1963-06-05 - bill and teds excellent adventure II
Summary: In which Billy and Teddy figure themselves out. A bit. Then it goes haywire.
Related: None
Theme Song: None
teddy billy 


It's been almost six hours since he had lunch with Teddy and Billy has only just stopped having indigestion. Maybe it was all the kraut, but halfway through his Miracle Dog and he was strongly considering the potential benefits of summoning a port-o-potty. If he hadn't found himself trying to play it cool in front of the All American Male, he might would have done just that.

Then there was the embarassing moment where one slipped past his impressive guard..

It's been almost six hours and Billy is still mortified that he farted in front of someone he just met..

So the only logical course of actions was to go patrolling for petty criminals to take it out on… which proved more difficult than he'd hoped it would be. Middle of the afternoon, there's not a whole lot of muggings! Even in New York. So now he's got a whole lot of alone time to think about it, to relive the whole horrible event in grim, self depricating, noxious auroma detail.

"Billy, you're an idiot.."

Back that morning, Teddy couldn't keep from grinning. He didn't comment on it, but his grin was there, his grin spoke volumes. You can't hide from that grin. But that was then.

This is now, and this is Brooklyn. Brooklyn has been a great place for Teddy lately. He even got shot here the other day! So he comes strolling down the street, not even kind of blending in, because he's looking for trouble. When he goes looking for trouble, he has a particular outfit. It starts with a hugely oversized New York Yankees baseball t-shirt (contrast to his non-trouble-finding Jets jacket), and a pair of sweatpants. He still has that All American Guy look about him, except for the earrings, and the cocky 'I got this' attitude might make up for that around here. Or, maybe it'll just make things worse. Win, meet WIN.

"Billy?" Teddy was not expecting to see the guy off wandering the seedier parts of Brooklyn, and that surprise shows clear on his face, "Hey, man, you shouldn't be here. This isn't the nice part of town." That one would be concern.

Billy has replaced his yellow shirt and shorts with a black body suit and a tattered clock hanging over his left shoulder. The red material wraps several times around his neck and aside from a small portion of his face and hair, he's like a completely different man.

One sitting on a fire escape with his arms leaning against the railings crossed so that his chin can rest against his forearms. The fact that he was just then kicking his own butt regarding Teddy is appropriate, actually. Maybe a little too appropriate, but there it is…

"Teddy?" Oh god oh god oh god. "Hey man…" The a drawn out, trying to sound like he's totally cool, a hip cat, a not nervous wreck. His feet dangle through the railings, "Oh.. yeah, I mean.." Motion nonchallantly, "I… uh.. live here?" No he doesn't, not at all.

Eyeing his clothes, "… The ''Yankees''? You know you're in Brooklyn right?"

"Everyone likes the Yankees." No they don't, but he sounds pretty sincere. Maybe he got dropped on the head as a child. Teddy lifts a hand and runs it through his blond hair, scratching at the back of his head, "But, you know. Its Brooklyn. Nothing fun ever happens in Brooklyn." That's probably a lot less convincing. He seems a little bit nervous, which is decidedly out of character for him, "Uh, you live there? Nice… fire escape. Well I assume you meant you live in the apartment attached to it, I'm only halfways a dork half the time." He hesitates again and gestures around, "Nice… neighborhood? Are you wearing a cape?" He doesn't sound to mind, he just seems to find it a curious fashion choice.

"No they don't…" Billy jumps right out there and calls Teddy's bluff, nobody likes the Yankees… Even Yankees fans hate the Yankees. He stares down at the All American Blonde with a squint, then looks back at the apartment, which is actually a chinese resteraunt… but he's already halfway into a lie and there's no sense backing out of it now!

"Sort of? I work for my rent, ya know? I really love Wontons.." Booooo.

Billy slides his legs back through the rails and climbs down into the street by way of the ladder. Once his feet are on pavement he tugs at his cape, "It's a cloak.." 'And it's cool', he doesn't say it, but he definitely infers it. "Okay, I'm going to level with you.. I don't live here." Obviously.

Stepping forward, Teddy reaches out and tries to snag the cape to lift it appraisingly, "A cloak." He tests this out on his tongue, and clearly accepting it, for he puts on a grin, "Okay, I like it. I'm just not entirely sure what the difference is between a cloak and a cape. But I'll have you know, I love the Yankees." Because they let him find the bullies easiest. That counts as liking them, doesn't it? Still, with Billy there before him he has to grin more broadly, "I kind of got that impression, and I'm disappointed. I was really looking forward to some good Wontons. I was going to offer to help with the dishes for some."

"Well, a cape is more of a neck to cafe situation…" Billy explains, "A cloak is-…" Is he really wanting to know this? It's always hard for him to understand when people are just being polite when he's over here being weird. "You don't really care, do you?" A sheepish grin and a shake of his head.

"I'll take your word for it, but… a Yankees shirt in Brooklyn is a whole lot louder than a yellow shirt on Coney Island." Then again, he's wearing a body suit in the middle of day. With a cloak.

"That's still an option. I certainly don't have money for wontons, but I'm not dressed for doing dishes." Damn that grin is infectious, Billy starts grinning himself the longer he stares up at Teddy… and he is staring.

"So… why are you in Brooklyn? Aside from trying to show team spirit, of course."

Teddy can't help it, he laughs, "No, sorry, I don't really care. But I'll be happy to listen if you want to tell me." That said, he looks a little sheepish himself, even going so far as to pinken just a little bit, "Well if you want wantons, I can buy. Between my part time job until college starts and my allowance, I'm easy. But uh." He coughs into one hand, and though he's a fairly big guy, for a moment he seems to shrink in on himself. Except he doesn't, actually, seem to shrink. He does, in fact, shrink. He loses a whole inch. But maybe Billy won't notice, as the word pollution comes forth to distract, "The shirt well the shirt is something of a statement piece, it says, I know you're there, villains, and I'm not afraid of you. Or it should say that. Instead I think it might say, I'm an idiot and come punch me. I don't exactly mind either interpretation. See I was going for a walk the other day and there was Spider-man and this guy with a gun— and this robbery or something like that which was going on— and I'm kind of cross with that gun guy because he wasn't really paying attention to who he was shooting at and so I thought I'd see if I can find him. And talk to him very nicely about how he picks targets." Did you get all that?

Billy glosses over a little at the firm details because he's not sure, but he's pretty sure, or he's pretty sure he hopes, that he just got asked out… maybe? "You fought spider-man?" Yes, that's what he got out of it. Thankfully, he also missed the part where Teddy shrank.

