Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

On the cusp of Winter, there was little room to judge the cold. Tyler was ill prepared as he stood beside Wednesday, waiting for the small tram to arrive out in a little town he decided to treat her at. She eyed him apprehensively, almost like a side eye and tried to hide the cutting remark about his dirty sleeve when he brought it upwards to his nose, using the cotton as a tissue. 

He blew into it hard, jostling his curly brown locks around both his ears in his process. She narrowed her eyes and bumped one arm into it, signalling for him to cut it out. He rolled his eyes, wriggling his wet sleeve down. It had a huge new sloppy patch in the dark green cotton. Wednesday hated it. She was one for style and found it barbaric that he hadn't packed at least a tissue in his pants. Heaven knew he had the pockets for it...

“Is it supposed to be this cold in September? I thought it was still Summer?” He muttered to himself and looked toward her, asking for her input. Wednesday huffed and drew out her phone. Enid was texting her something nonsensical, almost as stupid as him blowing his nose on his sleeve. She didn't reply, leaving the message as read at the moment.

“Technically it is Autumn at this time of year.” Pursing her lips together, she spoke with poise. A complete opposite to Tyler, who was her sort of off again/on again kind of boyfriend. Right now, they were together, but Wednesday wasn't sure how long that would last. 

He was kinda boring, if she had to admit it but he did ooze a sense of charismatic charm. 

Must have been the hair. Or his alluring green eyes. No, definitely the hair. She always had a soft spot for curly boyish locks. 

“Ah, really? I thought it was still Summer. Should have picked out a different outfit.” Simmering out, he scratched the back of his head, chuckling lowly to himself. It was almost awkward, but Wednesday could feel that he was trying his best not to sound too weird. She was the weird one in the relationship, but he didn't need to know that yet.

“Any clue if we are waiting at the right spot? I don't see any trams around here...” She started a new conversation. It would have been easier for them to walk the way, yet Tyler insisted that she needed to experience the true way-of-life of Jericho. 

“Um... I don't know? Probably? I haven't used it before.” 

His admission annoyed Wednesday. She hated wasting time. They could have prevented the brunt of his sniffles if they just stayed put at Weathervane. At least the coffee there was something nice. Better than being out in the cold. She shuffled on the spot as a thin gust of wind tickled her legs.

“Well check your phone then. I thought you said you were treating me today?” She didn't want it to sound like she was stabbing him, especially with her favourite knife left underneath her bed, but she couldn't help but feel more than a little peeved off. Her arms moved and crossed over her chest. She was ready to tap her foot impatiently. 

Tyler fumbled out his phone from his jeans and swiped the screen with his password. He didn't do a lot of scrolling till he cursed to himself “Ah, shit. Okay, so you're not going to believe me, but I got the wrong date. I thought it said it was open on Saturday, but it really says that it's closed every second Saturday. Sorry Wednesday.” His apology wasted too much time but Wednesday smiled all the same.

At least they were close to the cafe. Only a few minute's walk in the small town. It only really took a few minutes of a brisk walk to get anywhere. Wednesday huddled into Tyler, peering over to see his phone screen. He used the other sleeve to wipe his leaky nose. His composure in the light Autumn wind was a snotty wreck.

“Hmph, I shouldn't be worried about you, but for some reason I am.” Wednesday said almost to herself, finding it hard to voice her feelings. She usually, before Nevermore, had to close herself off because there were too many complaints about her behaviour. 

Too black, too scary, too evil, the last one hitting a nerve. She wasn't evil, she just enjoyed dangerous things. Fire and knives being two examples. So finding the loving words that people expected girlfriends to feel was a little tough to her. Her usual wit had no room to stretch when she was a little worried about Tyler.

“Worried for little old me? Because of the cold right?” He mused and leaned almost nose to nose with her. She was thankful he didn't rub his irritated red nose against her but she knew it was a style of flirting. 

“No, because of your garments. Do you know it's tough to return your shirt back into shape after you slobber all over it and stretch it with your fingers?” Okay, that was the extent of her flirting. It wasn't much but it made Tyler chuckle louder, palming both his knees for support. He looked strange and Wednesday eyed him like she originally did.

“What? What did I say? Was it really that humorous?” 

His reply came immediately between the laughter. “Yeah. You're not worried about me as much as my clothes. It's kinda cute Wednesday. Who knew that you were like that?!”

She didn't expect that and gagged on her breath, choking on it. She hacked a little, almost like he had loudly sniffled into his destroyed sleeves. Her? Cute? Preposterous. She was mysterious. Lurking in the shadows. The antithesis of cute. 

Even so, Tyler's words made her blush. The heat rising to her cheeks felt strange. She was uncomfortable but the added heat wasn't completely unwelcome. It felt good to find some warmth while standing outside. Wednesday turned her head to hide her blush. Tyler followed. 

“I'm- I'm not cute. Cut that out.” She fumbled.

“Nah, you totally are. Look at you, so bashful.” He beamed a smile, wriggling his nose in the process. Wednesday returned to face him and he used his sleeve to wipe excess from his runny face. 

“Hmph! Fine. I accept that I can be cute.” She paused and then continued, “so where are we heading now? Your imaginary tram has no tracks.”

Tyler shouted as if he was offended and tried to loop a hand around her shoulders to drag her around. She avoided it, not wanting to catch what he was developing. “Oh sorry, I forgot I was germy. How about we go to the store, get some wipes and a mask, probably, and go to the usual spot?”

They started walking, their feet falling into rhythm. He slowed his pace a little for her so he didn't speed too far ahead. Wednesday knew where they were heading. “Still paying for today, right?” It was said casually. 

Tyler nodded and fiddled with his sleeves. “Yeah. I said it was my treat, remember?”

She smiled at that, feeling the sweet imaginary aroma of coffee trickle against her tongue. She really deserved a warm drink.

Chapter Text

Wednesday smiled, folding her arms gently on the picnic table. She had finished off her small petite chicken sandwich that her and Tyler had prepared the night before, where she had stayed over at his place for the night, sleeping in a separate room of course. 

They weren't right at the stage of being too cuddly with each other, normally holding hands was the extent of it, but just knowing that her boyfriend was snoozing a room away, helped Wednesday calm her nerves. 

“So, how do you like the view? Nice, right?” He asked her, chugging slowly on a can of soft drink, the brand something cheap that he had picked up along the long drive up the hillside. 

It was in his hometown, a few locations away from Jericho, where the weather had yet to be affected by the biting chill of September. Wednesday hummed and scanned the sights. Green mountain hills covered the landscape. They were at a picnic stop along a hiking trail and turning to her left she gazed at the rotting wood that acted as a barrier for a fall.

It wasn't fairing well but Wednesday didn't mind. She was rather willing in the concept of adrenaline, especially with her family. The curse and all that was supernatural, binding their aging family together.

Tyler had yet to be greeted to her family but he wasn't a stranger to them either. She had mentioned his name a few times in texts but they hadn't seen a photo of him. She wanted know him further before things got weird, not wanting to scare him off with only glitz and glamour.

“It's fresh, I'll give you that. Quite surprised that you know of a place to take a woman like me.” She joked and added a trilling laugh at the end, rubbing her right arm. 

“Come off it, you like it.” He laughed with her, “I know you do. Look over there... Somewhere around there is my place, can you see it?” He pointed far into view but she wasn't paying attention. 

Her arm was tingling and feeling off. She knew why but when Tyler looked at it after knowing she wasn't into the outdoors like he was, he could only tightly scrunch up his eyebrows. His laughter died when Wednesday's did.

