Chapter Text
de·lir·i·ous
/dəˈlirēəs/
adjective
in an acutely disturbed state of mind resulting from illness or intoxication and characterized by restlessness, illusions, and incoherence of thought and speech.
Delirium
Yes, that was it. That must’ve been it. It must have been the blood loss that clouded her judgement. In any state of sanity, her mind would have annihilated even the mere notion of doing what she did.
Wednesday thought back to that moment. She remembered the telltale tingle of warm blood trickling down from her shoulder, the pain that pulsed at every movement and threatened to make her pass out at every step. She tried not to remember the horrible queasiness that permeated her stomach as she searched for the girl that had risked it all for her.
When she finally saw Enid, she was littered with scratches and caked with blood. She must’ve been in pain, but she didn’t let out a single wince. Her only expression was one of concern.
Wednesday felt her own concern melt into relief, so much so that her legs nearly gave out from under her.
A condition quickly remedied by the blonde wolf, who raced towards the shorter girl. Soft arms stabilized Wednesday as Enid nearly squeezed out what little life she had left in a crushing hug.
Warmth. For a moment, the whole world was warmth.
Wednesday usually found warmth stifling and oppressive. Especially when it was emanating off of another person. Being close enough to feel another’s warmth had always been an abhorrent concept. But perhaps anything was preferable to the frigid grip of death, which still lingered.
The ice in her veins had not yet thawed.
Wednesday needed this warmth.
And when a need arises, an impulse soon follows.
Unfathomably, Wednesday not only allowed this hug, she hugged her roommate back. She buried her head into the soft skin at crook of Enid’s neck. She was soothed by Enid’s light breaths upon her ear. Her friend’s body was so impossibly comfortable, she couldn’t help but get tangled in it.
And… she loved it.
Indeed, she must’ve been insane in that moment. Unfortunately, insanity is a chronic illness. A month since the incident, and she still couldn’t stop thinking about it. She once again thought about Enid’s softness, about how her heart melted when they hugged, about-
“Wednesdaaaaayyy!”
About how Enid was standing right in front of her. Wednesday stared at her roommate. Enid had yet to change into her school uniform. She wore her typical pink sweater and matching pink jacket.
”Wednesday! It’s been a month, and you can’t even say ‘Hi’? Did you even miss me?”
Yes.
”No.”
The girl stood up from her desk chair, awakened from her trance. She’d been falling into trances often lately. And not the usual visions, just idle thoughts.
Unacceptable. Wednesday Addams was not idle in anything. Inaction is akin to suicide.
”As a matter of fact, it was quite relaxing without a certain blonde pest disturbing my peace.”
Enid wasn’t deterred. There wasn’t a vile enough insult in the world to dim her excitement at seeing her friend again.
”And yet you came back! C’mere…”
Enid leaned in for a hug, but Wednesday jumped back, not unlike their first encounter.
The taller girl hid it well, but Wednesday didn’t miss the brief flash of dejection that flickered on her roommate’s pretty face.
’Pretty’ face?
”Okay…. Hugs are only for special occasions, I guess. But anyway, why didn’t I hear from you? I called, I texted, I even sent you, like, a thousand letters.”
Wednesday elected not to tell her roommate that she had a designated drawer for those very letters, complete with traps for anyone unlucky enough to stumble upon it.
“I was… pondering something. I needed isolation.”
Wednesday had spent countless sleepless nights trying to figure out the enigma of that hug in the forest. Not a desired task, but a necessary one. The thoughts of it plagued her every waking moment.
“Well… do you still need isolation?” Enid took a step towards her.
Wednesday’s heart quickened as she felt a sudden urge to… do what?
Push her away?
Yes, that must’ve been it.
And then Enid reached out, and suddenly her warm hands were on Wednesday’s cold ones. What was she doing?
”Wednesday…”
The shorter girl would never have tolerated this for anyone else. If she was feeling lenient, she’d simply pull away. If she wasn’t….
Thing wouldn’t be the only dismembered hand at Nevermore.
But she allowed it this time. Only out of courtesy, of course. Saving one’s life does warrant a few allowances.
Enid continued.
”…do you want to go to the amusement park with me and Ajax? We were gonna go as a couple but I reaalllly wanted to do something with you!”
Wednesday blinked.
Wednesday blinked again.
Wednesday blinked once more. A personal record for the girl.
Finally, she spoke.
”Ajax and I,” She corrected “And no, I think I’ve made it clear by now that I have no interest in such mindless activities.”
She bluntly pulled her hands back as Enid pouted.
”Fine. But I’ll be back later, and you will tell me all about your break.”
With that, the bubbly girl was gone, leaving behind only an altered atmosphere and a strange twisting feeling in Wednesday’s stomach.
Was she dying?
She hoped so.
It was better than the alternative.