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“Who..?” Echoed throughout the small velvet curtain lined room. Taako’s ears twitched at the echo of his own voice. Long blonde locks were pulled tightly into a braid that fell over his shoulders, extravagant and the most extra wizard hat adorned his head. Stepping around the claustrophobic room, Taako gently dragged his fingers against the curtain, raising a brow. This place was uhm...well not great, to say the least. Taako however, pulled the curtain to the side only to reveal another...and another.
“Taako’s certainly not good in here.” He grumbled quietly looking over before another voice would chime, one that was so strikingly familiar that it made his heart ache and his head spin. Turning a heel to face that voice, Taako’s fingers twitched as the Elven woman before him stood quietly, cautiously even. She knew he didn’t remember her, how did he get into her staff? Lup’s ears would twitch as Taako took a step forward waving his hands in a more animated way, saying she had to ‘Up her fashion choices‘. Like he was to speak, yeesh, talk about a sad clown you throw cheese at but, there’s no accounting for taste...right? Lup couldn’t help but smirk, however, when she spoke again? Static. Her voice echoed the room, however, nothing but static was heard in Taako’s ears. She moved closer and…
He jerked awake, chest heaving sweat dripping down his features. Taako ran a hand through the loose strands of blonde locks, bright heterochromatic eyes scanning the room. Angus, Magnus, and Merle, all snoring away. Why were they piled into the room again? Oh, yeah the kid had a nightmare and they were in the Moon Base. Sucking in his breath, Taako’s ears twitched once more as he swore he heard lingering static. It was the same dream, the same goddamn dream almost every other night would come to him with an all too familiar woman that made him feel sick. Something has always been missing from Taako Taaco’s life, and he knew that but could never exactly find the right ingredients to solve that recipe.
You see, Taako had little ticks. Magnus had noticed them first, the way Taako would always stay to the right of people when they spoke or walked, or even when the elf would cook he would always leave room beside him as if someone was cooking with him, shadowing him even. Or the fact that the other two of the three would catch Taako singing an old song that had a duet which never came. He would never sing both parts, only the one. Always alone until now. Now? Taako had two friends who were slowly (but surely) chopping away at the carefully guarded front he had created. He had the world's greatest detective always at their side asking questions and learning magic. (To Taako’s surprise, the kid was a quick learner. ) A small smile twitched onto the elf’s face as he quietly glanced at the bundle of ‘family’ not caring about the time. Grabbing ahold of his pillow, Taako laid back burying his face into the softness, his ears twitching at the sound of Magnus and Merle snoring loudly. Very loudly. Thank god the kid didn’t wake up. The snoring would just be another added sound to hopefully block out the dreams.
———
“Taako! Taako, Please can’t you hear me!?” She screamed. Lup’s voice had grown hoarse as the woman tore curtain after curtain down as they fell to the floor with a loud thud. Frustration was clear in both her body language and tone. Taking a deep breath, Lup would scream and scream until her throat was raw. She would try to project herself through the Umbra Staff that laid neatly against the wall beside the bed the boys were all piled onto. (You have to be ready for a fight, just in case). However, Taako wouldn’t reply. Nobody ever would, her family didn’t know she was even there.
Let alone remember her.
Who knew. Who knew how easily one could be forgotten. Slinking down the wall, Lup shook, her fingers twitching as small sparks emitted from her fingertips. Calm down, Lup you have to calm down. He’ll remember soon, you need patience. She would repeat this to herself over and over, in an attempt to calm herself. When she was out? Oh, you best believe she would have to have a talk with Lucretia about all of this. She wasn’t mad, no not at all. She understood what Lucretia was attempting, though it may not have been the best idea. Slowly bringing her knees to her chest, Lup sucked in a breath and buried her face into her arms.
——
The dream didn’t return when he slipped back into a light doze, thankfully. By the time Taako was up, everyone was out of the room going about their daily things. Angus was probably in his office with papers thrown everywhere in an “organized” mess as he called it. Magnus more likely was training or somewhere with Merle. Running a hand through his hair, he decided to keep it down as he threw the hat over his head, letting out a sigh as he stared into the mirror in the room.
“You have my face…” he mumbled to the reflection that tiredly stared back at him. Pushing off his seat, Taako grabbed the handle of the umbrella as he strolled out of the room down the hall. Swinging it idly, he knocked on the boy wonder’s room with a hum in his voice. “Anges! I heard you wanted to have me try one of your macarons you made.” He chuckled at hearing the boy gasp and shuffle from the other side of the door. The sounds of papers being shuffled and books being closed came to a stop as the younger boy whipped open his door with an excited grin, adjusting his glasses as he nodded.
“Hello, sir!!” He beamed up at the elf, leading Taako down the hall toward the kitchen. When said sweets were gathered up, Angus held up the tray for Taako to take his pick. But it seemed the Umbra Staff….had other plans. Within moments, Taako thankfully redirected the blast toward the wall, macarons sadly obliterated in the process.
She….she would have to apologize to the kid later.
Taako’s eyes were wide, throat dry as he stared at the letters that had burned into the wall by his very weapon. Angus stood beside Taako with the charred remains of the sweets, staring at the wall, confused and concerned.
“L, U, P,” the young detective read aloud, a brow raised. Neither understood, both surprised. Thinking about it too much made their heads hurt. Giving a quick report to the director, Taako leaned the staff against the wall of the kitchen. He gave Angus a hand to make another batch, trying to brush off the event. Hopefully, these ones wouldn’t be destroyed.
——-
“Taako it’s me!” Lup yelled. Her voice was nothing but static to Taako’s ears, however. He was dreaming again, fuck. Letting out a groan, Taako waved his hand dismissively.
“Look, These uh...dreams? Yeah, no. They’re harsh’n my cool and honestly? I’m not too cool having my face stolen.” He chuckled faintly looking at the other elf who had fallen silent, a look of shock and a bit of confusion on her features. Was he fucking serious right now? Pinching the bridge of her nose, Lup’s brows twitched in her own growing frustration as Taako kept the small smirk plastered to his face, trying to keep up the flippant attitude to maybe stop this crazy dream sequence.
“I get you’re trying to talk to me but… I don’t understand static. It kind of hurts my head, the same type of hurt I get from seeing you in these dreams or whatever.” He commented. Looking around the area, Taako sighed and shifted his weight, leaning back slightly with a hand neatly placed to his hip. These dreams felt waaaay too real. Were they even dreams at this point? He sure as fuck didn’t know. After a moment or so, her voice seemed clear, no static. She had to dance around the specific things that were taken from him. Lup furrowed her brows, speaking quietly.
The only words that escaped her lips clearly at that point were-
“Break it and find me.”
When he woke up, Taako forgot those words. He’d forget them for a while, along with a lot of the other things Lup had given him during the course of their lives. But, when the time came, when he finally, finally remembered his sister’s face, he would also remember the advice she gave him in that dream. And he’d break that fucking umbrella right over his knee.