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Slowly, Wednesday disentangled herself from Enid’s arms. Dawn had barely brushed the horizon. If she left now, she could reach the Sinclair house before they returned from Sunday service.
She rose from the mattress like a ghost lifting from its grave, but paused at the sight before her. Her heart squirmed in her chest as she looked at Enid curled tight around Marie Antoinette, fingers clinging to the doll like a child.
Wednesday’s jaw tightened. Leaving now would distress her. Enid would awaken alone in a strange house, vulnerable and frightened. What would she do upon realizing Wednesday was gone?
Her mission was necessary, however, and leaving Enid here was for the best.
Wednesday leaned in, brushing a loose lock of hair from Enid’s face. Pressing her lips against her cheek, Wednesday murmured. “You will be furious with me. But you are suffering, and I intend to preserve what little joy you cling to.”
Her eyes hardened as they locked on the door.
Wednesday Addams was not abandoning her beloved.
She was declaring war on the Sinclair household. Today she would rescue every ridiculous, pastel-furred toy that belonged to her wolf before that wretched woman could lay a finger on them.
Slipping a backpack over her shoulder, Wednesday quietly closed the guest bedroom door behind her, only to come face to face with Yoko Tanaka. Narrowing her eyes at the vampire, Wednesday squared her face.
“Why are you lurking outside Enid and I’s room?”
Yoko grinned. “You’re down bad, Addams, if you’re about to break into the Sinclair house for stuffed animals.”
Through pursed lips, Wednesday pushed past Yoko. “For your information, Tanaka, they are Enid’s relics. Sacred to her. If anything happened to them, she’d mourn.”
“I know,” Yoko said. “It’s just sweet. Seeing you care about someone else? Not something I thought I’d see when I first heard you’d be Enid’s roommate. Now you guys are attached at the hip and you’re going on a mission to retrieve her lost animals. That’s growth, Wednesday.”
Wednesday’s face almost turned red. “Whatever you’re trying to make of us is false.”
“Shut up, I know you’re dating.”
“Where did you—”
“It’s obvious, Wednesday,” Yoko’s voice was firm. “And it’s fine, I know you guys are being weirdly secretive yet also obvious about it. I’m not gonna spill the tea. Anyways, I appreciate you taking care of Enid. Honestly, I’ve been worried about her. The last time she came to visit she smelt of blood, and I don’t think it's because that sorry excuse of a mother scratched her.”
“I worry too.” Face falling, Wednesday’s shoulders shuddered. “But she is safe now, surely?”
Yoko’s smile didn’t reach her eyes. “She has to be.”
“Do me a favor, Tanaka, and obtain something for me to cook. I checked your fridge and cupboard. Your house is oddly empty and Enid is a malnourished werewolf.”
Yoko chortled. “Of course my fridge is empty, Wednesday. I’m a fucking vampire.”
On the outside, the Sinclair residence pretended at normalcy. Outrageously blue paint clung to its siding, garish against the sky. Plastic lawn ornaments littered the yard. A white banister framed an average porch, the kind of façade meant to lull neighbors into believing nothing sinister lived within.
But Wednesday knew better. Pain and devastation seeped through these walls, invisible to the casual eye. For a house that hoarded so many secrets, it was insultingly easy to breach.
She slipped inside without effort. The air was dry, bitter, clinging to her skin like dust. Silence hung heavy. A pan sat cooling on the stove, its metal still warm.
Wednesday drifted through the hallways, gaze sweeping over sterile decorations. Family portraits lined the walls, each frame polished, each smile stretched too wide. Brothers immortalized in graduation gowns, Esther posed in church finery. Yet one face was conspicuously absent.
Enid.
Her jaw tightened. She moved deeper into the house.
The staircase creaked beneath Wednesday’s weight, but she did not falter. She followed down the hall, stopping at the third door on the left. The paint was chipped, claw marks scarring the frame. She pushed open the door, revealing the very room she’d seen in pictures, in video calls.
Enid’s sanctuary.
Plushes lined the bed, some toppled, some torn. Posters peeled from the walls, edges curling like wounded paper. A hoodie lay crumpled on the floor, fabric stiff with dried tears. The air was stale, warm.
She bent, lifting Maize the unicorn with delicate fingers. Its fur was worn, one ear bent permanently sideways. A smile traced her lips. Carefully, she removed her backpack, bringing out a roll of garbage bags.
Everything in this room was Enid’s. Wednesday wasn’t leaving anything behind.
