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i.
“I’m not gonna kiss you until you kiss me.”
Wednesday hastily spun around in her desk chair, finding herself caught off guard by Enid’s sudden declaration. Sure enough, there Enid was; standing behind Wednesday with her hands neatly folded behind her back, her blazer uniform discarded some time ago in response to the heat. (And for the record; Wednesday was definitely not staring at the hint of muscle she could see through Enid’s sleeves.)
“Excuse me?” Wednesday questioned, coaxing an elaboration out of the blonde in front of her.
“I said…” Enid began, a smile growing wider on her face. “I’m not gonna kiss you until you kiss me.”
“I’m confused, not deaf.” Wednesday deadpanned in retaliation.
Enid returned Wednesday’s bluntness with a small huff of laughter, inching herself the tiniest bit closer, so small in fact you could hear the scuff of her Doc Martens against the wood floor like she hadn’t even taken her foot off the floor to begin with.
And letting boldness overtake her movements, Enid arched down to be eye level with the psychic still seated on the chair in front of her, hands still carefully folded behind her back so she wouldn’t give into her urges to touch Wednesday like she so desperately wanted to.
“You want to kiss me.” Enid said as her eyes scanned over every inch of Wednesday’s face that she’d grown to adore.
She could see Wednesday’s breath halt for at least two seconds as she processed what was happening in front of her.
“I do.” Wednesday helplessly admitted, no louder than a whisper.
“And I want you to kiss me.” Enid followed up carelessly, like this was dialogue she’d practiced from a script.
Wednesday paused. If she even had a heart, it had definitely stopped beating by now.
Enid’s smile widened, she basked in the victory of silencing the girl who spat out retorts like a dragon effortlessly breathing fire. She took her chance, and she leaned in only an inch closer. Their noses almost brushed, their breath was faint but noticeable on each other’s lips and their foreheads touched like a puzzle piece sliding into place. Enid felt a shiver run up her spine from the cool touch of Wednesday’s forehead on hers, and her next words came out no louder than a breath.
“So do it.”
And exactly as she suspected, Wednesday didn’t.
She froze right under Enid’s devilish trick. All according to plan, Enid thought to herself. She loved watching Wednesday stutter and freeze under each little advance she made, always one step closer to whittling her down and making the brunette give in to her urges.
But Wednesday never gave in. Wednesday never kissed her.
But it didn’t disappoint Enid to her own surprise. No, it excited her.
Enid pulled away from Wednesday with a small giggle under her breath, watching as Wednesday recuperated herself and returned the normal stoic expression onto her face.
“I knew you wouldn’t.” Enid teased with a voice full of too much sunshine.
“I’m resistant to your tricks, Enid.” Wednesday returned as she idly smoothed down the vest of her uniform.
Funny, Enid thought. Wednesday never did things idly. She had gotten to her.
Enid took a step back from the brunette, wondering if she’d notice a small tick from Wednesday that would whisper ‘come back and kiss me’. When she saw no reaction from Wednesday, she lifted her hands onto her hips and spoke while practically bouncing on her toes.
“We’re gonna play a game.” She declared, watching as Wednesday did her iconic eyebrow raise in response.
“What unimaginable form of torture have you prepared for me this time?” Wednesday replied, clearly very unimpressed and definitely referring to the movie nights they’d have that Wednesday always said she ‘endured’. (Even though Enid absolutely knew she enjoyed them.)
“I’m gonna make you kiss me!” Enid grinned.
Wednesday only stared on in silence, very unamused.
“You’re ridiculous.” She deadpanned after a moment.
“And you’re shy.” Enid retaliated.
“I’m not-”
“Oh, you absolutely are.”
They stared at each other in a brief silence then, Enid looked into Wednesday’s soulless eyes and (amusing) unimpressed expression, Enid stared back with a smile she tried to contain and eyes that yearned to see Wednesday blush again.
Wednesday abruptly cut the moment in half, gracefully lifting herself from her chair and walking over to her closet. Enid only assumed she was hunting through her secret knife collection to find the perfect one to slit her throat for suggesting something so obscene. At least she’d die at the hands of the girl she loved, she thought to herself.
“So… are you in?” She called out to Wednesday.
She heard a brief shuffling from the closet. Then a thud. Hopefully Wednesday wasn’t bringing out the taxidermy squirrel collection just to gross her out. Then, to her own surprise, she heard a voice echo, travelling into the room.
“Fine.”
Enid didn’t try to contain the squeal of excitement she immediately felt well up as she heard Wednesday give in to her ultimate scheme.
This was going to be perfect.
“Game on!!”
ii.
It started only an hour later.
They were both sitting at a table in the Link, having Wednesday around seemed to make the process of getting a table much easier with her intimidating glares and her alarming threats. Enid was blissfully unaware of the things Wednesday referenced and chose to believe that was for the better.
She watched the psychic as she intensely stared down at her plantology notes, pen deathgripped in her hand as her knuckles went white from focus. She always liked watching Wednesday work, there was something about the way her eyebrows always furrowed and the way she’d stare at her notes like they had personally offended her that always managed to make her smile just a little bit, even if she had no idea why.
“Wends, you’re doing the thing again.” She breathed out with a smile.
Wednesday looked up from her notebook instantly, looking at Enid instead with an inquisitive expression on her face.
“What thing?” She asked.
“The death grip.” Enid replied like that explained everything.
Wednesday paused for a moment, then finally set down her pen and flexed out her fingers when she understood what the wolf had meant. Enid knew she’d never admit it, but she knew Wednesday was thankful for her reminders.
“Your quad is gonna go cold.” Enid laughed, eyeing the coffee cup Wednesday hadn’t touched for at least ten minutes now.
“No rest for the wicked.” Wednesday replied with the signature eyebrow raise Enid always noticed. “Besides, I prefer to savor my drinks unlike you.” She added as her eyes trailed over to Enid’s rainbow furracino with a barely disguised scowl.
“It’s not my fault my drinks actually taste good!” Enid defended with mock offense in her voice.
