Archive of Our Own

Todd was in an instant need of hot coffee.

It was seven in the morning, the temperatures were definitely too low for his body and he was almost two hours late for his Literature lecture – and the worst thing was the deadline had passed the day before and he hadn’t done his papers, because he was an idiot. A literal, senseless idiot and this entire idea of college was a big fucking mistake. He should had just applied for the first served job in his little old school town and maybe an inspiration for his first book would come along the way.

But again, he was an idiot and thought that studying Literature first was a good idea. Yeah, because anything he thought was a good idea.

He reached up and adjusted the collar of his coat, tightening the long scarf tied around his neck angrily. It did not help, not even a little, and so he just mumbled another bouquet of insults at himself and the weather, and continued his way through the park, balancing himself on the icy pavement.

And because his life was the biggest joke the world had seen, his balance was also a joke. A joke so enormous that as soon as he tried to speed up, because hey, he had some responsibilities to do, some places to be at, his legs gave out and dragged him for another two or three metres forward before the pavement ended and he landed into a snowdrift.

Awesome. Now he had melting snow behind his collar, mouth full of it, he didn’t know where his bag had fallen and he was definitely going to catch a cold. Oh, that was everything he dreamt of. Maybe if he lay there long enough, his body would freeze out and slowly disappear, disintegrate into atoms or something. He really didn’t pay attention to Physics classes, okay?

“Em… You’re alright?” A male voice appeared from somewhere above him, painted with cautiousness and a pinch of amusement. Todd sighed.

“I’m fine,” he said back with all conviction he could muster up – and well, there was quite a lot of it, somehow.

“It doesn’t look like that,” the voice was more concerned now, its owner apparently too stubborn for Todd’s taste. The boy sighed louder this time, sending a clear message to the other man. He was a pathetic creature, couldn’t he be just left alone?

“I’ll help you stand up, is that okay?”

No, it was not.

Hands came into his view and Todd was pathetic, but he wasn’t a boor, so he grabbed them before it started to feel awkward. His saviour was strong enough to hoist him up with a single pull and soon Todd’s legs were forced to take their role back. They were meant to support, weren’t they? Traitors.

He sighed once again under his breath, shook some snow from his hair and coat, and finally looked up.

To find the most beautiful boy in front of him.

Dark, ruffled hair, even darker eyes and a bright smile that seemed to warm the air up; light blush over his nose and cheeks; pale freckles scattered across his slightly tan skin. God, wasn’t he gorgeous.

The laugh that left those pink colored, thin lips could be the most perfect thing he’d heard, too.

“Thank you,” Todd muttered without breath and glanced down, ashamed. He started to look for his bag, but it was thrusted into his arms as soon as the stranger stopped laughing.

“I didn’t quite catch your name,” the other boy said, unbothered by Todd’s awkwardness.

“Todd Anderson.”

“Neil Perry. Nice to meet you, Todd.”

A hand came into his vision, extended, and he took it with his own and shook weakly. Neil’s grip was warm and confident, something Todd’s would never be.

“I-I have to go,” he stuttered out and quickly cursed himself. Stuttering, really? He was twenty one, not five. “I have lectures now and I’m late and I really need to go, I’m sorry, I just–”

“Okay,” was the only word that cut his sentence in half, and it was quiet in addition, but somehow managed to shut him up. Good. He was starting to panic again. He looked up to be welcomed by the same content grin.

“I’ll just have your phone number then? So I can contact you later, you know, after your lectures.”

The prettiest boy he’d seen, asking him for his number? Hell yeah was his opinion, if anyone asked.

Two minutes later Todd was almost running through the park, hoping his legs learned some lesson and now knew how to keep him upright , and for the first time in weeks his head was filled with some happiness at the edges.

Hey, he was still an idiot, but maybe there was some hope left for him.