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Kravitz opened his portal in an out-of-the-way side street, hoping to avoid attracting attention, and his efforts seemed to be successful. He followed the directions Taako had given him through the streets of Neverwinter towards its western edge. Neverwinter sat along the edge of the sea, a river running through its center towards the ocean. Kravitz’s path led him along the streets built above the riverbank and towards the piers on the shore. The piers were dotted with small shops and food carts ready to serve travellers who came for the view as well as laborers who worked on the ships that stopped here and in the warehouses that loomed nearby. The area was a busy synthesis of business and recreation. Buildings that were once painted bright to attract tourists were now washed out and worn down by ocean spray, and the faces of the people that walked the pier were either bright with excitement or weary from work.
Kravitz located the pier Taako had directed him towards, and found his way to the boat rental at the end. He nodded to the attendant as he passed under the sign, descending a flight of weathered wooden steps that led him from the pier’s surface to a floating dock below. Waiting on the dock was Taako.
Kravitz stopped a few steps short of the platform, suddenly aware of the fact that he was not breathing. Taako looked stunning. Had he been breathing before? He wasn’t sure. Taako was wearing high waisted black pants and a long sleeved sheer blouse. The light fabric fluttered in the ocean’s breeze, mimicked by stray strands of hair. The mass of his hair was tied into a bun at the base of his neck, pulled securely away from his face. It seemed like an outfit chosen as much for practicality as for style, one which would keep him cool but protected from the harsh sun at the same time. Taako didn’t see him yet, but leaned against one of the deck’s pilings, gazing across the water and looking altogether magnificent. Kravitz forced himself to gulp down a breath of salty ocean air and made his way down the rest of the steps. Taako’s ears flicked towards the sound of his footsteps just a moment before he turned his gaze towards Kravitz. A broad and toothy smile erupted across Taako’s face before he could control his expressions, and Kravitz thought for a moment that his heart skipped a beat. That was ridiculous. His heart hadn’t beat in centuries.
Taako quickly schooled his expression into a flirty - if mildly disinterested - look, his ears dropping just a little as if to downplay his excitement at seeing Kravitz, and Kravitz found himself feeling lucky that he’d managed to catch the smile that had been there only moments before.
“You look nice, Bones,” Taako remarked, still leaning against the piling as Kravitz finally reached the dock before him.
“You look stunning,” Kravitz responded breathlessly. Taako eyed him carefully, an expression almost like skepticism passing across his face for only a moment before it shifted to a pleased smile.
“So I thought we could take it easy and do something a bit more chill? Something where we can just relax, you know?” he said, drumming his fingertips against the piling as he nodded over his shoulder. Anchored directly behind him was a small wooden boat already filled with a couple baskets and packages of supplies. “And besides, it’s been fuckin forever since I’ve gotten to go fishing. So maybe I’m using you as an excuse to get back at it, I dunno.”
“I didn’t know you fished,” Kravitz remarked. He was surprised by this new knowledge of Taako, and perhaps a little in awe of his growing list of skills.
“You’re the second person to say that to me today.” Taako arched an eyebrow as he spoke. He still leaned heavily against the piling, keeping a deliberate distance despite his intense gaze. Kravitz broke his own gaze away from Taako’s, his eyes catching on the way the small boat lurched on the water that lapped against its hull. His own stomach lurched in response. Had his feet always been that close to the edge of the dock? Kravitz took an uneasy step back.
“I...I don’t think I’ve ever been,” Kravitz admitted. “Fishing, that is. Not as far as I remember, anyway.” He hoped his unease wasn’t apparent to Taako.
“No? Well, allow me to introduce you to the world’s laziest way to be productive, my man.” Kravitz had to laugh at Taako’s casual joke. He felt grateful to know that Taako didn’t seem as uncertain as he felt. Taako continued talking, motioning toward the boat and putting Kravitz at ease as he did. “Seriously though, I bought a couple new fishing poles and rented this dory for us to use. Pay on the moon is decent, and there’s only so much to spend it on when you live in space, so I figured why the hell not. The Director’s been working us to death these days - wait , that was a joke, not literally of course - but anyway, this is like my one day off, so I wanted to take some me-time.” He looked from the boat to Kravitz, an uncertain but hopeful expression in his eyes.
“And I get to be a part of your ‘me-time?’” Kravitz asked, a little surprised if he was being honest. Taako looked away quickly and shrugged. Maybe he was a bit flushed from the afternoon sun, or he might have been blushing, or maybe it was wishful thinking on Kravitz’ part.
“Yeah. You’re - you’re lucky to be invited. You cool to sit in a boat with me for a few hours?” Taako asked, stuttering only a little as he raised an eyebrow at Kravitz.
