#teagan oc

‘I really hope I didn’t lose it. Hopefully, no one took it either. Maybe it’s back by the hamsters? I did spend some time looking at them.’

Looking around where hamsters are, you don’t see your phone on any of the shelves nearby. 

‘Maybe someone took it and reported it? I should check at the front if they have heard anything.’

You turn and look at the hamsters, wishing to magically see your phone, but you don't. Giving up hope that you’ll find it, you hear someone calling your attention. Turning around to face them, you see a tall person dressed in dark academia clothes. They have brown shoulder-length hair that looks well taken care of. 

“Hey, is this your phone? I just found it, and it looked like you were looking for something.” They say, showing you your phone.

“Yes! Thank you so much, I was looking for it.” You say, grabbing your phone from the stranger.

You exchange introductions and learn that their name is Teagan. They tell you they found it by the birds and were about to turn it in. 

“So what are you doing here? Looking for anything else?” Teagan teasingly asks you. 

“I was just looking at all of the animals. Sometimes I like doing that after a stressful day. What about you? Other than finding my phone, I mean.” You joke with them. 

“I’m actually here for my snake. She needs a bigger tank soon, so I was looking for the tank that would suit her.” 

“Oooooh, what is her name?”

“Ophelia, she's a pied ball python. She is kinda shy, but warms up to people over time.” They say, pulling out their phone with photos of Ophelia. 

‘The name suits her. She's got some cool colors. I wonder if I met her, if she would be shy with me.’ 

“She’s very pretty! I wish I could have a pet, but it's just not the right time right now. ”

“Aah, hopefully you will be able to soon. What would you get?”

“Uummm, not sure. It would depend on the space I would have for them.” 

“Smart thinking! You wouldn't want to get a critter without being able to accommodate their space.” They say. Your stomach growls so loudly, you know that they heard it. 

“Sounds like someone is hungry. Would you like to join me at the restaurant down the street? I'm pretty hungry myself.” They ask you. 

“Sure, it wouldn't hurt to eat right now.” 

You both walk down the street, getting to know each other more. You think to yourself how you're enjoying your time with Teagan. They seem to like you, but you aren't sure if you'll see them again. 

Arriving at the restaurant, you are unsure what you want to get. There seems to be a bunch of options that you would like. You take a moment to think, nervous about holding up the line. Teagan suggests one of the options you had in mind, so you choose that one. 

“It will be $26.45.” The cashier says. Before you can protest against Teagan paying, they pay for it all. 

“Hey, I was going to pay my half! Now you have to eat with me again, and I'll pay.” 

“It's okay, darling. I've already got it. I wouldn't be opposed to getting to know you more.” They say, handing you your cup. 

You both fill up your cups with your desired drinks and sit down at a booth. Teagan puts the number on the front of the table, so the waiter can read it. 

‘It’s nice not to pay, but I just met them. I should be paying my half. Do they think I'm broke? Either way, I'm paying next time we go out. It seems like I will see them again. They even said it themselves. Hopefully they aren't a serial killer.’ 

“Since you were looking at the animals at the pet store, how would you feel about checking out this new zoo?” They ask you. A zoo does sound tempting. There should be a bunch of people there, too, just in case something goes south. 

“A new zoo? Is it in the area?” You inquire, your interest spiking. 

“Yeah, not too far from here. I think it's about 45 minutes? Give me your number and I can send you the link to the website.” You give them your number and start checking out the website. 

‘Seems like this is an actual new zoo. Good thing they aren't lying. I need to be less trusting of strangers. It could get me in trouble.’ 

You look through all of the animals they are featuring. They have the classic zoo animals, elephants, lions, tigers, giraffes, penguins, and some more unique ones. 

“When would you like to go? They have some of my favorite animals!” You exclaim, discovering more animals the zoo has. 

“I have an open schedule, so I'm free to go whenever you want to, darling. You don't have to decide today, you can text me when you want to go later.” 

“I'll give you a text tomorrow about it. Why the zoo?” 

“You lost your phone while you were looking at the animals in the pet store, so I figured the zoo would be right up your alley.”

‘That is true. I wouldn't mind going to the zoo again. It's been a while since I've been to one. I wonder if Teagan would enjoy it as much as me.’ 

