Wednesday's Accident

by Dovesnoze

Summary:

Some people are marked by Fate. They are destined to be outstanding. Sometimes, the world itself decides that those few need a hand. A boost to truly shine. Handing Wednesday Addams of all people unlimited potential in the form of a game-based System was just slightly overkill, though.

Watch as she grows even more... special than she already is, all the while causing Enid to faint for all the right reasons.

Notes:

Just a little something that was floating through my head in the gym. Hope y'all enjoy.

Chapter 1

~Wednesday~

The moment before the explosion claimed her, she had several thoughts going through her head.

'Is this how my miserable existence ends? An explosive trap hidden in a book? Kudos to whoever planted it.'

And.

'I haven't told my parents how truly despisable I find them to be. They enjoyed me fawning over them when I was younger.'

As well as.

'Who will protect Pugsley now? He needs someone to toughen him up, the little spot of pestilence.'

But the most prominent one had nothing to do with her family. Her roommate took precedence before them. Which, in the space of mind she was right now, allowed her to comprehend what she was feeling for the colourful annoyance.

'I won't be able to see Enid anymore. Why do I find this so lamentable? Oh. I fell for my counterpart. The person who couldn't be more different than me even if she tried.'

That revelation startled her badly enough to make her mind blank out. And then she was consumed. Only to be completely fine afterwards. She blinked. She didn't do this often, having learned the potion to preserve and moisturise her eyes perfectly without doing so. It unnerved people so of course she'd put in the effort.

'Was it a dud? No, the explosion happened but there was no heat to it. No concussive force. It was a prank.' she concluded.

She was had and she, begrudgingly, had to respect the person who simulated a near-death experience for her. It was enjoyable for her, even if she now had to deal with the revelation that the Addams Family Curse had snuck up on her without her noticing.

Deciding to exceptionally procrastinate that issue, she left the library only to stop as soon as her eyes fell upon the person who was standing there, leaning against a pillar.

[Xavier Thorpe:

Is infatuated with you. Or, more like, the idea of dating the most unapproachable girl on campus. He plans to use your eventual relationship to boost his feeling of selfworth that suffered under the uncaring attitude of his father.]

'...What?'

Her eyes wandered over several other people and while the fact that very nearly everyone she laid eyes upon had an iteration of them being terrified of her made dark amusement bubble up within her, it was secondary to the fact that she was seeing blue screens with a text-based explanation of their thoughts, emotional state and, sometimes, background information. This was not something she could simply brush off.

Hurrying along the corridors leading to her room, she did her best to not concentrate on the screens. One did make her pause, though.

[Bianca Barclay (Brandy Jane):

Respects you for standing up for yourself in all situations. Is slightly jealous of your effortlessly charismatic presence. Dreams of being able to take a stand against the cult she was forced into as a little child. Her mother married the Cult Leader Gideon and used her powers as a siren to compell people to join 'Morning Song'.

Is being blackmailed to return to her roots as her mother threatened to reveal her use of Siren Song to enter the school under an alias.]

Idly, she put destroying Morning Song onto her list of things to do. Only she was allowed to make her rival miserable.

She continued on her way until she finally reached the dorm. By now, her head was slightly spinning with all the new information she unwittingly learned about her schoolmates.

Her incredibly potent mind took it upon itself to burn the information into her memory. Apparently, her subconscious thought it might be useful in the future, should those screens ever go away.

She entered her room, slamming the door shut in an uncharacteristic show of agitation before sighing in relief. Only then did she notice that she wasn't quite as alone as she thought herself to be.

Her gaze landed upon Enid and what she read made her speechless.

[Enid Sinclair:

Hopelessly in love with you. She thinks you might be her Moon. An obsolete term for mate, as when the mate is in danger, transforming outside of the mooncircle is possible. Thinks she'll never have a chance with you as her sense of selfworth is severely impaired by the fact that her mother takes every chance she gets to belittle her daughter. Has managed to stand up for herself recently after being inspired by the way you face every single day with your 'zero fucks to give' attitude.

Has decided to stay single for a lifetime as pining for you has more depth than any relationship with someone else could ever have.]

How did she miss this?! Did she subconsciously ignore the signs because she rejected the idea of falling under the same curse that compelled her father to behave like a fool? She didn't know, but she would not ignore it, now that it was thrown into her face. Also, she needed to talk with someone about her situation. At first, she wanted to call her family. Averse as she was to witnessing her parent's sickening displays of affection, they were experts on the occult so they should at least have an idea what was happening to her.

She trusted Enid with her life, though. So she wanted to inform her too. Not only that but it would be a gateway into the conversation to come. And maybe it would lead to the mauling and possible torture of one Esther Sinclair.

~Enid~

She was just putting away her notes for the day when suddenly, Wednesday rushed into the room and slammed the door shut. The way her chest heaved slightly as if she was out of breath and the fact that she hadn't noticed Enid's presence yet when she usually had superb spacial awareness were all things that were out of character for her Moon.

If she didn't know better, she'd guess she was panicking. When her eyes finally fell upon Enid, the intensity of them took her breath away. It felt as if she was looking right through all the misdirections and layers of different masks she had put on in front of others. She felt naked in front of those eyes. And she revelled in the intimacy of it.

'Damn, I'm pathetic. Truly a hopeless lesbian as Yoko would say.' Her self-depreciating thoughts were interrupted when Wednesday approached her with a slight furrow in between her eyebrows. She didn't look hostile or antagonistic. Just thoughtful.

Her first words were mismatched with everything she thought she knew about her roommate.

"I need your help."

What followed was a bizarre conversation about blue screens and their ability to read peoples minds and backgrounds. She listened with growing dread. If this was true, then...

"By the way, if you want to act upon your feelings, I expect to be properly courted. Of course I will reciprocate in kind. Do remember however, that I am an Addams and once we commit to something, we do so completely and obsessively. Be aware that you will be mine should that be the case, as I will be yours. Once you decide upon a relationship with me, if will be a permanent one, for even if you want to leave, I will not let you go. We will be miserable together. Whether you want it or not."

And just like that, her mind fuzzed out after hearing the most romantic words she had ever listened to, delivered with a deadpan and without inflection in her voice. 'Truly a Wednesday way to confess.' was her last thought before she blacked out.

Chapter 2

Summary:

Wednesday revives Enid with smelling salt.

Enid is in for the ride of her lifetime.

Notes:

So. I decided to add a chapter to this. Don't expect regular updates for this one. I haven't done any outline of plot for this so it's completely off the top of my head. Which will shoot any attempt at pacing to hell. Anyways, have fun!

~Wednesday~

She stared at the prone form of the girl who represented her future for a moment before sighing. 'Why must she always faint?' She thought as she felt a headache take hold. It took her a minute of rummaging through her things to find the smelling salt. She idly noted that some items had slightly longer descriptions, particularly when used often or for meaningful deeds. Others had a simple label without description at all.

The sigh that left her mouth was one of many in the near future, she felt. She tried to ignore the intrusive screens that seemed to be determined to overtake her field of vision, but that wasn't in her nature so she glared at them, unblinkingly. And after some minutes, they finally decided to relent. They didn't disappear, but they lost some of their opaqueness, making looking through them easier.

Not quite satisfied with their belated obedience but unable to punish them at the moment, she put it to the back of her mind and approached the only other person in the room. Without any conscious thought, she knelt down and pulled her head into her lap.

The smelling salt did it's work adequately and Enid soon stirred, regaining her consciousness. A melancholic smile spread across her face as she murmured.

"What a nonsensical, beautiful dream."

Wednesday looked down uncomprehendingly for a second before it dawned on her that her stupid little wolf thought their conversation to be a figment of her own imagination.

"If you are referring to our conversation, I'll have to correct your misassumption. It was very much real and I'd like to discuss at least part of it."

Enid opened her eyes quickly, confused by the sudden answer to what she thought was a whisper into the quiet morning. Suddenly aware of her position, a deep blush rose with alarming speed and intensity. She seemed to be undecided if she should give in to mortification or simply lose consciousness again. Wednesday's glare disabused the second notion.

[Is paralysed by indecision on how to react. 'How could a Goddess turned flesh ever be interested in a plain, vapid, idiotic...-]

The flick against her nose made her yelp and shiver.

"If you think such disgusting things about yourself again, I will have to implement harsher corrective measures. I will not have anyone put you down, least of all yourself. You not only saved my life at a critical juncture, you also didn't break my confidence when it looked like I'd bleed out from my reopened wounds."

While reminiscing that evening, she subconsciously started to card her fingers through Enid's silky strands. Making her eyes widen before she relaxed a bit.

"Instead, you clamped down on your fear of blood and helped me rebandage them. You overcame one of your most pronounced aversions twice or more often in a single evening and all of that for me. I should have noticed back then but I was far too deep in my own mind to even consider the possibility. For that, you have my apology. I do not apologise often, thinking it a waste of time since I rarely commit what I personally think to be a mistake."

She looked down upon the wide-eyed lycan and noticed feeble hope within those gorgeous blue orbs of hers.

"I never considered the notion of romance with any true cogitation. I must have subconsciously suppressed the thought of any realistic probability to fall for someone. Alas, it seems the Addams Family Curse got to me in the end."

There was a bit of confusion in her eyes before they cleared up and looked at her incredulously.

"Wait, that's real?! I thought it was just a myth or something. I've read about strange people who visibly wilted away after being rejected by their target of affection. This includes people who professed their love to material things like statues or even trees. I always thought someone wanted to, I dunno, discredit your family or something."

At Wednesday's questioningly raised eyebrow, she showed a sheepish little smile before answering.

"I might have researched you and your family after meeting you. At least all that I could find in the internet about you and your relatives. There is loads of information there."

Wednesday watched in fascination as Enid's lips pulled themselves into a scowl. She had rarely seen such an expression of dislike from her and it enchanted her in ways she couldn't describe.

"Most is bullshit. Seriously, there were, like, twenty posts about you guys sacrificing children to some kind of outer god or something and loads of other crap. No one was objectively looking at the situations and did some serious research. They all just spouted the first things they thought and spread misinformation into the net. So rude."

She had crossed her arms during her little monologue and the way she bristled on behalf of her family warmed her dead cold heart in ways that might very well be unhealthy for her. She already felt an uncomfortable amount at that moment and if was an overwhelming sensation. Now there was the appreciation for a person who didn't truly know the Addams Way but defended them still against the slander that seemed to be spread about them on the 'internet'. She knew what it was but she refused to indulge in it.

"... Thank you for showing such distaste for the things we always had to endure. Not many try to understand our way of life. Most condemn what they do not understand. They hunt down those not fitting their conventional view of what is supposed to be. It reassures me that you chose to label those accusations lies and slander before even properly talking about what you found with me. The only people we sacrifice are those who did crimes against the young and those abusing their societal or physical power to force themselves upon others."

Enid's eyes went wide again when she heard that. She seemed to contemplate for a moment before asking a tentative question.

"Do you want to tell me that you and your family... sacrifice rapists and abusive shit stains to outer gods? 'Cause I'm cool with that. Really, I am."

[Thinks she might be able to overcome her aversion to violence in special cases. Has had her first truly morbid daydream about making a date out of the hunt and following execution of a rapist. Is somewhat unsure as to why she found that fantasy to be as hot as she did.]

Wednesday's lips twitched while reading through the updated screen. All the other information was still available but if she read it already, it was hidden until she pulled it up with a thought. Updates seemed to blink slightly to pull her attention.

"We did ritual sacrifices from time to time."

She confessed to her future. If she could not be uncompromisingly honest with the person who would be in her life for eternity, she couldn't be honest with anyone.

"All those who landed on the ritualistic circle deserved it entirely. That much I can promise you. Now let's get back to topic. We have more important things to talk about than monsters in human skin."

She decided to ignore the slight whine that left Enid's mouth when she stopped her fingers from massaging the lycan's scalp. They had to concentrate and this was distracting for both of them. Since she wasn't being pampered anymore, the tricolourette decided to sit up reluctantly.

"... That better not be the only lap-pillow I'll ever get or I'll be cross with you."

Wednesday couldn't help the sharp smirk that pushed itself onto her lips. She closed in on the once again frozen wolf in human skin as she voiced her thoughts.

"My, my. We did not even confirm any kind of relationship and yet, there are already demands. I guess I can indulge you from time to time. Though, what do you plan to offer in return? Will I be allowed to taste your no doubt delicious skin? Will you let me play with your body as if it was my Violoncello? Do not worry, I can be as gentle as I can be intense. Though, I wonder. Would you even want me to be gentle?"

[Gay Panic! Gay Panic!]

She blinked as she snapped out of her momentary lapse of self-control. The lowered inhibitions that came with prolonged presence of her beloved seemed to impair her usually impeccable brain-to-mouth filter. 'The amusing reactions might just be worth it.' She thought to herself as she watched Enid try and fail to control her breathing. She decided to give in one more time.

Her index finger pushed up Enid's chin. The girl followed the movement without resistance and looked into her eyes with a myriad of emotions behind them, just waiting to break free.

"Breathe, my love. While the thought of you succumbing to asphyxiation caused by an inordinate amount of emotions isn't an unpleasant one, I'd rather enjoy your presence for a while longer."

At hearing the term of endearment, her pupils went wide. Black consumed blue, leaving only a minuscule ring that shone all the more brilliantly. Her breathing had subconsciously calmed as her eyes flickered downwards. Her tongue made an appearance to wet her lips and her intent was more than clearly communicated even without the screen blinking in a vibrant pink.

Since after several seconds, the lycan still stalled her move, Wednesday decided to take things in her own hands as she smoothly approached the raptured visage of her favourite being. Her senses were not as well developed as the ones of lycans or even other supernatural creatures but they still approached supernatural territory. The genetic pool of the Addamses was diverse and even though most of them looked more or less human, they all had traces of other races within their DNA.

This allowed her to perceive the rapid heartbeat of one excited lycan as she came closer and closer to what she now hoped would have been her first kiss instead of the unpleasant experience born of manipulation. She stopped just shy of connecting, allowing her counterpart and second half to pull back, should she so wish.

She may not be quite as ready as her body seemed to signal, so to take off some pressure, she exercised her well developed control. It was an unnecessary endeavour, however, as the colourful menace eagerly closed the couple of centimeters to initiate what she would later try to put into words only to fail miserably.

Her own control was overwhelmed by the eager and rushed lips of Enid Sinclair. She almost seemed... Desperate. Once it computed that the girl was completely overwhelmed by her emotions, the small part of her brain still clinging to her reason grew. She took control of their pace, slowing it down to reasonable levels.

Enid stiffened, probably thinking she'd pull away. She disabused that notion by unhurriedly initiating touch for the second time in their year-long relationship as 'roomies'. She softly caressed her cheek before resting her hand on top of it. Once assured that this was not the end of their first liplock, she calmed down, finally relaxing into the sensations without any of her earlier frantic movements.

The warmth, that was spreading through her was exceptionally comfortable and it allowed her to somewhat relax her usually controlling demeanour, allowing for an unspeakably pleasant sensation. Their movements synchronised easily, showing their Intrinsic understanding of each other.

They survived through multiple threats to their lives. They overcame several situations that tested their relationship severely. Their bond only strengthened through trials and their relationship grew intimately without them noticing. It started with an attraction, the basis of love at first sight, but only their experiences together made it bloom into what it was today.

With those thoughts shooting through her head through dopamine-boosted synapses, she gave in to the Curse. If Enid was her destiny, so be it. More worldly problems soon surfaced as they were dangerously close to losing their conscious due to lack of oxygen They finally pulled away, breathing deeply.

Enid gifted her a shy smile coupled with rosy cheeks. It tested her control severely but she stayed strong. Somewhat. She limited her actions to grabbing the delicate yet calloused hand of her One, which seemed to surprise her. For some reason she felt obligated to explain.

"My aversion to touch has several deeply rooted reasons. Absolute distrust in human nature, protection against being hurt in ways I can't anticipate, emotional distance to never suffer like I did when Nero was brutally murdered, and of course, control. That being said, I am prone to enjoy the occasional touch from people I trust intrinsically."

She paused for a moment before confessing further to the carefully listening girl. A light smirk played around her lips as she continued.

"Your touch, however, seems to be especially addictive. I find myself... craving physical contact with you. And if those goosebumps are to indicate anything, the feeling is entirely mutual."

The way she gnawed on her lower lip was pure temptation. But they had important things to discuss. And the topic of paramount priority was...

"You are mine."

Enid's eyes widened at the simple and truthful statement. She elaborated nonetheless.

"I already warned you of the nature of an Addamses affection. And you still decided to throw all caution into the wind. You chose to throw yourself into the cesspit that is my obsession and you will pay the price. A lifetime of loyalty, of mutual respect and the highest form of emotion an Addams can give and receive: Love."

She stared down her unusually timid counterpart and continued with a tone that held equal measures of soft affection and sharp command.

"Love is selfless. That's what poets and therapists will tell you. They will bombard you with phrases such as 'If you truly love someone, let them go.' Or 'Love needs time to develop. Do not rush! It won't end well.'"

She increased the intensity of her glare consciously, showing the gravity of what she was about to say.

"That's not the Addams Way. We do nothing in halves. We hate, we despise, we celebrate wholeheartedly. We embrace all the things different in this world. Adversity fascinates us and we consider our rivals to be companions for life. Whether it be positive or negative, our emotions are immeasurably intense. Once you've collected our true ire, you are doomed and if you've earned affection of one of us, you will be forever welcome. No Addams would ever refuse to lend aid to someone accepted by a member of the Clan."

Enid seemed to want to comment or ask something but a quick look silenced her. She'd have time to make this a conversation. For now, it was a lecture. She needed to understand the nature of an Addams. It was important that she knew just what and who she was getting involved with.

"This intensity of emotions grows all the more serious if the emotion involved is love. Familial love is fierce and passionate. Every one of us would die to protect the others. I would gladly suffer through disembowelment to keep my family safe. And romantic love is even further up the totem pole. An Addams would gladly burn down an entire nation and commit suicide right afterwards to keep their Love happy. Conversely, we expect their devotion to hold up even if faced with obstacles seemingly impossible to overcome."

This was an integral part of what made up an Addams so she needed to understand. We only ever truly fell for a single person in our entire lives. And we would do anything to keep them close by.

"We own them just as much as they own us. Complete co-dependence. Some find such a relationship to be destructive and reject the notion while others thrive on the attention lavished upon them. Which case will you be? Will you reject the obsession with which I will shower you? Or will you accept me as a permanent part of your life, as a partner and companion throughout the entirety of your existence?"

She had said what she had to say. Now she needed to let her make the decision. If she truly decided to reject her, she'd commit suicide. She knew that she could keep herself away for some weeks with her iron control but it would fray. She'd slip and it would become ugly quite quickly. To spare her love the pain, she'd end her life. Enid would survive. She'd be sad for a while but... The screen's blinking was becoming irritating. She opened the update on Enid's state with a mental command and found something unexpected.

[Thinks this has to be the most romantic proposal ever. Is severely tempted to simply accept and live happily ever after, but her insecurities and current problems demand her to step back. To let someone more worthy take her place. 'Wednesday deserves better than the broken mess I am. I have too much baggage to make her happy. I'll watch her from afar. Her being content is all I'll ever want and even though it will eat me from the inside, I am sure this is for the best.']

...Esther Sinclair would die. It was decided that she was living on borrowed time. With fury palpable within her every movement, she grabbed the lycan's pink abomination of a top by it's collar and heaved the girl, who released a surprised yelp, closer to smash her lips into her's with bruising force. She tasted blood and was unsure if it was her own or Enid's but she didn't care. The moan of pain mixed with pleasure was a special kind of music in her ears and it calmed her murderous rage to somewhat manageable levels.

This kiss was more... heated than the first one. It was also rather short since she had to discipline the unruly puppy and by the sounds she was releasing, punishment didn't seem to be a fitting description for the act. The whine from said canine at her pulling away was a good start but it wasn't nearly enough.

"If your self-depreciation rears it's ugly head in regards to our potential relationship yet again, I will severely punish you. An Addams loves only once. We are born this way, changed by an ancient curse that developed symbiotic traits over the centuries. I chose you and we are bound. I will accept it if you reject me because you dislike the intensity or simply do not feel the same. But if you think you are unworthy of my freely given affection, then I will need to show you what I do with those questioning my judgment. Do you want to be among those? Do you want to be... punished?"

She quickly shook her head from side to side, seemingly not trusting herself to verbally answer in a coherent manner. A glance at the updated screen told her more about Enid than she anticipated.

['That was so hot. Yes Mommy~.']

... She decided to safe that conversation for later. A sigh left her mouth as she sent an annoyed glance at the compliant girl.

"We went severely off topic. And even though it led to the most woeful experience I'd ever had the pleasure to live through, we should concentrate on the screens that decided to invade my life."

The exhaustion of the day crashed upon her with all it's force and the only reason why she let it show in front of her Partner? Paramour? Fiancé? A thought for later. The only reason she showed any signs of it outwardly was because she trusted Enid intrinsically. There were very few things she wouldn't inform her of and this wasn't among that short list.

Once she saw her sacking slightly, Enid instantly switched personalities. With her worry palpable, she gently maneuvered her so that she was the one resting on her thighs. She was muscular but had kept that hint of feminine softness, making her legs surprisingly comfortable to rest on.

Their conversation halted for some minutes before they started brainstorming on the nature of those screens. Enid, having more experience with media, threw out some ideas. She mentioned 'system novels' and something seemed to click at the term system so she asked her to elaborate.

"It's a genre of novels, mostly the online variant. Loads of people enjoy them and I confess to having read some too. They are fun for a while but they get stale since the authors seem to use the same couple of tropes every time. Basically, someone gains a system through various means that can have different purposes. Some force missions on you and reward you for finishing them while punishment is given when you fail or ignore them."

She thinks for a moment before adding.

"Most of them have a way to quantify your abilities. Mostly by thinking or calling out 'Status' or something."

So she did just that.

[Wednesday Friday Addams

Race:
Unidentifiable Amalgamation - seriously, what are you! The Addams Clan is crazy, I tell ya.

Status:
Healthy - moderately exhausted

Mood:
Pacified by the care of her Fated. Suppressed murderous rage for her in-law. How... Cliché.

Skills:
Manifold. You know them best. Only newly developed skills will be shown.

Traits:
Addams Genes - Random bullshit go!

Relationships:
Addams Clan - You are the Heiress! Of course they despise you completely!
Enid Sinclair - Fated Mate. About time you noticed.
Bianca Barclay/Brandy Jane - Frenemies
Eugene Ottinger - Adopted brother. Cute kid, that one.
Others - Not really worth your time. Feel free to ignore them.

Tasks:
Eh, I'm no slave driver. As long as it's reasonable, feel free to create your own tasks and I'll reward you appropriately.]

So her screens had a distinctive personality. She would have to contact her family. They may know more about this affliction.

~Enid~

While Wednesday went to contact her family, she had time to think. She was glad the screens ignored privacy as well as the government did. Otherwise she'd have never went with this. Whatever this was.

The warmth hadn't yet left her heart and the butterflies in her stomach were still putting on the most elaborate airshow without witnesses. She ignored the scorching heat in her lower stomach. It just wasn't appropriate even though it was a natural reaction. She knew she had quite a few traits of a sub and she also knew that her childhood was majorly responsible for that.

She also knew that the only reason she reacted as she did was because it was Wednesday. She was the only person trusted enough to... She didn't let her thoughts wander in that direction any longer, lest she'd lose control. Already it was inappropriate to even think that far. They hadn't even put a label on anything, though mutual interest was communicated quite... fervently.

Pulling her knees up to support her head on then, she couldn't keep the adoring smile off her face even if she tried. She watched Wednesday communicate with her family. Even though her tone of voice suggested exasperation and the way her left index finger twitched supported that notion, she fooled no one.

She was annoyed, yes, but the fact that she loved her parents and her little brother was as clear as day to anyone who knew her well enough. And by the mischievous smile on her father's face, he knew it as well as she did.

She always suspected that they intensified their interactions to somehow pull out some emotions from the stoic girl and it worked splendidly even though she likely knew what they were doing. Their low-key adorable relationship left her with a bitter case of melancholy. She couldn't muster any envy as everyone deserved loving parents and just because her mother was a bitch in more ways than one didn't excuse such thoughts.

The reason she called her family was fascinating. A System. She'd never thought she'd see one of those in real life. Well, she still didn't, but she was convinced it existed. Wednesday wouldn't lie to her about something like this. And she looked so adorably lost when she talked about floating mind-reading screens that she hadn't thought her words to be untrue for even a moment.

Whichever higher entity decided to troll Wednesday, she had to thank them. It led to confessions she'd never could have scrounged up the courage for. The most attractive girl she'd ever laid her eyes upon actually fancied her back. She thought herself lucky to be considered a friend by the unapproachable goth, but the unthinkable happened. They shared what the Brits called a proper snog and it was an experience that blew all the affectionate gestures she had experienced up until this day out of the water. There was simply no comparison.

Was this what it felt like with a person you genuinely love? Fireworks before simply ceasing to exist without the other person? Because she was sure that was what she felt. She had a couple of crushes before and this felt so much more serious. The 'Gladly spending her life with this person' kind of serious. And if she interpreted Wednesday's reaction to her inner thoughts correctly, she felt the same.

From the outside, it looked as if this relationship developed within minutes. But they had really solid groundwork with saving each others' life and everything. Thinking back to the events of that evening made her shudder. But it was also the evening she realised her feelings so she was kinda split about how she should think about it.

Conflicted, she decided. Feeling conflicted about something was fine. She felt that way for many things. Her father for example, who kept his silence more often than not, only praising her when he was sure his wive wouldn't hear it. She loved him. She really did. He was her dad after all. But she also despised him for his cowardly ways. And his silence in the latest instance of disagreement between her and her mother caused the last vestiges of trust in him crumble away.

Her mother had decided she'd have to marry now. Since she was finally a proper werewolf, she'd have to find a mate within their or one of their allied Clans. She disagreed. And they had their most intense row yet. When she turned to her father for support, he just turned away, letting her fend for herself. It was a betrayal she should have expected but didn't. Because even though he was a coward, she thought he loved her and wouldn't let his wive sell her like cattle.

She thought wrong, apparently. So she decisively cut ties with her family. Appealing to some of the Clan-Elders who held the true authority, even above the Alpha, she found ears willing to listen. Margaret Sinclair, her grandaunt, helped her reach out to some of the more progressive Elders and her bid for emancipation went through without a hitch.

She hadn't even told Wednesday about those things but now that she had that system, it was only a matter of time until she found out about it. She had saved up some money and she was planning to get a part time job and that in addition with the help of Weems, who had somehow survived the poisoning and returned in full health, allowed her to return to Nevermore.

She hated having to rely on the formidable principal, but the giant woman just told her to accept it as a stipend since she was a truly exceptional student that she'd be loathe to lose due to circumstances beyond her grasp. Her being a good student was true at least.

She took care to always score in the top 5% of the year. It was quite a bit of work and in addition with the extracurricular activities and Wednesday's adventures, she was well and truly running at full capacity and sometimes beyond. She enjoyed it though. It gave her a sense of peace to know that she used up all of that abundant energy by doing something productive. Or crazy.

She was deep in her thoughts when a light touch on her shoulder startled her out of her ruminations. She looked up into the slightly worried eyes of Wednesday Addams. So it already happened. This System read her circumstances and informed Wednesday. She sighed.

"I'll tell you everything. Just... Not right now. I need some time to properly process it on my own before I pull you into this sob story of mine."

She gifted the girl who stole her heart a weak but genuine smile. The petite goth scrutinised her in that special way that seemed to strip her soul bare before settling with a nearly invisible nod. She then sat beside her, lightly leaning against her. Something she hadn't ever done before but she certainly wouldn't complain since it did wonders to calm her restless anxiety.

"Thank you for forcing me to be with you."

She told the ravenette besides her with a side-glance and a little smile. By the twitch of her lips, she found the humour as fitting as she did and answered while leaning fully into her.

"You are welcome, mon chiot imbécile."

...The words sounded pretty but she was certain she was just insulted. Deciding to just treat the words as a compliment, she accepted the offer of snuggling time with her smol girlfriend. Worries would have to wait for tomorrow.

Chapter 3

Summary:

Wednesday decides to be romantic while Thing decides to test her patience a bit.

Enid is swept off her feet before she even stepped out of her bed.

Grandmama visits them with and does impossible things as per usual.

Notes:

Another one for this. I think it came out well. My time for writing is decreasing since my boss needs me more over the summer months. I will still try to get out a big chapter per week but I can no longer guarantee it. I hope you guys will forgive me the snails pace at which my stories will be moving.

Have fun reading the chapter!

~Wednesday~

[You slept like a corpse and you are well rested. Any and all status effects have been negated.]

She sighed at the early reminder that the day before was not a special kind of nightmare. Her lips twitched when she thought back to yesterday's happenings. While she disliked deviations from her routine, subduing and wooing a stubborn puppy was worth the troubles.

Now that she knew her feelings to be reciprocated, she planned on properly courting her roommate. She knew the girl liked it cute and fluffy. And she'd get a fair share of that. But traditionally, an Addams-Courtship was initiated with a Hunt. She'd need to choose her prey carefully. It had to be impressive. A beast that would trouble even a mighty beast such as Enid's magnificent lupine form.

She decided to ask Grandmama for ideas. She always knew. The woman was planning to drop by later in the morning. She still had to set up the Spacial Displacement Ritual to let her through. Sitting up in her bed, she searched the room for Thing, who was suspiciously absent the prior evening.

She found him already awake and doing his ridiculous approximation of yoga in front of a small hand mirror. He noticed her stare while holding a single-fingered stretching pose that he called 'Fingering the Earth'. His humour was surprisingly crude for such an old member of the Family.

[Thing:
A member of the Addams Family and traditional servant of the heirs. At the impressive age of 534 years, he is a little weary of the world but counteracts that by following modern trends and interacting with all kinds of people. Thinks Enid is the perfect fit for the grumpy little heiress and ships you two with all his might.

Has a bet running on when you two will get together. Yoko, Divina, Bianca, Weems, Pugsley and your parents are in on it.

Respects you for the energy and motivation you put into everything you start. Loves your music nearly as much as his mirror image.]

He saluted like the good little soldier he wasn't and skittered over to her side where he waited for an order with a cheeky faux-obedient stance.

"First of all: You were correct in your assumption. My symptoms originated from the Curse."

He did a fistpump before offering help in sweeping Enid off her feet. His ideas ranged from romantic coffee-dates all the way to chartering a private jet and professing her undying love to her on top of the Eiffel Tower.

She hummed in thought. 'Thing might be more useful than expected. Who would have thought that the Family member with the most insight into a teenaged girl's mind is a centuries old severed appendage?'

She interrupted him as he continued thinking up more and more ridiculous schemes.

"I already made my interest clear. And she reciprocated in kind. After some... aggressive persuasion."

Thing's questioning if she had forced herself upon the poor little lycan had her glaring at him with some heat, even though it was clearly asked in jest.

"I did no such thing. You do know, even in human form, she is more than my equal in physical strength. Now that she has proper control over it, that statement strikes even more true. I am physically incapable of overpowering her without her consent. Imply something like this again and I will show you my mastery over those skinning tools you admired some weeks ago."

The severed hand backpaddled immediately and asked what she wanted him to do as she surely hadn't summoned him without a task in mind. She nodded, letting the matter rest for now.

"Grandmama will visit later in the morn. I need to prepare my side of her mode of transportation. I need those materials prepared within half an hour. You'll find everything among my ritualistic supplies."

He perked up at the mention of Grandmama. She rarely left the compound but when she did, it was usually for a major reason. Knowing that he'd continue to pester her if she didn't give him a reason as to why they were expecting the old Root, she gave him a short summary of what happened the day before.

His curiosity being sated, he agreed to collect everything she'd need. She gave him a list that he read through. It always was a fascinating thought that even though he has no visual organ, he retained the ability to see. No one knew really why or how that was the case but it made him more useful so she wouldn't complain.

Having sent him on his gathering quest, she decided to proceed with her morning ablutions before gathering up some breakfast materials. She didn't usually eat for breakfast but Enid did. Extensively. Especially post-transformation. so she quickly procured a scrumptious collection of foods from the cafeteria. That left the matter of their morning brew.

She knew that Enid disliked the school-made coffee. She did too, to be honest. And she also knew that there was a person with a proper espresso machine in their dorm. Hunting down the coffee addict wasn't hard. She was a psychic named Pamela who had the strange ability of phytokinesis. She was able to control plant life in all its forms.

The girl was frightened into full alertness by seeing her face this early in the morning and in front of her room at that. She allowed herself a brief moment of satisfaction at the fact that her mere presence was enough to intimidate most students and some teachers in a school that catered to all things supernatural.

The moment passed and she stepped into Pamela's room, who was looking at her with trepidation.

"W-what do you want, Wednesday? I don't think I did anything to o-offend you?"

She stared at the girl for a moment.

[Pamela Lillian Isley:

Holds feelings of respect, awe and a tiny bit of Hero-worship as well as a healthy dose of fear for you. Thinks you are nicer than you want others to believe but still feels intimidated by you. Is thankful for your deed of saving the school since she dislikes her homelife and didn't want to stay there if in any way avoidable.

Is curious as to why you sought her out. She is sure she never bad-mouthed you and she even defended you on occasion. She is willing to help you out as thanks for everything you've done for the school as a whole as long as it doesn't go against her moral code.

Has a well hidden second ability that is synergetic with the known one. She is capable of directly manipulating toxins. This ability works especially well with plant based toxins while her influence over synthetic toxins is negligible.

Is fiercely intelligent but too shy to show it. Knows you to be of a similar mental acuity and yearns to discuss topics of shared interests with you.]

That introduction was a fair bit longer than usual. It was also rather enlightening. She had to think it through but she saw no reason to not discuss botany and toxins with someone knowledgeable. After staring intensely at the girl, who had started to squirm slightly, she stated the original reason for seeking her out.

"I wish to use your espresso machine. The coffee that is offered at the cafeteria is clearly the inferior cousin of the genuine brew."

Her eyes went wide before she nodded vigorously.

"Of course! Feel free to use it whenever! Well, maybe not in the middle of the night..."

She trailed off, clearly at a loss what to say. This girl had less understanding of social interactions than even she did. She nodded succinctly and made her way to the beauty of mechanical engineering that produced a necessary component for continuous survival.

Reading through the introduction of the machine, she learned that it took Pamela three years of living an exceedingly penurious lifestyle so safe up for this gorgeous percolator that produced a liquid nearly as black as her soul and just as bitter as her disappointment over the fact that she wouldn't have the time to immediately hunt Esther Sinclair down.

Wouldn't it be a grand way to start her courtship by offering Enid her mother's head? After she forced a transformation of course. Her human form simply didn't qualify as worthy, even though she was just as much a beast in that guise as she was post transformation.

A thought shelved for later. Expertly, she operated the italian monstrosity to produce the black ambrosia. Once everything was set up, she turned to Pamela, who watched her curiously.

"It took me quite a while to become that proficient with my baby. But I told myself: You nearly sold your soul for this. It's more than just a piece of equipment. It deserves your best. So I learned to operate it better than most baristas. Nearly as good as you."

The way she said that indicated it to be something to be proud of. Which was true, it was one of the many skills she prided herself in. She just nodded, not really knowing what to answer. She enjoyed the silence that followed even though Pamela evidently didn't. Small talk was for the weak. A stable mentality meant you could stare someone in the eyes for hours without talking. Or blinking. Or moving a muscle.

After several minutes of making the occupant of the room uncomfortable, the sounds of divinity petered out while the pleasant aroma of the scalding liquid capable of reviving her and her wolf spread through the vicinity.

Remembering the... Special tastes of Enid, she asked the ginger girl for some condiments.

"Do you have syrups here?"

The answer was a proud laugh that was just a bit grating on the ears. A pleasant surprise to be sure.

"Do I have syrups? Of course I have syrups! I produce them!"

At Wednesday's raised eyebrow, her enthusiastic expression melted away into insecurity as she explained.

"I'm a hobby chemist. Making creatively or stronger flavoured syrups is one way for me to apply what I learn. I admit I overdo it sometimes but I've got some pretty awesome flavours mixed together with the help of science."

Wasn't that syrup usually just sugar, aroma and a carrying liquid? What for did she need elevated scientific processes in the production of what is basically sugar water with added flavour? Of course there were stabilisers, flavour enhancers and potentially emulsifiers in play if one looked at industrial products. But for personal consumption, those shouldn't be needed.

As an answer to the continued silence, Pamela squirmed in place before giving in to her urges. She quickly rushed over to the cabinet in the corner of the room and ripped the door open with more force than necessary. She then carefully removed a rather big wooden container, brought it to the table hosting the espresso machine and opened it's compartments. What met her eyes were roughly a hundred different glass vials, each labeled with the flavour contained within.

Wednesday blinked. That was a somewhat bizarre hobby. But she wouldn't judge. Taxidermy wasn't necessarily the most usual way to express themselves for teenaged girls and yet, she had a collection of personally hunted and prepped trophies at home.

Stepping closer, she regarded the vials curiously.

[A collection of different flavours. Some are the same but with differing intensities. If you want to use some for your bonded mate, go for mid intensity as they already surpass the mass-produced versions in both, flavour and quality.]

"This is an impressive collection. I will need hazelnut and vanilla with mid-level intensity. Some cream too, if you may. Enid likes her coffee rather sweet."

The girl's eyes lightened up in understanding and she nodded seriously. With sure hands, she chose two of the vials and handed them to her with the words that those were already measured single portions so she could just mix them in without worry.

She did just that and had to admit that it smelled moderately more tolerable than the version Enid usually ordered from the Weathervane. Satisfied with the bounty of her quest, she turned to the inhabitant of the room.

"This experience was... less irritating than I thought it would be. If you are amenable to it, I might visit you sometimes to fulfill my caffeinary needs."

The way her entire face lit up in joy was concerning but she let it go as she turned around and concentrated on transporting everything back to her room.

'This should count as a romantic gesture if I am not incorrect. Navigating this stage of our relationship will be time-consuming, irritating and confusing. She is lucky that she is entirely worth it.'

~Enid~

She slowly rose from what she believed to be a fantastic dream. As her wakefulness was slowly being restored, she smelled something heavenly. Rising like the morning-zombie she was, her eyes opened tentatively.

What she saw was Wednesday. Standing beside her bed without even the slightest twitch of movement while holding up a tray filled with a ridiculous amount of breakfast-foods. Her brain was just waking up and she had serious trouble to comprehend the picture in front of her for a minute. But when she did, her heart suffused with warmth. The stoic girl brought her breakfast to bed.

She went completely out of her way to procure not only food but drink too if that hint of hazelnut and vanilla her nose picked up was anything to go by. That was the most romantic thing anyone had ever done for her.

'It wasn't a dream. She really is interested in me that way. She wants the same things I do. Well, somewhat at least. I think I could die happily right about now.'

With those thoughts, she scrambled to make space for her to put the tray, which she promptly deposited on top of her bed in perfect position to simply dive in. The tray was a big one and it had legs, allowing it to have a stable surface even on top of her mattress.

Seeing the collection of her personal favourites, she couldn't help herself any longer and dived into the food. She ate quickly and voraciously. Ever since she transformed, her dietary needs had escalated. The increased muscle density and metabolism needed ungodly amounts of calories to function properly and she consumed at least four big meals a day at this point. Luckily, her supernatural speed applied to eating too, making the endeavour less time intensive than it could be.

After gorging herself on the food, noticing that it was the perfect amount to keep her sated for a while without making her feel bloated, she washed it down with the coffee. Or at least she tried, but the first sip of the beverage made her moan from the taste. Savouring the incredible flavour, she looked over to Wednesday incredulously, noticing a slight tinge of pink on her otherwise expressionless face.

'Did she fly to Italy over night to get me some coffee?! That stuff is literally the best I've ever had!' Vocalising her inner thoughts she asked her.

"Where did you get this? It's not the Weathervane brew. I know that one by heart. This is high quality stuff. Come on, Wednesday... I need to know!"

Her forceful question was met with a smug smile that was entirely too adorable. It was the most pronounced expression of joy she had seen from the goth and that fact was the only reason she didn't press her with her impatient nature. Finally, she was deemed worthy of an answer. And it was a surprising one.

"I found another inhabitant of our dorm who seems to be... tolerable."

That was Wednesday speech for she made a new friend. And they went to tolerable in a single meeting. That was seriously impressive. Wait, coffee like this could only be brewed by one of those professional machines.

"Did you bug Pam to make you coffee at ungodly hours?"

She knew the girl. They were casual acquaintances at best but she had interviewed her that one time for her blog. The girl was fascinating but painfully socially awkward. She really tried to truly befriend her but their interests were on opposite ends of the spectrum, making it a rather difficult relationship to maintain.

Wednesday's answer was a short contemplative silence before she opened her mouth to speak.

"I only asked of her the permission to use the machine, which I procured for an indefinite amount of time. She seemed... enthusiastic about having me in her room. At my question for your preferred syrups, she proceeded to show me her collection of self-made additives for coffee and other beverages. She was accommodating and, once she got over her fear, surprisingly acceptable company."

A flare of jealousy shot through her but she suppressed it quickly. She knew Pam had a hard time to communicate. So successfully conversing with someone as intense as Wednesday must have made her entire week. There was nothing more to it. She was sure... Maybe she'd talk to her later in the day. Just to make it clear that Wednesday was taken. Permanently.

She took another sip of the heavenly liquid. A satisfied sigh left her lips as she did. She'd cut her some slack just for this. Turning her head to take in the entire room for the first time this day, her eyes took in an unfamiliar arrangement that reminded her of the time Wednesday thought a seance was best carried out within their shared space.

