#it's not really meant to be any specific starblaster room so much as just. like a shared workspace kinda area w/ everyones shit

[umbraastaff]

barry bluejeans...

[sunshine-zenith]

Merle is covered in tattoos. Large ones, small ones, ones dedicated to his favorite musicians, entire pieces dedicated to nature. He’s usually able to cover them with his clothes and hair, but they’re there, peeking out his shirt collar and sleeves, on display when he wears shorts (John got an eyeful of all of them during their chess matches).

Initially, he didn’t get any specifically for Pan, even as he dedicated himself to worshiping the god. It was only after years of study, after he joined the IPRE, that he finally got a small piece where he had space on his arm of a set of panpipes, though he’s quick to admit he mainly got them so people would stop asking if any of his other tattoos were in Pan’s honor.

(He wasn’t really able to get tatted during the century he spent with on the Starblaster, since at the end of the year he’d be “reset.” Still, as soon as the crew made their homes on their new world, he got two new tattoos — a matching set with Davenport, and a single, tiny chess piece. He would always forget they were there, and why he got them in the first place, but he just chalked it up as old age catching up to him)

He always meant to get something for Mavis and Mookie, but ended up putting it off until after his divorce from their mother was finalized. Out of guilt, he doesn’t really think about the tattoos he got for them all that much.

When he lost his arm, he bemoans the tattoos, every chance he gets around Magnus, especially when they’re changing around each other. He’s usually just messing with the guy. Usually

One day, Magnus just huffs and says, “you want me to just redo them for you?”

Because, oh right, Magnus is a carpenter. He’s made a living making larger pieces like chairs and tables, but he’s got plenty of experience (decades, though he doesn’t remember them) with detail work. The wedding rings he carved for Carey and Killian are stunning with simple yet intricate detail along the bands — only the best for his best friends

(They’re the second best rings he’s ever carved, the best being the ring he gave to Julia, though nothing compares to the ring Julia carved for him)

So when Magnus offers, Merle knows he’s in good hands. Lucretia, who overheard their loud and frankly obnoxious conversation, subtly leaves a detailed sketch of all the tattoos she remembers from Merle’s arm (and she had just about a century to study them all) lying on the ground near the Fantasy Cosco when she knows they’re passing by it (because hey, Garfield’s just weird and creepy enough to have something like that lying around, so she knows they won’t question it too much). Merle adds the newer tattoos to the drawing.

They start with the panpipes, by Merle’s request. The pipes, or at least what they represent, hold a little more meaning this time around.

It’s soothing, sitting around and chatting while Magnus works. Technically, Merle can just leave the arm behind for Magnus to carve, but he finds he likes it better to sit there and hold the arm out. Physically, it feels nothing like getting tattooed, but it’s still nostalgic for him (Thousands of nights spent sitting with Davenport, watching Magnus and Lup paint the other’s nails, before dragging them into it). Sometimes, Taako will “exist in the same room as them, at the same time, purely by coincidence.” Neither Taako nor Magnus ask Merle what the tattoos mean. Merle’s either already telling them the detailed backstory behind them, or he’s just keeping his mouth shut, and they’re people skilled enough to know there’s a reason Merle isn’t telling them the story behind some of the tattoos. Honestly, in the long and the short of it, they figure it doesn’t even matter all that much, so who cares, really?

It takes months to redo all the tattoos on Merle’s new arm. When shit hits the fan, most of them are done, and Merle’s slightly grateful he has his memory completed when they get to the last two.

When Recarving the chess piece, it’s him, Magnus, and Taako. They all know what it means now. When it’s recarving the last tattoo, their whole family is back together again, hanging around the room. Davenport holds Merle’s hand because Merle is being dramatic. Magnus is able to directly reference the tattoo design on Davenport’s arm, just above the crook of the elbow.

It’s a silhouette of the starblaster.

Merle spends the rest of the afternoon marveling at how the ink on his flesh and the carving on his wooden arm tie together, an almost seamless design

[youhearstatic]

Cor’s Adventure Zone Writing

Longer Fics - colabs

A Single Slat of Wood and Canvas - After months of training, Lup fails to bring in her first solo reaper contract. She won’t tell anyone exactly what happened, even Barry. (By @tanger-catnip & @youhearstatic)

Barry woke with a start. His hand reached for the other side of the bed before he even knew who or where he was.

