|
|
Post by Markise Sterling on Jun 24, 2010 21:19:03 GMT -5
Markise was momentarily struck dumb. Was Michael seriously asking him for advice on getting Dare an anniversary present? About a thousand responses flashed through his mind, none of which he could actually say without risking a wand to the throat. No, just no. There was no way in hell he was going to tell Michael what to get Dare! For all the work he was doing, he might as well be partnered to Dare himself, except he wasn't the one sleeping with him.
A litany of swearing that would have made a sailor blush followed his immediate responses, but he kept his lips pressed together until he could twist his mind into some other interpretation. Any other interpretation. Then his friendly smile fixed back into place, along with a mischievous glint in his pale blue eyes.
"Want to wear something special for him?" he asked, privately laughing at the thought. Michael was a wuss, there was no way, but if he got a reaction at least he'd feel better.
|
|
|
|
Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jun 24, 2010 21:45:13 GMT -5
"Not what I was thinking," Michael said, but then he was thinking of that almost conversation he had had with Dare and the thought didn't sound half as crazy. "But now that you mention it, I've been thinking of trying something new." A new outfit would be something, even if it wasn't strictly for Dare. Although, it would be more for Dare than for Michael's want of new clothing. "Going out in a group, anyway, might as well try something out."
|
|
|
|
Post by Markise Sterling on Jun 24, 2010 21:52:57 GMT -5
Markise could have screamed! He'd just thrown a bucket of innuendo at Michael and he'd gotten back a request for a clubbing outfit? Not that Markise carried a hell of a lot of undergarments, but he'd have found something, just for the look on Michael's face. His fake smile was slipping in its convincingness, he knew it, but he was caring less and less. "What are you looking for?" he asked.
|
|
|
|
Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jun 24, 2010 22:11:58 GMT -5
"You're the fashion guy. But honestly I normally just wear this one pair of jeans and a shirt I stole from Dare." Michael remembered Dare asking him to wear a short-sleeved shirt once, but he didn't think he could do that. Although...it would definitely be something different, another step forward, just like the trip to the lake had been. "I guess I'm overdue for something different."
|
|
|
|
Post by Markise Sterling on Jun 24, 2010 22:21:31 GMT -5
You think? Markise kept his smile from becoming patronizing somehow and gestured into the shop. "The men's section is over there," he said. "Jeans against that wall. If you see something you like, I can open up the dressing room for you." He normally offered to be a personal shopper, but he knew Michael had never worn that shirt he'd made, and didn't feel like spending an hour picking things up, then putting them back when it wasn't Michael's style, for lack of a better word. He'd likely be in the way more than doing anything useful.
|
|
|
|
Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jun 24, 2010 22:43:39 GMT -5
"I have no idea what I'm doing," Michael said, looking over at the section Markise pointed out. "Especially not when it comes to club stuff. Dare's always dressed to the nines, and I wouldn't mind trying something different." He didn't wear his own "style" clubbing in the first place, unless strictly long sleeves counted, though those shirts were so different from what he normally wore that they couldn't count for much.
|
|
|
|
Post by Markise Sterling on Jun 28, 2010 17:23:57 GMT -5
That wasn't helpful at all. Markise withheld a sigh of frustration and decided to treat Michael like he'd treat any other completely indecisive customer. "Tell me how much you're willing to spend and how adventurous you're feeling and I'll find a few things for you." He steeled himself for something like this only better, which he heard so many times he wondered why people didn't just buy a closet full of the same thing in different colors.
|
|
|
|
Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jun 28, 2010 17:34:49 GMT -5
Michael paused for a moment, casting his eyes around the shop to think. How far did he want to take this? After a few seconds, he took a breath and looked back at Markise. "As long as my Mark is covered, I'll give it a shot." He had no idea what Markise would pull out for him, but if he was going to stick to his decision to be more...outgoing, he figured that this wasn't something to gimp out on.
|
|
|
|
Post by Markise Sterling on Jun 28, 2010 21:55:19 GMT -5
Markise blinked in surprise. Then excitement welled up so high that he was sure he'd get in trouble if Ariel saw the gleam in his eyes. It wasn't even about the money—not really—but about the sheer amount of freedom he'd just been given. And with Michael! It was impossible to keep stewing when he had the opportunity to take all that potential he saw and do something with it. He nearly excused himself to go attack Ariel just to get some of his newfound energy out!
