Tommy and Terry, Backdated to Saturday April 16th

[x-traitor.livejournal.com]

Talk about your ill-fated romances... Terry and Tommy have a picnic in Central Park and are cute. They chat about school and friends, then Terry plays Faith for him. They manage not to be hit by any of the falling anvils.



Toting the basket in one hand and checkered blanket over his shoulder, Tommy lead Terry through Central park with his free hand in hers. He paused to look around then nodded over to a nearby oak tree that would provide them some shade. "How about over there?" He indicated the said tree with a nod of his head.

Terry grinned and nodded, "That looks great." She adjusted the strap for the guitar case slung over her shoulder. It was a beautiful day and the park was already full of people. "It's nice to be outside, enjoying the day. I'm glad you weren't busy."

Tommy grinned as he leaned over to kiss her temple before leading her over. "Anything for you, darling. I'd drop anything for your beautiful presence and stimulating wit." Placing the basket down, he began to spread out the blanket in the shade.

"Are you sure you're not Irish yourself?" She laughed and helped him spread the picnic blanket. Once it was set, she swung Faith off her shoulder, handling her with the same near reverence that she always did and set her down before sitting herself. "Because you've got a glib way with words."

"I might be, but here I thought I was just eloquent" He sat down beside and began pulling stuff out of the basket and spreading them around. It was normal picnic fare; sandwiches, potato chips, soda (and water for Terry) and watermelon for dessert.

Terry kicked off her sandals and tucked her legs under her. She smiled at the water. "You remembered!" she exclaimed, delighted. They quickly had everything set-up. "This looks marvelous. I'll have to bring lunch next time. You just have to taste our chef's food sometime. You'll think you died and went to heaven."

"Of course I did. I wanna hear you sing more than anything, for your voice must match your beautiful exterior, and soda is bad for the voice." He grinned as he said the last part, handing her a bottle. "I'm sure your chef is much better. This is courtesy of a downtown deli and Safeway."

"I'm hungry enough that anything will taste great," Terry laughed. "The singing can cover up my playing, I'm not quite perfect yet. It's my second instrument." She twisted the cap off and sipped the water. "Do you play anything?"

"If you mean play an instrument, I tried the drums once before my parents took my set away. Since then I've more 'played' basketball and football." He smiled at his play on words, carefully unwrapping a sandwich and handing it to her. "Your second instrument? You must be good then! What's the first?"

"Harp. My uncle wanted me to play so I've been taking lessons since I was small. I'm very good." She flashed him a grin and took a healthy bite of the sandwich, not one of those girls who was afraid to display an appetite.

To that he whistled. "Don't take it the wrong way...but the fact that you're actually 'eating'...majorly hot!" Tommy unwrapped another sandwich and took a bite. "I wasn't looking forward to eating this by myself...You are one hell of a girl."

She nearly choked as she started to laugh and groped for her water, giggling helplessly. "And how is that hot?" She managed to ask after a several attempts to re-learn how to breathe.

"Why is it hot? Because! You're not being all 'oh I'm a vegetarian, the poor cows' or 'oh I have to watch my figure so I can fit into a size 0.' You're not afraid to show who you are! It's hot." He shrugged and took a bite of sandwich.

"Cows are good for eating and for wearing and I am a size zero. Or a three. Depends on who makes it." She grinned. "Dieting is overrated. Besides, singing takes a lot of energy," especially when she was using her powers, "so I never turn down a meal."

"Still, hot." He took another large bite and laid down on his back, head pillowed on his head. "Such a beautiful day to go with the beautiful company. Though i'm sure someone like your self has gone on more classier dates..."

Terry rolled her eyes, "Not really. I don't date much. I've gone to boarding schools all my life and you really don't get much time to meet non-school people that way. And it's anything but classy." She moved over to sit next to him so it would be easier to look at him. "And you're definitely the cutest guy I've dated."

Tommy cocked his head back so he could look up at her, grinning. "Why thank you. It's not everyday someone gets a compliment like that from a creature such as yourself. I'm honored." He munched a potato chip quickly. "So boarding school huh? What's that like? I'm afraid I'm a product of this fine city's public education system."

"I can't really say. I've only ever been in boarding schools in this country. It's really different than Ireland though. American schools are quite a bit easier." Terry stole a chip from his bag, "It's a little strange living with your classmates. Claustrophobic, you know, like you can't get away some times. But it's fun too."

"That must be annoying. I'll admit, I've done my share of detentions because of annoying classmates and I only have to see them for a few hours. Living with them? Please! I wouldn't have the patience. I applaud you." He rested his sandwich on his stomach so he could clap his hands, grinning up at her.

Terry laughed and grabbed his hands to stop him. "You get used to it. It's not really a big deal after a while. We fight just the same but basically you learn to live with it. And we are allowed out occasionally." She grinned down at him, "Time off for good behaviour and all that.'

Smirking up at her, he moved his hand so it clasped one of hers and brought it up to his mouth to kiss it. "I imagine. And I imagine you must have been very good to have gotten all this time off to spend with me...and to get so good at Ms. Pacman, which I've beat your high score again by the way..." Tommy winked up at her.

