[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]

"I know, I know," Angus sighed, because honestly, he set one of his books on fire studying his cantrips one time and it's like he's an infant again. At least Taako hadn't just straight up refused to teach him any longer, which really had been the most upsetting prospect of the whole ordeal; he'd convinced himself that Taako was going to rat him out to his case worker and then saunter jauntily out of his life because clearly he was a danger to be around. Luckily, his worst fears didn't come to pass, and they continued their magic tutoring and their time hanging out in general without any need to find additional blackmail to keep Taako around. "At least my mage hand actually looked like, y'know, a hand this time."

The neighborhood they're walking through is weirdly nice to Angus as well. Being in the system, he's been in just about every kind of family situation possible, but the dwarves he's ended up with this time are nice. A little quiet, a little cold, but their house is really nice, they have loads of food, and they passed their home inspection on the first try (which is almost never the case, in his experience). As they walk, he can see a familiar, strange looking building, one that brings a shiver to his spine without permission. "Sir, you know what a lich is, right?"

[solarisirius]

With the upper two floors of the house completed, Kravitz is about as sick and tired as humanly possible of paint fumes and sawdust. Admittedly, it looks amazing, exactly how he'd imagined it, but he's made the executive decision to put the basement renovations on hold until he's finished the courtyards first. It's starting to get warmer out, which makes it the perfect time to get started on the landscaping. Of course, he has to research the different companies in the city and pick the best one, because 1. if he can afford the best he wants the best, and 2. they have to be skilled enough to design multiple small courtyards in a house that used to be a morgue.

His lawn is pretty much non-existent, but the architects of the morgue left several areas built into the side of the house open, and in the past, they'd held small courtyards for families to sit and collect themselves. They've fallen into disrepair like the rest of the house had before he purchased it, and with the rest of the house looking like something straight out of a magazine, he needs the Gardens bit of Home and Garden.

According to Magical Yelp, Dirty Plants is the best landscaping business in the city, with a really impressive portfolio and the unique ability to do pretty much everything in house. They grow their own plants, design and build their own ornamentation and furniture, and design the landscaping themselves. It's impressive, and honestly, he's a fan of the one stop shop kind of deal, so he'd called and set up an appointment for a consultation. If he liked what they told him, he'd have them come by the house to look at the courtyards so they can give him a better estimate and their design ideas.

Dressed for work (which, honestly, do we even need to go into this? assume he's in a suit unless otherwise specified), Kravitz finds himself at Dirty Plants exactly ten minutes before his appointment. A small bell rings overhead as he walks in, and once he's inside, he looks around curiously. It's a cute little front shop area, with all sorts of lawn ornaments, wind chimes, bird houses, bird feed, and a plethora of plants all set out in the little area. It looks like there's more stuff behind all the rows of planters and flowers, but he's not really going to just wander back there without prompting.

[monstertea]

yo krav its taako. you at work or home? cause im ready to turn up whenever youre ready for me

Taako had shown great restraint in not texting Kravitz until Thursday. He had spent more than a little time with a new text to Kravitz open without typing anything, just thinking. He wanted to talk to him but he didn't want to seem too eager. So, he had spent his time trying to put together an outfit and that had been a headache and a half. He'd left work early one day just so he'd have plenty of time to run around town to multiple stores, dragging Ren with him. He'd shot down most of her suggestions, though she had found him a pair of shoes that were killer even if they didn't suit the look he needed for his date-not-date.

Despite the build up, Taako is cool as a cucumber as he rings the doorbell to Kravitz's house. He's about fifteen minutes past when Kravitz suggested he come over, which is a little too early to be considered fashionably late. If he hadn't taken the bus, he would have been later, but there was just no way he was going to walk across town in these heels. His legs looked fucking good between the heels and his pencil skirt with a slit on one side and that was worth the fact that he was definitely kicking them off and walking home barefoot after this.

[monstertea]

Once a week, Taako picks Angus up from school. Sometimes, when he's in a good mood, he'll offer up an extra day, making sure to make a show of how saintly he's being, of the time he's giving up. He enjoys spending a little extra time with Angus, though he'd laugh in the face of anyone who suggested it.

It's a nice day, so Taako has chosen a cafe for them to sit at. The cafe is a small one, but he lovs them for their desserts; best ones he had found in town. Since they aren't working on magic like usual, he's relaxing with an iced coffee and working at a danish fruit tart bigger than his hand. He's decided it's a good day to "just chill and get some sun", which he insists Angus and his books don't do nearly enough.

"You gotta just take some time to just relax and be," he says as Angus works on homework. He's half tempted to take his books from him.

[monstertea]

Despite the number of dates they've been on, and Taako not owning a car, he's managed to avoid having Kravitz anywhere near his place. He's plenty familiar with Kravitz's house, he knows how this man lives. While he doesn't think he'll judge Taako for the apartment itself being shitty, he knows he's going to judge him for the inside of his apartment. Normally, he just says fuck you to his friends when they comment on it–it's his space and he'll live however is most comfortable for him, thanks. He's not going to stress himself to the fuck out over making his apartment look like he's expecting the realtor any time now. But it's different with Kravitz, because he's not just a friend, and Taako really likes him. His apartment could easily be the deal breaker for them continuing to see each other and so, yeah, he's had to really push that he enjoys the trip across town, that he couldn't bother Kravitz to pick him up or drop him off when he's already driving them around most the time, but he's avoided it so far.

As always for date night, Taako is dressed at the top of his game. He's wearing a front-tying crop top that shows off a considerable amount of skin, a faux snakeskin pencil skirt, and all of his favorite Gucci accessories. Most importantly, his single pair of Gucci heels that he literally tore from a woman's hands at a sale years ago. He can count the times he's worn them on one hand, because they're for special occasions. Special occasions like out-dazzling himself from his last date night outfit. He loves the open expressions on Kravitz's face when he sees him dressed up and damn it if he isn't going to try to get that look every time.

Having a good night, wondering if he might be able to push their relationship a little more physical tonight, of course it happens. He's wearing his favorite heels, so of course.

They're on their way out of the restaurant when he hears a snap and stumbles. He goes to right himself and stumbles again, grabbing Kravitz's shoulder to steady himself. His left heel isn't connecting with the ground and when he looks down, he sees what has happened. He levitates the heel of his shoe up to his hand, horror dawning on his face. "Damn it!" he snaps, starting to let go of Kravitz only to teeter and grab at him again.

It just had to be the Gucci.