Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The alarm clock on the desk between Pugsley and Eugene's beds buzzed aggressively. Pugsley groaned, reaching blindly across the desk next to him, fumbling to turn it off. Eugene, already awake and watching Pugsley's sluggishness, rolled his eyes.

"Just turn the stupid alarm off already," Eugene said, walking over and pressing the button himself. He turned around and began digging through his bag.

"Sorry..." Pugsley muttered, rubbing his eyes. "Why are you already awake?" He sat up slightly, blinking rapidly to adjust his vision.

"I have a test today, and I just wanted to be ready. So I'm gonna study a little," Eugene replied, pulling a book from his bag and walking over to the desk to sit down.

"In that case, I hope you do well!" Pugsley smiled, trying to be friendly now, sitting up more engaged.

"I appreciate it," Eugene said, though at this point he wasn't even paying attention. Still, Pugsley tried to keep the conversation going.

"So... how'd you sleep?" he asked, hoping for eye contact.

"I slept fine—besides you snoring randomly throughout the night," Eugene said, tilting his head to glance at Pugsley.

Pugsley quickly broke the eye contact, slightly embarrassed.

"Don't worry, it was cute," Eugene added in a playful tone, chuckling.

Pugsley stayed quiet for a moment, flustered, then got up and walked toward the bathroom they shared.

"Are you trying to flirt?" he asked, attempting to keep the vibe going, knowing he felt something genuine toward Eugene.

"Oh, please. You wish," Eugene chuckled. For some reason, Pugsley felt warm and kind—something Eugene hadn't noticed in him before. The flirty banter was enough to make Eugene see Pugsley... maybe in the same way Pugsley saw him.

Pugsley returned to the bedroom. "Are you ready to leave yet?" he asked.

"Oh, sorry—lost track of time," Eugene said, hurrying to grab his papers. He slung his bag over his shoulder and headed for the door, with Pugsley trailing behind like a lost puppy.

"Ready for your favorite class?" Pugsley teased, a smug grin on his face as he bumped Eugene's shoulder playfully.

"Not in the slightest. You know first period is the one I dread the most," Eugene replied, bumping him back and laughing.

"Should we stop and get breakfast?" Eugene asked, looking up into Pugsley's big doe eyes before softly linking arms with him.

"Yeah!—" Pugsley replied, a little shocked by the sudden touch, but not resisting. Instead, he locked him in.

"What would you want to get?" he asked, glancing down at Eugene.

"I could totally go for pancakes with my bees' honey right now," Eugene said, pointing toward the pancake spot in the cafeteria.

"Oooo, maybe I could put some of the bees on the pancakes!" Pugsley replied with playful sarcasm.

"You're actually not funny," Eugene said with a fake frown before they entered the dining hall.

Chapter Text

Walking into the cafeteria, arm still linked with Eugene, Pugsley scanned the room, searching for the pancake shack. "I don't see the pancake spot anywhere," he said, squinting now with his hand raised above his eyes.

"You're just not looking hard enough," Eugene grinned, also scanning the room. Within seconds, he spotted the booth. "Like I said, not looking hard enough," he teased, tugging Pugsley toward it.

"Okay, okay—I get it," Pugsley laughed. "Look, how about you go find us a table before it starts filling up in here and we end up eating outside?" he suggested, stopping and gently pulling Eugene back.

"Good idea. You're smart when you want to be," Eugene replied, unlocking their arms before heading off to find a table.

Pugsley continued toward the shack but suddenly felt something hit his back—a half-eaten apple, thrown from a nearby table of vampires (or at least, he thought that's what they were).

"What the hell was that for?!" he snapped, turning around, confused and irritated.

The group laughed and whispered among themselves immaturely.

"Assholes..." Pugsley muttered, turning back and getting in line at the shack. He pulled out his phone to text Eugene:

Pugsley: Did you want anything else besides honey?

Eugene: Uhmmmm see if they have strawberys if not I'm fine with jus the honey. 

  Pugsley: Alright, be there in a second.

Pugsley chuckled at Eugene's terrible texting, but then a voice echoed across the cafeteria:

"FAGGOT!"

He whipped his head around, disturbed and confused.

"YEAH, YOU!" came the follow-up, loud and direct.

Now certain of the source, Pugsley saw the vampires laughing hysterically. Half the cafeteria joined in, while the other half sat in stunned silence—jaws dropped, hands covering mouths.

The commotion caught Eugene's attention. He looked up and spotted the vampire table still laughing and pointing at Pugsley. Horrified, Eugene stood from the table he'd saved for them and started toward Pugsley.

But before he could reach him, Pugsley rushed out the cafeteria's side door, humiliated and overwhelmed.

Eugene followed quickly, catching up in the hallway. He grabbed Pugsley's hand and gently turned him around to face him. Pugsley's eyes were red and puffy.

"What happened? Why would they say that to you?" Eugene blurted, reaching for Pugsley's other hand.

"I... I don't know," Pugsley muttered, avoiding Eugene's gaze.

Eugene could tell he was genuinely hurt. Addams don't cry—ever.

"I'm so sorry they said that to you..." Eugene whispered, pulling him into a hug.

But Pugsley stopped him, gently taking his hands back and wiping his eyes.

"It's fine. They were probably just joking or something. No need to be sorry," he said, unsure, before walking down the hallway, fidgeting with his fingers.

Eugene felt a rush of guilt and self-consciousness. Had he been the reason those cruel people targeted Pugsley? He paused, thinking back to how close they'd been before entering the cafeteria—and how it might've been perceived.

"Pugsley, wait!" Eugene called out, but when he looked up, the hallway was already empty.

He exhaled nervously and returned to the cafeteria, now sitting alone at a small table in the corner. He pulled out his phone and began texting Pugsley frantically:

Eugene: Pugsley, where are you going?? Please, I know you see my text. I just want to talk.

Text after text. No response.

Eventually, Eugene gave up. He left the cafeteria and returned to their shared dorm, shutting and locking the door behind him. He sat at their desk, opened his laptop, and began scrolling—trying to take his mind off Pugsley. But he couldn't.

A few hours passed—maybe two or three. Not that Eugene was keeping track.

The doorknob rattled briefly before the door opened. Pugsley stood there, face flushed red, eyes puffier than before. He'd clearly been crying. Eugene noticed but chose not to mention it. Not yet.

"Oh, hey. Didn't think you'd be here," Pugsley stammered, quickly wiping his face like he had earlier.

"Yeah... I've been here for a while. Doomscrolling, I think it's called," Eugene said with a soft chuckle, trying to lighten the mood.

"That's nice... I guess."

Before Eugene could say anything else, Pugsley speed-walked into the bathroom and shut the door behind him.

Eugene sighed, turned around, and crawled into bed. He curled into a ball under the covers, thinking to himself, "When he's ready to talk, he will."

Then, reluctantly, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Chapter Text

Pugsley entered the main part of his dorm, turning off the bathroom light and closing the door behind him. He saw Eugene asleep on his bed and walked over, standing quietly above him. He appreciated him so much, he thought to himself.

Turning toward his closet, Pugsley grabbed something comfortable to wear, changed, and crawled into bed. But sleep didn't come. He lay there, staring at the pitch-black ceiling as rain tapped against the window and Eugene's bees hummed softly in the corner of the room. His mind replayed what he'd been called earlier, wondering why. A school full of "outcasts," and somehow it still made him feel different. The embarrassment and self-pity gnawed at him for hours as he tossed and turned, trying to sleep. He couldn't.

A loud bang in the distance jolted Eugene awake.

"What the hell was that?!" he blurted, sitting up quickly and looking around frantically.

"It's okay—it was just thunder," Pugsley replied, jumping out of bed and rushing to Eugene's side. Eugene was breathing heavily, so Pugsley placed a hand on his back, trying to calm him.

"Just breathe. You're okay," he said softly, pausing. "Nothing is going to hurt you."

Eugene looked at Pugsley, confused but grateful he was there.

"Yeah, okay," he said, rubbing one of his eyes gently. "Are you okay? Have you even slept?"

