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Chapter Text

“How about this one?”

Much like with the other three options Enid held up, this one went on ignored by the Raven, busily clacking away on her typewriter. Enid really ought to know better, it was her writing hour after all, but she was jittery, nervous and excited.

They were having a dance, the first one since the awful disaster last semester that left her feeling broken and used, not to mention irritated at the loss of her beautiful dress, ruined by the stupid prank.

“You are pacing,” Wednesday complained in her trademarked monotonous tone, “If you are going to continue worrying over such nonsense, you could at least have the decency to take off your shoes.”

“Or,” Enid drew the word out as she toed off her sneakers and kicked them to the closet door, “You could actually help me.”

Wednesday gave a long suffering sigh that sounded like a death rattle, “Why would I subject myself to such torment, it isn’t even the enjoyable kind.”

“Because that’s what best friends are for,” Enid rolled her eyes, “Have you even decided what you’re wearing yet?”

“I assume I would be wearing my normal attire, as I will not be attending this juvenile event.” She finally turned in her chair to level a glare at her roommate.

“What? Are you serious?” Enid let her hands fall to her side, trying to hide the strange sense of disappointment that clawed its way up her throat. “You had so much fun last time-,”

“Take that back,” black brows furrowed dangerously, “I found it entirely lacking, from the music to the company, culminating in that pathetic excuse for a Carrie reference.”

“We’ll this one is going to be better.” Enid reassured, “It’s gonna be a masquerade! That’s right up your dark alley.” She winked, feeling her cheeks flush suddenly at the action.

“Is there a plague I’m unaware of?” she grumbled, “Though I must applaud the event committee for finding an on theme Poe reference for once.”

“No,” Enid crossed her arms over her chest, “And I’ll have you know, the masquerade was my idea.”

Enid felt a small surge of pride at the fact that out of all the suggestions made to celebrate the spring equinox, it was hers that they chose. Hard on the heels of the pride came relief and shame in equal measures.

Though there was no obvious change in the smaller girl, Enid felt as if she was suddenly thrust under a microscope. She extended her claws, just enough to dig into her palms and stop herself from fidgeting under the scrutiny. She refused to give anything away under that too perceptive gaze.

“Why?” came the sharp demand.

Enid’s mouth opened to respond, only to shut tight with a clicking of her teeth, her ears felt like they were on fire, “Because…” she ground out, “It’s romantic. And mysterious. And gothic. The perfect Nevermore vibe. I thought you would be all for it.”

One eyebrow rose ever so slightly.

Enid was steadfast in her refusal to tell the truth, even if she knew Wednesday could tell when she was lying, that didn’t necessarily mean she could see the truth.

While all those reasons held some truth to them, they weren’t what drove Enid to suggest it with an over exuberance she didn’t really feel. The deep scars that rend across her face hadn’t healed as was expected in most of her kind. They were a pale red, jagged and rough, the edges of her clear, pale skin refusing to meet once more.

They gave her mother yet another thing to be disappointed about when she looked on her youngest. Even the news that Enid had finally shifted fir the first time just before winter break was not good enough. While it was true enough that many werewolves bore scars from battles fought and won, theirs were all long, thin silvery marks that could only be seen in the right lighting. Her angry claw marks seemed to prove further to her mother that she wasn’t a good enough werewolf, a good enough daughter.

One day she would have to accept that she could never do enough, be enough for her mother to accept her. Hell, she even had a boyfriend now! Her mother hadn’t even had to intervene with endless set ups with other wolves. Ajax may not have been a werewolf, nor who her mother may have wished, but he was an outcast. Someone who could understand her, who liked her for who she was.

But even now, her heart twisted at the thought of him. And not in the good butterflies-are-eating-my-heart kind of way as it had all those times before.

They had gone on several dates after becoming official, held hands, cuddled while they watched movies, even had more than a couple pretty heated make-out sessions. But as the weeks passed, it was as if a great gulf had begun to grow between them, setting Enid’s teeth on edge in panic. When the term resumed, he didn’t seek her out between classes, or join her at her lunch table. It was always she who had to track him down, to lift her food tray and make her way through throngs of whispering students to find his friend’s table. It wouldn’t have been so bad, she could compromise to be a good girlfriend, if not for the way she often felt ignored.

She was sure he wasn’t doing it on purpose. Ajax was a friendly, good natured, out-going guy with a lot of friends. It was expected that he would spend his lunches and breaks laughing and joking with them all. But she felt the wolf in her whining pathetically as the intervals between when he looked her way became longer and longer. When they sat alone in her dorm, he spoke gently and laughed at movies with her, but it was like her couldn’t look at her.

More than once, out of the corner of her eye, she could see him staring at her scars, a frown marring his normally jovial features. He always fixed his blank gaze back on the computer screen before she could lift her face to make eye contact with him. After a while, she kept him on her right side at all times. That seemed to help for a while, she was rewarded with more kisses on her undamaged cheek when she wasn’t expecting it.

All she was a romantic night, like she saw in movies and read in her favorite fanfictions. That didn’t feel too far out of reach before… before everything that had happened. It had left scars on her, both obvious and hidden. She just wanted one night to feel beautiful and loved. And the only way she could see that happening was if she found a way to cover up the visible scars and pretend the ones on her heart weren’t even there.

“Could you at least pretend to be my friend for five minutes and help me make a decision?” It came out as more of a pout than she was intending. But she found she needed Wednesday, even more than she needed her last year. Since she nearly lost her roommate, she found she couldn’t stand the thought of not being near her, seeking her company and opinion over every little thing she hadn’t bothered with before.

That earned her an even more unimpressed look, but the Raven rose to her feet and crossed the room, “Fine, show me what is vexing you.”

Enid’s face lit, her wolf howled in triumph as she clapped her hands and bounced lightly on her toes.

“I already regret this,” Wednesday rolled her eyes and turned away.

“Wait!” Enid’s hand shot out before she could stop herself, her fingers wrapped around the shorter girl’s wrist to spin her back around, “I’ll be good, I promise.”

Wednesday huffed sharply though her nose, her lips pursed, Enid dropped her hold, “Sorry.”

“Go on, before I really change my mind.”

Enid turned and scooped up one of the three options she had brought home from her last trip to Jericho.

It was a deep blue silk, full skirt and sleeves that dripped off her shoulders. She held it to her chest and turned left and right to show off its swishy features to her roommate. Wednesday tilted her head, contemplating in infuriating silence.

“Oh, the mask,” she turned back for the blue jeweled mask, decorated with peacock feathers.

“Hmm.” Was the only response.

“Okaaay,” Enid dumped the gown and mask on the bed, “How about this one?” She produced an olive green confection of ruffles and taffeta, it fit tight on the hips and flared out around her legs, thin straps to leave her arms bare. It’s mask was very similar to the blue, though it’s feathers were the green and gold that could be found on parrots.

Wednesday crossed her arms and continued to look deeply apathetic.

“Maybe I wasn’t clear on what your job here is,” Enid complained as she threw the green dress atop the blue pile, “You’re supposed to be giving me feedback, compliments, five word sentences. With as much as you write lately, you’d think you could come up with something to say.” She tried to ignore the rejection sensitive dysphoria she felt pricking at her eyes as she turned back around with the last offered dress.

It was tight, black, with a jeweled bodice and a deep V that went to the small of her back. Its mask was made of black gemstones and raven feathers.

“Well?” she prompted when Wednesday still had nothing to add, “Come on, I thought for sure you would like this one!”

“Forgive me,” Wednesday swallowed, looking almost uncomfortable, “But none of these dresses quite seem like you.”

“Well duh,” Enid moved the mask so her roommate could see her eyeroll, “That’s the whole point of a masquerade, what’s the point if you look exactly like everyone expects?”

“I thought you said the point was gothic romanticism?” she challenged, but her eyes softened ever so slightly it would have been missed by anyone who wasn’t so studied in all things Wednesday Addams.

“Right,” Enid felt her face fall as she turned to add the dress to the other rejects, “well, maybe it can be two things.”

“I like the black one.” Wednesday’s voice was soft in the heavy silence.

“Of course you do,” Enid spun with a smile, her heart actually beating faster for some strange reason.

“Do you have a date for this gaudy event?” she was already turning back to the call of her typewriter, not seeming to care about the answer. But Enid knew her roommate didn’t offer meaningless small talk, or ask questions she didn’t want the answers to.

“Well, yeah,” Enid rolled her eyes and began putting the green and blue dresses back into their hanger bags, “Ajax? My boyfriend? Or have you been so caught up in whatever it is your investigating this time to notice?”

“I have not failed to notice his increased presence in my room.” She sat stiffly back into her chair, “Mayhap I only wished you were done with such silly distractions. How are your studies coming along?”

“My studies are fine,” she grumbled irritably, though she wasn’t sure why she was suddenly frustrated with her roommate, she had just given Enid what she asked for, so why did she feel so churlish?

She carefully hung the black dress on the back of her closet door and stared for a long time at it, trying to imagine herself in it, having a good time dancing with her friends, Ajax, Wednesday- her brain short circuited for a moment.

“Do you have a date?” She asked, suddenly shy, “I heard Xavier asked you-,”

“Why would I have a date if I don’t plan on attending,” her quick fingers stuttered to a stop, “Damn it, do you have any white out?”

Enid dug through her bag to find the small tube, wincing slightly when the Raven savagely ripped the page from the typewriter wheel and began to angrily scratch out her mistake.

“Right, but Xavier asked you-,”

“Not a good enough reason to subject myself to the drunken follies of my peers.” She sneered the word.

“I thought you liked him?” Why was she pushing this issue? She could feel her hackles raise as her wolf paced back and forth in her heart. She must’ve been nervous, knowing her best friend wouldn’t be there. She did always feel more comfortable, safer even when Wednesday was around.

“What on earth gave you that idea?” she turned to glare at Enid, giving the page up for loss and shredding it into a pile of black and white confetti in her small hands.

“Um, I don’t know? All the time you spend with him?” She crossed her arms over her chest, “You talk to him all the time.”

“You’re mistaken, he talks at me, and there is little I can do to get him to stop short of threatening bodily harm. Besides, I spend far more time with Eugene and you than I do him.”

“Yeah but I’m your best friend, we live together, and Eugene is… well he’s Eugene.” She waved a vague shape meant to represent all that the bee keeper was and was not, “You and Xavier are like, perfect for each other. Both beautiful, tortured artists, moody and mysterious.”

Was Enid seeing things, or were Wednesday’s cheeks slightly pink?

“No,” there was a note of finality in her tone, “I have no interest in Xavier or any other boy at this wretched school.” She turned back to a fresh page and tried to start again.

Enid couldn’t help the rush of joy she felt at the declaration. She enjoyed every minute she got to spend with the other girl, she already had to sacrifice her attentions to mysteries and classes, she couldn’t stand the thought of having to give up any more time.

“Well, you could go anyway?” She offered softly, “It could be a lot of fun.”

“I can think of very little I would enjoy less.”

Not even for me? Luckily, she was able to choke the sentence back before it fell past her lips, it sounded needy and pathetic even in her own head. She sighed instead, lifting a red envelope from the small stack on her dresser. She walked as quietly as she could over to her roommates desk, trying not to disturb her more than she already had. She carefully slid it to her elbow.

“Well, I got you a ticket, in case you change your mind.”

That garnered no response, Wednesday’s eyes never left her page, her fingers never stopped their frantic dance across the keys. Enid sighed softly and shuffled back to her bed, curling up under her blankets with her phone in hand, intending to text Ajax her dress colors so he could find a suit to match. She tried to infuse her normally bubbly self into the text, but it fell flat. She half expected, hoped, he would notice and ask her what was wrong. But her only response was a thumbs up emoji. Not even a letter.

The day of the dance arrived, and found Enid tearing her hair out by the roots as she hastily grabbed the things she would need to get ready at Yoko’s. The vampire had sprung for a limo for their friends to share, and she desperately needed the reassurance her oldest friend always had for her in abundance.

Wednesday lay on her bed, ankles crossed, leather bound book in her hand, but her dark eyes were focused on Enid as she dashed around the room, upending baskets of clothes and containers of makeup and nail polish.

“Where the hell is my eyeliner?” she demanded the disembodied hand doing his very best to help her.

“I thought you would be more excited for the night’s frolics,” the Raven closed her book on a finger and rested it in her lap.

“I am!” Enid snapped defensively, “Or I will be, once I find everything I need.”

Thing began to sign rapidly at Enid, but the wolf didn’t notice, she turned to rifle through the bathroom drawers once more,

“Thing is right, Sinclair.” Wednesday called after her, “I too am quite certain Yoko has more than enough eyeliner to share with you.”

“Right, right, I know you’re right.” She stomped back into the room, “I guess I’m just nervous.” She admitted shyly, hands wringing behind her back.

Wednesday looked unimpressed, “You will be stunning, you will be with your friends and boyfriend,” was there an edge to her tone, or did Enid just imagine that? “You have done nothing but gush about this dance for weeks. It will be fine. Would you like to take Thing with you to help you get ready?”

Thing pricked up with interest.

“No, Yoko and Davina are already gonna help with my hair and make-up,” she assured the hand, “Thank you for helping with my nails though. I didn’t have any black polish.”

The hand waved as if to say It was nothing, before dragging the bag he carefully stowed her things into over to her feet. She scooped up hand and bag both, staring him right in the, well not eye, but something like that, “Wish me luck?”

He sprung up into a thumbs up position, Enid tried not to flinch at the reminder of the cool texts she had been receiving from Ajax as of late.

“Remember,” Wednesday called from her bed, eyes already back on her book.

“If he breaks my heart, you’ll nail gun his?” she smiled, and it felt like the most real expression she had worn in a while.

“Something like that,” the Raven mumbled, “I may get more creative this time.”

Enid let the warmth that filled her at the threat carry her to her friend’s dorm. The flurry of action she found there was enough of a distraction that she didn’t feel like the panic was going to swallow her whole.

Her friends dressed, did each other’s hair up in complicated hair styles that complemented their masks, and carefully applied make up, focusing mostly on eyes and lips, as that was all anyone was supposed to see.

“Damn,” Yoko whistled as they stood before the mirror in a row, “We look hot.”

Davina laughed and looked at the clock on the wall, “Well we’re about to look late if we don’t get a move on.”

They laughed and sang loudly as the limo drove them out to the mansion that had been… questionably attained for the night’s festivities. Enid wasn’t about to complain, it was fitting so nicely in the picture she had for the evening.

All that’s missing-

“Enid!” the shout pulled her from her dark musings.

She lifted her eyes to find a man in an explosion of green and blue, clashing together in a pattern on his long jacket over matching pants and a white button up, his Dimond pattered jesters mask pushed to the top of his head to reveal Ajax’s warm, smiling face.

Enid felt better for a moment at seeing it, only to frown when she realized he hadn’t even made an effort to match her black dress.

“Wow, you look hot.” His smile was cocky as he circled her once before linking his arm through hers and leading them up the stairs to the dark oak door, the sound of music already spilling from open windows and echoing in the woods around them.

“Thanks,” Enid smiled, the ache in her chest lessened slightly, “You look… Very colorful.” She finally remarked, sounding a bit too much like her roommate for her tastes. Enid normally loved colors, bright and bold. But something about the way Ajax had dressed irked her. It didn’t fit with how she envisioned this night going. It did nothing to tie the two of them together as a couple.

“Isn’t it cool?” He babbled on as he handed over their tickets, “I saw it and immediately thought it would be perfect. Come on.”

He set off through the throngs of their peers, trailing her along behind him. There was a cluster of tables, lit by intricate candelabras, a banquet table in the far corner, and a wide space of bare wood floor where people were just starting to get into the music. Enid’s ears picked up the sounds of strings playing covers of songs she almost recognized, but none were as good as Wednesday, in her opinion.

Ajax found a group of his friends lounging against a massive stairwell, masks pulled away from their faces as they joked and shoved each other lightly.

“Hey, look who I found!” Ajax announced, gesturing to Enid.

“Oh, wow,” once smirked, “I almost didn’t recognize you with the mask,” a sharp elbow found a rib, “Er, I mean, normally you’re a riot of colors. Isn’t the death look more your demented roommate’s area of expertise?”

Enid gave a short hum, not trusting herself to speak just yet.

“Dude, too soon.” Ajax scolded.

“Oh, come on, she knows I didn’t mean it like that.” He waved, pulling his mask back down to cover his eyes, “Well, I’m off, maybe I can score tonight.”

“Leave the mask on,” Ajax laughed, “It may help your chances.”

They continued to laugh and joke together as Enid felt her eyes and mind begin to wander. This was not going at all like she wanted. Ajax seemed content to circle along the walls and talk to everyone he guessed he knew. Well, everyone but her.

Yoko must have seen her slumping shoulders and wound her way through the gyrating bodies on the dance floor to reach her.

“Are you gonna dance, or what?” She smiled, eyes darting to glare daggers at Ajax.

“Ajax?” She turned with a pleading look in her eyes.

“What? Oh, yeah you go ahead, have fun.” He released her and turned more fully to face his friends.

“Come on,” Yoko wound her fingers through Enid’s tugging her to the crowd.

Enid felt pathetic, embarrassed, rejected. But Yoko wasn’t having any of that. She spun her across the floor and into a group of laughing girls who swarmed around and danced and sang with her, the band had been replaced by a more component DJ the second that Bianca had arrived, and the dance came alive.

Enid found herself giving into the euphoria, resigned to the fact that if she couldn’t have the romantic night she envisioned, she could at the very least have a fun one. She broke off after a few songs to wind her way to the punch table, threw back two briming cups and was half way through a third when a touch on her elbow had her nearly spitting the red juice all over the place.

“You might want to slow down there, wolfy,” She recognized Bianca’s dancing eyes behind a skyblue mask, “It’s safe to say with as many people I’ve seen spike it, it’s more alcohol than punch at this point.”

“Oh,” she frowned down at the cup in her hand, “Thanks.” Was she being nice? It was true, the girl had stopped overtly bullying her since last semester, but Enid couldn’t actually remember having a civilized conversation with the siren before.

“So, where’s your other half?” Bianca turned her back to the table, eyes scanning the crowd carefully.

“He’s somewhere,” she mumbled into her cup with the urge to chug it as she had the others.

“Not that clown,” Bianca rolled her eyes with a scoff, “I haven’t seen any plague doctors skulking through the crowd. She opt out? After last year’s disaster, I don’t blame her.”

“She said something about how she’d rather pull out all her fingernails than attend another gratuitous show of teenaged hormones.” Enid couldn’t help the fond smile that warmed her cheeks whenever she got the chance to talk about her roommate.

“That sounds like her.” Bianca laughed lightly, “Come on, you look too good to play the wallflower.”

Enid quickly finished her drink and let herself be led back to the throng of girls. She let herself be lost for a moment in the music, the warmth spreading through her veins as the chandelier dazzled so prettily above them. She was just realizing perhaps she was a little drunk when there was a shift in the music. A slow, heady beat thrummed from the speakers, and her peers began to pair off, or scurry back to the tables.

Enid looked around, searching for her wayward boyfriend. Her heart gave a nearly audible crack when her eyes finally landed on him, mask pushed to the top of his head once more as he leaned on a wall, a slick smile plastered on his face as he spoke rather closely with a girl Enid didn’t quite recognize behind her white mask. He carefully reached out and pushed an errant lock behind her ear, sending the girl into shy giggles.

Rage and pain filled her chest and head. Her wolf wanted to rip them both apart until her pretty white dress was drenched in blood, like hers had been at the last dance. But the girl in her wanted to turn and run before the tears she could feel building behind her eyes fell.

She turned and tried to push her way through the couples waltzing around her, a soft hand gripped her wrist, tugging her back expertly into a spin. She half expected to find one of her friends taking pity on her for a slow dance.

“What-?” her mouth was suddenly dry, she didn’t recognize the woman holding her tightly. A daring, beautiful dress with a slit down the side showing off toned legs and high heels, it was the color of blood, matching the mask that covered most of her face exactly.

Her pursuer didn’t answer, only lead them to join the dance that was half waltz, half something darker as the beat drove them faster.

“Do I know you?” She finally asked.

Red lacquered lips smirked before she was sent into another dizzying spin, only to be pulled flush against her chest once again.

Enid’s breath left her in a rush, her face flushed as her heart began to beat out of her chest. She met the dark, carefully lined eyes that hid behind the mask and felt like she was going to drown in the emotion she found there.

She knew those eyes, and the smell that ticked her nose was tantalizingly familiar and pricked her wolf’s interest. It began to howl demands and it was all Enid could do to maintain control. I shouldn’t have had so much punch. I can’t think straight. The alcohol wasn’t all to blame, the warmth that spread through her now as she was tightly held and moved across the dance floor was far greater than anything she had ever felt before.

She bit back a small gasp as her partner’s hand found her bare back and pulled her closer before dipping her gracefully at the song’s crescendo, red lips brushed against her ear.

“Un cieco non merita tanta bellezza, cara mia,” the heated whisper sent a shiver down her spine, and a lip caught between her teeth was the only thing that kept her from making whatever embarrassing noise her wolf was trying to force out of her now.”

The song ended, a faster beat taking its place as her mysterious dance partner pulled her back to her feet, holding her close for one breathless moment.

“Enid!” The other girls eyes flashed over Enid’s shoulder, breaking the spell they had been under.

Enid spun to growl at the interruption, the sound died in her throat when she found Ajax swaying drunkenly towards her, “Enid!” he waved his mask in the air as if she could have missed him in that ridiculous outfit while he was yelling her name.

She turned back for her partner, only to be greeted by the sight of her back, bare but for where long black hair brushed past her shoulders. Enid’s brain short circuited for one damned moment before she could reach out and pull her back. By the time she could shake some sense into her hormone addled brain, rough hands wrapped around her waist and spun her in a circle, a kiss placed behind her ear.

“Put me down!” She growled, wrenching away to continue her search. But it was no use, rubbed absently at the back of her ear where his touch had burned her, only happy it hadn’t been the same side where she could still feel hot breath dancing over her skin.

“Oh come on, I’m ready to dance,” he tried to tug her to the dance floor.

“Yeah? Why don’t you go find the girl you were pouring yourself all over then,” she growled, turning on her heel, “I’m done with you.”

“What?” he demanded, incredulous, “Are you serious?”

She didn’t dignify that with an answer. She still had hope she could find her mystery dancer if she could just make it to the door in time.

She burst through the night air, nose lifted to the wind, searching, but it was no use. With so many sweaty, drunk, hormonal teens around her, the scent she searched for was long gone.

Yoko and Davina found her not long after that, giggling and hanging off one another.

“Enid!” they cheered in unison.

“We’re blowing this popsicle stand, the night is alive and ours!”

“You’re drunk,” Enid smiled fondly, “You guys go ahead, I’ll call an uber.”

“Nonsense,” Yoko shook her head, “The least we can do is drop you back at the dorms. What kind of friend would I be if I left you for your ex to find?”

“You heard about that?” Enid winced.

“Heard about it?” her friend laughed, “Darling, the whole school heard it. Period. That’ll teach him for thinking he can play with girls. Just wait until Wednesday hears, I’m sure she has some very detailed plans she has been saving for him.”

“Don’t tell her,” Enid blushed, “Ajax is an ass, but I don’t think he’s gruesome murder levels of assholery.”

“Whatever you say.” Yoko shrugged before leading them off to the limo, several other girls piled in with them, clearly believing the party was leaving and they intended to join.

They stopped trying to drag her into conversations when it became clear her eyes wouldn’t leave the window, her finger gently tracing the shell of her ear. Trying to piece together everything. It had all happened so fast, and her alcohol addled mind hadn’t been any help.  

She walked up to her room in Ophelia’s hall in a daze, toeing off her flats incase her Roommate was asleep.

She found Wednesday in her normal chair, eyes fixed on the type writer before her, dressed in her normal black pajamas, hair tightly plaited into braids.

“You are back earlier than I expected.” She said with out turning to face her.

“Yeah… it was kind of a bust. You should be glad you didn’t go.”

“Oh? Did you not have a good time?”

Enid shrugged, struggling out of her dress and searching for her pajamas in the near dark of the room. “Not so much. Well, parts were fun. But Ajax.” She shook her head.

She didn’t turn around to confirm it, but she felt the intense, analyzing gaze of her roommate on the back of her neck as she pulled the shirt over her face.

“I’m… I’m fine. We broke up. It’s not a big deal.”

“Hmm.” The short contemplative note hung heavy between them.

Enid crawled into her bed, her head dizzy as thoughts swam through the spiked punch.

“Don’t kill him, please?” was all she managed to ask before her eyes slipped shut.

“No promises.” Wednesday finally responded when her breaths had evened out to soft snores.

She carefully made her way to her closet, moving as quiet as possible, not even daring to breathe. She buried the long red dress and its accessories underneath the mountain of black. Then she made her way to the bathroom. She hadn’t had much time before, she had only Enid’s exhaustion to thank for her lack of observation. She carefully scrubbed her eyes free of the intricate black lines around her eyes, and the red paint from her lips.

“That was close.” She sighed as Thing watched her carefully from his perch on the faucet.

He signed quickly, tapping his fingers in irritation and impatience.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she leveled a glare at him, “I merely did what any good best friend would do, and gave her the romantic night that buffoon never would have. Now if you’ll excuse me I am quite tired.” She spun on her heel and retreated to her bed.

Once safely hidden under the thin blanket, Wednesday pressed her palm to her chest, and marveled at the new way it seemed to beat.

Chapter Text

The winter break was a misery. To be frank, anytime she was forced to participate in the madness that was familial affection was a misery in and of itself. But there was a pit, deeper even then the one she had trapped Pugsley in for two days before the little wretch thought to stop trying to eat his way out and form handholds in the half-frozen clay. This pit felt far less useful.

It yawned achingly deep in her chest. A cold vast crevasse that could be felt just below the ribcage. She paced the familiar creaking floors of her sanctum, tennis racket in hand to volley the odd hand grenade that flew in threw shattered windows. She stood on teetering balcony to watch the slurries fall on the graveyard below. More pages were flying out of her typewriter than ever before, and yet…

She could not understand the pain filling her now, slowly squeezing her heart. She closed her eyes and saw flashes of blue, pink, blonde. She found herself straining to hear in the night, searching for the mumbled nonsense or light snores she always believed would drive her mad. She was right about that, she supposed. Enid went and got her accustomed to her presence, and her absence was… uncomfortable.

She felt weak and foolish. How had she been so careless to allow herself to feel? Had she not learned from the madness of watching her own parents? Had she not sworn an unholy oath to never allow anyone to matter so much to her so long as she drew breath?

Perhaps that was her mistake. Dying. And then living. Some foul being was laughing up at her now, she was sure. They each held up their end of the bargain, and now with her death and resurrection, she would feel her family’s curse.

“Darling, is everything alright?” Her mother finally broke the heavy silence that filled the back of the car, “You’re hardly threatening us. Do you want to return to Nevermore?”

Wednesday shrugged, not taking her eyes off the dreary scenery shooting past them, “The challenges I find there are much more stimulating than the frankly elementary schemes of my dear brother.”

“Challenges?” her parents exchanged a look, “Dear, do we need to remind you that death can only be courted so often before it takes you?”

“I am not a child, Mother.” Was her only response.

They may have tried to speak to her more, she couldn’t say for certain. Her soul focus was on the mammoth structure in the far distance. Every mile they crossed was somehow shrinking the hole inside of her. As if knowing she would see her roommate soon was healing her.

Disgusting.

Would Enid be there already? Or would she have to wait days still to see that appalling riot of color? How soon would she get to hear the grating music and melodic laughter? When would this torment end? If she dove out of the car now, could she perhaps damage her brain in such a way that she wouldn’t be forced to feel against her will anymore?

Had Enid missed her?

She had the worst urge to run to her dorm room the second the car came to a screeching halt on the gravel. As if to prove she didn’t have to abide by some ridiculous curse, she asked Lurch to bring her things up to her room as she went to collect her semester’s schedule.

“No need for prolonged good byes, I have suffered a surfeit of your presence as it is.”

“We will miss you too, little scorpion,” Gomez smiled fondly.

“Do be careful, dear,” Morticia worried, “Or at least, leave no witnesses.”

She scowled at the reminder, turning on her heel and stepping onto the grounds of Nevermore once more.

She kept her customary even pace as she walked the halls, pretending she had not a single care in the world. She tried to lie to herself in the safety of her own mind, but it was her mind after all, and she mocked herself for scanning the few groups of students she passed, searching for familiar blonde locks.

She hoped the pain of disappointment would teach her a lesson.

When she reached her room at last, she refused to let herself hope, prepared to set up her space in horrific, blissful silence.

“Willa!”

The breath left her lungs in a whoosh as what felt like a bolder crashed into her the moment she set foot over the threshold.

Before her brain had a chance to jump start once more, the contact was gone, leaving the soft sent of sugar and sunshine and daisies. Wednesday found herself unable to do anything but stare, eyes hungrily devouring every inch of the girl before her, from her sunshine yellow shoes to the bright pink tips in her hair. Pausing briefly to trace the three long scars that stretched like artwork over her face. Artwork won through savage fury and a desire to protect Wednesday herself. Those scars made her feel so much damn love she thought she would do something very foolish very soon.

“Sorry! Sorry!” Enid jumped back to rock on her toes, “I know, no hugging, I just missed you so much! How was your holiday? Did you do anything fun? Is thing here?”

Wednesday was sure if she spoke, she would say something unbearably embarrassing, so she plastered on her best unimpressed look and waited for the wolf to talk herself out.

Gods, but she’s beautiful. Her treacherous mind sighed, sounding uncomfortably like her father. She bit her cheek in an effort to stop the blush from forming.

“Enid,” she finally interrupted when the bouncing and endearing smile felt like they were going to make her heart beat right out of her chest, “Is the ability to talk for an hour straight without breathing common amongst your kind, or are you singularly blessed with such lung capacity?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” the other girl had the utter audacity to wink at her, “Come on, seriously, I want to see what your schedule looks like.”

Wednesday thrust out the paper she held in one clenched hand almost defensively before stepping around Enid to find her own much needed distraction. She felt like her blood was singing in her veins at being in the same space as her roommate once more. An activity she was going to forbid it from doing if she was going to make it through the year with a shred of dignity intact.

“Oh, sweet, we have, like three classes and lunch hour together!”

“Wonderful,” the sardonic tone felt far more forced than usual. She flipped the latches on her trunk, and like some demented jack-in-the-box, Thing sprung out, “If your hope was to catch me off guard, you wasted your time. And you would have been more comfortable in the car than tossed around in the trunk.”

Thing snapped his fingers in a disappointed gesture before leaning to look around Wednesday, fingers scrambling madly as he leapt from the bed and scuttled frantically over to Enid’s shoe, tapping wildly to draw her attention from the paper.

Enid squealed with delight, pulling a smile from the corner of Wednesday’s mouth before she could stop it. Luckily, the only possible witnesses were to absorbed in their reunion to notice.

“Oh my god, I missed you so much! Look at my nails, I couldn’t bare to let any one touch them, not after having such a master of the craft as my manicure buddy. How was your winter break? Wednesday has told me absolutely nothing.” She leveled a playful glare at her roommate, and it was so cute Wednesday found herself desperately wishing the floor would just swallow her whole to escape it.

“What?” Enid tilted her head like a confused puppy as she watched thing sign and pantomime in his own language, “Thing says you were in a bad mood the entire time.”

“When am I not in a bad mood?” she crossed her arms over her chest.

“Fair,” Enid shrugged, missing the icy glare Wednesday shot the hand who cowered back slightly onto the safety of Enid’s shoulder.

“The unfortunate truth is I… Missed… you.” She ground out between tightly clenched teeth, needed to let some of the overwhelming affection escape her, like a teakettle letting off steam before it could explode under the pressure.

There was a soft look in those blue eyes as Enid smiled, just for her, and Wednesday felt her breath come a little easier at the sight.

Maybe, she allowed herself, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. Perhaps she could allow herself this one person to care for. This peppy colorful girl who held such savage strength secretly behind coy smiles and laughter. The most beautiful, deadly weapon.

“Babe!” The door was unceremoniously thrown open, shattering the small bubble of peace they had found, “Hey! You’re all moved in already, I was gonna help- oh, hey Addams.” Ajax gave a half hearted wave to the Raven before pulling Enid roughly against him for a long kiss.

Wednesday saw red. She guessed this must have been what it felt like for wolves when they lost control, the unbridled fury that lit her veins like napalm. If Wednesday thought being apart from Enid for three weeks was painful, what she was forced to witness now as she stood frozen in shock was absolute and all-consuming agony.

The sound of snaping wood finally broke through her haze, she hadn’t even realized she had her crossbow in her hand.

Enid pushed herself free of the embrace, looking worriedly over at Wednesday for one moment before the Raven had a chance to spin around and hide the evidence of her heart break.

“What?” Ajax laughed behind her back as she tried to get a grip on her emotions. “I missed you!”

“You just saw me two days ago.” Enid chided, her voice sounding distracted, “And Wednesday just got here. I should help her get settled in-,”

“That won’t be necessary.” I can’t be here. I can’t see this. I have to get away.

“Are you sure?” came the soft question.

“I assure you, I am more than capable of setting up the space exactly how I want it. I don’t need you.”

Liar.

“See? Come on, I want to go see who else is here already, let’s go.”

“I’ll be right out, give me a second.”

There was a long-suffering sigh, but the door was soon clicking shut. Wednesday didn’t move. Didn’t breathe. Didn’t so much as allow one iota of thought to pass her mind.

“Willa?” a soft hand on her elbow, she flinched violently, “Sorry, right, no touching.” She repeated, “Are you okay? What happened?”

Wednesday stared down at her favorite crossbow. Absolutely ruined. Just like the rest of her.

“Cheap wood and poor manufacturing techniques.” Her voice finally had that dead tone in it that had come so easily before.

A hand reached tentatively out, painted nails brushing the back of Wednesday’s hand as it came to rest upon the pile of wood as well.

“But why- are you mad at me, or something?” there was a longing note in Enid’s voice that drove her to want to comfort the wolf. She stomped it down with a savage heel.

“Mad? Don’t be absurd.” Wednesday spun on her heel, dumping the ruined weapon into the waste basket with a bit too much force, “I was merely… surprised to see you locking lips with the gorgon. I may be scared for life by the sight.”

“I thought you knew?” Enid danced, trying to catch her roommates eye as she began to methodically unpack all of her belongings, “We’ve kinda been a thing for a while now?”

“I don’t pay attention to all you do.” Wednesday snapped, more angry at herself than Enid for this fact, “I would simply apricate a warning whenever he is to be in my room. And my writing time is strictly off limits.”

“Of course,” Enid licked her lips, still trying to puzzle over what was happening on her roommate’s stoic face, “But, are you sure-,”

“I’m sure I don’t need your help, run along after your boyfriend, Enid. I have been around my family for far too long and I am quite looking forward to a bit of peace and quiet.”

“Okay…” Enid slowly backed to the door, “Promise you’ll sit with me at dinner though, okay? I missed you so much.”

There goes my plans for running away into the woods, she thought ruefully, “Promise.”

The following weeks seemed like an endless torture, and not one that could be delighted in. No mystery was tantalizing enough to keep her mind distracted from its depressing spiral for very long. Even the sacrificial murders in the woods took only two deaths and as many days for Wednesday and Eugene to compile enough evidence to convict a group of humans who thought they could become monsters.

And every day, Wednesday was forced to play the good roommate, the dutiful best friend to Enid. Her cursed heart found some of Enid was far better than none of Enid. And as the weeks crawled by, she was forced to watch her love- her roommate shrink further in on herself.

Having so much of their schedules over lapping gave Wednesday the opportunity to study her closely. She was constantly trying to obscure the scars on her cheek, turning her face slightly when she spoke to people, leaning on a hand to cover them completely in class or at lunch as she spoke. Her eyes were so sad.

And that boyfriend of hers… he seemed more interested in being the most popular boy in school than in making Enid happy. She seemed to be little more than a pretty oddity for him to show off, a way to boost his own status by tying her achievements last year to himself for seeing the best in her. She watched them from the corner of her eye on the days she could stomach to be in the dorm at the same time they were. She noticed the indifference he treated her with most days. Stringing her along for days at a time, and just when it seemed like Wednesday might be able to pry her free from his hold, he would show her the barest hint of kindness and she would go back to being her excitable bubbly self.

It was making her sick.

She couldn’t think straight anymore. Writing was one page forward three pages back most days. And that day was no different.

Sinclair was pacing wildly behind her. The sound of her shoes driving the beat of her heart. The air she stirred with each circuit bringing the faintest hint of her scent to Wednesday’s greedy nostrils.  It was driving her mad.

“You are pacing,” she finally snapped before she did something rash, like grab the girl up in a kiss, just to confuse her into stopping, she told herself, “If you are going to continue worrying over such nonsense, you could at least have the decency to take off your shoes.”

“Or,” the sound of one shoe hitting the closet across the room, then another, “You could actually help me.”

Wednesday froze, they hadn’t spent much time alone together lately, mostly by Wednesday’s own design. It was the only way she could be sure she kept control over herself, “Why would I subject myself to such torment, it isn’t even the enjoyable kind.”

“Because that’s what best friends are for,” Enid scoffed playfully, “Have you even decided what you’re wearing yet?”

“I assume I would be wearing my normal attire, as I will not be attending this juvenile event.” She finally gave in and looked at the wolf, her heart soaring as it always did when their eyes met, she forgot for a moment what they had been talking about.

“What? Are you serious? You had so much fun last time-,”

Ah yes, the dance.

“Take that back,” she grumbled half heartedly, “I found it entirely lacking, from the music to the company, culminating in that pathetic excuse for a Carrie reference.”

“We’ll this one is going to be better.” Enid’s tone was deliciously smug, “It’s gonna be a masquerade! That’s right up your dark alley.” She winked, her face flushed with excitement, completely unaware of the acrobatics such an action caused her heart to undertake.

“Is there a plague I’m unaware of?” She forced herself to ask, to cover the sound she was sure the wolf could hear, “Though I must applaud the event committee for finding an on theme Poe reference for once.”

“No,” Enid pouted, arms crossing defensively, “And I’ll have you know, the masquerade was my idea.”

Enid came up with this idea? She knew the other girl adored such frolics, but a masquerade didn’t strike Wednesday as a theme the bright, bubbly girl she knew would push for. Enid looked suddenly nervous, her eyes darting to the floor and back, then the wall and back, hands held tightly behind her back. Wednesday could smell the faint traces of copper in the air.

Enid was hiding something. That much was glaringly obvious by her sudden fidgetiness. But what?

“Why?” She demanded before shew as able to stop the word from exploding from her chest.

Enid’s mouth opened and closed, lips pursing as her ears turned pink, “Because…” she drew out slowly, “It’s romantic. And mysterious. And gothic. The perfect Nevermore vibe. I thought you would be all for it.”

She picked a theme she thought I might enjoy? That only compounded the questions filling Wednesday’s mind.

Before she could think of anything safe to say, Enid threw her hands in exasperation, catching the Raven completely off guard.

“Could you at least pretend to be my friend for five minutes and help me make a decision?” Her lower lip quivered ever so slightly when she ran out of steam.

She has absolutely ruined me, she sighed to herself, “Fine, show me what is vexing you.”

Enid’s look of pure joy was like a bolt to the chest, filling Wednesday with a warmth and pride that she had caused such happiness by giving into her silly request.

“I already regret this,” Wednesday turned away before her blush could become obvious.

“Wait!” warm fingers wrapped around the pulse point in her wrist, catching Wednesday so of guard she allowed herself to be spun back around to face the pleading blue eyes oh her heart’s desire, “I’ll be good, I promise.”

She felt like she was drowning in a most glorious way, as close as they were standing Wednesday could count all the freckles lightly sprayed over her nose. Her sugary, happy, lovely scent flooded all senses. She had to force the breath out of her nose when her chest seemed to want to hoard it forever. She could feel the strength in the soft grip trapping her, the pounding heart beside hers, her eyes flashed with something and damn it if Enid wasn’t the mystery Wednesday wanted to spend the rest of her life solving.

“Go on,” Her voice was strained, “Before I really change my mind.”

Enid released her hold and turned back to her bed, leaving the Raven feeling breathless, dizzy and strangely cold. She was able to reign her emotions back in just in time for Enid to spin around, a long dress held against her chest and shoulders. Wednesday considered it for a moment. The deep blue would look dazzling against her pale skin, bring out the darker touches of blue and gold in the wolf’s eyes, but it was missing something.

“Oh, the mask,” she turned back around as if she could read Wednesday’s thoughts. She produced a gaudy blue mask of the same hue, long peacock feathers splaying out.

 Just looking at it, Wednesday knew it would cover most of the girls face. She must have made some disappointed noise, or let some of it break through the careful mask on her face, because Enid turned with an exaggerated “Okaaay,”

She unceremoniously dumped gown and mask both back on the bed, “How about this one?”

This was an olive dress, similar in length to the last, but less subtle, with more ruffles and poofs that would accentuate the taller girl’s hips, and its straps were thin, would leave most of her well-muscled arms bare. Wednesday swallowed at the thought.

Enid held its mask to her face. It was smaller than the blue, but not by much, with the gaudy green and gold colors of some tropical bird. It, too, would serve to hide much of Enid’s beautiful face.

Wednesday crossed her arms furrowed her brows. She had a sinking feeling that she was beginning to understand the true cause behind Enid’s desire for a masquerade.

“Maybe I wasn’t clear on what your job here is,” Enid whined with an eye roll, tossing the dress to the bed with a huff, “You’re supposed to be giving me feedback, compliments, five-word sentences. With as much as you write lately, you’d think you could come up with something to say.”

Wednesday didn’t know how to tell her that most of what she wrote she took out to burn in the woods in the middle of the night so no one would accidently read it and accuse her of going soft. Luckily, Enid didn’t seem to be waiting for a response, only turned around with her third dress, and a look of well?

It was tight. Wednesday could tell that already with how well it lined up with Enid’s figure already. It was black, a deep, beautiful black that called to some part of her heart with longing. It had jewels sewn into the fabric around the boddice. Wednesday felt her mouth go dry at the thought of actually seeing Enid wearing this for her. In one hand she held a mask, this at least was quite a bit smaller than the other two options, only covering the bridge of her nose, the arch of her brows, and up to her temples. Most of her scars would still be on display under the cheekbone ridge.

“Well?” Enid’s voice brought her back to reality, “Come on, I thought for sure you would like this one!”

“Forgive me,” Wednesday swallowed, trying to bring some semblance of moisture back to her parched mouth, “But none of these dresses quite seem like you.”

“Well duh,” Enid moved the mask so her roommate could see her eyeroll, “That’s the whole point of a masquerade, what’s the point if you look exactly like everyone expects?”

Wednesday felt her brow furrow against her will, her theory quickly turning to fact as more evidence piled up in front of her, “I thought you said the point was gothic romanticism?”

“Right,” Enid cleared her throat, eyes turning a stormy shade of blue as sadness marred her features, “Well, maybe it can be two things.”

