[TAZ] i know i like to draw that line when it starts to get too real

[monstertea]

The problem isn't that the kid is too young to walk himself home, it was the neighborhood. Taako doesn't live in the slums, but his neighborhood isn't really a place for kids to wander around alone, either. Especially a boy detective who does't know how to keep his nose out of other people's business. That's why he's stuck with the kid in the first place, or so he reminds himself when his brain starts to think too fondly of him.

He walks at a languid pace next to Angus, knowing but not acknowledging that he's in no hurry to go home. "You keep working on that mage hand," he says as they walk through a neighborhood much nicer than Taako's. "Just don't go trying anything fancy on your own, little dude." It's a historic area where buildings have been converted into homes and quickly filled by the hoity-toity type of people who like white picket fences and employ other people to take care of their homes. It's easily the nicest foster home Angus has been in yet. So Taako could have dropped him off at the corner, it isn't a neighborhood that sees trouble. He tries to avoid run-ins with Angus's family, but he always has an excuse to see him to his door. At least with this neighborhood he has the easy excuse that it's just interesting to look at the houses, to answer Angus about what each building used to be. Yeah, he knows shit, too. He's just trying to remind the kid that he isn't smarter than him, he's not trying to impress him.

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[solarisirius]

"What?" Angus squawks, his eyes comically wide behind his glasses. "My house is only three down from this one, I can't live three doors down from a lich! You're just pulling my leg, right sir? Nobody would actually live in a place where a morgue used to be, that's just crazy."

[monstertea]

"Well, of course no one would live where a morgue used to be! That's nuts! Just think of the ghosts and what kind of energy that place must be full of!" Taako gestures exaggeratedly with his hands as he speaks. "So who else would live in such a place? It's exactly the kind of place a lich would live!"

He stops when they're directly in front of the house, turning sharply on his heel to smile widely at Angus. "Have you not seen who lives here? Because, come on, wunderkind, it's clear someone does. Swear on my life it's a lich."

[solarisirius]

"I haven't seen anyone come in or out of that house," Angus says resolutely, which he maybe definitely has kept an eye on. "I know someone lives there, though, I see the lights on sometimes, and Mookie said that one of the girls in the class next to ours heard piano music coming from inside, really creepy piano music." The fact that they've stopped directly in front of the house clearly makes him uncomfortable. "Aren't liches like, against the law? Of nature, if not the city? How can one just be living in a house here?"

[monstertea]

"The first rule of being a lich is that you like, don't let anyone know what you are." Taako is barely stifling his laughter at Angus's apparent fright. It's been a good number of years since he's so much as heard stories about a lich, he'd know if there was one in town. He's never one to turn down a good goof, though. "The second rule is who cares about laws? Liches are all about saying fuck you to the laws of the world. I'm telling you, I can sense the energy, that lich is living real cozy on all that dead person energy, it's smorgasbord of good ol' ghostly regrets and shit, liches eat all that up."

[solarisirius]

"Well this lich is really lousy, considering my entire school knows they live in this house," Angus says tartly, looking at Taako like he really can't believe that he's trying to downplay this situation. "And everyone knows a lousy lich is a dangerous one, because they're the ones that do all the evil stuff, like snatch genius boy detectives out of their beds at night to eat them or....dissolve them into necromantic energy or whatever rehy do." As he talks, he shifts his weight uneasily from one foot to the other and back. "What....what kind of energy? I can't sense anything, but maybe it's because I'm not a very good wizard yet."

[monstertea]

"Necrotic energy," Taako answers dismissively, because he's turned his attention back on the house while Angus was talking. He's admittedly curious about what kind of person would live in what used to be a morgue. He almost wishes one of the guys were there; he'd bet literally anything a goth lives there. "Maybe it's not strong enough for you to sense. How's about ol Taako ding dong ditch this bitch and we get a look at your neighborhood lich?"

[solarisirius]

"Nice rhyme, sir," Angus says distractedly, worrying at the hem of his school uniform shirt and taking a moment to process what exactly that rhyme says. "Oh my god, what? No! He'll see me and figure out where I live and then he'll definitely make me his top priority boy to snatch! And I know you're a strong wizard, sir, but what if he takes offense and wants to snatch you too?!"