Adjusting himself to face Eugene directly, Pugsley took a deep breath before responding.

"I'm okay. Like I said earlier—are you still on this?" He groaned.

"Yes, I am. The way they treated you was disgusting."

Eugene reached out, trying to hold Pugsley's hand. Pugsley jolted away.

"Please... don't touch me."

Eugene stood up, now so close they could feel each other's breath.

"Pugsley..." he said softly, grabbing his hand again. "You are so much more than what people make you out to be."

He took Pugsley's other hand and held both between them.

"You're confident, enthusiastic... and somehow warmhearted."

They both laughed quietly, Pugsley breaking into a small smile.

"For, like...the three weeks I've known you, you've brought me nothing but comfort and respect."

"And you are such a cliche," Pugsley joked.

"But seriously, Pugsley—please don't let anybody stop you from being comfortable in your own skin."

Pugsley leaned in for a hug, wrapping his arms around Eugene. They stayed like that for a few minutes, silent, as the rain grew heavier and the bees buzzed louder.

"You're my favorite friend," Pugsley said, pulling back from the hug.

Eugene smiled at him, then turned and crawled back into bed.

"Now try and get some sleep. Or pretend—either way is fine," he said, rolling over and closing his eyes.

Pugsley flopped onto his bed, finally closing his eyes and falling asleep to the comforting silence.

Morning light glided across the dorm floor until it hit Pugsley directly in the eyes, waking him up with a jolt.

"What the hell—" he muttered, blinking aggressively.

"Calm down, it's literally just light," Eugene said. "I know your family's whole thing is a 'darkness' aesthetic," he added, making sarcastic air quotes. "But at some point, it gets out of hand."

Pugsley picked up his pillow and threw it at Eugene. Eugene flinched and laughed before walking into the bathroom.

"Are you ready for tonight?" Pugsley asked, rubbing his eyes and yawning.

"Remind me what tonight is...?"

"Bianca's party? I told you about it sometime last week, I'm pretty sure."

Pugsley groaned. "Do I have to go to that?"

"You were so happy when I told you we got invited. What changed?" Eugene snorted.

"That whole thing yesterday threw me off. It feels like bad vibes already—and it's like 8 in the morning," Pugsley said, standing up and stretching before following Eugene into the bathroom.

"Well, there's no need to worry about that. I called Enid so I could talk to Wednesday, and... well, she handled it," Eugene said, glancing over at him.

"Oh wow, okay... So what did she do?" Pugsley asked.

"I honestly don't know. Nor do I want to."

Eugene walked out of the bathroom and grabbed his bag.

"You're leaving for class already?" Pugsley asked.

"Uh, yeah? You said it yourself—it's 8, and class starts at 8:15..." Eugene replied.

"Holy shit—why didn't you wake me up?!"

Pugsley threw on the first pair of pants and shirt he saw, trying to brush his teeth at the same time. Toothpaste dripped everywhere as he spit it out and wiped the leftover foam on his cardigan sleeve.

"It's not my job to wake you up—it's something called responsibility," Eugene said sarcastically, crossing his arms and walking out the door.

"Wait for me!" Pugsley yelled from inside, tying his shoes and running after Eugene.

Chapter Text

Skip to lunchtime (around 12:30ish)

Over Text:

Pugsley: Want to meet up for lunch?

Eugene: Sure wya?

Pugsley: Okay, cool, but what does "wya" mean?

Eugene: Lolll sorry it means "where you at?"

Pugsley: Ohhh, okay, I get it. I'm stopping by our dorm so we can just meet there.

Eugene: Omw!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Pugsley slipped his phone into his jacket pocket and turned the corner into the hallway where their dorm was. Just as he reached for the door, he was stopped by someone—Ajax.

"Hey, Pugsley," Ajax said, placing a friendly hand on his shoulder. "What's up?" Pugsley replied. "Just checking if you're still going to Bianca's dorm party tonight. She said she invited you and Eugene," Ajax asked. "Ohhh—yeah, we're going. Where's her dorm again?" Pugsley asked, sliding his key into the lock. "Ophelia Hall, room 24. It starts at 8. Don't be late—she considers it disrespectful," Ajax said, throwing up air quotes. Pugsley grinned at the gesture. "Understood. See you then."

He walked into the dorm, closed the door behind him, set his bag down, and headed to his side of the desk to search through some papers. A few minutes passed before Eugene opened the door and stepped in.

"Hey! Ready to go?" Eugene asked. "Yup, just grabbing some papers," Pugsley replied, walking over to his bag. He followed Eugene outside, closing the door behind them.

"Oooo, could we go to that food truck outside the school? They have the BEST empanadas," Pugsley said excitedly. "I don't see why not," Eugene giggled at Pugsley's enthusiasm. "You're the best," Pugsley smiled, grabbing Eugene's hand and rushing him out of the school and into the courtyard. "Slow down—it's literally just food," Eugene pleaded, stumbling slightly. "I'm starvinggg," Pugsley exaggerated.

They reached the gate entrance and walked over to the truck, relieved to see a short line.

"Thank God the line isn't long. We still have class," Eugene said, getting in line and scanning the menu on the side of the truck. "What are you going to get?" Pugsley asked, placing a hand on Eugene's shoulder. "Uhhh, I'm getting whatever you're getting. This is my first time trying this place," Eugene said, chuckling softly. "Well, trust me when I say their empanadas are deadly," Pugsley replied, pointing at the image on the truck.

After a few minutes, it was their turn to order. Pugsley went first, ordering one empanada and an elote. He stepped aside after paying, waiting for Eugene.

"Can I get what my friend just ordered?" Eugene asked the vendor. "You got it. That'll be twelve dollars and forty-five cents. Cash or card?" "Uhhh, cash," Eugene said, patting his pockets. "Shit, I left my wallet in the dorm, You could just canc—" Eugene started, but Pugsley cut in. "I got it, no worries," he said with a wide smile. "No, you really don't—I can come back," Eugene insisted. "By the time you came back, lunch would be over. Seriously, it's not a big deal," Pugsley said, handing over his card before Eugene could protest.

They walked to a table near the entrance, set down their food, and got comfortable.

"I'll pay you back as soon as I get my wallet," Eugene blurted. "You're still on this? Just enjoy your food, Eugene, pleaseee," Pugsley whined, reaching out and placing his hand on Eugene's, rubbing his knuckles gently with his thumb.

"Fine, I guess..." Eugene muttered, feeling his face flush as Pugsley held his hand and spoke softly. He felt cared for—cherished, even. It was silly to feel so moved over something so small, but he did.

"You didn't really have a choice," Pugsley laughed mid-sentence. "Now enjoy this gorgeous meal."

Ten or so minutes passed, and they started packing up to head back to class.

"That was GREAT. I think it being free made it taste better," Eugene joked, trying to intertwine arms with Pugsley.

Pugsley laughed and, after a moment, reluctantly locked arms with him. Everything in him wanted to pull away, but he didn't. He thought back to their conversation the night before and found comfort—and confidence.

Eventually, Pugsley unlocked arms and instead wrapped his arm around Eugene's shoulders as they walked back into the school courtyard.

"Feeling comfortable?" Eugene teased, placing a hand on Pugsley's back. "Very," Pugsley replied, a smile breaking through as he blushed slightly.

As they walked through the courtyard, Pugsley scanned the area nervously, half-expecting to be hit with comments or stares. Eugene looked up at him.

"It's okay. We're okay."

They kept walking. No one batted an eye—not even once.

"See? They think we're just friends," Eugene whispered, leaning in slightly. "Are we not just friends...?" Pugsley muttered, glancing down at Eugene.

Eugene paused, flustered and a little embarrassed. "You know what I mean..." he replied softly, then went quiet.

Back inside the school, Pugsley stopped in the main area and turned to Eugene.

"Can I walk you to class?" he asked. "I would like that," Eugene responded, reaching out to grab Pugsley's hand, smiling with his braces peeking through.

Pugsley blushed, then pulled Eugene to his side, wrapping his arm around him again.

They eventually reached Eugene's classroom.

