Carpe Diem |D.P.S. One shots

9. Champagne - Todd x Neil

After forgetting about Valentine's Day, Todd asks Charlie to find a gift for Neil. 

Happy Valentine's Day!

• • • 

The last thing Todd expected to find on his bed was a bouquet of roses. He stared at it carefully before picking it up, he inspected the collection of thorns climbing up each stem which were covered with layers of red and pink tissue paper and a white bow. He spotted a card tucked in between the flowers.

"to the blanket that never leaves my feet cold

- neil" 

He smiled at the note, despite how cheesy it was. He heard the door open behind him, Neil had walked in, continuing a conversation with Charlie and ending it with a sigh and closing the door. He spotted Todd and smiled brightly.

"Happy Valentines Day!" He exclaimed.

"Happy Valentines Day," Todd replied, quietly but happily. Neil kissed his cheek and wrapped an arm around his waist.

"I'm sorry, it's not much. There isn't a whole lot I can get with little time. . . and money," Neil admitted. Todd shook his head.

"I love it," he told him, bringing back the smile which had faded on Neil. Todd took the card out of the flowers and hid it in a book he was currently reading, then placed the towers on his desk. As Neil turned away to his closet, Todd began to feel a pot of anxiety boil up inside him; he had forgotten about Valentine's Day. 

He couldn't leave school to go buy a gift, he was surely be caught. It didn't matter how many times he was able to sneak away for Dead Poets Society meetings, knowing his luck, Mr. Nolan would find him on the staircase and easily uncover whatever lie Todd could comeuppance with. He had to think of something. As soon as Neil left to take a shower, Todd went to Cameron and Charlie's dorm. 

He could hear the two arguing on the opposite side of the door. Charlie was, hopefully, joking about how the Earth was flat and that the moon landing was fake as, from what Todd could hear, Cameron flipped through books and showed Charlie why his belief was idiotic. He knocked on the faded wooden door and waited for someone to answer, thankfully, Charlie opened the door. 

He smiled at Todd's presence and said, "Finally, a true expert! Todd, can you explain to my roommate why the Earth is flat?"

"Not now, I need your help." 

"What's the matter, Old sport?" Todd groaned at the nick name. Keating was having the boys read, The Great Gatsby, for class and Charlie couldn't get enough of, "old sport." 

"It's Valentine's Day." 

"And?"

"I didn't get Neil anything," Todd admits. Charlie's eyes widen as he stares at him in shock.

"You didn't buy anything?"

"No! I forgot Valentine's Day was this week. I need your help." Charlie nods and takes his coat. 

"You're not going out there, are you?" Cameron asks. Charlie flips him off as he leaves, disappearing as he heads down the stair case. Cameron turns to Todd, annoyed. "You see what you did?" Todd ignores him and heads back to his room. 

• • • 

Neil returns to the room before Charlie can bring a gift back. Todd does his best to come up with a lie, telling him that Meeks was looking for him. 

"Why?" 

"He needed help on latin."

"Why? He's the best at latin."

"That's what I told him," Todd states. Neil shrugs and leaves. Charlie knocks a few minutes later, handing Todd a small, green bottle wrapped in gold foil at the top. He leaves before Todd can ask any questions. When Neil re-enters, Todd holds up the bottle, "Happy Valentine's Day," he says. 

Neil grins. "Champagne?" 

"Only Vermont's best." Todd hands Neil the bottle for him to open. Before he does, Todd hands him a blanket, to dull the noise. Neil successfully pops the top off and takes a sip. His face crumples as he hands Todd the bottle. 

"Sour?"

"No," Neil says as Todd takes a sip, "it's the alcohol." Todd imitates Neil's expression. 

"It's not that bad, once you swallow it." He hands Neil the bottle again. The two pass it back in forth, ignoring the flavor as much as possible and focusing more on each other. 

Their mindless chatter turned into a game of Truth or Dare, which was hard to play with Todd who apparently giggled when he was drunk. They went on with truths at first, being too lazy to do anything that required standing up from their cuddled positing below Todd's blanket. Eventually, Neil decided dares would have been more enjoyable. 

"Truth or dare?" Todd asked quietly. 

"Dare."

Todd chuckled, "I dare you to kiss me." 

"Yeah?" Neil asked. Todd nodded, with more energy that was probably intended. Neil leaned in, Todd encouraged him by placing his hand on the nape of Neil's neck. Once Neil kissed him, he couldn't bring himself to stop. Usually whenever they kissed, it was quick and cautious. But was different, it was slower. Neil was able to entrap Todd's upper lip between his own two, he's able to get the giggling to stop and completely take in the moment: the warm glow of his desk lamp, the whistle of the winter winds, the heat radiating from the two of them, and the feeling of Todd right next to him. He feels Todd swipe his tongue across his lips and believes the kiss can go further. Neil moves his mouth from Todd's to the corner of his lips, then to the cheek, then his jawline, then his neck. 

He kisses the sensitive skin there and listens to the sharp breath Todd takes in as he does. He wants more than that. He sucks on the skin, gently and hears a muffled, "ah," escape from Todd. He says, "N-neil."

"Hmm?"

"We can't," Todd states. Neil rests his head on his shoulder, knowing what he means. If they were to continue, neither of them knew what would happen. Neil nods and begins to stand up from his seat. "Hey," Todd whispers. Neil looks to him, he sees how flushed his cheeks are, how his hair has become disarray, and the spot on his neck that is starting to bruise. "I love you." 

Neil smiles. "I love you, too." He leans down and kisses him again, softly and freely. Then turns to his bed, for a sleepless night.