#taakotaaco

Taako watched the flames from the small fire Davenport had set up. He was tired but had drawn badly on lots so unfortunately he wasn’t able to sleep just yet. The crew had just touched down on the newest plane so as per usual they would keep a watch the first few nights. Their sweep of the surrounding area hadn’t revealed anything dangerous but better safe than sorry. Taako looked over as Lup sat next to him, “ready the for first watch?” He asked picking up a stick to poke at the fire. “Actually, I switched my stick,” Lup said referring to the sticks the crew had used for the lot drawing. 

“What? Why?” Taako dropped the stick looking over at his sister. 

“Because I wanted to be on watch with Barry…” Lup at least had the courtesy to look sorry though the look quickly vanished. “But before you get upset I switched with Magnus so he’ll be joining you!”

“Oh.”

“Oh?” Lup mimicked tilting her head, “are you upset? I thought you’d want to be on watch with your boyfriend.”

“I… no I’m not upset it’s whatever.” Taako shook his head before nudging Lup, “go get some sleep then and you better not be late to relieve us.”

“We won't, we won't. Don’t have too much fun out here,” she said leaving Taako with a wink. 

A few moments later Magnus took her place sitting next to Taako. “Hi! Did Lup mention that she switched with me?” Taako picked the stick for the fire back up prodding at it again, “yeah she did, mentioned wanting to be on watch with Barold.” Magnus laughed, “maybe tonight the bet will end.”

“Yeah maybe,” Taako stood up, tossing the stick down. “I’m going to get more firewood before the sun is completely down.”

Magnus watched the elf walk away. Taako was never one to volunteer for work and if Magnus didn’t know any better he would guess that Taako was mad at him. Maybe he wasn’t but he had also been giving Magnus a little bit of a cold shoulder. That was also partially why he hadn’t minded switching with Lup despite how tired he was. Magnus was hoping the pair would be able to talk a little.

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Taako took a deep breath. Fuck man things were not going good. He stared at Magnus -or rather Magnus' body- and racked his brain for an idea. Forget the bell they just had to survive at this point. There had to be a way to get them out. 

"Well boys what do you say? Doesn't staying here sound like a good time?" Edward asked.

Merle started to speak but Taako waved a hand to silence him. 

"You know what? It kinda does, but there's a bit of a problem my man."

Edward arched Magnus' eyebrow, "and that would be?"

"That body just does not suit you at all." Taako shook his head and pretended it didn't hurt. "Tell you what, you give my friend his body back and," he pointed to Merle, "you let them go. In exchange you get me." 

"Taako! You can't-"

"Merle shut up I'm literally trying to save you right now."

Edward looked at Lydia and the pair seemed to consider his offer.

"What makes you so desirable?" Lydia asked. "What do we have to gain from this deal?" 

"Uh hello? I'm Taako, ya know from TV? You don't think somebody's greatest wish is to meet me?"

"We could easily make a fake if that was the case."

"Oh really? You think you could pull that off? Hun you can't fake this," Taako waved a hand down his body. “Besides I'm like a dope chef if y'all eat or whatever. 

The twins whispered together for longer than Taako would have liked. Dread crept into his stomach at the thought of them rejecting the deal. More crept in at the thought of them accepting.

"Look what you've seen me do here is only a fraction of my power!" Talk, convince them, make yourself seem desirable. "I'm a great chef but I'm an even greater wizard," Taako waved his umbrastaff. "I have one of these, have you ever seen one? They're like hella rare."

"Taako what are you doing?" Merle stepped in front of the elf trying to keep him from moving forward. Taako hadn't realized he'd been approaching the twins. "There's gotta be another way, surely you've got a spell you can use- I can think of something!" 

"I've got nothing Merle," Taako didn't look down at him, only stepped around. If he looked there was a chance his resolve would break, a chance he'd call off the deal and they'd find another way to run. 

He didn't want to run this time.

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“Yo! Paging space cadet Taako, you there bro?”

“Huh? What? Yeah, I’m totally listening.” Taako rolled his eyes, shoving Lup away from poking his face. “I’m so sorry or happy for you.” 

“Okay ignoring the fact that you have been spacing out a ton recently, I asked a question dingus.” 

“Okay so repeat it goofus,” Taako snapped, and honestly he didn’t mean to sound so annoyed but he was tired and not in a sociable mood. 

He ignored Lup’s startled look and refocused on chopping the carrots in front of him. It was Lup so really she should be able to tell that he wasn’t up for chatting, he just wanted to finish making dinner. “Mmm no, no I don’t think I will, instead how about you tell me what’s up?”

“Nothing is, let’s just finish dinner.”

“Come on, you know I know you better than that Koko.”

“Then you should know to drop it.” Taako set down his knife and rinsed his hands. “I’m not hungry, you can handle the rest, right?” Not waiting for Lup’s response as he left the kitchen.

It wasn’t her fault that he was moody she didn’t know and frankly, he wasn’t sure he wanted to explain it. As he flopped onto his bed he realized that maybe that's why it seemed like these past few days were worse because this time around the one person who should understand perfectly what he was going through didn’t. After the whole saving the planet thing Lup and him had talked for a long time filling each other in on most of the details of what had happened during their separation. But despite how long they talked it was obvious to the both of them that they had changed on their own.

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“Yo! Paging space cadet Taako, you there bro?”

“Huh? What? Yeah, I’m totally listening.” Taako rolled his eyes, shoving Lup away from poking his face. “I’m so sorry or happy for you.” 

“Okay ignoring the fact that you have been spacing out a ton recently, I asked a question dingus.”

“Okay so repeat it goofus,” Taako snapped and honestly he didn’t mean to sound so annoyed but he was tired and not in a sociable mood. 

He ignored Lup’s startled look and refocused on chopping the carrots in front of him. It was Lup so really she should be able to tell that he wasn’t up for chatting, he just wanted to finish making dinner. “Mmm no, no I don’t think I will, instead how about you tell me what’s up?”

“Nothing is, let’s just finish dinner.”

“Come on, you know I know you better than that Koko.”

“Then you should know to drop it.” Taako set down his knife and rinsed his hands. “I’m not hungry, you can handle the rest, right?” Not waiting for Lup’s response as he left the kitchen.

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