Chapter Text
The single holiday store that Jericho has is decked out with Halloween decorations in full swing of the festive season. Orange and purple lights hang overhead, casting a cozy glow over the racks of costumes. There’s a chaotic blend of colors and textures, each aisle crammed with possibilities ranging from the absurd to the terrifying. Playful, spooky music plays through the overhead speakers just loud enough to be heard over the hubbub of excitement as people mill around.
Halloween is only a week away and there’s an energy to the store even though Enid tried to time it so that they would arrive when there were fewer people for Wednesday’s sake. The throngs of shoppers darting between the aisles, trying on masks and testing out props, are the last thing Wednesday would want to navigate. And yet, here they are—caught in the middle of a bustling crowd, surrounded by bright lights and cheery, if somewhat creepy, decorations.
Despite this, Enid feels a familiar thrill as she takes in the sight. Halloween has always been her favorite time of year, but now it feels even more special.
“Enid, you look a second away from exploding.”
Wednesday’s dry tone pulls her from her thoughts, and she turns to find her girlfriend watching her with that intense gaze of hers. There’s a faint twitch at the corner of her mouth—a small tell that Wednesday is amused, even if she’d never admit it.
Enid's heart swells with warmth. It’s the same feeling that’s been bubbling up inside her more and more lately, whenever she looks at Wednesday or thinks about their future together. Even if it’s tomorrow, or next semester, or next year…it’s hard to imagine life without her grumpy little Raven now.
“I’m excited! Halloween is the best!” Enid grins and twirls around, letting the fringes of her newest ghost sweater flutter around her. She gestures grandly at everything . “The decorations, the costumes, the candy—everything’s just so…magical.”
Wednesday’s gaze flicks toward a nearby shelf of trick-or-treat baskets and their five pound candy neighbors, her voice unamused. “Yes, plastic and sugar. Truly enchanting.”
As they walk through the costume store, Enid rushes from one display to the next. “Oh! Look at this one!” She pulls out a glittering fairy costume, holding it up with a bright smile. “I could totally rock this, right?”
Wednesday glances at the costume, her expression barely changing. “Of course, but fairies are essentially over-glorified insects with wings.”
Enid gasps. “What would the fairies say if they heard you say that?”
“What do you think fairies look like?”
“Tiny, cute people with wings…?”
“Enid, not every folk story is true.”
“Are you saying that fairies aren’t real?”
“Your conception of fairies is not true if you believe that they produce magic dust that grants the ability of flight and can help children travel to imaginary lands.”
Enid immediately crowds Wednesday’s space, gripping her sleeves tightly. “OMG! You’ve seen Peter Pan?!”
Wednesday grumbles and tries to squirm away. A light dusting of color appears on her face. “I was forced to attend summer camp. It was one of the many torture implements used.”
Enid tucks her head into Wednesday’s knitted scarf and squeals briefly. “I totally am going to interrogate you on all the other movies you may or may not have seen when we get back home.”
“Unhand me.” Wednesday states firmly, traitorous blush still present.
Enid sticks her tongue out playfully. “You’re no fun.” But she releases her girlfriend and holds up the fairy wings to her back, seamlessly transitioning back to shopping. She gives Wednesday her best pouty face. “I could be your adorable little butterfly instead.”
Wednesday arches an eyebrow, her expression almost imperceptibly softening as she straightens her scarf. “And what would that make me? Your lepidopterist?”
Enid blinks. “My what now?”
“A scientist who studies butterflies. Or, if you prefer, someone who collects them.”
The tone in Wednesday’s voice makes it clear which option she’d prefer, and Enid shivers.
“I’d rather not be dead in this scenario… Uh, let’s keep looking!” she says with a laugh, setting the wings back on the rack.
She moves on quickly, grabbing a pair of masks from a nearby rack. One of them is a white ghost face with an attached black hood and the other is a hockey mask. “Not really my thing, but we could go as classic Halloween villains.”
Wednesday’s eyebrow arches ever so slightly. “Tell me about them.”
“Well, Ghostface murders people and so did Jason.” Enid says with a shrug as she holds up the respective costumes. Wednesday’s expression doesn’t change. “Wait—you’re telling me you’ve seen Peter Pan but you haven’t seen Scream or Friday the 13th?"
“And you have?” Wednesday challenges.
“Well… not willingly. And I mostly had my eyes closed.”
“Shocking. So the answer is no.”
Enid’s laugh bubbles up, catching the attention of a few other shoppers, but she doesn’t care. “I guess so.”
They continue walking, Enid tossing suggestions over her shoulder as Wednesday quietly judges each one. There’s a lightness to it, a fun back-and-forth, but underneath, Enid can feel that warmth inside her growing stronger.
“What about this?” Enid asks, pulling a werewolf mask off the rack with a mischievous grin. “I could go full wolf!”
