Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Wednesday didn’t stop thinking about Tyler when she went home last semester. She knew he wasn’t dead, so where was he? Prison? Was he sent away to some other bootcamp? How could he be contained? Now that Laurel wasn’t there to pull his strings, was he still violent and murderous? 

Although it was embarrassingly painful to admit, and she hadn’t said it out loud, Wednesday missed what they had. She missed their time together in the Weathervane, in Crackstones Crypt, she missed his lips on hers. She thought his feelings for her were real— how could she be such a fool? 

Her own feelings were even more complicated when she came back to Jericho for another semester at Nevermore and learned of his escape. 

Tyler was being taken to a facility for troubled outcasts somewhere near Massachusetts. He had a scheduled hearing before the COM (Committee of Outcast Mishaps) to determine what his involvement was in Laurel’s crimes, but he transformed into his Hyde and fled. The peculiar part is he didn’t kill anyone, he just tore through the padded doors and ran off.  

Wednesday, being the obsessive and stubborn girl she is, has been going out into the woods again with Thing, retracing her steps. She doesn’t know what she intends to find, perhaps some piece of mind. Regardless, backpedaling through last semester’s investigation has given her something to do. It completes the story in her head— and Wednesday despises loose ends and unfinished tales. 

She’s visited the Gates mansion once, but it’s hard to get to now. It was gated off after being searched when Laurel was caught. Now, Wednesday visits the ruins of the old Pilgrim Meeting House for the second time since she arrived in Jericho two days ago. 

This was the place she saw the vision of Goody and spotted, what she didn’t know at the time, was Tyler’s eye through a crack in the decayed wall. This was the place where that homeless man was murdered on Laurel’s accord, where she saw the footprints that made her realize the monster was human. 

Thing peaked out of her bag, then crawled on her shoulder and looked at her judgmentally once he realized where they were. 

“I know. I shouldn’t keep coming back here. There’s just something about it that draws me back in like a fly to a spider web,” 

He tapped “dangerous” on her shoulder in morse code, then crawled down Wednesday’s jacket and onto the ground. 

She inhaled sharply, “I know. But we’ve been fine every other time we’ve come, and there’s no new killings,” 

Sheriff Galpin has been sending people to look for Tyler but they haven’t found him yet. Wednesday didn’t think he posed much of a threat anymore, but maybe that was wishful thinking— something she usually thought of as naive. 

Why do you keep coming here? Thing signed. 

She felt defensive, “I don’t know! There’s got to be something else going on here. I just haven’t figured it out yet,” she paced back and forth, “We still don’t know who sent me those threatening messages, and I think there’s unfinished business here,” 

Suddenly a twig snapped somewhere behind her, she turned sharply on her heel and stared out into the woods. More twigs snapped, her heart started beating a little faster. Thing scurried to her feet and she put him on her shoulder as she slowly backed away from the sound— then something strange and unexpected happened, something that made her stomach twist into a knot. 

Tyler stepped out from behind a tree trunk. 

Wednesday stifled a gasp, she didn’t want him to have the possible satisfaction of startling her, but Thing tapped his fingers frantically. 

“Fancy seeing you here,” he said with a small smirk. 

“Right back at you.” 

He was dressed quite oddly, a camo jacket and pants, brown boots. He was rather dirty and had a leaf in his overgrown hair, his cheek had a scratch on it, nothing too deep, but it seemed like living in the woods wasn’t easy on him. 

She eyed him, “Interesting attire,”

Tyler chuckled quietly, “You should have seen what I was wearing before,” 

“A jumpsuit?”

“No, I was actually wrapped in a tarp before I stole this getup from the hunting shop,”

“How were you not caught?”

“I don’t know actually. I got lucky, it was dark and the shop owner was asleep,” 

Thing was tugging on Wednesday’s braid trying to get her attention, she swatted at him to stop. 

She looked Tyler up and down suspiciously, “So, you’ve avoided your father and his employees for the last few months. How?”

“I know great hiding places,” he shrugged. 

She narrowed her eyes at him, “Why don’t you turn yourself in? You can’t live in the forest forever,” 

Tyler didn’t respond. 

“The Committee of Outcast Mishaps had a hearing scheduled for you before you escaped. If you do a little lying and you could probably get off lightly” Wednesday said with venom in her voice. 

“The what committee?”

“You didn’t know that?”

“I was unconscious,”

Wednesday stared at him for a second, her gaze intense and judging, “I’m leaving,” 

She backed away and turned towards the path. 

