15895/Old Friends in New York

Old Friends in New York
Date of Scene:	20 September 2023
Location:	NYU Kimmel Center
Synopsis:	Two long-time friends meet and learn more about each one another than they ever thought possible. The future is bright.
Cast of Characters:	Billy Kaplan, Teddy Altman

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Billy Kaplan has posed:
September 20, 2023...just three official calendar days left of summer. But already the semester has started at busy NYU, and faculty and students alike bustle around trying to start the semester right by letting old, bad habits slip away in place of new ones that may or may not last until winter break!

William is sitting at a table with a MacBook Pro and an iPad open. He is transferring notes and typing pretty furiously. Something has the young man's undivided attention.

Next to him on the table is a scalding cup of black coffee sending its wisps of curling, dancing steam up into the air.

Teddy Altman has posed:
Sophomore year. The end of the theshold if you are still an undecided major. By the end of this year, the young man has to declare a major- and that is giving him major anxiety, because he has the worst kind of afflictions: choice paralysis. It's why he walks into the center with a bunch of department brochures and his own hefty cup of coffee in hand. THe expression on his face is one of utter distraction, and he sits down on the table right across from Billy's, the brochures spread out before him like a fan as he sets to read each one with a look of deep concentration... or is it consternation?.... on the handsome face.

It's easy to peg Ted as a sports scholarship kid by his build, but the truth of the matter is that he got here on smarts. He's not on any varsity scholarships... especially since he doesn't want his status as a mutant to get exposed, and who knows what blood tests might reveal? He picks one brochure. PoliSci as a major. Yeah, he finds that interesting, but he's recently read an article about how seemingly THE WORST people seem to get drawn to that major. Well, what about psychology? 'Weeell Akshually-' said the internet. Fine. Okay, how about Civil Engine--

"... why am I letting the internet tell me what to do?" he mutters to himself without realizing he's speaking out loud, and takes a sip of his coffee.

Billy Kaplan has posed:
Billy reaches for his coffee and takes a slow, gingerly sip of the steaming liquid: the lifeblood of professors, graduate students, and undergrads alike. It's the one thing most people seem to be able to agree on. Unless you want to divide people up into the cream-and-sugar crowd, the cream-only crowd, the sugar-only crowd (freaks), or the black-and-bitter crowd. What about free trade? Organic? Locally roasted? Okay, so yeah maybe nobody can agree on anything. Our young spellcaster falls into the black-and-bitter camp.

There is one thing Billy is never too busy or distracted to notice: cute boys. And one just moved not only into his field of view but sat down at a table right across from the very one at which he is sitting. He has been working very hard and he earned this ogle! So he treats himself to an extra moment or two of looking at the new arrival. And that's when it hits him! That's Teddy Altman from high school. Right here at NYU!

A grin finds its way to Billy's face as he answers Teddy's question: "Because you dumb jock types can't think for yourselves?" The tone is playful, the expression is delighted, and Billy knows damned well that Teddy is no dumb jock. Not by a long shot.

Teddy Altman has posed:
Teddy does have a bit of a knee-jerk reaction to things like that. Mostly because he has dealt with it a good chunk of his life with people who see a good set of muscles and can't comprehend that, just maybe, there are brains behind them. The blue eyes snap up from the brochures with a sudden sharpness that hints that a retort might already be rolling out of the conveyor belt of the quip factory of his mind.

His mouth opens, but no words come out because those same blue eyes now widen a little in recognition as they lock onto Billy's own. The mouth ready to fire off a barb spreads into a grin, and the jock-apparent leans back on his chair, arms crossed over the snug polo shirt.

"Huh huh, very funny, nerd. Where'd you get that line, from a /book/?"

It's an excellent Dumb Jock impression, down to the rumbly voice and the 'I need to take my pants off to count to twenty-one' expression on his face, before he shifts back to his usual self and adds in his usual tone: "Hey, Billy."

Billy Kaplan has posed:
And Billy has been wanting to see Teddy count to 21 since 10th grade.

