Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Wednesday clenches her jaw, unable to ignore the miserable whimpers from her roommate's bed. Her typewriter clicks out a few more characters before she cuts her losses. There was no chance Wednesday would get another page out with Enid distracting her like this. 

Wednesday's heart - though she's attempted on many an occasion to remove it from her chest, the useless thing - feels strange. She doesn't like it. It's not pity, she decides, she respects Enid far too much to thrust such an odious emotion her way. Hatred for Ajax, sure. What kind of dolt would break up with Enid Sinclair?

"It is inane to keep wasting your breath on him, Enid." Wednesday turns to face Enid's direction. Or, well, the direction of the sniffling lump she formed on her bed. "If I were you, I'd consider this break up a win. A net positive."

Thing jumps up onto Enid's bed and gives the lump a reassuring pat.

"You're not getting any better at the comforting thing," comes Enid's muffled voice.

It's all scratchy and choked up, not dissimilar from Uncle Fester when Wednesday experimented with giving him all sorts of infectious diseases. A fun productive summer. But Wednesday can't revel in the memory, any semblance of pride cast away when Enid shrugs off her blanket.

Wednesday stares. Enid shoots her a pathetic puppy dog look, eyes all red rimmed and bloated. Wednesday knows that if she hadn't been shedding tears for hours, they'd still be all watery. Enid's lip trembles. It pulls at those heart strings Wednesday wishes she lacked.

She stands. She considers going to Enid's side to give 'comforting' another shot but the image of her patting Enid's back and hollowly muttering "there there" sounds useless. Stupid. Best case scenario is the instant Wednesday's hand makes contact, she'd jolt with a vision about her strangling that witless gorgon.

"I'll kill him and serve his snake-covered head to you on a platter."

Enid laughs. It's weak and watery, fighting to be heard past the tears, but it's something. Wednesday feels that sense of pride that was stolen from her.

"Thanks, but," Enid shakes her head, "Ajax is still our friend."

"He's no friend of mine." Wednesday internally scowls. The suggestion that anyone could hurt Enid and still be on her good books is appalling.

He's an idiot and he never deserved you.

Enid wipes her eyes and puts on a smile. "It still wouldn't make me feel better," Enid says. "But... you know what will?" She pats her bed and scooches over, Thing settling onto her shoulder. 

Wednesday steps into Enid's side. With no tape marking the boundary, the two have been much more lax about being in each other's space, something Enid had been ecstatic about. And, Wednesday supposes, it wouldn't hurt to indulge her roommate's desire for bonding. Only because she's miserable, Wednesday tells herself.

Hunched together on Enid's bed, Wednesday's barraged with a series of too-colourful music videos. She watches Enid sing and dance along. Only because the screen is unbearable to look at for too long, of course. She even lets herself smile (read: lips quirk up for a moment) as Enid makes Thing do some exhausting-looking windmill choreography. Whoever this LOONA girl was, she had quite a lot of energy to do all that.

Wednesday will still make Ajax suffer. What kind of friend would she be if she didn't?

Dr. Kinbott seems glad when Wednesday deigns to share this in their session. Wednesday holds back on saying the only reason she did so was to plot some less-violent course of action against the gorgon boy.

Enid's assertion that killing him wouldn't comfort her made Wednesday realise she had no insight on the logical next steps. She couldn't even kidnap and torture the boy until he begged Enid to take him back. The thought of their recoupling sickened her in fact.

"It's a very normal thing to want your friends to be happy," Dr. Kinbott remarks. "And it's a definite improvement that you're restraining your violent tendencies!"

Wednesday glowers.

"What do you think is making you so upset about this situation?"

"My friend is going through a hard time," Wednesday says, monotone, "did you not just say it's normal to wish for that to change?"

"It's rare you bring something up so willingly. Let alone something that isn't happening to you directly." Dr. Kinbott leans forward. "Is it upsetting that you can't make it better-" Wednesday resents that assertion, "-can't solve your friend's emotions like a case?"

"If you're implying I have control issues about this, rest assured that Enid has made it clear I can't make her do anything." Wednesday squeezes her hands, clasped in her lap. "I'm not seeking to solve this."

"Well, good. She has to move on in her own time. It will be much healthier for Enid to process her emotions instead of speeding past them." Dr. Kinbott nods. "Breakups make people do very rash things. The way you describe her actions these past few days sounds on the right path, so I'm sure you have less to worry about than you think."

