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Post by Markise Sterling on Mar 8, 2009 21:51:23 GMT -5
Markise let out a sound of pure frustration. "You thought you couldn't?!" he repeated, stopping and swinging to look at Dare again. He checked himself and lowered his voice again. "I was never a last resort before, and I don't f~ing care if you went and fell in love with someone else, I'm no one's last resort!" Markise gave a firm push against Dare that was unlikely to really do anything, then continued his clip of a walk, not even having heard himself.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Mar 8, 2009 22:06:30 GMT -5
Dare swayed with the force of Markise's push, caught completely off-guard. He stared after Markise for less than a heartbeat, then followed after him again. "You're not a last resort!" he said vehemently, struggling to keep his voice low enough not to draw attention. "I thought... I thought I wasn't supposed to have friends, that if I did I'd screw things up with Michael, but--"
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Post by Markise Sterling on Mar 8, 2009 22:11:18 GMT -5
Markise turned around sharply, his pale eyes showing far more of the pain and frustration than he knew. "But nothing, Dare! If he wouldn't let you have friends, why would you think he was worth it? What happened to you? You were the heart of the group! You and your guitar, laughing -- when was the last time you laughed? Be honest. When? Really laughed?" Dare had rarely laughed for most people. It took little to draw that crooked smile, little to draw a chuckle, but only his best friends had been able to get a laugh with any kind of regularity.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Mar 8, 2009 23:22:55 GMT -5
Dare wanted to say just a few days ago, when Elouai had marked that guy's shoes, that guy he was supposed to be talking to Markise about, but no, he hadn't laughed. He'd felt better, but he hadn't even chuckled. The day he'd made up with Michael, then. But no. "I don't remember," Dare said. "And we were friends. I didn't feel like I needed anything else, and then you came and I thought... but you and Michael didn't like each other, and I love him..."
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Post by Markise Sterling on Mar 8, 2009 23:25:27 GMT -5
Markise's eyes filled with tears, and he turned away again, walking as fast as he could without breaking into a run. I love him. Markise knew that already! Why did Dare have to keep twisting the knife? "I don't need you, Dare! Just f~ing... make some new friends! That's what I did!" And he was still picking up the pieces, still trying to pick them up and failing over and over.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Mar 8, 2009 23:27:38 GMT -5
"No! Markise!" Dare called, trotting to catch up, then loping alongside. He'd known it was too late for them to be friends, but he'd promised Michael that he'd talk about Mano, at least. He had to warn him. "I have to talk to you, Markise! I have to talk to you about Mano, he's no good. Michael says--"
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Post by Markise Sterling on Mar 8, 2009 23:30:14 GMT -5
"F~ what Michael says! And f~ you, Dare! You don't know what the hell you're talking about! What the hell gives you the right to criticize my friends? At least I f~ing have more than one!" And Michael so didn't count. He was a leech, taking all the good out of Dare and leaving this empty shell that was even more oblivious than Dare had been a year and a half ago! "Leave me the hell alone!"
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Mar 8, 2009 23:32:51 GMT -5
"But he's dangerous!" Dare persisted. "He..." And yet, Dare had nothing. All Michael had said was that Mano would turn Markise into Emilian. That he was friends with his... conquests? Was that the right word? The only other thing he'd ever said was... "He used an Unforgivable Curse! At a party, he used the Imperius Curse just for fun, and he and Emilian used to--"
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Post by Markise Sterling on Mar 8, 2009 23:38:55 GMT -5
Markise let out a bark of humorless laughter. "You're telling me to avoid him because Michael says he used an Unforgivable? Michael's a f~ing Death Eater! I don't care if he turned himself in, he has the Mark, and Mano doesn't. So take your high-and-mighty advice and..." What followed was a string of the worst profanity Markise knew, straight from the streets of New York City. "And if Michael f~ing wants me so bad he can f~ing suck my d~ himself!"
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Mar 8, 2009 23:44:09 GMT -5
Dare had listened open-mouthed, nodding along in almost encouragement. When there was finally a moment's silence, he took it. "You know what? Fine. I tried. I f~ing wanted something and I can't f~ing stop pissing you off!" He yanked out his wallet and flipped it open, digging out the picture, then flicking it at Markise. "You can have your f~ing picture back! I hope you have fun turning into a complete a~hole!"
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Post by Markise Sterling on Mar 8, 2009 23:47:15 GMT -5
Thank God they were in an empty corridor by now or they'd be drawing a crowd, Markise knew it. Neither of them was quiet anymore, and he was fighting so hard against tears that his face was red with the effort. "I don't even want to know!" Markise snapped. He refused to look at the picture that had fallen on the ground, refused to look at Dare again. "If you're so damned lonely, go f~ Michael!"
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Mar 8, 2009 23:50:45 GMT -5
Dare stopped chasing Markise and shouted after him. "I'd f~ing love to but I'm gonna die a f~ing virgin! At least I'm not a f~ing desperate whore!" The words were based solely off the fact that Markise was apparently friends with Mano Berwyn, who was apparently in-league with Emilian, but he was too angry to think up anything worse.
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Post by Markise Sterling on Mar 8, 2009 23:53:19 GMT -5
Markise gave another humorless laugh, but neither stopped nor slowed. "You want to know about whores go ask Michael why I'm not with Ariel anymore," he returned. He felt a streak of vicious satisfaction at that. He'd only told Michael because he'd been in just the right place at just the wrong time. But he'd never told Dare. Michael, Mano, and the people at the clinic were the only ones he'd ever told.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Mar 8, 2009 23:59:28 GMT -5
Dare stared after Markise, watching as he turned and disappeared down another corridor. He had nothing to say to that, but only questions, and ones that it didn't look like Markise would give him the answers to. He turned sharply, throwing his right fist into the unforgiving stone wall, and knowing Michael would notice his torn and bruised knuckles. He didn't care, though. Physical pain was nothing.
After a minute or two, he forced his fingers to uncurl enough to hold his wallet open as he tucked the picture back into it. He put his wallet away, then rubbed at his eyes and the wetness on his cheeks. He was owling in to work tonight.
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