Outed! (Michael/Dare)

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare lifted Michael's hand, drawing it to his lips for a kiss before giving it a light squeeze. "I should write him now, before I lose my nerve," he said. He didn't want to let go of Michael, didn't want Michael to lift his head, but it had to be done. If he put it off, he'd just keep putting it off and it wouldn't get done. "Do you want some parchment for your mom?" Dare had stopped by the dorm to get his bookbag, so he had more than enough for both of them.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael sighed and reluctantly pulled his head up from Dare's. He didn't particularly want to write it, he wanted to put it off as long as possible, perhaps hope that it would get forgotten if he just didn't send anything. "I guess so," he said after a second, looking down at their hands. He still didn't want to pull away from Dare, but the sooner he started, the more likely he was to actually finish it and send it off.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare's sigh followed Michael's and he forced himself to raise his head. It took him a moment to squeeze Michael's hand and let go, then he leaned down, reaching for his bookbag on the floor by his feet. He flipped the flap open and dug around in the bottom for a couple quills, but his hand bumped against something smooth and cool. Dare's hand shifted to curl around a small glass bottle and lifted it out, his brows creasing. "What is this?" He turned it to look at the label, then after a moment his eyes widened when he realized what it was. Lube.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael looked over Dare's shoulder, his eyes narrowing slightly as he recognized what it was. While slightly different, it was similar enough to recognize the same thing Emilian had kept. His eyes flicked to Dare, his mind immediately taking the wrong direction, though he worked his thought away from the idea Dare had brought it for a reason with logic. If he had, he wouldn't have that look on his face. "Where did it come from?" he asked, once he got over the shock of seeing it.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare nearly choked on the words. "I don't know!" he said, praying Michael didn't think he'd brought it. "It isn't mine, I don't know, maybe one of the guys in the dorm?" It had to be, he hadn't left his bookbag anywhere else. It had been sitting by his bedside table right where he'd left it...no, it had been sitting by his trunk. "God, what'd I ever do to them?!" Dare bent again and stuffed it back into his bag, shaky hands retrieving the parchment and quills he'd gone in after the first time. Dare's lips pressed tight, and the bridge of his nose burned.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael let his feet drop to the floor and he twisted to put his arms around Dare. He looked down at Dare's bag, then quickly away, and tried to fight away ideas of what his own dorm mates were going to do to his things. He knew they had just broken contact to do...something, but he felt that the contact was needed after that, at least for a few moments. "The next few weeks are going to be Hell," he said softly.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare let go of the quills and parchment, his arms wrapping tightly around Michael. "I don't want to do this, Michael," he said, the words muffling as he buried his face in Michael's hair. He didn't want the stares, the slurs, even if they were only whispers in the corridor. For all that he didn't care about labels or what people in general thought, this was bigger than being the kid with the weird hair, bigger than being that guy who's always drawing something.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael closed his eyes tightly and shook his head against Dare's neck. He wasn't looking forward to it any more than Dare was and he was almost afraid to go back to the dorm room, to see if anything had been done. He'd have to, eventually, he knew, he couldn't justify too long without going up to the dorm, but if he could get up there and pack some things... "I hate her," he admitted, barely loud enough to be heard.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare nodded his head. He'd heard Michael's softly spoken words, and he agreed. If he were the vengeful type, he'd already be planning something, but he couldn't think of anything, anyway. Dare hugged Michael tighter, then turned to press a kiss against the red hair fallen down over his neck. "We'll stick together, we won't let them...hurt us." He wouldn't let this hurt his relationship with Michael, wouldn't let it pull them apart. He wouldn't cower and take the easy path. And he knew Michael wouldn't, either.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael nodded, only to then tighten his arms around Dare and nuzzle into his neck. They could make it through, it would be hard, but Michael had faith that they could do it. Their relationship was strong enough to survive. And to think that Emilian leaving had made Michael think that there would be at least a momentary end to their troubles. It really was never-ending, but there was nothing to be done about it.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare just held Michael for the longest time, soaking up whatever comfort he could take, and giving everything he could. He wanted to kiss him, to take more comfort, to distract them, but it didn't feel right, or maybe he thought Michael wouldn't feel right about it, not with everything that they'd been talking about. "We should write our letters," Dare said softly. He couldn't seem to let go of Michael, though. He wanted to just hold him, kiss him, and let the world go to hell.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael sighed and nodded, but didn't immediately let go. He would have been fine to stay just like they were for the rest of the day. Eventually, though, he loosened his arms, pulling his hands down to Dare's sides and kissing his neck lightly before picking his head up. "I have no idea how she's going to react," he said, reaching up to run a hand through Dare's hair before reluctantly dropping it.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare silently lamented the loss of Michael's warmth, but resisted the strong urge to just grab him again. He needed to get this done so he'd stop thinking about it. "You had no idea how she'd react last time, either," Dare said. "It's worth a chance, isn't it?" It had to be. Dare sighed and gathered up the parchment and quills that had slid off his lap onto the couch. He passed half to Michael, along with a book to write against, then stared at his paper. Start at the beginning. Dare began to write.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael watched Dare for a second, but looked away before he could be tempted to read the letter as it formed and turned his eyes down to the materials in his own hands. He didn't know where to start, he couldn't think if his mother would want to know the story or just assurance. He shifted, pushing himself up to cross his legs and set the book and parchment on one thigh to start to write. It wasn't planned, he just let the words come as they wanted to, somehow knowing that it would work itself out.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

When Dare had finished his rather short letter, he read it over. He could write, but he didn't usually care enough to catch minor slip-ups, so he looked over those at the content.

Dear dad,

I know you've already read the daily prophet by now but i thought i should write you anyway and explain. I won't say its not true but i want you to know why it happened. I met Michael when we were just drawing together and things just happened but i'm really happy Dad. It was just trying something out at first, experiencing life like mom always said, but i'm happier than i've been since mom died and i think i'm happier than i've ever been. It's not anything like the daily prophet says. You know they exaggerate, you've seen it before. We're more than friends but we're not like that. Michael is a really great guy and I know you'd like him if you gave him a chance.

Love always,

Alasdair

Dare turned his head a bit to watch Michael, letting his letter rest on his lap.