Work (Ariel/Michael)

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael had immediately forgotten about Ariel when he had walked out of the doorway to see Dare there by the library. His mood had instantly lifted at the prospect of seeing Dare for a few minutes, then dropped again when Logan spoke. "Yes, we have," he said bitterly, coming up to Dare's side. He didn't want to spend the precious few minutes he had with Dare with Logan there, and hoped he would just leave.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare's brows rose in unison and stuck for a moment, first at seeing Michael with Logan, then at Logan's announcement. Dare could feel Michael's annoyance, and if Logan had been anything like he'd been that day at the lake, he could understand. Dare slipped his arm around the back of Michael's waist, rubbing lightly against his side and pulling him closer, the part of him that immediately sided with Michael wanting to rub it in Logan's face. Logan had hurt Markise, and if he kept up the way he was going, he'd never have anything like this. Dare felt no pity. "Were you?" he asked idly. Did he even want to hear? He was sure he could get Michael to tell him if Logan would go, but something told him it wasn't going to be that easy.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

"I was just wondering how you enjoyed your dance with Markise, I personally think I've decided I don't like the club very much." He could feel the vibes coming from Dare that said he didn't like Ariel very much. That was perfectly alright, Ariel didn't like him very much, either. It didn't cross his mind that Dare would know about him and Markise, from Ariel's perspective he thought that Markise would have kept quiet about it. The only time Ariel had ever implied anything about Markise was just then, when he had said something to Michael.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael was comforted by the feel of Dare's arm around him and relaxed very slightly back against that arm. He and Dare had already been over everything about the club and Markise, so he tried not to let it bother him very much. "I don't know why you wouldn't like the club," he said, raising an eyebrow. He didn't know of anyone that didn't like it.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare's eyes didn't leave Logan as he suggested, "Maybe he didn't have the right dance partner." Yes, he knew, and yes, Markise had sworn him to secrecy, but Dare's words didn't directly say anything. They'd have had the same meaning to someone who wasn't buried in the closet, but Dare wanted to get in a jab where he could for Markise's defense. "As for my dance with Markise, it was fun. Thanks for asking." Nothing more, just fun, just like he'd told Michael. Dare was especially glad now that he'd mentioned it. It wasn't a huge occurrence for him, but it had been for Michael, and so it was important to them.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

Ariel fought down the burning glare that he felt coming up, and kept it down to a simple somewhat bitter stare. No, he hadn't had the right partner. But it wasn't like he was going to dance with Markise anyway, even if he did get dragged to a gay club in London. Markise would have his work cut out for him for Ariel to do anything other than watch. "Nice to know. I still say I would rather be in the water." If only Dare knew what he and Ariel had done in the lake that day.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael kept silent on that one and let his arm move around to warp around Dare's waist. He didn't know what that was in reference to, didn't have anything to say about it, other than that he would rather be in the club with Dare than the water. His hand curved around Dare's side and he licked his lips, willing Logan to leave so that they could have just a couple minutes.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

"You're going to have a pretty sad winter, then," Dare said, no sympathy in his voice. The water had been cool during the summer; Dare didn't want to think of how cold it would be in another month. You should have treated Markise better. Dare had seen the spectacle that had been Markise and Logan on the dance floor, and he sided with Markise without a thought. He wasn't at all sure what had happened between the two and had no real desire to find out, but there had been no missing Markise's reaction when he saw Logan that night, nor the show that Logan had put on.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

"Not that sad," Ariel said, "I'm sure that I'll find something to do." He had Markise, anyway. And they were going to be trying to find things to do, even other than just being physical with each other. He shrugged lightly and his eyes glinted ever so softly. "There are other things to do around here than go to that club."

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael all but snorted at that, "Good luck with that. The club is about the only thing there is to do." Unless there was someone you could spend time with. His hand tightened a little against Dare. He wasn't going to be bored over the winter, not with Dare beside him. He just hoped that nothing bad happened. He had heard that bad luck comes in threes, but he hoped it wasn't true for his third winter at Hogwarts.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare's eyes were narrowed at Logan. There was something he clearly wasn't saying, something he was holding back that rubbed Dare the wrong way. It was as though he was jabbing back, but Dare didn't know what it was. Logan didn't have anything over him, he'd told Michael everything. It was something in the gleam of his eyes. "Have you seen Markise lately?" Dare asked, throwing the conversation into a new direction without preamble. Why was Logan even standing here with them unless something was going on? Neither he nor Michael liked Logan, and it was apparent enough that the feelings were reciprocated, so why? Dare hadn't made the connection, but all the same, he'd asked.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

The corner of Ariel's lips twitched slightly as he remembered the last time he had met up with Markise underneath that worn old cloak. "Yes, actually, met up with him down by the lake a couple of days ago." And what a meeting it had been, in more than one aspect. There had been the physical, of course, but there had been much more to it than just that.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael raised an eyebrow at that, he had been under the impression the two didn't like each other anymore. Of course, he did know that meeting up didn't necessarily mean that they did. But there was that twitch in Logan's lips. Michael was starting to think that there was more behind Logan's words past just wanting to be a nuisance to him and Dare.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare's already narrowed eyes hardened at the implication. It wasn't anything that Logan had said, but the way he'd said it. And Dare couldn't ask the questions he wanted to because Markise had sworn him to secrecy about Logan being in the closet. Even if Logan recognized that Dare knew anyway.

Dare hadn't forgotten Michael's presence. His hand swept back and forth against Michael's side, slowly, like some large cat waiting to pounce. Markise was his friend, and as such, Dare felt protective over him. That was at the current forefront of Dare's mind as he pressed forward. "What happened?" He didn't expect a straight answer, but he did expect an answer of some sort.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

Ariel shrugged lightly and crossed his arms, "We just talked some." It was the truth, to a point. The majority of their time had been talking, even if there had been quite a bit of physical stuff thrown in. "Nothing really important. He's making me a coat," he added, his body instantly warming at the idea of being able to go outside and not freeze.