( open ) ; tell me about the days where your body feels nothing like a body

[spellslots]

who: Taako + you
what: A spa day, a fight with a god, and a bad time
when: Novemeber
where: Around!!
warnings: Violence in the threads with Thor & Dodger. Vague Thor 3 spoilers in the thread with Thor.



cisco; tired little laughs, gold-lie promises

[They've all had a shitty month and it feels like a perfect excuse to splash out a little at the fanciest fucking spa Taako can get them into; he catered an event here a few months ago and made sure to keep in touch with the event manager, so the discount isn't anything to scoff at, and he's gone all out in the treatments they're getting.

But after a massage (nice), manicure (even nicer), and a dip in the pool (hella nice), Taako has dragged Cisco to try out the sauna where they can chill for a little while. He tried to bring a glass of sparkling in but was gently deterred by one of the staff, which is rude but probably for the best, since he's already on his way to decidely tipsy.

On the plus side, that helps him finally bring up something that's been on his mind for a while; once Taako is comfortable and the room is full of steam, he casts a lazy look at Cisco.]

Can I ask you a question, my man?

thor; what's a god to a nonbeliever?

[If he's being honest with himself, this is probably a very bad idea, but Taako tries not to be honest with himself and anyway, he's been itching for another fight since the tangle with the cultists, as if that wasn't quite satisfying enough. Or maybe he's just finally remembered how fun it is to wreck some dipshits, since things are so damn quiet in the Quarantine. Either way, there isn't any real danger in what he's doing here; Thor might hurt him, but he won't kill Taako, and there's not much else that a potion can't fix.

It's been a long time since he's had to prepare for a one on one, but Taako doesn't get too involved with it (a lot of his attention has gone towards studying the books he borrowed from the cultists), he gets dressed in his regular adventuring gear and makes sure he's got all his useful items on him, just in case he can use any of them. The umbra staff is in his hand, as per usual, and he has a little mental list of spells that he thinks will work for this. He can't exactly predict how the fight will go, but he knows what his personal priorities are and has a handful of backups in mind. His hair is braided out of the way and he's left most of his jewellery at home, just in case.

Between Bryn, Loki and the members if the IPRE in the Quarantine, they've got a little crowd nearby to watch the show, and that only makes Taako more into it, because he gets to show off.]

You ready to go, or are you gonna need a little more time to warm up?

[He's just being a shit, but it's good natured.]

open; now I've got you here I'll never lead you back

[The month starts of… mostly fine; there's the awkwardness with Magnus and Taako finds himself a little more irritable than usual, but he's brushed it off as a side effect of everything dredged up by the ghosts and the memories he's been forced to share and relive. He'll get over it eventually, and at least he has a project to throw himself into. The handful of books he brought back from the cultists hideout are full of weird and interesting magic that he wants to decipher, if only to make sure no one does that shit again.

By the fourth, he's starts to feel as though someone's watching him whenever he leaves the house, and he starts picking up the pace whenever he has something to do outside, eschewing taxis out of some misplaced worry that they aren't safe. He ends up on Garyl a lot, since he's faster on Garyl than he is on foot, and no one can mess with the illusory horse that he summoned. It makes of a bit of a curious look, this stupid wizard elf making his way through the streets on a unicorn, but it offers him a sense of safety that he's struggling to maintain, right now.

As more time passes the feelings start to get worse, enough that a visit from Cisco and way too many security cameras don’t help to alleviate the paranoia. He has a feeling it must be someone from the cult, having escaped during the fighting and coming back for the items he took, which makes him more eager to figure out the magic in them so he can know how to protect himself.

Every day, he carefully reinforces the wards around their house, stretching them out a little further each time, bolstering them with small spells that don't just block, but also harm anyone who tries to get past them. The magic around the houses shifts from protective to violent, something that's echoed in the way Taako conducts himself.

He's short and sharp with people whenever he has to interact with them, whether it's at the markets or clothes shopping or out at a bar. For a long time, he tries to push past the paranoia to maintain his usual routine, but that just gives him more places to feel snappish and irritated, and it paints a bigger target on his back for whoever's watching him. Even going out for a drink becomes a struggle; he picks a fight with someone because he's sure they were watching him and ends up getting swiftly escorted out after throwing a bunch of lightning around.

Despite everything going on, he's always immaculately put together, more so than usual, as if he can cover up how rattled he's feeling by making sure his outfit and hair are always perfect. The same can't be said for the state of his room; while he's not the tidiest person in the world, it grows worse during the month, as he eschews things like cleaning up in favour of practicing spells and still trying to decipher those fucking books.

It's gonna be a long month.]

