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ticklefits · 5 years

Text

Distant Yearning

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the adventure zone : balance | taagnus | words : 5364

summary : Magnus remembers Taako acting a little weird about something and it got him curious enough to ask about it, much to Taako's embarrassment.

“Hey, pst, Taako -- you up?”

It has to be at least two in the morning when the soft, yet audible rumble of vocals belonging to Magnus pierces the late night silence of the room. Unsurprising, Taako is awake, albeit not by choice ( insomnia’s a real burden ). Merle and Robbie, stationed messily underneath their blankets, remain in sound deep sleep; made obvious by the occasional gargantuan snores that drag from the dwarf’s mouth and the smaller ones from Robbie. At first, Taako ignores Magnus’s call, opting instead to stare at the nearest wall within the room’s darkness, groggy and somewhat agitated from the lack of a much needed repose. It’s only when the warrior addresses him again, and then a third time, that Taako raises his upper frame with the support of his elbows, leaning over the side of the wooden frame that separates each bed, to peer down into the bottom bunk and hisses out “Mags, it is two in the goddamn morning."

Magnus seems to stiffen at that, instinctively delivering an apologetic smile to the smaller elf . “Yeah, ah, my bad, but listen, something’s been weighing pretty heavy on my mind for awhile and it has to do with you.”

Those words alone cause the contents of Taako’s stomach to churn, a sense of anxiety already beginning to creep from the recesses of his mind. He forces himself to sustain his semi-irritated expression and conceal any display of how that singular sentence is already making him sweat with anticipation of what Magnus is going to say.

“...Well? Ain't got all night my man, spill the tea already.” Taako urges, all too impatient to hear what is so goddamn important about himself that Magnus couldn't have kept this in until a decent hour -- namely no sooner than noon .

The larger man's visage contorts in an expression that reads half curiosity and half apprehension, as if he has abruptly decided that maybe he shouldn't have mentioned anything at all. It's too late for that though; he's got Taako's nerves whirling around like flies at a summer barbeque and if he doesn't come out with it already, it's very plausible that Taako will end up forcing it out of him one way or another. He carries his own chest of secrets, the same as everyone else, and the fear that someone, somehow, might have unlocked it and discovered something detrimental about him, terrifies the absolute shit out of him. With another gesture of urgency, Taako finally persuades Magnus to continue on.

"Uh, okay, okay, well -- this might just be stupid, or I might've just been imagining things when it happened, y'know, 'cause lotsa stuff was sorta happening all at once and there was the void fish and it's great, big, everything and--"

"Magnus, you have one more chance - count it - one more chance to tell me whatever stupid thing you have to tell me before I put you back to sleep myself." But Taako did register hearing something about the void fish, which has only served to confuse him further. What could he possibly have to do with the void fish?

"Okay! Okay, okay, so… uh.. You remember when we first met Johann in the elevator? And he was super sad and I didn't know the reason why, but I wanted him to be happy like any ol' good citizen would?"

"... Yeaaah..?"

"So I tickled him." Taako has to clench the bed frame a bit to bite back a shiver at that word. " Normal reactions all around, except… I noticed you were acting a little.. Off?"

Oh gods. Oh gods. Oh gods. If Taako's suspicions and anxieties are true, then Magnus discovering this particular secret is probably one of the worst ones he could know. He delivers his best facade of indifference, simply nodding and allowing Magnus to continue - if he begins to act out again at the mention of it, it might set Magnus off.

"The first time, I was like, whatever, he's probably just weirded out, and that's fine, like that's definitely a Taako thing, but then when I did it again is when things kinda… I dunno, intensified maybe? That might not be the right word but."

The blond could only hope this was a dream. A horribly taunting dream where Magnus had unearthed one of his deepest secrets, that absolutely no one knew about him, that was so well concealed he couldn't even begin to piece together how someone could end up knowing unless Taako himself had screwed the pooch. He goes silent in his internal prayers for this all to be a scene of his imagination and hopefully, his insomnia will do its duty and kick in again, waking him before any additional embarrassment can rear its ugly head.

"You were fidgeting and looking away from Johann and I, but sometimes your eyes would flicker back to us, and then away again. I swear I even saw your lips twitching. And you had this look like you were… yearning? I dunno, like I said, it could be hella stupid and I could be reading way too much into things."

Quietude sustains from Taako, almost too far gone into his own thoughts and wishes for none of this to be reality, as Magnus single handedly picked apart every little subtle sign that Taako had unknowingly granted his vision with, as if the elf had lain daisies out for him to effortlessly pluck. If he were any less freaked right now, he could commend Magnus for his observational skills. Finally, Taako gulps down the lump that infiltrated his throat and constricted the breath he couldn't take while Magnus had been speaking, willing the sweat that was beginning to form at his temple to dry.

"I'm.. I'm pretty sure you're just grasping at straws, Mags. I was just.. Offput 'cause you… Did that to a total stranger." He bluffs, heterochromatic eyes rolling to attempt to emphasize his faux apathy towards the situation.

