ｐａｎｔｈｅｒ (![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} kingly) wrote in ![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/community.gif){kind=small} avengers_logs,@ 2019-06-15 13:52:00 |
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What: A first meeting
When: Friday
Where: The new SHIELD HQ (past the cafe front)
Rating: Green
Status: Complete
| All of T’Challa’s clothes could be filed under ‘Afrofuturistic’ if you were familiar with the nuances of fashion - but the styles were unique in that nothing had been influenced by colonizers, the Dutch or the British; traditional, authentic African designs, specific to whichever tribe they came from, or whatever region (Afropunk was also prevalent in some neighborhoods). T’Challa was mostly found in dark colors - they were his signature shades for royal attire, and today was no different. He wore a sleek black suit, the jacket elegantly embroidered with a hand-stitched pattern and Kimoyo beads strung together around his wrist, functioning as his communication device - it was similar to what you might see in the business district of Wakanda as well which was fitting. Today he was here for business. He approached the warehouse, SHIELD’s new headquarters, and went past the cafe front - it was a front that smelled delicious though, he had to admit. But he would stop later for a snack if need be - right now, he rode the elevator up to where he had been told Nick Fury’s office was located. Checking the time, he noted he was a little early but that was fine - better early than late. The arranging of Thomas Green’s *** Darcy was settling into her new job with Nick Fury. He wasn’t an easy boss to work for, but she appreciated the challenge. Working for SHIELD was worth it and she hoped that she would have an opportunity to do something that would make a difference. It was a lot different from working for Jane or Erik in ways she could enjoy though. Their science stuff all went over her head more often than not and while she wasn’t terribly well versed in the operation of secret spy organizations, she did know a lot about government related conspiracy theories. Luckily there wasn’t a strict dress code around the SHIELD office, so she was wearing a pair of jeans and a tank top that, thanks to her ample bosom, appeared to be fairly low cut. She stopped in her tracks when she walked back into her office area and saw an extremely attractive and well dressed man standing there. She set down the stack of files she was carrying and gave him an appraising once over. “It’s not even my birthday,” she said. “What did I do to deserve such a present?” *** What? T’Challa blinked, dark eyes assessing the details of the SHIELD employee who spoke to him - he remained still, stoic, and a beat passed before he realized that was supposed to be some kind of flirtation. Interesting - because at first he was not sure what she was even talking about. A pretty girl though, that was apparent. If the previous greeting was indeed her attempt at flirtation, she ought to try a different tactic. He wasn’t certain if that one was effective though it did make him quirk a bit of an amused smile. “I am here to see Nick Fury,” he told her. “We have a meeting scheduled though I am a little early, I’m afraid. If there is someplace you would rather me wait, I am happy to do this.” He doubted they had magazines or a fish tank, like many other western-world waiting rooms. *** It wasn’t so much an attempt at flirtation as it was Darcy being Darcy. She enjoyed pretty people and this guy was very pretty. “Oh, no, you can stay right here,” she assured him. Getting some Avenger level eye candy was most definitely one of the perks of this job. She glanced at her computer and saw the appointment scheduled on her boss’s calendar. “You must be T’Challa,” she said, eyes lighting up with recognition. “No wonder I didn’t recognize you. The well tailored suit is somehow even hotter than the leather get up I’ve seen you in on TV.” *** Leather? Leather. Oh, you sweet American white girl; Bast bless her. “It is a suit weaved with vibranium, but thank you,” the King replied. He assumed that was a compliment, anyway. At the very least, he knew that his outfit now was well-tailored. All of his clothing was made that way - no one he knew would wear anything that was ill-fitting, not where he came from. “You are correct, I am T’Challa.” He could go into the mechanics of the Panther habit, though he doubted she was interested (and he had that habit ready to go as well, should the occasion arise - he was always connected to it, and he could literally communicate with his suit via an implant in his ear). “And you are?” he inquired curiously. *** “Darcy Lewis,” she replied, coming out from behind her desk to