ticcyyy: (Default)
ticcyyy ([personal profile] ticcyyy) wrote2006-07-09 06:35 am
Entry tags:

The Simplest Thing (Todd/Neil, PG)

Title: The Simplest Thing
Pairing: Todd Anderson/Neil Perry
Fandom: Dead Poets Society
Rating: PG
Warnings: Spoilers for the movie, but who hasn't seen DPS, dude?
Disclaimer: Guh, if only.
Notes: My first DPS fic. Written after watching the movie for the millionth time, and written in about half an hour. Probably needs work done to it, but I'll deal with that later. xD


+++


It was the night of Todd’s birthday the first time Neil quietly snuck into Todd’s bed.

The air was cold when Neil pulled back the covers, and Neil’s feet were even colder when he climbed in. Todd has asked him in a hushed, alarmed voice what he was doing, and Neil had merely shushed him as he shifted in close, pulling the covers up over their shoulders.

Todd lay on his side, facing the wall, staring at it uncertainly as he felt the warmth of Neil’s body against him, while Neil lay on his back, and the only thing he heard Neil say, quietly, was, “I wish you’d told me it was your birthday.”

Todd didn’t reply to that. He just kept staring at the wall, listening to the sound of Neil’s breathing. Before long, Neil had fallen asleep, while Todd lay there awake for what felt like hours, just thinking, thinking about how much he wished his birthday meant something to his parents; enough at least that they’d think to buy him something other than a desk set that they’d given him for his last birthday. When morning came, they didn’t say anything to each other about the night before and they didn’t act any different. It was as though Todd had dreamt that Neil had climbed into his bed with his cold feet tucked up against Todd’s.

But the next night Neil came back to his bed. And the night after, and the night after that, until it became something they just did without thinking about it. Some nights they talked in hushed voices; talked about that day’s class with Mr. Keating, or about the Dead Poets, or about their aspirations, their dreams, or their secrets, while Neil warmed his feet against Todd’s. Sometimes they told each other jokes -- Neil always knew how to make Todd laugh, and there were some nights were Todd found himself pushing his face into the pillow to stifle his laughter as Neil told humorous anecdotes about their teachers, or jokes that he’d heard from Charlie.

The nights that they’d come back from one of their Dead Poets meeting were always filled with quiet chaos; Neil too beside himself with excitement to settle, and Todd too restless to effectively tell Neil to calm down. Tiredness always overcame them quickly, however, and before long they’d be fast asleep, Neil sometimes snoring with his face pressed against Todd’s back.

Sometimes, though very rarely, Neil would talk about his father, and Todd would lie there, listening to Neil speak about how trapped he felt, how he wished he could break free from his father. Neil would always eventually laugh it off uneasily, pretending that it didn’t matter to him as much as it really did, and to change the topic Neil would then talk about the play he was going to be in at Henley Hall, as though he was deliberately defying thoughts of his father by talking about what he loved most; acting.

And some nights they just lay there in silence, listening to each other breathing, or listening to the wind howling outside while Todd warmed Neil’s feet with his own. In some ways, Todd liked those times most of all because there was something calming about Neil’s silence. Something comforting, something about Neil’s presence that always made him feel secure. And Neil obviously craved the contact because one night, as they lay in silence Neil shifted onto his side and spooned up behind Todd, and slid his arm around him. Todd had been completely uncertain at first, lying there stiffly as he felt Neil’s breath warm against the back of his neck. But slowly he relaxed, slowly, until he found himself drifting off to sleep while Neil held him.

It became more like that from that night on; Neil curling up behind him, holding him, while they talked, or joked, or just lay there without saying anything, while Neil toasted his feet against Todd’s. So comfortable with it did Todd get that sometimes he’d gingerly clasp his hand over Neil’s and lace their fingers together. And every morning, when they got up, they continued to act as though everything was the same. Sometimes, though, they caught each other’s eyes across the table at study hall, or Todd would casually glance behind him to look at Neil in Mr. Keating’s class, and Neil always smiled back at him; a secret smile.

