𝑨𝒄𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒂 𝑫𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝑷𝒐𝒆𝒕 • Neil Perry & Todd Anderson

sᴜɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴏᴏɴ

"And over the lilied waters and in the roses of evening,
                  We loved."

The world was always dull and scary to Todd. Whenever he walked out of his house he was bare and exposed to the shadows and open ends of what it had to offer. He had no way to know what would happen in the mornings to the evenings.

Yet he found it beautiful.

When the moon would rise and the sun would fall he admired the ever changing palette of the sky. At night, the world was sleeping. He found it a shame people would not stay up and watch how the faint lavender clouds would fade away into the darkest shadows the moon could not light up, just like his mind.

Todd was the quiet Anderson brother. That Anderson. Neil even said that the first time they met. Did it bother him? For a time. But when he saw the brightest star in the sky do the same he made peace with the fact that the world would not revolve around him because, while they would never admit it, he was still important.

The wind had cooed Neil to sleep next to him after they spent the past few hours of dusk searching for the only dry patch of land in a neighboring field next to Welton. It was too cold for Todd to grow even a little tired. His mind was too scattered. Did his family find out about his spontaneous departure from the school? Probably. This ensured his role as the disappointment now.

A raspy snore sounded next to him. The brown haired boy stirred lazily. Todd couldn't help but admire the blue shadows that made his cheekbones seem just a bit more defined than usual. His long eyelashes fluttered just slightly. Brown strands of messy hair fell over his forehead. Beneath his jaw and collar of his coat, the pale flesh of Neil's neck showed. Todd smiled at how the freckles that littered his neck appeared like constellations in the sky.

He shook his head and winced. Pain pinched in his own neck from craning it awkwardly for so long. He shifted so his back was against the log the two shared and hugged his legs to his chest to trap the warmth. He closed his eyes and sighed.

The air was filled with the crisp scent of cinnamon and grass. While the winter burned his nostrils, there was no denying how refreshing it was to smell the freedom outside of Welton. He was no longer confined in its walls. He felt like he could fly like the moon and be in harmony with the world. It had only been a day since he ran away. the school's bell tower was still in view above the dewy hills. Everything was so unclear but made so much sense now.

The last morning he spent there was dreadful. Looking back, it made him even happier to leave. Neil had made his debut on stage, became the best Puck there is and was taken away from it all. From Todd. Even though he was fast asleep next to him Todd could not forget the face his friend gave him through that car window. His eyes were desperate and he looked so fearful in that car. He couldn't erase how powerless Neil looked in that moment. He never looked so afraid before.

But what scared Todd the most was that he did not have the courage to open that door and pull Neil away. To simply take his hand and give him the chance to escape the wrath of his father.

If he couldn't do that, what could he possibly do in the world?

He could spend his nights drowning in that hopelessness. He could hide away in fear of fate. He could curse it away and still have nightmares that plague him of its capabilities. He was a nobody. No courage. Neil was the one to save himself and now here he was homeless and on the run. Todd was just extra baggage. Maybe Neil pitied him. Was that why he let him come in the first place?

Of course it was. Todd was the stiff. The one everyone forgot about. He was the out of place, inadequate shadow of his brother and Neil only felt sorry for him. He should not be here. He was once again holding Neil down. Todd's eyes began to sting. He noticed the sky become blurry.

Fingers softly pressed against his shoulder.

"Todd, you alright?" Neil's voice sounded sleepily. No, not for you, He thought.

A shaky breath wracked through Todd's body. He looked away so his entire face was toward the moon and away from Neil. He couldn't look at him. Guilt would seep through his face. He shut his eyes as tight as he could until they ached. He could hear a zipping sound followed by shuffles. Maybe it was the shadows coming to finally take him away.

He jumped. Something heavy and fuzzy brushed against his skin. He opened his eyes and looked down as a black, lint covered coat swallowed his body. He could hear a light hearted laugh by his ear.

"I should have given you this sooner." Neil smiled lazily as he rubbed his hands against the sleeves of the coat to generate warmth. Todd could feel the hair on his arms rise against the fur inside the sleeves. He watched as Neil focused on adjusting the fabric. He also noticed the small dimples that indented the sides of his grin.

Finally, he looked up at Todd. His eyebrows immediately slanted with concern. Todd just offered a weak smile and pulled the coat tighter around his torso. Neil bit his lip and didn't ask a single question. He was worried for Todd but now was not the time to ask any questions. Frankly, he didn't know when would be the time for questions. They didnt have the answers.

Sighing, he laid back down and patted the space of grass next to him.

"We have a long day ahead of us." He said. Todd stared, growing redder. "I don't bite." Neil laughed.

"I don't know that." Todd replied. Neil laughed more. Instead of saying another word, he tugged on Todd's arm that jerked underneath his hand. But Todd couldn't do anything but melt into the touch. Neil's hands were warm.

He slowly lowered himself on the ground. The grass was soggy and flooded from the melted snow. The water seeped into his coat, making him colder. Todd cringed.

"You'll get used to it." Neil shuffled on his side, facing Todd. He did the same. Todd watched as Neil shut his eyes. He noticed as the rapid movements of his chest gained a slow rhythm as his breath became slow.

Todd could not help but match his pattern as his own breathing became slow and light. His chest was still achingly tense. But his arms hung loosely by his side. He looked up at the moon that watched them.

It looked so lonely in the dark sky. But far off in the distance, through the leaves of the pine trees, orange and pink rays broke through. The moon was not alone after all. Sure it had its dark nights but the sun always came back. Always made sure the moon was not left in darkness forever. Todd had his sun. Even if his sun had a tendency to snore.