuri cradles each of their kids’ cheeks, pouting to give the two of them a kiss and he wonders if the two would like another baby in the family. He briefly recalls when Okoye gave him a disapproving look when Shuri announced her pregnancy as she was carrying Ostra as a small toddler, if only they know how obedient Shuri is when it comes to her kid’s demands and how she enjoys the process more than anyone else…
Before he could think of names, Shuri catches that look on his face so she glares at him, he raises his hand in mock surrender. She helps her husband set up the table, but of course not without him kissing her first.
“Ostra, Yaxil, time to eat.” She calls as she sits down beside him.
Ostra sits atop the table with his father’s help, he starts eating almost immediately if it weren’t for Cha’ah Toh telling him to slow down since the food is freshly hot.
Yaxil waddles beside her mother, “Mama, ahm ahm.”
Shuri smiles with how adorable her daughter is, her hair as curly as her father’s hair. Shuri blows onto the food first before feeding it to her, she laughs when Yaxil copies her first. She carries Yaxil to sit by the table.
“Papa, you’re not going to feed mama?” Ostra asks and Shuri hates how arrogant Cha’ah Toh’s chuckles are, no matter how much she loves how he sounds.
“I can manage, Ostra.” She answers carefully, but Yaxil whimpers, wanting to see her parents feed each other.
“You can’t ignore the voice of the people, my love.”
“Voice of the…” Shuri sighs.
He feeds her and she melts with the gentle hold he has by her chin.
“Your turn, mama!” Yaxil gleefully tells her.
“Told you, it’s better to listen.” Cha’ah Toh tells Shuri, wiggling his eyebrows and Shuri sighs exasperatingly, the smile on her face implies otherwise and the siblings laugh at each other with their parents’ push and pull.
“Oh, really, now.” Shuri deadpans, wanting to shove the food inside his mouth just because she’s infuriated with how carefree he looks. She ends up blowing first before feeding him. “Happy now?” She asks Yaxil who eagerly nods.
“It tastes better.” Cha’ah Toh adds and Shuri deliberately avoids it, turning to feed her son instead of stabbing their father’s eyes out of adoration.
Yaxil looks at her brother, “Papa looks at mama like,” then she gestured something coming out of her eyes by her hands and Shuri snorts, Yaxil laughs and Cha’ah Toh cups her cheeks, eventually agreeing.
They eat with hushed conversations, crashed waves, cooled wind, cracked fire; taking turns to feed each other, giddy giggles when Shuri and Cha’ah Toh kiss everywhere but the lips, happy smiles when Ostra and Yaxil want to finish their food. Ostra says it’s to be as strong as his papa, Yaxil says it’s because her papa always cooks delicious food.
She helps him wash the dishes, craving to have some alone time with him. Good thing Bruce has set the outside sink that faces the ocean so they could still keep an eye on their kids, quietly sitting by the beach blanket.
Cha’ah Toh wraps his arms around her just as he finishes, face pressed to her cheek, feeling a bit sentimental, “I love you so much.” He whispers to her ear. She kisses his temple, his cheek then his jaw, refraining herself from saying those words to him, aware she’ll be uncontrollable when she does, immaturely inseparable to him. He understands, he always does, so he gives her neck a playful bite and she laughs. “Right, you don’t want a third child yet.”
“Cha’ah Toh Almehen! Careful with your words!” She giggles and he grins at the absence of her denial.
“What is it?” He asks the hesitant look on her face.
“Will you sing for us later? Or at least Yaxil’s favorite lullaby?”
“That’s what you’re shy of?” He asks sweetly, giving her lips a light peck and she leans in for more, he gives her what she wants. “Didn’t I tell you to just ask me if you want to hear me sing again?” She pouts, annoyed that her embarrassment is being explored, he chuckles and she smiles.
He holds her waist, facing her to him and she kisses him almost immediately.
“I’m serious, my love, just ask and I’ll sing for you.”