Wednesday felt her heart break all over again as the understanding finally dawned on her. Enid was ashamed of herself. Someone had made her feel less than, and she felt the need to hide herself, become someone else. She wanted to find whoever that was and enact a slow painful revenge on behalf of her love. She wanted to show Enid how wonderful and beautiful and infuriatingly perfect she was.

“I like the black one.” She spoke softly, not wanting to spook the other girl.

“Of course, you do,” Enid’s face split into a genuine smile and Wednesday felt like an addict getting a hit of their preferred vice.

And who’s to say she wasn’t? “Do you have a date for this gaudy event?” She turned back to her desk, not wanting to appear too interested in the answer, already crafting a way to take her as a date-

“Well, yeah. Ajax? My boyfriend?” Ice spilled down her spine, cold reality slapping her in the face for her audacity, “Or have you been so caught up in whatever it is your investigating this time to notice?”

Of course she had noticed. But goddamned hope seemed to spring eternal. The gods should mark her down as a masochistic addict, it would seem. “I have not failed to notice his increased presence in my room.” Her teeth felt like they might break under the pressure of her clenched jaw, “Mayhap I only wished you were done with such silly distractions.” Why had she said that? Where was all her control going? “How are your studies coming along?” she quickly tacked on.

“My studies are fine,” came the irritable grumble.

There was quiet shuffling for a moment behind her. Wednesday took a breath, relieved she hadn’t been called out about her possessive tone. She let her mind wander back to the story she was stuck on, the plot seeming to move in circle after circle, never finding the point-

“Do you have a date?” There was a slight rumble in the question, that alone drew all of her undivided attention at once, her fingers, heedless, continued to randomly strike keys, “I heard Xavier asked you-,”

“Why would I have a date if I don’t plan on attending,” she shot back, focusing on the words she had typed against her will, her face was suddenly on fire, “Damn it, do you have any white out?” she held her hand out, palm up behind her, hoping her hunched figure would hide the damning words from her roommate’s eyes.

Soft footsteps padded nearer, in a panic, Wednesday ripped the paper from her typewriter’s grasp, taking the offered white out and trying to cover up the sickeningly poetic words.

“Right, but Xavier asked you-,” Enid pushed, not moving away from her stance behind the Raven’s shoulder.

He had? Wednesday had no memory of that. She struggled to recall the last conversation she had with the boy, giving it up for loss, “Not a good enough reason to subject myself to the drunken follies of my peers.”

“I thought you liked him?” the whine was soft, almost hidden beneath the words, but she knew Enid better than she knew anything else in the universe.

She spun to look up questioningly at the tone, what had it meant? There was only one way to find out, “What on earth gave you that idea?” She hardly noticed as she began to shred the paper in her hands into smaller and smaller pieces.

Oh, well.

“Um, I don’t know?” Enid grumbled, her eyes flashed that haunting gold color for a split second, “All the time you spend with him?” She crossed her arms over her chest, “You talk to him all the time.”

Wednesday pulled back in shock, almost laughed at the absolute inaccuracy of such an accusation, “You’re mistaken,” she was quick to reassure her friend, “He talks at me, and there is little I can do to get him to stop short of threatening bodily harm. Besides, I spend far more time with Eugene and you than I do him.” The reassurances spilled past her lips one after the other, but none seemed to shake that fiery look in Enid’s face.

“Yeah,” She rolled her eyes, “But I’m your best friend, we live together, and Eugene is… well he’s Eugene.” She waved her hand in a wild jerky circle, “You and Xavier are like, perfect for each other. Both beautiful, tortured artists, moody and mysterious.”

Was Wednesday seeing things, or was Enid’s chest heaving with each barely controlled breath?

“No,” She said the word firmly, trying to infuse all her feelings into one syllable, “I have no interest in Xavier or any other boy at this wretched school.” She was afraid that would give away too much of her pathetic heart, so she spun before she could see Enid’s reaction.

“Well, you could go anyway?” came the soft question, “It could be a lot of fun.”

Wednesday wanted to give in, as she wanted to any time Enid asked anything of her. But the thought of seeing that slimy, useless, worthless, worm of a boyfriend drape himself all over her…

“I can think of very little I would enjoy less.”

There was a soft choking sound, Wednesday dug her heels into the wood, refusing to give in. She couldn’t handle what Enid was asking of her. Some one would surely die. Her from unrequited, frustrated longing, Or Ajax, simply for existing too closely to what she considered hers.

There was rustling. The sound of socked feet returning to Wednesday’s side. She hoped Enid wouldn’t notice she hadn’t actually written anything.

“Well, I got you a ticket, in case you change your mind.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the flash of red, painted nails pushing the envelope closer to her.

She started typing wildly to avoid giving in then and there. Enid sighed and retreated to her side of the room for the night. And Wednesday consigned herself to a sleepless night of tossing and turning. Of thinking dangerous thoughts.

The dreaded day finally arrived. Wednesday made a vow to not move from her stiff spot in the middle of the bed. She would read. She would fill her time with the things she had enjoyed before. She would not let herself wallow.

Enid was just so damn distracting. She paced the room, throwing things without rhyme or reason from onw side of their shared space to the other. Her hands combed violently through her damp hair over and over. Wednesday watched those hands with a deep envy, wishing it were her hands gently combing, griping to pull-

“Where the hell is my eyeliner?” the snarl pulled her from her musings, and she was forced to swallow a blush.

Enid was distressed, she needed to fix it, itched to fix it. She closed the book she had only been pretending to read. “I thought you would be more excited for the night’s frolics.”

“I am!” Enid growled, the sound sent a shiver down Wednesday’s spine, “Or I will be, once I find everything I need.”

“Go help her.” She ordered the hand who scrambled off to do just that, tapping and dancing, all but shouting to try and get Enid’s attention. But it was no use, the blonde whirlwind whipped her way to the bathroom once more.

“Thing is right, Sinclair.” Wednesday she tried, sitting up taller so her voice would carry, “I too am quite certain Yoko has more than enough eyeliner to share with you.”

“Right, right, I know you’re right.” She stomped back into their room, “I guess I’m just nervous.” Her hands pulled nervously at one another, like two fighting wolves. The Raven wanted nothing more than to sooth them with her own.

She swallowed her own feelings, Enid didn’t need them, “You will be stunning, you will be with your friends and… boyfriend,” She tried her hardest not to sneer the word, “You have done nothing but gush about this dance for weeks. It will be fine. Would you like to take Thing with you to help you get ready?”

Thing pricked up with interest, also wanting to do whatever it took to calm the poor wolf’s nerves.

“No, Yoko and Davina are already gonna help with my hair and make-up,” she smiled fondly down at the hand, “Thank you for helping with my nails though. I didn’t have any black polish.”

Wednesday wiggled with absurd pride, it had been her to provide the polish after all.

Enid bent to lift her bag and the hand both, pulling one over her shoulder and holding the other near her face with a soft smile, “Wish me luck?”

He sprung up into a thumbs up position, trying to be reassuring in all the posture he had, but both he and the short girl watching the exchange closely saw the tightening in her eyes, the slumping of her shoulders. She placed Thing at the foot of her riotous bed and gave a small wave, turning for the door,

“Remember,” Wednesday called, trying to appear as indifferent as the last time this had happened.

“If he breaks my heart, you’ll nail gun his?” This time, the warm smile she gave was all for her. It was almost too much to stand.

“Something like that,” she hid her blush more firmly behind the pages of her book, “I may get more creative this time.”

The door shut softly. Wednesday took one breath, then sprung into action.

“I can’t believe you talked me into this.” She tore open her closet.

She needs you, even I could see that, and I don’t have eyes, need I remind you?

In truth it had taken very little prodding from Thing, though he had been a great help in finding a dress for the occasion. She didn’t know what to wear, only that, according to Enid, the point of the dance is that no one knew who what behind the mask. That meant one thing: no black.

There were few colors she could tolerate with out breaking out into hives. That made the ordeal easier still. She drew the crimson silk from his hiding spot in the back of the closet, its simple, matching mask.

“Will you do my make up?” she asked, trying not to let her uncertainty show as she asked her oldest friend.

Thing gave an enthusiastic thumbs up and retreated to some hidden corner, coming back with a tube of expensive liquid eyeliner and an eyeshadow pallet.

Wednesday glared at him, “These are Enid’s, aren’t they?” she demanded.

You need them more. Was his smug reply.

An hour later had Wednesday staring at a stranger in the full length mirror, “The shoes-,” She tried.

If you wear combat boots, everyone will know it’s you immediately. Came Thing’s quick reply.

“Right, okay, but my hair-,” She tugged nervously at the loose flowing locks, slightly curled by Thing’s expert hand.

Do you want Enid to know you’re watching over her?

Yes, replied her traitorous heart, “No,” she sighed.

Then let’s go, Lurch is already waiting for you, he says he had to scrape his way passed a line of limos to get as close to the building as possible.

She was one of the first to arrive at the gaudy mansion in the woods, something she was grateful for. She could find a perch to watch from without risk of someone stopping her and finding her out.

She slipped quietly passed the poor souls carrying tables through the front door, passed over her ticket with a withering look to the ticket taker and made her way to the stairs.

“This was a mistake.” She whispered to Thing as she found a dark balcony that overlooked the dance floor below.

He poked through the curtain of her long hair, I’ll tell Enid you think so.

“You’ll have one fewer finger before you get the chance.” She warned coolly.

She paced lightly in the shadows, watching as more and more of her peers filled the space and music began to radiate through the building, echoing quite nicely against the high arched ceiling. She should have brought her cello, though. The band was… severely lacking in her opinion.

There was a tingle that ran up her spine, her eyes darted to the door without her telling them to do so.

There she was, a devastating beauty in dramatic black. Blonde hair pulled back into complicated braids atop her head, leaving her shoulders so bare and so tempting. Her heart was aching, her feet begging permission to run to her but-

The awful clash of blue and green at her elbow had her lip curling into a sneer. She watched with growing hatred as he dragged Enid through the crowd. His jester mask lifting often to talk to every group of teenagers he happened passed, finally coming to a stop at the foot of the grand stairway.

Wednesday crept closer, ears straining to hear even though she knew she could just read their lips.

“Hey, look who I found!”  The gorgon’s annoying face smirked as his hand waved vaguely at the blonde goddess beside him.

“Oh, wow,” another stoner scoffed, “I almost didn’t recognize you with the mask,” the railing creaked dangerously in Wednesdays grip, and remembering her lost crossbow, she released it, “Er, I mean, normally you’re a riot of colors. Isn’t the death look more your demented roommate’s area of expertise?”

Enid’s back straightened into a defensive posture. That’s when Wednesday realized the girl’s back was left bare by a deep V that ended at the small of her back. All her concentration was lost in a moment.

She shook her head clear, pried her eyes from the swath of pale skin, to see the prick who they had been talking to saunter off to try an ingratiate himself in a group of mostly girls. She continued to watch as Ajax continued to parade Enid around the room, ignoring her completely as he spoke to seemingly every other person at this damned dance.

Wednesday was on the verge of caving and rushing down there to save the increasingly depressed looking blonde when another of their classmates beat her to it.

Yoko, Thing sighed before patting her leg in comfort.

Yoko was gesturing to the dance floor, inviting. Enid spun back to Ajax, her question lost beneath the music, contemporary now that the sirens had arrived. Ajax’s dismissal of her was clear, as was Enid’s crushing disappointment.

“I’m going to kill him.” Wednesday promised in a voice she hardly recognized as her own.

Yoko will help-

“I want to be the one to help her!” she snapped, but leaned back from the railing all the same.

Enid did seem to become more and more like herself as she danced and laughed with her friends. Her shoulders loosened, her hands and hips moving smoothly with the beat. Strands of her hair escaped as she spun and jerked through an odd-looking dance as the rest of their peers did.

Wednesday watch, head leaning on her hand, a content smile tugging at the corner of her lips. She could have watched Enid like this forever.

She traced her path as she pulled off from the pack, making a beeline for the refreshments.

“Oh no,” She sighed, knowing full well that the punch Enid began to guzzle could no longer rightly be called a juice. She was on the verge, once again of going to her side, now that she was alone, but dark skin and sky blue silk beat her to it.

Enid tensed briefly, then relaxed as the conversation progressed. Wednesday was pleasantly surprised to see that Bianca had seemingly matured passed her bullying phase and lead Enid back into the dancing mass of students.

After a few more lively numbers, there was a shift in the atmosphere, something even the DJ seemed to sense as a different beat began to spill from the speakers, slow, heady, and actually, embarrassingly, familiar to Wednesday. Her feet were moving with out her telling them to, even as she kept a careful eye on her target.

She noticed the shudder that went through the taller girl, followed her eyeline to find the foolish boy pouring himself all over another blonde tart, his smile slimy as he made some comment he believed was clever.

She quickened her pace.

She reached her hearts desire just as she began to pull away from the dance floor, fingers encircling one perfect wrist, she left some unknown instinct take over. Blonde hair spun, their chests collided, on a height for once thanks to the high heels.

“What-?” came the sudden huff as startled blue eyes raked over her body.

But Wednesday lost her tongue, trusting her body to go through the routines drilled into her from countless dancing lessons. She led them expertly though their clumsy classmates, holding Enid as close as she dared.

“Do I know you?” Enid sounded breathless, Wednesday could see the pulse jumping at the junction, her pupils ringed in gold tint.

She couldn’t help the triumphant smirk, she was definitely affecting the other girl. At the very least, she was sure Enid was no longer thinking about her treacherous boyfriend. She spun Enid again, spinning with her before letting their bodies meet once more. Breathing was coming faster now, and not at all from exertion.

She watched the wolf twitch her nose curiously, and was suddenly grateful she had listened to Thing’s suggestion she wear Enid’s own perfume to hide herself more fully.

She moved her hand, indulging in the over heated skin as her fingers traced over every nodule in her spine, pulling tight when she found the small of her back. Enid gasped softly, Wednesday would spend the rest of her life chasing that sound if allowed. She gave into the drunk feeling filling her now, dipping her low, leaning in to whisper lowly.

“Un cieco non merita tanta bellezza, cara mia,” the words came unbidden to her lips, but she couldn’t find it in her to regret them, especially when she got a delicious shiver as her reward. She was aware enough to be glad her words spilled over in Italian, otherwise that would have given the game away for certain.

The song ended, and with a pang of regret, Wednesday steadied Enid back on her own feet. Their eyes met, and for one moment, a spark passed between them, and she had the uncontrollable urge to close the distance between their mouths, to finally taste-

“Enid!”

Was that growl in response hers or Enid’s? With their chests molded almost as one, it was impossible to tell. Wednesday saw the ugly flash of green and blue diamonds, and felt her lips turn to a sneer once more. Enid missed it, turning to face Ajax who waved his mask above his head drunkenly.

The spell was broken, Wednesday new from the way Enid’s pale shoulders drooped. Rather than try and find a rational explanation for her presence and actions, she slipped into the crowd. Running, like the coward she feared she was becoming.

Thing scuttled up her dress and to her shoulder, “We’re leaving, now. Go tell lurch to pull the car around.”

The hand gave a two figured salute and dashed off between shuffling feet, much faster than Wednesday herself was able. Luckily, no one tried to stop her, and she tripped into the back seat of her family’s car, Lurch already pulling away as she saw familiar blonde hair leave the mansion.

She new she didn’t have much time to get to the dorms if she wanted to further avoid any questions, Lurch understood her urgency with out her having to say anything. They made it to the dorms in record time.

“Thank you.” She sighed, “Please don’t tell them.”

Lurch grunted his agreement and turned the car back for the road.

She was in the room, dress kicked off, pajamas pulled on, just finishing the plaits in her hair when the door slowly swung open.

She fell into her chair and willed herself into breathing normal, refusing to turn around and look at Enid. If she did…

“You are back earlier than I expected.” Her voice was embarrassingly high.

“Yeah… it was kind of a bust.” Came the distant reply, “You should be glad you didn’t go.”

“Oh? Did you not have a good time?” she fought not to turn and watch Enid for the expressions her tired tone couldn’t hide.

 “Not so much. Well, parts were fun. But Ajax.”

She couldn’t stop herself then from whipping around, headless of the damning makeup she hadn’t had the chance to remove. Enid looked tired, even from behind Wednesday could trace the heavy line of her shoulders.

“I’m… I’m fine.” Enid said, shifting uncomfortably, but still not looking at her,
We broke up. It’s not a big deal.”

They broke up? She was finally done with that dumb boy? Wednesday’s heart sored for one moment before she saw the defeated way Enid crawled into her bed, hiding beneath the blankets. “Hmm.” Was all she felt safe to offer.

“Don’t kill him, please?” came the soft request, barely audible.

“No promises.” Wednesday finally responded when her breaths had evened out to soft snores.

Chapter Text

The night crawled by, dragging Wednesday along with it. What was she to do? Throw herself at Enid and hope for the best? Surely she would not appreciate being bombarded with possibly unwanted affection so close on the heels of ending things with Ajax. And the Raven wasn’t so sure she wanted her confession told with the aftertaste of that… guy still flittering about.

On the other hand, how could she possibly continue on without giving into the ache radiating from her chest to behind her eyes. She needed to talk to someone about it. Her own mind was a useless traitor who saw no need for caution. But who could she trust?

Enid.

“Not. Helpful.” She grumbled softly as she scrubbed the heel of her hands into her eyes.

She breathed. Watched the black spots clear from her vision. Weighed her options, the bad and the worse. She couldn’t let her mother be right about yet another thing that meant Wednesday was more like her than she cared to admit. Her father was the cause of this, passing on curses with his genetics without bothering to consider whether is children would want such a thing. Pugsley was just a boy himself, she doubted his ability to fully appreciate what was happening to her. Xavier, Yoko, Davina… they were all firmly in the peer camp, not to be considered friends if she could help it. Other than Enid, there was only one other she cared to call friend, but she doubted his ability to help as much as she doubted Pugsley.

 When the first pale fingers of dawn began to reach across the floor, a pathetic noise that was somewhere between a whine and a growl emanated from beneath twisted sheets.

Wednesday was on her feet before she knew what she was doing. Thing, she was glad to note, was already pulling the black out curtains tighter around the window. She continued her journey, her heart the only part of her making noise as she slid to the other end of the room.

She paused briefly, agonizing over what to do next.

A mess of blonde hair splayed over Enid’s face, her nose twitching under its assault. Enid’s cheeks filled with air, let out in a huff. Theh hair fluttered suspended for one moment, before falling right back to where it started.

Another groan, “Too early. Too bright.”

Wednesday couldn’t help the soft chuckle, nor her fingers that reached out and carefully brushed the errant locks behind an ear, “Too much fun last night?” she tried to keep her voice low, but Enid’s eyebrows drew together in pain.

“Shhh. Too loud.” She complained, but wiggled closer to Wednesday’s lap- when had she felt bold enough to sit?- burring her nose under the side of her thigh before giving a contented sigh.

The thought startled her, but not enough to make her move away, or stop carefully carding her fingers through the tangled gold mess. No one needs to know how weak I’ve become. There was a rumble in Enid’s chest, soft and almost too low to hear. It filled the Raven from sole to crown with a brilliant warmth. She worked carefully, slowly removing all the tangles she could reach. Nails lightly scratching over scalp, admiring how soft her hair was, breathing in the smell of her shampoo as its scent was released into the air.

. Eventually, Enid’s breaths evened out once more into deeper sleep. It gave the unwarranted courage to her fingers to begin to lightly trace the scars across brow and cheek. The pads of her fingers tingled, like there were little lightening shocks sparking at the contact, and it wasn’t at all unpleasant.

She knew she needed to stop when she reached the apex of the last scar, but it was hard. She didn’t want to let this moment go, but she had to if she was going to let Enid come to her in her own time. And having shown so much affection did seem to have lessened the knot in her chest. It made her feel stronger somehow.

She carefully removed herself from her roommate’s bed, not jostling her or shaking the mattress. She carefully signed her instructions to Thing before slipping into her closet to get ready. She was pleased to see the tall glass of water, full pitcher and bottle of ibuprophine waiting on Enid’s bedside table.

She grabbed a simple card from her own desk and explained her absence, and wish for Enid to hydrate, medicate and eat. Her hand seized before she could write anything to obviously heartfelt in a post script.

Soon.

She slipped out into the empty halls of the dorm room. Though the sun was well up by that point, no one else had stirred. Whether that was exhaustion, hang over or mere laziness on the part of her classmates, she couldn’t say. She could only be grateful for the privacy it allotted her to think without fear of being seen blushing, or gods forbid, smiling.

The air was still cold on her walk to the hives, something that helped keep her grounded and firm with herself. She scolded herself savagely for the invasion of privacy and personal space she had committed on her roommate. If she had woken four months ago to someone hovering over her prone body, she would have enacted a very complicated revenge plan.

Eugene was busy moving things back and forth between beakers, without a purpose that Wednesday could decipher. She had a theory that he found reasons to stay with the bees, afraid if he left, he would never be able to return. She couldn’t fault him for this small weakness, not when hers was far greater.

“Morning sunshine.” He set a beaker on a low flame.

“I warn you, my tolerance for humor is quite a bit lower than usual today.” She warned icily.

“Whoa,” he held his hands out in a placating gesture, “What’s wrong with you?”

“I have a problem that is vexing me, and I find I have no one to talk to about it.” She paced carefully back and forth, the steady drone of the bees helping drown out some of her thoughts.

“Is this about your stalker?”

“My what?” She blinked at him.

“You know,” he gestured to the murder board on the wall, still mostly covered with the gruesome murders committed by those particularly idiotic normies. There were two papers, buried at the bottom. Wednesday examined them now.

“No,” she shook her head before turning away, “Truth be told, I had forgotten all about those notes left for me. I didn’t find them particularly compelling.”

“You don’t find someone trying to kill you compelling?”

“Well, he hasn’t tried very hard has he?” she quirked an eyebrow, “And scant few vague words do not a threat make. No, I have problems of consequence on my mind.”

“Alright, do you want to… talk about it?” he shifted nervously from foot to foot.

“No.” she said resolutely, “But it has become glaringly obvious that I must.”

“Alright,” he flipped the flame off and turned to give her his full attention.

“I am cursed.” She said bluntly, “Not by choice, or my own doing. Which I find particularly irksome.”

“C-cursed? Like, what? How? What?”

“It is the Addams’ family curse, I don’t have the desire to explain every insipid detail of my family’s inner workings, Eugene. Suffice it to say, it is… particularly uncomfortable for me. I had been under the impression that I was lucky enough to have it skip me. Evidence is saying otherwise.”

“So, are you gonna, I don’t know, die? Turn into a monster? A murderer? I mean, like, not in the way you want to.” His arms were crossed, he looked fairly worried.

“If only it were as mundane as that, I wouldn’t be seeking your counsel for something so… pedestrian.”

“Well, I’m out of guesses, what’s worse than that?”

“I’ve begun to feel… feelings.” She ground out the word through clenched teeth, her face burning under the shame.

“Okaaay?” He drew out the word, “What sort of feelings?”

“Affectionate, disgustingly romantic feelings.”

“Aw! That’s actually so cute! And- hey ow! Cut it out I’m sorry! Let go!”

Wednesday released the twisted hold she had on his ear, “It is not cute! Its… Awful. How am I to go through with my ten year plan when I am unable to even think straight or plan? How can I possibly endure under such… circumstances?”

“Feelings aren’t so bad,” he shrugged, “Who’s the unlucky guy?”

“I hardly think that’s any of your business.” She glared a warning, “I merely need advice on how to proceed. If you don’t know how to get them to stop, that is.”

He shook his head, “Unfortunately, crushes just… you have to live with them to get through them.”

“This isn’t something as simple as a crush, Eugene, though the physical symptoms should be described as such, I suppose.” She began to pace again, “What do I do? What if My intended doesn’t share my affections? What if they do and I lose all that makes me who I am, like my parents before me?”

“Well, have you talked to him about it?”

“They have just been through a… difficult relationship. It seemed cruel to add my infatuation to the mess.”

“Look, Wednesday,” Eugene sighed, “Are you friends with this person?”

“Yes.”

“Then, all you can do until you think they are ready to talk about it, is be a friend. I know it’s new for you.” He had the impudence to smile, “But… if they just broke up, they are probably really hurting. And if it was a bad relationship, its your job to help them recover, protect them from any more toxic bullshit.”

Wednesday nodded. Be Enid’s friend. Protect her from Ajax. Give her time. These were the same conclusions she had been able to draw from her nights musings, but it did make her feel a little better knowing a normal person would offer the same advice as her demented brain.

“I can do that.” She turned back to the door.

“Tell Enid I said hi.”

She couldn’t shoot him a glare, too busy hiding her blush.

She was waking from a most amazing dream. There had been warmth, a feeling of being loved and cared for in a way she was sure she had never felt in real life before. A flash of red fading to black. The smell of honey and some floral scent she couldn’t quite place, of old leather and ink.

She tried to burry her nose into the scent as it left, but found only cold empty blankets, the last vestiges of her dream fading into forgotten memory.

Enid groaned, rolling on to her back and immediately regretting it. Her head felt like it was being stabbed by hot pokers. Her mouth was sandpaper, her tongue thick and useless as she tried to lick her chapped lips.

There was a light, but insistent tapping coming from near her head. She pried her eyes open to glare blearily at the hand waving a good morning from her nightstand.

“Morning.” She croaked.

He pointed to the alarm clock.

“Shit,” she rolled to sit up, “Afternoon, I guess. God I feel like I got run over and dragged through death valley.”

Thing pushed a glass of water closer to it. She seized it and gulped it eagerly. She had no proof, but she was sure it was the best glass of water she ever had in her entire life. She thought much the same as the three that followed.

Thing snapped his fingers and handed over a notecard with elaborate scrawling across the face of it.

Enid, I hope this hang over has taught you your limitations. Please hydrate, take the anti-inflammatory I have set out for you and then eat. I don’t want to find out what happens when a wolf starves itself, as interesting as it may be. -W

Enid couldn’t help the smile, Wednesday Addams, trying to take care of her. Who could have ever guessed the little Raven had a charitable bone in her body.

She grabbed up her phone as she swallowed the pills, half forgetting for a moment that she couldn’t text or call Wednesday to tease her about it. Her smile died on her lips, curled into a sneer, then rest al last in a frown.

She had a dozen missed calls, more than twice as many text messages. Some were from friends, Yoko, Davina, even Bianca checking in with her, offering words that carefully toed the line between condolence and congratulation. They gave her a fond smile and comforting feeling, to have such a pack of friends surrounding her now. Most were from Ajax.

Those texts ranged from confused to angry to accusing to remorseful to sad to pleading to demanding… it was dizzying. She probably should have stopped reading and rereading them… she just wanted something to make her feel better, had maybe hoped it would be hidden in the words he typed. She was sorely disappointed; they gave her nothing but an itch beneath her skin and the need to shower.

She peeled herself out of sweat soaked sheets and dragged herself to the bathroom. The florescent lights were momentarily blinding as she flipped them. She leaned heavily on the sink to steady her body. When she could see once more, she chanced a look at whatever found her in the mirror.

She blinked. Once. Twice.

Enid didn’t look half as bad as she felt. True, her makeup had run together to form serious raccoon eye, her face was pale and marked with the signs of heavy sleep- chiefly dried drool and lines from her sheets. But her hair wasn’t the rats nest she expected, as it always was when she slept without containing it with a hair band.

She lifted one black tipped hand to run her fingers from scalp to tip, finding no trace of snarl or tangle to trip her up. The action pulled some foggy memory of quick, gentle fingers doing the same action over and over…

She shook her head. It was impossible, only a desire she kept close to her heart. More than likely, the alcohol had kept her trapped in one position all night, not allowing her to tangle her hair in its normal morning fashion.

Enid soon found herself sighing with relief as steaming water poured over her skin, pounding into exhausted, dehydrated muscles. As her joints popped to let her limbs hang loosely around her, she let her mind wander the night’s events.

Flashes of red, black, whispered words she couldn’t understand but made her shiver with want none the less.

She let them fill her mind for one blissful moment, then pushed them aside. She needed to figure out her real life shit before she let fantasies of a dark stranger take over.

Ajax, ignoring her as perusal. Dancing and laughing with her classmates, friends and acquaintances who smiled more at her now. Drinking with Bianca, the uneasy, but welcome truce there seemed to be between them. Then came the slow motion, high-definition images of Ajax posturing over some other girl she couldn’t identify from the distance she stood at. It was just green-blue-white-disgust.

She felt bile rise in her throat. If she had bothered to remember to eat dinner the night before, she might have thrown up. Instead, she was left with the sinking feeling of not enough.

Would she ever get her fairy tale? The ones promised by romcoms and tv shows and books? Hell, could she hope for one damned dance where she didn’t leave feeling rejected and ashamed?

Red flashed through her mind once more.

She turned the water off. Pouting and feeling miserable about it wouldn’t fix anything. So, she toweled off and asked the most important question, WWWD?

Not give a damn to start. That didn’t feel quite possible, but she could start with pretending. And like with a lot of other things, she hoped that pretending to not care was the first step to actually not caring.

She took the time to blow dry and curl her hair, covering her dark circles with makeup and lining her eyes with a hand that was steadier than it had been in a long while.

Enid left the bathroom feeling almost human, to find her roommate pacing worriedly the length of their room.

“Hey,” She couldn’t help the wide smile that split her face whenever she saw the Raven, it felt more natural than breathing most days.

“Hello,” Wednesday was stock still in the blink of an eye, hands held properly behind her back, “I left instructions for you-,”

Enid rolled her eyes, “Yes, yes, I drank my water and took my drugs, are you happy?”

A black eyebrow rose with agonizing slowness, “Did you eat?”

Enid’s stomach growled loud enough for the whole school to hear, she gave a sheepish smile, “Not yet, we could grab an early dinner together if you’re up for it?”

“I wouldn’t call it early at this point.” She gave a pointed glance to the alarm clock, “Perhaps we can beat a few of our fellows to the choice cuts of steak if you wish.”

Enid blinked at the red flashing numbers. 5:26. Her shower had been much longer than she realized. Or had she stared in the mirror for far too long before hand? Or taken too much time making herself look as unaffected as she wanted to feel?

She gave up trying to find a reason, and accepted time would never pass as she expected it to.

“Regular dinner then?” She tried a sheepish smile, hoping to avoid wrath for not following her over protective roommate’s instructions.

“How are you feeling?” was the only response she got, careful black eyes tracing her from head to toe. Enid could feel the heat left in the wake of the gaze, her skin suddenly felt like it was alive. She wanted to run in the woods and howl.

She shook away the nonsense, “I’m…” She took a breath, “I’m okay, I think.”

Wednesday crossed her arms, waited.

“I don’t know.” She slumped her shoulders in defeat, “I feel a lot like last time. Used. Dirty.” She ground her teeth, rejected, “Like I want to forget everything.”

There was a depth of feeling in the never-ending gaze of Wednesday. Her face so so soft as he looked at Enid then. And Enid wanted to run and burry her face in her best friend’s shoulder and cry until she felt better. But such a show of emotion would likely disgust her roommate, and she couldn’t handle that just yet. The mask she carefully applied now was a thin veneer, still setting into true feeling.

“Enid-,”

“I- I don’t really want to talk about it,” she insisted, “Not yet. Can we just pretend nothing happened? Can we just go eat dinner and you can complain about our classmates and tell me how you would dispose of them given half the chance? Can we have a bit of normal?”

“Of course,” Wednesday was quick to agree, a quick nod and her normal apathetic look was back where it belonged.

They left the room, fingertips brushing slightly with how closely they walked. It helped settle some part of Enid, the unsure scared part. Wednesday wasn’t one for physical affection, unlike Enid who delighted in it, and even this small act meant more than she could ever properly put into words.

“Aside from he who must not be named-,”

“Nice Harry Potter reference.” Enid scoffed as they descended the stairs.

“I have no idea who that is,” the raven-haired girl huffed before continuing, “How was the rest of the dance? Did you have a good time with your friends?”

Enid was touched by the question, “I did,” she assured honestly, “I even got to talking with Bianca, no claws necessary!”

“Intriguing.” Wednesday was pretending to be nonchalant, but Enid could see something just below the surface, “Anything else of note?”

Black eyes, red dress, hot breath.

“Nothing you need to make schemes about, if that’s why you’re asking.” Enid laughed to cover the sudden breathlessness she felt.

“It’s too early to plan any murders,” Came the grumbled complaint as Yoko silently fell in step with them.

“It’s almost six.” Davina scolded from the other end of their ragged line.

“Almost six says you.” Yoko rubbed her eyes beneath her dark lenses, “Far too early to be alive says I.”

“How was the party after I left?” Enid smirked at her oldest friend.

“I have regrets.” Was all Yoko would say.

The girls laughed, even Wednesday looked comfortable, if a bit distant as they continued on their way to the dinning hall. They had just made it through the doors when a shadow blocked their path.

“Enid!”

She felt her shoulders slump, her smile fade, her walls come creeping back up, “Ajax.”

“Enid, I need to talk to you,” he insisted, moving to stand directly in front of her, “About yesterday, I don’t understand-,”

“I think I made myself perfectly clear.” Enid spoke slowly, feeling so tired. There was a quiet shift at her sides, not so much seen as felt. The air was charged, they straddled a razor, and everyone was waiting to see which way it tilted.

“But you can’t just- after everything we’ve been through you can’t just end it without explaining to me-,” His hands were strangling each other, his beanie a pulsing movement, his eyes sunken in craters.

“I shouldn’t have to explain anything to you! You know-!” Enid tried, her voice growing with irritation and anger. A thumb brushed her hand, sending comfort and love and strength in one small touch, but she couldn’t turn her head to see who it was sent from.

“What, is this about Tracy? Because she doesn’t mean anything!” Ajax’s hands gripped her shoulders tightly, “This is crazy!”

“Ajax that’s enough,” Enid tried to step back, but his fingers dug deeper into her skin. The whole room was quiet, she could hear that no one even dared breathe, afraid to miss whatever was going to happen next.

“Let. Go.” There was a threat in those words, a dark promise of violence and ruin. Enid’s mouth went dry, her wolf wriggled with anticipation.

Wednesday placed one small hand on his chest and shoved. Caught off balance, Ajax went sprawling back into the arms of his gathered friends, saving him from a hard fall. The raven moved slightly to put her small frame in front of Enid.

“You’ve said your piece,” Wednesday’s tone was flat, even, and yet murderous, “It is quite clear no one is interested in hearing another word from you.”

Ajax tore himself loose of his friend’s steadying hands, moving to stand toe to toe with the much shorter girl, “Yeah? No one asked you, freak.”

The word sent a jolt through Wednesday, Enid could tell that much by the way she seemed to grow an inch in her stiffness, but she gave none of this away on her stone cold features. “The crow calls the raven black.”

Ajax’s eyes flashed dangerously, “Can you mind your own business? Or do I need to teach you a lesson, bitch.”

“I doubt there is very little a weak, pathetic boy could hope to teach me.” Wednesday spat back venomously.

Enid felt the hairs on her arms rise, that was all she had time to process before she pushed Wednesday to the side to stand in her place. Cold darkness gripped her heart as her eyes went blind. A perfect, cold statue in her place.

Chapter Text

For one moment, Wednesday was her old self. Like stepping back into her favorite boots, molded perfectly to her shape, she knew who she was and how she fit in the world and what to do with that information. Carefully calculating every fulcrum point, the weak spots in muscles, joints, organs. Her weight carefully poised on the balls of her feet. She knew, down to the marrow of her bones, that she would end this foolish boy.

How dare he lay hands on Enid? By what right did he think he was allowed to grab her without her consent? It was absolutely unacceptable. She could think of a dozen ways to teach him the error of his ways. After all, thinking of all the ways she could hurt Ajax had been part of her morning meditation routine for weeks now. She could even rid the world of his useless presence if need be.

If he thought a few insults and posturing would make Wednesday Addams back down from protecting what was hers-

The hit, when it came, wasn’t from the direction she was expecting. The world tilted on its axis for one weightless breath. Her body tumbled and rolled quickly back into fighting position thanks to years of being trained to expect the unexpected.

Her breath came in ragged gasps, her vision pounding red, searching for her target, but there was a screen between them now. A wall of smooth, pale marble, veined in pink and blue. A perfect statue, arms poised at her sides, ending in tightly clenched fists so detailed, Wednesday could make out the veins and tendons straining against skin.

The hall was so quiet, the sound of cicadas could be heard screaming their needs to the sky outside. Nearly every student in Nevermore was on their feet, some stood on tables to get a better view, none moved.

Wednesday took one step to the side, then another. Just enough to confirm her worst fears. Enid’s beautiful, enraged face, lips turned up in a snarl to reveal wicked points at the ends of her canines. Curling locks frozen in their momentum. Knees braced for an impact that would never come.

The Raven felt cold. Not the cold of morgues or a biting winter. But the cold of the deepest circle of hell’s fires. The aftermath of a supernova. A dead point in space. Devoid of life and meaning. As cold as the stone statue she loved.

Her eyes fell on the shocked face of Ajax.

“You.” Was that voice even hers?

She was on him before anyone could so much as take a breath. Her fist connected solidly with his jaw, sending a lance of pain up her arm, she used it to fuel her rage.

Ajax Stumbled back, “Me?” He shook his head to clear it “This- this was your fault, you psychotic bitch!” he charged for a tackle, shoulder catching Wednesday in the sternum, driving her back until her tail bone collided with a table. She used the left over inertia to bring her knee up, driving it into his stomach, her elbow came down between his shoulder blades. He released his hold on her, she brought up one boot and kicked him in the chest sending him sprawling backward.

She advanced on the attack as he sprang to his feet. Before she made it two yards, strong arms wrapped around her waist and lifted her from the ground, forcing her backwards. She kicked her feet out in protest, the toe of her boot found Ajax’s stomach with just enough force to knock the wind out of him.

Ajax tried to lunge for an attack, but his friends were quicker to stop him than Enid’s had been to stop Wednesday. He struggled against their hold, spitting profanity and heaping the blame on Wednesday. Someone was clever enough to pull his beanie down so it covered his eyes as well, “This is all your fault!” he insisted, as he continued to thrash unsuccessfully, “If you had just stayed out of the way!”

Bianca moved to stand in front of the struggling Raven, voice raised above the shouts, but calm, “Addams! Calm down!”

“Calm down?” she scoffed, “Calm down?” Yoko’s arms tightened their grip around her waist as Wednesday continued to fight like someone three times her size.

“Do you want to get expelled again?” She demanded, hands on hips, “Look, the teachers are trying to break through, we can’t hold them back for long. If you don’t take a breath and think rationally-,”

There was a resounding CRACK, a cloud of white dust settled on the floor and those students who stood closest. The air settled to reveal an absolutely enraged Enid, eyes like molten gold as her chest heaved. Her eyes darted around, settling down on herself for a moment. Her arms shot up in the air in exasperation.

“Oh, come on!” she whined, “I literally just showered!” her eyes faded back to their normal blue as her hands brushed irritably at the dust clinging to her clothes.

“Enid.” Wednesday breathed, collapsing back into the hold, now helping to keep her upright in the whiplash of emotions, “You’re okay.”

Enid smiled warmly at her, “Good thing I’m not human, huh?” she winked.

Wednesday took a step forward, she felt like she was waking up from a dream. She had the unbearable urge to wrap the girl in a hug, much like after the hyde nearly separated them before. To run her hands over her and make sure she was here and whole and safe. She watched as Enid was giving her a slow once over again, pausing with a frown when her eyes found bloody knuckles, dripping onto the white floor in perfect circles.

Before either girl could speak or move as they clearly wanted to, Ajax’s friends, caught up in the drama like everyone else, lost their grip and he yanked himself free. He shoved at the still bodies behind him, moving his beanie from his vision he spun back to the fray. He glared at Wednesday for a moment, but he found the girl seemed to not be interested in fighting anymore, and he finally noticed why.

“Enid!” he shoved forward.

There was a low rumble amongst the gathered throngs, not all from the wolves. He was too dense to hear the warning. He reached out for her once more, but Enid took a step back, sharp teeth bared.

He looked… not as contrite as Wednesday thought he should. He looked more exasperated as he threw his own hands in the air, “Look, I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t mean to- if Wednesday had just backed off, I wouldn’t have-,”

“Enough.” Enid’s voice was dangerous, soft, her eyes burning once more as she leveled them on Ajax, she seemed to grow taller with the anger that filled her.

She’s perfect.

Wednesday couldn’t even argue with her lovesick thoughts this time. Too caught up in the absolute power the normally bubbly blonde was exuding. She was absolutely breath taking.

“When I am ready to hear what you have to say, I’ll let you know. Until then,” she took a step forward, her black painted claws extending, “Stay away from me, and stay the hell away from my friends.”

“But-,” his whine was cut off abruptly.

“What is going on here?” a loud voice boomed out. Mr. Kessler, the Advanced Pack Tactics teacher, towered over the students, dark eyes scanning the scene with quick efficiency, “Ms. Sinclair? Mr. Petropolus? One of you had better start talking or I will haul each and every one of you-,”

“Wednesday hit me!” He spun, pointing an accusing finger at the now bored looking Raven, only quirked one eyebrow in response. Wednesday could have sworn she saw the teacher’s lip curl in disgust at Ajax’s whining tone, but that couldn’t be possible-

“He had it coming!” voices chorused from all around them. Students began to step forward, arguing and shouting, defending her. Wednesday was speechless, caught off guard by the sudden support she felt pouring from her classmates.

“Enough!” Mr. Kessler’s voice cracked like a whip, a warning growl echoing as the students fell back into silence, “Ms. Addams?”

“He deserved much worse than he got,” she shrugged, trying to keep her nonchalant mask firmly in place, “My only regret is I allowed myself to be stopped before teaching him a proper lesson.”

The old wolf’s lip quivered, was that a smile?

“See!” Ajax called triumphantly.

More wolf growls and teenaged indignation rose in response.

“Alright, Ajax, Wednesday, lets get you both to the principal,” He took Ajax by the elbow and nodded for the Raven to follow.

Wednesday gave a soft sigh and stepped toward Enid at the same time the wolf moved for her. “Are you okay?” A soft hand brushed dust from Wednesday’s cheeks, ran from shoulders to her hands.

“I’m fine,” she bit down on the blush, “He got in one lucky tackle,” she winced as fingers found her bruised knuckles, “Well, his face may have made contact with my fist.”

Enid’s brow furrowed, a soft whine that only the Raven could hear escaped.

“Let’s go Addams,” Mr. Kessler barked back, “I’d like to eat dinner at some point!”

At the reminder, Wednesday gripped Enid’s hand with her good one, “Eat something.”

“But-,”

“Don’t worry Addams,” Bianca appeared at her elbow, “We’ll take care of the wolf, you go get your hand bandaged. I don’t want you to have any excuses tomorrow in fencing.”

Wednesday gave a tight nod and, reluctantly, pulled away from Enid’s touch. The students parted before her, as they usually did when she walked by. But this time it was different. This time there was soft words of encouragement, soft whispers of way to go, and nice hit, Addams, and though no one dare touch her still, there were a few cheeky two finger salutes and approving thumbs as she stepped out of the dining hall.

