Chess [Opening Move]

[wasafreak]

Teddy feels like something out of a Sir Arthur Conan Doyle novel. The townhouse is huge and the fireplaces keep it warm, and the kitchen's stocked and there's tea and aperitifs and so many books. The fact that they're entertaining, sort of, is pleasing in a silly domestic way. The fact that Teddy is wearing riding boots, rather fitted black trousers, and an overly romanticized white blouse while they entertain is silly in a pleasing historical way. All in all, it's not a bad time.

He sets down a bottle of cassis and a carafe of water before taking his own seat again.

"So it was like... the big bad wolf?"

Comments

[notaparker]

"There's no milkshake!" I protest, through the cushion. "There's no yard! There's no-" I pause, and lift the cushion, slightly, fixing Billy with a look I hope is convincing but probably isn't. "I don't mean anything, it's just a thing I said. Sometimes I say things."

[wasafreak.livejournal.com]

"This has happened before?" Teddy surmises, taking it as read, really.

"On the island, or back home?"

[halfscarlet]

Billy shakes his head a little when Jess looks at him, letting her know he doesn't exactly believe her. "And they're like, it's better than yours," he sings under his breath.

[notaparker]

I throw the cushion at Billy, lightly, and then regret it. Not the lightly part, the throwing. Now I don't have it to cover my face with. I sit up again, curling my legs up instead.

"There might have been a Johnny Storm Situation," I say. "At one point. Briefly. It's really not important."

[wasafreak.livejournal.com]

"So you're into older guys," Teddy observes, completely without judgement.

[halfscarlet]

Billy hugs the pillow to himself, biting back a smile at Teddy's assessment. "You do seem to have a pattern here, Jess."

[notaparker]

"...Johnny Storm is, like, seventeen, max," I say, frowning at them, "he is not out of high school, don't judge me because you're from some weird dimension where everyone is middle-aged."

I pause. "Also who said anything about being into, there's no into!"

[wasafreak.livejournal.com]

"Oh," Teddy says, eyebrows lifting.

"So you're... not. Into them." Or, possibly, boys. Teddy tries to imagine a universe where Johnny Storm isn't an epic dreamboat and being made out with by him wouldn't be awesome. He fails.

[halfscarlet]

"Maybe you're from some weird dimension where everyone is a teenager," Billy points out, turning it right back on Jess.

[notaparker]

"How is any of this relevant," I protest. I wish I had my cushion back. I shouldn't have thrown it. Stupid throw pillow, so... throwable. "Am I giving off signs? How do I turn that off? ...what am I saying, you're not wired to receive those signals."

[wasafreak.livejournal.com]

Teddy wants to say stop kissing people, but feels that might be tactless.

"The more pressing thing would probably be letting Chase down gently so he doesn't keep acting like a big weirdo around you."

[halfscarlet]

"Hey, I still receive signals, they just...happen to be from other guys, not girls." He glances at Teddy, adds, "And by guys, I mean Teddy. But yeah, you need to talk to Chase, because as much as I love him, he can be a stubborn ass."

[notaparker]

"...right, because saying, 'sorry, good friend, not really looking for anything more right now,' is totally going to stop any big weirdo behaviours," I say.

Disaster.

I really spend way too much time wishing there were bank robbers around for me to punch in the face.

[wasafreak.livejournal.com]

"He's not going to feel great about it, but at least he won't be confused. Guys don't like being confused, it makes them moody. We're not really binary creatures, for the most part, we do best if something is one thing or the other." He offers her a sympathetic look.

[halfscarlet]

Billy shrugs and nods in agreement, looking as though he feels sorry for Jessica's rock and a hard place spot. He'd rather go out and punch Cable to incite a fight or something rather than be in her position.

[notaparker]

"I can't even swear to move to the second island, because there isn't one, because-" I wave my hand at the receiving room or whichever room this is. The one with the fainting couch I'm on. "-magic london. Aaagh, okay."

[wasafreak.livejournal.com]

Teddy's curious, now, can't help but be.

"It's gonna be awkward, either way. Better if it's awkward in a way that lets you guys get past it, right?" He glances at Billy, then shifts a little to slouch comfortably in the chair.

"So... is there anyone you do like, right now?"

[halfscarlet]

Billy perks up, interested in hearing the answer himself. "Yeah, is there?"