Chapter Text
Part 1
"Wednesday, I'm not sure about this. I think I've changed my mind."
Enid's voice was edged with genuine panic. Her hands fidgeting against the wooden floor of their dorm room.
"Relax, Enid." Wednesday's voice was low. Enid caught the thread of anticipation woven through it. "This is the best part."
Wednesday's hand slid down to Enid's knee, her pale fingers wrapping confidently around the joint before lifting. Enid's leg rose into the air.
"I can't relax." Enid's breathing was getting faster. "Last time it wasn't that big. Okay, just..." Enid swallowed hard. "Give me a moment."
"There's no turning back now," Wednesday said as she shifted her weight against Enid.
"I can't believe you talked me into doing this." Enid closed her eyes, her whole body tensing. Heat crept up her neck. "We've only been dating a week."
"Technically nine days." Wednesday sounded almost pleased with herself. "This is definitely a highlight."
Enid opened one eye, catching the way Wednesday's mouth had curved. "Just be careful, okay? It's really sensitive down there."
Wednesday's thumb traced a small circle against Enid's skin. "I know what I'm doing."
"Okay." Enid squeezed her eyes shut again. "Okay. On three. One... two..."
Wednesday didn't wait for three.
"OW OW OW!" Enid's back arched off the floor, her free leg kicking out reflexively. "You were supposed to go on three!"
Wednesday's legs shifted again, her body pressing down across Enid's hips to hold her in place before she could roll away. Wednesday straddling her waist, one hand still gripping her raised thigh while the other held up the wax strip like a prize.
"Anticipation only increases your anxiety."
"I swear this is the happiest I've ever seen you." Enid tried to catch her breath. "You're literally glowing right now."
"My girlfriend asked me to engage in mutual torture." Wednesday's expression was perfectly deadpan, but her eyes were genuinely bright in a way Enid had only seen a handful of times. "What more could I want?"
"It wasn't torture for you!" Enid gestured wildly at Wednesday's already smooth legs, pale and perfect and completely unbothered. "You just took it all without flinching. Your expression didn't change once."
Wednesday tilted her head. "Yes, it wasn't as pleasant as I'd hoped. The pain was over too quickly to properly savor." She paused, her gaze dropping to where Enid's skin was already turning pink. "But I had no idea relationships involved this. It's a nice surprise."
Enid felt her blush spread. "Look, it's a werewolf thing, okay? I just, I felt gross and now I'm regretting the whole thing."
"If you continue being a coward," Wednesday said, interrupting her self loathing, "I'll have to get my manacles."
Enid's eyes snapped open. "Your what?"
"Hold still, or this will take all day." Wednesday shifted again, reaching for another strip, and that expression crossed her face once more.
The next strips pressed against her skin, warm and sticky. Wednesday's fingers smoothed them down with meticulous care. "Wait—"
Too late.
"OW!"
Wednesday held up the strip, examining it in the light filtering through the window.
"I hate you so much right now." Enid's voice came out strained, her leg muscles trembling where Wednesday still held them firmly. The skin burned, that lingering sting that somehow felt worse in the aftermath than during.
"You do not." Wednesday set the strip aside and retrieved another. A longer one this time.
"You're a sadist."
"Obviously." Wednesday pressed down, smoothing the strip against Enid's skin with slow, deliberate strokes. "Don't act surprised."
She wasn't. And the worst part, while lying here half undressed with Wednesday's hands all over her legs was that she almost liked it too.
"How did we go from me worrying you wouldn't find me sexy because of my hairy legs," Enid said, forcing her voice to stay steady, "to you looking the most excited I've ever seen while you wax them?"
Wednesday paused, her hand softly stroking Enid's thigh. For a moment she just looked at Enid, her dark eyes unreadable.
"You were absent for my birthday this year," Wednesday said finally.
The words stung more than the wax strips. "You know I feel awful about that. But it wasn't exactly my choice—Ow! Wednesday. You're meant to warn—Ow. Ow!"
Several strips in rapid succession, each pulled with enthusiasm.
"You are wholly forgiven," Wednesday said. She held up the strips like trophies, examining each one with that disturbing smile before setting them carefully aside. Then she looked down at Enid's leg, at the reddened skin now smooth and hair-free, and her expression softened.