“Wait!” Tyler objected. 

“What?” she said a little more snappy than she meant. 

“I’m going to turn myself in soon, and after that who knows what will happen to me. But I just want you to know that I really did care about you,” he was avoiding eye contact, staring down at his feet. He looked ashamed. 

“I’m not falling for your lies anymore, Tyler.” 

“It wasn’t a lie,” 

Her face hardened in frustration. 

“You don’t know what it’s like. To feel like you are not in control of what you’re doing. To have someone demand that you do something, and you have to do it. You don’t know why, but you can’t stop yourself. It’s like having puppet strings attached to you,” his breath hitched. “It didn’t matter what Laurel asked me to do, or how much I didn’t want to do it— whether it was to kill a hiker in the woods, or to betray or kill you. I would just do it, it was like my body had a mind of its own. I really did like you a lot, when I found out it was you who Laurel wanted to kill, I tried to help you escape Jericho. None of it made a difference. I’m sorry, Wednesday,” Tyler’s eyes were watering, he kicked a pebble, then finally met Wednesday’s gaze. 

She thought back to Nathaniel Faulkner’s diary, the entry about Hydes. How whoever liberates the Hyde from dormancy gets control over its actions. 

“The Hyde becomes the willing instrument of whatever nefarious agenda this new master might propose,” 

Wednesday was angry with Tyler, he betrayed her trust. He was the only other person besides Enid who hadn’t let her down— she let herself be vulnerable for once and he ruined it. He broke her black heart, the one she once thought was unbreakable- the one she never planned on placing in someone else’s hands. But she felt bad for him too. 

She doesn’t know exactly what Laurel did to him, but she knows it was bad, and she knows that he probably isn’t lying— he wasn’t in control, that’s the entire reason why sickos with nefarious agenda’s unlock Hydes. 

“Your betrayal impacted me more than I’d like to admit, but I am sorry for you as well.” 

She looked into Tyler’s eyes, those green eyes she once found so intriguing and mesmerizing, and she saw the sweet and witty boy she met in the Weathervane last year. The one who followed her on her adventures and gave her free quads, the one who she tried to push away but he just kept on coming back. Wednesday isn’t sure how much of it was real, but she feels comforted knowing at least some of it was. 

Her own eyes watered a little, her emotions were getting the best of her— and that cannot happen. 

So before the conversation could go any further, she decided to end it, “I can tell your father you are here so you can be picked up. That way you don’t have to go into town,” 

“Oh.. um… Thank you. That means a lot actually,” he gave his head a shake and looked back at his feet. 

Wednesday nodded, then walked down the grassy, gravel path towards Jericho, leaving Tyler at the Meeting House. 

Thing tapped on her shoulder, but Wednesday stopped him, “Not a single word.” she said sternly, trying to mentally prepare herself for a chat with the sheriff. 

Chapter Text

Nearly everyday after school, Wednesday went to Jericho to sit in the Weathervane. She’d read, do homework, plan investigations and other shenanigans, and visit Tyler— today was no different. 

Tyler and Wednesday weren’t exactly dating, but they weren’t exactly not dating. Things had been rather complicated between them since Laurel went to prison and he returned from his therapy camp to attend Nevermore. At the very least, they were friends— perhaps friends who both had the suppressed urge to kiss. 

Wednesday was peacefully drinking her quad and re-reading Dracula when the most annoying thing happened; Xavier sat down across from her in her booth. It was always dreadful when he’d bother her— and not in a good way. She simply wanted a friendship with him, but he wanted more and he wouldn’t shut up about it. 

“What?” Wednesday asked, clearly peeved by his presence. 

He put his hands up in surrender, “Just coming to say hi! Jeez,”

“You say that, but usually when you talk to me it’s always more than that.”

The sound of Wednesday’s snappy voice caught Tyler’s attention, he looked up from the coffee he was making and saw that, unfortunately, she was speaking to Xavier. 

While it was none of Tyler’s business who Wednesday talked to, considering they weren’t officially dating and he’d never want to be controlling, he was worried because Wednesday didn’t like talking to Xavier. She always complained about him.

He was holding onto this delusional belief that he somehow had a chance with her, even though she made it extremely clear that she did not like him like that. No matter how many times she turned him down, he’d always return to bother her. 

“Are you here to ask me out for the hundredth time, Xavier?”

