Who: Tas and Nico When: Early April Where: University dorms What: Tas helps Nico move dorm rooms. Warnings/Ratings: None/Low Status: Complete
Tas didn’t have anything to do. He’d tried to spend some of his morning drawing maps, but he’d soon grown restless and decided he needed to stretch his legs. He kept thinking of Killian and Alyssa, two of his friends who had died since he’d moved here six months ago. Never before had he lost someone close to him. Sure, he’d gone his separate ways from a lot of them and knew that he had friends he’d probably never see again, but he knew that the were out there somewhere and if they were lucky maybe they would cross paths again. But Killian and Alyssa were both gone, and he came to realize that any of his friends could also just… go someday.
Not being able to concentrate on much of anything, Tas decided a nice walk would help clear his mind. He soon found himself heading toward the University. If he was lucky, maybe he’d be able to catch Anna between classes and they could go get a coffee. Chatting with Anna always made him happy, so it seemed like a good way to cheer him up.
Of course, once he got to the University he had to search for her. At one point, he thought he saw her and followed her right into the dorms, only to remember that duh, Anna had long red hair, not short purple hair, and Anna was probably also about a foot shorter than this girl. How he could have ever mistaken them, he wasn’t sure, but now he was inside the university dorms and that was a place he’d never been before. Since he was there anyway, just by pure happenstance, he might as well explore a little.
He decided to look down the hallways, hoping for something exciting like he’d sometimes seen in college films. Like a big party with lots of loud music. He even checked a couple of people’s dorm rooms, if they were unlocked and no one was inside, just to see if one of them was having a party.
The dorm seemed remarkably boring. Much more boring than he thought it would be, so he decided to leave when he saw what looked like someone moving. Well, moving wasn’t much of an adventure, but helping people and making new friends could still be fun, so he approached the other man. “Hi! Are you moving? I could help you if you are!”
***
Nico knew if he’d waited until the weekend Sans would have been able to help him move his things. Hell - Sans would probably have helped him after his classes ended that day but when Nico’s last class had been cancelled he’d thought it was a good time to move a few boxes over to his new dorm. He hadn’t taken into account how warm it would be or the distance between the two buildings. He was shifting a box in his arm awkwardly when he heard a chipper sounding voice speaking to him asking if he was moving and he kind of snapped at the person. “What does it look like I’m doing with this box in my arms? Of course I’m moving.” He was tired and warm and frustrated because he’d had a small run-in with his former roommate when he’d been packing this box up. He was starting to think he’d spoken too quickly when he said that his roommate wasn’t the real issue. It wasn’t exactly fair of him to take it on someone who was offering to help but he had.
***
“Oh, well you could be doing all sorts of things with a box in your arms,” Tas said. “Would you like me to name them? You could be going grocery shopping, though I guess it would be pretty weird if they put your groceries in a box instead of a bag. Or you could be moving ancient magical spell books away from the evil demon that wants to conquer the world! Or you could be stealing someone elses boxes.” He gave Nico a stern look to show that he Did Not Approve of stealing.
But the man had said he was moving, and that was good enough for Tas. “Would you like some help moving?” And then it struck him that he hadn’t introduced himself yet, so he stuck his hand out in anticipation of a handshake. “I’m Tasslehoff Burrfoot, by the way. But my friends call me Tas!”
***
Nico gave an exasperated sigh as the other started listing off the things that he could be doing with a box in his arms, wondering if this guy was for real. Or possibly on something. He almost dropped his box in surprise when Tas mentioned a demon wanting to conquer the world - he was pretty certain this guy was on something and before he realized it the question was spilling out of his mouth, at the same time Tas was speaking. “Are you on something? A demon? Magical spell books?”
“Nico di Angelo,” he said, not moving to shake the other’s hand because he was already having enough trouble holding onto the box. And he wasn’t entirely sure this guy wasn’t nuts.
***
Most people didn’t know what to make of Tas when the first met him. Actually, most people still didn’t know what to make of him for sometime after they met him. He let his hand drop to his side, well used to people not shaking his hands even if it was rude (even if their hands were full of boxes). “Oh no, I don’t do drugs,” Tas said cheerfully. That was another question he was very used to. “Are you just moving here?” he asked. “That would probably explain why you don’t know about the magic spellbooks and the demons.”
***
Nico couldn’t figure out what was going on with Tas but the guy seemed like he was mostly harmless. Just really really chipper. “Magic and demons only exist in movies and television programs,” he said. Although there had been some weird things happening in the weather lately - he wasn’t ready to jump on the magic bandwagon. “I’ve lived here for a couple of years. My father moved us here for work,” and to get away from his mistress but Nico wasn’t about to tell this stranger that.
“I’m moving into my friend’s dorm room for the rest of the semester.” He said, shifting the box in his arms again.