Wednesday set the atrociously pink unicorn on the dresser before lowering herself onto the mattress beside Enid. The werewolf slept on, light snores filling the quiet, her hair a tangled halo across the pillow. Wednesday’s fingers drifted through the mess, tracing the curve of her cheek. Her lips pressed into a thin line, restraint and affection colliding in silence.
Enid’s breathing shifted. She jolted awake, eyes wide, darting frantically around the room until they landed on Wednesday. Her shoulders sagged, relief softening her frame.
“Good morning,” Wednesday murmured, voice gentler than usual. “Someone came to visit.”
Enid blinked, brows knitting as she followed Wednesday’s movements. When the pastel plush was lifted from the dresser, her face broke into a grin.
“Maize!” she gasped. “But I left him at—how did he…?”
“While you slept, I went on a journey,” Wednesday replied evenly. “He, along with all of your worldly possessions, are now safe.”
Enid’s gaze dropped to the unicorn, then rose again to meet Wednesday’s. For the first time in months, she truly looked at her. Words crowded her throat, too many, too heavy. What escaped instead was simple. Familiar.
“You need a haircut.” Her fingers brushed through Wednesday’s bangs, pushing them from her face.
“I haven’t been fussing over my appearance,” Wednesday admitted with a shrug. She shifted closer, shoulders pressing firmly against Enid’s, the contact deliberate, grounding. “I’ve had larger concerns.”
“Oh.” The word slipped out of Enid, fragile, unfinished, trembling in the quiet between them.
Wednesday leaned in, her breath brushing warm against Enid’s hair as she pressed a kiss to her temple. She lingered there, letting the moment breathe, before whispering, “Besides...I haven’t had you here to do it for me.”
Her lips brushed Enid’s cheek. It was soft and precise. She then planted another kiss. Then another. And another. Until kisses scattered across her face like quiet vows. Wednesday paused, her dark eyes locking with Enid’s. “But now you are safe,” she whispered. “I have no reason to worry.”
Enid swallowed hard, her face flushed. “Wednesday, you don’t have to be so...nice to me. You didn’t have to come all the way to California just to make sure I’m okay. You didn’t have to stitch me up last night, or go to my house and pack up all my things. I don’t understand.”
“Enid Sinclair,” Wednesday replied, voice firm, steady as stone. “Everything I have done was not out of duty. I chose to come here.” She let the words settle. “Every morning, when I wake, I choose you.”
Enid’s breath caught. “I...why me?”
Wednesday kissed just below her eye, deliberate, anchoring. “Because you are special to me, Enid.”
“But I’m broken. Even my own mother—”
“—Her opinions are botched. Vain. Pure, disgusting trash.” Wednesday picked up the unicorn, her face soft as she brushes its worn fur against Enid’s cheek. “Look. Even your unicorn loves you.”
Enid’s voice trembled, hand pushing the unicorn away. “Wednesday, you don’t—”
“Understand?” Wednesday’s lips pressed together, her gaze unwavering. “What I know is that your mother hurt you. She made you believe you had to run, that you weren’t enough. She pushed you toward pain you should never have carried.” Her fingers traced Enid’s cheek, cool and steady. “But I know this: you are worthy of love. No matter how shattered you feel, no matter the burdens you carry—you are still mine. I will stand by you. I would do anything for you. What I cannot understand is why she chose to make you feel unworthy. Because you, Enid Sinclair, deserve love most of all.”
Enid drew in a shaky breath. Her mouth opened, closed, opened again. Finally, her voice came, small and trembling. “Do you...want me to trim your bangs?”
Wednesday’s reply was instant, her eyes softened. Understanding. “Why don’t we see if Tanaka has hair scissors, then?”
Wednesday sat on the stool, posture sharp. Her eyes softened as Enid stepped closer. Scissors gleamed in Enid’s hand, her fingers steadying as they brushed through Wednesday’s bangs. Locking eyes with the psychic, Enid’s shoulders tightened.
Snip.
The sound was crisp, clean. Enid’s breath caught. Instincts guiding her, she trimmed again, slow and sure. Wednesday remained utterly still, surrendering herself to Enid’s care.
It was comfortable. Familiar. The roots of their relationship.
Enid liked familiarity. These days, she didn’t get much of it. Her fingers traced Wednesday’s cheek, eyes locking. Wednesday’s were big, warm. Trusting.
She snipped again, brushing the hair out of Wednesday’s eyes. A smile curled on her lips, and Enid ran her fingers through her fringe, fingertips lingering against her temple.
“Better,” Enid whispered.
Wednesday’s hand rose, curling around Enid’s wrist, holding her there. Her eyes were unguarded, rare and tender. “Perfect,” she said. “Because it was you.”