"Fuck, I didn't know you went here, Teddy," the pleased-looking young man responds back. He still seems a bit stunned by this sudden cascade of good news. He stands to move over to sit at Teddy's table. As he does, he pats his iPad. "Besides, nobody uses books anymore. I think my parents have some in the study." A playful wink. As Billy sits unbidden at Teddy's table, he holds out a fist for a bump.

The young student starts sifting through the pile of brochures. "I'm gonna go out on a limb and say you haven't picked a major yet? Rising sophomore?" the one-year-older student asks Teddy.

Teddy Altman has posed:
Fistbump. It's almost instinctive. Bill and Ted, all the way back to highschool, "More like falling sophomore, am I right? I came on as undecided and I thought- well, I've got time. Feel things out. And I'm out of feels and still nowhere near a decision. I mean, sure, I got a whole 'nother semester. But that kinda flies by."

He smiles at Billy, "I shoulda known you'd go here. What are you majoring in?" He raised eyebrow and a wink, "Psychology? Going into the family business?" the playful blond looks a little like a golden retriever who sees his favorite playmate after a long while. In a way, that's not too far from the truth. "You look great, Billy- life treating you okay?"

Billy Kaplan has posed:
"Aaaactually, I'm a poly sci major. I want to go to law school," Billy responds with a casual shrug. "Doctor stuff just...isn't for me. My kid brothers both want to be cardiologists like dad, so I think we will have enough damned doctors for one family." He drinks deep from the coffee. His gaze averts somewhere else. Something about the subject makes Billy uncomfortable. He never did like talking about how well-off his family is or how successful his parents are. He's too kind for that; it makes him feel boastful or showy.

But he returns his attention to his old friend. It's hard to look away from him for too long. "Life's amazing, treating me great," he lies. He never could lie. "And you look..." A sharp exhalation. "...fucking great, too, man." That part is truth.

Teddy Altman has posed:
A slight bit of red covers Teddy's cheeks, and he chuckles, "Thanks- heh..." he slides one of the brochures, the Political Sciences one, over to Billy. "Guess what I was thinking?" He leans forward a little. Things have changed a lot since high school. A lot. Gone is the tightly-knight tribal warring of groups, replaced by the more distinct feuding of departments and majors. In many ways it was a lot more petty at the high levels, but there were things almost nobody cared about as much.

"So... maybe we might end up sharing a major. It would be cool, no? We should talk about it." There were a lot of things Teddy never asked back in high school for many reasons. Many, many reasons. Since leaving high school, many of those reasons have fallen away. Some still remain. But other things still remain, like that strange little feeling he gets when looking into Billy Kaplan's eyes.

"We should do dinner sometime. To talk about, you know, this?" he taps the brochure, "I mean, you're a declared major there, you've got the experience." He takes a slow sip from his coffee. Unsurprisingly, Teddy likes his creamy and sweet. "Maybe you can give me some guidance."

Billy Kaplan has posed:
A certain kind of light affixes in Billy's eyes when Teddy produces the poly sci brochure. And then it gets stronger when his old crush asks him to dinner. Maybe today won't be so bad after all. Anyone who has been in Teddy's inner circle of late could easily speak to the heavy burden the young man seems to be carrying around these days. But for just a moment he smiles a genuine and unencumbered smile. He may as well get a magic marker from his backpack and write 'I <3 Teddy' on his arm.

But he rebounds back into his usual (of late) heavy expression. "Teddy, fuck, I would absolutely /love/ to have dinner with you, man. No questions asked. It's an easy yes for me. But you gotta know that my life is...not normal. Not by, like, any fucking standards." His own blue eyes lock with Teddy's. "Even being my friend could get real weird real quick." A few dramatic beats of silence. "Maybe dangerous."

Teddy Altman has posed:
"Oh?" Raised eyebrows, and a glance around the area. Teddy leans forward, to speak in a more hushed tone. He usually doesn't wear cologne, shapeshifters have the advantage of regulating many things. Not even after-shave, so his presence is mostly scent-less, unlike some of the freshmen and sophomores who get so caught up on studying that they forget that aftershave is for after showering, not instead of showering. Blue eyes filled with concern, and his forehead furrowing a little. "Billy, are you caught up in something... dangerous?" he asks. Sweet, nerdy Billy Kaplan, mixed up in... what? Drugs? Gangs? No, not Billy. Anyone but Billy, right?

