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Chapter Text

Wednesday hated all things colorful and loud. From birth she had only tolerated black and its shades, occasionally throwing in something white for colorless contrast. The only other color she could stand was red, specifically the shade of crimson that was freshly spilt blood. She adored it almost as much as she loved black.

She found herself even more in love with the color as it soaked into pretty blonde hair and dripped down soft, rosy cheeks. Nothing warmed her cold, dead heart like someone she cared for wearing the blood of her enemies. And it appears Enid had wormed her way onto the list of the very few people Wednesday cared for.

After the initial shock from the fight had worn off, and Enid and Wednesday has returned to their dorm, the two went their separate ways to shower. Wednesday, as usual, took their attached bathroom as Enid made her way down the hall to the additional floor bathrooms. She felt bad for having made Enid go to the far showers, but she was still lightheaded from blood loss and wasn’t sure if she could have made it all the way there.

In the shower, she watched as pink tendrils slithered down her body and into the drain. When the water ran clear, she began scrubbing. It was methodical, making sure to scrub extra anywhere the Hyde had touched her. Her fingers came up to linger at her lips and she shuttered. Before coming to Nevermore, she very rarely had regrets. Since arriving, however, she seemed to be having quite a few.

It wasn’t till she was drying off did she realize she still had a gaping wound from the arrow in her shoulder. Luckily, only the head had gone in, leaving an inch and a half crater in her otherwise blank skin. She forgoed putting on her shirt, simply shrugging on a bralette and her pants before walking out of the bathroom to address her wounds. It wasn’t the first time she’d have to stitch herself up.

To her surprise, however, Enid had already returned. Wednesday had to say she was disappointed that all the blood had been washed away, but glad that her roommate looked to be in a much better condition. When she walked further into the room, Enid looked up, puffy eyes suggesting she had cried in the shower. She quickly wiped her eyes and stood when she saw Wednesday, rushing over.

“Wednesday, your shoulder. You need to go to the nurse, like right now.”

She almost wanted to laugh at the idea of not being capable of fixing her own wounds, but the sheer concern Enid displayed stopped her.

“I’ve stitched up many injuries far worse than this, I’ll be fine. It would be helpful if you could get my first aid kit from under my bed, though.”

As expected, the she-wolf instantly clamored toward the other side of the room, dropping to her knees to pull out the velvet medical bag hidden below. She quickly brought it over, ushering Wednesday to sit on her bed.

“At least let me stitch you up. You look exhausted and I have experience stitching my brothers up.”

Wednesday had never let another person stitch her up, but her exhaustion was starting to set in and her body could only handle so much. She gave a hesitant nod and Enid scrambled to begin.

She was shocked at the speed and delicacy Enid was displaying as she effortlessly threaded the curved suture needle and ran an alcohol wipe across her skin. When Wednesday flinched, an uncontrollable motion, Enid whispered a hurried apology before warning her that she was going to start. Used to this, Wednesday sat stock still, slumped slightly forward as Enid stitched away. Before realizing it, she had leaned further and further, until her forehead rested against Enid’s shoulder.

She made an aborted motion to sit up but Enid just shushed her and gently rubbed the back of her head to dissuade her from moving.

“Just relax, I’m almost done.”

And Enid hadn’t lied. Just minutes later Wednesday was sutured shut and had a bandage applied almost as good as her own handiwork. Still suffering from vertigo, Enid helped her lay down and pulled the sheets over her, even arranging her arms the way Wednesday liked them and whispered ‘goodnight’ before retreating back to her own side of the room. Wednesday didn’t have a chance to respond, or even think of a response, before her brain succumbed to the gentle embrace of sleep.

Chapter Text

A week has passed since that fateful night. When Wednesday had awoken, her guard was back up, and she found herself avoiding her roommate. Enid, for the most part, let Wednesday pull away. She knew it was no use to try and force the seer to open up when she wasn’t ready. Instead, Enid spent most of her free time in Yoko’s room while Wednesday stayed in their shared room.

The separation wasn’t like the last time Enid had essentially moved out. No, Enid wasn’t mad at her. She would send Wednesday little pitying smiles from across their classes and leave notes regarding her whereabouts in the unlikely case that Wednesday decided to join. She always knew it was Enid by the array of colorful ink and the heart dotting the “I” in her name. It was so unique to her that it made Wednesday’s chest tighten and her breath catch in her throat. She would deny it till her dying day, but every note found itself in a locked box in her desk, folded neatly to preserve them.

This went on for weeks. Occasionally, Enid would return long enough to catch Wednesday outside of class. On those days, they exchanged mumbled ‘hellos’ and quick waves. Every day that Enid was gone, Thing pleaded with Wednesday to “fix it” and make her return. Each time Wednesday brushed him off. She needed the separation to clear her head, and if she needed time to carefully rebuild her walls even stronger, that was for her to know.

Before either girl knew it, it was winter break. As Wednesday packed her meager belongings into her luggage, Enid slumped into the room. She dramatically draped herself on her bed with a heavy sign. Now, Wednesday wasn’t the best with social cues, but it was clear even to her that Enid required attention.

“What is wrong, Enid?” The bit back any unnecessary insults as she turned to Enid’s prone figure.

“My parents are making me come home for winter break. You know, they never wanted me to come home before I shifted. They were all too happy then to tell me it was too expensive to fly me back to San Francisco for two weeks before this. And now, I have to spend my break listening to speech after speech about how I need to start finding a ‘good werewolf boy’ to mate with and settle down. They never told my brother’s they had to start a family right out of high school. No, they get to go to college and get jobs out in the world. I hate it.”

Wednesday frankly did not know how to respond. A voice inside her head that sounded frighteningly like her mother urged her to comfort the blonde.

“ Would you like to be an orphan instead? I could make them disappear forever.”

Based on the horrified gasp that came from Enid, Wednesday assumed she had said the wrong thing. She thought she had simply been offering a reasonable solution to the she-wolf’s problem, but it was obviously not well received.

“You can’t kill my parents, Wednesday! I know they suck and keep pressuring me but they’re my parents.”

Wednesday could understand that. The constant pressure to live up to her parents’ expectations. Luckily for her, her parents’ had abandoned that ideal shortly after the fight with Crackstone. When they had hurriedly flew from Washington to check up on Wednesday and saw their daughter covered in bruises and cuts, a shiny new scar forming on her shoulder, they realized she was her own person. Destined to do things they never could have imagined. Wednesday did continue to fence, though. Only because she liked the challenge of fencing Bianca, not because she wanted to make her mother proud. Never.

“Well, I suppose if you think it would be beneficial, you may have my number. For emergencies only. Understood?”

Enid was squealing before Wednesday had even finished, rushing to pull her phone from her pocket, glitter phone case reflecting pink sparkles all over the room. She quickly set up a profile for Wednesday before handing her the device to put in the number under “Best Roomie <3” with a picture of Wednesday in her cat costume from the Poe Cup.

As Enid put the finishing touches on the contact, Wednesday’s own phone came alive with an irritating chatter assigned to her mother dearest. Given the delicacy of the crystal ball, the family had taken to using technology to communicate.

From: Mother
Darling, we have arrived at the gates to pick you up. Please hurry, we wouldn’t want to miss our flight.

“I have to leave now, Enid. Take care, and do not text me any nonsense. My number is for emergencies only and I will ignore anything else. Goodbye.”

As she finished her sentence, Enid lunged forward, tackling Wednesday in a hug. Her instincts told her to fight it, put distance between them. But a part of her silenced her thoughts and let her sag into the touch. Since their first hug, the roommates hadn’t so much as brushed hands. Wednesday had not realized how much she craved Enid’s gentle touch until she had it surrounding her. And when Enid let go and took a step back, part of Wednesday mourned the loss. Instead of commenting, she simply turned to collect her bags before walking out.

