#i love taako being soft

[ceilingfan5]

@taznovembercelebration embrace/refusal

There’s an apple crisp in the oven. There are thumbprint cookies on the table, next to butter cookies and chocolate crackle cookies, as well as about 3 weeks of unopened mail. There is a pound of strawberry cheesecake fudge cooling in the fridge next to an actual cheesecake that looks like a beach scene complete with seagulls, and Taako is fine.

He’s fine. Shut up about it maybe.

The pumpkin pie had gone to the neighbors Taako doesn’t hate, and the bread with all the seeds and fruits went to the neighbors he does hate, and the chocolate dipped pretzels all got eaten last night on the couch, with the TV on mute.

But he’s fine. He’s managing. Doing great, even. He’s figured out the grocery store app. You don’t even have to leave the house anymore, you just have to pay through the nose about it.

His one complaint is that usually he can bully Kravitz into doing the dishes. And, well, Kravitz has been away for a while now. Which is fine. That was the plan. He’d said there would be temporal anomalies, and that it would be a hard assignment, and that he would call when he could, but that it might not be possible, and that no matter what, he promised he’d be back soon.

And Taako, who is good at feelings, and being a person, and having a relationship, and communicating especially, said “Okay. Be safe.” And that was that.

And it’s been that. That persists, in fact, like some kind of hideous drawn-out nightmare, which Taako has not been having, thank you very much, because he’s hardly been sleeping, because it’s just easier to sleep on the couch than in the bed when you’re alone and you’re waiting for the door to open.

And it doesn’t open.

And it doesn’t open.

And it doesn’t open.

Everything is fine, and he’s doing great, and he’s being so normal about his boyfriend being away and not in the house and not in his bed and not in his arms and not here to wash the fucking dishes.

Taako does the dishes with magic anyway. So there. He does the dishes and he bakes and he goes on with his fucking business, thank you, because his life doesn’t revolve around Kravitz, and those words don’t keep replaying in his head and making him want to claw his brain goo out.

In fact, maybe he’s so capable that Kravitz is the one that needs him. Maybe he needs to get off his ass and go save Kravitz’s, and maybe he’s out there somewhere, needing him, and Taako can save the day and I-told-you-so in the same montage sequence, and Taako turns from baking like a commercial for eggnog flavored Red Bull and starts packing the essentials. He doesn’t know where he’s headed, but that’s okay. He’ll bully the fucking Raven Queen into spilling all the details. He’ll figure it out. He’s tough. He’s strong. He’s a lone wolf. He’ll destroy those fucking necromancers holding his man hostage, and he’ll save the day, and-

“Taako?”

Taako jumps and nearly cracks his head meat on the bones of the ceiling, and he whips around, wand at the ready, but it’s him, and he didn’t even do the courtesy of opening the door, like Taako’s been waiting for, he just ripped a hole in time and space and stepped through it, half burnt and covered in blood that may or may not be his, and looking weary and loving and perfect and damnable all in one easy package.

Taako, standing there with his wand in threat position, eyes wide, doesn’t know what to say, and the silence stretches.

“Taako, are you okay?” Kravitz’s sweet brown eyes are so, so soft and loving and Taako wants to fireball his ass to the sun and back. How dare he. How fucking dare he.

“Fine,” Taako breathes. He lowers his wand. “Are you? I was just about to come save your ass.”

“I almost needed it,” Kravitz croaks, smiling gently. “What’s with all the cookies?”

You don’t get to ask that, a foul voice in Taako’s head says, but it luckily doesn’t leak out. Taako’s the Tupperware of guys with problems.

“Got bored,” he drawls.

“I guess it has been a while…” Kravitz frowns. “I know I’m a bit of a mess, but I kind of thought you’d want a hug. How many days has it been?”

“Bout twenty.” So casual.

“Tw- Twenty??” Kravitz, idiot, love him, checks his watch, and gapes at Taako. “Twe- you’ve been- for twenty-”

“It’s fine.” Taako’s voice almost breaks. “Knew you’d be back soon.” Oh, nope, there it went.

It doesn’t hit Kravitz very fast. Maybe he has a head injury, maybe he’s just been through the wringer, maybe it doesn’t hurt him the same way it hurts Taako. But realization dawns on his face, and he knows he’s fucked up.

“Taako,” he whispers.

“It’s fine,” Taako insists. “Glad you’re back or whatever. Dishes need washing.”

Kravitz runs over and hugs him tightly, nearly squeezes the life out of him, with his corporeal and arguably alive? Body, and Taako forces a breath into his own stupid body, and he’s fine, and he’s fine, and he’s fine-

“I’m sorry,” Kravitz whispers. “I’m so sorry.”

And Taako cries. It’s the ugliest, shakingest, miserablest cry he’s let loose in a long fucking time, and it hurts coming out like all those stupid feelings hurt going in, and he fucking weeps in Kravitz’s arms like some kind of stupid. The hurt is old and new and bleeding again when Taako was sure he’d finally cauterized it, but fireball does not a registered nurse make. Kravitz’s stupid bastard therapist that Taako refuses to talk to might have been slightly almost right, a little, and Taako cries harder about that, too, because fuck him, that’s why.

They stand there, clutching at each other, for some time, and when Taako finally dares to look at Kravitz, his dumb lovable face is all snotty and wet too, and Taako takes a little mean comfort in that.

“You have so many cookies to eat, asshole,” Taako mumbles.

“I’ll eat every last one,” Kravitz promises. And he kisses Taako on the head. It makes him feel warm all over for the first time in ages.

“You’re bleeding on my floor.”

“Yeah, I think I am. When you’re ready, can we- medical attention, maybe?”

“Maybe,” Taako sniffs. “Only ‘cause I like you.”

#taakitz #taakitz fic #taz #taz b #tazb #taz balance #the adventure zone #the adventure zone balance #fan5fics #look at me i wrote a semi canonical piece instead of an au are you proud

[barry-j-blupjeans]

2022 TAZ Fic Recs!!

There has been so many bangers I've read this year, oh my goddd. This list is mainly just me going through my bookmarks to share everything that's on them, because other people deserve to see them. I will not be @-ing every author, because honestly, I don't know if all of them have Tumblrs or what their usernames are if they do sldfsdf. But they'll be linked with the story!

Fics with a black heart emoji (🖤) in front of them have content warnings that really need to be adhered. I'm taking warnings from what I remember and what is in the tags of the story already. If I need to add anything else, let me know.

On the Deck of the Starblaster by papergardener - The Starblaster crew takes a well-deserved break in the sun. It's so soft that it makes my heart kinda ache, tbh! Could not recommend more.

parlay, as a gamble by anistarrose - Lucretia doesn't erase the concept of Parley as well as she meant to and Merle reaches out to the Red Robe. This one is beautifully heartbreaking and hilarious, I'm in love with it.

🖤 Symptoms by The_Fanfic_Train - The crew has defeated the Hunger and now they must through the mortifying ordeal of healing. This one got me real good, ngl. It shows so much growth and strength and adds a very realistic side to the characters that I very much enjoyed reading.

Warning for suicidal tendencies, negative thoughts, and self-destructive behaviors, and mentions of blood.

Who Have You Become In The Wake of All That's Happened? by ArtsyRiv - Magnus and his experiences with his hair and the styling of those around him. As someone who has also written an entire fic about hair, this is so beautiful. It captures the feelings connected to hair presentation so, so well and, to top it all off, T4T Magnulia, hell yeah.

