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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Oct 23, 2008 21:05:42 GMT -5
"When Dare's stressed he'll run off at the mouth," Michael said, glancing over at Markise. He remembered in particular when Dare had shown Emilian that portrait of Adara and had almost worked himself into a rather large hole with his mouth. "Well...maybe not stressed," he amended, "But definitely worried." Dare also had done it a few times when it had just been them. The wall slid closed behind them a few seconds later and a pale light shown from somewhere at the junction of the floor and the wall.
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Post by Markise Sterling on Oct 23, 2008 21:10:26 GMT -5
"Oh, that," Markise said with a nod, yet another rush of relief at the simple explanation. He was familiar with Dare's running at the mouth, but Markise's mind had taken Michael's words in an entirely different direction. "So like, what is it with you guys? I mean, not that there's anything wrong with it, but like, I'm just curious." And poking his nose where it didn't belong. Markise got to work forming another bubble. He hadn't noticed the light yet.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Oct 23, 2008 21:16:58 GMT -5
"What do you mean, what is it with you guys?" Michael asked somewhat grumpily. Surely Markise could have worded it better or been a little more specific on what he wanted to know. The wording only threw Michael's mind back to the fact that there had been something between Dare and Markise at one point in time and to that hug he had seen the two share.
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Post by Markise Sterling on Oct 23, 2008 21:27:57 GMT -5
Markise sucked the bubble back into his mouth, wincing slightly at the tone in Michael's voice. He almost said sorry again, but at this point, he figured he may as well just talk. "I just...it hasn't been too long, has it? I was just wondering like, I don't know...how close you are?" Markise paused a moment, then went on in a rush. "I know it's none of my business but Dare is...was my best friend, and I just feel...out of the loop." And maybe just the littlest bit jealous still, but there was another thing not to confess.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Oct 23, 2008 21:35:11 GMT -5
Michael looked over at Markise for a few moments and then forward again as he spoke. "We met a few days after he got here, and at the end of June we were together." It had been very nearly four months. He could barely believe it, it felt like he had known Dare his whole life, though at times everything seemed so rushed, most of the time it seemed like those months had stretched for years. His eyes softened finally and he felt his muscles relax as he thought about Dare, forgetting that there was more to Markise's question.
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Post by Markise Sterling on Oct 23, 2008 21:39:31 GMT -5
"Oh," Markise said softly. He wanted to ask more, to ask again how close they were, but if Michael hadn't answered once, he probably wouldn't answer a second time, either. So he thought on what Michael had said, and took the time to do the math. Four months. Longer than Dare had been with anyone other than Amber. "Dare must really like you," Markise said, almost grudgingly.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Oct 23, 2008 21:45:16 GMT -5
Michael smiled softly, "I like to think he does." He knew Dare liked him, Dare loved him, and he loved Dare. Then he looked over at Markise and almost, and that was a big almost, felt bad. "You know, before you came he wanted to write you and tell you. He was going to send a picture." He watched Markise for a moment and then looked forward again, his footsteps slowing slightly as he remembered the pictures that had been taken.
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Post by Markise Sterling on Oct 23, 2008 22:00:46 GMT -5
Markise's heart squeezed at that confession, and it must have shown in his eyes the moment before he glanced away. Dare had thought of him. "I didn't know," he said softly. "Thank you for telling me." Markise quieted to chew his gum thoughtfully for a moment, then spoke again. "I've got another question, and you don't have to answer it--I probably shouldn't even be asking it--but...like, are you guys really physical?"
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Oct 23, 2008 22:11:53 GMT -5
Michael's feet stopped at that question. It wasn't appropriate, and it was a hard question anyway. He couldn't say they weren't really physical, because they were, every time they were together they were touching, kissing. And with the way they kissed...it was more than just a kiss. But they also hadn't done much other than those very intense kisses, surely that was what Markise was asking about, wasn't it? "It's according to what you consider physical," he said eventually, eying Markise.
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Post by Markise Sterling on Oct 23, 2008 22:28:06 GMT -5
That response told Markise more than Michael probably would have guessed. "Okay, bear with me here," he said," and I apologize in advance for saying something stupid, but like, what I'm trying to figure out..." Markise gave a sound of frustration with himself. What he was trying to figure out was what Michael did for Dare that Dare liked so damned much. Markise started again.
"You probably don't want to hear this, but Dare doesn't usually get past a month or two. He was with this one girl for like, six months or something, but that was pretty much all it was, was like, kissing all the time." Markise made a face of displeasure at the thought of Amber.
"Anyhow, I'm trying to figure out..." Markise made an airy gesture with one hand. "I want to know what's going on, okay?" He probably hadn't made any more sense that time, probably hadn't endeared himself to Michael any more, and so he chewed his gum nervously.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Oct 23, 2008 22:36:06 GMT -5
"If you're thinking that our relationship is just kissing, you're very wrong." Michael's eyes narrowed slightly, he really didn't like everything that Markise was saying. His relationship with Dare was going to last, he knew it, and Markise had no right to even imply that he was comparing it to another of Dare's relationships. His hands hovered at his sides and his eyes just begged Markise to try and tear apart the relationship.
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Post by Markise Sterling on Oct 23, 2008 22:42:04 GMT -5
Markise's eyes widened at the unmistakable look in Michael's and the tone in his voice. "No, I...I didn't say I think that, I haven't even really seen you together, I was just..." Markise's hands rose, covering his face as he sighed into his palms. "I'm going to shut up now," he said, the words slightly muffled. If he'd needed to know that badly, he should have just hunted down Dare somehow and asked him. Dare would answer his questions, and wouldn't look like he had murder on his mind while doing it. Markise peeked between his fingers at Michael. He wouldn't, would he? What had he been doing in the dungeons anyway, if they were so bad?
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Oct 23, 2008 22:51:26 GMT -5
Michael sucked on his tongue and stared at Markise for another second before looking away and trying to calm himself. It only made sense that a close friend of Dare's would want to know about the relationship, right? He took a deep breath and let it out in a low, heavy sigh. "Me and Dare have an amazing relationship," he said, "And I'm tired of people trying to break it down." Even if that hadn't been Markise's intention, Michael couldn't help but feel threatened, it was like Emilian all over again. "There's no reason for you to know how physical we are or to bring his past relationships into this!"
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Post by Markise Sterling on Oct 23, 2008 23:01:35 GMT -5
Markise couldn't help shrinking back from Michael a little at that. "I didn't didn't want to know how, I mean I'm sorry, I'll, I'll leave you alone." Markise was already feeling his allergies threaten, and his hand settled on his pocket, though he was afraid to pull his wand and piss Michael off even worse. He hadn't meant to pick apart their amazing relationship, he'd just wanted to know how close they were, and apparently beating around the bush and trying to find out without asking wasn't the way to do it.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Oct 23, 2008 23:07:00 GMT -5
Michael clenched his jaw and started walking again, curling his hands into light fists and refusing to speak to Markise. He would act like he liked the guy when Dare was around, but that was as far as he was going; there was no way he would actually end up liking Markise. He glared off into the hidden corridor, trying to guess how far they had gone, how much longer before he could get away from Markise.
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