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It was a few weeks after the Hunger, an entity that was defeated after a century, after years of running and fighting it, they finally crushed it. Of course, it took so long, but they didn’t do it alone. So many people, hand in hand, fought the Hunger and through trial and error and many close calls, it was finally gone.
After some weeks had passed, days of repairs and recovery from such a battle, and days after Lup had gotten her body back, they took a moment to just relax. It would be a day in which they could take a break from the tiring work of rebuilding that was destroyed. Some people took it, some people didn’t, but two of the people who did decide to let themselves lean back were Taako and Lup. Two elves who were jumping at the opportunity to lounge away in laziness that they haven’t been able to have in so so long, and definitely not with one another.
As it finally settled down, as they were speaking of even hanging out with one another, it actually hit them that... they were here. With one another. It was so surreal but it was ... real. It was true to god happening, they were in front of each other. Rightfully reunited.
As Taako puts together a picnic basket for his and his sister’s day of hanging out, it reminds him so vividly of the day in the century. He had only recently remembered, the perfect day that she requested of him. Every moment of that day played in his mind as he put this together... and he couldn’t express enough how thankful that that day was back, burned in his memory, and never wanting to forget it again.
A smile would move to his lips, curling at the corners of his mouth as he ran the soft fabric of the blanket he had picked out. It wasn’t anything special, nothing that was close to heart or familiar, but it was soft. A soft material that brushed along his skin, something that was so comforting and ... wonderfully calming. He didn’t know why, but the feeling, he knew, Lup would love too.
Speaking of which, the sound of a whistle would echo through the kitchen, where he was setting up the basket, from his sister’s lips. Turning to look at her, raising an eyebrow high on his forehead at her, he’d let out a soft laugh.
“Isn’t this familiar, huh?” Lup would place a hand on her hip with a grin. She’d walk up next to Taako and placed her own hand to rest on the blanket, her eyebrows raising in response. Her smile only seemed to grow as her face planted into the soft fabric, running her hands all over the threads.
“What the hell! This is so damn soft, where did you find it?!” Taako would shrug at the other’s question, a knowing grin on his lips as he turned from the basket and went to grab something from the fridge. His sister would scoff, playfully, as she sat right back up.
“You totally had this the entire time, didn’t you? You can’t just keep such a wonderful blanket away from me.” She wraps her arm around his tugging on it with scrunched-up features. They both couldn’t help but let out laughs, laughs that warmed them both up right to the soul, laughs that were so familiar, that hadn’t escaped them like this in such a long time.
Taako would press his hand against her cheek, pushing her away and dusting himself off with a smirk. He’d grab what he wanted from the fridge, move it into the woven basket, and take it by the handle.
“If you think about it, I haven’t, you’ve always been there when I had it technically!” A joke that was the slightest bit morbid, but the twins had decided that they were long enough from the event that they were totally going to joke about it. Lup would let out a snicker and rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest.
“Whatever! I was inside an umbrella staff you goofass, that doesn’t count.” She leaned forward towards him and scrunched up her features some. Taako would glance over at her and would mock her motions, leaning forward with a mischievous smirk. Cocking an eyebrow at him in confusion, Lup opened her mouth to question her brother before he brought his fingers up to her forehead, flicking her. Recoiling back from the attack that her brother so rudely brought upon her, she pressed a hand up to her head and grumbled.
“You know, I could just not come with you!” Playful words she didn’t mean and Taako knew that. He rolled his eyes at her and began walking past as he spoke.
“And miss my food? Yeah, right. Come on nerd, we’ve got a picnic to get to!”
It didn’t take long for the two siblings to find the place they wished to set up, upon the top of a grassy hill that looked out upon the world they had saved with all of their friends and family. As the sun sets slowly in the sky, painting the sky with oranges, reds, and pinks, beautiful colors that they watched with one another. It was nice.
“It’s been so long ...” These words slipped from Lup’s lips, a soft smile on her lightened lips from the sun that cast it’s rays down on them. She didn’t seem to finish her sentence and Taako would look at her, raising an eyebrow.
