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Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on May 16, 2009 21:48:18 GMT -5
Maverick quickly answered why he was calling Logan Ariel and then insisted on an answer. "What? He's been here since yesterday?" His eyes then turned to Markise again. "Who the hell do you think you are pretending to be me while my brother's in the hospital?" he demanded with hard eyes. Yes, he was pissed, but for all he knew his brother was dying in that room and he would never have known about it!
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Post by Markise Sterling on May 16, 2009 22:03:26 GMT -5
Markise's heart was pounding wildly, and it was everything he could do not to cower and take a step back. His brain was trying to work as hard as his heart, and he blurted out a combination of all the things he was thinking. "I knew they wouldn't tell me what was going on, and I have to go tell his girlfriend," he tried. "I was going to get her when he was.... stable." That was why they weren't being allowed in, right? Markise worked desperately from using his pleading face on the very angry man in front of him. It would most likely get him his own hospital bed, if the look on his face was any indication.
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Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on May 16, 2009 22:25:28 GMT -5
Maverick eyed Markise, "Why the f~ were you in London and not at the school?" he asked, firmly ignoring the ugly look he got from a nurse for his choice of words. There was no reason for either of them to be away from the school during the year, especially not so far away from it. One of the nurses opened the door a crack to say that they would be allowed in in a couple more minutes.
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Post by Markise Sterling on May 16, 2009 22:36:18 GMT -5
The feeling of panic only doubled at that. Now he knew he didn't have time to run back to the castle, even if he asked the hospital to get him a direct Floo. He tried to pretend it was Ariel cussing at him, and summoned whatever he could. "I work in a shop in Diagon Alley▬he works there too." And it had been the middle of the day. Markise hoped Maverick didn't point that out.
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Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on May 16, 2009 22:55:17 GMT -5
Maverick eyed Markise again, obviously not quite believing him. He opened his mouth to reply but was cut off as a couple of people left the room and one nurse came up to him to bring him in. He flicked another glare toward Markise and then followed the nurse in.
Ariel was tired. And hurting. And sweating. And shaking. But it wasn't nearly as bad as it had been, though he continually waited for it to spike again, and his eyes darted around the room. The nurse said she was getting his brother, and to his tired mind that meant Markise. He didn't exactly remember the whole argument over who Markise and Maverick were. When he saw his actual brother walk through the door, he jerked up and his eyes widened.
"You'd better have a damned good reason for why you're here, Ariel," Maverick said. "I swear you cause more trouble than anyone I know, what's wrong with you?" Though the question hadn't been directed toward Ariel's physical state, the nurse answered that he seemed to be going through withdrawal from muggle drugs, something one of the other nurses had suggested and that had been confirmed when Ariel had told them what he had been using. Maverick turned dark eyes to Ariel.
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Post by Markise Sterling on May 16, 2009 23:01:52 GMT -5
Markise's panic didn't ease at all when Maverick went in, even with the nurse in there, too. He told himself he needed to wait his turn, what if they said he could come in? Then he realized the likelihood that Maverick would let him in anyway. Even if he did, it would be a long time, wouldn't it? After several minutes of heavy debate, he found the nearest nurse and asked if he could get an emergency Floo to Hogwarts so he could send Logan's girlfriend. She looked suspicious, especially since she'd found out about Logan's brother as well, but the pleading look worked quickly on her and she agreed. He was getting the polyjuice.
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Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on May 16, 2009 23:22:21 GMT -5
"It's not like you never did anything," Ariel accused, forcing down the near-panic. What had happened to Markise? And why was his brother there? It was too easy to imagine Maverick finding out everything that had happened. His eyes widened again. Had they told Maverick about the rape, as well?
"Maybe I did try some things, but I didn't go to bloody Sydney on the weekends and get my ass handed to me by a group of muggles!" Maverick shot back, ignoring the nurse that ordered him not to get Ariel worked up.
"It wasn't a group of muggles! It was one muggle! And two wizards!" Ariel answered, though he could feel himself slowly beginning to dissolve again.
"Like that makes it any better!" Maverick said. "I thought you were doing good this year, you hadn't gotten in any fights, no detentions, good grades across the board, and now you're going through muggle withdrawal?"
"I'm seventeen now, you can't do anything!" Ariel said through shaking lips. Then his eyes darted around the room and he pulled his legs up to his chest to wrap weak, jittery arms around them.
"Really, you think that's how it is, Ariel? If you expect me to pay to send you to school another year you'd better do as I say!" When Ariel gave a weak I don't have to listen to you Maverick stormed up to the bed, causing Ariel to shrink from him and the nurse to come up and shove her wand toward his face. He grudgingly pulled away and settled to pacing through the room.
Usually Ariel wouldn't have cowered like he was doing this time, but it was so hard when everything hurt and when it seemed like his body was falling apart. He hadn't even intended for Maverick to show up. Eventually he curled up under the thin blanket and closed his eyes tightly in an attempt to tune out Maverick and anything else he had to say.
