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"How do you know about Ravens?" Wednesday's deep eyes were filled with an emotion that Xavier was unsure she could feel; she was inquisitive, of course, but they were glistening with a slight glint of panic. "Has this all been an elaborate plot to make me fear you?"
Xavier faltered in his stance, his eyebrows meeting in the middle. He thought they'd established that he wasn't behind this - he'd just had a whole panic attack and rushed to Bianca's room to confirm how guilty he felt about all of this.
"Wha - no." He stammered, seemingly unable to stop doing that in her presence.
"Then what, Xavier?" Her voice was somewhat desperate and he didn't like seeing her that way.
"I - I told you about my Father, didn't I?"
"What has he got to do with this?" She tilted her neck, tugging at the pocket of her long black coat. Xavier couldn't give a good reason why he had brought him up.
"I don't know what you want me to say." Xavier faltered, his hands dropping to his side as he tried not to let his anxiety take over. He tapped his fingers on his waist, trying to focus on not falling into another attack. Wednesday was glaring at him in her usual Wednesday Addams way and it was making him feel uneasy - like she was accusing him of something again.
He knew he needed to be honest now, but it was becoming increasingly more difficult. He couldn't admit to what he knew, he couldn't find the words to tell Wednesday why their spirits were connected.
"The truth." She said, with no hint of giving in until she got that. Xavier felt uneasy. "Why a Raven?" Her words were blunt, and it took him by surprise. Despite having known Wednesday a term now, her conviction and her bluntness was still something that burned deep. He bit his lip.
"I don't know."
"You do." She deduced, unwittingly. It was strange to her, she was never good at understanding what a person was thinking or feeling but it was somewhat simpler with Xavier. "Tell me."
He shook his head, trying to remain calm under the accusing light of Wednesday Addams. He had been under her glare and radar before but this was something delicate and personal.
"It was the emblem of my mum's family." He swallowed the lump in his throat, trying to maintain some level of control over his emotions.
"Do not lie to me."
"It came to me in a dream." Xavier faltered, his eyes welling slightly at the admission. Wednesday knew what that meant, she understood what Xavier's powers meant better than anyone else. Wednesday glared at him, expectantly, hoping he would continue without her having to poke the bear further. "It's come to me in a dream a few times now." He said. "I know what a Raven means-"
"Loss." Wednesday's voice cut through Xavier's, sending a shiver down his spine.
"Yes." He nodded in agreement.
"The Raven is also known to represent wisdom." She turned away, aiming to make him feel a little more at ease about the dreams he had been having. "Why didn't you tell me?"
He looked down to his feet, his face paling.
"Why didn't you tell me, Xavier?"
Xavier blinked, swallowing hard. Wednesday held her face stern.
"Follow me." He offered her his hand, but she refused it. He was expecting that but he still felt a shiver collapse down his spine. Wednesday followed Xavier back to his own room, which was cold and dark.
He lifted his hand, holding it over to a painting that was hiding in the corner of his room - deep in the shadows. He sniffed, surging his energy into the painting that came to life. It was a Raven, the dark skies swallowing it as its wings were clipped. He looked down again, his heart aching. He swallowed the lump in his throat, gulping harshly as he turned back to Wednesday.
Wednesday fell down on to his cold bedroom floor, her knees hitting the wood hard. She felt a shiver collapse down her spine. Xavier rushed to her side and offered her his hand, his long hair covering the stress and hurt in his eyes.
"Are you alright?" He asked, his voice soft.
"Fine." Wednesday ignored his hand, brushing passed it as she rubbed her knees. She walked passed him, raising her chin up and holding her face up high. Xavier raced in front of her, knowing she was going straight for his sketchbooks. She placed her hand on the cover, before he slammed his hand down on top of hers. "Remove your hand." She said, sending him daggers.
"I - I need to explain before you open this." He was discreetly pleading, and she secretly enjoyed watching him do so. She chewed her tongue, noticing how Xavier kept his hand on hers, their eyes locked. "Please - let me explain."
Wednesday considered attempting to over-power him, knowing she could do it with ease and a simple sweep to his lanky, slender legs. But she stood down, her face softening. She hadn't trusted Xavier before and it had blown up in her face.
