#angus mcdonald and his three dads

[pumpkinalexx]

Sometimes a family is a flip wizard, the grim reaper, a rough boy, the words greatest detective and a fish

[rat-apologist]

Angus Macdonald? No, more like Angus Macdonald-Taaco-Burnsides-Highchurch

[charmandhex]

Angus is rather used to it at this point. The questions, that is. People can be astonishingly nosy (even when they aren’t detectives), and the Birds are considerably more intimidating than a kid now hovering in the space between young child and gangly teenager.

At least if you don’t know any of the Seven Birds or the boy in question.

But people still go to Angus with the questions. He practically has a script.

“Is Magnus as strong as the Story says?” Stronger.

“Does Lucretia really write with both hands?” Yes, and at the same time.

“What’s Lup like?” Fiery, fierce, wonderful.

“How many pairs of jeans does Barry have?” More than one.

“Is Merle seeing anyone?” Angus does not know and will not ask.

“Where did Davenport get the money for the Wavehumper?” Battlewagon racing.

“So Taako teaches you? Is he, like, your dad now?”

This is, to Angus, the most awkward question, so he feels no guilt over replying with an appropriately snarky answer each time.

“Well, no, sir, but I’m officially a part of the Taako brand. You too can get your own Taako-brand Agnes McDonald for only 420 payments of one gold.”

“No, ma’am, he’s my eccentric uncle. He’s going to die under mysterious circumstances forcing me to solve the mystery of his death so I can inherit a large fortune.”

“He’s my employer, sir. I’m a professor at the school. I have tenure.”

“I’m actually a dragon, and I’m older than he is, Mx.”

“Ma’am, he pushed me off a train, and you think he could be trusted with a child?”

And so on.

Because the Birds are adequately awe-inspiring and overwhelming (because most people have never seen Magnus cry over a dog or Barry eating too much cheese for science again), they don’t know about the questions for the most part, and Angus certainly isn’t going to fill them in. They’ve got enough to do, and Angus can handle it.

For the most part.

While out and about with Taako one day, shopping with a miles long list of spell components and groceries, someone practically bowls Angus over. While he’s reeling, the sentient wrecking ball notices who Angus is with.

“Oh my gods, TAAKO!” A human woman shrieks, completely missing the boy she nearly demolished.

“Uh... hail and well met.” Taako gives a casual wave, and Angus can see Taako glance down at him. “So. You good there, Agnes?”

“Agnes?” The woman asks, nonplussed before finally registering that the object she’d collided with was a living being. “Oh! This must be your son! From the story? Bet you’re happy that an amazing wizard like Taako adopted you, aren’t you?” The woman coos at the end in an annoying high-pitched voice, pinching Angus’s cheek and knocking his glasses askew again just as he’d managed to right them. Angus gets his glasses on again just in time to see a weird look on Taako’s face. Great. Now he’ll have to deal with Taako teasing about that. Angus opens his mouth to correct her, tell her no, he’s not-

“Adopted? What? Why would you think my son is adopted? Can’t you see the family resemblance? The Taako brand stunning good looks?” Taako slings an arm over Angus’s shoulder, grinning winningly at her.

“Sir-“

“Oh! I’m... I’m sorry?” The woman looks between Taako and Angus and back again, seemingly trying to do the math.

“Of course, cause, uh, he does take after his other dad. Right now, listen, this has been lovely, but, uh... parent duty calls? Come along, Agnes, time for... parental bonding and shit. Play catch? Teach you how to tie a tie? Drag you along fishing? That’s a thing dads do, right?” Taako steers Angus off with a wave back at the woman.

“Sir-“ Angus tries again as soon as they’re out of earshot.

“You good there, Ango? Battering ram back there coulda given Jess a run for her title.” Taako asks conversationally as he jabs a thumb back, pointing.

“Yes, but-“

“Cool.”

“Sir-“

“So let’s go.”

“Sir, you said-“

“I know what I said.” Taako cuts him off, suddenly more serious.

And Angus is overcome with something he doesn’t feel terribly often: confusion. “Why?”

And that seems to throw Taako off for some reason. “Um, well...” Taako hums, thinking. Or delaying. “Listen. She kinda, kinda caught me by surprise with that whole thing, but... why not? You know, uh, listen, you basically live with me and Krav. As far as I can tell you either have shit parents or no parents, which I can tell you: both suck in different ways. I teach you magic and shit.” Taako glances back to him before looking away again, ears twitching. “Unless, uh, unless you don’t want-“

Angus stares at Taako, who determinedly avoids eye contact as he continues rambling. “Sir.” Angus interrupts, and Taako stops mid-word. He seems like a barely contained whirlwind, all frantic energy ready to blow everywhere at once. “What else do we need to find before we go home?”

There’s a pause long enough for three loud heartbeats in Angus’s ears. Taako slowly smiles, tension easing and tornado dissipating. “I thought boy detectives had to be good at remembering shit? Okay, we got-“

Angus and Taako continue on with shopping, gradually making their way home.

Later, Angus discovers that not being asked nosy questions extends to the family of the Birds, too.

[lillianabluejeans]

Reclaimer!Lilliana AU

aka: Lilliana spends a year rolling the best goddamn deception checks she can muster

This got...long

Here There Be Gerblins

So through some magical shenanigans while she’s adventuring, Lilliana gets sent back in time to the htbg-era

She’s in a tavern and sees Magnus, Taako, and Merle talking to another dwarf (Gundren)

Gundren catches her staring and is like “the fuck are you looking at?”

Lilliana panics and is like “I uh... wanted to inquire about the job?”

Gundren buys it, asks her what she can do, she tells him she’s a ranger, he puts her with the boys

The boys are like hey what the fuck

But Gundren is like ...you three look like the type to need a competent woman on your side

The boys are like ok fair.

Taako, looking closely at Lilliana: do i know you? Lilliana: ahaha....no...

The next day comes and the four of them set out

They don’t talk much, and Lilliana’s super weirded out by this whole thing, because this isn’t them, this isn’t how they interact with each other.

This isn’t how they interact with her

They come across Barry and Gundren’s horses, beat the gerblins lurking there, go to the cave, blah blah blah this is all pretty much the same with the addition of Lilli just hanging in the background losing her mind.

Taako: *asks the three of them if they know who Barry Bluejeans is, or care* Lilliana: *dying*

Anyway they save Barry, go back to phandolyn, leave Barry there, and the four of them go to Wave Echo Cave

Lilliana wants to tell Barry to come with them, but she also doesn’t want to fuck up the timeline super bad, and she doesn’t know how to tell him that it doesn’t matter if he dies because he’s a lich, so she goes with thb and doesn’t say anything about it

Blah blah blah everything with wave echo cave and killian and magic brian is the same

Killian asks them if they’re there for the Phoenix Fire Gauntlet and Lilliana pretends very good that she hears static

They find the umbrella and Lilliana 1) laughs at her mom fucking launching merle across the room and 2) resists the urge to snatch it from taako and break it open then and there because, again, timeline

Gundren takes the gauntlet, they race back to Phandolyn, everything happens the same

They’re sitting at the bottom of the well, the boys are joking and laughing, but Lilliana is... shaking. Her eyes are teary, and she looks like she’s going to cry

Sure, she knows her dad is a lich and he’ll be fine, but seeing him get obliterated into nothingness is still shocking and upsetting

Taako notices first.

“Hey kid, you good?”

But it’s not Taako. Not her Taako. The way he asks, there’s this degree of separation that shouldn’t be there, and it’s almost worse than if he never asked her at all.

Moonlighting

So they climb out of the well, taako grabs the gauntlet, Killian wakes up, tells them what she can (though, again, Lilliana can hear the parts that are static to the boys, but she pretends very good that she can’t)

Killian offers them jobs, and now Lilliana has a decision to make

Does she go up to the moon, to Lucretia? Does she stay planetside and find her dad? Does she stay planetside and just hide out until she figures out a way home?

Well. This wouldn’t be much of a reclaimer!au if she didn’t go to the moon.

Lilliana’s reasoning: she can’t find her dad. He’s going to be a lich, and already kind of a mess, she can’t just roll up like hey i’m your daughter from the future, that wouldn’t be good. Also, if all else fails, if she’s on the Starblaster when the boys and Lucretia fly up to cut off the Hunger, she can talk to Jeffandrew after and get him to send her back. He’s the god of gods, he’s gotta be able to fix this.

So she goes up to the moon with them.

Killian, to Lucretia: so I have four new recruits. They were able to resist the thrall Lucretia: ah, yes, wonder- wait did you say four? Killian: yeah. A human fighter named Magnus, an elf wizard named Taako, a dwarf cleric named Merle- Lucretia: okay... Killian: and a half-elf ranger named Lilliana. Lucretia: ...........and all four of them could resist the thrall? Killian: yeah Lucretia: are you absolutely sure Killian: yes Lucretia: Lucretia: OKAY SEND THEM IN I GUESS

Lucretia is... very confused, to say the least. This is the beginning of a very long year for her

As Lucretia is giving them the spiel about the red robes, Lilliana has to fight the urge to roll her eyes

Lucretia only had the three beds open with Pringles for the boys (because she was only EXPECTING the THREE of THEM, who the FUCK is this girl??????) so Lilliana bunks with carey, killian, and boyland

They’re reclaimers now!

Murder on The Rockport Limited

So here’s the thing about Lilli being in this situation.

She knows the order they find the relics in, she knows generally what happened on the mission to find them, and she knows the general timeframe, but she doesn’t know the teeny tiny details

So she is rudely awoken at fuck-all hours of the morning when they get summoned to talk with Lucretia

But she realizes like oh. this is Relic Time

and she shows up last, but she’s actually dressed (unlike thb, who showed up in their pjs)

So they get to Rockport and get on the train, and it’s as Lilliana is looking around the passenger car that she remembers a very crucial detail about this mission

That detail is Angus Mcdonald

Who, for Lilli, is like... 30-something.

He’s like 13 years older than her.

But here............

He’s TEN

“I need to leave right now immediately,” Lilliana says. “?????” the boys say

Lilliana does not leave, but she hangs at the back of any conversations with Angus as much as she can, because this whole situation was weird before, but now it’s weird-weird

They solve the mystery, which Lilliana already knew the answer for, and Taako figures out the port wand

Taako also throws Angus off the train.  ............ Lilliana didn’t think he’d actually done that all these years, despite how many times it came up in stories and such. But he sure did throw Angus off the train.

Oculus: Acquired

Lunar Interlude I

Lilliana doesn’t wear a costume so much as she just dresses up real pretty

She wrestles with her hair for ages, wanting to do some nice elven braids her mom would always do for her, but she’s garbage at doing them herself, and she’s too nervous to go ask Taako to do it for her

She caves, eventually, and goes to the boys’s room, clutching the ribbons she wants braided into her hair, and nervously asks Taako if he’ll please do her hair for her.

She expects him to say no

He says yes

Well, he moreso just shrugs and says “sure, why not. C’mere.” 

Anyway they go to the midsummer thing. Magnus eats some unicorn dick. Lilliana laughs along with them.

(She pretends not to notice Lucretia’s eyes following her carefully) 

The eclipse happens, as does the Hunger’s scouts showing up 

I don’t think Lilliana gets fully knocked out by it like everyone else, but she definitely falls to her knees, at least.

So that’s fun

Magnus, to Lucretia: Has that happened before?  Lucretia: No- Lilliana, internally: sure, luce

Petals to The Metal

Sure, it sucked for Taako and Magnus to have to hear Merle dirty talk the vines, but think about Lilliana having to witness this

That’s her grandpa

HER GRANDFATHER

SHE DOESN’T WANT TO EXPERIENCE THIS

IF NOTHING ELSE, THIS IS WHAT’S GOING TO TRAUMATIZE HER 

Anyway they get in and through the bank, fight Sloane, almost fucking die, etc etc etc.

