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“This is the best croissant I’ve ever had,” Enid said excitedly, admiring the half-eaten croissant in her hand.
“You’ve said that about every croissant you’ve had so far. A concerning amount considering we just landed 6 hours ago.” Wednesday retorted, keeping her eyes on the crowd of people around her.
As usual, Enid paid her no mind, thoroughly enjoying the sights and the smell of her hot chocolate and croissant snack.
Thing was perched on her shoulder, tapping away some facts about the city as they strolled down the street, like an experienced tourist guide. Although Wednesday was constantly reminding them that their trip to Paris was meant to be short-lived and professional, focusing solely on following their lead on Aunt Ophelia, Enid was willing to make the best of their time there.
“Look! Souvenirs!” Thing tapped, making the werewolf turn around instantly.
“Cute!” Enid called, immediately dragging Wednesday by the arm with her towards the small store.
Wednesday only rolled her eyes at them, but otherwise allowed herself to be dragged away in a very uncharacteristic manner.
Enid, of course, had noticed these small licenses and how they had been happening not only since they had arrived in Paris but ever since she had been turned back into a human.
Wednesday no longer recoiled at accidental touches, but found herself standing just a bit closer to Enid and placing a cold, gentle hand over hers during quiet moments. And while Enid had always searched for every opportunity she could get to stand just a little closer to Wednesday, to have her touches linger just a little longer when placing a hand on her shoulder or grabbing her arm, she found herself testing the limits of these exemptions even more lately.
They stood with their shoulders pressed together while waiting for the subway. Enid placed her head on Wednesday’s shoulder when the long flight had begun to make her drowsy. They’d walk the Addams mansion hundreds of times with their arms linked, discussing old werewolf lore or the search for Aunt Ophelia. And every time, none would comment on it, but Enid would always catch those fleeting half-smiles on Wednesday’s face or the slight dust of pink on her pale cheeks, every time begging her beating heart to steady.
And now, with the city of lights as a background, it was safe to say Enid was having a hard time focusing on the case.
Especially now, as she caught a glimpse of Wednesday, standing by the entrance of the store as the sun began to set, casting sharp shadows over the seer’s already sharp features, and lighting those brown eyes with specks of gold.
A light tapping sound caught Enid’s attention back to reality, just in time before Wednesday turned to catch her staring.
“This is cute!” Thing signed, standing by a snowglobe of the Eiffel Tower.
“When you're done falling prey to another tourist trap, remember we are on a mission,” Wednesday said sharply, joining them as Enid admired the snowglobe happily.
Enid only rolled her eyes, still smiling, and went to grab the snowglobe and a tote bag to take with her.
“I just want to bring something back to Agnes. I still feel bad we didn't take her with us. She sounded disappointed on the phone.” Enid sighed as she crossed her arms. “I know I’d be.”
That was putting it mildly. Agnes was absolutely pissed, and Enid knew she herself would certainly throw a fit if Wednesday planned a trip to Paris for a case without her.
“She’ll get over it,” Wednesday said sternly.
But to the seer’s demise, she caught sight of Enid's pout, and before Wednesday could figure out why she was still talking, she found herself coming up with excuses.
“There was no time to wait for Agnes to reach us. Any lead we can get on my aunt Ophelia is extremely time sensitive.”
Enid nodded as they stepped back out, shouldering her new tote bag and refocusing on their task.
“Right. Where are we going anyway?” She asked as they crossed the street.
It was already sundown, the streetlamps had just turned on, and the bustling life of the city was just picking up. It was almost overwhelming for Enid, especially after spending so long all alone in the wilderness, and then in the company of only the Addams family for weeks. Not that she was complaining.
“We are going to the catacombs,” Wednesday said simply, leading them down the crowded street.
“Of course, the very first thing we do in Paris is mingle with corpses.” Enid sighed.
“Lucky us.”
Thing shared a fun fact about the catacombs that didn't help ease Enid's nerves, something about the sheer number of bones in there.
Ignoring the macabre comments, Enid picked up her pace to walk next to Wednesday, their shoulders bumping slightly as they did.
“Don’t tell me there might be a chance your aunt is down there,” Enid asked, concerned. This was not how she wanted to meet Wednesday's aunt.
“Highly unlikely. But a friend of hers is.”
“I know being mysterious is your entire thing, but I'm going to need you to explain now,” Enid said finally, crossing her arms.
Wednesday procured her aunt Ophelia’s diary and showed Enid one of the more legible pages.
The passage mentioned her aunt’s journeys in search of someone who could help her with her visions, mentioning a tip from a Romanian woman that led her to the city to search for the remains of a wise seer by the surname Lefèbvre.
It seemed too fantastic to be true, like an old mystery novel, but it was said that her bones could unlock an unusual type of vision, only on a “true Raven”, to make them able to tune into their psychic power and better control it, lest these powers would drive the psychic crazy.
It was unclear whether Aunt Ophelia succeeded in her search, citing a specific chamber of the catacombs but providing little more information after that.
Cryptic scribbles surrounded this passage, and after that, a bunch of diary pages seemed to have been ripped out, as they began talking about Ophelia’s continued search in Thailand.
