Chapter Text
Wednesday was never one for sentimalities. She found it obscure to keep mementos of things to prove she was 'fond' of someone.
Photos of her parents? What, did she forget what they looked like? One of Pugsley's baby teeth? She wasn't the Tooth Fairy. A birthday card from Enid who wrote all about how 'amazing of a person' Wednesday is and that she wishes for Wednesday to have the happiest day of her life? Bleach- Wednesday would rather gauze herself on sugar than have to keep a card like that.
The sheer thought of having her room and personal space be decorated with 'artefacts' that hold connection from a receiver made her shiver. She liked to be a minimalist- black all around with the only items of value in her life are her typewriter and the occasional dagur she carries around (for protection for for threatening someone else- the latter)
That was why she never cared much for gifts either. Unless the gift was the promise of peace and quiet then yes, she will gladly accept. But alas, Wednesday had been gifted meaningless presents that brought her neither peace and quiet.
The lack of items also helped her keep a tidy mindset and room. She never had to worry about cleaning to an extreme, wondering how delicate something could be, or if she needed to return the favour.
So yes, Wednesday never kept anything which was seen and depicted as sentimental. Why would she? At some point in her life, everyone will vanish one by one until she is hopefully the last to live. No point in hoarding useless items that have no real value anyways.
That was before Tyler was brought into the picture.
Yes, they started off rocky. With Tyler secretly being the Hyde and all. Nearly killing Eugene, actually killing many other people in the process, and ultimately betraying Wednesday.
He was the first boy- no, first person she had ever allowed herself to 'like'.
"Give me a call if I ever move up your to-do list" Tyler's exact words. And she kept that in mind.
She had walked over 20 minutes to catch him on his closing shift. Wednesday had believed she had finally put the right killer behind bars- and now her mind was at ease. She no longer had to worry about solving a mystery. The only worry back then was her feelings for a certain barista.
If only he wasn't the Hyde and everything went to shit.
That was a year ago.
Three months after he was taken away, Tyler had been temporarily placed in an institution where they 'assisted' him in controlling his Hyde.
Wednesday tried all of her break not to think about him. But she couldn't stop. He was in her mind all the time.
Like she wasn't on his constantly either.
At some point on her break did she muster up the courage to fill out the paperwork (online) to come and visit him. She even had to get her driver's license.
Now, you may be thinking that Wednesday has gone, soft. But no. She wasn't going to see him simply because she missed him. No- she was going to see him because she wanted to gloat in her glory that she put him behind bars, that he was trapped forever while she was able to roam freely.
She would comment that he was nothing more than a beast, a killer. That she should've known better to fall for him- a mistake she would never make again.
Wednesday had never denied it to anyone who had questioned or commented her romantic feelings for Tyler. There was no point anyways as everyone saw the way she associated herself with him. It didn't help either that he looked at her like she hung the stars and the moon.
No, Wednesday denied the hurt she felt when she had gotten the visions of him as the Hyde. She felt betrayed, used, and played. Was his feelings for her fake? Was the birthday cake, latter art, and the non-birthday dinner all a ruse? Did he really want to help her get out of Jericho, or was he planning on stalling her that night? When he killed Rowan, was that an act of heroism or because he wanted her to see that there was more to him than his 'subpar coffee' and 'generic good looks'?
Wednesday needed to know. Not for closure, she told herself. Except it was.
But stepping in front of the glass panel and seeing him chained up the wall disintergrated all her emotions of hatred and anger. She gazed at his body- scarred and torn. His hair was darker and less tamed than it was before. And the expression on his face? A mixture of hurt, grief, and... regret? But Wednesday was never good at reading people.
The two stared at eachother for the first time in months- neither wanting to acknowledge the other's presence. Tyler was the first to speak, to break the silence looming over them.
He apoligised for everything- for lying to her, for never revealing he was the Hyde and leading her on a wild goose hunt, and worse, for endagering the lives of many people.
She didn't accept it. She had listened to him and then left without a word spoken back. Her mind had raced with many things- was he telling the truth? Should she believe him? Did her ever really like her?
She went back again a week after her first visit. This time she spoke. She demanded to know if his feelings for her were fake, or if he really did like her. She wouldn't admit it, but she was hoping he did.
And he it turns, he did. And not just, like-like her. No, he had fallen in love. She left again as quickly as she arrived, flustered and heart slowly mending.
In no time at all, did Wednesday come back. She came back twice a week for the remaining two months he was there. School in Nevermore had started up again so she no longer had to travel from her home in New Jersey to get to where Tyler was. Now all she had to do was simply take a 5 hour walk to the institution instead of a brisk hour car drie.
When she was there, they talked about a lot of things. Tyler's Hyde and how much (or how little) control he had. Wednesday's novel and how she hadn't written a word since he was placed in there. How Tyler found her visit's to be the highlight of his day. Wednesday admitting she could learn to forgive him. Tyler and his weird emotions of missing his dog, Elvis. The basics.