"I don't want you to gooo. I wish we could hang out longer," Pugsley groaned, holding onto Eugene tightly. "Pugsley, I have to go. Besides, we're going to that party together, so we'll hang out then," Eugene smirked, breaking free and walking into class.

Pugsley stood there for a moment, hand still reaching out, before letting it fall and walking away. He pulled out his phone and texted Eugene immediately:

Pugsley: I'll come get you after class?

  Eugene: Mk, then we can get ready together for the party later.

  Pugsley: Can't wait.

Chapter Text

A couple hours passed between classes, after they ended Pugsley came to collect Eugene from class.

"Heyyy, how was class?" Pugsley asked with genuinely curiosity

"It was super boring. All I could think about was the party," Eugene sighed, stretching a bit

"What were you planning on wearing?" Pugsley asked as they started walking down the hallway.

"Uhhh—I'm not sure, actually. Maybe this cool graphic tee my mom bought me."

They turned the corner into their dorm hallway.

"I'm sure you'd look hot in anything," Pugsley said with enthusiasm.

"Hot?" Eugene laughed. "Where'd you learn that?"

"I heard Enid say it to one of her friends as a compliment... I think," Pugsley mumbled, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Well, I think you look hot too," Eugene said, moving his hand to intertwine fingers with Pugsley's.

Pugsley tensed up slightly, flustered.

They reached their dorm door, and Pugsley unlocked it. As they stepped inside, he hesitated.

"I'm kind of nervous about this party... Do you know if those vampire people will be there?" he mumbled, crossing his arms and glancing at Eugene as he walked past.

"I'm honestly not sure, Pugsley. But trust me—you have nothing to be worried about. I promise," Eugene said, looking over his shoulder while rummaging through his dresser.

"Okay, I trust you. Now... should I wear my black-and-white striped sweater or the all-black one?"

"I guess the striped one. It's more colorful than anything else you own," Eugene laughed, heading toward the bathroom.

"When should we leave?" Pugsley asked, pulling off his shirt to reveal a fitted black tank top underneath.

"It's already 7:45, and it starts at 8. So after I finish, we can head out," Eugene replied.

He turned his head and caught a glimpse of Pugsley shirtless through the doorway, pausing for a moment.

"Alright, ready when you are," Pugsley said with a teasing smile.

"Uh—okay... cool," Eugene mumbled, walking into the bathroom and shutting the door quickly. He turned his back to it, feeling the blood rush to his face. Behind the door, Pugsley snickered quietly while pulling on the striped sweater Eugene had picked.

Eugene opened the bathroom door wearing a white-collared shirt under a blue flannel—casual but clean. Pugsley looked him over.

"You look amazing," he said, walking up and placing his hands on Eugene's shoulders.

"It's literally just a flannel..."

"And you still look stunning," Pugsley replied, lowering his gaze to meet Eugene's eyes.

"Stop trying to flirt with me," Eugene chuckled, brushing past him and sitting on his bed.

"Why? Not into it?" Pugsley teased, sitting beside him.

"Nah, you're just bad at it," Eugene said, locking eyes with Pugsley before glancing down at his outfit. "You look good too."

Eugene reached up, adjusted the collar of Pugsley's sweater, then gently placed his hand on Pugsley's cheek, rubbing it with his thumb.

Pugsley smiled softly and placed his hand over Eugene's, holding it.

"We should probably leave now," Eugene muttered, pulling his hand away and standing up quickly.

"Oh yeah—totally," Pugsley said, standing and readjusting himself before they headed out to Bianca's.

They arrived at the party around 8:05 and knocked on the door. Enid answered.

"There you two are! I didn't think you'd actually come," she giggled, opening the door wide.

"Drinks are at the red table, food at the blue," she said, pointing.

"Cool, thanks, Enid," Eugene replied, walking over to the drink table and pouring himself a cup of punch.

"Want some, Pugsley?" he offered.

"Uhhh... is there alcohol in it? I didn't really plan on drinking tonight," Pugsley said, rubbing the back of his head.

"Probably. Besides, only one of us should drink tonight anyway," Eugene said before leaning his head back and chugging the whole cup.

"Jesus—I didn't think YOU would be a drinker..." Pugsley said, surprised.

"Relaxxxx, Pugsley. I'll only have like three more," Eugene joked, already pouring another glass.

"Whatever. If you feel sick or anything, I'll be with Ajax playing ping pong or something," Pugsley said, gesturing toward Ajax before walking off to join the game.

An hour or two passed, and Pugsley realized he hadn't seen Eugene in a while. He started searching and eventually found him in the bathroom—vomit smeared around his mouth and the toilet seat, Eugene on his knees, leaning over it.

Pugsley rushed to his side.

"Goddammit, I told you to come find me, Eugene," he said, placing a hand on Eugene's shoulder to support him.

"I'm sor—" hiccup "I'm sorry..." Eugene panted.

"No, don't worry about it. I shouldn't have left you in the first place. We came here together," Pugsley said, gently pulling Eugene off the toilet and resting him against the wall as he sat beside him.

"You've got throw-up all over yourself," Pugsley chuckled, grabbing a paper towel and wiping Eugene's mouth while holding his jaw steady.

"I'm going to get you some wat—"

Before he could finish, Eugene leaned in and pressed his lips to Pugsley's. The kiss lasted a few seconds before Pugsley pulled back, placing his hands on Eugene's shoulders.

"What are you doing?!" Pugsley panicked.

"I just thought... I don't know..." Eugene slurred.

"You're way too drunk. I'm taking you back to the dorm," Pugsley said, standing up quickly and helping Eugene up.

"You think you can walk?" he asked, but Eugene didn't respond—he was barely conscious.

Pugsley sighed and picked him up, carrying him out of the bathroom. On the way, he ran into Bianca.

"Bianca, this was a great party, but I have to get Eugene back to our dorm. He's a mess right now," Pugsley explained.

"Such a lightweight... Well, get back safe, okay?" she grinned, walking off.

"Alright, thanks," Pugsley said, maneuvering through the crowd carefully, trying not to bump Eugene into anyone. He finally made it to the door and stepped outside.

A few minutes later, they reached their dorm. Pugsley laid Eugene down on his bed.

"Do you want to change clothes? Yours are covered in throw-up," he asked.

"Yeah... can you help me?" Eugene replied softly.

"No problem. Whatever you need," Pugsley reassured him.

He helped Eugene take off his flannel and shirt, then handed him one of his own.

"All your shirts are in the laundry, so I gave you one of mine," Pugsley added.

"Okay... thanks..." Eugene said sluggishly, trying to get comfortable.

"If you need anything, let me know. I'm going to be in my bed, okay?" Pugsley said, turning to walk away.

"Wait... can you stay with me?" Eugene mumbled, grabbing Pugsley's sleeve.

Pugsley paused, then turned back around, looking at Eugene.

"Sure... if that's what you want," he said softly, crawling into bed beside him and slipping under the covers.

"Is this okay?" he asked, wrapping his body around Eugene.

"Much better..." Eugene replied, quickly dozing off.

Pugsley stayed awake for a moment, heart racing. He couldn't shake the warm feeling of holding Eugene so intimately. He lay there, thinking back to the kiss they shared, and smiled at the memory.

Eventually, he drifted off to sleep—he and Eugene closer than they'd ever been.

Chapter Text

The next morning unfolded slowly, wrapped in light rain and humid air. Pugsley stirred first, blinking into the dim room. Eugene's head was nestled against his chest, soft snores rising and falling with each breath. A small smile tugged at Pugsley's lips. He moved carefully, gently easing himself out from under Eugene's weight, not wanting to disturb the peaceful moment. He slipped out of bed and padded into the bathroom to handle his morning routine.

A few minutes later, a groggy voice called from the bedroom.

"Pugsley... are you there...?" Eugene murmured, followed by a faint groan.

Pugsley rushed out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. "I'm here. Are you okay?" he asked, hurrying to Eugene's side. He handed Eugene his glasses, then climbed back into bed beside him, concern etched across his face.

"I feel like shit..." Eugene muttered, dragging his fingers through his tangled hair.

