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Wednesday steps into her dorm room to be greeted by her roommate at the same volume as a loud obnoxious bull horn. Impressive considering she only says three letters.
“O.M.G!!!”
She waits for the ringing in her ears to stop before turning to the other girl who has tight squeeze on her arm as she bounces on the balls of her feet before pointing to her side of the room where a dark bouquet of flowers stands tall next to her typewriter. Thing crawls out from her bag and places himself on top of her shoulder.
"I am not dreaming right? Someone gave Wednesday Addams flowers?" Enid squeals and Wednesday turns her head away to roll her eyes at her friend before making her way to the object that was not there when they left. Thing jumps down to inspect the vase closer. She admits the structure of the flowers is flawless in its clutter design. The all-black colors to go along with the flower's meaning of mystery and elegance is appreciated. Whoever gave it to her has exquisite taste and knows what they are doing.
"What kind of flowers are they?" Enid says coming up from behind her as the black-haired girl examines the nearest petal.
"Arum Palaestinum" Wednesday answers without taking her eyes off the flower. When she is met with only silence, she moves her gaze over to the other girl who gives her a raised eyebrow.
"Black Calle Lillies."
"How-" Enid starts but shakes her head, stopping herself from asking what was on her mind. She has given up trying to understand why Wednesday has the vast knowledge of the things she does.
She puts her bright gleeful smile back on as she looks at the flowers once again. She can’t believe what she is seeing. She couldn’t wait to put it on her vlog. "This is so sweet"
"Or stupid" Wednesday couldn't help but add. She takes no offense when Enid just rolls her eyes at her.
"Did they leave a name card? It has to be Xavier right?"
"Why does it have to be him?"
"Because you guys have your little thing going on." Wednesday barely hides the flinch her body did as a reaction to the word little and her in the same sentence. She leans her hands on the table in front of her as she tilts her head to the blonde girl beside her.
"Enid I am slightly insulted that you think I am capable of having a little thing. Also, although one might say Xavier and I are courting that does not mean these have to be from him. It could very well be from a stalker-" She starts but stops as she feels something crawl across her hand. She looks down to see a black charcoal spider crawling across her hand towards her wrist. She lifts her arm to examine it closer.
“Never mind. This is from Xavier.”
Upon hearing Thing snap, both girls turn to the bouquet to see a swarm of the same charcoal spiders making their way out from the flower vase towards them. There are two reactions that happen instantly. Wednesday bends down and stares with fascination. Enid starts to make a high pitch whine before letting out a blood curdling scream and runs away out of Wednesday sight.
Wednesday watches as the hoard of the arachnids make their way over her typewriter, all over Thing who is still stationed near the vase. Some make their way over to her fingers that are still perched at the end of the desk. She enjoys the feeling of their prickly legs crawling over the tips of her nails. She turns her hand and cradles one in her palm bringing it up so she can look at the bright line shining over its black body like a light glaring over a drawing on a canvas as it moves whenever the pages move.
"Wednesday I am freaking out here." Enid's panicked voice breaks her concentration as she looks to see the blonde girl on her side of the room, climbing on top of anything she can find to get away from the bedroom floor. "Why is our room getting overrun by spiders?"
"It's what you would call my name card." A male's voice answers out of nowhere. The girls turn to see Xavier Thorpe leaning casually on their door frame, both hands clamp behind his back.
"XAVIER. I AM GOING TO KILL YOU." Enid screams at him. Wednesday almost laughs at her attempt of a threat. Unfortunately her fear of the eight-legged drawings were too strong to make it believable.
"I thought it was a nice touch." He admits as he makes his way over to Wednesday.
"It was but I believe when we discussed our courtship we decided against public displays of affection." Wednesday says not taking her eyes off the spider that she was currently holding in her palm.
"I wouldn't call this public. It's just Enid." Xavier casually rebuttals. They turn to the shewolf to find her still on her bed looking pale as a ghost.
"First of all. Rude." She scoff at him with a glare that probably doesn't come off as threatening as she is hoping. She takes a second to breathe out before continuing. "Secondly can we please do something.... about.. these" She pants out before her body finally gives in to the panic attack it was having. The couple watches as her eyes roll in the back of her head and her body collapses on top the bed, her legs and hand hanging limply off the side.
