Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Lenore was rather averse to opening her phone. She knew she couldn’t really put it off any longer, because she desperately needed to check if Duke and Pluto were coming to class this morning. 

She couldn’t risk coming only to find herself with no one to eat lunch with that day and sit alone like a loser. Even the worse that it was not like she didn’t have a girlfriend, oh no, Lenore had mad rizz but the universe held some fucked up agenda against her. Proof? By sending her a goodness from heaven above itself, only for the goddess Lee to pretend they’re not dating in public.

Lenore’s hip hurt in anger at the reminder, and her phone pinged loudly and aggressively. 

And gods know that Lenore had tried, she has really tried. Not in changing Annabel’s mind, no, that was too much bother. Instead she asked Pluto and Duke to just contact her through Yahoo or Amazon’s comments, but then Pluto nearly got sold that one time they had a fight and since then they’ve been keeping strictly to normal messages.

Her phone pinged again. She sighed. Looking at her screen she noticed that the time was nearing half seven, and that’s when she knew she couldn’t avoid it anymore. 

Picking up her phone, Lenore lazily scrolled through all her twenty seven new messages and five voice mails. Annabel has sent her three emails, five snaps, three texts, eight discord messages, four random suspicious links on the dark web and then the rest was just tiktok DMs.

She dutifully answered each of them, at times asking chat-gpt for a reply. When she looked at the time, twenty minutes had gone by. 

Quickly she checked her other messages which were from Duke and Pluto. Turns out they’ve been spamming random song lyrics in sync without her again, and Lenore’s heart broke realizing that she was missing her cute time with the boyz. 

It wasn’t that Lenore didn’t like spending time with Annabel, no, not at all. Lenore had already tattooed Annabel’s full legal name under her armpit, (the braids from it serving as humbly home made curtains that hid the true nature of their relationship.)

They were as good as married honestly. The one fault was that Annabel had some school drama going on.

Lenore’s and Annabel’s friend groups were divided like the pacific sea and that other one next to it by colors. 

It all started in kindergarten and just like that never stopped. Lenore must confess that their shared hatred for one another is the most stable thing she has ever had in her life. No matter what challenges came her way, she could always just go find Montresor and beat the living shit out of him. 

If she ever felt like she was too little, like she didn’t matter or like the world has forgotten about her, she just scrolled through Montresor’s instagram to find that one guy that keeps following him around all the time and she suddenly felt better. 

On days when she felt like a bitch ass nerd, she just recalled that Prospero used to remove people’s appendix in high school bathrooms as a hobby. 

If she felt unloved by her family, she remembered that she must be easy to love if Annabel Lee bothers. 

And then there was Ada left. 

Lenore wasn’t sure what Ada exactly was. Her mind told her that it’s that bitch who’s way too loud, the girl who’s dating a guy that could use a shower. 

Her phone pinged again, stopping her boring monologue and so Lenore got up and denied her private chauffeur yet another time to take the bus instead and look poor and oppressed like her aesthetic demanded. 

On the bus Lenore chatted with Duke and Pluto, who were actually poor and oppressed. Pluto had a car, but he didn't have enough money for the gas. Duke had cash but he was investing in crypto. 

“What’s up guys? How’s your morning been, my dude.” Lenore asked, fist bumping Duke and hitting Pluto in the head because of his slow reactions. 

Duke laughed at Pluto's abused face, “It was manifico mon Amie! Luca was in a weirdly happy mood and kept insisting that we should go swimming together soon, I think he’s going to reveal to me real soon that he’s a mermaid!”

“Mine was the usual,” Pluto shrugged, massaging his nose, “asked my dad if he ate the cereal, and he said he’ll fucking kill me.”

“Geez,” Lenore nodded and groaned, “I feel you man. Today I asked my father if we could get a teal Lamborghini and he said that only if I get good grades in geography.” 

Duke tsk’ed “Doesn’t he know that you’re anti geography?” 

Lenore shrugged, “He says that it’s not a real thing, I don’t know anymore. He tried switching my lesbian flag for a world flag on my wall and I had a fucking crash out. Later the week he did it again but the countries were colored in lesbian colors so I’m kinda on the fence now.” 

“What color was France?” Duke asked curiously.

“Oh, I don’t know, pink? Probably pink like the other small islands.” 

The bus came to a halt, and they walked out and headed towards the school. Lenore’s phone pinged again, which was weird. No one texted her at this hour. Annabel started her classes earlier and she never used her phone during them.

She was about to check it but Pluto suddenly halted and shushed her and Duke.

“Guys, guys hush the fuck innit up,” he begged, his mother language slipping in, “My crush’s here.”

Lenore and Duke exchanged a brief look before scanning the school yard, and there in the middle Eulalie and Berenice were shamelessly making out. 

“Dude,” Lenore sighed, “are you for real?”

“Man, Lenore shut the innit tea cup up.” Pluto stressed, “or she’ll see me”

“Eulalie! Berenice! Hey, hey! Over here” Duke shouted as loudly as his poor lungs allowed him. 

Eulalie and Berenice stopped kissing for a minute to look at them in confusion, before unhappily making their way over to them.

“What’s up?” Berenice asked, while she shuffled around in her bag. 

Eulalie smiled, “Do you guys need anything?” 

Duke pushed Pluto forward, “Pluto wants to confess,” 

Pluto was shaking. 

“What’s up?” Berenice asked again, finally finding the bottle in her bag and taking a sip of some highly alcoholic beverage. 

“Uh, I….” 

“You got it,” Lenore clapped his back, “Rejection is good.” 

“I’m…” Pluto was about to cry, “I’m the L word.” 

Eulalie locked in, “In love with me?”

“What? No! Innit no?!” Pluto paled at the blank look on Eula’s face, “No mate, I’m a lesbian.”

“I’m sorry what?” Duke asked. 

“Yeah, what the heck?” Lenore agreed, “I’m the lesbian of this boy group, the hell do you mean you’re one too now?” 

Pluto puffed out his chest, “Yeah I am. Yeah I am indeed.”

Eulalie smiled sadly, “oh, that’s a shame. I’m rather straight, so I can’t reciprocate your feelings now.”

“Wait,” Lenore interrupted, narrowing her eyes and scanning her friends, “something doesn’t match up to me though.” 

“Yeah,” Berenice admitted thoughtfully, before turning in shock, “wait if you’re straight then what are we? What am I to you?”

“A phase,” Eulalie replied casually, “Every hot girl has a bi phase for the male gaze.”

Berenice took another swig, “Sure, whatever. I always wanted to be someone’s lesbian experience. I tried with Morella but she’s just too creepy for me.” 

Lenore noticed her short friends conflicted face and understood momentarily that it was because she didn’t support his new identity. 

She took off her cap and placed it backwards like hey mammas policy intended on his head instead. 

“Here, I gotchu scissors sister mister.” 

Eulalie smiled sadly again, looking longingly at Pluto's face before speaking up “It’s our time to leave. Goodbye, Lenore, Duke,” she stopped, lingering on the shortest of them all, “Pluto.”  

“Bye lesbi boy” Berenice waved, and then dragged Eulalie away from them.

“Geez.” Duke scratched his head, “You fucked it up, mon kitten.” 

“At least you were honest.” Lenore shrugged.

“I’m not a lesbian guys,” Pluto whined, “I’m just socially handicapped.” 

Lenore gasped in betrayal, snatching her hey mammas cap off his head. 

Duke and Pluto started scheming how to out Pluto to the whole school as a straight man subtly, making Lenore turn off her brain. 

That made her recall a mysterious unanswered message. She fished out her phone from her jorks.

Her screen simply said, 

Annie: We need to talk. 

Lenore’s blood froze. 

The next few classes went by slowly, torturing Lenore’s brain. Annabel never told her outright that they needed to talk, she just communicated it in code when they fought.

The lunch hour came too slowly, but when it did, Lenore excused herself from Pluto and Duke stick and poking a rebellious straight flag on Pluto's shoulder. 

She found herself wandering into her and Annabel’s usual meet up spot- the janitors closet. 

The small secluded space was closed when she walked in, and so she sat on her favorite bucket and waited. Not even five minutes later she heard the voice of her girlfriend in front of the doors.

“Yes, Montresor. That’s exactly why I need you to go do it right now at this very moment, our followers need content.” Annabel insisted.

“But queenie,” the monstruized voice hit Lenore’s eardrums like honey. Montresor was crispy in, well, anything, but his voice was peak.

“No, Montresor. I've just told you, we need this.” Annabel’s voice sounded stern, “Go, make a thirst trap and post it, it’s either that or belly dancing, and you know no one of us can do that. No, don’t make that face, man up.”

“I’ll go with you, Monty.” Someone with what sounded like an AI generated voice assured. 

“Fine, c'mon partner,” Montresor gave in, and Lenore imagined him in his skinny jeans. Something was missing though, but what?

“Wait, pardon me,” another obnoxiously loud voice joined them, and suddenly Lenore realized why the conversation felt so odd. It was quiet. “Why should William assist you, if I’m your girlfriend?” 

Lenore smiled longingly. She wished Annabel was that open about them.

“Eh, because he’s a guy!” Montresor argued, “He’s my best friend. I can’t shake my ass in front of yer, sugar. Wait until marriage.” 

Ada sighed loudly, so loudly that Lenore could imagine precisely the expression she made. 

“Fine. Annabel, what’s my task for today? Shall I record you shaking your ass?” 

“No, love, I’d never do that for free. But I need a Red Bull, would you mind fetching one for me- but from Starbucks. I only drink the ones they sell there.” 

Lenore listened to the convo, and heard Ada run off.

“So what now?” The last voice appeared, “Do you want to make up sudoku in our heads?” 

“Sorry, Prospero darling, but I’m not in the mood right now,” Annabel replied in a voice more similar to which she used when alone with Lenore, “I’ve actually got a task for you as well. I was thinking we could set up a secret underground abortion clinic in the basement but I don’t know if the rats have died yet?” 

“Annabel Lee,” Prospero’s voice sounded tired.