"Summoning the dead again, Willa?"

She bit her lower lip in anticipation as she saw her tiny goth blink from the unfamiliar nickname before she answered without directly acknowledging it. Which was acceptance from her. She cheered inwardly as she listened to her answer.

"I will ask Grandmama if she recently passed away. At her age, it would not be a surprise. I do doubt it, however. Last time I saw her, she seemed to be as spry as she was in my first memory of her. Identical in appearance too."

The answer did nothing to clear up her confusion and it only added more questions. Luckily, Wednesday elaborated after seeing her visible befuddlement.

"This is a Spacial Displacement Ritual. Essentially, it will allow Grandmama to step through from her side to ours and, as long as it is still the same day, back again."

Enid uncomprehendingly stared for a moment before registering what was said just now. The Addams Family had a way to teleport vast distances with a tiny set up like this. It looked complicated and a bit intimidating but the sheer utility such a thing allowed was tremendous.

"That's so cool. So anyone from your family can just come and visit you?"

She asked curiously but Wednesday lightly shook her head in answer.

"The only ones left who know how to use the ritual are Grandmama and me. She swore me to secrecy upon the Olden Forces so I can not disclose the process. Only If they manage to convince both, Grandmama and me, will they be able to make their way over here."

She could imagine how that particular conversation would go. While she knew Wednesday loved her family, she also knew that she oftentimes needed space. If she had to compare the small goth with an object, it would probably be something like a really sharp blade without a hilt but with a mind of it's own.

She stood tall in the face of adversary and if she liked you well enough, she'd defend you ferociously. But if you tried to direct or command her, you'd only cut yourself. She was also fiercely independent and abhorred any kind of help she didn't ask for. Which happened extremely rarely, though slightly more often since the debacle with Hydler and the thorny bitch.

Her blood still boiled when thinking of them. Those two were the only people she ever wanted to seriously inflict harm upon. If given the chance, she'd probably kill them. She'd feel terrible afterwards, but removing the faintest possibility of them hurting her Willa would more than make up for any inner turmoil she'd have to suffer through.

Her eyes searched for Wednesday's while she took the second to last mouthful left from the invigorating draught. They were met by an expressionless face, but within her eyes, she could read the satisfaction at her reaction to the surprising breakfast in bed. She loved it, especially the Coffee. The mixture of vanilla, hazelnut, and a hint of caramel mixed into the bitter intensity of espresso. The light cream only added onto the taste and she couldn't have been more content with a beverage than this.

Silence with Wednesday in the room could quickly become a struggle with the unintentionally oppressive atmosphere that her goth oftentimes released unwittingly. Oh, she was sure that it was at least partly a trained skill just to make others uncomfortable in her presence. She wanted people to leave her alone. And most decided to comply subconsciously.

But even if she wasn't actively projecting her unapproachable nature, it shone through more often than not. The heavy blanket of silence and pressure was something she learned to appreciate, however. She trusted Wednesday completely and that allowed her to relax in her impressive presence.

One of the leading reasons for her lively nature was the fact that she thought life to be too short to always mope around. Another one that she didn't want to acknowledge until recently was, that the more outgoing she was, the less she had to concentrate on introspection. Her childhood was a bit of a mess, she knew. And it fucked her up something fierce.

She may seem to be a well balanced person... Sometimes at least. But she only really started to make headway in the mental health department after being inspired by Wednesday. The girl had little care and even less patience with people who wanted to put her down. She always had a scathing answer waiting on that dexterous tongue of hers.

The girl's soft core was guarded by what seemed to be an armour of poisoned blades. Verbal and physical ones. She also held everyone to a certain standard and found most people lacking. Something that Enid could secretly understand. While she was more understanding than her roommate, humanity did disappoint with depressing regularity. What only those who were close to her knew was that she held herself to a standard that was leagues above the one she applied to others.

The schedule she had when obsessing over one topic or another was harrowing. How she could function on less than four hours of sleep a day for weeks or even months on end was a complete mystery to her. But her inherent drive and complete dedication to one topic while still keeping up an acceptable facsimile of her usual productivity in all things was beyond impressive.

Those thoughts led to a startling revelation. 'Wait. Am I her new obsession? She said she'll be completely devoted to the person she chose and she has chosen me.'

She'd be damned if that thought didn't send hot magma through her veins. Imagining that kind of single-minded focus on her. Those piercing eyes glinting passionately while regarding her. She wouldn't touch her at first. She'd just watch her squirm and work herself up. And when she'd be desperate for contact, enough to be on the verge of begging...-

'Abort those thoughts if you can't relieve yourself. You don't want to be horny the whole day, especially if Wednesday will have a family member visiting later on.'

That was very nearly a path of no return. She rubbed her thighs together subtly beneath the blanket. The mere thought of her intense stare had her this worked up already. Wolf hormones were always a bitch to deal with. But since she transformed extremely late and had started puberty already, it was even more pronounced.

Add on top of that the fact that her lycan representation was massive example of it's kind, which amplified it even further... 'Yep, I am one horny dog. I should keep it contained for now, though. No need to make Wednesday uncomfortable.'

Steeling her resolve, she was determined to wait for Wednesday to set the pace in whatever this would develop into. She wouldn't overwhelm her with her physical affection. Her resolve was nearly shattered by her remembering Wednesday's words the evening before.

"Your touch, however, seems to be especially addictive. I find myself... craving physical contact with you. And if those goosebumps are to indicate anything, the feeling is entirely mutual."

Testing the waters, she lightly stretched her hand in Wednesday's direction and was surprised that it was instantly snatched up and gently held within another. Warmth spread through her at the confirmation that her words were not just empty platitudes. She genuinely enjoyed her touch. Otherwise she wouldn't have reacted that way.

Feeling a bit mischievous, she pulled lightly, leading the girl to come a bit closer before encircling her with her arms. She made sure to leave her enough freedom to break her hold at the start. When her roomie made no move to do so, she glomped her with supernatural strength, causing her to gasp slightly. The shiver that ran down her spine wasn't out of pain. That, she was sure of.

"Thank you for being the most romantic person I've dated yet without even trying. The breakfast was fantastic and you hit my taste perfectly. If you keep this up, I might just keep you solely for myself."

Her acute hearing allowed her to perceive the slight quickening of her heartbeat and breathing patterns. For a normal human being, such a change would be nothing special but Wednesday practiced an extreme form of Biofeedback. She was very much in control of most bodily functions and the slightest subconscious deviation was extremely telling as for how affected she was.

The fact that it was her who was the reason for the comparably major reaction made a bubble of pride rise within herself. She allowed herself to keep the iron grip on her little pocket goth for a while longer while she let a smug little smile appear and fade away from her lips.

When she let go, she looked into Wednesday's eyes and had to fight down a light blush at their intensity. An endeavour that didn't quite work out perfectly if the heat on her face and the slight amusement within those precious orbs were anything to go by. She ignored those to the best of her abilities and offered her help with the ritual.

"I'm not that knowledgeable about rituals and all that, but I'm good at precision work. If you let me help setting it up, we would need less time I think. And if you teach me some of this stuff, I'll be able to help you with other things too."

Wednesday searched her eyes for something while she was in thought before slowly nodding.

"I concur. Having you help would be more efficient than doing everything on my own. Thing will be able to support us too, which will shave off another few minutes of preparation time. Your offer is appreciated."

She preened at those words before they got to work. It was complicated and surprisingly taxing work. Her experience with all kinds of beauty products that had to be applied extremely accurately in combination with her ability to grow her fingernails out with the density and sharpness of metal came in clutch, however. Thing joined them around midway after stowing away what seemed to be a sizable wad of cash.

Wednesday's dark glower and his cheeky salute as an answer made her think that there was a bit of a story behind all that but she was too concentrated on following her directions so she put it out of her mind for the moment.

Once they finished up and checked the runes twice without having to correct or tweak anything, her girlfriend(?) sent her an approving little gaze and it was all she could do not to react with more than a proud smile back.

Suddenly, the circle came to life and spewed out a woman who looked as if she had both feet in her own grave but was just too stubborn to fall in and opted to dance on top of it instead. While her body looked frail, her eyes were so full of life and sheer will, that she forgot all about the frailty that her physical form implied.

She also had to suppress the physical reaction from her lycan spirit as it screamed Danger as soon as she lied eyes upon her. The woman stiffened for a short moment when stepping out of the circle before cackling in a way that made all the insane laughter she had heard in her life seem exceptionally sane.

The woman's sharp eyes fell upon Wednesday but seemed to look past her before an approximation of a smile pulled her wrinkly face apart.

"Interesting method of trying to pry into my origin you've got there but you'll need a bit more oomph to push through the protections in place. I'll give you a quick death for the effort. Or maybe I'll get creative? It has been a while since I've had one of those strange but somewhat powerful beings to torment. They seem to like calling themselves ROB."

'Wait... Is she implying what I think she is?'
Did this woman seriously hunt random omnipotent beings for sport? Once the thought registered, her wolf's instincts increased in intensity.

Just what was that family? And should she rejoice or dread joining them? The answer to that question came rather quickly to her. She did have some experience, rooming with Wednesday for more than half a year. Both of course.

~Wednesday~

"... It has been a while since I've had one of those strange but somewhat powerful beings to torment. They seem to like calling themselves ROB."

[...What? Huh? What the fu-... ??? ???? ?!]

A terrified Scream echoed through her mind as Grandmama made a vicious gesture that implied cutting something. She felt something snap before a light sound as if someone ringed an especially gentle doorbell sounded out in the confines of her mindscape.

As a psychic, establishing one of those was of paramount importance. It helped withstand the onslaught that came with unexpected visions and if she was practiced enough, she'd be able to redirect her psychic reservoir to other tasks. This was how a few talented psychics learned more than one technique. Everyone who had a pool of psychic energy had an innate talent for one aspect. With hard work, it was possible to develop secondary abilities, however.

The scream that sounded through the rather vast expanse of her mind, indicating her potential, was pleasing to her ear. As a connoisseur for terrified sounds, she could confidently state that this one was easily in the top five she'd ever heard. As expected of Grandmama Addams. The Bedrock of the Family.

[Initiating: restoring data... Safe File found. Restoration complete. Welcome once again to the world of Gamers.]

She was confused. Didn't Grandmama sever the connection? The ancient woman saw her expression and cackled once again. It was the sound of chalk screeching on a blackboard combined with the unholy cacophony of dozens of old oaks creaking and bending in a storm that tested their timeless endurance. She loved the soul-deep shudder that overcame her every time she heard it. She then explained her amusement.

"That thing latched onto your soul is beneficial to you. It is a blessing that sometimes befalls those of grand Fate. Those things usually grow with the user, making their relationship a symbiotic one. What I got rid of is the connection to some upstart who thought hijacking the connection and leeching off you would be a good idea. Well, I will show him the error of his ways, never you fear. Now..."

She turned to Enid, who looked like a wolf caught in headlights. Grandmama stepped closer to her and gave her a once over, poking and prodding on occasion and even taking a sniff once. She tried very hard to endure but the ingrained possessiveness reared it's ugly head. Why ever did she even try to suppress it?

"If you are quite done inspecting my intended, I'd be grateful."

The icy tone that seemed to lower the temperature of the room by several degrees did nothing to fend off the rising blush on Enid's face when the words registered with her. The pup was entirely too adorable for her own good and it was a considerable challenge to stay in the mood for threats with her present. Much to her mortification, a pout wanted to form on her lips. She used every ounce of self-control to cease the notion and she was sure she was successful.

The knowing smile on the old root's face made her question the results however. After one last discerning gaze that traveled from the bottom all the way up to the predominantly blonde hair, she turned back to Wednesday.

"You better take good care of nás maly vlku for us. She is part of the family and she is your responsibility from now on. Be sure to live up to the devotion that is radiating off her. Also, she's not eating enough, I'll send you a meal plan later. Be sure she follows it and you'll see just how impressive that murderous beast slumbering within her soul can be. Her potential is a good match to yours. Do not squander either."

After those words, she stepped into the inert circle. It lit up impossibly and transported her back even though it was a one-time-use ritual. She sighed. Her affection for the old woman ran deep but she was a handful several times over.

Her glance at Enid showed her to still be out of it. Honestly, if she didn't learn to be alert at all times, she'd have trouble withstanding the affections of her family. Pugsley, for example, was guaranteed to lob some military grade explosives her way as a sign of acceptance. The little pustule of pestilence was cute like that.

She thought for a moment before deciding to tease a bit. Pulling out one of the hidden knives on her body, a kukri variant, she threw it with moderate force. Her aim was impeccable as always, nicking the skin on the left side of her jaw just slightly. The sudden sting woke Enid from her stupor and she looked confusedly at her. There wasn't any wariness or fear in her gaze, just a slight question.

Her affection soared at the unconscious show of trust and before she could control herself, she closed the distance between them, grabbing her by her chin and licking the thin line of red that had appeared. Her receding blush returned with full force and it exceeded the earlier one by several magnitudes. She leaned forward, positioning her lips just before her ear. She allowed the lightest of touches between their cheeks with this movement and she enjoyed how Enid's entire body shivered at the physical closeness.

"You need to learn how to stay aware of your surroundings, Cara Mia. The affection my family will deem you worthy of will consist of violence. It is part of our love language and the earlier you learn to speak it, the better. After all, you are mine. And I will not let you escape."

She lowered her voice even further, allowing a sensual quality to enter her tone, usually void of inflection.

"Now, get ready for the day before I lose the smidgen of control that I still have over my actions. For I am ravenous. And you taste absolutely delicious."

For moment, she feared her falling unconscious again when her body stiffened, but then she removed herself out of her hold with surprising ease, showed off her supernatural agility and flexibility by slipping past her in the matter of a second's fraction. She watched her personal lycan flee the room and took a deep breath to calm herself. Teasing her was intoxicating and she had an inkling she'd become addicted to the feeling. She couldn't get herself to truly care about the consequences, though.

Chapter 4

Summary:

Thing decides to wander.

Enid is fully in control of her actions.

Wednesday shoots down Xavier. Repeatedly.

Bianca might be a tad suicidal.

And Yoko makes a grave mistake.

Notes:

Another one for this one. I had fun writing it! On a sidenote: My friends threw some cash together and gifted me Diablo 4. And honestly? Against my expectations, I'm actually enjoying it. Definitely has nothing to do with Lilith. Not at all.

Enjoy the chapter!

~Thing~

He made his way through the tunnels more suited for rodents than wandering hands. After witnessing the gleam in Wednesday's eyes when looking at a blushing little sheep in wolfs clothing, he knew that there was a chance she'd eat her up like the predator she was, so he dodged that situation handily.

He knew those eyes. He'd seen them on Gomez when looking at Morticia. He didn't recognise the perilous situation he was in until it was too late the first time it happened. While he was always happy to add another scar to his mental state, he could have done without that one.

To avoid another one of the same kind, which would have been a blow to his pride, he left them alone in their amorous mood. While he knew that Wednesday had deeper reserves of self-control than Gomez, he didn't know if she even wanted to restrain herself.

He'd also feel a tad creepy in all the wrong ways if he would have stayed and spied on them. A self-respecting appendage knew when to respect privacy and when to gossip the hell out of a topic, thank you very much.

Instead, he chose to search out and spy on Wednesday's new friend. He saw her enter a room with breakfast foods some time ago. She left some time later with coffee added to the tray and a rather satisfied mien. While it was hard to truly read the heiress as she had truly mastered the art of hiding her emotions, he knew her quite well.

Noticing her nearly nonexistent tells was second nature to him by now. And it was that that made him curious as to who lived in there. He sneaked through one of the openings into the room and directly found himself facing a dangerous looking vine sporting exceptionally sharp thorns and a menacing aura. He tapped his greetings as he should.

'Mysterious guardian, I've come to bargain.'

His humour wasn't appreciated as he had to dodge an assault of the surprisingly agile plant. It tried to lash him. They hadn't even gone on their first date yet and it already tried for SM stuff. Kinky.

The lashes came with increasing speed and intensity after he communicated those thoughts. That meant it could understand him. Or it got tired of his constant dodges and decided to up the game. Either was possible.

He intentionally telegraphed a leap to the right and dashed through the opening on the left, landing in the room of a young girl fascinated by plants and poisons. Said girl was looking at him with a surprised face.

'Hello, I'm searching for the toilet and I seem to have come to the wrong room.'

Her brows furrowed.

"How would you even use it? Do you even have the organs for that? Wait, don't tell! I don't want to have that image in my head..."

She groaned and slammed her forehead into the table she was sitting by.

"Too late... Curse you, my overactive imagination!"

Well, that was an encounter of the strange kind. And if a severed appendage with several centuries on it's backhand said that, it had meaning. She was intriguing, though. The plant was clearly elevated into a nearly sentient level by her. That alone coined her as rather powerful.

And judging by the number of 'harmless' plants in the room, this was kind of her domain and he had stumbled straight into it. He should have expected someone who could wake a measure of satisfaction within the little heiress to be special. His Devil may care attitude would get him killed sooner or later. He anticipated the day, but it wouldn't be this one.

'I'm Wednesday's... Servant, you could say, and her caretaker. She easily looses track of everything when she's in the proper obsessive mood, you see. So she needs someone to remind her of the basic necessities she needs to survive.'

Her face made a rapid transition. From close to despair to nearly exploding from joy and excitement. There were some things wrong with this girl. She'd fit into the family if he was honest.

"You know Wednesday?! She spoke to me today! Like, actually approached ME! For coffee, mind you, but I feel like we clicked. She's so cool, you know? All serious and badass with sarcastic one-liners and a dry humour that bites you like a bulldog. I wanted to show her my plant seed collection but before I could offer, she already wanted to see syrups instead so I showed her those. She took some for Enid."

She paused for a moment to get some air into her lungs. Who'd have thought that the mere mention of the grumpy one's name was enough to pull out such a... strong reaction? This was prime teasing material! Their little heiress had her very own rabid fan!

"I so hope she likes them. Wednesday and Enid, by the way? Totally into each other. Seems like Wednesday just realised, though. I hope they get together. I ship them!"

Well, that was a surprise. With how she reacted, he thought she might be romantically interested which would have been a bit awkward. Instead he found a fellow Wenclair shipper. He coined that ship himself and he was proud of that.

The girl was someone to gossip with. He had to induct her into the club. There were quite a few members by now and the following was growing. They met once a week with updates on their oblivious asses. Both of them had a density that approached critical mass.

And with how much they gravitated around each other, it was a wonder that they hadn't collided violently already. At least they finally realised. He turned to the girl.

'It's always a pleasure to meet a fellow Wenclair enthusiast. We meet once every Saturday to discuss the state of things, gossip and do our nails. If you want to join in, let me know! We'd love to have you. What's your name by the way?'

Her face took on a quality of wonder as she muttered something about this nearly being as if she had friends. Poor kid. She looked chagrined at his question though.

"How rude of me to not introduce myself. My name is Pamela Lillian Isley but friends would be allowed to call me Pam if I had some!"

The way she said that with a smile that expressed not a hint of negativity impressed him a bit. It took a special kind of mental state to stay unaffected by those words from one's own mouth.

'It's been a true horror to meet you, Pam. I haven't introduced myself either so you didn't do anything wrong. I go by the name Thing. Though I also listen to 'The Creepy Crawler' and 'I told you not to store your severed body parts in our fridge you creepy fuck!'.'

He'd use a true story to judge her mentality, though he already suspected her nature. Fellow lunatics had a way of recognising each other. It was an instinctive thing.

'The latter was given to me by Melanie. One half of a nice serial killer couple I've stayed with for some weeks. They single-handedly reduced the number of known pedophiles in their state to single digits! Made quite a bit of money by streaming their creative deaths on the dark net and accepting donations without being pushy about it. They are retired by now but they still send a pinky from time to time when one of those irredeemable creatures has the misfortune to run into them.'

He trailed off, caught up in fond memories but he still kept part of his attention on her. And she reacted as he expected.

She nodded along, eyes widening at the latter story but the glint of insanity that appeared in her eyes in lieu with the sharp grin her lips pulled into at the reveal of their targets confirmed his thoughts about the girl.

'Yep. She'll fit like a carving knife between two ribs. I won't interfere, though. She's already started to connect with the family through Wednesday.'

He was happy that she was starting to build herself a proper social circle. In recent years, he had come to worry about her increasingly isolative behaviour. In the end, it took only a single girl who could turn into a massive beast of murder and mayhem to pull her out of her shell. Honestly? He should have expected that outcome.

~Enid~

'I'm only going over to thank her for the coffee. I am not jealous and I will not act irrationally. My instincts do not define me. My mind is in control.'

She repeated that mantra several times in her head as she traveled through the corridors to Pam's room. She wasn't even certain if Pam was interested in the fairer sex like that. The thought that she might be straight startled her.

'But would it even make a difference? Wednesday is utterly perfect. No one can resist her charm. Sexuality doesn't matter.'

The thought of sexuality made her stop for a moment as a blush threatened to rise when her thoughts inevitably wandered back to her electrifying encounter earlier this day. She could feel the heat rise within her and only a supreme effort of will kept her hormones at bay.

Who'd have thunk that the girl who was thought to be asexual by a majority of the school was such a tantalizing seductress. She shuddered as her mind took her for a ride of what might have been had she not fled the room. She took a shuddering breath and fought herself back under control. It was too early, she felt. So she took the out that was offered. But it was the hardest fucking decision she had made in her entire life. She was simply that irresistible. Which brought back the thoughts from before the stint into the gutter.

She furrowed her brows, having difficulty to imagine someone not falling for her goth. Pondering on that topic filled her with trepidation but she transformed it into determination. Wednesday, for some unfathomable reason, chose her. She made it abundantly clear that she wouldn't be able to escape once she reciprocated her feelings.

And that was a lost cause already. After all, she fell on the day of their meeting. She didn't immediately recognise it and she nearly blew every chance she had by desperately pursuing a relationship with Ajax to distract herself from the confusing new sensations in regards to Wednesday.

Now she understood that she had a major case of Gay Panic mixed with denial. Back then she stumbled along not knowing what she should feel and why she felt more deeply in the rare tender seconds in between the two of them than in all the make-out sessions with Ajax combined.

She cringed at the thought of those. Breaking up with him wasn't actually a hard thing to do as even his oblivious mind somehow registered her attraction to Wednesday before she allowed herself to.

'So you are finally ready to be true to yourself? About time. One after another, my snakes are turning into Wenclair shippers and now it doesn't feel quite as much as a betrayal anymore.'

Turned out, he stayed with her during that confusing time to keep her off the market until she realised what she truly wanted. He was the one who dialed back their relationship's intensity, going for less telling activities. He sheltered her until she was ready and she was thankful to the max for having such a good friend.

Even if he had his head high in the clouds more often than not, Stoner indeed, he had surprising emotional maturity and depth. Her thoughts went full circle when they landed on the topic Pamela again. She didn't actually think there was any danger of their relationship to fail because of the girl. They felt too deeply for her to be truly insecure about something like this. But it still felt like she had to at least warn her off.

Steeling herself, she knocked on Pam's door. After receiving the permission to enter, she resolutely opened the door and planned to immediately get to the point, only to be severely confused at finding thing applying poisonous green gel nails on Pam, who watched on in wonder before turning to Enid and lighting up.

"Oh, Enid! Was the coffee good? Did you like the syrups? I've made them myself! Oh and by the way, that was totally a romantic gesture from Wednesday. You guys need to realise you are perfect for each other."

She nodded seriously while she could see Thing twitch from amusement in the corner of her eye. The little blighter was having fun. He obviously didn't tell her that they somehow already fell into a relationship undefined as it was at the moment. She ought to show the little guy that she did have claws, even if she preferred to be soft most of the time.

Turning her thoughts to Pam again, she sighed. Of course she was rooting for her. Of course all the fears and insecurities she held within were unfounded. Even her wolf's instincts were instantly silenced as soon as the girl turned to her and showed such a pure and joyous expression.

A wry smile appeared on her face as she settled beside them while pulling her knees up to her chin. Watching them interact, she was once again reminded of the fact that Thing's sociability was through the roof. As long as someone could understand morse code or sign language, he'd be able to make a friend out of them. Either that, or he irritated them enough to make them chase him. He was a bit of an adrenaline junky. Seemed to run in the family.

Pam's hobbies, that she learned of only because she was so unguarded with Thing, included things like cosplaying and creating her own makeup. She was a so called 'hobby chemist'. Though, if the way most of what she was talking about went far over her head was an indicator, her skill in the field was probably far above what one might call a hobby.

The girl was a prodigy and she truly enjoyed the field she excelled in. Which was something exceedingly rare in a world where one was often forced to fit conventions of people thinking they knew best. She couldn't help the soft smile that appeared on her face while watching her.

The socially awkward girl who had trouble starting a conversation transformed into a charismatic and eloquent genius when talking about her true interests. Even without the know-how to understand her completely, she was pulled along by the energy and the genuine happiness she exuded. If she was like this all the time? She'd have been scouted by a big company already, outcast or not.

She was a bit bummed out at how she had misjudged her dorm sister. There was so much depth to be discovered, so much potential to be unearthed. And she had given up after several fairly uncomfortable and awkward encounters. Was this the self-proclaimed queen of gossip who prided herself in being the most sociable person around? No. She knew better now. She'd have to step up her game. And what better way was there than to build up a genuine friendship with a person she had unconsciously dismissed?

With that thought in mind, she jumped into the conversation when the topic 'cosplay' made a reappearance. She adored fashion and that included fictional styles. It was a subject she could talk about for days on end. Perfect for a little bonding with the plant-controlling dorm sis.

~Wednesday~

"Look. Just one date. If it doesn't work out then that's it. But give me a chance at least. You owe me that much for accusing me wrongly and getting me thrown into jail."

She resisted the urge to frown as she stared the imbecile down. Did he not understand the english language? Would she have to learn to speak idiot to communicate with that brainless artist?

"Do you lack the braincells to comprehend my words? I. Have. No. Interest. In. You. In fact, I am already in a relationship. Even if I wasn't, my preference does not lie with your gender. And if it by some horrible coincidence did, you would not even be close to being considered as a partner. You are a whiny child with father issues that run deeper than Crackstone's knife did. You have yet to grow up and develop your personality past the 'tragic artist' façade and I find it insulting that you consider me to be a good match for you."

He flinched back, but she wasn't done yet. He had irritated her and now it was time to reap what he had sown. If she couldn't stab him physically, then she'd at least turn the verbal blade once more.

"In fact, given that I consider Bianca a somewhat worthy rival, I feel severe second hand embarrassment for her. She is worth more than an insecure, imbecilic persona such as you. Grow up and try to do it quickly. Otherwise you might just be thrown back to middle school. Your maturity level seems to be stuck around that age."

He took a shaking breath with closed eyes before looking at her with a strange determination in his eyes.

"This isn't over yet. I won't give up. It's not in my nature."

She looked at him with an incredulous light in her eyes. Did he truly have problems with the language? Could it be? Was he mentally challenged? She shook her head and let a bit of her derision bleed into her usually emotionless voice as she pierced him with a soul-searing glare. She had well and truly enough. And it was time she slammed that proverbial point through his thick skull.

"From what I've heard, that's not exactly true. Didn't you sacrifice a perfectly well developed relationship with a girl far above your station on the altar of your insecurities?"

He opened his mouth and closed it again before turning around and leaving. Finally. She allowed herself an inaudible sigh as she turned around, prepared to leave the vicinity. She didn't expect someone to stand behind her, though some meters away.

She felt a small measure of dread when she recognised her. The girl who went by the alias of Bianca Barclay. And she had an expression on her face that she had trouble to identify.

The screen blinked in pale pink and her attention was inadvertently pulled to it.

[Relationship-upgrade. Congratulations! Bianca Barclay considers you a close friend!]

... Turning back time wasn't within her capabilities. But maybe Grandmama had a ritual or artifact for that kind of drastic measure.

[Has heard the entirety of your conversation with Xavier Thorpe. Feels touched by your words and vindicated by you dressing him down. Feels a small part of the burden she was carrying to be shared and alleviated by you. Can see you are uncomfortable and is preparing to gloss it over and simply tell you she has seen and heard nothing.]

That was disgustingly considerate. And dangerously close to coddling her. Two things she abhorred in the worst kind of ways. She stopped avoiding and suppressing emotions completely because of a very special lupine creature. Recognising the cowardly nature of her actions in the past was a jarring experience and it made self-loathing an easy exercise. That was a pleasant surprise but she still wouldn't want to be associated with cravenness. It was beneath an Addams to run from anything, least of all themselves.

To be an Addams meant to be the truest version of yourself. There was no need to hide behind a mask of pleasantness. To show nothing but a distant approximation of your true personality to the world. Only by staying true to one's nature can one be truly free.

That was why, even though she despised the slight sympathy she felt for the siren, she wouldn't avoid her on basis of that. She'd face everything head-on. With crossed arms, she informed her.

"No need to pretend. Your expression gave you away. You've heard everything and if I hear even a whisper from you of what transpired here, I will gut you like the fish you are. We have several permanently starving beasts at home and I am sure some of them will find the taste of sirens to be an appetising one."

She paled a bit and gulped before regaining her calm exceptionally quickly. She even had the gall to give her a cheeky smirk. She was half a mind to make her threat true just for that. Her eyes were soft, though loaden with emotions yet unspoken. The smirk felt more like a habit than a genuine provocation. When she started to talk, it confirmed her worst fears. There was an emotional attachment. And, she realised with growing mortification that it was mutual.

"Well, if you won't let me pretend, then I feel obligated to say the following. Thank you. My confidence took a serious hit when he suddenly spouted that nonsense of not knowing if he had been controlled by me or not. It hurt, to be honest. Still does. But seeing what a snivelling brat he can be put things into perspective for me. And hearing those words from your mouth, unintentional as me listening in might have been? It means a lot to me. Even more, actually, since I can be sure it was honest."

With each word, the urge to let a scowl take over her face got stronger. Until she couldn't hold it in anymore. With glinting eyes, she brushed past the surprised Siren. Some meters ahead, she stopped.

"Get your gear and keep the next two hours free. We will spar and I will show you exactly why it is considered suicidal to attach yourself to an Addams."

She could feel the eye-roll. But she ignored it since she knew that those very same eyes held a competitive spark. Since that first loss, she had won more bouts than she lost overall. They were mostly evenly matched in this discipline but she had an edge since her mind was trained to be analytical. And once she got her head into it and treated the combat situation as such, she very rarely allowed for openings to happen.

This developed into a splendid rivalry and now they ruined it by furthering their relationship into the territory of... Friendship. She valued their prior relationship more than she would admit to her adversary and she had to be sure that nothing had changed in that regard.

~Bianca~

'Mentioning the bet to rile her up might have been a tad suicidal.' She acknowledged to herself as she dodged another lunge by a hair's breadth. The impressive thing was that she still managed to defend any and all counters perfectly.

The way she controlled her rage to work for her needed inordinate amounts of discipline. In her mind, she likened it to her constantly balancing on a thin blade's edge without falling. Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt when she felt hot pain lance through her, alerting her to a wound on her cheek. With the match ending in Wednesday's favour, she took in the smugness radiating from the minuscule goth.

Squinting her eyes suspiciously, she couldn't quite see the reason for the sudden change in her attitude. That was until she registered just where she was cut. Her eyes widened in surprise and the smugness intensified, confirming her guess.

"You really held that grudge from all the way back then?"

She asked her incredulously. Because seriously. Who would hold a grudge over a minor wound that long? Even if her pride suffered a blow that day, she repaid it with interest by trouncing her in several follow-up bouts in a row. She lost all her matches for three weeks before she managed to eke out another win.

Since then she still lost more than she won but it was slowly evening out as they learned each others' patterns. Until Wednesday went batshit and paid her back for something that wasn't even on her mind anymore.

"I tried to set you up perfectly oh so often. But your position was never quite right. Today, however, I managed to maneuver you flawlessly. You danced to my tune without knowing and I finally got my revenge."

The way her eyes glowed with satisfaction was... eerie to say the least. Well, she already knew the girl didn't have all her marbles where they belonged. This wasn't the craziest she has done. Not by a long shot. Not even in this week. The day before she punctured the hand of a guy who bad-mouthed the scars on Enid's face, for example. With a feather. It went right through. She did it moments before she could slam his head onto the table, mind you, but it was a crazy act so it counted.

She found she didn't mind the crazy. She knew she flirted a bit with insanity too from time to time. It came naturally to her from having a childhood full of people using her for their own gain. From being forced to use her heritage, which should have been a gift, to take the free will of people too weak to fight back.

Honestly, being born as a siren, and one with a rather strong inclination for The Song, felt like a curse instead. Surfacing from her sudden depressive thoughts, she looked into the contemplative eyes of her sparring partner. Those orbs held an understanding that seemed to go further than it should.

They also held no pity or any other weak emotion like that. Instead, they seemed to encourage. To kindle a flame within her. Was she always charismatic enough to lift others up with merely a glance? As the heiress to one of the bigger and more dangerous Families within the supernatural communities, it wasn't really a surprise she supposed.

"Watching your mood fluctuate like this is fascinating. Did you know that rapid changes in disposition are often a precursor for mental illness?"

She looked contemplative for a moment before continuing.

"You might also be suffering from a hormonal disbalance. Did your period start today? Or is it the opposite end of the spectrum? Are you perhaps pregnant? If so, I sure hope the father isn't Xavier. I'd be disappointed if you stooped so low."

She couldn't help the flush that overcame her in embarrassment at hearing her talk about those topics with clinical interest. Did she have to say it like that? Of course she noticed the dark and hidden amusement in her eyes. So she decided to shoot back.

"The way you behave day after day makes me think you have extensive experience. Does that famous Familial Curse make you bleed every day?"

She blinked before tilting her head slightly. She should really have expected the answer she received. But then again, no one was ever ready for the macabre as it was dealt by an Addams.

"I do endeavour to bleed on a daily basis. Though not from the opening you are implying. I much more enjoy to make others bleed, however."

Her eyes had sharpened with the last sentence. It almost felt as if she could cut her with just an intense glare. She didn't flinch but it was a close thing. She knew the ravenette was a dangerous lunatic but moments such as this one did well to refresh her memory, should she ever forget.

It didn't change her opinion on her in the slightest. If anything, she was glad to know her to be dangerous. That way she could at least defend herself, should those of Morningsong come after her. And wasn't that a depressing thought.

She had bought herself some time by stating she'd be more useful with a full education from one of the only institutions with extensive knowledge on outcasts. In a rare moment of motherly compassion, she was backed up in that statement by her birthgiver. Calling her mother seemed like too much of an honour for the woman.

She had a hard time to stave off the morose mood that always lurked just beneath her bravado in recent times, she noticed. And in front of the human equivalent of a shark too. She was sure that Wednesday could smell emotional instability like those marine predators did with blood. She probably could do that too, now that she thought about it. The first part was proven true with her next statement.

"If you can't keep your turmoil within, vent it. I usually do so with bloodshed."

A short pause before she continued and she'd have done a splendid spit-take, had she had a beverage on her person.

"Recently, teasing Enid seems to be quite a relaxing deed too, though I haven't followed up on that urge quite as long and lack data in that regard."

Thing wasn't having them on?! They actually got together? Well, good for them. It was rare to find someone who synergised this well with one's true self. Wednesday might have been more compassionate than she let on but she definitely is that murderous yandere type that was so famous in certain communities. And outgoing as Enid was, the sub in her was quite pronounced and easy to see if someone knew what to look for.

Sexual compatibility aside, their opposing personalities meshed surprisingly well too. They filled in for each others' shortcomings, covering a lot more bases than they did individually. A warm smile spread on her face as she congratulated her.

"I'm glad you two finally got your shit together. You are perfect for each other and you two seemed to be the only ones to not notice."

She watched in awe as an adorable little blush spread on the sallow cheeks of her rival/friend. She enjoyed the rare moment before she said something that she should have really thought of twice before uttering.

"If you'd taken any longer, I might have snatched her up myself, you know?"

The mischievous smirk left her face quickly as she was suddenly on the ground. Her perception couldn't keep up with the movements of the lithe goth. She was bodied faster than she could even notice. And what filled her vision now were eyes filled with such an amount of possessiveness that it took her breath away, a vicious snarl on usually neutral lips, and the glint of a knife on her throat.

Strangely, she didn't feel as if she was in danger. 'Maybe I really am a case for the loony bin too?' She thought idly as she took in Wednesday's words.

"She. Is. mine."

It was an experience to hear that voice filled with so much raw emotion that it had a guttural quality to it.

"All yours. She wouldn't want anyone else anyways. Now, if you don't want me to be all hot and bothered when returning to the dorms, could you get off? Don't know if you even register it but if someone as hot as you straddles a person, it usually leads to... natural reactions. Even if you hold a knife to their throat."

It was amusing to see her jump off like a cat and watch her warily. Adorable really. As she got to her feet with a smirk on her lips, she recognised the danger she was in a moment ago but it left her surprisingly unbothered. She was playing with fire, wasn't she? No, more like an inferno. But it was fun and it took her thoughts off more depressing topics.

She should really stop provoking a beast that was clearly only held back by a spark of skewed morality. But on the other hand, Enid existed. And she'd be somewhat sad if she suddenly died. Wednesday wouldn't want her sad so she'd keep it to some light mutilation. And that was a price she was willing to pay to get under her skin.

~Yoko~

Sniffing out her bestie was an easy exercise for her. She had the practice from all the times she had to track her catatonic ass down when she had another encounter with her oh so caring family. This time she had to confront her on another topic, though.

It was betrayal. Backstabbing. Treachery! A complete breach of their friendship charter! She had to find her and give her a piece of her mind! This was simply unacceptable!

She hurried through the corridors at supernatural speeds while tracking her scent and briefly wondered why it led to a room with more poison in it than Wednesday's suitcase but put it out of her mind in favour of preparing herself for the encounter. Throwing the door open, she immediately called out her grievances.

"Could you not have waited two days to let her seduce you with knives and coffins?!"

Two pairs of eyes looked at her with visible confusion. Enid even managed an eloquent answer.

"Wha...?"

What increased her ire was the appendage sitting on the table while radiating smugness. Her hand rose shakily as she pointed at her nemesis.

"You...! You cost me half the money I saved up for my Raven outfit! I will have my revenge!"

When he signed 'Come at me, sucker.' she nearly lost it. In fact, she would have probably gotten violent if her attention wasn't pulled to an irate Enid who demanded an explanation.

"What the heck are you on about, Yoko?!"

Belatedly, it dawned on her that she'd have to explain the bet to Enid. She should really start to think her spontaneous outbursts through.

"Well... You see..."

She tried to skirt around the topic but stern eyes pinned her and her tone brooked no argument.

"Yoko. Out with it. Now."

So she told her of the bet. She detailed how Thing had approached them all and took care of all the communications. As she outlined everything, she had to admit that the growing dread on Enid's face was quite funny. She kept those thoughts to herself as she really didn't want to test if she could come out on top against her in a fight. She had an inkling that the answer was no.

"Who... Who else was in?"

She sounded as if something within her had broken. If she hadn't lost 250 bucks, she might have been more sympathetic for her plight. As it was, she enjoyed her suffering.

"Well... There is me of course. Thing too. And Bianca. As my divine girlfriend, Divina can't be left out either."

Enid breathed a careful sigh of relief that made her smile secretly as she had simply paused to lull her into a false sense of security.

"Oh, that doesn't sound too bad..."

The smile threatened to escape her hold so she hurried to continue.

"Well, there were some more. Pugsley for example."

She blanched with wide eyes and whispered about her inability to ever meet Wednesday's brother ever again. Oh, she loved to build this up to the maximum benefit for her mental health.

"In addition to her parents."

The way she stiffened and turned to her mechanically with bloodshot eyes was in her top ten scary moments of the week but her joy at inflicting mental harm outweighed any apprehensions she had. She decided to finish her off.

"And Weems."

For a moment, she really thought she'd faint. Or have a mental breakdown. But instead, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath before her lips spread into a savage grin. That didn't bode well at all. The suppressed apprehensions rose to the surface when she opened her eyes and there was genuine ill intent within them.

"I'd run. Would probably be best to leave the country at least. Though it would only postpone the inevitable."

What was she talking about? Wait...

 

"I see you realised your folly. She'll find out if she hasn't already. And you know what? I'm not feeling charitable right now. I won't stop her this time. No one will stand in between her and her revenge. Please run. It will make it so much more entertaining to watch."

Genuine fear crashed upon her. She didn't mean that. Did she?... Her eyes said she did. She glanced at the main perpetrator of the entire thing, pun intended, and found him shivering in dread. That wasn't a good sign at all. What should she do? Plead with Enid? She kinda blew that chance with her vindictive actions. Plead with Wednesday? Yeah, right.

Flee the country? Live in small rural villages with Divina? Maybe buy some cows and build up a farm? Flee from town to town while looking over her shoulder every few seconds because of justified paranoia?

She realised that there wasn't a solution that wouldn't make her and Divina miserable. She was well and truly fucked. 'Oh look, the consequences of my actions! Nice to meet you here.'

If she survived this shit show somewhat intact, she... probably won't learn from her mistakes. She was just built different. Whoever said that different meant better?

Chapter 5

Summary:

Enid is quite agitated.

Wednesday alleviates some of that and is agitated in turn.

Thing sees the errors of his ways.

Gomez's emotions are as unstable as ever.

And Clarissa has to deal with side-effects of her poisoning.

Notes:

Next one! There is some drama here. Keep in mind that teenagers thrive on drama and they are fucking stupid. Hormones do that to you. They are relentless.

