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Chapter Text

It was the way he smiled when handed his morning coffee.

There were a million other little things, but it was the smile that made Magnus realize it.  Passing Taako his coffee with five sugars and a splash of milk, the elf smiled tiredly and Magnus felt his heart skip a beat.  It felt right.  It felt like a puzzle piece had just fallen into place.  Taako smiled, and Magnus’ day could start.

“Thanks Maggie,” Taako said, taking a sip.  “You always know just how I like it.”

Magnus nodded.  True, he knew how Taako liked his coffee, but that had been a guess the very first time.  It just seemed like…  Taako was the kind of person who would put five spoonfuls of sugar in his coffee?  He had no idea why he knew that, but just as he knew that Faerun had one sun and two moons, he knew Taako liked his coffee sweet.

And Magnus knew he was falling in love.

It was hard to admit that, but the feeling in his chest when he saw Taako smile could not be mistaken.  A warmth, spreading from within.  It wasn’t exactly the same as how he felt when he had looked at his wife, but it was close enough to be sure.  There was a fire in his chest again.  An all-consuming fire that made Magnus want to be near Taako for as long as he could.  Maybe forever.

Sometimes Magnus liked to think that Taako felt the same way when he smiled back at him.

“So how do you like your coffee?”

“Why are you asking me this?” Taako sighed.

“Well, it looks like we’re going to be stuck together for awhile,” Magnus laughed, getting some mugs out from the cabinet.  “And I’m usually the first one up, so I’m trying to get everyone’s coffee preferences down.”

This was the truth, but Magnus was also just curious.  He had seen Taako preparing his coffee in the mornings from time to time, and it seemed like he was very particular in how he prepared it.  Magnus just drank his black, so any sort of work that went into drinking it was weird to him.

“So… what preferences do people have?” Taako asked.

“Well, I like it black.  Lucretia prefers tea,” Magnus rattled off,  “Davenport likes it with just a little milk.  Merle is a one milk two sugars guy… Barry has to have almond milk or he gets sick… And Lup likes it black.”

“I’m impressed, but Lulu likes a little sugar,” Taako laughed, “She says she likes it black, but she’s just being tough.  Only crazy people drink it straight black.”  He smiles playfully, and Magnus feels himself flush.

“So how does Taako prefer his coffee?” Magnus asked, clearing his throat.

Taako’s face gets serious.  He holds up a hand, all five of his fingers extended.

“Five spoonfuls of sugar and a splash of milk.”

Magnus laughs.  “Seriously?  That’s disgusting.”

“You fuck up my coffee and I will kill you,” Taako says calmly, but Magnus can still see the hint of a laugh in his eyes.  “Five sugars.”

“Okay I got it,” Magnus says, pouring out some coffee from the carafe and grabbing the sugar bowl.

“I’m gonna have you well trained in no time,” Taako laughs.

Chapter Text

“What are you lookin’ at handsome?”

Magnus felt his face get hot.  He was staring, he knew that.  But he didn’t think that Taako would notice it.  And even though he knew that Taako was just goofing with him, it made his heart race to be called handsome .  But it was hard to ignore when Taako walked into a room.  His pounding heart wouldn’t let him.

“It’s just… you look really good in red,” Magnus replied, trying to keep his voice level.  “It looks good with your skin tone.”

Taako smiled, twirling so his brilliant red skirt flared out around his legs.  He stopped, and looked Magnus in the eyes.

“Red is your favorite color,” he said with certainty, seemingly from nowhere.

Magnus blinked, shocked.  He hadn’t told anyone that.  “Yeah, how’d you know?”

Taako paused, looking at him with a hint of confusion in his eyes.  “I think I just…  I think I just guessed?”

“Well it’s a good guess,” Magnus admitted.

“They say people who love red are determined and full of life,” Taako mused.  “I guess that does describe you.”

“Can you really tell what people are like from their favorite color?” Magnus asked.

“About as well as you can from their star signs or blood type,” Taako shrugged.  “I’m no divination wizard.”

“Well it was a good guess either way.”

Magnus looked at himself in the mirror, admiring himself in the cut of his jacket.  The IPRE didn’t cut corners with anything, and that included the uniform.  Everyone had theirs custom made, and they made everyone look good and sharp.

“You really like the uniform, huh?”

With a jump, Magnus looked behind him to see Taako in the doorway, smiling at him.  The smile was kind, not judgemental, and Magnus felt himself relaxing.  He was getting closer to Taako, and starting to realize he enjoyed his company.

“Is it the color?” Taako asked.

Magnus nodded enthusiastically.  “Red is my favorite color,” he explained.

Taako laughed.  “That is so you!  You are absolutely the kind of person who would like an obnoxious color like red.”

“Red isn’t obnoxious, it’s bold!” Magnus cried, feeling self conscious.  “Besides, the jackets look good on everyone.”

“Do I look good in red?” Taako asked, smiling at Magnus in a way that made him blush.  He was a tease, and Magnus knew that, but he wanted to say how he really felt.  There was something about their friendship.  He felt safe, comfortable.  He wanted to tell Taako the truth.

“You always look good,” Magnus stammered, “You could wear any color you wanted and you’d look good.”

“Aww, Maggie,” Taako laughed, “Thank you!  That’s sweet of you to say.  You’re wrong, but it’s sweet.”

“No I…” but Taako was already walking out of the room.  Magnus sighed.  He didn’t know if he had messed that up or Taako just didn’t understand him.  He would have to be clearer next time.

Chapter Text

“Taako I…” Magnus swallowed heavily.  “I think it’s time I said something.”

Taako looked up from his book with a frown.  “What is it Mango?”

Magnus looked him over before spitting it out.  He was fresh out of the shower, and looking radiant in a loose t-shirt that draped off his shoulder.  Magnus was enraptured with a dusting of freckles, which he normally wouldn’t be able to see through the hair. “You’re giving yourself split ends!”

Taako blinked, unsure how to respond to that.  Magnus pointed at Taako’s hair, wrapped up in a towel.

“You always brush your hair out when it’s dry,” Magnus huffed, crossing his arms.  “You really should comb it when it’s wet.”

“Since when are you a hair care expert?” Taako snorted through his laughter.  

“I’m not!” Magnus defended. “But wet hair is easier to comb through than a dry rat’s nest.”

“Alright then.”  Taako grabbed his brush off the nightstand and held it aloft for Magnus.  “Show me how it’s done then.”

Magnus turned red as he took the brush.  He was not expecting Taako to ask him to do his hair.  He absolutely wanted to, but he was still trying to figure out the feelings swirling in his stomach.  Taako turned on the couch so his back was to Magnus, loosening the towel so his long hair cascaded down his back.

Brush in hand, Magnus worked diligently from the bottom, teasing his way through wet tangles and curls.  His hair was soft, and Magnus held it like it was precious and fragile.

The silence was punctuated by soft sighs from Taako as Magnus worked.  Once all the tangles were out, Magnus began to braid Taako’s hair into a thick plait.

“So… where’d you learn to braid?” Taako asked as Magnus passed a strand of hair from one hand to another.

“I… I don’t know?” Magnus responded.  “I feel like I’ve always known how.  I used to do this for my wife, but she didn’t teach me.”

“Weird,” Taako hummed, reaching back to touch the braid.  It was neat and tight, exactly how he liked it.  “Well you’re doing whoever taught you proud.”

“Thanks.”

“Can you help me with this Magnus?” Taako asked, extending a brush.

Magnus took the brush carefully.  “I, uh, I don’t think I know how to do this.”

“It’s hair, it won’t hurt you,” Taako laughed.  “It’s getting too long, I need help getting it into a braid.”

Magnus froze with the brush in his hand.  The idea of touching Taako’s hair filled him with dread and excitement.  He could feel his hands shaking.  Taako looked at him with a confused frown.

“You okay big guy?” Taako asked. “You look pale.”

“I just…”  But the words got caught in his throat.

Taako looked at him for a moment, watching the trembling in his hands and the flushing of his face.  Then Taako smiled.

“It’s okay to say you’ve got a crush on me,” Taako winked at him.

“Wh-what?” Magnus laughed, stammering through his embarrassment.

“You’re very bad at hiding it,” Taako laughed.  “Your whole face turns bright red when you’re nervous.”

Magnus felt his face get even hotter.  This was the worst thing that could happen.  He was only just starting to realize that he liked Taako, but apparently Taako had known for awhile.  How many cycles had he been stumbling over himself?  Had he made a complete ass of himself?  Would Taako want to be friends anymore?

“Relax.”

Taako took his hand, and Magnus felt his heart jump into his throat.

“It’s cute,” Taako whispered.  “I’m flattered.  I’m not looking for anything right now, though.  I hope you're okay with that."

“Y-yeah,” Magnus replied.  “We’ve got other things to worry about.”

“Maybe later things will change,” Taako teased with another wink.  “Now, let me show you how to braid.”

He parted his hair, and slowly got the process started for Magnus.  Magnus watched his slender fingers with rapt attention, and when Taako couldn’t easily reach anymore, he took over for him, tightly wrapping the hair the way he had been shown.  Taako ran his hand over the braid and smiled approvingly.

“Not bad for a first time!” Taako said.

“Taako I-” Magnus’ voice catches again, but he keeps going, “I really like you.”

“I know,” Taako replied quietly, and his smile turns sad, “I’ve always known.”

“Do you…?” he can’t bring himself to finish the thought as Taako kisses him gently on the cheek.

“I like you Mags,” Taako answered, “But I’m really not interested in dating at the moment.”

“Of course,” Magnus sighs.  Of course.

“I would absolutely love to continue being friends though,” Taako replied, “and who knows?  Maybe things might change.”

Chapter Text

Taako passed his lunch tray with a half-eaten fruit cup to Magnus.

“Here big guy, you can have these,” he sighed.  “You like these, right?”

At the bottom of the cup were a dozen green grapes.

“Oh yeah, grapes are my favorite,” Magnus laughed, happily taking the tray.  “Do you not like them?”

“I just thought… you...”

Taako stopped.  He looked at Magnus, and his brow furrowed.  Something about this moment felt… familiar.

“Have… have I given you my grapes before?”

Magnus popped a grape in his mouth and shook his head.

“I just… I feel like I already knew you liked them,” Taako muttered, putting a hand to his chin.  “But I don’t think we’ve had fresh fruit in ages .”

Magnus hummed as he chewed.  “No, we don’t get fruit up here on the moon too often, and we never have it when we’re on a mission.”

“Yeah… yeah I must be thinking of something else,” Taako sighed.

“You didn’t answer my question though,” Magnus continued.  “Do you not like grapes?”

“Honestly? They’re alright, not my fave,” Taako replied.  “But I just… for a second, it just felt like I was supposed to give them to you.  Is that weird?”

Magnus shook his head slowly.  He was beginning to get familiar with that feeling too.  That feeling of knowing things without being told.  It was getting harder and harder to explain it away.  He was head over heels for Taako.

Maybe it was time to admit that out loud.

“I think… I think I’m falling in love with you.”

“Because of grapes ?” Taako laughed.

“No I… I feel like we fit ,” Magnus replied, “Like we go together somehow.  I can’t explain it.  But I’ve felt it for a long time.  When I’m with you, something clicks into place.”

Taako started to blush, which surprised Magnus.  Taako rarely got flustered like this.

“I can’t believe we’re having this conversation because of grapes ,” Taako sighed.

“It’s rude to waste food when we’re guests,” Taako muttered under his breath, watching Magnus sort through his food like a child.  He took a sip of his drink.

“But I know I like grapes,” Magnus said, picking around the bowl of fruit that had been placed in front of him.  “I don’t recognize any of the other fruits in this plane, and I don’t want to spit anything out and be extra rude.”

Taako grabbed Magnus’ bowl and started moving food back and forth between their plates, putting his grapes into Magnus’ cup and the foreign fruit into his own.  Magnus watched, and smiled sheepishly.

“There you go big guy, you can have these,” Taako said, pushing the grape-filled bowl back to him with a smile.  Magnus went to take it, and for a second, their fingers touched.

They hadn’t spoken about Magnus’ feelings since Taako had called him out about them.  Magnus respected Taako’s wish to maintain their friendship, as much as he wanted to do otherwise.

But Taako would be lying if he said he hadn’t been thinking about it.  There was just something endearing about Magnus, an earnest enthusiasm that he had been slowly warming up to over the years.

“Listen…” Taako didn’t really know the best way to say anything, “I’m... “

Magnus stared at him intensely, and Taako felt himself get flush.

“Y-you can always eat my grapes, dude,” Taako stammered.  “I don’t even really like them that much anyway!”

Magnus laughed, and took the bowl with a smile.

“We’re a good match then.”

Chapter Text

“I thought about what you said,” Taako began quietly, “about us fitting together.”

Magnus looked to his bedroom doorway to see Taako’s silhouette standing there, holding an arm close to his chest.  He’s slouched, and his braid is a mess like he just got out of bed.  Probably because he did.  Backlit from the hallway, he looked just a little unreal to Magnus.  Just a little ethereal.

