Chapter Text
Soekarno–Hatta International Airport was noisy and busy. Betty being Betty they arrived there three hours before their flight and were now wandering duty-free shops occasionally spraying each other with perfume or putting on silly overpriced hats and sunglasses.
Everett loved it. His relationship with Betty was so different from what he had with M'Baku. It was both better and worse. They were related by blood but didn't grow up together and still he saw so much of himself in Betty. They got along surprisingly well. He expected it to be awkward or for her to be distant, but she, unlike her father, welcomed him with open arms. He never had a sister and she didn't have any siblings at all so they tried their best to make up for the lost time and missed connection.
But however pleasant and easy it was to be in Betty's company, Everett missed his brother. The fight with M'Baku sat heavy on his heart despite the fact that they parted ways in good faith. M'Baku gave his blessing for Everett to go to America and marry T'Challa upon his return. Everett could see how hard and painful it was for M'Baku to let him go. His own heart was bleeding. But it was for the best.
M'Baku proved to be the bigger man by putting Everett's happiness first. If he could he would've loved M'Baku even more for that gesture, but Everett's heart was already so full with love it scared him.
The distance he put between them did little to lessen his feelings. Except that maybe his heart grew bigger?
As time passed he grew to love his new home and new family.
He also thought about T'Challa a lot, remembering the conversations they had, the looks they shared. The kiss he stole from the Prince one evening just before dinner and how intensely and hungrily T'Challa looked at him during the meal. Like he wanted to have him right there on that table. Everett smiled at the memory. He was sure with time he will grow to love T'Challa.
Everett missed Wakanda and everything he left behind but he wasn't sure he was ready to return just yet. It was so much easier with Betty. Around her Everett didn't have to hide his true feelings. There was no threat of crossing the line between right and wrong.
When Everett agreed to go to Indonesia with her he couldn't have predicted the consequences of that decision.
"The tiny nation of Wakanda..."
"Hey!" Betty showed him with her elbow and pointed to the small TV in the corner. Wakanda! It was her cousins second home. Considering that she barely heard of it before Everett showed up in her life it was unusual to see Wakanda on BBC Global News. Must be something important.
"... is mourning the death of its monarch, King T'Chaka. The beloved ruler was one of many confirmed dead after a terrorist attack at the United Nations a week ago."
Everett barely heard what the announcer said but pictured that were flashing on the screen spoke for themselves. He was dumbstruck. No-no-no-no! King T'Chaka... Many dead...
"The suspect has since been apprehended."
T'Challa! They didn't say anything about T'Challa! Everett's heart was beating so fast he was afraid it would jump out of his chest.
"Though it remains one of poorest countries in the world, fortified by mountain ranges and an impenetrable rainforest, Wakanda does not engage in international trade or accept aid."
Normally Everett would've rolled his eyes on that remark but all his attention was on the screen, he hoped to see, to hear something, anything about T'Challa.
"The succession of the throne is expected to fall to the oldest of the king's two children, Prince T'Challa."
His knees gave up upon hearing it. Alive! T'Challa is alive!