“I...yeah, of course,” Kravitz sputtered. The idea of spending an afternoon on the vast ocean in a small wooden boat made him nervous, but the idea of spending a day with Taako made him think the imitation of butterflies he imagined he felt in his undead stomach might be from excitement rather than unease.
“Super,” Taako said, his toothy grin returning as he pushed himself off of the piling. “Now get that cute ass of yours into my boat.” Kravitz took one last uncertain look at the boat. When he turned back to Taako, the elf was offering him his outstretched hand. His expression was soft and reassuring. Kravitz’ unease disappeared in a moment, and he placed his own cool hand into Taako’s warm one.
Taako gently helped Kravitz into the boat, holding his hand tightly when it wobbled beneath his feet and making sure he was seated and stable before letting go. Taako practically leaped into the boat, freeing them from the dock with ease and pushing off towards the open ocean.
Taako was comfortable on the water, that much was clear. Kravitz wasn’t sure when Taako would have spent much time on the ocean - they’d never discussed it before - but it was clear he had. He seemed to know exactly what he was doing as he cut the small boat across the large waves out towards calmer water. The boat lunged up towards the sky with each approaching wave and dove back towards the water as it broke over each wave’s crest. Kravitz was embarrassed by how nervous it made him. He wasn’t at ease on the water in the way Taako clearly was, and he hoped Taako didn’t notice the way his knuckles gripped the sides of the boat, the way he held his breath every time the boat plunged downward as it passed another wave. He pulled his anxious gaze from the water and focused on the elf in front of him. Taako didn’t look at him, but instead craned his neck to watch the water over his shoulder, the tendons of his neck stretching and gleaming in the ocean spray. He wasn’t especially strong, but his muscles swelled as he strained against the oars to deftly row them farther from the shore. A few stray curls of hair stuck to the salt soaked skin of Taako’s neck and forehead, and the harsh sun made the loose hairs floating around his head glow like a halo. Watching him, Kravitz slowly found himself less concerned with the water and the unsettling motion of the boat. The vision of Taako put him at ease.
Suddenly Taako’s ears perked up. He turned a bit further to look ahead, then doubled his efforts, rowing quite a bit faster than before. Kravitz, unsure what Taako had seen, clutched at the sides of the rushing boat again, hoping his renewed worry wasn’t too easy to see on his face and believing it probably was anyway. As the boat reached the base of a wave Taako plunged one oar deep into the water, leaning against it as he rowed hard with the other. The small boat turned sharply, and abruptly they were pointed directly away from the shore. Taako raised the oars from the water and leaned forward, grinning at Kravitz and breathing heavily from the effort.
“Rip current,” he said, sounding very pleased with himself. His chest heaved in and out as he caught his breath. “We can ride this thing all the way out, hardly gotta do a thing.” His smile was tired but triumphant.
“A rip current?” Kravitz asked hesitantly. “Aren’t those dangerous?” He was sure he’d shepherded more than a few souls of people who had been caught in one.
“Oh yeah, natch,” Taako said, waving his hand almost flippantly. “If you’re swimming and don’t know what to watch for or how to react if you get caught in one, sure. They’re deadly. But for our purposes, this one is gonna prove very useful. It’s gonna carry us right out to sea.”
Taako was right, of course. He pulled the oars into the boat and relaxed as the shore steadily grew farther and farther away. No longer being tossed about by waves, Kravitz found himself able to relax as well and began to take in more details of his surroundings. Taako had stocked the bottom of the boat with plenty of supplies for the day: a pair of fishing poles and a net, a larger metal box that appeared to be insulated, several ceramic jugs, and a large basket that looked distinctly ready for a picnic. Kravitz’ instinct about the basket proved to be correct almost immediately as Taako pulled it out from under the seat to open it. Kravitz caught a brief glimpse of some cooking utensils inside before Taako closed it back up, holding out the carved wooden cups he’d produced.
“We gotta stay hydrated out here, the sun’ll getcha,” Taako said as Kravitz took one of the cups from him. “At least I do anyway, dunno about Mr. Death. How’s hydration work for you, my dude?”
“I - I do not need to drink,” Kravitz explained, “but I certainly enjoy it on occasion.”
“Well tough, the alcohol comes out later,” Taako quipped, a playful gleam in his eye. “But I’m serious about staying hydrated. That’s why I’ve got these.” He lifted one of the ceramic jugs and swung it from his finger. Now Kravitz was able to hear the liquid sloshing inside, distinct from the water surrounding him. “They’re all water, but I added some stuff for flavor. You want cucumber and honeydew, or raspberry mint?”
Kravitz hesitated. Both sounded lovely. “What’s in that one?” he asked, gesturing towards the jug Taako held now. The elf popped the cork open and gave it a sniff.