It’s odd, seeing Hurley and Sloane not as dryads

The race is kinda fun, Lilli’s definitely done a few with them, but she’s used to the uh.....less deadly version

Also she didn’t know that Taako getting taken over by the cricket dude and jumping off the wagon without his safety harness happened in the normal timeline too, so when it happens, she screams 

Then Klaarg is there and catches him and it’s all good, but Lilli was really freaked for a minute there

uhhhhhhhh yeah so they win the race, go and fight Sloane, when the umbrella does a BIG fire spell, Lilli is like hell YEAH that’s my fucking MOM 

(She doesn’t actually say that. but she thinks it)

then Hurley and Sloane turn into a tree

Lilliana just kinda smiles

She knows they’ll be back

Then they go talk to Bane, and Lilliana remembers, as he’s pouring them drinks, what comes next

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeee’s BARRY!!!!!!

Lilliana is just staring at him as he does his scary speech. 

Once he’s done, he looks at her, stares at her for a moment, then disappears

Lunar Interlude II

Lucretia questions them about the interaction in Bane’s office, Lilliana still stays quiet 

Lucretia is maybe a little too concerned about “The Red Robe” to notice how quiet Lilli’s being about all of this, how she’s just letting the boys talk

Then once that is out of the way, Lucretia takes their stones of farspeech, does a Thing to them, then Angus’s voice comes through and he walks into the office

Lilliana, interally: fuck my life fuck my life fuck my LIFE I should’ve known this was coming

Also the four of them get moved into their fancy new Reclaimer’s dorm

Oh they also meet Lucas as they bring Bane’s info down to the voidfish

Lilli is just rolling her eyes because god, they weren’t kidding when they said he was super irritating

Crystal Kingdom

Now this one Lilliana knows is coming, because she knows it’s on the day of the Candlenights party 

This is also the first mission Lilli really has fun with

Gerblins was stressful, because she was just trying to figure out wtf was going on, the train was weird because tiny Angus, petals was also stressful, even if she knew it’d be fine in the end

But this one.... the “crystal golums” that attack them... she knows they’re Kravitz. She also knows that when Leigon happens, they just need to break the mirror. 

This is the mission that the boys talk about the most in her proper time, she knows what’s coming

(It’s also just like... SUPER entertaining to stand back and watch crystal golum Kravitz play his games) 

She also knows her dad is going to show up and give them a powerpoint on the planes and allude vaguely to the Hunger

(RIP Boyland tho, he was chill as hell in the few months she knew him)

At the end of everything, she’s ready to step in to bargain away the boys’s bounties, as the only one of them without a bounty, and also as someone who knows all of Kravitz’s tricks, but Magnus does his own card game thing and it works out

Afterwards, Lucretia pulls the four of them into her office and calls them out for talking to the red robe again, and she gives them her own dramatic speech

The boys assure her that they’re just dummies and they forgot. Lucretia looks to Lilli. 

“Lilliana,” she says, “do I have your trust?”  “Of course,” Lilliana says, knowing all of Lucretia’s secrets, “you’ve given me no reason not to trust you.”

Lunar Interlude III

This is the one where Magnus does his rogue training, Merle goes to the spa with Luce, Taako teaches Angus magic, and we get the LUP incident

I think Lilli’s “activity” is just... scouring the B.O.B. library for information on time/planar travel

Because, at this point, this is definitely a different timeline and probably a different universe, so getting home is definitely more complicated than just getting brought back to the future

Seeing her mom’s name burned into the cafeteria wall definitely hurts. She doesn’t want her mom to be stuck, but still. She wants to keep things as much the same as possible. 

It’s rough for this baby blup :(( 

Eleventh Hour

So, like I said, Lilliana doesn’t know every single tiny detail about the missions. She knows this one is a big purple worm, and they gotta get down to the mines, and they need Istus’s help, and also they’re going to die a bunch on this one. 

Lilliana, waking up from her first ever death: Wow! That Sucked!

Lilliana, who has a deep respect for death and the natural progression of life: I Sure Hate This! Would Love To Not Be Doing This Right Now!

They eventually figure it all out

Don’t ask me what her gift from Istus is, I have no idea and am welcome to suggestions

The chalice sees her predicament, but can’t actually fix that, so it offers her the chance to not take the Gundren job. She wouldn’t have to see Phandolyn burn, she wouldn’t have to be around the family that doesn’t know her, she could just hang out until she’s able to get home

Lilliana refuses. At this point, she’s pretty damn sure Jeffandrew is her ticket home, and she needs to be part of the Bureau to get to him. 

They then beat the worm and get out of the bubble

Whoops! Here’s Barry Again! 

Barry: Do you trust me?  Thb: No!  Lilliana, internally: Yes. Always. 

Barry: Lup... I can’t do it anymore, Lup, I’m sorry  Lilliana: hnnnnnnnnnnngngngggggggggggggngngngngnggn

It’s a sad time for baby blue :((((

Lunar Interlude IV

ohohohoho this is the chug n’ squeeze date :3c

Taako: *gets back to the dorm*  Lilli: So? How was it?  Taako, defensive: How was what?  Lilli: Your date :3c Taako:  Taako: How did you know-  Lilli: I know a lot of things. 

Taako: It was fine. Until my umbrella tried to blast him  Lilli, faking surprise: oh? Taako: yeah it just did it on it’s own. It was weird.  Lilli: oh, most definitely. Very peculiar.  Taako:  Taako, walking away: you’re weird, kid. 

Suffering Game

So Eleventh hour kinda sucked for everyone, but Suffering game sucked

Lucretia ups their training, and Lilliana knows what’s coming. She’s scared, but she thinks she’s ready. 

They get down there and through the forest, to the tent. 

It’s as they’re standing in front of it that Lilli is like nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnNOPE

“No thank you. No way. I thought I was ready, but... I can’t do it.”

Magnus grabs Taako and Lilli, and pulls both of them inside, Merle following behind. 

Lilliana feels sick as Taako applauds Edward and Lydia’s entrance

I don’t have specific sacrifices in mind for her, I’m open to suggestions

She knows Barry’s with them, and that offers her some comfort. And she knows she could snap the umbrella if they got really stuck, have both her parents on their side

She freaks when Taako gets crushed with the machinery, when they find out they can’t heal in here and Taako’s almost dead. 

They don’t talk about this adventure much, so she doesn’t know what did or didn’t happen when this happened without her. 

When they’re doing the Boss Rush, and Barry’s trying to make the door at the other end of the room, Lilliana can’t help but grin. Because he’s here, and there’s the proof.

When Taako turns into Dupree, Lilliana laughs

This is a scary as hell situation, but god damn, Taako just turned into a T-Rex. Of course he did. 

They fight the wonder twins, and the umbrella swallows edward, spits him out, and he turns to dust, and Lilliana feels a rush of satisfaction

Don’t fuck with my mom if you can’t handle the consequences, she thinks. 

Then Lydia screams and disintegrates Magnus’s body and Magnus is stuck as a mannequin now

oh yeah, lilliana thinks, i forgot about that part

The tent disappears, and Magnus is assaulting Barry with his own detached mannequin arm and demanding answers

Lilliana doesn’t hesitate at all when Barry asks for their stones of farspeech

Homestretch, she thinks to herself. 

They make their way to Barry’s lich cave hideout, Lilliana’s kind of tuning out whatever he’s say because she already knows all of this. 

As he lowers into the body cloning thing, Lilli is looking at the maps and notes he’s got on the desk thing he’s got, because she knows he’ll be stark naked when he comes out of the pod and, as his daughter, she does not need to be a witness to that

(She hears Merle start laughing as he pulls the jeans out of the chest. She smiles to herself.) 

As Barry’s getting dressed, the four of them convene, and they’re debating over if they should trust him or not. 

“I trust him,” Lilliana says. “He could’ve killed us at any point, and he hasn’t. I think we should trust him.” 

They decide to trust him. 

Reunion Tour

They get up to the moon with Barry in the bag

“Magnus is dead y’all :((((”

Shit goes the same, they find the Magnus body in Fantasy Costco, they start debating over whether or not Magnus should take the body or not. 

Lilliana walks up to Magnus as she, Taako, and Merle go to leave. She takes his wooden hands in her own. “It’s going to be okay, Magnus,” she says. “This is all going to work out.”  She gives his hands a squeeze, though he can’t feel it, and smiles. As Magnus looks at her smile, he feels a sense of familiarity, a face that isn’t Lilli’s flashes in his mind, too quickly for him to be able to hold on to it.

Taako, Merle, and Lilli leave to go see the director and leave Magnus behind

So the three of them get into Lucretia’s office, go into the hall to her private quarters, get caught by her trap, but Angus stops them from getting caught, he Zone of Truths them, Barry climbs out of the bag, they get into Lucretia’s private area

They all drink from Junior’s tank (though it doesn’t do anything to Lilli, who already knows all of this) 

She kind of sticks by Angus because she can see him starting to get Freaked by the shit happening (still weird that he’s 11 though!!!!!)

As the five of them get brought out in front of Lucretia, Lilli fades into the background of the interaction along with Angus, just watching this confrontation happen

Lucretia:  I can build a barrier to keep the Hunger at bay. I can build a home that all of us can be safe in, together. Save for Lup. I'm so sorry, Taako, Barry, there was nothing I could do Lilliana, internally: seriously, Luce? How on EARTH can you still not know? Like... come on now.

Lucretia does her speech, and then it’s the end of the world... again. 

Stolen Century

That’s a whole different au that we’ll get to at another time

Story & Song

Taako’s doing his whole thing being mad at Lucretia and not caring that the world is ending, and Lilli is off to the side, kind of whispering to herself, “come on, Taako. Come on, just think about it. You can figure it out. Just think.” 

They’re bickering about whether they should stay or go, then the Hunger bursts into the room, the fight happens, and Taako finally, finally sets his sister free.

Lilliana is grinning as the familiar warmth of her mother’s magic weaves around her expertly and the monsters in the room are consumed. She cackles at “You’re dating the Grim Reaper?!”. Rolls her eyes at her father says he’s going to blow himself up to hold her. 

Davenport gives them all orders, sends Lilli to go with Carey, Killian, and Noelle to secure the base. 

But she sees Lup, Barry, and Taako totally disregard their order to find the ship and instead jump off the moon down to Phandolyn, so Lilli runs off to do that instead 

Things happen like they do in canon

The story and song go out, and they all regroup (sans Lilli, not that they notice), Lucas says he knows where the ship is, and as he’s about to do the Thing to bring it up, the quad splits and opens up on its own, and up rises the Starblaster

Lilliana stands on the deck, leaning on the railing.  “Found your ship,” she says casually, grinning. 

Davenport says they gotta go, Lucretia reappears and begs them not to, they all start bickering again about what they should do, and Taako gives his “There’s a third option” speech

So they decide to try and cut the Hunger off, and as they’re boarding, one of the birds (I’m thinking Davenport) looks at Lilliana, still hanging out on the deck of the ship, and is like “hey, kid, you should stay down here.” 

Lilli’s like fuck no. I’ve gotten this far in this whole thing, I’m going with you. 

Thb back her up like. yeah cap’nport, she’s actually super rad, she’s gone through all the relic missions with us. She can handle herself. 

So Lilli gets to stay on the Starblaster as they shoot up into the Hunger. She’s scared shitless, but this is her shot at getting home. 

They fight the Hunger, shit’s wild, Lucretia puts up her barrier and they end up in the Nothingness as they’re talking to Jeffandrew. 

