Chapter Text
It wasn’t exactly a secret that Wednesday hated romance. If only that knowledge were enough to stop boys from trying to pursue her. Some of them almost seemed to take it as a challenge, like being able to tame the infamous Wednesday Addams would make them more masculine somehow.
Those types she could handle. They’d run off with their tail tucked between their legs once they realized she had a bite that more than matched her bark. No, far worse were the ones like Xavier, the ones who for some unfathomable reason seemed to genuinely like her. Interacting with someone like that never failed to make her uncomfortable, and not in a good way.
All of which was to say, Wednesday had plenty of reason to be worried when she realized that Enid was harboring feelings for her. She and Ajax had broken up during the break from school, and ever since they returned to Nevermore, she’d been acting differently around Wednesday. She’d perk up whenever Wednesday entered the room, and she’d frequently ignore her other friends in favor of spending time trying to coax Wednesday out of her shell. Wednesday had thought she was overbearing last semester, but now it was like her sole mission in life was to become as close to Wednesday as possible.
Right now, Wednesday was trying not to snap at her. She’d felt Enid’s eyes boring into the back of her head for nearly her entire writing session, and she hadn’t gotten as much done as she would’ve liked as a result.
“All done for the day?” Enid asked almost the second the allotted hour was up.
“Yes,” Wednesday said, trying not to let her irritation show.
“Awesome,” Enid said with a smile as she bounded out of her bed. “You know, I was just thinking about how cool it is that you’re so dedicated to your writing.”
“I don’t write to be ‘cool,’ Enid. I write because I have a story inside me that no one but I can tell.”
“See! That just makes it even cooler!” Enid said. “Like, I consider myself a writer as well, y’know, because of my blog posts, but it’s just something I do for fun. I only write when I feel like it.”
“I guess the drivel you post could technically be considered writing by some,” Wednesday said.
Enid stuck out her tongue. “You know you love it.”
Flashing one of her many knives at Enid, Wednesday said, “I’d advise you to reconsider this slander.”
Unphased, Enid said in a sing-song voice, “It’s not slander if it’s truuue.”
“You have no evidence for such a baseless assertion,” Wednesday shot back.
“Don’t I?” Enid asked, eyebrow cocked maddeningly. “Wednesday, you’re literally the only person who never fails to comment on my posts. And your comments are huge! Like, literal essays.”
Wednesday crossed her arms. “The only thing that’s proof of is your misuse of the English language. There’s always an essay’s worth of critiques to make.”
Enid just smiled sweetly. “And I appreciate you always taking the time to read my blog so closely and tell me what you think of it. You’re like my number one fan!”
Wednesday had to look away from her sickly brightness. “I resent these accusations.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Enid said. “But you know, that does make me think of something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”
“No Enid, I will not write a guest post on your insipid blog.”
“Not what I was going to ask! But now that you mention it…”
Wednesday shot Enid a withering glare before she could continue down that path.
“Never mind. We’ll come back to that idea later. What I actually wanted to ask you was…” She paused for a moment, suddenly sounding unsure of herself. “Do you think I could maybe… read some of your writing?”
Wednesday could only stare. That was certainly one of the last things she’d ever thought Enid would ask her. The few descriptions she had previously given Enid about her books had seemed more than enough to kill her interest in them.
Enid must have misinterpreted Wednesday’s surprise as refusal, because she said, “But, no pressure or anything! I know how personal stuff like that can be. Especially works in progress. I just thought maybe you wouldn’t mind letting me read one of your finished ones.”
“Enid,” Wednesday finally said. “My books will give you nightmares.”
That only made Enid pout. “You know I’m tougher than I look.”
Unbidden, Wednesday’s mind flashed back to the towering wolf that had protected her from the hyde. “Be that as it may,” she said, “words on a page aren’t something you can overcome with physical strength. Need I remind you what happened when Yoko convinced you to watch that horror movie with her? You had to sleep with the lights on for a whole week.”