“This is the cucumber one.”
“I’ll have some of that, then.”
“Forgive the wooden cups,” Taako said as he leaned forward to pour the gleaming water into the cup in Kravitz’ hand. “I actually do have wine glasses for later. Just don’t wanna risk them getting broken in the boat. That would be a bitch to clean up.”
Kravitz nodded in understanding. “Thank you,” he said, pulling the cup back to himself, the fresh scent of the melon briefly interrupting the smell of the sea. Taako’s eyes darted to Kravitz’ face for a moment, and briefly he seemed to search for something there before he looked away to fill his own cup. Kravitz watched Taako’s lean fingers deftly replaced the cork in the jug and only had a moment to wonder if he looked as smitten as he felt before Taako’s eyes were on him again.
Taako was lifting his cup again, leaning towards Kravitz just ever so slightly in a way that drew Kravitz forward too, his teeth just showing through gently parted lips that were starting to smile. “Cheers.”
“Cheers,” Kravitz answered, his voice quiet to match Taako’s, and they gently tapped their wooden cups together before taking a drink.
Taako got the both of them set up with fishing rods, threading bait onto Kravitz’ hook for him. He only watched Kravitz attempt and fail to cast his line a few times before stepping in with a smile. His hands were warm on Kravitz’ as he guided him, doing most of the work but letting Kravitz keep his grip on his pole so he didn’t feel like Taako had done all the work for him.
Kravitz gave up on catching anything pretty quickly. Only twice did he think he felt anything nibbling at his bait, but both times he reeled it in to find it untouched. His attention was quickly focused on Taako. The elf stood confidently in the boat, one foot propped on the side, the breeze keeping stray hairs from his eyes and splashing his boots with ocean spray. Taako was comfortable here in a way that Kravitz hadn’t seen before. He wasn’t trying to flirt or impress. In fact, Kravitz sometimes wondered if Taako remembered that he was here. He didn’t mind. Taako was at ease, almost happy, and it was then that Kravitz realized he wasn’t sure he’d ever seen Taako so purely happy.
His calm happiness was abruptly turned to unbridled joy when something alive snagged on the end of his line. Taako shouted, leaping into the air and nearly off of the boat in his excitement, knocking the dory side to side in his glee. “Gimme the net! Quick, quick!” he yelped, motioning to Kravitz with one eager hand for only a second before grabbing his rod again to reel in his catch. Kravitz scrambled to help, wobbling a little in the unsteady boat, but ultimately producing the net just in time for Taako to drop his catch inside.
“Hell yeah!” Taako hollered, beaming broadly as he took the net from Kravitz to examine his catch. The fish was a good size, as long as Taako’s forearm. It’s scales shimmered a bright silver in the sunlight but were otherwise unremarkable to Kravitz. It thrashed wildly in the net for a few long moments, and Kravitz was keenly aware of its life draining from its slippery body. It didn’t bother him. He was too familiar with death to be disturbed by watching a creature die, and Taako’s eager smile was contagious.
“What kind is it?” Kravitz asked. “I’m afraid fish all look alike to me.”
“Haddock? I think,” Taako answered, lifting the now weakly wiggling fish from the net. “Funny. It looks different than the haddock I remember when I was growing up.” A cloud passed over Taako’s face as he studied the fish, his brow pinching. He shrugged, bending over to open the cooler. “Probably just a regional difference. I traveled a lot when I was a kid.”
“Oh? Where are you from, if not near Neverwinter?”
Taako quirked an eyebrow, carefully placing the fish in the ice. “You know, I couldn’t say for sure?” He chuckled a little, as if it wasn’t a strange thing to say. “I seem to remember my aunt living in a place called New Elfington, but no one seems to know where that is, and I haven’t been able to track it down. Not that I’ve tried very hard.” He dropped the lid of the cooler back in place and stood, casting his line into the water again.
“You said you traveled when you were young,” Kravitz prompted, hoping to learn more about Taako. He was glad to learn anything Taako was willing to share. The elf nodded.
“Worked on caravans a lot,” he said, his gaze trained on his line. “That’s when I learned to fish, actually. One of the travellers enjoyed fishing, and I needed to feed the folks in the wagons. He taught me. It was a practical skill to begin with, but I found I enjoyed it, too.”
“I can see that,” Kravitz remarked, not bothering to hold back his thoughts. “I’m not sure I’ve ever seen you enjoy yourself so much.” Taako looked back at him quickly, appearing surprised by the comment, but a shy grin crept onto his face and he didn’t contradict it.
“Well. I hope I’m not the only one enjoying myself today.”
