#the fact that TAAKO IS ONLY ON HIS HALF OF THE SCREEN WHEN LUP IS GONE

[its-your-mind]

@stardustinjune I hope you know that you have rewired my brain. This slaps so fucking hard. I'm gonna go watch this for the 10,394th time and cry in the corner.

My wrist hurts after months of working on this, so please enjoy this product of my pain. Also. Like. MAJOR SPOILERS.

[youhearstatic]

Candlenights

It’s the first Candlenights after Story and Song... Happy Candlenights, @pixel-lightart, hope this fits what you were looking for! And thanks to @kravalicious for organizing! Happy Candlenights, everyone!

Candlenights wasn’t something that Kravitz had participated in often. He was reasonably certain there had been celebrations when he was alive but they were dim and foggy memories like much of his life. But once he died, once he took employ with the Raven Queen? Candlenights was just a background event when nabbing a bounty, a reason said bounty tried to argue for amnesty.

He’d been in the Raven Queen’s service too long to hold those memories. Over time, details from his days as one of the living had slipped away or been discarded. Even when you are no longer alive and your memories aren’t subject to the workings of a physical brain, if you don’t access those memories they become harder to reach. Sometimes this is accidental: the name of his aunt’s dog was gone, then the fact that she had a dog, until eventually he forgot he had an aunt.

Music stayed but only because he continued to listen to music. His long ago aspirations to become a conductor stuck with him because he’d unconsciously find himself directing a particularly moving piece of music. He’d imagine how a piece would sound if he emphasized the violin section more. A recording of a concerto would become painful because he couldn’t stop hearing the delicate flute notes were slightly off tempo. That awareness held the memory.

So much else had vanished from his memory though. Candlenights, family, eating? Gone.

But sometimes memories come back.

Or you make fresh ones. Learn them anew.

It sounds charming, doesn’t it? It conjures images of smiling people, warm group around a fireplace while snow gathers outside the window. Or maybe that’s just the impression he’d gotten from two weeks of holiday movies with Taako. His boyfriend was a sucker for them. He’d start off making fun of the couples in the matching hideous sweaters. He’d boo and throw popcorn at the screen, make fun of the earnestness and sincerity. But by the end of the movie he’d invariably be tucked up tight against Kravitz, sniffling and blaming the cats for ‘allergies.’

So Candlenights with Taako’s weird accumulated family? Kravitz had probably developed some rather off target expectations. Understandable but then again, he’d met these people. He’d spent plenty of time around Magnus and Merle. He knew Lup, Barry, and Angus really well by now. Ren had been over for dinner at least a dozen times.

After a long night wrapping presents - and watching more of those holiday movies - they’d gone to bed with snow falling outside and a pile of beautifully wrapped gifts waiting to be hauled to Merle’s for the celebration.

When they woke up the snowdrifts had moved indoors. The cats, it seemed, didn’t appreciate wrapped boxes. Fragments of paper and ribbon and boxes and gifts are scattered over three rooms. They’ve destroyed the macarons, shredded lovingly chosen sweaters, and puked on the handmade quilt Taako had chosen for Ren to go in her new place. Pages from the books they’d chosen for Barry were scattered over the broken set of incredibly rare cooking spices Taako had picked out for Lup.

Even the selection of unusual wood - chunks of yellowy Butterwood, a delicately burled section of Purpleflame and a large piece of gleaming silver Ironheart intended for Magnus to challenging his carving skills - show distinct marks from claws and teeth. They can still give it all to him, of course. Likely his dogs have done worse and the damage would all be carved away.

But Taako takes one look, turns around, and goes back to bed.

“Just gonna sleep through, Krav. Get up next year and dump the whole mess on Susan’s doorstep. All her fault anyway. She ruined out cats, Kravitz. They never would have done this if they hadn’t picked up this kind of behavior from her.”

“Love, she’s fed the cats twice. How could she teach them…”

“I told you before! She scratched my favorite pan and ate the bananas I was saving for banana bread. No respect for belongings and they learn by example. Besides, you were dreading it. Now we don’t have to go.”

And okay, he had a bit of a point there. On both counts.

Still, they could clean up the mess, pull out the stone of farspeech and male a few calls, get a couple stores open and stock up on baskets of gourmet coffee or fancy chocolates, gift cards for anyone not interested in either of those things. But they don't want to bother some poor retail worker on Candlenights just because their cats chose to be a bunch of assholes.