🖤 I Tried To Do The Best That I Could by ArtsyRiv - Lucretia's been having nightmares in the wake of the Redaction. She's not coping with it well. This story is so beautifully written and pulls you along with all the feelings and emotions mixed in. It's soul-destroying but in a beautiful way.

Warning for self-harm, EDNOS/Eating disorders, some suicidal ideation, and an emetophobia warning.

Caves and Cypress by crowsong - In the simplest of terms, a character study of Barry between the end of Stolen Century and the beginning of Here There Be Gerblins. It's amazingly complex and so well thought out. It tossed me between angst and yearning so quickly that all my emotions jumbled up and came out as tears. There are some fun Barry and Lucretia interactions in here, as well as some very fun Barry and Kravitz interactions.

it's my party and I'll mope if I want to by Grabbingatpowerandkissingit - Angus and Lucretia make Taako a birthday cake. It's fun and funky and fresh, with a very nice little dash of angst sprinkled in. I adore it in every way.

Someone I Have Loved, But Never Known by anistarrose - A fucking fantastic AU of Barry and Lup also being voidfished and remembering their married but don't remember it's too each other. It's hilarious and so in character, I could not recommend it more.

I Saw Seven Bounties by umbraastaff (jothending) - Kravitz took all seven bounties because things like this usually come as package deals. He soon realizes he's sorely mistaken. This one is so fun. I have so many thoughts about Barry and Kravitz's interactions between Stolen Century and HTBG's and this fulfills like, half of them at least. The writing style is so charming and nice, I very highly suggest you read it.

leaving, as an injustice by anistarrose - Another absolute banger by Rose. Sort of a spiritual successor to "parley, as a gamble" further up the list, this is another fantastic Merle fic. With Mavis as the main character, we get to see Merle in a light that not a lot of people choose to write about. It's fantastic and deep and beautiful, an amazing read.

Some of my best friends are liches by Grabbingatpowerandkissingit - So, so, so good. What if Lup had gotten out of the umbrastaff really early? What if they had to deal with two Red Robes instead of one? Everything Reese writes is delightful and zesty, but I have a special place in my heart for this one.

if the grim reaper takes your professor before class starts then you're legally allowed to leave

if the grim reaper takes your professor before class starts then you're legally allowed to leave by anistarrose - Such a good take on another Barry lives after the Redaction AU. It's so funny and so good.

Scamming me, scamming you by Noodyl - Taako thinks he's flirting with Kravitz. Kravitz thinks he's being scammed (and he's kinda loving it?). This is so hilarious and I love the way Noodyl writes Kravitz, it's so very good. A perfect fun fic to wipe away all your sorrows.

🖤 Immortal Mortality by vacuumfluorescentdisplay - I just discovered this author and I'm going wild about them, just a little. This is such a good take on various deaths throughout the Stolen Century. It's so lived-in and refreshing to read and it brings a lot of humanity to the Starblaster crew, dealing with the most living-being-oriented problem: Death. Fantastic read and fantastic writing.

Warning for character death, including drowning and extreme hypothermia. There are also blood mentions and injury descriptions.

unreliable narrator by owlinaminor - An older fic but such a powerful one. It shares Lucretia's POV throughout her entire life up until just after Story and Song. It has given me a new way to view Lucretia and the way I write her and is such an impactful story. The writing style is fantastic and beautiful, I cannot recommend this more.

but the strange lights in the sky were shining by anistarrose - Barry knows things are off but he can't pinpoint why. This one so perfectly captures the feeling of offness from being in a new world but not being able to remember how or why you got there. It's very quick-paced and really captures you in the moment of it all. So good.

Live Like This by Grabbingatpowerandkissingit - Reese has once again taken an already brilliant AU idea (Tuck Everlasting-based AU, my beloved) and made it amazing. Barry's reoccurring encounters at the Fair and his life in between. It's an amazing story and so lived-in and thought-out. It's so very good.

Offworld by vacuumfluorescentdisplay - Last but certainly not least, this masterpiece. I just finished reading this the day I'm writing this and it's incredible. Barry is trying to escape his (criminal) pass and Taako and Lup are just trying to stay alive. This story follows their trip and their slow fall into trust. Tom is so good at world-building and making the characters feel multi-dimensional. The world(s) here are fantastically built and the storyline is even better. Again, I would very highly recommend it.

And that's it!! This got a little long but I wanted to make sure I didn't miss anyone on my list sldkfsdf. Shout out to all these amazing authors and all the ficlets I've been seeing all over my dash. There's so much life and love in this fandom and I adore reading every single thing I come across.

#taz #taz balance #<- since they're all taz balance sldkfjsdf #the adventure zone #the adventure zone balance #fic recs #save #i am speaking #fr go read all of these they're fantastic

[bureauofoutstandingbalance]

memento mori

When Magnus died, there was this sudden realization that Lucretia would be next.

Subconsciously, it seemed as if all the birds were waiting until the year was over. As if everything would reset, and Magnus would be back. Young, strong, and eye black from a bar fight, one which seemed like a thousand years ago now. 

But, of course, he didn’t. Because this was permanent. Taako knew that, logically. But it wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair, he thought to himself, as he knocked on the door to Lucretia’s home.

The caretaker lady opened the door. She was a halfling, dressed in blue. Her ebony brown curls fell to her waist, and she regarded him with a soft, pitiful expression. Taako’s face soured, and his ears flattened down against his head. He didn’t need pity, especially not from a woman he barely knew.

She was… an employee for the Director, that much he knew. When the Director retired, this halfling woman was nice enough to take care of her… is what Taako was told. In his opinion, though? It wasn’t nice at all. It wasn’t generous or heartwarming or loyal or… anything that anyone wanted to tell themselves it was.

The Director didn’t need to be taken care of. She didn’t. She never did. Ever since her year alone, the Director was as stubborn as a goddamn mule. For better or for worse, she got things done with her head stuck up her ass. Refusing to ask for help. Refusing to let people do things for her. Refusing to admit she was ever wrong, even if her actions caused a person to forget their second half. 

And yet, despite himself, Taako was in her home.

The halfling escorted him to the living room. She offered a glass of water, but Taako turned her down. He didn’t say why he was here, but apparently, he did not need to ask. The halfling just looked down sadly when he rejected her offer and turned on her heel. Taako stared at the rug. Has she always had that pattern?

The Director was wheeled in. Taako didn’t look up. 

“Taako,” the Director began, but quickly erupted into a coughing fit. Taako continued to stare down the carpet like it had wronged him personally. Seriously, medallion? Who was the Director getting her style from, anyway?

“Still alive, eh? ‘S stubborn as ever, I see,”  Taako laughed, not unkindly, but not familiar. The tone in his voice was distant, and the Director could tell that Taako had something on his mind. She pursed her lips thoughtfully, and she quickly dismissed the halfling from the room. 

“Taako, as much as you know I always love it when you visit, more than I can properly put into words, why now?” 

“Can’t an elf see his family once in a while?” Taako moaned dramatically.

“Taako.”

“It’s my day off.”

“Taako.”

“Lup wanted me to.”

“Good fucking hell, Taako!” the Director snapped, forehead creased. She sighed and her face fell, too old to argue. She sat up straight and folded her hands over her lap, her back popping as she did so.

“Don’t fuck around with me, Taako. I’m 109 years old. It’s a miracle I lasted longer than Magnus.” 

Taako flinched like he’d been slapped. She continued.

“I’m too old to play games, so I’m gonna make this short.” She paused, as if considering her next words. 

