Hi everyone! It’s mod ND. I’m gonna lay out some hard facts right now: everyone is tired, and interest in taz: balance is waning
taagnus content has been far and few between lately, simply because wow omg balance ended three years ago. I still love it! And I still create content (occasionally). But I’m not going to pretend people are still hardcore shipping it, and that’s okay.
if I followed my usual metric for when taagnus week starts (first full week in november) taagnus week 2020 would be happening on the week of the election in America which... could really fucking kill the mood. I think most of us will be too stressed out in the days leading up to it to create, and who knows what will happen after.
literally no one but me tried to participate in the Taagnus Jam in April, which was totally understandable but really gives a good barometer of the ship’s place in people’s minds. It’s okay that interest is dying. People move on to new things
I’m in the middle of a Mental Health Moment where I’m switching meds and getting new care, so I’m not as present as I normally am. Taagnus week is usually something fun for me but it does not feel as fun with everything else that’s happening right now.
I’m thinking Taagnus week this year will only really be happening on the Taagnus Discord, (which is a cool place and if you’re not a part of it I encourage you to join we are very chill and fun), and it might be very low key. Unless people are jumping out of the woodwork to ask for it, I’m not going to put in the effort I have in the past. I’ll do what I can, but we are all doing what we can right now, and I just don’t think the interest is there anymore.
Thanks for three great years of Taagnus Week! It really was fun to do this, I’m honored so many people had fun with it in the past. And if you’re still really into the ship but you haven’t joined the discord, join us! We are always down to talk about Ruff Bois and Flip Wizards in love.
Y’all are some of the nicest people I’ve had the pleasure with interacting with online, and I’m so thankful for all of you <3
I wound up being in an art funk for nearly the whole week and couldn’t draw anything for the daily prompts. Then I was finally able to draw decently again by, like, Thursday. And then my Too Much gene came out and I wound up making a 3 page comic.
This takes place during Cycle 47 of The Stolen Century, at the Legato Conservatory. In the actual episode, Magnus turns to Lup and tells her to hold the Hunger off and don’t take off without him. When Lup asks everyone if they’re cool with this plan, Taako’s response is an enthusiastic “Hell yeah!”. And you know I had to rub my dirty li’l hands all over this moment and make it Taagnus. So I decided to come up with what I think Mags might have said to Taako before he spoke to Lup.
Working on this mini-comic lit a fire under my ass to get my longer Taagnus comic finished, so hopefully you’ll be seeing that soon. I’m kinda bummed I wasn’t able to contribute more during Taagnus Week, but I’m gonna make up for it. November is Taagnus Month, baby.
[image id: a warm tinted image of taako and magnus spooning each other in bed. Magnus is a large, burly man with auburn curly hair, bushy sideburns, and an undercut, while taako is a tanned elf with freckles and straw-blonde hair. Magnus has his arm draped over taako so that they can hold hands, while taako is curled up with his hair hanging down off the side of the bed. They are talking to each other: Magnus says “Taako... I know you don’t want to say it first so... I love you. ... You don’t have to-” Taako replies “I love you too, Magnus”. End id]
Taagnus Week Day 1: Talking About Feelings
So I’ve been watching The Good Place and that... might have inspired this XD
Summary: Taako needs Magnus’ help in a rather... unconventional way. Magnus is only too happy to oblige.
The surface of the bar was dark and slightly sticky with years of unwashed spills. Magnus' fingers drummed out a rhythm on the tacky surface, leaving behind tiny, perfect fingerprints. He had been told, in no uncertain terms, to wait where he was.
The rest of the IPRE crew were distracted – mingling with locals or, in the case of Barry and Lup, making out in a corner. The bar – more of a pub – was warm and friendly and the residents of the mid-sized town had taken them in with open arms. It was comforting, in an unsettling way; eerily familiar to their home plane.
He was waiting for Taako to come back. He'd been distracted when they made their way into the bar – something about a street vendor – and had told Magnus to buy a drink for him. He had, of course, and was now sat at the bar, slowly nursing his own drink. It tasted almost entirely unlike mead.
The welcome reception they'd received on this plane had meant that, for once, they had a lot more leisure time than they'd be expecting. The light had arrived soon after them and they'd retrieved it with minimal fuss, recruiting the residents in their mission. There were a few who doubted them but, on the whole, they were keen to help the newest members of their society. They seemed interested in them; but who wouldn’t be? They'd arrived from the stars riding a ship beyond any technology anyone on this plane had mastered. They were aliens – or gods.
Magnus was drifting, lost in thought, trying to place the familiar taste of the drink, when two long arms threw themselves around his neck. He was thrown off balance for a second, grabbing onto the bar to stop himself toppling from his stool, and before he could say anything, there was a pair of lips pressed against his.
He panicked, briefly, before realising who the lips belonged to.
Taako was kissing him. Taako. Taako who was perfect and beautiful and the most unavailable person on the plane was kissing him. Kissing him very enthusiastically.
The panic of being kissed by a total stranger was replaced with a very different kind of panic. He'd imagined this before; imagined it in the middle of the night, when his thoughts drifted and he couldn’t rein them back in, but now it was happening, and Taako's arms were wrapped around him and his lips were moving against his and Magnus –
Magnus had no clue what he was doing.
He let Taako lead the way, relished the feeling of his closeness, of how soft his skin felt pressed against his own. He was about to let his lips part, to let him in, when Taako stopped.
He broke the kiss but didn’t pull away, pressing his forehead against Magnus’ so he could look him in the eye. Magnus was about to ask what was going on - or perhaps compliment him on the softness of his lips - but Taako let out a low, whispered “shhh” and silenced whatever Magnus had been about to say with another quick kiss. He gave him a look - an intense, burning look - then winked.
Magnus was vaguely aware of the sound of the door to the bar opening – the sudden hum of noise from outside – before Taako grabbed his head in his hands, gave him one, last, lingering look, then leant in again.
This time, it didn't take Magnus by surprise.
Now he knew what to expect, now he knew what was happening, it felt like lightning, like electricity beneath his skin. The first kiss was like being struck by a meteorite, the shock so huge that he barely had time to register what was happening before it had stopped happening. But this… this he could enjoy.
