[Rin has been gone for about three weeks, Kravitz has been gone for about three days and both of them are difficult in their own ways. Taako knows that he'll likely never see Rin again but at least he can hope that he finds happiness wherever he is. But the version of Kravitz he spent a bare handful of hours with is gone forever because he was never real in the first place and that's.... difficult.
(Bryn is gone, too, and that's one more thing he's trying to deal with).
Moping around the house is all well and good except for how it isn't, all it does is make him feel shittier, but he equally doesn't want to spend time with people he knows because he doesn't want to deal with all the questions. Strangers are safer, strangers are easy, and there's a particular kind of catharsis in finding a very loud club where he can get drunk and dance until he forgets, at least for a little while.
It's an alright kind of night, at least until he's walking home past some slightly-less-bouncy bar than the one he was just in and some dude comes at him with a knife and a demand to hand over his wallet.
Taako laughs, a startled sort of thing and waves a hand like nah thanks, which really doesn't help matters. The guy steps closer and Taako's self-preservation kicks in over the alcohol, so he tosses a scorching ray in the general direction of his new least favorite person. It misses, of course, sending a nearby trash cane up in flames and it's lucky it was only a cantrip, considering booze and magic aren't a good mix.]
[ Karen is much in the same position in forcing herself to go out into the city. Can't just stay in her apartment and go to work and vice versa. Meeting Diana helped in easing some of the pain she's been experiencing but it wasn't a complete balm (she doubted there was one for something like this). So, when she does go out, it's to the bars.
Her feet are finding their way to one when she hears a commotion around the corner (literally). She goes to look and her jaw goes a little slack. ]
What the hell --
[ But when she can recognize one of the figures near the fire - more by the hair than the outfit - she runs over, ]
[There's an annoyed who the fuck are you? from the dude with a knife, as Taako sort of laughs again, because yeah okay this is maybe bad but isn't it weird that Karen is here? That's weird.]
Karen, what's up! You probably should not be here, I think this chucklefuck is serious about the mugging schtick.
[He makes a shoo gesture at her even as he takes a couple steps back from Knife. Despite the casual attitude, he's ready to try another scorching ray if it's necessary.]
[Sending is a third level spell, something that he could probably do with a text message but that would require movement and he hasn't worked his way up to that, yet. Kravitz disappeared like fucking sand between his fingers after barely twenty four hours of showing up in this place and Taako's, well...
Let's just say it fucking sucks.]
Come to the spare room.
[He doesn't think he needs to offer an explanation just yet. Lup will find him, she always does.]
There's a crackling sound as she teleports right into the spare room as soon as she hears her brother's voice, leaving everything she was doing behind without a second thought.
Lup gives him a concerned look and goes to join Taako, reaching out to push his hair away from his face so she could lean her forehead against his. ]
[It was a stupid fear, but a small corner of his mind had worried that maybe Lup was fake too, that no one here was real except for him. Having her right beside him eases that fear. He'd know, he'd be able to tell. ]
He was-- [Taako's voice cracks and he realizes there's no way he can get through this explanation. Instead, he uses mage hand to grab his phone, pressing it into Lup's hand. She knows his passcode and the article he showed Kravitz is still open, a piece about the holograms in the Quarantine.] He's gone.
[ She's not fake... aside from the fakeness of her body. She's warm and soft and right there, and fuck every world in the multiverse for hurting her brother yet again.
Lup takes his phone, glancing at Taako as she puts in his pin and finds the article. She frowns, something that becomes frustration and sadness pretty quickly. Her heart breaks as she hears Taako say those words, and she's back to hold him at once.
Honestly, she doesn't even know what to say. If Krav had been a hologram... Taako just kept losing and losing and it's not fair to him.
He keeps looking tired and sad every day and she can't just punch something to make it better. ]
I'm fucking killing who ever was responsible for this.
[Once Lup's full attention is back on Taako, he wriggles until his head is tucked under her jaw, effectively kind of just hiding against her.]
I'll help.
[It's short and clipped because he doesn't trust himself to handle more than a few words at a time without bursting into tears again. He never really cried about Rin leaving, maybe it's all catching up to him now.]
He was-- fuck, Lulu. He was so scared.
[Which makes it clear that Kravitz knew, that he didn't just disappear leaving Taako to solve the mystery, though that might've already been obvious from the lack of panic.]