"D'you wanna talk about it? You can trust me. We used to talk about stuff all the time..." he glances at the room again, and adds a suggestion, "Maybe go somewhere else if you wanna?"

Billy Kaplan has posed:
Much like Teddy, Billy has trained his entire life to be secretive. But here is one of the sweetest boys he has ever known being so genuine and earnest. It's enough to make Billy want to tell him /everything/. But is that fair? To dump such a burden on a friend he hasn't seen in a few years?

"Teddy, I..." Billy swallows heavily. He reaches over and does something he has wanted to do /so/ much for /so/ many years. He grasps Teddy's hand in his own warm, warm grip. "Fuck. My gods. If you want to go talk then I'm willing. But just understand that there is no getting the toothpaste back into the tube, bro." Actually, there is. Billy could enchant Teddy to forget what he learns. But we all know Billy isn't built that way. He doesn't want to have control or power over anyone.

Teddy Altman has posed:
"Actually there is. I figured out how. I'll tell you later," Teddy says with a smile, resorting to that low-key sense of humor of his. His large hand squeezes Billy's, and what the young mage doesn't know is that Teddy's insides are doing all sorts of things. Of course, he's dated since coming out of high school, but this is Billy Kaplan. Smart, sweet, kinda weird and funny Billy Kaplan. The one guy he never asked out. Becaue they were dorks in high school and he was too afraid to do anything.

"Let's go to the park. Too noisy to be overheard there, we can go under some of the trees." Fall wasn't in full swing yet, and the park was pretty crowded at this time of day. Nobody would pay much attention to a couple of guys under a tree somewhere talking quietly, hand in hand. Because Teddy basically drags Billy to the park by the hand. Hey, it's his fault for giving it to him if he didn't want him to use it!

Billy Kaplan has posed:
Billy /does/ need to take his hand back just long enough to close up his laptop and stuff his belongings into his backpack, which gets slung over one shoulder. But not for one second longer, because Billy immediately grabs Teddy's powerful hand when he is ready to leave. It's a college campus in the heart of one of the most progressive metropolitan areas in the world. Not one soul even blinks at these two young men walking hand-in-hand. It's so different from high school.

At the park, once the two find a suitable and unoccupied tree, Billy tosses his backpack on the ground and sits. "Dude," he says, biting his lower lip and shaking his head, doing a poor job of suppressing an embarrassed smile, "You have no idea how hard I crushed on you in high school. Watching you walking around every day. And gym class? Fuuuuuck." He just starts laughing, letting it out. The serious conversation is still to come. May as well let out some energy now.

Teddy Altman has posed:
Well, there's a few unasked questions answered right then and there. Teddy sits down right across from Billy, cross-legged, and rests his elbows on his knees. "... geez, Billy. I didn't know you felt that way..." he fidgets when he gets nervous. He brushes some stray hair away from his face. Fiddles with a blade of grass. Straightens his polo shirt. There's a distinctive red cast to his skin now, about the neck and the cheeks. Blue eyes locked on Billy's once again, he asks in a very quiet voice, "How come you never said anything?"

Billy Kaplan has posed:
Licking dry, dry lips, Billy peers downward. "I don't know if you ever heard kids talking about that kid from my old school before my family moved to New York? John Kessler? The one who fell into some flood water that was electrified from a downed power line and died?" Billy looks up again, directly into Teddy's eyes. "Teddy, there wasn't any downed power line. It was /me/."

He stays quiet for a few beats to let that sink in. "Kessler used to beat the shit out of me for being gay /all/ the time. I took so fucking many beatings from that kid and no matter how hard I tried to fight back he was just too big, too strong...too mean. Then one day while he was kicking the crap out of me, something happened. The electrical shock that killed him came from my body somehow. /I/ killed John Kessler, Teddy."