And then the idea hit her.
Enid grabbed the furracino sitting on the table beside her, taking the red and white swirled straw into her mouth, staring directly into Wednesday’s eyes with a barely contained smile as she sucked out the flavorful drink from its cup.
Wednesday went back to her notes, assuming Enid simply had no rebuttal left. She definitely didn’t expect what happened next.
In her peripheral vision, she caught sight of something red and white being held out to her. Her head stayed low, but her eyes drifted up to make sense of the object and she immediately wished she hadn’t. Enid, with a blissfully ignorant smile on her face, was holding out her drink to Wednesday, inviting her to drink out of the very same straw the blonde had just sipped from mere moments ago.
Wednesday’s head followed her eyes as it too trailed up after a moment, and she loathed to admit she was tempted.
“C’mon, don’t hate it ‘till you try it~” Enid sang as she shook the cup in her hand a little.
Wednesday stared at the rainbow abomination before her, eyeing the concoction of color as if it could take the form of a weapon and swiftly end her suffering.
“...I know what you’re doing.” Wednesday interrogated as she picked up her black pen once again and pointed it directly at Enid.
“And what exactly is it that I’m doing?” Enid smiled, feigning innocence.
Enid happily watched the cogs in Wednesday’s brain twist and turn, she looked as helpless as a fish trapped in a tsunami while she tried to utter out the words Wednesday Addams would never dare say or be embarrassed by.
Enid never thought such a joy existed in this world until now.
“You’re trying…” Wednesday gritted out, gripping the pen tighter.
“Mhm? Trying to what?” Enid cut in, resting her chin on her palm and batting her eyelashes.
“To initiate…”
“You can do this, Wednesday.” Enid giggled.
Wednesday returned her teasing with a death glare threatening enough to turn someone to stone. If she was a gorgon, Enid would have already turned into a decorative statue in the Addams mansion by now.
“...An indirect kiss.” She finally spat out. If Enid dared laugh, she knew the raven would be reaching for the knife she always kept hidden in her boot.
“Congratulations, I’m so proud of you.” Enid teased, her smile turning downward with how hard she was trying to contain it.
Wednesday rolled her eyes in place of a response, writing one last thing down in her notebook before almost slamming it shut. The chances of the raven getting any semblance of work done while enduring Enid’s antics were now next to zero.
“C’mon, try it!” Enid beckoned, disturbing Wednesday’s train of… messy thoughts.
“I refuse to fall victim to a trick in your game.” Wednesday protested. “And I’d prefer if I didn’t break out into hives over something as trivial as an indirect kiss.”
Enid grimaced, her smile turning sour as she imagined the horrors of a Wednesday with scratched red skin and itchy bumps of anger, her own time spent in the brunette’s body enough of a warning to make sure that never happened again, whether she was in said body or not.
Then she remembered.
“Well lucky for you…” The wolf gasped. She set the rainbow concoction down for a moment, (closer to Wednesday just to see if she’d jump away from it like a cat seeing a cucumber) and zipped open the purple bag sitting pressed against her thigh, the same one with the yellow and red flower on it that she always kept by her side and pulled out her secret weapon.
“I have these!” Enid cheered, placing down a tiny glass jar containing Wednesday’s umbra-mushroom pills in front of her.
She watched as Wednesday eyed the tiny jar in front of her, seemingly staring into the black, rock-like pills as if she could ask them themselves how they had gotten there to begin with. Then, to the blonde’s own surprise— something in those black eyes softened, similar to the way she’d see Wednesday’s shoulders loosen when she’d play haunting cello music from her vinyl player and immerse herself with the world of her novel with each tick from her typewriter.
“You keep these on you.” Wednesday stated, her voice dropping an octave lower, almost blending in with the sounds of the students mingling around them living their own day-to-day lives.
“Um- Yeah?” Enid breathed in reply, unknowingly feeling a heat creep up her neck at the sound of Wednesday’s voice.
“Why?” The psychic coaxed.
Normally, Enid noticed that whenever Wednesday had to ask somebody why they had done something, it typically implied the goth was appalled at whatever act you had committed. Whether it was something as simple as when Agnes would prepare her morning coffee or that time last semester when Xavier had sketched an entire portrait of her and Enid had cowered in fear listening to her now girlfriend plot out how she would burn down the entire art shed and get away with it.
But now, this ‘why’ was coated with something… softer. Something that made Enid question if Wednesday was somehow reevaluating her self worth in this very moment and accepting that she might actually like when Enid did these things for her.
“Well, y’know…” She started, forming her words so she didn’t turn into a rambling mess like normal. “You’re kind of dating the most colorful girl in the world, I just wanna make sure you don’t have like- an allergic reaction when you hold my hand… or whatever…” She scratched the back of her neck, hoping her ‘or whatever’ would pass as nonchalance to the girl currently eyeing her down.
Wednesday looked at the small collection of pills one more time. Then the rainbow drink that contrasted the prior pills’ color. Then Enid, who was at least two shades redder for some reason unbeknownst to her. (Although Enid was already so naturally pale, maybe she was just finally getting a tan.)
“Thank you, Enid.” At Wednesday’s words, Enid’s eyes shifted up from her rainbow painted nails and back to the girl across from her who looked at her like a quote worth memorising.
“You really mean it?” Enid smiled shyly.
But Wednesday didn’t say anything back.
She just took the red and white straw in her hands.
iii.
One whole day later, Enid was still thinking about it.
Turns out; Wednesday’s umbra-mushroom pills work a charm, and in two ways. Not only had it worked as a way to tip the scales, allowing Enid to get the indirect kiss she was gunning for. It also worked scarily well to avert any deathly allergic reactions Wednesday might’ve had to the ghastly culmination of eye searing rainbow Enid called a refreshment. (Wednesday’s words, not hers.)
And now, she couldn’t focus.
The wolf dawned her comfiest My Melody pajamas, her cat-eared headphones sat perfectly on her head playing her favorite Le Sserafim songs and for once she was freed from her own annoying habit of bouncing her leg under her desk, the soothing feeling of her brain not being rattled was similar to lying on the top of the ocean and letting the waves sing you its praises.
