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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Oct 19, 2008 11:02:02 GMT -5
Another day halfway over. Dare wasn't taking his lunch break in the Great Hall. He'd gone in, gathered whatever food he could carry, then headed directly outside for the lake. He and Michael were meeting here. Too many people knew about the forest and the Room of Requirement, and they were trying this out, seeing if they could get some privacy.
Dare sat down by the edge of the lake, setting his book bag beside him. He dug out a bottle of pumpkin juice and took a long drink as he waited for Michael to show up.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Oct 19, 2008 11:08:02 GMT -5
Like Dare, Michael had grabbed some things from the Great Hall and then headed down, amazed at how good he felt the moment he was out of the doors. He hadn't been able to be outside as much as he usually liked to, Hogsmeade didn't have the places that Hogwarts did, and it was nice to have the chance to be outside with Dare. He smiled when he saw Dare and his footsteps sped up and soon he was at the edge of the lake, setting his bag to the side, sitting by Dare, and leaning over for a quick kiss on the cheek. With the constant contact they had at night, it was only more obvious to Michael how little they got to see each other during the day.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Oct 19, 2008 11:13:41 GMT -5
Dare slipped one arm around the back of Michael's waist and leaned over toward Michael, doing one better and dipping his head for a soft kiss to the side of Michael's neck. "I've been thinking about you," he murmured. Thoughts of Michael made it easier to just ignore the stares and whispers, which seemed to be fading. Or maybe he was just tuning them out better. Not that it mattered now. Dare easily put all that aside with Michael next to him.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Oct 19, 2008 11:18:17 GMT -5
Michael smiled and leaned in to Dare, "I've been thinking about you, too." He didn't know how he could get through the day without thinking about Dare every other second. "I think it's getting better," he whispered, as though saying it would just make it all come back, but he had to see what Dare thought. It didn't seem to be much better, but maybe they were just running out of things to say and so were giving up.
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Post by Markise Sterling on Oct 19, 2008 11:33:54 GMT -5
Markise had seen Dare--how could he miss him?--and headed straight for him. But then he'd seen Michael and his footsteps had slowed. He wanted to talk to Michael, wanted to make his apologies for having been such a major ass the other day, but still, seeing them together, unaware of anyone watching, had given him pause. They looked so close, so intimate together.
Markise had only ever seen Dare that physically close with one of his girlfriends, and this was patently different. Markise dropped his gaze, his tongue sweeping briefly over his lips as he gathered himself. It didn't feel right to interrupt, but he wanted to show his support. He summoned a brown paper bag, one with certain items in it that he needed, and gave a brief prayer that he wouldn't screw this up. Then he headed for the edge of the lake.
Markise made sure to put himself in their line of vision before he got there. He didn't want them to think he was sneaking up on them. Contrition was written all over his face as he stopped near them, not seating himself because he knew he wouldn't be welcome yet, at least not by Michael. His free hand rose up to toy with a lock of pale blond hair, and he licked his lips again before speaking. "Hi, guys," he said softly."I just wanted to say...I'm really sorry for acting like such a jackass and... you look really good together."
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Oct 19, 2008 11:37:47 GMT -5
Dare hadn't moved his arm from around Michael, grounding him and showing his support. I love you, Michael. Just you. He couldn't say he was entirely surprised by Markise's words. He'd always been quick to anger and quick to forgive--or apologize, in this case. The bit at the end though--you look really good together--was what got Dare. His gaze dropped for a second, then he gave Michael a light squeeze before looking back up at Markise. "Thank you," he said. He knew Markise meant it, and if Michael could accept it too, then maybe this could work after all.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Oct 19, 2008 11:45:16 GMT -5
Michael had tensed almost instantly when he had recognized Markise, but slowly loosened up as he had spoken, even smiling a little at the end. He nodded when Dare spoke and then chewed his lip for a moment, feeling like should, if not apologize, at least say something. "I shouldn't have snapped," was what he settled on, more to settle his own conscience then by actual need to apologize, even if he did mean it, at least a little.
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Post by Markise Sterling on Oct 19, 2008 11:50:19 GMT -5
Markise shook his head. "No, I was being an ass, I deserved it," he said. He looked between Dare and Michael a moment, then sat, closer to Dare, but half facing the two, and with a decent enough space to count. "I made something for you two," he said, handing the paper bag to Dare. "I know, I'm probably out of line, but I couldn't really help myself." Markise flicked a look at Michael. "It's how I relax," he explained. Markise turned back to Dare then. "Well, open it," he said. "First one's for you."