Because the whole getting asked out thing reminds him that he's farted in front of this guy. "Well, I mean, I've read the papers, apparently he's a real uncool guy? I don't know if I believe it, but yeah.." Motioning, playing it super cool, leaning against a very dingy looking brick wall with his arms crossed.

"So you're here ''trying'' to get in a gunfight with Spider-Man…" Maybe if he repeats the same wrong information it will be come true! "Are you, wait are you like a vigilante?" Motioning, kind of awestruck.

"Wait, no, no! No, Spider-Man and I were totally on the same size. He's cool. I couldn't keep track of all the bouncing around he did. Like a rubber ball. That you know. Sticks to things sometimes. Then… doesn't." Teddy enthuses, a total fanboy, even if his analogy is pretty fail, "It was this other guy who was shooting at us. Only not just at us, also at the robbers. I don't like guns at all." In fact, his expression darkens notably, "But if someone's going to shoot someone, then shooting the bad guys is a way better use then shooting me."

At that, Teddy pauses, squints, "Vigilante is such a bad word." He wrinkles his nose and then rubs it for good measure, "I like hero better. Well. Junior hero. Junior intern hero. Junior intern hero with a temporary hall pass." He sighs dramatically, "I know, I'm lame."

''oh!'' Billy makes the zero mouth expression as the lightbulbs come on upstairs, lifting his head in understanding suddenly, "I was really hoping Spider-Man wasn't a gun totting maniac, but you can never tell, ya know?" There's really not a lot of those these days, at least, not in the news.

As for Teddy's fanboy fawning, Billy just grins and watches with rapt amusement. "Seems like a swell guy…" Just to fill the awkward silence because he's inevitably got to put his foot in his mouth and it's better to lead with the better one if you're going to have to eat it anyways.

"No, lame is ''not'' the descriptive I'd have used.."

Teddy is not quite sure how this conversation got from Hi to here, and he's seriously not at all sure where here is, in this conversation. He lifts a hand up and sorta rubs at his forehead, using that as a distraction to collect his thoughts back together. Coughing, a bit embarassed, assuming the worst, "Yeah, lame's probably too good. I'm just a kid, really. Okay, so 19, but really. I haven't gone out and done a lot yet. There's been no saving the world action and minimal saving anyone, really."

"Though that giant bull guy thing with those people in Times Square was sorta intense for a minute there. Man, that thing almost knocked me over." Teddy pauses, and blinks, and seems even more bewildered by where this conversation has turned. "Wantons?" is thrown out in a mild case of desperation for a conversational life preserver.

What the heck even happened! Billy doesn't know, Teddy doesn't seem to know, both of them battering around like a couple of teenagers trying to figure out what a diaphram is!

He blinks a few times, straightens and hunches his shoulders, then fish mouths. It pops open and closed a few times, "Wait, hold on, no… you're not lame. I was going to say something like cute or funny or… one of like a trillion vague references to hipper things than ''lame''…"

Now he's not even sure he's digging his own fresh earthen grave! Even with wantons back on the table! "Okay, let's start over…" Waving his hands in the air, "My name's Billy Kaplan and I'd love to get wantons with you."

"Oh." Teddy first processes the fact taht Billy doesn't think he's lame, which makes him grin suddenly, if a little bit too wide so it might qualify as a stupid grin, but still, that's a huge improvement. And he's not shrinking again, so that's always a plus. "Oh, okay then." Did Billy just say cute or funny? Teddy's pretty sure he did, but considering he's fairly sure he had a stroke a minute ago, he doesn't push that yet.

"And my name is Teddy Altman, and wantons sound great." This is said with an easy, open smile of enthusiasm. "Let's hope they don't hate Yankees so much they spit in the wantons. I normally don't eat out when I'm looking to get into trouble."

"If it helps, ''at all'', I don't think the Chinese watch baseball." Billy offers with a little shrug, motioning around the corner with a twist of his wrists and a double point.

He did say those things and he's still worried that Teddy heard him even though there's like zero chance that he didn't hear him and god don't let it get awkward. "Sooo, aside from being a junior hero intern with a hallpass and an advocate of bad baseball teams as a meter for potential violent interaction in the ''wrong part of town''-" Add finger quotes, "-What do Teddy Altman's do?" Said as he starts to lead them around to the entrance with a little grin. Even if he's hardly dressed for dinner.

Teddy blinks a moment, the wrist pointing making him grin again, but he strolls along that way, making a show of going around the corner with style. His version of 'going around a corner with style' is to sort jock-strut. That said, he has to laugh again as Billy summarizes his stroke. So apparently all that did happen for real. "You have to admit my method has a certain natural grace to it." He's not quite defensive, but a hint less confident then he usually is. Just a little.

"I don't know any other Teddy Altman's, so I can't speak for the class in general, but in my specific case, mostly? Sports." He pauses, and adds with a rush, "And science and math and sci-fi anthologies." TEDDY. YOU DO NOT ADMIT THAT TO PEOPLE. This is what happens when Teddy tries to play innocent in the responses. He idly punches the wall some, because, really, they just got out of lame territory. "What do Billy Kaplan's do?" he asks, his easy grin returning.
Teddy has reconnected.

"You're into sci-fi?" Billy perks a little at that, either not noticing the strutting or, more likely, being oddly comforted by it. His own strutting is probably the exact oposite to Teddy's. One arm crossed over his chest with the other palm wrapped around the end of his elbow. Perfectly accurate introvert pose!

"I… well…" Billy shrugs a little and looks over at the All American, "That's a complicated thing to answer without coming off as really weird, but I really like science fiction.." Because he lives that life and because it's better than westerns. "Do you like Ed Wood?"

"Well, yeah, I don't see how anyone isn't." Teddy gives a shrug, spreading a hand to gesture the world and beseech them: explain your life choices! "Science fiction is about us! About the future. About what we are and what we can be. About what we value and what needs to change. Science fiction is about hope and fear and how to live between those two and…" Ahem. Nerd alert.

But, Teddy grins through it, and gives a bit of a nod, "I like Wood. I mean, I don't like wood, there's a bit too much sex in his stuff— then again Heinlein is hardly any better and I'd be his butler for a year if he'd let me—" That said, he adds with an inviting smile, "Weird's okay. If you didn't notice I don't mind weird."

