Wednesday sat on the swing, her eyes fixed on the school below. The fog that blanketed the ground, muffling the sounds of the early morning as it slowly cascaded over the ground. The dead tree creaked beneath her weight, but she wasn't worried about getting hurt, she liked the rush it gave her.
School had recently started back up and her boyfriend had a hard time getting back into the swing of things. She tried telling him to just get over it, just study more, but even she felt like she was being a bit harsh. She truly did care for him, but she found it difficult to express her feelings.
Behind her, she herd the rapid tap tap tap of nails on the cobbled path. She turned to face Thing as he hopped on her lap and gestured at her to communicate.
"I'm just watching everyone beneath me."
Thing stood on his stump and gestured again.
"There's nothing more to it, Thing."
Thing shook his finger and spelled something out in sign language.
'L'
'I'
'E'
Wednesday glared at Thing as she rocked gently on the swing. "I do not lie unless it is truly needed."
Thing repeated the same gestures, spelling the same thing once again.
"I admit, I lie more than that. It doesn't change my answer much"
Thing paused before spelling something out.
'(Y/N)?'
She sighed, the swing creaking in response. She noticed that he was acting a bit more lethargic lately, even after her traumatic experience wearing 'the dress', he didn't seem to gain much of his usual energy back. She was concerned, but each time she remembered how she acted on her concerns, she realized that she might've been a bit... Mean. How was she supposed to show Y/N that she cared? Should she offer to take him on a tour of the family's graveyard or maybe invite him to a séance? He did ask her to teach him some magic before? No, from her experiences with the boy, he'd probably complain that a ghoul followed him home or he'll fall asleep and get sucked into the nether realm, which was an idea she was not very fond of.
She turned to Thing, "What am I supposed to do? My-The idiot is complicated." she asked, hoping for some guidance.
Thing tapped his fingers on the tree trunk, considering her question. After a moment, he scurried off, returning moments later with a stick before drawing something in the muck.
Wednesdays eyes flashed, but she maintained a neutral expression.
"Of course, to understand an idiot, we need another one."
______________________________________________________________________________
Enid listened patiently as Wednesday explained her dilemma. Rubbing her eyes as she fought off the sleep "Well he usually gets in a better mood when you're around" she suggested.
Wednesday shook her head. "That's not enough. Why do you think I'm here?"
"Because we're roomies and besties?"
Wednesday just looked at Enid.
"Fine. I'm not sure what you can... Oh! What about-"
"You'd have to kill me first before I'll wear that dress."
"Courtney and I think it'll match your eyes!"
Wednesday put her hand up, signaling Enid to stop the discussion so they could return to her problem.
"Well maybe you could make it up to him for making it so difficult on him before you started dating?"
Wednesday's cheeks hurt just from the memory, she rubbed her cheeks as if she actually considered letting him pinch it more than he usually does.
Enid rolled her eyes. "Not that, got it." she thought for a few more seconds. "I got nothing, honestly. Maybe he's not even sad or tired, he might just be lazy right now. Cats are like that sometimes."
Wednesday looked around as she thought.
"Your help has been satisfactory, you can go back to sleep."
Before Enid could respond, she started to wander the halls. Thing clattered behind her and jumped to her shoulder.
The hand started to sign again, this time using words instead of letters.
'Think'
'Anything'
Wednesday huffed a no and continued on.
'Why'
'Not'
'Cuddle?'
Her cheeks were suddenly a bit rosy. "I enjoy it sometimes, yes, but it's time I don't have much of now that school has started again. The oaf will probably keep me in bed all day."
Wednesday looked at Thing, noticing the stitches on her companion... Wait, a companion, perhaps that's what (Y/N) needs?
She remembered how his room used to be so simple when they first met, yet always had a few stuffed animals on the shelves or on the bed.
The memory of his room sparked an idea in her mind. She remembered seeing a teddy bear on his bed the first time she entered his dorm, and how she may or may not have blown it and a few of his other stuffed animals into smithereens when she got a bit jealous. If he hadn't confronted her, she would've gone further than that.
She knew she'll need something to make the new bear out of, and she determined the most efficient way to do this, was with some good old fashioned, revenge. She held Thing up with her hand and spoke, "Be a doll and find me Courtney's favorite sweater."
Over the next few days, she spent her free time making the teddy bear, using the cloth from Courtney's favorite sweater and whatever thread she could find. She was exhausted, barely managing to get through classes without thoughts of murder anymore.
Days past, and Enid tried to help her, but she wanted the gesture to be special. and after a few more days past and those days turned into a 2 weeks, she was exhausted, but it was finished. She picked up the plump, raggedy bear, shoddy black stitches ran up and down the entire thing, its mismatched button eyes gave it a quizzical expression, a red heart logo from Courtney's sweater coincidentally going over where its heart would be.
