Punctured Lungs (Wednesday x Xavier) DISCONTINUED

Stealth in the Shadows

"Welcome to Pilgrim World." Wednesday greeted yet another group of people monotonously. She had started out at the Fudge shop there, but after scaring away more people than she invited, they set her up on greeting duty. Though they weren't sure she was going a better job at this either.

Such led to the fact that another Pilgrim World employee was approaching her, annoyance the name of her expression, she looked red underneath her little bonnet. But she put in a smile anyway as she approached Wednesday.

"Uhm...excuse me? I think we're going to move you. We'll put you in charge of watching the...meeting house." She whispered to Wednesday so people wouldn't hear her breaking out of character.

The woman began leading her to the meeting house, and Wednesday wordlessly followed. She reached her hand into her pocket and felt for her lock picks. Wednesday watched as she was oh so conveniently led to the back of the meeting house, she wasn't exposed in any way that would get her caught. No one would catch her. Oh this was too good.

"Alright...just, stay wand watch out. People would jump at the opportunity to rob this place since the attraction's closed. Had a burst pipe not too long ago." The woman said and left Wednesday after she gave her a curt nod.

If only she knew Wednesday was the biggest threat there. She had every intention of stealing that book and getting Thing back. In no way could anyone stop her. She waited for a while and stood silently in front of the door, leaning against it occasionally.

She didn't want the woman to come back any time soon, and she knew she was being watched out of the corners of some people's eyes. So she waited. She was here all day. But soon the feeling of their gazes graced off of her shoulders and she pulled out her picks.

They glinted in the sunlight, but she quickly put them in the key hole and shuffled them around. Once she heard the satisfying click, she opened the door and poked her head in. She looked back and made sure no one was around before slipping into the meeting house.

No one saw her slip in. No one saw her pick the lock to the glass box and take out Goody's book of Shadows before putting it in her bag. Nobody saw her. She saw no one, so no pair of eyes looking at her as she went back outside and heard the door lock once more and took back her spot in front of it. But if she saw no one, and there truly was no one...then how come she couldn't shake the feeling of someone's eyes on her?

How come she felt the constant need to look over her shoulder or lean against the wall so no one could stuff a hand down her bag?

~•~

Wednesday hesitated as she stood in front of the school entrance after her last day of volunteering. She hadn't seen Xavier all week since her days were spent at Pilgrim World and her nights were spent locked up in her dorm trying to learn the ritual.

She had been reading vigorously, quickly hiding the book when she heard the click of the door, meaning Enid was back. Then, Wednesday would pull out her homework and allow Enid to tell her about her day.

And that was what she planned on doing again tonight. Read, plan, then allow Enid to talk her ears off. To appease her. Wednesday found that, as of more recently, she enjoyed it less and less when Enid was unhappy. So she would let her talk her ears off tonight as well.

She gripped the straps of her backpack tightly as she stepped foot back into Nevermore. She sighed l, reaching back to make sure the book was still there. She didn't dare leave the book there, for fear of someone, anyone finding out and ruining what she was trying to do.

She had become obsessed with the task she had set for herself. And her nightmares had become increasingly more intense and obsessed with not allowing her to sleep. The bags under her eyes were so bad, she needed to- to her disgust- wear makeup to cover them up.

It would be a lie to say that nobody noticed Wednesday's decline. Enid had continuously tried to talk to her, Enid had been there to witness every wake up during the night, and when Wednesday rejected her help...she had been there to hear every tear, every silent whimper, every stifled sob. And she had been there to witness Wednesday's first rooftop serenade in what felt like years, but...she had also witnessed her cries once she reached the end of the first page.

Thing used to flip the pages for her.

But Wednesday was oblivious to all of this. Or she was convincing herself she was oblivious to it all. She needed to get herself together in her own mind. She needed to patch up her punctured lungs and walk it off.

But when Xavier rounded the corner the stitches seemed to burst open. His eyes widened as well and he walked towards her, "Wednesday." He nodded stiffly, stopping himself from approaching her. And Wednesday nodded back. They both felt the tension in the air. It was a new feeling, this tension, and neither of them liked it. But Wednesday ignored it and left him with a simple "good night."

Xavier watched her walk away from him and couldn't help but stare at her longingly. He didn't know what else he could do for her.

~••~

She threw the door open and shut and locked it behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, for some unknown reason, she felt like she was being watched. But hiding something always made you look over your shoulder. Even if there was not a single person in sight in Wednesday's dorm.

Wednesday opened the book and flipped to the revival spell. She mumbled it over and over again under her breath, making sure she got the pronunciation just right. Thankfully, she had taken Latin when she was eight. But that still didn't mean she didn't want to be perfect. She jotted down everything she would need.

But Wednesday recognized Enid's steps approaching. Her eyes widened and she reached for the book to hide it away. But a tug in her gut pulled her head back. She gasped, a vision.

~•••~

Wednesday's surroundings were covered with fog, it didn't allow her to see where she was. She spun around in circles trying to grasp what this was. But a tap on her shoulder made her turn around.

She was met with the ghostly pale face of, "Goody Addams." Wednesday greeted. "Wednesday Addams." Goody returned. "So...you are using my book?" She asked, smirking. Wednesday blinked, thrown off by her comment and sly smirk, "I am."

"Be careful. That book is a key that can unlock more than just what you want. And if it got into the wrong hands...Let's just say I made many enemies. Sometimes the outcome doesn't work exactly how it should either." Goody told Wednesday, staring out into the distance.

Wednesday growled, "well, I'm not an idiot. I won't let anyone steal it from me. And it will work the way I intend it to." Goody simply shrugged, "good luck." She whispered.

~••••~

Wednesday gasped as she was sent back to reality. Her hand reached for her throat as she gasped for air. It had been a while since her last vision. But when Wednesday looked up she was met by Enid's wide eyes.

"Wednesday, what's this?!"

——

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