Love is a gentle thing
Chapter Title: Velvet Ring (2003 remaster) by Big Thief
-------------
Dead Poets Society
(8/10/24 | 9:35 AM)
CharChar Binks: did I turn the oven off when I left the house this morning?
Knoxious: what.
Pitts: I beg your finest pardon? huhh?
Meeksie: Dude none of us are home.
Meeksie: Wtf was in the oven Charles.
CharChar Binks: muffins and egg bites.
Neil: WTF CHARLIE GO BACK TO THE DORM!!!
Toddster: Pls can someone go check? Keating is giving us the evil eye rn!!
"I hate to be that kind of teacher, but why are you on your phones, and why does Neil look like he is about to burst a blood vessel?" Keating stared at the poets, particularly Charlie, before looking at Meeks. "Mr Meeks, kindly tell me, what is going on? Please?"
Meeks huffed, looking at Keating. "Charlie needs to go back to the dorm. He didn't turn the oven off before he left."
Charlie grinned sheepishly, holding a tupperware box he had in his bag. "Muffin, Captain?"
Keating looked at Charlie, horrified. "The class started 40 minutes ago. Go back to your dorm now." He walked over, looking in the tupperware before taking a chocolate muffin, taking a bite. "Very nice, Charlie. But seriously, go check if your dorm is still intact."
Charlie mumbled quietly to himself, putting the box down as he quickly rushed out of the room to the dorm. He arrived, crashing into the kitchen as he looked at the oven, seeing it was off with a note stuck to the front of it.
'You're Welcome -Cam.'
Charlie grumbled, wandering to Camerons room where he was propped up on his bed. Cameron had opted out of classes today as he felt ill the day prior, didn't sleep well at all that night, and was definitely ill that day. He looked at Charlie, waving a little bit as he sipped from his glass of water.
"I saw the messages on the group chat and needed to check it before going back to bed. You left it on so I turned it off for you." Cameron looked down sheepishly. "Sorry for not saying anything on the group chat. It would've saved you a trip."
Charlie shook his head, humming softly. "Nah it's fine. We were gonna come down and check on you soon anyways so the oven was a good excuse. How're you feeling?"
"Like I've been hit by a bus. The few hours of sleep I had earlier hasn't really done much, so I'm gonna try to nap and see if that helps." Cameron quickly turned, coughing into his elbow. "You should go back to class. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. Besides, I don't want to get you sick and have you miss any of Keating's lessons. That reminds me, let me know if we get any homework tasks."
Charlie nodded, smiling as he left the room, making sure the lamps were on, but dim as to not irritate Cameron's eyes.
One thing he learned while being roommates with Cameron at Welton, he couldn't stand bright lights when he was ill, and was sensitive to lights in general. He'd rather stub his toe in a pitch black room rather than have any lamps on full brightness. He quietly left the dorm, locking the door before sprinting back to Keating's class.
He stumbled into the classroom, quickly going to sit at his desk, nibbling on a muffin.
"Cameron turned it off for me."
Knox's head whipped around to stare at Charlie, eyes wide. "You actually left the oven on?"
Charlie nodded nervously in response.
"You're sleeping in your own room tonight." Knox said before turning around, looking back at the board as he took notes.
Charlie whined loudly, shaking the back of Knox's chair. "Knox, babe. Don't do this to me, please! I'll do anything, please!"
Knox shook his head, humming as he listened to Keating start teaching again.
"Not a chance. You nearly risked my Noah Kahan vinyl burning away if you left the oven on any longer."
Whilst everyone in the class was listening to Keating read out a chapter from 'Mrs Dalloway' by Virginia Wolff, Todd was in his own little world. He knew what Keating was reading, but after being slipped a note from Keating saying 'I know you've already read this one, feel free to read your book :)' , he knew he didn't need to listen to Keating. Todd sat with his headphones on the noise cancelling setting, listening to Fleetwood Mac as he continued to read Little Women and type his book report. he has always found it easier to write his reports during the process of reading the book, as he felt it better reflected his feelings throughout reading. And it certainly did, his teachers seemed to be fans based on the A+ grades he received every time. It has gotten to 10 minutes before the end of class when Todd finished the book. He put it down, quickly typing out the conclusion of his book report before sending it to print, and leaving the room to retrieve it.