"Uh huh," Magnus hums, and his stare towards Taako is all of a sudden intense, as if peering deep beyond the lavender - jade of his irises, to see what the elf has hidden behind those long, thick lashes of his. "And so… what if I decided to do it to someone who isn't a total stranger?"

Taako's eyes widen. His breathing begins to cut short again and his toes curl under the blanket on instinct. What.. The hell is going on right now?

"What if I decided to tickle you?"

That's when Taako chokes. He chokes on fucking air, has to level himself after a brief, strangled coughing fit so as to refrain from waking up their other two roommates; the last thing the wizard needs is two extra idiots looking to embarrass him. His gaze returns to Magnus, incredulous in expression, with plump lips slightly agape and cheeks tinted in obvious roseate hues. It's been at least two minutes and he hasn't delivered any sort of response other than nearly asphyxiating himself on oxygen out of sheer surprise of the fighter's words. What's the point in even saying something like that? To get a reaction out of him? To cause him more chagrin than he's already suffering with? He doesn't possess the spoons to ask Magnus that question right now, especially with the way that amber eyes maintain that focused gaze on him -- Taako meets his line of sight for a second and instantly regrets the decision.

Butterflies assault the insides of his stomach, making it nigh impossible to look Magnus in the eye right now. Could he have… the same thing Taako has? Despite Taako's palpable discomposure in regards to it, he knows that while it isn't exactly a common thing, it also isn't something totally outlandish - especially compared to some of the other kinks has been unfortunately exposed to. His blush darkens against his will, finally, slowly, providing a verbal response to his still waiting companion.

"You… um.. Why would you even..?"

Magnus' features revert back a little bit, growing soft and curious once again. "Because… I'm kinda the same, I guess? It's kinda been a thing for me for awhile. I'm assuming it's like that for you too."

"I… I-I gotta say Magnus, I'm learning a lot more about you than I thought I would and that I think would rather not know." But there's bemusement in those words; a signal that means Taako doesn't really mean what he says. At least, not all of it. Magnus only releases a small, deep chuckle and shrugs his broad shoulders.

"I guess it'd be easier to say, that I couldn't really help myself when I started noticing the signs you were putting out. You have some really.. Kinetic energy. It was like… I could feel some sort of invisible pull from you."

That only darkens Taako's freckled cheeks even more. This entire conversation has been nothing but one giant trip for him , what with Magnus not only discovering his inclination for tickling but even bringing how own desire for it to light. What's even more wild? Magnus definitely wants to tickle him -- his eyes proved that he was practically hungry for it, and gods, Taako can still feel the goosebumps decorating his flesh from the sheer magnitude of the fighter's earlier peer. On one hand, this could be terrible. Sure, he and Magnus have some sort of weird, unspoken chemistry between them and it shows when they interact with each other. Magnus is steadily learning how to handle someone like Taako and it's crazy, Taako thinks, but at the same time, a… comforting sort of thought? On the other hand, Taako has been in the worst craving moods ever since he witnessed Magnus and Johann. Even before that, the elf would be burdened with the occasional craving and have no way of relief. Magnus could… maybe… become that outlet, and if what the other says is true, then Taako, could do the same for him in return.

Yet and still, he and Magnus have a long journey ahead of them and still many paths to cross and situations to deal with it… this sort of thing is more than just a silly prank or a playful way to tease to Taako. It's a very personal and intimate extension of himself, something not another soul has shared with him. Until this burly, dog loving dork anyway… and perhaps, this some kind of a sign.

A sign that his life is, finally, starting to shine brighter than he thought it could.

After what felt like hours of mulling over the thought, Taako speaks again. "... You know this isn't just some childish shit for me, right? It's the real deal." Without truly thinking about his actions, Taako's eyes flash at Magnus and are granted the same stare that he had earlier in return. " ---- Think you can handle that?"

Magnus had wondered for the longest time if he had overstepped his boundaries by his exposure and request, up until Taako's rebuttal of a challenge and suddenly, his fingers were twitching, apexes heating up with the urge to touch and stroke. Imaginably, his intentions in the beginning had been somewhat selfish -- but can he truly be blamed? For a gorgeous wildcard like Taako to have any semblance of submission towards a kink like this, especially one shared by him as well, it's honestly astounding. How can Magnus pass up this chance? It would be a whole crime to do so.

"I think the real question is if you can handle me." He shoots back and with the way Magnus' lips curl at the corners into an eager half smirk, Taako could melt into the mattress right on point. It's been much too long since someone was able to instill in him such avidity -- Magnus managed to do so in a one single sentence. At this point, he really isn't leaving Taako much of a choice.

".. I'd say tomorrow, but since it's already tomorrow Magnus, later today then. We'll see how good you are."

