Chapter Text
You enter the hospital and notice your niece sitting in one of the many chairs in the waiting area. You walk toward her and when she sees you, she sneers instantly.
"What's that?!" She spats.
"A bee plushy and balloons...?" You state the obvious.
"Why?!"
"Because your friend is in the hospital, and he likes bees" you answer matter-of-factly.
"I'm not taking those to him."
"You will", you say firmly "He wanted to help you uncover the monster's identity, he deserves this."
She looks at the ground somewhat ashamed "Fine."
You present the items to her "Here, take them and go to him."
She plucks the items as if they are poisonous "I can't right now. Principal Weems is in there with Eugene's parents."
You slide in the seat next to her "It's only normal. Did he wake up?"
"Not yet."
"From what you told me, he sounds like a resilient young man. He will pull through."
"It's my fault. I let him go on his own."
"You couldn't have known what would happen."
"Still."
"Wednesday, stop beating yourself up. If you want to help Eugene, you will find out who did this to him."
Conviction shines in her unblinking gaze "You're right. Will you help me... please?"
"If I can, yes."
The sound of heels is heard coming from down the hall and from the confident stride, you guess that it must be Weems. She comes into view and seems startled to see you or maybe the sight of your niece with balloons and a plushy took her aback.
"Wednesday, you may go see him", she says softly, and the young woman gets up and leaves "Why are you here?" She asks you afterward.
"Did you really think my niece bought those things for Eugene?"
Her aristocratic eyebrows climb her forehead "You did?"
"Yes", you stand up "Well, my job here is done" you breathe out lightly, turning to leave.
"Y/n?" You tilt your head and lock eyes with enchanting ones that seem uncertain "Fancy a cup of coffee at the Weathervane?" She utters timidly almost and with her cheeks dusted with pink.
A lump forms in your throat as you recall what was about to happen yesterday at the Rave'N. You are tempted to refuse, but her puppy dog eyes don't allow you to do that.
"Yes, although, I'm more in a hot chocolate mood."
The smile that appears on her face could power the whole planet for several generations "You can always have both" she says, strolling toward the exit.
"True", you concur as you follow her "Well... at least the party gained some color yesterday" you jest, but when she frowns, you switch gears "Did you find the culprit?"
"I did", she breathes out through her clenched teeth "The mayor's son" she hisses.
"Seriously? And how will he be punished?" You inquire, opening the door to the cafe for her.
She inclines her head grateful for your gesture "Community service."
You hold out a seat for her and she blushes slightly as she takes it "Sounds like a slap on the wrist" you declare, sitting opposite her.
"I more than agree, but I can't do anything more" she informs you, clearly disappointed by the circ*mstances.
Silence follows as you allow her to calm down. Her stormy eyes indicate that she highly dislikes the prank from yesterday. The waitress comes and goes, taking your orders and bringing them posthaste.
You sip the hot chocolate the waitress brought "Don't you have connections? Put a hit on his head" you say when you see her glaring at the poor coffee cup.
"Do I look like the head of the mafia?" She asks half amused by your statement, her shoulders relaxing.
You smirk "You would be amazing at it."
She blushes, her fingers tapping an unknown melody on her cup "About yesterday..."
Your ears start to ring at those words "Red is a nice color on you, but not in splatter form," you blurt out.
Her long eyelashes flutter a few times in surprise at your declaration "I..." she pauses in thought "... don't think I have any red clothes" she breathes out.
"I find that hard to believe. You must have a bra at least" you utter and immediately curse your mouth.
Her face burns a bright pink "That is lingerie!"
"Still something that you put on your body to make it look good. I rest my case" you state, finishing your hot chocolate "How's Eugene?"
She nearly gets whiplash from how fast you jump from flirting to mundane topics "Still unconscious. Sue is worried sick for him. Do you remember Sue? She was in the beekeeping club at the Academy."
"The one that considers the bees her babies?"
She finishes her coffee "Yes. Her son took after her."
"How... nice...?" You say awkwardly "She must be shocked by what happened."
"Yes, but we can't do anything about it. That's the police's job. Anyway, about yesterday..."
"You dance as exquisitely as I remember."
She narrows her eyes "Will you stop it?!" She utters frustrated.
"Stop what?"
"Diverting the conversation!"
"I'm simply saying what's on my mind. You're in the habit of making my mouth talk without a filter."
"If you would let me, I could put your mouth to better use" she retorts with her cheeks rapidly reddening under your gaze.
Your pulse rushes through your veins "Larissa..."
*RING
*RING
*RING
You thank your lucky stars, literally saved by the bell or phone in this case. She nearly groans as she pulls her mobile from her pocket.
She answers in a sickly-sweet voice "Good evening, Sheriff Galpin", she half listens, looking pointedly at you when you signal the waitress and pay the bill "Just a moment", she puts her hand over the phone "Don't you dare leave! We aren't done talking!" She hisses, her eyes darkening and making your stomach fuzzy.
"Later. I have to check in with my assistant, and make sure my digging site is still in one piece in my absence," you lie since you already talked to Nigel this morning.
She frowns "You are running... again."
You stand up "Running? I'm walking leisurely" you reply, waving goodbye as you leave an incensed blonde in the cafe.
On your way to the hotel, your heart chides you for your decision.
Honestly, you still don't know how your niece convinced you to attend the Parents Weekend, but here you are, disguised as a sparrow, glaring at your sister.
“There she is. Oh, how we missed those accusing eyes and youthful sneer,” your brother-in-law exclaims, hugging Wednesday.
Your sibling steps forward “How are you, my little rain cloud?”
You nearly gag, repulsed by her saccharine attitude, a fact you share with the young woman.
“I thought Thing was filling you in on my every move”, she nearly sneers as she crosses her arms defiantly “I uncovered your feeble subterfuge almost immediately.”
You nearly laugh when you see that her parents are startled that their little spy was caught. The two are the embodiment of stupidity at its finest when it comes to their daughter.
“So, how's the little fella doing? Does he still have all his fingers?” Gomez asks and you roll your eyes.
Does he really think Wednesday is her mother to break the poor hand's fingers like she did?
“Relax. I haven't snapped any of his digits," your niece replies, staring pointedly at your sister accusingly.
“So, tell us everything.” Morticia intones, ignoring the look her daughter gives her.
