Another Night In (Michael/Dare)

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

"Next time," Dare promised, cleaning Michael's knuckles gently with one of the potions. "It's pretty amazing what Muggles can do with special effects. They can make it look like there's magic, make it look like things are happening, and really, it's just a trick of the camera. Pirates of the Caribbean has a lot of special effects. That movie was major." Dare set Michael's hand on his knee, then reached for the other to give it the same treatment, hoping the conversation kept up, for Michael's sake.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael nodded as he listened to Dare, his first instinctual thought being why didn't they just use magic, then he remembered that they were muggles. He winced slightly as one of the swipes from Dare's hand actually made him feel the consequences of his actions. He sighed and brought his eyes up from his hands to Dare's face. "I can't imagine how muggles would make it look like someone was dying, like the people from the book."

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare shook his head slightly, his gaze still on Michael's hand. "They can do a lot of stuff with computers," he said, then glanced up at Michael before lowering his gaze again. "A computer is...pretty complicated. It's a machine that will store information, like a book, but it can also be used to like, change text, or pictures, and do calculations." Dare shook his head. "You've got to see one to get it," he said. Dare finished up Michael's knuckles, then set aside the supplies before bringing Michael's hand up to kiss the back, raising his eyes to Michael's.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael knew that he wasn't going to be able to understand a computer, whatever it was, so he let it drop, taking Dare's word for it. Then he let his eyes fall to his hand, sighing softly. "Thank you, they're fine now, but in the morning..." he trailed off, shaking his head, and then looked up at Dare. "It was pretty stupid of me," he said softly, tucking his other arm against his stomach.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

"People do stupid stuff when they're angry or hurt," Dare said, letting Michael know he didn't think less of him for what had happened. Dare dropped his gaze, quieting as he turned Michael's hand over on his knee. He cradled it in one hand, then brought the other over, watching as he traced the lines in Michael's palm, remembering the first time Michael had done the same to him. Dare let his mind follow that path, rather than think about anything stupid he'd done when he'd been hurt or angry, banishing his boggarts to the closet where they belonged. Dare shook his head lightly. "I'm just glad you didn't get hurt any worse," he said, drawing his eyes back up to Michael's.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael met Dare's eyes, deciding not to reply to everything he had said. There wasn't much more pain Michael thought could have happened to him, physically he could stand much more pain than the knuckles, but emotionally he didn't think there was much worse, short of something happening to Dare. He pushed that thought out of his mind and leaned over to kiss Dare lightly, refusing to even consider the possibility that something could happen.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare couldn't have guessed what he'd said to get that reaction, but he must have done something right. He took Michael's kiss without question, however light it was, then looked at Michael with gently shining eyes. "I love you," he said, not caring if he said it too much. He loved saying it, loved knowing it. Dare was more than ready to move past what had happened. He didn't want to think about it, didn't want to brood and worry, so he leaned into Michael to steal another kiss, the hand that had been trailing over Michael's pausing, then settling palm to palm.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael shifted his hand and threaded his fingers through Dare's as he returned the kiss. It was amazing how easily everything left his mind, the dim theater seeming to cut them off from the world. He broke the kiss just long enough to whisper I love you, too before pressing his lips to Dare's again. He loved being with Dare, no matter what would happen outside of the room.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Before long, both boys were caught up in the moment, and the heat rose. There was nothing but the contact, the need to connect as deeply as they could and forget everything but what they had together. There was enough emotion in it to drown them, and no place for thought.

When the kiss had finally ended, Dare was breathless and dizzy, adrenaline racing through his veins as he looked down at Michael. Somehow, Dare's shirt had been lost, and Michael's opened and pulled halfway off, Dare having given up on the task and moved his attention back to Michael's neck. And somehow, the theater had faded away, leaving them lying on the rumpled king-sized bed rather than the narrow theater seats.

Dare's eyes were hazy, his thoughts sluggish. All he knew then was how much he loved Michael, and how much he wanted him. He didn't act, didn't move, but the thought was vivid, irresistible, so he let himself think it.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael sighed heavily, happily, and ran his hands lazily over Dare's back. He didn't know what to say, but knew that that was alright, that words weren't necessary. He could barely think, let along speak, anyway, so it would have been useless to try. Somewhere, he registered that at some time they had been transferred onto the bed and a soft smile came to his lips, he loved the room.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare's gaze caught that smile, and his lips curved in response. He brushed his lips just once more to Michael's for a soft kiss, then shifted his weight to lie beside him on the bed. "I could just stay here forever," Dare said softly, drawing his fingers lightly against Michael's chest and watching as they traced nonsensical patterns against him.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael nodded and wrapped the arm trapped beneath Dare around his back to keep him close. "Yeah," he said, shifting closer to Dare and closing his eyes in comfort. His skin shivered slightly from Dare's fingers moving so lightly against him, and he was so very aware of every touch, however small. He sighed again, soft and content, "I love this room," he said, giving voice to his previous thoughts.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare's smile curved into a wide grin at that, and after a moment, he couldn't repress a low, rolling chuckle anymore. He propped his head up on one arm continuing the motions of his fingers as he spoke. "This one is my room," he said offhandedly. "Partly my room back home--in California," he corrected himself, "partly the Gryffindor dorm." He thought the mix amusing, and yet it was comfortable and familiar, despite the oddity of it.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael pulled his eyes open and looked around, mentally separating what was part of the Gryffindor dorm and Dare's old room. He felt he could figure it out by comparing what looked like it could be part of the castle. "If the Gryffindors get beds this big..." he said, trailing off and looking up at Dare, a tease in his eyes. He knew that wasn't the truth, he knew that wasn't where the bed had come from, but he couldn't help it. It would at least be a reason for the rivalries.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare chuckled again, his gaze lifting to Michael's face. "I might have improvised this one," he said, stretching his legs out comfortably. The mention of the bed sent Dare's thoughts wandering into the gutter again, but again, he resisted saying or doing anything besides slightly more purposeful motions of his fingers. "The Griffindors do have their own private spa though," he teased. "And the sushi bar isn't bad, either."