"Fine." She said, drawing her hand back to her pocket. "But make it quick."
Xavier let out a small laugh from his nose, his eyes looking down at the desk as he tapped his fingers on the cover. He could feel his heart swelling slightly at the way Wednesday listened to his request.
"I don't really - I don't know where to start." He cleared his throat, pacing across the room with his sketchbook pressed to his chest, one arm holding it in place and the other running his hand through his hair.
"I thought I said make this quick." She shrugged, the tone of her voice cold.
Xavier looked at her with a blank expression painted on his face. She felt her eyes trailing to the floor, unable to hold the gaze with him. She'd been here before; she had been hurt - though she would never admit it - by a boy before.
"I'm not - I'm not Tyler." Xavier said, desperately. His voice was shaking almost as much as Wednesday's ability to compose herself. "I'm not going to hurt you - I - I would never."
"Your confession of love is sickening." She scrunched her nose up. "Show me the book, Xavier."
Xavier felt his heart snap at the word 'love' coming from her mouth with such toxicity. He grabbed his sketchbook, closing his eyes and turning away from her.
"I never said you were Tyler." She said. "I was wrong for accusing you of being the monster."
She was avoiding his eyes now, which suggested to Wednesday that she was - indeed - feeling things for this boy. She shook her head, getting back to the matter at hand. He offered her his sketchbook, which she took delicately. Her eyes widened suddenly, her spine clicking as she collapsed backwards into Xavier, who caught her with ease.
She sat up, her eyes wide as she saw Ravens circling above her. It was foggy in Xavier's room and she noticed him kneeling in the corner of the room, sobbing. She walked over to him, her posture broken as she realised this was a vision. She hadn't had one since the last time she saw Goody. Xavier was sobbing harshly, his body curled over a corpse. She walked a little closer, hoping to catch a glimpse of who it could be.
"Wednesday!" Xavier gave her a gentle shake, waking her up from the vision as she took in a deep gasp.
"Why did you wake me?" She asked, her voice panicked. "I was just getting somewhere."
"Sorry." He replied, his voice mousy.
Wednesday's expression softened.
"Thank you for - for catching me." She pouted.
"Sure." He played it off as if it was nothing, despite his heart pounding deep.
"It was a vision."
"I guessed." He sniggered a little. "But I've seen you have visions before and you've never convulsed the way you just did."
"Convulsed?"
"Yeah. It was - was like you were having a seizure."
Wednesday licked her lips, unsure of what that could mean.
"I should go." She stood up, brushing the dust from her dress. Xavier stood too, his hand gripping onto Wednesday's wrist.
"Are you alright?"
She hated how he could read her the way he could.
"I'm not sure." She said, surprising herself with the honesty. "Your dreams about the Raven - how often do they occur?"
"Every night." He stated.
"Good." She nodded. "I'll see you tonight then."
Xavier Thorpe felt his chest flutter.
"You're staying in my room?" He grinned, unable to contain it.
"Don't get the wrong idea." She frowned. "Clearly, our destinies are entwined somehow."
"No, of course." He nodded, holding his hands up in defeat with a little laugh. "I'll see you tonight."
***
Wednesday paced around the room, her feet stomping on the floor heavily as she tried to comprehend exactly what was happening. Enid watched her intently, her mind also unable to comprehend what Wednesday had just informed her of.
"So, you're staying in Xavier's room tonight?" She asked, her voice getting across the sheer absurdity of that statement. Thing tapped on the desk, his fingernails digging into the wood at the shock.
"I have just informed you that Xavier has been having dreams about me since before we met, and that is your question."
"Yes - because - Wednesday, this is cray." Enid was being her usual dramatic self. Ajax frowned at the excitement in Enid's voice.
"Wait, so you're like - kindred spirits?" Ajax's words made Enid jump up.
"Kindred what?" Wednesday folded her arms. That sounded like something she did not want explaining. It sounded like something out of a cheesy fairytale. Her nose scrunched at the very thought of it.
"Oh my Gosh!" Enid screeched. "You are!"
"I don't know what you are talking about."
"Wednesday, this is major!"