Before, he'd been too distracted to even think about what to do with his hands, but now he moved them almost instinctively to the small of Taako's back. He pulled him closer, pressing their bodies together, Taako releasing a soft gasp against his lips as he did.
Emboldened by the response, Magnus parted his mouth just a fraction more, their lips dancing. Taako's fingers started to run through Magnus' hair, sending shivers down his spine, and one of his hands cupped the back of his head, pressing them together. Magnus felt the tips of Taako's fingernails dig into the soft skin at the nape of his neck and before he could stop himself he let out a soft, happy hum, smiling into the kiss.
He knew, in a dream-like way, that he should be questioning what was happening. That he should break away, ask Taako what the hell he was doing. But that would mean stopping whatever this new, magical, floating thing was – and there was no guarantee that it would ever happen again.
His eyes closed, he basked in the blissful feeling of Taako's lips against his, the feeling of his slender frame beneath his hands.
"Hey, Taa- Oh."
Taako extracted himself from the kiss and turned, still hanging off of Magnus' shoulders. Magnus, feeling dazed, peered over the top of his head at the newcomer – he wasn't too sure what he was, the races on this plane being so different to the ones he was used to, but he was tall and broad with a mop of unruly, deep blue hair. He had a short sword hanging from his hip. Instinctively, Magnus tightened his grip around Taako's waist.
"Oh. It's just you." Magnus was pleased that the venom dripping from Taako's voice wasn't directed at him. The blue-haired man scowled at them. "Did you… want something?"
His hands were still wrapped around Magnus' neck. He was talking smoothly, confidently, but Magnus could feel his fingers digging into his skin.
"So there is a boyfriend."
"Mmm-hmm, sure looks that way. How about you run along?"
Magnus watched as the man's fingers twitched, his hand moving just a few inches closer towards the hilt of his sword.
"I really wouldn't do that if I were you, buddy." Magnus straightened up a little. One hand he kept wrapped around Taako, the other reached towards his axe.
The intruder's eyes darted from Taako, to Magnus, to the axe. He took a step back, then shot a final, poisonous look at them before stalking out of the bar, the doors slamming behind him. Magnus felt Taako relax beside him.
"So, boyfriend… you gonna tell me what that was about?"
Taako let Magnus go, slowly unhooking his arms from around his neck with a sigh.
"Just some creep. Didn't take 'no' for an answer. Didn't take 'fuck off' for an answer either." He turned to Magnus with a wicked grin. "I'd have dealt with him myself, but… You know how Dav gets about fighting the locals. Especially with magic. I told him if he didn't want to listen to me, perhaps he'd want to listen to my extremely handsome and incredibly burly boyfriend."
Magnus tried not to feel disappointed – it had been a ruse, just another trick, just a – wait.
"Extremely handsome?" He repeated, raising his eyebrows.
Taako made a so-so gesture with his hand. "Reasonably handsome. Six out of ten. Maybe six and a half. Although everyone's basically a three compared to me, of course."
He rolled his eyes. "Of course."
"You know," Said Taako, smirking, "You can let go now."
Magnus realised that he was still holding onto Taako's waist, keeping him pressed close to his side. "Ah…" He could feel himself blushing, his neck turning red, and let go.
"The burly part was right, though. A guy certainly feels safer under those hands."
If he was blushing before, he must be glowing now. Magnus gave an awkward cough and reached for his drink, desperate for something to do with his hands. Taako grabbed the nearest barstool and dragged it closer where he was sitting. He hopped up onto it, crossing his legs, his bare knees pointing towards Magnus, resting a heeled boot against one of the legs of Magnus' stool.
He leant across him, reaching for the drink that Magnus had bought him earlier and completely forgotten about in the excitement. "This is mine, I presume?"
Magnus nodded, and Taako pulled the glass towards himself.
"You're a very good fake boyfriend, you know. Very…" Taako looked him up and down, taking a long sip of his drink. "…enthusiastic. Anyone would think you were enjoying yourself."
"What about you?"
"Hmm?"
"Were you?"
Taako placed the drink back on the bar. "Was I what, darling?"
"Enjoying yourself."
Taako smiled, looking pleased – looking smug. He licked his lips, ready to respond, raising one of his infuriatingly perfect eyebrows.
"Hey, losers." They turned around simultaneously. Lup was watching them, a hand on her hip, her eyes darting between them. Her eyes narrowed, suspiciously. "You two look like you're up to something."
"No! Nothing!" Spluttered Magnus, just as Taako drawled, "Of course not, darling."
She frowned at them, clearly unconvinced. "We're gonna head back to the ship. You coming?"
"Actually," said Taako, rearranging his legs, uncrossing and crossing them again, "I owe the beefcake here a drink. We'll catch you up later?"
It had the curl of a question to it, but it wasn't a request. Lup peered at Taako for a moment.
"…Sure."
She made to leave, then appeared to have a sudden thought. She glanced at Magnus quickly before leaning down and whispering something into Taako's ear. He laughed, quietly, then batted her away. She raised her eyebrows at him.
"See you later, then. Ciao, Magnus."
They watched them leave, Merle giving them a cheery, drunken wave as he passed. When they were gone, Taako turned to Magnus.
"So."
"So."
"What can I get for my favourite fake boyfriend?"
Magnus was aware of Taako's closeness, of his crossed legs just inches from his, of the way his foot was brushing – gently – against his thigh. His mind drifted back to the kiss, to the way Taako's fingers had been tangled in his hair.
Pairing: Magnus Burnsides/Taako (The Adventure Zone)
Summary: magnus is a lonely, widowed butch lesbian who keeps building furniture for her new neighbor. taako is a lonely femme lesbian who cooks for her in exchange.
Tags: Strangers to Lovers, Modern AU, apartment neighbors, falling in love, squirting, cunnilingus, fluff and smut, lesbian sex
Word count: 5538
written for the ‘modern au’ prompt for @taagnusweek
Magnus yawns as she comes up the creaky apartment steps to the second landing. It’s been raining outside and she had forgotten her umbrella this morning, so she’s soaked through. At least she’d managed to save her fast food under her jacket. She’s looking forward to kicking off her work boots, taking off her bra, and taking that first bite of greasy, bacon-y burger.