Enid followed her gaze. Her leg did look good now. Smooth and even, the pink flush already starting to fade. And Wednesday's hands were still there, gentle now, fingers trailing over the sensitive skin.
"You know," Enid said quietly, "a normal girlfriend wouldn't enjoy getting to hurt me?"
"Pain is the fun side effect." Wednesday met her eyes, and there was something raw in her expression, something unguarded that Enid was still learning to recognize. "If you are going to suffer for unnecessary beauty standards, that you trust me to be the one to hurt you is quite generous. There seems to be benefits of a relationship that I had failed to consider."
Enid's heart did that stupid fluttery thing it had been doing a lot lately around Wednesday. "You're way more romantic than you pretend to be."
"Please refrain from repeating that. I have a reputation to maintain." Wednesday pressed a soft kiss to Enid's sensitive skin before finally releasing her leg. "Now the other leg."
---
Wednesday discarded the final strip and lifted herself from where she sat against the bottom of Enid's back. "All done."
"You were scarily efficient at that." Enid pulled herself up to perch on the edge of her bed and stroked the perfectly hairless skin of her legs.
"You're right. I could have savored it more, but you wriggled less when I did them quickly." Wednesday carefully wiped away tiny tears that lingered at the corner of Enid's eyes. "You redefined the meaning of dramatic."
"It hurt! And I panicked when you pinned me down and started comparing waxing my legs to flaying a body."
"Would you like me to teach you?"
"No! And for your information, I could have got free. But I try to avoid hurting you."
Wednesday ignored the taunt and crouched beside Enid. "Are you satisfied with the result?"
"Yeah," Enid paused as she met Wednesday's eyes. "Are you?"
"They aren't my legs."
Enid leaned forward to take Wednesday's hand in hers then raised her leg and placed Wednesday's hand against her calf. "But do they feel okay?"
"Enid," Wednesday's fingers slid lightly, barely more than an inch, "your form is always pleasing to me."
Enid felt her mouth move but her brain couldn't find suitable words.
Wednesday released her leg and turned to walk back towards her own bed as if that wasn't the most romantic declaration Enid had ever heard Wednesday make.
The werewolf bounded across the wooden floor and threw her arms around Wednesday, hoisting her up as she pushed her smile against Wednesday's back.
"Please return me to the floor."
"Fine. Shall we go get coffee? My treat."
"I have a project that requires solitude." Wednesday's tone was matter-of-fact, not cold.
"Can't I just stay and be quiet?"
"Clearly not. Your version of 'quiet' involves humming, sighing, and repositioning yourself every four minutes." Wednesday guided her toward the door with gentle but insistent pressure.
"You can't kick me out without—"
Wednesday stepped closer without hesitation. Enid suspected the girl who had once recoiled from all physical contact was discovering she quite enjoyed this particular exception.
The kiss was more than enough to make Enid forget her protest.
"Don't miss me too—" The door closed between them.
Enid pressed her forehead against the wood, grinning. "Cruelty is her love language."
---
Enid pushed open the door to the dorm room, her phone clutched in her hand. "I just saw a video, well videos, you need to see them. You know how you're a raven, with your visions? Well apparently wolves and ravens have this connection in the wild. They make little teams and work together. This one video even had a raven playing with a wolf cub, it was the cutest thing. We should totally..."
She trailed off, scanning the empty room.
"Hey Thing." Enid spotted him on Wednesday's desk. "I thought Wednesday would be here."
Enid walked over to her bed, where her laptop sat open. "Was she using my laptop again?"
Thing tapped against the wood.
"No, I don't mind at all. What's mine is hers. She knows that."
She sat down and pulled the laptop closer, the screen still glowing. Dozens of tabs stretched across the top of the browser.
"What the? Why doesn't she ever close the tabs? Her refusal to learn anything more advanced than a typewriter is a real character flaw. She's lucky she's hot when she's annoyed with me."
Thing covered his thumb with his fingers.
"Don't be like that. It's called the honeymoon phase, I'm allowed to gush about her."