Enid. Bright, exuberant Enid who always has a wide smile and a plethora of bubbly words to say. Enid, who bounces around their room with so much energy and excitement even on the gloomiest of Mondays. Dr. Kinbott does not know her. No. How dare she presume that this bundle of sunshine dimming meant she was "on the right path". 

"Rash things?"

"Oh." Dr. Kinbott settles back in her chair, not used to Wednesday being curious about something she said. "Sometimes people shave off their hair, dye it some crazy colours, things like that. Or they can get into another relationship before they've properly mourned their past one, with the hopes of moving on quicker. You know, a rebound." She says the word as if it's common knowledge. Maybe it is.

"I don't know," Wednesday says. "Romance does not interest me."

"Well, I don't recommend it so it's probably best if you don't know. Besides, even with the best of intentions, rebounds often hurt everyone involved." Well. Don't threaten Wednesday with a good time. "The ex might become jealous, which might feel great for a while, but the new partner would feel used. You end up losing two people you care about. Lose-lose."

As insightful as this was becoming, Wednesday doubts Dr. Kinbott would share much more without getting suspicious about her sudden interest.

"I simply wish to expedite my friend's recovery," Wednesday says. "If it would do the opposite, I'll advise her to steer clear of that."

On some level, Wednesday said the truth. She didn't want to be selfish and risk making the blonde feel worse, as gratifying as breaking Ajax's heart back would be. Surely there was some way to use this rebound business to hurt the boy while still protecting Enid's feelings.

And jealousy sounded fascinating indeed.

A werewolf girl is sitting next to Ajax at the stoners' table. She laughs at things he says which Wednesday doubts are very funny, considering the mindless drivel he tends to spout during his and Enid's old late-night phone calls. Ones she definitely didn't eavesdrop on from her side of the room, of course. Wednesday sulks at the fact that she's picking up on this. It's all useless gossip that she should be happily ignoring.

Enid, sitting next to her, is fuming. She cuts up her steak with such vitriol and murderous intent that even Wednesday is impressed. Though her pretending not to be looking could use some work. She could use some stealth practice before Wednesday ropes her into more nights of investigation.

"Just say the word and I'll have Thing over there whipping his stupid beanie off," Wednesday says under her breath, "surely turning her to stone will do much better at harming her than your death glares."

Enid fixes her glare onto Wednesday. The aggressive expression makes that useless organ of hers race in her chest. How stupid. She isn't afraid of Enid. Luckily, Enid's gaze softens before Wednesday can dig any deeper on what that mysterious reaction means.

"They're probably not even together," Yoko offers. "You know how oblivious Ajax can be."

Her words make Enid nod. "Yeah," the blonde says, "I'm overreacting."

She's still staring though, which unfortunately means Wednesday also keeps an eye on them. 

It's probably the most obvious flirting Wednesday has witnessed, barring her parents. She turns away with a scowl after seeing the werewolf fix Ajax's beanie, then letting their feet bump together. Footsie, Wednesday now knows that's called. Enid had attempted this with her once in class and was lucky not to get a foot to the face.

"She is pretty though," Eugene says.

Enid's knuckles go white as she grips her cutlery enough to bend. Wednesday looks down at Thing with a nod and it goes to pinch Eugene.

"Ow! What, I like werewolf chicks, is that a crime?" he whines.

"Offer's still on the table," Wednesday says. "In fact, Thing's ready and raring to go."

Thing jumps onto the table and gives Enid a salute.

"You wouldn't begrudge a sentient hand of its bloodlust, would you?" Wednesday says.

Yoko wraps an arm around Enid's shoulder. Wednesday clenches her jaw. She knows Yoko is much better at comforting than she could ever be, but the sight still irritates her. Strange. Her distaste for affection must be growing.

The blonde sighs. "She's nice. I have Bestiary History with her." She lays her knife and fork down onto the table. "And like I said, we're friends. If Ajax is happy, I'm happy."

To prove her point, Enid plasters a wide smile onto her face and eats lunch without so much as looking Ajax's way again. It's clearly forced but no one says a word. Wednesday bumps her foot against Enid's under the table. Her face doesn't show it but when Enid bumps back and that smile becomes more genuine, Wednesday's relieved.

Enid is tearing up their room, feathers and cotton coming down like confetti. 

Well, Wednesday thinks, at least we know this jealousy thing works.

"I can't believe he took her behind the greenhouse!" Enid screams. "We didn't even get to go there! Because of him!"

"You would think a gorgon would know not to look in the mirror," Wednesday says in support.

