Please just Fall in Love with Me this Christmas.

by gayraven

Summary:

Enid’s nose scrunches at the scent that’s tenfold worse for her, and it’s adorable, Wednesday decides, even marred by the murderous nature she elicited. Actually- more so.

“Dog food? You got me fucking dog food?”

“Yes. Wet dog food. It’s the premium kind.”

or

The Nevermore gang do Secret Santa :)

December 15th, 2022.

 

Jericho was booming. Teens whizzing about, Christmas shopping, laughing, dancing around the streets. It had all the essentials for a perfect and cheery Holiday, even with parents- visibly exhausted and slouching, trying to catch up with the younger kids that were visiting their older siblings at Nevermore.

The sky was opaque, the buildings looking nearly ethereal, dusted in a beautiful crystalline coat of snow that twinkled beneath the setting sun. Enid’s cheeks were rosy, breath casting ghosts in the air and letting puffy ears and a tail sprout to entertain the boys and girls that giggled by in passing.

She licked her chapped lips, the cold finally settling in beneath her large winter coat. She took shelter in the Weathervane, where Tyler was busy fixing drinks for the patrons and spared her a wave before sweeping off again,

An older worker, Emilia, siddled up to her with a sly grin on her face. “Well, if it isn't my favourite werewolf!"

She had been working there for twenty years, apparently. A sweet Irish woman in her retirement years with the penchant dor helping wherever she could. She was the kindest woman Enid had ever met, and smiled warmly in greeting, scanning the coffee shop for a free space. "We're quite busy in here I'm afraid, las." Emilia said sympathetically, dancing away with a tray full of steaming mugs of sweet cocoa. Enid’s throat felt dry at the sight.

"Aww, have a heart, Em!" Xavier, the newest addition to the shop, grinned at her, rounding out from where he was bussing tables to pull her into his side for a quick hug. "There's always space in here for Enid!”

Emilia rolled her eyes, but a light played in them, illuminated by the soft glow of the Christmas lights strung up overhead. "Alright, alright. Theres a spot by the that friend of yours over there." She waves dismissively, shouting a warning at Tyler who’s balancing the cash register and a tray precariously in the crook of his elbow.

Enid sucked in a breath, looking to the beanie-clad boy sitting alone in the corner, and puffed the air into her cheeks. She nods in thanks to the duo who continued with their jobs.

Ajax looked... different. Soft, almost. He was nicer- more civilized at least since the breakup. It was awkward, still, even if they had settled on being just friends.

But it’s been a months, and she was happy to bury the hatchet and let it rust over in lieu of salvaging one of her favourite relationships.

Swallowing her pride, she approaches the tense Gorgon who looked just as stunned as she would feel if the roles were reversed. "Hi, Ajax."

"Enid."

A beat passes.

"Mind I sit? There’s not many free spots and I was freezing to death otherwise..." She trails off helplessly, wishing the werewolf Gods would strike her down where she was standing out of pity.

He nods, moving his book- Wizard of Oz- and beckoning Xavier- who looked like he was gonna throw up from the stress,- for another round of Hot Chocolate. She plucked up the book, smiling at the page that was folded in the corner.

"Some people without brains do an awful lot of talking..."

Ajax looked at her, an eyebrow cocked in amusement. "You know the Wizard of Oz?"

She scoffs, rolling her eyes "Yeah, I shockingly do read things other than gossip blogs, yknow.”

He smiles softly, "Touché."

She quickly strips her jacket and mittens off, laying the puffy coat on the backing and setting her mitts next to her handbag on the table. Folds her hands in front of her, lays them flat, then settles on letting them sit uselessly in her lap all in the span of 5 minutes.

She’s nervous, and it’s awkward but thankfully Ajax doesn’t seem too perturbed, smiling softly at the artwork on the hardcover until the drinks arrive, and she clinks her mug against his, swallowing the moan down as the first hot sip filled her belly with a comfortable warmth. "So," she places he mug down, deciding once again to fold her arms on the table and lean her weight against them."What are you doing in Jericho on a Sunday? Never thought I'd see Ajax Petropolus, king of the Nightshades..." she shivered in exaggeration. "Mingling with people."

