Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Pugsley couldn’t sleep. Hadn't been able to since the night in the tower really. And so like every night since, he got up and paced his room, fingertips sparking slightly. His thoughts turned, as they usually did, to Isaac. To what could have been. He blamed himself a little for their falling out.

“I did keep him as a pet,” he thought, “maybe…maybe if I did things differently, maybe now that his sister's….”

He shook his head trying to clear the fantasy. There was no point in wondering because Isaac was dead.

Pugsley suddenly stopped, a new thought seizing him.

“He was dead before,” he flung open his closet and grabbed a jacket, “I brought him back once, I can do it again!”

He shoved some clothes in his backpack and slipped down the stairs. His parents probably wouldn't hear, or care, but Lurch wouldn't let him wander off in the middle of the night.

He stopped in the kitchen and put some snacks in his bag for the road, along with a few he thought his undead friend might like. Sufficiently prepared, Pugsley slung his bag over his shoulder and snuck to the back door.

A grunt and a heavy hand on his shoulder stopped him.
“Hey Lurch!” He said, shrugging off the hand, “Couldn't sleep so I-I thought I'd go camping for a few days! Nothing like the outdoors right?”

Lurch groaned and raised an eyebrow at the young Addams. Pugsley smiled and showed him the inside of the bag. Lurch nodded slowly and opened the door for him. Pugsley waved goodbye and grabbed his bike from the garage.

The ride to the bus stop was just long enough for his nerves to kick in. Was he really going to resurrect the guy who'd tried to kill his whole family? The bus driver put his bike in the storage area with the other passengers' luggage and Pugsley climbed on board.

“Apparently yes,” he thought, settling into the seat.

The bus ride was boring, he regretted not bringing anything to do except his phone and his frustration at not being able to sleep only grew.
He stretched as his bike was unloaded, the other passengers giving him a wide berth.

Nevermore was ridiculously easy to break into. And with no one to stop him the climb up to Iago tower was slowed only by his own doubt.

No one had moved the body. It made his mission easier but it also bothered him that Isaac had been forgotten again. The sight of his stitched right hand made Pugsley's breath hitch.

“Oh, Thing…” he whispered, tears stinging his eyes.

Thing had used the last of his strength to rip out Isaac's heart, to save them. They had waited for him to move, to come back to them, but he was gone like his host.

“And I'm going to throw his sacrifice away,” he stood over Isaac's rotting body, eyes never leaving Thing, “for what?”

The wind blowing through the tower was the only answer.

“Please be different this time,” he pleaded, crouching down and gently picking up the metal heart, “don't let me be wrong again.”

He placed the heart in what he hoped was the right way and sat back clenching his shaking hands and biting his lip.

“Just do it!” He told himself.

He took a breath and placed his hand on the metal, giving it as much of a jolt as he could with his ability still recovering. A stuttering ticking began to fill the destroyed lab and Pugsley's own heart rate picked up. He waited barely breathing for any sign of movement.

Nothing happened. Pugsley frowned, it had worked before and that hadn't even been on purpose!

He reached out to try again only for a cold, partially rotted, hand to grab his wrist. Dark wild eyes met his, and then Pugsley was flying.

He hit the ground hard, and through his swimming vision he saw a tall figure stagger to its feet and lurch toward him. He pushed himself backwards and the dark figure hesitated.

“It-It's pugsley!” He stammered, hoping and doubting that would help him.

Isaac didn't move, just stared and as Pugsley's vision cleared he realized the newly awakened undead looked confused. Pugsley shakily got to his feet and Isaac flinched. He took a step back and then Pugsley was being pushed by nothing.

“Hey!” He protested as the pressure vanished and Isaac disappeared into the shadows.

Chapter Text

Isaac watched from the safety of one of Nevermore's many secret passages as Pugsley searched for him. He followed the youngest Addams’ progress downstairs and waited until the boy and his bike were out of sight before venturing out into the day.

His mind wasn't as functional as he would like but there was enough for him to know he needed to stay hidden and that he was hungry. He swayed as his rot riddled mind figured out which need took priority. He limped his way to the cemetery, reasoning that the trees would give him enough cover and possibly supply him with food as well.

He ducked behind a mausoleum at the sight of Pugsley's bike leaned against a headstone. A moment later the boy appeared, unhappy, and pedaled off. He waited to see if Pugsley would come back and when he didn't, made his way to the skull tree.
The grave was open and rage filled him at the reminder of his failure. He wanted to scream, to break things but there was nothing big enough to satisfy. A sudden sharp pain in his chest made his legs give out, toppling him into his former grave.

The painful, erratic ticking of his heart and his new position had him lying very still. His anger had evaporated as soon as he'd hit the dirt. The urge to never move again settled on top of him. He had failed, again, and now there would be no more chances. She was gone, and it was his fault.

He lay there until the sun began to set and the hunger became too much. He climbed out and started towards the cabin where they had made plans and held Pugsley hostage. He hunted on the way, with mild success, but with food came more clarity. He couldn’t risk straying too close to town, or eating what he truly wanted. Missing persons would bring cops and cops would ask questions he would rather not answer.

The cabin was as they'd left it and the rage returned, this time with an outlet. Plates and chairs smashed into the walls with telekinetic force. He ripped cabinet doors off their hinges and threw them across the room, leaving dents and holes in the walls. He screamed until his voice went hoarse, tears burning their way down his face. He ripped the pages out of books, their pages fluttering chaotically around him.

His rampage was cut short as his heart stuttered and skipped, blood dripped from his nose, and his legs went out. He hit the ground heavily, consciousness leaving him.

He came to, slowly, pain pounding through his eyes and temples. He groaned and pushed himself up, hands cradling his throbbing head.

“Twice dead and still getting headaches,” he laughed bitterly, the sound painful in the silent house.

He considered the damage he’d caused, trying to find the anger again, to find anything but there was nothing left, he just felt empty. He tentatively got to his feet and, when he was certain he was able to stand, made his way to the bedroom he’d used before.

The crossbow was where he remembered but he couldn't find the bolts for it, or recall if they were there before or not.

“Not like I don't have enough projectiles,” he said, picking it up and carrying it back into the main room.

He rigged it so if anyone opened the door it would fire a jagged piece of wood and hopefully stop the intruder. He tested it a few times, opening the door with his ability, until he was satisfied.

“Windows next.”

The windows were old, the glass easy to break if someone really wanted in, but he nailed them shut anyway. Each hammer strike only worsened his headache, by the time he'd finished his left eye was twitching and his nose had started bleeding again.

He staggered to a closet and found a hand towel. He ran it under cold water in the bathroom, pointedly not looking at his reflection, and went back into the bedroom. He laid down on the bed and put the towel over his eyes, groaning at the small relief it brought.

He would sleep it off and then take a look at his heart to see what the problem was and how much of a problem it would be to fix.

Chapter Text

Pugsley had spent two days looking for Isaac and had found nothing. The only place left to check was the cabin, and he really didn't like the idea of going there again.

“Besides I don't think I even know how to get there,” he lied to himself, feet carrying him there anyway.

The cabin came into view and he stumbled to a stop. Panic making his fingers spark.

“Why would he come back here?” he thought, “he probably left town or something. “

He didn't succeed in convincing himself. He wasn't sure how he knew, but he was certain that this was where Isaac would be. He stealthily crept towards the door and slowly turned the handle.

Locked. His certainty grew. As quietly as possible he picked the lock. It clicked and he pushed the door open, something shot over his head and he hit the floor in an attempt to dodge it, scraping his chin. He looked up and saw a crossbow pointed at the door but instead of it being aimed by a person it was attached to a mechanism.

“Cool.”

A door opening had him scrambling to his feet. Isaac stood stock still, his right hand raised at Pugsley.

“Hey Slu-Issac!” he said, giving a small wave to the undead boy.

Isaac didn't move, didn't speak, just stared. Pugsley looked around and whistled lowly at the state of the cabin.

“you, uh, redecorating?” he asked, gesturing at the debris scattered around.

“Why are you here?” Isaac asked, finally breaking out of the near catatonic state he'd been in.

“Well you kinda ran off before I could explain and I was worried about you being alone.”

Isaac dropped his hand giving Pugsley a baffled look.

“I tried to kill you, your entire family, and you were worried about me?” he asked, taking a small step towards Pugsley.

Pugsley shrugged, “It was for your sister, and I would probably be pretty mad if someone had killed me for that too.”

Isaac laughed, but it sounded hollow and slightly deranged. Pugsley didn't mind, the other boy had been through a lot, he was allowed to be a little unhinged. And Pugsley was an Addams, it wasn't like madness wasn't a plus in a friend.

“This is really cool by the way!” he said, turning away from Isaac and checking out the crossbow more closely.

He heard Isaac come up behind him and fought the instinct to flinch. He didn't want to offend him.

“Clearly it needs improvements,” he said, leaning over Pugsley's shoulder.

“Well I was crouched, it would have worked if I'd been standing.”

Isaac hummed and reset the mechanism, loading a new piece of jagged wood into it.

“So why are you using those instead of the actual bolts?” Pugsley asked, turning to look at the other boy.

“Can't find them,” he mumbled, running a hand over his eyes.

“Oh. Well awesome improvisation skills!” he held his hand up for a high five.

Isaac looked at him, something close to amusement flickering across his face. Pugsley grinned and kept his hand up, wiggling his fingers. Isaac sighed and held up his hand. He rolled his eyes as Pugsley high-fived him.

“That's a good start! Friends high-five!” He thought.

Isaac took in a deep breath through his nose and froze, his eyes dropping to Pugsley's chin.

“you're bleeding,” he said flatly, taking Pugsley's face in his hands.

“Yeah, I scraped it on the floor when the door opened.”

Isaac dropped his hand like he'd been burnt and stalked into the room he'd come out of earlier. He returned a second later with a small box of bandages, a washcloth, and a bottle of peroxide. He dropped them on the kitchen counter and pulled Pugsley over telekinetically.

“Sit,” he commanded, pointing to the counter.

Pugsley hopped up and Isaac poured peroxide onto the cloth and, more gently than Pugsley had expected, cleaned his scrape. Isaac squinted at it, added more peroxide, and nodded. He peeled open a bandage and pressed it onto Pugsley's chin. He stepped back and admired his work.

“OK, now get out.”

Pugsley hopped down from the counter frowning.

“Why? What's wrong?”

Isaac sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“You need to stay away from me,” he said, eyes hardening, “I tried to kill you and I've eaten more people than you know of.”

“but-”

“out!”

Pugsley stomped to the door and turned back to argue only for the door to slam in his face.

“I just want to be friends!” he shouted through the door.

“Go away!”

Chapter Text

Pugsley was persistent, Isaac had to give him that. It had been weeks of pugsley showing up even when Isaac thought he was gone and he had accepted that the boy was now just part of his routine. He had removed the nails from one of the windows so they wouldn't have to shout but he still refused to let Pugsley inside.
It had been a few days without him making an appearance and so, despite the dread that he may have gotten tired of Isaac and left for good, he'd ventured out for a late night hunt.

He had managed to take down a deer and sat eating it by the lake watching the moon turn the water to ink and diamonds. The weather was turning cold and he was dreading spending the winter in the poorly insulated cabin. Being undead meant he couldn't seem to stay warm for long and building a fire was out of the question if he wanted to remain undiscovered.

He finished eating and debated walking back to the cabin to get cleaned up instead of using the, likely freezing, lake, but he knew if anyone were to pass him they would panic.

“It's just water,” he scolded himself, “you can get warm later.”

The sound of a branch snapping had him on his feet instantly. He waited, eyes searching the dark for movement. He dropped his hand and huffed as a familiar face appeared through the trees.

“Pugsley, just get over here.”

“Sorry didn't realize it was you,”

That made Isaac pause.

“So you weren't stalking me then?” he asked, turning away so the boy couldn't see the blood covering him, feeling suddenly self conscious about it.

“No, I was camping over that way and heard something.”

“You're sleeping outside?”

“Yeah.”

“It's been raining for two days.”

“I mean it's just water,” Pugsley said, walking closer, “not even enough to waterboard me.”

Isaac blinked trying to process that and shook his head slightly.

“You're definitely an Addams,” he said, dropping and rinsing his face and hands.

Pugsley laughed and sat down next to Isaac. He didn't like being watched like this, something about the idea of Pugsley seeing this bothered him.

“Which is ridiculous because he's seen you so much worse,” he thought, shaking off the water from his hands.

He stood up and offered a hand to Pugsley.

“Go get your stuff and meet me on the road,” he said once Pugsley was up.

“Why?”

“Because Addams or not you're going to get sick if you stay out in this air,” he said exasperated, “you're coming to the cabin.”

“Okay!” Pugsley said excitedly, hurrying back into the trees.

They walked back to the cabin with Pugsley chattering about the different bugs making noise around them and his preferences for them.

“What about you?”

“What about me, what?”

“What are your favorites?”

“I don't have a favorite bug,” Isaac said, blowing into his cupped hands trying to warm them.

“No!” Pugsley laughed, shaking his head, “ like brains and stuff you know, what do you like to eat?”

“You're not going to like my answer,” Isaac said, warningly.

“People?” Pugsley guessed, seemingly unbothered.

Isaac nodded looking at Pugsley from the corner of his eye. Trying to read his expression.

“Okay, so like second favorite then?”

Isaac hummed as he thought. He unlocked the cabin door and caught the makeshift bolt before it hit them.

“Deer isn't bad,” he said finally, “although pig is better.” He added dropping onto the couch.

“Cool,” Pugsley said, sitting down next to him and looking around curiously, “you cleaned up.”

Isaac winced as his heart stuttered, and he pressed a hand into his chest hard. Pugsley looked at him wide-eyed.

“Turns out getting ripped out isn't great for delicate machinery,” he gritted out.

Pugsley reached a tentative hand towards him and Isaac didn't stop him. It rested on his hand. Isaac allowed it.

“It's broken?”

Isaac sucked in a breath as the pain came again and nodded.

“If I stress it too much it starts shutting down,” he explained breathlessly.

“Can you fix it?” Pugsley asked, clearly distressed.

“Not without removing it,” he said, sinking back into the couch as the pain faded, “but I can keep it going for a while as long as I’m careful.”

Pugsley nodded and squeezed Isaac's wrist.

“Did I put it back wrong?” he asked quietly, “is that why it's so messed up?”

Isaac sat up and flipped their hands so he was holding onto Pugsley.

“No! This is not your fault Pugsley!” he insisted, gripping the younger boy's hand tightly, “I'm only here because of you and while I may not always be thrilled about that, you have brought me back twice now!”

Pugsley's eyes went wide and he pulled away slightly.

“You're hurting me.”

Isaac dropped his hand and clenched his fists against his chest.

“Sorry! I'm sorry I didn't mean to!”

“I know it's ok.”

Isaac stood up as Pugsley reached for his hand again and went into the main bedroom. He gathered the blankets from the bed and tried to ignore that they were the last place his sister rested.

“Here,” he said, dropping the pile onto the couch next to Pugsley, “it's late, get some sleep.”

He didn't wait for a response, just turned and went into his room, shutting the door behind him. He sank onto the bed, mind reeling. Why had he reacted like that? Why was he so upset about Pugsley blaming himself and about hurting him? He should want to hurt him, he had wanted to hurt him before so what had changed?

“And why the hell isn't he afraid of me?”

Chapter Text

Isaac woke to the sound of someone talking in the other room. He tensed and padded to the door, cracking it open to listen.

“I'm alright mom, just hanging out with a friend.”

Isaac frowned, was Pugsley ratting him out?

“No. No, I haven't heard from her.”

Isaac slipped silently out of the room and peered around the corner.

“I’ll let you know,” Pugsley said, nodding, his shoulders slumped.

He hung up and Isaac stepped into view.

“What was that?” he asked, faking disinterest.

“Oh good morning!” Pugsley said, spinning to face him, “mom was just checking in, wanted to know if I'd talked to Wednesday.”

“Your sister’s not home?”

Pugsley shook his head, “No, she's looking for her friend Enid.”

“The werewolf?”

Pugsley nodded and yawned.

“When do they want you home?” Isaac asked, not really wanting to be alone again.

Pugsley looked away, “oh um anytime I feel like it she just wanted to make sure I was still camping.”

Isaac grit his teeth, angry for the boy. His annoyance was interrupted by a loud rumbling sound. He smirked as Pugsley's stomach growled again.

“How do you feel about pancakes?” he asked, padding over to the kitchen, trying to lighten the boy's mood as well as his own.

“Do you have any beetles for them?” Pugsley asked excitedly.

“Mmm, no, but,” he added, raising a finger as Pugsley started to pout, “if you hurry and find some I will add them.”

Pugsley pulled on his shoes and hurried out the door. Isaac chuckled and started pulling out the ingredients, hoping the milk wasn't bad. He had just started mixing when Pugsley burst in barely dodging the crossbow and clutching a handful of bugs. Isaac held the bowl over for Pugsley to drop them in.

“Go sit,” he said, turning to the stove.

He sat the plate down in front of Pugsley who immediately started eating.

“S’good,” he said through a mouthful.

“I'm glad, Fran-” he stopped himself, closing his eyes tight, “I was never the cook.”

Pugsley looked at him sadly and Isaac waved him off annoyed.

“You're not eating?” he asked, swallowing a massive bite.

“I'll get something later, going to have to head into Jericho unfortunately.”

“Is that safe?”

Isaac shrugged looking out the window. He didn't want to go, wouldn't have to at all if it weren't for having to feed Pugsley. Not that he would tell him that.

“They aren't looking for me, they're looking for Slurp,” he said, the name dripping from his mouth with contempt.

Pugsley winced and gave him an apologetic look.

“Once you've finished, we'll get ready to go,” Isaac said, standing up and resting a hand on Pugsley's shoulder as he passed.

“I’m coming?” Pugsley asked, excitement returning.

“Of course! You're my friend right?”

Pugsley's smile was blinding and Isaac felt himself returning it. He went into his room, still smiling as he changed. The clothes probably belonged to Francoise's normie husband once but now they were Isaac's, ill-fitting as they were.

He stepped out and went into the bathroom, grimacing at his reflection. His hair was wild and knotted and he looked, well, like a corpse. He pressed the dark circles under his eyes and sighed. There was nothing to do about it now. He ran his fingers through his hair, taming it the best he could.

Jericho was bustling with activity, colorful banners were strung everywhere and posters were stuck to every business declaring that an end of summer carnival was opening that evening. Isaac curled his nose and started into the small grocery store. He turned to ask what Pugsley wanted only to find him not there. He spun around looking for him and found him still outside.

“What?” he asked, walking back out.

“We should totally come to this!”

Isaac looked at the poster again and then a Pugsley.

“What happened to you being worried about me being seen?”

“C’mon it'll be fun!” he said, gripping Isaac's shoulders and shaking him slightly.

Isaac looked at him unimpressed and walked into the store. Pugsley followed this time, still pleading his case.

“It'll be fun! We can win some games and go on rides!”

Isaac sighed and closed his eyes, a headache threatening to form.

“If I agree, will you please pick out some things so we can leave?”

“Yes!”

Isaac hushed him as several people turned to glare at them.

“It's going to be great you'll see!”

“I'm going to regret this.”

Much to his embarrassment Pugsley had to pay for their things as Isaac didn't have any money and hadn't taken the time to think about the fact that he needed it. Pugsley had insisted it was fine, that it was what friends were for but the guilt ate at Isaac.

The carnival was loud and crowded and Isaac hated it, but Pugsley was having a wonderful time, running ahead and begging Isaac to follow him. They had ridden every ride twice and were taking a snack break. They had just gotten candy apples, Pugsley adding a spider Isaac had found to his, when Pugsley's phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Who is it?” Isaac mouthed.

“Wednesday.” Pugsley mouthed back.

“OK so what's the problem?” He asked apparently in response to something Wednesday said.

Isaac rested his head on Pugsley's shoulder trying to listen.

“She keeps running, and I haven't figured out how to turn her back yet,” said her monotone voice.

“Why would Enid run from you?”

“She's probably afraid of hurting me, or thinks I'm a threat if she doesn't remember who I am.”

“Shouldn't she be able to turn back on her own?” Isaac asked.

The line went quiet and Pugsley looked at him, panicked.

“Pugsley what did you do?” Wednesday hissed into the phone.

“Never mind that, answer my question,” Isaac said, squeezing Pugsley's shoulder.

“She's an Alpha,” Pugsley said when Wednesday stayed silent.

“Ah, that is a problem.”

Isaac stepped away from Pugsley and paced, thinking. An idea was forming and he was itching to draw out the design in his head. He could hear Pugsley defending himself distantly.

He pulled the phone from Pugsley's hand telepathically ignoring the boy's protest.

“I may have a solution to your problem,” he said, manic energy starting to fill him.

“If you hurt her-”

“Save your threats for someone else,” he dismissed, “do you want help or not?”

“Fine, give my brother back his phone.”

Isaac ate his apple but tasted nothing, too focused on the machine flickering behind his eyes. He needed to get back to the cabin before he lost the details. He grabbed Pugsley's arm and started dragging him away from the carnival.

“OK, OK, we'll meet you there.” Pugsley said, nodding to the phone and trying to free his arm from Isaac, “I won't tell if you don't."

He hung up and slipped the phone into his jacket pocket.

“You can let go now,” he huffed, pulling free.

Isaac didn't answer him, he was barely registering where they were going.

“Isaac.”

If he could modify the machine he'd made for his sister.

“Isaac.”

Yes, that would work but it would need to be half as powerful or less and he'd have to find a different power source and -

“Isaac!” Pugsley shouted, breaking him out of his thoughts.

Isaac looked at him and then at where they were. He has led them to the skull tree. He was taking them to the tower, to his lab.

“I-I’m sorry, I was thinking about the machine.”

“Let's go to the cabin,” Pugsley said, leading the way and turning back to check on him every few seconds.

Isaac unlocked the door, leaving it wide open, and started scouring the cabin for paper and a pencil. Finding it sat on the floor, muttering to himself as he worked.

He wasn't sure how long he'd been sitting there but when he straightened up he felt stiff and his fingers were numb from lack of circulation.

“Pugs I-” he started loudly, “oh! There you are!” he said looking up and seeing Pugsley looking down at him with an expression of awe and concern.

He held up his plan for Pugsley to inspect and preened slightly at his impressed expression.

“How are you going to build it?”

Isaac faltered, he hadn't considered that.

“How are we getting,” he gestured vaguely, “wherever we're going?”

“Probably have to steal a car.”

“Get me a van and I can make it work,” he said, getting to his feet.

Chapter Text

They had decided to raid a junkyard for a vehicle to avoid unnecessary attention. The van they found still had the ghost of a bakery logo on the side and Isaac had had to repair and replace most of the engine and components, but they had managed to get it running. Isaac had taken what he needed from the tower and with Pugsley's help loaded everything into the van.

They were making good time and if Pugsley's phone GPS was accurate they would arrive that night. It was his turn to drive and Issac sat beside him, knees pulled up as he sketched the machine in individual parts, scribbling notes along the sides.

Pugsley was glad they were going together. He liked having Isaac as a real friend even if he hadn't said two words to Pugsley since they had traded off.

His stomach growled and he looked longingly at a diner coming up. He bit his lip and glanced at Isaac, pulled into the parking lot.

“Why'd we stop?” He asked, still not looking up from his book.

“Well I'm hungry so I know you must be.”

At that Isaac looked up and rubbed his eyes.

“We're losing time.”

“Please!” He begged, batting his eyes.

Isaac sighed but opened his door.

“You're the best!”

“Mmm.”

The food was greasy and barely edible. Pugsley loved it. They had both gotten burgers, Isaac's blue rare, and fries.

“This is admittedly good,” Issac said, wiping his mouth.

“Can we get dessert please?”

Isaac made a noncommittal noise and checked the time on Pugsley's phone.

“To go,” he said.

“Sweet!”

Isaac took over driving and he gave Pugsley the rest of his shake.

“Tastes like cherry cough medicine,” he said, making a face.

“S'not that bad.”

Wednesday had sent them to a small town on Maine's coast where she'd chased Enid. The house they pulled up to was massive and seemingly abandoned for many years, vines taking over one side of the dark wood exterior, and several windows were cracked and missing panes. It was also far away enough from the town that no one would notice anything odd happening.

She stepped onto the porch as Isaac cut the van off, her arms crossed. Pugsley got out sheepishly, already anticipating her yelling at him for being reckless and sentimental. To his surprise she turned her attention to Isaac, regarding him coldly. Pugsley felt goosebumps start as the two stared silently at each other.

“I want to look at your plan,” Wednesday said, turning and walking into the house.

Pugsley followed his sister, waiting on the porch for Isaac to join him.

Issac presented his sketches and notes explaining in detail how the machine was supposed to work.

“Are you certain this will work?” Wednesday asked, narrowing her eyes at Isaac.

“Well I haven't exactly tested it, but yes it's the same concept as my other machine, just smaller.”

“Yes, your machine that failed three times,” Wednesday quipped.

Pugsley saw Isaac's jaw tick and his fists clench.

“Only because of interference.” He growled.

Pugsley put his hand on Isaac's shoulder and he felt him relax. Isaac let out a breath and ran a hand through his tangled hair.

“I'm going to start taking things down to the basement,” he said, stepping away from the table where the plans were spread.

Pugsley went to follow him but was stopped by his sister stepping in front of him.

“I don't know how you were stupid enough to bring him back,” she said, eyes blazing, “but don't let him hurt you again.”

“I won't,” he said walking around her.

Isaac was on his second trip when Pugsley joined him.

“Your nose is bleeding,” he said, taking the box of parts from him.

Isaac dropped his head and wiped the blood away.

“I'm fine, the sooner we get this done the better,” he said, taking the two boxes from the van, floating one along ahead of him.

Chapter Text

Isaac's hands were shaking when they sat the last of the boxes down. A fact he was ignoring in favor of getting started. He needed to work so he wouldn’t have time to be angry.

“Isaac, maybe you should wait until the morning,” Pugsley said gently, “just to give yourself some time.”

“I told you I'm fine!” He snapped.

A spike of pain shot through him, leaving him gasping. Pugsley helped him sit, wrapping his arms around Isaac's shaking frame. Isaac grit his teeth, he hated the fact that his body was once again failing him. And he hated the fact that Pugsley was witness to it. After he'd fixed himself the only person to see him falter was Francoise with her gone no one was supposed to see.

Pugsley held him tighter.

“I just don't want you to get hurt,” he said.

Isaac sighed and closed his eyes.

“No you're right I can't work if my heart stops,” he said leaning back into the embrace, “just help me get everything sorted.”

They laid everything out silently, Isaac adjusting the placement of a few things, with Pugsley making him stop and rest every few minutes.

“We should go pick out rooms,” Pugsley said, already climbing up the stairs.

“You go ahead, I'll stay down here.”

“But-”

“I used to sleep in my lab all the time,” he reassured waving Pugsley away, “helps me stay focused.”

Pugsley didn't look convinced.

“Besides I think the more your sister and I are out of each other's sight the better “

Pugsley frowned but nodded and started up the creaking stairs again.

“Please get some rest.”

“Good night Pugsley.”

Isaac waited, knowing Pugsley would likely come check on him again. He smirked as Pugsley brought blankets down the stairs, heart catching as the boy slipped and nearly fell, Isaac instinctively reached out with his right hand to catch him. Pugsley gave him a sheepish grin and handed over the blankets.

Isaac laid them out meticulously in one of the unoccupied corners. He heard the stairs creak as Pugsley went back upstairs. He waited until the house above him went silent and started putting his machine together.

He worked until his hands were shaking too badly to manipulate the metal. He laid down, pulling one of the moth eaten blankets over him. His mind wouldn't settle, that was nothing new, but he was resolved to at least keep his eyes closed for an hour or so.

The stairs creaking had him sitting up with a sigh. Wednesday regarded him coolly and turned her attention to his progress.

“Why the change of heart?” She asked, examining the partially assembled metal.

Isaac shrugged, not trusting himself to not lash out.

“She's not your sister.”

“I know that,” he gritted out.

“Helping Enid won't bring her back.”

“You think I'm not aware of that!” He snapped getting to his feet.

“Then why help? You may have my brother fooled again but not me.”

Isaac felt his eye twitch. He wanted to strangle her, to finish what he'd started at Nevermore but stopped himself. It would ruin the budding friendship he had with Pugsley and he couldn't stand the thought of being alone.

“Consider this part of my atonement,” he said, keeping his voice carefully level.

She raised an eyebrow at him and turned back to the machine.

“How fast can you build this?”

“What's my deadline?”

She looked into the distance, apparently considering her answer.

“Two weeks,” she said, “at most.”

Isaac nodded, “then I need to get started.”

“I'll send Tyler and Pugsley down later,” she said.

Isaac froze.

“Tyler?”

“Yes.”

“My nephew Tyler?"

“Aren't you supposed to be a genius?” She said stalking up the staircase.

He hurled a piece of metal across the room, but the catharsis never came. He didn't want Tyler here, Tyler was the reason his sister was dead, Tyler hated him and Isaac shared the feeling.

Pugsley wasn't speaking to him. Isaac wasn't sure what he'd done and he hated how distressing the silence was. Tyler wasn't any better, just glaring at him when he told them what to do. He wished he'd brought his record player, at least then he could lose himself in the music and the machine.

“Take a break,” he said, unable to stand being in the basement any longer.

He went out the basement access, climbing the short stone steps and into the bright sunshine. He seethed and started walking, needing to find something to break.

He found a few small animals to release his anger on, satisfying his ignored hunger as well. He was wiping off his hands on a handkerchief when he heard the footsteps behind him. He whirled around figuring it was Pugsley only to be met by Tyler.

“What?” He snapped, not caring if his nephew saw the blood.

“You wanna tell me what you're doing here?”

“Funny I could ask you the same.”

Tyler sighed, and ran his hand through his hair.

“It's complicated,” he said looking into the trees.

“Agreed,” Isaac said, putting the bloody cloth back into his pocket.

“What's going on between you and her brother?” Tyler asked, following Isaac as he walked back to the house.

“In general or right now?”

“Both I guess?”

Isaac hummed and stopped when he saw the house.

“A tentative friendship, I suppose, he wouldn’t leave me alone and I've given up on getting rid of him,” he said leaning against a tree, “as for right now he's upset with me over something but no idea as to what.”

“Have you talked to him?”

“Have you talked to her?” He shot back, stalking towards the house.

Wednesday was waiting on the porch for them. She raised her eyebrow at Tyler and he slipped into the house past her. Isaac ignored her and walked around to the back, intending to get back to work. His path was blocked by the younger Addams.

“Where'd you go?” He asked, voice tight.

“Oh, you're speaking to me again?” he asked, shoving past him towards the stairs.

“You lied to me!” Pugsley said, grabbing Isaac's wrist.

Isaac wrenched himself free and shoved Pugsley away.

“When?”

“You said you were going to rest, that you would wait!” Pugsley said, voice raising as he pushed Isaac back.

“I'm doing what I came here for!”

“You're going to kill yourself!”

Isaac’s mouth snapped shut at the sight of Pugsley's eyes welling up and he closed his eyes to calm himself down.

“Pugs,” he started, “Pugsley, I have been dying my whole life, I know my limits.”

“That's not fair,” Pugsley sniffled, “ using a nickname and not trying to stay around.”

Isaac sighed and pulled him close. He held him as Pugsley cried.

“Don't tell Wednesday about this,” he said, his voice muffled from being pressed against Isaac's neck.

“She’ll never know,” he reassured, “I'll stay for you.”

Pugsley's breath hitched and he pulled away to look at Isaac's face.

“you'll take care of yourself?”

Isaac grimaced but nodded, “I'm not very good at that, especially when I have a project, but,” he added when Pugsley's face darkened, “I'll let you help me if you want.”

He wiped his face and nodded. Isaac felt the strange pull of deja vu, recalling making a similar promise to his sister. He forced himself to smile and led them down into the basement.

“Now can you please find me some music so I can work.”

Pugsley chuckled wetly and pulled out his phone.

“What do you want to listen to?”

Chapter Text

The machine was coming together quickly and Wednesday had managed to find a circus cage somewhere that would work for holding Enid until Isaac could help her. Pugsley loved to watch Isaac work, how focused he was, and how easily he manipulated all kinds of materials. He learned that he didn't talk much while he was busy, but that was fine, Pugsley talked enough for both of them. He also learned that Isaac preferred classical if he was working but otherwise didn't seem to mind Pugsley's music.