The car ride and subsequent plane ride were uneventful, despite a small ordeal with the TSA in which all of her weapons had been removed. Lucky for her, the metal detector hadn’t detected any of the stone blades that laid flush against her thighs under her skirt. Before she knew it, they were pulling up to her home. The sprawling mansion decked in all black was a comforting sight, and she was eager to return to her room to start her writing time. She had to move it multiple hours back due to the travel, and she only had so much time before supper would be served.
And just like that, the first week of break flew by. Her days were spent teaching Pugsley new methods of torture she had developed and assisting her mother in cultivating their wide array of poisonous plants within their green house. The only thing that bothered Wednesday was her lack of ideas during her writing time. She found it nearly impossible to focus. Something was missing from her space, and it was slowly driving her mad.

It was an ordinary night spent reading up on a few particularly intriguing cold cases when her phone chimed from its spot shut in her desk drawer. Despite her irritation at being interrupted, she was curious. Maybe it was Xavier. She had forgotten to warn him that anything other than an emergency was grounds for being blocked. Oh well, she could do it now. When she unlocked her phone, however, Enid’s contact popped up. Her pixelated face lit up the black background. Unlocking her phone, she began to read.

From: Enid Sinclair

Wednesday I need help
My parents are trying to send me to conversion camp
They won’t listen to me
Weres have died there
Please
IDK what to do
I’m sorry

To: Enid Sinclair

Lurch is on his way. Pack only the necessities and wait in your room. Lurch will knock on your window to alert you of his presence when he arrives. I’ll see you soon.

Lurch was promptly sent on his way before Wednesday even stopped to wonder if her parents would allow Enid to stay. She had never had to ask. She had never invited anyone into her home. The thought of her parents forcing Enid to go back made her feel sick, her stomach clenching painfully. She quickly descended from her room, rushing towards the living room. As she approached her parents, she felt a nervous flush cover her skin and her hands shook.

“Mother, Father. I have invited Enid to come spend the remainder of winter break with us. Will she be allowed to stay?” Her voice was uncharacteristically timid, which shocked her parents.

“Of course, my dear scorpion. Any friend of yours is welcome here. Right, Tish?” Her father said, checking with her mother. She simply nodded, brows furrowed in deep thought as she stared at her daughter.

“Very well. She shall be arriving in approximately six hours. I will go fetch some essentials before she arrives.”

As Wednesday walked off, she found herself lost. Never before had she felt the desire to save someone from harm. Typically, she was the one doing harm. And yet, the moment Enid was in danger she couldn’t help herself. She told herself it was a selfish desire. Who would be her loyal companion if Enid were to tragically perish at this ‘conversion’ camp? Of course. She didn’t care for Enid. She didn’t care for anyone. At least, that’s what she told her.

Chapter Text

From the moment Wednesday met Enid’s puffy eyes as she stepped out of the car and onto the Addams front lawn, she knew she was doomed. She took a hesitant step forward, slowly opening her arms in invitation. It took only a second before Enid was flying into her arms, fresh tears slipping down her cheeks and soaking the shoulder of Wednesday’s sweater. She gently wrapped her arms around Enid’s waist, pulling her just a little closer as Enid let out the most heart-wrenching sobs she had ever heard.

Typically, Wednesday adored the sounds of anguish. But with Enid, she wished to never hear those sounds again, and she would do everything in her power to prevent them.

She tried channeling her mother as she softly shushed Enid, lifting a hand to her hair to gently stroke her head in a hopefully comforting manner. Wednesday was not known for comfort, and it was a fairly odd sensation. Luckily, she was excellent at mimicking actions she had seen before. Every sappy rom-com Enid had forced her to watch and every time her mother held Pugsley as he cried when he was younger came flooding into her mind.

They stood like that until Enid’s sobs tapered off into sniffles. Wednesday was so relieved Enid had calmed down that she didn’t even mind that Enid wiped her snot on her shoulder. Pulling back, Wednesday realized she had shut her eyes while she held Enid. Apparently, they had lost track of time, considering snow had begun to fall on the pair.

Wednesday carefully interlocked their fingers before tugging Enid inside, finding that Lurch had already taken her things inside and up to Wednesday’s room. For someone who regularly rejected any form of physical contact, Wednesday just couldn’t get enough of the feeling of Enid’s warm skin against her own icy flesh. Any point of connection felt like an electrocution, arguably Wednesday’s favorite way to torture herself. Even better, she couldn’t ignore the slight upturn of Enid’s lips whenever they touched.

Inside, her mother and father were standing by the door. Enid jumped when she saw them, quickly dropping Wednesday’s hand in shock. The latter tried and failed to conceal her disappointment, instead focusing on this most likely grueling conversation about to occur.

“Hello, Enid dear. We are very happy to have you here. Wednesday has told us all about you.”

Wednesday was glad that her mother hadn’t mentioned that the majority of her comments in the beginning were negative and mostly involved different ways she imagined killing the blonde.
“Really? It’s so nice to actually meet you both. I apologize for intruding, I just had nowhere else to go and didn’t even think before texting Wednesday.”

It dawned on Wednesday in that exact moment that she had not told her family why Enid was coming to stay, only that she was. As expected, her mother raised an eyebrow at her but didn’t comment on that.

“Of course, any friend of Wednesday is always welcome! You two can go get you settled in and we can all get to know each other at dinner.”

Leave it to her father to diffuse the situation, gesturing to his wife to let the girls go on to Wednesday’s room. They took their leave, Wednesday leading the way up to her bedroom. Inside, she let Enid take the whole room in before speaking. She had always been quite proud of her room and how she chose to decorate it, but suddenly she was self conscious about the she-wolf’s opinion on the decor.

Like in their dorm, the only window in her room was a massive stained glass window on the west facing wall of her room, perfect for catching the last streaks of daylight as night fell. The shade of black on the walls was just light enough to not make the room feel oppressive, but still feel cozy and dark. The only bits of color aside from white came from small gold accents in things like her chandelier and her bookcases.

In her bookcase rested hundreds of novels. Most were fiction, graphic murder mysteries she always managed to solve very early on while reading. She had a few serial killer journals and a plethora of torture guides, tastefully hidden at the bottom as to not ruin the aesthetic. The first copy of the first page of her novel was framed, courtesy of her mother and father, and mounted just over her writing desk. ‘Motivation’ they called it. The only motivation she needed was spite and competition, even if said competition is with a girl long since dead and buried.

The floor was black hardwood, a fur rug next to her bed. She may be evil but she still didn’t enjoy ice-cold toes when she first wakes up in the morning. Her sheets were black silk with a matching down duvet and pillows. An extra black throw blanket was folded neatly on the edge of her bed.

“I like your room.” Enid finally said, and Wednesday released a breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding. “Personally, I think it needs more color, but that’s just me.” Wednesday was about to argue when she processed the joking tone in Enid’s voice.

“Ha. Ha. Never. Over my dead body, Sinclair.”

The room fell back into silence, but it wasn’t as uncomfortable as before. Instead, Wednesday showed Enid where she could store her clothes in her dresser and helped fold the clothes that the blonde had haphazardly thrown in her suitcase in a rush. There wasn’t all that much, so it was a quick task. Then was on to the tour of the house.
Oddly enough, Enid remained uncharacteristically quiet the whole tour. Wednesday did most of the talking, going into a brief explanation of the room’s purpose and occasionally a history fact about the house she personally found intriguing. By the time they were done, it was dinner time in the Addams home. Despite their new guest, dinner was its typical quiet affair.

Enid sat next to Wednesday and across from Pugsley. She answered any questions directed at her politely, including where she was from and other small talk. Other than that, however, she didn’t add any unnecessary information. Her exhaustion was becoming increasingly evident, her eyebrows furrowing in a way Wednesday would never admit she thought was cute. Wednesday didn’t even comment on the impolite behavior of resting her elbows on the table as Enid rested her head on her hands once she had finished. Taking that as a cue Enid needed to get some rest, she excused the two of them before hauling a half-asleep Enid back to her room.

