Chapter Text
Magnus is leaning in the doorway. It's not like that's weird or anything; they share this suite and see each other every day. It's just that now Taako has so many new memories, or maybe old memories, fuck, of Magnus doing the same thing, except on a goddamn spaceship, except with this look in his eyes like he'd crossed seas and deserts just to stare at Taako. It's just that three days ago, Taako didn't know—didn't remember?—the feeling of Magnus' hands in his hair, or the taste of his mouth, or the burn of Magnus' stubble against his skin.
And sure, they'd had chemistry before—A, he's Taako, of course they have fucking chemistry, and B, Taako wouldn't just throw himself into the fucking astral plane for some schmuck, no matter how many adventures they'd been on, no thanks, Taako's good out here. So like, obviously, Taako cares, and he cared long before Wonderland; there's honestly no way to live with Magnus "Unbearably Wholesome" Burnsides without loving him in some way, especially when you're Taako and you flirt and cuddle and trust him with your life.
But Taako—because he's an elf living on the moon, because of course he can't have anything normal—Taako went on a date with the Grim Reaper, and now, right this minute, he's thinking of Kravitz, and he's so madly in love with an honest-to-god bounty hunter for the Raven Queen it feels like his heart might burst, and then there's Magnus.
Magnus is leaning in the doorway, holding himself like his every molecule hurts, and that's before Taako even gets to the look in his eyes, because really, Taako doesn't want to think about it. That's why he's here, alone in his room on the moonbase, not thinking about it.
"What's up, homie?" He's addressing Magnus' left eyebrow, but Magnus doesn't seem to notice.
"Oh, nothing," Magnus says, and there's a painful lightness to his voice that makes Taako want to crawl under the bed and never come out, and then he says, "It's just… I sort of just remembered that I love you?" He's twisting his big, scarred hands, and now he's staring down at the floor.
"Sounds about right," Taako mumbles, but Magnus keeps on like he didn't hear.
"—that I'm in love with you, and I have been for almost a hundred years, I guess, and it's a lot to take in. I think I might have been falling for you before all of this, even, and now…"
"Taako?" Magnus jumps at the voice behind him, and for a moment Taako is filled with the need to chastise him, because now he remembers the year Magnus spent purposely startling and surprising them all to keep their guards up. It's only a moment, though, and then Taako's heart bursts with warmth while the lump in his throat turns solid and cold.
Kravitz shuffles his feet, trying to avoid brushing against Magnus by accident. "Is this a bad time? I can come back—"
"No, it's fine," Magnus mumbles. "I'll just…I'll catch you later, Taako." In the doorway, fidgeting with his wedding ring, Magnus Burnsides looks small, and only gets smaller as he retreats down the corridor.
Taako flops down on the bed with a heavy sigh, facing the wall; it takes only a few moments for Kravitz to strip out of his coat and shoes and lie down behind him, pressing his cold nose into the overheated skin of Taako's neck. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"Nothing to talk about, my dude," Taako says, and about halfway through his fake yawn turns into a real one; he lets himself relax against Kravitz's surprising bulk (and isn't that a fucked up metaphor for this whole goddamn thing, huh, that he's taken aback by the fact that his boyfriend is corporeal, what the hell). "I was just thinking of catching a quick snooze, if you feel like joining me."
"Sounds pretty good to me, honestly," and that soft chuckle bubbles up in Kravitz's throat, exhaled against the back of Taako's neck. "Do you mind if I talk just a little though?" Taako only hums and presses back like a touch-starved cat, flooding every one of Kravitz's nerves with warmth, so he ventures a bit further.
"I heard— I heard a little of what Magnus said." Taako immediately goes stiff against him, so Kravitz pulls himself away to give him space; he can't help his relieved sigh when Taako grabs his hand and draws him close again, even if they're holding the slightest bit of tension between them now. "And, well, we all saw it, just a little bit of it, when the Voidfish gave us your story. The way you two were. I guess what I'm trying to say, Taako, is—
"I love you. I love you, and I hate the thought of my life without you, but I hate the thought of you broken-hearted even more."
Taako turns in his arms, shifting so they're eye-to-eye. His voice comes out rusty, but he doesn't bother to clear his throat when he says, "Are you asking me to—"
Kravitz places a gentle finger over Taako's lips. "Shh, love. Please, I would never, ever ask you to choose. I just wanted to say that I love you, and if you love him, I understand, but I would consider it the greatest honor and pleasure of my life if you would let me stay with you still."
Tears begin to form in Taako's eyes, though he might deny it if pressed. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"
"Well, I'm not a mind-reader, so you may have to be more specific."
"I can love both of you. I can…have both of you. See you, date you, love you. Love…Magnus."
"If that's the case, then yes, you are definitely picking up what I'm putting down." Kravitz presses his cool forehead gently into Taako's. "If that's okay with you."
Taako's eyes are closed, his eyelashes sparkling. "I think… I think I need to try. But I love you. And we—you and me, Krav—this has to be okay for us, it has to be okay for you, every step of the way. I'm not going to make you pull yourself apart to try and make me happy."
With one hand in his soft blonde hair, Kravitz tucks Taako's head under his chin. They're easy against each other again, and Kravitz can feel the last of his own chill fleeing for the night. And maybe Kravitz could say that he, an agent of Death Itself with all the power that entails, would do so much more, so much worse just to make Taako happy. But it really doesn't need saying, so instead they sleep.