"Heinlein! Oh god yes. Stranger in a Strange Land!" Billy double points at himself, tapping his chest with the tips of his fingers, "That's about me, I think… or it should be. I don't think he actually wrote it about me." See, this is going to be so difficult to explain… "Alright, I'll try, but keep in mind this is the made for radio version…"

Billy reaches out and pulls the door open for Teddy, grinning a little at the idea of the big blonde All American being ''anyone's'' buttler. "So, do you ever get the feeling that you don't belong? Like, not just don't fit in.. but that you're in the wrong place?" Motioning around as he follows the other inside.

"I.. I mean I've got all these memories of a family and growing up and all that, but.. They don't feel real. I think they're someone elses memories and I'm only remembering them because I have to."

That really was difficult to explain, "But I… don't know why I'd tell you that… but.. I did." Because that's pretty weird fare.

"Always." This is Teddy's first response as he steps in, and he means it, its with feeling. "I don't know why and I can't explain it at all, I mean, my mom loves me. My dad died. But I don't fit." That said, he listens to the rest of Billy's explanation, his expression thoughtful, "I don't really belong here. But." He shrugs, looking away, and pauses there at the door.

"That's really easy to explain, really. See." Teddy looks a bit hesitant, but resigned at the same time, and says the next words verrry quietly, "See, I'm a mutant. I know that might freak you out, but really, we're not like all monsters like some people say. We're just different. That explains the feeling I get, I think." He sounds very much like he's trying to convince himself as much as Billy. But? Billy overshared, so Teddy overshared right back. He had to. For some reason. "But if you still want to have wantons, we can arm wrestle over who is better the more important influence on Michael, Jewel or Jubal… or I can head out and we can go our separate ways, no hard feelings." H

Billy drops down into one of the little booths and genuinely looks to be a little comforted by the authentic chinese music being played through speakers at the corners of the resteraunt. He leans in a little when Teddy goes into whisper mode, then stares at him flatly. It might be off putting, but really it's one of those stares that he hopes reads like 'what are the oods?!' but probably comes off like 'Where are the pitchforks?!'

Regardless of what his expression says, Billy reaches out to make sure Teddy doesn't leave, whether he does or not, by putting a hand on his forearm. "No, please don't leave. I'd rather do that first thing…" Smiling a little, he turns to look over both shoulders, "I'm a mutant too… I think."

Teddy seems quite a bit worried about that stare, glancing around and expecting the guy to jump up and be all MUTANT. Then there's a hand on his arm and a smile. A little one, but that's something. So Teddy smiles back, its one of his superpowers, smiling. "Oh." He nods his head then, rolling it over in his thoughts, "So maybe that's why you don't feel like they're real. Or your life isn't. Because… like… its not exactly. It's…" He hesitates, "I mean maybe its like me? Or different. I don't know. I don't think my mom isn't real, really. Maybe sometimes I think she doesn't belong here either."

But, there's a HAND on his forearm. And that means Teddy can't move that arm like at ALL. "Maybe you're just not been around your kind. Our kind. Us-ians." He scrunches up his nose at that last word, and decides to leave it be so it doesn't get made worse.

"Maybe." Billy manages after far too long for it to sound convincing, another one of those ''more to the story'' things, but he's not lying this time. Just not sure how to answer, not with his hand all out there on Teddy's arm. Which he'd temporarily forgotten about until the other glances at it and goes all single arm rigid which is a good time for him to misunderstand what it means and yank his hand back, "Sorry.. personal bubble. I forget.."

Actually he never, ever, forgets the personal bubble. For whatever reason, he did with Teddy. Guard down and.. it feels really good. He's even smiling a little more. "You're adorable.." Boom, now who gets to feel awkward? "In a good way. You know like how.. I'm not making this better by talking more…" Billy's cheeks flame-on.

So the right course is to quickly change the subject to something personal and intimate about himself! Smart thinking, "This is the first time I've ever felt like I ''belong'' somewhere.. when we were eating hot dogs, it's like…" How does he explain it? So he doesn't, he just motions with both hands.

Tilting his head to the side, Teddy regards Billy's maybe with a curious expression and expression inviting for more, but without pressuring, and when Billy's arm is yanked back, he shakes his head, reaching out to lay his own hand on Billy's. See, no bubble. A quick squeeze and then his hand comes back; too much public guy touching is not exactly safe. "I don't think anyone has ever called me adorable before." He grins suddenly, "I can't decide if that's a good thing or not. Cats and puppies are adorable."

More seriously he nods his head, the grin turning back into a warm smile, "I'm glad. Belonging is a way of feeling safe, I think."

"I don't know that I fit in with mutants either.. I've met one or two, I think.." Billy waits a second, the little exchange that could probably get them pummelled if it'd been seen, and then he delves into the more explanation of 'maybe'. "I really don't think I belong here. I can't tell you why, but it's not because I'm different.." Or maybe it is.

His experience is limited, afterall. He's only 18. All 18 year olds think their situation is a unique one to every other situation, "But maybe you understand, I hope you do. It's good to belong, that much I do know…" Even if it comes with all sorts of new anxieties that he'd never even considered.

"We should order." They must cut a rather insane image in this little china resteraunt, chatting rather than eating. So Billy flags down a waitress and looks to Teddy with a weak smile, he's not the one footing the bill, afterall.

"I'm not sure I've met any before, I mean, I assume Spidey is one? But we didn't have a lot of talking." Teddy nods his head with a thoughtful expression, "I think I understand. Or, am getting to. I'd like to keep trying until I really do." And then Billy flags the waitress.

As the waitress comes over, Teddy turns a friendly smile towards her, and snags up the menu to give it a quick scan. "Wonton noodle soup, a bowl? And— oh, fried pork wantons, and steamed shrimp wantons, and.. Chow mein. And sweet and sour chicken. Green tea. And lemonade for me.." That's… quite a lot of food. Before Billy can remark on how crazy that is, he turns a quick grin, "Anything else you want? I'll bring leftovers home so don't worry about food going to waste. You can't really order just one meal from a Chinese restaurant."

Billy stares at this modern marvel of food consumption with a hearty, new found, respect. "Uh… oh." Looking down at the menu, one finger dragging along the entres, "Beef and broccoli and steamed rice.. and egg drop soup. Just a water to drink, thank you." Holding the menu out to the waitress with a glance turned back to Teddy.

"So that's not all in one sitting? I've always heard athletes have to pack the carbs away, but where does all of it go?" Mock glancing beneath the edge of the table, "Do you have hollow bones?"

