Chapter Text
Taako knows he has some rich snobs in his fanbase, it's not like the voidfish filters socioeconomic situations when it broadcasts information. The Taako brand is good and this definitely isn't the first time he gets a letter with a wax seal that most elves couldn't hope to beat in notoriety.
The seal was simple, but elegant. The central symbol was two catenary arches side by side, shining gold with the unique wax the sender had used, which color was as iconic as the insignia itself.
He's seen this once, on a chain around a very clever young boy's neck.
The letter opener is awkward in his hands as he fumbles open the envelope. He hasn't really had to read much mail himself since he hired people to sort through the mountains of dead trees that get sent to him on the reg, but he did list this boy's possible letters as "for Taako's eyes only". Biting his lip, he glances at the seal again, he wonders if Angus knows the varying meanings it holds across the planar systems. He snuffs the candles next to him as he shakes the letter free, just as pristine as he expected in the black and white filters of his darkvision.
Dear Mr. Taako,
Hello, sir! I hope you are doing well. You seem real busy with your new lifestyle brand, but I'm very happy with all the success surrounding it! I don't know if you've heard, but Mr Miller is planning to open a school so that all his family's knowledge can be spread throughout the world! It's opening next month and I'm planning to enroll myself. I'm so excited to go to school! It makes me wonder-- what was the IPRE like, sir, when you were studying there? Did you study as a wizard specializing in Transmutation or were course structures for wizards different in the Institution, or even the first world you lived in? There's so much more the day of story of song didn't reveal, sir!
So many questions but so little paper!
I'm also writing to you as a heads up--because of the course load I plan to take there's an optional recommendation letter for when I apply to the Academy. You don't need to do it, but you're the only magic teacher I could put down so you might receive a letter for a review about my academic attitude and character. I'm not even sure it'll get through the letter checkers I've heard you had! I hope mine goes through.
I'm very thankful, for all that you've taught me and have done for me. Thank you! I don't know where I-- or anyone in the world-- would be if it wasn't for you.
I love you!
Your favourite boy detective,
Angus McDonald
P.S. A lot of folks requested to be put as my "guardian" in my application form because Mr. Miller forgot to put "legal" in front of it. The others insisted that you wouldn't want to miss out on tormenting Mr. Miller, so I put your name down, too. Hopefully they're right?
P.P.S. I've almost gotten the hang of piononos! I'll send some next time.
There are no lights in the room that can show what he starts scratching on a fresh piece of parchment (Dear Agnus Ango Agnes) but by the time the sun rises it's a half-completed draft that's shoved in his work desk's bottom drawer, the only spot not infested with knick knacks from his hoarding ways. He completes it the next night, stuffs it in the same drawer with the envelope and doesn't take it anywhere near the post office.
Angus knows better than to expect a reply from him. The chef can't even begin to understand having someone to write… “home” to.
Another different letter, however, reaches the Academy of Arcane Sciences.
Angus still sends another one after that. And another. And another.
Taako still gets night terrors after everything, again. And again. And again.
He still wakes up tossing and turning in the middle of the night, but now he’s got his darkvision and some ink. So when he can’t get out of where his mind tries to trap him he takes those letters out and pens replies, half a dozen versions to the same letter as he eats whatever pastry Angus decides to make that month. Taako's using two drawers now, for the letters he gets and the ones he doesn't send.
It's another school's establishment he's responsible for when the letters are brought up. It a night of celebration, prompting some wine and video games with robust character creation. Taako’s blasted the fantasy PS4 controller (an inside joke with Kravitz) so he's waiting for him now-- the reaper’s taken to confiscating controllers from necromancers for this specific purpose.
"Where are you keeping them now?" he shouts from Taako's room.
"The lower drawers, hon!" he answers, leaning over the arm of the couch as if being a foot or two closer would help in being heard.
Taako pours both of them another glass of wine as he watches the character on the screen's idle animation for a few minutes. A particularly wild hair style they've gots to try catches his eye and he chokes.
"BABE! YOU'VE GOT TO SEE THIS!"