"Well, as much as I hate people beneath my high status," Ajax laughed heartily, looking down at the whipped cream in his cup. “Xavier dragged me out of the dorm for the day, so I decided to see what the big deal with this place during Christmas is."

Enid swallows another sip of her drink, glancing to two people she vaguely recognizes as freshmen bustle by decked out in reindeer themed sweaters and hats. "Well, cheep prices and good people. Sounds like a good chance for quick fun to me.”

He scrunches his face up in disgust. "You sound like you're hitting on me, Enid."

She nearly chokes on her drink. Tyler whooshes by in a flurry of green and red uniforms to pat her on the back before vanishing again like the Ghost of Christmas Past, Ajax laughing until his face is red.

"I wouldn’t never! That is disgusting! No offence just- oh god..." she felt her face flush up, and buries her face into her hands. Peaks between her fingers to see him grinning, and hides again. "God, Ajax! As you clearly know, you aren't exactly my type."

Ajax’s laughter dies down to a chuckle, finishing his drink in one quick chug. Enid rolls her eyes, tugging at the sleeves of her ribbed sweater. He looks to her, and she blinks in quiet surprise when he reaches a hand out to rest on her shoulder albeit awkwardly. Enid swallows, leaning back out of his reach on instinct, but stopped herself before the poor boy toppled over from trying to keep his hand planted on her. "I hope you know that... I hope we can put what happened between us behind us. I know things have been… weird, and that’s my fault. I just don’t know how to act, I guess.”

Enid nods, swallowing the lump in her throat. God, she hated the discomfort that quickly took its place in where their late night laughter and weekly movie nights once resided.

“I know. But I dumped you over text, so, that’s my fault.” Shrugs. “But I love you- as a friend. And I want us to keep being that.”

He smiles, bright and cheery and finally matching the aesthetic of the holidays, nodding vigorously. “Hell yeah!” He stops when his beanie starts to slide, sheepishly fixing it. “So… who exactly is your type then? Broody, mean, really loves stabbing innocent children?”

Xavier, at the table over bursts into laughter that has the couple seated looking at him weirdly, and he giggles an apology as he makes for the counter. They watch him go, whispering something to Tyler that makes him swat at his shoulder with an unmistakable smile, and Enid flushes. “God, am I so obvious?”

Ajax shrugs. “Yep.”

“I- okay, so, maybe I have a crush! She’s just..” Groans, for a lack of a better word before she face plants into her arms. “I’m a pliant person! And she’s Wednesday. She’s all twisty and she can be so sweet sometimes and she has this dimple if you really make her laugh and…”

Trails off, her voice is muffled, but he seems to get the gist with a waggle of his eyebrows when she raises her heated face to look at him again.

It’s suddenly far too stuffy, and stands, slamming back the remainder of her drink, the dregs of sweet cocoa rotting her teeth like a fond memory. “Well!” she grabs her coat, wrapping it back around herself. "As fun as this has been, I should be heading back now.”

Ajax pulls his book back to himself, opening it with a wink. “Wouldn’t want to keep the demon girl.”

She ignores him. “Thank you, for the drink. Oh!" She fishes a bill out of her pocket- just for him to put a hand up to stop her. "No no, it's on me. A peace offering.”

He offers a smile, the conversation coming to a close as he angles the book to stuff his nose back into.

Enid was at the door when she stopped, turning on her heels and waiting till he looked back up at her
"I shall take the heart, for brains do not make me happy, and happiness is the best thing in the world."

Ajax beams.

She turns back to the counter with the door half open and wedged against her hip, snapping to gain Xavier’s attention- and unfortunately, a few others. “And she doesn’t stab children!”

Blushes when the room draws a hush, quickening her steps back into the cold as Xavier and Ajax dissolve into laughter again.

Well, that was one Christmas wish she could check off her list.

Now, she had to get to the craft store before it closed to buy more wool for a pair of sweaters she had in mind, meandering the streets with a smile on her face.

 

-
December 19th, 2022.

