Don't Even Think About It... (Michael/Dare)

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael let the subject drop and searched for something to say to go along with the change. After a moment, he nodded, "Yeah, it usually is around this time. I used to go swimming all the time at home." Of course, that used to meant years before, back before he had had that Mark on his arm. He could never be comfortable enough with it to even wear a short-sleeved shirt, much less go swimming. "One of the few athletic things I was ever any good at," he added with a small smile. He could be decent at Quidditch, when he really focused on it, but he wasn't generally a participator, he would much rather watch.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare blinked, momentarily surprised that Michael had actually taken that as a conversation starter. It was a longstanding joke between himself and Silver, and it had always just been a short stop to whatever else was going on, not a topic to talk about on its own. But Michael's response was too interesting for Dare to want to interrupt it and explain, so he went with it, immensely grateful for the return of that ease between them. "I used to go down to the beach, or the pool," he said. "You had a pool at your house?" It wouldn't be surprising, but still, it was another thing to imagine.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael shook his head, "No, there was a pond out a little ways." He had lived out at the pond when he had been younger, then, as he had grown, had become more attached to the small forest nearby. Sometimes he really missed the swimming, but not enough to make him go out and let everybody see. "I've never been to the beach," he said, looking over at Dare. His parents had never been much for going on trips like that.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

"Really," Dare asked, his eyes meeting Michael's, absorbing the play of light in them. "My school was just off the beach, like Hogsmeade, so we'd go in groups on weekends when the weather was good. There was another beach a way off from where we lived, my family would go there in the summer a couple times. England is like, an Island isn't it? And you've never been to the beach?" That sounded like a wasted opportunity to Dare.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael shrugged, "Dad didn't think we needed to go to the beach, and mom was content to stay in the house and read or whatever. We didn't go on many vacation type things, stayed home mostly." Not that he regretted it, but it would have been nice to leave for a week or so and go somewhere else, see the places that others visited the country for. Or just to get away. But it wasn't something his father had thought their family needed to do, and so it never happened.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael's dad sounded like a stick in the mud, in addition to being a controlling bastard. Dare had no difficulty disliking him immensely, and it probably showed in his eyes. He raised his and Michael's hands to press a kiss against the back of Michael's. Maybe his family explained more about the way Michael was than Dare had thought. It seemed to explain the way Michael gravitated toward the comfortable, toward things he knew. "Maybe I'll take you to the beach some day," he suggested. "Or maybe we can go down to the lake sometime, just us."

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael smiled at that idea, at both of the ideas. The smile stayed on his lips as he spoke, "That would be nice. I don't think I've ever actually swam in the lake." The only time he had actually been out on the lake had been the boat party attack, but that was full of bad memories, and so he didn't let that thought cross his mind for more than a second before letting his thumb sweep over Dare's lightly.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

"I've been in to my ankles," Dare admitted. "When I first got to Hogwarts. I hadn't really...prepared to go swimming, and wet jeans are hell. You don't have swim trunks, do you?" Dare asked. He was excited at the idea of swimming in the lake. He'd decided long ago that any admonitions against going into the water were about as serious as those against the forest, so he'd dismissed them.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael shook his head, but shrugged, "I don't really need them, though." He had only had one pair back home, and they were only used when he knew someone other than himself and Emilian were going to be in the water, the rest of the time he just went in in whatever undershorts he had on at the time. "I mean, I'll wear something, always have, just rarely trunks." He hadn't seen the point in getting them when boxers or shorts worked just as well.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

It made sense, though for some reason, Dare's mind started turning in directions that it was safer not to. Dare wasn't sure whether to be glad for Michael's disclaimer that he'd wear something, or if it was the disclaimer that had knocked him into the gutter. Either way, he let it go; if he wanted to think it over, he could do that later, when he was alone. Dare looked at the pattern of bark on a large tree nearby as he said, "Tomorrow good? We can meet up somewhere and head out to the lake." He had his reasons for not suggesting they go immediately, but it could be a little awkward, so he didn't say anything.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

"Yeah, that's good, where do you want to meet?" Michael asked, refusing to let himself become worried about people seeing his Mark. Dare had seen it and was okay with it, and they could stay away from other people, it wouldn't be a big deal. While a little anxious from the thoughts he wasn't able to keep himself from thinking, he was beginning to feel a twinge of excitement at the prospect of getting in the water again.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

That had been painless. Dare let out a low breath of relief before turning his gaze back to Michael. "I don't know," he shrugged. "Maybe I'll stalk you down at the dungeons." His lips curved into his half-smile. He'd been at Hogwarts for just over two months and he already knew where three out of four Common Rooms were. He had suspicions about where the fourth was, but hadn't met a Hufflepuff to verify with, so it was still up in the air.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael grinned, "So you're going to be my stalker now." His hand tightened briefly around Dare's and his eyes sparkled lightly with laughter. "One day I'll feel eyes on me and turn around to see that silver quill turning around a corner." Which should come in any day, he added to himself. He let his mind go for a minute as he imagined having a stalker, then pulled himself back to the present, "That would be fine. I'll try not to hide."

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare's smile widened as he looked at Michael's eyes, looked into them, loving that teasing gleam after the seriousness of the morning. "It could get tricky working stalking into my busy schedule, but I'll see what I can do," Dare said, his eyes laughing right back at Michael's. "I'd rather be with you than stalking you, as much fun as it sounds." Dare raised their hands again, pressed another kiss to Michael's, though his gaze didn't shift.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael couldn't stop the flick of his eyes down to see the meeting of Dare's lips to the back of his hand, but brought them back up to Dare's once he had control again. "I suppose I can give up the thrill of having a stalker to have you with me instead," he said, letting his thumb move over Dare's and grinning. He couldn't think of much he wouldn't give up to be with Dare, when he thought about it.