Work Text:
As Donovan makes his way along the hallways, up the stairs, and around the corners of Nevermore, following the signs and the flow of other guests towards the gentle strains of classical music and the din of a crowd, he really wishes that Tyler and Wednesday hadn’t decided to hold a costume ball, of all things, to raise money for their charity. He dislikes suits on the best of days, but at least they aren’t something that makes everyone who is not attending stare at you like you have two heads. He was feeling rather ridiculous driving through town, getting stared at by several townies who were out and about, even with his hat hidden on the passenger seat next to him. He has to admit that at least the “entertainment media” theme left a lot of possibilities. And now that he’s here, Donovan can see that his costume is comparably simple and... not weird. (Why does that guy wearing what looks like a wetsuit have an octopus over his crotch?)
Admittedly, he is rather grateful that he got a surprise delivery before he could even look for something to order. Any version of the costume he had decided on that he could afford certainly would not have made the cut in tonight’s crowd. Going by his memories of the various movie versions he’s seen, what he is wearing is much better quality than even the original Hollywood costumes. To be honest, Donovan wouldn’t be surprised at all if he was wearing a historically accurate version. He’s pretty sure the light blue cloak—Or is it a poncho because it has a front, too? He was never good with fashion terms.—with its silver lace edging is made from wool, thick velvet silver crosses sewn to the front, back, and sides, golden lilies growing out of each arm and red flames shooting out from their middles at the end of each arm. The rest of his costume is made of similarly fine fabric, plus the gloves, boots, and belt are real leather for sure. Of course it all fits him perfectly.
Oh, and let’s not forget that the costume came with an honest-to-god rapier. He tried cutting through a page from the newspaper, like he’s seen people do on TV or in movies to test the sharpness of a blade. Yup, this is the real deal. Why they would allow real weapons into the event is beyond him, but he guesses there are too many psychics, gorgons, sirens, and so on present for any such weapons to be a real danger to anyone.
Donovan hopes he’ll never find out how much this costume cost. He’s had to learn very quickly that to the Addams, expenses like this are pocket change, and the thought of getting paid back even a fraction of the value of a freely given gift is utterly foreign to them.
Outside the open doors to Nevermore’s fencing hall, Donovan adjusts his hat, unused to the weight of the feathers on one side. He’s glad that he doesn’t get nervous anymore at these events. Surprisingly enough, he’s gotten used to them over the years, with how many balls and fundraisers and parties he’s been invited to, both in Vermont and on the Addams estate in New Jersey, plus the occasional other location. One thing that the family excels at is making sure that every single one of their guests feels welcome and like they are honoring the family for accepting their invitation. Even their gloomy daughter does this, in her very own way.
The string quintet is seated on a stage at the front left of the room, and Donovan slowly walks around the edges of the dancefloor, which unsurprisingly is already occupied by Morticia and Gomez. It's impossible not to recognize them thanks to their distinctive figures, despite them being dressed like the Munsters, to his amusement.
While he looks around the hall for the hosts of this ball, he thinks he spots several of the Nightshades—Bianca Barclay standing out, as usual, in a dark red, shiny dress so tight it looks like it was poured over her, its train giving the effect of freshly spilled blood. Her matching mask makes her icy blue eyes all the more piercing. She is talking to Enid Sinclair, who is dressed like a pastel pink and yellow butterfly or moth, wings folded on her back. What entertainment media characters those costumes could be, Donovan has no idea, but that's not surprising. He also recognizes some of the scientists working for Addams and Tyler, and Noble and Lou-Anne Walker are dancing in outfits that wouldn’t look amiss in that Dangerous Liaisons movie. (Hey, he’s watched some historical movies with his wife!)
His attempts at finding Addams and Tyler are not helped by the fact that several of the other guests are, like himself, wearing head coverings, decorations, or attachments of some kind, which doesn’t make for clear sightlines.
At first, he almost misses them, but then his eyes double back after a moment that feels like a mental record scratch.
He blinks at the sight of the couple standing on the steps leading up to the second stage at the far end of Nevermore’s fencing hall, on the right side with a small gap between it and the orchestra. No, his eyes didn’t betray him. There’s Wednesday Addams in a black pinstripe suit and fedora. Next to her, Tyler’s usual curly mop is hidden by a wig of shoulder-length wavy hair the pale blond color of his childhood, and he wears... Donovan squints. Is that a slinky black dress?
He blinks while he weaves his way towards them in between the other guests, watching as the two of them talk to a couple who seem to be dressed up like Jedi knights.