Wednesday turned to Ajax, sensing that Enid was going to be out of action for some time - her over-excitement exaggerated as she fluttered her hands around her face to calm herself down.
"Kindred spirits?"
Ajax sat up, his fingers curling on the edge of the bed.
"Kindred spirits are a rare form of soulmates - psychic soulmates." He explained. "They're destined to be together. It's a pairing of two powerful psychics."
"Your parents are kindred spirits!" Enid clapped, knowing what this meant for Wednesday. "I can't believe it."
Wednesday turned to Thing, her chest tightening at the insinuation that she and Xavier were destined to be together.
"How do kindred spirits connect?"
"Through signs, I think." Ajax said.
"Like Xavier having recurrent dreams of a Raven since he was a child, Wednesday, this is the greatest news ever!" Enid was letting her emotions run high and Wednesday found that exhausting. "Have you had any signs for Xavier?"
"I only got my power recently."
"There has to be something." Enid smiled. "It works both ways."
Thing let off a little Addams snigger through his taps, which made Wednesday turn to him immediately.
"What?" She snapped.
He cowered away, his fingers quicker than Wednesday's feet. Thing jumped across the room, landing on her cello. Wednesday felt herself becoming immersed with realisation, her face dropping at the thought.
"What?" Enid and Ajax looked at one another, confused.
Thing began to tap as Enid translated.
"Xavier can hear Wednesday in her music." Enid looked to Wednesday, hoping she could explain.
But Wednesday was gone.
***
The night air collapsed all around Xavier as the knock came on the door. He smiled as he joined it. Wednesday was dressed in a black and white checkered jumper and black trousers, her hair tied up in a ponytail. He hadn't seen her wearing a ponytail before, and he figured it made a change because he had his hair down.
"Come in." He invited her in, his voice tender. "Are you doing okay?"
"Yes." She answered a little too quickly, she was being obvious. He blinked, his eyes widening. "Why wouldn't I be?"
"I - I mean it's a lot to take in."
Wednesday retorted. That was an understatement.
"Are you okay?" She asked, which made him really question everything.
"I am." He bit the inside of his mouth. "I think."
He was as okay as he could be when your crush was staying in your room for the first time to experience your dreams - that you have been having since you were a child about her.
For a split moment, Wednesday was inches away from Xavier and she felt a sharp spark of electricity burst from his skin. Their eyes connected in a way that Wednesday would usually avoid, but she mellowed into it.
Then, his phone went off. The notification was loud and impossible to ignore.
"Sorry." He coughed. "I thought it was on silent."
Wednesday watched as he walked across the room, reaching for his phone.
Xavier felt his lungs expand as he looked at the message, his eyes narrowing at the name that spread across the top of the mobile. Wednesday studied the ache that bruised across his face, feeling an urge to - for the first time in her life - show an interest in what was upsetting him. He threw the phone down, the screen landing face down. He let out a small scoff, rolling his eyes.
"Who was it?" She took a step closer to him.
Xavier looked up at her, his eyebrows raising.
"I - it was my Father." He swallowed the lump in his throat, shivering slightly before collapsing onto his bed.
Wednesday shuffled beside him, sitting down on his bed in an organised move. He gave her a small smile, his eyes light as he felt her arm brush against his.
"I thought your Father was a distant parental figure." She pouted, staring straight ahead to avoid looking to her left, where Xavier sat inches away.
"Er - yeah." He shrugged. "He is."
Wednesday felt a strange feeling wave over her.
"What did he say?"
Xavier took in a breath, reaching for his phone and unlocking it, handing it to Wednesday as he tilted his neck towards her. She stared at his neck, noticing that the scar from the Hyde still sank into his skin. He had his hair tied back in a neat ponytail, his cheekbones sharp as he blushed at her glare.
Wednesday took hold of the phone, her fingers lingering against his flesh delicately.
'Buddy. Stay away from that Addams girl. Love, Dad.'
Wednesday looked up at Xavier, catching herself struggling to breathe.
"He knows something." Xavier confirmed her suspicions. "Someone has been feeding my Dad information about you."
Wednesday felt her heart drop; her eyes wide.
***