Just in time, the waiter comes with the food. You both start eating your meals. You enjoy that you chose the one you did. 

“You like it, darling?” They ask, liking their meal as well. 

“Yeah, thanks for helping me make a decision and paying for it. You know you didn't have to do that, right?” 

‘It's almost like they knew exactly what I wanted to eat without me even knowing what I wanted. They probably have good intuition.’ 

“It's not a problem, darling. Like I said, I wanted to.” They say. 

Together, you finish your meals and make small talk about how your day was and how you are excited for the end of the week. Leaving the restaurant, you see it's dark out, so you decide it's time to go home. Teagan tells you to have a safe trip home and to let them know when you are home safe. You tell them that they will hear from you tomorrow and that you had a good time. 

As you take your way, you think about how you didn't know Teagan hours ago, but now you feel like you have a friend in them. Arriving home, you drop off all your belongings in their spots, you change into pajamas, and get ready for bed. Opening up your phone, you text Teagan. 

Hey, I'm home now. Thanks for paying for dinner again! I'll check my schedule in the morning, but I should be free this weekend for the zoo.

Teagan: It's no problem! I'll talk to you in the morning. Good night and sweet dreams. 

Good night and sweet dreams! 

You wake up to the sound of your alarm going off. You turn it off and look at the notifications you got overnight. You have the usual ones you see every morning, and a couple from Teagan. 

Teagan: Good morning, darling. How are you this 

morning?

Teagan: What are you up to today? 

Good morning. I’m okay, just woke up. I don’t have much to do today. I checked my schedule for this weekend, and I’m free to go!

Teagan: Works with me! We probably should leave early so that we can see the whole zoo. 

Okayyy! I’m fine to do that. 

As you continue your day, you and Teagan message more. Together learn more about each other, and you figure out that they have a passion for music. They can play piano and love listening to new music. They don’t really have a certain genre they listen to. They will listen to anything. You show them a couple of artists that you like. They already know some of them, and they listen to the others they don’t know. 

Days pass, and today is the day you meet up with Teagan again. You have been texting them ever since the day you ran into them, so you feel more comfortable with them now. You leave your home, heading to the location you agreed to meet up at. You arrive a little early and start to get anxious that they aren’t going to show. 

‘I am early, so they probably can show up any moment. I do hope that will show up. I haven’t spent much time around them, but I really enjoy their company. Hopefully I didn’t scare them away.’ 

You don’t hear their car approach you or Teagan get out of the car, so you are surprised when you hear their voice. 

“Hey there, darling. I didn’t expect you to arrive early. Are you excited to see the zoo?” You hear them behind you. 

“Oh, yeah! I’ve been looking forward to it all week.” You say, turning and looking at them. They are wearing dark academia clothes just like last time. This time, their outfit matches their dark blue eyes. Their hair is styled differently than last time, but still well taken care of. 

They approach you with their arms out, asking for a hug. You have a hard time remembering the last time you hugged someone, so you oblige. The hug feels warm and comforting, and when it ends, you can’t help but miss it. 

“I think we should head there, darling. Don’t wanna miss out on any of the animals.” They say. With that, you get into their car. Like Teagan, their car is well taken care of, not a speck of dust in sight. 

‘They must really like taking care of things. Their appearance is well coordinated, and their car is nice. I wonder what their home looks like. They must have it clean and organized. I wonder if I’ll ever see their home. I bet it has an aesthetic, and there’s a ton of music-related things everywhere.’

They turn on some music with their phone, and you recognize the music as one of the artists you recommended. The car ride isn’t too bad. Some of the music you recognize, others you don’t. You and Teagan talk about all sorts of things on the ride, and there are occasional breaks from the conversation. In these breaks of the conversation, you think about how excited you are to go out with Teagan at the zoo. You haven’t had the opportunity to hang out with friends recently, they tend to be free when you are busy and so on. You think about how this is a nice break from your everyday life. 

Once you see the gates of the zoo, you can’t handle your excitement. You try to remain calm, but you are just so hyped to get the day started. 

“Are you ready, darling?”

“Yeah, sorry. I know it’s weird for me to be this happy about being here. The truth is, I haven’t had the opportunity to be out with people in a while. So I have been looking forward to this since we started planning it.”