[ She's more than happy to just let him hide there, hands coming to soothingly run through his hair in a comforting way. Close like this, it felt to her as if their hearts aligned, beats matching up. If she stayed calm and focused, maybe it would mirror on him as well.
Anything to make him feel less lost and abandoned. After Rin... fuck, everything was so complicated in this place.
Hearing that Kravitz had been scared makes her frown, though, and Lup glances at the top of her brother's head. ]
Shit. [ She says softly, fingers itching to grab a wand and fix this ] I'm really tired of this place, Koko. I love some of the people here, but enough is enough. It can't fucking do this to us all the time.
[It helps; Taako matches his breathing to Lup's without even thinking about it, just falling into a rhythm that's as familiar as his own heartbeat.]
I thought-- I dunno.
[Seeing Kravitz here had been troubling because it forced Taako to confront some shit that he'd been trying to ignore, but... it had helped to talk about it. Now he feels like he's back at square one.]
Can we go home?
[It's a cruel question to ask when Lup can give that to him.]
[...and fuck, it is painful to hear such a pleading question because while Lup would do anything to make that happen for him... she can't.
She closes her eyes at that thought, letting his presence try to dial her frustration down. It was a good thing, being this close. Handling each others weaknesses.]
Maybe I can talk to the people in charge. Make them fix our portal thing quicker.
[Her grip tightens slightly around him.]
I'm not going anywhere, Taako. I am never fucking leaving you again, and I'd rather set this entire shit world on fire than to let this bullshit keep fucking you over. Never again.
Having had the introductory spiel and asked his fill of questions, none of which were answered particularly to his satisfaction, Kravitz's initial confusion has faded a little to be replaced with a vague irritated frustration. There's a lot to take in, a lot of things that don't seem to make sense - and apparently no expedient way to return home. Or to Faerun in general. Because of course things couldn't just be that simple.
The first thing he does, thrust out upon this new world, is to examine the communication device they gave him. It's unfamiliar, but not too difficult to work out, and it's such a forlorn stab in the dark to find himself looking through a list of inhabitants that he doesn't even allow himself to admit that he's looking for a particular name until - there it is, in black and white. And he's honestly genuinely amazed. So amazed that he almost hesitates to press the call button.
[It is, in all honesty, a nice morning. Enough that Taako isn't too bothered by the fact he's only just on his way home after a very long night out. The air is crisp, he has a coffee, and thanks to the fact he went easy on the alcohol in favor of the powder dusting his skin, he's not hungover.
It means he's tired but clearheaded as his phone rings, and he knows exactly who it is when the username 'Reaper' pops up on screen. There's a brief temptation to not answer, to avoid reopening this particular wound, but that would be unconscionably cruel to someone he cares about. Not to mention it's hardly a ruse he can pull off for long, the city is too small for that sort of thing.
[ The thought was just crossing his mind that perhaps he shouldn't trust all of this quite so easily, that for all the so-called welcoming committee had seemed sincere, perhaps there was some bigger deception afoot.
But no, that's... that's definitely Taako. It's so normal and welcome out of nowhere, like a sunbeam cutting through a dimly lit room, that Kravitz exhales a breath of incredulous laughter. It's not a secret that he's always heartened just by hearing Taako's voice, and even just those four words serve to make this entire situation a little easier to bear. ]
Hello, love.
[ He looks up and around as he speaks, wandering if only because standing still feels strange. It's definitely a nice morning. But morning it is, when it was definitely late afternoon, the last thing he knew. ]
I suppose I shouldn't be surprised you're already here. I take it you haven't found a way back yet, then?
[ Because of course he assumes that this must have happened to them at roughly similar times. He would have known, otherwise. And he's always known Taako to wriggle out of the most insane situations - so perhaps this won't be quite such a huge obstacle as it seems. ]
[That's... still strange to hear, both the particular term of endearment and the relief and affection that's obvious in Kravitz's voice. Taako has to hold the phone away from his face for a second so he can take a deep breath, trying to steady himself.
This sucks. But he can do it.]
I mean, there's definitely a way back it just uh, it's just totally random. [He doesn't say how long he's been here, that's a bit of a bombshell to drop on someone via phone.] Hey, can you still do your scythe thing? It's totally cool if not, I'll call you a taxi and we can do it that way, but I won't leave ya wandering around.
[And they need to talk, as much as Taako's sort of dreading it. Coffee was a good decision.]
