Chapter Text
“You can’t be serious.” Your gaze follows the short, grayscale psychopath as she continues down the path.
“You should know by now that I’m not one to joke.” She says flatly. At this point you’re lagging behind her as you struggle to process what she had asked of you.
“There’s genuinely no way. Did you hear me? There’s no way,” You call out to Wednesday, but she chooses to ignore you.
“Hey! I’m talking to you!”
Wednesday continues down the path blissfully oblivious to your words. You stop in your tracks as you realize you’re not being heard. Who does this girl think she is? She can’t just boss people around and then ignore them when they question her. By now she has also stopped, but has yet to turn around and face you.
“You asked for my help. You’re the one who came to me, so if you want my help then walk me through the plan more.” Your voice started out strong, but slowly it came out weak and quiet towards the end. The sootful girl carefully turns on her heel as you prepare for her to snap at you. Her blank stare sends shivers down your spine. She slowly steps towards you and her glare narrows. The dark irises of her soulless eyes peer into your vigorous ones, but for once you hold your ground. Wednesday’s feet come to a stop, as she is now inches from you.
“We are going to go to Xavier’s art studio, then you are going to break in and steal any item with traces of DNA. While you’re at it, take anything that might seem incriminating.” Wednesday turns back around and continues walking.
“‘Might seem?’” You squint your eyes towards the girl as she hides behind a tree. You step closer to her to look past her boney shoulder. That’s when you see a gray-ish blue shed that seems to have seen better days. Wednesday holds out her arm to block you from going any further.
“Any other questions?” Her emotionless voice cuts through the silence.
“What if he catches me? Do you have a way to get me out of there without harm? I don’t want him to hate me for snooping either.” Your worried eyes catch the sides of her calm ones. Wednesday doesn’t meet your gaze, but rather continues staring at the shed.
“I’ll think of something.” She puts her hand in the air and signals with two fingers telling you to “move out.”
You wobbly walk down the uneven path right up to the shed doors. Unsure of the plan, if you could even call it that, you look side to side and behind you. Wednesday was no longer where you had left her. Compared to your loud leaf crunching footsteps, hers were silent. Shakily, you reach for the handle and open the rotting wooden door. You step inside and immediately you’re hit with the smell of paint and mildew. Your eyes widen as you take in the amount of canvases and drawings that are on display. Except the shocking thing wasn't the quantity of art, it was the subject. Everywhere you look you're met with giant bulging eyes, distorted bodies, and long claws sharp enough to cut metal. This has to be that creature that Wednesday kept mentioning, but how would Xavier know what it looks like? Well, this is incriminating enough. You look around for any small pieces done of the creature and once you've found one you fold it up and put it in your pocket. Now for something with DNA on it. You shyly look around the cluttered shed before you eyes land upon a small trash can. Just as you bend down and grab what seems to be a cloth with dried blood on it, you hear footsteps approach. Quickly, you're on your feet, facing the door, and your hands are both shoved into your pockets. The door opens and in walks the man himself, Xavier. Your eyes meet and you can tell he's both confused and embarrassed.
"What- what are you doing in here?" Before you can answer the door opens once more, shedding light into the dimly lit studio.
Wednesday walks in and calls out your name, "I found you. Meaning the score is tied."
You give her a strange look before you catch on.
"Oh darn! Guess we'll have to have a tie breaker. You hide next!" You sheepishly look from the short, colorless girl to the tall, long haired boy, "I'd invite you to join, but then we'd have to start all over."
A clueless look replaced the angry one Xavier had displayed just before. He looks between the both of you and then to his paintings. You glance towards Wednesday who's now taking in the countless images of the creature.
This is awkward.
"So... you guys are playing hide n seek?" Xavier questions.
"Yes." You and Wednesday say in unison.
"I didn't take you as the type to play such childish games, Wednesday." Ouch, does that mean he thinks you're childish?
"It's very stimulating." She says back, blankly.
"Plus, it can get pretty competitive. Thing was playing with us, but he got tired of winning. It's just so hard to find him when he fits in every small crevice." You can feel yourself rambling and Wednesday glares at you as if to say she agrees, you're babbling.
"You're quite the artist, Xavier. How do you know what the monster looks like?" Wednesday stares deeply into Xavier's eyes. He begins to become uncomfortable.
"I think it's time you two get going." He steps aside giving us a straight path to the door.
"Or are these self portraits." Wednesday continues pushing it and you stare shockingly at her. Xavier's stunned and it takes him a second to open his mouth to say something, but you cut him off.
"Okay, yeah we should get going. Sorry for invading your privacy. Come on, Wednesday." You say that last part with gritted teeth.
"Are you implying that I'm the monster?"
"She doesn't know what she's implying!" You awkwardly laugh and tug on Wednesday's sleeve, but it's no use, her feet are glued in place.