Wednesday turned the page, explaining the secret code etched on the scribbles she had finally figured out after extensive research.
Seemingly, the bones’ exact location inside the catacombs.
“Seems a bit risky,” Enid said, pursing her lips. “I mean, your aunt’s search didn't end there, did it? What if the bones aren’t even there? Or what if it’s just a legend?”
“I’ve thought about that also.”
Wednesday procured another notebook, well-kept with neat handwriting that Enid would recognize anywhere.
“Aunt Ophelia dedicated many pages inside the diary to figuring out the exact location of the bones. With so many pages missing, it is uncertain whether she reached them or not, or whether they were any help to her at all. But after some research, I believe I was able to figure it out. And if it turns out to be just a legend, I should be able to, at least, unlock a vision of my aunt that could help us trace her next steps.”
Enid held onto her tote bag just a little tighter. She knew Wednesday’s plans were as risky as they were clever, but she had never liked the risky part much. Especially since said plans often meant near-fatal (or sometimes actually fatal) injuries for Wednesday.
“Should you be risking triggering visions in a place like that?” Enid asked.
Thing signed in agreement, in a way that told Enid they had had this conversation before.
“That’s why you’re here,” Wednesday said simply.
“I’m almost certain I can handle a vision like that at this point. But if I’m mistaken…” The word lingered, seemingly weighing on Wednesday. “I need you to administer this.”
Wednesday handed her something from her pocket, a small vial made out of crystal, containing a deep purple liquid that swirled inside.
“You have to drink this?” Enid asked, eyeing the strange item.
“No. That would kill me.” Wednesday replied, way too casual for Enid’s comfort. “Just place it close to my nose. The strong smell should help ground me and come back from the vision. It’s a concoction of herbs Grandmama prepared for me.”
Enid had many questions, as it was usual with Wednesday’s plans, mostly about how she had gotten that through airport security, but a different feeling overwhelmed her before she could ask anything. A warmth spread across her chest with the sensation of a familiar feeling, like she had been in this exact same spot before.
“I can't believe I missed this.” Enid sighed, but smiled fondly nevertheless.
The cirners of Wednesday’s lips twitshed up ever so slightly, matching the gesture for a quick second, and displaying a matching set of dimples that made Enid's heart flutter.
—
They had made a few more impromptu stops as they moved towards their objective, mostly because of Enid and Thing ogling at different stores and patisseries along the way, and it was late at night when they finally reached the square that housed the entrance to the catacombs.
Enid and Wednesday moved through the street with ease until they reached a barricaded construction site, sitting between the busy intersections, mostly ignored by pedestrians and cyclists as they crossed by it. Wednesday did not give any subtle sign that they would be going that way; she simply turned suddenly, getting lost among the crossing pedestrians, as Enid rushed to catch up.
Wednesday walked through the dusty site with ease, avoiding errant materials scattered around, as if she knew exactly where to go.
Enid had no time to protest, since they seemed to have reached their destination when Wednesday stopped in front of a sort of funerary iron structure, placed innocently by a small garden and some tall masonry buildings.
Had the street not been closed off, Enid assumed it would be as busy and crowded as every other street they had walked down so far, but now she could only hear the faint conversations of the crowds and the passing cars about a block away.
Unlike the other streets, this one was only dimly lit by a handful of industrial lights, scattered and left behind by the workers after their shift, it seemed.
An old poster to the side of the door read “Les catacombs du Paris” in an unexpectedly minimalistic font.
Wednesday crouched down in front of the huge, dark green doors, as Thing jumped out of her coat, immediately shivering as the cold night air hit his pale skin.
“Ready, Thing?” Wednesday asked.
The hand gave a quick salute before scurrying away, easily accessing a much more modern-looking area with offices and technical equipment.
Wednesday remained crouched down, procuring a lock-picking kit from her coat and getting to work on the huge iron doors.
“Keep watch,” Wednesday instructed simply, and Enid steadied her breath.
The cold autumn air bit into her skin, but that wasn’t the reason Enid was shaking; her werewolf anatomy and really cute new jacket were enough to keep her warm. It was the fear of getting caught breaking into a very restricted, very ancient place and potentially having to deal with police in a language she did not know how to speak.
And to make matters worse, Wednesday, who was currently picking the lock to enter this very restricted place, had placed her on lookout without a second thought or further explanation.
Another shiver ran down Enid’s spine as she looked around anxiously, doing her best to look casual on an empty construction site.
“Can’t we try a less arrest-worthy approach first? Blend in with a tour group, steal a worker badge, fake being interns?” Enid asked.
Wednesday stopped what she was doing for a second, turning slightly to regard Enid quickly.
“You’re becoming surprisingly comfortable with felonies,” Wednesday said as she continued to pick the lock, a slight tilt to her voice.
“You’re a terrible influence,” Enid muttered, though she sounded almost pleased about it.
Wednesday didn’t reply, but a satisfactory click echoed between them as they stepped into what looked like a museum’s visitor’s area, to be met with yet another, much more modern, bulletproof glass door.
Wednesday checked her pocket watch when the door opened with nothing more than a push.