“Yeah?” Magnus replied, trying to keep his voice level as he sat up, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

“Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and…” he struggled to find the words, rubbing his arm with his hand.  “It feels like someone is supposed to be there.”

Magnus nodded, but didn’t say anything.  He was too afraid saying something would scare Taako off.  He never opened up if he didn’t have to.  And Magnus desperately wanted him to.

“I get night terrors you know,” he continued.

“I know.”  He did.  He had seen them from time to time, especially when they had shared a dorm room.  Violent fits of thrashing contained by a restricting sleep sack.  They could be scary, but Taako never mentioned them out loud.

“Maybe we could…  and I don’t want to take advantage of you, because of what you said earlier but…” Magnus felt his heart pounding against his ribs as Taako paused.  “Could we try sleeping in the same bed?”

Magnus couldn’t find the words he wanted.  He wanted to.  He wanted to say so much.  But his mind was static and he felt dizzy and confused.  Taako was looking at him expectedly, and every moment he didn’t respond the elf was getting further and further away from him.  Finally, Magnus managed a nod, and made space in his bed.

“I just think having someone there will make it easier,” Taako explained, slowly walking to the bed. “I know you’ve got feelings for me and I don’t want to manipulate you, but you’re the only person who I thought would say yes.”

Magnus nods again, still afraid to speak more than he has to.

“But when you said we go together I…” Taako hesitated, hand hovering just above the covers.  “I want to know what that feels like.  I want to know what waking up next to someone who cares about you feels like.”

Magnus reached out and took Taako’s hand, gently pulling him into bed with him.  Taako doesn’t resist, allowing himself to be nestled into the bed.  Magnus pulls the blankets over him.  As he settled back in, Taako turned to look at him.

“Do you really think you’re falling in love?” he asked quietly.

Magnus nods slowly.  There’s no reason not to.

“... What does it feel like?”

“Uh…” Magnus whispers, tucking his chin against his chest.  “Like there’s something warm inside me.  Something warm that gets hotter and brighter when I’m with you.”

“Oh,” Taako breathed, curling into Magnus’ chest and closing his eyes.  “That sounds nice.”

Magnus gently put his arm on Taako’s shoulder.

“It is.”

“I need a favor,” Taako muttered, leaning against the countertop.  He looked like shit, hair askew and eyes darkened.

“Yeah, anything,” Magnus replied, trying to hide the eagerness in his voice.  He’d given up hiding his feelings about Taako, but he might as well try to not look desperate.

“Listen I… We’ve still got a few months in this dimension, before… before Lup comes back,” Taako sighs, and Magnus nods.  Lup had been lost a few weeks ago.  She would be back, they always come back, but the sadness was always real.  And it was the first time that Lup had gone without Taako.  “I… we’re twins, Magnus.  We’ve been together since birth.  We share a bed most of the time for fuck’s sake.  I can’t…”

“You want to sleep in my bed,” Magnus realized, setting down his coffee.

“I feel shitty for asking because I know you’re crushing on me, but I can’t handle being alone at night,” Taako groaned, covering his face with his hands.  “I haven’t… I haven’t slept in weeks.  I just need someone there.  Anyone.  I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to be sorry,” Magnus said with a frown.  “I’m not being inconvenienced or anything.”

“No I’m sorry it has to be me , and it has to be you .”  Taako curls his arms around his head, resting it against the counter.  “I really did mean it when I said I wanted to be friends.”

Magnus didn’t know how to respond to that.

“If I do this…” Taako muttered, “I might not be able to stay just friends.  But…”

Magnus put a hand on Taako’s shoulder, and the elf heaved a heavy sigh.

“I feel so warm… when I think of you, Magnus.”  His voice came quiet in the stillness of the kitchen.  “And when you’re nearby, it gets hotter and brighter .  And I’ve tried so hard… to stay friends, because I don’t want to lose that.  Our friendship.”

“You already know how I feel,” Magnus finally replied as he squeezed Taako’s shoulder.  “But if you only need a friend to be there while you sleep, I can do that.  Come on.”

Magnus took his hands and slowly unwrapped Taako’s arms from around himself.  Gently, he guided the elf to his feet, and led him from the kitchen quietly.

He walked him to the staircase, and Taako leaned against Magnus with another sigh.  Without saying a word, Magnus lifted Taako into his arms, carrying him like a blushing bride.  Taako wrapped his arms around Magnus’ neck, and Magnus could see the exhaustion in Taako’s eyes.  He slowly pushed his cabin door open with his hip, and walked over to his bunk.

Pulling back the covers, he helped Taako into bed, and then quietly lay down next to him.

“We’re a good match… I don’t want to lose us,” Taako whispered, already starting to drift off.

“Never,” Magnus whispered, wrapping his arms around Taako.  “You never will.”

Chapter Text

When Magnus awoke, he was alone, curled around a pillow and holding it close to his chest.

Instantly he felt foolish.  Perhaps it had just been a dream.

He rolled onto his back and scratched at his chest idly with a sigh.  Of course it was a dream.  Taako coming to him in the middle of the night, asking to share a bed with him?  That was crazy.  He was getting too obsessed with the elf.  Too needy.  Taako could probably smell his desperation from a mile away, and would steer clear of it.  He grabbed the pillow he had been holding and put it over his head to muffle the sound of his groan of embarrassment.

The pillow smelled of sweet sugar and wildflowers.  Magnus inhaled the scent deeply as he began to realize… This wasn’t his smell.  This was…

Suddenly there was a knock at the door.  Magnus sat up with a start, wrenching the pillow off his face.

“Hey, uh…” Taako nervously peeked his head into the room.  “I made eggs.  To thank you.”

A strange sensation, warm and tingling, was beginning to spread across Magnus, starting from his gut.  Taako had… they had…

“Uh, thanks,” Magnus managed to stammer, slowly getting out of bed.  “You really didn’t have to though.”

“I did,” Taako assured him. “Taako doesn’t like having a debt on his hands.  Making breakfast seemed… like the right thing to do.”

He left the doorway, and Magnus slowly followed on sleepy dragging feet.  It really had happened.  Taako really did come to him last night.  Really did sleep in his bed.  Had asked him if he was falling in love.  The warm feeling in his gut started to do somersaults.  All Magnus wanted was to be close to Taako.  Just being near him was enough most days.  But this… he never imagined this would be an option.

In the shared kitchen, Taako had set out two plates of eggs and toast on the counter.  The elf had sat down in front of a mess of scrambled eggs, and gestured to the plate next to him.  Magnus looked as he sat down.  Three over-medium eggs and four slices of toast.  Exactly how he liked it, albeit without bacon and sausage.  He was impressed that Taako knew his breakfast preferences - he was hardly ever awake that early in the morning to eat with them.

“Thank you,” Magnus whispered.  Taako rarely cooked, and if he did he rarely let other people eat it.  This was a treat, and Magnus was overcome with a feeling of joy.  He sat down next to Taako and smiled.

“Thanks for letting me crash,” Taako replied quietly, moving his eggs around his plate with a fork.  “It was... nice.”

Magnus’ heart jumped into his throat again.  He wanted to ask so many things… Did he enjoy being there with him?  Did he feel what Magnus felt?  Would he want to continue sleeping together?  Had Magnus snored?  It was so much, and Magnus felt frozen, fork hovering over his eggs in a panic.

“It felt… like I was supposed to be there,” Taako continued, “like I had been there the whole time.  I don’t know I… please eat the eggs and stop staring at me Mags.  I can’t do this with you looking at me.”

Magnus then realized he was staring, fork still floating motionless above the yolk of the over medium egg.  He blinked, and turned to the dish, carefully cutting open an egg with the side of the fork.  The yolk spilled out slowly, thick but still just a little bit runny.  Exactly how he liked it.  He grabbed a slice of toast and dabbed it into the yolk, and allowed himself to take a huge bite.

It was perfect.

“I’ve fucked a lot of things up,” Taako continued as Magnus ate.  “Sometimes it doesn’t feel like… like I deserve to feel happy.  But last night I…” He paused, and Magnus tried his best to keep his eyes focused on his plate.  Taako put a hand on his wrist and Magnus felt like his whole body was alight.  “We do go together, don’t we?  I feel safe with you.  Like I’m at home.  Magnus it’s… been so long since something has felt like home .”

He couldn’t help it.  Magnus broke eye contact with his breakfast and looked at Taako.  His eyes were on the verge of tears.

“I think… I think I’m…” he can’t finish, and put his free hand to his face, embarrassed.  Overwhelmed.  Ashamed.  Afraid.  He let go of Magnus’ wrist, and looked down at the table quietly.  Magnus turned back to his eggs.  He didn’t want to force Taako to say anything he might regret.

They were both all twisted up inside.

Magnus took another bite of yolk-soaked toast to punctuate the deafening silence, and Taako cleared his throat.

“How… how are the eggs?”

“Really good,” Magnus answered, “Perfect even.”  He finished off the slice of toast.

“Can… can I have a taste?”

Magnus turned, not sure what to say when Taako is suddenly pressed against his lips in a soft but desperate kiss.  Magnus dropped his fork with a clatter, both hands flying up to caress Taako’s face.  With a soft gasp, Taako withdrew, and Magnus took a deep breath.

Sugar and wildflowers.

Taako smelled like sugar and wildflowers.

When Taako woke up, Magnus was still next to him.  Wide awake and sitting up, Taako’s head resting comfortably in his lap.

“Hey,” he whispered, smiling down at Taako.  “Good morning.  Or… afternoon actually.”

“How long…?” Taako rubbed the sleep from his eyes with a yawn.

“I think it’s like… mid day?  Lunchtime,” Magnus answered.

“...Why are you still here?”

Magnus laughed.  “You said you couldn’t sleep alone, and you looked like you really needed it.”  He carefully slid out from underneath Taako’s head.  “I thought if I moved you might wake up.”

“Oh.”  Taako doesn’t know what to say.  Magnus was so kind to him, and that was both endearing and infuriating.  It had to be difficult, being so close to Taako when Taako was trying so hard to keep him at arm’s length.  Trying so hard to stop Magnus from loving him.

What was so bad about letting someone love you?  What was so bad about wanting to be loved?  Taako tried to parse it out in his head, making lists why he couldn’t get involved in a relationship.  All the ways he could get hurt.  All the ways he could hurt.

It felt like he was stalling.

“Come down to the kitchen with me,” Magnus said, changing his clothes quickly (gods above had he slept in his uniform all night to avoid waking him?) and running his fingers through his hair.  “I’ll make breakfast.  Lunch.  First meal.”

“Why?” Taako asked.

“Because I want to,” Magnus replied, extending a hand.  Taako took it tentatively, and allowed himself to be pulled from the bed gently.

The walk to the kitchen seemed so much longer than it had the night before.  Taako’s mind was reeling with excuses and plans to duck down a corridor or sprint back to his room and lock the door.

What was so wrong with wanting to be loved?

What was so wrong with loving someone?

All the while, he can’t help but notice that Magnus hasn’t let go of his hand.

The kitchen is empty, and they both feel relieved at that knowledge.  It wasn’t like it was a secret they had to keep, but it felt difficult to talk about with themselves, so bringing someone else into it would be too much.  Magnus finally released Taako’s hand to open the fridge.

Taako suddenly realized just how cold he actually felt.

“How do you like your eggs?” Magnus asked, pulling out some of the local eggs Merle had brought back from the planet.

“Scramble them fucking hard,” Taako said, trying to regain composure, “No salt.”

“Done and done,” Magnus answered, cracking two eggs into a pan and putting it over the stove.

They were silent, listening to the sizzle of eggs.  Magnus had his back to Taako, who sat at the table fumbling with his thoughts.  Thoughts of being curled against Magnus’ warm body.  Thoughts of feeling wanted, feeling happy, feeling content and safe and loved by another person.  Taako had experienced crushes before, but this… this was so much larger and more powerful than anything he had ever felt.  And he had been trying to bury it under friendship, but he was slowly realizing that he couldn’t.

He couldn’t be just friends with Magnus.

Suddenly Magnus is next to him, putting a plate of freshly scrambled eggs before him.  As the human sits down, he puts his own plate of fried eggs down too.

“Over easy?” Taako asks.

“Medium,” Magnus corrected, “I like the yolk a little firm, but still runny enough to dip toast in.”

Staring at the scrambled eggs, Taako can feel the heat and weight of a thousand emotions welling up in his eyes.

“I’m not a great cook but… Taako are you okay?” Magnus said, looking over at him and putting a hand on his shoulder.  “Did I mess the eggs up?”

There’s a moment of silence, and then Taako released a choked sob.

“They’re perfect,” he cried, putting both hands to his face, and then again softly, “They’re perfect.”

“H-hey!” Magnus cried.  “Whatever I did, I’m sorry!”

“I…” Taako took a deep breath as tears streamed down his face.  “I really am… I’m in love with you.”

There’s a beat as Magnus let that sink in.

And then his mouth is on Taako’s and he’s kissing him with a tenderness that Taako doesn’t understand.  One kiss becomes two, then three, then ten.  Magnus’ fingers entwined with his on the kitchen table, and his other hand gently held the back of Taako’s head.  Soon Magnus had moved from his lips and began kissing Taako’s cheeks, catching every tear until there weren’t any left.

