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“LUP! My darling sister, my heart, my joy, where in the ever-loving fuck did you put the fantasy hair straightener?” Taako’s voice echoes down the hall from the single (large) bathroom on the Starblaster. It is irate.
“Did you look under the sink?” Lup shouts back from her private quarters.
“No!” yells Taako. There's a moment of silence, then, "Found it!" Merle rolls his eyes and continues fastening the buttons on his truly spectacular dance clothes. Leave it to the kids to wake up late on the morning of the submission.
Of course, Merle can’t really talk. He’s in the same boat. They all are. Lucretia, who wakes up early anyways, had to go door to door scrambling to get them all awake, and now… well. Now they have twenty minutes before they need to be there. Which isn’t a problem for Merle, but definitely is for certain other members of the party.
Merle finishes the buttons on his shirt and pokes his head out into the hallway just in time to get nearly run over by a frantic Barry as he sprints to the kitchen. The man’s shirt is untucked and he has a tie draped over his shoulders, his hair is everywhere. Merle chuckles to himself and heads down the hall for the bathroom. His beard has gotten slightly out of hand.
The seven of them have been living on the Starblaster for forty-seven years now. It feels, really and truly, like home. Sure, it has its issues (the single bathroom being one of them), but they’ve learned how to deal with them. That’s what families do. Theirs might be an unusual one, but it’s a family all the same.
When they first arrived at the Legato Conservatory, Chancellor Marlow had offered for them to stay in rooms in the dorms. For a while, (read: about two and a half months) it had been nice. But going from living with six other people to living more-or-less on your own is hard, especially when you’ve spent the last half-century with them. So Davenport arranged to have the Starblaster parked in a less-trafficked corner of the Conservatory’s grounds, so that they could live together without needing to travel far for their lessons. Frankly, it was perfect.
For all the griping and bitching they did on occasion, being together felt right. Taako and Lup were phenomenal cooks, dreaming up complicated and delicious meals and welcoming the help of even the clumsiest sous-chefs. Lucretia covered the walls in portraits, landscapes, and still lifes in every conceivable style. The hallways were full of music for piano and violin and operatic tenor and the common areas and the hallway near Magnus’ room smelled like a different wood every week. Occasionally Merle would hold dance lessons, copying his teachers at the conservatory, which inevitably all ended with a few bruises and howling laughter. The Starblaster was a strange home, but they were a strange family, and so it fits.
Merle ducks through the open bathroom door and finds Taako meticulously straightening his hair, smoothing out nonexistent frizz with the iron. He hisses as it bumps his ear and jerks the thing away, muttering a string of curses before catching Merle’s eye in the mirror.
“Merle! Just the man I wanted to see,” Taako says. “Listen, you’re the superior braider on board, besides me, of course. ‘Cha boy needs to spend some significant time on his makeup. Would you mind working some magic on these magnificent locks?”
“... While you do your makeup?”
“Yeah, natch.”
“I have some beard care I need to get to, but if you still need a high-quality hairdo after that…”
“Sure thing, old man.”
With a creak, the door opens to admit Lucretia, who starts rifling through the drawers.
“Whatcha lookin’ for?” Merle asks, picking up his scissors and starting in on his beard.
“My pick? I thought it was in my room but it wasn’t,” she says, looking in the mirror cabinet.
“Honestly, I think I saw it in the shower caddy,” Taako tells her.
“There it is!” she laughs, plucking it from the shower and shaking off some stray drops of water. She starts in on her short afro, working through the white coils quickly but carefully. Sleep has left it squashed in on one side, asymmetrical, and she squints into the mirror as she works to restore her usual perfect halo.
“Hey guys, there’s eggs in the kitchen,” says Magnus, barging in to join them. The bathroom, though it is built to house seven, is starting to feel a little crowded. The four of them are gathered around the three sinks, Magnus nearly taking up a whole one on his own, each working double-time to figure out a formal look in the short time they have. “Merle, is that my comb?”
“Look, bud, if you’re still trying to keep track of that kind of thing at this point--”
“It’s back in my cup at the start of each year! Pardon me for wanting my comb for my hair and my sideburns!”
Merle sighs. “Lemme finish. I need thirty more seconds to get this bad boy in shape.”
Magnus rolls his eyes and glances over at Lucretia. “Holy shit! That’s getting so long!”
Lucretia grins, meeting Magnus’s eye in the mirror and fluffing her hair out into its full glory with her hands. “Taako, if I’m wearing that turtleneck with black pants and the red jacket, what color shoes should I do?”
“Definitely red,” Taako says without a thought. “I have some killer heels you could borrow. We’re about the same size, right?”
“Yeah, I think so,” she smiles. “Thanks.”
“No prob,” says Taako. “Merle, are you gonna give me a braid or what?”
