Chapter Text
It had been hours since Wednesday and Enid braved the wilderness in search of the observatory. Although this first task was successful, the second– finding helpful evidence as to the whereabouts of the three students– was not so. This meant the already unlikely third task, finding the teens, had zero chance of making it past wishful thinking.
As the flustered sleuths returned to Nevermore, the glimmering sun was halfway above the horizon. Without the moon’s assistance, Enid was struggling to maintain her strength, meaning Wednesday nearly had to drag Enid down the final stretch of hallway to their room.
“Sinclair, if you do not wake up and stop leaning on me I will make it my personal mission to ensure you are indeed the next captive.” An objecting groan left Enid’s rosy lips, content where she was until Wednesday lurched her body forward causing Enid to stumble back to life and catch herself with her arms on the doorframe.
“Ugh Willa I need sleeeep,” the wolf whined as she trudged towards her bed, shuffling her feet across the floorboards like a zombie.
The ravenette stopped retrieving her school uniform from her closet as another rise of affection seeped its way into the goth’s heart. The new nickname struck her like the electricity from her personal chair at home.
“ Willa ?” the goth asked, pivoting in confusion toward Enid. Her dark voice came out subtly shocked, a humored lilt choked at the back of her throat. Even more stunning, she found herself adoring the softness in Enid’s tone as she said the girl’s new name. Plus, the blonde’s eyes were barely open now, but still looking at Wednesday in adorable innocence at the question.
The girls stood in silence, Wednesday expecting Enid to be startled awake upon realizing her small blunder. However, the scare the Addams hoped to witness never came. Instead, the gentle wolf drooped her head to the side, her streaked hair slipping into her face, and gave Wednesday a drunken smile the goth was sure the stars would envy. The wolf’s face creased in amusement as tired words spilled from her lips.
“Oh come on, you know you love it!” Enid gifted Wednesday another dazzling smile and with that, the ravenette knew she couldn’t lie. Especially not to the wolf that had stolen her heart straight from her chest: her wolf.
“Perhaps it is not so bad,” Wednesday replied with a smirk before returning to her task. “Now try and rest before classes begin.” It was Enid’s turn to smirk now as she drunkenly hobbled over to her bed giggling to herself and removing some of her many layers.
“Hehe you liiiiike me!”
Wednesday, facing away from the blonde, shook her head with a small smile on her face as she allowed her honest affection to take place in her mind.
That I do wolf… insurmountably more than you know
As the pastel wolf slept, soft grumbles and growls emitting from the colorful side of the room, Wednesday prepared herself for another disappointing school day, slinging her bag on her shoulder.
With sunlight creeping through their large circular window, Wednesday knew that there was around an hour before she and Enid needed to leave for breakfast. Unfortunately for the sleeping wolf, it took around exactly an hour for her to get ready on a regular day; meaning, if she was not up immediately, she would be late and wouldn’t eat. This notion left Wednesday frustrated for more than one reason. The first is that if she leaves Enid alone, there is a high chance that she will be taken and frustratingly enough, the Addam’s attachment to the wolf left her with no choice but to suffer being late. The second, which had the goth clenching her jaw, was that she would begrudgingly have to wait for her roommate to finish her unnecessarily long routine filled with gallons of mysterious sprays and puffs of glitter. When the goth girl grimaced at the latter, a buzz from the bag on her shoulder called to her from the void of contemplation she was trapped in. Souring her already sour mood– this time in a bad way– Wednesday brought her bag to her bed and fished out her phone. As if her day wasn't already as complicated as deciphering Enid’s text jargon (what is a “yass queen slay” anyway?), the message displaying on Wednesday’s phone screen just added to the chaos.
It was her poor excuse of a stalker.
Turn around
Wednesday read the message in her head. Hmm, this seems promising .
Retrieving a poison-laced, silver blade from under her mattress (slipping a little of the mixture onto her tongue nonchalantly), Wednesday flung her body 180 degrees and used her momentum to thrust her weapon forward, but the blade made contact with nothing… what a shame. Wednesday’s eyes gazed only upon her writing desk. Returning to a normal standing position and bringing the blade down to her side, Wednesday walked over to inspect her surroundings but nothing seemed to be amiss.
She began thinking this was another prank played by the other halls but her thoughts shifted as she now wondered what had even become of the celebration. An unusual spark of pain flickered in her heart as she wondered as well what Enid would think of the holiday’s downfall. The possibility of more pain on Enid’s pale face had Wednesday making a silent oath to herself: revenge on whoever was befalling her wolf's celebration.
However, plotting revenge and contemplating her nonchalant possessive behavior over Enid could wait.
