#richard cameron imagines

[classic80sand90smovieloves2]

Rebellious!reader getting together with Richard Cameron on Halloween would include~

(Not my gif)(Requested by anonymous)

(Been struggling with my editing lately so sorry if this lowkey blows. The ending is kind of loose but I liked the ambiguity.)

“She’s …passionate.” Your second grade teacher had smiled at your mother: a tightlipped, awkward sort of smile that even an eight year old could tell was insincere. It was the first time in your life that you watched a person say something they didn’t mean. Not a lie, not necessarily, just not the truth: not what they wanted to say. 

- See, when Mrs. Dubrow called you "passionate", what she'd really wanted to say was argumentative, but calling the daughter of one of the schools biggest sponsors anything with a negative connotation was simply out of the question. So Argumentative turned into passionate, rebellious turned into free spirited, stubborn turned into opinionated, and so on and so forth.

- Despite everyone else in your life choosing to sugarcoat things, your parents never did. They didn't call you eager, they called you impulsive. They didn't call you extroverted, they called you loud and obnoxious. Regardless of what you were doing, you could rest reassured that your parents would exaggerate every little detail and make you out to be some kind of problem child.

- The older you got, the more you began to realize that you were never going to please them. They were always going to think of you as this disrespectful, disorganized, and lazy little girl. So why try to improve their image of you? Why worry about what they thought? About what anyone thought? You could act any way you wanted and no ones opinion of you would change in the slightest, you'd just be happier in the long run.

- ...So why do you care about what Richard Cameron thinks?

- Richard was a friend of a friend, and even before the two of you started openly disliking each other, you tried your best to steer clear of him. He made you uncomfortable: not in a "he's a creep" sort of way, but rather in a "our personalities seem to clash too much" sort of way instead. Things were awkward between the two of you. You weren't close but you were constantly being forced to spend time with each other, and the more time you spent together, the more stifling the tension seemed to become. No matter what you did, Richard just didn't seem to like you.

- And that would have been fine! That you could accept. What you couldn't accept, however, was being blamed for that aforementioned awkwardness. After you'd skipped one too many mutual hangouts, a friend of yours had jokingly asked why you didn't want to spend time with them anymore. You'd assured them that that wasn't the case, explaining that you didn't think that Richard liked you very much: that he was always acting weird towards you and that it made things kind of awkward. Your friend, sensing an "it was all a big misunderstanding!" moment and hoping to resolve things between the two of you, had innocently informed you that Cameron claimed that you were the one acting weird.

- ...You were immediately enraged.

- He thinks you're the one to blame? You?? He's the one who's always acting like you've personally slighted him: sticking his nose up at you and acting like you're some kind of freak; even when all you've done is say "hi" to him and his friends.

- Never in your life have you agonized over your choices quite as much as you have after meeting him. He makes you feel like an insecure preteen, like you're some kind of loser who doesn't know how to interact with regular, normal people. You stay up at night overthinking all of your actions, like your mere existence is embarrassing and flawed. You're constantly wondering if you've made the right decisions, if you've done something wrong, even when you know for a fact that you haven't. It's like you constantly have to question whether or not you've suddenly forgotten all social etiquette; whether or not you've gone momentarily insane.

- Your parents always chastised you for being disorganized, and maybe you are, but you never envied neatness until you met Richard Cameron. Everything about him is pristine, perfect without even trying to be. Everything has it's place, everything is sparkly clean. His notes are never crumpled, his handwriting is always legible, his satchel's always filled with supplies. He makes you feel like an imposter, like a ditzy little girl trying to keep up with a bunch of established adults.

- He acts like you don't notice the tears in your stockings, or the pulls in your sweaters, or the shortness of your skirt. "There's a rip in your tights" He points out unceremoniously, and suddenly you're back in your childhood home, your mother yanking a brush through your hair in exasperation while she scolds you for dirtying your Sundays best.

- Your hairs always had this ...messy sort of quality to it. It's the opposite of Richards, who combs it to perfection whenever he can: gelling and styling it so that it's prim and proper regardless of the weather. But it's not just his hair that's perfect, it's ...everything. A normal student has ink marks on their hands, scuffed or creased shoes, wrinkled uniforms with buttons that are either undone or done wrong in some places. Richard isn't like that. His hands are always clean, his shoes are always polished, his uniform is always ironed and buttoned up perfectly without a speck of lint or dirt in sight.

- He's the type of boy they'd put on a "Welcome to Welton!" pamphlet, the type of boy your mother wants you to bring home. And maybe it annoys you that he seemingly has no interest in you. Maybe it feels a little like proof that your mother was right: that a boy like him would never go for a girl like you, not if you didn't straighten yourself out.

- But if you straightened yourself out, you'd wind up like him. You'd be an uptight goody two shoes too scared to do anything at all. You'd stand at the sidelines and point out every little thing that could possibly go wrong. You'd worry instead of live.

- Richard acts like you don't care about anything: like you're this wild, crazy person who doesn't know how to control yourself; like you're too stupid to think your actions through. But even harmless, childish fun is a no-go in Richards eyes—he acts like he's too good for it, like it's embarrassing to have a good time. So really, you think Richard is the one who needs to change: the one who needs to loosen up.

- Richards dislike of you is due in part to his own insecurities. It's a projection: the voice of his parents spilling out from his own two lips. Richard doesn't hate you, he just ...sort of resents you. You make him feel cowardly: make him feel young and stupid and lame. You’re so free and he’s so …stuck. Stuck doing the same things he’s been taught to do ever since he was a little kid: the things his parents and teachers and society wants him to do. He’s terrified to rebel—yet you never are. You’re more of a dead poet than he’ll ever be, and you’re not even a part of the club.