Rather than take them all the way to the principles office, he dumped Ajax into a desk in his own near by classroom, Wednesday closing the door softly behind them.

“Start. Talking.” He grumbled, arms crossed as he leaned against the whiteboard.

“This crazy bitch-!” Ajax began immediately.

A savage snarl ripped through the air at the insult as Mr. Kessler’s eyes turned a baleful green.

“I mean-,” he stammered, back peddling as fast as he could.

At least he’s smart enough to know that word would earn him no favors with the werewolf.

“I was trying to talk to my girlfriend-,”

“Ex-girlfriend.” Wednesday corrected smoothly as she sat two desks over from the gorgon.

“Not if I have anything to say about it.” He shot her a glare.

Wednesday clenched her fists, the resulting agony soothed her some.

“You were trying to talk to Enid,” Mr. Kessler prompted.

“Right, and she wouldn’t butt out of it! She pushed me! I- I lost my temper and tried to stone her. But Enid pushed her out of the way and got hit instead. Then Wednesday went berserk! She hit me!”

“Let me get this straight,” the teacher pinched the bridge of his nose, “A girl, who is nearly a foot shorter than you, who weighs a hundred pounds soaking wet, pushed you and you thought that gave you reason enough to stone her?” His voice was raising, “And then when you stoned your Ex instead, she went after you. Am I missing anything else?”

“He wouldn’t release Enid,” Wednesday couldn’t fail to notice he had left that part out, “He was asked, then warned to take his hands off her person, and he failed to do so.”

“You are lucky, boy,” Mr. Kessler stalked forward until he towered over Ajax, “Do you have any idea what would have happened to you if a wolf had gotten to you first? We would be sending your parents a body bag and a condolence letter. I am not surprised no one jumped to your defense, only that they let Ms. Addams dole out the punishment.”

“Wh-What?” he stammered, his face going pale.

“As I am not part of Ms. Sinclair’s pack, it’s beyond my purview to punish you as we normally would for attacking one of our own.” His teeth glimmered as he smiled with no warmth, “As one of those entrusted with your education, however, I expect you to return to your rooms immediately with out supper. You will find me every day after classes let out for two hours. If you have enough energy to be picking fights, it would be better spent in physical labor. In a month, we will see if your morals have improved. You are dismissed.”

“But what about her?” he demanded.

“You’re right,” he turned to look at Wednesday, “Addams. You know better than to strike an opponent in the jaw. Go to the infirmary and have that hand looked at before you return to your friends.”

Wednesday rose and dipped her head, “I’m sorry I disappointed you, Mr. Kessler. I find pain is a very good teacher, and I trust the lesson will stick with me.”

He nodded then turned back to Ajax, “Get out of my sight, boy.”

After the Raven’s exodus, the students split off into their normal groups to whisper over trays of forgotten food.

“Come on, wolfy,” Bianca sighed, turning on her heel, “Staring at the door won’t bring your girlfriend back.”

Heat flooded to Enid’s face as she whipped around, “She’s not my-,” but Bianca was already moving to stand in the food line, grabbing a spot before the hungry students remembered their appetites.

“She’s a girl and she is your friend, isn’t she?” Bianca gave her a knowing smirk when she caught up.

“Well, yeah but the way you said it-,” a tray stacked with rare meat and cakes was forced into her fiddling hands.

“Sit with me, Sinclair,” The siren rolled her eyes, “I think you need to have a serious talking to before someone really gets hurt.”

Feeling flustered and confused, Enid followed her lead to an empty table in the corner. Yoko sent her a silent question from their normal spot in the form of a raised brow. Enid shook her head and sat.

“I know it’s none of my business,” Bianca began to carefully carve up her salmon, “Especially with how I’ve acted in the past. But honestly, I don’t think anyone else has the balls. Do you know why our resident psychic was expelled from her last normie school?”

Enid frowned, “Because she killed someone?” that was the rumor everyone spread when she first arrived, and when Enid had asked for clarification from Wednesday herself, the girl smirked and confided it was actually two someones.

Bianca rolled her eyes, “If you still believe that, maybe you don’t know your best friend as much as I thought you did. While it’s true Wednesday is capable of murdering anyone who annoyed her too much, you and I both know she would never get caught.”

Enid’s lip curled at the implication that she didn’t know Wednesday. Wasn’t she the only one who saw the good in her most days? Who believed her before anyone else at Nevermore did?

“If you are so all knowing, please, enlighten me.” She stabbed a chunk of meat with more force than was necessary.

Bianca looked unimpressed, but continued, “She dropped two dozen live piranha into her school’s pool. While the normie swim team was practicing. I swear, she makes violence and revenge an artform.” She shook her head fondly.

“So, she did kill someone?” Enid felt lost.

“No,” Bianca laughed, “That’s probably why she doesn’t want anyone to know. A boy lost one of his family jewels, but kept his life. She probably sees it as a failure, but I think that boy will think twice before he bullies another kid.”

“So she got revenge on her bullies,” Enid put her fork down in frustration, “What does that have to with anything.”

“You misunderstand me. It wasn’t her bullies,” she smirked, “Seems the normies were smart enough to leave her alone. But not smart enough to offer the same wide birth to her little brother. Call me crazy, but it seems like our little violent munchkin is only actually violent when it’s to protect someone else. And the more she cares about that person, the more creative she gets.”

“Okay.” She sat back, thinking, still feeling lost.

“Except when it comes to you.” Bianca said slowly, “When ever it’s you she doesn’t take the time to think anything through. The second you were stoned, Wednesday snapped. She got a good hit in, but it was sloppy, left her open to attack. And, more importantly, expulsion. Now I don’t doubt she has plans to deal with Ajax in the works even now in a way that no one will ever be able to trace back to her. But in the heat of the moment.” She shrugged and took a bite of her fish.

“Okay, but like, what are the odds she loses it again?” Enid felt panic rising in her throat.

“Not too high, seeing as almost everyone is smart enough to leave you alone, even if they didn’t know they owed you and Wednesday their lives. But she is going to eventually I think, because of you.”

“Because of me?” Enid gasped, “Why me? What did I do?”

“Look, it’s not my place to tell you everything but… Do you even pay attention in Werewolf Biology?” the siren rolled her eyes, “Or do you think because you are one, you know all there is to know?”

Enid crossed her arms, unable to give an honest answer that wouldn’t paint her in a very bad light. Of course she didn’t pay attention. Most wolves thought the class was an easy A and either slept or doodled their way through the hour. Enid herself used the time to edit her blog ever since Wednesday had mocked her grammar.

“What happens in a pack? When one of them is attacked by an outsider?” Bianca prompted her through it, voice as patient as any teacher.

“Oh! That’s easy, they are dogpiled and run off if they aren’t killed in the process.” Enid smiled triumphantly, “But that doesn’t make any sense, Wednesday’s not a wolf.”

“Did you know that in real wolf packs, there are members who aren’t wolves? Who swoop in and help drive off rivals and even help hunt? Ravens.” Bianca smirked, “Just an interesting fact. But back to you furries, What happens, say, when it’s a werewolf’s mate who is attacked or threatened?”

“The same thing,” Enid said, still confused. What was Bianca driving at? There was laughter in her blue eyes, but Enid was missing the joke, “Except if the mate is the one to get a hold of them, the rest of the pack surrounds them, keeps the outsider trapped while the mated wolf kills them.”

“What do you think would have happened today if Yoko and I hadn’t gotten in between Ajax and Wednesday? Do you think it’s a coincidence it was Kessler who was the only teacher able to break through the wall of furballs? Most other outcasts know better than to get involved in pack matters. That old grey muzzle was probably the only one who could have brought order back, and it helped that you broke out of Ajax’s stone. The second that happened, it was like a light was suddenly flipped in Wednesday’s eyes and we were able to talk some sense into her.”

“What are you getting at, Barclay?” Enid felt her ears turn red as her voice climbed, “Wednesday’s not… She’s not my mate. She’s not even a werewolf!” She fought to keep her voice to a whisper.

“Right, tell your wolf that,” Bianca shook her head and lifted her empty tray, “And while you’re at it, how about you read a damn book. Hey, Wednesday, nice sling.” She winked at Enid, but the expression was lost as the blonde spun around, nearly toppling out of her chair.

“Thanks,” Wednesday nodded, “I’m glad they saw it prudent to order black.”

“Wednesday!” Enid’s voice was a squeak as she tumbled to her feet, “Hi, you’re here.”

“I seem to recall you asked to have dinner together,” She put her tray of food down, “My apologies for being late, I’m glad to see you started without me.”

“Right, yeah, yes.” Her head bobbed as if trying to shake out all the words the siren had poured in there, “Dinner. Are you okay though?”

“I am perfectly fine. Its only a bruise. The nurse wouldn’t let me leave with out having it wrapped first however.” She nodded to Enid’s chair and the wolf collapsed into it.

Wednesday sat beside her, looking irritated as her jaw clenched and relaxed, “I’m sorry,” she finally said.

“What? Why?”

“I realized that it was perhaps foolish to involve myself in your personal matters. I know you are more than capable of defending yourself from the likes of him.” She sighed, “I will do my best to wait until asked for help in the future.”

“What? No, really, it’s fine. Totally a-oh-awesome.” Enid’s blush deepened as she began to shovel more food into her mouth to stop it from babbling.

Wednesday seemed to relax under the reassurance. “And are you okay? After… I confess I don’t know what happens when one becomes stone for any length of time. I can’t imagine it was comfortable.”

“’M fn,” she mumbled around a mouth full of cake, forcing herself to swallow with out choking, “I’m fine, it was just cold and dark mostly, my muscles feel a little stiff but it’s nothing.”

“You broke through very quickly,” Wednesday noted, “I wasn’t sure you would be able to at all, so it was a pleasant surprise, if a messy one.” She carefully plucked a small chunk of veined marble from the end of her braid and examined it closely before it disappeared up her sleeve in a blink.

“Yeah, luckily most outcasts are only stuck for a few hours if a gorgon flashes ‘em. Otherwise, there would be a bunch of dumb-teenaged-boy statues decorating Nevermore.” She laughed, easing into the conversation with ease and familiarity.

“You were only trapped for minutes,” the Raven shuddered, “Is that a result of you having shifted to a full werewolf?”

Enid shrugged, “I guess so, I just heard something…” Wednesday’s yells still echoed in her ears, “And I focused a little. It kinda felt like wolfing out, but I was still me.”

“Well, mostly,” Wednesday nodded, “Your eyes had changed, and your teeth and claws had come out. Still, it was quite fascinating to behold.”

Were her cheeks turning pink?

No, she snapped at her wolf, Stop it.

“Guess I’m just lucky.”

“Or very powerful.” Wednesday looked at her, eyes burning into Enid’s with a depth of emotion the wolf was sure to drown in.

As always, Enid’s dumb mouth ran away from her under the scrutiny, pulling up the first dumb thing she could think of. “Very beautiful, veery powerful.”

“Yes, well, that goes with out saying.” Wednesday turned back to her plate, glaring down at her steak.

“Wait, are you serious? You know, the fish?” Did Wednesday just agree that she was beautiful? “From the tiktok? Ugh, we have got to get you onto some form of technology immediately. Here, let me help.” She noticed the girl began to struggle to cut her meat one handed and reached over, picking the fork up from the table and gently prying the knife from her fist.

Wednesday seized immediately. Enid thought at first it was because she had touched her with out permission, again, and looked up to apologize, only to see her head tilted back, eyes white and blind.

“Wednesday!” she gasped, wrapping an arm around her lower back to keep the girl from sliding to the floor.

The wolf in her raged, howled, ordered her to do something. She smothered it down with the reminder that they had seen this happen dozens of times.

 There was nothing she could do but wait.

Chapter Text

The room was dark. Suffocatingly warm. Wet.

The sounds of an inconsistent dripping enough to drive someone mad.

Luckily, Wednesday was pretty sure she was already mad.

Fog- or was it steam in such ungodly humidity- cleared slowly. A large round table, pale and warped wood with deep gouges and rings, the memories of forgotten cups. Her chair – she was sitting then- scraped along the slab of stone that served as a floor. The equally abused arms of the highbacked wood chair screamed their protest- nails on a chalkboard, but less pleasant- as they were forced under the lip of the table. Her bare feet were left to dangle, inches above the floor, the only thing to emanate anything similar to cold in that cavernous room.

The smell of mold, mildew, decay and rot tickled her nose. A grey rat, emaciated and manged, sat upright, black eyes fixed on Wednesday, one was glossed over with a milky white cataract. A broken tail kept it upright as possible on a crooked spine while crimped whiskers twitched. One ear- it only had the one- pricked forward and back. Listening. It gave an almost human scream, rows of broken yellow teeth yawned in a wide chasm, before it darted across the table and fell into darkness.

“Let’s play a game, Wednesday.” A genderless croak of a voice whispered just beside her ear, the smell of grave worms and moist earth wrapped around her throat like a noose.

“I’m not fond of games.” She warned, refusing to flinch. Her voice echoed back at her as if the walls were impossibly close.

 The chuckle that answered sounded like the moans of the dying while corpses littered a battle field.

Directly across the table from her, a chair was shoved forward. A hooded figure was hunched in on itself. Bone white fingers, so thin they may very well have been bone, were held together in front of the empty hole behind the cowl. They tapped a slow rhythm- clack, clack, clack, clack.

“A game for two can be most enjoyable,” a handful of spiders crawled from around the hood, “But it’s so much more… entertaining with friends.”

One by one, chairs scrapped forward at startling velocity. Eugene. Pugsley. Xavier. Davina. Yoko. Bianca. Enid. Each bound, gagged, and limp. Their bodies were contorted, seeking comfort in unconsciousness as far as the greasy ropes digging into their angry flesh would allow.

A wicked knife was in the middle of the table where a rat once stood. A pitted, nasty piece of metal the length of her forearm, curving back on itself like a broken claw.

“I’ll start.” The bone hand lifted, centipedes fled the heavy draping sleeves, it gave a sharp twist of the wrist, a sound like crackling ice. The knife began to spin wildly, “Round and round and round it goes… where it stops, no one knows.”

The knife began to teeter, rocking wildly on its rust eaten hilt, laughter echoed all around. The other bound captives began to rouse, pulling at their restraints, looking at Wednesday frantically, wide eyes pleading for help.

She refused to move. Grinding her teeth and keeping her eyes on the shadowed figure. The knife rattled to a stop. Gleaming point aimed right at Enid’s still unconscious form.

Wednesday’s body bucked as she choked back a scream, the florescent lights of the dining hall spun dizzily around her.

“Careful!” Enid warned, a hand pressed over Wednesday’s heart, stopping her from shooting upwards.

Wednesday took a moment to get her bearings. She had been moved, that much was obvious. She was no longer sitting upright in her own chair. She lay instead across three chairs, head cushioned rather comfortably, in a warm, reassuring lap. She stilled.

Enid’s hair curtained her soft face, a lip caught between sharp teeth began to bleed slightly under the pressure, “Welcome back,” she gave a tremulous smile, “You are back, right?”

I may be sleeping still¸ her love drunk brain supplied, as she lifted her good hand to catch the drop of blood with one careful thumb, Else wise, I’ve gone and died again, and been much better behaved than I thought.

“Yes.” She finally sighed, the pain in her bandaged hand told her she was back in her own wretched reality in time to save her from saying something she could never take back.

“You were gone a lot longer than usual,” Enid’s careful fingers brushed an errant lock behind an ear, Wednesday barely concealed a shiver at the touch, “What happened?”

The Raven gave a long-suffering sigh and began to sit up, “I’m not sure yet.”

Enid helped to steady her in the chair, hand pressed into the small of her back.

“Can you,” Wednesday grumbled trying to reach into her far jacket pocket with out bumping the bruised hand, “I can’t reach my notepad.”

Enid gave a small laugh and leaned across her lap, Wednesday’s eyes closed briefly as she took in the scent passing right beneath her nose, “Do you carry one of these everywhere?”

“A writer never knows when inspiration will hit.” She breathed as the book was placed in front of her.

“Or a vision, I suppose,” Enid flipped the pages briskly until she came upon a blank one.

It touched Wednesday that the blonde didn’t even try to read any of the dozens of filled pages, though she knew Enid was always curious what she was writing. Perhaps… one day… she would have the chance to share more of it with her.

“Can you even write with your right hand?” She asked as she pulled the tray of food over in front of her, “Like, I could write it down for you, if you need me to. I promise I won’t faint.”

Wednesday’s lip quirked in a half smile, “I’m ambidextrous. But your offer is appreciated.”

“Cool, so is there anything you can’t do?” Enid sighed as she shook her head, but the Raven didn’t answer, already madly scribbling down everything she could remember from the odd vision.

Enid glared at three students who were looking their way with a curious tilt to their heads. They were quick to gather up their trays and flee the dining hall. She turned back to Wednesday’s untouched food and contemplated silently for a moment.

The Raven saw none of this, too caught up in the vison, trying to decipher true prophecy with mere portents. With so much damn poetic imagery mixed in, she had no way of telling what was important, and what was distracting. Her visions, as chopped and tilted as they normally were, tended to be more straight forward than this.

She didn’t even notice the piece of meat, pierced through with metal tines, held out in front of her until her lips wrapped around it and she began to chew. Her face grew exceptionally warm, she refused to look up from the half-filled page.

“Thanks,” she murdered after she swallowed.

Enid shrugged, she could tell because their shoulders were touching, “You looked like you could use a hand, and Thing isn’t here. And I’m not the only one who needs to eat dinner, ya know.”

Wednesday gave a sharp nod and continued to take her notes and bites of food when they were offered. When she sighed and closed the book, she realized her plate was empty, and Enid was glowing as she wiggled in place ever so slightly. Flashes of her bruised and battered form were the only things keeping a smile off the Raven’s face.

“You gonna tell me what it was about, or do I have to guess?” Enid asked, chin propped up on her folded hands.

The smaller girl gave a nervous look around the dining hall. There weren’t many students left hanging around. But-

“When we get back to the room,” she nodded. It would give her time to find a way to explain it without giving away how much the knife landing on Enid had absolutely terrified her.

Enid hoped there were no mind readers in Ophelia Hall, not that they had much hope of untangling the mess in her mind – hell, she might ask them for help if they could do that much. She could only imagine her mind resembled an on-fire trash can, a gerbil in a wheel suspended over it, desperately trying to run away. It was exhausting for her to deal with, she couldn’t imagine having it forced on her by someone else.

She found herself obsessively recounting every interaction she had ever had with her roommate. Every shared look, every accidental yet lingering touch. All they had been through together, from discovering she actually enjoyed the dark, quick humor that spilled so quickly it left most peoples heads spinning, to unraveling the horrifying mystery that almost killed them both along-side the others.

The way Wednesday had pulled her tighter against her chest when they hugged after, how she could hear the shorter girl take a deep breath as she buried her nose in Enid’s shoulder.

Her wolf was fond of Wednesday – more than fond if Bianca was to be believed- she knew because of how excited it would get whenever Wednesday paid attention to them, or made an idle threat, or showed off her many skills.

But how did Enid herself feel? Outside of what her werewolf instincts pushed for?

Wednesday was attractive, any idiot could see that much even if they were too scared to say so. She was funny, Enid often found herself suppressing a smile where most people gave a sidelong look and carefully backed away. She was so smart, too, and creative, and cared more than she wanted to admit.

Okay, so she knew she had a crush on Wednesday last year. But she had some sense of self preservation, and knew the Raven didn’t tolerate any sort of romantic tendencies. She could see that in the way she continually rebuffed advances from both Tyler and Xavier. So she had carefully tucked those feelings away in a corner of her heart that said Do Not Open Until Forever. Now she thought of it more as a platonic crush. She adored Wednesday, wanted to be with her all of the time, but that’s what best friends were just like, right?

So she had are a few mildly inappropriate dreams about her best friend? Isn’t that just normal teenager stuff?

She had always thought so, even though none of her other friends ever guest starred in her unconscious fantasies. But that could just be a few crumbs escaping from that box. She should smack it down with a broom more often. After all, there was no way Wednesday could actually feel the same way about her right?

Are platonic mates even a thing? Bianca is right, maybe I should do some research…

“You’re being rather quiet.” Wednesday was looking up at her curiously as they walked.

Enid blushed wildly, rubbing absently at the scars on her face, wishing Wednesday didn’t always walk on that side, “Yeah,” she finally choked out, “Sorry, I’m still processing… everything. It’s been a very long weekend, am I right?”

The short girl hummed a quiet agreement, “I didn’t get much sleep last night,” she offered, “I’m sorry I’m not… helping you more with what you’re feeling.”

Enid nearly tripped over her own feet. Wednesday had offered up information before, but never unprompted, and never had she apologized to anyone for not helping them with feelings.

You’re reading into things. She smacked the box with a broom.

“It’s okay, I know feelings aren’t your strong suit,” Enid smiled at her, “Thanks for trying anyway though. But… something Bianca said to me has me a little worried.”

“What?” black brows furrowed.

“You’re not, I dunno,” she rubbed the back of her neck, “You’re not actually planning on, you know,” she made an exaggerated slashing motion across her neck before following it up with a pantomimed hanging, dramatically falling onto Wednesday’s shoulder, “You know? Ajax, I mean.”

The smile her antics had pulled out immediately fell to a blank, thousand-yard stare, the Raven refused to make eye contact even as Enid danced in front of her to walk backwards. That was a dead give away.

“No, you can’t be serious,” Enid glanced around making sure no potential witnesses were listening.

“Someone is bound to do it eventually.” Was all the girl would say.

“Willa, come on,” she put her hands on Wednesday’s shoulders, continuing to skip back as she refused to stop moving, “You know that if anything happens to him, everyone is gonna know it was you immediately.”

“You doubt my abilities?” a challenging brow rose.

“What? No,” Never, she thought, “It’s just… I don’t want you to get expelled because of me.” She finally tripped over something, her own untied shoes most likely.

Wednesday’s good hand shot out and grabbed her wrist with a long suffering sigh and pulled her back upright, “I’m not going to be expelled, Enid. For all you know, Ajax has more enemies than he realizes.”

Enid shook her head, shifting her grip to intertwine their fingers as they continued down the hall. It had the dual purpose of moving Wednesday to her unscarred side, and fulfilling her need for physical affection. She was presently surprised the girl allowed it.

“You might be willing to risk that,” she finally spoke when she recovered enough, “But I’m not. I won’t lose my best friend over some stupid boy. Wednesday,” she looked down with her best puppy dog expression, “Please, for me. Don’t kill him.”

The raven broke eye contact to stare at her boots, grumbling something unintelligible.

“What was that?” Enid prodded. Even though the line of defeat in her shoulders was obvious, she needed to hear the words.

Wednesday rolled her head back on her neck with an over dramatic sigh and eyeroll, “Fine. I won’t kill the gorgon-,”

“Or seriously maim him?” She knew a loop hole when she saw one, and even though Wednesday was clever, she was sometimes predictable to the wolf.

“Now you ask too much,” she shook her head as they turned the corner to their hall, “It is not in my nature to meekly stand aside when someone I… care about is threatened or harmed.”

“Okay,” Enid conceded, feeling warm and fuzzy all over, “Barring Ajax being stupid enough to attack me, and me being stupid enough to let him hurt me, can you avoid committing grievous bodily harm?”

“If it makes you happy,” Wednesday sighed, turning to face her, “I promise…” her eyes slipped away from Enid’s, her head tilting ever so slightly.

She’s close enough to kiss- NO! out came the broom once more.

“You’re not getting out of it that easily,” she rushed to fill the silence, then noticed the intrigued look on the Raven’s face she saw all too often, “What?”

Wednesday bobbed her chin towards their door. Dropping Enid’s hand, she reached around her, her neck coming dangerously close to Enid’s mouth-

No, think of woods, flowers, rainbows, fuck anything but that!

She blinked herself back to reality as Wednesday turned a large manilla envelope around to show Enid, her eyes lit with curiosity, “How very serial killer.”

The envelope had crookedly glued on letters, cut out from news papers from their black on grey color scheme, FoR THe rAVen.

“Do you have a secret admirer?” Enid joked, an acrid taste rising at the back of her throat at the thought.

“Something like that,” she sounded distracted as she pushed the door open and walked in turning the envelope over and again in her hand.

Enid couldn’t help the soft growl. It was frustration at a mystery, not jealousy, she told herself sternly.

“Thing?” Wednesday called out as the door shut behind them.

They found him in the small bathroom, soaking in the sink. Wednesday held up the envelope for him to seem “Did we have a visitor while we were out?”

Thing pulled himself up unto the counter, “What happened to your hand?” there was worry in every movement of his quick fingers.

“Stay on topic,” the Raven rolled her eyes, “Thing, this was taped to our door. Did you notice anyone skulking around or not?”

Thing slouched with contrition, pointing first to the bubble filled sink, the lit candle then what appeared to be Enid’s iPod, propped up and playing music softly.

“Perhaps we’ve been to lax lately,” she allowed before wandering back to her bed, Enid close at her heels.

Something was wrong with the girl, she could feel it dragging through the air behind her, it made her hackles rise.

“Well?” Enid demanded, unable to take the suspense much longer, “Aren’t you going to open it?”

Wednesday’s nose crinkled, lips slightly pursed, any other time the look would have been adorable, “I find myself concerned about it’s contents,” she confessed, “Being poisoned would slow down any investigation into the identity of the sender.”

Enid plucked the envelope from her hand with out thinking, and before a protest could form on the other girls lips, she held it to her nose and breathed deeply. Her nose turned up in disgust as she handed it back, “Paper, a lot of glue, printer ink, and some chemical I can’t place. It almost smells like the school news room. But, no poison.”

“What?” Wednesday hadn’t taken her shocked eyes from Enid’s “How can you be sure?”

“Wolf instinct,” she tapped her nose smugly, “Even if I don’t know the specific scent, I know when to stay away from something.”

“Fascinating.” She had the look of a particularly impressed scientist, Enid tried not to wiggle under the praise.

“Come on,” she sat on the edge of the bed with her, “The anticipation is killing me.”

Wednesday flinched slightly at that, for some odd reason, and carefully opened the envelope before upending its contents onto the bed between them. Photos tumbled out, dozens of five by sevens, all in grey scale. There were long distance shots, and close ones. Some were taken from high above the subjects, some from beneath. Wednesday flipped them all over carefully. Xavier, Pugsley, Eugene, Yoko, Davina, Bianca, Enid and Wednesday. Some were only of each person alone, some in groups, or standing or sitting side by side with Wednesday.

Enid felt her lip curl at the love sick look plastered on Thorpe’s face as he stared longingly at Wednesday in more than one shot.

There was a note, folded into a lumpy bird shape. Wednesday pulled the sling from around her shoulder and threw it with out a care for where it would land, using her wrapped hand with her undamaged one to carefully unfold the bird until it lay flat. Much like the front of the envelope, this held sloppily glued letters cut from a newspaper.

Enie, Meanie, Minie, Moe. Catch a Raven by its toe… if she hollers, so much the better. I’m glad to see you’ve made so many friends… so many weaknesses… so many choices.

“What the fuck?” Enid shook her head, “What is going on?”

“I think my stalker has taken my indifference of him as a challenge.” Wednesday held her hands together, fingers pressed against her lips as if she was praying.

“Wait,” Enid was on her feet, her heart pounding, “Since when do you have a stalker?”

“I got a few notes at the beginning of term,” she was deep in thought, “None with any sort of honest threat, nor this level of creativity, as crude as it may be.”

“A few?” Enid’s voice was two octaves higher than usual.

“I kept two of them,” she nodded, “They are on the murder board at the hive. I wasn’t concerned with vague words.”

“No!” Enid began to pace to burn off the restless energy threatening to consume her, “You wouldn’t be, would you? Where would the fun in that be?” she growled before stuttering to a halt, “Wait, does this have anything to do with your vision at dinner?”

“The evidence is starting to point in that direction.” She still wasn’t looking at Enid, which was entirely unacceptable.

She sat on her knees in front of Wednesday, taking her hands in her own to force the girl to meet her eyes, “You, words, explain, now.”

Wednesday’s cheeks took on a slight pink shade, Enid dropped her hands and sat back, crossing her arms over her chest to make them behave.

“Normally,” she began slowly, “My visions are a step backward or forward, telling me something or warning me. This one felt… different. It felt like stepping sideways. It wasn’t a real event, more like a particularly vivid dream. I sat in a dark room, at a table. A shadowed figure sat across from me and said they wanted to play a game. I refused. Then one by one, everyone in these photographs appeared to sit at the table with us. The hooded figure spun a knife on the table and sung a children’s rhyme. I… I woke before it came to a stop.”

Something about the vision scared Wednesday, something she wasn’t sharing with Enid. But there was a stubborn set to her jaw that said she wouldn’t be sharing it anytime soon.

“Okay, so someone is after you.” Her heart was trying to escape her chest now.

“They can’t be close.” The Raven shook her head as she gathered all the photos in a neat stack and slid them back into the envelope with the note.

“What are you talking about?” Enid wanted to rip her hair out, “They have pictures of you! Of all of us.”

“My point exactly,” She slipped the envelope into her book bag, “They don’t know yet who would actually be a weakness for me. I mean, lets be real, they have Bianca in that pile. They are just guessing based on anyone I’ve had more than one conversation with. They are trying to scare me into giving something away… the question is, what do they want?”

“I think it’s safe to say nothing good,” Enid grumbled.

“Enid,” Wednesday said softly, taking her hands into her own, Enid hadn’t even realized she had dug her nails into her palm, “I promise, I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Enid wanted to scream.

It’s not me I’m worried about.

Chapter Text

Wednesday fell asleep before Enid could even imagine being tired. She couldn’t fault the girl, she knew from experience that the healing potion the nurses in the infirmary brewed was particularly potent, but it did to make you very sleepy afterword. That, coupled with the Raven’s own admission that she hadn’t slept the night before, meant when Enid was still tossing and turning in her sheets, her wolf ears picked up the sounds of Wednesday’s breath deepening, her heart beat becoming slow and steady.

She tore herself from her bed and began to pace the line that separated her side of the room from her roommates. There was no longer the long strip of black duct tape, but Enid tried her best to respect its ghost none the less. Even so, each lap brought her that much closer to Wednesday’s sleeping form.

Her wolf wanted to prowl, to guard, and she was helpless to stop it after keeping it so tightly chained all evening. Her mind raced as her bare feet pad silently across the cold wood floor. Thing watched her for a while, but he soon got drowsy. Watching the steady pacing was like counting sheep, or wolves rather, and he eventually crumpled on his pillow. He twitched into a more comfortable position, but didn’t wake.

Bianca’s words teased at her thoughts, some bitter part of her wondered if the siren had used some part of her power to drive her so mad. But she knew that was unkind. Bianca was not the bully Enid always believed her to be, not anymore. And this didn’t seem like something she would do, not when it could get back to Wednesday so quickly.

So, had her wolf really decided that Wednesday was her mate? Was that even possible when they weren’t even involved like that? Worse, had she done something to encourage such thoughts?

Enid was easily affectionate, but with all her friends. Hugs were a comfort and delight, she loved the feeling of tightly wrapping her arms around someone, or even just leaning in to give a casual side hug whenever the opportunity presented itself. She often played with her friends’ hair, twisting into little braids or just pulling strands softly between her fingers. It was so distracting and she couldn’t always seem to help herself. Holding hands, even just intwining pinkies as she walked with someone or sat beside them made her feel tethered to the present. Similarly, she would put a hand on an arm, a shoulder or the face of whoever she was talking to, just to keep her over excited mind on the task at hand.

She had always wanted to do all those things with Wednesday in the same way, but more oft than not, she held back out of respect for the Raven’s aversion to touch of any kind. So, she could safely say that she hadn’t been overly affectionate towards Wednesday more than anyone else.

Still.

Enid realized she had stopped pacing, just stood near the foot of her roommate’s bed, watching her chest rise and fall. Rise and fall. A fear pricked at the back of her neck. She may not be able to watch such a simple act for much longer, not if this stalker had a more murderous intent than Wednesday seemed to think.

She grasped that perhaps she shouldn’t be standing over her roommate’s sleeping form like some sort of deranged stalker herself. With a blush, she moved over to the window, checking the balcony and the grounds far below for any sign of a threat. There was no movement, and no matter how hard she stared into the darkness, the shadows remained harmless shadows.

Enid sighed and glanced up. She knew, with sickening clarity, it would be a full moon tomorrow. She would have to run in the woods with the other werewolves if she didn’t want to risk hurting anyone. But… who would be there then to protect Wednesday?

The pacing resumed. The thought was silly, she could admit that even in the state she was in. As small as Wednesday was, she was far more capable of defending herself than anyone else she knew. She had proven that time and time again against monsters and bullies both. But Enid’s wolf didn’t want her to have to prove it again. It wanted to be the barrier between her and any one who wanted to hurt her.

She froze in her tracks, like any best friend would feel, she assured herself.

She needed a distraction; all this thinking wasn’t doing her any good. She needed to force her obsessing onto a different scent. She went to her computer, her mind replaying her confrontation with Ajax before dinner over and over again.

Why was she suddenly so invested into looking into it? Did she hate herself? Or just hate that Ajax had actually gotten to her in his fumbling excuses?

Whatever the reason, she opened her school’s webpage and began to flip through the photos of that years students. There was only one Tracy, and it wasn’t the blonde she saw at the dance, which made it so much worse. She was a gorgon, absolutely gorgeous with olive skin and hazel eyes with a glint in them that said she knew just how pretty she was. Enid wanted to hate her, but she couldn’t. She just hated herself more.

Just how many girls did Ajax have on his arm besides Enid? She hadn’t thought he had it in him, but…

She remembered their first failed date. He had stood her up. He told her that he had accidently stoned himself and was too embarrassed to tell her. He hadn’t even tried to talk to her afterward, though. He had asked someone else to the Rave’n. She had chalked it all up to his supposed embarrassment. She had been so ready, so desperate to believe that someone wanted her after Lucas lied to her. She hadn’t thought to question it further.

So, was his new found popularity to blame, or had he really been a player all along?

She closed the computer, stifling a sob in her elbow. She fled to the bathroom to take deep breaths and splash freezing water on her face. She stared at her pathetic reflection. What was so wrong with her that every one she tried to date just wanted to use her? Was there no one in the world who wanted to be with her just because she was Enid? She wanted to curl up in a ball and cry. Her heart ached so bad, she just wanted to-

She was halfway to Wednesday’s bed before she realized where her feet were taking her and snapped herself out of it. She looked from her warm, bright, inviting bed, then back to Wednesday’s dark corner.

Don’t even think about it.

She began pacing once more. In hopes of distracting herself from all the thoughts, both hurtful and tempting, she practiced changing just a few parts of herself. Claws came easy, she had been doing that much for as long as she could remember. Teeth took a little more concentration, and made her jaw ache. Those came out when she didn’t even want them to if she was mad enough, but she wanted control. When it came to her ears, she tried to see how well she could make herself hear before they became too obviously pointy or furry. Same went for her nose and sense of smell. She couldn’t make her eyes cooperate, unless she was trying to see Wednesday in the black of night.

She blamed in on how tired she was making herself with the exercise.

Her body is exhausted and achy now, even if her mind is still running laps. She makes a compromise with what she knows would make her roommate the most comfortable and what her wolf demands her to do. She sits on the floor, legs stretched out in front of her, back against the foot of Wednesday’s bed, and takes out her phone. She ignores the texts she’s recived from Ajax, and briefly considers blocking his number, before opening an incognito window in her phone’s browser. The thought of someone discovering what she needed to research was deeply embarrassing, but this way was less embarrassing than going to the library to check out the books. That would have made her ignorance and predicament glaringly obvious to anyone who saw her.

She fell asleep there, sitting upright, head tilted slightly towards the door. The scent of honey-floral-leather-ink that was Wednesday lulling her into a peaceful sleep.

Wednesday woke at her normal time, before the sun would light the world and fill it with irritating color. She rolled to her side and looked over to her roommate’s bed.

Empty.

She shot upright in a panic, and caught a flash of blonde with cotton candy streaks between the bars of the foot of her bed.

She slid out from underneath her blanket and carefully stepped around to look at her sleeping roommate. Her legs spread for balance, hands limp in her lap, discarded phone on the floor next to her. As she stared, trying to comprehend how the girl had ended up on the floor, Enid shivered, goosebumps running up and down her bare arms.

Wednesday frowns down at the scene. Then, before she can talk herself out of it, she’s kneeling on the floor, wrapping one arm behind the girls shoulders, the other under her knees. She’s able to lift her quite easily, she had helped her uncle move much larger cadavers in the past, but doesn’t think she can make it across the room to the girls own bed.

Liar, a treacherous voice whispers as she carefully puts Enid down in her bed, pulling the black covers up under her chin. She carefully brushes her hair back as she had the previous morning, enjoying how the girl seemed to relax into the touch, the shivers subsiding until she snored softly.

She turned and tapped Thing awake, a finger to her lips when he jumped immediately into action.

Bad dream? She gently mocked, I found her on the floor, she gestured to the sleeping blonde, wake her intime to get to second hour, okay? Any later than that, and the wolf would be irritated with her.

The hand signed a sleepy okay before curling back in on himself.

Need for affection dealt with, Wednesday could focus her mind. She had the beginnings of a plan stewing away. She hadn’t a clue yet what it was the stalker wanted from her, other than that he was trying to force her to make the first move.

Very well, if she must, it would be made in her favor, best calculated to cause a mistake in her opponent that she could exploit. She needed to convince them that her priorities were seen to be different than the ones she actually held, that way she wouldn’t be risking Enid’s life in the process. The visions of Enid and that knife wouldn’t leave her alone.

With one last look at her roommate’s peaceful face, she started with her idea for protecting Pugsley. She needed to do it in a way that showed she did in fact care for her little brother, but flying back home in a murderous rage would not be helpful, nor could she leave Enid unprotected in Nevermore.

She went to the laptop sitting on Enid’s desk and opened it. The girl had shown her how to use it, though she still preferred to avoid it when she could. What she hadn’t done, was tell Wednesday her password.

She stared at the blank text box, it’s little blinking line teasing her. Her annoyed tapping on the desk top roused thing who grumpily pulled himself over to see what his friend was getting into this time.

“I don’t suppose you know her password?” she whispered and gave him a look, “I didn’t think so.”

He brought himself to the keys and track pad and dragged the cursor over to the question mark at the edge of the box. Hint, it promised. Wednesday clicked it.

What is my favorite color :P

“Are you kidding me?” she groaned softly.

She glanced around Enid’s side of the room, and much like the first time she saw it, found it still looked as if a rainbow had thrown up on it. Every color imaginable was on display somehow, with no real preference shown for one or the other.

She looked back to Thing, “Any ideas?”

He signed back and gave a shrug.

“I doubt it,” she huffed and typed BLACK. The screen came to life, “I can’t believe that actually worked. Who knew?” she felt herself grow warm for some odd reason and forced herself to pay attention to the computer screen.

She was pleased to find the internet was already open. Before she could click open a new tab, she couldn’t help but notice what her roommate had been looking at last. It was a page of student faces, false smiles and forced poses for picture ids. Right at the center of the screen was the name Tracy.

“Tracy,” she murmured, “That’s the name Ajax spoke yesterday,” she told thing who was suddenly much more interested in what Wednesday was doing, “The girl who meant nothing.”

The lad doth protest too much? Thing asked.

“Perhaps,” she tilted her head, “This isn’t one of the girls I saw him fraternizing with at the dance while he ignored his date.”

She had assumed, wrongly so it would seem, that he had been referencing the girl she had seen him playing tonsil hocky with at the Rave’n, but that girl had been pale, platinum blonde locks falling well past her shoulders. This Tracy was a dark skinned gorgon who held an air of confidence bordering on cocky, if her smile was anything to go by.

“You have been a busy boy. Haven’t you, Ajax?” she tucked her anger away to use later, opening a new tab and getting to work.

It was easy enough to find what she was looking for. The wolf trapper and trainer had his own website, and she was relieved to see he accepted credit cards. She had a quick flurry of messages back and forth with the man, and with-in twenty minutes her parents were five thousand dollars poorer, but she knew they would understand. And her brother would be getting a new pet very soon, she had paid extra to have her delivered within the day. And this pet, she could be sure, would protect him with her life. It was only fair that her little brother had a wolf of his own, after all.

Her brother’s safety assured, she closed the tab and computer. Now she had more room in her crowded brain for other, darker plans as she readied herself for the day.

When her teeth were clean, hair plaited and she was dressed in a fresh uniform, she stood in the middle of the room, looking at the blonde in her bed. The dime sized piece of marble rolling between her fingers.

The sun was barely cresting the horizon, she had hours yet before class. Normally, she would fill the time with writing, cello, meditation or kenpo practice depending on how much stimulation her brain needed to work through a problem. But she was at an impasse. She didn’t want to do anything that might disturb the wolf snuggled in a tight ball under her blankets. She also didn’t want to leave her alone until it was absolutely necessary. She also knew that a deviation from her schedule in a misguided effort to protect Enid would only make it glaringly obvious to her stalker that she was her weakness.

If she must deviate from her routine, it had to be in a way that would benefit her.

I’ll watch over her. Promised Thing, And yes, I will wake her in time for second hour.

Even so, Wednesday made sure the window was bolted shut, and locked the door behind her when she left. She normally didn’t bother with such precautions; she came and went at all hours of the night and hated the racket it made when she returned. But such a racket would hopefully give Enid time to react.

Wednesday set off across the school, heading somewhere she normally had no reason to visit. There were a few plans she was working on that would benefit from such a trip, however, and she had a sudden desire to use some of the vast tools she was sure the rich alumni provided.

She enters the cavernous workspace and diligently goes about finding and gathering everything she might need to a table near a low banked fire. She found she actually quite enjoyed the quiet work. Heating the metals and bending it to her will. While it was true, the majority of her artistic talent rested in being a wordsmith and with her musical skills, she was quite pleased with how her pendent was coming along.

Xavier found her there, as she knew he eventually would, as she was carefully putting the finishing touches on the small, detailed talons.

“What are you doing here?” he asked with a half-smile as he dumped his bag at the neighboring work station.

“Are you mad I’m trespassing on your terf?” she quirked an eyebrow at him without taking her eyes off the glimmering white gold.

“I’m pleasantly surprised, actually,” she could hear the smile in his voice, “It’s nice to know you have hobbies that don’t include murder or mayhem.”

“There goes my reputation.” She sighed.

“Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me.”

They worked next to each other for a while in companionable silence. It was actually quite nice, Wednesday thought. Normally he tried to force her into conversations, but here in his work space, he was just as silent as she. But, she glanced at the large windows surrounding the room, that would not do.

“What are you doing here so early?” She asked, trying to be pleasant for once, even so, she thinks the words came out a little sharper than intended. It was always so much easier with Enid, but she knew that had taken time to master.

He scoffed and held up a large sketch pad, “I didn’t get as good as I am at drawing with out practicing every chance I get. What about you?” He trained his eyes back to the sketch book in front of him, but she saw the tilt of his head, he wasn’t really focused on it anymore.