"Well, I do eat a lot." admits Teddy with a confident smile and a shrug, giving his menu over to the waitress too with a nod before he leans forward, resting his arms on the table and regarding Billy. "But even I can't eat that much all at once. Maybe half of it. I assumed you wouldn't be able to pack away more then a fourth, since you're… Lithe." He doesn't look quite sure if that's the right word, but with a helpless shrug dismisses that worry.

He does grin teasingly, puffing up his chest a bit, even if his voice is a whisper, "Maybe that's my mutation. A black hole for a stomach. I can swallow everything and you never notice. I'm not sure how useful that would be when fighting crime and saving people, but I'm sure I'll figure something out."

"Lithe is an awful polite way to say it…" Billy counters, matching smirk for smirk, "Most would just say I'm skinny, which isn't wrong at all." He leans forward onto his elbows as well, possibly considering the uses of a blackhole in Teddy's stomach.

"You strike me as a glass is half full sort, you'd figure something out, but I've ''already'' got your hero name-" Waving his hand like it's sprayed across a marque, "-The Gobbler."

Teddy stares at Billy like he's insane, his eyes wide, mouth open, "The WHAT?" That's a bit too loud, so he flushes, and his expression becomes dark— but despite that, he has to grin, "You little… something or other. Gobbler! God I would never be able to show my face in Superheroville. The gobbler!" He has to laugh just to express the good natured outrage, shaking his head and waving a hand to wipe away that mental image.

"Yeah, no, Billy, my friend, you are officially fired from being on my publicity team. Hmph." Teddy gives a bit of a sheepish shrug then and adds, "Really, it's the Hulkling. And you're not skinny. Skinny is those guys who have no fat but get tired when they walk a block. You're fit. Just not a muscle-bound jock for brains like me. That's okay, I like that. I've sworn off jock friends." At that, his expression darkens slightly and he glances away.

Billy hasn't laughed, like really laughed, in either time that they've met each other until this moment. It's deep and genuine and he's got to put a hand on his stomach to stop them from cramping from it, "Oh, you'd fit in alright. There would always be a place at the table for the Gobbler!" Another hoot, nearly choking himself.

He coughs a few times, red in the face, and shakes his head. "That would be too good… but you're right." He offers with a still red faced grin, tears wiped away with the corner of his cloak, "Hulkling is a lot better…" Then he perks a little, "I'm Wiccan." Again offering his hand across the table, "And I don't do a lot of walking… I mean I do, just you know… not a lot.. mostly I fly."

Teddy looks downright pleased with himself as he regards Billy laughing, his expression that infectuous grin of his which is a little cocky, but not entirely in a bad way. He's all: look upon what I have wrought. But the hand is offered, and so Teddy takes it, again his grip firm but gentle. "Nice to meet you." He seems… very content. He's never really talked to anyone openly about this, and it just makes him want to smile more.

"Flying is fun." he agrees as if he knew all about that, voice still low of course, for food will likely come soon. "I'm a shapeshifter. Usually, I turn into something really, really tall, green, with skin so thick bullets bounce off of and enough muscle to consider walls to be suggestions more then requirements you have to go around. Thus Hulk. And changeling."

"Hulkling." Billy repeats the name once the roots of it are explained, "As far as names go, it's got all the markings of being great." This is said with a smile as his hand returns to his side of the table to lean against the edge with the other, "But… tall, green, and covered with thick skin?"

He tilts his head a little and starts say something, paused a moment when their drinks arive. He looks up appreciatively to the waitress and continues once she's shuffled back towards the staff area, "I'd like to see that, I think." The last of the tears are wiped away on his cloak which he leaves to hang over one of his shoulders.

"Hey, Teddy.. do you believe in fate? Like, do you think things happen for a reason?"

Its the wonton noodle soup that Teddy goes for, lifting up the chopsticks as one who has done this many times before. But, he's practically beaming at Billy's compliment, "Hey, yours is great too. I think. I believe it means like, witch?" But then he's nodding easily, using the chopsticks to gather up some noodles, "Anytime you want. Anything you want. I take requests."

But as the noodles near his mouth, Teddy pauses, thoughtfully. "I don't know if I believe in god, or something as real as a personal diety, but? I do believe there's something there. I don't know if we can know it. Some force that drives us forward, together, apart, and that though its hard to see sometimes, I think there's an agency, a purpose. A reason. Understanding it might be beyond me, though."

"Do you now?" Billy files that information away with a little grin, as their food has arrived. He pulls the steamed rice over and empties the beef and broccoli atop it to mix through with a fork. Only then does he switch over to his chopsticks for a more authentic flavor when in this little slice of Asia. He's not nearly as practiced with them as Teddy appears to be, but he's got enough dexterity to do fine with the bigger chunks of meat and vegitables.

"Mmm. I just mean that, it all seems a coincidence that we ran into each other, you know?" Motioning with his chopsticks after swallowing a gulp of water to wash down some morsel of food, "In a crowded place like Coney Island and we stumbled together by happenstance? And then again in Brooklyn, of all places?" He shrugs a little and takes another bite of food, chewing it thoughtfully and thoroughly before continuing.

"I don't know if it's some god's intervention, but it does seem kind of… important. Like it was meant to happen. Maybe I'm just being dramatic. I do that." % R
With a sudden wicked grin, Teddy reaches across the table to deftly steal a broccoli, popping it into his mouth with his brows rising in teasing challenge. "Within reason. I do not do clowns. Clowns are freaky." There's a visible shiver in the his features.

"There's nothing wrong with recognizing life is dramatic. Its a series of moments worth remembering, moments that matter. If those aren't dramatic, then you're just not paying enough attention to life." Teddy shrugs, looking a little bit embarassed over this before he adds, "You might be right, but there's no mystery to it. Today was a yellow day. You picked the yellow shirt for a reason. If you hadn't, I might not have ever noticed you. But you did. So I did. Maybe something told you today was a yellow day. Who knows?"

He lifts his lemonade up in a toast, "To yellow days. Let's hope for more."

Billy makes some vague, half assed, expression of being upset about losing a piece of broccoli, but within a second he's grinning and tapping at Teddy's bowl with his chopsticks like he might yank a noodle… Which he does not, but the threat is there. Even if he's not the speed that the other teen does.

"I guess you're right. About life being dramatic and moments being important.." He nods slowly, pulling a bit of beef off the end of his chopsticks by way of the corner of his mouth. Once it is gone down his throat, he looks up with a teasing grin, "I think I'm going to add yellow day to my weekly schedule."

The assurance is met with his water being lift to touch against Billy's lemonade glass, "To important moments meant to be remembered."