Jeffandrew gives them his little speech and then lilli’s like  Lilli: Hey uhh... jeffandrew? If you’re the god of gods, then you must know that I’m like... very not supposed to be here? Can you send me home? Jeffandrew: oh, shit. Oh, geez. I don’t know how this went unchecked for so long. For sure I can send you home.  Lucretia, who’s been tearing her hair out over Lilli for the last year: for fuck’s sake, who ARE you?! Lilliana: 

Baby gets home!!

She gets home and for her family, it’s been a year since she’s been gone and they’ve all been very sad about it, doing anything they can to try and get her back, so when she reappears in the blupjeans-taakitz conjoined backyard, and Lup and Taako see her through the kitchen window, they barrel outside towards her and she gets wrapped up in their arms. 

Barry and Kravitz are also home and see the twins just bolt outside, and so they naturally follow after them, and they join the hug because BABY’S HOME!!!!!!!

They’re all like what happened?!!?!? Where were you?!?!?!? We’ve been trying everything!!!!!

So she tells them the short version, pulling her sleeve back to show her bracer and saying “I got sent back in time and ended up a reclaimer!!! Shit was wild!!!” 

Then they go inside and she gives them the more detailed version. 

They call everyone else and it’s a wonderful family reunion for all of them (everyone cries. They were so worried about the baby.) 

Lilliana gets her bracer taken off. She’s had ENOUGH of that thing. 

The Raven Queen pardons her death count (everyone is Very Distressed about her having a death count in the first place) 

Everyone lives happily every after!!

[samglyph]

no cops at pride, just Angus McDonald and his three dads 

[internutter]

There are few things I wish for more than baby!Angus content. So baby!Angus on his first day out with Taako and Kravitz, either after being adopted or born, and just running into all of their friends because this would be the first time they saw Angus since Taako and Krav got him.

[AN: Why not both?]

Young Angus

Angus McDonald was seven years old, today. If there was a cake, Angus hadn’t seen where Papa had hidden it. Instead of that, he was packing a picnic basket.

It had to be dimensionally transcendent, because Papa was packing way more stuff into it than a regular basket could hold. He had that sneaky face on that meant he was plotting something.

“Good morning,” said Angus. “Do you have something special planned for today?”

“Nope,” lied Papa. He added yet another huge container to the basket.

“I thought today was a special day,” teased Angus. “I’m pretty sure something important happened today. Something... seven years ago...”

Papa pretended to think about this for three containers. “Nope. Nothin’ coming to my mind.” He added a wink. “We just need a little time outdoors. You’ve been cooped up indoors since your welcome-to-the-family party. Sunshine’ll do you great.”

Dad carried him on his shoulders, all the way to the park where the others of this huge, weird family were gathered.

Aunt Lup was the one who had the cake. She could do confectionary if she put the effort into it, Angus knew. It’s just that she preferred quicker recipes. The fact that she had done the cake meant that she thought he was worth the extra effort.

Magnus had some of his best trained dogs. The whole family had everything ready for the best seventh birthday a little boy could hope for.

Baby Angus

Here’s the thing about having a baby - going anywhere with one is almost a kingdom-conquering exercise. There was so much stuff involved in taking an infant anywhere that one could easily mistake it for a military event.

“Stroller, check. Diaper bag, check. Bottles, check. Formula, check. Spare clothes, check. Washers, check. Binkies, check...” Taako ran down the list. “Blankie... where the heck is the blankie?”

“I got it, Dove.” Kravitz added the blankie to the significant pile of baby accessories.

“Booties, mittens, tumby...” the essential companion toy, a chubby cloth moppet that Lucretia had made by hand, thus paving the way to Taako actually talking to her by the end of the decade. “I think that’s everything.”

“Except...” prompted Kravitz.

“Except what? We got the baby stroller, the baby bag, the baby bottles, the baby formula... what are we missing?”

“The baby?” Kravitz already had him in his arms.

Angus blinked owlishly at his Apa and said, “Blpth.”

“Of course. The most essential part of a day out with baby.” Taako welcomed both his men into his arms, spared a smooch for them both. “Okay. Now we’re all ready for our first day of shopping.”

It was an interesting day, nonetheless. Taako happened to trip over one of his family or friends on the regular. So regular that it seemed suspicious.

He finally snagged Barold about the fifth time they chanced to meet. “Spill it, Bluejeans. This ain’t no co-incidence. Confess.”

Barold turned bright red (natch) and stammered out, “Yeah, well. Uh. We know it’s your first day out with the kid anduh... we... thought we’d make sure you were all okay.”

Lup appeared out of nowhere. “Not that we were all that worried,” said Lup. “I knew you’d crush it. You’d never do anything stupid like pack everything and forget the baby.”

“Hardy har har,” deadpanned Taako.

[TAZ Prompts Remaining: 0]

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[whatamirolling]

the world’s greatest detective

Angus McDonald had always been a fairly independent child. He was the World’s Greatest Detective, after all, and the World’s Greatest Detective couldn’t have someone holding his hand every step of the way if he wanted anyone to take him seriously. But he was still a child, and most children need their parents.

Angus had to stop needing his parents a long time ago.

His mother and father never approved of his sleuthing, said it was “too dangerous”, and that he “should be doing something else with his time”, something that benefited the family. They had a reputation to uphold, and detectives were not part of that reputation. But Angus couldn’t just turn off his brain. Couldn’t turn off his proclivity for solving mysteries, his talent for finding just the right clue to crack the case. So Angus did something that he didn’t really do that often, even when he got older. He defied those who were in charge of him.

The mysteries only got bigger, and eventually Angus’s parents all but gave up on him. His father sent him to his grandfather’s with a box of silverware and a stern warning to “do what he was told and keep to himself”, to not talk to strangers. But then Angus got a message from the Rockport City Council, and it was too good of a mystery to pass up, and it was right on the way to his grandfather’s, on the very train his father bought him a ticket to ride.

And then those three adventurers boarded the train, with their lack of poise and (frankly ridiculous, if Angus thought about it) fake names, and suddenly Angus was thrown into a whole new mystery that he knew he just had to solve.

It wasn’t hard to connect the three adventurers and those strange bracers they wore on their arms to a conspiracy Angus had been following for months before the murder on the Rockport Limited. And right when he got close to cracking the case, he was approached by a woman with white hair and a solemn expression, and she had a short assistant with her who didn’t speak, and both of them wore the same bracers on their arms as the three adventurers on the train, and Angus knew he had gotten too close to solving the mystery.

But the woman and her assistant didn’t try to hurt him, like he thought they might, like others did when he uncovered something he wasn’t supposed to. Instead, the woman offered him a job, one where he could use his abilities and help others on a wider scale than the next town over. Angus accepted immediately.

His dad had always told him not to talk to strangers, but the World’s Greatest Detective had to talk to strangers if he wanted a chance at solving anything. And talking to strangers gave him a few of the closest friends he would ever make and a job that would eventually end with him helping to save the world.

When Angus took the job as a seeker at the Bureau of Balance, he didn’t much care what his parents would think; he had stopped caring about that a long time ago.

He didn’t know that his parents wouldn’t think about it at all because they wouldn’t remember their son taking a job.

They wouldn’t remember their son.

[rockindragonz]

Just Like Him

Written for @itsstilllyou for the 2018 TaZ Queer Candlenights Gift Exchange!  <3 :D

Words: 3079

Summary: Angus is used to the stares at this point. He doesn't like them, but he's used to them. He's never seen anyone else like him until he sees Taako for the first time.  AKA a little boy imprints on our favorite meme wizard.

Ao3

Time and time again, Angus McDonald found himself in situations  like the one he is currently dealing with.  People around him who don't know him, can't see him, won't talk to him, or just ignore his existence altogether.  Honestly, it was no longer a bother to him, it was simply an inconvenience for a detective.  The train had proved to be a great means to an end and there were very few people aboard the train which made it easier to deal with the stares they sometimes shot him.  He will admit to himself that the stares are the worst part of his situation.  No matter how masculine he may dress, how short he may cut his curly hair, how low he keeps his golf hat, people could always only see 'female’ when they look at him.  It was frustrating knowing that they see him as one thing when he is absolutely another.

*

When he saw Taako get on the train in all of his long blonde, wizardly glory, it was shocking for the young boy.  This man was dressed in feminine clothing, had a very high pitched voice, and was almost certainly mistaken for a woman all the time, yet he had such an air of confidence about him that people were staring at him in a different way than they looked at Angus - in awe.  Something was fishy about the three travellers, but Angus found himself wanting to speak with the man if only to confirm his suspicions that he was just like him.  They approached him first, trying to act discreet about what was obviously supposed to be an undercover mission but they were failing horribly.

The mystery of the train prevented him from asking Taako outright, but he knew, if only in the way he carried himself.  There was the confidence, the suave nature, and the natural charm, but there was also the quiet self doubt, the mind that was thinking five steps ahead of his companions, and the hesitation every time he spoke.  Angus had known Taako for only a few hours, but he already knew with 100% certainty that Taako was just as trans as him.

*

Angus’ decision to join the Bureau of Balance was spurred by multiple instances.  Of course there was his investigation into the disappearances, but if he hadn't been told that the trio he had met on the Rockport Limited were part of the B.o.B. he probably wouldn't have seriously considered it.  In fact, he most likely would have refused due to not wanting it to be a conflict of interest that could harm his detective work.  But here he is.  Since joining the Bureau, he had felt safer and more at home than anywhere else in the world.  No one ever stared at him, no one gave his feminine pitch any second thoughts, no one even winced when we offhandedly mentioned that he had been having really bad cramps recently.  Lucretia had actually given him some medicinal plants she said she had used for cramps when she was his age.  It was treated scientifically instead of him feeling like a freak.  This place felt like home.

*

When the boys were on their mission to Lucas’ lab, he had never felt so anxious in all his life.  He didn't really know the trio all that well, and all they had done when knowing him was tease and bully him, but something in the way they teased and bullied was nice, almost familial in a way.  Taako was the biggest culprit of the family-type teasing.  His goofs never seemed to be intentionally harmful in a permanent way, they were always harmful in a goofy dad type of way, and he knew none of them would ever say anything that would actually hurt Angus.  But having those three go completely off the grid for so long had Angus panicking.  Lucretia was with him, but she was on edge and seemed horrifically close to breaking down, which only served to further Angus’ anxiety, because if the Director was nervous for the three men she barely knew, he knew something must truly be wrong.  When their voices finally came back, Angus could see the tension leave her body and he could feel his anxiety melt away.  He had known these men for such a short time, and yet they had caused him a great deal of stress.

*

Their story was one of epic proportions.  He couldn't understand most of it outright, but he saw flashes of what he needed most.  He saw Taako and his twin sister, Lup, laughing side by side.  His sister was like him too, but she, like Taako, was more confident in herself than Angus had ever see anyone be.  Angus saw them fighting back to back, kicking ass and taking names.  He saw Lup launch a volley of fire at boards high in the sky.  He saw Lup become a lich in front of her brother's eyes, and only saw the terror and worry in Taako's eyes for a split second.  He saw Taako and Lup and then he saw himself in the two of them.  He saw how similar they truly were, and he finally, finally saw that he was nothing to be ashamed of.  Despite what his parents thought, despite what his family thought, despite what the world may think of him, he was special and he wouldn't stand for anyone to look down on him again.

*

After the Day of Story and Song, Angus had to figure out where to go.  He had no home aside from the B.o.B. and Lucretia had disbanded it promptly following the defeat of the Hunger.  It had been the closest thing Angus had ever had to a real family and now it was gone, just like that.  But he still had them.  He knew they still love him, no matter how far apart they got.  When he told the main trio that he had no idea where to go, Magnus immediately offered for Angus to live with him for a while, until he found his family.

