Chapter Text
Enid waited in hushed silence. Sitting still was not really in her nature unless she was moping so naturally her hands fussed with her plethora of stuffed animals, her knee bounced up and down, or her fingers flitted with her hair. She kept pushing the strands forward to cover her scars and then shaking her head and pushing them back to reveal them once more. Over and over.
Silence was not really her thing either but the upbeat k-pop music she had on earlier was just making the butterflies in her stomach worse. It was as though she were on the verge of exploding.
Yoko and Ajax had both texted earlier, asking if she wanted to join them in the courtyard to catch up but she insisted on waiting until she saw Wednesday come in. She was not sure when this intense urge started. This absolute need to see Wednesday. Okay, that was maybe a lie.
It all changed with the hug. That she knew for certain. The second Wednesday had pulled back to survey her before softening in some sort of unspoken understanding and pulling her back in, the seed had been planted. And now she had a full blown crush. Wednesday might call it puppy love.
Regardless, it was something that had made her wish for the summer to pass by faster. Something that had made her pack her belonging with fervor a few days before classes started. Something that completely eclipsed the melancholy and shame that usually accompanied her when her parents dropped her off at the airport to navigate the way to Nevermore alone. She had arrived yesterday morning with a pleasant thrum in her heart at seeing the school again. And when she had walked in to their shared room, she had released a quiet, unbidden whine at seeing Wednesday's side empty.
She bit her lip and then huffed, standing up. There was a burning beneath her skin, a strong desire to tear open the door, run all the way to New Jersey, and carry Wednesday back herself. Couldn't she hurry up?
Like magic, her pleads were answered.
Her sensitive hearing picked up the distinct sound of platform boots hitting wooden floorboards, growing closer and closer with each second. Squealing in delight, Enid bolted to the door and threw it open revealing Wednesday Addams in all her goth glory.
And Enid had caught her off-guard too. She looked surprised. Or as surprised as someone who never showed emotion could look.
Brown eyes widened imperceptibly and a hand delicately froze in the air where the door knob had just been.
“Howdy, roomie!” Enid gushed, unable to contain her smile.
“Enid,” Wednesday said in greeting. Unlike the last time they met when Enid had spoken those words, she did not lean away from the blonde's presence. “You're here.”
“Yes!” Enid said happily, keeping her hands in fists behind her back even as something clawed its way up her throat and made her face warm, “I know you hate hugs still and having your personal space violated and I-,”
“It's fine, Enid,” Wednesday said and opened up her own arms.
Enid felt her jaw drop and stared in shock. The silence grew uncomfortably long.
“Never mind then,” Wednesday said abruptly and finally made her way into her room, slipping past Enid and to her side of the room again.
Enid blinked, a huge part of her chastising herself for missing the opportunity to hug Wednesday. When Wednesday had offered! This was like getting a once in a lifetime backstage pass to TWICE's concert!
She sheepishly trailed behind her roommate, proverbial ears drooping. Wednesday placed her backpack by her desk and glanced to the window, nodding in approval at the half still left uncovered by the plethora of colors that adorned the other side. The light streaming in cast Wednesday in a warm glow and when she turned to look at Enid, Enid nearly gasped at the way dark eyes were colored honey in the light.
“You've grown,” Wednesday said as Enid traced her smooth jawline with her eyes.
“Just a bit,” Enid responded, mouth a little dry. If they had hugged, Enid could have easily rested her chin on Wednesday's head. She almost grumbled.
“How fascinating,” Wednesday said while staring at her .
Enid nearly squealed at that. Fascinating? Her? She felt the burning in her skin as her wolf preened at the attention.
But she dared not move when Wednesday's eyes were trained on her with such intensity. It occurred to her then that no matter how much taller and stronger she'd gotten after wolfing out that Wednesday Addams could reduce her to a stuttering mess with a single stare. And the longer the stare went on, the longer Enid felt the urge to disrupt the silence and sweep Wednesday into her arms and never let go.
Oh, Wednesday was moving closer to her.
