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Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on Apr 7, 2009 21:49:03 GMT -5
Ariel worked hard, writing down everything that was there and making notes on another page where numbers didn't add up between his copy and Markise's. He condensed many of the boxes, putting the large, plus sizes in one box while the others were piled into another. The boxes that were freed up by condensing the items were turned upside down for makeshift tables so that they wouldn't have to bend down so far to pull out anything that was needed. He even went so far as to write down everything that was in each box and attach it to hang down in front, so that if something was taken out, the person had no choice but to write it down.
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Post by Markise Sterling on Apr 7, 2009 22:09:26 GMT -5
Markise stopped working at the same time he always did, when the music on the Wizards' Wireless switched to the new or less popular music. He'd gotten caught up enough in what he was doing that he'd forgotten there was anyone upstairs, any odd noises sweeping past without notice. He turned the sign to Closed and locked up, then turned back to his little room, where the mannequin was now wearing a somewhat pretentious-looking dress he'd attempted to model after the haute couture he'd seen in that show on his birthday. It wasn't entirely finished yet, but it was identifiable.
He finally turned away still thinking about it as he picked up the Wizards' Wireless and headed back upstairs. He twisted the dial a bit, switching from the mix of popular Wizarding and Muggle songs to a station that, at this time of night, always played dance music, the same as in the clubs. The work he did upstairs wasn't nearly as structured, so the distraction was nothing.
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Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on Apr 7, 2009 22:13:14 GMT -5
Ariel came out of the would-be bedroom, his head down as he flipped through the books one more time. It took him a second to realize Markise was there, especially considering he hadn't expected him to be up yet. How long had he been up there working, anyway? "Hey," he said, flicking his eyes up before looking down again. "I finished everything up, you can go look and see if it's okay..."
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Post by Markise Sterling on Apr 7, 2009 22:33:58 GMT -5
Markise had nearly had a heart attack when he'd caught motion out of the corner of his eye. When he locked up at night, there was always a thought about whether he shouldn't just go home and not risk the potential danger of hanging around after dark, and his mind made an immediate, if incorrect, leap. He was still recovering from being startled when Ariel finally spoke. Finished everything... see if it's okay... Markise set the wireless on the table with his still-closed drawing pad, then nodded and walked up to look at the book over Ariel's shoulder. "Wow," he said softly. He was pretty sure it would have taken him a week to do that much, though he didn't say so. "Thank you," he said instead.
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Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on Apr 8, 2009 16:04:27 GMT -5
Ariel tilted his head to look at Markise, then started toward the room. "I'll show you what I did," he said. It hadn't seemed like a lot when he had been working, and it still didn't seem like it, not when he had been the one to keep up a lot of the house work whenever he was home. Not that Maverick hadn't worked, but most of the little chores fell to Ariel.
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Post by Markise Sterling on Apr 8, 2009 16:21:09 GMT -5
Markise had only expected Ariel to dig through the boxes and count things, like he did. He hadn't expected everything to be reorganized. "Oh my God," he said, pausing in the doorway. He looked around at the boxes that didn't seem like enough, considering what he'd left, and wondered what had happened. The pause was short and Markise was in the room soon, looking at the nearest boxes and the papers attached to the front.
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Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on Apr 8, 2009 16:25:53 GMT -5
"The regular sizes are in the lower box and the plus sizes are in the higher one," Ariel said, finally pulling his eyes up from the book, snapping it shut, and walking up to Markise. "The pages on the front have what's in the box written down. You can mark there if you take something out, then add it to the book at the end of the day." One of the first things he had done was condense everything together. There was no reason to have such large boxes for each size when they could be pressed together to fit in one.
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Post by Markise Sterling on Apr 8, 2009 16:34:23 GMT -5
Markise was obviously impressed. He wasn't entirely sure how easy it would be looking at the tags on the shirts rather than the boxes, but the paper on the front was such a good idea that he'd gladly try them both. When Markise was sure he knew all the changes and understood, he thanked Ariel again and gestured back toward his main workroom. "You can have a break if you want," he said. This was usually when he took one, so it only made sense. "The wireless is on in the other room."
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Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on Apr 8, 2009 16:37:10 GMT -5
Ariel blinked at first as though he didn't understand the concept of a break, but really it was just him trying to switch gears from work to a break. Then he nodded and set the book down on the table in the room. "I'll help as much as you want," he said as he started toward the main room. "And if the system doesn't work for you, I can work it or I can try to think up something different," he offered.
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Post by Markise Sterling on Apr 8, 2009 16:46:12 GMT -5
"I'll let you know," Markise said. He was ready for his break, and though Ariel didn't seem to get it, Markise did. "Break time," he reminded Ariel. He pulled out his wand as he got into the room and aimed it at the wireless, turning the volume up loud enough to dance to. He didn't ask Ariel to join him, but slid his wand back into its pocket and started moving. "Just a couple songs and I'll get back to work," he said, though only part of his mind was behind the words.
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Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on Apr 8, 2009 16:49:44 GMT -5
Ariel eyed Markise. All that time convincing himself not to touch Markise, that he didn't need to be near him, and now Markise was dancing. And they were alone. Ariel turned to one of the tables, clearing off enough of a space to pull himself up and sit. He wanted to dance, to feel Markise against him, but it wasn't right, not when they were so alone, anything could happen. Even with what had happened the other night, Ariel didn't think it was right, he still felt dirty when he thought about it, no matter how much he had enjoyed it.
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Post by Markise Sterling on Apr 8, 2009 17:10:32 GMT -5
Markise forgot Ariel again. Even without the lights, the press of bodies, or the hum of alcohol, it was still dancing, and he loved giving in to it. True to his words, two songs passed where he did nothing else. Then he turned toward the table with the drawing pad. He gave Ariel a quick look that wasn't meant as an invitation, even if he did have a sudden, flickering thought about why he'd danced alone. He still moved with the music, but he most likely wouldn't be sewing or cutting, so it didn't matter. "You can get downstairs if you want," he said idly, moving the cup of pencils aside. "Or you could give me an opinion." He started shuffling through the loose papers.
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Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on Apr 8, 2009 17:13:35 GMT -5
Ariel really needed to go downstairs and make sure the right numbers were written down. He really needed to continue what he had started and finish all the inventory work before he was forced to leave by the clock. "An opinion on what?" He mentally cursed himself. Whatever it was, it would be a quick, short opinion, and then he would head downstairs with the other book and make sure everything was where it needed to be.
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Post by Markise Sterling on Apr 8, 2009 17:20:54 GMT -5
"I'm making a dress downstairs, and I thought since I don't have a whole line I'd put up like, a display of what I can do." His hips continued a slight motion as he sifted through the pages, occasionally pulling one out and setting it aside. "I need something to put up for men, and I'm not sure how crazy I should get. I mean, it's fashion, but England is so... vanilla." He turned back to the male-shaped mannequin and unpinned the paper, adding it to the three he'd already laid out in a square. The remainder he dropped back onto the drawing pad, white side up.
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Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on Apr 8, 2009 17:24:19 GMT -5
"Start with something similar to what you already have, when you get to the point where you're getting odd looks, you know you've gone too far," Ariel said. It was the easiest way, he thought, and it made plenty of sense. He didn't want Markise to go out of business for immediately putting out clothes that were too much for wizarding England.
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