Tyler had been banned from helping after he'd accidentally dropped and broken a sensor. And Pugsley had been relegated to making sure Isaac was eating and resting.

He'd managed to get Isaac out of the basement to sleep but only once they'd dragged a second bed into one of the rooms and he'd found that if he strategically placed food in Isaac's way he would eat.

“So how does your heart work in water?” Pugsley asked.

“It doesn’t,” Isaac said, voice distracted.

“Oh, so how do you, like, shower then?”

“Baths and a lot of medical tape.”

Pugsley's heart sank. He didn't have any tape and he was sure Isaac would feel better if he was able to get cleaned up. At the very least a soak might help the limp he had developed.

“Why do you ask?” Isaac said, suddenly stopping what he was doing.

“I was just curious,” Pugsley said, shrugging.

Isaac bristled and he realized how it sounded.

“I just thought it might help your leg!” He said, holding up his hands placatingly.

He saw Isaac soften and breathed a sigh of relief. He hated when Isaac got angry. He wasn't afraid of him but it usually ended with something being broken and Isaac unable to breathe.

“I think there's some tape in the van,” Isaac said, turning back to what he was doing.

Pugsley knew that was Isaac for ‘go away’ and took the hint. He'd gotten very touchy and secretive the closer his creation came to completion. He wasn't sure if that was just Isaac's way or if it was a result of his last machine being sabotaged twice.

He searched the van and found a roll of white medical tape. He jogged down the stairs and found Wednesday and Isaac talking quietly and intensely.

“What's up?” he asked, frowning.

“Just making sure we're on schedule,” Wednesday said, turning on her heel sharply and climbing the stairs.

“O-kay…”

Isaac wasn't looking at him, adding to his suspicions that there was something else going on. He wasn't surprised but he thought that he and Isaac were past that.

“I found the tape,” he said, not able to hide his unhappiness.

“Good, I'll head up now,” Isaac said, taking it from him and sliding past him to the stairs.

Something was definitely going on if Isaac was leaving the basement willingly. Pugsley followed slowly, trying to figure out what he was missing.

He waited in the bedroom he and Isaac were sharing, listening to the water run. It cut off and he heard Isaac moan in relief and felt his face heat up. That had gotten worse. Every little thing now made him all warm inside. He'd had to avoid watching Isaac's hands as he worked so he didn't embarrass himself. It didn't help that Isaac was very touchy, he was constantly resting his head on Pugsley's shoulder or holding onto his arm. It wasn’t like Isaac was doing it on purpose either. Pugsley doubted he even knew how he was affecting him. This was simply the latest entry in his torment.

“and usually I like torture,” he thought miserably.

He wouldn't say anything, didn't want to risk ruining what they had but it was killing him. And with Wednesday and Isaac being secretive it was starting to feel like a repeat of Eugene, like he was just being tolerated and not actually wanted.

He was pulled from his thoughts by the bathroom door opening and Isaac stepping out. Pugsley couldn't look away as the older boy dried his wild hair with a towel.

“I-I was worried.” He managed.

“It's almost done and Wednesday says we'll try to get Enid tonight,” Isaac said with a shrug.

He looked at his reflection in the dresser mirror and ran his fingers through the wet curls growling in frustration.

“Why don't you brush it?” Pugsley asked, tilting his head.

Isaac's reflection glared at him.

“One I don't have a brush, and two what's the point?”

Pugsley laughed, “What do you mean what's the point?”

Isaac sighed heavily and sat down on the bed next to him.

“What's the point in me brushing it when two minutes later it's like this again?”

“Can I?” Pugsley asked, leaning back and grabbing his own brush.

Isaac looked at him, his expression indecipherable.

“If you want to waste your time, fine,” he said finally, sliding off the bed to the floor.

Pugsley carefully untangled his hair, separating it into sections and brushing it through until it was soft. Isaac had relaxed as he worked and Pugsley could see in the reflection that his eyes were closed. It made him happy to be so close and knowing that he was probably the only person the undead would let do this.

“Okay all done!”

Isaac got to his feet and examined his reflection again. He smiled softly at Pugsley.

“Thank you, it looks nice.”

Pugsley smiled back.

“Anytime!”

A knock on the doorframe made them jump.

“It's almost time,” Wednesday said looking at Isaac, "are you ready?”

Pugsley saw Isaac's jaw tick.

“The machine’s almost ready.”

“Get it done,” his sister commanded, leaving them alone again.

Isaac let out a frustrated sound and gave Pugsley an apologetic look before leaving. He heard him go down the stairs and flopped back onto the bed with a sigh.

“What am I gonna do?” He asked the ceiling.

He didn't want to mess things up between them but he couldn’t help how he felt and unlike Isaac he couldn't keep things secret.

Chapter Text

Isaac hurried down the stairs trying to forget the feeling of Pugsley's fingers in his hair and how good it had felt. He couldn't have Pugsley, not after everything he'd done to the poor boy, and right now he needed to focus on finishing the machine and preparing for Wednesday's plan to lure Enid in.

Tyler had broken the power source which meant he'd had to come up with a new plan. He'd told Pugsley it was a sensor that had gotten smashed to prevent him from questioning Isaac too closely. Unfortunately with the deadline and no materials to replace it Isaac had settled on using himself to power it, or rather his heart.

He could disconnect its power source and plug it into the machine, but only for thirty seconds, and that was only after he'd been running. He'd been trying to stretch it further, testing the limit when he went hunting but thirty seconds was the best he could do. He hoped it would be enough. He had also built in a dead man's switch that would shut the machine down after thirty seconds in case he lost consciousness before that. He'd told Wednesday it was for accountability.

Pugsley was the only one who knew about his heart problems and he'd sworn the boy to secrecy. He'd had a similar conversation just a few hours earlier with his sister over the plan.

“Don't tell your brother,” he'd said, checking to make sure Pugsley hadn't returned.

“Of course not,” Wednesday had said, “he'll get in the way.”

Her plan was to use Isaac as bait for the werewolf. He couldn't fault the plan, even if he resented it, he was the only person they could be certain she would chase as apparently she just chose to fight Tyler.

“let's just hope I'm fast enough,” he muttered, powering the machine on to make sure it was functioning.

He pulled it early, not wanting to risk being found out before he'd succeeded.

He wasn't sure what Pugsley had been told to keep him at the house, but there was no sign of him as Isaac waited in the dark for the werewolf to make an appearance.

“Probably babysitting Tyler," He thought, “why send him when you can send the heart patient.”

A deep growl sent a shiver down his spine. He turned towards the sound and forced a smile on his face as the werewolf stalked towards him.

“Hello again,” he said, bracing to run.

She bared her teeth and charged him. He dodged, barely, and sprinted through the trees. He felt her claws catch the end of his coat and pull free, nearly throwing him to the ground. The house came into view and he cursed himself for not making sure the basement hatch was open. He skidded around the side of the house hearing a loud bang as the wolf collided with it right behind him. The door was mercifully open and he dropped into a slide falling through the opening and barely missing the stairs with the back of his head.

Wednesday waited by the cage and Tyler was beside the steps Isaac had just fallen down, hidden. He scrambled to his machine and stayed crouched as the wolf crashed into the basement. Tyler closed the door and forced her into the waiting cage.

“Do it now, Night!” Wednesday ordered, locking the cage door.

Isaac pulled out his heart's core out of sight and powered on the machine, counting the seconds. Enid writhed and howled as the machine pulled the wolf away. At twenty seconds his vision started to fade and he had to grip the controls tightly to keep himself upright. At thirty the machine powered down and he plugged himself back in, taking in gulps of air and sinking to the floor. He stayed there until his vision cleared and then pulled himself up.

A confused and angry girl sat in the cage. Wednesday was talking to her quietly and Tyler was keeping his distance. He ran a hand over his mouth and it came away smeared in red.

“Where's Pugsley?” He thought, staggering over to the staircase.

He stared up into the dark searching for the boy. He wanted to share his success.

“Isaac?” Tyler asked, suddenly much closer than he had been.

Isaac jumped and turned to look at his nephew but the world tipped sideways and melted away.

Chapter Text

They had locked Pugsley in his room, and while at first he'd thought it was a great prank, he'd become worried and suspicious about the reason when he'd realized they had barricaded him in as well. The lock was easy to pick but he'd just managed to move the door a few inches when something shook the house.

He wedged himself through and made it down to the kitchen when Tyler came up carrying a limp Isaac.

“What happened!”

“I don't know!” Tyler said, laying Isaac on the table, “he turned on the machine, it worked and then he was standing at the stairs with his nose bleeding!”

“His heart!”

Pugsley pushed Isaac's shirt aside, concerned that it was already unbuttoned, and found the clockwork heart silent. Pugsley's eyes welled up but he didn't stop it. He tried to summon up a spark. Each second it took, feeling fatal. Finally he managed to get more than a crackle and sent it through the metal.

It stayed silent and unmoving. A pained sound came from him and he tried again. Finally a faint ticking started over the sound of his panicked breaths. He watched Isaac's pale face closely, holding his hand tightly.

“Please,” he begged, ignoring the reminder in his head that the third time was usually the charm.

Tyler stood against the counter frowning and tense as he waited with Pugsley. Finally Isaac's brows knit together and he squeezed Pugsley's hand. He opened his eyes and looked around dazed.

“There you are,” he muttered, a grin flickering across his face as his eyes settled on Pugsley, “it worked.”

His eyes fluttered closed, but this time he stayed breathing, the ticking grew steadier.

“I'll take him upstairs,” Tyler said, stepping towards Isaac.

Pugsley nodded following behind. He struggled but was able to move the cabinet from in front of his door. Tyler laid him on the bed and Pugsley sat beside him.

“Why was I locked in?” Pugsley asked, taking Isaac's hand again.

“They knew you wouldn't like the plan,” Tyler said.

“What was ‘the plan’?”

“Isaac would play bait and get Enid to the basement.”

Pugsley closed his eyes tight. He was angry at being lied to again but mostly he was hurt and scared.

“I'm going to go update Wednesday,” Tyler said, leaving Pugsley and Isaac alone.

“You better wake up again,” he said to the sleeping boy.

Pugsley got up and went into the bathroom. He ran a washcloth under the water and walked back into the bedroom. Gently he cleaned the slowly drying blood from Isaac's mouth and nose, rinsed the cloth, and then cleaned the scrapes on his palms. Satisfied he curled up next to him and pulled the blanket over them.

When Pugsley woke up they weren't alone. Enid was sitting on the other bed scrolling on her phone.

“Enid?” Pugsley said, his voice hoarse.

She squeaked and dropped her phone.

“What are you doing up here?” He asked, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

“I wanted to check on him,” she said, nodding to Isaac's sleeping form, “and say thank you if he was awake.”

“oh,” was all he said, watching Isaac sleep.

“Wednesday says she thinks he used himself to power the machine thingy,” she said, getting up to stand beside the bed, “she couldn't find another explanation.”

“Of course he did,” Pugsley said, laughing angrily, “his heart's failing so what does he do? plays bait and uses himself as a battery!”

“I'm sorry,” Enid said gently, placing her hand on his shoulder, “this is because of me.”

“it's not your fault,” he said wiping away his tears.

“Will he be okay?”

Pugsley broke down, ugly sobs shattering him apart.

“I don't know! All I want is for him to wake up and tell me what to do!”

Enid wrapped him in a tight hug. She didn't berate him for being weak like Wednesday or try to soothe him like their mother, she just let him cry and he was grateful for it.

A soft groan had him pulling away. Isaac was frowning and had turned his head towards them. Slowly his eyes opened and he squinted at the sunlight.

“Pugsley?” He rasped, trying to sit up.

“Isaac,” he breathed, reaching for him desperately.

“What's wrong?”

“You! You jerk!” Pugsley said, shoving Isaac back down.

Isaac winced, “I deserve that.”

“If you ever do something like that again I'll kill you myself!” Pugsley said, grabbing Isaac's face.

Isaac smiled and opened his mouth to say something but Pugsley didn't give him the chance. He cut him off with an angry, desperate, kiss. Isaac made a noise of surprise but didn't push Pugsley away.

“I'm going to give you two some privacy,” Enid said and Pugsley heard the door squeak shut.

He pulled away but was stopped by Isaac dragging him back down. He kissed him back just as hard, nipping at Pugsley's lips before releasing him.

“You're not getting rid of me that easy,” he said breathlessly, tucking his face into the crook of Pugsley's neck, leaving small bites in his wake.

Chapter Text

Isaac had been put on bed rest, by threat of force from the two Addams, and while at first he hadn't minded since it let him have Pugsley's undivided attention he was quickly growing bored of being trapped in one room. It brought back memories of hospital rooms and whispered conversations and fatal countdowns.

He was alone, for the time being, and was using that to pace the room and stare longingly out of the window. He reached to open it.

“If Pugsley catches you up we're both in trouble,” said a voice from the door.

“Then don't let him,” Isaac said, turning to face Enid.

She shut the door and crossed her arms at him.

“I'm not getting back in that bed until I have to,” he warned, holding onto the bedpost for balance.

“Will you at least sit down or do I need to go get Pugsley?”

Isaac growled in frustration but sat down. Enid smiled and sat down next to him.

“Any luck on fixing it?” She asked, adjusting her hair in the mirror.

“Well we've found the most serious of the problems but I can only fix one while here.”

“So what's wrong with it and how can I help? And don't be Wednesday and say I can't!" She added when he started to speak.

He huffed at her and looked out the window again. He'd been so close.

“One of the valve attachments is cracked and causing the entire mechanism to shift and tear the remaining tissue," he said ignoring her squeamish groan, “and the core that keeps it functional is…depleted.”

He turned towards her, seeing her swallow hard. He smirked at her reaction. How a werewolf could be so squeamish he didn't know.

“uh s-so what, um how do you fix that?” she squeaked out looking almost green.

“The core I can't fix, we tried and the only result was a tremor in my hand and a twitching eye, so I'll have to replace that, eventually,” he said running a hand through his hair, “the valve I can repair and then replace later so there really isn't anything for you to do except get me out of this room before I start seeing people in the wallpaper.”

“I don't know what that means but I can't let you out,” she said, shrugging.

He groaned and fell back onto the bed dramatically, covering his face with his arm.

“Then leave me to fall into madness.”

“Nope, I'm on Isaac watch for the next two hours,” She chuckled, pulling his arm off of his face.

She was nothing like the Addams and he wasn't entirely sure how they could stand each other but he admitted that he liked having her around. She liked to talk, like Pugsley, and had made it her mission to get him caught up on everything he'd missed while dead. He appreciated the effort she'd put in to help him and that other than Pugsley was the only person to actively seek out his company.

He didn't care for social media as much as she did, he figured that stemmed from his dislike of most people, but it had been educational so he couldn't completely dismiss it.

“I'm going to get you a phone when we get back!” She declared.

He scrunched his nose.

“Why?”

“As a thank you! And so I can text you and you can text Pugsley!” She said winking at him.

He rolled his eyes. She was insufferable about his and Pugsley's change in relationship.

“You guys are so cute!” she'd squealed her first time guarding him.

He wasn't embarrassed exactly, but despite the reassurance that it didn't matter who he liked, the old dread his father had instilled in him remained. He wanted to keep things private but considering who he was sharing the house with that seemed unlikely.

Wednesday had already threatened him, repeatedly, about hurting or manipulating her brother.

“You'll lose more than your hand.”

And Tyler was hypocritical.

“Didn't you want to kill him?”

He shook his head and sat up, clearing his thoughts and refocusing on his current conversation.

“I talk to Pugsley in person and I'm sure you can find another way to bother me,” He said, waving a dismissive hand.

“Well with school starting I'm sure Pugsley would like to text you.”

“What?”

“Yeah Wednesday called her parents to ‘update’ them and Mrs Addams said Nevermore is going to reopen in the spring. Didn't Pugsley say anything?”

Isaac shook his head mutely. Pugsley was leaving him. He would go to Nevermore and come to his senses and Isaac would be completely alone. He'd never truly been alone, Francoise had always been there and for a time he'd had Gomez. He didn't think he would survive being left with himself.

“Isaac? Hey! Hey Isaac!"

Enid was shaking him and he blinked at her stupidly. He dimly registered that he was trembling.

“What's wrong?”

He opened his mouth but nothing came out. He was spared an explanation by Pugsley's arrival.

“Isaac? What happened? Talk to me,” He said, crawling onto the bed and wrapping his arms around Isaac's shoulders.

Isaac didn't answer, he'd caught his reflections eyes. Of course Pugsley was leaving, why would he stay when Isaac was such a mess.

“Enid what happened?” He heard Pugsley ask.

“I don't know! I was just talking about school and then he was like this!”

Pugsley sucked in a breath.

“Okay, um Enid can you give us a little while?”

Enid must have answered but Isaac didn't hear it. He was preparing himself for Pugsley's imminent rejection.

Chapter Text

Isaac was shaking and staring at his reflection like he hated it, his dark eyes wide and angry, it broke his heart.

“It's just us now, talk to me please,” He pressed his forehead to Isaac's temple, wishing he could see the thoughts inside.

“You're leaving,” Isaac finally whispered, sounding more like he was talking to himself than answering Pugsley.

“No. No I'm not, I'm right here.”

Isaac shuddered and closed his eyes.

“Yes, I'm going back to school but it just means I’ll be closer, and I'll come see you every chance I get!” He reassured, pressing soft kisses along Isaac's jaw.

Isaac laughed hollowly.

“until you're busy, until you meet someone new.”

Pugsley shook his head.

“No there is and never will be anyone else mi corazón,” He promised, wiping away the tears running down his love’s face.

Isaac grabbed Pugsley's wrist too tightly and pressed him back onto the mattress until he was almost on top of him. Isaac's eyes were wild and intense.

“You'll never get rid of me!” He growled, “even when you find someone else! You're mine!”

Pugsley was sure he would have bruises later but he was more concerned about the stress Isaac was putting on his heart.

“You're mine!” Isaac repeated.

He kissed Pugsley hard, like he was trying to eat him, the thought only exciting him, he would happily let him continue, but he could already hear the ticking starting to falter..

“Always,” He swore when Issac let him breathe, “but your heart, be gentle with your heart please.”

Isaac fell against his chest like the fight had been knocked out of him and nodded. He was breathing heavily and the shaking hadn't stopped. Pugsley rubbed circles into his back with one hand and stroked his hair with the other. Eventually his corazón's breathing evened out, and when he checked found him asleep.

He hadn't seen Isaac cry before, he doubted many had, and while he treasured the honor of being trusted with such a thing, he never wanted to be the cause of it again.

He knew and supported Enid's plan to get Isaac a phone but seeing how Isaac had reacted he knew it wouldn't be enough. His original plan had been to go to the cabin during his free time but a new idea had started as Isaac slept on him.

“Why waste time biking to the cabin when he could be at Nevermore with me?”

He would talk to Isaac about it later but he didn't think it would be hard to get him enrolled.

“Or re-enrolled I guess,” he thought.

His mother had said that the school's new administration was planning a massive Halloween dance to introduce themselves, and show that Nevermore was unaffected by the actions of dort, before the new semester. Pugsley thought it would be a perfect opportunity to prove his plan would work.

“And maybe this time I'll actually get to dance with him,” he thought, remembering how handsome Isaac had been in his masquerade costume.

“Okay now,” Isaac said, taking a deep breath and gripping the edge of the table he was sitting on, “you're going to, carefully, slide your finger behind the metal of the broken valve and press the patch over it until you hear it click.”

“Are you sure you want me doing this?" Pugsley asked, fidgeting with the small metal half cylinder.

“I trust you.”

Pugsley nodded apprehensively, but did as Isaac instructed. He was sweating and his hands weren't as steady as he was sure they needed to be, but Isaac had faith in him. The metal clicked and Isaac sighed, releasing the table and flexing his long fingers.

“OK now find me a mirror so I can make sure it covers the break completely,” he said, smiling.

Pugsley brought him one and waited with his heart in his throat to see if he'd messed it up.

“Well done,” Isaac said at last, “it looks like it's covered and attached securely.”

Pugsley sank onto the floor beside Isaac's legs and leaned his head on them. Issac chuckled and ran his fingers through Pugsley's hair.

“Don't laugh! I was terrified!”

“Don't be ridiculous, you did fine.”

Pugsley grunted and closed his eyes enjoying the fading adrenaline high and the feeling of Isaac's touch.

“Have you thought about my idea yet?”

Isaac hummed and Pugsley looked up at him, he was smirking.

“Well I have a costume idea for us.”

Pugsley scrambled to his feet.

“So that's a yes!”

“As long as the enrollment staff agrees.”

Pugsley kissed him, wrapping his arms around his neck. Isaac laughed against his mouth and cradled the back of Pugsley's head pulling him closer.

“Not that I don't love having you with me,” He started pulling away slightly, “but can I please get out of this house now?”

Pugsley nodded and helped Isaac up.

“Mom wants Wednesday and I home, so we're supposed to leave tomorrow.”

He felt Isaac tense.

“Don't worry, Enid's going to stay with you until her dad can come get her and then we're coming to stay at the cottage until the party!”

“Alright,” Isaac said gloomily, “but Enid's not you.”

Pugsley squeezed his hand and gave him a reassuring smile. Isaac didn't return it.

Chapter Text

The drive back to Jericho was different without Pugsley with him. Enid was decent company, if loud, but Isaac's heart hurt the further away he got, in a way that had nothing to do with its malfunctioning.

Enid insisted on driving most of the way.

“I don't want you passing out at the wheel,” she'd said, “and it'll be good practice for me.”

Isaac didn't fight her on it, his mind wasn't focused on the road anyway.

“So Pugsley says you have your costumes picked out?”

“I have to make them but yes,” he said trying to keep himself present.

“Ooh tell me tell me!” She said excitedly, smacking his arm.

“Ow.” He said flatly.

“Faker!”

He smiled and hid it by turning to look out the window.

“Why would I tell someone who abuses me?” He asked playfully.

She gasped in mock outrage.

“Isaac Night, you tell me right now or I'll hit you harder!”

He laughed and held his hands up in surrender when she pulled her fist back.

“Alright alright!” He said, “I thought we would be Frankenstein and his creature.”

“Aw that's fun! You have to let me take pictures!” She said, nodding seriously.

“Do I?”

“Absolutely.”

“What about you?”

She groaned and leaned back in the seat.

“I have no idea and Wednesday hasn't been any help!” She whined.

“I'm sure you'll think of something.”

They stopped at a mostly empty rest stop to stretch and eat the lunch they had packed. Isaac slipped into the wooded area behind the building to hunt and then they were back on the road.

“So when is your father coming to get you?” He asked, opening the cabin door, managing to catch the bolt telepathically.

“Um, why is there a boobytrap at your front door?” She asked, following close behind him.

“That has an obvious answer, my question doesn't have that luxury.”

“He said he was leaving tomorrow, so in a couple of days.”

Isaac nodded. He'd half hoped it would take longer.

“The bedroom is back there,” He said pointing to the door, “I'm the room beside it and the bathroom is straight ahead.”

“Okay,” she nodded, “what time do you want to go into town tomorrow?”

“For what?” He asked, baffled.

“For your phone dummy!”

He pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Can't you just pick one?” He asked flopping down on the couch

“No!” She said scandalized, “you have to pick and then we have to get you a case and some accessories for it!”

He groaned and covered his face.

“I'm a heart patient, be nice to me!”

“I am nice to you!”

He dropped his hands to glare at her. She wasn’t budging.

“What time?” She sing-songed.

“I don't care, just give me time to deal with this,” He said, gesturing to his hair.

“Deal!”

There were too many options. And every time he thought he'd made a decision Enid showed him something new. They had been looking at cases and accessories for half an hour and he was no closer to a decision than he had been at the start. Picking the phone had been easy enough and he'd been convinced the rest would be as well.

“Ooh look at this!” Enid cooed, showing him a purple case covered in glitter.

“I thought you were looking for me?” He said flatly.

She pouted and put it back. He shook his head and kept looking.

They set up his phone while they waited for their food to arrive. He'd finally settled on a plain black case, much to Enid's disappointment, and had found a phone grip shaped like the gears of a clock.

They had gotten some odd looks for their orders, a rare and blue rare burger respectively, but had mostly been ignored in their back corner booth.

“Okay so let's put Pugsley's number in,” Enid said, holding her hand out for the piece of paper Pugsley had scribbled on.

Isaac handed it over and watched as Enid saved it into his contacts.

“Okay your turn,” She said, sliding his phone to him, “put my number in.”

She recited the number and he copied what she had done.

“Great! Now we can get you some apps!”

They were briefly interrupted by the arrival of their lunch.

“Okay I know you're not big on socials so what do you want?” She asked, swallowing a bite.

“I don't know how to answer that.” He said taking a bite of his.

“Well what do you like to do?”

He blinked, trying to remember what he'd liked to do before. Most of the end of his life had been spent focused on his sister, everything else had fallen away.

“I like music,” he said.

“Okay that's a start,” She said, clicking around on his phone, “what else?”

He took another bite to buy himself time.

“Something to take notes on.” He said slowly.

That would be good for when inspiration struck, so he wouldn't end up stuck like he had with Pugsley at the carnival. Enid nodded encouragingly.

“What about games?”

“Chess?” He shrugged.

Enid's nose scrunched.

“What?”

“You're so like Wednesday.”

“How dare you.”

They had returned to the cabin after lunch and Enid had forcibly made him watch T.V. with her.

“For educational purposes!”

He was grateful for the phone as it allowed him to only half pay attention to the romance she'd put on. She was curled up clutching a pillow as she watched enraptured at the cheesy drama unfolding

He opened his contacts and clicked Pugsley's name.

“I have officially joined the modern age” he sent.

Pugsley sent a black heart a few seconds later and Isaac felt himself grin.

“Aww look at you!” Enid cooed.

He flipped her off and she kicked him.

The romance ended and she put on a baking competition. Isaac watched disinterestedly as he played a few games of chess.

“I don't know how they do that kind of thing!” She said, amazed as one of the bakers made a ‘gravity defying’ cake.

Isaac scoffed, “I could do that.”

“You bake?”

“No, but I can make things actually defy gravity.”

She rolled her eyes and shushed him.

“Just text your boyfriend.”

Isaac felt his face heat. He knew that's technically what they were but hadn't given the label much thought. It made him feel strange and he wasn't sure if he liked it or not.

“I'm-I'm going to bed,” he said, getting to his feet abruptly.

“Oh, okay goodnight!” Enid called after him.

Chapter Text

Pugsley smiled as his phone lit up. The contact said Mi Corazón and was bracketed by black heart emojis.

-“When are you coming again?”

-“two days”

-“I'm never going to get your costume done at this rate.”

He laughed softly. His Corazón was so impatient.

-“I miss you too”

They had been texting each other every day since Enid had gone home and Isaac had only grown more impatient, demanding reminders about when he would see Pugsley, despite knowing the answer.

He was excited about the dance too and couldn't wait to see the costume Isaac was creating for him. He had also said he was working on a project but refused to give Pugsley any details. He was excited to find out what it was but he was nervous he wasn't being told because it was something Pugsley would try to stop.

Isaac had sworn he'd never do something like that again and he wanted to believe him but he knew that Isaac would do whatever he felt he had to, even if it meant breaking that promise.

With Wednesday home, Pugsley had been left to his own devices, which he was happy about because it meant no one was questioning why he was on his phone so much, but it also made him sad. He knew Wednesday was the favorite and he didn't disagree, she was amazing, but he was also lonely.

“I'll be with Isaac soon,” He told himself, “and I'm his favorite.”

He was walking to the cabin, his jacket pulled tight against the cold. He'd told his parents that he was going to the lake to look for leeches and they hadn't questioned him too busy trying to convince Wednesday to wear a matching costume with them. He was buzzing with excitement, a wide smile plastered on his face.

He knocked on the door and waited.

“It's me!” He shouted when the door stayed closed.

It opened a second later letting him out of the wet cold. Isaac was in the kitchen, or what was left of it. Every surface was covered in bowls, utensils, and what looked like batter.

“What are you doing?” He asked, smiling fondly at Isaac and peeling his coat off.

“Proving a point!” He said, spinning to face Pugsley.

He was covered in flour and batter, his eyes lit with a manic light.

“I'm making a cake from one of Enid's shows,” He said showing Pugsley the video he was apparently following, “she doesn't think I can do it!”

Pugsley laughed, dropping his jacket on the couch and leaned on the counter to watch.

“her mistake,” He said, “you can do anything.”

Isaac leaned over and kissed him, just a small peck on the corner of his mouth.

“I'll measure you for your costume once I'm done.” He said returning to his cake.

The cake took longer than he had apparently expected and by the time he'd taken pictures and a video to prove he'd succeeded, and they'd gotten the kitchen cleaned, Pugsley had had to leave.

“I'll be back tomorrow,” He promised, holding onto Isaac's hand until they slipped apart at the threshold.

Isaac nodded but his dark eyes were pained and frustrated.

Issac was crouched in front of him and Pugsley was trying very hard to not think about it. He was muttering to himself and a pen was scribbling into a notebook without a physical hand to guide it. He reached a hand up and Pugsley took it, helping Isaac to his feet.

“I think I ha-” He was cut off by his phone ringing, Werewolves of London filled the cabin.

“I'm busy,” he said, answering it and putting it on speaker.

“Don't hang up!”

Pugsley snorted when he recognized Enid's voice.

“You have thirty seconds,” Isaac said, checking his notes.

“I want to take pictures of you and Pugsley before we go in for the dance.”

“You've said.”

“Well where should we meet and where should we take the pictures?”

Isaac looked at Pugsley and nodded to the phone.

“Uh, how about we meet at the cemetery and take pictures there too?” He said, looking to Isaac for approval.

“oh hi pugsley! Are you why he's ‘busy’?” she asked suggestively.

“The cemetery sounds fine to me,” Isaac said quickly.

Enid giggled.

“Your thirty seconds are up,” he threatened.

“Don't hang up! I want to have a set plan!”

Isaac huffed and went back to his notes.

“I’ll do whatever Pugsley wants,” He said.

“OK so we’ll meet at the cemetery twenty minutes before the dance starts. How does that sound?”

Isaac waved a dismissive hand and grabbed the lab coat laying on the back of the couch.

“Sounds good,” Pugsley said, still reeling from Isaac's statement.

“OK I'll see you guys then! Isaac you can hang up on me now.”

“Finally.”

Pugsley wrapped his arms around Isaac from behind. Isaac looked over his shoulder at him.

“I'll have it done by the dance,” He said.

“What about your costume?”

“Already had what I needed, but I'll need time to do my makeup for it so why don't we meet at the skull tree and then go make Enid happy?”

“Okay,” Pugsley said, excited and disappointed that he would have to wait to see what Isaac had come up with.

He rested his head between Isaac's shoulders and closed his eyes. He would have to go soon and they both knew it.

“She’ll lose it if she finds out what your ring tone is for her,” he said, chuckling.

“I found it funny,” Isaac said, his smile audible.

Pugsley waited for the call to connect. Isaac had said he couldn't come visit so he was video calling him instead.

“Hello Pugs,” Isaac said.

He was wearing dark goggles and his hair was a wild halo.

“Hello, my mad scientist,” Pugsley said, lovingly.

“I know, I know but I'm making a surprise and it's a little…temperamental.”

Pugsley frowned slightly. He hoped it wasn't related to his heart. He'd said they'd work on that together.

“Should I be worried?”

“Not unless you see smoke,” Isaac said, distracted.

Bright light filled the screen bathing Isaac in blue. His smile was pure madness and Pugsley wished he could watch him in person. He rested his head on his hand and sighed.

The light faded away and Isaac pushed the goggles on top of his head, blinking a few times.

“That step’s done, now I just have to wait for it to cool,” He said, picking up the phone and carrying it with him.

Pugsley didn't recognize the room Isaac was in as he settled again. The walls looked like concrete and it was dimly lit.

“Where are you?” He asked, squinting at the background.

“The better question is why are you calling me when your parents could find out?”

“I'm not going to let you ignore my question,” He said pointing an accusing finger at the screen, “but they aren't here, they took a day trip and won't be back until tomorrow.”

Isaac nodded and rolled his neck.

“So where are you?”

“A temporary lab I set up,” he said.

“Can I see?”

“Maybe some time, but not today.”

Pugsley pouted.