Stopping mere inches away from her, Wednesday tilted her head to look up at her and one hand came up to gently brush blonde locks away from Enid's face. Enid was still as a statue but when Wednesday gently cupped her cheek, she wholeheartedly leaned into it, unable to stop herself from seeking out the warm touch.
A pleased rumble emanated from her chest and Wednesday's eyes widened just slightly, an unfamiliar color flooding her cheeks.
Wednesday Addams was blushing.
“Mio lupo,” she whispered so softly, Enid wasn't sure she would have heard her without her enhanced hearing.
“Your wh-what?” she asked dumbly, a pleasant shiver running down her spine. Wolf. Her wolf. Wednesday Addams' wolf.
'Yes', she dumbly agreed.
But Wednesday retracted her hand and she could see the gears turning on the other girl's face as she remembered herself.
'Oh no. Don't go away now', Enid thought.
“Wh-where are the rest of your things?” she asked hastily, trying to escape whatever gay hysteria was going on in her head.
Wednesday blinked once and then moved towards the door, spell broken. Enid barely held back a whine.
“Lurch must be coming up the stairs with them now,” Wednesday replied.
“Oh, and you came ahead to...uh...see me...?” she trailed off turning to stare at the other girl's still figure. Was that wishful thinking on her part? Were Wednesday's ears a little red? And her heartbeat almost sounded like it had picked up.
“I had to ensure none of the rainbow catastrophe you insist on surrounding yourself with bled onto my side without my knowing.”
Enid tried not to read into that. Really. But Wednesday had barely glanced at her things.
So, Enid dropped it for now despite the growing smirk on her face. Instead, she tried to tune her ears to pick up the towering butler's heavy footsteps approaching from down the hall. She found it took more concentrating than Wednesday's footfalls but she was definitely improving!
Sure enough, Lurch appeared in the doorway. Although he groaned, there was no evidence of any sort of exertion on his part as he carried Wednesday's belongings into the room. Actually, there was no emotion on his face either.
Enid had seen Wednesday's parents openly emote so was he the inspiration behind the monotone? Enid held back a giggle as she imagined a young Wednesday training herself to look as nonplussed as Lurch did, copying the butler's non-emotive face until it too, became her own habit.
“That's enough, Lurch,” Wednesday said as she delicately placed her typewriter down, “Thank you. Tell mother and father I've settled in and do not wish to be disturbed tonight with their sycophantic calls.”
Lurch groaned and then bowed. He left the room in the same, even gait he'd strode in, closing the door behind him.
Wednesday immediately busied herself with unlocking one of the smaller bags that had been brought in. As soon as it was open, Thing leapt out and skittered forward.
“Thing!” Enid exclaimed happily, getting down to her knees and holding out her hand, “I missed you so much!”
Thing excitedly leapt onto her arm to settle on her shoulders, tapping his greetings.
You are looking fabulous, the hand said.
“Aw thanks and you're looking quite 'hand'-some yourself,” Enid winked and then giggled.
“Disgusting,” Wednesday scoffed as she unpacked her belongings but there was a lack of venom.
Hater, the hand tapped out. Enid held back another giggle.
“Why were you all locked up anyway?” she frowned as they compared nails. She jumped at the sudden clack of Wednesday's suitcase.
“Don't answer that,” the goth spat at the appendage with narrowed eyes. Then to Enid, “Thing has been out of line. He is well aware of the consequences should he air any of those matters to parties uninvolved.”
Thing splayed himself flat on Enid's shoulder almost as though he were sighing.
“Don't keep him cooped up like that, Wednesday!” Enid whined. Wednesday set her jaw and gave a leveled stare to the hand before abruptly heading for the door.
Enid scrambled after her, heart in her throat, and caught her wrist, “Wait, you just got here! We haven't caught up!”
Wednesday paused, braids swinging over her shoulders as she twisted to face Enid.
“I will be in the hive with Eugene,” she said in monotone and then added, “We will see each other plenty after.”
“O-Oh. Okay, yeah, cool,” Enid said awkwardly. Dark eyes held hers for a moment before dropping down to where they were joined. Enid let her wrist go as though she'd been burned, panic welling up inside her. “Sorry! I know! I know you don't want to be-,”
“It's fine, cucciola,” Wednesday said quietly as her hand stayed slightly aloft before curling into a fist and dropping to her side.
