My First Priority
Summary: Tag to the end of the movie. There are conflicts between Okoye and W’Kabi after everything that happened
Warning(s): Spanking; spoilers for the entire movie; some references to violence; some references to minor character death; AU
Pairing: Okoye/W’Kabi
Author’s Note: This is an AU, in that Erik Killmonger is alive…and I will probably explore more of that in the sequel to this
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There hadn’t been any time for them to talk. Even after Killmonger had been captured and taken into custody, there’d been a lot that needed to happen in Wakanda. And T’Challa had chosen to take inspiration from some of his cousin’s actions and chosen to opened Wakanda to the rest of the world. Okoye had been by his side as he’d travelled between Wakanda and the rest of the world. And she hadn’t seen her husband since the battle. His duties had kept him away from their home, in much the same way her own had.
Now, over two weeks after the battle, after Killmonger had been captured and was awaiting trial, Okoye was finally home. And for perhaps the first time in her entire life…she didn’t know what she was going to do. She wasn’t scared of the confrontation she knew had to occur. Perhaps apprehension was the better word for how she was feeling, seeing her husband for the first time since they’d fought.
It wasn’t as if she truly blamed W’Kabi for his actions. After all, she’d been forced to lead the Dora Milaje for Killmonger. All her husband had done was choose to continue supporting Killmonger, instead of supporting the crown itself. And while he and his tribe had fought the Dora Milaje, none of her army had been killed by him or his men. The only one who’d been lost had been killed by Killmonger. He needed to pay for his actions, but Okoye wasn’t prepared to argue for his execution to T’Challa. She just couldn’t see what T’Challa saw in Erik Killmonger.
Okoye’s own quarters were separate from those of the rest of the Dora Milaje, mostly because of her relationship with W’Kabi. They didn’t spend all or even most of their time there, or even necessarily with each other, but it was nice to have some privacy when they did have the time to spend with each other.
As she reached her quarters, the smell of cooking meat was a welcome she hadn’t anticipated. She stepped into the kitchen area, to find W’Kabi over the fire, roasting some meat. He glanced up and then straightened, smiling at her. “My love.”
“You didn’t tell me you would be here this evening.” Okoye paused, resting her staff against the wall.
He smiled. “If I had told you, would you have come here this evening? Or would you have continued avoiding me?”
“I have not been avoiding you.”
“We have not seen each other since you led the Dora Milaje against Killmonger and my people,” W’Kabi answered. “It has been too long since we were together, my love.”
“I led the Dora Milaje against you in protection of the crown and the true king who had not been defeated in battle or killed,” Okoye replied. “You continued to support and fight alongside Erik Killmonger, even after he murdered one of my comrades. You asked me if I would kill you. Would you have killed me?”
“Of course I would not have,” he answered. “I love you. That we were on different sides did not change our feelings for each other.”
“You have avoided me as much as I have you,” she pointed out. “Do you truly believe the actions you took were the correct ones? I know you believed in Erik Killmonger’s vision, but T’Challa was your best friend. And you should have done the right thing and defended the crown when you knew he wasn’t dead and hadn’t yielded.”
“We should not argue.” W’Kabi removed the meat from the fire and shared it onto two plates. He walked over to the small table and sat down, beckoning her to take the seat opposite him. “We should enjoy this meal together and not think about what is past.”
Okoye walked over and took the seat opposite him. She picked up the utensils and began to eat the food.
They ate in silence, although it wasn’t as companionable as it once had been. Tension vibrated in the air between them; words and actions spoken and undertaken that had harmed each other.
It was W’Kabi who broke the silence as they finished eating. He reached across the table and placed his hand over Okoye’s. “What action can I take that will heal this rift between us?”
She looked down at his hand, resting on top of hers, and spoke in a soft voice. “I led my sisters against Erik Killmonger and one of them was murdered because of that choice I made. Had you chosen to stand with us and not against us, she may still be alive even now.”
“I cannot bring her back to you.”
“I do not expect you to,” she answered. “But you did raise your hand against me. You and the rest of your tribe fought me and my sisters. This is something I cannot so easily let go of.” Lowering her voice, she added, “No matter how much I may wish to.”
“I understand.” He nodded, gently gripping her hand for a moment before releasing it. “If you wish to take vengeance on me, then I will not fight you. As long as the harm is temporary and not permanent.” He let go of her and then collected their plates and utensils.
By the time her husband returned to her side, Okoye had come to a decision. She stood and she collected her staff from where it rested against the wall. Then, she took his arm and guided him towards the table. She pushed down on his back until he bent at the waist, settling down across the metallic surface. And she kept her hand in place as she tapped and then struck smartly with the staff against the center of his bottom.
W’Kabi’s body jerked and his breath escaped in a harsh gasp of air. His fingers gripped on the far edge of the table and flexed slightly as the staff landed a second and third time, each time falling just a little lower until the sixth stroke was delivered to the tops of his thighs, catching both at once.
She paused and listened to his rougher breathing for a few moments before she began to bring the staff down for another series of six strokes, each one landing on top of its predecessor.
“I am sorry.” He said the words as she prepared to start over from the top with the staff. And more than that, his voice hitched, as though his emotions were close to the surface.
She stopped, hand still resting on his back, and spoke in a low voice. “My duty is to the crown, not whoever wears it. I could have chosen to fight alongside T’Challa, but I would have been betraying who I was and what’s important to me. I do not expect you to support me above others, but I expect you to take into account the decisions I make and to do the same as I do: to protect our home of Wakanda. At all costs.”
“I will work with you from now on,” he promised. “No longer against you. I promise it will not happen again.”
“I believe you.” She moved her hand from his back and stood back as he regained his feet. Then, once he’d turned round, she stepped into his open arms and they kissed.
Perhaps there would be more conflicts between them in the future, but for now, they were at peace; a peace that echoed that which had fallen over their home.
The End