She had barely gotten Enid on to her bed before the girl went limp, barely conscious. She helped Enid remove her top layer of clothing, red-faced the entire time as she avoided looking at the smooth spans of skin. Her sweats were wiggled off and then Enid was left in just a loose tank top and boy-short underwear decorated by a cartoon cat with a large red bow.

Wednesday pulled back the covers and gently tucked Enid in, who promptly spread out like a starfish on the queen sized bed, tiny little snores escaping her mouth in little huffs of air. With that taken care of, Wednesday changed into her own pajamas (a black cotton nightgown) and finished her own nightly rituals. She untied her braids, brushing the long hair out and washing her face. She even took a damp cloth from her bathroom to gently remove the sweat and tears that were left on Enid’s sleeping face.

When she was finally done, Wednesday slipped into what was now her side of the bed, careful to avoid disturbing Enid. Not that it really mattered. The she-wolf could sleep through virtually anything despite her heightened senses. Resuming her normal resting position with her arms crossed over her chest, Wednesday attempted to fall asleep. Key word being attempted.

For what felt like hours, the seer found herself staring at her ceiling in hopes she would succumb to her own exhaustion.

Chapter Text

Despite the horrid sunlight pouring through the glass and casting a glow across the room, Wednesday woke in a fairly good mood. When she first opened her eyes, she wasn’t quite sure why she felt this way. She was on her side, which isn't a normal position for her. No, she hadn’t gone to sleep this way either.

The second thing she noticed was the hand resting on her waist, multicolored nails gripping her nightgown, which had ridden up dangerously high in her sleep. Lastly, she realized the warmth draped over her back was not from the sun, but from a certain blonde she-wolf. Enid’s hot breath ghosted over the nape of her neck and tickled her ears.

Suddenly, she felt all too warm, specifically in her face. She tried to steady her racing heart, but it proved to be a pointless endeavor. For someone whose guard was almost permanently up, she felt entirely too vulnerable. Her neck was exposed, prone to anything the werewolf desired. Wednesday almost didn’t know what would be worse, Enid tearing her throat out, or Enid instead using those incredibly sharp canines to carefully suck and bite dark bruises into her skin. Both would likely cause her demise.

She was overcome by emotions she had never felt before. Love and lust swirled together in the pit of her stomach and warmed her core. Her heart skipped a beat and her lips quivered at the intense feelings that flooded her nervous system with the dopamine she had been lacking for years. Never had she felt so dependent on someone, and yet, she felt like the second Enid pulled away she would just disintegrate into ash.

Just like that, everything clicked into place in her mind. Her family’s curse; it had gotten to her. Destined to love so hard she was driven to madness without her lover. The one person that had the sole responsibility to keep Wednesday as sane as possible had been decided, and that person was Enid Sinclair; her roommate, her best friend, her sidekick, and apparently her other half.

Enid let out a particularly adorable little snore that tore Wednesday from her thoughts. She made the tough decision to pull herself away from her own personal heater and work things out herself. Or maybe, begrudgingly, with the help of her mother and father.

Once she had carefully extracted herself from Enid’s embrace without waking the she-wolf, she dressed quickly and left the room in search of her parents.

As expected, they weren’t difficult to find. On casual sundays like this one, the Addams’ family matriarch and patriarch took it upon themselves to cook breakfast for themselves and their children. Wednesday made a mental note to ask her parents to include more meat for Enid’s sake.

When she entered the kitchen, she saw her parents dancing across the tile, her mother spinning elegantly before being dipped by her father. For the first time, Wednesday didn’t feel only disgust at the blatant display of affection. Of course, she still scrunched up her nose and curled her lips but she secretly found the display just a little sweet. This revelation made her heart pound once again. It must have shown in her eyes, as Thing, who had been sitting on the counter watching her parents, signed wildly at her.

She simply glared at what she knew was a mocking tone as he signed ‘that’s not the look of someone who hates love!’

“Mother. Father. I have a predicament I would like to discuss with you.”

Her father gently righted her mother and stepped toward her, beckoning her further into the kitchen.

“Good morning, my little scorpion. What is the problem?”

Wednesday opened her mouth to speak, only to realize she didn’t know what she wanted to say. She tried to formulate her response for a few seconds before she finally spoke.

“I fear I have fallen victim to the Addams family curse. I feel snakes writhing in my intestines when I’m near them and blood rushes to my face when they smile. I also find that touch doesn’t feel near as painful with them. Only burning just enough to be pleasant.”

Her parents’ shocked expression did nothing to soothe her nerves.

“Oh Wednesday, this is wonderful news! We must meet the person who makes your wilted flower bloom.”

“Mother, you already know the person. I fear I am in love with Enid Sinclair.”

Her mother and father looked mildly shocked, but seemed to accept it easily. Thing just signed ‘I knew it! I’ve been dying waiting for you to figure it out.’

“Thing, don’t be dramatic. Also, how could you have known? I am careful to show no emotion.”

‘Enid is the only one you let touch and hold you. You’re not as stone-cold as you believe you are.’

Wednesday huffed in disbelief. Had she really been that obvious? A voice in the back of her head that sounded strangely similar to Goody hummed in confirmation.

“Well, dear, you have a choice decisions to make. Do you want to start small and work up to telling her or do you wish to tell her now and make a decision together? But darling, I worry about you.” Her mother turned to her husband. It was her fathers turn to speak.

“Mi pequeña cucaracha, this is very big. After finding your beloved, being away from her will slowly begin to hurt you, drive you mad. If she doesn’t return your feelings, you may die.”

Seeing her parents this worried was unusual, and it made a pit form in her stomach. She hadn’t even thought of what might happen if Enid didn’t return her affections. Frankly, it seemed very likely that was the case. During their awkward distance at Nevermore, Wednesday had no clue the stage of Enid’s relationship with the gorgon boy. The stupid boy who had abandoned Enid on their first date and Enid still forgave him. Wednesday wouldn’t pretend her only disappointment was coming from not being able to use her nail gun.

“I believe I will begin courting her. But she shall know nothing of the curse, or its effects on me. It’s her decision and she is far too kind to reject me if she had any inkling it could cause my demise.”

Her parents nodded albeit hesitantly, only Thing signing something about ‘useless lesbians’ before wandering off.

Wednesday returned to her room, expecting to have to wake Enid from her slumber. She was honestly dreading the moment she had to wake the sleeping she-wolf, but was hoping Enid would still be clingy in the morning like she sometimes got in school. Instead, she was greeted by the sounds of muffled sobs through her door. She yanked her sleep knife from the holster on her thigh and threw her door open, ready to slaughter any intruder.

Safe to say she was fairly shocked when she found the room barren of anyone besides Enid herself. Said girl was sat on the edge of a destroyed bed, knees pulled to her chest with her arms around them. Her claws were still out, and Wednesday could see she was obviously attempting to control her shift. She had big tears spilling down her rosy cheeks.

Wednesday rushed forward, starling Enid, who only cried harder.

“I’m so sorry for ruining your bed. I had a nightmare, I didn’t mean to.” Enid pleaded between sobs, seemingly distraught over the destruction of sheets and possibly her mattress topper.

“Enid, cara mia, look at me,” Wednesday gently took Enid’s chin in her hand and angled her face up until their eyes met, “I’m not mad about the bed. I’m not upset at all with you.”

Enid let out another sob of relief before collapsing forward on Wednesday, who quickly caught the blonde, shifting so that they could both be situated on the bed, Enid essentially in Wednesday’s lap.

“Do you wish to tell me about your nightmare?” Wednesday asked once Enid’s tears had mostly subsided and she was only letting out breathy little hiccups. She shook her head against Wednesday’s chest before switching to nodding.

“It was my pack, or more specifically my mom. She was kicking me out of the pack in front of everyone. And they didn’t object, they all just laughed when I cried. And then you were there and you told me you wouldn’t take in a “stray mutt” and I was all alone.”

Wednesday just continued to stroke her hair for a minute before responding.

