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It was 2 in the morning, Enid and Wednesday had just arrived at their room from the infirmary to get their wounds cleaned up. Fortunately, neither of them sustained any life-threatening injuries.
How lucky it was that most of the school was left unharmed by the events that unfolded in the past few hours, but students had an option to set up camp in bigger spaces, in an attempt to curb their anxieties and paranoia.
As both girls settled in bed, the atmosphere in their room was thick. A tension so dense hung in the air like one of Enid's dreamcatchers. Neither could sleep, the adrenaline ran through their veins from all the action, and perhaps the realizations they both made along the way.
Enid tossed and turned in her bed, Wednesday lay as still as, well, a corpse. Until the other called out for her.
"Willa? Are you awake? Can you come here, please?"
Wednesday's eyes shot open and she jumped up from her bed. She wasted no time making her way across their room to the side of Enid's bed, worrying that something might be wrong.
She would never admit to it, but the excitement she felt over the thoughts that something bad might happen had changed tonight, when she saw the way that Enid had fought the hyde. It was as if she never wanted anything bad to happen to Enid again.
"Can you sleep here tonight? I promise there will be no hugging. And we can keep a pillow in between the both of us! I'm just still anxious right now."
Wednesday sighs, retreating to her own bed. Enid whines at the sight, quickly switching to a slight beam as she sees the other girl pick up some pillows and her blanket. Something was definitely bothering the both of them.
There was a sudden shift in their dynamic, as if Wednesday had surrendered to emotions. "It's just for tonight. Enid might appreciate the icky emotional torture," she thinks.
"This is just for tonight, Sinclair. We will not speak of this after tonight. One word and I will sew your mouth shut."
The blonde simply moves to the side, making space as Wednesday tries to settle in. A pillow in between them, and Enid's bed split in color just as their room is. They lay in silence for a few minutes, until Enid speaks up.
"I'm sorry for hugging you, earlier. I know you don't like hugs. Or touching, in general."
That was odd, Wednesday thinks. Was it not enough that she hugged Enid back? Did it not efficiently get the message of "just this once since we had a stand-off with death or else you will have more than a stand-off with death?"
"It's fine, Enid. I hugged you back, it's not a big deal. Just don't get used to it, I might have been in shock."
Enid giggles, but clears her throat as soon as she did.
"It's just that I thought you and Tyler were a thing."
Wednesday stiffens. She doesn't even want to think of the boy anymore. It was all definitely a mistake driven by her confusion and curiosity towards human emotion. But everything that had to do with Tyler were all key factors in her investigations, so she could let it slide.
"I no longer wish to partake in romantic associations," Wednesday says. She spits it out with so much frustration it sounded like it was venom.
"What about Xavier? You took an arrow for him, you even almost went with him to the RaveN."
"I put him to jail under a false accusation, an arrow was the least I could do."
Fair point, but Enid wanted to know why all of a sudden Wednesday wasn't interested in romance when she and Tyler definitely had a thing.
Enid presses further.
"Interesting, I thought you didn't do favors."
"And I never would've expected to sleep in a pink bed in the pride flag side of the room, yet here we are."
A development Enid did not expect. She knows that her side of the room looked like a unicorn had thrown its guts up was a huge "I'm gay!" signage, and that the lesbian flag colored sweater on the first day they met were dead giveaways but she was still surprised that Wednesday picked up on it.
"In the what?"
Wednesday was annoyed. She hated having to repeat herself. Sarcasm and death threats just don't sound quite as offensive when you have to say it over and over again.
"Don't make me repeat myself, Sinclair. You heard me."
Enid huffs. She just wanted to make sure of what she heard.
"You knew?"
Now Wednesday doesn't understand where this conversation was going. But as long as it wasn't about her so-called "love life" with some boys who didn't matter to her then she was fine.
"Knew what?"
Enid sighs, she hates this part. The part where she has to come out. She's only done it a couple of other times. To Yoko and Divina, who were dating and highly supportive, and to Ajax, who agreed to be her beard (Yoko and Divina were not as enthusiastic about this part).
"That I was a," she pauses, "a lesbian."
Wednesday knew that this could maybe be a sensitive topic. Eugene lent a huge hand, by hand she meant his phone where they read all the Nevermore gossip from Enid's blog. As it turns out, a considerable amount of Nevermore's population identified as queer.
"No, I thought you and Ajax were romantically involved. Eugene just told me about what the pride flag is because apparently I might offend people if I said I hated rainbows, how much more a rainbow flag."
Enid sighs in relief. But Wednesday had a point, if she hated rainbows and color, would she also hate gay people who stand by it?
"Well, I thought that if I pretended to want men and try to be in a relationship in one, I'd stop being gay. Turns out, it's not one of those things where you could fake it 'til you make it. Comphet is hard, roomie. Why, do you hate gay people? Oh god, please just tell me already so I could just room with Yoko again."
