[open] we tried to bury it and rise above

[spellslots]

who: taako/taaquito and you
what: catch-all + an open prompt for AU shenanigans
when: latter half of June
where: all around!!
warnings: violence/threats of sexual violence in the thread with smokedout

Comments

and taako's been in none? ooc tbh

[spellslots]

[Something has been off all day, beyond his frustration at the situation with Lucretia, beyond his concern for Eddie, but Taako hasn't been paying attention to what the perimeter guard is up to, so he has no reason to suspect a bunch of chemicals are putting him on edge.

All he knows is that Dodger appearing beside him is enough to startle a little gasp out of him, that he quickly covers by shooting Dodger a withering look.]

Fan-fucking-tactic. What do you want, asshole?

[smokedout]

[His eyes narrow at that response. Yeah, the guy's definitely more snappy than usual... but he figures something must be going wrong in his personal life. Just some weak point that Dodger might be able to figure out and exploit it.]

Do I need a reason? Just wanted to greet my favorite genderbending elf.

[He reaches over to flick the edge of Taako's hat, and he leans a little too close for comfort... and then a little bit closer, really getting all up in the elf's personal space.]

Where's your pet cop, you finally get bored of him?

[spellslots]

[His shoulders go tense, but he very purposefully doesn't lean away, not wanting to give Dodger the satisfaction of a reaction. The words strike a nerve - not the gender shit, he doesn't give a fuck - but asking after Eddie is a stupid move, even if Taako won't say why.

He isn't about to admit that Eddie is weaker than normal right now, that's something Dodger could exploit.]

Listen, I'm sure you have like, zero experience in a functional relationship. [Look who's talking] But we aren't joined at the hip, I can do my own shit.

[smokedout]

[Something tightens for a brief second in Dodger's lazy smirk - his last functional relationship ended in him waking up in a burning building, so he can't argue against that. But boy does it strike a nerve. A second later, though, he's back to his unphased facade.]

Funny, I'd figure you'd want him keeping an eye on you. There's dangerous men around who might want to take advantage of someone walking around on their own.

[As if it needs to be said what men he's referring to. Eddie's got a lot of power over him, but if the man's still with Taako and something happens to him... well, that might just tip things in his favor.]

[spellslots]

[He notices it, and that petty part of him wants to dig into it, to find out what makes Dodger tick, but that would mean admitting that Dodger's got under his own skin, in a way.

Instead, he just responds to what's said.]

There are? Cause I haven't seen any.

[He couldn't sound more bored if he tried, and it's not that he missed Dodger's implication, it's that he wants to make the man feel like he's not even remotely considered a threat.

In part, because he isn't. Dodger unsettles Taako, but he doesn't scare him.]

[smokedout]

Sure... they're all around. And they get pretty handsy if you keep your eyes off them for too long.

[There's a building behind them, but Taako isn't backing up so it seems Dodger doesn't even have to corner him. He keeps shifting closer, reaching out to slide his fingers just barely under the hem of Taako's shirt.]

It'd be a shame if something happened to you out here, huh. Wonder how long it'd take Eddie to notice.

[spellslots]

[Now he steps away, though he has enough spatial awareness to go sideways instead of backwards; he's not particularly worried about getting cornered, since, wizard, but he's pretty sure Dodger would get off on it, so he's not giving him the satisfaction.]

Yuck.

[It's a very mild response for what Dodger is implying.]

You know I could like, kick your ass, right? Did you miss that bit?

[smokedout]

[Smarter than some of the people he's dealt with, Dodger will give him that. He lets him go, instead disappearing in another flash of sparks and reappearing behind Taako. Running his fingers through the elf's hair near his face.]

Pretty bold claim, seeing as you don't know what I'm capable of. [Nothing seems to shake that lazy, half-lidded smirk of his.] Let's see you try it, sugartits.

[spellslots]

[Between the hand in his hair (super yuck) and the challenge, Taako doesn't even hesitate to cast fire shield, wreathing his body in red flame as he turns around, wanting to keep Dodger in his field of view.

