After being tied to a chair in a sorry attempt at kidnapping, Wednesday had planned to spend the night continuing her search. But of course her partner was unreliable.
She wasn't quite sure what happened and she didn't care but if her partner was too tipsy to keep an eye out for any authority then she might as well look after him.
Just to be able to scold him as soon as he was actually functioning properly.
She had found him standing in front of her and Enid's room when he spotted her.
"Wends! I'm so glad you came to see me," he said as if he wasn't in front of their door. "Enid didn't even bother to stop by!" The smile on his face seemed excited but his eyes were almost dead looking.
"Keep your voice down." She hissed. He stumbled a bit and she caught him. "What's wrong with you?"
"Nothing!" A lie. "Besides, it's a party, woo! Have a drink!"
"No." She pushed the door to her dorm room open and dropped him onto the closest stable object which unfortunately happened to be her bed.
He sprawled out onto the furniture easily and let his arm with the bottle dangle over the side. Closing the door behind them Wednesday turned to him and crossed her arms.
"Do you mind telling me what is wrong with you today?" Silence. "First, I don't see you all day. Then, you show up half drunk thinking you can go investigate in your state."
He stayed silent for a while just staring at the ceiling then he started chuckling and that turned into a slightly hysterical laugh.
"Have I told you that you're pretty?" he asked. "Really, you are. It's my favorite day of the year~!"
He started laughing again. She had never thought of Erix as the hysterical type then again she had never really thought of him as the drinking type either.
"Woo! Sha-la-la-la-la-la, my oh my, it was her time to die–" He sang. He sat up, maybe a bit too quickly, and opened the bottle, bringing it to his lips and taking a long drink. "I should go get coffee."
Wednesday had sat down at the foot of her bed and stared at him. She thought it over for a moment and decided it would be best to take the bottle away from him.
Alcohol poisoning was a real thing and who knows how many of those he'd already had. Then again assuming he really was a demon who knows if it would affect him.
She gently put a hand on his. "Can I have this?"
"Of course Wends." He grinned at her. "You know I really like you. You're nicer than I thought you'd be."
Okay he was definitely drunk.
"Thank you." She said taking the bottle of booze. "You were supposed to help me investigate in case you forgot when you were still sober."
"But it's a special occasion." he blinked.
She never really paid attention to his appearance (she had much more important things to do) but his eyes were definitely duller than before. His hair was disheveled and he was paler.
"Which is?"
He looked like he wanted to rip the bottle out of her hands and take another drink. Instead he smiled.
Not the grin he gave Tyler or the funny smiles he gave Enid and Ajax. It was angry.
Almost psychotic in a way.
"Today's the day I killed her." If she thought before that it was an accident (which she didn't) it was clear now that it wasn't. Erix didn't regret this. Not one bit. "First degree murder if we're being honest. I'm just too smart for this police force."
He leaned his head back against the wall. Wednesday thought she heard him giggle a bit.
Erix Fallon was disturbing in truth. Maybe this is why people truly lie.
"I'm going to get you some water." She stood from her seat. "Stay put."
"You got it, chief!"
Unsure of whether he would actually listen in his intoxicated state she turned to her desk.
"Thing," she said. He climbed up on top of a book. "Watch him."
Thing nodded. Wednesday nodded back and left to get a cup.
When she returned she found Erix, who now had his boots off, lying on his back and staring at the ceiling. Thing tapped him on the shoulder and he looked over at her.
"Hi." he muttered.
"Can you sit up?" she asked.
Erix nodded and pushed himself up, most likely leaning most of his weight on the headboard. She handed him the cup of water and sat down next to him.
When Erix said he hated water, she didn't think drinking water fell under that as well. He kept taking tentative sips like it was a hot drink that could burn him any minute or acid that might destroy him from the inside if he wasn't careful.
Once it was half empty he held the cup in his hands and just stared at it. He was silent and then he started crying. Wednesday jolted.
She may have calmed down Enid but that wasn't really intentional. Besides what would calm down Erix?
He buried his face in his hands. "Hell I'm such a fucking mess. No wonder it's like this."
What did that mean?
"Erix. What are you talking about?"
"Just the fact that I'm an impulsive idiot who can't do anything right that's it! Demon prince my ass..."
"Demon prince? You're really a demon."
"Wends I lie about a lot of things but I don't lie about my family. Not to the people here at least."
"I should have realized."
Everything made so much more sense, how he hated water and the fire during the Poe Cup...
"Look, just don't drink from that." He pointed at the bottle. "It's... not for human consumption to put it mildly. Just leave it for me to dispose of later. Jesus, where did I even get it?"
"What would happen if I drank it?" She couldn't help but ask.
