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Taako can count on one hand the number times he has ever felt truly nervous around Lup. It’s a rare occurrence, seeing as the twins had long since developed a “your shit is my shit” policy regarding things both material and emotional. Still, this is one of those times where he is just anxious around Lup.
He’s here with her now. The two of them are sitting cross-legged across from each other on Taako’s bed. Taako is staring at his hands on his knees trying to distract from the emotional maelstrom he’s feeling right now.
“Hey Taako?” Lup says very gently. “Look at me,” he does. He knows Lup saw his trembling hands. “You’re okay. It’s just me,” her smile is a sad one. She can read him easily, of course she can. She has known him for centuries.
But things are different. It’s only been a decade, a sliver of time to an elf. Inconsequential, really. But damn, things are different now.
Taako reaches out to hold both of Lup’s hands in his. He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. It was easier to do this for Kraavitz. Kraavitz hadn’t known Taako all his life. He wasn’t the one who’s seen Taako live, flourish, and die multiple times. Kraavitz wasn’t the one who spent his entire life growing up alongside Taako.
Taako can feel his lip tremble at the thought of everything he and Lup have gone through together, and everything they hadn’t gone through together. Everything that’s changed.
He feels Lup’s hands tighten their grip. She steadies him; always has. Despite everything that feels different, this is one thing that feels familiar. Lup is still his sister. She knows Taako. Hell, sometimes she knows Taako better than her brother knows himself.
“Taako?”
He opens his eyes and sucks in a teary breath, steeling himself before dropping the illusion around his face.
Taako is quiet while Lup takes a moment to study his features. Then he turns and looks at both of them in the mirror atop his dresser.
They are no longer identical.
“Lup…” Taako can feel his eyes watering as he tries to find words to describe the hysteria bubbling up inside. He knew this. These are the sacrifices he made in wonderland, he knows that there is no way to undo them. But he just can’t explain the feeling of despair that engulfs him when he sees the two of them side by side in the mirror.
Their eyes are different, their chins too. Taako can’t find Lup in any of his features anymore and he starts to panic. They don’t even look related anymore. God, he looks like the most generic elf. Taako drops Lup’s hands to trace his features, searching desperately for something, anything that’ll mark the two of them as family.
“Taako! Taako, look at me. Deep breaths okay? Look at me, Taako” He’s ugly crying now and he knows it. But that seems par for the course these days. Look at him.
“Taako.” There’s a change in tone in Lup’s voice that draws his attention instantly. Her face is stern but it softens instantly once he’s facing her again.
“It’ll be okay. Check it” she waves here hand towards her own face and suddenly the long slope of her nose has shortened. Her chin is rounded. Her cheekbones are no longer defined.
She turns his face so they can both look into the mirror. They look average. Less ethereal and more human.
But most importantly, they look like siblings again. Twins.
Taako feels overwhelmed, “Lup…”
“It’s okay. We can take turns wearing the glamour” her smile is back, but it’s pained. Angry. Furious at the liches who did this, at the monsters who stole her brother’s features from him. Saddened at the fact that her brother had to make any sacrifices at all. But at the same time, joyful to be alive and here with him now.
She feels like she failed her job as older sister. Maybe if she’d taken somebody with her to secure the gauntlet. Maybe if she’d meditated harder to get out of the umbrella. Maybe if she hadn’t been so damn competent at creating magical artifacts it would have been easier to escape. Or maybe if she’d never made that damned umbra staff to begin with…
She starts as she feels Taako take hold of her hands again. Taako knows Lup too, sometimes better than Lup knows herself.
It’s fine. They won, the Hunger is gone and over with. They’re safe now, and alive. They have each other again.
That’s what matters.