There’s someone struggling with a big box up the stairs and Magnus waits patiently, since there isn’t enough room to duck around. The stranger lets out a grunt of frustration, her skinny arms trembling a little as she takes a few careful steps.
Magnus crinkles her bag of food and the girl turns her head sharply, glaring a little in apprehension — like she’s moments away from telling someone to fuck off. She’s beautiful: golden skin, messy, long blonde hair spilling out of a braid, sharp cheeks and pouty lips, a funny little nose that Magnus thinks enhances the rest of her features. She looks like a model maybe, or someone who could be on TV who Magnus could stare at forever. She realizes, a little too late, that she’s, like, staring too hard in person.
“Hello there! Take your time. Or — do you want help with that?” she chirps, taking the few steps forward, hand outstretched. The stranger looks at the box in her arms and then back at Magnus.
“Honestly, I’m not too proud to ask for help. I’ve been lugging these up all day, so sure, go for it,” she says, glare softening into a tired smile.
“Sure thing! Not a problem! I’m Magnus — but my friends call me Maggie. What apartment are you in?” She tucks the baggie under her armpit and grabs the box from her, lifting it to her chest. It doesn’t weigh too much at all. The stranger lets out an unintentional sigh of relief.
“Taako. And thanks. I’m in 309.”
“Oh, sweet. I’m just down the hall from you. Everyone on this floor is really nice, but don’t be surprised if you see this old guy, Merle, walking around without his shirt on.”
“Hot-old, or old-old?” Taako asks with a grin.
“Old-old. Is that, like, ageist? Mostly he’s just gross and inappropriate sometimes. But he has like, three boyfriends, so maybe he’s doing something right.”
Taako ducks in front of Magnus to get her door unlocked, pushing it wide open with her foot. Magnus sets down the box and takes a look at her surroundings. The layout is opposite to Mag’s and she’s got a better view with more windows since it’s a corner apartment. There are boxes stacked everywhere, and even with the light on, it’s dimly lit. Mag turns back to Taako, who looks exhausted. She watches her dig through one of the boxes in the kitchen, popping back up with a cup in hand. She sticks it under the sink and turns on the faucet, then gulps down the whole glass. Her crop top rides up further to reveal a long, attractive stretch of torso. Magnus looks away, cheeks pink. She hasn’t felt her heart pound like this in a long time.
“Do you, uh, need anything else?”
“I’m good, I think. Taako doesn’t wanna put you out or anything. I can smell that burger of yours from here. I’ll probably just order delivery and sleep on the floor,” she says, wiping her mouth delicately with the back of her hand.
“I can just build your bed frame for you? If you want. It’ll take me like, two seconds. I’m a carpenter, so this is my wheelhouse.”
Taako takes a moment to think, her lips twisted to the side. Eventually she shrugs, crossing her arms. “For sure, go for it, Maggie.”
Magnus beams and sets her food down. The bed frame is shoved in a corner alongside the mattress. She gets on her knees, rips the box open haphazardly and pulls out the frames. It’s simple enough; she lays it all out first, then gets the little screws and her letterman ready.
“Where are you from?” Taako asks as Mag gets to work.
“Raven’s Roost. What about you?”
“Oh, that’s pretty far from here. I grew up here, but left to do some traveling. I just moved back because my work and my sister are here.”
“Oh, that’s nice! Where is she?”
“She’s with her hubby ten minutes from here. What about you? Single life or what’s the dealio?” Magnus pauses and glances at Taako over her shoulder where she’s leaned up against the counter, checking her nails casually. Magnus doesn’t usually do this — hasn’t done this in a long time. Is this what she thinks it is? Or maybe she’s just reading into it. If Julia was here, she’d laugh at her.
“Uh, yeah. On my own,” she says, voice going soft, her mind lingering on Julia the way it always does when she thinks about her. Magnus finishes the bed frame; makes quick work of it, like she promised. She even stands up and starts to unwrap the bed, which is probably overkill, but she isn’t one to half-ass things.
“Where do you want it?”
“Jeez, that was fast. Bedroom is through there, though it’s mostly boxes in there right now. So here is good. I owe you big time!” she says, flashing a brilliant smile, her very adorable gap-tooth showing.
Magnus nods and finishes pulling all the plastic off of the bed and sets it down on the frame, straightening it out. “Nah, you don’t owe me anything. I’m happy to help out anytime. Just knock on 302, and if I’m home, I’ll be right over.”
Magnus dusts off her hands and swings back to the counter, snatching up her burger. She taps her fingers on the counter, even though she can and should leave now. When has she gotten all attention-hungry?
“You this good to old man Merle, too?” Taako says, her smile melting into a smirk that makes Magnus’ belly simmer with heat. She watches Taako’s hips jut out to the side, enticing in their narrow sharpness. She wants to dig her thumb there and leave a mark.
“No. He always forgets to take his clothes out of the dryer so it gets all moldy. Fuck that guy,” she says with a grin.
“So just me? I get special treatment?” she says, coming close enough that Mag can feel the heat of her body.
“Maybe. If you’re a good neighbor,” she says, her stomach lurching and her face getting hot simultaneously. Was that okay? Was that too much?
Taako barks out a laugh, musical and a little shrill for someone so incredibly beautiful. “For sure. I’ll let you borrow my sugar anytime, darling,” she says with a wink. Her stance changes and she smiles at Mag again, blinking a little sleepily. “I’d love to keep flirting, but I’m deffo gonna pass out the minute you walk out this door, and it’s not gonna be pretty.”
Oh. “Oh,” Mag says, dumbly. “Yeah, no problem. I’ll get out of your hair. Have a good night,” she says, fumbling with the door handle.
“Here, I’ll get it,” Taako says, squeezing Magnus’ hand once before gently moving it off the knob. She twists it once and pulls it open with a flourish towards the entryway with a curtsy. “Night, Maggie baby, thanks for your help.”