He stops there. There is so much more, but let's see if this burgeoning, rekindled friendship can survive that much first.

Teddy Altman has posed:
Teddy had heard something to that effect- the freak accident, but he never gave it much thought. Tragedies like that happened. He leans forward a little, hands on his knees. "Aw... Billy." One hand goes to seek Billy's hand, which it had just been holding for a while, offering a comforting squeeze."I'm so sorry. Sorry that you went through that..." because at their school, no-one dared to pick on Billy Kaplan. Not if Teddy Altman was around. "So... you've been a meta all this time? Or... a mutant?" His thumb brushes across Billy's knuckles.

Teddy and Billy, who bonded over their admiration of superheroes. Who compiled charts and stats. Teddy even got to make it to editor in some of the cape follower wikis. "You didn't mean to kill him. Not the Billy I know. You tried to defend yourself, didn't you?" he asks softly.

Billy Kaplan has posed:
Billy's voice lowers to an intimate whisper. Not because he's concerned about being overheard. Not a soul in this busy park is paying one ounce of attention to what they likely assume are two boyfriends stealing some time together. Rather, it's something else, a need to finally and at long last share something private with Teddy Altman, just the two of them. "Did you hear about the shooter a few days ago over at Railwander Investing? A disgruntled employee who brought some rifles to work? Wiccan showed up and stopped the shooter?"

Billy stays quiet for a little bit again. It's his way of punctuating points. "That was /me/, Teddy. /I'm/ Wiccan."

"And no, I did not try to kill John Kessler. I just wanted the beating to stop. It was the first time I had any idea that I had powers." He grips both of Teddy's hands in both of his as if he is afraid that his confession will chase Teddy away.

Teddy Altman has posed:
Teddy's hands squeeze back, slowly, and the young man looks at the mage with a long, slow appraising look. "Sweet, gentle Billy Kaplan, keeping secrets from me all of this time." And there's Teddy's easy smile, like a ray of sunshine shining out of his usual sunny disposition. "I wish we had talked like this in high school. We would've found out so much. Like."

His voice matches Billy's in stillness. "How there was this kid in school who seemed to know everything and who liked to nerd out just as much as me. Like, how I remember his blue eyes lighting up when we talked about Captain America, and the hyenah cackle he gave when I suggested Thor used Vidal Sassoon-" he chuckles, and then his expression softens.

"And how assholes wanted to pick on him because he wasn't like the other kids, and really smart. So I made it very clear that nobody was going to touch him if they wanted to be able to walk the next day." He squeezes his hands again, "I made sure nobody touched my Billy. And I never told him why because... I didn't want to ruin things."

Billy Kaplan has posed:
One single hot tear escapes Billy's left eye and streaks so quickly down his cheek like it just escaped from county jail. He maintains his grip tightly on Teddy's hands, though his strength barely registers compared to his powerful friend. "Teddy," he whispers, leaning closer. "I don't even know what to say except thank you. And how sorry I am that we didn't have this conversation sooner. But there is something you should know. My powers come with a curse. A terrible curse."

Squeeze. Squeeze. Squeeze. It's a good thing that Teddy's hands are strong.

"I am never going to die. I mean, like never. The day is going to come in the far, far future when I'm going to lose my humanity and become the engine of magic in the multiverse. And I'll stay that way until all of the universes fade into their heat deaths and no life remains." His eyes search Teddy's, like he would give all of it up for just a single kiss.

Teddy Altman has posed:
"... wow." Teddy lets out a breath, and he thinks about this for a while. "Well... that... we can talk about later. There is something you should also know." He leans in closer, close enough to touch Billy's forehead to his, eyes locked.

"... I'm a mutant. It's... why I never said anything." Or did anything.

But he's doing something now, because Teddy Altman moves in closer still, until they're just a breath away.

"... Do you still... you know?" he whispers.

