Ready to Go (Michael/Dare)

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare hadn't thought anything of foot traffic when Michael had warned him earlier. He began to make the connection, though. With other couples attempting their versions of the dance, and none going in the same direction, it was a miracle he made it past them. It was more difficult to keep up his posture and the steps when he started watching other people, and twice he nearly misstepped before another couple emerging into the circle knocked against him. Dare's hands tightened on Michael, and he stumbled backward, directly into a pair of hands that, rather than pushing him back onto the floor, drew a look of incredulous shock. He stumbled forward again, trying to catch himself. "You don't want the lead, do you?" he asked Michael.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael's arm had already moved underneath Dare's, a light shade of panic having come over him with the busy floor. He pulled it back from its tight hold around Dare's waist and then focused again on his face. "If you want," he said, switching the places of his hands. At least it would be a little safer. He was more used to people moving in the same general direction, but still he was able to watch. "You just have to keep up with where you are."

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare nodded, still somewhat wide-eyed from those hands. One had caught him at his lower back, perfectly acceptable considering it kept him from falling, but the other... It hadn't occurred to him that you could grab someone's ass that deeply, nor that it reflexively caused a reaction like that. Dare forced his mind away from that, though. If there was one thing that didn't need dwelled on, it was the last clumsy moments of his lead. His heart still pounded, but he set himself to correct his posture again, and to letting himself follow Michael. Dare sighed, then tipped his chin up again, resuming his casual observation of the way Michael's hair fell around his forehead as they danced. His lips curved again.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael weaved through the dancers, though it took just a bit more concentration than he was used to needing on the floor to keep from running in to anyone. It was fun, trying to avoid all of the people that really didn't know how to dance, even if part of him was dying to yell out help for them. Anything from Dare was attributed to all of the extra people he wasn't used to, Michael didn't consider that something else had happened.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare was able to relax with Michael in the lead. The steps were easy when they were moving together, even with the increasingly enthusiastic dancers around them. It was comfortable resting his hand on Michael's shoulder like that, and Michael's hand so light at his waist. Dare forced down his nerves from that moment of near-molestation and set himself to just enjoying. He wouldn't tell Michael while they were at the club unless he asked, which Dare knew he wouldn't.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael watched Dare, though he kept part of his attention to their sides and behind Dare, he had to just hope that no one randomly ran out behind himself. "Having fun?" he asked, grinning. It had felt strange at first to be in the lead again, but it hadn't taken long for him to get used to it and lead without much thought, even if some part of him missed Dare's hand at his waist.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare's lips curved, and he nodded at Michael's question, his gaze sliding down to meet Michael's eyes. "I am," he said. As long as they stayed away from the edge of the crowd, at least. Dare had no clue who had grabbed him, but he'd prefer not to have a repeat. Dare's gaze rose as the song drew to an end and the couples around them stopped spinning to cheer for themselves. Dare's smile widened into a grin, and he followed suit, laughing and wrapping both arms around Michael, then dipping his head for a kiss.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael's own laughter was stifled by the kiss and his arms moved around Dare, one circling his waist while the other moved up to let a hand run through his hair. He was a little disappointed at the end of the song, but he could live with it, just because they weren't waltzing anymore didn't mean that they still weren't going to dance. Once that kiss was over. Michael shifted closer to Dare and just a little deeper into the kiss, not quite ready to give it up just yet.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare made an inaudible sound of interest that rumbled in his throat as Michael deepened the kiss. It was unexpected, and entirely welcome. Dare widened his lips for Michael, for himself as he returned it, forgetting to listen to the noise of the club for now. Kissing Michael was so much infinitely better than looking to see if anyone was paying attention, or if the crowd had dispersed and gone back to their own business. Dare didn't really care at the moment. His arms slid further around Michael, one sliding down into his pocket, the other trailing up his spine. Maybe he'd let Michael end this one.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael let it go on for a little while longer, shifting slightly against Dare's hand and then back to his front to press their bodies together. He pressed one last kiss to Dare's lips and then broke it, a part of him saying that it wasn't right to continue in such a public place. He kept his eyes closed and let himself revel in just the feel of Dare all around him, and when he opened them he focused on Dare's, not even thinking that there just might be people watching.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare's eyes glittered softly through the haze as he looked at Michael. His lips curved into a crooked smile, and since he knew better than to kiss Michael again, he only brought both arms up to hold Michael snugly against him. The crowd still didn't exist, not when they were this close, but Dare began to sway lightly with the music, drawing them back to the club, at the least. They'd come here for the whole experience of it, and this time there wasn't school tomorrow. They could stay as late as they wanted, as long as Michael could still apparate.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael's hand moved lightly in the soft hair at the back of Dare's head and his other arm settled comfortably around him. His eyes didn't move from their spots, but he still saw that crooked smile, and it made his own lips curve up. He remembered back the night of the Masquerade, where that smile had tipped him off; he loved that smile. "Still think you could handle a ball room?" Michael teased as he swayed with Dare.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare chuckled. "It'd take some getting used to," he admitted. "I can't imagine it'd be that crazy at a Pureblood ball, though. People here were a little..." Dare shrugged. "Crazy," he finished. Especially that guy that had grabbed him. Dare's gaze finally broke from Michael's to glance around, to see if anyone looked suspicious, but they'd all gone back to whatever they'd been doing before. He let it go again and turned back to Michael, bringing his smile back from where it had faded a bit. "It was awesome though," he said.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

"Sure about that?" Michael asked, eyes sparkling. "You were panicked for a second there." He did think it had been amazing, especially once everyone had joined in, but then, it was what he had been used to for years before going to Hogwarts. He let his arm rest against Dare's shoulder as his fingers idly ran a lock of hair through them, and his eyes trailed over Dare's face, hovering on his smile before moving back up to green eyes.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare blinked at the realization that it hadn't escaped Michael's notice after all. His smile fell again as he shifted his gaze uncomfortably out into the sea of dancers. Then he cleared his throat. "Yeah, that didn't have much to do with the dancing," he admitted. "When I fell, someone caught me and copped a feel while he was at it." Heat stole up Dare's neck to his face, and he brought his gaze back to Michael's, hoping Michael wasn't too upset. "I'll just... you know, get over it," he said hopefully.