Chapter Text
Wednesday Addams loathed people.
That had never been a secret.
Following encouragement from her suffocatingly-doting parents, she’d grown accustomed to speaking her mind, offering (often unwanted) blunt criticisms regarding society as an oppressing construct;
She believed it to be maliciously and meticulously crafted to grant few a false sense of fake power that led to the delusion that they were better than others.
Ultimately in her experience such an illusion rendered the human population to be entrapped within a nefarious cycle of want, willing the majority into a trance of self-loathing that led to clawing each other down in aid of their own benefit.
And while she often indulged in a good clawing herself, it tended to be of the animalistic kind as opposed to painstaking teenage drama.
Hence her strong opposition for the hell known as high school… she figured if there was such a thing as hell, she’d opt for an eternity of torture she would at least enjoy.
Nevermore was merely another prison practically begging to be escaped from… or so help her she’d go insane (and not in a good way).
The teenager glared in distain at her captors as she begrudgingly trudged after the bubbly bright mess that (somehow) called herself a werewolf.
Enid Sinclair was a disaster waiting to happen.
More accurately a rainbow bomb ready to explode that unfortunately would fail to kill her.
Wednesday felt violently ill as she was forced to follow in the furball’s wake. The sight of her coloured hair made her skin crawl, as if she were to break out into hives at any given moment. Usually she wouldn’t mind such a torturously itchy sensation.
However the weary stares of passersby as they descended the staircase of Ophelia Hall filled her with a comforting sense of dread. At least she seemed to be somewhat feared here.
“Nevermore was founded in 1791 to educate people like us.” The werewolves squeaky voice echoed down the staircase.
She was practically bouncing when she stopped at the base and waited for Wednesday to walk at her side. Addams merely continued scowling at her temporary roommate who skipped down the corridor.
“Outcasts, freaks, monsters, fill in your favourite marginalised group here.”
“You can save the sanitised sales pitch” Wednesday drawled, earning a frown in response as she stepped in front of the girl, stopping in her tracks. “I don’t plan on staying here for long.” The girl’s eyes trailed around the room, counting thirteen escape routes she’d taken note of amid her history lesson.
“Why not?” Enid questioned, eyes sparkling with curiosity so intense it blinded her; so much so Wednesday had to look away to prevent herself from gouging them out.
“This was my parents idea.” She drawled, bored, eyes narrowing even further as she caught a glimpse of a familiar eerie smile on the wall. “Oh look: there’s my mother smirking at me.” The youthful stare of Morticia Addams met hers.
The black haired girl nearly choked in disgust. Of course she’d have been on the fencing team… the least she could’ve done was been nonchalant about it.
“They’ve been looking for any excuse to send me here.” She continued, snapping her gaze away from her mother’s before she should vomit at the thought of seeing her so happy. “It’s all a part of their nefarious, yet completely obvious plan.”
“What plan?” Sinclair asked, smiling down at her, almost appearing as disturbingly happy.
“To turn me into a version of themselves.” Enid grimaced as they began to walk again.
“In that case, perhaps you can clear something up. Rumour’s been swirling around that you killed a kid at your old school, and your parents pulled strings to get you off.” Wednesday practically relished in the weary expression Enid shot her.
”Actually, it was two kids, but who’s counting?” Her skin crawled uncomfortably upon the sight of the werewolves frightened stare; she almost felt like smiling.
Almost.
“Welcome to the quad!” A set of wooden doors burst open before her, and she reluctantly followed Enid into an outdoor seating area.
”It’s a pentagon.” She corrected, ignoring the frown tossed in her direction.
“The whole snarky Goth girl thing might have worked at normie school, but here things are different.” Wednesday already hated how Enid smiled despite her obvious annoyance. “Let me give you a wiki on Nevermore’s social scene.”
“I’m not interested in participating in tribal adolescent cliches.” She stated firmly, clasping her arms in front of her as she followed the werewolf around the pentagon.
“Well then use it to fill your obviously bottomless pit of distain.” Wednesday shot her a glare. “There are many flavours of outcasts here, but the four main cliques are: Fangs, Furs, Stoners and Scales.” She pointed to a table across the courtyard.
