Tyler x Wednesday, Ajax x Enid
Part of "The Diaries of A Nevermore Kid" one-shot series
After getting into a fight, Enid and Ajax devise a plan to get Tyler and Wednesday to make up. But it's harder than they thought. What better way to do that than a double date at an arcade, right?
Fluff, angst, mentions of death and killing, Tyler and Wednesday competing
"I really don't want to be here." Tyler dragged his feet behind Ajax, observing the glowing lights and the tiny critters running in between the game machines like a metal jungle. The smell of marinara and freshly popped buttery popcorn punched their nostrils. When Ajax had begged Tyler to come with him to the arcade, Tyler was at first shocked that the city had one. But he quickly dismissed his proposition, blaming his absent Wednesday illness for the low energy and depressed sprout.
"Come on man, you can't just rot in bed all day." Ajax countered to which Tyler shooed him away. However, after 15 relentless minutes and one speech about hope and teenage love, Ajax had managed to get Tyler up from his bed and into the doors of the chaotic arcade. Quietly celebrating his success, Ajax mentally went down the list that Enid had reiterated, ensuring that the set up was perfect.
"Get food inside him immediately. People can't be mad when they've just ate, right?" Her high pitch voice echoed in his mind.
"Let's get some hot dogs. I'm hungry." Ajax announced.
From the other entrance of the arcade, emerged a dark shadow and a prism rainbow. One clearly more ecstatic than the other.
"I can't believe you dragged me here." Wednesday uttered, arms crossed. Wednesday was more difficult to convince. Enid spent the whole day at the academy, following Wednesday like a puppy, constantly praising the idea of escaping their dorms and the promise of enjoying themselves. Wednesday's patience was dwindling and though she told the werewolf that she'd declaw her in her sleep if she didn't stop, the threat didn't dent Enid's passion for trivial games. Eventually, by 6th period, Wednesday caved in with one condition, they'd play the games she'd want. Enid agreed to the deal and now found themselves walking through the gaming maze.
"It'll be fun, I promise." But her reassurance faded as quickly as it came. Without a moment to think, the two customers in front of her swirled around to show a shocked Tyler and a fearful Ajax. Wednesday was now faced with Tyler, someone who she had sworn would rot away in her mind after the fight they had last night.
During a session of cuddling, which was really the two-laying side by side in the darkness, Wednesday questioned Tyler on whether he would slice someone's throat for no reason other than Wednesday's entertainment. To which Tyler replied with an incredulous no.
"I'm not going to kill someone for no good reason."
"You lack creativity. You did it when Laurel asked you to." She remarked. Tyler's face flushed, disbelief bleeding onto his face.
"That was different and you know it." But his answer did not satisfy Wednesday's disappointment, her gruesome heart seeking a much crueler answer. One that showed his dedication to her and the violence that laid beneath his heart.
"Then there's nothing to be said." With that, Wednesday crawled out of her bed and sat at her desk, using her writing as an excuse to shoo Tyler away.
There's no way, he thought. The mere idea of Wednesday blocking herself away from him because he wasn't willing to hurt someone was something he didn't want to believe. But when the loud clacking sounds of the typewriter echoed instead of her words, he knew she had used up all her time with him.
"You're unbelievable. Call me when you grow a heart." The door slammed, a taunting reminder that no amount of writing could shake Wednesday of the feeling of being wrong.
An argument that now beat against the cage of love. But they'd both be lying if they said that they weren't the first thought in the morning as soon as they opened their eyes.
"Absolutely not." Wednesday stated and turned her back to them, rushing for the exit.
"Wait, Wednesday, please just give it a chance. If you don't want to talk to him, you don't have to. Let's just play some games together and that'll be it." Enid's puppy eyes penetrated Wednesday's cold demeanor, something Wednesday loathed.
"I should've known this was a set up." Tyler murmured.