[monstertea]

"I'm glad my work is appreciated." Taako's smiling, though his back is turned to Angus. This is great. He'll have to give Merle a high-five for Mookie putting the lich idea in Angus's head in the first place. "But it's not like the lich is gonna come to the door in their true form, it'll just be an illusion. I'm sure they'll have no idea why I'm bothering them. It's broad daylight, Agnes. They won't do anything in broad daylight!"

That said, Taako makes a show of marching up the pathway to the front door. He turns, grinning at Angus and giving him an exagerated thumbs-up before turning back and reaching for the door bell. "If you're really worried," he calls over his shoulder. "Just run and dive in the hedges next door, liches have like, the worst perception."

[solarisirius]

Angus clutches at the straps of his backpack, watching with wide eyes, his expression decidedly nervous and distressed. He's a fretful boy by nature, and it doesn't help that the one consistent adult in his life has a penchant for getting into trouble (sometimes he wonders who watches who, he should at least have his Red Cross babysitting certification by now). "You don't know for sure," he squeaks weekly.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the door, Kravitz is picking up his keys from the little wooden table that sits next to his door. The mortuary is closed today, and he has plans to help Istus buy a baby shower gift for one of their cousins and then go back to his mother's house with her for dinner. He's dressed as he usually is for work, suit and tie and all, just because he's loathe to go home dressed in anything less than the best although he'd really rather just wear jeans on his day off. He's meeting Istus at the mall, so he's more than a little surprised when he swings open his front door to find an elf on his doorstep, reaching for the doorbell.

"Um," he says, rather eloquently, very caught off guard. "Can I help you?"

[monstertea]

"Woah there, Mad Max! What's the hurry? Running from the ghosts?" Taako manages to blurt out, taking a step back in surprise. He hadn't expected anyone to be home, much less to open the door when he hasn't done anything. More than that, he's a little surprised by the person in question. Is this the owner of the house? Because no one that handsome lived in a morgue and didn't have some questionable life choices.

Recovering himself, he doesn't give the man a chance to answer his quip. He stretches an arm out to the doorframe, leaning casually. "Sorry to bother you, my dude." He drops his voice, talking softer so Angus won't hear. "Kid I'm watching was convinced a lich lived here and I said, Agnes, I'm gonna show you that they're just another normal person like anyone else, just you wait and see, I'll walk right up there and they'll say how do you do no problem. Can't be held responsible for his nightmares if I've done my preventative measure, no sir."

[solarisirius]

"Ghosts?" Kravitz repeats, looking back over his shoulder into his foyer, and thankfully there's not anything there except the door to his coat closet, the little dark wood table, and the decorative mirror that hangs over it. "Fresh out, I'm afraid." Honestly, part of him had been hoping that the house would have some sort of resident spirit in it, but the people who'd been through this morgue must have died without too terribly many regrets; he hasn't so much as misplaced a spoon or heard a cabinet rattle since he moved in.

That's all he can manage to stammer out, though, before the elf keeps barreling forwards, telling him something about a child (which, yes, he can confirm there's a rather skittish looking boy standing on the sidewalk behind him), but honestly he's more interested in the man standing before him. He's rather interesting looking, the colors of his clothes incredibly bright and clashing, but not in a bad way; it's odd, and he doesn't think anyone else would probably be able to pull it off. "I can assure you, I'm not a lich," he says, trying not to laugh. "I don't know if I'd go as far as to say "normal", but definitely not a lich."

[monstertea]

"See, Agnes!" Taako looks back at Angus, and he's smiling like he just pulled a fast one on the boy. "Not a lich, just some other kinda weirdo!" He doesn't wait to see if Angus is going to approach before his attention is back on the man. He could be a lich, for all Taako cared. "Not that I can make any claim to normality myself, but I'm not a possible lich living in a morgue, either."

[solarisirius]

"Sir!" Angus yelps, looking absolutely mortified. If the man isn't a lich (and about to kill them and eat their souls), they're being really very rude. "You can't just call someone you don't know a weirdo to their face!"

Kravitz, saintly, ignores both references to him being some kind of a weirdo. "Not "possible" lich either, I really don't have enough magic in me for that even if I wanted to try." He shifts a bit uncomfortably, clearing his throat. "Was there anything else I could help you gentlemen with today? I have an appointment and I don't want to be late." Istus is a bear when people are late.

