Conspiracy (Dare/Michael/Markise)

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare withheld any implications that Michael might get his ass kicked by a teenage girl and let it drop. He could do his worrying in silence, and Michael would probably feel better for it. For now, he tightened his arm around Michael's waist, then turned to nuzzle lightly into that deep red hair. He didn't know what else to say about any of this, so he'd give and take whatever comfort he could and hope that if there was anything he should know, Michael would trust him with it.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael didn't say anything else, but sat there taking in what strength he could get from Dare. He didn't think he would go see her today, but he would hunt her down within the next couple of days before everyone went home. His eyes had closed long before at Dare's nuzzling into his hair and so he heard the flapping of wings before he even considered opening his eyes. When he did open them, the owl looked up at him expectantly and he raised an eyebrow before he glanced up at Dare and reached out for the little letter attached to the owl's leg. He glanced at Dare once more when it flew off, and then read the letter. His eyes widened as he read.

Michael,

I had my solicitor look discreetly into your papers for citizenry, and he believes that they can be procured, for a fee, as long as you are agreeable to having your marriage in the Muggle world. He has yet to locate means which would go undetected in the Wizarding world.

At your request, I will have my solicitor contact you via owl post. Please let me know your decision.

Respectfully,

E. d'Avonderre

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare had looked casually over Michael's shoulder, but soon he'd paused, little flyaway hairs sticking lightly to the prickle he was trying to grow out. It took him a moment or two to even notice, then he brought his hand up to brush them away even as he stared.

"Is that what it looks like?" he asked. It looked like someone—was that Michael's friend Eros?—had found a way to make them citizens of another country. So they could get married. The fact that it didn't sound wholly legal moved on the moment it hit. It was a technicality as far as he was concerned. They should have been allowed to get married in the first place.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

"I think so," Michael breathed. What a day of up and downs this had been already? They could get married, actually married. Why was Eros trying to help them like that? He couldn't believe it! He had never imagined that an opportunity would be presented to them like that. They wouldn't be able to have a ceremony with people there, but everyone that cared would be at the civil ceremony, and the wedding was something that had always been just something they wanted to do.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare was in so much shock that he could hardly think, though in the back of his mind, things were being forced to rearrange. He'd always thought of marriage as something people did when they loved each other, but all the research they'd done and all the dead ends and repeated disappointments had torn that apart. The better part of the world saw it as a religious ceremony and him and Michael as unnatural, and though he couldn't recall the last time he'd said it to Michael, he really had given up on religion. The chip on his shoulder hadn't grown, but it certainly hadn't fallen off. He couldn't sort through it now and didn't know if he ever could, but that shock was soul-deep. Dare was speechless.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael read the letter over again. "We could...we could get married," he said softly, then looked up at Dare. "We could get married," he repeated, searching Dare's eyes for a reaction other than the shock that he saw and had felt himself. They really could, and it wouldn't involve going through the lengthy process of getting citizenship in another country just to do it.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare was pulled from his thoughts at Michael's words. It felt like fog was lifting, and his eyes brightened with the thought. His lips threatened to curve, and nervous laughter, celebratory laughter, threatened to bubble up. He broke, and all at once one hand curved around the back of Michael's head as he pulled him in for a kiss that said so much more than words knew how to. We can get married.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael had smiled broadly at Dare's laughter and then his arms, letter and all, wrapped tightly around Dare as he returned the kiss. It was amazing how everything was happening, there was so much good that was happening, and the negatives had been pushed out of his mind for the moment. And Dare had laughed, when was the last time either of them had felt so good?

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare's chest felt full to the point of exploding when he finally lay Michael back on the grass. He had to do this, he couldn't not do it. He broke the kiss, lips curving as he opened glittering green eyes. "Marry me," he urged softly, breathlessly. His eyes searched Michael's. "Marry me for real." He wanted to catch Michael's hand, wanted to kiss him until they were both too dizzy to go on or until they marked the grass at their little spot here.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael smiled broadly and a soft laugh came easily to his lips. "The answer's no different than when you asked me the first time," he managed, pulling one arm from around Dare to reach up and run his fingers through Dare's hair. "Of course I'll marry you." He pulled Dare down for another kiss. He didn't have a thought for canceling anything they would do, or for any complications. Any complications that would have been there could be banished just as easily as their citizenship could be forged.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare flowed into the kiss without a single argument. If he'd have been thinking, his thoughts would be parallel to Michael's. There was no reason to cancel a ceremony they'd been planning for so long. The marriage would be real, but it wouldn't be recognized everywhere, and the civil partnership would count in the wizarding world for what it was. Dare wasn't thinking, though. Not when his hand had just found skin beneath the hem of Michael's shirt.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael stretched out beneath Dare's touch and shifted into his hand. His own hand was quick to find its way beneath Dare's shirt to spread against his lower back. He moved his other hand through the soft hair around his fingers and held Dare tightly to him. Sometime, when he was thinking correctly, he would have to find some way to thank Eros for what he was doing for them.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare had no real shame when it came to being with Michael at school. Anyone who stumbled on them would probably stumble off just as quickly, and though it had been ages, he hadn't forgotten all the times they'd come so close to losing control out on the grounds. He didn't intend to strip down completely, so maybe he wasn't that bad, but they didn't need to for just a little celebration.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael wasn't thinking about someone coming up on them while they were kissing and touching each other like this. His only thoughts were how happy he was and how much that little letter had changed so much. It was a celebration. Getting married was something Michael had wanted since Dare had asked, and each disappointment had pushed the plausibility of it further and further down to where he had all but decided that it wouldn't happen. And now this.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

By the time any sort of thought trickled back into Dare's mind, he was deliriously worn and grinning broadly. "I'm gon-na mar-ry you," he said in a low, sing-song voice almost like a taunt. "I'm gon-na mar-ry you..." He chuckled at himself as he teased at Michael's ear. If their lunch break had ended at any point, he neither knew nor cared. He didn't have another exam today, anyhow. He had Michael.