Carpe Diem |D.P.S. One shots

3. A Late Night Phone Call - Todd x Neil

Eleanor & Park and Dead Poets Society Crossover + Public School AU

After months of small touches on the bus and stares in class, Todd and Neil find a way to get to know each other better outside of school.

Author's Note: Expect more Eleanor & Park crossovers later on because OMG IM IN LOVE

• Todd •

"I'm babysitting tonight," Neil whispers as he slides into his seat. Todd look up at him from his book and grins, he can't help it.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, you should give me your phone number."

"What?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Yeah, that's two out of the six question words. What are the others?" Neil questions, sarcastically. Todd rolls his eyes and catches Chet Danbury's glare for a second before looking down at his book again.

"Why do you want my number? Now, of all times."

"I can call you without my parents questioning me," Neil explains. Todd tried to argue the same thing would happen at his own home. But the lie was that his parents wouldn't question him, they'd ask Neil why he was calling but then forget about it. The bus began to roll into town as Todd gave in.

Todd tried to pull a notebook out of his backpack but Neil stopped him. "No, not on a piece of paper."

"Then where am I writing it?" Todd asked. Neil thought for a moment and smiled. He pulled out his script for the school play and opened the cover.

"Write it here," he instructed. Todd didn't argue. He hated that script, more than he should. He saw it as a burden on Neil. It was full of secrets he was hiding from his father. The play and now Todd's number. As he closed the script, he found something written in small, smudged letters; do i get you hard?

"Neil?"

"Hmm?"

"What's this?" Todd pointed at the question on the paper. Neil's eyes widened and he took back the script, scribbling out the words in pen.

"It's probably Charlie." Todd didn't get the chance to ask any other questions, the bus had stopped and everyone was getting off.

• Neil •

The words had branded themselves in the back of his mind. It wasn't Charlie, this had been happening since the last day of summer. But this was the first time someone had noticed. He was upset that it was Todd, he almost learned more about Neil's horrible life; his mentally ill mother, his father's mistress, his father.

He suspected Chet Danbury, one of the most popular guys in school. He didn't like Neil, he was convinced Neil was, "gay." His only evidence was that Neil was in A Midsummer Night's Dream, he also believed Neil and Todd had a thing but everyone thought it was ridiculous. Even Charlie.

"If you were going to date a guy, it wouldn't be some loser like Todd," he told Neil after Chet had called him a fag one day in lunch. Luckily Todd had a different lunch period. 

They only had English together. They sat in different rows but were still close. Neil sat behind Todd and would watch him a few moments at a time, usually stopping once Todd stoped his pencil or had to turn around.