Chapter Text
“You wanted to see me?” Having finished his classes for the day, Tyler stepped through the doors to Capri’s office.
The principal looked up from the documents in front of her on the desk. She looked serious. Too serious. “Galpin,” she greeted him, taking off her red-brimmed reading glasses. “Take a seat.”
Tyler’s heart rate sped up when he sat down in front of Capri. He’d assumed she just wanted to address his admittedly subpar grades or something else minor like that. Grade issues didn’t concern him since he wasn’t exactly Ivy League material anyway. As long as he was allowed to graduate next to Wednesday in a few weeks, his grades were good enough as far as he was concerned. But this seemed like a matter of another kind. Judging by the principal's pale face and avoidant eyes, something was seriously amiss.
Opening a drawer on her desk, Capri pulled up a pile of papers. The upper edge was stamped with the insignia of Vermont’s Supreme Court. Having had his case trudged through the state’s judicial system, Tyler was very familiar with their correspondence.
“This was sent to me regarding your parole status after you graduate,” the principal explained. “Up until then, you’re a charge of Nevermore and bound to the rules of the rehabilitation program. But…” she looked down at the papers, expelling a long sigh.
“And… what happens after that?” Tyler asked, rolling his tie around his fingers as bubbling nervousness rose inside his chest.
“That’s the problem,” Capri replied, shaking her head. “After you graduate, someone else needs to vouch for you and your care until you’re deemed fully rehabilitated, which can take years before the court can make a verdict on.”
“And no one will vouch for a monster…” Tyler mumbled, looking down at his hands. They looked clean, but both he and the court knew they were drenched with blood.
“I would,” Capri assured him, reaching across the desk to touch his hand. “I filled out the paperwork to be your guardian, but the court insists it needs to be a family member.”
“Well, I don’t have many of those,” Tyler mumbled, accepting the comforting touch. “None to be exact, since I don’t think Alfred or Thing would be acceptable options.” While Alfred had come a long way in his rehabilitation progress, he was still a wanted man for the attacks committed during the previous semester. Not to mention that he was also officially registered as deceased thirty years ago. Thing may not be a wanted man and could probably sign the paperwork needed, but Tyler doubted those qualifications were enough to be counted as a blood relative.
“Sadly, they wouldn’t be,” Capri replied with a sigh. “There is a deposition in front of a judge scheduled the week before graduation, but unless a family member files to be your guardian before then, I fear it’s not looking good.”
Tyler shook his head, burying his face in his hands.
“I will continue to look for a solution, but at the moment, I don’t know the exact way forward. I won’t let you go easily, though, Tyler, I promise you that, but we don’t have much time.”
“I appreciate it,” Tyler mumbled, his face still covered by his hands.
“You can take these.” Capri pushed the dossier of papers toward him. “The scheduled court date is listed at the top. I urge you to read through everything so you know what you’re getting into.”
***
The words jumped around on the page as Tyler tried to read them. His head was a mess and incapable of taking anything in. He had no clue how to get himself out of this mess. Luckily, he knew someone who was capable of solving almost any situation. Someone who was formidable. He found Wednesday by her desk, clinking away on her typewriter. Tyler knew better than to ask what she was writing, as he seldom got more than a death glare in response.
“I got this from Capri,” he said, handing her the papers before throwing himself on her bed, which they often shared at night. “Apparently, the state wants to incarcerate me after I graduate, since I don’t have a family member who can be my guardian. There is a deposition in a few weeks.”
Wednesday took the papers, carefully looking over each one while her black-painted nails tapped along the edge of the page. Filled with raging, impatient energy, Tyler busied himself with juggling an intricately knitted pillow he found on the bed.
“I guess I’m too much of a monster to be allowed to roam free,” Tyler grumbled. “I only killed nine people or so.”
“Don’t argue that during the deposition.” Wednesday didn’t look up from the documents to answer.
“It was under heavy coercion. And I killed the person who coerced me, so that is no longer an issue.”
“That’s a better argument. Although I’m not sure the court will get behind killing Thornhill as a method of rehabilitation.”
“It worked though…”
Wednesday didn’t reply this time, lost in the judicial phrasings of the documents that doomed him. Tyler had learned that if one type of input was presented to her, she often shut out everything else. At least if the input held interest for her. So he waited impatiently, while continuing to juggle the pillow to keep himself occupied, until she’d meticulously read every page, slamming the dossier shut and turning toward Tyler.
“It’s bad, right?” he asked, trying to read any kind of emotion on Wednesday’s stone face. “Well, excuse me, state of Vermont, for not having any damn family members left! I didn’t kill them.”
“The state does seem determined to put you back in chains again,” she confirmed with a sigh.
Tyler sighed, grabbing the knitted pillow and pulling it down close onto his face. “So there’s no way out of this?”
Cold fingertips flicked through his curls, like melting snowflakes on his scalp. To most, Wednesday Addams may seem as hard as granite, relentless and uncaring, but to him, she was as soft and delicate as newly fallen snow. Her touch was the most gentle and tender he’d ever felt.
“I didn’t say that,” Wednesday assured him. “While I’m allured by the idea of seeing you chained again, I do prefer to put them on you myself.” She rattled the cuffs hanging around the bedpost, which she did seem to take enjoyment in fastening around his wrists when dark whims took hold of her. Tyler couldn’t deny that he enjoyed the experience of being shackled and completely under her spell as well. “The state may be determined, but so am I, and I promise to find a way to solve this.”
He removed the pillow from his face, looking up into her steadfast dark eyes. She didn’t waver or blink. She was determined. Tyler would not want to go up against a determined Wednesday Addams. The state of Vermont didn’t know what was coming for them.