She held up the white gold chain for his inspection, the raven’s claw grasping a smooth chunk of marble, veined in pink and blue. The chain was such, that when clasped around her wrist, the talon would rest in the palm of her hand, so she could fiddle with it with out fear of losing it.

He gave a low whistle, “Very nice, how long have you been working on that one?”

She shrugged, grabbing a polishing cloth to finish up the shine, “About two hours.”

He snorted a short laugh, “Yeah sure, go ahead and pull the other.” He shook his head and went back to his art, but there was a small smile on his face now.

They worked together for a while longer before the bell for breakfast rang out, he sighed and put his book away, then helped Wednesday return all the tools to their proper homes. They waled to the dinning hall together, Wednesday let him talk, tried her best to even pay attention to what he was saying about the archery club needing more members and why that was. She was pretty proud of herself actually, she thought she made all the right faces and noises at the right intervals.

She was proven correct, as they finished their meal and started to go their separate ways for first hour. He reached out and touched her elbow, she forced herself not to flinch away, but turn instead to look at him.

“Did you want to, I don’t know, I really enjoyed talking to you this morning,” he rubbed the back of his neck, “Did you want to hang out tonight? With me, I mean?”

It was all going so perfectly to plan. She wanted to say yes, even opened her mouth to agree whole heartedly, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t force the words out. Much like when he made her ask him to the Rave’n, the words squeaked and caught in her throat.

Xavier licked his lips and turned something over in his mind, “Just as friends?” he tried again.

The knot in Wednesday’s chest loosened and she was able to nod, “Yes, I would enjoy that.” Just friends would be okay. It would have the double effect of showing her stalker that she spent a lot of time with someone decidedly not Enid with out the guilt that felt like she was betraying the other girl somehow.

“Cool,” he nodded, skipping backwards with a goofy smile on his face, “I’ll, uh, I’ll catch you at lunch, yeah?”

Great, Wednesday groaned internally as she went her own way, he’s going to think I want to be more than friends. Again. She could already see it with how excited he was, he would not be keeping his promise that it would be just as friends.

Feelings, as it turned out, were turning out to be just as complicated as she always thought they were.

Chapter Text

The moon hung low in the dark sky, fat and bright, it over-shadowed every other light so not a single star could be seen to steal from its glory. Enid ran beneath it, taking in each cleansing breath of forest air and releasing it in joyous song. She felt powerful, strong, alive and free.

Her paws thundered over brush and leaves, claws digging deep into the earth to propel her forward at exhilarating speed. It was enough just to feel the strain of her muscles, contracting and expanding in time with her breaths. To know there was nothing in the wood that could hope to match her strength.

The wolf only realized she was chasing something when she caught sight of her prey once again. Just a flash of pale skin and red fabric in the far distance, dancing over rock, beneath limb, between trees. She was hunting. A snarl rang out and she pushed herself to go faster, no longer running for the holy joy of running, but for the dark promise of sinking her teeth into something at the end.

She could smell it now; a heady mixture of fresh honey warmed by the summer sun, orchids hanging on just before the moment of atrophy, old and cracked leather, freshly spilled black ink. It hung heavy with exertion, but no trace of fear. She would teach it to fear her then.

Over flower engorged hills, through tree choked valleys, she continued her pursuit, gaining with every powerful stride. That long, red whisp of silk caught up briefly on an upturned oak root, and the wolf had its chance. Her quarry tripped, crumpling in defeat to the forest floor. Enid was on her immediately, head thrown back in a brief victory howl before fangs were born down, demanding submission or death, the wolf didn’t care which.

A halo of dark hair spilled around a pale face, a wicked smile spread on blood painted lips, “You caught me. Now what are you going to do about it?”

“Wednesday?” she was human again, straddling her best friend, keeping her pinned beneath her.

She sat bolt upright in bed, gasping for air as her blood sang in victory still. She shivered as cool air brushed her overheated skin. The room took shape, and then color as her heart calmed to normal human speeds. The room she was in seemed familiar, but… mirrored. She blinked to make sure she wasn’t still seeing in the limited color her wolf eyes allowed.

Shit.

She was in Wednesday’s bed. How in the ever-loving hell had she ended up in Wednesday’s bed? After all the work she had done to exhaust her baser instinct?

Her eyes darted around the room frantically, nose twitching to separate old scent from new. There was no sign of her roommate’s dark presence. The snapping form at her left finally grabbed her attention.

“Please,” the words spilled out in a flood, “please don’t tell me I sleepwalked here. Oh my god, oh my god, she is definitely gonna kill me this time. Thing, book me a one-way ticket to wolfy heaven. Or, better yet, book me a ticket to Antarctica. Maybe if I give her enough time to cool down she’ll only maim me- what? What?”

Thing’s movements were sharp, toeing the line between comfort and admonishment, Wednesday is not going to kill you. Stop being silly. She found you on the floor this morning. She moved you before she left.

“Okay, okay,” she nodded, collapsing back into the pillows, releasing a calming scent to swirl around her. So she had been found asleep on the floor by the foot of her roommate’s bed, which was still beyond mortifying, but at least she hadn’t stooped so low as to crawl into bed with the other girl while she slept.

She closed her eyes for one moment, breathing in the scent, fully appreciating it and, “Wait, she left already? What? What time is it?” her eyes shot across the room to the somber red light of her alarm clock.

8:46

“Oh god damnit,” she flung the blanket off herself and dashed halfway across the room before spinning around, falling flat on her face and jumping back up, “I’m okay!” she yelled to absolutely no one in particular before making the other girls bed.

Military corners her mother always expected done, blanket so tight she could bounce a quarter off it, Enid spun back around to make a mad dash for the bathroom. Her teeth were still unnaturally long and sharp as she scrubbed them until they bled, but she figured if she ignored them long enough, they would go away. Thankfully, it seemed as if her hair was still behaving today. She could not be late to second hour.

It was her favorite class of the day, Hand to Hand Combat. Like most wolves, she loved any excuse to rough house, but that’s not why she loved it. It was her first class of the day that she spent with Wednesday. And, unlike Advanced Pact Tactics or Hexes and Curses, she could actually talk to the other girl without being shushed.

She threw on her cleanest uniform, leaving the tie loose and flying behind her as she tore down the halls. The locker room was already empty when she grumbled and changed, once more, into the blue shorts and white shirt.

It wasn’t until she was skidding into line while tying her hair back into a ponytail that she remembered there was a reason to dread the class as well.

The coach, Jaslow, was still in the middle of roll call, choosing to ignore the quiet “sorry, sorry” she stage whispered.

“Petropolus!” he snapped.

“What’s crackin?” came the drawn-out reply.

Fuck. Fuckity-fuck-fuck. She had totally spaced on the fact that she shared the class with Ajax as well. They didn’t usually talk during PE, he was too busy chatting up everyone who wasn’t Wednesday or Enid to pay her much mind. She chanced a glance down to where he slouched. Half his face was an angry shade of purple. From this distance, she could just make out four perfect knuckle imprints spanning the ridge of his cheek bone, their tiny twins dotting his jaw.

“Sinclair!” Jaslow snapped for the third time, smacking his clipboard on his hand sharply, “Are we still waiting for your brain to catch up, or are you all here?”

“Yep,” she squeaked, standing at attention once more, “Sorry, present and accounted for, Sir!”

“Thank the gods,” the coach grumbled, “Alright, you lazy jackanapes, get yourselves warmed up! I trust you don’t need me to lead you through it at this point!”

The line shattered the second the coach turned his back, everyone pairing off to chat and stretch, or not depending on how much they cared. Enid rose on her toes, searching for any sign of-

She whirled as a hand touched her shoulder, only to find nothing. She growled in irritation and spun the other way to find an unimpressed Wednesday staring at her from behind black, mirrored ray bans.

“You’re getting slow, Sinclair.” She quipped sardonically.

“I’m sorry,” She could feel the telltale signs of a blush creeping its way up her neck.

Wednesday shrugged as she stood on one foot and then the other, “Not as sorry as you will be when someone else catches you unaware.”

“No,” Enid shook her head, mirroring whatever the shorter girl did so she wouldn’t have to think about it, “I don’t mean- I mean about- you know.”

Wednesday made a show of pursing her lips as she stretched her shoulders out, “No, I don’t think I do.” She teased.

Now Enid knew her face was a shade shy of a tomato. Was she really going to make her say it?

The Raven sat on the floor and reached for her toes, bending almost so her nose touched the floor, a flexibility Enid was incredibly envious (and appreciative) of, “I don’t seem to recall anything you may have done recently that would require an apology from you.”

Well, Enid thought, If she wants to pretend nothing happened, that is more than fine by me. Probably the Raven wanted to block out what an invasion of personal space it had been for the sake of their shared space and friendship. She took a deep breath and finally relaxed into their stretching routine.

“What’s up with the sunglasses?” she finally asked as they stood and faced each other once more, “Yoko trying to convert you?”

“She wishes,” Enid doesn’t need to see the dark eyes hidden behind the lenses, she can hear the eyeroll, “Do you not like them? I was told they make me look mysterious.”

“No,” Enid answered at once, then immediately back tracked in a panic, “I mean, yeah they look great on you, though I’m pretty sure you could make a burlap sack look like high fashion,” she swallowed the word vomit, “But, it is a little, I don’t know, unnerving? Seeing myself when I look at you, I mean.”

Wednesday tilts her head and thinks for a moment, before removing the glasses and tossing them onto a neatly folded black jacket with out even looking to make sure they landed safely. They did, of course they did. Enid rolls her eyes, but can’t help the wry smile it pulls from her.

“Alright!” Jaslow called, finishing his coffee, “Pair off for live sparring! That’s right my little birdies! Time for you to be pushed from the nest! Let’s see who flies!”

“About damn time,” Wednesday mumbled for her ears only, not moving from her side and glaring at anyone who looked like they might try and approach Enid, “I was beginning to suspect the name of the class was a lie.”

“Hand to Dummy Combat just doesn’t have the same ring to it.” She offered with her best Wednesday impression.

“Alright!” the coach barked, “Square up! Remember, if your shoulders hit the mat, you lose. Fight!”

Enid was on her back before she could decide if she was really going to attack Wednesday or not. One moment, she was standing, braced, the next she was flying ass over tea kettle through the air. Her back landed on the padded mat with a resounding THWACK.

“Ouch.” She complained at Wednesday as the girl hovered over her face upside down, her braids tickling Enid’s nose, teasing the wolf.

“What was that, Sinclair?” she sounded utterly disappointed, but there was a laughing glint in her dark eyes, “Don’t tell me you’re afraid to hurt me?” she gave a false pout.

Enid gave a very real one as she held her hand out for help, “So what if I am?”

Wednesday took the hand and hauled her up, using the momentum to spin them around at a dizzying speed until her arm was pinned up at an almost painful angle behind her back, “Get over it.” She hissed in her ear. She held her trapped for a heartbeat before shoving her forward.

“Willa,” she warned, already feeling her wolf stir at the challenge, spinning with a growl.

The raven held her hands out, moving the two middle fingers in a come on, as she gave a smirk, “Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf, indeed?”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She laughed.

They began in earnest then, working through the same blocks and strikes as everyone else while the coach patrolled the lines, nodding to some, correcting stances and yelling at others.

“Petropolus, if you’re afraid of getting hit, you will be hit! Gandillon this is not some pack skirmish, stick to the program! Do you want to have your knee broken, Vander Laan? If so, keep standing just like that!”

As his voice faded down the line without a remark on her own abilities, Enid got more comfortable. Too comfortable, apparently, Wednesday’s fist made it past her block when it came a breath too late. She stared down in shock at the splotchy blue knuckles that hovered a centimeter from her nose.

“Boop.” Wednesday said in a dead tone as one finger tapped the tip of her nose.

It was one insult too many for Enid’s wolf. With a snarl, she broke from her stance and went after the shorter girl. Wednesday ducked and weaved, turning their fight into more of a dance as she spun around the increasingly enraged blonde. It was tickling memories out of her subconscious that she couldn’t quite grasp, dancing and hunting rolling into one confused mess in her frustrated brain.

She caught the next fist that came close to her, and bulled into the girl, tripping her backwards. She landed on top of her, thighs straddling waist, pinning her arms above her head and snarling down.

She could hear the labored breath, coming out in quiet pants, the pounding heart. Wednesday’s face was deliciously flushed, her eyes sparking with something she couldn’t quite identify. Her nose twitched, but there was no scent of fear from her prey.

“Enid,” a soft voice called out to her from what felt like a million miles away, “It’s okay, breathe.”

It felt like Enid fell back into her body from outer space, crashing with sudden horrible clarity. She held Wednesday to the ground, had pinned her hips and arms above her head in a vulnerable position.

“Shit,” she scrambled off her best friend, “I’m-I’m so sorry, Wednesday. I didn’t mean- I lost control. The full moon-,” she shook her head, all her reasons sounded like pitiful excuses to her own ears, “I’m sorry.”

“Why?” the Raven asked, hand out, waiting, “You did exactly as you were supposed to.” Enid pulled her back upright, hands overing over her body, wanting to be sure she was okay, afraid to touch, “If anything, I should apologize to you. That’ll teach me to tease you, I suppose.” There was a soft smile on her face that she seemed to only reserve for Enid, “It’s okay.”

Before Enid could ask a million more times if she was sure sure, the coach called for them to halt.

“Absolutely disgraceful,” he shook his head in disgust, “We have been practicing these strikes and blocks for weeks. I expected more from you all. Change partners, run them again.”

Jaslow ran them through the exercise for the rest of the hour, having them switch partners every five minutes. None of Enid’s other partners were the equal to Wednesday. She knocked each and everyone flat on their back. She had a sneaking suspicion some of them may have been afraid to attack her, as she had been afraid to attack Wednesday, though she couldn’t figure out why. She also couldn’t fail to notice that anytime Ajax looked like he was about to make a beeline for her, someone else challenged him. Usually, it was whoever had last partnered against Wednesday. It was a relief when she found herself partnered with Liam Gandillon, a werewolf she ran with on two legs and four.

He at least wasn’t afraid to hit her, having play fought with her many times. After being yelled at twice to stick to what they had learned in class, Enid had him on his back just as she had the rest. He laughed about it though, and threw her over her shoulder when he jumped back up.

“Enough!” the coach called out, sounding exasperated with the lot of them, “This was dismal. Sinclair, Addams, Gandillon, you three show the most promise, if you would stick to the damn routine. As for the rest of you,” he shook his head in disgust, “Hit the showers, I’m tired of looking at you.”

By the time they were stumbling back to the locker rooms, Enid had almost forgotten her humiliating faux pas against Wednesday. Until she turned back and realized she was trailing behind the line of other girls.

Wednesday caught her eye and waved, “I’ll catch up, I have to find my glasses.” She gestured over her shoulder.

Enid swallowed thickly and gave a weak nod. Wednesday rolled her eyes and stomped over to her. “Enid, stop it.”

“What?” she asked, kicking the toe of her sneaker into the ground.

“That.” She crossed her arms, “I am not mad at you for beating me, okay? I’m glad you did. It makes me feel better knowing you can defend yourself. Even against someone as devious as me.”

So Wednesday hadn’t noticed anything inappropriate about their position earlier. Wasn’t mad about her losing control. That was a relief, followed by a huge helping of guilt for how she herself felt about it.

“Go change or we’ll be late to Hexes. I’ll be right behind you.”

“Promise?” she couldn’t help the neediness, not on the day of the full moon.

“You are going to wear that out,” Wednesday shook her head before turning on her heel and walking back into the gym, “I’d save those up if I were you.”

The second Enid was through the locker room door, Wednesday pulled the sunglasses from beneath her jacket and put them on, walking with a purpose through the other door. She had learned in her years of going places you weren’t exactly allowed, that if you acted as if you knew exactly what you were doing, few people would dare stop you.

A sea of half dressed boys parted for her as she stalked through their space, some making attempts to cover their exposed chests or hide completely behind their open lockers. They whispered in confusion and indignation at one another, but none dared get in her way as her boots snapped across the linoleum. A few of the bolder ones followed her at a safe distance, curious as to what she was up to now.

She saw movement on top of one row of lockers and made a sharp right turn. Her target was half way down the line, rummaging in his open locker. Wednesday bent and grabbed an abandoned crate from the floor with out breaking her stride.

She put it on the floor and climbed up, she glanced up, waiting for the signal.

She slammed the locker shut with a clang that rung out above the clamor.

“Dude!” Ajax exclaimed, turning to yell at his intruder just as an unseen hand pulled back on his beanie just far enough.

Wednesday stood there for a moment, arms crossed, admiring the statue that sported a look of mixed outrage and shock. She pushed the glasses to the top of her head, “Take all his shirts, leave the pants. We don’t need him scarring the whole school with his tighty whities.”

Thing game a thumbs up from his perch atop his head and began to rifle through the locker as Wednesday produced a thick, red permanent paint pen that she had swiped from the art building. She hopped off her pedestal and got to work. She went as fast as she dared, letting as much paint soak into the porous marble as she could. The resulting penmanship left something to be desired, she could only blame the canvas, her calligraphy was normally immaculate.

A small crowd of boys in various states of dressed had gathered around to watch her work.

“Is that like A for asshole?”

Wednesday glanced briefly over her shoulder to find Liam, a werewolf she recognized, standing closest to her, his head tilted in the same way Enid’s did when she was bemused.

“Adulterer.” She corrected, “Is it safe to say that no one saw what happened here?” The snap of the cap returning to the pen echoed in the silence.

There were cheeky smiles and vigorous shaking heads when she glanced up again.

Wednesday was on her feet in a flash, turning on a dime to face the werewolf. He was a good foot taller than her, stocky with muscles, an odd look when pared with such boyish facial features and floppy sandy hair.

“Liam, right?” the other boys scattered as if she were a venomous snake.

“Uh, ye-yes, ma’am.” His green eyes met hers briefly before falling to the floor, his head tilting slightly as it turn down.

Interesting.

“It’s a full moon tonight.” She continued, watching him carefully.

“Yes, ma’am.” He seemed relieved to be able to give an easy answer.

“It’s your job to keep Enid safe. Do you understand me? I am trusting you. You keep her in your sight.” She ordered, “If anything happens to her…” she let the unspoken threat hang heavy in the air around them.

“Do you really think he’s stupid enough to actually try something on a full moon?” he still couldn’t look her in the eye, so he settled for glaring at Ajax. Well, at least there was no reason to explain there was another threat when such a convenient reason stood frozen behind her.

She stepped around him and began to stalk towards the door, sliding the glasses back down over her eyes, “I’ve learned to never underestimate the stupidity of boys.”

Chapter Text

Enid couldn’t pay attention in the Hexes class if her life depended on it. Normally, the class enthralled her. Their vampiric professor, Dr. Dandrige, had such a way with words that no matter what she spoke about, it sounded rich and alive. Enid often wondered if she had any siren in her bloodline before she was turned. She had only signed up for the class because it sounded like something Wednesday might take, and she had hoped they would end up in the class together.

Wednesday had, in fact, signed up for the course, and she was the only thing Enid could pay any attention to that day. The first thing she noticed was that Wednesday seemed to have found time to change out her sunglasses in the five minutes she was out of her sight. The frames were the same, but the lenses were now the nearly black lenses favored by the vampires and not mirrored. She wondered if the change was purely for her benefit.

Someone thinks highly of themselves. She sighed to herself.

But what kept her glancing back to the Raven over and over again was her face. Her whole attitude really. She was stoically taking notes as she always did, asking questions and answering the random pop quizzes the professor snapped out without warning from time to time. But there was something else there, hidden just beneath the surface, an almost smug gleefulness in her dark eyes. Like the cat who has taken the cream and found a way to blame the dog.

It was enrapturing, and deeply confusing. Wednesday normally only got that look when she pulled off a particularly clever or devious prank. Who had the girl so one upped that she would look so positively devilish?

She also couldn’t stop thinking about her dream from the night before, how neatly it had mirrored what happened in their class. She now knew intimately what it felt like to have the girl pinned and at her mercy beneath her. She was also trying to understand what exactly Wednesday’s own reaction to it had been.

Wednesday hadn’t been scared, but her heart rate had spiked dangerously fast. Her neck had been so deliciously flushed. As close as their faces had been, Enid had been able to see the freckles spread across her nose. And she could have sworn she had seen a thin ring of crimson at the very edges of her irises…

The ringing bell made her realize how intently she had been staring at the side of her roommate’s face and she jumped to sit straight.

Wednesday slid her two sheets of paper as she began to pack away her own things into her bag. Enid frowned down at the neat handwriting and realized it was notes on the lecture, annotated with explanations the Raven thought she might need.

“Thanks.” Enid shrunk in on herself guiltily.

Wednesday merely shrugged and stood, waiting for Enid to get her shit together, “I noticed you usually get spacey just before the full moon. Your notetaking skills often suffer under such circumstances.”

When had Wednesday started paying so much attention to her habits?

She was honestly touched, she couldn’t help the dopey smile that spread across her face as she trailed after the shorter girl.

They found their friends at their normal outdoor table, now that it was finally warm enough for them to escape the madness of the dining hall. It was the best table in the yard, especially for their mixed bag of friends, and Enid often wondered how they had gotten so lucky.

In the quad there was still the werewolf table, right in the middle of the patch of grass so their loud voices wouldn’t echo back on everyone else under the stone archways. The vampires claimed one in a cool patch of shade up against the building. The sirens spread out over two that rest in the shade of the building to take advantage of the acoustics. The gorgon’s table was square in the sun, their snakes enjoying the warmth they felt radiating through their head coverings.

Then there was their spot, straddling the line of shade and sun so fully one half of the table was covered for the benefit of Yoko’s sensitive eyes, Xavier, who preferred to draw with out the glare of the sun in his eyes, and Eugene who could get a sunburn in a thunderstorm.

Enid enjoyed sitting at the very end, blazer thrown over the back of her chair, sleeves rolled up as far as they would allow, enjoying the warmth that spilled over her skin. Wednesday was sitting across from her, bent over her note book as she wrote, one arm reaching out in front of her for balance.

Eugene, thrilled that he finally had friends, or at least people who seemed to tolerate his presence, was adamantly trying to explain to her the interesting habits of preying mantises, but Enid was only half paying any attention to him. Bianca, Divina and Yoko weren’t even pretending to pay attention, caught up in their own whispered conversation, but Xavier and Enid were entertaining him as much as they could, and even Wednesday tilted her head at him from time to time when she found some fact particularly interesting.

When the Raven’s sleeve pulled back after adjusting her sunglasses once more, unused to their weight on her nose but enjoying the benefits of deadening the worlds colors, Enid caught a flash of silver.

Curious, the wolf reached out and touched it gently, testing. When she didn’t get the telltale burning reaction of silver, she studied the thin, delicate chain. Running her fingers over each link. Wednesday didn’t look up or pull her hand back, just twisted her hand so the wolf could investigate further.

She felt more like a cat than a wolf for a moment, absolutely enthralled with the sparkly jewelry. Wednesday had never worn such before, besides the necklace that had been her mothers-not unless she was dressing up for a special occasion. Where had it come from? Was it a gift? If so, from who?

Her finger scraped along the pulse point of her wrist, pulling free the longer bit of chain that had gotten caught in the sleave of her blazer. It looked like a tiny bird claw cast in silver. It clutched a white stone that was shot through with thin lines of pink and blue.

Curiouser and curiouser, she mused, knowing the girl’s aversion to color against her skin for any length of time. It must have meant a great deal to her to over come what was practically an allergy. But if that were so, why had Enid never seen it before?

“What is this?” she finally asked, the words coming out as a sharp demand thanks to her wolf’s current lack of patience with any sign that someone was giving her mate gifts.

Behave! Once again, her mental broom made an appearance.

Wednesday looked up, eyes startled for a brief moment before they settled on Enid’s new found fidget, “It’s a Raven’s talons.” Her eyes went back to her work.

“I see that,” she rolled her eyes, taking a breath to return her voice to normal conversational tone, “I just have never seen it on you. Where’d you get it?”

“I made it.” Wednesday sighed, closing her notebook on her pen.

“You- you made this?” she said incredulously, pulling the wrist closer to her face to examine it more closely, the fine details in the joints and membranes.

She looked up when Wednesday didn’t answer, and found the girl tracking movement over the top of her glasses. Before Enid’s brain could task switch, unwilling to drop the topic of the bracelet so easily, a palm smacked the table between them.

Enid glanced up in shock, her hackles already rising, but a booted foot reached out underneath the table and wrapped around the back of her calf, tugging just hard enough to keep her in her seat. There was no one to stop the wolves in the center of the court yard from jumping to their feet, watching wearily from a distance, eyes glowing in shades of green and gold.

Ajax stood at the head of their table, a murderous glint in his eye. And it was easy to see why. He was shirtless, and a giant red A in gothic calligraphy was painted across his chest. Enid’s eyes snapped to Wednesday, the morning’s events slowly coming together to paint this picture.

Wednesday, for her part, looked cool and unbothered, pulling her hand away from Enid’s grasp to fold them innocently over her notebook.

“Ajax,” she greeted flatly, “Nice ink.” Snickers erupted from their table as well as others, the wolves, always less restrained, howled with laughter, “I didn’t take you for a Hawthorn fan though. Truth be told I didn’t even know you could read. Good for you.”

“Cut the shit, Addams!” he hissed, “I know it was you.”

“Me who?” Wednesday reclined in her chair, arms crossed, appearing to all the world as someone at ease.

The hold on Enid’s calf readjusted, tightened. The pressure sent warmth flooding through her veins, chasing away the chill of rage.

“I know it was you who stoned me and drew all over me!” his voice climbed, echoing through the silent court yard, “You stole all my shirts Addams! I want them back, now.”

“Yes, let me just pull your gross clothing out from underneath the table, oh wait.” She tilted her head, “I can’t, because I don’t have your stupid clothes. I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Ajax continued to glare, the hand on the table turning into a fist. Enid’s snarl was choked off when the foot began to trace light circles on her calf.

“I have no idea what makes you think I would have reason to accuse you of adultery, Ajax, nor how I might hope to turn you to stone.” She looked at her perfectly painted black nails, not a hint of red could be seen on her hands, “Perhaps,” her voice grew slightly louder, projecting across the court yard easily without sounding like a shout, “Perhaps there is a certain gorgon you’ve spurned recently who doesn’t mean anything to you.” Her smile was sweet as arsenic.

Ajax’s face paled for a moment, he pulled back slightly, then his face turned such a dangerous shade of purple, Enid thought perhaps Wednesday had also contrived to poison him. There was movement on the far side of the quad at the Stoner table, someone getting up to flee the scene.

“I swear to god, Addams,” his teeth were clenched, fists shaking at his sides, “I don’t know what your sudden obsession with ruining my life is, but I am gonna make you pay for this. You are going to wish that you never came to this school. Once I get my hands on you-,”

Distantly removed from the situation, part of Enid was shocked at the venom that was spewing from the normally relaxed boy. Was this who he really was underneath the dopy smiles and easy-going demeanor? Had that just been a mask he used to charm his way into and out of everything, and only now that things weren’t going his way did the mask slip? The musings were very distant, however. At the forefront of her mind was the ache in her jaw as her teeth forced themselves into fangs in her mouth, her claws digging into the table, the gentle touch on her leg and knowing it was Wednesday doing it the only thing keeping her in her skin.

There was a moment of tension, like the air before a lightning strike as members from every table rose slowly, then suddenly there was a dark shadow at Ajax’s side.

“Mr. Petropolos.” The husky feminine voice snapped.

Ajax jerked backwards, falling flat on his ass, staring fish eyed up at Dr. Dandrige, standing prim and proper at Wednesday’s side, one perfect dark brow raised just above the rim of her designer light-blocking glasses.

The vampire radiated such power in her slight frame, that all but the wolves immediately sat back down when they noticed her presence.

“Do us all a favor, Mr. Petropolos, and put on a damn shirt before I add to your detention.” Her voice was cool and even, reminding Enid of the way that Wednesday often spoke. It was a tone that brooked no argument.

Ajax climbed back to his feet, leveling a finger at Wednesday’s face, “This isn’t over, Addams.”

“Now, Ajax, if you please.” The vampire waved him off as Wednesday gave him an impish smile, white teeth flashing.

The gorgon tugged his beanie tighter over his head and stormed off, the wolves howling derision at his back, sirens singing a silly made up song and vampires offering a sarcastic slow clap.

“Wednesday,” The teacher focused her attention on the girl, now the very picture of innocence, “I recived your request for office hours this evening. I was just coming to let you know that, due to the full moon, I will not be seeing students this evening. I have a few experiments in the works, you understand.”

“Of course.” Wednesday nodded her agreement, the corners of her lips curving down slightly in a small sign of disappointment.

“I do have some time now, if you are able to come to my office before your lunch hour ends.” She offered instead.

The Raven perked up immediately, though perhaps Enid was the only one who could translate such minute differences in the girl. Her wolf certainly liked to think so, “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

The teacher nodded and disappeared back into the shadows.

The second she was gone, all their friends leaned into the table, asking a million questions.

“How’d you do it, Addams?” Bianca laughed, “I’ll admit, that was a pretty genius move on your part.”

“How’d you know he would just storm through the whole school shirtless and not just run back to his rooms?” Divina pressed.

“Please,” Yoko waved at her, “Ajax doesn’t have two braincells to rub together. Does he strike you as someone to think more than one step ahead? If that?”

“Did you really do it?” Eugene looked like he was in awe.

“You know she’s not going to answer any of you.” Xavier shook his head, turning back to his abandoned sketch book, “Why else would she go through all the trouble of making herself appear so innocent.” He winked at her.

Wednesday grabbed her hand before she could react, “Are you okay?”

Enid was shocked out of her green haze, “Me? It was you he was yelling at.”

“Right, sure,” Wednesday shook her head in a whatever gesture, “But I’m sure whoever painted him as a cheater didn’t think about how you might feel about such an accusation.”

Enid realized at once that someone had told Wednesday about what had happened at the dance, or else she had drawn her own conclusions about Ajax’s rant the night before and done her own research. This was her way of getting back at him for what she saw as a slight against Enid.

Enid felt a slow smile spread across her face, “I only wish I knew who my mystery defender was so I could properly thank them. I’ve always had a thing for batman. Oh well, guess we’ll never know.”

Wednesday’s face took on a slight flush of color as she quickly busied herself with packing up her things. Enid felt a twinge of sadness that their time together was being cut short, and the flash of silver on her wrist reminded her that she still hadn’t gotten any answers about her roommates apparent jewelry making skills.

“I’ll see you in Kessler’s,” she said by way of farewell.

“And I’ll see you tonight, yeah?” Xavier called, head snapping up from his art once more.

Wednesday’s stance stiffened as she backed from the table, she gave a curt nod and a “Yep,” in a most un-Wednesday-like fashion, before quickly walking back to Dr. Dandrige’s office, with a quick stop at the rambunctious boys currently wresting in the grass.

The table dropped ten degrees as all eyes shot to Xavier, except Enid who suddenly found the table top very interesting.

Her heart was pounding in her ears, she couldn’t breathe. It was taking every ounce of will power she had left not to wolf out then and there. To not start tearing out throats right and left until everyone knew that Wednesday was hers and hers alone.

“Seriously, Xav?” Bianca demanded.

“What?” he shrugged one shoulder, “Oh calm down, Bianca, green isn’t a good color on you. It’s just as friends.” Everyone at the table could hear the unspoken for now.

Enid wanted so desperately to believe him. Wednesday had always shown a singular disinterest in entertaining Xavier’s less than subtle advances in the past. But she also had never agreed to hang out with him alone before either. And thanks to the full moon, Enid couldn’t even invite herself along to make sure he stuck to his word. It was as if he had planned it on purpose.

“You’re unbelievable.” Bianca scoffed.

Before anymore could come of it, Liam plopped himself into Wednesday’s empty seat, “Hey Enid, I wanted to talk to you.”

Everyone was shocked into silence, glancing back and forth between the werewolves.

“Uh, okay?” Enid was dizzy with the sudden mood shift; Liam was like a walking ball of sunshine who accidently stumbled into a cave.

“Sweet, so I was thinking about starting a school hockey team, but it turns out there aren’t enough teams in the area to form a league, so how do you feel about lacrosse?”

“Lacrosse?” she blinked, wondering if this was how people felt when she talked to them about whatever happened to cross her mind.

“Yeah, you know, that game with the net sticks? You try to throw the ball using the sticks into the opponent’s net. It’s kinda like soccer, hokey, football and polo all wrapped into one, except without any horses.”

“I know what lacrosse is, Liam, I’ve played it at summer camp every year.” she rolled her eyes, “I’m just not sure why you’re asking me.”

“Oh,” his face turned pink and unsure suddenly, “Well, I was hoping that maybe you would, like, co-captain the team with me, that way we could make it co-ed.”

“Wait, seriously?”

“Well yeah, I want us to win, Sinclair.” He reached across the table and gave her a playful shove.

“Uh, yeah I think that’d be awesome.” She felt her wolf grow excited at the prospect of being allowed to play such a rough game more often.

They talked adamantly for the remainder of lunch about everything from a name and what teacher to ask to coach to which students they should tap to try out and training schedules.

Just as they were about to part ways to go to their fifth hour class, Enid caught him in a quick hug, “I know you were trying to distract me, knuckle head.”

“Did it work?” he looked like a happy puppy, “I mean I was totally serious about everything, but after all that shit with Ajax… you looked like you needed a distraction.”

Enid smiled at him and nodded, wondering when she had gotten so many good friends around her.

“Ms. Addams,” the professor greeted warmly, waving to the large chair in front of her desk, “Please, sit. What did you want to talk to me about? You’re doing far too well in my class to ask for help or extra credit.”

“No,” the Raven sat on the edge of the chair, back straight, “I was hoping to discuss something you briefly mentioned in class today, about hereditary curses?”

“I thought I saw a spark of interest there,” The teacher chuckled, “I’m afraid I’m not actually allowed to show you how to work the spells necessary until you are no longer a student in the school.”

“While that’s disappointing to hear, I was more wondering if you knew anything about the curse that plagues my own family.”

“Ah yes,” Dr. Dandrige relaxed back into her chair, a fond smile playing across her face, “I am familiar with the Addams family curse. If I remember correctly, it was the son or grandson of Goody Adams who was the first barer of the curse, though he didn’t seem to think of it as such.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Wednesday schooled her expression to one of academic interest.

“Well, he asked for the curse, it was made specifically for him.” The vampire explained, watching the girl very carefully from behind her lenses.

“He… asked to be cursed,” Wednesday crossed her arms over her chest, “What had possessed him to do that?”

“Love,” the vampire shrugged, “Bartolome Addams fell in love with a werewolf, and she with him. But, wolves do not love the same way humans, nor other breeds of outcast do. To be able to show the same amount of love, of devotion that another wolf could have shown his love was his intent. Though, every spell has its cost, I’m afraid. And it isn’t always paid by the one who asked for it. You are aware of those in your family tree who’s love was not reciprocated, or lost?”

“Madness, death, psychopathy.” Wednesday nodded with a frown, “I had a great aunt who’s heart just stopped, to save her the pain of living any longer away from the one she had grown obsessed with.”

“Exactly. Bartolome and his bride had all the joys that could be had from such a complete, devoted love. But their children were not so fortunate, nor their grandchildren and so on and so forth.”

“How incredibly selfish of them.”

“They didn’t think so, nor many of their decedents. Your father, for one, has always seemed quite content in life with your mother.” She sighed, “Though most days I do agree with you. Unfortunately, I was plagued by romanticism in my human life. C'est la vie.”

“It was you?” Wednesday jerked in her seat, “You cursed my family?”

“One of my finest spells, I will admit. I had always been particularly good with matters of the heart, but that was my master piece.” She spoke so wistfully, as if they weren’t talking about the curse that had destroyed many Addams in the past, as it threatened to destroy her.

“Then, can you undo the curse?” she asked, barring the hope from her voice.

“No.” the answer was final, “It was one of the most powerful curses of the time, it could only hope to be reversed by the witch who cast it. And, technically speaking, I am no longer that person. I gave up all connection to my former workings when I chose this.” She waved down at her elegant form, “And even if such a connection could be remade, I fear that the curse is so well woven into your family’s bloodlines, tied to every other one of your inheritances… It is as much an indelible part of your bloodline as is your Latin roots.”

“Oh,” She felt her shoulders droop.

The vampire suddenly looked confused, and a little concerned, “Do you… do you want it undone?”

Wednesday took a moment to think about it. On the one hand, it would save her the head ache of feeling so damn much, and possible death by inevitable heart break when Enid rejected her. But on the other hand, how she felt about Enid now felt like so much a part of herself, to lose it now… she couldn’t even imagine it.

“I was under the impression that you were unaffected by my curse,” she went on, “It does happen that way sometimes, much like with creature inheritances. It has been known to skip generations.”

“I am blessedly unaffected,” Wednesday nodded, no reason to let anyone know anything had changed, even if she enjoyed the vampire professor’s classes, she enjoyed her privacy more, “I do fear for my little brother, however. He is such a soft, weak-willed boy. I would hate to see him suffer heart break.”

“Ah,” the teacher nodded with understanding and a small smile, “Well, I’m afraid I cannot be of service in this regard.”

“Thank you,” Wednesday rose from her seat, “The information you provided was most helpful.” By that she meant that no one could possibly hope to help her.

“Your father would know more than I,” the vampire called as Wednesday started for the door, “I confess many of my human memories have faded with time where my vampiric ones have not.”

“Interesting,” Wednesday thought for a moment, “I will take that under advisement.”

“Enjoy the rest of your day, Ms. Addams,” The teacher turned back to her stack of paperwork, “Do not try to cause any more fights this week, there is a lot of paperwork for midterms.”

“Doctor please, you insult me,” She turned back for the door, “I hardly have to try at all.”

Chapter Text

The room was quiet, the sound of her own breathing was like to make her ears bleed. When had the silence become so detestable?

Why did she keep asking herself these questions when she knew the answer. Enid was the answer to everything these days.

The girl had only left their room ten minutes before the melancholy had well and truly set in. And Thing had wanted nothing to do with her stubborn refusal to just admit she was being a fool. He had scampered off a little while after to go “help Eugene with a project,” whatever that had meant. That was fine by Wednesday.

It was easier to feel when she was alone. The only time she seemed to let down her walls was when there were no possible witnesses, asking her to explain or interpret any of those feelings. They were all still so new to her, she was ashamed to admit they frightened her as much as they excited her.

So she sat, smooth marble pendent rolling between fingers as she stood amongst her feelings and watched how they interacted, taking careful notes in her mental journal; ever the clever, curious scientist.

Enid had scampered off when Liam came to harry her, blowing a kiss in Wednesday’s direction as an almost enate gesture.  And though Wednesday had seen the girl do the same action time and again with Yoko, it had still sent a trill through her. It brought to mind the other occurrences from that day. Each innocent enough when one took into account Enid’s affectionate nature, but she couldn’t help but feel it meant something different when it was for her.

Enid, breathing ragged, pinning her down, eyes alight with a fire Wednesday had craved so desperately to touch, headless of the pain it would have inevitably brought. She had wished with every fiber of her being in that moment that they had been alone. She was insanely curious to know what would have happened if she hadn’t brought the girl back down from her blood lust. All her muscles rippling, keeping Wednesday down no matter how hard she tugged against the hold…

And then there was the quiet madness that had built into an avalanche in her at lunch, before that absolute twat of an Ex ruined it.

Enid’s hands had been strong and sure in their exploration of Wednesday’s out stretched wrist, but not demanding. She had known then as she knew now, that at the slightest sign of discomfort, the wolf would have released her with an honest apology. But she hadn’t wanted that. She had in fact, she remembered now, turned her hand to give better access while also showing a great deal of vulnerability as she felt the sharp scrape of nails across her veins. Enid’s touch had made her feel warm and comfortable, and yet acutely aware of absolutely everything about the interaction. She hadn’t wanted it to ever end. Could have happily sat there under the attentions while the world burned around them and never bothered to suggest that they should probably move.

Wednesday had never felt this way about anyone before. She couldn’t even imagine what people waxed poetic about as they longed for the touch of another. Even when she had tried to convince herself that perhaps Tyler hadn’t been assigning intention to her actions where none had been meant- well, other than the tantalizing mystery that always seemed to orbit around the boy. The only thing she had felt when Tyler had kissed her, besides absolute horror, was a feeling that existed somewhere between uncomfortable and utter indifference. And yet, such an innocent touch from her best friend set explosions off in her chest.

She could not stop thinking about what it would feel like to kiss Enid.

Before she could delve too deeply into her fantasies, there was a jaunty knock at her door. Wednesday opened the door on Xavier’s charming smile, “Hey delinquent,” he greeted, “You’ll be happy to know that Ajax came limping into the dorms absolutely covered in mud about twenty minutes ago.”

“Xavier,” she greeted, “Thank you for the update, I’m glad to know he’s getting the education he so desperately needs.”

He rolled his eyes, “Okay, go on pretending. What are we doing this fine evening?”

Wednesday shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. What did normal kids do when they “hung out”. Her and Eugene crawled through dank caverns and chased after murders. Enid… she never had to think about what she was doing with Enid; she was normally just happy enough trailing after the overly excitable girl.

“What would you like to do?” she passed it off, coming up short the moment she remembered there were people she would rather be spending the evening with.

“I dunno, we could just hang out?” he offered unhelpfully with a shrug, “You could write while I draw, and we could talk?”

“I require a certain level of solitude and silence while I write,” She shook her head. Enid didn’t count, she was a permanent fixture in Wednesday’s brain.

“Okay…” he spun in a slow, drunk circle, staring at the ceiling, “We could go back to the art department. If you had any other projects you wanted to get started on since you finished that bracelet this morning.”

Wednesday thought for a moment. That could work. She would be seen in public with Xavier, in a place that wasn’t somewhere she considered sacred.

“Sure,” she nodded, “There is a new idea I’ve been working through during class.” She grabbed her book bag from the back of her chair and turned to follow him down the hall after locking her door.

Xavier spoke adamantly as they walked through halls and courtyards. He spoke mainly about his father, Vincent Thorpe. His version of the man was a far cry from the parasocial personality her brother was obsessed with. Vinny, as Xavier called him, was a harsh, eternally disappointed yet distant father, He had always hoped Xavier’s powers would lead him down the path of a seer; dove or raven he didn’t care. But the glimpses he did receive were so vague and distant, a normie human could have dreamt them. He hated that his only son’s abilities lay in creating art and bringing it to a seeming of life.

“He just doesn’t understand me,” Xavier shook his head sadly, staring off into empty space for a moment before he opened the door to the art building with the ring of keys he had been granted as a prodigy, “No one does.”

Wednesday pulled up short with a scoff, offended by the blatant falsehood as she tried to remember which drawer she had procured the red marker from, “That’s not true.”

“Oh?” Xavier huffed as he dumped his things across one table, crossing his arms as he watched her.

“Plenty of people know you, Xavier,” She shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant as she moved from supply drawer to supply drawer, peaking with a vague curiosity into a few, “You might like to think you’re an enigma, but you are just like the rest of us. Sorry to shatter your delusions of grandeur.” She spun to face him, slipping the marker through the smallest gap possible.

