Dedicated to Mika765 on AO3.
Nearly asleep, Todd's brain didn't register the sound of the hinges creaking, or the fwump of cloth on cloth, or the light clatter of shoes being toed off.
What woke him was the body which landed on top of him, knees and arms caging him in on either side.
He startled, but his brain was slow on the uptake. Squinting through the thin light of a desk lamp, Todd murmured, "Neil? What're you doing?"
"Father agreed to let me act. He refuses to pay for anything, but he agreed, Todd."
Todd was becoming uncomfortably aware of Neil's position and proximity.
"That's great!" he said. "You're great. I mean, you did great. In the play. It was great."
Through his heavy eyelids, he could see Neil's lips stretch in a fond, lopsided grin.
"This has been the best day of my life," Neil said. "It's just missing one thing."
"Hmm?" Absentmindedly, Todd curled a hand around Neil's bent leg.
Neil hesitated, his eyes darting all over Todd. Then he squared his shoulders and let out a deep breath.
"Carpe Diem."
It took him closing the gap between them to truly wake Todd.
Neil kissed him. He used one hand to prop himself up, and one to cup Todd's cheek, caressing the skin there as slowly as he led the kiss.
Just as he always did when Neil led a new adventure, Todd followed his lead, getting lost in the languid movement of their lips.
He blinked rapidly when Neil pulled away, licking his lips and brushing a thumb over Todd's.
Then he hopped off the bed, a heartstopping look of enchantment on his face, and Todd was so stricken with the very same feeling that all he could do was watch Neil prepare to go to sleep.
He would have thought it all a dream were it not for the hours he lay awake after.