And still, she couldn’t focus.
Sure, Enid never really liked science to begin with. She didn’t mind when classes focused on the cuter things like the solar system, each pretty universe depicted in the images reminded her of the glow in the dark stars that stuck to her roof back at home and she found an odd comfort in such a thing.
But human anatomy? Big nope. Super gross.
Yet even then, she could still manage to get her homework done without too much fuss. But her silly bimbo brain decided that the more important thing to focus on was the dark red lipstick stain a certain pig-tailed goth girl had left on her straw after uttering the softest ‘thank you’ ever conceivable for someone who watched true crime documentaries for comfort and relaxation.
Goddamn-
“Wednesday!” Enid blurted, jumping in her seat as she realised the mentioned pig-tailed goth girl was now standing right beside her suddenly.
Speak of the devil, and she shall appear.
“You were grinding your teeth.” Wednesday said matter-of-factly, as if that somehow explained how she literally teleported to the blonde’s side.
“Oh.” Was Enid’s pathetic attempt at a reply. “Wait- When did you get here?-”
“I’m always here at this time.” Wednesday stated in reply with a slight furrow of her eyebrows.
Enid, confused as ever, took her eyes off Wednesday and moved them down to the small cloud shaped alarm clock she kept on her desk. Sure enough, it was 8:32PM, two minutes after Wednesday’s usual return time from whatever adventures she indulged in after classes. God, she had been zoned out for two whole hours.
Turning her eyes back to the Wednesday shaped object in her peripheral vision, she gave the brunette a once over. Wednesday was still dressed in her uniform, yet her bangs, normally perfect, were the slightest bit messy and her braids a considerable amount looser than they normally were.
“Where have you been?” Enid questioned with a slight hint of concern riddled in her voice, a small finger gesturing to Wednesday’s messy hair.
“The Nevermore graveyard.” The goth answered with a clear voice and small lift of her head. “I have not gone gravedigging in sometime, I decided it was best I partake in the hobby to clear my mind.”
“Gross.” Enid cringed.
“I’m sure it will grow on you the way a rose grows thorns. Your claws would be exceptionally helpful.” Wednesday spoke with… was that a hint of admiration?
Enid couldn’t help the little smile that grew on her face, even if Wednesday talked about things that absolutely creeped her out, she couldn’t help but feel giddy whenever she’d receive a compliment from her. Now that her focus was entirely broken, she pushed herself out of her pink chair and moved over to sit on the edge of her bed with a different goal in mind.
“C’mere, dummy.” She smiled, patting the spot on the pink and orange sheets next to her.
“Refer to me as ‘dummy’ one more time and I assure you that your death will be painful.” Wednesday returned bluntly, yet she was already making her way to sit by Enid’s side.
“You're too nice to me.” Enid teased, rolling her eyes as Wednesday sat beside her.
The two locked eyes for a moment, soft oranges and yellows painted Wednesday’s face from the fairy lights sprawled across Enid’s side of the dorm. Though her heart was cold, her love was the warmest thing Enid had ever felt, and her face was as beautiful as the very night sky she blended into.
She inched a little closer, then she was taking Wednesday’s right braid through her hands and running a finger up and down the silky black feel of the goth’s hair. If she had reacted, Enid was too distracted to notice.
“Can I?” She pleaded after a moment, eyes interlocking with Wednesday’s as she awaited permission, like a well conditioned puppy waiting for a treat.
“Mhm.” Wednesday had wordlessly replied, a soft nod the only indication of life as her eyes stayed still while they stared into Enid’s.
Enid smiled at her approval, more of a courtesy than a genuine reaction, but the warmth she felt in her heart spoke all the words she couldn’t. Rainbow nails ran through black hair, carefully tracing each line of the loose braid like a sensation memorised in brail. Then Enid started to slowly undo the first braid, taking her time to not let her fingers catch on any knot that might hide in the sea of black.
And because it felt right in the moment, Enid started humming. Not to the world, maybe not even to Wednesday. Just to herself, a small ripple of noise in the sea of silence trying to say— Just because you can; ‘I am still here.’
She focused her eyes on the intricacies of the raven’s braids, but Enid noticed the way her eyebrows relaxed and her eyes softened in the corner of her vision. She couldn’t help but think back to the first time they had done this very same routine, the way nothing special or deadly had even happened to the two of them for once, but Wednesday had walked over to colorful side of the room and said; “I’d like you to undo my braids for me’ like a promise that she’d stay forever.
“What are you humming?” The goth asked after an extended silence, snapping Enid out of her train of thought.
“Oh, it’s just from this musical I like.” Enid smiled, her voice no louder than the cicadas outside.
She reached over to her desk and grabbed the light blue hairbrush resting on the very edge, pulling out the loose strands of blonde and pink hair from the bristles and guiding them down to the small trash can on the floor.
“You should sing it for me.” Wednesday breathed softly.
Enid didn’t freeze, she just— paused. The same way a video buffers under bad Wi-Fi; temporary, but long enough to immortalise in the moment.
Then, she breathed. And…
“Okay.” Was all she said.
The bristles of the brush carefully combed through Wednesday’s hair, the silky smooth nature of it hardly allowing the obscene idea of a single knot sneaking through. Enid kept her voice soft, the breathiness of her tone made her falsetto into a lullaby as she sang.
“Like a comet pulled from orbit, as it passes a sun…”
A few more strokes from the brush, and she gently let the brunette hair fall onto the back and away from the shoulder of its beautiful owner.
“Like a stream that meets a boulder…”
Pausing for a small breath, Enid began to unbraid the other half of Wednesday’s hair. Careful fingers danced through the hair she adored with her voice as the melody.
“Halfway through the wood…”
Enid could see the way Wednesday’s eyes avoided her own, as if she too understood that this moment could mean something. Her eyes drifted, as if a simple leaf in the wind. They carefully moved from the silky hair in her hands to the freckles that decorated Wednesday’s face like a thousand beautiful constellations.