She smiled and blushed. "Again? You're relentless, TMJ. It's a full time job just keeping up." Not that Terry had a problem trying particularly when it meant she got to spend time with him. "We'll have to hit the arcade so I can fix that. Can't have you beating me."

"I would play that game all night if it meant seeing you again my lovely TRC." He finished his sandwich in a few quick bites. "Once we finish our picnic, I'll gladly let you try and beat me again...Though I know I'm going to have fun distracting you!"

"Do or do not, TMJ, there is no try." She tilted her head back to look at the sky, sunlight filtering through the leaves and dappling her face. "But right now it's a pretty day. It'd be a waste to spend it inside."

"Yes, mistress Yoda." He moved his head a bit so it was lying in her lap. "But yes, I agree. The park is even more beautiful today." And Tommy wasn't looking around, but up at her.

She looked down at him and blushed, tucking her hair behind her ears nervously. She hesitated a moment before lowering her hand to his hair. "So, um, what is it you do with yourself when you aren't stealing my high score, TMJ? Are you on any school teams or anything?" It was a lame question but the best Terry could manage without sounding like she was babbling.

"Not really, I seem to have too big a mouth and am in detention too much to be allowed on the school teams, but me and the guys usually play pick up games here in the park every afternoon. Sometimes soccer, sometimes baseball, sometimes football, depends on the day." Then he shrugged. "Mostly it's hanging out with Josh and Duncun, making trouble, you know..."

"That sounds like fun. Not the detention but the hanging out. Josh and Duncan are friends of yours?" She still hadn't met any of his friends. Not that he'd met any of hers and Clarice was still mad about that. Maybe soon though. "You should bring them along sometime. We can play beach volleyball or something."

"Yep, they're what I call friends. And they have heard a lot about you, really want to meet this girl I can't stop talking about." He shrugged a bit. "Though I'll admit, they aren't the highest caliber. We'll have to dumb down the conversation a bit."

Terry laughed, "That's not very nice. I'm sure they're smart in their own ways. I think everyone is good at something. I mean, I'm not a genius like some of the kids at school but they can't sing like I can either."

They were good at being bullies but Tommy didn't think Terry needed to hear that. She already hadn't asked about the detentions so he wasn't going to push his luck. "Yeah, I'm sure they have something...just yet to find it."

"Well, they've got you for a friend. That's something at least." She smiled at him. Her eyes flicked down to his mouth then away. "I was going to play for you, wasn't I?" she said suddenly, turning to look at Faith's case.

Tommy noticed the look, but didn't say anything, instead sat up, nursing his soda. "Yes you were...care to play something for me now?"

With his head off her lap, she was able to nod and scramble for the case. She flicked it open and took out the deep blue guitar with the reverence it deserved. "Any requests?" Terry asked, slipped the guitar strap over her shoulder and curling her arms around Faith.

"What ever makes you happiest to play." He watched her take out the guitar and how much she cherished the instrument.

The first thing that came to mind was the chant that Kylun had been teaching her but she didn't know if she could change that to guitar easily. "How do you feel about Clapton?" She asked instead as she fiddled with the tension on the strings, tuning almost by instinct.

"Clapton works wonderfully. Play away." He put down his drink and leaned back, getting comfortable so he could watch and listen.

It was showing off and she knew it. Particularly for someone still learning. Terry had never been very good at resisting the opportunity to show off though. Hopefully she wouldn't screw up. "Since we're both activists," she teased lightly before playing "Change the World." It was unapologetically sappy but she played through the first verse and chorus once before starting to sing.

He nodded with a grin at the choice of song, even though it wasn't so much the Friends of Humanity wanted to change the world, more take it back to what it was before the mutant menace began. She was probably in like Green Peace or Red Cross or something, so he'd give her that. So instead of wondering, Tommy watched Terry practically light up as she played, as if they normal Terry was an act, and this was her true self...and that didn't even begin to describe her beautiful voice. Tommy couldn't believe the vision before him.

Terry was watching her hands rather than him. By now control of her voice was automatic and she hardly had to give it a second thought to keep it strictly natural. Stripped down to just the guitar and her voice, the song was less obviously sappy. She lent it genuine feeling simply because she never held back. Terry had learned from Alison and so gave everything to her music. For a time, she even forgot that she had an audience.

Tommy was...speechless. There was literally no words to describe what he saw before him, it was so amazing, the connection between girl and voice and instrument. Licking his lips and taking advantage of the fact she was fully distracted, he moved closer to her. And when she looked up at the last note, he leaned in and kissed her.

Terry's eyes went wide before fluttering closed. She'd been hoping he'd kiss her and it was just a soft and sweet as she'd imagined. She kept her hands on Faith and when he sat back, managed to smile at him rather than be disappointed that it was over. "So yeh liked the song I suppose," she said in shaky tone.

"I liked more then that if you couldn't tell. You looked just so...radiant while you were playing. Couldn't help myself..." He leaned in and caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. "And I wouldn't mind doing it again..."

Terry hated her fair Irish skin sometimes. It showed even the slightest blush which meant that her cheeks were probably bright pink. "I was hoping yeh would, actually." As if the blushing weren't a dead-giveaway the accent surely was. "I've been wanting yeh to."

"Then your wish is my command..." And Tommy leaned in to do just that.