Secrets Spencer Reid x Male OC

Chapter Seventeen

Warning(s): mentions of religion, deadnaming, transphobia, homophobia, damn Catholics

Words: 1139

Teddy was standing at the front porch of his childhood home, hearing the usual ruckus of kids coming from inside. Teddy had those parents who couldn't figure out how condoms or birth control worked (or thin walls for that matter) and loved babies enough to not care. They lived out in the middle of nowhere having a total of 2 bars of data at all times while not the only reason he hated his childhood home it was definitely one of the main reasons. 

The amount of internalized homophobia and transphobia Teddy had to deal with because of his family upset him the most. Not being able to come out until he had the means to move out if necessary (which was) and from his phone call with Tessa, he assumed they'd just brushed his coming out under the rug. His siblings were mostly fine, he was one of the older ones and was a babysitter for his younger siblings since he was 8.

Teddy reached under the matt found the spare key and let himself into the house, his father was sitting on the couch watching football. A stampede of what had to be six kids was running about the halls, ranging from the ages of four to ten if Teddy had to guess. He scanned the familiar home not seeing any changes from eleven years ago when he vowed never to come home but look how that turned out for him.

"Teddy? Is that you?" a voice called from the kitchen a voice Teddy recognized was Tessa's from the phone call. Teddy walked towards the kitchen and was shocked. Tessa was just a girl when Teddy left, a pang of guilt gripped Teddy's chest for abandoning her. did she remember anything about him? Did any of his siblings?

"Y-yeah that's me." Teddy choked out, not sure whether to hug her or not, deciding on a firm handshake.

"So glad you were able to make it, dad's been... less than helpful at keeping track of everyone."

"Good to know he hasn't changed. Have you visited mom today? Is she looking more like shit than usual?" Teddy noticed a jolt of surprise at Teddy swearing, was she still that much under her parent's thumb?

"Y-yeah I saw her earlier this week. It's probably too late to see her today but we can drive out to visit her tomorrow if you'd like."

"Good. I'd like to visit her once and if she doesn't die within the week I'm going home. No point coming back here for the funeral." 

"R-right, well you should say hi to dad I'm going to go put the kids to bed." She mumbled looking down as she exited the kitchen.

"Am I sleeping here or do I need to find a hotel!" Teddy called after her, raising his small bag of things for emphasis.

"Yes! We have a blow-up mattress set up for you in the living room- dad get your feet off Teddy's bed!" Tessa called from down the hall herding the small children to one of the three shared bedrooms for all the kids.

"Who's Teddy?!" The man called back not taking his feet off the blow-up mattress.

"You're son." Teddy responded, stepping into the man's line of vision and making his way over from the kitchen.

"I-I don't know you." He grunted after a few seconds of Teddy's best Hotch stare as he moved his feet off of the blow-up mattress.

"Jesus, you can't even remember all your kids. Is it from old age or after the 5th you just start to forget?" Teddy spat, starting to remember more and more why he doesn't talk to his family anymore.

"I will not have a stranger OR a child of mine walk into my home unannounced and disrespect me!" Teddy's father bellowed the muscles in his neck straining from his anger.

"And it's shit like this that keeps me from visiting! God forget this, I'm going back home." Teddy snapped making his way back towards the front door.

There was a rustling sound from behind Teddy and a gasp from Teddy's father, "Jane?" Teddy had never heard his father's voice so soft, so confused.

"My name is Theodore now father. Jane is dead." Teddy said, trying his best to be as emotionless as possible having his face turned away from his father.

There was a long pause between the two. each not wanting to be the first to speak. After what felt like too long Teddy's father let out a long sigh, "If... if I call you Teddy, if I call you my son, will you stay? Will you be there for your family for once?"

Teddy couldn't stop the tears anymore all he could think about was his siblings that he'd left behind. He knew his parents were dumb, he knew his father was being manipulative, but his siblings didn't deserve any of this. They didn't do anything wrong.

"Teddy... I don't speak for your mother but I want to love you, really I do. If you were just gay you'd still be welcome, you can have these thoughts. We can even work with this transgenderism problem of yours but you can't be acting on your problems like this. You've clearly had surgeries to go against the body god has blessed you with." Teddy's father tried reasoning, standing from the couch and making his way over to Teddy reaching his arms out for a hug.

He thinks he's right. He thinks he's doing the right thing and that he's not in the wrong. And that's somehow even worse than kicking me out.

"Don't hug me, please. I'm going to stay for the siblings. I want them to remember me for who I am, not lies that you've told them. Then I'm leaving again but before I do, I need you to know this. You can still love me, I'm not in the wrong about my identity, I never have been. It doesn't matter if I'm going against God or not, my decisions don't concern you anymore. You said yourself you don't love me so stop trying to change my mind. Just love me for the boy I am and don't let my soul after death concern you anymore, please."

It took a moment for either of the two men to move, Teddy's dad nodded his head wishing Teddy goodnight before going to bed himself. Teddy attempted to do the same, unable to fall asleep anxiety creeping at every cranny of his mind keeping him awake until 2 am fearing every hour closer to seeing his mom again.

A/N FOUR CHAPTERS IN ONE DAY LET'S GOOOOOO expect one maybe two chapters of Teddy with his family (honestly Teddy family time isn't the most fun to write) we're just going to ignore the fact that I accidentally uploaded my story plans instead of the actual chapter by accident and enjoy the crack I'm on to pump this much writing out

-blu <3