Just the reminder was enough to make Enid whimper, and Wednesday had to fight to keep the corners of her mouth from quirking up. Still, Enid managed to surprise her yet again by saying, “It’s worth a few nightmares to get to support my best friend in something she’s passionate about.”
That declaration made Wednesday feel… weird. Like there were spiders crawling around inside her, but not quite as pleasant. Rather than dwell on it, Wednesday just got up and went to the trunk she kept her completed manuscripts locked up in. She pressed her thumb to the button on the side, pricking herself on the needle concealed within. Then she smeared her blood on the lock, causing the whole trunk to shudder violently before swinging open.
“Really?” Enid said, her nose scrunched up. “Have you ever heard of a key?”
Ignoring her, Wednesday pulled out the first book in the series before relocking the trunk. She pressed the unbound pages into Enid’s hands. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Enid squealed. “Thank you so much! I promise I’ll treat this well, like it’s my own pup.”
“You’d better,” Wednesday said.
Enid’s smile didn’t waver despite the implied threat, something that really should have bothered Wednesday a lot more than it did.
***
Of course, Enid wasn’t the only lovesick puppy that Wednesday had to deal with on a regular basis. She was far less troublesome than Xavier, though.
“Oh, Wednesday!” he shouted from behind her. “Wait up!”
Wednesday didn’t slow down for him, but she didn’t pick up her pace either. She gave him a cursory glance when he caught up.
“Have somewhere you’re in a hurry to get to?” he asked.
“Not in particular.” Wednesday said. “Just going for a walk.”
“Mind if I join you?”
Wednesday was making an effort to be nicer to him after getting him arrested last semester, so she told him, “I’ll allow it.”
The two walked in silence for a while. It was very different from spending time with Enid. It almost seemed to cause that girl physical pain if she wasn’t constantly yapping about something or other.
As if reading her mind, Xavier said, “It’s rare to see you without Enid tagging along nowadays.”
“She’s spending time with Yoko.”
“You know, I never would’ve imagined you two getting along as well as you do.”
Xavier was far from the only one who shared that sentiment. Enid had been approached on more than a dozen occasions by other students checking to make sure she wasn’t being blackmailed or hexed, much to Wednesday’s amusement. Truthfully, Wednesday herself had long ago given up on trying to understand her friendship with the other girl. “We just work,” she said.
“I really need to ask her what her secret is to getting along so well with you.”
Wednesday glared at him. “If there were such a secret, she’d sooner die than tell you.”
Xavier chuckled. “It almost sounds like you’re bragging about her.”
“Merely stating a fact.”
“Noted,” Xavier said. They walked on in silence for a bit longer before he spoke up again. “Anyways, I was wondering if you wanted to hang out sometime?”
“We’re ‘hanging out’ right now, Xavier.”
Xavier laughed awkwardly. “Well, yeah. But I meant, hang out and do something together other than just walking around.”
Wednesday didn’t like where this was going. “I’m content with this.”
“Sure, sure,” Xavier said. “It’s nice getting some fresh air. But I was thinking, my shed’s been looking kind of bare since I got rid of all those drawings of… well, you know.”
“I fail to see what that has to do with me.”
“It’s just, I was planning on doing some sketches to liven the place up. Maybe we could work on something together?”
Wednesday could think of worse ways to spend her time. She liked to draw from time to time, usually just sketches of various poisonous plants or particularly nasty insects, but she’d been branching out recently. It could prove a useful tool for recording her visions, after all.
No, the activity itself wasn’t the problem. The problem was that she knew Xavier would take it to mean more than it did. Show him too much attention, and it wouldn’t be long before he was pushing to be more than friends.
“I’m afraid I have to decline,” Wednesday said, ignoring the disappointment in her chest. “Your artwork isn’t nearly macabre enough for my tastes.”
That actually made Xavier laugh. “If you say so.”
At least he didn’t seem too disappointed.
***
Just as Wednesday had predicted, Enid began having nightmares not long after she started reading Wednesday’s novel. Really, Wednesday would’ve been disappointed if she hadn’t. She didn’t revel in Enid’s suffering like she might once have, but a lack of nightmares would’ve meant that her writing wasn’t nearly as evocative as it should be.