“Don’t apologize for that. You are excited, so you can be. Where would you like to go first?” They ask, parking the car. You think about it for a moment, not realizing that Teagan has gotten out of the car. They are now on your side and opening the door. You stand and get out of the car, and Teagan shuts the door after you. 

“I think I would like to see the penguins the most. However, according to the map, they are near the back. So we can make our way there and see everything on the way.” You say, walking with Teagan. The walk isn’t too far, but just far enough that you can hardly see where people are lining up to get tickets. Approaching the ticket line, Teagan pulls you over to a different line. Reading the sign above the line, you read ‘Season Pass Holders’. 

‘They did not do that, did they?’

“Teagan, did you get a season pass?” You ask them in disbelief. The line shortens to just one group in front of you. 

“I did not get a season pass. I got two, one for me and you.” They say, then greeting the worker who hands them two wristbands and a map. Teagan and you walk through the check-in area and officially are in the zoo. 

Teagan pulls you aside again, so that you both aren’t in the way of anyone. They put the wristband on your wrist, making sure that it’s not too tight or loose. You read the words on the wristband, realizing that it’s not only a season pass, but it also includes all of the rides and transportation. 

“I was supposed to pay for the tickets, not you! Why did you get season passes?” You ask them in disbelief again. 

“I wanted to make sure that we can come here again. I included the transportation so that we can easily get everything done in one day. I wouldn’t want you to get too tired walking around everywhere.” They respond, looking at the map they were given. 

“Looks like we can walk around here a little, then take a ride to the end of the park and walk around there too. There are some restaurants there too, so we can get some lunch there. Maybe at the end of the day we’ll get some ice cream. How does that sound, darling?"

Hearing the plan that Teagan created, you can’t help to anticipate that you will love your day with them. Finishing the day with ice cream felt like it was the cherry on top. The day couldn’t get any better. 

“Sure, captain, sounds like a good idea.” 

You spend the first part of your day with Teagan, looking at the animals near the front. Teagan lets you drag them from animal to animal, but makes sure you see all of them. They read you the fun facts occasionally. There aren’t many people, which is surprising because they have opened within the past year. 

Once you are done with the first half, it’s time to take a ride so you can continue your day. Teagan takes you to the line for a tram. You wait there with them for a few minutes until it is your turn to get on. 

‘I haven’t known Teagan for long, yet I can’t help but feel close to them. I hope they don’t think that is too weird. I wonder what I’ll do with them next time. Hopefully something more interesting for them than just this.’ 

“You know, I really like it here. I’m glad we have the season passes.” Teagan interrupts your train of thought. 

“Haha, I was just hoping that you liked it here. I didn’t think you liked it that much.”

“Oh, no, darling, I love being here with you. We will come here again for sure.”

The tram stops in front of your stop. You and Teagan show your wristbands to the worker and hop on the tram. It takes you around the zoo, and you point out some animals to Teagan. The longer you are on the tram, the more tired you start to feel. You power through, though, after all, they bought two season passes. 

“Are you ready to eat when we get off the tram? I think you might need some food in your system. I am a bit hungry myself.”

“Yeah, I guess I might be hungry. Are the restaurants nearby?” You ask them, eager for food. 

“There should be some right around where we get off. Might have to walk a little, though. Are you going to make it?” Teagan jokes with you. 

“I will perish if I don't get any food in the next 20 minutes.” You joke back. 

“Well, I don't think that will happen because the tram is almost at the stop now. Is there anything in particular that you want?”

“Ummm, maybe a slice of pizza? I guess they would have them here.”

Teagan looks at the map again, analyzing its contents. 

“Yeah, it should. It actually should be the closest restaurant, too. Good pick, darling,”

The tram arrives at the stop, and you both get off. Teagan leads you in the direction of the restaurant.

‘I have to be able to pay this time. Even if I have to sneak it right past them. They already know what I would like to eat, so all I have to do is pay attention and make sure that I pay before they can. Surely I'll be able to do that.’

Teagan puts in the order with the cashier. The cashier gives them the total, and you pull out your card. But before you can give it to the worker, Teagan blocks you from giving them your card. They show the worker their wristband, and the worker scans it. The payment amount disappears, and the worker hands Teagan two cups.

You stand there, confused as to what just happened. All you know is that Teagan is refusing to let you pay. They hand you your cup.  

