what could be more excellent?

1

If you asked Bill what the most excellent thing in his life was, his answer would probably be, "Well, my most excellent of best friends, Ted, of course!" If you asked Ted, you'd most likely get the same answer about Bill.

So, in the late evening of San Dimas, Bill is currently wondering why the thought of his most excellent friend being...not as excellent, has entered his mind.

Not that Ted isn't the most triumphant and masterful dude he's ever met, but the thought that he's just his best friend has given him the most non-triumphant feelings in the universe.

They've been best friends for a long time. And Bill knows without a doubt that they'll stay best friends in the future because of their excellent time-travelling adventures.

So why does he feel so...lacking?

"Dude, Bill," Ted's voice cuts into his string of thoughts, and Bill looks over. They're on Bill's bed with their backs against the wall, their feet barely touching. "You're, like, totally not listening to me." Bill huffs as he shakes his head.

"I'm sorry, dude," he apologises, shrugging his shoulders. "...I've been having some most troubling thoughts recently and I don't know why."

"What d'you mean?" Ted inquires, and Bill should have seen this coming. Of course his best friend would notice. Ted notices everything. "Is it about Missy?"

"No." Bill shrugs again. "All I can say is that they are definitely bogus."

"Bogus thoughts are no joke, my friend," Ted continues, turning slightly and putting his hand on Bill's shoulder. "You have to tell me what's wrong, dude."

The feeling of Ted's hand holding his shoulder so tight makes Bill's heart skip twice. The feeling is most shocking and definitely not what he should be feeling.

But...Ted is right. Bill can't hide anything from his best friend and bandmate. Otherwise, would Ted really be his best friend?

"Here's the thing, Ted, my friend," Bill begins, searching for the best place to start. "You are my best friend, the most excellent and non-heinous best friend a dude could ever ask for! But, lately...," he trails off, looking away for a moment before looking back up and frowning. "Are you sure you want to hear this, dude?"

"Of course, dude," Ted nods, his face full of concern. "You can tell me anything, Bill, no matter how heinously bogus."

Bill can almost laugh at that. He still isn't sure how heinously bogus the idea really is.

"Being with you, Ted, is most excellent," Bill restarts. "Being triumphant friends and triumphanter bandmates is the best. But... I always think about..." Bill gestures a step up with his hands, "What if there were something even more excellent than being best friends?" This suggestion is most confusing for Ted.

He's never considered that there could ever be something more excellent than best friends. Bester friends crosses his mind, but he has a feeling that isn't what Bill means.

"What could be more triumphant than the best of friends, Bill?" Ted says, his hand dropping from Bill's shoulder.

"I don't know," Bill shrugs once again, his voice soft and tone closed off. "I just know that best friend has been sounding severely lacking in describing our relationship for me, dude."

The silence that follows is most arduous to sit through as Ted processes Bill's statement. Ted told him to be honest, so here he is. Being as honest as he can possibly allow.

"I'm sorry, dude," Bill breaks the tension, beginning to sit up. "My bogus ideas are not your problem."

"Bill, your bogus ideas are always going to be my problem," Ted cuts in, holding Bill back. He smiles, "Because, chances are, my ideas are just as bogus!" They share a laugh at that, and Bill has to admit, his best friend really knows how to pull him out of a non-triumphant funk.

"Oh, yeah?" Bill says, nudging. "What is your bogus idea, my esteemed and excellent friend?"

"Well, if the ideas turn out to be the same, it might just become the most excellent of ideas!" Ted exclaims before turning serious. Bill does the same, as they need to be sure their attention is most concentrated. "You keep saying that, what if there were something above best friends, right?" Bill nods. "The only thing above best friends are esteemed romantic partners."

Bill's face heats up at the blatant way Ted states the fact. Yes, of course, that is what his so-called bogus idea had been, but to discover that Ted's bogus idea is the same is turning out to be more than just an excellent suggestion.

"Ted, my friend?" Bill says, and Ted smiles.

"Bill, my friend?" Ted responds. "Shall we upgrade our most excellent relationship?"

"Definitely!"

They air guitar briefly. After a moment, Ted breaks the following silence.

"Do esteemed romantic partners such as ourselves engage in making out?" he asks, and Bill grins.

"My esteemed partner, they most definitely do."