|
|
Post by Markise Sterling on May 17, 2009 0:43:20 GMT -5
Markise shook his head, damning the onset of his allergies even in a body where crying was acceptable. "You don't have to say that." But why? Because he didn't believe Ariel? No. That was the problem. He believed it every time, and then Ariel did something again anyhow. "Just get better," Markise whispered. He was so glad that somehow Ariel had gone to his shop, and that somehow he'd agreed to come to the hospital.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on May 17, 2009 0:49:30 GMT -5
Ariel nodded slightly, even as he felt his eyes burning again. This time it wasn't from the pain like it had been just a few minutes before, this time, though the pain helped, it was for the same reason he had felt it earlier in the day. "I'm trying hard as I can," he said softly, then attempted a smile. But his bloodshot eyes closed immediately after as a fresh wave of...everything hit. His hands tightened around Markise's.
|
|
|
|
Post by Markise Sterling on May 17, 2009 0:55:16 GMT -5
"No, no, Ariel, don't do this, someone help!" His eyes scanned the nearby area wildly, then hit the call button. His hand was trapped in Ariel's, and all he could think to do was bring his other up and lean close. "Ariel, it's okay, I'm here, I... just hang in there, please!" A nurse appeared in the doorway then, and another, and Markise refused to let go. He wasn't leaving again!
|
|
|
|
Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on May 17, 2009 1:06:21 GMT -5
Maverick had jumped up when the girl started calling for help and hovered as the nurses rushed in. They tried to shoo him out but were more occupied with getting everything under control again than actually getting him to leave. It was a few long, agonizing minutes before things calmed down again and Ariel was able to actually think, if he could even call the little flickers of ideas thoughts.
|
|
|
|
Post by Markise Sterling on May 17, 2009 1:12:18 GMT -5
Markise was crying by now, there was no way to pretend otherwise. He was so glad when the nurses stepped back to clean up and Ariel was still breathing. "Never do that again!" he said, his voice husky from tears. Maybe he was talking about what had just happened, but most of it was the drugs, whatever it was he'd been taking. He sat at the edge of Ariel's bed now, and his free hand reached to brush back Ariel's hair again, damp with sweat.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on May 17, 2009 1:17:56 GMT -5
Ariel curled again around Markise's hand and nodded over it, agreeing to anything Markise might ask him to do. Everything wasn't quite gone yet, but it was at least tolerable now, though he never imagined he would have to tolerate something like this. If he had been able to focus on looking up at Markise, he would have told him to stop crying, would have tried to wipe away the tears, but he couldn't just now, he could just hold on to Markise's hand.
|
|
|
|
Post by Markise Sterling on May 17, 2009 1:22:49 GMT -5
That was such a small response, and something inside Markise melted a bit. "I'm sorry," he whispered, so quietly he wasn't even sure it was audible. "I'm so sorry I made you go." He still felt that twinge of guilt over having brought Ariel to the club. If he hadn't insisted, if he hadn't nearly begged, then Ariel wouldn't have gone. He wouldn't have started all this, and he'd probably have left Markise anyway, but maybe he could have been happy.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on May 17, 2009 1:31:28 GMT -5
Ariel shook his head, though all he heard was Markise apologizing. Markise hadn't done anything, why was he apologizing? Still, he shook his head to whatever it was, "But you didn't do anything," he managed softly. Ariel had been the one to screw everything up, not Markise. Markise had nothing to be sorry about.
|
|
|
|
Post by Markise Sterling on May 17, 2009 1:39:07 GMT -5
"But if I hadn't made you go..." Markise said. If he hadn't made Ariel go, if he hadn't gotten drunk, if he'd only tried harder, if, if, if... Markise had forgotten Maverick entirely. "Keep your eyes closed," he whispered. He leaned close, his mind not at all on the fact that he still smelled the same, or that his breath smelled of the gum he liked so much. He closed his own eyes and pressed a soft kiss just to the corner of Ariel's mouth. Maybe for a moment they could pretend that he was himself. Maybe that would help, just a little.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on May 17, 2009 1:46:00 GMT -5
It didn't take much for Ariel to keep his eyes closed, and it was easy to fool himself into believing that it was Markise's lips that he turned toward instead of Markise in a girl's body's lips. For once he didn't want more than just a little kiss, just something to take his mind away from it all. Perhaps...perhaps he was searching for some hope to hold onto during all this.
|
|
|
|
Post by Markise Sterling on May 17, 2009 1:50:28 GMT -5
They may have been someone else's lips, but Markise was in charge of them. He couldn't stop himself from returning that kiss, and those lips▬his lips▬moved just the same as they would have without the potion. He was so weak sometimes, and now, he didn't have it in him to force distance or control. He'd been so scared that he would watch Ariel die, and he was leaving, just as soon as he knew it would be safe. He didn't want regrets. He didn't want loose ends.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on May 17, 2009 11:22:05 GMT -5
Ariel finally had to pull away from the kiss, refusing to open his eyes or to voice the question burning in his mind. He would not ask if this meant Markise was going to stay. He pulled Markise's hand close and put his lips lightly to the skin of Markise's fingers. All of his muscles were tight, and the faint thought whispered in his mind that he might be hurting Markise's strangely feminine hand, but the thought wasn't strong enough to make him loosen his grip.
|
|
|
|
Post by Markise Sterling on May 17, 2009 13:17:02 GMT -5
Markise was a wuss when it came to pain, and the delicate body he was in didn't take it any better, but he couldn't find it in him to complain. Not after what he'd seen Ariel go through. He blinked his eyes open as he straightened against the bed, that unexpected kiss to his fingers so strangely intimate. The intimacy was somewhat uncomfortable, especially when he thought about the fact that he still had to leave. When he's better, he told himself. He'd wait until the nurses said he'd be released later in the day. Then he'd go before Ariel was released.
He couldn't think of a thing to say, not after that brief kiss that left him remembering so much. So he was silent for now. He let the fingers of his free hand move softly against and through Ariel's hair. He wondered how either of them would survive.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on May 17, 2009 13:48:19 GMT -5
Ariel wanted to sleep, but he didn't even know if it was possible to find sleep through everything he was feeling. He wanted to down as many pain potions as they would let him and pray they kept everything at bay, at least for a couple of hours. He kept Markise's hand up at his lips and tried to focus on the feel of the thin fingers moving through his hair.
|
|
|
|
Post by Markise Sterling on May 17, 2009 13:58:32 GMT -5
Markise stayed until a nurse came in to shoo him and Maverick both out. Apparently they were going to try to get Ariel to eat something. Markise didn't argue. He pressed another soft kiss to Ariel's cheek, squeezing his hand lightly before slipping away. He needed to go refill the polyjuice in his pocket anyway.
|
|