 

The snow was a thick blanket covering the quad, the picnic tables swapped out for benches and chairs positioned around a dozen fire pits, heat lamps pillaring in the gaps of ground, and a cart milling with all the necessities to make hot chocolate stationed in the middle. The sky was clear, making way for milky stars and a waning moon. The custodians even strung up some string lights to make it a bit more festive, and it was all together a cozy sight.

The usual group sat by one of the make-shift hearths in the courtyard, bundled up in sweaters and hats to bite the winter chill. Yoko passes out hot cocoa in mugs Xavier had painted for them in class with a grin.
“Okay, so!” She claps her hands excitedly once she’s sitting with her mug on the ground (blood red with clay fangs), settling into the couch by Enid. “Holiday activities.”

Xavier groans into his mug painted like a bat, “Seriously? Do we have to? Between this and work, I’m going to pop into an elf by the end of the semester.”

Ignoring him, Yoko turns to Enid who always matches her enthusiasm verbatim. “Okay I’m thinking we start with seeing the lights-“

Xavier, groaning again. “Lights? Come on! We see lights every time we blink, let’s do something fun!”

Yoko looks like she may just strangle him, so Enid taps their boots together with a firm look that speaks volumes.
“Like what?” She asks, blowing the steam from her pink mug with cat ears that’s tucked tightly between her mitten-covered hands.

He shrugs. “I dunno. Secret Santa? That’s always a good time.”

Bianca blinks at him from across the coffee table. “Wow. I didn’t know you were capable of good ideas.”

“Whatever. We can do a draw from Medusa’s hat over there.”

Ajax clutches at his chest in feign outrage, knocking the other boy brusquely in the shoulder. “Hey! Watch it, or I’ll sick my snakes on you!”

Xavier winks, waggling his eyebrows. “Which one?”

They were as obvious as the night was long. They hadn’t needed to come out, in general or as a couple. Mainly because they all found it arbitrary, and also because they’d been caught making out half a dozen times. Enid had eventually squished the truth out of Ajax, literally, by using her werewolf form to sit on him until he was ready to confess. Apparently after she had left the coffee shop, Ajax had lingered until Xavier was closing up and they wandered the deserted, snowy streets together. They’d found a sprig of mistletoe, and well, that was it.

They weren’t all over each other in a PDA way, but most of the time one ended up laying on the other until it was time for bed and were regarded as a DIY armchair, a lot of the time.

Yoko stills their banter with a hand, gasping.
“Oh God Wednesdays coming.”

Bianca narrows her eyes in question.
“How do you know?”

Pointing to one of the trees stripped from its leaves. “All the birds just flew out of that tree.”

Xavier howls in laughter, falling into the other boy (of course) whose gaze is fixes on his laugh painted lips, smitten.

True to her word, Wednesday rounds the corner with combat boots crunching on the snow, like a raven in her all black against the contrast of the snow.

Enid perks up, and Yoko wraps an arm around her friend. “Down, girl. You’re gonna slobber all over her.”

Enid groans, ducking out from under her to elbow her in the side. Wednesday come to a standstill by Enid’s side, eyes narrowed. “What are you doing?”

“Nothing!”
Enid squeezes Yoko to the end of the bench, patting the cool metal next to her. Wednesday’s eyelids twitch in her form of an eye roll, but sits nontheless. Enid holds her mug up.

“Want some?”

Nose scrunching. “I’d sooner drink the poisonous venom clinging to the fabric of Ajax’s hat.”

Ajax makes a noise in the back of his throat, shoving the giggling boy off. He topples into the snow with a yelp that goes unrecognized.

“What’s with everyone doggin on me today!” Dragging his beanie over his eyes.

Yoko waves him off. “We’re planning secret Santa!”

Blinking. “What?”

Bianca leans forward on her chair, eyebrows furrowed. “You don’t know what secret Santa is?”

Humming. “I am familiar with the concept. Each year my family gift each other various skeletal remains of an animal we killed ourselves. I just did not think you participated.”