You see, she had forgotten to bandage up her forearm after a nasty little accident at his place. A slip in the bathroom, banging right into the faucet on an off angle. Normally she would brush it off, but this time it really hurt, bleeding right through the night.

It was odd, yet made her smile. She wasn't a stranger to blood. A simple bandage should have done the trick but Tyler kept staring the longer she rubbed her arm, knowing something was wrong.

“What?” She snapped without raising her voice. Tyler's face simmered into concern.
 
“You keep rubbing your arm. Are you alright? Need me to have a look at it?” He asked and leaned over the bench, hoping to thrust up her sleeve.

Wednesday was wearing full black, like she always had been, but even she could feel that her sleeve wasn't the same colour of black she was used to. It was wet and a smell came from it. Almost metallic. Tyler was right to be concerned. 

“I may have bumped it last night in that funhouse of yours. Shouldn't be that much of an issue really.” Tyler wasn't convinced, he urged to lift her sleeve. Wednesday hissed at him like a snake and clicked her tongue against her teeth to the constant throbbing pain, twisting away from the table to lift up her sleeve. 

She didn't want his help. She wasn't a young girl anymore.

“Damn, that doesn't look like a small bump to me. You're bleeding, heavily. Are you sure you just tapped it with your arm and nothing else?” He implied that she had cut herself but Wednesday wasn't the type to do such a thing. She enjoyed life, even if her means of living were different from the average person.

“No. I said it was a bump, really. And the bandage should have been thick enough. Normally when I hit something, it bleeds and bruises a little, that's all. Your house must have cursed me.”

Defending herself only raised eyebrows. Tyler took a moment to think over what she just said while she peeled away the bloody bandage, placing it just next to everything on the table. 

“No disinfectant? Wow Wednesday, who knew you were that hopeless at self-care?”

The bleeding gash was small on her arm, almost non-existent but Wednesday could feel the source of her problems. It wasn't normal to bleed so much. She clung her arm to her chest, protecting her from his accusations. “I don't live there. How was I suppose to know you had medical supplies?” 

The bandage was pre-packed from home, just enough for one injury. Tyler walked around and sat next to her, cautiously grabbing her wrist, twisting her arm towards him for a better look. He didn't touch the skin, afraid he would infect her.

“Come on, I got some supplies in the car. They'll help you stabilise the wound.”

He guided her slowly to his vehicle and she sat in the passenger seat while he kneeled outside, attending to her needs. her low musical humming filled the dead air while he worked, wearing gloves to not come into contact with her blood. It was bright red, looking thinner than normal. Wednesday was used to it. 

“I can bandage myself back up. You needn't go to such care Tyler.” Wednesday grumbled. Tyler exhaled. He was used to patching up his own body. 

She had seen the extensive damage to his back and the plenty of bandages that were wrapped around him. He hadn't really explained where his slashes came from but Wednesday somewhat knew already, the cause an explosive trigger to everything. 

Neither revealed the secret, living obliviously in this concocted reality. 

“Has your blood always been this thin? It keeps trickling out whenever I try and close it with the wool.” The small bud swiped over the incision but whenever he thought it was clotting, it instead kept bleeding out. 

Wednesday twisted her head away, hanging it in shame. She didn't know why her blood was different and too tricky to maintain. “I don't know. It's blood right? Not like I'm some sort of beast?”

“You're human, yes.” Tyler knew what she was getting at. She wasn't like him.

“I've always realised that it took a little while longer to clot than my peers, sometimes not clotting at all.” Confessing didn't make her body commit to obeying. Fresh blood trickled out, disobeying her. Tyler gently padded against the small wound without frustration.

There was something about him kneeling before her that made her heart flutter. Wednesday meekly smiled.

“Thin blood is a condition of something more Wednesday. Have you been tested?”

“For what?”

“The condition? You know, thrombocytopenia?! Lack of platelets that help you clot blood, basically.” Tyler explained. He knew more about things than he originally led on. Wednesday loved interlect, learning something new about herself. 

“Thrombo- what? Never heard of it but it does explain some of the things I've had?” She wasn't sure if there was a cure to her random bruises and cuts but Tyler seemed to think so. 

“Thrombo-cyto-penia.” He spelled it out for her, “and I sure hope it explains something.”

After a few minutes, and her returning to humming after discussing that they should google and get her proper medical aid for her symptoms, Tyler fastened a bandage to her wound and wrapped some gauze over it. 

“There, how does my little patient feel?” Tyler said, trying to sound cute. Wednesday didn't want to smile.

“Don't patronise me. I am perfect capable of not being little.” She said, disliking the descriptor. Tyler apologised and bowed, removing the gloves and disposing of them near the picnic table.

“Sorry, not often I get to patch my girlfriend up.” He motioned for her to follow him, leading her back to the table. They had yet to eat the serving of cake. “Sugar will help you. You've been losing blood all day, and this will stabilise you.”

Wednesday didn't have to be told twice for cake. She took the bamboo fork in her non bandaged hand and slowly ate. Tyler watched, surveying the mark. Her sleeve remained up, the blood no good for her healing wound.

“How's it feel?” He asked with the can up to his lips, concerned.

“Better.” She summarised her pain with one word, moaning to the delicious taste in her mouth. 

The picnic returned to normal, and they did a little walking afterward, and she stayed one more night at his place, where they might have cuddled, with her nightie on, before slumber.

Chapter Text

A few days ago, Tyler arranged for Wednesday to come over for a dinner date, their date night, hoping to cook for her. She obliged obviously, excited to receive one of his gifts of love. Tyler had talked up his cooking and the small nibbles Wednesday had stolen from his meals were delicious.

He had picked her up and driven her away from campus, leading her back to his cosy little abode, kissing her sweetly just before they entered through the front door. She rubbed her lips at his hastiness and whined at him for stealing something sweet so soon, but he chuckled in front of her, leading the way.

The kitchen was a separated by a long bench, leading to the living room easily. He didn't have a dining room, only a small table by the corner of the room and Wednesday sat curtly with her legs tucked in, watching him cook. He was in the zone.

“So, what are you making? It's not something I'm familiar with.” Wednesday filled the air with her voice, rising over the temperature of the sizzling pan. He was pan-frying some cut of fish, something that started with B, she wasn't quite sure on the name on reflection. 

Tossing the pan, he kept his eyes on the fish, preventing it from sticking. “Barramundi with some risotto. We agreed on the menu yesterday, remember? I had to go shopping for some things after my shift.”

She hadn't been paying attention yesterday, her stomach filling with butterflies at the idea of spending the night with him. They were planning on watching a movie in his cozy living room after dinner and desert, and hopefully snuggling close with a blanket over the both of them till morning. Wednesday had been preparing herself all day, ignoring too many things around her because of how Tyler made her feel flustered. 

He had some sort of spell captivating her and she welcomed it. 

Her hand patiently folded underneath her chin, holding her head up, and she hummed at his answer. She honestly enjoyed his busy work.

Tyler's feet practically danced and shuffled over the tiled kitchen floor to an invisible beat, smiling the whole time. He spun around to one end, and bounced back to the other, shaking spices onto the crispy fish skin and twirled back, grabbing a pot. He then prepared the bulk of the meal, the risotto, grabbing some ingredients from the fridge.

Wednesday wasn't paying attention to much of it. She didn't have any allergies, but she wasn't too convinced about a few foods. Some tasting wrong, some feeling icky on her tongue. She hadn't told Tyler them because they weren't that much of a problem. Just how common was it to cook with mushrooms?

