002; elevator of forced honesty

[memefox]

elevator of forced honesty

» POST: a top level for your character(s) » RESPOND: to other characters ICly. your characters are now trapped in an elevator together. » UH OH: neither character can lie. » ADDITIONAL, OPTIONAL COMPLICATIONS: at player discretion characters may also... a. be unable to remain silent when asked questions b. be unable to speak around the truth when answering c. be compelled to reveal truths/secrets unprompted THE POWER OF THE ELEVATOR COMPELS YOU.

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[spellslots]

No, we both know you meant it. That's cool.

[Taako's voice is light, casual as anything, but it's hard to keep the hurt out of his expression.]

Is that cause I wouldn't try to make it work with you, or...?

[Fuck, that was too mean.]

[ohhmrburnsides]

[Shit. He was content to keep this to himself forever, but.]

Actually, y'know? A little, yeah.

[...But now that it's comin' out, it may as well, right?]

It's—it's stupid, Taako, I know it's stupid. I got over it, like, obvi, I knew you weren't into the commitment thing with me and that was fine. I just didn't think about you trying it with someone else. ... Like, until now.

[spellslots]

You've got to be kidding me.

[He has literally no idea how to feel about this, and he has to wonder if this is an argument that's facing him in the future, or if it'll be different with a Magnus who had Julia.]

We never would've worked, you've gotta know that, right? You're-- fuck, you're family, Mags, but do you really think we'd ever have been good boyfriends?

[It's so obvious to him that it would've ended in disaster, if they'd tried. They're too different.]

[ohhmrburnsides]

[He sighs, agitated, and leans his head back into the wall of the elevator, defeated.]

No. Obviously I don't think that now. I told you I got over it and I meant that. I just never got a chance to, like,

[He makes a hand gesture of frustration that wouldn't translate well over an audio or a text format.]

yeah.

[spellslots]

You never got a change to what, Magnus?

[If they're gonna do this thing they might as well go all in, especially now that Taako is feeling kind of defensive and ready to pick a fight.

Because he's an asshole.]

[ohhmrburnsides]

[He tries not to respond, but it's all over now.]

To get mad at you, Taako! You ghosted me for a year, dude! I felt guilty for having feelings! And I always figured, that's just how Taako is, and I got over it, but not really.

[He huffs, attempting to bring himself back down.]

Sorry 'bout it.

[spellslots]

I freaked out.

[Fuck.

Taako very maturely cover his face with his hands for a second, as if that's going to stop him from continuing to say stupid shit he shouldn't say.]

No one had ever... no one stays. [Something in his voice shakes, but he pushes through it.] It'd always just been me and Lup and suddenly there's fucking five of you thugs and you're-- you were so Magnus. [He's not sure how else to explain it.] And I fucking... I got scared.

[ohhmrburnsides]

"So Magnus"? What's that supposed to...

Scared? Like—Scared that I'd ditch you?

[10% of him is still angry, but he at least attempts to keep that held down here.]

...So, what, you ditched first?

[spellslots]

[Small spaces aren't really any kind of thing for Taako; he hates elevators because of past shitty experiences, but in general he's fine with cramped locations.

Right now, he feels trapped, half by the location, half by the fact he just keeps talking.]

Yes, okay? Yes.

[He was scared that Magnus would get sick of him or find something better or do something even worse like die.]

[ohhmrburnsides]

[If this had been anyone else but Taako he would've pulled him into a hug. But, obvi, he's smarter than that and leaves Taako his space, and offers reassuring words instead.]

But you know now that I wouldn't do that. ... Right?

[Magnus literally cannot stay mad at his friends for more than like 10 minutes at a time.]

[spellslots]

No, Mags, I fucking don't. You can say you wouldn't but that doesn't change anything.

[If anything, it's worse after the decade and imagined lifetime without Lup, it's worse after Sazed, after Lucretia's betrayal.

It's worse after Lup left it, because it doesn't matter what her intention was, she left him on the Starblaster with nothing more than two words and a hole in his heart.]

[ohhmrburnsides]

[Shit.

Fuck.

He stands in stunned silence until he can find words.]