“Don't look at me like that, after I spent all night working on your costume.”

He perked up. The dance was two days away and he couldn't wait.

“It's done then?”

Isaac nodded and yawned.

“I'll get it to you at some point but right now I'm going to finish my project and then get some sleep.”

“Sleep first please, mi corazón,” He said.

Isaac grumbled but nodded.

Chapter Text

Isaac carefully painted incisions onto his face. He was sitting on the edge of the bathtub staring intently at the mirror. A line across his throat, two around his eyes, and one extending his smile on one side. He painted a y-incision from his collar bone and down his chest and after a moment's consideration added circles to his temples. It gave the effect of electroshock scars and he smiled at his work. Satisfied with the placement he started shading the edges of his ‘injuries’ and adding a slight green tint to a few of the sections and bruised mottling to the rest.

He fixed his shirt so his heart wasn't visible but the paint was and then pulled his coat on. He had found the lab coat he'd been buried in again and cleaned it the best he could. The years in the dirt had stained it and left it ragged but it was perfect for his purposes. He admired himself in the mirror, turning this way and that; he hoped Pugsley would like it.

Lastly he fixed his hair, he hadn't bothered to brush it and jelled it until it looked wet, hanging heavily around his face. He stepped out of the bathroom, checked the time, and grabbed the box from the counter as he left.

He paced across the roots of the skull tree as he waited for Pugsley. He was anxious and was making him irritable. What if Pugsley hadn't found his costume where Isaac left it? What if he didn't like it?

He was even more anxious about presenting Pugsley with the gift he'd made.

“It's too soon,” he thought, gripping the box tightly, “it's too soon and you'll scare him off.”

He knew he was being irrational, that he'd tried to kill Pugsley and the boy had still come back, but the dread wouldn't dissipate with logic.

A soft, familiar laugh startled him, causing him to trip.

“Sorry!” Pugsley said, grabbing his arm to steady him, “you just looked so serious!”

Isaac couldn't respond. Pugsley was wearing one of his lab coats. He'd know he would be, he'd tailored it himself after all. But it was different seeing it on him. Isaac swallowed hard trying to form a coherent thought that wasn't just Pugsley's name on loop.

“You okay?” Pugsley asked.

“You-your hair is different,” Isaac managed.

Pugsley ran a hand through the curls on his head and smiled shyly.

“I thought I'd leave it natural, you know, for a more mad scientist look.”

Isaac nodded, still not quite capable of thinking.

“Is it that bad?” Pugsley asked, pulling away and picking at his costume.

“No!” Isaac said, louder than he'd intended, “I-I am trying very hard to not press you up against this tree.”

Pugsley flushed, which was not helping, and Isaac cleared his throat forcing himself to look away.

“What, uh, what's in the box?” Pugsley asked after a moment, knocking on the lid.

Isaac looked down at it, he'd forgotten he was holding it.

“I made something for you, well,” he said rubbing the back of his neck, “I made it for us.”

Pugsley's eyes lit up and Isaac felt his heart clench at the sight. He pressed the box into Pugsley's hands and had to turn away as he opened it. He heard Pugsley gasp and closed his eyes, his hands clenching spastically at his sides.

“Oh! They're beautiful, mi monstruo!” Pugsley praised softly, “you are so amazing!”

Isaac felt like someone had cut his strings and pressed a hand to the bark of the tree to steady himself.

“You-you like it then?” He asked turning to face Pugsley.

“Of course!”

“There's a few more surprises, may I?” he said, holding out his hand.

Pugsley begrudgingly handed over the glass and metal rose. Isaac pressed one of the metal leaves down and the stem unwound, becoming chain-like. He wrapped it around his wrist and pressed the leaf again, the stem reformed in its new shape. Pugsley cooed and stepped closer. Isaac released it from his wrist and before Pugsley could take it back he threw it as hard as he could against the tree.

“Why would you do that?” He gasped, sounding hurt.

Isaac smiled and held up a finger to shush him. He held out his hand and the flower floated back towards him. He spun it in the air, showing Pugsley it was unharmed.

“That's amazing! How'd you do that?”

“One last thing,” he said, handing it over, “give the bottom of the stem a shock.”

Pugsley's brows raised but he did as Isaac said. The petals of the rose filled with arcs of electricity giving it a chaotic luminance. Isaac watched Pugsley's face, his own smile faltering when the boy's eyes started to fill with tears.

“What's wrong? Too much?”

Pugsley shook his head and wiped his eyes.

“I love it! It's us!” He said, hugging Isaac tightly.

He relaxed and wrapped his arms around Pugsley.

“Would you, my dear?” He asked, pulling away and holding up his matching rose.

Pugsley's smile was dazzling as he lit it and Isaac felt himself melt. He forced himself to check the time and winced. Enid was going to kill them.

“We have to go,” He said softly, leading Pugsley towards the cemetery.

Chapter Text

He couldn't decide what to look at, the rose or the gorgeous creature that made it for him. Isaac was a Gothic angel, his dark curls framing his face like he'd been in the rain or dredged from a lake, the painted incisions making him something straight from the morgue of a horror story. His heart sang just being near him and it was only amplified by Isaac's admission of his own want. As excited as he'd been for the dance, all he really wanted now was to go to Isaac's cabin.

“There you guys are!” Enid said huffily.

“Apologies for being late,” Isaac said, letting go of Pugsley's hand, “I lost track of time.”

“That's OK we still have time, you guys look amazing!”

“So do you,” Pugsley said, taking in her costume.

She was dressed as a chess queen, with a sparkling black crown perched on her head and secured under her chin, and a regal black dress. She curtsied and did a small spin. Pugsley clapped appreciatively and beside him Isaac tensed. He took Pugsley's hand almost possessively and pulled him closer.

“Are you taking pictures or not,” He said.

Enid blinked at him, surprised by the slight hostility.

“Ready when you are.”

Pugsley brought Isaac's hand to his lips and felt the tension release. Was he jealous? He wasn't given time to think about that as Enid started moving them around.

They did several poses all around the graveyard, some with Isaac ‘threatening’ him, his favorite was when Isaac's hands were around his neck, a few with Isaac laying in the leaves with Pugsley over him, but his absolute favorite was when Isaac cradled his head, tilting it up, just inches from kissing him. The look in his eyes had Pugsley's knees buckling, he'd never been looked at with such sincere devotion. He'd have stayed like that forever.

“These are so good!” Enid cheered, “I'll send them to you guys later!”

Isaac hummed in response, his eyes never leaving Pugsley's.

“Come on, it's starting!” she urged.

Pugsley closed the distance and kissed him. Isaac gave him a small, soft smile and took his hand following Enid.

The ballroom was strung in Nevermore purple and black and lit in cold blue light casting eerie shadows across the room and the partygoers. Signs hung around announcing that anyone who needed to could speak to the enrollment staff through the night.

Isaac kept his hair in front of his face much to Pugsley's displeasure but he understood why it was necessary.

“I can't wait until he doesn't have to hide,” He thought, dragging Isaac to the dance floor.

They only caught half of the song but Pugsley didn't mind. The song changed, a strange violin song came on and Isaac came to life, leading Pugsley into a waltz that somehow perfectly matched the chaotic notes and abrupt tempo changes of the song. He knew he'd heard Wednesday play the song before and he thought Isaac had played it while working on the machine in Maine but he couldn't remember the name.

He knew he should be more aware of the eyes on them but it was hard when his dream for the dance was coming true. A few of his dreams in truth. He had someone's full attention and that someone loved him. The song picked up the pace again and Isaac sent them into a series of dizzying spins, at one point he swore they weren't touching the ground anymore. It ended gently softening in pace and Isaac pulled him close recreating their pose from the cemetery.

This time it didn't end with a kiss but with Pugsley having to quickly find them somewhere to sit as Isaac's heart was acting up.

“I'm alright,” He insisted, waving Pugsley off and trying to stand.

He didn't make it far before he had to catch him. Isaac growled in frustration and leaned his head back on the seat. Pugsley squeezed his hand.

“We can take a break,” He said sitting down next to him, “I don't mind.”

“I don't want you to miss out because you're stuck with me,” Isaac said, not looking at him.

“I'm not ‘stuck’ with you,” He said resting his head on Isaac's shoulder, “I wanted to be here with you and I am so I don't need anything else.”

Isaac sighed and leaned against Pugsley.

“I should talk to the enrollment staff before they get overwhelmed,” he said, sitting up.

“Are you sure you're feeling better?”

He nodded and accepted Pugsley's help in standing. They followed the signs and Isaac knocked sharply on the door.

“Go have fun I'll find you once I'm done,” He said, shooing Pugsley.

Pugsley wandered back to the party and scanned the room. His face lit up when he saw Eugene in a bee costume.

“Eugene!” He called, jogging over.

Eugene waved and pushed up his glasses.

“Hey Pugsley, who are you dressed as?”

“I'm Frankenstein obviously,” He said, gesturing to his costume.

“Shouldn't you have a monster?”

“Oh I do, he's just getting enrolled right now,” Pugsley said, pointing back the way he had come.

Eugene frowned.

“Oh, who are you with?”

Pugsley panicked for a second. What was he supposed to say? Eugene would freak if he knew.

“My…boyfriend,” He said, landing on that as his only solid answer.

“Oh! Uh that's cool, is he in our grade?”

Pugsley shook his head, relaxing.

“No, he'll be a senior this year.”

“Wow an upper classman! How'd you manage that?”

Pugsley smiled and shrugged. The less he said the better, he would break the news once the semester started.

“Hey I'm gonna go get some more terrible punch, do you want some?” Eugene asked.

“Sure!”

He and Eugene still weren't super close, and when Pugsley had come to visit it had been more awkward than fun, but hanging out at a public event was progress.

Arms wrapped around Pugsley from behind and he smiled as a familiar face peered over his shoulder.

“All set,” Isaac said, kissing his cheek.

“No problems?”

Isaac shrugged and Pugsley bit his lip waiting for the bad news.

“They had a few conditions in light of my…situation, but nothing too egregious.”

“That's great!”

“Oh! You must be Pugsley's monster!” Eugene said, coming up behind them and handing Pugsley a paper cup of violently purple liquid.

“Naturally,” Isaac said, his tone clipped.

“I'm Eugene,” He said, holding out his hand for Isaac to shake, “one of Pugsley's friends.”

Isaac left Eugene's hand hovering awkwardly between them.

“I know who you are,” He said, “Pugsley's talked about you.”

Eugene dropped his hand and laughed nervously. He adjusted his glasses and took a sip out of his cup.

“That's cool makeup,” He started pointing with the cup, “almost looks…real.”

He felt Isaac stop breathing and looked at him confused. Isaac's makeup was awesome. What was wrong with someone complimenting it?

“Oh I um I actually have to go talk to the enrollment office myself,” Eugene said inching away, “I'll um I'll see you when classes start.”

“Alright, I guess,” Pugsley said, still confused.

Isaac pulled away and watched Eugene leave, tracking him through the crowd. Once he was out of sight pressed a quick kiss to Pugsley's lips and started for the exit.

“Where are you going?” He asked, chasing after him.

“He knows who I am,” Isaac said, not stopping.

“So he's a little freaked out. I'll talk to him, Eugene's cool,” Pugsley panted.

Isaac stopped once they had reached their tree. His fists were clenched and he was breathing hard. Pugsley was caught off guard when he was pushed up against the trunk. Isaac was studying his face like he was committing him to memory.

“I want you to be right, Pugsley,” He said, pain lacing every word.

He kissed him gently and deep, pressing as close as he could.

“but I can't risk that.”

Isaac left, holding Pugsley in place telepathically until he was out of sight. Pugsley wiped his face, angry, angry at Isaac for leaving, angry at himself for crying over it. They'd been having such a good time and now it was ruined. He kicked at the tree roots and drifted listlessly towards the cottage, not feeling like returning to the dance alone.

His parents were waiting inside with Eugene. His mother looked equal parts angry and scared and his father just looked sad. Eugene wouldn't look at him at all and it made him furious.

“Pugsley,” his mother said sternly, “Eugene says you were at the dance with-with Isaac Night.”

Pugsley glared at Eugene. He excused himself and fled.

“My son, why did you bring him back?” his father asked.

Pugsley wouldn't answer, wouldn't look at them. They wouldn't understand or really listen so what was the point?

“Whatever he's told you,” his mother said, holding his face gently in her cold hands, “it's just manipulation, we'll keep you safe from him.”

Pugsley couldn't stop the tears or his parents' misunderstanding of them. They were taking him away from his love. He understood now why Isaac had studied him so closely, and had held him so tight. He'd known they would be parted, he had been saying goodbye, and Pugsley had been too stupid to see it.

Pugsley was kept under supervision, though it was pointless since he refused to leave his room.

They hadn't contacted the Jericho police, what explanation could they give that wasn't incriminating, deciding to handle it ‘as a family’ instead.

They had gone to the cabin, after forcing Pugsley out of the cottage to lead the way, and found it abandoned. Not only abandoned but completely trashed, worse than when Pugsley had first found Isaac's hideaway. The only thing of value had been Pugsley finding, and pocketing, Isaac's phone. There would be no tracking him, his corazón had disappeared.

Chapter Text

Isaac slammed the door hard enough for the windows to rattle. Everything had been just fine until the swarmer recognized him.

“Should have killed him,” he growled, sending the crossbow across the room to shatter against the wall, “could've used a snack.”

He was shaking, paralyzed with rage. He got himself under control enough to move and forced himself to the bathroom. He cleaned the paint off, the mirror shattering, and left his coat in the tub. He stalked to the bedroom, changing and throwing a few clothes and his notes in a bag. He stepped back into the main room and stopped as his phone chimed.

-“Where'd you guys go?”

It was Enid. He was going to ignore it when it chimed again. She'd sent the photos and the last of Isaac's composure snapped.

The walls shook, furniture smashed, glass exploded as he screamed. He reached for his heart, hands closing around cold metal as the gears spun. He hesitated.

“Pugsley,” he told himself, releasing it, “don't do that to him again.”

He left his phone in the wreckage. Typing out a cryptic message in his notes just in case Pugsley managed to get it one day. They would likely have the cops after him, and he was certain they could use the device to track him. He picked his bag up and left what remained of the cabin. He wandered towards Jericho like a ghost, unseeing and unfeeling.

The bunker was dark and cold but he wouldn't be found there. He'd used it as his lab for their roses but had been very careful to not to spend more time there than he'd had to. To not look around at the memories haunting the rooms. He dropped his bag in the middle of the floor and placed the picture of Francoise and her family face down as he passed it.

He stared at the bed trying to find the will to make a plan. Failing once again, he laid face down on it, not bothering to take off his shoes or cover himself with the blanket.

He didn't know or care how long he'd laid there unsleeping, but the aching numbness in his limbs and the obnoxious squeaking of a rodent somewhere in the bunker forced him up. He flexed his fingers noting absently that they appeared to be rotting slightly.

He found the rat, eating it out of habit rather than desire, and went back to the bedroom.

Time stopped holding meaning, he lay in the bed, sometimes sleeping, sometimes staring, he would drift around the bunker, he would eat whatever crawled its way in, he would lay in bed. His hair was matted and filthy, he was limping as the rot crept back in, his heart stuttered and skipped. He ignored it all.

He had no purpose, no one to guide his actions, no one to keep him together. He'd lost everyone, his best friend, his sister, the love of his life.

“I wonder how long it will take for me to completely revert,” he thought while looping through the kitchen.

He knew Pugsley would be devastated by his treatment of himself. He'd tried to at least brush his hair for Pugsley's sake but had ended up just staring at his reflection.

He couldn't even find the anger to seek revenge, there was only the bone deep cold and an emptiness that threatened to take him, body and soul.

He lay down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.

Chapter Text

They were staying at the cottage until the start of the semester, courtesy of the new administration. Winter was arriving and Pugsley was still refusing to leave his room. He'd started eating again only after Wednesday had begrudgingly expressed her concern.

“I'm the only one allowed to torture you.”

There had been no sign of Isaac, his parents had even stopped searching for missing persons to pin on him. He traced the glass petals of his rose pressing it close to his heart. He'd kept it hidden from his family in fear of them taking it. A knock on the door forced him to return it to its hiding spot.

“Are you awake, my little storm?” Asked his mother.

“I'm awake.”

“You have a visitor,” she said, her eyes filled with the same concern that had been there since the dance.

Enid leaned into his room and wiggled her fingers at him. He sat up with a sigh. His mother hovered for a moment longer before shutting the door, her heels clicking as she retreated.

“How are you doing?” Enid asked, sitting on the edge of his bed.

He looked at her.

“You look like Wednesday when you do that,” she said.

He laid back down pulling out his rose, knowing that Enid wouldn't tell.

“Is that from him?”

He nodded, clicking the stem release a few times.

“It's pretty,” She said, leaning to look at it better.

“It's us,” he said softly, “my electricity and his creative genius.”

He wiped his eyes, despite no tears being in them. He'd run out at some point and now he was just heartsick.

“Any word from him?” Enid asked, clearly trying to keep him talking.

He shook his head again and rolled onto his side, pulling out Isaac's phone from beneath his mattress. He handed it over wordlessly.

Enid sighed and clicked the power button.

“It's not charged,” he said when the screen stayed black.

“Have you tried unlocking it?” She asked.

“No, why would I?”

“Maybe there's a clue or something,” she said, shrugging.

She unplugged his phone and plugged Isaac's in. Pugsley watched it light up, a spark of hope forming in the shattered remnants of his heart.

“Do you really think we'll find something?”

Enid shrugged, “it's possible, you've seen how he writes his notes, maybe there's one about where he'd go.”

Pugsley's heart sped up, for the first time in months he felt like he had a course of action.

“I'll find you mi corazón,” he thought, watching as the battery slowly filled.

“You know Wednesday and I are working on your parents,” Enid said, sitting back down.

“What do you mean?”

“We're convincing them that Isaac's not trying to hurt you, or them,” she said smiling, “I think your dad believes us.”

He felt warm, his sister was helping him get his love back. He'd have to thank her, maybe bury her for a few hours once the ground thawed.

“Thank you,” he said, hugging Enid tightly, “you don't know how much you've done for me.”

“Find him and we'll call it even,” she said laughing slightly, “I miss forcing him to watch TV with me.”

The phone finally had enough charge to power on but Pugsley was stopped by a new obstacle. He didn't know Isaac's password, he'd tried everything he could think of. It hadn't been his sister's name, either of their birthdays, Isaac's favorite songs or books, or any references to his inventions.

He groaned in frustration as his last attempt proved to also be incorrect.

“Have you tried your name?” Said Wednesday in her monotone voice.

Pugsley jumped, he didn't know how long she'd been standing in his doorway and he was paranoid that their parents might have seen.

“They're out having a date night,” she said, stepping into the room.

Pugsley relaxed and tried his name like she'd suggested. The phone unlocked and he gave her a wide grin.

“Don't hug me,” she warned.

“How'd you know? Was it a vision, are they back?”

“No, but he seemed like the type to make his boyfriend his password.”

“You're the best, Wednesday!”

“You have a few hours. I suggest you start looking for clues,” She said, the corner of her mouth twitching up as she left him to search.

He smiled at her back and turned his attention back to the phone. He searched through the phone, brows knitting in concentration.

“Why does he have three note apps?” He muttered, clicking through the first one.

The answer was apparently that they were all for separate types of notes. The first one had been for invention ideas, the second one was apparently just for plot reminders for Enid’s shows. Neither of which gave him anything helpful. He was desperate as he opened the final one. It was mostly empty, only two entries, neither labeled.

The first one was plans for the roses. The second he thought was useless at first, and had to reread it a few times.

-”Twice underground, one a grave, one to hide. First a tree then a house hydden in a normal town, an upstanding man, a loving wife, a typical teen, but missing two it would seem.”

Pugsley frowned at it. Underground was definitely Isaac and ‘one a grave’ must be the skull tree.

“Where are you trying to lead me mi corazón?” He muttered reading it again.

The misspelling of hidden had to be intentional.

“A house hydden, a house hydden, a house hy-”

He sat up straight.

“Wednesday!”

She appeared at his door and raised an eyebrow at him.

“Where's Tyler's house?”

He studied the message again as the early snow blew around him. He was in the backyard of the Galpin house. He was certain this was where he was supposed to be but the last line had him stumped.

“Two missing?” He said, his breath pluming in the air.

He walked back to the porch and sat on the step.

“OK a man, a wife, a teen, that's Tyler's family,” he said, “what's missing?”

He chewed his lip, his leg bouncing.

“Isaac's missing,” he said, “OK so Isaac is one who's the other?”

He looked around the yard having already checked the basement and rest of the house. He tilted his head at the sight of a dog house. There had been a lot of pictures in the house and not one of them had a dog in it.

He crept down the stairs cautiously, not wanting to accidentally fall victim to one of Isaac's ‘security measures’. It was dark in the bunker and only slightly warmer than outside.

“Isaac?” He called out, teeth chattering.

His voice echoed and remained unanswered. He tripped over something in the middle of the floor and landed hard.

“Well if he didn't hear me before he definitely heard that,” he thought, getting up carefully.

He was looking through the bag that tripped him for clues when a shuffling sound turned his attention to the rest of the space. Isaac stood very still with one hand on the doorframe of a side room Pugsley hadn't noticed.

He dropped the bag and ran to him. He wrapped his arms around him burying his head in his chest. Isaac still didn't move. Pugsley looked up at him confused and more than a little desperate. He couldn't see him well in the dark, couldn't read him.

“Isaac? My love?”

“You're here,” he said, voice soft and flat.

Pugsley nodded and squeezed him tighter. Slowly Isaac's arms came around Pugsley.

“I found your clues!” He said looking up at him and wishing the light was better.

Isaac let out a gasping whine and buried his face in the crook of Pugsley's neck. He pulled Isaac backwards towards the couch and sank down onto it. Isaac was kissing and biting him and Pugsley was returning in kind. Isaac pulled him onto his lap and licked his way into Pugsley's mouth. He moaned as his tongue kept going. They broke apart for air with Isaac nipping at his throat, pushing Pugsley's coat off his shoulders.

“I want to see you,” Pugsley whined, shifting his position on Isaac's lap.

Isaac growled, his hands gripping Pugsley's hips with bruising pressure. He shook his head and claimed Pugsley's mouth again.

Something was wrong, Isaac didn't deny him much. He pulled away gasping.

“Isaac, my love,” he panted, “please, I need to see you.”

Isaac stilled, resting his head on Pugsley's shoulder.

“Please.”

He felt Isaac shift, his right arm reaching out, and suddenly the lights brightened. Pugsley's heart clenched as he looked at him. His beautiful curls were matted and filthy, his skin had a gray tinge and the odd texture he remembered from the haunted house, his dark eyes sunken and pain-filled. He wouldn't look at Pugsley and he'd released his death grip on him.

“Oh mi monstruo, what's happened?”

Isaac's jaw ticked and he closed his eyes.

“You haven't been taking care of yourself have you?” He said cradling Isaac's face, forcing him to look at him.

“Pugsley,” he whimpered, tentatively pulling him closer, “I couldn't, I'm sorry.”

“I'm here,” he said, kissing him softly.

Isaac started to shake, his breathing ragged.

“I've missed you so much,” Pugsley murmured, pressing kisses to Isaac's temples, “I couldn't eat, couldn't sleep.”

Isaac nodded, “You're thinner.”

Pugsley wasn't sure how to feel about the slight disapproval in his tone.

“We'll worry about me later, let me worry over you right now.”

Isaac winced and pulled away.

“I know,” he sighed, looking disgusted, "I'm not myself.”

Pugsley kissed him, pleased when Isaac made a needy sound.

“You're beautiful,” he said.

Isaac scoffed and looked away. Pugsley kissed him again and rolled his hips. Isaac moaned, his hands finding Pugsley's hips again. His eyes were black holes of need as Pugsley repeated the motion.

Isaac flipped them, laying Pugsley down on the couch and sliding down between his legs. His mouth was slack as he looked up at him with half lidded eyes. Pugsley flushed at the sight. An invisible hand roamed across Pugsley as Isaac slowly pulled down his zipper. The noise he made as Isaac took him in his mouth was somewhere between a choke and a moan, and Pugsley would have been embarrassed if he could've formed a complete thought.

He tried to reach for Isaac but the unseen hand pulled his arms over his head and held them there. He whined and Isaac grinned, his teeth grazing Pugsley's cock and sending sparks up his spine.

“Isaac,” he breathed, unable to help the way his hips bucked when Isaac's impossibly long tongue wrapped around him.

His breathing was fast and ragged and he knew he wasn't going to last.

“Isaac,” he warned.

Isaac hummed and Pugsley couldn't help himself. His vision went white, his back arching off the couch. He came back to himself a few seconds later to Isaac grinning smugly and licking his lips. He couldn't speak yet just gave him a blissed out smile in return. Isaac got up and Pugsley watched him disappear into a different room. He heard water running and a few seconds later Isaac returned with a wet cloth.

He kissed Pugsley sweetly as he cleaned him up and he fought the urge to cry.

“What about you?” He asked, finding his voice and propping up on his elbows.

Isaac grinned against his jaw. Pugsley's hand was pulled towards Isaac's belt by a familiar invisible force and he quickly complied. Isaac shuddered as Pugsley's hand wrapped around him, his head falling to Pugsley's shoulder. He brushed his thumb across the tip and flushed at the obscene sound it caused.

“That's it,” Isaac moaned as Pugsley found a rhythm, “So good. So good for me.”

Pugsley whined at the praise and twisted his wrist, changing the angle. Isaac bit down on his shoulder hard and Pugsley felt himself twitch in interest. Isaac came with a muffled groan and collapsed on top of him.

He dragged himself up after a few moments and leaned back against the couch, his head falling back as he caught his breath.

“Your heart,” Pugsley said, fear overriding his high as he sat up.

Isaac waved his hand and shook his head slightly.

“Just a little fatigue, that's all.”

Pugsley doubted that and leaned over, resting his head on Isaac's chest. Isaac threaded his fingers through his hair. The ticking was sluggish and slightly out of rhythm, he frowned at it.

Isaac didn't seem to be in pain however and that brought him some comfort. He closed his eyes listening to the ticking and enjoying Isaac playing with his hair.

“I should get cleaned up,” Isaac said with a sigh.

Pugsley let him up and trailed after him. Isaac sat on the edge of the tub watching the water fill, steam filling the room. Pugsley hopped up on the small counter and smiled contentedly at Isaac's back. He turned off the water and Pugsley covered his eyes as Isaac started undressing.

He heard Isaac chuckle and peeked through his fingers. Isaac was in the tub, his elbows resting on the edge as he smirked at Pugsley.

“After what we just did, me taking a bath is too much?” he teased.

“It's good manners,” Pugsley defended, crossing his arms, his ears feeling hot.

“It's cute,” Isaac said, leaning back and sighing as he sank into the hot water.

“No tape,” Pugsley said, “be careful please.”

“I know what I'm doing, dear.”

Pugsley admired the picture in front of him. Isaac's eyes closed, his face relaxed, the steam curling around him. He turned away and drew hearts into the steam covered mirror.

“Will you do me a favor?” Isaac asked, breaking the warm silence.

“Of course, anything,”

Isaac's eyes dilated slightly, his lips parted. He shook his head as if clearing it.

“Would you wash my hair please.”

Pugsley hopped off the counter and kneeled beside the tub. Isaac handed him the soap and leaned his head back. He sighed as Pugsley worked the soap in, trying to undo the knots and mats as he went. He had to go find a cup in the kitchen to rinse, since Isaac couldn't go under, but Pugsley didn't mind.

Isaac got dressed, Pugsley turned his back, and they returned to the couch. Isaac was sitting cross-legged on the floor as Pugsley brushed and detangled his hair.

“I've done what I can,” he said, setting the brush down.

Isaac crawled onto the couch next to him and Pugsley tucked himself into his side.

“You'll have to go, won't you,” Isaac said.

Pugsley sighed and nodded.

“I don't want to, but they'll freak out if they notice I'm gone.”

Isaac tightened his hold on him.

“Mine,” he growled, the sound sending a tingle through Pugsley.

“Yours,” he said, “but I know where you are now and mom and dad are almost convinced.”

Isaac nodded but didn't release him. Pugsley kissed his temple and down his jaw until he relaxed.

“Oh!” Pugsley said, remembering, “I brought this!”

He pulled his abandoned coat over and pulled Isaac's phone from the pocket.

“Now we can talk again!”

Isaac took it and smiled softly.

“Thank you my dear.”

The sun had fully set by the time Wednesday let him inside.

“I see you found him,” she said, looking at his neck.

He grinned sheepishly and nodded.

“Good. Don't let them see those, I haven't fully broken them yet and won't have you undoing my progress.”

Chapter Text

Isaac returned to the bunker, licking blood from his fingers. He'd been venturing to the outskirts of town to hunt almost daily since Pugsley found him, determined to restore himself so Pugsley would see him at his best. He washed his face off in the bathroom and dried himself before going to the bedroom to check his phone.

Pugsley had texted him while he'd been gone.

-“Big news! Mom and dad caved! But they want to talk to you first.”

Isaac snorted, of course they did.

“Probably going to threaten me,” he thought, “or bury me again.”

He did want to see Pugsley however, and to get out of the bunker. He'd been living with the memories for too long and they were threatening to choke the life from him.

-“When?”

He sent, setting his phone aside and changing in case the answer was immediately.

-“Is now a bad time?”

Isaac grinned smugly.

“Knew it.”

He didn't have a coat suitable for the weather and was miserably cold by the time he arrived at the cottage. He knocked stiffly and ran a hand through his hair in an attempt to make himself presentable. Thankfully Wednesday opened the door instead of Morticia or Gomez. She silently let him in and locked the door behind him.

“The firing squad awaits,” she said, pointing him towards what he found to be a sitting room.

Morticia and Gomez sat side by side holding each other's hands tensely. He fought to keep his face neutral as he crossed the threshold.

“Hello old friend,” he said, greeting Gomez with a pleasant smile.

Gomez smiled back and gestured for Isaac to take a seat.

“We understand you and Pugsley have become…close,” Morticia said, her eyes not quite settling on him.

He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing.

“We have, yes,” he said, once he had himself under control.

“We also understand that you helped dear Enid of your own volition.”

He nodded.

“Isaac, my friend I'm sure you can understand our concern when we found out,” Gomez said, leaning forward.

“You're worried I'm going to lash out.”

Gomez shrugged, his face apologetic.

“You don't have the best track record,” Morticia said icily.

“and you do?” he shot back.

She blinked rapidly, her hand fluttering to her throat. Isaac sighed and dropped his head.

“Gomez,” he started, “I'm sure you recall that I've always had a temper.”

He waited for Gomez to nod.

“You used to not hold that against me, I'll ask you to recall that.”

“It's not that simple my friend, this was more than losing your temper.”

“He tried to kill you, my love,” Morticia reminded.

Isaac felt his eye twitch.

“No actually,” he said, straightening up, “I didn't.”

Her head snapped towards him, eyes blazing.

“I admit my machine was taking more than I had anticipated, I apologize for that,” he said, cutting off her denial, “I was cutting the machine off when you intervened.”

She shook her head slightly and gripped Gomez's hand.

“He's a manipulative liar!”

“You can insult me directly instead of feeding your poison to him!” He snapped.

They recoiled at his outburst and he pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes. He sighed, resigning himself to hiding away in the bunker until he inevitably succumbed to madness.

“I understand your concerns,” he said standing up, “but take this into consideration, I have spent months alone with your son, if I were going to hurt him or manipulate him as you claim, wouldn't I have done so already?”

He didn't wait for a response, leaving the way he'd entered. He stood outside the door, the cold emptiness threatening to overwhelm him. He started walking, trying to force himself to think of a plan that didn't involve kidnapping Pugsley.

They were both enrolled for the spring semester but he didn't doubt they would pull Pugsley to keep him away. He looked up to see where his feet had taken him and found himself at his former grave once again. He sat down on the edge of the hole clenching his hands to keep blood flowing.

The sound of running made him turn around. Pugsley burst into view and slid to a stop. He was panting and his cheeks were cold flushed.

“Don't-don’t disappear again!” He said, dropping his hands to his knees.

“I ruined our chance didn't I?” he said, patting the ground next to him.

Pugsley plopped down and huddled close, wrapping Isaac's hands in the end of his scarf.

“They're discussing things,” Pugsley said, “what happened?”