- You're one of those people who always say yes: the ones that never hesitate or worry or stress. It's like you'd rather suffer the consequences later; whatever those consequences may be, than just stop for a moment and think. You never care whenever you get in trouble, like it doesn't matter to you one way or the other. Sometimes he wishes he could be the same—that his parents expectations didn't weigh so heavily on his back.

- They expect him to get good grades so he studies for hours and makes sure that he does. You get good grades without even trying, and even when you don't, you never seem to care.

- And you hate math, I mean, who hates math? It's simple: you just follow a formula and you get it right! Yet you love English, who's good at English? Half of it's hogwash: all emotion and luck and trying to think outside of the box. Well the box is there for a reason, and he's going to stay inside!

- He wishes you'd stay in your box: that you'd act like a lady instead of showing off and making him feel all pathetic. He's supposed to be "a man", yet every time he's meant to act like it, you're the own who steals the show. You upstage him in his own masculinity and you do it while wearing a mini skirt.

- You swoop in whenever he "puts his foot in his mouth", interrupting the awkward silence or the subsequent bickering, and making yourself seem all charming and smart in comparison. You always know when to speak and when to shut up, and even when you're upset, you still manage to say what's on your mind in a witty and eloquent way.

- You run verbal circles around him and he thinks you do it on purpose: that you find enjoyment in making him feel like a weak little worm; like a stupid little boy who needs somebody to save him. He doesn't realize that you're trying to help him: trying to move focus away from his inappropriate or ill-timed comments and save him some embarrassment.

- Your whole rivalry is just a bunch of miscommunications and misconceptions but the two of you are too stubborn to work things out. You try to be nice and he thinks you're being condescending: that you're mocking him and being all backhanded. Because of this, he acts all awkward and standoffish around you, which leads you to assume the worst of him. When he happens to say something that could be misconstrued, or when something happens to come out wrong, you never give him the benefit of the doubt. When he thinks he's being helpful, you think that he's shaming you.

"What? What did I say?" He looks at the other boys when you walk off with a roll of your eyes.

- You both tell anyone who will listen that you don't like each other, that Cameron's a stiff and that you're crazy, but you rarely say any of it to each others faces; unless things get really heated.

- You mainly try to avoid or ignore each other, but sometimes you just can't help it. Oftentimes, those interactions include one or both of you scolding/taunting the other. Lighten up, Richard. Can you be serious, y/n. Things of the like.

- You're like the female version of Charlie, which explains why the two of you are such good friends. Richard remembers the first time he saw the two of you talking, the first time Charlie brought you up in conversation, the first time the boy snuck out after curfew with you. He'd wondered when the two of you had gotten so close and though he'd hate to admit it, he felt a swell of jealousy as well; whether it was for you or for Charlie he couldn't tell.

- Being the boys dormmate means that he gets to see you more than he bargains for. Sometimes you'll throw pebbles at their window and he'll watch Charlie grab his coat from the corner of his eye, slipping out of the room with hardly a single goodbye. He's moved past trying to dissuade him from leaving, so instead, he tries to focus on his homework, determined to ignore you as you wait on the grass below. Somedays he succeeds and others he doesn't. On those days, he'll sneak up to the glass and steal glances at you as you wait on the glass below, watching the door for the equally rebellious boy instead of looking up at him.

- He'll see you smile brightly at Charlie as he finally joins you outside, watch you grab him by the arm and run off with him into the night, and it's in those moments that he truly envies you. You'll leave Welton with a head full of exciting experiences and he'll leave Welton with a couple dozen math equations that he'll never actually use.

- Experiences like when Charlie helped you sneak into their dorm room, tucked into his side and dressed in a mans coat and hat. You'd giggled with each other while Richard panicked, ranting about how both of you were going to get the three of you in so much trouble. Nevertheless, you'd stayed the entire night, side by side with Charlie on his tiny bed, talking and gossiping until dusk turned into dawn. He'd stolen glances at you in the golden glow of the morning, and though he'd never say it out loud, in that moment, he'd thought that you were prettier than any girl he'd ever seen; even when dressed in men's hand-me-down clothing.

- Both of you like each other more than you'd like to admit. And maybe it's because he likes you more than he wants to admit that he hates the thought of you putting yourself in danger, or being expelled, or getting in trouble or hurt. And maybe it's because you like him more than you'd like to admit that you hate seeing him scared and miserable and refusing to let himself enjoy even the simplest of things. Things like Halloween....

- Everyone in your friend group was meant to sneak out after curfew and meet in the woods behind the academy. From there, you'd start a bonfire and spend the rest of the night showing off your costumes and telling scary stories. You, of course, had immediately agreed to come; if the event wasn't your idea in the first place, and though Richard had been hesitant, he'd agreed to come as well.

- Anytime somebody asked you what your costume was going to be, you'd joked about showing up completely naked, insisting that you were going to dance under the full moon "like a real witch". Charlie had scoffed at Richard when he asked the other guys if they thought you'd actually show up like that. But the boy didn't offer any clues as to what you'd actually be dressing up as, so no one really knew what you'd end up looking like come time for your midnight meetup.

- When the night in question comes around, you're one of the last people to show up. Richard sits around the fire with the rest of the boys, sporting a normal sweater and slacks. He's chosen not to wear a costume, reasoning that masks aren't allowed in school and anything else he could have possibly worn would have made him feel more stupid than festive. He thinks the other boys look silly, dressed in capes and togas and so on, but when his eyes land on you for the first time, he finds nothing silly about your costume.