He smirked in a way that made Wednesday want to punch him, “One of these days I’m gonna grow on you whether you like it or not,” 

She slammed her book shut, “It seems no one taught you the definition of the word no , or maybe you are one of those foolish guys who thinks women don’t know what they want, but I do not like you. And this is not the first time I’ve told you,” 

Wednesday was speaking sternly enough that people at an adjacent table were looking at her. Tyler felt upset, perhaps protective, Xavier was troubling her and it didn’t look like he was backing off— he decided to interfere. 

“What if you went out with me, just once? I’m sure I could win your heart!” 

“The urge I have to hit you is very intense at the moment, I am greatly struggling to suppress it. It would be in your best interest to leave,” 

Tyler approached the table and stood next to Wednesday, “Is everything okay here?” 

“Yes,”

She glared at Xavier, “Absolutely not,”

“Are you bothering her?” Tyler asked calmly. 

“I’d use the word ‘infuriating’, actually,” 

Xavier shook his head, “How is it your business, monster boy? Are you her boyfriend or something?”

“Yes. Actually, he is,” said Wednesday. 

Tyler’s heart skipped a beat, his cheeks turned a rosy pink. Did Wednesday just say he was her boyfriend? Did she mean it? 

Xavier scowled as he got up and stormed out of the coffee shop. 

“Of course! I had to show him my boyfriend to get him to leave me alone. What a vile pig,”

Tyler beamed, “Wait… So you meant it?”

“Meant what?”

“That I am your boyfriend?”

“Of course,” Wednesday smiled a little, a small one, perhaps not visible to the average eye, but Tyler could see it. 

She stared at him for a moment with her mischievous smirk, watching his smile grow wider and his face turn redder— then opened up her book and casually went back to reading. 

Tyler returned to his spot behind the counter with a spring in his step, still smiling. How could he not? Wednesday Addams just said he was her boyfriend.

Chapter Text

It’s a stormy night in Jericho, thunder cracks its whip through the sky and rain gently taps on Nevermore’s windows. Wednesday and Tyler lay comfortably under her gray bed sheets, Enid is gone for the night on a sleepover with Yoko. 

“You should have Tyler over… Since I’m leaving,” she giggled jestingly.

Although Wednesday shot Enid a death glare, she couldn’t help but chuckle a little. She thought maybe that wasn’t too bad of an idea after all. 

This whole physical affection thing was still new for Wednesday. Only since the end of last school year has she accepted hugs from Enid, and only recently has she allowed her family to embrace her or stroke her hair.

She’d now kissed Tyler several times, it was becoming quite normal for the two of them— but now they lay shoulder to shoulder in her bed for the first time. It was cozy, but also rather awkward. Wednesday could feel her heart beating rapidly in her chest, her skin felt electrified where their arms touched. 

Tyler was attempting to copy Wednesday’s vampiric way of laying; on her back with her arms crossed over her chest. 

“You regularly sleep like this?”

“Yes,”

He laughed, “You’re so kooky… or I guess spooky,” he rolled over on his side so he was facing her. 

“I like to sleep with my spine in alignment,” Wednesday said, turning her head towards him

“Mm” 

Their eyes met, Wednesday examined Tyler’s face in the dim lighting. She loved the way his green eyes twinkled, the way his honey-brown hair shone in the glow of her lamp, how his cheek was squished against the pillow. 

“You are pretty. I hope you know I am very fond of you,” Wednesday spoke softly. 

Tyler grinned at her oddly formal declaration of affection, “ You are pretty, and I am very fond of you as well,” 

He gazed into her beautiful brown eyes, they looked warm in the yellow-toned light, her soft lips were parted slightly in anticipation— he couldn’t help but want to kiss her. But he wanted to kiss her somewhere new, somewhere that showed her just how deeply fond of her he was. Softly, he brushed her bangs to the side and planted a kiss on her forehead. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply at the sensation. 

Her heart skipped a beat, her stomach fluttered in excitement as if flies were buzzing within it. Wednesday had never been kissed on the forehead before, and when Tyler did it, it made her feel all warm and fuzzy— it was weird, but somehow she loved it. 

He pulled back and gently stroked her hair, to her own surprise, she smiled at him. A real, whole smile– wide enough that her teeth were visible and her cheeks formed dimples. 

Tyler gasped, “Wednesday Addams smiling ??” he giggled. 

She grinned sheepishly, blushing, “Don’t tell anyone!” She tried to sound stern, but failed horribly. 

He cupped her cheeks in his hands, “You are so adorable,” 

Wednesday scowled. 

“You really are!”