“Okay. Okay, cool. Well, see you later, roomie,” Enid continued, backing up a little as her face burned at the affectionate nickname. Wednesday nodded, something peculiar in her eyes, and opened the door. Right before she stepped through, she paused.
“Enid.”
“Yes?”
“The scars suit you,” was all the goth said before she walked out.
Enid stayed stock still, something delightful and warm curling in her chest. She walked promptly to her bed, dove, and grabbed a pillow, screaming into it while Thing held onto her for dear life.
As Wednesday walked away from her dorm room, she thought of two things: whether Eugene was in the hive already and why it felt positively suffocating to be around Enid Sinclair.
She bristled at the thought of the blonde and scared a few students passing by with her glower. Even that didn't alleviate her symptoms.
Enid Sinclair. No longer a failed werewolf. No longer just a stranger. No longer a resented thorn in her side. Rather, a welcome one.
The raven haired teen cursed her mind for thinking such but there was no ignoring whatever had happened between them just now.
Wednesday had uttered a compliment to the blonde. And not even one of the backhanded ones she typically doled out. That had been easier to do when they were apart with only a phone to connect them. With Pugsley's assistance, she had gotten used to the texting features of her phone with the sole purpose of responding to Enid's daily barrage of updates, questions, and long strings of silly emoticons.
Between the jokes and popular culture references Wednesday didn't understand and the colorful assaults on her eyeballs from graphic interchange formats, she had parsed out that Enid's family was still not being particularly accommodating to her beloved friend. This, despite the teen having finally shifted and defeating a Hyde.
On the nights with full moons, Enid reported, her family hiked into the woods and set up camp where they could fully immerse themselves and their wolves in nature. And upon transforming, which was still pretty weird, Enid had admitted, the family did not tussle and play with her as they did with her other siblings. Enid mentioned that they were probably just getting used to her. She was a bit bigger, a bit stronger than they had all expected for a runt. The only one she complained about directly was her mother who rarely spoke to her now but made it clear that she detested the scars Enid had gained in exchange for surviving.
Coming from a family of outcasts that chose to remain on the fringes of society, Wednesday understood exactly what Enid's family was doing. There was quite a bit of lore surrounding those that transformed on a blood moon as Enid had. And from the tomes Wednesday had been able to find in her family's library, none of it was good. Thus, the family must have decided to ostracize Enid in a different way in the hopes she would... what?
That had been the question on Wednesday's mind for quite some time. Did they hope she would abandon them and save them the energy from cutting her off themselves?
Whatever their goal, it was pathetic at the least and downright abusive at the worst. And it had taken a stern talk from her parents to stop her from boarding the next flight out to San Francisco and returning with a new set of bloody winter coats for her family and Enid in tow.
“My little scorpion, you do love quite fiercely,” her father had teased.
The use of that word had made Wednesday flick her wrist and send a knife in her fathers direction. He caught it at the last minute as her mother chuckled and said something about teenagers.
“You do talk about her a lot,” Pugsley had said later as she prepped him for the iron maiden.
“Don't get on my bad side Pugsley, we both know you can barely tolerate it when I'm kind to you.”
“You're leaving me in the basement for three days. What's kind about that?” he had pointed out with an eye roll.
“And be glad it isn't a second more,” she had snapped, closing the lid and hearing him sigh on the other side.
So, with her revenge plans foiled and her family keeping a more annoyingly close eye on her, she offered support best as she could with texts and sometimes phone calls. That had been most of the summer. And then, two weeks before they had to return for the start of the new semester, Wednesday had come across a wealth of information on blood moon werewolves from a book her Uncle Fester had gifted her, stolen from a pack he was still on the run from.
Because myths cited blood moon werewolves as the symbol of the downfall of a pack, they were often destined to end up pack-less. Generally stronger than most werewolves, the blood moon werewolf was capable of easily usurping the current alpha and inciting chaos within the pack it had been born into. Blood moon werewolves had far greater abilities than other wolves and took much longer to adapt to their enhanced abilities compared to 'normal' werewolves. Wednesday found herself delighted when she had read the accounts only for her to then realize that that wasn't what Enid deserved.
