riverviewlogs | (closed) back at it again at fantasy krispy kreme

[Taako knows who it is before Magnus even knocks; magic is useful for a whole lot of things, this included, but he resists the urge to head outside before Magnus makes a decision. He even gives it a couple of seconds before opening the door, to make it seems less like he was hovering nearby worriedly.

It's a chill sort of day today, but he's still in a cute dress because that's how he rolls. He has a mug of tea in his hand when he opens the door, just adding more to the facade of "this is a total surprise".]

Hey, you.

[He looks - a little hesitant, his smile an attempt at reassuring despite his own nerves.]

You wanna come in?

[He's not sure if Magnus is here because of the thread or something else, but the offer is open, either way.]

[Magnus totally buys the ruse. Except not really at all.]

Hey!

[There's some indecision in his voice, but he manages a smile and a wave in greeting. As if Everything is Normal, he steps inside. ... However, his body language completely acknowledges the tension in the air—hands in pockets, shoulders slouched. He opens his mouth to speak, but realizes he's not sure what to say. Sheepishly, he raises his hand from his pocket, wrist bound in a white thread.]

So this is a thing?

[It surprises him how shitty he feels, knowing that he's made Magnus uncomfortable. It shouldn't really be that much of a surprise, considering they've known each other over a century and of course Taako cares about Magnus, it's just - weird. Unfamiliar in a way.

He never cared all that much for the eighteen or so months they spent together with the Bureau, it was easier to brush Magnus's feelings aside.

That feels kinda shitty, too.]

Oh, right, uh... [He heads into the kitchen, mostly because that's where the booze is, if they need it.] A century will do that. It's not just me and you, if that helps? It's all of us, even the ones who aren't here.

[There's no point lying, anymore.]

Yeah, I get that. [It's not a quip, it's just an acknowledgement of understanding.

He follows Taako, but stays just out of a certain range from him, mostly buffered by guilt. The reason for his discomfort is his own doing more than Taako's.

He'd wanted to keep it casual, but...] Look, I was kind of a jerk the other day. I'm sorry I ditched you like that.

[Almost immediately, Taako waves a hand to dismiss that apology.]

We dumped a lotta shit on you, and I can't imagine the atmosphere was fucking great.

[He isn't stupid, he knows how tense he and Lucretia must've seemed with each other. And there are reasons for that, ones he won't apologize for, but it can't have made it easier for Magnus.]

I remember when we started figuring this stuff out and like - I had basically the same reaction. I didn't trust any of the shit that Barry was telling us, cause I didn't know him, right? And you don't know us. [And that - hurts, but Taako shrugs it off.] I get it, I guess is what I'm saying here. You don't gotta apologize.

Who's— [He drops the question, as he more or less figures it out on his own.] Someone else I know but don't know, I guess. Like you guys.

[Sounds like it's shitty for y'all.]

Taako, I've been thinking— [He's still unsure about whether he wants to take this drink, but based on the advice he's been given, he figures he should at least consider it.] Give me a run-down on that... stuff again.

[Taako nods to confirm that guess, and then briefly pauses as he decides whether they should sit down for this conversation and do it properly, but... he doesn't want Magnus to change his mind.]

We were a team, all of us and we... [God, it's hard to work around the voidfish.] Something fucking horrible was chasing us for a long time, until we found a way to hide, on Fearun, but it meant hurting a lot of people. It wasn't-- we didn't mean to, but it happened all the same.

[He hopes that's vague enough to not get caught by static.]

Lucretia thought she had a better way to fight what was after us, but the rest of us knew it wouldn't work so she used that creature we told you about to take our memories. She stole our memories and split us up and left us alone for a fucking decade.

[That, maybe, will explain the tension between Lucretia and Taako.]

Edited (i wanted to move a single comma im sorry) 2017-09-05 03:21 (UTC)

[A pause.]

Oh, shit.

[Another pause. He'd had a rather high opinion of Lucretia, but spent a bit more time with Taako at this point, so hearing it from Taako... Well, the scale was already tipped a bit more in his favor than hers.]

That's... not cool. [Back to the point.] So then this thing that Lucretia used. There's a way to get the memories back, and it's... drinking that stuff.

Sounds gross. [...Lightening the mood? Maybe?]

No shit.

[There's still anger there, but it's not directed at Magnus, just Taako's lingering bitterness over the whole situation.

But he sighs, taking a sip of his tea. He can see Magnus is trying to lighten the mood and appreciates it, but he really wants to be as honest as possible here, in case he doesn't get another chance.]

Pretty gross, tastes like liquid fish, and it's... it's gonna hurt, bubbale, if you do it. But you don't have to be alone.

[Like he was.]