“It’s either that or I’ll set you up to take care of our socials,” Annabel quickly threatened, “Both of us know that you can belly dance, Prospero.”

“Heavens above, why are you in a mood today?” Prospero asked, irked, “god forbid a man doesn’t want to go out to a dusty basement alone. Why can’t we just abort in, I don’t know, the bathrooms?”

“Oh yeah! Great idea love, what’s next? Maybe outside in the fresh air? Or the gym shifting rooms? No wait, let’s just use the school pool.” 

“Alright, alright” Prospero sounded tired, “I’ll go check on the rats, but you owe me one, Annabel.” 

“Sure,” 

Lenore listened to Prospero’s fading footsteps, and then the door finally opened and Annabel Lee herself slipped in quickly.

“That was…” Lenore started, looking quickly at her phone to check again what word Chat gpt suggested, “Atmospheric?”

Annabel giggled, “Yeah, you know me pet, what wouldn’t I sacrifice to get a moment with you~”

Lenore chuckled uncomfortably, “I mean, you kinda could, you know, if we went public?” 

Annabel furrowed her brows, “Now, what’s the meaning in that? We talked about this.”

Lenore grimaced. “No legit, are you, like, embarrassed of me?” 

“What?” Annabel blinked, “No?! I’m just serious about this thing we got going on, you know, with our reputations?”

“You just think it’s hot…” Lenore's face fell. 

“Maybe,” Annabel shrugged, “but overall I just like stuff how they are, I like us having our own little world together, separated from anything else.”

She stepped closer and brushed Lenore’s hair away with her hand. 

Lenore for a second held her hand, taking in the smiling features of her girlfriend, before letting go.

“I’m sorry, I can’t do this like this,” Lenore crooked out. 

“What?” Annabel asked in shock, taking her hand away swiftly.

“Annie, they all think I’m single.” Lenore broke down, “I’m literally at my prime, all the girls are all over me, huzz just won’t stop bothering, and I have to keep saying I’m not interested, do you know what they think?” Lenore asked, genuinely crying, “They think I’m straight.”

“No, pet,” Annabel shook her head, “They just think you’re a toxic masc, that’s nothing to be ashamed off-“

“What if I don’t want to be a toxic masc?!” Lenore shouted, “What if I’m a committed one? What if I’m a big green flag?”

Annabel laughed at that, “Oh pet, you’re not.”

At that, Lenore froze. For a while she just stood there, looking at Annabel in shock, before pushing past her and leaving the janitor's closet.

“pet?” Annabel called after her confused, “Where are you going?”

Lenore stopped in front of the door, her hand on the handle, “I need a break.” 

“From thinking?” Annabel asked, worry creeping in her voice, “I know you don’t like doing that, I’m sorry for forcing you.”

“No,” Lenore shook her head, feeling her head breaking at Annabel’s words. That woman knew her so well, but at the same time she knew so little, “from us, Annie. I need to, just exist a bit. Alone.”

“Pet…?” Annabel’s voice was quivering, and Lenore didn’t have to turn around to see the tears forming in the blonde's eyes.

“I’m sorry,” Lenore whispered, “don’t text me.” 

And she left the room. 

As Lenore walked away, what she didn’t hear were the soft cries of Annabel Lee, nor the last thing she said in a tone so low that not even a dog could hear allat,

“but we hadn’t talked yet…” Annabel sniffled at the empty room, “we were supposed to talk, talk about… no, it’s fine. It’s alright. If Lenore won’t do that with me, I’ll do it alone. I got the gasoline, I got the lighter. I can do it.”

Chapter Text

Every school had some place that students of a good status did not attend. Whether it was because of a bad reputation supported by arrogant and empty like a gap between the teeth, gossip, or based on true arguments, it meant little. 

What did matter was being capable enough, at least in the lasting if not the everyday gossip and legends, to know where to be and where not to be between classes, so as not to fall from the rung of reputation

Lenore though, had little to nothing to lose. She was known as the local bad girl. The loco chica who was let out and now she’s galloping like a wild horse who’s spent its entire life in captivity. 

And that had been true, she in her life hadn’t even been a race horse, no, her brother Theo though, that was his role. Up until he died, that is. 

Unsurprisingly, when he did, that role didn’t fall onto her because of her womanly woman self, that in her parents opinion couldn’t handle such a responsibility. 

A show horse was all she was. Look pretty, eat a sugar cube when it fits, keep quiet. 

And that had been something she had never truly accepted but readied herself to be doomed to. 

That is before her brother died. 

Lenore could still hear the sharp sound of Theo pressing his bmx bike brakes on that rainy day…

After that, she completely fell into depression. That is, until she met Annabel Lee. 

But that wasn’t the topic. No, but it was the reason for her sneaking fearlessly into the unused and by her peers declared bathroom of the haunting death. 

Because as stated earlier, she had nothing to lose anymore- before at least she had Annabel, but now she was completely alone and making up allegories about her horse self. 

Kicking the bathroom door open, Lenore pushed forward until she reached the last stall. 

Has she been spending too much of her time with her cowboy nemesis? Or worse. Was she turning straight right after breaking up/holding space with the prettiest girl in the entire school?

That might make sense. 

Lenore felt her stomach turn as she sat on the ruined toilet and, closing the door, threw her boots up in the air to balance on the stall handle. 

Her eyes scanned the numerous engravings and graffiti in front of her. Her gaze landed immediately at the big list in the middle, which stated Annabel’s birthday date, as well as her last name, address and their anniversary date. 

Lenore had scribbled it all herself when they first started dating and Lenore realized that she can’t possibly remember allat shit. 

She tilted her head to her left, observing the small doodles of her murdering her parents and setting their house on fire she drew as well. Those calmed her down, as always. But this time they weren’t enough. 

She closed her eyes, remembering the day she first found this idyllic place of hers. Her own crystal palace….

—-a few dozen-ish weeks ago—

Lenore was all by her lonesome wandering around the school grounds. 

Pluto and Duke had gone to the bathroom together to take a piss earlier, and she felt so left out that she couldn't wait for them. 

No one really discussed how hard it was to be one of the boys when you didn’t have a dih. It was an issue only Lenore was facing and honestly, probably she was the only person that ever faced this problem in the whole world history, because she was cursed, therefore special. 

Lenore ran, ran, and ran, and ran, until she was out of breath. 

And then she ran again. 

Oh how beautifully did she run, fast as wind, her stick limbs swift and uncontrollable. A wild black panther on the loose. She threw her head back and roared in pain, as she made another lap around the school’s modest central square. 

Suddenly, for a moment, in her haze she could feel a figure of light joining her on her jog. Through blurry eyes Lenore turned her head to her side, with shocked eyes outlining a silhouette of a person. 

No. Of a predator.

But the wild beast wasn’t after her, nor did it seem aggravated. No. It was just a savage spirit, untamed and free just like her.

She couldn’t truly make much throughout her blurred by tears and dehydrated vision, but what was clear was the golden light.

Oh, how mesmerizing it was. Brighter than the sun, pricier than the whole sky itself. The way it floated and danced on the wind behind the figure. 

The details that she caught on though, were two golden shining lights, blasting from the beast's chest like two lighthouses leading her home.

Lenore closed her eyes for a short moment, and then it was gone. And in front of her was the abandoned bathroom. 

She didn’t know how, or what showed her the way here, but she appreciated it. She truly did. Pushing the door open to what she recognized to be the socially abandoned place, she felt the last stall call upon her. 

Her hand hurt, and she had an odd cut on it that she woke up with that morning. It wasn’t bleeding, but it surely had. But when? She didn’t know, but the numb feeling in it pulsated louder now

Walking there stiffly, like in a trance, she reached for the door handle but before she could open it a sound awoke her from the hypnotic state.

“Um, is someone here?” Lenore braved, suddenly realized that this ain’t the suburbs no more. She could not foresee who she’ll see here.

But to her surprise Lenore was greeted by a familiar purple dye box haired girl. 

“Hello, dear citizen.” The girl greeted, and Lenore smiled by automatic response at the pretty girl in front of her, “I didn’t know anyone else came here.”

“Yeah, me neither.” Lenore replied, as if this was her to go spot. Reaching out with her hand she introduced herself to the girl who turned out to be named Eulalie.

“Soooo, what are you doing out here?” Lenore asked, crossing her arms and leaning on a sink. 

Eulalie clapped her hands happily, “I’m practicing ghost summoning skills!”

“Out here?” Lenore questioned, looking around skeptically. Like sure, this shit hole could be haunted, but this was no Harry Potter with crying pervs trapped in bathrooms. Or was it?

“This place is quiet and it has the right vibe, you know? Also I think my ghost likes it here.” 

Lenore raised a brow at her new friend, and Eulalie stared at her blankly. Then she picked up a bag she had left on the floor, and fished out a green-white book which read, 

‘The definitive book of body language by Allan and Barbara please’

She skipped a few pages, and then looked up at Lenore and down at the book, taking with every turn of a page a long penetrating look. 

“Hmmmm,” Eulalie hummed, before looking up at Lenore the way those teachers do when they think a child is abused. “Am I right to assume that the raise of your brow was meant to signal to me the feeling of neutral disbelief at my given statement?” 

“Uhm, yea, girl.” 

Eulalie smiled brightly and tossed the book back into her bag, before turning around and signaling Lenore to come closer.

“Your disbelief is incorrect, but it is valid. Here, take a look at this.” 

The door Lenore was looking at had all types of runes and Latin type of words that seemed to be written in an odd red substance. 

“Is this what I think it is?” Lenore asked, her voice lwk shaking.

Eulalie turned to her, narrowing her eyes before raising one of her brows, and never letting it fall.

And so Lenore continued, “Blood…?” 

Eulalie nodded, “mhm” but didn’t let the eyebrow drop. 

“Blood of a… virgin?” Lenore tried.

Eulalie tilted her head.

“Worse?” A shudder ran through her limbs. 

Eulalie nodded. Brow up.

“… fresh Menstrual blood…?”

“No?” Eulalie blinked, letting the brow fall. “It’s just the blood of my ghost’s relative.” 

