[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]

It's a very true statement to say that Kravitz enjoys the way Taako dresses. Upon first meeting Kravitz, one might assume that he knows how to dress well, given that his normal attire is a well-fitting suit of good brand name, but honestly he really only knows how to put together two types of outfits: his suit for work, and his grungy ex-music student attire that hasn't really changed since he was still in college. So the fact that the elf he's currently seeing knows how to dress well in a variety of outfits, different looks and styles, is absolutely a delight. He makes it no secret that he likes it, and showers compliments on him copiously (which of course, he eats right up).

Tonight is no exception, although he must admit, it flusters him a little to see how much skin is on display. Their relationship thus far has remained chaste, and yes Kravitz knows that it's largely on his behalf since he's so damn shy, so it's rather distracting to see him with his midriff bare. But at least he doesn't spend the whole evening staring at him like some sort of uncultured animal, so he considers that a plus.

As they're walking out of the restaurant and debating what to do next (the weather is warming up, and there's some sort of garden thing going on in the park downtown that Kravitz kind of wants to check out), Taako suddenly stumbles, which is unusual because Kravitz has seen him masterfully prance around in heels much higher than what he's wearing tonight. Instinctively, he reaches out to catch him by the arm, which ends up being a good decision considering the elf almost immediately stumbles again, grabbing his shoulder in return.

Taako levitates something up into his hand, and looks horrified, but Kravitz has no idea what it even is. "What happened?" he asks, looking confused.

[monstertea]

"My heel," Taako answers, voice hollow. From his tone and the look on his face, it's like someone has died. As far as Taako's concerned, someone may as well have died, in fact. "These are brand name!"

Still holding onto Kravitz, he uses mage hand to undo the buckles on his shoes, stepping out of them with that same look of despair. "I can't believe it," he mutters, picking the shoes up to examine the broken one. "I told Ren that woman put a hex on me for grabbing these, but this." He holds the shoe up to show Kravitz. "This is possibly the worst thing that's ever happened to me. Do you see this? These are Gucci, Krav! Gucci!"

[solarisirius]

It's situations like this where Taako is probably grateful that Kravitz is hot, because he's...not exactly well versed in the fashion houses of the world. Pretty and dumb, at least when it comes to this. "That's an expensive brand, right?" he asks slowly, blinking a little owlishly as he keeps holding on to Taako's arm to keep him from potentially toppling over as he steps out of the (admittedly very nice looking) broken shoes.

"You really shouldn't be walking around barefoot like this," he says, a slight frown on his face. "I drove, after all, I should take you home."

[monstertea]

Taako looks at Kravitz with what can only be described as heart-breaking pity. "Yes," he says, sighing. He looks forlornly at his shoes. "Gucci is a very, very expensive brand."

It's a matter of fact that he could use magic to fix his shoes, but that's not really an option. You don't use magic on brand name things, it's just not done. He briefly glances around, considering if there's anything he could transmute into a pair of shoes. He's never done something like that before, though, and he's certainly not going to make some sort of pauper's slippers to run around in the rest of the night.

"It's not a good look," he admits, cradling the shoes in one arm. He's not ready to end the night, but if they just swing by his place for him to grab a change of shoes he knows it would be rude of him to just make Kravitz sit out in the car. So, he guesses, this is going to be a thing. Forget all about big plans for getting some action, the night's big show is going to be Casa de Taako. "Alright, then. My place it is." He lets go of Kravitz, giving him a convincing smile. "Let's get this show on the road."

[solarisirius]

A small wrinkle forms between Kravitz's eyebrows, but it's not really a perturbed expression; merely thoughtful. The shoes are very nice, and are clearly something Taako loves a lot. While he's not the kind of man to make a big fuss, it's clear by his house and the clothing he wears that he's very, very well off. Death is an unfortunately booming business; no matter what the economy does, people will always die, and will always need to be taken care of.

Maybe he'll kidnap Angus and get him to help him figure out what shoes these are exactly so he can replace them. It's not as if he can just ask Taako, because the elf is very proud, and would object to him spending that much money on him.

"I'm less concerned with the appearance of it and more concerned at the thought of you stepping on some glass or something equally sharp and hurting yourself," Kravitz says, chuckling a little. Of course Taako is more immediately concerned with the appearance of it all. "Come on, we aren't parked terribly far from here, I'll try and keep you from losing a toe before we get to the car."

