It was a combination of the loving nuzzle and then the sound of water running into the cavernous tub that slowly drew Neil back to wakefulness.
Turning, he reached for Todd and for a split second panic tore through him as he couldn't find his lover and Neil bolted upwrite in the bed almost about the shout Todd's name but in the next breath he remembered.
Todd...came back to him.
Rubbing his hand across his face, the lanky actor slid down off the bed. Taking a moment to straighten up a desk, he padded naked towards the bathroom, leaning against the door way and just soaking up the view of his fiancee.
Following Todd, readily...always readily, Neil crawled into the tub and settled up against the back, creating a cradle with his legs for Todd to settle in, the way they often ended up cuddling when conserving water together.
Arms reached up and out to Todd, waiting for him to settle before closing around him, holding him close...and maybe, still...with a hint of panic.
It was the same sort of pleasetellmeyourreal holds that Todd had given him in the first few days in Milliways. The ones that were meant to reassure a grieving mind that the beloved one really was back in his arms.
Todd recognized the warm, and slightly panicked embrace. It was just odd on this side... He settled in safe against Neil, feeling the warmth of his lover's body and the warmth of the water.
He glanced back at Neil, and there seemed much more mutual understanding in that look. For a while they walked in each other's shoes. Everything they've experienced, it's been shone in one another, and reflected back.
Neil didn't think he'd ever have reason to thank whatever had done this to Todd for any thing but...looking back, with Todd warm and safe in his arms...perhaps, rather then taking nothing but terror from the whole experience, they could instead take the deeper understanding they'd found.
Neil knew that for himself, he could never willingly put Todd through such agonizing hell again.
"Hey." He whispered. "In case I forgot to tell you recently... I love you."
Todd seemed more centered, more determined. He didn't want to fail Neil ever again, or see him hurt. He would have to fight to create their paradise again.
His expression then softened at that, "I know, I love you too." He leaned back to kiss again.
Murring softly into the kiss, Neil nuzzled against his fiancee's mouth, smiling softly as the kiss deepened, naturally, lingered and then finally broke away.
He leaned back then because...err...if they soaked the floor again, it was likely something was going to leak into the room below them.
"We still don't know what...what happened." Neil frowned a little. "I think that Dr. Venkman might have been effected, in some way...we should see if we can find Mr. Giles and talk to him." To make sure that if the danger was still in the Bar, they didn't ... catch it's attention all over again.
This was the first time, since Todd reappeared that Neil had even been able to think...logically.
Neil swallowed because he really did not want to have to think back to that nightmarish night but... Todd was asking and there was very little that Neil could ever deny his lover.
"Let me see if I can remember everything." The lanky actor ran his hands up and down Todd's arms in a motion that was as much to sooth himself as it was to sooth Todd, while his near photographic memory called back the words Giles had spoken.
"Because he's one of the victims of a powerful, evil and capricious being. Todd's only one of them. Dr. Venkman is another, and I know of two other incidents in addition to them. Obviously the actions of that of someone who only seeks to hurt and harm others. There could be a reason behind it, or not."
He sighed, "Your world was not like this, but there was dark, unknown and evil forces out there. Ones that most people either ignore or choose to not understand. And this place is a convergence point for all of the universes. Some of the beings here are of that caliber and content."Neil sighed and hugged Todd gently.
( ... )
"I don't think it's ever...completely safe anywhere, Todd." Neil said quietly.
"I think we both have wanted this to be a paradise, you because...because you needed something good to believe in and me...because I love you and I wanted you to have that nugget of perfection to make you happy."
Kissing the side of Todd's neck, Neil leaned his head against his fiancee's.
"But...maybe instead of looking at this sadly we should be glad. This...this makes this place real Todd. Not some...dream that one of us might be hiding in. It makes it real and it makes us real and it means that...we really do have a life together, with all it's joys and sorrows and everything that makes life worth fighting for."
Todd seemed heartened by that. Part of him worried it being too perfect, too dream-like. As bad as things have been recently, it helped temper that image.