Apparently, it was very common when it came to risotto. Wednesday hadn't realised until she took a fresh bite of his homecooked meal, after slicing a portion of fish.

“Wow, this fish is delicious, I love the greens on top of it.” She complimented, spooning a mouthful of risotto inside. She wasn't aware of the mushrooms at first. Normally the dark squishy brown colour was a tip off, but Tyler had minced it finely, reducing the slimy quality to something she wasn't used to.

“I knew you'd like it. How's the risotto? Old family blend. Really got me eating mushrooms since I was a boy.”

Her fork hovered near her lips, hand trembling, ready to drop it. “Wait, what was that? Mushrooms?” Wednesday started to feel queasy. Even the mere mention of the fungi was flipping her stomach.

She wasn't amused. Tyler appeared shocked before her, upset that he had caused her to gag. Her cheeks ballooned up, regurgitating the stuff. She never liked mushrooms. Them being minced and almost undetectable was not a good thing.

“Sorry, I didn't know you were allergic to mushrooms...” Tyler exhaled out. Wednesday needed room, not wanting to gross Tyler out with what she was going to do with the risotto.

“Bathroom?” She barely said. Tyler pointed to the hall.

“Third door on the left.”

Her chair screeched against the tiles, and she sprinted to the loo, expelling the immediate mushrooms that situated in her mouth. She felt it drain out of her and it took a moment of heavy gagging to remove the last part of it. Wednesday hurled and flushed the toilet when she was done and Tyler stood in the half-closed doorway, preparing her a glass of water to rinse her ill mouth.

“How's the stomach? I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to make you sick.” He panicked and winced with a heavy frown, deeply showing his regret. Wednesday knew it wasn't his fault. He had asked if she was allergic to anything, and she answered no. He simply didn't know that this was going to be her reaction to his dish.

At least, as a consolation, the pan-fried fish tasted nice.

“Your earlier question... I'm not allergic, just don't like the slimy texture,” Wednesday rectified and took the glass, swirling some of the water between her lips and spitting into the toilet, cleaning out her mouth from the acrid bile that surfaced.

“I-I didn't know you didn't like mushrooms.” 

“I avoid them pretty well.” She said and Tyler rubbed a hand on her back, soothing her stomach. She purred against him and went in for a hug, rubbing her head against his tall chest. Tyler took her against him and remained still till she was hugged out.

Wednesday wasn't one for physical contact but the few times she wasn't guarded were magical. She was as soft as she was warm. Tyler hummed lovingly. “Do you have any appetite left? I can make you an easy salad to go with the rest of the fish?”

“Can I supervise? I'm not that sick but I wouldn't mind having some cherry tomatoes.” Wednesday mumbled into his chest and Tyler smiled. So adorable when she was a little upset and sick. 

“Sure, keep me in line. I'll give you a new plate with a fresh cut of barramundi.” When the hug was finally over, Tyler led her back to the kitchen where they shared the same bench, bumping shoulders often in tease, making a simple salad together.

“Sorry Tyler, I ruined our night.” Wednesday apologised when she rinsed out the tomatoes, but she didn't need to be sorry. Tyler made a face, too confused about her sorry.

“I'm the one that needs to be sorry. I F'd up.” His knife skills sliced the tomatoes in half after she cleaned them and then some lettuce, drizzling some dressing in the bowl and topping it with small crusty croutons for extra crunch. 

“How about we both can be sorry, and finish eating, hmm?” She said after a second, stealing the bowl from Tyler and almost skipping to the table. Tyler chuckled and rubbed his clean hand at the back of his head. 

At least things were back to normal, and their date night was back on track, leading into a movie of Wednesday's choosing. She picked something horror, loving the macabre scenes. Tyler screamed a few times and covered his head with the blanket at the gruesome sights, but he wasn't as bad as she expected.  She didn't feel sick furthermore, thankful there was no mushrooms in the cake he had bought earlier that night.

Chapter Text

Sometimes the bleeding wasn't immediate but that didn't stop the cramping pain from starting early. Wednesday was in the middle of class, barely paying attention to the professor who pointed to a few scribbled things on the chalkboard, when the terrible feeling plagued her. 

A muted sigh cursed her silent lips as she was forced to endure the brunt of her period, the cramping pain feeling worse and worse each month when it came. Enid was next to her and eyed her curiously, writing a note and passing it along.

'You, okay?' It read and Wednesday brushed the werewolf off, hoping their super snout wasn't picking up the scent of blood. 

'It's nothing for your werewolf senses to worry about.' She replied briskly back, fidgeting in her seat and crossing her legs. Another cramp came and she almost made a sound to it. 

The goth didn't want to be in class when the eventual bleeding flowed out of her like a waterflow. She needed some help. Enid, while she was kind and a little overbearing, wasn't the person Wednesday consoled her woes to. 

Instead, her fingers wrapped around to her blazer pocket and sneakily pulled her phone out under the table, texting her boyfriend. He was working today, mid-day shift and was able to get her a few aspirin and her favourite pads. She didn't like how tampons felt, nor how period panties wrapped around her waist.

Some may have called her old-fashioned with using the padding instead of a cup, but it worked for her and that was Wednesday's choice. 

>Okay, I'll go to the market on my break. Any specific brand?

Tyler texted her and Wednesday refrained from smiling in class to draw suspicion. The professor was lecturing them, eyes more pointed to the chalkboard than the fifteen students taking the course. 

>The blue ones. It's a small packet that will fit in your palm.

>Gottcha, be there soon W.

Wednesday texted back promptly and pushed her phone back into her pocket when the professor whisked their head around, asking questions about what they had written on the board. 

The cramping didn't stop but luckily Tyler came through with his purchases. 

It was early in the afternoon when Tyler drove up to campus, standing just outside the gates. He still was iffy about entering the grounds but Wednesday didn't mind. She had hobbled her way to the gate, leaning on it and gazing at her phone at the texts from Enid, who called her Willa far too often, asking personal questions about her impeding cycle. 

Sometimes she was annoying, but she wasn't going to put her feelings into writing. Some things were best left unsaid to keep peace in the group. The car's stopping engine grabbed Wednesday's attention.

“Special delivery for a crampy sweetheart!” Tyler slowed the car and parked it just before her, opening the passenger seat for her to sit. He wasn't going to drive off with her, but it would have been nice to take a personal sick day off with the start of her period.

Wednesday welcomed him with a meek smile that fell off her lips a second later, groaning loud and clutching her stomach to the wrecking pain. Her innards were not playing nice. The first day of her cycle was hell.

Tyler sympathised, presenting her a water bottle and the box of pills he had bought her. "Thanks," Wednesday queasily said and popped two pills out, guzzling them down with mouthfuls of water from the unopened bottle. 

Her lips exhaled with a huge breath, and she leaned her head back into the semi-hard header, loosening her body while the pills worked their magic. She could feel her abdomen fizzle to the medicine, but her legs clasped together all the same. It didn't stop all the pain, but it made the sharp stabbing ones more bearable.

Tyler caressed her blazer near her shoulder, leaning over so his voice wouldn't be too loud for her ears. She had a sort of migraine bubbling inside her head, brewing louder and louder the more she had sat through class. Her phone buzzing a new text message did not lighten her mood. She silenced it, making sure to apologise to the texter later, whenever later came.

“Anything else you want me to do? I can carry you back to your dorm, princess style, if that's what you want?” Tyler was joking at first but knew if she couldn't walk back on her own, he would do everything in his power to make sure she was recovering from the cramps, even if it meant stepping foot into Nevermore.

