Chapter Text
Finals. A particularly torturous time for any student, high school and college alike. Wednesday remembered her high school finals – pitiful attempts at “challenging” her and her peers to see just how much they had absorbed throughout the year. College on the other hand, though easy for the most part, had its share of monsters; and they weren’t the good kind.
So far in her college career Wednesday has only actually had a few bad apple professors. Attending Nevermore University was not originally planned for her but this is where her actions left her and to be honest, she didn’t abhor it as much as she thought she would. There were times she’d go as far as to say she loathed it on a level of such intensity she could very nearly smile. Originally starting as an English major with double minor in business and mortuary science Wednesday found herself still having too much free time. Just the thought of free time sent shudders through her; too much free time meant getting lost in thought and getting lost in thought meant thinking things she had no interest In thinking about. Things she didn’t want to think about. Her level of control was impeccable and she needed to be busy constantly; well not constantly but on an educated level, definitely.
The lack of difficulty in her studies found Wednesday well…bored. Sure, she occasionally spoke to Enid on that dreaded cellular device; she’d actually come to find it quite useful; but it still was not enough to occupy her time when she wasn’t in class, so she upped her business minor to a major in hopes of one day either starting a business – or just so that she could finally work her way into the publishing world and work out a deal to get Viper on the shelves. At first, it was fine. Adequate even as she hadn’t had any issues completing a challenging workload.
Then came Professor Bannier. Contracts Law. Class B381. Floor 2 of the Lovecraft building; clearly inspired by one of the best. It was a fitting name considering he was indeed the ban of her existence and not in a good way. She could say she did not care for anyone, even though she did and they knew she would die for them as she could stand being around them – that alone put them in Wednesday Addams’ good book. Him though, Wednesday Addams wished she could work on her torture techniques in private. Book him for office hours only to climb out his window covered in his blood.
What could this professor have done that was so awful that all Wednesday could do was think of creative ways to get him tricked into the gorilla encloser at the local zoo, you ask? Two words. Group final project. Not only a group project; but a group project with a pre-selected partner in a lecture hall style class. Of course, the rule of law would put them together. How in a class of 149 students was she the unlucky one to not be allowed to work alone? How in a class of 149 students does she end up paired with Tyler Galpin. The idea flustered her; she didn’t even realize he was IN her class, let alone in her college.
Tyler Galpin was the very reason that she took on so much course work – she didn’t want the thoughts of him to invade her mind. The replaying of every interaction. The constant reminder of the scent that he carried around. How every single quad she’d had since tasted like dirt. The feeling of his claws gripping the lapels of her shirt in the woods as he attempted to kill her.
She remembers that day. She swallowed and looked up as an intense heat overtook her; for a second she wondered if she had a fever, a crazy thought since she’d never let illness take her down. She remembers looking up and meeting his eyes for the first time in years. She remembers the way the bats filled her stomach and the overwhelming nausea that took over. She remembers her traitorous heart and the way it still skipped a beat under his heated gaze.
She remembers the look in his eyes as they widened when she stood up and walked over to him. She remembers the unhinged guilt that appeared in his eyes replaced by what could have been construed as desire as he very clearly eyed her up and down; his eyes taking purchase on the stockings she wore under her skirt. She remembers smirking considering she knows that if she moves a specific way, her garters flash. She remembers the intensity of his gaze and how she felt fire in her belly the more he looked at her. She remembers specifically how his hand twitched as if he wanted to reach out to touch her but restrained and gripped his pencil harder. She remembers the catch in his breath and his quick nodding when she told him to meet her in the library at exactly 7pm.
But most importantly – she remembers that he still smells like coffee; and it’s almost as if she’s taken another knife to the heart.
Walking steadily away from class…away from him…she was sure that if Enid was here, she’d easily be able to place the frazzled look in her eyes. Probably attempt to get her to talk about feelings – as if she’d do that. No one needed to know how much Tyler still affected her. It was pathetic.
Her steady walking continued. Down the hall. Out the door. Past the quad and the fountain. Into her dorm building. Up the stairs and into her room before immediately falling against the door. She felt as if her blazer had been exceedingly tight, and attempted to pull it away from her neck. Living alone was a blessing – she didn’t think she could handle another roommate; Enid was one person she could put up with, she didn’t need another.
Thing signed with worry and moved to poke at her ankle.
“I’m fine” she snapped and swatted him away. Focusing on pushing herself off the door, Wednesday closed her eyes and envisioned all of her feelings being locked in a box, before lighting said box on fire. Checking her reflection in the mirror, Wednesday ensured that she was put together, any signs of previous fluster gone, and walked off to her next class.
