selfhelp | [Voice/Written/Action]

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[Voice/Written/Action]

Hey out there, Luceti. Are we all more or less ourselves again? Pretty sure we are, uh... here's hoping.

Considering how crazy things have been lately, Teddy and I were talking, and we think it'd be a good time to run this. We all need a break. So courtesy of the LGBTQQA Club - um, I'm tentatively calling it "Alliance", for the sake of minimizing all the abbreviations, better name possibly pending - I'm happy to introduce: Luceti's first-ever (I think) Speed Dating.

If you don't know what speed dating is, it's pretty much exactly how it sounds. The idea is we'd all get together, pair up, you'd talk to someone you might not have talked to before for about ten minutes, and then afterwards decide how you liked it and if you want to see them again. First impressions count for a lot, and sometimes that's all it takes to find your true love or your new best friend.

We're going to run it next weekend - Saturday afternoon, we figure is a good time - and sign-ups are starting now so we'll have time to pair everyone up. Anyone can participate, not just club members or people in the LGBT spectrum, and you're not obligated to do anything if you don't like it. So why not give it a shot? ...And we'll have cookies. Teddy's making them and the recipe looks amazing. Anyone else want to bring some food and stuff? We can have a table for contributions...

Um, anyway. I'll be over by the plaza today, and on the journal network, too, if you've got any questions or if you want to sign up.

[The above message is also written out (albeit less informally). And there's a table with posters and some forms in the plaza, near the school, all day. Billy's just hanging out and drawing the passerbys while he waits, if anyone wants to chat him up about it in person.]

((ooc sign-ups here!))

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I'm sure not going to be wearing the dress. [Lucky(?) him indeed. Even though the nibbling is pretty eye-catching too.]

[Are we talking about the M word again without actually talking about it

Billy snorts quietly, finally taking a real bite. Mmm, it's toasted just the way he likes it.]

Like I would either.

[Teddy shrugs, bringing his attention back on the sandwich again. Really, he can't imagine either of them in a dress, nor does he really want to, so it's for the best.]

Guess that makes us both the husbands in the relationship.

[... ... ...

Well crap, he did just say that, didn't he.

How about he just take a bigger bite out of the sandwich and look at one of the stores as if the most interesting thing in the world is happening over there until the inevitably awkward moment passes, eh?]

[Billy pauses at that, the chewing of his latest bite going still for all of three seconds before he finishes, swallows, and responds without missing any further beat:]

I guess it does.

[His tone is as casual as he can make it, concealing the sudden jitters and rush of pleasure at what Teddy may or may not have just implied. It's not like he didn't know his boyfriend was committed, and it's not- it's not like he thinks he's serious, and they're way too young to be thinking about it, probably, but...

Husbands.

It just sounds really nice in his head, okay?]

[Now it's Teddy's turn to freeze, though he recovers quickly enough with a swallow that would probably be too big for a human, but automatic shifting takes care of that for him. That wasn't really the reaction he was thinking he'd get; here he thought Billy would move the subject on or laugh or something else, but -

Husbands.

It really does sound nice, a thought that's been in Teddy's head for several months now. And they're both definitely committed to each other, so that isn't even an issue. But they really are too young, too reckless and - well, only halfway too irresponsible (he likes to think that, at least). And they've only been together for a year and seven months give or take a few due to being pulled here at a weird time (yes, he counted). It's not like they're really... Not yet, but that doesn't stop him from thinking about it, thinking he actually found...

Right, right, okay, time to stop thinking about this before it drives further along. He gives Billy a glance, a shy one with a quirk of a smile and a hint of a blush on his cheeks, then looks down at the ground.]

Well... good.

Um, how's the bagel? I told them to make it the way you like it...

[At the shift in subject, Billy smiles softly, a mixture of relief and disappointment in his expression. They're definitely not ready to talk about this kind of thing, but the thought was nice, and talking about food instead is just...

...bleh. He needs to think about something else before he starts overthinking it more than he already is.]

It's fine. Perfect, actually, and thanks for bringing it. Jokes about domesticity aside, you do take good care of me.

[Of course, with Teddy's mind still driving along on that topic, he can think of about three different responses that all have that H word. He decides to bypass those instead, and thinks of something else.]

You take good care of me, too. Even if you're not as good of a cook as I am.

[Seriously though, Billy's been amazing compared to how they first started out. He looks out for Teddy, tries to see if he's actually telling the truth or covering it up, really looks at his facial expressions just in case he's trying to resort to his stone-faced mask. And more often than not, especially lately, Billy can tell. Someone going that far for someone like him and not just taking his word for it has got to be special.]

Ingrate. Someday I'll cook you something more complex than breakfast and you will be thoroughly wowed.

[Sarcasm aside, the compliment pleases him; he's worried on and off whether or not he's doing enough for Teddy in comparison to what the other does for him, particularly since Luceti's given them thorough beatings one way or another. Teddy's expression and tone are pretty telling, though, and for the moment Billy's satisfied.]

Yeah, babe, I will definitely be thoroughly wowed when you cook me brunch.

