I made some changes in the plotline/characters which I'll explain at the beginning when they crop up. It's easier that way, right? In this first chapter what's important is that Pitts is extremely out of character. I made him into this dumb jock type of guy that's probably not supposed to be in the club but I think that's just because when I saw the movie the first time he was taller than the rest (which I somehow equate to being stupid. No offense, I know that's wrong). Another thing: I switched around Todd's birthday and when Charlie brings the girls over. Er… another-nother thing: Bathrooms are in their rooms. Fancy, eh? This chapter has the most changes from the original plot. But I'll stop yapping for now, try to enjoy the story.

~Kachow~

"…Of cloudless climes and starry skies;

All that's best of dark and bright,

Meet in her aspect and her eyes."

Almost in unison, the Dead Poets Society rolled their eyes. With Cameron, it was accompanied with an elitist scowl. Knox, a brief contemplation on how well poetry would work on Christ; Meeks, a disbelieving shake of the head; Pitts, an empty, roguish grin; Neil, a glance towards Todd; and Todd, a glance towards Neil. The eye-contact had a conspiratorial air to it, one of understanding that Charlie would just have to be Charlie for the time being.

A small pause was created before a breathy voice saturated with cooing admiration punctured it. The meeting recommenced afterwards, but it felt off with two girls in their midst. The boys were unusually well behaved and put on a great show of maturity. Far too many Shakespearian love sonnets were enticingly read.

God save Todd from those shrill giggles. Nearly none of the poems performed were comical, yet both Gloria and Tina apparently found something terribly humorous in many of the poems. As far as Todd could see, the only funny moment he could discern was when Pitts gave a heart-wrenching rendition of a romantic tragedy. His rather brutish face and lack of intelligence ruined the effect for the society (who respectfully hid their snickers behind their hands), but the girls lapped it up as they lapped up all the attention poured on them.

Soon enough, however, the meeting came to an end and Charlie gave them each a quick kiss goodbye. Jogging back to campus, the following conversation ensued.

"Charlie, why the hell did you bring those girls?" Neil demanded.

"What? It's as much my club as yours. Don't get all high and mighty to me."

"He's not using his power as a higher authority to chastise you, he's using his authority as a member of the club. We all agree, that was too risky of you to do without consulting us first," Meeks explained on Neil's behalf. Idly, Todd remarked in his head about how weird it was that Charlie consented to be called his birth name rather than Nuwanda. If he wasn't feeling confident enough to correct them, he must be pretty sheepish about all this. Get ready for defense mode.

"Shut up, Meeks! Was I talking to you? Besides, it's not like you didn't want them there. I saw you eyeing Tina," Charlie spat.

Both Meeks and Pitts reddened. Earlier in the evening, they had eagerly bragged to the ladies about their radio. How were they supposed to refrain from showing off for girls? They were only high school boys, some slack would have been appreciated.

Cameron chose this moment to butt in. "They were quite annoying and were a source of distraction for some from our true purpose out here," he rather snottily interjected. Oh, Charlie's roommate was asking for it.

"I thought the girls brought out the best in us. Dead Poets Society has probably hit a new record for love sonnets in one night." Charlie was really stretching it now.

Absentmindedly, Knox's mouth quirked. He'd spent most of this meeting running his mind over Chris, and all the sappy poetry helped. "I don't mind the girls being here. Just saying."

Charlie beamed through the fog at his newfound ally. He'd always liked Knox. Less so after he had become ridiculously obsessed about the rich chick, but he still liked the kid. They both had hearts accustomed to quick passions that overruled their ability to calmly assess a situation. At least, that's the conclusion that Mr. Keating had come to.

Todd figured he'd keep quiet alongside Pitts. For one, he wasn't as athletic as the other boys and so struggled to keep up. For another, no one would listen anyways. Instead he moved closer to Neil to offer his figurative moral support by literal proximity. Or was it to draw comfort off of him? Todd couldn't tell.

Interpreting this more as a wordless cry to stop Charlie, Neil dead-panned, "They aren't coming back to that cave again, Charlie."

Bitterly, Charlie aimed a kick in the ass to Cameron and grunted, "Fine."