“Yeah sure — anytime,” she shuffles out, glancing over her shoulder one more time. Taako wiggles her fingers in goodbye, biting her bottom lip.
“Goodnight.” The door closes.
Mag exhales slowly.
Shit.
She makes her way back to her apartment, cold burger in hand. She gets into hey apartment, locks it, and stares out for a while into the emptiness of her space. There’s her comfy couch and Julia’s rocking chair; the little workshop stand she’d set in the corner where a TV should be, because she can’t ever stop working. Mag kicks off her shoes, almost leaving them where they’re knocked over until she hears Julia’s voice in her head to clean up.
Maggie, if you drag dirt in here one more time, I’ll divorce you!
Magnus sets the boots on the shoe stand, tosses the bag of food and her keys on the counter, and goes to take a leak and wash her hands. She stares at herself in the mirror. Her hair’s getting a little too long and fluffy at the top, but her sides are still okay. She touches her sideburns. She should get a haircut. And maybe a dog, too, while she’s at it. It’s too lonely here. Being flirted with for the first time in a year, just makes it more obvious how lonely the apartment is.
“Jules, she was really hot. You’d think she was really hot and joke about a threesome, but you know me. I couldn’t look at anyone but you. But she was hot. And that was… sort of nice,” Mag says, her brown eyes reflecting back.
She sighs one more time and takes off her flannel and her shirt and her sports bra, sighing in relief at her sore tits being free.
Mag eats her cold burger and fries and goes to bed.
_
A few nights later, there’s a staccato knock on the door that startles Magnus out of her thoughts. She was spacing out, microwaving a frozen dinner.
“Coming!” she says, heart still pounding.
The door swings open to a pink-faced Taako. She’s in slippers and a strapless, sparkly cocktail dress, and she’s giggling.
“Hi there. Are you drunk?” Mag says with a small, amused laugh.
“Hey! Yes, wine drunk, if you wanted to know the specifics. I wanted to ask if you wanted to come over for dinner? Because I’m finally kind of moved in and I was able to cook! One’s the loneliest number and all that.”
“Uhh,” Magnus glances back at the sad frozen dinner that’s still humming in the microwave. She turns back. “Sure, if I can come dressed like this?” she gestures to her work flannel-tank top combo.
“What? Of course you can, mi amiga!”
“Oh, it’s just, you’re so dressed up, I feel like I should too?”
“Oh, this old thing?” Taako says with a grin, her eyebrows waggling. “No, but for realsies come as you are. This is an old NYE dress. I was sorting through clothes to donate and thought I’d relive the moment. Come on over!” she says, deciding for her by grabbing Magnus’ hand to yank her down the hall. Mag stumbles after her, barely managing to pull her own door shut before they’re almost fox-trotting down the hall.
It smells amazing, is the first thought that comes to mind; like spices and buttered meat. Mag’s mouth waters immediately.
She takes a quick look around. Most of the boxes are still stacked up, and there are clothes, like, everywhere on the floor, but there are knick-knacks up, and some picture frames propped against the wall, waiting to be hung. The kitchen, however, looks completely done. There’s pots and pans hanging up and dishes in the sink. On the island, there’s two ready-to-eat plates of steak, shrimp, and rice.
“Holy wow, this looks amazing!”
“Taako was feeling a little cajun today, no biggie,” Taako says, floating to the cupboard for a second glass. “Take a seat. You want any wine?”
“Sure, I’ll take a glass,” Magnus agrees, obediently pulling out a stool.
“This is the good shit,” Taako says, pouring her a full glass of something dark red and velvety before taking a seat across from her. “Dig in!”
Magnus doesn’t have to be told twice. She cuts up the steak and spoons a little rice on, takes a bite and moans. She hasn’t had a home-made meal in ages. Even when Julia was still around, they were both too lazy to cook most days, opting in for take out instead.
“Bingo bango, right?” Taako says with a smug grin.
“This is fucking amazing,” she says, still savoring the bite.
“I know,” she says, taking a sip. “I can’t put furniture together for shit, but I can cook a mean meal. So we’re even, right?”
“Yes — I mean, I feel like I still owe you! All I did was put together a bed frame, this is like a Michigan star meal!”
“Michelin star, you mean,” Taako snorts, amused. “Hey, I’ve still got plenty of furniture to build, so I guess we can just start a running tab, huh?”
It starts that way. Magnus does end up putting together a couch and a dresser. Puts up all the picture frames and ladder shelves with Taako on the counter, legs crossed, directing her where to go.
Taako keeps cooking her killer food and sends her home with leftovers that make her coworkers jealous. Avi tries to steal her pot pie and she almost throws him out the window. She likes the company, likes coming over while Taako weaves stories about her incompetent coworker, and how much pressure she’s getting with ratings on her show.
Magnus finally gets a TV just to watch Sizzle it up! With Taako in support. She’s fantastic on screen, of course, nothing shines a light to Taako in real life.
_
She meets Lup and Barry a month in, when they finally have down time from their research. She’s never seen Taako nervous before, but today she is. She’s a whirlwind in the kitchen, so Mag stays out of the way after her hands get slapped a few times for trying to help out.
Magnus dresses up a little for it, just a suit she hasn’t worn in a while. She has to take off the blazer to duck under the table and fix a wobbly table leg, though.
“What are you nervous for? Is she mean?”
“Lup? No! She’s just — three minutes older and she thinks she’s three years older. She’s worried about me, or whatever, so I need her to think I’m living my best life! I’m hot shit! I don’t need her to worry. The hot mess Taako? She’s long gone! Left on the wild beaches of Ibiza, baby!”
“Okay. I can back that up, if you want?” Magnus dusts her hands off, retesting the table. When it seems good and sturdy, she returns all of the table decorations to their place.
“No, I just need you to tell me if this needs more salt,” she says, coming around the corner. She shoves the spoon in Mag’s mouth, knocking against her teeth. Mag pulls away, licking gravy off her lips. “It’s good,” she says, steadying Taako’s wrist. “Thanks for not knocking my teeth in.”