A chuckle breaches from Magnus, but he nods in agreement, "Looking forward to it," and with that, slinks back under the cover of the wooden frame of his bunk, leaving Taako to his own thoughts, whilst he too crawls back into his own bed -- though neither of them actually get much sleep from that point on.

The first sight of dawn rises over the horizon and a percentage of the b.o.b rises with it, including merle and robbie, neither of which find it especially necessary to wake their other two roommates for breakfast just yet and end up leaving them alone in the room. Magnus is the first to wake, groggily with a rugged yawn as he exits the bunk and stretches as far as his limbs will allow, animating refreshed muscles and joints. Upon renewed awareness, the fight distinctly recalls the conversation he had with Taako hours prior and his fingers suddenly flex on instinct, cheeks heating up if only for the realization that this was actually going to happen. Circling around, his gaze settles on the still sleeping wizard, observing him with a softness to his eyes that Magnus has yet to see another with; he seems so peaceful when he’s actually sleeping… beautiful, even. Magnus can peer at him up close and see just how long his lashes really are, how his freckles are bunched together on the bridge of his nose, but spread out over his cheeks and just keep going, covering his skin in various areas and varying degrees.. It appears so soft and smooth, and thought of being granted the opportunity to touch it as thoroughly as he will soon is enough to make his fingers flex again, impatiently this time, forcing him to hold back a chuckle at himself.

The need for a distraction is strong, so Magnus busies himself with dressing and locating the mess hall to gather up consumables for himself and for Taako too, considering he figures neither will be leaving the room much today. A short conversation with Merle and Robbie transpires, inwardly flushing relief when the two mention they have their own businesses to attend to and probably won’t be back for awhile. Magnus gives an acknowledging goodbye without telling either of them much of his and Taako’s affairs of course, and begins his tread back to the room with as much subtle swiftness as his large self can manage.

When Taako finally rouses from slumber, he yawns and stretches high, slender digits rubbing lightly at his eyes to rid them of sleep crust and adjust to the bright morning rays. With a lazy gaze around the room, he hoists himself up to look over the frame and comes to witness Magnus on the floor, setting out a few breakfast pastries and savory treats on two trays. He senses eyes on him and glances up to Taako, who in lieu gives him a wriggly - fingered wave, making Magnus smile and gesture for him to climb down. Taako nods and wastes no time in doing so, definitely perusing the food as his stomach growls in desire. Once out of bed, he sits cross - legged in front of the tray that isn’t already in front of Magnus and begins to chow down on what catches his eye. Magnus does the same, inviting a comfortable, though temporary silence between the two.

“Sooo…” Magnus begins once they’ve both finished their meal, unable to really look at one another in the eye, “Food was good.”

Flaxen gold locks sway lightly with Taako’s nod, smoothing out the wrinkled chiffon of his sleepwear, “..Yeah. Pretty good.”

It’s another few minutes of silence, before Magnus scoots himself around and closer to Taako, immediately invoking a settlement of heat to color the blond’s cheeks in anticipation. “Listen… I don’t wanna make you any kind of uncomfortable, Taako. This all sprang up pretty fast, so if you don’t want to do this, we definitely don’t have to and can act like last night didn’t happen if that’s what you want.”

That definitely isn’t what he wants; not in the slightest. The awkwardness that plagues the air around them isn’t exactly due to the coming act itself, but mostly from Taako’s own insecurities and the fear of vulnerability that approaches with this sort of thing. He trusts Magnus enough.. That isn’t the issue. He needs to be able to trust himself not to ruin something good before anything even occurs. A sigh through his nostrils breaks the impending tension that had been building while Magnus patiently waited for Taako’s answer, legs scooting so that his entire body faces the other and with a quick once over of Magnus, he extends both arms and offers them to the fighter. Magnus pauses, giving off a confused stare until he slowly lifts his own arms and mimics Taako’s motion with a small tilt of his head. A roll of his eyes ensues, but at least Magnus’ clueless has an amusing charm to it -- especially right now, helping to further evaporate some of the rigidity of the situation.

“No, dork -- touch me.” Taako lays his arms within Magnus’ open palms and the reaction from Magnus is immediate: a small “oh” sound, as if surprised, and a realization from his earlier ponderance does in fact conclude that Taako has really.. really soft skin. Unlike Magnus’ own flesh, which is scarred and calloused from his days of carpentry, to the battles of current times. Taako probably notices this too, from the thoughtful expression that perked his features once he actually felt Magnus’ fingers close around his smaller wrists. They remain like this, Magnus’s hands wrapped around Taako’s arms like loose handcuffs, simply getting a feel for his skin and determining a course of action. While brushing up the underskin of his arms, Taako squirms and a little whimper pulls from his throat before he realizes it. Magnus definitely takes notice of that reaction and repeats his action, watching with a blossoming delight at how Taako squirms a little bit harder that time and has to bite his lip to capture the noise before it leaks out again; however, it’s a little too late for that and timidness is suddenly out of the door.

