Work Text:
Neil who had previously been at a maths study group with Meeks, Pitts and Cameron was walking back to his dorm with his script, reading it as he went along apologising to the many people he bumped into as he wasn’t actually looking where he was going, just using his memory of the school to guide his way.
He was stopped by Charlie just a few doors down from his room, “alright mate? where have you been?” He asked “oh the study group remember?” Neil said still not taking his eyes off of the script he was set to be performing in two weeks and wanted to get it perfect. “Oh shit i forgot about that, anyway have you seen Knox?” He whispered “no why?” Neil asked finally looking up at him confused as to why he was whispering all of a sudden, he tried to ignore that anxious feeling but it was definitely there, but he wasn’t sure why he even bothered worrying when the next words to come put of Charlie’s mouth were “we’re playing hide and seek and i haven’t been able to find him for 20 minuites already” he said exasperated, Neil chuckled and just walked away not bothering to entertain their antics “Neil- NEIL C’MON, i need help” Charlie called but to no avail and ended up walking off to continue his search.
Now Neil would usually have helped maybe even found it enjoyable to do so, but he had been busy all day and hadn’t got to really see or talk to his roommate and partner, Todd Anderson. so he quickened his pace not wanting to waste any more time and entered the room. He was about to say hi when he noticed Todd hunched over the desk with his fingers rubbing his temple and him biting his pen absentmindedly.
Not wanting to disturb him he put his bag and books down on his own desk and turned to watch him a bit longer, which sounds creepy but Neil thinks he has a pass as his boyfriend, Todd’s eyes were closed as he kept massaging his head, Neil wanting to speak to him but not wanting to hurt his head more took to a whisper “Todd love” Todd’s eyes fluttered open in acknowledgment but only for a second as he winced back due to the light, Neil knew he wasn’t purposely being ignored so he walked over and kissed the top of Todd’s head before turning off the lamp so that only the moon’s light could aluminate the room and dragging Todd over to his bed “Neil no, i need to finish my homework” Todd whispered not really trying anything to stop Neil “you’re in no state to… Don’t be silly, just try to feel better first and I can help you another day if you need” Neil answered laying in the bed and pulling Todd down gently so he was at his side with his head in the crook of Neil’s neck, Todd moved his arm and leg up so they rested comfortably on top of Neil as he started to massage Todd’s head for him just wanting him to be able to relax fully.
“I’ve missed you today, feels like i hardly got to see you” Neil spoke softly, Todd just hummed in response pulling Neil a little closer, Neil knew the action meant he agreed and huffed a small laugh. It wasn’t much, all they were doing is laying not even speaking but it was moments like these that reminded Neil he was alive, that he had many things to appreciate in this life. And as he though of that one of those things walked in through the door, Charlie his best friend. Oh how he was thankful for him for not barging in for once. “Bit dark isn’t it?” Charlie muttered nonchalantly.
Todd looked to the door and instantly put his head back down after seeing who it was his curiosity cleared, Neil smiled “found Knox yet?” He asked “yeah the twat was in bed asleep i didn’t even think to check his room cuz i thought it was too obvious of a place and he’d be dumb to hide there” Charlie huffed, “Oh well at least you won’t be looking all night” Neil suggested “ain’t that the truth,” he laughed.
He took one look at Todd and then back to Neil and mouthed a quick “he ok?” To which Neil smiled at “has a headache” he muttered, Todd huffed “it won’t go away” he complained, Neil looked at him sadly and tried to massage his head in a different way thinking maybe he just wasn’t doing it right when Charlie piped up “do you want me to go get some medicine?” Todd nodded and Neil looked at him gratefully whispering a quick “thank you”.
As Charlie left Todd tried burying his head closer to Neil’s neck which made him tickle but he didn’t mind, “Charlie’s a good friend” Todd hummed, Neil laughed but he wholeheartedly agreed with him “he is indeed” he smiled. “And you’re a good boyfriend, thank you.” Todd continued, he would’ve been awkward saying it usually but the state he’s in he doesn’t really care “alright Romeo” Neil teased him trying to ignore the reddening of his face.
There was silence until Charlie came back with some paracetamol and some water before leaving again muttering a quick “goodnight, feel better Todd” and closing the door, Neil sat Todd up as he got him to take the medicine, helping him lift the heavy glass to his lips as he took the paracetamol before laying back down in the same position. “You’re a good boyfriend too” he muttered stroking circles onto Todd’s back as he felt him smile against his neck. If there was one word to describe what that night felt like it would be: contentment.