Billy Kaplan has posed:
Billy's eyes open wider when Teddy confesses that he is a mutant. A look of surprise cascades across his features. Suddenly a small smile comes to his lips. "You're a /mutant/?" he asks incredulously. His tone of voice is one part surprised and suddenly one part playful. "You're /gross/," he says through his broadening, impish grin.

Then he does the one thing he spent countless, countless nights dreaming about in his adolescence: he presses his mouth against Teddy's and kisses him not with the timidity of a teenager wresting with awkward thoughts, but with the confidence of a young man who has lived through much in his short life.

When the kiss runs it course, Billy doesn't withdraw. "Did I catch it? Am I a mutant now?" The squeezing of Teddy's hands is no longer urgent. It's just affectionate now. "What can you...what can you do? What makes you a mutant?"

Teddy Altman has posed:
The kiss doesn't last nearly long enough as he'd like, but he certainly feeds into it enthusiastically. On the plus side, Billy doesn't draw back, so their lips are still almost touching, if he wants to have another go. But Teddy's large hand comes up to touch Billy's cheek, the blond young man's smile going a little goofy, fair skin bright red. "... yeah, hate to tell ya, you'll probably grow two heads now, but that just means you get to kiss me twice as much?"

Billy hadn't been the only one dreaming about that kiss. "What can I do? Well... I ... shift. I haven't been out ... much, I've still been trying to feel things out, so I haven't really been very high profile but..." his lips brush against Billy's again. "Have you heard the name 'Hulkling' at all?"

Billy Kaplan has posed:
Okay, yeah, that was nice. That was like seven years in the making and worth every seconds of waiting. With his eyes still closed, one side of Billy's mouth curls up into a broader grin. "Two heads? Then all my good sweaters won't fit me. Mom's gonna shit." He quickly sneaks in a second, brief kiss.

Then he sits up straight and his eyes open wide. "Wait, /you're/ Hulkling?? Are you fucking with me? That..." He pokes Teddy's chest with one finger. "That is badass, Altman. Honest to the gods I can't believe we're actually having this conversation." He narrows his eyes a bit, playful grin still hanging around in the general area of his lips. "You're not fucking with me, right?"

Teddy Altman has posed:
In response to Billy's grin, Teddy glances this way and that, to make sure nobody is actively paying attention to them. "C'mon, Billy, you share all of that with me and you think I'd fool on you." He wrinkles his nose, and steals another brief kiss before leaning back. "Okay... watch closely, 'kay?" His blue eyes dart this way and that, and then when he is certain that they are unobserved...

He is green. No, he hasn't bulked up to Hulkling levels because that would mean tearing his clothes. The hue change is proof enough, and it quickly goes back to fair. "I can show you the whole thing later." He smiles, and then chuckles. "Wiccan. You're Wiccan. Little Billy Kaplan, out saving the world. And all this time I thought I was protecting you." He leans in to touch foreheads. "... you were just letting me hang around 'cause you had a thing for me?" he says with a wink.

Billy Kaplan has posed:
He isn't too surprised watching Teddy's skin hue change. Teddy was always a honest dude and Billy believed him right away. But still, to see it is something else altogether.

"I wasn't /letting/ you hang around, Teddy. My gods, you were...you /are/ the most beautiful and kind boy I have ever met. That I ever did or said anything to hide from you how I felt is my Great Mistake. I was an idiot, and after the whole mess with Kessler I was terrified about telling anyone I was gay. Even you. So I loved you from afar hoping beyond hope that one day you would come to my house and profess your love for me." He laughs and rolls his eyes. "Oh my fuck, teenagers are pathetic. Why does the universe make us go through that shit?"

Teddy Altman has posed:
Teddy laughs, "I dunno. I think we usually have prett honest emotions. I guess we just weren't equipped with the stuff to deal with them." He rests back on his hands and tilts his head. "So... now that we've established that both our lives are dangerous, and that we both were pathetic and dorks and never talked about our feelings for each other." He tilts his head, "Do you still have objections to having dinner with me and... not talking about PoliSci?" He gives him one of his charming smiles. "I admit it. It was all a ploy. A cunning ploy. Because everybody underestimates the jock!"