Unblinking dark eyes disregard her and turn to Gomez “Since you've abandoned me here, I’ve been hunted, haunted... and the target of an attempted murder. I also get along with the principal,” Wednesday utters relatively proud of her accomplishments sans the last sentence which was an obvious lie that she said to annoy her mother.
“Ah, Nevermore. I love you so!” the man declares happily.
Morticia is clearly displeased by her daughter's answer, a step away from fuming.
"Morticia, Gomez, so glad you could make it," the blonde says neutrally as she makes her way toward the stage to give her speech.
"Larissa, how is our daughter adapting to Nevermore?" The brunette's question halts the tall woman.
"I would say very well. I think she even made some friends," she answers truthfully.
You don't like how your sibling's mouth twists in a smirk because it always brings with it trouble "Such good times we had here, didn't we, Rissa?” she says out of the blue, her smile turning more wicked by the minute.
The blonde frowns slightly “Some of us better than others.”
Your sibling's grin is now as sharp as a knife “Oh, don't be so modest. You always filled a room with your presence. Like a stately sequoia tree.”
You are irked on the blonde's behalf, but, as always, Weems answers without missing a beat.
“And I guess that would make you the lumberjack,” she replies shortly.
“There's that biting sense of humor that I always adored. Do you remember the pranks I pulled? Especially the last one on my sister. You helped me with that one."
Confusion overcomes the blonde "What are you talking about? What prank? I never helped you with pranks."
The laughter that escapes Morticia is better at place on a wicked witch "Don't you remember? In the art studio when we tricked Y/n into believing we were kissing" she informs, pleased at her small revenge on the blonde female who she thinks, due to Wednesday's lie, dared to get close to her daughter.
She feels like a bucket of cold water was thrown over her at the horrifying realization that both you and her were played like cheap kazoos by Morticia. That sensation quickly turns into something else.
The words resound almost deafeningly in your mind. Anger instantly burns brightly within you, and you prepare to swoop down and transform into a T-rex like Wednesday suggested.
The hard slap rings in the quad almost in a crescendo manner. You look down and see your sister clutching her cheek in shock and the blonde barely held back by your niece.
"I will destroy you!" Weems growls, trying to bypass the young woman and hit the brunette again.
"Principal Weems, there's a time and place for revenge and this isn't it", your niece utters, hoping that her words are registered by the blonde "Everyone is watching you. You don't want your reputation to be stained by someone like my mother" she continues reproachfully.
"I don't care!" She declares, tears stinging her eyes.
"Don't let her win" Wednesday tries again, but still no luck.
You rapidly, out of sight, shift and run to them "Meow!" You jump on the tall woman's shoulders, bopping her head with yours and purring.
Wednesday watches transfixed how the principal stops her attempts to get to her mother to tear her limb from limb, opting to focus on the cat.
"Not now, Night," she tries to push the fluffy animal away with her hand but gets a light hit from the cat.
Your interference is enough of a distraction for Wednesday to take Weems away. You nearly yelp when the tall woman takes you off her shoulders and holds you extremely tightly to her chest as she marches to her office. She enters and your niece closes the door after she follows.
She watches as the principal paces the room, anger and adrenaline running high "She..." she begins, every letter dipped in vitriol "... no wonder Y/n..." she stutters out incoherently, her rage still clouding her thoughts.
"What happened?" The young woman asks deadly calm, maybe in an attempt to transmit it to the blonde.
"Your mother happened!" She shouts so loudly that you flatten your ears to your skull while the windows rattle "Your blasted mother took Y/n from me!" She says, obviously not caring that she is talking to her former roommate's daughter "I never understood why Y/n ran from me, and for years I hated her for leaving without giving me an explanation. Now I know why. Morticia played us!"
"Did you kiss my mother?"
Weems spins on her heels, her ire-contorted features and ice-cold eyes aimed full force on Wednesday "No!" She takes deep breaths, her pulse roaring in her ears "She came to the art studio to thank me for the edits I made to her speech for the fencing club", her mouth twists in an ugly way "She kissed my cheek and I was foolish enough to not dwell on it even if it was odd coming from her", her mind works double time "My back was to the door, Morticia was in front of me. If Y/n entered, the stage was set. There's..." she pauses looking at the ground and trembling in rage "... there's a trick in acting. At the right angle, a mere kiss on the cheek looks like one on the lips."
Wednesday's unblinking stare gazes at you, captive in the blonde's arms "What about the acid?"
Weems' head snaps to the young woman "Acid? What acid?!"
"My mother tampered with one of my aunt's products. You asked about it and my aunt thought you knew what my mother did."
She frowns her mind whirling until the moment the young woman mentioned comes to the forefront of her brain. She pauses staring incredulously "Morticia put acid in that bottle?!" A simple nod is her answer "I... I didn't... I didn't know!"
"Then how did you know about the bottle?"
"The blue bottle..." she whispers "Y/n thought..." She shakes her head making your ears twitch as her chin brushes them "... I have a photographic memory. I remembered their order."
Wednesday asks the very question you are thinking "When did you see them?"
"When I washed my hands. Before I patched up your aunt after her fencing match with Morticia."
You stay frozen in her grip the events of the day coming crashing down. You never made the connection between her memory and the bottle. If you are honest, you didn't think she was that good to remember something from just a glance because she wasn't in the bathroom for more than a few seconds. Regarding the other issue, you find yourself ready to end the brunette's life. It's one thing to make you suffer, but to drag another innocent person is too much.
"You are suffocating it," Wednesday says softly as she tries to pry you out of the principal's arms.
The blonde allows her to take the cat away and she falls gracelessly on one of the chairs in her office. Her eyes sting painfully, but it feels like her bubbling anger evaporates her tears before they get the chance to leave her stormy blue eyes.
"I need to talk to Y/n" she declares, not making any move to get up, her rage weighing her down.
"You will have time," your niece looks down at you with a raised eyebrow, wordlessly asking if you want to shift and take over.
You shake your head. Your emotions and the blonde's are at an all-time high and you don't know if you can moderate each other to not do something impulsive regarding the woman that ruined your lives. That and you know that between the two of you, you need to be the strong one and to offer her comfort and you can't do that now when your emotions are in turmoil.
"You needn't worry. I'll take care of everything," she adds, and you throw her a scowling glare since, from her tone, she is referring to her mother.