The blonde picks up a plushy that Ajax got her, a little squirrel with a tophat reminiscent of their volunteering stint on Outreach Day. Wednesday watches as the poor thing pops, Enid's clawed hands tearing it to shreds. 

As much as she supports Enid tapping into her destructive side, Wednesday puts a hand on Enid's shoulder before she mindlessly tears up her other stuffed animals. After all, Enid is sure to go berserk again when she realises what she ruined, and that would cut into Wednesday's writing time. The dread Wednesday feels upon thinking of Enid losing her comfort items is neither here nor there.

When Enid turns to face her, she dissolves into tears and slumps against Wednesday's shoulder. Wednesday lets her arms wrap around the taller girl. Enid's claws, having slashed through many an innocent pillow, retract. When she hugs Wednesday back, it must be awfully strong because Wednesday's lungs struggle to take in breath and her heart aches. Yeah, that must be why. Another werewolf thing.

"Is she prettier than me?" Enid mutters.

Wednesday wants to say too much. Wants to say nothing. Wants to tear away from this embrace and tell Enid that the thought of anyone being prettier than her, being more deserving of love, and care, and affection is preposterous. That anyone in their right mind would pick Enid, over and over.

"That's impossible." Wednesday gulps. She tries not to think about how... alright this hug feels. "Ignore Eugene. Anything other than bees and he's clueless."

Wednesday glares down at Thing, daring it to say anything about her uncharacteristic choice to comfort. To engage in physical contact. Thing minds its business and moves to clean up what it can.

Silence.

What should be Wednesday's favourite sound is tainted with the knowledge that with every second passing means Enid's brain is filling with doubts she cannot shoo away. Though she doubts she can help, Wednesday would feel much better knowing what they are so she'd have even the slightest chance.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Wednesday attempts.

"Just a penny? You cheapskate," Enid jokes. "And I thought you were rich."

"I don't know how to... feel better," Enid finally says. "I do want to be friends again, eventually." Wednesday grips a little tighter at that. "I just wish I knew that he still cared. How could he-"

Enid's breaths go shaky. She clutches Wednesday's sweater and tugs her closer. Wednesday stumbles forward, and Enid's head nuzzles against the crook of her neck. Something flutters in Wednesday's chest, but it's overpowered by rage.

He doesn't deserve you even thinking about him. He never did. How could he hurt someone that cares about him this much?

That quiet thought that niggled at the back of Wednesday's mind grows louder. Every overheard phone call, every glimpsed sight of footsy, every night Enid snuck off to meet up with him, it had been there.

How could he be so lucky?

Wednesday pulls away. It's too much. "I may know a way we can test if he cares." 

She's determined now. What was a half-baked plot jumps into motion upon seeing Enid's broken expression. "Date me."

Enid blinks. 

Chapter Text

"What's our story?" Enid asks, the afternoon after Wednesday shared her idea.

Wednesday's eyes always feel like they stare straight through her, judging. The pausing of typewriter clacks also felt pointed. Enid shivers.

"I mean, how did we get together?" Enid elaborates. She flops pretty dramatically onto her bed, arms wrapping tight around one of her plushes as she turns to avoid Wednesday's gaze. "How long have we been together, all that fun stuff!" 

It's basically fake dating 101, Enid thinks, but she doesn't add that. She didn't want to get into all the tropes, the rules, the you're not allowed to fall in love with me. Because, like, obviously they wouldn't. And Wednesday would just rip apart all the classic fake dating movies she loves!

"How long ago did you and the gorgon split?" Wednesday asks. She's turned back to her typewriter and went back to work - Enid can hear the occasional dings and whatever that cranking sound was.

Enid blinks. "A month." is her response, eventually. Thinking of that night where she was sobbing hysterically and deleting all her pictures of them together does not bring good feelings.

"We are not in a relationship yet. You wouldn't do that." Through the corner of her eye, Enid can see Wednesday stretch her arms out. Her writing hour is almost over. "I've been told a rebound is bad for everyone involved. Your soft heart would take care to ensure the next is separate. That they know you view them as entirely their own entity."

And yeah, Enid wouldn't, but it still calms that swirling negativity in her brain that Wednesday thinks of her highly enough to know that. To say that like it's a fact.

"Yeah," Enid agrees. She hadn't thought of it like that, but it wouldn't be fair for her to jump into a relationship with someone while she's still bitter about her ex. Whoever she did fall for next should be completely removed from all that. Especially if it was Wednesday. Enid laughs a little at the idea of the smaller girl huffing about being compared to the gorgon boy. "So what then? We wait? That gives more time for Ajax to get over me."