[ Ah yes, the 'scythe thing'. They'd seemed very apologetic about the fact that that isn't going to work properly here - offered the fact that it should still work within the plane as sort of a consolation. Offering something that there should never have been a question of losing doesn't really make up for anything, but he hadn't had the heart to be too angry when they'd looked so genuinely sorry. ]
No, I should be able to come to you.
[ Automatically, he checks his watch, only to find that it's stopped. Of course. He gives it a flat look as if it did that on purpose. ]
Should I meet you somewhere? I can't say that I've seen much of this place yet.
[There's a moment of silence while Taako sends a text to Kravitz, featuring the address of Casa Del Taako.]
If you click on that it'll pull up a map for you and I'm like five minutes away so we'll catch up there? The wards won't let you in, sorry bubbale, so I'll have to fix that, shouldn't be much of a drama though.
[It's easy enough to add an exception.
He doesn't really think about how domestic this all sounds, the implication of how easily he talks about this place and it's technology, as if he's settled.]
[ There's... a lot, in those few sentences. Taako's ease in using these things, the casual way he talks about it - and, what, wards? On what? Why? ]
Alright...
[ He obviously has questions - but supposes those can wait until they're face to face. ]
I'll see you in a minute, then.
[ Navigating the way these communication devices work isn't too difficult - it mostly seems based on being presented with options and touching your choice. He's seen magic do things like this, though it's impressive in such a small item. With the map located, he finds quickly that his portals within the plane really do still work, and steps smartly through one to find... not something he would have imagined would be attached to the idea of being warded. Though perhaps that's the idea?
Allowing his scythe to dissipate into a puff of black smoke that curls and disappears into the air, Kravitz tries to hold his speculation at bay when there's so little he actually understands as yet, and resigns himself to wait. ]
[It's been a handful of days since Kravitz showed up, enough that some of Taako's anxiety has eased thought not so long that it's quite comfortable just yet. Honestly, he isn't sure how long it's going to take until comfortable happens, but he figures it's okay to take that one day at a time, the same way they're taking everything else.
He's in the kitchen working on an order as Kravitz reads at the table when someone knocks at the door and he doesn't want to leave the mousse unattended.]
Can you get that for me, my man? If it's girl scouts I want thin mints.
[ Cisco's anxiety, meanwhile, has only been steadily increasing over that same period of time. Which is ridiculous, and he knows it. He hadn't been half this nervous, when he was starting to get to know Rin. But somehow, this just feels different. Maybe it's because Cisco knows that the situation between them is already so complicated. Maybe it's because Kravitz is someone from Taako's home, who he is almost certainly going to have a future with. Maybe it's because he's the grim reaper. Who knows.
In any case, by the time he actually decides to drop by and meet the dude, Cisco's a bundle of nervous energy and doing his best (i.e. not very well) to hide it. He knocks on the door and then waits, his housewarming gift for Kravtiz clutched awkwardly against his chest. He knows better than to bring a food-based gift to Casa del Taako (and also he's not really sure if Kravitz needs to eat???), so he's opted for something he can use to brighten his room a bit - a little vase with some cute succulents. Maybe bringing a gift was overdoing it, but it had felt weird to show up empty-handed.
He does his best, as he's waiting for the door to open, not to imagine all the many and various ways in which he could horribly embarrass himself or make a bad first impression... ]
[ Of course, it's all been a little bit different for Kravitz - a veritable maelstrom of activity that felt like several weeks packed into the space of one day, only for everything to rapidly calm back into whatever this new normalcy is in time for the next. There's definitely an element of emotional whiplash to the whole thing. Still, there's little to do other than just take things as they come, but he at least thinks he's doing fairly well at that. This may take some time, and none of them can know how long - so with quickly accepting that this might be it for the foreseeable future... it's actually already beginning to feel a little less foreign.
The page in his book marked (with an actual made-for-purpose bookmark instead of dog-earing the page, because he's not an animal), he dutifully goes to the door, appearing in it looking much more casual than he might have otherwise. Which for him still means wearing a button-up, but he's at least done away with the tie? ]
Ah - hello.
[ Well, it's certainly not a girl scout. He smiles, and it's polite and all, but there's definitely an air to it of you're going to have to help me out here, because I have no idea who you are. ]
[ Cisco had come here for the express purpose of meeting Kravitz, but somehow it hadn't occurred to him that he might be the one to answer the door. He hadn't been entirely ready; he'd thought he would have a few more seconds to decide what to say, would have one of the twins or Magnus there to welcome him with a oh, hey, Cisco, come on in and then make the introductions for them.
