selfhelp | [IC] Appointments Post

[...Ugh, and he'd promised to try it, too. Billy stares balefully at the skates for a long moment, then reluctantly sits down to put them on.]

Isn't that something you should've asked before we came out here? It won't be much fun for you if you have to pull my flailing self around.

[Which is a sullen way of saying no, he cannot skate.]

Hey, come on. It'll still be fun.

[Teddy pauses for a moment to look over his shoulder, sending Billy a smile.]

I'll just teach you how. It's not that hard once you get the motions down. [Like riding a bike.]

[That smile is making it difficult to be annoyed, here. Dammit.

Once the skates are on, Billy gives them a couple of experimental slides over the snow. Sure doesn't feel like riding a bike. He's done this a few times before, as a kid. Tried hockey once, when his dad was in that annoyingly sweet phase of thinking he knew where Billy's interests might lie. (It was a mercifully brief phase.) None of them went particularly well. Coordination was part of it - not many kids are at that age - but the biggest, worst part, was the other kids. There was no greater target than a failing newcomer to a "real man's sport".

He didn't think Teddy was like that. But the memories and the prospect of looking like a fool and falling on his ass aren't helping his confidence any.]

Why do people always say that about things they're already good at?

You say that like I'm actually good at it.

[With his own skates on, Teddy slowly gets out onto the ice - He does wobble a little at first, but otherwise, he's up and ready to go.]

I know how to go forward and stop, and that's pretty much it. [He holds out both of his hands for Billy to grab on to.] Just enough to make people think I know what I'm doing.

...So if you don't know what you're doing, and I don't know what I'm doing, why are we doing this?

[He takes Teddy's hands despite his words, allowing the other boy to pull him to his feet. And of course that's when the wobbling begins. His eyes widen, stumbling and sliding forward, staring at the ice like he's expecting it to either trip him up or crack under his feet.]

To - whoa, hey -

[Teddy grins and chuckles as Billy stumbles and wobbles and slides, hands still holding on to Billy's, but never once outright laughing at him. If anything, he looks thrilled. They're trying new things together, and Billy is actually this with him, however grudgingly.]

- To take our minds off of things. It's okay, I got you.

[He doesn't necessarily know how to skate backwards, but he can drift and at least attempt it with stiff legs of his own. Still, he refuses to let Billy fall while he's got his hands on him.]

[Dammit, Teddy, stop looking so happy, it's actually impossible to be angry, now. Teddy's enthusiasm is kind of infectious, so while he isn't smiling yet, he doesn't quite look as scowly as before.]

Oh, good, we can both end up on our butts when I inevitably fall over, then.

I'm not letting you fall as long as I've got you.

[For now, he stays where he is, still supporting Billy and righting him when he looks like he's tipping over too much.]

Just tell me when you don't feel like you're going to fall over in the next second.

How am I supposed to know that? Every time I feel like I've got myself balanced, I slip again.

[All he can see are his feet slipping and sliding and skidding all over the ice. He can't imagine that getting any better.]

[Haha... Billy's doing the one thing that all new skaters do, yet it's the one thing that's their downfall as well.]

Because you're focusing too much on that. [Or, well, that didn't make much sense, so he ducks his head, trying to get Billy to look at him.] You've got your eyes on your feet. You're not going to know what's ahead of you if you keep watching them.

[....

....

That... sounds disturbingly familiar. It takes a moment for those words to really sink in, for Billy to digest them properly; you can practically hear the wheels turning in his head. He's said that before, trying to teach Teddy how to dance. But that was different, wasn't it? Surely the two can't be that similar.

It takes a few long moments, but finally, Billy lifts his eyes uncertainly to meet Teddy's instead of watching their feet. God, he looks so happy...]

So... what, I should be looking at you, instead? Is that a pick-up line, Altman?

[There we go. Teddy just squeezes his hands, just to tell him that he's doing good.]

If it's a pick-up line that does it, then sure. [Slowly, slowly, he lets go of one hand, ready to hold it again if he needs to.] You've got to feel your legs and your feet, not watch them. They're the ones doing the work, not the eyes.

[Teddy isn't even comparing it to dancing, doesn't feel that sense of familiarity. But if he knew, he would absolutely advocate it if it got Billy to trust in this a little more.]

[Even Billy isn't sure if he can compare them yet, but that first step - the very idea - is a good start, and it helps him find some semblance of stability. It's definitely different in the sense that he can't nearly find his balance as easily, but with Teddy's support, he does start to relax a little, even ventures to push himself forward a bit. At least getting momentum is easy enough, although that makes it pretty intimidating, too.]