It was a sore topic from him, one she knew bits and pieces from, but she never truly pressed why he was so adamant on the boundary. 

But one thing was for sure, Tyler always gave it his all when it came to her comfort. She was thankful that he was as attentive as he was, without feeling overbearing, like a certain someone she shared a dorm with.

Their love language was different, though Tyler's matched more her style. He could go from brooding to utterly smitten with her in three seconds flat, melting at her smile that she occasionally flashed just to get his attention. Wednesday had her boyfriend wrapped her fingers but never abused his company, knowing he too had needs. 

Although when she was like this, she loved being pampered. “Well, um, how about we go for a little drive and get some beverages.” She gingerly asked in a cute voice, one that stole Tyler's breath away, especially when pinning her sometimes and her airy drawn-out breaths trickle into his ear coyly. 

The red tint that broadened from his cheeks made her giggle, even if it flourished a fresh pain from her abdomen. Both her hands compressed the area, trying to mask the wince in her eyes. 

Tyler saw through it. He always did, turning the key again in the ignition. The gurgle from Wednesday's stomach gave out her answer. “Your stomach knows what's up.” Tyler commented, signalling for her to put on the seat belt. 

As soon as the seatbelt click with the passenger door closing was heard, Tyler placed the car into gear and whisked his girlfriend away to Jericho. “Care, small turn coming up.”

Wednesday braced herself, thanking him for the warning. Distance was made from the school. Her headache slowly went away with it. She was missing class, skipping school — willingly or unwillingly, the answer still undetermined, but she knew that sometimes a personal day was needed. 

“Can we also get some food? I don't think a drink would be enough. Oh, and can we stop at a restroom along the way before feasting, I need to put one on.” Wednesday said, carefully counting the time till first blood. She didn't want to wreck his seats, or her uniform. Blood took a white to scrub out, even with bleach involved. 

Not that she would know that...

Tyler paid most of his attention to the road, sneaking small glances beside him to her. She swished her hand in the air the first few times, bringing his attention back front but after a while when cramps got bad, she had no strength to care. 

“Stop liking me so much when I'm like this.” She grumbled when he pulled into a parking lot to a superstore, one that had bathrooms for her to use. 

She shook herself out of her seat, turning to talk to him, using the car door's frame to hold her body up. Legs were weak, but she wouldn't be walking for long. Tyler drummed the wheel and smiled wild without looking like he was enjoying her in pain.

“Can't help it. You look adorable when you're struggling. Not— uh, not that I like you in pain, but you know...”

Wednesday knew what he meant. He loved how she leaned on him for support when times were tough. Nodding Wednesday smiled meekly back, “I know what you meant. But don't get too used to it. When I fix myself up and we get some food, your goth darling will be back in full swing.” She left after that to insert the pad, fixing it in position, coming back almost promptly. 

Tyler began to worry about her if she had fallen over and grimed herself up in public but return back unscathed was a relief to him. The car turned on again and he autopiloted to her favourite spot beside Weathervane. “So, ready to cram yourself full of food?” He chuckled to himself after he had made sure she was alright.

There was a lot about him that was odd, especially with him gaining enjoyment with her eating random bits of food, but she let most of his mannerisms slide. 

What mattered most was that he was taking care of her. “Always ready for that!” Wednesday replied, having no inclination to return back to class at all. 

Chapter Text

Wednesday sighed for what felt like the thousandth time that afternoon, unable to enjoy the scenery of the outside. She was cooped up cosy next to her friends, or well forced to be there, between a chatty Enid and a receptive Yoko who were have a conversation with her in the middle of them. 

She wasn't paying attention to them, blindly ignoring their chirpy personalities and gazed down at her phone, hiding her screen cleverly with the curve of the picnic table that held a few of their snacks. 

Crumbs were littered everywhere, but Enid was a black hole for food, sucking even the smallest of leftovers straight into her mouth. At least she kept the dorm clean. 

As for Yoko, she portioned off a wafer from the collection, munching on it slowly. Wednesday did feel the gurgle of her stomach warn her about running on empty but her thoughts were stale with the overall idea of food.

She was too concerned about the seen texts she had scribbled over the course of a hour to worry about her own health. 

>We still meeting later tonight?

>Tyler? I need to know if we got plans sorted for later?

>Hello?

>Don't make me cut you...

>Tyler?

>You okay?

    ...

>I'm worried about you... call me? Maybe?

No reply. 

Only each text seen as soon as she sent it. 

Tyler never was the type to leave her on read, even if he wasn't exactly in the state of mind to write a lengthy text back to her, rather often opting to voice himself with a chubby looking bat, that looked utterly ridiculous on her phone. 

Wednesday longed for him to send anything, feeling more anxious the more time passed. As an Addams, she never was one to worry, but that was because her family was so close knit.

But opening her heart to another had left her vulnerable and she hated the feeling of painting a target on her back. It twisted her insides and gave her butterflies and Wednesday hated that.

“What's got you so glued to your screen. We never see you like this?” Enid's voice drifted in her right ear and Wednesday whisked her head around, snapping the screen dead with the quick press of the button. 

She had her phone password protected, so even if the girls snatched it out of her fidgety grip, they could not uncover what she was typity typing about. “It is no matter of yours.” Wednesday snapped and curated her hiss. She was letting it out to the wrong person.

Yoko laughed and bumped her elbow playfully to her left, munching on a new wafer. “It can't be that secret if your sexting out in public.” The accusation flew out like the crumbs from her mouth, littering Wednesday's skirt in the middle of them. She bumped her legs together, wobbling some off. 

“I said none of your business, but if you must know it was my paramour.” Wednesday nipped the weird thing Yoko said in the bud, feeling her cheeks burn bright. She had, on one occasion, sent him a racy photo where her knees were bent, legs tucked back, hand carefully placed and drifting her dress upwards, stopping barely where her panty liner started.

But that was one time. And no one, besides him and her, knew about it. Or at least she hoped, gulping away some of her unease. 

Enid squinted and tried to look at the darkened screen for clue, surveying the fingerprints at the bottom like they could spell out exactly what she texted. “Something about tonight, right?” The blonde beamed like she was the best detective in the world. 

Wednesday huffed. She had told her that already, mentioning that she would be sneaking back in after curfew. “Yes. But for your displeasure, he has failed to reply back.”

It wasn't a secret that Enid and Tyler bumped heads, and if she wasn't there with her, Wednesday would have suspected the werewolf in doing something to sabotage her love. Luckily, that scenario was concocted in her head, and Enid was right beside her.

Though Tyler was still not responding. It worried her endlessly, building bubbly uneasy in her empty stomach. Trying to comfort herself slowly with her arm covering it, Wednesday was unable to curb the feeling. It grew and nearly consumed her as time went on.

“Is he the type to ghost you for hours at a time?” Yoko butted in. She didn't like Tyler either but she was pretty chill all around. At least less aggressive than the other teen. 

“No. This is the first time anything like this has happened. He um, he normally tells me his work schedule and I try and sneak texts around that but he should have been off shift by now. There's no logical reasoning for why he can't respond back to me.”

“Was it something you said? Doesn't he get pissy sometimes with your manner of speaking?” Enid accused, trying to cause a rift and Wednesday brushed it off. She honestly didn't care how others viewed her at that point.

The curl of her forearm on her abdomen wrapped itself around tighter, causing her to feel further sick. Wednesday slipped small sounds unlike her own out of her lips. They were drying quickly, turning dry and oddly parched to how she normally was. 

