#this also calls back on abra thinking shes a bad person and hating how rose compared them

[clearvoir]

abra’s  older  verse   (   the  five  stages  of  grief  )  is  a lot  more  open  for  development  and  plotting.    especially  with  her  graduating  college  and  starting  her  detective  -  esque  era  where  she  ends  up  trying  to  find  and  locate  the  rest  of  the  true  knot’s  victims,     talking  to  the  different  families  and  towns  of  where  children  disappeared  without  warning.    rose  the  hat  says  in  the  book  that  there  could  be  hundreds  among  hundreds  of  victims,    and  i  think  abra  (  being  as  justice  driven  she  is  )  wouldn’t  stop  until  she  found  all  of  them  and  gave  the  families  peace  of  mind. 

[internationalhouseofblupjeans]

Join Together Chapter 3 - Drown an Unsung Man

In this chapter of the Lup Lives AU:  Barry forgets how to swim. Lup gives something a try. This chapter is cursed.

Thank you to Tansy from TFW for Beta’ing!

Chapter 1  Chapter 2 Chapter 3 below

AO3 link in the source

The road to Bottlenose Cove was long, winding through small villages that Taako slowly added to their tour schedule. They couldn’t stop to do a proper show - there just wasn’t time - but they would come back eventually. In the meantime, Lup and Taako took turns whipping up quick and easy dishes to hand out samples at each town they stopped at while Sazed drove the cart.

At night, the elves would stay up, planning their debut at Bottlenose Cove while Sazed slept nearby.

“So, maybe our second show will be where we end with the stacked pies?” Taako asked, flicking his ears to Lup. “Come on, Lup. Why are you giving the man such a hard time?”

“Yeah … Should we go with a game meat pie at the bottom, a vegetable pie in the middle, and then a Fruit pie on top?” She pondered. “I just feel weird around him. That’s all.”

“Ok! So, if we’re doing fruit pies, we should definitely do a blind bake. Don’t want a soggy bottom,” Taako laughed as he sketched out the diagram for the pies. “Seriously, Lup?"

“Drop it,” Lup flattened her ears.

Taako sighed and continued sketching. “So Bottlenose Cove’s emblem is a dolphin. Should we do a seafood show on our last night and end with a dessert that showcases their emblem?”

“Sure,” Lup started, looking towards the cart. She flicked her ears towards the cart for a moment, listening for any sign that Sazed was awake before sighing. “Taako … Something about him is just painfully familiar …”

“Oh god, he’s not an ex of yours is he?” Taako asked. “I mean, if he is, we can go find another bodyguard-”

“No, no … I never actually … Taako, I feel like I know him somehow but at the same time … It’s like when we met except in this case when I try to figure it out, everything seems wrong. Like, my heart aches when I look at him but I don’t know why.”

“Fuck, Lup. You have a crush,” Taako sighed. “And it’s cool, I guess if you think you want to date Sazed.”

The words felt like acid as they slipped out of his mouth and for some reason, he couldn’t hold back the sudden feeling of wrongness. This wasn’t right but the words had already come out. He couldn’t rescind his blessing now. He didn’t want to hurt his …

His business partner. That was all she was and here he was trying to give her romantic advice as if she was a friend. As if she was family.

But wasn’t she? Even though they weren’t related, he felt a strong kinship with her. She was another Sun Elf, lost in the world without any family or home to call their own. Of course he would feel a closeness to her that he didn’t feel with anyone else.

He sighed.

“Are you sure, Taako?” Lup asked. “I mean, we’ve only known him for a couple of days but something about him …”

“Just make sure whatever you two do, you don’t do it in the cart!” Taako teased. “It’s gotta stay clean for our show!”

“Gross!” Lup teased back. “I’m not going to just bang him, Koko. I just … I dunno … Do you think I could even trust him? I mean, what if he’s ...”

Silence stretched between them for a moment.

“I mean, he can’t be that bad of a guy, right?” Taako started. “But hey, if he does anything to hurt you, I’ll blast him. I think I remember learning magic missile from one of my first jobs so if he’s an asshole to you then he can abra-ca-fuck-off!”

Lup giggled and the pair continued their work, the pair deciding just which recipes would best wow their dwarven audience.

~

Barry had found Bottlenose Cove to be a charming place. It was the perfect beach hideaway but something about the beach tugged at his heart.

