🎸 Ted presses the wrong button on a solo mission in the phone booth and ends up on the Santa Carla Beach Boardwalk in 1987, seeing a familiar yet different face. ⭐️
Combining my two fav things oughhh ty ao3 for feeding my brain worms 🐛
Warnings: Reader feeling insecure about their body, pure fluff, Ted has a sleeper build (it's canon!)
Summary: You see Ted's bare arms and shoulders for the first time, learning that Ted has strong muscles underneath all those band shirts and jackets.
AO3 link
A/N: This fic was inspired by @scarlettspectra's headcanon about Ted's sleeper build. Thank you for the inspiration! 🖤
Special thanks to @jjaksclayton for being my beta reader on this fic. ❤
Divider credits: @strangergraphics
When you and Ted Logan started dating, it came as a surprise to no one. The adults in both your lives had this sixth sense where they knew with one hundred percent certainty that you would end up together. What began as two kindergartners playing pretend during recess matured into two high school seniors realizing that friendship just wasn't close enough. After he confessed his feelings for you by reciting the lyrics to a Guns N' Roses song, you've been together since, much to the relief of everyone in your immediate circle—one family member even exclaimed "Finally!" when they saw you holding Ted's hand at the mall.
One warm spring afternoon, just two weeks into your newfound relationship, you were watching Bill and Ted throwing a Frisbee back and forth. Laid out on one of Missy's flamingo pink lounge chairs, content to watch your boyfriend.
Boyfriend, a term so new yet so wonderful that you couldn't stop the giddiness from bubbling up inside and transforming into delighted giggles—which in turn caught Ted's attention and flashed you his radiant smile. You swear his smile alone could melt chocolate—and you didn't even want to get started on his equally beautiful brown puppy dog eyes. It just couldn't get any better.
"Dude, it's too hot out here," you hear Ted call over to Bill.
You look up just in time to see him shrug off his jacket and—Oh my god…
He always wore those baggy band t-shirts and vests, you just assumed he had a lanky body to match his boyish style, but no. He was wearing a faded red tank top, exposing broad shoulders, good posture, and those arms.
His arms are what drew your attention the most. He still had a long, lean build to match his height, but his arms carried a healthy definition that was emphasized when he flexed. You had to pick your jaw off the floor. You couldn't risk him looking over and saying how much you look like him after asking him an algebra question. Was he using the Wyld Stallyns's amps as weights? You weren't sure, but right now your brain was trying to process this brand new information.
Ted was always a teddy bear to you—having bestowed the nickname on him when you were in second grade—but now seeing him like this was creating a dichotomy in your mind. Already you were getting images of him showing off those muscles in a much more private setting…
Shaking the intrusive thought from your head (and saving it for later), you then took a look at your own body. You were never the skinny kid, having a softer build ever since you could remember. When you hit puberty, your body grew and got softer, creating curves that made it hard to shop for button-up tops or pants that ended up being either too tight or too loose. Normally, you didn't mind the way you looked, focusing more on living your life and enjoying what you love, rather than letting whatever number was on the scale control you. But even then, you still had tiny moments of insecurity creep in like roaches, burrowing in the dark parts of yourself. And now seeing Ted—whose taller frame was a comical contrast to your shorter and softer one—as fit as he is, you could feel the insecurity taking root inside you again.
You needed water, something to get you inside and away from your muscled boyfriend. But as you stood up and began to leave, Ted caught on immediately.
"You alright, Babe?" He runs up to you, a sheen of sweat coating his forehead and arms, making them glisten.
This was too much to handle. You found yourself spilling out. "I'm fine, Ted. It's all good. Just need some water and fresh air…"
"We're outside, babe. There's already fresh air…I think," he counters with a cute tilt of his head.
"Yeah…right," you mumble before rushing inside the house, leaving poor Ted with a pitiful pout on his lips.
The sun was starting to set when the guys came back inside, Ted's jacket was now tied around his waist, his arms and shoulders still on display. He was too handsome to even look at.
After saying goodbye to Bill, Ted took your hand and began walking you home.
You feel his eyes on you, and knew what was coming next. "What's wrong, babe? Every part of you is cute but I don't want to stare at the top of your head all night."
That got a chuckle out of you. "It's nothing, I'm just being stupid."
"You're the least stupid babe I know," he reassures in the most Ted way possible. "And I'm familiar with stupid."
You couldn't hide your thoughts forever, Ted had that effect on you. With a deep sigh, you told him the truth. "You have a nice body."
There was that smile you loved so much, and a blush on his cheeks to match. "Thanks, you do too!"
"No I do not, especially not compared to you. You don't have to lie to me."
"What do you mean, babe?" He stops walking, keeping a gentle hold on your hand.
"It's silly, but…you're gorgeous, and strong, and all these things that at this moment, I don't feel like," you explain, face flushed with embarrassment. "I see you, and I can't help but think about how sweet it would be to be carried like a princess, or given piggyback rides. But, I'm afraid you wouldn't be able to pick me up. I'm pretty heavy and—"
You were silenced by his lips on yours. Grasping his toned arms to steady yourself, you lean into the kiss, letting him take the lead. Too soon, he pulled away, just as breathless as you were.
"You're the most beautiful, bodacious babe in the universe," his eyes are locked on yours, his breath brushes against your face. "And I will love you no matter how you look."
He was so sweet you could cry. You move in for a hug, but he keeps you at arms length for a moment.
"Besides, I can lift you just fine. Watch—"
Your feet no longer touched the ground as he grabbed you by the waist and spun you around in the air. You kept your arms locked around his neck, laughing with unbridled happiness.
"Can you put me down now?" You ask through bouts of laughter.
"Nope!" He squeezes you tighter.
He slows down his spinning, carefully rearranging you into a princess carry. "You're light as a feather. I could carry you everywhere!"
You've never felt warmer, safer, or loved, than you did in Ted's arms. A part of you wanted to take him up on carrying you everywhere forever as long as he was touching you and vice versa.
Feeling cheeky, you bent your head and lightly bit his bicep, earning a cute yelp from him. "What was that for?"
"Couldn't resist," you respond with a peck to his cheek.
With an infectious laugh, Ted took off running with you in his arms through the neighborhood and towards your house. Refusing to let go, you felt lighter than air with a heart full of love for your sweet (and strong) boyfriend.