Silence. Then, the gentle thumping of bare feet on the floor gets louder and faster, and Taako is greeted with his beaming boyfriend making quick work of plugging in a new controller and squeezing back in next to him.
"Holy shit, Taako, are you seeing--"
"The hair gravity forgot?!"
The dark-haired dork has already selected said hairstyle, spinning the character rapidly and making face parts in wrong face places clip through each other in what H.P. Lovecraft probably described as indescribable. Kravitz pulls out his work voice but it’s so so much worse. Taako's losing it at this point, wine-drunk and so happy he gets to have this moment. He glances over at the man who’s tangled their legs together as his hollering subsides to giggles.
"Oh gosh... hey, what took you so long in there? Thought one of my drawers ate you or something."
"You have a lot of drawers, Taako, so I actually wouldn’t be surprised if one of them did that? It took me a minute to find the right one and uhm..." he smiles in a way that's the slightest bit strained, is that guilt? "I found the letters? For Angus? I didn't mean to snoop I swear! It's just--"
"No need to explain, my dude. I was considering replying to Ango once but I kinda decided that that's not too important. Gotta spend time improving the business right now."
"Is that why there's another letter you're writing on your desk?"
Taako doesn't know how to reply to that, so he drains his wine glass, hoping it covers up how much redder he gets.
“Hello, sir! Did you get my letters?”
“Of course I did, Ango, I opened all of them and read them.”
He’s sliding the letter opener with ease now, practiced and perfected as he places it back in the mess he calls his work desk.
“Why did you say that that weird?”
“Nothing! I just, read them! All the words.
He’s realising there are terms he’s forgotten with his sister that give him a burning sensation right behind his eyes as small but significant pieces of his memory hurtle at him at break neck speed. He gets lost in remembering learning magic with her when Angus writes about lessons. He’s so happy his boy gets to share his education with good friends.
Pictures? Were there pictu-
He’s scratching out the outline of his new hat at the bottom of his letter, mimicking the boy detective’s doodle of his new glasses.
No, just the words, I can tell from your face It’s just words no pictures.
He’s considering asking for one. Even just to gouge how tall this boy is probably getting. Humans grow up so so fast and he crosses out the words “slow down or you’ll get old in a day" because the thought makes him... unsettled.
So yes I read all of the letters.”
I'm going to try out for the soccer team soon, sir! I'm a bit nervous, but I've been practicing a lot so I think I can get in!
He would’ve said:
Good luck, little man! Your scrawny boy legs are probably going to need it.
He would’ve said:
Nice choice of sport, Ango. I never tried it myself, but me and Lup crushed it at varsity volleyball.
He would’ve said:
Finally I can claim the middle-class suburban mom aesthetic. Any other youth sporting events you wanna join in?
Working on research is very very tiring sir, but it's still so fun to learn about magic circles! I didn't know that you could just omit so much of it and still have it work.
He would’ve said:
Never was attached to drawing with chalk on the floor. Like, good for other wizards I guess but I would rather not get beheaded as I leaned down in preparation for hopscotch or whatever it does.
He would’ve said:
I’m glad the Academy is keeping that big brain of yours busy. Also, if you’re looking for any advice on magic circles I’ve got squat, my man. They’re inconvenient and impractical. 0/10
He would’ve said:
It’s kind of nice that you’re learning things I never would have taught you (Still,I did not teach you magic circles for a good reason though, Agnes.)
I'm having a lot of fun being here sir, but sometimes I miss your very direct teaching.
He would’ve said:
I do have a school y’know?
He would’ve said:
I’d normally suggest Taako’s Amazing School of Magic but it doesn't have the focus on technology you seem to favor, Ango. Though if you miss my teaching you'd probably like the duels.
He would’ve said:
I miss your many many questions during your time as my student too. Maybe if you had asked them I could’ve corrected the texture of these cinnamon rolls you’ve sent.
I love you!
He would’ve said:
I love me too, little man.
He would’ve said:
You’re a dork, Ango.
He would’ve said:
I'm so so proud of you, pumpkin.
I love you, too.