“Oh!” Lenore shrugged, “Cool shit.” 

Eulalie nodded again, but when Lenore tried reaching out for the stall’s door handle Eulalie suddenly gripped her shoulder in a firm steel like grip, stopping all the blood flow in her arm and forcing Lenore’s stick arm to go noodle. 

“Lenore,” the purple woman started, her face completely lacking any emotion, “don’t ever open that door if you know what’s good for you. You may use whatever other stall you want here, but not this one.”

“Oh, uhm sure!” Lenore tried for a smile, before stepping back and leaning against the sink again. The vibe got a bit demented then, and Lenore used her top notch social skills.

“So, what do you want to be when you grow up?” She asked, remembering her kindergarten lessons.

Eulalie's smile returned. “I’d like to own a paranormal firm powered fully by unpaid child labor.”

“Oh! And what steps are you taking towards that goal?” Lenore recited, feeling delighted at her golden memory of conversing skill. 

Eulalie seemed to think a bit about that, before finally replying, “I mean, one of my three old besties got knocked up from what I’ve seen on her instagram story. So in nine ish months I should have my first employee.”

“Woaw!” Lenore clapped her hands, nodding in approval, “You’re such a business woman, Eula. Heck yeah.” 

They ended up chatting a lot more that day, and that was how Lenore introduced Eulalie to her friends, and soon Eulalie brought Berenice with her…..

Suddenly, the entrance door slammed loudly open, and then even louder close, making Lenore jump out of her nonchalant reminiscing.  

A violent sob ripped the space and time in between them, making Lenore’s head spin. Whoever it was, it couldn’t be Eulalie. And none other of her friends cried like this, so Lenore kept quiet.

The footsteps of the wallowing stranger kept approaching, but they miraculously took a turn left before they approached Lenore’s stall. 

The door next to hers opened and then shut, and the crying continued. 

Lenore bit her lip. She wasn’t really in a place to help other people, because she was obviously the worst person alive, but she had a hero complex to uphold, and so she knocked softly on the wall separating her from the sobbing mystery. 

The crying halted.

“W-who is there?” A high pitched voice asked, and Lenore sensed a fear. 

“Uhm, hi. A fellow pisser.” Lenore introduced herself. 

“Your name?” The girl sniffled. 

Lenore thought about it for a moment. “I’d rather stay anonymous, If I may.” 

“S-sure.” The girl sniffled again, and then Lenore could hear her blowing her nose. 

“Cool.” 

A moment of silence. 

“So, here for a wild piss?” The girl asked, now her voice cleaner. 

Lenore laughed shortly, “Yeah, something like that.”

“Do you come here often?” The voice was full of wonder.

“Yeah, I actually do.” 

“But isn’t it kind of dangerous? I mean, no one really comes around here, do they?”

“Well, no.” Lenore smirked, “And I suppose you’re right. It is rather dangerous, but I’m not going to lie to you, I’ve always rather been taken by the thrill of danger.” 

“Oh yeah?” The voice from the other stall sounded invested.

“I mean, yeah. But what about you, Princess?  What are you doing in this godless place?” 

There was a brief silence, before a sad sob. 

“You can tell me,” Lenore assured, “I’m not gonna judge.” 

Another short sob, and a few taps on what Lenore assumed to be a phone. 

But then she noticed an android tablet being slid underneath the stall wall. 

She picked it up, and pressed play.

Before her eyes flashed an image of her top nemesis. Montresor was moving gently but fluidly, winking and smirking, as he spun around and flexed his new jeans. The audio playing was Pony by ginuwine. Lenore nearly had a stroke.

“Oh my fucking god.” She muttered loudly enough for her stall mate to hear, “Fucking heavens, no wonder you’re crying, I’m darn traumatized too.”

“What?” The voice asked, “No, no, scroll, it’s not the right video.”

Lenore cursed herself and her life, and scrolled.

She was met by her horse boy nemesis again.

The audio playing now was House of cards instrumental. It was an edit of Montresor just smiling. It was terrifying. 

“I don’t get it,” she admitted, “are you a masochist? Why do you intend to watch this?” 

“Just. Scroll.” The voice urged, “and keep your eyes open.”

“Fuck.” Lenore muttered, “last one! I swear to god!”

She scrolled, and her gaze was cursed with Montresor again. But this time he had a random bleak looking guy with him.

“Who’s that?” She asked.

The voice came in sour this time. “William.” 

Mind over matter was playing. The peak part. 

Montresor spun the man around in his arms, with heartstopper leave 🍂 🍃 emotes flying around. 

They stood together, and then it was just Will at the seaside, the gentle breeze blowing through his hair. Which was fucking weird, because there was no sea nearby their school? 

Will turned around and a smiled softly, a golden filter - like those used usually for the dead haunting the narrative wives - flashed and burned the frame.

Suddenly they were on their school's rooftop. 

The guy Ada called William grabbed Montresor’s face, and connected his forehead against his. He said something, but the sound didn’t allow the victims to hear whatever was said. 

The video ended. The tags said, 

‘Me and Will. Love thy neighbor. #Mlm #Men love misandry #Cute #Bros #Casual 

Lenore slid the iPad back, and then vomited.

“Oh gosh, I’m sorry” the voice in the stall nearby sounded nervous, “I knew this was…. I didn’t know you were so highly against cheating. That’s so attractive.” 

“What?” Lenore wiped her mouth confused, “I was just ill from having to look at Montresor.”

“Oh.”

“Oh, what?” 

“He’s not that bad…”

Lenore snorted. “Oh, he is.”

A moment of silence, before the tears spilled again.

“Oh, he truly is!” The voice sounded broken, “he is probably cheating on me with William. 

 “He is?!?” Lenore asked in shock, before scratching her neck, “Wait, you’re dating him??? Oh… oh fuck he is. I don’t even do allat shit with my friends.” 

“Oh my god!” The voice screamed, “So I was right! He’s gonna leave me for a man! An mid one too! My social status will never recover, my friends will abandon me. Oh my god.” 

“Now, now.” Lenore cringed, she sucked at reassurance, “I’m sure William is below mid.”

That didn’t help. 

“Girl, come on…” Lenore tried, “you’re too pretty- uh voiced? to cry over that guy. Everyone knows that Montresor sucks. I mean have you even seen him? He hardly changes his clothes, because he declared that real men wear the same shit to signal stability. Like let’s be so for real…”

The crying quietened a bit, and so Lenore did what she did best. Hated on other people that had similar to her personality.

“And I mean have you ever had a conversation with him without that hobby stick horse being in close proximity?”

“That’s his hobby,” the girl defended, “I’m lucky to have a man with a hobby.” 

“Do you want to know what a real hobby is?” Lenore asked.

“…yeah?”

“I, for instance, like to box jump down the stairs daily. I do it unprompted, with an audience or not. I go with the flow, no matter the circumstances. I do it no matter how I feel, and no matter what I want. Whenever I stand at the top of the staircase, I feel the adrenaline pump throughout my body. I can feel the danger of a broken neck, but I never falter, nor do I ever fail. I don’t need any stupid sticks to do this, I don’t need a playlist with my favorite horse riding songs. I don’t even need those fancy clothes, no, I just jump, because I know that what’s best is what’s in front of me.” 

Lenore stopped for a moment, her brain signalizing that she needs a pause from thinking, but she pushed the rest out.

“And what’s in front of me right now, is you, toilet girl.” She said softly.

A gasp followed that, and then a giggle.

“Oh, you’re such a charmer! And here to think I’ve thought you to be a creep, sitting in an abandoned women’s bathroom.”

“And why wouldn’t I?” Lenore questioned, clearly pleased with herself.

“Because it’s a girls bathroom, duhhh,” the voice giggled sweetly again.

“Uh, yeah?” Lenore scratched her neck, “I am a girl.” 

A deafening silence followed. 

“What?” 

“What do you mean what?”

“You’re a woman?!”

“Yeah?”

Another silence.

“But I’m one too.”

“I assumed.” 

“But you….”

Another silence. 

“Does this mean…” the mysterious voice started thoughtfully, “that you’re a, hm… that you tend to practice lesbianism?”

“Sure.” Lenore agreed, “As often as heavens may allow me.” 

“Oh.”

“Is that an issue?"

“What?! No! I heard everyone these days have bi phases. I mean, lesbianism sounds good for the ecosystem. You know, I mean, it sure does lead to less abortions too?”

“Girl.” Lenore stopped her, “are you pro life?”

“What? No!” The voice rejected, “I meant as less of like just you know, spending gas money and mild emotional discomfort!”

“Ah, yeah okay.” 

“Yeah!” The voice reassured, “and overall, yeah! Lesbianism. Geez, I love the word, it just really rolls off the tongue. Does Sephora have like, a special shelf for you guys?”

Lenore shook her head, “No, sadly not.”

“Mm, I guess we’ve regressed then!” The pretty voice next to Lenore’s head spoke in an apparently irked tone, “I remember that we used to have whole houses dedicated just to you guys! You know, those with spas and fun chairs and activities.”

“You mean the ice cold and burning warm baths, electric chairs, and so on?”

“Yeah!”

Lenore sighed. Who was this girl? Why was she so mysterious? 

“So, are you dating anyone?” The pretty voice asked after a moment.

Lenore sighed loudly now. “I was, but we weren’t really working it out no matter what we tried…”

“What happened?”

“She is ashamed of me, doesn’t want to come out together and let it all burn. I told her I needed a break, and now I don’t know. That’s why I’m here.”

Lenore had to admit, it was freeing to speak of it all out loud finally.

“Gosh? She sounds like such a loser. She’s missing out big time, uhm, what was your name again?”

Lenore began stressing. She couldn’t let the mysterious girl know her name. If she was to be found out about this, she could gossip. Everyone would start looking for her mysterious paramour. It could bring attention to Annabel Lee. 

Lenore was mad, but she didn’t hate Annabel. 

She needed a name, something that begun with L, but was short. Maybe something manly, something she could feel herself proud to call, something meaningful and in memory of her of her brother. 