Wednesday shrugs. "I thought the romance part would be more your speed."

And of course it is. Enid already has the perfect backstory. Insert one part caring roommate. Two parts of a heartbroken girl, extra heartbreak. Put in days spent together so she didn't have to feel so alone, eventually resulting in realising that she hadn't thought about her ex in weeks. Voila, you have a winning formula. A confession of feelings that might have always been there, a "what took you so long?". A kiss (!!!).

But you have to factor in the Wednesday Addams of it all. Where the caring roommate instead suggests a revenge plot, served with piping hot jealousy. Enid still doesn't know what she gets out of this, minus the potential for Enid to stop her whining.

Would Wednesday be the one to confess? Would Enid? The formula falls apart. Enid is forced to think about it differently, to take every impulsive act Wednesday's ever done and try to make a love story that would make sense for them.

This will be tough.

It's been two days and Enid's still thinking about it. Having crushes is hard to explain. Affection just bloomed in the cheery girl's heart and refused to get out - how could someone try to plan feelings? Not that Wednesday doesn't have qualities that are totally crushable. But the plan needs less maybe I could crush on you and more yep, I could see us going the distance. And 'falling in love' is a completely different beast. Enid hasn't even considered that far yet.

God, she's overthinking this. All they need to be is believable.

"What would you like about me?" Enid asks, when enough of their friends have left their table for a private conversation. Nevermore is always loud enough near the end of lunch to cover their words anyways. "Like, what's something I have that you'd want to date and not just-" Be friends with? Live with? Enid doesn't even know what she's saying so she lets the words linger, lets Wednesday fill in the silence if she so chooses.

Every second that passes feels like it's killing her. Enid wonders whether it's because her home was always so loud growing up that silence aches, or it's because she's worried Wednesday can't think of something to appreciate in her.

Thing stomps on Wednesday's black jacket-clad shoulder, and the smaller girl sighs, like the words are being forced out of her. "You, what'd you call it once? You call me out," her usual monotone says, though she sounds softer. "And unlike everyone else who seeks to change me, I want to listen."

Enid keeps quiet for once, expecting more. But more never comes and Wednesday keeps eating. The blonde lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding. 

Okay. She can work with that.  

The soft launch.

Enid giggles to herself just thinking about it, buzzing with excitement. Any social media enthusiast worth her salt is acutely familiar with the idea - the slow and subtle, deliberately slipping more and more details about your relationship. Driving people mad with curiosity, making them talk about you... Enid never thought she'd get to do it! 

Wednesday, on the other hand, was skeptical.

"As diabolical as this near-mind control is," Wednesday starts. Enid grins, knowing from the minute inflections in Wednesday's usual monotone that she's actually impressed. Impressed with Enid! "Isn't the entire point to flaunt that we're--" Wednesday purses her lips together. "Together? Needle a reaction out of him?"

Enid doesn't stop her gallery-scrolling to answer, in the middle of hunting for any pictures she could pivot as more than platonic. Though she'd settle for any Wednesday was in frame of, at this point. It feels like she's scrolled through hundreds of photos with not a single braid in sight!

She merely hums at Wednesday's questioning. Honestly, explaining the intricacies of social media to the girl would be useless. Enid could go on and on about how making other people talk makes things ten times more believable, the rumour mill, Nevermore's insatiable thirst for hot goss.

"That insipid fool you call your ex-boyfriend isn't exactly the most perceptive gorgon in the snake pit," Wednesday continues.

At that, Enid shoots her a doubtful look, quirking an eyebrow up. "Oh, so you'd be totally cool with being super public about us then?" Enid lifts her arms up, pretending to lean in until her affection-averse bestie backs away. Okay, the speed that Wednesday moved back was a little hurtful, but whatever. It proves her point. "See? Anything else would be unrealistic, if you think about it."

Enid gives up her photo-hunting with a huff. She'll have to stage some pictures herself then. That'll be fun, but wrangling Wednesday into the right positions and emotions would be tough. She'd hoped to find some so the pictures would be more natural. More believable. If living with her controlling, pick-everything-apart mother taught Enid anything, it was that the best lies were ones with as much truth packed in as possible. Then again, expecting to have a bunch of cute pics with Wednesday is like expecting her mother to have something nice to say about her.

Thank God they were going for the soft launch. She can imagine it now - one pic of a drab black sweater on her obnoxiously colourful (Wednesday's words) bed thrown into a pic dump, a casual mention of a movie night featuring slasher movies Enid would never watch alone. Easy for now, but ramping it up would progressively harder. 