- It looks more like a one piece bathing suit than an actual outfit: both your legs are fully exposed; covered only by a sheer pair of tights, and your naked arms lay hidden beneath a crushed velvet cape. You look like you're competing in a beauty contest, one you'd surely be the winner of. "Nuwanda" cheers when you show up while Richard and the others go slack-jawed at the sight of you. Knox says "wow", Pitts asks if you've "always looked like that", and Neil says "she looks great". Richard, in an attempt to try and hide how he really feels, says "she looks inappropriate".

"You're signing your expulsion papers wearing something like that," He scolds halfheartedly when you finally end up alone at his side. His eyes dart to your exposed legs as he takes a sip of his drink. "Aren't you cold?"

You shrug. "A little. But I'll probably just borrow Charlies jacket or something."

- Before you can finish your sentence, he's shrugging his own jacket off and handing it to you; refusing to look you in your eyes. You glance at the article of clothing in surprise, biting back a smirk as you notice the slight tremble of the boys hand. You take his jacket with a small thanks, pulling it around your shoulders and eying him as he looks anywhere but at you.

"Cat got your tongue?" You tease as he continues to sit next to you silently, awkwardly looking around the party instead of making conversation.

"Hate it that much, huh?" You snicker, referencing the costume that he refuses to comment on yet keeps trying to steal glances at whenever he thinks you aren't looking. He stutters, fumbling over a response.

"I don't hate it." He finally manages, and its so genuine that you're forced to believe it.

"It's nice, ...pretty. Just ...cold." He mutters, and you can't help but find it kind of cute. You sit there and watch him for a little while, observing the way he struggles to look at you even more now that he's shyly admitted to liking your outfit. You scoot closer.

"What are you doing?" He asks nervously

"I'm cold." You claim.

"Yeah, that's what happens when you don't wear pants." He scolds halfheartedly. You ignore him, scooting even closer and snuggling up to his side. And even though he tenses at the contact, swallowing hard and awkwardly clearing his throat, he doesn't move away....

[smth-intheway]

[inahallucination]

todd walking towards the poets: hey guys :)

neil, walking away:

the poets: ????????

/

todd: neil can u get the phone

neil, getting it without as much as an acknowledgement:

the poets: ?????????????????

/

todd: the sweater looks good on u

neil:

the poets: ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

/

meeks: todd... is everything alright

todd: yeah why wouldnt it be

pitts: uh, dude... idk if uve noticed

charlie: are you and neil fighting?

knox: is that why he's being so weird???

charlie: am i gonna have to choose between u two

knox: i dont know if i can

charlie: maybe we can split evenly

knox: oh ur right; like we get one week with todd and one with neil--

todd: what are you guys talking about. neil and i are great!

cameron: ignoring those two, todd i too am a bit concerned

pitts: yeah man, neil's been... distant...

meeks: he literally will not talk to you

todd: ohhhh

todd: thatt

todd: well you know the surprise you guys have planned for me for my birthday

the poets:

the poets: pshhhh no... what surprise? in fact we didn't even know it was ur birthday

todd: right.

todd: well neils pretty determined to make sure i don't figure out what it is even tho i know there is one

charlie: well okay, but why's he just not talking to u; u guys can talk about other things that are ur non-existent surprise because we very much did not plan anything

todd: well i always figure it out, even if he doesn't tell me

meeks: what he says hi and u just know

todd: well i just know what he's thinking about

pitts:

pitts: wait

pitts: do you already know what the surprise is

todd: yeah

cameron: so neil's doing all that for nothing

todd: im not gonna ruin this for him!!! if he wants me to be surprised, I'm gonna be surprised

meeks: so ur just gonna let him think he did it right

todd: yes.

todd: and if he ever finds out ill know which one of you told him, and i will deal with it accordingly

todd: also can u guys help me figure out what to wear to my birthday surprise, i want neil to think I'm pretty :)

[ash5monster01]

DPS Masterlist

Main Masterlist

all works include a femreader. requests are open for any of the boys. I hope you enjoy <3

Charlie Dalton

Getting Red

Only Thing Left to Live For

Snowed In

Red Lips 18+

I Can See You

First Snow

You’ll Be Okay

Perfectly Me

Guilty as Sin? 18+

Turn Back Time

The Best I Could

Not The Same

Just The Way You Are 18+

What I Always Wanted

Not So Cocky Now 18+

Christmas Tree Farm

Truths Of Our Past series

Goes On series

Getaway Camp series

Neil Perry

New Romantics 18+

First Time 18+

Sick Day

It’s Just Practice 18+

In The Woods

Not Prepared 18+

The Hot Doc 18+

Todd Anderson

Study Buddies

Enough For The Both of Us

All (not including reader)

Trapped in Time

It’s Not Christmas Without You

One’s Hour Has To Come

A Dead Poets Holiday

[churrosbitxh]

idk but Pitts kinda gives the vibe of that one guy who grew really tall during summer break

Like average height but he likes to eat a lot so he grew 6-8 inches in a couple months

thus making him eat more and his knee hurting most of the time (making him act like a grumpy grandpa every night and meeks has to handle his grumpiness) bumping his head all the time and all the sleeves of his clothes are a couple inches too short for him, even his uniform

The other boys' reactions will be priceles seeing pitts growing into a giant after summer

Also I headcanon that Charlie was the big one when they were really young, he just never grew (lol we love you short king)

And Meeks was taller than Pitts at some point

[poemcal]

✿ twitter au / dead poets society

where the dead poets society talk shit in twitter !!!

i.