Markise forced himself to wait a moment and try to collect himself, even as he turned into the shop to hide his near-grin from Michael. When he thought he'd recovered, he tossed a look over his shoulder, his eyes scanning Michael in evaluation. "Do you want to follow me or just sit at the waiting room and see what I come up with?" he asked.
|
|
|
|
Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jun 28, 2010 22:12:09 GMT -5
Michael couldn't help but smile at the excitement that came off of Markise in waves. "I get the feeling I would just get in the way," he said slowly, looking around the shop. He didn't go clothes shopping, he couldn't remember the last time he had actually gone out and gotten something past just going in and out in maybe five minutes.
|
|
|
|
Post by Markise Sterling on Jun 28, 2010 22:27:08 GMT -5
Markise let himself smile at that, though his lips curved a bit further than he'd intended. "You wouldn't get in the way," he assured Michael. "But wait in the dressing room anyway. You look like you could use a surprise, and there are some magazines in there." Mostly for bored friends waiting for their s.o.'s to finish up, but he figured it would work for Michael, too. One last glance and he headed into the racks. He wasn't even going to ask what size. Everything Michael had seemed at least a size too big, anyway.
|
|
|
|
Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jun 28, 2010 22:44:24 GMT -5
Michael nodded and headed over, only marveling once he was hidden away at how he had given Markise this power. He had barely let Dare dress him, much less with the control he was giving Markise, but it was a new beginning, wasn't it? He barely looked at the magazines, as a momentary sense of panic washed over him, but oddly enough it was quickly replaced by a nervous excitement.
|
|
|
|
Post by Markise Sterling on Jun 28, 2010 23:00:28 GMT -5
Maybe Markise had a little more fun than he strictly should have, but for the moment he was as good as going to live vicariously through Michael. Dare had never had a problem telling him he looked good, but nothing had ever happened. The thrill he got out of knowing he could finally get a reaction out of Dare, even if it wasn't over him was enough to bypass the fact that Dare was probably going to spend all night wanting to f~ Michael.
His confidence was not misplaced. He knew clubs, he knew men, he knew sex, and he knew Dare. It was frustrating not knowing why Dare had never really wanted him the way he'd wanted Dare, but he'd just have to work with what he did know.
He sifted through racks and shelves for a while, forcing his selections to follow him rather than sending them back to the dressing rooms where Michael might build up an urge to cancel everything. With all the work he was putting into color choices, styles, and textures, the man wasn't going to wimp out, dammit!
Finally he headed to the dressing rooms, and everything hung itself on the returns rack. Hell if he was going to overwhelm Mr. Fashionably-Challenged by giving it all to him at once.
|
|
|
|
Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jun 28, 2010 23:13:37 GMT -5
The panic probably would have come back had Michael seen all of the clothes Markise had pulled out, but as it was he had absolutely no idea. He found himself standing again to pace, unsure what would come through with Markise, but knowing that it would be worth trying. Even if he wasn't a fashion guru, he knew enough to know that Markise knew a lot and that he could trust him with this.
|
|
|
|
Post by Markise Sterling on Jun 28, 2010 23:23:59 GMT -5
"Okay, one thing at a time," Markise said. He'd dealt with skittish I want to change my entire look with daddy's money before, so surely he could handle one club outfit. "I'll give you a shirt and trousers, and you go try them on." He shuffled through the rack after two that went well together, speaking almost absently as he did so. "I'm not dressing you like a clone of Dare, but you might see some similar things." He glanced up at Michael. "It's for a club. You'll forget you're wearing it after a while, I promise."
He handed Michael a pair of slim-fitting jeans. They were nothing like Dare's, wouldn't cling and wouldn't need cramming to get his feet through the holes, but he'd have shape in them. He also handed over two tees; a thin one with long sleeves and one with no sleeves and a hood. "This one goes on top," he said, putting the hooded tee in front of the other. "Even if you don't like it, open the door, okay?" He wanted to at least see if he'd guessed right.
|
|