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Post by Markise Sterling on May 16, 2009 23:37:59 GMT -5
 When Markise returned, he was more than a little uncomfortable. There was, of course, the issue in his undergarments, but then there were... two more issues. And he was having a hard time not messing around with them. They were so weird! He took another drink out of the flask he'd tucked in the pocket of his skirt and mentally checked himself again. He hadn't put on makeup because he hadn't wanted to take the time, but the girl was pretty enough without it. He hadn't had time to go searching for a bra though, and she wasn't poorly endowed. He'd done his best with a snug tee under the shirt he was wearing. He had a pair of his sister's shoes that he'd swiped ages ago, and she'd never missed them because she always wore her boots, not her canvas shoes. He just hoped he could pull this off. He kept thinking back to Ariel's assurance that it would be near-impossible to fool Maverick. Not to mention that the nurses were suspicious enough as it was. He popped a piece of gum in his mouth to hide the smell of polyjuice potion on his breath. Markise was grateful that he didn't have to hide the mixture of emotions on his face, and he didn't have to take his time making his way to the nurse's station outside his room. If he looked a little panicked, it would make perfect sense when he introduced himself. "I have to see Logan," he said, surprised at how soft his voice came out, even without effort. "I'm his girlfriend... Angel," he said. "Can you tell him Angel is here? Can you get me in?" He'd wanted to use Kise, but it was too much of a risk. Maverick knew his name. |
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Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on May 16, 2009 23:52:37 GMT -5
There was a knock on the door and a nurse stuck their head in to relay the message. Ariel felt a moment's confusion. Girlfriend? Angel? It was only when he opened his eyes to give the head in the door a confused look that the name Angel clicked in his mind. Then he nodded, and looked up at Maverick. "Please," he said softly.
Maverick had glared at the opening of the door, but when Ariel spoke, he turned his eyes to his brother. After a few moments, he nodded. At least his brother had a girlfriend now.
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Post by Markise Sterling on May 17, 2009 0:05:31 GMT -5
Markise had been terrified that Ariel would say no, that he'd say he didn't have a girlfriend and ask what the nurse was talking about, but no, the woman turned back to him and gestured for him to come in. He took a deep breath, then put on his game face, trying to conjure at least a little of Angel up. It was so hard to do in a place like this.
At the door, Markise worked not to look at Maverick. It was easy when he saw Ariel curled up like that. His soft exclamation of Ariel! came out nearly a squeak with this different voice, but he didn't notice. He moved quickly to the bedside, only recalling himself once he was there. Then recalling his disguise. He firmly ignored Maverick, and with strange hands as soft as his own, he pushed the hair gently from Ariel's forehead. He didn't know what to say. He'd forgotten himself again.
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Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on May 17, 2009 0:16:36 GMT -5
Maverick narrowed his eyes as the girl rushed past him, but he didn't say anything. He would watch and see, but he had no reason not to believe any of it, and Ariel had had a couple of girlfriends before. He returned to his angry pacing.
"Hey," Ariel managed when he was able to focus on...Angel. He blinked a few times, trying to find Markise under the disguise. When the nurse had said Angel, he had fully expected to see a dressed up Markise, not a girl. He only faintly remembered Markise mentioning a potion once, but that was far enough in his mind that he was relying on his intuition to tell him this really was Markise. "I messed up," he said uselessly, voice shaking.
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Post by Markise Sterling on May 17, 2009 0:20:39 GMT -5
"I know," Markise said. No, he was Angel now. He could see Ariel searching for him, and after tossing a glance over his shoulder to see Maverick pacing, he turned back, blowing a quiet bubble. If there was any physical sign he could give with Ariel's brother in the room, that was it. He captured it before it got too big and pulled it back into his mouth. I swear, it's me.
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Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on May 17, 2009 0:27:22 GMT -5
One corner of Ariel's lips quirked up at that small sign and he reached for Markise's hand. He refused to think of him as Angel, though he would force himself to say it if he had to. He didn't care that just a few hours ago they had barely been able to be in the same room together, now he wanted to hold Markise's hand. It was so strange feeling those feminine hands in place of Markise's, so different from what Ariel was used to. But he would cling to anything he could right then. "Thank you for coming."
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Post by Markise Sterling on May 17, 2009 0:30:59 GMT -5
"I had to," Markise breathed. He'd been so right about what would happen if they touched. Anything that hadn't crumbled at hearing that Ariel was having seizures disintegrated now. Maybe it would re-form later, but now all he could do was soak in the strange sensation of holding Ariel's hand. "How are you? Can I sit?" Markise asked. Suddenly, standing was too much distance.
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Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on May 17, 2009 0:37:51 GMT -5
Ariel nodded and his other hand joined the one already wrapped around Markise's. "It hurts," was the only answer he had for Markise asking how he was. Everything hurt and the potions weren't helping much at all. "I'm sorry." He had said it so many times today, but it seemed so different, surreal even, there curled in a hospital bed with Markise in a girl's body and Maverick finally moving to sit in a chair in the corner.
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