A Club.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

Ariel wasn't a happy person. Even with the majority of his body warm underneath the coat and cloak and meeting up with Markise, he still wasn't a very happy person. They were walking through the streets of muggle London and heading to a club and he was trying to figure out what he had done to lead to doing so. Well, no, he couldn't think about that, he knew what he had done, and maybe those hours in that empty classroom made it worth it. "Where is this place?" he asked again, his arms folded as he stared around the street.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise brought his bare hands out from under his cloak and unfolded the scrap of parchment he'd written directions on. "Close," he told Ariel. "It should be just around the next corner, on that street somewhere." One hand released the paper to smooth at the hood of his cloak again, not for the first time, and he glanced around. The street they were on was empty, for the most part, and nobody was watching, no one was following. He didn't sigh with relief yet, though. He wouldn't let himself relax until they were mixed into the crowd.

Markise tucked the parchment back into his coat pocket, and as they turned the corner, his adrenaline picked up. He'd been anxious before, but now eagerness kicked in. He could see the lights, see the sign declaring that Popstarz was open, could see the crowd filtering through the doors. He went over his plan one more time, then looked aside at Ariel. "Stay close behind me," he said. "Neither of us is legal yet in the Muggle world."

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

Ariel's eyes narrowed slightly at that and then turned to the crowd outside of the place he and Markise were apparently going to be spending the next few hours. He didn't know what Markise had planned, but Ariel didn't think that he would be able to do anything to get them in, so he just kept his mouth shut when he felt the questions try to come and sighed.

[Markise Sterling]

As they approached the club, Markise shuffled underneath his cloak, working his coat open. He slid it off, firmly ignoring the sudden cold air against him. He tucked it under his left arm, and his right hand emerged to pull the tie at his neck loose. He gave one last glance around the street, one at Ariel, then slipped into the outskirts of a large group flashing their I.D.s at the bouncer. "Don't make eye contact with him, and stay with me," Markise said, just loud enough for Ariel to hear him, then put on a brazen smile, as though he belonged with the group.

They were near the tail end of the laughing crowd as another approached, and Markise was counting on the bouncer being less attentive as they went through. It was just as they reached him, just as the man's eyes lit on Markise that he shrugged his cloak free, giving a sheepish look as he bent to retrieve it. On his way up, he flashed that folded square of parchment, then reached behind him for Ariel's hand and dragged him through the door. The bouncer's eyes weren't on his sorry attempt at a fake Muggle I.D. as he let them through.



Markise had given his hair a temporary dye job for the night. If he was letting loose, he was doing it right. His clothes were teasing without revealing much skin, but what was revealed was highly accentuated. The white shone in the multicolored lights, and sparked off the glitter lightly applied around his eyes, on his cheekbones, and on his chest and stomach, only a tempting bit of which actually showed. Markise threw a teasing glance back at Ariel, then refused to look back again as he led the way toward someplace they could dump their coats off at.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

Ariel's eyes hadn't been on the piece of parchment that Markise had flashed the man, either, and it was a shock when Markise dragged him into and through the club. His mind had still been on the image of Markise picking up that cloak. He couldn't help but look around at the club, seeing all of the couples, all of the male couples dancing. It was so strange, but he couldn't pull his eyes away, especially not when that spiky haired brunette caught his eyes.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise couldn't forget the first time he'd been in a gay club, nor could he forget that Ariel had never been with anyone else, or that he barely even liked Markise when they were dressed. He kept his hold firm on Ariel's hand as he made his way to an empty table off the dance floor, then tossed down his coat and cloak. He steeled himself as he turned back to Ariel, disheartened, but not really surprised to see him looking over the crowd at least, and probably other guys, too. Markise's teeth gritted as he released Ariel's hand to start undressing him, at least as far as whatever he wore underneath. He told himself he'd expected this, and this was why he hadn't intended to go off and dance on his own immediately.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