Not even the joy of putting herself in mental distress can prevent her from her task: acquiring the reasoning for that unprompted message.
Wednesday, stepping away from her writing desk, wandered further toward the center of the room. Well, she tried to. Her momentum was obstructed by something hard underfoot. She looked down and lifted her foot to reveal a seemingly simple, black, ballpoint pen. With its sleek, dark plastic, there was little to note about the object other than its abnormal placement on the floor.
Plus the fact it wasn’t Wednesdays.
And that it wasn’t there when the girls returned a few hours ago.
Wednesday walked over to one of her many tables to retrieve a tissue while noting her quill and ink that remained untouched. She preferred that method for writing anything besides her novels. Returning to stand above the pen, Wednesday crouched down to pick it up with the napkin so as to not contaminate it entirely. As the foreign object was brought closer to the girl’s onyx gaze, The substance coating the tissue, as well as the entire pen, was too familiar.
Charcoal.
Wednesday wondered if Enid could have written something with it to cause its placement upon the floor– despite that not explaining the charcoal. However, it was understandably idiotic for the ravenette to assume Enid used anything other than a sparkly pink pen. How could she forget the handwritten notes she’d received all summer from the wolf, each “I” dotted with a heart.
Another reason Wednesday prefers hand-written things– they reveal character. The young Addams had done a deep dive into criminal graphology many years ago and was now very familiar with all of the fixings belonging to mysteries of the written word. However, this information was useless without anything to compare anything to.
She had nothing.
As Wednesday broke the psychological spell she often found herself trapped in, she remembered why she was standing alone in the middle of her room in the first place.
Her phone chimed again. This time it was nothing more than a notification to her favorite dark web subscriptions which she had found a way to display. However, she found herself looking not at where she had left her phone on the bed, but to where she normally would leave it.
Her writing desk.
The dark-haired girl had begun recently to break her routine by bringing the dreaded device with her and although she would rather not admit it, she does find the horrid thing quite helpful in some cases. Swift realization hit her like Xavier’s arrow, piercing her investigative mind and slightly bruising her ego at her slight incompetence. Perhaps the message sent to her did not mean to have her turn around from her bed, but from where she normally sat the device. After all, they are a stalker for a reason, they would (and should in Wednesday’s opinion) know what her routine is by now (if they’re any good at their job that is).
Wednesday now stood facing her beloved typewriter, the page inside it still half complete (she would really have to get on that later). Placing the dusty pen atop the desk and bringing the discarded blade in her hand to a ready position, the violent girl turned around sharply for the second time. Once again, nothing behind her seemed amiss. However, Wednesday now had a straight view of Enid’s bed and soft, sleeping form.
The blonde was a wild but deep sleeper. In other words, as Wednesday watched the adorable wolf roll over from a strangled-looking starfish position to a curled ball (which was something Wednesday wanted burned into her retinas and probably would with all the vibrant color), the goth was not shocked that whatever caused a whimper from her tired lips did not wake her up. However, the whimper was sharp, short, and not unlike the sounds of pain Enid made when Wednesday dressed her wounds after her battle with the Hyde.
Wednesday took in a breath. It was highly likely the stupid wolf had just pulled her own hair when adorably rolling over but… Wednesday knew what each form of pain sounded like, as she had performed many tests on her brother and documented the responses like the morbid little thing she is, and the cry of hair being pulled did not match the hissed whine that escaped Enid.
It was like she had been burned.
Wednesday crossed the room in milliseconds, blade raised and rage forming in her gut. What could have hurt her Enid? What could have disturbed the deep sleep her wolf so notably deserved?
Every ounce of protective affection her father exuded made sense to the young Addams now. Although she had never in a million Addam’s lifetimes seen herself in this dreadful position, she now understood what her father meant when he had told her “My little tormenta, no anger compares to the rage of love”. Did she love Enid? Well, she wasn’t quite sure. What she did know is that unfortunately, something was making the mistake of disrupting her wolf’s sleep and unfortunately, someone had made the mistake of underestimating the strength of an Addam’s affection.
It was then she saw it.
A dark, silver blade was placed on Enid’s bed atop a piece of paper, much too close for Wednesday's comfort at that.
The only person that could torture Enid, was Wednesday Addams.
Moving the blade, Wednesday read over the note from a distance. Who knows what possible concoctions it could be covered?
“Oh Wednesday, you believe you have no weaknesses.
But I’ve been watching you.
And unfortunately, that belief is more faulty than the treats you spit at those around you. Plus, to add insult to injury, your weakness has many, many , of its own.