“Lost my composure,” he said, leaning against Pugsley, “your mother and I have never seen eye to eye.”

“Neither do her and Wednesday,” Pugsley said, shrugging.

“Not quite the same but I appreciate the attempt.”

Pugsley sighed and swung his legs inside the grave. Isaac rested his head in its usual spot on Pugsley's shoulder.

“If you two are done being sickening,” Wednesday said, behind them, “a decision has been reached.”

They filed into the sitting room, Pugsley slipping his hand into Isaac's. Morticia's lips pressed flat when she noticed but she stayed silent.

“That has to be a good sign,” he thought.

“We've made a decision,” She said not sounding happy about it, “Isaac, you and Pugsley can continue…seeing each other, however,” She continued, “you will be staying here under our supervision until the start of term.”

Pugsley was practically vibrating, and while Isaac had initially shared his excitement it had been dampened by the fact that he would be trapped with his murderers for the winter.

He was led to a room away from the others, away from Pugsley, and instructed to make himself comfortable. He sat on the bed picking at the comforter. He had nothing to unpack and nothing worth retrieving other than his notebooks, which he would have to send Pugsley for since he was forbidden from leaving the premises.

A knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts. It was Pugsley, Isaac smiled tiredly at him.

“I'm so glad you're here,” he said, kissing Isaac sweetly.

Isaac wanted to enjoy it, wanted to pull him down onto the bed and make a mess of him, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from the door and who was likely waiting on the other side.

“You're so cold!” Pugsley said, pulling an extra blanket from the closet and wrapping it around both of them.

“Well,” Isaac said tilting his head playfully, “I am a zombie.”

Pugsley scrunched his nose at the word and forced Isaac to lay down. He traced the circles under Isaac's eyes lovingly.

“Yeah but you're my zombie,” he said, kissing the corner of his mouth.

“Pugsley?” Morticia called.

Isaac glared at the door, but allowed Pugsley to get up.

“See you at dinner, mi corazón,” he said, before leaving Isaac in his new room.

Chapter Text

They were in the same house again and Pugsley had never been more frustrated. Isaac was on the other end of the cottage but he may as well have been on the moon for all Pugsley got to see of him. His parents had said it was fine for them to continue their relationship, like Pugsley would have stopped if they'd said no, but every time he and Isaac were together for more than five minutes his mother would summon him for something. It was better when his dad was in charge but not by much since he was apparently determined to befriend Isaac again, and Isaac was determined to avoid him.

“I can't wait for school to start,” Pugsley said, laying down on Isaac's bed.

Isaac hummed in agreement, his hand finding its way into Pugsley's hair as he read.

“Then we can be together without being interrupted.”

Isaac smiled down at him.

“I think you're forgetting about classes,” he said, turning back to his book.

Pugsley groaned and covered his eyes.

“You've already taken the classes can't you just hang out with me?”

“Not if you want me to stay.”

Pugsley rolled onto his stomach and crossed his arms under the pillow. Isaac looked at him and closed his book.

“Did I tell you I'll have my own room?”

Pugsley shook his head.

“In one of the towers apparently,” he continued, “no roommate for ‘safety’ purposes.”

Pugsley pushed himself up onto his elbows. He looked at Isaac wide-eyed and smiling.

“Could be lonely,” Isaac said, smirking and picking his book back up.

Pugsley pushed it down and pulled Isaac to him, kissing him hard. He had just crawled into Isaac's lap when there was a knock at the door. Isaac closed his eyes, gritting his teeth as Pugsley quickly rolled off.

“Pugsley? Are you in there, my little storm cloud?” his mother called.

“Yes, I'm coming.”

He opened the door and his mother pursed her lips at Isaac. She put her hand on Pugsley's shoulder and led him away.

“I thought you might like to come with me back home to get the rest of your things,” she said, once they were outside.

He forced himself to smile and nod despite not feeling anything but frustrated and slightly angry with her. His mother and father were rarely apart and yet she seemed determined that he spend as little time as possible with Isaac. He stared out the window gloomily, his chin in his hand.

Being home did lift his spirits slightly; he hadn't realized how much he missed his room and his bed.

“Wish I could show Isaac,” he thought, packing his uniforms, books, and explosives into his largest trunk.

His phone buzzed bringing a smile to his face. It wasn't his corazón however. It was a number he vaguely recognized but didn't have saved, he opened the message frowning slightly.

He snorted at the message.

-“Tell your boyfriend to stop ignoring me!”

Enid had apparently come to visit as the picture she'd sent showed her frowning at the screen with Isaac reading in the background. He opened Isaac's contact and sent him a message as requested.

“Enid wants attention I think.”

He said sending the picture along.

-“Tell her to go bother Wednesday then.”

He laughed and covered his mouth.

-“You're in the same room!”

Isaac didn't respond but a few seconds later Enid did.

-“He kicked me out!”

Pugsley winced, apparently Isaac wasn't in the best mood.

-"He said to go visit Wednesday.”

He sent hoping she wasn't too hurt.

She sent a crying emoji.

-"She already kicked me out! That's why I went to him!”

That made sense, she'd been coming to hang out with Wednesday every few weeks and usually ended up in Isaac's room after Wednesday had reached her social limit.

-“You need to come back soon, he's grumpy.”

He didn't doubt that. Isaac didn't like being alone and he disliked being stuck with Pugsley's parents even more. He took a picture of his packed trunk and sent it to Isaac hoping to cheer him up a little.

-“All the essentials I see.”

-“of course.”

-“Are you coming back then?”

He sighed, that was up to his mother and he suspected she'd keep him home as long as she could get away with.

-“Not yet but soon.”

Isaac didn't answer and Pugsley sank onto his bed. He was worried. Isaac insisted he was fine but Pugsley had seen the aftermath of Isaac being alone.

“He's not alone,” he reminded himself, "he has dad and Wednesday and Enid.”

Lurch groaned from the doorway summoning him to dinner, Pugsley trudged after him. It had started to rain as he sat down and he watched the wind blow it around in sheets. He picked at his food as his mother watched in concern.

“What's the matter dear, I thought this was your favorite?”

“I'm fine, just tired,” he mumbled.

She nodded but Pugsley knew she didn't believe him, he'd never been a very good liar. She was probably afraid he was relapsing back into refusing food, he forced himself to eat so she wouldn't fret. She took pity on him however and let him be excused before finishing his plate.

He heard his mother come up the stairs not long after. He flopped onto his bed and checked his phone. Enid had sent him another picture during dinner. This time of Isaac and his father fencing in the snow.

-“Took this earlier and forgot to send it to you, oops!”

Isaac looked like he was laughing and Pugsley felt his heart lift. He saved the photo, adding it to his growing collection.

He opened his messages to Isaac and sent him the picture.

-“Glad you had fun, goodnight mi amor.”

He plugged in his phone setting on his nightstand and went into his bathroom to shower. He changed into his pajamas and crawled under the blankets, listening to the wind batter the shingles. He could rest easy now, knowing Isaac was likely just sulking and not spiraling.

He had just started to drift when his phone buzzed, its screen briefly illuminating his ceiling. He rolled to his side and grabbed it. He smiled sleepily at his amor's message and sent a heart in response.

-“See you in your dreams.”

Chapter Text

It had been one day since Morticia had stolen Pugsley away and Isaac was already starting to feel the confines of his house arrest. He was attempting to read but had been stuck on the same line for twenty minutes. He threw it against the wall. The bang must have carried through the house because a moment later his door opened and Gomez popped his head in.

He looked around surveying the room for damage, his eyes eventually landing on the book. He nodded silently and retracted his head from Isaac's space. He clenched his jaw when he came back, throwing the door open dramatically.

“For old times sake,” he said, tossing a fencing foil to him.

Isaac caught it and swung his feet off the bed.

“It's snowing isn't it?” He said, knowing that wouldn't deter his former friend.

Gomez grinned wickedly.

“Think of it as an added challenge, unless you want to surrender now?”

Isaac got to his feet and pushed past him.

“We both know I'm the better swordsman,” he said, over his shoulder as he made his way to the back door.

“Thirty years ago,” Gomez laughed.

Isaac scoffed as he stepped outside, the cold air immediately stinging his face. He let Gomez decide where the piste would be, knowing that they would abandon it almost immediately. They took formation, bowing to each other, and then Isaac waited.

“To first blood?” He clarified.

“Is there any other way?” Gomez asked, inching forward.

Their swords crossed with the bright sound of frigid metal. Isaac broke the engagement and tapped his sword against Gomez's, his smile growing.

“It's good to be doing this again,” Gomez said, lunging towards him.

“What?” Isaac asked, deflecting the attack, “losing?”

“Big talk from someone who hasn't done more than a beat.”

Isaac waited until Gomez made a feint too close, a mistake he'd always made with Isaac, and slashed a line across his hand. The blood welling up signalling his victory and ending the bout.

“You still haven't learned,” he said, taking over Gomez's side of the strip.

“Just warming up,” he said, smiling and getting back into en garde.

Isaac matched him, laughing. He'd forgotten how much he enjoyed Gomez as a friend, and he felt lighter out of the cottage.

They went three more bouts, Isaac winning all but the last.

“Would have won that one too if it weren't for this infernal contraption,” he thought, massaging his chest as his heart sputtered.

His hands were numb and the warmth of the sitting room was thawing them painfully. He flexed his fingers, resting his head on the back of the couch.

“Tea?” Gomez offered, holding out a cup and saucer.

“Thank you, old friend.”

They drank in silence, Isaac wondered what Pugsley was doing.

“Did you really not know it was killing me?” Gomez asked, breaking the silence.

Isaac had been wondering when he would bring that up.

“No, but by that point I was running out of time and likely wouldn't have changed course.” He said, setting down his half full cup.

Gomez furrowed his brows as he took a sip of his tea.

“Out of time?” He asked.

Isaac sighed and watched the snow falling outside for a moment.

“I was dying,” he began, “even without Morticia's help I wouldn't have made it much longer.”

“What do you mean?”

Isaac smiled bitterly and knocked on his chest twice.

“Metal poisoning, I was starting to forget things by that point and knew time was running out.”

Gomez looked stricken. Isaac picked up his cup and drained it.

“Why didn't you go to the medical staff?” He asked.

Isaac let out a short bark of laughter.

“I wasn't going to spend what time I had stuck in a hospital bed! I did enough of that growing up! No, I was going to die on my terms.”

“Surely Francoise fought you on that?”

Isaac shook his head, hating his sister's name in Gomez's mouth.

“She didn't know, no one did.”

Gomez faltered, opening and closing his mouth as he tried to find something to say.

“What about Stonehearst? I'm sure the two of you could've found a solution.”

Isaac swallowed hard as bile burned his throat. He shook his head, closing his eyes tight.

“He would have! You were his favorite!” Gomez insisted.

“In more ways than academic,” Isaac muttered, clenching his fists against the assault of memories.

Gomez sucked in a breath and fell silent. Isaac took in a deep breath through his nose and opened his eyes.

“You don't mean…”

Isaac looked at Gomez, his face carefully blank.

“Why didn't you tell me? I would have helped you,” Gomez asked quietly.

“You think I didn't try?” Isaac said, flatly, “you were too caught up in Morticia to notice anything else.”

Gomez tried to argue but Isaac cut him off, not willing to listen to the excuses.

“You didn't even notice when I started sleeping in my lab instead of the dorm.”

Gomez went quiet, his eyes searching the floor as if the memories were scattered across it.

“Fran knew,” Isaac continued, “She put it together fairly quickly, didn't like it of course, begged me to report it, but I convinced her it was only a few more years and his support was needed to reach our goal.”

Isaac wanted to wipe the pity off Gomez's face, wanted to rip his throat out so he didn't have to hear the apologies pouring out of him. Instead he stood up and walked to his room. Gomez had enough sense not to follow him. He pulled some clothes from his dresser and the roll of medical tape and stepped back out of his room.

He let the water get as hot as it could before filling the tub. He scrubbed at his skin until it was raw. He clenched his jaw, the memories still coming in fits. He got dressed, grateful that the clothes were baggy, and avoided his reflection.

He retrieved his book from the floor and curled up on the bed. He huffed as a knock once again interrupted him. He opened the door telekinetically and went back to his book.

Enid bounced in and hopped onto his bed jostling him. He stared at the wall trying not to lash out. He gave her a look and pointedly held his book up higher, hoping she would get the message that he didn't want a visitor.

She leaned over his shoulder to see what he was reading, the light contact making him want to scream. She sighed and flopped down, pulling out her phone.

“Have you heard from Pugsley?” She asked, after a few seconds of blissful silence.

He ignored her, he saw her pouting out of the corner of his eye.

“What's your book about?” She tried, not taking his obvious hints.

He clenched his jaw. She huffed and looked down at her phone. He saw her raise it towards him and he resisted the urge to flip her off, knowing that she would take that as an invitation to keep harassing him.

His phone buzzed a second later and he picked it up off the night stand.

“I swear if she's texting me,” he thought, not able to finish the threat at the sight of Pugsley's name.

Enid had ratted him out. He was almost amused. He responded to Pugsley and was about to mock Enid for tattling, when she grabbed his arm. It wasn't a tight grip, just attention seeking, but it sent him over the edge anyway. He jerked away, his book sliding to the floor with a thump, and threw the door open.

“Out.”

“Isaac,” she whined, sliding off the bed, “C'mon, don't be like that!”

He reached his hand out, flicking his wrist, she was yanked towards him. She let out a startled yelp, and staggered out the door. He slammed it shut and locked it.

Isaac slid down the wall and pulled his knees to his chest. His phone buzzed again. Pugsley had sent him a picture of a trunk haphazardly filled with explosives, clothing, and books. His small smile vanished when Pugsley said he wouldn't be returning yet.

He set his phone down and rested his head on his knees. It was probably for the best, he didn't think he could bear even Pugsley to touch him right now. He wasn't sure how much time had passed when he forced himself up and checked his phone. It was late.

He'd somehow missed Pugsley's goodnight text and typed out his response, knowing he was most likely asleep already. He smiled softly at the black heart he got a second later.

He forced himself to lay down despite not being tired. He felt like an electric current was running just under his skin. It wasn't a new sensation but he didn't have access to his usual solution, which was to tinker in his lab until he passed out or the sun came up. He couldn't even go hunt without risking losing Pugsley. He'd been surviving on rare roadkill and other Addams delicacies.

He sighed heavily, staring at the ceiling. He gave up on stillness and found one of his notebooks.

“Might as well be productive,” he muttered, starting a new sketch for his heart.

Chapter Text

His mother had relented to Pugsley's moping and returned him to the cottage earlier than he'd expected. He'd helped Lurch carry his trunk inside, expecting to see Isaac waiting for him. They dropped the trunk in his bedroom and Lurch shuffled out to start preparing dinner. Pugsley frowned as he searched the house. His father hugged him when he entered the sitting room.

“Is Isaac in his room?” Pugsley asked, pulling away.

His father's smile faltered but he quickly recovered it.

“He's been in there almost the entire time you've been gone!”

Pugsley went to Isaac's door, checking that his mother wasn't nearby, he tried to open it and found it locked. His brows furrowed and his anxiety increased.

He swallowed hard and knocked. He heard muffled shuffling but the door remained closed.

“Isaac?” He said softly, not wanting to alert his parents.

The movement stopped and a second later the door flew open. Isaac looked at him wide-eyed, his curls messy but not neglected for once. He reached for Pugsley and caught himself, his expression conflicted. He finally stepped backwards into the room letting Pugsley in.

He shut the door as he entered and sat down on Isaac's bed.

“Are you all right?”

Isaac smiled and nodded.

“Just not feeling like myself is all,” he said, fiddling with the sleeves of his oversized shirt.

“What can I do mi amor?”

Isaac chuckled quietly and shrugged. He was pacing in front of Pugsley frenetically.

“I'm glad you're back,” he said, finally stopping, “I missed you.”

“I missed you too,” Pugsley said, wishing he knew what was wrong so he could fix it.

Isaac sat on the floor, leaning his head against Pugsley's knees. He flinched as Pugsley ran his fingers through his hair. Pugsley pulled away and looked down at him.

Isaac had his eyes shut and his jaw clenched.

“I'm sorry pugs,” he said, pressing the heel of his hands into his eyes, “it's not you.”

“Talk to me my love,” Pugsley said, wanting to touch him, to hold him, but fearing it would make things worse.

Isaac shook his head miserably.

“I can't.”

Pugsley didn't know what to do, his chest hurt from seeing Isaac suffer but until he was ready to let Pugsley in there was nothing he could do.

“Pugsley, dinner!” His father called through the door.

“I'll be alright,” Isaac assured when Pugsley didn't move.

Begrudgingly he got to his feet and opened the door. His father was waiting with a plate much to Pugsley's confusion. His heart clenched when Isaac took it and retreated to his bed, his father and Isaac shared an intense look ending with his father sighing and leading him away with a hand on his shoulder. He heard the door click behind them.

Pugsley and his father sat across from each other having an after dinner snack of petrified mice. Wednesday had shut herself in for the night, likely to work on her novel, and his mother was reading in the sitting room. Dinner had been quiet and strained, he wanted to get back to Isaac but he suspected his father had answers.

“Dad,” he started, pushing his plate away, “do you know what's going on with Isaac?"

His father tensed and set his mouse down. He steepled his fingers and looked at Pugsley, his expression unreadable.

“I'm afraid I do, but that's not my story to tell.”

Pugsley nodded slowly, he'd been afraid of that.

“Let him tell you when he's ready,” His father said as Pugsley pushed away from the table, “don't push.”

He knocked on the door and waited. He rested his head against the cool wood, pressing his palm flat against it.

“Isaac? Can I come in?”

The door remained closed, the room beyond silent. He slid to the floor, his back against the door.

“I'm here whenever you're ready.”

He watched the shadows stretch as the sun sank. Heard his mother and father go to bed. He'd just started to doze when the door opened, sending him backwards. He looked up at Isaac and smiled. Isaac offered him his hand, heaving him up. He sat on the bed heavily, his head hanging.

Pugsley shut the door and waited. Isaac clenched a fist into his hair and sighed. He looked up at Pugsley and patted the bed beside him. He waited until he was settled before turning to him.

“While you were gone, Gomez and I talked,” he said.

Pugsley nodded, afraid that if he said anything then Isaac would stop.

“We talked about the past, and,” he cleared his throat, “some unpleasant things came up.”

He clenched the blankets, the color draining from his already pale skin.

“I-there was a staff member who…”

Pugsley felt sick with what he suspected was coming.

“He…,” Isaac trailed off, his eyes far away, “he took advantage of me in exchange for anything I needed.”

Pugsley wanted to hold him and wanted to fry whoever it was that had dared to hurt his corazón.

“I thought when he died, when I relieved him of his age-addled brain, that I was over it but…”

He dug his nails into his arms so hard Pugsley was surprised he didn't see blood seeping through the sleeves of his shirt.

“Isaac,” he started shifting closer but not touching.

“Don't look at me like that!” Isaac growled, rage igniting in his eyes, “like you pity me!”

Pugsley shook his head.

“It's not pity, my love,” he said, “I swear to you. I'm heartbroken and angry that anyone dared to hurt you.”

Isaac's chest heaved as he scrutinized Pugsley's face. He buried his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking.

“I'm sorry, I'm sorry!”

“It's not your fault,” Pugsley soothed, “you're allowed to be angry and not okay.”

Isaac cried, curling into himself.

“Can I touch you?” Pugsley asked, holding out his hand.

Isaac slowly stilled and nodded. Pugsley let him bridge the space between them not wanting to push. Isaac swallowed hard and shakily slipped his hand into Pugsley's.

“He's cold,” he thought.

Isaac shuddered and closed his eyes. Pugsley started to pull away only for Isaac to tighten his grip. He looked up at him, his eyes red-rimmed but determined. He pushed Pugsley until he was laying against the pillows and then crawled on top of him.

He laid his head on his chest grabbing a fistful of his shirt, his long legs tangling in Pugsley's. Slowly he wrapped his arm around Isaac's trembling shoulders, his other hand sliding into his hair.

“I'm not going to let him take anything else from me,” he murmured into Pugsley's chest.

Pugsley held him, stroking his hair until his grip relaxed and his breathing evened out. He couldn't see his face but hoped he was getting some sleep. Awkwardly he pulled half of the blanket over them, trying to warm Isaac up.

Chapter Text

Isaac woke to sunlight in his eyes and the feeling of being pleasantly warm. He turned his head intending to sleep longer only to find Pugsley smiling sleepily at him. He smiled back but knew it wasn't convincing. He was glad Pugsley was there, but when he remembered the reason, his stomach twisted. He didn't look disgusted and seemed content for Isaac to stay where he was despite knowing he was damaged goods, easing his distress.

“Morning,” Pugsley mumbled, kissing the end of his nose.

His smile was genuine this time when the small act didn't make his skin crawl. He pulled himself higher and kissed Pugsley's warm lips.

“Good morning,” he said, pulling away.

“Can we just stay here?”

Isaac chuckled, he'd like that.

“I think your family would have some complaints.”

Pugsley groaned. Isaac gave him a consolation kiss and got up. Pugsley sat up and wrapped his arms around him.

“How are you feeling?” He asked carefully.

“Tired, but, more myself.”

Pugsley kissed between his shoulders and Isaac closed his eyes. He really wanted to stay here with Pugsley but he knew they wouldn't be allowed to.

“You're not making this easy,” he said over his shoulder.

A groan and knock interrupted Pugsley's wicked chuckle.

“Okay Lurch!” He called, releasing Isaac.

He hated the eyes on him as he sat down at the table. Morticia set her cup down with a soft clatter and Isaac raised a brow at her. She looked away trying to engage Wednesday in a conversation about the new school year. Gomez was watching him apprehensively and gave him a questioning look when Isaac acknowledged him.

He gripped his fork tightly and watched the steam rising from his coffee. What had Gomez said about him? Pugsley pressed his leg against his. Isaac sighed and forced himself to relax.

“I hear Pilgrim World has set up a winter festival,” Gomez said, breaking the tense silence suffocating the room.

“Oh?” Isaac said, taking a sip of his coffee.

“It might be fun to attend as a family,” he said, smiling at the others around him.

Isaac disagreed, as did Wednesday if her withering look was any indication.

Pugsley nodded enthusiastically, his mouth too full to verbalize his excitement.

“Is that wise dear,” Morticia said, “given our guest’s…history with the place?”

Her eyes darted to Isaac. He clenched his jaw.

“Oh I doubt anyone would recognize him,” Gomez dismissed, giving Isaac a cheeky grin.

He smirked and raised his cup slightly in thanks to his old friend.

“I think it's a good idea,” he lied, “do us all some good to get out of the house.”

Even Wednesday nodded, apparently catching her mother's annoyance.

“It's settled then,” Gomez said, rubbing his hands together, “we'll finish up breakfast and get ready.”

The woman greeting visitors was not pleased to see the Addams. For a moment Isaac thought he saw a flickering of recognition in her eyes when she saw him but she just frowned and turned her attention to the people behind them. Pugsley snickered at her reaction and took Isaac's hand leading him around the massive Christmas tree and towards the carousel.

“Don't go far!” Morticia called anxiously.

“They'll be all right,” he heard Gomez reassure.

Isaac stepped onto the platform, helping Pugsley up and went towards one of the bench seats.

“Aw, that's no fun!” Pugsley complained reaching for one of the horses.

Isaac rolled his eyes but gave in, figuring that he owed him a day of doing what he wanted after dealing with his issues the night before. It was early, the crowd wasn't thick like what he recalled from his last visit, so the ride operator let them spin a few extra rounds. He heard Pugsley laugh and turned towards him, smiling at his phone when he realized he was taking a picture.

“Say hi,” he said.

Isaac raised his eyebrows and waved before patting his horse's head comically.

“Mines going to beat yours,” Pugsley taunted.

“Absolutely not,” Isaac said poshly, “I have the lead!”

Pugsley laughed so hard he dropped his phone and nearly fell off the horse. Isaac pulled the phone to him and stopped the recording. The ride slowed and Isaac hopped down, bowing as he offered his hand up to Pugsley. They stepped off the ride and drifted out of the way to watch the video.

Isaac watched Pugsley's face with his chin hooked over his shoulder as the video played, a soft warm feeling filling him, at the joy on his face. He glanced around to make sure no one was watching and kissed Pugsley's cheek.

Pugsley leaned into him and pulled Isaac's arms around him.

“Your mother will throw a fit if she sees us,” he said softly next to his ear.

He watched as cold chills appeared on Pugsley's neck. He wanted to bite him, hear him make those cute little sounds but the fact that they were in public and how Pugsley's parents would react stopped him. He pulled away reluctantly and started back towards the gaudy tree.

“We should see if they have any gloves for you,” Pugsley said, catching up with him.

Isaac curled his nose, he doubted there was anything he was willing to touch, let alone wear, but the shops would be heated and he was freezing.

One pair of green gloves and a matching scarf acquired they got in line for hot chocolate. They sat with their drinks on one of the benches facing the tree.

“What would you like to do next?” Isaac asked, hoping they could leave soon as he was getting hungry and the constant Christmas music was giving him a headache.

Pugsley looked around, chewing his lip as he thought. Isaac couldn't look away, swallowing hard.

“How about that,” Pugsley said, pointing to a boat ride titled ‘Winter Wonderland’.

Isaac looked at it skeptically and then back at Pugsley. He sighed and nodded. They tossed their cups and got in line.

The decorations were just as gaudy as the rest of the park but they were the only ones in their boat, a fact Isaac took advantage of by all but pulling Pugsley into his lap. He pulled away as they entered the final curve, giving them time to compose themselves.

Isaac had been careful to not bite anywhere that would be seen, but he still checked when they stepped into the sunlight. Pugsley was flushed but from an outside view was unmarked. Pugsley shyly took Isaac's hand as they walked and he couldn't help the rush of affection for him.

“I wish we were alone,” Pugsley said as they waited for the rest of the Addams to join them back at the tree.

“So I can finish what I started,” Isaac whispered in his ear, smiling smugly as Pugsley looked at him desperately.

“Everyone done everything they wanted?” Gomez asked, clapping Isaac on the back and looking around at their group.

The contact had him clenching his fists, “stop being pathetic,” he thought angrily.

“Let's go,” Wednesday said, not waiting for an answer as she stalked to the entrance.

Isaac stepped out of the car, his leg bothering him from the cold and abuse he'd put it through, and limped towards the house. Morticia stopped him, putting a pin in his plans to eat and then soak in the tub.

“I don't know what you've done to get Pugsley under your influence,” She said, voice low and icy as the air around them, “but I will free him of you.”

He considered her for a moment, choosing his words and keeping his instinct to just snap her neck under control.

“Have you considered that maybe he just likes me?”

He wanted to throw the fact that they all but neglected the boy, leading him to Isaac more than once in her face, but didn't want to risk her getting between them anymore than she already did. She glared at him but didn't stop him when he walked around her to the door.

He forced himself to eat slowly despite being ravenous, all too aware of being watched not only by Morticia but by Pugsley. He knew it wouldn't shock the boy having seen him do worse than eat a raw possum steak but Isaac remained embarrassed by the idea of Pugsley seeing him be less than human.

He excused himself and went to the bathroom to fill the tub. Once the water was running he grabbed a change of clothes and started the process of taping over his heart.

“The next one,” he told the tile, “will be waterproof.”

He closed his eyes, letting the scalding water do its magic on his aching body. He soaked until the water cooled and dragged himself out of the water. He got dressed, towel dried his hair and padded to his bedroom. His head still hurt and he massaged his eyes trying to ease it. He frowned and flicked his hand at the windows, pulling the curtains closed. He sighed in relief as his head eased and curled up on the bed deciding that planning his next heart could wait until his brain wasn't trying to escape his skull through his eye socket.

He woke, startled but unsure why. The room was quiet as he sat up. Arms wrapped around him and he spasmed at the sudden contact.

“Pugsley!” He hissed, flicking on his light and whirling around.

“Sorry! Thought you saw me!”

Isaac flopped back on the bed trying to catch his breath. Pugsley laid beside him pressing kisses against his temple.

“How's your leg?”

He shouldn't have been surprised that Pugsley noticed, but after Francoise, he wasn't quite used to having someone else care about his wellbeing.

“Mm better,” he said, shrugging.

“Guess what.”

Isaac hummed questioningly.

“Dad took mom out on a date night.”

Isaac propped up and smiled wickedly.

He got on top of Pugsley and glanced at the door, locking it.

“Now we won't be interrupted,” he said, kissing his way up Pugsley's throat and into his mouth.

Pugsley's pupils were blown, making his eyes black in the lamp light. Isaac pulled his shirt down exposing the bites he'd left earlier, he tilted his head admiring them, before deciding they needed to be darker. Pugsley whined and rutted against Isaac's knee between his legs. He chuckled against his skin and bit harder, tasting blood. His eyes rolled back at the taste and he moaned, lapping at the bite.

“Isaac,” Pugsley panted, “Please I need you!”

“Need me to what, dear,” Isaac teased, pulling his knee away.

“Touch me please!”

“So polite,” he praised, sliding his hand down to Pugsley's groin.

He undid his pants slowly reveling in the beautiful small sounds he was making at Isaac's teasing.

“You've been so patient,” he said, kissing him, letting his unnatural tongue stretch down Pugsley's throat before pulling away.

He wrapped his hand around Pugsley and nipped at one of his previous bites. He shook as Isaac stroked him, sound after beautiful sound falling from his lips.

“Love you love you love you,” Pugsley moaned, finishing a moment later.

Isaac stared at him, he'd said he loved him. Isaac couldn't move, he wasn't sure he was still breathing. Pugsley had called him love but that was a name not a declaration.

“It was in the moment,” he thought, “he wasn't thinking.”

Pugsley came back to himself and grinned up at Isaac. His smile fell when he took in Isaac's expression.

“What's wrong?” He asked, sitting up.

“I'm fine,” Isaac reassured when Pugsley put a hand on his chest.

“Something's wrong, talk to me please.”

“Do you remember what you said?”

“Which part?”

Isaac couldn't help the small laugh that got from him.

“At the end,” he clarified.

“That I love you?” Pugsley asked, confused.

Isaac nodded.

“Of course!”

Isaac's eyes widened and he laughed softly in disbelief.

“you don't think I meant it,” Pugsley said, looking angry.

“I believe you,” Isaac said, pushing him back down to kiss him, “I just wasn't expecting it.”

Pugsley frowned.

“you didn't think I loved you?”

Isaac sighed and rested his head on Pugsley's collar bone.

“I've never dated, my dear,” he said rolling onto his side, “so this kind of thing is new to me.”

“it is for me too,” Pugsley said.

“Good,” Isaac thought possessively, “you're mine.”

“You don't have to say it back, if you're not ready,” Pugsley said, his tone telling Isaac otherwise.

Isaac pulled Pugsley's face to his, kissing him tenderly.

“Pugsley Addams, you are the love of my life,” he said sternly, “I wanted to die rather than live without you.”

Pugsley's eyes welled up and he tucked his head into Isaac's neck. He whined as he started to nip at his throat. He worked his way lower, sliding Isaac's pants past his hips.

Pugsley's mouth was perfect and it took every ounce of control Isaac had not to buck his hips.

“Pugsley,” he gasped, gripping a fistful of Pugsley's hair.

He was clearly inexperienced but Isaac didn't care, it felt good, turning his mind into a blank slate filled only with Pugsley's name. He shoved his fist in his mouth as he came, splitting the skin of his knuckles. His muscles went slack as he panted, his eyes fluttering shut. He felt Pugsley's head on his chest.

"How's it sound,” he asked, still breathless.

Pugsley shook his head looking concerned.

“We're gonna have to fix it soon, mi amor.”

Isaac nodded tiredly, “Seeing what you do to me, I agree.”

Pugsley kissed his jaw and sat up.

“Not a joke, I can't lose you again.”

“I know, you won't.”

Chapter Text

Enid had been appalled when she learned Isaac didn't have a winter coat and had convinced Pugsley's parents to let her take them shopping alone.

The options were limited and Isaac had very little interest in any of them.

“How about this?" Enid asked, holding up a black puffer jacket.

“I don't see why this is necessary,” Isaac said, barely glancing at it, “it's not like I'm waltzing around in the snow.”

Enid huffed and gave Pugsley a look he took to mean ‘help me’.

“How about you and I go look at the other clothes?” He said, taking Isaac's hand and leading him away from Enid.