offer him her hand. He was a freaking king so she was definitely going to turn on the charm. “Pleasure to meet you, your majesty.” She had approximately a thousand questions for him, wanted to know everything about the history of his country, but refrained from bombarding him all at once. As someone who ended up earning a degree in political science, talking to an actual monarch was pretty much a dream come true. The fact that he was criminally hot was just icing on the cake. *** T’Challa shook Darcy’s hand - even kissed the back of it in greeting. Not the standard Wakandan greeting, but the gesture seemed to be a universal way to convey a gentlemanly demeanor and class, which he liked to think he maintained even in the most frustrating of moments. “A pleasure to meet you as well, Miss Lewis,” he stated, and he meant that. He was enjoying meeting others in the city, become acquainted with those who seemed to either lived in 30 Warren or nearby and frequented the same online network he did. She had a job with the newly formed SHIELD, which was impressive - not just anyone could convince Nick Fury to hire them so she must possess a significant amount of skill. “Have you worked here for very long?” *** The kiss to the back of her hand most definitely did not make Darcy swoon. No one saw anything. Except there were probably at least a dozen cameras in this room so someone might. Maybe working for a secret spy organization wouldn’t be so great. Nah, the hot king kissing her hand was totally worth it. “Not too long,” Darcy said. “When I first got here, my best friend, Jane Foster, was pretty sick, so I was spending most of my time with her. The science bros got her all fixed up though.” And now it was time for Darcy to stop slacking and actually work. So far, she was enjoying her new gig, but it was nice to know she had an out if she ended up not liking it. *** He had spoken very briefly with Dr. Foster when he first arrived - and had heard of her in other venues, of course, thanks to her various published papers. T’Challa liked to stay on top of that sort of thing, especially since Wakanda had emerged as a scientific and technological superpower as opposed to an impoverished farming land. He had not heard Dr. Foster was sick, however. That was a shame. But if the ‘science bros’ had cured her, then all the better. It seemed to be on track for a happy ending. “I am glad your friend is recovering,” he said, clasping his hands behind his back. “And I gather working for SHIELD must be very interesting for you. I am still getting used to the area myself,” he admitted. “It is so much different, maintaining permanent residence here and being away from Wakanda. Wakanda is much different all around.” He sometimes still could not believe this side of the world had not mastered flying vehicles yet. Honestly. Shuri had designed the hoverbike when she was practically a toddler. *** “So I’ve gathered from the news I’ve seen,” Darcy said. Not to mention the files that she’d managed to access. SHIELD had stepped up their computer security, so she was avoiding any over hacking, but as part of her job, she had access to a fair amount of non public information. She pushed herself up to sit on the edge of her desk, legs dangling. “Tell me all about it,” she said. “I want to know everything.” *** "Everything about Wakanda?" T'Challa chuckled a little. That would take awhile but he would try to summarize nicely. "It is surrounded by hills, mountains, and lakes - everything remains untouched by colonizers’ influence." A rarity indeed - and he would not go into the origin of the near-inexhaustible supply of vibranium, or what vibranium was capable of. Darcy was likely more interested in the culture, perhaps. It was something of a technological utopia, given that the nation was the most technologically advanced one on Earth. Shuri would have been pleased to show off all of her inventions. "Wakanda was originally inhabited by five separate tribes - then a meteor hit, and the leader of the Panther Tribe was visited by the panther goddess Bast. She instructed him to drink from the Heart-Shaped Herb, a flower that had been impacted by the meteor. This flower gave the first Panther certain powers, which he used to unite all of the tribes." What else? "Much of the region is hydro-powered and there are geothermal plants; also because of the meteor, hot springs infused with vibranium. There are wind turbines lining the snow mountain valleys. In the open plains it is a mix of solar towels and panels, among the rhino safaris. Transportation consists of hover bikes, magnetic levitation trains, and streetcars. Is this satisfying you?" he wanted to know, because he was unsure if she was curious about anything specific. *** It was physically impossible