Chapter Text
Teddy felt his heart drop, his face paling. His throat tightened. His eyes widened. His heart felt like it had been pierced.
“I- Wh-What..?”
Deacon looked down at the ground, his hands clenching into fists.
“I'm sorry, I'm not-” He paused, taking a deep breath. “Teddy, you're a good guy…I'm just…I like you. I really do. Just not in that way…”
He felt like his world had collapsed. Like the sun had blown up. Like the only light in this dark had been smothered. What other way was there to describe heartbreak? He felt like shattered glass. Broken, vulnerable.
He shook it off, giving a weak smile as he spoke, his voice slightly shaking. “Y-Yeah, that's fine…I understand.”
__
The rest of the story went by slow and painful. Quiet walks, one word replies…
Once Teddy had woken Chase, he finally felt a sense of some happiness as the end of the story grew nearer. At least then he could go home and release his emotions…
Chase seemed to sense the tense atmosphere, but decided against commenting about it, thinking that would just make it worse.
The three eventually finished the book, reappearing in Chase's bedroom. Teddy sighed, looking down at Goldie.
“So, you ready to go back home, Goldie…?” Teddy gave a weak smile, the little golden man seeming to sense Teddy's hidden eagerness to escape and nodded.
Teddy nodded, holding his hand out for Goldie, Goldie hopping up onto it as Teddy gently set him in his shirt pocket. Teddy stood, walking out of the silent room and making his way downstairs.
How idiotic of him.
Spilling his heart out and just expecting Deacon - the loveable, cute, smart, oh so adorable nerd he loved with all his heart - to feel the same.
It was stupid. No,
He was stupid.
Teddy held back tears during the drive home, parking his car in the driveway, barely managing to gently put Goldie down before collapsing into his bed, unable to stop the undeniable sound of sobs filling the air as his phone dinged. He didn't bother to pick it up. What use would it be? He'd probably end up spilling his heart out again.
__
He sighed, setting his phone down as he looked at Bronze.
“He hasn't responded yet…I'm worried.” Deacon bit his bottom lip.
Bronze sighed, looking up at Deacon.
“Well, what did you say?”
“I just told him he was a good guy I just couldn't- I wasn't-” Deacon paused, taking a deep breath. “I told him he was a good guy and that I just didn't like him that way…” He took another deep breath, his voice slightly shaking. “I can't help but feel like I did something wrong…”
Bronze shook his head, stepping forward on the window sill of the attic once more.
“You told him how you felt. You did your part. You're your own person. Now let it be.”
Deacon paused, nodding slightly. It was for the better…right? Yeah. He shouldn't feel bad. He's his own person, he should deserve to act as such.
…
And yet he still felt as if he was in the wrong.