“Who can say if I’ve been changed for the better?”
The second braid came undone much easier, Enid ran her fingers through the now loose hair as if tempting it to stare back with her own reflection. She brushed it out gently, watching as it lifted slightly with each pass of the bristles then fell back down like a rushing waterfall.
“But, because I knew you…”
She placed the light blue brush beside her on the bed, giving Wednesday’s hair one last brush through with her fingers as she basked in the small exhale the raven made in response.
“I have been changed for good.”
Enid finished her song with a small smile, just a brief flicker of how the girl in front of her made her feel on the inside. And her eyes… they lingered on Wednesday’s lips like the answer to a question she didn’t know she had been searching for all this time.
“That was beautiful, Enid.” Wednesday professed, her eyes finally landing on Enid’s.
Enid’s reply didn’t come, she felt too warm, too loved as she lost herself in the sight of Wednesday’s lips. The rest of the song's lyrics echoed through her mind, as if they beckoned her to bridge the gap between her and her moon.
“You’re staring.” The goth followed up, amused but still soft.
“Sorry-” Enid laughed, her eyes meeting Wednesday’s this time. “I can just… finally focus on something.” She added, head tilting in gesture to the notebook still open on her desk.
“Have you not taken your stimulants?” Wednesday replied, understanding what her wolf was referring to.
“Nope, I ran out…” Enid groaned as she placed the hand resting on Wednesday’s shoulder back into her lap. “Now I’m just one giant ADHD mess.” She giggled.
A beat of silence passed, and Enid just ever so quietly added; “And maybe a little distracted…” And her eyes fell back to Wednesday’s lips.
For once, Wednesday wasn’t thrown off by one of Enid’s flirty innuendos. Instead, she just said;
“You can kiss me.” It was both an observation and permission.
“Not until you kiss me, dummy.” Enid teased as her smile grew wider, trying not to bounce where she sat.
Normally Wednesday might’ve just rolled her eyes and made some snarky remark about how this silly game is a ridiculous and effortless ploy to manipulate her. Though, instead of any such remarks, the only thing Enid found was a cold hand on her own,
“Soon, Enid.” The raven promised, her eyes so beautifully determined.
They slept in the same bed that night.
—
The next morning, Wednesday had already left the bed.
But when Enid opened her eyes, she saw something on her desk.
Her stimulants, and a note from Wednesday.
No good deed goes unpunished.
Hopefully you finish your homework now.
- W.A
—
IV.
Maybe it was instinct, or maybe it was just want.
Enid didn’t know why she was here, the cold breezed through her skin as goosebumps took form of her desire, coating her entire body as human nature begged for the warmth that sat on the other side of the room. Even the red hoodie and fluffy black pajama pants she wore couldn’t shield her from the chilling solitude of the dark hallway.
Her head fell onto the large wooden door that separated her from her needs, stray pink hair fell in front of her face and coated her peripheral vision, Enid supposed it was enjoying its freedom now that it wasn’t pinned down into some pretty hairstyle she had seen on Pinterest.
She closed her eyes. Breathed in. The muffled sound of deep, melancholic notes rang out from the cello playing on the other side of the door, Wednesday, undeniably Wednesday. She breathed out, opening her eyes as she expected to see her breath take form in the chilly air. It didn’t, to her own surprise. Maybe tomorrow night.
The cold metal of the door handle burned her skin even as the fraying ends of her hoodie covered her palm. Werewolf strength assisted Enid in times like these, the tall door opened with a small buckle and a tiny creek, the dark music room greeting her as the moon poured through its luxurious windows.
The cello, no longer muffled, reverberated throughout the long walls and high ceilings as the music reached its ending crescendo. And there was Wednesday, sitting on a small stool with the instrument of beauty in one hand and the bow that directed the sound in the other.
Enid always thought she looked beautiful when she played.
She let the music lure her forward, each quiet step she took towards Wednesday synced to the beat of the rhythm like a dance she was learning the steps to. The goth kept playing, most likely not even having noticed the wolf in the room with her. She always seemed to get immersed into a world she painted with each chord she played. Enid loved that about her.
Strings reached their final strain, and the song concluded with a resolute ending. Enid watched on in awe as Wednesday sighed out her efforts, she flexed out her fingers and adjusted the grip on her bow. The intense expression on her face mellowed out as her eyes gently fluttered open.
Only then did she finally notice Enid.
“Hi.” The wolf giggled, she was caught off guard by the sound of her voice reverberating throughout the walls, watching as Wednesday’s eyes widened just a tick at her sudden appearance.
“I didn’t realise you’d appeared.” Wednesday returned in lieu of a greeting. The psychic lowered her cello down into its case and stood, her steps silent as she approached the girl watching her.
“You’re not the only one who can magically appear as they please.” Enid teased.
And then, any more words she might have had boiling up in her throat evaporated as she felt cold arms wrap around her waist and a head fall onto her shoulder. Wednesday’s hugs meant more than any form of affection to Enid, because it wasn’t just a hug, she could get a hug from anyone. It was special because with Wednesday; it signified trust and vulnerability. It meant you had earned it.
“Rough night?” Enid whispered into Wednesday’s hair, now connecting the dots as to why she had escaped their dorm to play cello to begin with.
The brunette only replied with a muffled ‘mhm’ into Enid’s shoulder. Her grip tightened the tiniest bit when Enid wrapped her own arms around Wednesday’s shoulders, encompassing her in the warmth she lacked with her unnaturally cold body temperature. She wouldn’t ask what was wrong yet, Wednesday would speak when she wanted to and Enid had learned that in their time as partners. Don’t push, just be there.
A moment of silence washed by, time itself faded away in each other’s arms and only clicked back when Enid felt the head on her shoulder slowly lift up.
“How’d you find me?” Wednesday asked, her eyes meeting Enid’s blue ones as they glistened under the moonlight that seeped into the room.
