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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 24, 2008 19:47:33 GMT -5
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 25, 2008 12:57:26 GMT -5
"One thing I'm never doing again," Michael sighed as he sat on the couch again. It had been stressful enough that time, and he didn't care to repeat the experience. Even if it did help, it was too much for him, and he wouldn't be able to stand another vow on his hands. He was very glad for the comfort of Dare's arms so soon after, if Dare hadn't been there, Michael would have been on his own, and it would have taken so much longer for the stress to leave.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 25, 2008 13:32:23 GMT -5
"You're a good friend," Dare said, sitting hip-to-hip beside Michael on the couch. He threaded their hands together, and for once, brought Michael's hand to his lap to trace against with his fingers. "A dear friend," he added, lips curving slightly at the memory of Adara's words and the fact that, at the time, she hadn't had a clue. Of course, all things considered, whether she had a clue now was still questionable.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 25, 2008 13:40:27 GMT -5
Michael smiled at Dare, though it was short-lived, then looked down to watch Dare's fingers. "I didn't like doing it," he admitted, though it was probably obvious thanks to how he was acting. "It's too powerful, and there's no going back, it's permanent." He had done powerful magic before, but never something so long-lasting or meaningful as the vow.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 25, 2008 13:52:28 GMT -5
Dare nodded, giving Michael's words the momentary silence they deserved while he thought them over. He understood Michael's worry, his concerns, though in his mind he continued to tell himself the benefits outweighed the risks. Michael must have decided the same, since he'd gone through with it, but he was still concentrating on those risks, and the responsibility that came with them. "You know Emilian and Adara better than I do," Dare said at last. "Do you think they thought about all the risks before they decided to do it?" It was an honest question. From what Dare had seen, both Emilian and Adara were highly emotional people, and it could as easily have been a split-second decision. But Dare doubted it, simply because of the fact that Michael had agreed, however reluctantly.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 25, 2008 17:40:39 GMT -5
"I'm sure they thought about them, momentarily as she was heading towards the door to come and get me," Michael said, thinking. "They're just so intent on staying together that the risks didn't matter." He went back through the experience, going through all of the details that he hadn't been able to consider during. "There would have been no talking them out of it, though. What surprised me was what he added on to the second clause, he's so possessive over her."
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 25, 2008 17:54:11 GMT -5
"Then maybe they did think about it," Dare said, playing devil's advocate for the moment. "She didn't seem to be in a huge hurry when she opened the door." Maybe it was more than devil's advocate, after all. Dare wanted to help Michael ease his worries, and one of the surest ways seemed to be relieving the sense of responsibility. It seemed more and more like Michael had as many guilt issues as Dare did.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 25, 2008 18:07:09 GMT -5
Michael didn't really think that any long, serious thought had been put into their decision, but he didn't say it, merely shrugging and saying a low I don't know in response. "It's over with, I can't take it back," he said. That didn't stop him from having a bad feeling about the whole thing. Everything else they had done had been very involved, but the vow was a huge step he hadn't been prepared for.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 25, 2008 18:19:30 GMT -5
Dare's hand rose from its motions against Michael's, catching him lightly under his chin to draw up his face. "Even if they were stupid, they asked you as a friend. Don't hate yourself for it." His hand swept back against Michael's jaw, then dropped with Dare's gaze back to their hands as he resumed his attentions. "If you'd flat-out refused, do you think they'd have decided not to do it? Or do you think they'd have asked me?" Maybe that was why Michael had agreed, because he knew they'd have done it anyway.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 25, 2008 18:24:48 GMT -5
"I don't know about Adara, but Emilian would have pushed until I agreed to do it," Michael said, watching Dare watch their hands. Emilian probably had known that Michael would do it anyway, even though Michael had tried to get out of it, they had both known that he would end up agreeing. "Would you have done it?" he asked, his eyes trailing over Dare's face.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 25, 2008 18:33:11 GMT -5
Dare nodded, without raising his gaze to look at Michael. "Yes," he said. "If I was in your place, I'd have done it. Yeah, I'd have been terrified, but I'd have done it." He paused, wondering if that was enough, then decided to rephrase something. "If it was me, if you'd refused and they'd asked, I wouldn't have done it if it hurt you." Dare's fingers slowed against the back of Michael's hand at that confession. "But otherwise," he went on, "I'd have done it."
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 25, 2008 18:45:05 GMT -5
Michael listened, surprised at Dare's distinction though he knew that that was just how Dare was. He leaned over and pressed a kiss to his cheek, silently showing what it meant to him that Dare cared so much about what he thought. "It was so different seeing it than reading about it," he said, his eyes dropping to their hands again. The slower movements compared to what Dare had been doing before made Michael suddenly aware of how good it had felt, he knew why Dare had loved what he had done in the forest.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 25, 2008 18:59:19 GMT -5
Dare's fingers had paused a moment at that light kiss, and Dare glanced up just in time to see Michael's gaze drop. Dare's dropped too, and he resumed that slow, light motion against the back of Michael's hand, only slightly less absently than before. "Living usually is different than books," Dare said, though there was nothing in his tone to imply he was dismissing Michael's wondering. "It was incredible," Dare said, softer now. "And I was only watching. I can't imagine how intense it must have been for you, for them."
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 25, 2008 19:11:07 GMT -5
Michael let himself go back, to remember the pulse of the wand as it had let loose each string of fire, the cool sensation that had filled his body when the fire warmed his skin. He shivered, "It made me cold, it was like it was taking my energy to make the fire." It had been incredible, but in a way that he didn't want to ever do it again, in a way that he couldn't stand the thought of doing it again. Perhaps taking the energy from the Bonder was what made it strong, taking the connection of the wand-holder and combining it with the trust of the two making the vow.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jul 25, 2008 19:28:10 GMT -5
Dare listened quietly, his gaze flickering up to Michael's face at that telltale shiver. After a moment, he let his eyes drop again, thinking over Michael's words, the motions of his fingertips more purposeful as he did so. There was really nothing Dare could add to something like that, no personal experience, no words to express how he felt about what Michael had felt, so he didn't speak, but followed imaginary paths against Michael's hand, straying now and then over places he imagined would soothe Michael, and give him distraction, if he wanted it.
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