“Oh no sir, my family is dead, they have been for a long time,” Angus said.

“What about the grandpa you were headed to back on the Rockport Limited?” Taako said, cocking his head to the side.

“That was a clever ruse on my part so no one would question why a little boy was travelling alone!”

“So you're all alone then?” Kravitz said.

“Yeah, but I'm used to it!  I've been alone for a long time!”

“Well you're coming with us,” Taako said, arms crossed over his chest, “I can't be held responsible for teaching you magic and then having you go off and go nuts with it!  That would be irresponsible.  Kravitz, let's find a home for 3, got it big guy?”  At the proposition of living with Taako, Kravitz's dark skin grew red, but he grinned and nodded all the same.

“If you ever need a break from those two,” Magnus said, “call me.”  Angus just smiled a soft smile, one that didn't show just how shocked and happy he was that Taako of all people was taking him in.  He couldn't wait for his new life to start.

*

Taako and Kravitz spent a long time looking for a place.  During this time, the three of them stayed at various inns and hotels where many people refused to accept Taako's money because they all knew who he was.  On the surface, Taako took it with grace and thanked them, but he would always leave the proper amount of gold on one of the beds when he thought Angus and Kravitz weren't looking.  When they finally did settle down, Kravitz and Taako had found a home that was far too big for just the three of them, but was big enough to fit the whole IPRE crew.  When Kravitz and Taako had been talking with the realtor, she mentioned that the house had belonged to a wealthy couple that had been a part of the massive casualties of the Hunger.  Both Taako and Kravitz were sympathetic, but the realtor assured them that the couple 'had it coming’.  At that phrase, a moment of disbelief and confusion crossed Taako's face, but he remained poised and collected, he did love the mansion after all and the massive kitchen it had in it.  They sealed the deal and moved in as soon as they could.  Angus got a huge room all to himself with his own bathroom even.  Taako and Kravitz shared the master bedroom of course, and they had 5 vacant rooms for when the IPRE visited and bathrooms attached to each one.

For Angus, the home felt eerily familiar.  He found himself trying to walk quietly, peeking around corners before walking around them, and trying to make himself as small as possible.  Whenever Taako or Kravitz noticed, Angus would apologize and shake his head, unsure of the reason why he was so jumpy in the home.  Naturally, he had to investigate.  He went to the neighbors to ask about the previous owners, and the elderly woman had said they were a black couple with no children and a large family that lived elsewhere that would visit during the holidays.  She had also told him that they had once had a young girl around the manor that looked very much like him, but the girl had died a long time before the Hunger came.  Angus delved deeper into the history of the house and even contacted the local sheriff to get more information.  All the sheriff would tell him was that he had gotten many noise complaints over the years about the couple yelling so loud the neighbors could hear.  Still, Angus’ curiosity wasn't satisfied.  One morning, he was going over his notes before Kravitz was ready to teleport him to school when Taako came and dropped off his breakfast.

“Whatcha got there Ango?” he said.

“Just some notes on a mystery I've needed to solve.  I want to know who used to live here!”

At that, Taako's eyes grew slightly bigger for a split second before he blinked and looked away.  “You don't remember?”

“Huh?”

Taako sighed and set down the pan he's been serving breakfast from.  “Angus, shit, let me get Krav in here, I'm not good at this shit.”  As if by magic, Kravitz walked through the dining room door.

“Hey kid, ready for school yet?”

“Krav, we gotta talk,” Taako said with a grimace.  Immediately, Kravitz looked concerned, but he regained his composure and smoothed his shirt down.  Taako sat across from Angus while Kravitz pulled up a chair next to him.

“We thought you knew, but didn't want to talk about it.  Fuck, dude, I can't do feelings and shit like that.”

“What Taako means to say,” Kravitz said, shooting a light glare Taako's way, “is that we didn't want to pressure you into talking about something you don't want to talk about.”

“What?” Angus said.

“Look, Angus, this house belonged to a couple called the McDonalds.”  And, just like that, all of the memories he had blocked out for years came rushing back.

“I can't believe you don't remember that, you grew up here,” Kravitz said, reaching out towards him.  As if Kravitz was throwing a flame at him, Angus flinched backwards and sat up a little straighter.  Kravitz retracted his hand, but a look of concern was plastered on his face.  It was as if he had a permanent scowl now.

Taako opened his mouth, Angus knew he was saying something to him, but none of the words were actually entering his brain.  He was watching his memories come flooding back almost like nightmare.  His mom walking with him through a dress shop when he was maybe 3 years old, making him try on frilly dress after frilly dress.  He came out in one with a frown on his face and he pointed at the suits asking his mom why he couldn't wear pants because pants would be easier to play in.  He heard his mom telling him that ladies don't wear pants to formal events.  He asked why.  His mother smacked his mouth.  He saw his father tearing apart a drawing Angus had done of himself in pants instead of a dress when he was 5.  He had drawn it because he knew pants were more comfortable.  He wasn't allowed to wear pants from then on.  His father had made him turn around and Angus was spanked for his actions. Angus saw himself in a frilly white and pink dress with long, fluffy curled hair when he was 8.  He saw his mom applying light makeup to his face.  He saw himself get grabbed by a man at the party and dragged away by his  hair before he was luckily seen by a butler.  He saw himself, that same day, with a knife cutting his hair in the bathroom as short as he could manage so no one could grab it again.  He saw his mother and father screaming at him, calling him a lady, and telling him that ladies couldn't have short hair.  He saw himself bruised.

“Angus?” Kravitz said.  Angus blinked, realizing with a start that his face was wet and he was holding his breath.  He let it out in a blubbering sigh as Kravitz scooped him into a hug with no warning.  Taako was there soon too, hugging him and holding his hand so tightly that he almost couldn't breathe.  Taako was muttering things, thing Angus knew he said to Lup when she called in a panic because she had woken up in darkness from a nightmare about black curtains, things that were somehow grounding him in the current reality.  When he finally stopped sobbing, Kravitz's shirt was wet from his tears and there was a mark on Taako's hand where he had been squeezing it.

“Can you tell us what's happening now Angus?” Kravitz said, patient as ever.  Angus only nodded slowly, as if he was only just now truly absorbing all the shit he had been through.

“My parents, the McDonalds, were…” he paused “they were...horrible.  They-they hit me and called me a lady and hit me whenever I didn't act like one.  I ran away when I was 10 and started doing detective work because I had always been curious.  I cut my hair.  I'm a boy.  Not a girl.  I was never a girl, but they called me a girl.”  Taako's fist clenched and Angus could see the rage building in his eyes, but his face remained neutral.  Kravitz, however, was looking at him with sympathy and love.  Anger was there, it was definitely there, but Kravitz was much better at masking his emotions than Taako had ever been.

“They aren't here to hurt you anymore.  We will move too, so you don't have to live where they were.  You will never have to think of them again, okay?”

“I don't want to move.  I want to live here with you two and Magnus and Merle and Lup and Barry and everyone.  You guys loved me when I needed it, even though I didn't really get why at the time.”  Angus wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his jacket and sniffled a little.  He nodded, mostly to himself, and reached out to hug Taako and Kravitz as best he could with his small arms.  They responded instantaneously and wrapped their arms around him securely.

“They aren't my family anymore,” he whispered.

“Yeah, fuck those fuckers, we are your dads now, shit lil dude, you’re fuckin adopted,” Taako said.  His voice was final as he spoke with no uncertainty in his voice.  Kravitz only laughed and squeezed the two of them tighter.  Angus breathed for a moment, afraid, but happy, and for the first time in his whole life, he knew he truly had a family that loved and accepted him for who he was.

*

Life continued as normal after that day.  Taako insisted that Angus see someone and talk about 'the bullshit he went through’ as he had out it, and it seemed to help Angus a lot.  He was able to talk about everything to a total stranger.  Sometimes Taako and Kravitz would come and listen whenever Angus felt comfortable letting them in.  Truth be told, Angus was comfortable with them from the beginning, but Taako was insistent that the first few sessions be his and his alone.  He got happier and felt safer than he ever had before, and he continued learning magic at Lucas’ school.  Taako teased him endlessly about attending his rival's school instead of his own father's, but the teasing was always light hearted.  Lup and Barry built a small home attached to the mansion the three of them lived in, so they were there frequently.  No one outright told Angus why, but he assumed that it was because of the nightmares and the fact that being separated stressed them both out.  The rest of the IPRE and the BoB came for holidays and the anniversary of the Day of Story and Song to celebrate and to confirm that they were all still alive and okay.  Angus thrived in his home with his family and friends that he had grown to love more than anything in the world.  Angus was truly and completely happy.

*

What Angus didn't know, however, was that the day after he had told Taako and Kravitz his life story, the two of them plus Lup and Barry had gone to the Raven Queen and asked to see Mr. and Mrs. McDonald.  All knowing as she is, the Raven Queen summoned the souls from the lake without question and watched as Kravitz yelled louder than he ever had.  He told the McDonalds that Angus was never their son, that his son was going to be happy and that they would never get the chance to see him succeed and be happy.  They had tried to tell Kravitz that they only had a daughter, but Lup had cast a fireball that left their spirits extinguished forever.  She had gotten a slap on the wrist from the Raven Queen for that one, obliterating souls was very against the laws of nature, but nothing more.  They were, after all, horrible people to her grandson.

But hey.  What Angus didn't know, would never have to hurt him.

[queertazsecretsanta]

Home

A gift for @itsstillyou, created by @rockindragonz!

(trigger warning: reference to past child abuse)

Title: Home

Time and time again, Angus McDonald found himself in situations like the one he is currently dealing with. People around him who don’t know him, can’t see him, won’t talk to him, or just ignore his existence altogether. Honestly, it was no longer a bother to him, it was simply an inconvenience for a detective. The train had proved to be a great means to an end and there were very few people aboard the train which made it easier to deal with the stares they sometimes shot him.  He will admit to himself that the stares are the worst part of his situation. No matter how masculine he may dress, how short he may cut his curly hair, how low he keeps his golf hat, people could always only see ‘female’ when they look at him. It was frustrating knowing that they see him as one thing when he is absolutely another.

When he saw Taako get on the train in all of his long blonde, wizardly glory, it was shocking for the young boy.  This man was dressed in feminine clothing, had a very high pitched voice, and was almost certainly mistaken for a woman all the time, yet he had such an air of confidence about him that people were staring at him in a different way than they looked at Angus - in awe.  Something was fishy about the three travelers, but Angus found himself wanting to speak with the man if only to confirm his suspicions that he was just like him. They approached him first, trying to act discreet about what was obviously supposed to be an undercover mission but they were failing horribly.

The mystery of the train prevented him from asking Taako outright, but he knew, if only in the way he carried himself.  There was the confidence, the suave nature, and the natural charm, but there was also the quiet self doubt, the mind that was thinking five steps ahead of his companions, and the hesitation every time he spoke.  Angus had known Taako for only a few hours, but he already knew with 100% certainty that Taako was just as trans as him.

Angus’s decision to join the Bureau of Balance was spurred by multiple instances.  Of course there was his investigation into the disappearances, but if he hadn’t been told that the trio he had met on the Rockport Limited were part of the B.o.B. he probably wouldn’t have seriously considered it.  In fact, he most likely would have refused due to not wanting it to be a conflict of interest that could harm his detective work. But here he is. Since joining the Bureau, he had felt safer and more at home than anywhere else in the world.  No one ever stared at him, no one gave his feminine pitch any second thoughts, no one even winced when we offhandedly mentioned that he had been having really bad cramps recently. Lucretia had actually given him some medicinal plants she said she had used for cramps when she was his age.  It was treated scientifically instead of him feeling like a freak. This place felt like home.

