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Everyone thinks it's Lup who comes to collect Taako. But it wasn’t. She couldn’t handle seeing her brother like that, doing that to him. Maybe you think it was Kravitz, to kiss his cheek and hold his hand as he leads his husband home. But no. It was Barry.
Barry J. Bluejeans comes to collect Taako a few hundred years after Magnus is gone. Lup collected Merle. It was wilder than any death had a right to be, but those two were always close and always crazy. Krav collected Magnus, but you know how that went. And it was probably best for him to have a gentle exit instead of a violent entrance for the first time in his life. But when it’s Taako’s turn, Barry’s there.
⚯
Taako is the last Bird to die.
Most of his old friends are gone now, and while he still has Kravitz, and his sister visits, there isn’t anyone there with him as he starts to drift off. He’s old now. Death had always been a terrifying thing to him. And his youth had been doing everything to avoid it, and up until a couple hundred years go, that hasn't changed. Taako really never thought it would happen, him getting old. Not when he was a homeless little kid, not when he spent 100 years across the planes, not even when he was a star. And most certainly not when he was working at the Bureau. But here he is. Sitting down in the long grass of the cliff watching over the Still-Water Sea, where Killian and Carey got married so long ago. Taako can’t help but remember the happy day their wedding was. They both passed before he even turned 300. And Taako missed Angus. He’d lasted until Taako’s 300th birthday, living almost to 100 himself.
A wind blew around him, causing the gentle blue flowers in the grass to dance. Taako reached a bony, spotted hand to pick one, and a few spare tears rolled down his face. Merle made it to Taako’s 350th, but for the past 400 years, he’d been alone. Of course, he was Taako from TV, he was perfectly capable of finding some group to party with or some friends to hang with for a little while, but he always moved on. They never meant the same to him. Why should they?
Heavy fabric hugged his shoulders as he pulled his cloak tighter. He should have stayed home probably, but Taako could tell his time was soon, and would rather be somewhere else, somewhere beautiful, before he left this plane forever. The sounds of the city below were nearly audible as Taako shut his eyes, laying back into the soft grass, ribs and muscles heavy. And then all together, they aren't anymore. He isn't on the ground anymore. And when Taako opens his eyes, Barry floats in front of him, an arm outstretched.
It’s not unlike the last time he was out of his body.
Reasonably, Taako is a little shocked. He looks around for a moment, expecting to see his sister or his husband, but all there is is Barry, in his white shirt and blue jeans, red cape swaying gently around him.
“Barold,” He says with humor in his voice, a little stunned at how restored he sounds. “Where’s Krav? Or Lu?” Barry shakes his head.
“Kravitz had… other business. And Lup,” Barry sighed. “Do you think she wants to have to see her brother on the ground? Have to pull him from his body? Wasn’t that one of her greatest fears for years?”
Taako looked down, realizing, yes, he was about five feet up off the ground, his body seemingly asleep under his corporeal figure. He nodded, then smiled, and grasped Barry’s hand in a firm hold.
“Alright Barold, you're taking me home then,” Taako’s face turned up in a classic mischievous smile. “One last request, though,”
Barry looked at him. “Anything, Taako,” said in solidarity, not even hesitating. The Raven Queen would understand if Taako was a few hours late. If she even noticed.
“Can we go to the beach?” he asked, then held up a hand as Barry started to open his mouth. “Not just down the hill, my man, I mean a real beach. Like-”
“When you taught me to swim…” Barry interrupted as a smile grew on Taako’s translucent face. The elf geared up to make a clever quip, but he catches his body out of the corner of his eye and it falls asleep on his tongue.
“Exactly. Now,” Taako cocked his head to the side and tucked his hand back into his folded arms. “Can we go? Seein’ my body down dead at my feet is really trippy and I am,” he chuckles, “no-o-ot a fan,” The discomfort in his voice isn't even half-hidden and Barry takes pity.
“Oh- yeah. Sorry Taako. Here,” Barry puts a hand down on his shoulder and the world stretches, and then they catch back up. They aren’t on the beach planet from years ago. That one was destroyed by The Hunger.
But it's close.
And it's empty.
And Taako thinks it’s beautiful.
Until he tries to stand up. And he can’t feel the sand under his bare feet. Sadness crosses his spectral face and Barry looks at him.
