markusarcain-blog

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Groaning inwardly at the decidedly icy reaction his appearance had gotten out of Markus, Marius nevertheless put on a smirk and waved at his new-found and entirely reluctant companion. Not that he’d been expecting a warm welcome or anything, not where Markus was concerned, but–still. So far even the screaming faces made for better company than the kid.

Briefly he debated just turning back around and leaving the kid to be unhappy on his own, but then again – with Denian lost in here, Marius couldn’t well justify leaving behind his only chance of finding his grandkid. So. Unhappy Arcain kid it was, because no way in all the world was he going to leave Denian stranded in here. If the builder of the house had been insane enough to decorate the walls like this, there was no telling what might await them further inside the house, after all.

Mirroring the kid’s pose, Marius cocked his head and said, “Well then. Don’t think I’m not passing silent judgement here, love, because I most definitely am – but this really ain’t the greatest place to get lost in, y’know?” He pointed at the faces lining the walls, which were still refusing to shut up. Case in point. “Where exactly did you lose him, kid?”

“Trust me Marius. I’m aware.” Markus quipped with a long suffering sigh trying not to look at where the Captain was pointing. The faces had been talking non stop since both he and Denian got in here and it was making him so overwhelmed. Not to mention seeing Marius on top of everything else only made him that more irritable. And you know while he usually could stomach it all enough to be cordial the events of of today just had him on edge. 

Which was why when Marius asked him where he’d lost Denian he answered with the truth. “At the point when he realized I was queerer than a three dollar bill and had been flirting with a knight the whole time we were on vacation.” Markus huffed out before even realizing what he had said. Feeling his face start to blanch at the weight of his confession the young Arcain quickly backtracked hoping that Marius was too busy.. well being Marius to even notice what he had said. “Um. There’s a room a few doors back.” He said with a gesture keeping is gaze averted “We were arguing and all of a sudden I turned around and he was gone.”

Faces in the Night | Open

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For better or worse demon houses were not something that popped up all that often, and so Marius’d gone inside to investigate, because that’s what you did when you happened upon what for all intents and purposed appeared to be a cursed mansion. The novelty of the whole thing had worn off quick enough, though, and by the time he heard yelling from somewhere further inside the house and realized that he had no idea where the exit was, it was already too late.

He made his way to where the shouting was coming from, making a point on the way there to sneer at the faces lining the walls whispering things Marius didn’t care to pay too much attention to. Real gaudy decoration, there; he wasn’t quite sure what exactly but clearly the Demon General who’d built the twindamned house had been compensating for something. Or the guy’d simply had real lousy taste, but then again: there was a line between that and malicious intent, and it’d been crossed about twenty faces in.

As he stepped into the room, Marius was only slightly surprised to see the Arcain kid. He waved at Markus in greeting and laughed, finally figuring out just what the kid had been yelling. “Off by about two generations, love, but–you’re almost right. You and my grandkid get lost in here, did you?” Because of course, of all the places for the two of them to end up it’d have to be the overly homely ghost house – not that Marius had any idea how to get out of there, either, but at least he hadn’t actively lost anyone in the house.

Turning at the sound of footsteps coming into the room Markus’ hopeful smile fell and fell hard upon the sight of the man striding into the man before him. It had been practically forever since Markus had seen Marius, an eternity since he sat across from him begging for a miracle that would never come and even longer since he’d felt the sting of the other mans knuckles against his cheek. 

But even then with the rush of emotions flooding over the young boy Markus was to tired to muster up any sort of real resentment towards him at this point in time, all his energy going into trying to recover the right Thesus. Because it was his fault Denian had strayed and gotten lost and he was sure of it. Although he’d die in here before he’d let Marius figure that one out. 

Sighing though Markus figured he’d better answer the captain if only to be polite. “Well lost could certainly be one way to describe it,” he stated putting his hands on his hips. 

Faces in the Night | Open

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Do the Arcains have any wedding traditions?

Uhhhh, well does trying and failing miserably to put a bow tie on wolf count?

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“I will bring you glory. I vow it”.

[What a magnificent gesture, honestly]

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As Markus talked, Juvion was caught half between a laugh and a snarl. Yeah, he was pathetic. Yeah, this was a pity party, and part of him was glad that Markus wasn’t dousing him in sympathy. But the other part could have done with just a little bit, and eventually, when Markus started in about how ‘shit happens’, the snarling won out. The space around them dimmed, his magic leaving Markus in a silver-lined shimmer of partial shadow as he spoke. It wouldn’t have been full blackness to the other’s eyes most like, but to Juvion everything looked like it was sparking with quicksilver lights. Peaceful— as though it was trying to counter his own anger that was slowly resurfacing. He’d been feeling bouts of it since he’d woken up in the hospital, and he knew it wasn’t fair to take it out on Markus, but he couldn’t help it.