“New record.” Wednesday said simply, mentally reminding herself to let Thing know the bypass was flawless.
Once inside, the air felt still somehow, and just as cold as the night air outside. Particles of dust danced around the light of the flashlight Enid was still holding, as their footsteps echoed around the long hallway.
A huge, dark tarp hung from the frame at the end of the path, surrounded by some boxes and expensive-looking equipment.
“The catacombs have been closed for renovations for a few months now. Which means no tours and very restricted access only for selected workers.” Wednesday explained.
“Besides.” She turned to Enid. “An additional challenge is always interesting.”
Wednesday moved the tarp for Enid to step through as the werewolf rolled her eyes. No time to back down now.
Stepping through the tarp revealed an entryway into a limestone cavern covered in spiderwebs and dust, with a few more equipment boxes scattered by the entry.
The dirt under their shoes cracked, echoing further into the cavern as the floor went from tile to cement paving and then limestone.
Despite the size of the room, Enid couldn’t help but feel claustrophobic all of a sudden. Luckily, there were no bones in sight just yet, but Enid did get an earthy scent she had become familiar with after rooming with Wednesday for so long.
“Where to now, Scoob?” Enid asked, standing at the end of the room where three different passageways led further into the catacombs.
Wednesday did not appreciate the nickname, but settled on not wasting time with threats. She simply took the diary out and began guiding them deeper into the catacombs, through passages and narrow staircases.
Enid checked her phone after a while, the terrible signal having rendered it useless the moment they stepped inside. They had been walking for at least an hour now, turning dusty, dark corners and going up and down passageways with walls lined with bones, as every footstep echoed deeper into the ancient chambers.
Enid did her best to fill the silence with the occasional question about Wednesday’s investigation, but while the seer did her best to answer every time, she had to remain focused on the code so as not to get lost. Or even more lost, at least.
“This place is super creepy, but I guess at least I get to say I visited a Paris landmark. Private tour and everything.” Enid commented at one point, lighting their path ahead, while Wednesday’s eyes remained glued to the diary.
The seer lifted her gaze for a second, guiding them through a fork in the tunnels, but hesitated on going back to the diary. Instead, Wednesday asked a question back.
“Where would you have liked to go?” She asked.
Enid thought about it for a second, not having expected an actual answer from Wednesday.
“Probably The Louvre.”
Wednesday hummed in response.
“I assumed you’d say the Eiffel Tower.”
Enid breathed out a laugh.
“Don’t get me wrong. I’d love to go, and go to Versailles and to the stairs John Wick fell down on in Sacre Coeur. And eat at an actual French bistro, maybe see other museums.” Enid shrugged then, the light of the flashlight moving with her as she spoke. “But I’ve always wanted to see The Louvre.”
A beat passed between them, just a second when the echoing footsteps and the crumbling pebbles didn’t seem so loud. Wednesday looked like she was about to say something, something that didn’t really want to leave the safety of her own mind, but she didn’t.
She looked down for a second at the diary and stopped suddenly, taking in her surroundings like she wasn’t quite sure how they had gotten there.
“We’re here,” Wednesday announced.
Enid swallowed hard, steadying her nerves as Wednesday looked up at one of the ossuaries. Unmarked and covered in centuries of spiderwebs, just like the ones surrounding it.
Wednesday stepped up to it before Enid could ask what the plan was, and out of instinct, Enid stepped closer to Wednesday, one hand lingering just behind the Addams’ back. She told herself that this was in case Wednesday would trigger the vision and fall backwards, and not because the sheer creepiness of the place had made Enid want to reach out for her friend since they entered.
Both of them stood still while Enid illuminated the fossilized remains with the flashlight.
“Ready?” Enid asked, more to herself than to Wednesday, who was already disposing of her coat and rolling her shirt sleeves.
Enid cursed Wednesday once more, this time for the way she thought how hot the gesture was even while surrounded by literally thousands of ancient corps.
Wednesday hesitated for a second, turning to look at Enid. Her dark brown eyes met deep blue, dimly lit and reflecting what little light the flashlight supplied. The long shadows over their features and the stillness of the place seemed to disclose every single thought going through their minds. Or most of them, at least.
“Ready.” Wednesday asserted.
Both of them took a deep breath as Wednesday turned back towards the remains, reaching for them as Enid illuminated the space as best as she could. A cracking sound and an almost wet splat resounded in the empty chamber as Wednesday reached deeper into the ossuary.
“Gross, gross, gross…” Enid muttered to herself, as if she were watching a horror movie.
Wednesday paid her no mind, as she worked carefully to move the delicate bones and spiderwebs out of the way.
With each rattle, Wednesday could feel the cold and humid sensation of bones and ancient fabric around her hands, but nothing seemed to happen. If this were in fact the correct bones, a vision should have been triggered the second she touched them, any kind of vision, really.
Wednesday’s grip on the delicate remains tightened slightly, frustration bubbling inside her, and a few small bones broke into dust over her hands. She reached deeper then, less carefully this time, and accidentally broke off what looked like a ribcage.
Enid noticed the tension on Wednesday’s shoulder, her scowl deepening, and her usually careful touch becoming more violent than necessary.