She gives you an innocent look, daring you to say something. But just to be sure, she puts you in the blonde's lap, efficiently stopping you from following her and arguing with her. She leaves and Weems is left with her musings, hugging the cat as tears finally escape her eyes and fall on the fluffy animal's fur.
"She had every right to hate me," she whispers her voice strangled as she buries her face in the cat's soft fur.
You let her cry while you take everything in. Her sobs wreak your heart and shatter your soul, but you don't shift, your mind too occupied processing everything and planning how to stop your niece from, most likely, ending up in prison.
Your blood freezes over when you hear the siren of a police car. Weems' head whips to the window and in a few strides, she comes to it to gaze outside. To your immense relief, you see Gomez being dragged to the police car and not your niece.
Larissa releases you and, after quickly putting herself back together, leaves to see what happened.
You shift into an eagle and fly out of the office to your accommodations, fully intent to clear your head.
When the blonde manages to settle down the spirits of both students and parents it's already dark outside, but even so, she jumps in her car and drives to Jericho. She feels extremely awkward, and fidgety when she asks the front desk for your room number, but the poor girl must see something in her eyes because she tells her the information without too much probing.
Her pulse howls in her ears and with a trembling hand she knocks on your door. She stops breathing when the door cracks open to reveal you. Her breath hitches and all her emotions hit her like a tidal wave when she sees you.
You don't say anything, merely opening the door to allow her passage.
The door closes behind her with a soft click, but it's almost deafening in the room's tranquility. Blue eyes gaze at you almost brokenheartedly, all the words that she wants to tell you stuck in her throat.
"Larissa," you whisper her name and that breaks the camel's back.
She buckles under the weight of everything that happened, tears freely leave her eyes as she cries her heart out. You catch her before she collapses to the ground and she reacts by burying her nose in the crook of your neck, sobbing, whispering 'I didn't know' over and over again. You hug her so tightly as if you are trying to piece back together her heart. Time evades Weems and she doesn't know how long she stays in your arms crying, but after a while her tears dry up and her heart begs to talk to you.
"Y/n..." and she begins whispering in your ear everything that took place, things you heard several hours ago and processed.
She doesn't dare lift her head from its perch on your shoulder as she speaks too afraid to gaze into your eyes.
"She tricked both of us" she finishes and waits for you to say something, anything.
You don't voice your thoughts and after a while, she gathers her courage to lift her head. She inhales sharply when she sees the raging fire burning in your eyes, the hate almost palpable. Dread overcomes her at the thought that it's meant for her, but when your hands cup her face, and you kiss her forehead she knows that she isn't the recipient of your rage.
With a stuttering breath, a small smile twitches her lips "Y/n..."
"I think... that today was simply exhausting. Some sleep would be more than welcomed, don't you agree?"
Her heart cracks a little, thinking that you are sending her away when she desperately needs a lifeline.
"I think I can find something for you to wear for the night."
Hope ignites in her eyes "You... want me... to stay here?"
"Yes. After what happened today, I refuse to allow you to drive back to Nevermore. You can stay here... or if you prefer, I can ask the front desk if they have a free room."
She shakes her "No, no, I prefer it here... if you will have me."
Her phrasing makes you think that she doesn't refer only to this night, but to all the days that will come.
You can't answer her, not when you don't know if you will end up in prison or not for the maiming you will do to Morticia. You nod shortly and go to the wardrobe, rummaging through it for some clothes for the blonde.
"Well, I have this..." You show her a large T-shirt that can be mistaken for a dress.
She swallows the lump in her throat "How come you have something like... that?" She asks, praying that it doesn't belong to a lover, current or past, because her heart can't take another blow today.
"One of the museums offered it to me as a 'thank you' for the artifact I donated. As you can see, they didn't think to ask my size before having it custom-made", you answer truthfully, seeing how her posture relaxes. You hand it to her "Bathroom is through there," you point, and she goes there on slightly unsteady feet.
You discard your clothes and put on your night clothes. Reality dawns on you, Weems will sleep in your room... in your bed. After what happened today, this isn't how you thought the day would end. You honestly expected it to finish with a bang, with your sister's death preferably, but here you are, preparing to go to sleep with the woman that plagued your mind even when you tried to detach yourself from her.
The door to the bathroom opens and you don't dare turn to her.
"I can take the floor" you blurt out, not knowing to whom you are giving an out, to her or you.
"The bed is big enough for the both of us" is her soft reply as she slips under the covers "Y/n, please..."
Slowly, you tilt your head in her direction. She looks small and fragile, her gaze hopeful as she holds the cover to her chest. It's still up for debate if she is doing it to protect her modesty or to shield herself from all the events of the day.
Timidly, you join her and rest on your side facing her. She puts her head on the pillow, her sapphire-colored eyes searching yours. She, more than likely, finds what's she is seeking because her hand comes to gently grasp your own, holding them between you. Her breath hitches when you tug lightly and with her heart doing somersaults, she slips into your embrace.
She nuzzles into your neck, taking deep breaths and memorizing the perfume you use "Thank you, Y/n" she whispers before, finally, after many years, she falls asleep content.
You soon follow her to dreamland, planning your next move regarding your sister, but most importantly the blonde in your arms.
The soft rays of the sun tickle the blonde's face and arouse her from her deep slumber. She takes a deep breath and nuzzles further into the pillow, ready to drift off to sleep again, but the events of the previous day come to the forefront of her mind. Her eyes snap open as she bolts up in bed. She searches, almost frantically, after you when she notices that you aren't in bed. Panic overcomes her. Did you leave her? Did you run away from her yet again?
"She never cared for you, Rissa."
Her eyes sting. No, it can't be true. You couldn't have left her again, not when the air between you finally cleared.
*CLICK
The lock is heard before the door opens and you enter the room, balancing in your hands a food tray.
A soft gasp rings in the room, and you lift your gaze from the tray to see teary eyes looking at you "Larissa? Is everything alright?" You ask worried, going to the bed and placing the tray next to her before sitting down on the edge.
She rubs her eyes, and a humorless chuckle escapes her "I was being silly. That's all."
"Larissa..."
She waves her hand dismissively "Don't worry about it."
You search her gaze, still unconvinced, but you don't push it "I pilfered from the kitchen," you quickly change the topic.
She turns her attention to the tray and her eyes widen "Are you feeding an army?" She inquires, staring at all the dishes.