“Lup?” he asked the empty room.

Her side of the bed was cold. Barry was up and fumbling for his glasses in an instant, his heart pounding.

Made Before the Voidfish (Broken by a Voidfish) - For months Lup, Magnus, and Merle have been haunted by the presence of the ‘red robe’. Often showing up after their adventures to offer cryptic and usually unhelpful warnings and advice. Shortly after the events at Refuge, Lup hatches a plan to finally pin this incomprehensible creature down and get the answers to the questions burning inside her. [TwinSwap AU 1.0]  (By @tanger-catnip & @youhearstatic)

Lup heard her own voice twist into a burst of static. She couldn’t remember what she had just said or hold it in her brain, but her mouth knew the words. She bent over, a lance of pain shooting through her head. It hurt so much, but she was so close to something she just had to keep going.

More static. It was like something was stealing the words away from her. She tried to claw them back, but they just would not stay in. It was like vomiting, but with words that she couldn’t hear.

Lust is a Thing with Fangs - Lup tries to sneak in one more day of laboratory work before her annual heat cycle kicks in. Barry is there. It goes about how you would expect. (Explicit content.) (By @tanger-catnip & @youhearstatic)

Lup paused at the door to the lab. She stood up straight, wrapping herself in dignity and ignoring her heart pounding in her chest like a jackhammer. It would be fine. It was only Barry. He would be way too focused on his work to notice her trembling, or the fact she was flushed from the tips of her ears to her toes.

Lup licked her lips. She suddenly had the strangest feeling. Like part of her had come to a revelation about something and another was frantically trying to muffle it before it could be brought to her attention.

A Night at The Naughty Kitten - Out of options after the Starblaster hastily relocated without them, Lup and Barry spend the night at a “boutique” “short stay” hotel.

There’s only one bed, but that’s the least of anyone’s problems. (By @tanger-catnip & @youhearstatic)

The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. It wasn’t the first time she’d ended up like this, but every time Lup wondered if it would be the one to break her. He wanted her so badly. Lup didn’t understand how she was supposed to handle seeing it so clearly on his face on top of her own longing.

Sandworms and Other Concerns - Barry discovers that Lup’s presence can improve any situation, including having his arm torn off by a fifty-foot-long, carnivorous, burrowing, acid-spitting, hook-toothed, pinstriped Sandworm. (By @tanger-catnip & @youhearstatic - Also on AO3.) {Hey guys, just to let you know: The sandworm is all in the title. This is Hurt/Comfort wrapped in Fluff. Angst levels are at absolute minimum!}

Lup blinked. Once, then twice. At first, she didn’t know what had woken her up. The ship was perfectly still, aside from the faint thrum of the bond engine that she’d learned how to tune out decades ago. The interior lighting that simulated a day-night cycle was dimmed as low as it went which meant it was still ‘nighttime.’

After a moment, Lup realised what it was. The steady pattern of breathing that lulled her into sleep was coming at its normal pace. Barry was awake.

Longer Fics - solo

Bluejeans, Boxers, and One Bed - A prompt that got out of hand, this is my contribution to the best mutual pining trope out there: There Was Only One Bed! 4500+ words of ridiculous pining with a side dish of underwear angst. Yup, it’s a thing.

She’s tempted to watch but doesn’t, turning to give him the same privacy he afforded her. She already knows he wears boxers. They’ve all seen each other’s laundry enough to know every article of clothing by heart. He has navy blue ones, two different types of plaids, and red ones with white hearts that she’s wanted to ask about for years now. Something about them screams Valentine’s Gift Set and she wants to know the story. Were they a serious gift? A gag gift? Did he get his heart broken? Was he…

Lup’s heart stutters wildly for a few beats. Was he in a relationship when they left?

Losing Time - (Post Story and Song) After being missing for three days, Barry has been mysteriously de-aged. Now he looks 20 years old and doesn’t remember anyone. Lup, Kravitz, and Taako are trying to figure things out. (17k words)

His hair is thicker, his face smoother. He’s still heavy but lighter than she’s used to. She’s known him for over a hundred years while neither of them aged.

And now he’s a stranger.