“I can’t lie to myself anymore,” Taako whispered as Magnus held him close.  “I’ve fallen in love with you.  I’m such an idiot.”

“What’s so wrong with being in love?” Magnus asks, carefully rubbing his thumb over Taako’s cheek.

Suddenly, Taako can’t remember any of the reasons anymore.

The eggs get cold.

Chapter Text

Magnus saw his Stone of Farspeech flashing gently on the counter, and he knew what that meant.  The Director was summoning them for practice, but it was so hard to tear away from the kitchen table.  From this quiet moment together.

Merle made it easier though.

“Alright you two,” he said with a laugh as he entered the kitchen, “Let’s go before Lucretia gets pissed.”

He made no comment about the pair, arms wrapped around each other in an embrace.  He simply took a fork and snagged a bite of Magnus’ eggs off his plate.

“You okay?” Magnus whispered, moving his arms from Taako until only their fingers were touching.

“Yeah I…” Taako nodded, lacing his fingers through Magnus’.  “We should go.”

Magnus could see a moment of panic in Taako’s eyes as they had stood up, hands entwined.  People would see them?  Would that be alright?  But Magnus smiled and squeezed his hand tighter.  It was okay to be seen.

They had nothing to hide.

The world felt different that morning.  Warmer.  Brighter.

Magnus refused to let go of Taako’s hand as they made their way to the training dome.  The warm roughness of his hand against Taako’s smooth cool skin… it felt right .  Like puzzle pieces.  They were meant to be together.  Their hands were made to hold each other.

Occasionally Magnus would catch Taako’s eye and smile, and Taako would return with a shy smile of his own.  Magnus wanted to see that every day for the rest of his life.  And for the first time he realized… that was possible.

He loved Taako.

And now it was clear Taako loved him back.

As they made their way into the dome, they were greeted by a Carey and the Director.

“Hey guys, you ready for stealth training?” Carey said, beaming at Magnus.

“Absolutely!” Magnus cried.

“Yeah sure,” Taako shrugged.

The Director said nothing.  Her eyes were trained on interlocked fingers with the smallest hint of a frown.  Taako felt his face growing hot.  He flushed, casting his eyes away.

“Is this… a new thing?” she asked, and though her voice was kind, there was something in her eyes that seemed concerned.

“It’s new to me,” Merle said, looking at the two of them.

“It’s new to us too,” Magnus admitted, squeezing Taako’s hand.

That squeeze was enough to snap Taako back.  Magnus caught his eye, and Taako blushed and resisted the urge to run.  Why was this so hard?  Maybe he wasn’t ready to have this discussion with others.  Maybe he wasn’t ready to show people how he felt.  At any rate, Magnus gave him a subtle nod, and silently let go.

But Taako felt his stomach drop when he could no longer feel Magnus’ skin against his.  

“Well I… I’m happy for you boys, whatever arrangement you have going,” the Director said with a smile, and despite her previous expressions it seemed genuine.  Taako felt himself relax.

With that she and Carey headed in, Merle waddling after them.

“Is this okay?”

Taako looked at Magnus, who had a concerned frown, trying to read Taako’s actions.  Trying to figure out what had happened in that moment where Magnus had let go.

“Magnus…” Taako didn’t know what to say.  He felt confused and frustrated and incomplete .  He grasped his own hand, rubbing his thumb over the palm.

“I went too fast,” Magnus said, shaking his head and running fingers through his hair, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to rush you.”

“No I…”  Taako stared intently at his palm.  It had been a reflex.  He was used to the idea of keeping secrets.  Not because he had to, but because he didn’t see any reason to let people have more information about him than they needed.  Letting people in had hurt him.  Letting people know he cared.  But…  “It feels familiar... I like it… when you hold my hand.”

With that, Magnus’ face brightened, and he quietly held out a hand, palm outstretched to him.  Taako quietly put his fingers around it, and Magnus closed his hand.

“You can tell me if I’m making you uncomfortable,” Magnus said, looking Taako in the eye.  “I’m… I’m used to being outward with my affection.  My wife… she... wasn’t very shy.  But you can tell me if I do something you don’t like, I’ll stop.”

“I just…” Taako looked away, but he felt Magnus squeeze his hand again gently.  “I’m not used to having people around that give a shit.  Taako’s pretty good with flying under the radar in that regard.  I don’t know what to do about other people and their opinions .”

“Do you want me to hold your hand in public?” Magnus asked.

Taako knew Magnus wasn’t moving too fast.  By most standards he was practically glacial.  They had shared a bed, holding hands in front of their friends shouldn’t have bothered him.  But Taako knew he was fighting that part of him that wanted secrets.  That didn’t want people to know what made him weak, made him vulnerable.

And Magnus made him feel so very weak.

But his hand... made him feel like he could do anything.

Taako looked at him very seriously.  “I fucking never want you to let go .”

With that, Magnus lifted Taako’s hand to his lips with a smile, and gently kissed the back of his fingers.

“Then I won’t.”

It feels like years they sit at the table, fingers intertwined.  Magnus watching Taako with adoring eyes as Taako blushed and sighed and fought back tears.

They both were so happy and so very confused.

“I didn’t mean to make you cry,” Magnus whispered, gently rubbing his thumb in small circles on Taako’s skin.

“Yeah well, I’m a little dramatic,” Taako laughs.

“I know,” Magnus said with a smile.  “It’s one of the things I like about you.”

“Yeah well…” Taako sighed, looking longingly at their interlocked hands.  “I’m pretty likable.”

He focuses on the feeling of Magnus’ warm fingers, his smooth thumb tracing shapes into his hand.  The gentle pressure of his grip.  The gentle squeeze.  It was addicting.  Last night, Taako had awoken and slipped his hand into Magnus’ sleeping grasp experimentally, just to see what it felt like.  Just to feel his hand against his and…  well, it was good.

Magnus’ hands dwarfed his, were able to envelop him completely.  Taako had marveled at how something so big could be so soft.  So gentle.  Magnus had stirred, and Taako withdrew, but he had gotten a feel for it.  And now that he had confessed, had come to terms with the feelings in his chest, he knew.

He wanted to hold hands with Magnus for the rest of his life.

“Your hands are huge,” Taako muttered with a playful smile.

“All the better to hold you with,” Magnus laughed, and even though it was cheesy Taako felt a warm wave pass over him.

Just then, Lucretia walked into the kitchen.  Taako felt Magnus’ hand close tightly around him, as if to reassure him that it’s okay.  He was safe.

Taako had never felt safer in his life.

“Oh I… Is this new?” she asked, looking at their entwined hands.  She had a smile on her face that seemed amused, or maybe vindicated in seeing this scene.

“It’s new to us,” Taako said, emboldened by Magnus’ hand.  He felt powerful with Magnus holding onto him.  He felt brave.  That was something he hardly ever felt, but Magnus oozed confidence, and Taako couldn’t help but also feel confident with his hand wrapped in Magnus’ grasp.

“That’s good, I’m happy for you boys.” Lucretia smiled, heading to the fridge.

Taako looked at Magnus and smiled too.

They stood slowly, heading out from the kitchen, eyes locked on each other.  Taako squeezed Magnus’ hand tightly and made a promise to himself that now that he was here he would never let go.

Magnus made that an easy promise to keep.

Chapter Text

That night, sliding onto the couch together felt more natural than it ever had before.

Personal space boundaries go out the window quick when traveling in close quarters, even faster when sharing a room, and even faster still when the couch in the living room just barely could fit three people comfortably.  So it wasn’t as though Magnus and Taako weren’t close before.

But now, when they sat down after a rough day of training, it felt better than ever.  Taako leaned his head against Magnus’ shoulder, and Magnus put an arm around Taako’s waist.  Merle didn’t even try to get between them, laughing with a smile as he went over to sit in the armchair instead.

“You two saps,” he chuckled, putting up his feet.

“You’re the one with a tree arm,” Taako laughed, “Pretty sure the only sap here is you.”

Magnus laughed too, and Taako felt that warm rumble through his whole body.  And they had laughed together before but… this time it felt like the whole world had stopped, just for them.  Just for this moment.  Taako curled his face into Magnus’ shoulder with a smile, taking in the warmth and salty smell of sweat and the gentle sound of Magnus’ wheezy breaths of laughter.  Despite himself, Taako found himself putting a tentative hand to Magnus’ chest.

Magnus stilled, a hum escaping from him.  Taako could hear a smile in that hum.

“Are we good?” Magnus whispered, carefully pulling Taako closer.

“I mean it’s just Merle,” Taako replied, “He’d figure it out eventually.”

“I knew before you idiots did,” Merle scoffed, opening up a book.  “I’ve been waiting for you two to get your shit in order for months.”

Magnus laughed again, and Taako wanted to curl up inside his chest, warm and safe.  To live inside that booming laughter, to be a part of it.  He settled for burying his face into the curve of Magnus’ neck, and softly kissing the expanse of skin he found there.  Magnus hummed, rolling his head and resting his cheek on Taako.

“You smell terrible,” Taako laughed through his kiss.  “Kinda like a big wet dog.”

“We spent the whole day training, I’m sweaty,” Magnus replied with a fake tone of hurt in his voice.

“I’m not sweaty,” Taako replied, pushing Magnus gently away.  “And I certainly don’t smell like a wet dog!”

“No… You always smell nice,” Magnus laughed, and they were joking but Taako still felt himself softening into the laugh.  He smiled, putting a hand on Magnus’ knee.

Merle cleared his throat loudly, and Taako felt himself jump.

“We should go,” Magnus chuckled, taking Taako’s hand and standing up from the couch.

“Yeah,” Merle coughed, “You probably should.”

Taako hesitated as Magnus pulled him, but then he saw Merle smile and wink.  And with that, Taako let himself be drawn further back into the apartment.

In the hallway, out of view of their Dwarven friend, Magnus stopped, just outside his room.

“Do I really smell that bad?” he asked, grinning sheepishly.

“Oh Maggie,” Taako sighed, putting a hand to his cheek.  “Yes.  Yes you do.”

Magnus laughed, running his free hand through his hair.  “I guess personal hygiene is going to be more important now… now that someone is going to actually care about it.”

“Absolutely you dirty sweaty boy,” Taako laughed, gently patting his face.  “Taako can’t handle this wet dog stank.”

Magnus leaned into Taako’s face, and even though he smelled Taako was still drawn into a gentle kiss.  He squeezed Magnus’ hand tightly as Magnus pulled away from his lips, still planting soft kisses on Taako’s cheek, his jaw, his neck.

“You always smell nice,” Magnus repeated to himself, breathing deeply into the curve of Taako’s neck.

“You a fan of Eau de Taako?” Taako laughed.

Magnus kissed his neck again, and Taako took that as a yes.

“Tell you what, big guy,” Taako said, gently pushing Magnus away, “I’ll draw you up a bath with some of Taako’s own personal care products, and then once you smell a little less garbage we can resume this conversation.”

“I’d… I’d like that,” Magnus said with a blush and a smile.  

Returning the smile, Taako lead him towards the bathroom, and with a flick of his wrist the tap in the tub turned on.  Then Taako knelt in front of the under sink cabinet.  Magnus watched intently as Taako rummaged through potion bottles he kept under the sink, looking at each one carefully before either setting it on the ground or returning it to the cabinet.

The bottles were beautiful, colorful, and elaborately decorated.  Some had fancy labels on them, some were made of intricately blown glass.  The liquids inside shimmered and Taako would shake them gently to get the contents sparkling before he set them down.

“Okay so… I think you’ll enjoy this one,” Taako said, setting a bright yellow bottle with a delicate glass flower stopper.  “Aaand… a little lavender for stress.  Fraxinella potion for warmth… Some cinnamon….”  He set a tiny brown bottle down next to the others.  “And vanilla, because why the fuck not?”

“That’s a lot of bottles,” Magnus said, watching Taako carefully measure out portions of each.

“I like to mix it up,” Taako replied, taking the yellow bottle into his hands and working the stopper loose.  “I’ve got some standbys, but what’s life without a little… ugh.”  His shoulders drooped, unable to free the stopper from the neck of the bottle.

“I got it,” Magnus laughed, extending a hand.  Taako handed the bottle over, and Magnus took a moment to appreciate the beautiful stopper.  It was a four petaled flower, and each petal was shaped like a heart.  Magnus carefully grabbed it and pulled it free from the bottle, releasing a delicate smell of wildflowers into the air.  Magnus felt his heart swell as he realized it was the same smell he had caught on the pillow this morning.

Taako’s special smell.

When the bath was full and the potions had been properly diffused, Taako looked around awkwardly.

“It smells great,” Magnus said, taking Taako’s hand gently.  “Thank you.”

“Yeah well, I’m doing myself a favor here,” Taako laughed, and he felt his face getting hot.  “Soo… uh…” He wrung his hands as he stood up from the floor.  “Get to it, I guess.  I’ll see you later.”

“Taako.”

Magnus squeezed Taako’s hand, and Taako felt his heart skip a beat.  He looked up into Magnus’ eyes, which soften and warmed as he smiled.

