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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Aug 28, 2008 10:34:50 GMT -5
Michael pulled to a stop, laughing as he watched Dare through wet hair and floated in the water. He brought one hand up to wipe his eyes before calling after him, "Fine, you win!" He grinned and relaxed in the water, moving his arms and legs lazily through it as he let his heart and breathing come back down to normal after the exertion. Years before it wouldn't have been a problem, but he hadn't gone swimming in so long that just the short stint was enough to leave him winded.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Aug 28, 2008 10:43:56 GMT -5
Dare stopped, then turned back to Michael, still grinning. He made his way back slowly, letting muscles he'd pushed hard for that victory begin to cool down. He was still breathing faster, still feeling his heart pushing blood through his veins, when he reached Michael's side. Dare treaded water, trying to lessen his grin for Michael, but it was impossible. It was more than the victory. Dare drew closer, one hand moving beneath the water without his permission to settle at Michael's side as Dare claimed a slow kiss.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Aug 28, 2008 11:08:43 GMT -5
Michael moved one hand to Dare's side, the other moving to keep him above the water, and returned the kiss with slow, steady motions. When he broke the kiss he looked into Dare's eyes, grinning as he did so. "You don't look half bad yourself," he said, still grinning broadly, then turned his eyes to the shore for a moment before pulling his hand from Dare's side with a gentle sweep over slick skin and looking back up at him.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Aug 28, 2008 12:54:05 GMT -5
Dare was left grinning and breathless from those words, as casually as Michael might have said them, and that sweep of his hand had set Dare's heart racing again. Warmth spread through him from his side to his abdomen, and it was all Dare could do not to kiss Michael again. "Thanks," he managed to say, smiling crookedly.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Aug 28, 2008 13:03:57 GMT -5
Michael looked down at Dare's mouth, that crooked smile pulling his eyes like a magnet. He felt like he had loved that smile since day one. He grinned as he looked back up to Dare's eyes before leaning in to give him a short kiss. Then he pulled back and, his eyes sparkling, started that lazy backstroke again, watching Dare the whole time. "You are very welcome."
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Aug 28, 2008 13:16:14 GMT -5
Dare treaded water, watching Michael just as intently as Michael watched him. "I love you," he said, enjoying the wash of warmth just saying the words, knowing he meant them, had given him. He loved Michael, loved seeing him open up like this, loved everything that simmered between them. He took a moment to just soak everything up, the heat of the sun on his skin, the cool water, the glimpses of Michael's body he got through the water. He couldn't seem to stop looking. Or trying to, at least.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Aug 28, 2008 13:25:54 GMT -5
"I love you, too," Michael said, smiling. He felt good, the way he usually felt with Dare, and he couldn't believe that before Dare he hadn't been so happy, because it felt like he had always felt that way. He tried to think of a way to loosen up everything, but for the moment he was enjoying the easy comfort and relaxation that he had become accustomed to when with Dare. He met Dare's eyes as the distance between them slowly increased.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Aug 28, 2008 19:54:37 GMT -5
Dare's smile quirked again as he moved forward to catch up with Michael. Maybe he was a little addicted to the guy, but it was only because Michael brought out the best in him. He didn't even know how, but that was the way it was. Michael had opened him up just as much as he'd opened Michael. Dare moved up alongside Michael and began to keep pace with him, watching him idly, and watching Michael watch him. There was another thing that amazed him. Most people couldn't handle being looked at very long, but Michael...Dare's smile widened.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Aug 29, 2008 11:52:32 GMT -5
Michael let the silence stretch for a few more long, comfortable seconds, before a mischievous glint entered his eyes and he grinned before diving backwards underneath the surface of the water. In the water, his hand found one of Dare's ankles and he gave it a quick downward tug before he raced to the surface a couple of yards away. There he shot a grin over his shoulder, though the look wasn't long enough to really see anything, and started off again, realizing again how much he had missed being in the water and rough housing.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Aug 29, 2008 20:25:01 GMT -5
Dare had only grinned as Michael went under, but the next thing he knew, he was going under too. It was brief, but more than enough to soak his hair, and to have him sputtering when he surfaced. Dare pushed dripping hair back out of his face, laughing as he scanned the water for Michael. "Bastard, you got my hair wet!" he called, eyes glittering. His hair was slicked back for the moment, but he knew that before long, it'd start curling up, and the similarity to his brother would be more obvious. With his hard work ruined, Dare thought nothing of submerging, and dove under the water, speeding toward Michael.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Aug 29, 2008 20:33:14 GMT -5
Michael grinned when he heard Dare call after him, but didn't look back, knowing that if he did it meant that Dare would only catch him all the sooner. It would happen eventually, but no pause made it seem like he had a chance. He didn't know why it would be a big deal that Dare's hair was wet, it didn't occur to him that his hair wasn't naturally straight. He made a small turn and risked a glance back, but didn't see Dare, so all he could do was try harder to stay away from where ever in the water Dare was.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Aug 29, 2008 20:38:18 GMT -5
Dare had to come up for air once on the way after Michael, who'd had not only a head start, but the element of surprise on his side. But he had no issues opening his eyes underwater, so he tracked the narrowing distance between them by watching the motion of Michael's legs through the slightly murky water. He found himself watching a bit more intently than perhaps he should have, but since it didn't slow him, he didn't chastise himself. His lips spread into a grin as he put on one last burst of speed and pulled up close to Michael, in one swift motion grabbing his ankle and pulling, and using that motion to push him to the surface for air.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Aug 29, 2008 20:47:44 GMT -5
Michael grabbed a quick breath when he felt the hand on his ankle before his head dropped below the surface. When he pulled himself back up he turned to face Dare, and his eyes swept quickly over the sight of the dripping hair around his face. He smirked and moved his hand half below the surface of the water, sending a wall of water towards him. "So what if I got your hair wet?" he asked, still grinning.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Aug 29, 2008 20:59:11 GMT -5
Dare reflexively turned his face away from that splash, for all the good it did him. When he turned back, his eyes were glittering. Dare returned Michael's splash enthusiastically, though he didn't think that was nearly enough. "So I owe you for that," he said. But Michael's hair was already soaked, so he couldn't very well just dunk him.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Aug 29, 2008 21:07:42 GMT -5
Michael wiped his eyes quickly before sending another splash Dare's way. "What are you going to do?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Should I be afraid?" His eyes sparkled and he pulled himself back a couple of feet from whatever retaliation Dare had planned. He made a mental note to try to get out swimming more often when the weather was appropriate, which wouldn't be for much longer before they were forced to bundle up.
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