Chapter Text
Theo's eyes wandered around the party in hopes of searching for a blue eyed, brown haired, small beta. He'd heard through the grape vine that some seniors would be at this exact house for a party tonight, and where Liam went Theo 'magically' appeared.
Of course, his behaviour tended to be a little 'stalkerish' but, for a reason Theo didn't quite understand, he wanted to be near him. He wanted to protect him wherever and whenever possible. He blamed it partially on the guilt he had felt ever since he carried out his villainous plan to kill Scott and then eventually defeat Liam. It was something he could never quite let go of, despite earning both of their forgiveness. But Theo knew they would never truly forget, so he guessed protecting Scott's little beta was the best he could do.
Homeless Theo didn't have much to give apart from offering protection, which he was completely sure nobody needed from him. How could anybody really trust him to protect others if he started out harming innocent teenagers?
A familiar, and oddly comforting, scent wafted up Theo's nose, causing his posture to perk up and for him to start rapidly scanning the bustling intoxicated crowd of young adults who were either swaying back and forth in a daze or grinding vigourously against one another, much to Theo's disgust. His chest tightened. He hoped Liam wasn't in that crowd.
Looking at Theo's own drink, he narrowed his eyes at the half empty red beer cup and rubbed his forehead in bewilderment. What was in that drink again? The same scent greeted his nose and his eyes darted over to the corner of the room where the pool table was.
A group of teens were chanting at a young guy who steadily lined up his cue stick at a tricky angle on the green velvet.
"Go on, Liam!" A girl with silky brunette hair encouraged, caressing the player's shoulder blades.
Wiping his eyes, Theo zeroed in on the girl and Liam, gripping the red cup to the point where it was crinkling under his strong grip. He was sure that he knew all of Liam's friends so just who was this girl? Pressing a firm hand on his squeezing chest, Theo slammed the cup down onto the nearest table, the drink sloshing about at the heavy movement.
Storming closer to the scene, he watched Liam take his shot and what a shot it was because the whole team cheered loudly. The girl seemed especially happy, deciding to land a sloppy, pink kiss on his flushed cheek and leaving an unflattering glossy stain.
"Hey, uh, Theo," a confused voice said behind him.
Ripping his eyes away from the scene in front of him, Theo twisted his head around to see a perplexed Mason standing behind him with two cups in his hands.
"Hi," Theo blankly said, staring him down.
"Since when do you go to parties? And especially parties thrown by seniors?" Mason questioned, tilting his head.
"I don't," Theo replied before looking around him.
"Okay..." Mason trailed off letting out a small uncomfortable chuckle before shaking his head and strolling straight past him.
Pondering on what Mason said, Theo looked back at Liam and his group of friends. The tanned brunette with long legs flicked her hair behind her shoulders and settled on one of the grey sofas in front of the pool table. Curling her long painted nails at Liam, she beckoned him over and, like a puppy, he followed suit.
The girl shared the same features as his ex-girlfriend Hayden. The beta clearly had a type. Beautiful brunettes.
Sighing, Theo took one last look at the couple and stumbled out of the house.
It was now way past midnight and Theo was attempting to sleep, the same silence flowing over him. Theo had become accustomed to the familiar silence. The kind of silence that lingered in the air, settled upon your skin and dug up insecurities you thought you'd buried deep enough to forget.
Theo shifted under his tattered blanket, shuddering at a cold breeze that seeped through from outside.
The silence was inescapable. The unbroken, low hum spread deeper than just lingering in the uncomfortable air. He felt it in places he hadn't really thought about (iron pride usually stood in the way of this region). But now, alone and squished in a car, he felt it more than ever; he felt it in his core.
The way his chest would tug at random points in the day and how his eyes would brim over with a warm prickly liquid, uncommon for a power hungry Chimera like him. Rare for a "perfect evil".
Deep loneliness subsided in his heart. Whether he realised it or not.
Blowing out air between his cracked, parted lips, Theo sat up and looked out the window. He had repeatedly looked out these same windows, thinking about his next step or deciding what move to play. But this time, his thoughts weren't so calculated.
Theo wondered if there was anyone out there who could see past his mistakes and forgive him. Maybe even see a human being worth loving.
Love.
Such an unknown feeling for Theo. Too absent in the life of a kid who'd been exposed to and raised in harsh conditions.
Could someone be capable of loving a guy broken beyond repair? And if so, would they stay on their own accord?
Theo shook his head, responding to his own questions. He'd screwed up any chance of forgiveness let alone the possibility of experiencing unconditional love.
And maybe he deserved it. Because everyone knew villains weren't to be trusted. With a heavy heart and weary eyes, he returned to his original position: curled under a thin blanket- cold and lonely.