Chapter Text
Roomies
group message
Charlie
If Neil doesn’t download Tinder I’m literally going to die
Knox
PLEASEEEEE
Neil
I just don’t believe in it? It’s like... it’s just not genuine to me.
Charlie
I’m going to kill you when you get out of rehearsal PLEASE IM BEGGING YOU TO GET LAID
Neil
That’s only because you want alone time with Knox... just tell me when to leave
Charlie
When you get back we’re setting up your profile
Knox
Wait...
How would you even know if he should get Tinder?
Are you breaking up with me :-(
Charlie
You’re so stupid I love you so much
Knox
Oh okay :-)
Neil
:-/
I don’t see why I have to get a Tinder
Charlie
BC WE CANT HAVE FUN ANYMORE BC YOU’RE ALWAYS LONELYYY
Knox
It could at least be a fun way to meet new people! :)
Neil
Ughhhh fine when I get home
Charlie
YESSSSSSSSSSSSS
Neil sighed, setting down his phone. He’d had enough of Charlie’s constant badgerment. His break at rehearsal was nearing an end, and soon they’d get right back into finishing off another hour of running scene work. He was starring in his school’s production of The Glass Menagerie , playing Jim O’Connor. It was his first leading role in a Juilliard production this year, and he was ecstatic. No amount of Charlie and Knox’s nagging could get him to be in any agony.
He’d met Knox their freshman year of high school in New Jersey. They all attended a boy’s academy, and they’d suffered through a lot together. Charlie and Neil had been best friends for years, and when Knox had joined the Academy their freshman year, they knew they were bound to be fast friends. Their parents expected a lot from them, but after an attempt from Neil their sophomore year, they’d all backed off the little trio.
Knox was happily going to art school at the Pratt Institute, lucky to have a moment away from his parent’s grip. He’d never have made a very good lawyer anyways. Their apartment held many of what Knox deemed his failed works, photographs and paintings and sculptures. Charlie loved them all.
Charlie was pursuing a music performance degree for the saxophone. He’d always wanted to pursue music, but never knew he could go to school for it. He’d ended up at the Manhattan School of Music, and his parents gave him up completely. He’d never wanted to be a banker anyways.
As a result of their various endeavors, their apartment was filled with sound. From Neil practicing singing, dancing, or his lines and monologues to Charlie’s incessant playing, to Knox’s own artwork (which never required sound, but he couldn’t make anything without music playing loudly), the apartment was loud. They always were. But, it was a good loud. A loud that was happy and full of love for their work.
Neil was happy for them all more than he could mention to everyone some days. He’d struggled immensely after being cast in A Midsummer Night’s Dream his sophomore year of high school, and his father had found him sputtering into the floor later that night. After the horrific few months following the incident that had left him with a scar in his stomach from an untimely near death, his father had eased up. Had backed away and hadn’t wished to back closer again. He barely even spoke to him, worried he’d fly away again. However, after that year, he’d grown happier for himself, too. He was now getting his acting degree at Juilliard, and every morning he woke up feeling like he was on cloud nine. He loved his life. It was hard some days, but it was always worth it for all the good moments.
Charlie’s new bout of begging had become nearly incessant. Neil had been single for most of his life. He’d kissed a few boys in school, dated a few for a few weeks in college, but overall, didn’t want to engage himself in any of them. He just felt like he could never meet the right person at the right time. Much unlike Charlie. He didn’t mind that Charlie was so involved in his love life, or lack thereof. It meant a lot to him, that Charlie cared. But Charlie always did.
As he began to leave rehearsal, saying goodbye to his school friends, he happily boarded the subway back to Brooklyn. Thinking he’d beat Charlie to it, he quickly set up his profile, not thinking much else of it after having finished. He closed the app and lent his head back, the sounds of Mitski playing melancholically into his ears.
Sometimes he thought about how lucky his two friends had gotten at love. Charlie’d been in love with Knox for years. The moment he’d seen him, if Neil could remember correctly. They switched off every year in high school to room with their mutual acquaintance, Cameron, and that year it was Charlie’s turn to get a random roommate. Knox ended up next to him, and ever since, it was like they’d been inseparable.
