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Professor Gwentre was talking about a species of spider or another. Larissa was aware of it, but couldn't focus. And really, she ought to, she was the top student of her year - she had been the top student of her year every year she had been at Nevermore, thank you very much - and she needed to set an example for her peers. And yet, here she was, in class, staring down at the blank page of her notebook, eyes unfocused and pen rhythmically tapping.
She needs a plan. Yes, she needs a plan—a good one! Not like last year's botched attempt!
A shiver runs down her spine at the memory. No, definitely a better plan.
This is ridiculous! This was supposed to be easy! She was good at plans! Hell, she was the student's representative because she was so good at organizing and planning! Larissa refuses to believe that she is stuck. No, sir, she is not. She is just... debating.
Alright, maybe a bit stuck.
Just a tiny, itty bit, a smidge.
A defeated sigh leaves her, and Morticia throws her a quick glance. The brunette rolls her eyes, exasperated by Weems. They had been friends and roommates ever since their first day at Nevermore. They couldn't have been more different, though, except for the things that really mattered: they were loyal, determined, and ruthless.
Well, maybe Morticia more so than Larissa when it came to ruthlessness. What can she say? It is simply delicious to be vicious. Morticia knows very well - maybe too well, she would argue - what was afflicting Larissa: namely, her massive crush on Y/n.
The whole school knew about Larissa's crush, professor, students, and even janitors - Morticia suspects that the whole of Jericho knows about it - except, of course, for Y/n.
Had she not been so sure that Y/n was absolutely, genuinely, naively - adorably so - oblivious, she would have taken matters into her own hands long ago, and Y/n might or might not have been found dead in a ditch somewhere on the East Coast after months of grueling investigations. After all, Larissa was her best friend and no one, except for her obviously, could torture the blonde so.
"Just tell Y/n", Morticia advises yet again.
That sentence alone, or maybe the simple mention of your name - the jury is still deliberating on that - makes her react and focus on the brunette.
"Tell her what?"
Really, if they weren't friends Morticia would smack some sense into her with a baseball bat "That you have a crush on her", she points out the obvious.
Larissa pales to the point that she could easily resemble a ghost. A most becoming shade in Morticia’s opinion "Are you mad?" She hisses, for all intents and purposes sounding as deadly as a cobra.
"What will you do? Try to get her under the mistletoe again?"
The blond flinches, the failure of her previous plan still vivid in her mind despite a year having passed.
"No", is her ire-filled reply, more aimed at herself for not considering all the possible variables than at her roommate for reminding her.
"Then what?"
'Then what' indeed. For the past months Larissa has tried to come up with a plan, but nothing seems reasonable enough. She knows that it's just a crush and that, if she were to confess, it would just fade with time if her feelings were not reciprocated.
That thought makes her heart twist painfully. Is it because she likes you more than a mere fleeting crush or because she abhors the thought of being dismissed by you? She doesn't know herself, but she is highly aware that this thing got out of hand and needs to be dealt with, one way or another.
"I don't know", she admits, gripping her head in annoyance.
God dammit! She is good at planning ahead, so why can't she do it now?! Every step of her life, she has planned to a T, and everything has gone smoothly... up until she met you. Who would have thought that a transfer student would turn her life upside down? Even now, she can still recall in great detail the first time she saw you in the principal's office. You had smiled in such an adorable way that Cupid's arrow couldn’t help but lodge itself in Larissa's heart the very next second. And despite how many times she has tried to smother this feeling, she’s failed spectacularly, especially after she got to know you better. It took her several months to make peace with the fact she was crushing hard on you... very hard.
Alright, so maybe Morticia had to point it out to her when she discovered the blonde writing your family name attached to her first name over and over in her notebook instead of doing her homework. The wake-up call was brutal, a la Morticia Frump, but when the brunette had noticed that Larissa was in over her head, she had taken pity on her and stopped the teasing... well, toned it down.
"I just... I just want to do something", Weems whispers, the sentence showcasing her inner turmoil.
Black painted lips twist slightly upward "Did you try the Christmas wish tree?"
If she had any less dignity, Larissa would roll her eyes "Are you joking? Since when does that work?"
Morticia stands up to gather her books, and the blonde realizes that the class has finished. Great, she’ll have to ask Tish to share her notes with her, and Heaven knows what she’ll ask in return.
"You never know. Beside, what do you have to lose?"
"My dignity", Larissa is quick to reply, following the brunette to the quad, where the aforementioned tree sits majestically in the center.
"Well, I put a wish on it last year, and it came true."
This surprises Weems "What did you wish for?"
Morticia's mouth twists in a soft smile, and warmth seeps into her dark gaze as she looks past Larissa "Guess."