Even though its a playful threat, Teddy pushes his bowl forward a bit, "The noodles are good, don't know about the wontons yet, afraid to try. They're either great or blah, as a rule of thumb, nothing inbetween." His smile is easy and inviting: chinese is about sharing.

"But no don't do that. You'll ruin the magic. You have to look in your closet and decide, what speaks to me today? Feel it in your spine. Yeah, okay, for me its usually a decision between a Jets or a Mets jacket and a color t-shirt, and I am sad to admit none are yellow— I think it looks great on you with your coloring and hair, but on me? Yellow would wash out. Still. Keep the magic, Billy."

He watches Billy eat his beef with a curious smile, then nods quickly for some reason, and tilts his lemonade back for a chug. "So, tell me, if you feel you're living in a fake life, do you have yourself a fake girl to call your own?" He feigns nonchalance badly.

Well, it's hard to argue with that logic! "I'll let you know." Billy snipes one of the wantons with his sticks and moves it over to his mouth with one hand cupped beneath to catch any soup runoff. He takes a bite from the corner and chews steadily, slowly even, the rest laid atop the mound of rice and b&b.

"Not bad.." He offers once it's down, "I like them a little spicier, personally, but not bad.." Then he's suddenly receiving fashion advise and he realizes exactly how appropriate it is!

He was wearing jean shorts!

His hand ruffles into his own hair coming out the neck sleeve of his costume, tossling it back a little, "Well, you wear the whole jock thing well.. I've never really been into the look myself and I can promise I couldn't pull it off, but you make it look easy!"

God why she decide that that moment was a good one for drinking water. The ''nonchalant'' question has her spitting water out the corner of her mouth. Not because it's an unfair question for new friends, but… "Uh.. no.." Dabbing at his mouth, "I do- no. No fake girls here…" Turning the napkin, "How about you? You got a prom queen picked out?" He's no smoother, seriously, it's comically bad.

"I cheated." Teddy's voice is conspiratorial, as he leans in, "When I was 14, I decided I wanted to be a jock. To fit in. To get the kids at school to like me." He shrugs, "So I became a jock. I arranged to grow a couple inches, change musculature— sometimes I'd vary it depending on what sport it is I'm playing, so I'd change my build subtly from season to season— and arrange to fit myself into who exactly I wanted to be. Now it just is me." He shrugs, smiling a little but glancing down at his soup. And so he takes a wonton, and is about to bite into it when turnabout is fair play.

And you'd think Teddy would have been prepared. Except he has a deer in the headlights look because, no, he was not prepared for the obvious counter-attack. Billy is better at this conversational jousting then Teddy assumed, "Aeerruunnn." Pause, "Erin." He's nodding quickly, making it up on the fly and barely keeping up with the lie before its out of his lips, "She's uhh in drama and inn tennis and we're just friends— JUST FRIENDS— but uhh actress and uhh—" He pauses, flushes slightly and coughs, dabbing at his lips with a napkin too. "Yeah also she doesn't exist." he admits with obvious embarassment.

Billy listens to this story with a lot more attention than Teddy is probably expects, chewing at his meal absently, politely covering his mouth when his counter attack catches the muscular All American off guard. He might would say something to that very fact, quote Shakespeare, anything…

If he didn't feel his face starting to flush rapidly, almost insistently, as Teddy starts describing this prom queen. Of course a guy like this would have someone hanging all over him! God, what were you thinki- "She's made up?" How red is Billy right now.

There's so many thoughts in his head. So many that he's forced to look down on the bowl rather than up at Teddy directly. "I-… hm.." Lips puff a little, awkwardly glancing around at their surroundings. "Well, she seemed nice, if that's any consolation?" The harlet.

Teddy likes it when people pay attention, and if Billy's paying a lot of attention, Teddy almost instinctively leans in and smiles more. It means he's interesting. Liked. He likes being liked. Then Billy seems to start having an allergic reaction to something and he's blinking, looking a bit concerned even as bites into his wonton, chewing a bit, saying absently, "Could be spicer, yeah."

Then Teddy shrugs one shoulder, lifting a hand up to rub at his face, which is still a bit flushed itself from embarassment, "I only had one girlfriend in high school, and we were really just friends. Good friends. She kept people from bothering me. And I kept people from bothering her. That was our arrangement. We weren't, really, together, except in public where we protected eachother. Besides that…" Teddy laughs, a bit self-consciously, "We had nothing at all in common. She— Beca— is an artist and I can't comprehend art."

"Sorry. The lie is instinctive. But after I told you what I've only ever told my mom?" Teddy gives a helpless shrug, "Seemed stupid."

Billy shakes his head and wipes his mouth a little, his attention still firmly on Teddy despite the obvious hiccups caused by his ''near death'' experience. It was touch and go for a bit there. "No, it's not stupid, I get it." He really does get it, which kind of cements his whole belief that there's something more happening here than two people randomly coming across each other.

Different experiences, same situation?

He's not sure, but he wants to find out. Which is a far cry from keeping everyone at arms length, just to let one person in. "I've never really had a girlfriend either. I mean, not like that… or because I don't have a lot of friends. In school I was the weird kid that kept to himself.. people would tease me because it was obvious how little I fit in."

He smiles a little, sheepishly, "I mean, I'm not all emotional about it. I didn't think I was suppose to fit in and I probably could have if I had.. or wanted to. It's complicated." He's convinced his memories are fake, that had to put a damper on friendships. "But it's not stupid." He reaffirms, saying something that he didn't think he'd be able to say to anyone, "I like that you're trying to impress me… Just, don't feel like you have to lie. I'm never going to judge you."

For a little while, Teddy is going to stare at his noodles, his eyes downcast, his strong frame a bit on the tense side. He shrugs, poking at them and pulling up a mouthful. Man. Noodles are great at giving you an excuse not to say anything, and look! A wanton. If he wants to Teddy can seriously scarf food down like he hasn't eaten in a week.

The problem is the food disappears pretty amazingly quick, too. And you can't redo such a maneuver again and again and maintain the cool. So, Teddy turns a bit of a shy smile towards Billy— and Teddy doesn't really do shy very well. "I have lots of friends, but they don't know me. No one knows me. Who can know someone who is anyone? They know who I choose to be for them." He shrugs slowly, lifting his free non-chopstick hand to run through his blond hair, "I can be you, if I want. I could probably pass it off to anyone who didn't know you real good. Who am I?"