“Well firstly, I would never abandon you. Despite our differences, you have grown on me like an invasive kudzu, and I value you. Secondly, your so-called pack does not seem like a good pack to me. From all the packs I’ve met, none are as dysfunctional and oppressive as yours is. Frankly, they are losing you, not the other way around. Additionally, I know you are worried still about my bedding. I do not mind the destruction. If it keeps you from harming yourself unintentionally I am glad to sacrifice the fabric. I have more sheets. I care that you are okay.”

Wednesday’s speech felt a little too much like a confession for her, but Enid seemed to relax significantly in her arms. They stayed like that for a while, Enid just holding Wednesday tightly, the latter humming quietly.

Chapter Text

“Enid, would you like to accompany me gift shopping?”

Wednesday Friday Addams did not get nervous, and yet as she asked that question, her hands were shaking behind her back.

“Of course, Willa! Ooh are we shopping for your family?” Enid rambled, head drooping over sideways like a confused dog. Ever since shifting the first time, it was like the girl had hit a second puberty. Not only did her voice get a little deeper and she put on my muscle, but she shot up a solid five inches seemingly overnight. With this extra height came longer limbs she still wasn’t quite used to, increasing her overall clumsiness. Wednesday refused to admit she found it endearing.

“I need to purchase gifts for my parents and brother, as well as I’d like to send a package to Xavier and Eugene. Eugene because I almost got him killed on at least one occasion. Xavier as an apology for the minor torture session I conducted on him.”

Wednesday left out “and you” on purpose. She had invited Enid along not only because she didn’t want to leave the blonde alone with her family, or because she secretly saw this as a date, but because she wanted to see what Enid fancied. She also needed assistance picking presents for the boys given she didn’t know any appropriate gifts for teenage boys aside from weapons, which Enid quickly vetoed.

And that’s how the girls ended up bundled in multiple layers of jackets and coats, matching snoods completing the look. Enid had knit Thing a sweater of his own but even that didn’t seem to shield him from the blistering cold as he hid in Wednesday’s satchel.

Enid had looked up stores nearby and was thrilled to find out that not only did the Addams only live ten minutes from a mall, but that Wednesday had never been to one.

As they entered arguably the biggest building Wednesday had ever been in, she was hit by the overwhelming sensory input. Everything was so bright and loud, she wanted to run back outside and hide. As she contemplated making a run for it, something was slid over her head, instantly muffling the jumbled noises all around. Before she could figure out what was going on, a pair of sunglasses were place oh so gently on her face, dimming the fluorescent lights above.

“Sorry for kinda just throwing those on you, but you looked three seconds from bolting out the doors. The things on your head are noise cancelling headphones, they help block out excess noise. So you can hear me but not the other people around us. As for the sunglasses, you can obviously tell what they do. I know you prefer candlelight so I thought this might be a little too bright for you. Plus all the color. These will give everything a black tint to hopefully make it better. One of my younger cousins is autistic and he uses things like these all the time to help him.”

Wednesday was so shocked by the showing of such intense understanding and care that she simply pulled Enid into a hug. They seemed to be doing that a lot more these days.

“Thank you, cara mia. These make everything so much easier to process my surroundings.”

“Oh yeah! I’m surprised that you haven’t heard of sensory gear. I used them when I was little and not used to my improved hearing but my parents took them away when I was six claiming I needed to get used to it. Wait, are your parents ableist? Please tell me they’re not.”

Wednesday had never been so confused in her life. Luckily, she did know what ableism was. At least, what Enid had told her while she wrote her English research paper on the effects of ableism.

“No, my parents support evil in all forms. I have an aunt who uses a wheelchair that my family added spikes to the wheels of so she could be included in terrorizing their town. I fear we do not interact much with society as a whole, so they may not even know of such ‘sensory gear’ you talk of. I shall inform them when we return home.”

Enid let out a sign of relief, wiping imaginary sweat from her forehead.

“Phew, I was worried for a second. I guess that makes sense. I’m assuming they do not know much about mental illness and disabilities?”

Based on the blank expression Wednesday portrayed, Enid assumed the Addams family had been lost from society for a very long time.

“We can talk more about that later. For now, let’s go look for Xavier first. I know just what you should get him!” And with that, Enid gently grasped Wednesday’s hand and pulled her along, skillfully weaving the duo through crowds of people, always making sure to avoid as many as possible. Finally they arrived at an art store.

“We can get him some new charcoals to work with since I’m sure he destroyed a lot on his ‘you-know-what’ drawings.”

Wednesday was still concerned that Enid refused to even mention the Hyde, implying her continued fear despite his defeat. She would have to find a solution to that.

“I believe that is a fitting gift for him. Maybe a scratch book as well. He tends to doodle on his textbooks and papers.” Wednesday wouldn’t tell Enid the only reason she watches Xavier doodle in class is to avoid staring at said blonde.

“Perfect, you can pick one out and I’ll grab the charcoals I know the art teacher prefers best!” With that, Enid disappeared around the corner, leaving her alone by a wall of colorful journals. She felt entirely out of place without Enid there to guide her. She hesitantly walked toward the display. There was so many options and she had no clue what to choose. Eventually, she just grabbed a blue journal off the shelf. Good enough. Now she could go find Enid.

She quickly walked toward where Enid had gone when she heard muffled voices.

“You’re really pretty. I was just wondering if you wanted-“ the unknown boy’s voice cut off as Wednesday approached from behind Enid, out of sight of the blonde. She held a knife to her throat and kicked slitting it before pointing to him. He gulped and quickly excused himself with some lame excuse.

“Oh hey, Willa, I didn’t see you there. I just met some guy who complimented my snood and wanted to know how to make one. He just seemed to run off though. Maybe he forgot something, oh well.”

Enid’s utter oblivion to the Normie’s advances left her in shock. Sure, Wednesday was notoriously horrid at understanding social cues or feelings, but this was obvious to even her. She didn’t feel any guilt for scaring him away.

They quickly checked out, Enid animatedly speaking to the cashier about her blog as the kind older woman scanned their items and bagged them, only noticing Wednesday when she stepped up to pay. She handed out a handful of bills, much more than their purchase cost.

“Keep the change for yourself.” She said before quickly departing, only to immediately regret it when she ended up outside of the store, alone. She had almost walked back in when Enid came out of the store holding the bag and looking flustered.

“Wednesday, you gave that women a hundred dollars! The sketchbook and charcoals together cost fifteen dollars. She broke down crying happy tears and thanked me repeatedly. Apparently we are a blessing and now she can buy her grandchildren presents for Christmas.” Enid whisper-shouted, the irony of it all not lost on Wednesday.

“I’m glad it worked out well for her.” Was Wednesday’s only reply. When Enid realized that was the end of the conversation, she signed and picked up Wednesday’s hand again, leading them further into the mall.

This went on for awhile as they gathered presents for each person she needed one for. Enid got gifts for the Addams parents, paid for with money Enid boasted proudly came from ads on her blog. Wednesday didn’t mention that at least a quarter of her subscribers were seperate accounts Wednesdayhad made and regularly logged on to in order to ‘boost’ Enid’s success as Yoko had explained.

Enid got Morticia a black wool capelet they had found in a little boutique run by a younger woman with a thick Swedish accent and a mischievous glimmer in her eyes. Wednesday got her a black obsidian blade locally crafted and a matching black leather sheath embroidered with a singular white rose.

For Gomez, both girls were conflicted, but ended up getting him a locket they planned on putting Morticia’s face in so he could carry her around all the time. The also got him some of his favorite Mexican candies at a small international snack shop.

For Pugsley, Enid got him an actual fishing rod, despite Wednesday arguing that grenade fishing was more efficient. Wednesday simply got him a bar of chocolate, stating “his present from me is being allowed one ten second hug.”

Lastly, the needed to buy gifts for each other. The hesitantly decided to split up. Enid bounced off, somehow confident in entirely new surroundings.

Wednesday felt the opposite of confident. Or calm. She was uncharacteristically hot but refused to remove and of the layers, reasoning they could help in the case of an attempted stabbing. After a few deep breaths Enid had taught her to do, she entered a jewelry store as it was gently lit and not crowded.