“Please, do tell,” he laughed, waving as if to present a stage for her antics.

“You chafe under the cloak of your parents, father more specifically in your case, expectations of you. You rage against their utter refusal to see you as your own whole person apart from them. With talents, interests and achievements they cannot claim any credit for.” She made her way towards the spot she had claimed as her own that morning, across a short aisle from where Xavier himself seemed comfortable, “You work hard to be good at what you love, and I for one find that commendable.”

He seemed awestruck. She let him process the reality that he wasn’t so different from any one of their friends as she got herself settled, bookmarked textbook flipped to the relevant pages, empty grid-paper notebook open to its first crisp page.

“Thanks, Wens.” He finally whispered hoarsely into the silence.

She tried her best to suppress the curl of her lip at hearing the nickname. She hated the way her classmates often tried to make her name less of a mouthful. What was wrong with Wednesday? It was only two syllables, a word they had been saying regularly since their schooling began. And she found most affectionate nicknames irked her, reducing the recipient down to what the person who assigned them thought of the person.

Willa a blonde ghost whispered in her ear in a thousand tones.

“Shut up.” She hissed, lips barely moving.

“What was that?” Xavier looked up from where he was just getting settled.

“My mother wishes I was more like her,” she tripped to cover her slip, “I think she wishes she had something to talk about me with.”

“Well that’s not so bad,” he shrugged, “At least she wants to talk to you.”

“Then she should make the effort to care about the same things I do.” It felt disingenuous, Morticia and Gomez both had always made efforts to nurture Wednesday’s dark proclivities. But it felt harsh to rub her admittedly better familial relationships into his face, “Perhaps Vincent is too self-absorbed to appreciate art as you do.”

Xavier allowed that with a laugh. They thankfully moved passed the topic of parents as they became absorbed in their respective projects. Xavier made the odd comment about teachers or classmates, but for the most part, they worked near each other in companionable silence. Wednesday had to admit, it felt… nice to have a friend who could do such. Eugene seemed to suffer from the same allergy to silence as Enid did.

It allowed her to focus on the task at hand.

She had known the anatomy of ravens’ talons better than the back of her hand, since she had never dissected the back of her own hand. Her next attempt would be to recreate something she had only recently become familiar with. More than anything, she wanted it to turn out far better than the crude work adorning her wrist now.

She flipped through her reference book often, sketching out rough approximations of the skeletal structure, the muscles and flesh that flexed and bowed around it. Having an actual werewolf paw to study tactilely would have been preferable, but she wasn’t sure how to get her hands on one with out ruining the surprise for Enid.

The blonde had seemed so fascinated by the bracelet that afternoon, Wednesday thought it might please her to have one of her own. She also knew she would have to find more metal to melt down for the pendant, find an acceptable stone center piece, and a chain to hang them from. But first, she needed to know that she could create such an intricate piece.

Xavier held up his large sketch pad, aiming it towards Wednesday, “What do you think?” he asked when she failed to look up from her work.

It almost looked like an enlarged tarot card, but not one she recognized. A dark shape was taking form on one end, folded wings, black hair, a dull halo. The other held a more recognizable angel, light flowing hair, wings outspread and welcoming, halo resplendent. But at such a rough stage of the sketching process, it was hard to be certain.

“What is it?” she asked, not wanting to be wrong and offend him when they had finally found a peace.

“I’m not sure yet,” he admitted, turning the page back around to stare down at it, charcoal pencil going between his teeth, “I keep seeing flashes of it in my dreams… Hey, at least they aren’t as terrifying as last time, and less likely to necessitate a tetanus shot. What’ve you got?” he peered over curiously.

Wednesday wanted to hide her work, she never let anyone see anything she made until it was complete. It only seemed fair, however, now that he had shown his. She held up her own study in werewolf paws, “I need to understand them better before I try to work them in metal.” She shrugged at his questioning eyebrow.

“Making a statue to submit for the Crackstone replacement?” he ventured a guess.

She shook her head, she would never waste such energies on the ungrateful residents of Jericho, “Just another bracelet.”

“Oh, like friendship bracelets for you and Enid?” he jibed, “Don’t tell me your going soft, Addams.”

She shot him a glare, taking the sketches from his view, “I don’t think of my friendship as weakness.” Not anymore.

Xavier only smiled more broadly at her, “I’m just giving you a hard time. I’m actually really stoked to see you opening up more. And to see that your line work has improved.”

“Thanks.” She mumbled petulantly, “Its easier when I’m not trying to hurry and copy down a millisecond flash I saw in a vision.”

“It takes practice.” He said smugly.

They continued that way for a while, long silences broken up by talk of classes, not her writing, archery club and the hummers. The new song she was trying to transpose for her cello.

“I have a good portion of it written down now,” she explained as she carefully shaded each paw pad with a light touch, “But I haven’t had any time to practice it yet.”

“Well,” he snapped his book closed, “I’m at a good stopping point for the night. I could take you back to your rooms. I would love to hear you practice; it’s been a while since you’ve played on the balcony for everyone.”

“I don’t do it for everyone,” Wednesday made a face, “I do it for the acoustics.”

“Now you sound like Bianca.” He teased as she carefully put all her materials back in her bag.

Xavier chattered at her more as they returned to Ophelia Hall, but Wednesday found her jaw hurt from so much forced small talk, her brain absolutely fried from searching for some small tidbit to add to whatever he had to say. As enjoyable as his company had been, it was more exhausting.

Xavier felt bold enough to enter her room on her heels, the new den mother hadn’t built up enough reputation with the girls yet that she felt comfortable enforcing rules yet. Wednesday lifted her instrument and began to move to the window.

“Hang on, let me help,” Xavier turned to put his bag down, and by the time he turned back with empty hands, he found Wednesday already setting up her play space outside, cello resting on it’s stand in the moon light.

“Okay,” he demanded as he pushed his way through the window, “How did you do that?”

She lifted one eyebrow at him as she got comfortable in her chair, “I can’t have people knowing any of my secrets, Xavier.”

“Alright, fair enough,” he laughed as he got comfortable off to the side so he wouldn’t be too obtrusive.

Wednesday appreciated the effort, but still found his presence annoying as she warmed up the bow and strings. She could hear his jacket shifting as his feet shuffled over stone. She took a breath and closed her eyes, hearing the song in her mind rather than reading it on the pages. Focusing on her muse and the overwhelming feeling in her chest.

The song began slow, building on itself until it was a swelling, heart-wrenching ballad that filled the court yard below, reaching out into the night where she could just hear the sounds of answering howls in the nearby woods. The thought that Enid was listening gave her the needed push to find the elusive final notes of the song.

As the reverberations died out into forgotten echoes, Wednesday quickly penned in the missing lines of the song with a triumphant smile. She rose and gave a mock bow to the clapping behind her and below.

“You’re amazing,” Xavier told her as she set the cello back onto its stand.

“Well, I practice,” she mocked him, “I wasn’t born with these calluses, you know.” She held out her hands for him to see the faint scars in the moon light.

His hands were on hers immediately, his own rough thumbs brushing the tips of her fingers with a feather light touch. She wanted to yank her hands back, the feeling setting her teeth on edge, but it felt rude, so she counted to ten to control her anxiety and glanced up at him. He was standing much closer than she had thought he was, and there was such an odd look in his eye as he stared down at her.

Understanding dawned on her the moment he began to lean down towards her face. She took a resolute step backwards, dodging his lips. She tried to take her hands with her, but he held them fast in his own.

“What,” he blinked trying to catch up to the mood shift he sensed, “What’s wrong?”

“I’m sorry,” Wednesday’s voice didn’t sound like her own, high with the tension of holding on to her indignation, “Were you about to try and kiss me?” she pulled her hands out of his with force.

“Uh,” he laughed, pushing the hair that escaped his bun from his eyes, “Well, yeah.” He gave a smarmy smile.

“You,” she shook her head in disbelief, “You’re unbelievable.” She scoffed, turning and climbing back through her window, not wanting those who had been listening to her impromptu concert to get this encore.

Xavier stumbled through the opening close at her heels, “Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?”

“What happened to hanging out as just friends?” she demanded, indignant hands on hips, turning to keep him in front of her, backing in a circle until he understood she wanted him no closer than he already was.

Their new position put the moonlight on his face, her own cast in shadow. Perfectly situated so she could read his face without having to try and show proper emotions on her face.

“Oh, come on, Wens,” he crossed his arms, continuing to smile with just a touch of condescension, “We both know there is something more than that here.”

“No,” Wednesday took another step back as he tried to advance once more, “We don’t. We thought we were having a wonderful time hanging out.” This whole situation was starting to feel grossly familiar.

“Exactly,” he agreed, “Haven’t you had a good time with me?”

“Until eighty seven seconds ago, yes,” she allowed, “But in no way does that translate to me wanting to kiss you! I do not have romantic feelings for you Xavier, I thought I made that perfectly clear.”

“Not really,” he defended with a shrug, his voice taking on that irritating tone of someone trying to explain a simple concept to a child, “And besides, how do you even know if you have feelings for me or not? If you would just give me a chance-,”

“Xavier, no,” she shook her head, why did this continually happen, “I do know, in fact I am quite certain that I do not and could never have such feelings for you.”

“How are you ever going to fall in love with someone if you don’t give them a chance?” he was yelling then, but Wednesday was pretty sure it was more from desperation and sadness than true anger. She had seen plenty of anger displayed on Ajax’s face recently to know the difference.

“Because I already fell in love with someone! That is how I know!” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them, and it felt so freeing to finally admit it aloud, it almost shocked the breath from her lungs.

“Who, Tyler?” Xavier rolled his eyes, turning once in anger before facing her again, “But he wasn’t even- he was a homicidal maniac! You can’t base every guy who likes you on what he did.” He took another step towards her and froze, eyes wide with sudden shock and fear.

A dark shadow filled the window behind Wednesday, a monstrous shape spreading over the floor.

Wednesday turned to find a large, hulking shape slowly pushing its way through the window, fur bristled, teeth and fangs bared in a low growl that vibrated down to her bones. It’s muzzle and paws were covered in drying blood.

“Xavier,” she kept her tone low, calm as she kept her eyes on the wolf, “I think it’s time for you to go.” She moved herself between, blocking the line of sight between the wolf and the frightened boy. It responded by stalking in the other direction, eyes molten gold as they narrowed on him.

“Wens, don’t be crazy-,” his voice was cracked and breathless, “How are you gonna-,”

“She isn’t going to hurt me,” she snapped irritably, her words echoed by a snarl as the werewolf shook her heavy head, saliva dripping from open jaws.

“But, Wednesday-,”

She lost her patience with him and his pushing, she spun in a furry, “Go!” and it was like some god put the word in her chest.

Xavier stumbled back, and the wolf lunged.

Enid had been pouting, even as a wolf. She had trouble remembering specifics, but she knew that she had been separated from her mate, and that a rival held her attention. Her pack wasn’t about to allow her to waste the beautiful moon, however. Liam bat playfully at her face, dancing back with a wiggle. She bore her teeth at him but made no effort to engage. Until Brigid closed her teeth around the tip of Enid’s tail.

The wolf spun and swiped, her paw missing the laughing green eyes by inches.

You’re getting slow, Sinclair a dark voice laughed in her ear.

She shook herself free of the human memories and tore off in a chase through the woods. She caught Brigid by back of the scruff, bringing her down swiftly, but Liam was there piling on top of her, followed by Finn, Aaron, Tom, Katie, and Ansel, one big snarling mess.

Enid fought her way to the top, playing just as dirty as her pack mates. Finally, when she had them all playing dead around her, tongues lolling out in wolfy grins, she gave a short howl, the rest scrambling to roll back over and join her.

Their pack song broke off abruptly as a buck crashed into the clearing. The wolves and deer froze alike, staring intently at one another. The buck switched his tail, his nostrils flaring. Ansel, the youngest of them, couldn’t hold his position and yipped. Katie cuffed him on the back of the head with a heavy paw, but it was too late, the buck finally realized his danger and tore off through the trees.

Enid snarled and was after him in a heart-beat, Liam and Aaron at her flanks. They drove the buck in a wide circle, bringing it back around to a cut off where the rest of the pack moved to ambush the tiering deer.

It danced back in a circle, lowing its great antlers and kicking out with hind feet. Aaron had the misfortune of catching a hoof to the side, knocking him into a tree. When the buck tried to dash once again through the hole he made, Enid struck. Heavy jaws closed around the throat, she whipped her head to the side, snapping it’s neck before she tore out the throat.

She stood over her kill, snarling at the other wolves until they lay flat on their bellies, then gave the victory howl. It broke off when she heard a distant answer, a low longing note.

She tilted her head and turned her back on the dead deer, listening. The second she was no longer interested in the meat, the others descended. She let them have it, too caught up in the familiar howl. She knew it down to her core.

She sat on haunches and closed her eyes, trying to find the lost pack member. The song dipped and rose, the low notes made her ache in her chest. She lifted her own voice in response, the call for home. One by one, her pack mates joined in the low, lonely howl, letting their voices intertwine and harmonize with the call they instinctually recognized as Enid’s mate.

She rose to her feet before the call for home was done and began to run. The pack tried to follow her but she shook her head and snapped at them until all  but Liam returned to the bloody carcass. She huffed but allowed him to run with her back to the edge of the woods, behind the tall building Enid’s human form denned in.

Liam yipped softly and licked the bottom of her muzzle before turning and dashing back to the rest. The wolf knew she wasn’t supposed to be there, not if she didn’t want to end up locked in a cage until well after sunrise, but the echoes of her mate’s call were dying, and she couldn’t calm her heart until she lay eyes on her again.

Staying low to the ground and in the shadows, Enid crept through the court yard. She followed her nose, then her ears when she heard familiar voices. Glancing up, she saw two figures on a high platform, she instantly recognized her mate and her tail began to sway in excitement as she searched for a way to jump and climb up to her.

She had just reached a low sloped roof when she felt her hackles rise, she turned and saw the boy human leaning his face towards her mate’s. Her paws slipped for a moment, losing traction as the human emotions tore through her heart. But then her mate- Wednesday, a girls voice whispered through her skull- Wednesday pulled away from the boy, yanking her hands back. Her voice was low, and Enid could smell the anger and betrayal radiating from her before she disappeared from sight. She could have howled another victory at such a clear dismissal of her rival, had the boy not followed closely after, into their den.

Driven by rage and an instinct to protect, Enid jumped, pulled herself up with forepaws, climbing until she was panting on the platform they had just vacated. Through the large wall of glass, she could see Wednesday trying to keep a distance from the boy, but he continued to pursue her. Wednesday’s scent was hot, angry, she did not want the boy there.

Enid would make him leave.

She pawed at the glass and it gave way, allowing her to push herself into the den.

The boy froze, the rank stench of fear spilling off him, Wednesday turned to meet her eyes. She was making low noises, but Enid couldn’t understand them, just the intent behind the noises. She was trying to be calming, but the boy was only talking over her. Her mate’s scent grew irritated, and Enid shook her head in response, asking for the girl to move out of the way so she could deal with the irritant once and for all.

Wednesday spun and snapped a loud command at him, her anger boiling over to cover every other scent in the room. Enid lunged as the boy fell to the ground, but before she could snap her jaws on leg or arm, strong arms wrapped around her throat, wrestling her to the ground.

The sweet, floral scent told her it was Wednesday, and part of her knew that Wednesday was too vulnerable for her fight off, but she tried to wriggle herself free anyway. Shaking her head and dragging the weight backwards, trying to free herself, but it was no use. Her mate was much stronger than she looked.

She was still barking commands at the boy who was trying to scrambled out of the room on hands and feet. Enid knew she had won then, but she still wanted to snap at his heels to make the lesson stick, so she surged forward, dragging her mate along for the ride. She ran face first into the door instead as it shut on the boy.

She whined petulantly at the door.

“Enid,” she recognized the sound of her own name, and turned to find Wednesday standing behind her, hands out in a calming display. Her voice was tumbling through the air, trying to sooth Enid.

Enid stepped towards her, but Wednesday just stepped back to keep the space the same. Enid tried again, annoyed. Her mate just took another step back. Enid scented the air, but there was no sign of fear, just a lingering anger and irritation. She realized then that she was doing the same action that her rival had done, chasing after Wednesday when she did not want to be chased.

She sat instead. Waiting.

They remained that way for a while, each carefully studying the other. The wolf watched as the tense muscles in neck and shoulder relaxed slowly, heard the breath and heart rate become even. Even so, there was a darkness in her scent, almost like anger though Enid was pretty sure it wasn’t meant for her. Just when Enid was about to give up and curl up in her own comfortable nest to wait out this strange anger, her patience was rewarded.

Wednesday took one step forward, Enid’s ears pricked in response, her tail switching. Her mate gave her an unimpressed look and she controlled herself better. Her voice was filling the space again, soft, with the upturn of a question. Enid tilted her head in confusion.

Wednesday seemed irritated again, her feet stomping across the floor as her voice spilled out in spikey harsh growls, hands flailing wildly from time to time. Enid, desperate to calm her, rose and carefully butted her head against the girl’s chest, stopping the frantic pacing. Wednesday froze, her heart hammering against her chest. Enid held her there, offering comfort through pressure and weight.

At last, Wednesday sighed a heavy breath and put her hands on either side of Enid’s muzzle, the rumble of talking in her chest was softer now, full of affection.

Wednesday pulled away from her and frowned down at the blood covering her hands. Enid suddenly wished she had brought the deer back for her mate, she would have been so impressed! She excitedly began to whine and yip, darting to the window and back, trying to urge her mate to join her in the woods, but Wednesday ignored her, turning her back on the wolf’s antics and going into a smaller room that smelled cold.

The wolf deflated and went to the middle of the room to sulk. Wednesday eventually came back, a warm wet cloth in her hands, and carefully began to wipe the blood out of Enid’s fur. The cloth smelled of pretty things, and the wolf submitted to the attentions, tilting her head when prodded.

Wednesday left with the blood soaked cloth, and now that she was paying attention to things again, Enid could hear the sound of running water starting and stopping. She returned again and sat on the floor in front of the wolf, talking once more.

She held her hand out expectantly, and when Enid continued to give her a questioning look, she snapped a command. Enid growled at her softly, to show she didn’t have to listen if she didn’t want to, but put her paw in the other girls hand anyway.

She carefully wiped all the drying blood and mud from her paws, flipping them over to wipe the sensitive pads. She growled a warning, but Wednesday flicked her in the muzzle without looking up. Cowed, Enid sat still and let her. The scent she was giving off still troubled her, and she didn’t think the girl was in the mood to play fight, though part of her knew they did sometimes.

When there was no trace of blood left, Wednesday continued to hold her paw, flipping it over and back, examining it closely. She ran her fingers over the sharp claws and finger joints, examining the way it moved and bent.

“Fascinating.”

Enid wasn’t quite sure what the noise meant, other than she was being praised, she wiggled and preened under the attention.

The girl dropped her paw and rose, Enid would have gone with her, but the leveled finger was clear. She sulked again.

Wednesday shook her head and started talking again as she rummaged around Enid’s nest. She piled pillows and soft things with blankets all around the sitting wolf, the only word she recognized was bed, making Enid’s ears droop as she started moving the things around to make a comfortable pile before collapsing on top of them with a huff.

Wednesday made an irritated noise and Enid yawned to calm her. It didn’t seem to work. She went to her own nest and pulled off a quilt, draping it over Enid’s back, covering her in her scent. Enid buried her nose in the blanket and took a deep breath, feeling suddenly calm and sleepy, her muscles aching from the hunting and fighting she had done with her pack.

Her mate turned to leave her there but she whined low and pathetic.

“What now?” Wednesday demanded, “You know, there was once when I thought you spoke to much, but now, I would give anything for clear communication from you.”

Enid tilted her head, her brain was becoming strangely more organized as exhaustion slipped in. But not enough that she could give Wednesday what she was asking for. She concentrated, an odd past time for a wolf, trying to remember the girl she sometimes was, that was what Wednesday wanted, not the wolf.

But it was no use, she couldn’t bring the girl out. She was too tired to ignore the influence of the moon. She huffed sadly and crumpled in on herself, looking up at Wednesday as the girl began to tap her foot on the ground.

“Fine.” She threw her hands up and sat on the ground next to the wolf, back leaning against her. Enid grumbled contentedly as she curled more fully around the stiff form.

She felt the girl relax and give into the warm comfort long before she had fallen into a dreamless sleep

Chapter Text

The sun was blindingly bright. Warmth flooded over Wednesday’s skin as she took a deep breath. Grass tickled around her face and arms, but she felt too content to be bothered with it just then. She sat up slowly, trying to get her bearings in an unfamiliar place. She found she sat in a wide valley, surrounded by daisies of a hundred hues, dotted here and there with a black orchid.

There was a weight in her hand, she glanced down at the intertwined fingers between them, following the line of the arm to rest for a moment on a lovely, scarred face.  Enid turned and smiled at her, a wistful look in her eyes. Her chest squeezed painfully in response, her blood sizzling in her veins.

“I think this is the happiest I’ve ever been.” Enid’s voice felt closer than she looked, like a mumbled whisper.

Wednesday could only squeeze her hand in agreement, turning away from the girl before she could say something she would regret. Whenever she looked too long into those honest blue eyes, she felt the sudden urge to spill all of her secrets, her hopes and dreams. And lately, those had all been about Enid herself.

“I too feel content,” she admitted when it felt safe to speak, “I would be happy to lay here with you and let the world burn around us.”

Enid’s laughter was a rumble, and yet musically whimsical at the same time, “Yes, because we are just absolutely surrounded by chaos.” She picked a white daisy from the ground and leaned to put it behind Wednesday’s ear.

“Aren’t we?” the Raven sighed, leaning into the touch briefly before pulling away, “Doesn’t it feel like there is always something keeping us apart from each other?”

Enid sighed, “Boys, monsters… boys who turn out to be monsters.”

Me. Some traitorous part of her brain supplied, but had no time to voice.

As if summoned by her worries, a dark cloud rolled though the sky before them, tumultuous with thunder and hail, fire raining down as a cyclone began to spin.

“Leave it,” Enid begged desperately as they rose to their feet.

White birds erupted from the grasses when the twister touched ground, “You know I can’t. It isn’t in me to meekly bow to a threat.” She started to step forward.

Enid refused to release her grip, stepping with her, “Then take me with you, we can face it together.”

Wednesday cupped a hand on her cheek, “I can’t lose you, cara mia,”

“Like I would survive a day with out you,” Enid turned her face to place a kiss on Wednesday’s palm, sending a shiver through her, “We’re stronger together.”

Side by side, they waited for the beast to descend from the sky.

Wednesday opened her eyes, confused and groggy.

The dream had left the oppressive aftertaste of a vision, but much like the last, it wasn’t like any she was used to. But it also hadn’t felt complete.

There was a rapping on her door, soft but insistent. Well, that explained why she had woken before she could learn what was after her. She grumbled irritably and tried to rise, only to realize she wasn’t in her bed. She lay on the floor, the weight across her waist tightened as she moved. A quite growl reverberated behind her as a nose buried itself  deeper into the nape of her neck where some of her hair had been worked loose from braids.

“Stay.” Came the quiet request, voice drunk with sleep.

Wednesday wants nothing so much as to give in. Well, except to kill whoever has interrupted this, she thinks irritably as the knocking resumes, a little louder than before. She also knows there is no way she would ever recover if Enid woke to find them cuddling on the floor in a mess of their blankets.

She carefully lifts the hand, turning slowly in the embrace and replacing her form with that of a stuffed, much loved panda bear. Enid wraps herself around it in a tight ball. Wednesday takes a moment to enjoy a private smile at the sight. Her hair is an unholy mess, and there were still a few streaks of blood across her chin and throat that Wednesday hadn’t been able to wipe clear under the thick fur. It was such an absurd image, the savage werewolf cuddling on the floor with a stuffed animal, twitching slightly as she chased something in her dreams. She remembered the way her eyes had glimmered with murderous intent when she stalked through the window. Yet moments later, she passively let Wednesday flick her in the nose like an errant dog.

Xavier may not be the enigma he thought he was, but Enid Sinclair was another matter entirely.

“Wednesday!” A voice whisper shouted from the other side of the door.

Enid shot up suddenly, breathing heavily as she clutched the black and grey quilt to her chest, eyes glowing golden in the dim light of dawn.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Wednesday crouched down, keeping a distance between them.

“Wednesday? What?” she glanced around, then down at herself. She released a squeak when she realized she was naked., pulling the blanket even higher. Panic filled eyes found Wednesday, “What?”

“Someone is at the door,” she explained softly, trying hard not to smile at her clear distress and decidedly not letting her eyes wander beyond the other girl’s face, “I need to answer it before they break it down. Did you want to go into the bathroom?”

Enid nodded frantically, blue eyes wide with worry. Wednesday stood and turned her back to give her some semblance of privacy, as if she hadn’t been spooned up against her mere minutes before. There was the sound of shuffling fabric accented by quite cursing as Enid retreated. With the click of the door, the knocking had officially grown frantic, a step away from becoming a pounding.

Letting out her own cursing and dark promises of bloody revenge, Wednesday ripped the door back to reveal Bianca, still dressed in crisp, cream silk pajamas.

The moment her eyes fell on Wednesday’s demanding expression, she gave an exasperated sigh, “Oh my god, I swear I am going to kill him.”

“What?” Wednesday snapped, shoving her way into the hall to shut the door behind her, “You woke me up early to tell me you’re going to kill someone? I hope you don’t expect me to be your alibi after such nonsense.”

“Oh I think you might be,” Bianca hissed, “Wait aren’t you usually up before now, off skulking through graveyards or whatever it is you do in your free time?” When Wednesday’s only response was to continue her icy glare, the Siren rolled her eyes, “Never mind. Guess who came pounding on my door two hours ago claiming that you had been killed.”

“I am far too tired and short of patience to be playing guessing games on two fronts, Barclay.” She warned.

“Xavier.”

“Did you say Xavier?” Yoko stuck her head out from her room down the hall.

“Jesus, what is this, a conference call now?” Wednesday felt a migraine building behind her eyes.

“Well, you’re the one having loud ass conversations in the middle of the hall,” The vampire shrugged before creeping over to join them.

“This is ridiculous,” the Raven huffed, moving their group further down the hall away from her own door, “Why would Xavier tell you I had been killed?”

“I was hoping you could tell me,” Bianca snapped, “All I know is he came pounding on my door and said that Enid came back to your room last night all wolfed out and covered in blood. And when he didn’t hear anything from you, he assumed the worst, I guess. I told him it was bullshit, but then I couldn’t sleep it off. So, here I am, doing welfare checks on the resident serial killer in training. What the hell happened last night?”

“Xavier and I,” she began, feeling her anger from the night before returning, “Had a philosophical debate that got heated. Enid returned to the dorm still in wolf shape, that much is true, but she seemed to believe Xavier was a threat. I saved him from losing a few limbs. As soon as he was gone, Enid calmed and went to sleep. The end.”

The two girls looked at one another, then back at Wednesday, frowning.

“A philosophical debate.” Bianca dead panned.

“Back in my day, those were solved with swords.” Yoko offered.

“Fortunately for Xavier, my rapier was too far to reach.”  Wednesday clipped.

“What, pray tell, was this philosophical debate of yours?” the vampire looked as if she were fighting a simile.

“Among other things, he insinuated that because I was in love with Tyler I couldn’t know what true love was.” Her teeth were clenched so hard, she feared they may crack, “And that’s why I couldn’t recognize my true feelings for him.”

Yoko scoffed dismissively, “Well, If he thinks you loved Tyler, I could see why he would misinterpret your actions towards him as a crush. Which is ridiculous, that’s nothing like how you act with Enid.”

“Exactly!” Wednesday realized what she had said a breath too late, “I mean, what? I don’t know what you’re-,”

“Save it, Addams,” Bianca rolled her eyes, “I know you want to do things in your own time in your own twisted way, and we are all respectful of that. Or, at least, I thought we were.”

“Turns out some of us are blind.” Yoko yawned, “Perhaps willfully so.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Her face was on fire.

They gave her twin unimpressed looks.

“Wednesday Addams?” Came the timid call from further down the hall.

Their new den mother, and older witch by the name of Alysane Blackwood, stood in her long night gown, frowning and trying to appear disapproving, “You need to go to the headmasters office.

“What now?” She demanded.

“He didn’t say,” the woman began to worry at her sleeves, probably reaching for some amulet of protection, “He only said I was to be sure you left your rooms immediately and head straight there.”

Protection amulet or no, the witch seemed to cower back from the three teenaged girls leveling cold eyes at her, “I’m sure he would understand if you wanted to get dressed first.” She allowed.

“Right away, Den Mother.” Wednesday grumbled, she looked back at her friends, “Not another word about this.”

She went back into her room to find a pacing Enid, “Wednesday,” she sighed, running over to her. Her hands cupped the Raven’s face, moving down her shoulders then arms, seeming to check the shorter girl over, “Are you okay? What happened? I didn’t hurt you, right?”

“I’m fine,” Wednesday couldn’t help but let some of the tension bleed out of her the moment Enid’s hands found her face, “But I have to leave.” Reluctantly, she pulled away to go to her own closet.

“What? Why?” there was a high note that was almost a whine in the question, “I mean… I guess, I get it, you know? I probably really freaked you out-,”

“Enid, stop being ridiculous.” Wednesday complained as she found a uniform and quickly put it on, reemerging as she carefully fixed the plaits in her hair, “Our new glorious leader has summoned me to his office. I’m sure I’ll be back soon, I haven’t done anything recently to warrant such an order.”

Enid nodded, biting her lip. That’s when Wednesday noticed that the girl had gotten fully dressed and ready for the day already, including a new irksome addition to her make up. Wednesday didn’t have time to calm her strangely anxious best friend, but she also couldn’t stand for this.

Wednesday closed the distance between them with three long strides, putting a hand under the wolf’s jaw and lifting it, her thumb just reaching the bottom of the first scar, she sighed heavily looking at the make up that was trying to cover them, “I wish you wouldn’t try to hide them.” Her voice was quiet, soft, “I think they are beautiful.”

Not allowing the girl time to react, Wednesday spun and fled the room.

Second period had well and truly begun, and still there was no sign of Wednesday.

Enid’s mind was racing. The principal had called her to his office hours ago, and she promised she would be back. She couldn’t think of anything the girl might have done to get in to trouble, well, anything there was evidence for. But, then again, she didn’t always know what trouble Wednesday found when she left her sight.

With all three wolves in the class on edge and exhausted from the night before, Jaslow seemed to think it best they resume practicing on the dummies. Not that he said as much, he blamed their dismal performance the day before, but there was no doubting the crackling tension in the room.

Though Enid was a ball of tightly wound anxiety, she felt strangely well rested for someone who had run in the woods all night. Her dream had been particularly lovely, at first anyway. Sunshine and flowers, holding hands and being softly caressed. And then the sky had erupted. She remembered the long, curved knife, and Wednesday suddenly vanishing from her side. She had screamed for her, the sound echoing around her skull until it sounding like someone else’s voice, only to realize it was.

She had woken on the hard floor, embarrassingly naked, Wednesday standing over her. And just how had she managed to steal the other girls blanket? There wasn’t time to ask or apologize before she was fleeing to the bathroom, wrapped in her stolen prize.

She tried to change her ears to hear who Wednesday was speaking to and about what, but her muscles felt used up, and she could only catch fragments.

“Why would Xavier tell you I was killed?”

“…Enid came back to your room last night all wolfed out and covered in blood…”

Enid looked at her reflection and was horrified to find that she had streaks of blood covering her chin and running down her throat. She turned on the faucet and scrubbed her face clean, the scent of rose milk calming her only slightly.

She pricked her ears, listening once again, feeling guilty for eaves dropping but-

“…And that’s why I couldn’t recognize my true feelings for him.” Wednesday sounded irritated.

Enid felt her heart sink, serves me right for listening in. She stared at her face for a long while, at the long jagged scars, angry from her treatment with the soapy towel. She got dressed in robotic movements, coming her hair so it parted in a way to cover most of her scars after she had done what she could with the makeup.

She focused on what was important, not the sound of her own heart breaking. Xavier thought Enid had attacked Wednesday. Had she noticed any injury on the other girl when she woke? It had been too dark to be sure, and she had run away at the first chance she got.

When Wednesday entered the room once again, Enid’s feet brought her over with out her permission. She checked her over carefully, hands running over every inch, looking for any sign of injury or discomfort. Strangely, Wednesday only seemed to relax under her touch, before pulling away and saying she had to leave.

I have done something. She knew it then, despite Wednesday’s protestations. She must’ve if everyone was whispering about it before the breakfast bell had even rung.

And then the one bright spot of the dark morning, Wednesday had called her beautiful. More specifically, she had called Enid’s scars beautiful while she held her face. Her heart had sored somewhere north, leaving her feeling like she floated aimlessly after it. Before she could come back down, Wednesday was gone.

She left and Enid didn’t know why or when she would come back. She could only assume it was something she had done… if only she could remember. But her wolf brain didn’t think or organize her thoughts in the same way her human one did. It was hard to find the memories of the night before.

She hit her dummy, letting her muscle memory work through the strikes and blocks, trying to bring up something.

Think, Sinclair, think.

There were flashes of the woods… of claw and fang as she and her pack mates fought… there was the hot taste of blood… but… no… she had heard something in the woods… something calling to her… it pulled her back to the dorm. Following the call… she had seen… what had she seen…

Xavier, leaning over to kiss Wednesday on their balcony.

The head of the dummy snapped off cleanly with her next strike. She watched in shocked horror as it sailed through the air to be caught by a smirking Wednesday.

“Friend of yours?” she was dressed for the class, and though she smiled wryly, there was a tightness in her eyes.

The second she spoke, Wednesday was surrounded by three excited teenagers greeting her and asking what happened.

“Oh my god, there’s three of you.” She grumbled, but Enid couldn’t help but notice it was missing its normal venom.

“Hey! This isn’t social hour!” the coach snapped, “Get back to your own stations! Gandillon, Vander Laan, now!”

Brigid and Liam grumbled grumpily and sulked back to their own practice dummies.

“Addams, how nice of you to join us,” Jaslow narrowed his eyes, “If Hand to Hand Combat is so unimportant to you, I’m sure you’d rather run laps for the rest of class.”

“I was being chastised by the head master,” Wednesday explained.

“Then you should have kept your nose clean, get moving!” he snapped, “Sinclair, that is the second dummy you’ve killed today. Maybe a few laps will teach you to control your strength.”

They left the gyms, turning to slowly jog the path that stretched for two miles around the school. They ran side by side in silence for a moment, before Enid could take it no longer.

“So,” she began.

Wednesday looked down at her wrist as if she wore a watch, “Wow, thirty seconds. I’m impressed Sinclair, I think that’s your new personal best.”

Enid rolled her eyes and bumped shoulders, “Har har, you are so funny, Willa. But seriously, you were gone forever, what did the principal want?”

“I have been, wrongfully, accused of attacking a student,” She slowed until they walked, “Ajax is in the infirmary.”

“What?” Enid shook her head, thinking about the blood she was covered in when she woke, “What happened to him?”

“It wasn’t an animal attack,” Wednesday reassured her, seeing the fear plain on her face, “It seems his room was unaccountably filled with hundreds of female Chinese Mantises. They ate two of his snakes before anyone responded to his screams.”

Enid tripped on her own feet, feeling queasy at the thought, “Wait, bugs ate his snakes? That’s… is that…,” she shuddered, “It wasn’t you, right?” her voice was soft.

“No,” Wednesday assured, “I wish I had thought of something so devious, but no. This was the work of someone who doesn’t think things through. I also remember a promise I made to not cause grievous bodily harm unless you were in danger so.” She shrugged, her face turning pink, “I tried to explain that I had been… busy for the evening. And I hadn’t the time nor the resources to pull off such a feat. But they claim to have a witness seeing me leave the boys dormitories in the middle of the night. I find myself once again on probation until the matter is resolved.”

“Do you think your stalker had anything to do with it?” Enid ventured.

“Why would my stalker try and help me by attacking Ajax? They can’t possibly believe he and I were friends.” She thought for a moment, “Unless to try and ingratiate themselves to me, trying to get closer.”

Something about that thought troubled Enid. This had all begun just after the dance, could her mysterious dance partner be the stalker they were searching for? Had she been trying to get close to Enid to find out more information on the Raven? That didn’t ring true in her heart, and they had never given a name or tired to talk to Enid after…

Desperate for a distraction, and recalling Wednesday’s mention of being busy for the evening, she cleared her throat and focused on walking, arms held nonchalantly behind her back, “So, how was your date?”

“It wasn’t a date!” Wednesday groaned, throwing her hands in the air in a display of emotion so unlike the girl, it caught Enid off guard, “Why must I explain this over and over and over again to everyone? I have no interest in dating Xavier, and after his behavior last night, I don’t even know if I have interest in being is friend.”

“Oh,” Enid took a breath, “So what,” she swallowed, “What happened?”

“We had a lovely evening, working on projects, he spoke about his father and classes. It was… nice. I needed the distraction.” Her ears were pink for some strange reason, “And then he took me back to our rooms, professing a desire to hear me practice the cello.”

“I heard you,” Enid said thoughtfully, remembering the lonely notes pulling her home, “Wolf me, I mean. It sounded like a wolf calling out for a pack.”

Wednesday nodded, “I did wonder what drew you away from hunting and fighting with your friends. Be that as it may, Xavier deluded himself into thinking that I wished for him to kiss me. When I rejected him, he suggested that I didn’t know what love was.”

“I’m sorry,” Enid pulled her into a tight hug. Wednesday froze for a breath before returning it.

“I’m just so tired of everyone, Tyler, Xavier, telling me what I feel.” She sighed into Enid’s shoulder.

Enid didn’t know what to say to that, so she just hugged her tighter, telling her own feelings to shut the hell up and stay out of it.

Chapter Text

Xavier was curiously absent from their normal lunch table.

Enid glanced from Eugene, adamantly working over a set of problems from his potions teacher, to Yoko and Bianca, discussing something in a language Enid didn’t know, but Wednesday seemed to, if the way she kept glaring over at them said anything. The Raven herself seemed particularly absorbed in the notebook splayed out before her.

Enid was playing with Wednesday's bracelet again, sitting at the edge of her seat and waiting for yet another thing to break the tenuous peace settling over them. She turned the small stone as she turned the thoughts in her head, examining every fragment of light.

Xavier wasn’t there. And though she detested the rival he represented in Enid’s wolf mind, she appreciated his presence none the less. He often had ideas and a perspective none of the others held. Hell, he had been suspicious of Tyler from the first when all the rest of them saw was some small town normie trying to put a particularly dark notch in his bed post. He was a calming voice amongst a group of people much more prone to violence than peace. Enid did not except herself from that assessment, nor Eugene. She often wished she had the same twisted sense of justice the others had, and she sensed the bee keeper was the same, keeping peace just because it was less stressful in the end than staging an all out war. Xavier alone tried to make everyone see reason, to see the big picture outside of their small dramas.

And now he was gone, when they might need him the most. And Enid was straddling the line between pleased a threat to her own happiness was gone and a guilty unease that they needed the boy behind the hormones more.

“Do you think it’s because of me?” she asked quietly as she watched the sunlight glimmer off the polished metal.

Wednesday looked up at her, blinking back to the present, “I fear you will have to provide more details if you want me to have a hope of knowing what you’re talking about this time.”

“Xavier,” her eyes darted briefly to the empty seat, then back to her own fidgeting, “Did I… did I do something? Hurt him, or-,”

“No,” Wednesday reassured resolutely, putting her pencil down briefly, “Your sudden appearance on the balcony, drenched in blood, may have frightened him, but I stopped you from doing more than that.”

The Raven said the words like they were meant as reassurance, but drenched in blood and I stopped you were not as comforting as they had been meant.

“So I was covered in blood before I got to the dorm,” she relaxed slightly.

“Yes,” Wednesday nodded turning back to her work as she twisted her wrist slightly, the light drawing Enid’s attention back to the jewelry, “Liam told me you downed a buck in the woods. Someone named Ansel broke two ribs, but he seems well enough today.”

“You asked Liam what we did?” Enid was shocked, but she wasn’t sure if the direction of the shock was incredulity or appreciation.

“No, he felt the need to give me a full report when I left the locker room before lunch.” Wednesday’s voice was distant, clearly absorbed by whatever she was carefully sketching out on her pages.

Enid fought the urge to pull the pages away and see what it was that so interested the Raven, but she resisted, barely. So why then was Xavier missing? Just licking his wounds from being rejected once again? You think he would have learned by now.

As if hearing her thoughts, Wednesday spoke once again, “Ajax and Xavier dorm across the hall from one another.”

“So?” Enid pressed, hoping she could make sense of the random bits of information they were working with.

“You think it was Xavier who named you as Ajax’s attacker.” Yoko guessed, distracted from her own conversation.

“It’s a theory.” Wednesday allowed.

“I don’t know,” Bianca tired, “He normally handles rejection differently than that. Sulks and rebounds are more his game.”

“Plus, do you really think he’s dumb enough to incur your infamous wrath?” Yoko played with the ends of Divina’s hair.

“Its obscene to try and flirt when your girlfriend is right there, Yoko.” Wednesday rolled her eyes, “But what other excuse is there that he should avoid me so fully?” she tapped her pencil on the table, a beat that was almost familiar, “Even when I had him arrested, he didn’t keep himself away so long…”

They couldn’t come up with a clear answer everyone could agree on before it was time to go to class. Enid didn’t realize she was still holding Wednesday’s hand until they tried to walk two different directions down a hallway.

“Sorry!’ The apologized at the same time.

Enid blushed and looked down at their intertwined fingers, “Are you ever going to tell me when you became a jewelry maker on top of everything else you’re good at?”

Wednesday shrugged one shoulder, “I never had something I cared enough about to keep with me.”

That’s not exactly and explanation, she sighed internally.

“See you in Tactics?” She tried instead, still unwilling to let go of her hand.

Wednesday nodded, “Of course.”

With one final squeeze, they parted, Wednesday for her Gothic Horror Studies class, Enid for Development of Early Outcast Settlements.

She had only just sat down in her chair near the front of the class, when the sound of her name had her ears pricking.

“I bet you that hamburger face had something to do with it.”

“You mean Enid?”

“Who else?”

Enid’s face was red as she turned in her seat under the guise of pulling another pencil out of her bag, trying to get a glimpse of who was talking. She recognized Tracy sitting at the back of the class, whispering to her desk partner as she reapplied her makeup. The other girl was an upperclassman she only vaguely recognized, Kendra Greenman, a witch who specialized in making thigs grow.

Enid turned back to face the board as the teacher started to write big looping letters.

“I heard he was seeing a girl in every clique.”

“So? She should have just been happy he took pity on her and kept her around. Who else would have put up with her? Her sad golden retriever vibes are bad enough, but her face should be a crime.”

Quiet snickering, and Enid felt her eyes begin to burn, the letters on the board swimming.

“Maybe she was hoping if he was just as deformed as she is, he would come crawling back.”

