#theodore oc

“Theodore,” a warm whisper breezed past Theodore, as illusive as the wind. Theodore, trying to follow the voice, turned around frantically in the golden wheat field he - for some reason - stood in. Unremorsefully, the sun blazed in all of its glory, making everything further than five feet melt away in light, and yet Theodore still tried to scout out the location of the whisper.

“Theodore…” the voice came again, closer this time. Desperately, Theodore ran in the direction it sounded like it came from, sweat dripping down his back, throat tight with - with hope? What was he hoping for? 

Those thoughts were completely halted when a face came into view. It was a woman, tall and poised with olive skin, lips delicately painted in an all too familiar peach-pink and quirked up. Her wild hair framed her jaw as she looked down into the bundle of white she cradled to her chest.

Oh.

He knew this woman, alright. 

“Mary,” he breathed reverently as if She were his God. And, in all honesty, She was. The cruel sun burned hot behind Her creating a false halo for Her head that Theodore would eagerly bow down before like a dog to its master. “My Mary.” 

He staggered forward, eyes wide with emotion he couldn’t bare to describe.

A little giggle coming from below paused Theodore in his pursuit. Mary lifted Her hands, guiding the white fabric away, revealing the face of a smiling child and Theodore could practically feel his heart in his throat. Beating. Bringing him back to life.

Mary pressed their child into Theodore’s shaky hands, pulling back and seeing Theodore’s wobbly smile as he looked between their child and Her. She smiled, all too carefree.

Suddenly, Theodore's eyes snapped down. A red curséd spot marred the crotch of Mary’s pristine dress. Theodore felt his heart pound in his throat once more, now, for a completely different reason. It couldn't be... He pleaded.

Confused, Mary paused, bringing a now pale hand to Her stomach, clutching it. A pained sound left those lips he cherished.

With growing panic, Theodore watched as the crimson spread across Mary’s dress, the sound of screaming ringing through the fields. 

“MARY!” Theodore cried, despair drowning him.

He looked down at the bundle in his hands, only to see dust blow away with one gust of wind despite his desperate hold.

Theodore jolted upwards, unable to breathe. He wrangled his hands around his throat, trying to suppress the scream clawing its way up his throat, and squeezed. Squeezed until he felt weak, then relished the sting around his released throat.

Hot tears poured shamelessly down his face and Theodore dropped back onto his too-big-for-one bed. Instinctively, he twisted the golden band around his ring finger, watching it sparkle in the moonlight with beady eyes.

Dazed, Theodore fumbled out of bed to his feet, stalking down the halls in the dark, searching, searching, searching. Where was she? His heart begged. Where was their child? His heart longed, only to fins himself frozen before the door of Jace's room, hand hovering over the handle. He steeled his heart and turned the knob.

Shakily, Theodore cracked the door open, heart tight as though preparing for the worst, already expecting to see Jace crumble to dust before his eyes, just like his child did in his dream.

He pushed the door open.

Theodore’s heart lightened, a trembling smile breaking out across his face.

Jace was here. Fast asleep. Safe. He crept towards his bed, crawling onto it before slumping lifeless beside Jace. He wrapped his arms around Jace, tucking his head under Jace’s chin, feeling blood pump under skin ritualistically. 

He’s alive, he’s alive, he’s alive. 

Theodore’s face - still wet with tears - twisted in broken relief. 

Pressing a kiss to Jace’s throat, Theodore rasped out, eyes feral and red, “Forgive me, Mary."

He hiccuped, “I won't fail this time.”

—-

Jace woke up, slowly, as if consciousness was sand between his fingers that he had to grip tightly to hold on to. Darkness enveloped him in a tight embrace, and he had to blink multiple times before a clear image formed in front of him. 

What happened? Groaning, Jace tried to pull his hands up to rub the sleep out of his eyes. His hands didn't—couldn't—move. 

With that, the memories of last night came flooding in: the mugging, the car ride, the dinner, all leading up to Jace collapsing in Theodore's embrace. Panic consumed him, washing over him in giant waves. Head shooting up, Jace swirling around to get his bearings. 

He was in a basement. Dusty cement floors and walls surrounded him. There was only one window—not nearly wide enough for Jace to crawl through. Stray particles of dust floating through the air caught and scattered the slim light that managed to escape through the window. And there were boxes. Lots of them, all cardboard, all varying sizes. They were on top of each other precariously, as if they'd simply been tossed into place and left to sort themselves out. Out of the corner of his eye, Jace spotted a pastel blue baby rocker. It was covered in a thick layer of dust.