Pugsley chuckled, rubbing the back of his own neck. "Good thing you don't look like it."

"You're so corny..." Eugene snickered, scooting closer until his head rested gently against Pugsley's chest again.

Pugsley paused, letting the comforting weight of Eugene settle on him. He exhaled slowly, fingers drifting into Eugene's hair with quiet affection. "You had me worried as hell last night. I'm just glad I found you before anything bad could've happened."

"Yeah... I'm really sorry," Eugene whispered, glancing up at Pugsley. "I honestly don't know how I let it get to that point."

He hesitated, then sat up abruptly. "I kissed you..." he murmured, slapping both hands over his face, cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"You were really drunk—don't worry about it," Pugsley said gently, reaching out to take Eugene's hands and squeeze them. "It's not like I didn't like it or anything..." he added, voice soft and sincere.

Eugene cracked a small smile, eyes searching Pugsley's.

"We... we could try again...?" Pugsley offered, eyes darting away nervously.

"I wouldn't mind..." Eugene replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

He leaned in slowly, his hand settling on Pugsley's shoulder. Then, without hesitation, he closed the distance, pressing his lips to Pugsley's in a quiet, deliberate kiss. Pugsley wrapped his arms around Eugene's neck, pulling him closer as they kissed. After a few breathless seconds, they broke apart, gasping softly. Then, with a flicker of boldness, Pugsley leaned in again—this time with more intensity—pressing a deep kiss to Eugene's lips as he shifted on top of him. Eugene let out a quiet moan between kisses, his fingers curling into Pugsley's shirt.

Pugsley broke the kiss, holding himself up above Eugene with his arms on either side. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to kiss you," he chuckled softly, eyes locked on Eugene's.

"So... what are we?" Eugene asked, catching his breath.

"I don't know, but I like it," Pugsley replied, kissing Eugene again before trailing kisses down his neck. Eugene moaned softly, his hands sliding up under Pugsley's shirt, massaging his back with slow, deliberate strokes.

"You're so sexy..." Pugsley huffed between kisses, his hand drifting down to Eugene's waist, fingers playing with the edge of his waistband.

"Wait—" Eugene paused, grabbing Pugsley's hand gently.

"Shit—I'm sorry," Pugsley said quickly, moving off of Eugene and sitting beside him, guilt flashing across his face.

"It's fine... It's just that this is my first time kissing anybody or doing anything like that..." Eugene admitted, adjusting his glasses and chuckling softly.

"Same... I got ahead of myself," Pugsley replied, rubbing the back of his neck, cheeks tinged pink.

"If you ask me, you're a good kisser," Eugene added with a laugh, getting up and heading toward the bathroom.

Pugsley followed, leaning against the bathroom doorframe. "Maybe we could go get dinner or something...?" he asked, arms crossed, trying to sound casual.

"I'd like that," Eugene smiled, glancing over at Pugsley while flossing.

"Then it's settled. Since it's Friday, could I have Lurch drive us into town around six or seven?" Pugsley said with enthusiasm, stepping into the bathroom.

"That works perfectly actually, I this study group thing that ends around five-thirtyish," Eugene replied, smiling at Pugsley before being ambushed by a flurry of kisses all over his face.

"Stop—get off!" Eugene laughed uncontrollably, pushing Pugsley away playfully.

"Sorry, you just taste so good."

"And what do I taste like exactly?" Eugene asked, still laughing.

"Honey with a hint of dirt... or that could be from the bugs I ate last night at the party, but who knows?" Pugsley said, walking out of the bathroom and over to his closet, pulling out his blazer.

"I'm sooo going to be late to my first block," he muttered, checking the clock and hurrying to put on his shoes and blazer.

"Should've woken up earlier," Eugene called from the bathroom.

"Well, I was TRYING to take care of your drunk ass," Pugsley replied, snickering as he grabbed his bag and headed to the door.

"I almost forgot—could you grab me some aspirin or something? My head is pounding," Eugene groaned, now leaning his head on the doorframe.

"Yeah, totally. Just text me in case I forget," Pugsley said, hurrying out and closing the door behind him.

Chapter Text

Classes flew by, and eventually, it was time for Pugsley and Eugene to head out on their planned date that evening.

Over Text:

Pugsley: Hey Eugene, I'm at the dorm already—just letting you know.

Eugene: Okayyy, I'm leaving the study group now. Also, what restaurant are we going to?

Pugsley: A surprise.

Eugene: That's comforting...

Pugsley lay flat on his stomach across Eugene's bed, kicking his feet in the air like a teenage girl. He felt jittery inside, buzzing with anticipation to see Eugene again. Ever since their make-out session, Pugsley hadn't been able to get Eugene off his mind. It had only been a couple of hours, but it felt like an eternity. Maybe that was dramatic—but Pugsley didn't care.

About six or seven minutes later, the doorknob rattled slightly before being opened gently. Eugene appeared in the doorway. Pugsley jumped up from the bed and immediately wrapped Eugene in a tight embrace, squeezing him so hard he could barely breathe.

"I missed you so much. I've been thinking about you ALL day," Pugsley exaggerated, leaning down to kiss Eugene's forehead before burying his face in Eugene's shoulder.

"I missed you too—but not this much," Eugene chuckled, hugging him back.

"I have a gift for you. I picked them out myself, one by one. I chose the most perfect-looking ones I could find," Pugsley said excitedly, letting go of Eugene and turning to grab a messy, handmade bouquet of flowers. He spun back around and shoved them into Eugene's face.

"Oh wow... thank you, Pugsley..." Eugene muttered softly, taking the bouquet from his hands. It was messy and poorly made, but he loved it. He loved that Pugsley had taken the time to handpick and craft it just for him. He didn't care how it looked—it was perfect.

Before Pugsley could say anything else, Eugene stepped forward and pressed his lips to Pugsley's, resting a hand on the back of his neck. Pugsley melted into the kiss, wrapping his arms around Eugene's waist and pulling him in slightly, the bouquet squished between their chests.

"I'm glad you like them!" Pugsley pulled back and snickered with that stupid grin on his face—the one that used to annoy Eugene but now felt oddly precious.

"I love them. Thank you again, Pugsley," Eugene grinned, rising onto his tiptoes to kiss him again, briefly and tenderly. He stepped back, walked around Pugsley, and placed the flowers on the bed before sliding off his blazer and pulling his shirt over his head.

Pugsley watched in awe as Eugene changed in front of him. He felt teased—maybe even flustered. Blood rushed to his face as he tried not to stare too hard.

"What do you plan on wearing to the restaurant?" Eugene asked, sliding on a polo shirt and layering a flannel over it.

"Uh... I-I don't know yet..." Pugsley stammered, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Don't tell me me changing shirts in front of you made you all flustered?" Eugene teased, laughing.

"Shut up," Pugsley mumbled, walking to his closet and pulling out one of his many knitted sweaters. "Is this okay?" he asked, hoping to shift the subject.

"I think whatever you choose, you'll look great," Eugene replied, heading into the bathroom and leaving Pugsley slightly puzzled.

"Lurch will be here in like ten minutes, so don't take forever doing your hair or whatever it is that takes you so long!" Pugsley yelled from the main room, throwing the sweater over his head and sliding into his loafers.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Eugene scoffed, emerging from the bathroom.

Pugsley sniffed, catching a whiff of Eugene's honey-scented cologne. He walked over and leaned in to smell him again.

"What are you doing?? You're acting like a dog," Eugene snorted, placing a hand on Pugsley's chest to create space.

"You smell amazing right now—not that you didn't smell amazing before, but this... this is legendary," Pugsley replied, still sniffing.

"Jesus. Thanks for the compliment, but you don't need to go feral. Are we going to stand here all day or go eat?" Eugene said, walking past Pugsley and out of the dorm. Pugsley followed quickly, like a lapdog.

They walked through the courtyard and out the front gates, where Lurch was already waiting, standing at the passenger door ready to open it. But before he could, Pugsley grabbed the handle and opened it for Eugene instead.

"Here you go, my honey," Pugsley said with enthusiasm and that dumb grin again.