"A place of wonders and horrors, of dreams and nightmares. It's real, real as anywhere else. It's just what we make with it that makes it our home. This is our life now. You and me."
The young actor was snoozing like a dead man and he murred grumpilly at Todd.
"Idunwannagotochemistrytakenotesformewillyah?"
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"You'll miss out on a nice bath." He stroked Neil's dark hair briefly, and then headed into the bathroom.
Ok...this was going to take a bit.
Several minutes of cleaning later....
There was now the sound of running water coming from the bathroom. Specifically the tub.
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Turning, he reached for Todd and for a split second panic tore through him as he couldn't find his lover and Neil bolted upwrite in the bed almost about the shout Todd's name but in the next breath he remembered.
Todd...came back to him.
Rubbing his hand across his face, the lanky actor slid down off the bed. Taking a moment to straighten up a desk, he padded naked towards the bathroom, leaning against the door way and just soaking up the view of his fiancee.
"Hey there, Beautiful Boy."
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"Muse, wasn't sure if you were going to wake up finally." He went over, and put his arms around his lover.
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"Warm, vivid autumn colors, caught in my arms." He whispered softly before leaning down to nuzzle the corner of Todd's mouth lovingly.
"Still going to share your bath?"
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"Black winged bird of delight."
He smiled, "You have to ask, Neil?" He stepped back to lead his lover over to the bathtub.
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Arms reached up and out to Todd, waiting for him to settle before closing around him, holding him close...and maybe, still...with a hint of panic.
It was the same sort of pleasetellmeyourreal holds that Todd had given him in the first few days in Milliways. The ones that were meant to reassure a grieving mind that the beloved one really was back in his arms.
Reply
He glanced back at Neil, and there seemed much more mutual understanding in that look. For a while they walked in each other's shoes. Everything they've experienced, it's been shone in one another, and reflected back.
Reply
Neil knew that for himself, he could never willingly put Todd through such agonizing hell again.
"Hey." He whispered. "In case I forgot to tell you recently... I love you."
Reply
His expression then softened at that, "I know, I love you too." He leaned back to kiss again.
Reply
He leaned back then because...err...if they soaked the floor again, it was likely something was going to leak into the room below them.
"We still don't know what...what happened." Neil frowned a little. "I think that Dr. Venkman might have been effected, in some way...we should see if we can find Mr. Giles and talk to him." To make sure that if the danger was still in the Bar, they didn't ... catch it's attention all over again.
This was the first time, since Todd reappeared that Neil had even been able to think...logically.
Reply
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"Let me see if I can remember everything." The lanky actor ran his hands up and down Todd's arms in a motion that was as much to sooth himself as it was to sooth Todd, while his near photographic memory called back the words Giles had spoken.
"Because he's one of the victims of a powerful, evil and capricious being. Todd's only one of them. Dr. Venkman is another, and I know of two other incidents in addition to them. Obviously the actions of that of someone who only seeks to hurt and harm others. There could be a reason behind it, or not."
He sighed, "Your world was not like this, but there was dark, unknown and evil forces out there. Ones that most people either ignore or choose to not understand. And this place is a convergence point for all of the universes. Some of the beings here are of that caliber and content."Neil sighed and hugged Todd gently. ( ... )
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"It's not that safe here... That's what he meant. That's why I'd have to fight to keep our home."
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"I think we both have wanted this to be a paradise, you because...because you needed something good to believe in and me...because I love you and I wanted you to have that nugget of perfection to make you happy."
Kissing the side of Todd's neck, Neil leaned his head against his fiancee's.
"But...maybe instead of looking at this sadly we should be glad. This...this makes this place real Todd. Not some...dream that one of us might be hiding in. It makes it real and it makes us real and it means that...we really do have a life together, with all it's joys and sorrows and everything that makes life worth fighting for."
Reply
"A place of wonders and horrors, of dreams and nightmares. It's real, real as anywhere else. It's just what we make with it that makes it our home. This is our life now. You and me."
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