Enid’s face immediately went red, her eyes moving to study the checkered pattern of Wednesday’s vest. “I… uh… kind of followed your scent…? Y’know, werewolf things…” She stuttered out, voice an octave higher than it should’ve been.
A shiver went up her spine as she felt Wednesday’s eyes study her face, starting to slightly fidget with the hood of Wednesday's jacket as if the cotton could suppress the word vomit she was trying to keep in.
“Your lupin abilities never cease to amaze me, Enid.” Wednesday’s praise came soft, taking a hand from the wolf’s waist to run cool fingers through the colorful, messy hair.
Enid was trying not to explode.
She’d noticed and very openly accepted Wednesday opening the door to physical touch over time, they had moved at Wednesday’s pace with the whole concept to accommodate for her comfort considering Enid was a machine that dived head first into any form of touch. Yet even now, she couldn’t help but feel loved under Wednesday’s touch. She found it funny how it was such a simple thing to her, but with Wednesday it felt like the very world itself.
“God, I wish I could kiss you.” Enid blurted out under her breath when she felt nails gently scratch against her scalp. If not for the sensation of it, she’d be pouting and stomping her foot in a playful tantrum.
“Wishing only wounds the heart, Enid.” Wednesday replied softly as her fingers reached the bottom of the blonde hair, instead finding home at the base of her neck.
Enid couldn’t contain the smile that bloomed on her face when she heard those words. Lyrics of a song from the very same musical that she had sung to Wednesday last night while unbraiding her hair. She had cared enough to listen to the entire musical just for her. Romantic, she thought to herself.
“But why can’t you?” The psychic added.
“Because then I lose the game, dummy.” Enid answered with a smile as she poked Wednesday in the stomach.
The goth rolled her eyes and unwrapped herself from Enid’s body, earning a small giggle from the wolf as she turned around to collect the cello resting in its case still stagnant on the small stage floor. She began to zip the case closed as she poised her other hand to lift when she was done, but found herself abruptly pausing when Enid spoke next.
“You’re done playing for the night?” She asked, and though Wednesday was uncaring for emotions she noticed the hint of sadness in Enid’s voice.
“...I suppose I can play one more song.” Wednesday replied matter-of-factly.
She reversed the progress she had made on the cello’s zipper, pulling it out and setting it between her thighs as she reclaimed the seat she had been performing on just moments earlier. The bow found its way into her hand and a test strum of the strings echoed throughout the music room, making its presence known.
Enid watched in awe as Wednesday began to play. The melody was slow, like a methodically planned out piece that tugged at your heartstrings while the notes vibrated in your chest. She watched Wednesday’s hands move from one chord to another, admiring the faint veins that emerged with the force of her press.
Then something hit her, like a small spark of inspiration. Because she knew this song. She loved this song.
She pushed herself off the desk she had ended up leaning on, finding her footing in the open space just in front of the small stage Wednesday was playing on. Enid closed her eyes, took in a deep breath and relaxed her shoulders as the sound of her breathing out vanished into the cacophony of deep cello strings. She absorbed the melody, found its rhythm and studied its patterns. Then slowly she found herself becoming one with Wednesday’s song as she began to dance to the instrument she’d learned to adore.
It started easy. An outstretched arm that curved as the other rose to meet it, together they fell and palms met her stomach. Her left foot stepped out, her right following in pace with the song as she slowly let her arms spread out in the motion of wings, mimicking the beautiful swans she’d see at the park back home. She’d never been the best at improvisational dancing, but something about Wednesday and the way she played made it feel so much easier, like her spirit had become as light as a feather and guided her through the steps.
The lyrics she had spent her childhood memorising inspired her movement, she sang them to herself in her head and let them forge the way she moved. She spun like a dove into a beautiful pirouette, almost stumbling on her feet when she remembered the way her mother would sing these lyrics to her most nights before bed. Back when she was just a little kid who dreamed of flying with the stars shining in the night sky.
At the thought of the memory, she had to swallow back tears. She wasn’t going to cry over silly memories tonight, because this moment was for her and Wednesday and only them. It’s like she had fallen into a trance, her steps starting to feel like second nature as if she was in tune with the very strings she danced to. As if every night of listening to Wednesday play from the balcony of their dorm room had finally come to fruition in this singular moment together.
Before she knew it, Wednesday’s playing came to an end and she had found an ending to her choreography. Enid’s eyes slowly opened once more, adjusting to the darkness of the moonlit room again. Then like instinct they found Wednesday, she stared back at the raven as the raven stared at her, as if she had been studying Enid this entire time without her even noticing, repeating the way the blonde had snuck up on her while she was playing alone before.
“...Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Enid uttered as she caught her breath, shivering at the way her breathing reverberated throughout the music room.
“I assumed you would know it.” Wednesday stated in reply. She quickly stood and started to precisely tuck her cello into its case for real this time, feeling Enid step closer as the wolf mindlessly fidgeted with the fraying edges of her hoodie sleeve.
“Thank you. I love that song.” Enid smiled shyly as she pulled out the loose red thread of her sleeve and let it fall to the floor.
“And thank you, Enid. I feel much better now.” The psychic lifted her cello case into her hands as she spoke, her grip on the case handle tight enough to choke.
Enid felt a wave of warmth wash over her at Wednesday’s words. Knowing someone as messy as her could bring comfort to the perfectly controlled Wednesday Addams somehow made everything feel like it made sense.
She stepped closer, only a foot away from the raven in front of her with those beautiful black eyes and perfectly arranged freckles. Their eyes locked once again, stares lingered into the wonderful galaxies hiding inside each other’s eyes as if they could savor each singular second of this moment and ingrain it into their minds forever.
And Enid swore, with every little piece of her bright and colorful soul that Wednesday would break and just lean in, cutting the distance between them to mere atoms as their bodies pressed flush against each other and their lips finally collided after all this time. She was getting desperate for her lips to meet Wednesday’s, she craved the taste of peppermint and dark lipstick so bad it started to drive her crazy.