Soon, he was disembarking from the subway into the night air of Brooklyn in the fall. Entering the apartment was always an affair, as Charlie expressed his great desire that he was back, even if he’d only been gone a few hours. It was a Friday, and they all had work the next day, but they knew they were going to engage in a few hours of mindless television or talking into the wee hours, like they always did.
“Neil!” Charlie exclaimed with a smile as Neil came into the living area, his coat and shoes long gone by the door.
“Hey, buddy!” Knox smiled, wiping his hands on his jeans.
A bowl of cookies was next to him, and it looked like the two were still hard at work with the rest of them.
“How was rehearsal?”
“Great, as usual.” Neil spoke, heating up some leftovers and digging in while the three caught up on their days and the cookies finished baking.
“It’s time we stop beating around the bush.” Charlie crooned, settling next to Neil on the couch and nestling a bowl of popcorn onto his lap as he and Knox both sat on opposite sides of their friend.
“I was going to tell you. I set up my profile on the subway so you wouldn’t do it for me. How does it look?” Neil asked, flipping so they could see his profile. The phone read (Neil Perry, 21. he/him, gay, actor & juilliard student.) along with a few headshots and photos his friend Ginny had taken for her photography class and on her disposable cameras-which she loved.
“You are so fucking pretty. Fuck you,” Charlie chuckled, shoving some popcorn in his mouth.
Neil laughed back. “Thanks, Charlie.”
“It looks cute! I like it.”
“I agree. The profile is good. I would swipe right if I was single.”
“The pictures make up for the caption.”
“Thanks a lot,” Neil huffed, then slid to the part that Charlie really wanted to get to.
“Finally!” Knox cheered, happily indulging in the popcorn as well. “This is so fun!”
“Right?!”
“No way,” Neil huffed after the first couple of matches. “Too many Republican looking gay people are on here.” He complained, handing his phone off to Knox who angled it to Charlie, Neil resting his head back on the couch.
They sat like that a little while, silence with the popcorn crunching. Knox and Charlie could practically communicate telepathically, so they weren’t talking, merely swiping.
“Yes!” The stark sound made Neil huff in a confusion, sitting up.
“Oh my god, Knox. We have hit the motherload. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! Let me read this to you.”
Neil sank back into the couch, awaiting some awful commentary.
“Todd Anderson, 21. he/him. gay. poetry student at nyu. Okay. Perfect, right?”
“Is that it?”
“I’m on his Instagram,” Knox spoke, immediately pulling out his phone and scrolling to Instagram, determined to find this Todd Anderson.
“Is he cute? Charlie, let me see,” Neil protested.
“He’s fucking adorable,” Charlie smiled, handing the phone back to Neil.
Neil felt like something in his stomach was shifting. He didn’t really believe in the whole meeting people online phenomena. He liked to meet people through coffee shops or classes or at the park. But with the 3 photos Todd had uploaded, and Knox having just found the boy’s Instagram, he felt a little better. Because not only was this boy insanely cute, but he was also smart, and had the prettiest blue eyes Neil had ever seen. He wanted to get lost in them.
“Are you going to swipe right or stare all day, genius?”
“Yeah, yeah!” Neil responded, and then went back to open up a message to him. “What do I even say?”
“Send him poetry!” Knox said, flicking through a story highlight Todd had done for April on his Instagram for national poetry month.
“That’s too cheesy.”
“I don’t know,” Charlie said, Knox’s phone in hand as he scrolled. “I think the kid would like cheese.”
“Let me see,” Neil groaned, and it was his turn with Knox’s phone.
