Those Days (Ariel/Markise)

[Markise Sterling]

Markise was in his workroom with the door open as usual, half listening for the bells at the shop door. Everything else was concentrated on his work, an updated version of the vest and trousers he'd favored wearing during the height of his days as Angel Vangelis. It was so sad to think of those days. It made it sound so distant. It made him feel old.

He decided not to think about it and stopped long enough to turn up the volume on his Wizard's Wireless. He needed to concentrate on the subtle embroidery he hadn't been able to resist.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

Ariel came in, probably an hour later than normal, his hands shaking slightly from the encounter with Lyric. "Markise," he called through the increasing volume of the music. He felt half frantic, needing to see Markise and talk. There was a slight fear that something would go wrong, but he was hoping that there was nothing Markise could find to call him out on.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise was silent long enough to finish the elegant sweep of tiny stitches he'd been focusing on, then let his sewing machine stop. He reached out to turn his music back down, in a better mood today than he'd been the last few and focusing desperately on that when he wanted to sink back into discontent over not getting exactly what he wanted. Whatever that was. "I'm back here!" he called. Where else would he be?

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

At the assurance that Markise was there, Ariel took quick steps through the store to the back room, dropping his bag once he was inside the door connecting it to the main part of the shop. Seeing him there was enough to help Ariel break free of some of the frantic thoughts that had been rushing through his head, and he took another few quick steps toward Markise before stopping just short of touching him. "I need to talk to you."

[Markise Sterling]

Markise's brows drew together slightly as he looked up at Ariel, his heartbeat picking up with whatever ominous air had just blown through the door. "What happened?" he asked. Do I want to hear this? He started looking Ariel over, but couldn't see enough to tell, not without being able to see his eyes. He stood, and after a moment's hesitation, reached out to push Ariel's hair out of his face. He wanted to know now.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

"I was...I went to the Shack, I was just going to stay for a little bit, do some homework maybe," Ariel said, his eyes focusing on Markise for a second before darting away. It hadn't felt like a big deal at the time, but now, telling Markise, it felt like even that had been doing something wrong. "I went to this room and...there was this guy, Lyric, he said he was. Had this crazy hair and a bag and dark makeup..."

The description was easier than telling Markise that Lyric had had drugs there. Still, that was the next thing out, the words quickening as they left his lips. "When I walked in he was putting all this stuff up..." He didn't want to say what it was, maybe Markise would know and he wouldn't have to say it.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise didn't know, though he was trying to follow. Anything he might have felt at Ariel wanting to be out of the shop for a while was suspended by the name Lyric. The description hadn't even been necessary, though it brought up those he'd heard before. It felt ominous, but he didn't put it together on his own. "What happened?" Had Ariel seen whatever it was that Quinn and Jory didn't know or understand? Ariel's eyes were clear, but Markise didn't like how nervous he was.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

"He was putting stuff in a box," Ariel said, his words still speeding from his lips. "I saw some of it, and the box looked like it had a lot in it. I think he was a dealer, he was shaking." He had started shaking by the end of the meeting. But he hadn't asked for anything, he hadn't offered to pay the guy for anything. He had come home to Markise.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise's eyes widened when he made the connection and his eyes darted over Ariel again, looking for any sign that he'd done something, thinking back on how long it had been since the last time he'd seen him. Had there been time? But no, this wasn't what Ariel had looked like after, and his eyes were clear and focused.

Markise threw his arms around the back of Ariel's neck, pulling him close. He needed the contact, the reassurance that Ariel was whole and strong and his. A dealer. Did they follow Ariel around or something? Why couldn't they just be safe? How long before Ariel decided he'd resisted long enough? The fact that it was Lyric was pushed back for now.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

Ariel was surprised at the hug, almost unsure as his arms slid around Markise's waist. Once they were settled, they tightened, and he turned his face into Markise's hair. "I didn't take anything," he said. "I wanted to, but I didn't. I don't even have the money to." He knew now that there were other things he could have done to pay, but he wasn't thinking of those at the time, and he knew that he wouldn't have gone that far. At least, he hoped he wouldn't have.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise had never been so glad that he was withholding Ariel's paychecks. He'd thought so many times about starting to give them to him, but what if he had? Had Ariel managed to get away clean just because he couldn't afford anything? He refused to acknowledge the possibility that not having money could push Ariel to deciding to sell himself in trade. But was it even possible for Ariel to love him more than the drugs?

Markise was silent, trying to sort his thoughts and holding on tightly to Ariel. They couldn't move again, there wasn't anywhere else that had a close enough connection to Hogwarts and he knew Ariel would rather risk everything to graduate.

"I could walk with you to class," he suggested softly. It was what he'd done last term, after Ariel had gotten out of the hospital. They'd spent all their time together, checking in to be sure Ariel didn't have the time to get away with anything. It must have worked, because nothing had happened.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

Ariel shook his head. It would be just a little more time he could spend with Markise, but it wouldn't feel right when he knew it was just so he didn't slip up. "I'll be okay, I won't owl him, I won't do anything." Even though he wanted to so badly. It would take a major slip up and lack of thought for him to do it. He hadn't been so close to losing control in a long time, though.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise wasn't at all appeased by Ariel's declaration that he could resist. He'd heard it before, and he knew that Ariel liked to test himself by putting himself in dangerous situations. He could see Ariel buying some to carry around with him just to prove he wouldn't actually use it.

He released his arms and shifted back now. You better not, he wanted to say. Coming out had been a last-ditch effort. He didn't have anything else.

[Ariel Logan Callahan]

Ariel let Markise go, but only because Markise pulled away. His hands slid reluctantly against Markise before finding their places in his pockets. He wanted to be able to be trusted by Markise, he wanted to be able to trust himself. How long would that take? "If you...think it's better," he said softly, letting his head drop so that his hair covered his face again. "You can come with me."

[Markise Sterling]

Markise couldn't stand seeing Ariel like this. As much as he wanted Ariel to admit he had weaknesses, he didn't want him to turn into a whipped emo boy. He hadn't gotten with Ariel for his level of sensitivity, though in some ways his desire to please had always been a plus. But Markise didn't want to control him. He turned and sat back down at his sewing machine, leaving Ariel to think for himself.

"Lyric's been screwing around with Quinn and Jory," Markise said, checking to see that everything was just the way he wanted it before he went on. "They think he's drinking, but they don't believe me when I say they should stay away from him." If there was any irony there, he missed it. He'd stayed away from Ariel during as much of that crap as he could.