Chapter Text
It had been one week since the life changing Rave'n dance in which Wednesday and Enid had shared their feelings for each other and become an official couple, the thought of which nearly drew out a squeal of happiness from her but she restrained herself. The half dozen glares she had received over the past week for doing just that still fresh in her mind.
Looking up from her her phone where she had been idly scrolling to see if anything interesting had happened overnight her eyes immediately sought out her roommate turned girlfriend, now that they were dating she could do so freely without fear of being caught and reprimanded and thusly took that opportunity whenever she could.
What she didn't expect to see so early in the morning was Wednesday emptying out her backpack before loading it with an unidentifiable bundle of clothing pulled from the bottom drawer of her dresser.
“You going somewhere Ness?” Even from the other side of the room those eyes, now turned on her, were still piercing.
“I am going swimming in Jericho” Now that was not even in the top one thousand things she thought might be a reply.
“You like to swim?” The surprise in her voice went untempered with how fast she blurted out her response.
“No. I know how to swim, they are not one and the same” Just a week and a half ago such a statement would have come with an audible scoff but now just a slightly sterner edge to her voice, like being asked if she liked something was an offensive question.
“Then why are you going?” She could feel her head involuntarily tilt to the side in confusion at her girlfriends choice of activity. Then again this was a person that openly admitted to gaining satisfaction out of the torment of others, maybe she enjoyed tormenting herself as well.
“I learnt to swim because dying to a preventable death if I should for whatever reason find myself in the water would be an unacceptable way to go. I continue to swim every few months to make sure I remain capable” Of course, makes perfect sense.
“That sounds very you” Enid could feel the smile easily settle in place, Wednesday really was like no other “Can I come with?” The question was released into the world with much less consideration than Wednesday gave to the idea in return, staring back in silent appraisal for what felt like an uncomfortable length of time.
“That depends on how garish your swimsuit is” Wednesday finally acquiesced. Her gentle smile now stretching into a wide beam as she fully rose up on her bed.
“I have several!”
“Then the one that would make me want to gouge my eyes out the least. The shuttle leaves in twenty minutes” And with that unceremoniously delivered she turned heel and marched into their en-suite bathroom, leaving Enid scrambling to pull out the swimsuits she had tucked away with the end of summer.
***
Just fifteen minutes later the two were stood outside the entrance to the school ready to board the shuttle along with half a dozen other students. Even though it was a Saturday the 9am shuttle was always pretty empty as half of the student body would pretty much need to be paid to be up so early on a precious weekend.
Boarding the shuttle Enid led Wednesday over to the right side of the bus, promising a better view on the short ride. To Enid's eyes Wednesday's natural combative instinct had started to slightly mellow out over the past week and she allowed herself to be placed without complaint. Baby steps, but steps all the same.
As the last of the students boarded and the driver set off Enid reached over and captured Wednesday's hand with her own, lacing their fingers together. Wednesday pursed her lips a little but said nothing.
The hand holding was a concession on Wednesday's part for a limit on displays of public affection. Well she had actually said 'If holding your hand will dissuade any of the morons at the school from thinking that they have a shot with you then fine', not exactly a sweeping romantic statement but she would take her wins where she could get them.
Arriving in Jericho's town square just a few minutes later Wednesday led them with military efficiency towards the small sports centre after ruthlessly, in Enid's opinion, turning down a suggestion for a quick peek in Haute Kewture. Even her best pouts were ineffective. She would get Wednesday in on a couples/roomies shopping spree before the day was out though, it was only fair in her mind, as although she managed to rope her into a movie night a couple of days ago they hadn't actually gone on a proper date yet.
Getting through reception at the sports centre had been a quick but uncomfortable affair as Wednesday simply stared at the receptionist until they were given locker keys and gestured towards the changing rooms.
Enid was barely halfway through changing herself when she heard Wednesday leaving her stall.
Rushing to catch up with her girlfriend she exited onto poolside just a few minutes later and... found the pool completely empty aside from Wednesday, dressed not in a swimsuit but a short summer wet suit, going through rigorous stretches.
