The dorm room smelled faintly of beeswax and smoke. It wasn’t unpleasant—just unusual, like a strange mixture of campfire and summer garden. The space felt alive, cluttered but oddly comforting, with jars lined neatly along one shelf, some humming faintly, and a pile of wires, gears, and curious metal contraptions stacked in a corner.

Eugene Ottinger sat cross-legged on his bed, adjusting his glasses nervously, stealing glances at their new roommate. His hands twitched at the hem of his hoodie, restless, but his voice, though soft, carried genuine warmth.

“Um—hi,” Eugene said, almost apologetically. “I’m Eugene. I… take care of bees. So, if you hear buzzing in the middle of the night, don’t freak out. They’re harmless. Mostly.” A small, uncertain laugh followed, like he feared he’d made the room sound more intimidating than it actually was.

Across the room, Pugsley Addams leaned back against his headboard, twirling a small screwdriver between his fingers. His striped shirt was slightly rumpled, his expression a mix of curiosity and sly amusement.

“Don’t worry,” he said, voice calm but teasing. “The buzzing’s nothing compared to me setting off a smoke bomb here last week. You’ll get used to it… or maybe you won’t.” His lips curved into a faint grin, not unkind, just mischievous.

“That was you?” Eugene asked, incredulous, adjusting his glasses again. “I thought the radiator finally gave out.”

Pugsley shrugged, eyes flicking toward their roommate. “Could’ve been,” he said innocently, though his smirk betrayed him.

Pugsley tossed the screwdriver aside and leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “Yeah. And don’t let Wednesday scare you if you meet her. She’s… a lot. But she’s my sister, so…” His gaze softened for a fleeting second before he masked it with a wry smile. “Point is, you’ll probably hear her name a lot if you stick around here.”

The room fell into a gentle quiet. Bees hummed from one of the jars, and somewhere beneath Pugsley’s bed, a faint metallic clink echoed—the sound of another unfinished project.

For the first time, the room didn’t feel like just theirs anymore. It felt shared.

Eugene’s smile was small but real. “So… welcome to Nevermore. Welcome to… us.”

Pugsley nodded, grin widening slightly, sharper this time. “Yeah. You’re one of us now.”