“Shit, sorry,” Taako says, setting the spoon down. She uses the bottom corner of her apron to wipe at Mag’s mouth. The fabric tickles Magnus’ nose and she thinks hard about that instead of how she wants to suck Taako’s fingers into her mouth.
There’s a knock at the door and Taako curses. “I’ll get it,” Mag says, steadying her waist. She pecks her forehead and moves on to the door.
“This Taako’s place?” Lup says. She looks almost identical to Taako, except she’s taller, and she’s got an undercut. Her clothes says she just left a punk-rock concert, rather than the chemistry lab Magnus knows she and Barry work at. Magnus likes her immediately.
“Yep! Right place. I’m Magnus, Taako’s — neighbor. She’s right over there, being totally normal and well adjusted!” Magnus winks at her, but Taako misses it. She looks dazed and her fingers are at her brow. Magnus worries that she might have cut herself or something, but she seems to snap out of it when Lup comes running over. They collide in shrieks and limbs. Magnus can’t stop grinning watching them.
Barry chuckles. “They always act like they haven’t seen each other in years when they see each other.”
Dinner goes well. Taako makes an assortment of things, including pot pies. Magnus eats two of them and Lup gives her a weird look the whole time.
“Do I have something on my face?”
“No, it’s just— that’s a new one on the menu, sis,” Lup says, smirking at Taako.
“What can I say? I’m always evolving.”
“Changed the whole ‘pot pie is soggy puff pastry with glue and peas for filling’ outlook?”
“Whaaat? It’s my favorite,” Magnus says, cuddling the pot pie closer to herself. “Taako makes the best pot pie I’ve ever had in my life.”
Lup cackles out loud and Taako throws a Hawaiian roll at her.
After dinner, as Magnus comes out of the bathroom, Lup is right there, looking dangerous. She’s easily 2 inches taller than Magnus with her heels on. “Hey Maggie, can we chat? So I like you— and, listen, hate to do this. But if you so much as treat her wrong once, I will set your car on fire and I will make it look like an accident. I am a chemist, so I can Breaking Bad your shit to high heaven, get me? Oh, and I have a coworker who’s real sweet on her and who I’d love her to meet. So don’t clown me,” Lup pats her on the shoulder once before straightening up.
“Uh. Okay.”
“Let’s go get seconds of cobbler before Barry eats the whole thing.”
The whole encounter is a little bit confusing and a little bit arousing, but Magnus will never tell Taako that.
_
Mag doesn’t even stop by her own apartment, just heads straight to 309, opens the door without thinking about it, and hangs up her jacket on the hook she installed two days ago. There’s a pot on the stove that’s bubbling, but Taako’s nowhere in sight. When Mag takes a step in, she can hear the shower running. All of the boxes are gone. The couch is there and Taako’s added a few fake plants to the shelves. Julia would have filled their apartment up top to bottom with plants and flowers. She had a green thumb.
Shit, Taako hadn’t even said anything about furniture today. Mag had just assumed, had walked right in without asking, like she lives here. Embarrassment crawls up her throat and she takes a quiet step back, knocking into a side table. A cup gets knocked off and tumbles to the floor with a clatter.
“Maggie? Is that you?”
“Uh, nope!”
Shit, shit, shit. She quickly picks it up, takes off her flannel to mop up the tea that spilled. She hears the bathroom door open and the pretty, floral smell of Taako’s body wash fills the living room.
“Hey, what’s up?” Taako says, eyebrows raised. She’s got her hair wrapped up in a towel and she’s in a fluffy looking robe. Mag wants to bundle her up in her arms and kiss her freckled nose.
“Hey. Uh, nothing. Just—,” Mag looks for her escape.
“Cool. Dinner will be ready in a couple of minutes… Is there something wrong? You look a little jumpy.”
“No, that’s okay. I’m fine. I’m gonna. I’m gonna go home. And eat there. At home. See you later!”
Magnus rushes out.
“Mags?” she hears, muffled behind her.
Her heart’s pounding in her chest when she gets home. It’s dark. Her laundry basket is still next to the couch with a pile of unsorted socks she’d abandoned when Taako came knocking at her door to get a coat hanger installed. She stayed over to talk until 2 am, until her throat got scratchy and the tea went cold.
“Julia? What am I doing?”
You’re smarter than that, Mags.
Magnus sighs. “But what if I’m not ready?”
Tough luck, my love.
Julia’s right. Julia’s also dead and isn’t here to actually give her advice over a mortifying crush; or just to be here, filling up the empty spaces with her warmth. It’s just Magnus in her sad, bachelorette-style apartment. Mag turns the door handle, takes a deep breath and centers herself, determined to just deal with this.
There’s no answer when she knocks on Taako's door. She knocks again.
“Taako?”
She tries the handle, but it’s locked and, okay, she probably deserves that. “Can we talk?”
The door cracks open and Taako looks livid, her lip curled up in a snarl. Her eyes are narrowed and she looks poised, ready to slam the door in Magnus’ face. “What?”
“So, about our tab. There’s like, no more furniture or fix-it-ups I have to do, right? So, I feel kind of bad about eating your food.” Oh boy, this isn’t what she wants to say at all.
Taako stares at her in disbelief. She shoves Magnus’ jacket out through the crack and slams the door. “Fuck you!”
“No! Wait! Fuck! That’s not what I—“
No response.
Magnus leans her forehead against the door and closes her eyes. Her fingers trace the grain of the wood as she concentrates on what to say. “I haven’t done this in… I have a dead wife. She was the love of my life and I didn’t think I’d be doing this again, like ever. But then you walked in here and everything changed.” she says slowly and sincerely.
The door knob turns slowly and Taako pulls it open, looking wary. Her hair’s damp, freed from its towel and she’s still in her bathrobe.
“Why didn’t you tell me about her?” She says, crossing her arms.
“I wanted to. But it still feels fresh, sometimes. I want to talk about her. With you, if that’s okay. Can you let me in, please?” Taako bites her lip, thinking for a moment before she swings the door open. She slinks to the couch and doesn’t face Mag just yet.
“You kissed my forehead.”
“What? When?”