“Since we’ve watched a sunset together? Yeah no shit, homeslice, you’ve been trapped in my- our? Whatever, in an umbrastaff!” Lup would laugh, elbowing her brother in the arm as she shook her head. She would grab a sandwich from the picnic basket that Taako had provided for them and begin to unwrap it.
“Since we’ve done ... anything together..! I really can’t believe I’m back.” She leaned into her brother, putting a head on his shoulder, and closed her eyes. She took a big bite of the sandwich as she continued to speak with a muffled voice,
“Thanks Taako.”
Taako was confused at first. His eyebrows furrowed some as he leaned his own head on hers,
“Thanks... for what exactly, Lup?” He questioned her, staring out at the sky that stayed illuminated with the sun that set against the horizon. She moved her gaze to look up at him and let out a small snicker.
“For letting me out? What else, you doofus?” She was smiling but as her eyes would scan her brother’s features her eyebrows couldn’t help furrow at the sight before her. Taako looked... almost frustrated but when his eyes would catch her looking at him, his features soon relaxed.
“I wouldn’t thank me for that of all things, Lups, it was hard not to let you out with you sending out fucking fireballs everywhere. Couldn’t let little Ango get hurt or anything.” He would poke at her, causing her to sit up. He leans back, resting his arms behind him to keep him from falling. Even as he allows himself to relax, or even seem relaxed, Lup couldn’t help but be worried for her brother.
“Well, I guess you did say that you totally knew I was in there the entire time, so maybe I shouldn’t thank you. You could have definitely let me out so long ago.” A tease lingered in her tone, a smirk moved to her lips as she began poking at his arm. He snickered and tilted his head over to her taking a deep breath and for a moment, he just stared at her. Staring back, she raised an eyebrow at him before opening her mouth to question what he was doing but before she could even let out a single word, he pulled her into a tight embrace.
It was warm. It was comforting. It was something they both had longed for from each other and didn’t truly realize it until they were actually in one another’s arms once again. He thought about his words on that day of story and song, that day of pain and darkness, but also that day of remembrance and rejoicing. ‘I have nothing, and I don’t give a shit.’ Those words, anger and venom coursed through each vowel, each letter, each syllable, but after all was said and done he found it to be the exact opposite. It was ironic, really, because now he had everything he could really ever want and he cared so much. For Kravitz, for his friends, for Lup, he never wanted to give any of them up ever again.
And he didn’t have to.
As Lup would let go of the hold, he wiped the tears from his eyes that began to water. Soft chuckles escaped from both of the twins and they decided to lean back, laying down on the soft blanket that cushioned them.
“I’m glad you're back.” Taako would say, causing Lup to let out a long, relaxed breath from her lips as she spoke.
“I’m glad to be back.”
And they lay there for what seemed like hours, watching as the sunset and darkness fell over the sky, decorated in twinkling lights. Lup was the first one to get up, putting out her hand to her brother who quickly accepted it and stood with her. It wasn’t long before they began packing up and Taako let out a soft yawn, beginning to walk down the hillside, ready to go home. Lup caught up to him in seconds, now walking next to him with a smile on her lips as she decided to ask her brother a question.
“Do you think we could do this again tomorrow? Just... hang out and shit?” She would place her hands to rest gently on the back of her head, fingers entangled together as her gaze danced around the sky. Taako moves his gaze to stare at her, raising an eyebrow,
“You expect me to make all of this again? Hm, I dunno Lup, that’s a lotta work for such a busy guy like me.” A tease rested in his throat as he spoke and she’d gently push him with her elbow,
“You don’t gotta do the whole picnic shebang, Taako. I just like hanging out with you. Like. In-person instead of having to watch you from an umbrella.” She would scrunch up her features into a playful expression while Taako would look at her with a smirk,
“Sure! We can hang out again, not a problem at all sis. But I’m not bringing the blanket. It has enough fucking grass on it already.” He’d tug at the blanket that sat on his sister’s arms that was indeed covered in strands of green grass. Lup let out a puppy dog-like whine, crossing her arms over her chest, and trapping the cover into her arms. He rolls his eyes at her and they continue their trek back to the moon base.
