Tyler was used to the pretty curly haired boy who carried a lighter and sat in the corner booth of the cafe he worked at.
He never learned his name but he had learned a few other things.
He was a Nevermore student which he learned one day when he came to the cafe in his uniform. He was only a few months younger than him, which he learned by accident when the boy was complaining about not having a driver's license. And when he showed up Tyler needed to pay extra attention to what he was doing, which he learned when the boy showed up in a red Hawaiian shirt (that was almost completely open) and jeans and Tyler almost burned himself.
The boy had been on the phone with someone and seemed to be pissed so Tyler wasn't too disappointed when he didn't talk to him as much as usual, especially since he still tipped and even called him "babe" before leaving.
He had resolved to simply calling him Dream Boy since he had actually dreamt of him once or twice and the boy himself said to.
"Most people call me a nightmare, but you can call me the guy of your dreams." Dream Boy had said before leaving that day.
Tyler still wasn't sure what to make of him but he never had time to figure it out.
"Your iced macchiato." he passed Dream Boy the drink.
"Thanks." he grinned.
"Mind if I ask you something?" Tyler slid into the other side of the booth.
"Shoot." Dream Boy nodded.
"What's your real name?"
He had been dying to know. Maybe if he just told him it would get him off his mind finally.
"Erix. Erix Fallon."
Erix.
Tyler knew right then that there was no way to get him off his mind. How could his name be just as pretty as he was?
"Nice to meet you, Erix." he said instead.
"It's a pleasure." Erix chuckled. He was sure he must've been red but it seemed Erix was looking at something behind him. "Sorry to cut this short, but I think your espresso machine's busted."
Tearing his attention away from the pretty boy in front of him Tyler looked back at the machine. It was smoking.
"God dammit." he sighed and got up. "How many times is this thing going to break?"
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Wednesday entered the Weathervane cafe to find a tall boy behind the counter who looked annoyed and confused at the same time.
She walked up to the counter just as the espresso machine hissed and a thick steam rose up in front of her creating a wall between her and the boy.
"Holy crap!" he jumped as the steam cleared. "Do you make a habit of scaring the hell out of people?"
"It's more of a hobby," Wednesday answered.
"You go to Nevermore. Didn't realize they changed the uniform."
"I need a quad over ice. It's an emergency," she said hastily. He just continued staring at her so she clarified, "It's four shots of espresso."
"Yeah, I... I know what a quad is, but, spoiler alert, the espresso machine's having a seizure, so all we have is drip."
"But drip is for people who hate themselves and know their lives have no real purpose or meaning."
The man a few feet away from them who was pouring himself a cup of drip stopped and set the mug down, walking away.
"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.
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"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."
"Potato, po-tah-to." she shrugged.
"We work at Pilgrim World." one "pilgrim" clarified.
"It takes a special kind of stupid to devote an entire theme park to zealots responsible for mass genocide."
Erix silently agreed with her though he definitely wouldn't have said it so... intelligently. With less pretty words and more casual curses.
"My dad owns Pilgrim World."
"Who you calling stupid?"
"If the buckled shoe fits."
"Guys, back off." Tyler intervened.
He locked eyes with Erix who simply waved a perfectly manicured hand in dismissal.
"Stay out of this, Galpin."
"Yes, stay out of this." Wednesday finally stood.
The coloni- pilgrims surrounded her.
"So tell me, freak... you ever been with a normie?"
"I've never found one that could handle me," she replied with ease.
They stared at each other in silence. It was obvious to anyone with a properly working brain that Wednesday intimidated them but they still underestimated her.
"Boo!"
One of them grabbed her by the shoulder, she grabbed his bicep and kneed him in the crotch, another swung at her but she side turned and he ended up hitting his friend instead. The boy fell to the ground as she used the other's momentum to knock him to the ground as well.
The last boy aimed multiple punches at her but she dodged each of them easily. She did a spin kick and hit him in the stomach knocking him back. Erix stood from his spot and knocked him out with a hard punch.
He shook his hand out ignoring the slight sizzling noise from the unconscious boy's skin.
"Well, that was something," he said, nonchalant. He kicked one of the boys with his boot. He coughed and grunted in pain. "Okay, he's alive."
"So where'd you learn those kung fu moves?" Tyler asked.
"My uncle taught me," Wednesday replied. "He spent five years in a Tibetan Monastery."
"Was he a monk?"
"Prisoner."
The door chimed and an officer walked in. "Dad!"
"Shit–" Erix cursed.
Wednesday gave him an odd look but all he could think was, 'Of course his dad has to be the sheriff.'
"Tyler, the hell's going on in here?" his dad asked.
"They were harassing a customer, and they put them in their place."
Erix grimaced and wished for once that he hadn't worn his platform boots. Maybe then he would've been able to hide behind Wednesday.
"This little thing took down three boys?" the officer asked. "Did you help 'em?"
Erix didn't know whether to be offended or not that he didn't notice him.
"Dad, I swear, I wasn't involved."
The pilgrims groaned.
"Apologies, Sheriff." Principal Weems appeared. "This one slipped away from me. Come on, Miss Addams, time to go."
She then noticed Erix, who was trying to sneak away, and grabbed him by the arm.
"And you will be coming with us."
"Principal Weems." he smiled awkwardly. "What a lovely surprise."
"Wait a minute, hang on." Tyler's dad cut in. He looked at Wednesday. "You're an Addams? Don't tell me Gomez Addams is your father? That man belongs behind bars for murder. Guessin' the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I'm gonna keep my eye on you."
"Okay." she said.
It was then that he truly noticed Erix.
"You. What are you doing here?"
"Heyyy Sheriff Galpin it's been a while."
"I'm very sorry for interrupting, Sheriff, but we really must be going now."
Principal Weems led them out the door. She walked them down to the car.
"Afternoon Jeeves." Erix greeted the driver.
"Your first day and you're already on Sheriff Galpin's radar. Wish I could say I was surprised." Weems then looked at him. "And Erix, you know you're not supposed to go to the town without permission."
"Yes ma'am." he sighed.
"What did he mean about my father?" Wednesday asked.
"Hm? Oh right, murder accusation, right." Erix nodded to himself.
He was a bit preoccupied with wondering how long it would take for Tyler to find his note. He didn't risk getting caught (which he did) just for nothing.
"I have no idea, but a word of advice. Stop making enemies and start making a few friends. You're going to need them." She gave both of them a pointed look. "Erix, stop flirting with the humans."
"I have no idea what you're talking about." he pouted and slouched in his seat.
As they continued the ride back to the school they came upon a broken down truck. "Looks like an accident," Weems said. "I hope the driver's okay."
"He's dead." Wednesday and Erix said in unison.
They glanced at each other, confused. A siren wailed from the ambulance.
"Broke his neck," Wednesday continued.
"How can you tell from this angle?" Weems asked Wednesday.
After all, she already knew exactly how Erix knew.
"What was that about?" Tyler asked his dad. "With Erix, I mean."
"Stay away from boys like him, he's just as bad as Gomez Addams."
"Yes sir." But as much as he usually obeyed his father's orders he had no intention of obeying this one.