***
“And in my living room!” Tas said cheerfully. “My roommate’s a mage, you know! He can do all sorts of magic! He set fire to about a hundred gremlins that had broken into our apartment, you know.” Gremlins really had been the greatest Christmas gift Tas had ever received.
“Do you need some help with that box?” Tas asked, holding out his hands for Nico to plop the box into if he so desired. “Moving in with friends is great! Me and my roommate, we’ve been friends since forever. We even have the same dreams! And living with him is pretty much the greatest thing ever! We’ve got really friendly neighbours who have lots of cats!”
***
Okay. Maybe this guy wasn’t on anything but he definitely wasn’t sane. There was no way he could be with the things he was saying. Magic? Gremlins breaking into their apartment? But he didn’t give off any indication that he was a dangerous type of crazy person. And at this time of day there were bound to be people around the dorm right?
Nico hesitated for a moment before shifting the box into Tas’ arms. He couldn’t carry it and open doors and he didn’t want to give his keys to a stranger and he didn’t know if Sans had locked the dorm room. “Sans and I didn’t meet until last year,” Nico said. It was weird though - he felt closer to Sans than he did to some of the people he’d grown up with in Italy. “You have the same dreams? How is that possible?” he asked, leading him into the dorm and to the elevator. Normally he’d use the stairs but not while he was moving.
***
“Ohhhhhhh,” Tas said, it finally dawning on Tas that maybe Nico wasn’t a dreamer. Obviously, the easiest way to deal with this was just to casually change the topic. Tas followed him, holding the box in his hands and trying to find a way to peer into it through the cardboard flaps. “You don’t need to know someone for very long to become close with them! I decided to move to Raistlin’s hometown when I very first met them because I just knew that we’d become the best of friends. I think we share dreams because we’re so close,” Tas yammered on, getting into the elevator with Nico. “Like brother’s, really! Though, he already has a brother. A twin brother, even! Caramon doesn’t live with us though, even though he and I became friends before Raistlin and me became friends. He - that is, Raistlin - really wanted to set off on his own - with me, of course - so he stayed at home. He has a sister too. Her name’s Kitiara. I have a sister too, you know! Though, I haven’t seen her in a while. What about you? Any brothers or sisters?”
***
Nico was definitely starting to think that something wasn’t quite right...normal with Tas. Not the way he considered normal at least. But the more he talked with the other guy, the less and less he seemed like a threat. “Of course,” Nico said, his brain feeling like it was working overtime to keep up with Tas even though he was only half listening to what he was saying.
He frowned when Tas said he had a sister but he hadn’t seen her in a while. He couldn’t imagine not seeing or talking to Bianca and Hazel at least every other week. “I’ve got two sisters. One older and one younger. I try to see my little sister as often as I can,” he said, eyes studying Tas curiously as they reached his floor. He stepped out onto the landing, reaching back to place his hand on the doors so that they wouldn’t close while Tas was climbing out before leading him down the hall to Sans, and his, dorm room. He unlocked the door and sighed as he looked at the mess. At least it was all on the side that wasn’t his so he could ignore it a little easier.
“Just set the box on the bed please. I need to go through it to look for something. Would you mind helping me out by holding a few things if I need?”
***
“Oh, that’s nice! Does your little sister live here too?” Tas asked. He was curious about Nico’s older sister too, but since he hadn’t said that he saw her often Tas decided to keep his mouth shut. Sometimes people didn’t always get along with their siblings and they could get upset when you brought it up. Tas didn’t like people getting upset.
Tas set down the box on the bed, and turned to Nico all smiles. “You bet I can!” Tas said excitedly. No one ever asked him to hold things for them for some reason. This was definitely exciting.
***
“Hazel still lives at home here in Irvine,” Nico said. He didn’t even think about it before answering. It wasn’t like he’d given their address. And the last time he checked their address still wasn’t published anywhere. The fun of his dad working in the movies - privacy was a needed thing for their family.
He opened the box, handing Tas a handful of small figures and knicknacks that would normally be on his bookcase. Nothing expensive but they were sort of important to him. Especially the one he was looking for. He wouldn’t really feel at home at all in this room until he had it in place. And even though he still had another box or two of things to bring over he was going to be sleeping here. “If you need to set them down you can dump them on the bed. I thought this thing was going to be at the top,” he said, reaching to hand Tas another handful of the small figures.
***
“Oh, that’s nice that she’s so close!” Tas said earnestly, taking the figurines from Nico. Surprisingly, Tas didn’t need to place anything on the bed, as his hands didn’t seem to get that full. Most of the more interesting figurines, and some of the ones Tas didn’t care for much, all managed to find their way, quite on their own accord, into the pouches he kept attached to his belt. Tas didn’t even notice.
“What are you looking for?” Tas said, stepping rather close to Nico so he could peer into the box. “Maybe I can help! I’ve got very good eyes, you know!”