“I’d still like to stay as an anonymous fellow sad pisser.” Lenore quickly replied, “But you can call me… Lice.” 

“Lice.” The pretty voice rolled that word on her tongue, tasting it. “Yeah, okay. You can call me Aldi then.” 

“Sweet.” Lenore replied, content. 

“Hey, Aldi?" She suddenly couldn’t help but ask, “have you ever thought of a bi phase? Of trying lesbianism even though you feel you’re straight?”

There was a deep silence, which scared Lenore. She thought she might've taken a step too far. Broken a boundary. But then she heard a soft sigh.

“I think I may not be straight anymore, lice.” 

Lenore gasped softly too. 

She leaned her face against the wall seperating them.

“Lice?”

“Mm?” Lenore hummed. 

“Are you leaning your head against the wall right now?”

“I am.”

“I am too.”

…….

—— Somewhere further away on the school grounds ——

“Monty!” 

“Yeah?” Montresor asked, not bothering to turn around. He had Will’s face memorized in his mind. Ever simple, dull, and maybe predictable but forgettable for -a normal man- twist of his face engraved deeply into every atom of Montresor’s body. 

“Are you going for a run again today?” Will asked, leaning close to him, “I know you like racing around the central square on your hobby horse, but I checked the forecast today and it’ll rain.”

“Will.” Montresor turned off his phone from where Queenie was spamming the shit out of his notifs, something about abortions in the basements gone wrong. “Yer know that rain won’t stop me. I’m an athlete. I can’t just miss a day, yer know it isn’t like that.”

Will sighed, and Montresor wondered if his man will ever understand him to the full extent of his true self. 

“I know, Monty,” Will leaned closer, just a tad, simply enough for them to still look like simple bros to any outside eyes, but then he raised and put a hand on Montresor’s shoulder, squeezing softly, “I just wish you didn’t endanger yourself like this…”

Montresor paused, pushing Will’s hand away. “What are you? My girlfriend now? Stop actin’ like her, it’s gettin’ on my nerves.” 

Will shrugged hopelessly, “I’m sorry. It’s just that after you admitted to me that you’ve seen a black panther running with you that one time, I’ve been on edge I guess.”

Montresor couldn’t blame him. He was on edge himself. Where did the black panther appear from? When Montresor saw the blurry figure running nearby him, he had to join it. It was so fast though, that he couldn’t make out what it was, and suddenly lost it. 

“That’s exactly why I must go back, Will.” Montresor explained not very patiently, “I need to see it again.”

“I know,” Will admitted, “I know, I just wish you would take me with you…”

Montresor laughed, turning around on the soft couch he’d been chilling on in the school's cafeteria. He grabbed Will by his gray hoodie and dragged him down next to him from where he stood behind the couch. 

“Ow.” Will cried, getting up from where he half rolled onto the ground.

Montresor dragged him to sit closer to him. 

“Will, you’re a shitty runner. I could outrun you even if I had a cast on my leg.”

“I’m just a shy runner.” Will mumbled. 

“Yeah, sure partner,” Montresor eye-rolled. “I hope you’re not a shy groom.”

“W-what?” Will stuttered.

“Yeah. When I catch that black panther, I’ll cut its fur and skin it alive, and you’ll wear that to our wedding, alright?” 

Will blinked quickly the tears away from his eyes. “Sure, Monty. Thank you Monty. I L word you Monty.”

Montresor smiled charmingly, “Go help Annabel and Prospero with the underground business- yeah I know, I know, you’re a misogynist, but some of those unborn brats are sure to be female, so that’s like, nearly like watching women die or something. Shit. Wait, that’s insane of you Will. Didn’t know you think wild like this. Kinda too fucked up for me.”

“W-what?!” Will shouted, “But I never thought that- I-I support women’s rights! I just don’t like Ada!” 

Montresor shrugged, “Yer not special.” 

Chapter Text

They were sitting idly in the school cafeteria. It’s officially been day 2 of Lenore and Annabel going on a break. Lenore didn’t dare even to look at the table at which Annabel and her pack usually resided. She feared to see the expression of a woman she used to love, and still in some ways did love.

So instead she tuned in onto whatever Duke was saying as she took another bite of her lunch.

“Yeah, so we went lé swimming, but turns out Luca can’t swim and so he kept throwing himself at moi. It was superous hard to keep the monsieur afloat!” 

“So he wasn’t a mermaid at all,” Pluto concluded unimpressively, sipping on his apple juice. 

Duke shook his head, not hiding his disappointment, “Non.” 

“And you still love him?” Lenore marveled, “Even though you’ll never be the yaoi prince of the sea world?” 

Duke shrugged and looked down meaningfully on his tuna sandwich, “It’s not much about that, Mon Amie. I just know he’s hiding something from moi, but I just don’t know quoi. Not to mention that his father keeps spamming me on Grindr. Maybe he thinks I’m cheating on him?” 

“Yo shut the fuck up gang,” Pluto suddenly hissed, slapping Duke’s sandwich away from him and pushing Lenore’s bowl of salad off the table. 

“The fuck?”

“Es-tu fou?” 

But before Pluto could explain they heard another voice approaching them.

“We’re in America now, Duke. So speak American.” None other than Annabel Lee commented as she passed by their table. 

“Your British accent is still showing though?!” Duke rebutted, and Lenore didn’t dare to raise her head from where it froze on her salad spreading on the ground. 

She could hear her… ex? scoffing, “Yeah, that’s the point?”

“What?”

“I’m originally Swedish?” 

Lenore’s head snapped. 

“What?” She repeated Duke’s earlier words. 

She was met with Annabel lee’s ice blue eyes. She wasn’t wearing her cosplay pink contact lenses that day. It sent weird shivers throughout Lenore’s body. 

“I didn’t know you were Swedish?” 

Annabel’s icy blue eyes did a full washing machine roll, “Seems you know shite about me then.” 

“Your eyes…” Lenore commented unwillingly through the pang of pain and guilt in her heart. 

Annabel shrugged, “I used to date someone blue eyed…” she looked off into the cafeteria ceiling, her profile bathed in warm sunlight that fell through the windows, “But now that I am not, and there’s no ‘siblings or dating’ allegations coming our way, I can finally be truly and freely me.” 

Lenore scowled, leaning away from the table and closer into Annabel’s space. Annabel, against her Swedish genes, was short as fuck by nature, so Lenore had no issue talking to her nearly at eye level even as she was sat down. “I’ve never heard any ‘sibling or dating’ allegations coming our way.” 

Annabel leaned in angrily, “Well, maybe because I sheltered us?!”

“Or maybe because there was no one that could ever make those accusations against us because no one knew we were scissoring!?” Lenore argued.

Annabel scoffed, opened her mouth, closed it and left. 

Lenore grimaced against her win. It just didn’t feel right somehow. She turned back to glare at Pluto.

“Wha was this about?!”

“What?” He asked, confused, “I don’t know?”

“Why did you throw our food off the tableau?” Duke questioned, “Luca cooked me that sandwich!”

“My family’s private chef made me my gluten free salad!” Lenore nodded. 

“It’s because she’s on her way!” Pluto explained quickly, showing them his phone which displayed Eulalie's approaching location.

“Wait, how did you get her to share her location with you?” Lenore asked, “and what does it have to do with our food? Is she on a diet or something?”

“She just shared it with me,” Pluto shrugged, “and no, she’s recently gone vegan. I saw on her my story.” 

Duke scoffed, “What is that to us?” 

“Duke c’mon mate,” Pluto pleaded, “I really want her to choose me, pick me, want me!” 

“Okay, okay,” Duke waved his hand dismissively.

Not even five minutes later Eulalie arrived with Berenice in hand. They automatically joined their table as usual, but this time Eulalie sat right next to Pluto. 

Pluto quickly dropped off his winter jacket to show off his straight flag tattoo. 

“Hi guys!” Berenice greeted, “Anyone wants to pregame math?” 

Duke’s brow rose, but he shrugged with a ‘sure’ as he fished out his math textbook.

Berenice nearly vomited. 

“What the fuck, Duke.” She cringed, leaning heavily on her girlfriend who was sending Pluto very weird looks. 

Duke packed the book away, “But you just asked?”

“Honey,” Berenice pocketed out a bottle of champagne from god knows where and pushed it onto the table, “the only math I’m doing is percentage," 

“But there’s no such thing?!” Duke exclaimed as Lenore reached out happily.

“But there is!” Eulalie joined, “Calculating blood alcohol concentration for instance!”

Berenice waved her hand at that, “I’ve already done that for all of us, babe.”

She pocketed out a printed out chart done on excel, and Eulalie happily added her own horoscope chart done this week for them all.

Lenore sighed happily, and weirdly wondered what her mysterious piss-mates blood alcohol concentration had to do with her zodiac sign. 

‘Oh Aldi, if you were here, maybe you’d make me feel less single,’ Lenore mused. Can’t be very single when next to someone who’s dating a nasty man who’s cheating on them with another man.  

“Wait, Eulalie, aren't you vegan?” She noticed, as Eulalie unpacked a full steak from her bag.

“Oh? Yeah I am!” She agreed, “But only concerning clothing. See? This scarf is 100% cruelty-free! Made by talented small orphans and shipped for half the price!”

“Cool,” Pluto coughed out, sending Duke and Lenore mildly apologetic looks while he took out a book and laid it onto the table.

It was mein kampf.

“Whatcha reading Pluto?” Eulalie asked curiously.

“Just some light reading,” Pluto shrugged. 

“Gut,” Eulalie nodded approvingly in German, “As we talk about literature, Duke won’t you read us our weekly horoscope predictions? I took a really good look at the stars this week and my braille skills have gotten way better since last week.”

“I just wonder,” Berenice joined them, as Lenore handed her the bottle back, “How do blind people read the stars if they can’t touch them?”

“I don’t know, but I’ve heard that they get with people with acne because acne reveals the truest nature of a person,” Eulalie explained, digging into her kinda raw steak, “And so if they ask them, ‘Do you love me?’ The acne is said to take a formation revealing the truth of their partner's heart.”