Before Taako can truly register what happened, he discovers himself with the seat of Magnus’ lap, ample hands positioning themselves on his sides but haven’t dug in. Rose paints over freckled cheeks again, daring his eyes to rise and look at him questioningly, but words don’t come to formulate a verbal response. Magnus simply smiles down at him, half apologetic and half joyful. “Sorry.. I’m really trying to be patient, but you’re already killing me here.”

Even with the advantage of their positions, Magnus is still polite, respectful in his own way despite his seemingly growing impatience. Taako actually finds it really cute, endeared by the duality of the fighter’s morals. He relaxes against the other’s chest then, a signal to Magnus that he’s comfortable enough to permit him to do as he pleases (within reason) and Magnus isn't about to let the chance go to waste. Therein, his fingers commence their dutiful exploration, spidering along Taako's sides gently while moving in an ascending and descending motion. Taako's reaction is instantaneous, with choked giggles leaking from between plump lips that he binds in a tight line, attempting to keep the budding laughter captive within the hollows of his cheeks and throat -- obviously this doesn't pan out the way he had hoped. Especially when Magnus treads further south and hits a rather sensitive area: the sections of flesh at Taako's hips that separates meat from muscle, which has him squirming almost frantically and the giggles that bubbled from his chest, already amplifying into soft , full on belly laughter.

"M-Mahahagnus -- wait, wahahahit! Nohoho -- nooohohohot theeehehehere!"

"Not there? Not there… Oh! Oh, you mean, right here?" Magnus teases, delivering impish squeezes to each hip and earning the reward of a high pitched squeal from the elf writhing in his lap. It's invigorating to know that they've only just begun and Taako is already unraveling at the seams by his hands. Though momentary, he ponders whether the wizard's prior challenge was one of bluff, lack of experience, or he's so reactive simply because he truly is that sensitive. Whatever the case may be, Magnus is certainly soaking in every wriggle and giggle that blesses him.

"Aaahaa-! Mmmahahahaha, n-nooohohoho, stop, stahahahap!" Taako squeals while he continues to flail about, only to release a small squeak of surprise when Magnus does halt his tickling and glance up at him, a shy "I didn't actually mean that--" on the tip of his tongue, but the larger interrupts him before speech can form.

"Sorry, hold on, I should've asked before we started, I got carried away -- have you thought of a safeword? I know that when you say things like stop or no, you don't actually mean them, & that's fine and all, but I'm the type of guy that needs to have communication so I know when to really stop." He even temporarily removes his hands from Taako's hips, at which a whine leaks from the smaller's lips from the loss of contact.

"Um… if I'm being honest? No. I've never really had a need for one before now, I guess." Slender shoulders shrugged nonchalantly, his skin prickling with impatience at the continued lack of Magnus' fingers tickling away. The aforementioned fighter nods, a glaze of thought spreading over his features for a minute or so. "Alright… So, take a minute to think one up real quick. Then we can continue."

A whine nearly slips from Taako's lips at that, but he fathoms the importance of having a safeword for stuff like this. He can already tell from the concise amount of tickling Magnus has enacted so far that he'll definitely need one if things become too overwhelming. Additionally, Taako wholeheartedly appreciates the concern for his well-being. "That's a very Magnus thing of you to do." he teases him a bit, before actually mulling over what word to use. "Hm.. Ah.. Let's just use milk. Easy to remember, not stupid enough for me to be too embarrassed to call out."

Magnus smiles and as if in reward, plants his hands back upon the wizard's sides, beaming a little brighter when said wizard squeaks and rattles in his lap a little from the returned contact. "Sounds good to me. I'm gettin' back to it now." With that warning, thick extremities dig back into the skin of Taako's sides, garnering a prompt explosion of giggles and squirming once again. Even though Magnus hasn't done much yet, Taako's already gone extra sensitive, with little ripples of electricity riding his skin with every stroke and dip of the fighter's skilled fingers, causing Taako to actually wonder what he's gotten himself into.

"M-mmmahaa-! Mahaahahahahagnus, plehehehehease!"

"Pleeeease what? Change spots? Gladly." He's all too curious about the rest of Taako's body; even decided on a game -- a probably evil game, appropriately named: Find the Death Spot. To keep the elf from guessing his movements or next location, Magnus has one hand poking and prodding all over the expanse of his torso, while the other acts more strategically, utilizing claw rubs and squeezes to better assess Taako's sensitivity in that area. That hand hoists up from his hip, marking tickles along the way until Magnus reaches the top of his ribs and Taako absolutely loses it.

