Billy is curled up on one side of the couch. The fact that he hasn't said anything all day is probably worrying people, since normally shutting up is more along the lines of his problem, but he woke up before Ted for once and discovered his unfortunate curse so now he's saying nothing.
Nothing.
No matter how many puppy faces Teddy attempts to pull.
Billy might have gotten away with pretending his curse was that he couldn't speak, but from the way he was acting it was obviously self-imposed and that's where boyfriendly concern and curiosity came in. Of course this was after he got over the "Oh shit he's angry at me for something" first thought.
"Billyyyy," Teddy whined for the millionth time today, sprawling out at the other end of the couch with his feet just in poking distance of Billy's legs. Shove shove.
Billy doesn't toss a glare Teddy's way, even though he would probably like to. He instead crosses his arms and raises an eyebrow, as if that will make Teddy relax, when he knows it won't. He pulls a pillow over his head and shakes it with all the enthusiasm of a dog trying to shake apart a toy.
And he curls up tighter against his corner of the couch. There are no words coming out of him today. As much as he can help it. It's for Teddy's own good. Really.
The problem is, Teddy isn't really a devious person when you get down to it, if he was Tommy he'd probably have figured out a way to make Billy say something by now. Instead he settles for switching directions and crawling over to plant his arms on either side of Billy's shoulders, cornering him.
"Billy," he says again, this time in a lower voice.
Billy peeks one eye out from under his pillow and then both eyebrows go sky high. He knows that tone, well enough to know what's coming next. Dirty pool, Altman, he wants to say, and he almost does, except he manages to catch himself before a single syllable escapes his mouth.
Well, that almost worked. Billy opened his mouth at least. They were getting somewhere. Going into "handsome mode" meant subtle shifts towards wider shoulders, taller height, more muscle tone, stronger chin, sharper cheekbones, deeper voice. He tips Billy's chin up to look at him for a moment, smirking maybe just a little, before leaning down to kiss him with gentle, almost non-existent kisses.
Billy returns the kisses, almost in protest, and he huffs through his nose as if that will be adequate protest. It isn't. He can only notice the shift because he's watched it before, and because he's memorized the contours of Teddy's face. He purses his lips in the most protest he can manage.
Which isn't very much.
Damn you, he thinks, torn between wishing that Teddy was a mind reader and grateful he isn't.
He doesn't really use it consciously any more, just for moments like these when he's teasing Billy. There was a time when this was the face he wore every day, though.
If he licks at Billy's mouth with his tongue or uses his free hand to slide up the front of his shirt, will that get something out of him? He's aware that this is a desperate move, but it's the last one he can think of out of all the others he's tried, short of doing something to hurt him, and he's too persistent to give up now. Billy will forgive him. Probably.
Billy fights it for a long time. He tries his damndest not to give in, but then Teddy's hand is up his shirt and he's opening his mouth and then, like a nightmare, or something equally horrifying, come the words.
"I can't get enough of you baby," he sings, then claps a hand over his mouth.
There is a long, long pause, as Teddy's face is trapped somewhere between horror and hilarity. Now its his turn to put his hand over his mouth to keep from saying something or laughing. When he can trust himself, though still grinning, he leans in again and licks a trail up to Billy's ear.
Billy glares. He hopes that the look on his face reads, you are a dead man, Theodore Altman but it probably just makes him look sick to his stomach or something. He can see the laughing. This is not funny.
So he doesn't reply, at first. But then Teddy is nibbling on his ear. There should be a law. It should be a really, really harsh one. With lots of penalties. And maybe a fine.
And it makes Billy kind of gibbery, no less.
"I feel like I am falling, like my life is on a slide," Billy spills, and glares.
"Keep going!" Teddy teases, getting his knees on either side of Billy's hips for balance. What had apparently been so embarrassing as to keep Billy from talking all day was now quite obvious. It was more funny that Billy was taking it so seriously than the fact that he was singing at all.
Billy clears his throat - just a little, but that's enough.
"No No No No I'll hurry when I'm home I'll hurry when I'm home I'll go No No No No I'll hurry when I'm home I'll hurry when I'm home I'll go Oh, I'll go"
"Yeah Yeah Yeahs," Teddy identifies, sitting back on Billy's knees and falling back into his usual comfortable self. He's on the edge of laughter, but he knows Billy's pride is sensitive.
Billy sighs (he manages that without bursting into song) and finally he smiles a little. And then he opens his mouth and his words come out - in song form.
"I didn't mean to wear this disguise But I can't stand the look in my eyes Oh I didn't mean to lie I was doing what I thought was right Come on, walk right down the line You'll be walking till the end of time
Because oh I feel like laughing Oh I feel like laughing Oh I feel like laughing All because of you All because of you"
Nothing.
No matter how many puppy faces Teddy attempts to pull.
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Billy might have gotten away with pretending his curse was that he couldn't speak, but from the way he was acting it was obviously self-imposed and that's where boyfriendly concern and curiosity came in. Of course this was after he got over the "Oh shit he's angry at me for something" first thought.
"Billyyyy," Teddy whined for the millionth time today, sprawling out at the other end of the couch with his feet just in poking distance of Billy's legs. Shove shove.
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And he curls up tighter against his corner of the couch. There are no words coming out of him today. As much as he can help it. It's for Teddy's own good. Really.
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"Billy," he says again, this time in a lower voice.
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Instead he just tips his head.
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Which isn't very much.
Damn you, he thinks, torn between wishing that Teddy was a mind reader and grateful he isn't.
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If he licks at Billy's mouth with his tongue or uses his free hand to slide up the front of his shirt, will that get something out of him? He's aware that this is a desperate move, but it's the last one he can think of out of all the others he's tried, short of doing something to hurt him, and he's too persistent to give up now. Billy will forgive him. Probably.
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Billy fights it for a long time. He tries his damndest not to give in, but then Teddy's hand is up his shirt and he's opening his mouth and then, like a nightmare, or something equally horrifying, come the words.
"I can't get enough of you baby," he sings, then claps a hand over his mouth.
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"What was that?"
And nibbles. Just a little bit.
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So he doesn't reply, at first. But then Teddy is nibbling on his ear. There should be a law. It should be a really, really harsh one. With lots of penalties. And maybe a fine.
And it makes Billy kind of gibbery, no less.
"I feel like I am falling, like my life is on a slide," Billy spills, and glares.
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"No No No No
I'll hurry when I'm home
I'll hurry when I'm home I'll go
No No No No
I'll hurry when I'm home
I'll hurry when I'm home I'll go
Oh, I'll go"
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"I'm not going to make fun of you."
For now, anyways.
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"I didn't mean to wear this disguise
But I can't stand the look in my eyes
Oh I didn't mean to lie
I was doing what I thought was right
Come on, walk right down the line
You'll be walking till the end of time
Because oh I feel like laughing
Oh I feel like laughing
Oh I feel like laughing
All because of you
All because of you"
As long as Kate doesn't hear this.
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Since he's really not as inclined to song right now he settles for kissing Billy on the corner of the mouth instead.
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