Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

A party to celebrate the absence of Marilyn Thornhill. Or the start of a new year as it was being called. But for Alex, a celebration of Larissa's return. Safe. And still just as oblivious to the feelings her Outcast history teacher has held about her. Alex stands at the edge of the room just watching, laughing to herself under her breath about how much middle school Alex's obsession with "The perks of being a wallflower" was foreshadowing.
A brush of a gloved hand against her elbow brought her back to the moment as she turned to see who would've noticed her in a crowd this big, scanning her eyes up until they reached the deep blue eyes of Larissa Weems.
"If you feel as bored as you look, I have a bottle of red in my office and a feeling no one would notice our absence..." a small comment for the ever classy principle but everything for Alex who took so long to respond Larissa became concerned she had offended as she often unintentionally does so added "Forgive me, I phrased that incorrectly. I'm certain you would be missed I just thought-"

"Please." Alex interrupted, sparing the usually so composed woman of embarrassing herself further,
and with that, they were gone.

Sneaking down the corridors of the old school as students sleep, exchanging quiet giggles as they walk close enough for hands to brush occasionally until they reached Larissa's office, lit by the roaring fire in the hearth. Said light keeping the women in a soft glow making Alex unable to take her eyes off the older woman until the wineglass is in her hand and both women sat on the couch, gazing into the flames in a comfortable but charged silence.

"I can't believe I hired her." Larissa's statement that broke the silence is simple, and without need of explanation. Laurel Gates' presence hung over the entire school but the principle more than anyone given her hospital stint due to the poison nightshade. So Alex responded with anything she could think of to try and salvage the mood.

"I can't believe I dated her."

Maybe the awkward silence would've been better rather than whatever this is.
The wine turned to a syrup in Alex's throat as she began to over-think every possible outcome of the rest of the evening in a second, when her mental scalding of herself was interrupted by Larissa's voice, uncharacteristically quiet.

"you date women?"

The simplicity of the question silenced the voices as Alex let out a deep sigh and almost whispered a small "uh yeah..." just to receive a hum from the principal who didn't realise the impact of the tiny noise due to the continuing lack of eye contact between the two women so asked a further question in the same emotionally vague hum.

"Your type...Older?"

The same repeated again over and over as Larissa subtly guided Alex out of panic attack territory, not that Alex was aware her boss knew of her anxiety struggles.

"um...yeah I guess"

"Shorter?"

"I mean um not exclusively...she was actually the anomaly in that area.."

"Psychotic?"

"I don't intend on making a habit out of it."

A small chuckle escaped both of them at that as the soft mood returned but this time with their faces notably closer together.

"Miss Novak...I understand you've had some of the wine but...are you still mostly sober?" the gentle concern in her eyes made Alex melt on the spot especially upon hearing her professional title repeated in that accent she'd always adored. "I'm not that much of a light weight 'Rissa. Why?" neither women commented on the nickname in fear they would spook it, instead just let it float between them. Until a whisper from Alex glided into its space. "Are you still sober? Because if we're both in our right minds I can't see any reason not to-" Larissa's lips replaced the whisper in a blink, brushing against Alex's with just enough pressure to be undeniably intentional but also easily pushed away. Only Alex didn't. Not that she kissed back either, she just froze causing the principal to spring back with instant worry. "I- I am so sorry that was...inexcusable I apologise greatly it appears I misread things truly I am very sor-" once again the principle is spared more embarrassing ranting as Alex sprung back into action pressing her lips to the older woman's as Larissa's hands came up on instinct to rest on the sides of her face and Alex's hands slid to Larissa's hips as the kiss deepened.

Wine glasses long since forgotten on the floor, Alex manoeuvred herself slowly to straddle Larissa's lap as their tongues met and lipstick was smudged to the point of being ruined and the cause undeniable with the ruby red on both their faces, like the colour of a ripe pomegranate or precious jewels. Alex's hands now balled in the lapels of Larissa's dress as the principles hands made their way to Alex's thighs when there was the unmistakable sound of the office doors opening and a squeal that could only belong to Enid Sinclair, followed by groans from the rest of the nightshades.

"Oh my crystals we are SO sorry!!" the young werewolf exclaimed in a way that could only serve to break the tense atmosphere with a giggle from the woman in the principles lap (who herself was notably unamused). Both teachers untangled from each other and stood up to face the students who were having a hard time not showing their enjoyment seeing the usually so prim and proper principal with messy hair, tangled clothes, and smudged lipstick.