"One principal actually."
She swats your shoulder lightly before she tucks her long legs neatly sideways as she leans her back against the headboard "I hope you will join me."
You take the tray and put it between the two of you "And one archaeologist."
She smiles pleasantly as she takes the cup of coffee and sips it contentedly. You do the same, but you can't help yourself and throw her fleeting glances. While her well-put-together image is simply exquisite, this version of her is close to debauched and you like it a lot. You smother the desire burning in your heart and the hope that you will make her look disheveled in the near future. It's too soon for that, too many things happened in the last 24 hours, and you swear that you will take things slow.
"You are staring at me."
You instantly focus and see Weems looking at you blushing "I..." you can't admit that you were openly admiring her beauty "... sorry. Your pose and features remind me of a Goya I found," you lie smoothly.
If anything, her flush expands down her throat "I remind you of art?"
"Beautiful art" you state bluntly and close your eyelids tightly when you acknowledge that you called her 'beautiful' indirectly. So much for slow.
She licks her lips and averts her gaze to the tray "You brought the food I like", she utters astonished as she catalogs the dishes "How did you know?"
"I remembered what you ordered the last time."
One long finger points to a plate in particular "I ordered that when we had breakfast."
Your cheeks gain a nice pink hue "I'm aware."
Her heart quivers in her chest, butterflies dance in her stomach, and she couldn’t be happier. You recalled what she ordered almost 20 years ago, that must be a sign that you like her, right?
"You should try the original version from Italy though. It tastes better. In my opinion, at least."
She swallows the bite she took "You've been there? Actually, in what countries have you been?"
You smirk "It's easier to say in which I haven't been."
Long eyelashes flutter in bewilderment "You've travelled that much?"
"Comes with the job. I told you it's not overly glamorous, but it gives a nice adrenaline kick from time to time. Did you get the opportunity to travel?"
She shakes her head "No. I was too busy getting my doctorate and then with Nevermore."
You tilt your head "Did you have the opportunity to teach visual arts?"
"For a little while, when I was working on my degree."
"I suddenly feel inadequate to be in your presence," you say jokingly.
She props up one of her legs before daintily resting her hands on her knee as she looks at you with a soft expression "You are more than adequate. If we are to be truthful, I would say that about you."
You scoff "I spend most of my time in the sun with sand and dirt in places I didn't even know existed."
She hums "Maybe, but your life is more exciting."
You don't know why, but her words seem to have a deeper significance "A little. Rumor has it this year has been pretty exciting for you as well."
She huffs "I could've lived without it. I blame your niece."
You put the tray with empty plates on the nightstand "Well, it seems you were right."
"About?"
You smirk playfully "About having a student like me. Your wish came true."
She glares at you, but it lacks the full intensity you are accustomed to "Are you sure she isn't your daughter?" She asks, but the moment the question escapes her lips she feels dread overcoming her.
If Wednesday is your daughter, that means you had someone in your life.
"She isn't. If she was, she wouldn't be so melodramatic."
She feels herself relaxing "Even so, the apple didn't fall far from the tree. She even said some of the things you did."
Before you respond her phone rings. She glances at the caller, takes a deep breath, and answers "Hello?" The other person on the line seems to speak frantically and the blonde's eyes widen "I... yes. I understand. Thank you for informing me," she hangs up and stares shocked at her mobile.
You place your hand on her calf, slightly startling her "Is something wrong?"
"Mayor Walker died", she starts moving, getting out of bed, grabbing her dress, and going toward the bathroom "This is a disaster!"
The door closes and you are left puzzled by everything "Uh... why?" You ask when she comes back out fully dressed and well put together.
"Do you have any idea how long it took me to get on his good side or the effort I put in to cultivate a better normie-outcast relationship? I won't even mention the donation I made for his campaign... now I have to do that all over again with whoever takes his place", she finishes her tirade "God, I need to go to his funeral. I dislike funerals," she adds with her hand on the doorknob and with a foot out the door. She stops and turns back to look at you still sitting on the bed and looking at her as if she sprouted two heads.
"I'm sorry, I..."
You chuckle and shake your head "There's no need to apologize. Being Nevermore's principal was your dream, and you did everything in your power to smoothen the path for a good normie-outcast relationship. I admire that."
Her heart triples in size at the praise "Thank you. I... when can I see you?"
You shrug, getting up and coming closer to her "When you are free. I'm technically on vacation. You are the one working around the clock" you say teasingly and make her swoon when you peck her cheek lightly.
"I... yes... see you soon then."
She leans and kisses your cheek sweetly. Her blue eyes simply sparkle with joy as she leaves to get back to Nevermore.
You pinch the bridge of your nose "I still don't know why you dragged me here."
Your niece throws you an innocent look as she walks in step with you "It's a funeral. What's not to like?"
"I saw so many dead bodies that it will last me a lifetime" you grumble.
"Mummified bodies don't count. Plus, it's a closed casket."
"Then why are we going? No, scratch that, why am I going?"
"I want to investigate our dear mayor's abrupt death, but Principal Weems will be there. Keep her off my back", you glare at her "Please," she adds, and you huff.
You did intend to see the blonde after the funeral, but it seems your plans were once again changed by your niece.
You arrive at the cemetery and see that quite a significant crowd gathered to say their last goodbyes to the mayor. You saw him once or twice in town, but can't say that you noticed him beyond that.
It doesn't take you long to spot Weems and you can't say that you are fond of her black clothes. Despite the tinted glasses perched on her regal nose, you know the exact moment she sees you because the corner of her lips quirk upward just so before she schools her features back to not give off the impression that she is happy that the mayor died.
The service starts and the crying commences, to your utter dismay.
"You owe me" you hiss to the young woman when the rain starts as well.
She doesn't answer and when you look you see her running off toward the woods... with the umbrella that was shielding you. You grind your teeth as you get soaked in mere seconds. You don't bother following since you know who the man she follows is. You noticed Fester when he came into town. Typical of him to do a dramatic entrance.
When the rain stops hitting you, you look up and see a brolly held by none other than the blonde.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. Let's get going."
"The funeral isn't over," you protest half-heartedly since you really didn't want to come here.
"You are drenched. I don't want you to catch a cold" she answers like it's the most obvious thing in existence and you were too blind to realize it.