Isaac seemed happier once they were alone, Pugsley tried not to worry about that. He would have to make sure he wasn't isolating himself.

“Are you okay?” He asked, holding up a shirt for Isaac to look at.

Isaac nodded and felt the fabric of the shirt scrunching his nose and releasing it. Pugsley knew it was a lie and suspected that he wasn't as recovered from the bad memories as he seemed.

“I don't remember much about what I liked before,” he said quietly as a staff member passed by them.

“What about what you're wearing now?” He asked, gesturing at the too-big flannel layered over a plain shirt.

Isaac picked at the flannel, like he'd never considered how he felt about it.

“Other than it being too big I don't hate it.”

Pugsley smiled, “not hating it is a good start!”

They ended up with a variety of solid color shirts and neutral flannels to layer as well as a small collection of sweaters.

“You still need a real coat!” Enid insisted as they walked out of the store.

Isaac wasn't listening, he was staring into the window of an antique store. Pugsley leaned around him to see what he was looking at. It was a display tree with pocket watches hanging off the metal arms.

“See one you like?” he asked.

“You've spent enough on me.”

Pugsley and Enid shared a look, nodded at each other and then dragged Isaac inside. He straightened his shirt angrily and glared at them once they let him go. Pugsley kissed his hand with a smile receiving a huff in return.

Enid spotted a rack of clothing and started picking through it. Isaac followed Pugsley to the watches and gently examined them. He opened a silver one, his eyes sparkling as it revealed a celestial clock face.

“That's the one?”

Isaac shot him a look but nodded and clicked it shut, handing it over.

“Hey Isaac,” Enid called, “what about this?”

She brought over a long black wool duster. Isaac took it and slipped it on fluidly.

“It's a good fit,” the woman running the store said leaning out of the back room.

“Isn't it?” Isaac said, running his hands down the sleeves.

He looked up at Pugsley, his eyes questioning. Pugsley nodded, unable to stop the sudden flood of desire filling him. Everything else faded out leaving just him and his stunning amor. Isaac's expression shifted, his lips quirking slightly and his eyes darkening.

“Thank you Enid,” he said, sliding the coat off, “good find.”

Pugsley set the watch onto the counter next to the coat, painfully aware of Isaac just inches beside him. They left the shop and headed to lunch. Pugsley wolfed down his food, eager to return to the cottage.

Isaac's hand brushed his, and Pugsley flushed. Enid chewed slowly, her eyes flicking between them.

“We should probably head back after this,” she said knowingly.

Isaac hummed in agreement pressing his leg against Pugsley's under the table.

They were sitting with his parents in the sitting room, Pugsley was pretending to play a game on his phone, he hadn't been able to play a level in twenty minutes, while Isaac sat across from him reading a book, Frankenstein, and occasionally writing in his notebook. Pugsley bit his tongue trying desperately to not outwardly react to the invisible touches teasing their way across his body. Isaac turned the page and Pugsley had to hide a moan behind a cough as the unseen hand moved lower. Isaac smirked, turning to his notebook.

“How about a fencing match my friend?” His father asked beside him, oblivious to his current torture.

“Eager to lose again?” Isaac said, closing his book.

“Not in the house please,” his mother said, giving his father a pointed look, “we're only borrowing the house after all and I don't think they'd appreciate any more broken items.”

“It was only a few vases,” his father countered.

“Ugly ones at that,” Isaac added.

Pugsley choked as his aching cock was stroked by a barely there pressure. The touch disappeared entirely as Isaac stood and followed his father out of the room. He watched through the window as they took position. His face heated as his mother huffed, reminding him of her presence.

“I'm going to go watch,” he said, getting to his feet, hoping she didn't notice his situation.

She waved her hand not looking up from her own book. Pugsley went to Isaac's room first, retrieving the new coat, and then grabbed his own from the coat rack on his way out.

He sat on one of the frigid metal benches against the cottage. Isaac smiled salaciously at him and barely dodged his father's lunge.

“Well done Pugsley!” His father crowed, forcing Isaac back, “keep him distracted!”

Isaac switched his sword from his right hand to his left, then unleashed a flurry of blows regaining ground with every clash of metal. He laughed triumphantly as he nicked his father's neck.

“Thank you, dear,” he said quietly, taking the coat from Pugsley, squeezing high on his thigh as he leaned over.

Pugsley nodded mutely. Isaac pulled his coat on, rolling his shoulders, and getting back into place. He couldn't look away as Isaac seemed to almost dance across the yard, his coat flaring out behind him dramatically. His laughter rang in the cold air, the falling snow catching in his dark hair like anthrax.

Pugsley shifted in his seat. He was cold and painfully hard. He forgot both of those issues however, as Isaac's face twisted and his graceful movements faltered. He was angry when his father used that to slash across his corazón's cheek.

“I think I'm done for the evening,” Isaac said, waving Pugsley to stay back.

He tossed the sword to his father's waiting hand, and walked past Pugsley towards the house. He followed behind him anxiously. Once Isaac's bedroom door was shut he sank onto the bed shakily. He was colorless, nearly gray, sweat beading on his furrowed brow.

“Mi corazón, what can I do?”

Isaac pulled his coat off, gritting his teeth, and then peeled his shirt off. The sporadic ticking filling the space between them. He looked at Pugsley, pain clear in his dark eyes.

“Try a shock,” he said, voice hoarse, “not a strong one.”

Pugsley nodded, summoning a spark to his pointer finger. Isaac flinched as it arced through the mechanism. They held their breath, listening. The ticking steadied but remained weak. Isaac sighed and fell back onto the bed.

“I'm scared, mi amor,” Pugsley admitted, gently climbing onto the bed beside Isaac's head.

“I don't have what I need to replace the core here, and not enough time, I fear, to completely redesign the entire mechanism.”

“What do we do?”

Isaac shook his head, his eyes closing.

“Until I can get back to the bunker lab,” he said tiredly, “I just need to be very careful, and you may have to jumpstart me like this a few times.”

Pugsley wiped the blood from Isaac's cheek, licking it off his thumb as he thought. He needed to get Isaac to the lab, because the rest of his plan involved too much risk. His parents had barely allowed them to go with Enid, so he doubted they would let them leave again so soon.

“Do you think you could walk to the bunker?” He asked.

Isaac huffed a laugh, “Right now, no.”

“What about tomorrow night?”

Isaac opened his eyes and looked into Pugsley's.

“Give me two days to finalize my notes and recover.”

He reached up and wiped the tears from Pugsley's cheeks.

Chapter Text

Isaac would have liked more time to prepare, but, like most of his life, he was quickly running out of borrowed time. He hated the fear in Pugsley's eyes, hated being the cause of it again. He ran his hand through his hair as he flipped through his notebook, making sure the design was as complete as it could be. Pugsley slipping into his room drew his attention away. They climbed out his window and crouched under it, waiting for Gomez and Morticia's light to turn off.

The walk into Jericho was cold and slow as Isaac had to keep stopping to catch his breath.

“I did not miss this,” he thought, resting his hands on his knees.

Pugsley had to help him down the bunker stairs and then forced him to sit until his breathing was easier.

“Where's your lab mi corazón,” Pugsley asked gently.

He pointed across the bunker and pushed himself to his feet. Pugsley stayed close, his face more serious than Isaac liked. He pulled his stool out and sat heavily resting his head on the table for a moment.

He pulled the box of metal scraps and gears towards him, clearing his throat and clicking on the work light. He opened his notes and started picking through the parts looking for pieces to use. Pugsley hovered, he could see his hands reaching for him spastically. He clenched his jaw and tried to ignore him. He knew better than anyone what the risks were; he didn't need Pugsley's obvious doubt infecting him.

He slammed a gear onto the table when Pugsley leaned over, blocking his light momentarily. He whipped his head towards him seething, only for his anger to evaporate at the hurt in Pugsley's wet eyes. He sighed heavily and pressed the heel of his hands into his eyes.

“Pugsley, dearest, why don't you go see if there's any tea in the cabinets,” he said, nodding towards the kitchen, “this is going to take a while and I won't be very pleasant company until I'm done.”

He nodded dejected and shuffled towards the dark kitchen.

“You have got to control yourself,” he thought, guilt sitting heavy in the back of his skull.

He quickly lost himself in the process of building, everything else falling away, leaving just his hands and the table. Distantly he heard music, but whether it was in his head or the space around him he couldn't say. He warped and manipulated the pieces, his vision taking shape in front of him.

He stared at the small sphere as he spun it in the air. It wasn't the most artistic thing he'd ever made but it would give him the time to make something better, resetting the clock once again.

A soft sound broke through, bringing him back to the bunker. He stood and looked into the main room, where the sound had come from. He could just make out Pugsley's sleeping form curled on the couch. The guilt returned, forcing him to close his eyes tightly. The sound came again, this time he recognized it as distress and it pulled him towards the couch.

He was having a nightmare it seemed. He crouched and gently ran his fingers through Pugsley's sweat slick hair, shushing him quietly. It brought him back to Francoise, he'd done the same to her many nights. The memory sat in his throat making his voice tremble as he soothed.

Pugsley's eyes shot open and he scrambled up and away from Isaac, his finger tips sparking. He saw recognition in his eyes mixed with the fear and schooled his face into impassive stone. Of course he was afraid of him, he'd kidnapped him, tried to kill him, and now lost his temper over Pugsley helping him.

He stood, held his hands up and went back into his lab.

“Isaac? Isaac, wait!”

He locked the door and picked up the new core, rolling it in his hands. He sat on the floor, his back against the door, and carefully opened the cage around his heart's internal mechanism.

“Isaac please! Let me in!”

He wouldn't make him pretend anymore, wouldn't be the cause of anymore nightmares. He swallowed hard and pulled the old core out, letting it fall to the floor with a metallic clink. The pain was intense and his vision swam as he connected the new one. He choked as his twice reanimated body shut down. He could hear the panicked voice on the other side of the door but the words held no meaning.

Slowly, agonizingly, the room came back into focus. He gasped in lungfuls of air and pulled himself to his feet. He was lightheaded, the taste of copper coating his mouth. He heard muffled sobs through the door and shook his head to clear out the static buzzing in it. He opened the door and found Pugsley on his knees just outside.

He looked up at him, his anguish quickly morphing to relief and then rage. He staggered to his feet and shoved Isaac hard against the doorframe.

“You asshole!” He shouted, wiping his eyes.

Isaac's own anger ignited and he pushed away from the wall.

“Don't pretend!” He snapped, stalking forward.

Confusion flickered across Pugsley's face, Isaac scoffed.

“Oh please! Don't act like you don't remember! Like you weren't trying so hard to get away!”

“I was having a nightmare!”

“Oh I noticed! Tell me,” he said, his eyes starting to burn, “was it me kidnapping you or me strapping you to the chair? Or maybe I was going to eat you, was that it?”

Pugsley looked at him in angry disbelief.

“Why are you trying so hard to push me away?”

Isaac felt like someone poured ice water over him. He swallowed hard and turned his head, trying to hide the tears burning tracks down his face.

“For two days that's what you've been doing, I deserve an explanation, Isaac.”

Isaac bit the inside of his cheek, trying to use the sharp pain to get a grip on himself. Had he been? He didn't think he'd meant to. He'd been working on fixing his heart, that was all.

“You told me I was the love of your life,” Pugsley said, backing Isaac into the kitchen, “you swore that you would never let me go. Well guess what, you're stuck with me too!”

Isaac's back hit the counter, his eyes widening as Pugsley continued forward, getting in his face.

“I'll never stop bringing you back! You're mine and I'm yours so get over it!”

Pugsley yanked him down by his shirt collar and kissed him brutally, his teeth splitting open Isaac's lip. He hated the needy sound he made, hated how good it felt, hated that he followed as Pugsley pulled away.

“Stuck together,” he swore, nodding and trying to get Pugsley to kiss him again.

“That's not an apology,” he said, shoving Isaac away.

Isaac whined at the loss of contact and tried to pull him back. Pugsley wouldn't budge, his eyes colder than he'd ever seen. The tears fell against his will as the words remained trapped behind his clenched teeth.

“I don't know what's wrong with me,” he said, forcing his jaw to unlock with a pop, “I can't tell you it won't happen again because it will, but I can tell you that I love you and that I'm sorry, that I scared you, that I hurt you. And you're right, I have been pushing you away.”

He looked up at the ceiling, wiping his face.

“Which is ridiculous since I would stitch us together if I could get away with it.”

“Look at me,” Pugsley commanded.

Isaac obeyed. He cradled his face, studying him.

“I forgive you,” he said, the ice in his expression melting.

Isaac closed his eyes, relief making his legs feel weak.

“I replaced it,” he said, showing Pugsley the new core.

“Then let's go home.”

He said it sweetly but Isaac could see the anger and pain underneath. He would try to make things right, for Pugsley, anything for Pugsley.

Chapter Text

Pugsley walked into the sitting room as he stared at Eugene's latest message. He had been texting him for months, apologizing, defending himself, trying to get Pugsley to respond. He was debating giving in and talking, knowing it would be really awkward trying to share a dorm with their current relationship.

He was still upset that Eugene hadn't talked to him first, had just gone and snitched, but he understood why he'd been afraid. The sitting room was empty with the exception of Issac playing chess against himself. He looked up when Pugsley entered and straightened, his eyes searching for something in his face.

Things had been strained between them since the bunker and while Pugsley had forgiven him, he was struggling with the doubt of Isaac's feelings. He'd accused him so easily of faking that it made him wonder if that's what he had been doing the entire time.

“He pretended to be my friend to get what he wanted before,” he thought, unable to help himself from sitting beside him.

He wasn't sure what he had to give this time that Isaac couldn't get from anyone else though. He sighed and Isaac's hand twitched. Pugsley put his phone down, he would talk to Eugene later, maybe, and watched Isaac play.

“So which side do I root for?” He asked, crossing his arms on the couch armrest and resting his head on them.

Isaac blinked a few times, a laugh bubbling out as he considered the board. Pugsley's heart fluttered, it was the first time he'd laughed since they fought.

“Let's see, well I suppose the black since that's what I'm physically moving,” he said, smiling at him, "of course the white requires more effort.”

“I’ll pick the black this time.”

Pugsley woke from another nightmare, his hands felt sticky and though the dream was fading and he knew it was just sweat he was afraid to turn on the light and find them still slathered in blood.

Nightmares weren't uncommon for him and usually they were enjoyable but this one, this one he could find no entertainment or cathartic release in. This nightmare left him grieving and terrified. It was the same one he'd had since Isaac collapsed helping Enid in Maine.

It was always the same, they were in Iago tower pugsley was strapped to the chair, it was draining him, using him. Isaac was strapped to the table, his heart slowly being pulled apart and the pieces scattered as Pugsley remained trapped.

He always wakes just as he's able to free himself and starts putting Isaac back together, his hands dropping the pieces, slippery from his blood.

He took in a shuddering breath and rubbed his face, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. His foot brushed over something large and cold. He pulled his feet back up and looked over the side. The moonlight revealed Isaac laying face down on the floor, his head resting on his crossed arms. Pugsley blinked in sleepy confusion. How long had he been there?

He'd been waking up to Isaac sitting outside his door recently, but this was new.

“He came to me,” he thought, some of his doubt and fear dissipating.

Pugsley always sought Isaac out first so he was choosing to see this as proof that he wasn't alone in his feelings. He watched him sleep, the muffled steady ticking reminding him that Isaac was alive and his dream was just that. Quietly he slid to the floor beside him, brushing his curls out of his face, needing to touch him, to see his face.

Isaac frowned but stayed sleeping. Pugsley smiled at him, he'd missed him even though he hadn't gone anywhere.

“Wake up, mi amor,” he said quietly, “come on don't sleep on the floor.”

Isaac mumbled something unintelligible and turned his head. Pugsley huffed, amused and leaned over to whisper in his ear.

“Isaac, wake up, come to bed.”

“Hmm?” Isaac turned back, his eyes slitted open.

Pugsley kissed his cheek. Isaac hummed, his eyes drifting closed again. Pugsley bit the mole on his jaw gently.

“Pugs?” He mumbled.

“Mmhm, come on let's go to bed,”

Isaac sat up nodding and drowsily started towards Pugsley's door.

“Where are you going?”

Isaac looked at him over his shoulder, and for a moment the moonlight and the hair in his face made him Slurp once more. Pugsley's breath caught, he was so beautiful. He patted the bed, unable to speak.

“Oh,” Isaac says, rubbing his eyes with the ball of his hands, “yes, please.”

He crawled onto the bed and collapsed with a groan. Pugsley laid beside him, flinching when he brushed against Isaac's icy feet.

“Sorry, no blood flow,” he said, voice muffled by the pillow.

Pugsley brushed his hair back and kissed his temple. Isaac hummed and reached for him. He pulled the blanket over them and curled into his corazón's waiting arms.

Isaac was sitting outside with his sketchbook. Pugsley could see him through the window, he'd been trying to figure out what he was drawing but he couldn't see the page over the windowsill. The snow was melting making everything glisten in the morning light. Isaac looked up periodically, like he was checking something, but no matter how far Pugsley craned his neck he couldn't see anything of interest.

Slowly Isaac stilled, his eyes finding Pugsley's through the window. He tilted his head and said something he couldn't hear through the glass.

“What?”

Isaac rolled his eyes and crooked his finger at him, beckoning him outside.

It was still chilly but spring wasn't far off.

“That means school isn't either,” he thought, a mix of excitement and dread bubbling in his chest like an overfilled cauldron.

“I said why don't you come out,” Isaac said, leaning backwards to talk to him upside down.

Pugsley mouthed ‘oh’ and sat down beside him on the bench, pulling his long legs into his lap.

“Want to see?”

He flipped the sketchbook towards him revealing a page full of beautiful mechanical birds.

“They're gorgeous!” He cooed, snatching the book.

“It's just an idea of course,” Isaac said, “needs a lot of refining before I'd consider a mock-up.”

“You are amazing,” Pugsley praised, handing it back and squeezing one of Isaac's knees.

He looked pleased, a light flush coloring his pale cheeks. He flipped through the pages letting them flutter against his fingers. The back door shut and Isaac snapped the book closed and slid his legs off Pugsley.

“Ah there you are!” Said, his father clapping his hands, the sound startling a few birds into flight, “Uniform fittings are today.”

Isaac groaned and got to his feet. Pugsley snorted and followed him inside. He didn't have to go, already having plenty of his own, but he'd promised he'd tag along. Isaac disappeared into his room and returned a few moments later dressed in one of the sweaters Pugsley had helped him pick. His favorite actually, a dark red one that made him think of the masquerade.

Chapter Text

Nevermore's front steps were crawling with students. Isaac kept his face neutral despite the contempt and dread the crowd brought. He followed Pugsley through, trying not to snap as he was jostled and pressed against. They paused inside the main hall and Isaac closed his eyes breathing out through his nose.

“How about we hang out in my dorm until we figure out who's supposed to show you around?” Pugsley said, squeezing his hand.

“Lead the way,” he said, forcing himself to smile.

He knew how to get to Caliban hall of course, knew more about the school's layout than the staff most likely, but he let himself be led as if he didn't. Pugsley kicked open the door and bowed as he let Isaac in.

“What a gentleman,” he teased, holding his hands behind his back as he walked the familiar room.

Thankfully it was empty, the swarmer either hadn't arrived yet or was off socializing.

“Was it like this when you were here?” Pugsley asked, hopping onto a bed Isaac assumed was his.

“Not much has changed,” he admitted, feeling slightly outside of himself, like the world was doubled.

“Cool, did you sleep here?”

Isaac looked at him, he was pointing at the bed he was sitting on. He shook his head.

“No the-the beds were set up opposite. I slept over there,” he said, pointing to the empty space near the second bed, “although I didn't spend much time in here.”

“Oh? Why not?”

Isaac shrugged, he was about to elaborate when the door swung open and a familiar glasses-bedecked face came in followed by a tall boy wearing a beanie.

“Hey Eugene,” Pugsley said, sounding slightly nervous.

Eugene sucked in a breath, nearly dropped the terrarium he was carrying when he saw Isaac. He couldn't control the vicious smirk the boy's fear brought. He floated the terrarium out of his hands and made himself look friendly as the other boy turned around to see what had happened.

“Here,” Isaac said, honey sweet, “let me help.”

Eugene just stared, his breath wheezing.

“It goes over there,” Pugsley said quietly, pointing to a small side table.

Isaac nodded and let it settle gently into its place.

“There, safe and sound,” he said, turning back to face Eugene, “we wouldn't want any accidents would we?”

“That was nice!” The other boy said, patting Eugene on the back, oblivious to his panic and Isaac's veiled threat.

“I'm Ajax, the dorm dad for Caliban!” He said dropping off the trunk he was carrying and offering his hand to Isaac.

“Isaac Night.”

Isaac shook his hand, a slow recognition creeping into the gorgon’s eyes. He snapped his fingers.

“The new senior right?”

Isaac nodded, amused at how close yet how far he was from being right.

“This is great! I'm supposed to show you to your dorm and stuff!”

“Oh I didn't realize I'd still be in Caliban hall,” he said, raising his eyebrows, “all I was told was I would be in one of the towers.”

He shared a heated look with Pugsley, they wouldn't be as far from each other as they'd thought.

“Uh, ‘course we're the best!” Ajax said, slinging an arm around Isaac's shoulders.

He grit his teeth, Pugsley stood, his eyes widening.

“OK so you know me now,” Ajax continued, “the dude with the bugs is Eugene, and-”

“and I already know Pugsley,” Isaac finished slipping out of the gorgon’s reach.

Ajax looked between them confused.

“Isaac stayed with my family over the winter,” Pugsley explained, coming to stand next to him.

“Oh nice!” Ajax said, pumping his fist, “alright well then let's get to the room tour!”

He led Isaac out of the room and up several flights of stairs. Isaac was thankful he'd repaired his heart before the start of term, he'd never have made it before. The tower felt abandoned, the only sound was the wind and their footsteps.

“You not only have the room to yourself,” Ajax said, sounding slightly jealous, “but you have the entire floor too.”

Isaac hummed, he'd known that, the staff had been very clear on keeping him isolated from the rest of the student body as much as possible. Ajax unlocked a large dark wooden door and held it open for him. The room was coated in a heavy layer of dust, cobwebs hung from the exposed rafters like garland, a large round window took up one wall and had a balcony that overlooked the school.

His boots echoed loudly as he circled the room. He'd expected worse. A cage maybe. It was furnished, had its own kitchenette and someone had installed a television. Aside from classes he would have no need to leave.

Ajax coughed reminding him he wasn't alone yet.

“Place could use a clean,” he said waving a hand in front of his face to clear the dust.

Isaac hummed in response and opened the wardrobe. Moths flew out and he could see a few of their dessicated bodies in the bottom.

“I'll have to collect some for Pugsley,” he thought, shutting it with a soft click.

“So is someone bringing your stuff up or do you want help lugging it up the stairs?” Ajax asked, jerking his thumb towards the hall.

“No need,” Isaac said, shaking his head and heading out for the stairs.

He lost the gorgon somewhere in the crowd heading towards their dorms, and met Lurch bringing his, Pugsley's, and Wednesday's things up the main steps. He took his few borrowed chests from the butler with an appreciative smile and floated the heaviest of them around him, creating a barrier from the crowd.

He was panting by the time he reached his room and dropped the chests with a loud thunk in the middle of the room. He wiped the sweat from his face and sat on the small couch, creating a cloud of dust. He pursed his lips and sighed. He didn't mind the cobwebs but the dust would have to go before it became packed into the delicate mechanism of his heart.

He opened the door to the window and watched the wind create a dust vortex. Ajax leaned into the room holding onto the doorframe and panting. He held up a finger as he caught his breath.

“Man you're fast!” He gasped.

Isaac let out an amused huff. Ajax straightened up, adjusted his beanie, and pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket.

Isaac took it and scoffed. It was his class schedule, the exact one he'd had thirty years prior.

“Couldn't even give me something different,” he muttered, letting it flutter to the floor.

“You mind?” Ajax asked, holding his chest and pointing to the couch.

“Be my guest,” Isaac said, shrugging, “just be careful to not disturb my wonderful dust.”

Ajax laughed breathlessly and sat down. He looked around and whistled appreciatively.

“It's like an apartment!” He said.

“I think that's the idea.”

He got an inquisitive look and Isaac sighed.

“What did they tell you about me?”

“Not much, just that you were new and that this was like a make-up year for you.”

Isaac nodded, it was smart to keep his cannibalistic tendencies on a need to know basis.

“I have a medical condition,” he said carefully, “I lost a significant amount of time and it has some symptoms people tend to find…off putting.”

Ajax rubbed the back of his neck and nodded.

“That must be rough.”

Isaac shrugged, “I'm still here.”

A sharp knock on the open door got their attention. It was an older gorgon that Isaac recognized as the new headmaster.

“Glad to see you settling in Mr.Night,” he said, crossing his arms, “but I believe we have a few things to discuss.”

“See you later,” Ajax said, ducking out of the room.

Mr.Arsenis waited until the sound of footsteps faded before closing the door and facing Isaac with a tight-lipped smile.

“I hope the room is to your liking,” he said, running his finger through the dust on the side table, “the cleaning staff will have this sorted out by the end of the day.”

Isaac bit his tongue to keep from telling the man to get to the point.

“Now the kitchen staff will not be responsible for your specific dietary needs and you will not be permitted to seek out those needs in Jericho or on school grounds,” Mr.Arsenis said, voice becoming all business, “we have made an arrangement with a local butcher shop, however, and they are willing to supply you with what you need.”

Isaac nodded, it was fair enough and he would take full advantage of the obvious loophole in the no hunting rule.

“Your class list I'm sure looks familiar, that was intentional as to not overwhelm you and to, hopefully, keep your interest,” he continued, picking up Isaac's abandoned schedule, “now unlike the majority of the student body you have an extra free time once a week that will be spent with the school counselor.”

Isaac faced the window and frowned. He knew the excuse of it being to help him adjust was a lie, it was to make sure he wasn't going to attack any of the students.

“or anymore staff,” he thought, smirking at the memory of Orloff.

He tuned out the rest of the rules about curfew and noise levels.

“What about my lab?” he asked, turning to face the principal.

He frowned at being interrupted but humored Isaac.

“you will be allowed to use it for your school work and appropriate personal projects.”

Isaac gave him a polite smile. It seemed he had been correct about their fear of a wrongful death lawsuit outweighing their fear of his new nature. All it had taken was a reminder that he'd been killed on school grounds twice and the sob story that he'd been little more than an animal when Orloff died.

Principal Arsenis advised him to become reacquainted with the school's layout to give the cleaning crew time.

“I'm sure Mr.Addams or Mr.Petropolus would be willing to show you around.”

“Thank you sir,” Isaac said, “for the second chance and the thoughtful accommodations.”

Chapter Text

Eugene was angrily putting his things away. Pugsley sat on his bed, waiting for his friend to yell at him.

“I can't believe you really brought him here,” Eugene said, moving his terrarium like the spot was contaminated.

“He's my boyfriend. What was I supposed to do with him?”

Eugene looked at him incredulously.

“How can you date the guy that tried to kill your entire family?”

Pugsley shushed him, eyes darting to the open door. Eugene huffed and threw his hands into the air.

“It's not like that,” he said, getting up to shut the door, “he's not a monster.”

“He literally eats people and buried your sister alive!” Eugene hissed, shaking Pugsley's shoulders, “you just heard him threaten me!”

“Only because you were freaking out!”

“Because he's a killer zombie!”

Pugsley pulled away and frowned. Why couldn't he understand?

“You know how I feel about the z-word,” he said, “can you please just trust me?”

Eugene sighed loudly and flopped onto his bed.

“What does Wednesday think about this?”

Pugsley felt a spike of anger. Eugene was still only friends with him because of his sister. That was the whole reason he'd found Isaac in the first place. But apparently no one remembered that part.

“Whatever,” he said, walking out, unwilling to listen to any more of Eugene's concerns.

He wanted to find Isaac but he didn't know where his dorm was other than somewhere above him. He started down the stairs, pulling out his phone to tell Isaac to meet him in the entrance hall, only for his phone to buzz in his hand.

-“Want to give me the grand tour?”

He smiled and stopped on one of the landings to answer.

-“I was just about to text you, are you sure you're not psychic too?”

-“Only when it comes to you it would seem.”

-“I'm on the staircase, I'll meet you downstairs.”

Isaac sent him a thumbs up as he started down again. The crowd had thinned as everyone found their friends and dragged their belongings to their rooms. Pugsley sat on a cushioned bench along one of the walls facing the stairs. He picked at the black polish on his nails. An invisible hand tapped him on the shoulder, he looked up, already smiling, to see Isaac leaning against the stairs railing.

“Hello my dear,” he said, tilting his head.

Pugsley all but ran to him, tucking his head into Isaac's neck. It had barely been an hour but he'd missed him so much.

“I'll show you my room later,” Isaac said lowly, the sound sending sparks down Pugsley's spine.

He shivered and nodded against him. Laughter bouncing off the high ceiling reminded him where they were and had him reluctantly pulling away. He led Isaac throughout the school, pointing out things that might have been changed, until they ended up in the quad, just in time for dinner.

He felt Isaac tense slightly beside him, it wasn't as crowded as Pugsley had seen it, but it was rapidly filling. He spotted Wednesday in her usual, isolated spot and led them over to her. He saw her friend Agnes appear and hand Wednesday a tray. She looked up as they approached and her large eyes went impossibly wider, a look of pure terror on her face. She vanished and Pugsley felt a breeze move past him.

Wednesday glared at them as they sat down. Pugsley sat on the edge of the wall, Isaac sat below him next to Wednesday.

“Did you have to bring him?”

Pugsley wasn't sure which of them she was talking to and Isaac seemed lost in thought. His eyes flicked back and forth as he leaned against Pugsley's legs.

“Ah, right,” he said softly.

Pugsley leaned over, looking at him quizzically.

“She saw him kill Orloff,” Wednesday said, cutting off Isaac.

“Yes, that,” he confirmed, sounding annoyed.

“You will not hurt her.”
“Is that bad?”

Pugsley and Wednesday spoke at the same time. They looked at each other and then back to Isaac who was pinching the bridge of his nose.

“No I don't think it'll be a problem and I have no intention of hurting her, but,” Isaac held up a finger and looked at Wednesday, “I will not have her stalking me again.”

Pugsley relaxed, Isaac was right everything was okay, he wasn't going to disappear again.

“I'll tell her to leave you alone,” Wednesday said, handing her tray to Pugsley and walking off.

Isaac leaned into Pugsley, tilting his head back and closing his eyes.

“He looks tired,” he thought, tracing the dark circles under his eyes lightly.

Isaac hummed contentedly.

“Are you not eating?” he asked, when Isaac made no move to go get his own food.

“Not right now,” he said when Pugsley pulled his hand away.

He didn't like that and took a bite out of his sandwich. He pulled a piece off and held it down to Isaac. He saw him sniff and smirked when his eyes opened.

“Knew he actually did like the mystery meat,” he thought triumphantly.

A strange look passed over Isaac's face but he opened his mouth and let Pugsley feed him.

“You two are sickening,” Wednesday said, returning with a new tray and taking her spot back.

“You're just jealous that Tyler isn't here,” Pugsley teased, feeding Isaac another bite.

Isaac snorted and sat up, apparently done. Wednesday's eyes promised pain and Pugsley grinned widely at her. It was always fun when she got back at him.

Isaac's room was massive. Pugsley took it in, eyes wide as Isaac started unpacking his things. He would definitely be spending a lot of time here.

“You have a T.V!”

“You can watch something if you want,” Isaac said, leaning out of the wardrobe to shoo him.

Pugsley found the remote and turned it on. It had everything, he eventually settled on a normie ghost hunting show. He was only half watching however, as Isaac had moved to the kitchen and was apparently cooking his own dinner. He'd seen him cook before in the cabin, but what had his attention was that Isaac had taken off his uniform jacket at some point and had rolled up the sleeves of his shirt.

He licked his lips as he leaned over the edge of the couch to watch. He was torn between getting his fix and knowing that Isaac needed to eat more than two bites of a sandwich.

“You're going to fall off,” Isaac said, not looking up from the stove.

Pugsley took that as an invitation to join him. He wrapped his arms around him and watched his hands, almost salivating. Isaac smiled over his shoulder at him and huffed softly as Pugsley squeezed him.