“I lived with so, so many regrets. I don’t want to die with just as many. It’s been years since… since the day of Story and Song,” Lucretia said. Even all these years later, none of them have been able to speak of what happened in full. “Every time I take a breath, I hope it isn’t my last. Each time I close my eyes I beg the gods that I’ll be alive to open them. It’s not fun being old, Taako, and it’s not fun dying for a final time.”

Taako tapped his arm impatiently. “So? What’s your point?”

“Wh- What’s my point?” the Director repeated tiredly. She ran a wrinkled hand down her sagging face. “My point is that whatever you want to say to me, say it, because there is going to be a point where I’ll be gone, and you won’t be able to.”

Taako isn’t one for feelings. Never has been. For two centuries he hasn’t been, and he won’t be for as long as he lives. But when he thinks back to the day Magnus left for good, all he can do is remember how it felt. How it felt to lose someone important like that again. He’s lost Magnus before. He’s lost the Director. He’s lost Lup, in more ways than one. 

But there is nothing like the empty white walls of a hospital room. Being helpless as you watch a loved one slip through your fingers like water. The first time Taako was forced to face loss like that was when he and Lup were 75. The only difference is that they were alone. They held each other’s hands tightly, and Lup sobbed into his shoulder as strangers ushered them away from their aunt one last time. 

They didn’t want to be separated from each other like they had been from their aunt, so they ran.

Taako can’t run from this. He knows he can’t. Magnus is dead and he isn’t coming back, and he and Lup can’t run like they did when their ears were too big for their heads and their hearts were too big for the world. 

“Fuck, Luce!” Taako sobbed, wiping his face with the back of his hand. Lucretia just stared at him expectantly as he struggled to spit out his words.

“I know I fucked up, alright? But don’t pretend you didn’t either!” Taako snapped, jabbing a finger in her direction. She didn’t even blink. “You didn’t reach out once!”

“You know why,” Lucretia responded coolly, just as accusatory. The two of them stared at each other. Taako conceded and his shoulders slumped. Lucretia wheeled over and took Taako’s peticured hand in hers. For once, he didn’t fight her. Taako waited for her to say something, but she just gazed at him patiently.

“Fuck,” Taako emphasized again, this time with a laugh, his shoulders shaking. He pulled her into a tight hug.

“Oof, Taako, I’m ancient,” Lucretia laughed back, but reciprocated, nonetheless. 

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m sorry for… everything.”

“Hm? Sorry, I didn’t hear that. My old human ears. Was that… an apology?”

“Shut the fuck up. I’m trying to be heartfelt.”

The two stayed in silence for a little longer. Taako was the first to pull away.

“But, uh,” Taako began, “yeah. I’m, uh, sorry for… staying away. From you. Even after all this time.” He took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts, and Lucretia watched.

“I mean, I know it’s partly deserved, you know? That’s what I’ve been telling myself for 50 something years. That you… deserved the cold shoulder for this long. I mean, for anyone else, I probably would have given them the cold shoulder for longer. But then it… it really hit me. How fucking short human lives are,” Taako sniffed. He wiped his face again.

“It’s not fair that the babies of the family are the first to go. The rest of us are still kicking. Good lord, Luce, you look older than Merle, for Pan’s sake.” 

“You wound me, truly,” Lucretia said, voice flat. Taako forced a laugh.

“I think I... forgave you a while ago.” His brow furrowed, like that wasn’t how he wanted to say it. “Or, I don’t know, got over it at least. As much as Taako can get over something. I just… held out this long because of principle, you know? And by the time I was over it, I didn’t know how to… talk to you anymore. I told myself you deserved it because I didn’t want to admit to myself that I was wrong,” Taako admitted. He felt uncomfortable, suddenly, like something in him came undone and everything he has been holding inside for not even a quarter of his life came pouring out. Lucretia, however, held him steady, like his words were something she had been waiting for all of hers. She waited for him to say anything else, but when she seemed to realize he had finished, she let out a sigh. 

“Some things really don’t change,” she muttered, clearly intending for Taako to hear her. He smiled wearily. 

“Gotta stick to what the fans love, right?” he joked, and Lucretia smiled back tiredly. He felt his heart sting. Why did everything with humans change so fast?

It suddenly hit Taako that when he becomes a pile of bones, he won’t have Lucretia. Or Angus. He won’t even have Merle or the captain. They’ll be dead, long buried in the ground. It will just be him. And Lup and Barry, of course, since they’re reapers now, but they’ll still look exactly the same. Taako’s beauty will have long since withered while his twin will be as sharp as ever, and Barry… Well, Barry’s jeans will be as crisp as ever. And Kravitz… 

Taako jerked when Lucretia brought her hands to cup his face, but otherwise didn’t resist. This was really it, huh? The first and last time they’d ever have a heart-to-heart like this.

“I wish we had gotten more time together,” Lucretia professed, and Taako broke in her arms.

#I don't know if this is OOC it is mostly just projection on my part. #Self indulgence! Yippee! #post story and song #taz balance #the adventure zone #taz #lucretia taz #lucretia #taako taz #taako #taako taaco #my writing

[blingblandfanfic]

Lup and Barry clone Taako

i've been dabbling in taz fic lately, and i started this and realised i only wanted to write this scene, and thus didn't want to flesh it out further LMAO

one scene isn't enough to post on ao3, but it is enough to post on tumblr ;)

It starts with Lup’s hovering.

Her metaphorical hovering, that is, not her literal hovering. It’s been a month, maybe a bit more since they’ve defeated the Hunger, and on account of being a lich with no legs, she’d have to drift from place to place for all that time.

Taako doesn’t know why she and Barry haven’t made her a new body, but whatever.

To be honest, it takes a while for Taako to even notice her metaphorical hovering, let alone be bothered by it. There’s something about being separated for over a decade that’s made it so that neither of them can be apart for too long without getting panicky about it. But as Taako soaks up sister time, his Lup quota fills up a little bit faster every day until it’s almost back to pre disappearance levels. 

He’d expected it to be the same for Lup, but she’s still clingy. Still hovering. Metaphorically. It’s obvious that there's something she wants to tell him, and he’s never known her to be shy about anything, so he’s waiting for her to spit it out herself. 

One night, when she’s decided to ‘sleep’ in Taako’s bed instead of Barry's, she finally plucks up the courage to ask whatever she wants to ask him.

“Taako. How much do you love me?”

“What do you want?” his eyes are closed, but if they weren’t, they’d be squinting suspiciously. 

“Seriously, babe, just answer the question.”

“You’re my heart, duh,” if this is what she’s been worried about the whole time, then Taako’s gonna be pissed. 

“How would you like to make that literal?”

He finally pulls open an eye to see his sister, floating ominously above him, “and what the fuck do you mean by that?”

If Lup had a face, she would use it to give him a bashful smile. 

“Well… we need like, a lot of DNA samples in order to create a clone, and it was easy for Barry because he always had access to his body but–”

“But your body is dust,” Taako closes his eyes. 

“Hey, we’re already technically clones of each other! We just need to do it manually this time!”

“It’s still fucking freaky, though!” he sits up on his elbows, “I don’t wanna go about my day knowing there’s a version of me growing in a test tube!”

“Then don’t think of the clone as you, dummy, it’ll be my body, I just… won’t be in it, for a while.”

“Oh my god,” he slumps back onto the mattress, “when the fuck did this become our life?”

“I think we were pretty much locked in the moment we got the IPRE acceptance letters,” she floats down to lie on Taako’s body, her not-face propped up by her hands. “Seriously, though, if you really don’t wanna do this, then it’s fine. We’ll figure something else out.”

“Oh yeah, like what? Possess some poor schmuck and spend the rest of your days running from Kravitz? No way, this is the easier option.”