Comments

i had to

[smokedout]

[Taako may be a little justified; someone has been watching him, although probably not who he thinks. The fact is that Dodger is still very low on things to do, and people-watching tends to keep his mind off things. When he notices Taako getting snappish, that sparks his interest, and he keeps watching him more closely.

After that barfight Dodger decides to bother him in person. He teleports nearby and turns invisible while he follows the elf. For a good five minutes Taako is alone, and then Dodger is suddenly just... there. He finds it a fun trick to play on people who are used to his teleportation.]

Who's got you glancing over your shoulder so much? You piss off Thawne or something?

[spellslots]

[He could not think of a person he'd less like to see right now; Taako jumps a little when Dodger suddenly appears, already casting shield before he even hears the question, and that makes him bark out a laugh.]

Holy fuck, would you keep up? We broke up months ago, shitnuts.

[smokedout]

If someone's worried about someone watching them, they generally pissed off a police officer. [He replies evenly.] Trust me, I keep up with your love life just fine.

[His eyes are drawn warily to the shield, though... It's been a while, but Taako's magic still rubs him the wrong way.]

Don't waste your magic. I'm here out of curiosity, that's all.

[franciscoramon]

[ When Taako had first mentioned a spa day, Cisco hadn't thought it was actually going to happen. It seemed like one of those things that people always say they should splurge in and do 'one of these days' but never actually get around to. But, evidently, he'd been underestimating Taako's hustle and his resolve, because lo and behold, here they are.

Cisco had been a little nervous about the whole thing at first, in that way that made him a little louder and brighter and more giggly than usual. Gradually, though, he had settled in; the sauna is really relaxing him in a way that nothing which came before had quite managed to do. It's just him and Taako, not any employees around to worry about acting correctly in front of, and the heat of the sauna is awesome, especially since the weather has begun to turn colder. Cisco's always been someone who preferred heat to cold.

So he is thoroughly blissed out when Taako asks if he can ask a question, which is unusual enough that Cisco opens his eyes. Uncommon, for Taako to ask permission to talk about something. It must be something important, or uncomfortable. Or it's the setup for a joke. Cisco gives a little shrug, and then, in case it got lost in the steam, answers: ]

Sure, go for it.

[spellslots]

Is it-- [In retrospect, he should've planned what question he was going to ask before he got started down this path, but he's never been great at wording things.] Are siblings usually fucked up?

[franciscoramon]

[ The question takes Cisco by surprise. He had expected it would be something serious, sure, but he had expected a question about himself. Some detail about his own life or past or thoughts perhaps. Not something in general that Taako was unsure about. There is something vulnerable in that after all - in Taako admitting he doesn't quite know what would be the norm, for siblings.

Cisco doesn't answer right away, chewing at his lower lip and nodding slowly as he thinks: ]

No. Not usually.

[ He waves a hand through the steamy air idly, considering his words before he explains: ]

It's sort of in the middle. Just based on what I've seen, it's rarely like you and Lup. Most siblings do love each other, but they're not ride or die, y'know? They don't trust each other like their closest friends. But mostly, siblings get along, and care about each other, and keep in touch. It's usually... somewhere on a spectrum from friendly to awkward and well meaning.

total random encounter

[bottombitch]

[ It's during one of those nights when Taako is escorted out of one bar, with it's dim light pooling out into the street as the door opens, Taako is pushed unceremoniously out, and then the door shuts again. The abbreviated commotion of the encounter prompts Aoba to remove his headphones and drape them around his neck. ]

...Mn?

[ He doesn't recognize him at first. He's really only seen Taako's profile, and on a tiny little screen there's very little justice done when you meet the immaculate elf in the flesh. Aoba finds himself openly staring in a hushed silence. For some reason, 'wizard' seems to conjure (hah) the mental image of some wizened figure with an untamed beard. Then again, all he knows about wizards is from video games. And, you know, Taako himself. But there he is, looking like he just walked out of a hair salon, put together despite being manhandled out of a venue. Aoba realizes perhaps a little too late that he's staring and jolts himself out of it, lifting his hand to wave as he trots a little closer. ]

Taako-san! [ It might not be the best idea for him to be closing in on him like that, certainly not just calling out for his attention, but Aoba has no idea he's even on edge. He's just excited to have had the good fortune to run into him like this. ] Good evening!

[spellslots]

[There's a whole slew of insults or potential spells on the tip of Taako's tongue, but he bites down on them when someone calls his name, curling his hands into fists as he tries to even out his breathing.

The first thing he does, before even looking at Aoba, is to tap a finger against his own shoulder so his familiar can pop into this plane; the mongoose nudges against Taako's cheek and then hops down and away, slipping back into the bar. This serves the purpose of giving Taako's eyes on the man he's sure was following him, as well as giving him a few seconds to compose himself.