Tyler's absence was freaking her out. Enid simmered down her disdain for the man and gently rocked her shoulder in care. “Sorry, that was uncalled for. I didn't mean he was actually ghosting you. Maybe he's stuck in traffic?”

“Or working late, double shifts? Or something of the ilk?” Yoko said.

Wednesday shook her head. She wanted to move away from her friends but couldn't feel her legs. They were asleep and turning cold, unused from the swirling turmoil trapped in her temple. Tyler mattered so much to her. She was enamoured by his persona and would do almost anything to ensure being with him.

“He normally tells me. Something is really wrong and I don't know how to fix it.”

“Perhaps we should make a trip to Weathervane? Catch him while he's there?” Yoko asked. 

“Unlikely. He normally doesn't see my texts and leaves them on read while in the middle of work...” The goth mumbled dejectedly. She could barely contain herself, feeling the acrid taste of old mixed spit travelling back up her throat.

“What if...” Wednesday began to say, stopping when she felt ill.

It happened suddenly and Wednesday almost tripped over her legs when she felt the urge to vomit. Yoko and Enid held her sides and pulled her hair away from her heaving shoulders when she tried to regurgitate nothing into a bricked off garden near where they were sitting. 

Only cloudy spit mixed with tiny specks of green spilled out of her lips. Wednesday was vomiting her anxiety out, her breaths raspy and broken in her position. Two soothing hands rubbed circles behind her. It was a tough situation that none of them wanted to be in it.

Wednesday felt like a fool, feeling sick of the million different terrifying examples that flashed in her mind. What if Tyler was in a crash to get to her? What if he was injured? Or worse, dead?

She couldn't help imagining the gory details of his body, crushing her eyes together to whisk such evil away. Tears sprouted from the ducts, slipping down into the muck. Her crushed voice only stagnated, becoming hoarse even in her ears. 

What she felt for Tyler was how she felt for her family. Everything was all love and joyful banter until it wasn't. Tragedy wasn't often in her life but the unknown truly scared her.

The gagging stopped when the tears picked up and both girls shuffled her back to the bench. Wednesday rested right at the edge, bundling her head into her folded arms on the table. She didn't want them to see her cry.

“Tell us what you're thinking...” Enid said, trying not to poke the bear. She cared for Wednesday, but not as much as Tyler did.

“What if he's been in an accident and the reason why he's reading my texts is because I caused it?” Wednesday's raven eyes creased with the stinging tears, feeling another surge of sickness disrupt her breath. She swallowed harshly, chattering out another broken up sob.

“He can't be that stupid to take his eyes off the road though. Otherwise you'd never have gotten into his car in the first place.” Yoko deducted, trying to keep a level head in the group. 

“Maybe I was blinded by it...” Her mind was too far gone to think about anything but a crash. 

And she was right, Tyler was in an accident.

Her phone vibrated loudly in her blazer and Enid fished it out for her, presenting her the screen. The number was unknown for no one ever called her. 

“You better pick it up Willa,” Enid wriggled it near her face in the time of the vibration. 

Pale shaky hands wrung out to the device, palming it in both hands. Her voice sounded so unlike her when she greeted the caller, “h-hello? Who's this?”

“Jericho Emergency Services, Dallas speaking at the front desk. We're calling all of patient Tyler Galpin's emergency contacts to inform them of the crash,” It was a call from the local emergency room and the calm and collected woman explained there was a minor pile up on one of the offshoot roads. 

Details of the accident were mentioned briefly. Wednesday's main concern was her boyfriend. “How-how is it?”

“Stable. He fractured his shoulder in the collision, causing his vehicle to topple over to its side. Mr Galpin will make a full recovery.”

Wednesday couldn't believe it. He hurt his shoulder, needing a sling. The vile feeling went into her mouth again, she never wished for him to be hurt with her rambling intrusive thoughts. Not like she had caused the pile-up anyway. 

“Can I see him? Are visiting hours open right now?” Wednesday was one foot out of the bench when she asked that, hobbling slowly away from campus. Nevermore was just a few miles away from the outskirts of town. Normally Tyler drove her everywhere, chauffeuring her, though he was incapacitated. 

Yoko and Enid followed her a few feet away, trying to listen to the conversation. They held their usual high voices back, creating some distance. Wednesday explained to them what happened when the call ended, thanking the woman on the other end.

“Tyler's injured. I'm going to see him.” Wednesday sighed out, summarising her anxiety with two short sentences. The bubbly feeling in her stomach remained but at least it had good reason. Wednesday meekly smiled, letting them know she was going to be okay, They were going to be okay.

“Want us to call a ride for you while you pack something overnight?” Enid asked, pulling out her own phone. It was surprising the see the blonde pulled away from her snacks. Drama sure was the best snack of all in some cases. A short huff passed out Wednesday's nose but she made no comment about the food.

“I would much like that. He had a bruised, or broken shoulder... probably both, I'm no doctor. So I'll be keeping him company while they do more x-rays on him.”

“So, two or three days away from the academy?” Enid asked, hoping to get the room to herself. Yoko rolled her eyes.

“You can't ask it like that,” she bumped her friend in the side and Enid puffed out air, trying not to giggle to ruin the mood. She mouthed a sorry.

“Perhaps a little more. I want to know if he'll be alright once we figure out the situation of his car and all that sort of thing.” Saying it like that helped Wednesday sort out the weird feelings in her head, trashing away everything that instilled fear. Tyler was okay, alive, and just waiting for her to get there.

“Text us if you need anything else then. We'll pick up so you don't have to worry.” Enid said without malice and Wednesday appreciated it. 

In the next few moments, her kicking alive legs scampered up the steps to the dorms, packing away enough clothes for a three day stay. Some would call it overkill but Wednesday needed to be prepared. Tyler meant so much to her that she didn't want to stop short in her worry.

And she didn't, opening the curtain to his bed, eyes widening up to the simple sling he was fitted into or the moment. Her lips curled in a smile of relief. Tyler greeted her the same way, his face looking like someone had punched him. 

“Sorry for making you worry,” he started to apologise, coughing from the impact of the airbag.

Wednesday dropped her small bag to her feet and sat on the side where he wasn't injured, clasping her fingers together with his, giving him more warmth to cling to.  “Don't be...”

It was a tender moment as tender moments could be in such circumstances, while they waited for more info for his condition.

Chapter Text

The IV slotted in Tyler's arm dripped continuously with saline while they held hands in the chaotic silence, where the world outside their little bubble was moseying on while the contents inside remained still.

Tyler groggily hitched in breath after breath, his nose looking a little crooked. The airbag had whacked right into him, he explained in his new raspy voice, but luckily his nose wasn't actually broken. Bruised, sure, but broken? Only his shoulder was smashed. 

Wednesday nodded and kept her temper in check. She was in-between feelings, unable to really articulate anything without sighing first. It was hard to watch Tyler resting on the bed, waiting for someone to attend to him again.

Electrical sounds buzzed in both their ears in the emergency room, snapping Wednesday's attention a few times when someone close by, on the other side of the curtain really, blared loudly. There was no respite for a hospital. 

Tyler wriggled his jaw to entertain himself, trying his best to not move his broken forearm. The damage was mainly at the base of his shoulder, but there were clear bruises through the gauze that wrapped him all the way down to his wrist. He looked half ready to be a mummy, but it wasn't too funny of a thought for Wednesday. 

“You're lucky that a broken arm was all you gained...” Wednesday said almost like a 'told-you-so' without actually saying it aloud. Tyler nodded a little, hearing it all before. “So, tell me about the accident.”