“Those are the Fangs, AKA vampires.” Addams followed her arm to see several students dressed in sunglasses, sipping out of what appeared to be blood pouches. “Some of them have literally been here for decades.”
Wednesday wasn’t listening.. she was busy wondering if Nevermore had a supply of blood hidden somewhere..
”That bunch of knuckleheads are Furs, AKA werewolves. Like me.” This time she didn’t need to point: ironically on cue (and much to Wednesday’s disgust) a table of long-haired students broke out into a chorus of howls as the two girls passed them.
“Full moons get pretty loud around here. That’s when Furs wolf out. I suggest you pick up some noise-cancelling headphones.”
“I’m assuming Scales are Sirens?” She noted, her eyes trailing over to a fountain in the centre of the outdoor space where a group of girls were crowded deep in conversation, hands playing with the water beside them.
“You catch on quick.” Enid acknowledged.
“And that girl, Bianca Barclay, is the closest thing Nevermore has to royalty! Although her crown’s been slipping lately. She used to date our resident tortured artist, Xavier Thorpe. But they broke up at the beginning of the semester; reason unknown!” Wednesday followed her gaze to a teenager stood opposite them, a paintbrush and pallet in hand.
“Fascinating.” She drawled in a monotone.
“I know, right!” End all but exclaimed. “My vlog is, like, the number one source for Nevermore gossip!-“
”Yo, Enid!” A voice called out. The girl whipped around to greet a tall boy who stood in front of her. “You’re not gonna believe the dirt I heard about your new roommate!”
Wednesday’s lips curled into a ghastly frown.
“She eats human flesh! Totally chowed down on that kid she murdered! You better watch your back!”
Oh, really?
The girl didn’t blink as she stepped to the side, making Wednesday’s sinister presence known to the newcomer, who’s eyes widened drastically.
“Quite the contrary.” Addams countered, her face expressionless. “I actually fillet the bodies of my victims, then feed them to my menagerie of pets.”
“Ajax.. this is my new roommate, Wednesday!”
“Whoa!” He eyed her up and down cautiously, either afraid or in awe. “You’re in black and white! Like a living Instagram filter!-“
”Ignore him.” Enid informed her, nudging him away by stepping in front of him. “Gorgons spend way too much time getting stoned.” She waited until he was out of earshot before adding: “he’s cute, but clueless.”
“Like that guy over there, Maveth Grimm.” The unusual name caught her attention as she followed Enid’s eyeline across the courtyard to a group of boys who she figured to be the Stoners, when Ajax sat down beside them.
“Those other guys are Gorgons, but he’s literally death!” Wednesday furrowed her brow.
”Come again?” Enid’s lips tugged into a smile upon discovering she’d finally peaked the Addams’ interest.
“Well technically not death itself.” She corrected herself. “But he’s supposedly the son of death! He can phase between the land of the living and the spirit world!”
She laughed to herself and began incessantly rambling about when they convinced him to use an Ouija board one Halloween but Wednesday drowned her out.. unfortunately not literally.
The girl eyed him with a motionless expression.
He didn’t look like death… or death as she’d read it. In fact, she wanted to laugh at the irony of his appearance: of course he had wavy jet black hair, yet the disgustingly blue Nevermore uniform made him appear anything but death-like.
How disappointing.
She caught a brief glance of his face when he lifted his head, porcelain skin yet not as pale as her own. His eyes were almost as deep blue as the uniform, his expression bemused, anything but the spectre-like glare she’d expected.
The only notable connection to such descriptions she’d read was the scythe clutched in his left hand… which he appeared to be using to try and light a cigarette in his mouth.
Shame it wouldn’t set him alight instead.
Enid sighed as she finished her sleep-inducing story, seemingly noticing her roommate’s sour gaze lingering on the weapon in his hand.
”Yeah, he’s chill… definitely not the Grim Reaper though. He spends most of his time stoned; he doesn’t even use his powers that much, he’s basically a Stoner.”
”I can see.” Wednesday drawled, feeling a pit of disappointment bubbling within her.. and no; it wasn’t fun.
“You know, it’s a small school. There wasn’t much online about you… Oh! You should really get on Insta, Snapchat and TikTok!” Wednesday twitched, prying her gaze away from the boy to face Enid with equal irritation.