Okay... I'm feeling them, I'm feeling them. Which is kind of a miracle, considering the temperature. Now what?

Well. Now...

[Now, Teddy starts to skate forward. Slowly, enough so that Billy won't be yanked along for the ride, and he keeps his movements wide enough for Billy to plainly see, if he needs a bit of guidance on how to move.]

We ride.

[Whoa, okay. That... is actually surprisingly more smooth than he'd expected. He's seen skating before, sure, and it looks great, but there'd been something of a dissonance between that belief and reality when he'd tried it out himself. Something about the fact that he'd spent more time on his ass than on his feet.

Teddy, though... he almost makes it look graceful again. It's kind of surreal.]

If, uh. If you'd wanted a ride, I can think of better ways to...

[He trails off, his cheeky thought derailing as he tentatively tries to move his legs the way Teddy is. It's not exactly on par, but it's a step above the tiptoe-slide he'd been doing before.]

Haha... Is that a pick-up line, Kaplan? You're getting as bad as me over here.

[It makes him think of home, minus the crowds that made the rink a living obstacle course. It makes him think of how he'd skate as fast as he could with his friends, shoving each other but never with the intent to make them fall, seeing how falling with blades on your feet can be dangerous. It makes him think of dragging his mother along, her student surpassing the teacher, and turning around to steady her when she wobbled too much. And for once, he can think of that and feel a nostalgic sort of happiness, not a sense of solemn longing.

Now, it's a memory to share with Billy. Once he feels Billy start to feel more steady, he grins, then holds his arm out so that they're not as close together, like they're gliding with their arms spread. In fact, he sweeps his other arm outward, and it looks pretty damn similar to something in a dance.]

Oh god, oh god, oh god...

[Billy's reaction is the opposite, at first; his eyes go wide, and his arm flails free as soon as Teddy lets him go. He's a breath away from spazzing and losing his calm completely when he notices the position.

....

Wow. Is Teddy dancing with him, on ice, willingly and without specific urging? Is that what this is?

He can't help but stare, his arm half-lifted, lips quirking into a fascinated little smile. No way. No way.

Maybe it is a bit like dancing after all.]

[Finally. He got a smile out of him.

Teddy feels accomplished by that, and it shows in his eyes and smile. Once they start to slow down, he pulls Billy closer again and goes back to his slow, wide movements.]

See? It's not so bad.

Mmm... alright, I'll cave. But only because you're here.

[He squeezes Teddy's hand, soaking in the warmth and support he can feel through his glove. It's a lot different when the person you're skating with isn't actively trying to sabotage your efforts.]

The best part of skating is when you're with someone. [He squeezes Billy's hand in return, his own free one sliding into his pocket as he decides to just take it slow, get Billy used to the feeling of skating rather than just taking him along for the ride.]

I used to skate sometimes with the friends I had. Not a lot, and they weren't always... quiet, like this. [Teddy looks ahead now, his gaze turning more fond.] The first time I went to the rink was with my mom. She tried teaching me, but [And he chuckles quietly,] she was just starting out herself, so she had to hold on to the wall more than me. I ended up getting better at it while she gave up and supported me more than anything.

[...Ah.

Billy gives Teddy's hand another squeeze, taking careful note of his voice, his expression. As good as Teddy is at hiding how he's feeling - when what he's feeling isn't happy - he's usually pretty honest when he brings up is mom. For him to be calm and smiling about it is... definitely a good sign. Yeah.]

I think moms are just naturally cautious of ice because they're smart about it. My mom never liked it much, either- it was always Dad who tried to take me skating. The whole... three times we tried.

[Thinking back on it, he wonders if it was a Skrull thing. If she wasn't used to ice, or didn't like it for other reasons, or...

But then Billy starts talking about his experiences with the ice, and his own thoughts are put on the back burner. Better to listen and discover something more about his boyfriend's past than to wonder about something he lost the chance to know.]

Dare I ask what happened those three times?

Ha... I don't think you want to know.

[Not just because he knows how Teddy reacts to stories about past bullying - with him so happy, Billy doesn't want to ruin it - but truthfully he doesn't want to share an embarrassing story in detail.]

The short version is that you're lucky my butt isn't permanently blue, black, and broken.

Yeah, it sure would be a shame if that happened.

[And despite the fact that his one free hand is on the other side of him, he still slides it out of his pocket and shifts enough behind him to give Billy's butt a playful tap. It'd be a shame indeed.]

I like your butt nice and healthy.

[Billy jerks forward a bit, helplessly; he'd expected it, but somehow it was still a surprise. He gives Teddy a light nudge in response, feigning a punishment.]

As true as that is, we are out in public.

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