Tyler cleared his throat and told her his moments leading up to it. “Honestly, I was at a yield sign but couldn't see past the curve of the road. You know the one near the broken brick wall? Chipped with scratch marks?” Wednesday knew what he was referring to, “Well today they decided to do a little landscaping and were illegally using the road for their machinery. A gardener was trimming, well, pulling out the bushes to replant or something and moving them obscured the vision of the road.”

“Let me guess, you went ahead without the go-ahead?”

Tyler rolled his eyes. He wasn't the safest driver, but he wasn't one to take uncalculated risks. “Yes, but actually no. I was inching ahead to gain a little more room but what happened was that the bushes created a blind spot from the other side and the other car smacked into me. I wasn't technically at fault but need insurance to go over that. Car's totalled by the way...”

Wednesday didn't like how he just brushed off himself in the scenario. “You're lucky you weren't totalled! Though what was up with your phone? You obviously opened it and read my messages.”

“I opened it to call emergency services but lost consciousness from the collision. I have a mild concussion too from the impact.”

Well, that explained why he didn't reply. It made sense, from an outsider's point of view. Wednesday squeezed his palm, letting him know without words that she wasn't mad. Upset a little, but not pissed at him that she would shout.

“So how long ago was it?” She was referring to the crash.

“How long did you send me texts? It's that long.” So almost two hours, meaning recently. Tyler had been placed in a bed literally just before Wednesday arrived. “Still need a better x-ray to access the damage. Been told that it would take a few months healing bone.”

Humming was what she did often when Tyler talked to her. Her initial anxiety had tapered off into eerie nothingness, her emotional bandwidth used up in her gurgling ache back with her friends. 

Tyler was talking about everything and anything, things that she had heard a few times before, just to fill the dead air and avoid the beeping sounds in their vicinity. Finally, after what felt like forever, a nurse arrived and checked up on Tyler. She reached for the clipboard and gazed at the stats, clipping it back down at the base of the bed.

“Be back in a moment, just grabbing the machine. Need to craft a cast for you after we realign the bones.” And not a moment later she wheeled back a portable x-ray machine, almost looking like an old-fashioned projector that Wednesday had found one time in the supply closet. 

Tyler grumbled and winced when the sling was moved off his other shoulder and he was told to keep his arm in place. The nurse turned to Wednesday and advised her that it was safe to leave him for the time being and grab a snack. She probably saw how scrawny Wednesday appeared in her attire, her face gauntly and exhausted after expelling what little she ate.

Honestly, Wednesday couldn't remember the last time she ate. It had been that long ago and the angst from thinking the worst had beaten the usual vibrant life in her eyes. 

“Doesn't sound too bad of an idea. Tyler, you want anything?” He shook his head, bracing himself for the numbing throb that came against the joint. The nurse guided her with a pointed finger to where she might acquire some snacks.

While her feet were walking, shuffling slowly to prevent her tipping over, Wednesday's mind was still far away from nutrition. She wasn't sure if she would vomit it up like before, and her stomach gave no twinging indication that it was hungry either, rather acting like it wasn't there.

Hunger was a weird feeling, always appearing at the worst of time. Wednesday wanted to avoid her pains later, folding out a dollar to the machine. She normally used her card for purchases, thanks to the Addams's account, but Tyler had handed her change a few days ago and, in that moment, it felt like he was paying for it.

A muesli bar popped out from the bottom and Wednesday grabbed it, feeling indifferent to it. The oats and thin layer of chocolate didn't make her gag. She nipped at the bar, taking small bites near the machine, throwing away the wrapper when she was done, hoping she wouldn't embarrass herself if that small thing did kickstart her hunger later. 

Tyler was by himself when she returned, which wasn't unusual for Wednesday took her time nibbling, giving him some space. Though when she wrapped the curtain back around and took her seat, she noticed he looked a little different.

“Painkillers,” Tyler's eyes were diluted and large, feeding on the new line that was placed in his arms. “I almost screamed from the pain, so they gave me something just to numb it.” There was a goofy smile on his lips, one Wednesday hadn't seen before.

“Does it still hurt?” Her hand returned to wrap around his uninjured one, playing with his wider fingers in her grip. He was hotter than before, chalking it up to the fluids. 

“When you hit me? No.” It came out of left field so hard that Wednesday felt hurt. She had never purposely hurt him before. What was the meaning of this.

A nurse came back, offering colours for the cast that he was going to be put into for a moment. “He may be a little out of it sweetheart, just bear with him.” She mentioned to Wednesday, shaking the blue one in her hands at his choice. 

Out of it? Lucid? 

Tyler sure was lucid when he spewed more nonsensical things, forming his ramblings into little poems. His barriers were being whittled down, revealing a side that she had only seen once before. 

The vulnerable and sensitive Galpin that yearned for her with every sense of his being.

“Sometimes I wonder why you stay with me? I'm not always going to be like this... this-this kind boy that you see me as.” Tyler started, pausing often to keep his voice steady.

“You're going to grow older, find out that I'm a jerk and leave me, but I don't want that. I want to be with you, long-term, not a fling.”

“I want to be with you too.” Wednesday assured him through his ramblings, he patted her hand like she didn't understand.

“No, I want to. Like that. Living together, being a couple. Never admitted it, but I see us owning three cats, two gingers and a black one, our happy little family when we're around our early thirties. Fix the house up, add an extension for your brooding—”

Wednesday melted in the chair, turning hungry at his loving words, her cheeks burning in tint. He seriously planned all that? Even anticipated her cranky moods? “I don't brood all the time,” she chuckled when he began coughing.

Tyler slowly became drowsier and more disoriented. “Sometimes you do. I can feel it, but it isn't a bad thing. I love it. Love you for you. But I knew thirty is like years and years away. I want it. Like that. You, me, the three cats...” A soft hum passed through his lips. Tyler was enjoying his vision of the future.

“We can try something short term at first?” He squeaked out quickly. Wednesday strained her hearing, almost missing it.

“Like what?” She held her breath, feeling his giddy anticipation swirl around her. He had a certain feeling to him when he was half aware of the things he was saying. There was no way a normal Tyler would have had the courage to say any of it without a little painkiller disorienting his barriers. Wednesday moved her head close to him, standing up from her chair. Their faces were close.

“If you want... like I want... move in with me on the weekends?” His words tapered off when Wednesday leaned in and gave him a soft kiss on the lips, stunning him.

“This weekend?” She confirmed, pulling back. Tyler battered his eyelashes and gazed to her longingly, parting his lips without sound. He looked like he wanted more of a taste, missing what Wednesday could physically provide. She went back in, deepening it.

“Not-not this weekend but soon-ish?”

“Soon-ish!” Wednesday liked the sound of that, returning back to her chair, too antsy to think about anything but her life with him. He wanted all that, with her. It was probably why he was working so much while she was in class, crafting a nest egg for her that they could spend together, not that she really needed the funds, but it was a wonderful gesture of how serious he was.

Both ruminated in their feelings, blushing as red as each other. Wednesday snuck a glance at him, watching him slowly pant when the drug started to wear off. 

“What will we do together when I end up living there on the weekends?” She could have waited when the day eventually came but it was too good of an opportunity to abuse his docile nature.

“Well, umm, whatever you want to do.” Sheepishly Tyler slurred. 

“I know you have something romantic planned. Come on, tell me!” Wednesday urged. Tyler gave in, not that it was a solid effort from her. A drugged Tyler needed little coaxing to reveal his secrets. 