It was the quiet moments like this that Todd loved about college, the calm before the chaos of loud people stomp off back to their dorms or other classes.
He quickly grabbed his report from the printer, waving a quick hello to the receptionist by the printer, before running back into Keatings room to write his name at the top of the page. Looking up, he saw Keating give a little wave motion to Todd, asking him to take off his headphones.
"As you all know, and are likely very excited about, your book reports are due in 3 weeks. The end of the term is fast approaching, so I recommend you start trying to finish up those book reports now as the sooner you hand it in, the sooner I can mark it! If you feel you will need an extention, please discuss it with me after class tomorrow afternoon. Now, you may all leave. Enjoy the rest of your day!"
Todd watched as everyone around him got up, leaving the room to meet with their friends who waited outside the door, but the poets all stayed behind, seeimingly waiting for something. Todd quietly got up, handing Keating his book report. "There you go, Captain."
Keating grinned, taking the book report as he flicked through the pages. "My goodness, 10 pages! I don't think I've ever seen someone write more than 3 on a book report. I will have this on your desk, marked for you tomorrow, Todd. Thank you."
Upon hearing a gasp, and an alarmingly loud 'How the hell have you done that!!' from what sounded to be Charlie, Todd turned to see the poets looking at Todd in what he could only describe as astonishment, horror, and adoration, in which came along with a chorus of 'what the fuck', 'good job Toddy boy!', and 'See! I told you my boyfriends fantastic.'
Todd could only stand there and laugh.
--
Cameron often wondered if he'd always be alone. He lived in a dorm with 3 couples, who were always cuddled up with eachother, kissing, and whispering sweet nothings to eachother. Sure, he wasn't alone in the sense he was always with his friends, but romantically, he was definitely alone.
It wasn't like he didn't want to be with anyone. In fact, he longed for it. He longed for having a romantic partner he could spend his time with, and go on dates with.
He remembered realising he was into guys, and girls whilst at Welton after he spent a bit too much time looking and admiring at Hopkins during Keatings poetry classes, or subtly staring at his abs in the changing rooms after football practice.
Cameron didn't know if it was delirium from the cold and flu tablets he'd been taking the last 24 hours, or if he had an instinct, but he found himself setting up a dating app account. Shaking, he filled out his bio, adding the university he attended, selecting his favourite photo of himself, before clicking finished on the account confirmation. Cameron knew he wouldn't tell the poets. He'd die of embarrasment. He went to sleep 10 minutes later thinking nothing else of it.
--
Neil turned around after being tapped on the shoulder in the library, seeing Stick Lawrence.
"Hey Stick! Long time no see, how are you?"
Stick grinned, waving at Neil. "Pretty good thanks. Just a quick question, did you know Cameron had a dating app profile? It's just come up on my app while I was looking through."
Neil must've been quiet for a few minutes because he quickly flinched when Stick snapped his fingers infront of him.
"You okay Neil?"
Neil nodded slowly, thinking before speaking.
"Can I see Cameron's profile? I don't think he's mentioned it before."
Stick nodded quickly, handing his phone to Neil. "I think it was made fairly recently."
Neil looked over the profile, grinning as he saw the photo of Cameron, recognising it as it had been taken the weekend prior when the poets took a trip to the aquarium upon Meeks request for a day trip.
"I had no idea he made a profile. Also, I think you're the last person I expected to be on a dating app, Stick. No offence"
Stick laughed, shaking his head as he took his phone back. "I can't blame you. I wouldn't have done it if Spencer hadn't pestered me into doing it."
Neil nodded, smiling. "Fair enough, tell Spencer I said hi by the way, been a while since I saw him."
Stick nodded, fidgeting with his hands before quietly speaking.
"Neil? Between me and you, if I asked Cameron on a date do you think he'd say yes?"
Neil arched an eyebrow, thinking before shrugging. "I wish I could answer that but I don't know. You'll have to ask and find out I suppose."
He smiled kindly towards the blonde. "But i don't see why he'd say no."