Part One  | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six | Part Seven | Part Eight | Part Nine | Part Ten | Part Eleven | Part Twelve | Part Thirteen | Part Fourteen | Part Fifteen

Losing Time “Exit Interview” (10 fanfic questions answered about Losing Time. Includes a lot of behind the scenes and extended explanations.)

It’s About Time - This is a love letter to Barry Bluejeans of sorts: the whole campaign of The Adventure Zone: Balance (and then some) told from Barry’s point of view. (All the Time in the Worlds Series, Pt two. Meaning it’s essentially the Barry POV companion fic to A Thousand Tiny Moments. WIP, updates Fridays.)

Two days later Barry is dead.

Again.

All those contradictions and questions are filled when he rises, spectral and nearly overwhelmed with more emotions than his lich form can handle.

Because when he’s dead he can remember it all.

Contradictions  (Prologue - tumblr link)

A Thousand Tiny Moments - Before being chosen for the Starblaster crew, Lup meets someone at a party. It doesn’t go well. (All the Time in the Worlds Series, Pt one, the Lup POV companion fic to It’s About Time. 14k words)

She drifts closer to him and slowly, so slowly, she bends her head to his. She pauses inches away, not yet touching but so close they share breath. Her hand slides along the lapel of his jacket and she feels his chest rise as he breathes in.

She looks at his mouth and thinks this is the last moment before I kiss him.It’s as inevitable as his chest falling beneath her hand as he exhales. So she kisses him. His lips are warm and soft against hers with the rich sting of alcohol painted on both their mouths.

The Lup POV minific that became A Thousand Tiny Moments

A Thousand Tiny Moments “Exit Interview” (10 fanfic questions answered about ATTM. Includes a lot of behind the scenes and extended explanations.)

Short Fics

Barry & Lup:

Morning in Bed (Lup and Barry just cuddling and being in love. Prompt Request.)

It’s Cold Outside But You’re Warm (Lup and Barry mutual pining. Prompt Request.)

Strings (Lup and Barry just performed their song. Lup has a few final doubts.)

What If She’s Just Gone? (Barry’s anxieties get away from him when Lup is missing. Prompt request.)

Will You Marry Me (Barry does what he has to. Prompt Request.)

Reactions (The twins deal with Barry being ill. Prompt Request.)

Curse and Canyon (Barry is hurt. Lup is trying to deal. Prompt Request.)

Take a Picture (Lup is frustrated. Prompt request.)

Your Laugh is so Adorable (Lup does some reluctant pining. Prompt request.)

Don’t Touch Me (Barry and Lup short experimental piece.)

Gathering (Taako plans a party. Prompt request.)

It was the Pottery (Taako teasing Barry. Prompt request.)

Super Short & Cutesy (Barry and Lup in the lab. Prompt request.)

What You Did Was Stupid (Barry and Lup on Tesseralia. Prompt request.)

This One is Really Dark (You’ve been warned. Prompt request.)

Let Me Help You (Prompt request for Barry & Lup.)

You Don’t Have to Act Like You’re Okay (Prompt request for Barry and Lup.)

Pride (Prompt based minific of Lup coming to Barry’s rescue at a Pride event.)

Hotel Balcony (A prompt based modern meet-cute for Barry and Lup.)

Hotel Balcony Pt 2 (Hey look, there’s more!)

Contradictions (Test minific/opener for the Barry POV fic that is in progress.)

Lup and Barry switch (Lup is the one that falls from the Starblaster, taking Taako with her.)

At the Wedding (Barry and Lup at Carey and Killian’s wedding. Quick scene inspired by a post.)

True Seeing (Barry in a voidfished body with a group of adventurers. Short group write piece.)

Other Short TAZ Pieces:

Getting Home (Super short Magnulia prompt)

Love is Dead (Taako has never had a soulmark. Kravitz gets one only after he dies. Taakitz Soulmate/Soulmark AU with Blupjeans background)

Second Chances ( When Lucretia gets the second void fish she realizes she can inoculate Davenport and talk to him.)

Just You and Me (JohnChurch prompt request.)

Karma is a Bitch/What Did You Say? (Taako & Barry’s friendship prompt request.)

Can You Keep a Secret? (Taako & Barry’s friendship prompt request.)