a little bit short but i'm still trying to be funny leave me alone 😝 plss don't forget to repost and like this post so i can make more 😭😭

[rywritess]

I hc the only thing cameron and charlie share in common is using so much/multiple products for their hair and body (like im talking about full out skincare, haircare, etc routine)

which definitely is possible because of three things:

charlie is richrich hed definitely be able to afford those things

cameron is textbook type of person and super procedural so id just assume he’d at least have a routine sched

its just funny to think about

[grungelvrr222]

doom scrolling on allelon ruggiero’s instagram and i think i’ve never found anything more funny lol. especially this one pic where he is wearing new glasses dylan kussman commented “DANG you look good😍” and its so funny to see them interacting like this even decades later lol

[cheezy-whizz]

Charlie Dalton:

[y-a-w-p]

This could be a fire dead poets society edit

[pancake-lovy]

Would anyone read Dead Poets Society one-shots/imagines written by me?

Once I finally get back to working on the ones I'm supposed to post...

FUTURE: I've already added the DPS characters to the list of people I write for. I just need ideas...

[four-pillars-of-hellton]

Can you believe after two years I’m finally writing a pt 2 for Unpredictable (Knox x f!reader) !!!!

It’s true hopefully it will be out this week!

I randomly got on here today and reread the imagine and felt inspired to write a second part so yay ☺️

Yes dance with joy like my fav two boys right here 😂

[smth-intheway]

This supposed to be a headcanon not an actual canon. 😭😭 (this generator is an actual DPS fan you can’t prove me wrong. Btw the Neil’s one hit differently)

[ash5monster01]

A Dead Poet’s Holiday

Warnings: fluff, alive Neil, minor mentions of past trauma, comfort, lots of teasing, mentions of drinking

Summary: Every year the boys make sure to get together for Christmas. After ten years they discover some things can’t always stay the same.

word count: 4.2k

Masterlist

1969

Charlie has never sprinted faster in his life, an older woman cursing him when he bumps her a little too hard on his way along the platform. He couldn’t afford to be late, if he was he’d never hear the end of it. So with his unbuttoned coat flying behind him and the briefcase along with presents spilling from his arms he makes it in the Subway doors just in time. Shutting closed and allowing himself to finally breathe as he rides uptown. 

The same went for Meeks and Pitts who had just made their train from Connecticut to the Big Apple. Already craving the comfort of Neil and Todd’s Upper West Side Apartment. It didn’t matter that they all had to squish on air mattresses in the already too small living room and share one bathroom. Anything was better than this train. Especially for Pitts whose neck already hurt from trying to catch some sleep against Meeks' much lower shoulder. 

For Knox it was a bit easier, opting to drive himself this year, and even if it was a five hour trek he figured there was no timeline when he was in charge of his travel. As usual all the boys were making the journey to get together for the Holidays. It was important for them to see each other around Christmas, remind themselves how lucky they were to have each other. They all had survived a soul crushing experience together and they were lucky to be out in the world and living it as best they can. 

Which was why even Cameron was included, him taking the first flight out to New York City and so grateful he had kept all his friends. Charlie wasn’t entirely fond of this but it didn’t matter. Whatever Neil wanted he got and Charlie would never dare try and say no. So he put on a happy face even though he often wanted to slap one off of Cameron’s. It was Christmas after all, a time to be with the people you love and celebrate with each other. Cameron may be a fink but he also understood them, came from the same roots they did, and for that it was enough to be included.

“Sorry I’m late, why does it smell like that-.” Charlie stops in his tracks. He had just barely made it through the doorway. He eyes Todd at his desk in the corner of the living room, typing feverishly away on who knows what. That’s when an apron wearing Neil stumbles out of the kitchen with a sheepish look on his face and a cloud of smoke pillowing behind him.

“So I have good news and bad news.” He grins as if this sight shouldn’t be concerning. What concerned Charlie more was that Todd was too distracted to even notice the chaos behind him. Had the apartment burned down he’d be partly to blame. 

“What’s that?” Charlie asks, dumping his items down on the second hand couch he not so long ago helped them haul up all these flights of stairs. He didn’t often like babying Neil but sometimes it just came out of him. To think he somehow became the responsible one. 

“Good news is our fire extinguisher works, bad news is that I burned the turkey. Anyone feeling pizza?” And Charlie can only shake his head as Todd rolls his eyes at the boy. Charlie is already walking towards the phone to place the order. 

“I can grab it when I pick up Meeks and Pitts from the train station.” Todd offers and Charlie nods as the line connects with the young girl unfortunate enough to work the weekend before Christmas. He could only imagine the hoards of people last minute Christmas shopping and stopping in for a quick slice. Getting frustrated when they realized everyone else had the same idea. 

“Thanks Charlie.” Neil is quick to say when he hangs up the phone and Charlie just laughs before pulling him into a hug.

“That apron makes you look really domestic by the way.” And it’s meant to be teasing but Neil only grins because he liked his little life. Domestic and all. He spent his days running between auditions and performing in small plays all before coming home to curl up with Todd on the couch. It was all he ever dreamed of and he was so thankful to have it. One of these days he’d finally land that big role and he and Todd wouldn’t have to pull together scraps for this apartment way too nice for them. 

“The briefcase makes you look professional.” He counters back and Charlie only nods because he had to agree. The honest truth was there wasn’t much in it except for some quick paperwork and snacks. He still wasn’t quite sure what everyone else on Wall Street had in theirs. 

“I’ll be back, be good.” Todd calls and both boys wave as they settle on the couch and watch the blonde boy rush out the apartment. 