“The other night when Lup and Barry were over.” Had she? Oh shit, she had. Magnus approaches the couch slowly, sitting at the other end of it.
“I… liked it. I wanted you to do it again. And I keep cooking pot pies, even though they are glue and peas in soggy pastry. But you like them and you get so happy when I make them — I’m in over my head. Taako doesn’t really do this. Lup’s right to worry, because I am a mess. Cooking is basically the only thing I’m good at. And surfing, I guess.”
“You surf?”
“That’s beside the point. The point is, I don’t have any more furniture for you to build. I did consider catalogue shopping for furniture I don’t need, so that you would keep coming over. Because why would you want to be here otherwise?” She looks up, expression sullen.
“Because you’re here,” Mag says, softly. “Taako…I guess, I was worried — conflicted…about what it means that your apartment feels more like home to me than my own apartment. Just now, I walked into your apartment without even thinking about it. And I don’t want to like, freak you out, or scare you away, because this like, freaks me out a little. How much I like you.”
“You do?”
“Yeah. Yeah, I really, really do. I like you! It scares me, how much I do.”
“You’re dumb,” Taako says, and it stings a little. But then she starts moving, climbing on top of Magnus, setting her bony ass on her lap. “You’re so dumb, god, Taako what are you doing?” she says to herself before leaning in and kissing her. It’s good, better than Magnus remembers. Her hands slide up carefully to the bird-bones of Taako’s shoulders. She’s so petite, nothing like Julia’s full figure at all, but Magnus likes it anyway.
Taako’s delicate fingers brush through the short sides of her hair, up into the thick, wavy top of it. She moans into the kiss, trembles when Magnus licks into her mouth. She tastes sugar-sweet and Magnus swirls her tongue to get more, to feel the cut of her gapped-teeth. Her hands keep exploring, down the waist of her fluffy robe to where her knees and thighs peek out. She squeezes the tops of her thighs and Taako moans again.
Taako pulls away first, her hands still stroking at the base of Mag’s neck. Her eyes are closed, forehead resting against hers. “God, your hands. Watching your hands when you work drives me crazy,” she says, grinding down a little. Magnus can feel a rush of wetness from her own cunt, her clit twitching for friction.
“Can I touch you? Is that okay?”
“Yeah,” she says breathily, holding herself steady, one hand at Mag’s shoulder as she presents herself. Mag unties the robe, feeling like she’s unwrapping a present as she unfolds the robe to reveal more of her. The curves of her breasts and the pooch of her tummy shift when she sucks in a breath. “Don’t,” Maggie says, reaching out to pet her tummy first and then up to cup her boobs. They’re a perfect handful and her nipples are so fucking hard already. Magnus leans forward to lick her neck and nibble at her collarbone. “You’re so gorgeous, fuck."
Mag’s thumb presses hard at her perfect, dark brown nub, pinches her hard until she gasps and rubs herself on Mag’s thigh again, riding her. Mag presses the heel of her palm to her own cunt, still trapped in layers of clothing. She leans down and kisses the top of her right breast and then sucks the whole thing into her mouth, sucking hard, then she narrows in on the nub with her teeth and pulls gently. “Maggie, fuck!”
Taako cries out again, grasp tightening in her hair and she can feel it this time, her wetness soaking into the denim of her jeans. Magnus pulls away, breathing hard and laps dirtily at her, circling her areola until Taako’s shuddering in her lap.
“Wanna eat you out,” Magnus slurs, wild-eyed, a trail of saliva running down her lip.
“Fuck yes. Great idea, yes,” Taako nods profusely and scrambles back onto the couch. The robe falls away and Taako shifts the sleeves off so she can wrap her arms around Magnus’ neck.
Mag grins at her, pushes her thighs up so they’re folded and presses her nose down the valley of her hips. She closes her eyes, smearing her lips down the crease of her hip. Takes her time, inhales deeply at the thatch of her well-groomed pubes, intoxicated by her musky sweetness. She buries her nose and laps at the dew-drops of cum on her pubes.
Mag blinks her eyes open, takes in her glistening pussy. Taako’s dark brown lips shine sweetly, and when she uses her fingers to split her open, she’s so pink and soft. Magnus’ mouth fucking waters.
She flattens her tongue, eyes on Taako’s face as she pushes her broad tongue against her pussy folds, moving her head side to side as does. Taako’s belly sucks in again and she moans as Mag presses in further, circling in slowly towards her clit.
She teases her, brushes her nose against it first, spreads her wide, one hand on her thigh, the other two fingers petting at her slick folds. She’s so fucking wet and messy and Mag just has to clean that up first, right?
“Stop teasing,” Taako whines, humping up. Mag grins at her, nipping her teeth along the inside of her thighs. Mag sucks off her fingers, grinning at Taako.
“This is Michelin star pussy. I gotta take my time.” Taako barks a laugh until she moans when Magnus uses the opportunity, rushes in, fucking her tongue into her tight, throbbing pussy. She licks out all of the sweet, slick juice dripping out of her and keeps doing it, stroking in deep.
“Oh, fuck son of a—,“ Taako whimpers, rutting against her. Magnus pulls back out, circling again with the tip of her tongue, tracing her. Then gentle, gentle, gentle she moves to her clit, sucks her into her mouth and swirls her tongue on the hot, hard head of it. Taako sobs and Magnus sinks two fingers in, rubbing at the velvet smooth inside. She crooks her fingers in Taako's cunt, playing with her now.
Taako’s thighs tighten around her head and she rides her face, chin to the ceiling as her orgasm builds. Mag tongues her clit, fast and rhythmic, eyes locked on Taako’s face. She’s biting her bottom lip hard, holding it off until she can’t anymore. Her mouth drops open, slutty, as she comes hard, hips lifting up off the couch; her moan chokes off and her long fingernails dig into Magnus’ neck.
Magnus keeps going. She adds two more fingers and she fucks them in harder, uses her whole arm to fuck that sweet spot inside of her. She can feel her pussy clenching, tightening, pulsating wildly around her, can feel the hungry heat, the way it wants to swallow her up and release at the same time. She kisses her clit and then sucks at the overstimulated nub. Taako’s hips keep working, and she lifts up again, oversensitive. Magnus pulls her mouth away, watching her pussy twitching restlessly. She pulls her fingers out all the way and then pushes them back in, deep.
