It was a warm day in October, one of the last good days of Autumn. Todd and I were laying on the grass under some maple trees watching their colourful leaves fall above us, sprinkling down like confetti. What were the trees celebrating? The end of fall? The beautiful weather we were having? The two boys in love that chose to spend their day under these specific branches? I liked the last reason best.
"Todd?"
"Yeah Neil?"
"I really love you." He smiled.
"I really love you, Neil."
We settle back into silence, laying on our backs, our hands clasped between us. I turn my head to face him.
"Todd?"
He smiles, and rolls his head to the side, looking back at me.
"Yes lovey?"
My face breaks into a grin, because who wouldn't be able to contain a smile after that kind of response.
"I wish we could stay right here forever."
He chuckles, and brings our tangled fingers up to kiss the back of my hand.
"Me too Neil, there's literally nothing I want more right now. Nothing I could possibly be wanting to do more." He leans in and plants a quick kiss on my lips before turning his head back towards the sky.
I wish we could stay together forever, I think. It isn't until Todd looks back to me with a sad look in his eyes that I realize I've said it out loud. My stomach drops, and my mind races, worrying what he might say.
"Do you think there's a chance we won't?"
I shift my body and prop my head up on my elbow.
"If I knew you loved me even a fraction of the way I love you, I could only hope you'll stay with me forever."
Todd copies my actions, propping himself up so his body is mirroring mine.
"Neil, with all the love I have in my heart for you, it's really cute you think you could ever get rid of me." I laugh, and he smiles at me. One of those big, beautiful Todd smiles. "You know I'll love you forever."
"How can you be so sure though?"
"I just know."
"But what if you're wrong, Todd?"
"Then I guess I'll just have to marry you to prove it."
My eyes go wide, and I turn to see his do the same, realizing what he just said. His cheek flush with red, and I can feel my own burn, a slight smile pulling at them. Did he really mean that? Was it just something that slipped out? Would it even be possible for us to get married? We were only 17, but I truly knew deep down inside that Todd was the only person I had ever wanted to be with in my life, and ever wanted to be with for the rest of it. But I knew the world around us, the one outside of our own little universe we spent so much time in. The one that would rather see us dead than see us together. Rather see us laying in the ground than laying beside each other.
He sits up, pulling his knees up and resting his elbows on them. I join him, tucking my legs to the side and leaning on one hand.
"Only if you'd want to, that is." he mutters out, an uncertainty to his voice.
With my free hand, I reach out and touch his cheek, turning his face towards me.
"I'm sorry I said that, I shouldn't ha-" but before he can finish I cut him off by kissing him, something he often did to me to stop my rambling. I kiss him long and hard, before gently pulling away to look into his eyes.
"You're right." I say.
"About what?"
"That we'll just have to get married to prove it." He grins, before lunging at me, tackling me to the ground. His arms are wrapped around me, squeezing me tight, and my face is pressed up against his, and I can feel our bodies melting into the mossy ground beneath us. Maybe we won't need to get married after all, maybe we'll just become one and sink into the earth together.
"Someday I'm gonna marry you Neil Perry."
"And I cannot wait for that day."
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Suuuuper short and sappy piece, but one that I wrote long before I ever thought this story would come to life. It doesn't really fit in with the timeline, but it was just too sweet to not share. Cheers to our favourite poets!