The blonde doesn't need to turn to confirm just who is running toward them at full speed, yelling 'Tish'. She does, however, step to the side to allow Gomez passage before he steamrolls over her. While the public displays of affection didn't bother her when they first got together, now it seems like they are indirectly mocking her and her inability to do something about her crush.
"You are worse than hamsters", the blonde mutters under her breath, looking away from their passionate kissing.
She nearly drops her books when she sees you entering the quad. Oh, no! You are looking in her direction. Oh, God, no! Now you are coming toward her, smiling all the way. What does she do? What does she say?!
"Hello, Larissa."
Her throat constricts, her face flushes red, her pulse goes a mile a minute, and her tongue suddenly decides to become lead and not allow her to stutter a greeting in return. She nods at you, her mouth instantaneously stretching in a perfunctory smile.
"How was your biology class?"
How cute is it that you know her schedule? She won't admit to anyone that she has memorized yours the first day of school, even before learning her own.
"Good", she manages to croak out "Yours?" She briefly closes her eyes and internally cringes "I-I mean... how was your c-class?" She stumbles over her words.
Meanwhile, Morticia and Gomez watch this play out. After all, it’s like watching a train wreck about to happen. The only difference is that they can't rejoice at the blonde's misfortune because they care for her deeply, and seeing this is almost painful at this point.
"It was good... maybe a tad boring", you confess, oblivious to the tall woman's struggle "I wanted to ask you-"
Weems’ ears begin to ring loudly. Are you going to ask her on a date?!
"-about the Christmas tree. Last year I couldn’t because I left for the holidays, but I saw students put notes on it and I don't know why."
False alarm. But seriously? She throws the brunette a sharp glance. Did Tish put you up to it?
"Those are w-wishes."
God, she hopes she won't be stuck with this stutter. It would be bad for her future career.
Your eyebrows go up your forehead "A Christmas wish tree? I’ve heard of those", you smile so brilliantly that Larissa feels almost lightheaded "I will have to put a wish as well then."
You want to put a wish? The gears in the blonde's mind instantly start turning. Maybe this is a godsend. She will sneak around and read it. That way, she can endear herself to you by making your wish come true. A devious smile makes her red-painted lips twitch. Yes, this is the perfect plan!
"Be my guest", she waves lightly toward the tree, eager to see where you will put your slip of paper.
You shake your head "Later. I don't want to be late for class", you move past her "See you later, Larissa – bye Morticia, bye Gomez", you say over your shoulder before rushing to your next lesson.
The blonde purses her lips, annoyed that her plan was delayed. She feels Morticia's presence next to her and, when she twists her head, she notices the small piece of paper held carelessly in the brunette's hand.
Larissa snatches it "Give me that!", hisses, and hastily scribbles her wish before folding it with the grace of an origamist.
She goes and affixes the slip of paper on one of the tree branches, subconsciously repeating the wish in her mind as she gazes up at it.
'I wish Y/n would return my feelings.'
Truly, Morticia would be amused by what the blonde is doing, but this is just too much. She sighs and wonders why she became friends with her in the first place. This is by far one of the craziest things Weems has ever done. The brunette gazes at her roommate, now shifted into a male student. This is her what? Fourth? Fifth? Shift of the day as she tries to catch you when you place your wish.
This is madness and not even the kind Tish likes.
"What will we do?" Gomez asks, looking at Morticia for guidance.
"I don't know by this point. I am tempted to just tell Y/n that Larissa is crushing on her. The poor thing is so oblivious to our friend's feelings for her."
He chuckles "Cara mia, do I need to remind you that you were the same?"
Her pale complexion gains a reddish hue "This is different!"
"Is it? I see myself in Larissa."
Dark eyes focus on him "You didn't pull this kind of stunts."
"True, I did much, much worse."
A soft chuckle escapes her "Now that I recall- yes, you did."
He gently pushes her chin until she is facing the other side of the quad "Look!"
She does and sees you coming "Let's hope she will put her wish on the tree."
Larissa watches you like a hawk from the moment you enter the quad. Anticipation bubbles inside her as you walk toward the tree. Finally! She has waited for hours! Wait... why are you stopping? Why are you looking at her directly?!
You gaze at the young man sitting alone at a table and make your way toward him. The closer you get, the more your suspicion is confirmed.
You smile pleasantly, and Larissa feels her blood boil. Why are you smiling at the boy she shifted into? Oh, no. Are you interested in him?!
"Hello, Larissa."
She is so thunderstruck by being discovered that she immediately shifts back to her original form "How...?" Is the only thing she manages to blurt out, too shocked to form coherent sentences.
You wink "I’ve studied the mistakes that can appear when shapeshifting."
She is flattered that you clearly went out of your way to study things only taught in elective courses about shapeshifters, but she is also deeply annoyed that she was caught "Oh."
You tilt your head "Why were you disguised as Remus?"
