Pain

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

That, of course, made Michael wonder why he hadn't just said that in the first place. So he nodded, agreeing even as something told him that there was another layer to it other than a simple I'm not ready. But it was the best explanation he could come up with, so it was what he settled on. "Yes," he said softly, nodding again. He pulled a hand out of his pocket to rub at his eyes, realizing how tired he was after the sleepless night and unshed tears.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

"Will you come here, then?" Dare asked, lifting his head just enough to see Michael through the curtain of his fringe. "I just...I'm sorry. I didn't understand." He lowered his head again, shaking it slowly. "I'm sorry," he murmured again. He'd assed everything up again, and he didn't even know how.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

"It's okay," Michael said, forcing his feet to move towards Dare. "Can I ask you a favor, though?" he asked, his voice soft. He felt awkward asking, but he didn't like that Dare had brought Anna into it. Michael never got hung up on the fact that Dare had been with other guys and girls, it was only to be expected that there would be others in the past.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare had no idea what Michael was thinking, his own mind numb with the release of worry. He nodded, but couldn't seem to look up at Michael just yet. "Anything," he said, dragging his hands out of his pockets. After everything he'd put Michael through, just for not being ready, he didn't think there was anything Michael could ask him that he wouldn't do.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael reached up and brushed the hair from Dare's face, "Don't bring Anna into anything." He looked up at Dare, "Don't compare our relationship to her, okay?" It wasn't fair to either of them for Dare to compare what Michael said about him to what he had said about Anna, it only caused insecurities and discomfort.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare's eyes rose to meet Michael's, then dropped again as he nodded. "I won't," he promised. "I'm sorry, I was just...stupid." He hadn't been thinking clearly, and he'd gone straight back to the old insecurity that Silver had insinuated into his mind about Michael tossing the word love around. Dare closed his eyes, just wanting to feel Michael's hand against him. "Are you mad at me?" he asked. Not that he'd blame Michael.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

"No," Michael said, shaking his head, though if Dare had asked earlier, it might have been a different answer. Frustrated, probably. "And you're not stupid," he assured, reaching out for Dare's hand with the one that wasn't messing idly with Dare's hair. He searched Dare's face, looking for some clue before asking. "Are you okay?"

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare nodded, and his hand shifted against Michael's, turning to thread their fingers together. "Just tired," he said. Dare sighed heavily, then lifted his gaze at last to find Michael looking concerned. He watched him a moment, then brought his free hand up, letting his fingers trace the line of Michael's jaw. "I really do love you," he said, as though that had been an issue at any point. But he felt like it needed said. He wanted to be sure Michael knew. Dare's thumb swept lightly against Michael's bottom lip, and he watched the path, letting the motion and the visual, letting the feel of Michael's hand in his hair, begin to relax him.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael instinctively kissed that thumb before he replied, "I love you, too." One corner of his mouth turned up in a smile and he ran his hand through Dare's hair slowly, his eyes following the path before lighting up, "You know, I almost miss the curls." He hoped to get a smile out of Dare, the day had been much too tense for his liking and a smile would help more than Dare knew, especially after the past few minutes.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare was glad for the change of subject, and he embraced it wholeheartedly.His lips curved crookedly, and his eyes rose from his fingers to meet Michael's gaze. "It's a good thing it's just almost," he said, "because I'm not leaving my hair like that on purpose." Dare liked his hair the way it was...after he'd styled it. But Dare wasn't interested in his hair right now. He wanted wordless confirmation that everything was okay between them. He wanted to know that words weren't just words. Dare's gaze dropped to Michael's lips for one brief moment before Dare kissed him softly.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael grinned at Dare's reaction, and at the smile that was his reward for what he said. Then the kiss. His hand moved through to the back of Dare's head as he returned it, keeping it slow and full of emotion, a silent assurance that he was fine as long as Dare was. He felt like it was over and was so glad that he didn't have that tension anymore. Though it was still there, in the back of his mind, he didn't feel it was a big issue.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare took everything Michael said with the kiss gratefully, echoing it back. As far as he was concerned, the problem was resolved, leaving nothing more or less than the desire for intimacy, closeness. Dare's hand tightened against Michael's, then regretfully slid free, but he wanted to touch Michael, wanted to show him everything Michael was comfortable enough to take. His hands slid into Michael's hair as he shifted closer, then palms and fingers shifted down the back of his neck to his shoulders, and the tension in his body began to melt away.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael brought his free hand to Dare's side, his subconscious reminding him to keep it low even as the other abandoned its post in Dare's hair to join it. He shifted along with Dare, ignoring the slight shock of pain that was beginning to form in his shoulders thanks to the sun. He tilted his head and deepened the kiss, trying to somehow match with the kiss the intense emotions that ran through him.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare's brows knitted at the growing intensity of the kiss, but he melted into it all the same, even as his mind began to spin. His hands slid from Michael's shoulders to his arms, then up and around, cruising Michael's upper body. He tensed for one brief moment as he braced himself, then pressed against Michael, the initial burning pain fading, paling in comparison to being able to hold Michael. His hands held tight at Michael's waist for that moment, then loosened just a bit as the pain lessened.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael's hands had tightened in their spots at Dare's sides, though he didn't push him away, not when he felt Dare relax. He still kept his hands low, though, moving them around to Dare's back. It was partly selfish, wanting the comfort of being in Dare's arms, and of holding Dare in his, after the long, hard day. Deep in his mind he reminded himself not to let things get carried away, however little control he had over it at that point.