“You're going to laugh,” Their eyes connected and Wednesday promised in her glint that she wasn't, “Wends, I want to wake up to you, spend dawn to dusk by your side. Nothing else will matter with you there...” He laughed at how he sounded, “Stupid, right?”

It wasn't stupid to her. He didn't need fancy words or dramatic gestures to swoon her heart. Wednesday couldn't wipe off the smile that planted her lips. She was happy with that.

“Stupidly in love.” She said kissing him. Tyler beamed. He was so lively and chill that Wednesday hoped that his actions weren't from the concussion. She hoped he remembered everything important said. 

Even if he didn't, she hoped that one kiss against his lips would prompt everything when she nursed him at his place tomorrow.

She already had plans to change his bedsheets, ordering something on her phone for delivery, and texting her friends back with their worries, when the nurse returned to place the cast, administering him more to quell the impact. Wednesday hoped he wouldn't be surprised that she too had plans for their future, hoping to keep what they had going till the end of time.

Chapter Text

Springtime was never easy on Wednesday's senses. She sneezed loudly in succession to the floating pollen in the air, each time the sound increasing in pitch till she was out of breath. Wednesday hated Spring while Tyler loved it. 

Normally she took her pills in the morning to combat the hay fever, but this time Tyler had surprised her with an outing to see the black roses bloom, an event only occurring once every three years.

She was one of the lucky ones to witness the delicate petals blossoming and revealing the inviting black center that matched the colour of her hair, all the expense of her sneezes. Tyler handed her a tissue at her sudden snapping, and she graciously folded it up in her palm, gently blowing her nose.

Wednesday appreciated the gesture and held onto the cotton hankie, using it again when a new round of sneezes tickled her nose. They stayed for what felt like almost an hours gazing at the slow nurtured roses and Tyler told her a little history about how they were a mutated branch from a local strain. She ate up his words and listened with wonder, hopelessly resisting the growing tickle prick her nose.

Tyler huddled her close to her while she went into another sneezing fit, her eyes turning watery the longer they remained there. His body tried to protect her from the nasty specks of pollen but it was a poor attempt. Wednesday did appreciate it though, even if there was a nasty build up in the back of her throat that she didn't realise she had when the morning started. 

It was weird, and the knot only became larger as the afternoon breezed by till it affected her breathing. 

“You, okay? Need a little rest there honey?” Tyler stopped in his tracks, feeling the pull of their clasped hands stop a foot behind him. Wednesday had her heels dug into the ground, her torso dipping into her chest, catching her breath. Her breathing was off and Tyler winced, afraid he did something wrong by bringing her there.

She tried to shake her hand in the air to brush him off, however coughed deeply, sounding all too phlegmy. It wasn't a pretty sound. “I'm okay... I'm okay, really. Just having some breathing problems. Stupid hay fever...” Wednesday grumbled.

Tyler talked to her with his simmering eyes and she allowed him to lead, guiding her to a bench that had just opened. it felt good for her to sit and a reluctant sigh rasped out of her lips. 

Seemed like something was blocked in her throat. That had never happened to her before. Well, neither did her missing her antihistamine pills happen either. She normally was diligent on talking them, cursing under her breath about how stupid she had been in forgetting something that she needed to survive. 

“Sure it's just hay fever? You sound a little off with your voice.” Him pointing out the state of her voice wasn't reassuring. She knew she sounded like an old witch who cackled daily, but there was little she could do to soothe the hoarseness of her vocal chord. Even taking a pill now would not immediately wipe away her inflammation.

Wednesday leaned over and made a move to the small backpack Tyler had brought, fishing out a bottle of unopened water. Her dainty grip struggled to untwist the tight packaging of the lid and Tyler offered his strength, easily twirling the lid right off. He was stronger than he looked.

Greedily she gulped down the water and knew how terrible the knot felt at the back of her throat. It hurt to slosh the liquid down and her swallows ached in her throat. This wasn't hay fever anymore, mutating into actual concern.

“Who knows at this point. The human body does strange things all the time...” Sighing even hurt. Tyler placed both hands on one of hers, eyeing her with worry. There was a simmering glint of compassion within them reserved only for her. Wednesday slightly smiled, her lips falling a split second later.

“Wanna check online for your symptoms?” He threw out there, plucking his phone out of his form fitting black jeans, where it was torn around the knees, catching Wednesday's attention every time he sat down. He chuckled at her eyes drifting down to his bent knees and bumped shoulders with her, opening up google.

“I don't see why the online symptoms of hay fever would come up with anything I don't already have?” Wednesday said and Tyler beamed a smile, almost a little too corny.

“Humour me.”

Fine, she shall. “Give me the phone, I'll type what I'm feeling.” 

Tyler handed her his phone and her fingers swished over the device, writing almost a paragraph of what she was feeling into Web MD. She knew it wasn't always accurate in diagnosing her, but for Tyler's concern, she'd humour him with their overbearing and asinine results.

And Wednesday was right when the page loaded after she pressed enter, revealing that the thumping and growing tightness in the back of her throat was a cancer concern. Now that was unhinged. Wednesday laughed loudly, sputtering when the tickle agitated the phlegmy ball and hacked to the ground.

Tyler grabbed the phone out of her hands and squinted at the screen like an owl, grimacing at the results. 

“You're not going to die on me right now, right?” He almost said it all too perturbed, but his facade broke down near the end of his sentence, laughing just as loudly as Wednesday. Other patrons that watched the blooming flowers turned their heads at their outburst an probably muttered something stupid under their breaths but neither of them cared.

What was on his phone was way too funny to silence the giggle rising out of their bodies. Wednesday stopped first, hitching a deep breath. She struggled to maintain herself, wanting to cough again. Tyler patted her back when she leaned over to the dusty ground, coughing up a storm.

Laughing wasn't good, irritating it. The tear ducts in each of her eyes watered and trickled down her cheeks, and Tyler offered her another handkerchief to wipe the sting away. Wednesday took it and simmered into the bench, staring far away. 

It was silent for a moment when she collected her thoughts. Tyler scrolled on the Web MD page and rolled his eyes at the warnings written down to immediately see a doctor. 

“Kinda a hacked together article but it's right about one thing,” Tyler said suddenly in a mutter. Wednesday hummed, listening further.

“Like this part,” he showed her the screen where it mentioned allergies, “says to leave the area that causes you discomfort and your symptoms should dissipate with time. Unless it's really cancer.” His giggle died out immediate. The moment of their joke had passed and a second time around turned stale. 

Wednesday rubbed the skin around her throat, outlining the mass. She didn't want to worry too much about it. Tyler offered her more water and she sipped gingerly against the tip. “Cutting our little outing short, are we?”

Tyler nodded and stood up, packing his phone back into his jeans. Wednesday accepted the helping hand and lifted herself up, returning the bottle to the bag behind him. 

“We came, we saw, we conquered,” Tyler teased, bumping into Wednesday's shoulder and guided them to the car parked outside the gates, “But seriously, I showed you the flowers and that's pretty cool, right?”

“It was stunning thank you. Though, I'm sorry about not being super prepared with my hay fever. You kinda have to mention your plans so I can work around them.” Wednesday sighed out, giving one last look at the black roses that stood out from the rest. They were beautiful, even if they did cause problems for her body. 

Tyler nodded, hoping to remember for next time. “Trust me, I'll pack some of your prescription in this trust bag of mine. At least I remembered the water this time, yeah?”

It was progress. Tyler was usually pretty good at packing but their first day trip together was a disaster. 

