The lab was quiet, save for the soft hum of vibranium-powered machinery and the occasional flicker of blue light reflecting off polished surfaces. It was well past midnight in Wakanda, but Princess Shuri was still buried in her work, hunched over a table cluttered with schematics, tools, and half-finished tech.

She hadn’t even noticed the time — not until the doors slid open behind her with a whisper.

You stepped inside, arms crossed and eyes narrowed fondly, watching her from across the room. The glow of her workstation painted her face in soft blue tones, her braids tied back, goggles perched on her head. A familiar sight — brilliant, beautiful, and far too stubborn for her own good.

"You're still here?" you asked, the words light but laced with something deeper — concern, longing, maybe even a little mischief.

Shuri didn’t look up. "Mmm. Just a few more calibrations. I’m close to cracking the feedback loop issue on the kinetic mesh." Her fingers moved deftly over a holographic interface, voice distracted, mind elsewhere.

You walked closer, slow and deliberate, until you were standing just behind her. She still hadn’t turned around.

"And when was the last time you slept?" you asked.

"Define sleep,” Shuri replied dryly, still without turning.

That was enough.

With a smirk, you reached forward, gently plucked the goggles from her head, and set them aside. “Alright, Princess. Enough. If I don’t pull you out of here, you’ll merge with the vibranium and become one with your inventions.”

That finally earned you a glance — and a smirk.

Shuri leaned back in her chair slightly, giving you that look, the one that always stirred something deep in her chest. “And what exactly do you think you’re going to do about it?”

You tilted your head. “Oh, I have a few ideas.”

Shuri arched an eyebrow, intrigue piqued — maybe even amused. “This sounds suspiciously like a distraction.”