#kraavitz

WHOA

Magnus RUSHES IN….

to fill out our interest check!

>>

Okay. The reapers.

We know they go around fighting evil undead necromancers and stuff. That’s the majority of the ‘Reaper Art’.

And don’t get me wrong. It’s badass and fun. Love me some undead hunter shenanigans. 

But you know what else reapers are traditionally thought of doing in folk lore? And what, from the Balance finale, we know they seem to do in the podcast too?

Escort the dead.

They’re a kind of psychopomp; a guide for the souls of the dead. 

And I want to see that in some Balance fanart.

A Kraavitz who’s been a reaper for centuries, who’s gotten used to his main interactionswith the living being just as they’re on the edge. Who’s sat with the elderly, leaving after a long life; children going too young from disease or starvation; everyone in between, from war or accidents or murder. 

A Barry, who knows what it’s like to die himself. Who’s a little awkward, at least at first- but who knows the right kind of smile some people need, or a deadpan joke, or fun fantasy science fact to distract them.

Lup, who’s know for being Loud and Big and Vibrant- and that’s what some souls need. And for the others... Well, she shows that gentle side of her, calming like a candle in the dark.

Request: “hey! taz heart anon again! could i request some good old thb fluff? like reader achieves something, or does something really cool and the boys are just being real supportive dads?? im going through it atm and your writing never fails to cheer me up! ♥️♥️♥️”

Warnings: None! 

Summary: Today is your graduation day, from Taako’s Amazing School of Magic, no less. To the surprise of no one, your guardians are possibly the most supportive parents there. They’re certainly the rowdiest. 

A/N: Hey, I’m sorry this took so long! I kinda got worse before I got better with being sick… And I’m also sorry that you’re having such a rough time, taz. You’ve been so sweet and kind to me in my time writing on here, and I’m so so flattered that you love my writing that much! Anyway, I hope you enjoy! 💙💙💙

~~

Sleep is complicated in the Taako-Kravitz-Magnus household. 

First, there's Taako: he likes to pretend he doesn't need sleep ("I'm an elf, dammit"), but when he crashes, he crashes hard. On bad days, he gets night terrors and his screams wake the whole neighborhood. As he struggles towards consciousness, his brain betrays him: Lup is gone, Kravitz drowned in the astral plane's tar black sea, the Hunger is bearing down. He clings to Kravitz when he's home (and he tries always to be home at night now), and when he isn't, Magnus rushes in.

They've all learned the tricks: keep a stone of farspeech close with Lup on speed-dial, put a picture of the family on the bedside stand. It helps, and some nights, Taako doesn't wake up at all. Kravitz loves to watch him sleep on those nights, snoring lightly, safe in his arms. It's lovely.

And then there's Magnus. He's never slept well, even before the Stolen Century, and his ADHD makes it hard for his brain to shut down at night. When it does, he has bizarre, vivid nightmares that send him scrambling for his axe, shaking and sweat-drenched. 

When that happens, he goes to find Taako. If he's in bed, Magnus slips under the covers with him as quietly as he can (which isn't quietly at all) and listens to the sound of his breathing. If he's awake, he joins him in whatever he's doing. Taako always makes room.

Angus helps Taako devise some strategies to help Magnus sleep better. He's the first to suggest a weighted blanket (his own is a life-saver) and black-out curtains. On nights when his brain just won't shut off, a back-rub from Taako can usually do the trick.

And who could forget Lup? She and Barry have their own house now, but the two residences are connected via magical portal because there's no way the twins are going to be more than a door away from each other if they can help it. And if she's a little touch-starved after a decade in the umbrastaff, who can blame her? Some nights, she literally shakes from the need to be reassured that Taako is real. She slips through the portal and into Taako and Kravitz's room, wraps her arms around her brother, and settles in. If Kravitz is there, he makes room for her. One night when she is particularly anxious and Taako is in the middle of a rare, deep sleep, Kravitz reaches across the bed to her and she shuffles over to curl up in his arms, never letting go of Taako's hand.

Angus is home for a school holiday and wakes to footsteps in the hall. When he follows the sound, he finds the master bed packed: Magnus spooned around Taako who is face-to-face with Lup; Barry on her right, arm flung over her hip; and Kravitz looking on, smiling fondly.

"I think there's room on the end," Kravitz whispers to Angus in the doorway. 

He summons his scythe and tiptoes out to answer the Raven Queen's call as Angus burrows under the covers next to Magnus. 

Oh shit my dudes did I mention I made this in February? I need to not stagger things and just post them when I make them. Storyboard of a final scene of the Adventure Zone Balance. Spoilers obviously, for anyone who hasn’t finished.