It takes some doing to convince Taako to get up, get dressed, and go see his family empty-handed. Kravitz is pretty sure the thing that makes the difference is when he points out that Taako can blame the whole thing on Susan.

It doesn’t help that the beautiful drifts of snow that had been all but promised when they went to sleep had turned into a muddy slush as the weather turned unexpectedly warm. The ugly candlenights sweaters Taako had planned for them to wear had been ditched for lighter options. (For Taako this means a loosely tailored white shirt with artfully rumpled ruffles at the throat and sleeves that make him look like a debauched pirate. For Kravitz it means his typical suit.)

They arrive late. Taako had insisted on baking something first. Kravitz watches his boyfriend sweep in with a tray full of chocolate crumble coffee cake, already launching into the story of Candlenights cat destruction they’d awoken to.

Kravitz slips into the background. It’s not a big space and there’s not a lot of people here. But Kravitz has had hundreds of years experience slipping into the shadows. He’s no longer even aware that he does it. He’s still not use to social situations, not use to so many people around when he’s not in work mode. Taako’s enormous extended adopted family is sometimes overwhelming.

“Hey, Kravitz.”

He turns, sees Barry. The other reaper is standing holding two bottles of something hooked in his fingers and balanced under a plate of snacks.

“You looking to hide out already?”

“What? No, I…” he looks around and turns a bit guilty when he realizes what he’s been doing, skulking in the shadows. “Maybe a little,” he admits.

“Come on back here with us,” Barry says, moving towards a hall. “Just Lup and I back here.”

Kravitz looks over his shoulder and sees Taako holding court, sees Merle’s son running from his sister, crumbs and sprinkles trailing behind him as he crams an entire handful of cookies in his mouth.

“Sure.” And he follows.

Lup is in the study Merle has set up for Davenport to use whenever he is in town. Cap’n’port never stays in one place for long these days. It sounds like a good deal and she feels a little jealous.

He’d come to see them before he left, stopped to see everyone before setting sail. Her body hadn’t been ready yet and for a moment she’d been overwhelmed with the terrible thought that she’d never get to hug him, that something would happen to him before she saw him again. Barry had whispered to her, talked her through it. He’d had a lot of experience with rogue emotions in lich form in those lonely years.

She’s had a body for a few months now but it still whallops her sometimes, her years alone, Taako’s years alone, Barry’s years alone. They’re safe now. Happy. Together. But sometimes she gets thinking about how easy it would have been to never find each other again. Never have Taako know her, never have a body, never hug her family, never kiss her husband...

Like tonight, she’d been looking forward to this get together for weeks but then today she’d woken up feeling somehow bruised and nervous, not up to the large gathering at all. But Barry, bless him, had gotten them set up back here, the best compromise between coming and not coming.

Barry slips in with drinks and food for them and Kravitz in tow.

“Hey, Kravitz was hiding out so I invited him back.”

She appreciates the note of question in his voice, checking that she’s okay with it. She smiles at him, and winks to let him know it’s fine.

“It’s a lot, isn’t it?”

Kravitz smiles, looking nervous. It’s disarming how different he is when he drops his work persona. She wonders if there’s a third Kravitz that only Taako sees.

“Oh, if Taako’s here, did you grab any of his macarons?”

“They didn’t make it. We had a….cat-tastrophe.”

“Aw, dunk. I was looking forward to those.”

“You know Taako would make those for you anytime.”

“And I could make them myself, but party macarons are different. Half the fun is keeping them from someone else.”

Kravitz snorts a laugh and Lup grins, pleased.

By the time Taako comes hunting them, Lup is curled up beside Barry on the love seat and Kravitz has unbuttoned his jacket and vest, put up his feet on the low stool in front of the slightly undersized chair he’s set up in. They’re just chatting low and relaxed. Barry and Lup never get enough of Kravitz’s work stories and Kravitz is still getting accustomed to telling them.

Taako drapes himself across his boyfriend and sighs. “You guys missed all the drama.”

“That was kinda the point,” Barry says, rubbing his hand over Lup’s arm.