"N-no! Nonononohohoho! Oh gohohods, shit-! Shihihihihit, not thehehehere! Ah! Ahahaa--!" Taako's mouth hangs agape as laughter pours through like an even water flow, ringed hands pushing at Magnus' own halfheartedly, but the safeword never comes despite the rest of Taako's pleas, so Magnus simply attaches both hands that sweet spot and goes to town for a bit. In lieu, Taako tries to curl up and pull his knees to his chest to protect his ribs, but all that really does is trap the other's fingers in there, allowing him to work undisturbed by the elf's own attempts at pushing his hands away. He squeals when Magnus seems to punish him for his mistake by poking in between as many ribs as he can reach until Taako has to let his knees down so that Magnus can move positions -- if he even does.

"Y'know, it's pretty cute that your ribs are this ticklish. I think next time, I'll play them like piano keys and make you a fun little song. ~ ' The tease is completely dreadful and it brings a new splash of pink to Taako's cheeks, ears, and neck, to which Magnus is totally delighted to see. His laughter only seems to raise in pitch and volume with each passing minute; Taako hadn't the slightest idea that Magnus was this good! Honestly, who the hell has he been practicing on to be able to bring someone near to tears like this? It was wholly unfair, especially if you count in the fact they've only been at this for about ten minutes -- Taako had planned on making this last as long as he could manage, but with the tickling competence that Magnus is effortlessly dishing out right now, that wish isn't appearing very probable.

Magnus' chest suddenly rumbles with a curious hum and Taako knows that can't mean great news for him. He's trying to anticipate where and how Magnus will strike next, but he isn't granting him any hints, the big bully. His skin is on edge, zapped with extra ticklish just waiting for Magnus' fingers to act as conductors for the currents again; yet when all Taako receives are light spiderings over his stomach (enough to reignite his squeaks and giggles), a foreboding sense of trepidation occurs, like the calm before the storm. He feels Magnus deciding to migrate from his stomach and gulps at the thought of him attacking his hips again -- only to realize that he isn't stopping there, and instead, rests the flat of his palms right atop the meat of Taako's thighs, wherein the elf's face flares with heat and long, pierced ears twitch perceptively, daring to observe what Magnus does next.

He can definitely feel Taako's eyes bearing down into the backs of his hands, just bracing for whatever he ends up doing. It's a powerful feeling and Magnus is soaking it all up with a grin brightening his features. However, he doesn't move his hands yet, simply keeping their positions steady while leaning closer to Taako's ear. "-- Is this alright? I don't wanna touch you anywhere you're not comfortable with."

The wispy strands of Magnus' sideburns only tickle the hypersensitive skin of his ears, forcing Taako to snap down on his bottom lip from the threat of an embarrassing squeal trying to burst from his mouth. After a few moments, Taako finally deems himself calm enough to answer, though completely refuses to even peek in Magnus' general direction; in fact, one of his own hands goes to promptly conceal half of his face as he succumbs to abashment anyway. " … Do what you gotta do my man. Pretty sure I'm handlin' you better than you thought I would, huh? Hope you got more tricks up your sleeve than that."

Magnus can't refrain from laughing softly at Taako's hardass front -- he pretty much fathoms that's all it is, considering how much the elf has melted into him from the way Magnus' fingers have treated him thus far. That's just another part of Taako's charm, and if he's being honest, Magnus thinks it's cute as shit. It makes his fingers itch for another opportunity to make Taako squeal and laugh and eat the sass-laden words he just spoke. He proceeds to do just that, hands springing back to life with soft squeezes to the tops of Taako's thighs that already send him into frantic giggles and squirms.

"S-Shi--! Shihihihihihit--!" His hands push at Magnus', yet seem to be pin them down upon his skin rather than off. The fighter can't tell if that was intentional or not, but he certainly is going to make sure that Taako feels every result of his action. He digs into the sides the wizard's thighs in circular motions, alternating between faster and rougher or slower and softer, all the while dishing out the occasional squeeze and Taako absolutely loses it.

"MahAAAHAHAHAHA!" His laughter breaks free like a cracked dam with too much pressure and finally overflowing; it's loud, pitch and octave raising to a level Magnus didn't know Taako could achieve (honestly, neither did he) and for a second, he's worried that someone may hear him and wonder what the hell was going on for him to be screeching like he is. But Magnus can't find it in himself to care all too much -- and you wouldn't either if you got to see the same sight as him: Taako with nearly his entire visage painted in hues of rose, flushed ears flicking about in what he can only assume to be excitement or overwhelm, plump lips broken apart with a wide grin that showed every single pearly white and the best part of it all? Taako is absolutely glowing, even more so than his beauty normally is. Anyone would be able to clearly visualize how much he's genuinely enjoying this despite his half-hearted pleas for the larger male to cease. It's enough to bring Magnus a blush of his own, never wanting any of this to end.

Yet, when Magnus swears he hears the strangled, half-laugh, half-whine of the word milk, he halts all movement, immediately moving his hands off of Taako and setting them on his own thighs. He's still smiling, but it's softer and more apologetic than anything. "You okay, tough guy?" He teases, his voice is so gentle, almost barely above a whisper while Taako gulps down excessively deep breaths, taking back the oxygen that was stolen with every note of his guffawing.

