Work Text:
Nevermore in the fall could always guarantee Xavier one thing: he’s freezing.
All. The. Time.
There was nothing to be done about it other than stuffing his wardrobe with countless sweaters and carrying about extras when the weather required it. While many of his sweaters are in Nevermore blue, he always has some on hand in various colors.
It was one of the coldest days they’d had all semester and all Xavier wanted was to get back to his dorm and exchange his school blazer for his favorite soft, oversized black hoodie. He’d had the longest day. He’d woken up late and had to rush to class without breakfast and his friends had been remarkably irritating in classes, always flitting around his shoulders and demanding his attention when all he wanted was to get through the period with his sanity intact.
Xavier’s relationship with Wednesday had taken the school by surprise upon their return to Nevermore, but neither of them cared. Most days Xavier and Wednesday would walk between classes together, sometimes holding hands but usually just walking side by side, and they would often be found sitting together in the library or the quad when their free time aligned. Xavier never tired of Wednesday’s company. She always had a sharp response or witty retort to give to any remark he could throw at her which would always bring a smile to Xavier’s face.
There was something addicting about the way he slowly became able to read the minute shifts in her expressions. He could differentiate the exasperated eye roll from the irritated eye roll. He could now tell when the crease between her eyebrows was from stress rather than from focus. He was finally allowed to truly see her, and he was beyond obsessed.
Today, however, Wednesday was nowhere to be found outside of classes and it was just another thing bringing down his mood. No matter how moody or closed-off she was, his girlfriend was always able to brighten his day and release some of the tension that’d been plaguing him.
There was something comforting about the set of her shoulders and the way she managed to look down on the people around her despite her being significantly shorter than most of them. Her confidence was contagious and he always found himself feeling better in her presence.
Come over later?
Missed you today :(
The texts were sent quickly before his final class began and he only hoped she’d look at her phone at some point in the following hour. He dropped his phone unceremoniously into his bag, pulled the sleeves of his sweater down over his hands, and tried to focus on his class.
6 o’clock.
The succinct response made him smile and he released a breath that he hadn’t even realized he’s been holding. He left his class feeling better than he had all day.
Walking back into his dorm, Xavier made a beeline to his dresser and rummaged through his hoodies in search of his favorite black one.
It wasn’t fucking there.
Fantastic. Just what he needed. To lose his warmest hoodie just as the weather was reaching its coldest.
He settled for one of his other sweaters, this one in a deep maroon color. He grabbed his blanket and curled up in his desk chair to sketch away the hour he had until Wednesday had agreed to meet him.
Xavier was caught up in the sketch he was drawing of his view of the school’s roof through his window when Wednesday came through the door. It wasn’t uncommon for Wednesday to come in silently and seat herself on his bed to work on her novel or homework without so much as a “hello” so it wasn’t until his drawing was complete that he turned to acknowledge her.
Whatever greeting Xavier had planned vanished when he laid eyes on her. The way she sat straight-backed on his bed with her typewriter on her lap wasn’t out of the ordinary for him after almost 7 months of dating. What was new to him was the utterly breathtaking sight of her in his clothes.
“Wednesday.” He breathed. His mind was honestly reeling with the sight in front of him. How could he possibly be expected to continue living, let alone speaking, in these conditions?
“Xavier.” She didn’t even look up from her novel. Like she didn’t have the faintest idea of what she was doing to him.
“Wednesday, are you wearing my hoodie?” Xavier is pretty sure he hasn’t taken a breath since he turned around, his body suddenly incapable of performing its automatic functions.
Her eyes snap up to his face as if she had just realized that she had his attention. She blinked three times in quick succession, which Xavier had come to realize was her response to feeling flustered. He couldn’t stop the grin from spreading across his face as he let the blanket fall from his shoulders and crossed the room to stand in front of her.
She huffed at the exaggerated height difference and quickly rose to stand on his bed. His hoodie, already oversized on him, was ridiculously big on her, falling all the way to her knees. It was rare for her to have the height advantage over Xavier. Looking slightly down at him gave her a sense of control which kept her from floundering in her otherwise vulnerable state. She knew that wearing his hoodie to his room that night would make him happier than anything, but she would obviously never admit that. It was just exceedingly comfortable. That’s all.
“It is.” She stated matter-of-factly. She wouldn’t meet his eyes, rather looking out the window over his shoulder. Xavier closed the remaining distance between them with a gently placed hand on her waist. He took a deep breath in as he placed his other hand on her cheek to redirect her eyes to him and away from the scene that Xavier had been drawing only minutes ago.
“You are beautiful.” He said it as if it were the only thing he’d ever been sure about it and it sends a shiver down Wednesday’s spine.
A person who had spent less time observing Wednesday Addams wouldn’t have noticed the slight twitch at the corner of her mouth or the way her eyes fluttered closed for longer than normal. Luckily for Xavier, he happened to be fluent in all of her little mannerisms. He tugged lightly on the fabric bunched up under his left hand to gently bring her down to sit beside him.
It was rare for Wednesday to allow gratuitous displays of physical affection, but when Xavier tugged her into his lap she went willingly. She allowed herself to feel the waves of contentment that seemed to radiate from Xavier’s touch.
His arms circled her waist and he let his head fall into the comfortable place in the crook of her neck. Wednesday marveled at the way Xavier’s whole body seemed to melt into her as the tension seeped away. It would never cease to amaze her that she could be the cause of such immediate relief for him.
“Long day?” Wednesday asked as she began to play with the delicate strands of hair at the base of his neck. Xavier felt her smile above him as he sighed into her neck.
“Missed you,” He replied, not bothering to answer her actual question. He knew she already had her answer. He laid a feather-light kiss on her neck and pulled away to look at her again. She kept her hands on his neck as they separated slightly, maintaining the physical contact that he so desperately wanted.
She shifted off his lap and just shook her head at his disgruntled huff, pulling him down to lay next to her. She rested her head on his chest in an even rarer display of affection. He pressed a soft kiss into her forehead and let his fingers draw lazy lines along her shoulder and arm.
He was struck once again by just how grateful he was to be the only one allowed to see and feel and love Wednesday in this state, the sweet vulnerability only adding another layer to the many things he loved about her.
“Keep the sweatshirt.” His whispered words earned a huff of laughter from his girlfriend and he smiled in return.
He thought that, just maybe, this might be his favorite version of Wednesday. Drowned in his hoodie and curled against his chest, truly allowing Xavier to see her as she is.