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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 17, 2008 19:24:41 GMT -5
Michael sat, almost afraid to move as he opened the letter that the owl had dropped for him during mail that morning. It had sat in his bag all day unopened and he had just now found a quiet place to concentrate on it. It was delicately tied with a gold chord which made a sound that seemed to echo through the room when he undid it. He uncurled the letter to see light, familiar handwriting that made his heart beat uncontrollably.
He read it through once, twice, sitting in stunned silence, his hands numb on the parchment as he read through it a third time, his eyes racing over the words. Even after three times reading it he couldn't quite believe the words that said he didn't have to worry and that he would get what was rightfully his.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 17, 2008 19:42:04 GMT -5
Dare had been looking for Michael since the end of his last class. He'd headed for the lake first, simply because it was fast enough to see one shore from another, then headed for the edge of the forest. He didn't figure Michael would be hiding from him, so he didn't spend much time in any place, and eventually wove his way back through the castle to the Room of Requirement. He'd almost expected disappointment, but when the door opened, revealing that same simple room they'd sat in the last time, his spirits had lifted.
Then Dare's eyes found Michael, sitting on the couch facing the empty chairs, staring down at at a length of parchment. Dare paused, just a moment, then turned and closed the door softly before crossing to Michael's side. He dropped his own book bag on the floor and sat next to Michael, curiosity thinly layering his worry. "Are you okay?" he asked softly.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 17, 2008 19:56:11 GMT -5
Michael had been immersed in yet another read of the letter when he felt Dare sit next to him, and when he looked over to see the worry in Dare's eyes, he couldn't help the broad smile that broke across his face. All at once he had thrown his arms around Dare and kissed him full on the mouth, the words instantly breaking the spell that had come over him. When he pulled away, his eyes were sparkling and it took a second for him to find his voice, even then he stuttered through it. "I-I got an owl! Look," he said, giving the letter to Dare.
There was a section talking about how she had missed Michael and was so glad to get an owl from him. His father wasn't mentioned other than to say that he didn't know that she was sending the owl, then the letter moved on to tell that Michael wasn't going to be without inheritance, after all.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 17, 2008 20:21:08 GMT -5
Dare was still a little dazed from the kiss, but Michael's excitement was infectuous, and Dare was grinning before he'd even taken the letter. His eyes widened as they took in every word, moving faster the closer he drew to the bottom of the page. "That's awesome!" he said, looking up from the letter only to embrace Michael. He pressed a firm kiss to Michael's cheek, then pulled back, offering him the letter again with glittering eyes. "This is awesome!" he said again.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 17, 2008 20:37:22 GMT -5
Michael grinned, feeling practically giddy with the news. "I mean, I was hoping I'd get a letter back, but..." he trailed off and let his eyes trail over the looping letters. He put an arm around Dare, his other hand holding the letter out in front of him. "This is more than I asked for," he said. Everything from the acceptance to the promise of an inheritance when he had been positive that he was going to be on his own.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 17, 2008 20:50:55 GMT -5
Dare wrapped both arms around Michael's waist and leaned close, still grinning as he pressed another kiss to Michael's cheek. "I'm happy for you," he said, watching Michael more than the note. "I'm ecstatic for you!" he corrected himself, giving Michael a light squeeze. He was happy for Michael, beyond happy knowing that Michael had gotten part of his family back, something Dare had only taken for granted until it had been taken away. His mind hadn't really registered the inheritance at all.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 17, 2008 21:02:17 GMT -5
Michael leaned in to Dare, his hand tightening lightly on Dare's side. The room seemed lighter than it had been when Michael first walked in, as though it had sensed the intense happiness and responded to it just like it would to a want or need someone had while in the room. It hadn't hit him just yet that he had just gotten back what Dare had lost in the most thorough way possible, or he may have been more withdrawn about it. Until that clicked, though, he was reveling in the purest joy he had felt in a long time. He tore his eyes from the letter and looked up at Dare, seeing his happiness reflected in Dare.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 17, 2008 21:09:07 GMT -5
Dare didn't let himself feel any personal sadness, but focused on the joy rolling from Michael in waves. He closed his eyes and kissed Michael, an expression of shared joy that went deeper because they both knew, in their own way, the same loss. But Michael's loss had been restored, removed, and Dare had helped. He took that much of the victory for himself and reveled in it.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 17, 2008 21:19:47 GMT -5
Michael wouldn't let go of the letter to let his hand come up to Dare's face or hair, so he settled for wrapping his free arm around Dare, being sure to not rip or mess up the page too badly. Michael hoped that Dare would sense the thanks in the kiss. He didn't think that it would have happened if Dare hadn't put the idea in his head, Michael wouldn't have realized that at least he still had the chance to make it right.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 17, 2008 21:25:22 GMT -5
For once, Dare didn't let the kiss get away with him. When he was nearly dizzy, he pulled back, his grin returning as though it had never been interrupted, his eyes bright. "I'm so happy for you," he said again, softly this time. His eyes searched Michael's, memorizing the joy in them and locking away every detail into his memory. There was nothing else he could think to say, so he gave Michael another quick kiss.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 17, 2008 21:38:08 GMT -5
When the kiss ended, Michael pulled his arm around to see the looping signature on the bottom of the letter following the fact that she had sent her love. Everything hit him in a moment. He was there wrapped in Dare's arms, holding a letter from his mother, and he was so unbelievably happy. "I honestly don't think I've ever been happier," he said softly, his eyes hovering on the ink before moving up to meet Dare's.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 17, 2008 21:46:44 GMT -5
Dare's heart stopped in that moment, then skipped, then resumed its beat only as his chest swelled with emotion. He could see in Michael's eyes that he meant it, and he felt so many things in response. Joy was foremost, and pride, that he was the one lucky enough to share this moment, that he'd made that much of a positive difference in someone's life. He'd already been falling for Michael, but at that moment, it all fell together in such a way that he knew this was more than just an experiment for either of them. It was overwhelming, but he wouldn't have traded a moment of it. "Neither have I," Dare breathed. He felt like his heart would burst for the emotion.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 17, 2008 21:59:21 GMT -5
Michael was feeling incredibly light, everything combining to leave him with a wonderful warm feeling in his chest similar to, but not the same as, the feelings that spread through him when he and Dare were together. He couldn't think of anything appropriate to say, couldn't think of anything to do other than kiss Dare, and who was he to deny himself? He pressed his lips to Dare's, unable to express the emotions welling up inside him any other way.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 17, 2008 22:03:41 GMT -5
Dare couldn't argue, not that he wanted to in the least, and he went easily into the kiss, one hand unlooping from Michael's body to smooth against his cheek. But he knew that wouldn't be enough, and his hand dropped, lightly following the arc of Michael's arm and guiding it in the general direction of the nearest safe spot to set his letter. His other hand smoothed firmly against Michael's back, taking him in, but biding its time, waiting until he could let go.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 17, 2008 22:15:33 GMT -5
Michael's eyes flickered open for a second to glance at his letter before he made himself set it down, hopefully, on Dare's bag. Then he pulled his hand up to Dare's, linking their fingers and pressing their palms together momentarily before releasing his hand and moving up his arm. Michael's other arm moved up to Dare's shoulders as he shifted, bringing one leg bent on the couch to let himself turn more towards Dare.
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