Billy Kaplan has posed:
Billy wraps his arms over his upper chest like a naked person might do who was trying to cover their breasts. "I can't believe you tricked me by playing the poly sci card, Altman! I'll still go on a dinner date with you, but we have to spend at least 45 to 60 seconds talking about what the Political Science Department can do for you! Have you accepted poly sci department head, Dr. Miguel Alvarez, as your lord and savior, young man?"

He relaxes back against the tree, and for the first time in a really long time there is something on Billy's face: relaxed contentment. His hooded eyes and lazy smile are just what the doctor ordered for this magic-user.

"Who does Hulkling run with?" Billy inquires with a nod in Teddy's direction. "Like are you with any teams or whatever?"

Teddy Altman has posed:
Teddy shakes his head and laughs, "Oh no, it looks like I'm going to have to drink the PoliSci kool-aid? Better make it lunch and dinner, then." He smirks, "Deal."

He crawls on his hands and knees to sit right next to Billy against the dree, side by side. "As of now, Hulkling is a solo operative. I'm still getting my feet wet. I think I can see some gears turning in that head of yours, Kaplan." He leans in to nudge Billy with his shoulder, "What are you thinking? Better have it out now."

Billy Kaplan has posed:
Billy nestles himself into the crook of Teddy's arm like he signed a lease and lives there now. "Could make it breakfast if you're a gentlemen," Billy teases with a light elbow poke to Teddy's ribs.

"So, look, Wiccan runs with a group called the Young Avengers. They're..." The spellcaster peers upwards, pondering, as he rubs his chin. "...not the most active group in the world. Not yet. But they have good hearts and are super welcoming to newcomers." He peers up at Teddy, squinting his eyes against the evening sun. "If Hulkling was looking for a place to call home, maybe the Young Avengers could be that home for him?" A shrug. "If that's what he wants."

Teddy Altman has posed:
"You know?" Teddy puts an arm around Billy's shoulders, welcoming into Crook Neighborhood, "I think that sounds kind of nice. At any rate you are all bound to have more experience than I do, so you can show me the ropes. Young Avengers, huh?" He chuckles, "Well, if anyone is ready to take that matnle up, it's certainly you. I don't think I know a bigger superhero stat nerd around." He raises his eyebrows, "Well, maybe, except me."

A squeeze of Billy's shoulder, "Breakfast, hm? Let's... I'd like to take it a little slow. I know, it's been god-how-many-years, but... I still wanna do a lot of things with you before we get to the really interesting things I'd like to do with you." He shoots Billy a meaningful glance, "Just to make sure that you, you know, don't want to lightning bolt me into the moon after a few dates."

Billy Kaplan has posed:
Billy grabs one of Teddy's big hands and starts to fiddle with his fingers. "I promise not to lightning bolt you to the moon. I bet lightning bolts don't do much to you anyway. I mean, not all that much is publicly known about Hulkling but I have a hunch you do more than just turn your skin green. Otherwise if you were at Sky High you'd be a sidekick like that dude who could make his skin glow slightly." He wears a playful grin as he reference the corny superhero film.

"Teddy, you take this as slow as you want. I mean on both accounts: us, and the Young Avengers. If you want to meet the gang a few times before you make any decisions, that's totally chill. I'm excited about a whole bunch of things that have gone down today but I won't pressure you." The magic-user lets out a small, airy chuckle. "Except the poly sci thing. I /maaaaaaay/ pressure you a little bit there."

Teddy Altman has posed:
"I'm open to being pressured a little." He grins, squeezing Billy's fingers lightly. "I do know I want to give us a chance, because I was too chicken during high school to just out and say it. Billy, I'm glad you didn't go somewhere else for college. I hate that we fell out of touch when we graduated but... I thought it was best? I mean, you were this smart and sensitive kid with a future, and I didn't want to get you mixed up with what I'd have to deal with as a mutant..." he lets out a little chuckle, "But, I mean. We're both facing stuff. Our lives are dangerous, so... all of that overthinking we both did was really us just hyperventilating. I should've gone with my first instinct."