So he just blinks up at Kravitz a few times, before he attempts to say hello like a normal human being who isn't a total disaster: ]
Oh! Uh- sup? It's... hi! I'm Taako's friend, Cisco, I thought... is he not here?
[ Nailed it.
Cisco peers around Kravitz, just enough to catch a glimpse of Taako in the kitchen, which is some relief. He's there to verify who Cisco is, at least. Still, his heart is racing much too fast. He really, really doesn't want to make a bad impression, and Kravitz is very tall and looks very sophisticated and formal, to Cisco's eyes. ]
I actually um, came here to meet you, 'cause Taako's told me so much about you and- this is for you.
[ He holds out the vase, smiling his way through the awkwardness. Could've been worse? ]
[ The name clearly rings a bell, because Kravitz brightens visibly - but he doesn't get to actually saying anything before he's suddenly accepting an unexpected gift. Unexpected isn't to say it's at all unwelcome, though. He chuckles, genuinely pleased, and as he steps back to allow Cisco inside he gives the vase and its contents a quick once-over.
What a charming little thing. It's been a very long time since he's had to take care of something that's actually alive, and not able to just... take care of itself. Hopefully it isn't something too difficult to do. ]
Oh, well thank you, I appreciate that.
[ He offers a hand to shake, every bit as anxious to make a good impression, especially to someone who's apparently heard so much about him from Taako. ]
Kravitz. It's nice to finally meet you.
[ Not that it's really been long, but it's good to be able to put a face to the name. ]
[ Well, thank goodness, Kravitz at least seems to have heard his name before. If Kravitz had been skeptical, or asked more questions, Cisco might have abandoned ship, postponed this whole thing for some other time when Taako is less busy. But thankfully, that's not necessary. Cisco steps inside and closes the door after him, hands coming to clasp together behind his back. His body language is transparently nervous, but he's smiling and doing his best to seem chill, and friendly. ]
They're a "welcome to the quarantine, even though you got no say in coming here, and this is all probably still pretty freaky and disorienting and not great" gift.
[ Unless it isn't all that disorienting? Kravitz has probably seen and been through way worse, working for the goddess of death. Maybe Cisco's just making assumptions. He laughs faintly, turning to look at Taako, busy in the kitchen with his mousse. As if on cue, Taako waves a hand in greeting, but doesn't swoop in to save either of them from this situation. ]
Yeah, it's super great to meet you too. I've heard a lot of good-
[ He never gets to things, because the moment he shakes Kravitz's hand, things go wrong. Cisco recognizes that lurch in his guts immediately, but by the time he does, it's too late. His vision of the warm, sunny living room, of Kravitz, the sounds and smells of Taako's baking, all flicker out.
From the outside, Cisco merely stops. He goes still, his hand grasping Kravitz's loosely, expression unblinking and vacant. He won't move, or respond to any stimuli while in this state.
In Cisco's mind, however, he's witnessing something rather horrifying. He's never seen the astral plane, before, so he has no context for what he's seeing and what it should look like. All he knows is there's fear, intense and suffocating, as he looks down at the choppy, unnaturally inky water. There are columns of darkness coming down from the sky, and that he recognizes. The Hunger. But why is he seeing this? Could it be the future? Or-
Then he spots something moving in the water, sees a head breaking above the turbulent surface, gasping for air, flailing to try to stay afloat. Even in the darkness, Cisco recognizes Kravitz's face - he'd just been looking at it, after all. Cisco looks around, but there is no one here to help, as Kravitz struggles and flounders. His own breaths become thin and a touch panicky, horrified at what he's seeing. ]
[ The abrupt shift obviously can't fail to catch Kravitz's attention, and he pauses for a moment too, unsure. There's a beat of tense silence before he realizes that Cisco isn't snapping out of this fast enough for it to be considered anything like normal - unless it is normal for here, which... is possible. Though surely somebody would have mentioned that by now... ]
Are you..?
[ He means to end the sentence with okay, though realizes halfway through that that's a stupid question, not least because Cisco doesn't appear to hear him. In fact he doesn't seem aware of Kravitz's presence at all anymore. Or anything else, for that matter.
