Chapter Text
Pugsley sat as close to Pubert's car seat as he could. They were all that remained of their branch of the Addams clan and he was clinging to that tether with a white knuckled grip. They had tried to stop Uncle Fester from marrying Debbie, warned him about who she really was, but the woman was clever and had her hooks set too deep. She’d succeeded in killing his family, would have killed him too had Pubert not gotten loose and been messing with the wires. In their time of need the infamous Addams luck had abandoned them. The police and paramedics arrived too late.
The rest of the clan hadn't been able to take on both boys and refused to separate them. Grandmama Frump had actually laughed when she'd been asked to take them and shut the door in the social workers face. In the end they were spared from the foster system by Wednesday's best friend's family. That was how the brothers found themselves on the way to California. Esther Sinclair looked at him with barely hidden distaste through the rear view mirror and he wiped his tears.
Enid hugged him tight, looking like she was fighting back tears too. He tried to focus on the changing scenery but all he could think about was how he wished it was the family car. He wanted to go home, but even if he did, no one would be there anymore. The tears kept falling.
The Addams house had rarely been quiet, the floors groaned, the ghosts wailed and cackled, his father shouted as he fenced and played with his trains; and yet Pugsley found the Sinclair house overwhelmingly loud. Enid’s older brothers were almost constantly running and howling, the girl herself played her music deafeningly loud, Esther barked orders at everyone, and Pubert kept crying.
Pugsley was the only one to be able to soothe him, he burnt everyone else. Esther said it was because he was coddling him too much, and then that he was setting a bad example. She tried for weeks to keep them apart, ‘so they could acclimate’, but begrudgingly had to admit defeat.
“He's your responsibility then,” she said, handing him over, her hair still smoking.
Pugsley tried his best to keep his brother happy, but he could tell he wanted their mother.
“So do I bert,” he said thickly, “So badly.”
The brothers shared a room with Enid, which he wouldn't have minded if it wasn't so violently colorful. He didn't share his sister's allergy but it only served to remind him how out of balance everything was. He tried to save his tears for when the house was asleep so he didn't have to deal with Enid’s pity and shared grief or Esther's disgust at his weakness.
He'd overheard her complaining about him to Murray one night while he'd been sitting on the roof. Something he'd started doing as an escape from the noise.
“He's so sullen and all he does is cry!”
“They've just lost their family, give ‘em some time.”
He'd gone inside after that and buried his head in the pillow. His family wasn't lost. He knew exactly where they were. No, his family was dead, buried in the Addams family graveyard. His thoughts had turned dark after that and he was only spared from them by Pubert crying for him. He would stay for him, he'd need someone to tell him about their wonderful family one day.
He attended the local school while they adjusted, suffering bullying he hadn't had to deal with since his sister had dropped the piranha in the pool. He kept his head down and focused on maintaining his grades after overhearing another argument about him when he'd brought back a D on a test.
“I won't have it! I have been patient but I won't have him waste our-”
“He's still grieving, Esther. Give him a little grace.”
“I’ve done that! But he's starting to affect our kids!”
He'd gone to the roof, unable to listen to more. He'd improved after that. Brought his grades up, dedicated all his time to studying or Bert. He'd almost managed to block out the pain, until a girl in one of his classes reminded him.
“I mean marrying the help? What did they expect?”
She'd been shushed by her friends but he'd still heard. Saw the stares and the faces of disgust. He'd laid in his borrowed bed that evening, ignoring the calls for dinner. Enid brought him a plate that he ate only after she'd started to cry about losing him too.
After a year of grief nearly swallowing him daily, Esther had reached her limit with his presence and ‘attitude’. She'd pulled him aside after dinner hallway through summer break.
“You’re going back to Nevermore with Enid.”
She wasn't asking and all he could do was nod. He didn't want to go back. Not with the daily reminders that his family who had once walked the halls would no longer be there to share their stories, that his sister would no longer glare at him as they passed on their way to class. Hated that he was leaving Bert behind as well. He was almost relieved however to not have to wear the clothes the Sinclairs had forced him to wear. The uniforms at least fit his usual aesthetic, and he'd only packed his clothes.
He was sent to the counselor immediately and handed a thin packet on the stages of grief. He tossed it into the trashcan as soon as he entered the dorm. Eugene looked up at him but didn't say anything, just returned to setting up his side of the room.
“I,” he started, “I just want to say I'm sorry.”
Pugsley shrugged, he was so tired of all the pity and apologies.
“I mean it,” he said, “I know we weren't super close but, I'm here if you need anything.”
He nodded, throat too tight to speak.
“Hey, maybe after dinner you can come moth hunting with me!” He offered, sitting down next to him.
He found himself laughing and nodding. That would be nice, maybe even take his mind off his pain for a little bit.
Ajax, the RA for caliban hall stopped him as he tried to head down to dinner. He wrapped him in a tight hug, smothering him in his mouthwatering cologne.
“I'm so sorry, Pugsley,” he said, “no one should have to deal with that.”
He nodded, his chest aching.
“Listen, I know everybody's probably said the same thing but, I'm here if you ever need or want anything okay?”
He sounded so genuine and it made Pugsley feel warm. He nodded again, unable to speak. He gave him one last hug and then let him go.
At dinner Enid had them sit with her and her friends. Eugene was clearly flustered by being around all the girls and didn't speak much. Pugsley didn't either though his was from a lack of things to say. He could hear them talking about him and caught Enid's warning looks a few times. He excused himself and he was grateful she didn't stop him.
“So how do we go moth hunting,” he said, pulling on a jacket.
“Easy,” Eugene said, grabbing a plastic container and a net, “We wander around until we find some and then use these!”
The woods surrounding Nevermore were always foggy and it brought him a sense of peace.
“Almost like the swamp,” he thought, jamming his hands into his pockets against the perpetual chill.
They wandered for a while, chatting about nothing of importance. Eugene was determined that this was the year he would get a girlfriend. Pugsley was planning on just focusing on maintaining his grades, and he wasn't interested in girls anyway.
They came upon an odd, dark tree. Eugene looked apprehensive about it but Pugsley thought it had a nice face. He knocked on it and it echoed. A dozen or so moths fluttered out of the tree and Eugene frantically tried to catch them.
“Quick!” He said, “Get the holding container!”
Pugsley opened it and held it out as Eugene netted a few.
“What kind are they?”
“Corpse moths!” He said, excitedly, “They're really hard to find!”
Pugsley hummed appreciatively and ate one. They didn't taste bad. He'd have to come back to the tree to get some as snacks. They returned to the school and he watched as the moths were emptied into a terrarium. They fluttered around and settled on a piece of wood. He fell asleep to the thought that they were like him, taken from home and dropped somewhere that they really didn't belong.