You don't argue further, discreetly leaving the cemetery with the tall woman "I'm sorry that I made you leave early."
She closes the umbrella once you step into the hotel lobby and shakes off the excess water "I told you, I don't like funerals."
The receptionist gives you a nasty look when she sees the water you leave behind, but she doesn't call you out on it.
You open the door to your room and enter. You don't fail to notice how Weems strides inside like she is right at home. You close the door and don't dally, grabbing a change of clothes and rushing to the bathroom. You come back quickly, trying to dry your hair with a towel, and find her sitting on your bed like it's her personal throne.
"You didn't tell me why you hate funerals," you ask conversationally, taking a seat next to her.
She removes her sunglasses and throws you a look that makes your heart stop "Because I always imagined you in the casket", she admits, her voice wavering slightly as an unamused chuckle escapes her "I mourned you, you know."
"Oh", you breathe out, not really knowing how to respond to this. She told you that she thought you died, but not that she cried after you "I'm alive" you add unnecessarily.
She smiles softly, taking the towel and beginning to dry your hair herself "Yes, you are."
You don't dare tell her that you nearly did die. You lean into her touch as she helps you. Slowly, her movements stop, and you open your eyes, wondering when you closed them. Your heart staggers in its rhythm when the warmth of her mesmerizing eyes greets you.
Your gaze leaves her own, gradually going down her long neck until you reach the top of her black dress. Your lips quirk up at the sight of the brooch you sent her elegantly secured to her attire. You have seen her wearing it quite frequently since you came back.
Your hand comes to tap it "You are fond of this."
"Yes. I got it through the post on my birthday."
You hum "You seem to like my gift quite a lot," you whisper, and her jaw becomes slack.
"You sent it?!"
"Yes," you confess.
She stares astonished. You sent her the brooch. You technically initiated contact and she was completely unaware.
"Why didn't you sign your name?"
"I didn't know what happened between you and Morticia. Honestly, I made it on impulse, but I'm happy that you like it."
"Made it?" She parrots "Are these your lips?!”
You find the floor very fascinating all of a sudden "Didn’t you recognize them?” you ask impishly.
She flushes “I did”, she smiles fondly “You still thought of me even after so long has passed?" She inquires teasingly, incredulously, and elated.
“You were constantly on my mind," you admit out loud the truth.
Larissa feels like a circus relocated in her stomach and a team of acrobats is performing a thrilling sequence "Constantly?" She utters a little too breathless.
You hum, getting up to put some distance between you and her "I don't like you in this outfit. It looks depressing," you change the subject as you lean on the wall next to the window.
She blinks several times at your sudden announcement, but a mischievous smirk twists her red-painted lips. She places the towel aside and stands up, sauntering toward you, swaying her hips seductively. Your heart is erratic as she places her hands on your waist, leaning toward you and fluttering her eyelashes coquettishly "The offer is still available," she utters sinfully, her sapphire eyes dragging you into their depth.
"Offer?" You echo, your body betraying you as your cheeks heat up.
"To choose an outfit for me" she informs you innocently as one of her hands comes to stroke your neck.
You bet she can feel your pulse hammering. So, this is how it will be? A flirting game? Two can play it and you are darn well competitive.
"Hm", you practically purr "Maybe I won't choose any clothes for you."
Your sentence hangs in the air for one more moment before it falls like a guillotine as she registers it.
Her body burns with desire at your insinuation "Tease," she croaks out.
"Who? Me?! I'm innocent."
Her hand cups your cheek, her head tilting to the side, as she angles it for a kiss "Innocent as the devil," she intones leaning closer.
"Larissa..." you say her name half in protest, but honestly you don't do anything to stop her.
The force of a thousand suns hits you when her soft as rose petals lips caress your own. Never have you felt like this, and you instantly become addicted. Twenty years of dreaming and yearning for her come crashing like a tidal wave and you move as if possessed. Your hands snake around her figure and you switch your positions without breaking the kiss. She moans into the kiss when you trap her between the wall and your body and you use the opportunity to deepen the kiss, your tongue coming to dance with hers playfully.
Her leg hitches up your own when your mouth leaves hers to map her elegant neck. The tension between you is so strong that it can be cut with a knife, and you are ready to eradicate it by bedding her and making her an incoherent mess.
"You don't seem like the kind to have casual flings."
You slow down, your kisses becoming more demure as your hands caress her body, instead of trying to get her clothes off as they did a moment ago.
"Y/n...?" She breathes out and you tilt your head to catch her mesmerizing blue gaze.
She looks breathtaking with her lips swollen from your ardent kisses and her skin flushed red.
"I refuse to do this in a hotel room."
"But..."
You shake your head firmly, memories of all the hookups you had in hotels flashing before your eyes "I won't do this to you. You deserve something special not a tumble in the sheets in a bloody hotel" you declare fervently.
She stares at you in surprise before a smile teases her lips "Who would've thought that you were a romantic?"
"Disappointed?"
"Hardly", she pecks your lips again, then her eyes jump from you to the bed and back "Would it bother you if I stayed the night?"
"Not at all."
"Good. Where's that oversized T-shirt?"
"In the closet."
She bypasses you, brushing your body and tempting you to reconsider your decision, but you remain strong... not without difficulty.
“What’s this?” she asks, tapping one of the boxes next to the T-shirt.
“Open it.”
She throws you a questioning glance before she takes the lid off. Her heart does somersaults, her fingers gliding over the silky scarlet-colored material. She pulls them out slowly, admiring the nightdress and the robe with twinkling eyes.
“For me?” she asks pleasantly surprised.
“Yes.”
“Red?”
“I’m rectifying your oversight by giving you red clothes” you reply smugly.
“Hm, so you already chose an outfit for me. Thank you”, she purrs “And this?” she asks, her fingers dancing over the lid of the smaller one which is obviously a jewelry box.
“That isn’t yours.”
Her shoulders tense “Oh.”
You shake your head amused by the grasp of the green-eyed monster on her and you come next to her, opening the gift and revealing a pair of earrings shaped like daggers “Wednesday’s birthday is coming soon. I bought this for her.”
And just like that she is back to her usual self “She will adore them” she declares, stealing your breath away with an ardent kiss before entering the bathroom.
You wait patiently and your jaw hits the floor when she steps out changed. You swallow hard, your eyes taking her figure from head to toe and back, and God be merciful, she must be a goddess. The devil of a woman sees you checking her out, and with her blush extending down her throat, she moves her leg just a tad so the dress moves up her leg a little bit more.