Meta, Etc

Headcanons:

[The Twins | Taako & Lup]

[The Lover | Barry]

[The Protector | Magnus]

[The Lonely Journal Keeper | Lucretia | The Director]

[The Peacemaker | Merle]

[The Wordless One | Davenport]

[Kravitz]

[Miscellaneous]

Meta:

Lucretia and the Red Robes (Pt 1) Lucretia and the Red Robes (Pt 2)

A list of every conversation Lucretia has with the boys about the Red Robes and a discussion of her thought process/intentions. Part 2 focuses specifically on how her words in Ep 59 may have influenced Magnus’s decisions going forward.

Murder or Suicide: What is it when lich!Barry sets up his living!Barry body to die?

Other:

TAZ Balance Characters as WoW Classes

[fantasysamsclub]

Taako the Matchmaker, Part 2

In which Taako makes a horrible mistake. Barry and Lup punish him for it. Part 2 out of probably 8, I know I said 5 before but it got bigger.

Part 1 | Part 3 | Part 4

The Starblaster, having to accommodate five wizards, had a good amount of lab space. Instead of one large lab, it housed three smaller ones. In the earlier cycles the crew had to fight for space, but at this point they had fallen into a natural schedule. Nobody bothered to write reservations anymore. If somebody needed a lab off-schedule, they could fight or barter for someone else's time.

Until Taako reserved one of the labs on his own for an afternoon.

It was technically legal. Nobody explicitly said, "The written reservations don't count anymore," and the lab Taako reserved was the one that he and Lup always used. But Taako never did lab work alone. He either mooched off of somebody else's space or worked with Lup.

Barry had been called to the lab. He felt a pit in his stomach that told him this was related to the conversation they had while Taako was drunk. That was three days ago. Was Taako serious?

When Barry got to the lab, he noticed Lup outside the door. She was trying to peek through a small glass porthole in the door--she had to lean down a little to look through. It was early in the cycle, and Lup hadn't done anything crazy with her hair yet. When they left their home plane, her hair was styled plainly (for IPRE campus regulations), very similar to what she looked like when Barry first met her. It was strange that she hadn't changed it yet, it had been a week since they touched down on this planet--

"Barry?"

Barry snapped his eyes away from Lup before she could notice him staring. Maybe Barry should take Taako's advice--obviously he needs all the help he can get.

"Hey, Lup--Taako asked me to join him in the lab."

"Oh." Lup crossed her arms. "Do you know what he's doing in there? Usually he invites me."

"I don't know the details," Barry said, not making eye contact. "Maybe he's working on something delicate that evocation would harm."

"I can do more than evocation," she said. Her words felt cold.

"I know, but--uh. But..." Barry froze.

After some silence, Lup spoke up again. Softer. "Barry, can you do me a favor while you're in there?"

He could hear his own heartbeat. "Anything."

"Taako has...Taako's been acting strange. He won't talk to me about it, but I can tell something's off. He's hiding something from me. Can you..." Lup's eyes caught Barry. Her head tilted to the floor, her hands clasped together across her chest, her eyes locked to his. Barry hadn't seen her like this since she found him crying. Since he realized how much she meant to him. "Can you figure out what's going on with Taako?"

"I'll see what I can do, Lup."

Lup nodded and stepped away from the door to let Barry through. He opened the door, stealing one last look at Lup before being plunged into Taako's world.

Taako was not a tidy researcher. He kept nothing organized. Papers littered the lab. He was a disaster. He also had about...five, ten, twenty drinks spread out on a desk. None of them were opened. Taako ran to meet Barry as he walked in, dropping his wand.

"Barold!" Taako said, hooking an arm over Barry's shoulder, "I came up with the perfect plan."

"I'm a little scared to ask."

"Listen, I've been talking you up all weekend," Taako said, releasing Barry from his grip, "Which, y'know, cuts out some prime sibling talk, but whatever. I can make up for it later."

"About that," Barry glanced towards the door, "I think Lup's onto you. She was really worried about you...she thinks you're hiding something."

"Technically I am, she doesn't know about this plan of mine."

"I can't believe you would lie to Lup for me."

"Taako do what he gotta do, Barold." Taako picked his wand back up, "I'll fill her in when it's all over. Only a temporary lie."

"What if she doesn't--"

"Well, that's her decision. I'm just helping you get to a point where you could ask. Best way to do that is to get you two alone enough that you feel comfortable." He fiddled with his wand, mumbling to himself. "Although, I'm not entirely sure why she hasn't asked you yet..."

