riverviewlogs | [open] we tried to bury it and rise above

[Immediately upon waking up, Taako knows that something isn't right; the bed is too big and too soft. Lup isn't beside him, which isn't that unusual, sometimes she gets up earlier than him to help their aunt with chores, but the bed thing is definitely weird. Their aunt is nice, but she hasn't got a lot of money for things like big soft beds and duvets that seem to be filled with feathers. Taako feels like he should be worried, probably, but there's something in the back of his mind that tells him this place is safe, even if he doesn't know where this place is.

Still, he clambers out of the bed and starts investigating the room; marvelling at the wardrobe full of colourful clothes (all too big for him, though he finds a shirt that falls to his knees and pulls it on, then grabs a loose silk scarf to cinch it around his waist. He finds a lot of jewellery, though none of it looks expensive enough to bother about taking, and he finds photos of… himself, he thinks. Older, definitely a lot older, but he's pretty sure that's his face all grown up. There are other people in the photos that are tacked haphazardly on the wall, and two things stick out to Taako. One, he doesn't know any of these people. Two, none of the photos contain Lup.

That's the weirdest thing he's run into so far, because whatever this older version of him is doing, he should obviously still be with Lup.

So he decides to go looking; there's cash in one of the drawers (score) of the vanity, and he carefully folds it up in his hands before climbing out the window.

First order of business is clothes: he buys a pair of tights and a tunic, nicer than he's used to but still familiar, and a pair of boots that eat up almost all of his cash, though he's not too worried about that. Now that he blends in a bit better, he can just take anything else he needs.

This idea promptly gets him into trouble. He's used to having Lup serve as a distraction, but this time when he tries to swipe a pastry from a street cart, the vendor notices and starts yelling, at which point Taako turns and bolts, barrelling down the street as fast as he can, not wanting to get caught.

Please help this small disaster.]

[It had become very apparent very quickly that Taako needed to be anywhere but in the same building as Lucretia, because despite their uneasy truce, it's painful to be reminded of everything she's done to them. The city itself has started to feel stifling, so he packs some supplies, along with his stash of magical items, sends a text to Cisco inviting him along, and starts towards the abandoned city. It's not that he necessarily needs company, but he isn't a huge fan of being alone, and while he could ask Clark or Eddie or Bryn, he'd rather hang out with someone he likes but isn't super close to. The last thing he needs right now is someone asking if he's okay.

And Cisco is pretty infectious in his enthusiasm; Taako doesn't think he'll have too difficult of a time pretending that everything is totally, perfectly fine.

In the interest of showing off, Taako tells Cisco to meet him just outside the first barrier. He has A Plan, and he thinks Cisco will approve of it, though for now he's just chilling on a fallen log, casting little sparks of prestidigitation to amuse a handful of alien-looking butterflies, who seems to be enjoying the bright colours.]

[In any other D&D world, Taako would have likely reason to be suspicious of a dark elf who wants to take a look at all the cool magical items that he owns; but the Fearun that Taako knows is a little less shitty, on at least that front, so while he's not exactly about to trust some stranger, there's no preconceived notions about what ulterior motives a drow may or may not have.

So Taako invites Rin to his home. It's the easiest place to meet, since it saves them messing around with magical shit in a café or whatever, and it means that as much as this is a nice break, he can get back to work on the whole portal mess as soon as he needs to. Even if he was concerned about people stealing his stuff, it's not like anyone can get into the house without being let through the wards, so it's really not that big a deal.

If anything, he's more concerned with making a good impression, which is why the table in the sunroom has acquired a significant amount of delicate finger food and small treats, like a high tea without the tiers. And the tea, because there's a French press full of coffee instead. Today's outfit is relatively simple, a patterned maxi skirt and a t-shirt with cuss words on it, because he's an adult and he can have swears on his shirts if he wants.

He's in the kitchen when the doorbell rings, but it doesn't take him long to get to the door, opening it up with a grin already in place.]

What's up, my dude? Welcome to Case Del Taako.

(What's hard to orchestrate about this whole thing is that Taako knows what's up. He's been a little cagey around her lately, careful to avoid being the same room alone for too long like he knows the precise moment she's geared herself up to say something to him. Lucretia wonders if perhaps she gets this look about her like she's about to start asking questions or something; because how else would he know? He seems to have a sixth sense attuned finely to her level of frustrated curiousity.

She throws caution to the wind and practically jumps him as he comes into the living room one day. She'd been sitting curled up in one of his gaudy purple-and-gold armchairs with a book propped open in her lap when he'd come waltzing in. Lucretia snaps her book shut (she hadn't been paying any proper attention to it anyway, only listlessly reading it in order to give herself something to do) and swivels her legs around so her feet are on the floor.)

Taako— (She's straight backed, exasperated.) Taako, could I borrow you for a moment?

[Has life just been a little too nice to Taako lately? Apparently so, because a certain one-eyed creep has run across him in the street. And if he were lucky they might have passed in a crowd, but alas there's almost no one around and while Dodger had thankfully been on the other side of the street, he simply disappears in a flash of sparks just to pop up again right beside Taako.]

Fancy seeing you around, sweetheart.

[As if Dodger's presence isn't enough of a red flag on its own, he looks like he's already been in a scuffle tonight... and smells even more like booze than he usually does. Oh, wonder of wonders.]

[From here.

That kick had been too much for his pathetic body. Immediately, he curled in on himself in pain, temporarily out of breath as he rolls closer to Taako. Standing is difficult, so he leans heavily against Taako, quietly taking in this words and trusting him. Of course he trusts him over this. It's nowhere near the same thing as what Dodger had done.

But the moment they're in Taako's room, his legs don't want to support him anymore. His breathing comes back in wheezes, and he coughs harsher than before, covering his mouth with a hand to catch some of the blood. He can't even speak yet. His body can react violently from simply walking or doing idol activities, so he certainly can't take violence or force.]

(Lucretia is asleep in bed on her side when her door opens very, very slowly. She isn't a particularly deep sleeper; she comes awake groggily, blinking into the darkness with a sigh.)

What, (she says, and rolls over to face the door, trying to force her eyes open. What's up, she is tired– but she thinks she recognises the figure poking their head around the corner of her bedroom door all the same.) Taako?

[There are a lot of good things about having Lup back, too many to even count, but one of them is the fact he has another elf around, who doesn't need as much sleep as humans do. Taako spends a lot of nights with Clark, just reading together or watching TV in the early hours of the morning, but he can't bother Clark 24/7, and he gets bored, sometimes.

So it's nice, to have Lup. He matches up his schedule to hers, and it's quiet and peaceful at 2am when he flops beside her on the couch, delicately plucking the book she was reading from her hands.]

Hey, dipshit, there's something I gotta tell you.

[He keeps his tone light, but... this is still important. And he's put it off too long.]

open; 22-24

cisco; 17