Displaced (Michael/Dare)

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare's feet and hands didn't feel numb anymore by the time they got into the Room of Requirement. They hurt though, and he couldn't help thinking he might have been better off just staying outside. Dare huddled closer to Michael in the room--the same odd bedroom they'd stayed in those last two nights here--and wrapped his arms around himself. He tucked his hands under his armpits, then made a low sound of pleasure at the warmth. "Does it really have to get that cold for snow?" he asked, the question more rhetorical than anything. And yet Michael had said it would get colder.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael grinned and wrapped his arms around Dare and nuzzled against him. "What do you think?" he asked, amused. He picked his head up and glanced around, the room holding so many memories even for the very few days they had stayed. He wanted to shrug off his cloak and go change for bed, but he wouldn't leave Dare freezing.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

"I think I'm going to find those gloves Markise gave me," Dare said. He unwrapped his arms from himself to slip them around Michael and buried his frozen face against Michael's neck. God, he felt good right now. And he could just imagine how cold he must feel to Michael. Dare grinned and brought his hands up under Michael's shirt, hands that hadn't had cover during their walk pressing against the warm skin of Michael's back. He chuckled wickedly.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael took in a sharp breath and took his arms from around Dare. "That's not nice!" he said, reaching for Dare's wrists. Yes, Dare was cold, and yes, Michael wanted him to get warm, but not by putting those freezing hands against his back. "Seriously go find those gloves," he said, fighting down the shiver that was racing up and down his spine from the cold shock.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare's brows rose, but he murmured an apology and took his bag over to the bed. He hadn't expected a reaction like that. He had no idea just how cold his hands had been, but found that they were stiff and digging through his belongings was difficult. Dare frowned down at his hands, forcing them to curl around the bundle of cloth Markise had given him and pulling it out. It took him longer than it should have to get the gloves on, but he eventually succeeded.

"Isn't there like, a faster way to warm up? Like a hot shower or something?" Dare sat on the edge of the bed and tried to kick his shoes off, but they were damp from the snowflakes that had melted through the canvas and didn't want to budge. Dare frowned at them too, and bent to pull them off with gloved hands that didn't want to work the laces.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael cringed lightly when he realized how harsh he could have sounded, then he moved forward to help Dare with his shoes. "A shower will be good once your hands and feet unfreeze," he said, eyebrows creasing as he worked at the laces. "It'll kind of sting if you go in just now." He went silent for a few seconds, wondering what he could tell Dare. "Sorry about how I reacted," he said softly.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare shook his head, looking down at the shoe he was still trying to work loose. "It's fine, I just didn't know." He shook his head again. He apparently had a ton to learn about winter etiquette. He hated feeling stupid, but he couldn't blame Michael. Dare finally got his laces loose enough to push one shoe off, and by the time he'd peeled his sock off too, the fingers of his gloves were wet. Dare glared at them, pretending he wasn't letting Michael get his other shoe. Then he pulled his gloves off and tossed them on the floor, since they weren't doing any good.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael shook his head, "No, people do that, they were just colder than I expected." He licked his lips and then set the soggy shoe and sock to the side. "So, to get you a cloak or boots for Christmas..." he said absently, glancing up at Dare and pushing himself up to stand. He sat on the bed beside Dare and started pushing off his own shoes.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare gave a low chuckle and shook his head lightly, still staring down at his discarded damp clothes in annoyance. It had been so much fun until they'd gotten back into the castle. Without the snow to distract him, all he could think about was the lingering discomfort from the cold. "I don't do boots," Dare said to Michael. There was no way he'd argue a cloak, though.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael put his arm around Dare's waist and shifted closer to him. "Those aren't going to help you," he said softly, glancing down at Dare's shoes. He held out his hand for Dare's. "You need to have something that will keep your feet dry," he argued, looking back to Dare. He didn't want Dare to be miserable every time they came in from the snow, but he would be if he didn't get something better than the shoes he had for the snow.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare put one hand in Michael's without even needing to think about it. It was a reflex, and a comfort he needed right now. "My feet can't breathe in stuff like that," he said, relaxing lightly against Michael. He tilted his head to rest against Michael's shoulder. "I don't mind socks, and my Cons are cool, but..." Dare made a low noise of displeasure at the thought of wearing big clunky snow boots.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

"Well," Michael said, leaning his head against Dare's. "If you want to deal with wet, frozen feet, go ahead. But you wouldn't have to wear snow shoes all the time." His own shoes were wet, though not nearly as soaked as Dare's, and his feet were still marginally warm. He couldn't understand why Dare was so against shoes better suited to be worn in cold, wet weather.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare was silent at that, weighing his options. Which would be worse, feeling like his feet were suffocating for however long he had to wear those things or feeling like his feet were burning every time he walked inside? "It really gets colder?" he asked at last. He believed Michael, but it was still impossible to imagine. He didn't know if even those teasing little snowflakes would be enough if it got any colder. Maybe having his feet suffocate for a while wouldn't be so bad after all.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael nodded and moved his fingers against Dare's. "It gets really cold," he said, then sighed softly as he thought about it. He couldn't say he didn't like it. It was a chance to bundle up in as much as he could and go outside to see how the snow had fallen over everything. His love of being outside wasn't dampened by the cold of snow.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare let out a sigh of resignation. He didn't like the idea of stuffing his feet into heavy, restrictive shoes, but his feet were aching now, and he was beginning to actually feel how cold they were. "Maybe I should get some boots," he said under his breath, as though it had been his own idea. Maybe going out into the cold and coming back in wouldn't be so miserable if he was all wrapped up like an Eskimo.