Teddy leans in to rest his head against Billy's, "I wanted you to be my boyfriend. Never even though you'd want to. So... now that I know, I want to." He turns his head to bury his nose in Billy's hair, "So... where do you want me to take you out for dinner?" Teddy is by no means rich, and he knows Billy is well off, but damnit- he wants to take this boy out, and he's going to splurge. Even if it means eating ramen for the next two weeks.

Billy Kaplan has posed:
The reality bender's eyes sink shut and he sighs through his nose a satisfied noise. It's too good to be true, reconnecting with Teddy after all these years out of nowhere. Miraculous one might say.

Then the seed of a thought so disturbing and insidious begins to germinate in the recesses of Billy's mind. His eyes pop open, and his body slightly tenses, and his heart rate rises rapidly. Too good to be true...

"Teddy, you were...you were at NYU all last year, right? I mean, you remember it? Applying, interviewing, getting accepted? Registering for classes, doing the work? You have...you have memories of all of that?" Billy peers up at the beautiful man snuggled with him.

Teddy Altman has posed:
Teddy looks at Billy with some concern, and a large hand rests on Billy's forehead. "Nope, you don't have a fever. Of course I have those memories, Billy. I've just been doing a lot of the remote classes they offered 'cause I took a job on the side to, you know, shore me up a bit. But mom's helping out this semester so I can do a lot more in-person."

He tilts his head a little, "Are you going to tell me the reason behind that strange question, or are you going to let it bounce around your smart pretty head until it starts ricocheting enough that we'll need to borrow Wonder Woman's bracelets to stop it?" He kisses the top of Billy's head. What can he say? He does know his best friend. There are some things about people that seldom change.

Billy Kaplan has posed:
With a sigh Billy gestures out to the field. His voice takes on a different intonation now. One can feel the potent arcane energies begin to collect around him like condensation on a glass on a humid day. He licks his lips. "There is an apple tree now in the park. Nobody notices it appearing." It's like two voices speaking at once, one voice can be heard by the ears and the other voice can be felt by the mind. "There is an apple tree, there is an apple tree," he repeats with the same mystic timbre.

And sure as can be, a tree stands where none did before, with plump, ripe apples dangling from the branches. A dog running for a frisbee collides into the tree and turns around in circles a couple of times, confused by what just happened. Then it barks a few times and chases after the frisbee again.

"I'm a reality bender, Teddy. I've been studying with a very old witch named Nettie who has been helping me find the limits of my powers." Billy peers up at Teddy. "We haven't even come close to finding them yet. If I can make a conscious decision to make something happen, I guess the thought punched me in the brain that maybe I can do the same thing subconsciously, without realizing what I'm doing."

Teddy Altman has posed:
"... oookay." The appearance of the tree discombobulates Teddy just a bit, staring at it in awe. Bt after a few seconds, he breathes again. And then there are those strong arms, pulling at Billy so that he's no longer in the crook of his arm, but rather sitting between his legs, and being invited to rest against Teddy's chest as his hands settle on the mage's chest. "Okay, then, let's go over this one thought a time, okay?"

"One, you can manipulate reality. You make things appear, disappear, etcetera. And now you are thinking, 'hey, what if I suddenly made my not-a-boyfriend in high school appear here?" His hands stroke at Billy's chest in slow and soothing patterns. "And so, presto chango, there's a Teddy at NYU, all wrapped up for Billy, special delivery. Is that what you're thinking?"

Billy Kaplan has posed:
Normally Billy is a very strong person, very forthright with his actions and intentional with his choices. But at this moment, the magic-user is like a rag doll. Teddy very easily hoists Billy into position, and he leans back against the strong, muscular body that he has craved for so many years, spent so many nights dreaming about.

Billy is quiet for long moments, for many, many beats. Then, finally, he whispers, "That is what I was thinking."