"Yes?" Larissa's tone was short and sharp but lacked it's usual punch due to the shorter woman behind her giggling softly and slipping her hand into Larissa's.

Bianca designated herself their spokesperson due to the others still whispering about the event they had just interrupted. "We're sorry Principle Weems but we need you. There's some guys trying to get into the school but they definitely aren't any kind of outcast we've seen before. Wednesday's holding them off but she...she um...sorry I um like I was saying Wednesday is holding them back but she can't...sorry my head it's...does anyone else feel that ? It's..." The principle sprang forward to catch the Siren as Bianca fell forwards, her other classmates dropping to the floor behind their captain. After checking their pulses, Larissa came to the conclusion they were simply asleep and that's when she smelt it. In the air. Pumping through the vents.

"Rissa I- mmph I don't feel so good I..." Larissa laid down Bianca gently just in time to stop Alex hitting the floor and lifted the teacher onto her office couch before finally being overcome herself and slumping against the legs of the couch like a guard dog that's fallen asleep on the job.

Chapter Text

Larissa had played back that moment in her head every day since she woke up on the floor to an empty couch behind her just minutes after the ambush. Leaving the party, drinking the wine, kissing the history teacher, getting interrupted by the Nightshades, falling asleep, waking up alone. Leaving the party drinking the wine, kissing Alex, Nightshade interruption, falling asleep, waking up alone. Leaving, wine, kiss, Nightshades, sleep, alone. Nightshades, sleep, alone. Nightshade, sleep, alone. Just like last time. except this time rather than in a hospital bed arguing with nurses, she had a school to run and a staff member to find. The only staff member that mattered to her truthfully.

The journal in her desk draw notated all the dreams she still had about the woman, hoping documenting this would help her subconscious remember something that happened that night, anything at all but it was in vein as she still had nothing to present to the sheriff when she made her weekly visit to beg them not to call off the search party. Larissa Weems, respected principal, shapeshifter, 6'3" grown woman, begging. But she would crawl through hell on her hands and knees to beg Lucifer themself for Alex back. Everybody knew that. The kiss had been kept a secret for a while by the Nightshades out of respect for their grieving principle, not that Larissa would ever describe her actions as grieving. "Grieving is what you do for the dead and Ms Novak isn't dead, just gone for now." she'd always insist, accent just a little posher than usual, like it always became when she was attempting not to cry.

Just as Larissa was getting ready to put all her pride aside and grovel for them to keep looking for Ms Novak as she did every Friday when she heard a car pull into the gates of the school and watched from the towering wooden doors of the entrance as Isadora Capri speedily rushed out the vintage Citroen looking even more anxious and frazzled than usual, ranting to another staff member about "I was just driving and she was there- I didn't know what to do maybe she's escaped from Willow Hill? She just looked so dire I couldn't bare to leave her" and other phrases that never reached Larissa's ears as she tried to forbid herself from hoping until Wednesday Addams (who had somehow already managed to sneak to the front of the ever-growing crowd of students) turned to Enid at the back of the group telling the pup to "find Weems." but the second the words left Wednesdays lips, Larissa pushed through the crowd to see the almost lifeless body of the woman she thought she may never lay waking eyes on again. Decorated in mud, dried blood, and bruises. Curled on the ground wearing just a hospital gown and flimsy shoes that had worn to the point of being almost ineffective, but undeniably Alexandria Novak.

She didn't wait one second more to scoop the woman up in her arms and carry her through the sea of people parting it like a god with the soul objective of getting Alex to her chambers and into bed whilst she processed everything. And everyone knew to steer clear. Gods help the people who are responsible for this because the look on the shapeshifters face that followed relief was an anger no one in that courtyard had seen before. Fiery as hell itself. And just as relentless.