Down the coastline, there were dwarves gathering for some sort of ceremony. He couldn't be bothered to try and scout them out. The coin hadn't said anything about dwarves.

He had been trying to figure out why he would tell himself to leave blood in the pod he had crawled out of. He vaguely remembered something about strange vats in college. Probably from a prank he'd been the victim of when he was in his first of many years. It kind of reminded him of a prank he had distantly remembered.

A shriek shook him out of his thoughts.

“Oh my Gods! Mavis!”

Barry looked down the beach to see a dwarven woman running towards the ocean, her dress billowing behind her as she tried to run for someone who was thrashing out in the ocean.

Barry looked out to see a young dwarven child thrashing about in the water. He looked back at the woman. There was no way she would be able to swim out there without being pulled under by the currents.

Without thinking, Barry ran in after the child. He got most of the way into the water before he realized he didn’t actually know what he was doing. The child’s cries spurred him on, however, and so he kicked and splashed his way to her, growing more and more exhausted as he paddled out to her. When he finally reached the child, he pulled her in close and started for the shore.

He could see the dwarves on the beach and pushed until his arms and legs burned with exhaustion. He had to get her to the shore. He had to save this child.

Something grabbed onto his leg and he nearly lost her. He was so close!

He looked at the dwarven child and pushed her towards the shore as hard as he could before taking in a gulp of air and plunging into to water to try and free himself. He blinked at the salt water, trying to see what the offending object was, only to see that it was simply a tangle of seaweed.

His lungs burned as he worked to free his leg He needed air but he also needed to break free. He tugged as his body grew weaker and his brain sent every signal it could to try and get him out of danger.

His fingers slipped but that was all he needed to wrench himself free of the seaweed. He tried to surface only to feel the strong pull of the tide, dragging him out into the sea. He struggled in vain, trying to right himself in the turbulent water.

He never saw the rock that bashed his skull open.

With a crackle of lightning, Barry rose out of the ocean. He looked out at the beach to see the dwarven woman checking her daughter over. Next to her stood a familiar dwarf. Barry would know him anywhere.

He wanted to go to him, but he knew he couldn't. Merle wouldn't recognize him. He would never know Barry had even been there.

He left before Merle could see him. He still had a lot of work to do if he was going to find Lup.

Just as he left, the first fliers for Sizzle It Up With Taako and Lup were hung.

~

He had not planned on falling in love so quickly, but he supposed it was perfectly understandable. Elves were, of course, known for their ethereal beauty but something about these Sun Elves …

Especially Lup.

Sazed had never seen elves like Lup or Taako before. They had claimed they were Sun Elves, but he had met Sun Elves before and Lup and Taako were nothing like them. Most Sun Elves were tall, willowy beings with golden hair, short ears, and haughty personalities. While the pair did occasionally act aloof, they were much friendlier than any Sun Elves he had met. They didn’t care if you were a human, an elf, a dwarf, a gnome, or a dragonborn. Everyone was worthy of their time and everyone was graced with the elves’ larger than life personalities.

Unlike the lightly bronzed Sun Elves he had known, Lup and Taako were a much richer, darker bronze than even the most sun kissed elves that he had seen in Raven’s Roost, with flecks of golden freckles sprinkling their faces in just the right light. They were shorter than any Sun Elves he had met and neither elf was willowy or slender. Lup and Taako were plump and happy and both elves had flatter noses and much fuller lips than any of the elves Sazed had known. Their copper eyes would twinkle in the sunlight and then glow in the dark at night - something he had only ever seen with the few Drow that had left the Underdark.

They were the most beautiful beings he had ever met.

Especially Lup.

When she would laugh, sometimes she would shake her head, letting her dark curls bounce as if to accentuate her laughter. Her long ears would flick expressively in a way he had never seen any elf’s ears work before. Everything about her was perfection.

He had to admit that he was first a little smitten with her when he had seen their show in Raven’s Roost, but he had simply resigned himself to the thought that they would be gone and it would be months, even years until he saw her beautiful face again.

And now? Now he was with her every day.

Even more, her cold demeanor had started to melt away over the years, revealing that the elf did care. That she could be capable of loving someone.

Of maybe loving him.