When the boys were on their mission to Lucas’ lab, he had never felt so anxious in all his life.  He didn’t really know the trio all that well, and all they had done when knowing him was tease and bully him, but something in the way they teased and bullied was nice, almost familial in a way. Taako was the biggest culprit of the family-type teasing. His goofs never seemed to be intentionally harmful in a permanent way, they were always harmful in a goofy dad type of way, and he knew none of them would ever say anything that would actually hurt Angus.  But having those three go completely off the grid for so long had Angus panicking. Lucretia was with him, but she was on edge and seemed horrifically close to breaking down, which only served to further Angus’ anxiety, because if the Director was nervous for the three men she barely knew, he knew something must truly be wrong.  When their voices finally came back, Angus could see the tension leave her body and he could feel his anxiety melt away. He had known these men for such a short time, and yet they had caused him a great deal of stress.

Their story was one of epic proportions.  He couldn’t understand most of it outright, but he saw flashes of what he needed most.  He saw Taako and his twin sister, Lup, laughing side by side. His sister was like him too, but she, like Taako, was more confident in herself than Angus had ever see anyone be.  Angus saw them fighting back to back, kicking ass and taking names. He saw Lup launch a volley of fire at boards high in the sky. He saw Lup become a lich in front of her brother’s eyes, and only saw the terror and worry in Taako’s eyes for a split second.  He saw Taako and Lup and then he saw himself in the two of them. He saw how similar they truly were, and he finally, finally saw that he was nothing to be ashamed of. Despite what his parents thought, despite what his family thought, despite what the world may think of him, he was special and he wouldn’t stand for anyone to look down on him again.

After the Day of Story and Song, Angus had to figure out where to go.  He had no home aside from the B.o.B. and Lucretia had disbanded it promptly following the defeat of the Hunger.  It had been the closest thing Angus had ever had to a real family and now it was gone, just like that. But he still had them.  He knew they still loved him, no matter how far apart they got. When he told the main trio that he had no idea where to go, Magnus immediately offered for Angus to live with him for a while, until he found his family.

“Oh no sir, my family is dead, they have been for a long time,” Angus said.

“What about the grandpa you were headed to back on the Rockport Limited?” Taako said, cocking his head to the side.

“That was a clever ruse on my part so no one would question why a little boy was travelling alone!”

“So you’re all alone then?” Kravitz said.

“Yeah, but I’m used to it!  I’ve been alone for a long time!”

“Well you’re coming with us,” Taako said, arms crossed over his chest, “I can’t be held responsible for teaching you magic and then having you go off and go nuts with it!  That would be irresponsible. Kravitz, let’s find a home for 3, got it big guy?” At the proposition of living with Taako, Kravitz’s dark skin grew red, but he grinned and nodded all the same.

“If you ever need a break from those two,” Magnus said, “call me.”  Angus just smiled a soft smile, one that didn’t show just how shocked and happy he was that Taako of all people was taking him in.  He couldn’t wait for his new life to start.

Taako and Kravitz spent a long time looking for a place.  During this time, the three of them stayed at various inns and hotels where many people refused to accept Taako’s money because they all knew who he was.  On the surface, Taako took it with grace and thanked them, but he would always leave the proper amount of gold on one of the beds when he thought Angus and Kravitz weren’t looking.  When they finally did settle down, Kravitz and Taako had found a home that was far too big for just the three of them, but was big enough to fit the whole IPRE crew. When Kravitz and Taako had been talking with the realtor, she mentioned that the house had belonged to a wealthy couple that had been a part of the massive casualties of the Hunger.  Both Taako and Kravitz were sympathetic, but the realtor assured them that the couple ‘had it coming’. At that phrase, a moment of disbelief and confusion crossed Taako’s face, but he remained poised and collected, he did love the mansion after all and the massive kitchen it had in it. They sealed the deal and moved in as soon as they could. Angus got a huge room all to himself with his own bathroom even.  Taako and Kravitz shared the master bedroom of course, and they had 5 vacant rooms for when the IPRE visited and bathrooms attached to each one.

For Angus, the home felt eerily familiar.  He found himself trying to walk quietly, peeking around corners before walking around them, and trying to make himself as small as possible.  Whenever Taako or Kravitz noticed, Angus would apologize and shake his head, unsure of the reason why he was so jumpy in the home. Naturally, he had to investigate.  He went to the neighbors to ask about the previous owners, and the elderly woman had said they were a black couple with no children and a large family that lived elsewhere that would visit during the holidays.  She had also told him that they had once had a young girl around the manor that looked very much like him, but the girl had died a long time before the Hunger came. Angus delved deeper into the history of the house and even contacted the local sheriff to get more information.  All the sheriff would tell him was that he had gotten many noise complaints over the years about the couple yelling so loud the neighbors could hear. Still, Angus’ curiosity wasn’t satisfied. One morning, he was going over his notes before Kravitz was ready to teleport him to school when Taako came and dropped off his breakfast.

“Whatcha got there Ango?” he said.

“Just some notes on a mystery I’ve needed to solve.  I want to know who used to live here!”

At that, Taako’s eyes grew slightly bigger for a split second before he blinked and looked away.  “You don’t remember?”

“Huh?”

Taako sighed and set down the pan he’s been serving breakfast from.  “Angus, shit, let me get Krav in here, I’m not good at this shit.” As if by magic, Kravitz walked through the dining room door.

“Hey kid, ready for school yet?”

“Krav, we gotta talk,” Taako said with a grimace.  Immediately, Kravitz looked concerned, but he regained his composure and smoothed his shirt down.  Taako sat across from Angus while Kravitz pulled up a chair next to him.

“We thought you knew, but didn’t want to talk about it.  Fuck, dude, I can’t do feelings and shit like that.”

“What Taako means to say,” Kravitz said, shooting a light glare Taako’s way, “is that we didn’t want to pressure you into talking about something you don’t want to talk about.”

“What?” Angus said.

“Look, Angus, this house belonged to a couple called the McDonalds.”  And, just like that, all of the memories he had blocked out for years came rushing back.

“I can’t believe you don’t remember that, you grew up here,” Kravitz said, reaching out towards him.  As if Kravitz was throwing a flame at him, Angus flinched backwards and sat up a little straighter. Kravitz retracted his hand, but a look of concern was plastered on his face.  It was as if he had a permanent scowl now.

Taako opened his mouth, Angus knew he was saying something to him, but none of the words were actually entering his brain.  He was watching his memories come flooding back almost like nightmare. His mom walking with him through a dress shop when he was maybe 3 years old, making him try on frilly dress after frilly dress.  He came out in one with a frown on his face and he pointed at the suits asking his mom why he couldn’t wear pants because pants would be easier to play in. He heard his mom telling him that ladies don’t wear pants to formal events.  He asked why. His mother smacked his mouth. He saw his father tearing apart a drawing Angus had done of himself in pants instead of a dress when he was 5. He had drawn it because he knew pants were more comfortable. He wasn’t allowed to wear pants from then on.  His father had made him turn around and Angus was spanked for his actions. Angus saw himself in a frilly white and pink dress with long, fluffy curled hair when he was 8. He saw his mom applying light makeup to his face. He saw himself get grabbed by a man at the party and dragged away by his hair before he was luckily seen by a butler. He saw himself, that same day, with a knife cutting his hair in the bathroom as short as he could manage so no one could grab it again. He saw his mother and father screaming at him, calling him a lady, and telling him that ladies couldn’t have short hair.  He saw himself bruised.

“Angus?” Kravitz said. Angus blinked, realizing with a start that his face was wet and he was holding his breath. He let it out in a blubbering sigh as Kravitz scooped him into a hug with no warning. Taako was there soon too, hugging him and holding his hand so tightly that he almost couldn’t breathe.  Taako was muttering things, thing Angus knew he said to Lup when she called in a panic because she had woken up in darkness from a nightmare about black curtains, things that were somehow grounding him in the current reality. When he finally stopped sobbing, Kravitz’s shirt was wet from his tears and there was a mark on Taako’s hand where he had been squeezing it.

“Can you tell us what’s happening now Angus?” Kravitz said, patient as ever.  Angus only nodded slowly, as if he was only just now truly absorbing all the shit he had been through.

“My parents, the McDonalds, were…” he paused “they were…horrible.  They-they hit me and called me a lady and hit me whenever I didn’t act like one. I ran away when I was 10 and started doing detective work because I had always been curious. I cut my hair. I’m a boy. Not a girl. I was never a girl, but they called me a girl.” Taako’s fist clenched and Angus could see the rage building in his eyes, but his face remained neutral.  Kravitz, however, was looking at him with sympathy and love. Anger was there, it was definitely there, but Kravitz was much better at masking his emotions than Taako had ever been.

“They aren’t here to hurt you anymore.  We will move too, so you don’t have to live where they were.  You will never have to think of them again, okay?”

“I don’t want to move.  I want to live here with you two and Magnus and Merle and Lup and Barry and everyone.  You guys loved me when I needed it, even though I didn’t really get why at the time.” Angus wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his jacket and sniffled a little.  He nodded, mostly to himself, and reached out to hug Taako and Kravitz as best he could with his small arms. They responded instantaneously and wrapped their arms around him securely.

“They aren’t my family anymore,” he whispered.

“Yeah, fuck those fuckers, we are your dads now, shit lil dude, you’re fuckin adopted,” Taako said.  His voice was final as he spoke with no uncertainty in his voice. Kravitz only laughed and squeezed the two of them tighter.  Angus breathed for a moment, afraid, but happy, and for the first time in his whole life, he knew he truly had a family that loved and accepted him for who he was.

Life continued as normal after that day.  Taako insisted that Angus see someone and talk about 'the bullshit he went through’ as he had put it, and it seemed to help Angus a lot.  He was able to talk about everything to a total stranger. Sometimes Taako and Kravitz would come and listen whenever Angus felt comfortable letting them in.  Truth be told, Angus was comfortable with them from the beginning, but Taako was insistent that the first few sessions be his and his alone. He got happier and felt safer than he ever had before, and he continued learning magic at Lucas’ school.  Taako teased him endlessly about attending his rival’s school instead of his own father’s, but the teasing was always light hearted. Lup and Barry built a small home attached to the mansion the three of them lived in, so they were there frequently.  No one outright told Angus why, but he assumed that it was because of the nightmares and the fact that being separated stressed them both out. The rest of the IPRE and the BoB came for holidays and the anniversary of the Day of Story and Song to celebrate and to confirm that they were all still alive and okay.  Angus thrived in his home with his family and friends that he had grown to love more than anything in the world. Angus was truly and completely happy.

What Angus didn’t know, however, was that the day after he had told Taako and Kravitz his life story, the two of them plus Lup and Barry had gone to the Raven Queen and asked to see Mr. and Mrs. McDonald.  All knowing as she is, the Raven Queen summoned the souls from the lake without question and watched as Kravitz yelled louder than he ever had. He told the McDonalds that Angus was never their son, that his son was going to be happy and that they would never get the chance to see him succeed and be happy.  They had tried to tell Kravitz that they only had a daughter, but Lup had cast a fireball that left their spirits extinguished forever.  She had gotten a slap on the wrist from the Raven Queen for that one, obliterating souls was very against the laws of nature, but nothing more.  They were, after all, horrible people to her grandson.

But hey.  What Angus didn’t know, would never have to hurt him.

[miamaroo]

Northern Migration- Chapter 25 (Notes+Preview)

Surprise! I’m updating about a week after my last update! Don’t get used to it, though. It’s only because I’ve been on break. I have classes again tomorrow, and finals seasons is about ready to slap me in the face. Hopefully you’ll see me again for the holidays. (Speaking of the holidays, we’re nearing the one year mark for when this fic first started wowza).