There’s the usual decapitation, limb removal, or loss of blood, but nothing is better than the most well-known:
Silver.
This is a warning, Wednesday Addams. Continue to interfere and the next knife will be one of many plunged into your wolf’s heart. I wonder how many it will take to break her.
The choice is yours.
But safety isn’t guaranteed.
After all, there’s no promise to what hides in the dark”
Wednesday inhaled a sharp breath and leaned in to inspect Enid. For once, she had hoped that her conclusion, the stalker coming after Enid next, was a fluke. However, as the concept became reality, Wednesday was finding it harder and harder to maintain her composure about the entire situation. The spiders that were crawling in her stomach at the thought of the blonde wolf were now biting viciously. Their venom streamed into Wednesday’s blood causing a new outbreak of panic inside her. She hadn’t felt anything like this in a long time. Not since she saw Thing’s lifeless body struggling to be brought back to life. Not since she saw Eugene in the hospital bed. Not since she saw Enid’s battered form staring into her eyes. And now…as she thought of a captured Enid with a barely beating heart, it happened again.
The goth girl let out a growl as she held the stalker's weapon of choice in her shaking hands. What Wednesday wasn’t aware of, however, was that her sound of protective anger plus her proximity to the blonde, meaning her dark scent was incredibly stronger, had caused the sleeping wolf to wake with a start.
Enid’s eyes had slid open to reveal a seething Wednesday hovering over her firmly grasping a silver blade in one hand and a slimy looking one in the other.
What the HELL?!
“OMG HOLY SHIT!!” Enid yelped, eyes blown wide as she scrambled towards the stuffed animal-covered wall.
“Enid it is quite alright,” Wednesday began
“um ALRIGHT?!” Enid’s chest heaved as she clutched it tight with a hand. “Wednesday you were hovering over me holding two knives! Silver knives!! What the actual HELL is going on?!”
Thing crawled out from his resting place under Wednesday’s bed and galloped to Enid’s rescue. She clutched him tight as she had been doing with her shirt.
“As I was trying to explain, I was over here expecting to maim someone else.” This only caused Enid to clutch Thing tighter.
“Ex-excuse me?” and Enid’s lack of trust was only stressing out the ravenette more.
“Well because it is now clear you must know… I have a stalker…” Wednesday said reluctantly. Enid looked much less shocked than the goth was expecting.
“Oh, okay… me too! After fighting a hyde, you get kind of popular hehe,” Enid chucked nonchalantly, letting Thing now rest upon the bed.
“yes well—” Wednesday began. However, a pesky spider bit her insides again. The concept of someone getting to know Enid Sinclair better than Wednesday had bile rising in her throat, her grip on the knives tightening. Her feelings built up so much that she was unable to prevent her mouth from moving. “Anyone, besides me, who makes the dangerous choice to take interest in you is going to make me prove that these knives are for more than show.” Enid’s eyes were blown wide again.
“Huh.. uh interest?” Enid stuttered, her cheeks becoming rosy with the implications.
Why did I have to say it like that?, Wednesday thought. Thing began signing from behind Enid for Wednesday to finally be honest— both with herself and the wolf. But if Wednesday Addams is one thing, it’s stubborn. So, much like the days before, she snuck her way out of facing reality.
“Yes. Well, interest, like companionship,” the goth said matter of factly. Anyway, this wasn’t a complete lie…it wasn’t Wednesday’s fault the word had synonyms. Whatever Enid chose in this moment was up to her.
“Oh right…” Enid replied. Wednesday’s eyes dropped to the blonde’s hands. Her colorful claws had come out and she was fidgeting with the paint. Whichever form of companionship Enid had chosen, had upset her… Wednesday only hopes it was the form that returned her sentiment…but that would have to wait. After all, no feelings could be returned if the wolf was not alive.
“Well anyway Sinclair, while your stalkers merely seek attention, mine seeks blood on their hands,” Wednesday spoke seriously.
“…my blood?” Enid replied meekly, eyes glistening as she looked at the blades in Wednesday’s hands.
“It appears so, yes.” She eyed the floor uncomfortably. “I believe I have been under their watch since our extended break last year, but the only true action they’ve ever taken— or planned to take— has occurred recently.”
Wednesday took in a sharp breath as reality began to sink in. Enid getting kidnapped wasn’t just an idea, but the only truth— a truth that was becoming too real for her to take. The same anxiety that had filled her earlier filled her now. It was a feeling that had been forgotten before today, and she didn’t know how to react. She had never been filled with so much fear— not even during Crackstone’s attack. She had never cared about someone enough to even begin feeling this way. To have to comprehend that someone would wish to hurt Enid, her Enid—her ray of sun through storm clouds— was quickly making her nauseous, and not in a good way. All of the possible pictures running through her head of her Enid enduring such excruciating forms of agony made her feel like someone was clutching onto her heart. A leach pulling her blood from her body. She knew this feeling to be the beginning of a panic attack.
