Chapter Text
Each morning felt like a video game reset after dying. It was like clockwork: at 8:00 am the sunlight shining through his blinds would move across his face, waking him up. He would wash his face and use the bathroom, eat whatever looked easiest in the fridge, and then go outside until his moms called him back for dinner, then stay up far too late to be healthy.
His bees were the first to notice something was wrong when he had shakily harvested the honey. Some of them had buzzed near his face, dropping bits of healing pollen as if his affliction could be cured by such. Unfortunately, wounds of the heart could not.
His guilt and regret of the last time he said anything to Pugsley weighed heavily on him, making him stay outside with his bees longer. He stayed awake watching every insect documentary, indie film, or anime, just to try to distract himself from his growing nervous of the next school year. He both longed for it to come sooner, so he could talk to his- to Pugsley again, and wished it would never come so he would never have to face his fears.
As the date of driving back to Nevermore for the next several months loomed closer and closer, the days seemed to blur together even more for Eugene, the only respite was the fact that he had to dig out his old uniform to make sure it fit, and wash it. Packing was easy; he shoved in his uniforms, some regular clothes, a couple pairs or shoes, and his toiletries. Oh, and of course his darling bugs.
* * *
“That’s everything, mum,” Eugene dusted his hands off, though they weren’t dirty. She leaned in close and pulled him into a hug.
“Ohh!!! I’m gonna miss you so much!!”
“Yeah and you better write to us more often, ya little nugget. I’m gonna miss you too hun,” his other mom joined in, squeezing her family tight.
Once everything was loaded, they took turns using the single bathroom one last time before they locked up carefully, doing one last once-around to make sure they hadn’t forgotten anything, and then packed into the Subaru. It was bursting to the gills, and yet everything that they shoved in last minute seemed to fit. It was like magic.
Eugene sat in the middle seat of the back, the small blue cooler on his left; he was in charge of snacks, a thick pillow between the two so he could sleep comfortably, and a few blankets to the right. His backpack stuffed with every entertainment he owned sat on the floor of the car, along with his mom’s bags and a few other things.
He watched out the window as they pulled out of their driveway, saying a silent goodbye to his neighborhood. The leaves had yet to start turning, and the vibrant greens all around him made him smile just a little bit.
It was the longest car drive he’d been in, not lasting long enough even though he couldn’t wait to see Pugsley. God, Eugene hoped he felt the same towards him. A lump formed in his throat as his mind began to play every wrong scenario that could happen. Mr. And Mrs. Addams could have pulled their children from Nevermore, he could have completely changed over the summer, he might hate him, he has to be disgusted by every weird thing Eugene does and is, like his frizzy hair that always sticks up and out. The braces that he’d had for years and years to come. His stupid obsession with bugs.
He turned into himself more and more, wrapping himself in his blanket and saying,
“I’m taking a nap,” even though he just didn’t want his mom’s seeing him so miserable like this. Tears welled in his eyes, cursing his mind for doing this to him; cursing Pugsley for being like a parasite in it, he could never get him out of his mind for long.
Pugsley
The drive up was torturous, although his sister had kept him entertained enough. Every time they came up to a signpost she would demand him to zap a different spot. Mistakes were not permitted. He was glad to be in his dorm alone, finally. Gomez and Morticia insisted on staying to help unpack, although they were about as much help as a flea, instead reminiscing about their time at Nevermore. His father told stories about everything, every major milestone to the tiniest details that he should’ve forgotten in the passage of time. Somehow he hadn’t.
Pugsley loved his family, but there was only so much socialization he could stomach before he began to disassociate. He lay on his hard bed, eyes closed, arms and legs spread as if he was going to do a snowman. The hard mattress creaked beneath him every time he moved the slightest inch, making him flinch. He could hear some squirrels outside playing or fighting, he couldn’t tell. Time passing didn’t matter to him, but he noticed the sun slowly going behind the forest. It was dusk when the door handle rattled and swung open to reveal a tired looking Eugene and his two moms.
Propping himself up on his elbows, he glanced at the trio. Plastering his signature grin on his face, he walked over to greet his friend, who currently had a slightly starstruck expression painted across his features. As if they could read Pugsley’s mind, Sue and Janet quietly excused themselves, saying they just wanted to drop by before going to the bathroom. It had been a long drive.
Now alone, Pugsley drew close, glancing down as he heard the thud of Eugene’s bags being dropped.
“Hey..” he shoved his hands in his pockets, not sure why the air between them felt so awkward. Pugsley could’ve swore he heard don’t hate me, but it was so quiet and he didn’t have time to process it before Eugene’s thin frame was pressed against his, arms around his shoulders as his face was turned into his chest. He was frozen for a moment, shocked at his boldness: it was very uncharacteristic for his friend. A nice tingle went up from the base of his stomach, burbling up into a mumbled,
“Fuck, I missed you,”
Slowly snaking his arms around Eugene’s waist, he noticed how he seemed to sigh and sink just a bit further into his embrace, his taller frame slightly engulfing the other boy. He buried his face in the crook of Eugene’s neck, his senses full of the chemical scent of conditioner covering his natural musk. He smelled of honey and dirt, stale cloth and the tang of cedar. It was intoxicating to him, he could smell it forever and he would never tire.