***
Nico glanced at Tas when the other man stepped closer to him, before turning his attention back to the box. “I’m looking for a pirate figurine. It’s about the size of the others but it’s got a red hat and cape. And a hook,” he said, looking into the box for that flash of red.
***
“A pirate figurine!” Tas said excitedly. “One of my best friends is-” and then he remembered that Killian wasn’t there anymore. “Was a pirate,” Tas amended, a touch of sorrow to his voice. But he was smiling again in no time. “And another one of my very close personal friends is a pirate too! Her name’s Isabela! She’s really pretty! She doesn’t have a hook for a hand though!” Killian was missing a hand because of his dreams though, and Tas had once suggested that he too could get a hook.
***
Nico gave Tas a sympathetic look when he heard that note in his voice but he didn’t say anything about it. “Yeah. Pirates were a big thing for me when I was growing up.” He caught a glimpse of red in the box and reached inside, pulling out the little metal figure. “Found it!” He turned it in his hand for Tas to see it. It wasn’t that big or even all that special but it had sentimental value to him. “You know actual pirates?”
*** “Oh neat!” Tas exclaimed, and peering at the figurine in awe. “That’s really cool! I do know actual pirates! It’s really cool! I guess there are a few of them living in the Orange County which I think is just great! I think I’d make a good pirate! I know how to sail, and swashbuckling just sounds so wonderful.” He sighed wistfully. “Do you want to be a pirate too? Or just when you were growing up?”
***
Nico turned around to put the figurine at the head of his bed. He’d find a more permanent home for it later, it might be the only one of his figures that he put up since there wasn’t that much time left until the end of the school year. “I didn’t know we had any pirates here in California - I thought they were all on the other side of the world.” Tas’ enthusiasm was almost contagious. Or it could have just been the fact that they were talking about pirates. Either way Nico’s voice was brighter when he answered. “I used to dream about being a pirate when I grew up. Then I found out I get seasick,” he said a little wistful at the end. “And being a land pirate just doesn’t sound as much fun.” He turned his attention back to the other man.
“I’ve probably kept you long enough. Helping somebody you don’t really know haul boxes probably wasn’t on your list of things to do today when you came to campus.”
***
“Maybe you’ll dream about being a pirate again!” Tas said cheerfully. Obviously the guy didn’t dream, but Tas kind of hoped he’d get to dream of being a pirate if he did start dreaming. It sounded like a lot of fun - minus the whole possibly losing your hands thing. The salt air on your face, the waves lapping against your boat, swashbuckling and plundering… it all sounded like so much fun. “Though, hopefully you wouldn’t get sea sick in your dreams! That doesn’t sound like very much fun at all. Sometimes people who get seasick don’t get seasick on bigger boats though! The bigger they are, the less they rock, and sometimes you can’t even tell you’re on a big boat at all. Not like the teeny tiny boats though. They always rock. I have a friend in my-” dreams, but Nico didn’t believe in dreams, “back home, I mean. He’s afraid of boats. He fell out of one once, and we had to fish him out of the water and he always complains about it even though it was years and years ago. He gets seasick sometimes too, but he’s usually fine after a day or two at sea! After he gets his sea legs under him.”
Tas beamed. “Oh no, you didn’t keep me at all! I’m always really happy to make new friends! And carrying around boxes seems like a small price to pay for that! But I guess I probably should leave. I came to surprise my friend Anna but then I realized I don’t know where her classes are so I guess it’ll probably take a lot of searching to find her and I guess I’ve taken a lot of time off from that! Thanks though! I already feel loads better.”
***
Nico laughed. “That would be kind of funny though I think - being sea sick in my dreams too. Hopefully it won’t happen that way if I do dream about being a pirate,” he said, turning to look at the little figure again. “I’ll have to keep that in mind. See if I don’t do better on a large boat with my seasickness. More career options then,” he added, looking back at Tas and grinning. “Thanks for the suggestion.”
He thought for a minute, trying to figure out if he knew anyone named Anna from any of his classes but the name didn’t ring any bells. “I don’t know anybody named Anna so I can’t help you with that. I’m sorry. It was nice meeting you Tas.” He added, surprising himself a little when he realized he actually meant it. He held his hands out for the figures in Tas’s hands. “You can hand them to me or just dump them back in the box.”
***
“I’m happy to help!” Tas beamed. “I think it’s important to find ways to do the things your heart tells you to!”
“That’s too bad!” Tas said cheerfully, handing the figurines that hadn’t made their way into his pouches back into the box. “It would have been a great coincidence if you did know her and know where she had her classes right now! But I guess things don’t always work like that. Sometimes though, when you’re lucky. But it was really nice meeting you Nico! I’m sure we’ll meet again!” And with that, he slipped out of the room, the ones still in his pouches entirely forgotten.