Anyways, enjoy!

~Enid~

She sighed for probably the 20th time as she continued her track back to her room. Her love life wasn't supposed to be the entertainment of others. It didn't feel good to have them laugh behind their backs about just how oblivious they were. She wasn't angry. Not really. But it was frustrating.

Yoko should have known better. She knew her background and she also knew that she acknowledged those feelings. She just didn't think a goddess such as Wednesday would ever want to have someone like her permanently in her life. She had made her peace with the fact that she'd die a spinster without a partner.

Nothing in regards to her eventual love life would have been able to reach even a fraction of her feelings for the little goth goddess. So she decided to devote herself to her instead. To live the life of a priestess and worship her every action. And then the unthinkable happened. Not only were her feelings reciprocated, but the intensity that was Wednesday's desire made her feel special in a way she never knew she needed.

All of that. The best thing ever happening in her life. It just had to be soured by the fact that those she thought to be friends found it necessary to make their relationship a source of entertainment. She was... disappointed. She had expected better from them. Especially Thing.

She thought him to be her confidante in a permanently shifting world. She trusted him with details of her life that she rarely ever told a person. He knew things that she hadn't even worked up the courage to tell Wednesday. And then he went around her back and organised something like this.

As she entered the room, blind in her frustration, she missed that she wasn't alone. Suddenly, she was pressed against the door she had just closed. Her breath hitched as she took in the familiar scent of ink, paper, burnt wood, graveyard soil and a hint of cyanide. It was the most intoxicating aroma she had ever smelled for the simple fact that it was uniquely hers.

"What has you so down, my love? Do I need to end someone? It has been a while since my last murderous rampage and I would gladly dedicate my next one to your name."

She struggled to find a coherent thought with the heady smell ghosting over her as Wednesday shuffled even closer. She could see her eyes glancing up, lightly hooded and glinting with a unique combination of affection and malice. And something more, hidden just behind the surface. She knew it wasn't just an empty promise. There were more weapons in their dorm room than she'd seen in all the years before combined. And some of them looked well used.

She did the first thing that shot through her mind and it was quite the surprise for the ravenette. She embraced her. She stiffened lightly before relaxing into her hold. It took her only a second and Enid was gratified to be so trusted by her.

"Don't need you out there killing idiots. Need you here to hold me."

The words slipped over her lips and they had a petulant quality to them. She felt somewhat betrayed by some of her closest friends. She needed a dose of Wednesday to cope with it. That was all there was to it. Wednesday seemed to sense that as she led them to her bed. It still stood out like a black hole in the middle of a rainbow. But she learned to appreciate the colour free spot. It was relaxing to just stare at the darkness sometimes. Especially since it reminded her of the most important person in her life.

Now though, she fell on top of it with a huffed out laugh as Wednesday maneuvered her pliant form to do so. As she was laying there on her back, with her girlfriend half on top of her, she felt no carnal desires like lust or anything like it. She felt safe instead. She shuffled them both completely on top of the bed and kicked off her shoes before pulling the surprisingly cuddly recluse closer to herself. Her sheets were marvelously comfortable and she didn't dare ask for the thread count. Idle thoughts left her as she made herself at home, relaxing into the firm mattress.

A soft sigh, almost imperceptible, left her lips when she felt deceptively thin arms surround her tentatively. She knew the girl was capable of supernatural strength. Not quite as extreme as a vamp or a werewolf but she was powerful in her own right. And yet, those arms held her delicately, as if she was a treasure to be protected. They squeezed her lightly, giving her something to anchor herself to in an ever-changing world.

She breathed deeply as she pressed her nose into her hair, taking in all those little scents that documented her day. Her brows lightly furrowed when she smelled the tiniest hint of Xavier. She'd ask for that story later. Bianca had a lion's share of her time this day it seemed. She knew they cared for each other in a weird way. A smile appeared unbidden on her lips as she felt herself relax. She pushed through the haze of comfort to thank her smol cuddle pillow.

"This is nice. Thank you. If you are uncomfortable in any way, please tell me. I don't want to push you to do something you are not ready for."

Wednesday propped her chin up on her sternum and regarded her with that very same intensity that made her shudder, though it seemed somewhat subdued. A long moment passed between them as they simply took each other in. Then she proceeded to reassure her.

"I don't find this arrangement to be uncomfortable. As I told you, your touch is not just tolerated. I crave physical contact with you and I will spirit you away and steal some minutes whenever I feel it to be necessary. I will never reject you when you offer. You are too precious for that. Do not fret over things I have already explained to you."

She huffed and shuffled up her body, looking somewhat frustrated with her shorter frame, and pressed her lips to her jaw. It wasn't a gesture born of lust. It felt affectionate and the way she nestled her head beneath her chin afterwards made her heart soar. This felt domestic. She never thought she'd see the day when Wednesday Addams did domestic.

If someone had told her a week ago that she'd be cuddling with Wednesday Addams on her bed, she'd have laughed into their face incredulously before explaining all the reasons why that wouldn't happen. Ever. Well, she was glad she was proven wrong.

Enjoying the intimacy, she closed her eyes for just a moment. She just needed some time to relax. Some minutes of complete silence with the only sounds being their breath and their slowly synchronising heartbeats. She just needed a moment to...

Her thoughts drifted in comfort as she sank into the depths of her dreams, hoping to find just as much solace there as she did in the waking world.

~Wednesday~

[Enid:
Is confused and hurt by the people she trusts. Doesn't understand why her being careful to not ruin the slowly building friendship with you sparked what she feels to be an intrusion into her private life.

Has found peace in your arms as even just a touch from you can calm her thoughts and stave off anxiety. Is determined to confront those who think your relationship to be fair game for bets. Is slightly terrified that Pugsley and your parents are part of the circle.]

She didn't want to read Enid's screen without permission. It felt like a breach of her trust. And she remembered intimately how that could end. The miserable days she spent in horribly confused depression because she couldn't comprehendwhy she cared so much about that colourful abomination named Enid. The stubborn refusal to admit that her feelings for the then untransformed Lycan ran deeper than anything she felt before. The cowardly denial she subjected herself to.

She didn't want to read the screen. But it blinked in a deep red, usually reserved for blood. She panicked and glanced subconsciously, opening it in the process. And then, everything was clear.

It had been years since she felt even a fraction of the fury she felt boiling within. And the target was part of her family of all things. Yoko was an idiot. She probably had not thought about any consequences, same with Divina who most likely followed the imbecile's lead. She'd have words with Bianca. Blades too, most likely. But if she understood her mindset correctly, she probably did this to wake her ire. Not to hurt Enid. She managed both, which made the former all the more intense.

Oh, they'd all be punished. But their punishment would pale in comparison to what she'd do to Thing and Pugsley. They knew exactly what they were doing. Her parents weren't exactly up to date with social norms, not that she could claim to be if she were honest, and they had a skewed world view on privacy. She'd have to explain carefully what they did wrong. Once they understood that they hurt her without her consent, they'd apologize genuinely.

She held a deep respect for the things they accomplished and for the people they were. But that did not exclude them from her ire. Their circumstances were more excusable, however. For their judgment, Enid's opinion would be needed. The others would learn to fear her.

Starting with Thing. To stave off his boredom, he compromised the invaluable bond with the most compassionate creature she knew. It took a serious breach of trust to make her this upset. He miscalculated just how much she valued her privacy in the few matters she kept mostly to herself. He'd pay with blood. Even more so since he can't pay with tears. And Pugsley? He'd get a very special gift. One to remember. One named Alejandro.

It was an exercise for her well-tested self-control to contain the bottomless rage deep within. To let it churn and ripen. She didn't want to burden Enid further on this day, so she drew comfort from their contact, letting her rage simmer down. It wasn't gone. It would be unleashed once those deserving of it stood before her.

As she used her creativity to develop more and more plans of vengeance, her eyelids drooped. She blinked slowly as the sudden lethargy took hold. The warmth given off by a lycan's body was nothing to scoff at. She felt it invade her unusually cold body and found it to be relaxing and torturous in equal measure, allowing for a uniquely relaxed state.

Enid seemed to sense her moment of weakness even while asleep and pulled her closer still. The strength with which she held her would have made a normal human scream but Wednesday truly enjoyed the tight hold. It was the last nail in the coffin as she felt herself drift off into most marvelous nightmares, hopefully filled with blood and screams.

~Thing~

When he saw just how upset Enid was over the bet, he could admit to himself that he fucked up. He held her to the Addams standard before she even truly knew what it meant to be an Addams. He knew now that he put their relationship into jeopardy with his thoughtless move. Exposing the true nature of her feelings to the few who suspected there to be more than friendship between the little heiress and Enid was thoughtless and frankly more idiotic than he thought himself to be.

Well, he proved himself wrong. Which wasn't a good thing at all. He had to make it up to her. He had to prove that he was on her side. Because he truly was. His lapse in judgement aside, he cared deeply for the girl and nothing could make him happier than those two finding their woe together.

That turned his thoughts to an actively ignored topic. Wednesday. He shuddered at what he would experience at her hand. He didn't have any illusions about her attitude to the entire affair. While she herself didn't care much as proven by her lack of retaliation when he taunted her with the money he had won, Enid's distress would trigger her protectiveness somewhat fierce. Already did, in fact.

If she wasn't being cuddled like a dark moody teddy bear by Enid when he entered the room earlier to deposit the note he had written for them, a sight entirely too endearing by the way, she'd have already hunted him down to skin him as a first step to his punishment. And she'd have probably thrown him into a bathtub filled with salt afterwards.

He was debating with himself if he should warn the others or not, but found it to be unnecessary. He would have the lion's share in punishment anyways. And they should really suffer a bit for falling to his honeyed words. Yoko, once she finally understood what they had done, would be heartbroken.

She was truly agitated at Enid's inferiority complex and wanted to use the bet to spur her into action while having some fun on the way. She just didn't expect Wednesday to make a move first. This led her into a truly horrible position.

It would be hard for her to explain herself. Especially while fending off the stake that Wednesday would want to skewer her heart with. Divina was somewhat safe. The girl was a friend of Enid's but she wasn't as close to her as Yoko. She didn't understand how deep her trust issues went.

Enid wanted to trust people and she took a leap of faith far more often than most would with her past, but once you squandered that trust, it would be truly a monumental task to earn it back. He was determined to perform such a task. He would need to pull off a truly grand gesture to earn it back.

But he was an Addams. He was too stubborn to die even when severed from the rest of his body. He proved the impossible to be possible by reaching an age thought impossible for most. He would win back the trust of Wednesday's lifelong partner who just so happened to be one of the best friends one could have.

He felt terrible in the worst kind of ways for putting her through that ordeal at a time that should be filled with joy and contentment. They finally found together and instead of being able to enjoy their budding relationship, he put unnecessary stress on it. Was this the way a friend behaved? Truly it wasn't and he learned from his mistakes. There would be no further failure.

He would become an impeccable confidante for the Lycan. He would prove himself worthy of her trust. He would... Hope to survive whatever punishment Wednesday was planning for him because if he died, it would be that much harder to prove himself. He'd probably manage to return as a Poltergeist but that would take an inordinate amount of time and effort and he'd rather not go through that process.

With that in mind, he saluted the door to her dorm. His home for the past half year. He experienced many an ordeal while serving Wednesday during those times as his new stylish stitches could attest to. But it was time to move on temporarily. He wouldn't be able to plan his epic comeback without leaving.

He'd accept whatever punishment Wednesday would decide on at a later date. Letting her resentment stew would make it all the more intense. A small, quickly silenced part of him anticipated what she'd come up with. It was supposed to be a punishment, not a reward, he scolded himself as he turned around with his little Enid-made hat on top and the tiny suitcase hanging from his thumb. He'd return. But now it was time to leave.

~Gomez~

He was confused. It happened regularly and it wasn't anything to worry about as his Tish cleared up most of it. This time, she didn't know what was going on either and that was a tad more concerning. They looked at the crystal ball that told them that Wednesday was calling. It was a rare thing to happen usually.

Their little Deathtrap wanted to show that she could take care of herself and went into most adventures without their knowledge. Oh, how proud he was of her for ignoring all authorities, including themselves, and doing what she felt to be right. He missed her scorning glare and the derision that hid in the corner of her mouth as much as the next father, and yet, he couldn't help but wonder what brought on a call this early into the year.

Decisively, he connected the ball to it's counterpart after sitting down together with his queen of darkness and put on a smile of honest glee at being allowed to witness the rotten fruit of their unholy union.

The smile waned when he recognised her to be furious. No, that wasn't enough intensity for the glare he was receiving. She was genuinely upset about something. That wouldn't do. No one was allowed to wake unbidden negative emotions within their daughter. All of them should be consensual.

"What can we do for you, my dear little reaper? It is rather early for you to call but..."

Wednesday interrupted her mother without care for her words. The fire in her eyes were searching for a target and once it was found, they'd be burned rather severely. The intensity of it all made him shudder. Not in fear but anticipation. Whoever made her this irate would suffer by her own hand and he would enjoy listening to that particular tale.

"I find myself in a state of unnecessary agitation in a time I'd rather experience the opposite. Recently, I learned of a bet. A bet you two took part in."

She paused and he thought confusedly. Did they enter a bet with someone? Oh! Could it be that one?

"Oh, my little well of darkness, it was agreed that you should never learn of that bet. Thing approached us only days after you two found yourself in Nevermore the first time and the old chap was talking about how he was certain that the Curse skipped a generation."

Her eyes widened minutely at the mention of the Curse. He filed the information away for the moment. It seemed he was part of the reason for her mood and he wanted to explain his thought process to clear up possible misconceptions. As much as he would enjoy her wholeheartedly coming after them, it would bring her emotional distress on a level that wouldn't be healthy even for an Addams.

"He claimed to know you better than even we did and my parental pride wouldn't let this sit so we bet that you would find your one true love within the halls of Nevermore. After all, it is where I found and fell for your mother. The most terrible gift anyone could have ever given me."

His eyes had searched out those of the shadow looming over his life. They found the same passion that he felt mirrored back and his hand caressed her cheek nearly without input.

"Cara Mia..."

Her answer came promptly with just as much affection and a hint of mischief within her eyes.

"mon cher bourreau..."

He breathed in reverence of the corrupted divinity in front of him. How could he possibly deserve to be in her menacing presence? He would have to prove himself worthy yet again, and soon. Only a single sentence could make it past his lips, akin to a ritual.

"Tish, that was french..."

She smiled enigmatically at him as she shifted closer minutely. They were ready to lose themselves in each others' passion, her arm already posed to accept his hot breath that would preempt any and all kisses he would place on top of it. That was, until they heard their daughter sigh. His eyes widened. That wasn't even close to the bottomless amount of disgust she usually showed at their unending devotion to each other.

His head snapped back to the crystal ball quickly enough to give himself a most terrific case of whiplash even as a smile appeared on his excited features. A laugh pressed up his throat and it was soon too much to be contained. The deep bellow that left his mouth echoed through the sitting hall as he registered what was the only possibility to explain the call and her lack of towering repugnance at their display.

He could see it in her eyes, a resigned light taking hold. She had found her One. And the reason for her anger was that something or someone made her chosen partner upset. The bet was brought up so it was safe to say that it had a major role within this particular situation. He grabbed his head and turned it slightly sideways. With a delightfully sickening crack, he turned it straight again and turned to his daughter with a refreshed smile on his face.

She rolled her eyes at him. She hadn't done that in years! His black heart could only take so much! A deep breath later, he regained a semblance of control with the help of his Rosa oscura. Enough to continue the conversation at least.

"Mi pequeña sombra! Tell me all about them. I need to know everything. How else am I going to care for them as if they were mine after the duel?"

Her mask of neutrality broke slightly when her eyes softened and the corners of her mouth shifted just slightly. The amount of care he saw shining through her usually stoic visage was staggering for anyone who knew her. Most of all for them. Her parents. He could see the same astonishment that unfolded within him mirrored in his sombra eterna's eyes.

They knew she cared for them. She showed it in unique ways but she always made sure they felt appreciated. From time to time, she even sent them souvenirs like the severed claw of a wendigo or half an earlobe of a hag she hunted down herself.

But never before did she so obviously show that she held someone in high esteem. The closest to such a reaction was Fester and that was only because he left her alone in a snake pit at age five. She befriended them and was a right terror to the neighbors for some months. Even Pugsley developed a splendid case of ophidiophobia. They were so proud of her.

After Nero, they thought they'd never see her soft spot ever again but her it was. Reappeared under the star of love. Twisted and dangerous as it may be for any Addams, it was still the one positive emotion that was able to rule their entire lives. Her answer left him slightly reeling if he was completely honest with himself.

"You already met her. Twice. My roommate, Enid Sinclair, has managed to do the impossible. She captured my elusive dead heart and forced it to beat to her very own tune. She cruelly holds it between her claws and I fear it is forever lost as I have no desire to take it back from her."

He thought back and remembered a minor stroke after taking in more colours at once than should have fit on the entire spectrum. He was unsure he had the right person in mind so he asked, just to ascertain himself.

"The 'colourful abomination that exists to intensify your headache into previously unknown heights'?"

She nodded while clearly thinking of her. The look in her eyes, glazed over with a fondness that transcended an Addams' apprehension for the emotion, was reminiscent of the first time he lost himself in Morticia's features. He was slightly surprised at her choice but he would never try to influence it. He would welcome her into the fold and then he would duel her at sundown as was proper for any father. It would only be a bout until first blood was drawn but it would allow him to test her mettle.

"My daughter. You know you are the black spot of our lives. We enjoy your torment and we are proud of who you are. But don't keep us in suspense! How far along are you with your courtship? We would love to meet her officially."

He was blessed with the sight of his daughter blushing, if only slightly. For her, a reaction this pronounced was simply unheard of. She used her Addams physiology to actively lower her core body temperature by several degrees. This made her sporting a blush extremely rare.

If his grin widened even further, it would probably split his face entirely and permanently. Already, he could feel the comfortingly painful stretch of his skin.

When she finally answered, it was with a measured pace and her usual self confidence. It was always a sight to see how quickly she could manage to get herself back under control. He was not gifted in that regard. It was hard for him to contain his emotions as he felt as if he'd be bursting at his seams, should he try to restrain them.

"I... did things in the wrong order. As such, she is aware of my interest and reciprocates it just as severely. As for her... visual impact, I find myself enjoying the severe burn on my retina every time my eyes fall on her form more and more. It is an acquired taste but quite addictive once the initial aversion is dealt with."

'Most don't believe it but her 'allergy' to intense colours is quite a real thing. She suffers from sensory overload. Her senses of sight and touch are more acute than most supernatural creatures and that is the trade-off.'

It was also why she enjoyed tight holds more than softer caresses as it gave her something to anchor herself to instead of losing herself in the sensation. Losing control over herself was one of her greatest fears, as much as she wanted to deny the existence of any of those.

His thoughts petered off as he took in the question his daughter had for him. It was always an honour when she decided to accept help from her family. She was independent from a very young age and denied them several developmental stages of doting on and cherishing her wholeheartedly, caused by the trauma of losing a loved pet early in her childhood.

He couldn't blame her but that didn't mean he wasn't regretful of the lost time. Rarer still than accepting offered help were the times she asked for it. Such as this instance.

"We have yet to start the official courtship and I'd like to ask of you two for some advice on which creature I should attempt to fell."

Oh, that was just too precious. His patient little huntress showed that she could be just as hurried, as impatient as others. If he spoke those thoughts aloud, he'd have to prepare for an assault on his life from his own daughter so he kept it to himself. It would be a thrilling experience but he knew she'd eventually succeed and he had not yet had enough time with the love of his life.

"I was thinking of gifting her the transformed head of her mother but the idea might be too... crass for her sensibilities even if the woman did not leave out a single possibility to belittle her own daughter."

Oh. The rage was different this time. There was a cold, calculating gleam in her eyes. The woman, Esther Sinclair if he remembered correctly, was a walking corpse. She just didn't know it yet.

"Don't be in a hurry. As you well know, a good hunt takes patience as well as skill. You have both in excess so exercise them. Look towards her biggest fears. Choose the most imposing approximation of them and gift her the ultimate promise of safety. Nothing can harm her with you by her side. Not even her most profound terrors."

His chest swelled with pride when he saw the appreciative light flicker through her intensely dark eyes. It was rare for her to show the thankfulness she feels even though she always returned those favours she was given.

"Thank you, father. Your input is most appreciated. Now. If you would be so unkind, inform me of the state of my brothers?"

That was a conversation that mostly befell Mother and Daughter. While they talked, he pondered. Her emotional state at the start of her call made more sense with the added context he had worked out. It was likely that Thing had expanded on their bet without informing him. A mistake to be sure. Especially if he added more details. The vagueness of the bet was one of their safety measures after all.

Hurting his daughter was the last thing on his mind when he thoughtlessly agreed to bet on her love life. He was sure she'd find her lifelong partner in the same place he found his. He felt it deep in his bones, as if something was burrowing viciously into them. A marvelous sensation that he very much enjoyed. He simply wanted to express that belief.

This background made Thing's missive that he'd commit himself to a pilgrimage as he wanted to find a way to right a grave wrong he did more understandable. He must have hurt her Chosen. It wasn't something done within the family. He'd approve of any punishment Wednesday chose.

Reluctantly, he turned his thoughts to brighter topics. Her apparent fondness of the colourful lycan endeared the girl to him anyways but what he had heard about her was impressive nonetheless. She fought off a Hyde during her very first transformation on a moon that was not supposed to be a transformative one. Blood Moons made it exceedingly hard to transform for lycans.

Even fully trained and talented Alphas had difficulties holding a full transformation on those days. That she not only kept it up but fought off one of the fiercest creatures known to the supernatural world promised a fantastic duel once they officially met with her in the role of Wednesday's spouse.

He knew that an anticipatory smile, sharp as his blade, nestled itself onto his face. The meaningful side-glance he got from his daughter told him that she was confident that he would be trounced. She didn't even interrupt her conversation, sending him a surprisingly playful challenge through those usually intensely serious orbs filled with the darkness that spanned over generations of Addamses.

He couldn't await the time where they would clash. Claw against blade. Teeth against... Well, blade of course. Maybe he should wear some armour? 'Bah, armour is for cowards. My bones will take care of her teeth!' The manic grin that overtook his anticipatory one expressed his nature quite well.

It wilted a bit at the thought of explaining to his daughter that while playing around with his sons, they accidentally blew her ancient torture device collection to high hell. The darkness of his life had already told him that the duty of that rested with him and him alone so he steeled himself and inserted his own voice into the lull of conversation.

"Dearest daughter, there is something else you should know..."

~Larissa~

She sighed as the droning headache just wouldn't be alleviated. Ever since she purged the toxins with equivalent of a forced full-bodied cell regeneration, she had to fight the side effects of overdrawing her abilities.

She couldn't change more than minor features on her body, had trouble maintaining even those and worst of all, she had a headache that bordered on debilitating.

An unintentional groan left her mouth when she unlocked the door to her private apartment hidden behind a secret entrance within her office only to see someone who was nearly guaranteed to aggravate her already unbearable pain.

"Hello Wednesday, please do come in. Do you want to have some tea, coffee, water or maybe a bit of cyanide to get yourself going?"

She asked with an obviously faked saccharin tone of voice. She shivered unconsciously when said girl's gaze drilled into her eyes with searing intensity. Stopping her planned movement, she knew that she'd have to be careful what she said next. She had only seen those eyes once in her life. It was in her last year at this honoured institution and someone had threatened Tish's life carelessly.

Her classmate disappeared without a trace. No one's ever seen a trace of him ever since. There wasn't even a hint of a Gomez being the involved but she knew better. The boy who had disappeared was a werewolf who had tormented her and others regularly so he wasn't particularly missed but it was still a chilling thought to suddenly disappear, leaving behind a life unfinished. She regarded the Addams Heiress more seriously.

"What can I do for you, Wednesday? I haven't had much sleep in the past three days and I am running on fumes. Not to mention the killer headache I am nursing right now. So if it's all the same to you, let's get to the core of the matter, please?"

With her head slightly tilted, she regarded her for a moment before she spoke.

"You violated the trust a student had in you. You did something exceedingly stupid. And I want to know the reason for it."

'What in the seven hells is she talking about?'

She was well and truly confused. She didn't think she had done anything of the kind. At least she didn't remember doing so.

"May I know what exactly you are talking about? I do not think I've done such a thing but if you think otherwise it might be a misunderstanding. Let's clear the situation like civilised people and talk about it, shall we?"

A minute flaring of her nostrils is the only sign of agitation on Wednesday's person other than her arctic gaze but she soon started to narrate the situation. A bet? On a student's romantic life? Whyever would she do something like that?

Then a faint memory stirred. A memory of meeting Thing again. A friend in her teenage years. As a servant to Gomez, he was ever present and they grew to be quite close so they reminisced of old times and he mentioned that he was sure Wednesday would find love in these halls just as Gomez did. She found it rather improbable and said that she'd bet a substantial amount against it. She meant it as a jest and took it as such when he said he noted it down.

Her face fell as she remembered. She'd never have said something this inappropriate if she were entirely sober at the moment but she had two glasses of rather well aged scotch from the Addams cellars, supplied by Thing. As such she thoughtlessly stated such a thing.

"I think I know what you mean."

She started while massaging her temples. The toxin might not have taken her life but this headache quite possibly would.

"Let me explain the situation please. I never meant it to be something serious but Thing seems to have a penchant for escalating matters that would later blow up in his nonexistent face."

And as such, she narrated the evening with measured words and Wednesday listened. The ire in her eyes reduced by a substantial margin. She was still irritated, but not murderous anymore.

"You will explain this matter to Enid. You will also apologise. It is the least you can do and even if you deserve to be burned at least a bit for your actions, she'll accept your apology without a second thought. It is the kind of person she is."

The exasperation and faint fondness in her usually monotone voice coupled with the slightest softening of her gaze clued her in, even if the context of their conversation wouldn't have. It was surprising and yet not that those two would find each other.

"Enid is lucky to have you. You may be a hellion of the highest order but if you are in any way like your father, you will be a caring and supremely protective partner."

A bit of satisfaction entered her heart at the wide-eyed look she received at the comment. If she strained her eyes, she might have made out the faintest of blushes on her cheeks, though it might have been the light of the candles playing with the shadows in the room.

"Now. If that was all, might I retire to my unrestful hours of interrupted sleep?"

Wednesday looked at her with a calculating gaze before ordering her.

"Lay down on your back, keep it straight and close your eyes."

She sighed. If she died like this it would be rather embarrassing after the things she survived but she didn't care anymore. She just wanted to rest. So she did what she was told. She layed down on the couch and closed her eyes.

It took her every once of self-control to not stiffen when she felt cold fingers on her temples. And then she melted. Whatever she was doing, it sent tingles through her body. Her headache reduced in intensity until it finally receded completely.

The treatment didn't stop there though as her temples were massaged by cool and surprisingly gentle fingers. Slowly, she was pulled into sleep that promised to be restful for the first time since that fateful night. 'If this is how I perish, then I can only accept my fate.' she thought as her entire body relaxed.

"Thank you..."

She breathed before she sank into oblivion.

Chapter 6

Summary:

Yoko comes face to face with a nightmare in the flesh.

Bianca has insomnia.

Enid has another fantastic morning.

And Divina has quite enough of her girlfriend making a fool out of herself.

Notes:

I like this one. Nuff said. Have fun reading!

~Yoko~

She fucked up. Royally. Even though the puppy-like lycan tried to hide it, she had seen the glistening at the corner of Enid's eyes when she left the room. It had stabbed her dead heart something fierce. She realised in that moment what she should have understood from the beginning. At the same time, a resolve grew in her to make things right. If she survived this encounter, that was.

She looked into the eyes filled with smoldering rage in front of her. She had no idea how the heiress had managed to get this close with her senses being several times more acute than any human. The stake over her heart, fluctuating with malevolent energy, cautioned her against any kind of rash movement.

"Hey Wednesday! Fancy meeting you here! Is this a place you frequent?"

She asked her in a fake cheerful voice. Aggravating her might be the wrong move but it was something she did when she was nervous. Or under threat of final death apparently. Who knew? She should really examine her habits and maybe work on making them a bit healthier... Nah.

The eyes that drilled into hers gleamed with barely restrained savage intent as she hissed her demand. It was the most intense emotion she had ever seen expressed from the goth. And it was in defense of a loved one.

"As a last favour, since Enid still thinks you a friend, I will allow you to defend yourself. State your reason for your treachery and if I find it lacking, death will be the least of your worries."

She shivered at the bottomless fury that permeated each of her words. Had she had a beating heart, it would have stopped by now. It was as if her emotional state influenced the physical world. Was this even possible? Thinking about it wouldn't change anything. So she chose her words carefully.

"Do you have a way to determine if I am telling the truth? If so, could you please get it? I won't run, I promise. I want to make things right."

She did her best not to squirm under the intense scrutiny of the scariest person she knew. This girl was so much more than she thought she was.

Finally, she nodded.

"It is an artifact, specifically designed to cause untold amounts of pain for any lie told under it's influence. Every lie will intensify the pain ten fold. I decided to take it with me just in case I will need to interrogate another bastard who thinks they can play me like an instrument."

She winced at the indirect comparison with Hydler and the Thornbitch, but nodded resolutely afterwards. Wednesday left the room swiftly, leaving a threat behind.

"Should you run, consider your unlife and the ones of your coven forfeited. I will hunt every single person connected to you down, sans Enid of course. I will end them in ways too painful to iterate. And I will make you watch every single death, having them know that you are the one responsible for their end."

With those words echoing through her skull, she watched the Dark One leave the room swiftly. 'Holy fuck.' She thought to herself. She really should have thought her plan through more carefully. Making an enemy out of this girl wasn't in any way a healthy idea. It was a threat that wouldn't ever come to fruition as she wasn't planning on fleeing but she knew it wasn't an empty one. She could feel it in her bones. She meant every word. This girl was the quintessential Yandere. No, she went past that. She was the world's first Super Yandere. Resisting the urge to make a Dragonball Z joke out of a potentially terminal situation, she sank into her own thoughts.

'... Enid sure is a lucky girl. It's rare that anyone would go that far for a loved one.' The Addamses were a bit unhinged but that was extreme even for their reputation. It had been less than two minutes and yet, Wednesday already stormed back into the room. Her eyes widened just slightly at seeing her still there.

"I'm surprised, parasite. I thought you would try to run. There is still a flicker of honour and an ounce of compassion in your cold body, it seems."

She winced yet again. Her unspoken accusations hurt more than she wanted to let on. She'd prove herself under the influence of the artifact.

"Now, let me demonstrate the use of this most useful trinket."

It looked like a crown made of dried blood. The thin strands of red metal were woven together intricately, forming an object of macabre beauty. She was wary of it. For good reason. Wednesday put it on herself and stated.

"My hair is the brightest shade of blonde."

After uttering that ridiculous lie, she twitched twice before removing the accessory, handing it to her.

"Tell a lie. I need to know you have no obscure way to avoid answering truthfully."

She shrugged. How bad could it be?

"I am a perfectly normal human being."

And then her world exploded in white hot pain. Every single cell of her was crying out for relief. For a moment, she was ready to die only to make it stop. Someone was screaming gutturally from untold amounts of agony and it took her a moment to realise that it was her. The moment that stretched into eternity finally passed and she fell back into her mattress, breathing heavily even though she didn't need to.

The gaze with which she looked at the heiress was filled with trepidation, awe and more than just a hint of fear. How did she endure it with barely a twitch?!

"Take it as a precursor to your punishment. This was the third time I've used this device on myself."

She threw in the latter part as if it was an afterthought but she knew she told her this to show her the sheer difference in will between them. Yoko couldn't hold the dark gaze. It felt as if she was submitting. And maybe she was. She miscalculated the heiress severely. That girl wasn't human. She was more of a monster than all of Nevermore's outcasts. 'But she is Enid's monster.' And that thought made everything right again. She managed to raise her eyes, returning her look fiercely.

A raised eyebrow and a glimmer of approval were her answers before the ruthless interrogation started. Within half an hour, the merciless goth drilled into her motives and reasons for her actions and only after laying bare every single mistake she had made over the past decade did she relent. It was honestly as liberating as it was painful. If she could still cry, she would. As it was, her tear ducts weren't functional anymore. The verdict was as she had expected.

"You are a hopeless idiot. But not a malicious one. You will grovel before Enid's feet. You will prove your determination to right things between you. Depending on your performance, I might even aid you in earning her forgiveness. I will, however, not guarantee your continued unlife if you make another mistake of such proportions."

'Not guarantee my ass, she's clearly threatening me with murder.' She groused internally, not daring to speak those thoughts out loud. Judging by the satisfaction and the light smirk on her face, she didn't need to. Wednesday understood that she had understood the underlying message. Sometimes she wondered if she actually could read thoughts. It was a rare but not unseen psychic ability. Shaking her head, she agreed.

"If I manage to fuck up as severely as this time once again, I'll deliver myself onto your doorstep. No need to come after me."

Maybe she had to learn from her mistakes after all, no matter how differently she was built.

~Bianca~

She had a lot on her mind. So the occasional case of insomnia was to be expected. As she sat on top of the roof, looking over Nevermore in all it's nightly glory, she could feel her thoughts spinning through her mind. Aimlessly and hazardously, they went from topic to topic, never standing still.

She sometimes enjoyed letting her mind run free like this. It had a liberating feel to it and she felt it was easier to breathe for several days after such an evening. It was also mentally exhausting but since she couldn't sleep anyways...

Suddenly, someone talked besides her. She nearly slipped off the roof from shock as she heard Wednesday ask her.

"Why?"

What the heck was she talking about? Why not just throw her off the roof if she wanted to kill her?! Not involved enough, she guessed. She'd want to watch the heart attack she'd have beforehand.

"Why what?"

She asked back after being sure that her pump was working in semi-regulated beats. One could hear the exasperation in her voice as she glared at the side profile of the heiress.

"The bet. Why?"

She was confused for a moment. Why would she ask about that hours after she baited her with it? She seemed annoyed at it but it didn't look like it would have any influence on her. Then it dawned upon her. Wednesday wasn't the only one affected.

'Shit...' She thought to herself as she registered the utter clusterfuck this was threatening to escalate into. The fact that she wasn't hanging head's down off the roof with a candle slowly burning through the rope holding her was a small miracle.

"Look... I didn't think this through. I have a one-track mind when I am focused on something. And at that moment, all I wanted was getting one over you. I wanted something to taunt you with. It didn't even register that I might hurt someone else with it. This isn't an excuse, I'll accept any punishment you'll throw on me. I feel terrible now that I know I hurt your puppy."

Wednesday scrutinized her with a gaze that was frankly scary. She felt absolutely exposed in front of her eyes. It felt as if she was a moment before judgment from a higher power and that was an unnerving thought if there ever was one.

'If I had any doubt that she is superior to me, now would be the moment I'd bury those. But I knew from the start, didn't I?' She had always known there was more to the heiress of the influential Addams Family. It felt as if she was a fledgling of a terrifying entity, just now stretching her wings to elevate herself above mere mortals.

It was easier to accept being outperformed once she registered that as a truth of life. That didn't mean she'd give up, though. She'd strive to be her equal. Because if the goth rose and she managed to keep pace, she may have what it took to break free from her own shackles. She just lost the view on some important things in her competitive quest of keeping pace with the monstrous genius in her side.

The moment of scrutiny finally passed and Wednesday silently gazed upon the sky for some minutes, features as unreadable as she was used to. When she finally spoke, it was with a hint of something in her voice. She wasn't able to identify it in the moment but it was rare to actually hear the emotion within her voice.

"You'll apologize honestly. You'll do so today after breakfast. You will visit our room and you'll look properly chastised. Your punishment is being my sandbag for the year. Whenever I feel like it, I will kidnap you and we will spar. No holds barred. I will teach you to fear me. I will show you just how far the gap between us is. And then you will start closing it. You will reach new heights. I expect you to be able to keep up. Otherwise you will lose the status you have taken in my black, dead heart."

Bianca was speechless. It didn't happen often but this managed to rob her of any response she'd be able to formulate. As if she looked right through her heart, her mind, she struck at the single desire she held. To rise above her roots. To show the world that she was worth something. That was the reason for her competitive streak.

She was also surprised that the goth admitted that there was a connection between them. Nothing romantic, of course. While she could objectively state that she found her physically attractive, their personalities clashed far too severely for a harmonious relationship. No, they were... Friends. Trusted Frenemies. A rival to entertain her from Wednesday's perspective and a goal to strive for from hers.

She wanted to smile at her but knew it wouldn't be appreciated so she went for a sharp smirk instead.

"Now that I am aware, I would have apologised anyways. Glad to have a place within your heart, though I might have to redecorate. Cut out some dead tissue, kick in some walls and put up something pink and frilly. Otherwise it would be too dreary for little ol'me."

The furrowed brows she was gifted with were worth the increased intensity in their 'sparring' she expected the comment to bring about on the next day. Her answer left her once again speechless for a moment, though.

"That's Enid's job. Keep your hands off."

'Oh god, she has it bad...' She thought only to roll her eyes at herself. Because... Well, duh. She'd go to war for the puppy. Or more like, she'd stop one from happening for her. Even though she'd love to watch the bloodshed. Of course she was hopelessly ensnared by the oblivious pup.

~Enid~

When she came to, it was once again to the heavenly smell of fantastic coffee and tasty food. Her eyes opened and the first thing she saw was a black pillow. She was hugging it with quite a bit of force. Yawning, she released it before stretching. Her back popped pleasantly a couple of times before she finally took in Wednesday, who was standing in front of the bed with the very same tray that had carried yesterday's delights. She preened a bit under her covertly appreciative gaze before commenting.

"You are spoiling me, Willa. If you keep this up I won't be able to live without you anymore."

She was only partly joking but the gleam that entered Wednesday's eyes told her that she didn't take it as a joke at all. 'Her breathing is slightly hurried and she has a bit of sweat on her body. Did she exercise before getting breakfast?' Her thoughts still felt slightly sluggish from restful sleep so she put it out of her mind.

Instead, she sat up, only to the tray placed above her legs. Wednesday then placed herself on the other side of the meal with her legs crossed. She shuffled closer and put her feet in top of her lap to share their space better. The casual touches and intrinsic intimacy made her flush slightly as she shyly looked down, avoiding the amused eyes from Wednesday.

She decided to put her attention to the glorious breakfast in front of her. The assortment of foods was once again bountiful and she tore into it with wild abandon. Once she started there was no stopping. She devoured sausages, eggs, ham, pancakes and so much more in record time, not wasting even a single crumb.

Once she was satisfied, she leaned back slightly, accidentally looking into Wednesday's eyes, who was absentmindedly playing with her toes while showing a rare indulgent smile. Her eyes were soft and Enid could feel the embarrassment from earlier return with wild abandon.

"No need to be embarrassed, Mon chiot. A growing Werebeast needs much more in the ways of nourishment than even a professional bodybuilder. It is only natural to give your body what it craves. And I have to confess to appreciating the savage but efficient way you tore through the assorted food. I may have even imagined how it would be to be in it's place instead."

'Why did she lick her lips while saying that?!' She asked herself as her thoughts were thrown into disarray. Without being able to do anything against it, her mind went not-so-straight into the gutter. To calm herself, she took a sip of the heavenly brew. A moan of appreciation left her lips once again and it brought her no small measure of satisfaction when she saw the slightest hint of red flash over Wednesday's cheeks before disappearing just as quickly.

It was moments such as this that she thanked mother moon for her senses, as she'd have missed the instant otherwise. She knew she had submissive tendencies, but that didn't mean she'd just roll over in the teasing game that Wednesday seemed so eager to play. A light smirk played around her lips when she removed the cup from her lips, making her monochrome girlfriend's eyes narrow a bit.

'Oops. I might have ignited something I'm not ready for.' She thought without an ounce of regret as she took in the change in atmosphere. The moment was dispelled however, since someone decided to visit them at such an hour. She looked at Wednesday, slightly confused since she didn't seem even remotely surprised.

While she knew that the capable girl could handle most situations with the aplomb of someone who had decades of experience under their belt, she did have some small tells when she was surprised about something. And she showed none of those.

A feeling of pride entered her heart when she saw the clear reluctance with which Wednesday rose from the bed they had shared. 'She doesn't want to leave me even for the short moment it takes to open the door. That's sooo precious.' While inwardly squealing, she looked curiously at the door, thinking just who it could be. Her question was answered when the door opened, just to reveal a chagrined Bianca.

"You arrived earlier than I thought you would."

Was all Wednesday said before letting her in. So she knew she'd visit? It even sounded as if she had invited the siren. Enid was aware that Wednesday somewhat disliked having other people in their room. She naturally preferred solitude over social settings and Enid felt privileged that she was now included in the things Wednesday wouldn't want to miss in her day.

So her inviting someone into their room was a rare occasion. And it was someone who was aware of the bet. The sting from Bianca's involvement was less heady than it was for the others, because she could guess that the girl had probably wanted to antagonise Wednesday and not herself. It still hurt a bit since she thought the girl had learned from her mistakes after poisoning Yoko.

She knew Bianca had a bit of a one-track mind when it came to competition. Sometimes, she'd lose sight of what was important in the face of it. By the looks of it, she could expect an apology, however. Probably prompted by Wednesday. She side-eyed her roommate suspiciously. She didn't exercise in the morning. She ran around threatening people, didn't she?

'Well, that kinda is exercise for her.' That thought nearly made her smile. Instead she focused on Bianca who was slightly struggling as to where to begin. Finally, she seemed to find her words as determination entered her eyes.

