âHey, babe,â Taako says, leaning sultry and most importantly, Lup-like over the counter. He thanks Istus they both have the tendency to stretch out like cats over various surfaces and that Lupâs voice is easy to match. Otherwise this entire operation would be boned and chaâboy is not letting this test go to waste. This is a high-quality prank. A Taako quality prank, one might even say, were this not Lupâs idea. But whatever, birds of a feather and all that. Theyâre twins, they basically share the same brain cells.
Barryâs face is turning steadily redder and while being embarrased easily is a Signature Barry Bluejeans Trait, Taako canât tell if itâs because he knows this is Taako dressed as his lovely wife Lup or if heâs having a stroke or a sudden realization that Taako is incredibly hot. âThis isnât the best time to have a bi crisis, Baroldâ rests fiery on the tip of his his tongue, and with a great effort (and disappointment) Taako swallows the quip. Lup doesnât tease Barry like Taako would tease Kravitz because Barry is sensitive. Heart of gold, and all that. The Lover. A tsk rests heavy in his throat and he swallows that too, though it feels like nails going down. Gods, he hates that he canât complain about shit anymore. Damn Lup and her positivity.
âBabe?â Barry is making a weird face now where he pulls his lips thin and tight and is also sweating. Taako raises a perfectly plucked eyebrowâ thank GOD Lup at least does that, extensive glamours would have made fooling them a lot harder, powerful magic users as they are, itâs bad enough he had to change his face shape to be more feminine like his sisterâsâ and waits very patiently for his response, like a Good Lup would do. In fact, he even reaches out and caresses his face to make emphasize the fact that he is very much Lup. To his delight, Barryâs hand comes up to rest on his and he leans into the touch. And, in signature Lup fashion, he perfectly mimicks her concern, voice lilting up as he says, âBarry, honey, youâre burning up!â
âLup?â Barry squeaks, and something like glee resonates in Taakoâs chest. Heâs got him hook, line, and sinker.
âYes, thatâs my name.â His lips quirk up in amusement. Lup would find this funny, right? Taako certainly does. âDonât wear it out, hon.â
âLup.â Barry says more certainly, fingers flexing where they rest on Taakoâs.
This is a cruel joke, he thinks, watching Barry visibly relax, all the concern bleeding out of his body. But it would have been crueler when Lup was dead.
He looks so relieved, in fact, that he leans in and presses the gentlest of kisses to Taakoâs forehead. âI get so nervous sometimes, when Iâ when I mistake you for Taako,â he says quietly. âor vice versa. Reminds me of⌠um, the time on the ship.â Thereâs a deep, unfiltered love in his eyes, and something squirms uncomfortably inside Taakoâs chest.
Taako freezes. He freezes, and his heart shatters, and heâs pulled into a very unpleasant memoryâ of âTaako, I canât remember her nameââ and âWho?â and that godforsaken line, heâs, heâs, itâs suddenly so hard to breathe, his chestâ and isâ Lup wasâ and shooting Barry off the deck, so frantic and confused, and watching him fall and fall and he was smiling when he died and somehow he just knew he was dead before he hit the ground and, the red of the umbrella and Lup and he lost Lupâ
How could Taako possibly forget Lup?
Heâs pulled into Barryâs arms. Theyâre soft and thick like all of him, radiating warmth and suddenly Taako understands why Lup likes to cuddle with him so much, heâs like a goddamn radiator. And Taako is crying, he thinks, and Barry seems to understand, because heâs saying, âIâm sorry, Taako. IâI thought if I told you that it would, um, make you stopâ I didnât, I didnât see this. Happening. Um. I didnât think it would make you so sad.â
Sad. No, Taako feels like clawing the inside of his chest out. This isnât sad. He misses the way Barry says his name, long and low and slow and sad. He misses that Barry says it at all. âIâ I didnât know,â is what he blubbers; and Taako hates himself for this irrational fucking fear. Lup is upstairs. He knows Lup is upstairs. And Barryâs not dead.
âI know,â Barry says quietly.
âNot Lup,â he croaks.
âI know.â Barry says again, just as quiet, just as sad.
