Eleanor & Park and Dead Poets Society Crossover + Public School AU

After months of small touches on the bus and stares in class, Todd and Neil find a way to get to know each other better outside of school.

Author's Note: Expect more Eleanor & Park crossovers later on because OMG IM IN LOVE

• Todd •

"I'm babysitting tonight," Neil whispers as he slides into his seat. Todd look up at him from his book and grins, he can't help it.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, you should give me your phone number."

"What?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Yeah, that's two out of the six question words. What are the others?" Neil questions, sarcastically. Todd rolls his eyes and catches Chet Danbury's glare for a second before looking down at his book again.

"Why do you want my number? Now, of all times."

"I can call you without my parents questioning me," Neil explains. Todd tried to argue the same thing would happen at his own home. But the lie was that his parents wouldn't question him, they'd ask Neil why he was calling but then forget about it. The bus began to roll into town as Todd gave in.

Todd tried to pull a notebook out of his backpack but Neil stopped him. "No, not on a piece of paper."

"Then where am I writing it?" Todd asked. Neil thought for a moment and smiled. He pulled out his script for the school play and opened the cover.

"Write it here," he instructed. Todd didn't argue. He hated that script, more than he should. He saw it as a burden on Neil. It was full of secrets he was hiding from his father. The play and now Todd's number. As he closed the script, he found something written in small, smudged letters; do i get you hard?

"Neil?"

"Hmm?"

"What's this?" Todd pointed at the question on the paper. Neil's eyes widened and he took back the script, scribbling out the words in pen.

"It's probably Charlie." Todd didn't get the chance to ask any other questions, the bus had stopped and everyone was getting off.

• Neil •

The words had branded themselves in the back of his mind. It wasn't Charlie, this had been happening since the last day of summer. But this was the first time someone had noticed. He was upset that it was Todd, he almost learned more about Neil's horrible life; his mentally ill mother, his father's mistress, his father.

He suspected Chet Danbury, one of the most popular guys in school. He didn't like Neil, he was convinced Neil was, "gay." His only evidence was that Neil was in A Midsummer Night's Dream, he also believed Neil and Todd had a thing but everyone thought it was ridiculous. Even Charlie.

"If you were going to date a guy, it wouldn't be some loser like Todd," he told Neil after Chet had called him a fag one day in lunch. Luckily Todd had a different lunch period. 

They only had English together. They sat in different rows but were still close. Neil sat behind Todd and would watch him a few moments at a time, usually stopping once Todd stoped his pencil or had to turn around.

Today, Neil couldn't stop. Scenarios played through his mind as he watched him. It was a work day, Todd was quickly writing down notes and looking at the clock every now and then. By the time Neil realized he should've been doing something it was too late. Everyone stood as the bell rang. Neil quickly put his things together as he caught Todd's glance. Todd smiled, he knew. He smiled as he left the room. Neil blushed in embarrassment and looked at the clock, one more class period to go.

Getting back to the bus took longer than he would've liked. His locker wouldn't open on the first try and he almost tripped over a freshman. But he got to the bus and found Todd, sitting tall and watching for him. He grinned as Neil walked to their seat. As he sat down they sunk low into their seats. Neil smiled but didn't speak until the doors of the bus had closed.

Once they did, he tried to tell Todd when he'd call him. But Todd placed his hand into his and Neil felt himself break. It felt right, it gave him the same feeling of arriving home after a stressful day of school, peace. He leaned against Todd's arm and told him, "I'll call once everything is settled, I actually have to babysit." Todd nods and rests his forehead against Neil. "You okay?" Neil asks. Todd nods again. They don't speak until they get to Neil's stop and share a goodbye.

• Todd •

His home is empty. There's a note on the kitchen counter.

"Dear Todd,

You're father has an event at the country club tonight. We won't be home until around midnight.

There's pizza rolls in the freezer if you get hungry.

- Your Mother"

There's also ramen in the pantry, Todd thinks and throws the note away. It's only four, he expects to go at least three more hours until he hears a phone ring. He takes his backpack into the living room and turns on the television, Back To The Future plays in the background as he works on his homework. It was one of few times he was glad to have a pile of papers. It took longer than he expected, but he finished going through the stack as Marty saved his parent's relationship and future self. He looked at the clock, he still had an hour.