She can't really tell you the truth, that she wanted to get her hands on your wish "I..." Her mind whirls with answers until she finds a decent one "... thought I saw him getting bullied and I wanted to see if it was just my imagination", she lies rather smoothly if she does say so herself.
"That’s very considerate of you!" You utter, thoroughly impressed by her.
She blushes at your praise, even if it's unwarranted "Yes. Um... did you finish for today?"
You take a seat opposite her "Yes."
God, no. She isn't prepared to embarrass herself in front of you... again. It’s become a regular occurrence, and Morticia ends up in stitches every time it happens, much to the blonde's exasperation.
Larissa's pulse slowly but surely accelerates under your gaze, and she feels her cheeks burn. The only reason you don't notice is that she is actively shapeshifting her skin, so it's not obvious, as she always does when she is near you for long periods of time.
"What are your plans for the holidays?"
Ending this years-long crush comes to mind, but she isn't about to voice that.
"The usual."
You chuckle "You do realize that I don't know what your usual is, right? I went home last year."
How could she forget? She’d desperately tried to get your attention before your departure. She is still trying to forget what an utter disaster that plan was.
"Well..." The blonde starts and pauses as she thinks.
Well, what? Last year was spent bemoaning her failure and ranting about how perfect you are to Morticia. Both activities took up all her time, and neither is something she is going to admit to you.
"... I decorated a Christmas tree in my dorm room", she isn't exactly lying: she was in the room while Morticia and Gomez trimmed the tree with skulls "And planned the New Year's ball", if you call throwing a notebook filled with ideas at her roommate's head.
Your eyebrows go up your forehead "You were very busy."
"Yes. Same as this year", she says, thinking about all the planning she has to do to get your attention.
You bite your lip, leaving Larissa close to a heart attack "Oh... I was hoping that you’d be able to join me. I wanted to go ice-skating."
Her jaw is lost somewhere on the floor "Yes!" She blurts out so loudly that she is certain everyone in Jericho heard.
You stare at her, surprised for a few moments, and making Larissa wish for a hole in the ground to swallow her. God, why can’t she act normal around you for a second? Is that too much to ask?!
You smile softly "Grand. Today at 8? Is that alright for you?"
Larissa nods vigorously, too afraid to speak lest she makes a fool of herself. Again.
You stand up "Great. I will see you at the front entrance. See you soon, Larissa."
She waves you goodbye, her whole being vibrating with giddiness.
Her roommate and Gomez rushes next to her "What happened?" The brunette asks, her dark eyes jumping from your departing form to Larissa and back.
The tall woman beams "Y/n asked me to go ice-skating with her!"
Tish looks at her curiously "You know how to ice-skate?"
Suddenly, all the blood from the blonde's face drains away as the question reactivates her brain "Oh, God, I don't know how to ice skate!" She grabs Morticia and Gomez's arms "You have to help me!"
Both of them sigh, but nod in agreement.
"Are you alright?" You ask the moment you see Weems leaning heavily against the rink’s wall.
"Never better", she replies, her clothes hiding all the bruises she got while trying to learn how to ice skate in the few hours she had before your meeting "Shall we?" She says, slowly beginning to make her way toward the frozen lake, careful not to show that she is in pain.
You gently place your hand on the small of her back "Are you sure you are ok...? We can go ice-skating another day" You breathe out lightly, her posture not sitting well with you.
Another day? After she fell so many times today in her haste to learn how to do this just for you? Not a chance in Hell.
She smiles at you, tempted to peck your cheek "I am fine", she says a little breathlessly.
Why is your hand still on her back? Is this a sign, maybe? No, it can't be. You have been touchy-feely since she met you, but this feels different… somehow. Or maybe she hit her head on the ice earlier.
Only when she grabs a pair of skates from the kiosk at the lake do you remove your hand, and she misses its warmth immediately. She ties the ice skates like Gomez showed her and hopes she did a good enough job.
"Ready?", you ask after gearing yourself up as well.
Larissa nods and goes to the edge of the frozen lake with her heart hammering in her chest. She prays that she won't fall in front of you. She cautiously steps on the ice. So far, so good - she is still standing. A gust of wind goes past her, and she soon realizes that it's you - flying over the ice like a natural. She stares at you in open admiration and fascination as you skate around the other students without a hitch. You skate back toward her after a jump and a spin. You stop in front of her and, before the blonde can comment on your skills, she loses her balance and falls on her butt gracelessly.
Pure, unadulterated embarrassment fills every cell in her body, but the feeling doesn't have the chance to overcome her because you lean down on your haunches, your eyes darting over her figure hurriedly.
"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" you ask worried, and she finds herself lying by shaking her head just to stop you from looking so panicked.
"I'm not hurt", she lies, the rapidly forming bruise on her ass very much disagreeing with her.
You grab her hands, and she is shocked when you pull her up effortlessly.
"Well, I’ll just have to stand by you, so you won't fall again", you say lightly.
