A Club.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

Ariel hadn't planned on having to explain where he got the money from, but knew that he really didn't want to tell the truth, so he fought with himself to try and find a reason he was carrying around the amount he was in muggle money. "I told the guy we needed a way back and he handed me this, said it will get us wherever we want to go." He hadn't even handed Markise all of the money.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise blinked, nonplussed by that explanation. What mysterious benefactor would take in two strangers and give them this kind of money just to get home? Markise shook his head slightly in disbelief, but he couldn't think of anything better. "This'll sure get us a cab if we can find one," he said. It didn't make any sense. Markise's eyes slid out of focus a moment as he got a flash of leaning against Ariel in... in a car. Was that it? Dammit, why couldn't he remember? He hadn't had that much to drink, had he?

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

Ariel didn't like the feeling he was getting that Markise was starting to figure things out, and gestured back towards the counter, "Are you going to get the coffee?" The woman was starting to look at them funny and Ariel would feel better once they had their drinks and could go sit in a booth in the corner. Ariel tried not to think about how uncomfortable sitting was going to be.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise blinked, focused on Ariel, then nodded. "Do you want anything else?" He was trying not to look at the food displays. They would likely be filled with all kinds of sugary, fattening desserts and so-called breakfast items that Markise felt queasy just thinking about. "They probably have... sandwiches," Markise said, holding back another threatening twist of his stomach. Coffe, he told himself. He was about to be treated to coffee, with no guilt since nothing else sounded remotely edible.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

Ariel shook his head, the only thing he truthfully wanted was to go and pass out in his bed up in Gryffindor tower. He gestured back to the booth that had caught his eye, "I'll be over there," he said, then started walking. He wondered faintly if he was walking any differently, it surely felt like he was, but maybe that was just his imagination.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise nodded lightly, but even that slight motion sent his head reeling. He closed his eyes a moment then, recalling what he was wearing, put on his game face. He was wearing far too much makeup and glitter, no matter if some had rubbed off, to pass for a boy. As long as he was wearing his cloak, anyway. "Two coffees," he said softly to the woman. Her eyes flicked up to Markise's face again, but she fetched two cups of strong black coffee and brought them back. Markise handed her one of the bills as though he knew how much it was worth, then took the change with a smile and a soft thank you before turning back to Ariel.

He brought the coffee over and set them both down on one side of the table before sliding in next to Ariel. His other hand opened, dropping a couple creamers and sugars on the table, then he wrapped both hands around his own mug, sighing in near bliss. It took him a moment to speak. "I didn't know how you take your coffee, so there you go. The paper ones have sugar in them and the little tubs are creamer." That done, Markise let go of the mug, picking it up by its handle before his hands scorched, and took one burning sip, making a low sound of pleasure as the husky flavor washed over his tongue.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

Ariel stared blankly down at his coffee for a while before pulling his hands out of his pockets and settling them around the warm mug. "Is your head any better?" he asked, picking up the mug and taking a long drink. Even as it burned his tongue and he winced at the pain and the taste, he didn't say anything about it. He wondered faintly what time it was and glanced around the shop to see if there was a clock hanging up.

[Markise Sterling]

There was a clock, but it was almost entirely obscured behind a string of hanging vegetables. The face was dirty, but the hands could just be made out if one was determined enough. It was already nearly eleven o'clock, not that Markise cared. He had coffee.

"It is," he said softly," but I'm sitting down and it's not so bright in here." The sun had been blinding him, even with his hood pulled down. He'd have lamented not having his dark sunglasses if he'd been able to think. "My stomach feels better," he added. It was still protesting, but not as strongly, for which he was grateful as he took another blissful drink. "Thank you for taking care of me," he murmured. He glanced aside at Ariel, then dropping his gaze, knowing the likelihood that Ariel would be at all comfortable with his thanks.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

Ariel looked away from Markise, down into the dark liquid in his cup, and shifted in his seat. He wasn't comfortable with Markise thanking him, but not for the reason Markise thought. So many things could have happened to him while he had been passed out, and all because of Ariel. Of course, if it hadn't been for Ariel, those things would have happened. So he nodded and then took another long drink.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise still didn't feel much like talking, and the coffee only made that more so. He savored every sip, sighing now and then as the pain began to fade to a more manageable level. When the last drop was gone, he considered allowing himself another cup, since refills were apparently free, but he felt too close to comfortable right now. He looked aside at Ariel, then slid a bit closer on the seat to rest his head lightly on his shoulder. If he had a bed, this would be perfect.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

Ariel didn't pull away, not in the little shop where no one could see besides the woman behind the counter. It didn't feel right to pull away, not with what they had gone through the night before. He shifted his weight forward a little bit, tucking his feet underneath the chair, and stared down into his half-full cup as he thought. It hadn't all been bad, he could admit, but for the most part he wished he hadn't gone to that man's bedroom.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise glanced down at Ariel's cup, and his thought of rousing himself to get more faded a bit. "Are you going to drink that?" he asked, adjusting himself more comfortably against Ariel. "Half a cup more and I'll ask that woman about calling a cab." It was exciting to think about, actually. He'd never been in a cab, and couldn't remember enough of the car ride to make sense of it.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

Ariel slid it a couple of inches towards Markise, "Take it." Really he wouldn't mind a nice drink from the bottle his brother always kept underneath the sink. It would have warmed him up and woken him up enough to make it back to school easily. "How long do you think it will take to get back?" he asked, even if he knew how slim a chance it was that Markise would actually know.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise shrugged, a motion that send pain spearing up the back of his neck into his brain. He winced and closed his eyes a moment, then stilled and relaxed. "It depends on where we are," he said. Since he had no clue how far from the club they were or in what direction, there was no way he could even begin to guess. For all he knew, they weren't even in London anymore. Markise straightened and accepted Ariel's cup, then sighed again as he took a drink.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

Ariel sighed and crossed his arms on the table, leaning heavily on them and letting his hair swing into his face. He watched Markise out of the corner of his eye, more than ready to get out of the little cafe and get moving again. "How much will a cab cost?" he asked, telling himself once the words were out of his mouth that Markise couldn't possibly know.