selfhelp | [IC] Appointments Post

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...

[Mmmmhm. Billy Kaplan does it right.

for once

Billy purses his lips - crushing that thought again - and tosses the shirt on the bed, then rests his hands on his hips. The attention from Teddy is both pleasantly ego-boosting and somewhat intimidating, but right now it's more former than latter, which is a significant improvement from before.]

Oh, good, you're up. Are you coming?

Uh... [Teddy blinks a couple times, snapping out of his little fantasy: Billy going to the pants next, unbuttoning them while Teddy's hands rest where Billy's are right now, and - and wow, okay. Hot springs, yes.] Yeah. Yeah, I'm... yeah. Coming.

[He pushes himself off the bed, and while the scarf and coat come off easily enough, he feels... a little self-conscious about the rest, whatever will show skin. He shouldn't, Billy's seen him naked plenty of times, and...

Whatever, Teddy will have to get over it if they do do something more over the week.]

[Contrary to his words, Billy doesn't go full-on naked- at least, not yet. He's still debating that. If he's okay, if they're okay, if it's appropriate to jump right into things despite not really making it even this far before. At the very least, though, he can't go swimming in his jeans, so off they go, along with shoes and socks. He's about to go for the towel and slippers that are available for use at the spa when he notices Teddy's hesitation.]

...Teddy?

[Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all... he'd decided for them, hadn't he? Shit...]

[... Well. If there's something that can calm his nerves a little, it's seeing more of Billy exposed. Particularly his legs - Beautiful as always, even with them being a bit thinner than usual, like the rest of him. Blame the month long possession, pushing away from the good, healthy things like exercise and even food. But he's working on getting all of that back, Teddy can tell.

... God, what is he so nervous about? With Billy calling attention to him, Teddy tears his gaze away again and fingers at the edge of his own shirt.]

It's okay, I'm fine.

[he's going to see everything and how utterly boring you are

Teddy slides his shirt up and off anyway, letting it drop on the bed behind him, though he keeps his eyes ahead rather than looking at Billy.]

I was just thinking... [that we could bring our tunes out there. That it might be better if you went on ahead. That I needed to see if the laptop would work out here.] ... I probably still need a boost or two, that's all.

[No secrets.]

[Billy watches Teddy silently for a long moment, mulling over those words, and the body language that accompanies it. The way he'd fidgeted, the way he can't look at Billy, the quietness of his voice...

He's not okay. Not yet.

He feels a twinge of guilt again, familiar and stinging; he'd rushed things, so anxious and eager to be normal, that instead of being the one to drag them back, he'd pulled ahead too fast and left Teddy behind. That's not how one should behave in a team.

Nothing to do but go back now, though, so... decision made, he steps forward, closing the distance between them and crawling up on the bed, touching Teddy's shoulder, letting his hand slide across his back soothingly.]

Teddy...

[He ducks his head to bump it against Teddy's arm, free hand shifting to wind his fingers around the blond's.]

We can stay here for a while, if you'd prefer...

[Teddy shuts his eyes, soaking in Billy's touch and the affection he's receiving. Billy isn't afraid to touch him, like he was just a few weeks ago. It's always been though physical and visual action that Teddy trusted these things the most, not so much spoken words - the latter was more like icing on the cake, really.

Here Billy is, touching him without hesitation, soothing and comforting, willing to go back to Teddy's level. Teddy, meanwhile, is just a step behind, reaching out and wishing desperately for his feet to move...

With every touch, with every reassurance, it feels like his feet are getting lighter. He could lie and say that everything's fine, that they can go right now... But the truth is that he just needs a few more minutes. A few more minutes of Billy touching him like this, giving him the confidence he needs and the knowledge that he's good enough to be touched, and he'll be ready enough to at least take Billy's hand and follow behind him, rather than stand there with his feet frozen to the ground.]

... Just a little while. I'll be ready to go, I promise. I just need a few minutes.

[In the meantime, he drifts back, leaning against Billy's touches.

Just a little while - with you, like this.]

[Billy makes a soft, affirmative noise, shifting back a bit to sit behind Teddy. He winds both arms around Teddy's shoulders, hugging him that way, with his chin resting in between his own arm and Teddy's neck. His hands move up and down the blond's arms, his lips pepper the now-exposed neck with gentle kisses. Anything that he thinks - hopes - might soothe Teddy's worries.

You're perfect. You're beautiful. Don't doubt yourself. Don't doubt me.

I want this.]

[The kisses to his neck make Teddy tilt his head back, eyes still shut, encouraging the touches even as he feels the hairs on his neck and arms rise, feels goosebumps show up on his skin. He can chalk it up to being cold, even if it's hard for him to be that way, rather than the shred of discomfort still inside him. He's not tensing, and he doesn't feel like pulling himself away or making Billy stop. He is getting better, and the knowledge makes him so relieved. It won't be long until he can fully, completely enjoy kisses like that.

They're pleasurable all the same, and the hands stroking up and down his arms add on to it. And all the attention makes him feel - better, too. Billy likes this. There's no hesitation in his movements, and he's touching and kissing him with appreciation, love and affection. Billy likes what he's seeing, and he's showing it with every stroke and brush of the lips.

It isn't long until Teddy starts to feel himself relax, bit by bit. Truth be told, he'd like to stay just so that they don't have to move, and they can stay and keep showing their love like this, the world narrowed down to whatever they do under the covers.

But Teddy had promised, and soaking in the springs does sound enjoyable...]

[It's a little nerve-wracking, doing this with Teddy not responding the way he usually might. It isn't an outright negative response, though, so... Billy hopes that he's doing okay. He'll stop in a heartbeat if Teddy asks him to, but until that happens, he'll just have to trust that Teddy will be honest about what he wants.

Lifting up, he buries his face in Teddy's hair, nuzzling it affectionately, loving the way it softly tickles his nose and falls perfectly back into place as he pulls away. A thought occurs to him, almost fleeting, but he ponders it for a moment before pressing a gentle kiss to the nape of Teddy's neck, trailing a line up into his hair.]

God, your hair's soft... I love it, you know? From the moment I saw you, the real you, all I could think about was how I'd get my hands in it without you thinking I was weird...

[Action, November 22nd]

[Action, November 22nd]

[Action, November 22nd]

[Action, November 22nd]

[Action, November 22nd]

[Action, November 22nd]

[Action, November 22nd]

[Action, November 22nd]

[Action, November 22nd]

[Action, November 22nd]

[Action, November 22nd]

[Action, November 22nd]

[Action, November 22nd]

[Action, November 22nd]

[Action, November 22nd]

[Action, November 22nd]

[Action, November 22nd]

[Action, November 22nd]

[Action, November 22nd]

[Action, November 22nd]

[Action, November 22nd]

[Action, November 22nd]

[Action, November 22nd]

[Action, November 22nd] pretend the roles are flipped in the icon

[Action, November 22nd] ayeeeee