"That's adorable! In an oddly creepy way, but still!" Wednesday jumped and threw it in the direction of the voice. Enid had appeared out of nowhere and gotten hit on the face with the doll.
"Hey!"
"You knew better."
"Okay, sorry. Is that what you were making these past few weeks?"
"Wasn't it obvious?"
"Welllll...." Enid went to her side of the room and held the bear up to the window "It looked more like you were dissecting a squirrel with a kitchen knife when you were making this, love the cloth by the way, where'd you get it?"
"Courtney's wardrobe."
Enid paused for a moment and blinked at her before realizing what she meant. "You know what? I'm used to it. Nice planning on the heart placement too."
Wednesday took the bear back from Enid and placed it in a wicker basket lined with a bed of dead black roses before securing it with black and purple ribbons. She picked the basket up and looked at it before the edges of her mouth twitched down. "Enid, present this basket to (Y/N) at once."
"Huh? Why me? You made it, you're the girlfriend. Wouldn't it be better if you gave it to him?"
"I... Don't believe that I fully trust myself with this task?"
"Why not? You're not exactly the shy type, remember prom? You were center of attention!"
"I hated it, but it's true. I just don't think I'm ready to get my cheeks pinched again, and by Hecate's name, if anyone sees me, I'd have to kill them, and I'm not in the mood."
Enid laughed "Come on, he'll appreciate the gesture! You're choice though, cant help you decide right now, I have to go."
Wednesday raised an eyebrow. "I have to return a few books to the library"
"I find it hard to believe you can read."
"I see what you mean now. Anyways, good luck!" with that, Enid left Wednesday alone with Thing and the bear. She was looking intently at it, trying to decide what she should do, when Thing hopped in front of her, holding her pen and a paper in between his index and thumb.
Wednesday knew at once what he was suggesting. "Thank you for making this easier, Thing. However, if you touch my pen again, I'll scrape your knuckles on the concrete."
She got on to writing the letter, and leaving the package at (Y/N)'s door, leaving thing to guard it before she went to her dorm once more and slept through the night, relieved that the ordeal is finished.
In the morning, she woke up to Enid's squeal. She sighed and rubbed her eyes, sitting up to find Enid looking at the basket, now at the foot of the bed, the ribbon affixed to Thing, who grabbed onto the handle as if he was presenting it. Inside was the teddy bear, but now with a muffin plush sewn onto it. Her heart dropped, did he not like it? Why was there a muffin plush.
She quickly took it, and inside, she found a folded up page of a notebook. She inspected it and found (Y/N)'s lazily scrawled on notes from 4 months ago, she wondered why he had included this, but then she turned it around and found a letter. She looked at Enid and raised an eyebrow.
"You don't need to read it out loud, I already did."
"I should blind you for that."
"But you won't" Wednesday frowned and just read the letter.
Hey Muffin,
I hope you're doing well. I just wanted to let you know that I received the bear you sent me and it's really awesome! It's so soft and cuddly, just like you
Wednesday gagged as she read this. Typical of him. Though she won't admit it, she doesn't mind that it was typical of him.
Oh, by the way, I'm not depressed! Not more than I usually am. I'm just lazy as fuck. Glad to know you care though, and I know you're wondering why I sent him back... Well to be honest I forgot you even blew up my stuffed animals, and since I'm asleep most of the time, maybe you could have him to get reminded of me. If you haven't gotten it by this point, the muffin there is supposed to symbolize me hugging a muffinified you. Is that a word? Muffinified? Anyways, hope you enjoy the little guy.
Probably asleep,
[Y/N]
Wednesday scoffed at this and held the bear up before turning away from Enid and laying back down.
"What? That was so sweet? What are you doing?"
"I'm trying to sleep off the headache gained from the fact that he misspelled sentiment and used the term 'muffinified'"
Enid just looked at her and frowned. "All right, but I totally thought that would at least make you smile."
"Go back to sleep, Enid, it's 4 and you don't do well, when tired."
Enid pouted as she slumped her way back to her side, mumbling about how Wednesday should have reacted better, but as she spoke, she didn't see the blush on Wednesdays cheek as she hugged the bear close to her. She whispered to the bear so Enid couldn't hear, "That bastard regifted you to me."
Word count: 1944
(This chapter was written by the ever talented and ever wonderful Lilsofthedaffodils . She has also gratuitously offered to write a short story on thing and his escapades if you all would be interested in that. Feel free to leave any feedback as we're interested to see how you liked this collaboration)
(P.S. the name of the chapter is the name of the bear)