Work Text:
"You know?"
Craaa
"I've always wanted to befriend a raven"
Cra Craaa
You huffed, sat on a tomb of who know which Addams -Wednesday or Morticia surely would know- stopping your writing, no more able to concentrate.
The black bird cawed once again as you closed your leather book and rose from the cold marble.
"Follow me all you want" you said as the Raven started flying up above you "I don't really know what you think to achieve"
A shadow, bigger than the one of the bird was suddenly behind you, icy breeze and a deep, otherworldly voice: "I aspire studying thee and thy routine"
Huffing again you turned towards your interlocutor "You aspire studying me, flying around as a raven?"
And Death gave only a nod as answer.
"Fantastic"
Conversing with your host was tiring sometimes...
"Your 'Whims'...'whims' Mr Addams?" You asked incredulous as he kept on throwing knifes at the target Lurch was holding.
"Yes, how would you call them?" and he sounded perplexed, but you couldn't really know, he was giving his back at you.
"Of course! Who doesn't have an infinite amount of gold in a secret vault under his house in which there is a literal water channel -i don't know how- that I don't even know were it begin and end out there, in the real world! If it does! For his...whims!?"
He then looked at you with his signature smile and asked: "Who doesn't?"
You nearly growled, scaring the Raven perched on your shoulder, who fled on a nearby chair as Mr Addams laughed in merriment.
"You. Are. Incorrigible." And out of the room you went, Raven in tow.
"Heellooo!" You fawned to the child.
"Aaaaghaaaaa!" Little Pubert answered as he tried to stay up on his own in his creepy cage.
"Wanna get out and try some walking, Little Devil?"
"Gaaah waaah"
"No, no" you said as he pointed at the Raven now perched on the wardrobe "that's not your breakfast!"
And the Raven violet eyes flamed in shock Craaa?
"Never you mind" you whispered and then to the little boy "I'll get you out the cage and you try some walking while we hunt for your meal, yeah?"
Pubert clapped his tiny hands in assent;
he was now nearly two years old and was starting to say his first words so when you opened the cage and heard his mumbled "Up!" You were not surprised.
"Yes, up, but once out I'll put you down immediately!"
And he frowned an adorable frown with his little mustache at which you just couldn't help smile.
Craaa came the perplexed caw of the Raven who started gliding towards your shoulder but, nope, you couldn't have it!
"No, Death! You're going to make Ocho jealous if you keep staying on my shoulder"
So he just kept flying, hovering over your heads as Little Pub tried walking, hand in hand with you and at his tumbles you always brought him up.
"Told you..."you breathed out, Pubert playing with a...was that a mouse!? At your feet, as right in front of you an epic fight was unfolding:
Death -you didn't really know why he was not turning into its right self- trying to fly away from Ocho's blue tentacles.
"All in a metter of half an hour, right on the kitchen floor...wait for 'Mama to find you"
Many utensils were brought into the fight by Ocho, many of those, Death avoided with grace -the knifes for example or the rolling pin...does 'Mama even use that?!?- it looked like a mini-kaiju' fight.
When suddenly, Pubert exclaimed "G'ma!" and rolling your eyes, once again you said "Told you..."
"What the HELL is happening HERE! My ladles! You're touching my ladles!"
"Come now Ocho, poor thing, you started the fight after all, but 'Mama won't really use you as an ingredient for potions!"
Craaaaa
"Shut you!" You said to the Raven as Ocho started hissing its way.
You rearranged Little Pubert in your arms as he was reaching to squeeze the Raven perched on the armrest of the sofa "Death is no toy, Pub"
Meanwhile, Ocho was entangling it's tentacles with your legs "I love you too Ocho, but there's no need to be jealous, I can carry the both of you. I got two shoulders! Especially if Death persist in staying that way"
Cra was all the answer you received form the bird.
"MAMA!" Pubert hight squeal stunned you as Mrs Addams entered the room.
"Dreadful morning!"
"To you Mrs Addams"
She stopped to pick up the baby and then levered the two other occupants of the sofa with a reprimanding gaze.
" 'Mama told me about the mess"
"Ocho had three kitchen knifes, one cleaver, a rolling pin and a strange skeleton arm...all in all, Mrs Addams, it has been epic"
Craaaaa Cra!
The Raven cawed his dissent.
"Maybe Death is right" said Mrs Addams "immagine with its scythe!"
As you were walking down the corridor to your room, you could feel your leg brushing a tight thread children...
What could ever await you now? A classic? Something more refined?
But as a shift in the air, resembling the now usual sound of a blade thrown, reached your ears and you were ready to duck, a clang stopped the blade dead in its tracks.
A shining scythe was Infront of you, attached to a skeletal hand and the little blade now lying destroyed on the floor.
"Oh" you huffed "Death! You just spoiled the children fun..." And before you could hear its reply, Wednesday and Pugsley got out of their hiding place.
"Cool" said the boy in awe, but the girl just stared Death dead in the eyes-sockets, not blinking and said "You're no fun" then ran away.
"Fantastic"
"They were trying to kill you"
You spun in its direction "they always do! It's a game for them! A game you unfortunately just spoiled" you huffed.
"I don't understand. How's that supposed to be a game?"
"Pugsley, dear" you said "find your sister before she goes mad, will you? And send her back here"
And as the boy ran off after the brunette "Just you wait, Death. I've got an idea about what Wednesday will ask you as a repay"
"Repay? I usually ask for them"
"Then it'll be a new thing for you! A part of your studying will come with experience!"