He pulled the pan off the stove, the unidentifiable cut of meat still dripping red. He extracted himself from Pugsley's grip and leaned against the counter.

“I'll be done soon,” he said, turning so Pugsley couldn't see, “why don't you go watch…whatever that is, and I'll join you in a minute?”

He wished Isaac didn't feel like he had to hide, after all Pugsley had seen him eat before, but he also knew that if he pushed it Isaac wouldn't eat at all. He sat down on the couch and tried to focus on the normies yelling in an empty building.

Isaac sat next to him, tucking one leg under, and rolled his eyes as the people panicked over a shadow. Pugsley laughed as they ran, wishing he had popcorn. That thought quickly vanished when Isaac's mouth found his neck, shortly followed by his teeth.

He tilted his head giving him more access and was rewarded by Isaac biting so hard it drew blood. He moaned as he lapped the bite and slid until he was lying down on the couch. Isaac pulled away, his lips bloody, and waited until Pugsley was settled. Pugsley captured his mouth, the taste of copper only fueling his need and dragged Isaac down on top of him.

“Mi monstruo,” he panted as one of those wonderful hands found its way down his pants.

Isaac laughed darkly against his mouth, his hips rocking against Pugsley's thigh. His hand found Isaac's curls and gripped them tight earning him a whine and a faster pace.

“Isaac,” he cried, cumming hard.

Isaac's hips stuttered and his head fell to Pugsley's shoulder. He bit down as he rode out his own orgasm. They lay on top of each other panting.

Pugsley kissed what he could reach of Isaac's face and gentled his grip on his hair. He got a sleepy blink as Isaac snuggled close, his nose at the corner of his jaw.

“Want to go try out my bathtub?” Isaac asked, placing a soft kiss against one of his bruises.

“This room just keeps getting better,” Pugsley said, letting Isaac pull him up.

He sat with his back against Isaac's chest trying to hide his embarrassment at being naked in front of him.

“He's so gorgeous,” he thought, trying to enjoy Isaac gently washing his hair, “and I'm just…”

“You're going to have to muzzle me,” Isaac said, cutting off Pugsley's thought.

Pugsley snorted and half turned to look at him.

“Why?”

“You look like you've been mauled,” he said, cleaning the broken skin on his neck.

“I like that though,” Pugsley whined as Isaac made him tilt his head.

Isaac made a sound somewhere between amused and frustrated.

“You'll get an infection.”

“Cool!”

Chapter Text

The first day of classes had so far been an exercise in keeping his sanity. Between the professors trying to ‘catch him up’ on material he already knew and the past and present seeming to double over each other, his patience and nerves were two ends of a frayed cable.

He scanned the quad for Pugsley and clenched his fist when he couldn't find him. His eye twitched when Enid saw him and waved enthusiastically, preventing him from returning to his room unseen. He forced himself to smile and walked over to her, ignoring the rest of the table. Including the little red head he was banned from harming, staring at him intently.

“How's your first day been?” She asked, reaching for his hands across the table.

“It's certainly been happening,” he said flatly, giving her his left.

“That bad, huh?”

He shrugged, still looking for Pugsley discreetly.

“Well I have something that might make it better,” She said, smiling mischievously.

He looked at her skeptically, usually her attempts to help him, involved several hours of something he didn't want to do.

“After your last class meet me outside Ophelia hall,” she said, leaving no room for argument.

“Alright, if I must.”

She smiled and then looked down at the table in front of him.

“Don't you want anything?”

He huffed, annoyed at having to have the same conversation once again.

“I am responsible for my,” he glanced at the other people at the table, “dietary restrictions.”

She looked at him confused, head tilting slightly. He raised his eyebrows trying to silently force her to get it.

“Oh. Oh!” She said, making the connection.

“So if you don't mind,” he said, getting to his feet, “I'm going to head up.”

He followed Enid into her and Wednesday's room apprehensively. Not from fear of being caught, but because he was afraid of getting too close to their window. She'd described it to him once, complaining about Wednesday peeling off her stickers when they'd met, and he'd known it would overlook the statue. He'd tried to not think about that night despite the hollow spot it left, like a gaping hole in his head.

He stayed on her side of the room not far from the door. She put on an upbeat song and toed off her shoes, leaving him standing like a fool.

“Enid, why am I here?” he asked over the music.

“Because,” she said, sliding a box over to him, “I wanted to see if you wanted these.”

He opened it and found what appeared to be a small house. His right hand instinctively reached inside. There were bottles of cologne, lotions, handkerchiefs, and his ring. He slipped it on with a soft laugh, tracing the chess piece on it. He opened the fragrance bottles and closed his eyes, they were his favorites, the lotion was the same, bergamot and neroli.

“What is all this?” He asked, looking up at her.

She looked happy but her eyes were wet.

“What are you doing?” Said Wednesday entering the room.

“Wednesday!” Enid said looking guilty, “I thought he might want his stuff back.”

Isaac saw Wednesday's jaw clench, a series of microexpressions shuttering across her stone face.

“It's not his!” She snapped, “they belonged to Thing.”

Ah. That explained a few things. Slowly he stood, pocketing his hand’s belongings.

“But Thing is Isaac," Enid defended.

Wednesday looked homicidal.

“He will never be Thing.”

She turned on her heel and stalked out of the room. Enid whined and threw her hands up.

“She's just grieving I think,” she said apologetically.

He bit his tongue before he said something he couldn't take back. Of course they would rather his disembodied hand than him. He flexed said hand and nodded silently.

“I better go find her,” Enid said, hovering near the door.

He climbed up to his dorm in an angry haze. He'd finally felt like he'd gotten part of himself back, only to be immediately reminded that he wasn't supposed to be there. He unlocked his door and stepped inside, ignoring the urge to break something. He emptied his pockets and carefully put his recovered things away.

He paced, unable to think of a different outlet for the chaos inside him. His lab would only make things worse at the moment, adding more memories, and while the thought of using the empty music room had his fingers itching for piano keys, he didn't think he could risk facing more people. He fisted a hand into his hair with an angry hiss.

He settled on sitting on his small balcony, letting the wind blow its way around him. He pulled his knees to his chest, watching the sun drift down painting the sky. His ring caught the light, drawing his attention to his traitorous appendage.

“Could give them what they want,” he said, staring blankly at the stitching at his wrist.

He had some ability to move things without his hand to conduct it, and he was sure, given time, he could use his left instead.

The memory of Enid's defense paused him. She'd said he was Thing with such certainty. He flexed his hand turning it in the dying light, examining it with a clinical detachment.

“Do I remember?” he asked.

He didn't think so, or if he did they weren't memories he could decipher.

“Me without context.”

“What is?” a voice asked

He jumped, whipping his head towards the balcony door. It was Enid. He was about to ask how she got in when he spotted Pugsley behind her. He sighed and got to his feet.

“Warn me before you break into my room,” he told her.

He could tell she wanted to repeat her question, but he ducked under her arm into his room. He kissed Pugsley's cheek as he passed and went to his kitchen. He was followed, but thankfully allowed to cook in peace, as Enid took one look at the sheep's brain he'd pulled from the fridge and fled to the couch.

“Bad day?” Pugsley asked quietly, hopping onto the counter.

“Just a lot,” he said, feeling drained.

“Do you want space?”

He shook his head. What he wanted was Pugsley to hold him until he fell asleep, but the sound of a baking show from his T.V., reminded him that wasn't going to happen for a while.

“Stay please,” he said, taking Pugsley's hand.

He smiled and kissed Isaac's temple. He then proceeded to steal a piece of cooking brain from the pan.

“S'good,” he said, licking his thumb.

Isaac shook his head fondly, the tension of the day slowly leaving him. He let Pugsley stay while he ate and when they got to the couch Isaac let him pull back against him. He ran his fingers through his hair, fussing over the knots.

“Can I?” He asked.

Isaac sighed but looked over the back of the couch and floated the brush Pugsley had gotten him over. It dropped into Pugsley's waiting hand and Isaac slid onto the floor.

“Aw!” Enid cooed, “you guys are so sweet!”

Isaac felt his face heat, once again resenting her presence. He closed his eyes as Pugsley started detangling his hair and tried to forget they had an audience.

Chapter Text

Pugsley was doodling small lightning bolts onto the margins of his notebook as the professor lectured. He was only half listening, figuring he would borrow Eugene's notes later. He still wasn't happy Pugsley was dating Isaac, but they were back on speaking terms.

Eugene kicked him under the table and jerked his head towards the blackboard. There was a new formula on it and he quickly scribbled it down. Eugene rolled his eyes and went back to taking notes, Pugsley went back to doodling, adding little hearts with clocks in them to go with the lightning.

Being in separate grades meant he and Isaac didn't share many classes, much to both of their disappointments. The only one they had in common was math and Isaac wouldn't be there today because it was his first meeting with the counselor. Which meant there was no one to keep him on task.

“Mr.Addams,” said the professor whose name Pugsley couldn't remember, “what is the answer to problem seventy-five?”

Pugsley blinked looking at the board.

“Uh, fifteen?” He said.

“Incorrect.”

A few of the kids around him snickered. His ears felt hot and he had that burning sensation in his head that happened when he felt stupid. He tried to pay attention for the rest of the class but the feeling didn't dissipate.

He went to his and Eugene's room to drop off his things for the evening before trying to head down to the commissary for dinner. He didn't make it far as Ajax stopped him in the common room.

“Hey, you and Night are pretty close right?” He asked.

“Yeah, why?”

“I've been trying to catch him for weeks to talk to him about the poe cup,” Ajax explained.

Pugsley tried not to laugh, Isaac had been complaining about trying to avoid him for weeks.

“Do you think you could ask him?”

He shrugged, he already knew what the answer would be but he'd try for Ajax's sake.

He didn't see Isaac in the commissary.

“He's probably in his room,” he thought, looking around again to make sure he hadn't missed him.

Pugsley sat next to Eugene, who looked at his mystery meat sandwich in disgust. He took a massive bite just to bother him. He gagged and looked away.

"So are you ever going to sleep in our room or…”

“Hey I was there last night!” Pugsley defended, swallowing, “why does it matter anyway?”

Eugene shrugged, picking at his food.

“I just don't think he's safe,” he said after a beat.

This again. Eugene, like his mother, had been trying to convince Pugsley that Isaac was just using him again.

“You don't know him like I do,” he groaned.

Eugene made a face and waved his hand.

“I don't wanna know.”

“I didn't mean that,” Pugsley said smiling, “I just mean if you talked to him you'd see he's not that bad.”

Eugene huffed and pushed his glasses up. He took a few bites of his dinner and then reluctantly nodded.

“Fine,” he said, “but if he even so much as looks at me weird I'm gone.”

Pugsley nodded, pleased with himself. Now it was just a matter of convincing Isaac to give him a chance. He pulled out his phone to text him.

-“I think you should come with Eugene and I to Jericho this weekend.”

He waited,finishing his dinner, figuring he probably wouldn't get an answer until later. He was pleasantly surprised when his phone buzzed as he dropped off his tray.

-“Not a chance.”

He rolled his eyes.

-“Why not?”

-“Why are you still hanging out with him?”

He frowned at the screen. He knew Isaac didn't like Eugene but he was still Pugsley's friend. He told Isaac as much.

-“He's a traitor and a coward.”

He could hear Isaac's tone through the screen.

-“I gave you a chance, can't you give him one?”

He didn't get an answer. He huffed and put his phone in his pocket heading to the dorm. It would probably be best to give Isaac some space to calm down. He liked to break things when he was angry and while Pugsley didn't think he'd ever hurt him on purpose, he didn't want to get caught in the crossfire.

“So what's the plan for Jericho?” He asked Eugene once they were in their room.

“Want to go look for bugs in the woods?”

Pugsley nodded, smiling.

“I won't even eat all of them!”

He woke up to the moonlight streaming in his window and the sense that there had been a sound. He sat up rubbing his eyes and looked around the room. Eugene was still asleep, the door was shut, nothing was out of place. He checked the time on his phone, wincing at the light. Three AM. He groaned quietly knowing he probably wasn't going to be able to go back to sleep for a while. He clicked his phone off and then back on as the realization he had a notification filtered through his over tired brain.

-“Where are we meeting in Jericho?"

He blinked stupidly at the message, trying to decipher it.

-“For what?”

He laid down figuring he'd get the answer in the morning since everyone else could sleep. His phone buzzed. Apparently not everyone.

-“You want me to give bug boy a chance, tell me where to meet you.”

-“Why are you up? Also I think we're going bug hunting so I'll let you know.”

-“You're the one texting me.”

-“Can I come up?”

He watched the typing bubble appear and disappear, wondering if Isaac was still mad or just thinking.

-“I'm in my lab.”

Oh. That was new, Isaac hadn't gone up there since they had started school, or he hadn't told Pugsley at least. He wasn't sure if that was a no or just to let him know where to go either.

-“I'm on my way.”

He slipped on his black bedroom shoes and crept to the door hoping Isaac wouldn't tell him he'd been wrong.

-“I'll be waiting, Cara mia.”

He all but floated to Iago tower, carried by the high of the new endearment. He couldn't wait to hear it in person, preferably whispered against his throat.

The tower was how he remembered it, mostly empty now that most of the machine was in Maine haunting a basement. The wind was cool as it blew through the shattered windows, the only light coming from the moon and what might have been lamplight in a far corner.

“Isaac?” he called peering around the abandoned space.

“Back here.”

Pugsley followed the sound and found him sorting through papers and tools at a broken metal desk. He was muttering to himself and shaking his head. Pugsley pressed a kiss to his temple hoping to ease the storm below the surface.

“Most of this is worthless,” he said tossing a page behind him, “I either don't remember what I meant or it's burnt or waterlogged or sunbleached!”

More pages fluttered into the dark.

“Why don't you take a break, it's late, I'm sure you'll be able to remember once you get some sleep,” he coaxed, gently pulling Isaac away from the desk by his sleeve.

He continued looking through the papers in his hand.

“Like this,” he said, brandishing a page, “what does that even…oh no, I do remember this one.”

He squinted at the page and crumpled it up then looked around, confused at where Pugsley had led him.

“There's a bed here somewhere,” he said, slipping out of reach, “I'll stay here tonight, get some things done before class.”

Pugsley huffed, there went any hope of sleeping. He trudged after his madman and was pleasantly surprised to find that the bed he'd mentioned wasn't just a trick. It was narrow and sagged in the middle, the bare mattress was water stained and looked like it would be infested.

“I can hope,” he thought drowsily, sitting down on it.

Isaac tried to get away but Pugsley caught his wrist and dragged him onto the bed beside him. He tried to get back up but Pugsley forced him to lay down, pinning him in place.

“Pugsley, I'm busy,” he said.

“Why do you have to get it done tonight?” He asked, knowing there wouldn't be an answer.

Isaac huffed and sputtered as Pugsley started to doze.

“Exactly,” he said, kissing Isaac's chin, “now sleep.”

Chapter Text

Isaac leaned against a tree watching Pugsley pry bark off a neighboring tree with his switchblade. The swarmer was standing next to him, too close in Isaac's opinion, with a glass container ready. They already had a collection of various beetles and other insects but apparently not the one they were looking for.

He felt something on his hand and looked down. A small black beetle was marching across his fingers. The clicking sound it made, matching his heart, made him smile softly. He held out his pointer finger as crawled, giving it a perch, and him a better view of its limbs.

“You were looking for deathwatch beetles weren't you?” He asked, seeing Eugene flinch in his periphery.

“Uh, yeah why?”

“I have one.”

The boy's fear vanished, replaced by excitement and awe. He rushed to Isaac holding out his jar. Isaac gently tapped the rim, knocking the insect loose. It fell with a soft clink and the jar was sealed.

“Do you think you can find more?” He asked, pushing his glasses up and nearly vibrating.

“It found me, but I can try.”

Pugsley tossed him his knife and Isaac tried to ignore the hungry look in his eyes as he walked it across his knuckles. The tree Isaac was leaning on turned out to be infested.

“Do you have any jars left?” Isaac asked.

“I think so,” Eugene said, some wariness seeming to creep back in as he searched his bag, “why?”

Isaac took the jar he was offered and snatched a beetle from Pugsley's hand before he could eat it.

“Because,” he said, dropping it into its prison, “I'm going to use it for an assignment.”

“You have bug assignments?” Pugsley asked, popping one of his remaining beetles in his mouth.

Isaac smiled and shook his head.

“Not exactly, I'm supposed to create something functional based on nature.”

Pugsley nodded, but Eugene seemed unsatisfied with his answer.

“For what class?”

“Da Vinci experimental engineering,” he said, dropping the jar into his pocket.

Pugsley got between him and the swarmer, looping his arm through Isaac's.

“What are you going to make?” He asked, sounding excited.

“A watch I think,” he said, picturing it in his mind, “not revolutionary I know, but this is a warm up project since we're so early in the semester.”

“That actually sounds cool,” Eugene said, bobbing his head, “I'd like to see it when you're done.”

He almost refused, but Pugsley looked up at him with those big dark eyes and Isaac found himself nodding along.

“Fine, but,” he added, “you'll have to wait until they hand back the projects.”

Eugene shrugged and Pugsley gave him a smile so affectionate Isaac thought he might combust. They began the walk back to the shuttle stop to the soundtrack of jars clinking and beetles clicking.

Isaac went to his lab, intent on finishing cleaning up and getting started on the watch. He ignored the emptiness created by his beautiful machine's absence, and two explosions, going straight to his desk. He set the jar on top of it and backed up, considering the desk's broken leg and how to repair it instead of keeping it propped up on his books.

He chewed his lip, his fingers twitching as an idea took form. He nodded to himself, removed the imprisoned beetle and the few things he'd left on the desk's surface, and telekinetically wrenched the top of the desk from the remaining legs. He set it aside and cleared the legs, storing them in his growing scrap pile. His books got piled onto the rotting bed and then he went in search of loose bolts, and hinges.

The bolts had been easy, scattered around the tower floor, the hinges he'd had to make, but the effort had been worth it. His desk was now attached to the wall and could be collapsed to hang flat against it. Satisfied he moved his books back underneath it, and collected his beetle and tools.

He had the watch’s mechanism finished, which Pugsley informed him was a good stopping place when he'd come to collect him for dinner. He was sitting on his couch, tapping his pencil against the page as he sketched ideas for the facade. Pugsley peered over his shoulder and hummed.

“I want the legs to serve a purpose,” he explained, erasing what he had, “like the stem on our roses.”

“Like what?”

That was the problem, this was meant to be a quick project, something that could be done in three days. The rest of his class would likely have something basic, simple, crude. But Isaac wasn't like the rest; he demanded perfection from his creations no matter how simple.

He thought about how the beetle gripped his finger as it held on, his tapping slowed.

“Figured it out?” Pugsley said sitting down next to him.

Isaac nodded, already sketching feverishly. Pugsley laughed and rested his chin on Isaac's propped up knee.

“I thought so, you got that look in your eye.”

Isaac looked up at him for an explanation.

“Mad scientist.”

Chapter Text

Isaac checked his watch, the counselor had been lecturing him on anger management techniques for the past forty minutes, he hadn't said a word in thirty.

“Lastly,” the counselor said, shuffling her papers, “seeing as it is family weekend and your situation is somewhat unique…”

She gestured at him, clearing her throat before continuing.

“You have been given a pass into Jericho for the day.”

He nodded and stood, feeling slightly hollowed out. As if he'd needed the reminder he had no one coming to see him. His plan had been to stay in his lab for the day, losing himself in the act of creation. Now he would spend it wandering through a town he despised, alone.

Isaac sighed as he walked, wishing Pugsley were with him and at the same time relieved he wasn't.

The cemetery was quiet, his the only ‘living’ presence. He traced the headstone lightly as he sat down.

“Hi Fran," he said softly, “I know, I know, I kept you waiting again. At least it wasn't another thirty years.”

He smiled sadly hearing her response so clearly in his head.

“I saw Tyler,” He said, “he still refuses my help, but before you get angry with me, he seems to be doing fine.”

The wind blew ruffling his hair. He bit his cheek, he'd have to tell her whether she heard him or not.

“I never understood how you married that man,” he started, “if you recall I had no interest in anyone. Especially not with…you know.”

He closed his eyes, pressing his hands against them.

“And then that boy,” he laughed, "that infuriating, wonderful boy, brought me back again.”

He could see her face, that affectionate motherly expression she wore when she thought he was being ridiculous.

“You,” he said pointing at the stone, “cannot say anything since you married a normie.”

He hung his head, running his hand through his hair.

“You'd have liked him, he's good for me I think, despite how Shakespearean the whole thing seems.”

He was crying now. He looked around making sure he was still alone.

“The two of you would never have let me get anything done,” he said, laughing wetly.

She'd always wanted him to be happy, he'd always insisted he would be once she was well. He never saw the point in planning beyond that.

“I'm not sure what to do anymore Frannie," he admitted.

He wasn't sure how long he sat with her, sobbing and trying desperately to stop. He wished for her to hold him, to shush him and tell him everything would be fine, like when they'd been little.

“Thanks to me, you're gone,” he said, getting shakily to his feet, “and I can hear you arguing with me about that but we both know it's pointless.”

He wiped his face, straightening his jacket.

“I have to go now, but I'll come see you again.”

He unlocked his door and dragged himself inside. He'd managed to avoid most of the parents and students on his way but the migraine behind his eyes was inescapable. He turned the lights off, flopping onto the bed with a pained sigh.

Chapter Text

Pugsley checked his phone again, his parents were tormenting Wednesday and had forgotten he existed. He sighed, still nothing from Isaac, he hadn't even seen him today. He looked up watching as Wednesday stalked off, their parents not far behind.

-“I'm coming up.”

He was probably working on something and that's why he wasn't getting an answer, but something in Pugsley's heart told him that wasn't the case. The staircase was deserted, his footsteps echoing loudly. He knocked on the familiar black wooden door and waited. He heard a muffled groan and what might have been ‘go away’.

He smiled, at least he knew he was in there.

“It's me, my love, let me in.”

The door swung open, revealing Isaac sprawled face down on his bed in the dark. He didn't move as Pugsley came in, but the door locked behind him. He sat on the bed stroking Isaac's hair.

“Headache?”

He got a muffled groan and a nod. He hummed sympathetically. He moved his hand to the base of Isaac's skull and massaged it. He got a delicious moan out of him and laughed softly.

“feel good?”

“Mhm.”

“Can I do anything else?”

Isaac rolled to face him, his eyes were red-rimmed and tired.

“Oh amado,” he said, cradling his face, “what happened?”

Isaac sighed and looked away, his hand blocking out the light from the window.

“Given my situation,” he said, clearly mocking someone, “I was sent into Jericho for the day.”

“Alright…”, he said, unsure of why that upset him.

“In the spirit of family weekend I went to see Fran-Franciose.”

Oh. Oh that was why. His poor Isaac, Pugsley should have been there for him.

“Don't do that,” Isaac said, peeling his hands away to glare at him.

“do what?”

“Blame yourself.”

“I'm sorry, I know that must've been hard.”

“Easier than you think, it was like talking to her.”

He tapped his forehead and huffed a laugh. Pugsley didn't like the sound of it. It was close to the mad laugh he had when something he built was coming together but felt too hollow like it had those first weeks in the cabin. He kissed him softly.

“I'm here if you need me,” he said, hopping up to wet a washcloth, recalling Isaac doing that when he had headaches before.

“I always need you,” he said once Pugsley returned.

His novio was so romantic, even in pain. He carefully straddled him, not wanting to squish him, and placed the cloth over his eyes. Isaac grabbed his hips when he tried to get off.

“This could be interesting,” he said slyly.

Pugsley grinned and kissed him.

“I have to get back before they realize I'm missing.” He said freeing himself, “and you need to rest.”

Isaac groaned but didn't pursue him. Pugsley would come check on him again before he went to bed.

“There you are, my little storm cloud,” His father said, clapping him on the back, “Where'd you slip off to?”

“Isaac has a headache,” he said, waiting to see if his mother noticed his return.

She didn't.

His father winced, “I remember him getting those, sometimes they'd last for days.”

Pugsley hoped that wouldn't be the case this time for both their sakes.

He regretted coming back down at all, he was back where he started, missing Isaac and being ignored.

Across the quad it didn't look like Enid was enjoying herself either, her shoulders were hunched and her mother was leaning across the table at her, talking quickly. He frowned at the scene, his eyes darting to Wednesday. She'd noticed too, good, that meant Pugsley didn't have to play middleman. He liked Enid and he owed her a lot, but ultimately she was Wednesday and Isaac's friend.

He played a game on his phone until his parents announced they were leaving for the evening. He and Wednesday walked them to the car, Pugsley waving goodbye.

“Are you going to rescue Enid now?” He asked once the car pulled out.

She nodded, turning on her heel, “There's been enough parental torture for one day.”

His room was empty, Eugene was still probably visiting with his moms. He plugged in his phone and decided on taking a shower, hoping the water would help ease the strange ache of loneliness.

It didn't, the feeling only grew as he stepped back out. He dried his hair with the towel and sat on his bed, checking his phone.

-“Can you come back yet or are they still here?”

He smiled, some of the weight lifting knowing someone wanted him.

-“How's your head?”

-“Fine, and before you ask, I'm eating now.”

He was on his feet, already climbing the stairs when another message came through.

-“Please save me.”

He laughed as a blurry picture of Enid reaching for the phone came through. Apparently she'd chosen to bother Isaac after Wednesday's intervention. She wouldn't be happy about that, Wednesday wasn't exactly fond of him. He climbed the stairs two at a time and found Isaac's door unlocked.

He laughed until his eyes watered at the sight of Isaac standing on the counter holding his phone above his head as Enid tried to pull him down.

“Don't just stand there help me!” They said in unison.

“What-whats even happening?” He panted, gesturing at them.

“She broke in, harassed me, and is now trying to cut off my communications!”

“You're such a drama queen!”

Enid turned around with a huff.

“I came in, got him out of bed to watch mind numbing television because it looked like we both needed it,” she paused to give him a pointed look, “and he repays me by taking terrible photos of me!”

He broke them apart, getting Enid to go find something for them to watch and then coaxing his boyfriend off the counter before he broke something neither of them could fix.

“Have you talked to Ajax yet?” He asked, settling on the couch between them.

“I told him I would join his team only if you were part of it too.”

Pugsley kissed his cheek, it was sweet even if it wasn't going to happen.

“Have you guys decided on a name yet?” Enid asked, not as engrossed in the movie as she seemed.

Isaac smirked and wouldn't look at either of them. Pugsley felt a wicked grin of his own forming.

“You didn't,” he said.

Isaac nodded, his smile almost maniacal. Enid was pouting, waiting for one of them to explain.

“Tell tale heart,” Isaac said, taking pity on her.

She tilted her head, “I don't get it.”

Isaac leaned around and looked at her. Pugsley discreetly pointed at Isaac's chest.

“Oh!” She said, lighting up, “that's genius!”

“What about Ophelia Hall?” he asked.

“We are the ravens this year,” She said proudly, “considering we have one on the team.”

“May the better team win,” Isaac said casually, propping his feet on Pugsley's lap.

“I know you don't mean you!” Enid challenged.

Isaac just smirked and turned his attention to the screen. Pugsley gave her an apologetic shrug, what could he say? Isaac had an ego, a well deserved one too for the most part.

Chapter Text

Pugsley and Eugene were waiting in the hallway outside of the Da Vinci classes. Isaac had said he was getting his watch back and promised to show them before his next class as long as they were on time.

“Have you seen it?” Eugene asked, looking around again like they were going to get in trouble.

“Would you relax, it's a study hall for us, no one's going to care, and no, not all of it, just the insides.”

Eugene made a face, “Do you have to say it like that?”

Pugsley nodded. The class letting out stopped him from teasing any further however, much to his disappointment. Isaac had his head down as he came out, fiddling with something in his bag. They had to jog after him as he didn't notice them.

“Isaac!” Pugsley called, finally managing to snag his sleeve.

“Oh there you are,” he said, stepping into an alcove.

“We've been chasing you,” Eugene panted.

Pugsley nodded when Isaac looked to him for confirmation. He mumbled an apology and reached into his pocket retrieving a handkerchief wrapped around something. He handed it to Eugene and Pugsley caught the mouthwatering scent of one of Isaac's colognes.

Eugene unwrapped it revealing a gold and brass colored beetle. He laughed softly, tracing the seam of its wings.

“Press just above there,” Isaac instructed, his face impassive.

Eugene pressed and the wings opened revealing the clock face.

“This is incredible,” he said, sliding them shut and opening them again, “the details are perfect!”

Isaac took it back, laying it flat on his palm, the legs held it up just like a real beetle. He pushed it down and the legs curled in, trying to grip.

Eugene gasped and snatched it. Pugsley expected Isaac to snap; he was happily surprised when he laughed, tucking his hands into his pockets as his creation was fawned over.

“Could you make another one!” Eugene asked, his glasses slipping down his nose.

“You can have this one if you want,” Isaac said, shrugging one shoulder.

“Really!”

Pugsley was surprised too, and slightly jealous, though he couldn't explain why. Isaac pulled his own pocket watch from inside his jacket, checked the time, closed it, kissed Pugsley's cheek, and walked off. He and Eugene walked to their next class in relative silence as his friend was still excitedly examining his present.

Pugsley's day did not improve. Tests were handed back, he barely passed, meaning he could barely focus on the new material they started. He made it back to the dorm, dropping his things off and trying to head downstairs to the quad.

“Hey Pugsley!” Ajax called, stopping him, “did Isaac tell you about the cup?”

He shrugged, waiting to see where Ajax was going with this.

“You're on the team dude!” He said, punching his shoulder.

He smiled pretending to be happy about it, pretending he didn't notice that once again he was only being chosen because of someone else's wants.

“OK so the plan is you and Isaac are gonna build our defense systems for the boat and then…”

He stopped listening, just nodded along as he tried convincing himself it wasn't like that.

“But it is,” he thought, giving Ajax a thumbs up and walking off, “and why not? I'm not smart or fast or strong.”

He hoped Isaac was down in the quad, he would make him feel better. Part of him worried though, that Isaac would get tired of him once he realized Pugsley was just Pugsley.

The hub was crowded and at first he didn't see him. He was about to text him when he realized he was sitting with Enid and her friends.

“Would they mind if I join them?” He wondered inching closer but staying out of sight.

The girl he recognized as Bianca was leaning across the table towards Isaac making a face of confusion and slight disgust. Pugsley got closer wanting to hear what they were talking about.

“You're dating Pugsley Addams?"

He swallowed hard, the disbelief in her tone told him exactly what she thought about it.

“Is there a problem with that?” He heard Isaac say, his voice carefully neutral.

He saw Bianca shrug and lean away.

“We all have our taste I guess, yours is just…different than I would have expected.”

Pugsley didn't wait to hear more, he knew what was coming. Isaac would realize they were right and laugh about how ridiculous he had been and Pugsley would be forgotten. He didn't know where he was going, couldn't see through his tears, just let his feet carry him. It wasn't until he reached the familiar black door that he stopped, sinking to the floor in front of it.

The memories of being shoved in lockers with an apple in his mouth mixed with Bianca's obvious disgust, leaving him shaking and sobbing.

Chapter Text

“Mr.Night,” said the professor, forcing him to look up from his sketch of the canoe.

“Yes sir?”

“Answer the question.”

“Oh, it's Datura, used to treat asthma and other more acute breathing issues.”

“Correct, can anyone else tell me why it is considered one of the deadliest poisons?”

Isaac tuned back out in favor of his design. It was coming along, but he wanted to run a few things by Pugsley. The class ended and he gathered his things, sliding his bag over his shoulder and ignoring the whispers around him.

“Nothing's changed,” he thought, jogging down the stairs, “brilliance is still to be mocked.”

He'd often been bullied for his intelligence and for the fact that his having manners meant the staff liked him. He'd learned to ignore them and the ones that wouldn't be, he learned to destroy in untraceable ways.

The quad was still a source of anxiety for him, however, it wasn't the tight cliques, or even the noise, no it was that statue and the fact that he had to pretend it didn't exist.

Pugsley wasn't there yet which meant he would have to sit with Enid or try and sneak past her to find a quiet place to read. He'd yet to get around her. Today was no different as she waved him over enthusiastically.

“Enid,” he greeted sitting down across from her.

“How's your day been,” She asked, taking his hands.

“Fine, yours?”