The night before Neil’s play debut, Neil had spooned up behind Todd and confessed in a hushed voice that he was terrified about the play. What if his father turned up, Neil had asked as he clutched Todd to him. What if his father turned up and took him away from Todd, from the school, from acting? What if, what if, what if, and Todd had whispered back to him to stop worrying, that what if might not even happen.

"You’re right," Neil had whispered back, trying to sound more reassured than he no doubt felt, "you’re right, it won't happen," and Todd felt Neil press a kiss to the back of his neck as he tucked his feet in within Todd’s to keep them warm.

Todd couldn't help thinking that night, as Neil finally fell asleep against him, that of all the things he would miss about Neil if Neil was ever taken away from him, he'd miss the simplest thing of Neil warming his cold feet against his, most of all.


+++

[identity profile] chowburger.livejournal.com 2006-07-08 08:54 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm a total sucker for climbing-into-bed fics, but that really was adorable ♥

Man, I need to watch that film again...

[identity profile] ticcyyy.livejournal.com 2006-07-11 01:57 pm (UTC)(link)
I've watched that movie way too many times, honestly. ♥

Glad you liked it! :)

[identity profile] equusentric.livejournal.com 2006-07-08 09:47 pm (UTC)(link)
This is heartbreakingly sweet.

[identity profile] ticcyyy.livejournal.com 2006-07-11 01:57 pm (UTC)(link)
Aww, thank you. :D :D ♥

[identity profile] hanfastolfe.livejournal.com 2006-07-08 09:59 pm (UTC)(link)
I like Neil Perry/Todd Anderson. :)

[identity profile] ticcyyy.livejournal.com 2006-07-11 01:57 pm (UTC)(link)
Yay! :)

[identity profile] finding-jay.livejournal.com 2006-07-08 11:27 pm (UTC)(link)
Ohhh... that's so quietly sweet.

[identity profile] ticcyyy.livejournal.com 2006-07-11 01:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you, hon. ♥

[identity profile] topaz-eyes.livejournal.com 2006-07-08 11:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Ohhh... the ending is just tragic, knowing what happens. This is lovely and bittersweet.

And how dare you try to lure me to another fandom and pairing? Like I'm not juggling three alreadys... :-)

[identity profile] ticcyyy.livejournal.com 2006-07-11 01:59 pm (UTC)(link)
I suck at happy. It's like, never going to happen, no matter how much I try to write happy stuff. :( :(

*luuurrrres* >:D

[identity profile] its-maybe-baby.livejournal.com 2006-07-09 12:01 am (UTC)(link)
Gorgeous and heartbreaking. I love it :)

[identity profile] ticcyyy.livejournal.com 2006-07-11 01:59 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! :D

[identity profile] daasgrrl.livejournal.com 2006-07-09 01:14 am (UTC)(link)
I must be in a particularly sappy mood today, is all I can say, damn you. That was beautiful, and now I want more Neil/Todd slash liek whoa. And I didn't even like the movie that much, so it's obviously all your fault...

[identity profile] ticcyyy.livejournal.com 2006-07-13 04:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Everything is usually my fault. But that's okay -- I'm quite happy to be the blame for things. xD

Glad you liked it, hon. As much as I love writing H/W, it's refreshing to write something else for a change. Unfortunately, there's not a very big market out there for DPS fanfic. Even the big fic sites, like skyehawke and adultfanfiction don't have a DPS section. It's rather appalling. :(

[identity profile] albinolady.livejournal.com 2006-07-09 03:22 am (UTC)(link)
dude...
it never ceases to amaze me, not only how EASILY you seem to spit this stuff out, but how quickly you can get me of all people to CRY. or even close to it!
you are teh BEST! ^_^

[identity profile] ticcyyy.livejournal.com 2006-07-13 04:12 pm (UTC)(link)
Aww, thank you! :D :D

So glad you liked it!

[identity profile] phoenix-jam.livejournal.com 2006-07-09 05:32 am (UTC)(link)
Holy God that was the most adorable thing ever. I absolutely love it. I honestly think this is my favorite fic!

