selfhelp | [IC] Appointments Post

[Hell, Teddy would too.]

Oh, no. Don't jinx it, Kaplan. Next thing we know, we'll be lounging in the springs only for something to explode on us.

I can think of one or two things that I'd be okay with exploding.

[....Wait he said that out loud.]

[... Oh wow. Gosh. Billy really did say that out loud.

At first, Teddy widens his eyes, and he can just feel the flush cross his face. Then he decides screw it, and just decides to take the chance by pulling on Billy's hand again, this time reeling the brunet in until he can wrap his other arm around his waist from behind and pull him in close, then rests his chin on his shoulder with a raised eyebrow.]

One or two ways, huh...?

[Billy sets free a soft little surprised noise at the sudden pull, tilting his head to look at Teddy with widened eyes. A reaction like that means... he likes it? He's okay with that joke?

Of course he's okay with that, it's what you'd normally say, it means we're getting back to how things were.

It took you this long to-

He squelches the voice stubbornly, his lips creeping up into a smile.]

...I'll... let you use your imagination for that.

Hmmm.

[Teddy lifts his head, allowing only a second of hesitation before he leans in to brush his lips against Billy's jawline, eyes drifting shut as he feels butterflies in his stomach. It's pleasant, at least, and familiar, like the first few times they...

Keep cool, keep it cool, Teddy.]

My imagination's not so great right now. [He pulls back, only to start guiding Billy to the teleporter with both hands on his shoulders.] You'll have to show me later.

[Billy blinks and walks forward, allowing himself to be led. Is it just him, or is his jaw tingling...?]

...I'll, um. See if I can put together a lesson plan, then. Or something.

You do that.

[And with that, Teddy bullies Billy onto the teleporter, following after him once it's his turn to go. And... it's exactly as he remembers it. Cozy, separated by gender, rooms off to he sides...

... And blessedly empty. Good.

He can't help the smile that comes up; it's nostalgic, just like the first time he came up here with Billy. With all that's happened, it feels like so long ago, like they were so young when they celebrated their first anniversary here. It's only a year later, and Teddy still feels young, but he's felt like he's grown so much since then, too.]

[Whooooa, teleporting without being in control of it is really disorienting. Is this how people feel when he teleports them? No wonder they get sick.

Billy stumbles a bit, one hand over his mouth just in case, but the sensation passes after a moment and he lets himself relax again, looking around.]

This place... it looks the same as ever.

[It's too quiet to be already-occupied, though... good.]

And no explosions. Nice.

[Not yet, anyway. He thinks. He hopes.

But right now, they need to pick a room for themselves and get settled. Teddy takes another moment to look around, though he's mostly just making sure that Billy's stomach is fully settled, then makes his way down the hall to one of the rooms near the end. So far, all of them look pretty empty... but better to take a room that's not right at the beginning of the place.]

Maybe it's the time of year. It sounds pretty crazy to go near water of any kind when it's cold.

That's true... even with the heat from the springs, the air is still chilly up in the mountains.

[He follows Teddy through the place, poking into rooms here and there just to check. Yep, all empty. It's such a relief; even if they don't actually get anywhere this week, being away from the village and having a bit of private time will do them both worlds of good. And he'll be glad to be away from people for a while, even with all the hermiting he's done already. It's different when people are still nearby, after all.]

Everyone else would probably think we're in a polar bear club or something.

[Which he's definitely okay with, if it means no one comes up here to check on them or anything. Not that he's ungrateful for the people who do, it's just... it'll be so nice to be away from people for a while. Away away, even with Teddy's love of being with people. He needs the break almost as much as Billy does.

Soon enough, Teddy looks into one of the rooms for a longer moment, then opens the door to it.]

How about this one?

[Billy glances over, then abandons the room he'd been checking to catch up and look in on the one Teddy had found. After a quick once-over, brows furrowed thoughtfully, he nods.]

Yeah... I think this'll be good. it's closest to the spring, too, so I can feel the heat coming in. We'll need that at night.

[...Well, maybe. Depending on what keeps them busy.]

Like our own personal little heater.

[Although, even if they don't do anything groundbreaking for the week, he's pretty sure they'll still use each other as a good source of heat. Teddy smiles in approval anyway, then heads inside and gently sets his backpack down by one of the beds. He's got a guitar strapped to it, so he can't just go tossing the bag around like he usually would.]