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Oct 19, 2008 12:03:57 GMT -5
Dare had a feeling he knew what it was even before he unrolled the top to see what was inside. He reached in, pulling out a square of perfectly folded cloth, a shirt in super-soft black cotton with a silver and blue design working from the chest over the shoulder and down the back like some abstract tattoo. Dare's lips curved. "You know, you didn't need to bribe me," he said. Markise was one of his best friends, and he had to know that Dare would like the shirt too much to give it back.
Dare reached back into the bag and pulled out what had to be Michael's. It was a collared shirt with long sleeves, based loosely on the flannel shirt Michael had been wearing the other day. Markise had obviously made the leap that that was what Michael was comfortable in. The similarities ended there, though. The shirt was the same soft cotton as Dare's--but not flannel. It wasn't form-fitting, but neither was it as loose as what Michael typically wore, and it tapered in slightly near the waist, just enough to hint that there was a body beneath. It was the same blue that wove through the design on Dare's shirt, with a silver and black design that worked its way vertically up one side, spreading slightly on the shoulder, then stopping."I think this is for you," Dare said, passing the shirt to Michael. "Thank you," he said to Markise.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Oct 19, 2008 12:14:03 GMT -5
"Yes, thank you," Michael said, taking the shirt and examining it. He ran his fingers over the design and was silent for a few seconds as he took the whole thing in, looking carefully at it. "How long did these take you?" he asked when he finally looked up, respect for the work showing in his eyes. He had no idea how long it took to make shirts, but Markise had obviously taken time on them.
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Post by Markise Sterling on Oct 19, 2008 12:20:18 GMT -5
Markise flicked a glance out toward the lake. "A couple days," he answered. He'd started the night of the day he'd met with Ariel, but that wasn't information he felt like putting out. "I already had patterns and it wasn't that much to alter them a little," he said. It was the designs that had taken the longest. Markise had holed up on his bed with the curtains shut to work on them, and it had worked out just fine. It wasn't like he'd had anywhere pressing to be, other than class.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Oct 19, 2008 12:25:03 GMT -5
Dare could imagine that Markise had altered more than he'd admit to. Markise was a perfectionist, and though he'd use a bought pattern when he could, the end result was usually just similar to the pattern, if identifiable at all, to Dare's eyes, at least. Dare had a flickering thought about Logan then, and wondered if that had anything to do with this. He flicked a glance aside at Michael, then turned his attention to Markise, silently declaring that whatever Markise told him would get to Michael anyway. "So what do you know about this Logan guy?" he asked, tucking his shirt back into the bag, then slipping his arm around Michael again.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Oct 19, 2008 12:29:25 GMT -5
Michael started folding his shirt, something he wouldn't normally do, but it didn't feel right to just ball it up and stuff it in the bag like he would the majority of his shirts, but he looked up at Dare at the question, tilting his head. Logan? He glanced over at Markise and back at Dare before putting his shirt into the bag on top of Dare's and then settling in, slipping his own arm around Dare. He almost asked, but he would find out who Logan was soon enough.
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Post by Markise Sterling on Oct 19, 2008 12:34:19 GMT -5
Markise's eyes widened slightly, and his eyes moved back and forth between Dare and Michael for a moment while he tried to gather himself. "Ariel Logan?" he asked, as though Dare could be referring to any other. Dammit, he'd been hoping that Dare wouldn't find out about that until long after his apology, if at all. Markise dropped his gaze to his hands, which had picked a blade of grass and were now mutilating it. "Um, me and Brin met him on the Hogwarts Express," he said. "He's..." Moody, brooding, hiding something, hot as hell and a damn good kisser... "nice," he settled with.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Oct 19, 2008 12:37:56 GMT -5
Dare arched an eyebrow. "Nice," he repeated, obviously not falling for that as an answer. He turned toward Michael, giving him a pointed look that said quite clearly that Dare suspected more, then turned back to Markise. "How nice?" he asked, his lips curving into their crooked smile. Markise was flustered, and that was a sure sign. Dare hadn't seen him like that since Kwami, which would worry him if he hadn't already met Logan, or Ariel Logan or whatever his name was, for himself. He supposed he got why Logan had been hiding something about his name. Ariel was a little odd.
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