“Can’t feel anything?” He askes, but he knows the answer. Taako shakes his head, and Barry nods. “I remember how that feels,”
“Is it gonna stay like that? Once I’m, ya know, home with the in-law?” He said, the humor in his tone coming back. He didn’t hurt as much now. His legs, which had never worked quite right after Wonderland, felt fine holding his weight. But maybe it was because he had no weight to bare.
“I don’t know Taako. I mean, I can still feel things in my lich form, so I just don’t know what to tell you,” Barry shrugged as Taako stared down at the sand.
“Think I’ll get to see anyone ‘for I gotta move on for real?” He asked. “I mean, Krav told me about like, Magnus and Julia having some time together before they had to join the other chittering souls of the Asphodel. Do you think anyone waited on me?” The waves made pleasant sounds against the shore, and the sea-birds in the air intermittently screamed they’re angry excuse for a song. Taako almost didn’t want to leave as he looked across the aged, stretched horizon.
“Yeah, I think so bud.” Barry moved to take Taako’s hand. “Wanna head out?” he asked, Taako raising a brow in response.
“Sounds good, my man,” Taako smiled. Maybe he’d get to see some friends again.
⚯
He did.
When they got to The Raven Queen’s domain, it was dark, as it always was.
“Ok Taako, I’m gonna cover your eyes. Your sister has a surprise for you and I, uh, think she’d kill me if I left you see it early?” Barry explained as he put one of his hands over Taako’s face. He didn’t bother trying to shrug him off. If it was Lup’s doing, it would be worth a little discomfort.
Barry brought him gently to a soft, green piece of land. And the first thing he noticed was grass under his feet. He’d been to The Raven Queen’s domain plenty of times before, but this place, with a tall wooden fence and little daisies in the grass wasn’t something you usually felt under your feet in weird Fantasy Hell.
And then he realized he could feel the grass.
It felt so wonderful.
There were two dogs barking loudly as Barry lifted off his hand and Taako saw his best friend for the first time in 400 years, helping his wife hold back the pups to get the gate open, face split in a big grin.
Tears sprung to Taako’s eyes.
“Come on in! Everyone is waiting on you!” Magnus pulled him through into the front yard of a beautiful house. On the big porch sat Lucretia, knitting something long and blue while Davenport sat at her feet, leaned against her rocking chair, reading. Merle was cross-legged in the vegetable patch just to the side of her. Angus, young and spritely again, was tossing a ball for one of the dogs. Carrey and Killian were with him.
Magnus’ big hand was splayed against Taako’s back as the elf put a hand to his mouth, frozen and lost for words in a rarity of events.
“Krav convinced The Queen to let everyone hang out with us a little longer. Jules and I had to build on a few extra rooms,” Magnus joked, and Taako watched Julia walk past him to join Merle in the mud.
“I…”
“For the first time in his life he’s lost for words,” Barry said, coming up behind him and setting a hand on his shoulder. “Hey guys!”
Everyone looked up. Then everyone froze.
Then Taako was enveloped in more love he could have ever thought possible as every one of his friends wrapped themselves around each other, with him in the center.
In life, he probably wouldn’t have ever allowed it. But it had been so long. Angus was the closest, and tears streamed down his face as the boy he’d loved as a son was pressed into his chest again.
“We missed you, Sir!”
He still sounded the same.
“Damn right we did!”
And there was Killian, as strong as the day she pulled them out of that well.
“Sure took you long enough,”
Merle, ever just Merle.
“Oh hush, it’s hardly his fault,”
And Lucretia, ever the mother.
Only person missing was Kravitz, but as if his mind had been read, Lup spoke up.
“Krav had a job, but he said he’d be home in time for dinner. You up for cooking for your family?” She had pulled off him and had a hand on her hip, the other extended with an apron clasped in it.
Taako chuckled and dried his eyes as everyone stepped away from him, aside from Angus, who he kept tight at his side. “Of course. Can’t have them eating whatever gruel you find suitable to feed the poor things,” He teased his sister, which earned him an eyeroll and a harmless flick of sparks in his direction.
“These two,” Davenport shook his head.
“C’mon, let's just get inside! We got four centries to make up for!” Magnus cried, scooping up Angus and Taako in either arms and bringing them inside, followed by everyone else.
It was a lively night, filled with good food and better friendship. Time was different in that place, but they all had all the time they needed to remember how much they loved each other. No matter all the years and miles that had once separated them.
And while everyone expected Lup to be the one to bring her brother home, it wasn’t. It was Barry J. Bluejeans.
And no one would have been better.