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Post by Skylar Constantine on Jun 6, 2013 14:40:28 GMT -5
The reading didn't start for another few minutes, but Skylar had made a habit of showing up to any kid-themed events at least a quarter hour early. Anything that happened during the day tended to be full of young mothers, and so even if he didn't have a certain non-suburban look about him, he liked to talk to whoever was in charge. No, he hadn't stolen the bright-eyed toddler with the silky black curls, despite the fact that she was dressed nothing like him. Yes, he was her father, and he actually enjoyed these things. A little friendly conversation went a long way.
He was being introduced to the regulars now, the rosy-cheeked witches who rarely got out of the house except to take the kids somewhere. The introductions smoothed things out, and he knew that by the time this was over, he'd be getting long looks of approval. That was all he wanted, really. Just to slide back into England under everyone's noses and get back to what needed done.
He was talking to a woman with a nine-year-old and a new baby, and keeping an eye on Ember nearby. She'd discovered a board book and was turning the pages eagerly and patting its contents with her hand. His arms were crossed over his chest, and he'd donned long sleeves for the occasion, something he hadn't had to worry about for the past couple years. It was important here, though. He didn't want anything getting back to anyone, and that meant first-name-only basis and no mention of his life further back than two years. It was old hat by now.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jun 6, 2013 14:56:15 GMT -5
Michael had heard of the reading for kids in the past but had yet to make his way down to Hogsmeade with the twins in tow. However, with their recent surge in interest in books, it was about time they made the trip. The long sleeved shirt he wore was light and fitted and with his short hair and the fuzz on his chin he could almost have been a different person from the him of even a year before. Sometimes, he felt like a different person.
He glanced around the room once the twins were free, noting a few familiar faces he'd seen around Hogsmeade. His eyes caught briefly on what appeared to be the only other male over the age of ten in the room. It was only after his gaze had drifted away that some tingle of recognition sputtered to life in the back of his mind. He looked back at the man, his eyebrows creasing slightly as he tried to remember.
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Post by Skylar Constantine on Jun 6, 2013 15:07:58 GMT -5
Skylar was smiling at a teasing warning he'd just gotten that his daughter was going to be dangerously pretty when she got older and he'd have his hands full. Considering her mother, he was sure of it. He could have gone on, but he felt a prickle at the back of his neck and glanced into the shop just in case. He'd only been here a couple days, there was no way. Then he saw Michael Hardt. Michael f~ing Hardt.
He excused himself from the conversation and took a couple steps toward Ember to scoop her up into his arms. She was all dressed in blue ruffles and lace with matching ribbons around her ponytails, and she was the spitting image of him, balanced with the soft, delicate beauty of her mother. His eyes narrowed, and he turned to leave.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jun 6, 2013 15:16:58 GMT -5
Well, if nothing else set off alarms, that sudden attempt to leave did. After a moment's debate during which Michael ensured the twins were happily investigating a book with another toddler, he slipped around the room. "Hi, I know you, don't I?" he asked, sorting through memories as quickly as he could. His eyes widened as his memories finally reached far enough back for a name to appear. "Skylar," he said. This was unexpected.
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Post by Skylar Constantine on Jun 6, 2013 15:26:49 GMT -5
Skylar had thought for a moment that he'd get out undetected, but the moment he heard his name he knew it was too late. Sh~. He didn't want to make a scene, didn't want to get anyone else involved, but he knew he'd be watched the entire time he was here. It was just the way things went.
"I don't want any trouble," he said, keeping his voice purposefully low and forcing himself to fake a polite smile for the women nearby.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jun 6, 2013 15:31:08 GMT -5
Michael shook his head. "Neither do I," he said, matching Skylar's voice. "I got out years ago. I'm married, have a job, kids, the last thing I want is trouble." Why was Skylar here? He gave a smile toward the little girl Skylar held before raising an eyebrow in question. Maybe he wasn't the only one who'd left and started a new life.
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Post by Skylar Constantine on Jun 6, 2013 15:37:10 GMT -5
Skylar had lived as long as he had by not trusting anyone or anything, and Michael's words did little to soothe his nerves. When Ember reached out for the man, Skylar caught her tiny hands in one of his and brought them back to settle against his necklaces. He was hardly aware of the motion, but she took the bait and toyed with his jewelry. "Prove it," he said.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jun 6, 2013 15:46:42 GMT -5
"Ah..." Michael glanced around, then gestured toward the twins. "The twins there, the ones with ginger hair, they're mine. They're almost two." They looked more like him and Dare every day, it seemed like. A half-smile was on his lips when he looked back at Skylar. Was that enough proof? It would have been difficult to not see the resemblance between him and his sons.
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Post by Skylar Constantine on Jun 6, 2013 15:51:42 GMT -5
Skylar let his eyes leave Michael long enough to verify that there were, indeed, ginger-haired twins who looked enough like him to count. Then he glanced down at Michael's left hand for confirmation of a ring. "So you got married," he said. "But you have a job?" Had Michael gone back to everything or not? He'd said he was out, and the rest of his claims seemed true enough. "I've been out of the country," he explained.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jun 6, 2013 15:57:03 GMT -5
Michael nodded, "I'm the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor up at the school." He was pretty good at it, too, with the amount of experience he had. There hadn't been any kinks recently in his life and he was quite happy as he was right now. "So what brings you back to the country, then?" He barely had a thought that he should be worried, he hadn't needed to worry about his past in years and if Skylar wasn't looking for trouble, he thought it likely the man was no longer a member.
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Post by Skylar Constantine on Jun 6, 2013 16:03:32 GMT -5
"Life," Skylar answered, and left it at that. "Pretty ironic you teaching Defense," he went on. "There's no defense against some things." There's no defense against guys like us, he wanted to say, but couldn't bring himself to speak the words, especially with Ember in his arms. She could tell when he was stressed somehow, and she was trying to demand his attention, patting his cheek and tugging at his collar. Maybe it wasn't the most calming way of helping him out, but she was trying.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jun 6, 2013 16:06:48 GMT -5
Michael looked levelly at Skylar for a heartbeat or two before his eyes darted away. "That's something I try to teach. Having the experience I have means I can tell them how it really is, not how the text book claims it is." He thought he was doing a lot of good in his position. "Besides, teaching Defense is far from the oddest thing I've done since I left."
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Post by Skylar Constantine on Jun 6, 2013 16:11:19 GMT -5
"Yeah, I don't know much about that," Skylar said. It wasn't strange as it should have been hearing that Michael was a teacher. If he was going to work, that fit with what little he knew of the guy who'd enjoyed showing off his skills so much. "That was what, six years ago? I was deep in my own... stuff." He glanced at Ember, who'd started repeating him so well now that he was having to cut down the swearing. "I've only been out a couple years."
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jun 6, 2013 16:15:21 GMT -5
"The first couple of years are rough," Michael said. "I had some girls threatening me when I first left. My father disowned me a couple of times, then he tried to kill my husband and me. It's been a long six years. How is it going for you?" It was incredibly surreal to be talking about this out in the open with someone who wasn't Dare or a therapist.
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Post by Skylar Constantine on Jun 6, 2013 16:21:09 GMT -5
Husband. Skylar caught that, and he knew he took too long answering Michael's question because of his surprise. Ember tried to grab his lip ring, and his hand shot up to catch hers. He looked away from Michael and gave her a stern look, then gave in and set her down. "Get a book," he told her, and watched her run off, curls bouncing.
"I'm doing fine," Skylar said. "Better than I deserve." He wished to God that Ember had her mother, but it was too late for that. He did the best he could and treasured what he had.
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