She had to gain control, and fast.
Wednesday mentally rushed to take hold of one of her most powerful emotions: anger. She latched onto it like a pit bull to a toy. Bile rose up her throat as she processed every plan of dark, bloody revenge she could take out onto Enid’s possible captor before settling on the most logical option.
As Wednesday came back down from her drugless high, her even further darkened gaze changed as she saw Enid now. The blonde was sitting up straight at the side of her bed, fidgeting even more so than before.
Of course, how could I be so ignorant? Wednesday scolded herself. It’s only fitting for Enid to be even more worrisome than I.
The ravenette softened her gaze, steadying it enough to look at Enid without shaking. One small, pale hand reached out and brushed past blonde hair before resting gently on the side of Enid’s warm neck. The other had been discarded to grasp the blonde’s bicep. Wednesday spoke as she gave the wolf's toned arm a gentle squeeze, simultaneously ignoring Enid’s growing heart rate under Wednesday’s hand at the contact.
“Enid…” Wednesday began cautiously, still highly aware of the blonde’s pulse under her warmed hand causing her to shift her gaze to Enid’s legs below. “I thoroughly apologize for neglecting to consider your feelings in this time of discovery. I was once again blinded by the chase,” Wednesday's eyebrows furrowed.
With her gaze downcast, she missed the way Enid’s eyes lit up. Without knowing it, Wednesday had admitted she really did care about Enid’s feelings. She knew the goth girl did …but this was different now with uncovered feelings of affection. A new feeling blossomed inside her chest at the softness of which Wednesday spoke with. A warm feeling, unlike anything she had felt before. Her heart strumbled upon new ground like a newborn foal as she felt a smile threatening to take hold of her in this tense moment.
Whatever this was, was beyond a crush…Enid wondered if Wednesday felt the same. God she really hoped she did.
“But you must know,” Wednesday began again, meeting Enid’s star-struck eyes, “I now have a plan to lure and hopefully identify your supposed captor-to-be.” Enid eyed her curiously. “However, I will not be with you.” Enid’s eyes widened.
“Wh- why not?” Enid was more than worried. She was protective. The last time she had left Wednesday while something dangerous was at hand, the goth girl had basically died, got resurrected, and shot with an arrow… yeah no, Enid was not having that again. Her strong hand moved to lay over Wednesday’s on her neck. “You do remember what happened last time we were separated during danger right ?”
“Ah yes, being healed by an undead relative and getting shot with Xavier’s arrow,” Wednesday mused dreamily looking off in the distance (attempting to avoid the added heat above her hand).
“ Exactly !!” Enid shouted, grip tightening.
“Yes, well, it is pertinent we are apart for this venture.” Wednesday’s shifting, dark eyes moved back to the floor as she took a preparatory breath before her eyes locked again with Enids. “While you stay here seemingly alone, Xavier, who will have to sneak in, and Yoko, will be hiding in the room prepared to strike your captor. Meanwhile, I will be down in the Night Shade’s library in search of any information on Hall Heads.” Wednesday said confidently, bringing her now warm hands back to her sides— the loss of contact secretly bothering both teens.
Enid’s face contorts in disgust at the mention of the psychic boy. She doesn’t see how he could be of any help to their investigation. Not to mention his clear affection for Wednesday. The thought caused Enid to emit a low growl.
“I know wolf. They are not my favorite either. However, they have managed to evade capture and will be strong assistance with their combined abilities.”
Enid rolled her eyes. At least Yoko would be there in case she gives in and strangles Xavier. The thought of overpowering the boy nearly brought a smile to Enid’s face but was blocked by the reminder Wednesday wouldn’t be there to see it.
“But Wends… you shouldn’t go alone. Aren’t you also a target?” Enid asked, her blue eyes pleading Wednesday to change her mind. Wednesday nods.
“I am subject to many threats. You , Sinclair, are not. Meaning, I am not the main focus of this chaos.” The goth said matter of factly.
Enid’s brows furrow at her roommate’s confidence— no matter how attractive she found it.
“And anyway, Thing was already sent to fetch your protectors. They should be arriving any minute.” A cheeky smirk played on Wednesday’s face.
“Wh- how did you— ugh it doesn’t matter,” Enid said with a sigh of defeat. The blonde began fidgeting again, her gaze on her socked feet as they poked the floorboards.