How much puppy dog eyes could Wednesday resist before she lets them wear matching clothes? 

Scratch that, she'd complain that the snoods were enough. And probably threaten to maim her.

"I actually can't even imagine you letting someone post couple pics with you," Enid whines.

"Social media couples are posturing for the camera," Wednesday tells her. "They do nothing but present an idealised version of their relationship for clicks and likes and are likely deeply unhappy."

Enid's face scrunches. She can't argue with that, but there's nothing wrong in wanting to be cute and show off your boo. And well, if she's being honest, it being so uncharacteristic of Wednesday is part of what excited her so much about the idea. If she lets Enid post her, even just the subtle hints here and there, then that would mean Wednesday really likes her. 

Fake-likes her, of course.

"Wh- uh," Enid says, words faltering for once. They usually fall out of her mouth as easily as breathing. "Why did you think about fake dating anyways? I know you said it was to make Ajax jealous but-" 

Not to say that Wednesday didn't randomly do nice things for her. She'd get food and bring it to their dorm on the days Enid accidentally slept in, let Enid take her notes on the classes she could never pay attention to. Normal stuff. But this didn't seem normal.

Her question is ignored though. Wednesday nods, instead focusing on this couple-posting issue. "You're right. It is unrealistic for us to be so public." Wednesday sneers at that last word. Enid happily takes the win, brushing off the refusal to answer. She's just glad to show off how much she knows about her roomie. "In addition, I do not think a relationship with you could be unhappy," Wednesday continues, "so becoming a couple like would be unfathomable."

"Oh." Enid stalls, taking a seat on her bed, unsure how to take this oddly sincere and sweet compliment. No one had ever said something that romantic to her before. And well. All this talk of 'us' made Enid flush, especially when Wednesday sounds so serious. Like she'd thought long and hard about what a relationship with Enid would be like.

She also deigns to ignore how much she has thought about it too. Enid was so sure that Wednesday wouldn't let someone post her, could imagine the little things of what their relationship would be like enough to imagine the posts. That had to mean nothing. So maybe Wednesday ignoring her question meant that it was also nothing for her?

"What would you do then?" Enid says softly, not trusting her voice to not shake and reveal her flustered state. "What would be realistic? For us?"

She watches as Wednesday mirrors her, sitting on her own bed and pulling out her barely-used phone. Thing flings onto Wednesday's shoulder, fingers pointing and gesturing as the girl grumbles. Enid smiles a little at that.

"What are you even doing?" Enid laughs, as Wednesday starts to snap pictures of her, drawing closer.

"It'd be far more realistic for me to take pictures of you, would it not?" Wednesday explains. Enid can actually see the corner of her lips curling up, but maybe it's a trick of the light. Wednesday's phone keeps flashing because she hadn't bothered to turn it off, and that makes more sense than her smiling as she's taking pictures of Enid as they joke around on her bed. 

"I guess?" Enid squeals, laughing and covering her face as the braided girl's phone comes right up to her face and practically blinds her with the insistent flash. "You're gonna blind me!"

"Come on. Be a professional," Wednesday drawls, so close now that Enid's back is against the wall. Enid swears she hears a chuckle from her normally-gloomy roomie. Her hand darts out, using her trained dexterity to perform the worst torture. Tickling.

"Oh my God!" Enid squirms, pushing Wednesday back. She has to stay oh so careful not to let her claws come out, or push the small girl too hard.

Enid falls apart in a fit of breathless giggles. Elated by her victory over the werewolf, Wednesday takes advantage and snaps pic after pic of Enid with her pink and blue hair splayed out on her covers. By the end of it, the pair have plenty of platonic-maybe-romantic-kinda pictures that would be perfect for their scheme. 

Looking at the pictures Wednesday airdrops her, the blonde smiles to herself at how happy she looks in them. Her cheeks are all flushed, hair a mess from their playfight, grin wide. 

That day, Enid posts nothing.

She hasn't done that in so long that it's a statement in and of itself. 

Okay, fine, Enid sends Yoko an obligatory STREAKS snap. And if Wednesday's in frame for it, the slightest strand of black hair barely visible in the dark, then that's just part of the plan.

It definitely wasn't because Enid couldn't be bothered to move after Wednesday and hers impromptu photo sess. Definitely because Wednesday was warm to lay next to, even though her skin is always a little cold.

Enid doesn't realise that she hasn't thought of Ajax in days.