Bianca’s jaw drops. The ones more familiar with Wednesday’s antics, just roll their eyes. Xavier claps his hands, sobering up from his fit with a grin once he’s sat again, his boyfriend dutifully brushing the snow off his clothes. “Amazing! Not how we do it.”

 

“Let’s kick it off! Here-“ Ajax pulls out a spare beanie from his bag and scrap paper, scribbling their names before folding the torn up pieces and dropping them in.

“Huh. Didn’t know ol’ socks and a candle would be starting us off this year.” Bianca narrows her eyes, leaning precariously on the edge of her seat with a self-satisfied smile.

Predictably, Ajax flushes a bright red.
“You said you liked them!”

“And that was my gift to you.”

“Ladies, ladies.” Yoko coos, standing between them as if they’d start throwing punches. “Let’s be grown ups about this. I’ll pull first!” She reaches into the hat, pulling the slip out and smiling.

“Me next!” Enid says, nearly falling off the bench if not for Wednesday’s firm grip on her bicep. She grabs her slip, opening it behind cupped hands. Pouts. “Oh man, I have no idea what to buy this person!”

“I’ll grab one for Divina!” Yoko says happily, and they all collectively smile- sans Wednesday- at the sapphic joy she radiates anytime she so much as thinks of her girlfriend.

“Oh wah wah,” Xavier mocks, grabbing for his own. Beams. Great, he has Ajax. Ajax goes next, wagging his eyebrows. Bianca pulls, followed by Wednesday.

The goth sits down again, flipping open the folded paper and sighing. Makes a sound of disgust. Yoko leans forward to look at the other girl.

“You do know the person you picked is in the room with you, right?”

Wednesday shrugs. “That was the point, yes.”

Enid giggles, pushing into Wednesday who raises her eyebrows. “Oh c’mon roomie, show me!”

Wednesday’s lip twitches. “If I did that, I would have to practice bloodletting on you. It is customary when the rules of the game are betrayed.”

Enid reels back, but her smile never falters, drawn to the slight twitch playing on the corner of Wednesday’s lips. “Got it.”

It was any empty threat, same as all of the others. But she wouldn’t push Wednesday. Wouldn’t make her uncomfortable.

Enid reaches down a hand while the other holds the mug steady on her thigh, curling a ball of snow against her boot. It’s a lopsided, awful thing, but it’ll do.

She clears her throat, tucking the snowball in her jacket as she places the mug down, standing and turning back to Wednesday who’s watching her inscrutably.

“Wednesday, what other holiday traditions are you privy to?”

The raven haired girl raises an eyebrow. “We build graveyards out of black licorice and molasses, and when it snows me and Pugsley take turns burying each other alive.”

Enid hums thoughtfully, inclining her head to the side. “So… would you not know anything about this?” Brandishes the ball from her jacket, tossing it and catching it. It’s perfectly solid.

Wednesday’s other eyebrow raises, and she stands, slowly circling around the bench as if to protect herself, never showing her back to the blonde. “Enid. I swear to all that is mighty if you throw that at me you will die in your sleep.”

“Hmm… so you do know about snowball fights?”

Sensing the shift in atmosphere, everyone else doubles down to form their own respective safe havens behind different objects- or if you’re Ajax, use your boyfriend as a shield- as they ready their snowball fleets.

Harmlessly, Enid tosses hers to hit Wednesday smack dap in the middle of the chest. The silence is deafening, lingering students watching with rapt attention as the snow drops from Wednesday.

The goth bends down, scrounging up some snow herself, piercing eyes never leaving blue ones. “You’re dead.”

And the battle has begun.

 

-
December 21st, 2022.

 

Wednesday isn’t sure what led her to Yoko’s door. She’d been fine all day- even greeting Enid with a smile in the morning and gentle pat on the shoulder in passing in the hallway. But then she saw them.

Enid practically fawning over some guy with mousy features and some lacklustre joke that caused her to laugh so hard she had to use him for support.

It was progress, that she hadn’t killed him in cold blood right then and there, and instead had nearly broken the vampire’s dorm door down with heavy fistfuls. Yoko had watched patiently as the goth stomped around the room, mumbling mostly incoherently and then growling out about how ‘he wasn’t good enough for her’ and the gist was pretty easy to grasp.