She was about to say something, maybe ready herself to comfort her best friend, when Wednesday’s hands closed around a small, dust-covered object.
Her head snapped upwards violently with one loud crack of her neck. and her eyes turned milky white as they rolled back inside Wednesday’s skull.
Enid caught her in time as the seer’s legs buckled, settling Wednesday's body to rest carefully over her coat, and kneeling down to hold her head on top of her legs.
Enid steadied a whimper at the sight of Wednesday, gasping for air in her arms as the vision struck her consciousness. A single streak of a black, gooey substance rolled down her right eye, a single tear, slightly different from the ones she had seen on the seer before. Enid felt a tear of her own roll down her left cheek, but quickly wiped it away. She had to stay focused.
The thought made her reach for the vial, safely hidden inside her pocket, to clutch at it like a lifeline for probably the fourth time that night.
Enid wiped the tear from Wednesday’s cheek too, leaving behind a faint streak of black.
“I’ve got you.” She whispered, her voice steadier this time.
Wednesday was quickly pulled into a vision the likes of which she had never experienced. Images in quick succession, blending aromas and blinding lights, followed by long shadows. Freezing winter cold and scorching summers. The screams of a woman resounded inside her skull, simultaneously too close and too far away.
For a quick second, Wednesday recognized a figure with long blonde hair, reaching into the darkness before her vision turned dark again, the usual pain in her neck tightening almost unbearably, as images in quick succession flashed before her eyes again.
Fire, hooded figures, a single strange symbol over and over again, and darkness.
A single minute passed, although it felt like an eternity, and Wednesday still hadn’t come back. Her visions were never meant to take much time; anything over two or three minutes could be dangerous to any seer, or so Wednesday had told her earlier, so Enid began to worry.
She took the vial out, ready to uncork it as she counted down from thirty out loud, doing her best to keep a steady rhythm, lest she cut the vision too fast or too late.
When her countdown ended, Enid steeled her nerves and opened the vial with a loud “pop”, placing it just under Wednesday’s nose with one hand and cradling her face with the other.
A sort of mist emanated from the vial, a gas of the same rich purple as the liquid inside it. Only then did Enid notice that the vial felt warmer, as if it had been heating up from the second it had been uncorked, due to a chemical reaction.
“Please work.” Enid pleaded, keeping the vial close to Wednesday as the seer continued to spasm.
The vial felt warmer and warmer in her hand, like the hot chocolate she had earlier, and Enid knew it wouldn’t be long before it could burn her skin. But she didn’t care. She stayed still, holding it up to Wednesday as her eyes scanned the Addams’ face for any sign of improvement.
Wednesday’s hand shot up, grabbing Enid’s instantly as she gasped for air and her eyes closed. Enid almost dropped the vial, but moved it away in time. She really didn’t want to find out what could happen if it dripped on Wednesday’s face or her hands.
The painful cough reverberated from Wednesday’s lips against the limestone walls, and her back arched as she turned to catch her breath. Enid caught a glimpse of those deep brown eyes she was always searching for, glossy from fresh tears that had gathered as Wednesday struggled to catch her breath.
Wednesday wiped the fresh tears and the remnants of the black goo from her eyes, steadying her breath, before she looked back at Enid.
“Thank you.” Wednesday breathed out. No more, no less.
Enid took another deep breath, half-whimpering into it, but feeling the relief wash over her finally. The hand that had been holding the vial previously now laid on Wednesday’s back, rubbing calming circles against it, as Enid focused on the frantic heartbeat behind it, slowing with each passing second.
“Are you okay?” Enid asked then, inspecting Wednesday for any injuries.
Only then did her eyes linger on the hand that Wednesday was still clutching, gentler this time, before she let go of it. Wednesday stood up hurriedly, dusting off her coat as she did.
“I’m okay.” She assured, her voice sounded steadier.
Her eyes darted between her coat, the vial, and the floor in an attempt not to catch Enid’s just yet, while the lingering feeling of the warm hand inside hers made her heartbeat shut up again.
Enid stood there, her hands hovering near Wednesday in case she needed to catch the seer again.
When Wednesday lifted her gaze, absent of tears this time, but still full of emotion, Enid settled down. She leaned down to grab the discarded flashlight once more, and only then did she notice what had triggered the vision.
It was a small diary, an almost perfect match to her aunt Ophelia’s, but smaller and much more worn out, with yellowed dusty pages that seemed seconds away from crumbling in Wednesday’s hands.
“Please tell me this was worth it,” the werewolf sighed.
Enid stared at the diary in Wednesday’s hands as she rummaged through it.
The notebook, or rather its leather-bound cover, emanated a putrid smell, something Enid had never smelled before. Not even when collecting roadkill with the Addams boys. It made her uneasy almost instantly.
Enid held the flashlight up as they inspected the object.
The writing inside it was hasty, and creepy scrawlings and drawings stood out on some of the pages, just like her aunt’s. It consisted mainly of annotations, most in French but some in English, until about the middle of the notebook, where the writing became less neat and legible, and some pages appeared to have been torn.