“I find social media to be a soul-sucking void of meaningless affirmation.” She commented bluntly, before turning on her heel and striding away…
”Boys stop that! For heavens sake! Grimm, get your sword out of his belt or you’re both in detention!”
Ajax and Maveth erupted into a ruckus of laughter across the room, begrudgingly ceasing their ‘fighting’ as the coach beckoned the class to the centre of the room.
“Sit down and shut up!” He snapped, glaring at the two teenagers before gesturing for the rest of the room to continue.
“En Garde!”
Ajax grumbled under his breath as they slumped down on the floor, beads of sweat dripping from their foreheads.
“Coach! Coach! She tripped me!” Rowan called from across the room. His eyes were wide and watering as he dropped to the floor, panting.
“It was a clean strike, Rowan.” The man argued, clasping his hands behind his back.
“Maybe if you whined less and practised more, you wouldn’t suck.” Maveth snickered at Bianca’s comment as he and Ajax watched beamused as Rowan scampered to his feet and stormed across the room in a huff. “Seriously, Coach, when am I going to get some real competition? Anyone else want to challenge me?”
The siren turned her attention towards the two boys a few feet away.
“Maveth?”
”Sorry, sweetheart.” He drawled. “I’m afraid I’ve been put in time out.” The boy smirked upon catching Coach rolling his eyes.
“I do.”
An eerie silence befell the room as a black figure strode across the room, the sound of her boots echoing across the hall. Maveth turned his head to see a pale girl with braids brandishing a sword, her expression determined.
She caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of her eye watching her, and her face hardened as he turned his attention back to Ajax. Bianca turned around, a false smile plastered across her face as she looked the newcomer up and down.
“Oh! You must be the psychopath they let in.” She addressed her, batting her eyelashes.
“And you must be the self-appointed Queen Bee.” She deadpanned. “Interesting thing about bees: pull out their stingers, they drop dead.” At the last word, Grimm’s head practically whipped around towards the encounter, his expression unreadable.
”Rowan doesn’t need you to come to his defence.” Bianca pointed out, her eyes narrowed. “He’s not helpless.. he’s lazy!”
”Are we doing this or not?” A cold chill caused Maveth to shiver, causing a trail of goosebumps to form across his skin.
”Who’s that?” He asked Ajax with a frown as the two girl began to fence.
“Wednesday Addams, Enid’s new roommate.” The Gorgon explained, unable to peel his eyes away from the fight in front of him.
“Addams… I recognise that name.” Grimm pondered aloud, his eyes latching onto the black figure that practically glided across the mat.
”Apparently she’s a legacy… whole family’s kinda kooky. Got expelled from normie school for killing a kid.” Ajax continued, not bothering to look at Maveth, and consequently missing the brief twinkle in his eye when Wednesday struck Bianca suddenly in the dead centre of her chest.
“Point to Wednesday.” Coach commented, dryly. Grimm’ posture straightened, his eyes narrowed yet intently watching and analysing the fight until Bianca eventually struck Addams.
“The score is even.” The black helmet was quickly removed, revealing the girl’s intense stare. Wednesday’s gaze was locked onto Bianca, who smirked.
”That first point was clearly beginner’s luck.” The siren taunted, removing her helmet and taking a step forward. “Let’s finish this.” Wednesday, too, stepped forward, circling Bianca like a vulture swarming its pray.
“For the final point, I would like to invoke a military challenge.” She announced without blinking. “No masks… no tips. Winner draws first blood.”
”Woah.” Ajax exhaled, alongside several of their classmates, who were all watching the two girls with anticipation. Her eyes trailed from the coach to Maveth briefly. He met her brown-eyed stare for several seconds until she returned her attention to her opponent.
“It’s your decision, Bianca.” Barclay huffed, tilting her head sideways, which was met by Wednesday’s eyebrow raise.
”Let’s see if you bleed in black and white.” In an instant, the masks were tossed aside and Addams lunged forward, an animal about to strike. A series of grunts echoed around the room, accompanied by the clanging of blades.
“Enid!” Ajax whisper-hissed to the blonde across the room. The girl squealed as she stepped around the fight, which had begun to migrate around the room. “What’s her deal!?”