"I will not make any excuses. In hindsight, knowing you as well as I do, I really shouldn't have taken that bet, Enid. I wanted to get under Wednesday's skin and risked a good friend in the process. I am sorry for the distress I caused you in a time that should have had you floating on cloud nine. I hope we can move past this and still be friends but if...-"

She interrupted her because she looked really pitiful and it didn't fit the proud siren even one iota.

"Look. It'll take a while to process. But I don't have enough trusted friends to throw away those who are genuinely repentant. I won't say it's not a big deal, since for me it is. But I get that you don't always think of the consequences when you try to reach a goal. Please be more careful?"

She looked both, relieved and determined at that. Her expression told Enid all she needed to know. She took it seriously and wanted to make up for it. She did wonder with what she was threatened by Wednesday but it wasn't that important. After scrutinising her for a moment, she continued.

"You are a great friend and both, Wednesday and I treasure you, but sometimes you take things a bit too far into the wrong direction. Emotional wounds can be just as painful as physical ones. Sometimes even more so. That said, all's forgiven, if not forgotten. I'm sure Willa will punish you accordingly so I will even pity your soul a bit."

The bright grin and slightly tilted head didn't quite fit her last sentence, she knew, but it felt like the right thing to do. And Bianca's surprised laugh confirmed it. She felt part of her heartache melt away. This girl was a very driven person. And it was hard for her to regulate her responses sometimes. But if she made a mistake she owned up to it.

Once she understood just how fucked up the 'prank' with the garlic sauce in Yoko's blood bag was, she apologized and offered her own blood up for consumption. The following month, all Yoko drank was Bianca's freshly drawn blood until she was sick of it and told her that she needed a change and she'd done enough to be forgiven.

Only then did she stop offering. She had some mental problems, probably caused by a traumatic childhood. And Enid could sympathise with that. She had that very same problem too after all, though it manifested in different ways. So she pushed the tray back a bit and jumped off the bed with wide arms as she singsonged.

"Conciliatory hug!~"

It was all the warning the siren got before she had her hands full of a freshly fed and caffeinated lycan. She was a bit surprised that she managed to securely catch her but enjoyed the breathless laugh and light hold nonetheless. As she saw the jealous gleam in Wednesday's eyes, she mischievously held out a hand to her.

Her little goth warily took it and really shouldn't have been as surprised as she was when she was pulled into a threeway-hug. Both, Wednesday and Bianca stiffened from the contact for a moment before relaxing. She knew Wednesday liked her hugs with a tight grip, so she trapped her in a nearly painful hold that had her sigh in relief.

Bianca was just as surprised at her move as Wednesday was and she seemed to be befuddled that she wasn't being mauled yet. A valid fear in regards to Wednesday, she admitted, but Enid knew she wouldn't do anything for the moment. She enjoyed physical contact. Just not the same way others did. She needed a bit of a rough touch, otherwise she'd be irritated and dangerous.

Enid enjoyed the hug for some more moments before releasing the two of them reluctantly. Bianca was looking at herself in wonder as she seemed to expect to be attacked and possibly brutally murdered any moment now. She was downright relieved once she heard Wednesday's threat.

"Any word about what just happened and I'll surgically combine you two into the world's first lycan-siren hybrid."

It was a halfhearted threat without real heat but it was familiar enough to soothe Bianca's worries. It told a lot about their relationship that death-threats were common enough to wake that kind of familiarity within Bianca, she supposed, but everyone who knew her well enough had to suffer regular threats of physical harm. The only one who still blanched sometimes was Ajax. He was a bit of a coward but his heart was in the right place and he could be surprisingly courageous at times.

Her thoughts turned to the reason for their leisurely ways in the past days. Today was the last day before school started in earnest. They had all arrived some days earlier to set themselves up comfortably in the dorms without hurry. Weems had allowed it so several students took the chance.

She was a bit surprised that Wednesday was one of the first arriving but from what she knew now, she was probably the reason for that. It made her feel special again, as if she was important to the only person who's opinion counted truly counted and she couldn't help the shy little grin she felt on her face when she looked at Wednesday from the corner of her eyes. Her cheeks flared a bit too. Bianca had observed that little byplay and had an indulgent smile on her face.

"You are entirely too adorable, Enid. No wonder you bagged Wednesday. I doubt anyone could withstand your special brand of puppy-love."

Indignation rose within her and she was preparing to shoot back when suddenly, possessive arms circled around her and a disgruntled voice laid claim to her.

"Mine."

Was all she said but it made her want to melt. That one word was the stuff of her dreams. It was distilled desire and had an obsessive depth that threatened to transform her into goo. Her girlfriend was laying claim to her and she couldn't be happier about it. Even if it happened before the eyes of an amused siren.

"Never said she wasn't. She wouldn't want anyone else anyway, least of all me."

She said that with a wry smile and more than just a hint of self-depreciation. What was that supposed to mean? She stopped her transformation into semi-liquid state to truly look at her. The sudden scrutiny seemed to make her uncomfortable as she squirmed a bit. And Enid determined just what to say.

"Nope."

The questioning look she got from the poor siren was highly entertaining but it wasn't the moment to laugh.

"You don't get to wallow in self-pity. You're too awesome for that, so nope. The only reason you haven't found someone yet is that you are too awesome for most of them."

Surprisingly, she felt Wednesday nod.

"You are claimed by me as a... Friend. You are worth more than any of those little, meaningless parasites out there. Weak and disgusting creatures who spend their time discussing shallow topics with brainless idiots while succumbing to the very same ailment. They are worthless. You are worth... Something."

That was really sweet in a Wednesday way. Bianca seemed to think the same thing as she looked touched by the sentiment.

"I'll keep it in mind... Thanks. I have to go now, need to help some of the other sirens to set up their stuff. See you later for sparring?"

She asked Wednesday, who simply nodded, still not letting go of her. Not that she wanted her to, she enjoyed her arms around her more than she did most things in life.

With a last wave, the siren was gone and she sunk into the sensation of care she felt from her little goth. She didn't really know how long she stayed within her embrace but it must have been a while before she managed to force herself to leave the arms she wanted around her and on her body all the time.

'It is a strange feeling to know that the one thing you desired more than anything is actually within reach.' She thought to herself as she looked down at ravenette that had changed her life so many times. She pulled on all of her bravery as she leaned down slightly and pressed a chaste kiss to Wednesday's mouth. It was just as much an explosion of sensations as the last time and she felt it was addicting to take in everything that made up her favourite person.

The kiss was short but more intense than it had any right to be. Not because they escalated the contact but because everything she did to, with or for Wednesday Addams seemed to have that quality intrinsically. As long as she was a participant, the world seemed to be a brighter, more colourful place, as if it strived to contrast the monochrome girl as much as possible. She loved that dichotomy.

"Let's get ready for the day, shall we?"

She suggested somewhat breathlessly and got a wordless nod out of her roommate. They split reluctantly as Wednesday had already showered. Shortly, she contemplated inviting her for a second shower with her but she beat down those overly horny thoughts and went on her way.

It was still too early for that. She wanted to do this right and they were already moving along pretty quickly. And that tempo was just right for them. She didn't see the need to accelerate it even further. They would do what felt natural. Why confer to anyone's standards and norms when they were two quite atypical girls?

With a skip in her step, she approached the showers. She was happy. And no one could possibly ruin that. Not even her mother had that ability. Should she try, she'd show her that even someone as friendly and sociable as her had a savage side. There was a reason why Wednesday was that attractive to her, after all.

The only hiccup, she felt, was the fallout with Yoko and Thing. Her mood took a slight dive before she reached into herself and gathered up her determination. She'd talk to the goofy vamp and the talkative mute later. They needed to clear the air and she wanted to hear their reasons. Wanted to know why they felt it needed to bet on something so private.

With that decision made, she felt as if an invisible weight was lifted off her. Just in time for a hot shower and maybe a shower-rendition of a ballad from the bard of her soul, Taylor Swift.

~Divina~

She knew it was a bad idea. But she had let that idiot savant of a vampire convince her otherwise. She loved the bloodsucking moron. She truly did. But sometimes, she seriously doubted she even had two braincells to build a synapse in between.

She had experience with imbeciles, being the twin of one, but this particular brain-dead person had the peculiar ability to make her go cross-eyed with a simple kiss. She hated and loved that she had that effect on her in equal measures.

Now she was watching with her knees drawn beneath her chin as the vampire who stole her heart was frantically preparing some kind of 'apology prank'.

'Whenever I think she can't lose any more brain cells, she proves me wrong. How the heck did she survive that long?' She knew Yoko was past her first century, though she didn't count the years afterwards so she'd have to look it up if she wanted the exact number. She confessed as much before they started dating as she didn't want to start a relationship on misconceptions or lies. One of her brighter moments, she had to admit, but it seemed to go downhill from there.

She was attentive and sweet to her if a bit goofy at times, which honestly wasn't a bad thing since she always made her laugh even in the most depressing times. But everything else seemed to fall through that particular filter. For a time, she thought the friendship between the excitable pup and her lover was another thing she had well in hand but now it seemed she overestimated the undead.

Her frantic working was accompanied by murmurs of this having to work or she was screwed. Dead. Cancelled. And several other strange synonyms for ending up dead. She hadn't told her the reason for her desperate and idiotic plan but she guessed she too was visited by Wednesday.

Her own was a bit startling but nowhere near as traumatic as hers apparently. She woke up in the middle of the night only to see the slightly glowing eyes of the Addams Heiress in front of her. A gasp had left her lips and that alerted her to her waking. Instantly, she was asked a question.

"Why?"

And her answer was just as quick.

"T'was Yoko's fault."

And then she left. Nothing else was said and she even thought she might have dreamed up the encounter out of a guilty conscience. Until Yoko started acting weird and made plan after plan only to go with a moderately moronic one after she shot down the truly suicidal stuff.

Did she feel a bit guilty for blaming her girlfriend? Not really since it was her fault. Who volunteered their girlfriend for a bet, kissed them cross-eyed to make them agree under pleasant duress and pulled them into their own brain-dead schemes? She wondered if idiocy was contagious since she must have contracted it from the vamp.

Why else would she put up with all that shit? Love didn't make blind. It made one more tolerant. At least to the faults of the partner. She even found most of her hair brained ideas endearing, for fucks sake.

She was startled from her thoughts when suddenly, the door slammed open with the words.

"Yoko! We need to talk!"

Yoko turned around wide-eyed, her strange contraption still in hand, and accidentally pressed the button. The thing vibrated for a moment before it exploded in a rainbow of colours, dousing the surprised wolf in sticky glitter from head to toes.

She couldn't help herself. She really tried but the sight of those two looking at each other with incredulous eyes as they tried to compute what just happened was simply too hilarious. The silence was broken by her hysterical laughter and Enid, good sport as she was, joined in after an undignified 'srrk'.

The only one who looked down at the freshly exploded apparatus heartbrokenly was Yoko. It took them a while to calm down and Enid's amused eyes turned to the pouting vampire with the words.

"What... The... Fuck... Yoko."

Indignant, she turned to the tricolourette with blazing eyes and pointed her finger at the amused wolf.

"I was planning the most elaborate, cunning, engaging, and imposing apology prank of all time and you ruined it!"

She sighed. Why was the woman she loved such a moron? Deciding to step in before she could eat her whole leg instead of just the foot, she cuffed the vamp to the back of her head lightly. Having her attention, she turned a glare on the visage, marred by exaggerated betrayal.

"Stay serious for a moment, Yoko. You really want to clear this up and your usual antics won't cut it. I know this is how you usually deal with emotions but this one time, leave your comfort zone and really talk to her."

Yoko's face went blank for some moments. She feared she'd said too much but then she took a fortifying breath and turned to Enid. What followed was a heart to heart that cleared up everything, including her somewhat forced inclusion into the bet, and ended with a tearful (Enid) hug.

"At least you are a successful useless lesbian now. That's a reason to celebrate!"

Yoko should have really waited until she was away from the wolf's arms before throwing that comment out. Enid demonstrated her rather substantial physical strength by easily lifting the vamp and throwing her onto the bed with a huff.

Yoko, who landed with a yelp only to bounce off the bed and land rather uncomfortably on the ground, cried out.

"Physical abuse! Oh, the pain! The horrors I am forced to live through!"

All she got for her performance was some dead eyes from Enid and a sigh from her.

"Sometimes I wonder just why I keep you."

The idiot's answer left her flushed and glaring.

"My talented tongue and fingers, of course."

She was sure that she'd have blushed fiercely at stating that, had her physiology allowed it, but as it stood she could be as shameless as she wanted and a blush would never adorn those pale cheeks of hers.

Enid's snickering in the background really didn't help things so she decided to do as any self-respecting siren would do in her place. She crossed her arms and pouted.

Chapter 7

Summary:

Wednesday drops some famous words and Enid has trouble comprehending them. She also receives her first quest.

Enid distracts herself and pulls Wednesday along for a visit of a mutual friend.

Eugene has matured a bit.

??? One surprise addition incoming.

Notes:

Look, I recently got badgered into reading Worm. Even though I usually dislike stories that go really into the deep end, Worm is such a fascinating tale. So you'll likely find some references and maybe an inspired character here or there in the upcoming chapters. Enjoy!

~Wednesday~

"Did you really go around all night and threaten people?"

Enid asked in bemusement once they were alone in the room again. It was a fair question and she left it without answer, simply seeking her searing warmth instead.

Her lycan easily relented and pulled her closer with nearly bruising force. Just as she liked it. Snuggling, she called it. It was an acceptable pastime as long as she could do something productive all the while. Such as reading 'The Intricacies of Vivisection'. Enid had tried to read over her shoulder but shuddered after some sentences and refused to read any further much to her amusement.

"That's sooo cute. Going around threatening people for me. Who'd you hit this night?"

She was fishing for information while subtly distracting her with physical touch. Devious. She approved. And as a reward, she gave her the names.

"Divina. Bianca. Moronic Parasite. Weems."

Enid snickered shortly at the 'Moronic Parasite' part, not even arguing against it, but it died pretty quickly once she heard the name Weems.

"Are you serious? You confronted our principal? What did she say? Was she really involved? I had hoped that Yoko threw out that name just to freak me out but haven't gotten around to asking her."

She reconciled with the brain-dead undead, then. 'Too forgiving for her own good. They won't ever take her seriously if she caves this quickly. She should have let her stew in the consequences of her incompetence. Make her fear losing the most meaningful aspect of her unworthy existence. I'll have to make it clear once again that any kind of distress Enid was subjected to through direct or indirect participation from her, be it physical or mental, will have dire consequences.'

Enid, blissfully unaware of her determination to reinforce her threats to one Yoko Tanaka as a direct result of her lenience, poked her side and looked at her curiously. She rewinded the conversation in her mind and answered her question.

"Thing befriended her in her teenage years. They reminisced about old times and he brought alcohol. He brought up my parents and that their love blossomed in these halls along with the conjecture that the same might happen to me. My social ineptitude made her bet against it in jest as she assured me. Thing took is seriously and noted her down."

She was a bit surprised when Enid bristled. It was cleared up quickly when she strongly told her.

"You are not socially inept! Most people are dispassionate and don't even try to understand the fascinating and compassionate person you are! It's not your fault that they aren't worth your time. I should go over there and have words with the woman. I respect her, but..."

As she listened to Enid ranting about how she didn't deserve to be pigeonholed, she couldn't help the warmth that spread through her. She knew that Enid thought highly of her. Otherwise she wouldn't entertain a the idea of a romantic relationship with her.

But to hear her getting this worked up over a topic that she herself had already written off as unimportant with such a passion to defend her was a bit humbling. It once again showed her that their priorities were somewhat different. Neither ones were wrong. They just had differing outlooks on life and they had their own values. Existence would be a boring matter if everyone had the same preconceptions.

She did cringe a bit at being called compassionate but she supposed from Enid's standpoint, she was. It was slightly disconcerting that such a... positive connotation could be connected to her. She was determined to prove otherwise.

When she registered Enid's steam petering out, she silently anticipated her next question. Freeing herself from the strong arms of her future lover, she made her way to her desk, where she had placed Thing's letter. Wordlessly handing it to Enid, she went about to initiate her emotional support protocols. She started preparing champurrado. While she liked the beverage rich and bitter, she did know how to prepare it horrifyingly sweet too. It was little Pubert's favourite and Pugsley also preferred it over the bitter version.

She was uninterrupted in her preparation and as such, she was soon finished. Topping off the hot drink with Enid's favourite brand of marshmallows and some rainbow sprinkles that burned on her retina, she returned to her side and waited to be acknowledged.

"So... He just left?"

She murmured dejectedly as she stared at the letter, seemingly hoping that it's content would change with enough focus. Obviously, that didn't happen and Wednesday promised herself to make his punishment last.

She held out the still rather well heated cup and offered herself up as sacrifice. Both offerings were quickly accepted as Enid took a sip after receiving the cup and pulled her in with her other arm. Surprised, she glanced at Wednesday.

"That's really good. What is it?"

She allowed herself a moment to preen before answering with utmost seriousness.

"The family recipe that is used to alleviate emotional distress. I prefer it bitter but I learned to make the sweet version also."

Enid nodded along and took another deep drink before sighing enjoyably. Her mood was in no ways completely turned around but the sweet beverage helped alleviate the weight of this particular situation.

"I will skin the rotten appendage. Then I'll prepare the skin to look better than it ever did while it was on the traitorous worm."

She grumbled as Enid threw her a glance filled with conflicting emotions.

"Don't. Not only is he family but he's also my friend. And I wanna see that 'grand gesture' he's planning. He has a penchant for escalation so I am curious as to what he considers grand."

She had a point she supposed. She just had to be more creative with her punishments. There were worse things than death. She just had to find out what that was for him. Dark amusement pushed it's way to the surface and she allowed herself an evil smirk. That was until she was glomped by Enid.

"Awww you're so cute when you try to be evil!"

She bristled against that accusation. She did not try. She succeeded in everything she started! Being dark and evil was in her blood. There were several notable tyrannical despots and serial killers as well as mad scientists in the Addams Line. And they were proud of each and every one of them!

Before she could even open her mouth to correct the miserable whelp, said puppy patted her on the head and told her in a gratingly patronising tone.

"Yes, yes. I know. You are my evil little pocket goth. The most fearsome of them all. Stalking in the shadows and ambushing the innocent. They deserve it for being weak after all, don't they?"

She really didn't know how to answer to that. Crossing her arms, she leaned into the aggravating bright spot in her life.

"You are so lucky I love you. Anyone else would have suffered my wrath. Including family."

It took her a moment to register that Enid had gone still. She wasn't even breathing. Curiously she looked over and saw her staring at her in shell shocked and in wonder.

"...What?"

When she spoke, it was with tremulous undertones, as if she was on the verge of crying.

"You... Love me? Are you sure?"

A wet laugh escaped Enid as she slightly tightened her hold. That was it? The reason for her erratic behaviour? She furrowed her brows. Did she even need to answer such an inane question?

"Of course I am sure. I told you. We choose once. There is no second time. You are the only person I will ever be attracted to. You are the light that intensifies my shadow. The contrast I never knew I needed until you shone your brilliant gleam onto me. How could I possibly not love you?"

Enid's emotional capacity seemed to be filled well above it's limit, causing her to expell the excess in the form of tears. Seeing her look as if she was glowing from happiness while crying her eyes out was a strange and vaguely uncomfortable sight.

She didn't know what caused the reaction and it confused her. She was tempted to glance at the screen that blinked in rainbow colours in the corner of her vision but she resisted, not wanting to intrude upon Enid's privacy more than she already did. Instead, she pleaded with the nearly catatonic girl.

"Talk to me, Enid. Did I say anything that was detrimental to your mental state? If so, let me...-"

That was as far as she got before her face was grabbed, pulled in and assaulted. Her lycan pressed their lips together in the most searing, emotionally charged kiss they shared as of yet. She felt lightheaded when she was finally released and needed a moment to center herself.

"Don't you dare apologize for the most beautiful thing anyone ever said to me."

The words were quiet but they had a surprising strength to them. She glanced at the sun in her life and found her shining more brightly than ever. Her eyes expressed more emotions than she dared to try decipher and there seemed to be a new quality within them that wasn't there earlier this day.

"I love you too. There was never a question if I did. I looked at you and knew. 'Yep, I'm screwed. What's for lunch?' those were my thoughts a moment after meeting you. I tried to repress it, to change the target of my affection but it didn't work. I got desperate and hurried into the next relationship I could. I was just so lucky that the one I ended up dating found out about my feelings for you pretty quickly and let me get to terms with them while sheltering me."

Ajax? The Gorgon actually did that? It seemed she owed him. She didn't like it. She abhorred being in debt with someone. She would need to repay him as soon as possible.

"Afterwards, I decided to devote myself to you, ya know? I've no idea what the screens told you about me but I had decided to be something akin to a priestess for you. Since you are a goddess in somewhat human guise and all."

She blinked. That was... Endearing. And somewhat troubling. Nearly without conscious decision, she fulfilled her own longing and grabbed onto Enid's hand. There wasn't even a moment's hesitation before she returned the gesture, making her smile just slightly.

It was echoed on Enid's face, slightly pinked by the emotional topics of discussion. They sat there, looking into each others' eyes, simply reading all there was hidden within them.

"You know, it has been a while since anybody told me they loved me. I know my dad does, somewhat. And my brothers too, somewhere deep down. I hope so at least. But you and Yoko are the only ones to tell me in recent times."

She was genuinely shocked. How could anyone not utterly adore Enid? She knew her mother was an abhorrent individual. But she didn't really count as a person anymore, being a walking corpse who had no knowledge yet of their impending demise.

First plans of indoctrination flashed through her mind. She truly felt inspired at this moment. Logically speaking, most people simply didn't know of Enid. Didn't know just how radiant and endearing she was. All she needed to do was educating them. She needed to show the world that there was no higher existence than Enid.

[*Ding*
First quest created.

How to build up a Cult 101:

Spread the word! Educate the masses! Show them the way. Create a sect religiously worshipping Enid Sinclair.

First Milestone: 10 devout followers.

Reward: One random Psychic ability.

This is a questline that will lead you in your path to truly show the world's inhabitants the errors of their ways. Reach milestones to receive small rewards and finish the complete questline to receive a special perk, unique to yourself.
Accept? Y/N]

She nodded along with what she was reading. Although she hadn't planned for it, the possibility of becoming the youngest leader of a major religious organisation did wake her ambitions. The fact that Enid would be the object of worship sweetened the deal all the more. She mentally chose Y.

[Quest accepted.
Progress: 2/10.]

She was startled. There was someone else who knew just how special Enid was? She was curious to meet them and to warn them not to approach her romantically of course. She'd be lenient with them. After all, they genuinely worshipped the center of her own worldview.

~Enid~

Their moment was interrupted by the sudden and exceedingly intense focus of Wednesday. She didn't mind. Everything that needed to be said was already out there. She was glad even that there would be no follow-up on her sudden confession of being starved for affection. Well, that wouldn't be the case any longer. Any kernel of attention from Wednesday felt like a full course. Like pure nourishment for her soul. And she was lavishing her with it.

The manic gleam that suddenly entered her eyes did worry Enid some, though. It usually preempted an escapade of epic proportions. Or some truly inspired violence. Either way, she'd try to moderate her a bit. She wasn't against her being the person she was to the core. But she would make an effort to guide her towards the right targets.

The only reason she wasn't yet in jail for some of the stuff she pulled was that usually, the supernatural and mundane courts were split. And the supernatural side was a bit more hands-off. You could appeal to them for judgment, that much was true, but if the case was a minor one, you might just be the one in front of the judge instead. Vigilantism was forbidden on the mundane side of things but in the supernatural world, you were expected to solve your own problems.

That only counted as long as you didn't involve someone from the mundane side, though. That was the reason why Sheriff Galpin had the authority to arrest Gomez Addams. He was a suspect in a case of murder with the victim being a mundane man.

All of Wednesday's 'victims' were of the supernatural variety. And no court of the occult would stoop so low as to arrest someone for tagging someone with a feather for example. Never mind that it went through his hand. If he let it happen, it's his own fault.

Her tangent was interrupted by Wednesday grabbing her hand with hers and whispering ominously.

"They will love you. I will make it so."

She stared at her girlfriend for a moment before sighing with an indulgent smile. She wouldn't want her changed, even if her life promised to become interesting in the upcoming years. Decades. Centuries. Strong lycans had a pretty impressive lifespan. And whatever Wednesday was would probably survive with her. She changed the topic, not wanting to know who would love her.

"I heard that Eugene arrived earlier this day. Wanna visit him?"

She was not at all as unfeeling as she wanted to portray herself as evidenced by her perking up a bit before letting her face fall into it's standard impassive mien.

"Yes. I need to check if he took my advice to heart and started an excruciating cardio program. The one I customised for him would have brought him to the brink of death several times over the break and his stamina would have reached more than adequate levels by now. Truly an enjoyable pastime."

Enid imagined a ripped Eugene instead of the cuddly one and had to giggle a bit at the picture her mind conjured up.

"There's hoping! Let's go!"

Not waiting for an answer, she pulled her along with their still-joined hands and hurried out of their room.

She looked back at Wednesday, only to stumble slightly at the sight of her using their connected hands as an anchor point to keep herself in the air as she put her shoes on with one hand. She was seeing it and yet, she still didn't know how she pulled off lacing them up.

'Nope, never happened.' She told herself as she turned her gaze to the front again. Once they left the building, she slowed down a bit, only now registering that she had pulled on every ounce of her supernatural speed. At least on what she had access to while in her human form. Behind her, she heard the soles of Wednesday's shoes touch ground and she took it as indicator to slow further.

Soon, they were simply wandering the grounds hand in hand, slowly making their way to the Hummers Hive. She learned to appreciate the insects she was scared of at the beginning. She could even admit that bumblebees were kinda cute. She wasn't the biggest fan of most insects but she could appreciate their uses and wouldn't freak anymore if he suddenly appeared with a swarm of bees in tow.

Their silent walk was enjoyable and Wednesday never let go of her hand, showing her willingness to accept physical contact even out in the open. It lightened her heart to understand that she wouldn't ever be ashamed of being seen with her. Logically, she knew it already of course, but emotions were weirdly irrational. Who'd have thunk?

They closed in on their destination and Enid was a bit surprised to see someone else there. A girl to be exact. She was squatting in front of one of the beehives, letting the insects buzz around her. Without any kind of protective gear, mind you.

Wednesday seemed to be interested too as she sped up just a bit. The girl turned around to face them before she had any reasonable possibility of perceiving them. She was pretty tall and had the makings of a gorgeous woman but was held back by her awkward posture, somewhat stringy hair and the slight glare behind those glasses. They didn't quite fit her facial structure, adding to the dissonance.

She looked guarded and closed off and her heart went out to her. The mistrust she could see in her eyes was born of being badly burned. She understood. She had such things happen to her too within the Pack.

She tried for a friendly grin that did nothing to put her off guard and prepared to ask for Eugene but before she could, she heard him calling.

"Taylor! Can you please direct the swarms back to their hives? I'm done harvesting the excess."

Without words, the girl's eyes unfocused slightly and the bees responded to her by quickly leaving the premises to return to their respective housings with supreme efficiency. She took note that their speed of response was far quicker than what she had seen Eugene do. This girl was probably several times stronger than him.

The boy in question came from the back and she had to admit, he looked better than he did before the break. He lost quite a bit of softness but his friendly twinkling eyes and the joyous grin at seeing them were still the same. His face had angular contours and his body had slimmed down considerably. He also grew some, which helped his proportions. Had she been straight, she'd have probably at least thought of dating him.

He approached them with a spring in his step and his enthusiasm was obvious and contagious. His words matched his attitude and he introduced the girl, confirming her guess of them being relatives.

"Wednesday! Enid! It's so good to see you! You've met my cousin Taylor already?"

That explained her presence and the obvious abilities. She looked over curiously and the girl was fidgeting uncomfortably. She seemed to be indecisive about fleeing or staying until Eugene soothed her.

"Hey, don't worry. They are good people. Enid is about the friendliest person you'll ever meet and while Wednesday's known to maim people, it only ever happens to those deserving it."

They had a silent conversation with their eyes before the girl, Taylor, relaxed slightly.

"I'm Taylor."

She quietly introduced herself, somewhat tersely. If what she inferred from what she observed was the case, she could understand it, though.

"I'm Enid and this is Wednesday! Pleased to meet you. That thing you did with the bees? Totally awesome. You didn't even need any gestures! Is it some sort of mental control? I haven't smelled any pheromones being released so that's kinda the guess I came up with."

Taylor looked surprised for a moment before relaxing further. She was still tense but seemed ready to actually converse with them. Soon they got her talking and even Wednesday listened in until venomous insects were mentioned. Then she jumped into the conversation with surprising fervor and Taylor responded in kind, visibly happy to have someone knowledgeable to converse with about the intricacies of all kinds of poisons, venoms and the possibilities reachable by genetically altering insects.

Most of it went above her head and she once again was surprised at the sheer breadth of Wednesday's knowledge. And she was seriously impressed with Taylor. She kept up with Wednesday in one of her favourite topics and she kept her attentive and interested.

She even tried a minor prank that doubled as a test by having a black widow scale Wednesday in the course of their talk. That one kinda backfired in a good way. Instead of freaking as she no doubt expected, Wednesday's eyes softened when spotting the adorable arachnid and she adopted her. Taylor's appreciation at her reaction told Enid that Wednesday had a new fan.

Once she was really comfortable with them, Taylor let them in on her ability, which was hella scary. She could control the creepy crawlies. all of them. Eugene chimed in, telling them proudly that she was a genuine Entomancer. She had full mental control over everything falling within the classification of arthropods.

It made her question her initial 'diagnosis' of her being a victim of bullying. Because who in their right mind would bully someone who could swarm them with millions of insects and their relatives? The question was answered unintentionally by Taylor when Wednesday asked if she tried using her bugs on life people. She didn't like hurting anyone and wanted to do good instead.

Enid couldn't help herself. She closed in on the girl and pulled her into a hug. She stiffened within her arms and some of the insects close by grew agitated for a moment but she quickly regained her calm, though she was still confused at what brought this on.

She pulled back a bit, keeping her hands on the shoulders of Taylor. She ignored the many legs she felt crawling over herself and gave her a smile.

"You are precious. I can kinda guess what you went through as I had similar experiences and you went on and kept not only your moral compass but you even strive to stop what happened to you from happening to others. Instead of going for vengeance, you want to protect instead. You're admirable and I'd be honoured to call you a friend."

The girl in question had wide eyes and grew progressively redder with the words that tumbled out of her mouth but they had to be said. She was a prime example as for why she hadn't lost hope in humanity yet. People like her, who suffered and still wanted to bring good into the world. They were oftentimes scoffed at for being naive and unrealistically idealistic but they were necessary to make the world a better place and she admired them.

"Th-thanks, but I'm nothing special."

She avoided her gaze when it turned incredulous. Only to meet Wednesday's disapproving one.

"Your knowledge is impressive. It rivals mine in specific topics. That alone makes you notable. Do not put yourself down. You also have Enid's approval. And you are part of Eugene's family. That means you are claimed."

She turned to the front, leaving Taylor confused as she refused to elaborate. Enid shook her head with a wry smile when the Entomancer turned her confused gaze on her. Typical Wednesday. All she could do was shrug helplessly which really didn't help the girl.

As she winded down, she had a slight smile on her face, though. And it made Enid glad. She hadn't lost the ability to extend trust yet. It was important to keep that part of herself, no matter how hard it could be. She'd know.

Her mind played with possibilities of girls days out, sleepovers and the like. They had a fairly expansive circle of friends by now, surprisingly. And that fact demanded social gatherings. With her thoughts awhirl, they reached the main building. The year was looking up.

The lack of Thing's presence weighed on her but she'd manage to keep it together with the extensive emotional support network they'd built. She distracted herself by starting to plan the events that she'd make sure would happen later in the year. She was looking forward to each and every single one.

~Eugene~

His eyes were soft as he watched Enid and, somewhat surprisingly, Wednesday work their magic to get Taylor out of her shell. Ever since she had moved from Brockton, she was reclusive and withdrawn. She clearly had a trauma from the extensive bullying she went through and even he with his mild temper was seriously tempted to visit her tormentors and show them what a determined outcast is capable of. Taylor vetoed that idea but was thankful that he cared enough to do something drastic.

She knew he was a bit of a pacifist. It was why he limited himself to bees most of the time even though he could control several other species such as hornets and wasps. He disliked solving his problems with violence and preferred peace over strive. It was a bit strange to be adopted by Wednesday even though their natures clashed somewhat but she only really followed through with her threats when she or those she claimed were in serious danger. Or if they deserved it.

Self-defence and the protection of family and friends would never be things he'd hold in contempt. He knew better than that. He also knew she had to experience a plethora of violent impulses every single day. He was pretty sensitive to pheromones and hormones as part of his abilities and she screamed 'violence' several times a day. And that was in his presence alone. And yet, there were no outwards signs to act upon those urges.

She had seriously impressive control over herself. The only times where she simmered down completely were those in Enid's presence. Because she was busy pining when she was close. He knew she didn't realise her own feelings but he backed off anyways. His was a crush, nothing more and nothing less. Her's was an inferno that was threatening to consume her. There wasn't even competition.

Nevermind that he found Enid to be receptive to Wednesday's subconscious pining. Once he got over his crush, he couldn't help but be amused at their dances. It was so painfully obvious. But they were useless, both of them. He knew he'd be in a world of pain if he said anything but he had resolved himself to talk to them, should they not get their crap together.

It wasn't necessary it seemed. The pining had evolved into a lovey-dovey atmosphere. They were together, he was sure of it. It wasn't just their hormones. It was their entire set of mannerisms. They subconsciously gravitated towards each other. Their hands brushed against each others' more often than not and at some point, they even held hands... Before marriage!

He spent a bit too much time on the internet over the break, he decided. Nevertheless, they weren't really subtle about it, not that there was actually a reason to be. He was happy they found each other and hoped there was someone out there for him too.

Shaking off those melancholic thoughts, he pulled himself together. The most important things were bettering himself and caring for family. He included both, Wednesday and Enid into that bracket. A close follow-up was making sure his friends were alright and only after that were his romantic issues.

Setting his priorities straight was also something he had worked on the past month or so. Soul-searching wasn't that difficult if you were honest with yourself. Which was why the three girls getting along brought him a special kind of satisfaction. Seeing both, Enid and Wednesday, build Taylor up in their own way was truly inspiring.

Simple interest and encouragement from them seemed to make her grow. Her stride grew more comfortable and confident and she talked without any nervous ticks or stuttering after the initial meeting. What his moms hadn't quite managed to do over several weeks, those two managed over the course of an hour.

Of course, them being closer to her age and their genuine interest in her even though they barely knew her helped, it was impressive nonetheless. She would blossom, he knew. Under the care of the rainbow and her everpresent shadow, she'd outgrow those petty bitches.

They would help her find her stride and soon she'd show the same casual confidence that he admired so much in Wednesday. She had loads of potential but was stifled by her environment. Her dad, Uncle Dan, tried but he had his own plate full and still struggled to come to terms with Aunt Annette's death. The family gathering that was triggered once her treatment at school finally reached his ears caused quite the stir.

After long discussions with Taylor, his moms and later himself, they came to the conclusion that some distance would do her well. A quick conversation with Principal Weems over phone detailing some of her circumstances and her transfer was arranged.

He couldn't wait to see her heal in this hopefully nurturing environment. She was a sweet girl who sadly got dealt a pretty harsh hand but he was sure that with Enid's and Wednesday's help, she'd be able to make it past that chapter of her life.

And if anyone decided to mess with her? Well, he may have pacifistic tendencies but that didn't mean he wasn't capable of of putting someone down. Permanently, if necessary. He'd protect his own just as Wednesday did. This he swore solemnly by his creed. Hive Code, bitches.

~Taylor~

She didn't know what was going on. One moment, she was fretting over the fact that she didn't know anyone and would be ostracized just as before and suddenly, personified sunshine began talking at her, praised her, made her blush severely and pulled her along. Her bugs told her that she was dangerous but they also liked her which was somewhat strange.

It was a benign reaction to what the other girl gathered, though. Her swarm warned her that the petite goth was deadly. And they informed her that they adored her. She didn't really know what to make of it but hearing that those two were the ones her cousin wanted to introduce her to was somewhat eye-opening.

She didn't think that he'd keep company that dangerous but she couldn't really judge. Her company were lethal bugs and all kinds of critters that would be able to slaughter a common man within less than a second. She tried to socialise with them, more as a favour to her cousin, who graciously took her under his wing over the past few weeks.

He made her feel welcome and eased her into her new surroundings and she was grateful for how genuinely he tried to make her life a bit easier. She thought it would all become moot the moment they arrived at school. She had bad experiences with such institutions after all. But he immediately took her to his swarm and introduced her to his queens. Adorable little Queen Bees, that he slightly modified to be more intelligent and longer lived.

They could actually keep up with a simple mental conversation and that impressed her. Usually they were only able to receive and send very simple signals and she would have had to work on them for a good year before they'd reach such a level. She was just talking to one of them when her swarm warned her of impending danger.

She didn't expect to see a couple that couldn't be any more different. A tall and colourful girl with a bright smile and even brighter eyes on one side and, holding her hand, a twin-braided dark gothy girl who seemed to suck all colour out of the world with her mere presence. She also had a face that, even though it was gorgeous, seemed to scream 'Approach at your own Risk'.

Once introductions were out of the way, she was pulled into a conversation that catered to her interests so perfectly that she thought they may have been coached by Eugene. But the dark one actually knew magnitudes more than her cousin. She was a font of knowledge and seemed genuinely pleased that someone was capable of keeping up with her.

She hadn't ever had such an intense discourse over the objective danger of certain types of bugs in specific environments and it was honestly fun. She just had to know if she was only faking her interest. If she was genuine, she wouldn't have a problem with black widows, would she? Turns out, she was genuine. Not only that but the spider was quickly named Elvira and was now riding on top of Wednesday's shoulder.

That was the point where she let go of her doubts. They started trading obscure facts and knowledge not usually found in books and she was enjoying herself when they reached the main building and she froze. Coming towards them was the typical popular girl. The Queen Bee. One could see it in her gait and smile. Confident and used to attention. Now was the moment for the other shoe to drop. Ostracized once again, she was sure.

"Hey, Bianca!"

Living sunshine instantly engaged the girl with some perky steps and a short hug before pulling her along while the dark skinned girl only smiled indulgently. Her eyes fell on Wednesday and there was a bit of bite there but nothing malicious surprisingly. They traded some banter before her attention turned to her. She stiffened under the scrutiny and the popular one took pity on her and didn't address her directly.

"And who is she? I don't think I've seen her before."

She asked Enid, who seemed to be all too eager to answer.

"Oh! She's Eugene's cousin, Taylor. She transferred this year and will be joining us in most of our courses and she's seriously impressive! She kept up with Wednesday in knowledge about toxic insects and which genetic alterations would be the most beneficial for them. They had an entire discussion that would keep professors in the field on their toes!"

The glowing and surely overstated endorsement did make her straighten slightly and she was once again surprised that instead of scoffing and doubting her ability to even speak in full sentences, she got an admiring glance.

"That is impressive."

The smile she smiled actually reached her fascinating eyes and it made her heart beat a bit faster. She approached her and reached for her hand, that she had subconsciously raised.

"Nice to meet you Taylor. First day and already making waves. Good for you. Since you are a relative of that cinnamon roll over there, you are alright in my book. If you have any trouble, be it social or educational, don't be too shy to talk to me. I'm always happy to help my friends."

'... What just happened?' She questioned herself as she nodded absentmindedly. Soon they were all seated close to a fountain in what seemed to be called the quad even though it had five corners.

"... Wouldn't this be a pentagon then?"

She asked tentatively, which for some reason sent Enid into a giggle-fit while she held onto a stoic Wednesday. Though her eyes gleamed slightly with amusement. After she had herself under control again, she explained.

"Last year, I was the one showing Wednesday around the grounds and when I introduced her to the quad, she said the exact same thing. I was just thrown back to the beginnings of it all."

She smiled lovingly at the goth and somehow she managed to return the affection without ever changing her expression. 'The eyes are truly the window to the soul.' She thought to herself as she watched them with a little smile.

Soon the group grew and she was introduced to several others, Divina, Kent and Ajax among them. No one dismissed or bullied her in any way or form and she was growing to be more and more optimistic about her chances of having an actual social life at this school.

Which was why she felt as if she was doused with cold water once she heard the boisterous laughter and comments about a 'new bug girl' in town.

"Did ya hear? They left her in a locker for a weekend and she literally stewed in there within her own juices!"

She shrunk into herself, wishing for the earth to swallow her whole as she was living through the flashbacks and dying from shame and mortification. Suddenly the air stifled. It felt as if the temperature dropped several degrees.

"You know..."

Wednesday drawled with a mocking tinge to her usually inflection-free voice.

"One might think that people who managed to reach highschool had a brain. It seems that prerequisite was eliminated in recent years."

Enid answered, just as vicious in tone while her eyes shifted between electric blue and feral golden.

"Too true. Mocking someone who could kill them in a few secs tops isn't smart at all, isn't it?"

Bianca chimed in with some amusement and a lot of biting sarcasm.

"Don't overtax their mental capacities. Breathing, walking and braying already takes a lot out of them. They might have trouble comprehending speech."

Enraged, the one who had brought up the topic stormed over, seemingly wanting to escalate things into violence but before she even had the time to panic, a silver streak split the air and he stopped with wide eyes as his cheek sizzled as if burned. A bored gaze fell upon him as Wednesday asked.