Wednesday Addams knew she should just let it go. She knew that whatever this behavior was didn’t matter. Oh, and she definitely shouldn’t even think of asking!…but her burning desire to keep Enid Sinclair happy had her wondering all the same, what could possibly be bothering her sweet, colorful wolf? Unfortunately, she is not a girl of compassionate elegance.
“Enid, I don't understand what about this plan is getting your fur in such knots!”
“ Because !!” Enid retorted, her hands balling into fists. Why is Wednesday being so ridiculous?
“Enid that still doesn’t explai—”
“I WANT YOU TO BE HERE TO PROTECT ME OKAY?! Not them! You…” Enid shouted, shooting up from the bed.
Even after the haze of the ravenette’s misplaced aggression, the words that shot from Enid’s mouth still shocked the blonde. And by the wide-eyed expression on Wednesday, the Addams girl felt the same.
The air became tense quickly.
Enid wondered if she had overstepped, the weight of her exclamation hanging in the air around them…
Wednesday blinked stunned and looked to her feet. There was a passion rising inside her at hearing Enid so defeated. One that dragged Wednesday’s heart even further into Enid’s grasp. Ever since their first meeting, Wednesday believed the blonde’s eyes were as powerful as a sirens. Her normally sunny gaze still capable of giving the goth 3rd degree burns on her heart— and she couldn’t get enough.
Enid’s behavior reminded Wednesday of the hysterics that ensued a year ago when the blonde learned her fanged friend wouldn’t be able to participate in the Poe Cup. Wednesday coming so quickly to Enid’s rescue… but this time was different.
They needed to be separated.
If Enid did indeed get captured, Wednesday knew she’d go after her in a heartbeat. And even her dark heart knew Enid, fearful cuteness and all, would do the same for her.
But if both girls went missing… they were doomed.
So Wednesday, fluttering her eyes up to meet Enid’s, allowed her walls to drop once more in Enid’s presence, admitting something she never expected to— and definitely not to an adorably flustered blonde
“I’m leaving to protect you pup.”
Oh wow… Enid thought, taking a small step closer to the shorter girl.
“I won’t let anything too bad happen to you, Enid.” It was Wednesday’s turn to move close.
Despite the hidden humor in Wednesday’s words, the girl was nothing if not an honest speaker to Enid. She had given her no reason to think otherwise.
Once again the truth had Enid blazing: Wednesday did care for her. Romantic or not Enid Sinclair couldn’t care less. Wednesday Addams, the girl whose heart was in an iron cage; the girl who once couldn’t give a single “ef” about anyone’s feelings; the beautiful girl of her dreams… possessed actual emotion for Enid Sinclair!
Enid should be jumping and screaming or swinging from the rafters!— but she wasn’t because—
When did we get so close?
“Enid,” Wednesday said, swallowing hard, her gaze lingering on soft lips. The two were less than an arm's length from each other. Wednesday forced her eyes up and— wow .
Something dark sparkled in Enid’s eyes. Their sky-like hue, now challenged by a tint akin to the deepest reaches of the ocean— she was stunning.
Her name was on her lips again, devotion and praise ready to drip thick honey— but Enid couldn’t take it.
“Wednesday, I- well—“
Her words were lost as she lost herself in light, tan skin, and freckles. Her hand lifted in an urge to graze Wednesday's cold cheek.
The same thought ran through their minds
Could she actually like me back?
There was an innocent stiffness in their movements. one that revealed their hesitancy; the possibility of rejection still dangling above them like mistletoe.
Enid’s hand reached to frame Wednesday’s face, gently, while the goth wished to evade the violent rush of color to her neck, ears, and cheeks.
“What is it?” Wednesday pressed, leaning forward a hare more, an unfamiliar and desperate sound of longing in her words. Her heart pounded and her hands threatened to lose themselves in the thick material of Enid’s sweater.
Their breaths mingled. Enid’s mouth hanging agape, no words ready on her tongue. She knew she could be dreaming, but the possibility she wasn’t had her simply basking in their closeness for however long she could have it.
She leaned in closer, hand shaking centimeters away from Wednesday’s pale cheek.
Their eyes began to flutter shut, reality warping. It was finally happening.
SLAM!!
“We’re heeeere!!”
The two girls sprung apart faster than repelled magnets.
Yoko and Xavier were faced with Wednesday and Enid standing an incredibly awkward distance apart from each other, faces aflame.
“Oops!! Sorry Enid, did we cock-block you?”
Wednesday was going to kill them both.
And Enid wouldn’t stop her.