"Your blood would turn to fire and your bones to sulfur." He said bluntly. "Only after turning into a hideous monster that is."
"Can I ask you a few questions?"
"Can it wait 'til morning?"
Looking at him Wednesday nodded despite her curiosity. He looked tired and worn out but more genuine than before. More truthful possibly.
"You can stay here for the night."
"No, I don't wanna intrude—"
"That ship sailed when you laid down on my bed." She pushed him back down. "Besides I'm not sure you're sober enough to get back to your dorm unseen."
"Thanks Wends." He laid down and went back to staring at the ceiling.
There really was more to Erix Fallon than meets the eye.
❤︎❤︎❤︎
Waking up to her bubbly roommate shaking her incessantly was never on Wednesday's to do list but especially not after taking care of a drunk demon the night before.
"What is Erix doing in your bed?!" Enid whispered frantically.
"He showed up outside our room last night drunk and I brought him in here." Wednesday replied. "He collapsed on my bed unfortunately."
She had fallen asleep next to him she guessed but now he was clinging to her like a child to a ratty old teddy bear.
"What do you mean he was drunk?!"
"What do you think?"
"Ajax must be worried sick! I knew I should've stayed with him yesterday." Enid said. "We need to at least wake him up before Ms. Thornhill comes in."
Enid pulled down the blanket a bit more but immediately pulled it back over his head. Wednesday looked at her suspiciously.
"Bedhead." She said unconvincingly. "Erix would freak out if anyone else saw him like that."
"You're a terrible liar." She pulled down the blanket to see horns sprouted from his head. "He really is an incubus..."
"He told you?!" Enid shrieked. "You can't tell anyone. It's one of his major secrets... along with what hair products he uses—"
"I'm tired, not hearing impaired." He grunted and sat up. The girls stared at him. "Oh gods— everything hurts."
"Yeah."
"My horns are back aren't they?"
"Yeah."
His eyes were a vibrant pink the same color as the stained glass panels on Enid's side of the room.
"We just need to get you from here back to your room without anyone seeing you."
"Easy."
There was a knock on the door.
"Less easy." Enid pushed him out of the bed all the way into her closet. "The closet, seriously?"
"Shut up!" She hissed, shutting the door.
She brushed herself off before looking up to see Wednesday opening the door.
"Hello Ms. Thornhill."
"Hi girls." She stepped into the room. "Sorry to disturb you so early but one of the boys apparently hasn't been back to his dorm so the housemaster is having me go around and check."
"It's no issue."
"Yeah we were just... getting ready for the day!" Enid smiled.
Ms. Thornhill nodded and started to look around. Wednesday stood by Enid's side.
"Where is he?" She questioned under her breath.
"My closet." Enid whispered back.
"You mean the closet that she is about to check?"
Just as she said, Ms. Thornhill pulled the door open and walked in. A few seconds later she walked back out and smiled at them.
"I told him that none of my girls were hiding him. Thanks anyways girls."
"No problem."
They stared at the door for a moment after she left before Enid rushed to her closet.
"Erix?"
"Up here." She heard someone whisper. "Is she gone now?"
Looking up she saw Erix using his arms and legs to cling to the ceiling. She blinked at him.
"What the fuck?"
He dropped down from the ceiling landing on his feet and stumbling. "I almost fell when she turned the light on. I need a Xanax or something."
His tail flicked but neither girl was sure if it was intentional or not.
"So what's the plan?"
"I may or may not have snuck in before-"
"Of course."
"-and the easiest way is to just show up for breakfast and pretend I haven't been missing for gods know how long."
"One problem."
"What?"
"You're a demon!"
He blinked at her as Enid pointed at his tail. A pink glow surrounded him. When the light subsided, he looked normal minus his eyes which were still pink.
"It's too bright."
"You need some water." Wednesday stated. She handed him a pair of blackout glasses. "Here. Your eyes are pink."
"My mom's better with the spell but all we've got is me." Erix sighed. "How much did I drink?"
"Almost an entire bottle."
"Seriously?" his eyes went wide as Wednesday nodded. "Next year I'm going back to my dad's and having him lock me in my room."
"That may be best." Enid said. "Wednesday, we need to get dressed."
"I didn't notice." she replied.
"I'll just wait in here or on your balcony if you prefer that." Erix trailed off.
"You can just wait on my bed." Enid told him before walking off to her closet.
Wednesday followed suit walking to her closet to get dressed leaving the boy in the main space.
___________
Did I just make an entire chapter devoted to Erix developing a bit more trust for Wednesday? Yes. Does this also show more character details including his unhealthy coping mechanisms? Also yes.
Drink responsibly kids 👍🏾
Feat. Enid and Erix's stupid dynamic 💃