Lup stretches and shifts, snuggling in on Barry who unconsciously adjusts to help her get more comfortable. Across from them, Kravitz moves to help Taako settle in better. They adjust to one another wordlessly until he settles back against Kravitz’s chest. Kravitz toys idly with Taako’s hair and listens to his boyfriend describe the shenanigans that Mookie had gotten up to.

“Keep Mookie away from our cats, then,” Kravitz teases when Taako finishes. “Susan’s got nothing on him.”

“You speak the truth, bone man.”

The four of them sit together, companionably chatting between the four of them or quieter between each couple.

In the fireplace, the fire has nearly died out. Outside, the warm snap has disappeared and thick fluffy snowflakes have begun to fall. Kravitz nudges Taako and points at the window. Taako smiles and lets his eyes drift closed.

Kravitz has just begun to imagine this is the final scene in one of those holiday movies. It’s warm and pleasant and after hundreds of years on his own, forgetting life and gatherings and celebrations, he’s here with the man he loves warm in his arms and a new family that has adopted him.

The door opens and Merle comes in. He looks a bit like Santa with his full white beard and his red shirt, providing you don’t look too closely at the eyepatch, the wooden arm, or the bright pink birds patterned across the shirt. But he does come bearing gifts, though they’re in a beaten up cardboard box instead of a fancy red velvet sack.

“Dav sent everyone a little something,” he says as he pulls out little cloth bags and hands one to each of them. Then he pulls out his own and sits on the hearth to open it.

Kravitz is surprised to be included. He’s only met their Captain a couple times, barely exchanged a handful of words with him.

Each of them have the same thing - a small, hand sized bottle of liquor, each with a handwritten tag hanging from the neck.

On Kravitz’s, the note reads: “Have a drink and remember to feel alive. Even if you technically aren’t. Cheers, Davenport”

He tucks the bottle into his coat pocket, feeling oddly touched.

Beside Barry, Lup reads her note from the Captain. “Should you ever need a bit of space, there will always be room on my boat. Joyfully yours, Davenport”

Both Kravitz and Lup, two people who hadn’t felt like they belonged here on this Candlenights, suddenly realize there’s no where they belong more.

Merle turns and pokes the fire, stirring a bit of life back into the remaining embers. Then he leans against the brick, eyes drifting closed as he soaks in the heat. “You kids are welcome to stay as long as you want,” he tells them. “But I’m gonna head up to bed... “ he shifts, angling his back to warm the other side, “...in just a few… maybe.”

“You want to head home, Lup?” Barry asks.

She runs her hand over Barry’s denim clad leg. “Not just yet, babe.” She aims half closed eyes across to her brother and Kravitz and tilts up her chin. “You guys leaving?”

“Krav?” Taako asks, twisting his neck to look up at his boyfriend.

“I’m in no rush,” Kravitz says, shaking his head.

It’s nice here. With family.

[queertazsecretsanta]

A gift for @infernal-violinist, created by @jocelyncade!

Title: Chamomile 

Summary: Angus McDonald was hard at work last night during a stakeout, but unfortunately, fate doesn’t seem to want to let him get his paperwork done the next day.  Tag: Angus McDonald, Sick Fic, Taakitz as Ango’s Dads, Auntie Lup and Uncle Barry, Blupjeans, Taakitz

The rain buffeted heavily on the windshields around Angus, tucked betwixt the parked cars as he was.

The sound was almost deafening, but he could still make out the gruff voices of the two men mere meters from his hiding place.

“We’ll gather ‘t all up and meet 5 miles south of Refuge, got it?”

“Yes Boss.”

Their brows slick with water, Angus was confident he wouldn’t be spotted, between the frequent wiping, and blinking, and not looking for a small eleven year old boy behind a car.

He pulled out a notebook, shielding it the best he could from the inclement weather, and taking as many notes as he could. Shorthand - disguised as schoolwork, no one would look at a child’s math homework and expect it to be a code hiding the plans for these despicable men. 

Angus eyed the warehouse behind them. Could he make it inside? Surely they were hiding some choice evidence in there. Just maybe…

He waited. And waited, until a little past 2AM, for the guard to switch out. The new one, jumpy, angry at the pouring rain, didn’t think twice about scaring off what must have been a raccoon fight, and definitely not a well-placed minor illusion in the alleyway. Best to scare them away, right sir? Can’t have them be attracting any attention.