The name “Lefèbvre” was etched on the back cover, in barely legible, worn-out ink.
“It was,” Wednesday said simply, turning to look at a stunned Enid with a victorious glimmer in her eyes.
—
Back out into the street, the girls regrouped with Thing and rushed out of the construction site, blending into the crowd once more, which seemed to have doubled in size since they had entered the catacombs, with people everywhere rushing to get to their destinations or conversing in the terraces.
“I can’t believe you just found an ancient diary inside a ribcage.” Enid cried, trying to sound grossed out but mostly still riding the excitement that their adventure hadn’t been a bust.
“A surprisingly useful hiding space. I should take note.” Wednesday, added, still inspecting the notebook carefully.
She knew it was risky and that they probably should go back to the apartment to inspect it inside a controlled environment. After all, who knows what ancient bone dust could do to one’s lungs, or how long those old pages would hold up, but she couldn’t help herself.
“Does it mention the visions? Or the black tears?” Thig signed from his spot, perched on Enid’s shoulder.
“Nothing specific yet. But this diary definitely belonged to a powerful seer.”
Wednesday held it out slightly to show Enid and Thing a few passages as she translated.
Some mentioned visions coming to the author in dreams, mistaking them for machinations of the devil himself, before one vision managed to accurately predict the death of a close relative that the author was able to prevent. These visions were cryptic and haunting, but the author described them with great passion, like a gift they couldn’t quite understand yet. As the passages progressed, the seer described them more as a series of codes that aid them in understanding these visions, or rather, translate them.
It was incredible to stand in front of a piece of history like that, in front of the thing that had taken them to cross an entire ocean under the guise that it might be real. The thing that would finally help Wednesday control her powers, and maybe even help her aunt Ophelia.
Enid couldn’t help the small smile that took over her features, filled with hope and giddiness as Wednesday translated the words, occasionally filling in a word with modern French that made Enid get only a little bit distracted.
The busy streets weren’t so overwhelming anymore.
They were on their way back to the apartment, discussing their next steps, when that same uneasy feeling from the catacombs made Enid still.
Her ear picked up something, something approaching, like a looming presence coming for them.
Wednesday stopped with her, both of them nearly bumping into other busy pedestrians, and Thing tapped on her shoulder to ask if she was okay.
Enid couldn’t really explain it, but she felt the compulsion to turn around, just in time to see two hooded figures approaching them from the crowd. One of them, someone tall and burly, bumped into them forcefully, making Wednesday stumble as she tried to keep her balance.
A scrawnier figure passed by Enid, fading out of view just as it grabbed the notebook from Wednesday’s hands and ran down into the street. A vanisher, no doubt.
Before either Wednesday or Enid could react, the taller hooded figure was dashing behind the vanisher, avoiding the masses of people as best as possible.
“Thief!” Enid yelled as she and Wednesday ran after them, trying to get the attention of the people on the street to slow the culprits down.
The two girls launched into the street after the figures, despite the blaring horns of the angry drivers and the taxi that nearly ran over Wednesday. Enid waved at the taxi in a quick apology as they crossed, but the Addams paid no mind to it, focused solely on the culprits that were turning a corner onto a shop-lined street.
While Enid focused on the tall and strangely agile guy trying to lose them, Wednesday did her best to focus on the vanisher. Considering the chase they were giving, he would have to pop back into view soon.
The Addams reached for the knife she kept in her pocket, but among the crowd and with the culprit flashing in and out of view quickly, it was hard to get a clear shot.
From her side, Enid did her best to track the assailants. It was too quick an attack to lock in the essence of any of them, but Enid still tried, doing her best not to lose the guys in the crowd as she shoved pedestrians left and right.
Suddenly, the smell Enid had been fighting to hold on to seemed to dissipate, thinning into opposing directions.
“They split up!” Enid yelled, stopping suddenly in the middle of the square to try to focus.
“Who has the notebook?” Wednesday asked tartly.
She tried, but the myriad of smells among the crowd was overwhelming. Every sound or bump from the crowd was a distraction, one that could cost them their only lead.
Enid’s heart rate spiked, closing her eyes to try to focus, and then she caught it. That strange smell from earlier, she hadn’t been able to place.
“Over there!” She said, dragging Wednesday along once more onto the street while avoiding the traffic.
The vanisher had run down the opposite street onto the intersection, essentially getting lost in the crowd even without using his powers, but he wasn’t carrying the notebook anymore. His burly companion, clutching something inside his dark hoodie, was the source of the trail Enid had caught and was currently rushing down a metro entrance, blending easily into the sea of people coming in and out of it.
With each twist and turn inside the labyrinthine station, they almost lost him, especially after having to jump over the turnstiles, adding yet another felony to their short stay in Paris.
Just as they reached the platform, having shoved most of the other pedestrians in their chase, the metro doors were already beeping, signaling their closing, and for the users to step away.
Their target managed to scrape by just in time, pulling into the crowded wagon forcefully as the doors closed.
Enid jumped the remaining distance onto the platform, her claws extending quickly but to no avail. The subway doors finished closing on her, and a sharp screech hurt her ears as her claws closed around fast-moving metal
“Dammit.” Enid groaned, watching the subway disappear down the line and into a dark tunnel.