“Would it… uh…” His face turned a shade of red that honestly was the most beautiful thing Taako had ever seen.  “Would it be weird if I asked you to stay?”  Taako’s eyes widened as the red in Magnus’ cheeks darkened even more.  “Like, you don’t have to like get in with me or anything, I just… I don’t know maybe you could sit on the floor and we could talk?  It’s weird, right?  I was too weird.  I’m sorry I-”

Taako put a finger to Magnus’ lips and smiled.

“Please shut up and take your clothes off, you idiot.”

Magnus’ smile got even bigger, and he began to busy himself with taking off his shirt.  Taako turned to face the door.  They had seen each other naked before.  Personal space just was not a thing on the road.  But this was different.  This was intimate .  This was an entirely new context, and Taako didn’t want to violate any boundaries.  Taako listened quietly to the sounds of fabric shuffling and buckles being undone, resisting the urge to peek.  He only turned when he heard a splash of Magnus stepping into the tub, just catching sight of his bare backside before it sank down into the water.  Even that tiniest hint of skin was enough to make Taako’s face hot all over again.

“It’s warm,” Magnus said quietly over the ripples of the water.

“Yeah that’s… that’s the Fraxinella potion,” Taako said, kneeling by the edge of the tub, “It keeps water warm longer.”

“That’s cool,” Magnus said, leaning up against the edge.  His arms folded up under his chin and he smiled.  Taako watched a bead of water slowly trail down from Magnus’ shoulder, and he suddenly couldn’t see anything else.

“Fraxinella is pretty neat,” Taako explained, starring as the drop of water rolled onto the lip of the tub.  “Fraxinella, uh, has a chemical in it’s leaves that’s highly flammable, and...”  Taako trailed off when he realized he was rambling, but Magnus didn’t seem to mind.

“What about the yellow one?” Magnus asked, gesturing to the wildflower scented bottle.

“That’s… uh, primrose,” Taako said.  “It’s my favorite.”

“What makes primroses cool?” Magnus asked, and now Taako was focused on the curve of his shoulders meeting his neck.

“I don’t know, I’ve just always liked them.  They smell nice,” Taako said quietly, “And they’ve got magical properties connected to luck and beauty…”

“Well,” Magnus said quietly, “I’m not sure someone as beautiful as you needs any help.”

It was half a joke, but it felt like the sweetest thing anyone had ever said.

Taako kneaded the dough carefully, working in the cinnamon and vanilla with dexterous hands.  He was making cookies for the group, who had gone out on an expedition planetside.  He only did this on occasion, after particularly hard cycles.  Just his way of showing he cared without having to say anything.

The cinnamon and vanilla was for Magnus, though.  He liked both.  Taako liked him.

The smell was filling the whole kitchen, and as Taako portioned out cookies onto a sheet he couldn’t help but get excited.  Being in love was exciting .  It was also a little scary, but knowing he had Magnus to support him made it easier.  Before now, he wouldn’t be caught dead doing this domestic shit for anyone, save maybe Lup.  And though he would give the sweets to everyone, he knew he the person he was really making these for.

Sliding the cookies into the oven, Taako heard the door to the ship open on the deck below.

“Taako, you still here?” Magnus cried somewhere down below.

“I’m in the kitchen!” Taako shouted in response, setting a timer.

As he stood, he saw Magnus appear in the doorway out of the corner of his eye.  Turning, he saw Magnus, sweaty and out of breath, holding something behind his back.

“I… I brought you something,” he said, a huge smile on his face like he could barely contain his excitement.  

Taako wiped his hands off on his apron.  “Lay it on me big guy.”

Without saying anything, Magnus pulled from behind him a bouquet of wildflowers.  Freshly picked, from the look of the roots still hanging and the dirt still clinging.  Taako felt himself melt, not because of the flowers, but because of the look of pride in Magnus’ eyes.

“They’re lovely,” Taako said, reaching to take them.

“That’s why I picked them,” Magnus said, rubbing the back of his neck.  “I thought ‘those are beautiful, just like Taako.’ But now…” he sighs, shrugging.  “I tried to get them here as fast as possible, but now that I’ve got them here, I can see… you’re way prettier.”

“Shut up,” Taako laughed, breathing in their scent as he looked around for something to put them in.  Their color was enchanting, a brilliant yellow as bright as fresh butter, and each flower has four petals curled together like a cup, each one shaped like a heart.  “What are they?”

“Lucretia said they’re called primrose,” Magnus explained.

“I love them,” Taako said, leaning into Magnus’ face.  “I love you .”

“I love you too,” Magnus hummed, kissing Taako on the cheek.

Chapter Text

Magnus’ bed was the warmest thing in Taako’s life, save for maybe Magnus’ smile.

He curled under the heavy quilt Magnus kept on his bed, stained and faded after years of use on the road, and watched Magnus sleep in the darkness.

He looked younger when he slept.  Softer.  There was a way he held his expression in the daytime that wasn’t present at night.  His cheeks relaxed, his eyes were heavy.  Even his lips were partially parted as he quietly snored.  Taako watched his chest rise and fall for a bit, hypnotized by the gentle movement of his partner’s breathing.  He was handsome at all hours, but Taako loved this version of Magnus so much more.  A soft vulnerable Magnus that only he got to see.

He had fallen asleep holding Taako’s hand, and while his grip had loosened as he drifted away from consciousness, his lazy fingers were still doing their best to hold on.

They had been sharing a bed for over a month.

It seemed like a natural conclusion, given everything that had happened.  They felt more comfortable together than they did apart.  Taako didn’t need nearly as much sleep as Magnus did, but he enjoyed curling up in bed every night anyway, like a friendly cat looking for warmth.  And Magnus loved waking up to him being there, studying his face like he was the most interesting thing in the world.  It was comforting to be together, to have each other so close.

But more and more they craved the contact of another for a reason beyond comfort.

Refuge had been difficult for everyone.

Even though they trusted each other with their secrets, Taako hadn’t felt comfortable talking too much about what he had seen in the Chalice.  Magnus was slightly more open, but he still kept things short and sweet.  Neither of them wanted to talk too much about what they had given up.

The truth was that as happy as they were in the present together, they had a past that still caused them both great pain.

Magnus’ sleeping grasp tightened around Taako’s hand, and Taako lifted his head to see Magnus’ brow furrowing in his sleep.  Taako recognized the distress that was becoming more and more familiar to him.  Magnus was dreaming, and it wasn’t pleasant.

Taako had night terrors from time to time, it was the whole reason they had started sleeping together in the first place.  Taako needed someone to watch out for him, to catch him when he was startled awake and keep him calm.  But while Magnus knew to wake him if he sensed Taako was having an episode, Taako still wasn’t sure if he should do the same.  Sometimes he woke up disoriented and scared, sometimes hostile or sobbing, and maybe pulling him out into that was a bad idea.  Maybe it was better to wait for Magnus to wake on his own.

It killed Taako to watch Magnus dream, breath deepening as he started to toss and turn.  His hand slipped away from Taako’s as he flipped onto his side, back to him.  Taako watched every breath shudder through Magnus’ body, somewhere between pain and distress.

Magnus had said that bad dreams were okay, they remind you of what was important to you.

Taako would never be okay with the way Magnus’ pained voice escaped him.

Finally, the bed jolted, and Magnus sat up, one arm supporting his weight as the other went to his forehead.

“You okay?” Taako whispered quietly, hoping not to scare him.

Magnus glanced over his shoulder, and after a moment of deep gasping breaths he nodded.

“You want me to touch you?” Taako asked, and Magnus nodded again.  Taako looped his arms around Magnus’ waist, pressing himself into his back softly.  He put an ear against him, listening to the pounding of his heart, the air in his lungs.  “I’m here.”

“I know,” Magnus finally said, slowly lowering himself to the bed again.  They lay together, Taako curled around him protectively, in silence for a few minutes.  As his heartbeat slowed, Magnus turned over in Taako’s arms so that the elf could rest his head against his chest.

“Was it bad?” Taako asked.

“Mmm, no,” Magnus hummed, putting his arms around Taako.  “Not scary, just sad.”

“Do you… want to talk about it?” Taako said, even quieter.

Magnus didn’t respond, taking a deep breath and hugging Taako closer.

“Was it about her?”

At that, Magnus softly laughed.

“Julia,” he sighed.  “Her name was Julia.”

Taako knew Magnus had been married.  He knew it was definitely past tense.  She had died a few years ago, which was why Magnus had gotten into the adventuring life in the first place.  He talked about her sparingly, usually in the form of an apology or explanation.   “I’m sorry, I was thinking about my wife” or “ Let me know if you don’t like this, my wife always did.”  Taako knew that Magnus didn’t mean anything by it.  It was simply a fact, a part of who he was as a person.

Magnus had been with someone else once.

Now Magnus was with Taako.

“It wasn’t… She was in it,” Magnus sighed, “It was more about you.  About losing you.”

Taako tightened his hold around Magnus.  “Can you tell me about her?”

“You sure ?” Magnus asked.

“Yeah, I want to hear about her,” Taako said, nestling his ear back to listen to Magnus’ heart.  “Tell me about how you fell in love with her.”

“You would have liked her,” Magnus sighed.  He rubbed Taako’s back slowly.  “She had a wicked sense of humor.  Pretty clever too, she was always three steps ahead of me.”

“Yeah that sounds like someone I’d get along with,” Taako laughed.

“I knew that I loved her when I saw her smile,” Magnus said, and then he chuckled.  “It’s funny, that’s what made me realize I was falling in love with you .”

“Little weird Maggie,” Taako scoffed.  “Comparing the two of us.”

“No no no, like, you two don’t look alike at all,” Magnus laughed.  “But like, when Julia smiled, it lit up the whole room.  I felt like I wanted to be lit up by her light too.  And the first time I saw you smiling at me… it felt like I was being lit up for the first time in so long.”

“Alright that’s cute,” Taako laughed, nuzzling his face into Magnus’ chest hair.  “She must have been a nice gal to have a guy like you loving her.”

“When she died I…” Magnus paused, and Taako felt his chest swell as he took in another deep breath.  “I thought I’d never be happy again.  I thought there was no one in the world that would ever make me feel lit up like that again.”

Taako hummed, closing his eyes as Magnus’ fingers traced circles on his back.

“What about you?”

“What about me?” Taako muttered.

“You ever…” Magnus paused, realizing that this question might not be something Taako wants to talk about a moment too late.

“You asking me if I dated anyone before you?” Taako teased.  His voice was tired, but he didn’t sound hurt.

“Not dated,” Magnus said.  “Loved.”

At that Taako had to laugh.  “Magnus…”

“I just…” Magnus sighed, hugging Taako closer.  “I know it’s not strange, loving more than one person in your life.  Hell, if Julia were still around I’d want to live with both of you.  But I’m… I still feel like I’m cheating.  Loving so many people at once.”

Taako gently pushed Magnus away, making him lay on his back so Taako could climb onto him and curl up.

“There was this guy… Sazed?” Taako whispered.  “At the time I tried to play it off like he wasn’t important to me, but he was my world .  He was my only friend for years and… he looked at me like I was the center of the universe.”

“When did you know?” Magnus asked.

“I mean I was always attracted to him,” Taako replied.  “Big buff guy, could probably lift me with one hand.”

“Good to know you have a type,” Magnus chuckled.

“But he was always there when I needed him,” Taako hummed.  “He listened to me when I spoke.  Hung on my every word.  Did whatever I asked of him.  Always let me climb in bed with him when I was feeling lonely.  And I thought… I thought it meant something, you know?  I was so in love with his warmth.  I was stupid in love with it.”

“What happened?”

“Turns out he went sour on me long beforehand,” Taako sighed, curling his fingers into Magnus’ chest hair.  “Was only hanging around in hopes that some of the Taako magic would rub off and make him famous.  I thought it was real.  I mean, it was real for me.  But not for him.”

“Did he leave?” Magnus asked.

Taako laughed at that, burying his face into Magnus.  “Yeah… after he tried to kill me anyway.”

“Shit,” Magnus whispered.

“Like I said, I was stupid in love,” Taako shrugged.

They lay in silence for awhile, and Magnus ran his fingers through Taako’s hair.

“I don’t know what I ever saw in that guy,” Taako laughed bitterly.  He pushed himself up on his arms to look Magnus in the eye.  “This feels different, though.  This feels right.  Like my heart is going to burst from loving you.”

“Well I’d never try to kill you and then dump you,” Magnus said, and though it was a joke he said it with such sincerity that Taako had to thump him in the chest with a grin.

“Thanks for telling me about Julia,” he said.

“Thanks for telling me about Sazed,” Magnus answered.  “I hope it wasn’t too much.”

“Nah,” Taako sighed, leaning forward to peck Magnus on the cheek.  “It was time, you know?  I hadn’t told anyone, and it feels good to get it out there.  You shared something personal so…  Granted ‘my ex was a scumbag who tried to kill me ” and “ my wife was the love of my life ” aren’t quite equivalent.”