“So tell me about work?” And that’s how the old best friends get into deep conversation over their life and endeavors. Sharing the good and the bad and the details about the pretty brunette girl Charlie met in a bar last week. It’s as if nothing had ever changed but also everything had. At least they still had each other. 

“Hey, anybody home!” The familiar shout of Knox comes muffled through the door, followed by his hand slapping against the wood. Neil hops up quickly to let them in and both Knox and Cameron laugh at the sight of the apron tied around his waist. 

“Sorry we’re late for dinner Mom.” Cameron grins and Neil glares as he helps take some of the presents out of Knox’s hands. They all filter in, looking just as scrambled and worn from travel as Charlie did a half hour ago. 

“Gentleman, Merry Christmas.” Charlie says from his place on the couch as they all get settled in. Cameron is quick to tug the striped scarf off his neck and eye the apartment that was decorated to the best of Neil and Todd’s abilities. A tree too small for the space tucked away in a corner and covered in homemade paper ornaments. Hung over the windowsills was string popcorn, desperate to make the space more lively even though it was probably made from some meant to be Neil and Todd’s dinner one night. 

“Seems you’ve made yourself at home Nuwanda.” Knox grins at him, moving to shake his hand once all the items are free from his arms. Neil neatly stacking the presents everyone brought under the tree. By the time everyone got here the stack of presents would be taller than the tree itself but it didn’t matter. At least they were together. 

“Considering I’m here getting roped into things all the time it makes sense.” Charlie says, having spent more time in this apartment than his own since living in New York. Really it was just a short subway ride away. 

“Where’s Todd hiding?” Cameron asks as he takes both him and Knox’s coats to hang by the door. Neil chuckles as he finally unties the apron from around his waist, already over the harassment that had been coming from his friends. 

“I had an accident with dinner so he’s picking up a replacement. Oh and Meeks and Pitts.” Neil tells them and they nod knowingly like this wasn’t surprising at all. After all they were all prep school kids, no one taught them how to cook. It was a miracle any of them had survived without the school or their mothers cooking for them. 

“So Charlie, how’s the big job?” Knox asks, settling onto the couch beside him. Sometimes he regretted staying back in Vermont, especially when he saw his friend’s lives here. Yet he’d never change what he ended up with. 

“Me? What about you Mr. Big Time, head of his own firm. Congratulations” Knox’s cheeks tint red in the colored lights of the small tree beside him. About a month ago he had been promoted, more than likely courtesy of his father but from all his hard work too. It was also about work life balance, the only thing keeping him sane was the poetry class he taught after hours at the public school and his lovely wife. 

“Thanks yeah, it’s a lot but it’s nice. I make good money and now I’m just looking forward to settling down.” Everyone chuckles at the ever romantic boy in front of them. It was no surprise to any of them that Knox was just ready to build a real home with his wife Chris who was stupid enough to marry him. How he ever convinced her in the first place was beyond all of them. 

“What about Cameron, working towards being Mayor. Very noble” Knox directs the attention from him as he lightly applauds the red headed boy. Yet his hair wasn’t as dark anymore, already fading with age. The curse of politics. 

“Kiss ass” Charlie pretends to cough into his sleeve and Cameron glares at the boy he couldn’t believe he was still stuck with. Dorming with him all those years had to be torture enough. 

“I’ll have you know Nuwanda, that the citizens love me.” He states with a hand on his chest, no interest in his teasing or dissecting of his life and job. So what he was a rule follower, why would he need to cause trouble when he had Charlie for that. 

“Oh I’m sure.” Charlie agrees with that tone of his, always making Cameron question if it was genuine or not. More than likely not. 

“Still cool you’re doing it Cameron, maybe one day there will be Governor and even President in your future.” Neil encourages, intervening before Cameron started to take Charlie’s teasing too seriously. Some things would never change. 

“Oh please let me die by then.” Charlie mutters as he looks up to the ceiling, hands clasped together like a prayer and that earns him a glare from both Neil and Cameron. 

“Thanks Neil, it’s pretty cool. They gave me an office in the town hall and everything.” Charlie really wants to laugh, tease him considering he had his own office on the 27th floor with a view, but he knew to let Cameron have his moment. After all, he did grow from constantly harassing the kid.                                                                                     

“Look at all of us, another prized graduating class of Welton’s elite.” Knox grins and that makes all of them laugh, basking in the absurdity of it all. Especially since back then they would’ve done everything to fight it. Now they were all contributing members of the working class and somehow managing it too. 

“Hey, what's so funny?” A somehow even taller Pitts asks, a frizzy haired Meeks behind him holding a stack of four large pizzas. After the familiar click of the door Todd joins them and they are officially all together for the Holidays. 

“Hey, how was the train?” Neil excitedly asks as he stands to join them and free up their arms. Forever a good host. Yet the roll of both boys' eyes shows the train was as it always is. Boring and uncomfortable. 

“It got us here, how’s Broadway?” Meeks asks as Todd takes the pizzas from him. Neil grins like the cat that caught the canary. See it didn’t matter if he hadn’t made it big yet, he was doing what he loved and that was something so truly special. Maybe he had been cut off, hadn’t heard from his family in years, but at least he got his greatest wish. Plus he still had his friends.

“Magical.” Is Neil’s only response and Meeks somehow understands before helping organize the presents he and Pitts had brought. 

“We better eat before the food gets cold, help yourselves.” Todd grins as he gestures to the table with the stack of pizzas and now the added paper plates and plastic silverware. The boys don’t need to be told twice, having traveled all day and desperate for some sustenance. 