Yoko heaves a laugh, stepping toward her friend and grabbing her by the shoulder to stop her from pacing. She doesn’t flinch when the other girl goes to bite her hand off, literally, her teeth nearly nipping the skin of her thumb. Drops it to cross her arms.

“You know, we can't all keep stopping you from murdering people everytime they so much as look at Enid."

Wednesday juts her bottom lip out, grinding her heel into the manoleum tiles "Well no one should be looking at her."

"At least they’re doing something!" Divina chimes in from where shes folding her clothes on her bed, getting a glare from the goth in return before she turns back to face the vampire.

Yoko smiles affectionately at her girlfriend, relishing at the murderous glint in Wednesday’s eyes. “You know I’m right, Wednesday. You're only making things worse by refusing to tell her how you feel."

Wednesday tears at a piece of skin from her lip with her teeth, gritting them together while speaking.
“She doesnt like me back.”

Divina rolls her eyes. "Are you blind? She literally broke up with Ajax when you finally let her hug you. There’s plenty of guys AND girls falling at her feet-"

"- who I will kill."

"-and yet she hasn't taken up not one of their offers."

Yoko offers her a pointed look on Divina’s behalf. "Look, you know exactly what it is to get her. You’re just scared and that's okay. But youll hate yourself for not trying. And if you can’t manage that, then just get her something you’d like getting.”

With that, the vampire holds the door open for Wednesday, motioning for her to exit with a grand sweep of her arm. Wednesday glowers from the threshold of the hallway.

She really had no choice, did she?

"At least order me some food so I don’t have to work on an empty stomach.” She shouts through the gap in the shutting door.

The tell tale sound of clattering from Yoko calling up her favourite restaurant was enough to satisfy her mood, as she stalked off to her dorm. She felt… guardedly optimistic, even when she has to call her parents that look far too overjoyed for her liking.

 

-
December 25th, 2022.

 

“Merry Christmas!" Someone shouted from somewhere in the multipurpose room that smelt of pine and gingerbread cookies Divina had happily supplied for them.

The room today was being used by the group for Christmas. Their voices were being snuffed out by the rest of the clan talking over one another, and somewhere in the sea of Christmas hats and PJ’s sat Wednesday in black silk pants, -a sweater in black and white that follows the tradition of ugly Christmas sweaters, with skulls lining the front that matches Enid’s own pink ones with Holly, that she all but wrestled her into,-and a monochrome nightcap that looked suspiciously like Ebenezer Scrooge’s.

She overwhelmed by colour, but comfortably at ease with the chaos under one roof. They all had a bean bag each, blankets, drinks of choice and sat in front of the Christmas tree Wednesday had insisted be painted black.

Xavier still had paint in his hair from the tedious and methodical task, smattering the brown that was forced into a mess of bangs beneath his Santa hat.

Yoko stood, clapping her hands "Attention everyone, attention!" The groups chattering subsided into a low murmuring, presents wrapped indecently and messily beneath the macabre holiday staple.

"Wow, I see that wrapping is not on the brochure for a reason.” Wednesday murmurs to Eugene who’d been invited by her, earning a slap to the shoulder in return. Xavier snorts in front of them, cranking his arm back awkwardly for a high five she dismisses with the brunt end of her slipper. Black, of course.

Wednesday was, however, drawn to the blonde on the other side of the room to care for anyones reactions or conversations. Her hair was frizzy but soft like dressed flaxen, eyes bright and twinkling with mirth and a smile that was heart stopping. Wednesday flicked her tongue against her teeth, blinking a few times to gain control of her bearings

Xavier seemed to notice when he veered his head back, cupping his hands around his mouth. 
"Sorry, Buffy- I think the resident killer’s attention is elsewhere!"

Wednesday sneered at her friend that just snickered at her in response. Nearly everyone was looking at her knowingly, laughter quiet and billowing out like secrets in a school yard. She groaned. “If you’re going to give her a nickname, have it at least make sense you babbling fool.”

