Timeline: Post Children's Crusade due to team roster
Summary: In which Teddy wonders if Billy should tell him everything, and Billy gets a say in the matter
If Teddy had to be honest with himself, he had to admit there was something unnerving about being in a relationship where no secrets were kept.
Now, he didn't expect Billy to hold anything back (unless he was being a suicidal idiot again), and he saw no reason to keep anything from the mage unless it was either irrelevant or forgettable. He figured it came with the territory of being as close as he liked to think they were, not to mention now that they agreed to spend the rest of their lives with each other.
That much, as far as Teddy was concerned, was almost a given.
What did get Teddy to second-guess this level of honesty was when they weren't talking about themselves but other people. When in an everyday discussion he learned of what Eli and Kate were up to when the two failed to bring it up with him for one reason or another, or that he was only too glad to share with Billy those tidbits Tommy let slip when his guard was down. That was when he let himself have doubts, when he thought maybe there was something wrong with what they were doing.
And like most things that involved Teddy, he let Billy know about it during one lazy afternoon that had the two sprawled over Billy's bed and talking about this and that.
As befitting the he who claimed to be the patient one in the relationship, Billy listened until Teddy was done and then carefully thought it over. Teddy let himself look at Billy's eyes as the brown spheres moved about and he could almost see the thoughts forming.
"But then we wouldn't know half the things we know." Billy replied at first and Teddy found he wasn't surprised with the reply.
"Again, with a bit less self-righteousness, please?"
A snicker passed Billy's lips as he pushed himself up to a sitting position, his back against the head of the bed. Teddy had half a mind to follow but a hand in his hair kept him in place.
"I think that by now, people shouldn't only know we gossip about them, but also expect it. Isn't this how the whole couple-thing works?"
It made as much sense to Teddy then as it ever did before, but the doubt refused to leave him. Before he could say anything else though he felt Billy's fingers come to a stop over his scalp and he looked up curiously. Billy's face had quite the serious expression set on it, though Teddy couldn't help but also notice a very present air of sadness.
"I can stop, if it bothers you this much."
What Teddy expected even less than this offer was the cold grip of dread that closed around his heart as a result. He pushed himself up and stared intently at Billy only to press against him the next moment. Using one arm to support himself he rounded the other around Billy's waist and buried his face in the other's shoulder.
"I think it would bother me a lot more if you started keeping things from me."
The movement and declaration both made Billy relax and he went limp under Teddy sans that one arm that returned the hug.
"Even about other people?"
"Even about other people."
Unable to keep the smile off his lips, Billy nuzzled against Teddy's hair before planting a small kiss on the top of his head.
"You got it, you big softie."
A long breath left him, relieving Teddy of much of his turmoil. He was finally able to enjoy the closeness and the awkward hug they ended up in.
"I guess that makes the both of us, then."
A short moment of consideration passed before Billy nodded and rested his head against Teddy's, his eyes closed.
"I can live with that."