Their chatter is quickly replaced by the pop of champagne, Charlie grinning as he holds the bottle up like a trophy. The sight is followed by cheers from each of the boys as they get settled and Charlie pours a healthy amount into plastic cups for them each. Christmas as how it should be. Good pizza, lukewarm champagne, glowy Christmas lights, and all of them together. It didn’t matter that the streets of New York were bitterly cold and most of them lived hundreds of miles apart. They’d always have each other, understand one another, and live life the Dead Poets way. 

“Okay, updates people. Let’s hear em!” Charlie says after a while of small talk and making all the food disappear. They’re dispersed around the living room, no one with a proper seat, but it’s the most comfortable any of them have ever been. 

“Um well me and Meeks landed our first job.” Pitts offers, the two of them having been trying to navigate their engineering degrees in the city of their alma mater. They didn’t want to return to Vermont and New York just seemed too big so they stayed put. 

“Hey that’s great you guys.” Cameron grins and that brings a smile to both the boys faces. It was hard starting from the bottom of the ladder but pretty soon they’d get somewhere. Just like Charlie. Somehow the most rambunctious of them all ended up the most successful in a life he didn’t want. It was weird how the world worked. 

“I meet with a publisher after the holidays.” Todd nearly whispers and shocked faces fill the room before each of the boys clap and cheer. 

“Now that’s what I’m talking about Todd, we knew you could do it” Charlie says, reaching over and patting his back and a heavy blush covers his cheeks from embarrassment. 

“I’m not published yet.” He reminds them but it doesn’t matter because his friends are excited. Besides who wouldn’t publish Todd Anderson. 

“Believe it or not but I met a girl.” Cameron offers to bring the attention off of Todd. He wasn’t nearly as shy anymore but he still struggled with so much attention on him at once. After all they had been through Cameron was happy to pull their focus away. Even if it was embarrassing for him.

“Have you talked to her yet?” Pitts asked and Cameron’s glare made everyone laugh, Cameron being the biggest victim to how sheltered they were growing up. He just gaped at women like a fish until he was twenty five and even after that it was only proper conversation he was able to make with no eye contact. 

“Yes, her name is Lisa. She’s a secretary and we met at the local bar. Didn’t give me much of a choice, just sat down and said I was buying. Who was I to say no?” And the boys all chuckle at this admission, of course Cameron would fall for a girl who bossed him around. That might be the only thing to make sense in the world. 

“No shit.” Knox grins and Cameron realizes the teasing has passed when all his friends look genuinely happy for him. 

“I have an audition for a lead part next week. I probably won’t get it but if I do you’ll all receive opening night tickets.” Neil tells the group with a smile he can’t suppress covering his entire face. Yes he was broke, scraping by to live this life, yet right now with his home full of love he couldn’t be any happier. Hope was something he wasn’t yet used to. 

“We’ll all be here.” Meeks confirms as if it was no doubt Neil would get the role. The confidence in his ability makes Neil feel on top of the world, or it could be the two glasses of champagne. He wasn’t complaining either way. 

“I’m going to be a Dad.” Knox drops his bomb, a soft smile on his lips, and the admission stuns everyone silent. They all eye one of their eldest friends, trying to imagine him as a father, raising a child that could go through all the same things they did. 

“Not a chance.” Todd is the first to say and the boy laughs, shaking his head at his blonde friend before taking another long sip of his champagne. 

“We found out a week ago, I was freaked out obviously but we’ve been married a year and I have a good job. It’s the right time and she’s really excited.” The look on his face is one of contentment, happy with the cards he had been dealt. Yeah he did end up working in law like his father but he also filled all the other empty spaces with the things that would make him happy. That’s what was important. Balance. 

“Knox, that's amazing! Congratulations!” Neil cheers, hopping up to pull him in a hug and Knox accepts it. He held all the same fears for his future child as the other boys did but at least they could support each other. He knew his child would have six really great Uncles. 

When Neil lets him go the other boys follow suit, muttering congratulations and embracing him with love and support. Life was changing and they were getting older, even the world was progressing, growing and accepting everyday. Yet what needed to stay the same did, which is why Charlie is quick to pour another round of drinks before holding his cup in the air with that same confident smile he’d worn his entire life.

“To the Dead Poets and the future class.” Charlie says, shooting a wink at Knox. The boys all repeat the words, hitting the plastic cups together before putting back more of the champagne. 

With Charlie’s encouragement and enforcement, it’s not long until each of the poets are feeling the alcohol. Cheeks warm in the same apartment and eyeing the soft snow that’s beginning to flutter to the ground. The Bing Crosby vinyl Neil put on an hour ago spinning with no sound as the Holiday surrounds them. It was so much more magical than any winter spent at Welton. It was the kind of night meant to be enjoyed, embraced. 

“Let’s go ice skating.” Todd breaks the silence, head turning to him quickly. Todd spots each of their confused faces before rolling his eyes. “Come on, it’s a gorgeous night and I bet the tree looks amazing right now. What do we have to lose?”

“I’m in.” Charlie tips his glass in his direction and Todd grins as each of the boys consider. After all, the alcohol would keep them warm, and a little field trip never hurt anybody. No sneaking out is required these days. 

“Let’s do it, I’ve never seen the Rockefeller tree anyway.” Cameron is the next to agree and that shocks everyone on an entirely different level. Yet his agreement is what gives the rest of them the push, all of them collecting their coats, and excited to take on this next adventure.

