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“Get your shit together, Wednesday, we’re doing this.”
Wednesday didn’t pout. She only glared at the group of Nightshades (that now also included Lucas), plus Eugene and minus Yoko, scowl hardening at the look on Bianca’s face.
“You want to take a break?” Divina mumbled once everyone had gone back to their tasks – the room was halfway to being decorated, and the only things worse than knowing there were a bunch of puppies in the room next door were the walls of pink that seemed to be enclosing on her.
She pointed her glare at Divina.
“…Cool, it’s a no then, got it.”
“Yoko,” Enid whined, dragging the last letter, “I know something’s going on – please don’t tell me Wednesday did something stupid for my birthday again.”
“Don’t worry, we kept her from kidnapping a random shopkeeper, this time,” Yoko said, winking, “But you’ll have to admit, that was pretty cute.”
Enid sighed, a smile on her face. “Yeah … I mean, in a strange way, I guess she just wanted to get me a pink teddy...”
“What do you mean? I don’t understand.”
“Wednesday, I love this but – you can’t, under no circumstances, kidnap someone and threaten them with a knife.”
“They said they weren’t going to bring the … animal to Lurch’s car.”
“That … maybe they would have wrapped it. In black wrapping paper. Or you could have asked Yoko – right, sorry, bad idea. But you could have asked Div! She would have loved helping you.”
“Yeah, a pink teddy that was almost double her size.”
“Not just almost,” Enid mumbled, a shy smile spreading on her face. “You know how she’s been going to color therapy?”
“Right … you told me something about that.”
“Wednesday!”
“What?”
“A letter – from that weird guy you crystal-balled!”
“I called him through my crystal sphere – Thing, give me the letter.”
“…So? What does it say? Did you get the spot?”
“It says…”
“What?”
“He’s coming next week.”
“You just never said what exactly this color therapy thing was – or, like, her color allergy, to begin with,” Yoko said, glancing over the rim of her sunglasses, “To be honest, I always assumed it was just – not just, but you know what I mean – overstimulation.”
Enid scrunched up her nose, shrugging. “I think that’s part of it – but, her skin doesn’t react well to touching anything colorful, as well, and I also tried natural dyes! I don’t know – but she’s been getting braver?”
“Braver?” Yoko repeated slowly, lifting an eyebrow. “Braver? Enid, care to explain that one?”
Enid blushed. “Shut up. It’s not – not like that.”
“I’m surprised you haven’t yet killed a kitten or Ajax, actually,” Bianca said, sitting down in front of Wednesday, while writing names onto cups.
“Neither cats nor Ajax are worthy opponents nor have wronged me.”
“Ajax literally had a thing with your girlfriend.”
Wednesday glared at her.
It took Bianca a moment, before she noticed and set down the pen. “What? You want me to call her your beloved? Maybe something more – fiancée? Wife? Your, what, mate?”
Wednesday huffed. “Ajax is nothing more than a friend to Enid, and since he has been a useful tool I see no reason for me to hold any grudges.”
“So mature of you,” Bianca said, returning to her writing, “That doesn’t explain why Kent’s still walking on both feet and singing. I thought you would have shut him up the second he started his first rendition of Last Christmas. Fifteen minutes ago.”
“I’m training my mind in withstanding torture,” Wednesday answered.
“…Right. I’m not judging, to everyone their own. But, you know, it’s time to check on the puppies and…” Bianca trailed off, nervously looking at Wednesday, whose face would have been paling, could it have looked any more dead.
“…and you – uh, you volunteered? Maybe there’s a mistake in my notes-”
Wednesday got up from her seat, eyes dead set on the door. “I’m supposed to bring them to the playpen until she’s here, is that right?”
“Yeah … but, Wednesday, if you think you might not want to bring them all unharmed there, that’s fine – you can, I don’t know, write a poem for Enid – she’d love that, wouldn’t she? I can ask Lucas-”
Wednesday huffed a loud breath, making Eugene turn around with a questioning look – like everyone, he knew that could have counted as a laugh in Wednesday’s books.
“Enid would not understand all the layers of intent behind the simplistic analysis of stylistic devices – no.”
“I’m sure the intention behind a love poem for her birthday would be pretty clear, don’t you think? And, it would be a perfect chance to explain all your edginess to her-”
“Don’t forget yourself, Barclay,” Wednesday warned, she was barely listening to her, thoughts already circling her next task – tame the puppies.
“Suit yourself – if even one hair is missing, Enid will notice, so just … do your best – worst.”
Wednesday rolled her eyes and turned away. Everyone’s gazes followed her as she made her way to the door – hushed whispers.
They were even more dramatic than her family, the whole bunch of them.