“Not at all,” Kravitz assured him. “I’m not sure I remember a more pleasant afternoon myself.” Taako’s grin spread to a wide smile now and he winked at Kravitz.
Taako managed to catch two more fish like the first over the course of the next hour. His delight was less unbridled after the first catch but still apparent. Kravitz was happy to help with the net again, still having no luck with his own rod. When the third fish was tucked safely in the ice Taako packed up their rods as well. Kravitz expected him to take up the oars and begin making their way back towards the shore. To his surprise, Taako instead crossed the boat to sit beside him. He wordlessly leaned his warm body against Kravitz, opening his Umbrastaff to shade them from the harsh midday sun.
“Done fishing, then?”
“Mmm.” Taako’s eyes were closed, the corner of his mouth turned up just slightly.
“I would’ve thought you’d be wanting to head back.”
“What for? We’re not on a schedule. You don’t have somewhere to be, do you?”
Kravitz sighed, content. “Not at all.” He slid an arm over Taako’s shoulder, his fingers brushing the hand that held the Umbrastaff above them. Taako seemed to hum with pleasure. For only a moment the hum turned to a rumble, and Kravitz felt the vibrations in his own chest. Taako sat up abruptly, pulling away from Kravitz, his breathing suddenly shallow and panicked.
“Taako, are you alright?”
“Yeah! Yeah, cool, I’m fine, just peachy, totally great, I’m-”
“Taako, it - forgive me, but it almost felt like -”
“Like I was purring?” Taako said, finishing Kravitz’ thought, his voice pitching higher as he spoke. “Yeah, I - do other elves do that?”
A surprised chuckle escaped Kravitz’ lips. “I have no idea!”
Taako moaned, dropping his face into his hand, the Umbrastaff leaning wildly and no longer blocking the sun at all. “Fuck, it’s embarrassing!” Taako cried, his voice muffled in his hand. Kravitz laughed.
“Why is it embarrassing? I think it’s remarkable!”
“Because I have no idea if it happens to anyone else or if I’m the only elf in this whole godsdamned planar system who’s been cursed with the ability to purr,” he moaned, still talking into his palm. “I can’t help it. It just happens! Not often, hardly ever, really, but it happens sometimes when I’m -” he lifted his head abruptly, looking at Kravitz with wide eyes. “It happens when I’m feeling...comfortable. Safe. In a good mood. Whatever. Fuck, Krav, that hasn’t happened in years!”
Kravitz laughed again, taking Taako’s hand in his. “You don’t need to feel embarrassed-”
“Still do-” Taako interrupted.
“-I’m actually very flattered to know you feel that comfortable with me,” Kravitz went on, ignoring the interruption. “I hope that’s not the last time I get to feel that.”
“Don’t hold your breath,” Taako grumbled, trying and failing to sound irritated.
“Lucky for me I don’t need to breathe in the first place.”
“Maybe not, but you have been. Don’t think I haven’t noticed you haven’t stopped.”
Kravitz pulled gently on Taako’s hand and Taako allowed himself to be drawn back to Kravitz. He held Taako to his chest, and his body didn’t feel as relaxed as it had been before, but Kravitz could feel his muscles slowly giving up their tension as they continued to sit together.
They were silent for a long time, the greater part of an hour, before the silence was broken again.
“Wanna jump in?” Taako asked, sitting up from where he’d been lounging against Kravitz’ chest. He smiled and his eyes gleamed, reflecting the sharp light on the water. Kravitz tensed.
“Into the water?” His question didn’t come out as steady as he would’ve hoped, and his voice wavered uncertainly.
“Yeah!” Taako stood and began removing his shirt. Kravitz’ eyes landed on his freckled chest and for a moment he almost forgot the anxiety building behind his ribs.
“Taako, I don’t...I’m not even sure when the last time was that I swam. I don’t know if I remember how.”
“Really? That’s not a problem, my dude, I’ll help you. C’mon. It’s gonna feel great.”
“What if there’s a shark in there?”
“We can see through the water just fine, there’s nothing. What, are you worried he’s made of glass?”
Taako didn’t wait for Kravitz to answer, removing his boots and pants. In a matter of seconds Taako was down to his underwear and Kravitz found himself glad Taako was turned away so he didn’t notice the way Kravitz was staring. Without turning around, Taako jumped off the boat which rocked wildly upon his exit. Kravitz was too distracted trying to keep his balance to see the splash coming. He was spluttering and wiping saltwater from his eyes when he heard Taako’s bright laugh emerging from the water.
“Don’t leave me alone down here, my dude!” Taako teased as he shook his wet hair from his eyes.