“You don’t know fuck all about me, little lordling,” he said quietly, and the smile that graced his features now hadn’t even a trace of camaraderie. “Don’t think you quite ‘get’ the feeling of having your fucking arm burned off, and your whole usefulness as a Being with it.” He pushed himself to his feet, staring icily down at the younger man. “Best keep your sage tough love speech for the next time you or one of Garkouw’s other preschoolers need to be told the way the world is. Come back when you’ve actually lost something.” He turned with a hoarse laugh and wandered out into the night, hoping darkly that Markus would follow and take a swing at him just so he’d have an excuse to hurt someone else.

Listening to the other Markus could tell the other boy had not absorbed a single word he said, and he wondered if that was by choice, or if by some stupid reason Juvion was really unable to see how this behavior was going to drive everyone away. How it was already warping him into a bitter despicable mancer, who thought his only worth was in one fucking arm. But then again you can’t save someone who doesn’t want to be saved, and Markus knew that feeling all too well sometimes. 

So Markus let him go without another word. Just let him walk out of the bar of his own accord taking his cold darkness with him. And while it didn’t feel good, part of him knew it was all going to be ok in the end. Or at least he hope it would. “You tried your best love” She the waitress murmured soothingly as she came round the bar a pint of ale placed into his empty hand. “Yea well apparently that wasn’t good enough” he sighed into his new drink, the taste of ale washing the bitterness from his tongue. 

FIN

just what it takes

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Faces in the Night | Open

What Markus wouldn’t give for a cigarette right now, with a nice big fat cloud of of nicotine to bury itself deep in his lungs. But he’d smoked his last one on the way over, passed between Denian and himself as they readied themselves for the horror of what would await them in the Demon Generals house.

If they had been smart they would have stayed outside. 

But they hadn’t. No they had just plunged forth into the fray like idiots, with the voices coming from everywhere, everyplace. And Somehow they’d gotten separated in all the whisperings, with Markus knowing now that he should have kept a hand on his brother in arms at all times. 

So this was how he found himself, wandering lost in a giant mansion filled with things he didn’t recognize, trying not to let horrible thoughts fill his mind. “DENIAN” Markus called out for what seemed like the thousandth time. But he knew it was no use, the magical faces plastered on the walls were too loud with their whisperings of false advice drowning out anyone else. 

Except for just whoever stepped into the room. 

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credit

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Markus’s response made Juvion think of Maia, chopping a bar stool in half with her hand, and he chuckled. But a reminder of Maia just led to the Maia’s-not-here circle of thinking, and that wasn’t someplace he was eager to go again.

Juvion sighed deeply. He pulled his thoughts together slightly before answering. “Not a fight with her, so much as… I just don’t know what I’m going to do with my life any more. Yeah, I can learn to fight with my other hand, and with my Magic I might not die right away.” He looked over at Markus. “I thought I’d have… decades at least, maybe a century or two, before something like this happened. I used to focus on getting better, and now I’m only thinking ‘how can I get by at all’.”

He glumly checked around for the barkeeper. “You’re not going to let me drink more, are you?” he asked flatly, then stood on shaky legs. “I shouldn’t drink more, anyway, I know that,” he mumbled.

Looking at the Magician Markus took a deep breath, knowing there was a lot more going on here than was going to be fixed in a night. But that didn’t mean he shouldn’t at least try to help, even if Juvion threw it back in his face.

 “I can see why she’d be mad at you.” He said quietly absentmindedly picking at the label on a beer bottle. “I mean hell I’m sitting here right now fighting the urge to fucking roll my eyes at this pity party you’ve been throwing yourself” He paused trying to figure out how to phrase the rest of his statement “But the thing about it it I know how it feels like wondering how you’re going to get by. Maybe not with a useless hand, but with other things. And i know it fucking hard, especially when you have others telling you to man up, or get over it.” He shook his head thinking of some of the similar situations he’d been in the previous year. And sure he hadn’t had to figure out how to live with a new handicap, but some days, without Borus, yea it had felt like he was going to have to. 