Pluto’s brows furrowed, “I had a rash once?” 

Eulalie flashed him a warm smile, “Did it say anything interesting?”

“Sadly I’m not fluent in Brazilian-“ Lenore kicked his foot under the table, whispering and correcting silently, “I mean braille, even though I’m half blind.” 

Eulalie pouted, “Shame.”

“Psychologically speaking, that could’ve been a somatic effect of shame so you’re not wrong,” Prospero joined their conversation suddenly as he was passing by with his tray of food. “I’d recommend sudocrem though, instead of touching it.”

“Romanticism left the chat,” Duke sighed unhappily, glaring at the handsome man. 

“Romanticize all you want,” Prospero shrugged indifferently, leaving them alone to join his own group.

Duke cleared his throat, finally picking up the sheet of paper Eulalie pushed towards him.

“Alright, I’m the alphabetical order. Berenice you’re going to go through a break up!”

Berenice gasped, and looked at Eulalie.

“Whoops?” Eulalie seemed shocked, “It appears fate is simply forcing my hand. Berenice I break up with you.”

Pluto's fist hit the air in silent celebration.

Berenice looked shell shocked for a moment, but then she shrugged, “Fine by me I guess. I want to get married to a dentist either way.” 

“Wait, Eulalie does this mean…” Pluto started nervously.

“That I’m in grief?” Eulalie completed, “Yes, sure I am. But thank god I have my gay best friend to support me through this!”

She moved to sit closer to Pluto. 

“Wait, but if you broke up with Bee, then why are you the one in grief?” Lenore asked, her gut clenching. 

“Because I liked her,” Eulalie shrugged,“I can’t change fate, I can’t dance around that which I’ve been weaved off myself, around which makes my blood pulse and which loves enough to warn. It would only bring suffering of which I am not made off, Lenore. Yet still, I’m upset.” 

“Upset against destiny’s wishes?” Lenore questioned, staring dumbly into the brown eyes of Eulalie. 

Those beautiful brown eyes flashed with sadness. “Upset along those.” 

Something in lenore shifted. She felt guilty for breaking up with Annabel, but she thought that it was misplaced, wrong. That she was the one to hurt someone, so not deserving of feeling like that. She wasn’t noble enough to feel guilt. But it seemed that everyone does, so maybe she just was too special to do that and be okay. 

“Damn, biscuit,” Berenice smiled, “You are the hottest girl around in my opinion too.” 

Duke cleared his throat, “Alright, moi next. The stars say that I’m going to… Eulalie, why do the stars say that I’m going to die?!” 

“Maybe it’s like, an ego death?” Lenore suggested, patting her best friend's arm to ease off the offended grimace residing on his handsome features. 

“I hope non???” Duke swatted her hand away lightly, but not a moment later leaned closer to her. “I’m not vain enough to have enough shit to sacrifice?”

“Maybe you’ll stop being French?” Pluto quipped. He hasn’t stopped blushing since Eulalie's shoulder bumped into his. 

Duke looked disgusted. At the straight behaviors or the odd suggestion, they knew not. 

“Lose bilinguality to gain bisexuality.” Morella suddenly commented. 

“Morella?!” Everyone screamed in unison. Morella had been sick for the past week and a half, unable to attend school and her other duties, the school felt less blessed. 

“I’m back huzz.” She reassured, wiping their tears away as she took a seat on Lenore’s lap. 

“Morella-“ Lenore stuttered, 

“Shush, you lesbo.” Morella reprimanded, “Or I’ll send you to a conversion camp. I’m just too short for these seats, and someone fucking stole the high chairs. Again.”

Berenice’s brows furrowed, “I think I saw Annabel’s crew carrying them off somewhere earlier today?” 

“And to think I had to set up a whole fundraising campaign to get those in the first place,” Morella complained, unpacking her lunch, “Do you know how hard it is to convince people that a college cafeteria needs such an item?” 

“Should I go beat them up?” Lenore asked, and Berenice and Duke nodded along instantly, “We can beat them up.” 

“No, thank you though.” Morella replied, “Either way I got a girlfriend to beat people up for me.”

“Isn’t she on active duty now, though?” Pluto questioned.

Morella shook her head, “No, I told her that if she won’t come over for the weekend I’ll break up with her- and either way the death penalty for going AWOL has been dismantled since 1946.” 

“Cute.” Berenice commented. 

Lenore felt a surge of envy. Annabel would’ve never asked Lenore to go awol for her. She’d probably just cry over Lenore’s death in secret and enjoy the mysterious grief she’d be doing in public. Maybe she’d even drown herself in a bathtub whilst reciting poems. Who tf knows.

“We were just reading the week's horoscope, want to join us?” Duke asked Morella, waving the paper.

“Mm, sure.” Morella agreed. 

“Alright,” Duke began again, and Lenore started snacking on Morella’s lunch. “Eulalie yours is next, it says you’ll get into an ‘otherworldly’ relationship?”

He looked up and his eyes wandered to Lenore as he whispered, “I mean, Pluto low key is a planet?” 

Eulalie in the meantime was making nonchalantly out with Berenice in celebration. Pluto was torn in between celebration and confusion. He even peeked with his blind eye from under his hair as if to ensure that he ain’t making this shit up. 

“Babe, whoever you get with, I’m so happy for you.” Berenice kissed her goodbye one last time.

Eulalie licked her lips, “Thank you.”

“Lenore! Now it’s your turn!” Duke began again, leaning on his elbows, “You’ll… you’re going to find love in an unexpected place!”

“Huh?!” Lenore had to stop herself from gasping. What did that mean for her? For the main character? “But where would I look for it if it’s unexpected?”

Berenice shrugged lazily, “I usually skim throughout my family tree chart.” 

“Maybe in your friend circle?” Duke offered uncertainly.

Pluto nodded, “I mean, I’m straight, so I would date you because I’m straight, uhm, yes, I reversed, I ah. Saw Jennifer Lopez on tv yesterday? And that, like, cured me. But either way you’re lesbian so….” 

Lenore sighed, but knew he had to speak his truth for Eulalie to notice him.

Morella nodded at him with praise, “I may finally have thoughts and not only prayers about you then.

“What?” Pluto squeaked, “B-b-b-but Maeve?!”

Morella smirked a bit, “Duke, read mine next.” 

“Sure, mon gingembre,” Duke’s face scrunched in focus, “You’ll make sure wild spirits are laid to rest?” 

Morella’s face twisted in confusion, “Huh, I thought this was about dating.”

“It mainly is?” Pluto replied, but looked mildly confused too.

Lenore squeezed Morella’s waist, “Maybe it just means your relationship is going so well that fate looks on your hobbies instead?”

Morella muttered something unhappily under her nose but let it go.

“Pluto, at last.” Duke straightened up, “Pluto, you’re going to leave this mortal plane and… learn to coexist with spirits of autism?” 

Eulalie hit her fists on the table, fire burning in her eyes. “Yes.” Her voice dropped to one of a demonic and cursed. 

Pluto jumped, all blood draining from his face.

Morella started praying. 

“Uhm, Biscuit?” Berenice poked her lightly, “You’re doing it again.”

“Oh!” Eulalie’s Norma voice suddenly reappeared. “My bad guys, I just got excited for our dear straight citizen! What a wonderful day to be struck by the autistic beam. I’m happy to hear one of my colleagues in ‘tism will be worthy of Pluto’s… existence.” 

“What the fuck, she’s down bad too?” Lenore whispered to Duke, her voice hidden under a layer of Morella’s ongoing prayer.

Duke scratched his mustache, hiding his face behind the paper, “I don’t know? Lucky little bastard, huh? We’ll have a boys night to celebrate.” 

“Fortnite and koolaid.” Lenore agreed.

Lunch was over not too soon after, and so they all went their separate ways to class. Lenore was going to have Spanish with Pluto next, but she denied learning another language because she didn’t fancy becoming a bisexual. 

Leaving Pluto behind with excuses of having to take a gigantic shit, she ran away to the abandoned bathrooms.

On her way, as usual she looked out for the golden entity she encountered last time, but sadly found shit again. And so she kept going, hoping to at least encounter Aldi at her spot.

After all that dating fortune telling today she’s been feeling kinda conflicted, and needed to talk to someone about it. 

And so finding her way to the abandoned bathroom, she entered it by kicking the door open as her bad boy status required of her. 

Inside thought, the vibe was changed. 

Lit up candles decorated the musty sinks. She knew they couldn’t have been there for longer than since this morning, yet the better part of them had already been close to burning out with the wax splitting and piling up in rippling waves. 

There, in the middle of them stood a JBL speaker. It was playing some kind of ethereal church choir music, softer than the type they play at train stations at night to disencourage homeless people from sleeping there. 

Lenore had been homeless for exactly four hours and twenty five minutes once, when she declared to her parents that she had enough of their abuse. 

She wandered around and mostly tried making new friendships because she was aware of the fact that she had to leave Pluto and Duke behind now. They weren’t tough enough for her new lifestyle.

Either way, her parents found her and drugged her to bring her back home. The very next day she awoke to a brand new Ferrari in their driveway, with her name on the plates. 

She gracefully forgave her parents for causing the situation. After all she wouldn’t have run away if they hadn’t suggested that she ought to try and get a summer job for ‘experience’. 

Looking briefly around, she noticed all the stall doors locked except for one closest to the entrance. And right next to it, in the gap under the door, black shoes gleamed in the candle light.

“Welcome,” a very plain voice greeted her. It was so plain that she nearly mistook it for the sound of the pipes in the walls. “Take a seat.” 

“Uhm, sure?” Lenore agreed, walking into the stall next to the mysterious voice. 

She noticed then that the lightning somehow was dimmer but more aesthetically pleasing from her overall time here, and spotted led lights glued to all the corners of the walls. 

The voice next to her said something but she missed it.

“So, what’s up?” She asked.

“Well, do you have any confession to make?” The dull voice asked.

“Me?” Lenore asked, surprised. 

“You.” The voice replied, but a bit uncertainly.

Lenore closed her eyes and furrowed her brows. Did she have any? 

