Goodbyes

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare felt that moment of tension, and his gaze shifted to Michael again, watching him shrug and wondering if Michael was as fine as he seemed to think he was. He wasn't going to argue, though. If Michael wanted to stay, he'd stay. Dare looked at Michael a moment longer, then decided to just accept and go on. He gave Michael's hand a squeeze, then let go, drawing out his wand to summon his art box. "Let's get started," he suggested. Dare looked pointedly at Emilian, who Adara had gently dismissed, then toward Adara, and finally to Michael. You don't have to leave.

[Emilian Sota]

Emilian didn't argue with Adara over leaving, but leaned to press a light kiss into her hair before pulling himself away from her. It would probably be the only time he would have to get some things together, anyway, he told himself as he looked over at Michael. He raised an eyebrow, silently asking him to follow, and went to the bedroom.

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[Adara Snow]

Adara closed her eyes briefly at the soft feel of Emilian's kiss. It was only a very short distance between them now, and very brief, but it felt like too much. He was leaving in a matter of days. She wanted to spend every moment in his arms, absorb everything and remind herself how she knew he felt so that she could not convince herself later that she had imagined it. She allowed herself that moment of thought, of longing, then forced herself to shift her attention to those remaining in the room, and specifically to Dare. "I am ready whenever you are," she said.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael debated refusing to acknowledge Emilian's silent request, but knowing that Emilian would be gone in a few days pushed his discomfort aside and he pulled himself up. He looked over at Dare, meeting his eyes and trying to assure him through the look that he was, would be, fine. He took a breath to calm his blood and went around Dare's chair and to the bedroom, pausing at the open door before walking in.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare took a breath and shifted his attention to the girl on the couch, who looked more lost than him, and for good reason. Dare had heard enough--seen enough--to know this was going to be miserable for both of them. But he'd do what he could.

"I have a pose in mind," he said, breaking the silence and bringing them both back to the here and now. He'd thought about it a lot, actually, after curfew when he was the only Gryffindor in the dorms, after that day he'd walked in with Michael. He'd thought about the pictures that Emilian had liked best, had thought of the sides of Adara he'd seen, and those he could sense when she was with Emilian. He had an idea. "You're going to have to trust me."

[Adara Snow]

If it was strange that Dare would ask such a thing, Adara gave no sign. "Of course I will trust you," she said with a soft smile. She had no reason not to trust him, and every reason to give him her trust. After everything he had done for herself and Emilian, she could see no one but Emilian himself, and perhaps Michael, that she could trust more.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

That had been easy. It probably shouldn't have surprised him, but he knew he was taking a risk, here. If Emilian walked in, the sh~ would hit the fan, and his wordless taunting earlier would do nothing but fan the flames. It wasn't bad, wasn't intimate, but hell, Emilian had attacked Silver for talking to her. Dare took a deep breath. "Lie back on the couch," he said, gesturing which direction with a slight wave of his hand. He glanced around the room, then pushed to stand. "Do you think he'd mind if I moved a chair?" He desperately didn't want to get his ass beat to dust, even if he knew Michael would avenge him.

[Adara Snow]

Adara shook her head no, then shifted, following Dare's direction to lie on the couch, then adjusting her dress a bit. She was a bit nervous, but she trusted Dare, so she made no arguments. Whatever idea he had, she was certain that Emilian would like it. Still, though she had sat for portraits before, she had never lain for one before. "Will you tell me your idea?" Adara asked.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare's eyes paused on Adara a moment, thinking. There was no way in hell he'd tell her his idea. If she figured it out, it'd be fine, but he wasn't going to say it. Still, he couldn't just say that, so he told her the first thing that occurred to him. "It's a surprise." It sounded lame coming out, but it'd have to do. Dare broke his gaze from Adara and picked up one of the sturdier-looking antique chairs, drawing it up alongside the couch so he could perch on the arm, looking down at Adara from an angle without blocking the light from the windows. He paused, then warned, "I'm just going to move your hair, okay?" God, if he hadn't just been taunting Emilian, he knew he wouldn't be this uptight.

[Adara Snow]

Adara nodded, then held still, resting her hands lightly against her abdomen. She couldn't imagine what he had in mind, but it was certainly different, so she would wait and see. She liked surprises, and Emilian seemed to enjoy them as well. Adara's lips curved softly at that thought, and a light blush rose into her cheeks. She dropped her gaze away from Dare as she worked to bring her thoughts to a more appropriate place; she was sitting--lying--for a portrait, not daydreaming in her bed.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare let the silence lie while he adjusted Adara's hair just so around her neck and shoulders. Then he sat back and looked at her again. This was the part that would get him hexed if Emilian walked in. Dare glanced over his shoulder, finding a safely shut door, then reached for his sketchbook. He mentally went over the pictures Emilian had pointed out, then took yet another deep breath. "Would you undo the top few buttons of your dress?" Dare asked softly. "I won't touch you, I promise."

[Adara Snow]

Now that surprised Adara. Her eyes widened slightly, then she glanced away, the rose in her cheeks blooming. Still, she trusted him, didn't she? Yes. Then her response was simple. Adara bit her lip as her fingers rose, slipping the buttons loose with lightly shivering fingers. She didn't know what he was doing-it's a surprise--and it unnerved her.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Thank God. For one long moment, he'd expected her to refuse, or to demand to know what he was up to. But how was he supposed to explain? He'd thought about it, about the quiet innocent she seemed, and about those moments he'd seen her and Emilian together, the way Emilian looked at her, the way he looked when he talked about her. Seeing them sitting beside one another today had only solidified his decision. It was going to be that combination of innocence and underlying sexual tension that he was going to try to capture. He prayed Emilian would like the ends enough to justify the means.

"I'm just going to...adjust this," Dare announced, reaching gingerly for the edges of Adara's shirt. Each of the pictures Dare had shown Emilian had focused on a different aspect of Adara--her eyes, mouth, hair, body--and Emilian had chosen eyes and body, so that was what Dare would showcase. Assuming Emilian didn't walk in and murder him.

When Dare had Adara's hair and dress arranged the way he wanted them, he straightened again, looked at her critically, then abruptly turned to getting his supplies ready. "Just stay like that," he said. "If you're uncomfortable, I'm sorry. I swear it'll get easier in a couple minutes." Dare flipped open his sketchbook, then turned his gaze back to Adara. "And you're going to have to look at me."

[Adara Snow]

Adara blinked again, trying to throw off the burning sensation of having had Dare's hands so very close to such a sensitive area of her body. Knowing that he was going to look at her didn't help, either. Still, hadn't Emilian said that he would have her drawn nude, if he thought that she would participate in such a thing? Adara sighed softly, then turned her gaze to Dare, pushing her reservations aside. "I think that Emilian will enjoy this picture," she told him.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare's gaze locked onto Adara's at her softly spoken words. He could tell by the look in her eyes that she understood, at least partially, what he was doing. He exhaled a long breath of relief, then reached for a pale color to begin sketching. He hoped he could keep that expression on her face, the soft blush, the wide, innocently knowing eyes. He didn't speak for now, but drew, letting his vision begin to become reality.