Can We Build It? Yes We Can! ...Hopefully.

[handing]

Who: Pepper Potts and her Super Secret Boyband AKA Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Billy Kaplan, and Teddy Altman. Also anyone who wanders by and wants to comment?
What: Building an art gallery
When: August 11 thru whenever they finish. No later than the 16th.
Where: The open space to the left of CH 4/across from House 39
Summary: So Pepper suckered some people into manual labor. These are the results.
Rating: PG-13, maybe, if someone hits their thumb with a hammer and says bad things.

[She can't hide it; Pepper is ecstatic to take this major step in the art gallery project. The construction marks the point where the idea shifts into reality, and this time? She's responsible for much more than 12% of the baby.

Of course, the good cheer will probably turn into frustration as the building goes on, but what can she do? Other than try to supervise. And yes, Tony, that is Pepper's job, so no attempting to use it as an excuse to slack off. Also part of Pepper's job is providing drinks and food for everyone involved, and making sure there are no major injuries, so expect refreshments and first aid kits on site. And when she's not tending to anyone else's needs or watching Steve and Tony at work for reasons, Pepper might even jump into the fray, attempting a bit of building herself--success remaining to be seen.]


[ooc: tag around, do whatever. :Db]

Comments

I've lost count of our threads by now kukki...

[selfhelp]

[Boredom does things to a person; waiting around and doing very little except watching has not helped, particularly when certain people on the construction team are downright distracting. He's spent enough time staring by now that it's occurred to him that he might end up catching their attention with no excuse for it, so he did the only sensible thing someone like him could do: he pulls out his sketchbook and gets to work.

Well, are they building an art gallery or not? Might as well create some exhibits. Even as he sketches, though, something isn't quite right...

His gaze zeroes in on Teddy. Ah, that's the problem.]

Hey, T! Feel like being a model on top of a gruntman?

[Aaaand maybe sex has bumped his shamelessness up a notch. Whoops.]

A LOT...?

[halfnhalf]

[Teddy grins and even chuckles at what Billy has to say; boyfriend, really? At least let him finish moving this support beam to be touched up on before he looks over his shoulder to answer.]

What, you want me to stop what I'm doing just to pose for you?

[So maybe sex has made him a little shameless too. Ahahaa...]

yeah that sounds about right

[selfhelp]

[Yes, really. C'mere.

Actually, you know what? He doesn't need you up close, but it would probably be nice, because of what he's about to say:]

Hey, I'm just thinking that you'd probably be cooler if you took your shirt off!

[halfnhalf]

You think so?

[It sounds more like a tease than a question, as he pats off his hands and looks back at Billy.]

Are you saying that just to help cool me down a little? Or is there some kind of ulterior motive you're going for?

[selfhelp]

You should know by now that I rarely ever do anything for just one reason.

[He doesn't necessarily have to specify the ulterior motive, but he's pretty sure Teddy can guess.]

[halfnhalf]

[Oh he guessed from the moment Billy told him to model. And maybe he'll do it, but he shrugs first and looks ahead again.]

I don't know, I think I feel just fine with it on.

[selfhelp]

[....He's resisting.]

But the sun's so hot today... you could cool down and even get a tan.

[halfnhalf]

I don't think my skin would allow me to get a tan, B. [The resistance is all part of the fun, man.]

[selfhelp]

...Don't get so caught up on the details.

[You are getting hit with the pouty lips, BF.]

[halfnhalf]

[Teddy looks back at him and - oh no. Ohh no.]

Billy, no. [Not the secret weapon - I mean mastered art...!]

[selfhelp]

[But but but...!]

Is that a "Billy, no, I'm not taking off my shirt"?

[halfnhalf]

Well, no... [He rubs the back of his neck with a nervous little laugh and a glance at some of the other male workers. They're pretty confident - or naive, in Cap's case, and Teddy can't help feeling a little envious of it.

Mostly appreciative. Mmhmmm.

But also a little envious.]

It means "Billy, no, you know what that look does to me". [Melts him a little inside, is what.]

[selfhelp]

Of course I know. Why do you think I use it?

[The name of the game is "how to get what I want", Teddy. At that glance in the direction of the others, though, he's starting to get a clue that there's more going on here.]

[halfnhalf]

Because it's super effective against me?

[There's that instinct in him, developed in the past four years before he was recruited into the Young Avengers. To be a little taller. To fill himself out a little. To give a little extra muscle.

But that instinct isn't nearly as strong as it used to be, and it's easily pushed aside as he look back at Billy, the one who helped make that instinct grow less and less in the first place.]