Wednesday looks at her flatly. “A little on the nose, don’t you think?”
“You could be the werewolf…?”
“I admire your wolf form too much. To replicate it with this would be a disgrace.”
“I don’t know… They say that imitation is just another form of flattery…”
“I was trying to be polite.” Wednesday huffs. “I don’t want a costume that sheds. You’re already bad enough.”
“Hey!” Enid laughs again, giving her a light swat with the mask. She tosses it carelessly on a shelf before launching herself at her girlfriend, wrapping her arms around the seer and growling softly in her ear. “You take that back.”
Wednesday wiggles in her grip but it’s half-hearted at best. They both know that she’ll only be able to get out if Enid allows it. “The truth only hurts if you’re not ready to hear it.”
“That's a lie and you know it, Wednesday Addams!”
“A lie? I simply refrain from sugarcoating things like most of the population.”
Enid tightens her grip, playful but firm. “Well, maybe the rest of the world has a point sometimes.”
Wednesday’s smirk sharpens. “The rest of the world is weak.”
Before Enid can respond, their wild movements --somebody’s leg gets twisted up with her own-- cause her to stumble back into a nearby shelf, knocking a few plastic masks to the floor with a loud clatter. She flinches, letting out a startled laugh, but in her attempt to steady herself, she backs right into another customer.
“Oh! Sorry!” Enid gasps, spinning around with wide eyes. The shopper, a middle-aged man with a shopping basket, stumbles slightly but doesn’t look too bothered.
He chuckles, adjusting his grip on his basket. He glances at how Enid is still gripping Wednesday tight to her chest. “No worries, it’s a tight squeeze in here.”
Enid’s face flushes immediately and she releases Wednesday. She twists her hands nervously as she steps in front. “I really didn’t mean to—are you okay?”
“I’m fine, no harm done,” the man says with an amused smile before moving on. “Just keep the wrestling to a minimum, yeah?”
Enid watches him disappear down the aisle, still mortified. She turns back to Wednesday, cheeks blazing. “Oh my god, I can’t believe that just happened.”
Wednesday, sporting her own light flush but otherwise unfazed, raises an eyebrow. “Your flailing limbs were bound to cause a disaster at some point.”
Enid groans, pressing a hand to her face. “Can we just… not talk about it?”
Wednesday observes her for a beat, then sighs, though there’s a faint glimmer of amusement in her eyes. “If I must.” She takes Enid’s hand without a word and tugs her toward a quieter section of the store.
“Wait, what about the masks—” Enid pulls back slightly, glancing over her shoulder at the mess they left behind.
“Someone gets paid to clean this place, Enid. Why deprive them of their sense of purpose?”
“No, really, Wends, hold on—” Enid slips from Wednesday’s grip and hurries back to the fallen masks. She kneels down, carefully picking them up and placing them back on the shelf. She ducks her head and returns to find Wednesday waiting in the middle of the aisle, arms crossed.
The seer takes Enid’s hand again, lacing their fingers together. “You looked like you were going to crawl out of your skin. I prefer you the way you are.”
Enid follows, glancing at Wednesday’s back. “You’re not even gonna tease me about it?”
“I’ll save it for when you’re not at risk of combusting from embarrassment,” Wednesday replies dryly, though there’s a subtle softness in her tone.
Enid laughs, the tension easing out of her. "You’re too good to me."
They turn a corner and stop in front of a rack labeled Dark Legends , and Wednesday pauses. “Now, this has potential.” She pulls out a long, black robe with silver detailing, holding it up. “Sorceress.”
Enid’s eyes widen with renewed excitement as she remembers why they were here. “Ooh! Yes! That’s so you. Mysterious, brooding… dangerous.”
“Dangerous?” Wednesday repeats, giving her a side-eye.
“Well, yeah,” Enid says with a grin. “You’ve got that whole ‘I could hex you with a single glance’ vibe going on. It’s totally hot.”
Wednesday arches a brow, meeting Enid’s eyes. “Careful,” she says softly, her voice dipping with that familiar dangerous tone. “Rumor has it I’ve also bewitched the hearts of those who catch my eye.”
Enid laughs, stepping closer. “Oh, I’m well aware. Consider me under your spell already.” She glances around, scanning the nearby racks. “Wait, hold up—how about this?” She suddenly grabs a gleaming knight’s chest plate from a nearby display. “I could be your knight in shining armor! Protector of the sorceress.”
Wednesday’s gaze flickers, her dark eyes settling on the armor. “A knight?” she repeats, her tone more thoughtful now. “You think I need protecting?”
“Not exactly.” Enid presses the armor to her chest, grinning. “But every powerful sorceress needs a knight by her side. You know, loyal, strong… good with a sword.”
“Your fencing skills leave room for improvement.”
“Well, I’d do my very best!”
“Would you swear your undying loyalty to me?”