But soon the two found themselves deeping further into heavier topics of conversation. The abuse- mental, physical and sexual- Tyler endured from Gates. Wednesday and her fears of ever liking someone again romantically (Tyler scoffed and refused to allow her to even think about someone else- she threatened that she might fall for Xavier, Tyler's Hyde nearly came out). And finally, that she wishes for his freedom.
And did he get that.
Tyler was granted releasement so long he adheared to rules which kept him in check. Also in preventing harm to others. Wednesday promised his doctors that she will personally be his 'keeper' (whatever that means) and if something were to happen, she'll be there to stop it.
Tyler's first month of being free were a blur. He went back to stay with his dad. Donovan wasn't thrilled but he wasn't entirely upset about the situation either. The two bickered and argued night after night. Tyler doesn't even remember why.
After one night of an intense and heated argument with his father, Tyler had snuck out of his room and fled to Nevermore in search of Wednesday's dorm. He remembered which dorm hers was- and scaled up the tall walls of the school before throwing himself onto her balcony.
He ran a hand through his hair before knocking on (her side of) the window. She answered and opened it straight away. After he told her what happened she allowed him to stay the night. Luckily for them both Enid was having a sleepover in Yoko's dorm so they had the room to themselves.
Tyler had spent the first half of the night in Enid's bed, believing there was no way in Hell would Wednesday allow him to sleep with her.
Wednesday had spent the first half of the night in her own bed, wishing Tyler was beside her.
The second half? Wednesday called Tyler over. He stumbled in the dark before joining her under her sheets. Neither spoke as Wednesday nestled herself in Tyler's arms. His body radiated off a warm heat, and she pressed herself firmly agaisnt him. He enloped her in a tight embrace as her head rested just below his chin. He took a bold step- pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head. She didn't scold him. He didn't apoligise. The two fell asleep.
In the morning Enid had found them.
The was the first of the many nights Tyler would spend in her dorm.
After a solid week of 'sleepovers', Wednesday had decided it was time for Tyler to join her in attending Nevermore.
Convincing Weems wasn't easy. She had returned as the principal after miraculously surviving jer injuries. There was still a ban on Hyde students in the school, and it wasn't helping much either that Tyler was a killer. But Wednesday persisted and did something she never thought herself capable of- she begged.
Weems gave in eventually and lifted the ban for the first time in 30 years. Wednesday's parents were the ones who paid for Tyler's tuition too.
So Tyler moved to Nevermore. He was roomed in with Ajax and the two became best friends. Especially since they were both dating other bestfriends/roommates.
Well, Ajax was dating Enid. Tyler and Wednesday were... whatever they were.
Tyler's return to Jericho and to Nevermore was met with many different things. Resentment, judgement, and of course marginalisation. But after three months of being a student, everyone soon just allowed him to exist.
Wednesday and Tyler agreed to be friends. But both knew it wasn't meant to last. On the sixth month of him being there, attending the same classes as her, hanging out with Ajax, joining the Hummers club (after apoligizing to Eugene), and sleeping in her bed next to her nearly every night, did Wednesday finally allowed herself to love him once more.
They've been dating for a total of 3 months now.
Wednesday was still the same person as before- except now she did become someone who was fond of having something to remind her of Tyler.
So yes, Wednesday was never one for sentimalities. Not unless it was something from Tyler.
The day they went out on their first (official and proper) date, Tyler had gifted her a ring. It wasn't just any ring. That would've been beneath him. It was a black ring that was carved to look like her favourite flower- a black dahlia. The ring wrapped around her finger with the actual ring itself looking like the stem of the flower. The dahlia was just to her liking- small and delicate but big enough to see.
She scoffed when Tyler presented it to her. But upon futher inspection did she truly see the ring for all its beauty. The flower- it was real. Not made out of silver of metal, but an actual black dahlia that was enchanted to last forever. The petals were alive and never seemed to wilt.
"I do not care for jewellery" She reminded him as she slid the ring on her finger, ignoring his bright smile, "But I will wear it because you've gifted it to me. Nothing more" He didn't press on any further, nor did he force her to wear it.
Wednesday had chosen, out of her own free will, to wear the ring everyday. She never took it off except for the one time she did. It was the night after their first date, and she wanted to shower. She was afraid it would get soaked in the shower, and so she placed it in a secure place. As soon as she was finished, the ring was back on. The next day she told Tyler she had taken it off. He told her it wasn't able to get wet. From then on the ring became apart of her, and Wednesday didn't hate it.
Tyler loved showing physical affection, much to Wednesday's dismay. From hand-holding to cuddling her in her sleep, a bit of him was always on her. There was one bit of public affection Wednesday allowed Tyler to display. At random times (sometimes even catching her off-guard), Tyler would take her right hand, hold if up to his face, before kissing the finger (the index) the ring was on. It made her flutter inside.
She liked to imagine the ring saved all his kisses.