Like always, this is brimming with spoilers, so proceed forwards at your own risk.

Spoilers!

I messed around with that Taako scene for ages, trying to make the first distilled look into his character. I have a lot of trouble writing him, especially since I’m always trying to find a happy mixture of what he’s like in the show, what he’s like in the fanon, and what he would be like in the universe of this fic. I did my best. I’m not one-hundred-percent happy with it, but considering I rewrote the entire scene right before posting, I think it’s functional.

Since the next chapter is already written, I know that I’m going to keep mentioning layers of clothing as being a status of wealth. This is a part of what I plan on doing with the future flashback chapter into their history on their home plane. I feel like I have to mention it so that you get an idea of how the cultures are different, but it’s also annoying because it’s hard for me to convey that this is a cultural aspect that supposed to be different from Faerun.

Apparently, eyeballs help keep the structure of your head. I also did not know that.

Everyone in the TAZ fandom is a coward for not giving Taako a beard, and I’m counting Justin in that. Artists who give him stubble can stay, but you’re all on thin ice.

One thing I’m trying to figure out is a balance between people recognizing Avi in his old age because they know him well, and people not recognizing him because, honestly, I see pictures of my own dad as a young man and he’s a completely different person.

When John says “give your hands now,” it’s a purposeful twist of Merle doing the exact same thing in chapter 5.

I know I said this before—but John’s philosophy is so close to being that of some hero that it’s honestly scary.

As a kid, as I started thinking about perspective and morality, I also realized that a lot of what we considered right or wrong can be manipulated by whose point of view we’re viewing it from. And, as a preteen, I used that as justification for a lot of bad things. A lot of how I’m writing John is just thinking about how someone could’ve manipulated me into thinking or doing anything, and just giving him the opportunity to get Stevie to think that way as well. Like John has no way of knowing about Piper repeating all of her dad’s bad political beliefs (remember Piper and Gansey from chapter 3?), but he gets people. And I think he would know that, in her situation, Stevie would be thinking about morality in a way that would be easily manipulated in his favor.

All that being said: you’re a lot of fun to write John, but fuck you.

I don’t know yet if I want John to be aware of the Seven Birds concept, but in case I do eventually decide that he does, Vultures is a very on the nose confession of what he ultimately wants Stevie to believe. If I decide to make it so that he never knows, then it’s just me (the author) making an on the point piece of foreshadowing of what his plans are going to be.

John is a bard. Fight me.

And here’s a thought: this is the first time in the story where Stevie gets to have fun and it’s not interrupted by plot bullshit.

Originally, Lucas was going to have the weird crush on Avi, and it was going to be something that was going to making Johann feel extra sure about never confessing, but Avi already has so many other shit going on that I had to redistribute some things.

That being said, Sloane and Avi having this bitter history together is very important to me. With Griffin wanting TAZ to be about found family, I sort of wanted to take the opportunity to explore the idea of two people who became family before it was ruined. Basically, since Lucretia didn’t destroyed her family (minus Taako being pissed), I had to destroy another family.

Avi being in debt to someone is the reoccurring theme of his life. He was in debt to the Hammerheads, then Sloane, and now Bane and Barry. This guy constantly owes other people things.

Things that are also very important to me: Ren being fiercely protective of all her friends.

I can’t remember if Merle in canon couldn’t remember if he made a sash or a belt, but I’m taking Clint’s endless confusion over the two as an excuse to make it so.

I was going to write a scene where Davenport discovered that he can’t learn sign language, but I didn’t have the space and beyond just filling in a potential loophole, it didn’t really add more to Davenport. Like, he know he’s suffering. I don’t need to remind you that much.

The same goes for the cutting of a scene where Magnus is helping Julia learn how to walk. Again, there was a space issue and the fact that it wasn’t them actually making it up allowed me to feel like I can get around writing it. That being said, it still hurt to not write it. 

Also, hey! Only two relics left to this story! I still have to write like three more interlude chapters before we can even get cracking on that, but now you can see how much progress we’re actually making in this fic!

This is such a minor detail, but for the life of me, I can’t figure out if I want stoves to be a thing in this world or not. I know that I decided a long time ago that everyone was going to have hearths except for the Starblaster, which was going to be technologically advanced enough to have an actual stove, but there’s not enough cooking in this damn fic to convey that idea. And when it does come up, it’s at Lucas’s lab, which would also be advanced enough to have a stove, but not one as advanced as the Starblaster. AND I CAN’T FIGURE OUT HOW TO EVEN CONVEY THIS IDEA. One time, I thought I could emphasize how almost scared Julia was of the stove, but then I remembered that she has had a decade to get used to it. SO YEAH. I JUST DON’T KNOW.

I know that I have to acknowledge any reasonable feelings Julia would have involving becoming disabled, but I’m also trying to be careful to make sure it doesn’t come off as condescending or pitying towards disabled folks. I’m trying to strike a balance, and I’m never sure how well I’m doing with.

Julia’s prosthetic leg is based upon prosthetic legs used for runners in the Special Olympics. I am going to add a link to a reference here, but it’s late and I might forget. If you noticed that I forgot, tell me and I’ll add it.

Stevie likes snow because it’s snowing in parley. She likes rainbows because the black scars on John’s face is holographic.

Also, Lucretia is gay. She’s like, super duper gay. Supreme gay.

I feel like I put down what color Taako’s magic is somewhere in this fic, but I don’t feel like looking through the entire thing in search of it, so right now I’m just writing around having to state its color for as long as possible.

The item Taako used to make the hole in the floor is the Hole Thrower. Don’t ask me where he got it.

Originally, I had a scene like two chapters back where Taako saw Angus, thus making his comments about seeing a kid around make a lot more sense. However, I convinced myself to get a little sneakier about Angus being on the ship and then proceeded to forget about it. Considering how much effort I usually put into foreshadowing everything (and this is still without a written outline), I’m going to give myself a pass on the bad writing this time around.

Like I mentioned in the chapter notes, I’m off break now and starting finals, so next update will take a long time. Feel free to talk to me on here and generally strike up a friendship. I’m a very lonely person. Anyway, here’s the preview for the next chapter:

Angus McDonald sits with his hands folded calmly on his lap, fancy clothes unruffled as he looks up at the circle of adults surrounding him. It’s plain from the slight quirk in his brow that nothing about being held up in the Starblaster kitchen is by any means threatening. He sits, mouth in a tight line, as he waits for his turn to speak.

“You’re such a drama queen,” Lucretia says dully, pressing a bag of frozen peas to Taako’s face.

He takes it gladly, practically collapsed against the kitchen counter as he moans. Angus’s hardy kick was just enough to make a single drop of blood creep down from his nose. “I’m dying, Lucy. When I go, tell Merle he could fuck off.”

“Whatever I do to you?” Merle demands, turning from his job of standing by Davenport’s side to shout.

Davenport, all the while, has his arms folded over his chest. His eyes are set in a harsh glare that makes Angus shift in his seat. Every adult in the room Angus is pretty sure he can handle, but Davenport is somewhere on the level of a god. Flanking each of his sides is one of the Burnsides, with Magnus in a pair of paint-splattered work clothes and Julia in a chair, her prosthetic leg still in her daughter’s possession. The kid was ordered to leave the room, but Angus saw her creep back in, armed with the prosthetic leg and a set of paints. She claimed the corner directly across from him. Every now and then, Merle and Taako make gestures grand enough that Angus catches a glimpse of the girl watching him as a curious spectator.

Davenport sighs, then nudges Magnus’s leg. At the cue, Magnus bends down into a squat, perfectly leveled with Angus’s eyes. “Angus. What are you doing here?”

“I—” Angus closes his mouth. He shifts until he’s back to the picture of innocence.

“We’re not mad at you,” Magnus says. “It’s just… we do a lot of dangerous things, and I’m sure your job as a consultant is plenty dangerous enough—”

“Detective.”

Magnus pauses. “What?”

Angus preens. “If case you forgot, my name is Angus McDonald and I am the world’s greatest detective. If you’re trying to interrogate me, I suggest that you do your best to ensure that you’re coming in with the most accurate information.”

[softshelltaakos]

tell us why it irritates u w the magnus n ango thing im curious

HGDFKJGB basically i feel like it’s a fundamental misunderstanding of all three of their characters, especially taako and magnus.

this got long so im putting it under a cut

magnus is a very loving dude, but he isn’t especially nurturing aside from with animals, and those are two very different things imo. on the other hand, taako is aloof, but also clearly wants to advice and instruct and reassure people – the speech to barry on the beach, the opening of his academy, when he lies to hurley to tell her things will be alright. i think people assign magnus character traits that aren’t there in order to forward this fandom image of him as the golden boy who can do no wrong, which is simply not who he is (and don’t get me wrong, i LOVE magnus, but… it’s not)

there’s also the fact that it’s angus we’re talking about. this is a kid who lives for his work and studies. he mentions his grandpa occasionally, but we never hear him talk about his history, his family, his friends beyond that. it’s not what his priorities are. his relationship with taako does not start as him looking for a parental figure. it starts as him looking for a teacher, which taako, no matter how much he complains, seems to enjoy. i think that foundation sets them up for mutual character growth – taako learns to be less of a shithead, angus learns magic (and also likely to loosen the fuck up a little bit.) it’s a gradual thing based on mutual respect and admiration, as well as taako’s drive to take care of people without letting them know he’s taking care of them. magnus is a rowdy boy who likes wood carving and bar fights. i don’t feel like angus would thrive as much in an environment with magnus as a parental figure, whereas a house filled with piano music and cats and all the books his nerdy little ass could dream of sounds RIGHT up his alley.

i won’t say that angus and magnus have NO relationship in the podcast, bc that’s not true, but they also don’t have anywhere near the level of familiarity that taako and ango do by the end of the show. angus mcdonald is the one person taako trusts implicitly during s&s. taako tells angus more about his Tragic Backstory than he ever tells magnus or merle during the show. magnus gives angus a knife and that’s sweet, but that whole sequence is more of a bit than anything else. there’s just not as much canon backing for them as a family unit. i think it’s for sure an interesting relationship to explore and i wanna clarify i’m not mad at the thought of angus and magnus having SOME form of relationship, but to me it’s much more big brother/little brother or uncle/nephew than father/son.

this is long and meandering, so, tldr: magnus isn’t nurturing, taako is; angus doesn’t want a dad, he wants a teacher, which taako is and magnus isn’t; etc, etc, etc

thank u for the ask anon i love … talkin about shit like this i just dont wanna annoy people LMAO

(s/o to @surf-not-terf for helping me articulate magnus-as-uncle btw)

[bondsrp]

name: remy pronouns: he/they age: 21 - character: angus mcdonald gender & pronouns: non-binary boy (he/him) sexuality: asexual

plot interests: i’m totally interested in exploring angus in AU settings, but exploring fun interactions and expanding with characters that haven’t so much interacted with angus would be a lot of fun. playing with mentor/student interactions could be a fun start!

physical appearance: angus is a short and somewhat chubby lad only sort of beginning to grow into himself. his hair is dark, fluffy, and curly, and the boy’s skin is medium brown with lighter colored patches over his body. his eyes are a pale blue color, bright, rounded, and prominent. typically angus sports some spiffy arrangement of sweater-vest, button-up shirt, tie (bow is fine), shorts, and a feathered cap, as well as a short blue detective’s cloak donned when he’s on the job (which is near-always). his white wooden wand is tucked comfortably in his pocket when not in use.

brief history:

angus lived with his aging grandfather at some point pre-podcast, but left grandpa’s side in order to explore and understand the world for himself at around the age of 9

That’s It, There’s Nothing Else To It.

during his circuit of faerun, he offered help to local townsfolk as angus mcdonald, boy detective, solving day-to-day mysteries pro bono before eventually gaining local renown and doing private investigative work for local militias

encounters tres horny boys on the train while investigating for rockport city council and immediately suspects something incredibly great and suspicious about the three of them that he can’t put his finger on, becoming attached to them over the course of murder on the rockport limited

over the course of the podcast, angus displays exceptional detective prowess, as demonstrated by his abilities to detect and shoot at invisible crab monsters without sight of them, to cast spells (such as zone of truth) that aren’t even on the wizard spell list as only a low-level wizard, and to drag a grown man across a train compartment “with a surprising amount of strength for a ten year old”. additionally, during his stay on the BoB moonbase, nobody calls for him, and he is entirely self-sufficient and capable throughout this time

Nothing Suspicious Here Folks!

post-canon, he continues acting as an consultant for the bureau of benevolence and remains in close contact with all the friends he’s made throughout balance while secretly investigating lucas miller’s magic academy

rp sample:  ‘Brother Leeman’? 'Diddley’? 'Justin’? Those who took young Angus McDonald as gullible child were foolish indeed, but it didn’t bother Angus any to play along right with their silly words. These three seemed like the sort to slip up all by themselves. It could be no more obvious to the boy detective that the three of them did not belong, and that they were from no place remotely near this city of Neverwinter. He was going to get to the bottom of this and discover the truth. 