“But you know the thing is,” He started again “They are right. Shit happens, but life goes on, and ultimately you are the one that decides how you let things affect you. So you can sit here and drink your sorrows all you want, thats your decision. But sooner or later if you don’t make different choices, no ones gonna care enough to try to pull out. So thats my advice you can take it or leave it, but you definitely not getting another beer” He smirked at the other boy.

just what it takes

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It was Dany’s turn to blush. He always did when someone praised his drawings. “Oh thanks I mean, I just you know….drew it...a while ago…you know because I think about you a lot.” Dany mentally kicked himself for saying that. Be cool Dany be cool. Though being cool was very hard when you were showing some one you like your drawing of their face.

“Well it still does look like you!” Dany tried to insist. “I mean you have the same eyes, cheek bones….lips…” Dany trailed off for a second staring at Markus. He blushed again.”and well the real life version is much hotter than the paper version.” He gave the other a cheeky grin. “Though I could do another though you’re going to have to visit me again to get it.” Dany gave Markus a quick wink.

Dany held up his hands.”Oh no you don’t have to give me anything!” He insisted, Markus had already saved his life. Although there was one thing that Dany wanted. “Though if you did want to give me something…a goodbye kiss would..”

“You do?” Markus questioned quietly glancing toward the other man. It was safe to say they were both being bumbling idiots about everything right now, but Markus couldn’t help it. He’d screwed people thats for sure, but he’d never really been in this sort of romantic situation before, or at least he’d never been in one that wasn’t one sided. 

Though by the way Dany kept flattering him this new situation was obviously not one sided. No he got the feeling that they were both skirting around the subject like school girls with a crush, neither of them really knowing what to say or do to advance the situation. Well, that is until...

Feeling himself turn absolutely scarlet at just the thought of kissing Dany, Markus felt a wave of nerves wash over him. This wasn’t just some thing, no, he really liked Dany and he didnt even want to think about messing this up. Especially with something like this. So he stood there hesitating in the awkward pause. And he knew he had to say something, anything, buut all but these words kept getting stuck in his throat. “So um, you should know I uh I’ve never kissed a guy before” Markus whispered, looking down gripping the paper a bit tighter. It was probably going to be a deal breaker and he knew it but at least Dany couldn’t fault him for being honest. 

15 minutes | Dany and Markus

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“I am so sorry.” Dany said holding up his hands. “Everyone back at the knights are just used to seeing me in shorts. I’m either coming back from swimming or just going.” He laughed. People were normally concerned if he was actually wearing anything more than a pair of shorts and a shirt. He gave Markus another once over really taking him in this time. It could be the last time Dany would ever see him.

Dany nodded when Markus broke the news that he wouldn’t be able to come up and visit him. “Oh I have something for you.” Dany said getting up and going in to the living room to grab his small sketch book. He strode back in to the bed room and flicked through a few of the pages. He finally found the one he wanted, a drawing of Markus that Dany had done when they’d first met on the beach. He tore it out and handed it to Markus. “I’ll have to draw an updated version anyway because you know you cut your hair. It looks good on you by the way. Very good.”

“Its not that i’m not used to seeing peoples legs. It just” Makrus bit his lip. Yea seeing Borus’ legs (though if he was being honest he wished he could burn that memory out of his mind) was very very different than seeing the person you happen to have a very large crush on’s legs. 

Looking at Dany though, it hurt Markus to see him so still as he broke the news that he might no be able to see him again, with no discernible expression on his face. Because tis wasn’t that he didn’t want to after all. And he almost told him that but he kept his mouth shut, allowing the other to walk out of the room. 

Standing there mentally kicking himself for not saying more Markus danced from foot to foot a little, nerves coursing though his body. It wasn’t until dany came back and handed him a piece of paper that markus stood still, eyes stuck to what he had been given. “Wow,” He said quietly, still taken aback at his gift “This is really good, Danny thanks.” He said still speechless. “I dont” He paused frowning a little “I dont have anything for you though. I mean I don’t even look like this picture any more” Looking up Markus tried not to let his sadness show. 

15 minutes | Dany and Markus

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Dany wondered what could have been worse than being court marshaled. Though he could think of a few things. First Iona being MIA then Serah being KIA. And his other friends soon followed until he was the only one from his popular clique from school left. “I guess when the war’s over and if I’m still alive I’ll owe you dinner okay? No backing out of it. I’ll remember about it okay?” Dany smiled.

Dany quickly got up and pulled out a pair of pants from his dresser and began to pull them on. “Oh shit I’m so sorry I mean I don’t really get guests and then you just showed up. I’m so sorry I forgot.” Dany felt himself flushing red in the cheeks. He sat back down when he’d pulled them back on. 

“Okay no tea! So uh when do you come back?” Dany asked curiously. “I don’t know if you’re even allowed but when you get back can you visit again sometime. Like I said it’s kinda lonely up here but I don’t want you to get in to trouble so like you know you don’t have to if you can’t.” Dany cursed mentally for being so awkward.