“I would have figured it would be busy on a Saturday morning” She was looking around as if other patrons were suddenly going to manifest “We're the only ones here?”
“By design” Wednesday stopped her stretches briefly to look over at her “Doing this in front of gawking locals did not sound appealing so I rented out the entire pool, my parents are good for their money at least” If concealing vulnerability wasn't at the height of Wednesday's priorities she didn't know what was. Which made it all the thrilling that she was starting to open up to her.
“Wow. You know, it's a little romantic, just the two of us” Enid delivered her best coy look.
“You find everything romantic” Wednesday shot back, the smallest hint of a smile furtively forming “Once I have covered my required distance we can relax”
As Wednesday finished with her stretches and moved to the pools edge Enid could make out another emotion forming on her usually stoic face.
“You look almost nostalgic”
“The last time that I was at a swimming pool it was to release a dozen hungry piranhas into it” The statement, delivered with a certain melancholy rattled around in Enid's head for a few seconds as she tried to process.
“...What?” Her processing had crashed.
Wednesday turned to regard her once more “The incident that got me expelled from my last school and sent to Nevermore” She calmly explained.
“You aren't joking are you?” Enid hadn't been able to find out exactly what had happened online but she wouldn't have ever imagined... “Two kids really died?” Her voice pitched up as she swallowed the nervous bubble in her throat.
“Unfortunately not, just two testicles” Gross.
“Just, why?”
“They were tormenting my brother” The venom that Wednesday had dished out freely in her first few days at Nevermore was back in that statement “No-one gets to do that but me”
“Well it's almost sweet?” What else could she say? “Or not sweet” She amended at Wednesday's scowl “Dastardly and devious, not sweet”
“That's better” Wednesday replied, lowering herself down to sit on the edge of the pool, ready to get in.
“You know I'm surprised that didn't come with a cap, Or a diving helmet” She tried to lighten the subject. Though she knew that if she was going to wear a swim cap her hair would have to be taken out of her signature pigtails and even after being roommate's for weeks Enid had never seen her in such a state, she always preferred to fix her hair in the privacy of their bathroom.
“It did, but if I were to be pushed or fell in the water I would not have one, it was enough of a compromise to practise in a swimsuit rather than my clothes” Would Wednesday ever stop surprising her with her off the cuff statements?
“You learnt to swim in your clothes?” She was in disbelief, but yeah, that kinda tracked.
“It is the most true to life” Although simply delivered she sounded a touch affronted that Enid would question her logic.
“Because you prefer to live with the belief that at some point someone might push you in the water?”
“People go through their lives not believing that some madman with an axe will kick down their door and chop them into little pieces. There is a reason why those people are in little pieces” Well that ominous statement drew some of the colour from her cheeks.
As Enid was mentally recovering Wednesday finally slipped into the pool and began her swim, tackling the exercise with the sort of discipline that usually took a drill sergeant shouting orders to inspire.
Enid's time in the pool was taken at a much more leisurely pace, swimming as she felt and occasionally stopping to watch her girlfriend off in her own little world of focus.
Twenty five minutes later by the clock on the wall Wednesday was done, thirty laps by Enid's count, and was now treading water near the shallow end of the pool.
Enid swam lazily over towards her like a shark circling it's prey. Reaching her she pinned her to the edge of the pool with one hand either side of her but making no further moves. Happy to simply slowly take in her girlfriends appearance, a little dishevelled, her usually measured breathes coming out heavier and some actual colour in her cheeks.
“While I enjoy torturous waits as much as the next girl we do only have the pool for the hour” Wednesday was pointedly looking down down at Enid's lips and who was she to ignore such an invitation?
The rest of their hour in the pool became much of the same, turning it into a little game as they took it in turns to chase each other around the pool, the winner claiming a kiss for their reward so unlike the Poe cup it was hardly a competition that she cared about losing.
And if she had slowed down a few times to let herself get caught quicker, well there was no-one else at the pool to know.