The four sat around a table in the corner of the arcade, ordering pizzas and wallowing in the silence. The uncomfortable feeling of anger stuck to their bodies like goo. For a handful of minutes, the table consisted of Ajax and Enid chewing their food painfully slow in soundlessness while Tyler and Wednesday glared into each other's eyes. They never moved.
"Oh my gosh, did you hear that there's rumors Principal Weems is organizing a new dance for the school. I'm so excited." Enid announced, desperately trying to cut through the staring contest that Wednesday and Tyler had begun.
"Ok, never mind." She had given up.
"Hey, why don't we play some games?" Ajax suggested, trying to aid Enid in her attempts to remedy the situation.
"Unless it's throwing basketballs at people's heads, I'm out." Wednesday replied, never taking her eyes off of Tyler's.
"Yeah, well it's for the better anyways. Saves you the embarrassment of having to lose." Tyler quipped, a quiet smirk playing on his lips. His simple words triggered a small bomb within Wednesday. Her demeanor now transformed into something more laser like. She knew it was his lousy attempt at getting under her skin, but she took the bait anyways.
"Best out of 3 rounds." She challenged. She rose to her feet and dragged her body towards the circular hoops, beckoning their name.
Enid and Ajax watched as the two stood side by side, poker faces on and a basketball each in their hand. When the buzzer sounded, a rain of brown balls shot into the air and sweat formed on their foreheads. Tyler shot every ball into the hoop without missing one, thanking his time for being on the basketball team for one semester. Wednesday was not particularly athletic in this area of sports which she deemed as an attention grab for men with no facial hair and 0% of finding a girl. Though her aim was always precise, her basketballs flew left and right, a handful landing within the hoop by some divine miracle. She grew frustrated as the last round came to an end, a score that reflected how poorly she did.
"I won!" Tyler exclaimed in Wednesday's face, partly celebratory and partly shocked at the fact that he had finally defeated Wednesday in something. She refused to meet his eyes or watch the small victorious dance that he did as he continued to chant around her.
"Congrats! Now step aside, It's Enid's and I's turn." But before Ajax could swipe his card, Wednesday gripped Enid's arm and yanked her away from the machine. The bitter taste of defeat plagued her mouth, and she quickly tried to find a way to wash it down.
"Wednesday, where are you going?" Ajax followed the two through the zipping maze of metal boxes and trash filled tables. Soon, she stopped in front of a large silver tent and immediately reached for a black vest that hung on the wall.
"Laser tag?" Enid questioned while Wednesday shoved a Velcro vest into her chest.
"Put it on, now!" She demanded.
The teams had been set up so that there was no advantage, per Tyler's request. Ajax and Wednesday were blues and Tyler and Enid's vest blinked red. The blaring ringing of a starting time sounded and Wednesday immediately crouched down, moving from one wall to another with the stealth of a ninja. Her black and white frame blended into the shadowy corners, giving her an advantage. In 1 minute, she had already shot the two with multiple tags, leaving Ajax to be of no help. Finally, Ajax peeked up from one of the walls and shot at Enid's shoulder, causing her light to blink.
"I got one!" He announced to his teammate. But Wednesday paid no mind to his irrelevant triumph as she continued to pop up in and out like a mole.
"Hey, how did she get two guns?!" Enid yelled.
In between it all, Wednesday secretly challenged Tyler to a punching bag game for her own pleasure.
"Oh my god, I've always wanted to do this one." Enid remarked but Wednesday stepped in front of her, stopping her from taking Tyler's place. She watched happily as Tyler removed the jacket he was wearing and revealed the tight sleeves of his shirt. As he prepared himself by circling his arm, Wednesday couldn't help but stare hungrily at the flexing of his muscles.
"You guys should play something else. You're not going to be able to beat his score Wednesday." But she quickly hushed Ajax up, not wanting to interrupt her view.
From his peripheral side, Tyler could see the tiny effect that he had on Wednesday. So, he stretched his muscles for a bit longer, knowing exactly what he was doing. When he cocked his hand back, he sent it full force, causing the machine to shake in its place. The number on the screen skyrocketed and it reached its full capacity of 999.