When he finally gives his attention to Aoba, he grins in a way that's totally fucking fake, but, well, he's made a life built on fake]

Hail and well met, my man. [Half the reason Taako uses nicknames so freely is because it's a great excuse when he can't remember someone's name.] What's got you out so late?

[Is it late? His boyfriend is practically nocturnal and Taako himself only needs four hours of sleep so sometimes he loses track of what's normal for humans to be out and about.]

[bottombitch]

[ Aoba brightens at the unusual greeting, only familiar because he's a nerd who enjoys games and is aware of retro ones like the old bit RPGs that was uploaded into his Coil despite every measure he took to delete it. 'Hail and well met' sounds so old school.

And that suddenly makes Aoba keenly aware that he has no idea how to respond. There's an awkward few beats of silence, complete with a frozen, slightly crooked smile. But while he's at a loss for words, Taako's far smoother. Practiced, perhaps, at filling up those empty places in between sentences to make up for any lack of genuine anything. Aoba is unaware -- relieved, actually. ]

Working... I wasn't supposed to be back until tomorrow, but we ran out of material to salvage so I'm heading home.

[ Because there's nothing quite like sleeping in your own bed. His own... since when did this place become 'home' for him? That's... something he'll think about later.

It's very late. Late enough that pretty much everything open is of the after hours variety. Bars, dives, the occasional midnight cafe or 24 hour convenience store. Aoba glances at the door that had slammed shut and arrested his attention in the first place and asks: ]

...What about you? Calling it an early night or is that place just not your scene?

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki stops by as he usually does, bypassing the wards completely like they're not there. But the added security has him curious, glancing around. Taako has a healthy survival instinct, one Loki appreciates and respects. But this seems like a large expenditure in magic without any real cause. Or a cause Taako is hiding. Casually, he asks. ]

Are you expecting company?

[spellslots]

[This is a normal part of his routine, something that should be reassuring, but when he's struggling to keep up an act, it feels like another thing he can't handle.

But he's trying. Trying just involves a martini at far too early an hour for a martini.]

No. Yes. I don't fucking know.

[dothelokimotion]

[ His eyes narrow briefly before it smooths over. Something was off and Loki was perceptive enough to tread the waters carefully. ]

What is it you wish to know then?

[scholiast]

(So after their brush with the cult, Lucretia had taken to the library for answers, as is typically her wont. It had been hard to find anything (always intriguing, despite frustrating) at the surface level, and after a lot of very intensive digging she had come up with a few scraps of information. It's not a lot but it's enough to spur her into taking a trip to Taako's place to drop the information into his lap, see if they can't pick something out of it together. They haven't had a project like this in ages.

It's impossible not to notice the extra layers of wards extending out from the place. For a moment she wonders if something has happened: but she would have heard from Lup if there had been. So she lets herself in. Taako won't mind.)

Hey, (she calls, swinging her bag about to pluck a book from it, thumbing through for her place.) Taako?

[spellslots]

[There's a gently tug on the wards that lets him know Lucretia is there about a second before her voice rings out, but he uses that second to quickly shove as much of the mess in his room under his bed, before he leaves it to meet Lucretia at the hall.

He's dressed as if he's planning to go out, rather than in the college chic look he rocks when he's at home, but his disguise self spell is missing, making it a little more noticeable that he's... tired.]

Hey, bubbable, what's the skinny?

[scholiast]

(She holds up the book.) I found something about– oh, are you going out?

(She should have texted. She had thought about it, but dismissed the impulse because things have been feeling minutely less strained between them lately and she's leaning into that. It's a nostalgic thing, just turning up in Taako's space without asking first.)

Home

[umbrastaff]

Taako, what the fuck is wrong with you?

[Hello, dearest brother. Your sister has had enough.]

You've been extra dickish lately, what crawled up your ass? Is Rin shit in bed?

[In all honestly, she's worried. Really worried. Nothing had been right for a while now, and it only seemed to get worse. Taako had always been the careful guy, but now the wards were going overboard and almost fried the pizza guy.

Lup kept trying to remove some, and it only made him more paranoid. This was beyond him thinking someone was following him. They would have seen that by now.]

[spellslots]

[So, Loki destroyed one of the books and that helped for a little while, but he had another, and he has to gems he'd grabbed from the idols, and at the end of the day he's still not in a great mood. The remaining spell book is propped open on his bed, alongside a dozen of his own books, including a notebook where he's pulling apart one of the spells. When Lup interrupts, he looks up with a scowl but goes back to work a second later.]

We're not sleeping together, asshole, do you always have to be so lewd?

[There's no playfulness in his voice, the way there usually is when he's mean to Lup.