Angus creeped, quiet as a mouse, channeling every roguish tip Mrs. Carey had thought to teach him, as he approached the heavy door. 

“Damn…” He swore under his breath. Locked.

Looking around to ensure the guard wasn’t on his way, he quickly step up another illusion, this one louder and longer. A car crash would be perfect, just the sound of one - to cover up the sound of a quick cast of Knock.

The screeching of tires and crashing of metal and fibreglass echoed loudly over the comparably quiet CLACK of the spell, and the latch let him inside easily.

Shutting the door behind him, and reaching up to lock the door behind him, (if it was unlocked they’d become suspicious, after all) he quickly took cover behind some unfortunately damp crates. The roof, tattered and worn, was no protection from the elements, even inside. A light rainfall splattered atop his cap, and his clothes getting somehow even damper than before.

A short patrol passed him right after he hid, perfect timing. He studied their movements.

To be frank, Angus wasn’t sure what they were doing, just that they were moving very large trucks in and out and a warehouse that didn’t belong to them. But reports didn’t show an increase of drugs, or any kind of weapon or contraband in the area. Quite the opposite, actually. There was less on the streets than was to be expected, even with the increased levels of social services in the city. It was strange, to say the least. Though, who better to be on a strange case, than a strange little boy?

He watched the patrol pattern once more. They seemed to ignore the small boxes. Examining the one he hid behind right now, he could conclude that they seemed to be empty. 

What were they guarding??

A rustle from beside him startled him. A large crate, larger than himself was the only thing to his right. 

No..? Angus tiptoed over, shining a flashlight into the holes in the crate and-

A soft whispering into his Stone of Farspeech, quiet as he could possibly be without alerting the patrol.

Within minutes, he was on the tail side of a raid. 

No one expected fireballs from behind when the militia came at them from the front. 

No sooner than they had arrived, had they suppressed the gang of thugs. 

Angus pried the lid off his previously examined crate, reaching inside, and helping a tall dryad stand up from her crouched position.

Achoo!

“Gesundheit, kid.” Said a lilting voice by his bedside, holding out a tissue. 

“Thanks Auntie Lup.” Angus said gratefully, blowing his nose as hard as he could, leaving him dizzy, with spots in his vision. 

“Oogh.” He groaned, his head spinning. 

Lup placed the back of her hand against his forehead, frowning. 

“Still running a fever… At least it’s not as bad as last night, Taako was full on freakin’.”

Angus didn’t say anything to that. It was his fault he got sick, he didn’t take care of himself after his late night stakeout for the case.

Why should they be worried when he made this mistake himself. 

“It’s ok, I feel much better already, I’m sure this will pass soon enough.”

“At least you’re on Candlenights Vacation. Knowing you, you’d be freaking out for missing class, nerd.”

“I’m still missing my tutoring sessions.”

“You need a tutor?! I guess you aren’t such a giant nerd after all.”

Angus raised his eyebrow, giving her a pointed look.

“Obviously you’re the tutor, kid.” She laughed, ruffling his hair. “I’ll grab you some lunch. Any requests?”

“Something warm.”

“Vague as hell, Angus, thanks so much.” She winked, closing the door gently behind her.

Angus slumped back into his absolute mountain of pillows. A half dozen was far too many for a little boy, but at times like these, when he felt particularly ‘bleh’, he was grateful for the comfort. 

He felt much worse than he let on. There was no point in getting fussed over - after all, Auntie Lup, Uncle Barry and Kravitz were incredibly busy, and Taako… Taako does what he wants, so it was hard for Angus to gauge how ‘busy’ he was at any given moment. But he knew that Taako had better things to do than worry. Like Magic Day. Just because he was sick didn’t mean Magic Day had to be cancelled. 

Angus sunk even lower into the mess of pillows.

At the very least, he had done something good last night. It didn’t take a boy detective to imagine what kind of plants they wanted to make the dryad grow.

Eventually, the comfort of the feather-stuffed bedspread got the better of Angus, and he let his eyes flutter closed for a moment.

A slow rumbling echoed through the small of his back. The soft warmth of fur on the skin beneath his hiked up pajama shirt didn’t help rouse him from sleep, rather trying to keep him well and firmly under the veil of a good nap.

But even the little furball that is Charon, Taako and Kravitz’ Siberian baby of a cat, could keep him from eavesdropping.