“I paid for a meal plan in advance. There was no reason for you to pay.”

“Why won't you let me pay? It's not fair for you.” You retort, filling up your cup. 

“I do it because I want to, darling. Don't you like being taken care of?” 

‘Of course I don’t mind it. I just don't want to seem like I’m a freeloader. Right now, it’s starting to feel like that.’

“I just don't want you to think you have to pay for everything. I can pay for things too.” You say, sitting down at a table with them. 

“I see, darling. I didn't mean to make you feel like that. How about next time? We'll go somewhere else and I'll let you pay there.” Teagan compromises. 

“You better! Otherwise, I don't know if I'll see you again.” You try to jokingly challenge them. 

After the words leave your mouth, you start to regret them. You feel like it struck a bad chord with them. Teagan’s name is called out, and they leave you at the table to get the order.  

‘I didn't mean that. I meant it as a joke. I would hang out with them after that, maybe not when money is involved. I really hope they understand that. I should apologize to them when they get back.’

Before they can sit back down with the food, words are falling out of your mouth. 

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you upset. I want to hang out with you, even if you insist that you want to pay for everything. Please don't be upset with me.”

“Darling, it's okay. I'm not upset with you. I was just taken aback a little. I could never be upset with you!” They say, sitting down with the food. They ignore the food and comfort you. 

After a few moments, you feel better. They let you have some space and put your food in front of you. 

“Now, let's get some food in your tummy, okay? Then we can see the rest of the zoo.” 

As you eat, you think about how comforting it is to be around Teagan, despite the confusion you just went through. This further solidifies your thoughts about feeling close to them. 

Continuing to explore the zoo together, you hop from animal to animal. Teagan makes you slow down occasionally, so that you can spend more time with certain animals. Before you know it, you are back on the tram heading towards the gift shop and entrance gates. 

Once you are off the tram, Teagan suggests that you guys get ice cream that's near the gift shop. You get your favorite flavor, and Teagan pays with their wristband. This time, you don't protest against them paying. 

Finishing up the ice cream, Teagan suggests one last thing to do while at the zoo. They would like to go to the gift shop to pick something to remember the trip by. Walking through the gift shop, you suggest a stuffed animal of one you both have fun watching today. Teagan agrees with your idea and is quick to buy it. Little do you know, they just wanted to buy something for you. 

Leaving the zoo together, Teagan opens the door of the car for you to enter. Sitting down in the chair makes you feel so tired. The day has started to catch up with you. You don't fall asleep, you just feel more relaxed.

“If you would like, we can go to my house. I live nearby. You look a little sleepy. You could stay the night if you would like.” Teagan tells you when they get on their side. 

‘Maybe I am more sleepy than I think. I feel like I would be okay to go to their house. They haven't acted creepily towards me. I might be able to meet Ophelia, too. 

Teagan starts the car, but they don’t pull out of the parking space yet.

“That would be okay with me. If I stayed the night, I wouldn't have any clothes to wear.” 

“That shouldn't be a problem, darling. I have a room that you could use, and I have some spare clothes that you should be able to wear. How does that sound?”

“Are you sure that's okay? I hate to invade your personal space.”

“Darling, I invited you to my house. You wouldn't be invading.” They reason with you.

‘That is true, they invited me over. It's not like I invited myself.”

“Okay, I'll stay the night.”

“I'm glad to hear it, darling.”

The ride to Teagan's house isn't too bad. You leave the city area, and there are still homes around, but it's not as packed as a city. Teagan takes one final turn into a paved driveway. The house is a decent size, definitely matches the aesthetic Teagan has. Like everything else Teagan has, the house has been well-kept and renovated.

“I like being near the city, but not actually in it. It's too loud in the city, hard for me to focus.” Teagan says, parking the car at the end of the driveway. Like the time before, once they are out, they open the door for you. 

“Your house is so pretty. I bet you get that a lot.” They lead you inside the house and give you a tour. Walking in through the front door, you are met with a living room. The room looks just how you thought it would be. There's a piano in the corner, and the colors are all muted and dark. There's a fireplace; however, it's a realistic fake one. The kitchen is right beside the living room. The kitchen has the same color theme, but it's more modern. The bathroom is back through the living room and the office in the back. The office has more instruments and a collection of records alongside the workspace. 