Enid laughed softly, forehead pressing against Wednesday’s. Their breaths mingled, warm and uneven, as the scissors slipped from her hand and clattered to the counter.
Wednesday’s arms wrapped around her, steady and sure, pulling her close. “You’re my strong wolf. You take such good care of me,” Wednesday mused. Lips pressing against Enid’s, running her fingers through her tangled hair. Pulling back with a grin, Wednesday speaks. “I love you, Enid. You are mine and I am yours. Remember that.”
Breath hitched, Enid nodded. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes. “You…love me?”
“Haven’t I made that clear?” Wednesday chuckles, nuzzling her face against Enid’s hair. “If I haven’t, I’ll say it again. As many times as I need to for you to understand.”
Enid’s tears finally spilled, hot against her cheeks. “I just...I didn’t think anyone could.”
Wednesday’s fingers threaded through her tangled hair. “Then allow me to correct your thinking.”
Enid pulled back just enough to see her, eyes wide, shimmering. “Even when I’m...too much? Even when I break and—”
“Especially then,” Wednesday interrupted, her tone firm. She brushed her thumb across Enid’s cheek, wiping away a tear. “You belong with me, Enid.” Wednesday leaned in, lips grazing her temple, her voice a whisper meant only for her. “Allow me to say again. I love you, Enid.”
Enid closed her eyes, letting the words settle into her bones. For the first time since summer break, she had something to believe in. A future to look towards.
“So,” Enid whispered, voice catching as she glanced toward the black SUV Wednesday had acquired within minutes of arriving in California. “I guess this is it, then. I’ll see you in Nevermore, Yoks.”
Yoko pulled her into a tight hug. “Stay safe, wolfie.”
“I’ll be okay,” Enid promised, cheeks pink as her eyes flicked toward Wednesday. “She’s looking out for me.”
“She better,” Yoko teased, narrowing her eyes.
Wednesday shuffled forward, awkward but determined, producing a bag of blood. “This is for you. A token of gratitude for caring for my Enid during my absence.”
Yoko blinked at the still‑warm bag. “Thanks...but where the hell did this come from?”
“Me,” Wednesday replied simply. “I am well‑maintained. I ensure my body receives all required nutrients daily. It should provide you with a satisfying meal.”
Yoko stared. “Right.”
“You should try it,” Enid chimed in, grinning. “Like, right now.”
Without hesitation, Yoko sank her fangs into the bag. Her eyes widened as the taste hit. Within seconds, it was gone.
She froze, staring at Wednesday. “What the actual fuck, Addams.”
Wednesday’s brow furrowed. “I fail to see why you are cursing at me.”
“Because your blood tastes...incredible. I thought you were supposed to be bitter.”
Enid leaned in, smirking. “Is it better than mine?”
“You’ve drank her blood—”
“—Yes. Your blood is pure sugar.”
Wednesday started at Enid for a moment, gaze unwavering. “We will be cutting all sugar and processed foods out of your diet until your bloodstream clears up.”
Enid gawked. “You can’t just do that—”
“Already have.” Wednesday shrugged. Without missing a beat she continued, turning towards Yoko. “Anyway, we will be seeing you, Tanaka. While I would like to stay longer and gossip, we do have a schedule to maintain if we’d like to return to my house in New Jersey before the end of the week.”
Wednesday then proceeded to open the SUV door, pausing only long enough to glance back at Yoko. “Thank you, again,” she said, her tone clipped but sincere. “For keeping her safe when I could not.”
Yoko’s grin softened. “Anytime, Addams. She’s family.”
Enid’s cheeks flushed as she climbed into the passenger seat, clutching Maize against her chest. Wednesday lingered for a moment, her gaze flicking back to Yoko. A sigh escaped her, sharp but quiet, before she stepped forward.
Without warning, Wednesday pulled Yoko into a brief, tight embrace—stiff, awkward, but sincere. Yoko froze, startled, then let out a laugh as Wednesday released her just as quickly and moved toward the driver’s side.
Enid’s eyes went wide, a muffled squeal escaping her as the engine roared to life. The car filled with silence, heavy but warm.
Then Wednesday reached across the console, her hand finding Enid’s. Three squeezes.
Enid’s breath hitched. She turned, eyes shimmering, and squeezed back. “I love you too,” she whispered, voice trembling but sure.
“Good. Then let us go home.”
Headlights cut through the California dusk. As the SUV pulled away, Yoko waved from the porch, her laughter echoing faintly behind them.
Enid closed her eyes, safe at last, as the road stretched out before them.