The reaper looks stupidly at his hand for a second, as if checking it for some reason why touching him might have done this - but of course there's nothing there that wasn't before. As seconds tick by, no less silent and increasingly disquieting, Kravitz glances over his shoulder back in toward the kitchen, by now making a concerted effort not to panic. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
karen
(Bryn is gone, too, and that's one more thing he's trying to deal with).
Moping around the house is all well and good except for how it isn't, all it does is make him feel shittier, but he equally doesn't want to spend time with people he knows because he doesn't want to deal with all the questions. Strangers are safer, strangers are easy, and there's a particular kind of catharsis in finding a very loud club where he can get drunk and dance until he forgets, at least for a little while.
It's an alright kind of night, at least until he's walking home past some slightly-less-bouncy bar than the one he was just in and some dude comes at him with a knife and a demand to hand over his wallet.
Taako laughs, a startled sort of thing and waves a hand like nah thanks, which really doesn't help matters. The guy steps closer and Taako's self-preservation kicks in over the alcohol, so he tosses a scorching ray in the general direction of his new least favorite person. It misses, of course, sending a nearby trash cane up in flames and it's lucky it was only a cantrip, considering booze and magic aren't a good mix.]
Well, fuck.
[This is about to get not fun.]
no subject
Her feet are finding their way to one when she hears a commotion around the corner (literally). She goes to look and her jaw goes a little slack. ]
What the hell --
[ But when she can recognize one of the figures near the fire - more by the hair than the outfit - she runs over, ]
Taako?!
no subject
Karen, what's up! You probably should not be here, I think this chucklefuck is serious about the mugging schtick.
[He makes a shoo gesture at her even as he takes a couple steps back from Knife. Despite the casual attitude, he's ready to try another scorching ray if it's necessary.]
lulu
Let's just say it fucking sucks.]
Come to the spare room.
[He doesn't think he needs to offer an explanation just yet. Lup will find him, she always does.]
no subject
There's a crackling sound as she teleports right into the spare room as soon as she hears her brother's voice, leaving everything she was doing behind without a second thought.
Lup gives him a concerned look and goes to join Taako, reaching out to push his hair away from his face so she could lean her forehead against his. ]
Hey. I'm here.
no subject
]
He was-- [Taako's voice cracks and he realizes there's no way he can get through this explanation. Instead, he uses mage hand to grab his phone, pressing it into Lup's hand. She knows his passcode and the article he showed Kravitz is still open, a piece about the holograms in the Quarantine.] He's gone.
no subject
Lup takes his phone, glancing at Taako as she puts in his pin and finds the article. She frowns, something that becomes frustration and sadness pretty quickly. Her heart breaks as she hears Taako say those words, and she's back to hold him at once.
Honestly, she doesn't even know what to say. If Krav had been a hologram... Taako just kept losing and losing and it's not fair to him.
He keeps looking tired and sad every day and she can't just punch something to make it better. ]
I'm fucking killing who ever was responsible for this.
no subject
I'll help.
[It's short and clipped because he doesn't trust himself to handle more than a few words at a time without bursting into tears again. He never really cried about Rin leaving, maybe it's all catching up to him now.]
He was-- fuck, Lulu. He was so scared.
[Which makes it clear that Kravitz knew, that he didn't just disappear leaving Taako to solve the mystery, though that might've already been obvious from the lack of panic.]
no subject
Anything to make him feel less lost and abandoned. After Rin... fuck, everything was so complicated in this place.
Hearing that Kravitz had been scared makes her frown, though, and Lup glances at the top of her brother's head. ]
Shit. [ She says softly, fingers itching to grab a wand and fix this ] I'm really tired of this place, Koko. I love some of the people here, but enough is enough. It can't fucking do this to us all the time.
[ They had suffered enough already. Taako had. ]
no subject
I thought-- I dunno.
[Seeing Kravitz here had been troubling because it forced Taako to confront some shit that he'd been trying to ignore, but... it had helped to talk about it. Now he feels like he's back at square one.]
Can we go home?
[It's a cruel question to ask when Lup can give that to him.]
no subject
She closes her eyes at that thought, letting his presence try to dial her frustration down. It was a good thing, being this close. Handling each others weaknesses.]
Maybe I can talk to the people in charge. Make them fix our portal thing quicker.
[Her grip tightens slightly around him.]
