Saturday puts the charcoal sketch of the grotesque monster down on a wooden table, its eyes bulging and claws as sharp as ever.
The Sheriff carefully picks up the paper.
"We both know that there's a monster out there." the floppy black haired boy in black, with an immaculate posture standing in front of her states simply.
The two were in the Sheriff's messy office, the thin man sitting in front of his desk which was filled with files and papers, the boy facing him.
"If we're going to stop it," the boy was saying coldly as the Sheriff's eyebrows were furrowed, he looked from the picture to the tall boy. "I think it's time we both put our differences aside and begin to work together." the boy proposes seriously, quickly lifting his eyebrows.
The man's eyes flickered back to the drawing. "And this is your stake for me to deal you in?" he asks, not impressed, glancing back up at the boy.
He swipes up a photo next to his black telephone. His head moves to each picture, as he examines them. Both were of the monstrous beast, mouth wide open and claws bearing.
The Sheriff sighs.
"I'm sorry, you gotta do better than that. You got some nice detail though." the man compliments sarcastically.
"I didn't draw it." the boy cuts in curtly.
The Sheriff's head snaps back to attention as he looks at the boy again. "I need to know who did." his voice rose slightly.
"Unless we're exchanging intel, I'm not at liberty to say." the boy remarked coldly and emotionlessly.
The man blinks and looks away from those piercing obsidian eyes.
"Why would I share information about an ongoing murder investigation with a high school kid?" he asks tiredly.
"Because I go to Nevermore and you don't." came the nonchalant, matter-of-fact reply from the pale boy.
The Sheriff blinked his eyes, looking as tired as he felt, a deep line between his eyebrows.
"Don't you want eyes and ears behind those ivy-covered walls?" the boy proposed cooly.
"Listen, Shaggy, why don't you and the Scooby gang stick to your homework and leave the investigating to the professionals." the thin, grey haired man retorts, annoyed, to the pale boy in black who had his arms crossed defiantly across his broad chest.
Saturday thought that if he didn't want the petty man's cooperation he could easily have him beat in every aspect, work or just life in general.
The ringing phone disrupted their conversation.
The man reached an arm out to the black telephone on her desk. He pressed a button.
"What?" It was an impatient response.
"Mayor Walker's on line two." came the voice of her stockily muscular, round black assistant. "He's looking for an update."
Saturday started to stalk out.
"Hey, Addams." The man turned his head to the tall boy.
Saturday stops in his tracks outside the door and turns his head around, coldly, keeping the majority of his body facing the other way.
"Let me see that sketch again." he orders, beckoning with his hand.
Saturday walks up and hands the paper to him, which he snatches.
He flattened the creased sketchbook paper out and looked intently at it.
"The person who drew this, that your suspect?" he looks up into the face of the cold boy.
Saturday gives a slight nod.
The man looks apprehensively at him, then looks back down at the drawing.
"When you bring me some concrete evidence, maybe we'll talk." he considers, before handing the sketch back to Saturday, who folds it back in half and stalks out, the man's voice ringing in his ears: "Yes, Mayor. Everything's going splendidly."
☟☟☟
In the Weathervane Cafe, Ethan was sitting in a chocolate brownish red leather seat, opposite Yuki, who was playing with his long, black straight locks and Bianco's right hand man.
There was the usual indistinct chatter in the Cafe from patrons.
Ethan laughs pleasantly to Bianco's right hand man's words of, "My spiky little sea urchin."
"That's horrible." he replies, his face expressive.
"That's actually him singing."
The trio's chatter subsides as they turn to see a tall and stocky black boy with short curly black hair walking towards them. He was wearing a casual outfit, a checkered white shirt with the patterns in grey, a short denim shirt and a dark green jacket. Ethan turns back to his friends as she approaches, the two boys were already sitting facing her.
He stops at their table.
"Is it okay if I talk to Ethan?" Lucas asks politely, and, as the boys sensed, he was somewhat impish.
Yuki leant a lean pale arm on the back of his leather seat and touched his sleek black hair, the light from outside reflecting off his black sunglasses. Ethan motions for them to go with his head, then the young werewolf smiles confidently.
"Don't worry. I can handle him." Ethan reassured the pair in front of him.
Bianco's right hand man gave the black boy a warning look with his pale blue eyes, silently telling him to not cause trouble, to which he smiled mischievously back.
His black eyes watch the two boys go, then, still smiling like a cheeky pixie, he takes the empty seat opposite Ethan.
The two boys take the seat right behind Lucas, they were facing the normie's back, intent on keeping tabs on him.
"Thanks." he says, flashing his straight teeth, which seemed to be sparkling against the black backdrop of his dark skin before pursing his lips in anticipation.
"I'm—" he begins, but is immediately cut off by the white-blonde boy in front of him with the blue, pink and purple highlights in his gorgeous hair.
"Lucas Walker, mayor's son." the Nevermore boy frowned in concentration. "Recently split from Jericho High's cheer captain, Chrissy Smothers." he makes a face. "Cute brunette who needs to rethink her spray tan." he finishes and smiles, like a gossip FBI agent.
"That's kinda scary." Lucas frowns, intrigued. The two Nevermore boys behind him start talking amongst themselves.
"I have a nose for gossip and I follow half your grade on TikTok." the young werewolf returns nonchalantly, smiling and flashing his perfect white teeth. "Oh yeah, and my roommate kicked your butt...twice." he finishes triumphantly, his deep voice full of gloat, using his eyes and luscious lips to emphasise his point.
Lucas frowned, and narrowed his eyes.
"Saturday Addams is your roommate?" he asks cautiously.
"Sure is." Ethan nods in confirmation.
Lucas' eyes slightly shift away nervously from Ethan's crystal blue ones before looking into his eyes again.
"I know this isn't a random encounter. So, why are you sitting here, Lucas Walker?" challenged Ethan, narrowing then widening his shrewd crystal blue eyes.
"You must want something." the boy states, to which Lucas grins mischievously.
The black boy frowns before speaking. "I've got a friend who works at Male Secrets. He gave me some info on this year's Rave'N. I've heard the rumors about her beauty. That sexy girl with the long silky black hair, snow-white skin, golden eyes- Misaki, she got a date yet?"
Ethan looks down at the wooden desk, and smiles secretly to himself. Yes. She does.
"Maybe we can help each other out." he suggests hopefully, scrunching his eyebrows.
Ethan smirks at him. "Sorry, she's already spoken for."
"Wait, who?" The surprise was evident in his voice and his face was full of shock.
Ethan smirked, narrowing his crystal blue eyes.
"Come on! Spoil me a little!" he begs.
"Me." Ethan replied curtly and proudly, with that deep, playful voice.
Lucas grimaced, knowing his definite loss.
☟☟☟