“I already went to the pleasure room,” Angus replies to the fighter before him. “I went to my dad’s library.” And then, caught off-beat for a moment, the boy blinks, then quickly chirps back in, “Did I say my dad? I mean my grandpa.”

Oh, fork. This is not good. Hopefully they didn’t noti–

The burly human man cuts back in. “What’s your grandpa’s name?" 

Angus’s mind is spinning. He has to change this topic of conversation.

"My grandpa forgot his name. He’s very old,” the boy detective explains.

Even despite what he’d judged as being just muscle, the fighter continues digging at Angus’s logic. “Wait, but you also forgot it? You never knew it, Angus?”

Say something completely normal and unremarkable. You are the world’s greatest detective, a normal human boy. You’ve got a killer to catch! That killer could be standing right in front of you!

Without missing a beat, the boy detective explains, “The memory of my grandpa’s name died long before I was born.”

The three men standing over Angus asking him a bunch of questions beam at the boy’s incredulous explanation. Angus is smiling and unphazed, going on to elaborate, “He prefers– He prefers grandpa. I call him grandpa, 'cause he’s my grandpa! I love him.”

When Angus McDonald told the tres horny boys that he had come onto the train to meet people and make friends on the train, he didn’t expect the dwarf to try to psychically interrogate him about five minutes later.

triggers and squicks: already covered!

[here-there-be-nerds]

Single Dad Taako 2

( 0 ) ( 1 ) ( 1.5 ) ( 2 ) ( 3 ) ( 4 ) ( 5 ) ( 6 ) ( 7 ) ( 8 ) ( 9 ) ( 10 ) ( 11 )

_________________________________

There was a lot to adjust to after Taako adopted Angus, other than the obvious of course. Taako suspected that he’d stop fucking getting startled when he came upon a space he assumed would be empty only to find Angus in it or when either walked in to the same room. That had to go away eventually, right?

That wasn't so bad really, it wasn't like Taako had lived completely all alone before so he wasn't sure why this was really happening, maybe it was because Angus was an actual considerate person that didn't stomp and scream everywhere he went? The mystery was alive and didn't beg for solving.

Speaking of mystery, Taako was still adjusting to Angus' sleuthing life. He didn't consider it all that much when he decided to actually adopt Angus. Yes, he was well aware the boy did that, he just thought it was mainly for survival but it turned out the kid fucking loved it.

Which normally would be fine, but...some of Angus' cases would take him really far away? Like real far. To towns Taako's never even heard of and Lucretia's Bureau of Balance gig had him traveling all over the Faerune. Angus insisted he didn't need Taako to accompany him and the elf would just be bored while he was on the case because there was a lot of time devoted to research that Taako was just not about if it wasn't cooking or magic.

So the kid had a point but it didn't stop this gnawing in Taako's gut every time the boy would pack up and go. It was something so new for him that it took three cases to realize what it was; it was gut wrenching worry for his beautiful magical boy.

Sure, Taako could easily keep Angus from going, tell him no. He was the boy's legal guardian now. He had all the power in the world over Angus.

But...

No, he couldn't take that from Angus; that was his passion. The boy's eyes would light up like Taako has never seen before save in Lup's eyes when she learned evocation or his own eyes when Sizzle It Up With Taako™ took off. He didn't want to quash that light, but he didn't want something to happen to Angus either.

Taako's no fool, he sat Angus down about most of this, coming up with a bunch of ground rules and tried to keep it low on the over bearing. He wasn't going for Cool Dad™ but for a healthy amount of concern but still letting Angus do his thing. A sweet middle.

For the first month or so it was going really well, Angus would check in a lot. He loved checking in, honestly, he was happy to talk to Taako and sometimes went over the cases with him. Angus would talk a mile a minute, too wrapped up in the intrigue to take a breath and let Taako weigh in, he wouldn't have much to say anyway. It was a great system, perfectly fine...until it wasn't.

It started with such small things as time went by, late check ins, less check ins. Angus would say it was just a tough case, that he got lost in the solve. Sometimes Angus wouldn't tell Taako what kind of case it was, especially if it might seem dangerous. Angus refused help, no matter who offered it.

Taako knew what keeping secrets looked like and he didn't know what to do. He started to think maybe he would have to put some limits on the small detective...but he always came home fine. He came home happy and bubbly. He came home.

Angus was coming home today and Taako made sure to finish the quest he got sent on fast so he could be there when he did. He only liked going on quests when Angus went off on a case, an empty house wasn't that great. So he made sure Angus didn't come home to one if he could help it.

Taako may have pushed himself a little too much in doing so this time but luckily he was only exhausted and not battered. He was working on being less reckless now that there was someone at home expecting him.

The door opened and closed and Taako looked up from his task of transfering Angus' favorite cookies from a pan to a cooling rack. The perfect timing.

"Ango?" Taako called, but he didn't get anything back other than small feet quickly retreating down the hall and a door shutting very quietly.

Well if that wasn't suspicious.

Taako quickly undid his apron and tossed it on a kitchen chair and went to Angus' room. He gently knocked on the door.

"Anges?" Taako called, getting nothing in return once more. "Hmm." He tried the door but found it locked.

"Um...no." Taako muttered to himself and casted Knock on the door and smirked as he heard it unlock and swung it open. "What the fuck!?"

"Ah...sir...it's not-" Angus said as he tried to hide what he was doing but it wouldn't have mattered even if he could.

There was a cut going down Angus' forehead and nearly through his eyebrow looking much like Magnus'. His glasses were on a small white sheet of fabric on his bed spread in pieces, next to which was a roll of gauze and small first aid kit. In his hand was his wand as he was most likely about to use magic to repair the spectacles.

"Angus fucking McDonald! Explain right fucking now!" Taako demanded as he marched across the room to Angus, sitting on the bed and taking the boy's face in his hands to inspect the wound.

"It's not...it's not that bad!" Angus insisted as he tried to pull away from insistent hands.

"Not...are you fucking kidding me right now?" Taako snapped, setting him with a glare.

Angus averted his eyes, pouting like Taako was somehow overreacting or something. Oh it's just ol' Taako being dramatic like usual, nothing unusual going on tonight.

"Talk. Now." Taako said firmly as he tried to get Angus to look at him. Critical miss.

"I'm fine, it's not important." Angus said, slipping out of his hands.

That was the last straw for Taako as he stared at this little boy that was stubbornly bleeding in front of him. If that's how he was going to be...

"Ah!" Angus shouted as he was forcibly lifted up into Taako's arms and carried out of the bedroom and down the hall to Taako's bedroom and into the master bathroom suite and plopping the boy on the counter top next to the sink.

Taako gave Angus a look as if daring him to move before he went and dug out his own first aid kit, tossing some bandages he had forgotten to get around to tossing, gross. But everything else was fresh and ready to go.

"You don't hav-"

"Can it." Taako cut him off as he pulled out some cleansing wipes and carefully started cleaning the cut. It wasn't too deep so it wouldn't need stitches but he should call Merle for a small heal so it wouldn't scar. If for nothing than Taako's peace of mind.

After treating and bandaging the cut, Taako put everything away and threw the old bandages in his small trash can hoping Angus wouldn't see the rust colored stains. This wasn't about Taako, this was about Angus.

"Talk little man, now." Taako said as he stared down the little boy still trapped on the counter who refused to meet eyes.

"You're over reacting." Angus said.

"Oh am I?" Taako laughed sarcastically.

"Yes, it's not that bad and I'm perfectly fine. It's just a scrape." Angus said matter of factly.

"You got /hurt/ Angus, if you want overreacting I'll show you overreacting." Taako threatened as he felt his temper slipping.

"It wasn't the case!" Angus said finally looking up at him. "I just slipped and fell, that's all. This is nothing-" Angus cut himself off.

"What?" Taako asked sharply but Angus looked down again.

"Nothing, it's nothing, don't worry about it." Angus mumbled.

"It's not nothing." Taako lifted Angus' chin to look him in the eye again.

"/This/ is nothing, I can handle myself just fine obviously." Angus said and Taako's heart sank. "You're only like this cause you can see it." Angus muttered under his breath as he averted his gaze.

That struck Taako like a Thunder Wave to the chest, how many times has Angus gotten hurt and he just didn't notice? Or did he ignore it in ignorant deniability?

Taako's legs started to shake and he had to grip the counter on either side of Angus to steady himself. Was he really this bad at taking care of this kid? Did Angus...think he just didn't care?

No, no, this wasn't about Taako, this was about Angus. The elf had to push his oncoming self-hatred spiral and put himself in Angus' mind set, as similar as it was to his own.

This boy has been on his own for years now, no one had ever shown him interest or care. Angus was used to adults brushing him off, telling him to grow up if he wanted to be in this line of business or forcing himself to think that so people would take him serious. This boy thought that if he got hurt he'd have to take care of it himself because who else would care enough to help?

"Fuck." Taako breathed shakily, his eyes pricking with welling tears.

Angus shifted uncomfortably as he continued pouting like he did nothing wrong here. And Taako couldn't blame him for that and he couldn't stay mad at him.

"Angus." Taako choked on the emotion building in his throat and it caught the detective's attention and worry took over the boy's features.

"T-Taako?" Angus said unsure as he looked him in the eye.

"Angus.../I love you/." Taako stressed as much as he could muster into the words he always had trouble to saying to anyone but Lup. "I love you and I never want you to think that you have to hide...anything from me. I know I'm not...great at emotional shit and I'm not…as smart as you or like most people. I have crappy advice and I never know what I'm doing...but I know a thing or two about thinking no one gives a shit about you."

"I just, I just need you to get that...I'm trying over here. I'm sucking spectacularly, but I'm trying because I want you to grow up better than I did, I want you feel more loved..." Taako cursed as tears started streaking down his cheeks but this was just how it was going to be he supposed.

Angus was crying too at this point so at least the elf wasn't alone in that front. Angus hesitated before reaching out to Taako and the elf moved in closer and wrapped his arms around the boy as they shared a tight embrace.

"Angus, you get this right? Like I didn't do all this shit for nothing? It wasn't just to keep some kid I felt bad for safe. I care about you, so fucking much. If you get hurt, tell me, be honest with me and I'll try not to freak out...can't make a strong promise on that but I will try." Taako mumbled as Angus sobbed into his chest. "It's okay, it's okay." Taako hummed as he rocked the both of them.

