For the next week or so, life was very quiet for Angus. Especially considering last week felt like hell.
Not the teashops itself, mind. In the tearoom, the next few days are... Weird. Stressfully busy.
Taako's influence or word of mouth have people flocking to cosies. Cakes can't be brought out and tables can't be cleared fast enough. Overtime and extra shifts are offered just so Mrs Cosie can have four people working the shop front to keep up with the demand: not just her usual two, maybe three.
There were definitely reporters milling about now. Loads of them. Gora'thien the blood-soaked takes on an impromptu guard duty at the door. He makes a great bouncer, chasing off anyone with a press pass and manhandling out anyone sticking a microphone or a recording stone in any of his colleagues faces.
"I think he's enjoying it a bit too much." Mrs Cosie sighed, as another bird spotting podcaster was hauled out by the scruff of his neck and had the door slammed in his face. Gora'thien the blood-soaked dusted off his hands, before politely opening the door for another customer.
Angus had swapped with him to be in the pot wash and kitchen more, deliberately this time and kept out of sight. Not that he minded. But he does start to miss being out front and chatting to his regulars.
Flo does not kick his ass. Instead, Angus finds himself swept off his feet while walking across the quad between classes. And hanging upside down by his socks in the air by a very cross halfling. Florence swears and cuss's Angus out to within an inch of his fancy boy haircut. For upsetting things at the shop and her aunt and for keeping secrets. But Angus explained what happened and his side of the story. So, by the time the university bursar is alerted and breaks up the 'fight', Flo has already set Angus back right way up, and she and Angus are already making up with a hug.
Dale doesn't stay mad at him either. Though he does threaten he'll instruct Brenda to give Angus a punch on the arm for being an idiot if it happens again. Angus swears on his apron he hopes it won't. Brenda cracks her knuckles at him just to make sure he'd got the message. But winks too.
After a weekend cosies tea rooms have had its fifteen minutes of fame. And the hubbub dies down to almost its normal levels. Angus feels comfortable to go back to the till and make drinks. Even the orc who Taako had struck, mattie, came in for her usual brew before work.
"No hard feelings." She'd smiled when he'd tried to apologise. "Oh, can I get a gluten free cheese scone too please?"
But no birds or bobs (or boobs) or anyone else Angus knew came near. For him it's very quiet. Far too quiet. Well in his personal life. Almost lonely even.
And for all his detective skills, Angus couldn't be sure whether it was a brush off or they're giving him space. Or worse they think he meant what he said about them not being wanted at the cafe. His stone and notebook chats are stilted. Messages seem to fizzle out past small talk and checking on his health.
He does meet up with Lucretia as planned. And wishes he hadn't. The conversation is all stop-start, with both trying to avoid any shop or Taako talk. It's almost a relief when Leon calls her on an urgent matter, and Lucretia has to bounce. Although she does hug him goodbye tighter than normal.
But she didn't call him little bear or any other pet name. Neither does magnus. Lup is much the same. Merle is the only one still acting normal. In that he didn't use his stone much anyway. Barry too, who's never known what to say at the best of times unless it's to Lup.
Suddenly, they're trying to treat Angus like a grown up. Or worse, fragile. It's sweet they're trying. But it's not what he'd wanted.
Speaking of Lup? Lup is Lup with a side order of compensating for her (idiot) brother. She's the first to check up on Angus, rifting straight into his study hall. She would not say anything against Taako, nor does she defend him. Not to Angus anyway. But given her frustration (masked but still there) Angus deduced Taako had not talked to Lup about the situation. And was putting off doing it.
It's what made Angus decide to do it himself, speak to Taako. It is after all him and Taako who have had a shouting match and have making up to do. So, Angus takes a day off to go talk to Taako.
Only the elf didn't want to be found.
Taako is never home. It's Kravitz who'd always answers the door. When Angus did go where he thought Taako might be, Taako wasn't there. Not even invisibly. (Angus had checked). Not at school, not hanging out with the boys. Angus had even gone to the moon on the off chance it was a double bluff and Taako would hide from Angus in his own least favourite site.
Angus is at a loss what to do. He remembers what Taako used to be like, on the moon base. Taako without Lup. Without the trust for his teammates. Before trusting Angus. How he used to cut himself off from the team and hold everyone arm's length. When it was awkward.
Angus almost wishes Taako would pop into cosies again, just so they can talk. Almost.