This seems to be the crux of Teddy's problem, his voice sounding a little pained, "You said you feel like you're in a fake life? I feel like I'm faking a life, sometimes. I'm whoever I decide to be, but what does that mean? Who am I? I like to think I'm that guy who wants to help people, who wants to hope, who wants to dream. But is that just another fiction? A new shape I'm deciding to become?"

"I never talk about this to anyone." Teddy's voice comes out quietly, "It breaks all the rules."

Billy toys with his food, but he knows something serious has fallen over the table when the quiet sets in. Teddy hasn't been quiet the entire time he's known him, which to be fair is only a few hours, but that's still enough time for him to make a pretty good judgement on the man sitting across the table based on… pretty much spending the entire day with him.

In retrospect, Billy feels like he ''does'' know Teddy, even if it's only what the other wants him to know.

Then he starts speaking of his reality, or the reality he thinks is only a mirrage of a reality he's created to facilitate having one and Billy listens as attentively as he has the whole of the conversation. Only once his new friend says the rules have been broken does Billy even ''dare'' to break his own imposed silence. "But you made the decision to help people… you become what you think you want to be and if you think you want to be that, why isn't that as real as anything else?" Metaphysical isn't always as easy to vocalize as it is to think.

Billy takes a breath and sets his chopsticks down, "I've only known you for a few hours, Teddy.. and in that time you've been a better friend than any six people I've known for longer… which probably isn't a great praise as I think, since I don't know a lot of people, but… you.." He tries to search out that perfect way to describe it, "Whoever you are, whoever you ''really'' are.. I can't imagine that that person isn't wonderful.. I'd be happy to know them."

Further, "I'm glad you told me. I'm really, really glad you told me… rules be damned."

This time, Billy so obviously listening doesn't make Teddy swell up like it did before, but it did make him relax, deepen. Feel safe. He nods slowly to the first question Billy raises, "Maybe we are who we decide to be, and maybe I just have an advantage in making that decision — physical. Everyone has different advantages. Maybe, ultimately, our decisions define us."

Teddy bites his lower lip a moment, and glances over to a waitress even as he pulls a wallet out of his backpocket and counts out some bills. "Can we get these to go?" A quick, friendly smile to the lady, "Thanks."

And when she departs, he turns to Billy again, "I'm not sure I qualify as anything as special or notable as wonderful, but." He smiles then, quick and bright, "Rules be damned. I want to show you something."

Billy shrugs a little at the idea that they define themselves and finally offers that quote that has so long been tempted, without release, "To thy own self be true." He whispers, patting Teddy's hand and then straightening a little when he waves over the waitress. He offers no real restraint to the meal being packed up to go and, again, only a smile in gratitude for him payinf or their meal.

"It might be too early to tell, but I'm pretty good at judging character." Billy counters quietly, turning in the booth as they wait for his change and the to-go boxes, "Rules be damned." He repeats again, smiling all the wider. "Any hints or is this a surprise?"

Any gratitude is acknowledged with an indifferent, quick smile at most; Teddy just doesn't think about anything like that. When questions of hints are asked, he purses his lips, and then he just grins. Broad and confident. "Nope. No hints." He's content to finish off his lemonadae, and tilt a curious smile towards Billy, "You said one thing that's very true, though. Well, I can't say for certain I'll be a better friend then most, but I'll try to be as true of one as possible. I have a lot of friends but none know me. So, this is novel. I wouldn't want to disrespect it."

The food comes packed, and again a quick smile is given the waitress as he rises and cocks his head towards the door out. "Do you believe that, though? To thy own self be true? What's that mean to you, for you, living as you do?" The question is a curiosity, not a challenge.

Billy ''almost'' pouts, but he manages to contain it behind a gentle, almost easy by this point, grin. At least where it pretains to Teddy, "Fine, keep your secrets…" But something about it is exciting, if only the notion that he's sharing something important is involved.

While they wait on the arrival of their to-go boxes, Billy finishes his water and then dabs at his mouth with a nod to the head tilt towards the door. He slips from the bar and ponders that question a little quirk of his brow, "I- you know.. I don't know?" He admits, not as sheepish as it is a little curious.

"I know I'm out here dressed rediculously trying to protect people because that's what I feel like I should be doing.." There's so much more that he wishes he were able to be open with, pulling on the door to wave Teddy through with a grin. "I guess it's one of those situations where you should do as I say, not as I do… I'm a poor choice for role models where it comes to ''being true to yourself''." But that's not the whole of it, which, for once, he doesn't refrain from sharing.

The streets of Brooklyn aren't nearly as crowded at this hour, so he feels content to speak a little more conversationally, "Every once in a while I'll get into a situation and I'll just -know- that it's me and I never flinch from those moments, there's no regret.. Other's I just don't know. But I want to think I wouldn't be ashammed of it, if I did?"

At mention of keeping his secrets, Teddy has to share Billys grin, but for Teddy, its confidence is so blatant that it might seem arrogant to some. Is he, arrogant? He is what he is. He lifts the bag of the boxes up, and head sto the door, a curious smile as Billy admits uncertainty, and he follows the wave into the streets. He is paying attention though, his shining light eyes watching Billy for every detail. But he does not press.

"I'm not looking for a role model, so fear not I've found one, though I suspect I could do much worse." Teddy smiles at this, setting the box down as he looks first left, then right. And then he reaches up and pulls off his shirt, tucking it into his pants int he back. His skin is as tanned and frame solid beneath the shirt as suggested.

He gestures for Billy to come closer, "I'm starting to think if the differences between us is a distinction in want of a difference. Every so often you know its you. But otherwise? I don't know who I am, but every so often I decide who to be." He nods his head slightly.

"You said you can fly. Don't. Trust me." And he holds one hand out to Billy.

This cat and mouse game is unlikely to get old, not for Billy. He finds himself ernstly intrigued by Teddy, both as a person and for his secrets, which he doesn't press for anymore than Teddy did. Instead, he stops when the other does and coughs a little when the shirt comes up over his head with his mouth opening, then closing, when he sees that the muscles beneath are every bit as real as the very close inspection had indicated.

Billy is struck a second, then looks up at Teddy when he compares them in such a way, but it's his request to trust him that strikes him the hardest.. That's not something he's ever done lightly, but before he even realizes he's done it, he steps forward towards the other teen.

That he's that much closer to the muscular chest is just a benefit of proximity and then his hand is sliding into Teddy's with an affirmative nod, giving him all the trust he can muster. Which under the circumstances and dispite himself, is quite a bit.