"I..."
You hold her hands firmly, wondering if your type of outcast is always so warm as her whole vocabulary is wiped out "Come on", you slowly skate backward "Put your feet in a 'V' and bend your knees a little", she follows your instructions on autopilot and is surprised when she has more balance than before "There we go! Left and right, left and right, to and fro, stop and go", you say in a sing-song tone that makes a smile bloom on the blonde's face.
"Is that a song?"
You smile timidly "They are the lyrics from Sword in the stone."
She nods and spots Gomez and Morticia on the ice as well. They more than likely came for moral support- or to savor her misfortune.
"I saw the movie", she tells you, slightly moving so you won't see the other two.
You stop "You saw it?" You inquire, eyes twinkling in delight.
"Yes...?"
"You don't think me childish for watching cartoons?"
"No. I happen to like cartoons as well."
When you beam at her, her heart is close to giving up, and she is certain that her face could replace Rudolph's nose with how hard she is blushing. Thank God for her shapeshifting abilities.
"Do you want some hot chocolate?"
She nods and, with your help, she reaches the benches without problems. She practically throws the ice skates off her feet as soon as you leave to get the hot chocolates.
She glares at her roommate and her beau as they glide over the ice as if they were dancing at the Olympics. A soft chuckle graces her ears and her head snaps toward the sound, only to be met by a steaming hot cup of hot chocolate held at her eye level. Slowly, she rips her blue eyes from it, moving them slowly up your arm and to your smiling face. A fuzzy feeling blooms in her heart and, like a divine revelation, she finally acknowledges that this isn't a mere crush.
"I see you gave up on ice skating", you utter softly.
She takes the cup from your hand, her hands slightly trembling when they brush your fingers "Not my cup of tea."
"You could've told me. Had I known, I wouldn't have insisted."
But that's the problem, isn’t it? She finally had the opportunity to spend time with you on what could have easily been a date, she wasn't about to say 'no' to that.
She takes a sip of her warm beverage and her eyes widen "Does this have orange?"
You nod "Yes. That's your favorite, isn't it?"
She stares at you in surprise. How do you know? More importantly, can the butterflies attacking her stomach with pickaxes give her a five-minute break? So you memorized something as insignificant as this- no big deal. It’s probably a coincidence or something.
Wait, is that... is that a blush on your cheeks?!
You nervously play with your cup "I saw that you only drink this kind of hot chocolate at lunch."
God, why are you giving her more reasons to adore you?
"Yes. I-it is my favorite. W-what about yours?" She inquires, standing up and leisurely making her way back to Nevermore with you.
"I am partial to mint, but I love all of them."
Weems notices Morticia and Gomez trailing after them. They lack subtlety as they try to blend in with the crowd of students. Honestly, they are dressed in black from head to toe and they think they can camouflage themselves.
"Oh! Can you hold this for a second?" You ask, holding out your hot chocolate.
She takes your cup and focuses on you as you rummage through your pockets "Sure, but why? Is something wrong?"
You shake your head as you pull out of your pocket a pen and some paper "No. I know now what I want to wish for", you tell her, pointing with your pen to the Christmas tree in the quad.
Larissa chides herself for forgetting this detail in her haste to learn how to ice skate, but luck seems to be on her side.
She purses her lips when you turn away to write. The moment you finish and move with your slip of paper toward the tree, she shapeshifts to become taller and see from her spot.
'I wish for Larissa's happiness.'
She can't breathe. This is your wish?! How selfless are you?! She is far from apologetic when you turn and catch her in the act.
"Um... wishes don't come true if you know them..." You mumble, blushing a little at her discovery.
She reverts back, looking at you as if you were an angel among men "Will you marry me?" She blurts out without thinking. Shit.
"W-what?" You stutter, shocked by her question and blushing hard.
"She's been in love with you for years!" Morticia yells from a nearby table, making the both of you jump and turn to her "I beg you, put us all out of our misery and kiss her. This is worse than torture - and I like torture!"
"Oh..." You breathe out, slowly turning to the tall woman "... you too?"
Did you just...?
Her brain gradually registers your question and, when it reaches the only logical conclusion, she moves as if possessed. She gently cups your face and kisses you softly but with all the pent-up feelings she’s gathered for you over these past few years.
A chorus of cheers rises from every corner of the quad.
Morticia smirks satisfied and holds out her hand to Gomez. Wordlessly, he places a 50 dollar bill in her palm, making her grin widen.
He watches the brunette smiling, far from bothered that he lost the bet. After all, he is the reason she won. He couldn't keep Larissa up when she was ice-skating with his telekinesis, but it was pretty easy to make the blonde's wish fall at Y/n’s feet right before they met up to go skating.
Tish turns to regard him, and he knows that smile. She knows what he did. He doesn't complain since his reward is a kiss.