"Really, 'my honey'? You couldn't think of anything else?" Eugene chuckled, climbing into the limo. Pugsley followed, and Lurch closed the door behind them.

"Why? You don't like it?" Pugsley frowned.

"It's not that I don't like it—it's just a little... cringe. But I still like it," Eugene said, placing his hand on Pugsley's to reassure him.

"Oh, okay, good. I didn't have anything else to call you," Pugsley smiled quickly, as if he hadn't looked like he was about to cry two seconds ago.

"Uh-huh... Well, now that we're on the way, can you tell me what restaurant it is?" Eugene asked.

"If I'm being honest... I don't know either. My pops arranged it for us," Pugsley replied under his breath.

"Wow. Well, let's hope for the best—wait, you told your dad about us?" Eugene asked, slightly frantic.

"Yeah... did you want me to keep it a secret?" Pugsley asked, turning to face him.

"I mean, it's not that. I just thought you'd want to wait a couple weeks or something. I don't know," Eugene replied, scratching his head.

"Eugene, I really like you... and I know I want this," Pugsley said softly, reaching out to take Eugene's hand and kissing each knuckle gently.

Eugene's face flushed red. "I really like you too..." he whispered, smiling, leaning in to kiss Pugsley again, arms resting on his shoulders.

Pugsley instinctively placed his hands on Eugene's waist. The kiss wasn't perfect—Pugsley's lip caught on Eugene's braces, cutting it and causing it to bleed.

"Shit—I'm sorry!" Eugene blurted out, pulling back and looking down at Pugsley's lip.

"Relax, I'm fine. Besides... it was kinda hot," Pugsley mumbled.

"You're such a per—" Eugene started, but Pugsley leaned in again, kissing him more aggressively and messily than before. Eugene could taste a faint tang of metal but ignored it for Pugsley's sake.

The car ride flew by—Lurch had been instructed to take the fastest route, per Gomez's request. When they arrived, Lurch signaled, and Pugsley groaned that their make-out session had been cut short. Eugene, meanwhile, was slightly relieved to finally breathe again and not taste blood.

Pugsley opened the door, crawled out, and held it open for Eugene, taking his hand and helping him out before shutting it behind them.

"Italian food? Not bad," Eugene smirked, eyeing the restaurant.

"Thank my dad—I had no clue what to choose," Pugsley chuckled, pulling open the front doors and holding them for Eugene.

"You're such a gentleman," Eugene said sarcastically.

Pugsley couldn't tell, and took it as a compliment, smiling blindly as he followed Eugene inside.

"Welcome to Angeline's! Do you guys have a reservation?" the hostess asked enthusiastically, grabbing two menus from the front table.

"The reservation should be under the last name Addams, I believe," Pugsley replied, matching her tone.

"I see it—right this way, Mr. Addams!" she said, guiding them to a table by the window.

"Mr. Addams?" Eugene snorted as they followed behind.

"Shut up—she's just being formal," Pugsley chuckled quietly.

They put their belongings down and got comfortable at the table, each picking up a menu to examine.

"Get whatever you want—it's on me," Pugsley smiled, peering up at Eugene over the edge of his menu.

"Are you sure...? Everything on here is like eighty dollars or more," Eugene said, puzzled as he scanned the options.

"Don't even look at the prices. Just get whatever your heart desires," Pugsley replied, trying to sound casual.

"Alright... but I owe you," Eugene added, tracing his finger across the menu, searching for something appetizing.

The waitress approached the table cheerfully. "Hiya! What can I get you started with for drinks?" she asked.

"Uhhh, could I do sweet tea with lemon?" Eugene said.

"Me too!" Pugsley chimed in.

"Gotcha! Be right back with those in a second!" she replied, walking off swiftly.

"I think I'm just going to keep it simple and get chicken alfredo," Eugene said, rubbing his chin.

"Oh wow. Tell me you've never been to an actual Italian restaurant without telling me," Pugsley teased, laughing.

"Well, it's not every day I go to fancy Italian restaurants," Eugene replied, rolling his eyes and closing the menu.

"Yeah yeah, sorry," Pugsley chuckled.

The waitress returned and gently placed their drinks on the table before pulling out her notepad. "Here you go! Are you guys ready to order?" she asked enthusiastically.

"Yup. I'll do the chicken scarpariello with a side of green beans, and he just wants the chicken alfredo," Pugsley responded with an almost professional tone.

"Alrighty! I'll go put that in for you guys now!" she said before heading off to the kitchen.

"Chicken scarpariello? What the hell is that?" Eugene asked, laughing.

"It's like sausages and potatoes all mixed together. It's the best thing on the menu, in my opinion," Pugsley answered with a big grin.

"Well, considering you eat rats, I don't know about that..." Eugene teased, taking a sip of his drink.

"Don't knock it before you try it," Pugsley replied, sipping his own.

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Eugene finally broke it.

"So... are we like... dating now?" he muttered, slightly avoiding eye contact.

"I suppose so. It doesn't feel like it, though," Pugsley responded.

"What do you mean?" Eugene asked, now looking directly at him.

"It's just... I don't know. It feels normal, like this is just us—if that makes sense," Pugsley said, glancing away nervously.

"It makes sense. But it's definitely more than normal," Eugene added, reaching across the table to hold Pugsley's hand.

"Yeah, I think it was the kissing, probably," Pugsley said sarcastically.

"Definitely the kissing," Eugene giggled.

They soon finished their food and paid the bill before leaving the restaurant.

"That was like, the best meal I've had all month, I think," Eugene chuckled, his arms wrapped around Pugsley's.

"I bet. You ate all of it in like ten seconds," Pugsley laughed, opening the limo door for Eugene and climbing in beside him.

About twenty minutes later, they arrived back on campus. It was quiet—everyone tucked away in their dorms, fast asleep.

They tiptoed back to their room. Eugene practically collapsed onto his bed.

"Ughhh, that food made me SLEEPY," he exaggerated, sprawling across the mattress.

"You could at least change clothes before you start laying all over your sheets," Pugsley said with a snarky tone, already changing into something comfortable.

"I guess," Eugene groaned, dragging himself up to change into boxers and a plain white tee.

"Much better," Pugsley chuckled softly, watching Eugene struggle to stay upright.

"Yeah, whatever..." Eugene muttered before flopping back into bed.

Pugsley was about to settle into his own bed when Eugene stopped him.

"Could we... sleep together?" Eugene asked, slightly nervous.

"Yeah, sure..." Pugsley replied, trying to hide his smile. He quickly got out of bed and crawled into Eugene's, slipping under the covers and wrapping his body around him.

"I'm new to this whole dating thing..." Eugene whispered, looking into Pugsley's eyes.

"Me too. So I guess we're going to learn together," Pugsley said with enthusiasm and a big grin.

"You're so cheesy," Eugene said softly, leaning in to kiss Pugsley before resting his head on his chest.

"Goodnight," Eugene yawned, wrapping his arms around Pugsley.

"Goodnight, my honey," Pugsley whispered, they'd both laughed softly before closing their eyes and falling asleep in each other's arms.

Chapter Text

They were woken up by the faint sound of Eugene's bees humming and their little insect legs tapping against the glass they were trapped in. Pugsley opened his eyes first, slow and groggy, expecting Eugene to be right next to him—but he wasn't. He sat up, yawning lazily, eyes scanning the room. The door handle rattled a little before it turned, and Eugene stepped in, holding a tray of food and a small box.

"Good morning," Eugene said quietly, walking in and shutting the door behind him. He walked over and sat beside Pugsley on the bed. "I got you breakfast," he added with a soft smile, handing over the tray.

Pugsley didn't say anything. He just placed the tray on the nightstand, leaned over, and wrapped his arms around Eugene, pulling him into a hug and resting his face in the crook of Eugene's neck.

"I love you," Pugsley muttered, voice shaky but not loud enough for Eugene to hear, or so he thought.

"What'd you say?" Eugene asked, hugging him back and rubbing his back gently.

"Nothing. Just... thanks for the food," Pugsley replied quickly, pulling back and kissing Eugene on the forehead before grabbing the tray and setting it on his lap.