Enid started scanning through the tabs. "Ooo, a Love Languages Quiz." She clicked to the next tab. "Love Languages Quiz." Another click. "Seriously? How many times did she take the same quiz?"
More tabs revealed themselves as she scrolled. "50 Tips for Being a Better Girlfriend." "Romantic Date Ideas for Beginners." "How to Show Affection Without Excessive Physical Contact. How to Make Your... what the hell, Wednesday? Thing, don't look! I'll need to clear the history."
A smile tugged at Enid's lips despite herself. "Oh, but Thing, look at this. She's been researching. Like, actually trying to figure out how to do this whole relationship thing."
Thing remained motionless on the desk.
"You don't think she feels overwhelmed, do you? I know she had that whole... whatever it was, with Tyler before she knew he was a murderer, but she isn't the most experienced with relationships."
Thing tapped.
"Oh totally, this is all new for me too." Enid kept clicking the tabs closed. "Last semester I had a bestie roommate who kept her side of the room like a funeral home. Now I have a girlfriend who probably already has a plan on how to dispose of my body if she ever decides we need to break up."
Thing's tapping grew more animated.
"What do you mean she drew a diagram?" Enid's eyes widened. "I'm sure it's just her little joke. I drew a heart around 'Enid Addams' in my notebook yesterday. Sometimes classes are boring and you find ways to pass the time. It doesn't have to mean anything. But don't tell her that! Please."
She continued closing tabs, one after another, until she paused on one near the end. "Here, see? She was looking at the showtimes for the new romcom I want to see." Warmth spread through her chest. "I knew there was a sweetheart somewhere beneath all the gloom."
Thing tapped again, sharper this time.
"What do you mean?" Enid leaned closer to the screen. The page showed the local cinema listings. Her eyes found the title. "The Rowboat, tonight at 6:35 PM."
She checked her phone. 8:47 PM.
"Oh." The warmth in her chest cooled. "That showing was this evening. Is that where she is right now?"
Thing scurried behind the typewriter.
"You always know where she is." Enid tried to keep her voice light.
Thing's fingers remained hidden.
"Fine, don't tell me. I'll ask her myself."
Enid busied herself with homework for the next twenty minutes, though she kept glancing at the door. When it finally opened, she gave Thing a pointed look before turning to Wednesday.
"There's my sunshine." She tried for casual. "I saw you had been looking up movies. Would you like to go watch The Rowboat tomorrow after class?"
"No." Wednesday walked directly to her bed without breaking stride. She crouched down and pulled out a trunk from underneath, the lock glinting in the lamplight.
Enid watched as Wednesday extracted something from her bag. Her hands moved quickly, placing whatever it was inside. The lock clicked shut with finality and the trunk disappeared back under the bed.
"Oh." Enid's smile faltered. "I thought maybe we could do a date night."
Wednesday straightened, brushing invisible dust from her skirt. "I am currently too busy with my investigation."
"Investigating what?" Enid sat up straighter. "Don't tell me someone is trying to kill you again? Or me? You don't have to protect me, Wednesday."
"A lesson I already learned." Wednesday moved to her desk, her movements precise as always. "No, to the best of my knowledge we are not presently the target of any murderers."
"Then where have you been? You've been out for hours."
Wednesday's expression remained unreadable. "The library. I had to do research for my next novel."
"I thought your first novel kept getting rejected." Enid kept her tone gentle.
"That is true." Wednesday's response came quickly. "But the shortsightedness of publishers will not keep me from my goals."
"So what is this second novel about?"
A pause. Barely, but Enid noticed.
"I am still undecided." Wednesday pulled her notebook closer to herself on the desk, angling it away from view. "But I believe Viper may seek a romantic relationship."
"Wait, really?" Enid couldn't help the excitement creeping into her voice. "Viper? Your emotionally unavailable sociopathic detective is going to fall in love?"
"I did not say love. I said a romantic relationship. There is a distinction."
"Okay, but still. That's huge for Viper." Enid shifted on her bed, tucking her legs under herself. "Who's the lucky victim?"
"Undecided. I am considering my options." Wednesday's hand hovered over the notebook. "The character must be worthy of Viper's attention. Intelligent. Resilient. Capable of matching Viper's intensity."
