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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Mar 23, 2010 19:48:58 GMT -5
Michael had pulled his hand from Dare's at the gesture, just in time to be ready for the lunge that came so close after. He met the guy and turned with his momentum, sending the guy stumbling off behind him. Physical fighting had never been his strong point, but that didn't mean he hadn't studied it and learned, especially when Emilian had gotten so into it. He stepped back, now in his place across the circle from Dare, and locked his eyes on the guy, his hands ready for the next thing.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Mar 23, 2010 21:12:28 GMT -5
Dare wasn't surprised that Michael let the guy go, but the drunk's stumble turned purposeful very quickly. Michael wasn't in the way anymore, and that meant the guy's actual target was now free. He threw himself at Dare, wrapping both arms tightly around his chest and clamping them tightly. "Hell, no," Dare said, struggling to pull the guy off even as he turned his face away from yet another advance.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Mar 23, 2010 21:21:42 GMT -5
Michael hadn't expected the guy to latch on to Dare like that, and his eyes narrowed as he came up to the two of them. He grabbed for the guy's arm to twist it behind him and up his back roughly. Michael's other arm snaked up to find its way around the guy's neck to pull him away from Dare. "He said no." The people around them seemed to have forgotten about dancing in favor of watching.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Mar 23, 2010 23:46:32 GMT -5
The drunk's cry of pain disappeared into a garbled choking sound at the pressure of Michael's arm around his neck, and Dare was forgotten again as he tried to free himself. The attempt quickly moved from melodramatic squirming to danger when he attempted a sharp motion toward Michael's groin.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Mar 23, 2010 23:56:54 GMT -5
Michael's hips jerked back reflexively, leading to only a light jarring where a firm hit could have been. He turned and released the guy, all but throwing him away. If there was any thought that he was overreacting, it was entirely covered by the fact that the guy had been hitting on Dare and trying to push him out of the picture. Before the guy had the chance to orientate himself again, he was back after him, reaching for a shirt and feeling no sympathy for the guy's inebriated state.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Mar 24, 2010 16:15:16 GMT -5
Dare could hardly hear himself calling for Michael to walk away over the sounds of the music and the crowd. Guys around them were rabidly watching the spectacle, and more than a couple were urging it on, loving the display of masculine energy and wanting more. Dare's heart raced as he watched, helpless with the drunk still caught between them. "Michael, watch out!" The drunk had finally decided to throw a punch.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Mar 24, 2010 16:20:15 GMT -5
Michael's eyes flickered over to Dare, his concentration broken just long enough for the guy to make contact. It made Michael very glad that the guy was drunk, or else that would have really, really hurt. He responded with a punch of his own, though that kind of fighting wasn't his strong point. Throws and locks he could handle, but he barely more than held his own when it came to punches.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Mar 24, 2010 16:55:01 GMT -5
Dare couldn't hold still another minute. He wasn't a fighter at all, but he couldn't watch Michael take punches for him. Any pity he might have felt for the drunk was nonexistent by this point, so he threw himself in, pushing the guy away with as much force as he could manage. He was too thin by far, but it was a reflex to stretch to his full height and he glared down at the guy through a curtain of hair. "Leave us the hell alone!" he barked.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Mar 24, 2010 18:27:23 GMT -5
Michael would have continued had Dare not suddenly appeared between him and the guy. He might have continued anyway if he had been to the point where he didn't even want to consider giving the guy another chance. However much he would rather still be fighting and forcing the guy to apologize and swear he'd never mess with them again, he held back, glaring.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Mar 24, 2010 19:23:42 GMT -5
The drunk looked up at Dare in a daze from the punch he'd received, wanting to proceed, but beginning to realize that perhaps the kid with the fancy hair wasn't just playing hard to get. And maybe the impression he'd gotten of a skinny, easy sub wasn't right either. The drunk put on one last cocky smile and told Dare to look for him later, then stumbled back toward the edge of the waiting crowd, shoving his way through.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Mar 24, 2010 19:49:30 GMT -5
Michael didn't relax, at least not fully, even though the guy was gone. His hands clenched and he watched until the guy was completely gone and the crowd had started to go back to its previous activities. Only then did he drop his eyes and turn his head from Dare's direction. He hated when guys like that came up to them, though that was the first time someone had completely refused to leave them alone.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Mar 24, 2010 20:16:32 GMT -5
Dare glared off into the crowd a moment longer before he turned back to Michael. The anger faded, replaced with concern. "Are you okay?" he asked. His gaze dropped to where the drunk's fist had landed, looking for any cuts or bruises. He brought up a hand to rest lightly against Michael's jaw, unsure what else to say.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Mar 24, 2010 20:24:05 GMT -5
Michael would probably end up with a bruise at some point, but he shook his head, dismissing Dare's concern. "I'm fine." He was, he had just been so aggravated with the guy. Maybe, just maybe, he was able to admit that some part of him may have thought back to that week alone without Dare. But he would never bring that to the front of his mind, much less mention it. "Sorry." He shouldn't have fought, he should have just pulled Dare away and gotten lost in the crowd.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Mar 27, 2010 19:59:06 GMT -5
Dare's brows drew together, but his lips curved. "Thank you," he said. His mind refused to make the connection that Michael had, back to the week he'd spent tied up while Michael thought the worst of him. Even so, he couldn't feel as bad about the fight as he probably should have. There was still part of him that liked seeing Michael fight for him. He shifted close and brushed his lips against Michael's temple.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Mar 27, 2010 21:51:52 GMT -5
After that touch, Michael looked up. He didn't know why Dare would be thanking him when he shouldn't have fought to begin with. He reached for Dare's hand to link their fingers together. Hadn't Dare liked it before, when he had done something similar? Yes, he had, Michael remembered. Maybe going just a little further really wasn't that bad.
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