"What's in the box?" he asked, picking it up and shaking it near his ear.

"Some random bugs I found in the hallway. I think a few were dead... so I got those especially," Eugene chuckled.

"Really?!" Pugsley said, eyes wide, opening the box and immediately scarfing down the insects.

"Pace yourself. I don't want you choking—they can't taste that good," Eugene added.

"You have NO idea," Pugsley replied, talking with his mouth full and spitting out a few bugs mid-sentence.

"Close your mouth when you eat," Eugene said, flicking Pugsley's forehead before getting off the bed and heading to the closet. "I'm gonna run into town for a couple hours to meet up with some friends," he said, glancing back at Pugsley.

"Do you know what time you'll be back...?" Pugsley asked, sounding a little disappointed.

"Uhh, maybe around 12? I won't be that long," Eugene reassured, sliding on one of Pugsley's sweaters that was clearly too big for him.

"Wearing my clothes now?" Pugsley smirked, still chewing whatever was left on the tray.

"Indeed. I want to feel 'goth' today," Eugene replied sarcastically, throwing up air quotes.

"Just don't mess up my sweater—that's my favorite," Pugsley rolled his eyes, placing the tray back on the nightstand and heading to the bathroom.

"I might just do it on purpose now," Eugene snickered before leaving the dorm.

Pugsley stood in the bathroom, staring at himself in silence. The words "I love you" kept spinning in his head. He groaned, covering his face with his hand. He was just glad Eugene didn't hear him clearly—he didn't know how he'd react.

Back in the dorm, Pugsley bounced between the bed, the desk, and the floor, waiting for Eugene to come back. Eventually, he got bored and decided to wander around campus. A part of him hoped he'd run into Eugene. He got off the floor, slid on some slippers no, locked the door behind him, and walked down the big, empty hallway into the school courtyard.

He was halfway across when a girl suddenly popped up in front of him—Agnes.

"Oh! Hey Agnes..." Pugsley said, confused.

"Hello, Pugsley, right?" she replied, tilting her head like she was seeing him for the first time.

"You know my name, Agnes..." Pugsley muttered, rolling his eyes and brushing past her.

She turned and followed him, grabbing his arm.

"Wait! I know, I'm sorry—I was just hoping you could maybe help me with some homework...?" she asked, now basically holding him in place.

"Uhhh, I don't know... I was kind of busy..." he said, trying to break free from her surprisingly strong grip.

"Busy doing what?" she asked, tilting her head again.

Pugsley paused. He knew he wasn't busy.

"You know what, fine. It can wait," he sighed.

"GREAT!" Agnes replied, way too excited, pulling him by the sleeve into the library.

"So, I have these chemistry equations I don't really understand, so we can start with those!" she squealed.

They sat at a table near the entrance and got to work. Every time Pugsley said something even slightly funny, Agnes would laugh obnoxiously loud and lean onto him, grabbing his arm or shoulder. Some of the other students were giving them weird looks, but Pugsley stayed and kept helping, even though her behavior was getting kind of strange.

A few hours passed, and eventually Eugene came back to campus and returned to the dorm. He opened the door, saw it empty, and decided to go look for his roommate-boyfriend. He wandered down the hall toward the library and peered through the door window, spotting Agnes way too close to Pugsley, still doing that weird laughing-leaning thing.

Eugene opened the door and walked up to the table.

"Hey guys, what's going on here...?" Eugene asked, arms crossed, giving Agnes a very annoyed stare.

Pugsley shot up from the chair and out of Agnes's arms.

"Oh! Hey Eugene, I'm helping Agnes with her chemistry homework," Pugsley said, happy to see him. But then he noticed Eugene's irritated expression and how he was staring at Agnes. He looked between the two of them before asking, "What's wrong...?" stepping a little closer.

"Nothing," Eugene scoffed, turning his back and leaving the library quickly.

"Well anyway...! I have a few more problems I still need to do," Agnes said, still sitting in her chair, signaling for Pugsley to come back.

"Right, yeah sure..." Pugsley replied softly, turning back and sitting down again. They talked for another hour or so, but all Pugsley could think about was Eugene. Should he have gone after him? What did he do to upset him?

Then Agnes said something that snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Would you want to... maybe hang out tomorrow? We could go into town or something," she smiled, reaching out and placing her hand on his.

"Umm... I don't know, Agnes—I'm sorry... I have to go," Pugsley muttered, pulling his hand away quickly, then leaving the library and heading straight back to the dorm. Agnes sat there, her face dropping into something sad but kind of angry.

Pugsley swung the dorm door open and saw Eugene lying in bed, scrolling on his phone.

"Eugene! I missed you so much; I was thinking about you ALL day," Pugsley blurted, walking over and plopping down next to him.

"Really? I couldn't tell... You and Agnes seemed pretty entertained," Eugene replied coldly, sitting up and looking at Pugsley.

"What—what do you mean...?" Pugsley asked, confused, now sitting up too.

"She asked me to help with her homework, and—and I didn't have anything better to do, so I did..." he added, stammering.

"Right, right. So why was she all over you? Touching you every time spoke, laughing uncontrollably like she was obsessed with you or something, and you just sat there—what, enjoying the attention?" Eugene snapped, rolling his eyes and turning his head.

"What?! No! It wasn't like that, Eugene—she was being friendly! I mean, sure, she was a little touchy, but I didn't think much of it," Pugsley replied, slightly panicked, putting his hand on Eugene's.

"Wait....You don't seriously think I would flirt with Agnes after we JUST got together?!-" He paused for a moment. "Do you...?"

"I'm just going off what I saw. And I SAW a bunch of flirting," Eugene said sharply.

"Eugene, I—I would NEVER do that to you," Pugsley muttered, scooting over and wrapping his arms around Eugene, resting his head on his shoulder.

Eugene put his hands on Pugsley's and kissed them.

"I know... I'm sorry..." Eugene mumbled. "I don't know, it was just the way she was all over you—it upset me."

"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have even let her feel comfortable enough to do that," Pugsley replied, gently putting both hands on Eugene's face before leaning in and pressing their lips together.

Eugene placed his hand on Pugsley's side and leaned into the kiss, eventually moving on top of him, leaning down to kiss him again.

"So you forgive me?" Pugsley chuckled, breathing a little faster.

"Nope," Eugene replied sarcastically, laughing softly before going back in for another kiss and then kissing down Pugsley's neck.

"My turn," he muttered before biting Pugsley's neck.

The bite made Pugsley flinch a little before he let out a soft moan, tilting his head to the side to give Eugene more space. They started groping each other, grabbing whatever they could on eachother as the kisses intensified

Then suddenly the door swung open.

"RANDOM DORM CHECK!" Ajax yelled as he entered, then immediately paused, eyes wide, hands flying up to cover his face. "HOLY SHIT—SORRY! JESUS, LOCK THE DOOR OR SOMETHING!"

"GET OUT! OH MY GOD," Eugene screamed, flipping himself off Pugsley and then hurling a pillow at Ajax as he slammed the door shut behind him.

Pugsley in sat silence while Eugenes hands covered his face, groaning loudly.

"Oh my godddd—that did not just happen," he said, before pugsley burst out laughing.

"THIS IS FUNNY TO YOU?!" Eugene yelped, pacing around the room like he was trying to erase the memory from his brain.

"A little bit," Pugsley admitted, still laughing.

"I hate you," Eugene scoffed, grabbing his phone and storming into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.

"I love you too!" Pugsley called out, half joking, half serious.

He didn't get a response, but that was fine. He layed back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, hand resting on his forehead, thinking about everything that had just happened. The kiss, the fight, the awkward interruption. His heart was still racing, but not in a bad way.

A few minutes passed before Eugene came out of the bathroom, hoodie pulled up, face slightly flushed. He didn't say anything—just walked over and flopped down beside Pugsley on the bed.

They lay there in silence for a while, the air still heavy but not tense. Eventually, Eugene turned his head toward Pugsley.

"You really meant it?" he asked quietly.

Pugsley turned to face him. "Meant what?"

"What you said earlier,when I brought you breakfast..."