And he doesn't answer her second question. He told her that he thought someone was following him, surely that's enough explanation.]

[worldsaway]

[Thor is not so concerned about his safety, but he rarely is. He quite often leaves his better judgment at home with his ability to think ahead, so obviously he doesn't see how this could go poorly.

More often than not, he faces enemies without imagining a negative outcome. He feels it greatly increases his chances of winning when he pretends he knows he's some sort of unstoppable force.

Naturally, he looks perfectly calm when Taako asks him his question. He responds by flipping his hammer in his hand, raising a brow when he does.]

On the count of three, or shall I give you the first move?

[spellslots]

[Here's the thing: Taako doesn't believe in such thing as a fair fight, it's something made up by people who have power, to keep the status quo. So as soon as Thor indicates that he's ready to go, Taako grins.

And casts Evaard's black tentacles.

In a twenty foot circle around Thor, thick black tentacles appear out of the ground, each of them ten feet long, and they immediately try to grab and crush Thor.

Taako has no doubt that Thor will be able to fight them off but like - it's funny? So he's doing it.]

Try not to have too much fun in there, pumpkin!

[almightiness]

[This is a rather random encounter, but that's sort of what Toshinori's life is, as a hero -- random encounters. And when Taako starts a bit of a scuffle in the bar and is subsequently thrown out, this fellow here had been at the bar himself; not drinking, really, but getting a feel for the area and the people here and ordering something non-alcoholic. He doesn't interrupt, because he's not in good enough health to even consider it at the moment -- but he does take notice.

And when Taako's ushered out, he jogs out after him, coughing a bit into his hand. Hopefully his 7 feet of height isn't intimidating; usually the fact that he looks like a stiff breeze could knock him sideways makes him look a bit less menacing.

... Except when people mistake him for a zombie or skeleton man.

Then it's just awkward.]

Excuse me! Young man!

You've dropped some of your money in the scuffle.

[He's not usually chill with people who cause a ruckus, but, well.

He seems troubled.]

[spellslots]

[Holy fucking Istus that's a lot of dude.

Taako doesn't flinch when he casts a glance sideways at that cough and spots Toshinori, but he does sort of - need a second to just glance up and just make sure he isn't drunk or something. Magnus is tall, Loki is tall, but none of them are seven fucking height high.

On the plus side, it's very distracting, enough that it stops him from immediately snapping. By the time he's remember how words work he's a bit more chill.]

Keep it, I don't give a shit. [More chill, not totally chill.] And I'm probably older than you, F-Y-I.

[He doesn't know why that matters, but suddenly it does.]

loki

[spellslots]

[It's been twenty four hours since Lup destroyed the items and while Taako spent a lot of that asleep, he also spent a considerable amount of time staring at his phone, finger hovering over the call button, or typing, deleting, and retyping text messages.

None of it felt right, so in the end he hauled himself out of bed, into a shower, and into a cab to Loki's apartment. He's dressed down today, jeans, a sweater, his hair piled up into a bun, though he still has his glamor on.

He was going to bring something, but it felt... silly, so he's empty handed as he knocks on Loki's door.]

[dothelokimotion]

[ His own wards inform him of who is behind his door. He tenses. Loki knows his sister is not far and she is sworn to protect him from all harm. But he knows Taako would not harm him, regardless of what has come to pass. No, this will be worse. Though Thor had expected Loki's presence for the hunting trip, Loki knew it had come to an end.

( loki lied and thought it was better, he doesn't understand why this wasn't better, shouldn't thor prefer a dead saner brother over a darker, living one? but loki knew it was going to end, because that's how things are, they end and he's left in the same place he was before, what was the point — )

He swallows. He didn't want to answer the door. He didn't want to look Taako in the eye and be told, it's over, you fucked it up, what were you thinking, you really thought you were helping, that you could help anyone when you can barely help yourself? He didn't want to believe that and Loki is nothing if not a master of delusion. Rising unsteadily, he goes to open the door, removing all expression from his face. ]

[ possible ragnarok spoilers ]

[dothelokimotion]

[ After going over some plans with Thor (and an oddly tense conversation with Steve), Loki finally texted Taako to meet up at the coffee shop. Dressed casually, he slouches in his seat, watching people aimlessly drift by. ]

[spellslots]

[Between Thor's announcement and Bryn's warning, Taako has a fairly decent idea of what went down, which is why he doesn't have any plans to ask Loki for the details. He's just here to be a friend. It's why he claims his seat with a casual ease, coffee already in his hands, and lightly nudges Loki's ankle with his own.]

How long was it for you? Pretty sure Lucretia's got the record for the longest time in a canister, at least in our lot.