“You’re also the love of my life,” Magnus said, kissing Taako back.  “But your ex was a scumbag.”

They kissed again softly, and then again, quietly in the dark.  Magnus rest his arms in the small of Taako’s back, smoothing the skin there with his rough fingers.  In between kisses, when they parted for air, Magnus would whisper softly into Taako’s cheek.

I love you.  

I love you.  

I’ll always love you.

And somehow, despite everything, Taako knew it to be true.

“Say it again.”

“You’re wearing me out?”

“No no no,” Magnus laughed.  “The first part.”

“Oh, I love you?” Taako teased.  “Is that what you wanted me to say?  That I love you?”

They were in Magnus’ bed again, tangled in the sheets.  The rain on the ship’s porthole was beating out a steady rhythm as they giggled and kissed in the darkness of the cabin.  It wasn’t every night they did this, but it had become more and more common as the years had gone on.  Taako was spending at least three nights a week with Magnus, and while Lup had teased him for a time, he had never felt happier.  Nothing about their world stayed the same except for this: he felt at home in Magnus’ arms.

Magnus was more than happy to let him.  He even left his cabin door open most evenings in case Taako decided in the middle of the night to join him.  It wasn’t a secret, everyone on the ship knew.  They had all gotten closer as time had gone on, a side effect of only having each other to rely on for decades.  Intimacy was inevitable with people who knew you as well as you knew yourself.  Lup and Barry spent more than a few evenings in the other’s bed, and when she needed it Lucretia sometimes joined them.  Merle and Davenport had done away with the pretense entirely and had completely moved Merle’s belongings into the Captain’s Quarters.  They had all fallen so deeply in love with each other, there was very little left to be shy about.

So sometimes at three in the morning Taako would wander down the hallway to Magnus’ cabin, maybe wearing little more than a sleep shirt, and no one looked twice.  This time he had stopped by the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of wine, and the pair had finished off the whole bottle, passing it back and forth between laughs.

“Tell me why you love me,” Magnus hummed as he put the empty bottle on the floor, rolling over to envelop Taako into his arms.

“Shit Mags,” Taako giggled, struggling to get free from Magnus’ grasp.  “Conceited much?”

They wrestled for a bit, Taako playfully pushing Magnus’ face away as the human grabbed at his arms.  Eventually, Magnus had him pinned on his back, and he kissed Taako gently.

“Tell me,” he whispered against his lips.  “Or I won’t let you leave.”

“There are worse things,” Taako muttered, returning the kiss softly.

“Come on Taako,” Magnus whined.  “Tell me why you love me.”

He was teasing, but the tone he took of false hurt made Taako’s heart melt.  That, and the flush on his cheeks.

“Well… you’re fucking gorgeous .”

“Taaaaako!” Magnus laughed, pressing his face into the curve of Taako’s neck.  “Be serious!”

“I am serious!” Taako cried.  “Hey!   Hey .  Look at me Magnus.”  Magnus lifted his head and met eyes with Taako, who smiled softly.  “You’re gorgeous.  And passionate.  And brave.  And a million other things I love.”

“Good to know you love me for more than my body ,” Magnus teased.

“Are you kidding, you just put me on the spot,” Taako sighed.  “If I had known this was gonna be a confession session I would have prepared.  Like, you know when someone asks you for help with something, your eyes just fucking light up?  I love that.  I love that so much I want to swim in it, it’s enchanting .”

“ I love the look you get in your eyes when you’re planning something devious,” Magnus hummed, pressing his forehead to Taako’s.  “It’s like, there’s a fire inside you.  A fire that warms me up from the inside.”

“That’s sappy as fuck my man,” Taako giggled.  “Let me try again here.  I love…  how you make me feel like I’m the most important person in the world.  In the universe !  Like we know that there are thousands of realities out there, and you still look at me every day like I’m the most impressive thing you’ve ever seen.”

“You are ,” Magnus insisted.

“See?  Shit like that is impossible not to fall in love with,” Taako laughed.

“So you love that I love you,” Magnus confirmed.

“Well when you put it like that it sounds conceited,” Taako said with a frown.  “It’s more like… You make me feel special?  You make me feel…” he paused, biting his lip for a moment in hesitation.  “Worth it, I guess?”

“Oh Taako,” Magnus cooed, kissing Taako on the forehead.  “Taako no, you’re worth so much!  You’re wonderful.”

“Yeah well you’re the first guy to make me really feel that way about myself,” Taako sighed.  “Like, even if this were to end tomorrow…  I feel like I’d be a better person?  Like, I’d be able to go on knowing Magnus Burnsides loved me, so I should love myself.”

Magnus sat up, taking his hands off Taako’s arms.

“Taako I… This is never going to end,” Magnus said.

“My dude that’s not being very positive about our current life situation,” Taako teased.

“No I mean… if I died tomorrow, and this was our last loop…” Magnus looked serious, the drunken flush of his cheeks accenting his point.  “I’d never stop loving you.  I’d love you all the way from the Astral plane, and it would be so strong you would feel it every day.  If the Hunger were to take me, I’d still love you from inside the belly of that beast.”

“Magnus…”

“I’ll always love you,” Magnus said firmly.  “I’ll love you forever .  I’ll never stop.  There’s no reality in which a Magnus doesn’t love a Taako.”

“Magnus,” Taako said in hushed tones as he sat up to bring his face level with Magnus.  “Honey…”

“I love you,” Magnus said, taking Taako’s hands into his own.  His face is horribly red, and tears are starting to form in his eyes.  “I love you so much it feels like my heart is going to burst.”

“I feel the same,” Taako whispered.  “I feel… like I’m going to love you until time ends.”

“You will.  I will,” Magnus hummed, leaning in to kiss Taako again.  “I’ll love you forever.  I never want to be without you.”

They slowly sank back down to the mattress, a little drunk from the wine but also from their love.  Taako let himself be held tightly as Magnus fell asleep, still whispering his declaration of commitment.

I’ll always love you.

Their lives were impossible.  Maybe this one possibility was possible, if only for them.

Chapter Text

“I can’t Taako… I just can’t.”

“Magnus… please.”

Without waiting, Merle slapped his hand down on the button that had Taako’s name.

Taako pressed his hand to his own gut, feeling the wound closing slowly as the Healing Game took effect.

“I can’t just stand by and let Merle take the whole penalty for your recovery,” Magnus said, watching as Taako started to regain some of the color in his skin.

“You can and you will,” Merle ordered, wincing as the life was sapped out of him to renew Taako.

“Yeah I’m with Merle on this, we need you to be as strong as we can get you,” Taako hissed.

“But I have vitality to spare!” Magnus cried.

“We’re not discussing this,” Merle snapped as a wisp of smoke rose from his mouth.  “You’re getting too emotional!”

“I’m sorry Merle, it’s just the love of my life almost died ,” Magnus shouted, black smoke pouring from his lips in a torrent.

“ Magnus ,” Taako muttered, stepping towards his platform.

Seeing Taako move startled Magnus into action and he slapped the button with his name.

“You idiot!” Taako cried, lurching over and pushing him away from the pedestal.  Magnus staggered as a small amount of life left his body, but it was only a fraction and he knew it.  Enough to wind him, but not enough to really hurt him.  Not enough to save anyone.

“Taako why did you do that?” Magnus asked.  “Let me help you!”

“Merle took care of it!” Taako cried, “You’re only going to make yourself weaker!”

As Taako climbed off the platform Magnus saw the dark stain on his clothes and hot tears began to form in his eyes.  He stumbled off the platform toward Taako.

“I can’t lose you Taako!   I won’t lose someone like that again !”

“You can’t lose me?” Taako cried.  “What am I supposed to do if we lose you?”

At that Magnus stopped.

“You’re always rushing in and putting yourself in danger and I can’t-” his voice hitched.  “If there’s one thing I refuse to lose in here, it’s you.”

At that, the tears started to fall.  Magnus fell to his knees, and Taako came over slowly to kneel beside him.  Merle quietly shuffled over to gather up Cam of his pedestal and headed off to the far end of the room to give them some space.

“Babe… this shit is a play for the long game,” Taako whispered, putting a hand gently to Magnus’ cheek, “We’ve got to give as little as possible if we want to have any chance of getting out.”

“I know, I’m sorry,” Magnus sighed, leaning into the touch.  “I… I overreacted.”

“I know.  It’s, like, your gut instinct to put yourself between danger and anything you love,” Taako said.  He smiled softly.  “I hate it, but you wouldn’t be the man I loved if you were any different.”

Magnus stared at a spot on the floor for a long time.  Taako knew what he had meant by it all.  Losing another person he loved… having another person be taken … of course Magnus was scared.  Taako looked Magnus over, taking in his now graying hair and weather-worn face.

Truth was, they were all scared.

“I thought you said you were going to mellow out more in your old age,” Taako teased quietly, and at that Magnus gave a tired smile.  Taako leaned forward and gave Magnus a tender kiss.

“I… I wish we had more time,” Magnus whispered quietly against Taako’s lips.

“Oh honey, we’re getting out of this,” Taako laughed, patting Magnus on the cheek.  He leaned back, resting on the heels of his hands.  “And then it’ll be smooth sailing!  We’re so close to retirement from the adventuring life!  Only one more relic to go after this one!  Then you and me, we can build a house in the countryside.  And get, like, a dog.   Two dogs!  All the dogs you want big guy!”

“I just didn’t realize,” Magnus muttered, reaching for something in his side bag, “If I had known that it was going to be like this I would have finished it sooner…”

His fingers closed on something, and then Taako was stunned to see Magnus pull a small wooden ring from his bag.

“ Magnus… ”

“I haven’t finished the carving on the band,” Magnus sighed, “And I’ve got some linseed oil that I was going to finish it with.  Had to give Garfield a vial of spit for that one, which was fun .  So it’s nowhere near done.  I wasn’t even sure if I you’d like it or not.”

Taako took the ring from Magnus with shaking fingers and looked it over.  Half of it was carved with entwining vines and branches of lavender, but a portion of the design was only half etched into the surface.  It clearly had taken Magnus a long time, the details on the finished portion were very intricate.  It was probably something he had been working on for months.  In the unfinished etching Taako could clearly make out a flower with four petals, each shaped like a heart.

“Magnus why,” Taako said, eyes tearing up, “Why wouldn’t I like this?”

“I just wasn’t sure if you were the kind of guy who was big on symbols like that,” Magnus admitted.  “I just… I didn’t want to scare you off.”

“My man I just admitted my ideal retirement is letting you build us a house and make it into an animal shelter,” Taako laughed, tears spilling over.  “I think it’s pretty safe to say I’m into this.”

Magnus reached for the ring, but Taako quickly slipped it onto his finger.  It was lopsided because only half of it was carved, and didn’t sit quite right on Taako’s finger.

“No… no it’s not done,” Magnus said, taking Taako’s hand.

“No take-backs man!” Taako hissed, slapping his hand away gently.  “You don’t just offer someone a ring and then rescind it!  That’s poor manners Maggie!”

“I need to finish it before I ask-” Magnus stopped, catching his words in his throat.  Taako met his eyes, wide and tear-stained.

“I-”

“Ooh, how sweet ,” came Edward’s voice through the air.  “But you are wasting valuable time.”

“We so rarely get to see sweetness like that,” Lydia concurred.  “But sweetness isn’t what we’re really all that interested in.”

“Leave them alone!” shouted Merle, running over to Taako and Magnus, Cam still in his hands.  “We’re done resting, we’ll get back to your game.”  He came to his friend’s sides, looking over their faces.  “I’m sorry guys, we’ll have to get moving.”

“No no, it’s okay,” Magnus said, helping Taako up.  “We’re getting out of here.  We’ll have time for this later.”

“Yeah,” Taako agreed, “This is not the end of this conversation.”

They grasped hands, and Merle put a hand on top of theirs.

“Congratulations you crazy kids,” he sighed.  “Here’s hoping for that future you’re planning.”

“We’re getting out of here,” Magnus said firmly, squeezing Taako’s hand.  “We have to.”

Taako was spinning, twirling across the room as Magnus held his hand loosely, his bright red robe flaring out around him.  Everyone was laughing, clapping, cheering as the music reaches a fever pitch.  Merle was passing around glasses of wine as Lup hollers at her brother, her own hands entwined in both Barry and Lucretia’s.  Taako twisted into Magnus’ open arms with a smile.

One week ago they had broken up the Light of Creation into seven parts.  And the Hunger had not appeared.

They were free .

The music slowed, and Magnus pulled Taako in closer, hands on his hips.

“Save room for Pan you too,” Merle laughed, passing Davenport a drink.

“Oh shove it holy man,” Taako snapped, pressing even closer to Magnus’ chest.

“ Shit ,” Barry laughed.  “We’re home I guess.”

“It’s about as close as you can fucking get,” Lup hummed.  “The sky’s the wrong color and there’s only the one sun but…   Pretty fucking close.”

“We’re actually going to stay here,” Lucretia said quietly, like she could hardly believe it.

Truthfully, none of them could.

“I’m glad it’s here,” Magnus said, “I’ve been… we’ve been waiting for so long.”