Pugsley hesitated, "You heard that..?" he asking before nodding, "I meant it....."

Eugene didn't say anything right away. He just stared at him for a second, then leaned in and kissed him again—slowly but intimately

"I love you too," Eugene whispered.

Pugsley smiled softly, his eyes widening "You do?"

"Obviously. I let you eat bugs in front of me. That's commitment."

They both laughed, the tension breaking. Pugsley reached over and grabbed Eugene's hand, locking their fingers together.

"I'm never helping Agnes again," he muttered.

"Good," Eugene replied, squeezing his hand. "If she touches you again, I'm releasing the bees."

Pugsley snorted. "You wouldn't."

"I absolutely would."

Chapter Text

They lay there next to each other in silence, the kind that felt warm instead of awkward. Eugene reached down slowly, brushing his fingers against Pugsley's hand before intertwining them. His thumb grazed Pugsley's knuckles as he glanced over, a soft smile breaking through his usual guarded expression.

"I really like you, you know?" Eugene said, voice low and sincere.

"How much?" Pugsley replied, grinning, eyes still fixed on the ceiling like he was counting stars that weren't there.

"A lot. I think more than the normal amount," Eugene added, chuckling softly, almost nervously.

"Nah, I think I like you more," Pugsley teased, squeezing Eugene's hand gently before finally turning his head to look at him.

"Maybe, maybe not," Eugene said, sitting up slowly but still holding onto Pugsley's hand like it grounded him.

"So now that Ajax... 'caught' us," he said, air-quoting the word, "maybe we should tell the others about us?" rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand, clearly unsure.

"Is that what you want to do?" Pugsley asked, his voice calm and reassuring. He sat up with Eugene, letting go of his hand only to place both palms gently on Eugene's shoulders.

Eugene paused. That simple question—so direct, so thoughtful—hit him harder than Pugsley could've known. It made him feel respected, heard, and cherished in a way he hadn't felt in a long time. Sitting there, next to someone who actually cared how he felt, Eugene nodded gently, his smile returning.

"We could start with Wednesday?" Pugsley suggested, now smiling too.

Eugene took a breath, then nodded again. "Yeah. I'd like that."

He leaned in, pressing his lips against Pugsley's in a kiss that felt like a promise. His hands slid around Pugsley's neck, pulling him closer. Pugsley's arms instinctively wrapped around Eugene's waist, holding him tight. The kiss wasn't rushed or drawn out—it just existed, perfect in the moment.

When Eugene pulled away, he rested his head on Pugsley's shoulder, arms still wrapped around him.

"I'm glad we have each other," Eugene mumbled into Pugsley's ear before kissing the side of his face.

"Me too," Pugsley whispered back, stroking the back of Eugene's head and gently playing with his curls.

The night moved on quietly, always with the hum of bees. They showered, brushed their teeth, and changed into something comfortable. For Pugsley, that meant a wifebeater and a pair of shorts. Eugene, of course, wore a full pajama set covered in weird insect patterns—his usual.

Pugsley stepped out of the bathroom, towel-drying his hair, and immediately burst into laughter when he saw Eugene.

"You look like a five-year-old," he said, pointing at Eugene.

"Oh ha-ha," Eugene snapped back, rolling his eyes. "As if you don't look like you keep kids in your basement or something."

Pugsley laughed harder, now kneeling over with his hand on his stomach. "Maybe I do. Now what?"

"Now you're disgusting," Eugene replied, flipping him off before rolling over in his bee-covered bed, back turned to Pugsley.

"Right, right, of course," Pugsley said, still chuckling as he sat on his own bed.

"So... what are we going to tell Wednesday?" he asked, voice a little more serious now.

"Uh... I don't know, actually?" Eugene replied, turning back around to face him.

"How helpful..." Pugsley huffed, crossing his arms.

"Well, I don't exactly want to be like, 'Hey, I know I'm your best friend or whatever, but I'm kind of dating your little brother,'" Eugene said sarcastically.

"Nobody's saying you have to say it like that," Pugsley muttered, slightly irritated. "You know what, let's just figure this out tomorrow."

He shifted around in his bed, trying to get comfortable, but the sound of his sheets rustling got louder and more persistent.

"What are you doing??" Eugene asked, looking up from his phone and over his shoulder.

"This bed feels like shit," Pugsley grumbled, still rolling around.

"Yeah, I bet. Your bed is literally made of wood with a blanket on top. How do you think I feel when I lie there?" Eugene giggled, scooting over and patting the empty space beside him.

"Come," he said simply.

"I thought I was disgusting?" Pugsley grinned, hopping out of his bed and launching himself onto Eugene's.

"Jesus Christ! Why does it feel like you're 500 pounds?!" Eugene groaned, trying to push him off.

"Big lunch," Pugsley replied, grinning even wider as he settled on top of Eugene like a weighted blanket.

"What could you POSSIBLY be eating to make you feel this heavy?" Eugene squealed, squirming under him before eventually giving up.

"Had some rats earlier. They were HUGE!" Pugsley said with way too much enthusiasm, now wrapping his arms and legs around Eugene like a koala.

"Yeah, I bet," Eugene scoffed, trying to get comfortable with the tiny amount of space he had left. "I hope you're comfortable."

"I am!" Pugsley replied immediately, voice smug.

Eugene could feel Pugsley staring at the back of his head with that stupid grin.

"Okay... can we watch TV or something instead of you just staring at me?" Eugene asked, already reaching for the remote and turning on the screen.

"Ooo, can we watch a horror documentary???" Pugsley asked, shaking Eugene by the shoulders.

"Absolutely not. Let's watch something like Toy Story or something without, like, gore," Eugene replied, already pressing play on the first kid movie he could find.

"Okay, fine, whatever. We can watch it next time."

"Right..." Eugene mumbled.

Eventually, they found themselves curled up together, the movie playing softly in the background. Eugene drifted off first, his breathing slow and steady. Pugsley lay on his chest, listening to the rhythm of his heartbeat. It was calming, grounding—like everything was okay, even if just for tonight.

He closed his eyes, letting the sound lull him to sleep.'

Chapter Text

The morning arrived quietly, just like the many nights before, calm and peaceful. Eugene was the first to wake, blinking slowly as he adjusted to the soft morning light shining through the curtains. A gentle rainfall tapped against the window. He played with Pugsley's hair as he lay on top of him for a moment, then gently shook him awake.

"Morning—how'd you sleep?" Eugene asked groggily, rubbing his eyes. Pugsley responded with a few short grunts, still half-asleep.

"We should get up and have a productive morning," Eugene added, moving Pugsley off his chest and onto the pillow beside him before sitting up and stretching.

"Since when do you care about 'productive mornings'?" Pugsley groaned into the pillow. Eugene chuckled at the remark.

"I don't. BUT—today's the day we come out."

"Yeah... that's all fine and dandy, but it's not really a HUGE thing—is it?" Pugsley asked, finally sitting up.

"Of course it is! We're finally dating, and I want everybody to know—or at least anybody who cares."

"I suppose you're right..." Pugsley replied, a bit unsure but willing to follow Eugene if it made him happy.

"See! Now get up and let's go talk to Wednesday!" Eugene giggled, hopping out of bed and heading into the bathroom.

Pugsley followed shortly, grabbing his toothbrush and starting to scrub. "So besides 'coming out,' is there anything else you want to do today?" he asked, getting toothpaste everywhere.

"God, stop talking—you're making a mess. And no, not really. Why? Did you have something in mind?" Eugene scoffed, curious.

"We could have a picnic or something?" Pugsley suggested, spitting out toothpaste and wiping his mouth. "Seems like every date we have is food-related..."

"What's wrong with that? I love food!" Pugsley replied with too much enthusiasm.

"Yeah—I know," Eugene laughed, reaching out and grabbing Pugsley's free hand.

"Even better idea—we could have the picnic with the others. Then we could announce it to them all at once!" Pugsley grinned from ear to ear.

"That's not a terrible idea for once. Let's do it," Eugene smiled back, leaving the bathroom and entering the main room. "I'll text the group chat now; we can all meet around, like, 2."