Wednesday caught up with her then, looking calm as usual, opposing Enid’s heavy breathing and apparent anger.
“I almost had him!” Enid groaned, exasperated.
On pure instinct, she swiped her claws at the empty space where the subway doors had been just then, so close to reach her target, so close to save their entire mission from being a total waste of time.
She didn’t catch Wednesday’s eyes lingering before she spoke up.
“You gave a good chase.” The Addams said, much calmer than she should’ve been at the prospect of losing their only clue.
But before Enid could ask if Wednesday had gone crazy, a familiar hand came sauntering onto the platform from the rails, carrying the mysterious notebook with him.
Thing signed happily, agreeing with Wednesday as he handed her the notebook.
“You’re the best, Thing,” Enid said with a smile.
Couldn’t have done it without you. He signed back at her.
Wednesday nodded in silent agreement.
—
In between their stealth mission and the wild chase inside the Paris metro, it had gotten late.
Late enough that the seemingly endless crowd had started to thin, and only a handful of people remained walking the dimly lit streets as the restaurants and bars began to close.
The only sounds around were the faint screeching of cars driving down the main street or the conversations of people in a bar a few blocks down. That and the echoes of two sets of boots, walking down an empty alley, as Enid and Wednesday made their way back to the apartment.
Wednesday had insisted that Thing take the diary, being able to move through the rooftops and sewers more discreetly, in case their assailants came back.
Many more questions than the ones they had answered lingered. Who were those people? What did they want with the diary? How did they know how to find them?
Enid voiced every single one of those questions and some of their theories as they walked. And each time, Wednesday assured that there was no way of knowing yet, but that they would soon.
That did not suffice to soothe the wolf’s nerves, but at least they would be on their way back home by tomorrow, hopefully out of harm’s way in the Addams mansion.
“The apartment is this way.” Enid pointed out casually as Wednesday turned on a corner to head the opposite side.
“I know.” Wednesday said simply, crossing the street.
She didn’t wait for Enid, trusting she would follow. And she did, with a quick roll of her eyes.
“If you’re looking for those jerks, I told you, the trail went cold,” Enid said, crossing her arms as she fell into rhythm with Wednesday.
“I know.” Wednesday said simply. “I thought we could make one more stop for the night.”
Rounding another corner of a tree-lined street, just beyond the old brick buildings around them, stood a huge square, with a single glass pyramid in the middle, surrounded by an ancient-looking masonry building.
The fountain on the other end of the square was still running, as only a handful of groups and huddled-up couples marched through it towards their respective destinations, paying little thought to it.
Enid recognized the structure instantly.
She turned to look at Wednesday, an excited laugh escaping her as she dragged the seer along with her, further inside the square.
The gorgeous pyramid seemed to tower over them even more as they got close to it, surrounded in all directions by thousands of Renaissance-style windows, and Enid smiled at the light of the street lamps reflecting off the water mirrors around them.
Once they were close enough, Enid wasted no time taking out her phone to snap a few pictures, including one stealthy picture of Wednesday by the fountain that she hoped the Addams wouldn’t demand her to delete.
Enid felt over the moon, running around the huge square as she surrounded the pyramid in all directions, mesmerized by the scenery all around her.
Wednesday simply hung back, walking after Enid as she watched the wolf enjoy the sights and take pictures of whatever she found interesting. A small smile threatened to pull her lips, but Wednesday stopped it just in time.
“Are you ready to go in?” Wednesday asked after a while.
Enid stopped instantly, turning to look at Wednesday like she had just seen a ghost.
“Wednesday, we are not breaking into the Louvre!” Enid cried.
At least with the catacombs, they could maybe feign ignorance, come up with an excuse, and play the dumb American tourist card. But breaking into one of the most important museums in the world, knowingly and oh so casually, had to be enough to get them in serious trouble that not even the legal expertise of Gómez could spare them from.
“I thought you wanted to go,” Wednesday said simply as she walked away from the square towards an adjacent street.
Enid followed her before she realized where they were going.
“I meant, like, tomorrow morning! Not doing it the way people get 10 years of prison if they get caught!”
“If they get caught.”
“Wednesday…” Enid warned.
Enid stomped, setting her foot down, literally, as Wednesday stopped by a dark alley that led back around to the museum, towards the restricted service area of the building.
Wednesday sighed at Enid’s pouting.
“I asked Thing to disable the security system for a few minutes after he secured the diary.” Wednesday explained. “We have about 30 minutes before the guards start to get suspicious. Not a lot of time to look at the Louvre but plenty to get to some of the more remarkable pieces."
Enid hesitated, her arms falling to her sides.
“So it’s already down?” She asked.
A familiar glint sparked in Wednesday’s eyes, the one that meant she had already won the argument and simply had to seal the deal. Enid hated that she recognized it.
“It’s already done. No security system, no cameras. And the pieces remain locked, for good measure.” She assured Enid.
The blonde took another deep breath, looking around at the empty area, dreading the excitement taking over her body as she anxiously tapped her fingers against her arm.