“Ok, umm sure” Markus replied figuring agreeing to a dinner that both of them knew they were probably never going to have was harmless as any. Even though it made him feel like a blushing besotted school girl finally being noticed by her crush. 

Trying not to look at the other’s nice, stong, muscular thighs though Markus turned away biting at his lip. Fuck he was in so deep. “Its fine.” He stated trying to bush it off, when clearly to his brain IT WAS SO NOT FINE. “I mean I have brothers so I know how it is when no one else is around. It’s just um distracting sometimes.” He said quietly if only to fill that awkward, ‘Im trying really hard to give you privacy without being a total prude’ kinda silence. 

Figuring Dany was probably well clothed by now Markus turned back mind already poised with answers for the next part of the conversation “Um well I’m not entirely sure, we’re usually at the mercy of the commanders so its kinda based on if we accomplish our mission or not” he stated knowing that it was not really an answer. “But um im really sorry its lonely up here for you, I’m not really supposed to be here though, it doesn’t look all the good for me if I am so. Um” He trailed off not really knowing where he was going with that statement. 

15 minutes | Dany and Markus

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Dany’s ears perked up when Markus mentioned that he was from a medical family. “Still though really you shouldn’t have I mean you could have gotten in trouble. Like gotten court marshaled or something. Still though i just i dunno I feel like a thank you isn’t enough.”

“Nah it’s just the other mancers they kind of look like they want to kill me but fair enough I am a knight after all.” Dany dropped the subject deciding that it wasn’t a story that could be told in the short amount of time that Markus was going to be here. Dany moved his legs up and sat cross legged for a little bit or warmth. “Do you want tea or something? I Mean i dunno if you have time for tea but I could put a pot on.”  

“Trust me, getting court marshaled would be the least of the problems i’ve faced this year” Markus replied with a long sigh and a shake of his head. “But its cool, you don’t have to do anything other than you know keep on keeping on and such” He said blushing slightly at the other man. It was cheesy. So cheesy and the worst part about it was he knew it was cheesy, and he’d still said it. God he was hopeless. But then again what can you do when the man you might possibly love is just sitting in front of you in his underwear spouting thinks like ‘thank you isn’t enough’.

Taking a deep breath though Markus focused on the next question, ignoring the obvious answer to the who mancers looking like they wanted to kill him. “No im good, uh without tea I mean.” He said knowing that Dany getting up to get up to make tea would be a waste of precious time. “But Um, can you maybe put on some p-pants?” Markus asked quietly entire face now flushed a deep crimson. He hated asking but he didn’t want to be distracted any further, this was not that type of visit after all. 

15 minutes | Dany and Markus

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He wasn’t quite sure what to say or do. Though it was nice to see a face that didn’t want to kill him. He sighed softly twiddled his thumbs a little. If He was only going to be here for fifteen minutes then he should at least say thank you. 

“Hey…uh…about….I just wanna….I mean…thank you.” Dany finally spat out. “I mean I dunno why you’d try and save me but my mam will probably want to adopt you.” Dany smiled thinking about his mother but getting a pang of sadness knowing that he wouldn’t be seeing her for a long time. He hadn’t gotten a chance to send a letter to his mother yet but he’d hoped they’d let him send on to her.

“Listen you shouldn’t like waste your time here you should pack or something.” Dany said sitting down on his bed. “It’s nice that you’re here though. It’s kind of lonely up here you know. Not as lonely as it is back with the knights but its still pretty lonely.” He said with a nod. Dany gave Markus a grin. “Nice that you don’t have that i would so murder you if I was allowed look in my eyes like everyone else has.”

Still just kinda standing there Markus immediately blushed when Dany went about thanking him, hand going tangle itself in towards locks of hair that didn’t exist anymore.  “Um its no problem. I didn’t want-” He paused not really knowing what to say. “The man that healed you-” He started again before finally just deciding on “I come from a medical family” with a shrug as he looked down at his shoes. As if saving Dany had just been that simple.

Glancing over toward the other man who was now sitting on the bed before him “I’ve been packed for two house already” Markus huffed rolling his eyes slightly at just the thought of fucking Borus and his fucking stalling. “But thats a story for a different time i guess.” He shrugged. Scoffing a little at his next statement Markus cracked a small smile.“Yea well why would I want to murder the dude I put my life on the line for? Seems counter productive don’t you think”

15 minutes | Dany and Markus

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Guests was the last thing Dany expected while he was here. For one thing he was never really decent when he was in his apartment. Only in his boxer briefs and a t-shirt lounging on the sofa drinking a hot cup of tea, something he rarely got to do at home. So when he heard something land in the bed room Dany’s first thought was. ‘Oh fuck I’m going too die in my underwear.’ Followed by ‘Clam the fuck down they’re not allowed to kill you yet.’