[That sounds like the opposite of appetizing. His face twists. But, all the same...]

It's kind of a big decision, huh...

[He still feels like he should hold off. But when he tries to pinpoint why he isn't down with it, there's no logic behind it besides 'playing it safe' or whatever the hell. It's weak, and definitely not very Magnus Rushes In.

He lifts his arms in an exaggerated shrug.] Lay it on me.

[He wonders if this is how Barry felt, as they all remembered, this kind of shaking relief that Taako is doing his best to stamp down on, because it's not helpful right now. He needs to focus.]

There you go.

[He smiles, somewhere between relieved and reassuring, then waves a hand towards the kitchen table as he sets his mug down.]

Grab a seat, I'll be two seconds.

[Literally, because he misty steps his way to his bedroom, where he grabs the flask, and then reappears in the exact spot he left. As he pours a little of the ichor into a glass, he says:]

Once you drink it, you gotta listen to me, yeah? I'll walk you through it so it doesn't get too overwhelming, but you can't try to think ahead. Got it?

[And with that, he holds out the glass to Magnus.]

[He does as he's told and takes a seat at the table, feeling some kinda way. Once he's holding the glass, The Regret™ really invites itself in.]

Asking me not to move ahead is a hell of a request, you know that? I assume you know about my whole Magnus Rushes In thing.

[Magnus steels himself. He's already dedicated himself to this task, so he's following the hell through with it.

His first response is, of course, to cough it back up again.] You weren't kidding, this tastes... [...and then he's cut off by the sound of a thousand sirens going off on either side of his head. At least, that's what it feels like. He wants to say fuck but he can't even think quick enough to get it out. Soon, his elbows are on the table, head in his hands.]

[Taako moves forward immediately, crouching down beside Magnus and reaching for one of his hands, wanting to give him something to hold onto.]

Okay, fuck, okay listen. We're from another world, another reality, with two suns and a purple sky just - just think about what I'm saying, try to picture it. [God, this sucks. Taako can hear his own voice shaking and he desperately wishes Lucretia was here to help.] We're part of the Institute of Planar Research and Exploration, you're the head of security, we all left our world on a ship called the Starblaster, but the Hunger attacked. It kept following us and we kept running, there was Tesseralia and the Legato conservatory and the beach, that whole year on the beach. And then we got to Abeir-Toril and we could put Barry and Lup's plan into action. We made the relics, to hide the light from the Hunger, but we never realized how destructive they'd be. Lup-- Lup left, to try to fix it, and Lucretia fed our memories to Fisher, so she could put her own plan into motion.

[Taako isn't religious, but he sends a little prayer up to Istus, hoping that this isn't too much for Magnus, that he did enough to get his friend through this.]

[Magnus can see the two suns in their purple sky. It would be a nice thought if his head wasn't pounding with information.

One hand remains clutching his head, but the other desperately takes Taako's hand when it comes. He grabs maybe too tightly at first, but Taako does good to keep his thoughts moving. With some deep breaths and reassurance, his hand loosens.

He remembers the Starblaster, the Hunger, Tesseralia and Legato and everything. He remembers the IPRE badge that Lucretia flashed at him the other day by the river, no longer shrouded in static.

After the worst is over, he's left with a ringing in his ear and a bit of weight in his head, but at least now it feels like a winter cold and not an explosion. He elects to keep his gaze on the table for now, but he doesn't let go of Taako's hand. His voice is rough and breathy:]

That was fun.

[Relief makes Taako's hands shake (he didn't even notice how tight Magnus was holding onto him) because Magnus seems to have gotten through it and that's all he could've asked for.

And now... now they have Magnus back. It's information he's not quite sure how to process just yet, so he decides to focus on what's in front of him.]

Try doing it on your own.

[There's a little laughter in his voice with that line, bright and full of that relief, even if his tone is wry.]

Welcome back, sweetheart.

Edited 2017-09-05 05:19 (UTC)

[Magnus can actually manage half a laugh in response to Taako, but it takes him a moment to process the fact that—]

Holy shit, you did this by yourself? [He finally brings himself to face Taako.] Who the fuck let you do that?

[He can guess.]

Uh, me?

[He was alone here and he knew so much was missing but he didn't know what. Curiosity got the better of him, in the end, especially with the dull ache he'd felt during the start of the mourning festival, the knowledge that he'd lost something he loved deeply.]

But hey, we both didn't die, so that's great! [Taako reaches out with his free hand, almost hesitantly, to rest his palm against Magnus's cheek. Just - taking a second, because it feels like it's been months since he's seen Magnus, and that's a long time for them.] Didya miss me, big guy?

[In response, he places his free hand on Taako's shoulder.]

Of course I fucking missed you, Taako.