If Dodger touches him again, it's going to hurt.]

Hate to break it to you, but being able to teleport isn't that special.

[smokedout]

[Dodger moves back his hand when he sees the shield, but... those are unmistakably flames coating him, and that makes a spark of amusement pass through Dodger's expression.]

Seriously?

[This time his reach isn't even a sexual threat. He just moves to pinch Taako's cheek, no sign of any pain showing as he does so. It does ache a bit, but...
Dodger's never been bothered enough by fire to keep away from it.]

Hate to break it to you, but if fire's all you got it's not gonna help you.

[Although that does mean that his own fire powers are unlikely to make it through that shield... still, Dodger's got more tricks up his sleeve than that.]

[spellslots]

[Well.

Shit.

He knew about the teleportation, and he'd been working on the assumption that Dodger was a metahuman like Cisco, someone with a single power that might be able to be used various ways, but not... whatever the fuck this is. That was a stupid oversight, but he tries to keep his expression neutral.]

You want me to turn into a fucking wolf and eat you, cause I'm not above giving myself indigestion?

[smokedout]

[Dodger laughs quietly, shrugging as he leans back and watches Taako. This is the fun part about keeping his powers under wraps... he's sure he can see some hint of gears turning in an attempt to find a better strategy.]

How about you stop throwing threats and try something, huh? Before I get bored and shove you up against the wall. [His good eye narrows in condescending amusement.] Unless you're waiting for me to... you dress enough like a slut, I wouldn't be surprised.

[Yikes.]

[spellslots]

[Yikes indeed.]

You are one fucked up dude.

[This, unlike the powers, isn't exactly a revelation, but he feels like it needs to be pointed out.]

But not really worth it, you know? I'm pretty sure you'd just fucking get off on it.

[As much as Taako is itching for some outlet for how shitty he's felt, the last couple of days, Dodger isn't worth the effort.]

[smokedout]

Really taking that route, huh. Didn't figure you'd pussy out that easily.

[He's having enough fun not to let the elf go, though. And if he has to throw the first punch, he's willing to. Moving suddenly, he reaches to grab Taako by the throat and teleporting with the elf in tow.

The feeling of teleporting is very different from Blink... he won't be able to keep track of their position in time and space, instead feeling like the world has exploded around them and reasserted itself in their new position. That position being Taako, with his back against the wall of that building, and Dodger, trapping him with his body pressed against him.]

[spellslots]

[There's some joke on the tip of his tongue about the high ground, but it's lost as soon as Dodger grabs him. Taako goes to cast something, except that requires concentration and that's suddenly fucking impossible to hold onto as they teleport, the shock of it catching him completely off guard.

He can't imagine using a power if it felt like this, but he doesn't really have a lot of time to contemplate that, not when he needs all of his attention to focus, trying to cast something despite the hand on his throat and Dodger pinning him against the wall.

Make a wisdom saving throw, Dodger, because Taako casts suggestion, even as he tries to pull that hand away from his throat.]

Let go.

[smokedout]

[Intellect is a strong suit for Dodger, but wisdom? Not as much. He's always been a bit too suggestible for his own good. When the words hit him he tightens his grip for a moment, fighting the spell before he finally submits and his fingers slack.

He doesn't back off, though, instead sliding his fingers over Taako's shirt and reaching to hike it up.]

Gonna have to try harder than that, sweetheart.

[Sure, he has no idea what the fuck just happened... and any sort of mental power has always left a horrible taste in his mouth, this time is no exception. But as long as he just brushes it off and keeps going, he won't have to be stuck worrying about whether Taako is actually capable of doing damage to him.]

[spellslots]

[Taako suddenly regrets not sticking with the habit of carrying his sword around, even if he rarely used it; it would be a comfortable weight now with Dodger's hands on him, especially when he dropped his umbra staff during the whole teleporting mess. It's close by, but he doesn't want to waste the time reaching for it.

Not when he's bought himself a few seconds to try something else.

The only issue is that he doesn't want to cast anything big, something that would draw too much attention, because he wants to be able to walk away from this without a big fucking commotion, and that means limiting what he can cast.