Dany went to investigate, setting his tea down on the coffee table. When he pushed open the door Markus was the last person he expected to see. He was actually expecting a squirrel or his cousin Chris who was quite skilled in the arts of climbing, breaking and entering and having no regard for authority be it Knight or Mancer. He looked to the window and then to Markus, then to Markus’ hair, then back to the window.

“Did you just? Up the side of the building? By yourself? I’m very touched no ones done that for me in like ten years.” Dany said hand on his chest looking genuinely touched and flattered. “Hey Aren’t you supposed to be you know going on some kind of thing?”

Standing there Markus didn’t realize how awkward this would be. Just kind a showing up, scaling the side of a building and braking into the house of a dude he met once who got imprisoned in an enemy city because Markus was too selfish to let him die. Oh and there was the fact that he kinda liked him. So there was that too. 

“Perks of being an Elvish Energy Magician.” He replied with a shrug brushing of specks of dust out of his buzz cut with slightly down turned eyes. He was still getting used to the fuzzy feeling underneath his fingers.  Looking at the other man though he tried not to blush a little. Because how pathetic was he, running to Dany’s house the second he could, even if it was only for like 3.5 seconds.  “Um. Yea. in-” He paused looking down at his watch “15 minutes”

15 minutes | Dany and Markus

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15 minutes | Dany and Markus

If Markus was being honest with himself, he would say that Borus had only given him the chance to do what he had already thought of doing. What he had been dreaming of doing for weeks. Why though he had yet to figure out. But for now he didn’t really care, all his thoughts focused on the prospect of actually being able to talk to Dany for the first time in weeks.

But alas it wasn’t actually that simple

He couldn’t run first of all, that would be too suspicious. He couldn’t use the front door. He couldn’t do anything that would make this easier, or faster. No he had to go slow, check around every corner, sneak past the couple of guards posted in the front door, scale the back wall, magically unlock the back window.

And suddenly he was in Dany’s apartment. 

@danealoas

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30 minutes |  Markus and Borus

“Borus,” Markus yelled banging his fist on the door for what seemed like the millionth time. They were scheduled to leave like 2 hours ago, but like always Borus was taking his sweet time in the bathroom. Why he had no clue. It wasn’t like the dude could make his face look any better. 

Surprisingly though Borus opened up on this attempt newspaper tucked neatly under his arm.“Yes dear” He chided a challenging look in his eye. Because the day Borus wasn’t being a difficult pain in his ass was the day the world had gone mad. Everyone knew that. 

“We’re already 2 hours behind schedule,” He huffed out hand on his hips. He didn’t know why he was bothering really. Borus always left when he wanted  to leave, and not a minute before. 

“Well thanks for the heads up captain obvious” Borus replied with a smile, pushing past Markus and into the corridor body langauge intent upon doing anything other than getting ready to depart. And it weighed on Markus. 

“Seriously Borus” Markus scrubbed a hand down his face.  He really wasn’t in the mood for this, and well, to be quite honest he hadn’t been in the mood for this for a while. Mind too preoccupied with other things to make any of this seem playful, or funny. 

And Borus must have picked up on that. Or at least thats what markus was hoping when he stopped jaw set. “Fine Fine I’m going.” He said sarcastically pushing open the the door of his room.  “Alllthhhhoouuugggh” He continued drawing out the syllables as he looked down at the old worn watch around his wrist “I think if all of my stalling calculations are right you should have half an hour.”

“Half an hour for what?” Markus scoffed “To make you a 5 course dinner?”

Rolling his eyes Borus turned to face his second “Half an hour to go see your boyfriend dick head.”

Standing there, jaw set Markus took a deep breath determined not to let his emotions show on his face “Well hate to burst your bubble there but 1) I’m not gay” Markus held up a slender finger “And 2)” he held up another finger “I don’t have a boyfriend because oh lets see, it says here” He mocked looking sarcastically at his fingers “refer back to number 1″ He stated with an air of finality as he flipped Borus off. 

 “You finished” Borus asked after a few moments, looking at him with stone cold and unyielding features. 

Putting his hand down, Markus nodded. He might be a pretentious little asshole, but he wasn’t a stupid pretentious asshole. 

“Because you still have 29 minutes regardless of the gay.I suggest you use it wisely” And with that he shut the door in Markus’ face.