Of course, it also left Wednesday with something of a dilemma. Enid had been whimpering in her sleep for the last fifteen minutes, and while the sounds would normally help lull her to sleep, she found herself wanting to check on Enid instead.
“Thing,” she finally hissed. “Go wake the pup up.”
She was a little surprised that he hadn’t done so already. He and Enid had become friends almost from the moment they’d met, and he was disgustingly soft for the girl. Instead of heeding Wednesday’s command, though, he just gestured for her to do it herself.
She glared at him. “You insolent little hand.”
It’ll make her happy if you do it, he signed.
Wednesday ignored him. “Hurry up or I’ll start tearing out your fingernails one by one.”
Where once the threat would have had Thing quivering with fear, he now stayed put, defiant.
The stalemate lasted for a whole minute, until Enid let out her loudest whimper yet and Wednesday was forced to admit defeat. She and Thing both knew she’d never lay a finger on him; Enid wouldn’t take kindly to it, and more and more Wednesday was finding herself caring about the other girl’s feelings.
“Fine,” she said, climbing out of bed. “Have it your way.”
She made her way to the opposite side of the room, not stopping until she was standing over Enid’s bed. “Enid!” she called sternly. “Wake up. You’re having a nightmare.”
It wasn’t enough. Enid was still asleep, soft whines escaping with her breaths.
Wednesday tried again, louder, but still nothing. She was going to have to take drastic measures. She reached down and grabbed Enid’s shoulder to shake her awake. “Enid!”
Enid’s eyes were open in a flash, and her colorful claws were out soon after. Wednesday took a step back to avoid getting slashed.
“Wednesday?” Enid said, blinking. She sheepishly retracted her claws. “Sorry. You scared me.”
“You were having a nightmare.” Wednesday said. “Thing was worried about you.”
Enid gave Wednesday a shaky smile. “Thanks.”
Wednesday’s first instinct was to get Enid to redirect her thanks to Thing, but instead she said, “You’re welcome.”
She figured she’d done enough now. She could go back to her bed and sleep easily. And yet, something kept her rooted to the spot. Enid was looking up at Wednesday curiously. She was trying to hide it, but she was clearly still shaken up from the nightmare.
Wednesday really had no idea what she was supposed to do in a situation like this. If only a nightmare were something tangible she could cause bodily harm to. That was the extent of her abilities when it came to comforting others. She glanced at Thing for advice, but he just gave her a gesture that said, You’ve got this.
“Would you like to talk about it?” she finally said.
Enid seemed surprised by the question, but she recovered quickly. “No, it’s okay.” More quietly she added, “It’s embarrassing.”
“Enid, nothing could be more embarrassing than the time I caught you in here prancing around to your Korean pop garbage.”
“Hey!” Enid protested, her attempt at a scowl mitigated by the smile breaking out across her face. “There was nothing embarrassing about that! I was having fun.”
Wednesday crossed her arms. “My point is, nothing you say could make me think less of you when I’ve already seen you at your worst.”
Enid chuckled. “Thanks, I think.” She patted the bed beside her and, after a moment’s hesitation, Wednesday sat down. “I guess it might help to talk about it, since you’re offering. It was sorta a dream about your book, but not really.”
“Explain,” Wednesday said.
“It was like the crime scene Viper was investigating. The blood and the guts and the body parts everywhere.” Enid shuddered, the memory making her noticeably pale.
“I did warn you my writing is gruesome,” Wednesday told her. She’d spent hours poring over all the grisliest crime scene photos she could find to get the details just right.
“Yeah, but that wasn’t what made the dream so scary.” Wednesday was startled to see tears beginning to swim in Enid’s eyes as she spoke. “The worst part was that they were your body parts, Wednesday.”
Wednesday opened her mouth and then promptly closed it again. How was she supposed to respond to something like that? She glanced at Thing for help a second time, but he was now pretending to be asleep. “I can see why that would be upsetting,” Wednesday began carefully, hoping that she was saying the right thing to stop Enid’s tears from spilling over. “But I’m right here, in one piece. You have nothing to worry about.”