Yoko snickered, returning her attention to the group. "So, as our second annual Christmas at Nevermore as a group, it's time to exchange Secret Santa gifts! I'll start us off, being the best there is."

Everyone shared a collective eye roll.

“Divina, if you wouldnt mind stepping over here..."

The girl seemed to glow with a childlike wonder, clamouring like a golden retriever over to its owner. She grinned broadly at her girlfriend, pulling her into a searing kiss.

The group whooped, leaving Yoko flustered and clutching tighter to the small box in her hands. "So, there's not a whole lot to give the girl that doesnt care for much-"

"-I believe you mean, has everything." She corrected smugly, kissing her girlfriend on the forehead.

“Anyway," she cleared her throat, a nervous chuckle escaping her. “I know you said you couldn’t live without me, so, maybe you don’t have to.”

Divina looked at her curiously, taking the box and unwrapping it carefully. Yoko was bouncing nervously on the balls of her feet, biting her lip hard enough to draw blood. No one knew what the presents were- so believe it came as a shock when Divina dropped it fully.

Ajax retrieved it for the girl who had her hands covering her mouth, looking down at it and beaming.

“What is it?!” Xavier groaned, throwing his hands up in eager frustration. Ajax rolled his eyes, tilting the box that held Yoko’s family ring inside.

Wednesday knew from her intensive studies of Supernatural Creatures, that a vampire gifting their family ring was similar to promising themselves for life. She watched with a small smile as Yoko slipped it on her, pulling her into a tight hug as Divina wet her shoulder with tears. Ajax and Xavier barrel forward and all but tackle the other happy couple of their group into a hug.

It was sweet. She watched as Bianca handed Yoko a signed hoodie from her favourite band, Bianca receiving a songwriting book form Divina, Ajax giving Enid an original signed copy of the Wizard of Oz, Xavier giving Ajax some kind of drawing (Wednesday gouged her eyes out mentally when they started kissing), and they all banded together at the last minute to get Eugene a bee brush he’d been badgering about forever and a copy of the Bee Movie as a gag gift (though he seemed to adore it more than the brush, mumbling to himself about playing it in the apiary for the bees to watch.)

And that just left Wednesday and Enid.

They both stood at the front with their respective gifts, Enid sheepishly smiling as she held hers out. Wednesday took it, unwrapping the shot-job of a wrapped gift with a furrowed eyebrow. She almost smiled- almost- at the gift inside.

“You got me a dagger.”

Enid blushes, bright and brilliant and accentuated by the contrast of the midnight coloured tree beside them. “Not just any dagger-“

“Oh I know. I have been longing for this.” Wednesday pulls it out, admiring it with the same wonder of a child getting a brand new toy. She pulled the ornate scabbard off, and gasped at the rust glinting beneath the lights. “A Roman battle dagger.”
She flips it over, reading the inscription.

“How?” She asks in a whisper, examining the name engraved. “How did you find this?”

She grasps it with both hands, the box toppling at her feet helplessly as she busies herself with checking for any faults. But it was completely real, and the dagger that belonged to her ancestor Clelia Addams during the domination of the Roman era.

She glances to Enid, who’s nervously shuffling. “I had your brothers number from when I visited and had him get me in contact with your parents. It was in some old catacomb, but your parents were more than willing to go… scavenge, for it.” She looks uncomfortable at the fact her parents went into an ancient burial, digging through remains for the weapon. Wednesday’s heart swells four sizes at the sheer sweetness of the moment alone. She wonders fleetingly if her heart might genuinely burst, with the emotions filling her so pleasantly.

Runs her thumb over the carving of her ancestor’s name, smiling toothily and it might look a bit crazed, but to Enid it looks as sweet as the honey Eugene slathered his pancakes in earlier.

“I love it. Thank you.” She sheethes the dagger and attaches the scabbard to her pant loop.

Bianca coughs. “Not to be one to ruin a sweeping gesture, but you’re giving the homicidal maniac a dagger?”

“Hey!” Xavier flips her off. “She’s our homicidal maniac!”

“Yeah!” Ajax high fives him, and Bianca just rolls her eyes affectionally.

