Long time no f~ (Ariel/Markise)

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

"I don't really remember," Ariel said, thinking back. "Like some kind of study room." It hadn't been big, had just had a few large desks and chairs for quiet study, just what he had been looking for at the time. And when he turned around to go back and grab something, it had been gone. "They should give us a list or something, at least."

[Markise Sterling]

Markise chuckled, though he heartily agreed. "A map, so we can see where everything is," he suggested. "With dots and name tags so we know where we are." Something like that would be incredibly useful, especially for mischief, when he thought about it. Excellent for hiding out with Ariel. Markise wouldn't know the first thing about whether something like that could even be made, though.

He sighed lightly against Ariel, letting go of the study room entirely. For a moment. "That room that disappeared... it would be a good place to hide out, don't you think? If we could find it again?" If it could make itself look like a wall, no one would bother them. It sounded like a far better place to do his Pilates than the classroom he'd been using.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

"If we could find it," Ariel agreed, nodding. He couldn't remember where the room he had been to was, though he knew that if he walked by it again he would recognize the place. He wondered how long they had been talking, because if this was what Markise wanted, Ariel didn't think he would have any problems with it at all.

[Markise Sterling]

"Well, if we're going to wander the corridors for hours at a time, we may as well try, right?" Markise asked. He'd given up wandering to map the place out, but he thought he had most of the main corridors now, so it couldn't be that bad, and he was less likely to get lost. It still happened, but not nearly as often. Markise was incredibly pleased with things at the moment. He was finally starting to figure things out, and Ariel hadn't brooded or been pissy for who knew how long. He could have purred for contentment.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

"We'll have to go look for it," Ariel said, though he certainly didn't intend to do it that day. He was enjoying things too much as they were to go and get frustrated trying to figure out just which wall was actually the door to either of their rooms. "You're just not allowed to hold it against me if I get pissed," he added.

[Markise Sterling]

"Hm, I'll do my best," Markise said. "Don't turn it on me and I'm fine anyway," Markise paused, then decided to clarify. "B~ about anything you want, but try not to directly insult me." His gaze dropped down to where Ariel's tattered cloak lay against him, then lifted out slightly to include Markise as well. Aside from the personal insults, Markise didn't really mind Ariel's attitude as long as he got to be an observer more than a participant.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

Ariel looked away from Markise. "That's going to be hard," he admitted, staring at a particularly interesting patch of grass. "Not because of you," he added, just in case. It wasn't because Markise was easy to insult or anything like that, it was just how Ariel had grown up, how he had survived. If it hadn't been for his attitude Ariel didn't know where he would be.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise's lips parted in shock, and he was a heartbeat from lifting his head and giving an offended comment when Ariel's disclaimer saved him. Markise closed his mouth again and forced his fingers to relax from where they'd tensed against Ariel's back. Markise didn't know enough about Ariel's past to understand him, and so he could only puzzle over it, trying to connect the few pieces he had of an enormous puzzle. "I just don't know how to let it go," he said softly. "I don't know how to tell..." He didn't know how to tell if Ariel meant the things he said. But did Ariel even make things up? Weren't the hurtful things he said true?

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

"Don't let everything get to you," Ariel said. Because then you end up like me.. He stared away from Markise, though, refusing to let him look into his eyes. "I mean, take everything seriously all the time and you'll be angry all the time, and that's not you." No, it was so hard to think of Markise being angry like he had been earlier all the time. He could barely even imagine it.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise closed his eyes a moment, then lifted his chin to press a light kiss against Ariel's jaw. Ariel really did seem to like him--him, the Markise he'd hidden so much of for so long. It was strange feeling like this for someone he told himself he didn't know, even if he knew Ariel's deepest secret. "I'll try," he said softly. "But it's hard when..." he licked his lips. "When it's true, I mean, I ought to be able to change, to make myself better, so I can't just let it go."

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

Ariel didn't know what to say to that, so he sighed softly and shrugged. "If it's true, what does it matter what the other person thinks, anyway?" he asked, shrugging again. He conveniently left himself out of the equation and refused to think of the possibility that he had been the one saying all of those things.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise licked his lips and stared off toward the trees as he thought about Ariel's words. Yes, some of the things were things that Ariel had said, but a large number of them were from Kwami, who had always known exactly what to say to get what he wanted. It struck Markise then that he'd never thought of it that way. He'd never put together the harsh things he could have sworn Kwami had said with a motive. What was Ariel's motive? Lashing out was the simple answer. So did that mean he didn't mean it? Not necessarily, but then, did meaning it mean that Ariel didn't want him anymore? Apparently not. Markise snuggled into Ariel again, his hands sliding around Ariel's waist to just hold him as he was being held.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

Ariel probably wouldn't have considered it lashing out. It was just what he was used to doing, how he was used to dealing with things. He sighed softly and let himself enjoy the silence. He didn't know where to go from where they were. Then he realized that he was comfortable just standing there with Markise in his arms, with Markise's arms around him.

[Markise Sterling]

They stood like that for a long time, Markise's thoughts flowing as they would from one thing to another. He moved from hurtful words to Ariel, both the trouble they'd had and the things Ariel had implied he'd do. Markise couldn't help thinking of the club again, but he'd realized how futile it was to think he and Ariel could go together, in any guise. Markise wouldn't be able to keep himself from looking at Ariel if they were moving like that, and he didn't particularly want to watch Ariel make out with another girl, either. Twice was two times too many. But still...

"I know how to get to London," Markise announced softly. "Without apparating." He didn't think Ariel had his license, anyway. "My sister does it to get to this class she's taking outside school. It might not be legal, though, so it'd be better if you didn't say anything." Markise looked up at Ariel from beneath his lashes, hoping to feel out the situation before he actually suggested anything regarding Ariel. "I was thinking of going clubbing there instead of in Hogsmeade."

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

Ariel raised an eyebrow and looked down at Markise. Markise really did like to go to the clubs, didn't he? "Okay..." he said warily, wondering where he was going with it. He almost asked why, but he didn't think he would get any answer out of it that just saying okay to prod Markise along wouldn't. So he just let his fingers move lightly on Markise's back as he looked down at those pale blue eyes looking up at him through those dark lashes.