Chapter Text
Every Sunday night, without fail, Billy watches The Sound of Music. It's a reward, he says, for a full week of school, family obligation, homework, and now super hero training. Teddy agrees wholeheartedly that a high school student with super powers deserves a movie break once in a while.
But.
“Every week? Seriously?”
“Every week,” Billy confirms, settling into his spot on the couch with a shameless grin. “Mom takes my brothers to hockey practice and Dad goes out with some friends, so I always get the apartment to myself. Pretty sure I’d drive them crazy if I did it any other day.”
Teddy lifts a brow, none-too-impressed by this revelation, and finds himself a spot somewhat reluctantly beside his friend. He’d accepted Billy’s invitation to join him for a test cram session and a hang-out afterwards, since the two had been naturally drawn to one another since Iron Lad – Nate – had introduced them all just a few weeks ago, but as soon as Billy had pulled the obviously-well-loved collector’s edition DVD from a drawer and put it into the player, he felt the flicker of misgivings. As a shapeshifter, his existence is fluid by nature and thus he can be called many things. A musical fan is not one of those things.
The Disney logo comes to life with a blare of sound, and Teddy scratches absently at an ear. Super-hearing sucks sometimes. “I think we could use another hour of algebra.”
“Don’t be stupid, you’re gonna love it. …Oh, dammit, where’s the remote-”
Billy’s laughing at him. He’s not doing it out loud, but he is definitely laughing. Teddy studies the dark-haired teen for a long moment, letting his gaze drift indulgently on his profile in the fading light of the day; his slender form is as nice as ever to look at, even in that rumpled old orange sweatshirt, but what Teddy finds his eyes drawn to is Billy’s expression as he fiddles with the controller to get things set up. First there’s frustration – commercials he can’t skip, stupid menu functions – then there’s the hint of a smile, as the legality warning fades from view. Almost there.
And then, as the overture begins, a booming note identical to the menu itself, Billy’s cheeks dimple a little with a full-on grin. There’s love in that expression, the nostalgia of childhood, the indulgence of small pleasures in the ever-chaotic life of a teenage super hero. Still smiling, Billy glances over his shoulder at Teddy, brows lifting a little.
“See? I told you that you’d love it.”
“…What?” Teddy asks, leaning into the couch cushions as Billy flops back into place beside him. He feels a hot blush cross his cheeks as he realizes he’d just been caught staring, but the brunette makes no comment or even an indication that he’d noticed.
Billy smirks and reaches out a hand to idly poke a finger briefly against Teddy’s lips. It’s a surprisingly personal gesture, one that catches him off guard again.
“You’re smiling,” Billy says simply. He turns back to the TV and stretches out, making himself comfortable for the long haul of a nearly-3-hour movie.
Teddy just blinks, forcing his gaze away from Billy and very carefully pursing his lips. He had, most definitely, been smiling.
“My heart wants to sing every song it hears…”
…This is probably going to complicate things, isn’t it?