Enid sniffled and wiped at her eyes. “I know that. But, Wednesday, I came so close to losing you once already. The night of the blood moon.”
Wednesday flinched at the reminder of that night. She hoped Enid didn’t notice.
“If it weren’t for Goody and your charm, you would’ve died before I even got there. And then if I’d been just a bit slower, or if I hadn’t wolfed out, then Tyler…” She couldn’t finish the sentence. She wiped her eyes again, but the tears were already streaming down her face.
Wednesday reached over and grabbed a box of tissues from Enid’s bedside table. Without thinking, she took a few tissues and began gently wiping Enid’s face. “Mi loba valiente. You did save me. That’s all that matters. It’s not worth getting lost in hypotheticals.”
Enid leaned into Wednesday’s touch. “I know. It’s just hard sometimes.” She seemed like she had something more to say but wasn’t sure if she should say it. Wednesday looked into her eyes, silently urging her to continue. “I don’t know what I’d do without you here,” she finally admitted.
Ignoring the way her heart was thumping in her chest, Wednesday dabbed the last of Enid’s tears away. “I promise, that’s something you’ll never have to know.”
Enid gave Wednesday a weak smile. “Thank you, Wednesday. Really.”
“Don’t mention it,” Wednesday said. “I mean it—I will have to cut your tongue out if you breathe a word of this.”
“Of course,” Enid said with a chuckle. They sat together for a few moments more before her mouth opened in a big yawn.
“You should try to get back to sleep,” Wednesday told her.
“M’kay,” Enid said, stifling another yawn.
Wednesday got up to throw away the tissues she’d used, and Enid lay back in her bed. Before crossing back to her side of the room, Wednesday looked over at Enid. Her eyes were open, staring into Wednesday’s. She didn’t say anything, but Wednesday could read the look on her face well enough. There was a request written there, one Enid would never verbalize out of respect for Wednesday’s boundaries. Wednesday was free to pretend she hadn’t seen it and return to her bed without consequence, but something made her walk back to Enid’s side.
“Move over,” Wednesday said.
Enid blinked a few times, looking confused. “What?”
“Don’t make me repeat myself.”
Slowly, Enid scooted away from Wednesday to the far side of the bed. Once there was enough room, Wednesday lowered herself onto the bed beside her, facing away so she wouldn’t have to see her reaction.
The bed wasn’t meant for two people. Enid was so close behind her, she could feel her breath on the back of her neck. It caused her flesh to break out in goosebumps.
“You don’t have to do this,” Enid said. “I’ll be fine on my own.”
“I know,” Wednesday said.
Thankfully, Enid left it at that. Wednesday didn’t know what she’d tell her if she asked why she was doing this.
Still, she had one thing she felt she had to let Enid know. “I was worried too,” she whispered. “The night of the blood moon. After you saved me and I had to go confront Crackstone, I had no way of knowing if you were okay or not. I’d never felt such relief as when I laid eyes on you after it was all over. I don’t want to know what my life would be without you here, either.”
As she finished speaking, Wednesday was horrified to feel moisture prickling at her eyes. She rubbed the drops away before the traitorous things could spill.
Enid didn’t say anything, and for a moment, Wednesday wondered if she had fallen asleep. Then, she felt Enid’s hand press against her back, and she stiffened involuntarily. Enid immediately tried to take her hand away, but without thinking, Wednesday leaned back so her hand was still pressed against her. Ever so tentatively, Enid moved her hand across Wednesday’s body until she had her arm wrapped around her in a protective embrace. Wednesday could have put a stop to it at any moment, but instead she felt herself relaxing into it.
“Is this okay?” Enid whispered.
Instead of answering, Wednesday just said, “Go to sleep, Enid.”
Enid hummed in response. Wednesday listened as Enid’s breathing gradually slowed to the gentle rhythm of sleep. Only once she was satisfied that she wasn’t going to start whimpering again did she allow herself to drift off as well.