|
|
Post by Markise Sterling on Dec 31, 2008 23:07:09 GMT -5
This time Markise's chuckle came with a smile and a sly look aside at Mano. "I really don't drink much coffee," he said, ignoring the fact that it sounded like a tease more than a confession. "I just know I'd get addicted if I let myself." His smile quirked up for just a moment longer, then he turned his gaze purposefully forward and told himself adamantly to stop it. He'd given up all boys, guys, and men.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mano Berwyn on Dec 31, 2008 23:26:37 GMT -5
Mano hadn't missed the tease in Markise's voice, and his eyebrow raised as he looked over at him. "There's much worse things to be addicted to," he said, matching the tease that had been barely there in Markise's voice. He could think of a few things, he could also think of a few much better things to be addicted to. He wouldn't mention those, though, however much he liked the idea of trying out a couple of things with Markise.
|
|
|
|
Post by Markise Sterling on Dec 31, 2008 23:32:09 GMT -5
There's much worse things to be addicted to. "That's true," Markise said, "but sometimes whether it's really that bad or not is up for interpretation." Stop it! he told himself. His voice had softened too, but he didn't want to stop. He just wanted to be happy for a little while. Besides, he could say no any time he wanted, right? Markise shrugged the thought off without bothering to decide whether it was true or not. Markise did not let himself think of anything else he might ever have been addicted to.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mano Berwyn on Dec 31, 2008 23:52:28 GMT -5
Mano raised an eyebrow and looked over at Markise. "The one that's addicted never thinks it's that bad," he said, his deep voice lowering slightly without conscious thought. He didn't consider himself an addict, if he was an addict he never would have let Markise leave that first time, Carolynn would have already been moved in if he needed it. But he didn't need it, it wasn't a necessity, even if he really did love it.
|
|
|
|
Post by Markise Sterling on Jan 1, 2009 0:15:54 GMT -5
A light, reflexive shiver skated up Markise's spine at the subtle difference in Mano's voice, and he looked aside again to see that arched brow. He blinked, then snapped his gaze back out to the street, mentally repeating, no boys, guys, or men. No boys, guys, or men. And yet he felt his lips move anyway. "I don't know, I might've had a bad addiction before," he said silkily. No boys, guys, or men! Stop it!
|
|
|
|
Post by Mano Berwyn on Jan 1, 2009 0:30:21 GMT -5
"Well then you need a good addiction to balance it out," Mano said, unable to stop himself. He pulled his eyes away from Markise to look down the street. He could feel how close he was getting, even if he couldn't let himself do anything about it, especially when they were out in the streets in plain view of everyone like they were. It wouldn't do to be seen.
|
|
|
|
Post by Markise Sterling on Jan 1, 2009 0:40:25 GMT -5
"But how do you balance out something that's so good you know it's bad?" Markise asked. He didn't feel the potential danger he was putting himself into anymore, or if he did, he left it trapped behind the mental battle he was waging with himself. As much as he insisted that he should stop this now, that he should thank Mano for the conversation and walk away, he'd been so miserable lately, so penned-in that he was desperate to continue. As many times as he told himself no, the word was followed with a plea for just a few more minutes. Right now was an addiction, finally feeling a little adrenaline, finally able to let go some.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mano Berwyn on Jan 1, 2009 0:53:58 GMT -5
Mano's steps had slowed sometime during the past little bit, enough to stretch out how much time he had before getting to the shop, the chance that Markise would try to run off again. "If it's good, then how can it be bad?" he asked, bringing his gaze back to Markise. He had heard someone argue the point before, and was rather interested in what Markise would say.
|
|
|
|
Post by Markise Sterling on Jan 1, 2009 1:36:12 GMT -5
Now, with that question, Markise began to see that he'd talked himself into a corner. He knew what he'd been talking about before, and it hadn't been about his conversation with Mano. Even if he wanted to, he didn't think he could explain the complexity that being with Ariel had been, before the end at least.
Markise was silent again, trying to pull back so he could think of another way to phrase it. "When it is bad," he said softly, almost absently choosing his words. "When it's dangerous and you know it, and you know you shouldn't, but it feels so good you just can't stop yourself from doing it again. You tell yourself to stop, but you can't." Apparently there was no better way to put it. Markise couldn't bear to look at Mano after a confession like that, so he watched the street instead.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mano Berwyn on Jan 1, 2009 20:16:19 GMT -5
"Maybe you were meant to do it," Mano said, "To prepare you for the good addictions to come." He didn't know how everything had worked out with Markise and the prostitute, but he refused to let it get in the way of his own chances with Markise. He was doing too well to let the guy fall back into either of the depressing moods he had been in before.
|
|
|
|
Post by Markise Sterling on Jan 1, 2009 22:02:57 GMT -5
Somehow Markise had slowed to a stop without even noticing. Now he gave a low chuckle and shook his head, his chin tipping up a bit as he looked into the graying sky. His gloved hand rose again to tuck that persistent lock of hair back before he spoke. "I guess it did that much," he said. For as badly as Ariel screwed him over, at least he was no longer convinced that he was crap when it came to... certain things.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mano Berwyn on Jan 1, 2009 22:17:19 GMT -5
Mano stopped along with Markise and looked up a shop or two down the street to where his cafe was. Then he settled himself in by Markise. "So, want to come in for a cup of coffee?" he asked, "I could help with at least one of your addictions." So Markise hadn't said it was a true addiction, just that it was possible, but Mano could try, couldn't he?
|
|
|
|
Post by Markise Sterling on Jan 1, 2009 22:28:48 GMT -5
Markise laughed lightly this time and smiled as he looked aside at Mano. If he was up to something, he couldn't very well fault him for it, considering the way the conversation had gone. Besides, he felt so much infinitely better than he'd felt when Mano first found him that he didn't mind continuing to play it by ear. "I think I could handle that," Markise said.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mano Berwyn on Jan 1, 2009 22:41:40 GMT -5
|
|