Kravitz sighed and followed Taako’s lead and began unbuttoning his shirt. Taako whistled from the water and Kravitz smirked as he was struck with what he thought was a rather cheeky idea. His clothing, like his flesh, was part of his construct, which meant it could be dismissed at will. He paused in his unbuttoning, winked at Taako, and snapped his fingers. His shirt immediately vanished. Taako froze up, eyes wide and mouth open. Kravitz laughed at his shocked expression.
“Now - now come on,” Taako protested. “It’s unfair how sexy that was.”
Kravitz’ attempt to get out of the boat managed to bring his sexiness factor back to neutral, however. He sat on the side of the boat and swung one leg over, his bare toes touching the water. Unfortunately his position unbalanced the boat, which tilted wildly. His panicked attempt to regain his balance backfired, and he was sent tumbling backwards into the water.
He flailed desperately, the saltwater stinging at his eyes. The sunlight diffused in the water to look like it was coming from every direction and he wasn’t sure which way was up. A hand closed around his forearm and to his relief he was pulled to the surface of the water. He coughed and spluttered as his face hit the air. Water continued to run into his eyes and he couldn’t see where Taako was.
“Hey man, you’re not gonna drown, you’re already dead. Relax,” Taako’s voice came from behind him, his voice calm and steady. “You don’t even need to be breathing, anyway.” Taako’s words were reassuring, and Kravitz began to relax at the feeling of Taako’s arms wrapping around his chest.
“Habit,” Kravitz said.
“Lean back,” Taako instructed quietly, his voice near Kravitz’ ear. “I’ve got you.”
Taako supported his back as Kravitz began to float, his bright eyes and dripping hair appearing above him. Taako’s brows pinched a moment and he glanced around as if looking for something.
“What is it?” Kravitz asked.
“Huh? Oh. Nothing.” Taako seemed a little distracted, but shook his head as if to physically clear the distraction away. “Just a little deja vu, that’s all.”
“Sorry I’m such a shitty swimmer.”
“What? Don’t be, kemosabe!” Taako flashed a smile at him. “That’s what I’m here for!”
Taako spent the next hour gently instructing Kravitz in the basics of swimming. Kravitz progressed slowly at first, his apprehension holding him back some, but if Taako was bothered he never showed it. He was gentle and patient, offering words of guidance and encouragement and a supportive grasp wherever it was needed. They didn’t stray far from the boat, though Taako coaxed him far enough away that he could no longer grab onto it in a panic. After lots of instruction and encouragement, Taako slowly took his hands away, allowing Kravitz to move on his own. He could tread water with reasonable confidence now, and knew how to float when he got tired, though he still struggled to relax when he did it. He moved with little more than a feeble doggy paddle and stood no chance of keeping up with Taako in the water, though Taako never left him far behind. Taako moved through the water with grace and ease, as if he was as much at home here in the ocean as he was on land. He always circled back to Kravitz, and the relaxed way Taako smiled as he swam by made Kravitz’ heart swell with fondness.
After some time Taako led them back to the boat, casting Levitate on himself to get back in easily. Once in, he offered his hand to Kravitz, who also floated himself up to the boat and accepted Taako’s hand. Taako used a gentle Gust of Wind to dry them off before donning his clothes again. His hair, though dry, had taken on a new texture from the saltwater. It shone less, and more stray hairs danced along the nape of his neck. Kravitz wanted to reach out and touch the them, to run a finger along Taako’s bare spine, but he refrained, and after a moment Taako’s shirt was back in place, the sheer fabric fluttering gently in the wind, caressing the skin Kravitz wanted so much to touch himself.
Taako helped Kravitz settle back into his seat and refilled Kravitz’ wooden cup with more flavored water, once again reinforcing the importance of staying hydrated on the ocean, before lifting the oars and beginning the process of rowing them back to shore. Kravitz felt more at ease now than he had been on the way out. Whether it was because they were heading back to shore or because he’d been on the water long enough for his anxiety to wear off some he wasn’t sure. Maybe Taako’s confidence was contagious. Whatever the cause, Kravitz leaned back, embraced his newfound ease, and enjoyed the view.
The sun was getting low on the horizon, not yet setting but bathing the beach in a warm, golden light. The sand didn’t quite shine, but seemed to glow yellow as if lit from below. The light reflecting on the water was softening around the edges until Kravitz looked West, where the trail of the sun cut a firey line across the ocean. Taako steered the boat towards a secluded corner of the beach. Short but ragged cliffs of dark stone encircled the small and sandy alcove. Weathered driftwood littered the shore, drawing a line to indicate where high tide would land in a few hours.