[Despite the sarcasm of his own words, Teddy still scoots closer until he can slide an arm around Billy's shoulders. He does mean it when he says that Billy takes good care of him, something that really hit home when the heart shard was taken out of him. And... well. It's a relief to see Billy not wave off that subject in all the ways Teddy thought he would, and rather... agree with it, sort of.

Maybe in the future...]

[Ignoring the sass, Billy leans into the half-embrace, tucking himself comfortably against Teddy's shoulder. It's as cozy as ever, and it means that he can get himself some subtle revenge by dropping crumbs in Teddy's lap.]

I think you're mocking me, Altman.

[Like Teddy cares about the crumbs, seeing how he's not even trying to clean the ones that drop from his own food. He glances upward, feigning innocence, while he starts to stroke Billy's upper arm gently and idly with his fingertips.]

Whatever gave you that idea, Kaplan?

Mm... actually, what I think you're trying to do is convince me that I need to prove myself. By, oh, I don't know... making dinner all this week?

[How much of an iron stomach do you have, Mr. Halfling?]

[Wow, Teddy probably would've paled if he didn't have a good control of himself. Instead, he rolls his eyes until he can give Billy a deadpan look.]

Now you're the one who's imagining things, because I don't remember ever insinuating that.

It was definitely implied. Mmhm. You're underestimating me, something my manly pride just can't tolerate.

[And he totally has manly pride. It just manifests in, uh. Non-conformist ways.]

Ah, the deadly Kaplan pride. Destroyer of good food and prince-carries.

[The latter of which he's a little sad about, considering how much he loves to carry Billy like that.]

Tell you what: you experiment on the side. I promise I'll even try the food you make and give you pointers, but leave dinners to me until you get good enough. [He stops his movement along Billy's arm to hold up a finger, his voice having a more sagely tone to it.] Only then can you prove yourself worthy of the task of cooking supper.

Edited 2013-06-18 09:51 (UTC)

...You know, if you want to carry me around that much, all you have to do is ask. Pride only comes into play when I actually need the help- it's kind of backwards like that.

[Pride just isn't logical, it's a fact. And sometimes he does like to indulge - in being carried, and Teddy's enjoyment of it. But there's such a thing as too much.

The food issue, though... hrngh.]

This sounds like a serious test of mettle.

[... omg does that mean he can carry Billy around (within reason) without getting complaints, OH JOY

His elation at that fact probably shows in his eyes and the way he smiles, though he tries to temper them down a little when it comes to the food.]

Come on, that sounds way better than the pressure of actually cooking dinner for the both of us for a week.

[Oh god, he's stepped in it now, hasn't he. He'll have to put some kind of limit on how many prince-carries he gets per week or something.]

What it sounds like is something out of one of those online RPGs. "Make me ten edible meals to level up. Okay! Now you've earned the right to make more meals."

Think of it like Minecraft achievements. "Make ten edible meals. Great, now you know how to do it! Now move on to the next thing."

...Next step: make cookies.

[Because everyone knows that cookies are the hardest thing to make in Minecraft.

...Well, okay, not everyone. And it's only one of the harder things. But it makes sense to him.]

[That gets a bit of an eyebrow raise out of him. Oh my god, Minecraft is so backwards; every real cook knows that making cookies is easier than making a delicious and edible dish. Or maybe Teddy just thinks making cookies is easy.]

Oh, did you want to take over my job of making cookies for the speed dating event too?

Edited 2013-06-18 11:18 (UTC)

[Billy snorts at that, shifting a bit to lean further up against Teddy and prop his feet on the table, legs crossed, nudging the tray of sign-up sheets with his foot.]

Only if you're prepared to take over all of my organizing, because I'm not doing both.

[And he's pretty sure he knows which of those jobs would be more fun for Teddy.]

[With so much practice, it would be easy to keep up his serious face. But his first instinct is to smile as Billy moves further against him, and he's learned not to fight first instincts all the time with Billy - in fact, it's easy not to. So he smiles, and he wraps his other arm around him, under Billy's arm and across his chest to lock his own hands together and give Billy a loose embrace.]

Okay, okay, we'll stick with the original plan. You're a lot better at organizing than I am anyway.

[Although with the way they're positioned, it kind of looks like speed dating is one of the furthest things from their minds right now.]

Did you need any help with all of that? [He figures Billy would want to do it all himself, but hey, can't help to offer.]

[By now his bagel's finished, and he's plenty satisfied with lunch, so Billy just focuses on relaxing against his boyfriend, his hands resting over Teddy's, eyes closing and looking like the very picture of contentment.]

As tempting as it is to say yes, I think adding a second person to the mix would actually just complicate things. I won't say no to advice and moral support, though.

[Teddy's sandwich isn't quite done, but it's still set aside, its owner having deemed his boyfriend more important than finishing it off. He lowers his head to take in a whiff of Billy's hair, his smile growing a little when he realizes that it smells like his favorite shampoo that he's found here, though Teddy recognizes it more as a Billy-scent.]

I can definitely provide both of those. [And after a kiss he drops on the top of his head:] Does this count as moral support? I've got plenty of that to give.

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