“Okay.” She meekly responds, not liking how she’s so shy when she’s usually just as arrogant as him when he shows her affection, and so he grins. She squishes his cheeks, “Let’s go now, or else Ostra is going to accuse you again of sucking my face.”
He throws his head back to laugh, “Well, our son is never wrong.”
“Goodbye!”
He lets her walk away first just to watch how excited their kids are to have their mother beside them again. She kisses the top of their heads and then Yaxil turns around, the smile on her face grows when she sees her father walking towards them, she taps the empty space by her right side and he silently obeys, sitting beside her whom he kisses– then her brother next. “Are you two still playing or would you like to sleep already?” Shuri asks.
“Play!” Ostra answers, he looks at his sister who yawns, eyes sleepy now that their father is settled with them, “Oh, I mean sleep, mama!”
She chuckles, “Such a good big brother.”
Yaxil taps on her father’s thigh, “Papa?” He kisses her cheek and she leans more to him, “Lullaby, please?”
The love on his heart swells so he leans his forehead onto hers, unsure how to show it to such a small toddler and Shuri smiles, knowing exactly what it means. “Of course.” He softly says, “Let’s have the two of you lie down.” He adds, caressing Ostra’s hair who eventually yawns. He stretches his arm to serve as his kids’ pillow and then he starts singing.
His voice is as smooth as his skin, lulling and pulling to slumber, it is velvety and low but it’s too relaxing.
Shuri remembers the time where she first heard him sing, and she didn’t expect that beside his laugh, his singing voice would be one of her favorite sounds ever. She thought his laugh was the best thing she has ever heard, but if it weren’t for Shang-Chi and Katy persuading his generals to sing until she tells Cha’ah Toh to sing who grants her request expeditiously.
(She wished she could die from embarrassment when the two gave them teasing looks because he gave in without a doubt.)
Now she watches as their kids sleep deeply, not because they were tired from playing all afternoon long but just of how beautiful and enchanting their father’s voice is. Yaxil has her arm stretched in an attempt to hug their father while Ostra hugs her. She looks at him who gestures to her with his hand, she holds it instead.
He chuckles a bit, continuing his lullaby while staring directly at the woman of his dreams. With his free hand, he tucks a hair behind her ear and she closes her eyes with the warmth of his fingers barely caressing her skin.
Her eyelids feel heavy so she succumbs to the need of laying on her husband’s arm, her arm hugging their two children. Without much effort on his end, he hugs the three of them, his hand on her elbow and Shuri never felt so protected and safe than she does whenever he has her and the two in his arms. It’s her favorite feeling ever.
She looks at him who is still looking at her, his voice drowning out all the other peaceful noise that their sanctuary, their home give.
When Yaxil turns to Ostra, Cha’ah Toh finishes his lullaby, a sign that Yaxil won’t throw a tantrum nor would a singular noise disturb her slumber.
Shuri sighs, satisfied that her daughter asked the same request as she, “And now, I’m head over heels for you.”
He frowns, “Just now?” He looks away from her gaze, “Psh.”
She gapes then rolls her eyes, “Unbelievable…”
He caresses her elbow with his thumb, her gaze softens, “Which is more of your favorite?” He shyly asks and she likes the look on his face whenever he gets timid around her especially if the topic is him, always rather having her as the subject of anything and everything, “My laugh or my singing voice?”
“Next question!”
He chuckles through his grin, and she thinks he looks so charming when he laughs like that. She caresses her cheek on his arm and he wants to kiss her for trusting her vulnerability and her heart with him.
She answers in a whispering manner, feeling a little too fragile at the moment she’s sharing with him while their children are in between them, “You’re my favorite.”
“Nice try.” She chuckles this time at how unbothered he tries to be with her answer that would’ve granted her a tongue kiss by now at how he favors her selfish answer, “As you should.”
She sits up, leaning down to give him an I love you kiss.