Wednesday, satisfied with the show, didn't even try to attempt to punch the bag.
The games had only set off a hours-long competition of Wednesday and Tyler desperately trying to fight for a nonexistent trophy. Every single machine in the arcade did not escape either's rage or thirst for success. From Mortal Kombat to Dance Dance revolution (one that Wednesday promised Enid she would never play again), they fought each other until their fingers felt numb and their brains fried. The two's competitive streak blossomed as the time went on, wretchedly trying to prove a point.
Though neither would admit it, a sense of joy softly ran along the frustration of their hearts. The other pleased with the idea that they each brought out a side of the other that felt very similar to being a child.
"Ok guys, can we go back now? This was supposed to be a fun date, but we've been here for 3 and a half hours now." Enid begged, her feet and legs melting into the carpet.
"Now until I win." They both said in unison, furious with Enid for even suggesting that they leave with no definite winner.
When it seemed that they had played all the games already and we're still tied, Wednesday stopped in front of a towering ape with an electrocution hat on. Raging Ape, it advertised. Raging Ape had been the only game that Wednesday played with Pugsley growing up when she was forced to visit the Arcade zones back at home. Consisting of two metal bars, the machine required that you gripped the handles while a strong buzzing vibration electrocuted your hands, causing them to turn numb. The one who stayed on the longest won.
"Whoever let's go last is the ultimate winner." She said as she gripped one of the metal rods.
"Deal." With a naiveness, he grabbed onto the other one and the vibration started. At first, the buzzing was faint, barely enough to feel it. But as time went on, the strength of it increased. The soft tickle now turned painful, running up both of their arms and up to their shoulders. However, the pain did not once shake their glaring eyes at each other.
Tyler's face started to contort, small shock felt within his muscles caused him to groan all while Wednesday stood motionless, salivating in the pain. A grin started to form on her lips as the pain reached its ultimate peak, feeling every single vibration at her fingertips.
But then, as quickly as the pain came, a cool numbness fell upon their hands. All the pain that had been endured, one that felt like it would never end, caused their limbs to now feel like slime. It was like a shot of small bliss. Their gazes softened, a hint of joy lighting their face and their defensive stance floated away.
"I wouldn't hurt someone just because you wanted me to. But I would gladly gut anyone who even thought about hurting you." Tyler confessed, the pleasure and pain now encouraging him to make amends with his love. His admission caused something to stir within Wednesday and inspired her to make a confession herself.
"And I would painfully torture anyone who looked at you wrongly. But you should know, I would never put you in a position where you had to go against your morals. Even if I don't understand them."
Tyler smiled softly at the dark hearted girl in front of him and the admiration over flooded him, erasing away any thoughts of wanting success. Removing their hands from the bar at the same time, they closed the gap between them and fell into a quick but intense kiss, putting an end to the miserable competition.
"Finally, I was starting to believe we were going to live in this place." Ajax annoyance snapped them out of their little trance, their feisty challenges now long behind them.
Walking back to Nevermore, hand in hand, not being able to feel the other's skin, contentment filled within Wednesday, knowing she had been seen. Where others would've dashed out of the arcade, Tyler not only stayed but faced her pride head on, matching the fire within her. And though losing was never on the cards for her, she knew she found a worthy competitor. One who she would deem as formidable.
I genuinely thought that I wasn't going to write anything for a while. I posted something like last month of how I lost interested in writing specifically for Wednesday and was probably going to take a long break but oh well, I was wrong lol.
I had also made a most talking about the moment when Isaac tells wednesday, "Tyler warned me you were formidable" and it lowkey became a hit post. I've been obsessed with that one small detail that I decided to add it at the end of this story and i feel like it worked so well.
Also, Raging Ape use to be my favorite arcade game, I'm so sad they took it out of the arcades in my city.