Enid watched as Yoko glanced down at her phone, a short, worried look passing over her face.
“Everything fine?” she asked, looking away and pretending the question was only casual – but she knew everyone else was doing something. It was her birthday and she had yet to see Wednesday, so it could only be some kind of surprise.
For her and everyone’s sake she hoped they kept Wednesday away from gigantic teddy bears – one in their shared dorm was enough and had already complicated their living situation.
“Oh, yeah, it’s just Div – going really well, actually,” Yoko’s tone changed, and she looked at Enid over her sunglasses, smirking.
Enid rolled her eyes. Her best friend knew how to perfectly cut off a conversation.
She just hoped Wednesday was okay. And not doing more than slightly illegal things, at least.
Wednesday could hear panicked whispers behind the door and felt a weird swelling in her chest – next to the urge to prove herself, to see the expressions on their faces when she defied all their expectations, it was almost like … excitement.
She shuddered in horror.
Her eyes fell onto the group of puppies, all frozen in front of their toys and blankets as they looked back up at her.
Wednesday straightened her back, the corners of her lips twitching.
“I knew you guys were planning something,” Enid said, grinning, “Can’t we just skip the blindfold, though?”
“Nope, you’ll still be surprised – and we made sure to have Wednesday douse it in something, apparently it’s supposed to distract your sense of smell.”
Enid groaned. Of course, Wednesday would go far beyond – her heart was already skipping beats, and now, knowing she was so close to seeing her again, she couldn’t help the butterflies erupting, the bouncing of her arms-
“There you go,” Yoko said as she tightened the blind fold at the back of her head, an arm around her shoulder, “Please don’t fall.”
“Me? Never.”
“Shut up, idiot.”
“Psh, get ready – Kent, stop singing.”
“Sorry, Bianca,” Kent mumbled sheepishly.
“Lucas, is Wednesday ready?”
Lucas nodded, shooting his thumbs up across the room. “Everything’s set and under control.”
Bianca smiled at him, before turning to the next pair. “The cake? Eugene, Ajax?”
“It’s right here – nothing went wrong!” Eugene grinned, keeping his voice down and sharing a fist bump with the gorgon, who seemed mostly mentally present.
“The music’s set up too – and … the disco ball,” Divina mumbled, pained at the last part. “I’m not taking the blame if Wednesday says anything.”
“She’ll keep it in, for Enid,” Bianca said, almost more than fifty percent sure of it, “I’m more worried about the puppies.”
“They were fine,” Lucas whispered into her ear, “She didn’t look like she was going to kill them – if anything, then me.”
“Yoko texted me,” Divina said, looking up from her phone, “They’re in the driveway.”
“Alright,” Bianca breathed through, “Luke, on position.”
He smirked, saluting. “Aye, aye. If I die, write live, laugh, love on my headstone.” He disappeared through the door, to Wednesday – Bianca rolled her eyes.
“Ajax, lights out.”
After a few seconds and a short click the room was pitch black, and they only had to wait – Bianca hated how her body was pumping adrenaline, as if it believed there had been anything behind Wednesday’s threat of grilling her and feeding her to the sharks when-
She smiled.
When she was only doing this because Wednesday had pulled in a favor – helping her organize a birthday party Enid would actually like.
“Are we there yet?” Enid asked. She could hear the little rocks crunching under her feet, and the air did smell cleaner than in Jericho – she doubted they were back at Nevermore. It smelled more like the forest, without the humidity of the lake…
“Yep,” Yoko said, pulling her along happily, “Careful, there are steps – oops, sorry.”
Enid stumbled over the first one, holding onto Yoko to keep herself from falling – “Couldn’t you have said something a moment earlier?”
“Sorry – uhm, first time doing this, usually I’m the one-”
“Yoko! What the hell.”
“Kidding,” Yoko answered, and stopped – before taking out something that sounded like … keys?
Enid frowned, trying to think. “Whose house is this?” A thought came to her mind. “This is not the Gates Mansion, right?”
“Right,” Yoko agreed, sounding smug, “Though, that was a suggestion at first, we agreed it would probably be more trauma inducing that healing.”
Enid breathed through in relief. If it wasn’t the Gates’ Mansion, it couldn’t be bad. Unless they broke into someone’s house – but her friends wouldn’t allow that.
“You didn’t break into someone's house, did you?” She asked, only a little – but a little – worried. Well, there was Wednesday – you never knew for sure with her, if it was about criminal activity.
“Pff,” Yoko laughed, before cryptically explaining, “As if. Even Wednesday didn’t suggest that. It doesn’t really matter whose house, and more what’ll be waiting…”
There was a moment of silence and Enid was led through what she presumed was a hallway before they entered a room. Yoko stepped behind her and pulled off her blindfold and – it was still dark.