“Okay!” She said, lifting her arms in surrender. “But only 30 minutes!”
That mischievous glint was back in Wednesday’s eyes, for good this time, as they simply sauntered into the area like it was nothing. Wednesday guided Enid further down the alley until the noise of the square faded behind them, swallowed by the old stone buildings surrounding the museum.
The bright lights illuminating the pyramid no longer reached this far. Here, only a handful of dim wall lamps lit the narrow service road running alongside the massive structure.
Enid shoved her hands deeper into her jacket pockets as they walked past a row of delivery entrances and locked maintenance gates.
“This somehow feels more illegal than the catacombs,” she muttered.
“That’s because it is.”
After that, it was a quick walk down pristine, white corridors lined with offices and secured vaults, until one last turn led them to the stairs, and to stand just outside an emergency exit.
Wednesday nodded once before approaching one of the unremarkable steel service doors tucked into the stone wall. Unlike the grand entrances at the front of the museum, this one looked painfully ordinary, with only a keypad and a faded employee access sign beside it.
“You’re telling me one of the most famous museums in the world is protected by a sad little door?” Enid asked in disbelief.
“You’d be surprised by how many places lack this thoroughly in their security,” Wednesday replied as she punched some numbers into the keypad.
The door chimed, startling Enid, but otherwise opened instantly.
As Wednesday held the door open for her in a weirdly chivalrous gesture, Enid’s heart felt as if it would beat out of her chest any minute now, lost in a mixture of excitement, fear, and just a little bit of annoyance at how easily Wednesday had convinced her to commit yet another crime on the same night.
But as they turned from a long hallway into the main wing of the museum, everything was forgotten.
The final service door opened with a quiet metallic click, and beyond it stretched a short marble corridor, dimly lit and painfully ordinary compared to the grandeur waiting somewhere beyond it. A row of closed restroom doors lined one wall, interrupted only by an emergency exit sign glowing red against the pale stone.
Their footsteps echoed softly as they moved through it, muffled now by thick marble and old walls instead of the sounds of the city outside.
A massive gallery stretched out before them beneath vaulted ceilings so high they disappeared into shadow, supported by towering arches and pale stone columns that made the entire room feel more like a cathedral than a museum. The polished marble floors reflected the dim golden glow of the night lights scattered throughout the hall, broken only by the silhouettes of statues standing motionless in every direction.
Gods. Warriors. Women draped in flowing stone robes. Ancient heroes frozen mid-motion atop enormous pedestals.
Some Enid recognized instantly from books and school lessons. Others she didn’t, but all of them seemed almost unnervingly alive in the silence of the empty museum.
And there, further ahead, rising above the monumental staircase at the center of the wing, stood a massive marble figure with spread wings, illuminated against the pale stone behind it like an apparition.
For a second, Enid forgot entirely that they were trespassing.
-
By the time they reached the Italian paintings, the initial panic of being inside the Louvre illegally had long faded into something softer.
The museum remained impossibly quiet around them, every distant hallway swallowed in darkness while only a handful of galleries remained dimly illuminated for the night staff. Their footsteps echoed softly against polished marble as they wandered past centuries-old paintings and towering gilded frames.
Somewhere along the way, they had fallen into easy conversation.
As they left the Salle des États, Enid snorted loudly enough that the sound echoed through the empty gallery, thanks to a comment from Wednesday about how most of the “popular” works were thoroughly overrated, and their popularity was merely fed by marketing ploys and pitiful theft attempts.
Enid tilted her head, taking in as many of the other paintings as possible for such a short visit.
“With all due respect to DaVinci, not really one of my favorites from him.”
Wednesday stared at the paintings with Enid, with more interest than she had paid to the Mona Lisa inside the prior room.
“Its cultural significance has long surpassed its artistic merit.” She replied casually.
Enid turned toward her with visible delight.
“Oh my God, you’re an art snob.”
“I prefer to be called selective.” Wednesday sighed through her nose in clear ofense.
Enid smiled to herself as they continued walking, and after a moment, Wednesday checked her pocket watch.
“We have time for one more painting in this section,” she said. “Anything in particular you’d like to see?”
Enid thought about it for a second, gaze drifting across the endless gallery halls surrounding them. Then she looked back at Wednesday.
“What’s your favorite?”
Wednesday hesitated for a second, but not because she didn’t know the answer. Quite the opposite.
“It’s in another wing,” she said finally. “We would have to move considerably faster if we intend to see it before the security system reactivates.”
A grin spread across Enid’s face instantly.
“Well,” she said, a sudden wave of bravery taking over her as she reached for Wednesday’s hand before she could overthink it. “Then lead the way.”
Wednesday went still, tensing at the touch as her eyes dropped briefly to their joined hands, like she hadn’t fully processed the gesture yet.
Then, without a word, her fingers closed around Enid’s, and suddenly they were running.
Not recklessly, but fast enough that their footsteps echoed sharply through the empty halls as Wednesday guided them through archways, staircases, and endless corridors lined with paintings worth more money than Enid could even conceptualize.