Cheater.

[hey

hey billy

his hands are moving

they seem to be going to the ends of his shirt]

[selfhelp]

Not cheating.

[Billy grins, though, because he sees those hands, and he is watching them move. More importantly, he's watching for the soon-to-be exposed skin. He's curious now, with a very slight, lingering concern, and he'll be studying those muscles very closely for more reasons than the obvious one.]

[halfnhalf]

Totally cheating.

[He says as he pulls his shirt up and over his head, probably a little slower than necessary. Once the shirt's in his hands, he takes a few steps closer to Billy, the steps necessary to toss his shirt right at his face.

And he didn't even shift a muscle.]

Happy now?

[selfhelp]

[Oof, suddenly there is a shirt in his face. Billy tugs it down, lips pursing into a frown, but his brows lift when he gets a good look at Teddy, scrutinizing what he finds there.

He knows every line of that body, every contour, every muscle.

And yeah- that's his Teddy. Which is why his lips shift right back into a smile.]

I'd be happier if you came over here.

[halfnhalf]

To model for you, right?

[Nevertheless, he walks closer, eyebrow raised and hand on his hip as if to scrutinize him in return. But the teasing smirk is enough to let him know that he's just joking, and hey. He is coming over there.]

[selfhelp]

Well, that's definitely part of it.

[He waits patiently until Teddy gets close enough, reaching out to grab ahold of the belt loops of Teddy's pants and tug him closer once he's within reach. Uncaring of who might see, he slides his hands up to brush over the muscles of Teddy's stomach, the familiar feel of a body unshifted- or at least true to the mental image that Teddy's made for himself since they'd begun dating. He trusts that it's what Teddy wants for himself.

Satisfied by what he sees and feels, Billy leans forward to bump his head against the blond's chest, pressing his lips to the skin there.]

Mm, a perfect specimen in every way. [The message there is unspoken, but he hopes that Teddy gets it: Thank you for being you. He pauses, and then adds-] You reek of sweat.

[halfnhalf]

[It was always so stressful, trying to change himself to fit what everyone else wanted. Everyone always wants to fix their nose, their hair, that pesky mole, yet they don't know just how awful it is to have the ability to do that. You don't become you anymore. He'd pick up on things; people thought his nose was a little too big, he needed a haircut, he's a little short, he's not as shaped as all the other athletes. He'd change and change and never be who he really wanted to be. Just him. He wanted to help, he wanted to make people happy, and... it would've been great if he could be himself and do that.

Then he met Billy, and while he did lie and shift and be the man he thought Billy wanted thanks to what he thought looked good, he was soon caught and got quite an earful. It's what he needed, though; it made him become who he really was, and instead of picking out his flaws, Billy smiled and said "that's better".

He loved him for being him. And he still does, and Teddy can't ever thank him enough or tell him how much it practically saved his life. All he can do is run his hand through Billy's hair and press his lips to the top of his head: Thank you for teaching me how.]

That's kind of what happen when someone works hard.

[selfhelp]

[Billy smiles musingly, giving Teddy's stomach a playful and appreciative little pat before pushing a little in an attempt to nudge his boyfriend backwards. The success of this depends on Teddy, obviously.

Sweaty or not, close quarters is both an attention-grabber for their companions and very distracting, and making out while on the job would be kind of counter-productive.]

Is that what you guys are doing out there? I thought it was a show.

[A group of handsome, muscular men working in the heat... sure seems like a public service to him.]

[halfnhalf]

[And at the nudge, Teddy takes a step backwards, his hand ruffling through Billy's hair before letting it fall to his side. Might as well indulge his boyfriend into thinking the nudge actually did anything and all.]

Maybe to you, it is. And the ladies over there. [He glances at where the girls are before turning his attention back to Billy. Yup, he noticed.]

[selfhelp]

[Oh he totally knows you just did that, Teddy. He's not sure whether to feel touched of offended by it 8|

He just huffs quietly though, leaning back in his spot with Teddy's shirt draped over his shoulder, and follows Teddy's gaze. Oho, so he'd noticed.]

...What if I promised you a show later?

[halfnhalf]

Depends on what kind of show it is.

[But with the way Teddy raises his eyebrows and glances back at him with a little smirk, he has an idea of just what kind of show Billy's talking about.]

[selfhelp]

I'll leave it up to your imagination if you keep your shirt off for the rest of the day.

[Though from the way Billy's clutching the material loped around his neck like a scarf, he's not going to be giving it back anytime soon no matter how Teddy responds.]