“I have a feeling you’re not fully 100 percent on board with this.”

“Yeah, of course I'm not! Who wants to be cloned? But I’m doing it anyway because you’re my sister, and I want to fucking hug you.”

“God, same,” Lup sighs, “and I want to bang my husband,” she ignores Taako’s retching, “it’s just that we have to be really careful about this, now that me and Barry are working for the Raven Queen and all, we have to make sure this is super duper ethical. Cloning is super light necromancy, and she’s barely willing to let us do it.”

“Fine,” Taako raises his hand, “you have my full unequivocal consent to clone my body and bang your husband with it. I just don’t want to see the fucking thing until you’re in it. Do you need that in writing or what?”

“Actually, yeah. Like I said, the Raven Queen is being super strict about it. Kravitz says we’re lucky she’s letting us do this at all. I guess being the saviors of the universe helped us out there.”

“She also has a big soft spot for Kravitz. She’s like his Mom.”

“Aww, really?”

“He can deny it all he wants, but I know the truth. He blushes like a motherfucker when I bring it up.”

“Ha!” She barks out a laugh and sits up, “I'm definitely gonna bring that up the next time I see him,” she floats off him and makes for the wall– doors are obsolete to a lich– but she pauses, turning back to face him. He can almost imagine her face in the empty darkness that is her hood, a reflection of his own, but far more open and gentle than he’s ever allowed himself to be. “Seriously–”

“Seriously,” he raises his hand, “I'm cool with it. Now can I go the fuck back to sleep?”

“Yeah,” she says, soft, with a hint of a smile, “you can.”

#Taz #the adventure zone #lup #Taako #exclusive content #snippet #taz balance

[noodyl-blasstal]

WIP Game!

Thank you very much for tagging me, @ceilingfan5!

Go to your current work in progress and share the following (I'm gonna do a few because no one can stop me):

The first line of the work.

Oops! Four in a bed “We’re going to mark them fairly.” Taako doesn’t reply, he’s busy focusing on the road and not saying anything which may later be held against him in sibling court.

Demon Bath Taako is done; Taako is so fucking done that he's running away with the circus, he's going into teacher witness protection, he's going to retrain as an art thief. 

Can't talk, library's haunted Taako stands, hands on hips, glaring hard at the various piles of clothes and books and the other detritus of life that’s strewn around his room.

The first line of your current chapter (or if it’s a one-shot, the first line of the tenth paragraph).

Oops! Come Dine With Me They decide to use Kravitz’s house. It has a bigger drive is the official reason (the unofficial one being three, (bordering on four… seven if you count the kids) other idiots don’t live there. It is, however, bird heavy.

Demon Bath  “You do this every day?” Kravitz asks as soon as Taako returns. He’s wedged most of the way under the bear, head peering out at Taako and one hand slowly rubbing circles across the bear’s soft fur. Thankfully it had been dry cleaned last week after the pukecident.

Can't talk, library's haunted Taako pulls up directly outside the door and waves cheerfully whenever Kravitz looks. He gets more glowery with every pass. 

“Sir, I think you’re irritating him.” Angus says mildly.

“I’m flirting, Agnes.”

The last line you wrote.

From a prompt list ask I'm working on: The idea was good though. Taako loves fishing, Taako loves shiny things, Kravitz loves likes-as-a-friend-he–makes-out-with-increasingly-regularly-and-there-was-also-that-one…two…seven-times…’s Taako.

A line for a chapter/part you haven’t written yet.

Can't talk, library's haunted “How about my library?” Kravitz asks quickly. Voice thick enough that Taako’s definitely gonna tease him about it later. Har har, you’ve got a ghost kid now.

Oops! Come Dine With Me There is no way, no how that he fucked this up. Taako knows precisely what he’s doing in his kitchen! He wouldn’t mix up the ingredients, he couldn’t! This was what he did, this was his thing. He didn’t make people sick, he made them come back next week to see what else was on his specials menu. He’d never made people sick. He wouldn’t make Kravitz sick.

Tag at least 3 people whose work you wanna see, and if you make a separate post for it, please link back to the original. I'm tagging @aeivyen @taakosleftshoe and @sugarberryandtea (no pressure, but always love to see what you're working on!) and anyone else who made it through this and would like to share - I mean it! Consider yourself tagged!

#I've played a bit fast and loose with the amounts here but you know it's hard when you're slogging in the word mines and can't share #Thank you for tagging me Larissa!

[holdmecloser-gandydancer]

WAIT WAIT WAIT I AM A CLOWN AND A FOOL

FOR THE HADESTOWN LYRICS, TAAKITZ IS *RIGHT THERE*

KRAVITZ IS A MUSICIAN

But if you want to do either blupjeans or taakitz, that's cool lol because I feel like those lyrics specifically is good for blupjeans, but the song in general is very taakitz and aaaahhhhhh

Anyway, I hope you have a lovely day lol <3

"So you're the Grim Reaper." It's not a question, rather a statement of fact.

"That's a name some people call me, yes."

"Like, The Grim Reaper, tee em tee em tee em?"

"The very same."

"Huh." He pauses for a moment. Sits back on his hands as the breeze beckons the tall grass to dance in the wind. It tickles his forearms, bare from where he's rolled up his sleeves. "Are you here to kill me?"

He shakes his head and laughs. Gently, no hint of malice for ten country miles. "No, not at all."

He squints. "Then what're you here for?"

A shrug. "I was wrapping up another job—"

"You killed someone else?

"I shepherded his soul to the Astral Plane, yes."

He nods before motioning for him to continue.

"I was in the area and I saw advertisements for your show. It looked entertaining so I decided to stop by."

"Didya like it?"

A nod. "I did. I haven't cooked in so many years. It was nice to see someone so skilled and passionate."

"So were you alive then? At one point?"

"Awfully forward aren't we?"

"Sorry. Just curious."

"Don't be, I would do the same thing in your position. Yes, once upon a time, I was alive. I was a performer like you. Not cooking though. Music."

He softens. Clearly he wasn't expecting such an honest answer. "What'd you play?"

"Anything I could get my hands on. I had a real soft spot for strings though. The violin was my favorite."

"Can you not play anymore?" He chews his lip before snapping, a brilliant epiphany having come over him. "Ah, I get it, you're one of those ghosts so you can't touch anything from the living world."

He reaches out a cold hand, making gentle connection with an impossibly warm wrist. "Nope. I just so rarely have the time."

He looks at the connection but doesn't move to terminate it. "I'd like to hear sometime." He smiles something small and a little self conscious. "If I'm not being too forward again, that it."

"I don't think you are. What's your name, handsome?"

"Taako. And yours?"

"Kravitz. It's a pleasure to meet you, Taako."

-

They laze around in the grass for what feels like moments but the arc of the sun in the sky suggests has been hours. They lie in the soft sunbeams, talking about nothing and everything. As the day goes on, they inch closer and closer until they're hardly any distance apart. Their fingers intertwine until their hands reach a temperature equilibrium.

Truly, Kravitz is content to stay like that forever, though the feather the length of his forearm that lands in his lap, materializing from seemingly nowhere, seems intent on not letting him fall victim to such displays of sloth.

He groans and sits up, idly twirling the feather in the fingers of his unoccupied hand.

Taako gazes up at him. "Duty calls?"

"It does, I'm sorry to say." Kravitz squeezes his hand as though Taako is a kite threatening to fly away into the vast blue expanse. "I'll be back soon. I promise. Wait for me?"

A smile. "I will."

