The best thing about Teddy Altman, besides his smile and his butt and other things Billy tried not to think about too much, was that he got all of Billy's pop culture references. When he made a quip, and only Teddy laughed, it felt like a private joke just between them. But once in a blue moon, it turned out to be a joke with just himself.
"Have you guys thought about your uniforms yet?" Nate asked one day as they were running laps around the training room.
"I found some old curtains in my grandparent's attic," said Eli. "They might work for fabric."
"Great idea, Fraulein Maria," said Billy.
He waited for Teddy to laugh, but all he got was a blank look.
"Fraulein Maria," he repeated. "You know, from The Sound of Music?"
"Oh," said Teddy. "Never seen it."
Billy stopped dead.
"What?"
"I'm not big on musicals," said Teddy, shrugging. "It is a musical, right?"
"You are coming to my place tonight," said Billy. "That's not a request."
Only after they'd worked out the details did Billy realize what he'd done. Teddy Altman was coming to his apartment. To hang out with him. Alone.
Billy had survived his adolescence so far by following certain rules. At the top of the list was, Never get too close to cute boys. And Teddy was very, very cute.
So he was bending the rules a little. Did it really matter that much? He wasn't stupid. He knew not to get his hopes up.
Unfortunately, the butterflies in his stomach apparently did not.
O0O0O
Teddy was three minutes late, for which he apologized profusely. Billy found this adorable.
"Don't worry about it," he said. "Did you have trouble finding the building?"
"Nah, I just got distracted. I'm pretty sure I saw Sue Richards crossing 95th Street."
"No way! Was she in uniform?"
The butterflies had gone into overdrive when Billy answered the door, but soon he was so engrossed in the conversation that he forgot all about them. Teddy was amazingly easy to talk to.
You've got a good thing here, Billy told himself. Don't ruin it by wanting more.
"So who's your favorite X-Man?" Teddy asked.
"Wolverine, no question," said Billy.
"Really? I think Colossus is cuter."
For a moment, Billy was sure he'd misheard. There was no way Teddy had just come out to him in the same tone of voice he would use to order lunch. But then Teddy glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, and Billy realized his nonchalance was feigned.
Billy took a deep breath.
"Well, if you're going by looks, then yeah, Colossus is definitely the hottest," he said. "But Wolverine has the coolest powers."
Teddy grinned. "I don't know. Those claws are pretty sweet, but Colossus can turn his whole body into steel."
"You're forgetting that Wolverine also has healing powers."
"Which Colossus doesn't need, because nothing can hurt solid steel, anyway."
They continued debating the superiority of various X-Men until Billy remembered why he'd invited Teddy over in the first place.
"Make yourself comfortable," he said, gesturing to the couch. "It's a long movie, and we're watching all of it."
Billy loaded the DVD, then settled down next to Teddy—not touching him, but closer than was strictly necessary. It was a big couch. Teddy could have scooted away from him if he chose. He didn't.
Billy's mind was buzzing. Teddy was gay, and he knew that Billy was, too. Did that make this a date? Or was Teddy just looking for a friend who could relate to him in ways his straight pals couldn't?
Maybe I should just ask, he thought. But then Julie Andrews started singing, and he lost his chance. He'd just have to sit back and enjoy the movie. It was a good thing he really loved the hell out of The Sound of Music.
Half an hour later, they came to Billy's favorite scene: the one where the oldest von Trapp kid sneaks out to see her boyfriend, and he tells her via song that she needs someone to look out for her.
You are sixteen going on seventeen Totally unprepared are you You need someone older and wiser
Fellows will fall in line
Eager young lads and rogues and cads
Will offer you food and wine
To face a world of men
Timid and shy and scared are you
Of things beyond your ken
Telling you what to do
I am seventeen going on eighteen
I'll take care of you
"Wow, he is smooth," said Teddy.
"I know, right?" said Billy. "My mom hates this song. She says it set feminism back thirty years. But I like to think that Rolfe is actually the naïve one and Liesl is just playing along because she thinks he's cute."
Liesl responded:
I am sixteen going on seventeen Totally unprepared am I I need someone older and wiser
Innocent as a rose
Bachelor dandies, drinkers of brandies
What do I know of those
To face a world of men
Timid and shy and scared am I
Of things beyond my ken
Telling me what to do
You are seventeen going on eighteen
I'll depend on you
"You're right," said Teddy. "She totally knows what she's doing."
Liesl's declaration led to a dance break, culminating in a kiss so awkward that Teddy burst out laughing. Billy joined in nervously. With Teddy sitting within arm's reach, the familiar scene had ignited his imagination in new ways.
A couple of hours later, the movie ended, and Billy did his best to sound calm and sane when he said, "Well? What did you think?"
"It was great!" said Teddy. "It sucks that Liesl's boyfriend turned out to be a Nazi, though."
"Yeah, that's the one thing I would change about the movie if I could." Billy stared thoughtfully at the picture of the von Trapps on the back of the DVD case. "You know, it's weird. The first time I saw this movie, Liesl seemed so grown-up and sophisticated to me. Now I'm sixteen, going on seventeen."
"Are you looking for someone older and wiser to tell you what to do?" Teddy asked, smirking.
Billy looked him in the eyes. "Maybe."
The smirk faded.
Billy could barely breathe. He wondered if he looked as ridiculous as Liesl did right before Rolfe kissed her. Then Teddy's lips were on his, and all thoughts of The Sound of Music flew from Billy's mind, along with everything else.
When they broke apart, Teddy said, "You know, I'm only a month older than you."
Billy smiled.
"As long as you're not a Nazi."