for Darcy not to take advantage of the perfect opportunity he’d just given her. “I mean, there are definitely better ways you can satisfy me if you’re so inclined,” she said, leaning forward a little so that her cleavage was more prominent. She wondered if she’d get fired if Fury caught her banging a king in her office. “But seriously, I’d love to visit Wakanda sometime. It sounds amazing,” she added. *** The cleavage was indeed something to be proud of, but it took a little more than that to get to the banging for this royal. Still, T’Challa could have a little fun - he wasn’t totally without humor. “Really?” he asked, eyes widening a touch - it was apparent he knew what Darcy meant (he was not born yesterday, after all), but he was going to keep on the path of acting like he didn’t. “What better ways are those?” It was like when someone told a joke teetering on the edge of offensive (though he was not offended by her remark, far from it) and you asked them to explain the meaning, as if you were clueless. Perhaps there was a bit of a troll in him yet. *** Darcy did not believe for one second that he was too naive to know what she meant. As a self-avowed troll, she appreciated that he was willing to play along though. “Oh, honey,” she said, letting one of her shoes drop to the ground so she could stretch out and run her bare foot up his leg. “I’ve seen your moves in a fight. I can certainly imagine how they would translate in the bedroom.” Or the office. Or the back seat of a car. She really wasn’t terribly picky. *** Well, she was very blunt,T’Challa had to give her credit for that. She didn’t stammer or turn red the way some might have, when outright questioned about the meaning of their lewd innuendo. And Darcy had seen his moves, had she? He had to wonder what sort of files she had access to at SHIELD but then again, he’d donned the Panther habit on many occasions in public. Cameras everywhere. It wasn’t a secret either, that he was indeed both the Black Panther and the King of Wakanda. “I will let your imagination run wild for now, then, Miss Lewis,” he told her with a rough chuckle. “And hopefully since you have been here for much longer than myself, you can recommend some of your favorite places to visit?” *** “I’d be happy to,” she said. Darcy had more than enough imagination for that. She did let her foot drop from his leg though. She might be playful and flirty, but she wasn’t going to cross anyone’s clearly stated boundaries and it was clear that he wasn’t interested in what she was offering at the moment. “Though, to be fair, I haven’t been here that much longer than you,” she added. *** “Ah, I see,” T’Challa nodded, stroking his chin. He was curious about where Darcy came from, but perhaps she could share that information since he had shared a little about Wakanda as well. “I was going to suggest we go to one of your favorite places, so I could see it in person, if you had any in mind yet.” Not that he could promise whatever she was insinuating but she was quite amusing and lively; he would not mind getting to know her and making another friend on this side of the world. He aimed to do away with isolationism for his kingdom as well as his personal life. *** It wasn’t really a favorite place, but there was one spot that came to mind. “There’s a great little pizza place I like,” Darcy said. She’d gone back a few times since Wanda introduced her to it. “Have you had real New York pizza yet?” That was an experience that everyone needed. She wondered idly if they had pizza in Wakanda. Somehow, she suspected it wasn’t really a thing. Despite being considered Italian food by many, it was a largely American food. *** As opposed to fake New York pizza? Actually, T’Challa had heard about the experience of pizza on this coast, in this particular region - so he thought he might as well try it, then. Since it was apparently something worth boasting over. “I do not think I have,” he said. Pizza was not really on the menu in Wakanda, in any of the regions - it was more along the lines of rice, beans, pasta with something like a chickpea and tomato sauce, maybe some plantains topped with peanuts; sweet and spicy things. Fresh and organic. A lot of American cuisine was empty calories but fried everything did taste good, anyone could agree to that. He would see for himself, how good the pizza was. “Send me a message whenever you would like to go,” and, upon checking his communication device, saw that it was about time for him to join Nick Fury. “For now, Miss Lewis, I must run to my meeting.” *** Darcy grinned. Working here was going to be so much fun. “I will definitely be in touch soon,” she said. Then she went behind her desk and hit the button that would let her boss know his meeting had arrived. |