“You gonna be okay settling down?” Taako teased, wrapping his arms around Magnus’ neck.  “No more crazy adventures for Magnus Burnsides?”

“Oh I don’t know about that,” he laughed, pulling away as the song ended.

It happened very quickly, but for Taako it still felt like time had stopped.  The music quieted, and Magnus reached into his jacket pocket with a smile.  Merle started to laugh as he got down on one knee, and Lup cackled with excitement when Magnus extended his hand with a ring.

“I think... I’m ready for one more adventure.  If you are.”

Taako’s hands flew to his mouth, face flushing and ears pressing flat against his head.

“Are you asking…”

“I mean, it’s not…” Magnus stammered, trying to read the look in Taako’s eyes, “We p-probably won’t be able to until we get the Relics taken care of… a-and it’s not like this changes anything about our relationship… We basically already are at this point....”

Taako slams into him, throwing his arms around his waist.

“Yes yes yes Magnus, please stop talking!” Taako cried, burying his face into Magnus’ chest.  

The group started laughing and clapping as the couple hug tightly.  Magnus rest his chin on Taako’s head.

They were free.

As the party quieted out and everyone headed to bed, Taako and Magnus sat on the steps up to the dorms.  Taako admired the ring, which now he could see that Magnus had carved himself.  It was a plain, smooth band, Magnus had only recently mastered working at such small a scale, but it fit perfectly.  Magnus laced his fingers with Taako’s.

“You know, we’re going to grow old now,” Magnus muttered.

“Speak for yourself,” Taako whispered with a laugh.

Magnus laughed in return, kissing the top of Taako’s head.

“I told you, I’ll love you forever ,” Magnus hummed, “I’m looking forward to it.   Growing old together .”

At that, Taako let loose a laugh much louder than he meant to, causing Magnus to hiss a giggling “Shhhh!” at him.

“See, this is why I love you.  Only you could make getting old after a hundred years of youthful immortality sound romantic .”

Chapter Text

They need the rest, but no one can sleep.

Taako stared into the crackling fire, watching the tongues of flame dance and cast twisted shadows onto the trees around them.  Out of the corner of his eye he saw Merle, slumped against the arm of a tree-stump chair with his head in his hand, trying to will himself to sleep.  Not far from him is the Red Robe, floating silently in the air, ethereal and intangible, and most likely incapable of sleep.

Taako can’t sleep either, for other reasons.

Magnus.

His new body is slumped next to Taako, trying fruitlessly to reattach his right arm.  His face is featureless, but Taako can almost feel the furrow of his brow as he tried again and again to wedge the ball of the shoulder into the socket.  Eventually he dropped the arm, and hung his head.

Taako reached a tentative hand over.

“Please… please don’t,” Magnus said before he could make contact.

“Why?” Taako asked, trying to keep his voice level.  “I want to hold you, Magnus.”

“I don’t… I don’t want you to…” his voice trails off as his blank mask of a face turned to look at Taako.  “This isn’t me .”

“You’re Magnus,” Taako whispered.  “You’re more than just a body.”

“But… Taako I don’t feel anything,” Magnus replied.  “I don’t feel the fire or the ground underneath us.  I don’t feel cold, or hungry, or sleepy.  If you touch me I’ll… I won’t feel anything.”

Taako tried his best to hold back the tears.  Magnus couldn’t cry, so he wouldn’t either.

“Are you sure you wouldn’t feel anything ?” Taako whispered.  “Anything at all ? ”

Magnus knew he had upset Taako solely from the look on his face, but his words cut straight through Magnus’ wooden heart.

Maybe he did still feel something.

“Taako I don’t know what to say,” Magnus admitted.

“I do,” Taako muttered, taking a shuddering breath before covering his face in his hands.  “I’m so sorry I did this to you!”

“Taako no!” Magnus cried.  “Those liches are the ones who did this.”

“It’s my fault you’re in this body,” Taako sobbed, tears no longer staying in check.  “I told you we had to think about the long game, and then you took all those sacrifices, and you took that bad luck without even thinking, and if that hadn’t happened-”

Magnus’ wooden hand brushed against Taako’s, hesitant and featherlight, but Taako shuddered at the sudden sensation.

“Taako I don’t regret any of my sacrifices,” Magnus whispered.

But Taako knew that wasn’t true.  If anything, Magnus wasn’t even aware of what he had actually given up, but Taako had pieced it together hours before.

The memory of Julia’s killer was gone from Magnus’ mind.  But the pain of her loss was still there, still fresh.  Taako knew that because he had seen it all over Magnus’ face.  And there, in the darkness of the Astral Plane, had been a moment of hesitation.  A moment where Magnus had looked at him as if… he didn’t want to come back to the Prime Material Plane.  As if he had resigned himself to death.

“Did you want to die?”

“Taako…” Magnus whispered.

“Do you miss her?” Taako cried, wiping tears from his eyes.  “Is that it?  Were you hoping you’d see her again when you…”  He can’t finish the thought.

The two of them had not had time to speak since the battle.  Since Edward had sent Magnus’ soul hurtling towards the Astral Plane.  Since Taako had dived into the darkness after him, arms outstretched.

“Taako I miss her every day ,” Magnus said, “I miss her so much it hurts .  And when… when I thought I was going to die, it was a comfort, knowing I’d finally get to see her again.  But when I saw your hand reaching out for me… With this ring…   my ring on it…”

Taako took his left hand into his right, twisting the unfinished ring over and over his skin.  Magnus put his wooden fingers over them, and this time Taako didn’t flinch.

“I can’t leave you to carry the weight of my loss,” Magnus whispered.  “I’ve done that for her and… I wouldn’t wish that pain on anyone.”

“What are we gonna do, Mango?” Taako laughed through tears.  “I was dumb enough to think this was almost over .”

“I think it is,” Magnus said quietly.  “One way or another.”

“We’ll figure something out,” Taako whispered, putting a hand to Magnus’ empty face and pulling it down to press their foreheads together.  “I won’t leave you like this.  No… I won’t leave you.”

Magnus didn’t know what Taako thought he could possibly do, but he knew there was a lot to his words.  Magnus had stood by him when he gave up his beauty (a farce as far as Magnus was concerned because Taako would always be beautiful), now Taako was returning the favor.  

Too bad this couldn’t be fixed with a minor illusion.

“Taako… tell me again about what you want to do when this is over?”

“Oh, you mean the house?” Taako said.

“Yeah,” Magnus said with a nod, spreading his wooden arm to let Taako lean against him, “Tell me all about it.”

“We’ll build it miles away from any cities,” Taako said, curling up against the rigid mannequin body.  It wasn’t the same. “And you’ll insist on doing the whole thing yourself, even though we’ve made enough money to afford a contracter.  I’ll pick out the furniture like the little domestic housewife I am, and when we’re all settled in we’ll head out to Neverwinter and pick up every stray dog we see.”

Magnus laughed for what felt like the first time in a lifetime, and Taako wished with all of his heart that he could still feel the sensation of it booming inside of Magnus’ chest.  “All of them?”

“Well at first I’ll say ‘ Just one, Magnus ,’ but then one will become two,” Taako sighed, pressing his cheek against the wood, wishing to hear a heartbeat he knew wasn’t there.  “And two will become three, and I just can’t say no to you and all their sad little faces.”

“Wouldn’t it drive you crazy, having that many animals?” Magnus asked, curling his arm around Taako as tight has he could.

“Oh yeah, but you’re so good with them,” dismissed Taako with a wave of his hand.  “And Angus will come to help walk them all the time.”

“I…” Magnus hesitated, wooden fingers skirting over Taako’s arm.  “I always thought we’d have Angus live with us .”

“You want to adopt the kid?” Taako asked softly.

“Well he doesn’t have any living relatives,” Magnus replied.

“I think for his sake we’d need a good stable two parent household to raise him up right,” Taako said, sitting up slowly and looking into Magnus’ uncarved face.  “Last I checked, you didn’t actually ask me.”

“I wanted to finish the ring first,” Magnus muttered, and it sounded pained.  He lifted his one remaining hand, closing it slowly into a fist.  “Won’t be able to do that with… these hands.”

Taako took Magnus’ hand delicately, resting his ringed hand on top.

“Magnus… I don’t want a ring ,” Taako choked out.  “If we can get you back, that’s all I want.”

“I’m sorry,” Magnus whispered, and he pressed his wooden face to Taako’s forehead in a pantomime kiss that made Taako want to sob even more.  “I like… the symbol of the rings.  It represents... eternal love.   My love.”

“Fine then,” Taako said, raising his hand.  He extended two fingers and waved them daintily as if stroking the air, and as he curled his hand around to lay his palm up a silvery ring had fallen into it.  Magnus was speechless as Taako took the ring and slipped it onto his wooden finger, and then tapped it with his nail.  The ring shrank until it was snug against Magnus’ hand.  “There, it’s official now.”

“Taako…”

“I’ll always love you,” Taako said, “I’ll love you until the day I die.”

Magnus’ face was unreadable, and as Taako tried to get something from the way the blank slate looked at him, the Red Robe floated into view.

“Forgive me,” it hissed, hovering a few feet away, “I know… I know it won’t mean anything coming from me but… I’m so happy you two found each other.”

“Yeah,” Taako said, feeling self conscious.  “Thanks, I guess.”

“I always hoped…” the Red Robe paused, as if unsure what to say.  “What I mean is, everyone dreams of having a love like you two seem to have.  A love that defines you.”

At that, Taako didn’t reply, and the Red Robe drifted off.

“A love that defines us,” Taako whispered, and Magnus’ nodded.

Things had never looked so bleak, but perhaps it was true.  Perhaps their love would get them through.

At the very least, they could hope.

“I’m not sure how much longer I can stand this,” Magnus muttered, burying his face in his hands.

“You have to,” Taako said, putting a hand on his shoulder.  “We can’t go get those Relics back now, no matter how fucked up they are.  I already lost Lup to that bullshit, I’m not losing you too .”

“I can’t live quietly knowing I played a part in destroying this place,” Magnus sighed.

“Magnus,” Taako took Magnus’ face in his hands.  “Honey.  We did what we had to do.  We should be thinking about moving on .”

“To what?” Magnus muttered.

“To… to us ,” Taako replied.  “The Relics have been out in the world for a over a year, and we’re still living on this ship.  Haven’t we earned the right to have normal lives?”

“I’m not sure we have,” Magnus sighed.  “I just… do people like us get to have normal lives?  Do we deserve that?”

“Yes!” Taako cried.  “I didn’t travel 100 years in a spaceship and lose everything I’ve ever known and loved to be miserable .”

“The idea of getting to be happy, after what I’ve done,” Magnus muttered.  “Knowing I put something out in the world that can ruin it without us even knowing… It honestly makes me feel sick inside.”

Taako stiffened at that, nervously worrying the ring Magnus had given him what felt like a lifetime ago.

“Magnus… do you still love me?”

Magnus looked up, and his eyes looked so far away.

“Of… of course I do, Taako,” Magnus said, getting up.  “I told you, I’ll always-”

“I just… we finally got what we wanted,” Taako whispered, “But we’re not...  I’m not… I’m not happy anymore.  We aren’t happy anymore together.”

At that Magnus enveloped him into his arms, pressing his face into the curve of Taako’s neck.

“I need to move on Maggie,” Taako said into Magnus’ shoulder.  “I need to live my life and… Maybe it’s selfish of me to think this way, but the only people left who matter to me on this fucking planet are here .  And I can’t let myself get held back by regrets.”

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, and Taako felt himself tearing up.  “I’m sorry.  I’m so sorry.”

“I know,” said Taako, and it felt like something warm was leaving him.  But that wasn’t true at all.

He was leaving Magnus.

When they finally managed to pull apart, Taako fished for something in the pocket of his robe.

“Listen… I don’t think… I don’t want to think this is the end,”  Taako said through tears.  “I trust you when you say you love me.  I can’t live like this anymore but…” He produced a silver ring.  “I’ll always love you too .  And I know you like sappy shit like this.”

“Taako I-”

“No hold on,” Taako said, holding up his hand, “I meant to give this to you ages ago but I was too wrapped up in other things.  It’s not the same now, but I still want to give you something .”

He slowly pulled the wooden ring off his own finger, and put it with the silver one in his palm.  With a quiet mutter of elvish, he closed his fingers over the rings and passed his free hand over them.

When he opened them, the two rings were now interlocked, two perfect circles entwined like the links of a chain.

“Here,” Taako said, holding them out.  “If… if you ever think you’ll be able to be happy again, I’ll take them apart, and we can give this another shot.”

Magnus laughed softly, taking the two rings.  “I do love you,” he sighed.

“I know,” Taako said with a sad smile.  “I love you too.  But this...”

“I understand.  Maybe someday,” Magnus said, putting the gift into his pocket.

Taako didn’t come to Magnus’ cabin that night, or any night after it.

But neither of them remembered that a week later.

Chapter Text

Taako doesn’t want to say what he really thinks as they look at the suspended body in the glowing pod.