"You do know who I am, right?"

The weight of her words seemed to make the guy shrink as he nodded with sweat building up on his forehead. It seemed as if he was realising just how badly he fucked up.

"Well, then you should know that Enid could rip you to shreds in two seconds flat."

The tricolourette smiled with sharp teeth, feral eyes and long dangerously exptended claws.

"Bianca could ask you to jump off the roof and you would gladly do so."

Said siren smiled a faked demure smile with hypnotically glowing eyes.

"Yoko, as much as it pains me to say, is a fairly competent Huntress by my own standards."

The vampire licked her lips and showed off her fangs with a wicked grin.

"Divina and Kent would be capable to sing you into a brain-dead coma if you actually had access to one of those."

Divina smiled innocently at the guy while Kent looked a bit clueless to be honest, but he tried.

 

"Eugene might be a gentle soul but the hornets and wasps posed to end you tell me that family is the reverse scale you really should not touch."

And it was true too. She was touched by his protective streak and she felt something within her unclench when it finally registered that they were making a stand to protect her.

"And Taylor? She has access to a swarm of millions. Hundreds, if not thousands of species. Some of them are dangerous, most of them are not."

She had some poisonous ones in her swarm mostly insects and spiders but she had some scorpions too. Wednesday continued with a sadistic gleam in her eyes.

"Individually at least. Just imagine. You are on your way home from drinking away the couple of desperately surviving braincells that you had still access to. Merrily, you wander about and suddenly, a dark vibrating cloud of living menace descends upon you. A primal fear within you triggers and you scream. A grave mistake. Any sound that might have left your vocal cords is cut off as the insects use the easy way into your body to swarm your insides. Every orifice is being assaulted and you spend your last minutes suffering as your system is flooded by a plethora of toxins. You suffocate painfully while the agony slowly overwhelms you. No one would find your corpse for the simple reason that it would not exist. Not even your bones would survive the assault, should she will it to be so. Do you really think making an enemy who is capable of this is a bright idea?"

... Making an enemy out of Wednesday Addams was a bad idea. That said, looking at it like this, messing with her really wasn't very intelligent. It made her feel an iota better about her tormentors. Lacking intelligence was their own personal suffering and they didn't even know. It made her pity them a bit. Enid addressed him next.

"Now shoo. Go away and stay away. And tell my brothers that if they mess with her, I'll break their legs. Lovingly, of course. I wouldn't want them to be the reason for a biblical plague after all."

She carelessly waved them away. The guy had gone progressively paler during Wednesday's graphic narration until he reached a shade she hadn't thought possible. The others in the background were silent, not wanting to draw the formidable goth's ire. Her stature may have been on the smaller side but she had an insane presence and charisma.

She looked around shyly and found only goodwill and friendly faces as well as some smug grins from the group surrounding her. She noticed that they had shifted protectively with her in their midst.

"... Thank you."

She whispered, only to have her hand grabbed by Bianca. She looked up and stared directly into those gorgeous eyes that would probably hound her dreams once she managed to catch some sleep.

"We protect our own, my dear. And we can be quite... Uncompromising in doing so. No thanks necessary."

She then returned to her earlier seat but her hand lingered on Taylor's. She couldn't find it in herself to mind it. In fact, she had an inkling that she enjoyed the contact. But that was another pack of worms.

For now she concentrated on the sensation of inclusivity that had invaded her very soul. It had been so long since she felt it that she had nearly forgotten just how liberating it was. She missed her dad, of course, but maybe, just maybe, this transfer was actually a good idea? Only time would tell but today was already more than promising.

Notes:

Ok, I lied a bit. Taylor's here. It isn't a crossover really, just this one character as she fits perfectly and she deserves better than the crap she had to go through. Some references later on maybe. That's it. Probably.

Chapter 8

Summary:

Wednesday casually arranges for people to be ruined and punishes a cheeky puppy.

Bianca goes running and meets someone sharing the hobby.

Yoko is her usual chaotic self.

Enid loves her pack and finds Xavier to be an amusing pastime.

Notes:

This one didn't fight me at all. It flowed all the way and I almost didn't need to think. Very pleasant. I hope it's as enjoyable to read as it was to write!

~Wednesday~

She glanced at the screen she had copied.

[Taylor Hebert:

A young girl with enormous untapped potential. Had her will to live slowly whittled away by Emma Barnes and Sophia Hess at the latter's instigation with support from a plethora of schoolmates. One of her main tormentors being her former best friend broke something within her.

Unlocked a major part of her abilities due to the trauma of nearly dying in a locker after being left to rot for a whole weekend. Has been slowly honing them ever since.

Has a set of firm morals that were instilled in her by her parents and refuses to stoop to her bullies' level. The school ignored her plight, stating her ability to retaliate as a reason while ignoring that both, Sophia and Emma, are 'normies' and thus subject to mundane courts.

Reason for that arrangement is Sophia's continued success in the international leagues of the 'Track and Field' scene as well as Emma's father and his connections.

Is starting to tentatively extend trust to you and yours. Finds you to be admirable, badass and scary in a good way.

Abilities:
Entomancy at a never before seen level combined with a natural talent for multitasking. Has control over a swarm counting millions with the ability to recruit roughly ten times as many should she be inclined to do so as of now. This is a growing 'soft' limit that is subject to massive changes over time. Untapped abilities include minor biokinesis, limited to arthropods, and very minor telepathy outside of her specialty.

Relations:
Mother - Annette Hebert (deceased)
Father - Danny Hebert (alive)
Notable Cousins - Eugene Ottinger (alive)

 

Sees you as the kind of overprotective sister she always wanted to have. Hopes the situation will last and that you won't drop her as soon as someone better comes along. Admires your sharp tongue and wonders if you and Enid use it for... other things.]

Combining her psychic abilities with the observational function of the System allowed her to create a more detailed description. She was irked by some of it. Her unwillingness to cause her tormentors harm for example. It was admirably filial and it showed impressive mental fortitude that she kept to the morals her parents had brought her up with.

But she did not think that they would be against retaliation if she was getting harassed to such an extend. This once, she decided. This once, she would retaliate for her. In the most devious way possible. She was planning to bring down the law on them. Her vicious smirk would have made even her father shudder from delight, had he been there to witness it.

She needed the contacts of her family to do so, though. So she called them twice within a single week. She ignored the incredulous stares she got and started outlining what she needed from them. She could see her father's rising excitement at being fully and legally allowed to obliterate an entire school and a rather successful divorce lawyer.

It was the kind of thing he excelled in. His martial prowess was unquestionable of course but he really shined in the art of manipulation. Together, her parents were truly formidable in that discipline. And her mother's smirk combined with the motherly worry shining in her eyes at learning of Taylor's situation made her certain of her involvement.

She didn't disclose anything not part of the public records, respecting Taylor's privacy in that regard. But what was known was enough for her mother to infer most details about her. And everything else, she'd undoubtedly gather through means of divination.

She bid them a woeful evening before turning around. She wasn't surprised to see Enid leaning against the doorframe with a light indulgent smile on her lips.

"Already letting out your hidden mother hen tendencies? That was quick."

She asked teasingly and Wednesday bristled. She was not a mother hen. She... Cared about hers. They were her possessions she needed to keep them safe. It was imperative to make sure all of them were working at maximum efficiency.

Before she could fully collect her thoughts, Enid had crossed the room and thrown herself beside her without any care in the world. She narrowed her eyes. This puppy was getting too brazen. She needed to be disciplined.

Without uttering a word, she quickly pulled out satin ropes from her inventory, a rather impressive application of the laws of space that was gifted to her by the System, and bound her extremities with expert grace. It took her less than ten seconds to completely immobilise the confused girl.

"Wha... Wednesday?! What are you doing?!"

She shifted herself so that she'd be in front of her girlfriend and raised her head by gently holding her chin to meet her eyes.

"You are forgetting one thing in your new confidence, Mon chiot. While I do allow you some leeway as you deserve to have all the fun you can possibly have, the one in control... Am I. You may tease and prod but do not wonder if you are disciplined once in a while if you push too far."

She kept her voice gentle, affectionate. And she could see all of this affecting her little pup. Her pupils were dilating and her breath came more in pants than in regulated exhales. She let the nail of her index finger glide along the contours of her jaw before she grabbed her hair somewhat roughly. The treatment earned her a hiss that was definitely not born from pain.

Gently, she pressed a kiss to her forehead. Then to her nose, and finally, she claimed her lips, setting the pace languidly before separating from her much to her disappointment if the whine was anything to judge by. She brought her lips to Enid's ears and whispered.

"This is not a reward but punishment, my love. Let me properly discipline you and maybe, I'll reward you at the end of it."

She nodded eagerly and breathed huskily.

"Yes, Mistress..."

A jolt went through her as she registered those words. Yes, she decided. She liked that. After taking a moment to center herself, she continued.

"Since today is only supposed to be a warning, your punishment will be a light one."

Turning her words into deeds, she sat down and pulled the compliant wolf on top of her lap with a firm grip. Idly, she noted that the knots were slightly sloppy to the point that she'd only need slightly less than three minutes to escape. She scolded herself and was determined to do better the next time.

She took in the lithe form of the slightly squirming lycan and smirked. She was clothed rather lightly since it was a warm day and the washed out short pants did little to hide her athletic figure. A muscular and firm frame combined perfectly with feminine softness, forming the divine figure that was the focal point of her life.

Deciding not to let the impatient girl in her lap wait any longer, she started off by lightly stroking along her curves, letting her hand wander over her impressive glutes before settling on her firm buttocks. Without warning, she handed out to first sharp smack, causing her to jolt and groan slightly.

"Shhh, Mon chiot. None of that. You know you deserve this. Don't worry, I'll be comparatively gentle since it's your first."

Her soft voice calmed her puppy down and she rewarded her by softly massaging the affected area. She repeated the same procedure nine more times, alternating which cheek she would hit, before slowly and sensually removing her binds after turning her over and looking into her slightly teary eyes all the while.

Once the ropes were off, she guided Enid to lay down besides her and stroked her hair to calm her after pulling her closer. Her lycan melted into her side and sighed in content before slightly raising her head, showing some of the curiosity hidden within her eyes. She decided to explain some of her thoughts.

"Since this was a spontaneous thing, we didn't get to properly set up safe boundaries, so I kept it light to not overstep accidentally. Was it ok for you or do we need to discuss this session in more detail? Or did I misread your inclinations completely?"

Enid quickly shook her head.

"No, it was kinda nice to just let go. The first one startled me but the after-care was really enjoyable. I'd like to do something like this again..."

She started out strong but the last few words were nearly inaudible. Nearly. She smiled at her and pulled the cuddly lycan even closer.

"I will set up a proper set of rules to work with. Do I have your permission to use those system screens to monitor you during those sessions?"

She looked up with a surprised expression on her gorgeous face.

"I thought you regularly did anyways with how perfectly you read my moods?"

Wednesday shook her head gently before answering with a firm voice and gentle eyes.

"I read your status the first time it came up and one other time accidentally, right after you came back from Pamela's room after confronting Yoko. I haven't read your screen ever since. I dislike stretching your trust in such ways. Every action since then was motivated and guided by my knowledge about you. You are the most important person in my life. I know you."

She teared up during the little monologue and buried her face in the crook of Wednesday's neck afterwards.

"Stop saying romantic things out of the blue! I'm never prepared and it always ends with me being emotionally overwhelmed."

She could hear and feel the pout and it made her smile. This was the good kind of emotional. She wouldn't ever stop telling her partner the truth. Why would she if it led to such amusing reactions?

~Bianca~

She was in thought as she continued to run. The soles of her shoes were rhythmically pounding on concrete as she kept up the rather high pace. It was early in the morning and the air still had some of it's cool bite from nighttime, making the exertion quite a bit more enjoyable.

Running was cleansing for her. She loved the therapeutic burn in her calves and lungs. The liberation she felt after well and truly exerting herself.

And she loved the freedom that came with it. The sensation of just moving. She tried to have a run every day and came into the habit of waking before sunrise to do so. Rarely did she meet others at such a time but today seemed to be atypical in that regard.

The new girl, Taylor, joined her in her run. She didn't mind. She enjoyed the presence of the quiet girl. There was something about her that silenced all those voices that told her that her nature is the only reason others were even socialising with her. She felt... Tranquil while close to her.

It did help that Taylor was easy to look at. Gorgeous, really. She was tall and well proportioned with fantastic legs that pulled a lot of attention. She wasn't top-heavy but that was alright. It wouldn't have fit her frame, anyways. So yes. She enjoyed her presence while they ran side by side silently. The only noises being their rhythmic steps and their well regulated breaths.

Taylor had experience with running, she was sure. Though, her stamina wasn't as well developed as Bianca's. The Entomancer was starting to flag a bit at the 40 minute mark and she decided to cut her run short for the day. Searching for a good place to stop, she remembered a nice little spot she sometimes came to to relax a bit. It was pretty close by so she changed direction slightly with Taylor following along.

She chose to take a seat close to the tree that ruled the landscape around here while facing east. The sun was about to come out and it was promising to be quite a beautiful sunrise. Taylor sat down by her side with just some centimetres in between them. She would only need to slightly shift and she would be directly touching her. It pleased her that the girl was already comfortable enough with her to stay so close.

She was slightly distracted by the dew that had collected on the plants all around them. Being a siren came with awareness of all kinds of water sources in the vicinity as well as some limited hydrokinesis. So with some concentration, she lifted the dewdrops from the plants and let them rise slowly.

She timed it just right with the sunrise and watched in somewhat smug satisfaction as they glowed in the sun's first rays as if they were gleaming pearls of pure light, removed freshly from the ocean. The subdued sound of awe that she could hear from the usually rather controlled girl intensified the smugness.

"Beautiful..."

She heard the whispered word but didn't react to it, though there was a persistent heat to her face that she dismissed as being caused by the sun. She let go of the control she had and the water drops fell to earth with some hitting both her and Taylor. It was a refreshing feeling right after running and she enjoyed the slight cool. Turning to the new member of their group, she gave her a bit of a grin and asked.

"Shall we? Breakfast will be served in half an hour or so. If we walk back leisurely, we'll be able to catch it right as they start off and we'd be cooled off to boot."

The nod she received was still somewhat shy but she wasn't nearly as guarded as she was when they met the first time. She had drawn her own conclusions after cataloguing her reactions to different stimuli and had determined that the girl was bullied quite heavily. For what reason she didn't know but if nothing else, being an outcast was always a valid reason to make one's life miserable for some people.

They strolled back in comfortable silence when Taylor decided she wanted some conversation. Of course she started with an apology.

"I'm sorry if I intruded on your time. I just saw you running too so I joined up..."

This girl had exactly zero self-confidence. Something that she'd have to be sure to change. For now, reassuring her would go a long way. Turning to her, showing a slight grin, she answered.

"You didn't intrude upon me. I enjoyed the company and if you ever find yourself running again, I'd be happy to have you join up. See it as an open invitation if you will."

This seemed to make her hopeful as she raised her head and looked at her with fragile hope.

"Do you... Do you truly mean that?"

This girl would need a lot of positive reinforcement. And she was determined to be part of that. So she lightly touched the back of her hand, sending electric jolts up her own arm that tingled pleasantly. She ignored the sensation and doubled down.

"Of course, my dear. Running alone can be a great experience but nothing beats having someone with you to enjoy the burn together. Don't worry about intruding on me. If I disliked it, I'd be quite vocal about it."

She closed in slightly and bumped her shoulder with her own. Taylor was surprised at both gestures but gifted her with a shy smile that made her breath stop for some seconds. 'Oh wow. She is even better looking once she smiles.' Was just one of the inane thoughts running through her head.

She knew she wasn't entirely straight. Bisexual with an inclination for the male gender, she had thought. She had to revise that second part, though, because she was starting to really appreciate the female form. Especially this one.

A slight shake of her head had her out of the daze and they continued on. If they were walking just slightly closer to each other, well, surely it was a coincidence. She inwardly snorted. Deluding herself wasn't really a strength of hers but that was weak even for her. She put those somewhat self-depreciating thoughts out of her mind and decided to use her vaunted social skills.

"So, Eugene's been pretty tight-lipped about your reason for transfer."

She started and already, she could see her shoulders tensing. She hurried to reassure her.

"You don't have to say anything if you don't want to. Just know, I am pretty perceptive as are quite a few of the others. This includes Wednesday and Enid. We all have our suspicions and I can guarantee you that we won't judge. Enid has her own experiences with it, Wednesday has claimed you so she'd probably travel to Brockton to end whatever caused your misery and I would think I am emotionally intelligent enough to not blame the victim for something their tormentors chose to do."

She took a breath and carefully watched Taylor from the corner of her eye. The girl was still walking slowly but her entire body had gone rigid and her eyes were those of a cornered animal. She so wanted to reassure her with some physical touch but didn't dare before she relaxed some. She didn't fear her for her powers but needlessly risking a panic attack that might cause her to hurt her unintentionally and compound onto whatever trauma she was living with would be foolhardy to the max.

"I just wanted to let you know that if you ever want to talk about it, I'd be willing to listen. Sometimes, it feels as if nothing could possibly ease the burden. As if you are alone in this wide world. But talking about it might help. A shared burden is half as heavy, is what I was told once upon a time."

The look she received was surprisingly unreadable. When she finally answered after some minutes, it wasn't quite what she expected.

"Speaking from experience?"

She intentionally allowed the emotions she felt at being asked that question to flit over her face before she formed her lips into a rueful smile. She should have expected her to turn this somehow. She was bright enough to keep Wednesday engaged. That spoke at length about her intelligence.

Would she really open up here? She felt she needed to, at least a bit. To show the trust that she wanted from the girl. Why was this so important to her? She couldn't really explain it, but she felt if she didn't say anything, she'd lose something. And so she braced herself.

"You know, Bianca Barclay has a nice ring to it. It is a name that stays in your mind and I quite like it. That's why, when I fled from what I called home in earlier years, it was the name I chose..."

She spilled her guts in front of a girl she barely knew. But she was absolutely certain she'd keep her confidence. She didn't really know where that assuredness was coming from but she didn't question it.

Of course, she didn't tell her every little detail. Only in broad strokes did she explain what she did and why she did it. But it would be enough to have her thrown out of school and probably forced back to Morningsong.

They had stopped at a bench and sat down for a bit. Even though she tried to separate her emotional state from what she narrated, it still took it's toll on her. And Taylor noticed. She hesitantly reached out to give her emotional support but was too awkward to finish the gesture. It was honestly kind of cute. She took the reaching hand into hers and smiled at the bug-controlling girl.

"Thank you for listening. I didn't tell you all of this to force you to tell me your story by the way. I simply wanted to let you know that even though we only just met, I feel like I can trust you. You've been obviously burned by a friend and it's hard for you to extend the trust that was once so easy to give."

She nodded, somewhat subdued by the topic. Her eyes showed trepidation and a formless fear but they also showed strength, integrity, and a desire to overcome her issues. But it was too early, she noticed. If she pushed it now, it would be detrimental. Bianca stopped her from talking with a simple gesture.

"Don't force it. Come to me when you are ready. I'll always listen. There is no hurry. In the meantime, let's meet up more. I like spending time with you and those morning-runs can be a bit lonely. What do you say, let's make this a regular thing?"

There was a faint hopeful note to her voice that she couldn't entirely silence and Taylor seemed to have heard because she startled slightly and then the anxious lines on her face softened a bit. The look she gave her, accompanied by a small but genuine smile, made Bianca feel as if she was floating and the answer instilled excitement.

"I'd like that... I enjoy spending time with you too."

Unable to keep her excitement bottled up, she reached for Taylor's second hand, pulling both of them towards herself and smiled at her brightly.

"Great. Now I have something to look forward to every morning. Come on. Classes start up again this day. I'll accompany you since we have all the same courses today. Let's get some breakfast, a shower and then we'll get going."

She nodded, somewhat dazed by the sudden contact she presumed. They quickly returned to the dorms and Bianca had some time for introspection. She wasn't blind to her own feelings. She made an effort to stay aware of them since she knew herself well enough to know that she'd fuck it up if she let her subconscious do the work.

Taylor was fascinating. She was shy and wounded. Tentative in all interactions and extremely careful. Understandable if her suspicions were somewhat on point. She hadn't denied the roundabout question, only deflecting it, which was answer enough, she guessed.

From time to time, especially if she was somewhat relaxed, she showed just how intelligent and charismatic she could be. She showed it splendidly while interacting with the group after they dissected that pack of morons. Them standing up for her ensured her of their honesty and made her open up a bit. Which was marvelous to observe.

The way she followed multiple conversations, staying on top of every single one without any strain. Witty comments and interesting facts that fit the topics were thrown in and raised the mood of everyone. She wasn't talkative by any means but what little she said just made sense.

So much potential and all she needed to show it was some friends. Well, she had those now. So hopefully, they'd see her bloom into the best person she could be. She was fantastic already. But she could be even better. Maybe she should ask Wednesday to include her into their sparring sessions? Her being able to defend herself even without her swarm should do wonders for her self-confidence.

She nodded to herself, determined to make it happen. Meanwhile, Taylor had an icy shudder running over her back and wondered where the danger was since her cute little scouts didn't find anything out of the norm.

~Yoko~

There was a day in each vamps life where they just wanted to end it. Where the circumstances of their situation simply outweighed any of the benefits of an undead life. This was such a day. She couldn't find the energy to do something so deplorable. Something so meaningless and...-

"If you don't crawl out of that bed and get ready for classes, you'll meditate on the couch for the rest of the month. Seriously, stop your dramatic inner monologuing. You are not suicidal so don't pretend you are."

'Ah, Divina's done with my shit. And she looks ravishing with that frown and the glare.' Rising from the bed they had shared some minutes ago as if she was Dracula, she hissed menacingly.

"What would you know, mortal?! I've lived aeons. I've seen civilizations fall and empires rise. I was the driving force behind some of the historically most brutal despots. And you dare talk to me like this?!"

Her love gave her an unimpressed stare before pointedly looking down on her empty wrist.

"Yep, it's definitely time for you to stop that shit. You done? Because if you continue, I'll cancel any and all cuddling sessions, won't allow you to kiss me even once this month and I'll tell Wednesday that you were even more of a pain in the ass than usual. Maybe she has some... Corrective measures I could take? The famous dark Mistress has to have some stuff that could get you back in line, right?"

Yoko shuddered at the thought. Maybe she pushed too far this time? Nah, having her annoyed was worth it. Feeling the tension drain out of her with every gentle gesture and dissolving her frustration with some kisses and caresses was absolutely worth the danger of having Wednesday swoop in and cause untold amounts of agony. She could unlive with that if she could make Divina melt into a puddle of satisfied goo beforehand.

Flashing her girlfriend a grin, she used her supernatural speed to clean up the room and hurried through her morning ablutions before returning to her waiting treasure, posing heroically. All that did was making Divina pinch the top of her nose, though she could see the amusement shining through. It was well hidden, but that little twitch on the corner of her kissable lips was a tell. As was the slight hitch in her exhale. Clearly, she suppressed a laugh and it nearly pushed through anyways.

She loved cataloguing all the ways she affected her. Divina was a fascinating creature and Yoko was absolutely besotted. There was no one else for her. She had tried some relationships within her long life. But they could be counted on a single hand and none managed to survive longer than half a year. With Divina, she could imagine eternity and actually look forward to it. It was an entirely new and exciting sensation. A bit scary too but when had that ever stopped her?

"Sometimes I wonder how it is that you manage to be the immature one in our relationship even though you are more than five times my age."

Yoko shrugged.

"Superior training, lots of effort, a natural talent for mayhem, and I ate my greens in the human part of my life. I'm just impressive like that."

Instead of answering her bullshit, Divina grabbed onto her hand and she let her lead her along the well lit pathways of the ancient castle. She liked it when her partner took the lead. It allowed her to sink into her own mind and plan some future chaos. That wasn't what she was doing this time, since she decided to lay low for a bit. Wednesday was still a bit sour about the whole debacle around Enid.

She felt genuinely sorry for how out of control all of this went. She never wanted to hurt her bestie. She just wanted her happy and needed some leverage to make it happen. Sadly, her plans often went awry through outside influences. Things she had no control over. It was as if she was cursed in that regard. Either that or she was shit at planning. 'Nah, I'm cursed for sure.' She told herself with supreme confidence.

She was too awesome to be shit at anything. In the time it took her mind to dissect her self doubts, they had nearly reached the classroom. Acting quickly, she pulled Divina, who squeaked with supreme cuteness, into an alcove close by. Her exasperated frown did nothing to diminish her beauty and she let her fangs gleam as she stared at her as if she was prey.

Squirming slightly, her girlfriend gave up any resistance. She always folded quickly in such situations and it was hilarious to see her flip from prim and proper (not really) to submissive and a little eager. Answering her subconscious desires, she kissed the siren softly. Their height difference wasn't that pronounced, but it was still noticeable when they were pressed against each other like this.

"I can't survive an hour without a good dose of your divine presence. It would be utterly unbearable."

She breathed directly into her ear, making her shudder. Before she snorted and looked up at her incredulously when she registered her words.

"Really? Divina's divine presence? Really?!"

She gave her an unapologetic grin and proceeded to snog the protests out of her. It worked rather well and Divina had to concentrate heavily not to sway when they left the alcove. Yoko had her smug grin firmly in it's usual place when they entered the classroom.

She threw Enid a jaunty little wave as she led Divina to their usual seats. She got a little smile and a light, bemused headshake back. Her little water sprite was still a bit out of it but quickly recovering. She sent her a playful glower that Yoko answered with a fanged grin before they put their game faces on.

The teach was nearly here and since it was one of the stricter ones, she'd behave. No need to tempt fate and get detention on the first official day of the year. She still glanced over to her girlfriend from time to time, feeling a surge of affection and a slight teasing intent every time. A bit of pink was still lingering around her neck from her earlier blush and it made her look delicious.

Maybe this wasn't one of those days where the circumstances outweighed the benefits, after all. The benefit of staying by Divina's side was weighing on the other side rather heavily, all things considered.

~Enid~

She couldn't help the fond smile on her face as she observed her pack's interactions. Yoko was trying to get a rise out of Wednesday as was often the case but today seemed to be fated to end in disappointment for her as her little black shadow was deeply invested in a conversation with Bianca and Taylor. This too was as per usual. Well, active conversation was somewhat new but ignoring the immortal idiot, as she was called in certain circles, wasn't.

Those two, Taylor and Bianca, seemed to have grown closer since yesterday and that thought made her smile widen. They deserved happiness and if they found it in each other, all the better. From what little she knew about Taylor, they'd be a good fit. Maybe she should try to play matchmaker a bit? That was a thought for later, she decided. For now, she would observe them and if the synergy was there, she'd help them along if needed.

Her attention was split between multiple conversations and consuming unholy amounts of sustenance, so she could be forgiven for failing to notice Xavier's approach. Once she did perceive him, she kept her eyes on him carefully. She knew something had happened between him and Wednesday but she'd forgotten to ask her in all the... Well. She fought down the blush that wanted to settle on her face at thinking back to the evening before. After the 'session' as she called it, they cuddled a bit before showering.

She thought that was it, but surprisingly, Wednesday offered her to sleep in her bed. With her in it. Naturally, once she had overcome the shock, she nearly crashed through the wall with how fast she slipped in beside her, much to her girlfriend's sadistic amusement. She kissed her pout away, so all was good. But. It wasn't just her fault, though! Those sheets were slippery! That silky softness had the serious side-effect of nearly nonexistent friction!

Anyways. What came afterwards was the most restful sleep in her entire life and she sincerely hoped it would happen regularly.

Shaking her head, she concentrated. Xavier had been standing there waiting to be noticed by Wednesday who, much to Enid's amusement, intentionally ignored the tortured artist. Finally deciding that if he kept at it like that, he'd make a fool out of himself, even though it was already way too late for that epiphany, he addressed her.

"Hey, Wednesday. I know you prefer solitude over social settings like this. Do you want to eat at a more secluded location? My shed is always open to you. I can show you the way in case you've forgotten?"

... She couldn't even feel jealous. That was just sad. Those hopeful eyes. The anxiety in his body language. Feeling jealousy over that performance would be like feeling jealous of a little puppy following Wednesday around. She was way too secure in the knowledge that Wednesday's emotions were entirely genuine to feel a threat from such an attempt.

That didn't mean she wouldn't 'mark her territory' so to speak. Reaching for her eternal partner's hand, she was only slightly surprised that it was grabbed before she could even finish her movements and without even looking in her direction. The warmth that bloomed within her at the subconscious action brought a sweet smile and a light blush to her face that was observed by Xavier. The expression he showed wasn't pretty. It seemed he only just realised they were together.

There was jealousy and anger. Both intensified once he registered the pity that had slipped into her expression. She couldn't help it. She felt sorry for him. There was no way to reach as far up as Wednesday Addams for him. She just hoped the feelings of inadequacy wouldn't eat away at him. He should settle for someone in his league. He would have had a chance to land above if he hadn't blown his chances with Bianca. But honestly, she deserved better so she was glad that didn't work out.

She knew that insecurities could be hard to deal with from personal experience but she always tried to talk about those things before they blew up in her face. Something he hadn't learned yet. After what seemed to be minutes of awkwardness but were probably just seconds, Wednesday chose to answer without even turning to him.

"Your attempt at socialising is poor even in my eyes. Not only did you interrupt a fascinating discourse but you also ignored every single thing I've told you the last time you approached me. If you continue your misshapen attempt at romancing someone already taken, I will have to assume either insanity or masochistic tendencies."

She had to suppress the snort that. What made it worse was that she was genuine. She wasn't snarking at him. This was not an attempt to be funny, even though it was hilarious.

"We Addamses are more open about such things than most, but that does not mean I am in the habit of cheating on my soulmate in any way, shape or form. I could, however, contact another member of my family to help you with your newfound tendencies and fetishes. As far as I know, my cousin Bathory is still single."

It was getting harder to suppress her humour and she could feel tears in the corners of her eyes from trying and slowly failing to suppress her laughter. She was genuine in every word. There wasn't an ounce of falsehood there. Of course, Xavier interpreted it differently, taking it as an insult instead.

His nostrils flared and she thought for a moment that he'd choose confrontation. But he thought better of it after surreptitiously looking around and finding no support. Quickly, he fled the scene, leaving a genuinely puzzled Wednesday.

Everything compounded and she just couldn't hold it in anymore. It took her a long ehile to calm down from her howling laughter and the following giggles that were shared among the table. Wednesday's confusion did not help her composure in the least.

Later, she explained that she simply used information from the screens and tried to help him to get him off her back without maiming him. She carefully explained to her socially still somewhat challenged girlfriend, that not everyone was in tune with what they actually wanted. That he took what she meant as a genuine offer to be an insult instead.

She was somewhat grumpy then, murmuring about repressed idiots who didn't even understand themselves but had the audacity to think they understood her. Shaking her head with fond bemusement, she simply pulled her into a side-hug and let her grumble to herself until she calmed down and made use of her lap as a pillow to read.

Sometimes, interacting with her was a bit like interacting with a cat. She might even have purred a bit when she used her claws to comb through her hair, freed from her twin braids. A secret little smile played on her lips as she browsed through tiktok with one hand while massaging Wednesday's scalp with the other. Domestic moments such as this one only made their time together more precious and she enjoyed every single instant of it.

Chapter 9

Summary:

Pam plans to experiment.

Taylor shows her courageous side.

Wednesday subdues a gang and makes use of the opportunity.

Bianca has some doubts but gets recruited anyways.

Enid performs some active introspection and doesn't even need puppy eyes to receive pampering.

Notes:

Howdy folks! Next one's ready to be thrown into your collective greedy gullets. I hope you enjoy the chapter. I definitely had fun writing it.

~Pamela~

She spent much of the recent days a bit in a daze. Ever since Wednesday had shown up out of the black to get some coffee, her life took a turn. She just wasn't used to being part of a group. She knew she was a bit socially challenged. She overanalyzed and read too much into simple comments. She didn't stop talking once the topic was one she fancied. She had several interests that would be a hard deal-breaker in most communities. And yet, she was regularly included into Wednesday's circle of friends.

Enid was usually the one making the effort to search her out but the others were absolutely on board. To the point that both, Bianca and Taylor had come to get her out of her room. She adored her plants. But they were poor conversationalists. She hadn't yet cracked the code to give them the ability to communicate in any other way but semiochemicals. She was happy to have people to bounce ideas from and even if they found she went too far, which somehow never happened when she was talking to Wednesday, they just gently told her without getting upset.

'Is this what having friends feels like? I might be addicted to this sensation.' While one part of her mind went onto a tangent on how to induce and cure addictions, the rest focused on the people she was with. Ajax was just finishing up some strange dance that he wanted to show off, much to the general amusement of all those observing him.

It seemed that was the aim of it as he seemed happy about receiving the laughs and some ovations. It was hard for her to notice when it was fine to laugh and when it would be callous to do so. It was one of the many reasons she had a hard time making friends but she was already planning on influencing her brain to cure that so it would soon be a non-issue.

She was giddy with anticipation when she thought of the secret experiments she was planning to use herself as a test subject for. Those would increase her social and her supernatural capabilities. She liked to think she would not make any mistakes but it was better to be careful with things like this so she was planning on asking Wednesday to monitor the self tests and step in, should it be necessary.

Preparations would take a while still, and it wouldn't do to become impatient and make unnecessary mistakes, so she used meditational techniques to push those thoughts to the back of her mind. Participating in the conversations around her was also a good distraction that she liked to use. It was a novel experience to have access to social gatherings such as this one.

As she used her knowledge on toxins to disassemble an argument between Bianca and Wednesday, she thought about the fact that both of them hadn't said a single nasty word to her whenever she was correct. They did however jump with glee on any mistake she'd make and obliterate her arguments with savage logic. It was... Fun.

Having intellectual equals was also one of the newer developments. She always knew there were some out there who could outthink her. But to have several of those close by and not knowing about it was a travesty that she wouldn't allow to happen again. Which was why she 'convinced' several teachers to hide tests to measure intelligence among their usual papers.

Now she knew that, with the exception of Wednesday, Bianca, Taylor and surprisingly Enid, no one came really close. There were several who were far above average but those four were quite far ahead of the curve. 'Not a single boy in the top five.' She thought somewhat smugly. She knew that that kind of result was an outlier and not the rule but it felt good to be part of a leading group that was all female.

Biting into the sandwich she had gotten from Eugene, peanut butter and fruity honey, she hummed in delight. His honey was a scrumptious treat. As expected of place 6 in the rating. That was a startling surprise as he showed next to nothing about his academic acumen in his free time. She shouldn't be however. Surprised that was. He was part of Wednesday's inner circle and if she read the context correctly, he was treated like family. And from family, she wouldn't accept anything else but excellence.

She was a bit puzzled as to why Ajax was part of the group then, but it seemed that he excelled in socialising and he seemed to have quite a talent in mediating conflicts. She nodded to herself, having found a justification for his presence.

Biting into her sandwich again, she failed to suppress the moan that pushed past her lips. For some reason, it pulled quite a bit of attention and Eugene's face seemed to become progressively more flushed. Was he sick? Would he allow her to experiment... No, to cure him with her self-made chemicals? She considered asking but decided against it. Instead she just looked at him with a hint of worry that was actually genuine. He was always friendly, even when he didn't need to be.

She also found him to be one of the few who were never offended by anything she said. She knew that she was blunt and came off as unfeeling from time to time. It was part of why she found her experiments in regards to her social inabilities to be a priority.

But somehow he seemed to always understand just how she meant it. He never lost his temper with her and she appreciated that. Very much so. He even took the time to explain where she went wrong and how she could phrase things better to not hurt any feelings.

He was the only one who did that. It was curious. He seemed to not mind spending his free time with her. Sometimes he even seemed eager to do so. It was a bit of a mystery as to why. A mystery she was determined to solve.

~Taylor~

'Has it really been two weeks already?' She thought to herself absentmindedly as she wiped her face with the towel she had brought. Taking a swing from her water bottle, she stole a glance at Bianca, who gleamed majestically in the first rays of the sun.

She thanked all the gods out there that she was allowed to witness this scene. Her eyes followed one of the sweat drops she so envied. It lazily trailed her collarbone before slipping straight downwards and vanishing between her...

She quickly avoided her gaze, blushing furiously. She only had her eyes on the drop because she was thirsty. Yep, that was it. 'You are thirsty alright. Thirsty for some chocolaty...-' She quickly silenced her inner voice before making an effort to regain control over her runaway hormones, missing the affectionate but amused little smirk the siren threw her.

"Shall we? It's going to take us some 20 minutes to reach our usual joint."

They had found a place in the middle of nowhere that sold the best pancakes she had ever tasted. They had altered their route to include it and were daily patrons ever since. She enjoyed it not just because of the good food but also because every time they visited, it felt as if they were on a breakfast date.

She didn't know if that was what Bianca wanted to achieve but the way she lavished her with attention, took her hand softly into her own and smiled at her with nearly glowing eyes made it seem as if she did. Taylor wasn't an expert on social cues. Quite the opposite really. She needed to clarify this. Not for the first time, she felt somewhat envious of Eugene's ability to smell hormones and pheromones. It would be so useful in such situations!

Taking a deep breath to fortify herself, she collected her sparse determination and began to talk.

"Wait a moment, please. I need to know. What is this for you? Am I a friend? Someone to lead on? An amusing side-project? Or is it as serious for you as it is for me? Because I have no experience and I really don't know how to make my interest clear or how to identify it in you. So I need the words. I need them so badly."

Did she sound like she was begging? 'You do. You sound so desperate. Desperate for that delicious...-' Why did her thoughts always veer into that direction?! Bianca was scrutinising her with an unreadable expression before finally, a soft smile broke through to the surface.

"Just so you know. I've sent more signals the past week than an airport tower. You are amazingly dense, you know?"

'Wha...?' Thinking back to past week to all those seemingly accidental touches, the secretive little smiles, the slow, deliberate ways she approached her... 'She was flirting all the time?!'

Feeling a little faint from embarrassment, she buried her burning face in her hands. She felt the siren's arms encircling her as she was pulled into her divine bosom.

"Oh, don't be like that, Taylor. It was fun for me even though your apparent rivalry with black holes was a bit exasperating. It's fine, you have no experience and didn't know what to look out for. I'll teach you the art, don't worry."

The teasing lilt in her voice did not make things better, but somewhat against her will, she felt herself relax in the embrace. When Bianca pulled back and looked into her eyes, it was with the most intense emotions she had ever seen expressed from her. There was a heat within them that she wouldn't mind being burned by.

"For the record: Yes, I am interested. More than that, I am invested. From now on, we'll call those breakfast dates just that. No more skirting around the topic. I want to learn about you, to get to know you, and finally, I want you to know about me. We don't need to label what we are building here for the moment. Let it all develop naturally. But I want you to know that my interest is very much romantical in nature."

Bianca smirked teasingly at her rising blush but she refused to avoid her gaze. She refused to give in. A surge of courage more intense than she ever felt inspired her to an act that would be forever burned into her mind. For better or for worse. She quickly closed the distance between them, much to Bianca's surprise, and pecked her lips.

The contact was short and chaste, but it was her first kiss. And she initiated it. An explosion of sensations and emotions overwhelmed her. So much so that she didn't even think of using her newly discovered ability to offload emotional strain into her swarm.

Embarrassment. Mortification. Anxiety. Fear. A smidgen of pride. And more lust than she cared to admit. As all those suppressed emotions rose to the surface and mixed into a rather volatile concoction, she did the only thing she could. She fainted.

~Wednesday~

[*Collective* Enemies of the Outcasts:

A teenage gang with a truly inspired name. Consisting of 24 normies who feel threatened by everything that doesn't fit their narrow worldview. Were planning to sabotage a delivery of food and blood bags by lacing those wares with things generally agreed upon to be harmful to supernatural beings.

Are collectively shivering in absolute terror after you took them down with little effort in seemingly mundane ways. Are sure you are an envoy of the devil. They fear for their lives and their souls.]

She sighed inaudibly. While inspiring terror within hapless victims was as enjoyable as ever, she really didn't have time for this. She was just out in Jericho to acquire some of Enid's favourite cupcakes and possibly talk the owner into selling her the recipe. She couldn't let those idiots think they could ran rampant, however. So she took them down. Usually, that was it. But suddenly, she thought of something. With a wicked gleam in her eyes, she started talking with a bored voice that was laced with a slightly menacing intent.

"You know, some time ago, I would have ended you all in the most painful ways possible."

She let that statement sink in. Their individual status-effects included all kinds of mental states such as 'terrified', 'panic' and one especially troubled individual even had 'aroused' proudly displayed beneath his name. Undeterred, she continued.

"There is, however, one individual, who changed your fates. Someone so pure, so bright that looking upon them hurts. And yet, averting your eyes is simply impossible."

She let her eyes wander over the gang, piercing each and everyone with her malevolent orbs, a light smirk that promised violence intentionally displayed.

"She decided to take mercy upon my black soul. Saved me from the abyss that was my nature. She is the antithesis of everything I am and yet, she didn't seek to destroy me. Instead, she reached out in friendship. She found me worthy of her attention and didn't let something as irrelevant as inherent nature deter her."

There were some new pop-ups in regard to their mental states. 'Confusion' and 'curiosity' as well as 'distrust' were the most common ones. And so she started to educate them. She ignored the messages from her own screens as she immersed herself into brainwashing impressionable youths to worship the only true goddess on this planet.

She continued to address their individual fears and worries and mercilessly deconstructed any and all arguments they fielded against her as she continued to instill a sense of awe and worship into her little minions. They would be the base, she decided. This was an opportunity that came earlier than she had expected. Why not use it?

