Another Night In (Michael/Dare)

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare's brows rose again before his eyes brightened with interest. "I'd love to see it," he said. He couldn't imagine Michael going back while his father was still alive, not with everything else Dare had heard about the man, but someday. It warmed Dare thinking of it: someday. Dare pressed his lips lightly to Michael's, then pulled back, looking into those earthy, expressive eyes he loved so much. He couldn't promise to return Michael's favor, but it reminded him that he owed Michael a trip to the beach. Someday.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael held Dare's gaze for long moments, then leaned in to kiss him softly. His free hand came up to run through Dare's hair and his shoulders turned towards him. Someday. That word had been out of his mouth before he had really thought about it, but somehow he was certain that there would be a someday. He had loved before, or perhaps only thought he loved, but he knew that it was different with Dare, and he couldn't imagine being without him.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare was perfectly happy to keep the kiss light and flowing between them. His hand smoothed briefly against Michael's knee just once more, then rose, curving lightly against Michael's wrist, then following the path of his arm back to Michael's shoulders. What he had with Michael was so beautiful, he couldn't imagine how anyone could abuse it, why anyone would want sex over this connection. Why anyone would judge. "God, I love you, Michael," Dare murmured against his lips.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

"I love you, too," Michael said, just as softly, his eyes closed tightly with the intensity of the emotion. He pressed his forehead to Dare's and just let himself take in the feelings flowing through him. When he finally opened his eyes enough to see out of, he took in Dare's face, slowly examining every little part, then closed his eyes again and pressed another light kiss to Dare's lips.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare could feel Michael watching him, and his lips only curved slightly in response. He still marveled at how things could be so easy and yet so intense, was still amazed at how much he could feel for one person. Dare's tongue swept briefly across his lips, wanting to say something he knew he shouldn't say just yet. It was too soon, he told himself. Far too soon, and just because he was ready to ask didn't mean Michael was ready to give him the answer he desperately wanted to hear. But the thought was there, and he couldn't seem to push it away.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael brought his hand down from Dare's hair to wrap around his waist with the other. He watched Dare a few more moments before letting his head rest on Dare's shoulder, nuzzling lightly into his neck. While it wasn't really the best position, Michael was happy to stay as he was with Dare, the easy intimacy and extreme comfort enough to last him a long time.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare sighed lightly and curled his arms around Michael, closing his eyes to just enjoy the moment. The desire to say those words now faded enough to be manageable as they held one another in the quiet of the room. Eventually they had shifted on the bed, laying beside one another and talking softly about nothing and everything, sharing casual touches and the occasional brief kiss. It was relaxing, beautiful, and as the time passed, Dare didn't even notice, he was so lost with Michael.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael didn't notice that it was getting late until he realized he was having a hard time keeping his eyes open and he yawned for the third time in a row. He didn't want to move, didn't want to get up and go change, but since he had went through the trouble of going to his dorm, it would have been a waste not to. He forced himself out of the comfortable haze he had been in for the past hours, and yawned again before speaking, "I think I'm going to go change," he said, though he made no move to get up.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare's lips curved at Michael's declaration. "Thinking about it won't get you very far," he teased. It looked like Dare would get to take his time in the bathroom while Michael passed out again, and he really didn't mind. He'd gotten more than enough teasing for taking care with his appearance from his family. "You go first," Dare said, forcing himself to sit, then offering Michael a hand up. He didn't want to move either, but for all that Dare felt comfortable in his clothes during the day, it was entirely different sleeping on a chunky belt for eight hours.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael laughed lightly and pulled himself up, smiling at Dare. He leaned over for just one more kiss, just one more before he climbed out of the bed and picked up his bag. "I won't be long," he said, then reluctantly pulled his eyes away from Dare and went into the bathroom. His own nightly routine wouldn't take very long, it was little more than changing clothes.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

While Michael was gone, Dare did some brief cleaning up, stacking sketchbooks out of the way and kicking their shoes toward the foot of the bed, where they'd be less likely to be tripped over. He considered looking in the creme sketchbook, but Michael had said he didn't want to see, and so Dare would wait until after Michael had fallen asleep. Dare yawned and stretched as he looked at the bed, waking himself up just a bit. Normally he needed some time to wind down, but talking with Michael had done that for him. He needed to stay awake just a while longer, to get ready for bed, and to view the rest of Michael's story.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael stepped out of the bathroom a few minutes later, glad to be out of jeans and into more comfortable fabric for the first time in a few days. He was in a pair of long black knit pants that flared out over his feet and a gray long-sleeved shirt that he was wearing more out of habit than need to wear a shirt with Dare and that clung to his body. He had wondered faintly if Dare would say something, considering Michael had said before how much he liked his baggy clothes, but the shirt was comfortable and he was used to wearing it for bed. "Sorry if I don't make it long enough for you to get back," he said after a yawn.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare's lips curved, and there was no stopping the motion of his eyes down Michael's body. That clinging shirt was a massive tease. Why did it surprise him that Michael even wore long sleeves to bed? "It's fine," Dare said, his eyes returning to Michael's. He slung his bag over his shoulder, then crossed toward Michael, wrapping one arm around his waist and pulling him in for a kiss. When he finally pulled back, his gaze dropped for another moment, then he inhaled deeply and stepped away. "Don't wait up," he said, then turned to the bathroom, locking the door behind him.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

The kiss had been unexpected, but very welcome and made his chest warm, though that was partially accredited to the way Dare had looked at him before and after. Michael watched Dare leave and then let his bag drop at the edge of the bed before he went to pull down his sleeves out of pure habit, only to find that they were already around his knuckles from years of being tugged down. He pulled back the blankets and was asleep soon after he lay down and pulled them up to his chest.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

It was some time later before Dare returned, curls lightly edging his face, which shone from his moisturizer. His fringe was pushed back out of the way, and again, he wore his low-slung grey sleep bottoms with the white stripes at the sides. His gaze found Michael asleep on the bed and paused as his lips curved. Then he turned to set his bag down and caught sight of Michael's sketchbooks. I don't want to see it.

Dare glanced at Michael again, then slipped the creme-colored book from beneath the red and took it with him to settle on the director's chair beside the wardrobe. He sat cross-legged as best as he could, his legs leaning on either side against the arms, then opened the book in his lap, taking his time with each drawing, watching as they grew darker and more pained. More disturbed.

When he'd finally closed the book, Dare sat for some indeterminable time, staring down at the peaceful creme cover, shaken. Then he rose, tucked the sketchbook back beneath its red companion, and slipped beneath the covers of the bed, shuffling up behind Michael to wrap his arms tightly around him. Dare buried his face in Michael's neck, breathing him in, comforting and reassuring himself.