The group quickly burst into applause and cheers, claiming that Enid was the best at gift giving. Wednesday would not argue. She truly was.

"Alright, demon. You're up..." Yoko hisses out in laughter after they had all settled down (aside from Eugene, who had fainted earlier from watching Yoko and Divina kiss for the umpteenth time, and was being cared for by Thing.)

"I'm supposed to follow that?" Wednesday sighs heavily, grabbing her gift nonetheless.

“Suprise.” Wednesday deadpans, holding the black box in front of her. It’s wrapped perfectly, sealed with steam rather than scotch tape. “I’m your secret Santa.”

Enid smiles blindingly, grabbing at the package and tearing into it. The light dwindles, as something angrier takes place and her claws puncture the can inside.

Enid’s nose scrunches at the scent that’s tenfold worse for her, and it’s adorable, Wednesday decides, even marred by the murderous nature she elicited. Actually- more so.

“Dog food? You got me fucking dog food?”

“Yes. Wet dog food. It’s the premium kind.” Her tone was deceptively casual, enjoying the spin-out from everyone in the room sans Yoko for a split second before holding her hands up in surrender to quiet the racketeering. “No need to over throw the empire. It was a joke.” Turns to the werewolf who’s still seething with claws out and fangs bared.

“Yoko told me to get you something I would like to receive. I sadly could not get a severed head in such a short period of time, so I settled for this.”

She pulls her secondary gift from the bag on the floor, and holds the wilted black rose out, stem up.

Enid quirks a brow, her claws and fangs not retreating. Her eyes flash ochre for a second, and Wednesday feels a crow fluttering in her belly. “A dead rose? Really?” With a sound shed mastered under her roommates expert tutelage; a combination of unbridled rage and mild disgust.

Wednesday feels a sting of pride.

“It is an Addams version of mistletoe.”

“Oh.” Enid flushes, relaxing her tense muscles to revert to all human.

If Enid wasn’t mistaken, she swore there was a blush creeping up Wednesdays neck and spilling onto her pallor cheeks.

Wednesday felt nauseous and a bit dizzy and almost like her heart was going to runaway with any semblance of self respect she had left. Perhaps, this was what a heart attack for someone lacking the vital organ felt like.

Only when she felt warm fingers grip her jaw, did she stop self diagnosing. Her hand raised on impulse, wrapping around her wrist but not to tug her away. If anything, she melts into the warm touch, her thumb brushing the thin flesh of her wrist.

Warmth blossomed in Wednesday’s chest, sparks igniting as Enid leaned in close, lips softly brushing together, tentatively, for the first time. The scent of her perfume faded from the night before, of the peachy scent of her conditioner, was dizzying, crows dancing in her stomach to the rhythmic beat of Enid’s pulse beneath her hand.
The warmth consumed her fully as she leaned into the kiss, Enid’s lips impossibly soft against her own, and it’s kerosene. Heat licks up her spine when she tastes Enid’s smile-

Wednesday pulls away first, her face abnormally flushed. Smiles fleetingly. Nods curtly, because everyone is watching and she realizes sound had stopped for them when she registers the cheering from their friends.

She would tell her properly, how she felt, later when they were safely tucked away beneath a throw blanket Enid had began to favour. Tell her she is the only one allowed to throw snow at her, the only one she will not kill for, the only one she will live in colour for.

For now, she settles with a soft kiss to Enid’s wrist, as their hands, intertwined, fall to their sides. “Merry Christmas, Enid.”

Enid is all smiles and light eyes and it tugs at Wednesday in the most beautiful way.

“Merry Christmas, Wednesday.”

They spent the rest of the morning wrapped up in each other’s arms, satiated from lingering touches and a second round of pancakes, receiving no mercy from the teasing of their friends- family, her brain happily supplies, surrounded by the warmth of hot chocolate, love and the comfort of snow falling from outside their own hearth.

Perhaps, she does not need to be buried alive this year. She is quite content above ground, with people she has grown tender for. And with the girl she will spend every Winter going forward alongside.

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 26 of Wenclair’s Finest