Another Night In (Michael/Dare)

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

When Michael woke the next morning, he didn't open his eyes more than enough to be sure it really was Dare there with him before closing them again and smiling as he shifted. His eyebrows came together then, and he squeezed his eyes shut as he tried to make sense of all the feelings of Dare against him. His head rested against Dare's, the glimpse he had gotten before had been of Dare's lips. His arms were wrapped around Dare, and, surprisingly, so were his legs.

No, surely not, Michael wouldn't have ended up like that. He pulled his eyes open, sure that it was just some strange trick of his mind, but no, the leg he could see was draped over Dare's thighs. And it was quite obvious that at least Dare's body realized the position they were in. Michael resisted the urge to pull away quickly without thought of Dare's sleep, but glanced up at Dare as he tried to pull his leg away to a more normal spot, think that, if Dare didn't wake up, he could pretend the situation hadn't happened.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare was resisting leaving his dream, but he could feel that slight motion against him, and he responded to it. His hand at Michael's lower back slid around his hip, down and around the back of his thigh, guiding it higher against him. He made a low sound, something between a sleepy groan and a hum, shifting lightly into a more comfortable position. He sighed heavily, comfortably, his lips curving ever slightly, then stilled again, floating in his dream world. He wasn't used to having anyone else in bed with him, so whatever he felt as he'd hovered near waking could only have been an extra element to that dream.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael's eyes had shot up to Dare's, only to see that Dare was still asleep, and then back down towards where Dare was now holding him in that awkward position. He paused and then unwrapped his arm from around Dare to go down and take his hand, pulling it up and away from his leg. The look he had seen on Dare's face would have made Michael feel guilty, had he not felt so very uncomfortable with the position they were in. So he pulled his leg back, away from its spot around Dare.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare's hand had settled heavily against Michael, but at the loss of heat from Michael's leg, Dare shifted, his lips curving into a half-asleep version of his crooked smile. He rolled half over Michael, nuzzling into his neck as he caught the teasing Michael in his dream. One leg slid slowly between Michael's, more or less pinning him beneath Dare's sleep-heavy weight. Dare pressed one unaware kiss to Michael's neck, then sighed and relaxed again.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael's eyes widened and he tried to figure out how in the world he was going to get out of the situation. He tried not to focus on the leg that was between his, because it in itself was enough to make him want to push Dare away and climb out of the bed. He didn't know why his body was beginning to have the beginnings of panic flow through it, Dare was asleep, he didn't know what he was doing. Michael banished the thought that Dare wasn't really asleep the moment it came to his mind.

Michael pulled himself up in the bed, farther on the pillow as he tried to avoid some of the uncomfortable feelings that sprang from the leg between his. He didn't move very far, Dare's dead weight prevented that, and he quickly realized he wasn't going to be able to get up unless Dare did. He took a breath and spoke, "Dare, get up," he said, his voice soft with the remnants of sleep and the awkward feelings.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare mumbled something about Sunday and needing untied first, then shifted, his lips widening in a yawn as he stretched his long legs down across the bed, partially freeing Michael. His hand slid against the light shirt at Michael's waist, and he cracked his eyes open, only to realize that he was pressing Michael to the bed, and pressing a painfully firm part of his body against the crook of Michael's hip. Dare's eyes widened, sleep thrown off almost entirely with that thought, but was Michael... yes, Dare could tell just by the tension in Michael's body that he was awake, and already had his walls up.

Dare's heart raced as his eyes rose slowly to find Michael's. Then his brows rose, like a child who'd just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He didn't even realize where his legs had been, but just by the look on Michael's face, he must have said or done something. Dare's gaze dropped and he rolled to his back, then, realizing how bad an idea that was, considering his physical state, he brought his knees up, attempting to, if not disguise it, then at least make it less obvious. His right arm rose, then laid across his eyes as he tried to breathe, tried to calm himself.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael sighed softly in relief when Dare moved off of him, and pulled himself up on the bed to sit. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath before his eyes opened again. He shot a quick glance towards Dare before avoiding looking at him, his eyes turning to a spot on the blankets that was wrinkled in a way that was suddenly interesting to him. His arms crossed in front of his stomach, what was he supposed to do now?

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare felt near exploding, and it was all he could do for the next however long just to keep from lunging out of bed for the bathroom. But even through the physical desperation, he could feel Michael next to him, and he couldn't do it, couldn't run and leave Michael thinking there was something wrong. Dare left his arm over his eyes for the moment, but reached his other hand out, finding Michael's leg. He patted it, then held his hand up lightly, silently asking for their connection, just that contact of hands so he knew that whatever he'd done he hadn't scared Michael too badly. He'd been with Michael in this condition before, to varying extents, but it had always been in the heat of things, and Michael had been with him. Dare moved his arm slightly after a moment and looked out, drawing his gaze hopefully up to Michael's. Forgive me?

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael had been about to get up, but resisted when he felt the movement from Dare. He had tensed ever so slightly when he had felt that hand on his leg, but relaxed when he reminded himself that it was nothing. And his eyes locked onto Dare's hand when it rose, pausing a moment before reaching out and taking it. He didn't speak still, though he met Dare's eyes and nodded slightly, he wasn't going to blame Dare for what had happened.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare still didn't know what he'd done. He'd woken from an insanely good dream less than ten minutes ago lying on top of a panicked Michael, and that was all. Michael was still in a panic, Dare had felt it when Michael jumped, and he could feel it now in the tension of his hand. He almost asked, what did I do? but when his lips parted, he found himself asking Michael, "Are you okay?" He didn't think so, but what could he do? Other than beg for a brief bathroom break and hope his relaxation would rub off.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael nodded without real thought, he wasn't really okay, but what was he supposed to say? I woke up with you between my legs and panicked. There wasn't anything Dare could have done about it, so Michael didn't feel right feeling bad about it. He felt like he was being unfair, Dare had been asleep, but he couldn't shake the feeling, couldn't make his muscles relax completely.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare's brows knit at the look on Michael's face, and he sighed, lifting his arm entirely off his head to help him move. He tried and, for the most part, failed to repress a grimace of discomfort as he pushed to sit beside Michael, still holding onto his hand. Dare pulled his legs up in front of him again and looked at Michael, wondering what it was. "You can talk to me," he said softly, dropping his gaze down to the wrinkled sheets. "If there's something that's...not right, I want to know." I want to help. Dare lifted his gaze again, wondering if Michael would take him at his word.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael looked away from Dare and shrugged lightly, uncomfortably. "Just woke up in a weird position," he said softly, not really wanting to say it, but it felt even more wrong to tell Dare everything was fine when he was still shaken by it. He tightened his hand in Dare's for a moment, then crossed his ankles as the memory washed over him again. He didn't want everything to be weird between them, but he couldn't help thinking that he was going to be remembering it quite often.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare's gaze returned to the sheets as he nodded, trying to tell himself to let it go. It was hard though, especially when Dare's body was providing him with a persistent reminder. His eyes flickered up toward the bathroom door, then back down to the sheets. What he wouldn't give for a long, hot shower right now, though a cold one might be more appropriate. "Do you...want to be alone?" Dare asked. He didn't want to leave Michael, and it showed in the way his hand tightened at the question, but all the same, if Michael didn't want to think about it, then Dare probably couldn't do much good.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael shook his head, being alone would only give him more time to think about what had happened. "I'm overreacting," he said quietly, sighing, a silent apology in his tone. He really did feel like he was, but he couldn't get that moment of panic out of his mind. Why had he panicked? Why did it bother him so much that he had woken up that way? He wanted to move on from it, but was unsure how when it was still so fresh in his mind.