Indeed, she found herself harboring a needling feeling of sympathy for the bright, bubbly blonde. Then she had read that in addition to upsetting the hierarchy placed within a pack, blood moon werewolves were only capable of being truly loyal to their mates. When Wednesday had read that the first time, her mind had conjured up the image of her and Enid together, somewhere under the moonlight, hand in hand.
It had shocked her so much that she ceased her research immediately and ultimately, her communication with Enid deteriorated for the rest of the summer. (The book lay buried in her suitcase currently. Something she figured she could give to Enid if her family was unwilling to explain anything to her.)
It had been a slow and painful process. A part of herself she had never been familiar with before reminded her that abandoning Enid to the likes of her family for the duration of the summer would be unforgivable. So she had simply limited herself to one or two unenthusiastic responses a day and convinced herself not to smash the phone into a thousand tiny pieces as the guilt ate away at her. As far as delightful forms of torture went, this was no electric chair.
When the time came to return to Nevermore, she found herself somewhat anxious and insisted on taking the journey this year alone to give herself time to center herself before she saw Enid. Her father had bawled pathetically but her mother had been on her side for once although Wednesday detested the knowing smile she received on her way out.
The dread that had been built up in the pit of her stomach reminded her of how her pet black mamba snake used to spend days digesting the same rat. But the second her foot touched campus pavement, she found her worries drifting and something in her being screaming at her to hurry to the shared dorm room. The next thing she could remember, the door had opened with such perfect timing that she could not comprehend it and Enid Sinclair had welcomed her with a smile that served as a panacea to her unusually flustered emotional state.
And then, she knows, she had been swept up in Enid's warmth, staring like a buffoon and unable to utter her usual threats with any conviction.
And the nicknames. She wanted to hammer her own tongue to the pavement with a rusty nail.
Stepping outside into the courtyard, Wednesday almost immediately spotted Bianca seated with the vampire Enid enjoyed hanging out with. They were smiling and laughing as they caught up with each other. Trivial conversation Wednesday would never think to entertain until she had met Enid.
Bianca looked up and their eyes met for a moment. Wednesday only offered a curt nod which Bianca returned with a slight smirk. Fencing would hopefully provide an outlet for the bizarre symptoms she was experiencing and the more time she spent away from the dorm room and Enid, the sooner she could get a handle on herself.
So engrossed in her thoughts was she that she collided with someone turning the corner and felt a ripple of fire from her brushed shoulder.
“Oh sorry- holy shit! A-Addams! I-I'm so sorry! P-p-please don't kill me!” a student cried out dropping to his knees immediately.
“Out of my way,” she barked, looking murderous as she grasped her shoulder and barreled past him. Her shoulder throbbed, needle-like pins of pain exploding here and there, and her fingers shook despite the wound from the previous semester having been fully healed.
Phantom pains, her mother had said with that disgustingly soft look on her face. Something akin to pity. Wednesday didn't want anyone's pity and she certainly didn't want to talk to anyone about this. As the pain receded, she was left feeling slightly nauseous and irritable. Only the sight of the hive and buzzing of bees was able to perk her up just a tiny bit. A sting or two would probably improve her mood.
“Wednesday!” Eugene exclaimed as she entered. “I'm glad to see you! How was your summer?”
“Fine. I completed a number of experiments on Pugsley,” she said in her monotone.
Eugene beamed, “That sounds, uh, great! I'm just checking on the guys right now. Do you want to join me?”
Wednesday simply nodded and they worked in amicable silence. All the while, her traitorous mind wondered what Enid was doing. The farther she had moved away from her room, the more clarity she had gained but the more her chest seemed to ache. An ache that was only quelled when she was staring into eyes the color of a clear, calm ocean.
“You okay?” Eugene asked when they finally stepped out into the late afternoon air, heading for the dining hall. “You look a little more murder-y than usual.”
Wednesday walked a little faster, getting ahead just so he wouldn't be able to see her expression, and grumbled out, “I think I've been cursed.”