He turned the TV off and wandered the house, picking things up and putting things away as he did. He reached his room and glared at it. Everything inside was a hand-me-down, everything looked like it was worn out and tired. It had lived its life with Jeff, but died once it was placed in Todd's hands. But everything inside was clean and in order, he left the doorway and made his way back to the kitchen.

He started boiling a pot of water and read the back of the ramen package. As he opened the wrapping and placed the dried noodles in the water, the phone rang. Todd slipped and fell onto the ground as he ran for the phone.

• Neil •

"Hello," he heard on the end of the line. Neil smiled.

"Hey."

"Hey," Todd whispers. His voice sounded softer than normal, like he was hearing it from a distance. "What are you doing?"

"I just put the kid to bed."

"Already? . . .It's seven thirty," Todd tells him.

"The kid is a toddler. I'm babysitting my neighbor's two year old," Neil explains. It's silence after that, which makes him nervous. It's always loud when they're together, at least that's what it seems like.

"I have some questions," he states.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I'm just going to warn you, they get pretty personal."

"I hope you're not expecting answers." He could practically hear Todd's smirk through the phone.  Todd wasn't typically smug. He was quiet and shy until he got comfortable, then he was a creative mess.

"Why did you come to Welton?"

"The communists."

• Todd •

He was surprised how many answers he came up with were sarcastic. He was surprised he was sarcastic, he didn't know he could be. He blushed realizing it was probably because of Neil. He gave into the easier questions;

"What's your favorite color?"

"Blue."

"Favorite Poet?"

"Depends on the day, usually Whitman."

But eventually it was late, everything was dark and he was starting to get tired. The line had been silence for a few moments. However, he wouldn't let himself hang up until absolutely necessary. He focused his attention on a photo of his parents and thought of something.

"Neil?"

"Hmm?" He sounded asleep, like just rolled out of bed.

"Have you ever thought about getting married?"

". . . Too you?"

"What? No! No-no-no. I mean in general," he blurts. Blood rushes to his cheeks and he regrets even asking. What was he hoping to get out of it? He listens to his heartbeat and hopes, somehow, that the subject will change.

"Not really, I assumed I would get married. I didn't really ever think about who," Neil casually replies.

"Oh," Todd says.

"I never really thought about getting married until recently."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. . ."

"To anyone I know."

"You know him better than I do." Todd never wanted to kiss him more than he did that moment. He could feel the heat radiating off of his cheeks.

"Todd?"

"Hm?"

"Any more questions for me?"

• Neil •

The silence on the other line was pounding on his ear drums. He couldn't hear his thoughts, he wasn't sure if he was even thinking. He wanted to say something, but felt he needed to hear Todd.

". . . I think we've established we like each other at this point, right?" He smiled at the sound of his voice.

"Yes."

"Then, can I ask, why you like me?" Neil was stunned. He stood from his spot on the couch and shuffled around the living room. He forced himself to sit down and calm his nerves.

"I don't like you. . . I think it's more than that."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." Neil didn't know how to tell him how he saw him. He wasn't like every other guy at Welton, he wasn't athletic and popular, he didn't force himself to be. He kept to himself and was one of the warmest people Neil knew. He was quiet, but he had a storm inside of him. Like one day, Todd would show the world what he was capable of and no one would look at him the same way.

"You can ask me the reasons why I like you."

"Why on earth does Todd Anderson like me?"

"I like you because. . . I can't say it." He could hear Todd breaking and never wanted to be with him more than in that moment.

"It's only me."

"I like you. . . Because you look like hero, you look like the guy in a teen movie who overcomes his struggles and becomes this amazing person."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, you have a gorgeous face." Neil chuckles and looks out the window and watches the stars twinkle in the sky, he thinks how Todd is under the same starry night and feels less alone. He hears a mumbled, "shit," from Todd. "My parents are home, I haven't even finished what I was trying to say."

"That's alright."

"I like you because your smart, and brave, and you can perform Shakespeare better than any Oscar winning actor.

"Todd-,"

"I like how you can do something despite the rules and how you can say anything and people listen to you."

"Wait,"

"I want to do everything with you, and so much more."

"Todd, I love you." But all he could hear was the daunting hum of an empty line.

• Todd •

He heard, those words were the reason why he almost missed the bus the next morning. He spent the morning bus ride half asleep against Neil.

"Are we okay?" He asked once Todd sat down.

He nodded softly, "better than ever."