Enid blinked a few times, trying to force out some of her wolf vision, but before she was successful, the lights sprung on, and a big happy birthday banner sprung into her eyes – pink. The room was pink – the balloons were, everything – with sprinkles of other colors throughout.
Her friends were there – now, singing a partly arranged Happy Birthday, directed by Bianca – Enid hadn’t even noticed Yoko slipping away, but she was standing next to Divina, grinning back as she failed each note miserably.
“Oh my god,” Enid mumbled, over and over, struggling to take everything in – there was a cake, in front of Eugene. Pink with dyed black toppings. Her heart warmed infinitely – and she looked for Wednesday.
She would have picked up on her singing, but she knew Wednesday had to be there – she would miss her birthday for nothing in the world, not after everything the previous year. Both because she knew Wednesday would want to challenge herself, and for Enid.
“Where’s…?” she started, when her friends had finished, all big smiles on their faces.
Her ears caught the sound of a door opening and she shot around.
The soft tips and taps of little paws hit her ears, reminding her of a bunch of Things, but no – those were real paws.
Enid squealed, quietly, as she restrained herself – a little army of puppies flushed out of the door, looking around the bright room, before finding her-
“Oh my god,” she repeated, as the first few ran up to her. Falling to her knees, she hugged the first one, before moving on to the second-
When, in the corner of her eye, she spotted Wednesday.
Because that black shadow among the pink couldn’t be anyone else.
“Wednesday!” Enid grinned – unable to move, as the puppies circled her, a few pushing themselves under her arms, demanding hugs and scratches – her heart felt as if it was about to explode, and she was sure everyone was able to read it in the way her grin broadened until it couldn’t anymore.
“Happy Birthday, Enid,” Wednesday said, stopping in front of her, hands behind her back, “The … puppies are going to be here all day – and will be able to find a home with Cousin Itt, afterwards, in case you form a connection with any of them.”
Enid could feel the tears collect in her eyes, and hugged another puppy, accepting the excited licks on her face.
“Wednesday – oh my god, I love you.” She buried her face in the puppy’s fur, before releasing it and letting another one climb into her arms, tail wagging quickly. Their friends had come closer, watching, and giving attention to the puppies that couldn’t manage to wrangle their way through to Enid.
“I am aware.” Wednesday said, in a tone that made Enid want to smile wider – she couldn’t!
“Oh my-! This is so awesome – Wednesday, come down here!”
Wednesday reluctantly lowered herself onto her knees, letting a dog run over her lap, but keeping her hands at her side, careful not to touch any of the puppies.
Enid watched her – “I can’t believe you’re even in this room.”
Wednesday painfully squinted and made sure to keep her eyes on Enid. “Me neither. It turned out even … more … colorful than I could have imagined.”
“You did this all? You – everyone?”
“We helped,” Yoko said, “But Wednesday had all the ideas – uhm, we crossed out a few, but everything you see here was thought of by yours truly.”
“Bianca did most of it,” Wednesday argued quietly.
Bianca sighed, smiling at Enid, shrugging. “I owed her – but I only helped with the organizing, and planning – made sure everything was getting done properly and in time. Everything but the disco ball was Wednesday’s idea-”
Wednesday glared at the ceiling, looking close to pulling out a knife and trying (succeeding) to shoot it off.
Enid couldn’t contain the energy bouncing through her and grabbed Wednesday’s wrists, pulling her attention onto her. “Thank you so much, I can’t even think with all the puppies – everything is so pretty! And the cake – did you put the…?”
“Yes,” Wednesday said, closing her eyes, “But Eugene and Divina baked it. They did not trust me to not add cyanide.”
Enid grinned at her, at their friends – it was going to be the best birthday ever.
She locked eyes with Wednesday again, who was now reservedly patting a dalmatian puppy.
“Presents, now?” Yoko asked.
Enid’s eyes widened, excitedly – “This is already this best present ever and there’s more?”
Yoko nodded, and gestured behind her, somewhere. “We have everything here – our presents, and some stuff that arrived for you, that ... Wednesday snatched. But I believe there’s another present you were supposed to get first…” she trailed off, and smirked at Enid.
There were groans, from Bianca and Divina, and laughs – and Enid didn’t have to wait long to guess why.
Wednesday gripped her collar and pulled her towards her, glancing away, as she mumbled. “This is an exception.” And then kissed her, in front of their friends, very clearly leaving her comfort zone … just to make Enid’s day a little better.
The applause got lost as the blood rushed into her ears.
Enid rested her forehead against Wednesday’s shoulder, blushing, and completely in love-
“Now the rest of the presents!”
She loved her friends.