Kravitz helped drag the boat a safe distance onto the beach as Taako unloaded their catch onto the shore. Together they gathered a pile of driftwood and Taako used a spell to quickly set it ablaze. He kneeled beside the fire, unloading his cooking gear. It all looked new. The long and flexible spatula shone in the warm sunlight and the cast iron pan showed no signs of wear. The knife Taako used to cut filets of meat off the fish looked as if it had never been used, although it was clearly expensive. Taako may have bought it recently, but he had invested in the highest quality.
“There’s a bottle of wine in the basket,” Taako said over his shoulder as he worked. “You wanna open it for us? And maybe hand me the olive oil that’s in there, too.”
Kravitz obliged, passing the olive oil to Taako before retrieving the wine bottle from the basket. Kravitz enjoyed wine, despite his undead state. Had circumstances been different, he would’ve likely been eager to evaluate the wine Taako had selected for their dinner, but tonight his gaze was all for Taako. The elf was a flurry of motion, managing the fire and preparing the food. He nestled a dutch oven into the coals almost immediately, not bothering to reveal to Kravitz what was hidden inside of it before he piled coals on top of the lid as well. As soon as the dutch oven was placed Taako had a cutting board in front of him and began preparing a variety of vegetables.
“So what’s on the menu tonight?” Kravitz asked as he began fiddling with a corkscrew.
“Fish,” Taako answered playfully.
“Stop it,” Kravitz laughed, “give me a real answer.”
Taako grinned as he scooped slices of something green into a bowl. “Don’t like surprises? Fine.” He pointed to the dutch oven with his knife. “There’s fresh bread baking in that right now. I prepped the dough back on the moon this morning and it’s been rising in the boat all day. The haddock will go on the fire when the bread’s almost done, and it’ll be served on a bed of yellow summer squash, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes. Dessert will be some blueberry hand pies I baked last night.”
“That sounds delicious,” Kravitz said as he finally popped the cork out of the wine bottle. “I didn’t know you liked to cook.”
Taako’s lips pressed tight and he shrugged. “Sometimes,” he said dismissively, slicing the squash in front of him with renewed fervor. Kravitz watched him, feeling like there was more that Taako was avoiding saying, but he continued to concentrate on the task in front of him and didn’t share more. Kravitz turned his attention to the wine.
“Chardonnay,” he observed, taking a sniff from the neck of the bottle. “Smells wonderful. A little smoky.”
“Maybe not the best pick to pair with haddock,” Taako admitted as Kravitz began to pour. “But you don’t always know what you’re going to catch, so I just picked one that I knew I liked. Hope you like it too.”
“It’s not often I taste I wine I don’t enjoy,” Kravitz assured him, passing a glass to Taako. His hands were still busy with the knife, so Kravitz nestled the base of the wine glass in the sand to help it stay upright. Taako gave a small nod, a silent acknowledgement of gratitude. Kravitz swirled his wine as he read the label on the bottle. Werebear Winery it read, featuring a print of a bear that appeared to be on fire. He turned the bottle around to view the label on the back. Werebear Wines are infused with their signature toasted flavor by teams of skilled dragonborn artisans, who use their fire breath to sear the aged oak barrels in which the wine is fermented. He chuckled. The description explained the smoky scent of the wine, but did nothing to enlighten him on the choice of a flaming werebear on the label.
Taako set his cutting board aside and wiped his hands clean. “Shall we?” he asked, lifting his glass from where Kravitz had wedged it in the sand. Kravitz leaned forward with a smile, holding out his glass.
“What are we toasting to?” he asked.
“Don’t know. Any suggestions?”
“Hmm...to a lovely day on the ocean, maybe?”
“You hated it!” Taako countered, his lips splitting to reveal his toothy grin.
“Did not!” Kravitz protested. “I had a great time!”
“You were white knuckled the whole time, don’t think I didn’t see you!”
“I did have a good time,” Kravitz insisted with a chuckle, though he couldn’t dispute Taako’s evidence. “To a delicious meal made by a wonderful cook, then.”
Taako’s face clouded briefly. “You haven’t tasted it yet.”
“To good company, then,” Kravitz finally suggested.
“I can drink to that one,” Taako conceded. They touched their glasses to one another with a gentle clink and drank.
Kravitz settled back into the sand, his mind wandering as Taako began to cook. They were both quiet for a while, Taako focused on the task before him, and Kravitz losing himself in the rhythmic song of the water. The rush of the waves against the shore was occasionally punctuated by the sounds of sizzling oil and the scrape of metal against metal. The sun was sinking low now, and time seemed to be moving at a pleasantly slow pace. Kravitz would be happy if this evening could last for days.
“I used to cook a lot,” Taako remarked thoughtfully after a while. Kravitz looked away from the rolling waves to watch him as he spoke. He was in a squatting position by the fire, his arms resting on his knees and his long spatula hanging loosely in his grip. His gaze was distant, directed toward the water and the setting sun, but not seeming to see them. The ocean breeze toyed with loose strands of hair, whipping them around his face as they caught the golden sunlight, glowing. Taako was beautiful, but there was a crease of sadness in his brow.