It was the next day, a beautiful, sunny day, and Lup and Taako decided that their hang out today wouldn’t just be sibling time, but time for anyone who wanted to make it. Magnus and Merle were busy though, he made sure to ask, with Merle hanging out with his kids instead of being some deadbeat dad and Magnus starting some training thing. He didn’t ask much when it came to details, but he simply knew that the two of them would be busy. He had no idea if Lup would bring anyone besides Barry, but that guy was a definite in a group hangout. Not that he was complaining, he loved Barry Bluejeans, and he knew that Lup loved him even more.
With his most casual outfit that still found itself to be incredibly flashy, he made his way into a tavern where his sister and he decided to meet. Running his hands down his waist, straightening out any wrinkles, his gaze would glide across the room before it fell on a familiar face, Barry Bluejeans from across the room. His smirk turned into a grin as he strutted over, sitting down next to his close friend,
“Lup’s gettin’ some drinks for us. She’ll be back any minute.” Barry would say, giving Taako a nod and quickly knowing what question he would ask before he was able to speak. The wizard would chuckle, rolling his eyes playfully as he rested an elbow on the hard, wooden table and rested his chin on the palm of his hand.
“So how have you been man, I’ve seen you around here and there, but we’ve been lacking in conversation. How’s the life after everything?” Barry was always good at getting a conversation going, and while Taako wasn’t, Barry just happened to beat him to the punch.
“Just fine my dude! Kravitz and I have been hanging out a lot more, if that wasn’t obvious, and honestly have just been chillaxing.” He leaned back, just a bit as he rested his arm on the table he sat at and was going to ask Barry the same question, he was interrupted by his sister’s voice.
“I’m back you two! And look who I brought along.” She spoke in a slightly sing-song voice and as Taako turned his head, his eyes widened at who was there. Lucretia. His body tensed and his features scrunched up some before he glanced away, down to look at his hands. It didn’t seem to go noticed as Lucretia and Lup sat at the table, placing down a few cups of water that she had obtained, just like she said she would.
For a while, they just had a small conversation, catching up and Taako made sure to hop in every now and then, without the usual sass he has when talking to friends. Now this didn’t go unnoticed, a few worried glances from his sister and even Lucretia every now and then, but no one really dared to say something. They knew that, especially here of all places, that he was not going to talk about it.
After a while, Taako couldn’t help but space out some, taking drinks of his water every now and then as he just listened. But it quickly turned into him not at all paying attention, his mind wandering to something else. As his gaze shifted around the table, his eyes would land on Lucretia, biting the inside of his cheek. Once more, his mind went back to the day of Story and Song and the words he spoke. ‘You fucking took everything from me!’ After drinking the liquid from the void fish, after remembering that his sister even existed, rage quickly built up inside him. Rage for the one who put them through this, rage for the person who took, as he said, everything away from him. He remembered how Magnus hugged her, how Merle forgave her, how Lup shook everything off with such ease.
He could never forgive her so quickly.
Pain ached in his heart as he thought about it, all the years he was alone, without his sister and without anyone by his side. He went through so much pain by himself when he could have been with the one he cared for the most.
Once more, just as before, anger would start to burn in him. Not the same kind of rage that caused him to point the umbra staff at Lucretia, but still an anger that lays on the surface of his skin. How unfortunate it would be that this is how he felt as his mind snapped back to what the others were discussing.
“How’s the bureau, Luce? You’ve been hard at work about it right, you know since you guys are changing it and everything.” Barry would take Lup’s hand under the table as he spoke, looking over to the director. She waved her hand with a nervous laugh escaping her dark lips, giving the other a closed-eyed smile as she responded.
“As good as it can. Repurposing an entire organization isn’t an easy task. Embarrassingly enough, we actually happen to be delayed at the moment because of some technical issues. From the repairs to the base as well as the moving of different structures... well let’s just say I’m not exactly the best handyman.” She spoke sheepishly as she rested a hand on the back of her neck. After everything, she had been able to relax more and take some time to not just be a director but help out where she could in other places. Lup would raise her eyebrows at the other and tilted her head some, her hair falling with the action.
“What happened?” She’d question, and in response, Lucretia would shake her head, at first not wanting to explain but deciding to go about it anyway.