"Thing." Wednesday calls turning to the appendage that was currently enjoying the feeling of spiders crawling over him. He signs out an acknowledgment before shaking the drawings away and making his way over to the blonde wolf.
Wednesday turns back to the mastermind behind all this. "Xavier." She starts.
"Yes Wednesday." He answers, his smile shining bright in contrast to the darkness her side of the room gives off.
"I highly doubt you did all this so we can watch Enid faint at the sign of these magnificent creatures." She says giving the spider in her hand one last brush before squishing it in her palm feeling it disappear and turns her attention back to the boy. "What's the occasion?"
"Why does there have to be an occasion?" He answers first before bringing one hand forward and with a wave all the remaining spiders disappear into a cloud of gray dust. "We are in a courtship are we not? Isn't the gentlemen supposed to be showering the female with lovely gifts and affection?"
"Yes, if that is what the female needs but I like to believe you know me well enough to know that is not necessary."
"Necessary? Maybe not and yet-" He starts before pulling his hands from behind his back and hangs something in front of Wednesday face.
She quickly grabs the item to stop it from dangling and pulls it away from Xavier who lets it go with ease. She opens her palm to find a teardrop vail hanging from a silver chain. She could see a clear liquid inside and looks back up at the boy.
"A gift?"
"You can look at it as a gift." He says nonchalantly and irritation starts brewing in Wednesday.
"Xavier Thorpe tell me what this is all about." She demands squeezing the necklace as she closes her hand tightly in a ball.
He laughs at her softly before taking a step towards her and cradles her hand that holds the pieces of jewelry. "Today is January 14th which I know is a special day for you."
"Yes. It is the day many believe that Elizabeth Short most likely took her last breath. A death anniversary that I look forward to every year." She responded swiftly as this death is something she knew like he back of her hand.
"It also almost became the day that the Famous Vincent Thorpe lost his only child" He answers back just as quickly. It is not very often Wednesday Addams is stunned to silence but apparently it is not entirely impossible. He takes advantage of the silence as he slowly pulls Wednesday's fingers apart to grab the necklace.
As he slowly opens the vial he says "That day we started this knack of trying to save each other. A feat that I know you do not need." He tells her with a smirk before going back to his task and brings it close enough to her face to show what he is asking but far enough to give her the option to deny.
She looks back and forth between the vial and Xavier before bringing her nose close enough to smell what was inside. She feels herself flinch at that toxic acidic smell that hits her senses. She has to smell one more time.
“Wait a minute. This is Kurtoxin Venom. Most know venom from the Parabuthus transvaalicus species-”
"Black Thick-Tail Scorpion" The couple says in unison.
"Which if I remember correctly is what Nero was." He whispers.
Caught completely off-guard Wednesday stares at his face. She can see him holding back his emotion probably from fear of scaring her off. He closes the vial back up and places back in her palm and closes her fingers back around it.
"Although I know you can protect yourself, I will always be there for you whether it is right next to you or hiding out of view. And if for some reason fate has it that I am not there while you are in danger then I hope you will do me the honor of wearing this so that if ever needed, I can still help you." He confesses. His eyes showing a vulnerability as he lays his feelings out bare for her.
She feels an internal battle rage in herself. Her natural reaction wants to spit sarcasm and insults like venom at this act that Xavier has displayed. All of this is something that usually revolts her. Affections, gifts, declaration of chivalry. And yet there is another part of her that is surprisingly calm. She does not feel repulsion towards any of it. She doesn't feel gross or disgust at the acts of what one would call love. If anything, she feels a burn deep within her stomach. So hot it almost causes an uncomfortableness, something Wednesday has always enjoyed. Today on a day that she usually celebrates the death of her favorite unsolved murder, she finds herself willing to share it with the memory of the time she met the man she is hoping to form a partnership with. How can see deny him that?
"I have to say this is all.....Rather impressive" She admits holding the necklace up in acknowledgment. "But I can't help but feel that all of this reek of the same desperation as a love sick puppy." She continues with a hint of a smirk that causes him to rolls his eyes. She might enjoy all of this but she was still Wednesday.
"Don't worry Wednesday this isn't an undying love confession." He replies with a slight bend in his legs before standing straight again and tucks his hands in the pocket of his jacket.