“I do,” she admitted.

“Go ahead.” The voice encouraged.

Lenore took a breath in, and then let it out deeply.

“I developed a nose spray addiction to cope with my girlfriend's constant unmorally aggressive behavioral patterns.” 

There was silence.

The led lights dimmed into a yellowish color. 

“So what I hear is addiction issues.” The voice summarized. “Anything else?”

Lenore strained her brain. 

“My middle name is Emily…?” 

“Wait, you’re a woman?” The voice sounded confused. 

Lenore sighed. Why did everyone assume her to be a male just because of her androgynous voice? This was getting too far. 

She knew shit was getting out of hand when last week when she snuck out to a gay bar with the boyz and was hit on by a guy that it was bad. When she realized that it was Montresor who was hitting on her, it was worse. 

But when he recognized her and ‘apologized’ (“What the actual fuck, calamity Jane?”) followed with an explanation of mistaking her for her brother, and her reply, (“Theo…? He’s dead? He died fucking two years ago?”) made Lenore recognize that she may have to start wearing a sticker with pronouns. 

She leaned back on the toilet and began listening with a bored voice. “Yes, I’m a female, a woman, a lady, a former girl, and currently still sadly a daughter.” 

“Oh.”

The led lights suddenly turned from the ugly yellow into a bright pink. 

“But!” She added, “I’ve been told I’m a handsome young man more than once.”

“Oh?” 

“Yeah.” Lenore shrugged nonchalantly.

The voice coughed, and Lenore heard something that oddly sounded like ‘A shame you’re not one.’ 

“What the fuck do you mean shame?” Lenore stood up and banged on the wall with her fist, “Do you have something against me? Are you anti LGbTQ?! Should I beat you up? Huh? Huh? Want me to come in there, eh? I hit the gym every Tuesday and Thursday with my gym bros, don’t even make me angry.” 

She heard something fall on the ground, and when she saw the led lights remote she quickly crouched and snapped it away from the person on the other side. 

“N-n-not like that!” The voice squeaked nervously, “I meant as in- because you sound very attractive for a woman!” 

“Pardon?”

The voice was still stressing badly, “I am just like you! I fancy my own gender. And I mistook you for a guy for a second and when you…” 

Lenore relaxed. Hah. 

“That’s alright then.” She accepted, taking her seat again and switching the led lights to flare up in waves of rainbow hues. 

The guy on the other side stuttered, “Y-you’re not mad anymore?”

“No,” Lenore shrugged, throwing the remote up and catching it on loop, “I can’t really help that I'm so hot that I pull every gender. 

The guy laughed nervously behind the wall. 

“Alright, well, then I suppose that we can add lesbianism to the equation of your sins.”

“Sins??” Lenore questioned, “what sins?”

The voice faltered, “The ones you came here to confess? To my confessional booth?”

“Uhm, bud.” Lenore slowed down, “We’re in the women’s old bathroom, not church.”

“I know!” The guy laughed a bit, the nervousness in his voice lacing through every ‘H’ and ‘A’ he let out. “I’m just practicing my skills here until the real thing.”

Lenore hummed but still felt confused, “Wait,” she stopped humming, "But didn’t you say you were gay too? Why are you calling it a sin then?”

“Well, my boyfriend does that.” The guy confessed. 

“Your boyfriend tells you that being with him is a sin?” Lenore asked astonished, “Why are you with him then?”

“Because he’s hot.” The voice replied easily, “and also he’s my best friend. I’m actually doing this because his family is very church oriented and I want his mom to like me.”

“Does his mom even like him?” Lenore huffed in disbelief, “You know, since he is dating you?”

“Oh, I mean she doesn’t know about me. My boyfriend has a girlfriend to keep the appearances up.” The guy confessed. 

“Oh…” 

Lenore felt weird. This situation was nearly exactly like hers and Annabel’s but genderbent. Was this what her life would look like if she was just a simple yaoi? Annabel Lee- or rather Adam LeeShawn- making out with some random girl in the school’s hallway to pass as straight, while she’d have to watch? 

Maybe her situation with Annabel hadn’t been that bad? Yet, was it wrong of her to have boundaries?

Lenore felt conflicted.

The led lights turned grey. 

“What was your name again?” She asked.

“Oh, um-“

“Doesn’t have to be a real one,” she interrupted swiftly, “just an alias?”

“…Bill?” 

“Bill.” She spoke solemnly, “Bill, don't you hate that your boyfriend is ashamed of you?” 

The man on the other side went silent. 

“I don’t really care?” He responded after a few short moments.

Her gut turned. “Why?” 

“Because we’re the real deal, you know?” Bill chuckled on the other side of the wall. “I know it’s me who he’ll protect and cherish. A- The girlfriend is just a momentary thing to keep us safe. I can’t blame him for creating a safe space for us.”

“But it’s not the fucking nineteenth century anymore Bill,” Lenore urged, “It’s not like they’ll send ya’ll the gallows.” 

“Maybe not, but Mo- um his mom wouldn’t like that, and I mean, logically speaking he is not living with her at the moment- he lives in his car- but he’ll have to go back in the winter. And my parents, well,” Bill sounded conflicted, “They wouldn’t mind, per say, but I’m shy…” 

“Shy?” Lenore repeated.

“Yeah, you see, I already have two gay brothers.”

Lenore clicked quickly the buttons that made the led lights blast the Mlm gay flag, “So what’s the issue?” 

There came an appreciative timid laugh from the other side, “It’s that it won’t change anything, really. Wyatt is already the fabulous twink, and Winston is the basic gay guy who’d you’d never think to be gay but turns out he is. I bring nothing new to the table. As always.”

Lenore noticed the sad hint to Bill’s voice, and suddenly understood that maybe other people had issues too. 

“Bill, I’m sorry to hear that.” 

Bill muttered softly in reply, “It’s okay. Honestly thank you for listening, -even my boyfriend rarely does that- though you kinda took my job there. Seems I can’t even do this without someone being naturally better at it than me. Heh.” 

At his whines Lenore felt lowkey bad for some reason. She wasn’t sure if it was because she felt truly bad for him or guilty for not catching and so dropping the Led lights remote as he spoke and lowkey breaking it, making the colors just flash randomly in differing tempos.

“No, no!” She reassured, “I just am special like that, I literally can’t go anywhere without doing something wrong in the best possible way. Please, go ahead with what we were doing!” 

“Well, if you insist…” Bill sounded uncertain, but Lenore let out a loud cheer for him. 

“Okay!” He sounded far more determined now, “So I guess we should figure the act of contrition, for your sins, that is.”

“Lesbianism and addiction.” Lenore nodded as she listed out proudly and motivatingly. 

“Yeah, so I guess to atone for that, you should probably… kiss the most unattractive guy you can find, and for the second issue uhh, try giving you addiction away.”

“I’m sorry what the fuck?!” Lenore shouted.

She could hear the man cringe, and so she tried calming down a bit.

“Bill,” She spoke in a voice that was a poor imitation of Eulalie's tranquil demeanor, “I can’t kiss a man. It would physically kill me, Bill.”

“I, well, it doesn’t have to be on the lips?!” Bill tried defending himself, “I mean, like it’s just an act of showing that you still love the men’s existence even though you’ll never truly love them?” Bill tried. 

Lenore thought about it for a moment. 

“No, but I already have two guy friends though.” She maintained, “Like I’m literally one of them boys, Bill. I love my friends.”

“But do you ever beat your friends up?” Bill asked insightfully.

“N-“ Lenore was suddenly reminded by how she lwk would sometimes kick Duke and make him trip and fall because she envied his period free life. She was reminded how she told Pluto to shave his full grown and braided beard, even though it made him not look like a thirteen year old, simply because she felt that beards were disgusting. 

She remembered that she lowkey dislikes men. 

“I do.” She confessed. “I do dislike men.”

“Same,” Bill admitted, before adding quickly “I mean, with women. I dislike them.” 

“What the fuck do you mean?” Lenore barked.

“J-j-just my boyfriend's girlfriend!” Bill nervously explained, “And any other girls he dated! Truly! Otherwise I support women’s rights! Lord, I mean I work at an underground abortions center and I listen to Lana del ray!” 

“Ohhh,” Lenore sighed, “Okay. Do you kiss women then to atone for it?”

“Daily.” Bill lamented. 

“How?” Lenore questioned, “Do you just walk up to girls and what? Kiss them? That’s creepy dude. Even I don’t do that anymore.”  

“No! No, nothing like that. I just kiss my boyfriend’s girlfriend.”

“What?”

“Like, when he says goodbye to her, he tells me, ‘Bill, go kiss Ad-‘ uhm her name is Adderal let’s say- and so he says, ‘Bill, go kiss Adderal goodbye.’ And so I do! And she kisses me goodbye too! Because our boyfriend- in soul, he’s mine, but publicly hers, and among the two of us, ours- doesn’t like us fighting.” 

Lenore’s head began to hurt at Bill’s explanation. Here she thought she was having a hard time with her complex situationship. But turns out that out there, in the wild, people were facing hardships she couldn’t imagine enduring.

“Damn.” She commented, “Yeah okay, I don’t know if I have your strength Bill, but I will try, just to honor you.” 

Bill gasped, and choked a silent sob. “Woah, I… no one’s ever done that for me…”

“I’ll do it. Because I’m a charming masc, not a toxic one.” Lenore decided, remembering Annabel’s hurtful words. It was time for her to make a change. 

“Thank you- I don’t even know your name?” Bill asked, and she could hear silent tears hitting the ground. 

“Lice.” 

The led lights flashed a fierce red behind them. 

“Call me Lice,” Lenore repeated.

“T-thank you, Lice.” Bill responded, and she heard him wiping away his tears.

“Alright, so I take this session’s done?” Lenore stood up and stretched her arms and back lazily, wondering if ts counts as therapy. 

“Yeah, you’re forgiven and all that.” Bill reassured, and she heard him step out of his stall. 

“Do I owe you anything?” She questioned, feeling the urge to step out, but decided against it in order to protect this man’s identity. “Like money or bitcoin, or robux or shit?”