As she walked up to a display counter, an attendant approached her.

“Honey, where are your parents? I see you’ve gotten lost. Little kids don’t belong in here. Especially not ones like you.” The demeaning tone in her voice irked Wednesday, but another voice cut her off before she could speak.

“It’s a disgrace parents let their children be weak. When I was a child, there was no autism or ADHD. If you misbehaved you were spanked so hard you never did it again.” The older man a few feet away spay, looking down at Wednesday with a hatred in his eyes.

Suddenly, it felt mildly like the couldn’t breathe. She tried to speak but her voice wouldn’t come out no matter how hard she tried. Everyone was far too close to her as another worker joined the circle around her. All she had wanted was to get Enid a necklace and now she was being treated like a disease.

She didn’t realize she had started crying until a tear fell on her hand, followed by a few more in rapid succession. People around her were speaking but she didn’t understand a word of it. She wanted, no needed Enid and right now. She didn’t feel her phone buzzing in her pocket until Enid came bursting through the doors, the picture of rage.

Wednesday was too relieved to see Enid to care of her own looks. Enid looked desperate to chew out the employees, but stopped in favor of rushing over to Wednesday and pulling her up and into a hug. Enid knew it was risky, Wednesday typically hated touch on a normal day and barely tolerated it on a good day. She knew it was the right decision though as Wednesday relaxed into the touch.

The rest of the mall was a blur as Enid picked up Wednesday in a princess carry on top of carrying all their bags until they got outside. Given that it was far earlier than Lurch had been instructed to pick them up, Enid phoned Morticia to ask if she could send Lurch as soon as possible. Once she hung up, she crouch in front of Wednesday, who was sat on the edge of the sidewalk.

Her tears had dried in salty tracks across her face and her eyes were puffy and red. Mainly though, Wednesday only felt one emotion. Embarrassed.

Wednesday had never been so vulnerable in private, let alone in public. It was as if being given the option to not put up a facade made her incapable of doing so when she needed to. Frankly, she wished she had never been given this ‘sensory gear’ if it meant she wouldn’t lose all ability to function in public. She had an image to uphold and this destroyed it.

“Wednesday. Wends. Willa. You gotta look at me.” Enid pulled Wednesday from her thoughts. “I can’t imagine how you must be feeling, but what just happened is something I’m honestly surprised you haven’t experienced before. You had a meltdown. Totally not your fault. I should not have left you alone on your first ever trip to a mall especially knowing your issues with crowds and stuff. Also, those people should never have talked to you like that. Whatever they said is wrong and there is nothing wrong with you. This won’t happen everytime you go in public. This is a special situation.”

Wednesday felt relieved that this wasn’t something in her that had broken and left her in ruin. She still found it hard to speak, despite her wish to communicate her feelings to Enid. As she balled up her first in apparent frustration, Enid took them in her own larger hands.

After getting Wednesday’s attention, she removed her hands and quickly signed, ‘Still can not talk? Just sign to me.’

Wednesday nodded in understanding before testing it out. ‘I feel better. Want to go home.’’ She flushed at what she was sure was very sloppy sign language. Enid had practiced with Thing often, but Wednesday was only used to reading it.

To anyone walking past, they must have been a strange sight. Two teenage girls, opposite in all ways, sitting as close together as possible signing to each other before a hallowed looking man picked them up in a black hearse.

Chapter Text

By the time the pair got home, Wednesday was relatively back to ‘normal.’ A little extra tired but nothing extreme. All she really wanted to do was collapse on her bed, but Enid seemed keen on not letting that happen.

After a quiet dinner at which Enid had explained the events of the day to Morticia and Gomez, the girls moved back to their shared room.

“Do you want to watch a movie with me?” Enid asked shyly, throwing herself down on the freshly changed sheets before pulling her laptop out from the drawer beside the bed. Despite her usual disdain for any and all film, Wednesday relented, carefully settling herself just far enough from Enid to prevent any accidental touches. The seer wasn’t sure she could stop herself from falling into the touch if that happened.

They watched a movie Enid called “Spirited Away,” a movie Wednesday found herself begrudgingly enjoying. The color palette was much more muted than Enid’s usual taste, and the ghosts and ghouls peaked her interest. Her favorite thing, however, was how much the main character reminded her of Enid. Strong and brave, not letting her fear stop her.

That’s something Wednesday had always admired about Enid, even before she accepted the blonde as an ally. No matter the threats and insults Wednesday threw at her, Enid took it all in stride. She giggled at the threats and pushed boundaries no other reasonable person would. And maybe Enid wasn’t all that reasonable, given her choice of best friend. No one else in her life had ever dared hug her outside of her parents, let alone hold her hand and cuddle up to her in bed. Just the thought of that morning had her ears flushing red under her braids, her eyelids fluttering closed to picture the scene.

Lost in her mind, she hadn’t realized she had slowly migrated closer and closer to Enid, her head resting upon the blonde’s sternum. She initially tensed, her body freezing at the sudden realization of the contact. Enid seemed to notice, casually bringing her arm up to wrap around Wednesday’s narrow shoulders, pulling the seer even closer. Compared to werewolf strength, Wednesday could not protest, tucked into the warm space under Enid’s chin.

“I know you’re not always comfortable with my touch, but I will never turn away yours.”

The simple words were enough to fully relax Wednesday, her body sagging into Enid. The seer hadn’t realized the sheer exhaustion that clung to her mind like a sickly fog. All she wanted to do was stay cuddled close to the blonde, enough so that she didn’t bother reprimanding Enid for the not-so-subtle scenting she was doing as she drug her cheek against Wednesday’s hair.

And they just stayed like that late into the evening. Enid had earbuds in, watching TikToks on her phone, giggling occasionally at a particularly hilarious cat or dog video. Not wanting to bother Wednesday, if Enid found a TikTok she wished to share with said girl, she simply bookmarked it for later.

Eventually, Enid decided it was an appropriate time for sleep. She set her phone to the side, along with her earbuds, and carefully shifted the two of them further down the bed before wrestling to get the covers out from under them and pulling them up. While not asleep, Wednesday didn’t help much, stuck in a sort of haze between sleep and wake. Her muscles felt too heavy to move. But that was okay, because where she was weak, Enid made up for their combined strength.

Tucked under covers with her own personal heater that was the she-wolf, Wednesday couldn’t help but fall into a slumber. Her breathing slowed to an almost undetectable level, her heart rate plummeting. If Enid was anyone else, she would have panicked. But she wasn’t. No, she knew Wednesday forward and backwards. If anything, she was so used to the rapid change, she was comforted by the fact that Wednesday felt safe enough with her to be at her most vulnerable.

With Wednesday asleep, Enid followed closely behind, pressing a soft kiss to Wednesday’s head before closing her eyes and dozing off. Enid was so tired, she hadn’t even noticed Gomez and Morticia standing in the shadows of the doorway. The older couple couldn’t help but feel such hope for their daughter, and for the she-wolf that had become almost another daughter to them.

Chapter Text

When Enid awoke, Wednesday was still deep in sleep, pressed up against her as the little spoon. She looked so fragile and delicate, curled up with her hands resting just under her chin. Her braids had gotten a little messy, wisps of hair framing her porcelain skin.

As peaceful as they were, Enid’s stomach was cramping angrily from hunger, and she didn’t want to wake Wednesday with its growling. She carefully extracted herself from the seer, tucking her back in and creeping out of the room.

Enid was lucky she had fallen asleep still in sweats and her sweatshirt, given she was still frigid as she padded around the manor barefooted. As she walked down yet another wrong hallway, Enid felt like giving up. Maybe she should have just stayed in bed. She obviously couldn’t find her way around without her grumpy black cat of a best friend, and she wasn’t any better off being hungry and cold than just hungry. As she turned around, she let out a small shriek.

Morticia Addams was standing in all of her glory right in front of her. Despite the early hour, the matriarch of the household was already dressed in her usual dress, her makeup perfectly done and hair sleek and shiny down her back.