“While talking to Lucas and Angus, we were walking and ran into someone who was carrying some heavy boxes and it ended up knocking over some scaffolding. No one was hurt, It was just incredibly embarrassing.”
As she spoke, Taako’s glare didn’t fall short, and his next sentence was dripping with malice and anger, frustrated that Lucretia could be so relaxed, so okay with everything happening. . . Sure, he was doing alright, but he strongly believed that... at least right now she really didn’t deserve it. He didn’t mean to be so rude, he should have kept his mouth shut, but he spoke anyway.
“Why not just make them forget it even happened? You seem pretty good at that.” He spoke, leaning back. His words were quick to get a reaction out of ... all of them. Barry’s eyes widened, Lucretia’s eyes softened with worry and her features scrunched up in guilt, and Lup... she looked frustrated at her brother.
“Taako! What the fuck!” Lup would exclaim, placing her hands flat on the table as she glared at him.
“No, it’s ... alright Lup,” Lucretia would wave her hand dismissively at her friend and the elf’s gaze would dart over to her,
“It’s really fucking not-!” She was interrupted by the director, putting her hand up to stop the girl from going off on her brother. Her attention was soon turned towards Taako who was staring down his sister.
“Taako, I understand ... you were the one hurt the most after everything and I truly apologize for my actions. I know what I did was wrong, but ... everything is okay now, isn’t it?” She wasn’t trying to justify her actions, she knew better than anyone as the guilt sat in her chest like a boulder pushing into her heart, but even so, Taako did not appreciate her words.
“Okay...? Okay?! No! Fuck no it isn’t, Lucretia! You don’t understand anything, actually, no matter how much you say it, you will never understand how much you took from me because of some selfish fucking decision!” He stood, slamming his hands down on the table as he was quick to fume up. Barry and Lup stood in response, trying their best to calm Taako down, but he wouldn’t budge. Lucretia went to open her mouth, to say something to the other but she was interrupted by the wizard as angry tears began welding up in his eyes.
“It was a mistake staying here, I should have left right as I saw you.” He pushed his chair out from under him and stormed off, moving away from the table quickly and towards the exit of the tavern. Lup let out a sigh, furrowing her eyebrows, saying something about going after him and doing just that.
She followed him outside where he was standing in front of the left corner of the tavern, his arms crossed as he stared down at the muddied ground below him. As they were in there, it had begun to rain, and now he was standing out in the darkness that formed from the grey clouds blocking the sun. Frustration and pity were painted on Lup’s features as she began to approach the angry, saddened Taako who wouldn’t dare look at his sister.
“You dingus, if you were uncomfortable, you should have told me. I didn’t think you were so frustrated about all of this still...” Lup would stand next to him, folding her hands neatly in front of herself, leaning forward to look at his features. Using the bottom of his palm, he wiped the tears from his light-colored eyes, and turned his head away from her,
“I wasn’t going to interrupt you when you were obviously having a good time, Lups. I should have just left when I had the chance.” He refused to apologize, though while he wanted to, something in his gut just wouldn’t let him. His sister was going to say something else to him but was distracted by the bell that sounded from the door of the tavern opening. They both allowed their gazes to dance over, but when Taako saw who it was he quickly turned away. Lucretia, and soon followed by Barry, walked out into the rain in front of the two elves.
“Taako, you never have to forgive me, I can accept that. And I know I’ve said it so many times, but I’ll say it as many as I have to. I’m truly, deeply sorry for what I have done, for what I have put you and your friends through. I will rewrite my wrongs, I promise, no matter how long it takes.” She didn’t wait for a response. She turned from the twins and began walking back towards the B.O.B. Barry and Lup looked at the woman with worry then back over to Taako who too was watching as she walked away. He bit his tongue as so many emotions washed over him. Guilt, anger, frustration, worry... all for Lucretia. Balling his fists, he turned the opposite way that the director was walking with only a few words escaping his lips.
“I should go.”
He too wouldn’t wait for a response from the two who were left standing. Adjusting his hat, and wrapping his arms around himself, he would walk without much of any destination in mind. Lucretia and Taako, walking away back to back, relationship yet to be mended.