“No, no, it’s not needed.” Bill replied quickly, “It’s just a hobby as I’ve said.”

“Sure, then. Farewell, Bill.”

“Goodbye, Lice. May our paths cross in the future.”

“I hope so, Bill.”

He stood still for a moment, and then she heard his departed steps, the bathroom doors opening, silence, and then closing followed by his fading steps.

Lenore pushed her door open and blinked a few times. She came to this place in order to find peace, yet somehow it ended up with her finding more issues than she was prepared for. 

Now she had two side quests and more questions than answers.

“Great.” Lenore muttered sourly, but before she could make another move she heard a new pair of footsteps approaching, and in fear of it being Bill coming back for whatever reason, or Aldi finally arriving, she quickly locked the stall’s doors and sat on the toilet, pulling her legs up. 

The door opened, and then closed.

The led lights had been turned off since before Bill left because of the broken remote. But now they flashed somehow in a rich musky purple color that made Lenore jump slightly.

She covered her mouth and tried slowing down her heart beat. She didn’t know who it was that entered the bathroom, but she could feel a deep aura. One she dared not to intrude on.

The person, whoever it was, stopped for a short moment, before continuing their journey.

Lenore counted their steps and stifled a gasp when she realized that they stopped in front of Eulalie’s bathroom door. 

Lenore in that instant would’ve broken away from her hiding spot if not for the knowledge of the fact that Eulalie locked her space with a bike lock. Her sacred stall need’nt her protection from whoever the intruder was.

Waiting patiently, to her shock, Lenore heard a click and a drop. The lock was on the floor. 

The person walked into the forbidden stall, and Lenore froze at the dark and demonic voice that emerged from just a mere few feet away from her. 

Whatever it was, it was not human. 

“I know you’re here.” The satanic voice said, mutating the words with its odd tune.

Lenore nearly fucking shat herself right there on the spot. But she stopped herself by the sheer force of her last will, as she was wearing white shorts and she didn’t want to have a shit stain. 

She was one of da boys, but not to that degree.

Yet.

And so she stayed quiet.

Silence. 

And then, something that shocked her to her core.

“My bad,” a voice she recognized easily spoke, “I forget that my inner voice scares you off. Come out, my Stag.” 

Lenore could feel the energy shift suddenly, and by some weird fucking black magic the led lights went black. 

‘Just what the fuck are you doing, Eulalie?’ Lenore thought, hugging her knees.

The whole bathroom seemed to shake, and the led lights went completely off, before a new source of light greeted her eyes.

It was the candles Bill brought with him, but instead of melting away they were now floating in the air above the stalls.

Lenore shook.

“My love,” she heard Eulalie say, but her tone was edging on the fuck ass prehistoric gothic eldritch horror one she called her inner voice.

Lenore could not take it anymore. She farted softly in distress.

She heard a snap. The candles went out.

“Who goes there?” Eulalie’s paranormal voice growled.

Lenore pushed the door open and before Eulalie could catch a glimpse of her, she ran out.

She ran, ran, and ran. Oh she ran so fucking quickly that she ended up circling the whole school and ending up at the back on the damn abandoned bathrooms. Realizing how far she ran, she did a quick 180° part 2 and ran into the school building, throwing herself into the broom closet. 

“What the fuck. What the actual fuck.” Lenore gasped. 

“Where is your boytoy?” 

Montresor shrugged. He hated to admit that he had no idea where his worse half was. It never happened before for him to not know Will’s schedule. It wasn’t as if he was trying to remember it, he just somehow did. Which was fucking unlucky if you asked him, since he for the life of him couldn’t remember Ada’s. 

Will usually texted it to him in the mornings, the good boyfriend he was. Now only if Ada could’ve texted him about Will the same way, the world would’ve been a better place. 

But no, fight for dominance, desire for monogamy. Aggression and oppression, apples and oranges. Shit like that.  

He shot Prospero a boyish grin from where he was leaning on the wall and sucking on his toothpick, “Why? Tryna get with me under his absence, pretty boy?” He taunted, sending him a wink, “Oh, but my Will’s the territorial type, so look out.”

Prospero sent him a glare that would make anyone else shit and piss themselves on the spot as they withered away. 

“I thought Ada was the protective one.” He replied, ignoring Montresor’s other words as he motioned for him to come closer. 

“You just haven’t seen Will’s wild side yet.”

Montresor pushed himself off the wall and began to walk towards Prospero, lifting the table with him and moving it to the middle of the cleanest part of the basement. 

“Did you disinfect your hands?” The taller, and quite frankly prettier man asked. 

Montresor scoffed, dropping the table early, making Prospero jump off to dodge it falling on his feet. He sent Montresor another irked stare and Montresor took a step back, not wanting to get punched.

“I did.” He lied smoothly, “Hard not to when yer placed those hand sanitizer all over the place.”

Prospero took a few short but quick steps towards him, and before Montresor could do anything he grabbed his hands and raised them to his nose.

Montresor blushed. 

Prospero sniffed properly. 

“Liar.” He whispered from behind Montresor’s hands. 

“You know me well,” Montresor bit his lip.

They held eye contact for a while, before Prospero dropped his hands.

“You smell like garlic.” Prospero noted, his eyes cold, “I swear to god, if we get complaints about that I’ll skin you alive and use it as a blanket.” 

Montresor scoffed, “If we are gonna be gettin’ any complaints it won’t be about my garlic hands, trust me partner.” He threw his arms out, broadly gesturing to the moldy basement they were in. 

Prospero didn’t answer, but his eyes did follow the lead. 

“And, anyway, it ain’t like I’ll be doing shit. I’m just body guarding.” Montresor shrugged. 

Prospero’s brow rose, “What do we need that for?” 

Montresor smiled stupidly. Was this man from another planet? His divine looks suggested so. 

“Partner, have you ever been to an abortion clinic before?” He asked, grabbing another table.

Pretty boy scowled, but followed his lead by lifting the other side. 

“No. I’ve had no reason to.” He admitted, as he tried to maneuver around the filthy boxes with food pyramids that Montresor knew Prospero would burn later. 

He still remembered when they first introduced them to those in like, whatever grade it was in. Montresor didn’t mind it much, but Prospero stood up and started educating the teacher on spreading misinformation; how those were influenced by the agriculture industry. 

Something about the food left after the war, pushing more grains and low-fat dairy despite clear evidence of it suggesting refined carbs and sugars were more harmful than fat. 

Honestly Montresor only remembered allat because it was the time he realized he may be a raging bisexual. He wasn’t fluent in bisexuality back then, but when the well behaved and rather kept to himself Prospero started talking about such random bullshit in class, challenging the teacher themselves, Montresor was impressed. 

“Mm, I guessed so.” Montresor muttered, placing the table down gently this time as he could not stay faithful to his two kittens if a man this pretty was about to smell him again. “Well, you see Doc, under such eventful places a lot of bozos like to gather and throw in some mild parties.” 

Prospero eyed him unimpressed. “You mean prolife protests?” 

Montresor snapped his fingers, “Yeah, allat. So I’ll be the one preventing this shit show from going on down here.”

“Who would even do that here?” Prospero rejected, “Were in college.”

“Exactly,” Montresor nodded. “Mind you, most of them protesters were in college once too. College doesn’t teach shit, fancy pants.”

Prospero seemed to disagree, as he crossed his arms on his chest, “Then why are you here?”

Montresor winked, “Because of you, heartbreaker.” 

Before Prospero could respond with something that would probably end up with them hooking up or with Montresor lying how he and his kittens aren’t that serious, the basement door opened with an old creak. 

“Why hasn’t the door been rusted off yet?” A voice higher than theirs asked, “Do we need to change the hinges? I can’t stand the sound of poverty.”

“Annabel,” Prospero acknowledged, walking away from Montresor. “Good you’re here, I was going insane from being alone with Montresor.”

“He truly can’t keep his hands to himself,” Montresor called out, pocketing his hands and walking to greet their leader. “Queenie,”

She looked the way she always did. Perfectly kept, dangerously pretty. Cold Swedish eyes that only held the deception of innocence when she wasn’t in their presence. 

“I see you’ve prepared the operation table.” She noted, her eyes landing on the tables they connected. “Very well. Montresor still hasn’t managed to seduce you, has he, love?” 

Prospero looked offended at her jesting tone. Montresor sent him a wink.

“He still hadn’t succumbed to my desirable traits.” Montresor replied.

Annabel rolled her eyes, patting Prospero’s shoulder softly as she passed him by to set her bag on the table which was meant to be used as the reception desk. “There’s hardly much you got to offer, Montresor.” 

“True.” He replied, because he noticed the circles under her eyes, and he knew that spotting her tiredness was a perfect opportunity to mess with her, but not when it was that visible. He didn’t have an deah wish, despite what everyone seemed to think. Instead he sent the pretty boy a curious look, tapping his own mild eye bags. 

Prospero didn’t reply in any way, but he blinked at him slowly. 

“Annabel, do you reckon we should go shopping after school?” Prospero offered instead, approaching the reception desk and with a scowl dusting it off.

Annabel shook her head, unpacking her bag.

“Sorry, love. But I’ve been feeling rather faint today, so I’ll probably rest.” 

“Ah, that’s alright.” Prospero nodded, and didn’t bother sending Montresor a concerned look. Maybe that was a good thing? Montresor pondered. Keeping their emotional connection on a leash, since obviously they would rather easily fall into a deep connection if not. 

And honestly? Montresor didn’t want to know if he needed that. What he needed was Will. His Will who would burn besides him in hell. And Ada, that girl who wouldn’t stay in hell with him, but for sure would walk him there. 

And Prospero? Prospero wouldn’t even bother. Montresor reckoned it would’ve taken ages of actual faithful marriage before that hotshot would even consider risking his own life or status on Montresor’s behalf.

And he didn't have allat time. 

Sure, true, the idea of Prospero was exciting as it was challenging. Will wouldn’t disagree with him, nor punch him if needed. Ada? She would leave him the second he’d appear weak, lacking in Will’s ability of infinite delusions somehow.