Thank god. You know me, I'm always cold otherwise. I'll probably spend 95% of the week in the water.

[Billy follows suit, depositing his own bag and starting to unpack. It's easiest to get the boring stuff out of the way at the beginning so they can spend the rest of the time having fun. Clothes, books, his music- everything goes to its new, albeit temporary, home.]

Aww. But I'd miss you if you slept out there.

[Laptop, Starkphone, clothes, books... Some have their place in the drawers, some on the nightstand, and some remain on the bed. He's not going to be sleeping in this bed, anyway; Now that they're comfortable sleeping with each other again, Teddy doesn't particularly want to sleep alone again for a good while.]

Then I guess I'm only spending the other 5% sleeping.

[His lip quirks, glancing sidelong at Teddy as he tucks his pajamas under the pillow. He has no idea how this week is going to go, but... this is nice. Familiar. It's like he's getting back into the groove of being him more and more every day.

He'll be okay. Slowly but surely, and with lots of help, he's doing it.]

[Teddy shares that same look, a sidelong glance with a light, teasing smile as he slides a folder underneath "his" pillow. It looks like Teddy has that same thought in mind, about how natural and comfortable this feels, even as he raises an eyebrow and tilts his head away.]

Oh really? Here I thought you were going to show me one or two things.

[Teddy gets a quirked brow for that one. The nice thing about finding himself again is that he gets to be expressive again- even if said expressiveness all-too-often turns to matter-of-fact commentary and straight-faced remarks. Billy is Billy, after all.]

How do you know those things won't be happening in the water?

[... Oh

Well

Teddy does, at least, have enough control of his expressions to not look surprised or flustered. The other eyebrow joins the second, both raised now, and his smile grows.

... The flush on his face betrays him, though.]

Well. That's one way to work around a percentage problem. Beats math any day.

[Yeah, the blush is telling enough that Billy knows he's getting the message. And the fact that he is - and is perfectly okay with it - is encouraging. So... okay. Note to self. Good subject to work with.]

Not much of a competition. Anything beats math any day. We're on a vacation, remember?

[And he still hasn't gone back to- nope nope nope nevermind.]

Right, right. We now have a math barrier surrounding the springs. No numbers or word problems are getting in here.

[With everything unpacked and set in their places on Teddy's side, he moves to Billy's bed, then flops down on it and on his back, arms spread out with his palms facing up, and looks up at Billy with a smile. That blush still hasn't really left his face, either.]

So, wanna hang out here for a while, or is it hot springs time now?

[Billy glances around, his expressing musing and thoughtful, then shakes his head.]

Hot springs? There's not a whole lot to do in here that we couldn't do back at our place. And I know we didn't actually walk up the mountain, but I kind of feel like we did.

[Overstuffed backpacks are heavy and sweaty and gross, okay.]

[What are you talking about, his backpack was light as a feather.

Teddy's smile grows at that because, again, it's a decision Billy made without asking Teddy what he wanted, and that's something he loved seeing ever since they talked about the whole "give and take" thing. They really are getting better... slowly, but surely.

Still, now that Teddy's flopped down, he might need a bit of bullying to get him back up. So he holds out his arms and opens and closes his hands, hoping that Billy can pull him up.]

Hot springs it is. I think I'm gonna need a boost, though.

[Billy lifts a brow at him for that. A boost, huh.

He could go over there and help him out. That's what a good, helpful boyfriend would do. Or at least, someone who doesn't know Teddy as well as he does. Someone who doesn't know that he has super strength and could probably pick himself and the bed up in a heartbeat if he wanted.

Wordlessly, and pointedly ignoring Teddy's reaching arms, Billy shrugs off his jacket, untangles the scarf from around his neck, and drags his shirt off.]

Aren't people traditionally supposed to go naked at hot springs?

[Teddy never specified what kind of boost he wanted, after all.]

[...

...

...

theodorerufusaltman.exe has stopped working due to overheating and needs to shut down

or just ogle for a while

Which he does. It's different from when Billy would throw his shirt off to go shower; This is, quite deliberately, a strip tease. A boost, if you will.

...

And so he lets his arms drop back to the bed, then pushes himself up, still staring appreciatively at his shirtless boyfriend.]

Yeah... They do...

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