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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on May 26, 2009 16:18:50 GMT -5
Michael's eyes widened and he looked at Markise in slight disbelief. Then he looked over at Dare. They could easily say no, but if they wanted Markise to be there... It wasn't like Ariel would cause trouble. He felt bad for considering it, but they had decided that guests were welcome. He kept his eyes on Dare thoughtfully.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on May 26, 2009 20:17:58 GMT -5
Dare's jaw set, but he'd already decided that he couldn't expect Markise to suddenly give up a friend, however little Dare believed that. Markise had already told him more than once and in different ways that he wasn't coming, and if he could use this as an excuse, he would. Dare squeezed Michael's hand lightly and looked over, silently asking. It was take on one more guest, one they didn't like, or leave out one of Dare's best friends. Are you okay with it?
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Post by Markise Sterling on May 26, 2009 20:23:46 GMT -5
Markise's eyes widened slightly. Not only had that not been the no he'd expected, but it looked like they were actually considering inviting Ariel just to have him. Michael knew more about Ariel than what had just been said, he knew about what else Ariel had done. Michael didn't like him, and he'd said that there wasn't a way he could like him, that because he'd been a jealous prick that first day, he'd never trust him. Markise wasn't sure whether he really wanted Michael to refuse.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on May 26, 2009 20:26:27 GMT -5
Michael gave a brief nod for Dare and tightened his hand before he looked up at Markise. "I don't mind him coming, if it means you'll be there." Yes he knew more about Ariel, but he also knew that people could change. And he wasn't going to tell Markise he couldn't come just because they didn't like Ariel. It was more important to keep Markise on the guestlist than to keep Ariel off.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on May 26, 2009 20:48:21 GMT -5
Dare nodded as he looked back toward Markise. "Please come." Whatever excuse Markise could come up with, he'd find an answer for, and he wouldn't let go until he got a yes. "I'll beg if I have to. It won't be pretty." Dare glanced aside at Michael as though asking for patience, then began to shift, preparing to kneel and make a melodramatic scene of it—if Markise let him get that far.
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Post by Markise Sterling on May 26, 2009 20:51:58 GMT -5
Markise's eyes widened again, and his skin flushed lightly as he waved Dare off. "Don't, I'll go, okay?" His hand swept through his hair as he tried and failed to keep his gaze off Dare. He kept looking back as though afraid Dare might do it anyway. He told himself that at least Dare seemed to be doing better. "I'll talk to Ariel next time I see him," he promised. He didn't particularly look forward to that, either. The last time he'd really asked Ariel to do something for him, he'd passed out, and Ariel had started whoring.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on May 26, 2009 20:58:45 GMT -5
Michael smiled and squeezed Dare's hand. Though it hadn't been simple, it had been a lot easier than he had expected to get Markise to stay. "Thank you," he said earnestly. Now they had solved the problem of both Markise and Brindle staying for the ceremony, and even added another person to their guest list, even if they technically didn't like that extra person. Maybe things would finally start working out for once.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on May 26, 2009 21:50:14 GMT -5
Dare settled back down again, and after one last squeeze of Michael's hand, his own relaxed. "And you'll watch Elouai?" he asked, moving slightly away from the discomfort. He realized after he asked that it might not work out like that. If Markise was trying to keep someone away from London, it seemed like he wouldn't be going either. He shook his head. "You can ask Brin if you want."
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Post by Markise Sterling on May 26, 2009 21:53:24 GMT -5
Markise messed with his hair as he tried to think about it. He couldn't leave Ariel at Hogwarts to go to London, since he'd be gone long enough for Ariel to go, too. And though he'd done fine staying the weekend to watch her, even if he brought Ariel... It was a dangerous thought, but already a small part of his mind was suggesting that it would be good practice for when they moved in together. The rest of him knew what complete bull that was. He glanced at Michael, since Michael seemed to be the decision-maker today.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on May 26, 2009 22:03:32 GMT -5
Michael found Markise's eyes and shrugged. "Brindle seemed like she would like to look after her," he said. And it would just make Markise have to stay longer with Ariel when he wanted to leave a full month before if he stayed with Elouai. "If you're wanting to leave..." He couldn't ask Markise to stay longer than they had already convinced him to.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on May 27, 2009 8:29:36 GMT -5
Dare glanced aside at Michael. He didn't even want to suggest Markise leaving, even if he rationally knew it was unavoidable. Besides, how hypocritical would he be when he'd taken off without even an owl? "I'd rather you watched her, but if you can't, then you can't," he said. But if you don't show up for the ceremony, I'll hunt you down and thump you, he added silently.
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Post by Markise Sterling on May 27, 2009 9:46:07 GMT -5
Markise felt that silent declaration, but since he'd already said yes, he couldn't back out now. As long as Ariel said yes, too. Markise wasn't worried about them being outed at the ceremony, not any more than he usually did, but he wondered how likely it was that he could get Brin to agree to bring Ariel as her date. He didn't have that option, either to bring Ariel as his date or to bring a girl along. Even if he didn't know Anna's history with Michael, he hadn't seen her in forever now, and he'd heard she was gone.
He turned his mind forcibly back to the conversation and shook his head, looking back down at his hands as they picked another blade of spring grass. "It'd be better if I didn't," he said. "I'll clear it with Brin." It would be better on so many levels. He could get away instead of being stuck in DareandMichael's apartment while they were off doing things he'd rather not think about, and it would keep him from doing anything insanely stupid. Like enjoying the irony of getting Ariel into their bed with him.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on May 27, 2009 12:13:06 GMT -5
Michael nodded and then shifted a little closer to Dare. There, it was figured out, and Markise still got to leave, even if he was promising to stay longer than he wanted to. He wished Markise wasn't leaving period, but he didn't think Markise was intending to stay there through the next school year. He finished off his pumpkin juice then brought his free hand over to play absently against the back of Dare's.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on May 27, 2009 17:50:48 GMT -5
Dare looked aside at Michael again with that light touch. It went a long way toward soothing his nerves, even if his mind still protested. "So was that what you came out of hiding for?" Dare asked, returning his gaze to Markise. He was sure Markise had meant to just tell them he was leaving, but since he'd been talked into staying an extra month, Dare figured he'd give Markise a chance for any other arguments he had up his sleeve.
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Post by Markise Sterling on May 27, 2009 17:59:48 GMT -5
Markise looked back up at Dare, the question reminding him that no, he hadn't come to be suckered into another month of hell, culminating a night he couldn't see going well. At least, for him. He shook that thought off. He didn't want to think about it. It would be torture enough living it without spending a full month in anticipation. What had Dare asked?
"Um, I came because I wanted to tell Michael about this girl that's looking for him. Her name's Ivy." There, he could concentrate on that for now.
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