Any notice of Teddy's body is not really even seen by the shapeshifter; he looks to acceptance, and smiles, then to the sky. He waits, with calm patience, for the acceptance of the trust he asked for. The hand tugs, and Billy comes closer; and at that moment, Teddy bends down and lets go of Billy's hand, wrapping his arm instead around Billy's waist and pulling him close, even as he jumps up. This is a jump of strength, for in that moment before Teddy's body shifted, becoming easily over a foot taller and thicker, perhaps a couple hundred pounds of pure muscle. Were that the only change, it would be remarkable.

But the wings that blur out of his back and solidify behind him, wings like an eagle but tawny with hints of gold, that he spreads several feet on either side as he steps into the avenue of the street when there is a moment without traffic. In the crouch, he grabbed the bag of their food even as he grabbed Billy, and then with the leap they are aloft. This isn't flying by magic. This isn't flying by manipulation of energies. Teddy's wings beat with powerful gusts that send reverberations through the whole of his body as the muscles bend and fight against his weight and the wind.

Its quite possibly that Billy can fly with more elegance, but when Teddy takes flight, its a visceral, physical act, and to be held close to Teddy's metamorphic body is to feel the fight of his frame to gain mastery of the sky. Its nothing like the speed of most mutants to fly, but the sky is, still, Teddy's.

And for this, Teddy is large and muscular— in particular the muscles of his back to give those wings the strength they need— but it isn't green. His skin is sun-kissed and his wings shine. This isn't his usual form, but its an easier one to introduce then the Hulk flying monster he uses to intimidate.

The flight is short. They feel the gusts of wind when his strength conquers the still channel between the buildings to raise above, and the moment of soaring before Teddy settles them down— taking care that Billy is unharmed and set down gently, and as he does so the wings and power of his shapeshifted form blur back into that baseline standard that is Teddy. Strong, tall, but still very human.

"I am whoever I want to be, for whoever I want to be."

It isn't the first time Billy has flown, but this is something altogether different than what he does on his own. The sheer power of Teddy's beating wings flap his hair around as they thrust them along wind currents, bringing to heel the great natural gusts that threaten to turn them like weeds through channels created between such great buildings.

Billy is jarred by it, the sudden leap that takes them airborne, and his arms close around Teddy's waist though there really is little threat that the other would drop him or that Billy is little more than a small added weight compared to what Teddy is usually capable of carrying through the skys with such grace.

And it is graceful no matter what any could ever convince Billy to the contrary.

Even once they've landed and he's set gently on the roof of one of the buildings so shortly below them, the dark haired witch is in awe of what he's just witness and what's been shared. It's difficult to even find the words, so he remains there against Teddy, arms around his waist as if he's still being carried through the air and the wind is still blowing steadily against his face..

He only releases his grip once he realizes how extremely awkward it must be for him to be clinging so intently to the muscled chest… and looks pointedly up at Teddy, "That… was incredible.."

For his part, Teddy doesn't pull away, allowing an arm to hold about Billy's body and protect it as that arm did in flight, even when the protection is no longer needed. He's smiling even, but of course, once they both realize what's going on and how that might be awkward, he releases Billy with a nervous laugh as he lifts a hand to run through his hair. He tugs his shirt that was tucked into his pants, and smiles a bit sheepishly as he holds it as a bit of a guard.

"I just wanted to show you what it was like for me. I can be that. Or an eagle. Or a deer. Heck, I was a deer once and someone shot me. I don't blame him, I wasn't paying attention to hunting regulations." Teddy laughs and gives a little sheepish shrug.

"I love to fly. To conquer the air, to feel the strain of it and yet rise, then to glide— to glide—." Teddy shakes his head slowly. His smile has another one of his shy types, and he settles onto the building roof, "But I made sure to bring dinner so we could finish." He hesitates.

"I hope I didn't scare you?" And he seems genuinely a bit worried about it.

The awkward disappears fairly quickly beneath the sheepish grin directed at him from the tall muscular Blonde and soon enough Billy is laughing quietly at the shirt held up as a guard, even batting at it playfully, a little too playfully maybe.. Enough so that he rakes his fingers back into his hair and takes a long breath, "I'm able to fly, but it's nothing like that… not even close."

Truth be told, he sounds a little jealous, but not covetous, only that he fully appreciates the glory of being able to do something so amazing whenever he so desires. The food is almost an after thought, but it's a welcome distraction because the alternative is continuing to stare at the tall teen in front of him.

"You got ''shot'' while shapeshifted into a deer?" That's, kind of funny, a little funny anyways. It's funny enough to be a good place to hide his nervous laughter and glance towrads the food. "Scare me?" Jerking his head up to look at Teddy fully, "No…" He steps forward, hand out to lay on Teddy's, then back… then forward.. like he's not sure what's more appropriate and is worried about make it more awkward, "Yo- you didn't scare me. That was amazing.. any time you want to take me flying, you just let me know.." His hand lifts off Teddy's arm, attention shifting to the bags of food, "Does it make you hungry?"

Odd as the question is, "I mean, do you need more food when you're using your abilities?"

"Its hard to explain, what its like to be an eagle. They do have hollow bones, where I have so much weight devoted to strength to compensate for weight, the aerodynamics are totally different… If I could show you what its like as an eagle, I would." Teddy sounds wistful at this, and after the batting at his shirt, Teddy slips it on.

He does nod, though, ruefully, "In the shoulder. Its no big deal, I heal pretty good." he says, tone modest, "But it was a lesson to learn. First, getting shot sucks. Second, don't be a hunted animal where people are hunted."

And then he's more serious, tugging open the food, as if making it serius his looking for food even if he doesn't really care about it. Doing that sort of thing makes him seem confident and at ease. And it hides the slight flush to his cheeks. Surely it hides it. Or he pretends it hides it. "I think so, but not as much as you might expect. I go Hulk sized and fight for an hour, I don't need a giant meal for ten people. But I AM hungry. And I eat a lot. I don't know. I mean. My regular body. This. I'm stronger and take more punishment then anyone else who is just this choice of body. I don't understand how it works, to be honest."

Teddy smiles a bit tentatively to Billy, "I'd like to take you again, sometime. Somewhere long. High. Not so high its cold and breathing is a problem, just high enough to glide." A glance away, a half shrug as if indifferent, even if he's anything but, "If you'd like."

Billy lowers himself down onto the roof so that his legs are crossed beneath him, arms laid across them, after reaching out to take his left overs from the bag. Laid down in his lap with a fork rather than chopsticks given how easily things can get particularly messy now that it's not a level field they're eating from.

