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It was a snowy winter afternoon with nearly everybody inside of the Welton building. Students were gathered around a fireplace, a few were smoking in a corner, and a couple others chose to stay in their dorms. However, Neil and Todd decided to go outside and sit by the lake on the fishing dock.
"Do you want my scarf?" Neil asks, raising his eyebrows, "You're shivering."
"I'll be fine," Todd mutters, avoiding eye contact.
He nods, looking back at the lake. "Woah, look at that beast," Neil points at a large bass swimming near the surface of the lake.
Todd gasps, "Holy.." He whispers, keeping his eyes on the fish.
Neil tosses a small pebble into the water, scaring the bass off. "Hey, what was that for?" Todd whined, elbowing Neil on the side.
"What, how long were you planning on staring at that fish?" Neil chuckles, taking off his scarf and flicking Todd with it.
"Touché," Todd admits, leaning back on his hands with a soft sigh.
Neil looks over at Todd and lays down on his back, putting his arms behind his head. He looks up at the sky, watching the gorgeous colours of the sunset paint the sky pink, orange, and yellow.
Todd on the other hand is staring down at his lap, in a daze. He's thinking about how indifferent Neil has been lately, he doesn't know how to explain it, but all he knows is that Neil is acting weird.
"Do I bore you?" Todd finally asks after a moment of silence, looking away from Neil so he can't see his face.
"Quite the opposite, why?" Neil responds, sitting up and leaning over to try and see Todd's expression.
"I don't know, I just feel like you hate me sometimes."
"I could never hate you."
"But the way you've been interacting with me lately has been..." Todd trails off, locking eyes with Neil.
Todd hates these awkward silences, but for some reason, he doesn't really mind it when it comes to Neil. Neil's big doe eyes stared into Todd's soft blue eyes, the tension in the air strangling him.
A small smile curls at the edges of Neil's lips, "Todd, I love you."
Neil's words echo in Todd's head as they stare at each other for a few moments. "Why... Me?" Todd sputters, tripping on his words.
Neil shrugs, his smile growing wider, "Why not?"
Todd didn't know how to respond, he just stared at Neil with his lips slightly parted. Todd thought he loved Neil as well until Neil said it first, now his feelings are gone, what does one do in this situation?
"I..." He trails off, deciding not to speak.
"i know, It's okay," Neil suddenly responded as if he read Todd's mind.
Todd looked down for a moment before looking back at Neil and standing up. Neil quickly stood up too, his hands in his pockets.
Todd takes a step closer to Neil, and another. Neil has that deer in headlights expression on, he remembers the first time Neil made that expression.
---
"From the moment we enter crying to the moment we leave dying, it will just cover your face as you wail and cry and scream." Todd finishes, finally loosening his body and opening his eyes to the whole class staring at him, making him tense up yet again.
The class applauded as Todd looked at Neil, and all he saw was a deer in headlights.
---
Neil's hands slide out of his pockets and reach up to cup Todd's face. He leans in, pausing in front of Todd's lips, his breathing shaky. Todd leans in and closes the gap between them, his hands going to the back of Neil's neck.
After about 5 seconds Todd reluctantly pulls away, staring at Neil with his lips still parted. "i-..uhm...sorry" Todd quickly mutters, flustered.
Neil stared back at Todd and smiled affectionately, running a hand through his hair to get all the snow out. Todd melts under Neil's warm touch, subconsciously taking a step closer to him.
"You gay boy," Neil's smile curls into a smirk as he teases Todd.
"Hey! You leaned in first," Todd shouts, his cheeks going red.
Neil wraps his scarf back around his neck and shivers, "I think we should head back."
"Good idea," Todd chuckles.
They both walk back towards Hellton, holding hands in peaceful quietness. Upon arriving, they quickly rush up the stairs and giggle as they practically run to their dorm, nearly trampling Meeks and Pitts.
Neil jumps on his bed and Todd sits calmly on his, looking down at his feet while thinking about the kiss.
"Todd... Todd!" Neil shouts, slapping the bed beside him.
Todd finally looks up, not realizing he was zoned out. "Sorry, I was just-just... thinking." (the usual)
Neil stands up and sits down next to Todd, gently cupping his face yet again.
Todd blushes as he looks into Neil's eyes. Neil is the only person he doesn't hate having eye contact with, the only person it doesn't feel weird with. "Did you mean to do that or did I pressure you?" He finally asks, "I mean- I'm totally fine with it if you didn't mean to kiss me bec-"
Neil's lips connects with Todd's, answering his question. Now it's Todd's turn to look like a deer in headlights.
Neil slowly pulls away, his hand resting behind Todd's neck. "Toddy, I don't know how much clearer I can be, I love you, okay?" Neil gives Todd another quick peck, not being able to get enough of Todd's soft lips.
"Does this mean we're a uhm.. a thing now?" Todd asks nervously, fidgeting with the hem of Neil's shirt.
"I... If you want to be?" Neil answers with an awkward chuckle, fearing rejection even though Todd basically said yes with his question.
Todd nods, his hands slowly going up to cup Neil's face before he leans in a kisses him, this time he doesn't pull away in 5 seconds, instead he slips his tongue into Neil's mouth, causing him to gasp before returning the favor and wrapping his arms around Todd's waist to pull him closer. Neil turns slightly, pulling his leg up onto the bed before pulling Todd on top of him as he lays down. Neil nearly forgets to breathe before Todd pulls away and rests his forehead against Neil's forehead, resting on his elbows on either side of Neil's head.
"Will you say it back now?" Neil chuckles lightly, still out of breath.
"I love you." Todd whispers, his words laced with sincerity.
"I love you, too." Neil whispers back, pulling Todd down by his waist and wrapping his arms around his upper back so Todd is now fully laying on top of him.
Todd wraps his arms around Neil's neck, he has never felt so safe and appreciated, but he's honestly fine with the first time feeling this way being when he's laying in bed with the only boy he has ever loved.