As she wound down and concluded her impromptu sermon, she checked the quest progress.

[How to build up a Cult 101:

Spread the word! Educate the masses! Show them the way. Create a sect religiously worshipping Enid Sinclair.

First Milestone: 10 devout followers.

Reward: One random Psychic ability.

Progress: 21/10

*Ding* quest completed, random ability chosen: Psychometry.]

[*Ding*
Quest updated.

Continue on your way to religious supremacy. Show those heathens that their path is the wrong one. Convert 100 people and acquire a base of operations.

Progress:

21/100 Followers.
0/1 Base.

Reward: 1 Perkpoint, +1 mastery-tier in a random physical skill.]

19 of 24. It was an... acceptable result. Not quite satisfactory, but she could be patient with the five stragglers. They would fall, no matter how much they struggled. No one would escape.

As she absentmindedly went over the results of her strengthened Observe and handed out fitting tasks to the devout while warning those who hadn't yet chosen the correct way against betrayal with gruesome depictions of what would happen to them should they entertain that foolish notion, she looked over the screens that showed her own progress.

[Performed action:
Held a passionate sermon that managed to convince more than 10 people to completely change their worldview.

Class unlocked:
Sect Leader
Grade: Fledgling

Skills acquired:

Active:
Sermon, Persuade, Appeal, Inspire

Passive: Charismatic Presence, Leading Figure, Truly Devout]

She blinked. She had felt something click at around the middle of her speech. It seemed that had been the skill assisting in finding the correct words to reach those heathens and pull them towards the path of fulfillment. Of course, they wouldn't actually see much of Enid.

Other religions didn't need to see their worshipped figure to piously spread the word so hers wouldn't either. She was possessive and Enid was receptive to that. She wouldn't make an effort to change herself when it was clear that the target of her affection appreciated this trait.

They would have to be satisfied by accountings and the manifest of their belief that she was writing at the moment. She had already published the first part of Viper's adventures, beating her rival handily. Now she had some time in between and what better project to tackle than spreading the word?

She dismissed the bunch of misfits that would soon transform into the disciplined base of her endeavour to make the world worship the most important person to ever live. They would struggle. They would balk. But with her holding the reins, how could she ever allow them to break? She cared for her minions. They would lack nothing and they would reach heights in their lives that they'd never even dreamed of otherwise.

On her way back, cupcakes and the recipe firmly secured, she checked the skills she had gained.

[Sermon: Helps you to instinctively find the best words to praise your lady. Helps to connect with believers and prospective converters. The more you know about your target, the better this skill works.]

[Persuade: This skill increases your ability to convince your targets of your worldview. Synergised well with other skills of the same bracket.]

[Appeal: Increases your ability to question others' beliefs and aids in convincing others to aid you.]

[Inspire: Grants you the ability to rouse emotions expertly. Wether it be fear, joy, happiness or disgust. This ability may reach supernatural levels, capable of granting status effects of both, positive and negative nature.]

[Charismatic Presence: If you enter a room, you are the center of attention. Your natural demeanor is magnetic to others and your words hold that special persuasive quality that makes for a capable leader. Be careful, the exact emotions you invoke in others is heavily based on your mood.]

[Leading Figure: Others will instinctively see you as a figure of authority. Reaction is based on the personal opinion of those perceiving you.]

[Truly Devout: Since you believe in the things you preach, your passion is more likely to reach those you are lecturing. Amplifies the effects of all your Sect Leader skills as long as your beliefs stand strong. Do not waver and neither will your voice.]

If this was the basic skillset of a Sect Leader, she wasn't surprised that they oftentimes were influential figures. Those skills synergised and compounded on each other. This was a basic kit for brainwashing. A near-manic smile spread her lips while her eyes spoke of dark satisfaction. It was an expression that sent all those who saw it into a 'fight-or-flight' response.

No one chose to fight as evidenced by the multitude of people scrambling to escape her presence, leaving her return to Nevermore unimpeded.

~Bianca~

"...I wish for you to be patient while I work on subsuming Morningsong."

She sighed exasperatedly while trying to fight off the migraine that was building in her head.

"How do you even know?!"

She couldn't keep the incredulous note from her voice. Not that she wanted to. She wanted Wednesday to know what she felt about that topic. She was certain it couldn't have been Taylor. There was no way they could have met since morning and she couldn't have called her since Taylor didn't own a cell phone and Wednesday abhorred hers and nearly always left it in the dorm. Not to mention that she trusted her not to tell anyone.

"I have my ways."

The stubborn way her jaw set told Bianca that she wouldn't be getting any more information on the topic. At least not from the little heiress. Without any way to press it, she decided to let it go for the moment. Still...

"How are you planning on doing that?"

She couldn't just walk in there and demand leadership of the cult... Could she? Honestly? She wouldn't put it past her entirely. Wednesday could be ridiculously persuasive once she got started on something she truly felt for. Even though she denied any 'accusation' of her feeling anything. Well, that wasn't entirely true anymore. She still skirted around topics including emotions but she didn't outright deny their existence anymore. She even admitted to being entirely committed to Enid.

"By building up a cult in Enid's name to make the world worship her."

...What?

"...What?"

As she echoed her inner thoughts, she couldn't quite manage to collect them together. She knew Addamses were crazy but this took the proverbial fruitcake. And yet, she seemed entirely serious. The manic gleam in her eyes did nothing to reassure her. She opened her mouth and Bianca was pulled in. What she was listening to was the most impassioned speech she had ever heard. About any topic. And she even agreed with most of it on a smaller scale.

She was naturally resistant to outer influences on her mind due to her race and even she had trouble to not be swept away by her rhetoric. Idly, she wondered what would happen if she gave the heiress a microphone, some speakers and set her up in the middle of a well visited plaza.

Once she paused to get some air into her lungs, Bianca interrupted her.

"Look. I know you love her. It's plain as day. But are you sure you want to build a religion around her? Isn't that a bit much?"

Wednesday shook her head vehemently, looking stubborn as hell and vaguely uncomfortable.

"She deserves to be loved. Not just by me. By everyone. They need to know just how precious she is. She has my everything. And I wish it was enough. But, she is a highly social person. She needs others to validate herself. It is what her life formed her to be. Until she is mentally healthy enough to acknowledge her own worth independently from the opinion of others, I will strive to give her what she wants. They will adore her. I will make them."

Bianca's eyes softened as she felt her heart go out to the vertically challenged goth. She knew that Wednesday had a hard time relating to others sometimes. Her view of the world was rather unique and like-minded individuals were rare. She was also the most intense person she knew. Her admiration for the heiress had blinded her a bit to her faults. She cared too much. If she spoke those words out loud, she'd probably lose some fingers and maybe her tongue. But it was true.

The more she cared about someone, the more intense her reaction to their misery. When Eugene nearly died the year before, she showed an intense focus on what was more of a hobby before. Bianca was only peripherally aware of what had happened but she collected some firsthand accounts from people closer to the source. Most notably Enid.

At first, she told her, she was just completely heartbroken over the breach of trust. But once she had a bit of distance, she could see what Wednesday was doing. She even secretly followed her once into the hospital and heard her talking to the prone and unreactive form of Eugene. Telling him that she should be the one lying there.

That was when she understood that the singular focus she exhibited was driven by immense guilt and a need to do right by him. At that point, Enid didn't know how to close the rift between them. She was still hurt but she understood her better. Then everything escalated rapidly and the rest was history.

Wednesday cared too much. It wasn't a bad thing really, but when a prodigy such as the ravenette put her everything into something... well, the results would be special at least. Having thought through, she decided what she needed to do.

"I have first-hand experience on how to operate such an... organisation. I'll help you if we lay down some ground rules first. I respect the hell out of you and I even hold some affection for you for whatever damned reason but your moral compass is not even close to Enid's alignment. So let me help with this and we'll make her happy together. All the while saving me from a life in slavery, forced to sing people into complete compliance day after day."

She saw her mile-wide independent streak fight against the clear logic of her offer. After a surprisingly short struggle, she nodded once.

"I agree. Your position will be the one of Vice-leader. Your expertise is welcome and I... trust in your judgement and loyalty."

Feeling honoured but knowing that expressing my emotions as such would only make her clam up, she showed a little smirk.

"I'm willing to do many things to get Morningsong off my back. Helping you make Enid feel appreciated is positively tame in comparison. That said, we'll have to be smart about this. The cult is influential and they are tricky to deal with."

Once again, Wednesday nods sharply. She then handed her a list. Taking it, she gave the goth a confused look.

"Our first followers. I converted most of them to our cause but those five have resisted my first attempt. They are compliant enough out of terror but they are not truly loyal."

Of course she had a way to measure loyalty. She didn't doubt her at all. If she said those five only complied because they feared her she'd believe her. She would measure them herself but didn't expect to come to a different conclusion.

"I'll look them over. If you don't mind the change of topic, do you know what to do when someone just faints on you?"

The Addams-Heiress blinked before reaching into her backpack. When her hand reappeared, it was holding a sachet of something. She handed it over with the words.

"Smelling salt. I always have at least five doses on me. Enid has a habit of fainting during emotionally charged situations. This is the most efficient way to deal with it."

She managed to suppress the burst of laughter that threatened to push past her lips but it was a close thing. She could absolutely imagine Wednesday being all intense and romantic and Enid fainting from overload. The adorable dork had a surprisingly low tolerance for heartfelt emotions.

"Thanks. I'll probably need it in the future. Taylor seems to be the same type."

Wednesday nodded, not at all surprised about her revelation of the budding relationship. She could be surprisingly insightful in such things so she probably already guessed. Bianca's back straightened when her eyes sharpened.

"Don't play games with her. If you hurt her, I will filet you. I always wanted to try my hand at sashimi."

She felt somewhat indignant. Taylor joined the group way later. Why did she get the shovel speech? The unasked question was answered a moment later.

"You have some experience and you are emotionally more stable. You are also in the habit of using your charisma to get your way and that oftentimes is misconstrued as flirting. Taylor is more fragile and thus needs more care. She is also guaranteed to be loyal to you. She doesn't need to be made aware of your worth. She already knows and will act accordingly. But you will need to change some habits and communicate properly if you don't want to accidentally hurt her."

She looked at Wednesday with blank eyes. Was this really her? How did she become a relationship guru all of a sudden? What she said made sense, though. She knew she needed to talk more. While Taylor had finally somewhat deciphered the signals she had sent and was exceedingly cute while fumbling around like that, she'd rather properly communicate than letting misunderstandings happen for no reason at all.

Giving Wednesday a smile filled with gratitude that would be sure to make her uncomfortable, she addressed her.

"You gave me some things to think about. Thank you. Now, let me get my gear. You do want to spar, don't you?"

Rolling her eyes fondly at the way Wednesday perked up when physical violence was mentioned, she interpreted the reaction as an affirmation and left for her dorm.

"Let's meet at the facility in twenty!"

She called over her shoulder and watched her just long enough to see the nod. Maybe she'd be able to 'survive' longer than two minutes today? She wasn't counting on it.

~Enid~

Everything was weird. Not bad weird. Good weird. She still had problems to deal with but who didn't have those? They seemed to lose importance in comparison to all the great things happening recently. Like Wednesday outing herself as The Casanova, intent to sweep her off her feet. And succeeding more often than not. Sometimes quite literally, much to her embarrassment.

Their circle was expanding too and Wednesday was making an effort to socialise within their group. She even said she tolerated them! That was Wednesday speech for friendship! That thought made her giddy by itself and it was only one part of the equation.

She loved seeing all the connections that were slowly being formed within her Pack. There was a natural structure that slowly established itself and she didn't even need to guide it. Pack-Structure was important, every lycan knew that. It wasn't necessarily a hierarchy thing either, no matter what those old fogies wanted to believe.

As a modern werewolf she was entirely up-to-date on lycan social studies as opposed to those traditionalists who only cared to preserve status quo without striving for progress. She curled her lips in distaste at the thought, which caused Wednesday to throw her a curious gaze. She waved the concern away and continued to introspect.

It was something she took up to not be suckerpunched by her instincts. Being aware of your own mental state was a necessity once a lycan transformed for the first time if you didn't want to fall victim to your instincts, predatory or otherwise. Sadly, this was something many decided to neglect, deeming it unnecessary. Especially younger wolves had that mentality, which led to the bad rep of them all being hot-headed idiots.

She returned her thoughts to pack-science. There were loads of up-and-coming modern packs with atypical leadership and structure. It was a fascinating topic to study. Heck, she herself was one of those 'atypical Leaders'. It was rare, for example, to include non-weres in a pack. Which made the fact that she was the only lycan in her pack rather telling.

That wasn't the last example for her nonconforming nature by far however. Submissive traits in an Alpha were practically unheard of, just to name another. And yet, she presented as a natural Alpha, which did nothing to curb her deference to Wednesday. Even her Beast Spirit had that inclination. Oh, she could be dominant. She had the charisma and the mindset, she knew. But if it came to Wednesday, to her mate, even though it wasn't entirely official yet, she gave in in nearly all matters.

One of the reasons she felt comfortable with this was that she trusted Wednesday with her body and her soul. She wouldn't push too far and if Enid was even slightly uncomfortable, she went out of her way to alleviate it. Being cared for was a very nice feeling.

She enjoyed the warmth that seemed to sprout deep inside her whenever she thought about it, letting a secret, little, but entirely genuine smile play on her lips. She ignored the light heat on her cheeks. She was used to the slight pink that suffused them whenever she thought of Wednesday.

So yeah, she was quite the atypical Lycan. Which was one of the reasons she thought she wouldn't fit the heavily traditionally inclined Sinclair Pack even before their last... Fallout turned nuclear. Not to mention that homosexuality was not really something they liked to see. It wasn't outright banned or anything but disapproval would be felt if you batted for the other team.

She was just happy that she found herself people who genuinely cared for her and hers. Bonds of a lifetime were developing, her pack was flourishing and she was allowed to witness it all with first row seats. Kicking her feet with nervous energy brought another gaze upon her, this time one of fond indulgence, before her girlfriend once again put her attention to 'Anne Frank's Diary - The Tragic End of a Visionary Outcast'.

As always, her attention woke whole slews of butterflies within her stomach and she revelled in experiencing the sensation without the side dish of guilt she was used to. Learning to accept every part of herself was a long, arduous road. But she was determined to walk it. Because Wednesday chose her and she deserved to have the best version of herself that she could possibly be. To work on one's flaws, you first had to acknowledge them.

It was one of those little wisdoms that you heard all the time but never really took seriously until you were in a situation that called for it. She ruefully thought back to the days where she was blissfully unaware of the many problems that childhood traumata could cause. 'Nevermind that. I am working on it and I will get through it all. I will solve most of my problems with or without help. Maybe I should visit a psychiatrist? Is there already a replacement for Dr. Kinbott?' She didn't know and resolved herself to ask around.

Another tangent, another dive. She always had trouble to think straight and not just because of her sexual preference. Too much energy and a very active mind made for quick jumps through all sorts of topics without lingering too long. Her transformation and the inclusion of her Beast Spirit into those procedures didn't help at the start but by now, it's development closely matched her and they were pretty much in sync.

The Wolf didn't communicate in words but sent sensations and instincts, sometimes indistinguishable from her own. Luckily she toned it down quite a bit after catching up for some months. She was a late bloomer. Which wasn't a bad thing in her case. Presenting as a true Alpha at a younger age might have led to a situation that would have developed... badly.

But it also caused a lack of development in her wolf since she wasn't roused from her passive state until she was needed. Pulling her along with emotions and context in social situations worked wonders for her development and she calmed down considerably, content with watching through Enid's eyes most of the time. Ironically, once she had matured a bit, she actually had the mellower temperament of the two of them.

She didn't really want to think of what that said about her. She was a bit excitable, she knew. Her threshold for emotions wasn't that high and she needed to let them out instead of bottling them up. It was one of those things that could be a double-sided sword. She didn't want to change that about herself, though. It was an integral part of her personality and she liked to have the ability to express herself honestly.

Sure, she could temper herself and become just another generic adult. Another one of those deceptive bastards who smiled at you amicably while planning to stab you into the back...

She might have some buried anger to work through, she noticed. A sudden, gentle touch on her hand startled her from those thoughts. She looked down and saw Wednesday's long and filigree fingers gently caressing her lightly shaking fist. Her knuckles were white from the pressure of squeezing it with considerable force. She took a deep breath and slowly relaxed, letting the unnoticed tension flow from her body.

The eyes she met were inquisitive but not pressing. Without words, Wednesday was letting her know that she'd listen if she wanted to talk about it but wouldn't dig if she didn't want to. With a grateful smile, she reversed the grip, taking her hand into hers instead and let herself fall sideways, somehow landing her head perfectly in her lap.

She loved the way Wednesday's eyes softened as she looked down on her. Her hauntingly beautiful but severe features gained an ethereal quality as they smoothed over when she pulled her hand out of hers and started to play with her hair absentmindedly instead.

Her girlfriend began to read again, still playing with her hair as her gaze gained that edge she had whenever she focused on something. It was one of her many admirable qualities, that ability to concentrate on something so entirely that everything else slipped into the background.

Sometimes she wished she had that ability too, but if she were to be honest, she liked the flighty way her focus shifted through all kinds of topics holding her interest. The only thing capable of inspiring such single-mindedness in her was Wednesday. And that was ok. A desired outcome even.

Laying in her lap, she let go of everything, emptying her mind of conscious thoughts. She didn't need them while she was with her mate. She could relax completely. And that was what she did as she enjoyed the pampering, sinking into a light sleep. It was time for a nap anyways.

Chapter 10

Summary:

Gomez activates his lawyers.

Wednesday wakes out of schedule but goes to sleep again quickly.

The System has some stuff to say too but Wednesday isn't listening.

Enid plans a date.

Eugene worries.

Divina has to deal with Yoko.

Taylor has already planned a date.

Notes:

I'm in my holidays after being kidnapped by two friends who organised everything. There probably won't be a new chapter until the end of next week. Have fun with this one, though.

~Gomez~

He returned to the Manor in jovial mood after talking to the delightfully bloodthirsty lawyers in his employment. The lawsuit was crafted and planned completely and their opponents hadn't even an iota of an idea as to what they accidentally unleashed upon themselves.

Likening his legal counsel to sharks was an apt comparison. He was a fair hand in obscure laws and knew how to make them work for him and his wife was even better. The law firm in his employ were artists, however. Virtuosos of the highest degree, capable of things in the court that looked and sounded like the silver-tongued speech of the devil while being entirely mundane.

They had specialty lawyers for every field, who were said to be the best in their chosen corners of the law. And there were two full legal teams working on ripping Winslow High apart. They were weaving an unescapable net and once the victims noticed, it would already be too late. He might have broken out in villainous laughter as they spread out the evidence they had already gathered all the while being looked upon with an indulgent smile.

This would cost him quite a bit but what were resources for if not to spend them on the happiness of one's children? From what was shown to him, it was time someone invested in their downfall. Neglecting children simply because they could? Unacceptable. Maybe he'd buy the building afterwards and make it a school that catered to outcasts just as much as to mundane people? Thoughts for later, he supposed.

For now he basked in the feeling of being needed by his children. He was honoured that his precious little Deathtrap trusted him with this. In recent years, she hadn't often asked for help or advice and that left his need to fulfill fatherly duties somewhat directionless. Oh, he was proud of her independence and success of course.

It started at an early age. Nero's death accelerated the process but she was already developing a independent streak before that. Her excelling in everything she did was par of the course. Not because they had extremely high expectations or anything. No, it was because she set her own standards and they were always exceedingly high to say the least. But that didn't mean that the sense of responsibility just disappeared.

She was the rotten fruit of the all consuming love to his Rosa Oscura. The culmination of their passions. As were all their children. He loved them all equally if in slightly different ways. He had to admit that he understood Wednesday best among them. Most assumed that Pugsley was closest to his own demeanour, judging by their similar behaviour.

That wasn't actually the case. Pugsley had more of his mother in him than of his father. He was an excellent actor and if you looked at the surface, he was a little munchkin admiring his father and emulating him in everything. That was partly true, he knew. But there was another aspect to it that was mostly overlooked.

What he was really doing was learning. His Tish had an absolute devious mind. Most of the things he could do, could think of, she could too and oftentimes better than him. Of course he had some specialties she couldn't hope to match him in and the same was true in reverse, but those special cases were few and far in between.

And their first son was proving to be just as much of a genius. He was also a little destructive trolling shit and he was bursting from pride at the fact. A content little smile made his moustache twitch as he stepped into the House, being greeted by the building and Lurch, who was just finishing up his tactical distribution of dust and the ashes of their enemies. It was only respectful to recycle them.

"Yes. It is positively horrific to be home again. Thanks for the cold welcome."

He answered their wordless queries before thinking of something that was bugging him since the morn.

"Now, does either of you know who cut the brakes this time? Truly marvelous work on that. I nearly crashed through a farmers' market and had a head-on collision with Tony, a faun who was a good sport about it and will probably visit next week. Things are so much more fun if they are unpredictable."

Neither knew who did it but the general opinion seemed to be that his youngest, Pubert, might have had his hands on the cables since he was seen playing with his sumerian ceremonial knife set. He might have set him up to be the sacrifice in a ritual that needed patricide to be effective.

Already, the little champ had his first attempt of murder on his rapport and he was the target! He nearly shed a few tears over the sheer scope of sentimentality of it all. Why did all of his children grow up so quickly?

He shook off the sentimentality and concentrated on locating his wife. He was already suffering from withdrawal symptoms and as fun as those could be, he abhorred the reason for them. Keeping his distance for a prolonged amount of time from the main-reason for his continued existence was simply unacceptable. He needed her close and he needed her now. Suddenly, he heard the whisper, the breath of love. She uttered several french endearments, igniting his desires.

He felt as if he was electrified by Fester after he charged himself in an especially intense thunderstorm. As always, she invoked the most profound emotions within him. He was but a leaf swaying on top of the volcano that was their passion, braving the risk of being burnt to nothing. Mingling with the ashes that danced with him, he followed those whispers and promises to their source, knowing that he would find fulfillment only there. By her side.

~Wednesday~

She was roused from dreams depicting horrifying acts of violence mostly committed by her, by a sound that echoed through her head. Safely ensconced in a crushing embrace from Enid, she was alerted to a tiny blinking icon in the form of a letter. Curiously concentrating on it, she was quickly informed that what she had received was a system message.

[Communication of three outer-universal entities detected.
Designations:
Mikochi_is_mine
ASweetPotato
rhyunie
Analysing... Analysis complete!

Request to join your religious organisation.
Allow them to bask in the glory that is worshipping your Goddess? Y/N?]

She gave her affirmative, smug in the knowledge that even those not native in their universe understood the need to praise Enid's existence, before using self-hypnosis to sink deeply into pleasantly violent nightmares again. This caused her to miss a notification.

~System~

[Secret Achievement unlocked!: Multiversal Cult Creator. Your cult is not limited by puny boundaries such as universal limits.

Unlock Requirements:
Have at least one follower outside of your universe.

Rewards:
Title gained! Multiversal Sectleader. While having this title equipped, all Sectleader skills are raised by an additional mastery-rank.
Skill gained! Base-Teleport. Allows you to return to any Base registered to your organisation. Cooldown period: 30 minutes.

No title equipped. Do you want to equip this title? Y/N... Automatic acceptance in 3... 2... 1... Equipped.]

~Enid~

Watching her girlfriend while nibbling on the leftover cupcakes from the previous day was a pleasant experience. Not just because she was exceedingly easy on the eyes. Her laser focus and dedication to her craft were admirable traits and she couldn't get enough of watching her.

While Wednesday usually typed in the late afternoon, she decided to write on her next project in the morning instead. She was 'motivated to an unholy degree', was what she was told when she curiously inquired.

She enjoyed breakfast silently, only humming in pleasure from time to time as she devoured the baked goods. Her mood was on a consistent high the past few weeks and Wednesday was the main-reason for that. Time after time, she surprised her with romantic gestures and spicy comments that sent a shiver down her spine. The good kind.

There might have been another spanking too but a proper lady didn't moan and tell. Consequently, she couldn't tell. Forcefully changing the track of her thoughts with only a slight blush, she instead turned them to what she was planning in return. Being pampered and appreciated by her second half was nice but she wanted to show that she wasn't a slouch in such matters either.

At first, she planned to have a picnic in a cemetery at midnight. And while she would've appreciated that, it just wasn't enough. It felt lackluster in comparison to the poetic and romantic bombs Wednesday dropped recently. So instead of settling for mediocrity, she decided to put in some real effort.

She searched around a bit on the net before finding something interesting. Dr. Croft, an expert on all kinds of infections, was holding a seminary on necrotising deseases caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites in a close by town, roughly a week from now.

She quickly booked two seats and informed Wednesday to keep the evening on that day reserved. She was excited about her reaction to the surprise and she loved teasing her about it when she asked. Which didn't happen more than twice but the irritation was already worth it. She planned to eat less that day while also taking stomach medicine before going to prevent herself from puking.

Dr. Croft was said to make extensive use of visuals while presenting the topic, and gleefully so as the community stated. So she would be a bit green around the gills for sure. But she'd endure it for her Moon. She had to. It wouldn't be romantic otherwise. She was determined to make this work.

Contemplating if she should cater to Wednesday's preferred colour palette led her to the conclusion, that she was loved just as she was. She didn't need to change herself to appeal to her. Ironically, this motivated her to try some new stuff and she found some really interesting glittery goth looks that she'd totally rock, given the chance.

There was this sweater for example. It looked sooo comfy and glittery. She just had to buy it. And the message on it resonated with her too, so double win! The base colours were black, darkish violet and a hint of a soft pastel pink. On it's front, there was a glittery heart with a sentence in it's mid. 'Let's be different together!' It would go perfectly with her lavender eyeshadow and the new dark purple lipstick she got herself. All she needed to finish up the outfit was a cute frilled skirt and some black leggings. And some dark coloured sneakers.

She really looked forward to wearing the completed outfit. In a moment of genius, she had practiced to gain more control over her human based transformations with some help of her spiritual animal. Now she could grow her nails and teeth selectively, allowing her to grow a single canine just enough to gleam over her lower lip. It gave her a slightly wild charm that she was sure would be appreciated by Wednesday.

So much preparation went into wowing her and all of it behind her back. She was of course expecting something but since she didn't know what, it would be a surprise nonetheless. Hopefully.

Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt when Wednesday rose from her seat with that casual elegance that seemed to grow recently. She suspected some passive effects from the System to be the culprit of that and several other changes. Her charisma was shooting through the roof for example and her choice of words was growing to be even more sophisticated than it already was.

Just the day before, she managed to make several guys cry with words alone. She was watching in awe as she deconstructed their personalities, aiming at their emotional weak spots with pinpoint accuracy. After having them on the ground, sobbing messes in fetal position, she knelt beside them and finished almost gently by telling them that they should search her out if they were looking to turn over a new leaf.

She was so proud of her! Altruistic tendencies weren't hardwired into her. She needed to make a conscious decision to do good and she did just that. It made her giddy! Humming to herself, she followed Wednesday like the loyal companion she was. After a quick stint into the bathroom to clean her teeth, they were both ready for the day. Her life was looking up and she was excited what it would bring to her.

Even if there was something tragic on the horizon, she was sure she could withstand anything as long as Wednesday was by her side. The possessive glint in her gaze when she looked at her from the corner of her eyes reassured her that that would be the case, no matter what.

~Eugene~

He was worried. About Taylor, about Enid, and all the others. Even the new addition, Pamela, wasn't exempt. Not about Wednesday, though. Never her, really. That girl couldn't be kept down by certain death, so what could possibly end her?... 'Heh, can't lie for crap. Not even to myself.' He thought ruefully as he confessed in the depths of his mind that yes, he worried about her too.

How couldn't he when he had seen her mauled, beaten, stabbed, shot at with an arrow and nearly disembowelled? She was tough and wouldn't want anyone's worry. She'd probably take it as an insult and would try to beat it out of him. Not that she'd succeed. He worried. It was an essential part of him.

His Hive was his everything and they all were part of it. Wednesday had claimed them all. This ensured their protection from her side. But who would protect her? Enid, of course. She may not look it most of the time but she had showed off her transformation to them. She was a great Beast of enorm strength and even greater tenacity. A true Alpha. But even monsters could fall. So he made sure to do his part.

He worked tirelessly on modifying his beehives to sentry posts. All over the campus, there were tiny auxiliary hives, hidden for a quick refill and as a hiding place. In those short weeks, he had built up a rather complete insectoid surveillance system. Every Hive member had at least one drone on them at all times. Some knew, some didn't.

Those in the know tolerated them grudgingly. They guessed the reason, he assumed. He was thankful they accepted his busybody attitude to a certain extent. Pam even integrated them into her ecosystem.

"Might as well use the resources if you are intent to keep them around. You can alter them, right? This is what I need you to do..."

With a wry smile, he had changed them to her specifications. He even learned some novel things from the principles behind the alterations. She really was a brilliant mind.

'Now, where was I?' He thought as he put the finishing touches onto one of his new drones. He liked fiddling with different configurations as he found out. Creating things not found in nature appealed to him and it exercised his creativity which was always a plus.

Sending his new 'children' off to their homes, he contemplated on just how much his life had changed since Hurricane Wednesday decided to rearrange it. She was a natural disaster. A catastrophe in human guise. And she'd find all of those epithets to be flattering.

Well, even though she introduced pure chaos in his previously nearly mundane way of life, she also made sure he was able to deal with it. If he didn't know better, he'd think she was fussing over him with how often she checked his progress with the routine she threw together for him.

And she didn't know, but he was somewhat aware while he was lying there in a coma. He shouldn't have been but a part of his brain was always active since the senses of his bees filtered through it. While the link they shared was a minor one, it was enough to keep his senses somewhat engaged. This allowed him to perceive some parts of the world around him even while completely under.

He heard her guilt ridden confession that she should be the one lying there. He wanted to scream at her that it was his own decision and that she wasn't responsible for him being a dumbass but all he could do was listening. Being unable to express himself in that moment was so frustrating.

After waking up, the situation escalated rapidly and he simply had other priorities. Escaping the hospital and supporting his Hive for example. But he made sure to talk to her afterwards. To ensure her that it was his own decision and that he came across Hydler through no fault of her own. 'Plans go awry.' he told her.

She still had that silent selfloathing thing going after the talk but she seemed thankful that he made the effort. It was a bit hard to tell with her, sometimes. Ever since then, she started getting involved in his self-defence choices. She forced him to start up a physical fitness routine that made him suspect that she was trying to kill him and she started to give out suggestions to make his apoidea more lethal.

Admittedly, some of those ideas did give him nightmares but she meant well. Probably. Yeah, no. There was some seriously world-ending crap among those. The only people who she had goodwill for were those claimed by her. And he could respect that.

~Divina~

She was done with this shit. Seriously, why did she have to fall in love with the most chaotic bloodsucker around? Why couldn't it be one of those gentleman-vamps? Or even just a silent type who didn't get out much?

'Because that would be boring. Because you crave the chaos. Because, admit it or not, Yoko is exactly what you want in a partner.' Her inner voice was annoyingly accurate as always but that didn't mean she couldn't be absolutely done with Yoko's shit every once in a while.

"That innocent look behind your glasses doesn't fool anyone. Especially since I can't even see your eyes."

She started. The vamp was trapped. How she got into that particular position was anyone's guess. One leg was bent and pushed upwards on the wrong side, her ankle bound by a robust chain while the other one was stretched out and connected to the ground by a similar chain.

Her arms were in a strangely fetishised straitjacket, pressed against her body in an embrace of herself. The whole construct she was in seemed to be connected with a strange apparatus behind her. What fucked up shit did she get into now?

"Dear, it isn't what it looks like..."

She looked at her with a deadpan that would have impressed even Wednesday.

"Please, explain to me what this looks like. Because I am looking and I can't seem to find anything in that little brain of mine to associate this scene with. Well, maybe one or two of those obscure porn flicks that you showed me some weeks into our relationship."

Yoko opened her mouth to say something but it snaps closed quickly with a humm.

"Yeah, you're right. I've got nothing. This was supposed to be a birthday present and I wanted to make sure it works. Maybe I should have talked to you before testing it?"

The headache that was indicative of her interactions with Yoko started up on level 3 today. She sighed before answering.

"Sometimes, I wonder if Elder Tanaka didn't suck out your brain instead of your blood. It would explain so much."

Even though her mobility was heavily impaired at the moment, Yoko still managed a somewhat authentic dramatic pose.

"Oh, you wound me so, my love! But honestly? Fair. It's not that I didn't know this was a bad idea. It's just that the voice telling me that this looks fun was so much louder."

That admittance didn't really help her case but at least she was honest. Maybe she should teach her mentally impaired girlfriend a lesson?

"I'm thinking of leaving you on there for a week, only feeding you just enough to stave off the bloodrage. What do you think, is that a fair punishment for being the sole reason for all my migraines? I mean, even Kent isn't as frustrating to deal with as you. He at least only accidentally sets things on fire that shouldn't really be able to burn."

She loved her brother but that single ability of his was truly special in all the wrong ways. Burning cold water without any other substances in play wasn't something a siren should be able to do.

Yoko looked vaguely alarmed by her threat and quickly changed her demeanour to 'begging mode #6'.

"Dear, Love of my unlife, please don't do this to me. You know how much I despise that feeling of hunger. That need to sink my teeth into fresh prey."

She hadn't truly entertained the idea. She just wanted to make her aware of the fact that she once again caused a major headache. She should be used to it by now, she supposed, and she was really, but that didn't mean that she'd just get out of all those situations punishment-free.

She turned her attention to the apparatus behind Yoko, who kept her dramatic pose in place even through her begging. There were some levers and buttons, each labeled.

Curiously she closed in, perceiving Yoko's faint panic as she did so. Reading the labels, a mischievous smile appeared on her lips.

"You wanted to test this machine, right? How about letting me 'help' you?"

Yoko's panic was now growing. She frantically tried to free herself but she had outdone herself with this construction. The constraints were solid. Not even her supernatural strength could get her out of them.

"Now, dearest of mine, there is no reason for drastic measures. Just let me put off...-"

She interrupted her because this was a consequence. The consequences for acting dumber and more immature than she was. She knew and appreciated that Yoko was doing his in part to maintain a youthful spirit. She knew that immortality could weigh on one's mind heavily.

And even though she already agreed to be transformed after her 25th birthday, intending to spend eternity with the most important person in her life, she knew of Yoko's fear that she'd change her opinion. It wouldn't ever happen. She truly loved the moron. But she knew that irrational fears were just as real as the feasible ones.

That didn't give her a 'get out of jail card' all the time, however. And this was one of those rare chances to prove it.

"Oh, don't be like that. Let me help you! For example, what happens if I press this button?"

She pressed the 'Heads down!' button and that was exactly what happened. The entire construct flipped on it's head in record speed, making Yoko groan at the sudden movement.

"Well, that one seems to work as intended, wouldn't you agree, sweetheart?"

Yoko's answer was another groan that transformed into a squeal of surprise when she pressed the next button. 'It's going round around!' was it's label and once again, it was rather aptly named. Her involuntary headstand still firmly in place, she started rotating around her own axis with increasing speed, much to her distress. How the heck did she build something like this in a couple of days?!

She stopped her spinning and Yoko looked at her while breathing heavily.

"Enough..."

She whimpered pitifully and Divina squatted down in front of her. She stared into her obscured eyes with pure wickedness glimmering within her own orbs. Her words brought despair to the bound vampire.

"But we only tested two buttons, my dear. There are still 23 to go! And we can't forget those five levers, can we?"

After pretending to muse over which button to press for some tense minutes, she pressed the release button. With a yelp, Yoko landed in a heap on the ground. After sorting herself out and calming down a bit, Yoko threw herself onto her bed.

Divina crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at the lackadaisical manner Yoko was behaving. It wasn't anything new but she'd have thought that this small lesson would at least take some of the wind out of her sails. Apparently not since she turned to her and gifted her with a sly grin.

"Not gonna lie, that was hot. All the control was with you. You could have stripped me, whipped me, ate whipped cream off me. I'd have been completely at your mercy."

As much as she wanted to, she couldn't suppress the blush that was rising to her cheeks as she glared at her girl she just tried to put some sense into only to fail spectacularly. It would seem she'd need to pull out the heavy weapons.

"No cuddling for a week. No, two weeks. And I won't let you nibble on the back of my neck. You won't even see it. I will wear turtlenecks!"

With every word, Yoko's posture shrank until she was shivering. Quickly, she pulled herself together with the strength of the desperate and made her plea.

"But, you'll be miserable too! You love it when I gently nibble there and we haven't spent a single day without at least some cuddling since we got together!"

Divina closed her eyes. This was punishment. For her as much as for Yoko. But... Dramatically, she opened her eyes. Sharp intent flowed from her as she refused to give in.

"If that is the price I'll have to pay, so be it. I am as much as fault as you for having allowed you to ran rampant as much as you did. It's time to repent."

They held each others' gazes for a minute or so before she cracked. A laugh escaped Divina even though she was trying her best to contain it. Yoko joined in a moment later before dashing over and sweeping her into a hug. Divina enjoyed the closeness and allowed herself to snuggle into the embrace.

"I love you, you unbelievable goof."

Yoko tightened the embrace and whispered back.

"And I love you. You are my common sense, my conscience and all things positive in my unlife."

Divina snorted and answered with quite a bit of biting snark.

"I failed at least one of those tasks."

Yoko hummed in amusement as she swayed them to a rhythm only she could hear.

"Nah. I'd be way worse if you weren't with me."

She pulled back and looked at her incredulously. She didn't get an answer as she was suddenly full on dancing with the vampire. Several rapid spins in succession startled a laugh out of her as she accepted the surprise impromptu dance and moved according to the lead she was given.

Sometimes, she was the definition of a headache. Okay, most of the time she was that. But times like this made all of it worth it. She was certain she couldn't love anyone more than her very own immortal idiot.

~Taylor~

There was a single bee close to her. She looked into it's eyes. And it stared right back.

"You know, I have my own sentries. And loads of insects in the vicinity. Ants, termites, a myriad of different bugs. All under my control. And you set a single bee on me to keep watch? I'm not sure what exactly you want to achieve here but you are inefficient."

She spoke those words in a conventional tone. Neither the bee nor she avoided eye-contact. They held the stare-down for several minutes before she chuckled and shook her head. She knew he couldn't hear her. Not in the regular sense.

While her ability was based on her psychic energy and the adaptiveness of her brain, his was more along the lines of biokinesis and pheromone-control. He had a minor psychic link with all the insects he controlled but he couldn't feel much through it. Only agitation and how far away they were. But for this situation, it was perfect. They were like an early warn system. If something happened to any of them, he'd have the time of the incident and the distance from himself.

This one-sided conversation was only conducted to amuse herself. She was a bit bored, waiting for Bianca to drop by. She made her promise earlier that she'd do just that. Today was one of those exceedingly long days. She had choir practice, coached the swimming club, and had to spar with several members of the fencing troupe before she could break away from her daily scholarly duties.

Taylor decided that she wanted to help her relax after a long day of hard work. Preparing an outing and helping her calm down after a stressful day would do exactly that.

Their relationship was developing on a basis of trust and honesty in addition to the initial attraction. It was a bit hard for her to already reach out after what she had to suffer through but she was besotted and certain that Bianca was worth it. She just hoped she measured up to her. Her mildly selfloathing thoughts were interrupted by an attractive siren.

'Speak of the devilish seductress and she shall appear.' Taylor thought to herself as she watched Bianca approach with a tantalizing sway to her hips. She raked her eyes over her form appreciatively even as the blush rose to her cheeks.

The knowing smirk and mischievous glimmer did nothing to help her stave it off. She didn't mind it, however. It was her body's way to show her appreciation and it was an honest reaction to a genuinely alluring sight. She refused to feel shame for something that was not only provoked but appreciated too.

"Hey."

She greeted her somewhat shyly much to Bianca's amusement. She still met her eyes squarely without falsehoods. The siren's eyes softened and she sat down besides her. Their meeting place was a slightly hidden grove that ended in a clearing on the edge of the woods. They found it when they went off track on one of their runs, chasing each other over some rarely used trails.

With Bianca there, she could finally start the show. She had invited her to pay her back for the gorgeous sunrise they experienced together in addition to helping her relax. She knew that relationships shouldn't be transactional and it wasn't, but she felt she wanted to wow her just as much as she was wowed by Bianca.

The first glow-worms rose into the air, taking her attention as they started to dance through the night sky. A look of wonder appeared on her face when more and more joined up in addition to several bugs that reflected the light just perfectly in different colours. Slowly, a picture began to take form. When the number of glow-worms reached five figures, it became clear that they were forming a moving scene of them dancing.

With Bianca leading, they performed a wonderful waltz. Their dresses were gleaming in different colours as they looked into each others' eyes. When the dance came to an end, they slowly approached without loosing eye-contact. Gently, they met in the middle as fireworks went off in the background. Their kiss was unhurried and intimate and the receding blush on her face was back in full force as she expertly coordinated the bugs.

She dared a glance at Bianca and startled from the tears that were glimmering on the edges of her eyes. Why was she crying? Did she misread something? Was there anything offensive...- Her spiraling thoughts came to a quick end when Bianca glomped her.

"That is the most romantic and elaborate thing anyone's ever done for me. I absolutely love it... And if you'd be amenable, I'd like to recreate the scene with you sometime."

After those words, she pressed a lingering kiss to the corner of her lips, making her short-circuit for more than just a moment. When she regained her faculties, she thought of the next phase of the plan and hurried into one of the bushes under Bianca's curious gaze. She quickly returned with a picnic basket, making her smile appreciatively.