Just then, Davenport ducks in. “Magnus, could you toss me that tub of hair cream?” he asks.
“Oh joy,” Merle says, fighting his way over to Taako. “Let’s get Barry and Lup in here too, shall we?” He starts pulling Taako’s hair back to the nape of his neck as Magnus whips a small container towards Davenport, who catches it with ease. Lucretia carefully dabs a bit of glitter onto her eyelids, leaning away from the chaos to avoid being bumped.
“Lucretia, I’ve got that lipstick you wanted--” says Lup, ducking her head in. “Oh, fantasy Jesus Christ.”
“Come on in, it can’t possibly get any worse,” Taako laughs, leaning forward slightly to wing his eyeliner.
“Stay still,” Merle gripes, tugging him back into place with the partially-finished braid.
“Guys, what do I even do with my hair?” Magnus asks, trying desperately to force it into some semblance of normalcy.
“Are you trying to tame that beast?” Taako laughs. “Listen, just run with it. You gotta send the rugged look.” Magnus snorts. “No, I’m serious, just leave it! The worst thing you can do for your look is work against yourself.”
“I mean, he’s not wrong,” says Lup. “Get yourself in an outfit, I’ll see what I can do.” She reaches across Taako for two different earrings she holds on either side of her face before seeing a third, sparklier pair and dropping them both. Just as Magnus starts to back away from the mirror, in comes Barry.
“I was wondering where you all went,” he says, walking over to where Magnus had been standing. The bathroom is now full to bursting as Taako, Lup, and Lucretia finish their makeup, Magnus, Barry, and Davenport all work on their own hair and Merle braids Taako’s. They’re all in varying states of undress: Lup is in a gorgeous red evening gown while Magnus has on a white button-down over his boxers. Merle, of course, is fully kitted out in his brightly colored dance outfit, while Taako has a simple white shirt and some pants on. Barry has his dress slacks and a lovely reddish pink shirt on with that tie still slung over his shoulder, Davenport looks dapper in a ruby red waistcoat and khaki pants, and Lucretia has a pajama shirt over her black ones.
“Barry, what if you just slick it back a little?” Lup asks as he starts rummaging around for supplies. “That might look nice.” She’s working her own hair back into a simple, elegant bun as she speaks.
“Yeah, sure,” he says, looking grateful for the idea. “By the way, guys, we’re down to about ten minutes before we need to leave.”
A chorus of swearing erupts as everyone begins to move even faster. Magnus rushes out, heading back to his room to get the rest of his ensemble on, while Merle finishes Taako’s braid. Lup pops her lips in the mirror, giving her face a nervous look. Lucretia elbows her.
“You look great,” she says.
“Aw, babe,” Lup laughs. “You look gorgeous too.”
Davenport runs one final hand through his semi-slicked back hair, mussing it slightly, and Taako gives him a grin.
“Looks good, Cap’nport.” Davenport laughs and heads out of the bathroom, making a beeline for the breakfast in the kitchen.
“Lup, what…” Barry trails off, turning towards her. The entire bathroom bursts into laughter. Instead of a hairdo for a formal event, he’s managed to create something that wouldn’t look out of place at a punk concert.
“That’s… how did you do that, Barold? It’s hair gel, not rocket science, oh my god!” Taako manages between bouts of laughter. He stands and makes his way behind the bewildered man. “Here. We’re just gonna… fix that… uh… hm.”
Lup joins him. “No, here, let me.” Taako pulls away and gives her a horrific, over-the-top wink as he breezes out of the room, Merle close behind. Lucretia fumbles through her jewelry box before pulling out a pair of gorgeous studs and rushing out the door to finish getting dressed.
It takes a bit of doing, but before long Barry’s hair has been wrangled into something approaching the look of a sophisticated scientist, arcanist, and presenter-of-music. Lup is satisfied with her work.
“I’m gonna go find some shoes,” she says, giving him a pat on the shoulder. “Don’t touch your hair.” Barry laughs and ducks his head, brushing his lips to her knuckles just before she draws away. She smiles as she leaves.
Barry sits for a second, taking just a few breaths to himself away from the hectic morning. They probably only have seven or eight minutes now. He stands and makes his way to his room to find his jacket.
Magnus is fumbling through tying a bowtie when Lucretia pokes her head into his room.
“Aw, hey! You ready?” he asks, abandoning the tangled red fabric.
“I think so,” she says, smoothing down her cable-knit white turtleneck. “Are you?”
“Yeah, I am. This duck,” he says, gesturing to the carving which is resting on his bed, “Is a masterpiece.”
Lucretia laughs. “I love it,” she tells him. “Want a hand with your tie?”
“Oh, god, yeah,” Magnus says. “It’s not a skill I ever really picked up.”