7pm found Wednesday walking into the library, once again sending up a curse against her professor. Maybe she’d mail him a mouse trap after getting her final grade – or set a bear trap up just inside his office door. Make him scream in agony almost as much as her heart.
Almost immediately Wednesday saw Tyler, his head down as he studied his textbook or at least he made it look like he was reading it. His leg was shaking, his hand twitched, and his chest rose and deflated faster than a normie’s would in a general situation. Her boy was nervous. Almost immediately Wednesday chastised herself; Tyler was many things but not hers. How unfair was that?
Walking over to the table Wednesday dropped her book heavily on the table, nearly surprised when he didn’t jump – instead his head slowly turned up from his own book. Interesting. So he knew she was there.
“Hey” Tyler offered before wincing internally – man he sounded stupid.
But he was surprised when Wednesday sat down and returned his greeting.
The two stared at each other, it almost felt as if they were passing emotions and words through their eyes. Somewhere in the library a book fell and another student let out a curse word causing Wednesday to jump out of her trance. Looking down at the paper with their assignment on it, Wednesday opened her book to the correct page – writing a contract.
“Okay so…we need to write a contract” Wednesday started breathlessly before cursing herself for starting off this way.
“Yes. Yes. Contract” Tyler reiterated, a blush on his cheeks from the moment that just transpired.
“So, I take it you’ve done something like this before – or are verbal contracts more your thing” Wednesday attempted to deadpan, cursing at the feeling of betrayal that stirred back in her.
Tyler’s eyes narrowed at her; anger filled his eyes before being replaced by guilt. He knew what he did, regardless of how it came about. Rather than answer in the affirmative or negative, Tyler settled for the truth “Given the information that has been presented by Professor Bannier, being tortured and drugged into an agreement tends to make the contract void”.
“But you still did it. You still followed her” Wednesday said while continuing to stare at her book; she knew that the look in her eyes would have given away her real thoughts on the topic.
Sighing Tyler pushed aside the text, he didn’t think this conversation would happen this early on but he should have known she wouldn’t beat around the bush. He bit his tongue and looked at her, reaching his hand over he made decision and placed his right on top of hers, gripping a little tightly when he felt her tense and attempt to pull away. “I had to, Wednesday. I didn’t have a choice”.
“There’s always a choice” She said while lifting her head from her book to stare him in the eye. “You could have done it differently…without…” Wednesday spat out the word ‘it’ as though it burned her before trailing off. Shaking her head, she ripped her hand away from his and changed the subject, “Contracts. What type do you want to do? Goods and services? Business?”
Tyler swallowed. He knew what she was going to say and it damn near killed him. He spent all these years working on mastering himself so something like this couldn’t happen again. So he couldn’t break her heart again. What she didn’t know was that the entire time he was working on it, SHE was his saving grace. If he felt close to losing it, he’d remember her eyes – everyone else may have assumed she didn’t experience emotion because of the blank look on her face but he could see it in her eyes. Her eyes gave her away, if you got close enough to look. He’d remember her voice and the look of utter betrayal that was expressed once his Hyde had been released. It was the little things about her that got him through his darkest days.
Like right now, just sitting across from her – clear to see she was trying to not focus on him and the conversation and by doing so she was biting her lip. He didn’t even think she was aware of it. Gnawing nearly hard enough to draw blood. Lifting his hand, he slowly reached, holding his breath as he got closer and her eyes went towards him and the path that his hand was taking. Slowly his thumb met her bottom lip and he gently pulled it from her teeth. “I could have” he whispered. “I should have, but I’m selfish and I couldn’t let you go” he continued looking straight into her eyes.
Wednesday stared straight back; she wanted to not believe him. She wanted to hold onto her grudge until the day her wicked heart stopped beating. She wanted to kiss….’no!’ Wednesday thought. She wanted to maim him. Feel his blood pumping under his skin as she…’for Satan’s sake, I’m my mother’ Wednesday thought miserably. Opening her mouth to retort with something scathing, a ferocious growl tore through the library that had Tyler’s eyes widen and his hands move to immediately cradle his stomach, cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
Her own eyes wide, Wednesday just stared flabbergasted. Tyler closed his eyes before peaking through one at her with a sheepish grin, “I skipped dinner to meet you…sorry”.