Ariel was torn between waving Markise off, he had two hands to take off his own cloak and coat with, anyway, and watching the moving bodies on the dance floor. When he finally shrugged off his outer layers to reveal clothes not noticeably different from what he usually wore, he turned slightly to let his eyes wander more. "Is it always like this?" he asked, seeing something, someone, new on every slow sweep of his eyes over the crowd.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise shrugged, though the motion wouldn't be visible to Ariel. Markise dropped his gaze to his hands and let them rest on Ariel's chest, plucking lightly at his shirt. It was hard to sulk with the music going though, and so he turned to look out over the crowd as well, leaving his hands where they were. "I hope so," he said, pushing aside the thought that he should have lied, should have said no. He loved it though, wanted to go out and join that motion. Only Ariel was stopping him. "I've only been to one other, and it wasn't this good." Markise focused on the nearest dancers, pushing that night out of his mind as well as he could. Finally Markise got tired of just standing there and let himself move, bringing his gaze back to Ariel as he shifted his hips, lifting his heels as he danced lightly. "Impressed?" he asked Ariel.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

"Very much," Ariel said, but didn't look back at Markise for another few long seconds. He didn't care to go out and dance, though the idea of sitting by and watching was very appealing. His eyes found Markise again, almost surprised to find him there, and couldn't help but like the feel of him dancing. "Aren't you going out there?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise's lips curved at Ariel's sudden attention, even if there had been no missing that momentary look of surprise. "I wanted to make sure you were comfortable first," he said, looking up at Ariel from eyes rimmed in liner and smoky shadow. What he wanted was to up the chances that Ariel wouldn't forget he was here and desert him. Markise danced his way closer until he was moving just against Ariel and caught both his hands to bring them to his swaying hips. Then he lifted his chin, pressing glossy, fruity-flavored lips to Ariel's.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

Ariel tensed immediately at the kiss, foolishly worrying that people would see them, that people would know. It took him a few seconds to reason with himself that everyone there was gay, that no one would care, and he tightened his hands on Markise's hips as he returned the kiss. It was strange to kiss Markise in a crowded room, and Ariel couldn't help but wonder if someone was watching, or want to open his eyes to make sure no one was coming after them.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise felt that tension, and it was only then that he realized he'd given Ariel no warning or assurance. It was too late though, so Markise took the tightening of Ariel's hands and went with it, continuing the teasing motion of his body as he deepened the kiss. Ariel couldn't hold onto his fears forever, that was something Markise knew. That first kiss by the lake had been enough to show him that much. Markise's hands finally left Ariel's chest, smoothing up and into that thick mane of hair. Just a kiss, he told himself, unsure whether he even believed it.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

Ariel sighed and moved his hands around Markise. He rather liked the motions of Marksie's body against his, and he couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to have some of the other guys he had seen during their walk through the club moving against him. It was distracting to think of, but compelling in such a way that he couldn't push it out of his mind to concentrate on kissing Markise like he usually could so easily.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise could feel the difference, and Ariel's hands weren't enough to make up for his obvious distraction. Markise let the kiss go and gave a sigh of resignation. He pulled his hands back down to Ariel's shoulders, then gestured off toward the dancers. "Go on," he said, the motion of his hips slowing. He looked up into Ariel's eyes, telling himself he was doing the right thing. "Don't open your pants for anyone and come back for me, all right?" Ariel would always wonder otherwise, and Markise would lose him for sure. His thoughts must have been clear in his eyes as he looked up at Ariel. Please let him come back.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

Ariel's eyes widened at that and he looked out over the crowd before looking down at Markise. He wasn't going to argue with permission to go off with someone else. He didn't see Markise's first stipulation being a problem, considering where they were. The second wasn't even needed. Ariel didn't know how to get back without Markise. Ariel still didn't know about the whole dancing thing, but he was definitely willing to go out and see some people. "I have to come back, you're my way back," he said, as usual not thinking about how that could sound.