"That is a something for another time." He adds so casually and chuckles at the quirk of the eyebrow that Wednesday sends his way.
The silence that falls between them is slightly awkward but also comfortable. Xavier first looks at Enid who is still being looked after by Thing, her body now laid straight on the bed, before looking the other direction at the bouquet of flowers that still stand at her desk. He makes his way over to them to pluck one out and stands back in front of the girl.
"Well?" He asks breaking the silence.
She looks up to see him hand her the flower. She rolls her eyes at the gesture but takes the flower none the less. Wednesday is not known for affection. She will never be. She also despises the idea of belonging to someone other than herself. When she has seen other women wear a piece of jewelry given to them by their partner, she always looked at it as a sign of ownership but now looking back at Xavier she is smart enough to know that is not what this is.
She sighs as she brings the flower up to her nose, her mouth hidden behind the black petals. "Yes, Xavier I will wear your necklace."
She tries not to react to the blinding smile that he gives her but has to break his gaze in order to.
"Thank you Wednesday."
"I hope you are not expecting a kiss."
He chuckles out before leaning closer to her to whisper in a note softer than before. "Never, but one can dream, can't they?"
She feels the side of her lip lift in a smirk. She wasn't lying when she told him she was impressed. Not many would have to gulls to pull off what he had today. She swiftly cups his chin with one hand pulling his face down to her level and places her mouth on his. For a swift second with just a peck of a kiss they relish in the warmth of his lips to her cold ones.
She pulls back to give him a rare smile. One that would not happen if not for the fact that Enid is still unconscious and Thing is preoccupied with waking her. Before anyone could ruin the moment, she turns him around and pushes him to the door ending whatever moment had transpired.
She was happy to hear it didn’t seem to kill his good mood if the laugh she hears as he makes his way to the door is anything to go by. "Bye Wednesday. Sorry I made your roommate faint." He throws over his shoulder before closing the door behind him. She squeezes the necklace in her hand one more time before throwing it over her neck and tucking it away under her uniform.
She hears Thing thump the bedframe and feels a heat run through her body at the thought that Thing might have seen anything that had happen just now, the horrible gossip that he is. She turns to him hoping the red she feels in her cheeks is not showing.
"What!!!" She hisses.
She hears a groan and sees Enid starting to wake up. "What did I miss?" She sees Thing gearing up to answer and quickly quiets him.
"Nothing." She spits out before turning around, once again bringing the flower back up to her face. Just like her male counterpart, as she makes her way to her side of the room she throws out over her shoulder "By the way there is a spider in your hair."
She quietly chuckles at the scream Enid lets out. That is more like it.
~*~*~*~*~
Bonus:
If asked, Xavier did not glide back to his room after leaving Ophelia Hall. He might be a teenager who has an infatuation with a certain black hair girl but he also has a tortured artist persona to obtain. So no, no gliding happened. He hopes anyway. He can still feel himself smiling as he walks into his dorm room and sees his roommate Ajax laying on his bed throwing the bright rainbow-colored hackie sack that Enid made for him.
"Hey man, how'd it go?" The Gorgan asks, not taking his eyes off the ball.
"Everything went according to plan." He answers trying to remain nonchalant as he drops himself down on his own bed and went to untie his shoelace.
"I take it she liked the necklace then?"
Xavier lifts his head to find Ajax sitting up now with a smirk on his face. Xavier ddecides to answer with a wink before going back to his task.
"Sweet." Ajax tells him before lying back down.
The snake haired boy watches as Xavier starts making his way towards the bathroom and sees him freeze and turn around.
"Oh, by the way. Enid didn't really take to well to the spiders." Xavier starts, his body cringing as he continues. "She kind of fainted." He finishes as he scratches the back of his neck.
Ajax couldn't hold the laugh that escapes him after hearing what happen to his girlfriend. He really isn't surprised at all. He feels himself sigh out loud as he pushes himself off the bed.
"Don't worry man. I'll go check on her." He tells him and makes his way to the door. Once there, he stops and turns around halting Xavier from walking into the bathroom.
"Happy for you buddy." He gives his best friend one more smile before walking out and closing the door.
Xavier stands there with a smile, enjoying all the feelings that has come from today's events and ...Maybe he glided into the bathroom this time.