“Hello, darling. Are you looking for something?” She implored, her normally sharp eyes softening slightly at the flustered she-wolf.

“Actually, yes. I was searching for the kitchen. Stupid werewolf metabolism woke me up, and I was heading to get some food. Can I use the kitchen on my own? I probably should have asked that first. I’m sorry, I’ll just go back to bed.” Enid rambled, her cheeks flushed from embarrassment.

“Oh dear, you are welcome to anything in this house. Let me show you to the kitchen. Normally the butlers make the main meals, but you are free to make additional food at any time. I would never want to starve a growing lycanthrope on my watch.” Morticia assured, flashing a motherly smile before gesturing for Enid to follow her.

Apparently, she turned left one too many times. Morticia led her to a large kitchen. It followed the rest of the house’s victorian feel, with the addition of more modern appliances. Enid never thought the Addams would own a microwave. Noticing her gaze, Morticia spoke up.

“Pugsley is a fan of these prepackaged snacks from the supermarket. He called them “corn-dogs” I believe.” She stated, ushering them further into the room.

Enid walked toward the cabinets, opening the one closest to her. She was shocked to see a huge array of cereals, both ones she knew of and a few that looked more likely to be there. One with cartoon spider shapes and a box boasting “flavored with real blood.” The others though, they were so painfully ‘normal.’ Fruity Pebbles, Cheerios, and the likes. Cocoa Puffs caught her eye, and she hesitantly pulled the box out.

“A wonderful choice dear. Let me grab you a bowl and a spoon.”

As Morticia seemingly floated away, Enid opened what she hoped was the fridge. She smiled when she was right, and found a perfectly normal gallon of milk. She pulled it out, shutting the door behind her. She carried it over to where Morticia was pouring said cereal into a large black down. After adding the milk, Enid pulled the bowl over to the side of the island lined with stools and sat down. Morticia remained standing, but leant against the counter.

“Mrs. Addams, thank you so much. I didn’t think you guys would have so much normal food, no offense.”

“Oh darling, don’t call me Mrs. Addams. That makes me feel old. Call me Morticia. And as for the food, don’t tell Wednesday I told you this, but it was her that requested it. She wanted you to feel more welcomed, and assumed you wouldn’t enjoy our rather eccentric tastes.”

Enid felt pleasantly warm at that, scooping a spoonful into her mouth before groaning at her first bite. It was just as good as she remembered.

“I take it you like it?” Morticia asked, taking in Enid’s pleased expression.

“Oh yeah. I used to love this stuff as a kid. Me and my dad used to eat this on saturday mornings before he took me to the park, just us. We’d wake up really early, before the rest of my siblings, and just have the time to ourselves. It was nice. But then my younger brother was born, and my parents were too tired taking care of him to wake up early for me.”

Enid mourned the days in which she was the youngest. Don’t get her wrong, she loved her brother dearly. It’s just that before him, she was the baby and the only girl. Back then, she wasn’t a disappointment for not being able to shift. She wasn’t ‘annoying’ or ‘weird.’ She was her father’s unofficial favorite, and she missed that. Even while her mom was pregnant with her brother, their daddy-daughter days decreased in quantity, but her father still tried to make time for her. But after her brother was born, those days abruptly ended.

No longer was she just a kid. Instead, at just eight, she was ‘mommy’s helper.’ While her brothers were off running through the woods with their father hunting, she was looking after her baby brother who just wouldn’t stop crying. She was burning her little fingers trying to make him bottles while her mother was trying to cook a meal big enough to feed all the mouths in the house. She was changing diapers and sweeping the house, just trying to help out her mother, only to be scolded when she wasn’t ‘fast enough’ or ‘didn’t do it right.’

Morticia clearing her throat brought her back from her thoughts.

“Enid, we need to discuss why you’re here. Wednesday didn’t tell us exactly why, but from our own observations we have a few ideas. I want to hear from you what happened, if that’s okay.”

Enid gulped, knowing that this time had been coming. Despite this, she felt widely unprepared. She didn’t want to remember that night. The fear she felt against the people who were supposed to love her unconditionally.

“So, up until the fight with Crackstone, I couldn’t fully shift. I was a late bloomer, they said. My parents had tried everything, but I was still failing. They thought Nevermore would ‘fix’ me, and I guess it kind of did. I mean, I shifted. And it wasn’t a fluke, I shifted last full moon too. But I’m not like my family. I don’t like hunting, or killing innocent animals for ‘fun.’ I’m still a ‘fail-wolf’ as my brothers call me.”

Enid took a deep breath before she continued, fighting back watery eyes.
“That night, my parents had brought up my lack of interest in hunting at dinner. We got into an argument, and my mother told me she was going to pull me out of Nevermore and send me to a conversion camp for Weres. Somewhere I would ‘learn to be a proper wolf.’ Also somewhere she hoped I would find a ‘suitable mate.’ But those camps are legalized torture camps. There have been multiple cases of Weres dying at these camps. I freaked out, and hid in my room. That’s when I texted Wednesday, and then I was packing my stuff in a suitcase and getting in a car. And now, here I am.”

By the time she was done, she had big tears rolling down her cheeks as Morticia rounded the counter and pulled her into a hug. And Enid just let it all out. She threw her arms around Morticia, sobbing into her shoulder. Why couldn’t she have had a mother like this? Why did her parents have to hate who she was?

Morticia didn’t let go until Enid’s tears had dried and all that was left of her sobs were little hiccups of breath. Even then, Morticia only pulled back enough to look at Enid, her own eyes a little misty.

“Enid, dear, I refuse to let you go back there. Gomez would say the same. You are already like another daughter to us. I promise we will do everything in our power to protect and love you, if you’ll have us?”

Enid let out a wet chuckle, smiling before pulling Morticia back into a short hug.

“I would love nothing more than to be a part of this family. I love you all already.”

“And we love you too, hija.”

Just then, Wednesday appeared in the doorway, dagger in hand.

“Mother, did you make Enid cry?” Wednesday glared at her mother, moving to pull Enid away and closer to her, dagger raised.

“Wends, I’m okay. I was just telling you mum about why I’m here, and she said I can stay forever! Isn’t that great!” Enid exclaimed, throwing her arms around Wednesday, she carefully slipped the dagger back into her pocket to embrace Enid back. Since breaking down that barrier against touch between them, Wednesday had been oddly tactile and even initiated additional touch on her own.

“Yes, Wednesday. Enid is correct. I would rather perish than let her go back to those scum. She is more than worthy of wearing the Addams family name.”

Wednesday’s lips quirked up slightly, and she nodded in agreement. Enid couldn’t be happier, surrounded by a family that welcomed and loved her as if she was their own. Slowly but surely, everyone woke up. Gomez wandered in, yawning as he stuck himself to Morticia, clinging to her. She just smiled, pressing a kiss to his head as he dozed on her shoulder. Pugsley was next, and the three children moved to the living room. Wednesday curled up on the couch to resume reading her novel, while Enid and Pugsley pulled out a board game and began to play. It was Battleship, and one of the few games that was deemed violent enough by the Addams to reside in the home.

As they played, Enid took a moment during Pugsley’s turn to admire Wednesday a few feet away. She looked so regal, perched on the dark leather with a red velvety blanket draped over her legs. It took Enid an embarrassing amount of time to realize Wednesday was in her favorite cozy jumper, the sunset colors stark against her black hair and eyes. Wednesday sensed her gaze, and their eyes met. Enid flushed pink, and was met with a shy smile before Wednesday looked back to her book.

And for the first time since she was that innocent eight year old, Enid felt like everything might just be alright.

Chapter Text

The family maintained a fairly uncomplicated week, and before they knew it, the girls were getting ready to return to Nevermore. Fortunately, that Saturday before leaving was the full moon, meaning Enid could spend her time in her home. Wednesday wasn’t exactly sure when it had become ‘their home’ over ‘her home’ but she wasn’t upset by it.