Teddy Altman has posed:
It is likely Teddy has done this before, in the past; see Billy spin himself into some kind of overthinking spiral, and then calmly, and carefully, pulled at the yarn to get the blue-eyed mage untangled. "Well, we have a few holes there. First of all- why now? Why not in high school. You wanted me. I wanted you, so why didn't you, even subconsciously, make me confess? Hmm?" He smiles, one hand coming up to stroke Billy's hair, "And yet we both remained perfect dorks in high school saying nothing to each other. Okay, you might say-" One index raised in front of Billy's face, "'But Teddy,' Billy would say, 'What if my power grew after high school?' - and Teddy would say, 'Fair game, yes, but Billy, it's been six years!'"

The muscular blond leans in so Billy can see his smirk out of the corner of his eye, "You're gonna tell me you haven't thought of me once in six years? You just happened to think of me, what, a day ago? I don't believe it, 'cause..." and here Teddy's voice goes quiet, "I've thought of you almost every year we've been apart. Sometimes more than others, because life gets busy but... I always wondered where you were. If you were ok. I must have thought about looking you up on social media hundreds of times and stopped myself." One of Teddy's fingers strokes the mage's jawline.

"You could have called me up any of those times that I *know* you must have thought of me. But you didn't. Probably because... and I'm no expert, but probably because Billy Kaplan isn't the kind of boy to take freedom away from others, you know? You might want something, but you're not gonna force anyone to give it to you. So... which is more likely? That you just happened to wait six years to summon me when I could have been by your side as soon as high school was done... or that we crossed paths here?" He smiles, "We're both nerds, Billy. Where else would we meet again?"

Billy Kaplan has posed:
There might not be even one other person on the entire Earth who would be capable of talking Billy Kaplan down off of the freaky, reality-busting, magical ledge he was just on. Not his parents. Not his brothers. Not his mystic mentor, the witch Nettie Crowe. Nobody else. Only Teddy.

"I thought about you so much," the caster confesses. "At first it was all the time, all day. But over time, less and less. I always wondered if you were happy. If you found someone to love you the way you deserve to be loved. If you found somebody who understands the depth of your heart, your bravery, your kindness...your honor."

Crisis averted in record time.

Billy bites Teddy's forearm. Not very hard, but he bites him. Because sometimes you're so messed up in your head and someone comes along and pulls that silly end of the string so that it all unravels beautifully, and you just don't know what to do about it, so you bite someone. Someone you care about quite a bit.

Peering across the field, the magic-user starts laughing...like genuine, from-the-belly, stress-relieving laughter. Between spasms of laughter he manages to say, "I can't fucking believe I planted an apple tree right in the middle of the park."

People are tugging apples off of it and eating them, and people are laughing and socializing around that tree, enjoying one another's company and the sweet, ripe fruit.

Teddy Altman has posed:
"I didn't need to go far to find one, did I?" Teddy answers with a smile, "Was right under my nose this entire time--ouch!" he says, and laughs, giving Billy's head a playful bop. "Do I need to get a rabies vaccine? Those hurt a lot, you know." But he leans over and kisses the back of Billy's head, and holds him close. "We don't need to wonder anymore, isn't that cool? We can pick up right where we left off. Except we're not the messes we were before." He glances at Billy, and winks, "We're more mature, fancier messes."

His eyes go to the tree, and the people enjoying it, and he chuckles. "I remember the first time I met you, thinking there was something extraordinary about Billy Kaplan. I was so wrong." He pauses and rests his chin on Billy's shoulder. "There's something incredible about you. More than extraordinary. And before you freak out... remember Teddy's Maxim: that power is in the right hands because you worry so much. A tree is a harmless thing, and you would never be so casual with a life. Because I do know you, Billy Kaplan: You're always twisting yourself into knots making sure you did a mitzvah instead of an aveira," Teddy knows things, especially things related to a certain boy he always liked- Teddy suddenly became very knowledgeable about Judaism, and Yiddish words, when he started daydreaming about Billy, "And that's why Wiccan is a hero, because you've got the heart of a mesnch."

His arms squeeze Billy against his chest, and he chuckles.

"Now that we've cleared that up, do you think I could ask you for a few more of those kisses you were giving away? I've got an hour before my next class. And it's been six years."