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There were days where Taako couldn’t remember.
He thinks back to his childhood and it’s only him .
But his sister is right in front of him. Why can’t he remember her? He went without her for twelve years that they’ll never get back. So why is he taking more time away ? Why can’t he remember the day he met his husband ?
The first time it happened was the scariest.
Taako and Lup had been cooking dinner together while Kravitz and Barry attempted to help Angus with his homework in the living room. Though, it wasn’t really helping Angus if the boy in question was sitting on the couch reading one of Davenport’s old journals as the men argued over ‘what they were teaching today’s youth’ .
The twins had been working in sync, natch. Lup was working at the stove as Taako was chopping up ingredients.
But then, he wasn’t.
He was back in Glamour Springs and forty people were dead and it was all his fault. He heard a faint “Koko?” from somewhere to his left and felt a stinging sensation on his finger but that didn’t matter. He felt a hand touch his shoulder and when he looked over, they didn’t have a face.
“Who.. who are you?” He asked, voice raspy and the hand quickly recoiled, making its way to the faceless person’s would-be mouth as they gasped.
“Koko.. it’s Lup. Your sister?” The person said and— no. That couldn’t be. Taako didn’t have a sister. He grew up on the streets, alone. After getting handed by relative to relative who didn’t want him.
“Babe?” The person called out and soon enough two more faceless people appeared.
“Darling?” One of them said calmly, taking a step towards Taako, who lost it.
He fell to the ground, his back against a kitchen cabinet.
“Where am I? Am I still in Glamour Springs? I have— I have to leave.” Taako said, tears falling down his face. When did he start crying? Why is he crying? He’s a murderer.
As he looked up to find, hopefully, a door, he was faced with a fourth person. But this time they had a face.
It was a young boy. With dark skin and browline glasses, one of his teeth missing.
“Sir?” He called out and Taako could almost think of his name.
“Sir, do you remember who I am?” The boy spoke with a soft tone, something Taako didn’t deserve, especially not now.
Taako shook his head at the question and the boy nodded along.
He reached up towards Taako’s face, who tensed for a moment, shutting his eyes, before feeling the boy wiping tears off his face.
“That’s okay, sir. I’m Angus McDonald.” He said and without warning Taako grabbed the boy, holding him close to his chest.
“Ango,” he sobbed out in relief as Angus put his arms around Taako’s neck.
“That’s right sir.” He said, then whispered something in Gnomish that Taako wouldn’t understand if he was calm enough to.
“I’m Angus, we met on the Rockport Limited. We worked at the Bureau together, do you remember?” Angus let out a sigh of relief as his mentor nodded.
“And this,” he started as someone knelt down next to them “is your husband, do you remember his name?”
Taako looked up, and Kravitz was there. He had a face now.
Taako removed one arm from Angus to pull Kravitz in for a kiss, which was quickly reciprocated.
“There you are, darling.” He said, pushing back Taako’s hair.
Angus leaned close to the elf’s ear, whispering just loud enough so anyone else in the kitchen could hear.
“Do you remember the nerdiest guy with horrible fashion taste?” Taako laughed as he heard a indignant squak from above him.
“Barry.” He said with a smile, seeing the now familiar sight of blue jeans come into frame as Barry sat down next to him.
“Glad you’re back, bud.” He said with a grin.
As Taako went to reply he got a nudge from Angus and turned to see his sister there.
“Lup?” He asked, his voice cracking.
The woman nodded her head and dove in for a hug that nearly crushed Angus.
“Lup, I’m so s—“ she started to shake her head before he could finish his sentence.
“No need to apologize, baby bro.” She said with a crooked smile that Taako returned.
The moment of clarity was soon interrupted by their smoke alarm going off, burnt vegetables forgotten on the stove.
“Oh, fuck.” Lup said standing up, grabbing a dish towel as Barry hurriedly opened the windows and Kravitz tried to turn off the stove.
Taako stood up, Angus attached to his hip and smiled.
“Well, are we ordering takeout tonight, sir?” A small voice asked, causing Taako to laugh loudly, squeezing the boy’s, Angus’s , hand.
“We sure are, pumpkin.” He said, blowing a raspberry on Angus’s cheek, smiling a childish giggle he let out.
And maybe next time Angus wouldn’t be here to talk him down. Next time he could be alone and spiral.
But right now, he was looking over his family and really couldn’t ask for anything better.