"You guys have a group chat?" Pugsley asked, scratching his head.

"Uh... duh," Eugene snickered, waving his phone around. "Why wouldn't we?"

"Better question is—why am I not in it?" Pugsley crossed his arms, standing in the bathroom doorway.

"Because you can barely work a phone—nor do you use it regularly." Eugene paused to text. "Hell, do you even know where it is right now?" he added, pointing at Pugsley.

"Uhhh..."

"Exactly," Eugene laughed softly, placing his phone on the bed.

"Well, that doesn't mean you guys should exclude me!" Pugsley scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"Don't worry—you're not being excluded. Wednesday isn't in the group chat either," Eugene replied.

Pugsley raised an eyebrow and tilted his head. "She isn't?"

"Nope. For one, she doesn't have a phone," Eugene added.

"Oh—right," Pugsley said, slapping his forehead.

"And for two, I doubt she'd want to be in it," Eugene finished, standing up and walking over to his closet, rustling through it.

"Could I wear your hoodie? All of mine are dirty." glancing over his shoulder.

"Uhh... sure... but you never gave me back my other one," Pugsley replied, uncrossing his arms and walking toward the closet.

"You'll get it back eventually," Eugene snickered, pulling the hoodie over his head and adjusting it.

"Yeah, whatever," He muttered, rolling his eyes and sliding on another hoodie.

"Ready to go?" Eugene asked, fixing his hair in the mirror.

"Yeah, let's go," Pugsley said enthusiastically, grabbing an umbrella on the way out.

The walk to Ophelia Hall was pretty lengthy, considering the enormous size of Nevermore. On their way, they ran into Agnes.

"Pugsley!" a soft but loud voice echoed through the hallway. The boys turned to see Agnes behind them, waving.

"Oh—hey Agnes!" Pugsley smiled for a couple of seconds, then glanced down at Eugene, who was already rolling his eyes in annoyance.

"Hey—I'm going to go talk to her... about us," Pugsley whispered into Eugene's ear.

"Yeah, good idea. Let's hope she doesn't keep following you around now," Eugene added sarcastically.

"Shut up, she's not a stalker or something. Just go—I'll meet you at Wednesday's dorm," Pugsley snickered before walking over to Agnes.

"I'm glad I ran into you, actually—there's something I want to talk to you about," Agnes said cheekily, twirling one of her braids.

"Uhuh...?" Pugsley tilted his head, though he already knew what was coming.

"I have... feelings... for you," Agnes said, locking eyes with him.

Pugsley stood there for a few seconds, staring back at her, examining her huge green eyes. He took a breath before responding.

"Agnes..." He paused, trying to steady his breathing. "Me and Eugene are... dating," he mumbled, grabbing the back of his neck.

"Oh," Agnes muttered, tears clearly forming in her eyes.

"But I thought we had something... like... going on?" she added, crossing her arms and looking away.

"I'm sorry—I led you on a bit, and that was wrong. I should've told you earlier," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah. You should've," Agnes scoffed slightly, stepping back.

"Don't hate me, okay? I—I'm sure there are plenty of other people who'd jump at the chance to be with you," Pugsley added, laughing softly to lighten the mood.

She broke a small smile, though she was still clearly upset. "Well... thanks for telling me at all," she mumbled, walking away and turning invisible.

Pugsley stood there silently, feeling bad but mostly relieved that he'd confessed. Eventually, he made his way to Ophelia Hall and Wednesday's dorm. He knocked gently.

"Wednesday?" The door suddenly swung open, and Wednesday appeared.

"Well, look who it is," she said in her monotone voice, glancing at Eugene, who was sitting on her bed. She stepped aside to let Pugsley in.

He entered and examined her shared dorm with Enid, rolling his eyes at all the color before walking over to Eugene.

"Did you tell her...?" he whispered.

"He did," Wednesday responded before Eugene could speak.

"How did you hear hi—" Eugene started, but Pugsley cut him off.

"So... do you approve?" Pugsley asked, turning to face Wednesday, who was already behind him.

"It's not for me to approve anything. You're your own person. But if it really matters—I think you two make a half-decent pair," she said, her voice softening slightly with a faint smile before disappearing.

Pugsley grinned from ear to ear and hugged Wednesday tightly. She resisted for a moment before accepting it.

"Get off me," she growled.

"Right—sorry," he said, pulling away, still grinning.

"Are you coming to the picnic hangout thing?" Eugene asked, peering over Pugsley's shoulder.

"No," she answered simply, walking to her desk. "You can leave now," she added, not even looking at them as she focused on her typewriter.

Eugene and Pugsley quickly exited Wednesday's room.

"Well, that went well!" Pugsley chuckled, taking Eugene's hand as they walked toward the courtyard.

"She threatened me several times if I ever 'hurt' you..." Eugene added, adjusting his glasses.

"Well good—now you have to treat me right all the time," Pugsley laughed, pulling Eugene along.

Eventually, they made it to the courtyard where everyone was waiting—Enid, Bruno, Ajax, Bianca, Yoko, and Divina. The group was chatting until Enid looked up and saw the pair approaching.

"What took you two so long? This was YOUR idea, in case you forgot," Enid said with mock annoyance, clearly happy to see them.

"Sorry—we had to talk to Wednesday about something," Eugene replied, sitting on the cloth laid out on the grass. Pugsley sat beside him, legs crisscrossed.

"Talk to Wednesday about what?" Ajax chimed in, leaning in with a wide grin.

"Uhhh..." Pugsley muttered, glancing at Eugene. "That's why we wanted to meet up," he added.

"Okay, can we hurry this up? I've got somewhere to be," Yoko scoffed, sipping from a cup filled with God knows whose blood.

"Okay, okay... So, Eugene and I are..." Pugsley paused, grabbing Eugene's hand and interlocking their fingers. Everyone stared.

"Dating?" Bianca cut in, grinning.

"Yeah..." they said together, exchanging a look.

"We know—Ajax already told us," Enid added.

"Yeah, he told us ALL about your little makeout session," Bruno chimed in, laughing.

"Wait, what...?" Eugene asked hesitantly, squeezing Pugsley's hand.

"They're exaggerating," Ajax affirmed, waving his hands. "All I said was I caught you guys kissing, and that was it."

"Well, thanks for telling everybody for us," Pugsley said with sarcasm, rolling his eyes but secretly relieved.

"It was obvious anyway. You guys weren't trying very hard to hide it," Bianca added, giggling.

"Okay, can we just eat now?!" Eugene shrieked, already reaching for a biscuit.

"Yeah yeah, but we're definitely talking about this later..." Ajax teased, grabbing a biscuit as well.

The group laughed and continued chatting with each other for the rest of the afternoon. The rain had lightened to a soft drizzle, and the courtyard felt cozy under the umbrellas and blankets they'd laid out. Pugsley leaned against Eugene, feeling a strange mix of nerves and comfort. It was out now—no more hiding, no more guessing. Just them, together, surrounded by friends.

Eugene glanced over and smiled, brushing a crumb off Pugsley's cheek. "You good?"

"Yeah," Pugsley replied, smiling back. "I'm really good."

"Hey—I got you some bugs to eat," Eugene said, pulling a small box from his bag and handing it to Pugsley. "Just don't eat them right now—not in front of them," he added, glancing over at their friends.

"Thanks! But why not?" Pugsley asked, tilting his head as he set the box aside.

"You eat like a pig when you eat bugs—and I don't think anyone wants bug guts mixing with the rest of the food," Eugene replied, chuckling.

"I do not!" Pugsley huffed, rolling his eyes.

"Right... right..." Eugene laughed loudly.

"Be quiet," Pugsley snickered, leaning in to kiss Eugene. He pressed his lips gently against his, resting a hand on Eugene's cheek. Eugene paused for a moment before reciprocating the kiss.

Pugsley pulled away first, gazing into Eugene's warm brown eyes and playing with his curls.

"I love you, Eugene," he whispered, just loud enough for Eugene to hear.

"I love you," Eugene replied, a smile breaking across his face before leaning back in to kiss him again.