"D.. Don't patronize me, ahahasshole… This is gonna be your f-first and only.. victory…" Magnus is silent for a minute, simply soaking up the fruits of his labor while the aforementioned elf still continues to pull an act even while looking and feeling as ruined as he is; combat or pranks wise, Magnus would have had a real reason to honestly fear what Taako's threats would entail, but for this? The ex carpenter knows he has a pretty significant advantage. Still, it's just as cute as earlier -- Magnus is having trouble refraining from nuzzling into the top of his head, knowing that wouldn't end well for him. So he simply settles for the view, leaning back as Taako regains his bearings. "Next time won't be so easy for you."

"... Oh. So there's gonna be a next time, huh?"

Taako glances back at him as if his sentence wasn't spoken in common, "What, you thought you were gonna win a one and done? Not on your life buddy boy, better exercise those fingers up 'cause you're gonna be bowing with hand cramps to the unbreakable Taako next time."

Magnus covers his mouth on a laugh, rolling his eyes a bit. "Oh yeah, lookin' forward to that mess."

A yawn interrupts the unbreakable Taako's next statement, his hand reaching up to block the breathy sigh that leaks from his mouth. "Mmm… but, for now, as next time's loser, your punishment is to hold me while I nap.." Taako's yawn was apparently infectious, noted so as Magnus releases one of his own, suddenly too tired to protest or argue that it's probably not the best idea to sleep in the middle of the afternoon. He wordlessly follows the wizard as he lifts off of his lap and makes a wobbly trail to the lower bunk where Magnus sleeps, unceremoniously flopping atop the mattress and curling underneath the blanket, with the bigger adventurer sliding in behind him. He spoons up against Taako, curling an arm around his waist to snuggle into him better, to which Magnus hears a low, grumbly, "And no funny business Burnsides."

"Wouldn't dream of it," comes the sleepy reply, but Taako doesn't see the smile upon his lips or the fingers crossed inside of his mind.

#taagnus #magnus burnsides #taako #taako taaco #taz #tickling #tickle fic #taz balance #the adventure zone #taako the wizard

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miu-paras · 5 years

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Lvl. 4 ⋮ Kalar // Chapter 3

Mission: Trade ♪ - PYLOT / Welcome

So. The hildar.

It’s an alien bomb.

I unearthed it back when I was living in Seoul. Came across it after a night of celebrating with friends. I felt it pulsating, calling out to me. It looked as powerful as it felt; a smooth, metallic bar for the grip with two glowing green orbs at each end. Curiosity led me to taking it home, pulling the thing apart, and having a very awkward exchange with a friend after I accidentally set it off. The blast was contained, all thanks to Red and my own quick reflexes. Minimal damage was done, both to my apartment building and to my friendship, though it did reveal things about me I’ve tried to keep hidden my whole life.

Only one thing perplexed me, however: the bomb was Camerian in origin. Who the hell had access to a powerful weapon from a dead, alien culture?

Fast forward to now, where the answer was sitting right in front of me.

Or rather… crouched over me.

I groaned, my eyes blinking open to take in my surroundings. Last I remember, I was freefalling out of the sky in the deathly grip of my assailant. Now, I was in a vast expanse of nothingness. An empty desert of nothing but dying shrubs and roseate sands being wisped around by the heavy winds to create a cloudy haze of sediment. And above me was my beautiful assassin, still holding me tight in her grip, still glaring at me with an anger hotter than a thousand suns.

She yanked me up from where I was laying. I yelped and squirmed against her grasp as I was pulled violently onto my feet. God, I could tell she wanted to punch me. But instead, she released me with a disgruntled and heavy sigh, moving instead to pace slowly back and forth, kicking a dry stone as hard and as far away as she could.

“Xhu’dricc imi lu’vi! Al vit’sas semn’al hildar.”

[ You used the last charge on her transporter. She’ll never be able to retrieve the hildar. ]

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, well, there’s no hildar to fi–” I paused, blinking. “Red, how did you…”

[ I am familiar with 6 of the 14 Talurian tongues. ]

“What’s a Talurian?”

“Are you done conversing with yourself?”

I froze, jaw tightening shut as I stared back at her in disbelief. She quirked her brow, almost impatient for my response, and my expression was quickly replaced with a look of annoyance.

“You spoke English this entire time?”

“I know a few Terran tongues, yes. It helps with my work.” She moved closer, looming over me with a cold gaze. I stared back, trying my best to look just as tough—but not too tough, I didn’t want to get my ass kicked again. “Now… what do you mean by ‘there is no hildar’?”

The ice in her voice, coupled with her intimidating stance and the unsettling stillness of her gaze, was enough to send a shiver down my spine. My “tough” exterior broke almost immediately, and my arms fell to my sides. I felt small. “I-I, uh,” I started, the words failing me. “I sort of, kind of… broke it..? As in… it exploded. On accident. Oops…?”

