Chapter Text
Tyler waited at the foot of the stairwell. He didn’t exactly know what to expect, given Wednesday’s contradictory reaction when confronted by her note. She sounded so genuine and sweet in writing, but in person she was still as brusque and bitter as the first day they met. He knew it was in her blood to extend such a dark and unwelcoming hand to those she came into contact with, even when she never willingly offered a hand to take. And though she had scared the hell out of him at first, he couldn’t deny his instincts.
Yes, she was pale, mysterious, and was rumored to have a jet-black heart, but he couldn’t get her out of his head. She was an angel with black wings; a nightmare dressed like a daydream; a wolf in sheep’s clothing… She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.
She gave him the cold shoulder, passed him a side-eye, willingly expressed her needs and thoughts to convey rejection, and surely denied the idea of being remotely interested in him. But this only turned him on more; it made him want to pursue her and invest his time and efforts into her own.
She seemed unbreakable, so he was wondering…what would break her?
Over the past few weeks, he had been undergoing explosive emotions that consisted of uncontrollable aggression, obsession, and superiority. They came on suddenly and liked to tease him into forgetfulness of his surroundings and who he truly is.
Sometimes all three would strike, and that was when he went ballistic; he became so overstimulated it’s like he…changes. He’s no longer human. He couldn’t tell for sure because he could never remember what happens after he ‘turns,’ but he did know he felt empowered to a fault of exhaustion.
No one knew, and it wasn’t often when all three attacked. Usually, it was one and he was able to maintain himself for a period of time before it regulated to his normal, calm self. But they were always triggered by something and that’s what was unknown to him. He never knew when he would trigger except for when he had an impulse from sudden but intense sensations.
And that’s exactly what happens when Wednesday Addams comes into the picture.
Before he could wander any further, echoes of elegant footsteps had him looking up to find the reflection of black heels followed by the same-colored dress in Nevermore’s trophy case. The dominant, masculine niche in his biology made his blood boil and his lower body tingle. It was instant, and although it wasn’t as strong as he expected, he knew the longer he stayed around her, the more intense it would become.
Butterflies fluttered like mad in his chest and his mouth watered in anticipation, and once her face came into view, he was unable to fight the urge to turn around and meet his date half-way at the first level.
He smiled as his hazel eyes scanned her up and down, gripping the glass box in his hands a little tighter while her icy gaze had his skin frostbitten. But again, he couldn’t care less. She was absolutely stunning.
“Wow, you look–”
Wednesday met the barista with her infamous poker face, biting her tongue at the sight of his delight. “Unrecognizable? Ridiculous? A classic example of female objectification for the male gaze?”
“Amazing.” He watched her cold gaze burn deeper into his, but that couldn’t wipe the smile from his face. He didn’t care if she believed him or not, because what he was stating were facts. “I mean it, Wednesday. You look beautiful.”
She held his gaze for a moment longer, but when he refused to back down her eyes retreated to the cased corsage in his hands, for not only was the dress out of her element, but so was this intimate connection being expressed by his words. She looked a mess, but apparently not to him. That rubbed her the wrong way, though she would never tell…because tiny butterflies of her own were starting to roam about inside.
Tyler followed her eyes and prepared to speak before he was interrupted by her once more.
“Eugene?”
Apparently, the beekeeper knew no boundaries when it came to confrontation.
“Wednesday. What’s…going on?”
Galpin looked from the boy to his partner, curious for an explanation while the addressed being’s eyes grew wide and slid back and forth. This kind of thing seemed to be happening a lot recently… With Xavier and now Eugene? Definitely not her style.
“What happened to staking out the cave?”
She could feel her panic grow and her butterflies turn into pterodactyls. She wasn’t the type to care what others thought, but Eugene was like a little brother to her, reminding her of Pugsley.
Even though she enjoyed hearing her sibling’s screams and tormenting him in his toddler years, he was still her baby brother, and as an older sister, it was her instinct to care for him. She was his protector after all. When he was bullied, she was there to haunt his attackers. There was nothing she did better than revenge. Or so she thought…
Little did she know, Tyler was going to uncover another ability that had never been touched. No one ever had the guts to do so. No one had dared to even try. But that teenage boy did, and he knew that as soon as he saw her in the doorway of her dorm.
He had said ‘ Well, now that I’m here, I’m glad I came ,’ because his plans had changed.
He didn’t want to get lost with her in a loud, chaotic environment – risking her true self into being seduced by the Rave’N’s manipulation tactics of dance, drinks, and judgmental crowds. He wanted her in a neutral nature so he could try his luck within the safety of solitude and her hard-to-get consent.
Eugene just gave a small shake of his head, taking the hint with a heart-broken attitude, “Sure, I get it. Guess I’ll check out the woods myself.”