The Instagram bio was simple. Similar to his Tinder one, but this one also had “I sound my barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world.” Neil had no idea what that meant, but he was definitely going to Google it later. His photos were simple too. A couple of latte art photos, photos of books, books with underlined phrases and passages. A few poems that Neil assumed he’d written. (He’d read them later). A few photographs of himself and a shorter boy with glasses and red hair, another tall with long hair. Down a little further was a photo of the two boys seen previously, but they were kissing underneath mistletoe at what Neil could only assume was a party of some kind. A few people were mulling around in the back, and fearing he might like it since he’d stared too long, he opened up the comment section.
toddanderson : to love means to radiate with inexhaustible light
smeeks : god if I didn’t want to kiss you for this photo I would make fun of the Rilke quote caption
gpitts : AHSKDAHDKELDJ TODDDD ???!!????!?!????????
gpitts : ok sorry I collected myself but holy shit????? your talent never ceases to amaze me ..... @smeeks you’re making me radiate with inexhaustible light!!!!
smeeks : @gpitts I love you <3
chrisnoel : I LOVE UR LOVE!!!!!!!!
toddanderson : their love is my favorite love @chrisnoel
“His best friends are dating.” Neil said, “I think we’re living the same life.”
Neil clicked onto Gerard’s profile, but it was private. Steven’s was public, and only had 3 posts. A photo of something scientific looking that he couldn’t begin to understand, a series of photos with Gerard and Todd, the caption simply that Todd had taken all of them. The last post was an anniversary post with various photographs where they both looked immensely happy and tremendously in love.
smeeks : happy 5! years to the love of my life. the inventor of love and life & scientific theory & my heart. i love you more than anything in the entire world, @gpitts.
gpitts : I love you until the end of time <3
toddanderson : <333333
Neil almost laughed as he thought of Charlie’s last anniversary post. He handed Knox his phone back and closed Tinder, wanting to procrastinate a message and needing a shower. Charlie began to protest, but Knox stopped him. They whispered a few words to each other, and Charlie smirked deviously. “Go get him, Romeo!”
Back in his room, Neil flipped open his Instagram. Charlie’s 4 year anniversary post had been dreadfully scary. The post was ten separate pictures of himself and Knox in various situations where they were either drunk or sober, young to old. The only thing holding it together, barely, was the caption.
charliedalton : HAPPY 4 YEAR ANNIVERSARY TO MY AMAZING FANTASTIC PERFECT BOYFRIEND. I LOVE YOU!!! CARPE DIEM EVERYONE TELL UR CRUSH U LIKE THEM RIGHT NOW!!!!
Neil laughed and clicked on Knox’s profile next to scroll to see his post, which was much more refined.
knoxoverstreet : Marking my 4th year around the sun with my love. Please excuse slide 3 in an attempt to write a love poem </3. I love you, Charlie. Carpe diem!
Sighing at his friend’s love, Neil opened Tinder back up. Thinking hard, he began to type out a message.
Neil Perry
Hi! I stumbled across your profile (rather lucky to have!) and I thought I’d send you a message! I hope this isn’t weird but I found your Instagram and I really like your posts! Your friends seem really sweet, and the books all look so good! I’ll have to get a recommendation from you some time. Your poetry is beautiful, by the way! I don’t normally do this, since I’ve never had this app before (don’t people still like to meet in book stores and coffee shops?) but I’d love to take you out for coffee - your favorite place, my treat - if you’d like to come with me! :)
Neil flopped back onto his bed. Now all he had to do was say yes.
Whatever! We’re Gay <3
group message
Pitts
I did it, Todd!
Todd
What
Meeks
Actually look at the second page of your phone screen for a minute
Todd
Ok
ASDFHJKLAKJDHFAKJAH????????
WHY IS TINDER ON MY PHONE AND WHY DO I HAVE A PROFILE WHY HAVE PEOPLE LIKED MY PROFILE WHY HAVE PEOPLE MESSAGED ME!!!!!!!!!!!
Pitts
Gotta get out there somehow
Meeks
Not everyone can have it easy like us, babe.
Todd
Pitts I’m going to murder you or I’m going to jump in a hole and die idk which to do first
Meeks
AT LEAST SEE IF THEY’RE CUTE DAMMIT
Todd
At this point we should just go back to Grindr
Pitts
As if you’d go back to Grindr... hilarious. Truly.
