Chapter Text
☠💕☠
“I prefer to be an island.”
It was one of Wednesday’s favorite quotes. A phrase she had readily doled out, an easy answer to questions she didn’t like, usually from people who didn’t understand the first thing about her. It wasn’t until she had real friends that she understood the true meaning of the phrase.
Her roommate Enid was, on the surface, all sugary sweetness and light. A pastel confection in human form. But beneath the fluff, she was hard wired to be a pack animal. Lunar cycles and the migration of deer shifted her mood. She held a primal need for companionship that went beyond high school social hierarchy. Even though they drifted through their days together, Wednesday was acutely aware that Enid’s view of the world ran on a different frequency than her own.
The same held true for Xavier. It didn’t matter that they were both Seers; the difference between them was so vast that she had trouble reading his moods. His dreams cast a wide net; often sensing danger beyond the edges of his consciousness. In order to untangle his nightmares, Weems had encouraged him to draw. At Nevermore, he’d gone from rudimentary figures to expressive, stark paintings that he could bring to life. Wednesday liked to sit beside him, watching him commit his horrors to paper. He was so far away in those moments that she felt like communication was next to impossible.
Her own visions were more focused and came in violent bursts, pulling her away from the outside world. Her darkened lens connected her to scenes of violence and depravity. Rather than allowing herself to dwell in a place of fear, she prided herself on facing up to her visions without adding emotions to their weight. Only Xavier knew her fear that someday she might enter into a trance that she couldn’t return from.
Even though they had been dating for 5 months, she and Xavier existed on their own separate islands, connected by shallow waters but still distant.
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There was no such thing as a truly locked door at Nevermore. There was no place that Wednesday could be alone. There was always someone with a key; skeleton keys that unlocked her classrooms, fellow Nightshades who were able to interrupt her solitude without even glancing in her direction, there were even well meaning roommates who invaded her side of the room.
Enid was shedding glitter from her heart patterned sweater. Thing was perched on her shoulder, his nails painted 5 different shades of sparkling pink. Wednesday’s thoughts drifted sideways as she contemplated all the possible side effects of accidental glitter inhalation.
Enid plopped down on the bed beside her, holding out a large, red heart shaped box of chocolates.
“What fresh hell is this?” Wednesday snapped. Her eyes scanned over the container with its tidy compartments nestling a variety of chocolate shapes. She had never seen Valentine’s Day candy in person. Her parents celebrated romantic occasions by exchanging vials of blood and performing nausea inducing spoken word tributes to one another.
“They’re from Ajax.” Enid sniffed sadly. “Happy Valentines Day. My life is shit.”
Wednesday couldn’t resist touching the rounded tops of the chocolates. Enid watched her with curiosity. “Do you want one?”
“No, of course not.” Wednesday lied. She wanted all of them. She imagined systematically pushing her finger into the back of each one of them to find out what was inside.
Enid flipped the top of the box over, revealing a guide to the various shapes. It was bewildering and perfect in a strange way. Wednesday couldn’t believe there was a visual guide included. It reminded her of seeing organ donor bumper stickers on cars.
Wednesday feigned indifference as she continued to study the box. “I thought you were going out.”
“We are.” Enid smoothed her pink skirt. “Unfortunately we’re going out on a double date with Eugene and Bianca. I still don’t like them as a couple.”
A scowl darkened Wednesday’s face. She more than disliked them as a couple; she was planning to make a Bianca voodoo doll.
“The Weathervane is having a Infatuation Celebration. You could come along.” Enid offered.
“Perhaps we will see you there after we meet with Sheriff Galpin.”
Enid sat perfectly still as Thing fastened a silver locket around her neck, a gift from Wednesday. “You and Xavier? So, it’s like a date?”
Wednesday nodded curtly. “As much a meeting with local authorities can be like a date.”
Enid bit her lip, trying not to grin. “Does that mean you two are back together?”
“We were never apart.” Wednesday answered without making eye contact. “We’re just not -” She struggled to find the right words. “- we aren’t getting along well.”
“I can relate. I mean, look at these stupid chocolates.” Enid rolled her eyes at the half eaten box.
“It looks as though you liked it well enough to eat all the caramel shaped pieces.”
“I was expecting something more from Ajax. Something substantial.”
“Did you tell him what you wanted?” Wednesday wasn’t sure why she was defending the Gorgon.
“No.”
Wednesday watched, entranced, as Enid ate something called an opera cream. “Did you tell him that the box of chocolates wasn’t adequate?”
“No!” Enid gasped. “I’m not a monster.”
“Yet, you expect him to know you’re disappointed by your non-reaction?” Wednesday felt like her roommate was speaking in a code she needed to decipher.
“I’d like to think Ajax knows me well enough to know that I want something that lasts longer than candy.”
“Does anyone ever truly know anyone, Enid?”
“Exactly.” Her roommate answered with a heavy sigh. Thing patted her shoulder kindly. “I just thought he liked me more than a $15 Russel Stovers assortment from the grocery store!” Enid popped a chocolate covered cherry in her mouth.
Wednesday studied the heart shaped box with renewed interest. 15 dollars seemed like a very reasonable price for such a complex creation.
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Sunset wasn’t until 6:04 but the sky was already dark as Wednesday and Xavier passed the gates Nevermore. It was raining and unseasonably warm for February. Xavier had rolled down the driver’s side window, letting the misty rain sweep over him. He stared straight ahead as he drove.
She was surprised that he had agreed to accompany her. In the last week, he had been avoiding her. “You don’t have to do this, Xavier.”
“Neither do you.”
She watched the windshield wipers make their perfect semi circles, only to be refilled with steady pinpricks of rain.
“I haven’t sensed anything.” He said unconvincingly.
It was the third time he had uttered this exact phrase and Wednesday knew there was something important he wasn’t telling her.
“I didn’t mean for this errand to spoil your plans.” She glanced reflexively at the roses in the backseat.
He pressed his lips together. “No problem. I kind of figured Wednesday Addams wasn’t into Valentine’s Day.”
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