Unable to suppress it, she smiled again, shaking her head. 

Tyler poked her dimples, “Oh my god, if you could see how cute you are right now, you’d understand why I am like this,” 

She grabbed his hands, pulling them off of her face and interlacing her fingers with his, “I can’t believe you called me adorable,”

“Well it is true, Wednesday. You are so cute,” she grimaced at his words, “And beautiful, and mesmerizing, and… enthralling, and…um… hypnotizing-” she cut him off by kissing him on the lips. 

Ever since that night, Tyler constantly reminds Wednesday how beautiful her smile is and how adorable her dimples are. Anytime she giggles or beams, he pokes at them playfully. Even if she tries to hide her amusement and glare at him, her cheeks flush and a grin peaks through anyway. 

Chapter Text

It was the day of the Poe Cup, a once a year boat racing competition at Nevermore Academy. Tyler stood in the gleaming, sunlit grass with the rest of the crowd, waiting for the participants to get in their boats. Normies didn’t usually attend the Poe Cup, they weren’t forbidden from doing so, but most avoided interacting with outcasts if they could. But Tyler wasn’t truly a normie himself, and really, he was just there for Wednesday. 

She’d mentioned that her roommate, Enid, wanted her to join their team, The Black Cats. She wasn’t sure if she was going to do it, but Tyler, who outside of work and school had too much time on his hands, decided to attend anyway. 

Wednesday wasn’t with the rest of her group, who were already standing by their boat. Tyler started to think maybe she decided not to join. He was a little disappointed he wasn’t going to be able to see her– that was until the tent to his right opened and The Black Cats gasped in excitement. 

He turned to see Wednesday wearing her team costume, it was a skin-tight, black bodysuit with shiny leather parts. There was white thread where the seams were, a feline face embroidered on the shoulder, and a pair of cat ears on her head. He barely noticed the design of the costume until he saw it on her, and now he couldn’t help but take in every detail of it. There was a leather strap around her waist that hugged it like a corset, the elastic material of the suit clinged to the curves of her body. 

Tyler, who was feeling a little hot and bothered, realized he’d been staring for too long and quickly looked away. He didn’t want her to notice and feel uncomfortable. When he looked back, he made eye contact with her. He couldn’t read her that well yet— her facial expressions were hardly noticeable— but he was getting better at gauging how she was feeling. She looked, perhaps a little shocked that he showed up, she eyed him with intrigue as usual. Tyler didn’t feel uncomfortable under Wednesday’s intense gaze like other people did, in some odd way, it made him feel seen.  

He gave her a little wave before she was dragged to the boat by her teammates. As she walked away, he noticed the way the suit highlighted her frame— the line of her shoulders, her arms swaying by her side as she walked swiftly with confidence, the curve of her hips— he imagined what they’d feel like in his hands. What would it feel like to kiss her? To have their bodies pressed together? 

“Oh my god, Tyler you need to calm down.”— he thought to himself, trying his best to brush off the tingling sensations he was feeling. 

A part of him felt bad for having such sexual thoughts, he didn’t want to be disrespectful or anything, he’d just never seen Wednesday in anything other than her Nevermore uniform. Tyler thought she was beautiful from the first moment he laid his eyes on her, but he didn’t realize just how attracted to her he was until now.

Principal Weems gave her speech, fired her starter pistol, then the boats took off across the lake. Tyler thought the competition was rather violent, one boat had an axe on it that swung at Wednesday and her team, “ They allow that!?” — he internally exclaimed

After about ten minutes of watching the water for returning boats and hearing people bet on who’d win, The Black Cats were the first ones to make it to shore. Wednesday and Enid ran up the deck and past the finish line with their cat adorned flag, Tyler and the rest of the audience applauded excitedly. His heart skipped a beat when Wednesday turned and stepped towards him. 

She looked him up and down suspiciously, “What brought you to the Poe cup?” 

He shrugged, “Just thought I’d show up, I had nothing else going on today.”

She nodded and stared with her lovely, coffee colored eyes. He got lost in them for a second, but quickly jolted himself out of his lovestruck daze. 

“I should get going. I hope to see you around in the Weathervane,” he smiled. 

“Perhaps I’ll see you on Outreach Day,” she said. 

A giddy Enid dragged Wednesday away and towards the school as the crowd dispersed, a large portion of it following them close behind. Tyler smiled to himself as he parted ways with the crowd, knowing he’d likely see Wednesday again soon.