“you have to actually talk about it!” She pouted.

He rolled his eyes, sighing heavily.

“I gave the beetle to Eugene,” he said, hoping that would be enough to get her to stop.

“That was sweet of you,” she said, “trying to make friends.”

“Hardly,” he said, scrunching his nose, “it makes Pugsley happy if I'm nice to him.”

She looked at him knowingly, raising her eyebrows. He huffed and pulled out his sketchbook.

“What are you forcing me to watch next?”

She leaned over and punched his arm. He grinned rubbing the spot, they both knew he didn't really mean it anymore.

“So this is your new guy?” Asked a siren, sitting down next to Enid, “you moved on pretty fast.”

“Absolutely not,” he said then turned to Enid, “no offense you're not my type.”

“None taken,” She said looking as disgusted as he felt, “you're not mine either.”

He flipped her off on principle. The siren looked confused, her mouth slightly open.

“So you just spend time with zombieboy for fun then?”

He clenched his jaw, not at the fact that she knew, but at the way she said it. Enid nodded, crossing her arms. She opened her mouth likely to defend him but he cut her off.

“I don't need rescuing,” he said, staring the siren down, “but I do like to know who's speaking to me.”

“Bianca Barclay,” She said, scaled hands sliding over the table towards him.

“Oh the cultist,” he said, nodding.

She tensed, her smile tightening. He smirked, enjoying the game. She composed herself and looked him up and down.

“So what is your type then?”

He huffed, disappointed she'd gone back to the topic, he'd been having fun.

“He and Pugsley are together,” Enid said, answering for him.

He shot her a look but nodded, wishing said boy would arrive and rescue him from his current hell.

“Pugsley,” Bianca repeated, “as in Addams?”

Was she stupid? What other Pugsley was there?

“You're dating Pugsley Addams?"

He didn't like her tone, mocking him was one thing but Pugsley was off limits to everyone.

“Is there a problem with that?” He asked, staring her down but keeping his voice level.

She leaned away, like it would save her.

“We all have our taste I guess, yours is just…different than I would have expected.”

His jaw ticked, his hand twitching involuntarily.

“Choose your next words very carefully,” he warned quietly.

She laughed in nervous disbelief, but his attention wasn't on her anymore, it was on the rapidly fleeing back of Pugsley. He was on his feet instantly, ignoring the way she flinched at the sudden movement. He could gloat later, right now he had a boy to catch.

“Where'd you go, love?” he asked, checking Pugsley's room and finding it empty.

He would check his room next and then the lab. He would kill that siren, make it look like an accident. The tower stairs seemed to keep going as he frantically climbed them. Pugsley was there in front of his door, sobs wracking his body.

Isaac crouched in front of him, gently pulling his hands away from his face. He wiped his tears and pulled him close.

“Pugsley, Pugs, my dearest, it's alright.”

He shook his head against Isaac's chest.

“Don't listen to her, she's a shallow waste of oxygen,” he said, pulling away to look into Pugsley's eyes, “and I'll make her pay for it.”

Isaac pulled them up and unlocked his door. He made him sit on the bed and went to wet a cloth. He laid it on the back of Pugsley's neck remembering that cold helped shock the system into calming down.

“It's not just her,” Pugsley said through his tears.

“Who else?” Isaac said, anger spiking at the thought of anyone even thinking badly about his Pugsley.

“They used to call me pigsley,” he said miserably, “tie me up, put an apple in my mouth and toss me in a locker.”

“Who?” Isaac growled.

“At my old school,” Pugsley said, wiping his eyes, “but they're right! I'm fat and stupid and why would you be with me?”

Isaac's heart would have broken if it had still been flesh. Instead his anger evaporated. He crawled onto the bed and cradled the distraught boy.

“Oh my love,” he said, kissing the top of his head, “you are beautiful.”

Pugsley laughed bitterly and shook his head.

“and smart, and kind, and most importantly you're mine,” he continued, sliding off his uniform jacket.

“Look at me!” He said pulling away and holding out his arms, “I'm barely passing my classes, and look like this!”

Isaac huffed and shook his head before raising his right hand. He flicked it and Pugsley rushed towards him with a surprised yelp.

“I happen to think you are stunning,” he said, forcing him to lay down and straddling him, “and I will keep you here until you believe me.”

He didn't give him the chance to argue, kissing him hard, only letting him up to get a breath before diving back in. He nipped at his throat pulling his head back by his hair to get more room. His other hand found the edge of his shirt and was sliding its way under. He was relieved Pugsley had been wearing one of his striped shirts and not the button up he was supposed to. It was making things so much easier.

“Isaac don't,” he said, closing his eyes.

“You have seen me as an actual rotting corpse,” he told him gently, continuing to push the shirt up, “and you still decided you wanted me.”

He stopped when he couldn't remove it without Pugsley's help.

“Let me show you how much I want you, how gorgeous you are.”

Pugsley's lip trembled and he turned his head but raised his arms for Isaac to remove the shirt. Isaac pulled it off and tossed it aside, sitting back to take in his darling. He licked his lips, debating where to start. He hastily unbuttoned his own shirt, relieved when Pugsley finally looked at him to see what he was doing. His shirt joined the other on the floor and then Isaac feasted.

He bit and kissed and licked every inch he could reach. Muttering endearments into the soft skin.

“Cara mia.”

A kiss.

“Morbidoso.”

A bite.

“Ma moitié.”

Pugsley whined, tears still falling, his hand fisted painfully into Isaac's curls. He moaned leaving another bruising bite in his wake. He could feel how painfully hard his love was under him and growled, rocking his hips.

“Isaac, please,” he whimpered, chasing the friction.

Isaac sat up panting and gave his neck a nip as he got up.

“Wait there,” he ordered ducking into the bathroom.

He returned carrying a small bottle he'd stolen from the cottage bathroom months ago. Pugsley had obeyed and Isaac rewarded him with a kiss as he climbed back onto the bed. Slowly he undid Pugsley's pants and pulled them and his boxers off. He pushed open his legs slightly and paused.

“Pugsley,” he said, reaching up and turning his head to look at him, “If you tell me to stop, I will.”

His face pinkened and he let his legs fall open further. Isaac kissed the inside of his knee and shed the rest of his clothing. Pugsley looked at him, eyes nearly black and made a needy sound.

Isaac picked up the bottle and squeezed some of its contents onto his hands. He, again, waited for Pugsley.

“I need you to tell me,” he said, softly.

“I want you to.”

Isaac nodded and gently circled his entrance.

“Relax for me,” he said, pressing in slowly.

Pugsley made a distressed sound but when Isaac tried to stop, shook his head. He waited for him to adjust before moving, slowly he relaxed, the slide becoming easier, one finger became two and Pugsley started moving with him. Isaac crooked his fingers and got a delicious moan in return.

Satisfied he wouldn't hurt him much, he pulled his fingers out and got a heart breaking whine.

“Hold on,” he said, slicking himself and shifting Pugsley's hips.

He pressed in slowly, the tightness painful for both of them.

“relax, carrisimo, relax” he panted, not moving.

Slowly he began to move, pulling out slightly and rocking back in. Pugsley made such sweet sounds, spurring him on. He pressed kisses to his stomach soothing over the dark bites as he picked up his pace.

“Isaac,” Pugsley moaned, arching into his mouth, “mi monstruo.”

Isaac growled and lifted one of Pugsley's legs over his shoulder, changing the angle. His pace was brutal now but he received no complaints. He wrapped his free hand around Pugsley's weeping cock and stroked him in time with his thrusts.

He came with a cry, Isaac wasn't far behind him, pulling out at the last second. He collapsed onto Pugsley and tucked his head into its usual spot on his shoulder. They were both breathing hard as they came down. Isaac pressed lazy kisses onto his neck as Pugsley stroked his hair.

“Bath,” he said once he was able.

“Don't think I can move,” Pugsley slurred

Isaac grinned and got up. He leaned around until he could see the tub's faucet and turned it on with a twitch of his fingers. Once it was filled he turned back to Pugsley who looked to be dozing. He woke as Isaac looped one arm under his knees and the other around his back.

“I'm too heavy!” he protested.

“Nonsense,” Isaac said, kissing him sweetly and carrying him to the bathroom, “I'm a da Vinci, dearest, there's no such thing.”

He lowered Pugsley into the water and climbed in behind him, mindful of his heart being uncovered. He saw him wipe his eyes and turned his face towards him. He was crying again.

“Don’t cry,” he pleaded, “don't cry.”

“I'm trying,” Pugsley said.

“Do you see now? Just how beautiful you are?”

He nodded hesitantly.

“Good, don't ever let me hear you talk about yourself like that again,” he said sternly, “and if anyone else says anything, I'll take care of it.”

Pugsley sniffled and nodded leaning back against him as Isaac washed them.

Chapter Text

Pugsley woke with long arms wrapped around him. He was sore and felt wrung out, but the boy kissing his throat drowsily made that fade away.

“Good morning,” Isaac rasped, loosening his hold.

Pugsley smiled, looking past him as the sun rose. He was loved, he knew that, but he still couldn't shake the fear that one day he would see him how he actually was.

“Are you hungry?” Isaac asked, sitting up and stretching, his joints snapping as they shifted.

Pugsley shook his head pulling the blanket higher over him. He got an unreadable look and a soft kiss as Isaac got dressed.

“You're stealing my bit,” he said, walking into the kitchen, “I'm the one who has to be bullied into eating.”

He snorted and watched as Isaac fixed them breakfast. His cooking had improved since they'd arrived at Nevermore and while he still claimed he wasn't a chef, Pugsley always enjoyed what he made.

“During study hall today I want you to come help me with the canoe.”

“Really,” he asked, reaching for his clothes on the floor.

Isaac nodded, his curls bobbing.

“I want your opinion on my defense designs,” he said, plating the food.

Pugsley's heart lifted, he wanted his help, his thoughts.

“I'm not smart like you though,” he admitted, padding over to join him.

Isaac slammed the plate on the counter, causing Pugsley to flinch.

“I thought I told you not to talk about yourself like that.”

“Y-you did,” he stuttered.

Isaac's gaze softened and he sighed running a hand over his face.

“I'm sorry I snapped,” he said, reaching for Pugsley with one hand, “I'm not angry at you, just for you.”

Pugsley nodded and hesitantly took his hand. Isaac kissed his knuckles and released him, sliding his plate across.

“The counselor wants me to work on my anger management skills,” he said, “says I need an outlet.”

Pugsley sighed, they both knew his options were limited with Isaac being banned from hunting and any activities with sharp objects involved. He stood next to him, leaning against his shoulder as they ate.

“You should go get some clean clothes,” Isaac said, floating his watch over and checking the time, “not long before classes.”

Pugsley was relieved to find Eugene already gone for the day.

“Probably checking on his bees,” he thought, undressing.

“What happened to you!”

He quickly pulled his clean shirt down and plastered a confused smile on as he turned to face Eugene who had apparently just been in the bathroom.

“What? Did he try to eat you?” He asked, pushing up his glasses, his brows furrowed.

“Not how you're thinking,” Pugsley mumbled, feeling embarrassed.

Eugene waved his hands, shutting his eyes.

“I don't know why I asked, I don't even want to know.”

Pugsley grabbed his bag and pushed past him just wanting to get to class and away from the awkward conversation.

During study hall he ventured outside. He found Isaac lying on the grass underneath the canoe muttering to himself. He kicked his boot and smirked as his boyfriend cursed at him in three separate languages.

“what could you possibly nee- Oh!” He said, realizing it was Pugsley, “sorry dear, didn't know it was you.”

He sat up and gave him a sheepish smile rubbing the back of his neck, the sunshine making his pale skin turn to porcelain.

“That's okay, what are we working on?”

He sat down next to him and looked over the blueprints Isaac handed him. He whistled appreciatively, as always his Novio's plan was brilliant.

“I thought you would have some insight into the depth charges,” Isaac said, sliding back under the boat.

“Non lethal right?” Pugsley asked, already calculating the amount of explosives he'd need and the strength of the charges.

Isaac made a noncommittal noise, Pugsley bumped him again.

“Fine, whatever you say, non lethal.”

Pugsley laughed and squeezed his knee. He flipped through the sketchbook tracing the designs for dozens of creations. He froze when his own face stared up at him. It was surrounded by smaller sketches, his hands, his eyes, a cross section showing his bone and muscle structure.

“You drew me?” He asked in awe.

“What!” Isaac said, alarmed, hitting his head on the boat in his haste to get up.

He snatched the book from Pugsley and pinned it against his chest.

“You weren't supposed to see those.”

He was flushed and wouldn't look at Pugsley. He leaned over pulling Isaac by the front of his shirt into a kiss.

“I think it's romantic,” he said, releasing him, “you should have told me I would've posed.”

Isaac swallowed hard but a small smile crept onto his face.

“Would-would you check if the release for the charges is working?” He asked in a voice slightly higher than usual, laying back down, keeping the sketchbook.

Ajax, Isaac, and a few of the other boys Pugsley didn't know as well were sitting in the common room putting on their costumes for the cup. They were dressed as corpses to fit the tell tale heart theme, Isaac waved him over and had him sit so he could do his makeup too.

Pugsley was nervous, he didn't really care if they won but he'd had a thought the previous night that he couldn't shake. He looked around hoping the others weren't listening.

“Isaac what about your heart?”

“What about it?” he said, frowning as he focused on painting Pugsley's face.

“what if we sink?”

Isaac tsked and continued his work. Pugsley grabbed his wrist.

“I'm serious.”

“We won't, it'll be alright.”

He dropped his wrist and let him finish. He loved him but he was so stubborn when it came to his own wellbeing.

“What's wrong?” Ajax asked quietly, leaning over and looking between them.

Isaac huffed and gave Pugsley a look.

“I have a…heart condition, and he's worried.”

Ajax's eyes went wide.

“You can do the race though, right?”

“Of course,” Isaac said haughtily.

“It's not that kind of condition,” Pugsley admitted, shaking his head, “I'm just worried about him swimming if we sink.”

Ajax grinned, “Then let's make sure we don't!"

Pugsley allowed himself to get caught in the excitement of the lakeside. Seeing the other teams he believed they could win, they didn't stand a chance against his and Isaac's defenses. The depth charges were ready to go and the spring loaded harpoons would prevent anyone from getting too close.

He sat behind Isaac who had the defense triggers at his feet. The gun sounded and they were off. One of the boats never made it off the dock, apparently someone had punched a hole in it. The boat next to them flipped and Pugsley caught the glimpse of a fin. He rolled his eyes, the sirens were so predictable.

“Brace for depth charge,” Isaac said, a metallic click following.

The water boiled around them and something splashed away frantically. Isaac was cackling, causing a fond sigh to escape Pugsley, as the rest of the team flinched at the sound. They reached the shore, sadly using only one harpoon to rip the side out of one of the other teams, and Ajax and two others ran to collect the flag and run interference. Isaac was checking the triggers and remaining harpoon lines as Pugsley kept watch.

Enid and Wednesday ran back to their boat, flag in hand, and set off to the finish. Ajax came into view holding the flag a second later. Isaac reached out his hand and flicked his wrist, pulling him to the boat faster. The other two had to leap from the shore as they began pulling away without them, the boat rocking wildly.

“We're not gonna make it!” Ajax said with a groan, “they're too far ahead!”

Isaac tilted his head and started pulling loose one of the harpoons, Pugsley helped even though he didn't understand what the goal was.

Isaac stood, the boat swaying, Pugsley held his breath, terrified he would fall. He aimed the harpoon at the dock and kicked the trigger. It lodged in the wood and started reeling them in.

Isaac staggered but caught himself and waved cheerfully as they passed Wednesday's boat. Pugsley joined the cheers of his team, his fist in the air. The shore erupted into cheers as they landed, he couldn't keep the smile from his face as he was patted on the back and hugged by cheering classmates.

Isaac looked smug but kept himself away from the excitement. Pugsley disentangled himself from the crowd, slipping his way over.

“That was amazing!” He said, hugging him tightly.

“I told you we wouldn't sink.”

“Forgive me for worrying about my boyfriend,” Pugsley snarked.

Isaac kissed his cheek, his eyes warm and elated.

The ceremony was thankfully short as the trophy was handed over. Ajax had Isaac stand with him to accept it and then sprinted it back to Caliban hall, leaving Pugsley to collect his uncomfortable boyfriend.

A few of the other boys demanded a story after dinner, still too amped from the victory to sleep. Isaac sat next to him, smirking, as Ajax started his story. Pugsley went cold as he recognized it as the skull tree story he told the year before, he looked at Isaac who was very still, his face blank.

Ajax finished his story and the room emptied out leaving just the three of them. Ajax got to his feet with a yawn and a stretch.

“That's not the end of that story,” Isaac said, his voice strange.

“Sorry?” Ajax said, stopping.

Pugsley gripped Isaac's hand, though he wasn't sure if he meant it to be comforting or to stop him.

“Your story, it doesn't end there, I could tell you the rest if you'd like.”

Ajax slowly sat back down, nodding. Pugsley saw Isaac smile, slightly deranged looking in the firelight.

“It's true enough that his body was left under the skull tree,” he began, “and it remained there for many years, his brilliant mind rotting away with the rest of him.”

Pugsley frowned and slid closer.

“Until one night a strange, lonely boy stumbled upon the grave and accidentally jumpstarted the dead boy's clock heart.” Isaac paused as a door shut in the distance, “he rose from his grave, or what was left of him did, but he was no longer clever or creative, he was little more than a mindless beast.”

The shadows danced on the walls turning the room into a nightmarescape, Ajax leaned in close.

"He stayed that way, kept as the strange boy's pet, until it was discovered that if he was given brains and flesh he could regenerate.”

Isaac's eyes found Pugsley's in the dark, the firelight dancing in them.

“The dead boy got loose, wandering, lost, feasting on whatever happened across his path until one night he found that he was thinking again, that he had memories again.”

Isaac took in a shuddering breath, his eyes drifting shut.

“He remembered how he came to be under the tree and vowed to finish what he'd started.”

Isaac paused, his jaw clenched.

“Then what?” Ajax asked, wide-eyed.

Isaac laughed quietly, hysterically.

“It seems his invention was always meant to end tragically,” he said, composing himself, “once again the boy with the clockwork heart was left still and waiting for someone equally as strange to bring him back.”

The fire crackling was the only sound. Pugsley leaned against Isaac, trying to ease the tension in him.

“Did they?” Ajax asked, oblivious, “did someone bring him back?”

Pugsley nodded silently.

“See for yourself,” Isaac said, shifting and undoing the buttons on his shirt revealing the metal heart beneath.

“Woah!” Ajax said, jumping to his feet, “Wait! Wait! You're the clockwork boy!”

“In the flesh.”

Pugsley didn't care about Ajax having his mind blown. He cared about how still Isaac was, and how far away his eyes were. He got in front of him, cradling his face. He got a few blinks and then Isaac was back. He kissed him hard, hoping to keep him there, where he belonged.

“It's been a long day, mi amor,” he said as Ajax paced behind them, “why don't we head up to bed?”

Isaac smiled, resting his cold hands over Pugsley's as they held him.

“You should stay down here tonight.”

Pugsley was hurt, but knew by the look in his eyes, that Isaac was trying to keep him safe. He nodded and pulled away, letting his corazón get up and slip out of the room. He frowned when instead of going up, Isaac went down.

“Going hunting,” he thought, heading into his room to watch for a shadow creeping across the grounds.

He pulled out his phone, telling Isaac to let him know when he got back.

Chapter Text

Isaac tore his way through several small animals, hating himself for how good it felt. He was just beyond Nevermore's borders and not quite within Jericho's, exploiting the hunting rule he'd been given. He didn't leave much behind, nothing that couldn't be easily explained as the circle of life.

He'd told his story hoping for some catharsis, as well as for his pride, unfortunately it had left him feeling disconnected from himself and a bone deep craving for gore. That wasn't satisfied yet, but he headed back to the school anyway.

“Just have to come back another night,” he told himself, using the secret passages to get closer to his room unseen.

He washed his hands and face in the sink watching the red fade to pink then to clear. He stumbled out of the bathroom and pulled his dresser drawers open, floating clean pajamas out and into his waiting hand. He was cold and his leg hurt but he didn't have the will to fill the tub.

He let Pugsley know he was back and collapsed onto the bed and groaned into the pillow. He knew he would have to talk about his little midnight excursion and dreaded it. Pugsley had been wanting to tag along since he brought him back the second time, and Isaac always denied him. He knew it was stupid, that it wouldn't change anything, but he couldn't bear the idea of Pugsley seeing him eat one of his kills, and couldn't shake the fear that he would snap and hurt him.

The counselor didn't even look up as Isaac entered, too busy looking over a file.

“It's not even mine,” he thought, dropping his bag to the floor.

He could see the name from his chair but not the actual contents, meaning he couldn't even entertain himself. He waited for her to start her weekly lecture about making sure he was managing his impulses and remaining level headed.

He checked his watch and sighed quietly. They had been sitting in silence for his entire session and he was close to dying of boredom. The bell chimed letting him know he was done and he left without receiving or giving a goodbye.

“What a waste,” he muttered angrily, “could have been using that time for literally anything else.”

He passed the music room and paused, his fingers twitching. He backed up and stuck his head inside, empty like he'd thought. He looked around the hallway making sure he was alone before stepping inside. He left his bag by the door trailing his fingers over a violin as he drifted towards the piano.

He pressed a few keys, closing his eyes as the notes rang out.

“It's no organ,” he thought sitting down in front of it, “but it'll do.”

He ignored the sheet music set up and let his hands do as they wished. The result was a haunting but chaotic toccata. If it had been an organ he could have added a fugue with just a thought, but he could hear it in his head clearly enough. Applause interrupted him, leaving the song unfinished and swirling in his head like a hurricane.

He turned, annoyed and found Pugsley clapping. His irritation, oddly, didn't dissipate, he turned back to the keys and played the final notes.

“You're supposed to wait until the song's over,” he said, harsher than he meant as he stalked to his bag.

“Sorry,” Pugsley said, catching up with him, “It just sounded so good!”

Isaac grit his teeth and started the climb up to his lab.

“So, I know you're not a big fan of company while you hunt, but I thought,” Pugsley said, right behind him, “maybe I could come and be like a look out, that way it's safer.”

“No,” Isaac said, trying to not snap at him.

“Just think about it please.”

“How many times are we going to have the same conversation!” He barked, whirling to face his shadow.

Pugsley took a few steps down and looked at him hurt.

“Shit,” he said, closing his eyes, “I'm sorry Pugs, it's-its not you I'm just,” he waved his hand vaguely, “really messed up.”

Pugsley nodded but dropped his head. Every time things were going well, Isaac found a way to ruin it.

“Listen,” he said sitting down on the stair in front of Pugsley, “my issues are not your fault or your problem and I'm sorry that I'm like this, but I am working on it.”

“You don't do that to anyone else,” he accused.

“That's because if I did they'd be dead.”

Pugsley's frown deepened but he nodded. Isaac sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

“If you promise me that you will keep your distance, you can come with me tonight,” he said, hoping the concession would help.

“You mean it?”

He nodded trying to ignore the knot forming in his stomach.

His day passed in a haze, his skin buzzing with the need for a hunt and the fear of being watched. Numbly he let himself into his room, locking the door behind him with a wave of his hand. He changed into a plain black shirt and hoped the blood wouldn't show, having already ruined one of his uniform shirts. He waited on his balcony for the sun to set, catching the scent of living things on the breeze.

Pugsley was waiting for him just outside the gate. Isaac's hands were shaking and he didn't trust himself to speak, leading them silently into the forest. The damp dark eased its way into him, relaxing his muscles and setting his senses alight.

He waved for Pugsley to stay put, taking a few silent steps forward. He followed the scent until it led him to a stag. It was bigger than what he had been taking but unconsciously his jaw had unhinged, his unnatural tongue reaching for his prey. He lifted his hand, the stag raised its head looking at him, it stomped, he flexed his fingers snapping its neck.

He cradled its head as he ate, his eyes closed, enjoying it.

“Wow! Good job!” Pugsley said.

Isaac jerked his head up looking at him wide-eyed before turning away and trying to put his features back in their proper place.

“Isaac?”

He heard soft footsteps getting closer and pushed himself away.

“Please don't,” he said, voice pathetic to his ears.

“We've seen each other worse, mi monstruo,” Pugsley said, right behind him.

Gentle hands coaxed him to turn around. He looked up at Pugsley, waiting for the disgust, the fear. Instead he was met with want.

“Even like this?" he asked, laughing softly.

Pugsley nodded.

“Even if I admit part of me wants to eat you?”

Pugsley shivered, nodding again and a different hunger began to fill Isaac. Pugsley licked his lips but took a few steps back.

“You can finish eating,” he said, nodding to the deer, “I'll wait.”

Isaac huffed and did as he was told. He looked at Pugsley every now and then and always found him watching intensely. He sat back satisfied for the time being and licked his fingers. Pugsley made a sound, pulling Isaac's attention to him. He was biting his knuckles, looking mildly distressed.

He got to his feet and cautiously approached him. Pugsley grabbed him, pulling him into a vicious kiss. His blood joined the stags as Pugsley bit his lip, splitting it. Isaac backed them against a tree, leaving both of them smeared in red as he left marks of his own. He wasn't as careful as he liked to be, drawing blood with each bite, but it only seemed to arouse Pugsley further.

Isaac kneeled in front of him, undoing his pants and taking him into his mouth in almost one movement. Pugsley nearly wailed as Isaac worked him, grazing his teeth over the sensitive flesh and using his tongue to stroke him as he sucked. He had a death grip on Isaac's hair preventing him from getting far, not that he had any intention to.

He held Pugsley's hips still, using his telekinesis to get himself off while his hands were occupied. He came with a cry of Isaac's name and went limp. Isaac swallowed and slipped off with a pop. Pugsley slid down the tree, eyes fluttering shut and breathing hard. His own release came soon after and he laid boneless in the leaves at Pugsley's feet.

An owl hooted softly in the distance, the wind causing the trees to whisper and cooling the sweat from both of them. His scalp stung from his hair being pulled and the blood slowly drying on his face and neck was starting to itch. Pugsley moved first, getting to his knees and leaning over to check on him.

His face was smeared with blood and the collar of his shirt was stained, dark bites covering what Isaac could see of his neck, but his smile was radiant, like he felt none of it.

“We should get back, get clean,” Isaac rasped.

Pugsley helped him up and stayed pressed to his side as they returned to the school.

Chapter Text

Pugsley hesitated as he approached the lab, he could hear music, which in and of itself, was typical, what stopped him was the sound of Isaac singing along. He snuck inside, hoping he wouldn't notice and stop.

“Strangelove strange highs and strange lows strangelove that's how my love goes strange love will you give it to me?”

Pugsley smiled, recognizing the song as a favorite from Isaac's Playlist. He climbed the metal stairs up, the elevator was still broken, listening to him sing.

“I give in to sin because I like to practice what I preach.”

He sat on the step watching as Isaac worked at his desk, dancing as he did. He did a small spin and stopped, catching sight of Pugsley. His face went red and he turned the music down with a small cough.

“You didn't have to stop,” Pugsley said from his spot.

“How much did you see?”

Pugsley shrugged, “not much unfortunately.”

Isaac laughed humorlessly and crouched in front of him. He held out his hand and pulled him to his feet.

“Only half of your gift is ready,” he said, changing the subject and pointing to a stack of books where a bouquet of poisonous flowers sat in a vase.

Pugsley picked them up admiring the blooms. Belladonna, foxglove, nightshade, henbane, and oleander, all of his favorites. He set them back down and leaned over Isaac's shoulder to watch his clever hands at work.

“Originally I wanted to make them out of glass,” he said, not looking at Pugsley, “but I didn't want you to think that was all I could make for you.”

“I wouldn't have thought that.”

Isaac muttered under his breath as the thin strip of metal in his hand slipped and clattered to the desktop. It floated back up and he pinned it in place among the other pieces.

“What is it?” Pugsley asked, wrapping his arms around Isaac.

“A surprise.”

He huffed and kissed Isaac's temple, pulling away to wait. They had decided to make the day a sort of anniversary since neither of them were certain about an actual date. He had Isaac's present in his pocket, a small fractal burning he'd made in the shape of a heart. He felt self conscious about it, knowing it would pale in comparison to whatever Isaac was making.

Something fluttered past his face, distracting him. He blinked, tracking it. It was a butterfly, a metal butterfly, no it was a metal moth. He smiled, spinning as it fluttered around him. He held out his hand and it landed on his finger.

“An eternal corpse moth,” Isaac said, joining him, “I thought you might like one, since they led you to me before.”

“It's you!” Pugsley said, leaning against him, setting the moth fluttering again, “you're my eternal moth!”

Isaac chuckled and kissed the top of his head. Pugsley pulled his present out of his pocket and handed it over nervously.

“It's not much, nothing like what you've done,” he said as Isaac pulled the black ribbon.

The paper drifted to the floor as Isaac traced the fractals.

“You made this?” He asked, looking up.

Pugsley nodded, waiting for the polite thanks that was always worse than rejection. Isaac smiled at the thin piece of wood, continuing to follow the branches Pugsley's electricity had left.

“It's beautiful.”

He perked up, scanning Isaac's face for deception.

“You like it?”

Isaac nodded, tucking it safely into his uniform jacket.

Pugsley had stolen one of Eugene's bug jars and put his moth inside, setting it next to his glass rose and deadly bouquet, he watched it flutter, resting his chin on his hand.

Isaac's weekly therapy sessions had been moved to the weekend, so it would stop interfering with his classes, meaning Pugsley had nothing to do but wait.

He'd been invited to the lake by Ajax and Eugene but turned them down, not wanting to go without Isaac and risk having another argument about Pugsley hanging out with other people. He knew Isaac was just scared of losing him and got possessive, but he didn't like that it felt like he wasn't allowed to have friends.

Isaac always apologized for it, insisting he was fine with it, and that Pugsley should go, only to do it again the next time. It was tiring and he didn't feel like going through it today.

“Thought you'd be at the lake.”

He smiled, turning to look at Isaac. He shrugged and got up, taking Isaac's bag so he'd stay.

“Didn't feel like it,” he said.

Isaac made a face but nodded.

“I want you to have friends, Cara mia.”

“I do, I just didn't want to go,” Pugsley insisted.

Isaac sighed but dropped it. He laid down on Pugsley's bed, rolling onto his side.

“Bad time?”

“Just a waste of it,” he said, annoyed, “it's the same conversation every time.”

Pugsley laid down next to him and cradled his head.

“Still asking if you want to eat anybody?”

Isaac grinned at his phrasing and nodded.

“I think I might bribe someone to go for me,” he said, leaning his head harder against Pugsley's hand, “just to see if she notices.”

He ran his thumb over Isaac's lips, laughing as he bit at him.

“But what about all your anger management techniques?” He teased, kissing the mole on his jaw.

Isaac snorted, his eyes closing as Pugsley continued peppering kisses across his face.

“I just need an outlet, remember?” He said, hooking his leg under Pugsley's and flipping them, pressing him into the bed.

Isaac was sitting with Wednesday and Agnes, reading his latest book. Pugsley could see him from his spot with Eugene, he sighed, half wishing they were sitting together but knowing Isaac's plan was probably a good thing.

They'd had another fight about Pugsley having other friends and after Isaac had apologized he'd told him he'd been researching and wanted to test a theory. They would both spend time away from each other, with people they considered friends, or in Isaac's case people he tolerated.

He'd said it would help with his possessiveness, that it would help create healthy boundaries for them.

“Why don't you just go sit with him if you're gonna be all mopey,” Eugene huffed.

“Sorry,” Pugsley muttered, tearing his attention away from Isaac.

“Have you studied?”

“For what?”

Eugene groaned and slid his notes over.

“Oh right,” he said, sheepishly scanning the page hoping to retain at least some of it.

He glanced across the quad and found Isaac missing. His heart sank, he'd thought he'd have at least said goodbye.

“Focus dude!”

Pugsley frowned as he trudged out of the classroom, he didn't think he'd done badly on the test, but he doubted it would be good enough. He was on his way to his machine class, which he actually enjoyed and did well in, when something he couldn't see yanked him into a darkened alcove.

Isaac kissed him hard, clenching his uniform jacket tightly. Pugsley laughed as they broke apart.

“I missed you too,” he said, leaning back in, “how long do we have to do this?”