At the mention of Teddy's shoulders hurting, Billy cranes his neck, but the shirt is inplace by then and he only nods understanding to the obvious anatomical connundrum that must represent… "I.. I mean, I guess in a way I ''could'' know what it's like to be a bird, I just don't know if I could change back." Any awkwardness he harbors is certianly hidden by his fork pulling broccoli away between his lips.

Then… "Anytime." He states quietly, "Just.. you don't even have to tell me, just pick me up and boom.. we're off to the clouds." Even if it appears like he's indifferent about it, Billy smiles with genuine enthusiasm, "That really was incredible."

"That.. doesn't seem good." In fact, Teddy finds it a little alarming, "Don't try anything that gets you stuck as a bird. As much as I like being a bird, I like being me more. Usually. When I have an idea of me." And in a quick, almost heated tone, "And I'd really like to know you as you better. Don't do anything you can't undo. Anytime." He is now repeating Billy's own words, "Anytime you want to fly, I'll fly you."

But, Teddy's smile is rueful at that, "Though I'm not sure it'd be smart to surprise you. I have no idea what it is you do. I mean don't get me wrong, that sounds like a LOT of fun." And he has to laugh, a full and rolling laugh that shakes Teddy's shoulders, "Snatch-grab the Wiccan, soar up and up and away. But I really don't want to be a frog." he pauses, "I'm not sure if I can be a frog, I've never been anything small. But If i'm going to be a frog, I'd rather decide to do it. Don't Wiccans turn those who surprise them into frogs? Or is this some stereotype I should be ashamed of?"

And maybe he should, but he's grinning so brightly. Wickedly. Grabbing chopstick sand stealing some beef to pop into his mouth with a smile.

Billy listens to the turrent of words with a growing grin burning its way around his fork until he's forced by proximity to join in Teddy's bellowing laughter. The idea of a giant Bird Teddy swooping in to hoist him into the sky does seem amusing, but there's truth to the ''dont surprise a Wiccan'' theory and Billy nods a quiet, red faced agreement.

"Yeah… Well, I suppose I could show you?" He offers a little shyly, "I mean it's not so awesome as changing your entire body, but…" He moves the food from his lap and sets it down on the ground between them so that he can stand up and.. nothing. He scratches at his neck, thinking, "Okay, I think I've got it.."

Billy closes his eyes tight, holds out his hands, and "bothofusonabeach bothofusonabeach bothofusonabeach!"

There's a shimmering like purple energy extending out from his fingers, enveloping the pair of them in waves. When it peels back away, they… well it's not exactly the beach, Billy doesn't have a point of reference in Brooklyn and the only beach he's ever seen is in Queens, but it's the pier… on one of the warehouses.

So it's almost like they didn't do anything at all.. Except now there's the horrible smell of the ''pier'' to make dinner so very delightful. "I-… it's a lot better when I-…" His face is going red now, licking at his lips. "That was so lame.."

Teddy has has absolutely no idea what's going on. Billy's rising, saying things, talking about showing. Then there's lights. And like. Things. Change. And they aren't were they were.

"Whoa." Teddy laughs. That's his first response, an easy laugh that just wants to invite more laughs.

And when the smell is apparent, he has to grin, and he lifts a hand up to rub at his nose, rubbing at it as he stands, "That's awesome. You like… teleported us. I didn't really feel anything at all."

And Teddy steps forward, wrapping arms around the smaller Billy if he doesn't jump away, "You're not at all lame." His voice is soft, light with mirth but without judgement, "Anyone who calls you lame answers to me. Did you see how big my fist can be? Its huge. Seriously huge. You're not lame." He seems fervent in this last bit.

It would have been next to impossible to convince him, but then Teddy is there offering protective wrapping of arms and he's completely helpless to this kind of negocation! Billy is weak against it and ultimtaely ends up grinning despite the fact that he still feels like he farted… again…

Except this time he just transported them to a pier trying to show off.

Still.. Billy glances up at Teddy, one hand resting against the bigger teen's shoulder and he nods, "I did see it, those fists alone would be threat enough to back any sane person off their chosen course…" Billy sighs quietly and closes his eyes for a moment. Just a long moment because he knows that if anyone ever saw this, there's no telling what they'd think.

What they'd say…

So he moves that hand down to Teddy's arm and grins up at the All American, "I promise that it actually does have cooler application, but…" He motions at his own head, "It requires me to be imaginative and… I failed at that."

There's no reason why it shouldn't happen. Teddy is stronger, so he's holding the stronger position. Protecting. Yeah. Smells happen when Billy does his magic. But. These are ba, but eh, they don't matter.. And Teddy lifts a hand up to brush against Billy's jaw, and his words are soft, "You didn't fail." And then, there's a tension throughout Teddy's body as he pulls away, "I'm sorry. I'm not who you think I am. You don't know what I want. Who I am." And he's leaping away, jumping and transforming in every moment, when the thick muscles of the All American Boy becomes a bird in flight and soars away. For his part, the ever-confident Teddy, he gives into a moment of fear, and he flees. Turning into a bird is so totally cheating when running away from drama.

Billy hasn't ever thought of himself as someone who 'could' melt, much less ever would. He certainly never thought it would be on the roof of a building with the smell of low tide as the backdrop, but when has anyone ever gotten to choose their dramatic moment?

Then Teddy brushes his cheek and it happens. He just melts…

For the first time 18 years Billy doesn't just not feel alone, he feels like he knows something about himself that he's been keeping inside… even from himself. Something he knew, but was afraid of. It was just like the pictures always show it to be..

Then Teddy is quickly pulling away and turning Billy right over on his head in confusion. Before he can even offer up any kind of argument against it, Teddy's lept away leaving him standing there with his mouth hanging open and his eyes wide staring up into the sky as if he'd possibly be able to track the flight of the bird suddenly souring away to freedom.

He blinks a few times, but his mouth remains hanging there slack. "W-.." He tries, but then he's slumping down onto the roof with his arms crossed on his knees pulled up to his chest. Silent.

In fear, Teddy flies away. And it hurts to do so, but he does so anyways. This is something he can't acknowledge. Something he's never accepted, even knowing he was different— wrong. He had a desire to lean into Billy so strong he had to reject it, even if it burned tears from him in the sky. Teddy CANT. But he wants to. He needs to. And absolutely nothing makes sense but to flee as an eagle into the night.

And for the first time in his life since he learned he could fly, he does not relish a moment of that flight.

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