It took some time for the both of them to calm down again and clean their faces. Taako got a small chuckle out of Angus as he told him smearing tears over your face was a great cleanser and it shouldn't go to waste.

"Well...this is turning out rough in ways I didn't expect." Taako muttered as he looked at Angus with a soft fond look.

Angus nodded as he rubbed his eyes a little.

"Are you gonna be real with me from now on?" Taako asked seriously.

"Yes sir..." Angus said in a small voice.

"You just sayin that?" Taako asked and Angus shook his head. "Good."

Taako scooped up Angus and put him on his hip, he was a pretty small kid but Taako was keen on fixing that. He carried the boy to the living room and deposited him on their plush couch before going to the kitchen and plating a bunch of the cookies that were only mildly warm now.

Taako plopped down with the plate and offered it to Angus.

"Thanks dad." Angus said as he took the top cookie.

Taako was so startled he dropped the plate on to Angus' lap cursing as they both scrambled to keep the cookies on the plate and pick up the ones they couldn't.

"Oh shit...shit...I-I'll get a paper towel for the crumbs." Taako scrambled back to the kitchen.

"I...I'm sorry." Angus squeaked.

"Not your fault, bubbleh, cha'boy just clumsy." Taako said as he came back with the towel and started brushing some loose crumbs into his hands.

"But...it's because I said..." Angus mumbled. Taako glanced at him, his ears twitching and turning pink at the tips.

"Look, uh, I was just...caught off guard is all? Don't worry about it." Taako said as he finished cleaning. "Eat your cookies." He said as he went back to the kitchen to throw the paper towel with crumbs away.

"Is...is that okay?" Angus asked so quietly that Taako almost missed it.

Taako looked over the island that separated the kitchen and the living room, a familiar gnawing churning his stomach.

"Of course it is, pumpkin." Taako said despite he didn't feel he really was properly suited for the title but it wasn't about him. "You're my son after all and I love you."

Angus lit up like he was on the greatest case of his life and Taako was trying his damnedest not get floored by that.

"I love you too...dad!" Angus grinned and damn this kid was great.

Best thing Taako ever did with his weird life.

___________________________________

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[theradioghost]

screaming abt the nashville live show because holy fuck

god fucking bless griffin mcelroy for my life & for this live show.

taako pretending that he doesn't know his. IDENTICAL SISTER

magnus's "plan." he literally just yartzes on himself im

"I think with a natural 20 you just changed what greg grimauldis' actual voice sounds like"

lup making fun of her idiot brother "i can't wait to see these MOPS"

magnus is VERY shirtless

griffin knowing in advance that there would be a mess of some kind

"wheeeeEEEEeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeEEEEERRRRRRRRrrrrEE"

literally everyone else just fucking walks stealthily down the hallway and merle COVERS HIMSELF IN BUGS

return of my favorite liveshow moment "i did not prepare a number for THIS"

terry, all of terry

my name is ANGUS MCDONALD

taako rolls a 1 on insight; magnus immediately rolls a 19

IGNORE HIM HE'S MELTING

this is a different twenty lockers

griffin expected them to kill terry instantly

TURKEYBOY

"god i hate greg grimauldis"

travis is SO ANGRY when the crowd cheers for the dad jokes

GREAT! THIS IS GOOD! I LOVE ALL OF THIS!

I could kill him

barry doesn't know about the heist but is bringing them drinks

"we're not going to steal anything else" *cut* "i'm going to steal EVERYTHING IN HERE"

"YEAH! THAT'S MY SISTER!" thank u justin also 4 my life

trap magic

opaz. doobies

IT'S THE MOHS HARDNESS SCALE (& then he is. totally wrong)

because the three of you ~aaaaaaare~ DIPSHITS!

yeah elevators fuck yeah

THAT'S a lotta GOLD

griffin is very bitter about not getting to use his very cool shark

griff definitely saw the opening for that bad joke hitting clint. all three of them definitely saw and leapt to stop it

$15 bill isn't even. a THING

the return of della reese!!!!!!!!!!

its just occured to me. why did lup make an infinitely replicating bill of a denomination that doesn’t exist

or do they exist in the two-sun universe

I ONLY DO ONE THING!

52 points of damage!!!!!!!!!! what the fuck!!!!!!!!

oh that moment when they call on colin. i love it

“that’s taako’s fire”

don’t worry. canonically I can’t die

LUP WITH A FIRE SWORD

i was gonna type “same hat” here but then griffin literally said it

THIS ROOM’S SUPER FUCKIN’ ON FIRE

travis: im gonna reduce that 77 damage by 8

griffin: NICE

justin, barely audible: it’s the sex number

clint: OHHH

TAAKO AND LUP JESSE AND JAMES FIREBALL THROWING, MY WHOLE FUCKING LIFE

aw beans

“go with this” “FUUUUUUUUUUUCK”

“not because he used zone of truth well, but because he found a justifiable reason to use it AT ALL”

“I liked the ending of LOST” “I attack Greg.”

get FUCKED greg

*distant yelling* FINISH HIM

*lup voice* HOLY SHIT

UH UH UH THAT ENDING

hey this is the best thing that ever happened to me

[fia-bonkginya]

@twinsweek day 7: post-canon

coming in late for the last day i’m so good at this

just a little headcanon about Taako’s death (it’s not as angsty as it sounds i promise)

angus went on to have a huge happy family, and taako became everyone’s dad/uncle/brother/whatever

basically angus and his family cannot escape taako

and they don’t want to

so taako is chilling with Angus’s great-great-whatever-granddaughter

(he stopped working at his school a while ago, Ren’s descendants have that handled pretty well)

taako is still a star, he’s the last of the seven birds still alive, so he can pretty much get whatever he wants

he kind of stepped out of the “fame light” a little while ago though- it just wasn’t as fun when he was the only one

he and kravitz got a place in Neverwinter, real close to the McDonalds, so taako chills with them whenever kravitz isn’t home

(which is way more often than taako would like)

lup and barry have a place too, and the four of them hang out together all the time

when it’s finally time for taako to die, kravitz knows first, but lup and barry figure it out pretty quickly

kravitz has this whole plan to make it romantic and nice

but lup is basically like “nah fuck you man i’ve always wanted to reap my brother, i’ve got this one”

kravitz knows better than to argue with lup

so taako’s just chilling and then suddenly a portal opens and lup steps through

at first taako doesn’t know what’s going on but then the “real world” starts to get a bit hazy and he’s just like “oh”

and lup grins at him

“it’s time to go, bro”

and taako grins right back at her

“you still working on getting me that job offer?”

lup laughs and holds out a hand and taako takes it

“you know that Raven Mom has been wanting you on the job ever since you and krav tied the knot”

taako follows her through the portal and doesn’t bother looking back- he knows he’s not totally done with this world yet.

(taako becomes a Reaper immediately)

(the Raven Queen already loves him, and it helps when Her three best reapers are his husband, his sister, and his brother-in-law)

(turns out taako is just as legendary in death as he was in life)

[internutter]

Can I request half elf Ango ( like around 6 years old) getting sick, but trying to hide it? Like he doesn't want to bother anyone, reminded how the orphanage was still cruel and complained of him getting Ill ( which is a lot he was a very, very small boy) thank you and have a good day/night

[AN: More on the Young Angus Verse, or YAV for short!]

Some times, it was hard to remember that he was part of the family forever. Times like this, in the middle of the night, when his throat was scratchy and he kept being both too hot and too cold. When he had to get up to pee and almost ralphed with the flashbacks.

He kept smelling pine. He kept seeing grey. He kept feeling the eternal cold and damp of the boys’ ward.

Sick again? Really, Mr McDonald… what are we going to do with you?

Angus drank water, because nobody complained about him needing water, and changed into his warm winter pyjamas and huddled in a tight ball under his blankets. If he just got enough rest, if he was quiet enough, then nobody would punish him for being an ordeal.

If he could pretend it was all normal, then nobody would be rough with him in forcing him to get better.

He woke up with the alarm. Filing out in step with the other boys, to the kludgies where his toes burned in spite of how cold the floors normally were. From there, to the bathroom where he waited to be called.

“Angel? Angus, sweetie, do you need me to get your shower ready? It’s a school day, hon.”

Angus turned and nearly screamed. Mr Thud was talking with Mr Taako’s voice. He looked so angry.

“I’m sorry,” he said, voice rasping. “Did I miss the nurses call?”

“Nurses?” Mr Thud knelt and a jingle happened when he moved his arms. “Angel… You’re not okay…”

“I’ll be fine,” he rasped. “Don’t keep me away from the sunshine? I didn’t mean it.”

“Ooohhh kay…” Mr Thud’s image crooned. “Tell me five things you see, okay sweetheart?”

Five things. He could see five things. “I see a floor mat. I see a… bathtub…” it wasn’t tin. It was set into the glittering cream tiles. “I see a sink basin. I see… a shower stall…” Mr Thud wasn’t there any more. “I see you, Mr Taako.”

“That’s good, that’s good. I’m gonna put my hand on your noggin, okay? Just real gentle. You go ahead and tell me all about four things you can hear.”

Jingle jingle jingle, went his bangles. “I hear your jewellery. I hear… Mr Kravitz feeding the cats.” He closed his eyes. “I hear the kettle boiling. And I hear the upper branches creaking.”

“That’s very good, Angus. I’m gonna touch you on the side of your jaw and neck. It’s okay to let me know if it hurts. If you can, tell me about three things you can feel.”

Angus reached out. “I feel th’ glass of the shower stall. It’s nice an’ cool. I feel your hands… ow…”

“Sorry, baby.” Mr Taako got way more gentle.

“Your hands are nice and soft.”

“Uhuh. One more thing you can feel. You can do this.”

He rubbed the fabric of his pyjamas. “I can feel soft, warm flannel.”

“Excellent. Give me a big sniff and tell me two things you can smell.”

“I can smell your cologne… and… there’s jam cooking? Strawberries?”

He wasn’t Mr Taako. He was Papa. He’d been Papa for some time, now. “That’s great,” he cooed. “Can I  pick you up?”

Angus nodded, leaning into the hold. His world felt so much safer with Papa holding him. Especially when Papa held him between Dad and himself.

“Last thing. What does your mouth taste like, now?”

Angus flexed his tongue in his mouth. “Morning funk. I didn’t brush my teeth.”

“Don’t worry about that, sweetheart.” They were headed towards the big cuddle cote, where it was always a nice temperature and half the cats spent their nap times.

“‘S a school day. I’m s’posed’a go t’ school.”

“Not any more. Change of plans.” Papa stopped. “Krav? Can you call the school? We got a case of swellneck here. I think the modern name is mumps?”

“On it, babe,” said Dad. He started dialling a frequency on the nearest Stone of Farspeech.

“I got mumps?” Angus croaked.

“Yeah. Not your fault. I blame Susan and her anti-vax friends. You were going to get your boosters next week, but…” Papa sighed. “We’ll burn that bridge when we get to it.”

It was nice in the cuddle cote. It was always nice in the cuddle cote. Room enough to sprawl out and laze around with up to ten adults. Angus picked a space where the household cats weren’t napping and got as comfy as he could.

Papa used Prestidigitation to heat one piece of towelling and cool another. Angus got to pick which one felt the best around his swollen neck. The warm one made him feel better.

“The bad news is, you’re out of circulation for a week or two,” said Papa.

“The good news,” said Dad, entering with a tray, “is you get all the ice cream, custard, and jelly you want.”

“And soup,” said Taako. “Can’t forget soup.”

Angus had a smile despite how horrible he was feeling. This wasn’t the orphanage any more. It would get easier to remember that as time went by.