Now of course Donovan has noticed that since he got together with Wednesday, Tyler’s way of dressing has changed—he’s not that oblivious, thank you very much. Not only have black and white started making more frequent appearances in his son's wardrobe, but the style of his clothes has shifted considerably. While Tyler sometimes still walks around in jeans or cargo pants, a t-shirt and flannel, he’s been wearing more and more clothes, especially for events like this, which Donovan wouldn’t consider "traditionally masculine.” They’re less baggy, sometimes pretty much skin tight, with mesh fabrics and lace and low-cut necklines making frequent appearances, often combined with delicate necklaces and pendants and the occasional bracelet. He’s even worn opera gloves once or twice. Other times, his clothes almost float around his body, somehow only accentuating his well defined muscles which Addams pretends not to care about, but can’t stop sneaking glances at or discreetly groping whenever she thinks no one’s watching. He can't recall how many times they have snuck off in the middle of one of their own events... but he guesses he should give them credit for at least trying to be more discreet about it than Morticia and Gomez.
Early on, he would have worried that Tyler was only adjusting his wardrobe choices to please the Addams’ daughter, but Donovan soon came to realize that while he often goes along with her plans, Tyler’s not a pushover for her. He’s seen his son hold his ground against the headstrong girl, and usually, she ends up giving in to him or they come to a compromise, even if it’s begrudgingly on her side.
So he’s never said anything about his son’s change in wardrobe and never would; it’s not his place. Tyler is an adult and seems to genuinely enjoy wearing these clothes, and hell, even his old man with the fashion sense of a rock (as Frannie kept telling him since well before they got married and until shortly before her death) has to admit that they suit him. Maybe it’s the confidence that Tyler’s gained since he and Wednesday Addams have become mates, or maybe Addams is just such a good judge of what fits him.
But this... this is new, at least to Donovan.
Tyler might have worn dresses before, but certainly never when his father saw him. It’s not like they live in each other’s pockets, so it might be a coincidence... or maybe not?
He watches Tyler and his mate talk to yet another couple, and is Tyler actually flirting with those guys? It could simply be his role for the night, of course, but Donovan has noticed this flirty behavior from his son before, towards both women and men. Maybe this is just something he picked up during his barista time at the Weathervane. Tyler’s certainly never said anything about not being straight, but then again, he’s also never said anything about being straight. Don’s certainly not going to ask. That is between Tyler and Addams. And whatever is going on tonight, Addams is clearly fine with it, since the corners of her mouth are twitching upwards in what is practically a full-blown smile for her.
And now that he’s closer, Donovan can see that what he’s mistaken as the shadow of her fedora from farther away is actually a mustache and goatee. The facial hair almost looks too real for him to believe that it’s special movie makeup, but he’s learned long ago not to ask about these kinds of things.
Addams spots him just when he reaches the bottom of the steps, and she turns towards him, leaving Tyler to his flirting to meet him halfway.
Donovan takes his hat off with a flourish and a bow before setting it back on his head almost flawlessly. “Addams.”
“Hello, Sheriff.” She runs her eyes over him. “Nice costume. Period accurate, even.”
He snorts. “As if you didn’t know. Somehow I got a mysterious package before I was even able to order something myself.”
“Indeed? How curious.”
“Hm.” He looks her over in turn. It’s not only her costume—perfectly fitted, of course, with a white shirt and a dagger-patterned tie under a vest matching her suit, accessorized with a tie pin, a pocket square, and what looks like the a watch chain attached to one of the belt loops—or the way her hair has been cleverly tucked under the fedora she is wearing at a slight angle, making it look like it’s short, or the way that her facial hair actually suits her. It’s also the way her body language is completely different tonight. It would be easy for someone who can’t see her face to mistake her for a scrawny, but confident guy. Someone powerful and used to wielding that power, which really isn’t far off from the truth, little as Addams acknowledges it.
Donovan gestures towards her. “So are you dressed up as your father or as a mafia boss?” He tilts his head. “Though sometimes I wonder if there’s much difference between the two.”
Addams smirks, picking up their old game seamlessly. “Once again your powers of observation disappoint me, Sheriff. This is a completely different pinstripe pattern than my father prefers, and my coat is double breasted. Besides, Father never wears hats.” She touches the fedora’s rim for emphasis.
“Whatever you say, Addams.”
“Hey, Dad. I’m glad you could make it.” Tyler’s conversation partners have wandered off, leaving him free to join them.
Now that Donovan has an unobstructed close-up look at Tyler, he can see that he’s wearing heels—not too high, as they go, but stiletto thin, so clearly this is not his first time, since there isn’t the slightest wobble in his steps or when he stands. Tyler’s toes are the only thing covered, with several narrow vertical straps connecting the heel to the even narrower ankle strap, all in black.
His sleeveless, floor-length dress has a slit that goes up to just above mid-thigh, showing a lot of leg, which he’s clearly shaved, since whatever hosiery he’s wearing is thin. And damn it, but if Donovan had been shown a picture of just that leg in this dress, he would never have guessed it was a man’s.
The fabric is indeed as slinky as it looked from farther away, not entirely black, but shimmering dark red as Tyler moves, hugging his figure without seeming restrictive. The neckline falls loosely from his shoulders to his chest, the wavy horizontal folds there creating the illusion of a modest bust. The part around his hips is a bit scrunched, too, making them seem a little wider, before falling straight down to the floor, flowing around his legs with the slightest motion. Donovan wouldn’t be surprised if it was silk.
