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Post by Markise Sterling on May 25, 2009 20:39:18 GMT -5
Markise wouldn't begin to try guessing Ariel's thoughts, so he didn't, and continued on with his own. "I'm leaving my shop with Dare," he said absently. "If I manage to make anything I'll send it to him. Maybe he can do a better job running it than me." Another failure. He'd gotten a massive break and couldn't even keep customers moving through. Plus, it was closed now. He couldn't go to Diagon Alley and leave Ariel behind, and it would be cruel to bring him that close to London when he was doing so well.
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Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on May 25, 2009 20:45:19 GMT -5
"Are you going to try again?" Ariel asked. "I mean...this summer you could try to get a lot of things made, and try again when we come back." He didn't think that trying once was enough to say that it was a failure, especially with something like clothes. He had to get his designs noticed, and there was no way Markise would have been able to do it on his own.
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Post by Markise Sterling on May 25, 2009 20:49:29 GMT -5
Markise shrugged. "Maybe," he said. And maybe he was afraid of being noticed. How long could he run a clothing store before people figured out he was gay? He'd been invisible the entire time he'd been at Hogwarts, and that had suited him fine. He was safer that way. Markise didn't believe in fate, but he believed in unrealistic dreams, and maybe that had been his.
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Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on May 25, 2009 21:05:07 GMT -5
"I know I'm not someone that should be saying this," Ariel said, "But if it's something you want to do, you should try again." He would help, if they made it through the summer without completely breaking all ties. Besides, it sounded as good as anything else helping Markise, it wasn't like he had any goals or plans past graduating.
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Post by Markise Sterling on May 25, 2009 21:37:15 GMT -5
Markise's nose wrinkled as he glanced aside at Ariel. "It'd be pretty hypocritical of me to tell you that's bullsh~, wouldn't it?" After his preaching about starting over, he could at least try to practice it. "Fine, I'll try." He didn't have any faith in himself that he could make it work, though. He couldn't remember the last time he'd done anything right, or at least, anything that hadn't ended up biting him in the ass anyway.
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Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on May 26, 2009 12:37:50 GMT -5
"I'll help you if I can," Ariel said, glancing over at Markise. "I mean...I don't know how much help I would be, but I could give you more time to focus on actually selling and making stuff. It's not like I have any thoughts on a career." If he couldn't think of something to do, he might as well help someone else succeed, right?
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Post by Markise Sterling on May 26, 2009 14:16:26 GMT -5
Markise was silent a moment before flicking a glance at Ariel, then looking back down the corridor. "Your system worked," he said softly. He'd thought it would be so much more work digging through one box for more than one size, but it hadn't, and that paper on the front had helped him keep track so much easier. He still had to suffer through balancing everything at the end of the day, but since there were days that he didn't make any sales, he supposed he couldn't really complain.
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Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on May 26, 2009 14:33:14 GMT -5
Ariel's eyes stuck on Markise. "I'm glad," he said. It was good to know he had done something right at least. "I was hoping it would help make things easier for you." The upper floor had been a veritable disaster when he had first seen it, but he had worked hard that week to get everything done and organized. And then they had met at the club and messed everything up.
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Post by Markise Sterling on May 26, 2009 14:43:44 GMT -5
Markise nodded, and one hand rose to toy with a strand of hair as he looked aside at Ariel. "It helped a lot," he said. His fingers itched to push Ariel's hair back so he could see those honey brown eyes, but as hard as it was not to turn and give in, he kept his back against the wall, and he kept his gaze off Ariel's lips.
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Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on May 26, 2009 14:58:55 GMT -5
Ariel forced his eyes away from Markise and shifted on his feet. He didn't need any temptation right now, he already had enough for ten people. Watching Markise was an added distraction that he didn't need right now. And if they were going to be living together for three months, then he needed to get used to not being allowed to do anything. "What are you going to do to pay for rent?" He knew he would have to get a job, but at least that would keep his mind off of what he couldn't have.
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Post by Markise Sterling on May 26, 2009 15:34:43 GMT -5
Markise looked back into the corridor shortly after Ariel, taking a deep breath that he let out slowly. "I'll have to use my shop money til I can get a job," he said. "I don't know where any of the guys are working, but I'll see if one of them can get me in. I can ask for you too," he added, looking aside at Ariel again. Ariel needed something to do besides scour the streets for entertainment all day, and he seemed to like feeling useful, so it sounded like a good idea.
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Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on May 26, 2009 15:46:59 GMT -5
Ariel looked over at Markise and nodded, "Thanks." He had no idea how to go about getting a job, especially not somewhere like New York. Markise was doing so much for him, and he didn't know how to repay him. He promised himself that he would try to find a way to let Markise do what he wanted to do with his shop and clothes.
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Post by Markise Sterling on May 26, 2009 15:55:08 GMT -5
"I'll write you a letter of recommendation or something," Markise said absently. He leaned his head back against the wall and stared off, trying to imagine what any part of the summer would be like, but he couldn't. It was too surreal a thought living in his own apartment, living with Ariel, having a regular job, and introducing Ariel to his friends. Maybe he'd go ahead and tell the guys that Valentino was a major creep. In such a way they'd actually agree to get rid of him.
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Post by Ariel Logan Callahan on May 26, 2009 16:12:17 GMT -5
Ariel was quiet for another few minutes, his mind wandering through what could happen. "What are your friends like?" he asked after a bit. If he was going to be thrown into a premade group, he wanted to know at least a little of what he was getting himself into. He had had no idea what he was doing back when he had moved to Hogwarts in the first place, and he didn't care to do it again.
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Post by Markise Sterling on May 26, 2009 16:53:32 GMT -5
Markise looked aside at Ariel again, taking a moment to think before he started. "They're all Muggles except me and Rand. He's a Squib, so he spends most of his time with Muggles. I've known him since I can remember. He keeps me from screwing up too badly. Valentino is a backstabbing a~hole that's probably got a hundred STD's, then there's Dante, who's off with his new girlfriend half the time." And it was always a new girlfriend. "And Sodapop, he's a fighter, but he's a good guy." Markise shrugged. "And me," he added.
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