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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jun 5, 2012 19:09:11 GMT -5
Dare was still fighting a smirk when he got to the cafe. The flowers out front were looking weak again, but he'd been attempting to get Elouai past them without a stop lately, so hopefully it hadn't been noticed.
His clothes were more than a bit rumpled from their night on the floor and smelled faintly of the activities he'd partaken in while wearing them, and his black eye was an attractive shade of violet for the most part. He'd forgotten it was there, actually.
He was just as unaware of his loose, comfortable walk and the fact that he was more at ease in his own skin than he'd ever been. It had been happening slowly but surely since he'd moved out, and last night had only helped.
Dare gave a long order to the girl behind the counter, a massive sandwich with every extra he could add on, chips as well as a bag of crisps, a large water, juice, and a slice of cake they hadn't had the last time he'd been in. As he dug out his money, he added that Mano had wanted to see him. He took his ticket and went to find a table by the windows. It was too awesome a day not to look outside.
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Post by Mano Berwyn on Jun 5, 2012 19:12:59 GMT -5
It wasn't long before Mano slid into a chair at the table with Dare, looking at the man curiously. "You're certainly in a good mood. And you have a black eye. What in the world have you been doing the past couple of days?" It was surreal seeing Dare like this when he strongly remembered what Michael had been like.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jun 5, 2012 19:19:46 GMT -5
Dare broke out in a grin again, that chuckle-giggle bubbling up almost into real laughter. "I got in a fight," he said, gesturing to his eye. "Got kicked out of two clubs." And he hoped his food was on its way, because his stomach's protests were audible now. He glanced eagerly over at the counter.
"Is Michael okay?" he asked. He hoped so, because otherwise he'd just spent a lot of money for nothing.
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Post by Mano Berwyn on Jun 5, 2012 19:24:00 GMT -5
Mano didn't respond immediately, following Dare's glance toward the counter. The food would be out soon, he insisted on a quick return even on larger orders. "I'm not sure," he said finally when the woman brought out a filled tray. "I left him and Eros sometime last night." He sat back in his chair and crossed his legs. "How exactly did you manage to get yourself kicked from two clubs?"
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jun 5, 2012 19:31:15 GMT -5
Dare grinned broadly and chuckled again, though he didn't answer until the waitress had walked away. He got a good grip on his sandwich, and gestured toward his eye with his other hand. "First time it was fighting," he said. "Guy knocked me down, but I'd been drinking..." He took a large bite, giving a low sound of pleasure, and didn't go on. He'd have gotten knocked down sober, but he didn't need to spread that around.
Glittering eyes peeked across the table from behind his fringe. He probably shouldn't say anything about how he'd gotten kicked out of the other club, even if he felt like it was written in flashing lights across his face.
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Post by Mano Berwyn on Jun 5, 2012 19:33:46 GMT -5
So Dare had gone to a club and ended up drunk and in a fight. Well, that sounded a bit more like something Mano might have expected. "So you got kicked out for fighting, so you went to another one and got kicked out for...let's say enjoying someone's company?" That look, paired with Dare's attitude, was enough to make it click.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jun 5, 2012 19:38:38 GMT -5
"That was last night," Dare said under his breath. He looked determinedly down at his food and took another large bite. That was exactly what had happened, and guilt tried to come up, but he drowned it in butterbeer. Maybe Keith hadn't tapped him out. Maybe he could get turned on again just from eating for the first time in a good twenty-four hours.
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Post by Mano Berwyn on Jun 5, 2012 19:50:24 GMT -5
"Interesting," Mano mused. He continued to watch Dare curiously. It was an interesting study seeing how the two men were acting so differently in response to the same thing. Of course, now he was wondering if it was even a good idea to get them in the same room. He couldn't imagine that bringing a Dare filled to the brim with energy to the tower would in any way help.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jun 5, 2012 20:06:59 GMT -5
Dare managed a straight face, though he was still filling it with food at an impressive rate. "So what'd Michael say?" he asked, grabbing a handful of crisps. "You know we're like... on a break," he guessed. A very firm break, not the semi-break they'd been on only a few days ago. Mano had to know, if he'd been to see Michael. He seriously doubted that Michael had cooled off so quickly.
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Post by Mano Berwyn on Jun 5, 2012 20:15:49 GMT -5
"Some of the most colorful things I've heard come from his mouth in many years," Mano said, folding his hands against his knee. "As well as a delightful string of insults aimed at Eros. All while surrounded by what appeared to be pieces of what might have once been a book." That was a puzzle he had never figured out.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jun 5, 2012 20:19:02 GMT -5
"Sounds about right," Dare said. Damn, this was a good sandwich. He'd open it up to see what was inside, but that would require not eating it for a moment. He polished it off, then reached for a chip and dunked it into his bleu cheese. He would never get over the lack of ranch dressing in Europe.
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Post by Mano Berwyn on Jun 5, 2012 20:56:37 GMT -5
"You appear to be holding up well," Mano said. It was hard to get past just how strange it was. It threw him for a loop and he wasn't sure how to deal with it. Was it fair to Michael to bring in Dare like this? Was it fair to Dare to put him in a room with a miserable Michael?
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jun 5, 2012 21:01:20 GMT -5
Dare shook his head and pushed aside his plate, finally beginning to slow down as he finished off side dishes. "I told Michael he needs something besides me to fall back on," he said. "I mean, he's got you guys, but I'm guessing he didn't invite you over." He glanced up for an answer, then pulled his cake close.
"I'm not doing a victory dance or anything, but he let me go and I've got a hell of a long time to live. I've got friends, places to go, things to do, I can't stand just sitting somewhere crying, it'd kill me, you know? So I'm living. And your cook deserves a raise."
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Post by Mano Berwyn on Jun 5, 2012 21:05:38 GMT -5
"I'll make a note," Mano said. "And you're correct, he didn't. Your elf hunted down Eros and asked us to come, as Michael hadn't left the bedroom to so much as see your sons. They are with Justine, by the way." From what he had seen, Michael wasn't exactly in any kind of shape to invite anyone over.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jun 5, 2012 21:10:59 GMT -5
Dare gave Mano a grateful glance for the information. He didn't like the idea of visiting the Hardt mansion to see them, but there was still weekend left, and if he couldn't see them at Hogwarts, he'd make the trip. "Gilda's a lifesaver," he said. Literally, at times. And that thought was going to ruin his mood.
"So, did Michael send you down here to check on me or hex me or something, or did you just want to hear it yourself?" No part of him actually thought that Michael would have sent anyone. He was on his own, and he knew it. Still, Mano was being polite, and he would thank the man by accusing him of being a snoop.
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