All with refreshed drinks they hit the town, snow falling around them, and slush soaking the bottoms of their pant legs. They walk arm in arm, chattering about nothing as they make their way to the nearest Subway. This is Christmas, carefree and full of love. It doesn’t matter that Charlie keeps trying to steal Cameron’s hat and that people give them weird looks when Meeks jumps onto Pitts' back for a piggy back ride. Right now it felt like they were seventeen again, carefree and happy. That’s what was important, nothing else. 

“Now that's a Goddamn tree.” Knox is the first to say when exit the subway station and starts to blend in with the large crowd. Tourists and locals all enjoy the weekend before Christmas with one of the most beautiful sights in the world. 

“Wow.” Cameron mutters and Pitts and Meeks nod in agreement behind him. The tree is as bright as the sun, a rainbow of Christmas cheer and beauty. It’s the distraction they all need as Charlie slips to pay the attendant for all of them to skate. 

“You didn't have to do that.” Neil scolds and he shrugs, happy to provide for all his friends. Lucky they got to do this all together.

“I don't mind, come pick out your skates guys.” And the boys shuffle over, yelling sizes as they all receive a pair. None of them have ever actually skated before. Skiing was big at Welton but that was an entirely different world. 

That’s how they all end up like Bambi, trying their best not to fall as they glide out into the crowds of people skating underneath the giant tree. It’s Christmas bottled up in a moment, even when Pitts wipes out and brings Todd down with him. Knox laughs so hard he has to stop or he’ll fall himself. It’s then Charlie decides to bump Cameron who does everything not to fall. Legs spinning like Roadrunner beneath him. It’s Meeks who grabs his back and steadies him, allowing him to glare at Charlie who’s being punched in the arm by Neil for shoving Cameron in the first place. 

“I’d say this is much better than the old Indian Cave.” Neil says once they all find their footing and start lapping the rink like everyone else. It’s the most fun he’d ever had during Christmas, not a chance they could top next year. 

“Just as crowded though.” Meeks jokes and the boys all laugh, having stuffed themselves in that cave and hit their heads enough times for it to be true. There was no doubt New York City was full of people, especially during Christmas. A night like this was worth facing the crowds if they all got to be together. 

“At least we’re together, it's going to get harder and harder every year.” Todd points out and they all collectively nod, knowing life will keep going and more things will start to happen. A weekend near the Holiday’s will be harder and harder to accomplish, even with all the distance between them. 

“Yeah especially now that Knox is going to have a kid.” Pitts points out and all eyes catch Knox again, still processing this milestone and what it’ll mean for them. When that kid was born they’d no longer be the current generation, everything could change. Even the dynamics of the group. 

“I’m going to do my best.” Knox says but they know now to maybe not expect him next year, or maybe they’d return to Vermont for the Holidays. It’s not that it wasn’t exciting, in fact it was some of the best news any of them heard. What was scary is knowing this kid could go through the things they had endured and have to bear the weight of soul crushing guilt. Have the world expect something of them when they're only just a child. It made them want to protect but that was a good thing. It meant this kid was already loved more than ever and would have a support system that defied all odds. 

“We’re not worried about that Knoxious, we always make things work.” Charlie encourages, wrapping an arm around the boy's shoulder and he smiles as they each top directly in front of the tree. Looking up for what felt like miles as the dazzling Christmas lights twinkled in their eyes. 

“Yeah, we’re the Dead Poets Society after all, we live deliberately.” Todd reminds them and they all smile, memorizing this feeling of all being together just as they once were knowing change was just around the corner. Visits will become less and less but the love would always be there, no matter what milestone each of them faced. 

It’s the Christmas that changes everything, a new decade upon them. Within the next year Knox would have a little girl, eyes identical to his and bright blonde hair just like Chris’. Todd’s book will get published, hitting shelves by the summer and sky rocketing his career. Cameron gets engaged, a shock to even himself, but happier than he’s ever been. Meeks and Pitts business will take off, designing some of the largest and most intricate structures Connecticut has ever seen. Charlie will fall hopelessly and desperately in love, leaving the bachelor lifestyle behind, and eloping with the girl of his dreams. Then there was Neil, who nailed his audition just as each of the Poet’s thought. He makes it big on Broadway, and just as promised, each of them are there to see. It’s like deja vu sitting in the crowd, just as they once had a decade ago. When the curtains close they start the standing ovation, cheering loud enough to burst their lungs, knowing this time when they meet Neil outside the night will go the way it should have ten years ago. A celebration of love and togetherness like it was always meant to be. 

Finally having contributed their verse. 

a/n: I had wrote this as a Secret Santa gift for the lovely @happiness-runs but I figured you all would enjoy too. Merry Christmas ❤️

[poemcal]

hiii, I don't know if I could make a request for Meeks, where the reader is part of society and in a meeting she confesses her love to him through a poem. make it something fluffy and romantic :)

warning: none

summary: where you are part of the dead poets society, but you have a little secret. You are in love with Meeks.

a/n: since English is not my first language this may contain a lot of mistakes!! and ty for the request I was running out of ideas ⭐️🤍 and im sorry If its too short at first it was too long so It didn't fit 😭

You’d been part of the Dead Poets Society since started. You loved English class and had an undeniable passion for poetry. When you heard about the "Dead Poets Society," you didn’t hesitate to join the boys in bombarding Mr. Keating with questions. You quickly became a regular at the meetings in the cave near Welton, making it a ritual you couldn’t miss, not even when sick. Being part of the society made you feel special, but more than your love for reading, there was Steven Meeks. You’d had a crush on him since you entered Welton, and the more you saw him in meetings, the stronger your feelings grew. He didn’t seem to notice you, always sitting with Pitts or Charlie, even if like he hates you, but that didn’t stop your heart from falling for him. One meeting, as usual, started with the group discussing what to write, and Neil excitedly encouraged everyone to try something new. You were eager to share a poem, and after some playful jokes, it was your turn. Nervously, you stood up, holding your small notebook tightly, and said, “I wrote this as soon as I got to my dorm, so please don’t judge me;

