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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on May 25, 2009 19:49:58 GMT -5
Michael had found their usual spot by the lake, glad that it was finally to the point that extra layers weren't even needed as a precaution. He had just finished with one exam, one that he had been fairly worried about and probably would continue to worry about until he got his results during the summer. But now, he was waiting on Dare to meet up with him. Because of the exam schedule, there was a longer lunch break, and he was excited to have just that extra bit of time.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on May 25, 2009 19:56:35 GMT -5
Dare showed up not long after, struggling with thoughts about his Charms exam. It hadn't been any easier than he'd thought it would be, and he just hoped he'd pass. His lips curved at seeing Michael, and he tried to push it out of his mind for far more pleasant thoughts. "Hey," he said softly, then moved to sit next to Michael on the grass. "How are you holding up?"
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on May 25, 2009 20:03:30 GMT -5
Michael smiled at seeing Dare. "Okay, I just finished with History of Magic and that was one that I was really worried about." He knew he would still worry, but now he needed to just forget it and enjoy the time before his next exam. "How about you?" He wished they had had time to help Dare catch up, but it hadn't happened. But Michael had already promised himself that they would work on it this summer.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on May 25, 2009 20:19:40 GMT -5
Dare made a face. "Could've done worse," he said. If I'd slept through it, he finished silently. He pulled the strap of his bag off and set it next to him, then rifled into it for the food he'd grabbed. "At least it's over with." He offered Michael a sandwich and a bottle of pumpkin juice, then tried to relax. "I finally got hold of a yoga book, did I tell you that?" he asked, looking aside at Michael. He'd found it Saturday with Elouai, but so much else had happened that he'd forgotten about it.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on May 25, 2009 20:27:41 GMT -5
Michael shook his head and took the offered sandwich and pumpkin juice. "When do you want to start looking at it?" he asked. He had no idea what exactly yoga entailed, but Dare had asked him if he would do it, too, and he had agreed. And if it was something that would help Dare relax, maybe it would be good for him, as well.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on May 25, 2009 20:31:13 GMT -5
"Tonight," Dare said. "And in the morning I'll try just the breathing exercises." Or at least however much the book could remind him of. He took a bite of his sandwich, thinking for a moment. "I found it in London," he said, then glanced at Michael. "The book store's closed." He'd wanted to stop by on the way to work to see if his order had ever come in, but it was locked up, with even the windows blocked.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on May 25, 2009 20:43:41 GMT -5
Michael didn't look up from the sandwich he had torn in half. He didn't know what to think about that. Anna wasn't someone that he was close to, but there was still an old connection there. Where had she gone? Did he even want to know? He couldn't bring himself to really care enough, though his last interaction with her didn't help his thoughts of her.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on May 25, 2009 20:52:10 GMT -5
Dare watched Michael a moment before leaning over to press a light kiss against the crook of his neck. "That's all I know," he said softly. One more kiss and he straightened again, turning back to his lunch. Dare remembered the last time they'd been in contact with Anna, and getting rid of her on Saturday hadn't been any more pleasant than Friday night. But he'd thought he ought to tell Michael that much.
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Post by Markise Sterling on May 25, 2009 21:03:21 GMT -5
Lucky for Markise, by the time he was in sight of DareandMichael, they were both just eating. He really didn't want to do this, but unless he wanted to die of guilt when something happened to Michael, he didn't have much choice. When he walked into the clearing, he put on as much bravado as he could summon, along with a smile. "I was looking for you," he said, though he'd really been looking for Dare. He hoped they didn't ask questions. "I need to tell you guys something."
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on May 25, 2009 21:07:20 GMT -5
Michael looked up in surprise when he heard Markise's familiar voice. For someone that was supposedly being so hard to find to just randomly show up and say he had been looking for them was an oddity. "Sit down," he offered, then took a drink from his pumpkin juice after he finished off his sandwich. He kept himself from glancing at Dare; he didn't know if Brindle had told Markise they had talked.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on May 25, 2009 21:12:39 GMT -5
"If it's about your plans for the summer, we already know," Dare said. He supposed it was nice that Markise would bother to tell them a few days before he left, but that didn't make him feel much better. He echoed Michael's words with a gesture to sit, remaining silent after. Hopefully Markise would just spit it out and he wouldn't have to grill him.
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Post by Markise Sterling on May 25, 2009 21:15:38 GMT -5
Markise had been preparing to sit when Dare's words stopped him in his tracks. His eyes widened slightly and his heart rate picked up. How much did they know? And how did they know? He thought about it as he finally sat down. Brindle, he answered himself, then Mama. He mentally narrowed his eyes at her. If Mama had told Brin about Ariel... "Which plans?" he asked, suddenly interested in his fingernails.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on May 25, 2009 21:18:39 GMT -5
"That you're leaving as soon as term ends," Michael answered, glancing over at Dare when he realized Markise wasn't looking. That also meant that he wouldn't be coming to the ceremony. He wrapped both hands around his bottle of pumpkin juice. He hadn't expected to be around when this conversation happened, but he supposed it was good to have more than one person there to try to convince Markise to stay.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on May 25, 2009 21:30:07 GMT -5
Dare didn't look up at Markise either, not yet. "I need you to watch my dog," he said, as completely ridiculous a reason as that might be for staying an extra month. Now he looked up at Markise, knowing he'd see right through it. But he'd already tried telling Markise how much he wanted him there. "You have to come. If you can't watch her we'll have to have her put down." Not in a million years, but he needed Markise's attention!
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Post by Markise Sterling on May 25, 2009 21:34:33 GMT -5
Markise had looked up just when Dare did, his brows drawn together incredulously. Put down? He let out a tense, humorless chuckle, but he couldn't look away. Damn Dare for being able to do that with his eyes! He blinked purposefully and dragged his gaze away. "There are a lot of people who could watch her," he said, too caught up with the subtext not to cling to the outward conversation.
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