With a flick of his wand, Taako cast a spell. Immediately, he cried out in...pain? No. Discomfort? Loss? It wasn't clear. He rushed over to the desk with all the drinks on it, opening and chugging them one by one. He wailed out again.

Hearing his cries, Lup ran into the lab. "Taako? Taako, are you alright?" She asked, "Barry, what happened?"

"I don't know, he just--he cast a spell on himself--he didn't tell me what it was!"

Taako threw himself in Lup's arms, dramatic as hell. "Lup, I've made a horrid mistake. I was trying to come up with a flavor spell--you know, have anything taste like anything else--but now I'm cursed!"

"Cursed?"

Taako draped himself in Lup’s grasp. Barry couldn’t tell if he was acting or serious. "I've lost my sense of taste!"

Barry was thrown. Taako...might have taken this too seriously.

"I need to test the extent of this curse in the kitchen--please, Lup, Barold, look through my notes and see if you can reverse this!"

Taako ran out of the room, winking at Barry. Lup was already grabbing Taako's notes and throwing them into Barry's arms. Of course, Barry wasn't prepared for this, and dropped the notes all over the floor again.

Barry scrambled to pick the notes up. "Augh--! Sorry, Lup, I didn't know you were going to--"

As Barry reached for one of the papers, a second hand grabbed the other end.

Lup's hand.

Next thing he knew, Lup was staring directly into his eyes. She was...intense. Worried. But as she sat there, paper in hand, watching Barry, she relaxed. Lup broke her stare to pick up the papers from the ground.

Her voice, unshaken and calm, reassured him, "It's fine. I didn't warn you."

The two of them worked for hours in silence, trying to figure out a way to counteract the curse Taako had placed on himself. Barry thought he should say something to Lup. If Taako's plan was to get him and Lup alone, he should use this time wisely--but she looked so worried, Barry felt it was inappropriate to distract her.

Lup broke the silence. “Hey, did...did Taako say anything?”

Of course Taako said something, but it wasn’t as if Barry could tell her. That would mean unveiling Taako’s plan to her--too embarrassing. She could never know Taako was helping him. 

Great, now Barry had to lie to Lup. 

“He didn’t say anything specific--you know how quickly he changes the subject. I don’t think he’s angry at you.”

Lup stayed quiet.

"It's not an elegant solution," Barry said, changing the subject, "But I think we can modify this spell to load in artificial tastes. It will take a long time, but at least Taako would still be able to cook..."

Lup was staring at a pile of Taako's notes. "That would take a month, at least."

A month alone with Lup.

Taako, you genius.

"We could wait and see if the spell goes away when we reset..."

Barry, no, why would you say that?

"That won't work! Taako needs to be able to help make the Candlenights feast."

Candlenights was one event that the IPRE crew celebrated consistently. Birthdays were weird because nobody was getting any older, and every planet had their own holidays during different seasons, but Candlenights was a Starblaster constant. And, about the third cycle through, the rest of the crew learned that Taako and Lup were the only ones to be trusted with the Candlenights feast. It was approaching fast; Taako couldn’t be missing in action now. 

"We could just load the spell with the ingredients you plan to use in the feast," Barry said, "It would take a lot less time."

"We'd need a flavor to be a filler. Y'know, for when he has to eat things that aren't part of the feast." Lup took another look through the notes, "And with how he's been acting, I want it to be as obnoxious as possible."

“What do you mean?”

Lup crushed one of the papers in her hand. “You didn’t notice? This wasn’t a flavor spell that went wrong--he was actively trying to lose his sense of taste. Really irresponsible of him to do so close to Candlenights.” 

Lup took the paper she crushed and engulfed it in flames. “Barry, do you have any ideas for a filler? Something nasty.”

Barry looked all around the lab. Something Taako wouldn’t stand...He looked at the lab equipment, the desk stocked with (now empty) drinks, and....at Lup. Barry had to stop himself, looking at Lup wasn’t going to solve this problem. Except...

Lup's lips were painted lime green.

"What about...key lime gogurt?"

The corners of Lup’s lime green lips curled into a horrid, mischievous smile. 

"Barry Bluejeans, you're a bluegenius."