“Only if you swear yours to me.”
Wednesday takes a step closer, her voice softening, another blush threatening her usual pallor. “You’d risk everything to protect me?”
Enid’s grin falters for a split second, a flash of seriousness creeping into her tone. “Of course, I would. I already have.”
The air between them stills as both of them remember that fateful night last semester—the night Enid had transformed, saving Wednesday from certain death. Enid had thrown herself into danger without hesitation, her wolf form protecting Wednesday from the monstrous Hyde. They both knew that Enid had no idea her first transformation would occur that night and yet she ran head-first into the woods anyway.
“I remember,” Wednesday says, her voice quieter now. Her gaze shifts, regret or pain maybe? Enid prides herself on being able to read Wednesday but... “You shouldn’t have.”
Enid’s face softens. “I had to. You were in danger.”
Wednesday’s jaw tenses, the memory stirring something in her she doesn’t often let surface. “You could’ve died, Enid.”
“And you definitely would have,” Enid says firmly, stepping even closer. “And I’d do it again. Every time. Because I can’t just sit on the sidelines and watch you face things alone.”
Wednesday’s expression hardens again, though not in anger—more out of frustration. “I don’t want you putting yourself in harm’s way for me. It’s unnecessary.”
Enid’s lips curve into a small, sad smile. “It’s not about ‘need,’ Wends. I want to be by your side, not just waiting around for the fallout. I want to face whatever comes our way—together. Because let's face it, you can’t get rid of me now.”
Wednesday studies her for a long moment, her eyes scanning Enid’s face as if searching for something she can’t quite name. “I’ve never needed anyone to fight my battles,” she murmurs.
“I know,” Enid replies softly, her voice full of understanding. “But you don’t have to do it alone anymore.”
Wednesday holds her gaze. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Enid reaches out, gently taking Wednesday’s hand. “You’ve already said that, silly. I’m not fragile, you know. Just stay out of danger and I won’t be in any either, okay?”
For a moment, Wednesday doesn’t respond. She looks down at their intertwined hands, her thumb brushing lightly over Enid’s skin. “You’re insufferably stubborn.”
Enid grins sweetly. “Learned from the best.”
There’s a beat of silence before Wednesday finally sighs, her dark eyes so soft. “If you insist on being my knight, so be it. But when danger comes -- and it will -- you’ll have to be ready.”
“Good,” Enid replies with a playful smirk. “At this point, I know what I signed up for.”
They stand there for a moment longer, the weight of unspoken promises hanging between them. Finally, Wednesday lifts the sorceress robe again, her tone back to its usual dry cadence. “I suppose this will suffice. You in shining armor and me, casting spells. It’s not the worst combination.”
Enid squeezes her hand. “We’ll be unstoppable.”
A faint smirk tugs at Wednesday’s lips. “For once, I might agree with you.”
“Can we finish touring the store before we fully decide? I’ll carry these.”
With that, they return to browsing through the racks. A few aisles down, Enid suddenly grabs a pirate hat, pulling it on with a flourish. She plants her hands on her hips and gives Wednesday a roguish wink. “Pirates? Come on, swashbuckling romance, treasure hunting... maybe even some sword fighting?”
“Boring,” Wednesday responds without missing a beat.
Enid groans dramatically, tossing the pirate hat back on the rack. “Tough crowd.” She moves a little farther down and pulls up a nurse costume, holding it up in front of Wednesday with one eye shut in exaggerated contemplation. “Hmm... sexy nurse?”
Wednesday gives her an icy glare. “Don’t even think about it.”
“Only in my dreams then… ow!” Enid yelps when Wednesday pinches her side.
Enid dissolves into giggles, returning the costume. “Okay, okay. I’m just messing with you,” she says, stepping closer to Wednesday again. “But, admit it, you’re having fun.”
“It has not been as horrid as I feared.”
“Then let’s just end it on a good note. Knight and sorceress for the win?”
Wednesday glances at the armor, nodding slightly. “By far our best option.”
“And it’s not too complicated, right? We won’t have to explain our costumes to everyone.”
Wednesday raises an eyebrow. “You’re telling me this whole time, you’ve been worried about costume explanations?”
Enid grins sheepishly. “Kinda, yeah. I mean, Halloween’s fun and all, but sometimes I just want something simple, you know? Maybe another year we could do something really wild and out there.”
Wednesday stares at her for a beat longer before nodding in agreement. “Simple works.”
“Oh!” Enid grips Wednesday’s arm just before they get to the check-out counter. “Should we find something for Thing?”
“This is a couples costume, Enid.” Wednesday sounds adorably offended. “He will not be matching us.”
“I wasn’t sure if he needed anything else?”
“He should have come then.”
“... You literally told him he couldn’t join us.”
Wednesday shrugs and tugs her toward the counter. “He’ll figure it out.”