Taako comes all over her, squirts all over her face like a fountain spray. Magnus closes her eyes and opens her mouth, drinks her up, best she can — swallows it all up, almost snarling as she does. She closes her mouth on her cunt, letting the last of it hit the the back of her throat. Magnus hastily shoves her hand down the front of her jeans and rubs.
She’s so fucking wet, she can barely feel it. Her whole hand coated with Taako’s cum and her own and she fucks the side of her thumb hard and fast. She comes, groaning. Taako pulls her into a kiss that she can’t see because it’s hard to open her eyes. She pants into the kiss, lets Taako lick at her mouth and her face. Her thumb grazes Mag’s chin, stroking over and over again until Magnus winds down.
Simultaneously, they collapse together in a heap.
“Holy shit.”
“Yeah.”
“Talk about splash zone. I have never come that hard in my life. I’m gonna have to get a new couch,” Taako says, absolutely awed. Magnus grins smugly, using her left hand to at least wipe off her face so she can see Taako. She looks flushed, eye bright and glossy. She’s stunning. Magnus kisses her red, red lips.
“Gonna have to do that again, like pronto. My legs are jello, though. I think my soul astral-projected. I’m still floating up there.”
“No, come back,” Mag says, with a giggle.
“You still have clothes on. How is that fair?” Taako whines, pulling at her shirt. “I wanna see those abs. I wanna see that wet, hot fucking pussy.”
“I’m gonna have to throw these boxers and jeans away,” she says, making a face. It’s already starting to get uncomfortable and chafing.
“I wanted to throw those jeans away, anyway. They have wood stain all over them, babe.” Mag snorts and rolls her eyes. Taako tugs at the bottom of her shirt again, inhaling deeply. She presses her face up into Mag’s hairy pit and mutters something.
“What was that?”
“Maggie,” Taako’s eyebrows are furled when she shows her face again.
“I like you,” she says, voice shaky. Magnus’ heart takes a long distance leap, right over some finish line she didn’t know she was running. “I want you to come over every day, eat my food, fix my furniture, and keep fucking me on every inch of this apartment. I’m really, really not good at this stuff, but hey, I’m shootin’ my shot here. I want you to be my girlfriend, please and thank you. You and also your dead wife willing — may she rest in peace, if that’s gucci.”
Magnus strokes the soft skin of Taako’s waist, staring at every blink over every hard word. She knows how hard Taako’s trying and she’s trying for her. How incredible is that? How lucky is she? Jules, I think I may be in good hands.
“I am very willing. And I think Julia would… want this for me. She was that way, you know?”
Taako smiles at her, presses a kiss to her lips and then sucks hard on her bottom lip until Magnus groans. “You taste like me, which is very hot. I mean, my pussy is Michelin star rated, as you know. But I think I know exactly what I want to go for my second course,” she wiggles her eyebrows and starts to slide down the length of Mag’s body.
“Get these clothes off right now.”
_
Taako can’t keep a plant alive. Taako cooks everything and anything and it's always fantastic, takes 2-hour long baths, despite the messes she leaves everywhere in her room. She doesn’t care that Mag leaves her dirty work boots toppled over in the foyer, but does care about what Magnus wears when they go out together.
She likes bad TV (so did Jules), nicknames, and surprisingly, kids too. She hates dogs. She also hates pot pies, but makes them for Magnus, anyway. Magnus thinks she is probably, definitely in love with Taako, despite the dog thing. (She’s working on it.)
“I’ll ask you one more time,” the tiefling snarls, raising his dagger to point it into Magnus’ face. “What are you doing here?”
Magnus has a quick, uncharitable thought about The Bureau and the distinct lack of intelligence they’d received in their mission briefing, and then Taako grabs his hand and laces their fingers together. He leans towards the tiefling, seemingly unconcerned with the way the knife swings towards him and offers a huge, fake smile.
“It’s date night! My sugar bun promised me that we would find a good place to eat--you’re not reservation only, are you?”
Magnus is so preoccupied with how close Taako is to the knife that he doesn’t register his words at first. When he does, it takes every ounce of his self-control to keep the shock from showing on his face. The tiefling glances up at him, clearly suspicious, so Magnus does the only thing he can think to do, and goes along with it. He wraps an arm around Taako's waist and pulls him gently back to his chest, which has the added benefit of getting him away from the knife.
"Only the best for my sweetheart," Magnus says with a shy grin.
The tiefling eyes them for a few more tense seconds, then steps to the side. His pasted-on smile looks more like a grimace.
"Sit wherever you like, a barkeep will be with you shortly."
Taako flounces towards a table near the back of the room and since he's still holding Magnus' hand, he has no choice but to follow. He can feel the tiefling's glare at his back. Thank gods for Taako's quick thinking. And thank Pan in particular that they'd split up, because Merle definitely would've blown their cover.
"Sweetheart, huh?" Taako says, bringing him back to the moment. "I have to admit, that's tamer than I would've expected your nicknames to be." His voice is light and casual, but he’s playing with Magnus’ fingers on top of the table and his gaze is just slightly over his shoulder. They’re still being watched.
“It seemed right?” he hazards. It’s certainly not what he called Julia, but with Taako pressed to his chest, it just felt like the correct word for some reason.
“You did very good, bubeleh.” Taako gives him a rare smile. “Way to say yes.” He’s still tracing lines on Magnus’ palm with his slender fingers and it’s a little bit distracting. Magnus forces himself to focus.
“So, now what?”
Taako’s brow furrows. “We pretend to be on a date for as long as it takes Merle to search the back for the Philosopher's Stone or whatever, then we get the fuck out of here.”
Magnus nods. It’s really the only thing they can do. The tavern is full of ruffians, and they’re armed to the teeth. Stealth is their best bet.
“I’m just following your lead. It’s been quite some time since I’ve been on any kind of a date.”
Taako slants a look at him from under long eyelashes. “Yeah?” His voice is unusually hesitant. Magnus has told him a little bit about Julia, but not much. Taako’s never pried for more.