"There he goes, the boy with brown eyes, thinking of everyone but me. There he goes, the boy with brown eyes, believing he’s all alone while I’m right here. There he goes, the boy with brown eyes, obsessed with love yet unaware he has mine. There he goes, the boy with brown eyes, smiling at the wind but not at me. There he goes, the boy with brown eyes, ignoring my presence while I long for a piece of his. There he goes, my ill-fated dream, for though I try to forget, his ghost lingers near. And here I am, hoping for the day, when he looks at my way and says, ‘There goes the girl with brown eyes, who loved me more than she could ever received.’"

When you finished, you quickly looked at Meeks, hoping he’d recognize that the poem was about him. He was just as stunned as everyone else but quickly turned away, avoiding your gaze. You noticed Pitts whispering something to him, which seemed to leave Meeks even more shocked than your poem did.

“That was amazing!” Knox exclaimed, clapping for you. You laughed nervously, sitting back down next to him.

“That was beautiful. Reminds me of someone,” Neil said, eyeing Meeks. “Your turn.”

Meeks froze for a moment, before grabbing a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket. He cleared his throat, holding it with trembling hands as he stood up and began to read:

"Your smile, so captivating, blinds me in the torment of my love. I see you pass, and my heart races to find yours. But my cowardice stops me, keeping my soul from shouting to the world:I am yours. And my lips fall silent when your eyes burn into mine with the passion of your love. Oh, how I am yours, how you are mine, yet neither of us can live this way. Neither of us can hear the bells crying. Neither of us can laugh without dying. My love, imprison me in your endless agony, and I will die tasting the sweetness of your lips."

When Meeks finished reciting his poem, the whole group watched the two of you, the only ones too clueless to notice. Knox nudged your shoulder, and you looked at him confused, and that’s when you realized you weren’t the only one secretly in love.

“Oh, come on! Am I the only idiot here watching these two not kiss?” Charlie exclaimed, exhausted. “You're in love! Do something before I go and kiss Meeks”

Without words, you just heard the others laughing, and you let out a shy laugh. Meeks walked up to you timidly and handed you the paper.

“It’s for you. It always was,” he murmured, and you were left speechless. “I like you... a lot, so much that I’m afraid to look at you and have you figure it out.”

“I like you too, Meeks. A lot,” you whispered, standing up, taking his hand, and pressing your lips to his in a sweet and delicate kiss. You forgot your whole group of friends were watching, witnessing your romantic moment.

“What are we now?” Meeks asked, his cheeks flushed, and his eyes sparkling as you pulled away.

“What do you think, idiot?” you said with a smile and gave him a quick kiss on the lips again.

Needless to say, after that, all the poets teased Meeks that night in the cave, but he couldn’t have been happier to finally confess his feelings, and that they were reciprocated. He loved you, and you loved him. From that day on, you and Steven were always holding hands, you filling him with kisses, and him filling you with poems every time he saw you, whether they were his or someone else’s, but he wanted to remind you that he would always love you and could never get tired of you. And he never failed; he always made you feel loved.

another a/n: Y'ALL GOT ME WRITING POEMS IN ENGLISH THAT WAS SO DIFFICULT THAT I HAVE TO ASK CHAT GPT TO HELP ME TRANSLATE IT 😭😭 sorry if it doesn't sounds too good tho!!!!

[rywritess]

cameron at LEAST had something for charlie imo

this was when charlie was flirting with the other girls I MEAN CMON BROOOOO GHFHFJDJ like ive posted about this before but w less text and stuff and im just gonna give my thoughts in this cause WOWOWOW BOOMSHAKALLALALALA BOOM??

btw im not an expert in body language and this is my interpretation

THAT does not look like jealousy to me. His eyes are softened, his mouth slightly agape, eyebrows a bit raised, before he quickly looks down at the ground. It’s like he’s in slight disbelief, heartbreak, then contemplation in such a short amount of time.

Charlie Dalton, his roomate and the worst pain in his ass—… is currently flirting with two random girls and reciting romantic poetry. I mean cmon, its not exactly out of character for Dalton to do something like that. So why be so upset about it? I mean this could’ve been a golden opportunity for cameron to FINALLY get some peace and quiet if Charlie was too busy dating around to bother him. Unless, by some rare chance— he would miss him?

I feel like this is the point cameron realizes he may not hate his roomate as much he thinks he does, and maybe just a little bit, the tiniest part of him.. actually appreciates Charlie? A little bit more than friends. I mean CMON, I don’t think people react like that if their friend flirts with someone else. Like— that look is reserved after finding out someone you like fancies somebody else.

And it’s heartbreaking. That is a look of heartbreak, folks.

I can’t imagine how Cameron would also deal with this realization. Something he holds dear to is rules and tradition. He won’t dare to challenge the norm without some help. But who could he even talk to this about?? Like?? In my hcs, Cameron definitely struggles with internalize homophobia and has such a hard time accepting it because its not the norm. Especially since its 1950s. He just regresses it so much that he won’t ever come to terms with it. Maybe one day he’ll settle down with a woman, have kids, land a normal job, but the thing is— he wont be content with it. At least, I don’t think he would be until he accepts such a central part of himself. And it wont go away, no matter how much he tries to push it down. It’s there, it’ll always be there, taunting him.

just imagine how much fucking psyche locks he would have holy crap