“-it’s probably Pneumonia, if I’m readin’ him right.”

“Well shit. Was it the fuckin’ stakeout or what? There’s gotta be some fucking labor laws or something about a kid being out in the rain for that long.” Taako sounded worried, which Angus knew he was more often than he let on.

“Well it sure didn’t help, but nah he was already sick yesterday. Just exacerbated those symptoms. I’ll check him over once he’s awake to see if he’s viral or not.”

“Kay, cool. Anything I can do?”

“Fluids… Let him cough, manage the fever. Basic stuff. If he gets worse, call me.”

Taako said nothing in response to that. 

“Oh, and lots of rest. He’s got to relax. None of that detective shit, school can take a break. It’s not like it’s going anywhere for him.”

“Is magic ok?”

“Nah, he should keep all his energies up.”

“Damn. Alright, thanks Merle. I’ll wait here until he’s awake and give you a shout.”

Angus laid still, keeping his breathing as even as he could. It wasn’t too hard. Charon hadn’t moved and was still vibrating rhythmically.

“I know you’re up, Ango.”

Angus shifted slightly. “How could you tell, sir?”

“You snore.”

Angus grumbled softly, pushing Charon off his back. He sauntered over to the pillows and settled in there.

Angus sat up, adjusted his pajamas and squinted at Taako, unsure of where his glasses were. 

“You feeling ok?”

“Yes.”

“No bullshit, Agnes, you’re pretty fucked up.”

“I feel like crap.”

“There you go. You cold?”

“A bit. Did Auntie Lup make lunch yet?”

“Hoo boy, lunch was hours ago my man. You were out.”

“Oh. I could have sworn it was just a moment or two.”

“She did, but she made a ton of stew. We can heat it back up.”

“Is she really that worried about me?”

“Hm?” Taako seemed confused. 

“Auntie Lup over cooks when she’s worried about something. You do the same thing with baking, right?”

“I forgot you notice shit like that… Yeah kid, she is worried. I am too, but you already figured that out right? But you’ll be fine. You got a crack team of overbearing adults and Merle who sort of knows what he’s doing. You’ll be fine.” He repeated the last phrase quietly, not quite to convince just Angus of the fact.

“Yeah, I’ll be alright.” Angus stifled a cough.

“Let it out bro, don’t hide it.”

Angus nodded, standing up, and pulling a blanket around his shoulders.

“Can Merle check me out now? I want to know if I should take antibiotics or not.”

And they headed downstairs.

The stew was awesome, as per the norm, and warmed Angus up quite a bit.

He was slowly feeling, not better, but more comfortable.

Merle determined it was viral, which meant it wasn’t as severe. Angus felt relieved at that, he didn’t want this to impede him any more than it was going to already.

Taako grabbed a large blanket and wrapped it around Angus, leading him to the living room.

“You tired, kid?”

“Not really. Can we watch something?”

“That’s the plan.”

Angus was nestled into the corner of a couch, wrapped in the plush fabric, feeling warmer than ever.

Taako set up Fantasy Netflix and put on one of Angus’ favorite picks; the TV adaption of Caleb Cleveland, Kid Cop.

It didn’t hold up to the novels, but it was solid on it’s own. He liked having it on in the background while he did paperwork. Or, while he dozed off, only half paying attention to the screen, while several episodes played through.

A distant sound, like paper tearing, interrupted Angus’ hazy musings.

Auntie Lup, Uncle Barry and Kravitz, slightly scuffed from work came to join them in the living room.

A gentle hair ruffle from Auntie Lup was happily received, and Barry gave him a smile, letting him have his space. They sat down on the loveseat on the other side of the room, Barry leaning onto Lup’s shoulder and sighing peacefully. Kravitz, meanwhile, brought Angus and Taako drinks. Something fancy, with a garnish of spiralled orange peel for Taako, who exchanged a kiss for it, and tea for Angus, a soothing chamomile lightly sweetened with honey. He gratefully accepted it, sipping slowly, and softly blowing on the hot surface.

Surrounded by his family, Angus relented. He would be better soon. He may as well stop worrying about everything he was missing, and focus on where he was right now.

Warm. Safe. Happy.

And he remained those three things as he quietly fell asleep on the couch, not even waking while he was carried back up to his bedroom.