Chapter Text
m/ᐠ-w-ᐟ\m
Enid’s Saturday phone call with her mom was always the worst part of her week. Enid thought her mom would cut her some slack now that she had wolfed out but the older woman was as overbearing as ever.
“Anything new happen at school?” She started with something innocuous.
“Well, Ajax and I broke up. We’re on good terms still. We just didn’t work, I guess.”
“Oh, sorry sweetie. I hope this doesn’t cause any trouble with his pack.”
“Mom, he’s a gorgon.” Enid thought she had told her that. No, she was sure she did. She wasn’t surprised that her mom hadn’t listened.
“Why were you wasting time with a gorgon?”
“Mom! That’s racist. Don’t say stuff like that.”
“You know I don’t mean it like that. You always put words in my mouth, trying to make me into some kind of monster.”
“Fine, whatever. We’ll just drop it.” Enid hated how often she conceded to her mom but it just wasn’t worth the mental exhaustion to push topics her mom wouldn’t even try to understand.
Her mom sounded relieved. “Well at least now you can look for a serious boyfriend. You don’t have as much time as you think to find a mate. Do you want me to set up something with the O’Connolly’s? They have several boys around your age.”
“I can find someone for myself, mom.”
“Or there’s the Lupercals. They’re from the Mediterranean, just like that gorgon boy. You’ll appreciate that now that you’re so multicultural.” Sarcasm. A hallmark of conversations with her mom.
“I don’t want you choosing a mate for me! Maybe I don’t even want to marry another werewolf. Did you consider that?” She bit back a growl. Her tone would probably get her in more trouble than what she actually said.
“Honey, don’t be selfish. What’s good for the pack is good for the wolf. You need to do what’s good for the pack.”
“The pack is fine, mom!” If this was all because she wanted grandpups she had plenty of other kids who were already married to pressure about it.
“You’re short-sighted, honey. We’re only fine right now because the rest of us have been putting the pack first. But one weak link can break the chain. Your duty to the pack didn’t end after you finally wolfed out. We all have to work to keep our family strong.”
Enid felt her throat start to tighten. She couldn’t talk to her mom any longer. “I’ve got to go. I’ve got a lot of homework tonight.”
“Fine. Think about what I said. I’ll talk to you later.”
Enid hung up, letting her phone flop onto the bed beside her. No conversation with her mom went well but this talk was the most discouraging one she’d had in a while. She fell back onto her pillow and rubbed her eyes, groaning.
“If talking to her is so torturous why do it at all,” Wednesday said, still clicking away on her typewriter.
“It’ll be worse if I ignore her.” Enid had too many brothers at Nevermore. If she ignored her mom, she’d just send one of them after her.
Wednesday’s tapping slowed. Then stopped.
/|\ ^-_-^ /|\
Conversations with Mrs. Sinclair always made Enid mopey but they made Wednesday feel a gnawing hatred usually reserved for those who threatened her own family. And that feeling made her confused. Enid wasn’t family. Her pain wouldn’t effect Wednesday in any meaningful way so why should she feel so strongly for her. She knew it was unreasonable but seeing Enid hurt made Wednesday feel like she needed to do something.
She wanted to comfort her. The realization made Wednesday’s stomach lurch with… something. Disgust. It was undoubtedly disgust, she decided.
Comforting people, even people she liked, wasn’t Wednesday’s strong suit. She did remember something that usually made Enid feel better. If she could bring herself to do it.
Wednesday stood, preparing herself mentally and crossed the room. She almost never crossed over to her roommate’s side so Enid sat up, realizing she must be serious about something.
“You shouldn’t let your mom make you feel bad. “Wednesday spoke as if she were defusing a bomb. Deliberate and slow. Trying to express concern for her friend without lowering her walls so much that they would become unreliable. “I think you are… better than most people.”
It took Enid a moment to process the compliment. Usually if Wednesday said something that sounded nice it was a backhand insult upon closer inspection. She’d fallen for it before. But she seemed genuine, a slight pink coloring her usually paper-white cheeks.
“Thank you,” Enid said sheepishly. “I disagree, but it means a lot that you’d say that.”
“Would it make you feel better if,” Wednesday fought herself to get the words out, “I let you hug me?”
Enid perked up with baffled excitement. “I thought you didn’t like being touched?”
“I don’t hate it. In very specific circumstances.”
“Really? You’ll let me hug you?”
Wednesday offered a ghost of a nod. An affirmation, if a weak one.
“I have rules. One, we can only do it in our room. Two, we can’t do it in front of anyone else. Three, don’t tell anyone about this agreement.”
“I’ll take it!” Enid caught Wednesday in a loose hug and shimmed in excitement. Wednesday stiffened defensively.
“Fourth rule. Warn me before you do it.”
“My bad,” Enid said as she backed away. “Is there a daily limit?”
“Not yet. Don’t give me a reason to instate one.”