---

To say that time doesn't flow exactly the same for Kravitz now than it used to is an understatement, though it's hardly been a problem in the past few years. The Raven Queen moves on an even slower cosmological time scale than he does so it's become hard to notice these incremental changes. Seconds turn to minutes, minutes to hours, hours to days; the sand in his hourglass moves more akin to molasses these days.

Of course, Kravitz doesn't know this. What reason would he have to know this? Not many mortals he spends time with these days. So when he tells Taako he'll be back soon, he believes is.

He just has a few jobs to deal with.

Circle of necromancers, spooky death cult, nothing he can't dispatch with ease.

The paperwork, on the other hand? Kravitz is certain that the paperwork is a special cosmic punishment for him.

But in what feels like only a few hours' time and he's—

And he's being debriefed for another quick case. Nothing special, just the murder of a quarter of a little frontier town. A quick stop in to investigate and he'll be able to drop back in on—

"Taako?" He asks the moment he steps through the rift he's sliced for himself.

He looks haggard. Horrified. With 40 bodies around him, how could he not be?

Taako looks at him, a slurry of emotions pulsing across his face. "This isn’t... I-I didn't..." He stammers out. Anger takes the stage on his face. "Where the fuck were you?"

Kravitz tries to take stock of the situation. "I was summoned by my Lady. Taako, what happened? Did you do this?"

"That was four years ago," he spits. Another evaluation of the surroundings. "I don't know what happened," he says, voice barely above a whisper, laboring under about six layers of emotion.

Kravitz blinks at him. "I-I never meant to be gone so long. I'm sorry. I'm sure you thought I forgot about you. But doing this to attract my attention?"

"I would never," Taako’s ears twitch more the more incensed he becomes. He shakes his head and looks like he's about to start dry-heaving. "This wasn't me. I don't think it was me, anyway."

"You don't know?"

"I think maybe a spell went wrong but I don't know and my one witness just turned tail on me and ran and I think he's going to report me to the militia and who could blame him? I'm th-this monster!" He says, his voice climbing several decibel hills. And then it clicks. "Even you're here to kill me!"

"Taako. Taako. Listen to me. I'm not here to kill anyone. This is an unusual event. A tragedy. I intend on finding out what happened here after I assist these individuals in making it home." He hesitates in saying home but it appears as though Taako catches his meaning well enough. "I'd like to talk to you about what happened here. I promise i will work more swiftly now than I did. I want to get to the bottom of this. And I'm going to need your help doing it. So, will you wait for me?"

Taako chews his lip, pointedly avoiding looking at the scene around him. And then, at long last, a small nod. "I will."

#taz #taz balance #the adventure zone balance #reese writes #taakitz #kind of an au going on #emetophobia tw #mostly a mention but jic #tentatively positive 3 #thanks gab! #death mention #it's glamor springs but taako didn't turn tail he did try to help :( #love making him suffer <3

[isleofair]

Ten faves in ten fandoms

I was tagged by @saltedpin: thank you so much!!! 💙💙💙 (This took me way longer to put together than I thought, wow)

Tiger & Bunny - Nathan Seymour (aka Fire Emblem) What can I say about Nathan. She's my ultimate blorbo, despite being pretty much the opposite of the kind of character I usually fixate on. They're a successful, ultra-rich business owner but also the mom friend of the group; a wonderful mix of (literally) fiery fierceness and soft sensitivity; a big, phoenix-themed peacock with the heart of a small, cuddly lovebird. I love her to death. 💖 (Honorable mention to her future husband Buddy hero, Keith Goodman, aka Sky High, aka literally the bestest guy EVER.)

Star Trek: TNG - Data This guy was sort of a blueprint for my childhood weirdness. I live for characters who are supposedly non-human, but are actually the most human of them all; and Data, for all that he was vastly stronger, faster, and smarter (at least logically) than all of his friends, had a gentleness to him that made you forget about that pretty much all of the time. I've been wanting to hug him for about 35 years.

Yūri!!! on Ice - Yuuri When I started watching the show, I thought Victor would be my favorite, but when I began to truly understand Yuuri's character, there was no going back. He's so astonishingly real in the way he perceives himself as an utter failure while actually being amazing and very successful. He manages to give me a glimmer of hope, at least sometimes, that maybe I might manage, with some effort, to not be quite as much of an absolute disaster as I fear.

The Lord of the Rings - Faramir If I had to sum Faramir up in a word, it would be unassuming. He's constantly treated (mostly by his father, but also by part of the narrative) as someone who's an afterthought, a second best, a spare; all this in spite of being incredibly smart, and learned, and competent, and kind. He's just... really lovely, and although he ends up with Éowyn as sort of (again) a second choice after Aragorn, I say: Éowyn, my beloved badass, you kind of won the lottery there.

Anime Sanjūshi - Aramis (Yes, Italy apparently got ALL of the anime back in the '80s, lol.) This anime adaptation of The Three Musketeers takes quite a few creative liberties with the story, and one of them is making Aramis a woman in disguise. She kicks just as much ass as any of her companions (most of whom never find out her secret), and at the end, after completing the personal, romance-related quest she joined the Musketeers for, she... keeps her male disguise and her job, presumably forever. A+, no notes.

Stargate: Atlantis - John Sheppard One of the very few "military jock, ace pilot, dude with a big gun" protagonists I've ever liked, mostly due to the fact that Sheppard is technically all of the above things, but really he's just as much of a geeky, socially inept loser as the scientists he was hired to bodyguard, cosplaying as the jock with a gun because he really loves the "piloting things that fly really fast" part. Add in a self-sacrificial streak about a galaxy wide, and I was sold.

Sailor Moon - Haruka Tenō, aka Sailor Uranus 13-year-old me saw Haruka and fully went "man, I want to be her!" And then, many years later, I realized that I had also probably been wanting her, period. 😅 The anime got censored to hell and back, of course, but I'm the kind of person who takes things I'm told at face value, so I saw her being incredibly dramatic and jealous and infatuated and totally willing to die for her "best friend" and went "yeah, I guess that checks out". I still vaguely thought that she would make the perfect "boyfriend", as she was the coolest person ever, lol.

The Adventure Zone: Balance - Taako I still can't believe a podcast that started out as essentially "how many dick jokes can we fit into 60-90 minutes of butchering the rules of D&D" ended up being one of the most significant pieces of media in my life, but hey, to quote Taako himself, "It’s not all abraca-fuck-you and what have you. I have a beating heart! I’m multi-dimensional! I’m a fully-realized creation! FUCK!" Taako's vulnerability is hidden under MANY layers, but when it comes out, it hits straight to the heart.

Yūki Bakuhatsu Bang Bravern - Lewis Smith I'm throwing my most recent fandom in here, because why not. Smith (yeah, I know) is an apparently extremely stereotypical "American Pilot Guy" character (don't look him up, because the show is best experienced without spoilers, but I promise you, he looks just like he could be Keith Goodman's twin), but in a show that is always at least three genres at once, in very varying degrees of seriousness, he ends up being one of the most genre-aware characters of all, with... interesting consequences.

Good Omens (TV) - Crowley This one is interesting because in the book, my favorite character was always, very clearly and very firmly, Aziraphale. And then the tv show happened, and yeah, I'm not immune to the David Tennant Effect, by any means, but... You know that post that's been going around, that says something vaguely like "the best trait a male character can have is being pathetically in love with someone"? Well. Crowley is not a male character, but in the show he embodies pining. Pining pours out of each and every one of his probably non-existent pores 24/7, non-stop, for millennia. And I... kind of like pining. A reasonable amount. It's fiiiiiiiiiiiine.

