[Ajax POV]
A few days had passed since the Poe Cup, and we naturally lost… again. Honestly, at this point, losing is practically the most consistent thing in my life.
At least Bianca's team didn't win this time either, which means her perfect streak finally broke and I guess it doesn't change a fuck for me.
And to make things worse, today Weems announced yet another one of her forced "bonding" activities. This time it was Pilgrim World, which she introduced with her usual stale-toast voice as a "time-honored tradition" and "an opportunity to engage with Jericho's local history."
Translation: child labor.
Luckily, fate decided not to spit directly in my face for once. I managed to land a spot at the coffee shop with Xavier, which means no running around the city to be an unpaid tour guide for normies.
Poor Percy wasn't so lucky… he got saddled with that exact job again. I can already picture him trying to keep a straight face while telling some tourist in cargo shorts about colonial butter churning.
I still remember last year when Weems gave Percy a whole pamphlet of lines to memorize. He read them once, nodded, then proceeded to say whatever the hell he wanted the entire day. Half the tourists left either traumatized or convinced they'd witnessed a cult initiation. Classic Percy.
Anyway, while I was walking toward my new workplace, humming to myself and praying the coffee machine didn't explode, I suddenly froze. Because standing right in front of me, blocking the street like some horror movie jumpscare, was a rare specimen outside of its natural habitat.
Wednesday Addams.
Her braid was perfect, her face pale and unreadable, her eyes soulless.
"Switch volunteer assignments," she said, with her usual cold voice.
I blinked at her, trying to figure out if she was joking.
"Why should I?" I shot back instantly. "Yours is Uriah's Heap… everyone knows that place is a nightmare. It's just a creepy antique shop full of moth-eaten dolls and stuffed roadkill. No way I'm spending the whole day there when I can just hang with Xavier and get free coffee."
Her head tilted ever so slightly. "If you stubbornly refuse to obey, I will pluck every snake from your head."
I crossed my arms, forcing a smirk. "Scared of you? You're basically a goth cosplayer who never grew out of middle school. A walking Halloween decoration. You've got one personality trait, and it's being a doom clown."
For the first time, I saw it. A flicker of a smile tugged at her lips. She pulled a small recorder out of her coat pocket, pressed play, and there it was, my own voice, repeating those exact words.
My stomach dropped.
I stared at her, trying to laugh it off. "So what? You think I'm scared you'll let Percy hear it?"
Her smile sharpened like a blade.
So, fun fact I didn't know until today: Uriah's Heap really does have a section dedicated to stuffed animals flattened by cars. Like, roadkill taxidermy. I'd joked about it before, but nope its true.
What did you expect? That I'd risk my life, insult Wednesday to her face, and keep my shift with Xavier just for some free coffee? Please.
On one side you've got Wednesday, a girl who talks about murder like it's her love language but hasn't really proved much besides sharp stares.
On the other side you've got Perseus, a guy who once buried his girlfriend alive, has a cat that eats people and used Xavier as target practice in archery class, balancing an apple on his head and stuffing another in his mouth after finding out that he and Bianca had sex on his bed.
So no, I'm not scared. I'm realistic. One is an uncertified lunatic, the other is a certified lunatic if you piss him off. And I am not suicidal enough to test either of them.
I was mid-count, trying to figure out if there were more flattened squirrels or raccoons on display, when the door creaked open.
Enid walked in.
Her bright pastel presence clashed violently with the gloom of the shop, like someone had spilled cotton candy on a funeral. For a moment, she smiled, her whole face lighting up the dusty room, but then her expression froze when she saw me standing behind the counter.
"Ajax?" she asked, blinking. "Where's Wednesday?"
I leaned an elbow on the counter. "She wanted to trade shifts with me."
Her jaw dropped. "She what? And she didn't tell me? Ugh!" She stomped her foot, blonde hair bouncing as she flailed dramatically. "I could've traded with Xavier if I knew. Why didn't she tell me?! She tells me everything… well, except when she doesn't. Which is always!"