[He can't bring himself out of his chair just yet, but he can pull Taako down for a hug. It would've been awkward in any other situation, but circumstances considered, this chair-hug gets a pass.]

Jeezy Creezy, dude. I'm so fucking sorry. I just spent a whole month not even—[He leaves that thought at implied.] Fuck, I'm so sorry.

[There's a second where Taako isn't quite sure what to do with himself; chair hugs are a little awkward, until he kind of mentally goes fuck it and moves with the momentum of Magnus pulling him forward until he's straddling Magnus's lap.

It's been a while, but not forever, since they've done something like this.

He leans his head down, resting his forehead against Magnus's and takes a moment to just breathe. Magnus has been here but not here, not in a way that Taako could really appreciate until this moment. There was no time for a reunion like this, when they all remembered on the Bureau's base, but now there's time.]

Listen, that shit sucked, but it's not on you. [They both know who's fault it is.] It's just real fucking good to have you back.

Edited 2017-09-05 06:08 (UTC)

[This definitely had the potential to be really weird, but Taako ending up in his lap turned out to be preferable to an awkward chair-hug in terms of physical comfort. He would've stood to avoid the whole scenario if his legs wouldn't have given out, but, you know, this is fine. He wraps Taako up in his arms, tight enough to hold him captive if he'd wanted to, but separates. He follows the motions when Taako brings their foreheads together.]

It's good to be back.

[Instinctively, his hands join with Taako's. He can see the red string tied to Taako's pinky, cut off from his partner, much like his own string. They figured out a long time ago that they weren't a thing that would work out, so it makes sense. They've both got someone waiting for them in some other universe.

Whatever.

Pensively, he runs his thumbs over Taako's knuckles.]

[A hundred years is a long time, and it's a lonely time, when every single person they met turned to dust after only a year. Taako made sure to never get attached to anyone in the worlds they landed on, but that didn't mean he closed himself off completely.

He loved Lup, always, and he loved the rest of his family, and sometimes he loved Magnus differently from the rest of them.

That isn't why he cared so much about this, about getting Magnus back with all his memories. It mattered because it's only right, that Magnus can have all of himself, the power bear and that shitty sportsball team and every death they endured, together or apart.

But now they're here and he feels like he can hear Magnus's thoughts, or maybe that's just his own heart thudding in his ears and he doesn't want to listen to it anymore.

It's tentative, the way Taako tilts his head until he can press his lips against Magnus's in a light, chaste kiss. It's been a long time since he's done this, over a decade, but he doesn't think he'd ever really forget.]

Edited 2017-09-05 07:13 (UTC)

[Magnus squeezes Taako's hands as he returns the kiss. It stays soft and light—it's not the time for anything more than that—but it does last a hot minute. When they part, Magnus looks back into Taako's eyes, solemn, but smiling. They both know what they're getting into.

After a beat, Magnus breaks the silence.]

Remember the other day when I didn't know what ricotta was? God, I forgot that cheese master class you held for me.

[He's digging through his memories, trying to find the happy ones.]

[He wonders how long it's been, since Magnus did anything like this with him, but it's hard to remember one cycle from the next, sometimes. It's odd to think of the decade that separates them, all the things that Taako knows and that he can't stop thinking about as he kisses Magnus.

Julia. Raven's Roost. The Hunger.]

Seriously? You've got Taako from TV in your lap and you're talking about ricotta?

[There's a lot they should talk about, but this is easier.]

[He can't help but chuckle.]

Good point. I'll stop talking about cheese now.

[He'd thought it would be more appropriate to chill for the time being, but the change in Taako's tone tells him otherwise. He breaks the hand-holdy thing they've got going to bring a hand around to Taako's nape, and kisses him again.]

[It occurs to him at some point between when that second kiss comes and when he slides his hands into Magnus's hair that they'll never do this again once Taako returns to the world he's supposed to be in, once Magnus catches up to him and they're together again but separated by the lives they built in the decade apart. The last time they kissed was probably some uneventful thing and they didn't even know it would be the last time. This is something Lucretia took from them, too. Less consequential than Lup but painful all the same.

He loved Magnus, still loves Magnus, and Taako will go back to Kravitz and Magnus will go back to the pain carved into him by Julia's death, an emptiness that won't ever be filled. This place is a second chance to say goodbye to what they had for a century.

But...

But there's no need to rush it.

Taako breaks away with a little huff of breath, though he doesn't go very far.]

You wanna do this or you wanna talk? Cause I'm down for either but Lup will kick my ass if she comes in and catches us making out at the kitchen table like a bunch of fucking teenagers.

[Magnus doesn't know that Lup died.

The thought makes his blood run cold, but he doesn't let his smile falter.]

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