I am tagging YOU! 🫵 But only if you want to play, of course! 😂💙

#tag game

[fandomsnstuff]

Here we are, folks! With this, we've filled out the bingo card! I think those of you who were sad about yesterday's are going to like this one ;)

Also, in celebration of writing all these ficlets, I've compiled them all onto ao3 if you'd like to go give some love over there

@taznovembercelebration holding hands or pushing away

-

Lucretia sits at her desk, going through some end of year paperwork. It's dark, the only light in her office being the soft coloured strings wrapped around the Candlenights bush in the corner, and her desk lamp. Outside her window is the perfect Candlenights snowfall. It's calm and serene. There's a twinge of loneliness in her chest, but she's long since gotten used to that. 

The quiet is broken by a tearing sound, and a rift appears in front of her desk. First to step through it is Taako, followed by Davenport and Barry. The room dims as the rift closes. Taako turns to his companions and says, "see? I told you she'd be doing fuck all." He looks back at her, "what do you have to say for yourself?" 

"Um," she's caught extremely off guard. It's barely been half a year since everything ended, and the last people she'd expect to come see her are the three standing in front of her. "About what?" 

Taako scoffs. "About you refusing your Candlenights invite, and then sending gifts by mail. What is this? The middle ages?" 

Oh. That. "I assumed it was more... a courtesy, than anything else. I didn't want to make anyone uncomfortable or ruin the celebration, so I thought it'd be best if I didn't go." 

Taako says, "are you dumb?" 

"Taako," Barry chastises. 

"No, I'm asking! Did all that time in the upper atmosphere kill a few braincells?" 

"What Taako's trying to say," Barry says, "is that you wouldn't have been invited if we weren't all okay with you being there." 

She fiddles with her pen, casting her eyes down at her desk. She'd thought about that, but she knew that some of the family, most notably the three standing in front of her, have been particularly angry with her. Which they should be. She did a terrible thing and robbed them of the most important aspects of themselves. Why the hell would they want her to come to Candlenights? 

"Lucretia," Davenport says, speaking up for the first time, "six months isn't a long time to get over ten years, and we haven't gotten over it, but we talked about this weeks ago. And we agreed that for the first Candlenights after the Hunger, everyone should be there. And that includes you."  

"I hadn't considered that," she says. She looks up at them, "but why are you here now?" 

"To take you to the party," Davenport says. "Magnus has got the hug-stletoe in full swing." 

Taako crosses his arms, "and you can't get out of listening to Merle's rendition of fantasy Michael Bublé's complete Candlenights album that easily. We got lucky last year with what's-his-name interrupting the party with the end of the world, so he's adamant on doing it this year." 

A smile tugs at her lips. "Complete with costumes?" 

Taako sighs wearily, "and props." 

She smiles softly and drops her gaze back to her desk. "As much as I'd love to be with everybody, I just... I don't know. I know that forgiveness, if any of you even want to eventually forgive me, is a long and difficult thing. I wouldn't want to put a damper on your holiday." 

"Oh for-" Taako huffs and marches around the side of her desk. He grabs her hand and pulls her out of her chair. "Barry," he prompts, and Barry opens up another rift. Taako tugs her along by her hand and pulls her through the rift, into Lup and Barry's living room. It's decorated with lights and garland and hanging snowflakes. There's platters of cookies and finger foods, and music playing softly in the background. Lup, Merle, Magnus, Angus, and Kravitz are all there waiting. Taako holds up their joined hands and says, "got her!" 

Magnus runs up and lifts her into a crushing hug with a shout of, "someone's under the hug-stletoe!" 

She laughs, tears pricking at her eyes, and joins the festivities once he puts her down. She eats good food, has a few drinks, sits through Merle's performance, and even gets gifts from everyone. Taako and Dav stay away from her a little bit, but that's okay, she understands. They all cheers to peace and safety and new beginnings. Magnus drags them all outside for a snowman building contest that eventually turns into a full-blown snowball war. They sit by the fire afterwards to warm up, and the night begins to wind down. 

Angus falls asleep on the couch, Kravitz takes Magnus home, Lup takes Merle and Davenport home, and Taako walks across the lawn to his house. Barry summons his scythe and says, "need a ride?" 

She laughs. "Yeah, thanks." 

He opens a rift and helps her step through it, back into her office. Her Candlenights bush and desk lamp are still lit. She turns to Barry and says, "thank you for this. For tonight, I mean." 

"Hey, good company is what Candlenights is for." 

"I know, but with what I did, I never thought-" 

"Lucretia," he interrupts. He dispels his scythe and takes both of her hands in his. "I should've said this before now, but I forgave you years ago." 

Her breath catches. "You did?" 

He nods. "I was hurt and angry at first. Of course I was, especially about losing the memory of Lup. But I understand why you did it. Same way I understand why Lup left the way she did. We were in an impossible situation. The relics worked to keep the Hunger at bay, but they were destroying this world. And just like with Lup, I wish you had been able to talk to us about your plan, and maybe things could've been different, but here we are. Since I was dead most of the time, I had the time and space to process all of this, and I forgave you even before Bureau really took off. Taako and Davenport didn't have that luxury. They might forgive you, and they might not, but they're not so heartless to make you be alone on Candlenights." 

Her lip quivers and tears roll down her cheeks. "Thank you," she says, choked up. 

"Come here," Barry murmurs, pulling her into his arms. The hug is soft and warm. Nowadays she's Barry's age, but in this moment she feels 22 again, timid and scared of the situation she's found herself in, finding comfort in Barry's presence as an older human. He confessed to her once that he never thought he'd want kids, but comforting her during those terrifying and confusing early cycles brought out a paternal instinct he never knew he had. 

She weeps into his shoulder as he rubs her back, and when she feels ready, she pulls away and wipes away the moisture on her cheeks. "Oh god," she laughs and brushes at his shoulder, "I'm sorry, I got tears all over your shirt." 

He cranes his head to look at the damp spot then shrugs, "wouldn't be the first time." He summons his scythe and tears open a rift to head home. "Joyous Candlenights, Luce. And don't be a stranger." 

"I won't." 

He holds out his pinky, "promise?" 

She smiles and links their pinkies together, "promise." 

#taz fic #barry bluejeans #taz #lucretia adventurezone #taako #taz taako #taz davenport #:3c #this was fun! it felt good to get into writing again

[voidfishing]

What are your TAZ headcanons?

okay the ones most near & dear to me are:

- Lup takes a while to get used to the whole “having a physical body” thing. ik this is a pretty common headcanon But in addition to that, I think she is just. so overwhelmed with joy that the overstimulation of the world around her tends to be an afterthought and she ends up having to isolate and collect herself pretty often. Barry & Taako spend a lot of time checking in and making sure she’s alright while offering her things she hasn’t had access to in years. Taako cooks every single meal for her. Barry keeps bringing her positive sensory things like fragrant flowers and soft blankets. Lup insists that they do not need to be doting on her like this and that she’s cool and can deal, but neither of them are planning on stopping any time soon

- Lup, Kravitz, and Angus are the only people that have “kitchen permission” from Taako. no one else is allowed in the kitchen while he’s cooking (however. no one listens to this rule)

- Magnus spends so much time with Carey and Killian that one of their guest rooms is officially his. Carey visits Hammer and Tails pretty often, and she and Killian end up with three dogs because Killian cannot say no when Carey’s already fallen in love with them

- Merle and Magnus cook together whenever either of them are inviting their friends to visit. Merle will literally show up to Magnus’ house early so he can help prepare the food.

