Work (Ariel/Michael)

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael had his bookbag slung over his shoulder and his hands tucked in his pockets and was heading to the library. It was the end of classes and he knew that his chances of catching Dare before he had to go to work were slim, so he had settled on going to see if he could get some work of his own done.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

Ariel cursed loudly at the door in front of him. He knew that was a shortcut to the library, he had taken it nearly every single time. So why wouldn't it open for him? He had tried every trick he had learned for other doors and staircases, and nothing seemed to work. He sighed angrily and ran a hand through his hair, then took a glance around the corridor, his eyes settling on a figure that he had had described to him, but never seen. The night he had gone to the club he had went back to his dorm angry, and asked what Michael looked like. The guy a few yards away seemed a pretty good match. "Hey, any idea how to get this damned thing open?"

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael raised an eyebrow but nodded, the door could be a little tricky when it wanted to be. "I was just planning on going in there," he said, coming up to the door that led to a servant's corridor. The door usually wasn't even visible, but when it was it was a royal pain. He reached for the handle and turned it just so, back and forth, then stepped back as it opened.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

"I swear this castle is going to drive me insane," Ariel said, stepping through the door and then looking back at the guy. "What's your name?" He had the feeling that he had stumbled upon Michael, but he wanted to be sure, and he wasn't just going to off and assume as much. He glanced over at the guy and ran another hand through his hair to push it away from his eyes and get a better look.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

"Michael," he answered, "And the castle's not that bad once you get used to it." Michael walked beside of the guy and looked over at him, trying to place him, but failing easily. He hadn't been the most social person the past few weeks, so he didn't know of any new students, other than Markise and Brindle. "And you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow as he heard the door close behind them.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

"I'm Logan," Ariel said, "You're Dare's boyfriend, aren't you?" Then he looked away and bit his tongue, thinking of a way to somehow make that sound better. "I mean, I know him and Markise so I was just wondering." And he was in Dare's house, knew what the guys there had done to his bed, to his living area in general.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael froze for a moment, then nodded. So that was Logan. "Dare mentioned meeting you in his dorm," he said, reminding himself that Logan wasn't out, that apparently he wasn't even friendly with Markise anymore. Michael would have to be careful with what he said if he didn't want to get Markise in trouble. That thought struck him as odd, wanting to keep Markise out of trouble, but it only seemed right to do, so he let the strange feeling go.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

"I saw him down at the club the other day," Ariel said, glancing over at Michael. "He was dancing with Markise." Ariel hadn't planned to bring that up, at least not so soon, but maybe he was still bitter about it and wanted to twist the knife just a little bit. He felt almost like he was betraying Markise by telling Michael, but he couldn't help but want to.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael glanced over at Logan, eyes narrowed as he nodded warily. "Dare told me that Markise visited and they danced." He wasn't very happy about it, or any of the other things that Dare had said, like Markise going into the booth with him, or that hug they had apparently shared by the lake, but he knew about them. Dare had been sure to tell him that things had happened, and assured him that they had meant nothing. That didn't mean that they didn't leave a bitter taste in Michael's mouth.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

Ariel raised an eyebrow at that, why would Dare tell Michael? It didn't make much sense to risk, but then Michael would have found out from someone else. Like Ariel. So maybe it did make sense, but still. It definitely didn't look like Michael was all too happy about it. "You're okay with them dancing?" he asked, just maybe hoping to prod Michael a little.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael stared at Logan for a moment and then looked forward, quickening his pace slightly. He didn't like where the conversation was going at all. "It didn't mean anything," he said, keeping his eyes from Logan. "Why does it matter to you?" It didn't make any sense at all that Logan would care, especially if what Dare said was true and Logan and Markise weren't anything.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

Ariel shrugged and glanced over at Michael again, lengthening his stride to keep up with Michael. "Just thought it interesting that a couple holding through all that you've been through would be like that. I mean, I know I wouldn't like it if the girl I was with started dancing with some other guy. And I certainly wouldn't dance with another girl, even if it didn't mean anything." Which was true, he had never cheated on anyone. Though his certainly didn't count.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael still refused to look over at Logan, they were near the end of the corridor and then they could separate. What was it with people and trying to pick apart their relationship? "We've been through a lot worse than dancing with someone," was all he said, then he went silent. No, he didn't like the idea of Dare dancing with Markise, didn't like it at all, but there wasn't anything he could do about it other than know that Dare loved him and not Markise and move on.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare was waiting for Michael outside the library, hoping to catch him for a few minutes before he had to leave. He had his book bag slung over his shoulder and was lounging back against the wall, idly watching people walk down the corridors and entering or leaving the library. He didn't have more than a quarter hour at best, and hoped he'd picked the right place. He wasn't always able to meet Michael after class, so they didn't have any specific meeting place.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

Ariel took the silence and so the rest of the corridor passed quickly. When they came out of the other end, though, he couldn't help the darkening of his eyes when he turned to the library to see Dare there leaning against the wall. He didn't know that he really wanted to talk to Dare, but he was right there beside the door, there wasn't much choice other than to go by him, at least. "We were just talking about you," he said when he walked up to him.