“It was...it was my job, for a while. Cooking for people,” he went on quietly, and Kravitz thought perhaps Taako was speaking to himself more than him, but he listened. “I was good. People got excited to eat my food, to watch me cook. But then some people died. A lot of people, actually. I thought it was my fault for a long time. Turns out maybe it wasn’t, at least not the way I thought. But I quit cooking for a long time. I was afraid it would happen again.” He pinched his lips and shrugged. “Anyway, you’re already dead, so...”
Kravitz chuckled dryly. “Yeah, you don’t need to worry about killing me. I’m immune to poison damage.” Taako was quiet. He swirled his glass of wine awkwardly. They’d both tried to brush past this clearly touchy subject with humor, and they’d both failed miserably.
“Taako, I… If you don’t mind me asking, what...what happened exactly?”
Taako nodded absentmindedly. “Yeah, I guess you could figure it out if you wanted, working for the Goddess of Death and all. No reason for me to keep it quiet anymore.” He tossed a rock into the fire. “I had an assistant. Like a roadie. Helped with setup, drove the wagon, washed dishes sometimes. Stuff like that. He was crazy about me. And I guess… maybe I didn’t hate the attention, if I’m being honest.” He spoke slowly, working through his thoughts carefully before he let them out into the air. “He wanted to be part of the show. I wouldn’t let him. He was good at what he did. I liked having him around for that. And. Hmm. He was good for companionship, too. At least I thought so then. He wasn’t a bad cook, he just wasn’t great for the showy stuff. Not great with an audience. So I blew him off.” Taako let out a shaky sigh, his cheeks puffing as he did so. “I guess in a sense, it is still my fault. I should’ve realized. I was too self absorbed to realize what was going on. I couldn’t be bothered to pay attention to anyone but myself, and forty people died because of that.”
“Taako -” Kravitz started gently, but he was cut off.
“He tried to kill me, Kravitz,” Taako snapped, turning sharply to look at him. His gaze was sharp with anger. Fear. Guilt. “I blew him off, and he tried to kill me. He poisoned the food. I should’ve - fuck.” Taako dropped his head into his hand. “I should’ve tasted it. I should’ve died. I don’t know why I didn’t. But I gave the food to the audience without ever tasting it myself, and they all. Died.” He took a shaky breath and dropped his hand from his face. “Shittiest part is I only just found out. That was six years ago, and the whole time I thought it was because my magic fucked up. I thought I was just a shitty goddamn wizard, and I quit cooking for anyone for years. ” He threw more sand at the fire, a whole handful this time, and his voice began to rise, becoming shrill in his anger. “He fucking framed me! Ran off and left me to get the blame for mass murder! And I believed it! I was on the run for years trying not to get arrested. I probably still would be if I wandered into the wrong town. Shit.”
Kravitz’s eyes never left Taako as he ranted, letting him shout as much as he needed. His soul ached for Taako as he watched him process so many emotions, none of them pleasant. He wanted to take those feelings away, to brush the unpleasant emotions off like the sand that clung to his pants. It didn’t work like that, of course. Emotions were never so simple.
Taako’s shoulders sagged as he slowly came down from his rage. “Kinda fucked up how I keep falling for guys who wanna kill me huh?” Taako mumbled. He glanced up at Kravitz almost furtively as soon as the words left his lips, as if he had only just realized what he’d said. Kravitz’ shock and hurt must have shown on his face because Taako looked away almost instantly, shifting his weight on his toes and his ears turning pink with embarrassment. “I- I’m sorry,” he stammered. “I shouldn’t have said that. That’s not fair to you.”
“Is that how you see me?” Kravitz asked softly.
“Of course not,” Taako insisted, sounding a little desperate.
“You don’t - you don’t think you deserve that, do you? To be with someone like that?” Taako didn’t answer, and his pained silence communicated a lot. Kravitz’ own voice became strained now as he became desperate for Taako to understand. “You were hurt, Taako, and that’s terrible . I wish that had never happened to you, and I wish I could take that hurt away, but...I need you to know I would never do anything like that. I would never hurt you, Taako. I -”
I love you, he wanted to say. It startled him, how easily the words nearly leapt from his lips without a thought. And perhaps it was true - perhaps what he felt for Taako was love. It was unlike the love he felt for his queen. That was a love born of awe and respect, but this? This was unfamiliar and overwhelming and frankly a little terrifying but the only thing he wanted in the world was to erase the sadness and hurt he could see in Taako, and knowing he couldn’t do that made him feel sick.