Tyler’s face is made up simply, with a shimmery greenish gold eyeshadow, thin eyeliner and mascara framing his eyes, some rouge on his cheeks, the only bold feature being his dark purplish-red lips. The wavy hair of the wig framing his features softens them even more.
Donovan needs a moment to really digest all this, taken in at a quick look, and to come up with a coherent reaction. So he repeats his hat maneuver. “Good evening, Madame.” Internally he high fives himself when he pulls off both the maneuver and the French pronunciation. He continues, “I’m just glad that someone,” he raises his eyebrow at Addams, resting his hand on the pommel of his rapier “got me a better version of this costume than I ever could have found.”
“Yeah, you look amazing. Finally got to be a musketeer, huh?"
Don and Frannie used to read a children’s version of The Three Musketeers to Tyler because it was a favorite of both of them, and they’d also watched some of the older movies with him once he was a little older.
“And you even got a goatee,” Tyler adds.
“Not sure it lives up to Addam’s, though,” Donovan admits with a chuckle as he strokes his chin, making Addams preen.
Tyler’s smile is genuine, but there’s a slight tension in his posture and a nervous look in his eyes. He’s waiting for his father’s verdict on his own costume, and clearly he’s not sure how it landed.
Well, that won’t do.
“You know,” Donovan finally says after clearing his throat, “Your mother used to complain that she couldn’t pull off a slinky dress like that. If she was here tonight, she’d be very put off by the fact that you can... but she’d also be very proud and happy that you do.”
He gives his boy a wry grin, hoping he hears his own happiness and pride which he can’t quite articulate yet, and finds himself rewarded with a huge smile.
“Thank you, Dad,” Ty says, clearly relieved.
“Hey. You look... great. Besides, it’s a costume ball. And, well, even if it wasn’t... you know that wouldn’t change the fact that I’m proud of you.” He looks down at his leather boots, clearing his throat again. His mind grasps for a change of topic, as usual when there are words, important words, fighting to rise up his throat. But he chastises himself, No! This is the perfect moment, so stop being a coward! You’ve wanted to tell them this for years, and if you don’t do it now, you’ll never do it!
So he presses on, awkwardness and his stubborn discomfort at showing vulnerability be damned, forcing himself to look at Tyler. “You’ve come a long way, bud. And I know that... a lot of that wasn’t due to me. So...” He takes a deep breath and straightens, facing Addams. “I should have said this a long time ago: Thank you for being there for Ty when I wasn’t, Addams—Wednesday. For always being by his side and supporting him, even before you became mates. And I know I wasn’t very, uh, enthusiastic about your friendship at first, but... I gotta say, I’ve never been happier to have been proven wrong.”
Wednesday’s eyes are softer than usual as she regards him. “Thank you... Donovan. I hope you won’t expect anything between us to change, though,” she adds with a smirk.
Donovan snorts. “Hell no, Addams. Where would be the fun in that?”
“Indeed.” The corners of her lips twitch briefly, and Tyler chuckles, sliding his arm through Wednesday’s and leaning against her side, like the piece of eye candy that he’s playing tonight.
Addams’ eyes move past Donovan towards the dancefloor, eyebrows rising slightly. “Ah, I see my parents have finally emerged from their private little world of dance and registered your presence.”
Not a second later, Gomez’s voice booms over the din of the crowd, “Donovan! So good to see you!”
Donovan chuckles. “I guess I’ll talk to you two again later.”
“Of course, Dad,” Tyler says, and leans forward for a quick hug, careful not to not disturb either of their costumes. “I love you, Dad,” he whispers as he squeezes him.
“Love you too, Ty. Always will,” he chokes out.
They’ve hardly let go of each other when he’s whirled around and pulled into Gomez’s embrace. “Mi amigo, how are you doing?!”
Donovan chuckles, embracing the elder Addams in return and nodding his greeting at a serenely smiling Morticia over his shoulder. He can’t deny that out of his one-sided (and misguided) enmity with the Addams, a strong friendship has grown—almost against his will, at first. Watching them parent their two children, seeing them be radically accepting of them while still guiding them in line with their principles, was an eye opener, and made him reevaluate some of his own stances.
Don’s pretty certain that if he had seen Tyler wearing a dress before he got pulled this closely into the Addams family’s orbit, he’d have utterly ruined their relationship with his reaction. He still doesn’t understand the appeal, but he’s come to realize that he doesn’t need to. What really matters to him is that Tyler is healthy and happy. If that includes wearing the occasional dress, so be it. Tyler is living his life the way he sees fit, as he should, and Donovan’s role, even now that his son is an adult, is to support him and give the occasional bit of judgment-free guidance.
It’s taken him a good while to get here, but apparently, even this old dog can still learn new tricks. And like Tyler, he’s got the Addams to thank for a lot of that.
So when he answers Gomez’s question, he can honestly say, “I’m good, my friend. Never been better.”