He shrugs. “Not since I left Ravensroost.” He feels a little exposed under Taako’s scrutiny, but the elf just nods thoughtfully and then grins.
“Guess I’ll have to give you the full Taako experience, then! It’s your first date in like six years, and you’re lucky enough to bag yourself the hottest elf in town.”
Magnus laughs, the tension dissipating like morning fog. “Lucky me.”
“Ahem,” a brawny human woman is suddenly standing over their table. “What do you want to drink?”
“Ale for me,” Magnus says automatically. “And, uh, a glass of your finest red wine for my beautiful date!”
The woman rolls her eyes and shuffles away. As soon as she’s gone, Taako turns to him and waggles his eyebrows.
“Aww, you think I’m beautiful?”
“Well, you are.” Magnus says, a touch defensively. To his surprise, the tips of Taako’s ears turn pink. He recovers quickly, mouth curving into a smirk.
“I know that. I just wasn’t sure if you knew that.”
What is Magnus supposed to say to that? Of course he’s noticed--everyone notices Taako. How could they not? It doesn’t necessarily have to mean anything, even if Magnus has been noticing more and more lately.
He’s saved from coming up with a response by the arrival of their drinks. As Taako interrogates the barkeep about their menu, he takes a massive swig of ale and finds it makes him feel only marginally better.
The woman storms away, Taako picks up his glass and swirls it absently. “We’re going to be lucky if anything from their kitchen is edible,” he comments.
Magnus shrugs. “I’ll eat pretty much anything.”
“I know, it’s disgraceful. If you’d ever had my cooking, you’d never settle again.”
“You could cook for me sometime,” Magnus suggests before he’s even thought about the implications of his words. Taako almost upends his wine glass on the table. “I--I don’t mean like a date, just. Um, we have a kitchen at the moonbase…”
Strangely, this doesn’t seem to reassure Taako in the slightest. His face is very pale. “I don’t think that would be a very good idea,” he says flatly.
They lapse into a deeply uncomfortable silence. Taako’s gaze is a million leagues away and Magnus isn’t sure how to get him back. He swallows back the remainder of his drink and flags down the barkeep for another.
She’s just set the tankard down in front of him when his stone of farspeech comes on with a crackling pop.
“Magnus? You there?”
Taako’s expression flickers back to life. “I can’t believe you didn’t put it on silent for our date!” he says shrilly. The barkeep’s eyes flick between them and she visibly makes the decision not to stick around for the impending argument, and books it back to the bar.
“Thanks,” Magnus says in an undertone, then answers his stone. “Merle? What’s going on?”
“I’m inside, but there’s guards at the vault that I can’t get past.”
“I turned you invisible, old man, is that not good enough?” Taako hisses, leaning over the table towards Magnus to be heard.
“They’re right up against it. I’d have to be intangible too, and you didn’t cast anything like that,” Merle retorts. “Any chance you two can come up with a distraction that might draw them out into the tavern?”
Magnus looks at Taako. “I got nothing. You?”
A slow smile spreads across the elf’s face. “I think I have an idea. You better be fast, Highchurch.” He slips one of his many rings off and shoves it into Magnus’ hands. “Get down on your knees.”
“What?”
“Down on your knees, do it now!” Taako shoves him out of his chair and for lack of a better idea, Magnus drops to his knees, automatically holding the ring up as if to present it to Taako. He hears a gasp from a couple of tables over, and it clicks.
“Taako,” he says, “Light of my world, love of my life…will you marry me?”
The tavern is suddenly dead silent. Every eye in the room is on them. Taako lets out an ear-splitting scream of delight and the door behind the bar bursts open, two heavily armed half-orcs appearing. Bingo.
“Oh, Maggie!” Taako croons. “This is such a surprise!”
“Don’t keep him in suspense,” shouts the tiefling doorman. “What’s your answer?”
“Yes, of course I’ll marry you!” Taako cries. From the corner of his eye, Magnus sees that the guards are still watching.
“What are you waiting for?” the barkeep demands, “Kiss him!”
Magnus meets Taako’s eyes and raises an eyebrow in question. Taako grabs one of the straps on his cuirass and hauls him to his feet. “Make this look good.”
Magnus kisses him. Taako’s lips part on a surprised exhale and he presses closer, dipping the elf low like some cheesy romance novel. Taako has his arms wrapped around Magnus’ neck tight as a vise, and he’s kissing back with enthusiasm. Considering it’s fake as hell, it’s a really good kiss. Taako is warm and soft, making breathy little noises against his mouth. It’s strangely familiar. There’s white noise filling Magnus’ head and he tightens his arms around Taako. When they finally break apart, his ears are ringing and he feels distinctly unmoored from reality. Taako looks similarly dumbfounded, but the other patrons of the tavern are going wild, cheering and applauding.
“Let’s get out of here,” Taako mutters. He tosses a handful of coins down on the table and practically drags Magnus out of the pub while people hoot and holler in the background.
They don’t speak as they head back to the rendezvous. Taako’s ears are twitching irritably and Magnus is trying hard not to touch his own lips. Merle is waiting for them next to the transport bubble, wearing a grim expression.
“It wasn’t the real Philosopher's Stone, it was fake--Hey, what happened to you guys?”
Taako doesn’t answer, already halfway into the seating compartment. Magnus turns to Merle.
“It was fake? After all that?”
“Yeah, sorry kiddo. Apparently The Director had some bad intelligence. Are you boys okay?”
Magnus glances up and sees Taako staring back at him. He looks confused and exhausted, ears drooping and face pale. He clearly does not want to talk about it. Magnus gives him what he hopes is a reassuring smile, and turns back to Merle.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Rating: T
Fandom: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Relationships: Taako/Magnus, Taako/Kravitz (mentioned), Magnus/Julia (mentioned)
Characters: Magnus, Taako
Summary:
A vignette about Magnus and Taako trying to come to terms with the fact that they had had a relationship on the Starblaster and what that means for them now.
My contribution to @taagnusweek day 2, for the prompt “recovering memories.”