Enid laughed breathlessly somewhere along the way, as time seemed to slow down around her. She closed her eyes for a second, willing to miss some of the paintings and sculptures as they passed them by if it meant she would be able to remember this moment. Wednesday never let go of her hand once.
Finally, after one last turn through a darkened gallery, Wednesday slowed.
“There.”
Enid’s eyes widened.
The painting towered over them from the far wall of the chamber, enormous and impossibly dramatic beneath the dim museum lights. Bodies tangled together atop a collapsing raft amidst a violent sea, some reaching desperately toward a distant ship while others already lay motionless beneath them.
The golden plaque beneath it read: “The Raft of the Medusa.”
Enid stared at it silently as they approached.
“It’s gruesome and raw,” Wednesday said quietly beside her, her voice echoing softly through the empty room. “Depicts the agonizing last minutes of a crew whose ship sank.” A pause. “It has many reproductions, but none manage to rival Géricault’s original.”
Enid could absolutely see why Wednesday loved it.
It was dark and violent, but it wasn’t trying to make the violence beautiful. The painting felt desperate and fairly terrifying, but also human and even hopeful, despite itself.
“It’s incredible,” Enid breathed.
But when she turned toward Wednesday again, she realized the Addams was no longer looking at the painting. She was looking at her instead, seemingly unbothered about the fact that Enid had caught her.
The realization made warmth creep instantly into Enid’s face, and she found she didn’t care about whether the dim lights would be enough to hide it.
“Thank you for taking me here, Wednesday.”
Something softened almost imperceptibly in Wednesday’s expression at the words. She felt breathless, her heart racing, but not from their race to reach the painting.
And before Enid could lose her nerve, she leaned forward and pressed a small kiss against Wednesday’s cheek.
Wednesday stilled.
Her shoulders tensed beneath Enid’s hand for the briefest second before relaxing again just as quickly.
Against every instinct inside the Addams, she didn’t pull away.
Enid lingered there for a moment too long, close enough now that it no longer felt possible to mistake this for something platonic.
Wednesday turned her head slightly, meeting Enid’s eyes for a long second before they drifted down. Enid noticed, and it was the final push she needed to quiet the annoying voice inside her head that told her to pull away.
Warm breath tingled her nose as Wednesday took a deep breath, and her eyes fluttered closed before she could register it.
The next thing Enid knew, soft lips were meeting hers in a kiss that sent her brain into overdrive.
It took a while to register that she was, in fact, standing in the middle of The Louvre, kissing Wednesday Addams.
Enid’s hands reached up to cup Wednesday’s cheeks, noticeably warmer than they had felt earlier inside the catacombs but still impossibly soft. And then, delivering the killing blow to her heart, Wednesday’s head turned slightly to the side, deepening the kiss as a hand came to rest on Enid’s neck, while the other found her hips, pulling her closer.
Enid sighed into the kiss. A kiss that tasted of black coffee and smelled like lavender in an almost intoxicating way, as her hand moved to get lost inside raven hair.
She hadn’t noticed her claws had come out slightly until Wednesday whimpered faintly into the kiss, effectively wiping any other thoughts inside Enid’s head, setting into the new objective of exerting that sound over and over again.
Wednesday’s hand remained pulling at her waist as she had fully turned to stand closer to Enid, while her other hand snaked up her neck, leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake.
It was everything Enid had imagined and so much more at the same time, and she wondered why she hadn’t done it before. She thought back to all those times she had had a chance but had been too scared to do so, and deemed herself a coward no more.
Wednesday's defenses had effectively fallen away the second Enid had dared direct those bright blue eyes at her from such proximity, sealing her fate as an estrange warmth spread across her entire body, and she thought that if she were to drop dead right then and there, death’s kiss lingering on her lips, drowning in the smell of vanilla and sweet pastries, she would die happily.
But the moment was short-lived. A voice echoed down the other end of the hallway, making them separate instantly.
“Hé! Vous deux! Qu’est-ce que vous faites ici !?”
Wednesday and Enid turned suddenly, immediately missing the warmth of their bodies pressed against each other, watching as two guards with lanterns appeared by the main entrance of the hallway.
The girls barely had any time to react, but luckily, Wednesday had planned an escape route the moment they had arrived.
She grabbed onto Enid’s hand, much like before, and dashed with the wolf down the corridor, rushing past gorgeous ornate hallways and back out the fire exit.
They made it out of the building just as the alarms started to blare all around them and the doors locked loudly, the sound of police sirens already approaching from the distance.
Wednesday and Enid never stopped running, not until they reached a dark enough alleyway where they could hide, watching the police cars rush down the main street towards the museum, pressed against the cold brick wall, trying to remain hidden in the shadows until the cars passed them by.
Wednesday’s chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath, and she looked down once the sirens were far enough to notice she was still holding Enid’s hand.
The blonde was struggling to catch her breath too, looking out at the police cars disappearing around a corner.
Their eyes met once more, and Enid let out a breathless laugh she had been holding the entire time. The corners of Wednesday’s mouth twitched up, and there was that mischievous glint from before, back to wreak havoc on Enid’s heart.
She decided to listen to her instincts one last time, wrapping Wednesday in her arms to kiss her again. And again. And again.