Chapter Text

The title was the first sign. Larissa stopped typing when she saw Alex on her couch sitting up slowly and rubbing her eyes. Arms, face, and legs clean and aided to where necessary with bandages. But it wasn't a warm "Rissy!" accompanied with that oh so Alex grin like Larissa had let herself believe it would be. No it was confusion and a stunned whisper. "Principal Weems?" Alex sat up proper and looked around the office, blushing as her eyes went wide with realisation "Oh my- I am so sorry I must've passed out that's so unlike me I apologise!- It won't happen again. Did I miss much at the end of the staff meeting?"
Now confusion was the shared emotion in the room.
"Staff..meeting..? Lex, what are you talking about?" Larissa got up from her desk and rounded the couch to sit with her.
"The staff meeting? The one we were in? about the bear in the woods or whatever the monster is-"
Larissa's stomach dropped as nausea overtook her. That meeting was last winter. eleven months ago.
"Alexandria we should get you to the nurse or get the nurse here or-" The concerned principal was cut off by Alex as she placed her hands over Larissa's. "Principal Weems that really isn't necessary just call Miss Thornhill and she can take me back to my quarters and tend to me." Indicator number two and this one had Larissa almost excusing herself to somewhere the younger woman wouldn't have to witness her throwing up. "Marilyn Thornhill no longer works here. Miss Novak kindly tell me the date?"
"what do you mean Mari isn't here?? I was out for five minutes-" but a quick comparison of calendars had both women pale (or at least more pale than usual in Larissa's case) as a thick syrupy silence fell over the office only broken by Alex finally landing on one of the millions of questions in her head to start with. "Why did Marilyn leave? Where is she?"

The thought alone of having to recount the story to the woman in front of her made her dizzy, to look in those big eyes she adored and tell them the vile acts of the woman she fell in love with, Larissa couldn't. So she didn't. "Witness Protection." she cursed the words as soon as they left her mouth. A stupid lie and one that could fall apart any second but all she could think of when finally meeting the eyes she had dreamt of meeting again for five months. So pathetic excuse it was. But that was the only lie Larissa told as the two of them sat and talked about everything. Not that Larissa handed over all the information either, but figured she wasn't technically lying by removing some details, just protecting her...friend.

"So we were in here with Mari and then I was taken and I just...don't remember? Well I mean how did they make me forget? Maybe it was some fairytale type shit and I just need true loves kiss or something!! So we find Marilyn and-" This time Larissa did have to excuse herself, mumbling about a phone call before shutting the door connecting to her office and hiding in her quarters. True Love. Marilyn Thornhill. Sure, Alex didn't know about the atrocities that woman had committed but it still stung Larissa to hear the woman she loved refer to the woman who tried to murder her as "true love".

That afternoon Miss Capri brought in the lead doctor at Willow Hill to examine Alex as Larissa stood in silence after being told off by Dr Fairburn for pacing. The conclusion reached was during her kidnapping, the history teacher had been drugged so many times over she had lost a year. Ironic given her profession. That nervous joke from a very anxious Isadora didn't land but Fairburn granted her a sympathy chuckle to spare the werewolf of embarrassment. After that they were left alone again but not before Larissa was taken aside by Dr Fairburn and given very direct instructions: "Don't overwhelm her, There's a chance her memory may come back but you must be gentle with what you tell her. Things she needs to know only. And nothing about Thornhill."
So she did the only thing she could bare to. Assigned others to care for Alex and watched from afar, only engaging when Alex initiated it.

It was lonely as hell for Alex, not remembering anything from an entire year, without the woman she ‘loved’, and the nagging feeling Larissa was holding something back she couldn't quite chalk up to paranoia, so she turned to the one person she knew she could rely on to tell her about the gaps in her memory. Nevermore’s self-appointed gossip queen. She wandered the grounds listening to the ramblings of Enid Sinclair until she caught sight of the principal watching from her office and asked the young wolf the only question she really cared about the answer to. "Principal Weems and I, we were close...right?" and almost too enthusiastic nod from Enid confirmed what Alex knew so she went through with her actual question, "so then why is she avoiding me? Did we get into a fight before my disappearance? Did I do something wrong? Because I think she hates me."
Enid's heart broke for the teacher as a tiny whimper escaped her in her attempts to stay quiet as she had been ordered by both Principal Weems and Doctor Fairburn. "Enid. Does Larissa hate me?" still no response so Alex just mumbled "never mind" and walked off to go see the only person who hasn't made her feel insane since she got back.

Which is exactly how she found herself sat next to the piano humming softly as Isadora Capri played a soft tune, a way for both of them to ground themselves after a rough day and exist without the pressure of holding a conversation or pretending they have any social battery left, without isolating themselves which was a habit both of them fell into naturally but never benefited from. Isadora stopped playing and turned to Alex with a soft hum. "You know the weathervane? In town?" a small, seemingly insignificant thing that meant so much to Alex was the fact Isadora never treated her like an amnesiac mainly due to not knowing her before the abduction, so it was always "know" not "Remember" like every other sentence with Larissa seemed to be.
"Yeah. Yeah they do good hot chocolate."
"You wanna go?" Isadora offered gently, grabbing her car keys once she got a small nod from Alex and starting the walk out the school to her car despite the pouring rain.