But nothing happened. The only thing she felt was the wind blowing through the large windows. The only touch was the fabric of her clothes trying to warm her chilled skin. Though she was cold, Wednesday’s stare always made Enid feel warm. Maybe it was just a blush, or maybe it was something deep inside her begging her to give in to her cravings.
“Shall we head back?” Wednesday’s voice permeated the silent air, the calm tone of her voice still powerful as it echoed off the walls.
Enid swallowed down her urges. Even if this was just some silly game she wasn’t going to lose just because she couldn’t control herself.
“Yeah. Let’s go.” Enid hummed.
Like clockwork, Wednesday immediately started walking towards the large doors that began the path back to their dorm. Enid followed behind with a small skip in her step, her eyes tracing down to the back of the raven’s exposed neck before properly meeting and walking by her side.
“Hey, Wednesday?” Enid spoke, her pinky finger stretching out in hopes Wednesday would entwine it with her own.
Wednesday looked over, her eyes looking down at Enid's pinky before returning to her blue eyes.
“I love you,” Enid sighed.
Wednesday paused, looking deeper into the blue eyes she adored. Then;
“I love you too, Enid.”
And their hands found each other in the dark for the rest of the night.
V.
Some things don’t really go missing, they just find a home in the places you never looked.
Enid wasn’t missing, she was just… someplace else.
That’s what Wednesday first thought when she opened the door to their dorm room and noticed a lack of blonde hair and uncomfortably loud K-Pop music. Enid’s fairy lights were still on, painting her side of the room in warm pinks and yellows, imitating the sunset that had passed hours ago.
Wednesday walked over to Enid’s desk like normal as if she was still sitting there. But instead of the wolf, all she found was loose signs of life like the person who normally sat here was now only a faint trace of a memory. A light blue hairbrush sat at the edge of the desk, a flick away from falling over as if its placement had been rushed and not very thought out. A plush pink notebook found home in the center, slightly tilted like a habit more than an accident.
A tan finger glazed over the notebook, daring to press down and touch the soft pink texture and see what might be lying inside. Wednesday was always a curious person at heart, but even she knew snooping through Enid’s diary was an invasive move. Enid would expect better from her girlfriend, the raven was sure.
Her eyes skimmed over the rest of the items, observing the mascara and blush that hadn’t been put away like Enid’s other makeup products. She stared at herself in the vanity mirror for a moment, eyes wandering over the black and gray stripes of her uniform blazer like a language she can learn for the answer to her wolf's whereabouts.
Then she heard it.
A sniffle, and the tiniest sob from the balcony outside.
Wednesday only realised then that the window pane in the middle of their room was slightly ajar, tilted open just enough to let someone through. For a detective, she should’ve picked up clues like this easier.
Her body moved before she even registered what was going on, taking off towards the giant window and stepping through the open pane out to the balcony. Her ears perked up when another sob spat out, closer now and to her left. The psychic turned her head, stepping towards the blindspot on her left, the place where the stone balcony crept inwards to accommodate for the dorm rooms layout.
And there she was. Curled up with her knees drawn to her chest, dressed in Wednesday’s clothes, claws outstretched; Enid was crying her little pink heart out.
It might’ve only taken a fraction of a second for Wednesday to get down on her knees, she pulled her blazer sleeve over her hand and wiped the tears away from Enid’s red eyes. The wolf didn’t say anything, but her sobs turned into weeping when she felt Wednesday’s touch.
“Enid-” Wednesday breathed, voice struck with confusion and concern.
She was cut off when Enid tackled her into a hug, landing on her backside as the blonde cried into her shoulder. Wednesday looked up, staring into the vast array of stars in the sky. How terribly beautiful for such a miserable moment, she thought. Her eyes fell back down to the girl currently hugging her like she was somehow salvation, and she didn’t know why but her own arms wrapped around Enid’s waist like they had belonged there this whole time.
“Talk to me, Enid.” She whispered, voice soft but firm and already preparing to not take ‘I’m fine’ for an answer.
Enid choked out another painful sob, she tried to speak but the words withered in her throat. She held Wednesday tighter, her mind fuzzied but still trying to keep her claws away from the raven’s back. She felt like gravel, helpless beneath a tire’s pressure as she broke into a thousand little pieces of herself.
“My-” Enid wept, but her next words were a sob instead of anything tangible.
She felt Wednesday’s hand begin a slow pattern against her back, a gentle rhythm of up and down. Up and down, up and down. A pattern, a routine. Like the routines she found comfort in each morning that she’d created to feel organised. And part of that routine, that comfort; was Wednesday. Wednesday, who was in front of her right now. Wednesday, who was holding her right now. Wednesday, who was hugging her right now.
Enid’s breathing became less erratic, a pattern forming in the frantic breathing. She felt a chill when Wednesday’s cold hand met her face, wiping away more tears that fell from her eyes. It was cold but… grounding, like something real amidst blurry eyes and a fuzzy mind.
“My… My Mom…” She choked out, voice hollow and shattered.
She immediately felt Wednesday’s grip around her tighten, the brunette always got defensive or possessive when Enid talked about her family and whatever they had put her through each time her mother called. Tonight was no different.
Enid sniffled away the next round of tears, trying to control herself so she could speak. She pushed herself up a little to try and reach Wednesday’s eye level and find the usual comfort she did in the soulless black eyes, but her vision was still blurry from her tears, and she could only make out the rough shape of Wednesday’s figure as she spoke.
“S-She called again.” Enid cried, swallowing a painful sob to hold back another wave of tears.
“Give me the word and I will make her death slow and painful.” Wednesday growled through her teeth, resisting the urge to grab the switchblade tucked into her shoe.
“No…” Enid softly laughed, voice still wrung out from her tears.
Her claws finally retracted, and the tips of her fingers pressed against Wednesday’s back without fear of slicing it open this time. She pulled the psychic up and properly shifted herself into a real sitting position instead of just laying on Wednesday like she had been. She didn’t feel better, but she felt lighter.