[monstertea]

Taako doesn't spare Kravitz's expression a second thought. Probably, he figures, he can't wrap his head around the importance of a pair of shoes. It's fine, not everyone can. If he did know what he was thinking, he'd flip; of course he'd want to accept the offer, but he's not one to just let people spend that kind of money on him. He loves it when someone does, but he's not going to ask them to.

"How about this for not losing a toe?" Taako mutters an incantation and levitates himself, adjusting himself so he's at Kravitz's eye-level. He wraps an arm around Kravitz's, pulling himself closer to him and pecking him on the cheek. "You can help me around this way. I can keep myself up here for a good few minutes but moving around is not a pretty sight without things to push myself off of." It tends to involve a good bit of flailing and flipping, which he really doesn't want to do in a skirt.

[solarisirius]

"Well, now you're just showing off," Kravitz laughs, thoroughly impressed by Taako's levitation and the ease with which he adjusts himself so that they're eye-level. Usually, Kravitz is still the taller one, even when Taako is wearing heels. "Will you just kind of.....float around with me?" he asks, cheeks a little pink but his expression decidedly pleased at being kissed on the cheek.

It's kind of cute, to start walking with Taako hanging on to his arm, pulling him along with him as they begin walking down the street towards where he parked the car. Taako kind of glides along with him, but he has the impression that he'd just come to a stop or kind of fly off in some random direction if he let go.

[monstertea]

"Showing off? I would never," Taako scoffs. Despite his despair over his shoes, it's hard to be too upset in Kravitz's presence. It's so simple to put that pleased look on his face and he loves it. It makes him feel like he's really as special as he acts.

"I am at your mercy, my man." He laughs, easily floating alongside him. "I have complete trust that you won't run me into anything." Which was true, he realizes; he trusts Kravitz.

[solarisirius]

"Ah, how crass of me to even suggest it," Kravitz laughs, pretending to look chagrined, but he can't hold it for very long. "I promise I won't let you run into anything." The thought mortifies him, and he makes sure to take extra care as they walk the short distance to where his car is parked on the street.

"Can you like...turn it off?" he asks, trying not to laugh. "Or are you going to be floating against the roof of my car the whole way back to your house?"

[monstertea]

Taako seems to consider this. Of course he can end the spell, but Kravitz's question poses an interesting thought in turn. "I'd put my seatbelt on, so I wouldn't like, be against the roof," he says. "But if I can't end the spell, I could need some help with like, getting in the car and staying seated long enough to get the seatbelt on. Might need some help with that, if you don't mind getting all up in my business."

[solarisirius]

Kravitz looks at Taako, his expression suspicious, but the elf always looks so casual when he says stuff like this, it's hard to tell if he's kidding or not. He knows that Taako is a better wizard than he gives himself credit for, but all of Kravitz's magic is latent stuff, things he can't turn on and off, so his understanding of how deliberate magic works is theoretical at best. "If you don't mind me being a tomato the whole time," he answers, stopping beside his car and pulling the keys out to unlock it, opening the passenger side door and looking at Taako as if to say "alright, let's see what happens".

[monstertea]

Taako lets go of Kravitz, patting him on the shoulder. "You know I love the tomato look on you, babe," he says, grabbing onto the car and pulling himself inside. "Look, I'll go easy on you." Inside the car, he lowers himself into the seat, ending the spell as he settles in. "I do appreciate the willingness, though. Maybe you can manhandle me some other time."

[solarisirius]

"I'm much more amicable to manhandling you if we aren't in public," Kravitz answers, looking impressed as he watches Taako maneuver himself into the car before ending the spell. At the very least, he would have been willing to kind of cram him into the passenger side if that helped make things easier, but Taako seems rather adept at getting around when he's weightless, so long as he has something to kind of pull himself along with. "Is that a spell you can use on other things, or just yourself?" he asks, genuinely curious. Once he's sure Taako is settled in the passenger seat, he closes the door for him (like a goddamn gentleman) before walking around to situate himself in the driver's seat.

[monstertea]

"I will certainly be holding you to that," Taako says, offering up a sweet smile as Kravitz closes the door for him. At least he can be semi-confident now that's it not like Kravitz doesn't want to do more. He knows Kravitz is shy, but... well, fuck, he can be self-conscious while still being aware of that.

"Oh, for sure," he says as Kravitz gets in on the driver's side. "I can levitate all sorts of shit. Only one thing at a time, and not for too long either. I forget what the weight limit of what I can use it on is. Pretty high, but it's not like I go around messing with things too much."