I don't really have any choice but to say it anyway. Taako, I can't picture—I led a life without you for years and I know it was supposed to go on for ten more without you, and I literally can't picture that life without you in it. And even then we're supposed to make it back around to each other, right? We were separated and I—I fuckin' found you.

[Everything he knows about the future he's been told from Taako himself, so he hopes to god he's getting it right. And, god, is it painful to watch Taako right now, knowing if he tries to initiate contact it'll just screw him up further. All he can offer is words.]

I'd never leave you, Taako. You're family.

[spellslots]

Lucretia brought us together.

[It's said flatly, a denial of what Magnus is trying to assert, because no, Magnus didn't find him. If Lucretia hadn't manipulated them into meeting up again who knows if they ever would have run into each other again, or if they'd have just... stayed alone, until the Hunger came.]

Everyone leaves, that's just-- that's how it is. I've made my fucking peace with it.

[Obviously not, judging by the way he can't even look at Magnus.]

[ohhmrburnsides]

[Reasoning with Taako is impossible. Magnus knows this, and he keeps trying, every damn time. Except this time he's almost ready to give up.

Gently, he tries one more time:] That's bullshit. I don't know what I can say to convince you otherwise, but...

[A sigh.] Whether it's fate or—Lucretia—I'll come back somehow and I know I'm not leaving after that.

[spellslots]

I don't-- [I don't need you sticks in his throat, apparently too much of a lie.] You don't know me anymore, Magnus.

[This is what he did all those years ago; it's easier to push Magnus away now, instead of worrying about whether or not he'll eventually leave.]

[ohhmrburnsides]

[There's a moment where he thinks this might be true, only because Taako's objections have become so fucking convincing. But, god damn it, he won't give up on this. He can't give up on Taako.]

You can't have changed that much, Taako. What's ten years to a hundred?

[The words barely come out, he's so choked up at this point. He's pleading.]

Taako, look at me.

[spellslots]

[His gaze flicks up to Magnus for a brief second, before he focuses on some random point on the wall over Magnus's shoulder.]

It's not-- It's not just the ten years, it's a whole life without Lup, without anyone. I thought I was alone and I can't just forget all that. Lup can see it, I know she can, so why the fuck can't you?

[ohhmrburnsides]

[This is the first time Magnus has thought it from that perspective. It's a fuckin' eye-opener.

There's nothing he can say that can make up for what Taako lost.

There's no way for him to know if this is the right thing to do or if he's about to fuck everything over, but he envelopes Taako in a tight hug.]

I didn't realize. I'm sorry.

[spellslots]

[There's a brief moment where he tenses, as if he might try to push away from Magnus, but then he shudders and softens, pressing his face against Magnus's chest and gripping his shirt tightly.]

I'm sorry I wasn't-- I'm sorry I couldn't be what you wanted.

[It doesn't matter that Magnus found it anyway, in Julia, he's still sorry.]

[ohhmrburnsides]

[Still tight in the hug, he shakes his head.]

I couldn't ask you to change. That wouldn't be right. ... I'm sorry I said any of that.

[spellslots]

I'm, uh, pretty sure I deserved most of it.

[He was an asshole, during the cycles, when he bailed because he got too scared of how Magnus felt about it. And he's been an asshole in the last twenty minutes, even if the truth compulsion is partially to blame.]

You're allowed to be pissed about the shit I pulled.

[ohhmrburnsides]

[Still not fuckin' letting go of this hug, he actually smiles.]

Oh, I'm still pissed, buddy. But I'll get over it. That shit happened fifty—sixty? ... Seventy? ...Whatever.

[He waves it off.]

It's not important.

[spellslots]

[He would probably complain if Magnus did let go. Half of this conversation is going to be muffled against Magnus's chest, that's just how things are.]

Can you like, save yelling at me until I can lie again?

[ohhmrburnsides]

Uh, yeah, we are not asking anymore questions until we get off this thing.

[Lessons learned today: sometimes there is such a thing as being too honest.]

[spellslots]

[He feels like he should make some stupid joke here, ask a harmless question that they can laugh about, but he doesn't really have it in him. Instead, he just sighs and closes his eyes, resting against Magnus.]

That's the best plan you've had all day, bubbale.