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Post by Silver Blackwood on Jul 7, 2008 23:24:45 GMT -5
Silver didn't catch Michael's discomfort at first, but he did catch the fact that his brother wasn't expanding at all on his project. He glanced at Dare's friend, but found no support there. Rather, he saw what looked suspiciously like discomfort. Silver knew he wasn't good at reading people, but all the same, a second ago he'd been smiling. "What?" he asked, looking between them. "Did I say something?"
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 7, 2008 23:37:10 GMT -5
Dare followed Silver's gaze to Michael, and his mock annoyance faded into concern. He paused, wanting to reach out to Michael, to take his hand, but that would give away too much too soon, and at the moment, the game didn't seem as much fun as it had been when he'd suggested it. Dare shook his head at his brother's question. "No, you're fine, Silver," he said. With effort, he pulled his gaze away from Michael back to his brother. "It's just...you know, the usual. Drama."
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 7, 2008 23:44:51 GMT -5
"Sorry," Michael said, turning his eyes from Dare and pulling on a mask of a smile and laughing eyes. "You'll learn that I do that a lot." He felt bad for letting himself slip into the bad thoughts, something he really did tend to do more often than strictly necessary. "I should probably be admitted or something." He knew Dare would probably see right through it, but he hoped it would be enough to at least let them move on.
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Post by Silver Blackwood on Jul 7, 2008 23:49:20 GMT -5
Silver gave an awkward smile at that, and looked to his brother, unsure whether he should laugh, or whether Michael was serious. He was suddenly wishing he hadn't mentioned Dare's sketchbook, since it seemed like that was when everything had gone downhill. Suddenly, Silver's curiosity was peaked, though; what was in that book?
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 7, 2008 23:58:25 GMT -5
Dare gave his brother a pointed look, as though to say, later. When he'd said drama, he'd been all too serious. Dare raised one arm, drawing it around Michael in something that could have just been a friendly half-hug. He was cursing himself for not just telling his brother, but on thinking about it, wasn't that something he ought to do in private? He forced as laughing a smile as he could manage. "It's the artistic temperament," he teased.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 8, 2008 0:06:18 GMT -5
Michael resisted putting his arm around Dare, keeping it deep in his pocket instead. The half-hug felt nice, after the initial split second of tension before realizing that it didn't necessarily mean anything to someone that didn't know. He turned his eyes to Dare, silently thanking him, "Or multiple personalities." He looked back at Silver, "Can't resist," he said apologetically, catching Silver's discomfort and grinning to show that he wasn't being serious, that it was just a tease.
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Post by Silver Blackwood on Jul 8, 2008 0:54:28 GMT -5
Silver managed a real smile now that he'd been assured everything was cool, that no one was offended. Something about Dare's interaction with Michael struck him a odd, but he couldn't put his finger on it. It just seemed like they hadn't been at Hogwarts long enough for Dare to have made a friend he was that close to. Still, though Silver couldn't push the thought away, he tried not to dwell on it. He knew his tendency toward imagination. "So, you're into art too?" he asked Michael, latching onto that as the most obvious explanation.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 8, 2008 0:58:25 GMT -5
Dare's eyes had caught Michael's, and the urge to kiss him, to reassure him, grew strong. He wondered if it was going to be this miserable every time they were together in company, and he couldn't see it getting better. He was used to keeping his thoughts to himself, but actively hiding something wasn't in his nature. Part of him wanted to just get it over with, so he didn't move his arm from around Michael, but let himself enjoy the contact and secretly hoped his brother would just ask.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 8, 2008 10:19:21 GMT -5
Michael nodded, "Yeah, I've always enjoyed drawing." He tried to ignore the tension growing inside that he could feel just as well in Dare. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, the motion bringing him that much closer to Dare in hopes it would help. It only increased the urge to do more. It was an odd mix of wanting to do something and wanting to keep up the facade that there was nothing between them, however thin it was.
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Post by Silver Blackwood on Jul 8, 2008 13:12:00 GMT -5
Something was going on, Silver was sure of that much. He was still relating it back to whatever was in Dare's notebook, but he wasn't entirely certain they had anything to do with each other. Silver eyed Dare a moment, trying to read his brother, but all he got was that Dare was next to bursting to say something. Silver glanced between Dare and his friend before bringing his gaze fully back to his brother. "What am I missing?" he asked.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 8, 2008 13:19:37 GMT -5
Dare looked aside at Michael, his gaze silently asking either for permission to go on, or some sign he'd rather keep it quiet a little longer. If Michael opted for the latter, Dare would change the subject and try to resist giving too much away. Otherwise, now seemed like a good time to say something. He wouldn't put it to Michael to do; this was his brother, and Dare knew how to talk to him. But he wanted to make sure Michael was okay with that.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 8, 2008 13:24:45 GMT -5
Michael met Dare's eyes, pausing for a second as his eyes darted back to Silver, then bringing his eyes back around and nodding slightly. It seemed as good a time as any to let it out, and his nerves came back full force, anxious to see Silver's reaction, anxious to be able to be comfortable in front of someone else. Keeping himself from touching Dare was more trying than he cared for and letting Silver in on the news would help greatly.
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Post by Silver Blackwood on Jul 8, 2008 13:29:08 GMT -5
Silver felt like he was watching a tennis match, his eyes darting back and forth between one meaningful look after another. There was definitely something going on here, and Silver was beginning to wonder if he really wanted to know. He didn't prod Dare to tell him again, but waited to see what might happen.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 8, 2008 13:36:24 GMT -5
Dare let his eyes linger on Michael's a moment longer, taking as much comfort as he received from the exchange. Then, he took a slow breath and faced his brother, his lips curving into a somewhat hesitant shadow of his usual crooked half-smile. "Michael and I are a little more than just friends," he said, trusting that Silver could pick it up from there. "We've been together about a week now." Dare didn't look aside at Michael, but kept eye contact with his brother, determined that Silver know it was the truth.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 8, 2008 13:42:02 GMT -5
And it was done. Michael pulled his hands from his pockets, letting just the tips remain under the fabric. His palm was itching to be pressed to Dare's, though for the moment he was content with Dare's arm around him. He licked his lips nervously and held his breath in the seconds waiting for Silver to answer. A week, it felt like so much longer than a week, but when they had been experimenting practically since the first day they met, it was only natural that it'd feel like much longer.
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