You winked its way then said "oh and, think about what you'll do once I start working again! This is just a parenthesis, my little holiday, but I don't think my employer will be happy if I show up at work with a raven on my shoulder " and as you finished your sentence, the dark haired girl approached once again, huffing, and stopped afore you saying "Well, I thought and I decided Death will help us with a little experiment" she grinned maniacally and you could swear Death shivered.
"Come, Death" you turned to it "let's end this day with a bang!"
"Won't your Mother get angry?"
"We are using this chamber to do exactly what it was created for" the girl replied.
"No" you shook your head "I mean: won't she get angry because we are not including her too?"
"She'll get over it"
"We should-"
"Here" the girl talked over you as if she heard nothing and approached the Raven perched on your shoulder with a notebook in hand.
And you recognized that notebook.
Your eyes bulged.
"Death! Do nothing 'til I get back!"
"You're spoiling all the fun" Wednesday said.
"I want adult supervision"
And Death turned into its right self again, taking the book in its skeletal hand.
You stared at it saying "Are you implicitly telling me there is no one more 'adult' than you?"
And Death nodded, it's violet, flaming eyes bobbing up and down.
It opened the notebook and... The flames intensified!
"I don't think that's a good sign" you whispered as the dark haired girl started to grin.
"How did thou get your hands on this?"
"A little trip to Egypt"
"You" you ventured "don't look too happy, Death"
"I am eternal"
"Mmmh mmmh"
"Many Pantheons, many faces. I remember those"
"You mean..." A theory popped in your head "that you have many facets? As in...Osiris is a part of you?"
"A part of me. Kind of. But Death is eternal"
"Strange"
"Weird" Wednesday added.
"Yup. Not really clear but clear enough. Do go on, please"
"We want to know if what's written in there worked and if so, what happened" the girl reiterated as she sat on the floor on an already drawn pentacle.
You sat, cross-legged, taking your usual seat and, to everyone' surprise, Death sat too!
At which you uttered "That bad!?"
"Time is relative. I won't give you an indication"
"Doesn't matter" you said as Death looked at you, then the girl and you again.
"Why?"
"Why it doesn't matter, Or-"
"Why do you want to know?"
"Oh! Wednesday just want to play"
And Death reclined its head like a perplexed howl, flaming eyes becoming slits.
"You baffle me, humans. Your behaviour is...abnormal"
"You wanted to understand why Y/n was so 'interesting', now get along with it!"
"Wednesday..." You warned "be polite with the supernatural entity"
She huffed, crossing her arms like a little toddler and frowning impatiently.
"Long ago" Death began in a low voice "a man had many a privilege, he had everything, everything but a daughter. He tried and tried and when his wish finally was granted, it was granted by the God of Chaos"
"Apophis?" Wednesday looked at you interrogatively as you interrupted "Why Apophis?"
"An unnatural game. None would grant. Not even Isis or Hathor, it was not meant to be"
You gulped: having Death itself tell this 'story' was starting to get to you. Sent chills down your spine.
"But the Pharaoh was stubborn-"
"Did he really vote to Apophis?"
The skeletal presence nodded and you took a sudden intake of breath.
"A covenant was made and a child was created, the seed planted...but as I said, unnatural"
"Someone must not have been happy" Wednesday whispered.
"A creation, a destruction, the child had to be taken before Osiris but here comes the sneaky trick of the Serpent: once Anubis was sent to retrieve the soul, at a still young age-"
"Apophis tried to imbibe Anubis"
Death nodded.
"The child died, the Pharaoh asked the priestess to do anything in their power to keep her bounded to the world of the living, isn't it?" And as Death nodded once again, Wednesday kept going "Now tell us how Apophis acted and translate to us the symbols!"
"You're so impatient Wednesday!"
"I have to know!"
"Have to?" You could say Death was confused, you'd be too if you didn't know the girl by now.
"I...Apophis and Anubis fought a great duel, one that could only be stopped by Ra. That day, the sky became red but those hieroglyphics... those I won't translate"
And the click of his mandibles was final.
Wednesday frowned in disappointment, standing up.
"I won't ask again, oh Death, if you translate those for me, I'll grant you my brother' sou-"
"Nope! A big N O! Wednesday shut your mouth, Death shut your ears!" You rushed to say "We" at which you stared at the dark haired girl "thank you for this macabre story and we" you kept your eyes on hers "understand if you don't want or cannot translate the cryptic symbols"
"Ugh" the girl huffed, stamping her feet and running out the room.
"I apolo-"
"Don't " it wasn't right "maybe it's better if you keep those or...destroy those!"
"It's a forbidden ritual to keep the soul bounded. A binding"
"Keep it" then you rose and went to find Wednesday, leaving Death contemplating, still sat in the circle.
Alas, you couldn't find Wednesday, _she probably ran to the mausoleum_ you thought just as the Raven appeared in your view.
Craaa
"No, I don't know what she's gonna do, but 'till you have the book I don't care"
Its head turned inquiringly, as the Raven perched on your shoulder.
"I'm not worried that much, she'll be back when she's ready"
Cra craaa
"No" you sighed, "it's not your fault, she has to understand that no is no and when something is too dangerous... Anyway, I think you'll be more than a little confused dealing with this family, but don't worry, it'll be a great experience just as it has been for me!"
And just as you saw with the corner of your eye a little dark shape exiting the mausoleum, you turned, smiling, to get back to the gloomy house.