Lup had noticed, of course. How could she not? He was so kind to her and on nights when she woke from horrific nightmares that her mind couldn’t explain, he was there to comfort her. He was understanding and he didn’t judge her. She hadn’t been in love before, as far as she could remember, but as the days, weeks, and months passed she began to wonder.

Was this what love felt like?

When her mind would drift to the thought, her eyes would be drawn to the ring on her left hand. She never knew how she had gotten it and as far as she knew, no one had given it to her. She would have remembered if she’d had some long lost lover. She knew it didn’t belong to her mother. She hadn’t worn rings that she could remember.

Every time she almost brought up the subject with Sazed, however, something blocked her. Something about telling him how she felt seemed so wrong. As if by doing it, she was going to hurt … someone.

She hated to put this on her business partner, but Taako was the only person she truly trusted. At the same time, she could tell that he had the same unease about Lup acknowledging her feelings about Sazed. Even though Sazed was kind, he was still their bodyguard. He still was their employee.

“That's not it, Lulu,” Taako insisted the night before their triumphant return to Raven’s Roost. “I guess it's just … You're the closest thing to family that I've ever had and if he hurt you …”

“Yeah … I've been worried about that too,” Lup sighed as she prepared the ingredients for the next morning's show. “But … he hasn't yet. It's been a year and he knows just about everything he needs to about me and … he’s still here. Taako, the other day, he actually made my tea the way I like it, like with the lavender and honey -”

“Well, that's kind of his job, Lup,” Taako sighed.

“I know but … he did it without me even asking. Like, he just knew that I'd had that nightmare again, the one with the darkness, and he just … he was there with my tea.”

“So that's what does it for you, huh? Tea?” Taako teased.

“No,” Lup retorted, sticking out her tongue. “It's just … maybe I should try this … see if it works out. And if not then, well, I've learned.”

Silence stretched between them.

“He’s also human,” Taako reminded her.

“Yeah … I guess that kinda makes it easier, huh? We'll only have a few decades, if that.”

Taako laughed bitterly.

“Yeah … so, you're going to go for it?”

“Maybe …”

They continued to work in silence and Lup wondered if she was truly doing the right thing. The ring on her left hand felt heavy but she refused to look at it.

She needed to do what was best for her.

Even if it felt wrong.

~

A lot can happen in three years.

Lup and Taako knew this, of course. The passage of time was most obvious to long lived creatures like elves. Regardless, being greeted by Magnus, looking a little older and with a few more scars was unsettling. They didn’t know why they had expected him to just stay frozen in time, like they had seen him before, but seeing their favorite human carpenter looking three years older felt … wrong.

In three years, Magnus had improved amazingly in his carpentry. He had, of course, presented the pair with the wooden ducks he had made for them. Something tore at the pair as they looked over their ducks. This was familiar, but they didn’t know why. Something about the wooden ducks felt like home.

If they didn’t know better, they would have believed them to be enchanted.

Magnus showed off the spare room he and Stephen had worked on. He showed off the beautifully crafted beds that Julia had built. He showed off the dressers, the chairs, the tables.

And then he closed the bedroom door behind them with a soft click.

“I uh … A lot’s happened, guys,” Magnus started. He looked over at Sazed who shifted uncomfortably. “Sazed, you know as well as I do now how … How stressful life actually is here. Ever since you left we uh … we haven’t had that many traveling shows brought in. In fact, I’m sure you saw that you had to pay a tax coming in. You’ll have to do it coming out as well … If they don’t take everything you earn.” Magnus sighed.

“Wait. So, that ass who stopped us last time we were here-” Lup asked, her ears pinned down in anger.

“Yeah …” Magnus sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Governor Kalen has been raising taxes pretty steadily. I wish I could say it was for something good, like repairing the fishing district’s docks or repaving the roads but … Well, he’s just been adding onto his mansion and we think he’s been hoarding the money. And there’s not much we can do about it.”

“Bullshit!” Taako yelled. “Vote his ass out!”

“It’s uh ...It’s not really a democracy here, Taako,” Magnus sighed. “Sure, we’ve had elections since you’ve been gone but we’re all pretty sure they’re rigged. Just uh … I wanted to give you a heads up. It’s kind of led to things getting tight around here. But …”

“Mags,” Lup started. “Are you sure we can’t help you at all with this asshat?”

Magnus chuckled, sadly.