“As if,” Tracy scoffed, “His snakes will come back in no time, her face is always going to look like she lost a fight with a meat grinder.”

“Hey, Eugene?” Divina’s voice called out with false sugary sweetness from the table just behind her.

Eugene spun, adjusting his glasses as he looked at the Siren, “Ye-yeah?”

“I heard that Tracy gave crabs to all the gorgons in school, maybe now that no one would touch her skank ass with a ten foot pole you could shoot your shot.”

“As if,” Eugene turned back around, “I do have standards, you know.”

The room burst into raucous laughter as Tracy and Kendra lunged across the table to grab the back of Divina’s hood, screaming profanities. Divina slid out of their grasp with a smirk, “Touchy, touchy! Or is it itchy?”

The teacher finally turned back around, adjusting his hearing aids, and noticed the two screaming girls and a very innocent looking Divina already taking notes on what was written.

“Kendra! Tracy!” he snapped a ruler across his desk, “That is quite enough! See yourselves to the headmaster’s office at once. You may return here when school lets out to transcribe all you missed. Go.”

The girls scoffed and gathered their things, bumping Divina’s shoulder as they passed. They tried to do the same to Enid, but she was more solid than she looked. I hope it bruises, she thought as they rubbed their elbows and scowled.

When the teacher started to drone on about early gorgon colonies in the states, she passed a piece of paper back behind her.

Thanks. Please don’t tell Wednesday.

She heard the scoff from the siren, and a few moments later a paper football landed in the middle of her work.

I won’t have 2. You think she doesn’t know everything that happens to you the moment it does? 10$ says Ansel is texting his sister now, she sits behind Wed. in Lit.

Enid sighed and hit her forehead on the desk. Wit her luck, Wednesday would be expelled before their last period of the day.

Enid was vibrating in her chair, watching the door. Mr. Graceford had already snapped his favorite ruler on the desk and reminded the students that the bell didn’t release them, he did. And every second she waited for him to get to his fucking point was another second that Wednesday would have to string those girls up on a flagpole or something.

“You may go-,”

Enid was gone.

She shoved her way past students milling around, her shoes squealing as she turned corners at a dead sprint. She burst into Kessler’s room, breathless. Her shoulders relaxed when she saw Wednesday already at their usual table, but only for a moment.

Katie Lowe was squatting in front of the desk, whispering softly. The pen in Wednesday’s hand snaped in half, black ink spilling over her fingers.

“Kathleen,” Enid growled softly, the girl shot up and spun, her face equal parts cool fury and chagrin, “It’s not nice to tell tales.”

Katie opened her mouth but nothing came out, she slunk back to her seat as the rest of the werewolves filed in, waiting on the professor.

Enid sat on the edge of her seat, back ramrod straight. She suddenly felt close to tears once more. The humiliation coming back all at once now that Wednesday had heard those girls nasty comments about her.

A hand found hers under the table, fingers forcing her fists flat, “I’m sorry.” Wednesday finally whispered.

Enid looked up startled, the action setting free a tear or two, “Wh-what?”

“I am sorry you hurt, and I don’t know how to make it better with out violence.” Wednesday’s eyes flashed crimson for less than a heartbeat, so quickly Enid couldn’t be sure she had seen it, “How would you prefer I handle it?”

Enid was shocked. She had expected that nothing she could do or say would save Wednesday from being expelled, that the Raven would have found a way to publicly maim or humiliate her bullies before she could stop her. “I don’t,” she shook her head, feeling warm an dizzy, “I don’t want you to do anything. Getting revenge won’t make those girls regret what they said, only give them more reasons to say what everyone is already thinking.”

Wednesday frowned, “I don’t think Tracy and Kendra speak for the school, Enid. Only for their own vapid sense of entitlement. And I want to make sure they never aim that vile poison at you again.”

A low growl echoed around the room.

Before Enid could react Kessler entered the room, his apology for being late dead on his lips when he felt the boiling anger, “Get ahold of yourselves!” he snapped instead.

The room quieted as he glared at them each in turn. He saw the tear tracks on Enid’s face and softened slightly. He gave a heavy sigh and went about his lesson, using their hunting from the night before as a model to show what they had done right and where they had gone wrong.

Enid became absorbed in the lesson, surprised how much of this her wolf-self seemed to be able to hold on to and apply. Wednesday held her hand the entire time, the amount of love and support she felt from that touch meant that by the time the final bell rang, Tracy and Kendra felt like a distant memory.

“I have a hummers meeting this afternoon,” Wednesday said as they packed up, “I would also like to work on a… project for a few hours. Will I see you at dinner?”

Enid nodded and swallowed, afraid to ask what the project was, “I’m sure I’ll find something to keep myself busy. I might hit up the library for the paper Graceford assigned today. But, Wednesday, seriously, please don’t do anything that will get you expelled. Please.” Wednesday pulled a face and Enid knew she was going to have to double down somehow, “You know I wouldn’t survive a day without you.” She whispered softly.

Wednesday looked shocked by the words, but she nodded her agreement, “I hadn’t planned anything, anyway.” She grumbled, cheeks pink.

They had just made it to the door when Kessler called out, “Enid, I’d like a word.” Wednesday and four wolves froze at the door, Liam, Finn, Katie and Aaron. “Alone,” he growled a challenge. The four wolves ducked their heads and scampered into the hall. Wednesday stood for a moment longer until Enid gave her a panicked shoo motion, then she too left.  

“Take a seat, Sinclair,” he ordered as he rose to lean on the front of his desk.

Enid took her accustomed seat and waited, her heart hammering.

“I wanted to discuss your pack with you.” He began, “I fear they may start acting out soon if not controlled.”

“My pack?” she asked, blinking, “You mean my mom’s pack? In San Francisco?”

“No,” He shook his head, looking older than his fifty years and tired, “I mean your pack, here. At Nevermore. Ever since you shifted, I and a few of the older wolves on staff have noticed a few changes in them.”

“What?” Enid was feeling more confused the longer this conversation lasted.

“It’s rare that a juvenile wolf will leave their parents pack, we have never had to worry about it in all my years teaching here. There has never been a wolf with a strong enough will to wrestle their peer’s loyalty away from their home pack. Sure, there will be leaders, usually the biggest and strongest wolf will bully the others into submission. But such forced reigns are not a true pack. And then there’s you, Sinclair.”

“Me? What did I do?” She asked, she felt light headed and a little slow for asking so many questions, but what was it Kessler was getting at?

“You shifted, you took down a Hyde, something that is near impossible even for fully matured wolves. You proved yourself to your pack mates in a way that no other wolf has done. They have chosen you, whether you like it or not, and they will follow your lead and protect you with all they have. A very precarious situation for a wolf with only a few moons under her pelt.”

“So, wait, you’re saying that they chose me to lead them? They want to be in my pack?” her wolf was smug and full of pride, howling so loudly in her chest she was afraid the teacher would hear.

“They’ve done you no favor, Enid. Being a pack leader is a huge responsibility. Their safety is in your hands. And if you do not give them direction, they will do whatever they think is necessary to keep you safe. Do you see where I’m going with this?”

“You think one of them attacked Ajax? Because of what he did to me?”

“It’s a theory I ran past the Headmaster. He seemed ready to blame Ms. Addams, but I know her better than he, and she wouldn’t take place in revenge unless she got to bear witness and remind the person what they had done wrong. It’s the only reason she isn’t on her way home now.”

“So, what do I do?” she asked, desperate for guidance.

“You’ve proven to them you can handle anything as a wolf, you need to do the same as a girl, Enid.” He sighed, “I’m not telling you to pick fights, but you also need to make sure no one thinks you’re an easy target, that way they don’t feel the need to do you any… favors.”

“Okay,” Enid nodded, her head felt too full, none of this even felt real. She rose to her feet and headed for the door.

“And Enid,” he called, “I know you’re still young.” He seemed suddenly uncomfortable, “And having this kind of responsibility doesn’t feel fair. But you don’t have to bear it alone. Taking a mate would help to calm their drive to protect their leader.”

Enid felt like her face was on fire, she refused to turn and look at the teacher, “I-I’ll keep that in mind, sir.”

“Just a thought, Enid. You may go.”

Wednesday burst through the door of the hives, upsetting Eugene and the four little friends he had crawling on his arms, watching him work intently on a new strain of clover honey. They buzzed angrily in a circle before recognizing her and retreating to their hives.

“Please, do not tell me you are even more foolish than I thought.” Wednesday growled.

“I-I don’t think so?” Eugene wheezed, pressing a hand to his chest, “But if you can tell me what we’re talking about I could tell you for sure.”

Wednesday rose an eyebrow, “The mantises, Eugene. We are talking about the mantises. Did you ask Thing to help you plant them in Ajax’s room?”

“What? No!” he held his hands up, “One, Thing and I were busy last night trying to come up with a winning recipe for the fair in three weeks. He was testing consistency while I tweaked the flavors. Two, I would never risk introducing that many invasive species into our environment. Do you have any idea what even ten female Chinese Mantises would do to the local bug population? It would be destroyed, that’s what. Three, I would never take away your favorite pass time like that. What kind of friend would I be? Wait, I thought you did it.”

“No,” she grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest as she paced the room, “I told you, I promised Enid I wouldn’t cause grievous bodily harm.”

“Yeah I know, it’s just weird is all,” he shrugged.

“Why? What’s weird about it?”

“Well, I was just telling you guys yesterday at lunch about the different species of praying mantises and how some even ate birds, mice and snakes.” He adjusted his glasses, getting excited as he always did when he got to talk about all things creepy and crawly, “And then we wake up this morning to hear that Ajax had mantises set on him? I thought I had given you a pretty good idea,” he slumped, “Even if I was bummed about the ecosystem.”

“This is making less and less sense,” Wednesday complained, rubbing the bridge of her nose, “So someone planted the bugs in Ajax’s room, and then someone else told the principal they saw me do it. How many people even know about the eating habits of mantises?”

Eugene gave her a duh look, “Um, anyone who took the Carnivorous Insects and Plants class last semester with Thornhill.”

“Must everything circle back to that woman?” She sighed, “I need the keys to your scooter.”

“What?” he gripped his pocket possessively, “What are you going to do to it?”

“I need to run to town and pick up supplies.” She held her hand out, waiting, “I won’t paint it again, I promise.”

He groaned and reluctantly handed them over, the little bee keychain dangling for a moment before he dropped them, “I know bees can be black, but…”

“I know, they aren’t your children,” she rolled her eyes, “I also need you to cover for me if anyone comes snooping around.”

“Like who?” he demanded, but the girl was already gone.

Chapter Text

It feels like finishing a novel.

The same fulfilment, sense of peace, or completeness seeps through her veins as she stares down at the bracelet. Cradled gently in her hand as if it is something precious and breakable.

She had spent the time between being accused and threatened by the new headmaster- a weak shadow of the woman who held the post before, and not nearly as interesting- and realizing she was late for second period creating the perfect mold. It seemed a better method after trying to create it on her own with plyers, needles and scalpel.

She had also chosen rose gold, a spur of the moment decision she was quite happy with. It fit the girl’s penchant for color far more than white or yellow gold. And it set nicely with the black tourmaline gripped by the delicate paw.

Wednesday was grateful for the chance to examine one up close, and awed by the restraint shown by the patient wolf who let her twist it this way and that. Holding the tiny pink paw brought to the forefront of her mind how it felt to hold the real thing.

She thought on all the words that had come spilling forth from her lips, all too easy under that soft, almost too intelligent gaze. It was easier knowing, of course, that Enid couldn’t understand her, couldn’t reject her. She had made a mess of it, as first drafts oft were. Explaining her feelings and what they meant to her and for Enid. And the pathetic apologies that tripped out afterword, how she wasn’t at all what Enid deserved. She deserved someone whole, who could love and cherish her with their every breath.

But the wolf, perfect as ever, had only pressed her head against Wednesday’s thudding heart. Providing the comfort and strength she always seemed to lack of late, since that night she traded her only insight to being a Raven for the lives of teenagers who despised her. But Enid was among those saved, so she couldn’t bring herself to regret it. Not ever.

The Raven was in awe of how well Enid seemed to know exactly what was behind the mask. The soft, gentle touches people always tried to bestow on her set her skin on fire. And yet… Enid knew, somehow, she knew even as a wolf that the firm, solid, sure pressure of love was almost a relief to her. From her all encompassing hugs, to the way she held her hand tightly. An anchor rather than a hinderance.

She tucked away the bracelet with a private smile, making sure the room was left how she found it. She was a little surprised Xavier hadn’t made an appearance, had even been absent from their literature class that afternoon. But, she was only just beginning to understand feelings herself, she couldn’t expect him to be walking around as if nothing happened.

She knew she wouldn’t be if Enid- when Enid- rejected what little she had to offer.

Wednesday practiced the lines she might say in her mind as she turned the lights out.

Enid, I know that I have not been the easiest roommate, the best friend one could hope for. I can’t even promise that I am capable of giving you all that you deserve…

No, that wouldn’t do.

I promise, no matter how you may feel about me, I will do everything in my power to make sure you are never hurt, never unhappy. I…

No.

You are so beautiful I want to weep. So strong I fear I can never be of any use to you. But what I can promise is this wretched heart. As long as the stars are above you, and longer if I can…

Why could she write thousands of words that meant nothing in the end, and yet not be able to find the words that could express just what she felt for Enid Sinclair?

She’s still trying to find them when she leaves the art building, when the world goes black around her. The scratchy fabric cutting off her sight, muffling the sound. Her attacker had made no noise to give themselves away, and she had been too distracted to pay any attention when she walked through the doors.

Her first thought was “Not again,” with a sort of vague annoyance. She should have a punch card for the amount of times that this has happened. The knife pressed just beneath her ear is new, though. It makes her freeze up rather than fight back. Its cold touch sends a familiar shiver, more like lightning down her spine before she collapses into the vision.

The bag is ripped from her head, and she blinks rapidly, trying to adjust to the white light that seems to have no source other than above. She found she sat, tailor style, in a circle. Surrounded by other forms with bags covering their heads. She can recognize them by their familiar clothes though. Not the standard blue and black uniforms, but weekend clothes. Eugene is to her left, Enid to her right. Xavier is across from her, Bianca, Yoko and Divina filling the spaces between.

Wednesday only has enough time to feel relief that Pugsley seems to have been removed from the situation. Then the hooded figure is there, gliding eerily in a wide circle around them, the glimmer of a knife in their bony hand.

They move from one captured friend to the next, knife hovering over each friend.

“Duck, duck, duck,” the voice echoes in her skull, as toneless as it is genderless, Duck, duck, duck, It hovers briefly, Goose, she can hear the smile now as the bag is ripped away to show a panicked Xavier, trying desperately to shout around the gag in his mouth. His eyes are red and wet, more than slightly crazed. The knife is pressed underneath his jaw, and with a savage yank, his blood is spraying over Wednesday’s face. She can’t help but flinch as his body falls to the floor, feet kicking wildly as he drowns in his own blood.

Once he is still, the figure resumes its circuit.

“Duck, duck, duck,” Something in Wednesday screams that she knows who is under the hood, she can almost make out familiar shapes in the shadow, “Duck, duck, duck,” almost recognize the smug voice, “Duck, duck,” it stops just behind Wednesday, rapping her a solid thunk, “Duck, goose.” Enid’s bag is removed.

Wednesday expects to see fright and panic, it is what she feels when the tangled blonde hair comes tumbling out, but that’s not what she finds at all.

Enid’s eyes are glowing a warm gold, and they are full of righteous fury as her lip curls back in a snarl over the gag.

Enid sat in the library as it slowly got dark around her. There were books spread out around her, but she had long ago given up trying to force the words to make sense. There was something in her chest that she couldn’t get to settle. A sense of foreboding, like there was a storm on the horizon that everyone was choosing to ignore.

She shoved back from the table with a disgusted noise, not even bothering to return the books to their proper shelves. Wednesday would have scolded her for it, but that knowledge only seemed to make her feel worse.

It was bothering her, everything that had been happening lately. From the dance and Ajax showing his true colors, to the stalker and their friends constantly on the verge of some fight. And then Xavier, pulling a disappearing act after a fight with Wednesday… it felt wrong. No one had seen him since he brought his fears to Bianca early that morning, not in class, not at lunch, not in the art building, not at archery practice.

Before she realized where her feet were taking her, she found herself in a familiar hall in the boy’s dormitory. To the right was a door covered in posters and a white board with Ajax and his roommates name. To the left, a plain dark oak door, the name plate reading Thorpe, X. its twin beneath it still empty since Rowan’s death.

Enid turned her back on Ajax’s room, forcing the memories she had made there from her mind. There was no answer when she knocked on Xavier’s door. She tried again with no luck. The handle twisted beneath her palm.

Well, it’s not technically breaking and entering if it’s unlocked, right? She realized that perhaps her best friend was a bad influence on her.

“Xavier?” she called softly into the darkness.

She turned the lights on and blinked. She had expected to find him there, blasting his eardrums out with music and losing himself in his art. The room was empty, however. His bed was a tangled mess of sheets, dirty clothes and towels in a trail from the bathroom to the closet. The other half of the room was still vacant, but Xavier didn’t let the space go to waste. He had transformed it into a little studio, finished canvases and sketches were displayed all around. Towers of paint supplies, a tall tool box that had pens and pencils sticking haphazardly from drawers.

Enid frowned, Xavier didn’t seem like the type of guy to leave his room in such a state. Well, except maybe when he was suffering from some sort of art despair. In the middle of the room there was a large easel, covered by a drop cloth splotched with a hundred colors.

Enid walked around the room, checking the bathroom and closet, even under the bed. She found his phone, his back pack, but nowhere a sign of the boy himself. She approached the covered canvas in a haze, hoping and fearing it would offer some insight to where he had run off to.

She turned on the artist light above it, then ripped away the drop cloth. She felt her breath leave her lungs in a whoosh. Stepping back to better look at the masterpiece worthy of the renaissance wing in a museum beneath. It was intricate, with small details that continued to show themselves the longer she looked.

On one end of the large painting knelt a dark angel, black wings folded, a pale glow like a halo surrounded her face. At first, it seemed as if her eyes were as black as her hair, but Enid caught a glimpse of a thin, crimson ring around the edge, one of the only colors on this half the canvas. She held a long, wicked knife across her chest, etched with filigree. She was surrounded by bare tree limbs reaching out towards her, and shapes that briefly seemed to take the shape of monsters stood at her back, large black birds held a tattered white banner in their beaks just over the blue moon, it read, simply, The Raven.

One might find it unsettling upon first glance, but not Enid. She knew this face better than she knew her own. The lifted face held a steadfast strength, the eyes a wild determination. Enid is reminded of the way Wednesday had been so willing to sacrifice herself for everyone, and never allowed a word of thanks to be spoken to her.

Enid gripped the canvas and inverted it. She almost thinks the light angel could be her, but the only possible resemblance is the blonde hair, and this angel let it fall long and straight past her shoulders. Her wings were spread to show every detail of the white feathers, her arms flung open as if to embrace, bars of red light surrounded her like a halo. She looked down with a small smile on her face, surrounded by mice and butterflies. White birds held a gold banner aloft above her, The Dove.

The longer Enid looked at her green eyes, the more unease she felt. There was a sneering tilt to that beautiful smile, a sickly green glow about her eyes that seemed to burn with a hatred. And the knife she held in one of her hands, though identical to that of the dark angel, had a stripe of blood along the steel, it dripped to land on her bare feet.

Enid is struck with the overwhelming urge to flee. She takes a shaky breath and covers the art once more before quickly rushing out of the room. She tripped back into the courtyard, the tendrils of fear finally loosening their grip on her as she turns back to look at the building.

She laughed with relief, feeling foolish, and turned to go on her way, colliding with another girl who had just been rushing by. They end up sprawled in a tangle of legs.

“Ow!” came the sharp cry.

“Oh my god, I’m like, so sorry,” Enid rushes to grab the glasses that went skittering across the pavement, wiping them briefly on her shirt before handing them back to the befuddled girl, “I’m such a klutz… you think I’d know by now to watch where I was going!”

She helps the other girl back to her feet and helps to dust her off.

“It’s okay,” she smiled from beneath her horn-rimmed glasses, “I wasn’t looking where I was going either. Wait, you’re Enid right?”

“Yep! And you’re…” Enid squinted for a moment, looking from the untied convers to the messy blonde bun piled on top of her head, “Angela, right? You work in the school newspaper.”

“Angie, please.” The girl adjusted her glasses nervously, “Only my mom calls me Angela. And, it’s not really a news paper these days. It’s more of a zine.” Her face was slowly turning pink and she gave a nervous chuckle, “I’m sorry, I know I’m being weird, but I have been dying to talk to you for so long. You just always seemed too busy for someone like me to come bothering you.”

“What me?” now it was Enid’s turn to blush as she waved her hand.

“Yeah! You have, like, the number one most subscribed blog in Nevermore!” Angie seemed to grow more animated, rocking on her toes and playing with her fingers, “I read it every week. And that was even before you went and literally saved everyone in the school.”

“Oh, it wasn’t all that.” She gave a rueful smile.

“Seriously?” Angie gave her shoulder a playful shove, “You like, killed that hyde that was gonna destroy the school, didn’t you? The sheriff’s son?”

“He’s not dead,” She couldn’t help the disappointed sigh, “Just locked up in some max security outcast prison up north.”

“Well, not for lack of trying right? It’s not like anyone else was willing to risk themselves.” She gave a good natured shrug, “And hey, you got some pretty wicked scars out of it! They are like, super bitchin by the way. Make you look like a real badass, like do not fuck with me. Very hot.”

Enid gives a shocked laugh, “Thanks. You don’t know how good it is to have someone say something nice about them for a change.”

Angie gave a shrug, “Well, you know what they say, kids can be cruel. But hey, I actually wanted to talk to you about something for real, not just fangirling and embarrassing myself.”

“Oh, sure, what’s up?”

“Okay, so I know that you’re already super busy and on like a hundred and one committees, and Liam has told anyone who will listen about the lacrosse team you’re starting up for the school, god I’m rambling again,” she shook her head, “But, if you have time, I would be forever grateful if you would come by the newsroom sometime?” she looked at Enid with hopeful eyes, lower lip being worried by teeth, “We’ve been looking for a new writer for our student life column and I think you would be just perfect for it.”

“Wait, are you for real?” She couldn’t help the excited tone bleeding into her voice, “Like, you’ve read my blog and you still was me to write for the school newspaper?”

“I know, you’ve got a lot on your plate, and I wouldn’t want you to have to give up anything for us-,”

“I would love that, Angie,” she was quick to reassure, “Like so much. It sounds amazing!”

“Really?” Angie’s eyes lit with joy, “Can you come by at like, lunch tomorrow? I’ll be processing the latest prints for next month’s zine, but Mrs. Khoshekh should be there, and she has been hounding me to ask you to join the team for weeks.”

“I’ll be there.” Enid promised with a grin.

“That’s awesome! It’s a date.” Her face blazed red under her glasses once more,
Not like a date date, just a figure of speech, because you know the teacher will be there to and,” she swallowed, “Okay, I’m gonna just go before I embarrass myself any more than I already have.” She shot a thumb over her shoulder and started to walk backwards, “This is so crazy. Thank you so much, Enid.”

Enid watched, dumfounded for a moment as the girl skipped away. She shakes her head and starts to turn back her own way when a faint smell on the breeze tickled her nose. The smell of honey, orchids, leather and ink, underlined by a tinge of dark, hot copper.

“Wednesday.” Her feet are pounding the pavement once again, following the trail of the scent and barely holding onto her human shape.

It lead her to the doors just outside of the art building, to a crumpled form on the ground, a burlap sack tied around her head. The sound that leaves her chest is somewhere between a scream and an agonized howl. She fell to her knees, pulling the bag from around her head with hands that vibrated. Brown eyes so dark they are almost black blink back into focus just as Enid finds them. There is a small line of blood on the side of her throat, a single drop leaving a trail down her pale neck.

“Oh, thank god,” Enid practically sobs, “You have got to stop scaring me like that!”

“Enid?” her eyes are confused for a moment before they are suddenly wide. Wednesday shoves herself to her feet, slightly unsteady. Her head is whipping back and forth in a frantic search, “Where did they go? Did you see anyone?”

That’s when Enid notices, her heart sinking in her chest, “Wednesday, Wednesday stop.” She grabbed the shorter girl by the shoulders in an effort to still her, “There’s no one here, I didn’t see anyone, just you. But, Wednesday-,”

“What cowards,” the Raven snarls, that thin red ring back on the edge of her irises, “I swear to god, once I get my hands on them they will rue the day their mothers gave birth to them!”

“Wednesday!” Enid snaps, her voice coming out as a commanding growl.

She stops moving, her breath still heavy as gives Enid a questioning look.

But Enid doesn’t know how to say what she must. Instead, she gently lifts one ragged braid, a good six inches had been sloppily hacked off the end.

“What the fuck.” Wednesday grabbed the rope of hair to look at it, made all the more difficult now that it only just brushes past her shoulder.

Enid expects an explosion of anger, is prepared for an unyielding rage the likes of which Nevermore will never recover from.

Instead, when Wednesday lifts her eyes to Enid’s once more, she sees the first sign of tears filling them, “Who would?” her voice is choked, unable to get out a whole sentence.

Enid wraps her in a crushing hug just as her shoulders hitch. It is so unlike anything she has ever seen from the girl she has no idea how else to react. She remembers the story Wednesday had told her about the last time she had cried, when her pet scorpion had been killed in front of her eyes and she had been powerless to stop it. Her vow to never cry again, because tears didn’t fix anything. Someone had done this to her, brought her back to that powerless feeling once more.

Enid found the fury she was looking for, building into a raging inferno behind her rib cage as she felt Wednesday crumple more into her. She glared up with a warning growl at the sound of sneakers skidding to a halt all around her.

Her pack surrounded her now, having heard her cry echo through the halls. They kept a respectful distance back, eyes flickering between sharing her anger and feeling their own worry and concern.

“Find who did this, they stole a piece of her, they’ll want to brag over it.” the voice didn’t even sound like hers, it rumbled though the air, “Find whoever did this and tell me. Don’t approach them, I want you to leave them to me. Do you understand?”

They nodded, hackles raised and canines bared. They splintered off in six different directions, leaving Enid to hold on to Wednesday tightly and begin the slow walk back to their room.

Chapter Text

It was quiet in the room. Thing had been there when Enid pulled the dazed girl through the door, but one look at the tear-stained face and the one filled with barely contained fury and he scampered off to hide in some dark, forgotten corner.

Wednesday had stopped crying on the long walk, but still had yet to say anything. Enid moved as if on auto pilot. She set her gently on her own bed and gathered up a comb and her best pair of scissors. She climbed on the bed behind her and began the slow process of undoing what was left of Wednesday’s braids.

She ran the comb through hair that felt abruptly short when she had been so used to seeing the long flowing locks they had once been. She combed until there was a glossy shine to hair so black it was almost blue. Next came the sheers. She trimmed the ends until it resembled something more intentional and less like assault.

It was still think, luxurious, beautiful and so freaking soft she couldn’t help but run her fingers through it over and over again under the guise of making sure her work was perfect. The heavy waves had turned into something closer to curls without the weight keeping them straight. Enid’s hands trembled as she ran one hand down the back of Wednesday’s head, letting it trail down her neck to below her shoulders. She gave a heavy sigh.

“How bad is it?” Wednesday’s voice sounds dead. Not snarky or dry with a dark humor, but truly devoid of any emotion.

Enid can’t help herself. She wraps her arms around the girls waist, pulling back until Wednesday is sitting in her lap and she can bury her nose in the hair, breathing in that intoxicating scent, “Still as beautiful as ever.” Her voice sounds thick in her own ears.

“I’ve never considered myself to be vain,” she cleared her throat, “Not when it came to my looks any way. But… I’ve never cut it before. I didn’t like the thought of allowing anyone close enough to be with a sharp object. And it’s always felt a part of me in a way the rest hasn’t always. Is it… is it foolish to feel like I’ve had some of that power stripped away from me?”

Enid shook her head, nose brushing the nape of her neck, “No, Wednesday, it’s not foolish to be upset by what happened to you, I can’t imagine who wouldn’t feel that way. But I don’t think anyone can take your power, your strength away from you. You’re literally the strongest person I know, Willa. And when I find the person who did this to you, and I swear I will,” she took a breath to quiet the rumble building in her chest, “Well, I’m not as creative as you.”

Wednesday shivered, wrapping her arms around Enid’s embrace for one moment, before slowly extracting herself, pulling away until they sat staring at one another on the bed, “I can see to my own vengeance, Enid. You don’t have to-,”

“Yes, I do.” Enid insisted, heart hammering, “It isn’t fair that you’re always the one defending me. Getting into fights, getting put on probation… it isn’t fair if you don’t let me do the same for you. I want to protect you. I want everyone to know that if they are stupid enough to lay a hand on you, they will have a whole ass werewolf on their doorstep before they can so much as breathe.”

Wednesday wont meet her eyes, but her cheeks are that beautiful shade of pink that she almost never gets to see when its just the two of them, “Thank you… I’ve never had someone who,” she licked her lips and shook her head. Her shorter hair made her look soft, cute. Enid would have said as much, if she didn’t value her life.

“Well, now you do.” Enid tried a small smile, squeezing their hands between them.

“How did you find me?” Wednesday broke the heavy silence, “I thought you would be in the library still, or waiting for me in the dining hall.”

“I was, uh, leaving the boys dormitory,” she blinked, the evening’s events coming back to her as she came down from the red haze, “I could smell you, and I could smell blood.”

“You could smell me?” the Raven’s eyes widened ever so slightly, “And what, pray tell, do I smell like?”

Now it was Enid’s turn to look away and blush, “Like you.” But she could already tell that answer wasn’t going to get her anywhere, “Like fresh honey and flowers. Like old leather books and ink.”

Wednesday quirked an eyebrow and made a show of lifting the color of her shirt to her nose and giving a curious sniff before shrugging one shoulder, “I’ll have to take your word for it. All I smell is laundry detergent and my shampoo.”

“Oh come on,” Enid rolled her eyes, “You, who professes to have a nose as good as any wolf-,”

“If not better.”

Enid continued as if she hadn’t spoken, “Who can find Thing because of the smell of his fancy lotion, and who accuses me of wearing too much perfume when I don’t even use the stuff,” her nose gave an involuntary crinkle, “It gives me migraines. You’re telling me you can’t even smell yourself?”

Wednesday frowned and seemed to contemplate something before abruptly changing her mind, her eyes narrowing, “Wait, what were you doing in the boys dormitories?”

“I, uh,” she rubbed the back of her neck, “I went looking for Xavier.”

Wednesday’s jaw ticked as she stared, waiting.

“It’s not like that,” she felt compelled to reassure, “It’s just, well, no one has seen him all day. And he’s,” she shrugged helplessly, “So, he’s an asshole who needs a wake up call in the worst way. But he has been my friend way longer than he’s been… whatever he is now.”

“What ever he is now?” Wednesday’s head tilted slightly.

Enid ignored the question and the urge to tell her how unbelievably adorable she was even when she looked oddly jealous, “He wasn’t there either. His place was actually kinda a mess. But more in a tortured artist way than in a artist who is being tortured way.”

Wednesday frowned, the corner of her lip disappearing between her teeth.

“There was a painting there,” Enid rushed to continue so she wouldn’t be caught staring enviously at those teeth, “It kind of really freaked me out.”

“What was it?” her eyes were lit the way they only did when Wednesday had a puzzle to work out, “Was it like when he drew the hyde over and over? Some sort of monster?”

“No, not really,” she shook her head, trying to remember as much detail as possible, but it was hard to remember just what had frightened her so much about it, “One half was all dark, but not really in a scary way? And when you flipped it over to the bright side, it was definitely… unsettling.”

“I saw his practice sketches of it,” Wednesday nodded, “Though it was too vague at the time to make out much detail. I was also a bit preoccupied when he spoke to me about it. But he claimed the figures had been plaguing his dreams as of late.” She gave a short huff, “It would be more convenient if he were around to explain it better.”

“I don’t like it,” Enid crossed her arms over her chest, “Ajax being mysteriously attacked, Xavier going missing and then what happened to you… what were you even doing in the art building anyway? That’s like, the furthest place from the dining hall. I thought you had a hummers meeting today?”

“Right, I did. I left early,” she shifted from side to side, “I told you I had a project I was working on. I was making something… for you.”

“For me?” a tingling excitement filled her at once, “You were making something for me? Like a present? What is it? Can I have it?”

“Can you take a breath?” Wednesday’s tone was dry as ever, but there was laughter sparkling in her eyes.

Enid pouted for one moment, taking an exaggerated breath in and loudly exhaling. So sue me, she thought, but it wasn’t every day the girl you were pretty sure you were head over heels in love with told you that they had made you something, “Now can I have it? Pretty please with sugar on top?”

“Well, it would be foolish to make it for you and not actually give it to you,” Wednesday reached into her blazer pocket, “So I suppose you may, since you asked so nicely.”

She said it with a shrug, but Enid saw a weird look in her eye. It almost looked like uncertainty. But that would have been absurd, when had Wednesday every been unsure about anything she did?

“Your hand?” she held her own empty hand out, palm up, waiting. Enid obeyed immediately, “Close your eyes.” She pressed.

Enid gave a loud huff, but did as she was told, suppressing a shiver. She must not have done very well if the dark chuckle was anything to go by. There was a tickle along her wrist, the soft clink of metal. Wednesday caressed her hand for a moment, thumb running over her pulse point, releasing lightning and fireworks along Enid’s skin. Her eyes blinked open the moment the touch left her, falling immediately on the thin chain adorning her wrist.

It was a rich rose-pink color, dazzlingly bright. A longer length of chain was left dangling of the end, swinging lightly as Enid brought it closer to her face, greedily running her eyes over every facet of the charm at the end. A perfect little werewolf paw, clasping a smooth black stone that had a small streak of white shining from its depths. There was so much detail and care put into the paw that Enid gasped softly as she turned it this way and that, trying to catch it in every light.

“It’s just like yours,” she whispered fervently, testing the weight in her palm.

“Not quite,” Wednesday cleared her throat, “Mine is white gold, for one. With a raven’s talon, obviously. And the stone is, um. It’s actually a piece from when Ajax stoned you and you broke through. I kept it.” She played with her fingers, eyes watching Enid’s every reaction, “Since no one has successfully stoned me as of yet, I had to find something else for yours… do you like it?”

No, she wanted to say, I love it. But she was so overwhelmed by emotion that she couldn’t speak. Not only had Wednesday hand crafted a bracelet to match her own for Enid, she in fact wore a piece of Enid on her wrist.

I never had something I cared enough about to keep with me… she willingly worse streaks of color against her skin simply because it had been a part of Enid. Wanted to keep a part of her close. And when she had noticed Enid’s interest in the bracelet, had made one specifically for her with a piece that represented Wednesday. A black stone held by a wolf paw.

It had to mean something, didn’t it?

She felt tears welling in her eyes as her breathing increased. She opened her mouth to say a million things, but the second their eyes met once more, she lost every single word she had ever known.

Instead, her hands moved of their own accord. She grasped Wednesday’s beautiful, waiting face between her hands and drew her close, lips centimeters apart. She relished in the feeling of her breath brushing over her suddenly over heated skin.

“Is this okay?” Her heart was pounding, she managed to hold herself back, but only just. The last thing she wanted to do was push-

Wednesday surged forward, successfully erasing every thought from Enid’s mind, closing the distance between their lips at long last. From the very first taste, Enid knew she would be an addict for life. Kissing Wednesday was nothing like she had ever experienced before. Her lips were just, god¸ and the way her hands tangled themselves into Enid’s hair, and the soft contented sigh that escaped her.

Enid moved her hands to Wednesday’s waist, pulling, encouraging the girl to straddle her so she could deepen the kiss. She could happily do this forever, the realizes. She would die from lack of oxygen and thank her for the privilege.

The Raven uses the grip on her hair to pull them apart, panting so sweetly, “Wait, wait, wait. There’s something you need to know,” But she makes the mistake of liking her lips.

“It can wait.” Enid growls in a voice she doesn’t recognize before capturing those lips between her teeth, tongue chasing after to sooth the sting.

Wednesday gives in with a groan, rising up on her knees, tilting Enid’s head back to kiss her like her life depends on it, and who’s to say it doesn’t? Enid only clutches her closer with a sort of desperation she didn’t know anyone could feel. She finally feels whole, for the first time in probably her entire life, the pieces she was missing found in the sighs that start in one mouth and end up in another.

There is a sudden, angry pounding on their door. Their faces part once again, panting heavily. One look at Wednesday’s blown eyes and swollen lips makes Enid want to yell fuck off to whoever is at the door and get to the much more important task of memorizing the way their tongues meld together.

But Wednesday is already giving a heavy sigh and carefully disentangling herself from Enid’s lap, with one last hand running languidly through Enid’s hair to calm the mess she’s most likely made of it. She stands on legs that seem to have forgotten how to work as she fixes her shirt. Enid can’t help the small laugh that bursts from her from seeing the absolute wonder that is a blushing Wednesday.

The Raven levels a glare at her in warning, but that just makes Enid reach out for her again. Wednesday almost looked as if she might let her too, if not for the fist trying to break their door in, Instead she steps back, tugging once at the ends of the new short locks around her shoulders before striding to the door.

“You always have the most impeccable timing, Barclay,” Wednesday’s voice is so even, no one could have guessed she was breathless not thirty seconds before.

Enid stands to see the girl waiting with a demanding look in her eye, “Do either of you want to explain to me why my roommate has Tracy Madrapilias thrown over her shoulder?” She jerked a thumb behind her as the other girl appeared.

Katie Lowe, eyes a furious glowing hazel, “I told you that you didn’t need to follow me.” She growled through teeth.

Wednesday takes a step back, pulling the door open wider, “Bring her in.”

Before Wednesday can shut the door behind their intruders, a foot catches the door and yet more people file in.

“No, please, I insist, do come in.” Wednesday flung her arm to usher everyone else in.

“Jesus, who pissed in your cheerios, Addams?” Divina asked with a cheery smile, not looking up from her phone.

“What about my personality says I would appreciate a hoard of people storming into my room unannounced?” She couldn’t help the snappish tone, she needed to do something with the fire burning just below her ribs. She could still feel Enid’s hands on her hips, her tongue in her mouth, “Let me know and I will correct it immediately.”

“Well Katie came storming into the dining hall in the middle of dinner and,” Bianca blinked, “What the hell happened to your hair?”

“We are hoping Tracy here will shed some light on the subject.” Katie huffed as she flung the girl on to Enid’s desk chair.

Her hands were tied in front of her with a school tie, Katie’s from the look of it, or Eugene’s, since both were missing that part of their uniform. Another had been shoved into her mouth. Her eyes were filled with murderous rage, and Wednesday knew if her head covering hadn’t been so artfully and securely pinned, they would all be stone in a breath.

“Seriously, what the hell happened?” Yoko asked, moving over to look closer at Wednesday’s new forced haircut.

Enid was standing behind her in an instant, arms crossed over her chest, “Katie, I specifically said not to approach whoever you found.”

Katie kicked her toe on the ground, “Yeah, I know, but she had it in her bag, and I didn’t want to give her the chance to get rid of it. I’m sorry.”

“Had what?” Bianca demanded, though her glare was saved for the gorgon now.

Enid went to the bag in question, drawing out the long black hank of hair. Holding it up so the others could see. Her hands were shaking, her eyes a burning gold as she jerked back to her feet. Wednesday thought she would kill the girl there and then, even though she had never seemed the type to kill without thought. Perhaps the Raven wasn’t the best influence on her.

She didn’t, merely shook her head with a disgusted noise at Tracy and carefully walked back to Wednesday’s side, handing her what used to be one of her braids, “I’m sorry,” her voice was a cracked whisper as her thumbs brushed once over Wednesday’s wrists.

Wednesday clutched the hair in her fists, burying the need to mourn over it deep inside her. She would be dead before she let the likes of Tracy Madrapilies see her cry.

Bianca, who now stood closest to the captured gorgon, ripped the gag from her mouth, “Are you fucking serious? You cut her hair? That’s… I don’t even know. Who the hell do you think you are?”

“Me?” Tracy spat, “I didn’t do shit! And even if I did that bitch deserved it for what she did to Ajax.”

“I didn’t do anything to Ajax!” Wednesday snapped, white hot with the fury that came anytime someone wanted to blame her for anything because it was easier than finding the truth, “I had more important things to worry about than some idiot stoner!”

“Yeah right,” Tracy rolled her eyes, “Like I’m just gonna believe the girl who delights in torturing people!”

“Who the hell have I tortured recently?” She shot back, “The last person I actually tortured was trying to kill everyone in the school, your worthless-self included! So I made Ajax turn himself to stone for and hour, he deserved that, you can’t deny it. I did every girl in the school a favor! Now they will all know what kind of guy he is! I promised I wouldn’t hurt him, and I didn’t. I was too busy besides, like I said. Or didn’t you notice that it was a full moon and my roommate is a werewolf who apparently gets bored in the woods too easily? And before that I was with Xavier all evening! Everyone saw us so when the hell would I have the time to find a bug I knew nothing about?”

“So you got one of these sycophants to do it.” Her eyes shot around the room at the gathered teens, “The creepy kid likes bugs.”

“His name is Eugene.” Katie warned.

“And you’re right, I do like bugs,” Eugene fixed his glasses with a finger, “Which is why I wouldn’t be stupid enough to release hundreds of dangerously invasive ones within a million miles of my hives. My whole life’s work would be down the drain.”

“I’m sorry to burst the bubble of the weird pedestal you have that stoner on,” Yoko checked her nails, “But he literally doesn’t matter enough to us to give up our free time. Well, unless he is the one putting himself in our path, like that bullshit he tried to pull the other night.”

“So, there was literally no reason for you and your little friends to pull such a psycho move on Wednesday!” Divina sneered, pushing the chair back with her foot.

“But every reason for the lesson I’m about to teach you.” Enid snarled and stepped forward.

“I didn’t have anything to do with it!” Tracy’s hands shot up as she flinched back, “I didn’t, okay? I don’t even know what you’re talking about!”

“Please,” Enid towered over her, claws gouging into the armrests of her chair, “We found her hair in your bag, Tracy.”

“I have no idea how it got there, I swear!” her voice was high and panicked, “I was in the quad all afternoon, except when we went to the infirmary to check on Ajax!”

“I don’t believe you.” The chair creaked alarmingly under Enid’s hands.

As much as Wednesday was thoroughly enjoying the glorious sight of Enid enraged, she knew she couldn’t let her rip her apart limb from limb. She stepped forward and placed a hand on Enid’s lower back. The blonde straightened at once, turning with a question in her blue eyes.

“We have tools,” Wednesday tried to bite down the smile threatening to escape, “Why not use them.”

“What, like torture tools?” Enid squeaked, looking a little green for someone who had seemed so ready for murder moments before.

“I think our Sirens can get the truth from her with out having to draw blood.”

“Did you just call me a tool, Addams?” Bianca scoffed.