- Merle gets into the habit of giving plants as gifts, which would typically be fine, if he didn’t insist on receiving frequent updates about their well-being. Taako is on his shit list for letting a fern get sunburned, whereas Magnus is constantly receiving his praise for keeping a fiddle leaf fig healthy.

#merle takes any damage to his plants as the most personal injury on earth #Taako’s like “yeah idk the leaves are all crinkled and brown on one side” and Merle is like “it’s because you didn’t love her enough“ #text #taz #taz balance #toon talking

[ao3feed-crimeboys]

my heartbeat's a melody and you are my symphony (you are my heart)

by kristonical

"But, I needed a day with you, because… I—I love her and everyone on this crew with… all of my heart, but—you are my heart… you know that, right?”

And as his brother looks up at him with pleading eyes, Tommy realizes—as he feels his heart thundering in his ears, throat closing up—that he’s scared.

He’s fucking terrified.

He’s—he’s not scared of his brother and him being a lich, no—he’s scared for his brother. He’s scared of… what this change could do to him, to the person he—to be honest—looks up to the most.

[...]

Taking a silent deep breath, and offers his brother a small, shaky smile, and nods slightly. “I know,” he says—and Wilbur gives him a small smile back, equally shaky.

—

or , crimeboys have a good day together

or , or , the adventure zone: balance au , with crimeboys as the twins :) !!

Words: 7196, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Dream SMP, Minecraft (Video Game)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: Gen

Characters: Wilbur Soot, TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Niki | Nihachu

Relationships: Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit, No Romantic Relationship(s), Wilbur Soot & Technoblade & TommyInnit, Niki | Nihachu & Wilbur Soot

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Campaign: Balance (The Adventure Zone), AHAHAHAHA TAZ AU MOTHERFUCKERS, Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Dungeons & Dragons, sort of ? idk shit abt dnd rlly so not Exactly but yk, Wilbur Soot Loves TommyInnit, TommyInnit Loves Wilbur Soot, Wilbur Soot Calls TommyInnit Pet Names, Pet Names, Witch Wilbur Soot, TommyInnit-centric (Video Blogging RPF), Wilbur Soot-centric, Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit-centric, Wilbur Soot and TommyInnit are Siblings, Found Family, Older Sibling Wilbur Soot, Protective Wilbur Soot, TommyInnit is Loved (Video Blogging RPF), Tommyinnit is a Menace (Video Blogging RPF), Wilbur Soot is a Menace, Caring Wilbur Soot, Soft Wilbur Soot, Soft TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Caring TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Crimeboys - Freeform, Banter, Attempt at Humor, Fluff and Humor, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Light Angst, Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Brotherly Love, Brotherly Bonding, Brotherly Affection, Theyre Brothers if u cant tell, Platonic Relationships, Platonic Cuddling, SHIPPERS DNI, He/Him Pronouns for Wilbur Soot, He/Him Pronouns for TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), crimeboys as the taz twins !!!, (tommy is taako n wilbur is lup), Magical Wilbur Soot, Technoblade and TommyInnit are Not Related (Video Blogging RPF), Wilbur Soot and Technoblade are Not Related, Wilbur Soot and TommyInnit are Not Related, Wilbur Soot and TommyInnit are Like Siblings, Song: Sex Sells (Lovejoy), Song: Since I Saw Vienna (Wilbur Soot), Flower Crowns, Dungeons & Dragons References, Elf Wilbur Soot, Half-elf but close enough, Alternate Universe - The Adventure Zone: Balance Fusion, Rated T for TommyInnit, Swearing, Worried TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Dimension Travel, ... technically but its not rlly in This fic, Not Beta Read, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, sort of ..? there is a Lot of fluff indeed but like Hints of angst here n there

#ao3feed #wilbur soot #tommyinnit #crimeboys #crime boys #crimebois #crime bois #mcyt #This is an automated process #If you see any fic that breaks boundaries #or the fic is yours and you don't want it shared send an ask #it will be looked at and removed if need be

[anonbeadraws]

Look, taako might not be good with the words, but you know, i think ango gets that Mr From Tee-vee shows love in other ways, if he cooks for you, you probably have a bit of his heart.  Angus just also wants it in writing 💜

From this post, but i had to go a step further and make it sappy, sure me ✨commission info in source link below✨

#anonbeadraws #taz #taz fanart #comic #digital art #taz balance #taako #taako taako #angus mcdonald #fan comic #comic art #art #dnd #mcelroys #tazb #taz balance art #cooking #look #i love taako being soft

[ceilingfan5]

@taznovembercelebration joking/serious

“Hey, so like, this is Taako, you know, from TV,” Taako drawls, twirling his hair while he speaks into Kravitz’s phone. Kravitz has gone from sweating bullets to sweating laser beams, and if you put your ear up to him, you’ll hear either his heart beat inventing a new time signature or the soft pew pew pew of his worst fears being confirmed in real time.

“Heeyy, Taako from TV,” Sloane teases on speakerphone. “What’s up. Thought you were having a boys night.”

“Oh, we are,” Taako confirms, making smug bastard eye contact and winning the shit eatingest contest there ever was held. “And get this, we’re playing truth or dare.”

“Fun. And this involves me, who was busy, how?”

“I just need a little confirmation from Kravvy’s past life, and you’re the seeker of keeprets.”

“Yeah, I know a few secrets, but you’ll have to buy ‘em.”

“Sloane!” Kravitz hisses, utterly betrayed.

“Pay it,” Magnus insists. Merle nods emphatically, intent on the truth.

“I have your venmo. I mean it. This is very important to me. I am not joking even a little bit.”

“Sloane, don’t say anything???” Kravitz tries to reach for the phone, but he is still duct taped to the chair. This hinders his progress somewhat. He tries to tip the chair and nearly falls over, which would theoretically impact his bones and the flesh they love so deeply. He considers risking it.

“Oh, sorry bud, I’ve just checked my venmo, is the thing?” Sloane snickers. “And he did make good. So our deep bond is dollar store plastic and this fake Barbie’s head has popped off. What secrets am I spilling about, your seriousness?”

Taako gets as close as he can to the phone’s mic and stares right at Kravitz.

“Was he, or was Kravitz not. A member. Of a Werewolf Themed Boyband.”

There’s a long silence. And then a lot of laughter. It goes on for an embarrassingly long time, and Kravitz closes his eyes and wishes for some kind of smiting event to take him to the nice farm where Kravitzes go when they have been literally mortified.

“Yeah,” she says, audibly wiping tears, and still giggling. “Yeah, he sure fuckin’ was. I’ll send pi-”

“DON’T YOU FUCKING DARE-”

“Oh sorry, beloved, I’ve, um. I’ve gotten another donation here, and uh-” she can barely hold it together to get the words out, even as the other guys fall all over each other to grab Taako’s phone and see the evidence. “Boyz 2 Wolves was just, just too much of a cultural phenomenon to let it rot in the past-”

Taako’s phone vibrates.

Taako opens the text.

Taako’s eyes go wide, and he chucks the phone across the room entirely. His cheeks burn.

“What the fuck, Taako,” Merle says, gravely. “I need to know.”

“For the good of the order!!” Magnus agrees.

“Order of breadsticks, maybe-”

“Listen, listen, listen, listen, listen-” Taako physically grabs Magnus and tries to stop him from running after the phone. Sloane’s muffled voice hollers from behind the futon. “Listen. That- we don’t need to- we don’t hafta-”

“Oh, you think he’s a pretty werewolf, huh?” Merle grins. Kravitz revises. This is the shit eatingest grin. Call Guiness World Records right now immediately. “Wanna keep that to yourself?”