"I am feeling a bit peckish. Thanks for going through all that trouble."

Taylor shook her head.

"It's no trouble at all. I just wanted to show you how serious I am with this in a way that would sweep you off your feet. I hope I somewhat achieved that"

She smiled at the siren, confident in something for the first time in a while. That feeling only rose when Bianca nodded with a hum as she took her hand when she reached her with the basket. It was a bit challenging to arrange the picnic with only one hand but she refused to let go of Bianca's.

Eventually, she managed to put everything to her liking and, with a teasing little grin, Bianca decided to tuck in. She hummed with delight when she bit into the first sandwich. The basket contained all her favourites. She'd learned those by carefully asking her questions that would lead to the answers she wanted in a roundabout way over the past two weeks. She was quite proud of that small bit of subterfuge.

When they finished what she'd brought with her, they layed down to watch the stars. The blanket she had chosen was a comfortable one and the way Bianca pulled her closer after they started stargazing made her warm up for an entirely different reason so they weren't cold, even though it definitely wasn't the warmest night of the year.

"This was a fantastic evening. You planned that one for some time, haven't you?"

There was a laugh in her voice that was noticeable even though she suppressed it. It wasn't anything malicious. Bianca was just as giddy as she was and evidently, they weren't the best at containing genuine overwhelming emotions.

She smiled brightly at the captivating siren before answering.

"I knew what exactly I wanted to do around a week ago but I was planning to take you on a special date for a while now, yes. I'm delighted that you liked it."

Bianca turned fully to her, laying on her side and pulling her into the same position too. It was intimate and made her heartbeat speed up rapidly. She could have off-loaded some of her emotions into her swarm but she refused to let her low threshold for positive sensations ruin something this important.

"How couldn't I love this? It was a beautiful show and everything was perfect. The dance, the mesmerising colours, your wordless message. Everything. The food was exceptionally good too. This date takes the absolute lead in any kind of romantic relationship I've ever had. Thank you for gifting me such an experience."

She didn't say much on answer as everything was already said. She did however pull her a bit closer to join their foreheads together.

"I'm glad..."

She whispered, feeling at absolute peace. Slowly, without even noticing, she slipped into a slumber. She was exhausted from preparing all of this. Her mind was slightly overdrawn and she felt as save as she ever did. Those factors combined into a peaceful sleep, watched over by a protective siren, who held her dear to her heart..

Chapter 11

Summary:

Wednesday accompanies Enid on a stroll.

Pugsley thinks he isn't suicidal. Ironically, it seems, he actually is.

Enid educates Yoko on the intricacies of the James Bond universe.

And Larissa plans to offer sacrifices for temple massages.

Notes:

Finally back from holidays in the hell called Spain. I don't dislike the country at all. It's beautiful and rich in culture. It's people are exceedingly guest friendly and helpful. But my friends decided to visit all the tourist spots in Valencia, Murcia, Cartagena, and Alicante. By foot. In temperatures upwards of 35°C.

Well, that happened and I lost 7 kilos in a week, so yay. Now I'm back and in writing mood. This one took form over two days and it came out pretty well me thinks. I also started a Worm fanfic while in half-delirium so if you are interested, check that one out as well.

That said: Enjoy!

~Wednesday~

As she wrote the Manifest of the Sun and her Moon, she pondered over the fact that her life somehow completely shifted. She didn't really have a choice in the matter but if she was honest, she didn't need it as she would have chosen this exact scenario each and every time. There wasn't a single iteration of her who didn't feel exceedingly strongly about Enid. She felt it within her bones, as if the wolf burrowed deeply into them and lavished herself with their marrow.

She shook off the pleasant fantasy and focused on the task of creating a religious text of the highest quality for the simple fact that Enid was the object of worship. Soon she had spent more than an hour writing and was subsequently pulled away by her Light. She looked back at her type writer with longing but Enid stayed strong and sternly told her that she needed to pace herself. Otherwise the quality of what she was writing could suffer.

While the chance for that happening was fairly low, it wasn't nonexistent so she relented. As they once again wandered over the grounds with their hands locked, she accepted that she quite likely took after her father more than she wanted to admit. She had the nearly irresistible urge to wax poetics in Enid's name. To hunt down the strongest beasts to please her. She wanted to eradicate any and all sources of her distress.

Never before was she as thankful for the fact that End wasn't enthused to learn a different language. Had she started to talk in language she didn't yet know, she'd lose the little control over herself that she still had. Not that it wasn't tested on a daily basis, she thought sardonically.

The Addams Family Curse only amplified what was already there. It could not create love from nothing. There had to be a spark. And it couldn't be simple affection. It had to be romantic in nature. That glimmer would soon evolve into a bonfire and before one had time to prepare, it would grow into an all-consuming inferno that would burn the affected person alive in the best ways possible.

This confirmed that it was in fact a choice. In some cases, the choice was as... controversial as their family was. She had a grand uncle who fell in love with a soap bottle. Thanks to the varied skillset that the Addams Family could rely upon, he managed to communicate with the item and they were woefully happy in their unholy union.

She was pulled from her thoughts when Enid's hand squeezed hers even tighter than usual. She looked up and saw several idiots block their path. The very same imbeciles she already verbally obliterated with some minor help from their social group. She looked at them with a decidedly unimpressed mien.

"You share one braincell in between you, don't you? I've already shown you that your imbecilic attitude can only lead to your doom. Do you truly want to make an enemy out of me?"

Their leader shook his head, surprisingly not rising to the taunt. It seemed they did have some sense if she interpreted his behaviour correctly. Her thoughts were proven true once he opened his mouth.

"I'm not trying to make trouble. I'm usually more controlled but I just won an important battle and I was still high on adrenaline. I wanted to apologize for the way I behaved. I already did just that with Taylor a couple of hours ago. Will you allow me?"

That was surprising. He didn't seem to be lying. Glancing at his screen, she quickly affirmed that he was in fact serious. This was a chance. She had already subdued some hotheaded Lycans and inducted them into the Cult. She truly needed to think of a name that was worthy of her Goddess. She couldn't keep calling it a cult. That term was too mundane, too... pedestrian to ever describe the majesty of it's leading figure.

"If you are truly serious, meet me tonight. I will send you the location through my own means. I will take my time to truly... educate you on the intricacies of an apology to an Addams."

She didn't know why, but they collectively shivered. She hadn't even started threatening them yet. All she did was opening up implications. 'They must have a truly active imagination.' She thought to herself. She was planning to give them the entire indoctrination package. After regularly checking if her intuition and the system were in sync in terms of judging their alignment, she had started to tentatively trust it's judgment.

She still gauged them based on her own knowledge first but she used the System's opinion for the final estimation. The System's personality was more bearable since that pesky idiot named Rob was dealt with by Grandmama. It seemed to develop some minor traits over time, though.

It also learned to anticipate her needs, hiding Enid's screens completely for example. She needed to actively reach out to look at them and she wouldn't do that for trivial reasons, even though she had the permission to do so.

Her absentminded stare had them trembling in terror for some reason. She dismissed them with a casual wave. As if released from a spell, they scattered and she left them to their own devices. She noticed some shy glances from Enid after they left and directed a questioning gaze to her. She fidgeted a bit before taking a shuddering breath.

"Seeing you control a pack of considerable strength, at least in this school, with such ease. Just a few trivial gestures and a stare that is capable of freezing souls... That casual dominance was sooo hot..."

Now it was Wednesday's turn to shiver for entirely different reasons. It was hard to suppress reactions elicited by Enid for the simple reason that most of the time she simply didn't want to suppress them.

She was well and truly under her spell and she couldn't be more miserable. It was the worst. She loved it. She loved her. Entirely. Every time she thought, said or even dreamt those words, it was a revelation. She would never truly grow accustomed to the effect they had on her. It was truly wondrous.

In answer to her words, she gifted Enid her trademarked smirk #3. The one she knew would drive her crazy. And right she was. She revelled in the feeling of claws scraping over her unguarded skin as they involuntarily slid out of her immaculately cared for fingers.

The wolf instantly realised it with a startled gasp and tried to pull away only to be halted by her grip. She looked into her apologetic eyes and closed in to kiss her nose, causing her to go cross-eyed for a moment before she giggled.

"Do not worry about showing yourself capable of wounding me. I like the fact that you are strong and dangerous. I wouldn't expect anything else from my chosen partner for life. You are a marvelous creature. A duality of a vivacious spirit and a savage beast that has entirely captivated me. I feel myself trapped under your spell and I struggle to find a single reason to free myself."

She smirked inwardly when she saw her pupils dilute as her mouth opened involuntarily, a hot breath leaving it in the process. She caught herself a moment later but Wednesday swallowed the impending whine by darting forward like a snake in hiding. She calculated the distance perfectly, reaching her mouth with bruising force without truly hurting her.

She dominated the kiss and plundered her mouth before pulling back slowly, keeping Enid's lower lips between her teeth. She drew just a drop of blood, causing a delicious hiss, before licking it away languidly.

"You are mine. Never forget that. I will not ever let you out of my extensive reach. There is no possibility for you to escape. You are trapped, just as much as I am."

Her voice dropped into a menacing whisper, that somehow conveyed infinite fondness and possessive intent all at once. She didn't resist the bruising embrace she was quickly pulled into. The earlier interrupted whine made it's appearance a moment later.

"Willaaaaa, you can't do this to me in public! You know how you affect me! This is cruel and hot in equal measure! On second thought, that's kinda your signature style, isn't it?"

She sighed, accepting her fate as she cuddled even closer. Her grip was tight enough to seriously impede her ability to move and she truly enjoyed it. The way Enid anchored her physically as well as emotionally wasn't something she had ever experienced and she couldn't get enough of it.

It was the first time she truly craved physical contact and if the way Enid tried to fuse their bodies together was anything to go by, it was entirely mutual. She was startled when she felt a light sting on the left side of her collarbone. Enid lightly nipped the skin on top of it and sucked it on between her teeth, making sure to leave a mark.

She found the thought of being marked by her significant other to be surprisingly exciting. She tilted her head lightly, giving Enid more space to work with. She instantly used the free reign and made sure it was visible. Once she pulled back, she saw a feral gleam in her Enid's half-lidded eyes.

"You are mine just as much as I am yours."

She said it in a casual way as if she was talking about the weather. The simplicity in which she was claimed felt appropriate. It was, after all, one of the universal truths in their lives. She simply nodded her acceptance, leading to a satisfied growl leaving the mouth she just kissed bloody.

The sound did things to her stomach but she didn't show outwardly just how affected she was. It wouldn't do to let the pup have the upper hand. It wasn't easy to juggle a submissive Alpha. Conflicting instincts could do serious harm if one wasn't careful. She wouldn't do that to her petit loup.

She read up on it and made sure to adjust her natural behaviour just enough to satisfy both, the wolf and the human side. Her Goddess wasn't just a single aspect but the entirety of this clashing dichotomy. She had to find the way to entirely unite herself on her own. It was one of those things she couldn't actively help with. She could make the way a bit less riddled with obstacles but Enid had to walk the path herself.

She was a good few steps along already. She accepted the wolf as a part of herself. She had no scruples regarding her alternate self at all. But acceptance wasn't everything it took. It was a gradual process, though, so it didn't matter how long she took. Wednesday would make sure to support her every step of the way and that was everything that mattered really.

[New prospective outerversal recruits found:

Designations:
NeTMouxCul
Valtalon
Biddyapper

Warning! Outerversal Void Entity ??>, temporary designation Swichblade27 has taken notice of your organisation and has asked for acceptance. System advises caution.]

She casually accepted the first three but her eyes flashed with a dangerous light on the last one. She would need insurance for that one. She wasn't yet secure enough to ensure compliance from such entities. She would ask Grandmama to vet them later on. For now they would be left on pending. She looked over the quest and blinked in slight surprise.

 

[Questline: 2/?

Continue on your way to religious supremacy. Show those heathens that their path is the wrong one. Convert 100 people and acquire a base of operations.

Progress:

87/100 Followers.
2/1 Base.

Subcategories:

81 inner-universal Followers
6 outerversal Followers

Keyfigure appointed!
Vice-leader: Bianca Barclay

Reward: 1 Perkpoint, +1 mastery-tier in a random physical skill.
Bonus Rewards: ???]

She had bases already? We're some of her minions actually intuitive enough to procure plots of land for their growth? She would need to investigate this development later on. For now, she'd enjoy her time with the girl she'd worship for the rest of her life.

~Pugsley~

Communication was key in every relationship, he mused. No matter if it was a kidnapper and their victim or a married pair. He agreed with that sentiment on a deep level. Which was why he coordinated with Grandmama and Enid to provide Wednesday with the best possible experience for their outing.

He was the only one in the family who possessed a relatively high-performance smartphone and knew what to do with it. This made Enid default to him when it came to contacting them. She didn't do so often but they had several chats over the past few months. He liked to think that they were growing closer independently from his status of being her future brother-in-law.

Usually, he'd probably use this whole thing to play a prank on his sister but he wasn't quite suicidal enough to do that in this case. He knew what Alphas looked like and if Wednesday was to be believed, Enid was even more impressive than a usual one.

He was confident in his ability to fend her off or even kill her with his Anti-Lycan weaponry but that would probably spell the end of the world since Wednesday wouldn't want to live without her and she would take them all with her out of spite. A proud smile played on his lips as he helped Grandmama prepare the less dangerous ingredients for Wednesday's outing. They were still deadly, just slightly less so.

He knew his sis to be capable of many things and he didn't doubt for a second that she would be able to end this world in at least three different ways, should she be so inclined. His thoughts were rudely interrupted by a pained roar followed by a yelp and a submissive whine. It seemed that Lurch had finally managed to subdue the manticore. They could have used store bought venom but Wednesday would be able to taste the difference. It had to be as authentic as possible.

Enid had asked for help and he'd be blessed if he didn't give his worst. As determination flooded him, he quickly twisted the stem of the living nightmare. It was a kind of sentient root that secreted a toxin. It's properties were quite special in the way it worked. Tormenting it's victim with neverending nightmares until their heart gave out. Wednesday loved to have it undiluted as a nightcap.

They were using it to give some of their dishes that little bit of extra kick. When he suggested that to Grandmama, she cackled in that special way that made him want to rip his ears off, before praising his creativity. He loved the sensation of dancing on the edge of mania that she inspired in him. And her snacks. He wondered if he could steal some of those finely grated Eyeballs? He knew they were to be used as a filling for the cream puffs but Grandmama always made more than necessary, so she wouldn't miss some, right?

Just when his hand started wandering, blinding agony filled his mind as the oldest crone tutted.

"You know better than that, young one. My eyes are everywhere and your hands aren't nearly nimble enough to escape them. I already planned in a little extra for you so stop being impatient. Learn to temper your cravings and unleash them in the most opportune moments. I taught you better than that. Now, go and get the manticore's venom for me. Lurch is a treasure but he is just too slow for deliveries if he has no vehicle beneath him."

He breathed through the pain, enjoying the way it seemed to radiate through his entire body before flowing back into it's center repeatedly. And all of that with a simple dessert-spoon. 'Grandmama is awesome.' He thought reverently not for the first time as he absentmindedly nodded before doing as he was told.

As he wandered through the corridors, anticipating the pitfalls, rolling boulders, and crossbow bolts that House would try to ambush him with, he thought back to the holidays. For the first time in years, Wednesday actively engaged with their family at the yearly gathering. Sure, she was in a dour mood the entire time and made several of the less stable members cry with her caustic barbs, but she did so actively and not as a reaction.

Not only was it prime entertainment material, but it also proved that she was changing. For the worse as far as he was concerned. He loved his sister to death and beyond but she was painfully reclusive. He knew why, at least in broad strokes, but he just couldn't fathom the depth of that particular trauma to affect her this profoundly even more than a decade later. Sometimes, he was a bit jealous of her for that, but he didn't want to lose his pets to anyone, so he reluctantly passed on mimicking it.

This year she was more 'sociable', though. The most amusing part was that she didn't seem to notice it herself. He quickly found out that Enid was the reason for the somewhat drastic change and he was truly appreciative of it. His train of thought was derailed when he saw the manticore playing fetch with Lurch. He sighed, exasperated but not surprised. the big lug had a severe weakness for all animals and he adopted all kinds of little and big critters.

The manticore might rank in the top 15 of the most dangerous ones he had. Lurch noticed him and tilted his head questioningly.

"Did you forget why you were supposed to subdue the beast?"

He asked him with a fair share of amusement in his voice. Realisation spread across Lurch's face before it gave way for a bashful expression as he groaned out in an apologetic tone.

"No need, no need. Grandmama already knew that something like this would happen so she sent me to fetch the venom. You can go back to playing with your new friend."

He nodded, still a bit embarrassed, before groaning at his freshly subdued member of his truly horrifying menagerie. Pugsley couldn't help the slight shiver that ran across his spine when he thought of the basilisk the man had subdued some years ago. He called him Alphie of all things. More than 600 years old by Grandmama's estimate and still as excitable as a puppy.

He was truly thankful that this particular beast spent most of his time hibernating. Knowing that he was under the same roof was enough to give him a permanent case of low-key paranoia, which was rather enjoyable. But having to fear constantly that the king of snakes would ambush him out of fun would quickly get old.

After delivering the venom, his job was done and he returned to his room for some personal and explosive projects. Finding a rather big box in the middle of it wasn't something he expected. Curiously, he closed in, noticing a letter on top of it. He shivered when he read the first words. 'Dearest brother of mine.' He was screwed. His assumption turned out to be a correct prediction when the box started shaking and hissing.

His eyes widened when it sprang open, revealing the menacing sight of a winged cobra. As if they weren't already deadly enough, this supernatural variant had developed the ability to fly. There was also a curse-component added to it's venom that made it one of the most dangerous snakes worldwide despite their comparatively diminutive length of only around 2,5 meters.

The beast's eyes glinted maliciously. The last words he read from the letter before he bolted were 'I hope this serves as a reminder that betting on your sister's love-life is considered impolite. Enjoy your time with your new playmate. Don't worry, he is well trained.'

A scream broke free as he dodged the first lunge and and desperately fled. Soon, House was filled with screams of terror and the sound of crashes. In other words, an utterly normal day for an average Addams.

Grandmama Addams looked up from the tendons she was intricately weaving into the dish and snorted.

"So that's why the little lass wanted the trigger-bound version of the transfer ritual. At least she's making good use of my teachings. Maybe I should send her some of the more obscure ones I've developed in my early years? Eh, I'll think about it later. Now, where did I put the grave root again? The dish is just not the same without that tangy aroma of death and despair..."

~Enid~

With only days to go before their big date night, her nervous energy was spiking. She had prepared for this more meticulously than for anything else in her life. Never before had she put in as much effort into a social function. And yet, she felt unprepared. Determined to somehow calm down, she had decided to visit Yoko and Divina earlier in the day. Standing in front of their door, she listened carefully, not wanting to interrupt anything.

She also wanted to avoid witnessing a spicy scene or something thing like it. Not hearing any indicator for such things, she knocked on the door and stepped inside after being invited by Yoko. She knew the vampire to be deliberately chaotic more often than not but she still had trouble comprehending the picture that happened in front of her.

In the middle of the room, there was a swivelling half shell chair. The majority of it's design was coloured white but there were some silvery details, giving it a somewhat futuristic look. Slowly, it turned around, showing off Yoko in a stylish black suit complete with dark gleaming cuff links, a wine red necktie, and shiny black dress shoes. The ensemble fit exceptionally well with her custom-made sunglasses.

Draped over her lap was Divina in a cream-coloured dress that sported a fur collar in white with some grey accents. Strangely, she was barefoot and looked across the room with lazy eyes while her neck was massaged by Yoko.

"Ms. Sinclair, I've been expecting you."

Slowly, Enid pressed her thumb and her index finger into the spot above the bridge of her nose. Sighing, she decided it was time to educate this philistine. With forced calm, she delivered what the Japanese called a tsukkomi.

"I won't even get started on the fact that you went through the effort to set up this joke. It kinda fits your MO. What's disappointing, however, is your lack of research."

She directed her fierce gaze onto the vampire who had her head tilted in confusion. She slowly leaned forward in interest, eager to learn about the reason for that remark. Enid continued, resolute to enlighten the clueless immortal.

"This specific scene was parodied an innumerable amount of times. And yet, it never happened at all! People aren't sure where it came from but it certainly isn't actually anywhere in the movies. Investigate your sources more thoroughly! This is an embarrassment!"

As if what she said dealt a physical blow, Yoko flinched back with a gasp. She even forgot to continue caressing Divina, who mewled in protest. Quickly, the whipped vampire continued her ministrations. The siren turned feline, or was it the other way around? Anyways, she purred with a smug expression.

Enid had to give it to her in the privacy of her mind. Divina was truly devoted to her performance. Outwardly, she showed nothing of her admiration, continuing to scold the suited up vamp. After several minutes of nonstop lecturing, she let out a satisfied sigh.

Both, Yoko and Divina, slipped out of their roles as if the sound was a signal. They quickly left the strange chair and and took up the bed instead, shifting around until they found a comfortable position for both of them.

"Better?"

Yoko asked with a lightly teasing smirk that she handily ignored. She felt gratitude well up for those silly people who were closer than family for her. Her expression shifted, trying to accommodate all the emotions she felt for them. She was sure she failed as a single facial expression couldn't possibly encompass the depth of affection she felt for those steadfast companions in the rollercoaster that was her life.

"Much..."

She uttered with relaxed satisfaction evident in her voice. After a moment, she abandoned the notion of expressing her emotional state with her face as simply not impactful enough and endeavoured to truly show them how much she valued them. The faintly alarmed expression on Divina's face did nothing to alter her intent as she jumped them fair and square.

After a quick scuffle, they were both positioned within her embrace, much to Divina's irritation and Yoko's bemusement. The siren's groused protests were quickly silenced when she heard the single statement that slipped past Enid's lips.

"My pack..."

It wasn't a conscious decision but she didn't regret it at all. They were part of it for a while already. It wouldn't change anything in their dynamics. She was already murderously protective over them. She already felt responsible for their wellbeing. And she already had the strange urge to groom them from time to time.

That one was slightly awkward until she managed to funnel those instincts into their girl-nights. Those were evenings filled with movies and games, followed by a sleepover. She offered all the attendees to do their nails and hair, which was enough to keep those impulses at bay.

Snuggling up to two of the most important people in her life did much to relax her even further and she couldn't help but be supremely grateful for the effort they went through to calm her down. Both of them surrendered to their fate and cuddled back, making her glow at the shared affection. The only way this could be better was if Wednesday was somehow part of it. 'As if that could ever happen.' She mused to herself with a slight but meaningful smile.

They stayed like that for an unknown amount of time before Divina wiggled out of it to relieve herself. When she returned, they settled into a relaxed evening of conversation, snacks, and a game or two.

"So, what exactly had you so wound up that I needed to bring out that scetch? It wasn't anything bad but your nervousness was palpable enough to affect even me."

Yoko was curious and Enid realised that she hadn't even told them why she was that stressed out. She subjected herself to a healthy facepalm before answering.

"I planned the first date I ever invited Wednesday to and it got to me more than I expected. Everything's done but that seemed to make things worse actually. I had no idea what to do with all that extra energy that's streaming through me. Thanks for the outlet. I really needed that."

Yoko nodded sedately as she popped another Bloody Riot into her mouth. She hummed pleasantly, clearly enjoying the taste. 'Sweets for every Palate' was the brand they came from.

"That one was AB negative. Rare as fuck and twice as tasty. Your date is this Saturday, right? That's still half a week away and I don't want to think of new ways to rile you up to calm you down. This is what you'll do. Since you are an Alpha, you have access to the hybrid form, right? Transform in the mornings and go for an enthusiastic walk through the woods. It'll bleed off a lot of your nervous energy and it'll appease your spirit at the same time."

Enid thought about it and had to admit that the idea had merit. Maybe she could even take Wednesday with her and make it a regular outing? She just needed Principal Weems' permission and she was nearly certain that she'd get it. With her mind made up, she smiled brightly at Yoko.

"Sometimes, you actually have a good idea or two. It's as rare as observing a unicorn court a donkey, but it happens. It's a good thing that I know you to be the unapologetically chaotic menace you are. Otherwise I would have had unrealistic expectations of you cleaning up your act or becoming reasonable all of a sudden."

Divina's snort of amusement contributed more to Yoko's outrage than the comment but soon they were all laughing. It was great to have some uncomplicated fun to take off her mind from those issues still lurking just around the corner. 'After the date. I'll tell her everything afterwards.' She resolved herself. Wednesday had been patient. She knew that the reason for a major part of her distress had to have been in those screens.

Wednesday probably knew the broad strokes of her situation without much in the way of details. And ever since that first time, she hadn't directly, or even in a roundabout way, asked her for those. She appreciated that her smol other half hadn't pressed her and allowed her to offer up her heartache at her own pace. It was time to go for full disclosure, however.

She nodded to herself, already feeling a bit better about it. There was no way Wednesday would ever blame her or put her down for the way her 'family' behaved. She would be murderous, for sure. And Enid really had trouble to find reasons to talk her down. Did she have to? If she wanted to keep a relatively unburdened conscience, probably?

She'd try to talk her down from murder to torture, she decided. After all, her birth mother had brought her into this world and had them proceeded to make that given life hell on earth when she didn't fulfill her expectations. It was only fair to do the same. Gifting her a life, followed by prolonged torment.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I think Wednesday is a bad influence for you. That smile you just wore? That was terrifying. I don't even want to know what you were thinking about to be honest."

Yoko's words snapped her out of her fantasies and Divina's wide-eyed nod made her just slightly self-conscious about it. She knew that Wednesday had an effect on her. The opposite was true too. Relationships, at least healthy ones, were never just a one-way street. There was always a slight bleed-over, an influence on the partner.

If someone would've told her just a year ago that she would seriously contemplate letting her girlfriend murder her mother, she'd have thought they were ready for the loony bin. The same was true for Wednesday having an entire circle of friends. And yet, both of those scenarios came true.

"An influence."

She decided after seriously contemplating for some moments. Both, Yoko and Divina, looked at her curiously. She thought for a moment as to how she should articulate her opinion before elaborating.

"Wednesday influenced me. That much is true. And I hold influence over her decision-making too. She isn't a bad influence, though. She is someone who leads by example. She is ridiculously charismatic but she rarely chooses words over violence if she can get away with the latter."

She took a sip of her coke and a bite out of her beef cake, a marvelous invention really, before continuing, her audience only partly feigning to be enraptured.

"That's my influence on her. A year ago, that 'rarely' would have been a 'never'. Her devil-may-care attitude in combination with her being unapologetically herself inspired me to stand up for myself. She is the reason that I'm not married to a 60 years old influential Clan Elder with whom my 'family' wanted to get an in with. Not just because I was attracted to her from the get-go but also because I wouldn't have been able to stand my ground against my mother if she hadn't shown me how."

She truly believed that. Wednesday was the moonlight guiding her way and without her, she'd have wandered life blind. She was truly thankful for her friendship and her acceptance of the useless lesbian that she was. She'd devote the entirety of herself to show her just how much she meant to her and she knew that her pocket goth had similar thoughts.

"Wednesday is an exceedingly complicated person and once you have her attention, you'll be pulled into her orbit, for better or for worse. I love her. She is an inspiration and I wouldn't want to change anything about her. And her tendencies to go on a violent rampage if something happens to the few she cares about is kinda hot."

That last confession brought a slight blush onto her face. Yoko's grin was teasing and affectionate in equal measures. Divina leaned over and stage-whispered.

"Were we this sickening when we first got together?"

Yoko turned to her and stared at her expressionlessly for a long moment from above her glasses. Divina, not knowing what provoked the sudden intensity, fidgeted in place. When Yoko finally answered, it was an unexpected one, as could be expected from the chaotic vamp, she supposed. The moronic undead was a paradox on the gest of days and outright unspeakable on others.

"Were? Why, we still are just as sickening! In fact, I think we are worse. And I'll prove it. From now on, I will shower you in affection at the most inopportune of moments. I will break out in prose in the middle of class. I'll gift you thousands of roses, delivered while you are getting your coffee from the Weathervane. I'll sweep you off your feet and kiss you until you are unresponsive in the middle of a family dinner. I'll be the boogeyman of singles everywhere!"

Divina's expression quickly went through a plethora of changes. From nervous to startled, followed by a progressively more horrified mien. She tried. She really did. But the fact that they all knew that this wasn't an empty threat in combination with Divina's unintentionally comical reaction sent her over the edge. And once she started laughing, she just couldn't stop.

Her hysterical giggles echoed through the room and when she finally got herself under control again, she was laying on her side, way less stressed than she was when she arrived but with a severely strained diaphragm. Her lazy gaze turned to the bemused duo who had watched her lose her shit in the best ways possible.

"You two are among the best things that ever happened to me. Thank you for existing and adopting that scared little wolf who pretended to be sociable, open and happy. I know you saw right through me at first glance and yet, you decided to take me under your bat-wing, Yoko."

If she could have blushed she would have done so if her embarrassed expression was anything to go by. She even scratched at her cheek, which was a tell she hadn't yet seen from her favourite vampire.

Her situation was still somewhat up in the air, but with her partner for life and friends like these, things were looking up. She was a bit excited even as to what the future would hold.

~Larissa~

It was a bit too... silent. She expected to have to deal with disappearing children or a murder case or three. She expected chaos and mayhem. She was prepared to throw down with the world to protect her school. And yet, nothing happened. Oh there were some cases of bullying and outright hate-crimes. The town's council too made trouble left and right as per usual. But nothing out of the ordinary seemed to happen.

That was honestly more stressful than anything. Her paranoia after the past year was at it's absolute peak. She nearly jumped at seeing her own shadow more than once and had started to add a second glass of scotch before going to sleep just to calm down those nerves.

Thankfully, Wednesday had managed to permanently remove that debilitating headache. She would have liked to be warned before she started a Detoxification Ritual within her chambers but she was thankful nonetheless. And the temple massage was heavenly.

Maybe she could leverage something, anything really, to get another one of those? While she didn't have the murderous migraine from earlier in the year, she did have a bit of a dull, throbbing pain behind her eyes. It took her a while to even identify the sensation as painful when it first started since what she had experienced desensitized her against it's lesser cousins.

It was more irritating than painful really but she wouldn't be averse to removing it from the equation. It couldn't hurt her ability to think things through. She wondered what she could offer the darkest student of those honourable halls to make it happen?

Maybe she could look the other way when she made a trip to, say, California? She may even be amenable to help her facilitate an honour duel. It was a rare thing to happen but from time to time, there was a grudge that just couldn't be laid down by conventional means. The supernatural courts were surprisingly lax with death as long as it happened above board. And such a duel was the most above board thing possible. It was the traditional way to end a feud. Or to start one.

She nodded to herself. That would be a good offer. Usually, parents were the biggest obstacle with such things bit she had a tiny inkling that that wouldn't be the case here. If anything, Gomez and Tish would support her wholeheartedly, proud of her for taking things into her own hands.

As for Wednesday losing and dying to that old bitch Esther? She scoffed at the thought. Addamses were resourceful and cunning. They were made for mayhem. They were fascinating cryptids who never changed their ways, which were as varied as the family's physical forms. And why should they? There was nothing wrong with honouring their roots.

That's not to say that they didn't move with the times. They did, and they only grew more formidable over the past few decades. Gomez was a genius and Tish could boast the same. They compensated perfectly for each others' weaknesses and synergised marvelously.

Though she still somewhat mourned the short-lived romance she had going with her former roommate, she had to admit that they fit together perfectly. Maybe she should reach out? The sting of perceived betrayal had dulled to a silent pang from time to time and she missed having those two in her life.

This could be an opportunity for all of them. She had to think through the exact way to handle it all still, but she had already decided to make it happen. And once she was determined to make something happen, it usually did.

Chapter 12

Summary:

Bianca gets teased and takes it personally.

Taylor's selfworth is at an all-time high.

Enid is in danger of imploding and gets an intervention in the form of the Gang.

Wednesday goes hunting.

Larissa drives her around.

Notes:

This one fought me. Like, seriously. And I have no idea why. It includes several things I enjoy writing about. I actually enjoyed the process but it was challenging for real. Had to pause and write other things to clear my mind way more often than usual. That said: please enjoy the fruits of my frustration!

~Bianca~

They finally made it official. Even though they had already behaved like a couple from pretty much the start, she knew that Taylor needed the confirmation. They danced around each other long enough and she was just as happy labeling the relationship as something serious.

Taylor, though. Bianca had seriously underestimated just how much it would mean to her. She hadn't stopped smiling ever since she asked her if she wanted enter an exclusive relationship with her. The way her face lit up was absolutely precious. It seemed as if she wanted to do a little jig born from overflowing emotions before she stopped herself to ask.

"Wait. You do mean like a couple, right? Girlfriend and girlfriend?"

She didn't squeal from the adorkable way she asked that by forming two rings with her index finger and thumbs before bumping them together. It was a near thing, however. After she got confirmation, she hyped herself up with the words.

"Come on, Taylor... You can do it... You wanted to do this for a long time and now you are allowed to!"

Bianca was confused back then, but it didn't last long as she yelped after being tackled to the ground by Taylor only to be kissed clumsily but with more passion than she ever perceived. She let out a light, breathless laugh before guiding her in her endeavour. It was clear that she didn't have much practice but the enthusiasm made up for that fact entirely. It also helped that she was a prodigious learner.

And so they shared their first full-blown make-out session. They both had good cardio after weeks of running daily, which aided in their practice. And while they weren't masters yet, they strived to perfect the craft and got in as much 'training' as possible.

Waking in the knowledge that out there was someone absolutely thrilled to once again lay their eyes upon her was an experience she didn't want to miss from her life anymore.

'How did I ever go without her my whole life?' She mused as she readied herself for another run. They wanted to take a different, longer route today and she packed some blister plasters and sports gel just in case. The route was planned by Taylor so she didn't want to be blindsided. She trusted her to not steer them wrong but mistakes did happen from time to time. Better be prepared than not.

After packing everything, she left to meet up with her own personal biblical plague. The fact that she found that thought to be adorable instead of horrifying told her she was spending entirely too much time with Wednesday. 'Starting up a religion in Enid's name. Honestly, what is she thinking and more importantly, why does it seem to be working?!'

Her feelings on that matter were complicated to say the least. She 'joined' to perform a bit of damage control and to not let it get out of hand. But now she was getting more involved and Enid's moral compass seemed to be the leading principle of the cult. Which was pretty damn solid.

Most importantly, Wednesday wasn't actually lying to anyone or actively searching out weak-willed people. She wasn't even really coercing people. She just deconstructed their entire personalities and offered them to build them up again in Enid's name. It was terrifying. But they all had the choice.

First before they approached her with the intent of causing trouble, which was just suicidal in her opinion. And later on, they could walk away after she was done with them. Well, if they still had the ability to walk and weren't laying there, unresponsive in fetal position. Honestly, terrifying.

She decided to put those thoughts out of her mind as she reached their meeting spot with Taylor already waiting there. Once she was noticed, Taylor's whole face lit up... 'I might get cavities if she keeps being this sweet.'

The idle thought passed through her mind as she smiled back and closed in. She noticed the kinda big backpack on Taylor's back and shot her a curious look to which she only got a wink and a 'Surprise for later!' She shrugged and got her mind into the correct space before asking.

"Today's route is longer, right? Are you ready to sweat and show me your gleaming glory?"

She asked the now blushing girl, who seemed to want to look down but forced herself to keep eye-contact as she answered.

"Look all you want. I'm yours. But be aware that this is a two-way street. I'll enjoy your body too. I wonder what it would taste like to follow those drops with my tongue..."

Bianca did a double-take in surprise and Taylor's eyes widened when she registered what just made it past her lips. The speed with which she blushed couldn't be entirely healthy but Bianca didn't mind. She smirked, sporting a slight blush of her own as she sensually swayed her hips while closing the distance enough to put her index finger beneath Taylor's chin.

The bug-controlling girl had lowered her head in panic, but she wanted eye-contact. She wanted to see that delicious shyness and the adorable way her eyes shifted to avoid directly looking into hers.

"Damn girl, I didn't expect that from my adorable little Bug Queen. I guess I can indulge you. But first, we'll have to work up a sweat, don't we? Do you want to have our run? Or would you prefer... Different activities?"

She feared she went too far for a moment when Taylor first went utterly still before swaying dangerously, but she kept herself on her feet admirably and took some deep breaths to calm herself. Next she knew, she was pulled in by her collar and her lips were occupied by their enthusiastic counterparts. It was a short but incredibly intense kiss and Bianca whined when Taylor pulled away a moment later.

"Don't dish out teasing if you can't endure the counterattack..."

She felt Taylor's hot breath ghost over her ear when she whispered those words. She struggled to form a coherent thought for a moment and when she finally got a hold of herself, her girlfriend was already running down the track.

She felt a bit indignant but mostly, she was proud. She was coming along, getting out of her self-imposed shell. It was rare for anyone to get the better of her in the teasing game but this time, she was had and Bianca was gracious enough to recognise that fact.

It just meant she had to up the ante so to speak. Taylor didn't know just who she challenged here. She'd learn. And she would have fun doing so.

~Taylor~

'Oh god, what have I done?!' She glanced back at the caramel goddess that had blessed her with her affection and saw pure determination radiating from her. Clearly, she took her words as a challenge. She wanted to cry 'Please don't!' but it was too late for regret. She couldn't back off now, after throwing out those 'fighting' words.

Calming down as they ran along the path she had mapped out, she lost herself in the activity. Her senses naturally spread out, encompassing the myriad of insects, arachnids and other arthropoda in the vicinity. Even though most people knew that those creepy crawlies were always high in attendance, they still underestimated the scope of it.

Surprisingly for most, cities actually had more of them on average than wilder areas. But forests, swamps and other breeding grounds won out in variety. Insects living in inhabited areas were mostly the same few. Loads of flies, mosquitoes and other annoyances. It varied a bit from area to area but generally, you could expect to have some staples.

Running through a forest was always a surprise, though. In the relatively short time they spent running in the past few weeks, she had already found two species that were thought to be extinct. Of course, she silently added them to her swarm and was working hard to breed them.

As her thoughts meditatively flowed from topic to topic as she lost herself in the monotony of prolonged exercise, she couldn't help but exhilarate in the fact that she was in a relatively healthy headspace after weeks of actually having a support net that would catch her if she slipped.

Her thoughts were less and less dark, restoring her mentality to what it was before the torment started. She was a bit more jaded and not as naive as before, but she could enjoy life again and she had a partner to do it with. A partner she was leading to a special little oasis she found with the help of her little spies.

'Oh, she's going to love it!' She thought to herself giddily as she slightly increased her pace. She didn't worry about Bianca being unable to keep up. Her girlfriend was the more experienced runner between them, making holding herself back entirely unnecessary.

She didn't think of herself as a flighty person but she found she enjoyed the way her musings wandered from topic to topic while they ran. They didn't need conversation, being entirely satisfied with only the presence of the other. It was a new experience to just exist with someone. To not worry about things like awkward silence. They didn't need to fill it with words if they didn't want to.

Contrary to her physical silence, her mind always overclocked during exercise. It was probably the most healthy coping mechanism she had ever developed and it truly helped her work through some things. She didn't need to make a conscious effort as she knew that her subconscious would drag up the things that plagued her without fail anyways.

The fact that she could simply think in circles without ever fixating on a single topic meant that there wasn't much to process. That lined up with her own preconceptions since she wasn't as happy a person as she was these days since her mom's untimely end.

Startled, she noticed that they were pretty close to the spot she wanted to show Bianca. Looking down at her watch, she noticed that they were on the 'road' for about an hour already. The pace they kept up was pretty high as well since she had estimated at least twenty minutes more for reaching here. It would explain her slightly more hurried breathing despite her effort to keep it as even as possible.

Shrugging, she slowed down until she was just lightly jogging, letting Bianca pull up beside her.

"That's quite the tempo you kept up there. It seems we can increase our radius again."

True to her earlier thoughts, Bianca showed no obvious signs of exhaustion. And while she had a light sheen from the sweat, enhancing her features in the morning light breaking through the canopy, she wasn't nearly as drenched as Taylor. She didn't mind being a bit icky at the tail end of exercise as sweating it all out was kind of the point of the endeavour, but she did want to wash it all off before they returned. Usually, they'd make a short stop in the dorms for a quick shower before making their way to classes. But she had something a bit more special in mind today.

Her answer to Bianca's statement was a noncommittal humm while they slowly closed in on the gorgeous clearing she'd found. When they finally reached their destination, she revelled in the gasp of pleasant surprise that she managed to elicit from the unflappable siren.

In front of them opened up a small clearing that had quite a few wild flowers in varying colours growing within. There was a small stream running through it that originated from a spring on it's edge. Where the stream turned towards the woods, there was a natural basin that was surprisingly deep and the flow rate was pretty slow there. It was perfect for a quick soak in nature before returning to a day of mundanity in school. The The scenery was nothing short of beautiful and she was thrilled to have found such a natural treasure.

Turning to her partner, she could see that she was itching to just jump into the water but was still hesitating. Slowly and with deliberate care, she opened up the rather big backpack she had with her and pulled out towels, swimwear and a change of clothes much to Bianca's delight. She seemed to think for a moment before coming to a decision.

Suddenly, Taylor was grabbed and pulled in, backpack in between them. Then, she was thoroughly kissed and quickly let go before she could properly answer the fervour. Somewhat dazed, she absentmindedly handed Bianca her things.