Next, you go upstairs, and there’s Teagan’s room, looking just like you thought it would. After that, there is a spare room with a bathroom. There's another piano and more random music supplies. Teagan tells you that it's a storage room, but also a bit of an activity room. 

“Lastly, we have the room you are staying in. I don't have much in there now, but it will be decorated soon.” They open the door and let you walk through first. 

The room isn't as dark as the rest of the house. The lighter colors that cover the room make the room seem really bright. There's some furniture in the room: a bed, a nightstand with a lamp, a dresser, and a shelf. There's a closet as well, but it's closed. 

‘This room is really different from the rest. The whole house has dark grey, blue, or brown walls, but these are light gray. Compared to the rest of the house, it is basically empty of decor. Yet it still matches the vibe of the rest of the house. It feels warm and cozy.’

“How are you going to decorate this room?” You ask them, curious why this room is different. 

“I don't know yet. It will probably match the rest of the house, just in a lighter way.”

“I like it. You'll have to let me see it when it's done.”

“Will do, darling. Would you like to have some dinner? I'm getting a bit hungry.”

“I'm probably getting hungry too.”

You and Teagan go downstairs to the kitchen. Teagan refuses to let you help them cook, so you watch them organize and start the meal. 

‘I had a lot of fun today. I thought the cherry on top was having ice cream, but now I think it is being able to spend time here.’

“I had fun too, darling. I'm glad you are enjoying spending time here.” They say, cutting up more ingredients.

‘I didn't just say that out loud. Did I? I don't think I did. Did they just respond to my thoughts?’

Teagan pauses what they are doing and looks at you. 

“This was bound to happen eventually, darling. I have something to tell you.” They say, putting the knife down, putting a stop to the meal. 

‘They can't be hearing what I'm thinking, it's got to be something else.’ 

“I hate to break it to you, daring. But I can. I've been like this all my life. There's no stopping it from happening. I can hear what everyone thinks.”

“So you've heard everything I’ve thought when I'm near you?”

“Yes, I have. I live out here because of it. I don't mind hearing your thoughts, though.”

“Ummmm, okay?” You say as they continue making the meal. You stay quiet for a minute, thinking about the things they could have heard. They did reassure you after you thought about them not enjoying the zoo.

“Sometimes it's hard to tell if someone is thinking or speaking. That's why I accidentally responded to you just now. But before, when you were thinking about me like that, I had to make sure you knew I liked it there.”

“So, you've been like this your whole life?” You say, trying to act cool. 

“Yeah, as a kid, it was confusing and sometimes scary. I didn't understand why I could hear things other people didn't. I was quiet most of my life till I figured it out. It’s easier now to get along with people. It's also why I found you at the pet store. I heard you were thinking about your lost phone, so I found it for you.” They explain to you, putting a dish into the oven and setting a timer.

“Why not just let me find it?”

“I didn’t like seeing you upset like that. I knew after that, I couldn't let you be upset like that anymore. Which is why you can live here now, you can decorate your room however you'd like.” They say, walking out of the kitchen and up the steps. You follow them out of disbelief, wanting more answers. 

“Teagan, I can't live with you. I've-”

“You can call me mama and papa now. I don't care which, you can even switch between them.” They interrupt you. They lead you into the room they have deemed as yours. Going over to the drawers, they pull out some of their own comfortable clothes, giving them to you.  

“Papa?”

“Yes, you can call me that. It's only fitting that you call me that if I'm taking care of you. You can change into those clothes and meet me downstairs. I've got to check on the food.” With that, they close the door, letting you have some privacy to change. 

You stand there for a minute, thinking about what has happened since you got to the house. They can hear your thoughts, and they want you to live with them so they can take care of you. How are you supposed to leave if they can hear your thoughts regardless? You couldn't even attempt to plan any without them knowing. 

You end your thoughts because you can't do anything about it now, and don't want to figure out what will happen if you try to leave. So you change into their clothes and meet them downstairs. 

“Darling, the food has just gotten done. I'm glad you aren't trying to leave. I would be heartbroken if you were.” They say, placing food in front of you. 

You pick up the silverware, just trying to go with the flow and not make them upset. They sit beside you at the table. 

“Wait until we can decorate your room. We'll get whatever you'd like. We could also get you some toys and some activities. How would you like to have a desk too?”