"You're a tease," you say breathlessly.
She gives you an innocent look "I deny the allegations", she utters, taking a seat on the bed and perusing the menu from the nightstand "Shall we call room service?"
"And have the server see you like this? I think not. I will go down and take the food."
She smirks "Am I only for your view?"
"Yes."
She bites her lower lip slightly as her smile widens "I want pancakes."
"Pancakes for dinner?"
"Yes. Is there a problem?" She asks lightly.
You shake your head amused "No. I'll get them," you turn the doorknob.
"Strawberries as well."
You exit "Sure" and close the door.
She takes her phone, checks her e-mails, and answers them as she waits for you to come back. When she finishes with her mail, she looks up jobs near Nevermore for you. She pauses abruptly in her search. What if you don't want to stay? What if your desire for travel and adventure is stronger than the feelings you have for her?
"Candy Crush?"
Her head snaps up as you close the door and walk to the table. The haze that took over her mind dissipates as she registers your question.
"No. I didn't like it. After several levels, they always gave me a hard one that I couldn't solve."
"That's the algorithm. It does that to stop you from completing the game too quickly”, you arrange the plates neatly "Dinner is served."
She gets on her feet and saunters toward you. With how sexy she looks, you will need to check into the hospital.
"You bought strawberries," she says, taking one.
"Yes...? You told me to."
"Need I remind you that you were incredibly stubborn when we were at the Academy?"
You scoff and prepare to retort, but the air leaves your lungs when she presents a strawberry to you, balanced between her enticing lips. Half-lidded blue eyes watch you, tempting you and you answer the call.
Your mouth barely touches hers and she instantly takes over. Her arms come around your neck, bringing you closer. She is devouring your mouth, savoring the intimate dance your tongues do accompanied by the taste of strawberries. Her hands trail down until they sneak under your shirt and leave trails of fire on your skin.
You bump into the table and the plates rattle, making you pull away "What did I say?" You inquire, the question lacking bite as you look down and see that your own hands were pushing her dress upward.
"You are equally guilty", she retorts airily, bestowing an Eskimo kiss on you to take away your irritation "You can't really blame me. I waited almost 20 years for this."
"You can wait a little longer. Just... please, Larissa."
The look in your eyes gives her pause "And if I say that it doesn't bother me if we do this in a hotel room?"
"It bothers me", you avert your gaze "It will feel like a mere fling, and this... this is more than that."
Her heart swells at your confession "Oh. Well, I expect to be well compensated when we finally do it."
You smile softly "I can manage that. Shall we eat?"
She nods and takes a seat, quickly sampling her food "Why did you transfer to Macbeth Hall?" She asks conversationally.
Your fork stops midway to your mouth "I didn't transfer", you reply confused "After you graduated, there was no one left in Ophelia Hall. Principal Charon moved me to Macbeth when he saw, the next school year, that there weren't many students to fill all the dorms."
She didn't think of that, not even realizing that only you would remain in Ophelia Hall after her last year "I saw you won the Poe Cup."
"Three years in a row."
She smirks "Yes and as captain. Which means you made some friends after I left."
The underlying sadness in her tone is palpable and an amused sound escapes you "Yeah. My co-pilot, Murray Sinclair, was alright", you pin her to her seat with your gaze "You do realize that you were more than a friend, right?"
She rubs her thighs together, the look you give her making her arousal ignite "Sinclair? As in Enid's father?"
"Enid is Murray's kid?! Where did she get her bubbly personality from?!"
"You know her?"
"Not personally. Wednesday mentioned her and how she wants to be her friend. Sounds awfully familiar."
She pushes to the side her empty plate and starts eating some strawberries "I thought so as well. Do you have any idea how many times I got whiplash from your niece? She used some of the lines you gave me when you were a student."
You smirk "Was it the color allergy one? I told her that one and several others. She is intent on giving Morticia an aneurysm by acting as much as she can as me."
Her eyebrows knit "Wednesday dislikes her?"
"Hates her and her father as well. That's why she doesn't want to be referred by their family names."
"Why does she hate them? They seemed to care for her."
"They neglected her when she was growing up. Her grandmothers or her uncle took care of her most of the time. I swear Morticia and her husband are the parents from The Willoughbys. At least those two had the decency to die at the end" you pause.
The blonde stares shocked at what you just told her "I... didn't even realize that their loving attitude toward her was an act."
You shrug "I told you once before that you faced a curated version of my sister."
"Yes, yes, you did tell me. At least Wednesday is a single child."
"Thank God for small miracles" you utter and steal the strawberry from her hand.
She smiles leniently at the crime you committed, but it wavers slightly when she recalls the brunette "What will we do with Morticia?"
"I vote to kill her."
"That's out of the question!" You stiffen at her vehement protest "I do not have any intention of solely seeing you during visitation hours at prison."
You relax "What do you suggest?" You ask, not even daring to tell her that your niece is plotting murder as you speak and that you must stop her somehow.
"That we ignore her. Karma is bound to come back at her. It already started with Wednesday."
"You are too benevolent."
"I'm realistic. I lost you once because of her, I won't lose you again."
Your heart does somersaults "Awww. Do you have a crush on me?" You ask jokingly.
The coil behind your navel winds up instantly when you see the look in her sapphire eyes "Crush is such a puerile term and it would have faded in these 20 years. As such, a 'crush' doesn't come close to what I feel."
Her declaration hits your chest like a sledgehammer "Oh."
She smiles beautifully, satisfied by your wordless state "What about you?" She leans her chin on her propped-up hand and she looks ready to be on the cover of magazines with how perfect she looks.
"Me what?"
"You are very eloquent" she jests "Do you have a crush on me?"
"No. That died long ago."
Her smile freezes, your words having the same impact as a slap as her mind goes into overdrive as she overthinks everything you told her until now, but your next words manage to instantly calm her down.
"My l-... adoration for you bloomed", you give her a lopsided grin "Like a ghost orchid it managed to thrive even when I tried to smother it."
She sighs softly, her spellbinding eyes twinkling "We are hopeless."
Your hand comes to stroke hers on the table "I don't think of it like that." At her inquisitive gaze you continue "If anything, these years only proved that our feelings won't ever fade."