But it was far too early to say that, wasn’t it? They had only been on a couple dates before today, and saying that so soon would surely make him look foolish. Taako would either laugh him off, assuming he was an infatuated idiot - and maybe he was - or he would be scared off by the seriousness of such a statement and any chance of seeing him again would be ruined. But gods, he had to say something . Already he’d been staring wide eyed at Taako too long, and Taako was staring back, already uncomfortable in his silence.
“I won’t hurt you, Taako,” he repeated finally, his voice growing quiet. “I wish we hadn’t met the way we did. I want you to trust me and I - your bounty is called off. I’m not gonna try to haul you away.”
“You know I actually believe you when you say that?” Taako remarked quietly. The corner of his mouth twitched and his brow pinched, like he wasn’t sure if he felt pleased or confused. A huff of breath escaped his lips, almost a laugh. “Feels stupid. You know I can’t think of anyone who’s never wanted to use me in some way? No one. Not even…” Taako’s gaze went distant as he mentally ran through the people he knew. “I mean. Even Magnus and Merle, like, we work together. We stick together because we have to. We’re stuck together. Same goes for everyone at the ol Bee-Oh-Bee. Maybe even Angus, a little…” Taako’s voice trailed off slowly, then his gaze snapped back to Kravitz. “Except for you.”
Yes, it was love that Kravitz felt. He was sure of that now. He pushed himself up off the sand to kneel next to Taako. He reached a hand to Taako’s face, running his thumb along the cheekbone, admiring the freckles that were sprinkled on his skin, his gaze dropping to Taako’s lips. He leaned forward but stopped himself, afraid he was being too eager. He paused there, his eyes meeting Taako’s now, and he was stricken by the way the setting sun made Taako’s eyes seem to glow with light of their own. He waited, allowing Taako a moment to pull away, if he wanted. He didn’t. With some surprise he became dimly aware that his heart was pounding in his undead chest, and Kravitz leaned the rest of the way until at last their lips touched.
The kiss was soft and gentle, almost hesitant at first, lacking in desperation and instead filled with a sense that they didn’t need to hurry. There was an energy running just below the surface of their lips, a trembling akin to fear but tempered with a layer of trust and ease, and that energy told Kravitz that Taako had never tasted a kiss so pure, one which wasn’t tainted by something darker, which wasn’t manipulative or misleading. It made Kravitz’ chest ache with longing for this elf whose face he cradled between his fingers, and he knew he would put his very soul within Taako’s hands if he could.
Taako pulled away first, but only barely. Kravitz might have been more disappointed if he wasn’t aware of the way Taako’s body still leaned towards him, how he had only pulled his lips just far enough away to speak.
“I need to flip the fish,” he whispered, his breath hot on Kravitz’ lips.
“Of course,” Kravitz said, nodding. They both continued to hesitate, their noses nearly touching, Taako’s stray hair tickling Kravitz’ forehead, his hand still on Taako’s cheek. Finally Taako shook his head, pulling back with a sharp inhale, breaking their touch.
“Seriously. I can’t make a guy dinner and then burn the food. What kind of chef would that make me?”
Kravitz laughed a little, a soft sound that blended with the noise of the nearby waves. He watched with fascination as Taako energetically jumped back into cooking mode as if he’d never been interrupted. He tended to the fish first, nervously inspecting the skin for signs of burning and apparently finding them satisfactory. He lifted a steaming loaf of golden bread from the dutch oven and ladled fragrant smelling vegetables from a pan. His enthusiasm for what he did was intoxicating, and Kravitz understood how he built an audience for this.
Finally Taako was handing him a plate of food with a soft smile that was likely less flashy and more sincere than the one he used to use for his show. He was clearly proud of what he’d produced, and Kravitz couldn’t blame him. They both knew Kravitz didn’t need to eat, but in this moment he wanted nothing more than to do just that.
“You know,” Taako remarked as he settled down with his own plate of food, “if the whole attempted murder thing hadn’t happened...I’d still be on the road cooking. And sometimes that doesn’t sound so bad, but...if I was doing that, I would’ve never been in a lab in the sky on Candlenights. I wouldn’t have met you.”
“That’s kind of a grim outlook, don’t you think?” Kravitz asked. “That you needed to nearly die for us to meet?” Taako stared at him, his face blank. “What?”
“Buddy, you are the Grim Reaper!” Taako cried. “It doesn’t get more grim than that!” Kravitz laughed, understanding the absurdity of his comment now. “I mean! Fuck! I guess what I meant was, yeah things were pretty shitty, but… I’m glad they worked out the way they did.”
Kravitz smiled, almost sure he could feel his heart moving again. “So am I.”