“No. We’ll be alright. I uh … I also wanted to tell you something else … Get your opinion on this.”

Magnus reached into his pocket and pulled out a small wooden box.

“I uh … I won’t be able to give her this for a while. Not until things get more stable but I carved this and … Do you think Julia will like it?” Magnus asked, opening the box.

Inside was a ring, carved out of polished mahogany. In the center of the band was the kind face of a bear, wooden eyes sparkling as if they were made from polished gems.

“Holy shit,” Taako breathed. “Magnus …”

“You guys were right. We uh … A lot has happened in three years,” he laughed nervously.

Lup looked to Sazed.

Yes. A lot could happen in three years. She knew this for a fact as she stared at the human who listened as Magnus continued on.

In three years, tyrant could show the world his true colors.

A friend could make a name for himself.

Someone could fall in love.

~

She was dazzling as she pulled out her umbrella and cast mage hand to pour the sherry while simultaneously casting flame, the fire drizzling down onto the steak that sat on the plate.

“So, supposedly this was named for the goddess of the hunt, but I’m pretty sure that it’s really named for this human woman, Diane, who first made this in a dive bar by accident when she was pouring someone’s drink out too close to the fire and it got all over their meal. But hey! It’s a great showpiece and she only lost a few hit points in the ensuing fight! Now, all of these dishes use cantrips so you don’t even need to waste a spell slot on them! And if you can’t use magic, then a simple match will work!”

Sazed knew he needed to be watching the crowd, but he couldn’t help but stare as Lup glowed in the fire. The golden flecks on her skin were ethereal as she beamed at the crowd, showing off her plate.

“Alright, I have some samples up here that you can nibble on while we work on the Bananas Foster!” Lup laughed. “Be sure to save room though! We’ve got a lot of samples this time!”

Sazed would have to wait until after the finale.

He had wanted to bring it up to her for a long time, but he never had the chance. He often had to work the merchandise table (a foreign concept on Faerun) or make sure the area was safe and so by the time Lup and Taako were done with their show, they were so wiped out that he couldn't talk with Lup.

Talking to Magnus and Julia had made him realize he needed to say something. He needed to tell her.

He needed to know.

As soon as their finale was finished, Sazed whisked Lup away, pretending to not notice the strange ear flicking she and Taako did as she went with him.

His heart was pounding. He wasn’t sure what he would do if she rejected him. She wasn’t sure what she would say when he told her how he felt. He had thought there was a chemistry between them but the more she fiddled with her hands as he sat down across from her in the cart, the more he worried.

“Um …” He started, “I guess I should uh … tell you something.”

Lup bit her lip. The nervousness he showed - it reminded her of … something. Her mind wouldn’t let her hold onto the thought for more than a moment. She knew this was inevitable. She had told herself as much as she had started allowing herself to get closer to the human.

She couldn’t ignore, however, the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Something was just so incredibly wrong about all of this, but she couldn’t think of any logical reason why.

“Lup,” Sazed started. “I know you’ve had a lot of reasons not to trust people … not to trust humans but … I … Lup, I want you to know that …”

Why couldn’t he just say it? Why couldn’t he tell her how he felt? He had been falling deeper and deeper in love with her but she felt so out of reach.

“Sazed … I think I know what you’re trying to say,” Lup sighed. “And … I want to. I really do. I just … Sazed, I’m worried. I’m worried about what would happen if this all went bad. I’m worried …”

I’m worried that this is the wrong choice.

“Lup, it’s alright! I promise, if … Wait …” Sazed paused and gently took her hand. “Do you?”

Lup nodded.

“I just … I need to go slow, alright?” Lup asked, her ears twitching. “I mean, I won’t go too slow. I know you humans don’t live very long but I also can’t … you know … At least, not right away.”

Sazed nodded.

“Of course, Lup. However long you need.”

Lup smiled up at him, her golden eyes meeting his blue eyes. A part of her wanted to pull him in close, to kiss him tenderly.

But it didn’t feel right to do it. Not yet at least.

Instead, they talked well into the night, Lup ignoring the gnawing at her soul and the heaviness of the ring on her finger. They talked about their childhoods, about cooking, about magic …

About each other.

Lup didn’t want to think she was truly falling in love. She didn’t want to get her hopes up only for them to be dashed later.

This felt pretty close.