She squeezes your hand, focusing on them and not you "What if we run after an idealized version that doesn't exist?"
Her question stings you, but you soon realize that she is referring to something else "Idealized version? You mean those few worry lines that seem to have disappeared after our first meeting?"
Her head snaps up, her eyes wide "You noticed?!"
You grin and nod "Yes."
She flushes and looks away, the aforementioned wrinkles reappearing on her beautiful face "I..."
"I can say the same thing regarding me. I have so many scars on my body that could make you shy away from me."
Her blue gaze zeros on you and it's simply burning "Do you think I am so shallow?!"
"No. I'm merely pointing out that between your few wrinkles and my scars, mine are more grotesque."
"Don't you dare say that again!" She growls almost and you find yourself yearning for her "Your scars are a statement of what you went through!"
"Just like your worry lines. See my point?"
She huffs, her hands leaving yours as she gets up "You are annoying," she says, her words lacking bite.
You jump to your feet and shrug as you pass her to go to your wardrobe "And yet here you are," you pick up your nightclothes and walk toward the bathroom, making a detour to peck her lips "In my room, kissing me."
Her hand grabs your wrist and stops you from advancing "Can I see?"
Confusion contorts your features "See what?"
"Your scars."
You hesitate "Not today, but soon" you answer shyly, hoping that she won't push the issue.
She nods and releases you "Very well. Be aware that I will kiss each and every one of them."
You falter and nearly hug the bathroom door "You are the devil."
Her charming smile could kill you "If you say so."
"That's my line. It's copyrighted."
"Sharing is caring."
You shake your head amused and slip into the bathroom as she rests on the bed to wait for you.
*KNOCK
*KNOCK
*KNOCK
Weems jumps startled, the heavy banging on the door pulling her out of her peaceful slumber. The next second she blushes when she notices that she is in your embrace and that she used your chest as a pillow.
*KNOCK
*KNOCK
*KNOCK
"Do you think there's a chance that whoever it is will leave if we don't answer?" You ask, not even opening your eyes.
The blonde winches when another peal of knocking rings in the room "Doubtful."
You sigh "Fine", you, reluctantly, leave her warmth and go, cracking the door enough to glare outside "It's you" you mumble and move to the side to allow your niece access.
Weems flushes a bright red and tries to cover herself even though there's no need since you didn't do anything besides sleeping.
Dark unblinking eyes regard her for a moment longer before focusing on you "Mother is in jail" she states simply.
Your eyes widen and you hear the soft gasp that escapes the blonde "What did you do?!" You hiss, partly incredulous that she moved so fast to exact revenge.
She rolls her eyes "I didn't do anything. I talked to my father and realized that he was lying. When I confronted my mother, she confessed that she killed Gates. I simply had a recorder on me and gave it to Sheriff Galpin afterward" she says simply.
"Morticia killed Gates?!" Larissa parrots flabbergasted.
Wednesday turns to her and nods "Yes", she pauses, and a slight smirk teases her lips "Am I expected to call you 'aunt' now?"
The blonde’s face turns such an intense red color, and you aren't very far behind, your face flushed completely.
"Wednesday!" You nearly bark and she dares to flutter her eyelashes innocently. You sigh "Weren't you busy with your murder mystery?" You ask and Weems throws you a stern glare "Or maybe celebrate that your mother is in prison... for a while at least. Knowing her, she will find a way to weasel out of it." You say as Larissa goes to the bathroom to change.
"Not quite", the young woman's gaze locks to yours "I dug up Gates' body and got rid of it so no new autopsy can be performed. Also, father decided to represent mother now that he was released."
A beat passes before you start laughing almost maniacally, startling Larissa who came out of the bathroom "Gomez is representing her?! She will be sentenced for life!" You utter between peals of laughter.
"Is Gomez that awful as a lawyer?" The blonde asks, her gaze jumping from you to your niece.
"He is dreadful", you affirm "Well at least that is out of the way."
"I found something when I dug up the body. Gates was poisoned with a deadly dose of Nightshade" she informs you as she ponders the issue.
You narrow your eyes slightly "Nightshade? Hm... usually, my first pick when hearing about poisons would be Morticia, but, as much as it pains me to admit, in this case, it's highly improbable. You know you can't pursue this without interfering with your mother's imprisonment, right?"
"I'm well aware."
"If only we knew what the monster was" you breathe out annoyed that you can't return the favor by helping Wednesday.
"It's a Hyde", your niece states calmly "Uncle Fester helped me and I got my hands on Nathaniel Faulkner's diary."
"That book was supposed to be safely locked in the Nightshades Library," two sets of eyes snap to the blonde as she speaks nonchalantly, crossing her arms lightly over her chest.
Wednesday's mind is whirling "You know about it", she states more than asks "All of this time, you've known the monster was a Hyde, didn't you?!" Your niece inquires accusingly.
"Yes" is the plain reply.
"Why didn't you tell the sheriff?!" The young woman continues to prod.
"Because then Nevermore is done. Over. Shut for good. And that's not happening on my watch."
Wednesday moves closer to her and you can tell from her tensed back that she is angry "You don't care how many people die, as long as your reputation is safe."
The tall woman steps closer to her, towering intimidatingly over her easily "I am protecting our Nevermore family, which also includes you, Wednesday."
Both of you stare at Weems and before your niece gets the chance to start a tirade, you place your hand on her shoulder and stop her with a subtle shake of your head.
"You care a lot about Nevermore" you whisper evenly.
Mesmerizing blue eyes focus on you "I care for only two things" she declares, but doesn't elaborate further since there's no need. Her gaze alone is enough to clue you in on the second item on her list.
You blush slightly "Hm. Anything else that we need to know about Hydes?" You ask, looking pointedly at Weems.
"A Hyde needs a master", she says quickly before her lips twist in a way you don't like "Did you know that Faulkner spent years studying Hydes? He wanted to determine if they were mindless killers or conscious of their actions."
"What was his conclusion?" You inquire redundantly since you picked up the reason why she gave away that information.
Her eyes bore into yours "He was killed by a Hyde before he could reach one. Others tried to carry on his research, but the Hydes were too unpredictable and violent. They were officially banned from Nevermore 20 years ago."
Your eyebrows go up "Really now?" Her gaze sharpens instantly when you come closer to her "Were there any Hydes in your year? In mine weren't."
