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Taako learns, in a horrifying few moments, that his boyfriend doesn’t bleed.
Drop by drop, he just, fades.
It happens at once when they’re ambushed on a lonely road by a group of bandits with a death wish. Maybe they’re just idiots who don’t recognize the stunningly gorgeous face of Taako, or aren’t intimidated by the man beside him radiating with divine energy. Or maybe they’re fully aware of who they challenge. As the fight quickly escalates he’s leaning towards the ladder because damn they almost give the power couple a run for their money. Almost.
Every elegant slice of Death’s blade is followed by magic missiles, fireballs, sometimes just stupid tricks to trip up the opposing wizard. If anything, the only reason they’re not completely dominating is because of how distracted both are by the other. Seeing Kravitz work up close is a rare treat, and a little bit sexy, even as he’s cutting down a brutish elf charging at the pair with dual axes drawn. And Taako is showing off too, naturally , burning spell slots left and right because he cannot be bothered to give a shit. They’re winning, duh. One by one bandits crawl away or lay defeated on the now muddied ground as rain starts pouring over the fight. By Taako’s estimate there’s only three opponents left and he blinks behind their cleric trying desperately to heal the party. His wand raised, the woman flies into a nearby tree at the force of an unseen hand. He’s about to deliver the sickest line when a voice cuts through the sound of battle and rainfall.
“Careful -!”
In a blur of smoke and feathers Kravitz is behind him, and Taako turns in time to see his boyfriend take a nasty blow from the elf with axes, apparently having recovered enough to attack again. The next moment the man is on the ground with a dramatic spray of blood.
Once he’s down he surveys the area, now still and silent.
Then Taako lets out a barking laugh. “Man, get a fuckin’ load of these guys, Krav. Can you believe it? They thought they were gonna stand a chance against us ? Wow, put that one in the joke book, guys. But seriously. Let’s see if these chuckleheads had anything of worth on them, eh?” As he talks he’s already strolling over to one of the more certainly dead bodies littering the ground and begins rummaging through loose bags on the dwarf’s person. Jerky, knick-knacks, other dumb shit, two silver pieces ? He mutters something to himself about the lot being cheaper than he expected, before speaking up for Kravitz to hear, “All of this trouble and they carry fucking junk on them? Babe, please tell me ax boy has something better up his sleeve -”
Mid-sentence bright blue eyes turn towards his reaper and upon landing on him, every part of Taako’s body freezes solid ice.
Kravitz is still near where he last appeared, saving Taako , but looking like he’s stumbled a few steps to the side to lean his weight against a tree. He never - he knew the grim reaper himself could be hurt, but he didn’t think he could be wounded, not like this. The way he stands gives a perfect view to the gloved hand clutching at two clear, black lines cutting into his chest to reveal nothing at all. Not blood or guts but a terrifying absence of space. From nothing a black smoke spills through fingers that seem to desperately try and hold it in, a futile effort. His face shows it, contorted in pain and a sudden exhaustion overtaking the reaper now doubled over. If this isn’t bad enough he realizes it’s harder to focus on his boyfriend. Like he blends into the rain, becoming less real the longer Taako looks at him. More smoke seeps out. He looks worse.
Taako almost trips onto his face scrambling up and over to Kravitz’s side.
“Fuck - fuck fuck fuck what’s going on? Krav? Kravitz I thought you were like an immortal ghost kind of thing I thought you couldn’t be killed what’s happening?” Words fight to get out faster than the one before it as he hovers there, unsure if he should touch, or where to, or if he’s yelling because his own pulse is deafening in his ears.
Kravitz mumbles something he can’t make out at first, then after a labored breath manages louder, “I - I won’t, die...it’s - I - I’m okay -”
As he speaks Taako is frantically digging through his bag, looking for potions, or something, fuck why didn’t he ever learn any healing magic? It’s not like their goddamn cleric ever did much of any, why didn’t he fill that gap? And no potions either, what’s wrong with him? All the while he’s rambling to Kravitz to try and steady his nerves. “You - yeah, you’re okay, this is good, this is cool. Taako’s chill, he’s totally got something for this, ‘kay? Bag full of infinite shit I’m sure I have something to stitch a reaper back together, right?”
“T - Taako -”
“So like - I don’t think I have any health potions, but I’m still looking. If I do will it even work on you? Like, would that do anything or is that more of a living person kind of thing? I swear to fucking shit I thought I saw one -”
“ Taako !” His voice is hoarse in a horrible new way that scares the shit out of Taako.
He stops in his track and meets the gaze that’s flickering even more now, like he’s losing signal with his own fucking self.
“L - look I might - I’m..I’m probably, going to, d - disappear, okay?... D - don’t, freak out -”
“Oh we are far beyond freaking out, babe! We are full fucking panic no one told me anything about you disappearing or whatever!” Part of him wants to plead for Kravitz to stay, somehow, or at least long enough to explain. Without thinking he does try to grab his arm and hold him in place next to Taako, but his hand closes around something not, quite there. It feels solid one moment then faltering the next, slowly fading out of his grasp.
Kravitz’s gaze softens at the sight and he gives another shuddering breath, “I - I’m sorry - I’m sorry, Taako - b - but it’s okay .”
For a moment he flickers out completely. The last few words are barely audible above the rain.
“Talk t - to Lup, she can find me -”
Like that, Taako is left crouched next to nothing, arm hovered in the air trying to hold what’s gone. Despite what Kravitz said he can’t stop the screaming in his head that he’s gone, his boyfriend is gone, he’s gone and never coming back. He died in front of Taako because he was careless during their fight and had to save him.
Everything around him is so loud and overwhelming and he just wants him to come back.