I'm not going anywhere, Taako. I am never fucking leaving you again, and I'd rather set this entire shit world on fire than to let this bullshit keep fucking you over. Never again.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
no subject
Having had the introductory spiel and asked his fill of questions, none of which were answered particularly to his satisfaction, Kravitz's initial confusion has faded a little to be replaced with a vague irritated frustration. There's a lot to take in, a lot of things that don't seem to make sense - and apparently no expedient way to return home. Or to Faerun in general. Because of course things couldn't just be that simple.
The first thing he does, thrust out upon this new world, is to examine the communication device they gave him. It's unfamiliar, but not too difficult to work out, and it's such a forlorn stab in the dark to find himself looking through a list of inhabitants that he doesn't even allow himself to admit that he's looking for a particular name until - there it is, in black and white. And he's honestly genuinely amazed. So amazed that he almost hesitates to press the call button.
Almost hesitates. ]
no subject
It means he's tired but clearheaded as his phone rings, and he knows exactly who it is when the username 'Reaper' pops up on screen. There's a brief temptation to not answer, to avoid reopening this particular wound, but that would be unconscionably cruel to someone he cares about. Not to mention it's hardly a ruse he can pull off for long, the city is too small for that sort of thing.
So he picks up.]
What's up, bone daddy?
[Nailed it.]
no subject
But no, that's... that's definitely Taako. It's so normal and welcome out of nowhere, like a sunbeam cutting through a dimly lit room, that Kravitz exhales a breath of incredulous laughter. It's not a secret that he's always heartened just by hearing Taako's voice, and even just those four words serve to make this entire situation a little easier to bear. ]
Hello, love.
[ He looks up and around as he speaks, wandering if only because standing still feels strange. It's definitely a nice morning. But morning it is, when it was definitely late afternoon, the last thing he knew. ]
I suppose I shouldn't be surprised you're already here. I take it you haven't found a way back yet, then?
[ Because of course he assumes that this must have happened to them at roughly similar times. He would have known, otherwise. And he's always known Taako to wriggle out of the most insane situations - so perhaps this won't be quite such a huge obstacle as it seems. ]
no subject
This sucks. But he can do it.]
I mean, there's definitely a way back it just uh, it's just totally random. [He doesn't say how long he's been here, that's a bit of a bombshell to drop on someone via phone.] Hey, can you still do your scythe thing? It's totally cool if not, I'll call you a taxi and we can do it that way, but I won't leave ya wandering around.
[And they need to talk, as much as Taako's sort of dreading it. Coffee was a good decision.]
no subject
No, I should be able to come to you.
[ Automatically, he checks his watch, only to find that it's stopped. Of course. He gives it a flat look as if it did that on purpose. ]
Should I meet you somewhere? I can't say that I've seen much of this place yet.
no subject
[There's a moment of silence while Taako sends a text to Kravitz, featuring the address of Casa Del Taako.]
If you click on that it'll pull up a map for you and I'm like five minutes away so we'll catch up there? The wards won't let you in, sorry bubbale, so I'll have to fix that, shouldn't be much of a drama though.
[It's easy enough to add an exception.
He doesn't really think about how domestic this all sounds, the implication of how easily he talks about this place and it's technology, as if he's settled.]
no subject
Alright...
[ He obviously has questions - but supposes those can wait until they're face to face. ]
I'll see you in a minute, then.
[ Navigating the way these communication devices work isn't too difficult - it mostly seems based on being presented with options and touching your choice. He's seen magic do things like this, though it's impressive in such a small item. With the map located, he finds quickly that his portals within the plane really do still work, and steps smartly through one to find... not something he would have imagined would be attached to the idea of being warded. Though perhaps that's the idea?
Allowing his scythe to dissipate into a puff of black smoke that curls and disappears into the air, Kravitz tries to hold his speculation at bay when there's so little he actually understands as yet, and resigns himself to wait. ]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
kravitz & cisco
He's in the kitchen working on an order as Kravitz reads at the table when someone knocks at the door and he doesn't want to leave the mousse unattended.]
Can you get that for me, my man? If it's girl scouts I want thin mints.
no subject
In any case, by the time he actually decides to drop by and meet the dude, Cisco's a bundle of nervous energy and doing his best (i.e. not very well) to hide it. He knocks on the door and then waits, his housewarming gift for Kravtiz clutched awkwardly against his chest. He knows better than to bring a food-based gift to Casa del Taako (and also he's not really sure if Kravitz needs to eat???), so he's opted for something he can use to brighten his room a bit - a little vase with some cute succulents. Maybe bringing a gift was overdoing it, but it had felt weird to show up empty-handed.
