Ready to Go (Michael/Dare)

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

They were back in London, and Dare's blood pulsed with excitement even before the music reached his ears and trickled into his veins. Dare's hand tightened in its spot around Michael's waist, and his eyes shone with anticipation. He was so ready for this.

He'd dressed up a little more this time, knowing the club wouldn't bat an eye, but still wary of freaking Michael out. There was a bit more eyeliner this time, a bit more eyeshadow drawing attention to his mossy eyes through his fringe. He wore a wristband and his watch, and a chunky studded belt, the snugly fitted tee Markise had given him, arm warmers, and his favorite skinny jeans, in addition to a pair of patterned canvas shoes.

Dare's smile widened as they neared the doors of the club. He'd been waiting all week for this. The swelling had finally gone down in his lip, and he intended to put his smaller lip ring in this weekend.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare wasn't the only one that was excited. It had been so strange being back in the Bloody Mary where they had to hold back, and Michael was looking forward to being with Dare in the club in London. He hadn't even tried to argue with Dare when he had handed Michael another one of Dare's dark long sleeved shirts. His lips turned up in a broad smile when they walked through the doors of the club, and he tightened his arm around Dare. "It's good to be back," he said, looking up at Dare, eyes sparkling.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare paused just out of the way, wrapping both arms around Michael to give him a brief, but thorough kiss. Because he wanted to, and because he could. He grinned again as he lifted his head, reveling in the continuation of the music, and the fact that nobody said a word against it. It was like walking back into the dream that his birthday had been. "I'm dreaming," Dare said, though he couldn't believe it. Not when Michael felt so real against him, when the music was pounding through his body and calling him to move.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

"Well then don't wake up, I'm not ready to leave yet," Michael said, his blood rushing from that brief kiss. He looked at Dare for a few moments, taking in once again the new look, then turned his eyes to the mass of people in the club, the lights and sounds coming from it. "Let's go," he urged when he looked back up at Dare, and took a couple of steps backwards and towards the floor.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare grinned, and his hand slipped free of Michael's waist as he stepped in front of him, making it easier to cut through the crowd. He loved the feel of Michael at his back, of Michael's hand against him, and his own dropped to settle on top, lightly threading their fingers. Dare started moving with the beat already, even as they wove their way toward a small clearing on the dance floor. For once, he wouldn't be dancing by himself in a cramped booth or restraining himself in a room full of voyeurs and self-appointed judges.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael followed closely behind Dare, not so much afraid to lose him in the crowd as he just loved being so close to him without the stares. He loved being so close to Dare, period, but the acceptance of the people in the club added so much to it. Michael's hands settled on Dare's waist when they found their spot on the floor and he looked up into the green eyes before letting himself start to move with the music.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare was already lost to the moment, and as he moved, his eyes were gleaming through a light haze. He let them slide over Michael, yet another thing he'd never have gotten away with elsewhere, considering how people watched them. The way Michael moved pulled Dare even closer again, and he silently thanked him for wearing that fitted shirt. One of Dare's hands settled at Michael's waist without pretense. The motion affected him, and he loved it. Dare's other hand rose high in the air, bobbing with the music, with Dare as he swayed or bounced with the music.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael's lips stayed pulled into a permanent smile as he watched Dare dance. Not that he wasn't dancing as well, but he loved to watch Dare, to see him having so much fun. He didn't think too hard about dancing, it came so easily, and he didn't have anyone to impress. His mind went back to their last dance and his cheeks flushed at the memory, and his eyes sparkled as they dropped, then pulled back up to Dare's.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare couldn't have kept the crooked grin from his lips if he'd wanted to. There were so many moments he wanted to capture forever, and Michael smiling that widely, Michael with that look on his face, was something he wanted to keep. He let himself imprint that look in his memory, loving the almost shy gleam in Michael's eyes, though the blush was lost to the colored lights. Dare leaned close, his lips parting beside Michael's ear. "I love you," he said, just loud enough to be heard over the music.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael's eyes closed as a familiar shiver ran through him at hearing those words and he turned his head a fraction to speak into Dare's ear, "I love you, too." He pressed his lips to the corner of Dare's jaw and then pulled back to meet his eyes. He couldn't imagine anything better, but for the moment, he was going to dance. So he pulled himself closer to Dare, one arm moving around his waist, and let himself enjoy the light touches that came from their motions.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

They both soaked up the music and the closeness uninterrupted for what felt like forever, yet no time at all. There was no way to measure time in a place like this, with the music blaring and Michael's body moving with his. Then came the first interruption. Dare knew he should have been expecting it, considering it had happened last time. He couldn't blame the guy for trying. Still, at that tap on the shoulder, Dare's eyes closed briefly with annoyance. He opened them again and looked aside at a guy who immediately reminded him of Emilian, even if he looked nothing like him. It was in the way he held himself, in the way he looked at Michael. Dare's brows lowered. "NO," he said firmly. He didn't even need to be asked.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael pulled himself against Dare and tried to keep his glare under control. The other guy didn't necessarily know that he and Dare were together, so being completely angry wouldn't be fair. Even if Michael was very annoyed by it. He stared at the guy for a moment more then brought his eyes around to Dare, one hand coming up to lightly run up into the back of Dare's hair.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare only stared the guy down a moment longer before giving in to Michael. That hand at the back of his neck was distracting, and it was all the encouragement Dare needed to dismiss the interloper without so much as a fare thee well. Dare had a fleeting thought about the rings, a momentary rush of some mixture of eagerness and possessiveness at that visible display, but it couldn't last with the soft motion of Michael's fingers in his hair. Dare looked down at him some moments, then leaned in for a kiss, leaving the third wheel to wander away at his own discretion.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael felt when the other guy left, but didn't bring an end to the kiss until a few moments later when it ended all on its own. "Maybe we should just make an announcement," he suggested, leaning close to Dare so that he could hear. "No, you can't have him," he said, "He's all mine." Then he grinned and pressed a short, soft kiss to Dare's lips. Eventually people would start figuring out they were together, if they came to the club often enough.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare's lips curved into a grin at Michael's words, and his slightly hazed eyes sparked with that possessiveness again. He's all mine. That light kiss was such a tease after that. Dare slid both arms around Michael's waist as far as they'd comfortably go, his eyes on Michael's as they moved together. He was getting more and more sure that Michael would accept the ring, and though the thought of actually asking, actually saying the words terrified him, he knew that if Emilian was in Hogsmeade, he'd buy the rings tonight.