“I think I’m going to pass out,” Kravitz says to no one, because the other three are about to brawl for Taako’s phone, and Magnus can pick Taako up like a cat that was born in a wet cardboard box all alone, and Merle is at the perfect height to commit some heinously illegal moves. “Thanks for nothing, Sloane. I’m going to die and they’re going to write bye, bye, bye on my tombstone.”

#taakitz #taakitz fic #taz #tazb #taz b #taz balance #the adventure zone #the adventure zone balance #fan5fics #taznc #this is silly

[barry-j-blupjeans]

@taznovembercelebration - Monster

((this is part of a very convoluted werewolf taako au i made very self indulgencey skdlfjs you can find part one here and part two here))

The morning after the full moon began in the same way it always did: Exhausted, achy, and emotionally not all there. It took a few moments for Taako to remember where he was. The walls were a soft, pale blue and there was a window where light was streaming out of the torn-up curtains. There's an uncomfortable feeling in Taako's gut, which is not unusual, just- bad. Very bad, this time.

There was a knock on the door and Taako jerked his head back toward it, already on high alert. The days leading up to the full moon often meant twenty-four-hour of overstimulation. He could hear everything twice as much, smell four times as much, and don't even get him started on taste. The days afterward were very much the opposite. He felt like his ears were stuffed with cotton and right now, all he could taste was dried blood along his mouth.

The door creaked open and Lup peeked her head in.

Lup. Gods, Lup. Taako was an awful brother. He was an awful person, in general, and being a werewolf didn't really help with that. But then he had just- just up and left ten years ago without telling anyone, because how were you supposed to tell the people you had known all your life that you were stupid enough to let yourself get bit by a werewolf? Running away was a much better option. Taako liked running away.

"Hey," Lup said so quietly Taako barely heard, stepping into the room. She had a blanket in her arms. When he and Kravitz had first arrived one night ago, he had already been too fucked up to make any real conversation with her. He wanted to say so much, but- but, but, but. "How're you doin', bud?"

"Just peachy," Taako said. Lup didn't seem to believe him. Taako didn't blame her. She knelt down next to him, looking him over. She got her wand out and tapped it against one of his thighs. He shuddered, feeling the healing spell take over for a moment. Magic and him didn't really, uh, agree anymore. Like, he would, if he had to. But the waves of magic from the spell sent his stomach twisting. Taako pressed his lips together.

"I know," Lup said. "I'll be quick."

Another spell, this time focused on his upper torso, where there was a deep gash across his right shoulder. That one wasn't too bad, he did that literally every single time he turned. The bite being there certainly wasn't helping. Lup's gaze lingered on it and Taako cringed, backing up a bit toward the wall. Lup looked away and passed the blanket to him wordlessly. He wrapped it around his shoulders.

Finally, Lup stood up and offered him a hand. Taako shook his head.

"I'm good," he said with an uncomfortable laugh.

"You're sitting in your own blood," Lup said.

"I'm used to it."

Maybe not the right thing to say. Lup grimaced, but took her hand back. After a tense second when she glanced between him and the door, she sat back down.

"Now you're sitting in my blood," Taako said.

"I'll get used to it," Lup said. Taako's heart clenched. He looked away, curling himself under the blanket. He was so tired. He was always tired after the moon, but gods, it hurt more this time. He wished... well, he wished a lot of things. He wished it hadn't happened, he wished he was better at talking to people, he wished Lup didn't feel obligated to invite him back in because Taako had imagined this a hundred times before, and ninety-nine of them had ended with him back on the streets.

In a stupid, selfish way, he wished that Lup had also got bitten because then, at least, he wouldn't be alone. But Lup would never leave Barry behind, and Barry would never go without telling someone, at least, and eventually, it'd trickle down to where everyone knew, and ughhhhh.

"Taako..."

"I can't right now," Taako said. Lup pursed her lips. "Later, I- I promise. But not right now."

"I love you a lot," Lup said, holding onto his hand. Taako tried not to flinch again. "You know that, right?"

"Yeah," Taako said, feeling so, so small for someone who was a man-eating beast less than an hour ago. "I know."

#taz nc #taz november celebration #taako #lup #taz #taz balance #mine #ise cube writing #werewolf mafia au #dw about the mafia part it's normal and regular #tw blood mention #ask to tag

[weedle-testaburger]

the real personality test is if you’re an aliens gay or a fantasy creatures gay

#personal crap #i'm absolutely the former #in case me being a stevonnie/puddle and the king stan and a simp for double trouble and captain jack harkness didn't clue you in #though tbf i do have a big soft spot for taako so i'm not immune to fantasy gays #and raine ofc gotta love raine

[desiree-harding-fic]

I think one of the things that makes me so happy about Taakitz ever since their first introduction is that there’s really nothing in the narrative that like... makes the relationship not work? I guess I’m so used to the pairings I’ve loved in the past having like a hundred obstacles from being together or not being explicitly together in canon and it’s all about the yearning and sometimes that’s really great too, and I love that, but taakitz is just pure fun because I haven’t been involved in a lot of fandom before where there’s an explicitly together gay couple and like that’s not an issue at all? You could say the same thing about sweet flips, if that’s your vibe, because yeah, same deal. They’re going through some shit, but like as a couple, and that’s just a fact of things.

I mean other then Kravitz’s trapped in the Astral Plane thing, taakitz doesn’t really have much of a major hiccup anywhere in the relationship. And Taako was busy during all of that with like... saving the world. And I feel like even though that was a suspenseful moment, taz has this great way of communicating during tense moments that things will be okay later, we just have to see how we get there. So in terms of tone, I guess there could have been this whole big production about how hard it is for them to be together with Kravitz being dead and Taako having had a bounty on him and blah blah... but there’s not. They go on one date that we see and then Taako refers to Kravitz as his boyfriend and then saves him from the Astral Plane and they kiss and everything’s cool. And you get the idea that in the middle of all the chaos of taz, it’s easy for them to be together. And on top of that, the fact that they weren’t dating prior to all of the shit they’re going through, that’s it’s still a new relationship but an incredibly committed and happy one...

ALSO their mid-battle moments are so dang cute and goofy. “I need to warm up my face?” Kravitz there’s an apocalypse on!! “oh by the way have you met my sister?!” TAAKO THIS IS A BATTLE WHAT ARE YOU DOING. They’re goofy college kids in tone and they’re valid.

It’s just nice and I think as a person who’d never seen an lgbt romance that’s easy before taz it’s just... I think that’s why they make me so soft.

#taz meta #i'm musing over my boys #taz balance #taakitz #also the fact that we knew taako for so long before his sexuality was introduced #i used to be a person who identified really strongly with being gay and now i feel like it's a background trait #so seeing taako #who's a fully realized creation #and oh also he's gay and he's in a loving relationship #they make me soft i like them #this was because I was looking at herb's comic from yesterday and also thinking about attypf and wondering why these two #get the soft treatment so heavily in this fandom #also from me #IT'S WHAT THEY DESERVE BECAUSE THEY FELL IN LOVE IN 4 SECONDS FLAT AND STUCK WITH IT

[heckolve]

.

#im not like super surprised but #taako n kravitz only really interact again at the very end 😔🔪 i love them but i wish there was a little more #how did they get from the good-but-left-on-a-sort-of-indifferent-note-date to being head over heels fr each other..... #whatever. ill live #i hope theres more of killian and carry though.......... n im interested abt barry n lups relationship bc i dont know much about it #the romance in taz is so sweet........... im soft #rant #delete later