“A very useful one,” Wednesday shrugged unapologetically.

Bianca sucked her teeth and glared, arms crossed for one moment before she shook her head, “Fine, but for the record I’m only doing this because cutting a girls hair crosses every fucking line of girl code.”

She ripped the necklace from around her throat and took Enid’s place, leaning dangerously over Tracy, “You want to tell me the truth, it will make you feel a lot better.” Her voice echoed strangely around the room.

Wednesday felt words bubble up unbidden from her throat, she covered her mouth a second before the others realized they should do the same. Enid buried her face behind a stuffed pig, ears turning bright red, Eugene was babbling incoherently behind his elbow. Katie seemed to have the better idea and began to wildly type away in a text on her phone. Yoko seemed the only one unbothered.

“I would rather be making out with Divina right now.” She sighed.

“That’s fair.” The immune siren winked at the vampire.

“I’m intimidated by Enid.” The gorgon breathed, her shoulders relaxing. “As long as she had Ajax wrapped around her claws, he would never see me as anything other than a fling. I don’t feel bad about sleeping with him while they were together. But… I did regret it when I saw how hurt she was by it. And that made me angry, why should I give a fuck about her hurting? I was finally going to get what I wanted! It made me mad, so I lashed out and started talking shit about her to anyone who would listen, but… no one did. Everyone likes Enid, she’s too damn likeable!”

Enid shot a shocked look over to Wednesday over the spring tale of the pig.

“Tell me about Wednesday, not Enid.” Bianca rolled her eyes, “Did you have anything to do with what happened to her today?”

“Are you kidding me? In what fucking universe would I be stupid enough to make a move against Wednesday fucking Addams? I would like to graduate with all my parts intact.”

Bianca looked to Wednesday before turning once more to the gorgon, “It is going to feel a lot better if you forget any of this happened. In fact, you just want to go back to the dining hall and tell your friends it was Nightshade hazing, and you had to turn us down because you’re above all that.”

“I would love that so much.” Tracy relaxed as Bianca reclasped her necklace and untied her.

Tracy bounced to her feet and went to the door, stopping briefly to look at them all, “Thank you for considering me, but I think it’s better if I stay focused on the things I actually care about.”

And with that she was gone.

“Great,” Katie sighed, “So we’re back to square one?”

“I think…” Wednesday said in to the resulting silence, “I think it’s time for a real Nightshade’s meeting.”

Chapter Text

Wednesday stared at the empty corkboard, and knew that she had very little to fill it with. It wasn’t a comforting thought.

“Are you sure you don’t need anything?” Katie’s voice asked from her stance a few feet behind.

Enid had insisted the wolf stay with Wednesday as she went to collect the rest of the pack for their meeting. And though she was fairly unobtrusive as her kind went, it seemed that she suffered from the same thing Wednesday found most people did, the need to remind you that they still existed, were still there, waiting.

Wednesday resisted the urge to pull at the ends of her hair, just to feel a familiar weight. When Enid had left, she had taken all the comfort with her. There was no grounding touch, no clear retreat into warm arms if she felt weak enough to seek them, no gentle smiles or burning kisses…

“Unless you can make everyone magically appear to get this meeting over with,” she turned to glare at the wolf, “Then no.”

Eyebrows furrowed over hazel eyes, a look of frustration. But she didn’t push, making herself rise in Wednesday’s personal ranking of the wolves she was getting to know all too well as of late.

Thing climbed up on her shoulder and tapped a quick question.

“I’m fine.” Her voice was clipped, she knew her right hand man would see right through it, but hoped he had the same decency as the wolf.

If one more person asked if she was okay, she thought she would explode. It was just hair. It would grow back… at least, that’s what she kept telling herself.

She was glad she had made them agree to reconvene in Poe’s library. She wasn’t sure she could have handled so many people in her space for much longer. She had no reserves left to help her pretend to be normal.

 There was a loud grinding, followed by a stone shuffle above her head. She knew it was Enid before she saw her. The sound of her footsteps, the scent of her perfume reaching her long before the sight of her.     

Only, it wasn’t perfume if the blonde was to be believed. Did Enid expect her to believe that she just naturally smelled like sugar and sunshine and daisies? Was this another side effect of her curse deciding to fixate on Enid? She should probably call her father soon. Wednesday knew the way she felt about the wolf wasn’t normal by ordinary standards, she just wasn’t sure if it was normal by Addams standards.

Part of her hoped for answers that would make it all make sense to her, the rest didn’t want the way she felt to only be because of a stupid curse some love sick Addams had inflicted on the rest of her family.

Every fiber of her being wanted to turn and greet the girl properly, she stayed stock still to prove she could. She listened to the mumbled greetings of the wolves, oddly sedate for the pack, and her ears strained to hear Enid’s musical voice, it was driving her mad.

A hand pressed between her shoulder blades, sliding down to rest on her lower back, with just enough pressure that she sighed with relief.

“Hey, you okay?” Enid’s voice was low as she ducked her head, trying to catch Wednesday’s eye.

Wednesday shook her head, “Maybe I will be once I figure this all out. It just doesn’t make any sense. We have all these pieces of a puzzle, but the more I find, the less sure I am that they are all from the same picture.”

“Hey,” Enid turned her, a hand on either side of her face, “We’re gonna figure it out, alright? And it isn’t like last time, you have people now. People who care about you and want to help.”

They held that position for a moment, long enough that Wednesday was a heart beat away from giving in to the pull she felt in her veins. Then Enid tilted her head to the side and let out a soft sigh as she took a step back.

A feeling of loss washed over Wednesday, but she understood when she heard more footsteps clomping down the stairway. And she remembered they weren’t exactly alone in the library to begin with. But the pack all looked like they were trying very hard to appear busy looking at books and portraits of past Nightshades.

With the space between them, Wednesday finally noticed that Enid had changed clothes while they had been apart. She now wore tight black jeans and a black shirt she must have stolen from Wednesday’s closet at some point, since she had never seen the girl wear it before.

“Is that your idea of what one wears to a clandestine meeting?” She was fighting a smile as she asked while also trying to not be too overt in her ogling.

“Well, I never got one of those cloak thingies!” her cheeks were pink as she crossed her arms.

“Right, but you walked here with them.” She waved a hand to the pack who were either still in their school uniforms of blue and black stripes, or in their civi clothes. Which, for at least Aaron, was a pink and green tie-dye t-shirt that said Camp Chippewa.

Enid sighed, “Yeah. I guess I was just excited to finally be invited to a real Nightshade’s meeting.”

“If you want to have your own fake kidnapping so it feels official, I’m sure they would be more than happy to oblige.”

With that, they turned to fully face the gathered Nightshades and pack members. Wednesday was pleasantly surprised to see that the wolves seemed more attentive than the veteran members of the club. For such a rambunctious lot, they stood at attention well, even the thirteen year old Ansel. Kessler should be proud of such a group of students.

“Alright,” Wednesday projected her voice as she began to lightly pace in front of the cork board, “Let’s get this over with.”

A hand went up, “Shouldn’t we wait for Xavier?”

“No one has seen him all day,” Bianca snapped, “Pay attention.”

Kent shrugged, “Sorry, no one tells me anything.”

“Wait, why are you even here?” Wednesday pinched the bridge of her nose.

“I saw everyone else moseying on over here and figured I spaced out and forgot we had a meeting.” He looked around at the rather large group, “Wait, when did we initiate so many newbies?”

Wednesday glared at him for a moment, “Moving on. It would appear that I have a stalker. My first, in fact. It isn’t as fun as I thought it would be, truth be told.”

“A stalker?” Bianca looked offended, “Who’s crazy enough to stalk crazy?”

“A question I would like answered sooner rather than later.” She begun to hang all the letters and photos she had gotten, “They have been targeting me since just before winter break. I recived a few text messages on my cellphone, but Pugsley shot me with his new bow and I regret to say I wasn’t paying attention and the phone paid the price.”

“Wait, who’s Pugsley?”

“God Kent, shut up.” Divina grumbled.

“It’s her baby brother.” Finn whispered helpfully, “He still goes to normie school.”

“When the stalker failed to get my attention through technological means,” Wednesday spoke over the whispers, finally apricating the struggle of teachers everywhere, “They switched to the old standby.” She waved to the letters, “Newspaper cutouts. The latest of which held photos of each of us. With the exception of Kent, sorry Kent. I’m sure someday soon, someone will want to kill you as well.”

“You’re just saying that to make me feel better.” He crossed his arms.

“What makes you think they want to kill any of us?” Yoko asked, stepping forward to squint at the words.

“What else could they possibly be threatening with this?” Eugene was taking notes in his book, as if there would be a midterm on the subject.

“Granted, I also failed to see a threat in the messages.” Wednesday allowed, “That is until this week. I had a vision where I sat at a large table with the people in these photographs and a hooded figure. They seemed to have an affinity for bugs, and a penchant for long knives. They played some game where it spun in a circle and I would assume whoever it landed on would be killed. Then Ajax was attacked, and I was framed for it by persons unknown. Then Xavier went missing after spending the afternoon hanging out with me. Then I had another vision, this time we sat in a circle and the figure again played some childish game that ended with Xavier being killed. This was at the same time someone attacked me. The vision allowed them time to cut my hair and flee whilst I was insensate. They then apparently had time to frame Tracy for the act.”

“That’s quite the escalation.” Bianca moved to read the letters for herself, “What was the trigger? Has anything else happened recently?”

“Just those normies playing monsters in the woods,” Wednesday shook her head, “Has anyone approached the rest of you?”

“Who would we even be on the look out for?” Brigid asked, “I mean, I talk to tons of people everyday, how am I supposed to know if one of them is a creepy stalker?”

“Oh!” Enid bounced, “Hang on,” she ran to the top of the stairs and grabbed a large cloth covered canvas, trying her best not to let any corners bounce off the stairs. She propped it against the corkboard and carefully lifted the cloth.

“This is Xavier’s?” Bianca ran her hand over the brush strokes.

“I found it in his room when I went looking for him today.” Enid explained, “I think it’s supposed to be of Wednesday and her stalker.”

“So, we’re looking for an angel?” Kent turned his head at a forty-five-degree angle, “That shouldn’t be too hard.”

“I think its just supposed to be representative of our powers.” Wednesday rolled her eyes, “See? This is me Kent, and last I checked I don’t have wings.”

“So does anyone know any Doves in the school?” Liam asked, “There are too many blondes to just start rounding them up William-Nilliam.”

“It’s not like there’s exactly a registry of what everyone’s inheritances are.” Yoko sighed, “And let’s be real, most of the time there are secondary inheritances with psychics. I mean, look at Xavier, he has artemvita.”

“No Kent, that’s not an STD.” Wednesday sighed without even looking up at him, “We are getting no where with this. Someone has been getting close enough to take photos, and listen in on our conversations. Or does everyone else only find it coincidental that the day after Eugene gave us a lesson on mantises, Ajax was attacked by same.”

“But I told you, anyone who took the class with Thornhill last semester would know that.” Eugene reminded her.

“Well, that could certainly narrow it down.” Ansel offered, his voice cracking under the cruelties of puberty. Everyone turned to look at the boy and he seemed to shrink in on himself a little, “We could… We could pull up the class rosters for her classes last year, then start eliminating based on what we know so far?”

“Great, so we break into the headmaster’s office and-,”

“No,” Enid shook her head at Wednesday, “You are already on probation. If you get caught going through students’ records, you’d be out before we find out who’s responsible.”

“I mean, I could do it,” Ansel offered, “I help out the secretaries during third period in the office, entering attendance records. It should be easy enough to look back a few months.”

Katie wrapped an arm around her brother’s head and rubbed his hair affectionately, “There’s a team player.”

“Excellent.” Wednesday gave him her own approving nod, “Now, can anyone think of anything else?”

“Well,” Enid spoke up when no one else did, she refused to look at Wednesday, “There was this other thing. It might… it was at the dance. A girl I didn’t recognize danced with me, during the,” her face was red as she forced herself to swallow, “during the slow dance?”

Wednesday felt the heat rush to her face, unable to choke it back into submission, “I don’t think that has anything to do with the stalker.”

Bianca, Yoko and Divina had identical smirks on their faces as they looked back and forth between Enid and Wednesday.

“How can you be sure?” Enid asked, looking worried, “I mean who just walks up and dances like that with a total stranger?”

“Enid, sweetie,” Yoko leaned closer to stage whisper, “I am pretty sure it wasn’t a stranger.”

“Well then who?” She looked around at everyone and they all seemed either way too innocent, or way to interested in the turn this conversation had taken for Wednesday’s taste.

“Okay!” Liam clapped loudly, “I think we’re done here,” he grabbed Brigid, shaking her a little before shoving the rest of the wolves towards the door.

“Wait,” Enid asked, sounding very confused.

“Oh, would you look at the time!” Divina almost shouted, “We should all head back to our rooms if we don’t want to join our fearless leader on the probation list.”

“Way ahead of you,” Eugene took the steps two at a time, “Kent!”

“What? I wanna know too!” he complained but Bianca just grabbed him by the hood of his cloak and dragged him backwards.

Wednesday busied herself with the corkboard, needlessly straightening photos. She could hear the tap, tap, tap, of Enid’s shoe on the ground behind her. The sound of the statue moving back into place was the only other sound. The Raven finally turned to face the suspicious Enid, arms crossed over her chest.

“Addams?” she asked, “What does everyone except me seem to know?”

“Lets… lets go back to the room. We can talk about everything there.”

Enid sat on the edge of her bed, watching Wednesday walk back and forth, running agitated hands through her hair.

“Just spit it out, Willa,” she groaned, “What the hell is going on?”

Wednesday stopped, turned to face her, opened her mouth, then shut it again. She took a deep breath and started again, “Why is it so damn hard?” is all she asked before striding over to her closet and shutting the door.

Enid was on her feet instantly, her mind running a million miles an hour as she tried to figure out what she had done wrong. Did Wednesday regret kissing her? Should she apologize? Was she just going to hide out in her closest for the rest of the night and pretend nothing had happened?

“Wednesday?” she called softly, her forehead pressed against the closet door.

“I’ll be right out,” there was a thud and quiet cursing, “I think this will be easier since apparently I have trouble speaking right now.”

“Easier how?” Enid whined, “Just come out so we can talk about this. I- I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable… we can…” she swallowed, “We can just go back to how it was before, it doesn’t have to mean anything if you don’t want it to.” The words felt like a knife though her chest, but she had to say them. The thought of losing Wednesday completely was unbearable.

The door opened just enough so that Wednesday could level a glare at her, “Why would I want that?” she shut the door once more.

Enid groaned and turned to throw herself face first in Wednesday’s bed. She took a deep breath in and held it, letting the scent fill her lungs and quiet her brain.

The door opened once again, an odd click-click-click reverberating in the room. Intrigued, Enid rolled over to look at her best friend. She shot straight up to her feet when she finally lay eyes on her.

“Surprise?” Wednesday, clad in a familiar crimson dress and mask, stood straight, hands held behind her back.

Enid’s brain broke, “What? Where did you? What?”

The Raven took a step closer, letting Enid know the clicking she heard was the sound of high heels on wood. She took the mask off and tossed it to the bed, “I suppose some of the effect is lost with out the makeup and longer hair.”

“It was you.” Enid’s heart began to pound in her chest, her mouth dry as a bone, “You were at the dance.”

“You invited me,” Wednesday shrugged, “And when have I ever been able to deny you what you’ve asked for?”

“But… why?” Enid’s hands itched to reach out at touch, to make sure what she was seeing and hearing was real.

“I knew that the dance was important to you. I knew that Ajax was a jackass who would never give you the romantic night you so clearly desired. But, more to the point I suppose, I knew I wanted to be the one to sweep you off your feet.”

It was Enid’s turn to bring them a step closer, “But Wednesday, why would you want to?”

“Because I adore you, Enid,” she looked shocked by the question, “I thought I was doing pretty well at keeping my feelings a secret. You were with Ajax, and never showed me anything to suggest that the feelings might be shared, and I wanted to respect that. But, it was killing me, seeing someone getting the privilege of standing by your side and not give you everything you deserved and more. From the unsolicited advice I kept receiving from friends and faculty members, I don’t think I was doing a very good job of keeping my feelings locked as tightly as I thought.”

Enid gave a shocked laugh, how had everyone seen it but for her? “For how long?”

“I knew that night you fought the hyde, when you hugged me after it was all done,” Wednesday shook her head, “It was like something woke up in me. But, looking back on it now, I suppose there should have been some other clues. You are the only person I have ever willingly compromised for. From the beginning, I always felt the need to do things to make you more comfortable around me. And seeing you with Ajax and Lucas… I didn’t recognize my own jealousy I suppose, until it was too late to do anything about it. And the night I stopped Crackstone and Thornhill, I didn’t do it for everyone. I didn’t give up my connection to Goody for everyone. I did it because the thought of you no longer existing… it couldn’t be born. I’m afraid I’m helplessly in love with you, Enid Sinclair.”

“Oh, thank god,” Enid felt like her chest was going to explode with sheer happiness as she crossed the remaining space, sweeping Wednesday up into a deep kiss, pouring every ounce of affection she held into her.

Wednesday pulled back after a moment, resting their foreheads together, “I don’t love like normal people do, Enid. It’s not going to go away, or fade. I’m going to want to be with you forever.”

“I don’t know why you sound so upset about it,” Enid kissed her again, “That sounds absolutely perfect to me. I’m pretty sure I fell in love with you the moment I saw you. I just never thought I would be lucky enough to tell you. To hold your hand and show the whole world that you were mine. To do this,” she kissed her again, and again, and again until she was laughing.

She held Wednesday close for a long while after that, swaying lightly in the middle of their room. Dancing to the sound of their own heartbeats.

Chapter Text

Enid was on cloud freaking nine. She floated through the halls of the school with a dumb smile on her face that she couldn’t seem to bury. True, life was uncertain and terrifying, and there was the matter of a crazy stalker out there who seemed bent on her love’s destruction. But far more important than any of that was the fact that Wednesday loved her. Her, Enid Sinclair, the late bloomer with a face full of scars, Enid Sinclair who was self-aware enough to know she was annoying at the best of times.

And still, Wednesday loved her. She could feel it in every touch that passed between them now that she knew how to identify it.

She could feel it in the way that Wednesday had gently combed her fingers through her hair, taking breaks to pepper kisses over scars until the wolf fell in to contented, but exhausted sleep. She could hear it in the sound of the cello that had woken her sometime a few hours later, echoing out over the quad below. It resonated deeply inside her, and for the first time since she shifted, she felt like there wasn’t two of her vying for dominance, trapped in an endless struggle in her chest.

Wednesday had tried to explain to her several times what it meant that an Addams couldn’t love in the traditional sense. How her entire sense of self would forever be wrapped up around Enid as well now. She said these things like they might be reasons for Enid to run away, but the blonde had been more than happy to accept such terms. It made her overjoyed to know in her very soul that someone loved her so totally and completely, exactly as she was for who she was.

She had fallen into a happy sleep before she could hope to fid a way to explain that her wolf had chosen Wednesday as a mate, had long ago. The way Wednesday explained her affections hadn’t been so different from how she herself felt, with one important difference.

Should Wednesday actually accept her, she would also gain a world of responsibility. That choosing Enid meant choosing Liam and Finn, Aaron and Brigid, Katie and Ansel. A whole gaggle of younger siblings- despite three actually being older than them- who were just as excitable, hotheaded and more than a little exhausting. Who would look to them and them alone for direction.  

They danced shyly around one another the next morning, each unsure where they had landed outside of you’re mine and I am yours. Enid saw the frown on Wednesday’s face as she stood before the mirror, trying to figure out how to braid it.

“May I?” Enid asked, stepping behind her with a smile.

Wednesday gave a short nod and stood still, eyes watching every movement of Enid’s fingers as they combed, parted and pulled the hair into two loser French braids, leaving a few loose strands to frame her face.

The raven contemplated her own face in the mirror for a moment, pursing her lips. She was too fucking cute, Enid couldn’t help but wrap her arms around her waist and lean down to kiss her cheek.

Wednesday smiled fondly, her fingertips tracing Enid’s scars lightly, “Finché l'eternità non va in pezzi, cara mia.”

The fervently whispered words sent a shiver down Enid’s spine, Wednesday took advantage of her distraction to slip away to grab up her book bag.

“Are you ever going to tell me what your saying?” Enid complained.

Wednesday shrugged, “It should give you incentive to learn.” She winked at Enid’s scoff and skipped off as if she hadn’t just destroyed her.

Enid floated through her first class of the day, but after the third wistful sigh, Yoko gagged. “Seriously?”

“What?” Enid asked, offended.

“Your whole face, are you gonna tell me what happened or do I need to resort to an over active imagination?

Enid felt herself blush as she tried to make it seem like she had been paying attention in class the entire time, “She adores me.” She whispered, wiggling slightly at the thought.

Yoko pushed the top of her glasses down just far enough so Enid could see her roll her eyes, “What else is new?”

“Well someone could have told me.” Enid crossed her arms.

“And ruin the betting pool?” she quipped.

Before Enid could demand what the hell that was supposed to mean, the bell rang and Yoko escaped.

Ajax was back in second period after his stay in the infirmary, but Enid only noticed him on the peripheral of her awareness. She was more preoccupied with the practice sparring between her and Wednesday. The Raven had learned early on that it was easy to distract, and there for defeat, Enid with a well-timed wink or sly smile.

Enid, for her part, was glad she had braided Wednesday’s hair. While she loved the way she looked with her hair loose and flowing around her face, a bare neck was just not something that she could pass up. She would find a way to slip behind Wednesday mid-fight and quickly ghost her nose or lips along the back of her neck, and the girl all but crumpled into putty in her hands.

Outside of their room, Enid was surprised to notice that their relationship had changed very little. Enid had always found every excuse possible to touch Wednesday. Only now, she did it will the full confidence that the Raven enjoyed such touches, and that made her more bold to seek out her hand, or her knee under the table when they sat near each other. Less fearful for her life when she pinned a breathless Wednesday beneath her in PE and pressed a quick kiss to her forehead before letting her up.

Telling Wednesday that she wouldn’t be joining them for lunch had been harder than she expected.

“Why?” Anyone else may have heard suspicion, or anger in the question, but Enid saw the subtle clues of sadness and disappointment in her eyes, at the corner of her lips as they stood in the hall outside of Wednesday’s fourth period class.

“I don’t want to jinx it,” she rocked on her toes, “But I have a meeting with Mrs. Khoshekh! She wants me to write for the school magazine, its like, a dream come true.”

Wednesday tilted her head, and opened her mouth, only to close it with a hum.

“Okay, what?” Enid crossed her arms over her chest.

“It’s nothing,” Wednesday shook her head, “Your style of writing has always been interesting and engaging,” she said the words carefully, seeming to pick each and every one only after much scrutiny, “And your grammar has improved significantly as of late. I suppose it was only a matter of time before the faculty started to take advantage of that.”

“Are you making fun of me or complimenting me?” Enid narrowed her eyes.

“Complimenting, for the most part,” Wednesday smirked, “But I will wish you luck and keep my fingers crossed for you. Even though it means someone is trying to steal more of your time from me.”

“Oh my god,” Enid cracked a smile, “You’re pouting! Just say you’ll miss me, admit it.”

“I don’t know why,” Wednesday stepped close, backing Enid into a wall as she stood on her tiptoes, “You do nothing but torture me,”

Enid’s breath hitched, “Well then I sound perfect for you, since you love torture so much.”

Wednesday gave a wicked smile before placing a kiss just below Enid’s jaw. By the time Enid’s vision cleared and she sagged a little on the wall, Wednesday was well on her way down the hall towards the quad.

Go after her, follow her, catch her her wolf tugged at the reigns, in probably the same exact way Wednesday had known it would after such a display.

“No,” she sook her head, forcing her feet to turn, I am my own person with my own thoughts and desires, they don’t all have to be about kissing Wednesday until we’re both breathless.

She found her former excitement easily enough once Wednesday was no longer visible, and she practically skipped off to the newsroom on the other side of campus.

The lights in the classroom proper were dark, a dull blue glow emanating from the monitors cast eerie shadows over the desks and floors.

“Mrs. Khoshekh?” she called out, hands searching the walls to find the switch, “Angie?”

“Back here!” a muffled voice called from behind a closed door on the far side of the room, red light spilling from the gaps.

Enid gives up on the light switch, relying on her wolf eyes to navigate the unfamiliar space. She tells herself she’s being ridiculous when her hackles rise. Its just the dark, she’s defeated giant murderous monsters, she can handle the dark.

She turns the handle and peeks her head in slowly, blinking away the irritation the red light causes, “Angie?”

The girl had her back to the door, carefully moving sheets of paper from one bin to another with tongs, the sound of water gently lapping against plastic. She turned to look over her shoulder, “Hey! Come in, close the door. Be careful of the light, I don’t want to have to redo these.”

Enid slipped inside the room and crept closer to watch, “I figured everything would be digital.”

Angie lifted a shoulder, “I’m a bit of a film purist. I can always scan them in, but there’s something about the process of shooting a scene or subject, and then going through all the steps to develop it… its kinda a ritual for me.”

Enid watched the girl work, her eyes weirdly brown in this light, her platinum blonde hair almost glowing with red tints at the edge. It’s tickling some primal part in her, but not enough to form an actual thought, just a gentle unease creeping slowly through her veins.

“So, where’s Khoshekh?” she asked, shoving her paranoia down.

“Right, I’m sorry, I should have found a way to get a hold of you,” Angie carefully removed the developing photo and hung it from a clothes pin, Mrs. K had to leave. The new town mayor wanted to speak to the teachers on the outreach committee last minute. I’m sorry for wasting your time,” she rocked on her toes nervously, “I’m really glad you actually came though!”

“Its okay,” Enid shook her head.

“I could show you around if you like?” she asked hopefully, “Mrs. K ordered lunch to be delivered, it’ll be too much food for me and I don’t want it to go to waste.”

Enid smiles at her warmly, but takes a step back, “I would love to, but I should really get back to my girlfriend. She pouts when I’m away longer than I need to be.” She felt a trill at saying the title for the first time, and a little guilty since they hadn’t actually decided on labels yet. But something about the way Angie was looking so hopefully at her as she twirled a lock of hair around her finger that she was going to have to set up a boundary and fast.

The look on Angie’s face goes from shocked surprise to sudden understanding to something else she can’t quite place, a little rueful, and a lot darker as her eyes land on the small bracelet on her wrist, “Well, that is disappointing. Can’t say I don’t envy her yet another thing.”

“Maybe… I should go,” Enid takes a step back, “Maybe I should just come back with the teacher is here.

“Yeah sure,” Angie nodded with a small smile, “I can’t wait to work with you more Enid.”

Something relaxes in her as she turns and leaves the room. Trying not to trip over desks and chairs and cords, she tried to calm herself, she was being silly. She almost makes it to the classroom door when a white cloth is pressed over her mouth and nose.

Enid tries to fight it off, but her muscles aren’t listening, they slowly lock up one by one as she thrashes her head from side to side, the world going blurry around the edges.

“Stop fighting it,” a soft voice whispers into her ear, “It’s my own fun little mixture of wolfsbane and chloroform. Pretty neat, huh? I made it for those wolves that have been trailing after Wednesday like little puppies, I never planned to have to use it on you. Sleep, Enid.” Lips pressed against the side of her temple as she lost the battle to keep her eyes open.

With out Enid to sit beside her, lunch feels like the waste of time it always used to be. It feels pointless to sit at the table for an hour of loneliness and feeling pathetic because of that loneliness, so Wednesday goes back to her room instead. She needs to get answers from her father before anything else gets out of hand.

She sets the crystal ball on her desk, tapping the smooth surface as she thinks about all the things she correlates with her parents. The foggy center clears after a moment and Wednesday pulls back, trying her best to greet her parents with her normal scowl, but it’s hard to find such misery when Enid seems to be slowly replacing every bit of it.

“There’s my little storm cloud!” her father clutched his chest with a fond smile.

“We have missed your scowl, darling.” Morticia leaned closer to the ball, a sly smile on her face, “I see we must miss it still. What new scheme has placed such a glow in your cheeks?”

Wednesday frowned, how was it that no matter how hard she had trained herself to keep every emotion close to her chest, and yet her mother could read her like an open book, “It was no scheme mother, I resent the implication that I would call merely to wave my accomplishments about like some middle child.”

“Speaking of middle children,” Morticia sat back, waiting.

“Your brother seems very fond of the gift you had delivered,” Gomez preened happily as if he were to thank for his daughters generosity, “It has already tried to kill the postman, and the bully that followed him home from school.”

“She,” Wednesday and her mother corrected at the same time.

“Of course, of course,” Gomez waved, “My apologies, I confess I haven’t been allowed close enough to examine such a noble specimen. But with such a strong drive to protect, I should have guessed.”

“Enough, Gomez, I’m sure that Wednesday has not called without reason.” She waved, “Hard things only grow harder in the waiting, darling.”

“I fear I have been struck by that malediction which has killed more men than any other weapon.” She ground out between her clenched teeth.

Morticia brought a hand to her chest, clutching desperately, “You mean?”

“Yes, Mother.”

“My daughter,” Gomez choked back a sob, “in love?”

“Irrevocably.” Wednesday nodded, “I was hoping, with your wisdom in this one area being greater than mine, that you might offer some insight.”

“What’s her name?” Morticia asked, giving the game away in her joy, Wednesday merely quirked an eyebrow, “Very well, you can’t blame me for suspecting. Enid is the only person I have ever heard you speak of with a trace of warmth. Have you begun courting her yet?”

“Not so to speak,” Wednesday suddenly was overwhelmed with the feeling that she was admitting to a great crime, “I may have heedlessly thrown myself at her last night and hoped for the best.”

“Wednesday Willamina Friday Addams!” Gomez roared, shooting to his feet at once and sending the crystal ball rolling over the floor.

The sound of his racing, slurring Spanish spilled from the ball as her mother’s hands appeared to put their crystal back on its pedestal. “Gomez, I’m sure there is a reasonable explanation for Wednesday’s disregard for proper courtship.”

“Well?” Gomez asked, fixing his wild hair as he sat back down.

“Enid was dating a boy,” Wednesday tried to let her unrelenting anger for Ajax’s complete disregard for Enid’s happiness go, but it was hard, she collected unresolved grudges like a hobby, “Who was not worthy to lick the ground she walked on, but I wanted to be respectful of her affection for the boy. A chance presented itself this weekend when he was caught being foolish enough to cheat on her. Between that and my stalker, it didn’t seem appropriate to grovel at her feet, heart in hand. However, in a moment of weakness yesterday, I kissed her.”

“I assume the boy is dead?” Morticia asked, already flipping through her small black book, searching for the number of the Addams lawyer.

“No,” Wednesday crossed her arms, “She asked me not to. I did make the entire school body aware of his infidelitous nature in a most inspired way.”

“The boy still lives? With all his parts intact?” her parents exchanged a look, “My, my, you do love her.”

“I wouldn’t have claimed otherwise were it not true,” She huffed irritably, “Now, if you could answer a few of my questions so that I know how I may proceed-,”

“You’re asking for wooing advice?” Gomez threw his hands in the air, “Mon chéri, have I taught her nothing?”

“No, father,” Wednesday wanted to reach through and shake her father, “I have questions regarding the Addams family curse and how it will affect me and my intended.”

“Oh, that’s simple enough,” Gomez disappeared for a moment, returning with a small leather book in his hand, “The curse activates when you have found your perfect half, you will be forever loyal, forever doting and forever adoring of your other half. If you are forbidden from their side, by choice or death, you will wither in body and soul.” He closed the book with a shrug.

“Okay, I knew all that already,” she rolled her eyes, “I ask about the other changes I have been experiencing.”

“What changes are those, darling?”

“I have, seemingly, increased awareness, mostly for her presence, though it isn’t limited to her,” she frowned, “I was able to wrestle her to the ground while she was in her wolf form when she was intent on attacking who she perceived as a rival. Her pack defers to me, and seem to be aware of my feelings, despite my skill at keeping them well hidden.”

Her parent’s looked at each other, “Its been generations… your great uncle was the last, was he not?”

“The last that showed any signs-,”

“What?” Wednesday demanded.

“Bartolome passed on what you call a curse,” Gomez said slowly.

“His wife Rebekah, she passed on something of her own,” Morticia added.

“Her werewolf gene,” Wednesday put her head in her hands, “But I’ve never shown any signs of being a werewolf!”

“Of course not,” Morticia agreed, “It’s a dormant gene, and as the years went on, less and less did it affect any of their decedents. Unless it is triggered by something… and even then, its unlikely to cause a full change. Not with so many inheritances in your blood.”

“Enid is a werewolf herself, is she not?” Gomez prompted.

“Yes.”

“Well, perhaps that part of her has called out to you,” he seemed satisfied enough with that answer, “You should be lucky! My great uncle fell in love with a wolf himself, even began to turn, but the man was already mated, and a wolf’s mate bond is as strong as our own curse. But it sounds as if this girl returns your affections?”

“That is the most likely conclusion I can draw from recent events.” Wednesday felt herself blush as she shoved the feeling of Enid’s lips on her skin out of her mind.

“My little scorpion,” Gomez once more looked like he was about to cry, “We are so happy for you! Look at the joy that radiates from those normally dead eyes, Tish.”

“It is quite the sight,” Her mother waved and drew closer to the ball, “But what I am noticing now is the new hair cut our daughter seems to have gotten. And I believe she mentioned something of a stalker?”

“Yes,” Wednesday tugged at the end of the short braids resting on her shoulders, “I was attacked, it triggered a vision, and when I woke, I found my hair much shorter than I remembered it being.”

Morticia sighed and once again began to flip through the book for her lawyer’s number, “I assume you are dogging this matter as hard as the deal with the boy last year?”

“I fear a dove is to blame for this, and for the other odd occurrences that have happened as of late. How would I track down a Dove? Are there any weaknesses I might exploit?”

“Doves, like Ravens, receive visions.” Morticia played with the end of her necklace, “Though, those of a dove tend to be less doom and destruction filled, they are also less… accurate isn’t the right word, but they leave more room for interpretation. More metaphor and poetry. It takes great skill for one to learn to understand their visions. They can, in rare cases, even send prophecies to other people if they are skilled enough. Should they try to send you a vision my dear, it wont always turn out as intended, because a Raven’s very nature lets them sense the dark intent behind it.”

Wednesday opened her mouth, but was cut off by the sudden pounding on her door, “This is becoming too regular an occurrence,” she mumbled, “I’m sorry, I must go. Goodbye Mother, Father. Tell Pugsley I am glad he is fond of his wolf.”

“The most important thing to remember, my diablilla, for you and her both, is that you are stronger together.” Gomez called out just before Wednesday broke the connection.

Ansel was wheezing lightly when she pulled the door back, an inhaler dangling from between his lips as he leaned on the frame.

“Pull yourself together, Lowe,” she grumbled before pulling him into her room.

“Sorry,” he took another puff of his inhaler, “I ran to the lunch area, but you and Enid weren’t there. So I ran all the way here.”

“Do you have news for me,” she nodded to the paper being crumpled in one of his hands.

“Yeah,” he tried his best to straighten the paper on his thigh, sweaty hands leaving streaks of ink in their wake, “So, I found a few blonde’s in Thornhill’s classes for last semester, not surprising. There were less in this particular course, and even fewer who have green eyes. Three to be exact.”

Wednesday pulled the paper in front of her and studied each girl. Only one had the platinum blonde hair, the familiar smug smile, where had she seen that smile before?

“Who is this?” she pointed a finger at the middle face, “Angela Zacharias.”

“Oh, she’s the one who takes the pictures for the school website, the magazine I think too.”

“Fuck.”

Chapter Text

Wednesday ran faster than she ever had before. The muscles in her legs burning pleasantly as her feet ate up one hallway after another. She leapt down stairs, using her shoulder to crash land into walls and send her off again. Only one thought kept her from feeling any true pain.

Enid, I have to get to Enid.

Ansel was valiantly trying to keep up with her, his legs pounded, lungs wheezing. She vaguely wondered how he kept up with the other wolves in the woods and if perhaps they shouldn’t look into some better asthma medication for him.

She couldn’t worry about Ansel now though, nor those few students who didn’t move out of her way fast enough and landed on their asses. She could not stop for the teachers who yelled for her to do so, nor for the pain as she clipped her shin on one of the hundreds of stupid, pointless, poorly placed statues. She had to reach Enid.

She’s only two turns away from her goal when an a hand shoots out and takes her wrist in an iron grip, wrenching her around to a sudden stop. A snarl so feral she can hardly believe it has come from her is ripped from her chest, the grip only tightens, shaking her harm slightly.

“Ms. Addams! That is quite enough!”

Wednesday blinks and looks up, and up, into the pale yellow eyes of Headmaster Kozlov. A satyr of massive proportions, black curling horns gleaming above his salt and pepper hair, slick with gel. His face was just human enough that it caused the same uncomfortable sensation of glancing into the uncanny valley. His flat nostrils flared in irritation.

“Headmaster,” she greeted flatly, twisting his arm out of his grasp and hiding the shooting pain that ran up to her shoulder.

“Just what do you think you are doing, tearing through the halls like this, I will remind you that you are on probation, Ms. Addams, one step out of line and-,”

“And just what do you think you are doing, putting hands on a student, Mr. Kozlov? I will remind you that you are on probation, one more grievously harmed student and you’ll be back teaching at that fourth rate school for troubled outcasts.” The hall grew deathly quiet, and the way the headmaster’s chest puffed out, Wednesday was starting to believe she made a mistake.

She caught sight of Ansel skidding around the corner. He straightened immediately, nose casting in the air for a moment before pulling off to the side of the milling students. Keeping his head down as he walked carefully around them.

“Why you-,”

In for a penny, thought Wednesday, “I have reason to believe that a good friend of mine is in danger.” She tried to keep her voice calm, her tone even as she projected her voice out over the students pretending not to eavesdrop.

“In this school?” Kozlov scoffed, “I doubt it. The only danger I have found is that of the girl who cried wolf one too many times.”

“And yet I tend to be right far more often than I am wrong,” Wednesday’s eyes flashed, “I would hope that you learned from your predecessor, I would hate to have the same lesson taught twice. Now, it you’ll excuse me, I was just headed towards the newsroom.”

“I think not,” he reached for her hand again, “I have had enough of your attitude and threats.”

“Threats?” came the bark of laughter as she stepped out of his reach, “I haven’t even begun to threaten, Mr. Kozlov.” She leveled a glare at him, preparing to show him exactly what she was capable of when a wild motion the headmaster’s elbow caught her attention.

Yoko was waving frantically, Bianca bringing her hand across her neck in a swift end motion while Eugene pantomimed taking a deep, calming breath. She ground her teeth and fixed her eyes back on the satyr. If she let her anger and fear win now, if she took it out on this pathetic excuse for a Weems replacement, she would lose her chance to save Enid from her stalker.

Instead, she ground her teeth and searched for that cold, calculating mind that she had been nurturing her whole life. She stood straight. She didn’t smile, but something about the way her lips moved seemed to strike fear in those making no secret of their watching now.

“Mr. Kozlov, you have no grounds on which to seize me so rudely.” Her voice was cold, sharp, precise, “You might like to know that I just got off a call with my mother, who was, as it happens, already in the process of getting ahold of a lawyer to come crashing down on your pathetic tenure here.”

Kozlov’s eyes widened as he took half a step back, “What? Why?”

“When my lawyer calls me, I can tell him one of two things.” She continued, voice rising, “That you hindered me, lay rough hands upon my person, and did nothing about the assault I suffered just last night on your oh so safe grounds.” There was unhappy murmuring from the gathered students and teachers alike, “Or, I can explain to him how you graciously allowed me to bring the perpetrator, with all my evidence, to your own office, unharmed, so that you could mete out your own judgement.” The deal burned like bile in her throat, but she was sure that nothing else would sway this man.

Kozlov looked around them, suddenly seeming to realize the audience they had gathered. He let out a long, heavy breath, “Unharmed, Addams?” he pushed.

“I cannot say that I will not act to defend another student or myself from further harm,” she allowed, “But I promise to leave her punishment to you and the authorities. Whom, I believe, you should call and inform. I have the Sherriff’s direct number, if you like.”

“That won’t be necessary,” he glared at her a moment longer before turning his back on her with a huff, “No running in the halls, Addams.”

Wednesday couldn’t suppress the childish urge to flip him the finger with a sneer before she began to quickly walk down the hall, breaking back into a jog the moment she turned the corner.

Ansel, having snuck past the commotion, had reached the door to the newsroom just before Wednesday. She watched as he burst through the door only to immediately stumble to a stop. Wednesday caught the door on the back swing and shoved her way past him into the room.

Mrs. Khoshekh, looked up from her stack of papers, one hand holding a fork halfway to her mouth, “Can I help you?” she demanded, fixing the glasses on her nose.

“We, uh, we’re looking f-for-,” Ansel rubbed his hands on the side of his pants, crumpling under the scrutiny of those sharp, orange cat eyes.

“Enid Sinclair,” Wednesday spoke up, “We were told she had a meeting with you, scheduled for lunch.”

“Enid Sinclair?” the teacher put her fork down, frowning, “No, I don’t believe that I did.”

“A student, the photographer Angela Zacharias, she told Enid that you wanted to have her write for the paper.” Wednesday’s mind was racing, trying to piece together whatever story the girl had fed Enid from what little she knew. Her eyes searched around the room for any sign of the wolf.

“And I told Ms. Zacharias to leave Ms. Sinclair alone,” Mrs. Khoshekh huffed as she began to scribble something on a paper, “First it was an exclusive interview, and I told her not to interview any traumatized students after what happened last year. It would be better if everyone just moved on with their lives, especially after what happened to Ms. Sinclair. I then informed her that I would not invite Enid to write for the paper when she is already committed to several other clubs and groups on the campus. It isn’t good to spread yourself too thin at this age, you know.”

“So, Angela spoke about Enid often?” Wednesday circled the room, looking at the framed articles on the walls, slowly approaching the closed door at the other end of the room, her nose twitched as she picked up faint scents of sugar and daises under the heavy chemical smell.

“It’s not appropriate for teachers to talk about the crushes of students, Ms. Addams.” She shook her head in disappointment, “That’s the film developing room. If the red light is on you can’t open the door.”

Wednesday looked at the indicator by the door, “It appears the light is not on. May I check inside? We’re just looking around for Angela and Enid.”

“If you break it, your family will get the bill.” Mrs. Koshekh shook her head and turned her attention back to her lunch and papers.

Ansel quickly slunk over behind her elbow, holding his breath as she turned the knob. There were two light switches on the wall, she flipped the one for the normal fluorescents as they stepped in. The room was empty, Wednesday hadn’t really been expecting any different, but the disappointment crashed around her heart all the same.

She circled the room, eyes trailing over the various candid photos of students and faculty hanging around the room. Behind her, she heard the familiar sound of a retracting projector screen, then, “Holy shit.” And the sound of Ansel’s inhaler.