A small smile tipped up on the corner of Wednesday’s face and she hung her head slightly with a sigh. Try as she might to stop these emotions. To lock them in a box and burn it. To want to belittle him and make him feel as small as Hyde did her. She couldn’t. Turns out her heart is actually a fireproof lockbox and only Tyler has the key.
Slamming her book closed with a little more force than she meant, she stood from her spot giving him a look of ‘well, you coming?’.
Tyler looked at her confused as if not understanding what was going on. “We can’t have you starving and scaring the library with your stomach. If we’re going to terrorize the student body, I’d prefer more gore” Wednesday stated as she stared at him, waiting on him to move. “Well are you going to stand or not” she snapped after a few moments of him just eyeing her, emotions in his eyes.
Tyler gave in as his stomach cramped again; and he really wasn’t going to look this gift horse in the mouth. That’d be the stupidest thing he’d ever done. Walking next to her and out the library Tyler couldn’t help but ask “So where exactly are we going?”
“Well, we aren’t going to get any work done with you starving, and I really want to get this project finished with as soon as possible” Wednesday stated unaware of Tyler’s flinch at her words – though not how she meant them, it came out wrong. “I figured going to the dining hall and feeding you would be a good start.”
Clenching his fist, Tyler paused walking – while he appreciated her…not concern…that wasn’t the right word, whatever. While he appreciated her, he didn’t enjoy being told that she couldn’t wait to be done with him; as if he didn’t matter, as if what they had wasn’t real, as if his feelings for her didn’t matter. Not without her knowing everything. “You know what?” Tyler started, going to turn away from her as he wouldn’t be able to disguise the hurt in his eyes. “I can go alone. I know you’re in a hurry to be done with and away from me so how about we just do the project by email or something” He offered, seething through his teeth.
Since his back was turned to her, he missed the look of confusion on her face; jumping when he felt her hand on his shoulder, he turned his head to look at it before turning to look at her. “What are you going on about?” She questioned him curiously – like she didn’t just say she wanted to be done with this already.
“You literally just said you want this project finished as soon as possible” Tyler stated in a copy of her monotone, he was really trying to keep his hurt feelings at bay.
Wednesday stared back at him for a moment, her hand still on his shoulder. Pushing him away from her she said, “Not because of you. I have at least 6 more finals to do and study for. They’ll be easy but I still need to review and this in-depth project is taking time from that.”.
Embarrassment rushed through Tyler like a tidal wave. Seeing an opening that would be perfect for the moment, he quickly grabbed the outstretched hand that just pushed him and threaded their fingers together. Wednesday froze at the feeling, her eyes moving to stare at their hands as her heart palpitated in her chest. He didn’t move closer, just let her adjust to the movement and the feelings. If he was anyone else, she’d probably stab him and to be fair, he’d let her. Wednesday let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding and did something she never thought she’d do. Something she would have kicked herself for just hours ago, right before she saw him for the first time again. Something that only he could get her to do. She squeezed his hand in acceptance. A smile lit up his face and he moved closer to her.
“So” he started. “You don’t want to be rid of me?” He questioned, vulnerability clear in his voice.
“I wanted nothing more than to be rid of you” Wednesday answered him as she tugged him closer. “But somehow you – you’re the only one who can disarm me.”
“I’d rather arm you.” Tyler said a smirk on his face as she looked at him quizzically. “Well, wouldn’t you enjoy having a beast at your disposal?"
“My disposal?” Wednesday narrowed her eyes at him. “Cara, you are trying to say you want to be mine?” She asked him, enjoying the feelings that ran though her as his eyes widened at the nickname.
“More than anything” he whispered right in front of her – they probably had less than an inch of space between the two; a fact that should make Wednesday feel uncomfortable. But it didn’t.
“Fine” she said with a shrug.
“Fine?” He asked, a quirk in his eyebrow, leaning down but still presenting her with enough space to back away.
“Fine” she said once again before leaning up to meet him in a light kiss, quite similar to their first and only. His hand cupped her cheek holding her to him. His right arm going around her waist to bring her as close as he could. They only broke apart when they needed to breath, Wednesday stared up into yellow ringed eyes, her thumb lightly traced under one of his eyes. “You’re not disposable” she stated staring up at him, heat flowing through her as his eye bore into her own, “but if you try and kill me again, I’ll dispose of you.” She finished, her hand moving to rest on the back of his neck.
“I’d love to see you try” Tyler growled and pulled her back to him for a kiss, his hunger all but forgotten as a new hunger overtook him.
Wednesday couldn’t help the smile that took place on her face as he kissed her. Perhaps Professor Bannier wasn’t ALL that bad.