Prospero? He hardly ever agreed with him, he didn’t try to make time for him, nor did he throw himself at him. But when Montresor reached out, he’d give his attention. 

Was it because of the familiarity Montresor suspected he brought to the table after knowing one another for a good chunk of their lives? Perhaps. Maybe it was just because of that. But it was just heavy enough to kick it down a sea and watch it spiral to the bottom.

That is, if Prospero would bother his fancy ass and help Montresor with lifting this shit. But his Rodeo Romeo seemed only invested in lifting old tables which were to serve as items for abortions. 

What a life.

“Montresor?” Annabel’s voice snapped him out of thought, “Have you seen Ada? She was supposed to be here, let’s see, fifteen minutes ago now.” 

“Ehhh Queenie,” Montresor massages his face, “Why does everyone keep bothering me about those two. Maybe they’re taking a shit, the hell do I know?”

Annabel queried a brow, “Both of them at once?” 

“In sync and allat.” Montresor confirmed. 

Prospero sighed. “Just, text them, won’t you?” 

“Why me? We’re all in the same group chat.” Montresor argued.

“Yeah, but they only listen to your command.” Prospero grumbled, “Well, to yours as well, Annabel, but you know how they come running when it’s him.”

Annabel scoffed but didn’t argue.

“Fine.” Montresor drawled, fishing out his phone. He hated being the one to text first. He wasn’t desperate. 

He opened the group chat, briefly glancing at the photo of it, which contained a picture of him and Ada making out at a party, while Will threw his arm around them and with the other gave a thumbs up. His smile was wobbly.

Montresor sighed, scrolling up to see all the unread notifications. 

Will’s empty profile picture popped up first.

Kitten: Ada, why have you changed your Pfp to the princess from beauty and the beast????

Sugar: Why not? Are you an online narc or what now, William?

Kitten: No, it’s just weird. Since that would mean that you know who is the… beast.

Sugar: You’re trying to find symbolism in Disney profile pictures. Maybe go try to find another hobby, or better yet, apply for a position as a discord mod. 

Kitten: You know what you’re suggesting Ada. 

Sugar: That my man is hot?

Kitten: That he’s ugly! 

Sugar: That’s your interpretation. This says a lot more about you than it does about me. I asked ChatGPT about it.

Kitten: I 

Kitten: Montresor is the most gorgeous and fabulous man to walk this earth. 

Sugar: William….

Kitten: I’m just stating the obvious. 

Sugar: Meet me today at four pm in front of Seven Eleven.

Kitten: What??? No??! They’ll think I’m anti women if I beat you up!

Sugar: Who tf said you’d manage to do that?

Montresor furrowed his brows, these messages were from last Saturday. He didn’t recall neither Will nor Ada to look beaten up. And so he scrolled down a bit.

Sugar: Okay, but if we all get married, then wouldn’t it be better to hold the marriage somewhere more prestigious than fucking Boston? 

Kitten: Ada, we are broke.  

Sugar: Then get a job?

Kittens: I do have one?

Sugar: Oh. 

Sugar: Then keep going? I hope you’re not spending our wedding funds on some hentai games from steam. 

Kitten: What the hell Ada? I only play the cleaning simulator. 

Sugar: Freak. 

Kitten: Freak with a salary that can afford to sustain Monty’s monthly nitro, mind you. 

Sugar: Whatever. As long as I’m the only one to wear a wedding dress I’ll digress. 

Kitten: Unfair.

Sugar: William, you'd look funny in a dress.

Kitten: Monty thinks otherwise.   

Sugar: Pardon? 

“Montresor, you were supposed to tell them to get over here, not flirt with them.” Prospero’s voice cut the air.

Montresor sighed, his smirk dropping as he pinched his nose and scrolled again. 

Sugar: 

The wish list. 

Balenciaga. 

Foundation.

Sephora make up set. 

A lot of Tequila. 

Home made apple pie. 

High heels (Shoes size 36.)

Kitten: Ada, what is this? Wish lists are usually more, well, you know? Child friendly? I don’t think the orphanages will let you gift those stuff. 

Sugar: What?

Sugar: No. 

Sugar: It’s MY wish list. 

Kitten: Yeah but why are you sending it here?

Sugar: In case anyone would like to surprise me for our anniversary….

Kitten: Oh, Ada. 

Sugar: Don’t you dare, William. 

Montresor frowned again. And then slapped his face. It was his and Ada’s anniversary yesterday. Shit. But something felt off. A memory of Ada being mad at him appeared, but later he saw Will hand her a bag with a pie. 

At the time he thought he was just trying to get her to calm down from whatever fit she was throwing. 

Memories of Will apologizing mildly about it being cold, and an unhappy but calm Ada complaining about it being made from peaches. 

Montresor didn’t know what to think. 

And so he scrolled through the last messages of them fighting about his favorite colors and finally wrote and sent them a message.

His thoughtful lion in a suit pfp flashed. 

Alpha: Buckaroos, get yer asses down the basement. 

The reply was instant.

Kitten: Why? 

Kitten: If it’s for me and Ada to make up again, then it’s not needed!

Kitten: We are doing all right! Isn’t that right, Ada?

Sugar: Oh Honey! I hope it’s a date. But if it is, why is William included?

kitten: Why not? 

Sugar: William, shoo. Let me and my man talk alone.

Kitten: Talk alone in DMs. This is public space.

Sugar: Monty has a hard time with finding our DMs and you know that. He’s dyslexic. Stop bullying him.

Kitten: I am not! I literally read for him before bed because of this.

Sugar: We found ourselves a fucking mother Teresa

Sugar: Wait.

Sugar: What do you mean before bed? 

Alpha: It’s business. Don’t make me wait. Queenie’ and Doc are already bothering the shit out of me. 

Sugar: Ah. Alright. Omw babe!

Kitten: Coming! 

Sugar: Running.

Kitten: You can’t run. 

Sugar: nor yoh.

Sugar: you*

Alpha: Stop yapping and start walking. 

Montresor closed the group chat and checked whatever it was Morella sent him. Something about hoping he’ll get well soon when he tried to rizz her up. He closed his phone and looked up.

“They’re on their way.” He informed tiredly.

“Very well.” Annabel nodded curtly from where she was showing Prospero the different types of wire coat hangers, at which Prospero frowned deeply and shook his head. 

Not long after did the two of them run into the basement, pushing one another or dragging. 

“First!”

“Not at all!” 

“Ada, Will, good you’re here.” Annabel swiftly interrupted, pushing them forward into the room. “Ada, I need you to help me with making this place look aesthetically appealing. Will, you’ll make posters. But try to be subtle, we don’t want the principals to know that we’re illegally using their basement for this.”

“Of course, bestie!” Ada nodded at once with Will. 

Surprisingly, when they spotted him, Ada didn’t throw herself at him. She just smiled weirdly. 

Montresor shrugged it off, and instead sent them both a wink before continuing arranging the high chairs they stole from the cafeteria this morning. 

Why did they need this shit? Montresor didn’t know. He hoped no one would bring their few months old kid here. 

“Queenie, why the heck do we need those?” He motioned at the chairs he just set down.

“Oh, those are for the daycare.” She waved her hand dismissively, “In case this plan doesn’t work out, that is.” 

“Ah.” Montresor muttered unhappily, he was no nanny. But instead of arguing he spotted a very focused Will and curiously approached him.

“Whatcha up to?” He asked, taking a break from work and eyeing Will’s work.

There were a few different doodles of crypto  posters. 

“Baby boo” one said, with a doodle of a baby ghost. 

Another one showed art of some greek guy throwing down a baby from a balcony. It had “I’m just a man” written above it. 

The one Will was currently focusing on was a half finished sketch of something truly terrifying, looking like a mutation of a baby with some horror. 

“What’s that about?” Montresor asked, feeling kinda creeped out. 

“Oh?” Will jumped, noticing him, “It’s from a game. Those mutant babies usually live in caves and follow around big bosses like Virginia’s and so on.”

“Ah” Montresor hummed in confusion. He never played much more than counter strike. And that was in secret, since his mother didn’t allow violent games. 

“And this one?” He asked, tapping at another monstrous picture. 

“Walking dead reference. You know, to keep it subtle?” 

Montresor nodded, before leaning on the wall next to Will. He looked out of the rectangular and narrow basement window.

Will abandoned his work to stand next to him.

“I saw the black panther today.” Montresor admitted. 

Will gasped, turning his head to look at him.

“What? Where?”

“Right before coming here, I saw a blur of darkness pass me by in the yard when I was lookin’ around for you earlier.” Montresor explained, and mentally punched himself for admitting he was looking out for Will.  

“I-“ 

But Montresor didn’t let Will speak. “It didn’t even stop to acknowledge me, nor to let me join it.” 

“Maybe she was scared?” Will suggested.

Montresor shifted. Black panther? Scared? What possibly could’ve frightened such a predator?

“I don’t know, Will.” He admitted, before turning to him, "Enough of that, have you brought the stuff?” 

Will nodded, reaching out to his pocket to hand him a plastic bag, before going around and handing them out to everyone.

Montresor unpacked his. 

He was met by a dirty blonde but bordering on ginger cat shiesty. He pulled it on in a swift motion, fixing up the corners. 

“Are you serious, William?” Prospero’s voice sounded tired. 

“I tried picking ones that fit our color schemes.” Will nervously shrugged in his grey cat shiesty, standing next to Ada who was already taking selfies in her brown cat shiesty.

“Don’t fight it love, it doesn’t matter. A mask is a mask.” Annabel commented from the other corner, where her bright blonde cat shiesty already wrapped itself neatly around her features, leaving only bright blue eyes to be seen. 

Prospero sighed, and pulled his hazel brown kitten shiesty down his head. 

“This is so unprofessional.” He complained.

“Meow.” Montresor shrugged. 

“Miau.” Will joined.

“Mrau.” Ada agreed.

“Miaow.” Annabel commanded in her British accent.

Prospero sighed. 

“Mew-mew.” He agreed at last.