“She’s just… never satisfied.” Enid sighed, wiping away the final tear from her eye with the sleeve of Wednesday’s black shirt. “I wolfed out, like she asked. Joined a pack, like she asked. And even now…” She paused. Looking down at the grey stone floor beneath them and finding the courage to speak. “...She wants me to find a mate.”
Wednesday… paused. Words left her at Enid’s confession because she felt… lost. What did this mean for them? Then, Wednesday… sighed, that was something she never did. And suddenly her own eyes fell to the stone floor beneath them, tracing the patterns indented from cement and feeling the rough texture with her eyes alone because they suddenly felt dry.
“I see.” She mumbled, her eyebrows furrowing as she searched for words. Then; “I understand.”
Enid’s head jolted up, confused at Wednesday’s simple, lack of words. Suddenly the wrong picture was being painted in her head and she felt her stomach sink.
“No, no Wednesday, I’m not-” Enid’s hand found Wednesday’s thigh underneath the darkness of the night sky purely by instinct, she observed the psychic’s disconnected face that was lit by the soft lights emerging from their dorm. “I’m not leaving you, I don’t give a fuck what she says.”
“Oh,” was the only thing that left Wednesday’s mouth, and Enid swore she noticed relief in her stoic face.
Silence washed over them in that moment, Enid’s ears adjusted to the quiet sound of cicadas buzzing in the background of the night in response to the lack of voices. She could smell the lingering scent of rain that had long passed a few hours ago, mixed in with the smell of ink that was distinctly Wednesday. She took a deep breath, then started to speak again.
“I…” She paused, closed her eyes tight so she could hold back the tears that dared to spill out again. “I told her about us. I told her that I didn’t need a mate because I had you.” It came out as a murmur, her voice quivering the slightest bit as she spoke.
Wednesday’s eyes found her blue ones once again, not blurry this time but threatening to be. Her body dared her to keep speaking and tempted her with the reward of a tight throat and tears again.
“What happened?” Wednesday asked, voice no louder than a whisper.
Enid froze — maybe even flinched into stillness. Something in her ears screamed ‘don’t make me say this’, or even ‘don’t let this be real’. But she took a deep breath, and she said it.
“...She told me to find somewhere else to stay for winter break.”
And there was that damn silence again. It was stagnant, humid, tense in all the ways that told you wrong. Enid felt her eyes swell up with tears again, and she tried so hard to blink them away. Her stomach sunk, because now it was real. Because now, even if she hated it, there was no home in San Francisco to come back to next month.
“Then stay with me.” Wednesday suddenly declared, her words snapping Enid out of her spiral.
“Huh?” Enid blurted, surprised at Wednesday’s completely serious face.
“Come back to the mansion. Stay for as long as you like. I’m sure the family will be enthused to properly meet you.” The raven elaborated, her voice soft but serious as she spoke. She lifted a hand from where it still rested against Enid’s back, and her fingers found the blonde hair as she gently began to scratch Enid’s scalp in comfort.
Enid sighed into it, the world finally beginning to slow down in her fast, overworking mind. She was still uneasy, only a mere tick away from breaking down into tears, but she felt a little lighter, she felt safe knowing now that there was somewhere to go.
“God, you’re insane,” She laughed.
“I am.” Wednesday replied with the signature lift of her eyebrow. “And I’m serious.” She added, quieter.
Enid smiled. The real smile where her mouth turned down because she was trying too hard to contain it and failing miserably. Her eyes were still red, her mind still a little fuzzy, but she had never felt better knowing that Wednesday had openly invited her to spend however long she wanted inside her own home.
“I love you.” She breathed out, finding solace in the way Wednesday’s eyes would always soften when she said it.
“You’re not entirely horrible yourself,” Wednesday deadpanned.
Enid just laughed, soft and real. She pushed herself up off the cold stone floor and reached her hand out for Wednesday to grab and do the same. The raven nodded and took the offered hand, lifting herself up and walking over to the balcony railing as Enid followed, mimicking the same positions they took the first night they met as the wolf leaned her arms on the railing and the raven stood beside her with crossed arms.
“Are you alright?” Wednesday asked, already knowing the answer.
“No. God, not at all.” Enid sighed as she admired the stars in the sky. “But I will be.”
Wednesday stared at the girl beside her, catching the stars that reflected in blue eyes and admiring the beautiful figure dressed in her clothes. If the stars were infinite, then Enid was forever.
“You’ll figure it out.” Wednesday nodded, her words holding a weight even she couldn’t comprehend.
Enid replied with a quiet ‘mhm’ and a small nod, trying to process something that felt like the entire universe into her small mind.
“I always expected it.” She began with a minor shrug. “It doesn’t hurt as much as it should, I guess. But I’ve spent enough time assuming she hates me, so I’m just… not as affected as I should be.” Enid pouted, her voice eerily calm for something so dark.
“You deserve better than that.” Wednesday stated with a firm voice.
“I know.” Enid returned as she looked into the psychic’s eyes. “But when you’ve been dealt a bad hand, you still have to play the cards, right? Even when you know you’re bound to lose.” She finished, her voice falling quieter at the end and tinged with melancholy.
Wednesday paused for a moment, finding her words in the creases of cement in the stone railing.
“As far as allegories go, that was quite good,” She monotoned.
“I learn from the best.” Enid smiled as she poked Wednesday's shoulder.
Something flickered on Wednesday’s face then. The tiniest, most brief flinch of her mouth that definitely qualified as a smile, but if Enid said anything she was most definitely going to find a knife at her throat.
“It’s weird though.” Enid puzzled. “Even after all this… I don’t feel like I hate her.”
Wednesday’s brows furrowed in confusion, she supposed that if it was her in that situation it would only take a sliver of hesitation before she was planning out a murder. For some reason, Enid admired that about her.
“Why not?” Wednesday asked as she stepped closer to the girl beside her.
“Well… she’s still my Mom.” Enid shrugged, the side of her mouth curving upward. “It’s hard to hate her when she’s raised me for the past seventeen years.” She said with indifference in her voice.
“Blood ties are not a reason to forgive someone for the things they’ve done to you.” The psychic declared with that recognisable confidence of someone who knew all the answers to life's questions.
