Coming Out

[Markise Sterling]

It seemed like forever ago that Markise and Ariel had started the process of coming out, but he'd been reminded today that it hadn't been that long at all. This was his first day at Hogwarts with his lavender hair, his makeup and his perfectly-tailored clothes, and the stares had been constant. He hadn't heard much yet, hadn't been knocked around at all, but it was still the first day. The shock hadn't had a chance to fade, and so Markise was fine now, but he wasn't looking forward to his later classes.

His free period gave him time alone, whether he liked it or not. He wanted to stick by Ariel's side, to learn how to make a shield now, but that wasn't an option, so he was hiding.

Ariel would find him without difficulty, when he got out of class. He was sitting at the lake, at the spot they'd met at more than once, in a little alcove surrounded by trees that straggled away from the forest. He had a light fitted jacket on, and a scarf that was more fashion than warmth, fingerless gloves, and flattering pants, clothes he actually enjoyed being in, without fear of someone guessing. They could guess all they wanted.

He was trying to do his homework. He wanted to spend as much time with Ariel as he could after school, and though they were together most of the time, they were working, trying to find places for everything in the new building. The bedroom was comfortable and Markise's worktable was set up, but there was so much left to organize in the shop. With Ariel's obsessive organizational skills it probably wouldn't take as long as it seemed like it would, but it was still a daunting task. And for now, sitting in the dappled sunlight streaming through the trees, coming out could be put aside for a while.

[Jory Addison]

Jory still had hours before he had to do anything, not that he intended to start going to class halfway through the day, anyway. So he had taken to the lawns and headed down to the lake to kill time. To kill time and maybe think about Lyric showing up later and maybe slipping in bed with him again. He passed through a thin line of trees and was halfway into the clearing before he realized he wasn't alone and stopped short.

"Sorry, I-" he started, then got a better look at the person sitting there. He had the distinct impression it was a boy, even with the colored, curled hair. "I mean, I didn't mean to like, walk in on you or anything," he finished, bringing his hands in front of him to wring his fingers.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise had looked up the moment he'd realized someone had found him, and for a moment, he'd sat stock-still, ready to pull his wand in an instant. It took a moment for his guard to relax enough to realize that the boy who'd found him hadn't made a threat, wasn't brandishing his own wand. He couldn't help looking him over, taking his measure to decide if he was a threat after all, but all he really saw was nerves.

"I'm just doing homework," he said after a moment, purposefully keeping his voice strong in warning. Despite the way he knew he looked, he was going to be strong this time.

[Jory Addison]

Jory's eyes widened just a bit at the sight of make-up obvious on the guy's face. He looked down at the colored ring hanging against his chest and his hand came up to fiddle with it. "You're wearing make-up," he said, and then he realized that was probably the wrong thing to say. "I mean..." Well, what did he mean? He wasn't exactly sure, but he couldn't turn around and leave.

[Markise Sterling]

You're wearing make-up. "You got a problem with that?" Markise asked defensively. His eyes flickered over the guy again, taking in as much as he could without looking."You've got earrings." Nothing clicked in his mind with as tense and expectant as he was, not the necklace he hardly took stock of or even the body language that Markise was usually so in-tune with.

[Jory Addison]

Jory shook his head at the first question, "No." But the guy had moved on before he could say anything else, and he felt himself nodding. "And I want more." He wrapped his necklace around the fingers of one hand while his other played with the spin ring on his thumb. "Sorry, I didn't want to like...be mean or anything."

[Markise Sterling]

Not mean, just stupid, Markise thought. Just because he was apparently the only guy in Scotland wearing any makeup didn't mean it needed pointed out to him. That would be like walking up to Dare and saying, Hey, you're tall. Kind of a no-brainer. Dare knew he was tall, and Markise knew he'd stood in front of the mirror for five minutes putting on makeup. He turned dismissively back to his book, and trying to decipher his history of magic assignment. It was tempting to just owl the professor a good picture and hope he'd accept that in lieu of an essay.

[Jory Addison]

"How long does it take you in the morning?" Jory asked, attempting to pull away from his earlier mistake. Maybe this would be someone else he could talk to. He hadn't heard of any others like him there, other than Dare, but he had already found Dare, and he was hoping that maybe there was even one more to find.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise blinked in surprise, and though he looked back at the boy warily, he was curious as well. "Less than five minutes," he said. He'd practiced enough that he knew exactly what to use and what he could skip to look polished in the least amount of time. It took twice as long to put on club makeup, but he wasn't about to volunteer that information. As it was, he wondered why he'd answered the question at all.

[Jory Addison]

Jory's eyebrows rose, showing his surprise easily. "Really? It'd take me like an hour if I tried," he said, and even then it probably wouldn't look anywhere near as good as this guy's did. "So, do you do it a lot, then?" Well duh he did, or else he wouldn't be able to put it on so fast and it still look as good as it did. That or he had lied about how long it took.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise's wariness was fading with the surprise. Who was this guy? "I stopped for a while, but yeah," he said. For however many months it had been since the start of school, he hadn't had a reason or the opportunity to wear makeup once, and though what he was wearing now had never been dressed-up before, after so long with nothing, it felt like it. "Do you wear makeup, or something?" he asked. The guy didn't look like he was wearing any, but now that Markise was thinking about something other than the likelihood that he was about to be attacked, he was noticing things he'd missed before, in the way the boy held himself and the way he spoke.

[Jory Addison]

Jory shook his head, "No, I don't think I'd be any good, or look good, for that matter." He didn't see any reason to wear any, and he had never had the opportunity to learn even if he had wanted to. He just found it fascinating that this guy did. "My name's Jory, by the way," he said, taking an uncertain step closer. One hand reached up and ruffled absently through his hair.

[Markise Sterling]

"Markise," Markise introduced himself, lifting one manicured hand in greeting. His gaze rose, pausing at the thick, messy hair Jory had, then dropping down to eyes so vividly blue that he couldn't help thinking of his sister. For the moment, that thought ruined any innocent looking he might have indulged in. He was very well taken, but looking when Ariel wasn't around was a far cry from doing anything.

All the same, Markise's fingers found their way into his hair to toy with a soft, lavender curl. "So what house are you in?' he asked. Not Hufflepuff, or Markise was sure he'd at least recognize the guy, even if he was in a different year.

[Jory Addison]

"Gryffindor, sixth year," Jory said, "You?" He didn't recognize the guy, Markise, and he was sure that if he had ever seen him he would remember it. Was Markise....? He couldn't ask, even if he was positive. Maybe they could come to an unspoken acknowledgment of it and never have to actually bring up the question are you gay.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise was as sure as he could get without asking, and he told himself he was coming out anyway, so there was no reason to pretend to anything. He twirled lightly at his hair as he reevaluated Jory. "Hufflepuff, seventh year," he said. It was a bit of a thrill knowing he was at the top level of the Hogwarts social pyramid, even if he realized his position there wasn't going to last. "I've only been here a year, though." One life-altering year.