|
|
Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on Mar 27, 2009 21:51:49 GMT -5
Ariel wrapped his arm tighter around Markise and uncurled his arm from under his head to drop around behind Markise's neck. He felt like there was something Markise wasn't telling him, but he refused to push. "I haven't been back there since," he admitted softly. His eyes slid down Markise's frame and hovered finally, unseeing, at his stomach.
|
|
|
|
Post by Markise Sterling on Mar 27, 2009 22:17:43 GMT -5
"Neither have I," Markise said. It wasn't so strange that he hadn't been back, though. He'd gone to Popstarz sporadically over the past months. But Ariel... why hadn't he gone back? Had he really been that upset? Hadn't he wanted--
Markise cut himself off there. He didn't want to think about it, and in truth, he didn't need to. It was there and he could feel it, and they both knew it, and dragging it kicking and screaming into the light never caused anything but disgust and pain for both of them.
"I was going to go back this week." He'd been going crazy again, and he'd been thinking of so many things he could do to get it all out. And Michael had effectively put an end to one of his biggest solutions.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on Mar 27, 2009 22:36:58 GMT -5
"I think it's time for me to start going to a different one," Ariel said, and his fingers began absently picking at the edge of Markise's shirt. He had known that he wouldn't be able to stay at the same one forever, but it had become a habit to go to the one that had been his first, even if it pained him sometimes to think of it. "There's a good one a few streets over..." he said, his eyes moving from Markise's stomach to his own hand.
|
|
|
|
Post by Markise Sterling on Mar 27, 2009 22:49:47 GMT -5
Ariel's hand felt so nice against him, attentive and somehow innocent without the goal he'd become so used to. Not that Mano or even Larten had ever rushed the act, but there weren't casual touches like this, none, without intent. He wondered why Ariel didn't want to go to Popstarz anymore. Was it because of him? He licked his lips again. "If you want me to stop going..." He could just tell the guys Popstarz was out for him, if Ariel didn't want him there.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on Mar 27, 2009 23:02:27 GMT -5
"It's not because of you," Ariel said, immediately seeing how close to the uncomfortable topic that loomed over them they were getting, without him having even realized it. "Trust me, it's not because of you," he said again, softer this time. I only asked you to keep your pants on, that's all I asked, and you f~ someone else, f~ed some stranger for money while I was on the bed next to you! He closed his eyes and tried not to think of it like that. But how could Markise be laying there with him when he had done that?
|
|
|
|
Post by Markise Sterling on Mar 27, 2009 23:09:59 GMT -5
Markise had thought and overthought his feelings and objections so many times that he didn't feel the need to think about them now. He concentrated on the feel of Ariel's hand, his warm strength, and how damn much he hated Michael right now for putting ideas in his head. Ariel didn't want to change, he told himself. Maybe he'd pissed someone off. Maybe he'd just gotten bored. That seemed likely.
"I... wanted to dance with you again," Markise confessed. "Would you mind? I mean, if I ran into you again?" He wanted to run into Ariel again. He'd given himself another two months in Godforsaken Scotland, and Ariel was a guilty pleasure he'd decided was worth the risk. As long as it didn't go too far.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on Mar 27, 2009 23:18:04 GMT -5
Ariel shook his head, "Of course not." The hope of seeing Markise in the club had helped him, in a way, and once it had happened the first time it had become almost an obsession, looking around to see if he could catch a glimpse of the familiar blond head bobbing through the crowd. "I like being with you," he said softly. Even if he knew he couldn't do anything else, perhaps they could form some kind of friendship.
|
|
|
|
Post by Markise Sterling on Mar 27, 2009 23:24:50 GMT -5
Markise could feel heat stealing up his neck into his cheeks as he blinked up at Ariel. I like being with you. It was so bizarre hearing that after all the times they'd fought. "I don't understand," he said in a near-whisper. Ariel didn't-- with the exception of now, somehow --act like he liked being with Markise. Unless by being with he meant the physical sensation of dancing together.
He wasn't sure he wanted to hear the answer. He wasn't sure he could handle it. He knew what he could handle though, and it was something he understood when it came to him and Ariel. He brought his lips to Ariel's again rather than make him explain.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on Mar 27, 2009 23:53:51 GMT -5
Ariel hadn't meant the physical sensation, though it was a perfect excuse to hide behind should he ever feel the need to explain something he couldn't even understand himself. He accepted the kiss, it was simple, at least now that they both knew that nothing would come of it. It was just a simple comfort to two people that needed it desperately. It felt like a continuation of what had happened in the corridor, only now there was no fear of being caught.
|
|
|
|
Post by Markise Sterling on Mar 28, 2009 12:48:07 GMT -5
Markise paid no attention to the length of the kiss. He let it flow where it would, enjoying every smooth motion that was so exactly what he wanted. He could feel danger in it, in how good it felt and how much it felt like it meant something. He'd gotten used to the kiss being for the pleasure and as a window to more. This was for itself, for himself and because he couldn't pretend anymore that he didn't think Ariel needed it, too. The thoughts went on in the back of his mind where he couldn't see or hear it, leaving him with something that felt too good to be real. He did feel wanted.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on Mar 28, 2009 14:47:27 GMT -5
When the kiss ended finally, Ariel sighed and shifted closer to Markise. He couldn't remember feeling like this, at least not in any form of recent memory. He wished he could have this more, but it didn't feel right to ask to meet up with any kind of regularity. It felt so wrong to ask when he had done what he had. He spread his hand out over Markise's side.
|
|
|
|
Post by Markise Sterling on Mar 28, 2009 14:59:45 GMT -5
Markise shifted slightly, fitting himself close and comfortable against Ariel. He looked up, wondering how this had happened. Had he been right all along? But no, he couldn't let himself think that. Whatever this was, as amazing as it was and as much as he needed it, he couldn't forget why they weren't together. His fingers brushed lightly at Ariel's hair, moving aside what still obscured his eyes. He'd always liked Ariel's eyes, and all the intensity of his gaze. He didn't let himself look past the moment.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on Mar 28, 2009 15:09:22 GMT -5
Ariel looked down at Markise, for once his eyes weren't as bloodshot and the lotion he had been using beneath them was working perfectly to keep away the dark circles that had been there. "I took your advice about those eye drops," he said, though he certainly hadn't expected them to work as well as they had. He still had to use them regularly, the same with the lotion, but it was worth the extra couple of minutes getting ready in the mornings.
|
|
|
|
Post by Markise Sterling on Mar 28, 2009 15:24:16 GMT -5
Something in Markise's chest tightened at that. He wondered then how often Ariel thought about him. He couldn't imagine it was as often as he'd thought about Ariel, but it had to be sometimes if he'd worn that coat all winter and if he'd gotten those eye drops. "You look better," Markise said. He had a moment where he let himself think that his opinion really mattered, though Ariel really wasn't the type to care. But then, there had been that day when he'd asked if he was a fashion nightmare. "Are you sleeping?" Markise asked softly. Eye drops only masked problems. Somehow Markise hoped it was lack of sleep. There were so many worse things it could be.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on Mar 28, 2009 15:30:12 GMT -5
"Enough," Ariel said, pulled out of the process of repeating Markise's compliment in his mind. He didn't sleep much anyway, so enough sleep for him probably wouldn't seem like it to Markise. Even so, school work was keeping him from sleeping as much as he wanted to, among other things. He sniffed and dropped his eyes from Markise's, as though Markise could read everything that was happening.
|
|