"That sounds amazing, Wednesday." Enid meant it. "I'd love to read it when you start writing."
"Perhaps." Wednesday's voice softened a little. "When it is ready."
They fell into silence, the kind that would have felt comfortable a few days ago but now seemed weighted. Enid watched Wednesday's silhouette, her shoulders holding tension with pride.
Wednesday turned from the desk abruptly. She crossed the room in three strides and stopped in front of Enid's bed.
"Come here."
"What?" Enid blinked up at her.
Wednesday's hand extended, palm up. An offering, not a demand.
Enid took it and let herself be pulled to standing. Wednesday's other hand came up to cup her jaw, thumb brushing across her cheek the way she had almost every time she initiated. Then Wednesday kissed her, soft and deliberate.
It wasn't their first kiss. Wasn't even their tenth. But it still made Enid's breath catch. The way Wednesday's fingers threaded into her hair, the slight pressure of her lips, the fact that Wednesday initiated it without prompting. She was so much more confident in her actions already.
When Wednesday pulled back, her dark eyes searched Enid's face for a moment before she stepped away.
"I need to shower." Wednesday gathered her things without another word and disappeared to the bathroom.
Enid stood there, fingertips touching her own lips, trying to process what had just happened. Thing tapped from the desk.
"I'm imagining things, right? It's Wednesday, she's always weird."
Thing's response was brief.
"So what if I'm flustered?" Enid returned to her bed, pulling her knees up to her chest. "It was a good kiss..." She trailed off. "No, I'm being paranoid. She's probably just stressed about the book rejections. And it's actually really sweet that she's thinking about Viper being romantic. Maybe Wednesday's changing because of us."
Thing offered no response.
"That's a good thing, right?"
The silence stretched until the shower turned on in the bathroom. Enid changed into her pajamas and climbed into bed, but sleep felt impossibly far away. She stared at the ceiling, replaying the evening in her mind.
Enid rolled onto her side, facing Wednesday's empty bed.
This was stupid. She was being stupid. Wednesday wouldn't lie to her. Well, not more than Wednesday lied to everyone if she had an agenda. Maybe less. They'd been through too much together. She hadn't specifically asked Wednesday not to lie to her now they were a couple. Would Wednesday know she's meant to put her partner above sneaking around? She's never done this before.
But Enid had also never done this before. Not really. She'd dated, sure. Ajax had been sweet and simple and comfortable. Until it got complicated. Bruno had been exciting, until that got complicated. But this felt... She'd never dated a girl. Never dated someone who approached emotions like they were an illness to be overcome. Wednesday was complicated from the moment they met. Enid had never felt this desperate to get it right.
What if she was messing it up? What if Wednesday was already regretting this whole thing and was too polite... No. Against all odds Wednesday did care about Enid's feelings. But Wednesday never sugar coated things.
Wednesday Addams didn't do anything she didn't want to do.
The bathroom door opened and Wednesday emerged in her black pajamas, hair damp and hanging loose around her shoulders. She moved through her nighttime routine with familiar efficiency. Enid watched through half-closed eyes as Wednesday slipped into her own bed, turning off the lamp with a soft click.
Darkness settled over the room. Enid could hear Wednesday's steady breathing, maddeningly calm while Enid's own thoughts refused to settle.
"Enid?" Wednesday's voice carried clear across the room.
"Yeah?"
"Thank you for letting me wax you. It was unexpectedly enjoyable."
"You're a sadist."
"I am aware."
"I'm glad you're my sadist." Enid smiled into her pillow.
"Sweet dreams, Wednesday."
"Goodnight, Enid."
The silence returned, but gentler now. Everything was fine. They were fine. Tomorrow she'd probably laugh at herself for overthinking this.
She was almost asleep when a new thought drifted through her mind.
Viper was getting a love interest. Viper, who Wednesday never admitted was based on herself. Viper, needed someone who was intelligent and resilient and intense, just like Wednesday said.
*I'm resilient.* Just like the person Viper would fall for.
Enid's eyes opened in the darkness.
*Stop over thinking it.* She forced them closed again.
But sleep was a long time coming.