And I'm pretty sure my feet got cold just reading this :-)

[identity profile] ticcyyy.livejournal.com 2006-07-13 04:12 pm (UTC)(link)
Hee, so glad you enjoyed it! :D Thanks for reading.

[identity profile] tsu-chan55.livejournal.com 2006-07-09 05:51 am (UTC)(link)
Thats adorable and tragic in view of what happens next... but I really liked it XD

[identity profile] ticcyyy.livejournal.com 2006-07-13 04:13 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah, it is tragic. :(

Thanks for reading -- I'm glad you liked it. :D

[identity profile] omgitspadfoot.livejournal.com 2006-07-09 09:22 am (UTC)(link)
That is such a bittersweet story. It makes me feel oh so sad. Oh how I love DPS. ♥

[identity profile] ticcyyy.livejournal.com 2006-07-13 04:13 pm (UTC)(link)
DPS is pure magic. ♥

Thanks for reading, hon. <3

Fic: The Simplest Thing

[identity profile] rosewillread.livejournal.com 2006-07-09 02:05 pm (UTC)(link)
I thought, from the opening, that it was going to be sweet. And it is, but in that sharp way that comes with the sense of loss and repression.
It fits so well with the sense of them, and with their environment. And Neil's cold feet.

Re: Fic: The Simplest Thing

[identity profile] ticcyyy.livejournal.com 2006-07-13 04:16 pm (UTC)(link)
What Neil and Todd had in the movie was very sweet as it was, and this was an extension of that, in that if they'd done anything like this it would've been with the most innocent of intentions behind it. To me, that's what makes it all the more tragic. :(

Thanks for reading. I'm glad you liked it. ♥

[identity profile] dps-susi88.livejournal.com 2006-07-12 07:15 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh boy, that story...that story is sooooo sweet!!!!
It's so beautiful to read it and I read it probably the third time :)!
Somehow, you make me want to snuggle with someone!

[identity profile] ticcyyy.livejournal.com 2006-07-13 04:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Aww, thanks. :D

[identity profile] the-first-chibi.livejournal.com 2006-07-13 04:32 pm (UTC)(link)
awww, thats such a sweet but sad story. Very well written. I hope its a start to a wonderful collection, mayhaps?

anyway, very nice ^^

[identity profile] orelle-peredhil.livejournal.com 2006-07-15 08:12 pm (UTC)(link)
Beautiful. But gah, the end. T___T Brought tears to my eyes; but absolutely beautiful. Love the general quiet feeling to it. Hope there's more a-comin'? =)

[identity profile] hannahrorlove.livejournal.com 2006-08-12 06:13 am (UTC)(link)
I realized I haven't told you how much I like this - it's very soothing and quiet, and much like the movie. I salute you for being able to reproduce that mood.

I love the intimacy you have between Neil and Todd, that's very true to both of them.

[identity profile] rivers-bend.livejournal.com 2006-09-02 07:51 pm (UTC)(link)
That is devastating and gorgeous and beautiful and so so so sad and heartbreaking.

Thank you.

[identity profile] omnipresentdmat.livejournal.com 2007-05-14 05:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Well...I'm a bit late, but I think that this little thing was absolutely wonderful. And beautiful. Gah, I lose for my enormous love of angst. Thank you for writing this.

[identity profile] kimadourden.livejournal.com 2007-05-29 10:14 pm (UTC)(link)
Gosh, I'm in love with this fic. I read it two times this night. I love it, really.
Thank you very much for this really great fanfiction.

[identity profile] elsie.livejournal.com 2007-06-02 08:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, that's so lovely. I love the sad endings that point out impending tragedy, but not in a heavy-handed way. And I like your petulant, angry Neil.

I just watched DPS yesterday for the first time in years, and since I'm already way into Harry Potter fandom my thoughts naturally turned to the DPS slash that must be out there. In the few hours I've been searching around, yours is the best fic I've found. I don't suppose you could point me toward more?

[identity profile] undersea.livejournal.com 2007-10-31 05:03 am (UTC)(link)
ohhh. just ohhh.