I'm Fine, Honest (Dare/Michael)

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Soon, Michael felt his muscles relax, muscles that he hadn't even realized were tense, and realized how much better he felt. He still worried that things would be different, that he had somehow messed things up. But he forced himself to not think about it and, once he did, it was easy to focus completely on the kiss. His hand tightened around Dare's and the fingers of the other moved lightly on the back of his hand.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

It was hard for Dare to try and keep enough of his mind working that he wouldn't forget, but he did forget, and so as things heated, he found himself pressing Michael lightly back against the tree. He found his other hand spearing into Michael's hair, holding him steady against the kiss. He found himself wanting to open the hand that held Michael's, to smooth his palm against Michael's leg. Dare groaned lightly, but tried to work through it, concentrating on the kiss.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael felt as though every few seconds he was sending out feelers, trying to make sure that there wasn't danger just yet, that there was no reason to panic. His hands stayed where they were, convinced that if he tried hard enough he could do that and they could have a day for his nerves to calm down. It was hard, though, when his mind kept going back to the day before, and to the marks visible against his skin.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare wanted more, wanted things he and Michael had done before that Michael hadn't said anything against, but still, he kept waiting to come up against Michael's wall. He kept expecting to feel Michael tense up. He didn't want to stop, but it was hard to enjoy himself when he was waiting to be stopped. Dare's brows knitted, but he couldn't just push through, not today. He broke the kiss, taking quick breaths and shaking his head lightly. "I'm sorry," he said. "I'm sorry, I just keep thinking..." I want more.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael was shocked by the end of the kiss, and looked at Dare with wide eyes when he finally realized that Dare had stopped. He was confused, until Dare spoke, then he cringed slightly. "You haven't done anything, though," he argued. He had been afraid of something like that happening, the awkwardness. "I'll say something..." But he hadn't last time, had he?

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare's brows remained creased, though he couldn't take his eyes from Michael's. "You swear you'll say something?" he asked. As much as he wanted it, he didn't want Michael just going along with it like he apparently had last time. But he said he liked it, Dare reminded himself. He'd liked it, but it hadn't felt right. "Swear you will, and I'll let it go," Dare said.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael's eyes widened again and he licked his lips before he nodded, "Swear." He had been able to do it before, hadn't he? And he hadn't technically been against anything they had done the day before. It had only been after the fact that he had had a problem with it. "I'll say something." He just hoped he wouldn't get caught up like before.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare looked intently into Michael's eyes, but even if he had been able to see some sign that Michael was just saying it because Dare had insisted, he wanted so badly to just go on that he let it go. He'd said he would, hadn't he? "Kiss me, then," Dare said, smoothing his hand lightly through Michael's hair. "You lead today. Show me what's okay." It was hard to let go of, but if Michael led, then he couldn't argue, not even with himself.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael paused for a moment, unsure about being able to do it, but he nodded and didn't let himself have another moment to argue with himself before he leaned in to kiss Dare. A part of his subconscious kept him from reaching around Dare's neck like he usually would have, instead he kept his hands down around Dare's, at least until he was more comfortable.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare didn't know what to expect. Michael had never been in control for more than a short time before he'd given it back, or Dare had taken it back. He didn't intend to be cold or immobile, though. Just to make sure he wasn't the one to take any first steps. So Dare returned Michael's kiss, and kept his hands where they were, one wrapped in Michael's, the other sifting through the hair at the side of Michael's head.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael wasn't sure what to do, not because he hadn't ever been in control before, but because he hadn't really been in control with Dare. He was afraid to do something that would contradict something he had said. It didn't take too long, though, before he was able to relax and just do whatever came naturally. One hand broke away from Dare's, the other remaining with their fingers linked, and went up to thread through Dare's hair.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare was glad to feel Michael move, even as small a motion as it was. He told himself to relax and just enjoy the ride, and so, though part of him had to remain lucid, he let the rest melt into the kiss. Dare couldn't have said why it felt so different, if it was because of everything they'd talked about, or just because Michael was in charge. Either way, he couldn't stop himself from a slight deepening of the kiss, a wordless assurance that whatever Michael wanted, Dare wanted too.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael couldn't immediately think about what he wanted to do, and he was so used to Dare making the moves that his instincts weren't guiding him. He tilted his head into the kiss and opened his lips to deepen it. He let his hand run through Dare's hair again before turning towards him, squeezing his hand, and pulling it away to rest lightly on Dare's side.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare echoed the movement, his own hand, free now, shifting to slip behind Michael's back, wrapping lightly around the other side of him. He wanted to pull Michael tight against him, wanted to press him back against the tree, but it wouldn't be right just now. They were taking this step by step, so he breathed in deeply through his nose and kept his concentration on the kiss, on everything that came with it. I love you, Michael. You're worth waiting for. I want whatever you'll give me. I want you.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael ran his hand through Dare's hair one more time before letting it fall down to his other side. They moved together up and down Dare's sides and then around to his back, feeling the lines. The heat he could feel through the fabric didn't register to his mind, which was already becoming hazy. There was continuous shock as he waited for Dare to do something and then it wouldn't happen, and he was constantly realizing again that Dare wasn't the one in control this time.