It’s Magnus.   Magnus.   Flesh and blood and soft and warm and breathing and living .  The mannequin that currently holds his soul is gesturing to it like an excitable child.  And Taako knows that Magnus would give anything to be in that body again.   Taako would give anything for it as well.

But would he remember?

Taako can’t stand the idea of Magnus looking at him any other way.  Looking at him as if the world revolved around him.  He tried to remember what it looked like when he and Magnus first met, when they were strangers to each other, and he couldn’t.  He couldn’t remember a time when Magnus wasn’t looking at him like he hung the moon.  If Magnus were to forget, would he still look at him that way?  

Would he still love him?

Magnus was dead set on it, and nothing Taako said deterred him.  They agreed to leave Magnus behind, and Taako hastily scribbled out a note for future Magnus to use as instructions.

He fought every instinct that told him to write I love you on the bottom of the note as many times as he could.  They didn’t have time, and it would not help them.  

Just as they’re about to leave, Magnus’ hand catches Taako’s.

“I need you to do one more thing,” Magnus said, and he held up his left hand.  Wiggling his fingers, Taako’s breath hitched as the eerie green light glinted off the silver ring he had put there the night before.  “I need you to take this.  So I don’t…”

“I get it,” Taako said softly, taking Magnus’ hand.  “You might not remember.”

“I don’t want to forget it and leave it behind,” Magnus said firmly.  “And anyway, you made it so tight I can’t get it off.”

“I did that because I knew you would lose it,” Taako said, tapping the ring with his nail, causing it to expand.  The ring loosened from around the finger, and Magnus tipped it into Taako’s hand.  A bitter laugh escaped Taako.  “Great, now I have to be responsible for your stuff.”

“I’ve got an idea,” Magnus said, reaching into his bag.  He pulled out a chain that had a dark iron ring attached to it.  Taako knew it was Magnus’ wedding band from his previous marriage.  He hadn’t worn it in years, but he kept it on a chain to make sure he never lost it.  Unhooking the clasp, he held it out for Taako.  “Take them both.”

Taako slipped the ring onto the chain, and the metal of the two rings clinking together seemed to echo through the entire chamber.

“There,” Magnus said, and Taako thought he could see relief on the featureless face of the mannequin.  “Now you can take my heart with you.”

Taako slipped the chain over his head and held the two rings in the palm of his hand.  Then, as if moving on it’s own, Taako brought his other hand to the pair and quietly pulled his own ring off as well.

“Taako.”

With all three rings in his palm, Taako closed his fingers around them and muttered something quietly in elvish.  When he opened them again, Taako’s wooden ring was entwined between both of Magnus’.  The perfect circles of metal looping through each side of the lopsided ring, like links in a chain.

“There.  Now my heart is with your heart,” Taako said.  Magnus nodded, and pressed his wooden forehead against Taako.  “Make sure you come back to me.  Next time I see you you better be in that gorgeous bod of yours again.  And you better remember me.”

“I will,” Magnus whispered.  “I told you, I’ll always love you.  Even if I forget.”

They pulled apart slowly, and then Taako turned for the door and left without saying anything.

There was nothing left to be said.

Magnus, please.” The strange woman was crying, grabbing Magnus arm as he sank to the floor.  His mind hazes over, and suddenly he can’t remember what he was doing in this room.  “Please just lie down, I don’t want you to fall and hurt y̵o̕ur̸s̵el҉f͠.”  

The room is spinning but at the same time Magnus can’t make out any features of it.  It’s like he’s standing in a void of static.  The woman is talking but it’s starting to go fuzzy too, and Magnus only understands half of what she’s saying.  She’s grabbed at him as he slumps to the floor, dropping the gift he was carrying.  As he falls he hears something hit the floor, a weird metallic clink like keys dropped on tile.  He tries to see what it is, but the floor is now a blur as well.

“Oh… Oh Magnus is this i̶s̸͢͡͠ ̸͝t̸͜͟h̶̡̨͘į̶͜s̴̢͠ ̶̸̢t͝҉̧̡͠h͟e҉ ̶̴̛͡ŗ͘͘͢͠i͜͡ņ͜ģ̴ ̢̡̛͠͝t̨͞ḩ̡̢a͟͠t͢͝ ͜͡͞y̶̨̛͢o̡͢u͠҉̷ ͜͡͝҉g̢͘͞a͏̷̢̕͝v̶̵̛͜͠e͠͏ ̷̴͢͜Ţ̷̸̷͜a̷͢͝͡a̷̷҉҉k̢̨͡o͏͞?͢͡  It is, isn’t it?”  She grabs something off the blurry floor, and puts a hand to Magnus’ cheek.  “I’m so sorry ̕͝͠a̸̧͜b̸̵͠o̴̡͟u͏̕͞t̵̸̛͞ ͢͠y̸͟҉o̵u̡ ҉̸̢͟t̸͞͏̵͟w̢͜͏o̶͘͢,̷̵ ̵͞͡b̴͞ư̢̛t̡͜͠ ̨͟, everything is going to be okay.  I’ll make sure you ̧w̶̧̡̕o͠҉n̷͜͜’̸͟t̢̨͠ ͟͟b̛҉͡ȩ̕ ̢͘͞a̸̶̢l̷͢o͢n̢͏̢͘e̛ ͠ I promise, you’ll be happy, you won’t̵ e͞v̷̶͝e͏̨n̷̴͠͠ ͝͞҉̧͘k͢͞҉͏n҉̧o̵w̨͢͟ ̷̡͠t͟͡͝h͞a̕͠t͏̡͢͟ ̵͠͝h̸͠͏ȩ̢͢͠'̡̡̛s̶͟͜ ̸̷͡͞g̸̡͠o͝͠ņ̷̡͜e̶͟ I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m so sorry.”

Forgetting is easy.

Forgetting just happens.  Memories are whisked away into darkness and all that remains is the hole where they used to be.  A hole the mind fills quickly with new ones in the hope to hide that anything was there at all.

Remembering is hard.

Remembering is ripping off the bandage and tearing off the layers of skin that have grown over that hole, willingly seeing that that hole is there at all.  That something was missing.

It all hits Taako at once.

There’s so much in one hundred years.

His mind is flooded with his sister long gone , memories of the mission, quiet nights curled up next to someone, of planets far away and fantastical, but Lup is gone, of monsters in the darkness of space, a fluttering in his heart, friends lost to time, Lup, his hand entwined with Magnus’, how did you ever forget Lup, two rings interlocked, and he’s on his knees as tears are pouring from him because how did you forget this?

How did you forget us?

He wants to scream when Magnus enters the room, alive and whole and flesh and blood, but his breath has left him.  His heart, his lungs have stopped.  The only thing working in his whole body is his mind, traveling backwards one hundred years.

Magnus can’t describe the look on Taako’s face when he enters.  It’s possibly the most pain he has ever seen him in, and as Barry forces a vial into his hand, Magnus is suddenly overwhelmed with fear.  He downs the liquid in one gulp, and he feels the sensation of it hit his belly as it does his mind.

It’s like a horse has kicked him in the stomach and the head simultaneously.

Remembering is hard.

Magnus remembers Taako, another Taako from long ago.  He remembers falling in love in stereo, two sudden realizations, two hasty confessions, two quiet nights curled up beside each other for the first time, two first kisses over a quiet breakfast, two nights where they promised they’d never forget, two times he carved a ring and watched it slide onto Taako’s hand.  Twice.  He has loved Taako twice, and each time was similar but decidedly different.

He wants to run to Taako, to sweep him into his newly made arms and hold him, like the first time all over again, but as he remembers this he also remembers everything else.  Their mission, the Relics.  Lup.   Oh gods Lup .  Magnus falls to his knees as well, and Barry does his best to keep him steady.  Everything feels hot and blurry, and Magnus realizes it’s because he’s crying.  A century of happiness and pain all experienced at once is too much, and he is only one man.  Taako is sobbing, inconsolable on the floor as Merle does his best to wipe his own tears away and bring Taako to his feet.  Magnus too wants to lay on the floor and cry, but Barry is staggering forward under his weight, pulling Magnus closer to the steps.

Finally they’re there, and Magnus feels boneless as he realizes he has no idea what to do for Taako.

Taako, who he’s loved twice.

Magnus gathers him up into his arms, holding him close as they both shake and wail through the aftershocks of remembering.  Merle is holding onto Magnus’ shoulder with a tightened death grip, as if holding on was the only thing keeping him here in this world.  And as though his mind is not his own, Magnus finds himself whispering.

“I loved you.  I loved you.  I loved you so much.”

Chapter Text

After it’s over, Magnus knows exactly where to find him.

The crashed Moonbase was in ruins in a desolate field, but they won’t need it anymore.  The Bureau is done, and The Hunger is gone for good.  He made sure everyone got out alright, checking in with Angus and Killian and Carey before approaching The Director about it.  Lucretia let him go through their personal items she had kept hidden in her office for so many years.  Among jackets and trinkets he found them: two interlocked rings.  

“I kept them safe,” she sighed, “I… I owed you two that much, at least.  Magnus I… I never intended to let things go on as long as I did.”

“I know,” Magnus said, putting the rings into his pocket.

“When I saw you two had gotten back together on your own,” she continued.  “I was so afraid I had missed something, that you would remember, but I was so happy for you both.  Truly.  I never wanted to hurt you.  I never wanted to separate you.  I didn’t mean for anything that happened to turn out the way it did.”

Magnus put a hand on her shoulder.

“Thank you… for keeping them safe,” Magnus said with a smile, and Lucretia couldn’t help but smile back.

With that he headed to the city.  Headed to where he knows Taako and Lup will have gone.

The entire city of Neverwinter was celebrating.  Every door was open and every person living was cheering, drinking, shouting their praises.  Magnus got stopped by everyone wanting to shake his hand, to thank him for everything he’s done.  He doesn’t know what to say.  Everyone knew him now.  Everyone knew everything, thanks to Fisher.  He was reminded of his days in Raven’s Roost, being the Hero that brought down the Mad Governor.  It was a sensation he didn’t think he would ever experience again.  It made him uncomfortable.

He focused on pushing forward.

They will go somewhere loud.  They will be at the center of the celebration.  And they will be cooking .

Sure enough, he found the twins in the kitchen of the largest Inn in town.  The halfling owner of the establishment was beaming proudly, more than happy to turn over his place to a couple of heroes who just saved the world.  Taako had his hair up, and he’s carefully chopping ingredients while Lup added them to a pot.  They had at least six different dishes going, and they showed no signs of stopping, serving up whatever got finished to the happy crowds.  There are mountains of food piled up on the counter, and people are gleefully coming forward with plates and taking whatever they wanted.

Magnus had to laugh.

They were making up for lost time.

He stood at the door to the kitchen, not wanting to interrupt their moment.  He wanted so badly to hold Taako, but Magnus knew that missing Lup had changed Taako more than anything else.  Thinking back now, on the person Taako was after his memories were taken, Magnus realized how vulnerable Taako had become.  He had hardened, grown bitter, but he had so desperate for a connection to anyone who cared.  Magnus’ thoughts drifted to their first night together… their second first night, Taako hesitant to ask for comfort but wanting so badly to feel the love he had forgotten.

“I want to know what that feels like.  I want to know what waking up next to someone who cares about you feels like.”

Magnus watched him chopping and stirring and sauteing, flitting around the kitchen in sync with his sister as though they had never been apart.  He looked happy.  He looked happier than he had been in so long.

When Taako finally looked up from what he was doing to see Magnus, he looked at Lup for permission to step away from the counter.  She gave him a grin and a roll of her eyes before nodding.

“I’ve, uh, there’s a quiet room upstairs,” Taako said over the gleeful shouts of patrons.  “If you want to talk.”

“I’d like that,” Magnus said.

Taako took Magnus’ hand and gently led him towards the steps.

Loving Taako had always felt like seeing double, but for the first time Magnus truly understood why that was.  He remembered back to another night decades ago where he had carried Taako up the stairs and tucked him into his bed with a smile.  The had loved and forgot and loved again.  Magnus could hardly believe it.

Ascending the stairs, Magnus realized that he was trembling, but he couldn’t quite place why.  As Taako turned the handle of the door, he squeezed Magnus’ hand tightly.

“I’ve got you, big guy.”

The room was sparse, a plain bed and a dresser, but it was empty and it was quiet .  Taako led Magnus over to the bed and sat on the comforter softly.  Magnus joined him, still trembling, and the old mattress groaned under his weight.

“How do even you start a conversation like this?” Taako muttered, and at that Magnus laughed, feeling the smallest bit of tension leave him.  “I guess… you were right?”

Magnus was caught off guard by that.

“What?” he asked.  “What was I right about?”

Taako leaned in, a devious grin on his face.  “I believe you said ‘ I’ll always love you.  Even if I forget.’”

It’s only been about two days since their last flesh and blood kiss, but Magnus leans in as though he’s been dying to kiss Taako for an eternity.  Magnus feels the softness of his new lips on Taako’s and he starts to cry.  He doesn’t bother trying to hold back the tears.  His hands went straight to Taako’s cheeks, pulling him closer as he kisses again and again.  When Taako started to laugh and pull away, Magnus wrapped his arms around Taako’s shoulders and kissed his cheek, his nose, his jaw, his neck.  Any inch of skin he could reach.  Magnus began to sink to the mattress, pulling Taako down with him until they were both laying face to face on top of the covers, Magnus unable to pull his lips away from Taako, even for a moment.

