Guilty Pleasure

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael had long before fixed up a shadow of the wall he had once been so used to having. Behind the wall, he masked his eyes and bundled up any thoughts of Dare and Markise and pushed them down deep. But still, it came back when Dare met his eyes, for just a moment before he was nodding and mouthing it's fine. He kept Dare's eyes for long enough to keep him from asking questions, then looked away again.

It had been unbearably uncomfortable, at least, it had been before he had built up his little mini-wall. There had been Anna to his side, who for some reason had been dressed up and at a gay club with Markise, and Dare ahead with his arm around Markise. Though he knew that it was necessary and that it meant nothing, he couldn't stop feeling strange about it. Something about it felt too odd to just ignore it. But still, he had remembered how to bundle it all up and pretend like he didn't care because really, he had no reason to feel the little bit of jealousy he felt.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare knew it wasn't fine, but he wasn't going to argue with Michael, especially when there wasn't really another option. With that decided, he pulled his gaze reluctantly from Michael to look at Anna. "Can you get back to Hogwarts from here? We could call the Knight Bus if you wanted," he offered. He could imagine she'd want to escape by now.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Anna had been silently following along, trying to remain in the background and not be too noticeable while she watched Dare interact with Markise. He seemed so comfortable dealing with a drunk Markise that Anna started wondering if this scenario used to occur before when they were friends. When the talk turned to how they would get back, Anna listened, hoping for some sort or answer to the dilemma she hadn't been able to figure out. She missed the exchange between Michael and Dare while she was still watching Markise, and looked up with a confused expression, shaking her head at the question.

"Markise can't take the Knight Bus. Merlins, what time is it anyway? We didn't miss curfew, did we?"

[Markise Sterling]

"I'm not goin' on the Knight Bus!" Markise exclaimed. "I'm not going!" He tried to pull away from Dare, but didn't get very far with that plan. He was unsteady and Dare was holding tight enough to keep him from leaving, as well as keep him upright.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare didn't let Markise go, knowing he'd just fall and end up making this worse, something none of them needed. "You're not going on the Knight Bus Markise," he said, calming Markise down first. Anna's question was lost on him as he dealt with the more immediate problem at hand. Besides the fact that not only had he not had to worry about curfew in several months, but he didn't have his watch on and hadn't all night. The last time he'd seen a clock was this afternoon. "Markise, we've got a guest room, you can crash there," he said.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael figured that now he couldn't get away with staring at the ground and forced himself to look back up at the trio with him. "Anna, you might need to go on back," he said, if you haven't missed it, you're probably close." And if she had, surely she had somewhere in her shop she could stay the night, he certainly didn't want her to stay in the apartment with them, that would just make things so much worse.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

"I can't." Anna blanched at the thought of the Knight Bus as well as going back to Hogwarts alone. She remembered all too well the fear she'd had walking to the school the night she'd tried to hex Markise. She hated the dark, and what would she do if she managed to find her way back, but had missed curfew? The thought of going back to her shop wasn't at all appealing to her. Tonight was supposed to be an escape from her pathetic life, not to trap herself alone in the room that reminded her the most of Chase.

She shook her head at the idea they offered and dug into her pocket. "Does the Leaky Cauldron take Muggle money?" She hadn't brought any wizarding currency since they were going out into Muggle London. After pulling out the small wad, it was obvious she only had enough for a few drinks.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise wasn't paying any attention to anything going on around him. They'd stopped moving and as far as he was concerned, that meant he could close his eyes and rest. He did so, his weight sagging further under Dare's arm.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

At Anna's question, Dare had glanced aside at Michael, his eyes asking a silent question that he knew wouldn't be answered. The Leaky Cauldron didn't take Muggle money, but what was Anna's problem? There could have been any number of reasons for her to look so uncomfortable.

"Wouldn't you rather be in your dorm?" he asked, just as he felt Markise going slack. He didn't wait for an answer, but turned to look, his free hand reaching to pat at Markise's cheek. "Markise! Wake up, Markise, we're not there yet."

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael nodded along with Dare's words, "They don't take muggle money, anyway." At least, as far as he knew they didn't take muggle money. He had a passing thought that she could borrow some money, but his mind pointed out that that just meant they would probably see her again the next day. He didn't even like seeing her now, it was so uncomfortable, but he could tolerate it. It wouldn't be fun to see her more than necessary.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Anna chewed on her lower lip trying to think of some other alternative while she stuffed the money back into her pockets. She hadn't been afraid when she thought she would be going back with Markise even in his drunken state, but couldn't get herself to agree to going through the dark alone.

"I'd much rather be in my dorm now, but..." She didn't want to admit to her childish fear to Dare, and especially not to Michael. "Last time I went in near curfew, I tried to hex Markise when I ran across him." Anna lowered her head as she spoke. Ever since, she'd made a point not to be out after sunset unless Markise was with her.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Markise wasn't responding. He wasn't totally out yet, but he was close. Dare threw a look toward Michael in some combination of pleading and apology, then prodded Markise to start moving. He completely missed Anna's point in his distraction. "He won't be there to hex tonight," he pointed out. "Come on, Markise, we're almost there." They had a way to walk, but Markise wouldn't know that. He just needed to stay awake.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael moved to go with Dare, but paused to look at Anna, "Just go back, you'll be fine," he said, though he wasn't entirely sure. He licked his lips and looked away, shoving his hands deeper into his pockets as he fell in behind Dare. If they could just get home and get Markise to bed. Tomorrow he would be better and he could leave, and then it would be just him and Dare again. And no ex girlfriend.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Anna supposed she had no choice but to find a way back to her bookstore and stay the night on the couch. She wouldn't get much sleep, but it would be better than standing alone in Diagon Alley. Getting back would be another issue, and she wondered if her bookstore was hooked up to the Floo Network. Anna followed after the boys, feeling helpless and hating it. Anna was about to inquire about traveling by Floo when she looked at Markise again. "Are you sure he's going to be okay?"

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

"He'll be fine," Dare said, a little sharper than he'd meant to. When he'd done this before, it had been just the two of them, easy to concentrate on what needed to be done without brooding on what was happening. Michael's presence, though it stirred some of his nerves, was a comfort as well, but Anna was beginning to wear on him. He just wanted to get this over with, not pick it apart. He'd never dealt with Markise past leaving him on his Common Room couch, and he'd never dealt with Markise passing out. His stress level was rising quickly and he was having a hard time keeping level.