Chapter Text
The first thing Isaac Night noticed about his new roommate was the swords nailed into the wall. The second thing was his flare for the extravagant. In the short time he had arrived before Isaac, he had managed to line his side of the room in heavy red and black drapes, blocking the much-needed light of the window from entering the room. The few places where any light resided was from the various candles strewn across the various surfaces, dried casts of wax already marking the varnished wood.
He walked slightly into the room, hand firmly secured onto the one, feeble bag containing his clothes, some bedsheets and a few other objects. The only things he really had to call his own. He placed it neatly next to his bed, kneeling down to take out the plain bedding covers. He glanced over to take in the sight of the dark black fabric that lined the other’s duvet, various hand sewn cushions scattered at the end, as well as a shining fencing foil.
At the end of his roommate’s bed stood an over-filled, coffin shaped trunk, various jars labelled ‘snacks’ balanced precariously on top. A violin case balanced against a window, as well as a small briefcase, Isaac could only assume was a woodwind instrument.
His desk was already cluttered by various letters and doodles, held down by a heavy skull paperweight. A single blood-red rose sat atop a pile of books, freshly cut.
Isaac turned in time to avoid the door swinging open, looking up to find a boy loosely scanning over the room. He stood hastily, slightly disturbed by the wide grin the boy held. He straightened his shirt as the boy turned fully to him, eyes no doubt taking in the scrawny frame in front of him.
“I’m… Isaac Night.” He held his hand out slightly, his long fingers wrapping around the sturdier build of the other’s.
“Gomez Addams.” He beamed, shaking Isaac’s hand vigorously, before striding over to his bed. He collapsed onto it, gaze scrutinising the characterless half Isaac had inhabited. “You not going to spice that up a bit?” Gomez asked, gesturing vaguely next to Isaac.
“I don’t really have anything to ‘spice it up’.” He replied, hands already making quick work of the sheets, neatly folding his duvet over his mattress, trying not to feel judged under the heavy gaze of Gomez.
Next was his desk, which he filled with various sketchbooks and textbooks, deciding that in the future he would invest in a bookshelf. His lone picture looked shy compared to the various looming paintings of ancestors lining Gomez’s walls, and yet he couldn’t help but smile fondly at the reminder of his sister, who no doubt was in a similar situation to him.
They had come together, now that she was old enough, and deemed ‘stable’ enough by her father. In truth, Isaac doubted Nevermore would have taken Francoise if he didn’t attend. Years of his father’s experiments had brought them here, whether he liked it or not.
“Who’s that?” Gomez loomed behind him, peering over his shoulder to look down upon the scarce desk.
“My sister.” Isaac answered coldly, walking stiffly past the dominating figure to hang his coat on a peg. He spun round to find Gomez half propped against the table, fingers drumming a slow jazz tune. He moved to prop his feet on Isaac’s chair, face contorting in an irritating joy as the chair shifted in time to leave his feet awkwardly searching for their place before falling aimlessly to the floor.
“So, you're a Da Vinci kid?” Isaac nodded slowly, eyes trained Gomez’s fingers which approached his neatly piled work. He was still unused to the various names and categories that each of them was supposed to fit under. In truth, he was used to being called a freak, mutant, or any sort of demeaning term his neighbours could think of. “Aren’t you lot supposed to be all brain and no brawn? You ever been in a duel?” Isaac shook his head, unsure what to do with himself under the bombardment of questions. It reminded him of his father’s interrogations, though this time it seemed softer, less threatening. “How powerful are you?” he was practically bouncing with excitement, the air around them filling with a charged quality.
Isaac shrugged, hands tinkering slightly with a ball of wire he had found in his pocket. “I haven’t really seen much to compare with. But they said I would fit in better with the ‘advanced’.” He smiled sheepishly as Gomez bounded over to him, taking him firmly by the shoulders. Isaac flinched as an electric surge passed through him, metal heart jolting in his chest, a smell of burning in his nose.
“Well mi amigo, it was nice knowing you.” He squeezed his shoulders slightly, a quick grin spreading on his face at Isaac’s discomfort. “You will sit with me at dinner. But for now, there is a certain twilight devil I must discover.” Without giving Isaac a chance to reply, he waved his arms in a dramatic flourish and retreated out the door, leaving Isaac alone once more.
His hand’s found their way to Francoise’s letter, burning in his pocket. Every word seemed a reminder of why he was here, and why he couldn’t afford to fail. He would save his sister, no matter the consequences.