Chapter Text

Wednesday has never been too fond of holidays— or at least not the way most people celebrate them. She hates Christmas music and “Christmas cheer”, but she did thoroughly enjoy her first doll guillotine she received one year, and her first grave digging kit. 

She has fond memories of setting the fireplace ablaze with Pugsley to keep Santa away, and of pouring water from the second story on carollers who rang the doorbell one too many times. 

But this year will be different, Wednesday is spending Christmas in Jericho with Tyler. Most Nevermore students went home for the holidays, but Wednesday elected to stay at school. She didn’t feel like sitting through the long drive home, and she figured she could use this break for quiet time to work on her novel and catch up on reading. 

And— although she didn’t admit it to Enid or her parents— she hoped she could spend some alone time with Tyler— which was something they oh so rarely got. 

“You might want to prepare yourself, Wednesday. There’s colorful Christmas lights and shiny ornaments past this door,” Tyler jokes as he unlocks his front door. 

She cringes a little, and when he swings the door open she grimaces at the ghastly sight. His living room has a tree decorated with metallic trinkets and strings of light, there is a soft, red cloth adorning the bottom of it— which Wednesday kind of likes because it resembles a pool of blood. Above the fireplace are two big socks, one green and one red, and the kitchen counter has baking supplies and what looks like bright food coloring and sprinkles set atop of it. 

He started laughing at her expression of disgust— she just silently glared at him. 

“It’s terrible. But I like it,” she said.  

She didn’t like it that much, but she also didn’t want to insult Tyler’s house— and she loves it when Tyler tortures her with colors and cheesiness. 

He grabbed her hand and dragged her to the counter, “We are making sugar cookies,” he declared. 

She eyed the rainbow of food decorations on the counter and raised her eyebrows at him.

“I promise you it is fun! You don’t have to eat them if you don’t want to but you’ve gotta at least get the experience.” 

Wednesday could see he was excited, he laid out all of these ingredients just for them to bake. And he was nearly bouncing on his feet, begging her to do it— it was adorable. 

“Okay.”

“Yes!” He pumped his fist in excitement. 

Tyler showed her the recipe and they got down to business— not long after, the two of them got in a small tiff over him not being exact enough with his measurements.

“You can’t just carelessly scoop the flour like that, you need to level it with a knife.”

“Does it really matter?” He rolled his eyes.

“Yes, it does.”

They went with the tree cookie cutter because it was the one Wednesday hated the least. While Tyler’s trees were the standard green, Wednesday made her tree frosting black— you could easily tell who decorated which cookies. 

Unexpectedly, Tyler rubbed a dollop of frosting on Wednesday’s nose— and to his delight and her horror— she scoffed, then grinned at him. Frustrated that he managed to make her laugh, she rubbed frosting on his cheek in revenge. 

“Okay! Okay! Truce!” He screeched before the frosting battle became too messy. 

She swiped the black frosting off his cheek with her finger and ate it. He smirked, then cupped her face in his hands and licked the green dollop off of her nose. Wednesday scrunched her face up as Tyler laughed at her reaction, frosting on his lips and chin. She grabbed his face and licked the residue she didn’t get with her finger off his cheek. Tyler giggled, and even Wednesday chuckled. 

They paused, looking into each other's eyes. “Your face is stained,” she murmured up at him. 

“Is it?”

“Yeah,” she leaned in and pressed her lips onto his. She could taste the sweet frosting on his mouth— and although she didn’t particularly like sugary things, he tasted good. 

Maybe Christmas isn’t so bad afterall. 

Chapter Text

It was a beautiful day, cloudy and gray with bits of rain here and there. The rain wasn’t so potent that it soaked clothes and hair, it was a perfect, infrequent sprinkle— Wednesday’s favorite type of weather. 

She and Tyler sat shoulder-to-shoulder beneath a maple tree in the Jericho Cemetery. It had become one of their favorite places to go ever since he brought her to see his mother’s grave. Wednesday loved cemeteries her entire life— especially the family cemetery back home. They were creepy, quiet, and full of history and ghosts. She could always clear her mind among the headstones, new and old, and the smell of mown grass. And she found that dead people made great company.

But right now, her mind was far from clear. It was ruminating over something silly, something she could hardly admit. It clouded her usually confident and logical brain and left her feeling horrendously frail. 

She couldn’t figure out how to hold Tyler’s hand— or really do anything else besides kiss him. It should be easy to do such a thing, all she has to do is grab his hand with hers and the rest should flow from there. But when? How? Can it be too abrupt? What if she takes his hand too roughly? Would it be weird? She didn’t usually care about people’s feelings like she did his— the hold this boy had on her was, at times, incredibly frustrating. 