[monstertea]

Taako waves dismissively at Angus' chiding–he's always trying to correct Taako's manners, as if he has none. He knows how to read his audience. "Nope, just doing our civic duty of lich hunting!" He steps aside, giving an exaggerated bow while motioning for Kravitz to step outside and then heading down the walkway ahead of him. "Just don't engage the kid, if he starts asking questions there's no stopping him and you'll never shake him."

[solarisirius]

It feels a little bit...odd, to be exiting his house and going about his business with unexpected company on his doorstep, but working as a mortician gives one a unique ability to adapt to pretty much anything. Stepping out the door, Kravitz turns to lock up, making triple sure that everything is secure (not that he thinks the elf and the boy are going to rob him, but....people are unexpected) before following Taako down the walkway towards the street where his car is parked. "So if I'm a lich, does that make him a leech?" he asks.

Angus laughs, although really it's more like a hysterical giggle, edging out of the way of the totally normal looking black vehicle he was standing in front of. "G-good one, sir! Um, so sorry to bother you, I hope you have a pleasant day and your appointment goes well!"

[monstertea]

Taako barks out a laugh at the leech comment. "That's exactly what he is," he says and throws an arm around Angus's shoulders to give him a squeeze. "You catch on quick. I'll get this leech off your back so you can go on your way."

Arm still slung over Angus's shoulder, he turns them back towards the boy's house but they're barely two feet away before he stops. "Hey!" he calls out to the man. "Yo, thug! Let me get your name."

[solarisirius]

Walking around his car to get to the driver's side, Kravitz was really expecting the conversation to draw to a close with the boy's comment, but really, with how much the elf has been talking, it shouldn't surprise him that there's more yet to be said. "It's Kravitz," he answers, looking a bit perplexed at being addressed as "thug" when he's literally wearing a suit and has his hair tied back properly and everything.

"Taako, Angus," the boy says, pointing to the correct person in conjunction with their names, before turning and starting to walk away, more or less dragging Taako with him considering that the man still has his arm slung over his shoulders. "Okay, introductions are done, time to go! Go time is now, c'mon sir!"

[monstertea]

Taako lets Angus drag him along if only because it really is clear that he should let Kravitz go. "Catch ya later, Kravitz!" He turns with Angus, waving over his shoulder with a smile. He's found another reason to walk Angus home, because boy does he love himself some eye candy.

"See, not a lich," he says as they walk away. "Or, at least, a lich with a good cover."

[solarisirius]

With a bit of a bemused wave, Kravitz unlocks his car and slides into the driver's seat of his car, taking a precious few moments he really doesn't have to collect himself. Not only does he not do well in unexpected social situations, but apparently he does even worse when in unexpected social situations involving very cute elves and their not-son. Bother.

"You're going to embarrass me into an early grave," Angus groans, poking Taako hard in the side with one of his bony fingers. "I mean, I'm really, really glad to know that he's probably not a lich, but still! Ugh!"

[monstertea]

"Somebody's gotta teach you some social skills." Taako lets Angus go to give him a pat on the back that's more of a smack. "Gotta be able to talk to all types, pipsqueak." He believes that Angus needs the social skills lesson; he's not completely shy or impolite, but in Taako's book he definitely could use some charisma. "Can't say a single thing went wrong there."

[solarisirius]

"If these are my options, I think I'm going to stick to my books," Angus says resolutely as he tries to recover his balance from that rather powerful smack to the back. "We'd be here all day if I listed all the things that went wrong, but I have homework to do, so I'll save myself the trouble."

[monstertea]

Taako makes a face at the suggestion that anything went wrong. That was a primo interaction as far as he's concerned. "Nobody can ever say I didn't try," he says, stopping at the edge of the yard to Angus's house. "Go do your homework like a good little nerdling."

[solarisirius]

"Thanks for walking me home," Angus says with a sunny, sincere smile. Their encounter with the not-lich notwithstanding, it's been a good afternoon, and of course he always enjoys any time he spends with the great Taako. "Same time next week?"

[monstertea]

"Same time next week," he confirms, saying it like it's a chore and rolling his eyes. "I mean, providing the lich lets you live that long."

[solarisirius]

"Ugh, go away," Angus groans, shoving at Taako like he's trying to push him down the street. "I hope the lich comes back and hits you with his car, only I don't actually wish that, I'd be really sad. So be careful on your way home." That said, he turns and opens the gate to his house, carefully closing it behind him (the dog will try and escape otherwise) before heading to the door proper.