𝓚𝓲𝓼𝓼 𝓸𝓻 𝓚𝓲𝓵𝓵

Coffee Tuesday Gets Interrupted By Coloni- Pilgrims

"What's wrong with your machine?" Wednesday asked.

"It's a temperamental beast with a mind of its own," he told her. "Does this every few weeks and it doesn't help that the instructions are in Italian."

She took the instructions from him and scanned over them. "I need a tri-wing screwdriver and a four-millimeter Allen wrench."

"Wait, you read Italian?"

"Of course. It's the native tongue of Machiavelli."

"Here's the deal. I'm going to fix your coffee machine, then you're going to make my coffee and call a taxi." Wednesday started looking the machine over.

How did they mess up an espresso machine so easily?

"Uh, no taxis in Jericho." the barista told her. "Try Uber?"

"I don't have a phone. I refuse to be a slave to technology."

"Then you're out of luck." He shrugged. "Where you going anyway?"

"That's on a need-to-know basis. What about trains?"

"Nearest station is Burlington. It's half an hour away."

"You have a valve issue," she told him. "I've seen it before."

She started to screw the valve back in place.

"Where? You have one of these monsters at home?"

"Steam-powered guillotine. I built it when I was ten." He looked at her strangely. "I wanted to decapitate my dolls more efficiently."

"Sure. Grim Reaper Barbie, makes perfect sense."

The steam subsided as Wednesday turned the valve one last time.

"Wow. Thanks. I never met a Nevermore kid who got their hands dirty. I'm Tyler, by the way."

He held his hand out to her. "I didn't catch your name, or is that on a need-to-know basis too?"

"Wednesday."

"Tell you what, Wednesday," Tyler started. "To show my appreciation, how about I drive you to Burlington?"

"Perfect. Put that quad in a to-go cup."

"Uh, but I don't get off for another hour."

"I'll sweeten the pot." She pulled out a 20.

"Twenty whole dollars... Tempting, but no."

"I'll make it 40."

"Uh... Listen, Wednesday, one fun fact about me... I can't be bought, so either wait, or find someone else to drive you."

She sighed and simply nodded, saying, "I still want that quad." and walking off to a booth.

❤︎ ❤︎ ❤︎

"I really can't just enjoy my break, huh?" Erix muttered. "Just wanted an iced coffee and a flirt but nooo I just have to be a mediocrely-good person."

Erix dropped his cup in the trash. He made his way over to the girl he saw help Tyler, casually taking a seat in the booth behind her.

What the hell Wednesday Addams was doing here, he didn't ask.

"What's a Nevermore freak doing out in the wild?" one of the colonizer wannabes asked.

"This is our booth," another said.

"Why are you dressed like religious fanatics?" Wednesday asked.

"We're pilgrims."