“No, I know.” Enid said with a breath of a laugh and a hurt smile. “Maybe I just haven’t processed it yet.”
“Give it time.” Wednesday replied. Time heals all wounds she guessed.
Their eyes locked onto each other then, black met blue underneath the dark sky illuminated by tiny stars that hung from the universe’s ceiling. Enid thought that if life could have a soundtrack, right now Lovesick by Laufey would play and they would fall into a soft slow dance beneath the stars. But, no, the only sounds were the cicadas still buzzing mixed in with the idle ambience of the school beneath them slowly dying down into a low hum.
Enid let out a sigh, her body deflating a little with the sound. “There’s no place like home, I guess.” And somehow, it all made sense.
Wednesday didn’t take long to reply, it was like an author who already knew the next line to the poem before the pen could even meet the page.
“Sometimes, home is the place where you are never forgiven.”
And something about that just clicked, like the first strum of a guitar when it's finally tuned or the harmony of a piano chord when your fingers finally found the notes. It just worked, it just made sense.
Enid took a step closer to Wednesday, turning her body away from the balcony to face her goth girlfriend. Then Wednesday matched her, taking one step closer until their bodies were only mere inches away from each other.
“I think… home is where the heart is.” Enid whispered, her eyes tracing the line of the raven’s neck before meeting her eyes again.
Wednesday kept staring into Enid’s eyes as if she had been locked into a trance, her fingers sat perched on her forearm as she crossed her arms and Enid could see the way her black nails dug in a little too hard to not have a reason. And she hoped it was restraint, she so badly hoped Wednesday was trying to hold herself back from breaking the distance between them and leaning in for a kiss.
“Do indulge me, where is your heart anyways?” The psychic questioned, voice calm but the slightest quiver lied in between the beat of each word.
“Y’know…” Enid started, her voice low enough to fry at the edges. “With you, always.” Her hands went behind her back, holding her wrist tightly so she didn’t give into her urges and kiss Wednesday right then and there.
“You’re absurdly romantic.” Wednesday stated sounding completely unimpressed, (in a charming way, of course.)
“I’m adorable.” Enid added like a correction as she bounced on her tippy toes.
“Yes, you are…” Wednesday replied without a beat of silence, her voice as calm as someone asking about the weather or placing a coffee order yet still sending Enid’s entire heart into a complete gay frenzy.
If the heat on her face wasn’t enough of an indication of her blush, then the shaky breath she let out and the fidgeting of her fingers was practically screaming it for her. And uh oh, the word vomit was trying so hard to come out that nothing left her lips at all. Enid turned into a stuttering mess because of Wednesday-Fucking-Addams and that somehow wasn’t the craziest thing going on right now.
Because Wednesday, in all her chaotic stoicness— wrapped her arms around Enid’s neck and stepped the smallest inch closer. She could feel Wednesday’s heavy, cold breath on her lips, so tempting and so close to snapping the tension between them. She looked down at the raven, and her arms found her waist like instinct as she studied the countless freckles on Wednesday’s face, perfectly placed on her skin like an artist had meticulously decided where they belonged.
“You’re adorable.” Wednesday breathed, her voice no louder than a breath and her eyes falling almost closed like she was hiding from her own affection.
“And you’re… perfect.” Enid blurted out in sheer gay panic, her body getting full chills at her own breathy tone.
The world around them faded, Enid’s sensitive ears only focusing on Wednesday’s steady breathing, her nose only picking up Wednesday’s scent of ink and paper. Her eyes only focused on Wednesday’s dark lipstick that she definitely wished was on her own pale skin right now.
“So… are we gonna..?-” Enid rasped out, her mind fuzzy for a different reason now.
But she didn’t get to finish.
Because Wednesday was already kissing her.
Her lips were cold, soft and just… wonderful. The wolf practically melted into it, her entirely body loosening as she felt Wednesday’s lips dance on her own. The kiss was slow, their lips lingered on each others as they savored each taste before pulling away and leaning into the next. Enid might not be dead, but she was absolutely in heaven at this moment.
It might’ve only been a minute, maybe two. But it felt like hours, like the passage of time itself had been erased and let these two girls decide how long this had lasted.
Only the stars were their witness in this moment of vulnerability. Enid sighed into one kiss and Wednesday swallowed it with ease, their hands pulled each other closer until there were only mere atoms between them because they would never be separated again.
And Enid couldn’t help it, her smile turned into a laugh and in mere moments she erupted into an uncontained laughter of pure joy. She could feel Wednesday’s stern glare on her, she could feel the raven’s grip get tighter and she loved it.
“What’s so funny?” Wednesday asked, voice coated with annoyance because she wasn’t kissing the girl in front of her.
“Nothing, I’m just…” Enid snickered, her voice completely filled with amusement. “You just lost the game.” She smiled so hard it could almost permanently be etched into her skin.
Wednesday immediately rolled her eyes, and that just made Enid laugh harder. Her head fell onto the psychic’s shoulder and she adjusted her arms around her waist to hold Wednesday tighter.
“I love you, you’re my home Wednesday.” Enid beamed as she nuzzled her forehead into her girlfriend’s neck, sighing when her laughter faded out into an amused hum.
Wednesday, like usual, lifted her right hand from Enid’s back and moved it into the blonde hair as she began to brush through colorful strands. “I love you too, Enid. And you are more than my home, you are the color in my monochrome world.” She spoke softly, whispering the confession into Enid’s ear. “As much as I resent color, your rainbow personality is my comfort in this… uncomfortable world.”
“Thank you.” Enid murmured through a whisper, for once keeping her words simple instead of ranting out her feelings.
Silence befell them then, because no more words needed to be said. It was just two girls, the stars above them and the soft light that softly illuminated their faces through the half-black half-rainbow window. They held each other and that was all they needed, they had kissed each other because that was all they needed.
And Wednesday had kissed Enid first.
VI.
“You kissed me first!” Enid giggled all giddy and bouncing on her feet.
“Shut up before I do it again.”