I blinked at her meltdown. She wasn't wrong, though. Wednesday probably didn't bother mentioning it because in her mind, feelings and communication are overrated.
Before I could even say anything, she kept going, words spilling out of her like a waterfall that couldn't be stopped.
"I bet it's because she wants to stalk that guy… what's his name again? She keeps sneaking off to talk to him, and it's driving me insane.
Like, hello? We're supposed to be best friends, but she's out there playing detective with some random normie barista. And I just… " she broke off, groaning, dragging her hands down her face.
Wait is Wednesday seeing a guy and seems obsessed?
Is Perseus… getting greened? I tried not to laugh, but the thought was too much.
Enid kept spiraling. "She barely talks to me anymore, and I feel like I'm just… extra. Like I'm not even in the script, you know?"
I nodded slowly, trying not to look too amused. "Maybe you should go out with other friends more and not fixating with Wednesday."
She blinked at me, big wide eyes. "With who?"
The words slipped out before my brain caught up. "Like… me?"
And immediately, my brain screamed: What the fuck, Ajax? Are you hitting on your friend's girlfriend? No! Not like that! Just… as a friend. Yeah. Totally just a friend.
Her face brightened, though, and she actually smiled. "Sure. Why not? Tonight?"
My mouth opened. My brain begged me to say that I was just kidding. My tongue betrayed me.
"Sure."
…Perseus is going to kill me.
And right on cue, the door opened again.
Perseus strolled in, calm as ever, leading a group of tourists like some gothic tour guide. His voice rolled smooth, sharp, and way too elegant for this depressing shop.
"Hier ist der berühmte Uriah's Heap," he said in flawless German, gesturing around the dusty store. "Aber kauft ihr bitte nichts, sonst lachen die Zollbeamten am Flughafen noch wochenlang über euch."
The tourists burst into laughter, and he dismissed the group with a wave, then strolled over to us. His gaze flicked between me and Enid. "Where's Wednesday?"
"She traded with him," Enid said, arms crossed, voice sharp with frustration.
Percy chuckled lightly, as if that explained everything. Which, in his mind, it probably did.
Then Enid turned to him, her voice suddenly bright, too casual. "Oh, by the way, Percy. I'm going out with Ajax tonight. Is that okay?"
I swear, in that moment, my soul left my body, hovered above us, and whispered goodbye.
Percy just looked at her and calmly said.
"Sure."
Enid blinked. "Really?"
He raised an eyebrow. "What do you want me to say? You don't mind if I hang out with Divina or Yoko, so why should I forbid you? I trust you, Enid."
She looked torn between glowing and fuming. "I don't know if I should be angry or happy."
Percy laughed softly. "Both? Worst case, if Ajax tries something, you can always turn into part werewolf and knock him halfway across the lawn."
Enid rolled her eyes but smiled anyway.
And me? I just stood there, realizing something heavier than any brick: that's what a relationship is supposed to look like. Mutual trust, equal footing. And I know Percy long enough to know he wasn't being sarcastic but actually trusted her.
Maybe I was more jealous of Enid than Percy, because whatever the fuck their relationship was, she hit a jackpot with him.
Percy broke the silence again. "So where are you two going?"
"Jericho," Enid said. "We'll take the Night Bus back."
Percy reached into his pocket, pulled out his keys, and tossed them at her without hesitation.
She fumbled, caught them, stared at the little metal keyring like it was some cursed artifact. "I don't even know how to drive!"
Percy was already walking toward the door, laughing under his breath. "That's why I gave you the key now, wolfy. I'll teach you while we drive back."
And then he was gone.
I groaned. Soul, please stay outside my body a bit longer. I might not die from Percy's wrath, but I'll probably die when Enid crashes his car.
She turned her head toward me, her grin sharp with mischief. "By the way, just so you know, Percy's off-limits. But I can totally help you with other boys if you want."
I blinked at her, choking on my own spit. "What?"
She shrugged casually. "Don't play dumb. I've seen that jealous look before. Don't worry, I don't judge and don't discriminate."
My brain short-circuited so hard my snakes actually hissed in confusion. What do you mean I don't discriminate?
************
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