That all led to now, in which Enid and the rest of the Addams discussed her shift.

“So you can totally just lock me up in the shed out back. Maybe not the weapons one, just cause i feel like that is begging for an injury, but I should be fine. I don’t really need food or water or anything while shifted. I’ll be fine.” Enid assured, trying to make herself smaller as she faced Morticia and Gomez.

“Nonsense dear! You have free range of our property, and we implore you to use it as you wish. We would never imagine locking you up when you should be running free.”

Enid floundered, and Wednesday found it very endearing. Even slack-jawed and wide-eyed, she looked beautiful.

“Indeed, hija. And if you want to avoid other creatures, you may remain inside if you wish. Our manor is large, and you’d still have a large area to prowl.”

Enid turned to Wednesday, still in shock at this idea.

“I think it’s a fantastically dreadful idea. While I typically find myself opposed to the canine variety, I find it hard to believe you’d be any more annoying in wolf form.” Despite the biting words, Enid knew they were really a compliment, and did wonders to reassure her.
Wednesday shook her head playfully. Enid had grown on her so much, she could barely keep up her persona in front of her family.

That night, as the girls stood on the back steps of the manor, Enid was nervous. It was clear to Wednesday the she-wolf still wasn’t comfortable in shifting, given that it was only her third time. With a few hours to go, she sat Enid down to try and quell her fears.

“Is there any specific reason you are so frightened to shift? Do you need anything else to make this easier?” She asked, and pain flashed across Enid’s face. This worried Wednesday.

“It’s just, I haven’t done this much. I didn’t really get much of an opportunity to practice the past two times. I mean, I was almost murdered the first time. Last time, my parents didn’t want to have to deal with the equivalent of a new wolf while off hunting, so they left me behind in the new wolf cage we have on our property. It was fine, just kind of cold and lonely, but it’s whatever.” The way Enid shrugged the blatant abuse she faced made Wednesday’s blood boil, and she had to take a deep breath to avoid throwing a knife at the wall, or driving to the Sinclair residence and personally murdering those no-good ‘parents.’

“Enid, that was despicable what they did to you. Everyone knows a wolf does best when they are given access to land to prowl and clear access to the moon. Depriving you of that is borderline torture.” Wednesday explained, her own voice rough and laced with anger. If her parents didn’t kill the Sinclairs first, she would gladly finish the job.

Enid just shrugged, and even without super senses Wednesday could sense the other girl’s apprehension and fear, obviously nervous she might endanger them in some way. Trying to lessen the tension, she slipped her own hand between Enid’s and laced their fingers together.

“Whatever happens tonight, I’ll be there with you in any way you need me.”

“But, what if I hurt you? I can’t be trusted to keep you safe.”

Wednesday let out a gentle sign, pulling Enid closer.

“You could never hurt me cara mia. You are the reason I am still alive to this day.”

Her words seemed enough to calm Enid significantly, whose shoulders slumped with relief. Next to each other, their height difference became more noticeable. Since shifting, Enid had grown almost a full head above Wednesday, and only continued to grow as she was given the proper amount of nutrition for a growing wolf.

Her hair had grown out a bit too, the pink and blue faded into just a tint on her platinum hair. Recently, Enid had taken to pulling it back in a messy bun. Wednesday would deny it till her dying breath, but watching Enid pull her hair back with a hair tie held in her teeth made her cheeks flush and her stomach erupt in a flourish of butterflies.
The moon chose that moment to begin its final ascent, rising in the sky. Enid quickly shed the majority of her clothes, leaving on her underwear and a loose tank top she didn’t mind losing. As she began to transform, she let out a magnificent howl, back arching as the bones in her body began to rearrange. She dropped to all fours, obviously in pain. It made sense, she still wasn’t used to shifting, but that fact didn’t comfort Wednesday at all.

The seer rushed forward toward Enid, dropping to her knees beside the wolf, gently rubbing her back as the muscles underneath her hand rippled.

“Let go, Enid. I’m right here.”

The change didn’t last too much longer after that, and Wednesday came face to face with a massive werewolf.

Enid’s fur was the same silvery blonde her hair normally was, those baby blue eyes bright in the moonlight. Her canines were easily two inches long, resting just past the drawn back lips of her muzzle. She was massive, rising to her full height to howl once again before falling back to all fours.

Even then, the hulking wolf was almost taller than Wednesday. Unlike that night with Crackstone, Enid did not look feral or angry. Instead, she looked more like an overgrown puppy. Her large ears were up and alert, her posture playful.

“You can go for a run if you like.” Wednesday prompted, moving back to sit on the step. Enid took off towards the woods, moving faster than Wednesday had ever seen her move. She was a flash of motion before she was gone from sight.

Wednesday lost track of time, but after a while, Enid came trotting back. She was panting slightly. She carefully approached the seer, bumping her massive head against Wednesday’s shoulder, huffing out what sounded a bit like a laugh. Wednesday just smiled, yawning a bit as she checked her watch. It was late. Enid made an inquisitive whine.

“It’s late. Would you like to rest now?” She prompted, and Enid rose to meet her as they moved back inside and out of the cold. Wednesday hadn’t even realized how cold she had been until they were back in their room and she was shivering. She quickly changed before getting in their bed before turning to see Enid looking at her.

“What do you need?”

She was met with another whine.

“You want to join me up here?”

The closest equivalent of a nod a wolf could do.
With a sigh, Wednesday moved even further on to her own side to make space for the massive wolf. Enid quickly jumped up on the bed, making the wood frame creak under the additional weight. She settled down on her side, and Wednesday took the opportunity to run her fingers through Enid’s thick fur. She was reward by Enid licking a strip over her cheek, leaving thick saliva across her face.

“You’re lucky I value you, or I’d have your head mounted on my wall.” Wednesday’s words had no real bite, and she let the wolf curl around her, tail sluggishly wagging against her leg.

“Sleep, now.” Wednesday instructed, flipping so her back was to Enid. She felt the heavy muzzle rest just above her head, the massive body encasing her protectively. The warmth was comforting, and she fell asleep to the house of Enid’s little canine snorts in her sleep.

Chapter Text

When Wednesday awoke, she was acutely aware of the lack of heat she had already grown accustomed to. She sat up so quickly her head spun, looking every which way in an attempt to locate Enid. She relaxed instantly when her cold eyes found Enid carefully padding into the room, a box of cereal under her arm. She had donned a new set of clothing, a pretty blue sweater and gray sweatpants that Wednesday had a sneaking suspicion did not belong to the blonde judging by the way they only came down to her mid calf.

“Shit, sorry Wends. I was trying to not wake you, I was just starving after working up my appetite last night and was more at risk of waking you with my stomach growling.” The end of her sentence was punctuated with a clumsy wink and she shut the door behind her and sat on the rolling desk chair.

“It’s perfectly acceptable, Enid. Never feel as though you cannot leave my side, you are an independent person.” That was Wednesday talk for ‘please eat anything and everything you want.’

Enid smiled and began to dig into her box of cereal while Wednesday stretched and stood from the bed.

“I was wondering if you’d like to go into town again today. I promise to bring my arsenal of ‘sensory gear’ as you call it. You won’t have to be burdened by my inadequacy. I’ll be prepared this time to avoid a so-called ‘meltdown.’”

Enid balked at the second part of Wednesday’s proposal.

“Wednesday, your sensory issues are not an ‘inadequacy!’ A lot of people have sensory problems, and many of those people use tools and gear to cope with it. It’s nothing to feel bad or embarrassed about. You wouldn’t make fun or talk bad about me for using them, would you? Same goes for meltdowns. It’s not anyone’s fault that they happen.”

Wednesday shrunk into herself at the mild scolding, noticed by Enid who quickly switched her tone.

“But yes, Wends, I’d love to go into town with you again. And I promise to stay close to avoid what happened last time. Plus, I’ve managed to get you some upgrades.”

Wednesday wasn’t sure she even wanted to think about how Enid had gotten these ‘upgrades’ she spoke of without going directly through her or her parents.