“Honey,” Taako whispered as Magnus kissed up his neck.  “I love this, but we have to talk .”

“I know,” Magnus replied quietly against his skin, hot breath sending shivers down Taako’s spine.  “Do we have to sit up for it?”

“I mean, a serious conversation could happen with you smooching me to death,” Taako mused, “But I’d kinda like to see your face .”

Magnus groaned, and shuffled up to put his eyes level with Taako’s.  He was, in this moment, the most beautiful he has ever been, eyes soft and damp with tears too as he looks at Magnus with such a longing .  A yearning that Magnus only now understands comes from having loved someone for so long.  And even though they had been together almost every day for the past year, knowing that there was decades of time together before that simultaneously weighed heavy and made Magnus’ heart soar.

“Magnus I-”

“Before you start,” Magnus interrupted, “I don’t want you to think I... resent you… for what happened those last few days.”  He cast his eyes down.  “None of us were ourselves towards the end of it.  I certainly wasn’t.  You were just trying to do what was best for you.”

“Really?  Because it anything it was the start of some really unhealthy behaviors on my end,” Taako sighed.  “After everything we had been through, I caved .”

“Taako life was hell for all of us, and you had just lost Lup,” Magnus insisted, “I wasn’t mad at you then, and I couldn’t be mad at you now.  If anything, it probably made… forgetting you easier.”

They looked uncomfortably at each other for a moment, and then Magnus sighed.

“I’m… I’m sorry I couldn’t wait for you,” Magnus said sadly.  “With Julia I mean.”

“You fell in love,” Taako hummed, closing his eyes, “And you didn’t even know I existed.”

“I’m just so confused now,” he admitted, “Would I have still loved her if I knew about you?”

Taako’s eyes snapped open.  “Magnus if there’s one thing I know, it’s that you adored Julia,” Taako insisted, putting a hand on Magnus’ cheek.  “I’m so thankful that you were able to find someone while we were apart.  Someone who loved you so much, as much as I do.”  He leaned forward to kiss Magnus on the nose.  “If anything I should be thanking her .  It’s nice to know she loved you as much as you deserved to be, because I wasn’t there to do it.”

“But you!” Magnus cried.  “You and that idiot Sazed!  God, Lucretia had no idea what that man was like and she just left you with him.  You were alone and confused and had a hole in your heart but…  All you had was him.”

“Like I said, Taako developed some unhealthy behaviors after our breakup,” Taako muttered.  “If one of us was going to be a fuck up, it was gonna be me.”

Another silence fell over them as they lay there.  Taako put a hand to Magnus’ chest, slowly rubbing back and forth absentmindedly.

“ Gods I just realized!” Magnus laughed suddenly, and Taako felt his heart leap at that familiar sensation of laughter booming in his chest.  “You did that show in Raven’s Roost!”

“Yeah it was one of my earlier ones,” Taako admitted, “I think you said your wife was a fan?”

“Yeah I took Julia to see you on one of our first dates,” Magnus laughed.  “She teased me the whole way home that night because when she asked me what I thought of the show, I said you were ‘ very pretty good ’.”

“Ha!” Taako laughed.  “Maggie what does that even mean?”

“I think I meant to say ‘pretty good’ but ‘very pretty’ was what I was thinking,” Magnus said sheepishly, a bit of blush spreading through his cheeks.

Taako kissed his nose again, and Magnus blushed even redder than before.  He leaned forward for a soft kiss on the lips, but it quickly became more intense as Taako crashed into him, desperate for contact.  It still felt strange, his lips smooth and unmarred by chapped skin and scars.  But Taako was full of soft gasps and sweet hums and Magnus wanted to keep kissing him and hearing those sounds forever.  Magnus’ hands trailed up to Taako’s hair, tangling into the bun he had tied up for cooking.

“Do you think… do you think it went so much smoother the second time,” Taako whispered against Magnus’ lips, “Because we already knew?”

“Maybe,” Magnus whispered back.  “Or maybe the people we were when we met again were just… more in need of each other.”

“Still… remember how I knew how your favorite color before you told me about it?” Taako laughed.

“God yeah, and how I guessed your coffee order right on the first try?” Magnus giggled, and it was so endearing Taako had to kiss his cheek again.

“I think we did know,” Taako hummed as he pressed himself there.  “I think we always knew.”

“I think…” Magnus paused, gathering his thoughts, “I think it’s the little things, the things only we knew… those were the things she couldn’t erase.  Because why would she think of erasing ‘ Taako always gives Magnus his grapes ’ from us?”

“Gods that had to be it, right?” Taako gasped.  “She would have no idea... the things I said on our first night… And then on our second first night, you said to me… How love feels warm…”

“And being with you makes it hotter and brighter,” Magnus finished, realizing what Taako was talking about.  

“Gods, we really did remember each other,” Taako said.  “Maybe not all together, but there was always something there.”

“Well I told you I’d always love you,” Magnus said with a beaming smile.

“Minus the part where you forgot,” Taako teased.

They kissed again, and then Magnus shuffled to get what he had brought from his pocket.  When he produced the two rings, Taako gave an indignant laugh.

“Oh she kept them?”

“She kept everything of ours,” Magnus explained.  “I had them with me the day… the day she erased everything.  She grabbed them when I went down.”

“Well,” Taako laughed, pulling the chain around his neck to produce the other set of rings still hanging there from under his shirt.  “It seems like we’ve got a surplus now.”

Magnus laughed, taking the unfinished ring and comparing it to the one he had carved almost fifteen years ago.

“I’ve gotten so much better since then,” he chuckled.

“Meanwhile Taako is just as creative as ever,” Taako laughed, noting that the two rings that he had made were basically identical silver bands.  “I mean, I was pressed for time both times but still… no excuse for taste.”

“Hey,” Magnus whispered.  “You said… you said if I thought I could be happy again, you’d take them apart.”

“Well you said that a ring represents a heart,” Taako said.  “Do you want your heart back?”

“Only so I can give it to you again .”

It was Taako’s turn to blush, and he gathered all five of the rings together into his hand and closed his fingers around them.  Magnus put a hand over his reverently.  With a whisper of elvish, Taako opened his hand.  All five were now separate, each one it’s own perfect circle.

The two wooden ones were loose, but Magnus’ previous wedding band and the one he had worn as a mannequin were still on the chain.  Taako placed the rings on the bed and undid the clasp so he could remove the silver band.

“Am I allowed to finish this?” Magnus asked, pointing at the ring he carved.

“It’s still super rude to take back a ring you already gave me,” Taako hummed, taking the plain wooden one.  “I’ll just wear this one until you’re done.  And I’ll take this .”  He grabbed the silver ring from on the chain.  “And I’ll make it a little more up to Taako standards .”

“God I’ve never worn this one,” Magnus said, taking the ring Taako had given him on what they thought was their last day together.  “I don’t even know if it will fit.”

“That’s what magic’s for, baby,” Taako hissed with a grin, watching as Magnus slid on the ring.

It did fit.

It fit perfectly.

“I know… I know technically I’ve already asked this,” Magnus hummed quietly, taking Taako’s hands into his own.  “In another lifetime.”

“Well,” Taako answered quietly, “Maybe you should ask again.  For this lifetime.”

“Taako… Will you still marry me ?”

Taako doesn’t answer, but his smile tells Magnus everything he needs to know.  The elf nods, and then presses in again for another kiss.

They fit together perfectly.

“When these two asked me to officiate, I got confused because I thought they were already married,” Merle laughed, causing the audience to chuckle in response.  “But then I realized, it was because these two loved each other so much for so long, it was impossible to imagine that they were ever apart.”

Magnus smiled at Merle, who was standing on a step-ladder so he could be seen by the gathered audience.  The dwarf was wearing the nicest robes he owned for this, and though they were a bit tattered he had cleaned up nicely with his unruly beard tamed into two braids.  

Magnus was appreciative, even though he was doing the best he could with a clean white shirt and plain (not stained) trousers.  Taako was simply impressed he had managed to find a shirt that still had sleeves, not to mention pants to match.

And Taako.   Oh Taako !  Taako had gone for something understated (for him), wearing a loose white top and a long tiered skirt that was billowing behind him in the wind.  Lup had done up his hair in traditional elven braids, with both hair and flowers twined together into a crown around his head.   Primrose, of course.  It was the only flower they needed.  The golden flowers framed his face as he smiled up at Magnus, holding tight to his hand.

“Pan doesn’t often do the whole romance thing,” Merle continued, “He is a god of simple pleasures and passions, not deep emotions.  But He is a god of laughter and merriment, and in these two I believe He has found faithful emissaries.  Because when they laugh together, Pan will be there to bless them.  When they dance, Pan will bless them.  And when they do the deed ,” The audience groaned, but Taako snorted out a laugh that made Merle chuckle as he continued.  “Pan will bless them.  Because He’s into that.”

At that Angus came forward, holding the pillow that held two rings.  Magnus had finished his carving, the wooden flowers in relief almost glowed with the linseed oil polish he had worked in.  Taako’s ring was finished too, the silver band transmuted to have a pair of animals running across it, entwined with vines.  A bear and a mongoose, of course.  Taako took the silver ring in hand, and Magnus took the wooden one.

“Istus, on the other hand, She loves romance,” Merle continued, “Love thrives under honesty and truth, and She holds that over all else.  And She loves these two, Her emissaries for decades, protectors of Fate.  She was kind before we ever knew Her.  She brought them back together, in spite of everything.  When these two are together, She will bless them, happy to hold them together in the strands of Fate.”

At this, Merle nodded for the pair to speak, and Magnus smiled.

“Taako I… I’m no good with words,” Magnus began, and Taako grinned and slapped his hand playfully.  “But honestly , when I see you I find myself even more speechless.  My love for you is impossible , and I honestly can’t even begin to understand how we got so lucky to fall in love, not once but twice .”  He slipped the wooden ring onto Taako’s finger, nestling up tight to the plain band he had carved once upon a time.  “And I’d fall in love again and again, forever, if I had to.  I’ll always love you.”

Taako laughed, tears creeping into his eyes.  Taking a breath, he began his vows as well.  “Mags, I told you once that knowing you loved me made me want to love myself.  And it’s true.  Knowing someone like you can see past all my mess to something beautiful ?  God Maggie, it’s everything .”  He slipped the silver ring onto Magnus’ finger until it’s snug against the plain band from so long ago.  “When we thought the world was ending, we still had each other.   Twice .  And even though we’re retiring from this adventure nonsense, I look forward to having a thousand dogs and going on this adventure with you.”

Everyone clapped at that, and Lup and Carey both came forward with a golden, silken cord suspended between them.  Magnus and Taako clasped their hands together, allowing these special women in their lives to bind their hands together, wrapping the cord around their wrists as the couple’s fingers intertwined.

“Pan’s blessing on you,” Merle said, putting his hands over their bound hands.  “Istus’ blessing on you.”

At that, Carey and Lup step away, leaving Taako and Magnus’ hands wrapped together.

“For no one in the Universe has this been more true,” Merle sighed, “But today we celebrate the eternal joining of these two souls.  Today they give each other a part of themselves to share forever.  We are creatures made to love, made to give that love away to others.  Magnus, Taako, you have both loved and lost, and learned to love again.  May we all have the strength to love every day as deeply as you have learned to love.”

At that, Magnus was bawling.  Taako smiled, knowing it’s both sadness and joy causing those tears.  He leaned his head forward to rest against Magnus’ chest, squeezing Magnus’ hand tightly.

“Hey… hey,” he whispered.  “It’s okay big guy.  I know.”

Magnus sniffled, smiling through his tears.

“Magnus, do you take Taako Tacco to be your equal partner in love and life?” Merle asked.

“Y-yes,” Magnus sniffed, his voice so small and delicate.

“Taako, do you take Magnus Burnsides to be your equal partner in love and life?” Merle asked.

“Absolutely,” Taako said without hesitation.

“Then, I now pronounce you spouses for life!” Merle cried.  “You may now kiss your partner!”

Everyone is cheering as Magnus leans into Taako, but Taako rushes up with a frantic kiss, pressing himself into his lips as fast and as hard as he can.  Carey and Lup are both hooting, and Angus is clapping with a smile on his face.  When they part, Merle undoes the binding over their hands, allowing them to separate, but they keep their hands clasped so tight.

They turn to their friends, all smiles and cheers.

The night would be a long one, filled with drinks and laughter and kisses and dancing.  And their future was bright.  A future filled with love and a warm home and an adopted boy detective, a half-dozen dogs, a garden of primrose, over medium eggs perfectly cooked served with coffee mixed with five spoonfuls of sugar, grapes ( always grapes) passed across the table, quiet nights curled together in bed, hands clasped, pressing kisses to each other’s lips quietly, whispering impossible promises that they know now can be kept.

I love you.

I have always loved you.

I will always love you.