”She’s pretty intense.” The werewolf commented, sitting beside the pair.
“No shit.” Maveth breathed, tensing as Wednesday flipped out of the way of one of the siren’s strikes.
”She threatened to smother me in front of Thornhill for listening to music!”
“Well, I mean based on your music taste I don’t blame her.” Ajax grinned at Grimm, while Enid glared.
A chorus of gasps sounded out as Bianca emerged victorious, her blade raised and as sharp as her smile.
”Your face finally got that splash of colour it so desperately needed.” The siren smiled slyly as Wednesday reached up to touch her forehead, glaring at the redness that stained her hand.
“What the hell just happened?” End shrugged in response as the class came to an end. Wednesday’s eyes continued to glare at Barclay until she left the room.
“I’m actually scared; I have to sleep in the same room as her tonight!” Enid rambled as they packed their things. “I mean did you see how hard she was glaring!?”
”Sinclair you slept in the same room as her last night.” Yoko joined the group, her blade resting over her shoulder much to coaches’ dismay. “Maybe someone should see if she’s alright?”
”You can! I’d rather not end up buried alive!” Sinclair exclaimed as they exited the room.
“I’m sure she was only joking, Enid.” Maveth commented, though he honestly wasn’t sure.
The girl’s stare had remained consistently piercing and murderous for the entirety of class.. he wouldn’t have been surprised if she’d lunged at Bianca after and sliced her scales off.
At least someone put her in her place… partially.
It wasn’t that he didn’t like Bianca; Grimm just preferred a quieter social circle than the siren. Even if Enid was anything but quiet.
He liked the werewolf. She’d sat next to him in music and chatted away to him about some influencer on the internet that could play the piano underwater.
Of course Maveth didn’t believe it for a second, but since then she’d grown on him during their previous year and he definitely considered her a friend.
However he was closest to Ajax. The Gorgon became his roommate two years ago when he first joined Nevermore. He’d never forget his first night in Caliban Hall when their RA told them the tale of the Skull Tree.
Of course as immature fourteen year olds they took it upon themselves to sneak out their first night to find the tree… however Ajax’s map reading skills proved non-existent when they got lost and were found over a day later passed out in a ditch.
Needless to say Weems had been furious, however their classmates found more amusement in their failed exhibition and they became the school’s class clowns.
Grimm had lost track of the number of times they’d been banished to the principal’s office for myriad pranks and disruptions; so much so, in last semester the previous year, he was forced to move out of their shared dorm.
Naturally, both were devastated at the time, and equally so when they’d returned a few weeks ago to find that remained the case.
But they were both still in Caliban Hall… not even Weems was cruel enough as to split them up. So they still ensured game and movie nights still took place.
The principal had kept a close eye on the pair, Maveth in particular given the unexplored nature of his abilities. He noticed she was less cold to him than his peers, likely out of sympathy given his lack of immediate family or caregivers.
The boy appreciated her effort in granting him a voice, offering someone to listen to his troubles. But often, through no fault of her own, all she found herself able to do was listen.
After all, the living aren’t equipped for dealing with the problems of the dead.
And by God does it eat him alive sometimes, feeling every worry, every negative thought of the spirits that are drawn to him, to be guided into the comfort or suffering of the afterlife.
A burden he was born to bear, and unfortunately must bear alone.
Weeks tried to encourage him to share his concerns among his social circle… it wasn’t that he believed they’d make a mockery of him, but he feared they’d never be able to look at him the same, without anxiety or sympathy.
His throat burned at the thought of even uttering a word of it to anyone, so he remained stoic.
Following fencing, an inescapable chill had washed over him.
It wasn’t uncommon, in particular he found when several spirits in the area were being guided to the other realm.
But sometimes he became drained. And unfortunately today was one of those days. Maveth swayed slightly as he walked out of the locker room. His grip on his gym bag tightened, enough so he could feel the handle straining beneath his gloves.
A sigh escaped him, frustration washing over him as a pounding sensation wormed its way into his head.
God, he just wanted to sleep.
“Yo, you okay man?” Ajax asked, emerging amongst a wave of steam from the showers.
“Yeah, I’m gonna head to the library.” He brushed his friend off with a small smile. “Got an essay for Thornhill to finish. Meet you there?” The Gorgon agreed and disappeared back into the locker room, leaving Maveth to keep his word.