Wednesday practically cut him off with her strict orders, “ Don’t go alone. It’s too dangerous. Stand down.” She watched the boy’s face fall, and the sour tang of guilt maintained its quick drip, causing her to act on her older-sibling instinct, “We’ll go together tomorrow night, understood?”
And upon receiving a shallow nod, she decided she had enough eyes staring at her for one night. She gave one last look at Tyler before turning to enter the Rave’N, her steps light and quick, signaling her date to follow.
Tyler pursued, his own anxiety kicking in now that his plan was taking a detour due to Eugene’s interference. He abandoned his petal gift and grabbed Wednesday’s wrist to pull her aside, allowing the other attendees to enter.
The raven immediately tried to yank her arm away as she flipped around to glare through round eyes, taken aback by his bold move.
“Relax, I just want to ask you something.” He waited until she obeyed before lowering his voice and fixating on her midnight orbs, which glistened in the dim light of the main hall.
As he predicted, his drive for her grew and the power behind his erratic emotions pulsed through his veins with more strength. He felt like himself but more like a…needy version? It almost frightened him, but when the girl before him tugged at her skirt and rolled her eyes, he saw the future and bolted towards it.
“So…I know you’re not a fan of the whole Rave’N thing, but I really want to spend time with you tonight.”
He saw her brow harden in subtle confusion, knowing she was still clueless as to what he was aiming for. He could feel his temperature rise with each passing second, leading him to break off in a shy chuckle before continuing. “Uh…heh, I mean when you’re not miserable .”
She looked away. “I’m already committed.” And she began to turn back towards the staircase, “But if you’re not interested anymore–”
“Actually, I have somewhere else in mind I’d like to go…with you. No dance, no music, just…us.” His voice was firmer as he tightened his hold on her, which in return seemed to spark the tiniest glimmer of interest in her. “What do you say, Wednesday?”
Tyler wasn’t the type to pull strings. Afterall, he did say he couldn’t be bought, which not only told her he had a mind of his own but that he wasn’t a playboy. But what was he thinking? He had gotten her worked up from his surprise appearance, Thing’s note, and even the gentle mannerisms he was expressing; they were making her stomach churn and her tongue slick with retort. But for some reason, her skin was pricking, and her eyes couldn’t stay locked, which had her refraining from putting him in his place.
She was curious at what he was getting at, but that also meant she could’ve gone with Eugene like she originally planned.
“If you had other plans, why are you only bringing this up now?” She glared at the passing Nevermore students and lowered her voice, “As if this dance weren’t tedious enough.”
“Because I wasn’t sure if you’d say 'yes' if I asked…” Tyler’s lovestruck gaze roamed about her figure once more before he confessed the truth, “But now, seeing you like this…I had to take a chance.”
Wednesday knew that voice and could read the desperate plea beneath his cool, gravelly tone that was being used to cover it up – the way he always did.
She couldn’t have affiliations. She had gained acquaintances, but that’s as far as she’d go…right?
No one else looked at her the way Tyler did, and even though she swore she’d never fall for anyone, she found herself being haunted by the ripple of remorse that weaseled its way into her black heart when he heard she was originally going with Xavier to the Rave’N. She said she had a lot going on, but that didn’t stop the discomfort of the newfound emotion that made her think. Think about her. Think about him . It felt so…unnatural, which only made her grow more interested. But she wasn’t going to be swayed that easily.
“I could’ve gone with Eugene.”
“And he said he’d wait for you.” Tyler smirked. “You’re going tomorrow night, remember?”
She scowled. He sounded so condescending when he put it that way. She tugged against his grip, almost changing her mind before he denied her escape.
“Please, Wednesday? Just give me a chance?” He started to sweat. His craving for her was tempting him to beg. “Dad gave me this night to spend with you. I’d rather not waste it on disco lights and dance moves.”
And it was that dead-pan stare again – the one that hypnotized him through hot steam and black mascara. It was a rush for his mind but a muse to his heart.
“I couldn’t get you out of the Harvest Festival, but I can get you out of the Rave’N… If you let me…”
Addams looked off in a wry sigh, her chest tight and her head discombobulated upon these bizarre sensations she was undergoing. Sneaking away from school with a boy to get out of something she didn’t want to participate in? Sounds like every teenage girl’s fantasy, which was not for her. It never had been, and it never would be. She preferred solitude and independence. She didn’t need love, nor did she want it.
She never asked Tyler to the dance, so why would she just up and run away somewhere else with him?
He liked her. He made that clear on the street when jealousy divided them upon a misunderstood invitation to the dance. But she didn’t like him. She couldn’t like him… Could she?
But before she could come to an agreement with her inner demons, she found herself staring into hazel orbs with a confident-masked demeanor.
“Where are we going?”