Meeks
Hey-he lasted a full 3 hours.
Todd
I hate both of you
Meeks
All love <3
Don’t text anyone until we get back from kicking MIT’s ass
Pitts
We will be back tomorrow… the bus got fixed but the driver is too tired now. Don’t worry. We will see you very soon!
Todd
I wasn’t worried I have your find my friends on
Meeks
Of couse you do you silly little poet
Pitts
ILY Todd!!!! Have fun and goodnight!
Across town in an apartment meant for two but housing three, Todd felt like his eyes were falling out of his sockets reading all of the pointless flirty messages from the app.
He’d known Pitts and Meeks for a long time. When he’d transferred to Welton his sophomore year of high school, the two had taken him in. They’d become fast friends, and were eager to move to New York City and forgo all of the duties they had to do back with their parents. For Meeks and Pitts, going to Columbia was what they wanted. They needed to be together. They always did. They’d been together since their sophomore year, and were more than happy to get Todd to join the LGBTQIA+ club in high school, which was led by their brilliant English teacher, Mr. Keating.
Todd had started a poetry club his senior year with the help of their captain as well, and he was hoping to eventually name a book after the club, Dead Poets Society. He loved the club, and missed Mr. Keating very desperately. But he loved NYU, and studying poetry was his favorite thing to do. Every day was bliss.
Meeks and Pitts went to Columbia, studying biomedical engineering and nuclear science respectively. They were currently away at MIT giving a presentation of some kind. Todd couldn’t really understand all of it, but his friends were so smart that MIT had asked them to come and speak, which was a pretty big deal.
Getting through the fourth worst pickup text he’d ever read since he’d opened the app merely two minutes previously, he clicked on a message from a Neil Perry.
Neil Perry
Hi! I stumbled across your profile (rather lucky to have!) and I thought I’d send you a message! I hope this isn’t weird but I found your Instagram and I really like your posts! Your friends seem really sweet, and the books all look so good! I’ll have to get a recommendation from you some time. Your poetry is beautiful, by the way! I don’t normally do this, since I’ve never had this app before (don’t people still like to meet in book stores and coffee shops?) but I’d love to take you out for coffee - your favorite place, my treat - if you’d like to come with me! :)
Todd felt like he was being punched in the gut. Someone had found him so interesting they’d looked at his Instagram? Something must have been wrong with the guy. He clicked onto his profile, and felt like air was kicked directly out of his chest. The prettiest boy he’d ever seen, had ever even glanced at, was staring right back at him. His profile looked professional, the bio was definitely eye catching -an actor AND he was also 21?- and the pictures made him feel gooey inside.
Realizing he may have left him on read for too long since the Perry boy had sent the message a mere seven minutes prior, Todd wanted to chuck his phone across the room. He quickly pulled out his phone, hopeful that Meeks and Pitts were still awake.
Whatever! We’re Gay <3
group message
Todd
I know I just joined Tinder like 5 minutes ago but I think I’m already involved in an elaborate catfishing scheme
[screenshots of Neil’s Instagram and Tinder profile.jpg]
Meeks
You are quite honestly the dumbest, smartest person I know. Message him back, dumbass.
Todd
HOW IS THIS NOT AN ELABORATE CATFISHING SCHEME
Pitts
His friend Knox posted too many bad photos of him for his birthday. Do your research.
Todd
ASDKJHSLDKGJS???
WHAT DO I EVEN SAYYYYY
Meeks
Are you this afraid of commitment or are you just dense
Pitts
SAY YES
Todd
Okay, okay. Thanks guys
Todd Anderson
Hi, Neil! I also sought out your Instagram since you told me that you saw mine. Your friends also look very nice! Their anniversary posts are endearingly terrifying and cute! If you still want to, I’d love to go out for coffee sometime soon. I’d be happy to give you any book recommendations you’d like. Thank you for reading my work!!!! Very kind of you :,) I’m so glad you stumbled across my profile too! (I’ve never used this app either!) Can’t wait to hear from you :)
Now all he had to do was say when and where.