"Maybe I am." She's as cool as a cucumber, which sends some chills down your spine.
"You think I would murder people? Murder my own roommate?" Xavier's tone shifted to a deeper, more angry one.
"No! Wednesday, let's go!" You desperately try again.
"Maybe I do."
"Get out!" Xavier yells and fiercely points to the door of the shed. This makes you flinch a bit, as opposed to Wednesday who is unfazed.
Finally, her feet start moving as she makes her way outside, you follow in pursuit. You turn back to grab the door when your eyes met with his. He looks like a wounded puppy as he stares back at you. You mouth the words "I'm sorry," as you close the door.
Immediately, you're pulled quickly back up the trail and dragged behind a tree. You're met with Wednesday's dark eyes as you realize how quickly you guys managed to get away from the studio.
"What did you find?" She speaks quietly.
"You almost tripped me. Also, what were you thinking questioning Xavier like that? If he is this murderous monster then you could've gotten us killed." You take a deep breath in as you search your pockets for the evidence.
"I trusted you could run fast if that happened." She says unassumingly.
"You seriously have no clue what you're doing. You act so smart yet you can barely come up with a good plan that doesn't involve us arguing with a potential killer. Here." You hold out your hand as you give her the drawing of the creature.
"This is great, but what about the DNA sample? I doubt we could get that from a drawing,"
"Oh yeah," You search your other pocket for the cloth, but instead you're met with it's absence, "Um I swear I had it. I must've dropped it on the trail while you were dragging me."
"Well go get it back, and meet me back in my dorm." Wednesday begins to turn around, but you grab onto her sleeve.
"Wait, you're gonna make me go back there alone? What if he's outside or something?" You're now at a hushed tone, anxious that someone could hear you.
Wednesday sighs as she turns back around, "Fine. But, I'm only going to act as a look out."
As you guys spent a few minutes looking up and down the path it soon dawns on you that the cloth isn't here. You look over at Wednesday who has her gaze locked upon the shed. You glance over right as Xavier exits the decaying structure. Both of you crouch down behind a dying bush.
"Okay here's the plan. I'll sneak into the shed while you stay outside and keep watch for Xavier. That way if he shows back up you can distract him."
"At least there's an actual plan. But, how do I distract him?" Your eyes are still fixed on the make shift art studio.
"Just simply apologize for my behavior. I'm used to it, although sometimes it's nice to leave people without any kind of closure for my actions." Wednesday starts crouch walking towards the shed and you're forced to follow.
As the two of you reach the shack, you both finally stand up straight whilst feeling ridiculous for walking like that. You give a small nod to Wednesday as she quietly sneaks back into the shed. You turn your back to the door and glance around the area. You flinch and turn just as a branch snaps.
"What are you doing back here? Come to accuse me some more? And where's Wednesday?" Xavier glares at you as you struggle to find words.
"Uh, I came to give you a more formal apology. Wednesday doesn't mean to do as much harm as she does. She's just concerned with the safety of the people of Jericho. She's accused many people of being the monster, really so don't take it personally!" You never really noticed how handsome Xavier was until he stood in front of you in this moment. Although you two had plenty of classes together, and even sit next to each other in one of them. You knew he was pretty, but because of that you were always too nervous to stare for long, that is until now. It feels wrong to be having these thoughts about a potential suspect. You don't actually think it is Xavier, right?
"Thanks, but you shouldn't have to apologize for her." His soft voice pulls you from your thoughts. His voice is much more gentle now, compared to when he had snapped at the two of you.
"Yeah, but if I don't then who will?" You awkwardly laugh until you see Wednesday's head appear through the dirty window. Your eyes meet hers and you hesitantly look back to Xavier. He's looking at you more skeptically and almost turns around to see what you had just seen.
"Uh! There was something else!" You desperately say to try and get his attention again as he raises an eyebrow towards you, "I was wondering if you could help me with Mrs. Thornhill's homework?"
"She didn't assign us homework today." He crosses his arms and steps a little closer, "Is this about a certain dance?"
You look behind him once more and see Wednesday quietly sneaking out of the door. Your eyes trail back to his and you're met with the most shit eating grin.
"You're, uh, really going to make me ask?" You feel your heart stutter and not just because you're afraid of him catching onto what was going on behind him.
"Mhm."
"Would want to go to the Rave'n with me this weekend?" You nervously ask as you can hardly look him in the eyes.
"I'll have to check my schedule." He says coyly.
"Cold..." You cross your arms flat against your chest as he begins to laugh.
"I'm joking, I'd love to." Xavier smiles at you. You can't help but think how cute his smile is.
"Great, see you then!" Just as you begin to turn around you catch a glimpse of the bloodied cloth in Xavier's pocket. Your eyes widen and you hurry off into the woods to find Wednesday.