"Thanks, love. I absolutely adore the surprise. Let's make this a regular spot for our runs. It's just too beautiful to ignore. Especially with one particular eye-candy in attendance."

It took Taylor a moment to understand what she meant as she was playfully leered at. Once it registered, she had to fight down a blush, not succeeding entirely, before smiling softly at the gorgeous young woman who decided she was worthy of her affections.

"I had my own motivations to show this to you, you know? I mean, look at this backdrop. Isn't it absolutely perfect to host the most beautiful girl I know in a somewhat risqué bikini?"

The smirk that was sent her way made her mouth dry out and the words afterwards would probably echo in her mind for a long time. Especially in combination with the seductive way she pressed herself up to Taylor as she whispered in her ear, mirroring what she had done before their run.

"Oh, if you want to see me in less clothing than usual, all you have to do is ask."

Her blush went atomic when she felt a tongue flick her earlobe. 'Taylor-exe has stopped working due to overwhelming gayness. Please perform manual reboot.'

She watched the siren as she sashayed behind the trees but not before shrugging off her sports gilet, leaving her eyes to feast on the delectable skin that tantalisingly taunted her. She was just wearing a sports bra beneath it, leaving nearly the entire back bare. Taylor gulped and worked hard to get herself under control.

'Maybe, starting a teasing war with the most attractive member of a race that is known to seduce even the most strong-willed heroes was a bad idea. But watching the consequences of my actions, I really can't get myself to regret it.'

Calling on her feeble reserves of willpower, she managed to snap out of it. She had to get changed too and standing around to stare dreamily at the tree she disappeared behind would not help with that. She quickly chose a spot behind some trees and hurried into her swim wear before stepping out again.

Bianca was faster though and was already dipping her toe into the basin before deeming it acceptable and deciding to sink in slowly while releasing a sinful sigh that echoed through Taylor's bones. Somewhat insecure, she hesitantly made her way over before Bianca looked up and developed a surprising blush as her eyes wandered from top to bottom and back up.

A pleased flush appeared on Taylor's cheeks together with a shy smile when she noticed the clear appreciation in the Siren's eyes. It made all the prep time worth it if only for the fact that she got to look at the caramel goddess in a sacrilegious state of undress.

"Hey... How's the water?"

No one ever accused her of being smooth but the slight quirk on her lips and the playful glimmer in her eyes told her that she wasn't turned off at all from the awkward conversation starter.

"It's perfect. Not cold enough to make our muscles cramp but still just chilly enough to allow us to cool down and relax after some strenuous exercise. Now don't just stand there. As much as I love seeing those amazing legs free from any constraints, it can't be fun to look at this little oasis and not jump into the refreshing goodness here."

Ignoring the surge of pleasure shooting through her at having her legs complimented by the only person she'd show them off to, she quickly shuffled over and, after a very short moment of hesitation, let herself glide into the water just besides her girlfriend. She was right. The water was perfect.

With a small glance at the siren on her right, who had her head layed in the soft grass behind her. Her eyes were closed and she had a relaxed smile on her lips. In her thoughts, she added. 'The company even more so.' Before imitating her girlfriend's posture while sending her mind out to touch those of the bugs around them. Her abilities always seemed to be a bit more when she was around the bright spot in her life and she wanted to use those moments to maybe find some new species in the woods.

~Enid~

'Oh my god. Oh my god! Oh my god!! It's happening! Calm down, you annoying puppy, I'm already stressed enough!' Arguing with what was essentially a part of herself wasn't exactly the most stable of things to do but she couldn't really think about that right now. Her mind was preoccupied by all the things that could possibly go wrong with the date. And knowing herself, that could be quite a bit. She was prone to sabotage herself in such moments.

Before she could really slip into that rabbit hole, she was grabbed from behind. Usually that would be a suicidal move but she recognised the scent and kept herself from lashing out violently. As calmly as she could, she turned around and glared at Ajax.

He returned the glare with some amusement in his eyes and she sighed. Most just assumed he was permanently high and that was the reason his head was always in the clouds. That wasn't entirely untrue. But the reason he was so often stoned was the fact that he shared his senses with his snakes. Everything they felt, heard and saw, he did too. To take the edge off, he smoked some weed pretty much on a daily basis.

Right now, he looked way more alert than she'd seen him in months. He hadn't smoked anything today. She was sure of it because all she could smell was a faint hint of the stuff and that had clearly clung to him from yesterday.

First, he refrained himself from taking any substances and then he searched her out, presumably to talk to her. Her glare turned into a pitiful look that screamed kicked puppy. Some sympathy joined the amusement as he asked.

"That bad, huh?"

She sighed. Yoko's idea had merit and she used it for some days already. It did take the edge off the anxiety for some hours but that was all it did. Later in the day, there was unavoidably something that triggered her mind to go on a journey again. She knew. She knew that it was just her insecurities rearing their ugly heads. But knowing didn't equal being immune to their influence.

"Yeah..."

She breathed out defeatedly. What could she possibly do to not be a nervous wreck on their first real date? It didn't help that Wednesday vanished on her two days ago after promising to be back in time for their 'official initiation to courtship' as she called it.

She was in a hurry but also seemed excited for something. A slightly indulgent smile unknowingly appeared on her tired features, making Ajax's eyes twinkle with amusement.

"You know what you need? You need silliness. You need a laugh. You need to relax and all of that is made possible by one thing and one thing only. Let's revive it, the age-old tradition. Let's watch the worst. Let's laugh at bad CGI and even worse costumes. Let's do a trash-film night."

She wanted to protest but couldn't really find a reason to. The day after this one was an outcast-holiday, meaning no classes. And she really could use a laugh.

"Just the two of us?"

She asked instead and he shook his head exaggeratedly.

"By all the gods out there, I have zero confidence to pull you out of your funk on my lonesome. Everyone's coming. Even Pam agreed. After some persuasion from Eugene, that is. Do you think the two of them...?"

'They all took time out of their busy schedules to reassure little ol' me? I'm truly blessed with awesome friends, aren't I?' She thought to herself with a secret little smile before answering the half-asked question.

"I see some potential development to be sure. They are cute together and they both deserve a partner that would care for them. Once you are part of his Hive, Eugene's physically incapable of not caring and Pam certainly seems to place a lot of importance on his opinions."

He nodded absentmindedly before shaking it off and grabbing her arm to pull her along. She could have resisted and he wouldn't have been able to move her at all, but she let him have the moment and went along. As they hurried through the corridors, she marvelled at how different he was when he wasn't stoned.

She could see the strain it took on him to go without the blunting effect that weed had on his senses, but he made an effort to hide it. His eyes were alert and twitched in random directions from time to time when he perceived something that wasn't even within her own sensory range.

The way his abilities worked was dangerous for a normal mind. Every snake compounded on top of his own senses in addition to adding their own input. This meant that his range and accuracy increased for every snake he had hidden beneath his beanie.

She hadn't seen them in a while but he was known as one of the stronger members of the Gorgon race before he went through his second maturity this summer. He had jested that puberty was already bad enough without that complication on top but she'd seen that he was only partly joking. It took a toll on him and he compensated with more weed to take the edge off.

She was just glad that he didn't go for harder stuff. A lot of those with a weak mentality didn't handle their maturity well and slipped into serious addictions. They were one of the more tragic races out there and her heart went out to those who struggled with themselves and their abilities. Though she had different problems, she knew how difficult it was to try and fit in if one didn't really have the tools available to make it happen.

Her thoughts were interrupted when they reached Bianca's room. It was the biggest out of their social circle and it definitely could fit them all. He opened the door and pushed her in with a laugh as she was quickly greeted by the attendees. She surreptitiously took in all of them and their moods and raised an eyebrow at the obvious way Bianca and Taylor were behaving.

They were huddled into a corner already with a supremely comfortable looking quilt. The glances they shot each other seemed so private that she felt a bit guilty at seeing them and they were both a bit flushed. A soft smile appeared on her lips as she took them in. She consciously turned away, greeting the others enthusiastically.

Those two were the epitome of the term 'cute couple'. It wasn't an obvious pairing but they clicked in a way that was very rare. She was happy for them. Bianca deserved better than that immature and insecure prick and Taylor deserved and needed all the love she could get.

She resolved herself to doing something nice for them before taking in the entirety of her social circle. They weren't just friends. They were family. 'Pack...' came her wolf's contented agreement, sending a special warmth through her. Who cared for traditional Pack-Structures? Instinct and emotions were far more important and both told her that everyone in attendance was Pack.

The only one absent was Wednesday but she'd cut her some slack. She seemed so excited. And seriously, what could possibly go wrong if she was traveling alone? '... I jinxed it, didn't I? May the Moon Goddess have mercy on Wednesday's enemies, because she has none.' She thought fatalistically before she redirected her thoughts to brighter topics, putting her blunder out of her mind.

"What are we watching?"

She asked over the cacophony of voices. They grew silent before looking at Ajax, who had entered behind her. He held up both hands and asked her.

"'Sharknado' or 'Tucker and Dale Vs Evil'?"

It didn't take her long to understand that the decision was hers to make and she pondered. While 'Sharknado' was a classic, it's appeal really shone if they had a marathon of it and it's 'sequels' planned. That didn't seem to be the case and she hadn't seen the latter yet so she didn't have an opinion on it beyond what she'd heard about it.

Having decided, she told the others and explained her reasons. They agreed and as such, a fun evening in the circle of her pack finally managed to relax both, her body and her mind. She appreciated the effort everyone made to make this happen. This evening had more 'Wholesome Family' vibes than the past collective ten years with the Sinclair Pack.

Unknown to even herself, she was already resolved to fight to the death for each and everyone of them. And where she went, Wednesday followed. Deep inside of her mind, a former lonely wolf grumbled in contentment at the bonds they finally made.

~Wednesday~

[Passives invoked:

A Hunter's Instinct:
As a talented and trained hunter, you know how to approach your prey. Your tracking and stealth abilities work at 200%.

Single Combat Specialist:
Practice makes perfect. You took that statement as an insult and pushed your skills to maim your opponents further. If you are in or will soon be in a Single Combat Situation, all your damaging single-target skills will have increased damage percentages. This bonus doubles if the duel happens in an official fashion.

The Challenger:
They think they know. They don't, but you will show them. This passive activates once you utter a challenge to a single foe or a collective group of enemies. As a lone warrior, you are nearly at your best. Your damaging abilities gain an increased chance to cause status effects. If there is no other effect applied, default bleeding chance will be massively increased. This bonus increases if your opponent is either an Elite or a group of enemies beyond 20. Boni for this passive compound with the number of Elites you are facing at once.

Anticipation of a Predator:
Prey always thinks it can get away. Let them believe it. It makes the Hunt more... exhilarating. Increases your movement speed if you are moving towards the target you designated as Prey. Synergistic effects with other abilities that aid a Hunter.

Protective Instinct Addams Style:
What's the best way to protect your loved ones? End the threat before they can move, plain and simple. If you move to deal with a threat to one or more of your important ones, double the effectiveness of all passives and increase the damage dealt to those who would dare to lay hands on yours by 50%. Deal 20% of your total damage in chaos damage after the end of damage calculation.]

It was strange, she mused. Instinctively, she already knew of those passives. They weren't new, they were old friends, acquired in her childhood as she trained with her father and uncle. Seeing them put into words and numbers was a bit surreal.

She could feel them well up whenever she thought of Esther Sinclair. She almost couldn't wait to put her hands on the miserable wench who thought it a good idea to permanently damage her own daughter. Oh, Enid was perfect in every single way. Her imperfections gave her a unique perspective on life and they made her better for it.

But the pain and suffering she went through to reach where she was screamed retribution. It was her own effort that transformed weaknesses into strengths and she loved her all the more for every flaw she felt secure enough to expose.

And for every crack in her psyche that she transformed into the beautiful mosaic that was her shining personality, Esther would suffer similarly. She'd leave festering wounds, strike after strike. For every exposed weakness, she'd expose one of hers. For every mental blow she knew about, the abomination that called herself a mother would suffer.

She knew the expression she was wearing must have been unnerving if the way Larissa Weems shivered was any indicator. It might have also been the personal knife collection she was polishing with fervour at the moment. Roughly half of them were already gleaming. Only 78 left to go. She mourned the fact that she could only hide two thirds of them on her person without impeding her movements.

As her newly developed Psychometry let her relive the most thrilling hunts she was on with those blades, she got more and more into the mood to cut. To rend. To slaughter all those who opposed her Goddess.

[New passive skill created:

Zealous Fervour:
Heretics only have a limited free trial on life. If they go against your object of worship, it expires. This skill grants you increased holy damage as well as additional holy damage per hit as long as you believe in what you fight for. If that Belief is absolute, it grants the ability to call upon the favour you were granted by the divine figure who blessed you.]

She blinked at the message she just got. She hadn't expected that. Did this mean the system treated Enid as a genuine Divine Entity? Curiously, she pulled on the favour she was unknowingly granted. She didn't even entertain the possibility that her Belief was anything less than absolute.

A new confidence rose within her as she did so. The absolute confidence to command their Pack. Her eyes widened slightly. Enid's favour granted her Alpha Status.

[New passive skill created!:
The furless Alpha: Granted by receiving a blessing by the Goddess of the Moon or a Favoured Acolyte using her Authority. Status is equal to a True Alpha. Allows you to suppress Lycans with weaker will than yourself. Grants you the ability to usurp leadership over a Pack by defeating the Alpha in Single Combat.]

This... opened up possibilities. She smirked in a way that could only be called wicked. Oh so many possibilities.

~Larissa~

She tried to ignore the vibrating Goth on her back seat. It was a hard thing to do as her mood seemed to be highly volatile at the moment. It was rare for her to display any emotions but right now, Larissa wished she'd be the stoic, socially awkward girl with violent tendencies she met last year once more.

The violent tendencies seemed to have eaten her stoicism and leveled up for it. The eerie way her eyes glowed while she was polishing the knives with impeccable skill in a moving car, that was old enough to lack suspension almost entirely, was unnerving to say the least.

She was very close to feeling some actual sympathy for Esther Sinclair. Then she remembered what she had inferred about the unpleasant woman and the notion died a fiery death. In fact, she was anticipating just how far Wednesday would go. She doubted she'd kill her. Not because she was incapable of it. But because of Enid. The girl suffered under the Sinclair Alpha, no doubt about that, but she was too nice to actually wish death upon her.

It would be interesting to watch what the diminutive yet exceedingly dangerous goth had in store for her future mother-in-law. She didn't doubt that was where this was going. She knew exactly how single-minded the Addamses were in terms of romantic partners.

She shivered when she looked into the rear mirror and saw the peculiar little smile on the usually expressionless face. Her eyes were looking at something only she could see and Larissa worried that she might have cracked completely. She didn't think that was the case however. Psychic abilities could express themselves in strange ways and seeing things projected in one's field of vision wasn't the strangest she'd seen.

Luckily they'd arrive soon. She organised the whole thing in her authority as representative of a major faction among the supernatural communities: The Changelings. She had several duties besides those in her school. She was a diplomat and a judicial figure just to name some. Separation of powers wasn't a common concept among the occult. If you were capable enough to fill multiple roles, you wouldn't be stopped from doing so.

Surprisingly, it barely took calling in any favours to keep other factions from interfering with what she was arranging. Esther Sinclair was rather universally disliked. Even the allies of the Sinclair Pack only put in a token protest. They didn't even try to have the challenge revoked. Just pushed back by a few hours.

She granted those with a laugh as she was prepared to be stonewalled everywhere. Instead, her challenge was almost welcomed. The challenger being an Addams did it's part to make things go smoothly too, she supposed. And since she organised it all, she needed to be present. Well, she could have sent her chosen Vice-Principal instead.

"I'd rather deal with all of your paperwork for half a year than be alone with that little vicious beast, and in a car with limited space no less. The last time I had to deal with her after she nearly broke one of my students with nothing but some well placed words, she almost convinced me to join her cult! She has a cult, Larissa!"

Yeah, that conversation didn't go well. Afterwards, she investigated that cult and found that she had established it in Enid's name to make her feel adored and loved. It was kinda cute in a very Addams way. And if she knew them as well as she believed she did, it would totally escalate to epic proportions. Glancing at the unhinged ravenette through the rear mirror, she nodded to herself. There was no way this wouldn't become something comically big.

'Well, she went through the proper channels and got herself approved by the Faerie Courts. This has nothing to do with me. I'm washing my hands off this one. Oh, she has students of mine involved? All consensual I'm sure. No need to get involved as long as their scholastic performance does not suffer.' After mentally reassuring herself that she wouldn't touch that hornet's nest with a ten-foot pole, she made a conscious effort to calm down.

No need to worry herself in an early grave over things she couldn't change after all. 'Maybe I should try to get an early in before the thing grows massively out of proportion? I have no doubt that it will. It's Wednesday. Daughter of Tish and Gomez. There is no way she'd fail with something like this.'

She was tempted to simply ask for a management position within the organisation. Did she believe that Enid was a goddess? No, but she had to have something divine to herself to tame the Chaosbeast called Wednesday. As she pondered on the best way to ask her student if she could enter her cult through the backdoor, she noticed that they had arrived.

The Pack Territory of the Sinclairs was extensive to say the least. They were the largest Pack in the West Coast but their reach went farther than that. They were a political superpower in the occult world, which was why she had expected far more pushback than she got.

Part of the reason for the ease of her move was probably simple arrogance. Esther Sinclair most likely didn't take Wednesday seriously because of her age. 'Well, it's her funeral...' She thought sardonically as she steered her car through the last couple of streets before reaching their temporary lodging. Tomorrow was the day of the battle and she was looking forward to seeing it.

She preferred peaceful solutions but there was a reason she was attracted to both, Tish and Gomez. She didn't mind some bloodshed. Not at all. And if the target was an abhorrent person such as Esther Sinclair? It couldn't happen to a more deserving person really.

Chapter 13

Summary:

Esther is annoyed.

Larissa is more dangerous than most realise.

Bianca finds an enlightening Article in the SSN.

Enid calls her future in-laws to snitch on Wednesday.

Notes:

Slightly shorter. It's a set-up for the fight so don't expect too much action in this one. There is some Angst though. Enjoy!

~Esther~

She made a sound of annoyance in the back of her throat. There were things planned for this day. Important meetings, an elder circle and even a backroom deal. All of it was put on hold until they were sure she'd survive. She thought that accepting the challenge of an Addams would bring some prestige. But it turned out, you had to survive it too before you could enjoy the fruits of your 'daring move'.

She was sure the whelp was just as weak and inexperienced as her own brood. Just how accomplished in battle could she be with just 16 years under her belt? Addams or not, she'd prevail against that audacious bitch. She'd rip her apart and send parts of her to her ungrateful daughter. Refusing to marry who she chose for her? How dare she!

The match would have been an influential Elder of the Aurelion Pack! They would have forged an alliance that could have been the catalyst to take over the complete lycan community and unite them under a single banner! Sure, he was a bit old at 82 years of age. And his tastes were on the more savage side of things as couldn't be attested anymore by his late wives.

But her foolish daughter would only have had to survive for a week or so until the pact was forged. Afterwards, she could have died with some dignity while knowing that she finally contributed to the Pack. She was a freeloader for all those years she was alive after all. It was only fair that she paid the Pack back with her life. Instead, she wandered off, the foolish girl. Back to that school that finally managed to pull out the feeble beast within her.

She heard the girl was an Alpha. A true one at that. Preposterous. Ridiculous rumours like this one were persistent, sadly. People believed them simply because they were sensational. She ran off to her Grandaunt before she could check if they had a kernel of truth hidden within but she didn't believe it for a single moment. True Alphas were a myth. The generation's leader of the Pack was chosen by a ritual.

A gladiatorial match on full moon where the last one standing gained a portion of the strength of their fellow competitors. The more competitors were killed, the more power was gained. A savage grin appeared on her face as she thought back to the one she was a competitor in. She was the last person alive from those that entered. She'd know. She killed each and everyone after all.

The books stated that the Sinclair Pack was once lead by a True Alpha and that it was only as influential as it was because of that. She called bullshit on that one. It was hard-working and cold-blooded individuals like her that held up the status of their Pack. Only by sacrificing everything, even family, could something truly outstanding be created.

She was of the firm belief that sacrifice was necessary to facilitate worth. If you hadn't lost anything to achieve what you had, it would be cheap. Not worth mentioning. Only through offering up a part of oneself could something worthwhile be achieved or created.

It was her honest opinion and she would show that upstart heiress from a Family riding it's old glory that she was right. That her useless daughter was the perfect sacrificial lamb to facilitate growth. Elder Bartholomew was still amenable to accept the Pact, should they manage to procure her once more.

She decided that she'd personally travel and capture her to hand her over with an apology after this farce was over and done with. As if a human child could take a full-grown leader or a Pack. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sudden arrival of a pack sentry.

"Why did you disrupt my private plotting time, Charles?"

She asked the man with the ridiculous beard. He looked at her with resigned eyes as he prepared his report that was important enough to interrupt her personal time window.

"My name is Oliver."

He murmured and she waved it away. She was the Pack Leader. She had full authority over any and all lycans under her banner. They were called what she called them. Nothing else but her opinion on the topic mattered.

"We sent in a shock troop as ordered but the child didn't even take action. The Woman, Principal Weems, suddenly transformed into a hellish creature with red, steaming skin and nearly black horns and engaged them. She then proceeded to school them in a manner that was absolutely humiliating for them. After she was done, she then warned that she won't be as nice to be non-lethal the next time someone came knocking. She did all of that with an amenable smile on her face, making the situation even more ridiculous and horrifying."

He shivered in remembrance. She had to admit she underestimated the woman. She knew she was a match for her wolves in their transformed state should she have the time to take on a formidable combat form. She didn't think she'd be able to deal with 20 Lycans, who had access to superior physical strength even though they couldn't transform without a full moon.

It didn't really matter of course. Tomorrow, the duel would take place and the girl would fall. Then there wasn't much to do while waiting for others to professionally butcher her body. She'd be a good mother and send her daughter the best cuts. Seriously. Shacking up with a girl? How shameful could one get?

Every child of a Pack's Alpha except for the eldest one was a bargaining chip. Everyone knew that. And yet, she rebelled against her fate just as she had some hope of making her a proper werewolf yet. She had finally transformed. Had shown herself capable of the one skill that had evaded her for years.

All that was left was selling her for the highest possible profit. What happened to her afterwards was none of her business. Couldn't they all understand that this was how a Pack was supposed to be lead? Imbeciles, all of them.

She dismissed the sentry, already having forgotten his name, both of them, and decided to get some sleep after a good glass of scotch. She'd have to bring her A-game not because she needed it to defeat the little girl but to make sure she did it in the most humiliating way possible.

She was owed that much for the simple fact that she poached the only bargaining chip she had on the Aurelion Pack. That screamed retribution so if she was honest, this match fit her well. She'd methodically take her time to deconstruct the little girl's body. She needed to have some fun anyways, lest she went crazy.

~Larissa~

Surreptitiously, she glanced at Wednesday, who hadn't even reacted to the intrusion at all. At least it seemed so, but there was a blade in her hand that wasn't there before. Her position hadn't shifted even an iota, and yet her entire being screamed 'menacing' at her in comparison to the relatively relaxed atmosphere before.

She quickly took action, otherwise they would've had some skewered Lycans on their doormat. And blood was horribly hard to remove from those. She supposed they could have burned it. It wasn't theirs after all and a bit of arson to relax didn't hurt anyone. But it would have been discourteous to the house owner, who was cowering behind the kitchen counter.

Esther was as bad a host as always. Attacking them before they could even have dinner? Now she'd need to eat a bit more to restore lost energy and she'd feel bloated without a bit of exercise. Truly, the Pack Leader had no sense of propriety whatsoever.

She turned to the home owner with slightly pursed lips and addressed him with a soothing voice. Small changes to her voice box to make the most out of her natural eloquence were second nature to her by now.

"I am terribly sorry for this unexpected intrusion. I did not think she would be as callous as this. I thought she would at least wait until we undertook an after-dinner walk before she'd send someone to attack us."

She approached him with a suitably apologetic mien, though he kept scrambling backwards with a terrified expression on his face. She wondered why?

"I will of course pay for any cleaning- and repair-work that needs to be done. It is the least I could do. I hope you will let us stay nevertheless as this is the officially registered place we ought to be found in by the official that will overlook procedures with me."

Puzzled, she followed the man with her eyes as he fled screaming about demons rising from hell. She turned her uncomprehending gaze to Wednesday, who looked at her with something approaching amusement.

"You haven't let go of your Combat Form. It is suitably intimidating for it's purpose. I rather like it to be honest. The same can not be said about the house's owner sadly. Some people lack our refined taste. "

She paused for a moment before she continued in a more reluctant tone of voice.

"Your performance in battle was... adequate too. Almost enough to earn you some praise from an Addams."

Her mouth opened involuntarily in surprise. She hadn't even noticed that she was still in combat mode. It had been decades since she felt as comfortable in this form as she was right now. She slowly changed back into her default while keeping her thoughtful eyes on Wednesday. What was it with those Addamses that brought out her inner savage?

She was fairly certain that at least part of it was protective Instinct. She knew Wednesday was very capable. More so than most of her relatives even. And lately, her instincts were telling her that she was growing stronger. Rapidly so. But that didn't change the fact that she reminded her so much of a younger version of herself. Idealistic and determined to take on the world for her beliefs. And for romance, though hers had decidedly better chances at flourishing than her own back then.

She sighed and shook her head lightly. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy the occasional tumble against a capable fighter, but she usually used more benign forms than this one. She couldn't deny feeling a bit of a... thrill at the thought of instilling the terror of the legions of hell into her foes, however.

It helped that this was one of only five forms that she could take on near-instantly and it was also the most combat-efficient one out of those. She shrugged. Sometimes, one had to 'roll with the punches' as they said.

"Let me cook dinner for you. Tish handed me a recipe that she believes you'd enjoy along with some ingredients that are an absolute necessity to ensure you are suitably miserable. Her words, not mine."

The Transfer Ritual that the Addamses had access to was delightfully practical and it needed a grand zero in terms of sacrifices to run smoothly. Otherwise she would have to keep her visits to special occasions, which would hinder her efforts. She was hopeful that reigniting their friendships would lead to more down the road and wanted to prepare the little heiress for the eventuality.

She expected the suspicious gaze and didn't add anything further to let her stew in her lacking knowledge. She didn't expect the expression to shift into growing horror on the usually nearly perfect pokerface, though. She realised that the girl might have a psychic talent to glimpse into the situation. That was a bit... unfortunate.

'Well, I might as well own it.' She thought before gifting the girl a beautific smile that hid a rather nasty smirk. She then turned to the well equipped kitchen island to cook for her. 'Let's bribe her a bit. I don't want to wake in the middle of the night with a knife between my ribs. It would be rather uncomfortable.'

It wouldn't be the first time and decidedly not the last. Fes was an idiot through and through and he would keep trying to end her existence playfully. In their youth it was a bit of a game between them and he never grew out of it. She wasn't entirely sure he was capable of growing up, really.

She still held a certain fondness for the bald Electrokinetic. His antics always brought a breath of stale and rotten air with them that reminded her of her time in the Everchanging Conclave. The nostalgia in tandem with his natural if unusual charisma formed a rather positive image in her mind even though he made 67 attempts on her life up to date. 'He would take that as an insult and would instantly push up the counter to 68. And he would get trounced thoroughly as always when he tried to fight me straightforwardly.'

A reminiscing smile lit up her face as she mixed the belladonnas into the dough. She felt faint regret at the way their relationships had deteriorated and hoped to reignite them all. She had reached far on the societal ladder, further even than planned in some regards, and it was time to actually have a social life too.

She just had to convince Wednesday to give her the chance to prove herself. She was confident that she'd taken a good step in the right direction for that with this whole situation. Now she just had to capitalise.

~Bianca~

Her eyes widened as she watched the screen of her phone, uncomprehendingly taking in what was shown before she couldn't take it anymore.

"What... The... Fuck, Wednesday."

Couldn't she have given her a heads-up?! Maybe a small note? 'I'm off to slay my in-law, don't wait up on me.' Or something? She was the Vice Leader of their cult, she had a right to know before she went off doing incomprehensible things again. Pushing her irritation to the back of her mind, she turned to face her friends.

They were in the cafeteria, having decided to have lunch as a collective group the day after their movie night. The others looked up curiously. It was rare for her to swear out of the blue, she knew. More common with Wednesday as the target, but still rare. She turned to Enid with a slightly apologetic look on her face.

"I just found out where your gf went. I'm just not sure you want to know..."

She hedged around the topic. It was a highly sensitive one and she wasn't prepared to handle it without some alcohol or at least some really strong coffee in her blood. But here she was, with volatile information in her hands instead of all the other possible options. And once again, Wednesday was the reason.

Several emotions flittered over Enid's face before she settled on a serene smile that seemed surprisingly honest. Her anxiety wasn't controlling her entirely anymore. Something that was nearly certain to change with the news she had.

"I trust her. With everything I am. I'd like to know where she is and what she's doing and if she's thinking about me but I don't know if it's right to just intrude on her private matters like that."

Bianca couldn't help herself. She snorted before barking out a wholehearted laugh, leaving the cute puppy hopelessly confused. She even tilted her head slightly to express it, adding to her unwitting charm in a unique fashion. Once she calmed down, she patted Enid's head somewhat condescendingly, much to said Lycan's annoyance, even though she knew it was meant in a jesting manner.

"Oh, don't you worry your pretty little head over that. It's public information! She did something ludicrous again, or more accurately, she will do it this night. Here, it's an article that was just published by Supreme Supernatural News."

That brought back the curiosity of the tricolourette. She tentatively took the phone and started reading under the interested eyes of the others who had stayed silent at the byplay.

They watched in worry as Enid's eyes grew wider the further into the article she got. The worry only grew when instead of a well manicured hand, a monstrous paw with dark violet wicked claws rested on the table. It quickly changed back but the short lapse in control was a testament as to how strongly the news affected her. She quickly handed the phone back and excused herself.

"I have to make a call. Bye guys! Don't wait on me, dunno if I'll come back before the end of lunch!"

And then she was gone in a burst of speed that left even some of the other Lycans in awe. Several others who had their phones with them had searched out the article and were reading silently while those without grew frustrated. Her very own Buggy Queen was one of those and called into the group.

"Will someone please tell those without a ready source of information what's going on, please?"

And so she did.

"Wednesday challenged Enid's mom to a duel. She even released a short statement in which she called out Esther at being a shit Alpha and parent who only cared for status instead of the Pack. She called her a heartless monster and told the press that she'd be impressed if it wasn't her Love who suffered beneath her thumb."

The article also had a link to a live ticker with a countdown and bets. The odds were rather overwhelmingly against Wednesday at the moment. People seemed to think that her young age, coupled with her entirely human appearance, meant that she'd be played with by the experienced Alpha, especially on a full moon.

She snorted disdainfully at the notion. She was an Addams. Not just any Addams but the heiress. Those modern supernatural folks seemed to have forgotten the deeds this family was capable of. There were countries who risked blood-feuds against them only to disappear over night.

Individuals who disappeared after hurting one of theirs, only to reappear physically unharmed and indeed, in better condition than before, but with their mind shattered irreparably. They didn't understand the horror that was the Addams Family. She turned to her social circle with a mischievous smirk. The people she trusted. The family she chose.

"We should check in on Enid. But before we do that, let's show those morons the failure of their ways. How much money do you all have access to?"

Her expression was mirrored by quite a few of those surrounding her after they saw the odds. It was good to interact with intelligent people.

~Enid~

She hurried back to the dorms as fast as she could, which was pretty damn fast. Her thoughts tumbled over each other as she only could keep one of them clearly in her head. 'I have to call her parents!'

She knew Wednesday was capable but this night was a full moon. Her birth giver was at her strongest then! She had to somehow get this information to her parents. They'd know what to do.

Soon she reached the door to their room and refused to slow down. She surprised herself when she acrobatically opened the door just a bit with a turn in midair. She rotated inside and closed it in the same movement. Involuntarily, she stopped for a moment to look back at the now closed entrance quizzically before shaking it off and hurrying to the crystal ball.

It didn't take long to get it running since she was registered by Wednesday and she even had her own frequency. It blinked three times before an eye appeared in the ball. She already thought she somehow fucked it up but soon, the eye grew smaller, only to be joined by a second one and an impressive moustache.

"Ah! It's the roommate of our daughter! The one she plans to court! Come, my precious Moonshine, let's embarrass her terribly! I miss the ice cold shoulder Wednesday gave us when we did so in her childhood!"

A small measure of mortification rose within her before it got suppressed by her overpowering worry. She couldn't help herself. She called out louder than entirely necessary but she didn't really care about meaningless things such as the volume of her voice at the moment.

"Wednesday challenged one of the strongest Alphas in the USA! You have to do something! Today is a full moon and she'll be a true monster!"

A hint of surprise appeared on his features as he turned to his wife who had just appeared on the crystal ball as she elegantly glided into the frame to sit down with picture-perfect posture.

"Is it that time of the month for her, Tish?"

He asked with a puzzled tone of voice. What did he mean, that time of the month?! Morticia shook her head and looked as if she knew something Gomez didn't.

"No, my dear. It is around two weeks out for her."

Was the answer that confused Enid even more. Did they mean... that? But what had that to do with her challenging a powerful foe?! Her surprise must have been clearly visible to the two because Gomez answered the unasked question with a terribly savage smile.

"It is just what you think. But instead of fearing the pain as most women do, Addamses celebrate it instead. It's just... An Addams refuses to bleed alone..."

That was ominous. And it explained so much. Every month around the same time, some idiot who offended her had a new bleeding wound to account for. Depending on the severity of the offence, the wound also increased in size. She shook off the epiphany and decided to explain.

"The Alpha's my birth mother!"

Pleasant surprise appeared in Gomez's eyes as he leaned forward with a delighted smile.

"Did she say anything before she went and issued the challenge?"

He asked with an eager undertone to his voice. She didn't understand why they weren't more worried! How could they sit there, not caring that their daughter was going to have a death match with a monstrously powerful creature?! She still decided to answer, if only to get it over with and start trying to convince them to stop her.

"She said something about properly starting the courtship or something! Now, we have to stop her! I can't live without her!"

The desperation in her voice made her confession all the more potent. It was palpable in a way that surprised even herself and it doused the enthusiasm of the jovial man a bit. He still had a smile on his face, but there was compassion and understanding in his eyes now. And then he explained.

"My dear pup. We can't do anything to interfere in this. She issued this challenge not for herself but in your name. She is out there slaying your worst fear for you to properly initiate your inclusion into our family. She would never forgive us if we interfered even if we wanted to."

His eyes lit up as he looked over to his wife.

"That said, slaying an in-law to start the courtship! How delightfully violent! Did we have such a case already or is she the first?"

Morticia thought for a moment before answering, her voice hinting at the fact that she was still pondering.

"Well, there was your cousin Cruelita. She brought back the cursed head of her fiance's father, I believe."

Gomez nodded but scrunched up his brow at the same time.

"That she did. But wasn't the man already dead when she found him? Does that even count?"

While they went on that tangent in the background, Enid still had his explanation in her ears. His voice was measured and reasonable. It was the most settled tone she had ever heard him talk with but the message he transmitted made her tear up in fear and the pit in her stomach that she managed to suppress until now grew immeasurably.

Her breath hitched and she shivered, unable to control her reactions. Worry grew in the eyes of Gomez and Morticia when they noticed her state, not that she perceived any of that as her focus narrowed down to only a very tiny field of view that seemed to pulse with her rapid heartbeat. She pulled up her knees and closed her eyes tightly as panic washed over her, threatening to consume her.

She didn't know how long she sat like that but she only snapped out of her hyper-focused state when she heard a voice, a soft, soothing timber.

"Breathe, child. In and out. You will not be of any use to my daughter if you suffocate from panic. At least not if she isn't here to witness it. Come here."

She was pulled into a strong yet gentle embrace and she clutched onto it as if it were a lifeline. Unknowingly, her claws ripped through flesh and muscles like steel cords with ease, making Gomez hum appreciatively. He didn't even flinch and kept holding her in a firm embrace, slowly calming her down with meaningless and exceedingly morbid phrases. It worked surprisingly well since it reminded her of Wednesday.

When she finally separated from him and saw the large amount of blood on his person, she nearly suffered a second panic attack. The expression on his face made her pause instead. There was clear pride within his eyes. He had a full blown smile on his face and there was no discomfort in his relaxed posture.

"Those claws could compete with even the strongest of blades in my armoury. And you aren't even transformed yet. How marvelous. Truly worthy of an Addams."

She couldn't help but blush at the softly spoken insinuation. Her Mortification was pushed back by daydreams of Wednesday in a suit, waiting for her to walk down the isle with a raven-black dress that shimmered like diamonds.

'This is so not the time for that.' She scolded herself, but saved the design of the dress in the back of her mind. It was just that pretty. And she needed to know if there was actually a way to apply eyeshadow in such a way. It looked gorgeous on her. Refocusing her thoughts on the Addams Patriarch, she hurried out an apology.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't want to hurt you, but...-"

She was interrupted by a jovial laugh. The man, half mauled as he was, stood up without any problems and pulled her up with him. She couldn't help but notice that the wounds were already notably smaller than they should have been.

"Do not fret over minor things like this. Let me tell you something about Wednesday instead. She isn't just strong. She is truly monstrous. Over the summer, she fully assimilated the gifts of her ancestor, Goody Addams. Her baseline is magnitudes above last year as it isn't as simple as receiving a gift. Her heritage was unlocked in tandem. She's as much a normal human by now as you are a chihuahua."

She digested that piece of information with wide eyes.

"Oh..."

He nodded, a slight smile still on his face as he kept his hands comfortably on her shoulders.

"She would have reached the level she now holds with time anyways. But the intervention of Goody Addams accelerated her pace by quite a bit. It also increased her ceiling and she will probably be the strongest of us in a few short years. Except for Grandmama. No one knows just what that woman is truly capable of. So don't worry and let her slay your demons. She needs to do this to properly court you. And we'd truly regret not to have you in our family."

The warm smile he gave her filled a void she didn't know was there. It felt fatherly in a way she hadn't experienced even from her own dad. 'They actually want me for myself and not the potential profits they could earn by selling me off to the highest bidder.'

The realisation that she was more wanted by her girlfriend's parents than her own stung a bit but it was nothing in comparison to the growing elation that there were people out there who would want her to be part of their family unconditionally.

She couldn't help the shy smile that stole itself onto her lips. It sneaked up on her like early summer rain. The whole situation felt refreshing and her worries about her Moon, while still there, were far less pronounced than before. She knew her to be skilled. Inhumanly so. And now she had the strength to back up that skill. There was no way she'd loose against her birth giver. Gomez blinked at seeing her smile.

"That expression of yours is dangerous. I am sure I took more damage from it than from your claws."

He then grinned to show he was jesting and threw an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into a half-hug while he skillfully ignited a cigar onehandedly that he pulled from his suit pocket. He puffed twice before taking a deep draw of it. Surprisingly, the smell didn't offend her sensitive nose at all. If anything, it smelled pleasant, though she couldn't really place the scent. She looked at him curiously and he interpreted the gaze correctly. He smiled around the cigar and explained.

"I have no idea what's in there. Today in the early morning hours, Grandmama came up to me and pushed those into my hands. I was just realigning my shoulder joints after a delightful session on my private rack, you see. She punched my chest which regrettably popped my shoulder right in again, and told me that if I had to smoke in front of a supernatural being with heightened sense of smell, I could at least be courteous enough to smoke something that wouldn't cause them to flee the room. Then she went devil knows where while grumbling about being stuck with an inconsiderate oaf as a Family Head."

He chuckled as he blew smoke from his nostrils. Only then did she notice that the blooms of smoke were oddly shaped. Upon closer scrutiny, they all seemed to be cold weapons. The last two were a mace and a halberd. She couldn't even begin to fathom how he managed to form two shapes so different in the same breath.

They enjoyed the companionable silence for a moment as she wondered if this was what it felt like to be comforted by a father. She decided she liked it and shifted a bit in his half-hug to transform it into a full one from her side. He startled a bit but then released a wordless chuckle and tightened his hold on her. She idly noticed that if she weren't supernaturally strong, this much would have cracked her bones. As it was, he held her with exactly the amount of strength that felt comfortable for her. She marvelled at his control over his capabilities.

The entire time, the wolf in the back of her mind told her thean was dangerous. It was a feeling not dissimilar to the one Wednesday gave her but it was slightly more pronounced. The secondary sensation was the same one she got from the more amenable Elders of her Pack. They weren't really involved in secular matters anymore, citing that they were 'done with this shit'.

But they still used their not inconsiderable influence to make matters go more smoothly for her. She was thankful for that. Very much so. The fact that she got the same vibes from Gomez Addams helped her trust him.

Suddenly, he stood up seamlessly from his resting position that she hadn't even noticed they'd taken. With a yelp, she was simply pulled up with him, legs still tucked beneath her but without a floor underneath them.

She quickly rectified her position and stepped out of his embrace only vaguely regretfully. He probably had to return. It was understandable and she was already thankful for the consideration he gave her. Contrary to her assumption, he turned to the door and called out.

"I do not know who you are but I can smell the worry you hold for our little wolf. Do come in and assure yourself that she is in a stable state of mind, regrettably."

She scented the air discreetly and didn't have it in her to suppress the fond smile that appeared on her lips as the door opened and they filed in hurriedly with Bianca leading them. She stopped wide-eyed at seeing Gomez standing there but was quickly pushed further into the room by the mass of bodies behind her. It was truly a marvelous feeling to have friends.