The Spectre slowly wandered the halls, taking the scenic route past the conservatory to try and clear his head, thus to no avail.
It seemed luck wasn’t on his side today, as when he reached about halfway from his destination, the sky darkened and began to pour.
“Great.” He cursed, regretting not waiting until later to shower as his hair and clothes quickly became soaked. Grimm hurried back into the shelter of the school, opting to cut through the courtyard’s edge instead of taking a bath outdoors.
Rain pelted down on the ground beside him as he weaved his way between the pillars, catching sight of a figure moving toward him in the distance.
Maveth squinted to see amid the heavy droplets as a black figure emerged across the courtyard, a matching dark umbrella held above her head as she stepped out into the open.
The boy’s eyes locked onto her as she strolled across the grass, however he frowned at the sound of stone scraping.
He looked up, eyes narrowing as they landed on one of the stone gargoyles resting atop the brickwork which seemed to be wavering in the wind.
For a second he brushed it off; the school was old after all, however when it began to sway quicker and further, he found himself subconsciously stepping back out into the rain in the nick of time before the stone finally fell, just as Addams was beneath it.
”Wednesday!” Maveth called. The name foreign to his lips, just as his voice was foreign to her ears. Her eyes snapped into his direction as he lunged for her, clasping the girl’s shoulders as he pushed her out of the way of gargoyle that plummeted down and smashed a few feet away from them.
The spectre exhaled heavily, as the two landed on the ground with a thud. He winced at the contact, yet frowned upon realising she hadn’t as much as uttered a sound.
He snapped his head up. Her eyes were closed, with trickles of rain rolling down either side of her face, her braids soaked resting in a pool of water.
“Wednesday?” He asked, rising to his knees before her. Maveth cast a glance at his gloved hands before hesitantly reaching out and gently nudging her shoulder. “Wednesday?”
No response.
”Damn it.” He muttered to himself, casting a glance around the Quad to see if anyone was around or had witnessed the spectacle.
Of course this was the one time it was empty.
Maveth bit his cheek as he slowly hoisted her into his lap, being careful not to directly touch her with his hands (even if he was wearing gloves, he didn’t want to risk it) before he steadily rose to his feet and took off for the infirmary.
“You’re really not having a good first day huh?” A pair of dark eyes shot open and scanned the room for the source of the noise.
Grimm, Wednesday recognised to be sat in a chair a few feet away, his gaze unreadable as she snapped upright, her arms folded across her chest.
“Just… take it easy.” He uttered calmly, despite the hitch in his breathing. “The nurse said you don’t have a concussion, but you probably have a nasty bump.” Wednesday shifted, resting her arm on the side of the bed.
”The last thing I remember I was walking outside feeling a mixture of rage, pity and self-disgust.” She hesitated before continuing. “I never felt that way before.”
”Yeah.” Maveth scratched the back of his neck uncomfortably. “Losing to Bianca has that effect on people, I think.”
”And then I looked up and saw that gargoyle coming down and I thought, ‘at least I’ll have an imaginative death’.” She sighed before bluntly adding: “then you tackled me out of the way. Why?” Grimm’s eyes narrowed, and he shrugged.
“Instinct, I guess?”
“So you were guided by latent chivalry, the tool of the patriarchy, to extract my undying gratitude?”
Wow.
Maveth merely blinked.
“You know, most people just say thank you.” He commented, tentatively.
“I didn’t want to be rescued.” Wednesday deadpanned, her stare piercing the side of his head.
“So I should’ve just let it crush you?” Maveth asked, curiously.
“I would have rather saved myself.” She added, briskly swinging her legs over the side of the bed and getting up.
“Right: now I know for next time.” Maveth fell silent, watching as she smoothed her skirts, not bothering to look back before bursting out of the room, leaving him baffled beside an empty bed.
For the first time in a long time, he was stunned.
Wednesday Addams often had that effect on people… but surely death should be above that?
He pondered to himself as he turned to leave, yet his eyes locked onto a black strap hanging from the bedside table.
With a sigh, he reached out and scooped up the backpack, mumbling to himself as he made his way to Ophelia Hall.
So much for an early night.