He thought he could buy a few supplies near a lodge when they went hiking, but everyone who participated on the climb had the same idea, selling out the place before they arrived. He apologised profusely for his muck up and Wednesday accepted it as usual, just thankful they at least had a fun car drive up there.

This trip was no different. There was plenty to see and Wednesday appreciated his concerns, lucky that her throat wasn't parched this outing, even if it did ache each breath. 

Web MD was a shit-stirrer and Wednesday proved the site wrong once they reached his place, her throat no longer tight and contracted like their time up near the black roses. 

Chapter Text

Sleep for Wednesday was troublesome. 

Her restless legs kicked and jerked in her slumber to the wrapped constricting sheet around her limbs, feeling oddly hot. Almost burning against the fabric. Arms weren't any better either, and neither was the rest of her body, troubled by the warmness. She panted heavily and shook her head, the soft pillow below her skull no longer comforting.

Tyler woke up when Wednesday unluckily kicked him straight in the gut, and he inaudibly screamed to the pain. It bothered him but when he turned to face her he could see how disgruntled her body appeared. He knew something was up the night before, hence asking her to stay with him.

Seemed like he was right. His arm carefully slithered to her forehead and her skin hissed like a hot shower against his palm, the temperature difference striking. Wednesday was running a fever, the tip of her sickness yet to break. 

No wonder she was restless and hating the blankets. Tyler hopped out of bed and tip-toed out the room to retrieve a few things, returning a second later with a few tea towels and a small bucket.

He wet the cloth and dampened it in the shallow water, placing it carefully on her forehead. Wednesday felt the water cool her forehead and she rocked awake, connecting her gaze with a worried Tyler. 

“Whu- What's happening?” She asked softly, slurring her words more than anything. Tyler attentively urged her to sit up and offered her a glass of cool water that she gladly took, swallowing the pill too. She was going through the motions, almost delirious with her restless state, her hands shivering even through her heat.

Tyler checked her temperature properly with a thermometer and the number wasn't good. Definitely a fever. “You're going to try and sleep again, that's what.” Tyler soothed but it only made Wednesday crease her achy face, contorting it weirdly. 

“Am I sick?” Both of them knew she was sick but Wednesday didn't want it to be true. 

She tried to escape the confines of the sheets, though one of her legs was wrapped around one tightly that she almost tumbled out in her attempt. Tyler caught her with both his arms gently against her leaning shoulders and shared her distress, never once wanting his princess to catch even the slightest of colds. 

“Sadly, yeah. It's only going to get worse from here, I'm afraid.” The statement bothered Wednesday. She pouted and sunk back into the bed, wincing at the ache flourishing all around her body.

She wished heat was the only thing that plagued her body, not wanting to deal with the constant throbs circulating in her fingers and toes. Tyler brushed her hair calmly and leaned in, risking a kiss.

Wednesday moaned in pleasure to his lips connecting to her forehead. There was a slight heat against his lips, but nothing compared to the fire eating her inside. He retreated back and fastened a new damp towel to her forehead, trying to regulate her temperature which she greatly appreciated. 
 
Purring whines surged from her lips, melting like the water that basked her skin. Tyler kneeled beside her, leaning his head on the curve of the mattress, gazing up at her with heavy concern.

“Need anything? It's still early to do anything.” Tyler ushered softly; his sound quiet in her thumping ears. Even the twitches that spiked the corner of her quivering eyes was a nuisance. She groaned, unable to roll over to her side. It was for the best.

“Just you... Come back to bed and cuddle me.” Wednesday whispered out and Tyler obliged, checking the towel and replacing it against so soon, then slid into the other side of the bed. 

He knew she was aching, so he opted to carefully hold her hand. Even the slightest of touch helped her calm down and Wednesday made delightful sick purrs out of her lips, slowly falling back asleep.

Tyler woke up a few more times in the night, helping Wednesday break into her fever. He replaced the towel against her forehead and shifted her head back into the center of the pillow, careful not to disturb her unusually dead sleep. He was glad she no longer swayed her legs blindly in the bed, kicking him again.

Morning came and Tyler continued to nurse his Wednesday back to help at the cost of his sleep. The man had snuck out of the house after discovering they were out of porridge and stocked up on a few ingredients to make a homemade soup, knowing Wednesday would appreciate something smooth to trickle down her inflamed throat.

She arose and shook her head, feeling her loose thoughts swirl like the snow in a snow globe, slowly discovering Tyler's side of the bedsheet folded over and tucked in tight. He had returned back to the house by then and Wednesday called out his name, hearing the pitter patter of his worried footsteps rush up the stairs with the clang of metal accompanying them.

Her boyfriend was carrying a tray with some piping hot porridge, and a small glass of water for her to digest. The dryness of her chapped lips thanked the liquid when she cautiously wrapped her hands around the glass, tipping it a little. Some dribble slid down her chin and Tyler grabbed a paper towel, wiping it off swiftly.

“Thought you might be a little hungry,” he said, aligning the tray in front of her while she adjusted the pillow to the headboard, sitting upright. She appreciated everything he did.

“You're a mind reader,” Wednesday intoned and groaned when she twirled her fingers around the spoon, struggling to work it. Tyler watched her patiently and she eyed him with a gentle whimper, almost begging for him to do it.

“It's okay, I'll feed you. Open wide.” Generously he filled the spoon, blew on it and carefully lifted it to her lips, awaiting for her to grab it. She moaned as she munched, accepting the next one.

“I'm not a baby.”

He knew that. “I don't mind helping you. It's not often you get sick.”

Wednesday pouted, her cheeks puffing out with air. “You're too kind to me.”

“Only doing what you'd do with me,” His reply was true. 

Whenever Tyler showed signs of a sniffle, she always worried over him like a mother hen. Well, maybe not too lovingly, still retaining her snippy edge on the odd occasion, but it was all the same. Wednesday cared for him as he cared for her.

Humming with a mouthful of food was hard but Wednesday managed, swallowing it. Part of it rubbed wrong against her throat and she coughed, cringing at making a mess. Tyler did not complain, cleaning it up effortlessly.

“Need a bib?” Tyler joked and Wednesday ruptured in a laugh, coughing more. He always found the wrong moments to make her laugh. Every part of her writhed in the illing ache at his funny words. Tyler laughed too, placing the tray on the nightstand when it appeared that she couldn't handle no more.

“Stop! You can't be that funny while I'm sick. I know laughter is the best medicine, but it seriously hurts to laugh.” 

“Sorry Weds, you looked funny with a bit of porridge sticking to your cheek.” Her hand raised to her cheek, but Tyler already had taken care of it, wiping it away moment before. She blushed at how messy she was, grimacing that she was ruining the weekend with her impromptu sickness.

“Fine. I guess I looked a little funny.” She landed on, yawning a second after. The worst part about being sick was the endless yawns begging her to sleep again. She wanted to stay up and stare at Tyler a little longer, but her eyelids refused to stay open.

Tyler replaced the towel when she sunk back down into position, curling her legs underneath the blankets. She murmured an eternal thank you when he kissed her forehead tentatively again. 

“Love you,” Tyler ushered out and it was the last thing Wednesday heard when she repeated it back to him, snoring peacefully with her stomach full. Tyler faintly smiled as he watched her pass out, cleaning up.

Wednesday hoped that she could make it up to him once she got better, dreaming of the perfect date to take him on as she healed. 

And when she was better, she surprised Tyler with a little something, melting in his embrace and heavenly kiss that was his thanks, glad neither of them was sick anymore.