—
The sun shone through the crappy curtains of Welton forcing Todd awake, he rolled to face the wall and reached out but he was alone, he patted the empty spot but upon noticing that it was still warm he squinted due to the light and looked around the shared dorm room, he saw Neil standing in the middle of the room practicing lines, his sheet was pinned up against the door so he had his back turned to Todd not even noticing he had woken up yet, Todd smiled and contemplated leaving the bed, due to the stark contrast between temperatures he grimaced at the thought of submerging his whole body into the cold air as it hit his face uncomfortably.
He shuffled under the covers deciding he would get up in a moment, “morning” he heard “morning” he mumbled back too lazy to put any effort into it, he heard Neil laugh and then go back to speaking his lines softly, Todd was indeed warmer in bed but nonetheless after a couple of minutes he got up and headed over to where Neil was stood, wrapping his arms around his waist and placing his head on Neil’s shoulder, he let out a content sigh. Neil had stopped reading and instead leant his head against Todd’s and was holding his arms in place just enjoying the closeness.
“I didn’t say you could stop” Todd remarked, Neil rolled his eyes but continued to practice for his play “i’m only continuing cause i want to, not cause you told me to” he nagged, “mhm sure whatever helps you sleep at night” he replied letting go of Neil and opting to finally finish his homework, “need help?” Neil asked, Todd nodded gratefully as Neil left his sheet and came to join Todd’s side at the desk “i’ll help you practice later in return” Todd smiled, “why thank you how thoughtful” he said poking at Todd’s side “oi, don’t start doing that cuz you’ll lose” Todd said trying to act stern as Neil stubbornly continued trying to tickle and annoy Todd. All homework out of the window, at least for the morning.
—
It was Friday night and the Poets were in the cave as usual reciting poems, singing, chatting about random things and just all together enjoying each other’s company. It was a particularly cold night and they could all feel it, everyone was pushing hot air into their hands and rubbing them together or trying to warm up their faces every now and then.
Now, all of the poets knew Neil and Todd were dating, they were all quite pleased hearing about it actually but still Todd and Neil never felt the need to display any type of affection or couply closeness when they were out with them, however it was extremely cold and Todd’s fingers were starting to really hurt, which wasn’t unusual he was always the coldest one out of the lot.
Neil had just finished reading his selected poem and sat back down next to Todd leaving no space between them, he was just looking at Todd as he does when he noticed him trying to warm his hands up “you okay?” He whispered Todd nodded “yeah my fingers just hurt from the cold” Neil hummed at this “do you want me to hold them my hands are pretty warm to be fair” he asked. Todd looked around at the others “don’t worry about them” Neil reassured “they won’t mind, i just don’t want your fingers falling off” he said “they’re not going to fall of Neil” Todd laughed “you really don’t know that” Neil insisted, Todd just shook his head “what is it with actors… always so dramatic” he laughed as Neil put on a face of fake hurt “do you want me to warm your hands or no?” He asked.
Todd hesitantly nodded and Neil took Todd’s hands so they were in between his own and started rubbing them trying to create some heat, Todd looked around but no one had even noticed and he relaxed, “honestly it’s really weird my hands are always warm but my legs are always cold” Neil whispered to Todd and before he knew it Todd had draped his legs over the top of Neils so he was sat sideways instead of outwards, now if he was thinking the group were going to notice Neil keeping his hands warm, they were definitely going to notice his legs over Neils surely, but he didn’t seem to mind if it meant Neil was comfortable.
From the other poets point of view it was sweet, Todd legs over Neils and Neils hands over Todds both relying on each other for body warmth, “see they’ve got the right idea, getting close for warmth” Knox huffed as he rubbed his hands up and down his arms trying to create his own source of heat, “yeah well they make the rest of us feel extremely single” Pitts sighed “that’s cause you are” Charlie said matter of factly.
Todd’s cheeks were tinted red, Neil not able to tell if it was because of the cold or the fact him and Todd were the centre of conversation he smiled at him widely. He continued to rub todd’s hands already feeling them getting warmer, and his legs definitely weren’t as cold as they were before, Todd tried to take back his hands now that they were warm but Neil held them firmly in place not wanting to let go “but they’re fine now” Todd said confused, “i know i just want to hold your hand” Neil replied as of it was obvious, Todd smiled at him and then a gagging sound could be heard coming from Charlie “Woah who did that?” He said trying to play it off, Neil rolled his eyes at him “you know Charlie at least i have a partner” he spoke “you take that back” Charlie huffed “nope, how long have you been single for now?” Neil Continued, Charlie turned to knox, “Knox date me right now so i can prove to this guy that i can get a partner” Charlie insisted but Knox just shook his head no, Charlie made his way round the group asking each one of them out even Cameron but was rejected every time, “well damn some friends you are” he huffed before his eyes widened and he turned to Todd, “Todd you don’t want to be with Neil do you? You should really date me instead, i could treat you better” he pleaded on his knees “Oi stay away from my man twat” Neil said pushing him back gently with his foot “you wound me old friend of mine” Charlie sighed as the rest just laughed all together completely forgetting about the cold the happiness radiating from the cave giving out the perect amount of warmth within them.