Her long eyelashes flutter "Yes, Françoise. She was a lovely woman."
You smirk and turn to Wednesday "We have a lead. Let's see if Françoise had any children."
"She had one", the blonde voices and your attention snaps to her "Sheriff Galpin's son."
Rage ignites inside you "You mean to say that you knew all of this and yet you didn't think that it was vital information to share with the police?" You speak in a low tone that your niece only heard once before, and it ended with several people who bullied her in the hospital.
Weems stands her ground "Do you really expect Sheriff Galpin to believe that his son is a mindless monster? My hands were tied," she growls, and to your shame, you feel shivers of arousal going down your spine.
You take deep breaths to calm yourself and wonder why you liked this stubborn woman in the first place "We have our culprit. We just need to find its master. We will simply kidnap him and..." you regard Larissa with a sickly-sweet smile "... be a dear and shift into Tyler. Let's see who drops by to command you."
Wednesday's dark gaze jumps from you to Weems and back "Shift? She's a shapeshifter?! A human one?"
"Yes."
"I knew it! I did witness Rowan getting murdered that night. When Rowan appeared the next morning, it was you!"
Blue eyes glare at you annoyed for outing her before focusing on the young woman "Rowan’s father already knows what happened, and he fully supports my decision not to involve the authorities. Rowan wasn't in his right mind. His telekinetic abilities were driving him mad, and he attempted to murder you twice. His tragic death allowed us to rectify the situation without casting the school or Rowan in an unflattering light", she whirls on you "And I won't stand by and let you kidnap an innocent boy! You don't even know if he is the Hyde you are after!"
"If it looks like a duck..." you breathe out, unfazed by her ire "If I think about it, we don't need to kidnap him."
The blonde narrows her eyes "What do you mean?"
"Gates was poisoned, correct? What if the poison wasn't for him? Maybe it was for the Academy students. I remember reading that his father hated outcasts. It wouldn't be a far-fetched idea."
She shakes her head slightly "I don't follow."
"What if this is a revenge plan? The Hyde's master would be related to the Gates family in that case. Are all of them dead?"
"No", two sets of eyes turn to Wednesday "When Goody told me to go to the Gates mansion I found a portrait. Garett had a little sister. Maybe she is alive."
"That narrows it down at least," you tap your chin in thought.
"Goody? Who's Goody?" Weems asks, her gaze jumping from you to your niece.
"Wednesday's ancestor from around the 1600s. She also had prophetic visions. She is the one that killed Crackstone."
"I thought we agreed you would talk to Wednesday about her psychic visions" she chides you.
You smile "And I told you that she is stubborn", a light brush of your hand over hers makes her shoulders relax somewhat, enough so she doesn't seek out some swords yet again "So we need to search for a woman. A normie most definitely."
"I think Dr. Kinbott fits the bill" Wednesday utters, taking a seat on your bed.
You shake your head "No. I supervised her when I got here after you told me you were going to her for therapy, and besides her taxidermy hobby, nothing is amiss with her."
You recall the way the Biology professor looked at you with devious eyes and you turn to the blonde "Since when is Ms. Thornhill a member of the Nevermore staff?"
Her eyebrows knit "Since the start of the year."
"About the moment the murders happened."
"You can't be serious. Marilyn wouldn't hurt a fly."
You step into her personal space and see how the anger in her mesmerizing eyes shatters to be replaced by dilated pupils "How about you prove it? Shift into Tyler and Wednesday will confront Thornhill. If she is innocent, then no one is harmed, and we continue our search."
She inhales sharply "Fine, but you owe me."
"Dinner?"
Her eyes shine at the prospect "Yes, that sounds good", in a flash she shifts, and you are face to face with the boy "Shall we?"
You nod and look at your niece "Ready to act your heart out?"
She stands up "I was born ready."
You chuckle and leave your hotel room with the two of them.
"I still can't believe you dragged me into this" Weems whispers as she waits with you for the young woman's signal.
"Don't be such a stiff. Where's your sense of adventure?"
She glowers at you, but coming from Tyler is just an amusing sight "I'm not an adrenaline addict like you" she utters and pauses, realization dawning on her.
What if you can't stay with her? What if you will go off on another adventure and you will leave her behind?
"Tyler told me everything."
You nudge Larissa "That's your cue."
You remain hidden while she steps further into the classroom, but you take note that she seems distracted.
"I know your father kept tabs on all the outcasts in town. So, I assume he told you about the Galpin family secret when you were just a girl. That's why you targeted Tyler and made him your servant."
"Ugh. That's enough. Tyler, honey, make Mama happy and shut her up. Permanently."
You nearly laugh. You didn't think this ruse would work so well.
"He's not on your side."
"Tyler will do anything for me."
You hear her footsteps as she comes closer to the disguised woman.
"Isn't that right, honey?"
"Heard enough?" Your niece asks and you discretely poke your head from behind some plants.
You watch spellbound how the boy turns back to Weems, and she looks absolutely furious.
"Don't make this more difficult than it already is, Merilyn."
You notice the redhead pulling out a syringe from her pocket with a distinctive blueish liquid you recognize instantly.
"My name is Laurel!" She shouts moving toward Weems.
Time seems to freeze and before you know it your legs carry you in front of the blonde. You grind your teeth when the syringe pierces your skin, and the poison enters your body.
The redhead pulls away and stares in surprise before dashing away with Wednesday on her tail.
You grunt falling to the ground, gasping for air as you froth at your mouth.
"No!" The blonde kneels next to you, fear and panic flashing in her blue eyes "Y/n! Y/n!" She shouts your name in such a way that it would make blood curdle "Don't leave me!"
You turn slightly to her, the poison quickly spreading through your body, but you have a little more time due to your poison intake when you were little. Although, you never thought to build up a resistance to Nightshade poison. You stare at her as she cries, and you won't leave her. You can't leave her again.
She gasps shocked when a deer appears in your place obviously struggling and in pain. She watches as it changes into a cottontail rabbit, then a wild boar before returning to a deer.
Over and over, you change into the animals that you know can withstand Nightshade poisoning, but the pain is great, and changing so quickly from one animal to another is exhausting.
Blue eyes with tears trailing from them watch the odd sight shocked.
"She never cared for you, Rissa."
Larissa has now undeniable proof that you care for her. Enough so you would forfeit your very life for her.