So he sticks to something simple; Taako manages the gesture to cast arcane hand, the large shimmering hand appears beside Dodger, and Taako closes his own fist, aiming to get the hand around Dodger to crush him, just a little.]

[smokedout]

[The feeling of being crushed is definitely new... enough to spook him, loosening his hold on Taako for a moment. He lets out a little huff of protest as the hand closes around him, and he doesn't doubt he'll have a bruise from this later. But there's one thing he knows very well from years of fighting mutants - any power can be compensated for by hurting the source.

He grabs a fistful of Taako's hair, pulling him forward enough to slam his head back against the wall.] Shut that damn thing off. [His voice is choked from the pressure on his ribs, but the spark of anger is clear enough.]

[spellslots]

[Taako doesn't get into fights like this, brutal and desperate scraps are long behind him, so Dodger slamming his head into the wall does a number on him, enough to draw a little cry of pain as the spell drops, lost in the way his head spins. Finally, after all that, he's actually a little scared. So many of his spells hit an area, not a person, and there's a lot he can't cast right now purely because he'd catch himself in it too.]

Fuck, okay, gods. [His voice is rough and a little weak, but he tries to sound like he's not as worried as he is.] You've made your point, are we done?

[Something tells him it won't be that easy, but he has to try.]

[smokedout]

[His eyes narrow as he lets go of Taako's hair, and leans in close enough that their breath is mingling. Which really just fills the air with the scent of booze and cigarettes.]

All that hype about being able to kick my ass, and you're giving up after a little scuffle. You are fuckin' adorable.

[Of course it's not going to be that easy, but Taako has managed to change one thing; Dodger's no longer interested in just creeping him out, instead having decided to see how long he can torture him. Half to teach him not to fuck with him, and half to send a message to Eddie.

Moving to the side, Dodger grabs Taako by the shirt and throwing him down to the ground a few feet away. And if Taako isn't quick to use that small window of space between them, he'll just teleport next to him again and aim a kick at his head.]

[spellslots]

[Giving him any time at all was a mistake; Taako doesn't even bother trying to break his fall, because a few scrapes and bruises aren't anything new, and instead he's preparing mage hand so that as soon as he hits the ground, Taako pulls the umbra staff towards him as quickly as possible.

And casts blindness. He needs an edge, right now, and Dodger being blind would give him one.]

[smokedout]

[He lets out a growl as the spell hits him, and his working eye is cast into darkness. Great. Well, he's lost his finesse, he still manages to teleport close to him, stumbling on his landing.

It takes him a bit to adjust, and his fists are suddenly engulfed in flames as he goes silent. If he can hear Taako, he'll be able to pin him down. And it hasn't escaped his attention that the elf was useless when pinned. But incapacitated as he is, it's also plainly obvious that Dodger is finally out of his comfort zone.]

[spellslots]

[Oh thank the gods.

Taako goes as quiet as possible, barely breathing; he's still on the ground, not sure whether to risk moving when it would make a hell of a lot of noise, especially not when Dodger's fists go up in flame.

That's not... ideal.

But he doesn't need to stand up to cast a good old fashioned magic missile. Take 9 damage, Dodger.]

[smokedout]

[For a second, he almost thinks he's gotten a sense of where Taako is. And when that second passes, some sort of magical energy is stabbing through him.

The force of the magic missile sends him reeling, and he manages to throw a fistful of fire at where he's vaguely sure Taako is as he recovers. That definitely left a bruise, even if he hasn't started bleeding just yet. Not like he plans to stop when he does.]

god i'm legit rolling for some of this shit and my rolls are AWFUL

[spellslots]

[Now Taako moves, scrambling out of the way of that fire, though it catches him on the arm, singing his sleeves and the skin underneath, but not enough to get a peep out of him. He doesn't even move to pat it out, figuring that the process of getting up was loud enough.

There's only maybe forty seconds left of Dodger being blind, and he needs to make it count. So he casts ray of sickness, and if it hits, Dodger's going to take seven points of poison damage.]