—
It was the day of Neil’s play and everyone was there to watch, Neil had finally come on stage and all of the poets faces brightened as Charlie whistled before feeling a jab on his shoulder from Meeks indicating him to be quiet, Todd admired Neil it was as of he was shining he couldn’t bare to look anywhere else, Todd had spent every weekend helping Neil practice his lines and without even noticing he was mouthing the play along with Neil amazed how well he was doing.
Neil was definitely in his element and as he looked out into the audience he caught sight of Todd saying his words along with him, if he wasn’t in the middle of acting he probably would’ve sent him a big grin but he instead inwardly expressed his love for the boy. Once one of his scene’s was over he looked through the curtain at the side and could see all of his best friends smiling enjoying their night, he couldn’t help but feel grateful for all the people that had come along to see him, but his thoughts were quickly shut back down after his cue to go back up was called.
Charlie was so proud oh his friend as he watched him deliver a performance better than anyone he’s ever seen before, he glanced over the rest of his friends trying to see if they were enjoying it as much as he was; they were, when his eyes landed on Todd he noticed the boy muttering words, he was confused and was going to ask him what he was doing when he realised he was mouthing the same words Neil was saying, he smiled and shook his head at the boy before looking back up to watch the rest of play.
Once the play was over all the poets had congratulated Neil and a bunch of the other actors exclaiming how well they all did but obviously focusing far more on Neil and had not shut up about him the whole way back to the dorms, they decided to all cram into Neil and Todd’s dorm not wanting the night to be over, with smiles plastered on their faces they settled into random spots around the room. Charlie, Knox, and Pitts were sat on Todd’s bed, Neil and Todd sat on Neil’s as Meeks and Cameron took a chair each pushing them closer to the beds rather than the desks.
Light conversation and celebration hung in the air creating a space full of domesticity within their found family. “Oh my god and i looked over to Todd only to see him whispering Neil’s lines, Neil did you notice that?” Charlie asked smiling, Todd dropped his head trying to hide from the embarrassment as the rest of the group looked at him feeling endeared by his actions, Neil’s smile widened even more if it was possible as he draped his arm over Todd’s shoulder and gave him a small squeeze “i did i almost died on stage of how sweet it was” he laughed “it was supposed to be such a serious scene too i thought i’d blow it” Neil informed them of his inner turmoil as they laughed at the idea of Neil having a gay panic up on stage in the middle of his performance “that’s so gay Neil” Pitts stated “yeah i know” he said looking over at Todd who was finally looking up but still shy at the attention “god i’m so embarrassed” he sighed, they all laughed at their friend, “it’s okay Todd don’t be” Meeks put in trying to ease the boy, “yeah, i mean it’s sweet were not going to make fun of you for it” Cameron added, Todd just nodded his head and smiled thankfully at them.
The conversation had shifted onto Meeks and Pitts progress with the radio, Neil not really bothered about the topic turned to look at Todd who has just watching and listening to the group happily, he leant down and whispered in his ear “you’re so cute love” Todd went red almost immediately and groaned “shut up Neil” he said loud enough for only them to hear, Neil just smiled at him and ruffled his hair as Todd tried to pretend nothing had happened, Neil removed his arm around Todd’s shoulder and instead interlocked his hand with Todd’s as he traced small patterns into the back of his hand, Todd smiled and rested his head on the wall as he continued to try and work out what the poets were talking about now.
“Guys we have Mr Keating tomorrow morning so i think we should go to bed” Cameron suggested which earned 3 sighs of agreement and 1 groan of annoyance “Charlie stop with the dramatics, you can speak with them tomorrow” Knox nudged him, Cameron got up and pushed the chair back under Neil’s desk, Meeks following. “Goodnight guys” Neil offered as Todd hummed a small “bye” Meeks, Pitts and Cameron waved bye and were already out the door, Knox tried to pull Charlie up off the bed but the boy was too lazy to get up “fine i’m not even gonna bother, night guys” he huffed leaving and shutting the door behind him.
“Alright Charlie?” Neil asked wondering why he wasn’t getting up “yeah just can’t be bothered to move, your bed is comfier than mine Todd” he sighed “you can stay there if you want, i don’t use it” Todd sighed laying down in Neils bed, Charlie raised his eyebrow at Neil who in return just smiled and laid down next to Todd so that their foreheads were touching and his arm hung loosely around his waist, Charlie just shrugged and laid down “night guys” he spoke softly after laying there for a couple minutes in silence, “Neils already fell asleep, but goodnight” Todd replied, “damn he must of been tired” Charlie laughed to which Todd just hummed in agreement also feeling the tiredness take over his body.