Chapter Text
“Well, Teddy. It’s time.”
“Yes, Felix. It is.”
“You’re probably surprised to learn that this hole isn’t for Ozzy, it’s for you!”
“Yeah, yeah. Quit your monologuing.”
“Excuse me?”
“No... no, I don’t think I will.”
“Okay, Mr. Moneybags. Into the hole with you.”
“What?! No, no, no! I will not being going into that hole! Teddy! Can’t we talk about this?”
“My name is Theodore.”
“NOOOOOOOOOOO-“
Felix woke up with a start, cold sweat running down his face. He clenched his eyes shut, trying his best to remember the breathing exercises he had been taught for dealing with stress. Finally, when his breath had steadied out, he opened his eyes. It was still dark, the light of the moon seeping in from behind his curtains. Ever since he lost his chance to execute his plan due to the closure of the elementary school, he found himself suffering from the same nightmare nearly every night. Felix gritted his teeth. He hated the idea that his paranoia was getting the better of him.
Felix glanced at the door that led to the bathroom that the twins shared. Through there was Teddy’s room. He was right there, only a couple doors separating the two. Felix felt a small shiver run down his spine and grimaced. He laid back down, attempting to fall back asleep. Against his wishes, his thoughts refused to quiet themselves.
He resents you. He acts like he doesn’t, but he has to. He’d do anything to prove himself. He’d do anything to have what you do. The inheritance. Father’s respect. Father’s love. He says he loves you, but he’ll turn on you in an instant for his own gain. That’s what father taught you, after all. No hesitation. Hesitation is for losers. Losers are worthless. You hesitated, and you lost your opportunity. What would father say? Worthless people deserve to die. Teddy is worthless. You’re worthless. Teddy can kill you. Teddy will kill you. Can you kill Teddy? Or are you too weak? Weakness is worthless. Worthless, worthless, worthless, worthless, worthless-
“I am not worthless,” Felix whispered under his breath, “I am the rightful heir to Applesoft. I’ll prove it. I’ll prove it to everybody.”
The voices in his head ceased, for the moment. Felix fell back into a fitful, uneasy sleep. The nightmare didn’t visit him again that night, but he knew it would be back. It would keep coming back until Felix succeeded in his mission or died trying. He had to act fast. No hesitation.
In just the next room, Theodore was wide awake. Being alone in the dark scared him. His mother had gotten him a nightlight, but his father scoffed at his weakness and took it away. He was too afraid to ask for it back. Ted wished he could stay with Felix. Sure, his brother would probably make fun of him, but it would be worth it in Ted’s opinion.
The darkness had been feeling more suffocating than usual. He couldn’t sleep, so he spent his nights watching out for anything lurking in the shadows. Ted had a lot of time to think, at night. He thought about a lot of things. Most of it had to do with his family.
It was no secret that their father favored Felix over him. He didn’t really get why, but that was how it was. For some reason, father didn’t think he was worthy. He barely even let Ted try.
Ted remembered his old teacher, Ms. Bea. Before the new students came in and their teacher took over, Ms. Bea had been in charge of his class. One day, during morning time, she noticed Ted reading a book he brought from home. She helped him with some of the parts he was having trouble understanding. He didn’t think much of it, at first. But then, during lunch, he overheard something that really stuck with him.
Ted had just finished his lunch when he realized he needed to use the restroom. As he made his way through the hall, he heard a loud voice coming from upstairs. He couldn’t make out most of the words, but he could’ve sworn he heard his name mixed in. Against his better judgement, he quietly snuck towards the source of the noise. He found himself in front of the principal’s office, the door conveniently left ajar.
“-won’t you even consider it? It isn’t just his reading level. Theodore is just as intelligent as any of the students in Danner’s class. I just know he would thrive there.” The conviction in Ms. Bea’s voice was clear and strong. Ted could hardly believe it was directed at him.
The principal sighed. “Mr. Huxley made it very clear that his sons were to be in separate classes. I can’t transfer Theodore into the accelerated course without directly defying his wishes. I appreciate how much you care about your students, but this isn’t a fight you’re going to win.”
Of course father had denied him a chance to be in the smart class. It was just like everything else his father denied him. His father even denied him his own brother. Ted wasn’t stupid. He knew Felix mistreated him. But he also knew that was the way father had taught him. Ted loved Felix. He wasn’t going to blame him.
That being said, Ted wished things could be better. He wanted to prove that he was worth everything his father had ever tried to keep from him. Maybe he could never be as good as Felix, but he could at least be something his family would be proud of. He wasn’t stupid. He just had to work harder.
You can do this, he thought, as he finally drifted into sleep.