“Well, you’re lucky,” says Lucretia as she begins to undo the knot. “I happen to be an expert in the ways of formalwear.” The corners of her lips turn down as she weaves the ends together carefully. “Taako was right. I can’t imagine your hair really behaving,” she says as she pulls it into place. “It looks good like that.”
“Why thank you, milady,” Magnus says with exaggerated chivalry. He picks up a vest from where it lays next to his carved wooden duck and shrugs it on, quickly doing up the buttons before picking up the duck itself. “Shall we?”
Lucretia smiles. “Please, I’m starving.” Magnus slings an arm over her shoulders and they walk together down the hall to the kitchen.
“Now, don’t spill, kiddos, daddy doesn’t have time to fix stains before we leave,” crows Merle as they enter. Davenport, Lup, and Taako are all sitting around the main table as Merle brings eggs and toast out. There’s a moment of frenzy as six sets of hands reach for the same two plates (the clock on the wall shows that they have five minutes to get out the door), but soon the room quiets to the sound of six people eating.
“Anyone know where Barry is?” asks Davenport between bites of toast. Suddenly, hurried, thumping footsteps can be heard out in the hall.
“Lup!” he practically yells as he skids into the room. “Where’s the sheet music? I looked everywhere for it and it’s not anywhere it should be, if we lost it--”
“I got it, Barry, don’t worry,” Lup smiles. “It’s in my bag already.”
“Oh thank god,” he sighs, running a hand through his hair and mussing it. Taako closes his eyes and shakes his head in mock disappointment.
“Eat,” says Davenport, shoving a plate towards him. “We don’t have a lot of time.”
Barry begins shoveling scrambled eggs into his mouth, not even bothering to sit down.
“Can someone tie my tie, please?” he asks, shoving his toast in his mouth. Davenport gets up on a chair and beckons him over.
“Taako, I still need your shoes,” Lucretia reminds him.
“Oh shit, yeah! I’ll get them,” Taako says, taking off back towards his room. Lucretia pulls on her red IPRE jacket. The twins had insisted that everyone wear something red (“A pop of color,” Taako had said) in an effort to make the group look cool and coordinated. As Taako returns with the promised shoes and the seven begin to finally make their way out the door (with two whole minutes to spare!), they look like a matched set.
Merle is first, wearing his dance outfit, followed by Davenport in a ruby-red waistcoat and then Barry in a tux. Lup is next in a graceful sweep of scarlet with Taako right behind, still swinging a red half-cape over his shoulders, and then Magnus in his neat crimson bowtie and finally Lucretia bringing up the rear. She smooths her jacket into place, smiling, as they hustle off to the big event.
The morning bleeds into afternoon and eventually into evening. By the time all of the performances are done, Barry and Lup have still not resurfaced, and the other five are loath to seek them out. They’ll be back when they’re good and ready.
Celebrations lasted well into the afternoon and by the time everyone begins to trickle back into the Starblaster, they’re all completely cooked. Merle had begun unbuttoning his shirt when he finished dancing, and now it’s open almost all the way to his waistband. Similarly, Davenport had removed his waistcoat, tie, and belt, stashing them in Lup’s bag when she left it behind.
Magnus’s bowtie is gathering wrinkles in someone’s pocket (not his), and Taako is wearing Lucretia’s jacket tied around his waist while she carries his cape. Together, they collapse into the living area. The light filtering in through the windows is turning a rich golden orange.
Barry and Lup arrive just a few minutes after everyone else, hands still intertwined. They’re both grinning, and when Taako nearly tackles Lup to the ground, she starts to laugh.
“That was beautiful,” he says.
“I know,” Lup grins.
“I’m proud of you.”
Her smile softens. “I’m proud of you too, babe.”
“I’m proud of everyone!” Merle yells. “Man, did you see us out there? We killed it! We blew everyone else out of the water.”
“We were amazing,” Davenport smiles from his spot on the couch.
“Hell yeah we were,” agrees Lucretia. There’s a pause.
Taako breaks it, saying, “Magnus, if you take one of your atomic shits in the bathroom before I can take off my makeup, I’m never feeding you again.”
The bathroom fills up yet again as they all try to get un-ready at once. A fair quantity of elbows are thrown and the seven bicker like siblings about who gets what sink when and which hairbrush actually belongs to who and whether or not Barry’s hair gel privileges should be revoked. Fantasy makeup wipes are strewn across the countertops and odd bits of clothing are left in the hall to be picked up tomorrow. Taako and Lup rally to fix up an easy pasta and Lucretia pitches in to make a salad. By the time it’s all done everyone is gathered once again in the kitchen, this time wearing pajamas.
As the bowls of food are passed around, laughter and bright conversation drift out of the Starblaster. Fading light streams in the open doors from the sun as it dips behind the horizon, soft and sweet, illuminating the family at their dinner table.
Illuminating the family at home.