I saw the corner of her eyes twitch. She was mad. Not that she wasn’t already, but this was a fury you could feel simply radiating off her. I braced myself for the impact of her fist against my face again, but instead she breathed heavily through her nose and started in the other direction.

Her gait was fast and with intent; very hard to keep up with. I shouted after her, waving my arms, “Hey… hey! You’re just gonna leave me here?!”

“Yes.”

I winced at the terse response. That did it. Now I was mad. I was chasing after her now, eventually reaching her and tugging her arm hard enough to make her stop and shoot a glare at me.

“Hey!” I shouted again, more anger in my voice this time, “You were stalking me for days. You attacked me in my own home. And now you’re gonna leave me stranded in the middle of nowhere? In a foreign place? I have no idea where I am! I have no idea how to get home, and the least you can do, after everything you’ve put me through over this fucking bomb that no one should have in the first place, is help me!”

She scowled at me, her indignation now far more apparent in her expression. “It’s because of you that I have nothing to return to my client,” she hissed. “Why should I help you when you’re the source of all my problems?”

[ Fair point. ]

“Enough.” I wanted to scream. This entire situation was too infuriating. But if I wanted to get out of here, if either of us wanted a solution to our predicament, we had to work together.

…Right?

I exhaled, “If I build you another one, will you help me get back home?”

Her brows knitted together as she regarded me, “And how do you suppose you’ll do that?”

I shrugged, “You seem to be a trader of sorts, right? Get me the right parts and I can rebuild one for you. I got a pretty good look at the one I, uh… broke. I’m sure I can make you another.” I nodded.

Her eyes narrowed. I could tell she still distrusted me, which made her response even more surprising. “I will… see what I can do.”

“You will?!” I said with a bit too much elation in my voice. I reigned my excitement in a bit, clearing my throat, “I mean… cool.” I gave a short nod of my head. “It’s a deal.”

She rolled her eyes, yanking her arm away as she began walking again. “Come. Western Zhu’drek is not far from here. We’ll need to get supplies for you.”

I nodded and followed alongside her with a gallant stride, but then paused, biting my lip. “Wait,” I asked softly, pulling her arm gently to stop her. She watched curiously as I removed Red from around my neck and threw them out on the desert sand. They unfolded and grew in size as I shaped and fashioned my tsanista into a motor bike. It was something I was familiar with, so the formation came easy, though with slight cosmetic changes. The wheels shifted sideways and began blowing out enough fire and air to keep it afloat. The bike was hovering off the ground. A risky, new design for me. But I was more than happy with it.

I walked over to the bike and hopped on, turning the handle to rev its engine. “We’ll get there faster on this. Just show me the way.” I tilted my head, gesturing her over. She still eyed me incredulously before slowly approaching and hopping on herself, her arms wrapped securely around my waist. Then we were off.

“I’m Miu, by the way.”

“You may call me Xhen.”

“Okay, Xhen. So… where are we, anyway? I mean, I know we’re a ways from Tokyo, but where exactly… is this place?”

“I believe we’re in western Talur.”

“Western… Talur…?”

[ Talur is the southernmost continent of Ulteria. ]

The statement left me stunned; I almost stopped our ride right in its tracks. And I swear I felt my heart freeze over in that moment.

Holy. Shit.

“WHAT?!”

The reality of my situation still hit me like a bullet train. So it was true. I was on Ulteria. I was standing, existing, on the very planet my mother was born on.

And, God, it was beautiful.

Western Zhu’drak looked like something straight out of Deus Ex. Tall, shanty buildings that scraped the sky, interwoven and connected by bridges and street signs with advertisements written in a script that looked, oddly enough, incredibly similar to Klingon. Cars and bikes hovered overhead and down every busy street and alleyway, which were lined with rustic shops and izakayas. People of all shapes and sizes littered the sidewalks. Most of them had mechanical prosthetics; robotic limbs, metal in their heads, enhanced eyes or ears. It was like… and alien Shinjuku. Something from a cyberpunk fever dream. And I loved every bit of it.

Xhen, despite her hostile introduction and being a woman of few words, was surprisingly quite kind and patient with me as she guided us through the city. While I’m sure this kindness merely stemmed from her desire to have me make her a bomb and be done with me, I still appreciated that she entertained and even answered all my burning questions.

“How long are the days here?”

“By Terran standards, I believe them to be 36 hours.”

“Is Xhen your full name?”

“You would not be able to pronounce my full name, Terran.”

“How far is Camer from here?”

“Northeast. No one goes there.”

“Why not?”

“Dangerous.”

“…The Process?”

“Yes…”

“Mm… how many ‘tongues’ can you speak?”

“37.”

“Wanna learn 38?”

“Do not flirt with me, Terran.”

“I wasn’t fli— …okay.”

Silence eventually fell between us. We visited a few more shops; Xhen bought something dead that she planned to cook and eat later, and for me she bought a basket of various fruits I couldn’t pronounce the names of.