Peculiarly, the idea of Enid moving into Yoko's room and leaving her alone to her own devices does not sound particularly enticing. Equally peculiar is the strong urge to make it known to Enid that she would accept her for who she is. Wednesday just wants to make sure that, that annoying smile that makes Enid light up stays on her pretty face.
Tonight's a peculiar night in its own, perhaps that explains the unusual thoughts Wednesday has been having. It's the only logical reason.
"No. I mean, I do not mind if your preferences are not 'normal'," she says, making air quotes.
She breathes as she continues, "it does not affect me whatsoever so I have no reason to be uptight about it. I'm just not well-versed in the terminology, but if you could recommend me a book on it then perhaps I could check the library. You can stay here, roomie."
Enid feels the way her blood rushed to her cheeks and the way her claws unsheathed themselves in excitement.
Wednesday Addams did not do favors, and yet here she was, about to go into a library to learn about LGBTQ+ history in a book that probably doesn't exist. Enid should definitely convince her to get a cellphone.
"Aw, that's so nice of you, Willa. But enough about me, what's with the sudden change of attitude? I thought you liked Tyler."
Enid wasn't so sure about that part. Wednesday looked at everyone with the same scowl and glared at everyone with a similar deadly intent. She wasn't so sure what made Tyler and Xavier different.
"You want to know so bad, Sinclair? Fine. Tyler and I we... osculated."
Enid gasps. Wednesday Addams, kissing a boy? Scandalous. Her blog would love this, but she decides that the roommate confidentiality applies to this. As much as she wanted to put everything out to her blog and social media, it's as if she wants to keep everything about Wednesday private. Like she wanted to keep Wednesday to herself.
"What's so bad about that? Kissing is... fine, I guess. You just gotta do it right or something."
Wednesday mentally rolls her eyes while Thing also facepalms her in her head. Luckily, Thing was asleep now so he will be hearing none of this.
"It just felt weird and disgusting, like I was forced to eat rainbow jelly. And when I tried to make sure, which I never even do, I got the vision that he was the hyde we were looking for."
Enid has kissed some boys in her time, some girls too. Sometimes it's not the act that's the problem, sometimes it's the person.
"Sometimes it's the person that's the problem, Addams. It was your first try, many other people out there who have lips on their faces. You really should get around. Have you tried kissing a girl?"
Wednesday thinks about it. The thought of kissing a girl like Enid makes her feel like there are spiders in her stomach, waiting for the perfect opportunity to make their escape.
"A girl, like you?"
Enid ignores the butterflies in her stomach fluttering around, fighting to escape and fly free.
"Sure, if you want. Do you even like girls?"
Wednesday rolls her eyes, yet again. When did preferences matter to everyone?
"Does it matter what I like? If I would partake in romance then would the gender of the person matter? Mother and father have said on numerous occasions that romance comes naturally, ergo I hypothesize that you cannot simply choose one person out of a bunch and decide that you are to be in love with them."
Enid never thought that Wednesday would also be somewhat queer, she supposes. Well, she didn't exactly assume her roommate was straight either but society was a heteronormative patriarchy so what did she expect.
"You're right, Wednesday. But I'm just saying, don't give up on romance and love just because your first kiss turned out to be a hyde slash serial killer. 8 billion people in the world, you know? One of them ought to be for you."
Wednesday was tired and injured. She has bandages all over her body and she was a hundred percent sure all the body ache will be a bitch in the morning. Maybe her brain was no longer thinking when she said,
"What if it was you, Enid? Then what?"
Enid freezes. What did she just say?
"I think you're tired and in the wrong headspace, Addams. Just because I said you should try kissing girls doesn't mean I'm interested in you, let's put a stop to harmful stereotypes."
Wednesday was now extremely annoyed. But the thought of just ending up with her roommate who she surprisingly got along with pretty well despite their very obvious differences sat right with her. She wouldn't have to mingle around and pretend to be a different person with Enid, that was a win, sort of.
"I didn't say you were interested in me, Enid. I said I could settle for kissing you if it meant it would feel better and that I wouldn't have to play nice to get to know 8 billion people."
Wednesday flails her arm while talking, accidentally causing a thud as it hit Enid's bedside table.
"I'm tired, Sinclair. I'm going to sleep."
Enid wasn't passing this up. She would rather put up with Wednesday's oddness everyday if she had to, rather than pretend to be someone she was never going to be with someone else.
"Well, you know what, Addams? Maybe I'd settle with kissing you too."
Wednesday's heart raced. This was a new type of rush she has never felt before. Perhaps she was dying, perhaps not. Perhaps the spiders and her stomach and the fast and loud heartbeats were a symptom of a deadly disease. Maybe she has been cursed by Crackstone.
"And perhaps we will revisit this conversation tomorrow. Some of us want to sleep like the dead. Good night, Sinclair."
That was the first time a greeting was ever "good" coming from Wednesday. Mornings were never good, nor were the afternoons, never the nights when they're swamped with work and investigations.
"Good night, then, Addams. I hope you dream of me."
Neither of them fell asleep until the light of dawn started seeping into their room. And for the first time ever, Wednesday Addams had a dream instead of a nightmare.