All meaning of time and place seemed to fade into nothing, the sweet embrace of the two making them feel like they were home. He thought he remembered Eugene’s moms stopping by at some point, but he was too drunk off the cocktail off chemicals swirling in his body like the hardest drug he’d ever take. It was like the two of them would never feel the joy of human contact again, holding each other so tight they thought they might cut off circulation. Neither would give a fuck if they passed out.
When they finally separated, each hot and flushed from being so close to another person for so long, their arms became lax and drooped around each other. All of a sudden, Eugene tensed and skittered away without even an attempt at an excuse, locking himself in the bathroom attached to their dorm. Pugsley stepped back in shock, glancing over to the door of the bathroom. It seemed to be taunting him in its old, magical secret-filled essence. Slowly walking over to the door, he softly knocked on the wood.
“Eugene…? Are you okay?” He asked, voice hesitant. Eugene replied, the noise sounding like it was forced to be even and failing somewhat,
“Yeah! I’m totally fine! All good! Just had to go to the..bathroom?” Pugsley sighed, turning and sitting with his back against the door. As he leaned his head behind him, the sudden contact with the door made a soft thud.
“I’m sorry Eugene. Perhaps I was too exuberant in my excitement to see you,”
A few long moments later, heard the sink run and a slap- he recognized it as Eugene probably washing his face. The sink turned off and he heard shuffling, then,
“C-can you m-move…? You-you’re blocking- blocking the door,” only being slightly muffled by the closed door between the two teenagers. Pugsley grunted softly as he got up, standing back a foot or so as the door swung open, revealing a still flushed Eugene, now with little droplets of water splashed over his face. An unsettling silence washed over them, each wanting to say something, do something, do anything and yet not.
Pugsley moved first, shoving his hands in his pockets and sitting heavily on his bed, falling back which a whump. He lay an arm over his eyes as if there was a source of light in the room that would make such an action necessary. The only light in the room was the silvery light of the waxing moon shining through the trees and buildings around their window. The light in the hallway had been turned off, the space between the door and the floor blinking up like a black abyss where monsters and the like lurked.
“Eugene, did I do something wrong? I’m sorry if I did…” Pugsley’s quiet voice came, muffled by his sweatshirt half over his mouth. He sat up, propping his arms behind him. Eugene thought he looked like a kicked puppy, sighing lightly as he shuffled over to the bed, sitting down beside his friend.
“I-I just… I got freaked out. Not by you, though. I think,” Eugene’s voice cut through the silence like brown glass slicing through skin, ripped but cut cleanly. Pugsley waited, weighing his words before speaking,
“So is it alright if I hug you?” By a response, Eugene let his weight fall onto Pugsley’s solid body, his head lolling on his collarbone.
“Is that a yes?” Pugsley asked, chuckling to himself as he reached for one of Eugene’s hands. He nodded.
A quiet yawn from Pugsley broke their soft revelry.
“Guess we should probably go to bed, huh?” Eugene said as he began to untangle himself from Pugsley. His grip only became that much tighter, though.
“Pugs… I need to go to my bed, and change too. I don’t wanna go to sleep in fuckin’ jeans,” Pugsley groaned, letting him go after a moment of contemplation. Eugene stood, stretching his arms above him, his shoulder popping quietly. He moved to his suitcase, rifling through it until he found what he was looking for. Glancing back, he said,
“Don’t look…” before dropping his pants and quickly changing into a pair of fleecy sweatpants. He grabbed the back of his shirt hem, yanking it above his head as he then shoved a hoodie on. Crossing the room again, he slowed as he got closer to Pugsley’s bed, looking like he wanted to say something but yet again, not being able to find the words. Finally, he mumbled a goodnight, turning to go to his own bed when a warm hand closed around his wrist. He startled, tugging his hand back but failing miserably as pugsley pulled him closer to his bed.
“Just sleep here…” came the mumbled voice of Pugsley. Eugene started to refute, but Pugsley simply pulled him down pinning him in a startlingly warm embrace. One of Pugsley’s arms found its way under Eugene, the other lying comfortably over his waist. After the two settled, each wriggling around until he found his own comfort, Eugene murmured against Pugsley,
“This feels threatening…” to which he responded,
“This is a threat. I’m gonna cuddle you every night from now on….”
A quiet oh graced their ears, the gentle night and the warm embrace of the friend each wanted to be more lulling them to sleep. They felt safe in each other’s arms, a rare feeling given their history. Just as they were being pulled to the world of the unconscious, they whispered,
“I love you…”
“Te quiero, caro mío…”