"What the hell was that for?" exclaimed the indignant redhead.

"Don't look at me; that was Anderson."

Todd's eyes bugged as he frantically shook his head and tittered, "no", but it was all in vain since Cameron merely ran further away from Charlie and muttered, "I'm not stupid." It wasn't clear if he was aware and chose to ignoring or was oblivious to the sniggers around him after he made the statement.

~Kachow~

Eventually the boys had all sneaked back inside and tiptoed into their respective rooms to lower their heartbeats. In Todd and Neil's room, Todd was changing in the bathroom as the braver boy waited impatiently outside to brush his teeth (already jammied up). "You're such a girl, Todd."

A meek sorry was heard. Neil continued, "Why can't you just change out in our room like the rest of us?"

At that moment, Todd came out in his plaid flannel nightwear. He countered, "Why can't you just wait two minutes?" He expected that this would make Neil drop the matter. When Todd used his sharp voice, people tended to leave him alone.

Neil, unfortunately for his roommate/mouse hybrid, was not a boy easily cowed or beaten. "Because the two minutes you waste on your modesty are two minutes I could be doing something productive. You wouldn't want to be the cause of my grades lowering, would you? Which would probably make my father have a heart attack." A laugh accompanied his words, but he couldn't rid his eyes of the pleading look they adapted whenever his father was mentioned.

Todd was tempted for the umpteenth time to pry and order Neil to confess exactly how his father was making him feel then assure him that everything would be alright, but refrained. He could never speak so frankly to anyone. A simpler answer was given. "I'm not comfortable with anyone seeing me undressed. Nothing personal."

As if to make up for his lack of easy whimsy, Neil playfully asked, "What've you got to hide, Anderson? Some horrible birth mark running down you back? Half a leg burned off? Three nipples? Come on, you can tell me."

Todd found that he really did want to tell him- even more than he wanted to laugh it off and sleep. It took only two words as he walked out the bathroom door. "Baby fat."

His companion stared for a startled moment then roared with laughter, inspiring two or three groggy "shut ups!" in the room bordering them. Todd's ears turned scarlet in the moonlight. Affronted at not being taken seriously, he stiffly marched straight to bed. Neil pounced after him with cat-like agility, aiming to lift the pj's in order to see this "baby fat" that was so shameful. It took him a minute or two longer than it should have, but Todd's sheer will power spurred his resistance into a whole new level. Finally Neil straddled him with one hand wrenching Todd's arms to the headboard while the other busily tried to stuff the plaid cotton shirt up past his face. Todd sucked in resiliently when Neil succeeded.

"Unclench."

"No," slightly muffled by the heavy fabric.

"Unclench."

"Get off me."

"Why?"

"Do you really think I went through all that trouble of pinning you to this bed to let you go free now?" Inspiration struck Neil as Todd's left knee unwittingly bucked against Neil's lower crotch (reminding him that he did, in fact, have balls). "This looks kinky. What if someone found us like this? We'd get kicked out. You willing to risk it?"

Curses streaming out under his breath, Todd reluctantly let his little pudge flop. Neil patted the defeated boy's stomach affectionately as he hopped off. "See, that wasn't so bad, was it?"

Todd had not moved at all and gave no sign of life besides his tummy moving up and down with each breath of air. Neil reached over to pull the shirt off of his head. A bright red face met his filled with the expression of intense hatred. Neil smiled down gently. "It's adorable. Do you promise to change in the open now?"

"Go to bed." Neil thought it sounded ominously like 'Go to hell'.

A theatrical sigh was emitted from Neil. "Alright. Sweet dreams, chub."

~Kachow~

First attempt at writing fanfiction. I like it, but that's probably just because it's my own writing- I think too highly of myself. Criticism is appreciated.

I hate it that he calls him 'chub' at the end (he's far too kind for that), but I couldn't think of a better way to end it. And don't mind that Todd's such a wuss in front of everyone else but braver in front of Neil, I think it's sweet that way.

Pretty sure I'll finish this story out (I have fourteen chapters written out with one to go), but it might take me a while and it's not worth it anyways. Sorry if it stops halfway through for longer than you're willing to wait.