We approached the final shop of the day. I moved to enter, but Xhen held the door’s handle and eyed me carefully. “Look quickly. And hope that he has what you need, Miu. Otherwise, we’re both fucked.”

I gulped and nodded at her, “I’ll do my best.”

Swinging the door open, I am instantly taken by the look of the shop. There were trinkets simply everywhere. Filling the shelves, covering the walls, even some hanging from the ceiling. Springs and wires and glass-blown jars. Everything you could imagine, in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes.

It was a parts shop.

I immediately start rummaging through the aisles while Xhen went to converse with the shop owner. A man three times her size and perhaps twice her age, robust and brawny. His skin was a pinkish hue, though you could barely see it underneath the plethora of tattoos that inched every part of his body, safe for his face. The only markings there were similar to the ones Xhen’s face had. Two purple lines painted straight down from crown to chin, and an upturned crescent at the center of his forehead. He spoke lowly, caressing the gray stubble of his shaven beard as he listened carefully to Xhen. There was a moment where he glanced up at me, and I darted my head away, returning my attention to the items on the shelves.

The hildar was painted perfectly in my mind. A clear and detailed schematic, complex but simple to follow. I knew exactly what I’d need to recreate it. Deftly, I grabbed every needed item off the shelves and threw them into my basket, now empty having eaten the strange fruit on the way here. After a few moments of browsing, then double and triple checking to make sure I had what I’d need, I nodded in satisfaction. This was… most of everything. All that was left was…

“I need the orbs.” I stated, returning to Xhen’s side. “Does he have any…?”

Xhen was looking thoroughly annoyed. She rolled her eyes at him and looked down at me. “He does.”

“Great! Let’s—”

“He won’t trade with us.”

I frowned deeply. “But why?”

The large shop owner grunted and peered down at me with a scowl. “Neither of ye have enough to afford the gems in this here shop,” he said with a thick, gravelly voice. He reached over the counter with a large, heavy hand and snatched the basket away before I could protest. “Now get ye asses outta here before I throw ya out!”

“Sir, please—”

“I said get!” He slammed his fist and pointed at the door.”

Xhen sighed deeply and started for the door. I frowned. I wasn’t ready to give up yet. I couldn’t give up yet. Not when I needed to help Xhen if I wanted to get home. My eyes wander everywhere, looking for something, anything, that could help win the asshole over.

And that’s when I spotted it. Just behind the counter, in the backroom of the shop.

“Sir?”

He glared at me, “Didn’t I tell ye to—”

“I know. And I’m sorry, but… one question. What’s that mech you got over there?”

He swallowed his next rant, glancing over to the large, mechanical bot in the backroom, then back at me. “That old thing? I used to use ‘em in the crusher tournaments over at Ton’ruk Core. Those were the days...” He sighed, looking off to the side. “They’re behind me now though. He’s not the only thing’s busted. Controls too. Besides, I ain’t no good at fighting these days. Too old to keep up with the younger ones…”

Oh, this just got interesting.

“’Crusher tournaments’? Tell me more.” I put on my sweetest smile and batted my lashes, looking genuinely curious, feigning innocence.

“Eh, well…” he began, “They’re one-on-one fights. Fighters pilot their mechs n’ duke it out. Winner take all. The ‘all’ being the parts of the loser’s piece uh shit bot.” He grunted a small laugh. “It’s a level playing field. Any sucker who can maneuver the damn things has a shot.”

Very interesting.

I hummed and propped my chin up with my hand, giving the man a coy grin. “What if I were to say… those days weren’t behind you?”

His eyes narrowed, “What are ye on about?”

“What if… I fix old guy up for you… and compete in the crusher battles?”

“Miu—” I heard Xhen behind me begin to protest, but I cut her off.

“If I win, under your good name of course, you give us all our supplies along with the hildar orbs for free.”

“Hrm…” His eyes narrowed even more, and he leaned in close, “And if ye lose? And my ‘good name’ is sullied and in the dirt ‘cause of ya?”

My jaw tightened, not letting my confident exterior fade this time. I needed those supplies. I needed those orbs. And if these battles are exactly like I think they are…

Then it was a risk worth taking.

I took red from around my neck, holding them high. “I’ll give you this.”

The shop owner examined it, “What is…”

“It’s a tsanista. One of the last in existence. If I lose, you can have it.”

Xhen tugged firmly on my arm, grabbing my attention. She shook her head. And Red protested loudly in my head. But I didn’t budge on my decision.

“So what do you say?”

The shop owner, now slackjawed and in awe of the object I held in my hand, a device that symbolized immense power and prestige, broke out of his stupor and straightened, clearing his throat. “...Ye got yerself a trade, missy.”

He held out his massive hand, and I set my smaller one in his palm. His fingers clasped over it in a firm shake. I matched his grin.

“Deal.”

#p: kalar

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