but her exes say she's wicked

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"𝕊𝕋𝔸𝕐 out of this, witch," the boy spat as he stepped toward Lilith, his voice dripping with malice. His gang circled closer, their sneers growing more pronounced as they eyed Eugene, who still sat hunched on the platform. Lilith stood her ground, but the tension was undeniable. The boy grinned, feeding off the unease.

"Come on. Just leave him alone," she said, her voice steady though her hands clenched at her sides.

The boy's eyes darkened with amusement as he got into her space, his breath hot with taunts. "Or what? Are you gonna save your little boyfriend?" He shoved her hard, making Lilith stumble back. She caught herself before she hit the ground, her boots skidding in the dirt, but her eyes never left his.

Without hesitation, she stormed forward. With a sharp snap of her leg, she kicked him in the groin with precision. The boy's face contorted in agony as he doubled over, gasping and swearing under his breath.

As he cried out and clutched himself, Lilith pushed him away and darted to help Eugene. She reached for him, trying to free him from the stocks, but the boy, fueled by anger and humiliation, stood up, wiping blood from the corner of his lip. His hand shot out and grabbed Lilith by the arm, jerking her back.

Lilith glared at him, a flicker of something dark flashing behind her eyes. The boy sneered, pulling her closer. "You think you're something special, huh? Witches like you deserve to hang from a rope... or maybe I'll have you burnt at the stake like the old days. See how tough you are then," he growled, his breath hot and rancid as he tightened his grip.

The other boys took advantage of the moment, grabbing Eugene and forcing him into the stocks. As they were about to slam the wooden lid shut, a voice cut through the commotion with an icy calmness.

"Howdy, pilgrims."

Everyone froze. The leader and his cronies turned, finding Wednesday standing casually by the stocks, his hand resting lightly on the lid, preventing it from closing on Eugene.

"Leave him alone," Wednesday said, his voice low but commanding. "And get your filthy hands off her." His gaze turned deadly, eyes narrowing as he glared at the boy who held Lilith.

For a moment, the boys hesitated, but the leader tried to reclaim control. "You wanna end up in the stocks, too?" he sneered, stepping toward Wednesday.

But before he could even take another step, Lilith’s head snapped back with brutal force, smashing into the boy’s nose. A sickening crack echoed through the air as blood poured from his face. He stumbled back, clutching his nose in shock.

Without missing a beat, Lilith shoved him hard, sending him crashing to the ground. The other boys released Eugene, tossing him aside as they quickly backed away, their bravado shattered.

The boy yanked Eugene from the stocks with a rough jerk, tossing him carelessly toward Lucas, who caught him with a sneer. Eugene winced, trying to regain his balance as his stomach churned from the earlier assault. Meanwhile, the boy advanced toward Wednesday, brimming with misguided confidence. He placed a heavy hand on Wednesday’s shoulder, a clear challenge, but Wednesday’s reaction was swift and decisive.

With a fluid motion, Wednesday pulled the hand off him and delivered a sharp kick to the boy’s leg, sending him sprawling to the ground with a pained grunt. The force was precise and calculated. The boy’s confidence shattered as he struggled to get back up, embarrassment flashing in his eyes.

Fueled by anger, the boy threw a wild punch, but Wednesday easily dodged it, his movements smooth and almost lazy. The boy tried again, more desperate this time, but Wednesday caught his fist mid-air. With a grim smirk, Wednesday twisted the boy’s hand, the crack of fingers bending the wrong way echoed in the air.

A yelp of pain escaped the boy, but before he could retaliate, Wednesday swung him around effortlessly, as if he weighed nothing and slammed him into the stocks. With a final decisive motion, Wednesday shut the stocks, locking the boy inside, trapped and helpless. The boy thrashed uselessly, his face contorted in both humiliation and agony as he realized his defeat.

Wednesday dusted his hands off and looked up at Lucas and the other boy, who were frozen in place, their bravado quickly dissolving. Calmly, Wednesday approached them, his voice cold and commanding, "Are you two still here?"

Lucas exchanged a glance with his friend, his face paling as the reality of the situation hit him. "I can't get into any more trouble with my dad," Lucas muttered, his voice shaky. He glanced at the other boy, silently pleading for them to back off.

Without waiting for a reply, Wednesday’s stare alone was enough to send them running. They scrambled away, leaving their trapped friend behind as they retreated into the crowd, their tails between their legs.

Wednesday watched them disappear before turning to Eugene, offering him a hand to steady himself. "You okay?"

Eugene nodded weakly, still shaken but grateful, as he muttered, "Yeah, thanks. Remind me never to get on your bad side." Wednesday just smirked, his eyes flicking back to the trapped boy still struggling in the stocks. "Don’t worry. Most people learn that the hard way."

L

ilith knelt down beside Eugene, taking off her bonnet with a small sigh. The rough linen became an impromptu cloth as she gently wiped away the traces of vomit from Eugene’s clothing. Her movements were careful, almost maternal, though her face betrayed the exhaustion of a sleepless night. Dark circles loomed under her eyes, but she continued her task with quiet determination.

Eugene watched her, his eyes filled with a mix of gratitude and surprise. “Nobody’s ever stood up for me before,” he confessed, his voice barely above a whisper.

Lilith paused for a moment, her gaze softening as she glanced at him. “You’re not alone,” she replied simply, her voice carrying a quiet strength that made Eugene blink back the tears threatening to spill.

Wednesday, standing a few feet away, took a step closer and glanced between the two. “You said Hummers stick together, Eugene,” he reminded him, his tone matter-of-fact but not unkind.

Eugene gave a small, awkward laugh. “I know this might come as a shock, but I don’t really have any friends. Besides Lilith of course,” he added, looking at her gratefully, “and, well... the bees.”

Wednesday’s gaze softened, just a fraction, as he looked at Eugene. “You remind me of my brother,” he admitted, his voice low, “sans the desire to strangle him every waking moment.”

Lilith snorted softly at that, sharing a quick glance with Wednesday. Despite the chaos surrounding them, the moment felt oddly warm—a brief respite from the usual darkness.

Finished with her task, Lilith stood up, brushing off her bonnet before giving Eugene a quick smile. “All done,” she said, a touch of pride in her voice.

Wednesday watched her for a moment, noticing the weariness etched into her features. Without a word, he reached into his satchel and pulled out a thermos. He unscrewed the lid and poured a small cup of coffee, the steam curling into the air.

“Here,” he said, offering the cup to Lilith. “You didn’t sleep last night.”

Lilith blinked in surprise, hesitating for just a moment before accepting the cup with a quiet, “Thanks.”

She took a sip, the warmth of the coffee soothing her raw nerves. The bitter taste lingered on her tongue, but it was a welcome distraction from the heaviness in her limbs.

Wednesday nodded, a hint of approval in his eyes, before he turned back to Eugene. “Good. Now, you two follow me. I need to know more about this Crackstone business,” he said, his tone slipping back into its usual deadpan. “So, we have a meeting house to break into.”

Eugene, still a little dazed, nodded quickly and followed behind, while Lilith took one more sip of coffee before setting the cup down. She squared her shoulders, determination flickering back into her gaze as she fell into step beside Wednesday.

“You really should sleep more,” he commented under his breath, glancing sideways at her.

Lilith chuckled softly. “Coming from you?”

Wednesday didn’t reply, but the corner of his mouth twitched ever so slightly, betraying the faintest hint of amusement.
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By: SilverMist707
I hope that this was okay and that you all are taking care of yourselves <3