“Until I can stand seeing you next to someone else,” Isaac replied, kissing behind Pugsley's ear.

“I don't mind the possessiveness,” he groaned as Isaac's teeth grazed his throat.

Isaac shook his head and released him.

“You need to have other people, and I need to learn to be okay with that.”

“What if we alternate then?” Pugsley offered, “certain days we do things together, certain days we're separate?"

Isaac hummed as he thought, his fingers twitching. He kissed the corner of Pugsley's mouth and nodded.

“We’ll make a schedule,” he said.

Pugsley smiled, glad it was a ‘we’ situation and not an ‘Isaac’ one.

“How about tomorrow we’re together,” he suggested, adjusting his bag.

Isaac nodded his hands trailing off as Pugsley slipped away. They would both be late if they didn't move.

Chapter Text

Isaac was trying. It was difficult, and he felt like he was dying, but he was trying for Pugsley's sake. With the counselor being of no help he'd decided to conduct his own research into his problems, namely why he couldn't stand to be away from Pugsley most of the time and other times felt suffocated. He'd landed on codependency and his experiment seemed to be confirming that.

They were having one of their separate days and, while it was getting easier, he still could not wait for it to end. He didn't sleep well when they were apart, the ticking getting too loud again, like when it was new, and his room felt cavernous. In his sleep deprived state he'd even contemplated going to sleep under the skull tree. He shook himself, cracking his knuckles and focusing on the worksheet in front of him. If he kept his mind busy, time would move faster.

The music room was empty and he took full advantage of it. He played until his fingers ached every time they pressed the keys, and he was panting from the exertion of playing the violin telekinetically at the same time.

“I didn't know you played violin,” said a monotone voice behind him.

“And I didn't know I had an audience,” he said, turning to face Wednesday.

She was sitting in front of a black cello, one eyebrow arched.

“You play well, if unstructured.”

“Cathartic release more than form,” he admitted, getting to his feet.

She nodded, seeming to understand.

“No excuse for being sloppy,” she added as he left.

He smirked, she always had to have the last word. She'd started tolerating him again, mostly for Pugsley's sake he figured. Agnes had stopped fleeing when Isaac entered a room but she had yet to speak to him.

“Not that I mind that,” he thought, "but I could do without her staring.”

He climbed to his lab dropping his bag on the floor. He was working on a personal project to keep himself busy, recreating a leech barometer to hang in his room. He'd always wanted one but had always been too busy with more important things.

“This place is still super creepy,” said a familiar voice.

“Enid?”

“Oh thank goodness!” She said all but running over to him.

“Why are you in here?” he asked, spinning around to glare at her.

He didn't like people in his lab unless they were experiments, only Pugsley was allowed.

“Nice to see you too,” She huffed, “I came all the way up here so you wouldn't be alone.”

“Yes, yes thank you, now go away.”

“Nope,” She said, rocking onto her toes.

“When were you here before?” He asked, turning back to his desk.

“Oh Agnes set up a death trap, up there,” She said pointing to the metal platform in the clock tower, “for prank day last year.”

He blinked a few times, processing. Irrationally angry that more people had been in his space.

“But that's besides the point!” She said, spinning him around.

He huffed at her and crossed his arms, waiting for her to tell him what she wanted.

“I heard that there's going to be a party at the lake tonight.”

He raised his brows, failing to see what that had to do with her being in his lab. She rolled her eyes and shook him lightly.

“I want you to go with me!”

“Why?”

“Because,” she said, “you're my friend and you need to get out more.”

He squinted, waiting for her to give him the real reason. She whined and started pacing.

“I need someone who'll scare off any creeps!”

“Can't Wednesday do that?”

“No, I already asked, and when I said she couldn't kill them she turned me down.”

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. It would keep him busy, but at the same time felt like he was betraying Pugsley.

“Please Isaac, I need you to be my scary dog privilege.”

He looked at her witheringly, she pouted. He put his hands up and nodded.

“Fine, I'll be your entirely unnecessary guard dog.”

She squealed and hugged him then proceeded to drag him out of his chair and across the school to his room.

She threw out clothes for him and shoved him into the bathroom.

“Make yourself threatening!”

He laughed, she had no idea how easy that was. He got dressed and slicked his hair back, a few curls hanging in his face. He hadn't eaten yet, a byproduct of his and Pugsley's off days that he had yet to work out, the circles under his eyes deepening and sinking, making him unsettling. He knew it would only worsen as the night went on. His vanity rebelled at the idea of going out like that.

“You're not supposed to look good,” he told his reflection, “you're supposed to look scary.”

He stepped out holding out his arms for inspection. Enid clapped and pulled him to the couch.

“I'm gonna paint your nails!”

He held out his hands without complaint, Francoise had often practiced on him after their father’s death, usually incredibly bright colors that made the nurses wince. And he liked the idea of matching Pugsley.

“Perfect! Now while those dry I'm gonna put eyeliner on you.”

“Why?” He asked pulling away, feeling like he was being tricked.

“So you look like a scary goth, obviously!”

He frowned but let her. It felt nice, like he was a brother tolerating his sister again. She showed him her handiwork, he turned side to side admiring it.

“I may let you do this more often,” he admitted, giving her a wry smile.

The shoreline of the lake was crawling with normies. Music was blaring and someone had lit a bonfire. Isaac frowned, regretting his decision to help, but refusing to abandon Enid. He spotted a few other Nevermore students in the throng of people which eased his mind a bit.

Enid was taking selfies with the party in the background, and dragged him in for a few. She spotted one of her friends, emitted a high pitched squeal, and left him standing by the fire. He missed Pugsley. He pulled out his phone, figuring it wouldn't be breaking their rules if he just let him know where he was.

-“Enid dragged me to a party by the lake, don't worry.”

It was a thin excuse to talk, he knew that, but he couldn't help himself.

“Haven't seen you before,” said an unfamiliar voice.

Isaac looked up, it was a normie boy, wearing a bomber jacket with the local highschools mascot on it. He clenched his jaw, slipping his phone into his pocket. He looked into the fire hoping he would go away. He didn't.

“Are you from the outcast school?”

Isaac glanced around, searching for Enid. She was talking animatedly to her vampire friend. Isaac looked at the boy who was still waiting for him to answer.

“Why?”

The boy shrugged and held his hands up in surrender.

“I don't have a problem with it if you are,” he said, “I'm Danny by the way.”

“Isaac,” he said, looking for Enid again.

“Are you looking for your girlfriend?” Danny asked.

“She's not my girlfriend,” Isaac said, “but yes, I'm supposed to keep an eye on her.”

Danny nodded and looked around, he pointed off to the side, and Isaac relaxed when he saw her dancing with her friend.

“You never did answer my question.”

“Yes, I'm an outcast.”

“Cool! Can I ask what your thing is?”

Isaac laughed and looked Danny up and down, he was clearly a jock, but he seemed genuinely interested.

“Telekinesis.”

“That's where you can move stuff with your mind right?”

Isaac nodded but his attention was on the guy now talking to Enid and playing with her hair. He stalked over, cutting through the crowd.

“Don't touch her,” he said, pulling Enid away.

She gripped onto his sleeve, her claws coming out and nicking his skin.

The guy snorted as he took Isaac in.

“Or what freak?”

He tried to intimidate him, crowding Isaac's space, clearly used to being taller than most.

“Isaac let's just go,” Enid urged, trying to pull him away.

“Yeah Isaac, why don't you go and let me and the blonde get back to it.”

Isaac didn't move, didn't break eye contact, the crowd around them had gone silent and backed away. The guy, realizing that Isaac wasn't afraid, and wasn't going anywhere, pulled a knife from his jean pocket.

“Are you deaf?” He said opening the knife, “or stupid?”

Isaac couldn't help himself, he laughed, loudly, the sound of pure madness at the pathetic threat.

“I could kill you without lifting a finger,” he said once he'd regained some control over himself, “put that away before you hurt yourself.”

The guy went red and swung, stupidly not with the knife, but with his empty fist. Isaac pushed Enid back as he dodged, he saw her friend pull her away from the corner of his eye, she was baring her teeth. He danced around the enraged teen, laughing at each failed punch.

“Really?” He said, “can’t even hit a poor defenseless freak?”

He tripped him, tilting his head as the boy sprawled on the sand. He tried to get up but Isaac held him down with a small twitch of his hand.

“Come near my sister again,” he said, crouching down beside him, “and I'll use that knife of yours to castrate you.”

He stood, the crowd parting as he collected Enid. They walked with the other outcasts back to Nevermore almost silently. He was trying to wrap his head around why he'd called her his sister, and why he'd resisted the urge to eat him.

“Thank you,” Enid said, squeezing his hand, “I knew you were a good choice.”

“You could have taken him, I don't know why you didn't," he said, shrugging, “but I had fun.”

Pugsley was waiting for him when Isaac entered his room. He grabbed him, checking him frantically.

“I take it Enid told you about the fight?”

“I was so worried,” Pugsley said, holding him tightly like he might disappear.

“Never even touched me,” he assured, threading his fingers through his hair, hugging him back.

“Can we stop with the schedule please,” he asked, nuzzling Isaac's chest.

Isaac kissed the top of his head.

“Yeah, we can stop.”

Pugsley pulled him into the bathroom and washed his face, tutting at the state he was in. He made him eat, and then pulled him into bed wrapping himself around Isaac.

Sleep found him quickly for the first time in weeks as he listened to Pugsley's breathing, wrapped in his scent, feeling like he was home.

Chapter Text

Isaac was reading, laying between Pugsley's legs, his head on his chest as he played with his hair. They were enjoying the shade as the summer heat baked Nevermore’s campus.

Pugsley looked up as Eugene approached them carrying a duffel bag and sweating. Isaac made a noise of complaint as Pugsley stopped petting him. Eugene flopped down next to them and wiped his face.

“I'm going to the lake to look for bugs,” he said, “do you guys want to come?”

Pugsley almost said no, he didn't feel like hiking all the way to the lake in the heat when they had a perfectly good tree right there, but Isaac didn't give him a chance.

“Actually that sounds good,” he said, closing his book and sitting up.

Pugsley frowned, he usually had to beg Isaac to go anywhere.

He was already up, heading back towards the looming school walls. Pugsley and Eugene followed.

“So what are you looking for today?” Pugsley asked as they climbed to Isaac's room.

“Nothing specific,” Eugene said with a shrug, “I figured it'd be cooler by the water.”

Pugsley nodded, still slightly annoyed that Isaac had disrupted their peaceful day to go bug hunting.

“Woah!” Eugene said, looking around Isaac's room, “I get why you're up here all the time.”

Pugsley huffed, crossing his arms and sitting on the couch as he waited for Isaac to change. Eugene's presence felt like an intrusion. Luckily they didn't have to wait long, he stepped out of the bathroom wearing one of his oversized, worn flannels over a black shirt.

“Won't you get hot?” Eugene asked, adjusting his glasses.

“He's always cold,” Pugsley said, harsher than he intended.

Eugene recoiled slightly, looking at him confused. It served him right for ruining Pugsley's day.

“It's true,” Isaac said, wrapping his arm around Pugsley's shoulders, “I can't make my own heat.”

Pugsley leaned against a tree, frowning as his best friend and his boyfriend walked either side of the lakeshore. Was this how Isaac had felt? This painfully jealous?

“Because this is awful,” he thought, rubbing his arms.

“Pugsley!” Isaac called, waving him over.

His hands were cupped and his eyes held a manic, mischievous light. Pugsley leaned over trying to see what he had, he opened his hands revealing a leech. It was attached to Isaac's palm, blood oozing around its wriggling body.

“Cool!” Pugsley said, pulling his hand down to see better.

Isaac laughed and detached it, letting it inch around his hand.

“Can you get me a jar and then help me find eleven more of these?”

Pugsley nodded and ran to catch Eugene. He pulled a jar from the bag on his hip and ran back to Isaac, ignoring his friend's protests. He handed him the jar, panting, and watched him drop the leech in. He stopped breathing as Isaac licked the blood from his palm. The memory of their night in the woods resurfacing.

“I found this one under a rock,” he said, kicking one with his boot, “but they like plants and logs too.”

Pugsley nodded, he liked leeches, they were gummy.

“Why do we need them?”

“Project,” Isaac said cryptically, scouring the shore.

That made him feel better, he should have known Isaac only wanted to come for his own purposes and not to hang out with Eugene. Pugsley scouted ahead, checking the water plants and returning with three leeches dangling from his hand. Isaac grinned and kissed him before dropping the wriggling creatures into the jar with the other one.

The walk back was miserably hot but Pugsley didn't mind with Isaac's cold body pressed to his side, he was turning his jar of leeches in his hand. Eugene was trudging behind them, lacking a perpetually freezing boyfriend to keep the heat at bay.

“What'd you get, gene?” Pugsley asked, peering into his bag.

“Not much, just some wood beetles and a swallowtail.”

Pugsley’s stomach growled and he looked at the jars longingly. Eugene sighed and tossed him the jar of beetles.

“Thanks!” He said, his mouth already full of the crunchy bugs.

They were lounging in Isaac's room, the patio door open, letting in a summer breeze. Eugene had returned to their room to drop off his butterfly and hadn't come back up, which Pugsley was grateful for. They had resumed their position from the tree, the only difference was they were on the couch and Isaac was sketching what looked like a weird chandelier instead of reading.

He moaned softly as Pugsley scratched his scalp. He did it again and Isaac tipped his head back to look up at him. He looked sleepy, his dark eyes half lidded and his face relaxed. Pugsley kissed him and smiled as Isaac's hand found the back of his head holding him in place.

“You should sleep, mi amor,” he said against Isaac's open mouth, “I'll be here when you wake up.”

Isaac shook his head, closing the distance between them again. Pugsley traced the dark circles under his eyes.

“Will you sleep if I do?”

“Maybe. But I don't want to move.”

Pugsley smiled and kissed between his eyes.

“OK then we won't, I like the couch.”

Isaac didn't answer and when he pulled away Pugsley found him already asleep.

“I love you,” he mouthed, getting comfortable while trying not to wake him.

“Love you too,” Isaac mumbled.

Ajax had dragged them all down to the lake the following weekend, claiming it would be a perfect bonding activity for everyone.

“And a way to stay cool!”

Isaac was sitting in the sand in a dark red t-shirt that Pugsley couldn't wait to take off of him, his boots were behind him and one of his long legs was stretched out in front of him. He looked up from his book catching Pugsley staring, a knowing smile creeping across his face.

Pugsley flushed and dove under the water to calm his burning face. The water was murky and full of long grasping plants. He dove further, trying to grab one before floating back up. He wiped the water from his face and felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned and found no one, but on the shore Isaac was smirking.

Chapter Text

Isaac couldn't help but torment Pugsley. He could see him blushing and could practically hear his thoughts from the shore. He relented, not wanting to completely embarrass him. He focused on his book as the other boys ran past him, chasing each other, throwing sand, diving into the water.

He envied them, he couldn't remember the last time he'd been able to swim. His failing heart kept him bedridden for most of his childhood and the metal replacement couldn't be submerged. Sand sprayed across him and he sighed, setting his book aside. Ajax was sunning further down the beach and Eugene was barely a speck, likely looking for insects or trying to avoid the rowdier boys.

Isaac pulled his knees to his chest and watched as a netless volleyball game started. The ball flew his way and he caught it in the air, raising his hand. He sent it flying back to cheers. He looked back to the water longingly. He'd taped over his heart just in case, but he knew it wasn't safe to actually get in.

“I could put my feet in,” he reasoned, getting up and heading for the dock, leaving his book and shoes where they were.

He sat on the edge of the dock and rolled up his pants legs. The water was warm, or at least warmer than him, and felt wonderful. Pugsley swam over to him happily.

“Wish I could join you,” he said, resting his head on his hands.

“I know,” Pugsley said, squeezing his ankle, “maybe one day.”

Isaac huffed, and leaned back looking at the sky, “One day, just not this one.”

He heard a splash and looked at the water, Pugsley had disappeared. He popped up a moment later with a small frog in his hand. He handed it to Isaac and pulled himself onto the dock next to him. He looked around and then turned so Isaac wasn't visible to the others.

“A snack,” he whispered, nodding to the frog, “you haven't eaten yet.”

As always Pugsley's care made him melt, and as always, he was right, Isaac was hungry. There was very little mess thankfully, and Pugsley dove back in the water to look for his own snack.

A few boys Isaac vaguely recognized ran past him, jumping off the dock. He huffed, mildly annoyed as water sprayed him. The boys crawled out of the water onto the sand, laughing. They looked his way and came jogging back, to jump again he assumed. He rolled his eyes, searching the water for Pugsley.

His eyes widened as hands grabbed him, shoving him off the edge of the dock before he could react. He reached for the dock, a hand, anything. The water knocked the air from his lungs as he sank. He tried not to panic but the sensation of his chest cavity filling with water made that difficult. Something flashed and his chest ached and burned. He swam for the surface, his limbs quickly growing heavy.

Hands grabbed him pulling him onto the sand. He coughed, water flooding out of his mouth and chest. He shuddered as his heart stuttered, the gears stopping spastically. He heard yelling and the crunch of bone. Someone hauled him to his feet and helped him over to his things. It was Ajax and Eugene. Ajax looked furious and stormed over to the screaming. Isaac coughed, his breathing wet and rattling, the water that came out was tinged with red.

He heard Pugsley yelling angrily and looked up, Ajax was dragging him away from the group of boys. His nose was bleeding and one of his eyes was already blackening. The group of boys were worse off, one of them clearly had a broken nose, another looked like he was missing teeth, and the other was unconscious.

“Pugsley,” he rasped as his wonderful darling escaped and tried to head back to finish his victims.

Pugsley stopped and ran to him, holding his face, searching it. Isaac winced as the gears failed again, blood flow interrupted.

“He needs the nurse,” Eugene said nervously.

Isaac laughed, wheezing, at the understatement.

“He can't walk back!” Pugsley snapped, his hands reaching under Isaac's saturated shirt.

He gasped and choked as he pressed on the malfunctioning machine, pulling away the useless tape. His vision became spotty and he leaned against Pugsley as he shook. He wasn't sure how long they sat there as he faded in and out of consciousness.

He was pulled to his feet again and stumble-walked to a car. He blinked confused as he was eased inside, his head on Pugsley's lap.

“Enid please!” He heard him say, “hurry!”

When had Enid gotten there? Where did the car come from? Something wet landed on his cheek, Pugsley was crying.

“I've made him cry again,” Isaac thought unhappily, reaching a shaking hand up to wipe away the tears.

Pugsley kissed his palm, squeezing his wrist too tightly.

“Don't leave me,” he whispered, pressing Isaac's hand to his cheek.

Isaac tried to say he would never leave, they were stuck with each other, but another wave of pain left him coughing too hard to speak.

He didn't remember how he got to the infirmary, or even getting out of the car, and for a while, as he was forced into a bed, and hooked to a machine, he thought he was a child again, dying in the hospital, waiting for his sister to come make him forget.

She didn't come.

He woke to weak sunlight streaming into the windows and someone holding his hand. He rolled his head to the side to see who it was, and smiled at the sight of Pugsley sleeping in a chair next to his bed. The air felt dry, and his lips were cracked, but his heart seemed to be functioning better.

“Mi corazón?” Pugsley said, shifting in his chair.

“M'awake,” Isaac mumbled, squeezing his hand.

Pugsley crawled onto the bed, laying beside him and holding him tightly.

“Let me look at your eye,” he said, tilting Pugsley's face up.

The swelling wasn't bad, the bruise fading, which made Isaac wonder how long he'd been out. He ran his thumb over the bruise, causing Pugsley to shiver.

“I'm sorry,” He whispered.

Pugsley shook his head fiercely and kissed Isaac's palm.

“It wasn't your fault, and you stayed.”

“Of course I did, why would I go when I have you waiting for me?”

Pugsley's eyes welled up and he shook his head again.

“You called for your sister a few times,” he said, wiping his eyes, “I thought…”

Isaac tilted Pugsley's face up and kissed him gently.

“I won't leave you.”

Chapter Text

The nurse wanted Isaac to stay in the infirmary a few more days with the dehumidifier to make sure the water was out of his chest cavity and to monitor his heart activity. Isaac did not like this and kept trying to escape until the nurse let Pugsley stay with him.

Isaac was staring into space, idly picking the skin around the sutures on his wrist. Pugsley took his hands and massaged his favorite lotion into the dry skin. Isaac's eyes focused but the look he gave Pugsley was blank.

“I have your class work if you want it,” he said, hoping to get some kind of response.

“Thank you dear,” Isaac said, almost mechanically.

Pugsley frowned, searching his face.

“It's only a few more days, then we can leave,” he reassured, kissing Isaac's chin.

Isaac took a shuddering breath but nodded, his bag floated onto the bed. He opened it, pulling out his school work and flipping through it.

“I've been doing better thanks to you,” Pugsley said, laying his head on Isaac's shoulder.

Isaac had been tutoring him before the lake and while his reward method for right answers, a kiss for each one, was probably unethical it was extremely effective. Pugsley missed that, he missed who Isaac was before. This hollow version sitting in the infirmary scared him, made him feel like he wasn't going to get him back.

“I'm sorry I'm not here,” Isaac said flatly, filling out the questions, “I don't do well in hospitals.”

Pugsley kissed his temple, he was trying to come back to him, that was enough. He let him work, dozing on his shoulder, trying to keep him warm.

Pugsley had been charged with making sure Isaac didn't stress himself unnecessarily upon his release from the infirmary. A task that was never easy and was usually thankless. But his reward was seeing his beloved slowly come back to himself. He smiled again, his voice wasn't flat, but Pugsley would still catch him looking at nothing, eyes unfocused.

“He just needs time,” he thought, running his hand through Isaac's hair as they sat in the quad.

“How are my leeches?” He asked, looking up at Pugsley.

Pugsley winced, he'd found the jar in Isaac's lab, none of them had made it.

Isaac sighed and dropped his head back down.

“Eugene and I can get you more,” he assured, “you need a dozen right?”

Isaac nodded, continuing his sketch. It was cool looking whatever it was, and if the leeches were for it, it would be even better, he just hoped it wouldn't be too taxing for him to build.

Ajax walked by them and waved with a strained smile. Since he'd found out who Isaac was he'd been hanging around more, and Pugsley was incredibly grateful to him. He'd made sure the boys that hurt Isaac got what they deserved, stoning them and bringing them to the principal. They hadn't been expelled, much to Pugsley's infuriation, but had been put into detention until Isaac was released.

“If one more person looks at me like that I'm going to rip their throat out,” Isaac growled, gripping his pencil tightly.

Pugsley pulled Isaac's head back and kissed him.

“Do you want to go upstairs?”

Isaac was seething, but kissed him back and then nodded.

He was panting by the time they reached his room but refused to let Pugsley lead him to the bed.

“The couch,” he insisted, “please.”

“Alright, mi vida, alright.”

Isaac curled against him, his head in its spot on his shoulder. It felt like holding a block of ice but Pugsley didn't mind.

“Let's get you warm,” he said, pulling the blanket thrown over the back of the couch down around him.

“Why do you put up with me?” Isaac said, his voice causing goosebumps.

“Because I love you,” Pugsley said, relieved when Isaac's hands began to warm.

Isaac hummed and bit his neck. Pugsley chuckled and pulled Isaac's hand up to kiss it.

“Mine,” he said, pulling him closer.

Isaac smiled against his neck and nodded.

“Yours.”

Isaac bit again, pulling himself into Pugsley's lap. He wanted him, badly, but his fear of pushing their luck wouldn't let him enjoy himself. Isaac rolled his hips, and Pugsley grit his teeth and made him stop.

"Don't push yourself, amor,” he warned.

Isaac growled and looked away. A sly smile pulled at his mouth and he kissed Pugsley hard, his long tongue exploring his throat.

“Then why don't you do all the work,” he growled in Pugsley's ear, the sound going straight to his groin.

Pugsley picked him up and carried him to the bed, laying him down gently, his legs hanging over the end. He pulled Isaac's pants down and got on his knees. He started slow, earning small needy sounds and a hand in his hair.

“Pugsley,” Isaac moaned, lifting his hips.

He hummed and Isaac cried out, tightening his grip on Pugsley's hair. He picked up the pace taking him all the way down and swallowing. The obscene sound Isaac made had him reaching for his own aching cock.

“So close,” Isaac breathed, flexing his hand in Pugsley's hair.

An unseen hand joined Pugsley's in stroking himself and he moaned around Isaac. That sent him over the edge with a cry of Pugsley's name and what might have been a curse.

Pugsley groaned, burying his face in the mattress next to Isaac's hip as he came. He'd have to clean the floor, but he'd worry about that once he was sure Isaac was alright.

“I needed that,” Isaac said, soothing Pugsley's scalp.

He laughed, spent but satisfied. He got to his feet and went into the bathroom. He cleaned himself up and then went to do the same for Isaac. He did the floor last, and once he'd tossed the soiled cloth into the dirty clothes, climbed onto the bed next to Isaac.

“Enid’s supposed to come see me later,” Isaac said, smoothing down Pugsley's hair.

“Do you want me to stay?”

Isaac didn't say anything, his hands slowly going still. He nodded after a moment and tucked himself against Pugsley, the soft ticking of his heart the only sound.

Enid put on a movie she said they would like while Pugsley made popcorn. She was right, it was funny and a little gory and kind of made him think of him and Isaac. It was about a girl who fell in love with a dead guy who came back after a freak storm.

Isaac actually laughed a few times during the movie, the sound lifting Pugsley's heart. Enid looked relieved too, she'd been just as worried as him, and had visited Isaac daily.

“Good movie,” Pugsley said quietly as he and Enid cleaned up.

She looked at the couch where Isaac was dozing and smiled.

“He seemed to like it,” she said, turning back, "how's he doing?”

Pugsley shrugged, “he's frustrated.”

Enid nodded.

“What can we do?”

“We're working on finding compromises,” he said, thinking about earlier.

“Can he fix it?”

Pugsley bristled, he wanted to tell her of course, he could do anything, but Isaac himself had admitted that the solution was to design a new one.

“He's working on it,” he said instead, looking back at Isaac's sleeping form.

Chapter Text

Isaac's skin was crawling, buzzing with a current that wouldn't let him rest. Pugsley was sleeping deeply next to him, Isaac sat up and waited to see if he would stir. When he didn't, he got to his feet and waited again. He sighed and ran a hand through his sleep tangled hair and paced.

He went to the balcony, hoping the warm night air would soothe him enough to go back to sleep. It pulled him instead, calling him into the dark, he shook his head. He was supposed to stay put, crawl back in bed with Pugsley, he was supposed to sleep. The scent of wet earth drifted past him and he leaned over the balcony to follow it.

He looked inside his room, to the bed.

“A walk will help,” he reasoned quietly, slipping back inside and pulling on his boots.

He carefully unplugged Pugsley's phone and put it on silent, he then picked up his own and let Pugsley know he was safe just wandering to ease his insomnia. He left both phones on the nightstand and slipped out the door, locking it behind him.

His feet carried him to the cemetery and then further, until he was standing at the edge of his grave. He climbed inside, laying amongst the roots that cradled him perfectly. The buzzing under his skin faded as the wet earth welcomed him back.

“You always end up back here,” he said, letting the roots bear the weight of his joints.

He wasn't sure if he slept or not but his sister's voice brought him back to awareness.

“Get up Isaac,” She ordered, “now!”

He jerked up, loose dirt falling from his hair and shoulders. The sun was coming up, the purple sky fading into pink. That was what disturbed him, not her. He hadn't lost it yet.

“Slipping,” His mind whispered as he limped back to the school.

Pugsley had been upset that Isaac had been gone when he woke but he didn't press him on where he'd been.

“Like he couldn't tell,” he thought acidly, “the grave dirt made it obvious.”

He was ignoring the professor and her pitying looks as she passed out the test. He could do this in his sleep, experimental chemistry had apparently stalled in developments while he'd been gone, there was nothing new about any of it. The buzzing had returned and he was hoping to get to his lab to distract himself from it.

He climbed to his lab, ignoring the pain in his chest at the exertion. His phone buzzed, he ignored it as well.

“I'll make it up to him later,” he vowed, assuming it was Pugsley wanting to know where he was.

He was attempting to attach the empty leech jars to the hoop of his half assembled barometer, but his hands were shaking too badly to hold them in place. One rolled off and landed on the floor with a soft thud. He picked up and tried once again. It fell, the glass cracking.

“Slipping,” His mind said, “slippingslippingyou'reslippingslippingslippinglikeabadgearslippingslippi-”

With an enraged scream he threw it across the room where it shattered against the metal elevator supports. His scream turned to laughter. He threw another, his laughter growing more hysterical as it shattered as well. The jars all met the same fate, spraying glass shards everywhere. A few nicked his face and shards embedded in his hands but he didn't feel it. He had drifted, in his destruction, to the broken window, his laughter fading into an insane giggle.

“Isaac?” Said a voice.

He leaned out of the window looking down.

“Fran? Is that you?”

“Isaac, get away from there please,” said the voice.

It didn't sound like Francoise. She wasn't down there anymore, she was in Jericho under the ground like he was supposed to be. He pulled himself back into his lab as requested anyway. Someone spun him away from the window and was fussing about his hands.

“Isaac what happened?”

It was Enid, she wasn't supposed to be in his lab. No one but he and Pugsley were allowed. She shook him, looking desperate as he remained silent.

“Why are you up here?” he said, pulling away.

“Because you weren't answering anybody!”

She was angry with him, or disappointed, Francoise had been too the last time she was in his lab.

“Don't be angry,” he said quietly, though whether it was to Enid or his sister he didn't know.

“I'm not angry,” Enid said gently, pulling him out of the lab, “I'm worried.”

Pugsley had picked the glass out of Isaac's hands and cleaned the cuts on his face. He didn't ask what had happened or why, just silently put him back together.

Isaac was sitting on his balcony pretending not to hear Pugsley and Enid talking about him in the room.

“He thought I was his sister at first I think,” Enid said, “he was halfway out the window.”

“You said he was laughing before that?”

“It was scary Pugsley, it wasn't a good sound.”

“Did he say anything about what happened?”

“Just asked me to not be mad.”

They both went silent, Isaac could feel the weight of their eyes on him. Pugsley would leave him now, it wouldn't be worth it to stay.

“Slipping.”

“Stop,” he said, gripping fistfuls of his hair to quiet the thoughts.

He forced himself to breathe evenly, staring out at the sunset. He had survived worse than this, he cou-

“But I didn't," he said.

He was cold, his hands hurt, and he felt exhausted but he knew sleep would continue to evade him. Warm arms wrapped around him, a kiss was pressed into his temple.

“Isaac, mi corazón, will you talk to me? Tell me what's going on?”

He looked at Pugsley and then into the room, they were alone. He got up and led them onto his bed. Pugsley wrapped the blanket around him and sat in front of him.

“I broke some jars,” he said, knowing that wouldn't satisfy.

“I know they weren't exactly what you wanted,” Pugsley said, smiling hopefully at him, “but you didn't have to smash them.”

Isaac laughed hollowly. Pugsley's smile faded.

“Is this from being kept in the nurses office?”

“It started there,” Isaac said, nodding, “it brought back a lot of things I wanted to forget. But this fucking body won't let me.”

Pugsley grabbed his hands, keeping him from pulling out his hair.

“I like this body,” Pugsley reminded, kissing Isaac's knuckles.

“No matter what I do, no matter how ‘brilliant’ my machines are, it isn't ever enough,” he said, tears burning his eyes, “I couldn't even hold the stupid jars!”

Pugsley pulled Isaac to him, holding him tight as he cried out his frustration and fear.

“I think I'm losing it,” he said, voice shuddering.

Pugsley shushed him, stroking his hair.

“It doesn't matter,” he said, kissing the top of Isaac's head, “I love you no matter what, you're mine.”

He shook his head, Pugsley wasn't listening.

“My heart is failing and we both know statistically the odds are against me staying sane.”

“You've beaten the odds all your life mi amor,” Pugsley tilted his face up wiping his tears, “they told you you were dying so you replaced your heart, you've died twice and come back, you are more resilient than anyone I've met, including my sister!”

Isaac blinked, he was right, Isaac prided himself on ‘playing god’ as Orloff had called it, why had he forgotten that? Because of a stay in the nurse's office? He was better than that.

“Thank you, my dearest,” he said, kissing Pugsley, and biting his lip, “for reminding me who I am.”