He does his best, as he's waiting for the door to open, not to imagine all the many and various ways in which he could horribly embarrass himself or make a bad first impression... ]
no subject
The page in his book marked (with an actual made-for-purpose bookmark instead of dog-earing the page, because he's not an animal), he dutifully goes to the door, appearing in it looking much more casual than he might have otherwise. Which for him still means wearing a button-up, but he's at least done away with the tie? ]
Ah - hello.
[ Well, it's certainly not a girl scout. He smiles, and it's polite and all, but there's definitely an air to it of you're going to have to help me out here, because I have no idea who you are. ]
no subject
So he just blinks up at Kravitz a few times, before he attempts to say hello like a normal human being who isn't a total disaster: ]
Oh! Uh- sup? It's... hi! I'm Taako's friend, Cisco, I thought... is he not here?
[ Nailed it.
Cisco peers around Kravitz, just enough to catch a glimpse of Taako in the kitchen, which is some relief. He's there to verify who Cisco is, at least. Still, his heart is racing much too fast. He really, really doesn't want to make a bad impression, and Kravitz is very tall and looks very sophisticated and formal, to Cisco's eyes. ]
I actually um, came here to meet you, 'cause Taako's told me so much about you and- this is for you.
[ He holds out the vase, smiling his way through the awkwardness. Could've been worse? ]
no subject
What a charming little thing. It's been a very long time since he's had to take care of something that's actually alive, and not able to just... take care of itself. Hopefully it isn't something too difficult to do. ]
Oh, well thank you, I appreciate that.
[ He offers a hand to shake, every bit as anxious to make a good impression, especially to someone who's apparently heard so much about him from Taako. ]
Kravitz. It's nice to finally meet you.
[ Not that it's really been long, but it's good to be able to put a face to the name. ]
no subject
They're a "welcome to the quarantine, even though you got no say in coming here, and this is all probably still pretty freaky and disorienting and not great" gift.
[ Unless it isn't all that disorienting? Kravitz has probably seen and been through way worse, working for the goddess of death. Maybe Cisco's just making assumptions. He laughs faintly, turning to look at Taako, busy in the kitchen with his mousse. As if on cue, Taako waves a hand in greeting, but doesn't swoop in to save either of them from this situation. ]
Yeah, it's super great to meet you too. I've heard a lot of good-
[ He never gets to things, because the moment he shakes Kravitz's hand, things go wrong. Cisco recognizes that lurch in his guts immediately, but by the time he does, it's too late. His vision of the warm, sunny living room, of Kravitz, the sounds and smells of Taako's baking, all flicker out.
From the outside, Cisco merely stops. He goes still, his hand grasping Kravitz's loosely, expression unblinking and vacant. He won't move, or respond to any stimuli while in this state.
In Cisco's mind, however, he's witnessing something rather horrifying. He's never seen the astral plane, before, so he has no context for what he's seeing and what it should look like. All he knows is there's fear, intense and suffocating, as he looks down at the choppy, unnaturally inky water. There are columns of darkness coming down from the sky, and that he recognizes. The Hunger. But why is he seeing this? Could it be the future? Or-
Then he spots something moving in the water, sees a head breaking above the turbulent surface, gasping for air, flailing to try to stay afloat. Even in the darkness, Cisco recognizes Kravitz's face - he'd just been looking at it, after all. Cisco looks around, but there is no one here to help, as Kravitz struggles and flounders. His own breaths become thin and a touch panicky, horrified at what he's seeing. ]
no subject
Are you..?
[ He means to end the sentence with okay, though realizes halfway through that that's a stupid question, not least because Cisco doesn't appear to hear him. In fact he doesn't seem aware of Kravitz's presence at all anymore. Or anything else, for that matter.
The reaper looks stupidly at his hand for a second, as if checking it for some reason why touching him might have done this - but of course there's nothing there that wasn't before. As seconds tick by, no less silent and increasingly disquieting, Kravitz glances over his shoulder back in toward the kitchen, by now making a concerted effort not to panic. ]
Uh - Taako..?
[ Gods, why are mortals so fragile... ]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)