An hour later, after both girls had eaten and dressed, they were ready to go. Wednesday had donned less layers than before, as to avoid overheating. Enid, who was borderline unaffected by the weather, was only in a thin sweater and skirt, a pair of rainbow tights dotted with pulls on her long legs. Wednesday wore a simple smock dress and her own pristine black tights. She once again wore her snood and a warm but light jacket.

The ‘upgrades’ Enid had previously mentioned turned out to be tiny earplugs that were meant to do the same thing as the bulky headphones from before, removing the excess noise that allowed her to focus only on Enid. The glasses were the same, the only other addition being a tiny black cat ‘squishy’ as Enid called it, currently clutched in her fist.

With the new gear, the two set off into town, deciding to walk this time. Walking extended the trip from ten to closer to forty minutes, but both girls enjoyed the relaxed walk through the snowy forest towards town. Enid talked the entire way, explaining her desire to pick up some new hair dye. Wednesday replied as prompted, content to listen to the blonde ramble.

Inside the mall was just as overwhelming as the last time, but Enid weaving their cold fingers together helped reduce the panic in Wednesday’s chest to a dull anxiety. They wandered from store to store, Enid excitedly pulling her along when she found something that piqued her interest. They found a handful of colorful sweaters for Enid and a new black cardigan for Wednesday, the pockets emblazoned with little white stars.

By the time they had made it to the beauty store for hair dye, Wednesday was thoroughly exhausted from the taxing social interaction.

“This is the last store we’ll stop at, I promise.” Enid stated, gently tugging Wednesday closer as they entered a crowded little shop. People mulled about the narrow aisles, clutching brushes and bottles of polishes. Reaching the hair dye aisle was a relief, given its lack of other customers. Enid quickly found what she was looking for and pulled two bottles off the shelves before presenting them for Wednesday.

“I was thinking, I want something new from the blue and pink tips. I was thinking either a lavender or a teal color, what do you think?”

Enid looked uncharacteristically shy, eyes cast to the floor. Wednesday looked between the options and found herself picturing Enid with lavender hair, wind blown and messy in its new, longer length. The way the color made her eyes look more purple than blue, highlighting the gray and lilac speckles in her irises.

“Enid, you would look absolutely beautiful whatever color you choose to color your hair. Personally, I believe the lavender will highlight your eyes in a way you’d describe as magical.”

Enid’s cheeks flushed pink as she looked up, eyes wide in surprise at that answer. She obviously hadn’t been expecting such a forward and honest answer from the gothic girl. The teal color was put back on the shelves as Enid moved to the till, ushering Wednesday in front of her to prevent separation. As Enid paid, Wednesday found herself absently playing with Enid’s fingers, the former not noticing or acknowledging the touch.

The cashier had a kind smile as she handed Enid her bag.

“You and your girlfriend have a wonderful day!” She called as they walked away, causing Enid to abruptly stop in her tracks. Her cheeks returned to that particular shade of red Wednesday found rivaled that of blood in her tier list of best shades. Enid stuttered out an apology for stopping, grabbing Wednesday’s hand as they continued their movement out of the store and back into the general mall.

Chapter Text

Given Wednesday’s distaste for the mall, Enid made sure to make their exit hasty.

“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” Enid asked curiously. Wednesday was obviously not super comfortable with the whole interaction, but she seemed to be doing much better than before. Maybe they could continue having her use her sensory items at Nevermore. Maybe she’d try to kill less people when not constantly overstimulated.

“They were sufficient in preventing a majority of my distress. Even so, I am pleased we are no longer there.” Wednesday shrugged. She was more caught in thought, pondering the cashier from earlier. Girlfriends. That’s what the woman had called Enid and herself. Realistically, she knew she was probably running out of time to tell Enid before she began experiencing the symptoms of her family’s curse. Still, she had little reading on if Enid viewed her in a similar light.

She knew blushing was often an indication of attraction to someone, but also could simply indicate Enid was embarrassed to be seen as Wednesday’s “girlfriend.” And while Wednesday considered the things they did together, holding hands and cuddling, very intimate, she knew the other girl frequently did those with Yoko and others. Unless Enid had a crush on all of her friends, it was likely she just didn’t view those gentle touches as anything more than platonic.

Suddenly, Wednesday found herself falling to her knees, clutching at her chest. She let out an embarrassing whimper, curling in on herself.

Enid, of course, was at her side in seconds. She was speaking, but Wednesday was in too much pain to comprehend any of her words. All she could focus on was the ache in her chest, feeling as though a knife had pierced her heart. Seems the curse has already been sneaking up on her. She desperately wanted to rest, but Enid kept shaking her. Wednesday could barely make out Enid begging her to stay awake.

The next thing she knew, she was being lifted from the ground, held close to Enid’s chest. If she wasn’t so out of it, she might have minded being carried like a distressed damsel. For now, she let herself rest against Enid, letting her body heat thaw her own frozen body. She could feel Enid moving, running as fast as the Were could risk without jostling Wednesday too roughly.

As they approached the house, Wednesday could hear muffled shouting. She was being passed off, settling her body gently on what felt like a bed. Slowly, she was coming out of her pain-induced fog. She opened her eyes to see everyone she loved, all standing around her. Enid looked wrecked, mascara running down her cheeks.

Wednesday hesitantly went to reach out her hand, desperate to be in contact with the blonde again. Enid quickly took the hint, rushing to gently cradle her hand. It took a moment before Wednesday had the strength to speak again.

“I will be okay, my family. No need to worry.”

If Enid wasn’t so scared, she probably would have smacked Wednesday for her blasé attitude to almost dying in front of her for a second time.

“Wednesday, dear, you gave us all quite a fright. What happened?” Morticia, for once, looks shaken. Her typical demeanor is gone, replaced by that of a worried mother.

“I’m not sure, Mother. Perhaps I was struck with sudden sickness. I feel stronger now.” Wednesday for a second let her facade slip, her eyes begging her mother to drop the topic. She knew her mother would likely guess the cause of her episode quickly, and did not want Enid present for that conversation.

Morticia just barely nodded, but her eyes showed her disapproval.

“Well, until the cause of this is found and eradicated, I think it would be best if you do not return to Nevermore tomorrow. Lurch can just take Enid tonight. I know you girls were planning on returning together, but I fear letting Wednesday leave without knowing the cause is dangerous.” Gomez was oblivious to the rapid non-verbal conversation his wife and daughter were having beside him as he turned to Enid.

Said girl slumped her shoulders but nodded, looking back at Wednesday. The seer was obviously still weakened, fighting to sit up on her own as she glared at Morticia.

“I’ll go pack.” Enid said quietly, slipping from the room. Pugsley followed her, proclaiming he would assist her. Once she was out of even advanced werewolf hearing distance, Morticia began to speak.

“Wednesday, the curse is advancing. It is obvious your feelings are only continuing to grow, and as they do, the sicker you will get. You must tell Enid. You said you were going to begin courting her. Have you not been?”

While Wednesday had been doing her best to ignore her situation, she had not been ignoring her attempts to court Enid. Unfortunately, the girl had not seemed very receptive. No matter how romantic she tried to be, Enid only ever responded in ways she had seen her do to others.

“She doesn’t respond to my courting attempts. I fear she may never see me as anything but a friend. And I will not let my situation persuade her to do anything she wouldn’t choose on her own.”

Morticia looked stumped. Gomez looked unsure of the situation, wrapping an arm around his wife.

“Maybe the separation will help. The close contact could be causing the progression of symptoms faster. You could stay here for a week while Enid is safe at Nevermore.” Gomez looked hopeful, desperate to save his daughter.

Wednesday despised the idea of leaving Enid alone anywhere, but Nevermore was arguably the best place for her as of now. And as much as she craved to follow the Were everywhere, she knew her parents would not allow it until a better plan was in place to keep her alive longer.

“At least send Thing with her.” Wednesday was almost always above begging, but for the first time since her last almost death, she didn’t have the strength to care.