Wednesday turned and went to his side, eyes already scanning over the dozens of photographs on the wall. Her heart stopped for one painful moment as clarity kicked in, then there was what started as an itch just under her skin. Followed by a pounding in her ears, and the almost audible crack of the remainder the control on her anger. The main subject was Enid. In class, at lunch, in the hall, preparing for the Poe Cup, winning the Poe Cup, the night of the Rave’n- both pre and post Carrie reference- standing on their balcony. The oldest was from months before her run in with the Hyde, the most recent a photo of Enid at the masquerade, held in a low dip by a raven-haired girl in a red dress.

“Ansel,” her voice was dangerously soft, she felt the boy tremble beside her, “I don’t care what notes you have to forge with your office privileges, get everyone to the Poe Library now. I don’t care if we tear this school apart brick by fucking brick, we are going to find her.”

Her head was swimming. It felt as if she were deep in a cave, the sound of dripping water and voices calling out from far, far away. She wanted to fall back asleep. To make the room stop moving, but the pain wouldn’t let her. There was a searing pain around her wrists, and a burning ache in her shoulders. And she can’t seem to pull in a deep enough breath.

A shock wave hit her in the chest and she gasped, yanking on the restraints around her wrists and scrambling to find purchase on the ground with the tips of her sneakers.

“Fuck!” she shook the hair from her face as she tried to find some way to stand that didn’t cause pain in some part of her body.

“Sorry about that,” a voice sighed with the tone of true sorrow, “I really did not want to do this.”

“What the hell?” Enid demanded blinking the room into focus.

Angie stood in front of her, running her hands along a cattle prod still gently sparking at the end. “Don’t worry, I’m sure this will all be over soon and I promise, I’ll find a way to make you forget this whole scary mess.”

“You crazy bitch.” Enid wheezed, trying to find the strength to pull herself up and pull a deep breath into her abused lungs.

“That’s hurtful, and you know it,” Angie took of her glasses and sighed, her green eyes filled with disappointment, “But I will forgive you. I will admit, this is not how I had hoped our relationship would go. I’ve been working up the nerve to talk to you for a very long time, Enid. I promise, this is not how I planned it.”

“What are you talking about?” she shook her head, searching for the clawing beast that lived somewhere in her chest, but found only a vast expanse in its place.

“Gosh, I remember the first day you walked on campus,” she reached forward with one hand, gently letting her fingertips run down Enid’s cheek, “You were like, this perfect ball of happy goodness. Like god had bottled a little bit of sunshine and sent it out into the world. It was amazing. I should have swallowed my ego and spoke to you then, but I was too busy, and too important. I couldn’t bother with the new girl, a wolf who couldn’t even shift. You understand, I had a purpose.”

There was a cough, Enid rolled her head to stare into the darkness, finding a figure, hunched against the wall a few feet from her, black greasy hair hanging over his blindfolded eyes. “Xavier.” She whispered.

“Yes,” Angie sighed, walking over to the boy on the floor, a vial in her hands, “That was an unfortunate mistake as well. He saw me leaving Ajax’s room and… I couldn’t have him spreading tales.” She opened the vial and waved it under his nose.

“What are you doing to him?” Enid pulled at the shackles again, hissing as the metal burned her skin.

“Aw, your heart is so gentle, Enid.” She pat the top of Xavier’s head as it lulled back to the wall, “I’m just keeping him in a calm, euphoric state. I found that people are more susceptible to my vision that way.”

“You said,” Enid swallowed as Angie stalked back over to her, “You said none of this was part of your plan. So tell me, what is your plan then?”

“My plan is to be recognized for who I am, and get all that I truly deserve.” Her eyes flashed, “Praise, worship, love. And the only way I can do that is to be rid of one Wednesday Addams.”

“Wednesday?” Enid felt her heart go cold.

“She always gets in the way,” Angie’s hands twisted around the prod, “she always has, always ruins everything. And she just gets away with it! She ruins lives and everyone just lets her! Without any consequences!”

“What are you talking about?” there was an electric current running through her veins that had nothing to do with the volts Angie had zapped her with, “What the hell did Wednesday ever do to you?”

“She ruined my life!” lightning crackled from the end of the cattle prod, dozens of mice went scampering over Enid’s feet, she had to dance to avoid squishing any in her surprise, “It started when we were at camp together, four years ago, and she has been getting away with it ever since.”

“Four years ago?” Enid shook her head, “You mean, like, when you were twelve?”

Angie scoffed, “Even at that age, she was so cruel. I had friends, everyone liked me! I knew everyone at the camp! I had been going for years. And then she showed up! Two weeks late, I might add. And she just manipulated her way into everything. And I tried to be nice to her! Even through she was a fucking freak about it all!”

Enid felt her jaw flare as she fought to keep herself from outright growling.

“But no. She wasn’t interested in anything but running my fucking life. She threw the camp into utter chaos! Turned everything on it’s head, turned everyone against each other, and then just skipped out half way through and left it all in ruins. And I will not let her do it again!”

“But, she’s not doing anything to you!” Enid insisted, trying to twist her hands through the rings without any success.

“Isn’t she?” she scoffed, disgusted, “You’re all blind to it. I had a good thing going with the locals, with the school. I was helping them! Warning them about terrible things in time to stop them! Helping them see what was good and right! And then she came along, with all the murder and mayhem that follows her everywhere.” Her hands shook, more sparks flew, “And suddenly no one trusts me! No one believes me! They only believe her. They praise her for saving the school without even realizing that if she had never come here, none of it would have happened!” she laughed. “But I saw her for who she truly was.”

Enid felt her arm muscles tightening, gripping the chain above the shackles, they at least, didn’t burn of silver.

“And I worked hard to make them all see. But they keep giving her passes anyway! She attacks a student in the cafeteria, he gets punished. She bullies him in the locker room, everyone laughs and applauds her! He gets viciously attacked, and the principal sends her away with a warning. I was so close though, the dreams I have been sending out have been taking root. I know, if I can just get Wednesday to lose her famous temper one more time, she’s gone. And things can go back to the way they are supposed to be.”

“You attacked Ajax,” Enid guessed, “You pinned it on her, you’re the witness they have.”

“Yes,” she nodded with a sad smile, “Sacrifices must be made for the greater good. Which is why I must apologize to you. I didn’t want to hurt you, you understand, but you’re the only bait that Wednesday ever fallen for. I spread rumors about each of your friends, she acted as if she didn’t even hear them. And then I saw Ajax was cheating on you, like the ungrateful slime ball that he is. And I knew you deserved to know, and I knew if she found out she would skin him alive for us both. So I tried to make it quite obvious at the Rave’n for you, kept pushing tryst after tryst into his lap, even going so far as to kiss him myself at the masquerade when I knew you would be looking…

“It almost worked, but she held back on her famous wrath, and I just couldn’t figure out why.” Angie shook her head in wonder, “I suppose we will have to see what she does when she finds you here, unconscious with Ajax hovering over you.”

The cattle prod pressed into her chest.

“It’s because I asked her to,” Enid tried to push back on her toes, to lift herself up, to find the wolf that was never supposed to leave her now that she found it.

“Cute,” Angie sneered, “Who will ask her now?” she pulled back on the trigger.

Chapter Text

Pacing… pacing… pacing...

All she can do is pace.

Thinking… thinking… thinking...

All she can do is think.

Pace and think. Pace and think. Enid was gone, Enid had been taken. Where could she be? Where could Angela have taken her? What was her plan? What was she doing to Enid now?

She felt like the wolves she had seen in the zoo once on a field trip when she was still going to normie school. She had watched them pace back and forth in their too small enclosure. Hair bristling on end, teeth bare, a wild desperate light in their eyes.

She was glad to have gotten expelled for releasing them on that field trip. It had felt just.

And yet, now, it felt as if she had only taken their place. Trapped, searching for a way to get to what she wanted, knowing there was no way to get it.

But also being absolutely sure there just had to be a way regardless.

“Is she broken?” Bianca snapped a finger in her face.

Wednesday jerked violently back into awareness. Blinking at the worried faces that surrounded her, far too close for comfort. “It’s about time you all showed up.” She grumbled, pulling her bag around her shoulder, thrusting a hand in and yanking out the stacks of pictures she had snagged from the developing room.

Bianca took them from her shaking hands. “What has you so freaked-,”

It’s not fear, she wanted to correct, to snap. She felt as if her very bones were vibrating with unbridled fury. It burned her skin, put stoppers in her ears, parked a train on her chest, carried the acrid aftertaste of panic.

“What the fuck?” Yoko demanded over the sounds of photographs being quickly flipped through, “What’s this? Enid has a stalker too?”

“I think it’s the same stalker, look,” Eugene danced around Wednesday’s pacing to grab a photo from the board, “Look, it’s the same angle, same day, at slightly different times.”

“Of course,” Bianca scoffed, “Most roommates share clothes, makeup, shoes, books… leave it to you two useless bisexuals to share a stalker. It’s very you.”

“I’m glad you can find it somewhere within you to joke while Enid is held captured somewhere by this… this…” she couldn’t find a word strong enough to encompass her feelings for Angela Zacharias. “Dove.”

“What?”

“Enid’s been taken?”

“What?”

“When?”

“How do you know?”

“You better start talking Addams-,”

“Enough!” the word exploded from her chest as she heaved for a breath, “Enid said she had a meeting with the school newspaper at lunch. Ansel,” she snapped her finger and held out a waiting hand.

“Oh!” Ansel hopped on one foot as he took the crumpled paper from his pocket, he carefully flattened it as best he could on a thigh before handing it over.

“Thank you,” she nodded, “Ansel found our stalker-,”

“Or at least, you know, another suspect.” Katie took the paper from Wednesday, examining it, “We don’t want another repeat of the Tracy fiasco.”

“It has to be,” Wednesday insisted, “She fits the description of the dove, she had all these photos she took of Enid, ones that matched the photos that were sent to me! And the communications teacher said that Angela has a crush on Enid.”

“Who doesn’t?” several of her friends snorted at the same time.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Wednesday crossed her arms.

“Platonically, calm down,” Yoko rolled her eyes, “You of all people should recognize how irresistibly bubbly she is.”

“But our point stands, how do we know it just isn’t some normal crush?” Bianca pressed, “Even with the photos, someone planted your hair on Tracy to frame her, who’s to say this isn’t another set up?”

“Well what do you want me to do?” Wednesday demanded, “You want me to just sit here and do nothing? And hope that she just shows up all “Howdy Roommate!” like nothing happened?”

“No, we search the school,” Bianca took a deep breath, “And I do mean we.” She waved to the Nightshades and the pack, excluding Wednesday in her sweep.

“Absolutely not.” Wednesday shook her head, “There is no way. I need to find her!”

“Right, but you aren’t thinking clearly.” Bianca shook her head, “We need level headed, cold and calculating Wednesday, not psycho girlfriend on a murderous rampage Wednesday.”

Wednesday bit the inside of her cheek until she tasted blood, “Fine. You guys split up. Yoko and Aaron, Divina and Finn, Bianca and Liam, Eugene and Katie, Brigid and Ansel. That way everyone has brains and brawn, and more importantly, someone who knows Enid’s scent.”

“See? There she is.” Bianca shoved her shoulder, “Get your head on Addams, we need you back in the game soon. But Enid will kill us if we save her just to watch your ass get expelled.”

“Right,” Wednesday nodded, “I will try to see if I can figure out where they could be. I mean, whoever it is, they have enough room and privacy to hold both Xavier and Enid at this point.” Everyone stood still for one moment longer, staring with wide, sad eyes and Wednesday, “Well? What are you waiting for? Go!”

 Wednesday stood in the center of the library, breathing in the silence, trying not to choke on it.

There was a tap on her shoe, Wednesday looked down at her old friend.

“Candles.” She said, and began to help gather them, “I know I’ve never been able to trigger a vision before. But there has to be something.”

Thing carefully lit thirteen candles around her as she sat tailor style in the center of the room. She took a deep breath, inhaling the smell of dust, musty leather, burning beeswax. She tried to find her center, the calm place she had always retreated to. Her brain was a mess… there was too much worry, too much fear, too much anger.

She breathed in, intentionally removing everything from her mind, letting it all out with the next breath. In and out. She relaxed every muscle, from her toes to her neck, starting over any time something tensed up. Hair tickled her nose, she put it from her mind. A chill swept over her skin, she let it pass her by.

Wednesday had almost made it through relaxing every muscle with out a thought, when the soft patter of feet ruined it. Her eyes shot open to glare at Thing, but found him still as a statue beneath her parents portrait. She scanned the room and found two mice, scampering along the bookshelves, and a thought slowly unfurled in her mind.

Her first vision had a rat. And the painting of the dove showed her surrounded by mice.

“Thing.” Her voice, though calm, was like a bomb going off in the quiet. The mice took off for some dark corner, “Thing, follow her creatures.”

He signed frantically at her, she fixed him with dead eyes.

“Call it intuition.” She closed her eyes, expecting obedience from the hand as if there was no other option.

She listened to the retreating sounds of his softly tapping fingers. Once more in silence, before she could start her routine again, her hand unconsciously twisted to allow the charm to fall into her palm.

The aura of the vision filled her mouth as her muscles locked up and she fell backwards.

She landed on cement, the humid air thick with mildew. At first, she thought she had fallen into her first vision of the hooded figure. The same wet heat pushed on her face, the same distant dripping sounds echoed all around her. Unlike the first vision, however, she could move.

She rolled up and looked around, eyes straining to adjust to the darkness.

She noticed the body on the floor first, it was closest to her. He was slumped on the floor, his hair tangled and matted with sweat.

“Xavier?” she whispered, or tired to. The sound of her voice lost.

That didn’t seem to matter, Xavier shoved himself upright, wrists pulling taunt the chains that kept him to the floor. He gasped through chapped lips, “Wednesday?”

His head whipped around.

“Xavier!” another voice cried. A voice that twisted a knife in Wednesday’s chest and had her spinning quickly, searching.

Her eyes fell on a sight she knew would haunt her for a very long time. There, in the middle of the room, suspended by her wrists from a thick set of chains, was Enid. A furious glint in her eye as she struggled to pull herself up and take a breath.

“Enid.” She scrambled to her feet, nearly tripping in her haste to get to the girl.

But even as she stood before her, she knew she couldn’t reach out at touch. Enid looked right through her, “Xavier! Come on, fight it! Wake up!”

Wednesday turned back to look at Xavier once more. He was pushing the blind fold from his face, coughing and shaking his head drunkenly from side to side, “What? Where- where are we?”

“I don’t know,” Enid shook her head sharply, “But you need to pretend to be drugged up still when she comes back, or she’s gonna give you more of that stuff.” Her hands gripped the chains above her head, her muscles flexed as she pulled herself up.

Wednesday thought she was trying to yank them free for a moment, but saw that Enid was only trying to give her abused shoulders a break, trying to take a deep breath. Wednesday reached out one hand, letting it over Enid’s face for one moment.

“I’m coming for you, cara mia.” She promised.

Wednesday gasped back into reality, coughing as a wave of smoke drifted over her face.

“Shit.” She rolled her eyes, jumping to unsteady feet to smother the papers that had drifted into her candles.

Thing came racing back down the stairs, tripping and rolling the last two steps in his haste. He shook himself and then began to wildly tap and sign, his words becoming slurred and nearly unintelligible.

Luckily for Wednesday, she already had a pretty good idea where she was headed.

Enid felt a dizzying sense of vertigo as she lost her balance and began to spin on the chain. It reminded her of the times as a child when she would sit on the swing set and her brothers would twist her up as high as they could reach, and release her. Hovering right on that edge of excitement and panic.

She had felt something, a calming brush of air over her overheated body. Her wolf was waking, slowly. Her strength was returning, her eyes and ears adjusting themselves like an old radio.

Enid pulled herself up on the chain again, turning her body in the air until she was braced with one foot on either side of the anchor. She gripped the chain and pushed down with her legs as her arms flexed and tightened.

A low metal groan echoed in the air. She had to stop and turn herself back around to get a breath. She carefully let herself back down and tested the chain, one loosened bolt popped from its mooring and bounced off her forehead.

“Ow!” she complained loudly as she tried to rub her head on her shoulder.

“Are you okay?” Xavier coughed, “What happened?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine!” she whispered sharply, tilting her head to hear over the pounding of her heart, “Shut up, someone is coming!”

Xavier collapsed back against the wall just as the door swung open on screaming hinges. A bright light swept the room and Enid scrambled back, trying to blink away the spots as her arms tugged uselessly at the chain once more.

She had a snarl and fresh threats ready on her tongue when a familiar scent tickled her nose, overpowering the mildew and rust.

“Wednesday!” she whined, pathetically, her struggle on the chains renewed.

“Shh,” the light moved closer as Wednesday set it on the ground, “I’m here, it’s going to be okay, we’re going to get you out of this.”

Enid leaned her head into the soft touch that found her cheek. She opened her eyes and blinked back tears, relief suddenly overwhelming. Though the Raven’s tone had been soft, there was a fire in her eyes, the red having consumed more of the brown.

“How? How did you find me?” Enid asked just to hear Wednesday’s voice again.

“There are only so many mechanical rooms on campus, even a campus this size,” she sighed as she pulled a length of metal from her braid, “Then Thing followed the mice to see where they went. They are her creatures.”

Wednesday looked around and found a few loose cinder blocks near Xavier, she frowned down at his sorry state as she moved them one at a time over to Enid, sliding one under her dangling feet so she could stand more comfortably.

“Let me guess,” Wednesday sighed, “You saw her leaving Ajax’s room when you returned from Bianca’s room?”

He nodded, “She tried to play it off as a booty call,” he coughed and spat, “But one of the giant bug things was sitting on her shoulder. I tried to get around her, and everything went black.”

“Don’t worry,” the Raven assured as she climbed two blocks to reach the shackles, “She will pay for everything she’s done. For Enid, for you, for my hair, for Ajax.” Her voice was slowly becoming a growl, and Enid couldn’t help but nuzzle her face into her neck. Wednesday took a shaky breath, “Not to mention what she’s done to Jericho.”

“What-?”

The door screamed open once again, from the light cast by the flashlight, Enid could just make out Ajax’s dopey smile, “This is the new hook up spot?” he shrugged, “Seems pretty…” his voice trailed off.

Wednesday slipped the wire into Enid’s hand and hopped down, turning to face the newcomers.

“Wednesday? Enid? What are you-,” a loud crackling that made Enid flinch erupted with a blue light, Ajax’s eyes rolled to the back of his head as he crumpled to the floor.

Angie stepped over him, cattle prod in hand and disgusted look on her face.

“You just have to ruin everything, don’t you?” she sneered at Wednesday.

“I have many talents,” Wednesday gave a smug approximation of a smile, “Ruining things for bad guys seems to be one of them.”

“You think I’m the bad guy?” Angie scoffed, “Oh that’s rich coming from you, Addams.”

Wednesday side stepped, the tip of the cattle prod followed her, “Wait, I know you.”

“Yes,” Angie’s face broke into a self-satisfied smile, “I was wondering when you would stop being self-obsessed long enough to notice me.”

“Yes, it took me a while to connect the dots,” Wednesday’s tone was almost apologetic, “You’re the blonde who was making out with Ajax at Enid’s masquerade!”

Enid couldn’t help the bark of laughter that escaped at the shocked indignation on Angie’s face.

“What? No!” came the enraged squeal, “We met at camp! Four years ago! You ruined my life!”

“Camp?” Wednesday pulled a face, stopping to think for a moment, “What camp?”

“Camp Chippewa?” Angie’s hands went to her hips, “When we were twelve? You almost burned the place down!”

“Oh,” Wednesday shrugged, and there was a cruel humor in her eyes now that Enid was starting to recognize all too well, “I was only there for like two weeks, why would I remember that?”

“Because you fucking ruined it all!” Angie was practically screaming now, “You turned everyone against me! No one ever believed me again after what you did!”

“In her defense,” Enid called out with mock sincerity, “She’s ruined a lot of people’s lives,”

“And she doesn’t even remember saving me when we were kids.” Xavier offered from his place on the ground, giving up the rouse of not listening in.

“Oh!” Enid nodded to him, “You’re right, she also saves a lot of people’s lives.”

“This is true,” Xavier snapped his fingers, “So I guess it all kinda balances out in the end, yeah?”

“OH, WILL YOU TWO SHUT UP!” Angie stomped her feet as she screamed, the cattle prod throwing off blue sparks

“Oh now I remember you,” Wednesday nodded, moving again to regain the attention of the armed psychopath, “You’re the girl who would wake up in the morning claiming angels had sent you visions. Something about a drowning kid, spoiled food, a rabid hare attacking everyone.”

“Yes!” she nodded frantically, “Exactly, I was helping everyone-,”

“Except it was all bullshit,” Wednesday rolled her eyes, “You’re the one who popped that kids floatation device, just so you could save him. You poisoned the food and ordered in pizza for the camp on mommy’s credit card. And the only ones who saw the rabid hare you so lovingly put out of its misery, was you and those two sycophants who followed you everywhere. I exposed your lies and manipulations for what they were.”

“No one would have gotten hurt if you just-,”

“No one would have gotten hurt if you didn’t set that fire,” Wednesday interrupted, “I just took away the safety features to teach you a lesson. I see it didn’t work.” She made a face, “I thought your name was Amanda.”

“My mother changed it after what you did to me.” Angie sneered, “It fit when I started getting visions a few weeks later.”

“Real ones this time?” Wednesday smirked, “I doubt they were useful.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Angie’s voice went cold.

“I saw the articles in the newsroom,” Wednesday’s slow pace was bringing her closer and closer to Angie, increasing the panic in Enid’s chest as she struggled to pick the lock without being noticed, “Local outcast saves town from freak accident seems to be a common theme with you. How far would I have to dig to find the tools you used to break the gas lines? I bet they are still under your bed, in your room.”

“What, I don’t,” Angie’s face went pale as she began to shake her head, backing away from Wednesday, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, my visions saved those people!”

“I don’t think they did,” Wednesday sighed.

“They did!” she screamed back, “I may have helped a few along, but that was just so they would believe me when it mattered!” she gave one more wordless scream before taking a deep breath and calming herself, “And now, I’ll need them to believe this newest vision I’ve had. The one where you finally snapped and killed your friends.”

She slowly turned to face Enid once again. Wednesday dashed to put herself between the two blondes, “I promised I would bring you in alive,” Wednesday warned, “Don’t make me break that promise now.”

“You don’t get it,” Angie shook her head, “No one does! No one understands how fucking hard it is!”

“I dunno, have you tried, like listening to Olivia Rodrigo?” Enid asked sweetly, “Taylor Swift maybe?”

Angie screamed and lunged, cattle prod sparking wildly. Wednesday caught it in the stomach, gritting her teeth as she swung a back hand across Angie’s face.

“Please, that is noting compared to the electrical currants my uncle likes to prank us with.” Wednesday taunted, her muscles still spasming despite her cool demeanor.

Angie looked at the blood that came away as she touched her nose, gave another angry cry and began to swing the long weapon like a bat, back and forth. Wednesday ducked and dodged, waiting for a moment to strike, but Enid was done waiting.

“Fuck this,” she pulled her feet up and kicked with all her weight, her shoes planted between Angie’s shoulders, the girls body flew forward. The chains finally gave up the fight and Enid crashed to the floor with a groan.

Angie’s head met a pipe, breaking the seam and sending steam out to fill the room.

She groaned pathetically on the floor, Enid rolled just in time to see Wednesday standing over the dove, chest heaving as she held the business end of the prod to her throat.

“So what?” Angie coughed, “Who do you really think they are going to believe? It’s going to be your word against mine!”

“You’re insane,” Enid laughed, “What about me? Xavier? Ajax?”

“There’s no point in trying to make her see reason,” Wednesday shook her head, “Can one of you kill the steam?”

“Oh! Yeah! Got it!” the familiar voice of Liam called out, followed by the grinding sound of metal.

The room slowly cleared to reveal the half dozen other teenagers surrounding them, Eugene with a tape recorder held out, Katie giving a thumbs up from behind a video camera.

“Did you guys find her other tools?” Wednesday asked as Angie looked around frantically.

“Unless she’s an aspiring waterworks manager,” Aaron nodded, “We got her.”

“We also found the drugs she’s been slipping people,” Bianca shook a clear bag for them all to see, “Not to mention a journal of crazy.”

“Fantastic, I think we can stop rolling now.” She nodded, waited for the light to turn off on the camera before leaning close over Angela’s sweating face, “You’re lucky. If you hadn’t made me appear unstable to the headmaster, I would have been far more creative.”

“You-you’re not going to hurt me?” Angie whimpered.

“You’re not that lucky.” Wednesday rolled her eyes and brought the other end of the weapon down in an arch, cracking her across the face and sending her into an unwilling nap.

Chapter Text

“Is this petty?” Enid asked as she continued to wave and blow kisses with the rest, “This feels petty.”

“Nah,” Bianca waved as she posed with Yoko and Divina for a selfie with the white van in the background, slowly pulling away from the school.

“Feels good,” Katie nodded, “Feels organic.”

Brigid and Ansel set off party crackers as Aaron and Liam produced chips from their bags and passed them around. Enid smiled at her group, not so little as it once was. Everyone was laughing and shoving each other lightly, talking as they waved at the fading taillights.

Enid sighed and looked to Wednesday, who stood a little apart from their little fucked up farewell party. She had her arms held stiffly at her sides, her lips downturned, a little v between her eyebrows.

“Hey,” Enid skipped to her side and linked their pinkies together, “It’s no fun if the hero of the hour doesn’t gloat with us. What’s wrong?”

“It feels… incomplete.” She sighed, “Angela was dangerous, maybe not as dangerous as Tyler or Thornhill, but it was only a matter of time before she escalated from maiming and kidnapping to killing. She was drugging students and faculty, implanting visions and endangering the normies in town, which would have blown back all over us when she was discovered.”

“Yeah,” Enid moved to stand behind Wednesday, wrapping her arms around her waist and laying her chin on the shorter girl’s shoulder, “But you stopped her.”

“Not before she hurt the most important thing to me.” Wednesday’s jaw ticked.

Enid nuzzled her nose into black braids, “I know, I’m sorry.”

“I don’t mean my hair, Enid,” she could hear the eyeroll, “I should have done more that hand her over to Kozlov. She deserves worse than a glorified spa for what she did to you.”

“Hey,” Enid pulled her around, holding her face gently in her hands so she could make eye contact, “You stopped her. I’ll be fine, the bruises have already mostly gone away-,” Enid realized that might not be the best thing to say when Wednesday flinched, bringing her own hands up to rub gently at the fading scars around the wolf’s wrists, “And she’s not going to a spa, she’s going to the same max security lock up as Tyler.”

“It’s a spa compared to what I would do to her.” Wednesday’s eyes flashed briefly with that crimson that was becoming all too familiar, “I should have strung her up with the same chains and let her mice eat her from the toes up.”

“You just say the sweetest things,” Enid shook her head with a laugh, “I’ll have you know I had an escape plan already worked out when you found me.”

Wednesday quirked one eyebrow, “Is that so?”

“Mmhmm,” Enid nodded and bounced on her toes, she dropped her arms to grip Wednesday by her hips, “One of the many perks of finally wolfing out,” she lifted Wednesday into the air, who made the cutest, most undignified noise as she kicked her feet, “I was gonna bust out with good old fashioned brute strength.” She laughed and lowered the indignant Raven back to her feet.

Wednesday shook her head, her cheeks dusted with a lovely pink that made her freckles stand out, “I did notice you had pulled the chains loose rather than employ the lock picking skills I taught you.”

Enid shrugged, “It was hard to concentrate when you were taunting the crazy girl.”

“You taunted her as well!” Wednesday rolled her eyes, “You know, every vision I had where you were in danger, I expected you to be as scared as the rest, but you never were.”

“Oh, no?” Enid blinked, trying to remember if she was scared at the time. She had been, but only when she thought of the danger Wednesday was in, other than that, she had felt mostly angry or annoyed.

“No,” Wednesday brought up her free hand to traced her fingers over the scars on Enid’s face, “You were gloriously infuriated every time. You take my breath away, cara mia.”

“L-look who’s talking,” Enid sighed, suddenly unable to take her eyes off Wednesday’s lips.

“Hey! Lovebirds!” Yoko called out just as a party cracker rained little pieces of streamers and confetti around them, “Come on, I’m starving and your wild animals ate all the chips!”

“You said you didn’t want any!” Finn complained.

“Well not after you dumped half the bag directly into your mouth!” Bianca shoved him.

“It’s not our fault!” Liam complained, using his puppy dog eyes on the siren, “We’re basically always eating for two, we need more calories.”

“I shudder to think how much you’ll eat when you actually start this lacrosse team you’re always going on about.” Bianca poked him in the chest with a smile, “I’m starting to think you’re all talk.”

“I think you just want to see me in a uniform.” Liam teased.

“Are they actually flirting?” Xavier’s voice was quiet beside them.

Wednesday gave him an incredulous look, “Bianca deserves to be happy, Xavier. Not just to be your back up option. Let the puppy make her happy, and keep your undue jealousies out of it.”

“Yeah,” Xavier rubbed the back of his neck, “Yeah, you’re right. Um, hey Enid?”

“Uh, yeah?” Enid took her eyes away from the beautiful sight of her two friend groups integrating.

“I wanted to say that I’m sorry.” He shrugged, not making eye contact, “I’m sorry for having my head so far up my ass that I went and got myself kidnapped.”

“Oh.” Enid blinked, she had quite forgotten about the fact that Xavier had been a rival for Wednesday’s affections only a few days ago. It felt so far away, and so silly now that she knew how Wednesday herself felt.

“And Wednesday?”

“Go on.” Wednesday nodded.

“I’m sorry for not being a friend when you made it clear that’s all you wanted from me,” he took a deep breath, “And I’m sorry for the things I said, you know? About not knowing love.”

Wednesday lifted one shoulder, “You were partially right. I don’t know much about love,” she looked up at Enid, a soft look melting her cold eyes, “But I’m learning.”

Wednesday watched as she sat atop the small hill, the pack was throwing a football back and forth, tackling each other with laughter and claims of cheating. Katie had convinced Eugene to play with them, and Xavier as well. But the bee keeper seemed less suited for it. He kept flinching and dropping the ball every time it came to him.

She thought she would have to step in and save him when Finn and Aaron made to tackle him, but just as she was getting ready to stand, Katie was there, picking him up ball and all and running him to their makeshift goal post, cheering as she spun him around.

Finn and Aaron groaned that it was cheating, and Eugene was a stammering, blushing mess. Enid appeared behind the boys and knocked their skulls together before dashing backwards to catch the ball that Katie threw. It distracted the rest of the players long enough that Katie felt bold in placing a quick kiss on Eugene’s cheek before dancing away and running back into the fray.

Wednesday couldn’t help the smile that spilt her face at seeing the absolute wonderment in Eugene’s eyes as he touched his cheek gently.

“Gross,” Bianca complained from her spot to Wednesday’s left, “Is that an actual honest to god smile? Love is making you soft, Addams.”

Wednesday shot her an unamused glare.

“Chill!” Bianca laughed, “No one is crazy enough to say it except me. Don’t worry, you are still terrifying, especially now that everyone has seen what happens when they mess with your wolf. But,” she shrugged, “Someone has to keep you humble.”

“Thank you for your service.” Yoko nodded solemnly from Wednesday’s other side.

“So, about that betting pool.” Wednesday grumbled.

The three girls suddenly became quite interested in the dogpile happening on the field below them.

“What was it up to and who won?” she pressed on, undaunted.

“Six hundred bucks.” Divina sighed and pulled an envelope out of her jacket pocket.

“We don’t know who won,” Yoko shrugged, “No one’s been brave enough to ask who kissed who first.”

“Ten to one said Enid would crack first,” Bianca allowed, “Seeing as she’s the emotional one.”

“What fool took those odds?”

“Eugene.” They all spoke in unison.

“Well, I’m afraid the beekeeper has taken you all blind.” Wednesday reached out and snatched the envelope from Divina’s fingers.

“What?” Yoko’s face broke into a shit eating grin.

“Enid would never presume to breech my personal space,” Wednesday counted out the bills, “I kissed her first.” They didn’t need to know that Enid had brought their lips within centimeters of each other, or how she seemed comfortable enough now to shower her with little affections when Wednesday least expected it.

“Well, if it isn’t the queen of self-restraint herself.” Yoko laughed as Enid tripped up the hill to breathlessly fall into Wednesday’s lap, staring up with a blindingly beautiful smile.

“Hey beautiful.” Enid brought Wednesday’s palm to her lips to kiss it.

A chorus of Awww echoed around them, and Wednesday thought her so called friends were having a little too much fun.

“Enid, did you know that our friends placed a bet on our relationship?” she asked sweetly.

Laughter died in throats as Enid twisted to lay on her stomach and look up at them, “What? What kind of bet?”

“It seems they believed you would be the first one to kiss me and break the tension between us.” Wednesday leaned back on her hands to enjoy the show.

“What? I would never-,” Enid sat up on her knees, “That would be, like, a breech of trust! You know how she feels about her personal space! And after all those guys constantly throwing themselves at her-,”

Wednesday smiled as she watched Enid’s cheeks grow more red as she lectured her friends for not knowing Wednesday as well as she did.

“And another thing-,”

“Uh, hey Enid?” Divina made a slicing motion across her neck and thrust her chin in the direction of the figure slowly approaching their little gathering.

The girls all looked at Ajax as he slowly sauntered closer. Wednesday was on her feet faster than her brain could register what she was seeing. The other girls were quick to follow, even as the shortest of them put herself in between them and the gorgon.

Enid sighed; she hadn’t seen Ajax since they carted him back to the infirmary after his run in with Angela. And before that, it was only to shout threats at Wednesday. She moved to stand beside her, linking their hands together to ground the high-strung Raven.

“Hey, Enid,” Ajax nodded, fiddling with his floppy beanie, “Wednesday, Bianca, Yoko, Divina.”

“Ajax.” Bianca scoffed, “Look, we all know each other’s names. What do you want?”

“I was, uh, I wanted to talk to Enid? Alone?”

“It’s nice to want things,” Wednesday’s voice was that sickly sweet tone she took on whenever she taunted someone, “It builds character.”

“Look, you won her Addams, alright?” Ajax crossed his arms and slouched in on himself, “Can’t I just-,”

“Won her?” Wednesday took one step forward, “Enid’s not a prize, Ajax. She’s not a trophy to tote around. She’s a whole beautiful and amazing person. Or I guess you must have forgotten that, with how you treated her.”

“I know,” Ajax deflated more, “I know. I messed up. Like, really messed up. I know I was an ass, and I deserved everything you did to me, Wednesday.”

“You actually deserved worse, but Enid wouldn’t let me hurt you.” Wednesday took another step forward, but Enid tugged her back slightly.

Wednesday looked up to see the small, sad smile on her face, “It’s okay. I’ll talk to him. You go make sure the pack doesn’t feel the need to run up here and stick their noses in it.” She nodded to the field where all play had stopped, the wolves staring intently up at the confrontation, Eugene and Xavier shifting uncomfortably in that stillness.

“Go on,” Enid urged with a nod to the other three.

Wednesday resisted the urge to plant a kiss on Enid before turning to leave, she wanted to. But that felt like she would just be treating her the same way as Ajax had. So, she simply nodded and backed down the hill with Yoko, Divina and Bianca at her sides.

She turned to her pack and sighed, taking the battered ball from Liam’s hand, “Fetch.” She snapped before pulling her arm back and throwing the ball with all her strength.

The pack took off after it in an instant as it flew further than Wednesday had expected. She turned to stand between Bianca and Eugene, watching the two figures at the top of the hill. Enid stood straight, arms crossed as she shook her head at Ajax as he twisted uncomfortably.

“Here’s your prize money.” Wednesday mumbled as she handed the envelope to Eugene.

“My- what?” he stammered as he took the envelope, “I didn’t- I mean, what is this?”

“Don’t play dumb, Eugene, it doesn’t suit you.” Wednesday rolled her eyes, “Don’t worry, I took a cut as penance. There’s still enough for you to take Katie on a respectable date.”

Eugene turned red as he stammered out a nervous thanks as he shoved the cash into a pocket.

Wednesday couldn’t take her eyes off the conversation at the top of the hill, her ears strained to catch what words she could on the wind.

“… I know, but if you could just give me another chance, you can’t honestly want to be with her, she’s crazy and-” Ajax had his hands out, pleading.

Enid slapped him across the face, held up a finger to point it at him, “Grow the fuck up, Ajax. In the meantime, work on your apologies and stay the hell away from me.”

Ajax held his face in one hand and nodded, before turning and sulking away.

“Some boys never learn, huh?” Xavier cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable looking at who he almost was.

Enid made it down the hill, her eyes a deep gold color as she muttered unintelligibly to herself. Wednesday rose on her toes and kissed her softly, shocking the blonde into silence, her eyes fading back to their normal blue.

“Huh, so that does work,” Wednesday nodded, “Interesting.”

“What?” Enid stammered, her ears turning red.

But the wolves had returned with their ball and surrounded them, congratulating Enid and offering complaints about the gorgon on her behalf.

Enid was pulled away back into the play fighting that was pretending to be football, Wednesday shook her head with a smile.

“Do you think we’ll ever have a normal semester?” Bianca sighed as she watched them go, “Like, I would like to have one week pass without some impending danger.”

“Really?” Wednesday quirked an eyebrow at her.

“Nah,” she shook her head, “Where would the fun in that be?”

Yoko and Divina laughed as they made their way back to their spot, tripping to a stop when they found the headmaster waiting for them.

“Ms. Addams,” Kozlov nodded, “I would like to have a word with you in my office.”

Wednesday looked over her shoulder at the laughing mass of piled wolves.

“We’ll tell her where you went,” Bianca nodded.

Wednesday sighed, “lead the way, Headmaster.”

“Please, take a seat,” the Satyr waved for the chair in front of his desk as he sat behind it.

“I’d rather not.” Wednesday stood at attention between the chairs, “Sitting implies comfort, which implies a certain fondness or friendship. Neither of which I feel for you.”

“That’s fair.” Kozlov seemed to be fighting a smile, though it was hard for Wednesday to tell as she had little experience with his kind, “I did want to have a chance to thank you for what you did for the school.”

“I don’t require thanks.” Wednesday fought to keep the sneer from her face, “Though an apology from you would be most appreciated.”

“You well know that Ms. Zacharias was drugging my morning tea,” Kozlov grumbled, “I would not have reacted so poorly to you, would have seen more clearly with out her influence. And you’ll remember I did let you collect her and your evidence against her in the end.”

“Let me,” Wednesday rolled her eyes, “If you let me handle it the way it should have been, Angela would have been more permanently removed as a threat.”

“Which is why I couldn’t.” Kozlov nodded, “I can’t have students killing each other, even if it’s well deserved. You have my apologies for delaying your justice, however unintentional it was.”

Wednesday gave a sharp nod, the headmaster continued to study her carefully.

“You don’t seem satisfied by my apology, Addams,” He rose and paced slowly with his hands clasped behind his back, “And you don’t want my thanks. Tell me, what is it you do want?”

Wednesday thought for a moment, opening her mouth and closing it as she tried to find the right words, “I want the Nightshades.”

“The Nightshades,” Kozlov turned to look down at her, “You mean the secret student society that hasn’t existed in thirty years?”

“Maybe they should.” Wednesday stood taller, “The Nightshade’s served an important purpose when they were established. Protecting outcasts, both from normies and each other when necessary. The last two threats to this school, that of the Hyde and the Dove, those were both foiled by me, with the help of a group of talented students.”

“What are you proposing?” he sat back down, pulling out a notebook and pen.

“Reinstating the Nightshades, with your full cooperation,” Wednesday nodded sharply, “Not as some joke of a fraternity, but as they were actually meant to be. To protect the students, and the school from those who might wish it harm. And as long as you don’t get in my way as I try to find the truth, I’ll even let you take the credit for any good we do.”

“You’re serious?” Kozlov sat back, eyes narrowed, “Why?”

“As I said, I don’t need thanks.” She moved her arms to cross over her chest, “And it’s better if we stay a secret after all.”

Kozlov thought for a moment, “As long as you promise not to torture any students, you have a deal.” He put out his hand.

“Deal.”

Enid paced the room, looking out the window, then at the door, waiting for a sign of-

The door opened, Enid spun and saw Wednesday walking in, a contemplative look on her face. Enid held herself back from talking the girl, but just barely. She watched, bouncing on toes, as Wednesday unlaced her boots and placed them in the closet. Her bag slung over the back of her computer chair.

Enid felt like she was going to explode if Wednesday didn’t say something.

The Raven just pulled herself up onto her bed, back against her head board and closed her eyes. Enid couldn’t help the small pathetic whining noise she made. She felt mortified and slapped her hand over her mouth, but the corners of Wednesday’s lips just twitched.

“Well?” she asked, patting the bed beside her.

Enid squealed in excitement and clambered onto the bed, throwing herself across Wednesday’s lap as she tucked herself under her chin with a contented sigh. The sound of Wednesday’s chuckle reverberated through her, making her feel warm and happy. Wednesday slowly ran her fingers though Enid’s hair, tangled from spending the weekend roughhousing with her pack.

Enid melted under the touch as her nails gently scratched her scalp and ran though to the ends of her hair, “Hey, you’ve done this while I was sleeping haven’t you?” she looked up at the very guilty expression on Wednesday’s face.

“I… may have had one or two moments of weakness.” She cleared her throat, “I’m sor-,”

Enid cut her apology off with a long sweet kiss, “Don’t you dare apologize for being sweet to me, Addams. I won’t hear it. If you feel like you have to make it up to me, you can do so by petting me every night.” She wiggled back into a comfortable position.

“Whatever my love desires.” Wednesday sighed as she resumed carding her fingers through Enid’s hair.

Enid felt herself glowing under the sentiment, nuzzling further into Wednesday’s chest, “So, do I, like, get to call you my girlfriend now and stuff?” she asked quietly.

“It seems only fitting I suppose,” Wednesday sighed, “Most people would think it far too soon if I married you before having properly met your parents.”

“Yeah, what?” Enid pulled back, looking down on her girlfriend, who looked almost sheepish.

“I meant what I told you,” Wednesday shrugged, “I will love you forever, Enid Sinclair. You own me heart and soul, and I don’t see a reason to pretend otherwise.”

Enid shook her head, “You do say the sweetest things.” She crumpled back into her arms, “You are going to spoil me like crazy, aren’t you?”

“I may have already begun that process,” Her fingers scratched lightly, “I was just thinking, what is something you always wanted? So when Kozlov asked what I wanted for saving the school, yet again, I insisted on reinstating the Nightshades. How would you like to be the first official member?”

“Really?” Enid bounced up excitedly, “You actually want me to be a Nightshade? You’re not just doing it to, I don’t know, humor me?”

“Your serious?” Wednesday leveled a loving glare at her, “Cara mia, I would be insane not to have someone with all your skill and talent in my silly little secret society. I need you, we’re stronger together after all.”

“Okay,” Enid nodded, “But I still want the black cloak!”

Wednesday laughed, leaning up to kiss Enid breathless, “Anything for you.”