She still had no idea how she so abruptly kissed him that one time at the Weathervane, it was like some sort of love demon possessed her. Ever since then, when they kissed they leaned in simultaneously. And as strange as it was they’d kissed many times, usually when saying goodbye— but never held hands. Tyler respected her boundaries a little too much for her liking. It was sweet, his gentleness was endearing, but she wished he’d just grab her hand and make it easy, she knew he wanted to. 

One time when they were driving in his car, their hands touched. Tyler had his right arm resting on the middle console when Wednesday dropped her pen on the floor of the passenger seat. When she leaned down to grab it she held onto the console for support, placing her hand near his. After leaning back in her seat, she noticed the close proximity of their pinky fingers, her heart jumped. She left her hand there in hopes he’d take the next step, her heart missed another beat when his own hand gravitated towards hers, hovering over it for a split-second— but then he stopped, quickly placing it on the wheel instead. It was terrible, bad terrible. 

Tyler’s voice yanked her from her thoughts, “Are you good? You’re real quiet.”

“Yes, I am fine. I’m just thinking.”

“About?”

What was she supposed to say? “About holding your hand, I’d like to hold your hand.”?? Well, that’s exactly what she’d say, but she couldn’t— it was like her mouth was a venus fly trap, and the words were but a helpless arachnid struggling to escape its marginal spikes. 

Tyler furrowed his brows while she wordlessly stared at him. 

“About… Just about— My homework assignment. I must finish it later.”

“You told me you didn’t have any homework?”

God damnit, Tyler. 

He studied her with his eyes, tilting his head to the side, “You can tell me anything, you know.”

She did know that, although telling him things was something she greatly struggled with. She wasn’t very good at talking about her feelings, in fact she was absolutely horrible at it. She was good at many difficult things— cello, fencing, lock-picking, martial arts, and archery to name a few— but she wasn’t good at being social. She couldn’t even tell her own boyfriend she wanted to hold his hand. Pathetic. 

“I’ve been thinking… That I want… I’d like,” her face felt hot. 

He seemed amused by how flustered she was, a smile was creeping on his lips. She looked down at his hands; large, warm, and resting in his lap. She wanted to grab one— No, she was going to. There was no going back, she’d been staring at them for far too long as Tyler grew increasingly confused. 

Impulsively, she grabbed his wrist, pulling his arm from his lap, and put her palm under his. Just as she hypothesized, the rest of it flowed from there. He chuckled and laced his big, warm fingers through her smaller, colder ones. It felt just as she’d imagined it, but better, his hand enveloped hers like a warm blanket— or, even better, a toasty straight jacket. 

He gently stroked the back of her hand with his thumb, and she gave into her urge to explore the skin of his hand. With her free fingers, she traced his smooth knuckles and a scar on his dorsal side from the fight with Enid months before. His hands were soft but sturdy, there was a mole on the knuckle of his thumb and another on his ring finger, his nails were freshly trimmed. 

“So, this was what you were thinking about?” He smiled cheekily. 

The corners of her lips turned upward a little, “Yes.”

“I would have done this already if I thought you’d like it.”

“You didn’t think I would?”

“No, I’ve been under the impression that you don’t like being touched.”

“I like being touched by you.”

He grinned, “Noted.”

Wednesday leaned further into Tyler, pressing their hips and shoulders firmly together, and rested her head on him. He placed his head atop of hers and gave her hand a squeeze. Soon, the sky darkened as evening approached, so they drove back to Nevermore. 

Before departing to their respective dorms, Wednesday kissed Tyler. For the first time ever, he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer. She didn’t understand how kissing felt so drastically better with something as seemingly miniscule as his arms around her back, but it did. The kiss felt much more intimate with their bodies pressed together— she wondered if she closed her eyes long enough if she’d be able to tell where her body ended and his started.

“Keep doing that when we kiss.” She asked when they pulled apart.

“I will.”

Wednesday entered her dorm feeling like a weight was lifted off of her chest. Holding hands was easier than she thought and she felt foolish for being so bent up over it. Her anxiety subsided, she was pleased to find that initiating touch wasn’t so bad at all. Tyler wanted it just as badly as she did. 

And, of course, Enid immediately noticed something was different about Wednesday.

“You’re nearly smiling. What happened?” She blurted out. 

She couldn’t hide anything from that girl.