Dedicated to SheBroughtWordstoLife. Thank you again.
Everyone is so absorbed with Knox's phone call to his girl that they don't notice the other connection sparking like a live wire. Perhaps because it was always here, glowing brighter in the lax, nurturing confines of their little troupe, and has become as true a fact as Charlie is a rabble-rouser. Or perhaps it's ignored because the idea of such a coupling is so unheard of as to be impossible to assume. Or perhaps they do realize what's happening and have taken cover under the ambiguous guise of feigned ignorance.
Whichever the reason, one of the boys does not fall under any such category.
Steven Meeks noticed the connection right from the get-go. He didn't see what the relationship would later evolve into, but as soon as he caught sight of Neil's new roommate, he was certain there would be a new boy inducted into their circle. That's just how Neil was; he snared you and let you hang around until you decided you wanted out.
That makes it sound like a cult, though. As a matter of fact, it wasn't until this year, the year of the Dead Poets Society, that their group became so tight-knit. They studied together in the past, and they ate together; they chattered and teased and smoked and did most of the things they do now, but now they don't chat, they talk. They don't simply smoke, they experiment with pipes. They don't advise Knox to call Chris, they follow him out the cave, through the forest, over the hillock, and into the uncertain fate of a phone call to a girl he's in love with and only met once. Now Steven doesn't watch Neil lean on Todd with unseeing eyes, but with an enlightened tug to his lips, and hawk-vision that sees all.
This is why here, in the excitement of the moment, as Knox thinks himself into staying on the line long enough to talk to Chris, Todd glances back at Neil, his face open and grin wide, and Steven catches it.
It was instinct, however, that made Steven look. He thought Todd was turning to him, but of course it was Neil.
Neil met Todd's eyes, his own squinting in high spirits, and shrugged for Lord knows what reason. Maybe just because Neil's always moving, even moreso when he's thrilled.
He can't stare, so Steven watches Knox reverently cup the phone close, and peeks at the two lovebirds every so often.
Knox is head over heels.
Peek. Neil's leaning on Todd's shoulder.
Knox is head over heels.
Peek. Still leaning. Were they ever not this casual?
Knox is head over heels.
Peek. No, Neil's so casual, even Todd can't be awkward about his touches.
Knox is head over heels, and he may well end the call with a kiss to the phone.
Peek. Neil's eyes have slipped to Todd, who is fascinated by the call. It's becoming obvious that a smitten Neil isn't the type to sigh and swoon, but to do as he is now; taking in Todd's expression with all the enchantment of a parent watching their child learn something new and interesting.
"YAWP!" Knox bellows, shattering Meeks' attention.
They all laugh, buoyed high on their friend's jubilee, and Steven doesn't look under the pretense of peeking now. Instead, he turns full on. Todd's grin has become the most genuine thing in Welton, aside from Knox's bliss, and the squint of his eyes rivals Neil's. Probably not having looked away at all, Neil mirrors him, but seems to come to a sudden halt. His grin ebbs and, set on alert, Todd's own fades quicker than steam.
"What-" Todd begins before Neil gaits forth to catch him in a kiss. Todd, wide-eyed, stumbles them back until he knocks into the wall. Pitts makes way.
Todd, for his part, doesn't do anything but freeze up. Neil pulls away carefully as soon as they hit the wall and fingers the back of Todd's head for bruises.
Steven thinks he would apologize, turn tail, and scram if he got such a dead response from someone he kissed, but Neil doesn't seem bothered. Todd's melting and assuring Neil that he's not hurt, and for once he doesn't look like a berated dog. He just keeps blinking, over and over.
"What the hell was that?" Charlie cuts in. "Don't you know anything about romance, Neil? You're supposed to ask first. Get 'em all keyed up."
Knox asks, "But what if they don't want to kiss you yet?"
Charlie claps a hand on Knox's shoulder. "Then you're doing it wrong. Knoxious, there's some things you've gotta learn if you're going to chase after Chris, and this is one of the most important." Charlie leads him toward the staircase and begins to sow his wisdom.
"Wait." Cameron lurches out from behind Steven and staggers after them, looking back twice as though he can't believe what he's seeing.
"N-Neil..." Todd's got a grip on Neil's elbows. The way he keeps peering near, but not at, Steven and Pitts is what sets Meeks in motion. He leads Pitts, who seems as shocked as Cameron but as affably interested as Steven, down a short stretch of the hall and turns into the bathroom.
The two of them lean just inside the door, hold their breaths, and listen.
"What if we try again," Neil proposes.
They faintly catch Todd's soft, almost-laugh. "Okay."
Two sets of shoes tap to and up the first few stair steps. They pause.
It stops and suddenly it's a thunder of thudding as they race up to their room.
Steven exchanges a look with Pitts.
"Beats me," Pittsie says with a shrug.