In the middle of it all, Jace was stuck in a flimsy plastic chair, hands tapped together behind the back. His chest felt tight, struggling to breath under the weight of the all-consuming dread. Theodore had drugged him. Theodore had kidnapped him. 

Fuck. 

He should've listened to his instincts, should've chosen jail over this. At least jail was a predictable environment with a predictable jailer. Now, he was locked away in a basement, god knows where, with a man going to do god knows what to him. Theodore had seemed normal enough, but then again there were those moments he would just… stare at him. With that strange look in his eyes…. 

Jace certainly wasn't staying around to find out what Theodore planned to do with him. Squirming, Jace couldn't help but grunt as he tried to break the duck-tape around his wrists, the tape biting into his skin. 

Suddenly, the door swung open, momentarily blinding Jace all over again. Standing atop the stairs leading to the basement, Theodore was now dressed in what looked like a sleep shirt and a pair of sweatpants, hair mused with sleep. Briefly, his eyes widened as he watched Jace hiss and tuck his head against his shoulder, shrinking from the sudden light."O—Oh! Jace, you're awake!" The stairs creaked as Theodore rushed downstairs, hands reaching out as if to pet him. 

Nearly knocking himself, Jace tried to wrench out of the way, snarling out a panicked "G—Get away from me!" 

Theodore froze. The younger man glared up at him, shaking like a wet dog, and Theodore's eyebrows furrowed. "Jace… Please don't be scared. I—I know this must all be a bit disorienting, but… can't you see? This—us—we were meant to be!" Nervously, Theodore stood back from Jace, wrangling his hands in front of him as Jace practically dry-heaved.  "You kidnapped me…" Jace muttered in shock, brows furrowed, eyes staring at the pair of slippers Theodore was wearing. The childish star print on them seemed out of place given the current circumstance—too domestic, too innocent. "You fucking kidnapped me…"

Theodore's face twisted into something uncomfortable—a mix of shame, guilt, and violent need. "Don't say that, please don't say that," Theodore begged, "J—just think about it as a surprise adoption! That… That sounds more positive, right?"

"You kidnapped me!" Jace roared, denial and disbelief evaporating as rage took over. "Let. me. GO!" Jace renewed his efforts, squirming in his seat, hissing and grunting out curse words as the chair scraped back and forth against the concrete floor. "Fucker!"

The older man stuttered back two paces, staring with growing bewilderment and worry as Jace thrashed around like a feral cat. "I—I'll give you a moment to process…" he decided, voice hesitant. "I… I'll be back with breakfast!" Theodore practically bolted up the stairs, wincing as the sound of cursing followed him upstairs even after he closed the door shut. It was a good thing he didn't have any neighbours…

Glaring at the closed door, Jace blew the hair out of his face and continued trying to wrench his hands out of the tape's vicious hold. 

The chair creaked louder in warning. 

Jace's eyes widened as the chair began to tip over. Yelping, he crashed down onto the floor, smashing the chair into pieces. Jace rolled onto his stomach with a groan as pain pulsed through his wrists angrily. "Fuck…" Jace grunted. His hands were still stuck in the duck-tape behind him. Crawling into a kneeling position, he used his shoulders to lever himself upright. Then, gritting his teeth, he swung his bound hands beneath his legs and shifted them around to his front.

Ignoring how his body protested, Jace forced himself to dash up the stairs. His fingers scrambled for purchase against the wall, and he couldn't help but let out a hiss when the stairs creaked upon his ascent. Finally, he lunged forward for the doorknob. 

His heart dropped to his stomach. 

It was locked.

"Jace!" Theodore's muffled voice rang out causing Jace to tense up at the sound of thunderous footsteps nearing the basement door. "What's going on down there?" 

Pressing himself to the wall beside the basement door, Jace held his breath, waiting for Theodore to come rushing in. 

"Jace!" Theodore began, swinging the door open with one hand while the other clutched a food tray."Did you fall—!" Theodore grunted as something hard rammed into him. The tray holding plates crashed down with him as Jace scurried up and over him. "Jace!" Theodore yelled out once more, desperately reaching to grab a stray flailing limb, only to be kicked in the face by Jace's scampering foot. 

Clutching his nose, Theodore stared wide-eyed as Jace hurried down the hall. Hot blood streamed over his lip and pooled between his teeth, filling his mouth with a rotten iron taste. 

With a curse, Theodore followed in pursuit.

---

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